Dramas to Watch Out for in 2024

Published on 2024/01/02 | Source

The Year of the Dragon has come at last and well-made dramas are 'killer content' that will determine the success or failure of a work. As KBS2's "Love Song for Illusion" director Lee Jung-seob said at the production presentation, it has become clearer that OTT and cable drama content are now leading the market, and terrestrial broadcasters are in the position of challengers.

This year, many dramas to be loved by viewers are waiting to be chosen. Sports Trend aims to compile a list of valuable dramas to decorate the year's first half of the Year of the Dragon to reduce the difficulties of viewers' choice in the first half. It may be used as a reference for choosing a channel.

OTT content, which stormed the home turf in 2020 in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, will return as sequels after two or three years. Along with two popular works, cutting-edge works in the new year await subscribers.

What attracts our attention the most is Netflix's sequel series. Netflix will introduce sequels to "Squid Game" ("Squid Game - Season 2"), "Hellbound" ("Hellbound - Season 2"), and "Juvenile Justice" ("Juvenile Justice - Season 2") in 2024. They are expected to widen their worldview. "Weak Hero Class 1", which was popular on wavve last year, has moved and its second season "Weak Hero Class 2" will be released on Netflix.

Other notable figures include "Kingdom - Season 3", "Chicken Nugget" starring Ahn Jae-hong and Ryu Seung-ryong, "A Killer Paradox" by Choi Wooshik and Son Sukku, and dystopian "Parasyte: The Grey" directed by Yeon Sang-ho. "Chicken Nugget" is a rescue story of a father whose daughter turned into a chicken nugget, and "A Killer Paradox" is a pursuit drama of a killer and a detective. The worldview of the popular Japanese cartoon "Parasyte: The Grey" is embodied by director Yeon Sang-ho's universe.

Disney+ will unveil "YOUTH", which deals with BTS's worldview. TVING will reveal "Dreaming of Cinde Fxxxing Rella" which Baek Mi-kyeong participated as a creator, and "LTNS", an affair scandal involving Ahn Jae-hong and Esom. Coupang Play will unveil "Influenza - Drama", which stars BLACKPINK JISOO. "Secret Forest" writer Lee Soo-yeon-I is also moving toward the OTT platform and preparing to unveil "Blood Free".

In the new year, CJ ENM's tvN and JTBC will form a two-way system for works on cable channels and general programming channels. On top of that, ENA, which started pouring out works last year, will throw in a check ball.

tvN's "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon", in which Jung Ryeo-won and Wi Ha-jun will show the romance of an academy instructor, and "Captivating the King" by Cho Jung-seok and Shin Se-kyung, which depicts the fate of a spy in the background of the Joseon Dynasty, draw attention. JTBC features Lee Ji-ah and Kang Ki-young's "Queen of Divorce", Park Shin-hye's doctors' ruined life CPR, and Park Hyung-sik's "Doctor Slump".

ENA tries to differentiate itself by telling the story of a lonely photographer who takes pictures of dead people in "The Midnight Studio" starring Joo Won, Kwon Nara, and Eum Moon-suk.

Terrestrial broadcasters, including KBS, MBC and SBS, gave up a lot of control over the small screen to cable channels, general programming channels, and OTT platforms one by one after another in the 2020s. However, MBC and SBS are preparing to counterattack, focusing on their successful hits.

MBC immediately prepared "Knight Flower" with Lee Hanee and Lee Jong-won-I as its first Friday and Saturday drama in January. It is followed by Kim Nam-joo's revenge drama "Wonderful World". There is also "Chief Detective 1958" starring Lee Je-hoon.

SBS's "The Escape of the Seven" follow-up, "The Escape of the Seven: Resurrection" written by Kim Soon-ok have been arranged in March. Attention is focused on whether Kim will be able to make up for the less-than-expected outcome of Season 1 with even greater stimulation. "Flex X Cop" starring Park Ji-hyun and Ahn Bo-hyun, will take the lead.

In KBS2, Kim Ha-neul and Yeon Woo-jin's melodramatic thriller "Nothing Uncovered" will be a Monday-Tuesday drama, and Ji Hyun-woo and Im Soo-hyang will be cast in the weekend drama "Beauty and Mr. Romantic", in which they will defend their traditional strong time.