What says “happy holidays” better than watching your favourite contender make a grand return to stop one of the most dangerous games in Korea? Or, rooting for a struggling K-pop trainee who leaves no stone unturned to make his dream a reality? From Squid Game season 2 to The Starry Night, these upcoming K-drama titles will keep your December 2024 bingeing session merry.
While the entire year was full of surprises for K-drama lovers with top-rated shows like Mr. Plankton and Lovely Runner, December 2024 will see the return of the highly anticipated season 2 of the Netflix global hit Squid Game.
The first season of the series premiered in 2021 and recorded over 1.65 billion hours of viewership in the first 28 days of release. One of the most-watched K-dramas on Netflix of all time, it also won six Primetime Emmy Awards in 2022, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Hwang Dong-hyuk and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Lee Jung-jae.
According to Netflix, season 2 will see protagonist Gi-hun (played by Lee) once again playing a series of deadly childhood games that will challenge his morals. Talking to the OTT platform about the new season, director Hwang said, “I do have a lot on my shoulders, but I’ll make sure it’s worth the wait.” Squid Game season 2 premieres worldwide on Netflix on 26 December 2024.
Another upcoming K-drama that will keep viewers entertained in December 2024 is The Starry Night. Starring Twinkling Watermelon‘s Ryeoun and Mask Girl’s Go Hyun-jung, the show is inspired by the entertainment industry and will explore the dark side of fame in K-pop.
Other notable K-drama titles set to hit the screens in December 2024 are Light Shop and Sorry Not Sorry. According to streaming giant Disney Plus Hotstar, Light Shop will “delve into the depths of human experience and explore the themes of life, death and what truly makes us human”. Meanwhile, Sorry Not Sorry, which promises an engaging plot, marks the Netflix debut of Korean actor Jeon So-min, known for hits like Cleaning Up (2022) and Top Star U-Back (2018).
These upcoming K-drama titles will keep you hooked in December 2024
1 /6
Directed by: Kim Hee-won
Cast: Bae Seong-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, Park Bo-young, Lee Jung-eun
Episodes: 8
Streaming platform: Disney Plus Hotstar
Synopsis: A group of strangers struggling to move on from a traumatic event, are mysteriously drawn to a shop selling lighting fixtures. Guarded by introverted owner Jung Won-yeong (Ju), the light shop could be the key to the group’s agonies.
About the show: It is a Korean drama adaptation of the webtoon Shop of the Lamp by Kang Full.
2 /6
Directed by: Min Ji-young
Cast: Jeon So-min, Choi Daniel, Gong Min-jung, Jang Hee-ryung
Episodes: 12
Streaming platform: Netflix
Synopsis: After being dumped by her husband, newlywed Ji Song-yi (Jeon) struggles to pay off her home loan. She takes up multiple part-time jobs and decides to keep up the facade of being happily married to remain a part of the married townswomen group. What happens when Song-yi finds herself trapped in an even bigger problem because of her ruse?
3 /6
Directed by: Park Yong-soon
Cast: Kim Hae-sook, Jung Ji-so, Jung Jin-young
Episodes: 12
Streaming platform: KBS2
Synopsis: Oh Mal-soon (Kim) is a woman in her 70s who magically finds herself in the body of her 20-year-old self (Jung Ji-so) after having her picture taken at a mysterious photo studio. Taking advantage of her youthful appearance, she decides to pursue her age-old dream of becoming a singer.
4 /6
Directed by: Myung Hyun-woo
Cast: Bae In-hyuk, Jung Gun-joo, Kim Ji-Eun, Park Jae-chan, Yoon Je-moon
Episodes: 16
Streaming platform: Channel A
Synopsis: Prince Lee Eun (Bae) hides his identity and begins working as an intern in Joseon’s largest inn, Yongcheonru. He finds a friend in fellow intern Hong Deok-soo (Kim), a woman disguised as a man. Soon, Deok-soo falls for the prince. Will she give up her facade for love?
5 /6
[2차 티저]
해임 된 스타제작자와 계약만료 된 연습생…ENA 새 월화 드라마 <나미브>
12월 23일 [월] 밤 10시 첫방송 #ENA #ENA월화드라마 #ENA드라마 #나미브 #Namib #고현정 #KoHyunjung #려운 #Ryeoun #윤상현 #YoonSangHyun #이진우 #LEEJINWOO #지니TV오리지널 pic.twitter.com/45NvwXikga— ENA_official (@Channel_ENA) November 22, 2024
Directed by: Jung Da-won and Han Sang-jae
Cast: Go Hyun-jung, Ryeoun, Yoon Sang-hyun
Episodes: 12
Streaming platform: ENA
Synopsis: When Yoo Jin-u (Ryeoun), a struggling K-pop trainee, crosses paths with star producer Kang Su-hyun (Go), the latter promises to make him one of the best K-pop idols in Korea. Helping the duo in their journey is music producer Sim Jun-seok (Yoon).
6 /6
Directed by: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Park Sung-hoon, Gong Yoo
Episodes: TBA
Streaming platform: Netflix
Synopsis: Seong Gi-hun (Lee), who made it out alive from the life-threatening game in season 1, rejoins the competition to stop the cruel games after discovering new players being recruited once again.
