Latest news with #MoonGa-young
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Korean dramas are breaking up with romance? Here's what we know
No More "Love At First Sight" - It's All About Squad Goals Now Remember when every K-drama, no matter how wild the plot, had to squeeze in a love story? Detectives chasing criminals, surgeons saving lives, lawyers burning the midnight oil - and yet, somehow, they'd always find time for a dramatic romance. But 2025 is serving up a whole new vibe. Korean dramas are finally breaking free from the "must-have romance" rule, and honestly, it's a breath of fresh air for anyone who's ever rolled their eyes at a forced love line. Take ENA's latest hit, "Salon de Holmes." Set in a massive apartment complex, this show is a wild, comic-action ride starring four women who are anything but ordinary. There's Gong Mi-ri (Lee Si-young), a housewife with Sherlock-level deduction skills; Choo Kyung-ja (Jung Young-joo), a former ace detective known as the "female Ma Dong-seok"; Park So-hee (Kim Da-som), a single mom juggling five part-time jobs; and Jeon Ji-hyun (Nam Ki-ae), an insurance queen with next-level street smarts. Together, they take down the villains threatening their peaceful apartment life - from cheating spouses to school bullies and even illegal garbage dumpers. Director Min Jin-ki calls it "a drama by women, for women, starring women." And he's not kidding. Instead of romance, "Salon de Holmes" is all about fierce friendship, loyalty, and the kind of "womance" that makes you want to call your besties and start a girl gang. The show's blend of action, comedy, and real-life struggles is giving viewers major catharsis - and the ratings prove it. Starting at 1.3%, it shot up to a peak of 3.4% by episode 6, which is huge for a newer cable channel like ENA. Lawyers, Not Lovers - "Seocho-dong" Is Serving Realness Seocho-dong refers to the area where Korea's courts, prosecutors' offices, and lawyers' offices are concentrated, and represents the legal community. If you thought the no-romance trend was a fluke, think again. "Seocho-dong" is doubling down. When news broke that Moon Ga-young and Lee Jong-suk were cast, everyone expected a classic K-drama love line. But the promos? Not a single mention of romance. The first episode, which aired on July 5, focused entirely on the daily grind of five associate lawyers hustling in Seoul's legal district. Moon Ga-young plays Kang Hee-ji, a rookie lawyer with a heart of gold, while Lee Jong-suk is the seasoned pro Ahn Joo-hyung. The show, written by an actual lawyer, is all about the struggles, ambitions, and friendships of young professionals just trying to survive the workweek. Even if a romance does pop up, it's clear it won't be the main event. Instead, "Seocho-dong" is giving us slice-of-life vibes, relatable workplace drama, and the kind of character growth that hits different when you're in your twenties and figuring out your own path. Genre Over Romance - The New K-Drama Formula It's not just these two shows. Upcoming dramas like MBC's "Mary Kills People" and JTBC's "Esquire" are also ditching the love lines to focus on genre and story. "Mary Kills People" follows a doctor helping terminal patients with assisted death, while "Esquire: Lawyers Dreaming of Lawyers" is about a rookie lawyer learning the ropes from a top partner. Both are more interested in exploring tough issues, personal growth, and the bonds between colleagues than in shoehorning in a romance just for the sake of it. Back in the day, even the most hard-hitting genre dramas would awkwardly squeeze in a love story to attract more viewers. But thanks to the rise of OTT platforms and a more global audience, Korean dramas are finally realizing that not every story needs a love line to be a hit. In fact, some of the most buzzed-about series lately are the ones that skip romance altogether and focus on friendship, ambition, and the real struggles of modern life.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lee Jong-Suk ends 3-year K-drama hiatus with 'Law and the City' - 3 big reasons why this show deserves the spotlight
Suit up - K-dramaland is heading to the courtroom! The new tvN K-drama Law and the City follows five young attorneys who make waves at one of Seoul's leading law firms. With high-stakes cases, personal rivalries, and sexual office heat, this series has everything fans want in terms of emotional and professional drama. Interestingly, the drama also features the much-anticipated return of star Lee Jong-Suk after a three-year absence. He appears opposite Moon Ga-young, who lends her trademark charm to this legal romance series. As fans eagerly await the show's launch on tvN on July 5, 2025, with global streaming on Viki, here are three compelling reasons why it needs to be highlighted. Five lawyers in Seocho-dong's legal district tackle cases, grow through challenges, and forge a tight-knit friendship.👨⚖️💼#LawandTheCity Premieres 6 July l Every Sun & Mon 21:15 (GMT+8)#tvNAsia #BestKoreanEntertainment #24hrExpress #LeeJongSuk #MunKaYoung Lee Jong-Suk returns in a role tailor-made for him After three long years, Lee Jong-Suk returns - and he's not the man you remember. As Ahn Ju-Hyeong in Law and the City, he's a cold, calculating legal mind with zero interest in being the hero. Suited up and sharper than ever, his chilling transformation is already stealing the spotlight and is also setting the tone for one of the most anticipated comebacks in K-drama. After 3 long years, Lee Jong-suk finally returns to the small screen as sharp-tongued lawyer Ahn Ju-hyeong in !🎊🥰#LawandTheCity Premieres 6 July l Every Sun & Mon 21:15 (GMT+8)#tvNAsia #BestKoreanEntertainment #24hrExpress #LeeJongSuk #MunKaYoung A battle of values at the heart of the story On the other end of the legal spectrum is Kang Hui-Ji (played by Moon Ga-young), a compassionate, idealistic attorney who believes that even small acts can change lives. While Ju-Hyeong sticks strictly to logic and the rulebook, Hui-Ji leads with heart. Their clash of values creates an emotional battleground at the firm and it will be interesting to see if their opposing philosophies will push them apart or pull them into something neither expected? Order in the court... and in the restaurant 🏛️🍽️ Make room for a slice of #LeeJongSuk and #MunKaYoung's newest drama #LawAndTheCity ⚖️🏙️ premiering July 5, only on #Viki*Exclusive in most regions New chemistry alert: Lee Jong-Suk x Moon Ga-young It will be the first time that Lee Jong-Suk and Moon Ga-young will be sharing the screen. On social media, early hints of their chemistry have already gone viral. Their opposing energies combine with scorching intensity, have shown early signs of their chemistry which has already taken social media by storm. This isn't only a casting coup, but also a potential K-drama power couple in the works. For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.
