In April and May 2026, Korean weekend dramas have not ceased to delight audiences. It feels as if the old tradition of "getting hooked on an ongoing series" is back – something you dread, you curse, yet still feel that thrilling flutter of anticipation for a whole week (!) – a completely insane concept in the age of Netflix and other OTT platforms.

Korea has given us three charming characters: a prince, a white-collar employee and a jobless man, each commanding our attention.

Byeon Woo Seok and "Perfect Crown"

(21세기 대군 부인, 21st Century Prince's Wife) 
MBC, Friday-Saturday

Much has been written about this series, and it was highly anticipated thanks to its star duo – Byeon Woo Seok and IU. And the drama lived up to expectations.

It is a classic rom-com set in a fantastically preserved Korean monarchy woven into the modern world of IT and parliamentarism. IU plays a chaebol heiress who wants to rise up the social ladder and marry an aristocrat. And among all the aristocrats, she chooses the prince regent for his young nephew – her former classmate (Byeon Woo Seok).

The series started with a rating of 7.8% and reached 15.4% by episode 10. The perfectly matched pair of Byeon Woo Seok and IU played a leading role in this success.

Byeon Woo Seok receives both criticism and praise – for the very same reason: his subtle acting, without excessive facial movements or arm waving, allows the viewer to feel both the royal dignity and the depth of the character's emotional experiences. He embodies an idealised composite image that, at the slightest false note, could have become ridiculous. "If you ask for something, I will give you anything. I'm just telling you to take it. It doesn't matter what I give – money, honour or my heart. Just accept it." Lines like these are truly difficult to deliver without sounding unnaturally pompous. Byeon Woo Seok succeeded in that.

It is also worth noting that in this series, not only the main couple but all the supporting ones are engaging and lively. The pair of senior secretaries played by Yoo Soo Bin and Lee Yeon, the couple consisting of the heroine's brother and his wife played by Lee Jae Won and Byeon Seo Yoon, and even the "dark" pair – the empress and the prime minister (Noh Sang Hyun and Gong Seung Yun) – all are wonderful and create a light, positive mood for the end of the workweek.

Read more: "Perfect Crown" ranked 3rd in premiere episode ratings in its MBC time slot.

Gong Myung and "Filing for Love"

(은밀한 감사, Secret Audit, Secret Gratitude)
tvN, Saturday-Sunday

"Filing for Love" is a story about the daily life of an internal audit department, built on the clash between a strict boss, Ju I Na, and a disgraced former "golden employee", No Ki Jun. This pair represents the classic dynamic of a powerful woman and a submissive man.

Interestingly, the word "audit" that appears in both the English and Russian titles can cause confusion in the first few episodes, because an audit typically involves examining financial documents for compliance with laws or internal regulations. In this series, however, it is more about a kind of morals police or ethics committee that investigates cases of questionable conduct – from harassment and abuse of authority by a superior to improper behaviour with clients.

Gong Myung, who plays No Ki Jun, portrays a gentle young man – not weak-willed, kind but not feeble, tactful but not indecisive. In the early episodes, while the powerful boss, played by Shin Hye Sun, was running rampant as the script demanded, the actor faced a rather difficult challenge. He was given dialogue that could easily have been performed in a traditional way: aggressively and angrily confronting the tyrant. But instead of aggression, he chose to base his performance on boundless non-aggressive surprise and curiosity. For his character, the boss was from the very beginning a woman who astonished him. Thanks to this, their sudden kiss in episode 4 did not look like an abrupt, misplaced outburst of sexual attraction, but rather as a logical progression of their relationship.

Gong Myung and his character are praised for simultaneously delivering excitement and comfort – not only by making direct confessions such as "You're beautiful, manager" to his workaholic boss, but also by warmly opening his heart to her, allowing Ju I Na to open up in return.

The series premiere rating was 4.4%; it rose to 7.9% in the fourth episode, then dipped slightly to 5.9% in the fifth.

Koo Kyo Hwan and "We Are All Trying Here"

(모두가 자신의 무가치함과 싸우고 있다, Everyone Is Fighting Against Their Own Worthlessness)
jTBC, Saturday-Sunday

The drama "We Are All Trying Here" is a deep psychological project that explores the themes of searching for one's purpose and trying to overcome inner emptiness.

Koo Kyo Hwan plays Hwang Dong Man – an unemployed film director in his 40s, almost hopeless. The tension is heightened by the fact that all his former classmates have already achieved significant success in the industry. Hwang Dong Man's life changes after meeting Byeon Eun A, a talented producer nicknamed "The Axe", who sees his potential and gives him a chance to turn things around.

At first, Dong Man comes across as a repulsive, unpleasant character. But as the series progresses and the plot reveals why he behaves that way, discomfort gives way to sympathy.

Koo Kyo Hwan has once again proven his professionalism, perfectly embodying on screen a person mired in existential torment. Critics and fans have called him an irreplaceable choice for such a nuanced role of a vulnerable man, noting how masterfully he conveys emotions and the contradictions in his character's behaviour.

The drama started with a rating of 2.2% and has been gradually increasing it, peaking at 3.4% – which is very respectable for a drama with "difficult" content that requires viewers to have a certain willingness to watch something beyond just a rom-com.

Read more: jTBC announced the drama «We Are All Trying Here»