"Lee Dong-wook, Song Joong-ki, and Park Seo-joon?" JTBC’s New Drama Move Shakes Things Up

Another major shift is coming to the K-drama landscape. With JTBC announcing a new lineup featuring top stars like Lee Dong-wook, Song Joong-ki, and Park Seo-joon, anticipation is running high among viewers.

On May 27, JTBC confirmed that starting this July, it will launch a new “Friday Series” airing every Friday at 8:50 PM KST. This will operate alongside its existing Saturday-Sunday dramas, establishing a “double weekend drama” system. The strategic programming move aims to dominate both ratings and buzz from Friday evening through Sunday night.

Kicking off the Friday Series is “The Good Man”, starring Lee Dong-wook and Lee Sung-kyung. Lee plays Park Seok-chul, the heir to a notorious gangster family who surprisingly harbors a pure heart. He reunites with his first love, aspiring singer Kang Mi-young (Lee Sung-kyung), in a noir-style emotional romance.

Next up is “My Youth”, headlined by Song Joong-ki and Chun Woo-hee. Song plays a florist — an unconventional role — while Chun, known for her emotional depth, joins him in crafting a layered, sensitive narrative.

The third Friday drama will mark Seo Hyun-jin’s long-awaited return in “Love Me”, a melodrama that explores the emotional intricacies of everyday family life. Seo is expected to deliver her signature immersive performance.

JTBC’s Saturday-Sunday dramas also remain strong. Following critically praised titles like The Lady of the Jade, The Art of Negotiation, and Heavenly Ever After, this weekend will see the premiere of “Good Boy”, starring Park Bo-gum and Kim So-hyun. The series blends comedy and action in a youth-driven crime investigation format.

The network’s second-half lineup is equally impressive with upcoming series that include: “Esquire”, a legal psychological drama with Lee Jin-wook and Jung Chae-yeon, “A Hundred Memories”, a 1980s bus conductor love triangle, “The Story of Mr. Kim”, a heartfelt human drama led by Ryu Seung-ryong, and “Waiting for Gyeong-do”, a stylish new drama starring Park Seo-joon and Won Ji-an.

JTBC continues to ride a strong wave in 2025, with its drama ratings up 56% compared to the same period last year. Known for major hits like The World of the Married, Reborn Rich, and Itaewon Class, JTBC is aiming to cement its status as the go-to “drama powerhouse” with the launch of its Friday Series.

The channel has also been ranked No.1 among general programming channels for 11 consecutive years in the Viewer Evaluation Index by the Korea Information Society Development Institute. JTBC received top marks in categories such as originality, diversity, and entertainment value — proving its strength in content innovation.

JTBC stated that it plans to fully dominate prime weekend slots with bold, genre-crossing storytelling. The Friday Series will air two back-to-back episodes every Friday at 8:50 PM KST, while Saturday-Sunday dramas will broadcast at 10:40 PM on Saturdays and 10:30 PM on Sundays.

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