Author: Rahul M

Fantasy K-drama is a genre that has a whole universe of possibilities. From melodrama to romance and even action, they can give everything and more! The latest addition to this collection, “The First Night with the Duke,” brought to life the wonderful story of Cha Sun Chaek (Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun), a common college student who suddenly finds herself inside her favorite romance novel. In the process of finding her place in this new reality, she inevitably falls in love with the male lead, Prince Yi Beon (2PM’s Taecyeon), turning herself into the new heroine and rewriting the story in her…

Soompi & Viki Staff Talk returns to discuss our favorite K-dramas from the first half of 2025! Check out our staff’s picks below: Somni: “Love Scout” “Love Scout” kicked off 2025, and so far, no other competitor has won my heart in the first half of the year. In the drama, Lee Jun Hyuk shines as Yu Eun Ho, a capable single father who effortlessly manages both his professional and family responsibilities, while Han Ji Min portrays Kang Ji Yun, a workaholic CEO who clashes with him from the very first encounter. Going beyond just a typical romance, the drama…

tvN’s “Head Over Heels” has previewed pivotal moments ahead of tonight’s finale! “Head Over Heels” is a fantasy romance drama about a boy who is fated to die and the young shaman who tries to rescue him from his fate. Cho Yi Hyun stars as Park Seong A, a high school student who leads a double life as a shaman by night. Choo Young Woo plays her first love Bae Gyeon U, who is plagued by bad luck and was born with the misfortune of a predestined death. Spoilers In the previous episode, Park Seong A sealed the evil spirit Bong Soo within herself…

GOT7’s Jinyoung may be starring alongside Kim You Jung in the new drama “100 Days of Lies” (literal title)! On July 29, a media outlet reported that GOT7’s Jinyoung will play the male lead in tvN’s upcoming weekend drama “100 Days of Lies,” scheduled to air in the first half of next year. In response to the report, Jinyoung’s agency BH Entertainment shared, “It is a project that he has received an offer for and is currently reviewing.” “100 Days of Lies” tells the story of Gyeongseong’s (now Seoul) top pickpocket who becomes an undercover spy for the independence movement…

Kim Young Kwang and Chae Soo Bin have been confirmed to star in Netflix’s new drama “Take Charge of My Heart”! Based on the web novel of the same name, “Take Charge of My Heart” is an electrifying romantic comedy about a man whose artificial heart is running out of battery and a woman who has the power to recharge him. The series will be directed by Park Su Won, known for witty, humorous storytelling in projects such as “Work Later, Drink Now 2,” and “Birthcare Center,” and written by rookie writer Song Yu Chae. Kim Young Kwang plays Baek…

Before we get going with the dreaded Signal Song competition, we’ve got a few more introductory performances to get through. We’re back with the second episode of the “Planet C” half of this season. Technically, though, it’s episode four of the season. Confusing? Of course! PREVIOUS RECAPS: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three Boys Planet Team This is a team of trainees who were eliminated in the first season of Boys Planet. I don’t remember any of them, but that’s not saying much since that season was an entire two years ago. One guy has also committed the…

Mandatory military enlistment can often be a big hurdle in a male idol’s career, but WOODZ has seen his popularity skyrocket during the time he was serving. I can’t remember such a huge enlistment-era glow-up happening before, and WOODZ seems eager to capitalize on the surge. Ahead of a new album, he’s released new song Smashing Concrete only days after being discharged. This is also pretty unheard of, and a testament to WOODZ’s focus. He’s clearly passionate about his career as a musician and we’re all lucky for that. And rather than re-emerge with a sentimental “for the fans” ballad,…

AHOF debuted with a splash earlier this month, quickly winning music shows and my own playlist with their fantastic Rendezvous. The rest of their mini album is more subdued than I’d like, but the strength of its title track has me revisiting the b-sides more often than I usually would and every one of them has proven to be a grower. Today, the guys are promoting The Universe (파랑 학교, 초록 잔디, 빨간 운동화) with its own music video. I prefer the more stark, melancholic Incompleted on the album, but The Universe‘s sprightly mid-tempo sound feels best suited to the…

2025 has been the year of rookie boy groups spawned from survival series. NouerA, AHOF and Close Your Eyes have led the charge, each delivering great music that feels unique to them. Next up is SEVENTOEIGHT, emerging from SBS’s series SCOOL, which concluded late last year. Confusingly, there are six members of this new group, making their name a simple… counting upward from that number? I guess we should just be thankful it’s not another acronym. More importantly, debut single DRIP&DROP is quite ear-catching. They’ve opted for a high-octane dance sound different from their contemporaries. In a few reviews before…

Last week, EPEX teased their new album with pre-release Picasso — a track so confrontational and unpleasant that it seemed to put a curse on the entire industry. Seriously, every new song released in its wake has struggled to reach the high quality of July’s first half! Now, the group is grateful for our collective tears with their new title track Grateful To Tears (눈물나게 고마워) — or at least, that’s the wild conspiracy theory I’m taking from it. Grateful To Tears is a complete one eighty from Picasso‘s brash assault. The song catches EPEX in soft rock mode, a…