2024 is proving to be an amazing year for K-Dramas and we love to see it. With the screen comebacks of top stars, rising actors making their mark on the industry, and the increasing versatility of genres, 2024 will undoubtedly give renewed impetus to Hallyu. As we step into April 2024, a number of exciting K-Dramas await.

From thrillers and fantasy to historical and crime, there's something for everyone this month. So, we compiled some of the most highly anticipated April 2024 K-Dramas in a watchlist for you!

Here are 5 April 2024 K-Dramas that you absolutely do not want to miss!

Note: This watchlist is not a ranking. It includes select K-Dramas airing on Korean national television as well as Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ original series.

 

Top 5 April 2024 K-Dramas

1. "Parasyte: The Grey"

When & Where: April 5, Netflix

Cast: Jeon SoNee, Koo KyoHwan, Lee JungHyun, Kwon HaeHyo

Summary: Based on the popular manga "Parasyte" by Hitoshi Iwaaki, "Parasyte: The Grey" will tell the story of how humans fight back against strange parasitic creatures trying to feed off of human hosts and steal their consciousness. While these worms try to expand their power and take over the control of society, can co-existence be possible?

Reasons To Watch: If you're a fan of the anime "Parasyte: The Maxim" or the manga "Parasyte", you have to tune into the April 2024 K-Drama "Parasyte: The Grey". The fact that the show is created by Yeon SangHo, and stars outstanding actors like Koo KyoHwan, Jeon SoNee and Lee JungHyun is reason enough to be hyped and we cannot wait to see what they have in store for us.

 

2. "Lovely Runner"

When & Where: April 8, Viki

Cast: Kim HyeYoon, Byeon WooSeok

Summary: "Lovely Runner" follows the story of Ryu SunJae (Byeon WooSeok), a popular star who passes away unexpectedly. However, a twist of fate gives him a second chance at life when his devoted fan, Im Sol (Kim HyeYoon), travels back in time to prevent the tragedy.

Reasons To Watch: "Lovely Runner" is arguably the most highly awaited romance drama among April 2024 K-Dramas. Kim HyeYoon and Byeon WooSeok are an absolute dream pair, and their heart-fluttering chemistry (especially the height difference) is giving us all the butterflies already! We cannot wait for this show to start airing.

 

3. "Blood Free"

When & Where: April 10, Disney Plus

Cast: Han HyoJoo, Ju JiHoon, Lee HeeJun, Lee MuSaeng

Summary: BF (Blood Free) is a company dominating the genetically engineered cultured meat market but when CEO Yoon JaYoo's (Han HyoJoo) vision starts being questioned, she realizes that her life is on the line. JaYoo meets the mysterious Woo ChaeWoon (Ju JiHoon), who starts working as her bodyguard.

Reasons To Watch: Much like other Disney Plus originals recently, "Blood Free" is a star-studded K-Drama with a novel premise. Viewers' expectations are sky high for this April 2024 K-Drama, and why wouldn't they be when some of the best actors have come together for this project? Besides, Disney Plus has established a reputation for its high-quality originals and we're hoping that this one is going to be no exception.

 

4. "Chief Detective 1958"

When & Where: April 19, Disney Plus

Cast: Lee JeHoon, Seo EunSoo, Lee DongHwi, Choi WooSung, Yoon HyunSoo

Summary: The story of a passionate young detective, Park YoungHan (Lee JeHoon), who cannot stand injustice. He teams up with his colleagues at Jongnam Police Station in Seoul to fight crime in an age where technology wasn't as advanced as it is today.

Reasons To Watch: Lee JeHoon fighting crime again? Sign us up! This April 2024 K-Drama is one of the most highly anticipated K-Dramas of the year, and for good reason! With a retro setting, this K-Drama is going to evoke nostalgia for an age many of us have never experienced and make us fall in love with it. Besides, the cast - which combines experienced stars and rising young actors, is sure to draw your attention.

 

5. "Missing Crown Prince"

When & Where: April 13, Viki

Cast: EXO's SuHo, Hong YeJi, Kim MinKyu

Summary: The crown prince of the nation has been kidnapped by a woman fated to be the princess! As they flee, a gentle romance blooms between the two.

Reasons To Watch: SuHo of EXO captivated global K-Drama audiences with his performance in "Behind Your Touch," heightening anticipation for his upcoming lead role in "Missing Crown Prince." Joining him is super rookie Hong YeJi, celebrated for her role in "Love Song For Illusion," garnering a devoted following, and rising star Kim MinKyu, making fans curious about the characters' relationships. You don't want to miss this one!

"Grumpy x Sunshine" is one of the most popular tropes in romance fiction and BL. One character, who is serious and essentially grumpy all the time, falls for another who just couldn't be brighter and bubblier. The dynamic is to die for and almost always leaves us blushing and kicking our feet.

If you're looking for some BL K-Dramas with the "grumpy x sunshine" trope, you've come to the right place!

Check out the top 5 grumpy x sunshine BL K-Dramas that you just don't want to miss!

 

Must-Watch Grumpy X Sunshine BL K-Dramas

1. "Semantic Error" - Campus BL

The most popular and representative "grumpy x sunshine" BL K-Drama is undoubtedly "Semantic Error". The BL that became a phenomenon and took over the world, "Semantic Error" tells the story of Choo SangWoo (DKZ's JaeChan), a rigid and uptight student and the "grumpy one" in this equation, and his sunshine, Jang JaeYoung (Park SeoHam), the popular guy. Forced proximity for a group project leads to understanding, which slowly and steadily brings us the most heart-fluttering romance you will ever see! The chemistry is electrifying in this one.

Watch here.

 

2. "Love For Love's Sake" - Fantasy BL

"Love For Love's Sake" is a wonderful blend of isegye and romance. Our protagonist, Tae MyungHa (played by Lee TaeVin) gets transported into the world of a video game, back in his 19-year-old body, where he is tasked with making a particularly gloomy kid, Cha YeoWoon (played by Cha JooWan) happy. The "grumpy x sunshine" trope is spelled out right from the get-go and makes for a particularly adorable watch as MyungHa does whatever it takes to bring a little sunshine into YeoWoon's life. The story is also incredibly well-written and developed in a mature way, with depth and conviction, which adds to its quality.

Watch here.

 

3. "A Shoulder To Cry On" - Campus BL

"A Shoulder To Cry On" is a youth romance "grumpy x sunshine" BL drama about two high school students who go from butting heads to embracing each other in all their flawed glory. OMEGA X's JaeHan and YeChan play the leading roles of Lee DaYeol and Jo TaeHyun, the eponymous grumpy and sunshine, respectively. DaYeol is an archer, and TaeHyun is his seemingly carefree, troublesome classmate. When DaYeol unwittingly gets involved with TaeHyun in a mess, he stands the risk of losing it all. Their relationship, which starts with hate and resentment, turns into gentle empathy and comfort as the two open up and become each other's shoulder to cry on.

Watch here.

 

4. "Mr. Heart" - Sports BL

Go SangHa (Han SeJin) is a track athlete who smiles his way through life no matter what. Jin Won (THE MAN BLK's Cheon SeungHo) is a serious marathon runner and only cares about running. When Jin Won starts having trouble keeping up his performance, his coach brings in SangHa to help. Unwilling to accept this, Jin Won is constantly at odds with SangHa until he realizes that they have much more in common than he'd thought. Their friendship slowly evolves into something more, and they must now navigate these new feelings without jeopardizing everything they have worked hard for. "Mr. Heart" is a must-watch "grumpy x sunshine" BL.

Watch here.

 

5. "Boys Be Brave" - BL Comedy

"Boys Be Brave" is an upcoming BL K-Drama with 2 "grumpy x sunshine" couples! The drama revolves around the story of Kim JinWoo (played by Kim SungHyen), a meticulous young man who finds himself living with his crush, Jung KiSub (played by Nam SiAn), who entered his home uninvited and crashed on his couch for a little too long.

JinWoo is a perfectionist and has an ideal type checklist, and KiSub is the popular guy, constantly receiving love confessions. However, intrigued by JinWoo, who likes him but hasn't confessed, he impulsively invades his house and starts living with him, determined to make him confess. Evidently, JinWoo is the grumpy one, and KiSub is the sunshine in this couple.

"Boys Be Brave" will also tell the story of Choi Sunny (Jung YeoJun), a bright and optimistic part-timer, and the serious and straightforward Ji InHo (Ahn SeMin). They are both holding onto a secret from their high school days. InHo suddenly appears in front of Sunny and asks him to go on just 3 dates with him.

We cannot wait to see how their romance will bloom in "Boys Be Brave", which is slated to air soon!

There are a lot of rookies or yet-to-be-known actors acting in K-Dramas that caught attention with good acting or/and with a special aura on screen. However, most of the time, it is hard for global fans to find detailed information about these actors.

At Kpopmap, we try our best to have articles about rookie actors that have little information accessible for international fans. For the past years, we have covered a lot of rookies or yet-to-be-known actors, and here is a selection of some of them. K-Drama fans should closely look at them as they have enough talent to earn more recognition and fame! We can tell you that the future top Hallyu stars are probably on this list.

The list has no particular order also. The article was first published back in 2019, we keep on updating the list (bookmark us not to miss updates).

For the detailed actor profile or their previous works, click on the links below each picture.

Are there any rookie actors you are curious about and are not on this list? Let us know in the comments, we will inform you about them!

 

1. Ko ChanBin

Age: Born in 2001

Instagram: @briller_01

Key dramas: "Love Revolution", "Oh! My Assistant"

Find more about him below.

 

2. Ryu EuiHyun

Age: Born in 1999

Instagram: @ui_hstagram

Key dramas: "Shopping King Louie", “A-Teen”, "Adult Trainee"

Find more about him below.

 

3. Kim SungHyun (Yoo JungWoo)

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @dggyang

Key dramas: “Mama Fairy And The Woodcutter”, "Secret Boutique", "The Temperature of Language: Our Nineteen"

Find more about him below.

 

4. Lee JungJun

Age: Born in 1999

Instagram: @right_jun_

Key dramas: "Best Mistake 2", "Kairos", "Cheer Up", "Celebrity"

Find more about him below.

 

5. Park TaeIn

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: @ehoili_

Key dramas: "The Mermaid Prince", "Doom at Your Service", "Doctor Cha"

Find more about him below.

 

6. Han SeJin

Age: Born in 1996

Instagram: @ahoi_ing

Key dramas: “A Piece of Your Mind", "Phantom the Secret Agent", "Mr. Heart", "Nobleman Ryu's Wedding", "Hope or Dope"

Find more about him below.

 

7. Choe ChanYi

Age: Born in 1995

Instagram: @choechani

Key dramas: "Best Mistake", "Light on Me"

Find more about him below.

 

8. Kang Yul

Age: Born in 1993

Instagram: @_kangyul_

Key dramas: "Best Mistake"

Find more about him below.

 

9. Jung HaJoon

Age: Born in 1996

Instagram: @chjoooon

Key dramas: "Memorist", "Police University", "Café Minamdang"

Find more about him below.

 

10.  Kang Hui

Age: Born in 1991

Instagram: @kanghui_

Key dramas: "Ending Again", "Cherry Blossoms After Winter"

Find more about him below.

 

11. Kim GeonWon

Age: Born in 1993

Instagram: @gxbbang

Key dramas: "Ending Again"

Find more about him below.

 

12. Lee KiTaek

Age: Born in 1994

Instagram: @leekiitaek

Key dramas: "In Seoul 2", "One Fine Week 2", "The Devil Judge", "Moonshine"

Find more about him below.

 

13. Choi JaeHyun

Age: Born in 1995

Instagram: @choijaehyun7

Key dramas: "Love with Flaws", "Sweet Munchies", "Dalgona", "Run On", "Peach of Time", "The Heavenly Idol"

Find more about him below.

 

14. Choi KyungHoon

Age: Born in 1993

Instagram: @k__h_c

Key dramas: "Romance, Talking", "Trap", "Legally Dad", "Re-Feel: If Only", "Snowdrop"

Find more about him below.

 

15. Choi WooSung

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @c.woo_sung

Key dramas: "At Eighteen", "It's Okay to Not Be Okay", "Police University", "Melancholia"

Find more about him below.

 

16. Son HyeonWoo

Age: Born in 1996

Instagram: @sssonzino

Key dramas: "Not Alright, But It's Alright", "Standby Curator", "Trap"

Find more about him below.

 

17. Cheon SeungHo

Age: Born in 1996

Instagram: @xxurricane

Key dramas: "Where Your Eyes Linger", "Mr. Heart", "Jun & Jun"

Find more about him below.

 

18. Lee WonJung

Age: Born in 2001

Instagram: @jung_or__

Key dramas: "Real:Time:Love", "Live On", "Bio Homme", "Can You Deliver Time? 2002", "The World of My 17 2", "Hierarchy"

Find more about him below.

 

19. Ahn SeMin

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: @saemings

Key dramas: "Let Me Off The Earth", "User Not Found", "School 2021"

Find more about him below.

 

20. Kim SeungHo

Age: Born in 2001

Instagram: @_s_ngho_

Key dramas: "My Fuxxxxx Romance", "Going to the Blue House Like This", "Rookie Cops"

Find more about him below.

 

21. Cho HanGyeol

Age: Born in 2002

Instagram: @cho.0910

Key dramas: "Let Me Off The Earth", "Love Mate", "Blue Temperature"

Find more about him below.

 

22. Yoo Jun

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: @yyjjun_xx

Key dramas: "Color Rush" (1 and 2), "Crash Course in Romance", "Duty After School: Part 1"

Find more about him below.

 

23. Won TaeMin (Won HyungHoon)

Age: Born in 1993

Instagram: @one__tm_

Key dramas: "You Make Me Dance", "Unintentional Love Story"

Find more about him below.

 

24. Lim JiSub

Age: Born in 1998

Instagram: @leemjs

Key dramas: "The Eight Sense"

Find more about him below.

 

25. Lee ChanHyeong

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @nakktaa_ 

Key dramas: "Re-Feel", "Hospital Playlist", "My Sweet Dear", "Adult Trainee", "Gaus Electronics"

Find more about him below.

 

26. Kim DoMin

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: -

Key dramas: "Arthdal Chronicles", "Twenty Twenty", "Hearts and Hani"

Find more about him below.

 

27. Lee SaeOn

Age: Born in 1995

Instagram: @leesaeon

Key dramas: "Light On Me", "Boss-dol Mart"

Find more about him below.

 

28. Oh JunTaek

Age: Born in 2001

Instagram: @ohjunt

Key dramas: "The Eight Sense"

Find more about him below.

 

29. (Byeon) SeongTae

Age: Born in 1998

Instagram: @bsvvt_

Key dramas: "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha", "Happy Merry Ending"

Find more about him below.

 

30. Min InGi

Age: Born in 1995

Instagram:  @min2kki

Key dramas: "Blue of Winter"

Find more about him below.

 

31. Jeon YuBin

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram:  @u_b.97

Key dramas: "Blue of Winter"

Find more about him below.

 

32. Lee JungMin

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: @jungmin_0618

Key dramas: "Blue of Winter", "Why R U?"

Find more about him below.

 

33. Yoo YoungMo

Age: Born in 1998

Instagram: @___youngmo

Key dramas: "Blue of Winter"

Find more about him below.

 

34. Yoon HyunSoo

Age: Born in 1999

Instagram:  @hyvn_soo

Key dramas: "Racket Boys", "Juvenile Delinquency", "Kill Heel", "Hope or Dope", "Running Mate"

Find more about him below.

 

35. Song WonSeok

Age: Born in 1988

Instagram: @songwonseok88

Key dramas: "One the Woman", "Lovers of the Red Sky", "Entourage", "Business Proposal"

Find more about him below.

 

36. Park SungJoon

Age: Born in 1992

Instagram: @nujabes7479

Key dramas: "Rookie Cops", "Run On", "Eulachacha Waikiki", "Strongest Deliveryman"

Find more about him below.

 

37. Baek SeoHoo

Age: Born in 1996

Instagram: @seohoo._.b

Key dramas: "Color Rush 2", "Minamdang: Case Note", "IDOL: The Coup", "Love Revolution", "Heartbeat"

Find more about him below.

 

38. Min HyoGi

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @_minhyogi (private now)

Key dramas: "Color Rush 2"

Find more about him below.

 

39. Heo WonSeo

Age: Born in 2001

Instagram: @1hwesd

Key dramas: "Our Blooming Youth"

Find more about him below.

 

40. Ki HyunWoo

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: @hywo.o

Key dramas: "Jinx", "Semantic Error: The Movie", "Jun and Jun"

Find more about him below.

 

41. Lee JungHa

Age: Born in 1998

Instagram: @jungha.km

Key dramas: "Moving"

Find more about him below.

 

42. Kim JaeWon

Age: Born in 2001

Instagram: @rlawodnjs_

Key dramas: "Stealer: The Treasure Keeper", "King The Land".

Find more about him below.

 

43. Park KangHyun

Age: Born in 1989

Instagram: @p_k_h_

Key dramas: "Heartbeat"

Find more about him below.

 

44. Yang JunMo

Age: Born in 2001

Instagram: @emdow_

Key dramas: "Jun &Jun"

Find more about him below.

 

45. Yoon DoJin

Age: Born in 1998

Instagram: @dzyunb

Key dramas: "Love Tractor"

Find more about him below.

 

46. Han GenU

Age: Born in 1992

Instagram: @kyunnnh

Key dramas: "Tale Of The Nine Tailed 1938",

Find more about him below.

 

47. Oh JinSeok

Age: Born in 1995

Instagram: @o.b.o.n

Key dramas: "The Heavenly Idol", "Sh**ting Stars"

Find more about him below.

 

48. Do Won

Age: Born in 1994

Instagram: @yokwans

Key dramas: "Love Tractor"

Find more about him below.

 

49. Cho HyunMin

Age: Born in 1994

Instagram: @c_hm11

Key dramas: "Love Mate"

Find more about him below.

 

50. Song JiHo

Age: Born in 1992

Instagram: @ziffffo

Key dramas: "Doctor Cha"

Find more about him below.

 

51. Jeong SooHyun

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @from.jsoohyun

Key dramas: "The Heavenly Idol", "Mokkoji Kitchen"

Find more about him below.

 

52. Lee SeungGyu

Age: Born in 1999

Instagram: @gyue_ing

Key dramas: "Our Dating Sim", "User Not Found"

Find more about him below.

 

53. Lee JongHyuk

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @zonyuk_

Key dramas: "Our Dating Sim"

Find more about him below.

 

54. Kim YoonWoo

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: -

Key dramas: "Mimicus", "Deceitfully Delightful", "My Dearest"

Find more about him below.

 

55. Lee MinJae

Age: Born in 2000

Instagram: @__minnjaee_

Key dramas: "Oh! Youngsimi", "Cheer Up", "The Golden Spoon", "Crash Course In Romance"

Find more about him below.

 

56. Kim HyunWook

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @hyunvvk

Key dramas: "Cherry Blossoms After Winter", "Kill Heel", "The Uncanny Counter 2: Counter Punch"

Find more about him below.

 

57. Woo HyoWon

Age: Born in 1994

Instagram: @whyocircle

Key dramas: "You Raise Me Up", "Bad Girlfriend", "Love Class 2"

Find more about him below.

 

58. Lee GwangHee

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @gwang._.hh

Key dramas: "Love Class 2"

Find more about him below.

 

59. Choi YoonJe

Age: Born in 1999

Instagram: @cdbswp

Key dramas: "May I Help You?", "Snowdrop", "Search", "The Forbidden Marriage", "Under the Queen's Umbrella"

Find more about him below.

 

60. Yoo JungHoo

Age: Born in 1997

Instagram: @u_junghoo

Key dramas: "Durian's Affair", "Bitch X Rich"

Find more about him below.

 

62. Kim DoHoon

Age: Born in 1998

Instagram: @7imdohoon

Key dramas: "The Law Cafe", "Today's Webtoon", "Here's My Plan", "Moving"

Find more about him below.

 

63. Yeon Oh

Age: Born in 1995

Instagram: @yeonoh._.

Key dramas: "Alchemy Of Souls", "Revenge Of Others", "The Secret Romantic Guesthouse", 'Twinkling Watermelon"

Find more about him below.

 

64. Lee SiWoo

Age: Born in 1999

Instagram: lee__s.woo.

Key dramas: "Boyhood", "Pale Moon", "Here's My Plan", "Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol" and "Hi Bye, Mama!"

Find more about him below.

 

Actors previously on this list but who gained popularity and experience. They have left our list: Nam YoonSu, Tang JunSang, Byeon WooSeok, Lee JaeWook, Kim DoWan, Kim YoungDae, Song Kang, Hwang InYeop, Seo JiHoon, Kim DongHee, Jang DongYoon, Kim SungCheol, Bae HyunSung, Ki DoHun, Chae JongHyeop, Lee JongWon, Moon SangMin, Joo WooJae, Jang EuiSoo, Choi HyunWook, Song GeonHee, Park SangNam, Kim MinGi, Cho JunYoung, Baek SungChul, Park JiBin, Kang Hoon, Park JungWoo, Kim WooSeok, Choo YoungWoo, Kim SuGyeom, etc.

 

Is there any rookie actor you want to know more about? Let us know in the comments.