Netflix’s Sweet Home season 2 shaping up; Gong Yoo, Kim Tae-ri eyed for The Devil – K-drama casting latest

Despite global concerns about the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, the K-drama industry is chugging full steam ahead. A raft of casting announcements have been made in the first days of 2o22, with many big stars and writers confirming their next shows.

Sweet Home Season 2

Fans of the hit Netflix horror-thriller have been clamouring for a second season and their wishes appear about to come true. Star Song Kang is in talks to reprise his role in the series as high school student/monster hunter Cha Hyun-soo.

Also in talks to join the cast of Sweet Home is Jung Jin-young of the boy band B1A4 in a new role. Once casting is finalised, filming is expected to begin early this year.

Doctor Cha

OK! Madam actress Uhm Jung-hwa has signed on to lead the upcoming drama Doctor Cha. She will play the title role of Cha Jung-suk, a housewife who returns to her love of medicine after years of raising a family.

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Jung-suk becomes a first-year medical resident, years after graduating from medical school with top grades. Among the obstacles she faces are family members also working at the hospital, including her surgeon husband, her son – a fellow resident – and daughter-in-law, a senior resident.

Kim Byung-chul of SKY Castle will play her husband Seo In-ho.

Ants Are Riding

Han Ji-eun (Bad and Crazy) and Hong Jong-hyun (My Absolute Boyfriend) have been cast as the leads in the TVing stock market comedy Ants Are Burning. The show follows five trading novices – informally referred to as “ants” in Korea – who take part in unusual stock-tip meetings.

Yoo Mi-seo (Han Ji-eun) is set to marry soon and hasn’t been lucky with her trading so far. Meanwhile, convenience store clerk Choi Sun-woo (Hong Jong-hyun) drives a fancy car after hours.

Also cast are Jung Moon-Sung, Kim Sun-young and Jang Gwang.

Casino

Oldboy actor Choi Min-sik is returning to the small screen for the first time in 24 years in the upcoming eight-part Disney+ drama Casino. Following the ups and downs of a man’s life in a casino, the show will be directed by Kang Yoon-sung (The Outlaws), who was originally going to partner with Choi on a Korean remake of The Intern which fell through.

Choi’s co-stars include Le Dong-hwi (Reply 1988), Jo Jae-yoon (Mouse) and Squid Game actors Heo Sung-tae and Kim Joo-ryoung. Armed with a reported 20 billion won (US$16.6 million) budget, the show goes into production in February.

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My Man Is Cupid

Jang Dong-yoon and Nana are set to appear in the upcoming fantasy romantic comedy My Man Is Cupid. Jang will play a fairy who has been stuck on earth for 500 years after losing his wings. He’s grown frosty over the years as he’s taken on 28 different forms, but all that changes when he accidentally shoots himself with one of his own arrows.

Nana will play an attractive but unlucky-in-love veterinary surgeon who has decided to swear off dating.

The Devil

Gong Yoo (The Silent Sea) and Kim Tae-ri (Space Sweepers) are in talks to share the screen in The Devil, the new show by hit writer Kim Eun-hee, known for Signal, Kingdom and most recently Jirisan. Plot details of the project have yet to be revealed, but the show is set to air on broadcaster SBS.

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Money Game

Following Lost and Connect, a series currently being filmed by director Takashi Miike, Ryu Jun-yeol is set to star in a third drama, teaming up again with The King director Han Jae-rim on Money Game.

Co-starring will be Bae Sung-woo, another The King actor, in what is being viewed by some as a controversial comeback role soon after Bae was involved in a drink-driving incident. Based on a webtoon, the eight-part show will follow eight participants in a 100-day-long game who are competing for a huge cash prize.