‘Backstreet Rookie’: Ji Chang-wook and Kim Yoo-jung to lead upcoming Korean drama—premiering 19 June

Many iconic duos have graced our screens throughout the extensive history of Korean dramas—from Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo in Descendants Of The Sun to Kim So0-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun in My Love From The Star. In 2020, we saw the legendary pairing of Crash Landing On You‘s Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin; adding to the long list of top Korean drama couples.

Will Kim Yoo-jung and Ji Chang-wook be joining the ranks? We’ll have to watch Backstreet Rookie to find out. The drama is based on Convenience Store Saet-byul—a webtoon by Hwalhwasan (released in 2016). Produced by Taewon Entertainment, Backstreet Rookie is an original production by iQIYI. The 16-episode series is written by Son Geun-joo and distributed by Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS).

With The King: Eternal Monarch airing its final episode on 12 June, Backstreet Rookie will be a welcome addition to the list of K-Dramas to watch, including It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (premiering on 20 June).

The cast of this romantic comedy includes Ji Chang-wook as Choi Dae-hyun, Kim Yoo-jung as Jung Saet-byul, Han Sun-hwa as Yoo Yeon-joo,  Do Sang-woo as Jo Seung-joon, and Kim Min-kyu as Kang Ji-wook. Solbin from Laboum will also be making appearances.

Ji Chang-wook is known for shows such as Smile Again, Healer, and Suspicious Partner whereas Kim Yoo-jung rose to fame with Love In The Moonlight and Inkigayo. Although Han Sun-hwa has been in a plethora of television shows, many would recognise her as a member of South Korean girl group Secret. Before disbanding in 2018 (they were together since 2009), Secret had tonnes of hits—from Magic and Madonna to Shy Boy and Starlight Moonlight.

With such a star-studded cast, one can only expect Backstreet Rookie to be excellent. However, the storyline of a show matters too. So, what is Backstreet Rookie about? The drama revolves around Choi Dae-hyun and his small 24-hour convenience store—as well as Jung Saet-byul who applied to work as a part-timer there (three years after their first encounter). From the script reading session (video above), it’s clear that the lead actors have major chemistry. Fans can expect chaos and hilarity with the multi-dimensional characters.

Backstreet Rookie is set to air on SBS and iQIYI every Friday and Saturday at 9pm—starting 19 June 2020. It will be replacing The King: Eternal Monarch‘s spot. Are you excited for Ji Chang-wook and Kim Yoo-jung?

For more Korean dramas to watch, click here.