Korea’s Most Competitive Exam System Meets the Occult in Excitatio — Lee Jun Hyuk’s New Drama Is Already Terrifying

Study hard. Get the grades. Survive the supernatural. SBS just revealed one of its most chilling 2027 dramas — and it blends Korea’s infamous college entrance exam pressure with full-on occult horror. Meet Excitatio.

Excitatio — Drama Overview

What Is Excitatio About?

Set against the brutal pressure of Korea’s college entrance exam system — one of the most stressful academic environments in the world — Excitatio takes that familiar pressure-cooker and injects something deeply sinister into it.

Students at Seongryeong High School, consumed by jealousy and ambition, become obsessed with their grades and are lured into taking a mysterious stimulant. The catch? It doesn’t just sharpen their minds — it awakens strange supernatural abilities. And then, one by one, their classmates start dying.

Enter Antonio — an exorcist priest sent to investigate the demonic forces at play, risking his own soul in the process of saving theirs.

It’s Sky Castle meets The Exorcist, and the premise alone is enough to send a chill down your spine.

👉 Also read: Best Korean Thrillers and Occult Dramas to Watch Right Now — TechnoSports

Lee Jun Hyuk as Antonio — The Exorcist Priest

Lee Jun Hyuk (Signal, Lawless Lawyer, Love Scout) takes on perhaps his most layered role yet. He plays Antonio, a new guiding priest assigned to Seongryeong High School who initially stirs nothing but curiosity and unease among students — but is secretly an exorcist priest ordained by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (the Vatican body historically associated with doctrinal enforcement).

Beneath Antonio’s cold, distant exterior lies a man of sharp instincts and quiet empathy — a veteran of horrific encounters who has faced evil spirits alone, endured deep loneliness, and always, somehow, survived. His mission: track down the person behind the students’ deadly spiral before the demonic forces consume them all.

It’s a role built for someone with range — and Lee Jun Hyuk has proved he has exactly that.

Why This Drama Could Be a Huge Deal

Korean dramas have increasingly leaned into occult and supernatural thriller territory — and when they land, they land hard (Sweet Home, The Guest, Possessed). Excitatio has a uniquely compelling hook: it fuses two very specific anxieties that resonate deeply with Korean audiences — academic pressure and the supernatural unknown.

The drama was unveiled at SBS’s DRAMA: NEXT EPISODE media event in Seoul on June 1, where the network showcased its full second-half 2026 and early 2027 lineup.

👉 Also read: Upcoming Korean Dramas in 2027 You Need to Watch — TechnoSport

FAQs