Jang Keun Suk is making his long-awaited return to Korean television — and his upcoming drama Hyupban is quietly assembling one of the most interesting casts of 2026. The latest addition in talks? The talented Shin Eun Soo, best known to fans from the beloved Twinkling Watermelon. If these negotiations go through, this healing drama about food, comfort, and unlikely connections is shaping up to be a genuine must-watch.
Jang Keun Suk: Drama Overview
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Drama | Hyupban (working title) |
| Genre | Healing Drama / Slice of Life |
| Based on | Japanese novel (adapted into a Japanese drama in 2016) |
| Lead Cast (in talks) | Jang Keun Suk, Shin Eun Soo, Lee El |
| Filming | First half of 2026 |
| Status | Cast finalisation in progress |
Cast & roles breakdown
| Actor / Actress | Role |
|---|---|
| Jang Keun Suk | Ma Han Sang — gangster with exceptional cooking skills |
| Shin Eun Soo | The daughter — a college student whom Ma Han Sang rescues |
| Lee El | The mother in a three-generation household |
What is Hyupban about?
The premise of Hyupban is as warm as a bowl of homemade soup on a cold night. Ma Han Sang is a gangster — tough, hardened, and unexpected — but with one very surprising gift: he can cook extraordinarily well. After saving a college student from danger, he ends up hiding out in her home with her three-generation family — grandmother, mother, and daughter all living under one roof.
What unfolds is not a conventional crime thriller or a gripping action drama. Hyupban is a healing narrative built on the simple, profound idea that food can bridge the greatest distances between people. Through warm, home-cooked meals, the characters slowly find comfort in one another, offering each other the kind of support that neither expected to find. It is the sort of drama that sneaks up on you — quiet, tender, and deeply human.
The story is adapted from a Japanese novel that was previously turned into a Japanese drama back in 2016, so the source material has already proven its emotional staying power. The Korean adaptation looks set to bring that same warmth to a whole new audience.
Why this casting is exciting?
Jang Keun Suk’s return to television after three years is already a headline in itself — he remains one of Korea’s most iconic actors with a fiercely devoted fanbase. Casting Shin Eun Soo opposite him is a smart, inspired choice. She brought enormous warmth and depth to Twinkling Watermelon and has an effortless quality on screen that suits this kind of character-driven, emotionally grounded drama perfectly. Add Lee El’s formidable presence as the mother, and the three-generation household at the centre of this story already feels richly layered before a single frame has been shot.
Filming is expected to begin in the first half of 2026. No broadcast date or network has been confirmed yet, but given the pedigree of the cast and the appeal of the concept, Hyupban is firmly one to watch.
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