K-Drama Actors We NEED to See as Rom-Com Leads Next—Our Dream Casting List!
- Disha Paul
- 41 minutes ago
- 5 min read
K-dramas have no shortage of talented actors, but now and then, there is an actor who makes viewers think the same thing: why has he not headlined a proper romantic comedy yet?
Sometimes it is because an actor keeps getting cast in thrillers, action dramas or serious stories. Other times, he has already played romantic characters but has not yet received the kind of lighthearted rom-com where his charm, chemistry and comedic timing can truly take centre stage.
With that in mind, here are six K-drama actors we would love to see leading a fun romantic comedy very soon. Did your favorite actor make our list?
1. Lee Sang-yi
Lee Sang-yi has already proven that he can handle romance, but we still want to see him carry a full rom-com where he gets to be the main romantic lead from beginning to end.
His roles in Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Once Again, and No Gain No Love have shown different sides of his romantic acting. He can be warm and playful, but he can also bring a more mature and emotionally complicated side to his characters. His performance as Ji Seong-hyun in Hometown Cha Cha Cha especially left many viewers wishing he would get his own romance story.
The actor has continued taking on very different projects since then, including Good Boy and Bloodhounds 2. He is also set to appear in the upcoming Disney+ drama A Man's Man, where he will play Kwon Se-joong.
But somewhere between all those serious roles, we are still waiting for Lee Sang-yi's proper rom-com era.
Give him a charming female lead, a little workplace chaos and plenty of banter, and we are ready.
2. Cha Woo-min
Cha Woo-min might be the most obvious choice on this list right now.
The actor became known for darker, more intense characters in projects such as Weak Hero Class 1, Night Has Come, and Study Group. His characters often have an intimidating presence, which makes his transformation into a romantic character even more noticeable.
In My Bias, My Boss, however, he plays Lee Chan, a popular idol and fashion director who becomes romantically interested in his longtime fan Nam Da-reum (Kim Hye-jun). Lee Chan is confident and charming in public, but the drama also gives him a more vulnerable side.
The drama has already given viewers a glimpse of how naturally Cha Wo-min fits into romantic scenes. His character even takes the initiative to move his relationship with Da-reum from a fan and idol dynamic towards something more personal.
After seeing this softer side of him, it is hard not to want a full rom-com with Cha Woo-min as the actual male lead.
3. Park Ji-hoon
Park Ji-hoon has already played romantic leads, so we know he can handle romance. What we want now is to see him return as the male lead of a proper rom-com.
From Love Revolution to Love Song for Illusion, he has shown that his youthful charm works naturally in romantic stories.
His latest drama, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, took him in a completely different direction, with the series even winning Best Drama at the 2026 Blue Dragon Series Awards.
That makes a lighthearted rom-com feel like the perfect next step. We can already imagine him as a chaotic office worker, confident childhood friend, or cold male lead who slowly falls hopelessly in love.
We know he can deliver the emotional scenes. Now we want the flirting, teasing, and ridiculous romantic moments too.
4. Noh Sang-hyun
Noh Sang-hyun has one of those faces that almost seems designed for a romantic drama.
He has already attracted attention for his ability to play characters with a polished appearance while keeping something more complicated underneath. His role as Prime Minister Min Jun-woo in Perfect Crown gave viewers another opportunity to see his restrained and charismatic side.
But imagine putting that same presence into a modern rom-com.
Noh Sang-hyun could easily play the successful but emotionally awkward businessman, the longtime best friend who secretly has feelings for the female lead, or even the seemingly perfect boyfriend who is actually terrible at expressing affection.
His calm screen presence could work especially well opposite a more energetic female lead, creating the kind of personality clash that often makes rom-coms addictive.
After seeing him in more serious roles, we are ready for Noh Sang-hyun to smile a little more and fall embarrassingly hard for someone.
5. Hong Kyung
Hong Kyung has already given us a glimpse of his rom-com potential in the film Hear Me: Our Summer, and now we want to see that side of him in a K-drama.
He plays Lee Yong-jun, a young man who falls for Yeo-reum (Roh Yoon-seo) and slowly tries to get closer to her. Instead of the usual confident male lead, Yong-jun has a sweet, shy, and slightly awkward charm that makes his romantic moments feel natural.
His quiet expressions, thoughtful gestures, and completely sincere approach to romance gave us exactly the kind of boyfriend energy we would love to see from him again.
Most of Hong Kyung's recent roles have been much darker, including Weak Hero Class 1 and films such as Good News. So a proper K-drama rom-com could be the perfect chance to bring back his soft, shy boyfriend era.
Honestly, we just want 16 episodes of Hong Kyung awkwardly falling in love again.
6. Kim Do-hoon
Kim Do-hoon has been steadily building a reputation as one of the younger actors to watch, and his recent projects have given him plenty of room to show different sides of his acting.
He has appeared in dramas including Moving, The Player 2, and Dear X, while his upcoming projects are taking him into even bigger territory. He has been confirmed alongside Cha Seung-won in the upcoming spy drama Retired Agent + Management Team, where he plays a top NIS agent who gets transferred to the Retired Agents Management Team.
He has also been confirmed for Netflix's historical action film Dochabi, joining a cast that includes Jeon Jong-seo, Lee Joon-gi, Lee Sang-yi, and Bae In-hyuk.
With so many action and serious roles around him, a rom-com would give viewers the chance to see a completely different side of Kim Do-hoon.
He has the youthful energy and expressive face that can work beautifully in a romance, especially in a story where the male lead starts confident but becomes completely helpless once he falls in love.
Why These Actors Need a Rom-Com Era
What makes this group interesting is that none of them needs to prove that they can act. They have already built their careers through very different kinds of characters.
What we want now is simply to see them placed in stories where romance is the main event.
Lee Sang-yi needs his long-awaited rom-com lead era, Cha Woo-min deserves another chance to show his softer side, Park Ji-hoon could easily return to youthful romance, Noh Sang-hyun has the perfect calm romantic lead energy, Hong Kyung could surprise everyone with comedy, and Kim Do-hoon deserves a role that lets him step away from intense characters.
Sometimes the best casting idea is simply putting an actor in a genre viewers have been waiting to see them try.
And honestly, we would happily watch all six.
Which of these actors would you most like to see as the male lead in a new K-drama rom-com?
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