Fantasy And Reality Collide In Wild New Series Featuring Netflix's Biggest 2023 Heartthrob

Published Jul 17, 2026, 9:30 PM EDT An experienced Editor representing Canada via ScreenRant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com. His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023. It's not by any means new for South Korean drama series to blend fantasy with modern life, often incorporating domestic or international mythology while conveniently keeping even folklore monsters in glamorous human form. This can range from 2020's gorgeous Tale of the Nine Tailed, the unforgettable 2016 classic Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, or even 2014's Blade Man. But not all fantasy dramas can star Lee Dong-wook; it'd be a logistical nightmare and would run quite stale. Instead, though, a new series bridging the human realm with that of monsters is on the way for a 2027 debut, currently with the working title Foreign Embassy Korea, with another K-drama heartthrob of the decade, Lee Jun-ho aka "Junho", reportedly in the lead role. Foreign Embassy Korea will be the latest lead project for Junho in a K-drama following 2025's Cashero and Typhoon Family, as well as the romance stories which put him on the map, The Red Sleeve and Netflix's King the Land (via JTBC) among others. Teased as a fantasy romantic comedy by YTN Star, Junho would play to his strengths within the genre albeit with a twist: he'll play an ambassador concealing his secret identity as a dragon, whose life becomes entangled with a rookie diplomat sent to the titular embassy. Most excitingly, his potential co-star is a rising talent with plenty of relevant credit in the industry. Lee Jun-ho's Next K-Drama In Talks To Cast Rising Female Lead Star Emerging in just 2022 onto the K-drama scene, Hong Hwa-yeon has risen quickly from recurring supporting cast like in Mental Coach Jegal or Yoo In-na vehicle True to Love, securing places among lead cast by 2025's I Am a Running Mate. However, perhaps her most interesting role recently was as the second female lead for 2026's Shin Hye-sun-led Filing for Love, in which she portrayed the layered, guarded secretary Park Ah-jung, whose romantic past and current feelings for her boss chipped away at her barriers. Realistically, Foreign Embassy Korea would be a solid fit for her work, injecting some fantasy into her proven work in workplace romance storylines. Hong is currently in talks for the role, reportedly seen as a strong candidate while keeping expectations high for her chemistry with Junho for the role. Given how deftly she's handled office politics, Hong's work speaks for itself, even securing 2025's SBS Drama Award for Best New Actress for her role in Buried Hearts. What is also amusing is that there won't be that much of a transition in swapping a chaebol heir love interest for an ambassador who is secretly a dragon. For anybody who watches K-dramas, chaebol families are treated effectively like modern fantasy royalty, with Junho being no stranger to the role, playing a debonair modern Prince Charming, balancing Nespresso and Dior product placement while wooing Sa-rang in King the Land. But that's not all that fans should be excited for with the latest news about Foreign Embassy Korea, with wildly impressive additional staff attached to the show. Junho's Fantasy K-Drama Has Impressive Staff Attached As reported by Soompi, some very impressive names are attached at the highest levels of Foreign Embassy Korea's production. This includes Bae Hyun-jin as its Director, known for directing Alchemy of Souls Part 2 and Big Mouth, and Shin Ha-eun, writer of such hits as Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and Love Next Door. It sends a pretty clear vision of romance in the script and fantasy in the vision with this particular collaboration. Foreign Embassy Korea is set to debut on tvN in 2027. While it's unknown for now, it's a fairly safe bet, given the genre and cast involved, that the series will stream internationally either on Rakuten Viki or Netflix. As more news begins to emerge, including any casting confirmations, critical updates will feature here, as well as in attitional pieces. Whether Junho will top King the Land, and whether Hong will indeed land the role and secure her big break following Filing for Love, remains to be seen. But it's an exciting thought to see them cast opposite each other with such a talented writer-director duo already attached, signaling a thrilling 2027 ahead. Release Date 2023 - 2023-00-00