▲ This image, provided by CJ ENM, shows a poster of the broadcaster's romantic series "Graduation." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- "Seo Hye-jin, are you up?" 

 

While this text message might seem mundane, it brings an immense, childlike joy to Seo Hye-jin (played by Jung Ryeo-won), who had been trying to live a tightly controlled life. Her heart, once closed off, is now stirred by the playful banter of her much younger former student, Lee Jun-ho (played by Wi Ha-jun).

 

According to industry reports on the 19th, the current trend on television is moving away from mature male leads towards charming and somewhat inexperienced younger men. TVN's drama 'Graduation' is a prime example, featuring a romance between Jung Ryeo-won (43) and Wi Ha-jun (33) in a 'noona romance' scenario.

 

Jung Ryeo-won plays Seo Hye-jin, a veteran Korean language instructor who has dedicated 14 years to helping students achieve their dreams. The arrival of her former student Lee Jun-ho, now a new instructor at her academy, rekindles feelings she had long forgotten. Lee Jun-ho, who left his successful corporate job to teach, is direct and unreserved. He keeps in touch with Seo even after work, teasingly asks if she’s okay with his playful comments. He eventually confesses his love, saying, "You couldn't have missed it. Seo Hye-jin was my first love." 

 

Viewers are charmed by the dynamic between the assertive Jun-ho and the increasingly flustered Hye-jin.

 

▲ This image, provided by KBS 2TV, shows scenes from Kdrama series "Dare to Love Me." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

Similarly, KBS’s 'Dare to Love Me' also explores a teacher-student romance. Kim Hong-do (Lee Yoo-young), who once taught webtoon drawing, and her former student Shin Yoon-bok (Kim Myung-soo) reunite after seven years. Raised in a traditional village, Yoon-bok, who calls Hong-do "teacher" with great respect, stirs her heart with his pure and innocent charm.

 

Several other dramas featuring significant age gaps between romantic leads are set to premiere this year.

 

▲ This image, provided by Coupang Play, shows a poster of the broadcaster's romantic series "Cinderella at 2 PM." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

Coupang Play’s 'Cinderella at 2 AM' stars Shin Hyun-bin (38) and Moon Sang-min (24) in a 14-year age gap romance, portraying a realist and a romanticist navigating their differing views on love. TVN and Tving will release 'Don’t Want to Lose,' featuring Shin Min-a (40) and Kim Young-dae (32) as a couple entangled in a fake marriage for personal gains.

 

Past dramas have also featured 'noona romances,' such as MBC's 'Romance' (2002), KBS's 'Old Miss Diary' (2004), SBS's 'I Hear Your Voice' (2013), SBS's 'Temperature of Love' (2017), and JTBC's 'Something in the Rain' (2018). These stories capture hearts with male leads who effortlessly shift between boyish and manly charms, appealing to viewers with their purity and determination.

 

▲ These images, provided by the actors' agencies, show Shin Min-a (L) and Kim Young-dae. (Yonhap)

 

Yoon Seok-jin, a drama critic and professor at Chungnam National University, comments, "The trend of dramas featuring older women and younger men reflects the evolving societal landscape with more active female participation." 

 

However, he also notes a drawback: while new male actors are consistently being discovered, there's a lack of equally captivating young female actors in their 20s and 30s. 

 

"It’s challenging to find young female leads who can carry a drama, which is also a reason for this trend," he explains.

 

▲ This image captured from iQIYI's Weibo account highlights the release of "Something in the Rain" from March 3, 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

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