Following his post-military comeback in The East Palace, Nam Joo-hyuk returns to romance in a fantasy drama from the writer of Lovely Runner.
Nam Joo-hyuk (left) and Han So-hee (right). Photo: courtesy of Fable Company and Asian Wiki.
Nam Joo-hyuk will star in the upcoming television series titled Heartbeat.
The news comes hot on the heels of his ongoing dark fantasy period drama, The East Palace, drawing significant viewership on Netflix, with 4.9 million views and 39.2 million hours viewed in its first few days after premiering on Jul. 17, 2026. As of now, it’s one of the most popular K-dramas on the streaming platform alongside other Korean hits like Agent Kim Reactivated and Teach You a Lesson.
While Heartbeat shares The East Palace‘s fantasy backdrop, much of the early excitement has centred on its romance and the prospect of seeing Nam share the screen with popular actress Han So-hee, who has reportedly been offered the female lead in the drama.
Heartbeat is a fantasy romance that follows two individuals with secrets of their own. The heroine has the ability to see the past, while the hero is desperate to keep his own history hidden from the world. Things take an intriguing turn when their lives become intertwined. However, the biggest twist is that he looks exactly like her deceased lover.
Nam Joo-hyuk is confirmed to play the male lead, Cha Shin-jo, whose past has something he can’t let out. The role marks the Hallyu star’s return to the romance genre after his portrayal of a genius ghost slayer, Gu-cheon, in The East Palace.
On the casting front, Han’s agency, 9ato Entertainment, has acknowledged receiving the offer and hinted at her interest in playing the character. However, her final casting has not been confirmed just yet. Should she accept, the show will be her first with Nam Joo-hyuk on screen.
Heartbeat‘s script is written by Lee Si-eun, whose previous work includes global hits like True Beauty (2020 – 2021) and Lovely Runner (2024). And while the director’s name or the secondary casting list are yet to be revealed, filming for the series is expected to begin later this year, with its release eyed for next year.
