Excitement is building among K-drama fans after reports suggested that Han So-hee may be joining Nam Joo-hyuk in the upcoming romance drama Heartbeat (literal title). According to a report by mydaily published on July 23, 2026, Han So-hee has been offered the female lead role opposite Nam Joo-hyuk.
Responding to the report, her agency 9ato Entertainment confirmed that the actress received the offer and was "positively in talks" to appear in the series. The update came shortly after Nam Joo-hyuk's casting was confirmed. Previously on the same day, mydaily reported that the actor would headline the romance drama. His agency later told Ilgan Sports that he would indeed star as the lead.
Heartbeat will be written by Lee Si-eun, the screenwriter behind the hit dramas True Beauty and Lovely Runner. The drama is described as a fantasy romance and it's story follows a woman who can see the past and a man forced to keep his own past hidden.
The series tells an emotional love story that begins when a man who resembles a woman's deceased first love suddenly appears in her life. Nam Joo-hyuk will play Cha Shin-jo, a mysterious man carrying a secret from his past. Although the story features fantasy elements, mydaily describes it as an emotional romance about an unforgettable first love.
News of Han So-hee's possible casting quickly spread across social media, with many fans expressing excitement over the potential on-screen partnership. Several users said they had been hoping to see the two actors star together in a romance drama. One fan wrote,
Many netizens said they were already looking forward to the drama, with fans praising the combination of Han So-hee, Nam Joo-hyuk. Many said the emotional storyline also made the drama an instant must-watch while others added that they were already looking forward to the cast's chemistry and future filming updates.
Others said they were especially excited because the drama could be Han So-hee's return to the romance genre after several years. Many said the involvement of the Lovely Runner screenwriter made the drama even more anticipated, adding that they were looking forward to the story.
Apart from reports that Han So-hee is in talks to join Nam Joo-hyuk in Heartbeat, both actors are also preparing for several major projects across streaming platforms. Nam Joo-hyuk has been recently praised for his performance in The East Palace and has already confirmed his next series, Disney+'s mystery crime thriller Code. The drama will also star Lee Yi-dam, Kim Eui-sung, and Park Hoon, with Weak Hero director Yoo Soo-min at the helm.
In Code, Nam Joo-hyuk will play Yoon Tae-joo, a former prosecution investigator who becomes a lawyer driven by ambition. Determined to make partner at a top law firm, his life takes a dangerous turn after he receives an invitation to a mysterious app called "Code," which grants users' wishes but at a price. The series explores the consequences of greed and is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in 2027.
Han So-hee, meanwhile, has a busy slate of upcoming projects. She is awaiting the release of the Korean remake of The Intern, in which she will star alongside Choi Min-sik. The actress has also received an offer to star in Netflix's live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling as Cha Hae-in opposite Byeon Woo-seok's Sung Jin-woo.
Her agency, 9ato Entertainment, has noted that she has received an offer and is currently reviewing it. Based on the hit web novel, webtoon, and anime, Solo Leveling follows the journey of Sung Jin-woo, the weakest-ranked hunter who gains extraordinary powers after surviving a near-fatal incident.
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