8 Jung Hae In Shows To Watch This 2021: Snowdrop, Tune In For Love, One Spring Night

Almost always making viewers experience the so-called "second lead syndrome", this South Korean actor proves he can also be the "first" in our hearts. Stream these shows to see why.

1. Tune in for Love

Screened at the prestigious London East Asia Film Festival where Jung Hae-in bagged the popularity award, this record-breaking box office romance movie is set in the Eighties and delves into the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Played by Kim Go-eun, bakery part-timer Mi-soo meets Hyun-woo (Jung Hae-in) when he dropped by the bakery after he was released from prison. Hyun-woo, later on, applies for a job in the same bakery and the two began working together. One day, Hyun-Woo's friends appear at the bakery store and he left with them. Mi-Soo believes Hyun-Woo will not come back, however, their relationship does not end there as their paths cross several more times in the future.

2. Something in the Rain

Marking Son Ye-jin's small screen comeback after a five-year hiatus, this JBTC series revolves around the relationship between a couple as they slowly fall in love amidst struggle brought about by age differences, which is considered a social taboo in some communities. A coffee house supervisor in her 30s, Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin) becomes friends with Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in) who is in his 20s. Jin-ah is the best friend of Joon-hee's sister since they were kids. It's a you-and-me against the world kind of drama that is sure to tickle the hopeless romantic in you. 

3. One Spring Night

Following the success of Something in the Rain comes another masterpiece from the award-winning director Ahn Pan-seok in 2019. It tells the story of Lee Jeong-in (Han Ji-min), a librarian who had just ended a four-year relationship with a banker, Kwon Gi-seok (Kim Jun-han). She meets pharmacist and single dad Yoo Ji-ho (Jung Hae-in) who graduated from the same university she was in. Being frowned upon as a single parent, Ji-ho has to face this social stigma from almost everyone—his parents and friends included—with the exception of one person: Lee Jeong-in. Both Ji-ho and Jeong-in have to make uncomfortable decisions as they face a bumpy road ahead. In the end, did love win? 

4. A Piece of Your Mind

This tvN drama-romance may be short-lived with only 12 episodes, but it tackles one issue that a lot of viewers can relate to: unrequited love. The story is about a good-hearted AI programmer named Moon Ha-won (Jung Hae-in) who is the founder of AH Company and Han Seo-woo (Chae Soo-bin), an optimistic classical music recording engineer whose life is unstable without a family or home.

5. While You Were Sleeping

One of Jung Hae-in's most memorable supporting role is as a smart 29-year-old police officer named Han Woo-tak who forms part of a love triangle that also involves Jung Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk)—a rookie prosecutor—and Nam Hong-joo (Bae Suzy)—a field reporter—who both have the ability to see the future through their dreams. Han Woo-tak suffers from colour blindness, a condition that can jeopardize his career as a policeman. It's a legal-slash-fantasy drama that will give you that adrenaline rush every episode. 

6. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

In this hit romance series, Jung Hae-in plays the role of Choi Tae-hee, Ji Eun-tak's (Kim Go-eun) first love, on episodes 7 and 8. Written by Kim Eun-sook, the screenwriter behind the popular series Secret Garden (2010), The Heirs (2013) and Descendants of the Sun (2016), Guardian: The Lonely and Great God marks Kim Eun-sook's second collaboration with director Lee Eun-bok after both worked on the award-winning Descendants of the Sun, which stars Vincenzo actor Song Joong-ki and his ex-wife, Song Hye-kyo.

See how the main characters Ji Eun-tak and Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) experience eternal love amidst chaos and challenges brought about by the past and the present.

7. Jung Hae-in’s Travel Log

This variety show is a good break from all of Jung Hae-in's overly swoon-worthy dramas. In this travel documentary variety show, which he produces and films himself, he walks around destinations—in this case, New York—to show places to check out and experience, from Central Park to Niagara Falls.

8. Prison Playbook

Awarded as 12th Korean Cable TV Awards Best Drama in 2018, Prison Playbook gives a peek into the lives of convicts behind bars, their loved ones and the workers at the detention centre. The highlight is on famous baseball pitcher Kim Je-hyuk (Park Hae-soo) who is imprisoned for assault after he rescues his sister from sexual violation. Jung Hae-in plays the character of Yoo Jeong-woo or Captain Yoo, a commanding officer who allegedly attacked his teammate, which led to the latter's death. The role won him the Most Popular Actor award at the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards in the same year. Prison Playbook is directed by Shin Won-ho, the award-winning director of Reply anthology and written by Jung Bo-hoon.

Source: Tatler Asia