Ha Seok-jin and Lee Ju-yeon’s Complicated Feelings in “Love On The Menu”: Family vs. Romance

KBS2’s upcoming weekend drama “Love Is Coming” (internationally titled “Love on the Menu”) will premiere July 25, 2026, with a 16-episode run that positions veteran actor Ha Seok-jin opposite EXID’s Hani in a narrative centered on the tension between familial obligation and romantic desire. Lee Ju-yeon, cast as fashion designer Jang Seo Hyeon, plays a pivotal role in the drama’s central conflict: the push-pull between accepting family constraints and longing for personal fulfillment beyond those boundaries.

A Family Drama With Romantic Complications at Its Core

The drama’s official synopsis frames its central emotional stakes: “A story about a family that sometimes makes you wish it wasn’t your own, that you could just throw it all away. Yet, despite that, it’s family.” This premise directly establishes the thematic territory Ha Seok-jin’s character Kim Mu-jin must navigate—a world where family bonds feel simultaneously inescapable and irreplaceable, even when they constrain personal happiness.

Lee Ju-yeon’s casting as Jang Seo Hyeon, a fashion designer, introduces an external catalyst that disrupts this family equilibrium. Her character embodies the “longing for more” that tests Kim Mu-jin’s commitment to familial duty, creating the romantic and emotional friction that will likely drive the drama’s narrative arc across all 16 episodes. Director Hong Seok Goo and screenwriter Lee Kyung Hee have structured this conflict to blend comedy, romance, and family drama—a tonal combination the production team emphasized at the script reading event.

Ha Seok-jin’s Established Credibility Anchors the Ensemble

Ha Seok-jin brings significant industry pedigree to the lead role. The actor previously earned two Excellence Award nominations at the 2014 MBC Drama Awards and the 4th APAN Star Awards for his performance in “4 Legendary Witches,” establishing him as a performer capable of balancing comedic timing with emotional depth. His prior roles in “Radiant Office” and “Drinking Solo” demonstrate his versatility in navigating both lighthearted and serious dramatic material—precisely the skill set required to portray a character torn between family loyalty and personal desire.

“Love Is Coming” marks Ha Seok-jin’s return to a weekend drama slot, a broadcast position traditionally reserved for family-centric narratives with broad appeal. His presence signals that the production intends to deliver both comedic relief and genuine emotional stakes, anchoring the ensemble cast that includes supporting players Park You Na as Gyu Rim’s sister Han Gyu Yeong, Bae Jung Nam as friend Cho Heung Sik, and Min Jin Woong as Kim Mu-jin’s friend Park Jeong U.

A Supporting Cast That Reinforces Family Pressure

The supporting cast structure reveals the drama’s strategic approach to the “family vs. romance” conflict. Gyu Rim’s sister, played by Park You Na, and her circle of friends create a familial pressure system that Kim Mu-jin must navigate. This network of relationships positions the family unit as both a source of belonging and a source of constraint—characters who care deeply but whose expectations may conflict with his romantic interests and personal growth.

The production team noted at the script reading that veteran actors Kwon Hae Hyo, Yoon Yoo Sun, Ryu Seung Soo, and Jin Kyung brought “seasoned chemistry” to scenes blending humor and emotion. This emphasis on experienced ensemble work suggests that the drama will not simplify the family dynamics into simple antagonism but rather portray them as complex, emotionally resonant relationships that deserve both comedy and genuine pathos.

Genre Positioning Within Korean Weekend Drama Tradition

“Love Is Coming” arrives as a follow-up to “Recipe for Love,” another family-centric romance drama that occupied KBS2’s weekend slot. This genealogy places the new series within a long tradition of Korean dramas that balance lighthearted comedy with serious family issues, treating domestic relationships with the same narrative weight as romantic ones. The Comedy, Romance, Drama, and Family genre classifications confirm that the production team intends to serve multiple emotional registers simultaneously.

The drama’s official announcement stated: “‘Love on the Menu’ will premiere in July as the follow-up to ‘Recipe for Love,'” confirming its placement within the network’s summer weekend drama schedule. This scheduling slot has historically attracted broad, family-oriented viewership in South Korea, suggesting that the conflict between Ha Seok-jin’s character and Lee Ju-yeon’s character will resonate with audiences navigating similar tensions between familial responsibility and personal aspiration in their own lives.

International Title Confusion Clarified for Global Audiences

The drama’s English title “Love on the Menu” has created potential confusion with a Hallmark Channel original movie of the same name released in 2019/2021, which starred Autumn Reeser and Kavan Smith in a 1.5-hour romantic drama about a chef and a frozen food executive. The KBS2 drama differs fundamentally: it is a 16-episode narrative centered on family dynamics and a fashion designer subplot rather than a frozen food industry romance.

The official Korean title “Sarangi Onda” (사랑이 온다), literally “Love Is Coming,” more accurately reflects the drama’s thematic focus on the arrival of romantic desire into a life structured around family obligation. International streaming platforms including MyDramaList have adopted “Love on the Menu” in their English listings, but viewers should note that this Korean drama represents a completely distinct narrative from its Hallmark namesake. Broadcast will occur on KBS2 in South Korea, with international streaming availability expected through platforms such as KBS World and Viki pending final partnership confirmations.

What Comes Next for the Summer Weekend Drama Slot

The July 25, 2026 premiere date marks the beginning of KBS2’s summer weekend drama season. Viewers and critics will watch closely to see how director Hong Seok Goo executes the balance between comedy and emotional stakes, and how screenwriter Lee Kyung Hee develops the central conflict between Kim Mu-jin’s familial bonds and his romantic longing as represented by Lee Ju-yeon’s character.

Ha Seok-jin’s return to the weekend drama format, combined with the casting of EXID’s Hani in the lead female role and Lee Ju-yeon’s narrative function as romantic complication, positions “Love Is Coming” as a significant entry in the Korean drama landscape for summer 2026. The drama’s exploration of how family loyalty and personal desire can coexist—or conflict—promises to resonate with audiences across multiple generations navigating similar emotional territory in their own lives.