Actors vie for Song Joong-ki's Asian heartthrob throne

Since the smash-hit drama series “Descendants of the Sun” ended its 16-part run, speculation has abounded as to who is to succeed Song Joong-ki -- who played dashing Army Capt. Yoo Si-jin -- as Asia’s next leading heartthrob.

From medical dramas to period pieces, an ambitious roster of TV shows starring some of the country’s most in-demand male leads are scheduled to launch in the coming months.

First up is the SBS show “Doctors,” featuring actor Kim Rae-won as a high school biology teacher haunted by his former medical internship, during which he accidentally caused the death of a patient. After meeting student Hye-jung, played by wildly popular actress Park Shin-hye, he is motivated to return to the hospital and become a neurosurgeon. The 35-year-old actor, who previously played a greed-driven prosecutor in the 2014 series “Punch,” will return as a warm character this time round.

The KBS2 series “Uncontrollably Fond,” scheduled for a July 6 start, will feature model-turned-actor Kim Woo-bin, 26, in a heart-tickling romance with K-pop starlet and actress Suzy. The show will mark Kim’s first time on the small screen since his role as a bad-boy millionaire in 2013’s “The Heirs,” and feature him as an equally tantalizing tease.

On July 20, the MBC series “W” will kick off with actor Lee Jong-suk, 26, as the male lead. Lee, who formerly played a tortured genius reporter in the 2014 “Pinocchio,” will return once more as a character with uncommon intelligence -- a mystery-shrouded entrepreneur who previously won an Olympic gold medal, then switches careers to learn computer engineering and founds his own venture company, becoming massively wealthy.  

The later months will see three period pieces. “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds,” scheduled to air Aug. 15 on KBS2, will star “Reply 1988” actor Park Bo-gum, 22, as a young prince in a story of teenage heartache set in the Joseon era. Kim Yoo-jung will play his female love interest who enters the palace disguised as a eunuch.   

The SBS show “Scarlet Heart: Ryeo,” set for an Aug. 29 launch, will detail the story of Taejo Wang Geon, who founded the Goryeo Dynasty in 877. The role of the cold and measured king will be played by Lee Joon-gi, 34, who is known for performances in numerous period pieces including 2005 film “King and the Clown” and last year’s TV series “Scholar Who Walks the Night.” The female lead role will be taken up by singer-actress IU.

Actor Song Seung-heon, 39, is lined up to star in “Saimdang, the Herstory” alongside “Jewel of the Palace” star Lee Young-ae as a famed artist and principled royal standing against the corruption of the Joseon era. 

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)