Are We Getting A Face-off Between Typhoon Family's Lee Jun-ho And Kingdom's Ju Ji-hun?

Lee Jun-ho is booked and busy. After a strong run in 2025 with shows like Typhoon Family and Cashero, the former 2PM idol is already lining up his next major television project. The 2PM member is reportedly in talks to headline Buy King, a high-stakes corporate drama being developed for Netflix. Joining him in negotiations is Baeksang Arts Awards winner and Climax actor Ju Ji-hoon, setting up what could be one of the most anticipated K-drama pairings of the year.

What Buy King is about

Buy King (it might also be named Viking) is set within one of South Korea’s wealthiest conglomerate families and revolves around a brutal succession battle. As internal alliances shift and long-buried grudges resurface, family members fight for control over a billion-dollar business empire. The premise places it closer in tone to K-dramas like Reborn Rich and The Heirs, both of which explored the psychological and political fallout of growing up inside South Korea’s conglomerate dynasties.

Lee Junho Eyed For A Third-generation Heir

Junho has been offered the role of Han Ji-yeol, a third-generation chaebol heir who works as a corporate risk analysis specialist. The character is described as a cold strategist who treats family disputes as business variables, suggesting a performance that will rely more on restraint than overt dramatics.

The role would mark another shift for Junho into darker, more complex territory, a trajectory that began gaining traction after his critically praised turn in The Red Sleeve. The success of recent dramas have established him as one of the most reliable leading men on Korean television. His 2025 series Typhoon Family in particular delivered strong ratings and sustained buzz through its run, further cementing his transition from an idol star to respected actor.

Ju Ji-hoon To Play The Rival

Opposite Lee, Ju Ji-hoon has been offered the role of Han Tae-joon, Ji-yeol’s uncle and chief competitor in the battle for corporate control. Tae-joon is described as a relentless and morally ambiguous figure who will stop at nothing to seize control of the conglomerate, not unlike his role at the currently airing Climax. The casting would add another morally grey role to Ju Ji-hoon’s résumé, following his work in internationally successful series such as Kingdom and medical thriller The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call.

What We Know So Far

Lee Junho’s agency, O3 Collective, has confirmed that the actor is positively considering the offer. Ju Ji-hoon’s agency, Blitzway Entertainment, released a similar statement, noting that he is also reviewing the script and schedule.

While neither casting has been finalized, industry reports indicate that production is moving ahead with both actors as the preferred leads, with filming expected to begin in April and the series planned as a 10-episode run.

For now, everything hinges on final contract sign-offs. Still, the prospect of King: The Land's calculating heir going head-to-head with Kingdom’s battle-hardened royal has already turned Buy King into one of the most closely watched casting developments in the current K-drama pipeline. And if both actors do accept, viewers will likely get exactly what the headline promises: a full-blown face-off between two very different, very formidable screen presences.