Jisoo’s Next: The Blackpink Star’s Upcoming Acting Projects
Jisoo in a still from ‘Newtopia.’ Photo: courtesy of Coupang Play.
Jisoo has multiple acting projects in 2025, including K-dramas and a feature film spanning horror, rom-com, and fantasy genres—seemingly a pivotal moment in her career—not only consolidating her as a multi-talented artist but also re-emphasizing the significance of idol actors in Korean entertainment.
Set for release on Feb. 7, 2025, Newtopia stars Jisoo and Park Jong-min. A drama adaptation of Han Sang-woon’s novel Influenza, Newtopia chronicles characters, confined to a busy Seoul building, facing imminent doom when people inside start turning into zombies because of some flu.
In the story, Lee Jae-yoon (Park) and Kang Young-joo (Jisoo) find themselves on divergent paths—Jae-yoon, a soldier conscripted to serve in the tower’s defense unit, while his girlfriend, Young-joo, a rookie employee, abruptly writes him a break-up note—will reconcile while fighting the zombie apocalypse. Meanwhile, jae-yoon and his fellow troops must mount a solid defense as the threat escalates to save themselves and others.
I believe Jae-yoon and Young-joo’s personal issues and evolving relationship are at the center of Newtopia; they are in for a zombie horde alongside the emotional and psychological toll the situation will bring. In earlier media reports, Jisoo stated that the drama’s high-stakes zombie action and horror elements made her character a challenging one to play.
Directed by Yoon Sung-hyun, the web series will stream on Coupang Play and Amazon Prime Video.
A second intriguing project, the upcoming romantic comedy K-drama Boyfriend on Demand (formerly known as Monthly Boyfriend), co-starring Seo In-guk and Jisoo, looks into the complexities of modern love and the influence of technology.
In Boyfriend on Demand, Jisoo’s Seo Mi-rae, a Webtoon producer, negotiates the challenges of romance in a situation where risks like emotional attachment seem to be mitigated through a “virtual dating simulation.” Mi-rae, looking for love without the usual risks and vulnerabilities connected with real dating, uses this platform to date hundreds of guys without having to truly commit or suffer heartbreak.
In the process, I imagine she quickly finds that the lines dividing her virtual and real-world experiences become increasingly blurred, taking her in an unexpected direction where she might have to face her own ideas and expectations about intimacy, love, and the pros and cons of emotional connection.
Director Kim Jung-shik’s Boyfriend on Demand, perhaps, raises the question of whether pursuing a love life without risks can actually result in the happiness and meaning that most of us look for in our relationships or if the vulnerability and authenticity that come with accepting the uncertainty of the human experience are the true essence of love.
The drama is reportedly scheduled for release this year; the release date has yet to be announced.
Next up, the year marks Jisoo’s movie debut in a main role (previously she had a special appearance in the 2023 dark fantasy film, Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman) with her portrayal in Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, directed by Kim Byung-woo and based on Sing Shong’s acclaimed webtoon Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.
The narrative has Kim Dok-ja (Ahn Hyo-seop), an office employee and devotee of the web novel Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World, which he has read fully, making him the only person privy to its ending. Suddenly, the fictional universe comes to life, and Yoo Joong-hyuk (Lee Min-ho) shows up, a hero with superpowers and fighting prowess.
Initially, Joong-hyuk is wary of Dok-ja and his endeavors to avert the impending catastrophe that looms large over the novel. However, later, the two join forces, teaming up with Ji-hye, a young warrior under Joong-hyuk’s training in the fictional world before ultimately becoming an integral part of their mission in the real world.
Undoubtedly, the way these characters and others come together, their skills, and their joint efforts to save a world on the cusp of apocalyptic disaster hint at an engaging cinematic experience. Omniscient Reader: The Prophet is slated for release this year.
