Michelle Topham 
South Korean actress Jin Ki Joo is reportedly in negotiations to take on a leading role in an upcoming romantic comedy drama tentatively titled The Sleeping Doctor (Korean title 슬리핑 닥터).
According to Korean news media, the project has offered her the female lead, and her agency Basecamp Company has confirmed that she is currently reviewing the offer.
What is the The Sleeping Doctor plot?
The Sleeping Doctor centers on the story of Hong Gyeong, a promising psychiatrist who has his own psychiatric cross to bear, and Nam Ji Oh, a brilliant doctor who is known for her uncanny ability to revive failing hospitals.
The pair meet and romantic sparks fly.
The Korean rom-com is in active casting discussions, with no potential male lead announced as yet, and with no finalization of its broadcast schedule.
Its director, Lee Hyeon Gyeong (Cinderella Game) and screenwriter Baek Eun Kyung (Once Upon a Small Town) have been confirmed.
Jin Ki Joo’s Career: From Debut to Rising Star
Early Beginnings and Breakthrough
After a prior short career as a reporter for a SBS affiliate, Jin Ki Joo debuted in her first acting role in 2015 with the tvN drama Second 20s (also known as Twenty Again), marking the start of a steadily growing acting career.
Her early performances showed a natural screen presence that quickly caught attention, and led to many more roles being offered.
In the years since then the talented Korean actress has appeared in a variety of roles and K-dramas, ranging from melodramas to romantic comedies.
Some of Jin Ki Joo’s notable early works include:
- Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo – an historical romance
- Misty – a psychological murder mystery
- Come and Hug Me – and thriller and romantic melodrama
- The Secret Life of My Secretary – a workplace rom-com
- My Perfect Stranger – a K-drama with a time travel/mystery romance theme
These roles helped Jin Ki Joo build a diverse portfolio while proving her versatility across genres.
It’s no wonder then that the now 36-year-old actress continually ends up starring in some of the most successful Korean dramas.
Jin Ki Joo’s recent work
In 2025, Jin Ki Joo starred in the very popular MBC series Undercover High School, an action-comedy drama alongside co-stars Seo Kang Joon and Kim Shin Rok.
She is also starring in the upcoming Netflix webtoon-based drama True Lessons, in which she plays an inspector at a fictional Teacher’s Rights Protection Agency alongside Kim Mu Yeol and Lee Sung Min.
A New Agency and Future Prospects
In April 2025, Jin Ki Joo became the first actor to sign with Basecamp Company, an agency co-founded by veteran actors Cha Tae Hyun and Jo In Sung.
This move marked a new chapter in her career, and also signaled strong industry confidence in her potential.
With this support behind her, she is also now positioned to take on more varied and high-profile roles, possibly including the rom-com lead in The Sleeping Doctor. Fingers crossed, eh?
We’ll keep you posted here at Baozi Buns.
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