King the Land (Korean: 킹더랜드) is a classic romance set in a luxury hotel: a chaebol heir drawn into a succession fight and a hotel employee who never stops smiling. Starring 2PM's Junho and Girls' Generation's Yoona, it was also streamed on Netflix and became popular.
📺 Drama Info
| Broadcast | June 17 – August 6, 2023 (JTBC, Korea) |
| Episodes | 16 |
| Genre | Romantic comedy / romance |
| In Japan | Streaming on Netflix |
👥 Main Cast
- Lee Jun-ho (2PM) as Gu Won (heir of King Group)
- Yoona (Girls' Generation) as Cheon Sa-rang (hotel employee)
- Go Won-hee as O Pyeong-hwa
- Kim Ga-eun as Kang Da-eul
- Ahn Se-ha as No Sang-sik (Won's secretary)
- Kim Jae-won as Lee Ro-woon
- Son Byung-ho as Gu Il-hoon (chairman)
- Kim Sun-young as Gu Hwa-ran (Won's half-sister)
- Kim Young-ok as Cha Seung-hee (Sa-rang's grandmother)
Role-name spellings differ between media; we list what we could confirm.
📖 Plot (no spoilers)
Cheon Sa-rang, a junior-college graduate, passes the tough exam for King Hotel with her trademark smile — but at work she is disliked by her bosses and seniors because of her education.
Gu Won, a chaebol heir back from studying in the U.K., returns to Korea to learn about his mother. He and Sa-rang have the worst possible first meeting at the hotel gym — and, amid the succession fight, they slowly grow closer.
✨ Three Reasons to Watch
- The comfort of classic romance — a heir and a commoner, a terrible first meeting, slowly closing distance
- The chemistry of Junho, as the heir who "can't smile," and Yoona, as the heroine who never stops smiling
- A hotel workplace drama too — behind the scenes of the hotel and how the staff work
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does King the Land have?
16 episodes.
Who stars in King the Land?
Lee Jun-ho (2PM) as Gu Won and Yoona (Girls' Generation) as Cheon Sa-rang.
When did King the Land air?
From June 17 to August 6, 2023 on JTBC in Korea.
Where can I watch it in Japan?
On Netflix (exclusive, as of October 2026; availability may change).
Based on information as of October 2026. Streaming availability changes — please check each service.