Kim Woo-bin is reportedly preparing for a new genre challenge as he enters discussions to headline Gifted, a sports-themed Korean drama that would mark the first baseball-focused series of his career. The project is being developed for tvN and is already generating attention following Kim’s high-profile return to television in late 2025.
If casting is finalized, Kim would star opposite Seo Eun-soo, known for her recent appearance alongside Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung in Made in Korea. The pairing would mark their first on-screen collaboration and add further anticipation to the project.
Gifted is based on a popular webtoon and centers on Jung Min-yong, a devoted baseball coach who pours his life into helping players improve, often at the expense of his own well-being. After a life-altering tragedy, Min-yong unexpectedly develops extraordinary abilities and finds himself coaching a struggling amateur high school team rather than elite professionals. The story blends sports drama with emotional recovery, mentorship and elements of the supernatural.
Seo Eun-soo is expected to portray Yoon Seo-jin, a physical education teacher who oversees the school’s girls’ baseball team. Early plot descriptions suggest initial conflict between the two characters, with their professional friction evolving into a deeper emotional connection as they navigate personal challenges and the pressures of youth sports.
The project follows Kim Woo-bin’s recent starring role in Genie, Make a Wish, a fantasy romantic comedy released on Netflix in October 2025. The series reunited him with Bae Suzy and was written by Kim Eun-sook, drawing widespread global attention and reestablishing Kim as a leading presence in Korean drama following his earlier career-defining roles.
Taking on Gifted would represent Kim Woo-bin’s first step into the sports drama genre, expanding a résumé that already includes romance, melodrama and fantasy. His agencies have described talks as favorable, though an official confirmation has not yet been announced.
With negotiations ongoing, Gifted is already being viewed as one of the more intriguing upcoming K-dramas expected to surface in 2026.
