Heo Nam Joon is currently the name on everyone’s lips. If you haven’t felt the "Heo Nam Joon fever" yet, you’ve probably been hiding under a rock—or at least staying off K-drama TikTok. He’s got this weird, magnetic energy that makes it impossible to look away. One minute he’s playing a terrifyingly unhinged villain, and the next, he’s a soft-hearted psychiatrist you just want to grab coffee with.
It’s rare to see an actor blow up this fast. He basically went from "who is that guy in the background?" to a household name in the span of a single year.
Usually, actors have a slow burn. They do ten years of supporting roles before anyone notices. Not him. Heo Nam Joon has this "ticking time bomb" quality that veteran actors like Kim Myung-min have openly praised. Honestly, it’s refreshing. We’re seeing a shift in what makes a K-drama lead, and Heo is leading the charge with a filmography that is getting more impressive by the month.
The Breakthrough: Your Honor and the Rise of Kim Sang-hyuk
If we’re talking about tv shows with Heo Nam Joon, we have to start with the 2024 hit Your Honor. This was the turning point.
He played Kim Sang-hyuk, the eldest son of a ruthless conglomerate chairman. On paper, it sounds like your typical "spoiled chaebol" role. But Heo did something different. He brought this bizarre, unsettling intensity to the character that felt genuinely dangerous. There’s a scene at a funeral where he delivers a line about hunting down "wild dogs," and the way he pauses—the way his eyes just go blank for a second—it’s chilling.
He actually admitted in an interview with Yonhap News that he was so nervous on the first day of filming he could barely remember it. You’d never know. He looked like he’d been playing villains for decades. Fans started calling his style "strange acting" in a good way. It wasn't calculated. It was raw. That’s why the clips went viral. People love a villain they can’t predict, and Sang-hyuk was exactly that.
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From Villains to Healing: When the Phone Rings
Just when everyone thought he was the new king of dark roles, he flipped the script. In When the Phone Rings (2024–2025), he stepped into the shoes of Ji Sang-woo.
Suddenly, the "madman" was a charming psychiatrist. He’s a guy who volunteers for sign language services and runs a mystery YouTube channel. It was such a 180-degree turn that it left viewers dizzy.
The chemistry he had with Chae Soo-bin was undeniable, but what really worked was the duality. One side of Sang-woo is this warm, professional healer. The other side is a man obsessed with unsolved cases, eventually getting dragged into a "dark incident" that changes everything. It’s this complexity that makes tv shows with Heo Nam Joon so binge-worthy. He doesn't just play "the nice guy." He plays the nice guy with a secret.
For this performance, he actually took home the Best New Actor Award at the 2024 MBC Drama Awards. It was a well-deserved win that solidified his spot as a top-tier lead actor.
The Early Days: Snowdrop and Sweet Home
Before he was the main event, Heo was putting in the work in some of the biggest Netflix and cable hits. You might remember him from Snowdrop (2021), where he played Oh Gwang-tae. It wasn't a massive role, but it was his introduction to the high-stakes world of political melodramas.
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Then came the Sweet Home sequels.
In Seasons 2 and 3, he played Staff Sergeant Kang Seok-chan. In a show filled with monsters and CGI, it’s easy to get lost. Yet, Heo managed to ground his scenes. He has this way of standing—this physical presence—that makes him feel like a real soldier. It’s a stark contrast to the skinny, high-fashion looks he sports in his later chaebol roles.
- Missing: The Other Side (2020): His first TV appearance. He played Go Bong-hwan in a guest spot. Small, but it was the start.
- The Matchmakers (2023): He played Jeong Sun-gu, showing he could handle the specific comedic timing and tone of a historical rom-com.
- The Impossible Heir (2024): Another supporting turn as Ha Myeong-jin that kept the momentum going right before Your Honor hit.
What’s Coming in 2025 and 2026?
The schedule for tv shows with Heo Nam Joon is getting crowded. If you thought 2024 was big, 2025 and 2026 are looking even busier.
The biggest project on the horizon is Brave New World (2026). This is a romantic fantasy drama where he stars alongside Im Ji-yeon. The premise is wild: a Joseon-era "femme fatale" soul ends up in the body of a modern-day actress. Heo plays Cha Se-gye, a ruthless heir who (of course) ends up in a "hate-to-love" relationship with her.
There’s also When the Stars Gossip, which started airing in early 2025. Set in a space station, it’s one of the most expensive K-dramas ever made. He plays Lee Seung-joon, and while the lead stars are Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, Heo’s inclusion in such a massive production shows how much the industry trusts him now.
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And don't overlook A Hundred Memories. It’s a period drama set in the 1980s, where he plays Han Jae-pil. It feels like he’s intentionally picking different eras and genres to prove he can’t be boxed in.
Why Heo Nam Joon is Different
So, why are people so obsessed?
Honestly, it’s the eyes. He has this gaze that can go from "I want to protect you" to "I might actually be a serial killer" in a split second. Directors love that. It adds layers to the story that aren't even in the script.
He’s also not afraid to look "ugly" or weird on screen. In Your Honor, he would ad-lib facial twitches and pauses that made the crew nervous, but they worked. He’s an actor who trusts his instincts. In an industry that can sometimes feel a bit "cookie-cutter" with its casting, he’s an outlier.
Actionable Tips for New Fans
If you're just starting your journey through tv shows with Heo Nam Joon, here is the most efficient way to watch his progression:
- Start with Your Honor: This is his "magnum opus" so far. It shows his full range and why the industry is so excited about him.
- Watch When the Phone Rings: This provides the necessary contrast. You need to see him being charming and "normal" to appreciate how good he is at being "strange."
- Check out The Matchmakers: If you want something lighter, this is the one. It shows he has a sense of humor and can fit into the sageuk (historical) world perfectly.
- Keep an eye on Brave New World: This is set to be his biggest lead role yet, and the chemistry with Im Ji-yeon is already a huge talking point in fan communities.
The best way to stay updated is to follow the official accounts for networks like ENA and MBC, as Heo seems to be their new favorite leading man. With his recent Baeksang and Blue Dragon nominations, it’s clear the critics are just as obsessed as the fans. The "Heo Nam Joon era" is officially here.
Next Steps for Your Watchlist:
Keep a close watch on the Friday-Saturday time slots for tvN and MBC throughout 2026. Brave New World is expected to be a major ratings driver, so catching it during its initial broadcast is the best way to avoid spoilers on social media. Additionally, look for his early film work like Double Patty (2021) or Night in Paradise (2020) if you want to see the cinematic roots that shaped his intense acting style.