| The Practical Guide to Love | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 미혼남녀의 효율적 만남 |
| Lit. | Efficient Matchmaking for Unmarried Men and Women |
| RR | Mihonnamnyeoui hyoyuljeok mannam |
| MR | Mihonnamnyŏŭi hyoyuljŏk mannam |
| Genre | Romantic comedy |
| Based on | Efficient Dating for Singles by Tari |
| Written by | Lee Yi-jin |
| Directed by | Lee Jae-hoon |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Hwang Chan-hee[1] |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| Production | |
| Running time | 70 minutes[2] |
| Production company | SLL |
| Original release | |
| Network | JTBC |
The Practical Guide to Love (Korean: 미혼남녀의 효율적 만남) is an upcoming South Korean television series written by Lee Yi-jin, directed by Lee Jae-hoon, and starring Han Ji-min, Park Sung-hoon, Lee Ki-taek, Jung Hye-sung, and Kim So-hye. Based on the Naver webtoon Efficient Dating for Singles by Tari, the series follows a woman who goes on a blind date, meets two charming guys, and navigates her feelings to discover true love. It is scheduled to premiere on JTBC on February 28, 2026, and will air every Saturday and Sunday at 22:40 (KST). It will also be available for streaming on HBO Max.
Synopsis
Lee Ui-yeong, who was raised by a mother who pressured her to marry, is a single woman dealing with a ton of stress. With her career progressing steadily, she has begun to feel restless, prompting her to consider settling down. She has started going on blind dates, leading to an unexpected dilemma involving two contrasting men. Song Tae-seop, her first date, is a gentle and dependable individual who openly expresses his intentions for love and marriage, forcing Ui-yeong to confront her fears about commitment. Shin Ji-soo, her second date, initially hides his true identity but wins her over with genuine sincerity and carefree charm. His youth and spontaneity challenge Ui-yeong's preconceived notions about love, stirring feelings she hadn't anticipated. Torn between the comfort of stability and the thrill of passion, Ui-yeong must determine what love means to her and whether she's ready to take a chance on it.
Cast and characters
Main
- Han Ji-min as Lee Ui-yeong[3]
- A purchasing team manager at The Hills Hotel. While achieving professional success, she experiences a lack of fulfilment in her romantic life, harbouring desires for romantic connection but isn't interested in wasting time. But as she realizes she misread her coworker's feelings, she takes her friend's advice and tries blind dates, meeting two guys who are total opposites.
- Park Sung-hoon as Song Tae-seop[3]
- The CEO of woodworking studio HOME, he possesses a firm conviction beneath his gentle demeanor. Driven by responsibility and consideration, he dedicated his 20s to building a stable foundation for his company. In his thirties, he meets Ui-yeong on a blind date and they fall in love at first sight.
- Lee Ki-taek as Shin Ji-soo[3]
- Ui-yeong's second blind date partner. He steps in for his friend on a blind date with her, unwittingly walking into a life-changing encounter.
- Jung Hye-sung as Jung Hyun-min[3]
- A purchasing team employee at The Hills Hotel.
- Kim So-hye as Shim Sae-byeok[3]
- The youngest member of the purchasing team.
Supporting
- A purchasing team senior at The Hills Hotel.
- Shin Jae-ha[5]
- Moon Jeong-hee[6]
- Joo Yeon-woo as Lim Seung-jun[7]
- Ui-yeong's childhood friend.
Special appearances
- Yoon Park[8]
- Yuk Jun-seo[8]
- Lee Chang-ho[8]
Production
Development
Produced under SLL, the rom-com drama is based on the Naver webtoon Efficient Dating for Singles by Tari. It is directed by Lee Jae-hoon, who directed Divorce Attorney Shin (2023), and the screenplay is written by Lee Yi-jin.[3]
The script reading took place on May 14, 2025.[9]
Casting
In February 2025, Newsen reported that Han Ji-min received an offer for the series and was positively considering.[10] The next month, Park Sung-hoon was in talks to star.[11] On May 14, Lee Ki-taek was added to the cast.[9] By May 15, 2025, Han, Park, and Lee along with Jung Hye-sung and Kim So-hye were officially confirmed to star.[3]
Filming
Principal photography began in the first half of 2025, and was concluded on November 13, 2025.[12][13][14]
Release
The Practical Guide to Love is scheduled to premiere on JTBC in 2026.[3] In November 2025, the series was under discussion to air as the first JTBC weekend drama of 2026. As stated by Herald Pop, the series would air in January 2026.[15][14] On December 19, Ize confirmed its premiere date to be on February 28, 2026, and will air every Saturday and Sunday.[16] It will also be available for streaming on HBO Max.[17]
References
- ^ Hwang Chan-hee. 드라마 BGM 팀 - 황찬희 [Drama BGM Team - Hwang Chan-hee]. chansline.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ^ 미혼남녀의 효율적 만남 [The Practical Guide to Love]. CJENM Watch. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lee, Su-jin (May 15, 2025). 한지민·박성훈, '미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 캐스팅 [공식] [Official: Han Ji-min and Park Sung-hoon cast in The Practical Guide to Love]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Jeong, Se-yoon (January 25, 2026). [공식] '비연예인♥' 이미도, 결혼 11년 차에 기쁜 소식 알렸다…'미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 캐스팅 [Official: Non-celebrity ♥ Lee Mi-do shares good news after 11 years of marriage… Casting for The Practical Guide to Love]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Jang, Jin-ri (July 10, 2025). [단독]신재하, '미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 출격...한지민과 '믿보배' 만남 [Exclusive: Shin Jae-ha to appear on The Practical Guide to Love... meets Han Ji-min]. SPOTV (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Jang, Jin-ri (October 15, 2025). [단독]신재하, '미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 출격...한지민과 '믿보배' 만남 [Exclusive: Moon Jeong-hee joins 'Convenience Store Restaurant' and The Practical Guide to Love, working hard across variety shows and dramas]. IZE (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Kim, Min-ji (February 4, 2026). 주연우, '미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 출연…한지민과 '절친' 호흡 [Joo Yeon-woo to appear in The Practical Guide to Love and become close friends with Han Ji-min]. News 1 (in Korean). Retrieved February 4, 2026.
- ^ a b c Park, Jin-young (January 28, 2026). 윤박·육준서·이창호, 한지민 소개팅남 된다⋯'미혼남녀' 특별출연 [Yoon Park, Yuk Jun-seo, and Lee Chang-ho to make a special appearance in The Practical Guide to Love]. Joy News 24 (in Korean). Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- ^ a b Kim, Ye-eun (May 14, 2025). [단독] 이기택, '미혼남녀' 합류...한지민·박성훈과 오늘(14일) 대본리딩 [Exclusive: Lee Ki-taek joins The Practical Guide to Love... Script reading with Han Ji-min and Park Sung-hoon on May 14th]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Ha, Ji-won (February 14, 2025). 한지민 사랑할 결심 '미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 출연 긍정 검토 [공식입장] [Official Statement: Han Ji-min positively considering appearance on The Practical Guide to Love]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Kang, Hyo-jin (March 26, 2025). [단독]박성훈, 한지민 손 잡고 로맨스로 복귀...'미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 주연 [Exclusive: Park Sung-hoon returns to romance with Han Ji-min, starring in The Practical Guide to Love]. SPOTV (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Yoo, Ji-ri (February 14, 2025). [단독] '나완비'로 또 날아오른 한지민, 로코로 돌아온다 [Exclusive: Han Ji-min, who soared again with "Na Wan-bi," returns with a romantic comedy]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Yoo, Jeong-min (November 13, 2025). "굿바이, 이의영!"...한지민, '미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 촬영 종료 인증 ["Goodbye, Lee Ui-yeong!"...Han Ji-min confirms completion of filming for 'Efficient Meeting of Single Men and Women']. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ a b Yoo, Jeong-min (November 14, 2025). [단독]한지민, '미혼남녀의 효율적 만남' 스태프 120명에 사비로 운동화 선물..3천만원 상당 [Exclusive: Han Ji-min donates sneakers worth 30 million won to 120 staff members of The Practical Guide to Love]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Lee, Kyung-ho (November 7, 2025). [단독] 'AV 표지 업로드 논란' 박성훈 주연 '미혼남녀'...2026년 JTBC 토일극 첫 주자 논의中 [Exclusive: Park Sung-hoon's sparks controversy over AV cover upload... JTBC's first weekend drama in 2026 The Practical Guide to Love under discussion.]. IZE (in Korean). Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ Lee, Kyung-ho (December 19, 2025). [단독] 한지민 주연 '미혼남녀', JTBC 토일극 편성...내년 2월 28일 첫방 [Exclusive: Han Ji-min's The Practical Guide to Love to premiere on JTBC's Saturday-Sunday drama series on February 28th]. Ize (in Korean). Retrieved December 19, 2025.
- ^ Bernardo, Jaehwa (January 20, 2026). "K-drama featuring Han Ji-min, Park Sung-hoon coming to HBO Max in February". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
External links
- Official website
(in Korean) - The Practical Guide to Love at HanCinema
- The Practical Guide to Love at IMDb
