'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ju Ji-hoon, who has starred in the Netflix period drama Kingdom, addressed ongoing curiosity about the future of the show in a recent interview with STARNEWS on January 30, 2025.
"Everyone is asking when Kingdom 3 will be done. I know the writer is currently working on another piece. I can't write it, right?" he said with a laugh.
Hinting at a potential continuation, he added:
"I think the writer might be preparing Kingdom 3."
Kim Eun-hee, the screenwriter behind Kingdom, is currently focused on Signal season 2. While no official confirmation has been made regarding Kingdom’s renewal, Ju Ji-hoon’s remarks have reignited anticipation for a new chapter in the zombie sageuk saga.
Trending
A brief look at Kingdom starring Ju Ji-hoon
Kingdom is a South Korean period horror series created by Kim Eun-hee, based on the webtoon The Kingdom of the Gods. Netflix’s first original Korean series, it premiered on January 25, 2019. Directed by Kim Seong-hun and Park In-je, it stars Ju Ji-hoon, Bae Doona, Ryu Seung-ryong, Kim Sang-ho, Kim Sung-kyu, and Kim Hye-jun.
Set in the early 17th century, three years after the Imjin War, the story follows Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) as he investigates a mysterious illness plaguing his father, the King. He soon uncovers a deadly epidemic and a political conspiracy threatening the throne.
Following its success, season 2 was released on March 13, 2020. A special episode, Ashin of the North, premiered on July 23, 2021, exploring the backstory of Ashin (Jun Ji-hyun) and the origins of the infection.
The series begins ten days after the King falls ill. Queen Jo (Kim Hye-jun) and her father, Chief State Councilor Jo Hak-joo (Ryu Seung-ryong), bar anyone from seeing him, fueling rumors of his death.
Suspicious, Lee Chang sneaks into the palace, where he encounters a shadowy monster. Before he can investigate, he is caught and expelled. His guard Moo-young (Kim Sang-ho) steals the King’s medical journal, which leads them to Jiyulheon clinic in Dongnae. There, they find the clinic in ruins and corpses hidden beneath a building. The only survivor, Seo-bi (Bae Doona), warns them: the dead will rise—and they will kill.
Ju Ji-hoon talks about his return to medical drama: The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
Ju Ji-hoon returns to the medical genre after 12 years, playing genius surgeon Baek Kang-hyuk in Netflix’s The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call released on January 24, 2025. In an interview he admitted that wearing a doctor's gown again felt different.
"The gown feels smaller; I gained 10kg since my last medical role," he said.
Reflecting on Medical Top Team, he acknowledged its lukewarm reception but credited it with helping him prepare for this role. Unlike traditional medical dramas, the actor described The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call as more action-driven, calling it his most exhausting project.
Co-star of The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, Choo Young-woo named Ju Ji-hoon as his role model. The senior actor humbly responded:
"I don’t aim to be a role model, but it’s nice when juniors recognize my work across different genres."
For the unversed, The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call is a 2025 South Korean medical comedy series written by Choi Tae-kang and directed by Lee Do-yoon. Starring Ju Ji-hoon, Choo Young-woo, Ha Young, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Jung Jae-kwang, the drama is based on the web novel Trauma Center: Golden Hour by Hansanleega and Hongbichira, which was later serialized as a Naver Webtoon in 2019.
Premiering on Netflix on January 24, 2025, The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call quickly gained international traction, climbing to the #2 spot on Netflix's global Top 10 TV shows list by January 28, surpassing Squid Game season 2, as reported by FlixPatrol. The series has been praised for its engaging storytelling and compelling characters.
The drama follows Baek Kang-hyuk played by Ju Ji-hoon, a highly skilled trauma surgeon with experience in war zones. Upon returning to Korea, he takes charge of an underfunded trauma team at a struggling university hospital, determined to transform it into a cutting-edge facility despite numerous financial and bureaucratic obstacles.
Baek is joined by a dedicated team, including surgical resident Yang Jae-won (Choo Young-woo), nurse Cheon Jang-mi (Ha Young), and anesthesiology resident Park Kyung-won (Jung Jae-kwang).
All eight episodes of Ju Ji-hoon’s The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call are now streaming on Netflix.
