A new Korean drama lands on Netflix today, and it arrives with one of the most emotionally charged premises of the year. We Are All Trying Here — the hotly anticipated JTBC series — premieres globally on April 18, 2026, offering 12 episodes about the invisible wounds that jealousy and self-doubt leave behind.

What Is We Are All Trying Here About?

At its heart, this is a story about people who feel left behind — by their peers, their industry, and themselves. Hwang Dong-man is an aspiring film director who has spent 20 years chasing his debut, watching every one of his colleagues from the famed industry circle “The Eight” surpass him one by one. When he reaches rock bottom, a chance encounter with the exacting film producer Byeon Eun-a — nicknamed “The Axe” for her ruthlessly sharp script reviews — sets both of them on an unexpected path toward self-discovery and connection. Written by Park Hae-young and directed by Cha Young-hun, the series blends the warmth of character-driven drama with sharp observations about ambition, envy, and the quiet courage it takes to keep going.

The Cast

Koo Kyo-hwan — acclaimed for his breakout roles in D.P. and Hunt — leads as Hwang Dong-man, a man perpetually on the edge of giving up yet unable to let go of his dream. Opposite him, Go Youn-jung, who captivated audiences in Alchemy of Souls and A Good Day to Be a Dog, plays Byeon Eun-a, a producer whose sharp exterior conceals a deeply bruised interior.

The supporting cast is equally compelling:
Oh Jung-se as Park Kyeong-se, a film director whose recent box-office failure has left him rattled
Kang Mal-geum as Ko Hye-jin, a film company CEO and Park Kyeong-se’s wife, whose steady nature anchors those around her
Park Hae-joon as Hwang Jin-man, Dong-man’s older brother — a former poet whose own sense of self has collapsed
Bae Jong-ok, Han Sun-hwa, and Choi Won-young round out the principal ensemble

Why This Drama Feels Different

What separates We Are All Trying Here from the usual Korean drama fare is its refusal to sensationalize its premise. Rather than leaning on melodrama, Park Hae-young’s script treats its characters’ feelings of inadequacy with genuine tenderness and specificity — the specific ache of watching someone younger succeed where you haven’t, the specific shame of needing to be rescued. It is the kind of drama that earns its title: everyone here is genuinely trying, and that is both the comedy and the tragedy of it.

Episode Schedule

The series runs for 12 episodes, each approximately 70 minutes long. New episodes drop every Saturday and Sunday on both JTBC in Korea and Netflix globally, with the finale scheduled for May 24, 2026.

How to Watch

We Are All Trying Here is now streaming on Netflix worldwide. Episodes 1 and 2 are available today, with new episodes every weekend.