Good Partner Confirms Season 2 With Major Lead Casting Change

Good Partner Season 2: Why This Casting Switch Is Huge

This isn’t just a sequel announcement. It’s a reset.

When Good Partner wrapped up in 2024, it didn’t just end as another popular drama — it closed as the highest-rated SBS series of the year, pulling an 18.7% rating in the Seoul metro area. In a streaming-first era, that number alone guaranteed a Season 2.

But instead of repeating the exact same formula, the production made a bold choice. One familiar face stays. One key role changes. And suddenly, Season 2 isn’t about recreating success — it’s about evolving it.

For Gen-Z viewers who value character chemistry and narrative tension just as much as plot, this casting switch signals that Good Partner is aiming higher, not safer.

Okay so if you watched Good Partner in 2024, you already know this show was absolutely legendary. Like, we're talking about the highest-rated SBS drama that year with a 18.7% rating in the Seoul metro area. That's not just good, that's the kind of number that makes networks green-light sequels immediately.

The Original Show Changed The Game

So here's why the first season hit different. Jang Na-ra played Cha Eun-kyung, this absolutely brutal divorce lawyer who treats splitting up marriages like it's her calling. Then you had Nam Ji-hyun as the rookie Han Yu-ri who's going through her first divorce herself. The dynamic between them? Chemistry that made people actually feel stuff watching a show about divorce. Not everyone gets that right.

But the real magic was how it flipped the script on divorce itself. Instead of treating it like this shameful thing, the show showed it realistically, with all the messy feelings and actual legal drama. That's why people connected so hard with it.

Now About This Season 2 Twist

Here's where it gets interesting. Jang Na-ra is back, obviously. The woman just won Best Actress at the 2024 SBS Acting Awards for this role, so she's not going anywhere. But instead of Nam Ji-hyun returning, we're getting Kim Hye-yoon as the new partner. And not gonna lie, this is a bold move from the writers.

Kim Hye-yoon just had her global moment with the Netflix series Alchemy of Souls, so bringing her into this is a power move. The teaser that dropped during the 2025 SBS Acting Awards literally had fans freaking out when she appeared alongside Jang Na-ra saying "Trust me." The energy shift is noticeable even in that short clip.

What Changed Between Seasons

In Season 1, Cha Eun-kyung and Han Yu-ri worked together at Law Firm Daejeong. But Season 2 is starting fresh with them opening their own practice called "Dasibom" (literally meaning "spring again"), which is kind of poetic when you think about it. They're helping clients get a fresh start after divorce.

So we're not getting the same relationship dynamic, and that's actually why fans are hyped. The first season already gave us that mentor-rookie bond. Now we're getting two powerhouse lawyers with different energy coming together. That's a different kind of story to tell.

Why Fans Are Already Invested

The numbers don't lie, right? 18.7% in a year when everyone's scrolling through Netflix and streaming apps means people actually sat down and watched this live. That's rare. Jang Na-ra proved she can make you care about divorce proceedings, which sounds weird but trust the receipts.

Plus, the show tackled real issues without being preachy about it. It showed divorce from different angles, broke down stereotypes, and delivered actual satisfying character moments. That's the kind of storytelling that makes people come back for Season 2.

The Kim Hye-yoon Factor

Real talk, Kim Hye-yoon coming off a global hit and joining forces with Jang Na-ra who just won awards for this exact character is basically the production saying "we're going big with Season 2." Both of them are at a point in their careers where they're choosing roles carefully, so this pairing means something.

The chemistry question is real though. In Season 1, we had that established mentor-student vibe. With this new pairing, we're getting two partners who seem like they'll actually clash a bit before they figure things out. That's potentially more interesting television.

What We're Actually Waiting For

Here's the thing: Good Partner worked because it balanced humor with actual emotional weight. It was funny watching Cha Eun-kyung absolutely demolish people in court with her words, but it was also heavy dealing with real family breakdowns. Season 2 needs to keep that balance with new characters and storylines.

The fact that they kept Jang Na-ra anchors everything. She's the constant, and that matters. But bringing in fresh energy with Kim Hye-yoon means the show isn't just repeating what worked before. It's evolving.

Good Partner Season 2 drops in 2026, and honestly? After that teaser, the wait is already painful. If the show maintains even 70% of the quality from Season 1, it's still gonna be massive.