Shin Ye Eun in Talks to Lead Studio Dragon Webtoon Drama High School Queen

Shin Ye Eun (신예은) is in talks to headline High School Queen, an upcoming webtoon adaptation that sounds like exactly what it is: a Joseon warrior queen reincarnated as a modern-day high schooler. The report landed February 26 via Sports Chosun, with her agency npio Entertainment confirming she has received the offer and is currently reviewing it.

The webtoon source material has built a loyal following on its premise alone. Kim Chung Ha, the greatest swordswoman in Joseon history and its reigning queen, finds her soul dropped into the body of Park Da Jin, a present-day high school student. She proceeds to apply Joseon-era martial arts to the entirely mundane chaos of modern teenage life, including taking down school bullies. It is cathartic, absurd, and clearly works, because Studio Dragon is developing it as a long-form drama.

Studio Dragon and CJ ENM Go Big on the IP

Studio Dragon has confirmed the project is in active development and has been clear about its ambitions. The production company plans to preserve the webtoon's signature high-energy action while expanding the Joseon-to-present romance thread that runs through the source material. Beyond the drama itself, Studio Dragon is collaborating with CJ ENM to extend the IP into films, animation, and additional content formats. This is not a one-and-done adaptation play. They are building a franchise.

That kind of institutional commitment explains why a casting offer to Shin Ye Eun makes complete sense. The role of Kim Chung Ha/Park Da Jin demands someone who can carry both the physical intensity of an action-forward Joseon warrior storyline and the emotional range of a contemporary romance. It is not a light ask.

Why Shin Ye Eun Makes Sense

Shin Ye Eun broke out with the web series A-Teen in 2018, earning her the "Nation's First Love" tag off the back of her portrayal of Do Hana. Since then she has steadily built a resume that goes well beyond that initial breakout. Her recent drama The Murky Stream (2025) put her in a more serious register, and she currently has a medical romantic comedy lined up opposite Lee Jae-wook via ENA.

Adding a webtoon-based action lead to that trajectory is a meaningful move. If High School Queen lands the broadcast slot and platform attention it seems positioned for, given the Studio Dragon and CJ ENM backing, this could be the project that redefines how her career is categorized. Right now she is primarily known as a rom-com and melodrama actress. A physically demanding action-comedy lead is a different lane entirely.

What We Know So Far

Details beyond the casting talks and the IP ambitions remain limited. No broadcast network, streaming platform, or premiere window has been announced. The project is being developed as a long-form drama, which likely puts it in the 12-to-16-episode range standard for Korean broadcast dramas, but nothing is confirmed. Given the franchise roadmap CJ ENM and Studio Dragon have outlined, it is reasonable to expect a broader rollout announcement once the lead casting locks in.

npio Entertainment's response leaves the door open: Shin Ye Eun is reviewing the offer. In Korean entertainment industry terms, that is standard language for active negotiation. Watch for a confirmation announcement in the near term.