Potato Research Institute

Potato Research Institute (Korean: 감자연구소; RR: Gamjayeonguso) is a South Korean television drama series that aired on tvN. The series, categorized as a romantic-comedy, follows the professional and personal lives of researchers working in a mountain valley.

Plot

The story centers on Kim Mi-Kyung (played by Lee Sun-Bin), a dedicated researcher who has spent 12 years working at the Potato Research Institute. Her routine life is disrupted by the arrival of So Baek-Ho (played by Kang Tae-Oh). While So Baek-Ho possesses a charming appearance, he is characterized as a cold-blooded capitalist, leading to frequent conflicts between him and Kim Mi-Kyung.

Production

The series was directed by Kang Il-Soo and written by Kim Ho-Soo. The production team had previously collaborated on the 2016 JTBC drama Solomon's Perjury and the 2019 MBC series Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung. The show aired from March 1, 2025, to April 6, 2025, occupying the Saturday and Sunday 21:20 time slot on tvN.

This project marked the first acting role for Kang Tae-Oh following his discharge from the South Korean military on March 19, 2024.

Promotional poster for Potato Research Institute — Promotional poster for the series.

Cast

The main cast includes:

Lee Sun-Bin as Kim Mi-Kyung
Kang Tae-Oh as So Baek-Ho
Lee Hak-Joo as Park Ki-Se