Rookie Cops

Rookie Cops (Korean: 너와 나의 경찰수업) is a South Korean television series that aired between from January 26 and March 16, 2022, and consisted of 16 episodes. The series was written by Lee Ha-na, directed by Kim Byung-soo and starring Kang Daniel, Chae Soo-bin, Lee Shin-young, and Park Yoo-na. Rookie Cops revolves around police academy students enrolled at the elite Korean National Police University. It released two episodes every Wednesday at 17:00 (KST) on Star via Disney+ in select regions as the OTT's first Korean Star Originals drama.
Rookie Cops follows the stories of freshmen recruits at the elite Korean National Police University (KNPU), which is said to be one of the most conservative and exclusive campuses in Korea. Wi Seung-hyun (Kang Daniel) is an honors freshman who wants to take after his father. Everything is going according to plan until he encounters Go Eun-kang (Chae Soo-bin). The youth investigation drama depicts the students' dreams, love, challenges, and ambitions.
On December 22, 2020, Studio&NEW disclosed that it would use invested funds and secure secondary copyrights to produce upcoming works, including Rookie Cops. It was first reported on February 1, 2021, that Rookie Cops is an original series that would air on Disney+. On April 30, 2021, the NEW and The Walt Disney Company Korea's five-year content partnership was formalized with Rookie Cops being named as one of the two immediate works part of that deal.
On February 1 and March 9, 2021, Kang Daniel and Chae Soo-bin were reported to be reviewing the offers, respectively. Their lead roles were not officially confirmed until their appearances at the Disney+ APAC Content Showcase on October 14. In May, there was news of Min Do-hee, Lee Shin-young, Kim Woo-seok, and Shin Ye-eun being cast. The following month, Kim Sang-ho and Park Yoo-na confirmed their casting followed by Sa Kang in July. Kwak Si-yang's special appearance was confirmed in October while the major cast lineup was revealed in November.
It was reported on May 26, 2021, that filming began in early May following a script reading and concluded in November. On January 25, 2022, footage from the official table read was published.
In addition to South Korea, other Disney+ Star markets with Rookie Cops scheduled for January 26, 2022 included Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. The series aired on the same date for Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand via Disney+ Hotstar. Two episodes were released on the premiere date.
The special single "Hush Hush (Korean Ver.)" was originally released on September 15, 2021 in the studio album Imaginary as a collaboration between Japanese musician Miyavi and Kang Daniel. The Korean version of the single was released specifically for this series soundtrack on March 9, 2022. The soundtrack was released in its entirety on March 16, 2022.
Prior to its release, Rookie Cops garnered attention for being K-pop idol Kang Daniel's acting debut. It was included in an article titled "A summary of the most talked about TV programs and issues in 2021" by Allure Korea. It was also included in YTN's ranking of the top five most anticipated OTT works for the first half of 2022 and the "30 Upcoming Korean Dramas to Put on Your Watch List in 2022" ranking by Tatler Asia.
Following its release, Rookie Cops repeatedly ranked first among the "Top 10 TV Shows on Disney+" in South Korea. It also occasionally ranked first on this same list in Taiwan while ranking in the top three of this list in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. New Zealand news media website Stuff recommended Rookie Cops as the only Korean drama listed among five different series to watch on Disney+. The series was named by Variety as a contributing factor that helped Disney+ join the top five streamers in Korea. Despite initially airing in select regions, it also ranked seventh in the "Top 10 Most Watched K-Dramas Worldwide on Disney+ in 2022". In an article collecting Rolling Stone India's favorite Korean drama OSTs of 2022, "Because of You" was included in the list of ten with the writer stating that "the singer [Chancellor] enhances the delicate rendition of this lyrical composition, which is excellent in its own right".