LIST: K-dramas we can't wait to watch in 2023
K-dramas are here to stay—and slay!
For most of us, K-dramas became our constants during the height of the pandemic. It even reached the point where naysayers started loving it too.
Now that we’re about to enter a new chapter in our lives, we’re also about to embrace a new set of K-dramas that will make us laugh, scream, cry, and fall in love. Here are some of the most promising shows that we can't wait to watch this year.
Our Blooming Youth
Genre: Historical Drama/Romance
Cast: Park Hyung-Sik and Jeon-Sonee
Status: Showing on Feb. 6
Here, a lonely crown prince with a secret meets a genius girl who was framed in the murder of her relative.
A Time Called You
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Cast: Ahn Hyo-seop, Jeon Yeo-been, and Kang Hoon
Status: Filming completed / Showing on Q3 on Netflix
Based on the Taiwanese series Someday or One Day, this fantasy romance follows Han Joon Hee who travels between 1998 and 2023 and meets a man who looks exactly like his deceased boyfriend named Nam Si Heon.
Gyeongseong Creature
Genre: Period Drama/Thriller
Cast: Park Seo Joon, Han So-hee, Soo Hyun, and Wi Ha-Joon
Status: Filming completed / Showing on Q4 on Netflix
Set in the Spring of 1945 at Gyeongseong (former name of Seoul) during the Japanese rule over Korea, a wealthy man and a specialist in finding missing people fight fiercely at the border between life and death.
Ask The Stars
Genre: Sci-Fi/Romantic Comedy
Cast: Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo-jin
Status: Filming completed
First still cuts of #GongHyoJin and #LeeMinHo for space romance #AskTheStars 🤍 pic.twitter.com/OHKP69eIvj
— kdrama tweets (@iconickdramas) November 22, 2022
A responsible OB-GYN, who arrives at a space station as a tourist, meets a Korean-American astronaut. Will a love story develop between the two in outer space?
Doona!
Genre: Romance Comedy
Cast: Bae Suzy, Yang Se-jong, and Lee Yu-bi
Status: Filming ongoing / Showing on Q4 on Netflix
A former K-pop idol decides to retire in a quaint college town, where she crosses paths with an ordinary college student. Will their unlikely friendship develop into something more romantic? The story is based on the webtoon The Girl Downstairs.
Daily Dose of Sunshine
Genre: Drama
Cast: Park Bo-young, Yeon Woo-jin, Jang Dong-yoon, and Lee Jung-eun
Status: Filming completed / Showing on Q4 on Netflix
Daily Dose of Sunshine is based on the webtoon of the same name by Lee Re-ha. It's a healing drama that shares the experiences of a psychiatric nurse and the different personalities she met while on the job.
Queen of Tears
Genre: Romance Comedy
Cast: Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji-won
Kim Soo Hyun will be back on the small screen soon via the Queen of Tears. This time, he is paired with Kim Ji-won. The romantic comedy series features the story of an unlikely married couple who will face a crisis that would either make or break their relationship. The story follows a husband named Baek Hyun-Woo, who works as the legal director of a conglomerate called Queens Group; and his wife Hong Hae-in, the daughter of the family who owns and operates Queens Group. The latter is also known as the "Arrogant Queen" at the Queens Department Store.
Murder DIEary
Genre: Comedy/Thriller
Cast: Choi Woo-shik, Son Seok-koo, and Lee Hee-joon
Another thrilling show based on a webtoon is Murder DIEary. Here, ordinary college student Lee Tang gets into a heated argument with a customer at his part-time job. Lee accidentally kills him. Feeling guilty for the crime he unintentionally committed, he later finds out that his victim is actually a serial killer. After realizing that he can determine who the “bad seeds” are, he starts hunting these people and punishes them. A determined detective tries to catch him and stop him from his wrongdoings.
King The Land
Genre: Romance Comedy
Cast: Lee Jun-ho and Im Yoona
K-pop stars-turned-K-drama A-listers team up for the upcoming romance comedy King The Land. Lee Jun-ho plays the role of the serious Goo Won, a chaebol who runs King Group. Yoona Cheon Sa-rang, who exudes a positive attitude with her bubbly personality, works for the firm. What happens when the two meet and get to know each other more? Fans of 2PM and Girls Generation are undoubtedly excited about this project!
Useless Lies
Genre: Mystery Romance/Drama
Cast: Hwang Minhyun and Kim So-hyun
Former NU’EST and Wanna One member Hwang Minhyun was noticed by K-drama lovers for his acting prowess when he played the role of Seo Yul in the fantasy series Alchemy of Souls. For fans who can’t get enough of this idol’s charm, no need to fret because he is set to play the main male lead in the upcoming series Useless Lies with versatile actress Kim So-hyun. The story revolves around a girl named Mok Sol-hee, who has the ability to detect whether a person is lying or not. For her, this supposed superpower is a curse as she has troubles trusting other people because of it. Eventually, she will cross paths with a famous composer and producer named Kim Do-Ha, who suddenly becomes a murder suspect that nobody believes is innocent.
The best thing about being a K-drama fan is the wide variety of choices available on different streaming platforms. Which of the projects are you looking forward to watching the most?