If you’ve been wondering what to K-binge next, here’s a great starting point!
Netflix has been at the forefront of many shows and films that have gained love and acclaim the world over. They finally announced their latest slate of upcoming Korean content, which includes films, variety shows, documentaries, and of course, Korean dramas!
The streaming giant’s statistics show that K-content is gaining an even bigger audience. Over 60% of their subscribers watched Korean titles in the last year alone!
This is why Netflix has a wide array of K-content including Korean drama surprises for 2023. Aside from fan favorites making a comeback, original productions are also making their debut.
READ: Classic K-Dramas You Need To See and Watch on Netflix
It’s the biggest lineup of Korean series and films Netflix has ever had!
“The global popularity of K-content has continued apace over 2022, with Netflix bringing a wider variety of stories and genres to fans around the world,” says Netflix Korea’s vice-president of content Don Kang.
“Over the last year, Korean series and films have regularly featured in our Global Top 10 list in more than 90 countries, and three of Netflix’s most-watched shows ever are from Korea.
“This year, we’re pushing the envelope even further with the stories we tell and how we tell them. With this lineup of Korean titles, Netflix will continue to be the ultimate destination for compelling, diverse and must-watch Korean storytelling,” he adds.
Upcoming content includes films like dystopian “JUNG_E,” real-crime thriller “Unlocked,” action flick “Kill Boksoon,” and more.
Reality and variety shows like extreme survival show “Physical:100,” mind game survival show “The Devil’s Plan” and “19/20(Nineteen to Twenty),” which follows Generation Z in their last year of being 19 are also on the slate. A true-crime documentary called “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal is also set to be released in March, among others.
Here are the Korean dramas and other K-series to come out on Netflix this year:
The Glory Part 2
“The Glory” is a series that tells the story of a woman (Song Hye Kyo) bent on a meticulous revenge web after school violence left her broken. The series boasts a star-studded cast, with genre series master An Gil-ho as director and Kim Eun-sook as writer. The part two, which is coming this March 2023, is an unrelenting portrayal of school violence perpetrators led by Yeon-jin being destroyed through falling into Dong-eun’s trap one by one. With the rallying cry of empathy, righteous fury and solidarity, audiences will resonate emotionally long after they’ve watched it through.
A Time Called You
In the third quarter of 2023,tThe classic Taiwanese romance “Someday” or “One Day” gets a remake in this time-slip romance. Viewers will follow Jun-hee (Jeon Yeo-been), who misses her boyfriend Gu Yeon-jun that passed on a year prior. She ends up going back in time to 1998 and meets Nam Si-heon, who may as well be her boyfriend’s twin! (Both men are played by Ahn Hyo-seop.) To make things even more complicated, Jung In-gyu (Kang Hoon) struggles with love and friendship when he realizes Min-ju (also played by Yeo-been) is into Si-heon! “A Time Called You” is a tale where time and love transcend the odds.
Behind your Touch (WT)
In the small town of Mujin found in Chungjeong-do, Ye-boon dreams of becoming an animal doctor. However, her reality involves a lot of nitty-gritty work to make ends meet, including vaccinating halibuts and delivering calves. During a cow farm visit, she ends up with psychic powers. Not long after, she encounters detective Jang-yeol who attempt to tackle her thinking she’s a pervert. Eventually, the two end up working together to solve cases that range from petty crimes to serial murder. The pair grow closer with every case they solve!
Black Knight
This action-packed series is based on Lee Yoon-gyun’s Tomics webtoon “Delivery Knight.” The year is 2071, and extreme air pollution means people must depend on respirator masks to breathe. At this point, the human race’s survival rate is 1% and the deserted Korean Peninsula’s lands have strict social stratification. Deliverymen play a vital role in society at this time.
Legendary deliveryman “5-8” (played by Kim Woo-bin) is essentially unmatched thanks to his extraordinary battle skills. He then meets refugee boy Sa-wol (played by Kang You-seok) who dreams of following in his footsteps. It’s an energetic, fast-paced adventure that packs a punch!
See “Black Knight” on the second quarter of 2023.
Bloodhounds
Geon-woo stars in this series based on a Naver webtoon of the same title. Directed and written by “Midnight Runners’” Kim Joo-hwan, it follows two young people who deal with loan sharks for money but end up with more than they bargained for. Park Sung-woong plays the vicious loan shark Myung-gil while Heo Jun-ho plays ex-legendary loan shark turned helpful person Mr. Choi.
“Bloodhounds” is set to be released in the second quarter of this year.
Celebrity
Competitive and glamorous, the true reality of celebrities encountered by Seo A-ri comes to light in this series. Cannes International Series Festival nominee Kim Cheol-kyu directs while Park Gyu-young stars as Seo A-ri. She becomes a celebrity overnight thanks to bold moves making her a cut above other influencers.
A-ri comes into a whirlwind that involves cosmetic brand CEO Han Jun-kyoung (played by Kang Min-hyuk) and Yoon Si-hyeon (played by Lee Chung-ah) who comes from a reputable background and exudes elegance.
Enter the world of “Celebrity” in the second quarter of 2023.
Crash Course in Romance
This romantic comedy sees ex-handball national team athlete Haeng-sun who runs a side dish store and hotshot instructor Chi-yeol who works in Korea’s education hotspot Daechi district navigate love. When Haeng-sun enters the private education field rather late for the sake of her nephew’s rigorous college entrance exam, her involvement with Chi-yeol is an unexpected surprise! However, things get complicated as Chi-yeol’s fame makes things scandalous.
This Korean drama is set to be released in 2023.
Daily Dose of Sunshine
Lee JQ, the creator of the hit K-zombie sensation “All Of Us Are Dead,” directs this moving human drama. “Daily Dose of Sunshine” explores the stories of people in a psychiatric ward as encountered by Jung Da-eun (played by Park Bo-young), who just became a nurse in a hospital’s mental health department. She is unfazed by struggles brought on after she’s transferred from internal medicine, caring very deeply about her patients.
The series comes to Netflix on the fourth quarter of 2023.
Destined with You
Starring Yura, Ha jun, Cho Boah and Ro woon, this adventure is a fun watch! Shin-yu, a big-time lawyer, needs to secure the temple by Onju Mountain because of a 350-year old family curse. One day, a YouTuber who trespasses dies of an accident; civil servant Jong-jo then appears before Shin-yu to demolish the temple. A lot of mystical misadventures follow throughout the series that sees Hong-jo and Shin-yu end up in a force majeure romance over the curse, the temple, and a forbidden document.
This adventurous Korean drama drops on Netflix sometime in 2023.
Doona!
“Crash Landing On You” director Lee Jung-hyo, helms this series. Former K-pop idol Doona (played by Suzy) goes back to university and ends up in a romance with Won-joon (Yang Se-jong). This series follows their love story as they cross paths in a shared house for students. Doona! is based on a webtoon lauded for heart-pounding romance.
The series, which tells the story of a budding romance between young 20-somethings, will air on the fourth quarter of 2023.
D.P. Season 2
The Korean military’s Deserter Pursuit unit is at the helm of this series. Viewers follow An Jun-ho (played by Jung Hae-in) and Han Ho-yeol (played by Koo Kyo-hwan) as they encounter unknown realities while chasing deserters with varying stories. The series’ first season received plenty of acclaim for its social commentary and resonated with audiences everywhere. Director Han Jun-hee again helms the new season of “D.P,” which will be released on the third quarter of 2023.
Goodbye Earth
The story of “Goodbye Earth” takes off as only 200 days are left until an asteroid comes to destroy the earth. Jin Se-kyung (played by Ahn Eun-jin) used to be a middle school home economics teacher. However, after news about the asteroid broke, she chose to volunteer at the juvenile department of the Woongcheon municipal office. Ha Yoon-sang (played by Yoo Ah-in), her longtime lover, is a bio-engineering researcher who returns to Korea from the US to stay by her side. The series follows the characters and how they choose to spend the last days of the planet and how their choices affect the passing days for everyone.
“Goodbye Earth” drops on Netflix on the fourth quarter of 2023.
Gyeongseong Creature
“Gyeongseong Creature” is a creature thriller set in the spring of 1945. One of Korean history’s darkest times is shown through the eyes of two young people trying to survive facing a monster born out of human greed: Seoul’s wealthiest man Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-jun) and Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee), a sleuth known for her skill in tracking down even the dead.
Chung Dong-yoon directs this Korean drama, which will be released on the fourth quarter of 2023.
King the Land
King Group Gu-won’s heir has practically everything he could ask for…except memories of his mother. He returns to King Hotel to try and get his memories back. This is where he encounters Cheon Sa-rang, who worked her way from the front desk to the “King the Land” space. The two cross paths at that point, and the story takes off from there. This Korean drama comes to Netflix in 2023.
Love To Hate You
“Love To Hate You” is a romantic-comedy that focuses on rookie lawyer Yeo Mi-ran (played by Kim Ok-vin) who hates losing to men and Nam Kang-ho (played by Yoo Teo), an A-list Korean actor with a deep mistrust of women. Eventually, the two end up dealing with a love that’s more like a war than anything because of their bias-laden suspicions and a misunderstanding. Despite having no belief in love, their electrifying chemistry leads them on a romantic journey that unfolds in an exciting way.
“Love To Hate You” drops on Netflix on February 10, 2023, in time for Valentine’s Day.
Mask Girl
Ordinary office worker Kim Mo-mi (played across different timelines by Nana and Go Hyun-jung) is insecure about her appearance. This is what leads her to cover up her face with a mask when she livestreams at night. The series follows her when she ends up in an unforeseen incident and all the twists and turns that go with it. It ius based on the webtoon of the same title which tacked lookism and effectively bridged being a dark comedy and a thriller!
“Mask Girl” premieres on the third quarter of 2023.
Queenmaker
PR genius Hwang Do-hee (played by celebrated actress Kim Hee-ae) oversaw Eunsung Group’s Corporate Strategy Team for human rights lawyer Oh Kyung-sook “Ms. Rhino” (played by Moon So-ri) during an election campaign for mayor of Seoul. In this series, the journey of Do-hee through ups, downs, twists and turns unravels!
“Queenmaker” is set to be released in the second quarter of 2023.
Song of the Bandits
This action-adventure is set during Japanese colonial rule over Korea, which was incredibly tumultuous. It follows a group of people who end up in Gando, a lawless land, and unite to protect Joseon for the Korean people. There are several groups with multiple motives involved, including bandits, the Korean Independence Army, Japanese troops and more. All of them end up facing off in Gando’s anarchic lands during the 1920s.
“Song of the Bandits” is set to be released in the third quarter of 2023.
See You In My 19th Life
Based on the webtoon of the same name, this spirited love story is between Moon Seo-ha and Ban Ji-eum. The latter has the extraordinary ability to remember her previous lives. While she doesn’t really have an attachment to her past lives, losing Moon Seo-ha to an accident after they meet in her 18th life leads her to start the 19th one solely for them to reconnect.
This Korean drama comes to Netflix sometime in 2023.
Sweet Home Season 2
In the first season of “Sweet Home,” the residents of Green Home played by Song Kang, Lee Jin-uk, Lee Si-young, Ko Min-si, and Park Gyu-young risked their lives through battling their neighbors who became monsters. For the second season, a whole new barrage of tension and thrills are in their way. The show also introduces various dimensions of human nature through new cast members such as Jin-young, Oh Jung-se, Kim Mu-yeol and Yoo Oh-seon.
The second season of “Sweet Home” will premiere in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The Good Bad Mother
Young-soon, a single mother who runs a pig farm, becomes a “bad mother” to her son Kang-Ho. She is very hard on him but only because she doesn’t want him powerless when he is older. With her discipline, Kang-ho turned into a prominent prosecutor as an adult. After a bad accident, however, he loses his memory and reverts into a 7-year-old. Young-soon decides to be a “bad mother” again for Kang-ho.
This touching Korean comedy drama is set to be released in 2023.
Banner Image Dani Sison
