There are few simple pleasures in life—and even fewer hours to enjoy them as we drudge through the manic hours of our 9 to 5 lives. And as avid Korean entertainment enthusiasts, we’ll consider binge-watching our favourite K-dramas one of them. Some of us are undeniably at the edge of our seats, awaiting volume two of The Glory: where certain plot mysteries will be solved and sweet revenge for Moon Dong-eun, Song Hye-kyo’s character, is served. With the second part of the Netflix revenge drama joining a number of anticipated releases currently on air such as Taxi Driver 2 and season two of Big Bet, it seems the hours of satisfaction will most definitely be clocked in for the coming month or so.
But what of the rest of the year? It seems the South Korean entertainment scene leaves us hopefuls with little to worry about, considering the steady stream of K-dramas already on the horizon—each one promising a more compelling storyline than the next, a stellar cast and that surefire dose of ensnaring cliffhangers. A mix of supernatural thrill and historical mystery awaits us in Gyeongseong Creature whilst Black Knight marks Kim Woo-bin’s full-scale return to the screen after fighting a long battle of cancer. A dependable amount of hit K-dramas that had been signed for their second iterations are also in the pipeline, from Sweet Home to D.P. And for those who simply want that trusty bout of good ol’ romance, Doona! is one we’re keeping on our radar with a pairing of two promising leads: Bae Suzy and Yang Se-jong.
Whilst the list of South Korean dramas to anticipate seems to have only grown longer, we’ve taken the liberty to shortlist some of the most exciting ones you can expect to hit your streaming sites in 2023. And even if this is your first rodeo with K-dramas, we’ll place our bets that there’s bound to be something on this list that’ll pique your interest.
1 / 8
Black Knight
Black Knight propels us almost 50 years into the future for a dystopian narrative surrounding an apocalyptic world run over by air pollution. Kim Woo-bin leads the way, making his bold return after nearly six years out of the spotlight—his first leading role after testing the waters with the ensemble cast of Our Blues last year. Kim is part of the Black Knights delivery crew, on which humanity relies on for their continued survival.
Black Knight will be released on Netflix in 2023.
2 / 8
Sweet Home 2
Netflix favourite Song Kang returns to his pivotal role of Cha Hyun-soo and follows him where the first season of Sweet Home left off: post-capture of Cha by the military and the narrow escape of the remaining survivors from the Green Home.
Sweet Home 2 will be released on Netflix in 2023.
3 / 8
Doona!
If we’re talking webtoon romances, then The Girl Downstairs is undeniably one that is more than deserving of its own Korean drama adaptation. Yang Se-jong plays Won Joon, the warm-hearted college student who moves into an apartment above ex-idol Doona, Bae Suzy’s character. And there we have it: the works of a budding, heart-fluttering romance in the making.
Doona! will be released on Netflix in 2023.
4 / 8
Bloodhounds
If there’s one thing South Korean entertainment never fails to get right, it’s the enthralling victory of the underdogs. Woo Do-hwan, Lee Sang-yi and Heo jun-ho join forces in Bloodhounds: entering headfirst into the world of loan sharks to go against South Korea’s rich and wealthy.
Bloodhounds will be released on Netflix in 2023.
5 / 8
The Devil
It’s become clear that whatever Kim Tae-ri touches, becomes gold. Joining her in The Devil is screen veteran Oh Jung-se, whose character Yeom Hae-sang has the powers to see the demon that possesses Kim’s character, Ku San-young. The pair investigates a number of mysterious killings—forcing them to delve deeper into the dark and treacherous world of demons and death.
The Devil will be released in 2023.
6 / 8
Gyeongseong Creature
Whilst Gyeongseong Creature is only set to release in the last quarter of the year, its leading cast alone is enough to make it worth the wait. Starring Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee, the pair will find themselves returning to 1945 Gyeongseong—the former name of South Korea’s current capital Seoul—for a gruelling survival plot against fearsome creatures who were borne out of human greed.
Gyeongseong Creature will be released on Netflix in 2023.
7 / 8
When The Stars Gossip
Sci-fi meets romance in When The Stars Gossip and we’ll be anticipating the curious pairing of hotshot Lee Min-ho with screen darling Gong Hyo-jin. Lee plays Gong Ryong, an OB-GYN who pays his way into a space tour—led by Eve Kim (Gong), a top astronaut.
When The Stars Gossip will be released in 2023.
8 / 8
D.P. Season 2
The six-episode narrative of the first season of D.P. was as moving as it was terrifying—with its mortifying (albeit fictional) outlook on the state of affairs in South Korea’s mandatory military system. With Jung Hae-in and Koo Kyo-hwan both returning, it’s likely that the second season will see the pair pitted against the higher-ups once again to unravel even deeper layers of corruption and bullying.
D.P. will be released on Netflix in 2023.
