Top 10 K-dramas To Watch In 2023

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Published:

28/11/2022

Updated on: 08/01/2023

 K-Dramas to watch in 2022, The enrapturing love scenes, exotic cultural appeal, fashion that screams to replicate, jaw-dropping plot twists, food that will tempt you, music that will leave you craving, and moments that will have you laughing till your stomach hurts.

Known for its interesting and intense plot twists, Korean Drama can go from being hopelessly romantic to intensely heartbreaking to “WTF did just happen!” in an eye blink. The dramatic plot lines with a little sprinkle of romance make everything seem perfect. With the perfect combo of predictability and originality. Diversity is the “thing” that keeps the viewers hooked and keeps coming back.

What else could you want from a show?

Even for a newbie, this whole K-Drama craze is fascinating enough to intrigue one’s curiosity. K Dramas are not only Addictive but also its craze is exploding day by day. Both “Millennials” and “Gen Z” collectively share a heavy interest in it

While titles like Squid Game and Descendants of the sun were the major highlights of 2021, the K-dramas of 2022 is no different.

Featuring the Top 10 K-dramas to watch in 2022:

– Wait, how is it already 2 am? 

So let’s get started!!

1. All of Us are Dead

K-dramas to watch in 2022

All of Us Are Dead is a zombie horror series that revolves around a district in South Korea that is infected by a deadly virus that turns all the infected into mindless monsters and the high school that acts as the epicenter of this pandemic.

It all begins at the high school campus, where after a failed experiment, the entire school is overrun with infected zombies. The story revolves around the trapped students’ struggle for survival.  With no food, water, or communication will they be able to protect themselves amidst the battleground or become a part of the infected?

One of the most talked about series,  based on the Naver webtoon Now at Our School by Joo Dong-Geun, starred by newcomers, including Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, and Cho Yi-hyun in lead roles, who deliver stellar performances, is yet another example of brilliant television from South Korea. The show was released on Netflix in January, and quickly became one of the most popular TV shows.

These 12 episodes of K-Drama ensure the nail-biting thrill of a classic zombie movie is a must-watch!

2. Business Proposal

The ultimate feel-good rom-com drama of the season!

The series, also known as The Office Blind Date, revolves around Shin Ha-Ri who accepts her friend Jin Young-Seo’s request to go on a blind date at her place, which is set by the friend’s father. However, the twist is when Shin finds that the guy is actually her CEO – KangTae-Mu. Interestingly, he offers her a proposal to continue dating him for a payment of KRW800,000 per date, which she accepts but her world completely changes after that. 

There’re a lot of things you’ll love about this. Unlike most of the series that revolves around love triangles, this doesn’t spend most of its time on a love triangle, and instead focuses firmly on two couples who share excellent chemistry. While the possibility of a rich and handsome CEO asking you to be his fake girlfriend and eventually falling for you is very small, but the way the romance develops between Ha Ri and Tae Moo is so realistic enough to have you engrossed. 

Business Proposal is definitely a must-watch. This K-Drama has the right blend of romance and humor with an amazing cast and storyline. One would assume this series to be full of cliches, but I assure you that the cliches are done perfectly! This is perfect for days when you don’t have the emotional capacity to handle intense feelings and crazy plot twists, but you just want to relax and de-stress.

Wholesome, homely K-Drama comfort of the best kind!! Whether you’re a K-drama newbie or a veteran, you’ll love this series!!

3. Tomorrow

Fantasy lovers assemble here!!

Made half human and half spirit by accident, Choi Jun-Woong meets grim reapers Goo-Ryeon and Lim Ryung-gu, who are a part of the crisis management team, who are assigned the task of saving suicidal humans and have to convince them how important life really is. They take Choi in the team. And after that, what happens next makes it one of the highest-rated K-dramas.

Based on the Naver webtoon which was published in 2017, Tomorrow is somewhat of a paradox! On the one hand, this sci-fi K-drama is an eccentric thriller, that boldly touches on taboo topics and social issues in South Korea, from depression, sexual assault, and mental health to workplace bullying and corruption. There are some genuine tear-breaking moments throughout the series and space for a lot of imaginative ideas. 

The best part of this K-Drama is that the whole season consists of different stories. Each story is like a case, and every time it tackles a different social taboo. Great plot execution throughout the series! Another highlight of the series is the dynamics between the characters. The teamwork between Ryeon, Joong-Woong, and Ryung-gu was absolutely watch-worthy. Meanwhile, the sizzling tension between Ryeon and Joong-Gil was the cherry on the cake.

It’s perfect for K-drama fans who love action, drama, and fantasy clubbed with a social commentary that gives viewers a chill all over!

4. Juvenile Justice

Sizzling Court drama!!

As an elite judge, Sim Eun-Seok is so cold and distant, and has a strong dislike of juvenile criminals, as luck and irony would have it, she gets assigned to a juvenile court. There, she’s forced to balance her disinclination to juveniles while holding on to her firm beliefs in justice and punishment and tackling complex cases. How she handles intriguing and hard-hitting cases around several interesting and sensitive cases is what forms the crux of the series.

The story centers on modern Korea, in the effect of the juvenile act. This means any crimes committed by minors can be neglected without any serious punishment. From the very first episode, Juvenile Justice showcases the dirty, grimy aspects of crime and doesn’t hold anything back. This showcases a variety of cases that keeps things interesting from beginning to end.

This K-Drama has pretty hard-hitting themes and is not afraid to showcase the dark side of crime. This show does an excellent job of highlighting the fact that kids need to be taught that their actions could deeply impact a person’s life including their own. Also, the brilliant performance of the enigmatic Kim Hye-Soo makes Juvenile Justice one of the best K-dramas of 2022 as the series gets more intense with every passing minute.

A perfect blend of drama and legal thrill! Also, soft-hearted people watch at your own risk!!

5. Twenty-Five, Twenty-One

Nostalgic, fresh, and so full of feels!!

Twenty Five, Twenty One (2521) is a coming-of-age 90’s love story. Set against a devastative backdrop of South Korea’s most difficult period. The story is set in two parallel timelines, 1998 and 2022, capturing South Korea’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) Crisis and the present-day’s COVID-19 situation. It shows the romantic lives of five characters spanning from the year of 1998 to 2021

Twenty-Five Twenty-One portrays various aspects of a person’s life, their first love, their true friendships, struggles, joys, and everything. The story revolves around characters who see their ambitions and dreams crash down. Through difficult times they grow together and look forward to a better tomorrow. A story of youth that sees life in various colors and makes us believe that not all things are meant to be forever, and to enjoy them to the fullest until they last.

Centered around youth, love, forgiveness, innocence, the harsh realities of life, and the realistic portrayal of relationships that fills you with nostalgia and makes you revisit your first love moments.  A magnificent series with a  solid story, excellent characterization, one of the best soundtracks, and Wholesome characters make it a must-watch!!

This K-Drama is the one that you didn’t know you needed in your life!!

Also, I dare you to get through episode 15 without absolutely weeping out.

6. Again My Life

A bit of magic to a high thrilling revenge drama!!

A blazing prosecutor is murdered when he gets involved in an investigation of a corrupt politician. He is sent back in time to when he was 18 years old and gets to live his life a second time. He prepares to take down revenge on his enemy and gets to live his life again from when he was an undergraduate. With the memories of his past life intact, Kim Hee Woo finds himself facing multiple moments that he already knows are about to happen and gets to prevent them.

Based on a web novel and webtoon of the same title, “Again My Life” is a kind of law-and-order series which revolves around personal revenge and the fight for the law. The K-Drama showcases elements of time travel that lean toward speculative fiction rather than pure sci-fi. Again My Life also celebrates the all-time favorite- Lee Joon-gi’s small screen comeback after two years and it was worth the wait!!

One of the key takeaways of this highly thrilling K-Drama is it surprisingly finds room for comedy too. Also, action sequences, particularly the MMA-inspired hand-to-hand combat scenes are worth looking at. If you are looking for eventful thrills at a sufficiently engaging pace and without exhausting brain cells or inducing many emotions, this is the perfect K-Drama for you!

All you need is a bit of magic added to a high thriller fantasy drama!!

7. My Liberation Notes

A mature, empathetic, and heartwarming K-Drama that will make you want to watch more!

My Liberation Notes revolves around three siblings, struggling to escape from their issues in life. While the eldest sibling- Yeon Ki-Jeong is heading into her forties, single but hopeful to find love, the second sibling – Yeon Chang-hee struggling with making it big on the work front and the youngest Yeon Mi-Jeong is an introverted, strong-willed girl who feels empty inside. They live with a father who rarely speaks and a mother who ensures that the peace is maintained.

The K-Drama showcases the worries of regular people— loneliness, feeling empty with life, competition, work politics,  the need for a companion, and the underlying mental health issues people are unknowingly tackling. The series removes the picture-perfect filter of life, presenting the lives of each character as people you come across daily.

My Liberation Notes is a brilliantly written K-drama. Carefully constructed, and magnificently executed, with phenomenal cinematography, and a stellar cast, this K-Drama is a total gem! Although it is a little slow-paced initially, once it gets going, it turns into an unstoppable blitz. It’s not quite an escape from reality like many of us tend to look for in our dramas, but instead, it’s a pretty great gateway to reflect on our lives. 

A beautifully crafted masterpiece that you cannot miss!

8. Pachinko

The epic saga of love, loss, longing, and resilience!!

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee, this Korean Drama is an intricate experience of a  Korean immigrant family across four generations set against the backdrop of the Japanese colonization of Korea, and its devastating effects that still continue to influence lives even today.

The character-driven story features assemble characters who tackle racism, discrimination, stereotyping, and various other aspects of the 20th-century Korean experience of Japan. The creators of Pachinko have reinvented it in their dazzling, heartfelt series. This K-Drama showcases the journey of the family that fights for their survival and leaves their roots with dreams and hopes.

Definitely one of the best K-dramas of this year, Pachinko stars Lee Min-Ho, Soji Arai, and Jin Ha. Epic family drama, stunning natural cast, enduring family bonds, passionate emotions, the elegant time-shifting narrative, and the show’s astonishing visual beauty. It is a tribute to all those stories that could not make it to the history books.

This epic family-based drama is a watch-worthy K-Drama!

9. The Sound of Music

A classic that will never get old!!

Do you believe in magic?

These five words perfectly explain the essence of Netflix’s newest K-drama, The Sound of Magic. The Sound of Magic is an emotional music K-Drama that tells the story of a mysterious magician, who dwells in an abandoned theme park. He meets a disenchanted teen, Yoon Ah-Yi, a poor student who’s struggling to carry her family’s burdens. The two cross paths and go on a fantastical journey that’ll change their lives.

This film is a triumph in all departments. The K-Drama has been carefully produced to provide a more well-rounded vision that examines and dissects what it means to be normal and how the childish innocence of our youth is torn apart and replaced by studying, working, and trying to pay our bills. The K-Drama has a pinch of love, longing, hardships, betrayal, and everything in between.

The K-Drama is a magical series, which will charm you and leave you in wonder with its dream sequences, interesting characters, delightful cinematography, top-notch direction, mesmerizing music, whimsical elements, cute choreography, and stunning shots of South Korea. Sadly, six hour-long episodes are not nearly enough to meet this show’s sheer drama.

This K-Drama is certainly one of the more surprising binge-worthy!!

10. Shooting Stars/Sh**ting Stars

The love story behind the spotlight!!

Shooting Stars’, also known as ‘Sh**ting Stars’, is a Korean drama about the people in the entertainment industry who look after celebrities-  the pr team, managers, and reporters. The K-Drama highlights their efforts, sleepless nights, and creative ideas that make sure that a celeb’s career continues to shine! The series revolves around top star Gong Tae-sung and  Oh Han-byul, the PR team leader’s rollercoaster ride of love, chaos, and confusion between the two.

With most of the episodes focused on the love lives of the characters on the show, the K-drama turns into a fun joy ride filled with drama, clutter, and confusion that romanticizes the concept of working as a PR Manager for a famous actor. This K-Drama is a behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry and how they clean up the mess created by their stars.

This K-Drama is a  perfect family entertainer with romance, melodrama, and comedy that goes with people of all ages. This drama shows the factual events that occur in each artist’s life and how they deal with them, making us all understand that what we see on camera is not always real.

A perfect bru of romance, comedy, and drama in 16 episodes!!

If you’re looking for a feel-good drama, with romantic moments, little stress, and a sprinkle of emotional struggle, this is definitely it!! 

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No matter the occasion,  Korean dramas always stand out and hit a chord with audiences all across the globe. These top 10 K-Dramas are absolutely binge-worthy! Covering almost all the genres from zombie horror/thriller, rom-com, fantasy, court drama, a bit of magic, an epic saga of love and loss, and an evergreen classic to love behind cameras. We have got you covered with everything you wish to see!

Happy binging!!

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