As the year draws to a close, it marks a period of exceptional growth for Korean dramas, reminiscent of the thriving scene experienced in 2016. Throughout this year, we witnessed a plethora of captivating series spanning diverse genres, solidifying Hallyu's influence on the global cultural stage. Notably, some of the biggest South Korean shows have garnered international acclaim, sharing the limelight with Western hits and reinforcing the industry's position in the global entertainment landscape.
From groundbreaking superhero sagas to spine-chilling Korean horror, and from traditional romances to genre-defying narratives, 2023 delivered a remarkable array of content. The prevalence of outstanding shows throughout the year has made it challenging to pinpoint a single standout, a testament to the consistently high quality of productions that captivated us.
Here are the top 10 K-dramas that we loved this year:
Starring Ryeoun, Choi Hyun-wook, Seol In-ah and Shin Eun-soo, this coming-of-age Korean drama stole our hearts with not just it's heartbeating music or swooning romance but it's heartwarming story. Twinkling Watermelon tells the story about a CODA boy named Ha Eun-gyeol who has a natural talent for music but has to keep it a secret due to being the only support system in his family. After having an argument with his father, Ha Yi-chan, he mysteriously time travels to 1995 and becomes friends with his 18-year-old father, who is not deaf. Along the way, he joins Yi-chan’s band, and so begins an epic tale of friendship, comedy, romance, and revelations.
The show has some of the most heartwarming scenes such as Ha Yi-chan dedicating a song to Yoon Cheong-ah, the accident scene and many more. But, it also made us laugh at Yi-chan's hilarious moments with Eun-gyeol and more. The show is unpredictable with its story flow, makes us nostalgic and has an amazing soundtrack featuring OSTs and old Korean songs.
Starring an ensemble of super-heroes featuring Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo, Zo In-sung, Cha Tae-hyun, Ryoo Seung-bum, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Jung-ha, Go Youn-jung, and Kim Do-hoon, Moving is based on eponymous webtoon by Kang Full, the series is a supernatural drama that deals with three teenager high school students and their parents who would do everything in their power to protect their teenage superhero kids from villains.
The series is one of the ground breaking superhero series ever witnessed on TV, sometimes even out performing Marvel and Star Wars. Starting with a teenager Kim Bong-seok with flying powers and enhanced hearing sense meets with Jang Hui-so, who has healing abilities and superhuman strength ends up falling in love with her. On the other hand, there is an American agent named Frank who is sent with an intent on wiping out South Korea’s superpowered threats.
But, Moving is more than just a story. It makes us think about unfairness, showing superpowered characters as symbols of people pushed to the edges of society. They're not typical heroes; they're lonely and need companionship in their life too.
The Glory is a dark and twisty revenge thriller where Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) takes brutal revenge on her childhood bullies. Dong-eun, a teacher, experienced bullying in school, leading her to drop out. She returns years later with a revenge plan against Park Yeon-jin (Im Ji-yeon) and her group. The first part focuses on Dong-eun seeking justice, while the second part reveals how she accomplishes it.
The screenplay is tightly woven, and the actors deliver outstanding performances. The show explores the depths of a woman's vengeance and the healing power of love. It also shows us Dong-eun and Joo Yeo-jeong's (Lee Do-hyun) journey from despair to healing through care and love. Most importantly, it teaches that real beauty goes beyond looks. Dong-eun revealing her scars shows she's moved past insecurities and remains beautiful even after facing tough times.
The central theme of motherhood takes centre stage in The Good Bad Mother, driving its substantial narrative. Following the murder of her pig-farming husband, pregnant Jin Young-soon (Ra Mi-ran) relocates to a small town, giving birth to her son, Choi Kang-ho (played as an adult by Lee Do-hyun). Jin's stern parenting style pushes Kang-ho away, leading him to collaborate with those involved in his father's death. However, a car crash causes Kang-ho to suffer amnesia, creating an opportunity for Jin to mend their strained relationship.
The compelling performances by Mi-ran and So-hyun elevate The Good Bad Mother beyond its familiar plot, making it a worthwhile and emotionally resonant watch. Additionally, the show features adorable moments with Kang-ho's children, Do-hyun's chemistry with Ahn Eun-jin and delivers humour through Do-hyun's comedic timing, especially in interactions with Yoo In-soo.
Revenant resurrects a forgotten horror style in the West, opting for a slow burn over jumpscares. Kim Tae-ri shines in a dual role, portraying both the frightened Gu San-yeong and the malevolent spirit within her. Paired with the enigmatic professor Yeom Hae-sang (Oh Jung-se), the series explores the haunting aftermath of lost souls.
Unlike many contemporary horrors, Revenant remains genuinely chilling, offering a cold, drawn-out narrative reminiscent of classics like Dark Water and The Wailing.
In the 1990s in Gangnam, The Worst of Evil tells a secret mission story. Detective Park Jun-mo (Ji Chang-wook) goes undercover in crime boss Jung Gi-chul’s (Wi Ha-joon) gang, involved in an illegal drug trade between Korea, China, and Japan.
The show has quick action, surprising moments, and a tense connection between the two main characters, showing an uncertain bond and a doomed friendship.
The Worst of Evil brings a new angle to crime stories, and Ji Chang-wook portrays Jun-mo with depth, capturing his inner struggles and anxiety. Wi Ha-joon is as impressive as Gi-chul, who is both attractive and immoral. The fast-paced story takes you into an unfamiliar and intense crime drama filled with danger. It explores complex emotions like love, brotherhood, deceit, sacrifice, and sorrow, all woven into a captivating experience.
Though we are still awaiting part 2 of the series, the four episodes of Death’s Game were equally compelling and made us emotional for our lead character Choi Yi-jae. Based on the webtoon of the same name, Death's Game follows Choi Yi-jae (played by Seo In-guk), who decides to take his own life after facing devastating losses. In retaliation, Death (portrayed by Park So-Dam) punishes in the form of a game that involves 12 cycles of life and death.
The drama's cast is filled with famous stars such as Kim Ji-hoon, Choi Si-won, Sung Hoon, Kim Kang-hoon, Jang Seung-jo, Lee Jae-wook, Lee Do-hyun, Go Yoon Jung, Kim Jae-wook, Oh Jung-se, and many others.
Kim Yoo-jung and Song Kang are currently stealing our hearts with their magnificent chemistry, though being an ongoing Korean drama, My Demon deserves its spot on this list. Do Do-hee, the heiress of Future Group known for her calm demeanour, confronts her doubts about love when she enters into a contractual marriage with Jeong Gu-won, a charming demon. When Jeong Gu-won unexpectedly loses his powers, their relationship evolves into a romantic journey, adding captivating twists to the unfolding plot.
Dr. Romantic is renowned as one of the most beloved medical Korean dramas in Korea. The story follows Boo Yong-Joo (Han Suk-kyu), a highly skilled surgeon also known as Teacher Kim. After departing from a prestigious hospital in Seoul, he finds himself at Doldam, the only hospital in a small town, where he takes on the role of mentor to GS Seo Woo-jin (Ahn Hyo-seop) and CS Cha Eun-jae (Lee Sung-kyung).
Three years after the events of the second season, Kim Sa-bu's long-held dream of opening the Doldam Hospital Regional Trauma Center finally came true. The opening of the Regional Trauma Center brings an increase in the scale of incidents and accidents that Doldam Hospital has to handle. The events also include the temporary return of Kang Dong-joo (Yoo Yeon-seok).
If you've enjoyed Hometown Cha Cha Cha, When the Weather is Fine, or Once Upon a Small Town, you'll find Welcome to Samdal-ri quite familiar – and that's a good thing!
World-renowned photographer Cho Eun-hye aka Cho Sam-dal (Shin Hye-sun) experiences a setback in Seoul, propelling her back to the rural hometown she once vowed to leave. There, she must reassess her life's desires while reconnecting with a past love, Jo Young-pil (Ji Chang-wook), who encourages her to find the true "Cho Sam-dal" and see her hometown in a new light.
The show is so much more than that and it has made it relevant in just the recently released 8 episodes. The show is not just about Sam-dal and Young-pil but also about family, friendship, the people of Jeju, the haenyeos and more.
See Also: Filmfare Year-Ender 2023: Top 10 Korean Drama Couples Of The Year
From groundbreaking superhero sagas to spine-chilling Korean horror, and from traditional romances to genre-defying narratives, 2023 delivered a remarkable array of content. The prevalence of outstanding shows throughout the year has made it challenging to pinpoint a single standout, a testament to the consistently high quality of productions that captivated us.
Here are the top 10 K-dramas that we loved this year:
1. Twinkling Watermelon
Starring Ryeoun, Choi Hyun-wook, Seol In-ah and Shin Eun-soo, this coming-of-age Korean drama stole our hearts with not just it's heartbeating music or swooning romance but it's heartwarming story. Twinkling Watermelon tells the story about a CODA boy named Ha Eun-gyeol who has a natural talent for music but has to keep it a secret due to being the only support system in his family. After having an argument with his father, Ha Yi-chan, he mysteriously time travels to 1995 and becomes friends with his 18-year-old father, who is not deaf. Along the way, he joins Yi-chan’s band, and so begins an epic tale of friendship, comedy, romance, and revelations.
The show has some of the most heartwarming scenes such as Ha Yi-chan dedicating a song to Yoon Cheong-ah, the accident scene and many more. But, it also made us laugh at Yi-chan's hilarious moments with Eun-gyeol and more. The show is unpredictable with its story flow, makes us nostalgic and has an amazing soundtrack featuring OSTs and old Korean songs.
2. Moving
Starring an ensemble of super-heroes featuring Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo, Zo In-sung, Cha Tae-hyun, Ryoo Seung-bum, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Jung-ha, Go Youn-jung, and Kim Do-hoon, Moving is based on eponymous webtoon by Kang Full, the series is a supernatural drama that deals with three teenager high school students and their parents who would do everything in their power to protect their teenage superhero kids from villains.
The series is one of the ground breaking superhero series ever witnessed on TV, sometimes even out performing Marvel and Star Wars. Starting with a teenager Kim Bong-seok with flying powers and enhanced hearing sense meets with Jang Hui-so, who has healing abilities and superhuman strength ends up falling in love with her. On the other hand, there is an American agent named Frank who is sent with an intent on wiping out South Korea’s superpowered threats.
But, Moving is more than just a story. It makes us think about unfairness, showing superpowered characters as symbols of people pushed to the edges of society. They're not typical heroes; they're lonely and need companionship in their life too.
3. The Glory
The Glory is a dark and twisty revenge thriller where Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) takes brutal revenge on her childhood bullies. Dong-eun, a teacher, experienced bullying in school, leading her to drop out. She returns years later with a revenge plan against Park Yeon-jin (Im Ji-yeon) and her group. The first part focuses on Dong-eun seeking justice, while the second part reveals how she accomplishes it.
The screenplay is tightly woven, and the actors deliver outstanding performances. The show explores the depths of a woman's vengeance and the healing power of love. It also shows us Dong-eun and Joo Yeo-jeong's (Lee Do-hyun) journey from despair to healing through care and love. Most importantly, it teaches that real beauty goes beyond looks. Dong-eun revealing her scars shows she's moved past insecurities and remains beautiful even after facing tough times.
4. The Good Bad Mother
The central theme of motherhood takes centre stage in The Good Bad Mother, driving its substantial narrative. Following the murder of her pig-farming husband, pregnant Jin Young-soon (Ra Mi-ran) relocates to a small town, giving birth to her son, Choi Kang-ho (played as an adult by Lee Do-hyun). Jin's stern parenting style pushes Kang-ho away, leading him to collaborate with those involved in his father's death. However, a car crash causes Kang-ho to suffer amnesia, creating an opportunity for Jin to mend their strained relationship.
The compelling performances by Mi-ran and So-hyun elevate The Good Bad Mother beyond its familiar plot, making it a worthwhile and emotionally resonant watch. Additionally, the show features adorable moments with Kang-ho's children, Do-hyun's chemistry with Ahn Eun-jin and delivers humour through Do-hyun's comedic timing, especially in interactions with Yoo In-soo.
5. Revenant
Revenant resurrects a forgotten horror style in the West, opting for a slow burn over jumpscares. Kim Tae-ri shines in a dual role, portraying both the frightened Gu San-yeong and the malevolent spirit within her. Paired with the enigmatic professor Yeom Hae-sang (Oh Jung-se), the series explores the haunting aftermath of lost souls.
Unlike many contemporary horrors, Revenant remains genuinely chilling, offering a cold, drawn-out narrative reminiscent of classics like Dark Water and The Wailing.
6. The Worst of Evil
In the 1990s in Gangnam, The Worst of Evil tells a secret mission story. Detective Park Jun-mo (Ji Chang-wook) goes undercover in crime boss Jung Gi-chul’s (Wi Ha-joon) gang, involved in an illegal drug trade between Korea, China, and Japan.
The show has quick action, surprising moments, and a tense connection between the two main characters, showing an uncertain bond and a doomed friendship.
The Worst of Evil brings a new angle to crime stories, and Ji Chang-wook portrays Jun-mo with depth, capturing his inner struggles and anxiety. Wi Ha-joon is as impressive as Gi-chul, who is both attractive and immoral. The fast-paced story takes you into an unfamiliar and intense crime drama filled with danger. It explores complex emotions like love, brotherhood, deceit, sacrifice, and sorrow, all woven into a captivating experience.
7. Death's Game Part 1
Though we are still awaiting part 2 of the series, the four episodes of Death’s Game were equally compelling and made us emotional for our lead character Choi Yi-jae. Based on the webtoon of the same name, Death's Game follows Choi Yi-jae (played by Seo In-guk), who decides to take his own life after facing devastating losses. In retaliation, Death (portrayed by Park So-Dam) punishes in the form of a game that involves 12 cycles of life and death.
The drama's cast is filled with famous stars such as Kim Ji-hoon, Choi Si-won, Sung Hoon, Kim Kang-hoon, Jang Seung-jo, Lee Jae-wook, Lee Do-hyun, Go Yoon Jung, Kim Jae-wook, Oh Jung-se, and many others.
8. My Demon
Kim Yoo-jung and Song Kang are currently stealing our hearts with their magnificent chemistry, though being an ongoing Korean drama, My Demon deserves its spot on this list. Do Do-hee, the heiress of Future Group known for her calm demeanour, confronts her doubts about love when she enters into a contractual marriage with Jeong Gu-won, a charming demon. When Jeong Gu-won unexpectedly loses his powers, their relationship evolves into a romantic journey, adding captivating twists to the unfolding plot.
9. Dr. Romantic 3
Dr. Romantic is renowned as one of the most beloved medical Korean dramas in Korea. The story follows Boo Yong-Joo (Han Suk-kyu), a highly skilled surgeon also known as Teacher Kim. After departing from a prestigious hospital in Seoul, he finds himself at Doldam, the only hospital in a small town, where he takes on the role of mentor to GS Seo Woo-jin (Ahn Hyo-seop) and CS Cha Eun-jae (Lee Sung-kyung).
Three years after the events of the second season, Kim Sa-bu's long-held dream of opening the Doldam Hospital Regional Trauma Center finally came true. The opening of the Regional Trauma Center brings an increase in the scale of incidents and accidents that Doldam Hospital has to handle. The events also include the temporary return of Kang Dong-joo (Yoo Yeon-seok).
10. Welcome to Samdal-ri
If you've enjoyed Hometown Cha Cha Cha, When the Weather is Fine, or Once Upon a Small Town, you'll find Welcome to Samdal-ri quite familiar – and that's a good thing!
World-renowned photographer Cho Eun-hye aka Cho Sam-dal (Shin Hye-sun) experiences a setback in Seoul, propelling her back to the rural hometown she once vowed to leave. There, she must reassess her life's desires while reconnecting with a past love, Jo Young-pil (Ji Chang-wook), who encourages her to find the true "Cho Sam-dal" and see her hometown in a new light.
The show is so much more than that and it has made it relevant in just the recently released 8 episodes. The show is not just about Sam-dal and Young-pil but also about family, friendship, the people of Jeju, the haenyeos and more.
See Also: Filmfare Year-Ender 2023: Top 10 Korean Drama Couples Of The Year
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