The 35 Best New Korean TV Shows on Netflix in 2023
Netflix's business model seems to be go big or go home, at least when it comes to Korean series. The streamer expanded its original offerings and licensing agreements with Netflix's Korean TV shows in 2022, premiering several now-beloved dramas on the platform and renewing many of its most popular shows, from Sweet Home to All of Us Are Dead to Single's Inferno to (finally) Squid Game.
Now that Netflix has revealed its largest K-content lineup yet, it's time to tally up all of the highly-anticipated Korean TV shows reported to hit the streamer in 2023. Many of Korea's biggest stars—including Park Seo-joon, Park Eun-bin, Bae Suzy, and Park Bo-Young—have signed on to star in unmissable shows ranging from historical action epics to sweet rom-coms to healing Korean dramas to even a few terrifying thrillers. Also, Netflix is expanding its unscripted content to debut seven new variety series. Read on to learn about the packed lineup. (Once you build your watch list, check out our guide to the all-time best Korean dramas on Netflix.)
'The Glory'
This highly-anticipated revenge drama from Descendants of the Sun star Song Hye-ko and Guardian: The Great and Lonely God writer Kim Eun-sook will reportedly premiere in two parts. Song will play Moon Dong-eun, an aspiring architect who was forced to drop out of school following a brutal attach from her bullies. Years later, the bullies' leader is now parent to an elementary schooler, and Moon is the child's homeroom teacher. Youth of May's Lee Do-hyun and High Society's Im Ji-yeon will also star.
Premiere: December 30, 2022 for Part 1 and March 10, 2023 for Part 2
'Agency'
This workplace drama just arrived on Netflix after joining the rankings of the highest-ever rated dramas on Korea's cable channels earlier this year. The series follows the career of Go Ah-in (Lee Bo-young), who rose from growing up in poverty to become the creative director of an advertising agency and first-ever female executive of VC Group, the conglomerate that owns the agency. Now aiming for the VC Group's CEO position, Ah-in faces opposition from Choi Chang-soo (Jo Sung-ha), a rival executive who's striving for the same spot.
Premiere: January 7
'Crash Course in Romance'
This lighthearted tvN drama follows Nam Haeng-sun (The Good Wife's Jeon Do-yeon), a former athlete with a super-positive personality and unlimited stamina, who now runs a side dish store. The mother has to navigate the world of private education when her daughter tries to join the class of celebrity math instructor Choi Chi-yeol (Hospital Playlist's Jung Kyung-ho). Soon a romantic connection builds between the passionate mom and the closed-off teacher.
Premiere: January 14
'Physical: 100'
After the success of Single's Inferno, Netflix's second original reality show will present a competition testing strength and agility (guided by an omniscient voice that gives big Squid Game vibes). One hundred participants of varied age, race, and gender will compete in multiple fitness challenges to determine which of them has the "perfect physical body." (Also, a Single's Inferno season 1 favorite is among the cast!)
Premiere: January 24
'Love to Hate You'
The first fake dating plot of 2023 comes courtesy of Arthdal Chronicles' Kim Ok-vin and Past Lives' Yoo Teo, playing people in a war-like relationship who both mistrust the opposite sex. Kim plays an entertainment lawyer who hates losing to men, while Yoo plays a top actor who "hates all adult women." Will their love overcome their suspicions?
Premiere: February 10
'In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal'
Netflix is bringing its true crime and K-content audiences together, with its first Korea-set true crime docuseries. We're still waiting for more details on the eight-episode documentary, which will "expose the dark side of unquestioning belief" by "examining the chilling true stories of four Korean leaders claiming to be prophets."
Premiere: March 3
'Divorce Attorney Shin'
This JTBC drama, based on a webcomic of the same name, stars Cho Seung-woo as former pianist and music professor Shin Sung-han. After a personal tragedy, Sung-han becomes a lawyer and starts navigating the complex world of divorce, passionately fighting for his clients to win. He's helped by his two best friends since middle school, paralegal Jang Hyeong-geun (Kim Sung-kyun) and realtor Jo Jeong-sik (Jung Moon-sung).
Premiere: March 4
'Queenmaker'
This drama will follow two powerful and strong-minded women: skilled executive and titular "Queen Maker' Hwang Do-hee (The World of the Married's Kim Hee-ae), and labor rights lawyer and "crazy rhinoceros" Oh Seung-sook (Life's Moon So-ri). Though one's a businesswoman through and through and the other is a workers' rights activist, the pair come together when Do-hee becomes determined to make Seung-sook the mayor of Seoul.
Premiere: April 14
'Doctor Cha'
Our Blues star Uhm Jung-hwa and SKY Castle's Kim Byung-chul star in this medical drama about a medical graduate who goes back into the field after two decades. Cha Jung-Sook (Uhm) has been full time housewife for the past 20 years, after giving up her career as a doctor during her medical resident years. After all that time, she decides to restart her medical resident course at the hospital where her husband Seo In-Ho (Kim) works as a chief surgeon.
Premiere: April 14
'The Good Bad Mother'
The Glory star Lee Do-hyun is already set to return in another Netflix K-drama this year. Directed by Beyond Evil's Shim Na-yeon, this healing comedy will follow Young-soon (Sympathy for Lady Vengeance's Ra Mi-ran) a mother who has lived for her child all her life, and her son, prosecutor Kang-ho (Lee), who suffers from amnesia after an unexpected accident and goes back to being a child.
Premiere: April 26
'Black Knight'
This dystopian series takes place in a fictional 2071, where only one percent of the human population has survived the intense air pollution, and delivery drivers, known as knights, play a crucial role within the new social stratification system. It follows the legendary Knight 5-8 (Kim Woo-bin), and a refugee named Sawol who dreams of following in his footsteps. Song Seung-heon, Kang You-seok, Esom also star.
Premiere: May 12
'Siren: Survive the Island'
2023 is the year of Netflix survival and endurance variety shows. The 24 competitors of this new series will include female police officers, firefighters, bodyguards, soldiers, athletes and stuntwomen, who will all team up by profession to compete for survival on a remote island.
Premiere: May 30
'Bloodhounds'
Adapted from the webtoon of the same name, this noir action drama follows a young man who enters the world of loan sharks. The King: Eternal Monarch's Woo Do-hwan plays Gun-woo, an emerging and talented boxer who has to put his dreams aside because of his mom's debts and get a job as a bodyguard to CEO Choi (Kingdom's Heo Jun-ho). Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha's Lee Sang-yi, Midnight Runners' Jung Da-eun, and Snowdrop's Park Sung-woong also star.
Premiere: June 9
'See You In My 19th Life'
Adapted from the popular webtoon of the same name, this supernatural rom-com follows Ban Ji-eum (played by Mr. Queen star Shin Hye-sun), who has the extraordinary ability to remember her past lives, and Moon Seo-ha (My Name's Ahn Bo-hyun), whom she is destined to meet. Ji-eum has no attachments to her previous lives, but when she loses Seo-ha to an accident after meeting him in her 18th life, she begins her 19th life to reconnect with him.
Premiere: June 17
'King the Land'
The highly-anticipated collaboration between 2PM's Junho and Girls Generations' YoonA will stream on Netflix. The actors will star as hoteliers of the VVIP business lounge King the Land, who learn to work together in the high-pressure enviornment. Junho (The Red Sleeve) will play Gu-won, the chaebol heir to King Hotel who returns to the hotel group seeking memories of his mother, while YoonA (Big Mouth) plays Cheon Sa-rang, King Hotel's "queen of smiles and hospitality" who worked her way up from the front desk to the exclusive lounge.
Premiere: June 17
'Celebrity'
This thriller series from Netflix and Studio Dragon will depict the ups and downs of celebrity and influencer culture, showing the turbulent fears and painful desires surrounding the world. The cast includes It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and Sweet Home's Park Gyu-young, CN Blue drummer Kang Min-hyuk, Awaken's Lee Chung-ah, and Angel's Last Mission: Love's Lee Dong-gun.
Premiere: June 30
'Nineteen to Twenty'
This variety dating show from the producer behind Single's Inferno will focus on the coming-of-age of Korean teens, who reach legal adulthood when they turn 20 in Korean age. The reality series will cast a group of young adults who share their last week of teens and first week of twenties together, as they experience freedom and all the "firsts" of adulthood.
Premiere: July 11
'D.P.' season 2
Filming has already wrapped on the second season of this award-winning drama, which gained widespread acclaim for its realistic, brutal depiction of bullying and toxic masculinity in the Korean military. Jung Hae-in (Jun-ho), Koo Kyo-hwan (Ho-yul), Kim Sung-kyun (Bum-goo), and Son Suk-ku (Ji-sup) are all set to return, as Jun-ho deals with the fallout of his decision to [spoiler].
Premiere: July 28
'The Uncanny Counter' season 2
This action-comedy drama is finally back for a second season, after some members of the cast spent the time between installments starring in other Netflix hits. For anyone who needs to catch up on season 1, the titular "counters"—played by Jo Byung-gyu (Hot Stove League), Yoo Joon-sang (Alchemy of Souls), Kim Se-jeong (Business Proposal), and Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory)—are demon hunters who disguise themselves as employees of a noodle restaurant. Season 2 will see the fighters battling to protect Earth as more powerful demons arrive, including a pair portrayed by Extraordinary Attorney Woo's Kang Ki-young and The Glory's Kim Hieora.
Premiere: July 29
'Zombieverse'
Zombies have been the driving force of Korean dramas, movies, comics, and more. Now they're entering the variety show field, with this reality survival series that drops comedians, idols, actors, and other celebs into the heart of Seoul to see how real people would react to a zombie apocalypse. The stacked cast competing for food, water, and shelter will include Sweet Home actress Lee Si-young, The Hungry and the Hairy star Noh Hong-chul, New World star Park Na-rae, baseball player Yoo Hee-kwan, rapper DinDin (Kim Cheol), Billlie member Tsuki, and Congolese media personalities Jonathan and Patricia Yiombi.
Premiere: August 8
'Behind Your Touch'
This supernatural crime-comedy follows a woman who gains the power of psychometry, being able to see a person's memories when she touches them. Rural village veterinarian Ye-boon (Our Blues' Han Ji-min) is stuck doing nitty-gritty work like delivering calves to make ends meet. Her life changes when she's given psychometric powers while visiting a cow farm, and again later when she meets passionate detective Jang-yeol (My Liberation Notes' Lee Min-ki). The two grow closer as they use Ye-boon's powers to solve cases ranging from petty crimes to serial murder. EXO member Suho will also star.
Premiere: August 12
'Mask Girl'
This black-comedy thriller based on a webtoon of the same name follows two office workers who have inferiority complexes when it comes to their looks. Kim Mo-mi (Reflection of You's Go Hyun-jung) has a side-gig as a livestreamer who covers her face with a mask. Her co-worker Joo Oh-nam (Fight For My Way's Ahn Jae-hong) has a one-sided crush on Mo-mi, and his only source of joy comes from watching internet broadcasts. The two soon get swept up in an unexpected incident.
Premiere: August 18
'Destined With You'
The King’s Affection and Tomorrow actor (and SF9 member) Rowoon is returning to Netflix in a new fantasy romance, co-starring Tale of the Nine-Tailed star Jo Bo-ah. The drama will follow the love story of a civil servant (Jo) who obtains a forbidden book sealed 300 years ago and a lawyer (Rowoon) whose family has been trapped under the book's centuries-old curse. Bad Prosectuor's Ha Joon and Forecasting Love and Weather's Yura will also star.
Premiere: August 23
'A Time Called You'
This adaptation of the hit Taiwanese drama Someday or One Day stars Vicenzo's Jeon Yeo-been and Business Proposal's Ahn Hyo-seop, with both of the stars appearing in dual roles. Han Jun-hee (Jeon) still hasn't gotten over the death of her boyfriend Ko Yeon-jun (Ahn) one year prior. One day, she somehow travels back in time to the year 1998 and finds herself as high school student Kwon Min-joo. There, she meets fellow student Nam Si-heon, and is surprised to see how much Si-heon resembles her late boyfriend. Little Women's Kang Hoon and All of Us Are Dead's Lee Min-goo also star.
Premiere: September 8
'Song of the Bandits'
Girls' Generation's Seohyun and The Fiery Priest's Kim Nam-gil star in this historical action drama set in the 1920s during the Japanese colonial period. The show will tell the stories of those who have been deprived of their homes and livelihoods, and how they will do just about anything for their families, colleagues, and the Joseon people. Itaewon Class' Yoo Jae-myung, Remarriage and Desires' Lee Hyun-wook, and Nevertheless' Lee Ho-jung will also star.
Premiere: September 22
'The Devil's Plan'
Another competition series coming to Netflix, this "mind-bending" game will be hosted by "the Devil" and feature contestants who "have one week to be crowned the brainiest player and win the ultimate prize." The confirmed cast will include TV and broadcast personalities, professional poker and Go players, and one idol member, Seventeen's Boo Seungkwan.
Premiere: September 26
'Strong Girl Nam-soon'
This sequel series to 2017's Strong Woman Do Bong-soon follows a new cast of characters led by three generations of women who possess hidden super strength. Kang Nam-soon (Squid Game's Lee Yoo-mi), who went missing as a child in Mongolia, returns to Seoul and finally meets her wealthy mother (played by Kim Jung-eun) and grandmother (Tomorrow's Kim Hae-sook). Soon, the trio become wrapped up in a drug case led by Detective Kang Hee-sik (Ong Seong-wu), who begins to get feelings for Nam-soon.
Premiere: October 6
'Doona!'
This drama, based on the web comic The Girl Downstairs, stars a veteran K-pop singer, Bae Suzy, playing a retired idol. In the show, Lee Doo-na (Suzy) is the most popular member of an up-and-coming girl group when she abruptly announces her retirement and becomes a shut-in at a share-house. When warm university student Won Joon (Yang Se-jong) moves in, the pair eventually grow closer and begin a romance.
Premiere: October 20
'Castaway Diva'
Park Eun-bin's highly-anticipated follow-up to Extraordinary Attorney Woo will stream through Netflix this year. Park will lead the tvN drama as Seo Mok-ha, an aspiring singer who was stranded on a deserted island in middle school and managed to survive for 15 years. Once she's rescued, Mok-ha will face new challenges as she tries to adjust to modern society, while encountering people like her favorite singer Yoon Ran-joo (Kim Hyo-jin),and variety show producer Kang Bo-geol (Chae Jong-hyeop). Cha Hak-yeon (a.k.a. VIXX's N) and Kim Joo-heon will also star.
Premiere: October 28
'Daily Dose of Sunshine'
This healing drama, an adaptation of the web comic Morning Comes To The Mental Ward, follows the many types of incidents that take place in a psychiatric ward. Strong Girl Do Bong Soon star Park Bo-young will star as psychiatric nurse Jung Da-eun, with Thirty-Nine's Yeon Woo-jin, Mr. Sunshine's Jang Dong-yoon, and Parasite and Law School's Lee Jung-eun rounding out the main cast.
Premiere: November 3
'My Demon'
Sweet Home's Song Kang and 20th Century Girl's Kim Yoo-jung will star in this rom-com about a devilish chaebol heiress and a literal demon. When Jung Koo-won (Song) loses his powers one day, he's forced to work with Do Do-hee (Kim) to recover them while also serving as her bodyguard. Bloodhounds' Lee Sang-yi and Strong Girl Nam-soon's Kim Hae-sook will also star.
Premiere: November 24
'Sweet Home' season 2
This hit horror drama is set to return this year, with Netflix announcing in June 2022 that Seasons 2 and 3(!) are on the way. The Season 1 finale saw Hyun-soo (Nevertheless' Song Kang) escape Green Homes before its huge cliffhanger, which showed him waking up in a military wan driven by [spoiler], somehow alive. In addition to the Season 1 survivors, the cast will include new members Yoo Oh-sung (The Veil), Oh Jung-se (It's Okay to Not Be Okay), and Jung Jin-young (Love in the Moonlight).
Premiere: December 1
'Single's Inferno 3'
After two hit seasons, the dating show where Korean singles compete for a chance to go to "Paradise" with the date of their choosing will return with some new twists. Tudum has previously teased that season 3 will include new rules and new versions of "Inferno" and "Paradise," which "won’t just be a luxurious resort, but more of a special and intimate place where the couples have a chance to dive deeper into each other's emotions, elevating the romance."
Premiere: December 12
'Gyeongseong Creature'
My Name's Han So-Hee and Itaewon Class' (and future Marvel star) Park Seo-joon lead this historical thriller's all-star cast. Set in the Spring of 1945 in Gyeongseong, during Japanese rule over Korea, the series will two young adults (Han and Park) who battle against strange creatures born out of human greed. Co-starring Avengers: Age of Ultron's Claudia Kim and Squid Game's Wi Ha-jun, the highly-anticipated series has reportedly been renewed for season 2 before it has even aired!
Premiere: December 22
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