Updated: December 30, 2023
As 2023 draws to a close, these 23 Korean drama series stood out to us as the best content of the year based on screenplay, plotline, character development, message delivery, and creativity: Ongoing shows are not included.
MOVING
An exceptional supernatural drama based on a webtoon that revolves around teenagers who try to hide their superpowers from people and their parents who try to hide their painful past. Altogether, they fight against powerful dark forces who threaten humanity across time, starring 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.
Webtoon & Screenwriter: Kang Full | Director: Park In-jae | Network: Disney+
TWINKLING WATERMELON
A rejuvenating youth drama about a male student who suddenly travels into the past, meeting the younger versions of his deaf parents and forming the band, “Watermelon Sugar” with his father and other students. Overall, it pursues a sparkling teenage life while it celebrates music, family, friendship, and dreams, starring Ryeoun, Choi Hyun-wook, Seol Inah, and Shin Eun-soo.
Screenwriter: Jin Soo Wan | Director: Son Jung Hyun | Original network: tvN | Available on: Viu
ARTHDAL CHRONICLES: THE SWORD OF ARAMUN
An epic historical-fantasy drama that is set in the fictional land called Arth where inhabitants of the ancient city of Arthdal and its surrounding regions of clans and tribes vie for power to become legends. Eight years later, a great war approaches amid the rise of mankind and civilization under the leadership of King Tagon. While the Ago Union of Eun-seom marches in battle to liberate its people, Tagon’s Kingdom of Arthdal fights to conquer the world and build his one great nation, Tagon Niruha. The second season stars Lee Joon-gi and Shin Se-kyung to portray the older Eun-seom and older Tanya. Meanwhile, actors Jang Dong-gun and Kim Ok-vin reprised their roles as Tagon and Tae Al-ha.
Screenwriters: Kim Young-hyun, Park Sang-yeon | Director: Kim Kwang-sik | Original network: tvN | Available on: Disney+
MY DEAREST
An extraordinary historical romance drama set in the period of Joseon dynasty about two star-crossed lovers who get swept up in the chaos of a terrifying war, fighting for their lives and loves. After experiencing an unimaginable tragedy, a man named Lee Jang Hyun who has no interest in life and romance declared that he will not marry but unexpectedly finds himself attracted to a nobleman’s daughter named Yoo Gil Chae, a socialite goddess for her beauty and charms. Despite her two failed marriages, she has a strong will to live and dreams of love again. It stars Namgoong Min and Ahn Eun-jin.
Screenwriter: Hwang Jin Young | Director: Kim Sung Yong | Original network: MBC | Available on: Viki
THE GOOD BAD MOTHER
A moving drama that centers on the healing relationship between a mother and her son who is a prosecutor but one day suffers from amnesia due to an accident, behaving like a young child again. The excellent narrative explores bad and good parenting, illustrates psychological distress and childhood trauma, while it deals with the monsters of society and the beauty of community when neighbors and relationships heal together through the ups and downs of life. It serves moments of laughter, sadness, camaraderie, and victory, starring Ra Miran, Lee Do-hyun, Ahn Eun-jin, and Yoo In-soo.
Screenwriter: Bae Se Young | Director: Shim Na Yeon | Original network: JTBC | Available on: Netflix
TAXI DRIVER 2
An excellent crime-revenge drama about a former special forces soldier who helps victims of injustice through a secret organization that fronts as a taxi company. Overall, it deals with social issues in episodic manner combined with action, comedy, and heartwarming insights to live by, starring Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, and Bae Yoo-ram.
Screenwriter: Oh Sang-ho | Director: Lee-dan | Original network: SBS | Available on: Viu
THE GLORY
A thought-provoking, revenge-thriller series about a woman named Moon Dong-eun whose childhood is marked by school violence and trauma. She spends years carefully plotting to ruin the lives of her high school bullies who tormented her body, mind, and soul, reflecting revenge on the fact that there are wounds and scars in life that run deep and permanent, starring Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, and more.
Screenwriter: Kim Eun-sook | Director: Ahn Gil-ho | Network: Netflix
DR. ROMANTIC 3
An uplifting medical drama that follows a triple-board certified surgeon who leaves a top medical center in Seoul and ends up at a small hospital in the countryside, mentoring young doctors. The story deals with medical values, hospital ethics, professional growth, social compassion, with romance on the side. It stars Han Suk-kyu, Ahn Hyo-seop, Lee Sung-kyung, with the special participation of Yoo Yeon-seok who was first the first mentee in Season 1.
Screenwriters: Kang Eun-kyung, Lim Hye-min | Directors: Yoo In-shik, Kang Bo-seung | Original network: SBS | Available on: Disney+
BIG BET
An engaging crime-black-comedy series about a legendary king of the casino in the Philippines who confronts unfortunate events, getting tangled in a murder case and faced with the ultimate bet with his life on the line, starring Choi Min-sik, Son Suk-ku, and Lee Dong-hwi.
Screenwriter: Kang Yoon-sung | Directors: Kang Yoon-sung, Nam Ki-hoon | Network: Disney+
MASK GIRL
A psychologically thrilling drama based on a webtoon that follows the double life of a woman who works as an office girl by day and an internet broadcasting jockey by night. She covers her face with a mask due to her physical insecurities, getting swept up in an incident that will cause turbulence in her life. It stars Lee Han-byeol, Nana, Go Hyun-jung, Ahn Jae-hong, and Yeom Hye-ran.
Screenwriter: Kim Yong-hoon | Director: Kim Yong-hoon | Network: Netflix
REVENANT
A psychologically chilling, occult thriller drama that follows a struggling young woman who gets possessed by a demon, a folklore professor who has the special ability to see spirits, and two detectives who investigate a series of mysterious deaths. It infuse psychological insights into the horror narrative, aligning the notion of human greed and crime with demon manipulation. It stars Kim Tae-ri, Oh Jung-se, and Hong Kyung.
Screenwriter: Kim Eun-hee | Director: Lee Jung-rim | Original network: SBS | Available on: Disney+
DUTY AFTER SCHOOL
A thought-provoking military-sci-fi series about senior high school students who are issued by the government with a mobilization order to join a military drill and fight extraterrestrial monsters using their desperation to earn points for the university admission. The story overall portrays the dark side of humanity in times of war and the realistic human behaviors that arise when personal agenda of survival gets in the way of the original mission, causing tragedy in the end. It also shows how irresponsible adults can be when they use teens as tools and lure them to carry guns using grades or their dreams and abandon them in the end to survive on their own and just let them suffer psychological trauma. It stars Shin Hyun-soo, Lee Soon-won, Im Semi, along with several young actors.
Screenwriter: Yoon Soo | Director: Seong Yong-il | Original network: TVING | Available on: Viu, Viki
THE KIDNAPPING DAY
An engaging black-comedy drama based on a novel that depicts the extraordinary collaboration between a clumsy kidnapper and an 11-year-old genius girl who has lost her memory. Struggling to pay for his daughter’s hospital fees, a desperate father abducts a girl for the first time but is suddenly hunted down as a suspect for murder. Meanwhile, the abducted girl who is smart overcomes crises while forming a strange bond with the kidnapper who turns out to be weak-hearted. It starsYoon Kye-sang, Park Sung-hoon, Yu-na, Kim Shin-rok, Kim Sang-ho, Seo Jae-hee, and Kang Young-seok.
Screenwriter: Kim Je-young | Director: Park Yoo-young | Original network: ENA | Available on: Prime Video
MY PERFECT STRANGER
A simple yet extraordinarily gripping drama about two people who meet by chance through time travel and get stuck in 1987 that appears romance at first encounter and in its entirety but not mainly at all. Kim Dong-wook plays a news anchor who travels to the past to dig deep into a series of murders, and Jin Ki-joo plays an ordinary office worker who travels through time to prevent the wedding of her parents. As the two strangers hunt for the main culprit in the past, it leads viewers to thrilling plot twists.
Screenwriter: Baek So Yeon | Director: Kang Soo Yeon | Original network: KBS2 | Available on: Viu
CRASH COURSE IN ROMANCE
A heartwarming drama about a woman with a heart of gold who navigates the cutthroat world of private education when her daughter tries to join a celebrity math instructor’s class. It celebrates life, love, family, and friendship, coupled with a sense of mystery in its plot, starring Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho.
Screenwriter: Yang Hee-seung | Director: Yoo Je-won | Original network: tvN | Available on: Netflix
THE WORST OF EVIL
A thrilling crime-action series that follows a married couple from the police force who investigate a gang leader and his massive criminal organization involved in an illegal drug trade between South Korea, China, and Japan, starring Ji Chang-wook, Wi Ha-joon, and Im Se-mi.
Screenwriter: Jang Min-suk | Director: Han Dong-wook | Network: Disney+
DOONA
A charming rom-com series based on a webtoon that tells the love story between a male college student who moves into a new apartment and a beautiful lady living downstairs who is a K-pop sensation, retiring from her career to pursue studies, starring Bae Suzy and Yang Sejong.
Webtoon writer: Min Songah | Director: Lee Jeong-hyo | Network: Netflix
BLOODHOUNDS
A captivating action-noir series based on a webtoon that follows two young adults who try to get out of debt by working for a legendary figure in the money loan business. It also reflects the friendship of the two boxers and their strong determination to take down the big villain, starring Woo Do-hwan, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Sae-ron, Park Sung-woong, Heo Joon-ho, and Jung Da-eun.
Screenwriter-Director: Kim Joo-hwan | Network: Netflix
DOCTOR CHA
A fun and heartwarming medical drama about a doctor who gives up her medical career to focus on her family as a full time housewife, only to find herself getting back on medical school as a resident student after 20 years. It reflects on career goals, marriage issues, and family problems, coupled with laughter and fun moments, starring Uhm Jung-hwa, Kim Byung-chul, Myung Se-bin, and Min Woo-hyuk.
Screenwriter: Jung Yeo-rang | Director: Kim Dae-jin | Original network: JTBC | Available on: Netflix
QUEENMAKER
A gripping political drama that revolves around two powerful women who have different strong opinions but fight together to achieve the same end goal. Overall, it is a political showdown that involves a mental game, exposure of crimes, and social manipulation to earn the title of mayor. It also explores the dark side of politics and shows the phenomenal performances of veteran actresses, Kim Hee-ae and Moon So-ri.
Screenwriter: Moon Ji-young | Director: Oh Jin-seok | Network: Netflix
DAILY DOSE OF SUNSHINE
A soul-stirring series that explores mental health and healing with patients and staff at a psychiatric ward through the life of a young nurse who is determined to provide a ray of light for those under her care, starring Park Bo-young, Yeon Woo-jin, Jang Dong-yoon, and Lee Jung-eun. It is based on the webtoon, “Morning Comes To The Mental Ward” by Iraha and the real-life experiences of a psychiatric nurse.
Screenwriters: Kim Da-hee, Lee Nam-gyoo, Oh Bo-hyeon | Director: Lee Jae-gyoo | Network: Netflix
CASTAWAY DIVA
An inspiring drama about a girl who dreams of becoming a singer but gets drifted out onto a deserted island and rescued after fifteen years. Amid difficult situations, she never loses hope and remains positive about her life and dreams, starring Park Eun-bin, Chae Jong-hyeop, Kim Hyo-jin, Cha Hak-yeon, and Kim Ju-hoon.
Screenwriter: Park Hye Ryun | Director: Oh Choong Hwan | Original network: tvN | Available on: Netflix
SEE YOU IN MY 19TH LIFE
A poetically creative storytelling based on a popular webtoon about a woman who reincarnates every time she dies and vividly remembers all her past lives. During her 18th life, she meets a young boy she learns to love but her life was cut short after a tragic accident. So, she sets out to reconnect with him in her 19th life but soon realizes it’s never easy than expected, starring Shin Hae-sun and Ahn Bo-hyun.
Screenwriter: Choi Young Lim | Director: Lee Na Jung | Original network: tvN | Available on: Netflix
ByKORBBlog Team
