The global fandom for K-content is continuing to grow, with over 60 percent of all Netflix members watching Korean titles last year.
Looking ahead to 2023, Netflix is debuting a diverse array of Korean TV series, films and unscripted shows, including eye-popping original productions alongside returning fan favorites, in their biggest-ever lineup of Korean films and series.
“The global popularity of K-content has continued apace over 2022, with Netflix bringing a wider variety of stories and genres to fans around the world. Over the last year, Korean series and films have regularly featured in our Global Top 10 list in more than 90 countries, and three of Netflix’s most-watched shows ever are from Korea. This year, we’re pushing the envelope even further with the stories we tell and how we tell them. With this lineup of Korean titles, Netflix will continue to be the ultimate destination for compelling, diverse and must-watch Korean storytelling,” said Don Kang, VP of Content (Korea).
Look forward to these new titles on Netflix this year!
Love To Hate You | February 10
- Starring: Kim Ok Vin | Yoo Teo | Kim Ji Hoon | Go Won Hee
Love to Hate You is a romantic comedy about a woman who really hates losing to men and a man who harbors a deep mistrust of women, experiencing a warlike love and finding themselves healed through the experience.
Kim Ok Vin (Arthdal Chronicles) plays Yeo Mi-ran, a rookie lawyer at the entertainment law firm Gilmu who detests losing to men while Yoo Teo plays the character Nam Kang-ho, a Korean A-list actor who deeply mistrusts women.
The Glory Part 2 | March 2023
- Starring: Song Hye Kyo | Lee Do Hyun | Lim Ji Yeon | Yeom Hye Ran | Park Sung Hoon | Jung Sung Il |
The Glory is a Netflix series that tells the story of a woman broken by school violence, and who has dedicated her life to a meticulous web of vengeance and those who are entangled in her plot.
The series was announced to much fanfare as the project brought together writer Kim Eun-sook of countless hits, director An Gil-ho, a master of genre series, and a star-studded cast led by Song Hye Kyo.
Bloodhounds | 2nd Quarter
- Starring: Woo Do Hwan | Lee Sang Yi | Park Sung Woong | Heo Joon Ho |
Bloodhounds is a story about two young people who step into the world of loan sharks in pursuit of money and get caught up in a web of much darker forces. It stars Woo Do Hwan, Lee Sang Yi, Park Sung Woong and Heo Joon Ho.
Based on a Naver webtoon of the same title, the series is directed and written by director Kim Joo-hwan of Midnight Runners, promising to showcase refreshing chemistry among the cast and uninhibited action.
Celebrity | Quarter 2
- Starring: Park Gyu Young | Kang Min Hyuk | Lee Dong Gun | Lee Chung Ah | Jun Hyo Seong |
Celebrity is a Netflix series that depicts the true reality of the glamorous and competitive life of celebrities encountered by Seo A-ri, who jumps into their world where fame will bring riches.
The series is directed by Kim Cheol Kyu, who was nominated at the official competition of the first Cannes International Series Festival for Mother.
Queenmaker | 2nd Quarter
- Starring: Kim Hee Ae | Moon So Ri | Ryu Soo Young | Seo Yi Sook
Queenmaker is a Netflix series that follows the story of Hwang Do-hee, a PR genius who used to oversee the Corporate Strategy Team in Eunsung Group, diving into an election campaign for human rights lawyer Oh Kyung-sook, nicknamed Ms. Rhino for having survived countless ups and downs, to get her elected as the mayor of Seoul.
Kim Hee Ae, celebrated undoubtedly as one of the greatest actors in Korea for her powerful performances, plays PR genius Hwang Do-hee, while Moon So Ri, famed for her unparalleled presence through the diverse characters she has played, transforms herself into human rights lawyer Oh Kyung-sook in their historic first performance together in this Netflix series.
Black Knight | 2nd Quarter
- Starring: Kim Woo Bin | Song Seung Heon | Kang You Seok | Esom
Set in 2071, when people depend on respirator masks to breathe due to extreme air pollution, Black Knight is a Netflix series that follows the legendary deliveryman “5-8” with extraordinary battle skills, as he encounters refugee Sa-wol, who dreams of following in his footsteps, as becoming a deliveryman is the only hope for refugees in this world.
Based on a popular webtoon, the series depicts a world where only one percent of the human race has survived and strict social stratification has been established in the deserted lands of the Korean Peninsula, where deliverymen play critical roles in society that has stopped functioning properly.
A Time Called You | 3rd Quarter
- Starring: Ahn Hyo Seop | Jeon Yeo Been | Kang Hoon
A Time Called You is a time-slip romance where Jun-hee, missing her boyfriend who passed away a year ago, goes back in time to 1998 to meet Si-heon, who looks identical to her boyfriend.
The drama made headlines instantly after its announcement as the remake of Someday or One Day, a classic Taiwanese romance series.
Song of the Bandits | 3rd Quarter
- Starring: Kim Nam Gil | Seohyun | Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Hyun Wook | Lee Ho Jung
An action-adventure set in the tumultuous period of Japanese colonial rule over Korea about a group of people who, for various reasons, end up in the lawless land of Gando and become united in protecting Joseon for the Korean people.
D.P. Season 2 | 3rd Quarter
- Starring: Jung Hae In | Koo Kyo Hwan | Kim Sung Kyun | Son Suk Ku | Ji Jin Hee | Kim Ji Hyun
D.P. is a Netflix series that follows Jun-ho and Ho-yeol of the Deserter Pursuit unit in the Korean military as they encounter the realities unknown to them until they chase after the deserters with various backstories. The first season of D.P. was highly acclaimed for its social commentary and resonated with many audiences.
Mask Girl | 3rd Quarter
- Starring: Go Hyun Jung | Ahn Jae Hong | Yeom Hye Ran | Nana
Mask Girl is a story about Kim Mo-mi, an ordinary office worker by day who is insecure about her appearance and a live-streamer by night who covers up her face with a mask, as she becomes embroiled in an unforeseen incident and undergoes a dramatic turn of events.
The original webtoon of the same title that the series is based on was beloved by many readers for its unpredictable twists, biting messages about lookism, and the effortless cross between a thriller and black comedy.
Gyeongseong Creature | 4th Quarter
- Starring: Park Seo Jun | Han So Hee | Claudia Kim | Kim Hae Sook | Cho Han Cheul | Wi Ha Jun
A creature thriller set in the spring of 1945 — one of the darkest times in Korean history — about two young people struggling to survive as they face a monster born out of human greed. Korea’s top talents Park Seo Jun and Han So Hee team up for the first time through this series.
Sweet Home Season 2 | 4th Qtr
- Starring: Song Kang | Lee Jin Wook | Lee Si Young | Go Min Si | Park Gyu Young | Yoo Oh Seong | Oh Jung Se, Kim Mu Yeol | Jin-young
Song Kang, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Si Young, Go Min Si, and Park Gyu Young — the residents of Green Home who, in the previous season, delivered overwhelming tension as they risked their lives through bloody battles against their neighbors-turned-monsters — return again in season 2 to offer thrills and tension of a whole new different kind.
Joining the cast in the new season are actors Yoo Oh Seong, Oh Jung Se, Kim Mu Yeol, and Jinyoung, portraying the various dimensions of human nature and desires as they find themselves at a crossroads for survival.
Doona! | 4th Quarter
- Starring: Suzy | Yang Se Jong
Doona! portrays the romance between Won-joon, an ordinary university student, and Doona, a former K-pop idol, as they cross paths in a shared house for students.
The series is based on a webtoon beloved for the heart-pounding romance with a housemate who is a former K-pop idol and the nuanced depiction of emotions that bring the story to life.
Daily Dose of Sunshine
- Starring: Park Bo Young | Yeon Woo Jin | Jang Dong Yoon | Lee Jung Eun
Daily Dose of Sunshine is a Netflix series that explores the world inside a psychiatric ward and the stories of people in it, as encountered by Da-eun, who has just become a nurse in the mental health department of a hospital.
Director Lee JQ, creator of the K-zombie sensation All of Us Are Dead, which is the 4th most popular Netflix TV series (non-English) of all time, partnered with Netflix once again in this moving human drama.
Goodbye Earth | 4th Quarter
- Starring: Ahn Eun Jin | Yoo Ah In | Jeon Seong Woo | Kim Yoon Hye
Goodbye Earth is a Netflix series that depicts the planet in chaos, with 200 days left before an asteroid destroys it, and the stories of those living their remaining days on Earth.
Behind Your Touch (WT) | TBA
- Starring: Han Ji Min | Lee Min Ki | Ju Min Kyung | Suho
Ye-boon, who has always dreamed of becoming a vet in the small town of Mujin in Chungjeong-do, is instead stuck doing the nitty-gritty work to make ends meet, like delivering calves and vaccinating halibuts.
Then one day, she was given psychometric powers during one of her visits to a cow farm. She encounters the passionate detective Jang-yeol, who mistakes her for a pervert and attempts to tackle her.
Subsequently, Jang-yeol relies on Ye-boon and her powers to solve his cases, from petty crimes to serial murder. The two grow closer as they solve each case, one by one.
The Good Bad Mother | TBA
- Starring: Ra Mi Ran | Lee Do Hyun | Ahn Eun Jin
A single mom who has been widowed at a young age, Young-soon runs a pig farm and raises her son Kang-ho by herself. She becomes a “bad mother” – hard on her son because she doesn’t want him to grow up penniless or powerless.
Thanks to her discipline, Kang-ho grows up to be a prominent prosecutor, but loses his memory due to an unfortunate accident and becomes a 7-year-old again.
Young-soon decides to become a “bad mother” again for Kang-ho in this comforting and touching comedy series that tracks the journey of recovery between mother and son.
King The Land | TBA
- Starring: Lee Jun Ho | Lim Yoon Ah
Graceful, charismatic, intelligent, and chic, the heir of King Group Gu-won has everything but memories of his mother. In an attempt to recover his memory, he returns to King Hotel.
Known as King Hotel’s queen of smiles and hospitality, Cheon Sa-rang worked her way up from the front desk to now work at the glamorous “King the Land” space, where she meets Gu-won. Actor Lee Jun Ho plays Gu-won, and actress Lim Yoon A plays Cheon Sa-rang.
Destined With You | TBA
- Starring: Rowoon | Jo Bo Ah | Ha Jun | Yura
Big-time lawyer Shin-yu has to secure the temple located at the skirts of Onju Mountain because of a curse that’s been in his family for 350 years. Then one day, a YouTuber who trespasses the temple dies of an accident, and Hong-jo, a passionate civil servant of Onju City appears before Shin-yu to demolish the temple.
This series portrays the force majeure romance between Hong-jo, who happens upon the document that was bound for over three centuries, and Shin-yu, who is the scapegoat of the document.
See You In My 19th Life | TBA
- Starring: Shin Hye Sun | Ahn Bo Hyun | Ha Yoon Kyung | Ahn Dong Goo
Based on the webtoon of the same name, See You In My 19th Life is a spirited love story that comes back to life between Ban Ji-eum, who has the extraordinary ability to remember her past lives, and Moon Seo-ha, whom she is destined to meet.
Ban Ji-eum has no attachments to her previous lives, but when she loses Moon Seo-ha to an accident after meeting him in her 18th life, she begins her 19th life to reconnect with him.
KOREAN FILMS
JUNG_E | TBA
- Starring: Kang Soo Youn | Kim Hyun Joo | Ryu Kyung Soo
JUNG_E portrays a desolated earth in the 22nd century that is no longer inhabitable due to climate change. Amid the chaos, an internal war breaks out in the shelter built for human survival. Victory – meaning the end of the war – now hinges on finding a way to clone the legendary mercenary JUNG_E into a scalable robot.
Orchestrated by Director Yeon Sang-ho of Train to Busan, Peninsula, and Hellbound, and with a colorful cast – Kang Soo Youn, Kim Hyun Joo, Ryu Kyung Soo — JUNG_E portrays a unique theme combined with dystopia, cloning, and technology.
Unlocked | TBA
- Starring: Im Si Wan | Chun Woo Hee | Kim Hee Won
A real-crime thriller following an ordinary woman whose entire life is upended after she loses her phone containing her personal information. With the worst possible things happening after the main character loses her phone containing everything, including her social security number, banking information and the details of her personal life, this movie will present a ringing sense of spooky reality and horror to viewers today who cannot live without their phones.
Kill Boksoon | 1st Quarter
- Starring: Jeon Do Yeon | Sol Kyung Gyu | Kim Si Ah | Esom | Koo Kyo Hwan
Boksoon leads a double life — she is both a mother of a teenage daughter and a legendary professional killer at the top-tier killing agency MK. Caught between the mission of killing someone and the mission of raising someone, Boksoon refuses to complete an assigned mission and is thrown into an inevitable fight.
The Match | 2nd Quarter
- Starring: Lee Byung Hun | Yoo Ah In
Teacher and student, but legendary rivals Cho Hoon Hyun and Lee Changho play the match of their lifetime in the game of Go. At a time when the game of Go was more popular than the World Cup, global legends Cho Hoon Hyun (Lee Byung Hun) and Lee Changho (Yoo Ah In) engage in a heated game of Go in The Match where black and white stones are placed silently but dynamically.
Believer 2 | 4th Quarter
- Starring: Cho Jin Woong | Cha Seung Won | Han Hyo Joo | Oh Seung Hoon | Kim Dong Young | Lee Joo Young
A crime action film on the nerve-wracking war between Won-ho, who is still pursuing Mr. Lee’s organization and the disappeared “Rak” after the bloody fight at Yongsan Station, and Brian, who has reappeared, and a new character “Big Knife.”
Believer 2 follows Won-ho’s investigation of looking for “Rak,” who disappeared after Brian’s incarceration while getting to the core of the elusive drug cartel. Director Baik, who has already received praise for sophisticated cinematography and sensational directing in The Beauty Inside, showcases a different side of his directing in this film.
Ballerina | 4th Quarter
- Starring: Jeon Jong Seo | Kim Ji Hoon | Park Yurim
This film depicts the beautiful and ruthless revenge by Okju, a former bodyguard, for Minhee, her best friend.
Ballerina is directed by Lee Chung-hyun, who shocked the Korean film scene with his short film Bargain and demonstrated sensational directing in the mystery thriller The Call, with its interesting genre and colorful characters.
Ballerina will present viewers with trendy and stylish action scenes and visuals, and garner attention for its refreshing cast lineup composed of Jeon Jong Seo, Kim Ji Hoon and Park Yurim.
REALITY and VARIETY SHOWS
Physical 100 | January 24
An extreme survival entertainment program designed to find the best physique with the strongest physical capabilities.
The vast filming site designed solely for Physical:100 sets the stage for an intense competition among 100 men and women who pride themselves on their physiques, regardless of age or sex, to determine the one person with the “perfect physique.”
Siren: Survive the Island | 2nd Quarter
Siren: Survive the Island is a combat survival entertainment show where 24 women of top combat power and strategic thinking form 6 teams divided by career groups and fight one another.
Aptly called “Siren,” which means both “warning sound” and “beautiful temptress,” this show involves women with extraordinary physical capabilities and skills for strategies including police officers, firefighters, bodyguards, stuntwomen, military women, and athletes who form teams according to their jobs.
One team will emerge as the winner after a mission that puts their limitations to the test. For 6 nights and 7 days, their fight for survival on an unknown island requires aggressive mind games and tight teamwork.
Nineteen to Twenty | 3rd Quarter
19/20(Nineteen to Twenty) is a reality entertainment show that tracks the fresh and youthful lives of Generation Z in their last week of being 19 just before they turn 20.
During that final week, they attend “19 School” to learn practical things about adult life and prepare for adulthood. Then on January 1, they all stay at “20 House,” a space where they are independent of their parents and teachers.
Zombie Verse | 3rd Quarter
Netflix, the go-to platform for quality Korean zombie content, unveils a new type of zombie universe entertainment show for the first time. In Zombieverse, participants must complete quests to survive in Seoul, which has been turned into a zombie world.
The art team from All of Us Are Dead and the zombie action choreographer from Kingdom work behind the scenes, adding to the anticipation of how realistically and thrillingly the zombie universe will be portrayed.
Their endeavors to survive until the end by completing quests such as looking for food, transportation, or a safe haven; or deciding whether to save a colleague who has been infected by a zombie, will keep viewers at the edge of their seats.
The Devil’s Plan | TBA
The Devil’s Plan is a mind game survival entertainment show that awards up to 500 million Korean won to the winner. Participants including celebrities and influencers and recruits of this game begin with the devil’s suggestion to take off their social masks and reveal one’s true identities.
The show is directed by the maestro of mystery and genre entertainment producer Jeong Jong-yeon with past works such as Great Escape with its vast filming set and seamless storyline throughout every season; The Genius which has unexpectable development and plot twists in every episode; and High School Mystery Club with its immersive storytelling and unparalleled chemistry among participants.
As many fans have awaited his collaboration with Netflix, all eyes are on what Devil’s Plan has in store for them.
UNSCRIPTED SHOW
In the Name of God A Holy Betrayal | March 3
In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal is an eight-episode true-crime documentary that explores the self-proclaimed ‘messiahs’ in modern Korean history and the shocking events behind them.
Yellow Door: Looking for Director Bong’s Unreleased Short Film (WT) | 4th Quarter
Yellow Door: Looking for Director Bong’s Unreleased Short Film (WT) is a documentary tracing the quest for the Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho’s unreleased short film, Looking for Paradise. This 22-minute film was screened for some 10 members of the cinephile club Yellow Door on Christmas, 1992, and has never been seen since.
In the process of getting to the bottom of Bong’s mysterious film-making debut, Yellow Door (WT) pieces together the memories of the only witnesses to the film, and recreates an era of avid movie lovers.
Stay tuned for more updates on these new dramas and shows on Netflix!
PR Source: Netflix
All Photos Courtesy of Netflix