Some days, it feels like there will never enough time to watch all of the Korean dramas out there. Since Korean entertainment became a worldwide phenomenon, there have been more and more dramas and K-movies to check out, actors to fall in love with, and articles urging you to watch the latest Korean hit. Luckily for anyone who's caught up (and sorry for those whose lists are just growing), Netflix has already released the beginning of this year's Korean TV lineup.
Following the international popularity of shows like Kingdom, Sweet Home, and Squid Game, Netflix is doubling down on the themes and stars that have put Korean entertainment on the map. From zombie thrillers and heartwrenching romances to the return of Son Ye-jin and Park Hae-soo, these are the 2022 Korean shows on Netflix to add to your must-watch list. Once you barrel through those, consult our guide to the all-time best Korean dramas on Netflix now.
'The Silent Sea'
This sci-fi drama did come out in December, but it's worth a reminder if it got lost in the holiday shuffle. Superstars Bae Doona and Gong Yoo lead a team of soldiers and scientists who undertake a space mission to an abandoned lunar base. When they crash land, the group has to discover the mystery of the base and try to survive.
'All Of Us Are Dead'
Combining two of the subjects K-dramas do best—high school and zombies—All of Us Are Dead follows a group of students who get trapped inside their school in the midst of a virus outbreak. The eight-episode season will show the students finding love and friendship amidst the chaos.
'Forecasting Love and Weather'
Rom-com queen Park Min-young and Netflix regular Song Kang star in this drama following the staff at Korea's national weather forecast service. Jin Ha-kyung (Park) prefers to keep her personal and professional life separate, alienating her from most of her co-workers. When the intelligent new hire Lee Shi-woo (Song) impresses her, his free-spirited personality starts to break down her walls.
'Twenty Five Twenty One'
This romance drama is also a bit of a period piece, following two young people whose future plans were derailed by the real-life Korean Financial Crisis of 1997. When the pair, played by Mr. Sunshine's Kim Tae-ri and Start-Up's Nam Joo-hyuk, meet twice at the ages of 21 and 25, they support each other with friendship and affection as they enter adulthood.
'Thirty-Nine'
Son Ye-jin is back with her first drama since Crash Landing on You, starring alongside Hospital Playlist's Jeon Mi-do and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha's Kim Ji-hyun. They play a trio of lifelong friends, all on the verge of turning 40, who set out to achieve their goals with their careers, family lives, and love lives.
'Business Proposal'
Based off the popular webcomic The Office Blind Date, this workplace drama stars The Uncanny Counter's Kim Se-jeong and Lover of the Red Sky's Ahn Hyo Seop. After agreeing to go on a blind date pretending to be her wealthy friend, Shin Ha-ri (Kim) discovers that the date is with the CEO of her company, Kang Tae-mu (Ahn). The following day, Kang proposes.
'Juvenile Justice'
Kim Hye-soo from Hyena will lead another crime show this year. In Juvenile Justice, Kim plays a judge who is infamous for not liking juvenile defenders after she was a victim of a crime in her youth. When she gets appointed to a juvenile court, her experiences shift her perspective and she discovers what it means to be an adult.
'Tomorrow'
Fans of mythical dramas like Goblin should definitely check out this drama about a group of grim reapers. Rather than leading souls to the afterlife, the reapers of Tomorrow are part of a crisis management team meant to save those who want to die. The series' stars include SF9 member and The King's Affection star Rowoon, Alice's Kim Hee-sun, and Doom at Your Service's Lee Soo-hyuk.
'Our Blues'
Details are largely under wraps about this omnibus romance drama, which will follow residents finding love on the island of Jeju. What we do know is that the cast is stacked, including The Heirs' Kim Woo-bin, Squid Game's Lee Byung-hun, Hometown Cha Cha Cha's Shin Min-ah, and Parasite's Lee Jung-eun.
'My Liberation Notes'
This slice-of-life drama follows three siblings (portrayed by Lovestruck in the City's Kim Ji-won, Goblin's Lee El, and The Beauty Inside's Lee Min-ki) who feel lonely and want to make changes in their lives. Their circumstances are super relatable, including tough breakups and financial issues, and the drama has included several comforting messages about life so far.
'Green Mothers Club'
Fans of shows about competitive mothers (think Big Little Lies and Penthouse) should check out this drama following five mothers of kids attending an elite elementary school. All of the women have secrets that risk coming out in their many interactions, as they take their first steps as moms entering South Korea's intense education system.
'The Sound of Magic'
This musical drama follows Yoon A-yi (Choi Sung-eun), a high school student whose parents abandoned her. She now supports herself and her sister with part-time jobs while studying. One day she meets a magician (Ji Chang-wook) who grants her wish to speed up time so she can grow up. True Beauty breakout star Hwang In-yeop will also star, as Yoon A-yi's love interest.
'Change Days 2'
For reality show fans who are okay with a slow burn, the new season of this Korean series follows four couples on the verge of breaking up. During a vacation on Jeju Island, the eight participants will all date each other and undergo challenges that will make them see whether they want to stick with their partners or pursue something new. Think The Ultimatum but more thoughtful.
'Welcome to Wedding Hell'
In this rom-com drama, Seo Jun-Hyeong (Sweet Home's Lee Jin-uk) and Kim Na-eun (The Game: Towards Zero's Lee Yeon-hee) get engaged after two years of dating. Unfortunately, the happy couple have plenty of problems to deal with while organizing the big day, including the meeting of the families (with veteran actor Kim Mi-kyung playing the bride's mother) finding their marital home.
'Alchemy of Souls'
![Alchemy of Souls | Official Teaser | Netflix [ENG SUB] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/D4XAhpYe32M/maxresdefault.jpg)
This historical fantasy drama stars Extraordinary You's Lee Jae-wook as a trouble-making noble and Because This Is My First Life's Jung So-min as an elite warrior trapped in a physically weak body. When Mu-deok (Jung) becomes Jang Wook's (Lee) servant, she secretly teaches him to fight.
Season 2 Premiere: December 10, 2022
'Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area'
Several hit international shows have been remade into stunning Korean dramas. The latest Korean remake will tackle Netflix's Spanish hit Money Heist, which recently aired its fifth season. For this new version, Squid Game's Park Hae-soo will star as charismatic thief Berlin, in a story that's similar to the original, but with several twists.
Part 2 Premiere: December 9, 2022
'Cafe Minamdang'
This mystery-comedy drama will introduce viewers to the suspicious café and hidden fortune teller shop named Minamdang and its clients. Nam Han-joon (Doom at Your Service's Seo In-guk), a fake shaman who used to be a criminal profiler, scams his customers for money and at times helps them with their problems. Han Jae-hee (Mad for Each Other's Oh Yeon-seo) is a detective in the violent crimes unit who gets wrapped up in the café.
'Extraordinary Attorney Woo'
The King's Affection's Park Eun-bin will star as the titular lawyer Woo Young-woo. Woo was the top graduate of her class for both undergrad and law school at Seoul National University, with a 164 IQ and a creative thought process. However, living with Asperger’s syndrome makes social interactions difficult when she starts her first real job at a major law firm.
'Remarriage & Desires'
This interesting drama will show the inner workings of Rex, a matchmaking service for ambitious clients who want to marry into the ranks of the elite. Starring Tomorrow's Kim Hee-seon and Strangers from Hell's Lee Hyun-wook, Remarriage & Desires will focus on the competition between two members who interacted in the past and now want to marry members of the company's highest social ranking, the Black Level.
'A Model Family'
This thrilling drama follows an ordinary family on the brink of bankruptcy who cross paths with a drug organization after one of them stumbles upon a car full of cash. Reply 1994's Jung Woo will play the man who finds the cash, and My Name's Park Hee-soon will play the drug org's second-in-command.
'Little Women'
This modern adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, directed by Vincenzo's Kim Hee-won, will follow three sisters born into poverty, who will face off against the wealthiest family in South Korea. Goblin and Yumi's Cells' Kim Go-eun will play eldest sister Oh In-joo, who wants money to protect her family. Middle sister Oh In-kyung (100 Days My Prince's Nam Ji-hyun) is a news reporter who values justice over money, and youngest Oh In-hye (All of Us Are Dead's Park Ji-hu) is a talented art student. Squid Game cop Wi Ha-joon will also star, portraying a charismatic consultant involved with In-joo and the incident that will change the sisters' lives.
'Once Upon a Small Town'
This country-set rom-com stars School 2021's Choo Young-woo as a big-city veterinarian, and Red Velvet's Joy (real name Park Soo-young) as a small-town cop. When Han Ji-yool (Choo) is lured by his grandfather into running a village animal clinic, he strikes up a friendship with Ahn Ja-young (Joy), who helps him adjust to life in her hometown.
'Narco-Saints'
![Narco-Saints | Official Trailer | Netflix [ENG SUB] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kY0izHOILr0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Park Hae-soo is set to star in another thriller drama this year, this one already drawing comparisons to the Netflix hit Narcos (the shows aren't connected). The shoe follows a civilian businessman (Ha Jung-woo) who gets involved in a National Intelligence Service (South Korea's version of the CIA) mission to arrest a drug lord (Hwang Jung-min) in South America, with Park playing an NIS agent.
'Glitch'
Vincenzo star Jeon Yeo-bin will star in this comedy thriller. When Hong Ji-hyo's boyfriend disappears following a mysterious flash of light, she reaches out to members of the UFO community to help bring him back.
'Under The Queen's Umbrella'
![[ENGSUB] tvN ‘The Queen’s Umbrella’ aka ‘Shuroop’ 3rd Teaser - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Fl5ZK3-0M0s/maxresdefault.jpg)
Hyena and Juvenile Justice actress Kim Hye-soo will star in this historical drama as Queen Im Hwa-ryeong, the wife of a great king and mother to several troublemaker princes. The once serene queen has become hot-tempered over time, but she faces all the trials in her life for the sake of her children. Tomorrow's Kim Hae-sook, Doctor Prisoner's Choi Won-young, Train to Busan's Kim Eui-sung, and SKY Castle actor and SF9 member Chani will also star.
'Take 1'
This musical reality series brings K-pop stars including MAMAMOO, AKMU, and Rain, as well as musicians Yim Jae-beom, Yoo Hee-yeol, Park Jung-hyun, Lena Park, and Sumi Jo, together with the chance to put on the ultimate performance of just one song, filmed in just one take. The show will depict the artists' preparations for the performance of a lifetime.
'Behind Every Star'
This remake of the popular French comedy Call My Agent! stars Flower of Evil's Seo Hyun-woo, Hospital Playlist's Kwak Sun-young, Extraordinary Attorney Woo's Joo Hyun-young, and Youn's Kitchen's Lee Seo-jin as employees of one of South Korea's top talent agencies (whose clients include some well-known actors playing themselves). In addition to the weekly plots involving the agents solving crises for their clients, the show will also display how messy the workers' lives are because they spend all their time supporting their clients.
'Somebody'
In this drama from Tune in for Love director Jung Ji-woo, a developer of a popular dating app gets entwined in a murder case involving the app, as she and her friends try to unwind the circumstances around a mysterious man named Yoon-O. On Your Wedding Day actor Kim Young-kwang leads the cast as Yoon-O, with Kang Hae-lim, Kim Yong-ji, and Kim Su-yeon also starring.
'Singles Inferno 2'
The first season of this reality hit took over our group chats last winter, as the cast members underwent fun challenges on a deserted island and attempted to couple up to escape to paradise. Now Netflix has confirmed a second season, and we're waiting to meet the next Song Ji-a or Kang So-yeon.
'Trolley'
My Name's Park Hee-soon and Hellbound's Kim Hyun-joo star in this dark story about a politician's wife whose past gets revealed and threatens her family. Though she's married to Assemblyman Nam Joong-Do (Park), book repair shop owner Kim Hye-Joo (Kim) lives a private life. When a family tragedy thrusts her into the limelight, a secret that even Joong-Do didn't know becomes public.
'The Interest of Love'
Based on the novel of the same name, this slice-of-life drama follows the romances between four office workers at a Seoul bank branch. Ha Sang-soo (Hospital Playlist's Yoo Yeon-seok) is a man who wishes for nothing but stability, but his emotions are shaken when he starts to fall for Ahn Soo-young (True Beauty's Moon Ga-young), who finds it hard to open her heart. Also starring are Youth of May's Geum Sae-rok as Park Mi-kyung, and Love Alarm's Jung Ga-ram as Jung Jong-hyun.
'The Fabulous'
This realistic romance drama, starring SHINee's Minho and Strongest Deliveryman's Chae Soo-bin, will follow four young people who have thrown themselves into the fashion industry, depicting their day to day lives.
Premiere: December 23
'The Glory'
Song Hye-ko will reunite with Descendants of the Sun writer Kim Eun-sook in this revenge drama. 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
'Lookism'
This anime adaptation of the mega-popular Korean webtoon of the samename, which has received 8.7 billion views worldwide since it began in 2014, tells the story of a student who has been bullied for his looks all his life. When Park Hyung-suk wakes up a different, handsome body days before his transfer to a new school, he has to learn how to navigate his new, popular life while investigating the mystery of where this second body came from.
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