Here are 10 of the most popular Korean series of 2022:
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (ENA)
Woo to the Young to the Woo! ENA’s Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) made everyone fall in love with the fictional character of Woo Young Woo and the brilliant performance of Park Eun-bin. The warm legal series pulled in several audiences from South Korea and other parts of the world. On Netflix, it has crossed 600 million views, becoming the most watched Korean title in the streaming giant while it achieved the highest viewership rating ever recorded in the history of ENA’s cable channel in South Korea. Dolphins, gimbap, as well as the adorable relationship between Attorney Woo and Jun-ho were the most talked-about topics across social media. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) is a heartfelt legal drama that explores a wide range of courtroom cases handled by a brilliant lawyer who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
All Of Us Are Dead (Netflix)
Netflix’s All Of Us Are Dead (2022) was a hot topic during its run for its zombie-themed show with teenagers as the main players trying to survive the apocalypse while struggling to deal with coming-to-age issues on crushes. All the young actors became household names overnight, achieving increased followers on Instagram. On Netflix, it reached Top 10 in TV category in 94 countries with a viewing record of 659.5 million hours for 11 weeks and took fourth place in the most popular non-English TV shows worldwide based on hours viewed in the first 28 days.
A Business Proposal (SBS)
SBS’ A Business Proposal (2022) received massive popularity in South Korea and the world through Netflix for its refreshing entertainment approach on romance. Kim Se-jeong stole the show for her outstanding performance as Shin Ha-ri, an ordinary office lady who goes on a blind date to replace her friend, only to find that she’s meeting the CEO of a company where she works. She made “Samantha and Rachel” iconic while Ahn Hyo-seop also made his romantic pick-up lines popular such as “Do you know what my love for you and this credit card have in common? They both have no limit.”
Big Mouth (MBC)
MBC’s Big Mouth (2022) is one of the most popular K-Drama discussions among viewers. The story follows an underperforming lawyer played by Lee Jong-suk who gets caught up in a murder case and pegged as “big mouse”, the notorious swindler. Lee Jong-suk’s brilliant performance, his lovely relationship with his wife, the crazy plot twists, and the ending were popular topics. The crime series also became the no.1 most watched Korean title on Disney+ in 2022.
Little Women (tvN)
tvN’s Little Women (2022) is the story of three sisters from a poor family whose lives turn around after encountering mysteries surrrounding Korea’s powerful and rich people. The Oh sisters who have different personalities and the mind-boggling plot twists and turn of events were extremely popular topics across social media. The risk-taker Oh In-joo who does everything for money and family was also made iconic by Kim Go-eun.
Twenty-Five Twenty-One (tvN)
tvN’s Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022) grabbed people’s attention for its nostalgic experience of youthful dreaming and young love set in the late 1990s. The storyline is engaging and the characters are fun to watch. In particular, Kim Tae-ri stole everyone’s hearts by her outstanding performance as Na Hee-do, a fencing prodigy who speaks her mind with charisma and candor. Weekends were filled with fun topics about her adorable personality, her relationship with Baek Yi-jin, and the drama in general. In fact, they dominated the Most Buzzworthy Drama and Actors rankings during its run and revealed to be the second most talked about Korean drama on Twitter in 2022.
Alchemy Of Souls (tvN)
tvN’s Alchemy Of Souls (2022-2023) is a historical-fantasy series that received popularity both in South Korea and the world for its engaging story about young mages in the fictional country of Daeho. Some of the most talked-about topics were “alchemy of souls”, a forbidden magic spell that switches bodies, the ice stone, Jang Uk the King’s star played by Lee Jae-wook, and more. Jung So-min was extremely popular, too for her excellent performance playing a triple role that is distinct from one another.
One Dollar Lawyer (SBS)
The ongoing drama, SBS’ One Dollar Lawyer (2022) is making waves and drawing massive attention among viewers for its excellent storyline and interesting characters. As always, Namgoong Min is a legend who makes his dramas popular and his roles iconic. In this legal series, he plays a compent lawyer who only charges 1,000 won for his service, looking cool with his curly hair, sunglasses, and smart tactics.
My Liberation Notes (JTBC)
JTBC’s My Liberation Notes (2022) is a warmhearted tale of three siblings with a mysterious man and their inmost quest for life’s meaning and purpose set in the quiet, slow-paced countryside of fictional Sanpo. All the actors made their characters iconic, most especially Mr. Gu, the stranger played by Son Su-kku and his swoon-worthy relationship with Mi Jeong played by Kim Ji-won, dubbed as the “Worship Couple”. Several relatable lines were extremely popular such as “I don’t know where I’m stuck but I want to break free” and “I’m not unhappy but I’m not happy either.”
Reborn Rich (JTBC)
JTBC’s Reborn Rich (2022) has not officially broadcast yet but it’s already drawing massive attention, anticipating the performance of top actor Song Joong-ki. In this drama, he will portray a loyal employee who gets accused of embezzlement of funds and murdered by his employer. He is reborn and returns as the murderer’s youngest son, with a plan for revenge, taking over the entire chaebol family. It will premiere on November 18th on JTBC channel in South Korea and Viu for international viewers.
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