If you are a fan of romantic dramas, here are 30 Korean series to watch and anticipate in 2023, listed in alphabetical order:
1. A Chance Encounter
KBS2’s A Chance Encounter (2023) formerly known as “Run Into You” is the story of two people who meet by chance through time travel and get stuck in 1987. Kim Dong-wook will play a news anchor who travels to the past to dig deep into a series of murders, while Jin Ki-joo will portray an ordinary office worker who travels through time to prevent the wedding of her parents. The 16-episode drama is written by Baek So Yeon, helmed by Kang Soo Yeon, and set to premiere on May 1.
2. A Good Day To Be A Dog
A Good Day To Be A Dog (2023) is a webtoon based drama of the same name by Lee Hey that tells the story of a cursed woman who transforms into a dog everytime she kisses a man and a traumatized man who is terrified of dogs due to an incident in the past, starring Park Gyu-young and Cha Eun-woo. Meanwhile, the woman’s curse will be broken alone by a man who is afraid of dogs. The screenplay is written by Baek In-ah, helmed by Kim Dae-woong, and confirmed to be released this year.
3. All That We Loved
TVING’s All That We Loved (2023) depicts the teenage friendship and romance between three students at a high school. Two bestfriends, Go Yoo who is a charming basketball genius and Go Joon Hee who is a top student in the entire school, both fall in love with Han So Yeon, a female transfer student who has the beauty and brains but hides a secret, starring Sehun, Jo Joon-young, and Jang Yeo-bin. The screenplay is written by Kang Yoon, helmed by Kim Jin-sung, and expected to be released this year.
4. Ask The Stars
tvN’s Ask The Stars (2023) is about the romance between a female Korean-American astronaut and a male obstetrician-gynecologist who visits the space station as a tourist, starring Lee Minho and Gong Hyo-jin. The screenplay is written by Seo Sook-hyang, helmed by Park Shin-woo, and expected to be released this year.
5. A Time Called You
A Time Called You (2023) follows a woman who can’t seem to forget her boyfriend who died a year ago, so she travels back in time to 1998 and meets a male student who resembles her deceased boyfriend, starring Ahn Hyo-seop and Jeon Yeo-been. It is based on Taiwan’s television series, Someday Or One Day (2019-2020) by Huang Tien-jen. The screenplay is written by Choi Hyo-bi, helmed by Kim Jin-won, and will be released this year on Netflix.
6. Bora! Deborah
ENA’s Bora! Deborah (2023) is a romantic-comedy drama that tells the story of Deborah, a best-selling author for romance novels and Lee Soo-hyuk, a publishing planner who struggles with love, starring Yoo Inna, Yoon Hyun-min, and Joo Sang-wook. The screenplay is written by Ah Kyung and helmed by Lee Tae-gon and Seo Min-jeong. It is set to premiere on April 12 and will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
7. Call It Love
Call It Love (2023) highlights finding love in the most unexpected moment between two people exhausted from the harsh reality of life, starring Lee Sung-kyung and Kim Young-kwang. It depicts the process of transformation from feelings of revenge to understanding each other, growing mature together in life and love, written by Kim Ga-eun and directed by Kim Ji-yeon and Lee Gwang-yeong. It premiered on February 22 and is available for binge-watching on Disney+.
8. Crash Course In Romance
tvN’s Crash Course In Romance (2023) tells the story of a mother with a heart of gold who navigates the cutthroat world of private education when her daughter joins the class of a popular male instructor who is genius but indifferent around people, starring Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho. It is written by Yang Hee-seung and directed by Yoo Je-won. The drama premiered on January 14 and is available for binge-watching on Netflix.
9. Destined With You
JTBC’s Destined With You (2023) depicts the irresistible romance between a civil servant who obtains a forbidden book that was thoroughly sealed 300 years ago and a popular lawyer who becomes a victim of the forbidden book, getting swept up in a series of unexpected events due to the curse. It stars Rowoon and Jo Boah with screenplay written by Noh Ji-sul and directed by Nam Ki-hoon. The series is confirmed to be released this year and will be available for streaming on Netflix.
10. Diva Of The Deserted Island
Diva of the Deserted Island (2023) is a Korean drama about a girl who dreams of becoming a singer but gets drifted out onto a deserted island and rescued after 15 years. Amid difficult situations, she never loses hope and remains positive about her life and dreams, starring Park Eun-bin and Chae Jong-hyeop. The drama is written by Park Hye-run and Oh Choong-hwan.
11. Doctor Slump
JTBC’s Doctor Slump (2023) tells the story of two doctors who are in a slump, trying to resuscitate their lives after quitting their medical jobs, written by Baek Sun Woo and helmed by Oh Hyeon-jong. It will be Park Shin-hye’s drama comeback after getting married and she will portray a hardworking anesthesiologist who suffers from burnout syndrome. Park Hyung-sik will play a famous plastic surgeon whose medical career gets shaken after being embroiled in an accident. Actors Yoon Park and Kong Seong-ha will also join them and the medical drama is expected to be released this year.
12. Doona!
Netflix’s Doona! (2023) is based on the webtoon, “Lee Doona!” by Min Songah, which tells the romantic story of a male college student who moves into a new apartment and a beautiful lady living downstairs who happens to be a celebrity idol, retiring from her career to pursue studies. It stars Bae Suzy and Yang Se-jong, and directed by Lee Jeong-hyo.
13. Is It A Coincidence?
Is It A Coincidence? (2023) is a webtoon-drama of the same name that tells the story of a woman who is afraid of falling in love again after a painful breakup in the past and accidentally meets her first love for the first time in 10 years, starring Kim So-hyun and Chae Jong-hyeop. The screenplay is written by Park Geu-ro and helmed by Song Hyun-wook. It is expected to be released this year.
14. King The Land
JTBC’s King The Land (2023) follows two complete opposites, an elegant chaebol heir who cannot stand fake smiles and a bright hotel employee whose job is to smile for customer service. Lim Yoonah plays the female employee who gets transferred to the VVIP business lounge of King The Land, a dream location for hoteliers and where she meets the chaebol heir, to be played by Lee Junho. Troubles begin between them but eventually, romance develops, written by Choi Rom and directed by Lim Hyeon-wook. It will be released in June 2023 and available for streaming on Netflix.
15. Kokdu: Season Of Deity
MBC’s Kokdu: Season Of Deity (2023) follows a death god or cursed grim reaper named Kkok-du who comes down to the earth every 99 years to punish humans and lead the dead to the afterworld. This time, he enters the body of a human and starts working as a visiting doctor where he meets a doctor who struggles with her career but possesses mysterious abilities, starring Kim Jung-hyun and Im Soo-hyang. The screenplay is written by Kang Yi-heon and Heo Jun-woo, and helmed by Baek Soo-chan and Kim Ji-hoon. It premiered on January 27 and is available for binge-watching on Viu.
16. Lovers
MBC’s Lovers (2023) is a romantic story set in the period of Joseon Dynasty that follows a man who has no interest in life and marriage, and a woman who has two failed marriages but has a strong will to live and dreams of love again. Namgoong Min will play a man who declares that he will not marry after experiencing an unimaginable tragedy but unexpectedly finds himself attracted to a nobleman’s daughter who is known as a socialite goddess for her beauty and charm, to be portrayed by Ahn Eun-jin. The historical-romantic series is expected to broadcast in the first half of 2023.
17. Love To Hate You
Love To Hate You (2023) is a Netflix original series that depicts the thin line between love and hate, with two people healing in a war-like romance—a female lawyer who despises losing to men and a famous male actor who distrusts women, starring Kim Ok-vin and Teo Yoo. The 10-episode series is written by Choi Soo-young and helmed by Kim Jung-kwon. It was released on February 10 on Netflix worldwide.
18. My Heart Is Beating
KBS2’s My Heart Is Beating (2023) tells the love story between a trendsetter vampire who desperately wants to become human and a cold-blooded part-time school nurse and guest house owner whose heart starts to grow warm upon meeting the vampire, starring Ok Taec-yeon and Won Ji-an.
19. Oasis
KBS2’s Oasis (2023) follows three young people who fight together for their dreams, friendship, and loves during the turbulent period in South Korea from 1980 to 1990, starring Jang Dong-yoon, Seol Inah, and Chu Young-woo. The screenplay is written by Jung Hyung-soo and helmed by Han Hee. It premiered on March 6 and is available for streaming on Viki.
20. Oh! Young Shim
Oh! Young Shim (2023) tells the story of a producing director named Oh Young Shim who is known as an “icon of early endings” in the entertainment department due to her programs that get early cuts. She creates a pilot romance variety show amid crisis and unexpectedly meets Mark Wang, the CEO of a popular startup company who has been cast for her show and happens to be the guy who used to chase her for a long time named Wang Kyung Tae. It stars Song Ha-yoon and Lee Dong-hae, written by Jeon Seon Young, and helmed by Oh Hwan Min and Kim Kyung Eun.
21. Our Blooming Youth
tvN’s Our Blooming Youth (2023) is the historical-romantic story of an ill-tempered crown prince who is suffering from a mysterious curse and a genius daughter of a prestigous family who is falsely charged of murder, starring Park Hyung-sik and Jeon So-nee. Romance develops as they begin to help save each other from their dark fate, written by Jeong Hyeon-jeong and helmed by Lee Jong-jae. The 20-part series premiered on February 6, 2023 and is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
22. Queen Of Tears
Queen Of Tears (2023) is a drama that tells the miraculous and humorous love story of a married couple who overcomes trials and stays together against all odds, starring Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won. The screenplay is written by Park Ji Eun and helmed by Jang Young Woo and Kim Hee Won. It is expected to be released this year.
23. See You In My 19th Life
tvN’s See You in My 19th Life (2023) is a webtoon-based drama of the same name by Lee Hey that follows a woman with an extraordinary ability to recall her past lives. Her 18th life was cut short due to a tragic accident so she sets out to reconnect with a man he met in the past in her 19th life, starring Shin Hye-sun and Ahn Bo-hyun. The 12-episode series is written by Choi Young-lim, helmed by Lee Na Jung, and will be available on Netflix.
24. Strangers Again
ENA’s Strangers Again (2023) follows an ex-married couple who are both lawyers that specialize in divorce, starring Kang Sora and Jang Seung-jo. They find themselves working together as colleagues dealing with cases related to divorce and relationships, written by Park Jin-ri and helmed by Kim Yang-hee. The 12-episode series premiered on January 18 and is available for binge-watching on Viki.
25. The Heavenly Idol
tvN’s The Heavenly Idol (2023) tells the story of a high priest who wakes up one day in the body of an unknown idol and the romance that unfolds between the idol and his biggest fan, starring Kim Min-gue and Go Bog-yeol. The screenplay is written by Lee Cheon-geum and helmed by Lee So-yoon and Park So-yeon. It premiered on February 15 and is available for binge-watching on Viu.
26. The Real Has Come!
KBS2’s The Real Has Come! (2023) tells the story of an unwed pregnant woman who enters into a false contract with a skilled obstetrician who is single and does not want to get married, starring Baek Jin-hee and Ahn Jae-hyun. The screenplay is written by Jo Jeong-joo and helmed by Han Joon-seo. It is set to broadcast on March 25.
27. The Secret Romantic Guest House
SBS’ The Secret Romantic Guest House (2023) is a youthful sageuk-romance drama with a touch of mystery that takes place at a boarding house called Yihwawon or Guest Summer Place. It revolves around four youths, a lovely lady who runs the inn and three scholars who stay at the inn to prepare for the national exam. The boarders hold a secret and gather together in solving a mystery about a person who disappeared several years ago, starring Shin Ye-eun, Ryeoun, Kang Hoon, and Jung Gun-joo. It premiered on March 20, 2023 and is available to watch for international viewers on Viu.
28. The Story Of Park’s Marriage Contract
MBC’s The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract (2023) is based on a webtoon of the same name about the contractual marriage between a woman from Joseon and a bachelor in the 21st century. Lee Se-young will play Park Yeon-woo, a woman who loses her husband on the first night of their married life and suddenly finds herself traveling to the present time where she meets Kang Tae-ha, a celibate who looks exactly like her late husband, to be played by Bae In-hyuk. The drama is expected to be released in the second half of the year.
29. Useless Lies
Useless Lies (2023) revolves around a woman who has lost faith in other people due to her supernatural ability to detect lies and an innocent man who hides himself from the world after being framed for murder, starring Hwang Min-hyun and kim So-hyun. Their lives transform as they meet and get to know each other, written by Seo Jeong-eun and helmed by Nam Sung-woo.
30. You Have Done Well
You Have Done Well (2023) tells the adventure-filled life journey of two people born on Jeju Island in the 1950s, featuring Ae-soon, an ambitious lady who is rebellious but full of positivity and Gwak-shin, an extremely diligent guy who is quiet but a silent warrior, starring Park Bogum and IU.
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