My wife and I regularly watch Korean dramas, not only for the actors, soundtrack, and effects, but also for the story itself. We have been watching K-dramas for years, and I can recall our earliest drama together was City Hunter way back in 2011.
When the year started, I made a commitment to be more active on my blog. I decided to not only share events I have covered and attended but also some personal content, including this entry which will feature a list and brief feedback/review of the dramas I have watched this year.
Drama #1: tvN - Alchemy of Souls 2
The much-anticipated sequel was worth the wait, as we thoroughly enjoyed the special effects and, of course, the story itself. Although Jung So-Min (Mu Deok-i) is not part of the sequel, actress Go Yoon Jung was able to step into the lead actress role alongside Lee Jae-wook.
Drama #2: Netflix - Money Heist Korea: Joint Economic Area - Part II
We were also looking forward to this sequel, but we were only able to watch it a month later due to our busy schedules in December 2022.
Just like the first season, the series is packed with action and plot twists. I haven't watched the original Money Heist, but the Korean version is good. I am also hoping for a possible third season, but it seems that the second season marks the end, as the primary mission has been accomplished and the heist is successful.
I am not familiar with most of the actors in this drama, except for Rio (Lee Hyun-Woo) and Berlin (Park Hae-Soo), but we did enjoy the episodes.
Drama #3: Genie TV - Summer Strike
I haven't heard of this drama and just came across it on the Dramacool site. I decided to watch the drama because I saw that AOA's Kim Seolhyun is one of the main cast members. The drama was released in November 2022, but I was able to finish it by January 2023.
The drama is about life, healing, and embracing a simple and happy lifestyle. I thoroughly enjoyed this uncomplicated story and the characters within it.
Drama #4: SBS - First Responders Season 1
I became curious while watching this drama because it focuses on the rescue and teamwork of the police and firefighters. I was really hooked on this drama, which was released in November 2022. I really enjoy watching dramas that involve solving cases, politics, comedy, and catching criminals. I am looking forward to the second season in July 2023 to find out what happened to the two main characters in the drama.
This is my first time watching actress Gong Seung-Yeon, who happens to be the older sister of Jeongyeon from TWICE. I also enjoyed the performances of Kim Rae Won, Son Ho-Jun, and Kang Ki-Doong.
Drama #5: tvN - Crash Course in Romance
"Crash Course in Romance" is a unique and one of the most beautiful dramas I have seen so far. Both main cast members, Jung Kyung-ho and Jeon Do-yeon, have excellent chemistry, along with a strong supporting cast.
My wife and I really enjoyed the story and the valuable life lessons about family and education that the drama imparts to its viewers.
Drama #6: SBS - Taxi Driver 2
Just like the first season, this TV series didn't disappoint the fans, including myself. Every episode is amazing in how it makes the audience feel better by helping the victims and achieving justice.
The main cast, including Lee Je-Hoon, Pyo Ye-Jin, Kim Eui-Sung, Jang Hyuk-Jin, and Bae Yoo-Ram, always entertain us with their combination of action and comedy. Shin Jae-Ha also made significant contributions to this series as one of the main villains.
It's in the news that there will be a third season, which I should look forward to. This is one of the best dramas of the year.
Drama #7: TVN - The Heavenly Idol
The second drama of actor Kim Min-kyu that I have watched after his role in "Business Proposal". I am also a fan of the actress Ko Bo-Gyeol since I watched her in "Go Back Couple" and "Hi Bye, Mama."
I became interested in this drama because of the two main actors and the storyline related to K-pop. However, the story started to become boring in the later episodes. I enjoyed some parts of the drama, but I finished it feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
Drama #8: TVING - Duty After School
After "All of Us Are Dead," comes "Duty After School," which is a survival drama, this time against alien Spheres. The main characters are still students who are desperately trying their best to survive and fight off the aliens. I enjoyed the drama and am looking forward to season 2.
Season 2
I definitely do not recommend watching the second season, which consists of four episodes. There are many unanswered questions, such as what happened to the other characters, and ultimately, the ending is unsatisfactory. According to online sources, the director or producer chose not to follow the original plot from the webtoon and instead decided to shorten the season.
Watching the second season was definitely a waste of time, as it was a big disappointment.
Drama #9 ENA/GenieTV - True to Love
Currently, one of my favorite dramas this year. I always enjoy the work of actress Yoo In-na (Bora), as she portrayed a dating coach who was dumped by her boyfriend, Hwang Chan-sung (Juwan), and then met Hyun-min Yoon (So-hyuk) through work. Bora and So-hyuk helped each other personally and with their work, and eventually ended up falling in love with each other.
I enjoy this type of romantic comedy, and the supporting characters and side story are well-developed.
Drama #10 - Netflix Black Knight
A 6-episode special from Netflix features Kim Woo-Bin, Song Seung-Heon, Esom, and Kang You-Seok.
A drama set in the future where only 1% of the population has survived. The air is polluted, and oxygen is necessary for survival. The people are also divided based on their class, between refugees and registered individuals who live in a more affluent district.
I enjoyed the story about Woon-Bin, also known as "5-8," the legendary oxygen deliveryman who leads a group of deliverymen in correcting the wrongdoings of CM, the company that owns the oxygen business, and also strives for social equality.
Drama #11 TVn - My Roommate is a Gumiho
This drama was released in 2021, and I just finished watching it. I really enjoyed the story because the main and supporting characters have great chemistry. The drama itself is also humorous, making it very enjoyable to watch.
The chemistry between the main and supporting characters is so good that it really made us love the story. I am super satisfied with how the drama ended.
Drama #12 Netflix - Celebrity
Another Netflix masterpiece. First, I am a fan of the lead actress Park Gyu-young since I watched her in "It's Okay Not To Be Okay".
The drama is different from the usual K-Drama stories as it focuses on e-celebrities or online influencers. The story and plot twists keep my wife and me eager to watch the drama.
The ending is also satisfying, and the supporting actors played their parts well.
Drama #13 JTBC - King the Land
I am a fan of Yoona's performances, and "King the Land" is something new to me as the story is set in a hotel.
This is also my first time watching the lead actor Lee Jun-ho, who is a member of the K-pop group 2PM.
The story flows smoothly, mostly creating a light and relaxing vibe while watching the episodes. The supporting actors are also commendable, and the lessons you will learn from the drama are valuable.
Drama #13 tvN - True Beauty
I just finished watching this drama, even though it was released in December 2020 and ended in February 2021.
I would rate the drama 7.5 out of 10 because I enjoyed many moments in the drama. There are moments that can be boring, but overall, I am happy with the ending and how everything gets resolved.
I also enjoy the soundtrack of the drama. The tone of the drama is lighthearted and humorous simultaneously.
Drama #14 tvN - Uncanny Counter 2
It took us weeks to finish the drama because of my work at FIBA.
I enjoyed the first season because of its storyline. However, the second season's storyline is slow as it only focuses on two villains.
I still enjoyed the drama because of the effects and how it ended, but it didn't meet my expectations as the first season was better.
Drama #15 Disney+ - Moving
One of the best Korean series that I have watched this year is a TV show featuring characters with superpowers.
Throughout the 20 episodes, watching "Moving" never bored me. I always looked forward to what would happen next to the characters and the story.
The amazing effects, especially in the action scenes, are noteworthy. I am looking forward to the second season of "Moving."
Drama #16 Netflix - Doona
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Bae Suzy shows that I have watched, especially "Vagabond" and "Start Up."
I also watched a drama starring the lead actor Yang Se-jong, "Still 17," which is also one of my all-time favorite K-dramas.
I got hooked on this drama because of the storyline and its connection to the music industry in Korea. Just like other K-Dramas released on Netflix, Doona has only a few episodes.
There are a lot of good moments, but there are also parts that I cannot understand why they decided not to be together. It has an open ending, which disappoints some fans because most of us wanted to know how the story ended.
Drama #17 Disney - Vigilante
Revenge dramas are emerging following the release of "Taxi," and Disney has now released one of their own, starring Nam Jo-Hyuk in the Webtoon-based drama titled "Vigilante."
The 8-episode drama ended sooner than expected, and I am satisfied with how it concluded. I also enjoyed the twist in the story.
A student with a dark past, as his mother was murdered, is now taking justice into his own hands by punishing the criminals who deserve harsher penalties.
Overall, I finished seventeen K-dramas in 2023. I have three more unfinished dramas: "My Demon," featuring Song Kang and Kim Yoo-jung; "Samdal Ri," starring Ji Chang-wook and Shin Hye-sun; and "Strong Girl Nam-soon," featuring Lee Yoo-mi and Ong Seong-wu.
My drama "Demon and Samdal-Ri" is still ongoing and will end in early 2024. I will add it to my 2024 K-drama list.
2023 has been one of the best years of my life as I have covered a lot of K-pop artists and even met Kim Sejeong during her concert in Manila.
I will try to watch more dramas in 2024.
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