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If you are a fan of K-drama releases, new or old, looking forward to a raft of exciting dramas, from thriller revenge to romance K-drama releases, take that Netflix subscription this year.
The streaming giant will release a magnificent list of confirmed projects, tallying up to 34 titles with a mix of movies, K-drama releases, documentaries, and unscripted shows. Out of them all, the K-drama releases take the crown as they include 21 to-be-released series announcements.
According to Netflix, 60% of its worldwide audience consumed Korean content last year, and the demand continues to grow. The OTT platform has been the biggest catalyst in spreading the Hallyu wave through K-drama releases across the world, especially by giving award-winning hits such as Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead, and viral shows such as Single’s Inferno and The Glory.
Upcoming Netflix K-drama releases from The Glory Sequel, Celebrity to The Queenmaker
Here’s a look at the anticipated K-drama releases in quarter one (January, February, and March) and quarter two (April, May, and June) for 2023. Note that some of these K-drama releases do not have a premiere date yet.
1) Crash Course in Romance
Crash Course in Romance premiered on January 14, 2023, on Netflix and has already topped this week’s list of the most buzzworthy K-drama releases on Good Data Corporation’s weekly list of dramas. The show's leads, Jung Kyung-ho and Jeon Do-yeon, also swept the top two spots on the list of most buzzworthy drama cast members, which they entered at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
The story revolves around the bittersweet relationship between a banchan (side dishes) shop owner who belatedly enters the war of Korea's college entrance exams, and a top hagwon (for-profit private education institute) instructor. Pretty relatable K-drama releases for all college-going students to catch up twice a week on Saturday-Sunday on Netflix.
2) Love to Hate You
Premiering on February 10, 2023, is Love to Hate You, the K-drama is a romantic-comedy directed by Kim Jung-kwon, starring Kim Okvin, Yoo Teo, Kim Jihun, and Go Wonhee.
The original Netflix series follows the story of a woman who doesn't want to lose pathologically to a man and a man who pathologically suspects a woman and is healed through war-like love. The romantic month of February is slated to have K-drama releases with some very relatable romantic content to set higher standards than ever for the Hallyu audience.
3) The Glory Part 2
The Glory, starring Song Hye-kyo, will premiere its Part 2 on Netflix on March 10, 2023, following the successful release of Part 1. The first part of the K-drama premiered on December 30, 2022, following the story of Moon Dong-eun and her quest to get revenge against her school bullies.
On January 18, Netflix released a fresh set of stills of the K-drama release featuring cast members Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, Jung Sung-il, and Park Sung-hoon, among others. Part 1 ended with the main women of the frame, Song Hye-kyo and Lim Ji-yeon, in a scuffle, rousing the excitement of the audience and leaving them awaiting justice for Moon Dong-eun.
4) Black Knight
Black Knight, the highly anticipated dystopian science fiction series, will be available on Netflix in the second quarter of the year. Black Knight is based on a webtoon that takes place in 2071, when pollution has become so severe that people can't survive without respirators, and tells the story of the legendary delivery knight 5-8.
The K-drama stars Kim Woo-bin as the legendary delivery knight 5-8, Song Seung-heon, Kang You-seok, and Esom in critical positions. The recent posters on Netflix of Kim Woo-bin giving off hero vibes have thrilled the audience eagerly waiting for the drama.
5) Bloodhounds
Bloodhounds, formerly titled Hunting Dogs, is an upcoming South Korean Netflix Original K-drama slated for release in the second quarter of 2023. The plot revolves around three daring youths who jump into the money-lending business while confronting the rich and powerful who prey on the weak.
The K-drama is confirmed to comprise eight total episodes with around 60 minutes of run time. The cast consists of Woo Do-hwan (The King: Eternal Monarch) who plays the role of Kim Geon-woo, Lee Sang-yi (Hometown Cha Cha Cha), who will play the roles of Hong Woo-jin, Park Sung-woong, and Heo Jun-ho.
6) Celebrity
Celebrity revolves around Korean TV tropes and YouTube drama around being an influencer in Korean society. It is slated to be released in the second quarter of 2023.
Park Gyu-young, known for her impactful roles in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Sweet Home, Dali and Cocky Prince, is set to lead the drama once again with her strong performance. Park Gyu-young leads a stunning cast that delves behind the celebrity curtain to examine the insecurity, heartbreak, and fear at the heart of being famous in the internet age.
7) Queenmaker
The much awaited political K-drama release is finally scheduled for a Netflix presence in the second quarter of 2023.
When two women put aside their differences to work together to fight injustice, opposites attract. The K-drama release stars Kim Hee-ae (The World of the Married) and Moon So-ri (Life) in the lead. This female-led K-drama release may stand out from Netflix's catalog of compelling Korean thrillers for its high anticipation and political tropes of K-drama releases.
With increasing competition from Disney and Apple TV hopping on the South Korean entertainment bandwagon, the Netflix team is working hard to entice its audience with a range of new dramas and sequels to many hit shows in 2023 to keep their coveted crown.
Netflix has released posters for the remaining quarters, including the much-awaited K-drama releases, along with sequels to Sweet Home, D.P., and many more. This is one of the best years to look forward to for the much-awaited K-drama releases.
