Looking Forward: Five Upcoming K-Dramas
More interesting K-dramas on the way— ‘The Worst of Evil,’ ‘A Good Day to Be a Dog,’ ‘Doona,’ and more
In frame: Han Hae-na (Park Gyu-young) and Jin Seo-won (Cha Eun-woo), in 'A Good Day to Be a Dog.' Photo courtesy of MBC
This year included the debut of a ton of exciting K-dramas with excellent stories and standout performances, and honestly, as the year’s final stretch gets closer, I am looking forward to more. Here is a list of the five upcoming K-dramas I am anticipating the most at this point.
The Worst of Evil – Han Dong-wook
The Worst of Evil unfolds in 1990s Gangnam and features police officer Park Jun-mo (Ji Chang-wook) on an undercover mission to infiltrate Jung Gi-chul’s (Wi Ha-joon) gang involved in transnational drug trafficking. Drug enforcement officer Yoo Eui-jung (Im Se-mi), who also happens to be Joon-mo’s wife, and drug dealer Hae-ryeon (Bibi), who travels to Korea for business with Gi-chul, have a stake in the happenings.
Release Date: September 27, 2023, on Disney+.
Strong Girl Nam-soon – Kim Jeong-sik and Lee Kyung-sik
The titular Gang Nam-soon (Lee Yoo-mi), Do Bong-soon’s (Park Bo-young) sixth cousin, possesses the same superhuman strength as Bong-soon and inherited it from her mother and grandmother. Upon Nam-soon’s adult return to South Korea in pursuit of her parents after going missing as a child, she meets her mom Hwang Geum-joo (Kim Jung-eun), and grandma Gil Joong-gan (Kim Hae-sook). The three women get involved in a narcotics investigation, which sets off an action-packed crime story.
Release Date: October 7, 2023, on JTBC and Netflix.
A Good Day to Be a Dog – Kim Dae-woong
Han Hae-na (Park Gyu-young) exhausts all possibilities in trying to break the irrevocable family omen that she will turn into a dog following her first kiss. Hae-na must, however, locate a guy and kiss him to break free from the curse. Ironically, she finds Jin Seo-won (ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo), who is dog-phobic. The fantasy romance drama is based on the same-named webtoon by Lee Hey.
Release Date: October 11, 2023, on MBC TV and Viki.
Doona – Lee Jeong-hyo
Lee Won-jun (Yang Se-jong), a typical college student, and Lee Doo-na (Bae Suzy), a gorgeous ex-K-pop idol, unwittingly cross paths when he moves into a new residence, leading to the romantic comedy adapted from the webtoon The Girl Downstairs by Min Song-ah. Won-jun immediately makes conscious choices to keep away from Doo-na, though he soon realizes that she is drawing him in. Romantic sentiments are sparked as the narrative evolves and the two opt to live together.
Release Date: October 20, 2023, on Netflix.
Castaway Diva – Oh Choong-hwan
In the romantic comedy, Seo Mok-ha (Park Eun-bin), with her heart set on becoming a singer, spends 15 years marooned and stuck on an isolated island before setting off on a quest to become a diva. In the plot, Kang Bo-gul (Chae Jong-hyeop) is a producer in the entertainment industry who unwittingly gets caught up in discovering and rescuing Mok-ha. Park’s artistic preferences and career choices define who she is. Surely, Castaway Diva is certain to expand her impressive record.
Release Date: October 28, 2023, on TVN and Netflix (in selected regions).
