Lots of Korean dramas – movies and TV shows – are scheduled for release in 2024. But my 2023 K-drama watch list has not been finished. Here are six (6) Korean dramas that are streaming on Netflix. (1) Doctor Cha; (2) Celebrity; (3) Daily Dose of Sunshine; (4) Doona; (5) Dream; and (6) Welcome to Samdal-ri.
TIME published its list of The 10 Best Korean Dramas of 2023 on Netflix , dated December 27, 2023. Reviews for all but two of the K-dramas listed have been published via PopGeeks: Doctor Cha and Daily Dose of Sunshine. Links to this site’s reviews are shared at the end of this article.
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♦ (1) Doctor Cha
Cha Jeong-suk is a housewife who has been married for 20 years. She decides that it’s time to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and enrolls in a medical residency program at the same hospital where her husband, Seo In-ho, works as a chief surgeon. It’s already a challenge to balance home and work, but then she discovers that her husband has been having an affair with his first love.
It’s a blow to her self-esteem but it did not crush her. Instead, she became determined to prove her worth both as a doctor and also a woman. It helps that she befriends a charming surgeon who supports her ambitions. But he is not the only one. She makes new friends and mentors; reconnects her familial ties with her son and her mother; and renews relationships with old classmates. It’s a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.
Main Characters:
- Cha Jeong-Suk (played by Uhm Jung-Hwa)
- Seo In-Ho (played by Kim Byung-Chul, “Sisyphus: The Myth”)
Rating:
- IMDb: 7.5 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8.1 out of 10 stars
16 episodes; Medical Drama, Romance, Comedy
LINKS OF INTEREST:
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
Netflix K-Content. “Doctor Cha | Official Trailer | Netflix.” YouTube Video. YouTube, April 3, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDjF9Bkib28. Watch Trailer.
♦ (2) Celebrity
Celebrity is about “e-celebrities” and explores the dark side of being a social media influencer. Seo A-ri used to be a rich girl but her family went bankrupt. One of her friends who is an influencer invites her to a celebrity party. At first, she has no interest in social media, but a wealthy and handsome CEO of a beauty company mistakes her for someone else. He thought she was the leader of a group of elite influencers.
This mistaken identity opens the door for A-ri to enter the world of e-celebrities and make money. It doesn’t take long for her to realize the world of social media influencers is not all glamour, glitter, and gold. It would be polite to use the word “unsavory” to describe the activities. Dangerous is a much better word. There is not just a lack of ethics and morals. But the influencers commit crimes that involve buying followers, scamming, harassing, and even murdering their rivals. There is a dark reality behind the glamorous facade of social media influencers.
Main Characters:
- Seo A-Ri (played by Park Gyu-Young, “The Devil Judge”)
Rating:
- IMDb: 7.4 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8.3 out of 10 stars
- NME: 3 out of 5 stars
- Public reviews shared via Google: 4.4 out of 5 stars
12 episodes; Thriller, Mystery, Drama
LINKS OF INTEREST:
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
Asia, Netflix. “Celebrity | Official Trailer | Netflix.” YouTube Video. YouTube, June 15, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwVBHHsSKsI. Watch Trailer.
♦ (3) Daily Dose of Sunshine
Jung Da-eun is a nurse working in the psychiatric ward of a hospital. She possesses the personality traits every nurse should have: compassion and empathy. However, she was diagnosed with depression and is involved in a complicated love triangle with her childhood friend (who has a panic disorder) and a fellow medical professional (who has an obsessive-compulsive disorder). The psychiatrist who treats her for depression also has a romantic interest in her. When has life ever been uncomplicated? The series is a comedy-drama that uses a realistic and sensitive approach to address various aspects of mental health, such as stigma, diagnosis, therapy, medication, and recovery.
Main Characters:
- Jung Da-Eun (played by Park Bo-Young, “Doom at Your Service”, “Strong Girl Bong-Soon”)
- Dong Go-Yun (played by Yeon Woo-Jin, “Special Delivery”)
- Song Yu-Chan (played by Jang Dong-Yoon, “Oasis”, “The Tale of Nokdu”)
Rating:
- IMDb: 8.3 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8.8 out of 10 stars
- Common Sense Media: 4 out of 5 stars
- Public reviews shared via Google: 4.7 out of 5 stars
12 episodes; Medical Drama; based on the webtoon “Jungshinbyungdongedo Achimeun Wayo”
LINKS OF INTEREST:
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
Netflix K-Content. “Daily Dose of Sunshine | Official Trailer | Netflix [ENG SUB].” YouTube Video. YouTube, October 19, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a81i3lenqp4. Watch Trailer.
♦ (4) Doona!
Lee Doona is a former K-pop girl group member who dropped out of the industry. Doona had an unhappy childhood, but a talent agency scouted her when she was just in eighth grade. They trained her to be an idol singer and dancer, but the environment she worked in was hostile. In many ways, it was even unhappier worse than her life at home. Doona fell in love with her manager, and he returned her love by manipulating and taking advantage of her. This betrayal adversely affected her. So much so that one day at a very important concert, she lost her voice.
The agency booted her out of the group, but at least she received her share of the money the group had earned. Most of that money was misused by her mother who had a lot of debts and had also engaged in fraud. People superimposed her mother’s bad reputation on top of her and consequently, she became the target of online haters. Even so, Doona chose to live like a recluse to keep herself away from everyone who may hurt her again. She moved into a shared-house in a college town. Her neighbor is Lee Wonjun, a sweet and innocent 20-year-old freshman who barely knows who she is. Their first encounter with each other was not one to lay a foundation for a lasting friendship. But as time went by, their friendship developed into a strong bond.
Main Characters:
- Lee Doo-Na (played by Bae Suzy)
- Lee Won-Jun (played by Yang Se-Jong, “My Country: The New Age”)
Rating:
- IMDb: 7.2 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 7.9 out of 10 stars
9 episodes; Idol Drama, Romance; based on webtoon “Lee Doo-Na!”
LINKS OF INTEREST:
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
Netflix K-Content. “Doona! | Official Trailer | Netflix.” YouTube Video. YouTube, October 4, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4rtx48siJI. Watch Trailer.
♦ (5) Dream
The movie was inspired by the “Homeless World Cup” of 2010, an annual international soccer event. Yoon Hong-Dae is a professional soccer player who always comes in second place. An incident occurs, when he loses his temper with a journalist and is put on disciplinary probation. He decides that he has had enough! Forget about playing soccer. He needs to retire. Unfortunately, it’s hard to retire when you’re broke! His agency tells him retirement is out of the question. Instead, they will “redeem” him by building up his image again by making him a celebrity. How? He is tasked with training a homeless team to win the Homeless World Cup.
What? Oh yeah. It’s a real thing. It’s a soccer tournament sponsored by The Homeless World Cup Foundation, a social organization that aims to end homelessness through soccer. Does it work? It started in 2003 and has impacted 1.2 million people; 94% of the participants claim that the tournament has had a positive impact on their lives. (SOURCE: IMPACT, Homeless World Cup)
Main Characters:
- Yoon Hong-Dae (played by Park Seo-Jun, “Gyeongseong Creature”)
Rating:
- IMDb: 6.5 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8 out of 10 stars
- Letterboxd: 3.2 out of 5 stars
- Public reviews shared via Google: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Movie (125 minutes); Sports, Comedy, Drama; based on a true story
LINKS OF INTEREST:
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
Netflix K-Content. “Dream | Official Trailer | Netflix.” YouTube Video. YouTube, July 12, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIjRJjpeg-c. Watch Trailer.
♦ (6) Welcome to Samdal-Ri
Jo Yong-pil and Jo Sam-dal are childhood friends turned adult lovers. But their relationship ended because Sam-dal moved to Seoul to pursue her dreams of becoming a successful photographer. Jo Yong-pil has been offered a position at the weather headquarters in Seoul many times, but he will not move away. His mother died because of a mistaken weather report. So he chose to become a weather forecaster and stay on the island to protect his hometown.
Sam-dal had almost realized her dream of becoming a famous photographer when a scandal erupted. It was a false accusation, but even though it was untrue it destroyed her career. Furthermore, her boyfriend cheated on her with the woman who falsely accused her. Sam-dal returns to her hometown, trying to avoid the negative spotlight, where she reconnects with Yong-pil.
This Korean drama series is a heartwarming romantic comedy with a clear message. True love can withstand the test of time and never dies. The relationship might be broken, but it’s just temporary. True lovers will find their way back into each other’s hearts. It’s hard for them not to find their way with friends and family directing and redirecting them. The beautiful setting on Jeju Island also helps rekindle the romance.
Main Characters:
- Jo Sam-Dal (played by Shin Hae-Sun, “See You in My 19th Life”, “Stranger”)
- Jo Yong-Pil (played by Ji Chang-Wook, “The Worst of Evil”, “Healer”)
Rating:
- IMDb: 8.1 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8.4 out of 10 stars
16 episodes; Romance, Comedy
LINKS OF INTEREST:
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
Netflix K-Content. “Welcome to Samdal-Ri | Official Trailer | Netflix [ENG SUB].” YouTube Video. YouTube, November 21, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY8QmExZrlY. Watch Trailer.
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PopGeeks Reviewed Best Korean Dramas of 2023 Per TIME:
- Bloodhounds
- Castaway Diva
- Crash Course in Romance
- Divorce Attorney Shin
- D.P. 2
- The Glory
- The Good Bad Mother
- Queenmaker
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