After Goblin ended (cries, literally), I have been shopping for the next big thing. Introverted Boss is bogged down by an impossible heroine, Missing Nine is falling behind in ratings (cries at the injustice) while Saimdang is on everyone’s radar only because of Lee Young Ae. I think it’s safe to say that unlike last year’s DOTS which came as an early present, we haven’t found the next big thing but it is only January so there is plenty of time.
Please check back for updates on our ongoing list of K-dramas for 2017.
Title: Hwayugi / 화유기
Episodes and Genre: 20 Fantasy, Romance
Broadcast Period: December 23, 2017 tvN
Starring:
Lee Seung Ki as Son Oh Gong
Cha Seung Won as Woo Hwi / Woo Ma Wang
Oh Yeon Seo as Jin Sun Mi / Sam Jang
Synopsis:
An unconventional adaptation of Journey to the West takes the classic characters into a modern-day setting as the Monkey King gets entangled into a romantic relationship with Sam Jang.
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
Title: Black / 명불허전 / Myeongbulheojeon
Episodes and Genre: 18 Fantasy, Crime, Suspense Thrillers
Broadcast Period: October 14, 2017 OCN
Starring:
Song Seung Hun as Black / Han Moo Gang
Go Ah Ra as Kang Ha Ram
Synopsis:
A k-drama that combines crime suspense and the supernatural when a grim reaper detective meets a lady with a special gift of sight.
Title: Live Up to Your Name Dr. Heo / 명불허전 / Myeongbulheojeon
Episodes and Genre: 16 Medical, Time Travel, Comedy, Romance
Broadcast Period: August 12, 2017 tvN
Starring:
Kim Nam Gil as Heo Im
Kim Ah Joong as Choi Yun Kyung
Synopsis:
Time-traveling hijinks when Heo Im a crafty medical doctor from the Joseon era who has great ambition for himself finds himself suddenly lost in modern-day Seoul. He crosses paths with Choi Yun Kyung a cardio-thoracic surgeon with a bias against Oriental medicine.
Comments:
Given how everyone seems to have nothing but good things to say about this drama, I took the leap to yet another time-traveling drama, and I daresay that it’s one of the best, really funny, emotional, well-directed and with just enough surprises to keep you on your toes. Then, there’s Kim Nam Gil in his wonderful mane of glory, there’s no saying no to that.
Title: Falsify / 조작 / Jojak
Episodes and Genre: 32 Legal, Crime, Suspense Thriller
Broadcast Period: July 14, 2017 SBS
Starring:
Nam Goong Min as Han Moo Young
Yoo Joon Sang as Lee Suk Min
Uhm Ji Won as Kwon So Ra
Synopsis:
Han Moo Young is a man with a darker past and a thirst for vengeance over the death of his brother. He joins hands with Kwon So Ra, a prosecutor and Lee Suk Min, another reporter to get to the bottom of the truth in a dangerous world of lies and corruption.
Comments:
If you must watch Live Up to Your Name Dr. Heo for Kim Nam Gil, then you must watch Falsify for Nam Goong Min. Never mind that there’s one too many crime thrillers in k-dramaland.
Title: Forest of Secrets / 비밀의 숲 / Bimilui Sup
Episodes and Genre: 16 Legal, Suspense Thriller
Broadcast Period: June 10, 2017 tvN
Starring:
Cho Seung Woo as Hwang Shi Mok
Bae Doo Na as Han Yeo Jin (30)
Synopsis:
Due to a surgery when he was a child, Prosecutor Hwang Shi Mok is a man without emotions. He ends up meeting Police Lieutenant Han Yeo Jin in a murder crime scene and they must team up to solve the case and fight the rampant corruption around them.
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
Title: Bride of the Water God / 하백의 신부 / Habaekui Sinbu
Episodes and Genre: 16 Fantasy Romance
Broadcast Period: July 3, 2017 tvN
Starring:
Shin Se Kyung as Yoon So Ah
Nam Joo Hyuk as Ha Baek
Im Ju Hwan as Shin Hoo Ye
Krystal Jung as Moo Ra
Gong Myung as Bi Ryum
Synopsis:
Ha Baek is a water god who is next in line to be king. In order to ascend to the throne, he has to collect three stones that can be found in the human realm. Surprised that his travel doesn’t go as planned, the unabashedly overbearing water god finds Yoon So Ah, a psychiatrist who descends from a family that has served the gods for generations.
Title: The King Loves / 왕은 사랑한다 / Wangeun Saranghanda
Episodes and Genre: 40 Historical Romance
Broadcast Period: July 17, 2017 MBC
Starring:
Im Siwan as Wang Won
Im Yoona as Eun San
Hong Jong Hyun as Wang Rin
Synopsis:
A tragic romance during the Goryeo Dynasty revolves around a love triangle between the Crown Prince, his childhood friend Rin and a beautiful woman named San.
Title: Fight My Way / Third-Rate My Way / Ssam, Maiwei / 쌈, 마이웨이
Episodes and Genre: 16 Romance
Broadcast Period: May 22, 2017 KBS2
Starring:
Park Seo Joon as Ko Dong Man
Kim Ji Won as Choi Ae Ra
Synopsis:
A story between four longtime friends and their budding romance as they encourage each to keep fighting in life.
Title: Circle: Two Worlds Connected / 써클: 이어진 두 세계 / Sseokeul: Ieojin Du Segye
Episodes and Genre: 12 Science Fiction
Broadcast Period: May 22, 2017 tvN
Starring:
Part 1: Beta Project
Yeo Jin Goo as Kim Woo Jin
Ahn Woo Yeon as Kim Bum Kyoon
Gong Seung Yun as Han Jung Yun
Part 2: Brave New World
Kim Kang Woo as Kim Joon Hyuk
Lee Ki Kwang as Lee Ho Soo
Synopsis:
A science fiction thriller that takes place in two different worlds. In one timeline, a university student tries desperately to find his brother as mysterious deaths take place. In a futuristic timeline, a detective is determined to solve the missing twins case.
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
Title: Ruler: Master of the Mask / 군주 – 가면의 주인 / Gunju – Gamyeonui Juin
Episodes and Genre: 40 Historical Romance, Palace Politics
Broadcast Period: May 10, 2017 MBC
Starring:
Yoo Seung Ho as Crown Prince Lee Sun
Kim So Hyun as Han Ga Eun
L as Commoner Lee Sun
Synopsis:
Crown Prince Lee Sun takes on a powerful organization that has monopoly over the supply of water. It is a dangerous battle that he has been fighting since before he was born and the reason for his complicated existence. Along the way, he meets an educated commoner who shares the same name as him and an idealistic woman who is no damsel in distress.
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
Title: My Sassy Girl / 엽기적인 그녀 / Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo
Episodes and Genre: 32 Historical Romance, Comedy
Broadcast Period: May 29, 2017 SBS
Starring:
Joo Won as Kyun Woo
Oh Yeon Seo as Princess Hye Myung
Synopsis:
Kyun Woo is a young man who returns to Joseon after studying abroad, full of himself and used to being treated as a celebrity of sorts. One ordinary evening, he bumps into a drunken woman who just so happens to be a princess with a lot of sass.
Title: Man to Man / 맨투맨 / Maen tu Maen
Episodes and Genre: 16 Romance, Comedy, Action
Broadcast Period: Apr 21, 2017 JTBC
Starring:
Park Hae Jin as Kim Sul Woo
Kim Min Jung as Cha Do Ha
Park Sung Woong as Yeo Woon Gwang
Yun Jung Hoon as Mo Seung Jae
Chae Jung Ahn as Song Mi Eun
Jung Man Shik as Lee Dong Hyun
Synopsis:
Kim Sul Woo is an international agent who becomes a bodyguard for top hallyu star Yeo Woon Gwang for the sake of a mission. Kim Sul Woo is a top spy unfazed by the most hellish situations while Yeo Woon Gwang is a self-absorbed and immature man who just wants to get rid of his new bodyguard. In between them is Woon Gwang’s manager and number one fangirl Cha Do Ha.
Title: Strong Woman Do Bong Soon / 힘쎈여자 도봉순 / Himssenyeoja Do Bong Sun
Episodes and Genre: 16 Romance, Comedy
Broadcast Period: Feb 24, 2017 JTBC
Starring:
Park Bo Young as Do Bong Soon
Park Hyung Shik as Ahn Min Hyuk
Ji Soo as In Gook Doo
Synopsis:
Strong woman Do Bong Soon is determined to become feminine and demure for the sake of her long time crush Gook Doo. She becomes a bodyguard for an obnoxious chaebol named Ahn Min Hyuk and the three find themselves caught up in a crazy situation involving a mystery.
Title: Tomorrow With You / 내일 그대와 / Naeil Geudaewa
Episodes and Genre: 16 Romance, Time Travel, Fantasy
Broadcast Period: Feb 3, 2017 tvN
Starring:
Shin Min Ah as Song Ma Rin
Lee Je Hoon as Yoo So Joon
Synopsis:
Yoo So Joon is the CEO of a real estate company who has the ability to time travel via the subway. He comes across a bleak future for himself and decides to change his fate by marrying his wife.
Title: Defendant / 피고인 / Pigoin
Episodes and Genre: 16 Legal, Mystery Thriller
Broadcast Period: Jan 23, 2017 SBS
Starring:
Ji Sung as Park Jung Woo
Uhm Ki Joon as Cha Min Ho
Kwon Yuri as Seo Eun Hye
Synopsis:
Prosecutor Park Jung Woo wakes up one day to find that he is convicted of a crime he cannot remember committing and it sparks a suspenseful journey of one man desperately trying to uncover the truth.
Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People
Title: Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People / 역적: 백성을 훔친 도적
Episodes and Genre: 30 Historical
Broadcast Period: Jan 30, 2017 MBC
Starring:
Yoon Kyun Sang as Hong Gil Dong
Chae Soo Bin as Song Ga Ryung
Kim Ji Suk as Lee Young
Lee Ha Nui as Jang Nok Soo
Kim Sang Joong as Hong Ah Mo Gae (Hong Gil Dong’s Father)
Synopsis:
Hong Gil Dong is the son of a man of low birth who experiences the cruel injustices of his time and ultimately wages a war against the highest echelons of society.
Title: Saimdang, the Herstory / Saimdang, Light’s Diary / 사임당, 빛의 일기
Episodes and Genre: 30 Historical Romance
Broadcast Period: Jan 26, 2017 SBS
Starring:
Lee Young Ae as Shin Saimdang
Song Seung Hun as Lee Gyum
Synopsis:
Lee Young Ae plays a modern day teacher who discovers Shin Saimdang’s diary and travels back in time to uncover pieces of her life. Song Seung Heon plays her love interest and a man of equal talent.
Title: Good Manager / Chief Kim / Kim Gwajang / 김과장
Episodes and Genre: 16 Comedy, Office
Broadcast Period: Jan 25, 2017 KBS2
Starring:
Nam Goong Min as Kim Sung Ryong
Nam Sang Mi as Yoon Ha Kyung
Synopsis:
Kim Sung Ryong is an accountant who cooks the books for gangsters and hooligans, firmly believing that loopholes exist to be taken advantage of. However, his co-worker Yoon Ha Kyung inspires him to become a changed man and he pours everything he’s got towards saving the company.
Title: Missing 9 / Missing Nine / 미씽나인 / Missingnain
Episodes and Genre: 20 Mystery Thriller
Broadcast Period: Jan 18, 2017 MBC
Starring:
Jung Kyung Ho as Seo Joon Oh
Baek Jin Hee as Ra Bong Hee
Synopsis:
A private jet carrying nine members of Legend Entertainment crash lands onto a deserted island. After 120 days, Ra Bong Hee is found alive without any recollection of the incident. With the entire country desperate for answers, she is tasked with remembering a painful past, yet her memories may bring more danger than imagined.
Title: Introverted Boss / Sensitive Boss / 내성적인 보스 / Haeseongjeokin Boseu
Episodes and Genre: 20 Romance, Comedy, Office
Broadcast Period: Jan 16, 2017 tvN
Starring:
Yeon Woo Jin as Eun Hwan Ki
Park Hye Soo as Chae Ro Woon
Yoon Park as Kang Woo Il
Synopsis:
Eun Hwan Ki is a man so painfully shy that it is disruptive to his life while Chae Ro Woon is is a bright and bubbly young actress driven by one purpose alone. The meeting of two polar opposites brings about crazy situations yet they are also tied together by a complicated past.
Title: Voice / 보이스 / Boiseu
Episodes and Genre: 16 Crime Thriller
Broadcast Period: Jan. 14, 2017 OCN
Starring:
Jang Hyuk as Moo Jin Hyuk
Lee Ha Na as Kang Kwon Joo
Synopsis:
Detective Moo Jin Hyuk and Kang Kwon Joo are two people whose lives are turned upside down after their loved one is murdered by the same serial killer. Wanting justice, the two end up working together as part of the emergency response team.
Also check out the 2016 Korean drama and Chinese drama recommendations.
Soma Anggoro
Nice list, i watched almost all of it xD
Sheenu.
Wonderful list, the synopsis is well written thanks for the effort.