As they say, April showers bring May flowers, and this month, we’re showered with great K-drama series! From fantasy time travel dramas to a high school teen romance, here are our picks of the best K-dramas to watch this May 2023:
1.Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938
Truth be told, we’ll watch anything with Lee Dong Wook, who returns for his first drama in two years and maintains his ethereal Greek-god looks despite being 42 years old. He resumes his role as Lee Yeon, a male gumiho or a mythical nine-year fox who is unexpectedly transported back in time to the year 1938 in the prequel to the popular series. He encounters the guardian spirit Hong-joo (played by The Penthouse actress Kim So Yeon) who is the owner of a luxury restaurant and meets his younger brother (played by Kim Beom). Watch to find out if he manages to return to the present and reunite with his true love.
It will be available on Amazon Prime Video starting 6 May.
2. My Perfect Stranger (Also known as Run Into You)
In another time-travel fantasy drama, news anchor Yoon Hae Joon (Kim Dong Wook) wants to seek the truth behind a serial murder case. He encounters an editor, Bak Yoon Young (Jin Ki Joo) who wants to stop her parents from getting married. The fate of the two intertwined when they are stuck in the year 1987 and realise that their goals may be connected. They hide their identities and try to live in a different time.
Bonus: Kim Dong Wook has another drama premiering at the end of this month, ‘Delightfully Deceitful’, a thrilling revenge drama about a con artist.
Watch My Perfect Stranger which premiered on 1 May now on Viu.
3.Race
The drama features a promising cast line up including Lee Yeon Hee (Reunited Worlds), Hong Jong Hyun (My Absolute Boyfriend), Moon So Ri (Queenmaker) and veteran K-pop idol Yunho of TVXQ. This office drama is about Park Yoon-jo, a PR professional who joins a large firm but discovers that she was only taken on as a ‘diversity hire’. She strives to make up for her lack of qualifications with her passion and hardwork. Working alongside her is Ryu Jae Min, her best friend who sets clear boundaries between his work and personal life.
Watch Race on 10 May on Disney+ Hotstar.
4. All That We Loved
Popular K-pop idol Oh Sehun of EXO has taken on his first teen romance role as a basketball prodigy Go Yoo. The series follows the love triangle of two best friends – Go Yoo and Go Joon Hee (Jo Joon Young) –– when the former donates his kidney to the latter. Since the transplant, Joon Hee has suffered from cellular memory syndrome which causes the donor’s memories to be transferred to him. Han So Yeon (Jang Yeo Bin), the new transfer student steals their hearts and turns them into romantic rivals.
All That We Loved starts to air on Viu on 5 May.
5. Black Knight
Kim Woo Bin stars in this Sci-Fi series in his first major lead role since his hiatus in 2017 after being diagnosed with cancer. Based on the webtoon Delivery Knight, pollution is so severe in dystopian Korea in 2071 that its citizens can’t survive without respirators. Kim leads the series as a legendary deliveryman 5-8 whose task is to deliver oxygen and everyday necessities to others and to fight against the corrupt and villainous Cheonmyeong Group. It also stars Song Seung Heon, a wealthy chaebol who rules the world with their supply of oxygen, Esom (Taxi Driver), and up and coming actress, Roh Yoon Seo.
Watch Black Knight on Netflix on 12 May.
Ongoing K-dramas to watch in May (or continue watching)
Although these didn’t premiere in May, here are some additional ongoing K-dramas that are worth a watch to add to your list:
6.The Good Bad Mother
Truth be told, we didn’t expect much when we started this drama because the title is pretty boring and the drama’s poster just features a mother and her son. Boy, were we wrong. Ra Mi Ran rarely disappoints with her choice of dramas and here, she plays a single mother who runs a pig farm after her husband is viciously killed when he refuses to sell his farm for the 1988 Olympics. She raises her son (played by Lee Do Hyun of The Glory) in a strict manner that causes him to be resentful and cold-hearted towards her. However, an unexpected accident causes a change of personality and causes him to move back to his village with her.
The Good Bad Mother premiered on 26 April and you can watch it now on Netflix.
7. Doctor Cha
The ‘Korean Madonna’ Uhm Jung Hwa stars in the title role as Cha Jung Sook, a full time housewife who struggles with her hardhearted husband and demanding mother-in -law. After she suffers from a medical crisis, she decides to return to the medical field as a 46 year old resident and meets the dashing surgeon Roy Kim (Min Woo Hyuk) who starts to fall for her and her charms. Along the way, she also discovers that her husband is having an affair with his first love.
Doctor Cha premiered on 15 April and you can watch it now on Netflix.
8.Bo-ra! Deborah (Also known as True to Love)
We love a good rom-com and Yoon In Na plays an influencer, dating coach, and writer Deborah who ironically struggles with love. Despite having a CEO boyfriend, she discovers that he is cheating on her. She meets Lee Soo Hyuk (Yoon Hyun Min), a prickly publishing planner who is displeased with her but finds that his feelings begin to change. The series also stars Joo Sang Wook, 2PM’s Hwang Chan Sung and Girl’s Day’s Park So Jin.
Bo-ra! Deborah premiered on 12 April and you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video.
Image credit: TVN, Netflix