It seems like 2022 flew by in the flash of an eye, and there were just so many K-dramas to watch this year but so little time! If you’re a Hallyu fan who got caught up with your hectic schedule and you finally have time to wind down and binge-watch some fantastic shows –– here’s the list of our top favourites!
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
This K-drama is a dark horse from the lesser-known South Korean channel ENA that became a cultural phenomenon in its home country and abroad, even creating a heightened interest in whales and dolphins like the eponymous heroine of the show, Woo Young Woo.
It’s not hard to understand why the series propelled Park Eun-bin to stardom as it has an interesting premise that revolves around an attorney with autism spectrum disorder and the bizarre cases she encounters like a Pied Piper of Hamelin (or rather Seoul) who gets sued for ‘kidnapping children’ but only takes them to the woods to have fun. Viewers also fell in love with breakout star Kang Tae-oh as his character’s sweet love story with Young Woo unfolded.
It became the sixth most popular non-English show of all time on Netflix and the seventh highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history. We’re still chanting the lines “Woo to the Young to the Woo! Dong to the Geu to the Ra Mi” in our heads!
Watch it on Netflix.
Business Proposal
The premise of the show seemed so cringey and cliché when we first read it: a poor but gorgeous girl falls for her rich handsome boss. Overdone much? It also features a typical romantic trope of a couple who are in a fake relationship but end up falling in love.
Shin Ha Ri (played by Kim Sejeong) disguises herself as her best friend and ends up going on a date with the CEO of her company, Kang Tae Moo (played by swoon-worthy Canadian actor Ahn Hyo-seop) instead. But the show ended up surprising us as it delivered light-hearted entertainment and amazing chemistry between the four leads that had us looking forward to more episodes. The show’s second lead couple played by Seol In-ah and Kim Min-kyu also actually managed to steal the show with their viral kissing scene. We still blush whenever we remember it!
Watch it on Netflix.
Our Blues
This show had a lot to live up to as it featured a killer cast that even casual drama fans will probably recognise such as Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Cha Seung-won, Lee Jung-eun, Uhm Jung-hwa, Han Ji-min, and Kim Woo-bin.
It was an omnibus K-drama, which meant that it was a mix of typical dramas and short films that showcased the lives of the different characters in each episode who are interconnected through their lives on Jeju Island.
Each actor managed to shine in their own role whether it was a young mother who was undergoing depression, a middle-aged woman who meets her first love again, or two best friends who became sworn enemies. Although it doesn’t feature the usual glitz and glam of Seoul –– our hearts felt for them as we experienced joy, pain, and heartbreak together with each character. It also made us want to uproot our lives and go live by the sea too! *Brb booking our flight tickets*
Watch it here on Netflix.
Thirty-Nine
Leading this JTBC series is Son Ye-jin, who first shot to fame through movies in the early 2000s such as ‘The Classic’ and ‘A Moment to Remember’ but found herself truly achieving global recognition with the smash hit ‘Crash Landing On You’ in which she starred opposite co-star turned husband Hyun Bin.
Honestly, before starting it, the plot seemed a bit boring to us as it centred around the life, friendship, and romance of three friends who are about to turn forty and we watched it because there was nothing much else airing at the time. Although dramas usually centre around stereotypical couples, we eventually found ourselves feeling the warmth of the love that the three friends had for each other and weeping buckets as the character played by Jeon Mi-do struggled through a terminal illness.
Those in their teens may not enjoy it but the love lines of women who were at an age where they felt free to do what they wanted without being burdened by other people’s opinions were also a breath of fresh air. The 12-episode series also stars Kim Ji-hyun.
Watch it here on Netflix.
Alchemy of Souls
Lee Jae Wook first captured our hearts with his gummy smile in Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol which unfortunately saw lacklustre ratings. Despite having a limited number of works under his belt and only debuting four years ago, he has breathed life into every character he has played and deservingly cast in the lead role for his first mainstream drama and sageuk ‘Alchemy of Souls’ penned by the famous Hong sisters.
This fantasy show is about a powerful sorceress who gets stuck in a blind woman’s body (played by Jung So-min) and a mage from a noble family who gets entangled with her.
The premise of the high-budget show due to all the soul-shifting can get confusing at times but it is worth staying on for the romantic banter between the leads and the development of the characters –– even the supporting cast! NU’EST member Hwang Min Hyun is also such a sight for sore eyes. However, make sure you are open to committing to a second season of the show as a further ten episodes are currently airing on Netflix.
Watch it here.
Image credit: Netflix, TVN, TVING