We all love a good K-drama — some feel like a warm hug, while others really make you introspect deeply. But other than the story, a big crowd puller for K-dramas is the detail about who’s leading them.
Returning this year are big names like Park Seo-joon, Song Hye-Kyo, Lee Min-ho, Kim Woo-bin, Bae Suzy and more! I bet a lot of these are your favorites as well.
There are a lot of interesting K-dramas coming out in 2023. If you’re looking for a list that includes your favorite actor, then you’ve come to the right place!
To note: As of now, Lee Joong-ki, Gong Yoo, and Lee Dong-woo don’t have any projects scheduled for 2023.
Have a look:
1Park Seo-joon | Gyeongseong Creature
Cast – Park Seo-joon, Han So-hee, Wi Ha-joon, Claudia Kim, Kim Hae-sook, Jo Han-chul
Park Seo-joon has one major K-drama coming out, a period fantasy drama called Gyeongseong Creature, releasing late 2023. Besides this, he will also be appearing in The Marvels, set to release on July 28.
This is a star-studded K-drama and thus, a guaranteed hit! Park Seo-joon will be returning to K-dramas after two full years — Most likely due to being busy filming The Marvels.
Set in Seoul, 1945, this show will depict two men battling out a mysterious, dangerous creature. Han So-hee (Nevertheless, World of the Married) will be the drama’s leading lady, while Squid Game’s Wi Ha-joon is back as the second male lead.
2Song Hye-Kyo | The Glory Part 2
Cast – Song Hye-Kyo, Lee Do-hyun
In 2023, Song Hye-Kyu will return in the second part of The Glory, set to release in March, 2023. She does not have any other K-dramas scheduled this year besides this one.
Song Hye-kyo is the undebated queen of K-dramas and her performance in The Glory is truly glorious. The show follows Song as a bully victim who is plotting revenge 25 later and takes you on a thrilling ride of dire consequences and collateral damage. Rising star Lee Do-hyun (18 Again and Youth of Evil) is a great supporting romantic interest. Part 2 comes out in March, so you better not miss out!
3Lee Min-ho | When The Stars Gossip/Ask The Stars
Cast – Lee Min-ho, Gong Hyo-jin, Han Ji-eun
In 2023, Lee Min-ho is set to star in When the Stars Gossip, a sci-fi Kdrama set in space. He is set to return after riding the wave of success of his last K-drama, Apple TV+’s Pachinko.
This K-drama is going to be out of this world, and I’m not saying this just because Lee Min-ho is in it! Ask the Stars takes place in a space station chronicling the days of a space tourist (Lee) and an astronaut (Gong Hyo-jin).
Not much is known about this K-drama as of now, but veteran fans know that Lee Min-ho has been the poster boy of blockbuster K-dramas ever since the 2000s. So you definitely don’t want to miss this one!
4Cha Eun-Woo | A Good Day To Be A Dog
Cast – Cha Eun-woo, Park Gyu-young, Lee Hyun-woo
Cha Eun-Woo has two major K-dramas in 2023: the ongoing Island airing on Prime Video, and A Good Day to be a Dog, scheduled to released in mid-to-late 2023.
I am no stranger to being K-dramas being quirky, but A Good Day To Be A Dog just pushes the envelope. It’s set to depict the story of a girl who turns into a dog every time she kisses a guy and her remedy lies in a boy who is utterly terrified of dogs.
If you couldn’t get enough of Cha Eun-woo as a handsome priest in Island, it’s time to dive into this out-of-the-box K-drama. Cha is mostly known for his broody, serious roles, so here’s to hoping we get to see a new side of him!
5Ji Chang-wook | The Worst Evil
Cast – Ji Chang-wook, Wi Ha-joon, Im Se-mi
In 2023, Ji Chang-wook has only one K-drama set to release, The Worst Evil. Joining him here will be rising star Wi Ha-joon (Squid Game).
This is a crime K-drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat: Set in the 1980s, Ji Chang-wook will play police officer Park Joon-mo, who goes undercover and infiltrates crime boss Jung Gi-cheol’s (Wi Ha-joon) organization. Im Se-mi will play Joon-mo’s wife, Eui-jung, a narcotics officer who is helping with his investigation.
6Kim Woo-bin | Black Knight
Cast – Kim Woo-bin, Esom, Kang Yoo-seok
Kim Woo-bin has one major K-drama in 2023 which is a dystopian sci-fi project called Black Knight. While a confirmed release date has not been released, it is most likely to air mid-2023.
Kim Woo-bin was an absolute stunner in the 2000s, but sadly had to take a break due to his cancer treatment. In 2022, he made a comeback to the small screen in a serene K-drama called Our Blues.
It looks like he will be making more projects, as he’s scheduled to star in the dystopian K-drama, Black Knight. He plays a Knight, a delivery driver who works in a world where air pollution is so high, people can’t survive without masks. Be sure to tune in!
7Nam Joo-hyuk | Vigilante
Cast – Nam Joo-hyuk
Nam Joo-hyuk will be starring in only one K-drama in 2023 — a crime thriller called Vigilante. No other cast or release details have been released yet.
The plot of Vigilante is quite simple: Nam Joo-hyuk plays a guy who enrolls into the police academy in order to be able to exact revenge on the people responsible for the death of his family members.
Nam is mostly known his brighter, charming roles, being the male lead in a lot of romantic K-dramas. So it will be quite refreshing to see him in such a different role!
8Bae Suzy | Doona! (2023 TBA)
Cast – Bae Suzy, Yang Se-jong
Bae Suzy will be appearing in Netflix’s Doona! alongside Yang Se-jong in 2023. This is her only K-drama scheduled for 2023, which is set to release later in the year.
This comes straight from the director of Crash Landing on You and has K-pop’s sweetheart, Bae Suzy, leading it!
I can already predict that Doona! is going to be an adorable show. Yang Se-jong’s character moves into a new apartment only to realize his flat mate is Doona (Suzy), a washed0out K-pop Idol who was incredibly popular back in the day.
9Choi Woo-shik | Murder DIEary
Cast – Choi Woo-shik, Son Seok-koo, Lee Hee-joon
Known for Parasite and Train to Busan, Choi Woo-shik, will be back on the small screen in a psychological thriller K-drama called Murder DIEary. It is scheduled to release mid-to-late 2023.
If you loved Strangers from Hell, you’re going to love Murder DIEary, which is from the same director. Choi Woo-shik will be taking the lead here as Lee Rang, a college student who unintentionally kills a serial killer. He slowly realizes that he has the power to identify bad people and chaos ensues when a detective starts hunting down Lee.
10Han Seok-kyu | Dr. Romantic 3
Cast – Han Seok-kyu, Lee Sung-kyung, Ahn Hyo-seop
Veteran actor is set to reprise his role in Dr. Romantic which will air late 2023. He does not have any other projects scheduled for 2023 besides this.
The return of a classic! When Dr Romantic first aired, it became an instant hit thanks to the legendary Han Seok-kyu. He has created a truly iconic character with his “Kim Sabu,” a practical doctor whose humane take in the field of medicines saves more than just lives. It’s also good to see that Lee Sung-kyung and Ahn Hyo-seop will also be reprising their roles!
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