10 Korean Dramas You Need to Be Watching in January 2023

It’s time to ring in the new year with all new dramas! We have a nice selection to choose from, so here’s hoping we can start the year off right with some great dramas.  Let’s see what we have to look forward to in this January 2023 edition of “Korean Dramas You Need to Be Watching.”

This monthly series is meant to keep you updated on what’s happening in that amazing world of Korean dramas so that you don’t miss out on anything! Here are the kdramas you should keep an eye out for in January 2023:

My Pick:

1. Crash Course in Romance

Crash Course in Romance Korean Drama - Jung Kyung Ho and Jeon Do Yeon

Crash Course in Romance follows the story of a popular instructor (Jung Kyung Ho) and the owner of a side dish shop (Jeon Do Yeon) who belatedly joins the world of education entrance exams.

Crash Course in Romance is scheduled to premiere January 14 on tvN.

PREMIERING IN JANUARY:

2. Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist 2

Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist 2 - Kim Min Jae

Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist 2 is a historical drama that focuses on psychiatric practices of the Joseon era. An acupuncturist (Kim Min Jae) to the royal family gets involved in a conspiracy that forces him to leave the palace, and a woman (Kim Hyang Gi) escapes her difficult life to become a psychiatrist.

Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist 2 is scheduled to premiere January 11 on tvN.

3. Brain Works

Brain Cooperation Korean Drama - Jung Yong Hwa and Cha Tae Hyun

Brain Works is a comedy investigation drama about a neuroscientist (Jung Yong Hwa) and a detective (Cha Tae Hyun) who hate each other but are forced to work together to try to solve a case.

Brain Works is scheduled to premiere January 2 on KBS.

4. Payback

Payback Korean Drama - Lee Seon Kyun

Payback is a revenge thriller about a businessman (Lee Seon Kyun) and an elite judicial officer (Moon Chae Won) involved in the fight against the injustice of a money cartel working with the law.

Payback is scheduled to premiere January 6 on SBS.

5. Agency

Agency Korean Drama - Lee Bo Young

Agency is an office drama that tells the story of a woman (Lee Bo Young) who overcomes many difficulties to become the first female executive of a top ad agency.

Agency is scheduled to premiere January 7 on JTBC.

6. Season of Kkok Du

Season of Kkok Du Korean Drama - Kim Jung Hyun and Im Soo Hyang

Season of Kkok Du is a fantasy romance about a grim reaper (Kim Jung Hyun) who every 99 years must spend 49 days among the living in a human body. He then meets a doctor (Im Soo Hyang) who is somehow able to order him around.

Season of Kkok Du is scheduled to premiere January 27 on MBC.

7. Can We Be Strangers?

Can We Be Strangers? Korean Drama - Jang Seung Jo and Kang So Ra

Can We Be Strangers? is about a divorce lawyer (Kang So Ra) who meets her ex-husband (Jang Seung Jo), who is also a lawyer, again as a colleague.

Can We Be Strangers? is scheduled to premiere January 18 on ENA.

8. Run Into You (premiere postponed)

Run Into You Korean Drama - Kim Dong Wook and Jin Ki Joo

Run Into You is a time travel mystery about a reporter (Kim Dong Wook) trying to discover the truth behind several murders who travels to the past, and he eventually meets a time traveling woman (Jin Ki Joo) trying to prevent her parents from getting married.

Run Into You is scheduled to premiere January 4 on KBS. (premiere postponed)

CURRENTLY AIRING IN JANUARY:

9. The Interest of Love

The Interest of Love Korean Drama - Yoo Yeon Seok and Moon Ga Young

The Interest of Love follows the realistic love story of people who meet at a bank including a man (Yoo Yeon Seok) whose ordinary life is shaken up when he meets a woman (Moon Ga Young) who is dealing with difficult circumstances.

The Interest of Love airs Wednesday and Thursday on JTBC.

10. Red Balloon

Red Balloon Korean Drama - Lee Jung Jae and Seo Ji Hye

Red Balloon is about a tutor (Seo Ji Hye) who is struggling to become a teacher but will do anything to achieve her goals as well as a man (Lee Jung Jae) who is married to a woman from a rich family but is powerless at his company.

Red Balloon airs Saturday and Sunday on TV Chosun.


AND SO YOU’RE UP TO DATE,
OTHER DRAMAS THAT WILL BE ENDING IN JANUARY:

Alchemy of Souls 2

Alchemy of Souls 2 Korean Drama - Lee Jae Wook

Alchemy of Souls 2 is set in a fictional country and continues the story where a troublemaking young man (Lee Jae Wook) from a noble family with a complicated secret surrounding his birth becomes the student of his servant (Go Yoon Jung/Jung So Min) who is actually a skilled assassin whose soul has been trapped in a weak body.

Alchemy of Souls 2 airs Saturday and Sunday on tvN.

Island

Island Korean Drama - Kim Nam Gil, Lee Da Hee, Cha Eun Woo

Island is a fantasy mystery about the daughter (Lee Da Hee) of a wealthy family who is exiled to Jeju Island and is targeted by a creature that is trying to destroy humans. She meets a man (Kim Nam Gil) who needs her to end his immortal life as well as an exorcist priest (Cha Eun Woo) and they all team up.

Island airs Friday on TVING.

Missing: The Other Side 2

Missing: The Other Side 2 Korean Drama - Go Soo

Missing: The Other Side 2 is a mystery thriller about a town of souls that went missing when they were alive. A group of people including a conman (Go Soo) who uses his skills to help others and his assistant (Ahn So Hee) try to solve the cases surrounding them as they encounter a mysterious man (Heo Joon Ho) who connects the town and the outside world.

Missing: The Other Side 2 airs Monday and Tuesday on tvN.

Unlock My Boss

Unlock My Boss Korean Drama - Chae Jong Hyeop

Unlock My Boss is about an unemployed man (Chae Jong Hyeop) who finds a smartphone, and the smartphone starts talking to him claiming that it is actually the CEO of big company (Park Sung Woong) whose soul is trapped in it. The man then tries to help and find out the truth.

Unlock My Boss airs Wednesday and Thursday on ENA.

The Forbidden Marriage

The Forbidden Marriage Korean Drama - Kim Young Dae and Park Joo Hyun

The Forbidden Marriage is about a king (Kim Young Dae) whose crown princess dies so he forbids marriage in the country, but a con artist (Park Joo Hyun) shows up saying she can be possessed by the spirit of the princess.

The Forbidden Marriage iairs Friday and Saturday on MBC.

Work Later, Drink Now 2

Work Later, Drink Now 2 Korean Drama - Lee Sun Bin, Han Sun Hwa, Jung Eun Ji

Work Later, Drink Now 2 is about a group of single friends in their 30’s including 3 women (Lee Sun Bin, Han Sun Hwa, Jung Eun Ji) and a man (Choi Siwon) who all like to get together and drink after work.

Work Later, Drink Now 2 airs Friday and Saturday on TVING.


What dramas are you looking forward to or enjoying in January?

Make sure to get caught up because there are more dramas coming your way in February!


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14 responses to “10 Korean Dramas You Need to Be Watching in January 2023”

  1. sovietredstar Avatar
    sovietredstar

    Crash course in romance sounds like something I may like.

    1. Kay Avatar

      I’m interested in that one too 🙂

  2. Snow Flower Avatar
    Snow Flower

    Crash Course and the Kim Jung Hyun drama are a maybe. I want to watch The Queen’s Umbrella and also The Forbidden Marriage.
    Currently watching Alchemy of Souls Part 2 and loving it. With 3 episodes left, I hope for a good and satisfying ending.

    1. Kay Avatar

      I have Crash Course on my list and possibly The Queen’s Umbrella and The Forbidden Marriage.

      I’ll definitely be watching Alchemy of Souls 2 very soon. I’m so excited for that one!

  3. Aw Myat Khin Avatar
    Aw Myat Khin

    For me Kokdu: Season of Deity is the best 😘😘😘😘😘😘

    1. Kay Avatar

      It looks like it’s going to be exciting! 🙂

  4. Kate Avatar

    There’s a few on the list worth checking out! Really enjoying Forbidden Marriage and Alchemy of Souls 2 so far.

    1. Kay Avatar

      That there are 🙂 I’m for sure watching Alchemy of Souls. I’m also considering The Forbidden Marriage, Unlock My Boss, and Crash Course in Romance.

  5. sovietredstar Avatar
    sovietredstar

    Just finished Alchemy of Souls 2. looking forward to Kay’s review.

    1. Kay Avatar

      I hope you enjoyed it 🙂 I’m just about to start it myself and am really excited!

      1. sovietredstar Avatar
        sovietredstar

        No spoilers. Very powerful show! I was pleasantly surprised that Ko Yoon-Jung was an excellent “replacement”‘

        1. Kay Avatar

          Yay! I’m so glad to hear that. And that Ko Yoon Jung did well. I’m really looking forward to it 🙂

  6. MyKDramaticLife Avatar
    MyKDramaticLife

    It’s Crash course in Romance and Season of Kkok Du for me. 😊

    1. Kay Avatar

      Both look very promising! 🙂

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