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 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 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 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 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 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 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? 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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!
If you enjoy Kdrama Kisses, would you consider supporting the work I do over on Patreon? You can do so for as little as $1 a month right here:
Sign Up to receive email updates of kdrama casting news, trailers, reviews, and more.
Leave a Reply