Over the past several years the popularity of K-dramas has been shot into the stratosphere. Some of the most popular shows Netflix has produced have been K-dramas, which include Squid Game, All of Us Are Dead, and The Glory. Once a month we’ll be keeping track of all of the most hotly anticipated K-dramas coming to Netflix as ranked by the users of the Asian drama fan site, My Drama List.
If you want to find our larger list of the most anticipated movies and TV shows on Netflix, we have ongoing articles for both.
We also have a large preview of all of the known K-dramas coming to Netflix in 2023 and beyond.
Unlike our other most anticipated lists, we’ll be keeping track of all of the returning K-dramas to Netflix.
Note: My Drama List’s popularity rankings are correct as of August 30th, 2023
10. Goodbye Earth
Episodes: 12 | Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast: Ahn Eun Jin, Yoo Ah In, Jeon Sung Woo, Kim Yoon Hye, Seo Ye Hwa
Release Schedule: Full | Netflix Release Date: 2023
MDL Rankings: 36,667| MDL Popularity: 4300
Considering the controversy surrounding actor Yoo Ah In, we’re lucky that the show hasn’t been pulled, or forced into a huge number of reshoots. We’re still expecting to see Goodbye Earth on Netflix before the end of 2023.
“An examination of despair and hope in individuals aware of an asteroid hurtling towards Earth, signifying the end of the world.”
9. Queen of Tears (Season 1) N
Episodes: 16 | Genre: Drama, Romance
Cast: Kim Soo Hyun, Kim Ji Won, Park Sung Hoon, Kwak Dong Yeon, Na Young Hee
Release Schedule: Weekly | Netflix Release Date: 2024
MDL Ranking: 36,755 | MDL Popularity: 4236
Filming is currently ongoing for Queen of Tears, and K-drama fans are already super excited to see the likes of Kim Soo Hyun, and Kim Ji Won on Netflix once more.
Baek Hyun Woo, who is the pride of the village of Yongduri, is the legal director of the conglomerate Queens Group, while chaebol heiress Hong Hae In is the “queen” of Queens Group’s department stores.
8. Murder DIEary (Season 1) N
Episodes: 7 | Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Cast: Choi Woo Shik, Son Seok Koo, Lee Hee Joon, Jeon Hyun, Lee Jae Woong
Release Schedule: Full release | Netflix Release Date: 2024
MDL Ranking: 36,784| MDL Popularity: 4017
D.P.’s Son Seok Koo will star alongside Choi Woo Shik and Lee Hee Joon in Netflix’s exciting new K-drama thriller.
The story follows Lee Tang, an ordinary college student, who gets into an argument with a customer during a part-time job at a convenience store at night, unconsciously swings a hammer, and kills him. Suffering from guilt and fear of murder, Lee Tang learns one day that the person he killed was a serial killer and slowly realizes that he has a supernatural ability to identify “bad seeds”. He soon becomes a dark hero who punishes people who committed unethical evils in the past.
7. You Have Done Well (Season 1) N
Episodes: 12 | Genre: Drama, Romance
Cast: IU, Park Go Bum, Moon So Ri, Park Hae Joon, Na Moon Hee
Release Schedule: Full release | Netflix Release Date: 2025
MDL Ranking: 36,805 | MDL Popularity: 3877
K-pop star IU will star in her next Netflix project in You Have Done Well, However, subscribers have a long wait ahead of them as the K-drama isn’t expected on Netflix until sometime in 2025.
Ae Soon is rebellious but gets nervous every time she rebels. She isn’t well off but is always shining and full of positivity. She dreams of becoming a poet, although she is unable to attend school, and she is a bold character who doesn’t hide any emotions. Gwan Shik is an extremely diligent and quiet character. Romance isn’t a strength for him, however, and he doesn’t know how to act if Ae Soon cries or laughs, but he is a silent warrior who only loves Ae Soon from the very beginning and pours his all into loving her.
6. Daily Dose of Sunshine (Season 1) N
Episodes: 12 | Genre: Drama, Medical
Cast: Park Bo Young, Yeon Woo Jin, Jang Dong Yoon, Lee Jung Eun, Lee Sang Hee
Release Schedule: Full release | Netflix Release Date: 2023
MDL Ranking: 36,726| MDL Popularity: 3470
We expect Daily Dose of Sunshine to be a dark horse on Netflix, and become one of the most popular K-dramas to be released on the platform in 2023.
A healing drama about the many kinds of incidents that take place in a psychiatric ward. Based on the actual real-life experiences of a psychiatric nurse, the drama will revolve around the story of nurse Jung Da Eun.
5. Doona! (Season 1) N
Episodes: 9 | Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Cast: Bae Suzy, Yang Se Jong, Park Se Wan, Lee Yoo Bi, Lee Jin Wook
Release Schedule: Full Release | Netflix Release Date: October 20th, 2023
MDL Ranking: 36,742 | MDL Popularity: 3179
With the first images of Doona! now available, K-drama fans are losing their minds at how incredible Bae Suzy looks in the lead role. We’ve already seen some fantastic K-dramas on Netflix in 2023 but Doona! certainly has the potential to be one of the biggest to drop on the streaming service this year.
When Joon moves into his new apartment on his first day of college, he wasn’t expecting beautiful ex-celebrity Duna to be living downstairs. Joon tries to avoid her at first, but finds himself growing more and more curious about her mysterious life.
4. All of Us Are Dead (Season 2) N
Episodes: TBA | Genre: Action, Horror, Thriller
Cast: Park Ji Hoo, Yoon Chan Young, Jo Yi Hyun, Lomon
Release Schedule: Full release | Netflix Release Date: 2024
MDL Ranking: 36,779 | MDL Popularity: 2223
All of Us Are Dead was a smash hit on Netflix, and is the second most popular K-drama on the platform after Squid Game. There was plenty of debate surrounding whether or not a second season should happen, but buckle up for even more ravenous zombies.
A high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must fight their way out — or turn into one of the rabid infected.
3. A Time Called You (Season 1) N
Episodes: 12| Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller
Cast: Jeon Yeo Been, Ahn Hyo Seop, Kang Hoon, Lee Min Goo
Release Schedule: Full release | Netflix Release Date: September 8th, 2023
MDL Ranking: 36,550 | MDL Popularity: 2017
“Han Jun Hee’s boyfriend Ko Yeon Jun died one year ago. She still hasn’t gotten over his death and misses him a lot. One day, she somehow travels back in time to the year 1998 and finds herself as high school student Kwon Min Joo. There, she meets high school student Nam Si Heon. She is surprised to see how much Nam Si Heon resembles her late boyfriend Ko Yeon Jun.”
2. Squid Game (Season 2) N
Episodes: 6*| Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Cast: Lee Jung Jae, Lee Byung Hun, Wi Ha Joon, Park Gyu Young, Gong Yoo
Release Schedule: Full release | Netflix Release Date: TBA
MDL Ranking: 36,694 | MDL Popularity: 1547
To date, Squid Game is still the most popular series Netflix has ever released. Filming has just started and is expected to last for at least ten months. The wait is long, but hopefully, we’ll see the K-drama drop on Netflix before the end of 2024.
1. Gyeongseong Creature
Episodes: 10 | Genre: Action, Thriller
Cast: Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee, Wi Ha Joon, Kim Su Hyun, Kim Hae Sook
Release Schedule: Full | Netflix Release Date: December 22nd, 2023
MDL Ranking: 36593 | MDL Popularity: 1497
Han So Hee has already made a name for herself with Netflix subscribers thanks to the great K-drama series My Name. Likewise, Park Seo Joon has impressed audiences with his performances in shows such as Itaewon Class, and Record of Youth.
“The thriller series follows individuals going up against monstrous creatures that were born out of human greed. Set in the spring of 1945, in the city of Gyeongseong, the series is highly anticipated due to the sheer amount of talent tied to it.”
What K-dramas are you looking forward to watching on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!