Next on Omona's to-watch list: upcoming Kdramas in April 2023
Spring in the northern hemisphere, will spring start for Kdramas too? We'll at least see some veteran actors return, like Uhm Jung Hwa in Dr. Cha, Han Seok Kyu in the long-awaited (for some) Dr. Romantic 3, and Ra Mi Ran in The Good Bad Mother. Often paired with younger actors like Lee Do Hyun, Ahn Hyo Seop and Lee Sung Kyung, these dramas often bridge one acting generation to the next. Some of the dramas on here bring some more original storytelling, like a family where the father works as a spy, or a thief helping out the Korean government to help retrieve Korean artifacts.
Opinions are mine and should be taken lightly as they are just my first impressions. Other thoughts are welcomed!
Previous post: Kdramas in March
I marked trailers with English subtitles with an asterisk (*)
Click to viewDecoy part 2*
Release date: 7 April on CoupangPlay
Runtime: Friday
Cast: Jang Geun Suk, Lee Elijah, Heo Sung TaePlot: Gu Do-Han (Jang Keun-Suk) is a former lawyer, now detective. He chases after the truth behind an unsolved crime, that took place in the past, through cases that take place in the present. Those he crosses paths with are Reporter Cheon Na-Yeon (Lee Elijah) and a swindler named No Sang-Cheon (Heo Sung-Tae).
Add to watch-list or skip? I don't remember the first part coming out?? The premise sounds kind of interesting but I'll skip
Pale Moon / Paper Moon
Release date: 10 April on ENA/Studio Genie
Runtime: Monday & Tuesday
Cast: Kim Seo Hyung, Yoo Sun, Seo Young Hee, Lee Shi WooPlot: Tells the story of a bank contract employee who accidentally touches a customer's money and irreversibly deviates from their normal daily life.
Add to watch-list or skip? You know that when it's Kim Seohyung, it's going to be a drama with an original plot and good acting. I am not completely sure to what extent this drama will be accessible outside Korea, though.
Stealer: the Treasure Keeper*
Release date: 12 April on TVN
Runtime: Wednesday & Thursday
Cast: Joo Won, Lee Joo WooPlot: Hwang Dae Myung is an official with the Cultural Heritage Administration living a double life.
He’s a pathetic civil servant by day and a daring thief by night. When the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s cultural property team recovers some of the country’s missing cultural assets, both of his lives start to unravel.Add to watch-list or skip? I'm kind of excited because the plot reminds me of a spin of White Collar, a show that I used to love. And it sounds different from the types of Korean dramas that have come out lately. I hope we'll get to learn something about Korea's cultural heritage through this show too. Keeping my eye on this one! (and the show will have only 12 eps!)
Bo! Ra! Deborah
Release date: 12 April on ENA/TVING
Runtime: Wednesday & Thursday
Cast: Yoo In Na, Yoon Hyun Min, Joo Sang Wook, Hwang Chan Sung, Park So JinPlot: The series follows the romantic journey of Yeon Bo Ra, a celebrated love coach and successful author of romance novels, and Lee Soo Hyuk, a charming man who grapples with matters of the heart.
As a discerning publishing planner, Soo Hyuk is not easily impressed and initially has a negative impression of Bo Ra. However, their lives become entangled unexpectedly, and he becomes increasingly drawn to her.
Meanwhile, Han Sang Jin, Soo Hyuk's friend and business associate, heads the Jinri book publishing company.Add to watch-list or skip? I'll have to see more teasers before I'll decide to commit to this drama or not, but I might check it out because I love Sojin in every drama I've seen her in so far... When will she get a lead role??
Queenmaker*
Release date: 14 April on Netflix
Runtime: Friday
Cast: Kim Hee Ae, Moon So RiPlot: The “womance” drama tells the story of two women who used to lead starkly different lives, but leave everything they know behind to combine forces and create a just and truthful world.
Hwang Do Hee is a skilled career woman who hasn’t come down from her 12 centimeter (approximately 4.7 inch) high stilettos for the past 12 years. She’s the best in her field of President Identity (PI) consulting and is the leader of the Strategic Planning Office at Eunsung Group, the third best domestic business. By analyzing the appearance, voice tone, habits, preferences, rumors, and fatal weaknesses of the Eunsung Group’s owner’s family, she is able to perfectly present them in a way that reduces owner risk. Despite all her hard work in this field, she overcomes adversity to work towards making Oh Seung Sook the mayor of Seoul.
Oh Seung Sook is a labor rights lawyer nicknamed “crazy rhinoceros.” For the past 20 years, Oh Seung Sook has plowed through like a “rhino’s horn” for common people and workers and is a self-proclaimed Korean Lady of Justice. She is the president of the Women’s Worker Association, Korean Women’s Human Rights Wave, and leader of the Worker’s Solidarity with Rights foundation, proving her charm as a powerful female lead who stops at nothing to protect the weak. As a current labor rights lawyer and a popular YouTuber, Oh Seung Sook has no interest in authority, but thanks to the help of “Queen Maker” Hwang Do Hee, she becomes determined to become the mayor of Seoul.Add to watch-list or skip? The two leads promise good acting and I do like that one of the leads is a labor rights lawyer fighting for women's rights! If I'm in the mood for it, I might give it a go.
Doctor Cha
Release date: 15 April on JTBC, Netflix
Runtime: Saturday & Sunday
Cast: Uhm Jung Hwa, Kim Byung Chul, Myung Se Bin, Min Woo Hyuk, Plot: Cha Jung Sook is married to Seo In Ho, who works as a chief surgeon at a university hospital. He has a strict, sensitive and thoroughgoing personality. Cha Jung Sook has been a full time housewife for the past 20 years, giving up her career as a doctor during her medical resident years. After all those years, she decides to restart her medical resident course.
Add to watch-list or skip? It feels really weird to see Uhm Junghwa in a medical show?? I can't really assess the tone and storyline progression of the show on the basis of the few teasers I've seen but the premise is promising.
The Fate of Heaven
The video is an unsubtitled script reading - all i could find!
Release date: 17 April on MBC
Runtime: Monday to Friday
Cast: Kim Yoo Suk, Jeon Hye Yeon, Seo Han Gyeol, Jung Woo Yeon, Jin Joo Hyung, Go Eun Mi, Jo Eun Sook, Lee Hoon, Byun Woo Min, Jo Mi RyungPlot: The work depicts the lives of two women, Lee Hae In, and Kang Se Na, who fell into different fates as children.
Add to watch-list or skip? I can't find much on this drama yet except for that it's a long-form (120 eps) drama airing every day.
Family: the Unbreakable Bond*
Release date: 17 April on TVING, TVN
Runtime: Monday & Tuesday
Cast: Jang Hyuk, Jang Na Ra, Chae Jung An, Kim Nam HeePlot: Kwon Do Hoon is an expert sniper and a secret agent working for the National Intelligence Service. To conceal his true identity, he lives a double life as a regular trading company employee, keeping even his wife Kang Yoo Ra in the dark. Though he is occupied with his work, Kwon Do Hoon cherishes his wife deeply. Meanwhile, Kang Yoo Ra, a dedicated homemaker, harbors a secret. Their tranquil existence is thrown into turmoil when Tae Koo emerges, posing a threat to their carefully crafted façade.
Add to watch-list or skip? I went in with zero expectations but the teasers look kind of fun?? I like this role for Jang Nara! When I first saw the Korean teasers I thought it could be a Disney movie and lo and behold, it might be streaming on Disney+ sites later on too!
Queen of the Mask
Release date: 24 April on Channel A, Viki
Runtime: Monday & Tuesday
Cast: Kim Sun Ah, Oh Yoon Ah, Shin Eun Jung, Yoo SunPlot: The war of jealousy and desire of four friends, one of them became a murderer due to lies of the others 10 years ago and appeared in front of the three successful friends.
Add to watch-list or skip? If you're looking for a female-led revenge drama, this might be the one for you this April!
The Good Bad Mother*
Release date: 26 April on Netflix, JTBC, TVING
Runtime: Wednesday & Thursday
Cast: Ra Mi Ran, Lee Do Hyun, Ahn Eun Jin, Yoo In SooPlot: A drama about a mother, Young Soon, who has lived for her child all her life, and her son, prosecutor Kang Ho, who suffers from amnesia in an unexpected accident and goes back to being a child.
Add to watch-list or skip? I severely dislike amnesia plotlines but I do love mother-child stories and other teasers showed some fun friendship moments for both the mom and the son's character...
Dr Romantic season 3
Release date: 28 April on SBS
Runtime: Friday & Saturday
Cast: Han Seok Kyu, Lee Sung Kyung, Ahn Hyo Seop, Kim Joo HeonPlot: tba! But it will follow the second season of this show and will largely have the same cast.
Add to watch-list or skip? Don't cancel me Omona but I never cared for the Dr Romantic series...
Source: Drama information via MyDramalist & AsianWiki | Trailers via CoupangPlay, Studio Genie, Drama Drop, ENA, Netflix K-Content, JTBC Drama, MBC Drama, Disney+ Singapore, Channel A, Kdrama Zone, Limelight | gif via michyeosseo
What are you watching Omona? I'm watching Taxi Driver season 2, Oasis and I just started The Secret Romantic Guest House!