It will be another massive year for the South Korean TV industry, and these are the most anticipated drama series of 2023 selected by industry insiders.
TV Daily surveyed the most anticipated dramas set to premiere next year. A total of 106 participants from 36 management agencies picked one project each from TV and streaming shows for the survey.
TV Drama Series
SBS’ The Devil (13 votes) topped the list. Expectations are high as the new drama will be penned by screenwriter Kim Eun Hee and star Kim Tae Ri as well as Oh Jung Sae as its centerpiece.
The third season of SBS’ Dr. Romantic (11 votes) came in second. The industry insiders who voted for the series said, “The fact it’s getting another season explains its popularity and wide acceptance,” while explaining their choice of candidate. JTBC’s Agency and tvN’s Crash Course in Romance (7 votes) landed on the third spot together. Workers in the industry revealed their ‘faith in Lee Bo Young’s acting’ and ‘anticipation for Familiar Wife screenwriter Yang Hee Seung’s new projects’ made them vote for the two series. JTBC’s King the Land (6 votes) ranked fourth as it will mark Lee Joon Ho’s drama comeback after The Red Sleeve.
JTBC’s Sacred Divorce (5 votes) took the fifth spot. The sixth place went to five different dama series: Wedding Impossible (literal title), Queen of Tears (literal title), JTBC’s Doctor Cha Jung Sook (literal title), Doctor Slump (literal title), and Bad Mother (literal title).
Streaming Shows
Netflix’s Sweet Home (17 votes) topped the list as the second and third seasons will premiere soon. Many participants chose the series as the most anticipated show of the year. The major reasons behind their choice were the ‘quality script of Season 2’ and ‘strong fandom created by the original work and Season 1’.
Netflix’s Gyeongseong Creature (15 votes) ranked at No.2 as it will be a unique combination of thriller and period drama. Netflix’s D.P. season 2 (13 votes) came in third. One participant revealed that the “series provokes the most curiosity among all projects slated to be released in 2023.”
Disney Plus’ Moving (8 votes) landed on the fourth spot for its rumored quality script. Two Netflix series landed at No. 5 together: A Time Called You (5 votes), starring Ahn Hyo Seop and Jeon Yeo Been, and Murder DIEary (5 votes), starring Choi Woo Shik, Son Suk Ku and Lee Hee Joon. As for A Time Called You, people expressed their anticipation to see the Korean remake of the famous Taiwanese drama Someday or One Day. Murder DIEary garnered attention for its perfect casting choice.
The sixth place went to Netflix’s Song of the Bandits, Goodbye Earth, Bloodhound, and Queenmaker (4 votes). Netflix’s The Bequeathed (3 votes) came in seventh.
