The hustle and bustle of life could be a little overwhelming to deal with. At times, we had to adapt to a certain degree of dissociation to cope with everything on our plate. However, the more we detach ourselves from real-life stressors, the more I crave to feel something from the fictional series I consumed this year. Hence, my top K-dramas this year are series that made me feel something.
Revenant
My romance-and-rainbow-loving self would have never predicted that in 2023 I would include a horror series in my top K-dramas of the year. KimTae-ri and Oh Jung-se’s performance in this show was goosebump-inducing. The whole story and how it unravels is also one of the best narratives among K-series this year. I would not be surprised if Revenant sweeps nominations in the next award season.
Queenmaker
I always liked political dramas – be they historical or contemporary. But make one with two seasoned versatile actresses and it would surely top my list of favorites this year. Queenmaker is one cleverly made series with enthralling characters you’d either root for or hate to the core. If you like thought-provoking but still compelling political series, then Queenmaker should be on your must-watch list.
The Good Bad Mother
I have qualms about including this Ra Mi-ran and Lee Do-hyun series in my top list of K-dramas. I wasn’t that satisfied with how it was wrapped up but the other elements in this series outweighed the not-so-good one. One major reason why this still deserves a spot on my 2023 list is the engrossing performances of Ra Mi-ran as Jin Young-soon. Lee Do-hyun and Ahn Eun-jin did well in this series but it was really the experienced actress that took over this series by a mile. From her comic timing to her emotional dialogues, Ra Mi-ran delivered a heartfelt performance and showed the complexities of motherhood.
Crash Course in Romance
2023 started sweet and fun with this Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho hit rom-com series. Even though I’ve watched several other romance stories this year, my favorite couple is still banchan store owner Nam Haeng-seon and Math star teacher Choi Chi-yeol. Their love story is a delight to watch, not to mention the interesting subplots happening around them. From romance to heartwarming family tales and friendships, Crash Course in Romance has it all.
Daily Dose of Sunshine
Daily Dose of Sunshine has been on my list of to-watch K-dramas ever since they announced that it would be top-billed by Park Bo-young. I didn’t expect it to become my best watch this year. It is a well-meaning series that aims to bring awareness to different mental health conditions. From the visual representation of the characters’ struggles to their emotional journey to healing, Daily Dose of Sunshine is a series that will make one feel seen and understood.
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