7 best Korean shows on Netflix to watch in 2023 (and the 3 worst to skip)

Netflix is known for having some of the best content streaming on its platform, especially its Korean content. But there are so many Korean shows on Netflix to choose from that it can be a daunting task. No worries! That’s why you have us at Netflix Life to help you out.

We’ve watched tons of Korean shows on Netflix and feel confident enough to share with you our opinions on which ones are good and which ones aren’t worth watching. All you need to do is continue reading to find some good Korean show suggestions. We even included some K-Dramas we recommend that you skip over because they’re just not that enjoyable to watch.

Naturally, we’d start with one of the top Korean shows streaming on Netflix, Sweet Home.

Sweet Home

Watch! Let me start by saying that Sweet Home wasn’t renewed for seasons 2 and 3 for nothing. Overall, the show’s first season received positive reviews from critics, and regular viewers praised the series for its high-quality visual effects, among other things. Sweet Home season 2 is now out as well.

It’s action-packed, has an incredible cast giving outstanding performances, and the epic cinematography will blow you away. Although the CGI needs a little more improvement, it’s not as bad as some other shows.

The show begins with 19-year-old Cha Hyun-soo, who after losing his entire family in a horrific car accident, leaves home to move into a run-down apartment. But soon after his arrival, humans begin to turn into savage monsters, and Hyun-soo finds himself banding together with his neighbors to fight to survive as the monsters try to wipe out all of humanity.

Song Kang, also known as the “Son of Netflix” since he has appeared in many Netflix Korean shows, stars in the leading role of Cha Hyun-soo. Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young, Go Min-si, Park Gyu-young, and many others join him in the cast.

My Demon

Watch! Remember when I said Song Kang is the “Son of Netflix?” Well, he really is because he’s in a new K-Drama on Netflix called My Demon. The first four episodes have come out, and people are already talking about it.

While reviews right now are mixed, we still recommend checking it out. Song Kang and his on-screen love interest Kim Yoo-jung have serious chemistry, and that makes the show even more entertaining to watch.

It tells the love story between an icy chaebol heiress and a 200-year-old powerless demon who initially enter into a contract marriage but ultimately end up falling in love. If you do choose to watch this Korean series, just know that new episodes are released every Friday and Saturday until the season finale.

Once Upon a Small Town

Skip! I wanted to like Once Upon a Small Town because it starred Joy from the Korean girl group, Red Velvet, but this show was a complete letdown to me. Maybe I didn’t like it because it seemed like a rip-off of the Korean drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and I didn’t like that show either. Or, maybe it had something to do with the mediocre acting and its slow pace. All I know is that I couldn’t continue you on past the third episode.

Here’s the official synopsis via Netflix:

"Against his wishes a veterinarian from the big city relocates to the countryside, where he meets a policewoman, a town insider with a friendly secret."

Mask Girl

Watch! If you’re tired of watching all those sappy rom-com Korean shows on Netflix, you should definitely check out Mask Girl. It’s very suspenseful, unpredictable, and an overall enjoyable show to watch featuring an amazing cast of talented actors. Lee Han-byeol, Nana, Go Hyun-jung, Ahn Jae-hong, and Yeom Hye-ran are just some of the actors in the series.

The story centers around ordinary office worker Kim Mo-mi whose always been insecure about her looks. So, she decides to cover up her real identity and face and adopts the internet personality name “Mask Girl.” But she soon finds her life turned upside down when she becomes caught up in a series of unexpected events that end up putting her in prison.

Clean with Passion for Now

Skip! I feel like some people will disagree with me on this show being a skip, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. It stars My Demon star Kim Yoo-jung and fellow South Korean actor Yoon Kyun-sang as two very different people who end up falling in love.

Yoo-jung plays the role of Gil Oh-sol, a young woman with a bright personality but isn’t prone to neatness, while Kyun-sang portrays Jang Seon-kyul, a wealthy man who is germaphobic. As Oh-sol and Seon-kyul begin to work together, they grow closer and sparks start to fly.

While the acting wasn’t bad per se, the storyline was so poorly written that I lost interest quickly.

Strong Girl Nam-soon

Watch! It’s not often that spin-offs work, but I’d say Strong Girl Nam-soon did a good job. Serving as a spin-off series to the 2017 Korean show Strong Girl Bong-soon, Strong Girl Nam-soon follows Gang Nam-soon, a young woman gifted with the power of superhuman strength. After being separated from her birth family at a young age, Nam-soon returns to South Korea as an adult to search for them but finds herself entangled in a drug case.

Squid Game star Lee Yoo-mi stars in the leading role of Gang Nam-soon. Joining her in the cast are Kim Jung-eun, Kim Hae-sook, Ong Seong-wu, Byeon Woo-seok, and many others.

The Glory

Watch! Out of all the shows on this list, I strongly recommend watching The Glory. Critics and viewers alike enjoyed this Korean series, and this comes as no surprise since it stars well-known South Korean actress Song Hye-kyo in the leading role. She never fails to give an amazing performance in any role that she takes on. And she wasn’t the only actor whose acting was top-notch. Lee Do-hyun, who plays another main character in the series, was fantastic as well. The rest of the main cast and supporting cast did a good job too.

This show has everything you’d want in a revenge thriller, including unexpected twists and turns, and you’ll be hooked by the first episode. Also, we must talk about the cinematography. This show is truly a full-blown cinematic masterpiece! Make sure to add this show to your watchlist ASAP.

Here’s the official synopsis via Netflix:

"Years after surviving horrific abuse in high school, a woman puts an elaborate revenge scheme in motion to make the perpetrators pay for their crimes."

The Interest of Love

Skip! I tried watching The Interest of Love when it came out in 2022, but it was something of a snoozefest in my opinion. It was too slow-paced and the story could’ve been told in fewer episodes than 16. If you have time to waste or need something to put on in the background, go ahead and check this show out. But there are better Korean shows on Netflix to watch than this one. Yoo Yeon-seok, Moon Ga-young, Keum Sae-rok, and Jung Ga-ram star in the main roles.

The official synopsis via Netflix is provided below:

"Four men and women working at the same bank get entangled in a complicated romance as they discover how far they’re willing to go for love."

Doona!

Watch! We’re seeing more and more K-Pop stars venture into acting and we love to see it! Bae Suzy, who is a former member of the K-Pop girl group Miss A, stars as a retired K-Pop idol who ends up sharing a house with an ordinary college student in Doona! on Netflix. While they initially don’t get off on the right foot, they eventually become closer and a romantic attraction forms. Yang Se-jong stars as the romantic interest.

I’m not usually a fan of slow-burn TV shows, but somehow Doona! captured my interest and kept it until the very end. Be prepared, though, because the ending will definitely pull at your heartstrings.

King the Land

Watch! King the Land will probably be on every list I do about the best Korean shows on Netflix because it truly is a good show. It stars two K-Pop stars Im Yoon-ah and Lee Jun-ho, and tells their characters’ love story.

Im Yoon-ah plays the role of Cheon Sa-rang, a hotel employee who is known to always have a smile on her place, while Lee Jun-ho portrays Goo Won, the charming heir to the hotel where Sa-rang works. They initially butt heads when they meet, but as they continue to work together, they begin to fall for each other.

Honestly, I’d say King the Land is the best Korean romantic comedy series I watched in 2023. Try to check out on Netflix before the year is over!

What Korean shows on Netflix will you be watching?