Since Covid-19 hit the world like a wrecking ball, Netflix has been one of our best companions in times of uncertainty and loneliness. This was especially so in 2021, with the release of several breakout series such as Squid Game, My Name, Single’s Inferno, and Hellbound. All eyes are on what Netflix Korean has in store for us this year, and the streaming platform looks set to live up to expectations. Be ready to binge-watch 23 new Korean shows on Netflix in 2022, including films and K-dramas. Looks like the year is off to a great start, folks.
Table of Contents
Image credit: @netflixkr
Main Cast:
If a zombie apocalypse were to take place in your school, what would you do?
Packed with a gripping plot and a cast of rising stars, All Of Us Are Dead is adapted from the Korean webtoon named Now At Our School.
A zombie apocalypse creates chaos in a high school. Every second counts for the students, who have to fight the virus and survive. They gather and work together to avoid being infected by the zombie virus. Will they come out alive? If so, who will survive the brutal and gruesome apocalypse?
Don’t miss out on the trailer of All Of Us Are Dead here:
Video credit: Netflix Korea 넷플릭스 코리아
Korean title: 지금 우리 학교는
Genre: Zombie, thriller, action, horror
Airs on: 28th January 2022
Image credit: Netflix
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Twenty-Five, Twenty-One takes us on a stroll down memory lane as it’s a sentimental drama that focuses on the beauty of our youth.
Due to the Asian financial crisis, Baek Yi-jin and his family struggle to make ends meet. Yi-jin’s main job is a reporter, but he has to work several part-time jobs on the side to support his family.
Another youth who is severely affected by the crisis is Na Hee-do, a fencing athlete. She has big dreams of becoming a national fencer, but her dream crumbles into pieces due to her unprecedented new circumstances.
With friendship and romance being the central themes, this drama touches on loss and dilemma, and also sheds light on hope and growth.
Watch the trailer of Twenty-Five, Twenty-One here:
Video credit: tvN drama
Korean title: 스물다섯 스물하나
Genre: Romance, youth, friendship
Airs on: 12th February 2022
Image credit: Netflix
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Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area may sound familiar to you as this series is a remake of the popular Spanish drama titled Money Heist.
This drama follows a team of talented and brilliant thieves. “The Professor” and his crew implement and execute a heist in the Korean Peninsula, but their plan falls through as they face a string of unexpected events and predicaments.
Catch the trailer of Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area here:
Video credit: Netflix Korea 넷플릭스 코리아
Korean title: 종이의 집
Genre: Crime, action, thriller, mystery
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: Netflix
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Forecasting Love And Weather is one of the most highly awaited rom-com dramas of 2022. It follows the highs and lows of those who work at the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Jin Ha-kyung does her best at work, but she’s strict about separating her professional life from her personal life. Following a break-up with someone from her office, she makes it a personal goal to never date her colleagues again.
She realises that her goal is easier said than done as she begins to catch feelings for Lee Si-woo, a competent and attractive newbie on her team.
You can watch the teaser of Forecasting Love And Weather here:
Video credit: JTBC Drama
Korean title: 기상청 사람들: 사내연애 잔혹사 편
Genre: Melodrama, romance
Airs on: 12th February 2022
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Adapted from the Korean webtoon of the same name, Black Knight deals with a global issue that feels close to home – air pollution.
Set in the year 2071, only one percent of the population has survived as a result of alarming living conditions and air quality. The daily lives of those who have remained are no longer the same as they cannot go about without a respirator mask.
To make matters worse, the Korean Peninsula is organised by social stratification due to limited resources. However, as the saying goes, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” There is hope for survival, particularly for those who become delivery drivers.
The role of delivery drivers is of the utmost importance, and “5-8” is an exemplary driver who is adept at his job. Sa-wol, a refugee, wants to be like him, and does everything he can to emulate the legendary driver.
Korean title: 택배기사
Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Do you think our society should be accountable for juvenile delinquency? Well, Juvenile Justice says that we have a part to play in creating a change for what society calls “problem youths”.
Sim Eun-seok is a mesmerising judge and she’s no pushover. One day, she’s appointed to a juvenile delinquency court. But this is no good news to Eun-seok because she has an aversion to juvenile delinquents.
But her new appointment may not be all that bad after all. Slowly but surely, she gains a new perspective of the complex relationship between society and these troubled teenagers.
Korean title: 소년심판
Genre: Law, crime
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: Netflix
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Combine romance with friendship and you’ll get a candid yet moving drama titled Thirty Nine.
Cha Mi-jo, Jung Chan-young, and Jang Joo-hee are 39 years old. They’ve been best friends since their high school days, and they’re turning 40 soon.
Mi-jo is a successful dermatologist, Chan-young is an acting coach, and Joo-hee works as a cosmetics sales manager at a department store. Their lives are smooth-sailing until an unexpected event forces them to separate and bid their farewells.
Check out the trailer of Thirty Nine here:
Video credit: JTBC Drama
Korean title: 서른, 아홉
Genre: Slice-of-life, romance, friendship
Airs on: 16th February 2022
Image credit: Netflix
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What happens when Grim Reapers, a symbol of death, engage in saving lives instead?
Choi Joon-woong is one of the many unemployed youths in Korea whose wish is to find a stable job. Out of the blue, his wish comes true – but in the most inexplicable way possible.
One night, Joon-woong comes across two Grim Reapers, Goo Ryun and Im Ryung-goo, in the midst of their mission. They work at a Crisis Management Team, and they’re tasked to save those who are trying to take their own lives.
Eventually, Joon-woong joins the team as a contract worker. He works alongside the Grim Reapers and embarks on a journey to save lives.
Watch the teaser of Tomorrow here:
Video credit: MBCdrama
Korean title: 내일
Genre: Action, fantasy
Airs on: 6th May 2022
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Imagine living in a society that perceives marriage as a commercialised institution and lucrative business. Remarriage & Desires depicts such a world, but in a satirical way.
A matchmaking agency called Rex successfully infiltrates the upper class, who are driven by never-ending greed.
The agency assists the rich to become more powerful and affluent by matchmaking them with the elites from the “Black” tier. People in the “Black” tier belong to the top 0.001 percent of the entire population.
Korean title: 블랙의 신부
Genre: Satire, crime, mystery
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: Netflix
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Adapted from the popular Korean webtoon of the same name, Business Proposal is an office romance drama that involves the CEO and his employee.
Shin Ha-ri’s friend is supposed to go on a blind date, but she asks Ha-ri to go instead. Upon her friend’s request, Ha-ri agrees with no knowledge of who her date is.
To her surprise, Kang Tae-moo, the CEO of the company where she works, is her date. As their relationship deepens, they figure out a way to hide their feelings for each other from their colleagues.
Catch the teaser of Business Proposal here:
Video credit: SBS Drama
Korean title: 사내 맞선
Genre: Romance, comedy
Airs on: 21st February 2022
Image credit: @netflixkr
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The Sound Of Magic is reminiscent of Peter Pan and Wendy as it revolves around Rieul, a grown-up magician who wants to remain as a child, and Yoon Ah-yi, a girl who was forced to grow up too fast due to family issues.
Rieul is a mysterious character who lives in a neglected amusement park. He encounters Ah-yi at the amusement park, and performs his magic tricks in hopes of comforting her.
Despite her difficult family circumstances, Ah-yi excels in her studies. Her classmate, Na Il-deung, is determined to take Ah-yi’s spot as the top student in school. But in the midst of their fierce competition, they catch feelings for each other.
Fun fact: The Sound Of Magic will be directed by Kim Sung-yoon, also known as the director of Itaewon Class.
Korean title: 안나라수마나라
Genre: Slice-of-life, psychological, music
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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A Model Family is only for those with a heart of steel as it’s an intense drama that revolves around crimes, drugs, and violence.
Dong-ha’s life is a mess to say the least. Not only is he in debt, but he’s also on the verge of splitting with his wife, Eun-joo. One day, Dong-ha chances upon a car laden with cash. The cash belongs to Gwang-cheol, the second-in-command of a drug cartel.
Following this incident, Dong-ha unexpectedly becomes involved with a bloodthirsty drug organisation. As a result, he has to stand up to the cartel in hopes of protecting his family.
Korean title: 모범가족
Genre: Crime, mystery, action
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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What would you do if your soon-to-be husband goes missing out of the blue?
Hong Ji-hyo and her boyfriend of four years dream of building a future together. However, he suddenly vanishes into thin air one day.
Desperate to find him, Ji-hyo asks her fellow club members for help. One of them is Heo Bo-ra who works as a YouTuber and Twitch streamer.
As they embark on an uncertain journey to track down Ji-hyo’s boyfriend, they encounter a series of mysterious events and a secret.
Fun fact: Glitch was written by Jin Han-sae, also known as the creator of the popular Netflix series Extracurricular.
Korean title: 글리치
Genre: Comedy, mystery, thriller
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Based on a true story, The Accidental Narco revolves around a government agent and a drug lord.
Kang In-gu used to be an entrepreneur, but he becomes involved in a governmental mission. He works alongside government agents who are tasked to apprehend Jeon Yo-hwan, a drug lord.
The Accidental Narco is one of the most highly anticipated dramas as it features a stellar cast of veteran actors such Park Hae-soo – now better known as Sang-woo in Squid Game – and Hwang Jung-min.
Korean title: 수리남
Genre: Crime, thriller
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
Main Cast:
When fashion meets passion, we get a dash of romance and a sprinkle of friendship.
Pyo Ji-eun possesses a bubbly personality and is proficient at her job. She’s the chief of a fashion advertising agency, and she has been passionate about fashion since young. Although the reality of the fashion industry is harsh and brutal, she does her best to keep her head above water.
Ji Woo-min is a freelance retoucher who works with photographers to enhance digital photos. He’s adept at his job, but unlike Ji-eun, he’s not passionate about it.
Korean title: 더 패뷸러스
Genre: Romance, youth, slice-of-life
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
Main Cast:
Nam Kang-ho and Yeo Mi-ran share something in common: they don’t believe in love. But what happens when two anti-romantics catch feelings for each other?
Mi-ran is a successful career woman who works as a lawyer. She’s opinionated and hard-headed, and she can’t tolerate losing to men.
Kang-ho is a famous actor, and he’s well-loved for his acting skills and personality. Although he collaborated with several actresses, he’s not big on romance and love. To make matters worse, he doesn’t trust women.
Love To Hate You focuses on the power of love despite distrust and cynicism, and it depicts how love can develop in the most unexpected ways.
Korean title: 연애대전
Genre: Romance, comedy
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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A social dating app called Somebody becomes intertwined with a murder case. Som, the developer of the dating app, and her police officer friend Ki-eun get involved in the mysterious incident.
In the midst of their investigation, they encounter Sung Yoon-oh. He’s an amicable architectural designer who’s well-liked by the people around him, but they soon find out that behind his friendly demeanour hides a mysterious figure with a secret.
Korean title: 썸바디
Genre: Mystery, psychological thriller
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Carter is named after the show’s protagonist, who works as an agent. One day, he wakes up with his memory completely wiped.
Despite the inexplicable circumstance, he is tasked to join a life-and-death mission. As he carries out his duty, we get to see the internal conflicts and struggles that Carter faces during a time of uncertainty.
Korean title: 카터
Genre: Espionage, action, mystery
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Love And Leashes sets itself apart from other rom-com films as the protagonist, Jung Ji-hoo, has an unusual and peculiar taste in women.
His co-worker, Jung Ji-woo, catches feelings for him before she’s privy to his secret. As they delve into a unique relationship like no other, Ji-hoo is put in a difficult position as he’s at risk of getting his secret exposed.
Fun fact: Love And Leashes marks Seo Hyun’s movie debut.
You can watch the trailer of Love And Leashes here:
Video credit: Netflix Korea 넷플릭스 코리아
Korean title: 모럴센스
Genre: Comedy, romance
Airs on: 11th February 2022
Image credit: @netflixkr
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It’s the year 1999, and Na Bo-ra falls in love for the first time with Pung Woon-ho. What begins as a heart-racing relationship ends on a tragic note.
Life goes on, and it’s now the 21st century. Bo-ra lives her day-to-day life as per normal until news about Woon-ho reaches her. Several years have passed since their break up, but memories of her first love remain ingrained in her heart and mind.
Korean title: 20세기 소녀
Genre: Melodrama, school, youth
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Yaksha: Ruthless Operations focuses on the battle between a prosecutor and the head of an espionage team.
Kang-in, better known as “Yaksha”, is an intelligent yet ruthless man who is in charge of an espionage team located in Shenyang, a city in China.
One day, Kang-in stumbles upon Ji-hoon, a prosecutor tasked with a confidential mission.
Korean title: 야차
Genre: Thriller, crime, action, espionage
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Set during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Seoul Vibe follows a crew of drivers known as the Sangedong Supreme team.
The team puts their talent to good use as they begin to investigate a complicated robbery involving illicit transactions.
Besides gripping car chasing scenes, this film is also packed with a star-studded cast.
Korean title: 서울대작전
Genre: Action, crime
Airs on: TBA
Image credit: @netflixkr
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Set in the 22nd century, JUNG_E is a film that takes you to a dystopian sci-fi world.
Earth is no longer a place humans can call home as climate change has made it an unliveable place. As a result, a temporary shelter is built for the people.
With heightening tension among the people living in the shelter and the collapse of their daily lives, a war breaks out.
As people begin to look for solutions, they come up with a plan to clone the heroic and professional soldier named Jung E and turn her into a robot
Fun fact: JUNG_E was directed by Yeon Sang-ho, also known as the director of Train To Busan, Peninsula, and Hellbound.
Korean title: 정이
Genre: Sci-fi, dystopia, action
Airs on: TBA
We hope the slew of Korean Netflix shows airing in 2022 successfully enticed you. If there are any titles that have caught your attention, be sure to add them in your to-watch list. Who knows, 2022 could be the birth year of yet another series that will be an international success!
Also check out:
Cover image adapted from: Netflix, Netflix and Netflix
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