Time goes by so fast and we're now on our last scenes of the year before the episode of December ends. Throughout 2022, we have watched K-dramas that gave us amazing cinematography, gripping plot, rom-coms that made us feel extreme kilig, and even thriller dramas that had us on the edge of our seats! Over the years, Korean series never disappoint and the ones released this year are no exception.
Here are the *best* K-dramas of 2022:
1. Alchemy Of Souls (Ongoing)
Who's in it: Jung So Min, Go Yoon Jung, Lee Jae Wook, Hwang Minhyun, Shin Seung Ho, Yoo In Soo, OH MY GIRL's Arin
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Alchemy Of Souls (AOS)tells the story of a young powerful warrior named Naksu whose soul becomes accidentally stuck inside the physically weak body of a blind woman named Mudeok. Her fate becomes intertwined with Jang Uk, the son of one of the most powerful mage families in Daeho, and becomes his servant and master to teach him her skills. Together, they deal with the serious case of the alchemy of souls or the switching of souls within different bodies.
It seems like we have already said this countless times but this series totally woke us up from our K-drama slump. From the chemistry of its cast to the plot and cinematography, everything about AOS is *chef's kiss*! This drama has a great balance of humor and incredible storytelling that will really have the viewers become engaged with every scene that is being unveiled. Not to mention, the kilig scenes from Jang Uk and Mudeok really made us want to scream with happiness! Us fans were really glad that the excitement is extended to more episodes when its second season started airing last December 10. Even though the female lead for the second season is not the same as the first one (Jung So Min, we miss you!), Go Yoon Jung, the new female lead, has also already shown a great sense of synergy alongside the other cast members and amazed viewers with her striking visuals and acting skills.
2. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (June – August 2022)
Who's in it: Park Eun Bin, Kang Tae Oh, Kang Ki Young, Ha Yoon Kyung
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Woo Young Woo is a rookie attorney with autism spectrum disorder who is hired by Hanbada, a major law firm in Seoul. She is a genius but is a bit lacking when it comes to her social skills and recognizing other people's emotions. As she works through the cases assigned to her with her teammates at Hanbada using her unique ways of solving them, she grows closer to the team and also grows as a lawyer.
Every K-drama fan loves Woo to the Young to the Woo because who doesn't? The legendary friendship handshake/greeting by Woo Young Woo and Dong Geu Ra Mi even created a TikTok trend to which K-pop idols hopped in. Watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo served as our comfort K-drama as we walked with Woo Young Woo and her journey to becoming one of the greatest lawyers in Seoul as she also deals with understanding herself more and the people around her. We also loved the way Lee Jun Ho appreciated Woo Young Woo even when she doubted if she is capable of being loved romantically because of her disability. This drama also gave light to viewers with how autism spectrum disorder varies from person to person who has the condition and also enlightened us on how to care for them.
3. Little Women (September – October 2022)
Who's in it: Kim Go Eun, Nam Ji Hyun, Park Ji Hu, Wi Ha Joon
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Little Women revolves around the story of the three Oh sisters who grew up in poverty, but their lives got entangled with one of the most influential families in South Korea. Aside from its star-studded cast, the drama itself had intense plot twists that were engaging to the viewers. We couldn't count the times this mystery-thriller series left us so shocked by each passing scene!
The K-drama also shed light on the socioeconomic inequality issues that society usually faces. It will also make you question your morals and have you imagine what would you do if one day, you suddenly have a whole 70 billion worth of money, but it was acquired illegally by the one who gave it to you. Lastly, what we really liked about this series is the true-to-life depiction of how siblings have their arguments even when we just want to look out for each other and provide them a comfortable life, not wanting them to experience the same hardships you went through (especially as the panganay one in the family).
4. My Liberation Notes (April – May 2022)
Who's in it: Kim Ji Won, Son Suk Ku, Lee Min Ki, Lee El
Where you can watch it: Netflix
My Liberation Notes takes place in the fictional village named Sanpo in Gyeonggi-do and follows the story of three siblings, Yeom Mi Jeong, Yeom Chang Hee, and Yeom Gi Jeong, and a mysterious guy named Mr. Gu who all live a monotonous mundane life. The siblings struggle to make social connections and attend social gatherings. They sometimes miss out on opportunities in Seoul for they live far from their workplaces. Doing the same routine in their small village, they all wanted an escape from the endless maze their lives had been for years.
My Liberation Notes truly belongs to our top three K-dramas that we loved watching this year. While the story is very much slow-paced, we won't deny the times this drama made us yawn. But it also gave us comfort on days when we had a rough time at work or just felt like the whole world was against us. My Liberation Notes became our friend who made us feel that we are not alone in our struggles and that our feelings are valid. What we loved the most about this series is the rawness of every human emotion shown and the realness in every scene. Like we said before, My Liberation Notes is a perfect drama to watch if ever you're feeling lost in your 20s or even 30s.
5. Love In Contract (September – November 2022)
Who's in it: Park Min Young, Go Kyung Pyo, Kim Jae Young
Where you can watch it: Prime Video
Choi Sang Eun's job is all about marriage—she can be your bride to whatever kind of woman you want her to be, or the people around you to be with. Despite having it all, she has a dream of going overseas after she retires from this job and dating someone for real. One of her clients is Jung Ji Ho who is, according to her, her best husband client. They have been married for five years. Kang Hae Jin, a popular actor, becomes her new client because of his situation which Choi Sang Eun could clearly understand. With her being involved with these two clients, she suddenly finds herself in a love triangle.
Love In Contract easily made its way to becoming one of our favorite romcoms this year! Park Min Young really excels in these kinds of roles for her, which makes us look forward to her portraying a different character from before. Her chemistry with the two male leads is undeniably good, and they all know how to add some humor, be extremely emotional, or be funny and overly dramatic when need be. While this drama had a lot of comedic scenes, we were also able to witness the characters' past traumas which made us understand them more. Also, Park Min Young's outfits made us want to sneak into her wardrobe and get some of our favorites!
6. Weak Hero Class 1 (November 2022)
Who's in it: Park Ji Hoon, Choi Hyun Wook, Hong Kyung, Lee Yeon, Shin Seung Ho
Yeon Si Eun is the top student in the class and has a physically weak body. Because of this, bullies target him. However, Si Eun doesn't let the bullies have their way. He fights back, using what he learned like the laws of physics to calculate his every next move. He fights against the violence that happens in and out of his school.
We have been saying this nonstop as well, but Ji Hoon deserves the best actor award for his acting in this web series! His facial expressions are on point, and he made every scene realistic enough to touch the emotions of the viewers. The cast members got along really well, and each of their personalities complemented one another's. This drama gave light to outstanding actors like Choi Hyun Wook and Hong Kyung and it made us appreciate them as artists. We personally like how it seems to encourage people to not back down when treated with injustice and violence because no one deserves that. Also, we appreciate people like Ahn Soo Ho who couldn't stand it when someone is being treated badly. Weak Hero Class 1 showed us how serious bullying may be in some schools and how it can critically affect one's life. The actors' portrayal of their characters will surely have you amazed!
7. Shooting Stars (April - June 2022)
Who's in it: Lee Sung Kyung, Kim Young Dae, Yoon Jong Hoon, Kim Yoon Hye, CNBLUE's Lee Jung Shin
Where you can watch it: Netflix, Viu
It takes a lot for a celebrity to become an A-lister, and we have seen that and more in Shooting Stars. This rom-com revolves around actor Gong Tae Sung whose face is seen everywhere—from bus ads and billboards to product placements on TV. It took a village for him to reach the peak, which includes a super dedicated PR team who is willing to sacrifice their precious time for him and work beyond office hours.
For us, Shooting Stars is the 2022 version of True Beauty in terms of kilig! We were squealing and kicking our feet in the air every time there's a Gong Tae Sung and Oh Han Byul interaction. Despite their constant squabbles, we can't deny that the chemistry is there and it's intense. More than the romance, we love how the K-drama is oh-so relatable, especially to those who are working in the media industry (like us, hehe). It clearly depicted all the blood, sweat, and tears that are needed to make a star shine the brightest.
8. All Of Us Are Dead (January 2022)
Who's in it: Park Ji Hu, Yoon Chan Young, Cho Yi Hyun, Park Solomon, Lee Yoo Mi, Yoo In Soo
Where you can watch it: Netflix
So many zombie-themed series and movies were released in the past years, but for us, All Of Us Are Dead is top-tier. The Netflix Original K-drama is set on a high school campus which became a ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak, and the students turn into totally different creatures after getting bitten. It's survival of the fittest at its finest, and you will want to help them escape their school and continue their lives.
There's just so much to love All Of Us Are Dead (it's already December but we're still attached to it) but we'll narrow them down to three: 1.) The cast has portrayed their characters well. From Choi Yi Hyun's cold (but equally heartwarming) demeanor as Nam Ra to Yoo In Soo's cunning look in his eyes, each of the actors nailed their roles to a T. 2.) The production team's efforts are unmatched. Did you know that Hyosan High School was actually built from scratch? And that scene in the cafeteria was done in one take? WOW. 3.) It's more than just surviving—it's also realizing how the real monsters are sometimes among us, and that the best kind of friends will always look after you no matter how difficult their situation is.
9. Business Proposal (February - April 2022)
Who's in it: Ahn Hyo Seop, Kim Sejeong, Kim Min Kyu, Seol In Ah
Where you can watch it: Netflix
Senior researcher Shin Ha Ri goes on a blind date disguised as her BFF, not knowing that the guy she's meeting is the CEO of her company. She then had to turn into a different person every time they're on a date and at work, and ofc, she was caught by her boss. LOL! Things become more serious between the two after discovering each other's *real* personalities.
Yes, the episodes feature your classic K-drama tropes and some scenes are so cliche, we have already seen them in 123456789 Korean shows. But that's actually what makes Business Proposal a must-watch! It's so refreshing to see a fake relationship, a struggling girl falling in love with a well-off guy, and so much more because it's been years since we saw these plots stitched in a K-drama. In short, Business Proposal is happy happy lang and we're here for it! It's the series you'll want to watch after a long day at work since it doesn't require a lot of ~braining~ to do.
10. Juvenile Justice (February 2022)
Who's in it: Kim Hye Soo, Kim Mu Yeol, Lee Jung Eun
Where you can watch it: Netflix
If feel-good rom-coms are not your cup of tea, then you will love Juvenile Justice. This underrated Netflix gem is on the serious side and it looks closely at delinquents and the shocking crimes they've committed. It also puts the spotlight on South Korea's Juvenile Protection Act, the law which states that those under the age of 14 are not criminally liable.
Juvenile Justice is another K-drama that had us questioning our morals. It made us think about what is the right thing to do when someone is on the losing end, and which punishment is enough to fit a certain crime. Although the topic is heavy and sensitive, we were still immersed in this series because of the fast-paced episodes. It features different offenses committed by delinquents (some of which are based on true stories which made us shiver!), like cheating during a highly important exam and a teenager murdering someone younger than her. Kim Hye Soo is perfect as the lead character for this drama, as she was able to show her deep-seated emotions through her eyes. TBH, Juvenile Justice made us a fan of the veteran actress!
11. Reborn Rich (November - December 2022)
Who's in it: Song Joong Ki, Lee Sung Min, Shin Hyun Been
Where you can watch it: Viu
What would you do if you were reborn rich? For Yoon Hyun Woo who has spent a big chunk of his life working for a conglomerate and was later on framed for embezzlement and killed by the same company, revenge is truly a dish best served cold. Hyun Woo gets reborn as the son of a mega-wealthy businessman, and he plans his vengeance thoroughly against the family who ended his life.
Believe us when we say that any K-drama with Song Joong Ki in it is a series you shouldn't miss. He just outdoes himself with every new project and Reborn Rich is a great example of that! Joong Ki served another version of his acting skills here, far from his past roles where he portrayed a soldier, mafia consigliere, werewolf boy, and more. Reborn Rich also has so many firsts—it's the first K-drama to be broadcasted three times a week, the first to be aired on five streaming services all at the same time (in the Philippines, we can *view* all episodes on Viu), and it's now ranked as the second highest-rating K-drama of all time on cable TV, overtaking the phenomenal SKY Castle. Need we say more?
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