The 5 greatest Korean dramas to stream on Netflix this spring -

Have we lastly entered the Netflix Ok-drama period the place every little thing is a sequel or a derivative? No — there are nonetheless fairly a number of unique Ok-dramas making their method to our Netflix queues this coming spring, from the wacky comedy of Hen Nugget to an all-new romance from the author of Hallyu traditional Crash Touchdown on You.

Nonetheless, I’ve positively began to note fairly a number of upcoming collection are linked to current hits. From a Hospital Playlist spinoff to the upcoming third season of Candy Dwelling, Netflix Ok-dramas aren’t feeling fairly as contemporary as they as soon as had been. This isn’t essentially a foul factor — in spite of everything, we’re additionally getting a brand new season of sports activities actuality hit Bodily: 100 on March 19 — nevertheless it positively looks like the tip of an period. With that in thoughts, listed below are the 5 most promising upcoming Korean dramas, each gloriously new and splendidly linked to beloved hits, which you can anticipate on Netflix this spring.

Queen of Tears

Launch date: March 9
Episode depend: 16 (two episodes weekly)
Beneficial for followers of: Crash Touchdown on You, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, My Liberation Notes

Most romance dramas — Korean or in any other case — comply with a tried-and-true path that largely spans the start of a relationship. We begin with a meet-cute, the 2 fall in love, and possibly we get a marriage or interval of bliss earlier than the curtain closes. Queen of Tears is exclusive as a result of its story is principally involved with every little thing that comes after that sequence of occasions.

Queen of Tears facilities the fairy-tale romance between authorized director Baek Hyun-woo (It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’s Kim Soo-hyun), who grew up in the course of nowhere, and Queen Division Retailer director Hong Hae-in (My Liberation Notes’ Kim Ji-won), a chaebol heiress. The 2 married throughout social courses for love, however have since grow to be something however a fairy story. They’ve fallen out of affection, or so it appears, and the Ok-drama will comply with the story of how they discover their method again to at least one one other.

The present comes from celebrated Hallyu scribe Park Ji-eun, the pen behind hits like Crash Touchdown on You and My Love from the Star, so Queen of Tears has all of the makings of a future Ok-drama traditional.

Hen Nugget

Launch date: March 15
Episode depend: 10
Beneficial for followers of: Dirk Gently, Transferring, fried hen

I’m not going to faux the setup isn’t unusual: When a mysterious cupboard turns firm supervisor Choi Solar-man’s daughter into a piece of gangjeong fried hen, Choi and intern Go Baek-joong do every little thing they will to revive her to human kind. That is being touted as a “black comedy,” and I get the place that comes from — having a member of the family became one thing tasty is horrifying — however tonally, from the seems to be of the trailer, this present goes to be pure-hearted enjoyable.

With a premise so wacky, this Ok-drama may fall anyplace between the most effective collection of 2024 and the worst. Its spot on that spectrum lies within the execution, and with Choi Solar-man — who additionally performed a fried chicken-adjacent dad in 2023 Ok-drama breakout Transferring — as a lead, we’re in good palms. Masks Lady’s Ahn Jae-hong additionally stars because the intern, with shorter appearances from My Demon’s Kim You-jung because the pre-chickenified daughter and Squid Sport’s Jung Ho-yeon in a cameo.

The collection is customized from a Webtoon of the identical Korean title, and unique author Park Ji-dok can be penning the Netflix adaptation. Previous that, each trailer occasion of Ryu Seung-ryong as Choi Solar-man making an attempt to guard the orange-y hen nug that he assumes to be his beloved daughter made me snigger. And that’s not nothing.

The 8 Present

A man reads a book at a table in drab white clothing in The 8 Show

Launch date: TBD this spring
Episode depend: TBA
Beneficial for followers of: Squid Sport, Alice in Borderland, that one episode of Physician Who

Counting down the times to the second season of Squid Sport? The 8 Present would possibly assist. The Ok-drama tells the fictional story of eight people who find themselves invited to seem on a actuality selection TV present referred to as Cash Sport. If the eight folks can stand to dwell in an eight-story concrete fortress for 100 days, they get to separate the winnings equally. The prize cash begins at 44.8 billion received (round $33.6 million), and naturally, there’s a catch. They’ll select to spend the cash on requirements reminiscent of meals, water, and electrical energy, nevertheless it comes out of the winnings — and the requirements value 1,000 occasions their regular value. Good luck, guys!

The collection is customized from a Webtoon story referred to as Cash Sport (I assume that was too near Squid Sport), and is helmed by movie writer-director Han Jae-rim (The Face Reader, Emergency Declaration). Ryoo Joon-yeol, who starred in 2022 interval hit The Night time Owl, will lead the forged. Actually, if Netflix was going to shamelessly go after a Squid Sport-alike, they might have been a lot lazier than this. This forged and artistic group are top-notch. The 8 Present may very well be terribly nice, similar to the present that presumably impressed its greenlighting.

Resident Playbook

Launch date: TBD this spring
Episode depend: TBA
Beneficial for followers of: Hospital Playlist, Gray’s Anatomy, Name the Midwife

Hospital Playlist follows a dynamic group of physician mates who all work at one Seoul hospital — um, they usually have a band collectively. It’s one of many extra profitable and constantly entertaining Ok-dramas of the previous few years, incomes it two seasons and counting. Now, it additionally has a derivative…

Resident Playbook is ready in the identical fictional universe as Hospital Playlist, however will comply with a distinct group of physician mates at a distinct Seoul hospital. Apparently, Resident Playbook will comply with residents coaching to grow to be OB-GYNs. Obstetrics and gynecology are the branches of drugs that concentrate on being pregnant and childbirth care, in addition to the prognosis and remedy of ailments of the related reproductive organs, which truthfully opens up a complete host of fascinating storylines associated to the lives of ladies in South Korea.

The collection is led by younger actress Go Youn-jung, who has given memorable performances in Candy Dwelling, Alchemy of Souls, and Transferring. I’m excited to see what she will be able to do with this function.

Hierarchy

Launch date: TBD this spring
Episode depend: TBA
Beneficial for followers of: Elite, Badland Hunters, SKY Fort, The Glory

Who doesn’t love a teen drama? The format is a part of what allowed Ok-dramas to pave the way in which as a world popular culture phenomenon, and we don’t get as many teen-centric Ok-dramas as we as soon as did. Enter Hierarchy, an upcoming teen revenge romance a couple of group of scholars at Jooshin Excessive, a Korean personal faculty for the 1%. When Kang Ha arrives, he’s the uncommon switch scholar to an establishment the place registration is just about decided at delivery. The collection’ synopsis teases a secret hiding behind Ha’s harmless smile which will deliver down the complete faculty. Hwaiting!

The collection has a younger forged, together with Badland Hunters teen Roh Jeong-eui starring as Jung Jae-yi, the daughter of a chaebol, and Crash Course in Romance’s Lee Chae-min (additionally present Music Financial institution MC!), the son of a totally different chaebol. (Just about everyone seems to be the offspring of a chaebol.) Alchemy of Souls: Mild and Shadow director Bae Hyun-jin is behind the digital camera. This collection may technically are available early summer time, as it’s merely listed as “Q2” in Netflix promotional supplies. Every time it graces our eyeballs, we can be prepared.