12+ New K-Dramas To Check Out In December 2023

Believe it or not, it’s already the final month of the year! This holiday season, cozy up indoors while watching various new K-dramas with your loved ones.

Here are new K-dramas to check out in December:

“Sweet Home 2”

Cast: Song Kang, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Si Young, Go Min Si, Park Gyu Young, Jung Jinyoung, Yoo Oh Sung, Oh Jung Se, Kim Moo Yeol, etc.

Premiere Date: December 1

Broadcast Details: all episodes released simultaneously at 5 p.m. KST on Netflix

Based on a webtoon of the same name, “Sweet Home” is a popular series about Cha Hyun Su (Song Kang), a loner high school student who moves into a new apartment when monsters start breaking out among humanity and the apartment residents are trapped inside the building. Season 2 will focus on how Cha Hyun Su and other survivors struggle to survive after leaving Green Home.

“Welcome to Samdalri”

Cast: Ji Chang Wook, Shin Hye Sun, Kim Mi Kyung, Seo Hyun Chul, Shin Dong Mi, Kang Mina, Kim Do Eun, Yoo Oh Sung, Kim Ja Young, Yoo Soon Woong, Lee Jae Won, Yang Kyung Won, Kim Min Chul, etc.

Premiere Date: December 2

Broadcast Details: Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 p.m. KST on JTBC

“Welcome to Samdalri” is about Jo Yong Pil (Ji Chang Wook), a man who has faithfully stayed in his hometown on Jeju Island all his life in order to protect its residents, and Jo Sam Dal (Shin Hye Sun), who grew up together with Jo Yong Pil as his close childhood friend. Unlike Jo Yong Pil, who was content to remain in his hometown Samdal, Jo Sam Dal made it her mission to get out of their small town and move to Seoul. 

“2023 KBS Drama Special” – “Overlap Knife, Knife”

Cast: Kim Dong Hwi, Jo Ah Ram, Shim Yi Young, Joo Suk Tae, Seo Yi Seo, etc.

Premiere Date: December 2

Broadcast Details: 11:10 p.m. KST on KBS2, available on Viki

For its annual Drama Special, KBS broadcasts a collection of short dramas that are one episode each and TV films. “2023 KBS Drama Special” features a total of 10 projects including eight short dramas and two TV films, and the final short drama “Overlap Knife, Knife” is set to air in December (along with the two TV films). “Overlap Knife, Knife” is about two people who are trying to protect their loved ones and end up traveling back in time.

 

“Night Has Come”

Cast: Lee Jae In, Kim Woo Seok, Choi Ye Bin, Cha Woo Min, Ahn Ji Ho, Jeong So Ri, etc.

Premiere Date: December 4

Broadcast Details: 12 a.m. KST on December 4, December 11 through 14, and December 18 through 21, available on Viki

“Night Has Come” is a teen mystery thriller about a group of high school students who are forced to play a deadly real-life version of the mafia game during a class retreat. The drama will depict the intense psychological warfare between the students as they attempt to identify the mystery killer—while also trying to avoid dying a gruesome death.

 

“Soundtrack #2”

Cast: Geum Sae Rok, Noh Sang Hyun, Sohn Jeong Hyuck, etc.

Premiere Date: December 6

Broadcast Details: Wednesdays on Disney+

A follow-up to Han So Hee and Park Hyung Sik’s popular drama “Soundtrack #1,” “Soundtrack #2” is a romance drama about an ex-couple that meets again by chance. Geum Sae Rok stars as Do Hyeon Seo, a piano tutor who is more focused on her present reality than on love, while Noh Sang Hyun is her ex-boyfriend Ji Su Ho, who became a wealthy and successful CEO after their breakup. 

“Maestra: Strings of Truth”

Cast: Lee Young Ae, Lee Moo Saeng, Kim Young Jae, Hwang Bo Reum Byeol, Park Ho San, Yang Jun Mo, Kim Young Ah, Ye Soo Jung, Kim Min Kyu, Lee Jung Yul, etc.

Premiere Date: December 9

Broadcast Details: Saturdays and Sundays at 9:20 p.m. KST on tvN

Based on the French series “Philharmonia,” “Maestra: Strings of Truth” is a new thriller starring Lee Young Ae as Cha Se Eum, a brilliant and legendary conductor who uncovers truths hidden within her orchestra while hiding secrets of her own. As only 5 percent of the world’s conductors are women, Cha Se Eum has fought her way to the top through a combination of hard work and innate genius. 

“Death’s Game”

Cast: Seo In Guk, Park So Dam, Kim Ji Hoon, Choi Siwon (Super Junior), Sung Hoon, Kim Kang Hoon, Jang Seung Jo, Lee Jae Wook, Lee Do Hyun, Go Yoon Jung, Kim Jae Wook, Oh Jung Se, etc.

Premiere Date: December 15

Broadcast Details: all episodes of Part 1 released simultaneously on TVING

“Death’s Game” tells the story of a man who gets more than one second chance at life after facing death. Park So Dam will play the role of Death, who sentences a man named Choi Yi Jae (Seo In Guk) to 12 cycles of life and death right before his first life is about to end. 

“Snap and Spark”

Cast: Wooyeon (woo!ah!), Jeon Geon Hu, Kangmin (VERIVERY), Seo Soo Hee, E.JI (ICHILLIN’), Lee Jin Woo (GHOST9), etc.

Premiere Date: December 15

Broadcast Details: Wednesdays and Fridays at 6 p.m. KST

“Snap and Spark” is a web drama about students at Korea Arts High School where social media likes determine the social hierarchy. Moon Ye Ji (Wooyeon) is an influencer at the top of the social ladder who successfully gets everything she wants—except for the heart of her male friend Cha Su Bin (Jeon Geon Hu).

“Like Flowers in Sand”

Cast: Jang Dong Yoon, Lee Joo Myung, Yun Jong Seok, Kim Bo Ra, Lee Jae Joon, Lee Joo Seung, etc.

Premiere Date: December 20

Broadcast Details: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9 p.m. KST on ENA

“Flowers Bloom Even in the Sand” is a new romance drama about the story of youths struggling to bloom in their lives on a ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling sport) ring against the backdrop of Geosan, a city famous for ssireum. The drama follows ssireum prodigy Kim Baek Doo (Jang Dong Yoon) and his first love Oh Yoo Kyung (Lee Joo Myung).

“Gyeongseong Creature”

Cast: Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee, Claudia Kim, Kim Hae Sook, Jo Han Chul, Wi Ha Joon, etc.

Premiere Date: December 22

Broadcast Details: all episodes of Part 1 released simultaneously at 5 p.m. KST on Netflix

Set in the dark times of Spring 1945, “Gyeongseong Creature” tells the story of an entrepreneur and a sleuth who must fight for survival and face a monster born out of human greed. Park Seo Joon plays Jang Tae Sang, the most wealthy man in Gyeongseong and the owner of the pawnshop Golden Jade House who becomes intertwined with Chae Ok (Han So Hee), who searches for missing people. Watch a teaser here!

“Between Him and Her”

Cast: Donghae (Super Junior), Lee Seol, Jeonghwa (EXID), Kim Hyun Mok, Baek Soo Hee, Yoon Ye Joo, Im Jae Hyuk, Choi Won Myeong, Yeon Je Hyung, etc.

Premiere Date: December 26

Broadcast Details: Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. KST on Channel A, available on Viki

Based on a popular webtoon, “Between Him and Her” is a realistic and relatable romance drama which aims to draw out the simultaneous emotions of boredom and affection that exist for long-term couples. Donghae takes on the role of Jung Hyun Sung, who ambitiously launches a street fashion brand but struggles, whereas Lee Seol portrays Han Sung Ok, a jewelry designer who has been dating Jung Hyun Sung for seven years. Watch a teaser here!

“My Happy Ending”

Cast: Jang Nara, Son Ho Jun, So Yi Hyun, Lee Ki Taek, Kim Hong Fa, Park Ho San, Kim Myung Soo, etc.

Premiere Date: December 30

Broadcast Details: Saturdays and Sundays at 9:10 p.m. KST on TV Chosun, available on Viki

“My Happy Ending” is a psychological thriller about a woman who faces a shocking truth after being betrayed by those she trusted. Seo Jae Won (Jang Nara) achieved her dreams after years of hard work stained with blood, sweat, and tears, but her seemingly perfect life begins to fall apart after hidden secrets of those around her—her supportive husband, father, and trusty colleagues—come to light one by one.

 

cr: Soompi