Embark on a thrilling journey this October as the Korean drama scene unveils a spectacular line-up that promises to captivate your heart and leave you on the edge of your seat. From the unexpected twists of “The Perfect Deal,” where high school friendships take a dark and adventurous turn, to the supernatural powers in “Strong Girl Nam-soon” and the comedic chaos of “A Good Day to be a Dog,” this month’s releases promise a rollercoaster of emotions. Here are 10 Korean dramas to add to your watch list in October 2023. From romantic comedies to fantasy romances, there’s something for everyone on this list.
Korean Dramas Releasing In October 2023:
The Perfect Deal on October 6
Where to Watch: Wavve
The Perfect Deal is adapted from the webtoon by the name Deal. It is a story about three high school friends, Lee Joon Sung, Song Jae Hyo, and Park Min Woo, who are now in their twenties. Joon Sung was a superstar soccer player in high school, but his dreams were shattered. He lost his way in life but decided to get his life on track. Jae Hyo is attending Medical School, and Min Woo is the son of wealthy parents and family. One day, all three of them meet for drinks, and Jae Hyo tells his problems to the other two. He stages a kidnapping of Min Woo, hoping to get a billion dollars, but fate has other plans. The fake staging gets out of hand, and it takes all three of them on a turbulent path with unexpected twists and turns.
Strong Girl Nam-soon on October 7
Where to Watch: Netflix
Strong Girl Nam-soon is a spin-off to Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. Nam-soon is a distant cousin of Bong Soon, who also inherited this superpower of strength from her mother. She went missing when she was a child in Mongolia. But as an adult, she decided to visit Korea to find her family. She visits Korea and manages to find her mother, who is living in the wealthy area of Gangnam. She finds out that her mother and grandmother also had this superhuman strength. While staying there, all three women get involved in a drug case that takes place in Gangnam. Lee You Mi from Mental Coach Jegal plays the role of Nam-soon.
A Good Day to be a Dog on October 11
Where to Watch: MBC TV, Viki
An extraordinary story of love and family secrets. This comedic drama revolves around a high school teacher, Han Hae Na, who has a dark family secret. Her ancestors had done something in the past because of that, her family is cursed. Anytime someone kisses them, they turn into a dog for six hours and won’t turn back into natural form unless kissed by the same person in the dog form. Things get problematic when, one day, Han Hae Na gets drunk and kisses one of her colleagues, who isn’t even close to her. She starts to panic, but the man is afraid of dogs, and Han Hae Na is left in a pickle. The drama’s main cast are Cha Eun Wo from True Beauty and Park Gyu Young from Celebrity.
EVILIVE on October 14
Where to Watch: ENA, Genie TV
Evilive is a story about a lawyer, Han Dong-Soo, who randomly picks his clients. He makes his pick by visiting prisons. Han is a very practical man, but he also has a dark side to him that he is beginning to discover. He has a brother, Han Beom-Jae, who works at a second-hand computer shop. Moreover, he helps his brother by bringing him clients. There is something that triggers Han Dong-Soo to go to the dark side, and Han Beom-Jae notices this change. Han Beom-Jae brings Han Dong-Soo a case of a top member of a crime organization. The criminal was a former baseball player who doesn’t have the demeanor of a gangster.
Doona! on October 20
Where to Watch: Netflix
Doona is based on a webtoon of the same name. Doona was part of an idol girl group and was the main vocalist, but suddenly, one day, she announced her retirement. She started to live in a shared space near a university, would barely go out, and lived a quiet life. One day, a young man with no extraordinary background moves into the same space Doona was living in. He is a warm-hearted man who did not expect to share a space with a former idol. Doona slowly starts getting comfortable with this man and leans on him for emotional support. They start getting attracted to each other.
Castaway Diva on October 21
Where to Watch: TVN, Netflix
Castaway Diva is a romantic comedy about a girl named Seo Mok-ha. Mok-ha was an optimistic and bright girl who always dreamt about becoming a singer. In Middle School, she gets a chance to audition in Seoul to become a singer. She eagerly starts her journey for the audition, but she gets stranded on a deserted island on her way there. For 15 years, she lived a lonely life on the island and was rescued. She felt the normal world to be unfamiliar, and it took time for her to adjust to these surroundings, but one thing never changed: her dream to become a singer. She optimistically looked at life and continued to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer and a diva.
High Cookie onย October 23
Where to Watch: KBS
High Cookie is a teen fantasy drama about a cookie that makes people’s dreams come true with just one bite. A couple of people get stuck into this quicksand of high cookies. Choi Soo-Young works as a labor worker in a factory and supports her younger sibling. She gave up on high school as she needed to support her family and started working. Her sibling gets into trouble because of a cookie, and Choi Soo-Young is dragged into the situation.
Seo Ho-Soo is a top performer at Junghan High School. He has a bad financial background, and this private school is filled with rich kids who think of him as a pushover. Yoo Sung-Pil is a consultant for students applying to universities. He takes any method and uses any means, even if it is illegal, to get his students into their desired universities. He starts his new position at Junghan High School and takes a consultant position for the entire 3rd-grade class.
Moon in the Day on October 25
Where to Watch: ENA, Viki
Moon in the Day is a webtoon adaptation and is a fantasy romance series. The story revolves around the possession of Han Joon-O, who is a top star in South Korea. He is a well-rounded person with a perfect physique, tall and handsome, but he suffers from an inferiority complex. He belongs to an entertainment agency that his brother Han Min-O runs. Han Joon-O is shooting an advertisement with firefighter Kang Young-Hwa, but an accident occurs that day. Kang Young-Hwa saves Han Joon-O, but Han Joon-O wakes up being possessed by the vengeful spirit of Do Ha. In the previous life, Do Ha was a nobleman of the Silla dynasty, but the reason for him to become a vengeful spirit was his wife from the previous birth, who had murdered him.
Perfect Marriage Revenge on October 28
Where to Watch: MBN
The story is of love and revenge revolving around the life of Han Yi Joo. Han Yi Joo was adopted, and her father runs a financial group. She is a painter and was never loved by her parents or her sister growing up. She was married to Jung Se Hyeok, but after some time, Han Yi Joo found out that Jung Se Hyeok loved her sister, Han Yoo Ra, and not her. The day she finds out this information, she dies in a car accident.
When she wakes up, she has gone back in time to the time of her engagement. Han Yi Joo decides she needs to take revenge and breaks off her engagement with Jung Se Hyeok. She gets into a contractual marriage with Seo Do Guk, whom her sister wants to marry. Seo Do Guk agrees to the marriage, but he now wants to have a marriage with her that is also made with love.
The Matchmaker on October 30
Where to Watch: KBS, Viki
The Matchmaker is a historical romance drama set in the Joseon dynasty. Jung Soon-Deok is a widow, and her late husband was the second son of the vice-premier. She has a secret life where she works as a matchmaker and a peddler for cosmetics and other accessories for women. Jung goes by the pseudonym Yeojoo-daek. She is considered the best matchmaker in the capital city. Shim Jung-woo is a talented scholar, but his life is turned upside down when his lover, the princess, dies. He joins forces with Yeojoo-daek, and they match single people together. Through this process, they end up brewing some romance between them as well.