Six Intriguing New K-Dramas and Korean Films Out in January 2023

The last month of 2022 has remained strong on the K-drama front, with several new Korean series ranking in Netflix's global charts.

Among the streamer's top 10 non-English television series in the week of December 19 to 25 were Reborn Rich (starring major Korean actor Song Joong-ki from the Netflix hit Vincenzo) in 3rd place, Alchemy of Souls: Part 2 as well as Part 1 of the series (ranking 5th and 8th, respectively), according to Netflix.

Rounding out the top 10 was the second season of Single's Inferno, the addictive Korean dating series, according to the streamer.

Here we look at some compelling new K-dramas and Korean films to catch in January 2023 to kick off the new year.

Brain Cooperation

Release date: January 2

Starring long-time Korean actor Cha Tae-hyun (seen recently in Police University on Netflix) and Kwak Sun-young (currently starring in Behind Every Star on Netflix), this action comedy series sees two men attempt to solve a criminal case linked to a rare brain disease, with a help of a neuroscientist (played by actor Jung Yong-hwa) with an extraordinary brain.

The series will be available on the Korean channel KBS2 as well as Rakuten Viki.

Run Into You

Release date: January 4

This fantasy drama series on KBS2 sees a "strange and beautiful" time travel story unfold as a man and woman return to the past.

A news anchor (played by Kim Dong-wook, from You Are My Spring on Netflix) seeking to get to the bottom of a serial murder case and an office worker (played by actress Jin Ki-joo) hoping to prevent her parents' marriage, find themselves stuck in the year 1987.

Payback

Release date: January 6

This action drama series on South Korea's SBS TV channel stars Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun (seen recently on Dr. Brain on AppleTV+).

Payback sees an exhilarating revenge drama unravel as the trader/owner of a global private equity fund (played by Lee) and an elite judicial officer join forces to battle a money cartel that's been colluding with the law.

The Point Men

Release date: January 18

This action thriller movie is one of the most ambitious works from Yim Soon-rye, one of South Korea's leading female film directors, known for Waikiki Brothers (2001) and Three Friends (1996).

The fictional film is based on events that unfolded during the rescue mission of a real-life Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan in 2007. The incident saw 23 South Korean missionaries be held by the Taliban while traveling through southeastern Afghanistan.

The film stars Hyun Bin (the major Korean actor known from various films and K-dramas such as the global hit Crash Landing on You on Netflix) and Hwang Jung-min (who recently played a ruthless Korean drug lord in Narco-Saints on Netflix).

Jung_E

Release date: January 20

This sci-fi film marks the latest pic from Yeon Sang-ho, the acclaimed director known from the zombie thriller movie Train to Busan and the hit Netflix K-drama Hellbound.

The mysterious teaser trailer for the new movie simply features the making of Jung-E, the "most advanced A.I. [artificial intelligence] combat warrior," an elite robot soldier played by Hellbound's Kim Hyun-joo.

Set in the 22nd century at a time when climate change has made the Earth uninhabitable and humans are living in a man-made shelter, war breaks out and "its outcome hinges on the success of brain cloning technology of the legendary robot mercenary Jung-E," Netflix described in a statement.

Kokdu: Season of Deity

Release date: January 27

This fantasy romance sees a grim reaper (played by Kim Jung-hyun from Crash Landing on You) possess a human every 99 years to punish mankind for their sins.

During his latest return to the mortal world, the grim reaper forms a mysterious connection with a doctor (played by Im Soo-hyang from Woori the Virgin, the Korean spin-off of the U.S. series Jane the Virgin), who graduated from South Korea's lowest-ranking medical school.

The series, which airs on South Korea's MBC TV channel, will also be available on Rakuten Viki.