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Netflix presents their 2024 K-content lineup

A new year means a new Netflix reel highlighting all the upcoming projects down the pipeline. From dramas to movies and even variety shows, the streaming platform promises a spectrum of entertainment including new series and awaited sequels. Hopefully there will be something for everyone to enjoy!

Drama: Chicken Nugget
Release date: Q1 2024
Need to know: If the title sounds strange, wait until you hear the synopsis. Based off the sleeper hit webtoon, this mystery comedy stars Ryu Seung-ryong as a dad on a mission. His daughter, played by Kim Yoo-jung, turns into a chicken nugget, so to bring her back, he enlists the help of Ahn Jae-hong, an intern with a crush on her. Director Lee Byeong-heon will be at the helm, making this an Extreme Job reunion between him and Ryu. Given their past works, I have high hopes for this odd show.

Drama: Queen of Tears
Release date: March 9, 2024
Need to know: Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won play a married couple. Need I say more? This upcoming rom-com is a bit of a reverse Cinderella story with Kim Soo-hyun marrying Kim Ji-won, the “queen” of Queens Department Store, but their happily-ever-after is in danger. Written by Park Ji-eun of megahits such as Crash Landing on You and You From Another Star and co-directed by Jang Young-woo (Bulgasal) and Kim Hee-won (Little Women), this drama is stacked both on screen and off.

Drama: A Killer Paradox
Release date: February 9, 2024
Need to know: This thriller starring Choi Woo-shik and Sohn Seok-gu is about an accidental serial murderer and the detective on his tail. Based off a four-panel webtoon that utilized a peculiar medium to capture a gruesome topic, I’m curious to see how the story will translate to the screen. Premiering in just a couple of days, this show might be the perfect thing to binge if you’re looking for something dark this weekend.

Drama: Parasyte: The Grey
Release date: Q2 2024
Need to know: The title might sound familiar to some since Parasyte: The Grey is the Korean adaptation to the beloved manga, which already has an anime and two live-action films. For those new to the story, Parasyte is about mysterious parasites that invade earth by entering humans to use as hosts to kill others. The cast includes Jeon So-nee, Gu Kyo-hwan, and Lee Jung-hyun, but the biggest draw for me is Director Yeon Sang-ho. No stranger to animation or adaptations, Yeon started with short film animations and then gained acclaim with zombie-thriller Train to Busan. If anyone in Korea can capture the horror of the original, it’s him.

Drama: The 8 Show
Release date: Q2 2024
Need to know: Adapted from the webtoons Money Game and its sequel Pie Game, this Netflix series is about eight individuals invited to a reality show where they must survive for 100 days to win a large cash prize which they can then split amongst themselves. The cast is filled with notable talents including but not limited to Ryu Joon-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, and Park Jung-min. While it might sound similar to Netflix’s other hit show, I’m hoping some key differences in setup such as the limited number of participants and the option for everyone to win will create a psychological thriller that probes at human nature and the folly of late-stage capitalism.

Drama: Resident Playbook (working title)
Release date: Q2 2024
Need to know: This spin-off of Hospital Playlist returns to Yulje Medical Center, but instead of the five friends we’ve grown to love, the show follows a batch of new interns. Taking on the lead role, Go Yoon-jung plays a first-year OB-GYN resident alongside her cohort, which includes a cast of fresh faces and up-and-coming talents. While I think original Hospital Playlist has run its course, I’m curious to see how this spin-off will continue the story under a new director and writer.

Drama: Hierarchy
Release date: Q2 2024
Need to know: While stories about the education system have been a staple source of inspiration for Korean dramas, I definitely think the success of Sky Castle spurred a trend towards examining elites and their views on schooling. Adding to this growing list of dramas is Hierarchy, a show about the top 0.01% and the high school established to maintain the status quo. Noh Jung-eui and Kim Jae-won play the aforementioned rich kids, but their world starts to crack when Lee Chae-min transfers to their school.

Drama: The Whirlwind
Release date: Q3 2024
Need to know: Powerhouse actors Sol Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae star in this political drama about a prime minister trying to uproot a corrupt president and the deputy prime minister of economy who fights against him. I can’t quite tell if this series will touch on the current political climate of Korea (which is ripe for drama, to put it lightly) or if it will tread with caution as to not incur anyone’s ire, but with Park Kyung-soo (Whisper, Punch) penning the scripts, I know the story will be rich and layered, regardless. Also, I’m excited to hear both actors deliver Park’s poetic monologues with the gravitas they deserve.

Drama: The Frog
Release date: Q3 2024
Need to know: Kim Yoon-seok returns to the small screen after 18 years, and I couldn’t be more excited! This mystery thriller centers around a cottage in the woods, and Kim Yoon-seok’s days of peace are shaken by the appearance of Go Min-shi. The Netflix series also stars Yoon Kye-sang as a figure who once owned the same cottage and the ever-fabulous Lee Jung-eun as a police officer observing the strange man who lives there.

Drama: The Trunk
Release date: Q4 2024
Need to know: Seo Hyun-jin and Gong Yoo are blessing our screens as a couple, but there’s a catch. Based off the eponymous novel, the show is about a contract marriage service that provides clients with one-year marriages. Seo Hyun-jin works, essentially, as a professional wife, and her fifth customer is widowed Gong Yoo who still grieves his late spouse. As this unusual couple gets to know each other, a strange trunk pops up in a lake, bringing with it secrets about this mysterious company. I will admit, the premise is out there, but Director Kim Kyu-tae’s latest works have both been hits for me. Plus, it’s Seo Hyun-jin and Gong Yoo!

Drama: Mr. Plankton
Release date: Q4 2024
Need to know: Like plankton drifting in the sea, this romantic comedy is about a man who was born as a mistake and the unluckiest woman in the world. Starring Woo Do-hwan and Lee Yumi, these two strangers are forced to travel together — he’s looking for his unknown dad, and she’s looking for her runaway fiancé. Like any good road movie, I’m expecting the show will be more about what these characters learn along the way than the things they find at the end of their journey. Also starring are Oh Jung-se and Kim Hae-sook, which are names I’m always happy to see.

In addition to the series above, Netflix also teased the return of some existing shows:

  • Sweet Home 3 — Q2 2024
  • Gyeongseong Creature 2 — Q3 2024
  • Hellbound 2 — Q4 2024
  • Squid Game 2 — Q4 2024

As for the Korean films coming to Netflix:

  • My Name is Loh Kiwan (Song Joong-ki) — March 1, 2024
  • Officer Black Belt (Kim Woo-bin, Kim Sung-kyun) — Q3 2024
  • The Great Flood (Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-soo) — Q4 2024
  • Uprising (Kang Dong-won) — Q4 2024


On top of all that, the streaming platform has also announced a whole slew of variety shows, both new and returning:

  • Risqué Business: The Netherlands and Germany — February 20, 2024
  • Physical: 100 S2 – Underground — Q1 2024
  • Agents of Mystery — Q2 2024
  • Super Rich in Korea — Q2 2024
  • The Influencer — Q3 2024
  • Single’s Inferno 4 — Q4 2024
  • Zombieverse 2 — Q4 2024

 
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Very interesting line up and I am quite excited for many dramas here!
I was hoping Gong Yoo had a drama other than SG2 this year, so I was super thrilled to see his name here!

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One and only time I'll ever say it: I have to hand it to Netflix; this is certainly an interesting line-up. Pretty much every drama here (sequels not necessarily counted) is something I was already planning on watching or something that has now piqued my interest. Well done. That actor lineup is insane.

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They do seem to have first pick now as an international streaming platform... and they pick well. In addition to making good choices for the dramas they choose to fund directly.

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That's true. While I'm aware that their originals get a mixed reception on DB for deviating from the kdrama staples we so love and cling to (which is absolutely not a bad thing! we all require our comfort watches!), my impression has been generally positive. I just wish they'd stop with the single-drop method; I'm not a fan and it makes me lose interest and/or forget them quickly.

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agree except I like the single drop so I can binge watch them.

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Me too.

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My ADHD makes binge-watching tough and downright a nuisance at times, but I'm happy to see it work well for so many people.

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Me three.

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I mostly dislike the single drops too. I almost never feel like I can drop everything else I’m doing and watch one straight through when it comes out, but then I feel like I can’t go anywhere near the hangout or review article unless I want spoilers, so there isn’t much Beanie conversation on single drops for me. And I find if I don’t get to them soon enough, I just forget about them because no one is talking about them after the first week, so sometimes I leave shows unwatched even when I meant to get to them.

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I find that the single drop is not good for the weekly episodes discussions. Less fun to comment on dramabeans.

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They have money. It helps to pay the actors!

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💸 If they can afford Gong Yoo I'm fine. 😍

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Me too!

But sadly, it becomes more difficult for the public channels. They can't pay as much the actors or the production.

TVN "stole" Jeong Nyeon from MBC.

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That is sad since the public channels make more authentic stories and Netflix tends to make its series appeal to global audience.

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Many of these upcoming shows I already see Netflix has added onto their “Worth the Wait” list on their website and app, as I saw yesterday when I was on it. Some I’m excited for, and others I’m just indifferent, but I can’t say that I am completely uninterested in what’s upcoming

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I like it when they do this! It’s fun to see all the drama plans all at once sometimes.

Chicken Nugget sounds bizarre (obviously) but I’ve thought that about other kdrama premises and been pleasantly surprised so maybe it will be amazing!

I’m definitely going to watch Queen of Tears. At the very least it will be so so pretty (with these leads and directors), and CLOY remains my fav drama.

Also intrigued by A Killer Paradox, but I don’t always get to the single drop shows immediately. Excited to see Choi Woo-sik and Son Seok-gu though no matter how it ends up turning out!

Tentatively interested in Hierarchy, The Whirlwind, and The Frog, but VERY interested in The Trunk and Mr. Plankton. Sounds like a good year!

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The poster that I saw for “Heirarchy” makes it seem like there will be some queer aspects to it, which is awesome— yay for representation!!— and if it really does have those aspects included, I hope that it is done right. I have found that many times for East Asian dramas that DO have that inclusive narrative just end up doing it as an audience grab/for clicks & views and don’t really follow up with it nor do it justice and—frankly— will actually end up sweeping that aspect and that part of the narrative under the rug and pretend it never happened by the drama’s end 😒

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Ooh, I didn't know that about Hierarchy! I hope it has some solid representation and that it gets handled well (and actually handled at all).

(As a total aside, the first time I read through your comment, I saw your word "DO" and my mind instinctively read "D.O." as in Doh Kyung-soo, and then I had to read it again to figure out what you were actually saying because that obviously didn't make sense 😂 Can you tell who my bias is?)

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😂😂😂🤭🤭🤭😘😘😘😏😏😏

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Queen of Tears and The Trunk ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

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LOL, „Chicken Nugget“. Sounds like something you watch randomly after a night out when you just cannot fall asleep, then awake baffled the next morning, with an inexplicable appetite for junk food - and the nagging feeling to have made a terrible mistake. 😂 Not saying it cannot be good.

The rest sounds hit-and-miss for me, but I’m pretty sure I’ll end up having a look at QUEEN OF TEARS, RESIDENT PLAYBOOK (maybe without making the mental connection to its predecessor), THE TRUNK and MR PLANKTON.

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🤣Loving your description of Chicken nugget.

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I am weirdly excited for this nugget drama.. LOL.
Imagining Ryu Seung-ryong looking at a chicken nugget lovingly, caring for it and carrying it around in his shirt pocket makes me feel warm.. What happens if the nugget goes bad? Does the girl die? How do they tell this nugget from other OG nuggets? Can they store it in the fridge? Can the nugget talk?
Exciting times!!

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You’ve asked all the questions I have about this show and I worry they could be answered by episode 2 and then what?

I’ll have to work hard to avoid spoilers from the webtoon because it sounds like it has the potential for some seriously nutty twists.

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LOL! Oh, I can sense ALL of the PPL:
* Various fast food chains, obvs
* Shirts with fat stain resistant pockets and/or
* Vanish Oxi Action
* Tupperware with integrated cooling pads
* Tiny, tiny face masks
* Protein coffee

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‘* Shirts with fat stain resistant pockets and/or
* Vanish Oxi Action‘ 👈🏾🤣 love it
‘Tupperware with integrated cooling pads’👈🏾 I read this and thought Oh wow who knew that was a thing😆

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What a line up, way to go Netflix! I'm most looking forward to
-The Impossible Heir, Lee Jae Wook--February 29
-Queen of Tears, Kim Soo-Hyun
-Resident Playlist, prequel to Hospital Playlist
-My Name Is Loh Kiwan, Song Joong-Ki

Not so sure about the chicken nuggets.

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Chicken nugget, sounds so weird it has to be tried but sometimes the humour doesn’t work for me! Queen of tears, Resident Playbook, and Mr Plankton on paper will keep me subscribed.

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The line up looked VERY cool but I was confused by the lack of Weak Hero Class 2 and the inclusion of Zombieverse S2. Zombieverse was popular and successful enough to warrant a second season?!

I guess WHC2 won't be airing until way later in the year.

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Q4 is going to be crazy. That is a long wait, lol.

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Local TV channels are already having a hard time competing with Netflix. 😔 The profits that Netflix makes are insane compared to what the local productions make. Knowing this, I still watch their shows with guilt.
This list has some of my favorite writers and actors.
Dramas:
Chicken Nugget - Ryu Seung-ryong and Kim Yoo-jung
Queen of Tears - Kim Gab-soo
A Killer Paradox - Choi Woo-shik and Sohn Seok-gu
The 8 Show - Ryu Joon-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, and Park Jung-min
The Whirlwind - writer Park Kyung-soo, Sol Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae
The Fog - Kim Yoon-seok
The Trunk - Seo Hyun-jin and Gong Yoo
Mr. Plankton - Woo Do-hwan,Oh Jung-se and Kim Hae-soo
Hellbound 2 - Kim Sung Cheol

FILMS:
My Name is Loh Kiwan (Song Joong-ki)
Uprising (Kang Dong-won)

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if it makes you feel better, Netflix apparently operates at a loss every quarter. though that opens another can of worms...

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I didn't know they were also making MMO games until a friend got laid off. His pay at Netflix tripled what he used to make at Blizzard. He said they don't even know what they are doing, just throwing money out the window.

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Seems like there's something for everyone. Surprisingly (because I'm usually not that keen on Netflix show), there are several that caught my attention. Hopefully they turn out to be good.

▪︎Chicken Nugget: This one is just odd enough, but combined with trusted team that could actually make it work.
▪︎A Killer Paradox: The fact that it has Sohn Seok-gu is tempting, but I have a long standing love-hate relationship with Netflix thriller. I'll have to see how gruesome this is going to be.
▪︎The Frog: It reminded me of old drama specials, where the grim-sounding synopsis led us towards profound messages. I'm not sure it would work that way with a Netflix series, but one can hope.
▪︎The Trunk: I miss Seo Hyun-jin, and this sounds intriguing. (Plus a collaboration with Gong Yoo to boot!)
▪︎Mr. Plankton: The comeback project of It's Okay Not to be Okay's writer. That a big enough incentive for me.

I'm also looking forward for PD Jeong Jun-yeong's newest variety show Agents of Mystery. It sounds exactly like my kind of fun.

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I thought The Impossible Heir was going to be on Netflix in the US. I have been waiting, now I want to cry. Where will the US be able to see it?

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I believe Disney+! Same though, wondering if I should renew my Disney+ subscription...

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That means it'll be on Hulu as that's where Disney+ puts their kdramas in the US.

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What happened to Hong Rang? I thought it was going to be on Netflix in early 2024? You don't have it listed.

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Another Hospital Playlist ? Why not 5 or 6 ?
Meanwhile, the female cast Prison Playlist won’t happen and will exist only in my head . 😞

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I don't like the excess of serial killers in my rom-coms, but now I am starting to think I have it the wrong way round- those are actually all thrillers and mysteries that happen to have some rom-com added to them, aren't they? Certainly the thriller/mystery/horror genres seem to be the most popular. Oh well. I will probably watch the chicken nuggets, because that sounds too surreal to be missed. But I'm not excited about anything on the list. Will be happy to read everyone elses thoughts though, and who knows, maybe I will start watching something if the comments are excited enough ( and its not too gory)

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is it just me or are there so many kdramas coming out nowadays? i recently saw a youtube video sharing a list of 42 shows (including netflix shows) to release in 2024. no time to watch them all anymore 😭

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Most of them probably aren’t the genres we like so that will narrow the watch list. Maybe watching all the ones you like live may be an issue if they all come out at the same time but there will be enough gaps to binge watch them at a later date. The current week day watch schedule is pretty empty these days so if this continues you would be able to spread the overloaded weekend dramas in to the week. I hope you find enough dramas to fill your watch schedule.

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Wow, Chicken Nugget... And I thought the "Unlock the Boss" premise was bizarre! I'll be tuning in, though!

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That’s the thing, we will all tune in thinking it can’t be as ridiculous as it sounds, but it will be exactly that and we all leave wondering why we thought it could have been something other than bizarre.

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It's like we never learn. Smh. Hahaha

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Sol Kyung-gu finally pops up in a drama! With Kim Hee-ae!! And best of all, written by Park Kyung-soo!!! I hope Park Kyung-soo's script compensates Kim Hee-ae for the unsubtle and implausible Queenmaker.

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Yup, Queenmaker is a disappointment. What a pity with KHA and MSR.

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CHICKEN NUGGET sounds appropriately bonkers and could be wonderful in the right hands... so I'll give that one a go.

Other than that, I might try THE TRUNK, MR PLANKTON and PARASYTE: THE GREY. And I'm down for HELLBOUND 2 and GYEONGSANG CREATURE 2.

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Going to watch
Chicken Nugget - Ryu Seung-ryong and Kim Yoo-jung
Queen of Tears - Kim Gab-soo, Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won
The Whirlwind - writer Park Kyung-soo, Sol Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae
The Trunk - Seo Hyun-jin and Gong Yoo

FILMS:
My Name is Loh Kiwan (Song Joong-ki)
Uprising (Kang Dong-won)

May watch:
Mr. Plankton - Woo Do-hwan,Oh Jung-se and Kim Hae-soo

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Thanks for the first news I've seen about The Whirlwind in over 6 months. I thought maybe they deep-sixed it. Just sorry it has to have the Netflix logo on it.

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Zombies! Aliens! Sci Fi! and also Gong Yoo! Man there is going to be a lot of juicy gore. njom njom njom

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Chicken Nugget is so weird that I think I'm gonna have to watch it. Excited for quite a few of these, actually!

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I am just admiring @lovepark's summaries! They are engaging and the commentary adds a lively personal touch. Thank you for your hard work.

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What a list - hardly anything I don’t like.

Excited with the movie elites crossing to dramaland - cant wait to see them over 8 - 12 episodes.

With The Bequeathed being just OK, will discount anticipation for Parasyte: The Grey since also coming from the Train To Busan team.

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Waah! Really an interesting lineup! Definitely watching more KDramas in 2024!

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Thank you for your hard work in not only listing out the dramas but also providing useful summaries. I've bookmarked this page and will probably come by often. 😊

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