The greatest K-dramas of 2022 were being bookended by a pair of brutal teenager-centric dramas that premiered at the commencing of the year (All of Us Are Dead) and the end (Weak Hero Class Just one). They frame a 12 months of outstanding Korean dramas, so quite a few that it was tricky to slender it down to just 11 top rated picks.
Significant Mouth, Juvenile Justice, Small business Proposal, and Narco-Saints were contenders. And had Reborn Wealthy produced all its episodes previously, I’m fairly particular that the Music Joong-ki collection would’ve made this record as well. The following checklist capabilities displays that romanced and charmed, terrified and scandalized, informed and celebrated — and designed me snicker, much too.
Below, verify out the best K-dramas from 2022 that should really definitely be on your observe list.
Underneath the Queen’s Umbrella
This sageuk — or historical drama — is my favourite K-drama of the year. Kim Hye-soo stars as a good and open up-minded queen who serves her king but life for her rambunctious sons. Following her eldest, the crown prince, falls deathly unwell, the struggle above succession starts. His title will not instantly be passed down to her other youngsters if the Queen Dowager (Kim Hae-sook) has her way. She despises Queen Hwa-ryeong and has strategies of her personal: to have a prince borne to one particular of the king’s a lot of concubines ascend in the royal hierarchy, kick out (or eliminate!) Queen Hwa-ryeong, and have the desired concubine grow to be the king’s new queen. What follows is a murder secret and a tale of political vengeance with an lovely appreciate tale thrown in for a bit of levity. As a bonus, the period-piece costumes are gorgeously resplendent. (Kim Hye-soo also stars in this year’s superb Juvenile Justice, enjoying a no-nonsense juvenile courtroom choose who despises delinquents.) (Netflix)
Weak Hero Class 1
Park Ji-hoon is practically unrecognizable from his Wanna 1 times. Top this solid, which also features Choi Hyun-wook (20 Five Twenty 1) and Hong Kyung (D.P.), Park is so intensely superior as a bullied boy who works by using classical conditioning (Pavlov’s Doggy) and Newton’s Laws of Motions to battle again versus his tormentors. In contrast to most bullied young children, Si-eun isn’t afraid of his persecutors. He views them as intense blockades to tutorial excellence. Not a person who feels the will need for buddies, Si-eun sooner or later finds himself aligned with fellow class outcast Beom-seok, and Soo-ho – who’s the school’s most effective fighter. Halfway by way of, there is a plot twist that will go away a lot of viewers stunned and heartbroken. Be forewarned: the ending is definitive and bleak. Primarily based on a webtoon, Weak Hero Course 1 is one particular of the few K-dramas in which I’m hopeful for a next year. (Viki)