LIST: December K-dramas to binge-watch this holiday season
It’s the end of the year and we’ve got the ultimate list for all you K-drama junkies! Whether you’re looking for fantasy, mystery, action or plain ol’ romance, these December K-dramas certainly won’t disappoint.
Since this season is all about love and giving, the K-ent industry has definitely donned Santa's suit to give you a slew of shows to suit every person, whether naughty or nice.
Up for some kilig? Then you're in for a treat with The Forbidden Marriage, The Interest of Love/Understanding of Love, and Oh! My Assistant. If you want to unwind on wholesome fun, check out Work Now, Drink Later Season 2, Unlock My Boss, or Red Ballon. Craving for doses of adrenaline rush? Get it from Connect, Money Heist Korea Part 2, Big Bet, The Glory, to name a few.
Without further ado, here's your list of dramas, thrillers, and sci-fi shows to indulge in during the merriest time of the year.
Connect
Premiere Date: December 7 on Disney+
Cast: Jung Hae-in, Go Kyung-pyo, Kim Hye-joon
Connect tells the story of a new immortal race called “connect.” Jung Hae-in is Ha Dong-soo, a connect who loses an eye after being kidnapped by organ hunters. His eye is transplanted to a serial killer named Oh Jin-seob (Go Kyung-pyo), and this allows Dong-soo to see through Jin-seob’s perspective. All six episodes of Connect will be dropping on Disney+ on December 7.
Money Heist: Korea-Joint Economic Area Part 2
Premiere Date: December 9 on Netflix
Cast: Yoo Ji-tae, Park Hae-soo, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Ji-hoon, Lee Hyun-woo, Kim Yoon-jin
We finally get to see the second part of the Korean adaptation of La Casa de Papel, where a squad of anonymous robbers plan a large-scale heist in the fictional Unified Korean Mint. They now make their final attempt to escape the Mint after printing as much money as they could.
Last season we saw how the Professor narrowly escaped the authorities. However, the joint response team now knows that a person outside is helping the mission. Aside from the escape plan, we’re excited to see what role the new character named Seoul will play in this adaptation as it is a departure from the original story.
The Forbidden Marriage
Premiere Date: December 9
Cast: Kim Young-dae, Park Ju-hyun, Kim Woo-seok
Kim Young-dae stars in his first historical drama The Forbidden Marriage, a romantic comedy set in the Joseon dynasty. He plays the role of King Lee Heon whose wife died seven years ago when he was a crown prince. A marriage ban has been implemented since the king has yet to remarry. One day he comes across a con artist named So Rang (Park Ju-hyun) who claims that her body is possessed by the king’s late wife.
Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow
Premiere Date: December 10 on Netflix
Cast: Lee Jae-wook, Go Yoon-jung, Hwang Min-hyun, Shin Seung-ho
The story of the Daeho mages continues with a time jump. Three years after Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook) returns from the dead, he has become a hunter of soul-shifters. He is still engulfed by the guilt of not being able to protect Nak-su who was inside Mu-deok’s body.
With Jung So-min exiting the show, Go Yoon-jung reprises her role as the original Nak-su. It would be interesting to see how the love triangle between Jang Uk, Nak-su and Seo Yul (Hwang Min-hyun) will play out as Nak-su returns to her original form.
Work Later, Drink Now Season 2
Premiere Date: December on Viu Philippines
Cast: Lee Sun-bin, Han Sun-hwa, Jung Eun-ji, Choi Si-won
The girls are back and they are crazier than ever! This drama follows the lives and funny antics of three women in their 30s who love to hang out for drinks after work. What happens when stressed people get drunk? It’s chock full of fun and chaos of course!
The Interest of Love/Understanding of Love
Premiere Date: December 21
Cast: Yoo Yeon-seok, Moon Ga-young, Geum Sae-rok, Jung Ga-ram
This office romance drama follows the lives of four bank employees who have different ideas about love. Yoo Yeon-seok is Ha Sang-hoo whose uneventful life is shaken by love. Moon Ga-young plays Ahn Soo-young, who thinks that love can collapse at any time. In classic K-drama style, this series also features a love square, with two other characters entering the picture.
Big Bet
Premiere Date: December 21 on Disney+
Cast: Choi Min-sik, Son Seok-koo, Lee Dong-hwi, Heo Sung-tae, Ryu Hyun-kyung
The premiere date for Big Bet, also known as Casino, has been moved to December and we couldn’t be any more excited. As we’ve previously reported, some of the scenes in this K-drama were shot in the Philippines earlier this year. The crime-action drama follows the story of a man who rose from the bottom to become a casino mogul in the Philippines.
The Glory
Premiere Date: December on Netflix
Cast: Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Im Ji-yeon, Park Sung-hoon
Song Hye-kyo stars in a revenge drama about a woman who fails to fulfill her dream after suffering from brutal school violence. Years later she plots her ultimate revenge against her bullies. There are a lot of firsts in this drama as Song Hye-kyo finally departs from her usual romance projects. This is also writer Kim Eun-sook’s first time to dabble into the revenge genre as she is known for her classic romance hits Goblin, Descendants of the Sun, Secret Garden and The Heirs.
Island
Premiere Date: December 30 on Prime Video
Cast: Kim Nam-gil, Cha Eun-woo, Lee Da-hee
If you’re up for some action-packed fantasy drama, then Island may be the one for you. This drama, adapted from the webtoon of the same title, features three individuals fighting against evil beings roaming on Jeju island. We are definitely looking forward to seeing Cha Eun-woo play a Catholic priest who performs exorcisms, a far cry from his usual leading man roles.
Missing: The Other Side 2
Premiere Date: December on Viu Philippines
Cast: Go Soo, Heo Joon-ho, Ahn So-hee
Two years after the first season, Missing: The Other Side returns with its original cast and with more stories of missing deceased people. This mystery fantasy drama follows a team in search of missing bodies who uncover the truth behind their deaths.
Oh! My Assistant
Premiere Date: December 1
Cast: Song Seung-hyun, Ko Chan-bin
Searching for a BL drama? Here’s one for you. Oh! My Assistant depicts the romance between an adult webtoon artist and his assistant writer. FT Island’s Song Seung-hyun plays the role of Seon Ho who hires a talented assistant named Mu Yeong (Ko Chan-bin). Turns out Mu Yeong wanted to work for Seon Ho because he’s his number one fan. Now that’s cute.
Recipe for Farewell
Premiere Date: December 1
Cast: Han Suk-kyu, Kim Seo-hyung
Kang Chang-rae (Han Suk-kyu) is a humanities professor who knows nothing about cooking except for making instant ramen. But when his wife is diagnosed with terminal cancer and has difficulties eating, she asks Chang-rae to cook for her every day. Chang-rae begins to cook with love for his dying wife. This moving story is based on a non-fiction novel of the same title.
Unlock My Boss
Premiere Date: December 7
Cast: Chae Jong-hyeop, Park Sung-woong, Seo Eun-soo
If you think you’ve seen every K-drama plot there is then you might have to check this one out. Unlock My Boss is about an IT company CEO named Kim Seon-ju (Park Sung-woong) whose soul gets trapped in a smartphone. The unemployed Park In-seong (Chae Jong-hyeop) accidentally picks up the phone and is tapped by Seon-ju to work as the company CEO in his stead.
The King of the Desert
Premiere Date: December 15
Cast: Jin Goo, Jang Dong-yoon, Yang Dong-geun
If you loved the Netflix hit series D.P., then you might want to check out this new drama from the same writer. The King of the Desert tells the story of five individuals faced with life-changing choices. Not much about the plot is revealed except that the premise lies in the choices of those who believe that money is everything and those who don’t.
Red Balloon
Premiere Date: December 17
Cast: Seo Ji-hye, Lee Sung-jae, Lee Sang-woo, Hong Soo-hyun
Seo Ji-hye (Crash Landing On You) stars as the calm yet ambitious Jo Eun-kang who dreams of becoming a teacher. Red Balloon is said to capture a new side to Seo Ji-hye who we often see portraying strong female characters. This drama is all about the characters’ struggles to achieve their ambitions, including the jealousy that they feel when they compare themselves to others.
Trolley
Premiere Date: December 19
Cast: Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon
Trolley is a mystery romance drama about the wife of a member of the National Assembly with a secret past. Kim Hyun-joo stars as Kim Hye-joo, who, despite being a politician’s wife, tries to live an ordinary life. She faces her ultimate crisis when her long-time secret is revealed.
So, have you decided which December K-dramas you'll be marathoning during the holiday break?