Here are some of the most popular k-dramas of this year.
1. Vincenzo (K-Drama 2021)
Genres: Comedy, Law, Crime, Drama
Synopsis: Park Joo-hyun went to Italy at the age of eight after adoption. As an adult, he is known to the Mafia as Vincenzo Cassano and hires him as a consigliere. As the mafia factions are fighting each other, he escapes to South Korea, where he engages with lawyer Hong Cha-young. She is a lawyer who does not get in the way of her to win the proceedings. Returning to his hometown, he gives the unparalleled conglomerate the taste of his own medicine in justice.
Trailer:
Cast:
Song Joong Ki – Vincenzo Cassano / Park Joo Hyung
Jeon Yeo Been – Hong Cha Young
Ok Taec Yeon – Jang Jun Woo
Kim Yeo Jin – Choi Myung Hee [Prosecutor]
Jo Han Chul – Han Seung Hyuk [CEO of Woosang Law firm]
Kwak Dong Yeon – Jang Han Seo [Head of Babel Group]
Director – Kim Hee Won
Screenwriter – Park Jae Bum
Aired Date – Feb 20, 2021 – May 2, 2021
No. of Episodes – 20
Network – Netflix, tvN
2. True Beauty (K-Drama 2020-2021)
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Youth, Drama
Synopsis: True Beauty is a romantic comedy about high school girl Lim Jo Gyung, who turns into a cute girl after mastering the art of makeup on YouTube. She transforms into a goddess with her make-up skills, but wants to die instead of showing her true face to anyone. It tells a love story with Lee Su Ho, the only boy who saw her without her makeup. Lee is a charming and handsome boy, she looks cold because of her dark past, but she is actually very compassionate. They grow up as they meet, share secrets, and find love for each other, but can Su Ho help Joo Gyung find her true beauty?
Trailer:
Cast:
Moon Ga Young – Lim Joo Gyung / Joo Bal
Cha Eun Woo – Lee Su Ho
Hwang In Yeop – Han Seo Jun
Park Yoo Na – Kang Soo Jin
Jang Hye Jin – Hong Hyun Suk [Joo Gyung’s mother}
Park Ho San – Lim Jae Pil [Joo Gyung’s father]
Director – Kim Sang Hyub
Screenwriter – Lee Shi Eun
Aired Date – Dec 9, 2020 – Feb 4, 2021
No. of Episodes – 16
Network – tvN
3. Squid Game (K-Drama 2021)
Genres: Action, Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Synopsis: After the business fails, the debt-ridden driver Seong Gi Hoon spends his life betting the money he stole from his older mother while he couldn’t feed his estranged daughter. When his life finally bottomed out, he received a fascinating offer that promised him a price of 45.6 billion yen. At the beginning of the game, participants will immediately learn the deadly consequences of defeat.
Trailer:
Cast:
Lee Jung Jae – Seong Gi Hoon / “No. 456”
Park Hae Soo – Cho Sang Woo / “No. 218”
Jung Ho Yeon – Kang Sae Byeok / “No. 067”
Wi Ha Joon – Hwang Jun Ho
Anupam Tripathi – Ali Abdul / “No. 199”
Oh Young Soo – Oh Il Nam / “No. 001”
Director – Hwang Dong Hyuk
Screenwriter – Hwang Dong Hyuk
Aired Date – Sep 17, 2021
No. of Episodes – 9
Network – Netflix
4. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (K-Drama 2021)
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life
Synopsis: Hometown Cha-cha-cha is a love story set in the coastal village of Gongjin.
Dentist Yoon Hye Jin is a beautiful and understanding woman. She lives a seemingly perfect life, but she finds her life plan rocking because of the little touch of righteousness in her heart. After overcoming various obstacles, she moves to the coastal town of Gongjin and meets Hongdusik. She is interested in him.
Hong Doo Shik is called Chief Hong by locals. Officially unemployed, he is a versatile and bizarre master of work. Chief Hong helps everyone in Gongjin in every situation.
Trailer:
Cast:
Shin Min Ah – Yoon Hye Jin
Kim Seon Ho – Hong Doo Shik
Lee Sang Yi – Ji Sung Hyun
In Gyo Jin – Jang Yeong Guk [District head]
Jo Han Chul – Oh Chun Jae / Oh Yoon [‘Live Cafe & Pub’ owner]
Lee Bong Ryun – Yeo Hwa Jeong [Building owner]
Director – Yoo Je Won
Screenwriter – Shin Ha Eun
Aired Date – Aug 28, 2021 – Oct 17, 2021
No. of Episodes – 16
Network – Netflix, tvN
5. Taxi Driver (K-Drama 2021)
Genres: Action, Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Synopsis: As a special forces officer, Do Gi lived more honestly than anyone else. But when a serial killer kills his mother, he spends his days in suffering.
Kim Do Gi is treated unfairly, feels broken, and meets Jang Sung Chul, who is looking for Do Gi for his company Rainbow Taxis. Rainbow taxi is far from regular taxi service, but it is a secret society that takes revenge on victims who are not protected by law. Here Do Gi becomes a star driver with a satisfying revenge.
Ha Na is currently a prosecutor investigating a rainbow taxi. She is angry at their lawless behavior, but at the same time she is confused when she sees them solve cases that cannot be resolved by law.
Between those who believe that revenge embodies true justice and those who persecute outlaws, Do Gi seeks what justice really means.
Trailer:
Cast:
Lee Je Hoon – Kim Do Gi
Esom – Kang Ha Na
Kim Eui Sung – Jang Sung Chul
Pyo Ye Jin – Ahn Go Eun
Cha Ji Yeon – Baek Sung Mi
Jang Hyuk Jin – Choi Kyung Goo [Rainbow Taxi lead mechanic]
Director – Park Joon Woo
Screenwriter – Oh Sang Ho, Lee Ji Hyun
Aired Date – Apr 9, 2021 – May 29, 2021
No. of Episodes – 16
Network – SBS
6. Nevertheless (K-Drama 2021)
Genres: Romance, Youth, Drama
Synopsis: Park Jae Eon finds a waste of time, but enjoys flirting. He is kind and cheerful to everyone, but he does not persecute others. Park Jae Eon is a master of “push hand pull” that is not distracted by emotions. He draws a solid line between himself and others and does not reveal his feelings.
But when Park Jae Eon meets Yoo Na Bi, he wants to cross these boundaries. Na Bi wants to date but doesn’t trust love. After having a bitter experience with her first love, she no longer believes in fate. But when she meets Park Jae Eon, he has a magical effect on her and casts doubt on the decision to suppress the love.
Trailer:
Cast:
Han So Hee – Yoo Na Bi
Song Kang – Park Jae Eon
Chae Jong Hyeop – Yang Do Hyuk
Lee Yeol Eum – Yoon Seol Ah
Yang Hye Ji – Oh Bit Na
Kim Min Gwi – Nam Kyu Hyun
Director – Kim Ga Ram
Screenwriter – Jung Won
Aired Date – Jun 19, 2021 – Aug 21, 2021
No. of Episodes – 10
Network – Netflix, jTBC
7. Yumi’s Cells (K-Drama 2021)
Genres: Psychological, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Synopsis: Each and every human on the world is maintained running by an unseen operating system that is, for the most part, entirely disregarded, and is controlled by a sophisticated network of cells. Though humans rarely consider how they function on a daily basis, the cells within the human body are always at work, doing their share to keep their human alive and well.
As a result, while Kim Yoo Mi may appear to be just like any other working woman in the world on the surface, beneath that commonplace façade lies something genuinely unique.
Yoo Mi’s love cells have gone into a profound coma as a result of a devastating breakup. While the surrounding cells labour tirelessly to resurrect their departed comrades, Yoo Mi spends her days trapped in the monotony of ordinary life. Yoo Mi’s love cells would have been in serious jeopardy if it hadn’t been for the unexpected presence of Goo Woong, who appeared with a broken heart and no romantic prospects.
Goo Woong, an emotionally stunted game developer, has no idea how to convey his actual thoughts, but after meeting Yoo Mi, he feels compelled to try. With his own love cells unexpectedly reviving Yoo Mi, things between the two begin to heat up. Yoo Mi and Goo Woong’s cells are both working overtime, and the two are getting closer and closer. Will the efforts of this little group of cells, however, be sufficient to bring two hearts together for good?
Trailer:
Cast:
Kim Go Eun – Kim Yoo Mi
Ahn Bo Hyun – Ku Woong
Park Ji Hyun – Seo Sae Yi
Lee Yoo Bi – Ruby
Joo Jong Hyuk – Louis [Game developer]
Park Jin Young – Yoo Ba Bi / “Bobby”
Director – Lee Sang Yeob
Screenwriter – Song Jae Jung, Kim Yoon Joo, Kim Kyung Ran
Aired Date – Sep 17, 2021 – Oct 30, 2021
No. of Episodes – 14
Network – tvN
8. Dali and the Cocky Prince (K-Drama 2021)
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Synopsis: As a child, Moo Hak worked as a peddler in the market. Despite his ignorance, he is tenacious and knows how to generate money. He is presently the managing director of Dondon F & B, a global restaurant company that began as a tiny gamjatang cafe in his family.
However, he is not respectable and is simply concerned with money. He meets Da Li, the only child and only daughter of an upper-class family who owns an art gallery.
She knows a lot about a lot of subjects. Due to her father’s untimely death, she is forced into bankruptcy and begins a difficult life.
Moo Hak and Da Li have a creditor-debtor relationship over the art gallery. Will these two extreme opposites be able to understand and fall in love?
Trailer:
Cast:
Park Gyu Young – Kim Da Li
Kim Min Jae – Jin Moo Hak
Kwon Yool – Jang Tae Jin
Hwang Hee – Joo Won Tak
Yeonwoo – Ahn Chak Hee
Park Sang Myun – Assemblyman An Sang Tae
Director – Lee Jung Sub
Screenwriter – Son Eun Hye
Aired Date – Sep 22, 2021 – Nov 11, 2021
No. of Episodes – 16
Network – KBS2
