Best Kdrama 2023: Top 10 Highest-Rated on Douban

Which ones have captivated the hearts of millions of viewers on Douban, the largest online rating platform in China? Here are the top 10 highest-rated Korean dramas on Douban 2023. Whether you are looking for romance, comedy, thriller, or fantasy, you will find something that suits your taste and mood. So, get ready to binge-watch them~

Best Kdrama 2023

1. The Glory Season 2

Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) was tormented by her high school classmates for years. She returns almost 20 years later with a perfect scheme to destroy the lives of her former bullies, who have grown into wicked and remorseless adults.

2. The Glory Season 1

Dong-eun is a woman who seeks vengeance on her high school tormentors, determined to make them suffer for what they did to her. Based on real-life incidents, this is a gripping and well-crafted drama of revenge.

3. Moving

In this superhero action drama, a group of children with secret superpowers and their parents with buried traumas and mysteries join forces to confront perilous threats that span across time and generations.

You may also be interested in: Unforgettable "Moving" Drama Quotes

4. Daily Dose of Sunshine

This best Kdrama 2023 takes us into the world of psychiatric care, inspired by real-life experiences. You follow the story of Jung Da Eun, a relatable character who joins the psychiatric unit. You see how she faces her initial difficulties and how she adapts to the new environment.

This series tackles the urgent problem of mental health in South Korea, a nation facing growing mental health issues. Daily Dose of Sunshine invites us to have meaningful discussions in a culture where mental health is often stigmatized.

What is remarkable is the nuanced depiction of mental illness. The show doesn't stick to one point of view but explores the inner lives of patients. It vividly portrays the varied experiences, from paranoia to dance routines triggered by mania and the shift of OCD and hyper-fixations. You can then genuinely sympathize with the patients' challenges.

5. Twinkling Watermelon

A boy who is a CODA and has a gift for music goes to the year 1995 in Twinkling Watermelon. He meets his young father and joins his band. Together with some mysterious friends, they create Watermelon Sugar, a band that expresses themselves through music.

6. Taxi Driver 2

A taxi company is a front for a covert operation of avengers. They offer a hidden service of retribution for those who call them. The team carries out complex and meticulous missions to defend the oppressed and the helpless. 

You may also be interested in: 

• Best "Taxi Driver 2" Quotes: Greed Imprisons the Soul
• Best "Taxi Driver" Kdrama Quotes: Living Well is Revenge

7. Dr. Romantic 3

The doctors and staff of Doldham Hospital are back in "Doctor Romantic 3", a medical drama that explores their lives and challenges. This season introduces a new trauma center, which adds a new twist to the series compared to the previous two seasons. However, you may still care deeply about these characters that you will grow to love throughout the series, and you witness their ongoing growth and struggles. 

The trauma cases in this best Kdrama 2023 are more serious and thrilling than before, and the personal conflicts among the characters are also more intense. The cast has a natural and effortless chemistry that comes from their long-term collaboration. I have enjoyed this series for a long time and this season was satisfying. It isn't easy to make a good sequel, and this one has its flaws, but the series and its characters don't fail to make me happy.

8. DP 2

D.P. returns with 6 more episodes in its 2nd season, which continues the story of Jun-ho, a private soldier who unexpectedly joins the military defector arrest team.

His job is to hunt down deserters who run away from the military without proper permission or exemption. As he does so, he faces the more disturbing cases of why some soldiers feel they have no other option but to desert.

The season is brief and effective in showing the various problems that deserting soldiers encounter. The episode called ‘Curtain Call’ evokes nostalgia as it recalls the first season where two soldiers chase a deserter and gradually discover his motives for escaping.

The 2nd season of D.P. differs from the 1st one in that it concentrates more on the larger issue of the conflicts among the seniors and the higher-ups, which compels Jun-ho to resist. The larger issue tries to create a storyline for the potential future seasons of the show. Still, this affects the speed and the thrill of the soldiers pursuing deserters and finding out their escape stories, which you may enjoy less.

Jung Hae-in does portray Jun-ho’s innocence, while Goo Kyo-hwan’s role is as amusing as before. D.P. Season 2 also features Go Kyung-pyo in a special/guest role, but the actor leaves a strong impression nonetheless.

9. Death's Game

In this best Kdrama 2023, the fate of Choi Yi-jae (Seo In-guk) hangs in the balance as he faces hell. He goes through 12 cycles of dying and being reborn, each time under the scrutiny of Death (Park So-dam). 

10. Unintentional Love Story

After losing his job, Jin Won Young decides to take a trip to a coastal village. There, he meets an artist who is admired by his former boss. He attempts to befriend this artist, hoping to impress his boss and get rehired.

The BL drama has a romantic appeal for everyone, but it will resonate more deeply with gay men over 25. The characters are at an age where queer men often feel lonely, as their straight friends move on with their lives and they feel stuck. The nightlife and casual encounters can lose their charm if they ever have any. The feeling of isolation can be even worse without a strong support network.

This best Kdrama 2023 brilliantly portrays 4 characters who seem fine, but not fine. They are just floating along. And then they find someone who brings new energy to their lives; someone who helps them break free from their rut.