K-Dramas To Watch In November 2016 — What Korean Dramas Should You Be Checking Out This Month?
When it comes to Korean dramas, better known simply as K-dramas among the fan base, November signals the beginning of many Winter Season series in which many of them will lead into the following year. This means most of the K-dramas premiering this month will finish out 2016 for their respective Korean television companies.
Among international K-drama viewership, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is the most popular K-drama ranking No. 1 on many international streaming sites such as Youku in China and DramaFever in North and South America. As for the most popular K-drama among the domestic Korean viewership, it is a battle at the same time on the same days between Jealousy Incarnate and Shopping King Louie. Also, The K2 is very popular too for a Korean pay channel K-drama.
Sadly, the four aforementioned K-dramas will end this month, ergo K-drama fans will want to know what will replace them. So without delay, here are the K-dramas fans should look out for the month of November 2016.
Popular K-Dramas Ending In November 2016
https://youtu.be/hBb1XbiWy7U
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (November 1)
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (also known as Scarlet Heart: Ryeo and Scarlet Heart: Goryeo) had a very tough start pertaining to its acceptance among the domestic Korean K-drama viewership. It was going head-to-head, toe-to-toe with Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, and it was losing. Thankfully, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo was very popular among the international K-drama viewership.
Starring Lee Joon Gi and IU, the K-drama is about a 21st century girl who travels back to the Goryeo Dynasty as Hae Soo (IU). She lives in the Royal Palace and becomes friends with all the princes but develops a close bond with the 8th Prince Wang Wook (Kang Ha Neul) and a distaste for the 4th Prince Wang So (Joon Gi). As time goes by, she learns more about Wang So and eventually falls in love with him. However, their positions keep them apart. Still both Wang So and Hae Soo wait until they both can truly be together.
Right now, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is starting to be accepted by the domestic Korean K-drama viewership ever since Moonlight Drawn by Clouds concluded. We will see how things go, as the finale airs today, November 1, on the Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS). After the series ends, it will still be available to watch for free, with ads, exclusively on DramaFever for now. Now that it is done, it might eventually be available on Viki.
https://youtu.be/0HHy5nIxLFw
Jealousy Incarnate (November 10)
Jealousy Incarnate (also known as Don’t Dare To Dream) is one of two most popular K-dramas currently airing that are popular among the Korean domestic viewership. Starring Gong Hyo Jin, Jo Jung Suk, and Go Kyung Pyo, it is about intricate relationships, which may cause intense jealousy among certain people, in both personal and professional life.
Summarized, the K-drama is about Pyo Na Ri (Gong Hyo Jin) trying to figure out if she loves Lee Hwa Shin (Jo Jung Suk) or Go Jung Won (Go Kyung Pyo). The light-hearted nature of the K-drama along with its ridiculous circumstances such as Hwa Shin ending up with breast cancer and all three main characters living together in the same house which is a taboo in South Korea, makes for an entertaining K-drama.
Jealousy Incarnate will air its finale on November 10. Remaining episodes leading up to the finale will air on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m. KST on SBS. For those who do not have access to SBS, the series can be viewed for free, with ads, exclusively at DramaFever in North and South America. Starting with the third episode, the latest episodes will be exclusive to premium users up to one week. As for all other regions, Jealousy Incarnate can be viewed on Viki by its second title, Don’t Dare to Dream.
https://youtu.be/Z86-kivGESE
The K2 (November 12)
The K2 (also known as K2) seemed to be a K-drama Total Variety Network (tvN) put a lot at stake for. Starring Ji Chang Wook, Song Yoon Ah, Cho Seong Ha, and Yoona, it is about Kim Je Ha (Chang Wook), a former soldier for hire known as “K2.” He is hired by Choi Yoo Jin (Yoon Ah), the wife of presidential candidate Jang Se Joon (Seong Ha) and the daughter from a rich family. Also, Se Joon has a secret daughter, Ko Anna (Yoona), who is a recluse. Je Ha’s task: safeguard Anna until after the election.
Initially, The K2 started off with strong viewership ratings among Koreans and international K-drama fans alike. They loved the intense action sequences, the advanced camera direction, and intriguing story. However, viewership has leveled to half of its highest recorded viewership rating. Still, five percent average is still good for a K-drama airing on a Korean pay channel.
The K2 will air its finale on Saturday, November 12. Remaining episodes leading up to the finale will air on Fridays and Saturdays at 9 p.m. KST on tvN. For those who do not have access to tvN, it is available to view for free, with ads, exclusively on DramaFever pending region. New episodes are exclusive to DramaFever Premium members up to one week.
https://youtu.be/aEyKAL6P8F0
Shopping King Louis (November 16)
Shopping King Louie (also known as Shopaholic Louie) is the other popular K-drama competing for most popular K-drama this moment with Jealousy Incarnate. Starring Seo In Guk and Nam Ji Hyun, the series is about the heir to Gold Group Kang Ji Sung (In Guk), who is better known as Louis or Shopping King Louis, and Ko Bok Shil (Ji Hyun), a janitor at Gold Group.
When Chairwoman Choi plans to announce Louie as the successor of Gold Group, Louis suddenly finds himself living like a homeless person without any memories that he used to be rich and a shopaholic. Through their circumstances, he is taken in by Ko Bok Shil. Together, they are trying to find out what happened to Bok Shil’s brother and Louis’ memories.
Shopping King Louis will air its finale on November 16. Until then, remaining episodes will air Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m. KST on the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). For those who do not have access to MBC, it can be viewed for free, with ads, on Viki pending region.
Popular K-Dramas Debuting In November 2016
https://youtu.be/WTypJqpX3jw
Entourage (November 4)
The Korean version of Entourage will finally be airing. The tvN K-drama stars Seo Kang Joon, Jo Jin Woong, Park Jung Min, Lee Kwang Soo, and Lee Dong Hwi, the tvN K-drama is based on the popular HBO series of the same name. According to the synopsis of the plot, Cha Young Bin (Kang Joon) is an up-and-coming actor in South Korea. He has been best friends with Lee Ho Jin (Jung Min), Cha Joon (Kwang Soo), and Geobook (Dong Hwi) since they were children. The K-drama portrays their friendship along with Young Bin’s professional relationship with Kim Eun Gab (Jin Woong), the CEO of the management company he works under.
Entourage will make its debut on November 4 on tvN. It will air on Fridays and Saturdays at 11 p.m. KST. At this moment, it is unknown if it will be available on DramaFever, Viki, or both.
https://youtu.be/xX4_0Xik7Cc
Doctor Romantic (November 7)
Also known as Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, Doctor Romantic is a SBS K-drama starring Han Suk Kyu, Yoo Yeon Suk, and Seo Hyun Jin. According to the K-drama’s synopsis of the plot, Boo Yong Joo was a famous surgeon with the nickname of “Hand of Gun.” He suddenly disappears and nobody knows why. Yong Joo returns as Teacher Kim (Suk Kyu) and calls himself the Romantic Doctor, who lives his life in seclusion. Under his wing is Kang Dong Joo (Yeon Suk) who becomes a doctor to win somebody over and Yoon Seo Jung (Hyun Jin) who became a doctor to be recognized by a particular person.
Doctor Romantic will make its debut on November 7 on SBS. It will air on Mondays and Tuesdays on 10 p.m. KST. For those who do not have access to SBS, the series is available for viewing for free, with ads, exclusively on DramaFever.
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (November 16)
This will surely be the light-hearted K-drama of the month on MBC. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is a MBC K-drama starring Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk. According to the K-drama’s synopsis of the plot, it is about a 20-year-old female weightlifter named Kim Bok Joo (Sung Kyung), her career as a weightlifter, and what happens when she falls in love for the first time with Jung Joon Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk).
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo will make its debut on November 16. It will air Wednesdays and Thursdays on 10 p.m. KST. At this moment, it is unknown if it will be available on DramaFever, Viki, or both.
Legend of the Blue Sea (November 16)
Probably the most-anticipated K-drama on this list given the fact Lee Min Ho is playing the male lead. Legend of the Blue Sea is a SBS K-drama starring Jun Ji Hyun and Min Ho as well. According to the K-drama’s synopsis of the plot, Legend of the Blue Sea is a K-drama that spans a long amount of time since it is inspired by a classic Joseon legend from Korea’s first collection of unofficial historical tales about a fisherman who captures and releases a mermaid. It is a love story between Dam Lim (Min Ho), the son of a Joseon noble family, and a mermaid named Shim Chung (Ji Hyun).
Legend of the Blue Sea will make its debut on November 16 on SBS. It will air on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m. KST. At this moment, it is unknown if it will be available on DramaFever, Viki, or both.
The aforementioned K-dramas are the ones in which K-drama fans seem to show the most interest in as shown on Hallyu community boards and social media. They do not represent all the K-dramas either concluding or beginning this month. Other K-dramas ending include The Flower in Prison (November 5), Woman with a Suitcase (November 15), and On the Way to the Airport (November 10).
As for K-dramas also making their debut this month, we have I Still Love You (November 28), First Love Again (November 28), Oh My Geum Bi (November 16), Night Light (November 21), and Father, I’ll Take Care of You (November 12).
Finally on the C-drama side, Ice Fantasy will conclude this week. And according to a representative of DramaFever, they will be the only streaming site to have English subtitles for Princess Weiyoung.
[Featured Image by Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)]
