8 of the latest K-Dramas to binge-watch this December

The Penthouse

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Set in a 100-storey luxury apartment building in the wealthy Gangnam district of Seoul, The Penthouse is where everyone dreams to live in and desires to move higher up the building, with becoming the “queen” of the the 100th storey the ultimate symbol of power, wealth and status.

Oh Yoon-hee ( Kim Yoo-jin), coming from a background of poverty, has always desired being in the upper echelons of society, and bringing her daughter with her. She meets the arrogant Cheon Seo-jin (Kim So-Yeon), a successful classicial singer (and her nemesis from school), as well as Shim Soo- Ryeon (Lee Ji-ah), the current resident of the 100th storey, who was born into wealth.  This is a journey of the three moms pedalling down an unstoppable race fuelled by greed and desire, and willing to do anything to protect themselves.

Available on Viu Premium (via Singtel Cast), with new episodes released every Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Spies Who Loved Me

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Goblin’s Yoo In-na stars in this action-packed romantic comedy as Kang Ah Reum, a wedding dress designer who inadvertently gets drawn into a world of espionage. She gets married twice to two different husbands (Eric Mun and Lim Ju-hwan) who lead double lives. One is an Interpol agent and the other is an industrial spy.

Marriages are said to be built on trust and honesty, but does that hold true when you’re married to a spy?

Available on iQiyi (via Singtel Cast), with new episodes released every Wednesday and Thursday.

The Uncanny Counter

Credit: Netflix

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On his birthday, So Mun’s struck by a strange burst of light that leaves puzzling changes to his body. He meets a group of demon hunters, called Counters, who disguise themselves as noodle shop employees. They use their special abilities to hunt malevolent spirits that prey on humans and have returned to Earth in pursuit of eternal life.

Available on Netflix, with new episodes released every Saturday.

Sweet Home

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If you’ve couldn’t get enough of K-dramas Mr. Sunshine and Goblin, you’ll want to watch the latest project by the man behind them, director Lee Eung Bok.

This 10-episode VFX/SFX filled thriller, is based on the popular webtoon “Sweet Home,” written by Carnby Kim and illustrated by Hwang Youngchan, and is a huge project in partnership with Lee Eung Bok.

The Netflix original series follows the story of troubled teen Hyun (Song Kang), who lost his family due to an accident and moved to a new apartment. His new home, however, has a shocking secret – a monstrous creature that uses distorted human fears and desires to trap its residents inside and wipe out humanity.

Available on Netflix from Dec 18.

Kairos

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Meet Kim Seo Jin – an  ambitious man who has it all, from a successful career company to a beautiful family. Fixated on success, he was able to climb the corporate ladder to be the youngest executive at his company.

However, things take a twisted turn when his young daughter is kidnapped. With no other alternative, he travels back one month in time to connect with Lee Se-young, a woman he encountered in the past.

Can his daughter’s life be saved by restoring something in the past? Watch as the two worlds collide as they both struggle to save the ones they love.

Available on-demand on Viu Premium, with new episodes released every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Cheat On Me, If You Can

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This comedic mystery thriller follows husband and wife Han Woo Sung and Kang Yeo Joo. Cho Yeo Jeong plays Kang Yeo Joo, a best-selling author of crime stories and who thinks up different ways to kill people. She’s married to Woo Sung (Go Joon), a successful divorce lawyer.

Woo Sung writes her a memo, saying that if he ever cheats on her, he deserves to die. While the pair enjoy marital bliss, doubt and suspicion soon find their way in. With Woo Sung’s reputation as the “Nation’s husband”, will Yeo Joo hold him true to his contract? We can’t wait to find out.

Available on Viu from Dec 3, with new episodes released every Thursday and Friday.

True Beauty

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Based on the popular webtoon, romantic-comedy drama “True Beauty” stars Moon Ga-young as high schooler, Im Joo-Kyeong, who rises to become the school’s prettiest girl overnight after mastering the art of makeup. She goes to great lengths to put her best face forward, and refuses  to reveal her pimple and blemish-ridden bare face to anyone. She, however, gets involved with two (ultra-cute) guys Lee Su-ho and Han Seo-joon (Cha Eun-woo and Hwang In-yeop).

Would either of them mind a bare-faced Im?

Available on Viu from Dec 10, with new episodes released every Thursday and Friday.

Lovestruck In The City

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Ji Chang Wook stars opposite Kim Ji Won (as freelance marketer, Lee Eun-O) to play architect Park Jae-won with a warm and honest personality in this Netflix Original. He meets Eun-O, who introduces herself to Park through her alter-ego, Yoon Sun-ah and a fake personality.

Calling her a “camera thief”, he is smitten by her but she departs with no means for him to contact her. She later meets him again under her fake identity in an unfamiliar place and ends up loving him.

Available on Netflix in December.

This article was first published in Women's Weekly.