11. Sanctuary by Kan Eguchi (Japan, Netflix)
Considering that Kan Eguchi and writer Kanazawa Tomoki had almost 8 hours to fill in their hands, the narrative of the series could easily extend to a number of peripheral characters, and it is in this aspect, that “Sanctuary” finds one of its apogees, both in number and quality. Ensho's story and the role Hana, his wife, plays in the administration and problem-solving of the stable is one. Pierre Taki as the strict but cool mentor and Koyuki as his calm but quite competent wife are among the highlights of the series. Asuka Kunishima, an American-educated journalist who has just been relegated to sumo reporting from political covering after a number of issues, and exhibits an almost identically disrespectful attitude as Kiyoshi is another one. Gorgeous Shioli Kutsuna is exceptional in the role, particularly due to the transformation she exhibits, and a nice breath of female air in a series that does show an intense amount of obese men's buttocks. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
12. Ripe Town by Wang Zheng (China, iQIYI, Apple TV)
In a market heavily saturated with fluffy romance and romcom Cdramas, with the crime suspense thrillers relegated to entirely predictable, propagandist storylines where justice is always served, Wang Zheng (a relative newcomer to the industry) has in 2023 finally managed to reinvigorate the crime genre with a refreshing historical detective series. Lushly filmed and set in a Jiangnan county during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, local constable Qu Sangeng (Bai Yufan) and judge Song Chen (Ning Li) begin to investigate a series of brutal murders when they uncover a link to a 20-year old cold case of arson homicide. Interestingly, the serial killer leaves each corpse with a quote from the Analects of Confucius. What sets this series apart is a captivating storytelling style which effectively utilises cross-cutting editing to narrate the happenings in two different timelines. The plot is meticulously well-crafted (albeit with a questionable motivation at the end) while the dialogue is punchy, lyrical and subtly funny. The devil is in the details, for viewers to analyze and uncover rather than being spoon-fed. Overall, there is a somber and bleak atmosphere (of metaphorical ripeness just before decay) amid striking landscapes that are inspired by classical Chinese paintings. As the three-dimensional characters (portrayed by an excellent cast) debate the meaning of justice versus injustice, the value of revenge and how to abide by the basic morality values of Confucian tradition, viewers are left to contemplate the foibles of humans and the ever unchanging circumstances of the human condition. (Suzie Cho)
13. Living by Hsu Chao Jen (Taiwan, iQIYI)
No doubt, 2023 has been Wu Kangren's year with his TV and movie performances garnering several award nominations and wins. Following on from an earlier and equally commendable Netflix crime thriller “Copycat Killer”, it is this iQIYI slice-of-life family drama “Living” that showcases his range as a character actor. He plays the prodigal eldest son, Gao Jiayue, who suffers a mid-life crisis losing his business and girlfriend. Having had enough with his lot in life, he returns to his family to tie up loose ends but discovers instead the ties that bind and what his family has always meant to him. Part comedy part melodrama, this Ruby Lin produced series is vibrant both in production quality and characterisations. It is highly enjoyable for its heart-warming depictions of a modern day yet traditional Taiwanese family with typical marital and sibling rivalry problems. The treatment of suicide is delicately handled with sensitivity, without shame or judgment. (Suzie Cho)
14. Death's Game by Ha Byung-hoon (S. Korea, Amazon Prime, TVING)
TVING rose to the forefront of drama production in Korea this year and Death's Game, their fantasy drama based on a webtoon of the same name which released at the tail-end of 2023 as a two-parter, just went to show that the streaming platform is fully capable of competing with the likes of Netflix, Amazon etc. when it comes to producting high-quality, high-budget and high-concept shows. The very binge-able “Death's Game” features a vast star-cast, facilitated by the story's concept of the lead character (primarily played by singer/actor Seo In-guk) going through twelve cycles of death and rebirth as different individuals, but the main draw certainly was the inspired casting of Park So-dam as Death herself. (Rhythm Zaveri)
15. D.P Season 2 by Han Jun-hee (S. Korea, Netflix)
One of the best live-action adaptations of a manhwa, likely due to Kim Bo-tung himself contributing to the screenplay. With a terrific and critically-acclaimed Season 1 under their belts, Season 2 had big shoes to fill in terms of continuing with the unique focus on bullying and harassment in the military. That achievement is unlocked primarily due to the cast members, both returning and new, adding value with dynamic yet never overly melodramatic performances. There are of course more deserter stories (a particular highlight involves a queer character rarely seen in Kdramas) all culminating in a “just for show” court case. “D.P” neither offers any solutions (which may be mere lip service anyway in highly regimented environments such as the armed forces) nor makes any form of grandstanding judgments, instead leaving it all to the discerning viewer. (Suzie Cho)
16. Gannibal by Shinzo Katayama and Hayato Kawai (Japan, Disney+)
In the Japanese drama sphere, live-action adaptations of manga series are aplenty and can often be mundane. So it's a rare find indeed when “Gannibal” comes along with that satisfying blend of family drama and mystery thriller. The folk-horror themes will make anyone think twice about the idyllic Japanese village life. The excellent cinematography and visual effects convey at times a sense of peace interspersed with a terrifying sense of foreboding. Standout performances from Yuya Yagira as a police officer trying to keep his family together and Sho Kasamatsu as the conflicted head of the mysterious Goto family hiding a dark secret. (Suzie Cho)
17. Bargain by Jeon Woo-sung (S. Korea, TVING, Paramount+)
Jeon Woo-sung directs an explosive six episode crime-thriller disaster series based on Lee Chung-hyeon's 2015 short film about a man bargaining with a teenage prostitute for her services, who in turn finds himself the victim of organ trafficking. With the mandate to extend the original storyline to cover the aftermath of an earthquake, the drama takes its unsavory main characters (terrific performances from Jin Sun-kyu and Jun Jong-seo) on a claustrophobic quest for survival – bargaining, negotiating, lies and truth abound as are the bodies strewn en route. They are seemingly being punished for their wrongdoings yet also portrayed as victims of capitalism as they escape from being trapped in the building's basement, desperately climbing up to higher floors to seek a means of exit. This metaphor for classism and the class divide is particularly confronting but cleverly tempered with interjections of dark humor. The one-take camera action brings the viewer into the midst of the action, creating a sense of urgency and tension that endures until the final scene… or does it? (Suzie Cho)
18. Moving by Park In-je (S. Korea, Disney+, Hulu)
Superheroes as a genre is one that South Korean film and tv have tried to tap into for years now but have never really reached the potential of either the genre or the medium. That however changed this year with “Moving”, which premiered on Disney+ in August, 2023. The high concept show, in which some high school students and their parents discover their super powers, features an incredibly strong cast, which includes Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo, Jo in-sung, Cha Tae-hyun and Ryoo Seung-bum! The younger actors too did a fantastic job and often stood heads and shoulders with their older, much more experienced co-stars. The Han Hyo-joo/Jo In-sung ship was also one that a lot of fans got on board with. (Rhythm Zaveri)
19. Wave Makers by Lin Chun-yang (Taiwan, Netflix)
A vivid and enthusiastically performed series that at least attempts to provide insights into Taiwan's democracy and unique election culture through the eyes of political campaign staffers. Not as gritty as some Hollywood productions nor does it pretend to be, but much better than South Korea's similar soap opera offering “Queenmaker”. Hot-button political issues for Taiwan are well-covered such as workplace harassment, death penalty, immigration, LGBTQ+, environmental pollution; but with more focus on the daily lives of the characters which elevates this from the standard dry political dramas. Particularly with the sexual harassment storyline, it was interesting how one noteworthy line “Let's not just let this go, OK?” sparked off a #MeToo movement in Taiwan's political and entertainment circles. (Suzie Cho)
20. Song of the Bandits by Hwang Jun-hyeok, Park Hyun-suk (S. Korea, Netflix)
The brutal theming of “Song of the Bandits” does not, as of yet, appear to be very marketable. It's only the most popular South Korean drama on Netflix in South Korea proper. This is a shame, because the drama is a genuinely excellent use of the setting. Even as the end of the first episode teases a fairly explicitly formulaic coming together of various ne'er do wells for a greater purpose, “Song of the Bandits” promises a lot more historical gunfighting- rare enough to be an entertaining novelty in and of itself. (William Schwartz, Hancinema)
