I could not say no to starting new dramas, especially when Kim Ji Won stars in them! Naturally, I have started a bunch of new releases when I don’t even have the room on my current watchlist to do so.
Because of this, my October 2026 drama watchlist looks a bit different this month. I have decided to officially introduce a “Back Burner” section. These are the dramas that I refuse to drop and want to eventually finish, but I’ve put them on the back burner because I don’t need to finish them immediately. Maybe I will reexamine these dramas next month and decide if I want to drop them then, but right now, I know I don’t want to let them go.
Honestly, there are a BUNCH of dramas that have been lingering on my current watch list all year that I should have finished by now. They have been sidelined to make room for newer obsessions, and I just need to sit down and finish them already! The goal is to get all (or most) of these back burner dramas off my list by the end of 2026.
But first, let’s talk about a few new dramas (well 3 new dramas) that are completely consuming my screen time right now, starting with my parallel watch experiment: comparing the original Jdrama version of Doctor X alongside the brand-new Korean remake, Doctor X: Mafia in White. I also mention my thoughts on the back half of the Kdrama The Ordinary Jackpot and my first impressions on 2 new Cdramas I recently started in the last month or so which are: Shadow Punisher and Sunsets Secrets Regrets.
KDRAMAS
Doctor X – I watched the first episode of this Kdrama so, here are my first impressions. I actually watched the first episode of the Jdrama version first (first impressions of that version below). The first episode was pretty much a copy paste to the first episode of the Jdrama version with some minor changes to the plot. It even redid some dialogue. This Kdrama version definitely has a darker tone to it. Just because I knew what was going to happen because I had already watched the Jdrama version’s episode, doesn’t mean I did not enjoy this. This is about a freelance doctor who is a genius surgeon. She goes into a hospital, a teaching hospital, to fill in a surgical vacancy, and basically throws everything into chaos. She does not follow the hierarchy or the “normal” way of things, but she is very good at her job. She is also not a people person. People dislike her because she does not suck up to anyone and does not like authority. You can tell that Kim Jo Won’s character in this has seen some things abroad in her career and probably has some trauma to deal with. It does have some comedy in it but the Jdrama version definitely has a lighter tone than this one. If you are looking for a strong female lead character that takes no crap, watch this. I am curious since the Kdrama is ALREADY doing numbers in South Korea with ratings and the Jdrama version has 7 seasons, if this Kdrama will turn into a multi season drama. If you are a fan of Trauma Code from last year, you will probably like this Kdrama. TW for surgery scenes, blood, injuries etc.
The Ordinary Jackpot – I have 4 episodes of this Kdrama to go. I will finish it up in the next couple of days. I am surprised with how much I have enjoyed this Kdrama. It is way more of an office drama than I thought it would be and also has a lot less comedy in it than I thought it would. It still has some comedy, and I still laugh at it though. I have no idea why I thought it would not be an office drama as much as it is, but I did. Maybe it is because I thought the lottery part of the story would play a bigger role in the story which it really hasn’t. Sometimes you need a sort of regular mundane calm drama to relate to in your life and that you can enjoy. It is about ordinary people doing ordinary jobs and there is something quite comforting about that for me. I think this would be the perfect drama to watch during the cold months. I do not think there will be any romance even though I want romance. This Kdrama is about a regular office worker who suddenly wins the lottery. It isn’t enough to just go and quit his job and go off to an island or anything. He decides that he is just going to continue working and living his life. What the sum of money allows him to do is not worried about much with his job because he has this financial safety net. You see him doing just that throughout the drama. I sort of wish you see him do more than what he does. I still have enjoyed this Kdrama quite a bit.
BACK BURNER FOR KDRAMAS
The Judge Returns – The Judge Returns and Tazi Driver Season 3 are still on the backburner. I do plan on finishing The Judge Returns this month though (October). Other dramas just have taken priority – mostly due to podcast recordings. It should not be taking me this long to finish either one of these Kdramas. Normally, I would be watching them as they air, and I would be loving them because they are in my genre wheelhouse. I also have been trying to get other dramas off of my current watchlist. The goal, as I said in my intro, is to get all of these back burner dramas off of my current watchlist by the end of 2026.
Taxi Driver Season 3 – The Judge Returns and Tazi Driver Season 3 are still on the backburner. Other dramas just have taken priority – mostly due to podcast recordings. It should not be taking me this long to finish either one of these Kdramas. Normally, I would be watching them as they air, and I would be loving them because they are in my genre wheelhouse. I also have been trying to get other dramas off of my current watchlist. The goal, as I said in my intro, is to get all of these back burner dramas off of my current watchlist by the end of 2026.
KVARIETY
Please Take Care of Your Refrigerator Season 2 – I am still watching this here and there. I think this show will just constantly be on my watchlist. It has a billion episodes, and I don’t watch it on a regular basis. I just click play on an episode when I feel like it. It is a cooking show, and we know these are MY JAM! I also just love all the different types of guests we get on the show.
CDRAMAS
Who would have thought that Cdramas would be taking over my current watchlist AND ARE NOT STOPPING! I swear I have so many Cdramas in October I want to click play on that are all coming out in October.
Shadow Punisher – 2 things drew me to starting this cdrama. I have watched the first 2 episodes. First reason is Luo Yun Xi is BACK! I have missed watching him on my screen. I am really enjoying Luo Yun Xi and Alen Fang‘s chemistry in this drama. Rounding out the trio, we have Shen Yu Jie who I love from Coroner’s Diary, and I am looking forward to some of her future dramas. I think it will be fun to watch these three interact and solve cases and I go further on into the drama. I have always been a fan of all 3 of these actors, so it is great that we are getting them all in 1 drama. Alen Fang also has been KILLING 2026 because he has had 4 dramas come out this year alone. The first case that I am watching has been good so far. The costumes look very nice and we all know Luo Yun Xi looks GREAT in historical costume. I will say sometimes the drama looks a little cheap. The CGI quality is not consistent. I do like that it is the classic historical detective drama mixed with a little bit of fantasy. That makes it stand out a bit. This is about a trio of detectives who go around solving different cases together and of course have 1 huge case that they will eventually have to solve by the end of the drama.
Sunsets Secrets Regrets – I actually started this cdrama last month, but I didn’t do a September watchlist blogpost so, I am going to talk about it now. I mainly clicked play on this because I knew that The Early Spring was a drama I was not going to watch. This cdrama had premiered earlier in 2026, stars Jing Bo Ran and had been on my plan to watchlist since it premiered. This cdrama covers many years and multiple cases. The female lead is a cop. Her brother died due to a case and that case comes up again in a case that is in the present day. She works with Jing Bo Ran’s character to solve both cases. She also ends up being married to Jing Bo Ran’s character. Her Ex also comes back into the picture at some point. I have not gotten to him yet, but I love the actor, Qin Jun Jie, who plays him. MY GOD, JING BO RAN AND THE FEMALE LEAD, PLAYED BY ELVIRA CAI HAVE CHEMISTRY! The first episode was a little confusing with all the time jumps. Jing Bo Ran’s character is a green flag so far BUT I am sure the love triangle will come up eventually and he might turn into a bit of a red flag eventually.
BACK BURNER FOR CDRAMAS
Story of Yanxi Palace – This Cdrama has gone on the back burner because I don’t need to finish it right away. I have a bit of time to finish but I am chipping away at it. I am just watching it very slowly. I am enjoying what I have watched so far and I can see why this is a drama that everyone talks about and is named to be one of the best ever made.
Under the Skin Season 2 – This Cdrama is on the back burner for now. I have not watched more of it since I clicked play. I do plan on finishing it in November though. I just needed to get other dramas off my current watchlist. I also needed to watch other dramas for podcast episodes.
The Guilty – I am planning on finishing this cdrama in the next couple of weeks. It is only 14 episodes. I should have finished it a long time ago. I don’t want to drop it because I plan to finish it. I need to do a better job at cycling through these dramas.
Pursuit of Jade – I KNOW! I have no excuses. The goal is to finish this in November and if not November, DEFINITELY by the end of 2026. I don’t want this cdrama to be carried over in 2027. I know I will love if I just sit down and watch it already. I really don’t know why it has taken me this long to click play on it again.
Deep In – This BL drama has been put on the back burner, but I do plan on finishing by the end of 2027. I just was getting other dramas off my current watchlist. I also was watching other dramas for the podcast. Other dramas took priority.
Bittersweet Love – This BL drama has been put on the back burner, but I do plan on finishing by the end of 2027. I just was getting other dramas off my current watchlist. I also was watching other dramas for the podcast. Other dramas took priority.
JDRAMAS
Doctor X Season 1 – I have had this Jdrama on my plan to watchlist FOR YEARS! I finally clicked play because the Kdrama version started and I watched to watch the original to see how they compare. I watched the first episode of the Jdrama version before I watched the Kdrama version. I liked both versions. This one had some funny moments and also some classic over the top Jdrama acting/reactions. I can see why this Jdrama went on for 7 seasons and a movie. I can see myself binging this HARD! Episode 1 of this Jdrama version was a copy paste to the Kdrama version except for some minor plot changes and this having a lighter tone. I can even match the characters to their counter parts in the versions. I am exciting to watch more and see how both versions work out.
THAI DRAMAS
Payback – I watched another episode of Payback since I last talked about it. I plan to finish this drama in November. I still like it very much. I have been spoiled on it quite a bit so, that is delaying me a bit in watching this. I am trying to forget a bit of what I watched. I think the leads have GREAT chemistry, and I like them a lot together. They sort of remind me of the lead couple from Reset from last year which I loved. I wasn’t hooked after the first episode but the second episode got me more hooked so, I will continue. I need the lead’s ex-boyfriend to go down in flames BECAUSE HE IS A HORRIBLE PERSON!
Girl from Nowhere Season 1 – I am almost halfway from with Season 1 of this drama now. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS DRAMA! I will say some of the “cases” that the main girl is sent into are more interesting than others. I do love that this drama is sort of an anthology so, you can hop in and out of it easily. I also like that this drama explores different topics one can face in school, and it isn’t all about bullying. This drama is still a very hard watch though. I plan to finish this drama up this month. I want to hop right into Girl from Nowhere Season 2. I should not have taken me this long to watch Season 1. Let me tell you – ALL THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS DRAMA!
SOME DRAMAS I PLAN TO ADD TO MY CURRENT WATCHLIST BEFORE THE NEXT WATCHLIST BLOGPOST
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