2023 K-Drama "Delightfully Deceitful" Hits Netflix Korea Top 3 After Two-Year Hiatus
tvN crime thriller starring Chun Woo-hee and Kim Dong-wook gains unexpected second life on streaming platform
A 2023 Korean drama is experiencing an unlikely revival. "Delightfully Deceitful" has surged into Netflix Korea's Top 3 series as of July 25, marking a rare case of a show finding greater success on streaming than during its original broadcast.
The tvN series aired from May 29 to July 18, 2023, starring Chun Woo-hee as con artist Lee Ro-um and Kim Dong-wook as lawyer Han Mu-young. Despite building a dedicated fanbase, the show struggled with traditional ratings, with its finale recording 4.5% viewership-just below its 4.6% premiere peak.
The drama follows polar opposites: a genius con artist who lacks empathy and a lawyer with excessive empathy who requires psychiatric treatment. Together, they seek revenge against the corrupt Jeokmok Foundation that destroyed their lives.
Ro-um was raised as a con artist under the foundation's "talent development" program but was falsely accused of murdering her parents when she tried to escape. After ten years in prison, she's released and begins plotting revenge. The empathetic lawyer Han Mu-young becomes her unlikely ally in exposing the organization's crimes.
The 16-episode series benefits from binge-watching format that modern audiences prefer. Chun Woo-hee's transformative performances-appearing as different personas nearly every episode-showcase her range as a con artist, while Kim Dong-wook provides emotional depth as the conflicted lawyer.
Recent Netflix visibility also helped. Chun Woo-hee starred in Netflix's "The 8 Show" (2024), likely introducing new audiences to her earlier work.
The revival demonstrates streaming platforms' power to resurrect overlooked content through algorithmic recommendations and global accessibility. Unlike traditional TV viewing, Netflix allows viewers to pause, rewatch, and digest complex plotlines at their own pace.
This trend reflects changing consumption habits where quality storytelling can find its intended audience regardless of initial broadcast performance.
"Delightfully Deceitful" is currently streaming on Netflix in multiple regions.