The 10 best Asian TV shows of 2023

Thoughtful anime, emotive K-dramas, gripping thrillers and Southeast Asian period pieces populate 2023’s list Y ear after year, Japan and South Korea’s spectacular output continues to dominate the Asian television landscape. From sci-fi, high fantasy and comedy-horror anime , to medical and superhero K-dramas – these East Asian powerhouses consistently deliver an abundance of quality. But, the formidable small screen offerings stemming from South and Southeast Asia have also been garnering acclaim in 2023.

From transportive period pieces to riveting thrillers, NME is keen to spotlight must-see shows from Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and beyond. For our money, these were the 10 best shows to come out of the continent this year. Set in the 1930s, Sisterhood tells the story of two women who travel from China to Singapore to work as a samsui woman (construction labourer) and a ma jie (house servant) respectively.

Beyond the inspirational stories of our two immigrant leads, Sisterhood immerses us in the struggles and hardships of various working women of different ages and social strata – weaving an interconnected tale that shines a light on a marginalised group from a forgotten era of Singaporean history. Directed by Guo Shimin and starring Dai Xiangyu alongside Xiao Yan, this saga of toil and triumph is an inspiring watch. Biggest fan: Nostalgic The Little Nyonya viewers eager to see Xiao Yan and Dai Xiangyu reunite onscreen Many of us feel like office zombies, overworked and underslept drones trudging lifelessly through the day – which is why Zom 100 ’s protagonist feels so relatable.

Trapped in an exploitative job at a production house, Akira Tendo has become a burnt-out husk of himself. But when a zombie outbreak annihilates the world, Akira isn’t petrified: he’s ecstatic! Liberated from work and his colourless existence, Akira now gleefully travels around post-apocalyptic Japan, making friends and ticking things off his bucket list. Hordes of undead may be lurking around the corner, but this vibrant zom-com emphasises that we should make the most of life while we can.

Biggest fan: Millennials worn down by the demands of capitalist society TV portrayals of politicians tend to be idealistic like The West Wing or sensationalised like House of Cards . But Wave Makers expertly treads the middle ground, resulting in one of the most authentic political dramas in recent memory. This Taiwanese series follows the dedicated female staffers managing a tightly contested presidential campaign.

Whether they’re manoeuvring through scandals, manipulating discourse on social media, or helping make policy on weighty issues (sexual harassment, environmental conservation, LGBTQ rights, immigration, etc. ) – their professional lives are a whirlwind. How the sausage gets made isn’t always pretty, but it is fascinating.

Biggest fan: Political science majors who desire a more realistic version of Queenmaker Co-created by Sudip Sharma and directed by Randeep Jha, this Indian series stars Barun Sobti and Suvinder Vicky as two policemen investigating the murder of a young groom on the eve of his wedding. As the two cops dive into the case, they begin to unravel a knotty web of buried secrets and family dysfunction that plague the Punjabi countryside. This six-part series isn’t just a nail-biting detective story, it also probes broader dynamics in Punjab society – ranging from migration and feudal conflict to drugs and inheritance.

Anchored by stellar acting and captivating storylines, this show will keep you on the edge of your seat. Biggest fan: Anyone seeking geographically unique, small-town crime thrillers in the vein of Sharp Objects or Mare of Easttown This star-studded Filipino thriller follows Victor (Paulo Avelino), a boxer-turned-sailor in a rocky marriage with Juliana (Kim Chu). Suspecting that his wife is having an affair, Victor begins snooping around, only to discover so much more than simple infidelity.

Beyond the uniformly great performances of its cast, the best thing Linlang has going for it is its rapid pace and scandalous surprises. Brimming with lies and deceit, the show’s numerous revelations will blindside you, just as its tantalising plot will leave you on tenterhooks from episode to episode. Linlang’s dark narrative of betrayal is a suspenseful and soapy treat.

Biggest fan: Those who watched Gone Girl and somehow thought that its twists were too tame While mainstream media typically doesn’t do a good job with depictions of mental illness, Daily Dose of Sunshine is the rare show that manages to cover the subject matter with sensitivity. Based on the real-life experiences of creator Lee Ra-ha, this heartfelt K-drama follows Jung Da-eun (Park Bo-young), a hospital nurse and recent transfer from internal medicine to the psychiatric department. Though initially out of her depth, Da-eun steadily learns how to properly care for her patients through the support of her supervisors and colleagues.

Always informative but never exploitative, this dramedy is an empathetic look at the importance and challenges of mental health. Biggest fan: Medical procedural junkies bored by the endless slew of trauma surgeons in love triangles Directed by Kamila Andini ( Yuni ) and Ifa Isfansyah, Cigarette Girl is the serene and slow-burning tale of Dasiyah (Dian Sastrowardoyo), an ambitious girl trying to succeed in Indonesia’s 1960s tobacco industry. In those days, women were allowed to roll the cloves in factories, but barred from working in the “flavour room”, where blends are created with distinct aromas.

Beyond its captivating story of a resilient young woman making it in a misogynistic workplace, this adaptation of Ratih Kumala’s novel Gadis Kretek is also a touching star-crossed romance and an affecting family drama that spans nearly half a century. Biggest fan: Enlightened souls who wanted Peggy Olson to be the main character of Mad Men Most fantasy stories are about the quest – go on an epic journey and defeat the evil villain. But this anime skips that altogether to ask: what happens afterwards? We follow the titular mage and her band of adventurers after they’ve vanquished the Demon King.

For Frieren, a functionally immortal elf, that ten-year odyssey was a brief detour. So she leaves her comrades and promises to visit them again in 50 years. When she returns, she’s distraught to see her elderly allies dying off.

Now she seeks to travel the world to form deeper, more meaningful connections with her short-lived companions. This rumination on mortality and friendship is a gentle wonder. Biggest fan: Anime enthusiasts exhausted by the tropes and mindless action that dominate other fantasy series Mea culpa! In fairness, our original 3-star review of Moving was only based on its first seven episodes.

But after watching all 20 instalments, we’re revising our rating to 5 stars. This imaginative and affecting series is a rich canvas of well-developed characters, exciting action, and knockout emotional beats. Cleverly structured across three nonlinear arcs, Moving deftly fleshes out the backstories and motivations of our superpowered protagonists (and antagonists) through a layered, multi-generational tale that makes you feel for everyone in its expansive ensemble.

Whether it’s a coming-of-age drama in the present or an espionage thriller in the past, Moving’s timeline and tonal shifts seamlessly coalesce into a satisfyingly epic conclusion. Biggest fan: Superhero obsessives looking for a dramatically richer, more grounded alternative to Marvel and DC Naoki Urasawa’s sombre, neo-noir reimagining of Astro Boy’s most famous arc has been rightfully hailed as one of the greatest and most groundbreaking manga of the 21st century. It’s only fitting that such a beloved story would get an equally incredible anime adaptation that does it justice.

Buoyed by lavish animation and poetic writing, Pluto is a thought-provoking, politically complex and emotionally engaging masterpiece. Part enthralling murder mystery, part existential meditation, and part anti-war allegory, this futuristic tale of a robot detective investigating a string of killings smartly explores a variety of philosophical quagmires through the lens of an intriguing whodunit. Biggest fan: Geeks realising that Japan has already made their Watchmen x Battlestar Galactica mash-up dreams come true.