There are so many great Korean dramas that have flooded streaming services, plenty of which fall into a few fan-favorite genres, such as historical, comedy, melodrama, romance, and fantasy. Many of these Korean dramas have spiked in popularity due to their endearing romances, high-stakes plots, and emotional rides. Then there are the classics, where the hype for Korean dramas initially started.
But of all the Korean dramas that are being produced, the market has been completely flooded and overrun. This is a good thing, of course. This means more variety, more uniqueness, and more drama to fall in love with. But this can also be intimidating for new viewers (and even casual ones). Where does one start or begin? Which K-dramas have the right romance? Which ones are actually worth watching, since they rely on similar tropes? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best Korean dramas to date that are definitely worth watching.
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‘The Glory’ (2022)
Semyeong Elementary School homeroom teacher Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) is no stranger to trauma. In her high school years, she found herself to be a victim of bullying, so much so that she was forced to drop out. Now that she teaches the children of her tormentors, Dong-eun has a long-awaited revenge to carry out.
The Glory, starring veteran Song Hye-kyo, is a dark and intense thriller that is rather disturbing and violent. A dark drama, the premise and story itself are very engaging, and Song Hye-kyo puts on an unbelievably emotional performance as a woman who suffered greatly at the hands of bullies. Both thought-provoking and intriguing, The Glory is worth the watch if not for Hye-kyo’s performance alone.
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‘Mr. Queen’ (2020–2021)
Modern-day chef Jang Bong-hwan (Choi Jin-hyuk) is on the run from the police when he is transported to a different time period. Except, unlike most time-period dramas, Bong-hwan wakes up as a Joseon queen. In an attempt to return to his time, he navigates the court politics and customs, attempting to influence the king of that period.
Mr. Queen is a K-drama unlike any other. While there are plenty of body-switching K-dramas (Scarlet Heart, Secret Garden), this drama is a more comedic take, thanks to Choi Jin-hyuk’s performance as he tries to be a queen despite lacking the proper mannerisms and knowledge of the era. A thrilling and exciting watch, Mr. Queen is one of the best historical dramas that has a primary focus on comedy.
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‘When the Camellia Blooms’ (2019)
When the Camellia Blooms stars two of the best South Korean actors of our time—Kang Ha-neul and Gong Hyo-jin. Both are exceptional comedians and dramatic actors, with Kang’s brilliance in portraying clumsy, ditzy characters with a lot of heart and kindness, and Gong stepping into the roles of independent, strong, but ultimately vulnerable women. When the Camellia Blooms features them at their best, and it’s a genre-bending love story that feels fantastical and realistic at the same time.
When the Camellia Blooms follows single mother Dong-baek (Gong), who moves with her infant son to a small town and opens a bar called Camellia. She’s the talk of the town and people avoid her because of assumptions about her character, until a local police officer, Yong-sik (Kang), falls in love with her and begins pursuing her. The drama skillfully combines a mystery into the storyline, making it more interesting overall, but the love story between Yong-sik and Dong-baek is often enough to entertain us. Try this drama on for size if you like a classic K-drama recipe with excellent comedy and realistic characters.
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‘Strong Girl Bong-soon’ (2017)
Strong Girl Bong-soon is one of the most popular K-dramas of all time. It’s a mix of romance, comedy, fantasy, and action, and adds some thrills by introducing a mystery plot. Do Bong-soon has a unique power—superhuman strength—which she inherited from the women in her family. While it aired, Strong Girl Bong-soon was the most-watched K-drama on JTBC, and the lead, Park Bo-young, won several awards in her country for the portrayal of the cutesy, charming, and strong girl, Bong-soon.
Strong Girl Bong-soon follows Bong-soon as she dreams of creating a video game and becoming a developer. However, her strength attracts other opportunities, and she becomes a bodyguard for the CEO of a gaming company, Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik). They grow closer as time passes, and the plot leads them into a sweet romance. There’s also a mystery in the plot, with kidnappings taking place in Bong-soon’s neighborhood, and she decides to solve the cases before anyone else gets hurt. It’s fun, cute, and an essential K-drama.
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‘The King’s Affection’ (2021)
When a princess bears twins one fateful night, she must get rid of the daughter due to a superstition. Years after sending her daughter away, she returns to the kingdom as a court maid named Dam-yi (Park Eun-bin) who must take her brother’s place as Crown Prince Lee Hwi after a murder scheme has gone wrong. However, suspicions begin to arise, and Dam-yi, and so do assassination attempts.
The King’s Affection is a beautifully tragic drama that explores court politics in a fun and entertaining way. It leaves viewers on the edge of their seats, giving a thrilling ride as tensions between characters rise and characters begin to fall for one another. The court is a dangerous place, and Dam-yi learns the hard way through various assassination attempts that will remind viewers of the dangerous situation that Dam-yi is really in. Heartbreaking and beautiful all at once, The King’s Affection is one of the best historical K-dramas out there.
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‘Hospital Playlist’ (2020)
The comical antithesis to medical procedurals like Grey’s Anatomy, the light-hearted Hospital Playlist is a celebration of friendship in a place that’s often ridden with tension. Five med school besties—Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung-suk), Ahn Jeong-won (Yoo Yeon-seok), Kim Jun-wan (Jung Kyung-ho), Yang Seok-hyeong (Kim Dae-myung), and Chae Song-hwa (Jeon Mi-do)—have been joined to the hip for a good 20 years. Far beyond their university years, the gang now works at the Yulje Medical Center as top doctors in different divisions.
Despite the laughs and giggles, Hospital Playlist does not take lightly the actual work performed by medical professionals. Audiences can still feel the tension of tending to one patient after another in a busy hospital. But when it’s after hours, these doctors take their scrubs off and embrace their friendship. There’s nothing better than some camaraderie to take the edge off in between high-stakes surgeries.
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‘Itaewon Class’ (2020)
Seoul’s neon-lit Itaewon district becomes the epic battleground for revenge and redemption in Itaewon Class. Park Sae Ro Yi (Park Seo-Joon), an ex-con with a fierce moral code, sets out to take down the corrupt food empire that destroyed his life. After a violent run-in with Jang Geun Won—the entitled heir to a restaurant conglomerate—Sae Ro Yi loses his father and lands in prison. Determined to fight back, he opens DanBam, a humble bar with big dreams.
Itaewon Class breaks barriers by taking place in one of the most multicultural areas in the country. With that in mind, it also makes sense to have an ensemble of misfits who are all diverse in their own ways. Despite its Korean setting, the show isn’t afraid to bring up social issues like racial and sexual orientation-based discrimination. —Dyah Ayu Larasati
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‘Alchemy of Souls’ (2022)
If you love fantasy, you can’t say you’re a fan of K-dramas in the genre until you’ve seen Alchemy of Souls. One of the most praised and loved K-dramas of all time, The Alchemy of Souls, is unique because of its exceptional world-building and lore; it’s full of small details and big-picture elements that immerse viewers upon first look. It has to make its way to the “best ever” list purely because of this, though it’s otherwise a wonderful love story, as well as a story about growth, resilience, and a fight of good versus evil.
Alchemy of Souls follows the skilled warrior Nak-su (Go Youn-jung), who, through the process of alchemy of souls, becomes trapped in the body of the weak Mu-deok (Jung So-min). She becomes entangled with Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook), teaches him her skills, and learns how to train Mu-deok. They fall in love and bond through training, but that’s only the beginning. The show is divided into two parts, and the second part really brings the fantasy to life; there’s a lot to enjoy within its 30 episodes. Prepare your tissues, too, because it does get emotional.
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‘Squid Game’ (2021–2024)
In a dystopian world, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) competes in Squid Game, a game show based on survival and luck, where its many competitors are just like Gi-hun: in extraordinary debt. However, while the cash prize is incredible, the consequences of playing Squid Game and losing are not. Gi-hun and others must fight to survive against unspeakable odds so that they may escape from Squid Game.
Squid Game is one of the most popular K-dramas to be released in recent years. This drama is the one that started the increasing global expansion of K-dramas, eliciting viewers who weren’t already into the genre. A sad story and a thrilling ride from start to finish, viewers will find themselves attached to particular characters. A game of survival, Squid Game is a drama to watch for suspense and thrills.
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‘My Mister’ (2018)
My Mister is a psychological drama that also has a slice-of-life quality to it. It depicts the emotional and mental growth of two unlikely, similar people; their ups, downs, realizations, and lessons over time. This K-drama is often thought to be one of the best-written shows hailing from South Korea, gathering praise for great character development and plotting. It stars the late Lee Sun-kyun in one of his finest roles, and Lee Ji-eun, aka IU, in one of her most mature.
My Mister follows two employees of the same company struggling with personal problems and burdens. One is a middle-aged man (Lee), whose family life is falling apart; the other is a young woman (IU), whose hardships prevent her from dreaming of bigger things. They connect in unexpected ways, and their relationship becomes one of mutual healing, understanding, and companionship in a world that often seems indifferent. It’s not romantic, but rather platonic, and a critic from a Korean publication wrote that My Mister made him “think about life, family, and society.”
