Not sure where to start? Don't worry, I've made you a list.
Fancy a rom-com? I got you. Maybe you want a sweeping historic drama? Coming right up. Perhaps you're looking for something scary? I'll show you the way.
(Quick note for K-drama newbies: K-dramas are often one-and-done jobs, with a season featuring around 16 episodes that can be over an hour each. Sometimes, they get a second season, but it's super common for it to be fully wrapped up in one season, so don't go thinking, Ah, that show only got one season, so it's probably not that great!)
1. Itaewon Class
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Itaewon Class follows an ex-convict on his quest to make his dream of owning a street bar a reality. This Netflix original isn't just a slice of life "dreams to reality" drama — there's a lot going on!
Every show needs an antagonist for its protagonist, and school bully and Jangga Group heir Jang Geun-won (played by Ahn Bo-hyun) is the perfect nemesis for main character Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon). Without revealing too much, Sae-ro-yi ends up behind bars for an incident involving Geun-won, and during the time he spends locked up, the woman he is in love with ends up becoming the Strategic Planning Head of Jangga Group.
With revenge in his mind, Sae-ro-yi's first move when he is free from prison is to set up a bar/restaurant in Seoul, aiming to take down Jangga, its founder and heir once and for all.
Bonus: It's got a great OST! Check it out on Spotify.
Episode count: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Itaewon Class by Gwang Jin
2. All of Us Are Dead
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This tense drama follows a group of students whose high school becomes overrun by zombies following a failed science experiment. Trapped with no food, water, or communication, the group must find a way to stay alive and uninfected as survival begins to look less and less likely.
Claustrophobic and nerve-wracking, this drama will keep you on the edge of your seat — and reaching for the tissues too!
Episode count: 12
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Now at Our School by Joo Dong-geun
3. Hotel del Luna
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A K-drama classic, the eponymous Hotel del Luna has an intriguing secret — it's a guest house for the supernatural. With staff and clients made up of ghosts wrapping up loose ends before moving on to the afterlife, the hotel is invisible in the daytime and only available to humans under special circumstances. The hotel does need one human staff member though, who acts as a bridge to the human world and aids with deeds like paying debts to the living, etc.
Hotel owner Jang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun, aka IU) committed a huge sin more than a millennium ago and is bound to cater to the dead. When she meets Gu Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo)'s father due to a manipulation by the deity Mago, she strikes a bargain with him; to keep his life, he must agree to his son working as her general manager 20 years later.
However, as you might have guessed by now, the role isn't your standard hotel general manager role, and Chan-sung slowly begins to unravel the secrets of the hotel and its mysterious owner.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
4. Sweet Home
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This apocalyptic horror presents a fresh take on the whole monsters-versus-humanity trope. Sweet Home follows Cha Hyun-soo (Song Kang), a struggling student who moves into the Green Home apartment building following a car accident that kills his family.
Shortly afterward, news breaks of horrifying monsters who appear to be on a mission to wipe out humanity, and the residents of Green Home are trapped together in a desperate attempt to survive. Their only hope of staying alive is tied to the people and materials inside the building.
Rumors of a second season are swirling following lead actor Song Kang's manager sharing an Instagram story update with a bloody pair of shoes and the caption, "It has started...," so we might see the story back onscreen again soon!
Episodes: 10
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Sweet Home by Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan
5. It's Okay to Not Be Okay
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It's Okay to Not Be Okay follows Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun), who lives with his autistic brother Sang-tae (Oh Jung-se). The pair have moved frequently since Sang-tae witnessed the murder of their mother, with Gang-tae taking on work as a caretaker at a psychiatric ward in every town they settle in. Gang-tae is very empathetic, but has low self-esteem and struggles to form meaningful relationships with anyone but his brother.
Ko Moon-young (Seo Yea-ji) is a famous children's author rumored to have antisocial personality disorder. After a coincidence leads her to meet Gang-tae, she becomes obsessed with him and follows him to his next town, which coincidentally ends up being the town where both she, Sang-tae, and Gang-tae lived when they were younger. Together, the three begin to help one another heal, sharing secrets and fears, finding comfort in one another, and ultimately growing as people.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
6. Kingdom
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Move over, The Walking Dead — we want a zombie drama that's set in the 16th century!
Kingdom is set in a fictional, medieval-inspired Joseon, the last dynastic kingdom of Korea. Blending an intriguing mix of political thriller and zombie horror, Kingdom follows Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), the Crown Prince of Joseon, on his quest to find a cure for the mysterious illness ailing the King.
However, he ends up caught in the midst of a deadly epidemic that has taken over the kingdom. Prince Chang must spin two plates weighed down by tremendously difficult tasks — to save the kingdom from this strange plague but also stop his political opposition from taking over the throne.
Episodes: 12, plus one feature-length special, Ashin of the North
Seasons so far: 2
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Kingdom of the Gods by Kim Eun-hee and Yang Kyung-il
7. Descendants of the Sun
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Hugely popular in South Korea and across wider Asia, Descendants of the Sun tells the story of soldier Shi-jin (Song Joong-ki) and Dr. Mo-yeon (Song Hye-Kyo). When chance allows them to meet, Shi-jin immediately falls in love with Mo-yeon, but as they date, they realize how different they are — one kills to protect lives, while the other tries to save all lives and avoid any death at all.
Unable to agree, they part ways, but cross paths again when Mo-yeon is assigned to lead a medical team in the fictional country of war-torn Uruk, where Shi-jin is leading a peacekeeping mission. Can they bond when their core beliefs are so different?
Production director Lee Eung-bok said the name of the show was inspired by the way the sun gives light to people, just like the way the main characters provide a source of warmth to those around them.
Fun fact: The show's main leads actually married in 2017 following the show, but divorced two years later.
Episodes: 16, plus 3 special episodes
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
8. The Uncanny Counter
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The Uncanny Counter is led by high school student So Mun, whose parents were killed in a car accident when he was young.
Set in a fictional city called Jungjin, the "counters" are demon hunters who banish evil spirits that escape from the afterlife in an attempt to become immortal. Counters were all once in a coma, and now have superhuman strength and supernatural abilities due to being possessed by the spirit of a partner from Yung, the boundary between the afterlife and the human world.
When So Mun is possessed by spirit partner Wi-gen, he is drawn into a world he never knew existed and begins to unravel shady circumstances around his parents' deaths, find surprising connections, and unearth ugly truths around city projects.
It has been renewed for a second season.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Amazing Rumor by Jang Yi
9. Strangers From Hell
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If you're looking for something chilling and psychological, this slow-burning cerebral drama will tick that box for you.
Sometimes known as Hell Is Other People, the show follows Yoon Jong Woo (Im Si-wan), a young man in his 20s who moves to Seoul after securing an internship there. Living in a big city on an intern's wages doesn't come cheap, so Jong Woo moves into Eden Studio, a cheap dormitory where he can make ends meet. Despite the low quality of the facilities and his strange neighbors, Jong Woo decides to stay, aiming to keep to himself and save up enough to move out when he can.
However, it's not long before a series of strange and unsettling events cause Jong Woo to live in a constant state of fear...
This intense drama also stars K-drama veteran Lee Dong-wook, who moves away from his usual role as a charming love interest and steps into the shoes of a disturbing dentist who will make you avoid your next check-up at all costs!
Episodes: 10
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Strangers From Hell by Kim Yong-ki
10. Vincenzo
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Vincenzo is led by Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-ki), a Korean-born Italian who was adopted and moved to Italy at age 8. Vincenzo works as a lawyer, but also as a consigliere for the Italian Mafia.
When a war between two mafia groups breaks out, he flees to South Korea, where he meets lawyer Hong Cha-young. She is tenacious and ready to do anything to win a case, and Vincenzo finds himself enraptured by her. Thrown together in a legal battle against an unrivaled conglomerate in Seoul, he and Cha-young fight for justice, with Vincenzo delivering retribution in his own way.
Episodes: 20
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
11. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
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Despite only coming out a year ago, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is one of the highest-rated series in cable TV history and one of Netflix's most-watched non-English shows.
The show is led by Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a), a dentist who lives in Seoul but loses her job after calling out her clinic's head doctor for deliberately overdoing unneeded treatments on patients to gain profit. Looking for her next career move, she ends up in the seaside village of Gongjin, where she opens her own dental clinic. There, she meets Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho), a man known and respected around the village due to the way he constantly helps others, and their paths begin to cross over and over as Hye-jin settles in to Gongjin and her new rural life.
With seemingly opposing personalities and beliefs, the two butt heads time and time again, but eventually, begin to understand one another.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No, but it is based on Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong, a 2004 South Korean movie
12. Squid Game
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If you haven't heard of this one, you must have been living under a rock! As of May 2022, it remains the leading non-English show on Netflix.
Just in case you've somehow missed the world going Squid Game-crazy, I'll recap what the show's about. Basically, there's a contest with 456 players, all of whom are experiencing some kind of financial debt. If they win this contest, they get 45.6 million Korean won, which is around $38 million. The catch? Well, the contest is basically the Hunger Games.
In the midst of the harrowing trials, unlikely friendships form and stories unravel. Despite us growing to love several characters, there can be only one winner, so make sure you have your tissues ready...
Episodes: 9
Seasons so far: 1, with Season 2 confirmed but not looking likely to release until around 2024
Based on a webtoon? No, but there's a real (nonviolent and entirely innocent!) children's game called Squid (Ojingeo or 오징어), and it's played in South Korea. The opening sequence shows a group of children playing the game.
13. Crash Landing on You
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This romantic comedy/drama has quickly become one of my faves!
Successful businesswoman and heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) runs her own beauty company and is due to take over her family business group. Just before the announcement is made, Se-ri goes paragliding near Seoul and is swept up in a storm, crash-landing in North Korean territory.
She is found by Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), but manages to shake him and his officers off as she tries desperately to get back home. However, in her hasty attempt to get away, Se-ri goes the wrong way and walks right into a North Korean village and smack bang into Captain Ri.
The authorities have by now been alerted to the presence of an intruder, so Captain Ri decides reluctantly to hide Se-ri until she can get back home. Together with four officers, he seeks to protect her from the North Korean intelligence authorities and smuggle her back to South Korea, with unlikely alliances and heartwarming relationships forming along the way.
Fun fact: Leads Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin recently got married! Be still, my beating heart!
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No, but it is based on Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong, a 2004 South Korean movie
14. My Name
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When her father is murdered, Yoon Ji-woo seeks help from a powerful crime boss. With his help, she infiltrates the police as an undercover officer, aiming to find the truth about what happened to her dad and act as a mole for the organized crime group she is part of.
Episodes: 8
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
15. The Silent Sea
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Now, longtime K-drama fans will likely know Gong Yoo from shows and movies such as Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, Coffee Prince or Train to Busan, but more recent K-drama fans may know him as what the internet dubbed as "the charming slapping salesman from Squid Game." Well, whichever way you know him, he is one of the main characters in this sci-fi drama!
Also featuring K-drama stalwart Bae Doona and K-pop star turned actor Lee Joon, The Silent Sea is set in the near-future in a time when Earth is running out of water and fluids are rationed. The show follows a team of hand-picked personnel on a mission to the moon, tasked with retrieving a mysterious sample they are given no information on.
When the team reach the moon, a series of unsettling developments and discoveries pit the team against each other, with circumstances out of their control putting them all in danger...
Episodes: 8
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No, but it is an adaptation of the 2014 short film The Sea of Tranquility by director Choi Hang-yong.
16. Sky Castle
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Another award-winner, Sky Castle was the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history at the time of airing.
This satirical drama revolves around a group of housewives in a community known as SKY Castle (SKY being an acronym for Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University, the top three universities in South Korea), who are determined to make their husbands more successful and boost their children into the highest levels of education and professional triumph.
Committed to their ideals, the women will stop at nothing to achieve this dream, even if it means ruining other people's lives...
Episodes: 20, and a special
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
17. Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth
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K-pop fans will love the cast of this drama, which features Park Hyung-sik from ZE:A, V from BTS, and Choi Minho from Shinee!
This drama didn't win many awards, but it's a fun watch in my opinion. It follows a group of young men in the Silla kingdom (57 BC–AD 935) who are known as the hwarang, elite warriors who cut across existing power factions in order to break the power of the nobles and protect the Queen Regent's son. The son in question, Sammaekjong, is now of age to take control of the kingdom, but the Queen worries that ceding power will lead him into danger after years of keeping his identity secret to keep him safe.
The hwarang are unaware that Sammaekjong is actually within their ranks, and as the time comes for the mysterious prince to take the throne, a series of twists ensure his path isn't an easy one.
Episodes: 20, and four specials
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
18. Mr. Sunshine
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Set in the 1900s, this show focuses on a group of activists fighting for Korea's independence from Japan.
Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun) was born into slavery in South Korea, but escaped to the US, becoming a Marine Corps officer. When he returns to his home country, he falls for an aristocrat's daughter, Go Ae-shin (Kim Tae-ri).
Ae-shin is part of the Righteous Army, which is an informal civilian militia aiding the national armies at times of need. Their relationship is challenged by their wildly different classes and the fact that Ae-shin is betrothed to someone else. There's a lot going on, but during all of this, Eugene discovers a Japanese plot to colonize Korea and becomes involved in the fight for freedom.
Episodes: 24
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
19. Taxi Driver
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Said to be inspired by real-life crimes committed in South Korea, the show focuses on the Rainbow Taxi Company. Kim Do-ki graduated from the Naval Academy and became an Underwater Demolition Team Official, but joined the Rainbow Taxi Company after his mother was murdered by a serial killer.
Why did he join a taxi company following this horrific event, you may ask? Well, it's not a normal taxi company. Staffed by a group of vigilantes who feel let down by the justice system, the company offers a special revenge-call service. Clients can request a service if they have been wronged, and Do-ki and colleagues will deliver their own form of retribution.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1, but a second season is confirmed
Based on a webtoon? Yes, The Deluxe Taxi by Carlos and Lee Jae-jin
20. Business Proposal
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This rom-com tells the story of Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeung), who gets roped into going on a blind date in place of her friend — only to find out the date is her boss!
Ha-ri goes on the date for her friend Jin Young-seo (Seol In-ah), whose father arranged it for his daughter. The plan is for Ha-ri to be rejected, but her date is CEO of Go Food Kang Tae-moo, who has been pressured about marriage so often by his grandfather that he plans to just marry the blind date to avoid the string of painful blind dates ahead of him.
Ha-ri manages to hide her real identity and employee status until the real Young-seo gets caught in a parking accident with Tae-moo's driver. Her identity exposed, Ha-ri lies about her name and gives the name of a popular television lead, so it makes sense that he can't easily find her online. Tae-moo bribes Ha-ri to pretend to be his fiancé for 800,000 won per date. The initially frosty pair start to thaw to each other, but then Tae-moo finds out Ha-ri's real identity...
Episodes: 12
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Business Proposal by Haehwa
21. Doctor Stranger
22. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo
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This coming-of-age drama follows a woman at a sports university as she fulfils her dream of following in her weightlifter father's footsteps. Hiding her insecurities between a tough demeanor, she finds herself crushing on her friend's older brother, who at first teases her and her ambitions, but finds himself liking her.
This show has a bit of a cult following, especially with younger viewers and in the Philippines!
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
23. Extracurricular
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Oh Ji-soo (Kim Dong-hee) is a top student who lives separately to his father. He earns his money to pay his university tuition fees through running an illegal business, a security service provider that protects sex workers.
When classmate and crush Bae Gyu-ri finds out Ji-soo's secret, she begins to blackmail him, meaning he has no option but to let her in on the business...
Episodes: 10
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
24. Strong Girl Bong-soon
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Another ranking on the list of highest-rated dramas in Korean cable television history, Strong Girl Bong-soon tells the story of Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young), a woman born with superhuman strength. Her dream is to create a video game with herself as the character.
Her strength lands her a job as a bodyguard for Ainsoft gaming company heir Ahn Min-hyuk, who trains her to use her strength for good causes when a series of kidnappings happen. Their work relationship and the shared pursuit of the kidnapper create hilarious and often dangerous situations, bringing the two closer together.
Episodes: 16 and a special
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
25. W: Two Worlds Apart
26. Moon Embracing the Sun
27. Start-Up
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Set in a fictional Korean Silicon Valley, the show tells the story of two entrepreneurs determined to make it in the cutthroat tech industry.
Seo Dal-mi doesn't have a technical background, but she is determined, bright, and adamant about becoming the next Steve Jobs. Nam Do-san, on the other hand, is a genius savant who was once the pride of his family but turned into their shame when his business began to go downhill. When he discovers Dal-mi has mistakenly remembered him as her first love, he tries to turn that into a reality.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
28. Memories of the Alhambra
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Another on the list of highest-rated dramas in Korean cable TV history, Memories of the Alhambra was praised for its creative plot, unpredictable twists, and originality.
Yoo Jin-woo (Hyun Bin) is the CEO of an investment company specializing in optical devices. When he receives an email invitation from Se-joo, the creator of a groundbreaking augmented-reality game about medieval battles in the Alhambra, Jin-woo travels to meet him, only to discover he has gone missing. He meets creator Se-joo's sister, Hee-joo (Park Shin-hye), and both are drawn into a series of strange events that blur the edges of their reality and Se-joo's AR world.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
29. Tomorrow
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K-pop band SF9 member Rowoon stars in this drama, which follows his character Choi Jun-woong, a young jobseeker fighting to secure employment. A series of events lead to him meeting two grim reapers, whose mission is to help save suicidal people. Jun-woong ends up landing a job as the youngest member of the crisis management team of the angels of death.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Tomorrow by Llama
30. Twenty-Five Twenty-One
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Twenty-Five Twenty-One depicts the romantic lives of five characters from 1998 to 2021. It was a commercial hit and wound its way onto the list of highest-rated dramas in Korean cable television history.
Due to a South Korean financial crisis, high school fencing prodigy Na Hee-Do (Kim Tae-ri) finds her team disbanded. The same crisis causes Back Yi-jin's father's business to go bankrupt, taking Yi-jin from the life of a wealthy person to that of a penniless one. When both their dreams seem out of reach, Hee-do seeks to achieve her ambitions, and Yi-jin works hard to rebuild his life.
The show also revolves around three other characters: Ko Yu-rim (Bona) as a high school fencing gold medalist idolized by Hee-do, Moon Ji-woong (Choi Hyun-wook) as Hee-do's classmate and the most popular boy in school, and Ji Seung-wan (Lee Joo-myung) as the class president.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
31. Move to Heaven
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A Netflix original series, Move to Heaven follows Geu-ru (Tang Joon-sang), who who has autism. When his father suddenly dies, Geu-ru meets his estranged ex-convict uncle, Sang-gu, for the first time. As Geu-ru's guardian, Sang-gu inducts him into the family trauma cleaning company, "Move to Heaven," where they deal with the items left by the deceased and deliver it to loved ones when they can.
As they go about their business, they unearth untold stories about the people who have died, while Sang-gu tries to heal from a painful past with Geu-ru's father and the incident that landed him behind bars.
Episodes: 10
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No, but it was inspired by the essay "Things Left Behind" by Kim Sae-byul, a former trauma cleaner
32. Sisyphus
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This time-travelling drama introduces us to Han Tae Sul (Cho Seung-woo), the co-founder of Quantum and Time, a company nicknamed "the miracle of South Korea's engineering industry." But all isn't exactly as it appears on the surface, and one day, he witnesses something that sets him on a path toward danger.
Meanwhile, Kang Seo Hae (Park Shin-hye) lives in a future dystopian world. An elite warrior with a ton of skills ranging from shooting, bomb-making, and incapacitating with her bare hands, she ends up travelling to save Han Tae Sul.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
33. Navillera
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This drama will tug at your heartstrings. It tells the story of Shim Deok-chul (Park In-hwan) and Lee Chae-rok (Song Kang).
Deok-chul is a 70-year-old retired postman who decides to finally do what he's always dreamed of — ballet! Despite his family's displeasure, he joins a dance academy, where he meets Chae-rok, whose passion for ballet is waning due to his financial situation. Together, the two grow as people and ballet dancers, inspiring many along the way.
Fun fact: The word "navillera" loosely translates to "like a butterfly!"
Episodes: 12
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? Yes, Navillera by Hun and Ji-min
34. Beyond Evil
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Beyond Evil follows two policeman who go above and beyond their duty (and the law!) to catch a sick serial killer wreaking havoc on their quiet city.
With an M.O. similar to a cold case from 20 years ago, the two team up to stop the killer before they strike again. However, to find the killer, they must question everything and everyone — including themselves.
Episodes: 16
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
35. Fight for My Way
36. Hospital Playlist
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This show is also on the highest-rated dramas in Korean cable TV history list!
Hospital Playlist follows five doctors in their 40s, who have been best friends since medical school in the '90s. All with different specialisms, the show follows them in their day-to-day lives, exploring their relationships, secrets and dreams — and even their musical talents!
Episodes: 24
Seasons so far: 2
Based on a webtoon? No
37. Healer
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A decades-old incident involving illegal activity and even murder brings together a trio of unlikely allies — an illegal "night courier" with fearsome fighting prowess, a tabloid news reporter, and a famous journalist. Together, the three begin to unearth the truth and its link to present-day incidents.
This show did moderately well in South Korea but gained a large overseas fanbase!
Episodes: 20
Seasons so far: 1
Based on a webtoon? No
How many will you be adding to your list? Let me know in the comments!
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