Whether or not you agree or not, Netflix has kind of captured the essence of the Korean movie trade with a vast provide of Korean dramas, {movies}, and documentaries. Not solely a lot of them are unique to Netflix. However, most of them have to this point been exceptional, as a result of causes like them being restricted releases or restricted for under Korean tv, and so on. The wait is seemingly over, and on Netflix US, there are greater than 40 totally different Korean tv dramas that may be binge-watched.
Like Korean {movies}, the Korean tv trade has flourished over time, with Show makers venturing into varied genres like crime, horror, and so on. together with the same old comedies and teenage romance dramas, which proceed to be the preferred genres in Korean tv. Everybody is aware that Netflix has an enormous alternative for Okay-dramas. Nevertheless, not all viewers are conscious of which of them are price their time. So, we’re right here that will help you. Right here’s the listing of actually good Korean dramas on Netflix which can be obtainable to stream properly now:
20. The Inheritors (2013)
Kim Tan (Lee Min-Ho) and Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye) meet in an opportunity encounter in Los Angeles, United States, after which once more in Seoul, South Korea. Eun Sang’s mom is a housekeeper in Kim Tan’s household dwelling, and each Kim Tan and Eun Sang attend the identical elite non-public college for the wealthy and the spoiled (Eun Sang is a scholarship child, after all). They fall in love, however, are saved aside by the steep distinction of their social courses. The Show, despite the fact that thrilling and energetic, falls sufferer to a number of frequent tropes and cliches of the older Okay-dramas that got here earlier than it. The spotlight of the show shouldn’t be the romance, although, however, the rivalry and the facility wrestle between Lee Min Ho and Kim Woo Bin’s characters, who’re childhood frenemies.
19. Cinderella and The 4 Knights (2016)
In this modern-day fairytale, Eun Ha Received (Park So-dam) is a brilliant and athletic highschool lady who is usually bullied by her stepmother and stepsister. She works part-time to avoid wasting up on her school tuition. One high-quality day, Ha Received meets a wealthy outdated man who presents her a job as a live-in caretaker at a palatial mansion which is inhabited by three beautiful males – billionaire cousins and spoilt heirs to the substantial Kang household fortune. This Show is gentle and ethereal, stuffed with innocent fluff that one might take pleasure in as escapist leisure. The characters are humorous, foolish, and really partaking.
18. Was It Love? (2020)
Noh Ae-Jung (Music Ji-Hyo) is a tricky cookie, a single mom who has not dated within the final 14 years. That adjustment drastically when she instantly meets and begins getting wooed by 4 males with very, totally different personalities. Oh, Dae-oh is a gorgeous man of questionable morals, Ryu Jin is good-looking and wealthy however, a bit pathetic, Goo Pa-do is horrifying but fairly alluring, and Oh Yeon-woo is a flirtatious youthful man. Ae-Jung has a historical past with three of them, who she used to know intently earlier than her being pregnant. The “who’s the child daddy” trope is finished and dusted. However, this Show makes it appear contemporary, and it’s so enjoyable. The actors have all acted effectively, and even the aspect characters are properly fleshed out. Good for a one-time watch.
17. One Spring Night time (2019)
After an opportunity assembly, one night time on the pharmacy, prim librarian Lee Jeong-In and pharmacist and single dad Yu Ji-ho really feel the tug of a mutual attraction, which quickly develops into full-blown love. The good-looking, charming, sensible, and type Ji-ho is head over heels for Jeong-In, however, she comes with baggage (and a boyfriend of Four years who she doesn’t love anymore). ‘One Spring Night-time’ shouldn’t be a teenage romance indulging in a giddy old flame. However, a mature and sober narrative of what a precise grownup relationship appears like in modern-day Korea. Darkly reasonable themes like adultery are explored in an elegantly nuanced method, and the characters are depicted as flawed, at occasions egocentric individuals. You’ll not discover any silliness right here (the type that’s so prevalent in Korean dramas).
16. Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Probably the most well-known Okay-dramas of all time, ‘Boys Over Flowers’ is a ceremony of passage for all Korean drama initiates and an enormous crowd-pleaser. A wealthy, spoilt, and entitled brat meets a poor and type lady who refuses to bow all the way down to him like the opposite college students at his elite college do, and he’s immediately smitten. However, she likes his good friend. Though this drama is the king of stereotypical characters and cliche storylines (there maybe even a makeover paid for by the wealthy man), it’s nonetheless eminently watchable. With a peppy soundtrack that may burrow itself into your brains, this Show is simply plain oodles and oodles of enjoyable. It does get a bit melodramatic and, admittedly, ridiculous in direction of the top; however you’ll be able to ignore that.
15. My Mister (2018)
‘My Mister’ is the story of affection, however not the type you’d think about and anticipate. A stoic 40-something man and a burdened, emotionally closed off 20-something girl type a ravishing friendship that is still undefined. They act as a soothing balm for one another’s battered souls and begin to heal collectively by means of heat companionship. Their relationship is good and chaste, and you end up rooting exhausting for them. This can be a drama very totally different from its contemporaries, and it’s undoubtedly priced a watch.
14. Oh My Ghost! (2015)
Na Bong-sun (Park Bo-young) is a timid lady with low shallowness who additionally sees spirits of the useless due to a shaman (mediator) ancestor. She works as an assistant chef at a hip restaurant and retains getting reprimanded by her unbelievably handsome boss for sleepwalking the whole day. The explanation she is perpetually exhausted is that the spirits preserve, pestering her at night time.
In the future, the ghost of a useless virgin lady possesses Bong-sun and agrees to go away alone and transfer on as quickly as she completes the unfinished enterprise of shedding her V-card. What the women – useless one and alive – don’t anticipate is them each falling in love with the identical man – Bong-sun’s charming boss, who’s pleasantly bewildered by the sudden change in Bong-sun’s shy mannerisms. Cute and humorous majorly, however, the Show additionally delves into some darkish locations coping with demise and loss. Total, a pleasant watch with some superb performances.
13. Cheese within the Entice (2016)
Cheese within the Entice, primarily based on the favored South Korean webtoon by the identical title, follows Hong Seol (Kim Go-eun), a hard-working school scholar, as she navigates by means of a tricky life and juggles research, associates, household, and a brand new romantic relationship. Hong Seol catches on to the truth that her deceptively form and good senior shouldn’t be a form or good in any respect, however a sociopath with a bent to control individuals around him and destroy those that annoy him. He isn’t a foul particular person, although, as a result of the solely targets low-lives who completely deserve their comeuppance.
Issues take a bizarre flip when he takes a liking to Hong Seol and asks her out. Nonetheless, undecided on whether or not he is an efficient man or not, she accepts and begins an initially uneasy relationship with him that finally grows deeper and blossoms into real love. Simply watch it for the hero/ anti-hero character – he’s completely charming and an enigma that you’ll want to determine.
12. A Korean Odyssey (2017 – 2018)
Seon-mi, a younger lady who can see ghosts and demons, frees an immortal being from his jail after he guarantees her his safety at any time when she calls him. Solely, he seems to be a rogue and steals the reminiscence of his title from Seon-mi earlier than working away. Years later, they meet once more, and in a fateful twist, they fall in love with one another. However, the beforehand immortal Son Oh-gong is on a quest to revive his immortality, and to try this, he should eat the flesh of a “Sam-jang” who, it seems, is his girlfriend. So their romance is doomed to finish in considered one of two methods – both Oh-gong consuming her flesh to realize immortality or Seon-mi killing him whereas he’s mortal. ‘A Korean Odyssey’ is chock-full of mysticism and grandiosity, plus a hauntingly gripping romance between the leads.
11. One thing within the Rain (2018)
‘One thing within the Rain’ follows the taboo romance between a 30-something girl and a person a lot youthful than herself, the 20-something youthful brother of her childhood greatest good friend. Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin) and Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in) get reacquainted when he returns from the States after three years and go from being associates to lovers, at the same time as they attempt to preserve their emotions at bay, deeming them inappropriate. However, love is aware of no age on this candy romance. They usually finally come out with their relationship, a lot to the shock and disapproval of the individuals around them.
This Show offers delicate topics like office sexual harassment as effectively, in a secondary plot. Watching reveals like these, and one finds out quite a bit about South Korean tradition and the principles of society. For instance, in Korea, pouring your individual drink first earlier than refilling your colleague or senior’s glass is unspeakably impolite and is taken into account to be a grave social fake pas.
10. Mr. Sunshine (2018)
Eugene Choi, born a slave in Joseon, however, escaped to the US in 1871, returns to Hanseong (the historic title of Seoul) as a part of the US Marine Corps. He meets an aristocrat’s daughter and falls in love along with her; however she is already betrothed to a nobleman who she doesn’t love in a match organized by her father. Additionally, vying for her consideration is a ruthless Samurai murderer who’s in love along with her as effectively. Amidst all of the romantic entanglements, Eugene discovers the Japanese’s plans to invade and colonize Korea.
He quickly will get caught up within the combat for the sovereignty of the Joseon Dynasty, main the rebel towards the Empire of Japan. This Show is thought for its excellent cinematography and a well-written, well-acted script (written by Kim Eun-sook, who is thought for penning epic fantasy dramas). The battle scenes are unbelievably epic, worthy of the large display. As a result of the Show is about within the historic Joseon period, the costumes and the language have nice significance and have been admirably performed. For those who like watching historic or interval movies and dramas, then ‘Mr. Sunshine’ is an absolute must-watch.
9. Jail Playbook (2017)
PD Shin Received-ho (of ‘Reply’ fame) casts his distinctive magic once more with darkish comedy ‘Jail Playbook.’ The story is of Kim Je-hyuk, a well-known baseball participant about to make his professional debut within the American main leagues. Earlier than he can signal on with the Boston Crimson Sox, his life takes a dramatic flip, and he lands himself in jail for beating up a person who was making an attempt to sexually assault his sister. Throughout his one-year jail sentence, the simple-minded Je-hyuk meets and befriends a number of inmates serving time for quite a lot of crimes however, and there’s extra to the convicts than simply being criminals.
The drama takes a deeper have a look at the lives of the jail inmates and the guards working there and the unusual friendships they type. There are such superbly written characters that you’d merely need to burst out cheering for them and have a look at them like they’re precise people who matter and never simply society’s dangerous apples to be thrown away. I personally received tremendous invested within the tales of each character – the menacing long-timer, the drug addict, the brash jail officer, the low-life goon who virtually killed Je-hyuk his first week in. However, that’s what PD Shin is thought for, to make you care a lot for the characters that you simply don’t need the drama to finish.
8. Crash Touchdown on You (2019 – 2020)
On this pleasant romantic dramedy, Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), a South Korean trend heiress, finds herself crash-landed in North Korea after a freak paragliding accident blows her off track. Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), a member of a robust political household of North Korea, finds the out-of-bounds Se-ri and hides her from the authorities. As he supplies her with a secure shelter and comes up with a plan to secretly smuggle her again to South Korea, the 2 star-crossed lovers fall exhausting for one another.
However, their destinies, it appears, aren’t aligned as a result of Jeong-hyeok is already engaged to a different girl (whom he agreed to marry purely out of a deep sense of obligation). ‘Crash Touchdown on You’ is as witty as they arrive; the banter between the leads will seemingly depart you in splits. The script is fast-moving and balances the romance and comedy completely with the motion and politics. Completely, completely, charmingly binge-worthy.
7. The King: Everlasting Monarch (2020)
Now right here’s a mind-bender that may depart you brimming with intrigue with each episode. From the pen of ace fantasy author Kim Eun-sook, the story of ‘The King: Everlasting Monarch’ could also be a bit too convoluted to make sense of straight away, but it surely’s convoluted in the very best means (any Christopher Nolan followers, right here?). The Emperor of the modern-day Kingdom of Corea, Lee Gon (performed by a disarmingly handsome Lee Min-ho), finds out that there’s an alternate universe that may be accessed through the use of a magical flute that opens a doorway between the totally different worlds. He unwittingly crosses over to the modern-day Republic of Korea, the place he falls in love with murder detective Jung Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun).
Issues get tough once they notice that there are doppelgangers in every alternate actuality and the murderous villain, Lee Gon’s evil uncle who desires the throne, is constructing himself a military of doppelgangers that he introduced from the Republic of Korea to The Kingdom of Corea with the promise of a greater life. Whereas generally, issues could not make sense as they’re occurring (and that may get a bit irritating), however, believe me, all of it comes collectively in the long run in good readability, and it’s completely price it. This drama is fairly excessive ranges of epic.
6. Itaewon Class (2020)
Primarily based on a webtoon of the identical title, ‘Itaewon Class’ has ranked within the high ten highest-rated dramas in Korean cable tv historical past. And it’s fully well-deserved. The Show revolves around Park Sae-or-yi (Park-joon), an ex-convict who received expelled from high school for punching a bully after which received served three years of jail time for attacking the identical bully as a result of the boy’s rash driving had resulted in Park Sae-to-Yi’s father’s demise. Park Sae-ro-yi opens a bar-restaurant in Itaewon 7 years after he will get out of jail.
Alongside together with his restaurant’s seemingly sociopathic supervisor and the hard-working workers, Sae-ro-yi strives to make his enterprise a terrific success and finally have a series of eating places. However, with the intention to get forward within the meal enterprise, he has to lock horns with an enormous meal conglomerate. This drama about breaking societal norms and reaching desires is as inspirational as it’s shifting. It’s heartwarming and honest and incorporates a fair candy soundtrack.
5. Kingdom (2019 – current)
Netflix’s first unique Korean collection, ‘Kingdom’ is likely one of the only a few Okay-dramas to proceed with an extended storyline stretched over a number of seasons. Normally, Korean dramas wrap up inside 16-20 episodes. However, despite the fact that ‘Kingdom’ has had 2 seasons to this point (and a 3rd one within the works), it doesn’t really feel “draggy” as a result of they have got that a lot of stories to inform. Set within the Joseon period, the Show’s plot facilities around Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), who’s barred from seeing his father, the King of Joseon, by the Queen’s orders. His stepmother simply tells him that the King is ailing and can’t see anybody.
The Prince takes it upon himself to research the King’s sickness and the trigger for it. It seems that there’s a plague that brings the useless again to life as forever-hungry cannibalistic monsters (so, zombies). Except for defending his rightful declare to the throne, the Prince now additionally has to combat and kill zombies. And everyone knows (from {movies} like ‘Prepare To Busan’) that Korean zombies are quick and scary. This one makes it so excessive on our listing purely on account of the sheer thrills it supplies. Take the word, Hollywood. That is the way you do zombies.
4. Hospital Playlist (2020 – current)
Medical dramas are nothing new, even within the Okay-drama universe. However, in a medical drama, the place the protagonists are all high surgeons of their particular fields of research and have a rocking band collectively, that’s contemporary. ‘Hospital Playlist’ is one other gem by PD Shin Received-ho (after ‘Jail Playbook,’ ‘Reply Collection’) that captures the on regular basis life of docs and hospital employees at a really fundamental, human degree and delves into the depth behind seemingly easy and mundane issues. ‘Hospital Playlist’ follows the extraordinarily partaking story of 5 medical college associates who’re nonetheless very shut at age 40.
They work in the identical hospital (however, in numerous departments) and play in a band collectively on the weekends. The 5 have a cushty, easy-going dynamic – the type that comes from years of friendship. They’re form and humorous, completely charming, and really proficient at each surgical procedure and music (effectively, aside from the truth that their lead vocalist sucks). One other Netflix Unique with a Season 2 coming in 2021 (actually can not wait!).
3. When The Camellia Blooms (2019)
This can be a romantic-comedy-thriller that may preserve you engaged from beginning to end. It’s a homicide thriller that has some good whodunit twists up its sleeves, and also, you will be unable to guess who the killer is till the large reveal. The story revolves around single mom Dong Baek (performed by the splendidly versatile Gong Hyo-jin) as she opens and efficiently runs a bar named Camellia in a reserved neighborhood, the place a single girl working an alcoholic institution is appeared down upon.
However, Dong Baek, who appears timid at first, is a powerful, sincere, and resilient girl who perseveres till she has everybody within the neighborhood on her aspect. She additionally falls in love with Yong-sik (Kang Ha-neul), a do-gooder police officer with an unbending sense of justice and a smile to soften girls’ hearts in all places. The Show doesn’t pull punches with regards to displaying some darkish themes like serial murders and slut-shaming. The serial killer, whereas a menacing malicious presence all through, doesn’t take focus away from the lead pair, who’s so cute collectively. It’s gratifying to see Dong Baek’s transformation from a timid rabbit to a fierce dragon. Look ahead to heavy doses of romance and intrigue.
2. It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020)
Moon Gang-tae (wildly fashionable actor Kim Soo-hyun) is a powerful, form, and caring healthcare employee who works at the OK Psychiatric Hospital. At dwelling, he cares for his older brother who’s on the autism spectrum and harbors a darkish concern of butterflies. Ko Moon-young (Search engine optimization Ye-ji) is a profitable young e-book writer with a delinquent persona dysfunction. Gang-tae and Moon-young each had troubled childhoods and are emotionally battered. They don’t have many shut private relationships till they meet one another. Whereas Gang-tae makes it clear that he doesn’t have time for love, Moon-young consistently obsesses over him and goes to some hilariously excessive lengths to realize his consideration.
Collectively, they begin to assist and heal one another emotionally at the same time as their horribly entangled previous is revealed. The emotional journey is not only the lead pair’s, and it’s additionally inclusive of Gang-tae’s brother, whose phobia of butterflies is rooted in his witnessing their mom’s brutal homicide as a child. The Show ‘It’s Okay To Not Be Okay’ has been praised for its openness and the sensitivity with which it offers with psychological well being points, shedding a much-needed highlight on points that society would slightly ignore. This Show is thought-provoking and powerfully shifting, and never simply an ethereal love story.
1. Reply 1988 (2015 – 2016)
Treasured. Heat. Endearing. Deeply shifting. Achingly lovely. And people phrases are nonetheless not sufficient to explain ‘Reply 1988’. Indubitably, the very best Okay-drama (or any language drama) that I’ve watched to this point. It doesn’t have a singularly centered plot. Set within the late 80s, ‘Reply 1988’ tells the story of 5 childhood associates and their households, who all dwell in the identical middle-class neighborhood of Ssangmun-dong in Seoul. The main focus of the show stays on the 5 greatest associates, whose bromance provides you with so many feels that you simply’ll cry and snicker without delay and assume it’s completely regular.
This drama’s uncooked slice-of-life method is nostalgic and hits near dwelling, particularly when it tackles relatable themes like class variations, monetary struggles, household dynamics, friendships, coming-of-age points, and issues of the center. ‘Reply 1988’ will get all too actual when it focuses on mundane on a regular basis life – like a single mom’s anguish when she realizes that the cuts on her boy’s face aren’t the marks of violence in school as she suspected; however, the byproduct of his clumsy makes an attempt at shaving. PD Shin Received-ho manages to provide a lot of depth to each character, no matter how a lot of display the time they’ve, that they’re all actual precise individuals and never simply 2D supporting characters.
The scenes are so partaking and humorous and candy and critical and unhappy, a myriad of various feelings that you simply really feel whereas watching. I assume one of the best ways to explain ‘Reply 1988’ is that it’s like a heat hug. This Show has my coronary heart, and I can actually say that watching it will make you a greater particular person.
