Getting into K-dramas: The First 13 to Watch!

The versatility of K-dramas is no joke and boy, are they ready to push the barriers.

A human pretending to be a robot? Check. A time travel gender-swap that takes you to the Joseon Period? Check. Think of a random idea and there’s probably a K-drama already made about it.

So in the midst of the cornucopia that K-dramas has to offer, you may miss watching the really good ones that will earn you your street cred amongst avid fans.

This K-Drama must-watch list is not like the others. If you really want to get into K-dramas, you need to get a taste of all it has to offer. So cancel all your other plans, because here are the top 13 K-dramas across all its sub-genres that definitely need to watch.

1. Full House (2004) | Classics

Korea’s home turf produces at least 30-40 K-dramas every year, if not more. Now services like Netflix and Disney+ are dabbling in the genre, adding to the number of newly released titles.

It’s no wonder that you may have not heard or had the time to watch some of the classics. A good one to get you acquainted with this era is Song Hye-kyo and Rain’s Full House.

Rain plays a famous celebrity who has an on-paper contract marriage with Song’s character. It’s a classic story of a rich guy and a working-class girl falling in love, despite having different life perspectives. It’s cute, funny and a good representation of the tone and style used in K-dramas being produced in the early 2000s. 

If you liked this show, check out: Autumn in my Heart, Coffee Prince and Winter Sonata.

Full House Drama Trailer

2. Queen Seondoek (2009) | Historical

Korea’s historical dramas are truly one of the aspects that sets this whole industry apart, and I can’t wait to tell you about the best one out there — Queen Seondeok.

This show is inspired by the real-life Queen Seondeok of Silla (played by Lee Yo-won in the show) who is the kingdom’s first queen to wield power. But this quest is met by betrayals and bloodshed that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

(Fair warning: The show has taken a lot of artistic liberties to blend history to fit the plot’s narrative.)

If you liked this show, check out: Mr Sunshine, Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung and, The Empress Ki.

The Great Queen Seondeok Main Title

3. Boys Over Flowers (2009) | Teen/School Romance

Based on the Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango, the show brings economic class conflict into the classroom when Ku Hye-soon’s character is accepted into an elite school filled with rich kids. Here she becomes the target of the infamous F4, whose leader is Lee Min-ho.

I don’t particularly like Boys Over Flowers because some of the characters and storylines are quite toxic. In fact, a lot of teen K-dramas (like Heirs) being made at this time had similar problems. Over the next few years, teen dramas evolved to be more balanced even whilst dealing with issues like bullying.

Regardless, the show became an instant hit and to date continues to have international remakes made. It’s carved a spot in K-drama history, which is why you should watch it.

If you liked this show, check out: Heirs, School 2017 (+ other parts of the School Series) and, True Beauty.

4. Life is Beautiful (2010) | Social Commentary

While the show is about a multigenerational family living in Jeju island, a big focus is on Song Chang-eui’s gay character, Tae-sub. Just like his own family who had to come to terms with his identity, Tae-sub provided quite a challenge to the conservative Korean audience who had to accept an openly gay character on mainstream TV.

Korean media is not yet fully open to LGBTQ depiction, but it has made headway thanks to this drama. (You can watch the 2020 web series Where Your Eyes Linger for a full-blown BL).

Since it’s not possible for one show to tackle all social prejudices, I’ve put a few recommendations below that deal with wealth inequality, education systems, mental health, etc.

If you liked this show, check out: Fight for My Way, Sky Castle, and It’s Okay to be Not Okay. 

5. Goblin (2016-17) | Fantasy

Goblin took South Korea by storm! Gong Yoo’s long winter coat became a fashion staple, while red scarves and buckwheat flowers become symbols of affection.

This is a tale of a man punished to live as a Goblin for all eternity. However, an odd 900 years later, he finds Kim Go-eun’s Eun-tak, who is destined to be his bride and kill him. Will the two be able to carry out Destiny’s orders after they fall in love with each other?

Goblin also serves as a good introduction for those unfamiliar with Korea’s vast folklore and creatures like the Dokkaebi, Gwishin and other deities.

If you liked this show, check out: Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Hotel Del Luna and Tail of the Nine-Tailed.

Goblin (Official Trailer)

6. Signal (2016) | Crime

I’m going to say it right away — Signal is not the best Korean crime drama, but it is one of the most popular/watched, which is why it should be on your list. Think of it as part of your K-drama foundation.

It stars Lee Je-hoon and Kim Hye-soo as two detectives solving cases in 2015. They suddenly start receiving messages from a police walkie-talkie from Cho Jin-Woong, a police officer who is communicating with them from 2000.

If you liked this show, check out: Law School, Stranger, and Lookout.

Signal Trailer

7. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? (2018) | Office Romance

The romance department is incomplete without office affairs and this is where What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? tops the list.

(Although my personal choice for office romances would be Park Seo-joon’s other show She Was Pretty.)

Like most office romances, it follows the trope of the boss falling in love with one of their employees. These types of shows are often light, comical and filled with glimpses of office dynamics. The latter is my favorite bit because you get to see Korea’s unique work culture, where even drinks after work can turn into a power play.

If you liked this show, check out: My Shy Boss, Strong Woman Do Bong-soon, and The Secret Life of My Secretary.

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim | Trailer | Watch FREE on iflix

8. Crash Landing On You (2019-20) | Romance

Even if you don’t watch K-dramas, you’ve probably heard of Crash Landing on You. During the pandemic, this show quickly snowballed into an epic, especially for international audiences and first-time watchers.

The premise is quite quirky — Son Ye-jin plays a South Korean heiress, who while paragliding, accidentally crosses over the border and literally crash lands into the arms of a North Korean soldier played by Hyun Bin.

The stakes are high with trying to get a fugitive safely back to her country, and a soldier who can be killed for being a traitor.

Crash Landing on You is the quintessential K-drama, with the right amount of romance, action, drama and political commentary.

If you liked this show, check out: Descendants of the Sun, A Korean Odyssey, and Snowdrop.

Crash Landing on You | Official Trailer #1 | Netflix [ENG SUB]

9. Strangers From Hell (2019) | Thriller

This show is one hell of a psychological rollercoaster following Im Si-wan’s character Jong-woo. Unable to afford Seoul’s rent, he is forced to live in a suspicious dormitory. His fellow residents are all kinds of shady, from perverts to gangsters.

His only solace is fellow dorm mate played by Lee Dong-wook, who is a reliable and trustworthy dentist. But what if the dentist is not who he says he is? And what happens when Jung-woo realizes he is okay with the dentist’s animalistic side?

I apologize in advance for all the days you’ll need to recover after finishing this drama.

If you liked this show, check out: Extracurricular, The Penthouse: War in Life, and W. 

10. Itaewon Class (2020) | Slice of Life

There are quite a few commendable Slice of Life K-dramas (see my recommendations below), but the reason I’ve selected Itaewon Class is because it’s diverse, empowering and apt to our current contemporary society.

Park Seo-joon plays a falsely convicted criminal, whose revenge plan is to open the most successful restaurant chain in Itaewon, Seoul’s known hotspot and beat the rivals who put him into jail in the first place.

The show also boasts of having both the first transgender and Black characters as part of its main cast, showcasing Korea’s changing social backdrop and how these individuals preserve despite the continued stereotypes around it.

If you liked this show, check out: The Reply series, Hospital Playlist and, Prison Playbook.

Itaewon Class | Official Trailer | Netflix

11. Something in the Rain (2018) | Noona Romance

Noona Romance is another unique sub-genre in K-dramas exploring the relationships between older women (often referred to as “noona,” which means older sister/female friend) and younger partners.

In this show’s case, Son Ye-jin’s character is quite literally Jung Hae-in’s “noona,” as she’s his friend’s older sister. The show depicts how they navigate taking their relationship public in a society that considers it taboo.

If you liked this show, check out: Romance is a Bonus Book, When the Camellia Blooms, and Secret Love Affair.

Something in the Rain (2018) - Teaser

12. Squid Game (2021) | Dystopian

There is no way you haven’t heard of the global sensation that is Squid Game! But just in case you were living under a rock, let me talk you through this show.

Beaten by tough times, Lee Jung-jae’s Gi-hun finds himself willingly participating in a survival contest, where players must pass a series of games to win a huge cash prize. The penalty for losing, however, is death.

Like all dystopias, Squid Game scrutinizes Korean society and criticizes the systems that literally convince people that taking part in a deadly game is the only solution to their problems.

It found universal relevance when audiences realized they could relate to the characters no matter where they lived.

If you liked this show, check out: Kingdom, Sisyphus: The Myth and, Circle.

Squid Game | Official Teaser #1 | Netflix [ENG SUB]

13. Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021) | 2021’s Hit

This is a bonus one for you! Hometown Cha Cha Cha is known as the “healing” show amongst fans and for good reason! First, a little Korean lingo lesson: The English word “Healing (time)” is a term used in Korea to denote feeling refreshed and free of stress by taking the time to do activities that you enjoy.

Hometown is a great show that both visually and narratively depicts why this time is important to us, while dealing with more serious plotlines like trauma, grief and guilt.

It follows Shin Min-a’s Hye-jin who leaves her stressful Seoul work life to start a dental practice in the scenic town of Gongjin. Here, her ideologies comically clash with the “common man” Chief Hong (Kim Seon-ho) and despite it all, we can’t help but bet for a happy ending!

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha | Official Trailer | Netflix [ENG SUB]