50 best K-dramas of all time to binge watch (2024)

South Korean historical dramas, also known assageuk, are often popular with their audiences, whether they are royal romances, political palace conspiracies, or even zombie thrillers.

Under the Queen's Umbrella is no different – the cut-throat palace drama attained high viewership ratings and has found a place in many top K-drama rankings of the year even though it aired in late 2022.

The gripping Joseon-era court drama features a spirited queen (Kim Hye-Soo) as she tries to reign in her four younger sons in order to make one of them the next king of Joseon, after her eldest son and current Crown Prince falls gravely ill.

Under the Queen's umbrella is now on Netflix.

This popular period fantasy takes place in a fictional country called Daeho, where mages live as nobles and warriors amidst other mortals. An elite warrior, Nak-su (Go Yoon-jung), has her soul accidentally trapped inside the weak body of Mu-deok (Jung So-min). She meets nobleman Jang-uk (Jung So-min) and soon becomes his servant as well as teacher to help unbind his magic.

SPOILER ALERT -The following paragraph below contains spoilers

The series is split into two parts: Part two, which aired in December 2022, takes place three years after the ending of season one.Jang Uk, returns from the dead as a ruthless hunter of soul shifters. He soon crosses path with a mysterious woman named Jin Bu-yeon (Go Yoon-jung), who is the original Nak-su.

Alchemy of Souls (part one and two) is now on Netflix.

Acclaimed slice-of-life drama My Liberation Notes is set in the fictional Sanpo village in Gyeonggi-do, where more people leave than remain. Three siblings (Lee Min-ki, Kim Ji-won, and Lee El) seek to escape from their dead-end lives, each in their own fashion, but the series mainly follows protagonist Mi-Jeong (Kim Ji-won), the youngest of the three, as she meets and begins a relationship with her mysterious next door neighbour, Mr Gu (Son Suk-ku).

My Liberation Notes is now on Netflix.

Song Joong-ki makes his 2022 drama comeback with Viu's Reborn Rich, where the Hallyu actor stars as Yoon Hyun-woo (Song Joong-ki), a loyal employee who has worked for the Soonyang Conglomerate group for more than 10 years.

Falsely accused of embezzlement, he is soon betrayed and murdered by a member of the Soonyang family. He soon finds himself reincarnated in the year 1987 as Jin Do-joon, the family's youngest grandson, with memories of his past life intact. Using his new “identity”, he soon sets his revenge plan – a hostile takeover of the company – in motion.

Reborn Rich is now on Viu.

Breakout drama of 2022 Extraordinary Attorney Woo offers a distinctive twist to atypical legal K-dramas. Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) is a rookie lawyer who is also the first attorney with autism spectrum disorder in Korea. The series follows her as she dives into the murky world of courtroom law whilst navigating prejudicial treatment at work, in court, and in her daily life.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is now on Netflix.

This thrilling drama is a loose adaptation of the famous 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. Directed by Kim Hee-won, who was also the brains behind breakout 2021 K-drama Vincenzo, Little Women explores themes of classism and the power dynamics of Korea's society.

Rather than the four March sisters in the original novel, the Korean adaptation follows three Oh sisters (Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-hyun and Uhm Ji-won) who, similar to the book, grew up in poverty. Each sister's life is increasingly intertwined with a rich and influential family in her own way, and soon, their involvement soon leads to their new understanding of the value of money and their lives.

Little Women is now on Netflix.

For K-drama fans who can't get enough of zombie dramas Kingdom and Sweet Home, All Of Us Are Dead is likely to be right up your alley.

The series follows a group of students who are trapped in a school amid a zombie virus outbreak, where they are forced to join hands and fight for survival. The show is based on a popular webtoon by Joo Dong-geun, and stars Yoon Chan-yeong, Park Ji-hu, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo and many more.

The series garnered glowing reviews from around the world, and Netflix has since announced that the show will return for a second season. As part of the announcement, the streaming service released a video featuring some of the cast. “The students of Hyosan High School may have survived their first zombie outbreak, but the nightmare is far from over," the announcement description reads.

The premiere date of the second season has yet to be released.

All of Us Are Dead is now on Netflix.

For those seeking a drama full of intense, sweeping romance, Summer Strike will be right up your alley. Featuring two former K-pop idols-turned-actors, the heart-fluttering show is based on a webtoon of the same Korean title by writer Joo Young-hyun.

Lee Yeo-Reum (Seol Hyun) is going through some of the worst moments in her life – her boyfriend breaks up with her, and her mother unexpectedly passes away. Deciding to uproot her life, she starts over in a small village far from the city, where she meets An Dae-Beom (Im Si-Wan), a librarian who speaks with a stutter. As both individuals grow closer, she starts to learn more about herself and discover who she really is.

Summer Strike is now on Viu.

When a famous chef suddenly shares someone else’s emotions and breaks down into tears in front of a restaurant full of customers, he is driven to revisit his past and the mysterious disappearance of his sister. He then drops everything and finds himself returning back to his hometown. Unexpectedly, in the midst of it all, he also finds himself falling in love with a mysterious woman with a secret of her own.

Link: Eat, Love, Kill is now on Disney+.

Based on the Spanish heist crime drama, Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area is now depicted in the same fictional universe as the original. Here, North Korea and South Korea have reached a unifying agreement to erase the border, and have also settled to create a single unified currency for the people to use. However, just when the people thought that the union between the two countries would benefit them financially, the rich only got richer, and the poor only got poorer.

The Professor played by Yoo Ji-tae, then approaches Tokyo played by Jun Jong-seo, with a plan to steal 4 trillion won from the Korea Unified Mint. After assembling a group of thieves to pull off the heist, chaos ensues as hostages are taken and a joint task force led by South Korean negotiation specialist Seon Woojin and former North Korean special agent Cha Moohyuk is formed to stop them.

Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area (season one and two) is now on Netflix.

Starring Bae Doona and Gong Yoo, the two lead a team of soldiers and scientists who undertake a space mission to an abandoned lunar base. When they crash land, the group embark on a new mission to retrieve a mysterious sample from an abandoned research station, while trying to survive.

The Silent Sea is now on Netflix.

Starring Kang Daniel and Chae Soo-bin, Rookies Cops is a campus romance drama that follows the lives of a group of reckless freshmen at the Korean National Police Academy. Watch how they come together to pursue their dreams while learning what it takes to serve and protect the community as challenges loom ahead.

Rookie Cops is now on Disney+.

Touted as one of the most highly-anticipated romantic comedies in 2022, Forecasting Love and Weather takes place at the Korea Meteorological Administration. After a bad break-up, Jin Ha-kyung (Park Min-young), swears that she will never date a colleague ever again. However, her vow is soon broken when she meets newcomer Lee Si-woo (Song Kang).

Forecasting Love and Weather is now on Netflix.

Thirty Nine is a slice-of-life drama rooted in reality and romance, with three high-school friends — who have been through thick and thin together — on the cusp of turning 40. Dermatologist Cha Mi-jo (Son Ye-jin), acting coach Jeong Chan-young (Jeon Mi-do) and cosmetic sales manager Jang Joo-hee (Kim Ji-hyun) must navigate their lives amid friendship and love, and prepare their farewells as life takes a depressing turn.

Thirty Nine is now on Netflix.

Juvenile Justice features a charismatic judge Sim Eun-seok (Kim Hye-soo) who is newly appointed to a district with one of the highest juvenile delinquency rates. With a dislike for juvenile delinquents, she makes unusual decisions to existing judgements, while sending out the message that society is responsible for juveniles' immoral and illicit acts.

Juvenile Justice is now on Netflix.

Crazy Love marks the return of Kim Jae-wook after three years — and what better role to capture his likeness than No Go-jin, a perfect specimen of a human being, with exceptional intellect, good looks and a deep pocket. But not all is well as he loses his memory and receives a warning that he would soon be murdered. Lost, he has no one to turn to but his introverted and reclusive secretary Lee Shin-ah (Krystal Jung).

Crazy Love is now on Disney+.

A regular showman, Cha Cha-woong (Park Hae-jin) is no stranger to putting on a show for audiences. While he performs magic tricks to wow his audience, he also hides a strange talent of his: he can communicate with ghosts.

When a hot-blooded officer Go Seul-hae (Jin Ki-joo) approaches him for his assistance, he agrees. The two of them — plus guidance from supernatural sources — become an unstoppable force for criminals to contend with. But as justice is served, so too is romance between the two as they find themselves falling in love.

Showtime Begins! is now on Viu.

Why must Oh Soo-jae (Seo Hyun-jin) face wrongful disgrace and demotion after working so hard to claw her way up?

After being discharged from the law firm, Soo-jae gains employment at a law school as she bides her time and tries to regain her previous glory. But she's not alone in this struggle as a wrongfully imprisoned law student Gong Chan (Hwang In-youp) worms his way into her heart and becomes a key figure in her redemption arc.

Why Her is directed by Dr Romantic's Park Soo-jin, so you can be certain that there will be romance afoot in this series.

Why Her is now on Viu.

A judicial apprentice Kim Yo-han (Kang Ha-neul) follows his sense of justice and conducts an investigation into someone he believes to be a corrupt prosecutor. However, it's not all smooth-sailing from there — he falls into a devious trap and must find a way out of his predicament.

Insider was aired in June.

After a medical dispute, Han Yi-han (So Ji-sub) has no choice but to switch professions from a medical professional to a lawyer specialising in medical litigation. He joins hands with Geum Seok-young (Im Soo-hyang) against those who abuse their wealth or standing, delivering justice for the wronged.

Dr Lawyer is now on Disney+.

While you can confidently expect some cafes to have strange customers, it is likely that none will have patrons quite as unique as those that frequent Minamdang. In this mystery-filled K-drama starring Oh Yeon-seo, Seo In-guk plays a retired profiler Nam Han-joon who visits the cafe, involving himself with the strange clients of Minamdang.

Café Minamdang is now on Netflix.

A strange, fourth wall-breaking poetry exists in this K-drama starring Kim Young-dae and Lee Sung-kyung.

Almost like a behind-the-scenes look at the difficulties people within the entertainment industry face, Shooting Star follows the relationship between superstar Gong Tae-sung (Young-dae) and his public relations manager Oh Han-byul (Sung-kyung).

While the relationship between the two is the core of this K-drama, the series also covers the trials and tribulations of the staff working in the shadows of Tae-sung, making him shine. Shooting Star will likely give audiences a reality check — behind every superstar, there are multiple teams at work to ensure the show goes on.

Shooting Star is now available on Viu and Netflix.

For K-drama fans with a penchant for cute romance stories without over-the-top magic or action scenes, Yumi's Cells 2 could be the holy grail. As if the first wasn't enough already, Yumi's Cells 2 promises another dose of romance drama, injected straight into your veins.

While the premise of animated, adorably anthropomorphised cells remains present in this sequel, the story will pick up where the first season left off and develop on the juicy love triangle between the protagonist (Kim Go-eun), Yoo Ba-bi (Park Jin-young) and Ku Woong (Ahn Bo-hyun).

Yumi's Cells 2 is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Dong-ha (Jung Woo) finds his life falling apart, with bankruptcy and divorce on the horizon. In a stroke of luck, he discovers a car loaded with cash — but this comes with a twist.

Dong-ha's family's fate becomes intertwined with a drug cartel and its second-in-command Gwang-cheol (Park Hee-soon), all while detective Joo-hyun (Park Ji-yeon) investigates them.

A Model Family is now on Netflix.

Korean star Rain makes his small-screen comeback of four years with Ghost Doctor, a fantasy medical drama. He stars as Cha Young-Min, a genius doctor and highly skilled cardiothoracic surgeon who is arrogant and selfish. As he gets involved in an unexpected case, his spirit possesses another doctor's body – Go Seung-tak (Kim-Bum), who although possesses excellent medical knowledge, is hindered by his fear of blood.

Ghost Doctor is now on iQiyi.

Based on the wildly popular web novel and webtoon of the same name, Business Proposal is an office romance drama.

With perfect looks, smarts and a CEO position in the company, Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop) certainly seems a mismatch for the average employee-turned-blind-date Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong). As the two flounder between professional and personal, the drama gives us a stellar office romance to watch in 2022.

Business Proposal is now on Netflix.

The story of a corrupt yet competent detective who manifests a split personality that harbours a sense of justice, the series stars Lee Dong-Wook as Soo-Yeol, the titular character. Soo-Yeol is competent at his job, but his ethics are also questionable due to his ambitions personality. His smooth life is thrown into chaos with the appearance of K (Wi Ha-Joon), a mysterious, justice-seeking entity who dreams of being a hero. When he sees injustice, K solves it with his fist.

Bad and Crazy is now on iQiyi.

From the mind of Extracurricular writer Gin Han-sai, Glitch is about Hong Ji-hyo (Jeon Yeo-bin) and her investigation into the whereabouts of her missing boyfriend. Finding assistance from a UFO club, she tackles mysteries and secrets along her path. Glitch is directed by Roh Deok and also features Nana (Heo Bo-ra) and Lee Dong-hwi (Lee Si-kook).

Glitch is now on Netflix.

Bae Suzy returns with a new drama in which she plays Yu-Mi, an ordinary woman who, after telling a small lie, ends up living someone else's life. The lines between pretence and reality soon become blurred, and the series follows her decades-long con as well as her relationship with her husband Ji-Hun (Kim Joon-Han), her former boss Hyun-Joo (Jung Eun-Chae), and her best friend Ji-Won (Park Ye-Young) – the only person Yu-Mi can trust and rely on.

Anna is now on Amazon Prime Video.

While other dramas are based on webtoons and web novels, Narco-Saints has roots in real-life events.

A run-of-the-mill entrepreneur at his wits' end finds himself in a predicament and his only way out is in a dangerous government-organised covert operation to capture a drug lord. Narco-Saints is directed by Yoon Jong-bin and includes many familiar faces, such as Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Joo Woo-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok. Additionally, Taiwanese actor Chang Chen is also in this K-drama.

Narco-Saints is now on Netflix.

This title says it all: Fabulous. This drama follows the very real passions of young aspirants in the fashion industry as they chase friendship, love and dreams, all while performing a delicate balancing act with their responsibilities.

The Fabulous is now on Netflix.

The popular webtoon Annarasumanara may be a mouthful to say, but this adaptation may just fill you up with magic.

The Sound of Magic follows Yoon Ah-yi (Choi Sung-eun), a girl overly matured for her age, and Rieul (Ji Chang-wook), an enigmatic magician who would rather become a kid again. The drama is also directed by Kim Sung-youn of Itaewon Class fame, with writing by Love in the Moonlight's Kim Min-jeong. The drama will also feature Hwang In-youp as Ah-yi's classmate Na Il-deung.

The Sound of Magic is now on Netflix.

Elitism has been given a drama and its name is Remarriage and Desires. If you've ever wondered what a South Korean society where the pursuit of desire reigns supreme looks like, this satirical drama will answer that for you.

People try to utilise Rex — an exclusive matchmaking agency catering to the elite — to marry themselves into the upper echelons of society. Watch Seo Hye-seung (Kim Hee-seon), Lee Hyung-ju (Lee Hyun-wook) and Jin Yoo-hui (Jung Yoo-jin), as they explore a dystopian world of commercialised dating and marriage.

Remarriage and Desires is now on Netflix.

What happens when a social dating application becomes the platform for murder? In Somebody, the developer of the app must team up with her friends to investigate an enigmatic individual by the name of Yoon-oh (Kim Young-kwang).

In a story written by noteworthy thriller writer Han Ji-wan and directed by Jung Ji-woo, Somebody features new entries into the scene: Kang Hae-lim, Kim Yong-ji and Kim Su-yeon.

Somebody is now on Netflix.

Veteran detective Kim Taek-Rok (Lee Sung-Min) is spending his days at Geumo Police Station as he counts down the days to his retirement. One day, he receives a mysterious phone call from someone claiming to be his old friend. On the call, the person confesses to killing Kim's colleague.

Together with the chief of the investigation squad Kook Jin-Han (Jin Goo) as well as detectives Lee Sung-A (Kyung Soo-Jin) and Son Kyung-Chan (Lee Hak-Joo), he starts investigating the death while trying to find the identity of this "old friend".

Shadow Detective is now on Disney+.

Fans of Lawless Lawyer may have a sense of deja vu with this K-drama as Lee Joon-gi once again dons the mantle of a lawyer. There are some differences, however.

Instead of a rough childhood amid a lawless neighbourhood, Kim Hee-woo (Joon-gi) is your average underachieving student. Through sheer hard work and determination, he manages to turn his life around as he pursues law and becomes a prosecutor.

Unfortunately, he is cut down before his prime while attempting to take down a corrupt politician, but surprisingly wakes up the next day to find himself back in the past, a student once more.

Again My Life is now on Viu.

Big Mouse approaches the stand from a different perspective.

When an average lawyer finds himself entangled in a murder case that runs miles deep, he is forced to pick up the gift of the gab as he polishes his skills as a liar. While he practices perjury taking on the vices surrounding the murder case, Park Chang-ho (Lee Jong-suk) will sustain audiences with his acting skills alongside Ko Mi-ho (Im Yoon-ah).

Big Mouse is now on Disney+.

Actress Seo Ye-ji pulled out of the main cast for Island after allegations of abuse and the gap she left behind was filled by Lee Da-hee.

In Island, Won Mi-ho (Da-hee), Ban (Kim Nam-gil) and Priest John (Cha Eun-woo) face off against the supernatural and struggle to survive on the Island.

Hopefully, this monster-filled horror-drama will have more spice than just the celebrity drama surrounding it.

Island airs on Island on TVING and Amazon Prime Video on December 30, 2022.

Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, known for his grisly shows with a dark sense of humour, makes his K-drama debut with Connect, a hair-raising thriller. Ha Dong-Soo (Jung Hae-In) is a being called connect, a new human race that will never die. One night, he is kidnapped by a group of human organ traffickers and his eye is cut out from him.

His eye is stolen by Oh Jin-Seob (Ko Gyung-Pyo), a seemingly polite employee at work, that is actually a cold-blooded serial killer. Ha Dong-Soo soon realises that he is able to see what the serial killer sees through his transplanted eye, and he chases after Oh to prevent him from killing more vicitms.

Connect is now on Disney+.

Three couples on Jeju Island live their life to their fullest — all while giving off positive vibes and wholesome, heartwarming experiences for us all.

This simple, story-driven K-drama Our Blues will certainly cater to a wide audience with their representation of couples from many walks of life. As an added bonus, real-life couple Shin Min-ah and Kim Woo-bin will also be in this drama.

Our Blues is now on Netflix.

Based on the 2018 non-fiction book of the same title that was co-written by Korea's first criminal profiler Kwon Il-yong and journalist-turned-author Ko Na-mu, Through the Darkness follows the story of criminal profilers who attempt to read the minds and predict the moves of serial murderers.

The series, which stars Song Ha-Young (Kim Nam-Gil) as a calm criminal profiler full of charisma, recreates early 2000s real-life investigations that rocked South Korea.

Through the Darkness is now on Viu.

Ji Chang-wook certainly isn't a one-trick pony when it comes to K-drama genres. Not only does he appear in the fictional fantasy drama The Sound of Magic, he also plays Yoon Gye-ree in Tell Me Your Wish, a K-drama taking place in a hospice ward.

Gye-ree will be part of the heart-warming stories surrounding patients and volunteers within the ward, alongside Seo Yeong-joo (played by Choi Soo-young) and Kang Tae-shik (Sung Dong-il).

If You Wish Upon Me is now on Viu.

For Do Bae-Man (Ahn Bo-Hyun), his job as a military prosecutor is a means for him to find success and wealth. On the other end of the spectrum, rookie Cha Woo-In (Jo Bo-Ah), who comes from a wealthy background, became a military prosecutor to seek revenge.

As they work together and grow closer, both characters learn new aspects of themselves while they break down the evils in the military.

Military Prosecutor Doberman is now on Viu and Netflix.

In her younger days, Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) yearned to become an architect but her ambitions were cut short when she was forced to drop out of school due to egregious bullying. Her dreams dashed and her credentials insufficient, she becomes a teacher instead.

Yet, this choice wasn't one of resignation as she becomes the teacher of her antagonists' children and slowly metes out punishment.

The Glory is now on Netflix.