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The advent of streaming platforms has effectively blurred the geographical boundaries that once defined television. Today, American audiences casually explore shows without a second thought to their language or origin. As they navigate their preferred streaming services, if a show piques their interest, it seamlessly joins the queue alongside domestic productions. This cultural shift has paved the way for South Korean television dramas, or K-dramas, to captivate a global audience.
At their core, K-dramas are indeed Korean dramas, but their appeal extends far beyond this simple definition. They encompass a wide array of subgenres, including romance, comedy, fantasy, horror, and action. The explosive success of “Squid Game,” a gripping K-drama blending action and horror, served as many viewers’ introduction to the genre. For those seeking similar thrills, diving into lists of shows akin to “Squid Game” is an excellent starting point, particularly if you’re after what made it a sensation.
However, the world of K-dramas offers much more than just action-packed narratives. Why not delve into some of the finest K-dramas ever created? We’ve curated a selection based on fan discussions, critical reviews, and our own editorial insights, ranking them from impressive to outstanding.
Newcomers to K-dramas might be taken aback to learn that “Squid Game” concluded after just one season, despite its massive success. In the realm of K-dramas, it’s uncommon for a series to extend beyond a single season. Nevertheless, when a show like “Alchemy of Souls” breaks this norm with more than one season, it becomes a noteworthy event.
“Alchemy of Souls” offers an intricate narrative set in an elaborate fantasy world. The series features elements like body-swapping magic, political intrigue, and a sprawling multi-year storyline, centered on a poignant love story reminiscent of “Romeo and Juliet.” The show is the brainchild of the Hong sisters—Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran—prolific creators in the K-drama sphere, and it certainly won’t be the last of their works to be discussed and celebrated.
15. Alchemy of Souls
Those unfamiliar with K-dramas might have been surprised to see “Squid Game” end after only three seasons, despite its popularity. But K-dramas rarely get a Season 2, let alone more. When a K-drama ends up being more than a single-season affair, it’s a big deal — as it was for “Alchemy of Souls.”
With an epic scope and a complex fantasy world, “Alchemy of Souls” is a more involved watch than your typical K-drama. It features body-swapping magic, political maneuvering, and a multi-year saga, all with a “Romeo and Juliet”-style tragic love story at the center of it all. Series creators Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran — more commonly known as the Hong sisters — are prolific K-drama figures, and this definitely won’t be the last time we mention one of their shows.
- Cast: Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min, Go Youn-jung, Hwang Min-hyun
- Director: Park Joon-hwa
- Years aired: 2022-2023
- Where to watch: Netflix
14. It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
As its wordy, thematically-loaded title might suggest, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” covers a lot of ground. It not only features surprisingly frank depictions and discussions of physical disability and mental health, but it tackles the uncomfortable subject of what it’s like to care for someone, and how the world rarely allows caretakers to express negative feelings about their duties.
Despite all of that, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” is somehow also a romantic comedy. If there’s one thing you can’t accuse K-dramas of, it’s being afraid to mine chuckles from even the most dour of material. There’s a lot of edgy black humor within the world of K-dramas, which may surprise a lot of people. “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” was nominated for an International Emmy for best TV miniseries in 2021.
- Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, Oh Jung-se, Moon Woo-jin
- Director: Park Shin-woo
- Year aired: 2020
- Where to watch: Netflix
13. Something in the Rain
While a lot of K-dramas take a kernel of romance and then build an elaborate, fantastical, or outright silly premise around it, there are plenty that don’t go that route. Case in point, “Something in the Rain,” which tells an entirely realistic and grounded story about two people attempting to nurture a relationship, all while dealing with various disapproving voices in regards to their romance.
That’s not to say that’s the only thing that the series is about. It also covers the corporate world of South Korea and its often poor treatment of its workers, women in particular. Sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination both get refreshingly complex and honest attention here. Of course, those issues aren’t exclusive to Korean offices and workplaces, and that makes “Something in the Rain” one of the more globally relatable series on this list.
12. Healer
If you’ve seen the South Korean action thriller masterpiece “Oldboy,” you remember how twisted Lee Woo-jin’s (Yoo Ji-tae) plans are, creating a wild finale. But Yoo isn’t best known for portraying evil characters in Korea. Instead, he’s more frequently cast in roles like the one he played in “Healer,” where he’s a reporter named Kim Moon-ho. Kim is trying to protect one of his colleagues (Park Min-young) from being murdered. He is also doing all he can to atone for a half-baked job he did on a story years earlier.
That said, Kim is more of a side character in “Healer.” The main story revolves around the other reporter in question, Chae Young-shin (Park), and the complicated romance she develops with a criminal for hire named Seo Jung-hoo (Ji Chang-wook). “Healer” moves along at a nice, snappy pace as it brings you along for its plot-twisty ride of action, romance, and comedy.
- Cast: Ji Chang-wook, Park Min-young, Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Mi-kyung
- Director: Lee Jung-sub, Kim Jin-woo
- Years aired: 2014-2015
- Where to watch: Kocowa+
11. Mother
Most of the shows on this list have at least some lightness to them. Not so for “Mother,” the 2018 K-drama miniseries that starts off depressing and only gets darker across its 16 episodes. There is no single titular mother in this sad tale. Instead, it follows a young girl (Heo Yool) who is torn between an abusive and neglectful biological mother (Ko Sung-hee), and a teacher (Lee Bo-young) who kidnaps her in the hopes of giving her a better life. In other words, the mother she was born with, and the mom she actually deserves.
Only 8 years old when she starred in “Mother,” Heo gives an incredible and heartbreaking performance, one that would’ve been astounding even if she were twice that age. As hard as it already would’ve been to observe everything her character had to endure, her stellar performance makes it all the more difficult to watch the difficult parts — but also that much more uplifting whenever the girl finally wins a glimmer of hope.
- Cast: Lee Bo-young, Heo Yool, Lee Hye-young, Nam Gi-ae
- Director: Kim Cheol-kyu
- Year aired: 2018
- Where to watch: Currently unavailable in the U.S.
10. Mr. Queen
A modern-day chef — notorious for being a ladies’ man — named Jang Bong-hwan (Choi Jin-hyuk) has a near death experience in a swimming pool. A 19th century queen named Kim So-yong (Shin Hye-sun) has to contend with her husband’s ex wife pulling all of the political strings behind her back. What do these two have in common? The queen’s body becomes inhabited by the chef’s consciousness, and he must use his charm as well as his cooking skills to help the queen accomplish her goals.
Body swap comedies are a dime a dozen, even among K-dramas, but “Mr. Queen” brings fresh energy to the trope. One of the things it smartly does is having the “swap” going only one way — we don’t also see the queen suddenly finding herself in the body of a 21st century male chef and needing to figure out how to help him fix his life. There is a reason for that, but we won’t spoil it. What matters is that sometimes these things work best when it’s less a swap and more of a one-way switch, allowing for a more focused and less muddled narrative.
- Cast: Shin Hye-sun, Kim Jung-hyun, Bae Jong-ok, Kim Tae-woo
- Director: Yoon Sung-sik
- Years aired: 2020-2021
- Where to watch: Netflix, Rakuten Viki
9. Autumn in My Heart
The oldest entry on this list, “Autumn in My Heart” is still worthy of attention even 25 years after release. It’s one of those fan favorite K-dramas that devotees watch over and over again, and some will tour the various sites where the series was filmed. But that shouldn’t suggest that “Autumn in My Heart” is a fun show. In fact, it’s a melodrama that gets quite sad at times — and, without spoiling it, has an ending that will break your heart. Not that you’ll be surprised as you’re watching it.
The story follows two children who grow up believing they are brother and sister, only to find that one sibling, Yoon Eun-suh (Moon Geun-young) had their name card accidentally switched at birth and that the pair aren’t actually biological siblings at all. After the revelation, they are separated and raised by different families. Years later, when the two find each other again, their reconnection veers into the romantic. As they navigate this complicated dynamic and what it means for their relationships, other tragic turns eventually beset the ill-fated duo.
- Cast: Song Seung-heon, Song Hye-kyo, Choi Woo-hyuk, Moon Geun-young
- Director: Yoon Seok-ho
- Year aired: 2000
- Where to watch: Kocowa+
8. The Glory
If you watched the acclaimed South Korean thriller “Parasite” and wondered if any of the actors were popular TV stars, you definitely will see more of them as you explore K-dramas. In fact, the young Park family daughter (Jung Ji-so) not only appeared in our previous pick “Mr. Queen” as a young child, she also plays the teenage version of our female lead on “The Glory.” Like most of our “Parasite” family, Jung’s character, Moon Dong-eun, endures severe physical and psychological bullying.
Moon (whose adult version is played by Song Hye-kyo) wasn’t willing to just get over what she endured as a child. In fact, she not only vowed revenge, but constructed her entire life around exacting it. She eventually becomes a teacher, and when the daughter of one her bullies ends up in her class, it provides the entry point for that long-simmering revenge plot. What follows is dark and, at times, even disturbing territory for a K-drama. It raises a lot of deep questions about youthful indiscretion, forgiveness, and retribution, all anchored by the captivating performance of Song.
- Cast: Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, Yeom Hye-ran
- Director: Ahn Gil-ho
- Years aired: 2022-2023
- Where to watch: Netflix
7. Reply
Given a K-drama’s typically short run, an anthology approach rarely fits into that framework. That’s something which makes “Reply” extra special. Each of its three seasons are subtitled after the year in which they take place — “Reply 1997,” “Reply 1994,” and “Reply 1988,” released in reverse chronological order. The main connective thread between the three is that they each revolve around a circle of teenaged friends, through the filter of the culture in South Korea at the time of their setting.
What all the best season by season anthology shows in the West have in common is that they link just enough to tie the overall series together. There’s no forcing connections to the point that each season doesn’t have room to be its own thing. “Reply” excels at that, with a select few characters appearing in two or more seasons, but otherwise having entirely new casts. For our money, “Reply 1988” is the best season, and the one to watch if your attention span makes you selective. But “Reply” is best appreciated when you take the whole series in, observing the way each season plays off of and leads into the other seasons.
6. Squid Game
“Squid Game” smashed Netflix viewing records left and right, and for good reason — it’s simply an incredible show. Being so heavily focused on action no doubt helped its global crossover appeal, as does a familiar premise that recalls the likes of “The Hunger Games” and “Battle Royale.” It’s easy to be a hipster about “Squid Game” because of its popularity, and there’s been some of the usual “it’s no longer cool” backlash, but to dismiss it as one of the great K-dramas for that reason would be short-sighted.
It’s unlikely that we need to sell “Squid Game” to you. There’s a high probability you’re here because you already watched and loved “Squid Game,” and that’s why you are looking for more. So, we’ll just reinforce our position that it truly is one of the best K-dramas ever made, doing an impressive job of not sacrificing its identity and its K-drama roots, just because it became so popular outside of South Korea.
- Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Park Hae-soo, Lee Byung-hun
- Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Years aired: 2021-2025
- Where to watch: Netflix
5. Mr. Sunshine
No, this “Mr. Sunshine” isn’t the short-lived sitcom starring Matthew Perry (better remembered for “17 Again” if you’re looking for his best post-“Friends” work). This “Mr. Sunshine” is a 2018 K-drama that takes place during a tumultuous period for Korea in the early 20th century, back when it was known as the dynastic kingdom of Joseon. It’s a story of violence and sacrifice on a national and personal level, and for those that aren’t familiar with the Korea’s history, it will be just as educational as it is heartbreaking to watch.
As it tends to go with historical K-dramas, and historical dramas in general, there is a love story at the center of “Mr. Sunshine.” That love story often mirrors the triumphs and tragedies happening all around the lovebirds. Not to keep bringing up “Squid Game,” but “Mr. Sunshine” is also worth a watch to see a different side of actor Lee Byung-hun. The cold and ruthless Front Man becomes a caring and compassionate officer in “Mr. Sunshine.”
- Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Min-jung
- Director: Lee Eung-bok
- Year aired: 2018
- Where to watch: Netflix
4. Crash Landing on You
You might be wondering if K-dramas ever explore the friction between North Korea and South Korea, and some of them certainly do. One of the best examples is “Crash Landing on You,” where a South Korean industry heiress (Son Ye-jin) gets accidentally blown into North Korea while paragliding. While there, she meets a North Korean military captain (Hyun Bin), who is quickly smitten with her and decides to help her return home.
One of the things K-drama fans love most about “Crash Landing with You” is that its two stars ended up falling in love in real life, marrying and having children. The show stands strong one as one of the greats, although it does get a cute boost from the fairytale ending it gave to its leads.
- Cast: Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, Kim Jung-hyun
- Director: Lee Jung-hyo
- Years aired: 2019-2020
- Where to watch: Netflix
3. Hotel del Luna
We teased that we would discuss another K-drama created by the Hong sisters, who put “Alchemy of Souls” on this list, and here it is — their best show to date. “Hotel del Luna” will appeal to the K-drama curious who are already fans of the U.K. show “Ghosts” — which has an American remake — as both are about a hotel that honors spirits as guests.
The guests being ghosts allows the show to do a lot of fun things with time hopping, creating some fantastical comedy, and it’s the type of K-drama you’ll find yourself re-watching multiple times. The supernatural ending of “Hotel del Luna” has sparked a lot of conversation and fan theory since the show wrapped, but it’s all fun discussion rather than annoyance. That’s the kind of lasting charm this show offers.
- Cast: Lee Ji-eun, Yeo Jin-goo, Jung Dong-hwan, Bae Hae-sun
- Director: Oh Chung-hwan
- Year aired: 2019
- Where to watch: Netflix, Rakuten Viki
2. My Mister
Another K-drama that doesn’t feel the need to insert jokes to make its heavy themes more palatable is “My Mister.” Starring another “Parasite” actor (Lee Sun-kyun) as well as a popular K-pop singer (Lee Ji-eun), “My Mister” follows a beaten down man who befriends a young co-worker who isn’t exactly being coddled by life, either. The two bond over their respective bad luck and discover that, sometimes, just having a friend can make all the difference.
Admirably, the series doesn’t force a romance between the pair. Instead, their friendship stays exactly that, and it’s all the more powerful of a connection for that very reason. There’s no big happy ending, no satisfying revenge against the people who did the two of them wrong — just two people who light one another’s life up just a little bit. Sometimes, that’s all we really need.
1. Signal
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At first, “Signal” might seem like a straightforward police procedural. But K-dramas typically don’t do straightforward. Instead, the show’s two leads are actually living at two different points in time, yet somehow able to communicate with one another. But it’s only for one specific minute, each day.
The show addresses several infamous real life unsolved murder cases in South Korea, cases that a lot of American viewers likely aren’t familiar with. That makes this another example of a show that’s both entertaining and educational for its global audience. But beyond all of that, “Signal” is an excellent series that blends action, drama, fantasy, and comedy in ways that showcase what K-dramas are capable of when they are at their very best.
