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Ever found yourself saying, “Just one more episode”, only to realize it’s 3 AM and you’re emotionally invested in a fictional couple’s fate?
Yep, that’s the magic of Best K dramas! Whether it’s heart-thumping romance, jaw-dropping plot twists, or swoon-worthy leads, Korean dramas have mastered the art of keeping us hooked.
But with so many options out there, how do you pick the best K drama to watch? Don’t worry—we’ve got your ultimate binge-list ready! From all-time classics to the hottest new releases, let’s dive into the world of must-watch K-dramas that will leave you obsessed!
1. Crash Landing on You
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to watch: Netflix
The Best K Drama, Crash Landing on You depicts the intense and hidden romance between a South Korean entrepreneur and a North Korean officer. The South Korean chaebol heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) is swept away while paragliding and lands unexpectedly in North Korea.
Se-ri is discovered by a North Korean officer named Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), who develops feelings for her and tries to help her escape to South Korea. In spite of the historical split between North Korea and South Korea, the two find a way to fall in love amid the charged atmosphere.
The enchanting chemistry between Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok is the essence of the romantic comedy Crash Landing on You. The backdrop of a North Korean man concealing a South Korean woman creates excellent tension and conflict for the central characters, making the K-drama Crash Landing on You an exciting adventure. When it aired, Crash Landing on You emerged as the highest-rated tvN series and garnered praise for its character development and captivating storyline. Thus, if you are looking for Best K Drama, Crash Landing You would be the perfect option.
2. It's Okay To Not Be Okay
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to watch: Netflix
It's Okay to Not Be Okay is an uplifting and optimistic romantic comedy that thoughtfully examines the themes of love, recovery, and mental well-being. Thus, it is called the Best K Drama to stream.
The K-drama centers on the completely opposite Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun) and Ko Moon-young (Seo Yea-ji) as they support one another in their personal growth and healing. Gang-tae's commitment to his older brother Moon Sang-tae, who has autism, is touching to see. The connection between the brothers and Moon-young, along with the trio's heartwarming moments, are the show's standout features.
It's Okay to Not Be Okay differentiates itself from other K-dramas through its use of visual storytelling and animated sequences to illustrate the characters' inner thoughts and feelings. The employment of animation brings to mind the Community episode "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas," where Abed (Danny Pudi) starts visualizing his surroundings in stop-motion animation to deal with change and feelings of abandonment during Christmas. Likewise, It's Okay to Not Be Okay adeptly employs animation to showcase a character's most profound thoughts and feelings that they are unable to express.
The stunning connections among Gang-tae, Sang-tae, and Moon-young, along with the imaginative visual narration, establish It's Okay to Not Be Okay as the Best K Drama masterpiece. Viewers are continually on the lookout for an ideal substitute for It's Okay to Not Be Okay that resonates in the same way.
3. Twenty Five Twenty One
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to watch: Netflix
Twenty-Five Twenty-One is a captivating and touching romantic K-drama that premiered on tvN and swiftly rose to be among the Best K Drama in the history of Korean cable television. Twenty-Five Twenty-One narrates the tale of a young pair navigating the challenges of balancing their love life and professional ambitions.
Recollections from 1998 narrate the tale of two youths whose lives are transformed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) is a fencer whose aspirations are hindered by the financial downturn, while Baek Yi-jin's (Nam Joo-hyuk) family experiences the loss of their entire fortune. When Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin first encounter each other, there’s an undeniable spark, but as time passes, the pair grows distant and ultimately separates in a harsh manner.
4. Guardian: The Lonely And Great God
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to watch: Apple TV
The romantic fantasy series Korean drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, often referred to as Goblin, presents a distinctly dramatic tale of love. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God tells the story of Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), who is betrayed by his ruler, killed, and subsequently cursed to live as an immortal goblin. Having lived for over 900 years, Goblin yearns for eternal peace, and his immortality will only cease when the Goblin's bride extracts the sword from his chest.
High school student Ji Eun-Tak (Kim Go-eun) is the bride of Goblin and possesses the power to see spirits and call upon the Goblin. Eun-Tak and Goblin's relationship deepens as they share moments together. Though Eun-Tak initially was unaware that it was her role to extract the sword from Goblin's chest and bring his immortal life to an end, she ultimately discovers the reality of their destiny and grapples with fulfilling her obligation to slay Goblin after they develop feelings for each other.
The unmissable supernatural K-drama Goblin/Guardian: The Lonely and Great is brimming with love, devotion, and selflessness. The compelling character portrayals, fascinating character interactions, and conflict-driven storyline render Guardian: The Lonely and Great a masterpiece of K-drama.
5. Lovely Runner
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to watch: Viki
Trapped in development limbo for three years before its production, Lovely Runner was never meant to be the year's most adored Korean drama. Nevertheless, when the time-slip romance (based on a webtoon by True Beauty writer Lee Si-eun) debuted on tvN locally and Viki globally in April, it consistently grew its weekly viewership.
When Lovely Runner’s series finale was released in late May, millions of K-drama enthusiasts worldwide were deeply engaged in the tale of Sol and Sun-jae, eager to discover whether their love could endure the harsh twists of fate.
6. Death's Game
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Numerous Best K Dramas originated as webtoons. Death’s Game serves as an instance of a manhwa adaptation that successfully recreates the reading experience of its original webtoon—and perhaps even enhances it.
The outcome is a reincarnation action thriller featuring a man attempting to escape the conclusion he believed he desired. Following seven years of difficulty securing employment in the highly competitive Korea, Choi Yee-jae (played by Seo In-guk in Cafe Minamdang) tries to take his own life.
This infuriates Death (Lee So-dam from Cinderella and the Four Knights)—a character in the literal sense. She condemns Yee-jae to endure 12 cursed lives, being reincarnated into various individuals, experiencing different existences. If he can endure one of the ever-more perilous, action-packed lives, then he can continue living it—and, if he cannot, he will face damnation.
7. My Love from Another Star
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to watch: Netflix
My Love from the Star is Best K Drama that narrates the story of an alien who arrived on Earth in 1609 and found itself trapped on this unfamiliar planet. The extraterrestrial Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun) can easily fit in with people because of his human-like looks. At the same time, the haughty and self-important actor Cheon Song-yi becomes Min-joon's neighbor, leading the alien into unexpected circumstances, and their relationship deepens. In a classic romantic comedy fashion, Min-joon and Song-yi are ill-fated lovers facing a time constraint for their relationship, since Min-joon intends to go back to his home planet.
My Love from the Star is a lovely and heartfelt romantic comedy K-drama rich in drama and tension. The characters, especially Song-yi, possess hidden layers that are revealed over the course of the series, giving the endearing characters a sense of realism. The incorporation of captivating mystery story arcs guarantees that My Love from the Star is an exciting romance-laden journey.
8. Queen of Tears
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to watch: Netflix
Best K Drama, Queen of Tears tells the enchanting tale of a married pair who discover how to revive their affection and be there for one another. Although many romantic K-dramas begin with a young couple encountering each other for the first time and falling in love, Queen of Tears opens with a married couple and delves into the intricacies of relationships, marriage, and love. The gut-punching K-drama Queen of Tears featured powerful emotional moments that could evoke tears from viewers and provided depth and complexity to the characters.
Queen of Tears centers on the connection between chaebol heiress Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won) and Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun), the son of farmers who pursued a career in law. Queen of Tears boasts a talented ensemble cast that gives remarkable performances and skillfully captures the intricate emotions. The acting talent showcased in The Queen of Tears enhanced the emotionally touching romance series and reinforced the K-drama's reputation as a classic.
9. Hotel Del Luna
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to watch: Netflix
Hotel del Luna is a romantic fantasy Best K Drama centered around a mystical hotel that caters exclusively to ghosts, where humans can only perceive the hotel under specific circumstances. The proprietor of the eponymous hotel, Jang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun), was sentenced to this destiny, and the hotel became linked to her spirit to remedy her wrongdoings. When Koo Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo) is compelled to take on the role of new general manager at Hotel del Luna because of his father's agreement with Man-wol, he brings a significant transformation to the hotel's management.
The contrasting personalities of Man-wol and Chan-sung create tension between the pair, while their remarkable chemistry made the romance captivating to observe. Although the early episodes of Hotel del Luna faced pacing problems while presenting the supernatural aspects and backstory, the series' humor, interpersonal relationships, and strong writing are sufficient to maintain viewer interest until the pacing improves.
The supernatural and fantasy K-drama Hotel del Luna effectively employs background music to create tension and make the paranormal aspects feel eerie, evoking a sense of excitement and dread. The original storyline of Hotel del Luna, along with its captivating and enigmatic characters, turned it into a masterpiece.
10. Mr. Plankton
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to watch: Netflix
It's widely recognized that not every K-drama romance concludes happily; however, Mr. Plankton revealed the downfall of its male protagonist right from the start, harnessing the effect of dramatic irony to narrate its poignant story.
The 10-episode Netflix series by It’s Okay to Not Be Okay writer Jo Yong arrived just before the year's close, challenging the limits of the romantic comedy genre. Upon discovering he has a terminal illness, Hae Jo (Woo Do-hwan from Bloodhounds) abducts his ex-girlfriend Jo Jae-mi (Lee You-mi from Strong Girl Namsoon) on her wedding day to join him in his quest to find his biological father.
The outcome is a chaotic journey of antics and recovery. In contrast to other shows on this list, Mr. Plankton doesn’t conclude with a miracle where a couple's love triumphs over death, and it benefits from this.
With so many incredible options, finding the best K drama to watch is no easy task—but that’s the beauty of it! Whether you're in the mood for romance, action, or heartwarming stories, there’s always a K-drama waiting to steal your heart. Happy binge-watching!
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