K-Dramas have gained a global fanbase due to their consistently high standards in a variety of production areas. Many people enjoy watching K-Dramas since they cover a wide range of genres such as slice-of-life, romance, thriller, action, melodrama, science fiction, horror, fantasy, and many others.
Being a huge fan of K-Dramas who can’t last a day without watching a single episode for years now, I have watched hundreds of shows already. Obviously, not every drama is worth your time, which is why I’m here to help you pick the best ones to watch, and I swear you won’t regret it because what I’ll be recommending are dramas on the top of my list!
To be part of the list, I didn’t only consider if it has an interesting plot or famous actors. What makes a K-Drama great is when everything about that drama falls into place. It has an interesting plot, the acting is excellent, the pacing and cinematography are perfect, and that feeling when we are watching: it doesn’t feel like an hour has passed already.
Romance
“Princess Hours“
This is one of the timeless rom-com classics, and I’m sure a lot still listen to its iconic ‘Perhaps Love’ OST. If you haven’t watched it yet, it’s time to get to know Crown Prince Lee Shin and his new bride set in an alternate 21st-century Korea which has retained its monarchy.
“Into the Ring“
You’ve probably heard a lot about K-Drama romantic comedies, and it’s a shame that “Into the Ring” isn’t as well-known as it should be. It’s one of the best K-Drama rom-coms about a young woman who decides to run for public office and her secretary.
“Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-joo“
You should watch “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo” if you’re in the mood for a feel-good sports coming-of-age drama. It’s been a while, but many people still can’t get over the chemistry between Lee Sung Kyoung and Nam Joo Hyuk.
“Fight For My Way“
This is a drama for ordinary people who want to succeed in their life and career and stars four underdogs doing their best in their everyday life.
Crash Landing On You
This is THE romantic comedy K-Drama with the best leads because we really got Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin as North and South Koreans finding love despite a lot of difficulties.
“Youth of May“
This drama showed us the most beautiful romance in a K-Drama between a medical student and nurse, which happens in the backdrop of the Gwangju Uprising in the 1980s. A must-watch drama that doesn’t only focus on romance but also on Korean history!
Slice of Life
“It’s Okay, That’s Love“
This is one of my all-time favorite Korean dramas since it has everything we look for in a great drama. A K-Drama ahead of its time tackling mental health, and it stars an ensemble cast plus Zo In Sung and Kong Hyo Jin gave us an iconic K-Drama couple.
“Run On”
This drama has a special place in my heart because it features an athlete, translator, CEO, and student. Even though it’s about regular people going about their daily lives, the dialogue and character growth in this show elevates it to the level of an amazing drama.
“Reply 1988”
My favorite from the reply series since it focuses more on family, love, and friendship. The brilliance of this drama is that it accurately depicts our shared experiences and the significance of “youth” to all of us.
“Extraordinary Attorney Woo”
Woo Young Woo, a young attorney with Asperger’s syndrome, embarks on a new chapter of her life when she begins working at a prestigious law firm in this lovely legal slice-of-life drama.
“Because This Is My First Life”
This is probably my favorite K-Drama that tells us it’s okay to make mistakes because we are all living our first lives. It’s a rom-com about two people who decided to get married for convenience.
Sports
“Stove League“
Even though I love all of Namkoong Min’s works, “Stove League” is my personal favorite. The story follows an underdog baseball team and its new general manager as they attempt to win the League Championship.
“Twenty-Five Twenty-One”
An excellent 2022 drama about young people following their passions. This is an eye-opening play with important lessons about love, friendship, development, the pursuit of one’s passions, and living one’s best life.
Medical
“Dr. Romantic 1 & 2“
The fact that this drama takes place in a very small hospital and emphasizes the contributions of all the doctors and nurses makes this K-Drama the greatest of its genre. The “Dr. Romantic” series, now in its third season, does a great job of demonstrating “romance in life” through the guidance of Kim Sa Bu.
“Descendants of The Sun“
This is THE K-Drama of 2016 because it has Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo. With Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo leading the cast, this romance between a captain who must do his duty and a doctor who must rescue lives in the midst of huge events and dangers in the war-torn country of Urk.
“Hospital Playlist”
An excellent slice-of-life story about five doctors who are also friends and work in a large hospital. This is a touching drama where you can relate to every character and find yourself laughing and crying with them throughout each episode.
Thriller
“Weak Hero Class 1“
This is on the top of 2022’s list of best K-Dramas because it’s not every day we see a thriller high school K-Drama not centered on romance. This drama is about a top student who uses his wits to fight violence inside and outside of school.
“Partners For Justice 1 & 2“
A one-of-a-kind thriller K-Drama about a forensic doctor and prosecutor! This is one of the best K-Dramas I have seen and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
“Taxi Driver”
Now in its season 2, this thriller series tells the story of a deluxe taxi service that provides revenge on behalf of its customers and victims who can’t get helped by the law.
“Kairos“
Most sci-fi K-Dramas go wrong in the end, but this drama is different! This drama is a sci-fi thriller about a man from the future who contacted a woman from the past to help stop his misfortune, and the most interesting part is they can only call and receive texts from each other at exactly 10:33 PM!
“D.P.”
One of the K-Dramas that many Koreans can actually relate to on a personal level. The plot follows Private Ahn Jun Ho as he works with the D.P. team to track down deserters in the military.
“Beyond Evil”
I can honestly say that this is one of the best-written dramas I have ever watched. Each episode of this psychological thriller about two officers features a surprising turn of events.
“Defendant“
This is the definition of a thrilling K-Drama because it gets more intense and better the more you watch it. Starring Jisung, this drama is about a prosecutor who got his life turned upside down when he wakes up in a prison cell and is told that he has killed his wife, and his daughter is currently missing.
Fantasy
“While You Were Sleeping“
This is one of the fantasy K-Dramas that has an amazing concept! This drama is about a woman who can see future accidents in her dreams and a prosecutor who struggles to stop the woman’s dreams from coming true.
“My Love From The Star“
Starring THE Jun Ji Hyun and Kim Soo Hyun, this drama is about a famous actress and an alien who has to leave Earth after a hundred years. This is one of the most loved fantasy rom-coms.
“Goblin”
This is also THE K-Drama of 2016 which made us love goblins and grim reapers! It has a unique take on the fantasy romance genre, and the depth of the characters’ bonds is what ultimately made us fall in love with the story.
Since there are literally thousands of K-dramas right now, I didn’t include all of my favorites here; instead, we’ll save those for another time. To be honest, I had a difficult time narrowing down the options for this list, so I’m hoping it will be useful to you as you decide what to watch next on KOCOWA!
1 Comment
kairos sounds like Signal! Have you perhaps watched it? if not, please do 🙏