“Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” said Parasite director Bong Joon-ho when accepting the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. This isn’t just true of films, though. It also applies to highly bingeable K-dramas.
There’s a rich, wide world of captivating stories told in languages other than English, which many people are only just beginning to explore. South Korean dramas in particular have gained increasing global popularity over the past decade, even before Parasite threw Korean stories into the spotlight.
Tropes in K-dramas are typically less familiar to Western audiences, which can make the stories feel more unpredictable and exciting. They’re also usually produced with a limited, set run of episodes rather than in endlessly renewable seasons. This means you’re more likely to get a complete, satisfying story, and less likely to be left hanging by a show being cancelled before your OTP moves beyond meaningful glances.
In no particular order, here are some of the best Korean dramas to kickstart — or continue — your education. Several are on Netflix while others are available for free on Viki, a streaming service dedicated to Asian shows and movies.
Extraordinary You
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Wealthy schoolgirl Eun Dan-oh’s world is turned upside down when she discovers she is a character in a romance comic book — and she does not care for the plot at all. Determined to define her own fate, Dan-oh recruits an unnamed background character to help change the story, discovering some unexpected truths about their world along the way.
Extraordinary You‘s already intriguing premise is further buoyed by a charming cast, including Rowoon of K-pop group SF9, and has an adorable secondary couple who are just as captivating to watch as the main pair. It’s a ton of fun seeing the self-aware characters disparage romance cliches while still unapologetically reveling in them.
How to watch: Viki
Kingdom
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Leading a country is hard enough, but doing so during an epidemic is even more so — especially when the disease transforms your subjects into violent, raging cannibals. Set several centuries ago during the Joseon dynasty, Kingdom follows Crown Prince Lee Chang as he faces not only the zombie threat, but a political coup threatening to depose him from the throne.
Netflix’s first original Korean series, Kingdom offers an uncommon yet gripping mix of historical drama, political intrigue, and zombie horror. It’s also visually stunning to boot, a feast for the eyes as well as the infected. Unlike other Korean dramas, Kingdom has snagged a second season, with many fans hoping for more.
How to watch: Netflix
Goblin, aka Guardian: The Lonely and Great God
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Kim Shin is almost 1,000 years old, inflicted with an unwanted and lonely immortality. A Goryeo-era general who was betrayed by his king, the only way Shin can pass on is if a prophesied goblin’s bride removes the sword embedded in his chest. Enter Ji Eun-tak, a cheerful high school student with the supernatural ability to see ghosts.
There are quite a few laughs here as well, several stemming from Shin’s affectionately antagonistic friendship with his grim reaper roommate Wang Yeo. Many Korean drama aficionados consider Goblin a must-watch series, expertly blending fantasy, historical, and modern elements in a unique and captivating story.
How to watch: Viki
My Love from the Star
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Do Min-joon is an alien who missed his ride off-planet after landing on Earth during the Joseon dynasty, leaving him stranded amongst humans for 400 years. Integrating himself into society, the jaded Min-joon works as a college professor as he waits the last few months more before he can finally go home. So, of course, he meets Cheon Song-yi — a famous actress, his new next-door neighbour, and the spitting image of a girl he loved centuries ago.
If you mention My Love from the Star to any Korean drama fan, chances are they’ll know it. The series enjoyed massive success in both Korea and China upon its initial release in 2013, and is now considered a classic of the genre. It even got remade in both Thailand and the Philippines.
How to watch: Viki
SKY Castle
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SKY Castle is like if a richer, grimmer Desperate Housewives met the Asian fixation on academic excellence. Set in a wealthy area of Seoul, the darkly satirical drama follows a group of upper-class women fighting to secure their family’s success, largely defined by their children’s acceptance to top universities. And they don’t mind who they have to pay — or destroy — to get what they want.
This show is one of the most highly rated dramas in Korean cable television history. It’s no accident that viewers in both South Korea and China found its depiction of a highly competitive education system relatable, either. SKY is an acronym for South Korea’s three most prestigious universities — Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University — which have produced some of the country’s most influential people.
How to watch: Viki
Crash Landing On You
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Crash Landing On You follows South Korean heiress Yoon Se-ri, who mistakenly crosses the border into North Korea and crash lands in a paragliding accident. She’s then discovered by Ri Jeong-hyeok, an officer in the North Korean army. However, rather than turn her in, Jeong-hyeok decides to secretly help her return home — and falls in love during the process.
The concept for this hugely popular star-crossed romance admittedly sounds bizarre, particularly as the relationship between North and South Korea is a fairly serious subject. However, several defectors have praised the touching drama for its accuracy and attention to detail in depicting everyday North Korean life, and the series even had a defector on its writing team.
How to watch: Netflix
Signal
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If you’re more into crime than romance, Signal offers an intriguing twist to your standard police procedural. Set both in 2015 and 1989, cold case workers Park Hae-young and Cha Soo-hyun use a mysterious walkie talkie to communicate across time with detective Lee Jae-han to solve crimes in both times — and even prevent some from happening. However, they soon discover that messing with time is never without consequence.
Signal garnered both audience and critical acclaim, particularly for its plot. The gritty series drew inspiration from actual crimes that took place in Korea, such as the Hwaseong serial murders and Miryang gang rape. Suffice to say it is not lighthearted popcorn fare, and much darker and more sombre in tone than many other K-dramas.
How to watch: Netflix
There are a ton of other great Korean dramas to explore well. If you like ABC’s The Good Doctor, you might want to check out Good Doctor, the South Korean medical series it was based on. For romance with a bit of sci-fi, My Holo Love has a woman falling in love with a hologram. Modern fantasy lovers may enjoy Hotel Del Luna‘s tale about the owner and manager of a hotel catering to ghosts. Meanwhile, He Is Psychometric features GOT7‘s Jinyong as a young man who can read the past of people and objects he touches, using this to fight crime.
Whether you’re in the mood for love, war, or anything in between, chances are there’s a Korean drama that can satisfy you.