Best korean tv series

By Geoffrey Bunting.

The world of Korean dramas is a strange and beautiful place. The South Korean entertainment industry is slowly growing to worldwide dominance, as Kpop, Korean movies like Parasite and Minari , and Korean television series take the world by storm. The term Korean drama, or Kdrama, refers to almost any South Korean fictional television series, no matter the subject or genre. That includes comedy, romance, sci-fi, horror, you name it. Most of these television series are based on webcomics, a form of storytelling similar to comics that originated in South Korea. You just have to learn how to accept the strange and unexpected and go along for the ride.

Best korean tv series

But wait, those are all from To discuss some of the best K-dramas ever , we need to go back into the past to see how we got here. There was no Netflix, Viki, or Prime Video for streaming. Rather, I watched whatever my parents rented from the local Korean grocer, who had bookcases filled with grainy and most likely illegally-dubbed tapes that we rewatched before returning. Helmed by Kim Soo-hyun — the writer, not the actor — the episode! Each of us has our own favorite K-dramas that are informed by our own personal experiences and access. Related: The Best K-Dramas of Still, I wanted to have an expert weigh in on what makes for a memorable and great K-drama. A melodramatic love story laced with tragedy and an ending that will likely leave you weeping, this series is one that I watch on repeat with my mother. Many fans of K-dramas are already aware of the stigma against single mothers in South Korea. Never mind that Ji-ho Jung Hae-in has a great job as a pharmacist, loving parents, and swoon worthy looks that make women weak in the knees.

Like its forebears, the series centers on three women who hide behind their various secrets and traumas with piles of money and their boundless ambitions for their children.

Since then, the show has become the most watched non-English show of all time. Below, TIME recommends another eight Korean drama series, from audience favorites of the last decade to recently-concluded releases. For the purposes of this list, shows currently unavailable on Netflix USA are not included. Bullying is often a plot point in K-dramas, but in The Glory , the pervasive social issue and its rippling effects through time is the centerpiece. The series is not for the faint of heart—its writer even borrows disturbing details of abuse from real-life incidents—and yet The Glory made the Netflix Top 10 in 89 countries and became one of the most watched non-English shows on the platform this year. This list would not be complete without this survival drama that broke records left and right. But apart from the gruesome violence, Squid Game engages viewers with the potent theme of economic despair and desperation as entertainment for the rich.

Not only did the show pull off a record-breaking 1. This year was another stellar year for K-drama and general Korean content at Netflix, following a million-dollar investment in South Korean production stages and content in the past two years. All titles are available to watch on Netflix USA and are listed in no particular order. Legal dramas are nothing new, but Extraordinary Attorney Woo brings a fresh spin to the genre by featuring an autistic rookie lawyer as the titular character. Park Eun-bin sensitively portrays Woo Young-woo, who uses her savant-like attributes including a photographic memory to represent her clients and help solve legal cases. Many viewers have praised the show for its nuanced depiction of issues surrounding workplace accessibility and the various prejudices people with disabilities face in society. Fans of the zombie genre will enjoy this series about a group of Korean teenagers who find themselves trapped in a school amid a mysterious virus outbreak that turns victims into angry flesh-eating monsters. Veteran actor Kim Hye-soo returns to the small screen for Juvenile Justice, a procedural legal drama. Kim plays Sim Eun-seok, a newly appointed judge at a juvenile court who has made it abundantly clear she dislikes young offenders and believes the law must severely punish them.

Best korean tv series

If you're not watching Korean dramas, better known as K-dramas, then you're missing out in several ways. And then there's the more important reason to watch Korean dramas: They are addictive and amazing, and you'll thank yourself for adding them to your pop culture diet. Known for their interesting storylines and intense if sometimes predictable plot twists, Korean dramas can go from super sappy to incredibly heartbreaking to "WTF, what was that? That variety is exactly what keeps viewers coming back for more. Here, we've listed the 50 best-ever K-dramas to watch, grouped by the most popular genres—and if you're well versed in the more established K-dramas, consult our list of the best new Korean shows on Netflix in And if you're looking specifically for the all-time best K-dramas on Netflix , best K-dramas on Viki , best Korean dramas on Prime Video , or best Korean dramas on Hulu? We've got you covered there too. If your Korean entertainment knowledge doesn't expand beyond Squid Game and Train to Busan , here's where to start.

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Wonderful Life — Comedy, Romance 6. I acknowledge that there are quite a few problematic storylines that are presented as almost normal. Copy from this list Export Report this list. Ha-jin travels years back in time and lands in the era of Goryeo Dynasty as a young girl named Hae-soo. The morning after the disastrous date, Ha-ri receives a call—Tae-moo wants to marry her!?! Never mind that Ji-ho Jung Hae-in has a great job as a pharmacist, loving parents, and swoon worthy looks that make women weak in the knees. The mermaid, Shim Cheong, played by the talented and beautiful Jun Ji-hyun follows her lover Heo Joon-jae Lee Min-ho to land unbeknownst to him that she is a mer person. A sci-fi horror series set in space, The Silent Sea follows a crew as they go investigate an abandoned research facility where a tragedy took place. By Kaitlyn McNab. Release Date June 30, Bullied student Yeon Si-eun former Wanna One member Park Ji-hoon sees his tormentors as an obstacle towards reaching academic success and getting a scholarship to Seoul National University. The Indiana native is the first senior citizen to join Bachelor Nation. Soon after they move in, an infectious disease sweeps the country, with those infected getting a craving of human blood.

As seen in the new and latest Korean dramas, there are always things to expect from K-dramas: The boy that you love and think is your soulmate? Long lost brother.

TV 60 min Comedy, Romance. Not Rated Drama, Romance. As he's only hiring good-looking male employees, Eun-chan decides to keep up her gender charade to get a job at his cafe. Our Blues K-Drama. Also, stars Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin have since gotten married and welcomed a baby! Choi Kang-ho Lee Do-hyun is a coldhearted attorney who suddenly gets his memory wiped in an accident that regresses him back to the mind of a child. Filmed in , the series has a dated feel both in production and style. The Bequeathed. These thrilling K-dramas are filled with action and intrigue, with some selections touching on societal issues in a similar vein to Parasite. OK, so this K-drama explores a parallel comic book universe that was created by an artist, whose daughter somehow is able to travel back and forth between the two realms.