The 15 Greatest Okay-Dramas Of All Time, Ranked

From chart-topping Okay-pop artists to Academy Award-winning movies like “Parasite,” South Korean popular culture has develop into a bona fide world phenomenon. This worldwide reputation has prolonged to Okay-dramas, a typical time period for South Korean live-action scripted tv programming that has discovered rising numbers of international viewers. With an growing variety of Okay-dramas obtainable to stream outdoors of South Korea on platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, the style continues to realize momentum with abroad audiences, could it’s blockbuster sequence that put Okay-dramas on the worldwide map or ignored sleeper hits. 

To be clear, the time period “Okay-drama” is not one which’s completely utilized to grounded dramatic fare, however one which expands past standard style constraints. This ranges from supernatural horror to period-piece romantic comedies and nearly all the things in between. Merely put, there’s one thing for everybody to take pleasure in inside the vast and rising world of Okay-dramas. And that can assist you discover the subsequent such sequence to binge, listed below are the 15 better of all time.

Primarily based on the webcomic sequence by Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok, “Hellbound” combines religiously tinged horror with populist social commentary. Launched on Netflix in 2021, the sequence has an otherworldly entity condemning numerous figures to Hell inside a predicted time period. As this time elapses, these hapless people are mercilessly attacked by fiery figures, mauling and incinerating their victims. Within the face of those public incidents, two completely different sects make the most of the chaos and rising worry to construct their very own cults.

“Hellbound” is a meditation on the manipulative power of religion and the less dogmatic cults of personality that steer society. That is punctuated by the mounting sense of dread because the hellish countdowns made on focused people attain their climax, with brutal monster assaults and all. And simply as audiences develop accustomed to the premise and stakes of “Hellbound,” the sequence throws them loads of plot twists to maintain viewers guessing the place the story goes subsequent. Unrelentingly grim and pointed in its themes, “Hellbound” is as darkish as Okay-dramas can get whereas avoiding being overly unsavory.

Earlier than he starred in “Squid Recreation,” internationally famend actor Lee Jung-jae starred within the 2019 political drama “Chief of Employees.” Lee performs Jang Tae-joon, the chief of workers to a distinguished member of the Nationwide Meeting, South Korea’s equal to Congress. Tae-joon’s shrewd and ruthless nature helps his boss rise by the ranks, however he secretly has even greater ambitions himself. Tae-joon’s rise to energy is mirrored by Kang Seon-yeong (Shin Min-a), a freshman lawmaker who quietly strikes up a romance with him.

Whereas very a lot its personal beast, “Chief of Employees” is analogous to international political dramas and thrillers like “Home of Playing cards” and “Madam Secretary.” Lee instructions each scene he is in as Tae-joon, a personality at all times wanting 10 steps forward. Shin matches him as Seon-yeong, whereas the remainder of the present’s ensemble performs off one another nicely. With belief and loyalty at all times hanging within the steadiness, “Chief of Employees” is a gripping political drama reminding us that for each motion, there may be an equal response.

There is no such thing as a scarcity of excellent South Korean thrillers, and 2022’s Netflix authentic sequence “The Glory” actually achieves that distinction. After being relentlessly tormented in highschool by her friends, Moon Dong-eun (Music Hye-kyo) formulates an elaborate revenge scheme concentrating on her bullies. Years after ending her personal research, Dong-eun turns into an elementary college trainer, working along with her tormentors’ younger kids. This vendetta grows as Dong-eun brings in further collaborators, every with their very own thirst for vengeance towards those that wronged them.

Completely paced, “The Glory” manages to maintain its viewers spellbound whilst its story grows extra complicated and multi-faceted. On the heart of all of it is Music Hye-kyo’s efficiency, veering from sympathetic sufferer of trauma to horror villain immediately. Although depictions of college bullying are uncomfortable, irrespective of the nation or tradition, the sequence rigorously levels it in a manner that does not really feel exploitative or sensationalist. Darkish, complicated, and captivatingly intense, “The Glory” is a thriller that’ll have you ever binging episodes to see how its twist-filled story unfolds.

There are plenty of romantic comedies the place a girl from the massive metropolis decides to relocate to a extra rustic setting earlier than discovering real love. That successful system stands on the core of 2021’s “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” starring Shin Min-a as Yoon Hye-jin. Hye-jin strikes from Seoul to a picturesque seaside city, opening her personal dental clinic, and assembly native handyman Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho). Hye-jin and Du-sik shortly fall in love as Hye-jin embraces the contemporary begin of her private {and professional} life within the quaint group.

“Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” may have very simply come off because the countless Hallmark movies that comply with the same premise, but it surely stands head and shoulders above them. Romantic comedies hinge totally on the charisma and chemistry of their leads and Shin and Kim ship in full on each counts. With its small-town group scope, “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” lets the viewers get to know its eclectic ensemble together with Hye-jin, producing real pathos from their nuances and struggles. “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” does not got down to reinvent a tried and true romantic comedy system, however emphasizes and improves upon what makes it so efficient.

One of the best-selling webtoon sequence “Bloodhounds” by Jeong Chan was tailored right into a tv sequence of the identical identify by Netflix in 2023. With their neighborhood exploited by a predatory mortgage shark named Kim Myeong-gil (Park Sung-woong), younger boxer and veteran Kim Geon-woo (Woo Do-hwan) decides to take issues into his personal palms. Joined by fellow veteran Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), the 2 fighters take down scammers between boxing bouts to repay their very own money owed. Backing up the 2 heroes is a extra scrupulous cash lender, Choi Tae-ho (Huh Joon-ho), who eliminates curiosity on his loans for these in better want.

“Bloodhounds” feels prefer it could possibly be the plot to a freewheeling ’80s motion film or “Streets of Rage” spinoff, and that is a excessive praise. The present retains its concentrate on its hard-hitting motion, eschewing extended diversions into romance or superfluous facet tales. Certain, there are deeper themes about company malfeasance, corrupt legislation enforcement, and a widening earnings hole, however “Bloodhounds” leaves its social musings within the background as its leads kick butt. In case you’re on the lookout for some unabashed, no-frills motion, “Bloodhounds” has greater than bought you coated.

Company tradition and whirlwind romance collide within the 2022 romantic comedy “Enterprise Proposal,” adapting the webcomic “The Workplace Blind Date” by HaeHwa and Narak. When unassuming researcher Shin Ha-ri (Kim Sejeong) goes on a blind date, she discovers her date is Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop), the CEO of the corporate she works at. Tae-moo presents to pay her to pose as his fiancee to appease his grandfather and boss, who always pester him into getting married. Because the couple pretends to publicly date, they develop real emotions for one another, with romance really blossoming between them.

In modern Cinderella tales in South Korea, Prince Charming is not normally a regent however slightly a CEO, reflecting fashionable occasions. “Enterprise Proposal” pulls off this pairing nicely by its willingness to lean into screwball comedy, subtly subverting a number of widespread rom-com tropes alongside the best way. This distinction carries over to Ha-ri and Tae-moo’s respective finest pals, who stumble into their very own illicit love affair alongside the best way. With its pronounced humorousness and likable ensemble, “Enterprise Proposal” elevates itself above the same old Korean romantic comedy fare to ship one thing particular.

Primarily based on the favored webtoon sequence of the identical identify by Kim Carnby and Hwang Younger-chan, “Candy House” gives its personal twist on apocalyptic horror. A contagion spreads that causes these contaminated to remodel into monsters primarily based on their deepest wishes. Cha Hyun-su (Music Kang) bands collectively along with his neighbors to defend their residence complicated, Inexperienced House, from the monsters. As the federal government scrambles to find the true nature of this contagion, Hyun-su turns into in a position to rework right into a monster hybrid to guard his fellow survivors.

Premiering on Netflix in 2020 and working for 3 seasons, “Candy House” retains its concentrate on the dynamics between its predominant characters and the person traumas driving all of them. Viewers anticipating one thing extra explicitly horror-driven could be somewhat disillusioned, however “Candy House” retains its story rooted firmly in its characters. Even earlier than the arrival of the monsters, Hyun-su was a driftless misplaced soul, along with his new transformative nature giving him a palpable motive to dwell. These intertwined lives confronting potential armageddon collectively give “Candy House” the emotional core that elevates it in comparison with lots of its zombie pastiche counterparts.

South Korea will get its personal fashionable battlefield love story with the 2016 navy drama sequence “Descendants of the Solar.” This star-crossed romance follows Yoo Si-jin (Music Joong-ki), an officer within the South Korean particular forces, who meets hospital doctor Kang Mo-yeon (Music Hye-kyo). As Si-jin and Mo-yeon attempt to begin a relationship, Si-jin is deployed to struggle in a fictional nation, with Mo-yeon involuntarily stationed there later by her spurned supervisor. Reunited within the faraway, hostile nation, Si-jin and Mo-yeon’s love really blossoms underneath the shadow of warfare.

“Descendants of the Solar” is as overtly jingoistic –- and product placement-heavy -– as Okay-dramas get, however the storytelling and performances at its core are nonetheless enormously efficient. Like many memorable Okay-dramas, “Descendants of the Solar” refuses to be relegated to a single style because it blends wartime motion, romance, and drama multi function package deal. The chemistry between the present’s leads is palpable and the driving power of the story, particularly in its latter, action-intensive half –- it is value noting that Music Joong-ki and Music Hye-kyo had been briefly married after the present’s manufacturing. “Descendants of the Solar” additionally went on to encourage Vietnamese and Filipino variations because it discovered success abroad.

For as many alternative zombie reveals and flicks as there are, it is a surprise there aren’t extra interval items within the style. Luckily, the South Korean horror series “Kingdom” fills that void with its tale of zombies rising in the country’s medieval peninsula through the seventeenth century. Primarily based on the webcomic “The Kingdom of the Gods” by Kim Eun-hee and Yang Kyung-il, the story has Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) examine a zombie outbreak. As Chang tries to forestall his kingdom from being overrun, he faces challengers to the throne trying to make the most of the undead unrest.

With its mixture of historic drama and zombie-fueled spectacle, “Kingdom” breathes new life into the tried and true horror sub-genre. The mash-up of undead enemies and medieval warriors by no means seems like a novelty, however an ingeniously contemporary twist on acquainted tropes. And regardless of its interval piece trappings, the underlying themes and allegories in “Kingdom” really feel simply as related to fashionable sociopolitical points. “Kingdom” would run for 2 seasons, receiving a feature-length particular, “Kingdom: Ashin of the North,” offering a concurrent facet story increasing its zombie-filled world.

1988 was a pivotal and tumultuous yr in South Korean historical past, following the top of a brutal navy dictatorship that dominated the nation till February of that yr. This era serves because the backdrop for the 2015 coming-of-age drama “Reply 1988,” following the story of 5 teenage pals and their households. The present is ready in Ssangmun-dong, one of many extra financially impoverished neighborhoods in Seoul, as modifications come to Korea by the 1988 Summer time Olympics and civil unrest. “Reply 1988” opens with its protagonists getting ready for his or her closing yr of highschool, progressing into their lives as younger adults because the nation’s worldwide profile rises.

“Reply 1988” feels comparative to “The Surprise Years” or “This Is Us,” albeit by the lens of late ’80s Korean historical past. Its multiple-perspective narrative provides the story a wider scope, providing a extra grounded and intimate examination of latest historical past. The present additionally has a heavy emphasis on delicacies, which is a staple in Okay-dramas, however particularly noticeable and woven into the story right here. A coming-of-age story worthy of any of its American ’80s counterparts, “Reply 1988” is only a spellbinding household drama, no matter time interval.

Alternatively titled “Goblin” in some territories, “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” is an entertaining blend of fantasy, romance, and comedy. The present stars Gong Yoo as Kim Shin, a 900-year-old goblin who can solely cross on to the afterlife if his bride removes a sword implanted in his chest. This destined love is Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), a teen who can see ghosts and is pursued by the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook). As Eun-tak prepares to go to college, she meets and falls in love with Kim Shin earlier than studying her prophesied function.

“Guardian: The Lonely and Nice God” has as creative and offbeat premise as they arrive, as Eun-tak interacts with everybody from the dwelling and lifeless in her coming-of-age story. Past its distinctive story, “Guardian” additionally options an enormously catchy soundtrack, even for these not notably accustomed to Okay-pop. The present has a decent ensemble solid enjoying off one another nicely, particularly Gong and Kim as its core couple. With a surprisingly bold scope, “Guardian” brings its seemingly disparate components collectively right into a refreshing romantic fantasy.

The Itaewon neighborhood is likely one of the hottest social scenes in Seoul, boasting loads of vibrant bars and golf equipment whereas additionally containing town’s pink gentle district. This neighborhood serves because the backdrop for “Itaewon Class,” primarily based on the webcomic of the identical identify by Gwang Jin. After being jailed for attempting to avenge his father’s dying, Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Search engine optimization-joon) opens his personal bar in Itaewon. Sae-ro-yi intends to get revenge on the person who killed his father, Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun), the son of a mogul heading a robust megacorporation.

In comparison with the extra prim and polished Okay-dramas on the market, “Itaewon Class” presents a extra grounded take a look at South Korean society. Subjects usually prevented by different Okay-dramas, together with homophobia, discrimination in the direction of foreigners, and systemic company corruption are all addressed within the sequence. Park Search engine optimization-joon is totally magnetic in his efficiency as Sae-ro-yi, enjoying a person so totally consumed and pushed by his thirst for vengeance. Inspiring a lot of worldwide variations, “Itaewon Class” retains its characters and stakes comparatively rooted within the gritty realism of its common setting.

Lee So Younger’s manhwa sequence “Yeonmo” was tailored into the sweeping historic drama “The King’s Affection” in 2021. Set throughout Korea’s medieval Joseon Dynasty, Princess Dam-yi (Park Eun-bin) secretly replaces her twin brother as the dominion’s crown prince after he dies in an accident. Whereas protecting her true id a secret, Dam-yi’s past love, Jung Ji-woon (Rowoon), joins the court docket as her Royal Tutor. This results in courtly intrigue as Dam-yi tries to keep up her secret whereas reigniting her romance with Ji-woon.

“The King’s Affection” is a quietly subversive tackle Korean historic dramas, inserting a feminine protagonist able of energy and repeatedly defending her love curiosity. The present’s rejection of conventional gender roles and queer undertones additionally elevates and distinguishes it from its contemporaries. Progressive themes apart, “The King’s Affection” successfully blends interval piece drama and romance with a stunning quantity of comedy and medieval motion. There are a mess of medieval Okay-dramas however “The King’s Affection” arguably stands above the remainder.

There are numerous romantic Okay-dramas, however the simplest mix genres effortlessly round their magnetic couple. 2019’s “Crash Touchdown on You” takes this sensibility and leans into Korea’s distinctive geopolitical scenario for its premise. Megacorporation heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) goes parasailing, solely to be caught in a vortex and crash in North Korea. Found by North Korean officer Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), Se-ri falls in love with him as he agrees to assist her return to South Korea.

Half romantic comedy, half espionage thriller, and half company intrigue, “Crash Touchdown on You” has bought all of it. Extra than simply centered on its predominant couple, the narrative expands to Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok’s radically completely different households and pals. With all these complicated, intertwining relationships, “Crash Touchdown on You” feels cleaning soap operatic in all one of the best methods, with out veering into outright melodrama. As the main target turns to South Korea and the bitter battle for management of Se-ri’s household, “Crash Touchdown on You” provides reveals like “Succession” a run for his or her cash.

Whereas Okay-dramas existed and located main abroad success lengthy earlier than “Squid Recreation,” the Netflix sequence put South Korean tv on the worldwide map to a then-unprecedented stage. Closely indebted gambler Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) appears to be like to reverse his dire monetary scenario and get again in his estranged daughter’s life. Enticed by an enormous money prize, Gi-hun is shipped to a distant island the place guards have him and the opposite contestants play lethal variations of youngsters’s video games. As Gi-hun tries to outlast his rivals, the fixed lack of life takes a heavy toll on him as he struggles to outlive this twisted gauntlet.

With all the thrill and widespread popular culture embrace of the present, it is simple to neglect that “Squid Recreation” is awfully good and rightfully earns all its hype as Netflix’s most popular show as of 2022. From its trendy manufacturing design to its world themes of an growing class divide, “Squid Recreation” captures a lot of what thriller-oriented Okay-dramas achieve this nicely. Lee and co-star Jung Ho-yeon present humanity to the blood spectacle, with viewers feeling their anguish whilst they progress by every spherical. Set to run for three seasons, “Squid Game” persistently subverts expectations whereas giving audiences a deadly thrill experience that is as entertaining as it’s unattainable to not binge.