10 BEST KOREAN DRAMAS EVERYONE SHOULD BE WATCHING

As Korean dramas have started gaining international recognition, this is the right time to board the K-Wagon. Whether you are new to Korean Dramas or just need a suggestion for your next soul-fulfilling watch during this quarantine then I hope this list makes it feel like you are in the right place. Please note that none of the dramas are listed according to a rank-based scheme, all the dramas in this list are equally binge-worthy.

1. Hi Bye, Mama

Cha Yu-Ri (Kim Tae-Hee) died 5 years ago when she was pregnant with Seo-Woo (Seo -Woo Jin), leaving her husband, Kang-Hwa (Lee Kyu-Hyung) to raise the child alone. 5 years later, Cha Yu-Ri is now a ghost, Kang-Hwa is a different man who is remarried and Seo-Woo is able to see ghosts. Cha Yu-Ri comes back to life for 49 days to help Seo-Woo from seeing ghosts. However, the only way she can live is if she can take her place back her spot in the family. This show should be on everyone’s watch list.

Imagine one day your loved one shows up in front of you and the roller-coaster of emotions you would feel, Hi Bye, Mama has managed to capture the characters sentiments and an extensive range of emotions through this series. The story guides us to appreciate life, rethink, and comprehend the importance of family. The thing I disapprove of this drama is that there is not a single character you can hate (especially Kim Tae-Hee and Bo-Gyeol). The story explores different ghost, their personalities and their reasons for not leaving this world. Get ready to be sobbing every single episode (keep a tissue box or a loved one next to you). Also, the series sends out an important message that not all stepmothers are evil.

2. Itaewon Class

Park Sae-Ro-Yi (Park Seo-Joon) goes to prison after violently assaulting Jang Geun-Won who is the son of CEO Jang Dae-Hee (Jangga Corp) after he killed Sae-Ro-Yi's father. Sae-Ro-Yi decides to take revenge by opening his own restaurant in Itaewon and during this process, he meets Yi-Seo (Kim Da-Mi), a popular restaurant reviewer who decides to guide Sae-Ro-Yi achieve his dreams. Yi-Seo has feelings for Sae-Ro-Yi, however, Sae-Ro-Yi loves Oh Soo-A for 7 years who now works for Jangga Co.

Itaewon class focuses on some important social issues such as racial discrimination and gender stereotypes. Moreover, the show debunks the society's view that ex-convicts cannot succeed in life. Sae-Ro-Yi determination to accomplishing his dreams and taking revenge keeps the viewers engaged in this series. Yi-Seo’s character is bold and sassy and makes the show that much more engaging and of course, Oh Soo-A (Sae-Ro-Yi longtime girlfriend) who is most loathed by the audience would go on to turn into the star of the show.

3. Fight for My Way

Another Park Seo-Joon series. Fight for My Way has a special place in my heart because the characters are uncomplicated and relatable. The story is about, Ko Dong-man (Park Seo-Joon) and Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won). Dong-man and Choi Ae-ra are childhood friends. Choi Ae-ra has a crush on Dong-man since high school. Dong-man who is trained in taekwondo had dreams of becoming a UFC titleholder but ends up working for a contractor and Choi Ae-ra is an aspiring reporter who works as a customer representative.

The story shows the struggle and hardships involved in achieving one's dream. Don’t we all love a series that we could relate to the characters? The one thing I really loved about the show is that both Dong-man and Choi Ae-ra went through breakups and realize their love for each other later in the show. Dong-man kept on going back to his ex and Choi Ae-ra ends up being with the wrong dude. I was looking forward to this show since Park Seo-Joon and Kim Ji-Won are my favorite actors. Not being biased but Kim Ji Won had so far, the best chemistry with Seo-Joon. The show basically sends out a message that we should never give up on our dreams.

3. Strong Girl Bong Soon

Bong Soon (Park Bo-young) has superhuman strength that was passed down from her family. Bong Soon is aspiring to be a video gaming developer. She unexpectedly meets Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-Sik), CEO of a video gaming company and becomes his bodyguard. Bong Soon has a crush on her childhood friend Guk-doo (Ji Soo) (I do not blame her 😊) who is a police officer. The love triangle between the three of them the story includes is hilarious to watch. Apart from the love triangle, investigation on a series of kidnapping that happens in the district that Bong Soon lives.

Have you ever re-watched a series and no matter how many times you see it never gets tiring? Strong Girl Bong Soon fits right smack in the middle of that category. This drama shows the cuter side of Bo-Young (she looks cute even in the fight scenes) and some bromance between Park Hyung-Sik and Ji Soo. Also, an honorable mention to Kim Won-Hae who played a gay character who has a crush on Hyung Sik and a gangster straight character (he plays a doppelgänger). I would love to see all the cast together in another show. This drama should be on everyone’s watch list.

5. Descendants of the Sun

This love story revolves around Yoo Si-Jin (Son Joon-ki) Captain of Korean Special Team Force and Dr. Kang Mo-Yeon (Song Hye-Ko). Yoo Si-Jin and Dr. Mo-Yeon meet for the first time at a hospital. They begin to date but realize they are not a good fit for each other due to their jobs (one kills people and one saves life). After Dr. Mo-Yeon calls off her relationship with Yoo Si-Jin, they unexpectedly meet in Uruk (fictional place in Greece) after 8 months.

DOTS is one of my all-time favorite K dramas and I’m sure shows up in most of the K-drama lover's favorites list. One thing I really loved about the show was both Song Hye and Kim Ji-won played strong and bold doctors who were ready to save the lives of the people.

I hate to say this, but I really loved the second lead than the first mainly because Kim Ji-Won and Jin Goo had good chemistry between. This drama was shot in Greece and South Korea so you can imagine the visual explosion of the locations and actors. Everything from the cast, location, cinematography to OST is spot on. This drama also stars Onew from SHINee. This is one to definitely not be missed! P.S.: DOTS was readapted to another language but the original one will always be the classic.

6. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

Also known as Goblin. The story is about Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) who is immortal and the only way to end his mortality is to find a human bride. Ji Eun-Tak (Kim Go-Eun) is able to see ghosts and is the destined bride for the Goblin. The series further explore the backstory of how Kim Shin became immortal and also the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-Wook).

The series gives you a variety of emotions, it has some perfect comic timing but then some scenes make you emotional. The show has some bromance between Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-Wook. Also, no other drama ending has ever replaced Goblin's ending (bittersweet). The bottom line is, Goblin is a masterpiece PERIOD!

7. Signal

Signal is a crime thriller series starring Lee Je-Hoon, Kim Hye-Soo, and Cho Jin-Woong. Hae-Young (Lee Je-Hoon) is a criminal profiler who gets placed into the cold case department alongside with (Kim Hye-Soo). Hae-Young (2015) comes across a walkie talkie through which he communicates with detective Jae-Han (Cho Jin-Woong) who is in the year 1989. Hae-Young and Jae-Han together investigate a series of cold cases ranging from kidnapping, serial killers, and other cases.

Signal is one of the best shows within the Korean series catalog and if you enjoy crime thriller genre then this for you. I binged watched this show in two days and honestly loved how each one of the cases was connected to the other. Each episode will keep you on the edge of the seat and its interesting on Hae-young criminal profiling and Jae-Han strategies on solving the cases. I am not sure if Signal will have a second season but it sure does have the potential for season 2.

8. Encounter

The story is about Cha Soo-Hyun (Song Hye-Kyo) who is a divorcee and the CEO of a hotel who meets Kim Jin-Hyeok (Park Bo-Gum) in Cuba. Jin-Hyeok comes from an ordinary background and has been looking for a job. When Jin-Hyeok returns to Korea he receives an offer to work in a hotel which is owned by Soo-Hyun. The story follows how Soo-Hyun and Jin-Hyeok face obstacles to be together.

This drama has a beautiful story, Song Hye-Kyo played by a female CEO which is quite rare to see in the Korean drama, so it was refreshing to see a reversal. Cha Soo-Hyuns character of coming from a wealthy family, it is very evident that she could not follow her dreams mainly because of her family but its delightful to see how she opens and brightens up through Jin-Hyeok and how their love story unfolds. The show is aesthetically pleasing thanks to Park Bo-Gum and Song Hye-Kyos visuals. The show was shot in Cuba and Korea. This drama is slow-paced but it’s totally worth it.

9. Kill Me Heal Me

Cha Do-Hyun (Ji Sung) is a son of a wealthy family who is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) meets Oh Ri-Jin (Hwang Jung-Eum) a final year medical residency student who becomes his secret doctor and confidant. The show also stars Park Se-Joon who is played as Oh Ri-jins brother and has a vital role in this drama.

Ji Sung played seven different characters in Kill Me Heal Me (not easy) and one of the personalities was of a teenage girl, Yo Na (he wore lipstick and skirts) which he played with confidence and did complete justice to the character. The highlight of the entire series is Yo Na’s obsession with Park Seo Joon. There are some rib-tickling scenes that make the fans ship the two characters. The drama mainly focused on Oh Ri-Jin effort to help Cha Do-Hyun with his DID. If you think Ji Sung can’t act, then this drama will prove you wrong.

10. Boys Over Flowers

Many International Korean drama fans, like me, started their journey through Boys Over Flowers. This classic Korean drama revolves around the F4 group which includes Jun-Pyo (Lee Min-ho), Yun Ji-Hu (Kim Hyun-Joong), So Lee-Jeong (Kim Beom) and Song Woo-Bin (Kim Jun) comes from a super-wealthy family and attends a prestigious high school. Jan-Di (Ku Hye-Seon) comes from a poor background and luckily gets admitted into a prestigious high school. The story turns into a love triangle between Jun-Pyo, Jan-Di, and Yun Ji-Hu.

The show was shot in Korea, New Caledonia, and Macau. The show mainly focuses on Jun-pyo, Jan-Di, and Yun Ji-Hu. I come under the very few percentages of viewers who actually loved the second lead love story than the first lead, that of Kim Beom, and Kim So-Eun. The show also shows that at times your soulmate does not need to be your boyfriend, but it can be your best friend. This show gave Lee Min Ho international recognition. Boys Over Flowers was adapted to other languages.

Honorable mention

1. Secret Forest (Stranger)

The stranger is a crime thriller Hwang Shi-Mok (Cho Seung-Woo) is a prosecutor and is unable to feel any emotions after a brain surgery which made him a cold person. Hwang Shi-Mok team up with Han Yeo-Jin (Bae Doo-Na) a police Lieutenant when investigating a murder case which leads to dark secrets and corruption occurring in the law firm. The show also stars Yoo Jae-Myung who plays an important part in this drama.

The show was recognized as the best international drama in 2017 and won many awards in Korea. TvN recently confirmed Season 2 coming in 2020, more reasons to watch the show.

2. Replay 1988

Replay 1988 revolves around 5 childhood friends growing up from the same neighborhood. Duk-Sun (Hyeri), Jung-Hwan (Ryoo Joon-Yeol), Sun-Woo (Ko Gyung-Pyo), and Dong-Ryong (Lee Dong-Hwi) are high school students. Meanwhile, Taek (Park Bo-Gum) dropped out of school to become a go player. Their families are super close to each other and each family’s financial conditions and backgrounds are different from one another. The story is set in 1988 during the Seoul Olympics and at the end of every episode, we get a glimpse of Duk-Sun in the present (2015) married to one of her childhood friends (surprising part).

Now that you have the list, let the binge-watching begin!