The 10 Best K-Dramas to Binge-Watch on Netflix

Led by mega-stars Hyun Bin and Son Ye-Jin, Crash Landing tells the story of South Korean heiress Yoon Se-ri, who finds herself stranded in North Korea after a freak paragliding accident. Enter: Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok, the handsome but stoic North Korean soldier who finds Se-ri and (surprise!) falls in love with her. With plenty of twists, turns, and rom-com tropes, writer Park Ji-eun weaves a compelling story of star-crossed lovers, backed by Bin and Ye-Jin’s powerful chemistry and a charming supporting cast. The drama became a global hit and is currently the second-highest rated show in Korean cable TV history.

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Famous children’s book author Ko Moon Young meets Moon Gang Tae, a caretaker at a psychiatric ward, when she comes to his hospital to read to sick children. Gang Tae’s brother, Sang Tae, is autistic and a big fan of Moon Young, who is known to be moody and difficult due to her antisocial personality disorder. After a prickly first encounter, the two discover they are deeply connected by their tragic backstories and intertwining pasts.

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Oh Dong-baek is a single mother who moves to a small town and opens a bar named Camellia. She’s openly criticized by the village women for her work and relationship status (single), but catches the eye of police officer Hwang Yong-sik, who eventually wins her affection. Don’t let this love story deceive you, though: There’s a serial killer on the loose and Dong-baek is his next planned victim. Using his policeman skills, Yong-sik works to protect Dong-baek and her son while trying to catch the killer.

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In this period drama, Eugene Choi escapes to the U.S. after being born into slavery during the Joseon Period (the final dynasty before Korea’s annex from Japan) and goes on to become a Marine. Choi returns to Joseon on a mission and meets Go Ae-shin, an aristocratic woman secretly fighting for Korea’s independence. Choi and Ae-shin fall in love and must overcome their differences in status, Ae-shin’s arranged marriage to nobleman Kim Hee-Sung, and the Empire of Japan’s plot to colonize Korea.

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Drawing comparisons to Grey’s Anatomy and Friends, Hospital Playlist follows five doctors—friends since medical school—as they navigate life and death at Yulje Medical Center. The drama became one of the highest-rated on Korean cable TV in 2020 with a second season is due in 2021, giving you plenty of time to catch up.

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This K-Drama classic follow Geum Jan-di, a regular teen girl who’s offered a scholarship to an elite high school. Deterred by her rich classmates, she falls prey to the most popular boys in school, known as the F4, but stands up to their leader Gu Jun-pyo. Struck by her fighting spirit, Jun-pyo falls in love with Jan-di, and a love triangle, scandalous high school parties, and plenty of family drama ensues. Boys Over Flowers is the complete teen soap opera.

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Fashion models and good friends Sa Hye-Joon and Won Hae-Hyo aspire to become successful actors. They befriend An Jung-Ha, played by Parasite actress Park So-Dam, who quit her office job to pursue her passion as a makeup artist. The three try to navigate the cutthroat industry, differing social statuses and—for Hye-Joon and An Jung-Ha—a budding romance on their journey to making it big.

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Reply 1988 centers around the culture of Korea in the year 1988—the Seoul Olympics are a major plot point—and follows five high school friends living in a small town. Their coming-of-age story includes crushes and romance, getting into college, and a whole lot of ’80s nostalgia.

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Yoon Jin-ah is a 35-year-old woman who works at a coffee company, while Seo Joon-hee is the 20-something younger brother of Jin-ah’s best friend Kyung-Sun. After spending some time working abroad, Joon-hee returns to South Korea and reunites with Jin-ah, who used to see him as just a kid, but now, as something more. The two navigate their relationship and age difference, which is subject to the judgement and resentment of others.

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Eun Ha-Won (aka Cinderella) lives with her wicked stepmother and stepsisters and works multiple jobs to save up for college tuition. She meets Ji-Woon, Hyun-Min, and Seo-Woo, a wealthy set of cousins who live together in a mansion. After Ha-Won stands up to Hyun-Min, his grandfather hires her to be their live-in butler, hoping she can straighten out the three boys. What ensues is a messy love rectangle that will captivate fans of the classic fairytale.

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