K-dramas are addictive and have grabbed the attention of audiences globally, including ours. If you are a beginner and still have not checked out these 10 Kdrama shows, then you are missing out a lot.
K-drama shows have taken over Netflix with popular shows streaming like Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead. Fans are hooked and binge-watching entire seasons. Here are 10 best K-Dramas of all time that you should watch right now.
Most Popular K-Drama of All Time
1. Crash Course in Romance
Crash Course in Romance is one of the sweetest and most entertaining K-Dramas. It is a love story between Nam Hang-saeon, a kindhearted single mother who owns her own business and hopes for the best for her daughter, and famous maths professor Cho Chi Yeol. She decides to enter the private education sector to support her daughter, where she meets well-known private tutor Choi Chi-yeol (Jung), popularly referred to as the 1 Billion Won Man. The two quickly fall in love with one another after seeing they have a similar passion for teaching.
- Ratings: 100% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: January 14, 2023
- Director: Yoo Jae-won
- Cast: Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Kyung-ho, Lee Bong-ryun
- Genres: Romantic comedy
- Number of Episodes: 16
Watch Crash Course in Romance on Netflix
2. The World of the Married
The World of the Married is based on two lead characters, Lee Tae-oh, a promising filmmaker married to Ji Sun-woo, a successful doctor. Lee Tae-oh starts having an extramarital affair, and their relationship starts to fail. We see the string of falsehoods, betrayals, and acts of revenge between the couple in the whole show.
- Ratings: 90% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: March 27, 2020
- Director: Mo Wan-il
- Cast: Park Hae-joon, Kim Hee-ae, Han So-hee, Seon-yeong
- Genres: Romance, Family, Thriller
- Number of Episodes: 16
Watch The World of the Married on Netflix
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3. Sky Castle
Sky Castle revolves around the families of Han Seo-jin, Lee Soo-im, No Seung-hye, and Jin Jin-hee. These families reside in Sky Castle, an elite neighborhood in Korea. They all live luxurious lives and make sure their husbands succeed, and their kids get into prestigious universities. This humorous, satirical drama delves deeply into the materialistic aspirations of Korean upper-class parents.
- Ratings: 90% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: November 23, 2018
- Director: Jo Hyun-tak
- Cast: Yum Jung-ah, Lee Tae-ran, Yoon Se-ah, Oh Na-ra, Kim Seo-hyung
- Genres: Satire; Black comedy, Family, Mystery
- Number of Episodes: 20
Watch Sky Castle on Rakuten Viki
4. Goblin
The immortal Goblin Kim Shin seeks out a human bride to take an unseen sword from his chest and terminate his existence. However, the schoolgirl Ji Eun-Tak opens up to him. Later on, he confesses that she is the chosen one.
- Ratings: 100% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: December 2, 2016
- Director: Lee Eung-bok
- Cast: Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Wook Lee-dong
- Genres: Fantasy, Romance
- Number of Episodes: 16
5. Crash Landing on You
With the third-highest viewership in South Korea, you shouldn’t miss out on watching Crash Landing on You. The outstanding storyline spins around the heiress Yoon Se-Ri (Son), who meets a paragliding accident that eventually results in her crash landing in a small North Korean village. Her fate changes when she is rescued and falls in love with Ri Jeong-hyeok, a charming army officer played by Hyun. Many obstacles stand in the path of their growing love as they crave to be together.
- Ratings: 100% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: December 14, 2019
- Director: Lee Jung-Hyo
- Cast: Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, Kim Jung-hyun
- Genres: Family, Mystery, Black comedy
- Number of Episodes: 16
Watch Crash Landing on You on Netflix
6. Reply 1988
Reply 1988 was a huge success and turned out to be the most liked K-Drama, with one-fifth of South Koreans watching the season finale live. It revolves around Sung Deok-sun (Hyeri) living a modest life in the little Ssangmundong area in 1980s Korea. But she and her pals struggle to get through the challenging adolescent years, which will eventually affect their lives.
- Ratings: 98% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: November 6, 2015
- Director: Shin Won-ho
- Cast: Hyeri Lee, Go Kyung-pyo, Ryu Jun-yeol, Park Bo-gum
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- Number of Episodes: 20
Watch Reply 1988 on Rakuten Viki
7. Mr. Sunshine
Mr. Sunshine is about a poor young boy Eugene, who fled his home country and ended up in the United States following the Shinmiyangyo incident in 1871. Currently serving as an American military officer, Eugene finds an evil plan to colonize the nation he once fled while falling in love with Ae-sin, an aristocrat’s daughter. Ae-sin wonders what the English word “love” means and attempts to determine if Eugene is a friend.
- Ratings: 94% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: July 7, 2018
- Director: Lee Eung-bok
- Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han
- Genres: Romance
- Number of Episodes: 24
8. Doctor Cha
The narrative starts with Cha Jung-sook (Uhm), a homemaker of 20 years, decides to go back to medical school. At the university Hospital, where Jung-sook has sought to be a first-year resident, her husband, Seo In-ho (Kim), is employed as a chief surgeon. In-ho decides to hide his identity from Jung-sook so that she can handle this new adventure independently.
- Ratings: 86% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: April 15, 2023
- Director: Kim Dae-jin
- Cast: Uhm Jung-hwa, Myung Se-bin, Kim Byung-chul
- Genres: Comedy, Family drama
- Number of Episodes: 16
9. Extraordinary Attorney Woo
The story follows Lee Jun-ho, a lawyer handling various legal matters, and Woo Young-woo, the first attorney with Asperger’s syndrome in South Korea. Despite challenges in communication, Young-woo’s exceptional memory and high IQ impress Jun-ho. As their connection deepens, they form a unique bond amidst the complexities of the courtroom and office dynamics.
- Ratings: 100% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: August 18, 2022
- Director: Yu In-sik
- Cast: Kang Tae-oh, Park Eun-bin, Kang Ki-young, Baek Ji-won
- Genres: Romance, Legal Drama
- Number of Episodes: 16
Watch Extraordinary Attorney Woo on Netflix
ALSO READ: 10 Best Romantic K-Dramas Released In 2023 You Must Watch
10. Mr. Queen
A historical drama, Mr. Queen is based on a successful and independent chef who awakens in the body of Queen Cheorin during the Joseon period; he finds himself in an unusual circumstance. Despite his desperation to return home, Jang gets entangled in royal political intrigue.
- Ratings: 82% Rotten Tomatoes
- Release Date: December 12, 2020
- Director: Yoon Sung-shik
- Cast: Choi Jin-hyuk, Shin Hye-sun, Seol In-ah
- Genres: Romantic comedy, Fantasy
- Number of Episodes: 20
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