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Korean Drama or K-Drama has been growing in popularity over the last few years. As usual, regional television shows generally hit their peak within the country that it’s produced in. For instance, back in the 1960s and 1970s, K-Drama was consumed almost exclusively in Korea.
Eventually, Korean-based projects made their way across the world following the end of the military rule in South Korea. Obviously, there would have been much more to watch during that time than justDeath Row Prisoner(1956).
Over the last three decades, shows likeJewel in the Palace,Winter Sonata, andSquid Gamebrought great recognition to the country’s entertainment industry.
So, in honor of the progress Korean entertainment has made, here are the top 5 K-Drama shows you should watch!
1Queen of Tears (2024)
To begin with,Queen of Tearsis the most-watched Korean Drama show on Netflix, with 689.5 million total hours streamed (so far) this year. The show, written by Park Ji-eun, also had the most-watched final episode on the streaming network tvN.
We all love watching movies and shows that depict forbidden love, where two members of families with completely different backgrounds get involved and there are a couple of bumps in the road. Well, that’s whatQueen of Tearsis more or less based on.
The show features Kim Solo-hyun, who is the lead character. He happens to be one of the highest-paid Korean actors in 2020.
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Then there’s Kim Ji-won, who portrays Hong Hae-in, a third-generation heiress of the Queens family. Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin play other lead roles on the show.
Queen of Tearsis directed by Jang Young-woo and co-directed by Kim Hee-won. The show has the highest viewership numbers in Korean cable television history. All this within its first season? That’s impressive.
2My Demon (2023-2024)
This limited series is a very short yet interesting show to watch if you’re planning to go off into a 16-hour-long bender on the weekend. It features 16 episodes, with each being just over an hour long.
My Demonis a story based on a 200-year-old demon who lost his powers after meeting Do Do-hee, a wealthy heiress. Their lives get intertwined and it leads to a ton of untimely events that take place on the show.
It ranks as the second most-watched Korean Drama shows on Netflix with over 310 million hours streamed in 2024 alone. The show is also available to stream on Wavve, a South Korean-based streaming platform.
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The show stars Kim Yoo-jung, who plays the role of the wife, Do Do-hee. Song Kang acts as the demon himself, while Lee Sang-yi and Kim Hae-sook play the supporting characters.
Well if you’re into a fairytale ending and a fantasy-based storyline,My Demonis definitely not worth missing.
3True Beauty (2020-2021)
True Beautyis a perfect show for young teenagers to watch during a fun sleepover. The story focuses on a girl named Lim Ju-kyung, who isn’t too fond of her looks but tries every trick in the book to make herself look pretty with lots of makeup.
On realizing she has a knack for all things cosmetics, Ju-kyung tries to set herself up for a future in cosmetology. And what’s the point in having a show without supporting characters? In this case, are portrayed by actors Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-your, and Park Yoo-na, the friends of Ju-Kyung.
The lead role features the beautiful Moon Ga-young, who made her acting debut at the age of 10 onBloody Reunion.
True Beautyis currently the third-most-watched Korean Drama series on Netflix and it’s limited to only 16 episodes, each being around 73 minutes long. The show has been streamed for 293.5 million hours (and counting) this year.
Besides finding great success on Netflix, the show was also streamed on tvN upon its release.
4Doctor Slump (2024)
There’s nothing better than having two arch-rivals come together to face the challenges of living in today’s world.Doctor Slumpis based on two individuals who despised each other in high school.
However, years after they find success and lose their jobs as doctors, the two end up living together. There’s nothing more left to explain, or we might just spoil the plot for you.
The show was directed by Oh Hyun-jong, and was written by Baek Seon-woo. Park Hyung-sik, Park Shin-hye, Yoon Park, and Gong Seong-ha play the lead characters in the show.
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Today,Doctor Slumpranks fourth on Netflix’s list of most-watched Korean Drama shows. This show also has 16 episodes that are about an hour long.
Doctor Slumpis a perfect show to binge-watch with your best friends on a warm Sunday afternoon.
5Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023-2024)
Welcome to Samdal-riis a show for when you want to experience a bunch of emotions with a twist of comedy as well. The story goes as follows, two childhood best friends who grew apart due to various circumstances.
The lead characters Cho Yong-pil and Cho Sam-dal eventually reunite to rekindle their friendship. Yong-pil is a weather forecaster at Jeju Island’s Meteorological Department, while Sam-dal is a fashion photographer in Seoul.
The limited series stars Ji Chang-wook as Yong-pil and Shin Hye-sun as Sam-dal. The show was written by Kwon Hye-joo and directed by Cha Young-hoon.
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Once again, this series features 16 episodes that depict the journey of both characters. Each episode of the show is about 70 minutes long.
This is the fifth most-watched Korean Drama series on Netflix. It has been streamed just under 200 million hours, which has probably increased at the time of writing this article.
These shows are currently being streamed on Netflix.
Rakibul John Rodgers
Articles Published :160
Rakib is a writer at Fandomwire. He loves to delve into the worlds of horror, mystery, and pop culture. With a keen interest in sports, particularly basketball and MMA, he stays up-to-date on the latest developments. Outside of writing, Rakib values time with loved ones and finds solace in music, his first love.
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