K-dramascan be bangers from start to finish, but what would constitute that? We know K-dramas typically have filler content and scenes that prolong an episode’s runtime and the show’s overall length.This is likely because of the networks that aired them before, such asKBS,tvN, and similar South Korean broadcasters who would normally produce these series. For their sake, shows were long, episodes were long, and a lot of the content would sometimesfeel forced because of it.
Today, we have streaming services to thank for giving K-drama a beloved revamp, with less filler, more storyline, and fewer episodes - though some dramas are so good, you never want them to end. It’s rude to say, though, that only streaming service K-shows are worth the watch; that’s not true. There wereshowrunners who pushed the limits of the standards of their timeand made K-dramas that are bangers from start to finish both for national frequencies and streaming. These are the dramas to indulge in.
10’The King of Pigs' (2022)
Crime Mystery Written by ‘Train to Busan’ Creator
High school bullying is a theme tackled in numerous K-dramas and movies, withThe Glorybeing a prime example of such matters being brought to light. WhileThe Gloryis great all-around, it does have some ups and downs in terms of tempo. If you likeThe Glorybut don’t want to immerse yourself in too many episodes,The King of Pigsis a similar show witheven worse consequences for the bullies and the bullied. The author of the show isYeon Sang-ho, who wroteTrain to Busan-one of the best zombie movies ever made.The King of Pigswas initially an animated series, and it was adapted for a live-action series in 2022.
The King of Pigsfollowstwo friends who, through flashbacks, are shown as victims of bullying in high school. One, later in life, succumbs to the darkness of his fate and becomes a serial killer; the other, a detective. The instances of school bullying depicted in the series are brutal, and it’s still unsure whether these shows exaggerate it for dramatic purposes; it doesn’t seem likely, considering theSouth Korean public often relatesto the depictions of these crimes. Regardless,The King of Pigsis a bloody and thrilling series, maybe not for those with weak stomachs, but certainly for those who enjoyedTrain to Busan.
The King of Pigs
9’Through the Darkness' (2022)
Crime Thriller Based on a Non-Fiction Book
Through the Darknessis a story rooted in real life, based on a non-fiction book of the same namewritten by South Korea’s first criminal profiler, Kwon Il-yong. The Korean name of the show (and the book) literally translates toThose Who Read the Hearts of Eviland showcases some of the worst crimes Kwon encountered during his time as a profiler. The show is dark and sometimes depressing, but fans of shows likeMindhunterandCriminal Mindswill enjoy this thrilling series.
Through the Darknesshas 12 episodes, and all 12 are tense and thrilling; knowing a lot of the cases were based on real life makes the show feel too intense at times, but a lot of the facts are presented through concise explanations. The main character is the charismatic and tormented detective Song Ha-young (Kim Nam-gil);he is the first profiler at Seoul Metropolitan’s Criminal Behavior Analysis Unit.Through the Darknessis truly a banger from start to finish, though its first episode is merely a warm-up (but a good one).
Through the Darkness
8’Stranger' (2017–2020)
Legal Thriller With Bae Doona
Strangeris a banger, and not just because of our girlBae Doona. It’s a legal thriller/mystery that, granted, takes a moment to warm up to, but when it does, it carries you all the way to season 2 and its final moments. It’s a thriller in the sense ofkeeping up an unusual sense of dread throughout; something is on the verge of happening, and we’re always nearly there, but never enough. It evokes how prosecutors and detectives must constantly be feeling when working on their cases.
Stranger is about prosecutor Hwang Si-mok (Cho Seung-woo), who creates an unlikely alliance with a police detective, Han Yeo-jin (Bae). The two meet while investigating a murder case, which they realize isbeing hindered by corruption in both of their respective fields. If you enjoy watching people pursue the truth at all costs and find a corrupt system,Strangeris the right show for you. It was praised both by critics and audiences for brilliant acting and gripping sequences, from those with less to those with extra action.
7’It’s Okay Not to Be Okay' (2020)
A Moving Drama About Emotional Healing
One of the best K-dramas of 2020,It’s Okay Not to Be Okaywas probably made to mirror the emotional and mental effects of the global virus pandemic we were forced to go through. Still, the show deals with mental health problems like autism and antisocial personality disorder, so not things caused by COVID, but conditions individuals are either born with or develop after a trauma. Still,emphasizing mental health feels like a rare breed in a K-drama, and that’s whyIt’s Okay Not to Be Okayis a brilliant show that tackles mental health issues without stereotypes; it’s carefully crafted and not just chock-full of clichés. Yay.
It’s Okay Not to Be Okayfollows antisocial children’s book author Ko Moon-young (Seo Yea-ji), who moves back to her hometown; at the psychiatric ward of the local hospital, she meets Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun), who lives with and cares for his autistic older brother, Sang-tae (Oh Jung-se).Gang-tae, though empathetic and kind, lacks the self-esteem to make friendsother than his brother, so Moon-young’s appearance strikes a chord in both of the men’s lives.It’s Okay Not to Be Okayis often endearing, compassionate, and even funny.
6’Misaeng' (2014)
A Dramedy That Many Office Workers Related To
Misaengis now over a decade old, and I feelold. However,Misaengis also one of the K-dramas that remains relevant and easy to watch (and rewatch),standing the test of time and being a quietly brilliant original drama. Well, originally, it was a comic series, and then it was adapted into a TV series of the same name.Misaengis so good that, when it first started airing,office workers rushed home to watch the new episodesbecause they felt like they were hanging out with friends and discussing their office lives together.
Misaengfollows new trainees in a fictional trading company, One International. The teams in the company are divided into Sales, Textile, Steel, and Resource teams and they all trade with different materials internationally, as the company name implies. The show’s protagonist is Geu-rae (Im Si-wan), a rookie on the Sales team; joining him as rookies on the other three teams are today’s biggest K-stars:Kang Ha-neul,Kang So-ra, andByun Yo-han, among other famous faces.Misaengis theperfect show to watch if you want to feel like you’re part of a team; you’ll quickly find yourself taking sides, cheering for the heroes, and grabbing a bowl of ramen fortheirlunch break.
5’Rain Or Shine' aka ‘Just Between Lovers’ (2017–2018)
Romantic Drama About Bonding After Trauma
Rain Or Shinehas a slightly depressing premise, but it’s a human drama about overcoming what seems impossible and insurmountable.Lee Joon-howas a drama darling for a while, but his first leading role in a series was inRain Or Shine, where audiences and critics collectively agreed he did a fantastic and touching job. Besides the acting,the show was written very wellandtackles important themes, from grief to hope and love; it’s about moving forward in thewake of a traumatizing tragedyand how people can overcome emotional and physical obstacles. Sounds cliched, but it’s pretty powerful stuff.
Rain Or Shinetalks about an accident that took 48 lives; Kang-do (Lee) loses his father in this accident, and Moon-soo (Won Jin-ah) loses her younger sister.The show depicts them struggling to get back to their dreamsbut also how they bond and fall in love when things seem the darkest around them. If you’re a fan of melodrama with some big topics,Rain Or Shineis great for you. Lee is a well-known K-pop star in South Korea, and you won’t be able to resist his charms.
Just Between Lovers
4’My Name' (2021)
Action Series With a Fierce Female Lead
If you likeJohn Wick,My Nameis perfect for you. It’s an action-packed miniseries that comes and goes like a bullet train (or KTX, in South Korea), leaving viewers stunned by what just happened. It’sa story about revenge, loss, and an obsession with getting back at every culpritinvolved in a death; it shouldn’t end well,as revenge rarely does, butMy Namedelivers a satisfying ending, encapsulating the beauty and brutality of its story well.Han So-heetrained and delivered a stellar leading role, andhaving a female action heroin a K-drama is a rare but highly welcome occasion.
My Namefollows young Ji-woo (Han), whose father dies mysteriously one day. The reason behind his death is unknown, but Ji-woo approaches a drug kingpin, Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon), to help her infiltrate the local police department so she can find the reason behind her father’s death. A criminal and a cop at the same time—it’s a trope we’ve seen numerous times before; however, in a show likeMy Name,that trope serves and delivers some of the best action sequencesyou’ve seen. For a fast-paced weekend,My Nameis perfect viewing.
3’The Silent Sea' (2021)
Sci-Fi Thriller/Horror Starring Gong Yoo
The Silent Seais just that - silent. The hype over this show was massive when it came out, and then it fizzled out, unfairly.The Silent Seais avisually stunning andgripping sci-fi/horror serieswith tension that one could cut through with a knife.Gong Yoois fully tatted up in the show - if you need an extra reason to watch this - portraying a fearless, initiative-taking leader; he’s joined by, again, our girl Bae Doona, who portrays a brilliant scientist. The show’s director,Choi Hang-yong, first made a short film in 2014,The Sea of Tranquility, and then adapted the story into an eight-part series.
Fans of movies likeAlienwill loveThe Silent Sea, as the show is set in the near future and is abouta group of researchers entering a spaceship to the Moon, where humans have a scientific base. They need to retrieve data located on the Lunar base, and scientist Song Ji-an (Bae) is the best person to join the expedition; the crew is led by Han Yoon-jae (Gong Yoo), who is often ready to put himself in harm’s way for his crew. When they arrive at the Lunar base, a mystery unfolds, causing paranoia and fear among the crew members while they attempt to return to Earth. The names of the short movie and the show are references to The Sea of Tranquility on the Moon.
2’Crash Landing On You' (2019-2020)
The Best Romantic Comedy K-Drama
There are plenty of rom-coms in the K-drama landscape, but many will agree thatCrash Landing On Youis one ofthe best K-dramas ever made. Many elements make this beautiful show a banger - from the intense chemistry of the leads (who later actually married IRL) to the interesting blend of genres and earnest depictions of life near the DMZ (the border between South and North Korea).The writers of the show consulted North Korean immigrantsfor some accuracy, but, of course, dramatization takes charge in most creative projects, so some parts aren’t as accurate - butwe’re here for the romance, people.
Crash Landing On Youfollows the rich Seoul-based heiress and CEO, Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin). She has an annoying, money-grabbing family, and everyone’s always arguing about money. One day, she goes paragliding, but after a massive storm,her parachute gets blown towards the North Korean area of the DMZ. There, she’s found by the North Korean captain, Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), and he hides her in his border home until he finds a way to return her safely across. As expected, they fall in love, but my god, the way they do it is beautiful. If you ever want to watch a fun andheartwarming drama about true love, watch - or rewatch -the essentialCrash Landing On You.
Crash Landing On You
1’Signal' (2016)
A Time-Traveling Thriller With Iconic Status
Signalis one of the shows that pros in the fandom suggest to every newbie trying to get into the world of K-drama. I will be that pro in the fandom today.Signalis hardly groundbreaking, but it is highly innovative and gives thecrime/thriller/mystery/sci-fi genres a beautiful blend that workswith every single episode.Signalwas actuallyinspired by real-life eventsand criminal cases, especially the probably most famous South Korean case worldwide - the Hwaseong murders. This case was adapted for the screen byBong Joon-hoin his critically acclaimed masterpiece,Memories of Murder;Signaltakes the case, giving it aslightly different twistin an attempt to satisfy and provide justice for the victims and their families.
Signalfollows the smug criminal profiler Park Hae-young (Lee Je-hoon), who enters a crime scene of a cold case one night and finds a lost walkie-talkie. Park suddenly hears a voice on the other side, belonging to quick-tempered Detective Lee Jae-han (Cho Jin-woong). However, Detective Lee died in 2000, soonshowing Park that he’s found a walkie-talkie that helps him communicate with the past. Park is also soon joined by the first female detective in the Special Task Force, Cha Soo-hyun (Kim Hye-soo), who knew Detective Lee closely.Signalis a great show, undoubtedly, and we might get season 2 soon; it’s been nearly ten years since they started that rumor, which is one of the biggest will-they-won’t-they in the history of South Korean series.
