15 Best K-Dramas For First-Time Viewers

Live-action South Korean television programming, commonly known as K-dramas regardless of what genre they're in, has been taking the world by storm for years. Whether it's gritty crime shows or modern Cinderella stories, there is something for everyone from the ever-growing library of Korean television. Of course, with so many great Korean series to choose from, it can be daunting for newcomers to decide which show to start with. Fortunately, we're here with a whole list of K-dramas that are perfectly accessible to those unfamiliar with South Korean pop culture.

The shows listed here range from older classics that are just now finding international audiences to part of Netflix's expanding library of original K-dramas. Each reflects different aspects of South Korean culture, but still welcoming to those who aren't well-versed in its nuances. And more than just being binge-friendly, these shows serve as a gateway into the wide world of K-dramas, keeping audiences coming back for more. Here are the 15 best K-dramas for first-time viewers to check out.

The Japanese manga series "Boys Over Flowers" by Yoko Kamio has been adapted by multiple countries into multiple formats, including into a K-drama series of the same name in 2009. This adaptation has Geum Jan-di (Koo Hye-sun), who comes from a working class background, attend a prestigious high school on a scholarship after protecting a boy from rich bullies. This places Jan-di in the same school as the bullies, but they find themselves falling in love with her. Through Jan-di's enduring determination, she overcomes the other students' misgivings about her social class while deciding which of the boys vying for her attention she actually likes.

The K-drama "Boys Over Flowers" adaptation helped set the foundation for the Korean Wave that swept the globe, predating Psy's "Gangnam Style" and, certainly, "Squid Game" or "Parasite." Over 15 years later, the show still holds up and is a great gateway K-drama for first-time viewers. At its core, "Boys Over Flowers" is a Cinderella story but instead of relying on a fairy godmother to attract princes, Jan-di wins them over with her own unwavering gumption. Stylish, funny, and heartwarming all at once, "Boys Over Flowers" is the ultimate feel-good coming-of-age K-drama.

Director Shin Won-ho and screenwriter Lee Woo-jung have collaborated on a trilogy of limited series chronicling different periods in late 20th century South Korean history. The third installment of this trilogy is "Reply 1988," which explores the dissolution of the country's military government and subsequent rapid changes to the capital city of Seoul. The show centers on a group of families with teenage children living in the Ssangmun-dong neighborhood of Seoul growing up together. As protagonist Sung Deok-sun (Lee Hye-ri) struggles in school, she finds herself wishing she had a direction in life to follow.

"Reply 1988" is a clear reminder that '80s nostalgia isn't exclusively relegated to American shows like "Stranger Things" and "The Goldbergs." Though the surrounding current events are tumultuous, "Reply 1988" stays focused on telling slice-of-life stories with its main cast as they finish school and progress into the '90s. That gives the show a comforting and heartwarming quality as Deok-sun and her friends find their way and find love while becoming adults. Many international viewers have warmed up to this coming-of-age series, with "Reply 1988" currently the highest-rated K-drama on IMDb.

Love can be a battlefield, but it also conquers all, at least as far as "Descendants of the Sun" is concerned. The romantic military drama focuses on Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki), a South Korean special forces soldier who meets and falls in love with hospital-based physician Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo). After rejecting her supervisor's unwanted amorous advances, Mo-yeon is involuntarily reassigned to a warzone where she reunites with Si-jin. In hostile territory, Si-jin and Mo-yeon endure everything from heavily armed enemy troops to an earthquake and a virulent outbreak as they grow closer.

"Descendants of the Sun" throws everything but the kitchen sink at its central couple by constantly dialing up the melodramatic scenarios. Through it all, we keep watching the show because of the strong chemistry between its main characters; the action and escalating crises are secondary. This chemistry translated off-screen too, with actors Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo briefly marrying shortly after the series was released. As intense as romantic dramas get from Korea, "Descendants of the Sun" lets its romance play out against a chaotically unpredictable backdrop.

The idea that opposites attract has been a staple of romantic comedies, no matter what the country of origin is. This is refracted through the uniquely Korean context, namely between the geopolitical separation between North and South Korea, in "Crash Landing on You." Corporate heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) accidentally crashes into North Korea while paragliding where she is discovered by North Korean military officer Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin). As Jeong-hyeok escorts Se-ri back to South Korea, the two fall in love, despite both being involved with other partners.

"Crash Landing on You" has it all, romantic drama, the inherent comedy from a mismatched pairing, corporate intrigue, and military thriller stakes. The biggest reason the entire show works is the natural chemistry between its lead, with Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin marrying in real life shortly after the series' conclusion. That amorous energy permeates throughout the show, with every scene between Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok being absolutely electric. A fantastic genre-bending romp, "Crash Landing on You" epitomizes what Korean romantic comedies do so well.

Gwang Jin's popular webtoon "Itaewon Class" was adapted into a television series in 2020, with its engrossing tale of revenge and boardroom politics brought to life. After Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) loses his father in a reckless accident by local bully Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun), he is jailed after nearly killing Geun-won. Released from prison, Sae-ro-yi plots a more methodical vendetta, starting a modest restaurant to overtake Geun-won's family empire of popular eateries. Joined by an eclectic crew of co-workers, Sae-ro-yi starts his new business in the Itaewon district of Seoul, attracted by its international appeal and vibrant nightlife.

In its own distinct way, "Itaewon Class" has all the narrative hallmarks of a modern K-drama story. There is a desire for revenge driving the main story, complicated romantic dynamics, betrayal, and shady corporations that prey on more virtuous individuals. What "Itaewon Class" does with all those familiar tropes is balance them in a way while always staying focused on the appeal of its likable main cast. Each of Sae-ro-yi's employees have their own foibles and character arcs that pay off in satisfying ways as he advances his culinary-themed revenge.

As K-pop musicians and K-drama actors become global superstars, the allure of working in the South Korean entertainment industry has only grown. The 2020 series "Record of Youth" explores this, following a group of young people getting their start in various fields within entertainment, dreaming of making it big. Leading the ensemble is Sa Hye-jun (Park Bo Gum), an aspiring model who hopes to transition into television and film acting. As this group of friends and lovers advances, they have to make personal sacrifices as they reach major crossroads in their respective careers.

On a superficial level, "Record of Youth" is like a South Korean variation on the 1980 American drama "Fame," but "Record of Youth" is very much its own beast. The K-drama really explores how the social caste system is still firmly in place, at least in the Korean entertainment industry. With the main characters coming from relatively humble backgrounds, they have to overcome societal prejudices and preconceptions about their potential to succeed. One of the more subtly melancholy shows on this list, "Record of Youth" explores the price of fame and the burden of dreams.

South Korean corporate malfeasance and Italian mob families collide to entertaining effect in the 2021 crime series "Vincenzo." After a Korean boy is adopted by an Italian family at an early age, he ends up growing up under a mafioso, given the new name Vincenzo Cassano. As an adult, Vincenzo (Song Joong-ki) flees to Seoul after a mob power struggle leaves his jealous stepbrother Paolo (Salvatore Alfano) gunning for him. Back in Korea, Vincenzo tries to recover a stash of hidden gold bullion from a building about to be illegally seized and demolished by an unscrupulous pharmaceutical corporation.

"Vincenzo" blends crime drama with dark comedy, all while clearly wearing its cinematic influences from filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese on its sleeve. As Vincenzo tries to outmaneuver his corporate opponents, he learns that the business world actually operates quite similarly to the organized crime practices that he's used to. This development provides the series with its vicious sense of humor and crime thriller action. Any fan of classic mob movies looking to start watching K-dramas should definitely start with "Vincenzo."

Perhaps the most ubiquitous and prominent K-drama to reach Western audiences, "Squid Game" definitely deserves its place as a global streaming phenomenon. Indebted gambler Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) agrees to join a series of games in an isolated location under the promise of a large prize money payout if he wins. Gi-hun quickly discovers, however, that losers are mercilessly killed, with each subsequent game deadlier than the last. After surviving the games in the first season, Gi-hun returns to dismantle them from the inside, only to find himself outmaneuvered by those running it.

One thing that "Squid Game" does well is getting the audience to care about its memorable cast of characters just long enough to make it gut-wrenchingly heartbreaking when they die. There is an inherent cruelty to "Squid Game" but just enough of a glimmer of hope to prevent the show from being overwhelmingly bleak. In the process, Gi-hun evolves from immature clown to a determined leader, single-mindedly driven to topple the games' organizers for good. Given the show's popularity, "Squid Game" was the first K-drama for a lot of viewers and, if you missed it, now's the time to start.

Bloody revenge with plenty of collateral damage serves as the thematic centerpiece of the thriller "My Name." The series stars Han So-hee as Yoon Ji-woo, a young woman who joins the police under an assumed name to learn who murdered her mobster father. Ji-woo secretly serves as an informant to crime boss Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon), her father's best friend, as she continues her own murder mystery investigation. As Ji-woo tries to maintain her cover, her vendetta becomes more complicated as Mu-jin's organization is challenged by a gang war.

On a broader level, "My Name" feels like a Korean version of "The Departed" or "Infernal Affairs," with a mob spy placed deep within a major police department. But "My Name" is very much its own beast, and much darker and more violent than the award-winning Martin Scorsese movie. Running for eight episodes, the story progresses quickly, with most episodes punctuated by bloody action set pieces keeping audiences riveted. Packed with blood and fury, "My Name" eschews a slow burn for a considerably more action-packed experience.

HaeHwa and Narak's popular webtoon "Office Blind Date" was adapted into the screwball romantic comedy "Business Proposal" in 2022. Office worker Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) replaces her friend on a blind date, only to learn that the date is her CEO boss Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop). Without knowing Ha-ri's real identity or status as his employee, Tae-moo convinces her to pose as his fiancee to allay his grandfather's concerns and help him inherit his corporation. Of course, this arrangement leads to Tae-moo and Ha-ri actually falling in love, even as Tae-moo learns of Har-ri's repeated deception to conceal her identity from him.

While much of "Business Proposal" is played for slapstick comedy, the series does delve into darker elements of Korean culture, solidifying Tae-moo as a modern Prince Charming. Overall, the show highlights how well romantic comedies fit within the sensibilities of K-dramas, welcoming newcomers to the genre. Kim Se-jeong and Ahn Hyo-seop play off each other exceedingly well and, at 12 episodes, the series doesn't overstay its welcome. Largely playful and funny, "Business Proposal" moves breezily along as it advances its familiar love story.

With movies like "Train to Busan" and shows like "Kingdom," the South Korean entertainment industry has proved zombie stories still have plenty of mileage to them. A more recent example is 2022's "All of Us Are Dead," which centers on a high school caught in the midst of a zombie outbreak. Based on a webtoon by Joo Dong-geun, the series has the teenage students largely left to fend for themselves as authorities struggle to contain the infected hordes. A Netflix original production, "All of Us Are Dead" never loses sight of its human characters as they try to stay alive and uninfected.

Zombie shows and movies have become globally embraced ever since the immense success of "The Walking Dead." What "All of Us Are Dead" does so well is offer a uniquely South Korean perspective to the familiar sub-genre, without the period piece trappings of "Kingdom." Audiences come to sympathize and care for the students isolated and surrounded by zombies in their old school, making each death and close call all the more emotional. And for viewers that click with "All of Us Are Dead," there are plenty of horror K-dramas to check out afterwards.

South Korea has its own growing catalog of legal dramas, with one of the more recently successful shows in this genre being "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." Park Eun-bin stars as Woo Young-woo, a young lawyer who has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Because of her intelligence, legal acumen, and photographic memory, Young-woo quickly proves herself as an expert attorney. This is in contrast to her neurodivergent social skills, including a strong special interest in whales, though her effectiveness eventually dismisses any ableist prejudices that she encounters.

Not many K-dramas, or South Korean pop culture in general, address mental health, including autism, with "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" quietly groundbreaking in that regard. A lot of that accomplishment falls on Park Eun-bin's performance as Young-woo, consistently likable without constantly making autism the butt of a recurring joke. There is a delightful quality to "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," retaining the romance and drama, but with a sense of wide-eyed wonder through its protagonist's perspective. "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" connected strongly with audiences around the world upon its debut in 2022 as a unique legal dramedy.

Vengeance is a recurring theme in many K-dramas and few shows carry out retribution more meticulously than "The Glory." The thriller follows elementary school teacher Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) becoming the homeroom teacher for several of her old high school classmates' children. Unknown to the kids' parents, Dong-eun is secretly planning to achieve her longstanding desire for revenge on her classmates that bullied her while she was in school. Despite carefully formulating this vendetta for years, Dong-eun faces surprise complications on finally getting her payback.

"The Glory" is one of those shows that keeps the audience guessing how things will unfold from episode-to-episode as it progresses. The show masterfully builds to taut episodic climaxes revolving around Dong-eun's schemes and plot twists along the way. Anchoring the entire show is Song Hye-kyo's performance, with Dong-eun at once a victim and master manipulator, every inch as terrifying as her tormentors. Vicious and breathlessly paced, "The Glory" is one of the best Netflix original K-dramas around.

With so many fantastic thrillers coming out of South Korea, K-dramas have the international market cornered on well-crafted revenge shows. A particularly hard-hitting variation on this is "Bloodhounds," based on the Webtoon by Jeong Chan, involving a war between rival loan sharks. After his mother is scammed by a predatory moneylender, Kim Myeong-gil (Park Sung-woong), former Marine and professional boxer Kim Geun-woo (Woo Do-hwan) decides to dismantle the greedy organization. Geun-woo is joined by fellow boxer and Marine Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi) and Choi Tae-ho (Huh Joon-ho), a more charitable lender that backs the two pugilists' crusade.

Upon its debut in 2023, "Bloodhounds" quickly moved up Netflix's streaming charts worldwide, leading to a second series being ordered. Across the first season, there's a steady sense of escalation, with Tae-ho and Myeong-gil constantly retaliating against each other in their feud. This keeps audiences delightfully off-balance, with every victory often followed by a literally crushing setback in this violent vendetta. "Bloodhounds" isn't afraid to get its hands bloody, with some of the best action set pieces to come from Netflix K-dramas.

While shows like "Lawman: Bass Reeves" reignite television's love affair with Westerns, an acclaimed K-drama offers its own twist on the genre. Netflix's "Song of the Bandits" delves into the history of Korean refugees, freedom fighters, and outlaws living in the Chinese region of Gando in the 1920s. Fleeing Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula, these refugees are preyed upon by criminals and the Japanese military. Former Japanese soldier Lee Yoon (Kim Nam-gil) steps up to become a bandit defending the Koreans from their oppressors as his form of atonement.

"Song of the Bandits" offers a history lesson that many outside of Korea might not be familiar with, framed under the auspices of being an entertaining Western. All the usual genre tropes are there, from roving gunslingers to a train robbery, refreshingly revived within this unique historical context. Like many K-dramas, "Song of the Bandits" tells a complete story instead of trying to actively set up additional seasons, moving at a thrilling pace because of it. As the genre gets a global revival, one of Netflix's best Westerns is this overlooked K-drama.