As a K-drama fan for almost half my life, there are always good ones and those dramas that just don’t fit my taste. Ever since I dived into the K-drama world, I can’t go back anymore!
The plot, the setting, the actors and actresses, the cinematography — basically everything about it is so fascinating. Allow me to share highly recommended K-dramas that gave me roller coaster rides of emotion.
Let’s start with a very light and fun K-drama that would surely capture your heart because of the overflowing chemistry between the main characters! Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) is a young weightlifter studying at an athlete college campus. She falls in love for the first time with Jung Jae Yi (Lee Jae Yoon), the older brother of her friend Jun Joong Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk). Though Jun Joong Hyung was initially supportive of Kim Bok Joo’s feelings towards his brother, he finds himself falling in love with her. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is a series about a group of college athletes working for their dreams, experiencing and discovering love along the way, and growing every step forward.
16 episodes | Watch on Netflix and Viu
The next drama on the list is a drama and dark-comedy hybrid. Prison Playbook is an enlightening series about superstar baseball pitcher Kim Je Hyuk (Lee Tae Sun), who was put behind bars for assault after saving his sister from a sexual attack. The story takes you through the lives of convicts behind bars, their families, and the duty officers working in the correctional facilities. You never really know what happens behind bars unless you’ve seen it all. Don’t forget to take your tissues out!
16 episodes | Watch on Netflix and Viu
Another tear-jerking drama that you should not miss! Since witnessing his mother’s murder, Moon Sang Tae (Oh Jung Se) and his younger brother Moon Gang Tae (Kim Soo Hyun) have moved from town to town, never really staying in one place for too long. While working in a hospital, Gang Tae crosses paths with Ko Moon Young (Seo Ye Ji), a famous children’s book writer. As their fates collide, they realize that their pasts overlap. Circumstances bring the brothers back to their birthplace of Seongjin City, with Moon Young eventually following them. This is a story of healing emotional wounds caused by the past.
16 episodes | Watch on Netflix and Viu
If you’re more into action, mystery, and thrillers, I’d recommend Signal. In 2015, Park Hae Young (Lee Je Hoon), a young criminal profiler, picks up a mysterious walkie-talkie that allows him to communicate with Detective Lee Jae-Han (Cho Jin-woong) from the year 1989. Together, they not only solve crimes but prevent them from happening in the first place. You must pay attention and get ready for some action in this fantasy drama!
16 episodes | Watch on Netflix and Viu
Travel back in time with this historical drama. Jang Bong Hwan (Choi Jin Hyuk), is a chef who works for the top politicians in the country. One day Jang Bong Hwan mysteriously finds himself trapped in the body of Queen Cheorin (Shin Hye Sun) from the Joseon era, and meets King Cheoljeong, the two-faced king full of secrets. When the two met, they were going through a hard time trying to understand each other. However, throughout the drama, they were able to make a good team together. I bet you anything that this series will give you a bellyache from laughing so hard, with a little bit of feels at the end.
20 episodes, 2 Special Episodes | Watch on Viu
Now that I have shared my favorites, it’s time to watch them! If you have any recommendations, leave them in the comments below.