25 K-Dramas You Can Binge-Watch On Netflix While You #StayAtHome
Just duduk rumah and watch some K-dramas k?
1. Kingdom
With a mysterious outbreak plaguing the lands and political machinations threatening to usurp his rightful claim to the throne, Crown Prince Lee Chang sets out to save the nation before it's too late.
Main cast: Joo Ji Hoon, Ryu Seung Ryong, Bae Doo Na, and Kim Sung Gyu
Episode count: 6 (Season 1) | 6 (Season 2)
Watch it if you like:
- Zombies
- Period dramas
- Historical fiction
- Supernatural thrillers
2. Love Alarm
This drama revolves around the problems brought on by the creation of Joalarm, an app that notifies you when someone who has romantic feelings for you is within a 10-metre radius. It particularly focuses on a high school girl who's trying to overcome her family's painful history.
Main cast: Kim So Hyun, Jung Ga Ram, and Song Kang
Episode count: 8
Watch it if you like:
- Black Mirror
- High school settings
- Romance
- Youth dramas / Coming-of-age stories
3. Vagabond
A stuntman's nephew is one of the victims of a tragic plane crash that killed 211 civilians. He teams up with a covert operative for the National Intelligence Service to discover the truth behind the sinister conspiracy that caused the crash.
Main cast: Lee Seung Gi, Bae Suzy, and Shin Sung Rok
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Spies
- Action thrillers
- Conspiracies
4. Itaewon Class
Upon his release from prison, an ex-con follows in his late father's footsteps and opens a bar-restaurant in Itaewon. Together with his manager and friends, they strive for success and to make their dreams come true, while fighting against those determined to keep them down.
Main cast: Park Seo Joon, Kim Da Mi, Yoo Jae Myung, and Kwon Nara
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Underdog stories
- Strong friendships
- Revenge plots
- Slice-of-life dramas
5. The King: Eternal Monarch
A modern-day emperor discovers a mysterious portal that leads to a parallel universe, in which he meets a feisty police detective who somehow has ties to his tragic past. They team up to try and figure out the connection between their two worlds.
Main cast: Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun, and Woo Do Hwan
Episode count: 16 (currently airing)
Watch it if you like:
- Fantasy / Parallel worlds
- Mystery
- Historical fiction / Royalty
6. Rugal
As he attempts to bring down a criminal organisation known as Argos, an elite police detective finds himself becoming their target. As a result, he loses everything, and ends up joining Rugal, an organisation known for using biotechnology on humans. Thus begins his plans to eliminate Argos for good.
Main cast: Choi Jin Hyuk, Park Sung Woong, Jo Dong Hyuk, Jung Hye In, Kim Min Sang, Park Sun Ho, and Han Ji Wan
Episode count: 16 (currently airing)
Watch it if you like:
- Sci-fi
- Action
- Thrillers
- Crime and crime-solving
- Revenge
7. Arthdal Chronicles
In the ancient, mythical land of Arth, the destinies of four people are inextricably intertwined. Follow them as they embark on their respective journeys, fight for what they want, and try to find their place in the world.
Main cast: Jang Dong Gun, Song Joong Ki, Kim Ji Won, and Kim Ok Bin
Episode count: 18
Watch this if you like:
- Game of Thrones
- Fantasy and myths
- Stories set in ancient times
- Power struggles
8. SKY Castle
Meet the ultra-wealthy and prestigious families of SKY Castle, a luxurious residential area that only the very top of society can live in. The materialistic desires of these families know no bounds—the parents are willing to do whatever it takes to further their social standing, especially when it comes to their children's education.
Main cast: Yeom Jung Ah, Lee Tae Ran, Yoon Se Ah, Oh Na Ra, and Kim Seo Hyung
Episode count: 20
Watch it if you like:
- Strong female leads
- Family bonds
- Social problems
- Strong ensemble cast
- Satirical drama
9. Crash Landing On You
When a paragliding accident causes a South Korean heiress to land in North Korea, she literally falls into the arms of the Captain of the North Korean Special Forces. As he secretly plans to help her get back to South Korea, the star-crossed pair eventually fall in love.
Main cast: Hyun Bin, Son Ye Jin, Kim Jung Hyun, and Seo Ji Hye
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Romance
- Military settings and conflicts
- North-South tensions
- High stakes
10. My Holo Love
Suffering from prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize faces, a lonely woman lives a reclusive life. She unexpectedly finds love when she becomes a beta tester for a human-like hologram program, who looks exactly like his cold and prickly creator.
Main cast: Yoon Hyun Min and Ko Sung Hee
Episode count: 12
Watch it if you like:
- Romance
- Sci-fi / Artificial intelligence
11. A Korean Odyssey / Hwayugi
This drama is a modern spin-off of Journey to the West, a classic Chinese novel. A mischievous yet powerful immortal finds himself frustratingly bound to protect a human woman who can see otherworldly beings, having made a contract with her when she was a child.
Main cast: Lee Seung Gi, Cha Seung Won, Oh Yeon Seo, Lee Hong Gi, and Jang Gwang
Episode count: 20
Watch it if you like:
- Journey to the West
- Fantasy and myths
- Supernatural beings and powers
- Romance
- Adventure
12. Hotel Del Luna
Due to a deal his father made, an elite hotelier ends up working as a manager at Hotel Del Luna, a hotel for the souls of the dead. Through him, the secrets of this strange world and the staff of the hotel unfold, particularly those of the beautiful owner.
Main cast: Lee Ji Eun (IU) and Yeo Jin Goo
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Fantasy and myths
- Ghosts / Supernatural beings
- Mystery
- Romance
- Spooky vibes
13. Extraordinary You
A high school student finds out that she and everyone else in her world are characters in a comic book titled Secret. Unsatisfied with her fate as a mere extra, she sets out to forge her own destiny by changing the story's plot with the help of the nameless Student Number 13.
Main cast: Kim Hye Yoon, Rowoon, Lee Jae Wook, Lee Na Eun, Jung Gun Joo, Kim Young Dae, and Lee Tae Ri
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- W: Two Worlds
- Comic books
- Cheesy K-drama tropes
- Spunky female leads
- Romance
- Humour
- High school settings
14. Her Private Life
A talented art curator tries her best to keep a secret from her gallery's new director— she's actually a diehard fangirl of a popular K-pop idol, and even runs a fansite dedicated to him.
Main cast: Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- K-pop (fangirls will totally relate lol)
- Romance
- Fake-relationship-turned-real
- Humour
15. Hello, My Twenties! / Age of Youth
Five girls in their twenties live together in a shared residence called Belle Epoque. This slice-of-life drama follows the lives of each girl, as they try to navigate their college years and all the problems that come with it.
Main cast: Han Ye Ri, Han Seung Yeon, Park Eun Bin, Ryu Hwa Young, Park Hye Su (Season 1 only), Ji Woo (Season 2 only), and Choi Ah Ra (Season 2 only)
Episode count: 12 (Season 1) | 14 (Season 2)
Watch it if you like:
- Female frienships
- Strong ensemble cast
- Slice-of-life / Coming-of-age stories
16. Reply 1997
Set in Busan, follow the lives of six high school friends as they deal with everything from first crushes and boy band obsessions to figuring out who they are and their future plans. The timeline switches between their past as 18-year-olds in the 90s and their present as 33-year-olds at their high school reunion dinner in 2012.
Main cast: Jung Eun Ji, Seo In Guk, Hoya, Shin So Yool, Eun Ji Won, and Lee Si Eon
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Strong friendships
- The 90s
- Coming-of-age stories
- Romance
- Humor
17. Memories of the Alhambra
The CEO of an investment company goes to Spain to meet with the creator of a groundbreaking AR game, but ends up meeting his sister instead. They both get tangled up in mysterious incidents, all while the lines between the real and game worlds start to blur.
Main cast: Hyun Bin and Park Shin Hye
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Gaming / Technology / Sci-fi
- Action thrillers
- Mystery and suspense
- Romance
18. Abyss
Two friends meet an untimely demise in separate incidents, but both end up being brought back to life by a mysterious object. The catch? The soul-reviving marble puts people into completely new bodies, whose appearances depend on how good one's spirit was in their previous life.
Main cast: Park Bo Young and Ahn Hyo Seop
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Fantasy / Supernatural
- Mystery
- Law dramas
- Romance
- Reincarnation
19. My First First Love
Five 20-year-old friends all decide to leave home for different reasons and end up living together. With everyone under one roof, things get complicated, especially when it comes to navigating romantic feelings.
Main cast: Ji Soo, Jung Chae Yeon, Jung Jin Young, Choi Ri, and Kang Tae Oh
Episode count: 8 (Season 1) | 8 (Season 2)
Watch it if you like:
- Friendship
- Romantic comedies
- Cohabitation hijinks
- Youth dramas
20. Hyena
The drama deals with a pair of very competitive private laywers. These two rivals only work for the richest 1% of society. To survive in this dog-eat-dog world, they are willing to cross all boundaries and tear apart anything that stands in the way of their ambitions.
Main cast: Kim Hye Soo and Ju Ji Hoon
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Lawyers and legal dramas
- Love-hate relationships
- Badass female characters
- Genius, egoistic characters
21. Tale of Arang / Arang and the Magistrate
A cynical ghost-seeing government official tried to solve the mystery of a spunky female ghost who can't remember who she is or how she died. Helping her discover her identity may hold the key to helping him find his missing mother.
Main cast: Lee Joon Gi and Shin Min Ah
Episode count: 20
Watch it if you like:
- Fantasy / Supernatural
- Mystery / Suspense
- Spunky female leads
- Romance
- Historical fiction / Period dramas
22. Dream High
Six passionate and dedicated students of Kirin Art High School work hard to make their dreams of becoming superstars in the Korean music industry come true. Each one has their own strengths and weaknesses, which they'll discover as they learn and grow throughout their respective journeys to stardom.
Main cast: Bae Suzy, Kim Soo Hyun, Ham Eun Jung, IU, Ok Taec Yeon, and Jang Woo Young
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- High school settings
- Coming-of-age stories
- Underdog stories
- Friendship feels
- K-pop
- Romance
- Humour
23. Hospital Playlist
Follow the stories of five doctors who have been friends since their medical school days. Now, they're all working at the same hospital, the Yulje Medical Center, where birth, death, and everything in between coexist.
Main cast: Jo Jung Suk, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jung Kyung Ho, Kim Dae Myung, and Jeon Mi Do
Episode count: 12 (currently airing)
Watch it if you like:
- Medical dramas
- Strong friendships
- Slice-of-life dramas
24. Hi Bye, Mama!
A mother who has been a ghost since her death five years ago is given a second chance at life. She embarks on a 49-day project of reincarnation, reappearing before her now-remarried husband and their young daughter.
Main cast: Kim Tae Hee, Lee Kyu Hyung, and Go Bo Gyeol
Episode count: 16
Watch it if you like:
- Melodramas
- Family feels
- Fantasy and/or supernatural elements
- Reincarnation
25. Queen for Seven Days
Based on real historical events, this drama depicts the heartbreaking love story between King Jung Jong and Queen Dan Kyung. Due to rival political factions that controlled the king’s rule, the queen was tragically deposed and expelled from the palace a mere seven days after she was crowned.
Main cast: Park Min Young, Yeon Woo Jin, and Lee Dong Gun
Episode count: 20
Watch it if you like:
- Historical fiction
- Period dramas
- Tragedy and angst
- Romance