Today, among Korean dramas that can be watched on Netflix, I have selected 5 dramas that I personally really want to recommend. Although Netflix has been producing various Korean dramas recently, there are also many ending dramas that have been successful or received favorable reviews.
Among them, five works were selected based on the quality and fun of the drama itself, excluding the existing popularity such as viewer ratings. Don’t worry about the order as it doesn’t mean rank.
1. Signal
- Genre: Thriller, Crime, Sci-Fi
- Rating: 15 years of age or older
- Director: Kim Won-seok
- Writer: Kim Eun-hee
- Starring: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo, Jo Jin-woong, Jang Hyeon-seong, Jung Hae-kyun, Kim Won-hae
- Running Time: 70 minutes x 16 episodes (Season 1)
- Rating: ★★★★ ☆
It is a drama that adds a fantasy element to a crime drama. Transcending time, it is a story of a detective from the past and present working together to investigate. And the past and present are connected, and the reality changes according to the investigation. The chemistry of the main characters who fulfill their responsibilities as a detective until the end stands out.
Jo Jin-woong’s acting is impressive in this drama, and actor Cho Jin-woong gained great popularity thanks to the success of this drama. Kim Eun-hee’s screenplay shows a high level of perfection, not only for the overall flow but also for individual events.
It is a story of detectives dealing with unsolved cases, and there are also contents based on real events such as the Mars serial murder case. The tense development and dramatic reversal captivate viewers until the end.
2. my uncle
- Genre: Thriller, Drama
- Rating: 15 years of age or older
- Director: Kim Won-seok
- Writer: Park Hae-young
- Starring: Lee Seon-gyun, Lee Ji-eun, Go Doo-shim, Park Ho-san, Song Sae-byeok, Lee Ji-ah
- Running Time: 80 minutes x 16 episodes (Season 1)
- Rating: ★★★★☆
My Mister is a work that many people consider to be the drama of their lives. It is a story of three men and a young woman who has lived a rough life, healing their lives through each other.
There was a lot of concern because IU, a former singer, was the main character, but she made a great contribution to creating a masterpiece with her surprisingly good acting skills. She and she give a great sympathy to the acting of the three brothers and other stable actors.
It is a well-made drama that mainly tells the story of the company and the family. There are some uncomfortable contents such as wiretapping, beatings, and adultery. It seems that office workers in their 40s and 50s who have been in the company for quite some time can empathize more.
3. Be Melodramatic
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy
- Rating: 15 years of age or older
- Director: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Hye-young
- Writers: Byung-Hun Lee, Young-Young Kim
- Starring: Chun Woo-hee, Jeon Yeo-bin, Han Ji-eun, Ahn Jae-hong, Gong Myung, Yoon Ji-on
- Running Time: 65 minutes x 16 episodes (Season 1)
- Rating: ★★★★
It shows a romantic comedy drama with a different feeling. It shows the various events that three girlfriends who live in the same house go through while dating, friendship, and working.
It was the next film directed by Lee Byung-hun, who broke through 10 million viewers with the movie Extreme Job, but it suffered a devastating defeat in viewership ratings. However, it became a topic of discussion through word of mouth after the end.
With the exception of Chun Woo-hee, it seems that it did not become a big topic in the early days by hiring rather unconventional newcomers and low-recognized actors. However, the acting of the actors is also stable and the characters are well digested.
It is a drama with a lot of charm of the characters, and not only the friends who appear in the play, but also the other lead and supporting actors, all show unique characters. It’s a romantic comedy that you can watch with a light smile, but it’s a good drama that definitely has the message of the drama.
4. Secret Forest
- Genre: Thriller, Crime
- Rating: 15 years of age or older
- Director: Ahn Gil-ho
- Writer: Lee Soo-yeon
- Starring: Jo Seung-woo, Bae Doo-na, Lee Jun-hyuk, Yoo Jae-myung, Shin Hye-sun, Lee Kyu-hyung
- Running Time: 70 minutes x 16 episodes (Season 1)
- Rating: ★★★★☆
This is my favorite Korean drama. It was originally a drama that aired on tvn, but at the time it was aired, it did not become a big topic compared to the workmanship. Of course, a 6% viewership rating on cable is a good score, but it’s a pity because the drama shows a higher level than that.
Actors Jo Seung-woo and Bae Doo-na work together as prosecutors and detectives to investigate the deep truth behind the murder case. The composition and development of detailed events enhances the interest of the play.
Cho Seung-woo perfectly portrays the role of the main character who does not feel emotions. And actor Yoo Jae-myung, who was not familiar with it before, plays the role of a prosecutor so nicely, leaving an impressive ending.
From the beginning to the end of the play, the power does not drop and it rages. Currently, season 2 has been confirmed to air in August, and many people are looking forward to it.
5. Kingdom
- Genre: Thriller, Action, Zombie
- Grade: Blue and White
- Director: Kim Seong-hoon
- Writer: Kim Eun-hee
- Starring: Ju Ji-hoon, Ryu Seung-ryong, Bae Doo-na, Kim Sang-ho, Heo Jun-ho
- Running time: 50 minutes x 6 episodes (Season 1, 2)
- Rating: ★★★★
The last recommended drama is Kingdom. Kingdom was invested by Netflix and distributed directly to Netflix without airing separately through broadcasters. Therefore, compared to other dramas, the topic of broadcasting may be a little lower.
However, it was loved all over the world through a platform called Netflix, and after season 1, season 2 was produced. Although it was a box office hit in Korea, it was also a huge hit in other Asian countries.
Set in the Joseon Dynasty, it deals with what happens as the king becomes a zombie and the zombies spread throughout the country. It is a story of a prince as the main character and confronting the events that happen between the prince and the powerful, and the spread of zombies.
It is unusual for a Korean drama to have 6 episodes, and because it is a pre-production drama, it shows a high level of perfection. In particular, it captured the genre of zombie movies that was not easily shown in Korea.
In addition to the above dramas, there are many dramas that I have been thinking about whether to include them or not. In fact, in the case of The Last Kingdom, I thought about it a bit with other dramas instead, but I want to include at least one Netflix original work, so I recommend it.
For interesting Korean dramas that I couldn’t recommend today, I’ll write another recommendation next time. Compared to foreign dramas, these dramas are much more sympathetic to Koreans’ emotions and culture.
In particular, recent Korean dramas show that they are not inferior to foreign dramas in terms of directing quality, storyline, and acting. In particular, if you look at the Asian charts on Netflix, you can see the potential of K-dramas.
Lastly, as the K-drama craze is getting stronger, we expect more good works from Netflix’s bold investment.
If you are curious about foreign dramas other than Korean dramas, please refer to the 2019 Worldwide Watching Ranking of Netflix Dramas below.