Best Korean Dramas On Netflix
Korean dramas, also known as K-dramas, have earned themselves a cult following on Netflix. They are capable of serious melodrama, epic romances, and tear-jerking character arcs. If you want to hop on the K-drama bandwagon (I would if I were you), and you are also in possession of Netflix, then let me present you with the best Korean Dramas on Netflix as of May 2021. Prepare to laugh and cry in equal amounts, just don’t blame me when you end up binge-watching them all!
Best Korean Dramas On Netflix
1. You Are My Destiny
Kicking off this list of best Korean dramas on Netflix, we have ‘You Are My Destiny’, a remake of the Taiwanese drama Fated to Love You starring Joe Chen and Ethan Ruan. It received high ratings during its run in 2008 and was massively popular with audiences too! The series also reunited Jang Hyuk and Jang Na-ra, who previously starred together twelve years before on Successful Story of a Bright Girl (2002). So, what is it about? For those of you who haven’t heard of it, this series tells the story of a chance encounter that turns everything upside down for wealthy CEO Lee Gun and office worker Kim Mi Young, and they must deal with the consequences. I could say so much more but out of fear of giving too much away, just go watch it and see for yourself! It is a great introduction to Korean dramas and fully deserves a place as one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix!
2. Love Alarm
Love Alarm is a South Korean Netflix series starring Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram and Song Kang. It is based on the Daum webtoon of the same name by Chon Kye-young. Love Alarm follows the life of a high school girl, Kim Jojo, in a society greatly influenced by a mobile app that is capable of notifying whether someone within their vicinity has romantic feelings for them. Throughout the series, Jojo experiences young love all the while coping with personal adversities. Its success speaks for itself. Love Alarm is the first Korean series confirmed for pick-up by Netflix. The first season premiered on Netflix on August 22, 2019, and was ranked as one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix! It was then renewed for a second season in October 2019 with season 2 being released on March 12, 2021. Want to see what all the fuss is about? Hop onto Netflix and have a look! Just finish reading this blog first of all though.
3. Coffee Prince
Coffee Prince’s is a television series that revolves around the love life and dreams of four young people who meet together at a cafe. It premiered in 2007 and stars Yoon Eun-hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun-kyun, and Chae Jung-an. Based on the novel of the same name written by Lee Sun-mi, it aired on MBC and has since been made available on Netflix too. In more detail, the drama tells the story of an unlikely romance between a tomboyish woman, who dresses like a man so she can get work, and a young food empire mogul. Coffee Prince contains homoerotic elements, as the man doesn’t at first know of the tomboy's true sex. Hailed as a hit for its high ratings, the drama received positive reviews from critics and has won multiple awards. Definitely one you should be adding to your best Korean dramas on Netflix to watch list!
4. The Inheritors
The Inheritors, also known as The Heirs, is a South Korean television series starring Lee Min-ho, Park Shin-hye and Kim Woo-bin. Ask any K-drama fan and this will be one of the first shows they recommend to you! It has love, drama, betrayal, family conflict and Lee Min-ho. If Lee Min-ho is in a series, you pretty much know that it’s going to be successful! The Heirs follows a hardworking girl who works to support herself as well as her deaf mother, who is a live in maid in the Jeguk Group household. When she crosses paths with one of the company’s heirs, Kim Tan (Lee Min-ho), he falls in love at first sight. What follows is some serious melodrama and a show that you are sure to be hooked on! Definitely one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix at the moment!
5. Beautiful Gong Shim
Beautiful Gong Shim is a South Korean television series, starring Namkoong Min, Bang Minah, On Joo-wan and Seo Hyo-rim. It tells the story of Gong Shim who rents out her rooftop room to a pro-bono lawyer in order to fund her art study abroad, consequently turning her life upside down. What makes this one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix is not just the fun to watch and relatable sibling rivalry, in particular between the two sisters, but also the incredible soundtrack. The songs talk about everything from how the characters felt so thankful to meet each other to the relationship between the two siblings and how we are pretty on the outside as we are on the inside. If you want a show about a lovey-dovey couple, this isn’t for you, but if you prefer more complex relationships, Beautiful Gong Shim will be right up your street! Chock-full of drama and important life messages, this is definitely a show you should watch as soon as you get the chance!
6. Mr. Sunshine
Mr. Sunshine is a historical drama set during the late Joseon Period, Korea's last dynasty before Japan annexed the country in the early 1900s. Lee Byung-hu plays U.S. Marine Eugene Choi, who returns to his homeland and falls in love with Go Ae-shin (who some of you may recognize from The Handmaiden), a noblewoman who secretly moonlights for the Righteous Army, a militia fighting for Korean independence. This show has all the requisite ingredients for a fantastic Korean drama; love triangles, history, and action. For those who appreciate beautiful cinematography alongside a gripping storyline, Mr. Sunshine is the show for you and definitely one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix!
7. Vincenzo
The latest hit to come from South Korea and definitely one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix at the moment, Vincenzo tells the story of a boy who was adopted by the head of an Italian crime family when he was young and grew up to become a consigliere to the mafia. Infighting and betrayal force Vincenzo to flee to Korea, where he finds a new enemy to take down: a ruthless conglomerate. The series finale of Vincenzo received the highest ratings since the series began showing just how hooked viewers had become! To give you an idea of how successful and popular the show is, it is currently the 9th highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history! Vincenzo is also the 6th highest-rated drama in tvN history. Wow.
8. Itaewon Class
Itaewon Class tells the story of Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) who finds himself expelled after punching a school bully, who just happens to be the son of the very powerful owner of food conglomerate Jangga Group. If this isn’t bad enough, he then loses his father in a hit-and-run accident, in which the reckless driver is that same rich bully, of course. After nearly beating his father's killer to death, Sae-ro-yi gets sent to jail for three years. After his release, he vows to take down the powerful food company that ruined his life by opening up a bar in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood with the goal of turning it into a franchise. It is a classic underdog tale that has received high marks for its wonderfully diverse cast of characters, including a transgender woman, a Guinean-Korean, a former gangster, and a sociopath. Itaewon Class’s portrayal of characters and their difficulties in trying to fit into a society that is rarely kind to outsiders is heartbreaking, uplifting, and definitely worthy of being one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix.
