The 15 Best K-Dramas Of All Time, Ranked

From chart-topping K-pop artists to Academy Award-winning movies like “Parasite,” South Korean pop culture has become a bona fide global phenomenon. This international popularity has extended to K-dramas, a common term for South Korean live-action scripted television programming that has found growing numbers of foreign viewers. With an increasing number of K-dramas available to stream outside of South Korea on platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, the genre continues to gain momentum with overseas audiences, may it be blockbuster series that put K-dramas on the worldwide map or overlooked sleeper hits. 

To be clear, the term “K-drama” isn’t one that’s exclusively applied to grounded dramatic fare, but one that expands beyond conventional genre constraints. This ranges from supernatural horror to period-piece romantic comedies and virtually everything in between. Simply put, there’s something for everyone to enjoy within the wide and growing world of K-dramas. And to help you find the next such series to binge, here are the 15 best of all time.

Based on the webcomic series by Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok, “Hellbound” combines religiously tinged horror with populist social commentary. Released on Netflix in 2021, the series has an otherworldly entity condemning various figures to Hell within a predicted period of time. As this time elapses, these hapless individuals are mercilessly attacked by fiery figures, mauling and incinerating their victims. In the face of these public incidents, two different sects take advantage of the chaos and growing fear to build their own cults.

“Hellbound” is a meditation on the manipulative power of religion and the less dogmatic cults of personality that steer society. This is punctuated by the mounting sense of dread as the hellish countdowns made on targeted individuals reach their climax, with brutal monster attacks and all. And just as audiences grow accustomed to the premise and stakes of “Hellbound,” the series throws them plenty of plot twists to keep viewers guessing where the story goes next. Unrelentingly grim and pointed in its themes, “Hellbound” is as dark as K-dramas can get while avoiding being overly unsavory.

Before he starred in “Squid Game,” internationally renowned actor Lee Jung-jae starred in the 2019 political drama “Chief of Staff.” Lee plays Jang Tae-joon, the chief of staff to a prominent member of the National Assembly, South Korea’s equivalent to Congress. Tae-joon’s shrewd and ruthless nature helps his boss rise through the ranks, but he secretly has even bigger ambitions himself. Tae-joon’s rise to power is mirrored by Kang Seon-yeong (Shin Min-a), a freshman lawmaker who quietly strikes up a romance with him.

While very much its own beast, “Chief of Staff” is analogous to foreign political dramas and thrillers like “House of Cards” and “Madam Secretary.” Lee commands every scene he’s in as Tae-joon, a character always looking 10 steps ahead. Shin matches him as Seon-yeong, while the rest of the show’s ensemble plays off each other well. With trust and loyalty always hanging in the balance, “Chief of Staff” is a gripping political drama reminding us that for every action, there is an equal reaction.

There is no shortage of outstanding South Korean thrillers, and 2022’s Netflix original series “The Glory” certainly achieves that distinction. After being relentlessly tormented in high school by her peers, Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) formulates an elaborate revenge scheme targeting her bullies. Years after finishing her own studies, Dong-eun becomes an elementary school teacher, working with her tormentors’ young children. This vendetta grows as Dong-eun brings in additional collaborators, each with their own thirst for vengeance against those who wronged them.

Perfectly paced, “The Glory” manages to keep its audience spellbound even as its story grows more complex and multi-faceted. At the center of it all is Song Hye-kyo’s performance, veering from sympathetic victim of trauma to horror villain in an instant. Though depictions of school bullying are uncomfortable, no matter the country or culture, the series carefully stages it in a way that doesn’t feel exploitative or sensationalist. Dark, complex, and captivatingly intense, “The Glory” is a thriller that’ll have you binging episodes to see how its twist-filled story unfolds.

There are plenty of romantic comedies where a woman from the big city decides to relocate to a more rustic setting before finding true love. That winning formula stands at the core of 2021’s “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” starring Shin Min-a as Yoon Hye-jin. Hye-jin moves from Seoul to a picturesque seaside town, opening her own dental clinic, and meeting local handyman Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho). Hye-jin and Du-sik quickly fall in love as Hye-jin embraces the fresh start of her personal and professional life in the quaint community.

“Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” could have very easily come off as the countless Hallmark movies that follow a similar premise, but it stands head and shoulders above them. Romantic comedies hinge entirely on the charisma and chemistry of their leads and Shin and Kim deliver in full on both counts. With its small-town community scope, “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” lets the audience get to know its eclectic ensemble along with Hye-jin, generating genuine pathos from their nuances and struggles. “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” doesn’t set out to reinvent a tried and true romantic comedy formula, but emphasizes and improves upon what makes it so effective.

The best-selling webtoon series “Bloodhounds” by Jeong Chan was adapted into a television series of the same name by Netflix in 2023. With their neighborhood exploited by a predatory loan shark named Kim Myeong-gil (Park Sung-woong), young boxer and veteran Kim Geon-woo (Woo Do-hwan) decides to take matters into his own hands. Joined by fellow veteran Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), the two fighters take down scammers between boxing bouts to pay off their own debts. Backing up the two heroes is a more scrupulous money lender, Choi Tae-ho (Huh Joon-ho), who eliminates interest on his loans for those in greater need.

“Bloodhounds” feels like it could be the plot to a freewheeling ’80s action movie or “Streets of Rage” spinoff, and that’s a high compliment. The show keeps its focus on its hard-hitting action, eschewing prolonged diversions into romance or superfluous side stories. Sure, there are deeper themes about corporate malfeasance, corrupt law enforcement, and a widening income gap, but “Bloodhounds” leaves its social musings in the background as its leads kick butt. If you’re looking for some unabashed, no-frills action, “Bloodhounds” has more than got you covered.

Corporate culture and whirlwind romance collide in the 2022 romantic comedy “Business Proposal,” adapting the webcomic “The Office Blind Date” by HaeHwa and Narak. When unassuming researcher Shin Ha-ri (Kim Sejeong) goes on a blind date, she discovers her date is Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop), the CEO of the company she works at. Tae-moo offers to pay her to pose as his fiancee to appease his grandfather and boss, who constantly pester him into getting married. As the couple pretends to publicly date, they develop genuine feelings for each other, with romance truly blossoming between them.

In contemporary Cinderella stories in South Korea, Prince Charming isn’t usually a regent but rather a CEO, reflecting modern times. “Business Proposal” pulls off this pairing well through its willingness to lean into screwball comedy, subtly subverting several common rom-com tropes along the way. This distinction carries over to Ha-ri and Tae-moo’s respective best friends, who stumble into their own illicit love affair along the way. With its pronounced sense of humor and likable ensemble, “Business Proposal” elevates itself above the usual Korean romantic comedy fare to deliver something special.

Based on the popular webtoon series of the same name by Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan, “Sweet Home” provides its own twist on apocalyptic horror. A contagion spreads that causes those infected to transform into monsters based on their deepest desires. Cha Hyun-su (Song Kang) bands together with his neighbors to defend their apartment complex, Green Home, from the monsters. As the government scrambles to discover the true nature of this contagion, Hyun-su becomes able to transform into a monster hybrid to protect his fellow survivors.

Premiering on Netflix in 2020 and running for three seasons, “Sweet Home” keeps its focus on the dynamics between its main characters and the individual traumas driving all of them. Viewers expecting something more explicitly horror-driven might be a little disappointed, but “Sweet Home” keeps its story rooted firmly in its characters. Even before the advent of the monsters, Hyun-su was a driftless lost soul, with his new transformative nature giving him a palpable reason to live. These intertwined lives confronting potential armageddon together give “Sweet Home” the emotional core that elevates it compared to many of its zombie pastiche counterparts.

South Korea gets its own modern battlefield love story with the 2016 military drama series “Descendants of the Sun.” This star-crossed romance follows Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki), an officer in the South Korean special forces, who meets hospital physician Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo). As Si-jin and Mo-yeon try to start a relationship, Si-jin is deployed to fight in a fictional country, with Mo-yeon involuntarily stationed there later by her spurned supervisor. Reunited in the faraway, hostile nation, Si-jin and Mo-yeon’s love truly blossoms under the shadow of war.

“Descendants of the Sun” is as overtly jingoistic –- and product placement-heavy -– as K-dramas get, but the storytelling and performances at its core are still enormously effective. Like many memorable K-dramas, “Descendants of the Sun” refuses to be relegated to a single genre as it blends wartime action, romance, and drama all in one package. The chemistry between the show’s leads is palpable and the driving force of the story, especially in its latter, action-intensive half –- it’s worth noting that Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo were briefly married after the show’s production. “Descendants of the Sun” also went on to inspire Vietnamese and Filipino adaptations as it found success overseas.

For as many different zombie shows and movies as there are, it’s a wonder there aren’t more period pieces in the genre. Fortunately, the South Korean horror series “Kingdom” fills that void with its tale of zombies rising in the country’s medieval peninsula during the 17th century. Based on the webcomic “The Kingdom of the Gods” by Kim Eun-hee and Yang Kyung-il, the story has Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) investigate a zombie outbreak. As Chang tries to prevent his kingdom from being overrun, he faces challengers to the throne looking to take advantage of the undead unrest.

With its mix of historical drama and zombie-fueled spectacle, “Kingdom” breathes new life into the tried and true horror sub-genre. The mash-up of undead enemies and medieval warriors never feels like a novelty, but an ingeniously fresh twist on familiar tropes. And despite its period piece trappings, the underlying themes and allegories in “Kingdom” feel just as relevant to modern sociopolitical issues. “Kingdom” would run for two seasons, receiving a feature-length special, “Kingdom: Ashin of the North,” providing a concurrent side story expanding its zombie-filled world.

1988 was a pivotal and tumultuous year in South Korean history, following the end of a brutal military dictatorship that ruled the country until February of that year. This period serves as the backdrop for the 2015 coming-of-age drama “Reply 1988,” following the story of five teenage friends and their families. The show is set in Ssangmun-dong, one of the more financially impoverished neighborhoods in Seoul, as changes come to Korea through the 1988 Summer Olympics and civil unrest. “Reply 1988” opens with its protagonists preparing for their final year of high school, progressing into their lives as young adults as the country’s international profile rises.

“Reply 1988” feels comparative to “The Wonder Years” or “This Is Us,” albeit through the lens of late ’80s Korean history. Its multiple-perspective narrative gives the story a wider scope, offering a more grounded and intimate examination of recent history. The show also has a heavy emphasis on cuisine, which is a staple in K-dramas, but especially noticeable and woven into the story here. A coming-of-age story worthy of any of its American ’80s counterparts, “Reply 1988” is just a spellbinding family drama, regardless of time period.

Alternatively titled “Goblin” in some territories, “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” is an entertaining blend of fantasy, romance, and comedy. The show stars Gong Yoo as Kim Shin, a 900-year-old goblin who can only pass on to the afterlife if his bride removes a sword implanted in his chest. This destined love is Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), a teenager who can see ghosts and is pursued by the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook). As Eun-tak prepares to go to university, she meets and falls in love with Kim Shin before learning her prophesied role.

“Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” has as inventive and offbeat premise as they come, as Eun-tak interacts with everyone from the living and dead in her coming-of-age tale. Beyond its unique story, “Guardian” also features an enormously catchy soundtrack, even for those not particularly familiar with K-pop. The show has a tight ensemble cast playing off each other well, especially Gong and Kim as its core couple. With a surprisingly ambitious scope, “Guardian” brings its seemingly disparate elements together into a refreshing romantic fantasy.

The Itaewon neighborhood is one of the most popular social scenes in Seoul, boasting plenty of vibrant bars and clubs while also containing the city’s red light district. This neighborhood serves as the backdrop for “Itaewon Class,” based on the webcomic of the same name by Gwang Jin. After being jailed for trying to avenge his father’s death, Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) opens his own bar in Itaewon. Sae-ro-yi intends to get revenge on the man who killed his father, Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun), the son of a mogul heading a powerful megacorporation.

Compared to the more prim and polished K-dramas out there, “Itaewon Class” offers a more grounded look at South Korean society. Topics normally avoided by other K-dramas, including homophobia, discrimination towards foreigners, and systemic corporate corruption are all addressed in the series. Park Seo-joon is absolutely magnetic in his performance as Sae-ro-yi, playing a man so utterly consumed and driven by his thirst for vengeance. Inspiring a number of international adaptations, “Itaewon Class” keeps its characters and stakes relatively rooted in the gritty realism of its popular setting.

Lee So Young’s manhwa series “Yeonmo” was adapted into the sweeping historical drama “The King’s Affection” in 2021. Set during Korea’s medieval Joseon Dynasty, Princess Dam-yi (Park Eun-bin) secretly replaces her twin brother as the kingdom’s crown prince after he dies in an accident. While keeping her true identity a secret, Dam-yi’s first love, Jung Ji-woon (Rowoon), joins the court as her Royal Tutor. This leads to courtly intrigue as Dam-yi tries to maintain her secret while reigniting her romance with Ji-woon.

“The King’s Affection” is a quietly subversive take on Korean historical dramas, placing a female protagonist in a position of power and repeatedly protecting her love interest. The show’s rejection of traditional gender roles and queer undertones also elevates and distinguishes it from its contemporaries. Progressive themes aside, “The King’s Affection” effectively blends period piece drama and romance with a surprising amount of comedy and medieval action. There are a multitude of medieval K-dramas but “The King’s Affection” arguably stands above the rest.

There are countless romantic K-dramas, but the most effective blend genres effortlessly around their magnetic couple. 2019’s “Crash Landing on You” takes this sensibility and leans into Korea’s unique geopolitical situation for its premise. Megacorporation heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) goes parasailing, only to be caught in a vortex and crash in North Korea. Discovered by North Korean officer Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), Se-ri falls in love with him as he agrees to help her return to South Korea.

Part romantic comedy, part espionage thriller, and part corporate intrigue, “Crash Landing on You” has got it all. More than just focused on its main couple, the narrative expands to Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok’s radically different families and friends. With all these complex, intertwining relationships, “Crash Landing on You” feels soap operatic in all the best ways, without veering into outright melodrama. As the focus turns to South Korea and the bitter battle for control of Se-ri’s family, “Crash Landing on You” gives shows like “Succession” a run for their money.

While K-dramas existed and found major overseas success long before “Squid Game,” the Netflix series put South Korean television on the international map to a then-unprecedented level. Heavily indebted gambler Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) looks to reverse his dire financial situation and get back in his estranged daughter’s life. Enticed by a huge cash prize, Gi-hun is sent to a remote island where guards have him and the other contestants play deadly variations of children’s games. As Gi-hun tries to outlast his competitors, the constant loss of life takes a heavy toll on him as he struggles to survive this twisted gauntlet.

With all the buzz and widespread pop culture embrace of the show, it’s easy to forget that “Squid Game” is extraordinarily good and rightfully earns all its hype as Netflix’s most popular show as of 2022. From its stylish production design to its global themes of an increasing class divide, “Squid Game” captures so much of what thriller-oriented K-dramas do so well. Lee and co-star Jung Ho-yeon provide humanity to the blood spectacle, with viewers feeling their anguish even as they progress through each round. Set to run for three seasons, “Squid Game” consistently subverts expectations while giving audiences a lethal thrill ride that’s as entertaining as it is impossible not to binge.