Summary
- K-dramas offer a variety of genres, making it easy for beginners to find a series they will enjoy.
- Standalone seasons and long episodes are common in K-dramas, providing captivating storylines that keep audiences engaged.
- These recommended series are perfect for K-drama beginners, as they introduce the structure of K-dramas and provide compelling narratives.
There are plenty of K-dramas to choose from and this can be overwhelming for those just starting on their K-drama journey. Luckily, a few series perfectly ease new audiences into the world of K-dramas. These shows are known for their standalone seasons, long episodes, and a variety of genres to choose from.
K-dramas offer a wide range of genres, such as dramas or thrillers like The Glory, or romantic comedies such as What's Wrong with Secretary Kim. There's sure to be a fitting series, no matter what genre or storyline audiences are looking for. This is useful for beginners, as these series not only familiarize audiences with the structure expected of K-dramas but also provide captivating storylines that keep audiences wanting more.
10 Best K-Dramas That Will Get You Hooked From The First Episode
From heart-warming rom-coms to dystopian hits, these are the best K-dramas that have managed to hook an audience from their first episode.
9 Extracurricular (2020)
Students Living A Secret Life
Extracurricular is about the trouble its three lead characters find themselves in. One of the series' leads, Oh Ji-soo, secretly works as a security provider for sex workers and Bae Gyu-ri and Seo Min-hee wound up involved in Ji-soo's web of secrets.
With only one season under its belt, Extracurricular is highly engaging and easily bingeable. As expected, the episodes are lengthy, with the shortest being 44 minutes. However, with the intensity and believable stakes presented, the storyline never feels dragged out. Additionally, there are only 10 episodes, so it's a perfect series to consider when beginning to watch K-dramas.
Where to Watch Extracurricular
8 Reply 1988 (2015-2016)
A Drama Following A Community Of Friends And Family
Following a group of friends, Reply 1988 provides a heartwarming and enjoyable story set in the '80s. Reply 1988 is one of the best K-dramas on Netflix as the character's dynamics and the life moments they experience feel familiar, even for those new to K-dramas.
Reply 1988 is part of a collective series with each season focusing on a different year.
While the series does tackle topics seen in other K-dramas, such as friendships, pressures in school, and economic struggles, they are presented in a way that doesn't feel exclusive to Korean culture. The show delivers a balance of relatability and invitation, with the latter being noticeable in the series' nostalgic soundtrack.
Reply 1988 Viewing Guide |
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|---|---|---|
Season |
Series Name |
Streaming Service |
1 |
Reply 1997 |
Viki, Tubi |
2 |
Reply 1994 |
Tubi |
3 |
Reply 1988 |
Netflix, Viki, Tubi |
7 Itaewon Class (2020)
Revenge And Competition Between Former Classmates
In a series grounded in revenge and romance, Itaewon Class is about Park Sae-ro-yi seeking revenge against a former classmate, Jang Geun-won, for an accident that caused his father's death. After he is released from prison for this attempt, he opens up a bar-restaurant in town to compete with Jang Geun-won's family food company.
Though some audiences felt the K-drama ended too soon and had hoped for another outcome, the series still received praise upon its release. The main storyline, plot twists, and standalone season are reasons enough to binge Itaewon Class when getting familiar with K-dramas.
6 The Glory (2022-2023)
A Woman Seeks Revenge On Her Childhood Bullies
For fans of thrillers, The Glory is essential viewing. The series follows Moon Dong-eun, a woman who was bullied as a kid, and now, as an adult, she plots her revenge on those who tormented her. The Glory uses real-life scenarios of bullying as its inspiration, mainly an event in South Korea in 2006.
The backstory, coupled with the series' performances, helps make sense of why The Glory was an immediate hit and one of Netflix's most popular shows upon its release. The storyline is gripping and strong enough to keep audiences' attention, despite episode lengths.
5 What's Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018)
A Lighthearted Workplace Romance
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim begins as the titular secretary announces her resignation. Her boss, Lee Young-joon, is taken aback by this and does all that he can to make her stay.
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim is a great series to start when getting into K-dramas, as its structure and the plot devices used are not entirely new, and something most audiences are already familiar with. The series' leads, Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young, have undeniable chemistry with one another and there's a neat blend of romance, drama, and comedy.
Where to Watch What's Wrong with Secretary Kim
23 K-Dramas About Falling In Love With The Boss
K-dramas have a way of hooking in audiences with their dynamic storylines and these examples of the 'falling in love with the boss' formula are great.
4 Crash Landing On You (2019-2020)
A Conflicted And Forbidden Love
A conflict between two countries results in a complicated and forbidden love, as seen in Crash Landing on You. In the series, Yoon Se-ri is paragliding and crashes into North Korean territory where she comes across a captain in the Korean People's Army, Ri Jeong-hyeok.
The two attempt to get Yoon Se-ri back home without being caught, but begin to fall in love with one another. With the risks being taken, Crash Landing on You has the perfect amount of suspense and drama mixed in with the love story, but it never overpowers the chemistry between the series' leads.
Where to Watch Crash Landing on You
3 Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)
Starting Over In A New Town And Finding Love
In Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, Yoon Hye-jin visits a village in Gongjin where she decides to open up a dental clinic. It is there that she becomes familiar with the village's residents, including Hong Du-sik, and the two fall in love with one another.
At its core, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is a romantic series and is one of the best series to watch for K-drama beginners wanting to explore the popular romance genre. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha can be described as a comfort show, because accompanying the romance are moments of comedy, making the series one of the funniest K-dramas.
Where to Watch Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
2 While You Were Sleeping (2017)
Humans With Superhuman Abilities Try To Prevent Danger
K-dramas excel in so many genres, it can be tough for beginners to choose one to start with, but While You Were Sleeping is the perfect solution. While You Were Sleeping features a few different genres, including romance, fantasy, and drama.
The series follows three individuals who can see the future. With this power, they team up to prevent the chaos in their dreams from taking place in real life. While You Were Sleeping is fast-paced, though the episodes are the average length of most K-dramas, and is both thrilling and comical.
Where to Watch While You Were Sleeping
1 Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is about an autistic lawyer, Woo Young-woo, as she proves to others she's just as worthy of the job as her peers. The societal challenges Woo Young-woo faces can be tied to specific aspects of Korean culture, but are understood by all audiences.
She comes across a mix of individuals, some ive of her endeavors as an attorney and others with a prejudice against her. Despite the latter, she's determined to help her clients and becomes progressively successful with each case, making her one of the most iconic female leads in K-dramas.