The KDrama world is getting bigger and bigger every year. As evident in Netflix’s $2.5 billion investment in Korean content in 2023, it only makes sense why people are starting to get hooked on KDrama content.
But what’s the deal? What makes KDrama content so special? If you haven’t watched a KDrama series, you might continue to ask this question. But if you’re ready to get your mind blown and be the next convert, it’s about time you start watching these shows.
So where do you begin? Here is our list of 27 best KDramas for beginners in 2024. You can get started on this list and find new shows to love along the way.
What are the 27 Best KDramas for Beginners in 2024?
Imagine this: You’re scrolling through Netflix or Disney+ on a boring weekend afternoon with nothing better to do. While your options are endless, you hope to watch something light-hearted, creative, and interesting. Plus points if there are dreamy men who show off their abs or gorgeous women who know not to back down when they are being mistreated.
KDrama shows tick all of these boxes. These shows expose you to an impressive storyline, excellent cinematography, and a slew of talented actors. Not to mention, they are excellent at crossing genres.
So where do you start? Here is our list of iconic KDramas for starters:
6 Romantic Comedy KDramas for Beginners
If you’re looking for a romantic comedy series, you won’t go wrong with these items. We’ve picked out six of the most recommended KDrama shows in the romantic comedy genre. These shows will give you a good laugh while swooning over these characters and their interaction with each other.
1. Strong Girl Bong Soon/Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
- Genre: Crime, Fantasy, Action, Romantic Comedy, Thriller
- Release Date: February 24 – April 15, 2017
- Main Cast: Park Bo-young, Park Hyung-sik, Ji Soo
- Director: Lee Hyeong-Min
- Number of Episodes: 16
Armed with superhuman strength, Strong Girl Bong Soon follows the story of Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young) as she protects her boss, a chaebol by the name of An Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik).
The show is a romantic comedy with a mix of action and thriller as Bong-soon tries to solve the rising crimes against women in her neighborhood.
Ironically, her petite frame is no match for her superhuman strength, which she keeps secret from Detective In Guk-doo (Ji Soo). Bong-Soon has been in love with Guk-doo since they were young. But things take a turn when she starts having mixed feelings for her boss.
2. School 2017
- Genre: Coming of Age, Comedy, Romance
- Release Date: July 17 – September 5, 2017
- Main Cast: Kim Jung-hyun, Kim Se-jeong, Jang Dong-yoon, Han Sun-hwa, Han Joo-wan
- Director: Park Jin-suk, Song Min-yeob
- Number of Episodes: 16
School 2017 is a KDrama that realistically shows the struggles that high schoolers in Korea go through daily, one of which, is the discrimination between rich and poor. Re Eun-ho (Kim Se-jeong) is a cheerful teen who dreams of becoming a webtoon artist. Unfortunately, she gets mistaken for a troublesome student called Student X, which causes her dreams to be jeopardized.
She meets the school director’s son, Hyun Tae-woon (Kim Jung-hyun), who is an uptight rebel. As he falls in love with her, he helps her stand up against the corrupt school system.
3. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
- Genre: Coming of Age, Comedy, Romance, Sports
- Release Date: November 16, 2016 – January 11, 2017
- Main Cast: Lee Sung-kyung, Nam Joo-hyuk, Lee Jae-yoon, Kyung Soo-jin
- Director: Oh Hyun-jong
- Number of Episodes: 16
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo shares the story of the titular character (Lee Sung-kyung) who is an aspiring weightlifter. While she is dedicated to achieving her goals, she also struggles with becoming a regular teen.
Things start to change when she develops a crush on the older brother of her friend, Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo-hyuk). While Joon-hyung helps her out, he can’t help but fall in love with her in the process.
4. What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim
- Genre: Romantic comedy
- Release Date: June 6 –July 26, 2018
- Main Cast: Park Seo-joon, Park Min-young
- Director: Park Joon-hwa
- Number of Episodes: 16
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim follows the story of Kim Mi-so (Park Min-young) as she works as the assistant of narcissistic Lee Young-joon (Park Seo-joon). She has been working for the young chaebol for nine years.
So when she suddenly resigns from her job to focus on herself, Young-Joon starts to see her as something more than his loyal assistant. Can do fall in love with each other and make things work?
5. Business Proposal
- Genre: Romantic comedy
- Release Date: February 28 – April 5, 2022
- Main Cast: Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Se-jeong, Kim Min-kyu, Seol In-ah
- Director: Park Seon-ho
- Number of Episodes: 12
In Business Proposal, Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) does her friend, Jin Young-seo (Seol In-ah), a favor by going on a blind date arranged by her father. The goal was for Ha-ri to be rejected by her date, who happens to be her boss, Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop).
To avoid going on more dates, Tae-moo decides to bribe Ha-ri to pretend to be his fiancée in exchange for money. She hides her real identity under a fake name and accepts his offer. But eventually, the truth comes out. Is their relationship strong enough to fight through the deception?
6. True Beauty
- Genre: Romance, Comedy, Slice of Life, Coming of Age
- Release Date: December 9, 2020 – February 4, 2021
- Main Cast: Moon Ga-young, Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-youp, Park Yoo-na
- Director: Kim Sang-hyeop
- Number of Episodes: 16
True Beauty is a romantic comedy that follows a young woman’s path to discovering happiness in learning how to apply makeup on herself. After all, Lim Ju-gyeong (Moon Ga-young) has always been bullied for her looks.
She comes across the rude and cold Lee Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo) who has struggles of his own. She doesn’t realize that he already met her when she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Soon enough, they start to fall in love with each other and learn how their lives have always been intertwined.
7 Heartwarming KDramas for Beginners
When it comes to heartwarming KDramas for beginners, the list always includes Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. It’s basically one of the best KDramas for beginners to start from. This is all thanks to its light-hearted story and swoon-worthy characters.
But what other heartwarming KDramas should you watch, especially if you want to have a good cry? You can check out these nine other heartwarming KDramas that will be sure to melt your heartstrings.
1. Descendants of the Sun
- Genre: Romance, Melodrama, Actio
- Release Date: February 24 – April 22, 2016
- Main Cast: Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo, Kim Ji-won
- Director: Lee Eung-bok, Baek Sang-hoon
- Number of Episodes: 16 + 3 (special)
Descendants of the Sun is one of the most iconic KDramas for starters. Some KDrama fans attest to watching this series when they started their KDrama journey. With the sheer volume of people recommending this KDrama, it is unanimous– this is one of the best shows that a KDrama beginner can enjoy.
The KDrama follows the story of a surgeon and a special forces officer who bond together during a time of war. Watch as two of the most-sought-after KDrama celebrities fall in love in this series and off-camera.
2. Coffee Prince
- Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
- Release Date: July 2 – August 28, 2007
- Main Cast: Yoon Eun-hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun-kyun, Chae Jung-an
- Director: Lee Yoon-jung
- Number of Episodes: 17 + 2 (special)
Despite being a classic, Coffee Prince will always be a favorite KDrama suggestion for starters. It’s a light series that will get you hooked, thanks to its charm and comedic banters.
The KDrama follows the story of Choi Han-gyul (Gong Yoo), a third-generation chaebol who puts up his own cafe. Because of his stature in life, he doesn’t take things seriously and has only opened the cafe as a hobby.
He hires Go Eun-chan (Yoon Eun-hye), who he mistakes for a boy because of his boyish charm and determination to provide for her family. Slowly, Han-gyul starts to develop feelings for Eun-chan, whom he hires as his gay lover just so he can stop the blind dates his grandmother sets up.
3. Reply 1988
- Genre: Family Drama, Comedy, Romance, Coming of Age
- Release Date: November 6, 2015 – January 16, 2016
- Main Cast: Lee Hye-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol, Go Kyung-pyo, Park Bo-gum, Lee Dong-hwi
- Director: Shin Won-ho
- Number of Episodes: 20 + special
Reply 1988 is a heartwarming story about a group of childhood friends, who help each other out as they aim to work for their future. Despite being different people, they manage to find strength through their friendship.
You can watch this series with your friends, as you dream about your future together. Also, if you had your childhood in the 80s, you’ll love the pop culture references this KDrama series brings.
4. Crash Landing On You
- Genre: Romantic Comedy
- Release Date: December 14, 2019 – February 16, 2020
- Main Cast: Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, Kim Jung-hyun
- Director: Lee Jung-hyo
- Number of Episodes: 16
Another KDrama series that loyal fans swear by is Crash Landing on You. The series follows the story of a North Korean military soldier and a South Korean heiress who find their way to each other unexpectedly.
Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) finds her way to Ri Jung-hyuk (Hyun Bin) after a paragliding accident brings her to North Korea. The North Korean army captain agrees to help her return to her home country safely.
5. It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
- Genre: Romantic Comedy
- Release Date: June 20 – August 9, 2020
- Main Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, Oh Jung-se, Park Gyu-young
- Director: Park Shin-woo
- Number of Episodes: 16
The KDrama world is riddled with shows that help viewers get through their mental health struggles. One of the best KDramas that have done this perfectly is It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.
The series follows the budding love story between a psychiatric nurse and a children’s book author as they help each other deal with human emotions and mental health.
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is a must-watch as it will teach you to welcome the imperfections and uncertainties of life. It will also teach you about acceptance and finding yourself in the process.
6. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
- Genre: Romantic Comedy, Slice of Life
- Release Date: August 28 – October 17, 2021
- Main Cast: Shin Min-a, Kim Seon-ho, Lee Sang-yi
- Director: Yoo Je-won
- Number of Episodes: 16
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is another heartwarming KDrama series that will give you a smile with every single episode. The slice-of-life KDrama follows the story of a dentist (Shin Min-a) who unexpectedly moves to the province of Gongjin. As fate brought it, she finds herself in the presence of the local handyman (Kim Seon-ho), with every single thing she needs.
Realizing that there’s no escaping him, Yoon Hye-jin allows the coastal village to heal her and find true happiness. In the process, the two fall in love with each other and we soon get to learn that there’s always more to a person than what meets the eye.
7. Welcome to Samdal-ri
- Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life
- Release Date: December 2, 2023 – January 21, 2024
- Main Cast: Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hye-sun
- Director: Cha Young-hoon
- Number of Episodes: 16
Although 2024 has only started, there’s already so much KDrama shows that are worth watching. Welcome to Samdal-ri is a KDrama that recently concluded with high praise from its audience.
The KDrama is a slice-of-life show that follows the story of Cho Sam-dal (Shin Hye-sun), who returns to her small hometown after a bullying scandal in Seoul. She was already at the peak of her photography career when she was blatantly tarnished by her jealous assistant. Despite her best efforts to leave Samdalri and never return, Sam-dal realizes that home is always where the heart is.
5 Revenge KDramas for Beginners
If you’re on the lookout for a KDrama with a satisfying ending, you’ll find that these shows are worth binge-watching. You’ll be hungry for more as these shows build the suspense and give you a clear reason behind the climactic twist of events.
As they say, revenge is a dish best-served cold. But with these KDramas, every single bit is piping hot. Here are five of the highest-rated revenge KDramas that will get you hooked on K-Content.
1. The Glory
- Genre: Revenge, Psychological Thriller
- Release Date: December 30, 2022 – March 10, 2023
- Main Cast: Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, Yeom Hye-ran, Park Sung-hoon, Jung Sung-il
- Director: Ahn Gil-ho
- Number of Episodes: 16
The Glory started 2023 with a bang. Song Hye-kyo’s portrayal of the bullied Moon Dong-eun out for revenge had fans on the edge of their seats. The story followed her character, who has since lived in the background as she sought for a way to take her revenge on the bullies who destroyed her life and left her with real scars.
When she suddenly emerges in the lives of her bullies, Park Yeon-jin (Im Ji-yeon) and others, all hell is about to break loose. With her, Dong-eun carries the pieces of evidence she collected to finally put her bullies behind bars.
2. Vincenzo
- Genre: Crime Drama, Dark Comedy, Romance
- Release Date: February 20 – May 2, 2021
- Main Cast: Song Joong-ki, Jeon Yeo-been, Ok Taec-yeon, Kim Yeo-jin, Kwak Dong-yeon
- Director: Kim Hee-won
- Number of Episodes: 20
Vincenzo is another KDrama that took over Netflix fans when it first came out. The KDrama follows the story of Park Joo-hyeong (Song Joong-ki) who moves to Italy after getting adopted. His name is changed to Vincenzo Cassano and he gets hired by a Mafia family.
He gets a chance to travel to South Korea and meets a lawyer (Jeon Yeo-been) who will stop at nothing to win her case.
3. The World of the Married
- Genre: Melodrama, Romance, Family, Thriller
- Release Date: March 27 – May 16, 2020
- Main Cast: Kim Hee-ae, Park Hae-joon, Han So-hee,
- Director: Mo Wan-il, Kim Sung-jin
- Number of Episodes: 16 + 2 specials
The World of the Married is another revenge KDrama that follows the story of a successful doctor Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee-ae) who discovers that her husband has an affair with a younger woman, Yeo Da-kyung (Han So-hee). Although the story of an affair is nothing new, what sets The World of the Married apart from other shows is that Dr. Ji discovers that her friends have also been sabotaging her and supporting her husband’s affair.
Devastated by everyone’s betrayal, Dr. Ji gets her revenge and finally divorces her husband, Lee Tae-oh (Park Hae-joon). Even though Tae-oh eventually marries Da-kyung, he sets out to get the family he lost.
4. Marry My Husband
- Genre: Revenge Drama, Time Travel, Romantic Comedy, Fantasy
- Release Date: January 1 – February 20, 2024
- Main Cast: Park Min-young, Na In-woo, Lee Yi-kyung, Song Ha-yoon
- Director: Park Won-guk, Han Jin-seon
- Number of Episodes: 16
In 2024, Marry My Husband became the largest revenge KDrama. The story follows Kang Ji-won (Park Min-young), a terminally ill woman who discovers that her husband, Park Min-hwan (Lee Yi-kyung), has been cheating on her with her best friend, Jung Soo-min (Song Ha-yoon). When she confronts them, Min-hwan pushes her to her death and can get the insurance money so he can start new with Soo-min.
Ji-won, however, gets a chance to live her life all over again. Instead of pushing through with her marriage, she sets Soo-min up with Min-hwan. In the process, she earns a new set of friends and a swoon-worthy husband, Yoo Ji-hyeok (Na In-woo), who will stop at nothing to help save Ji-won from her horrible fate.
5. Mask Girl
- Genre: Black Comedy, Thriller, Crime
- Release Date: August 18, 2023
- Main Cast: Lee Han-byeol, Nana, Go Hyun-jung, Ahn Jae-hong, Yeom Hye-ran
- Director: Kim Young-hoon
- Number of Episodes: 7
Mask Girl is a KDrama that came out in 2023 with a lot of twists of its own. Kim Mo Mi (Lee Han-byeol) is an ordinary office worker who doesn’t fit the conventional definition of beautiful. The only way she feels confident about herself is at night where she hides behind her online persona: Mask Girl.
When an incident comes about, however, she has to go into hiding. But thanks to one mother’s (Yeom Hye-ran) determination to look for her son’s killer, Mask Girl is discovered and jailed for her crimes. Kim Kyung-ja (Yeom Hye-ran), however, is determined to destroy Mo Mi’s life and her daughter’s. It is up to Mo Mi to stop her, no matter what it takes.
3 Medical KDramas for Beginners
There are a number of medical KDramas that are also worth watching. Aside from the medical aspect of these shows, the story goes further into the characters’ personal lives. You get to learn something by watching these shows and learn something about yourself too.
Here are some of the best medical KDramas for beginners.
1. Doctor Cha
- Genre: Medical, Comedy, Family Drama
- Release Date: April 15 – June 4, 2023
- Main Cast: Uhm Jung-hwa, Kim Byung-chul, Myung Se-bin, Min Woo-hyuk
- Director: Kim Dae-jin, Kim Jung-wook
- Number of Episodes: 16
Doctor Cha is a medical KDrama that proves it’s never too late to follow your dreams. The story follows Cha Jung-sook (Uhm Jung-hwa), a previous medical resident who decided to stay home to take care of her kids and husband, Seo In-ho (Kim Byung-chul). Even though she loves her family, Jung-sook can’t help but feel like she wasted her youth.
After a life-threatening disease, she decides to pursue her dreams and return to the hospital as a resident. Since her husband is the chief surgeon at the university hospital, she pretends that they don’t know each other. In the process, she learns something about her husband, her kids, and herself.
2. Dr. Romantic
- Genre: Romance, Melodrama, Medical
- Release Date: November 7, 2016 –June 17, 2023
- Main Cast: Han Suk-kyu, Yoo Yeon-seok, Seo Hyun-jin, Ahn Hyo-seop, Lee Sung-kyung, Kim Joo-hun
- Director: Yoo In-shik (season 1–3), Park Soo-jin (season 1), Lee Gil-bok (season 2), Kang Bo-seung (season 3)
- Number of Episodes: 52 + 2
Now on its third season, Dr. Romantic follows the story of Kim Sa-bu (Han Suk-kyu), a previously famous surgeon who suddenly gave everything up to live in seclusion. He ends up working in a small town’s hospital where he treats patients and advises young doctors not just about the medical field, but about life in general.
Despite his enemies’ attempts to put him down, Teacher Kim proves that he is above them by putting the needs of his patients first.
3. Daily Dose of Sunshine
- Genre: Medical Drama, Romantic Comedy
- Release Date: November 3, 2023
- Main Cast: Park Bo-young, Yeon Woo-jin, Jang Dong-yoon, Lee Jung-eun
- Director: Lee Jae-kyoo, Kim Nam-su
- Number of Episodes: 12
Released in 2023, Daily Dose of Sunshine is a KDrama that follows the story of a neuropsychiatry nurse, Jung Da-eun (Park Bo-young). The show gives us a glimpse into the struggles that nurses deal with, especially those in this medical field.
Things take a deep turn, however, when a patient’s death affects Da-eun emotionally. She falls into a spiral and discovers that she is now in a psych ward as a patient. We see how the nurse deals with her condition and how she helps herself recover.
6 Other KDramas for Beginners Worth Checking Out
Aside from the above-mentioned iconic KDramas for starters, you can also check out these shows that will leave you hungry for more. These KDramas don’t have a specific genre because they often cross genres. You’ll see how these shows were created craftfully with the director’s vision coming to life.
1. Extraordinary Attorney Woo
- Genre: Legal Drama, Mental Health
- Release Date: June 29 – August 18, 2022
- Main Cast: Park Eun-bin, Kang Tae-oh, Kang Ki-young
- Director: Yoo In-shik
- Number of Episodes: 16
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a legal KDrama that follows the story of Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin), who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when she was a young girl. As an adult, she gets a chance to work at a law firm thanks to her high IQ, creative thought process, and impressive memory.
This is one of the KDrama shows that put the country on the map. You’ll love it for its wholesome premise that also serves as an eye-opener for patients who deal with discrimination over their condition.
2. Sweet Home
- Genre: Apocalyptic, Horror, Action, Fantasy
- Release Date: December 18, 2020-present
- Main Cast: Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young
- Director: Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo (season 1), Park So-hyun
- Number of Episodes: 18
If you’re looking for an apocalyptic show that will keep you on the edge of your seats, Sweet Home is a KDrama series to watch. The residents of an apartment complex learn to survive and trust each other as they deal with mysterious monsters.
Now in its second season, Sweet Home is based on a webtoon of the same name. The series, however, has been expanded from the webtoon version.
3. Hellbound
- Genre: Dark fantasy, Drama thriller
- Release Date: November 19, 2021 – present
- Main Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, Park Jeong-min, Won Jin-ah, Yang Ik-june
- Director: Yeon Sang-ho
- Number of Episodes: 6
Hellbound is a thriller KDrama that is worth watching. In this series, three otherworldly beings suddenly appear in front of random people to issue a decree condemning them to hell. There is a specific date on when they will die, in which these beings return to take them to hell no matter what.
When they suddenly issue a decree to a newborn baby, things become mysterious. People begin to wonder why a newborn baby would be sent to hell when it has barely even lived. With no answers in sight, people start to believe a new religious group called The New Truth.
4. My Demon
- Genre: Fantasy, Romantic Comedy
- Release Date: November 24, 2023 – January 20, 2024
- Main Cast: Kim Yoo-jung, Song Kang, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Hae-sook
- Director: Kim Jang-han, Kwon Da-som
- Number of Episodes: 16
Released in 2023, My Demon is a fantasy, romantic comedy that follows the story of Do Do-hee (Kim Yoo-jung), the successor of a massive empire. She is a cynic and does not trust anyone so easily. When someone attempts to kill her, Do-hee meets a demon called Jung Gu-won (Song Kang), who saves her.
Unexpectedly, his powers transfer over to her and the two make a deal to save each other. They begin to fall in love with each other and soon realize why they were destined to meet in the first place.
5. Squid Game
- Genre: Survival, Thriller, Horror, Drama, Action
- Release Date: September 17, 2021 – present
- Main Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-joon, HoYeon Jung, O Yeong-su, Heo Sung-tae, Anupam Tripathi, Kim Joo-ryoung
- Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Number of Episodes: 9
Unless you’ve been living under a rock since 2021, you’ll probably miss on Squid Game. It is, without a doubt, the most successful KDrama show in this generation.
The show follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as he becomes one of the 456 individuals to put their lives at stake for a prize money of 45.6 billion won. The only catch is that there can only be one winner, and everyone else who loses has to die.
This is a thrilling KDrama that is a worthwhile show for every beginner. You’ll get hooked to it since it is a unique experience.
6. The Uncanny Counter
- Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller, Action
- Release Date: November 28, 2020 – September 3, 2023
- Main Cast: Jo Byeong-kyu, Yoo Jun-sang, Kim Se-jeong, Yeom Hye-ran, Ahn Suk-hwan, Yoo In-soo
- Director: Yoo Seon-dong, Park Bong-seop
- Number of Episodes: 28
Based on a webtoon, The Uncanny Counter follows the story of a group of Counters (demon hunters) who are on a quest to capture evil spirits and put them back where they belong. These Counters are ordinary individuals who have woken up from a coma after being chosen by the spirits. Each Counter has a special power that helps them fight the evil spirits.
The show aired its second season in 2023 and added a fifth Counter. The series is set to return for a third season.
Where to Begin?
These are just some of the best KDramas for beginners that you should be checking out in 2024. We’ve listed some of the iconic KDramas for starters, as well as some that recently came out. With this selection, you’ll easily get hooked on KDrama and want to watch more.
The good news is that there’s an endless supply of shows that come out on various streaming channels. You can further improve your knowledge of these shows and even learn a word or two from them. It’s also a great way to practice your spoken or written skills in the Korean language. This way, you won’t need to keep reading the subtitles.