From K-Pop bangers to glass skin serums, Korea’s cultural wave has seeped its way into every part of our lives, and TV is no exception. Netflix is leading the charge, with K-Pop Demon Hunters reaching Frozen-level success thanks to its catchy songs and viral dance moves, and Squid Game shattering all the streaming records and bringing K-Dramas to the global spotlight. The hype is real, and it’s here to stay.
Action, drama, romance—whatever you’re into, there’s definitely a K-Drama out there for it. Need help finding it? Here are the 10 best K-Dramas on Netflix across a variety of genres. We’ve handpicked shows that are available with English subtitles and dubbed versions, making it easier for you to binge Korean shows without any language barriers:
10. All of Us Are Dead (2022)
There’s the emotional, melodramatic, cheesy side of K-Dramas and then there’s the absolute whacky, dark, and twisted side of the genre. If you tend to fall on the latter, then All of Us Are Dead is a great entryway into the world of K-Dramas. The series follows a group of students as their school is taken over by a zombie virus, forcing them to fight for survival. It’s the perfect show for fans of apocalyptic shows like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us.
But fair warning, the series contains graphic violence, blood, and scenes of children and teens in life threatening situations. If that sounds like too much, pick something lighter like The Uncanny Counter or Mystic Pop Up Bar which aren’t as heavy on the graphic violence and gore instead.
9. Itaewon Class (2020)
If you’re a fan of underdog stories, Itaewon Class is as satisfying as it gets. The series follows Park Sae‑ro‑yi, an ex-convict who opens a bar-restaurant in Itaewon to take on the powerful Jangga Group and avenge the wrongs done to his family. If you’re drawn to shows with ambitious heroes taking on impossible odds or shows with a strong redemption arc, then this checks all the boxes. Think Jigra meets Chef—a revenge story served with resilience, food, and found family.
Itaewon Class is a firmly realistic drama, a lot like The Bear in terms of heaviness, but slower in pace, so if you’re looking for something career driven but still easy going and feel-good, then you should check out Business Proposal or Hospital Playlist instead.
8. Vincenzo (2021)
While we’re on the subject of revenge shows, if you’re looking for something darker, more violent, and more morally ambiguous than Itaewon Class, then check out Vincenzo. The series follows a Korean-Italian mafia consigliere who returns home after betrayal abroad. Using ruthless mob tactics, and some help from quirky new alliances, he takes on a powerful corrupt conglomerate in his own brand of dark justice.
With a strong anti-hero leading the charge, Vincenzo is the perfect starter show for fans of stylish, edgy shows with morally grey characters, found family dynamics, and a quirky brand of dark humour like you’d find in shows like Money Heist, Squid Game, or Breaking Bad. That said, compared to Squid Game’s fast-paced and constant action heavy episodes, Vincenzo is a lot more measured and deliberate with its pacing, making it more suitable for fans of slow burn crime thrillers.
7. Goblin (2016)
Taking a sharp turn into the realm of fantasy, Goblin or Guardian: The Lonely and Great God is a must-watch for viewers that grew up on angsty YA supernatural romantic dramas like The Vampire Diaries and Twilight. The series follows Kim-Shin, an immortal goblin on his search for a human bride to end his curse of immortality, and all the whimsical misadventures that follow when he finds one.
Like Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Goblin follows a slower pace, making it an ideal watch for fans who appreciate emotional and slow burn romance. However, if you enjoy realistic romances then the romance between a 900-year-old goblin and a high-school girl might seem too unconventional for your taste. All in all, if you enjoy shows that have a healthy mix of humour, heartbreak, and supernatural twists, this drama will sweep you away.
6. Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021)
For fans of romance, K-Dramas offer an overwhelmingly abundant number of choices from quirky supernatural romances to slowburn next door romances. If you’re a fan of warm, feel-good, small town romantic shows like Virgin River or Hart of Dixie, Hometown Cha Cha Cha is the best place for you to dip your toes. The series follows a big city dentist’s move to a remote seaside village after losing her job, where she struggles to live life at a slower pace while finding herself caught up in a new romance.
It’s sweet, funny, and utterly comforting, making it the perfect binge for fans who enjoy slice-of-life romance shows and wholesome characters. Unlike American shows, Hometown Cha Cha Cha takes its time with character building and big developments, making it a slightly dull watch for fans who can’t keep up with the slow pacing of the show. If you prefer something with tighter pacing and higher stakes, check out Crash Landing On You.
5. Crash Landing on You (2019)
When it comes to cross-border romances, Crash Landing on You stands tall as the crown jewel of K-Dramas; think Veer Zaara but if it were a Korean series. The show follows the slow burn romance between a South Korean heiress and a North Korean soldier who rescues her after she accidentally crashlands into Korea’s DMZ zone.
It’s the perfect starter K-Drama for fans of lighthearted rom-com shows like Little Things or Mismatched, with the added fun of the opposite-worlds-colliding trope. Fans of cross-border romances, or anyone who’s ever been curious about life in North Korea will also find Crash Landing on You an entertaining watch.
4. Hospital Playlist (2020)
If your specialty is medical dramas, then we’d prescribe you to watch Hospital Playlist. The show follows five doctors in their forties who’ve been friends since medical school, as they navigate their busy lives and high stakes medical cases. With a healthy dose of drama, comedy, and music, Hospital Playlist comes in as a Korean colleague to other ensemble-led medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy, New Amsterdam, and The Resident.
Given that the series follows five different doctors in an urban setting, it is a lot more medicine heavy than Hometown Cha Cha Cha. That said, the show has lower stakes than its American counterparts, so don’t expect the same over-the-top twists, medical scandals, and shocking deaths you’d see in Grey’s Anatomy or New Amsterdam. Even if you’re not too big on medical dramas, Hospital Playlist’s strong focus on character driven drama makes it a compelling watch for fans of realistic drama shows about friendship and life like This Is Us, Friday Night Lights, or Gilmore Girls.
3. Squid Game (2021)
The series that made K-Dramas mainstream, Squid Game is the ultimate survival thriller. The series follows 456 cash-strapped contestants as they compete in a series of simple but deadly challenges. Taking graphic violence, gore, and suspense to the max, it’s an amped up version of survival thrillers like The Hunger Games and Alice in Borderland. Even though it’s the most well known K-Drama out there, Squid Game isn’t number one on our list because it lacks universal appeal. The extreme violence and high-stakes brutality make it unsuitable for anyone who’s sensitive to shows with excessive psychological and emotional stress. These themes also firmly place Squid Game in the adult category. That said, fans of high-stakes, suspenseful shows with sharp social commentary and unpredictable twists will likely binge through Squid Game’s three seasons in no time.
2. Business Proposal (2022)
If you enjoy a good office romance with plenty of banter, misunderstandings, and humour, then Business Proposal is a must watch. The series follows Shin Ha-ri, an office worker who accidentally ends up on a blind date with the CEO of the company she’s working at. Bright, playful, and fast-moving, Business Proposal takes the crown for fans of romantic comedies, feel-good shows, and light workplace dramas like The Office or Younger. The show might have ‘business’ in its title, but don’t let that fool you. The office and corporate environment just provides a backdrop and situational context for the romance to unfold, and it’s got very little to do with actual corporate strategy or professional challenges. If that’s what you’re after, consider watching Itaewon Class instead.
1. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)
Suits meets The Good Doctor in this South Korean legal drama about a brilliant young lawyer on the autism spectrum. It’s the perfect show for you if you enjoy wholesome, slice-of-life shows that follow a case of the week format and tie in larger story arcs through the course of the season. Like Business Proposal, Extraordinary Attorney Woo is heavily character driven, centering more on personal relationships, growth, and internal journeys of the characters rather than just high-stakes cases or external plots.
It’s also faster paced and less melodramatic compared to traditional K-Drama shows like Crash Landing on You and Hometown Cha Cha Cha, making it the most accessible show on this list. If you’re looking for something that’s inclusive, funny, and uplifting, Extraordinary Attorney Woo will woo you away.
