A Beginner’s Guide to K-Dramas on Netflix

The rise of Korean content material throughout all platforms has been meteoric. Netflix has already invested billions of {dollars} within the progress and output of its content material from South Korea and continues to take action. With the overwhelming success of Ok-dramas on the platform, this has already been paid again in droves, because of unbelievable titles comparable to Squid Recreation and House Sweepers. In the event you’re new to Ok-dramas, enable us to give you a serving to hand in the place to start out your Ok-drama journey on Netflix.

A few of the finest Netflix Originals lately have come from South Korea. From thrillers to crime dramas, horror, romance, comedy, and improbable movies, there’s a Ok-drama on the market for everybody on Netflix. 

On this information under, we’ll assist you to resolve which Ok-dramas to look at by style and which exhibits to look out for weekly. 

In case you’ve been enamored with Ok-dramas, and even when you’re already a large Ok-drama fan, we’ve an ongoing preview of all of the thrilling Ok-dramas headed to Netflix in 2025.

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I’m searching for… Thrills

Naturally, to get issues began, look no additional than the juggernaut of Netflix tv, Squid Recreation, and one other phenomenal Netflix sequence, The Glory.

The sequence first arrived on Netflix in September 2021, and whereas it obtained off to a fairly sluggish begin, as soon as it ensnared the eye of the web, the remainder, as they are saying, is historical past. Presently essentially the most profitable Netflix Unique of all time, the primary season resonated with audiences the likes of which we haven’t seen repeated since. If Squid Recreation will ever be usurped from its throne, it’s going to take one thing past particular.

Squid Recreation takes place within the modern-day, following Seong Gi Hun, a debt-ridden chauffeur and playing addict. A chance presents itself to alter his life ceaselessly, and Seong Gi Hun and 455 different rivals are taken to a mysterious island the place they need to compete in youngsters’s video games for a money grand prize of ₩45.6 billion. The catch? To win the jackpot, it’s essential to outlive the opposite rivals.  

If it wasn’t for Squid Recreation, then The Glory could be essentially the most profitable Korean Netflix Unique on the streaming service. A improbable story of revenge with nice writing, performing, and path, The Glory is among the finest thrillers that Netflix presents. 

Moon Dong Eun as soon as dreamed of changing into an architect, however after relentless and violent bullying was pressured to drop out of college. Years later, the chief of her bullies, Park Yeon Jin, is now main a seemingly excellent married life. Nonetheless, Moon Dong Eun has spent years planning her revenge and is now the homeroom trainer of Yeon Jin’s daughter, she is decided to take her vengeance out on her bullies and bystanders from her highschool days.

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I’m searching for… Chills

To get you began with Korean horror, you need to look no additional than Kingdom and All of Us Are Lifeless, two of the very best zombie sequence ever produced on Netflix.

Kingdom was the primary ever South Korean Netflix Unique on Netflix, and instantly set a excessive bar for all future Korean content material. The zombie horror is a part of Practice to Busan’s legacy which helped redefine the horror style. Kingdom is a shocking sequence, with unbelievable cinematography, and wonderful solid, and most significantly it made zombies terrifying once more.

Kingdom is about within the Joseon Interval, the place an exiled Crown Prince units out to find the reality over his father’s rumoured loss of life. However on his journey to satisfy with the final doctor to deal with his father, he finds himself on the coronary heart of a devasting plague, the place the useless rise and starvation for flesh, which threatens to destroy his nation.

From the Joseon Interval to the fashionable day, All of Us Are Lifeless was one other smash hit for Netflix. Primarily based on a well-liked webtoon, the variation was much more chilling, as hordes of undead have been unleashed upon a high-school, and the cities occupants. Devastingly unhappy at instances, and terrifying too, All of Us Are Lifeless is a superb sequence that subscribers are at the moment patiently ready for a second season. 

The sequence is about in a high-school, which turns into floor zero for a devasting zombie outbreak. Quickly, the college’s occupants are operating rampant infecting their fellow college students, and townsfolk. A small group of trapped survivors should discover a strategy to combat their method out or finally succumb to the virus themselves. 

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I’m searching for… Romance

If there’s one style that might outline Ok-dramas, it’s romance. Arguably, the overwhelming majority of latest Ok-dramas that land on Netflix are romantic comedies, which implies there’s no scarcity of romance so that you can look out for. Nonetheless, to get you began, we’ll start with Crash Touchdown on You and Fascinating the King.

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Crash Touchdown on You was one of many first weekly, internationally licensed Ok-dramas on Netflix, and almost 5 years later, it stays the most effective romantic comedies on the platform. The chemistry between Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin is what makes the sequence particular, and so as to add some spice to the combo, that is additionally one of many few exhibits produced in Korea the place a big portion of the story takes place in North Korea.

Hyun Bin performs Ri Jeong Hyeok, an emotionally reserved captain of Firm 5 in North Korea’s Korean Individuals’s Military, when immediately, at some point, South Korean heiress Yoon Se Ri, performed by Son Ye Jin, by accident crashes on prime of the dashing captain after a paragliding accident. To guard her from the North Korean authorities and discover a strategy to get her residence, Ri Jeong Hyeok retains her hidden, however quickly, the pair start to fall in love.

An enemies-to-lovers story, Fascinating the King is one other sequence within the closely romanticized Joseon Interval of Korea. Jo Jung Suk performs the function of Grand Prince Ji Han, a genius of the sport baduk. After being betrayed by his brother and held hostage by the Qing Dynasty, the expertise has left the person susceptible after dealing with such emotional turmoil. Nonetheless, after ascending the throne, he turns into captivated by an thrilling new baduk participant, Kang Hui Sa performed by Shin Sae Kyeong, who’s on a quest for revenge in opposition to the king and pretending to be a person. Nonetheless, the extra time she spends with him, the extra she falls in love.

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I’m searching for… Movies

To get you began with Korean films, we advocate the Academy Award-winning Parasite and Korea’s first official sci-fi blockbuster, House Sweepers.

Boon Joon Ho’s comedy thriller took the world by storm in 2019. On a finances of solely $11.4 million, it made $258 million worldwide. On prime of its business success, the movie would grow to be the primary ever non-English language movie to win the Academy Award for Greatest Image. Boon Joon Ho additionally gained Greatest Director and Greatest Unique Screenplay. The movie additionally picked up the award for Greatest Worldwide Characteristic Movie.

The movie is centered round a low-income family, and their 

Parasite is centered across the relationship between a low-income family of the Kims and the rich Park household. The Kims reside in a cramped basement residence, whereas the naive Parks reside a lifetime of luxurious in a lovely residence. After a buddy leaves to check overseas, the son, Kim Gi Woo, turns into a tutor for the Parks. Nonetheless, Ki Taek, the pinnacle of the Kim family, makes use of his son’s employment to get the remainder of his household employed and exploit the Parks.

As Parasite isn’t a Netflix Unique, the movie could have left your respective nation’s Netflix library by the point you learn this.

Not solely is House Sweepers the first-ever sci-fi Korean blockbuster, nevertheless it’s additionally a Netflix Unique. The movie is a brilliant entertaining and action-packed journey with nice visuals and a enjoyable solid, and it’s the right first step into Korean movies when you’re leaning towards one thing much more enjoyable and a visible spectacle.

The movie is about within the 12 months 2092, when house junk and abandoned spaceships orbit the Earth. It follows the ragtag crew of The Victory as they traverse the Earth’s orbit, discovering junk they’ll promote. Nonetheless, velocity is the important thing, because of different crews additionally in search of the identical aim. Nonetheless, when the Victory crew mates occur upon Dorothy, a humanoid robotic and potential weapon of mass destruction, they discover themselves on the coronary heart of a dangerous enterprise deal.

On condition that House Sweepers is the nation’s first swing on the house blockbuster, we are able to’t wait to see what comes subsequent.

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Can I watch Ok-dramas weekly?

Ok-dramas have been obtainable to stream on Netflix weekly for the previous a number of years. A few of the finest Ok-dramas to land on Netflix have been because of the streaming service’s offers with Korean networks comparable to SBS, TVN, and JTBC. 

Earlier than you get into weekly Ok-dramas, it’s good to study that almost all weekly Ok-dramas launch episodes twice every week. Every episode will run between 60 and 80 minutes, relying on the sequence and community. In contrast to Western tv exhibits, most weekly Ok-dramas are restricted, so that you don’t have to fret in regards to the threat of cancellation. To not point out, if there are plans for a second season, that information is often introduced forward of the primary season’s launch.

Each month, we’ve an ongoing preview of the newest Ok-dramas coming to Netflix, together with the newest and returning weekly exhibits. Protecting monitor of all the information on our Ok-drama web page will permit you to hold monitor of all the newest Netflix Ok-drama information.

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What Ok-drama are you going to start out with first on Netflix? Tell us within the feedback under!