Whether you are new to Kdramas or even if you have seen your fair share, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to sift through the seemingly endless amount of dramas to choose from. You like what you have seen so far, but you’re not sure how to choose your next drama. The question is, “What Kdramas should I watch?” That’s where this guide comes in!
This is meant to be a beginner’s guide to Kdramas for what to watch, but even if you are a more seasoned viewer, make sure you may haven’t missed out on any of these classics. I have chosen Kdramas that have maintained a high level of popularity with fans over the years, as well as Kdramas that I love. Most of these can be watched on Viki, Kocowa, or OnDemandKorea.
With so many amazing Kdramas to choose from, I may have missed a drama you think should be on the list. Feel free to comment with your favorites.
I have included a sampling of Kdramas from the major categories. So if you already know you like a drama in one category, you may like another one too.
I always recommend trying out a few dramas from each category so that you can really get an idea of what you like. If you would like other recommendations, feel free to ask in the comments below or use the ‘Contact’ tab at the top of the page.
I am in the process of reviewing these dramas. If a drama has a completed review, you will be able to click on the drama’s name to see the full review.
Romantic Comedy
A man struggling with Multiple Personality Disorder brings us smiles and breaks our hearts on his journey to recovery with the help of a special woman.
Comedy and cute abounds when a Gumiho (magical creature) falls in love with an immature human.
A fantasy romance about a 400 year old alien who falls in love with an actress.
Hi-jinks ensue when a girl cross dresses as a boy to be in a kpop band.
A man whose life was devastated by corrupt reporters seeks to reveal their true motives by becoming one himself.
A time travel romance about a prince from the past who meets the love of his life in present day Seoul.
A man who can read other people’s thoughts struggles to protect the woman he loves when someone from their past threatens them.
A rich man wakes up in Seoul homeless with amnesia where he meets a sweet country girl who takes him in, and the two work together to discover who he is while having to survive the city.
Secret Garden
A body swapping fantasy about a rich man who falls for a stunt woman.
An accidental one night stand leads to a pregnancy and an amazing love story.
Coffee Prince
A girl cross dresses as a boy to get a job at a coffee shop and gets into a complicated relationship when her boss develops feelings for her.
Teen
The classic gateway drama. Four rich, handsome guys rule the school, but their world is turned upside down by a spunky transfer student who steals their hearts.
Dream High
Teens pursue their dreams and face life’s challenges at this musical high school.
After her house is a destroyed, a teen girl and her dad move in with her crush, the most popular boy at her school.
The complicated love lives of rich teenagers and an ordinary girl who gets involved with them.
Six friends deal with love and life as they grow up together.
Action
A man seeks revenge on the corrupt politicians responsible for his father’s death by taking matters into his own hands.
A night courier hired to investigate a woman finds that he may be involved in the mystery he is trying to uncover.
An epic story of a masked man fighting to free Koreans during the Japanese occupation in the 1930’s.
A man framed for murder must survive for two weeks in order to save his daughter with leukemia.
Modern day detectives communicate with a detective in the past using an old two way radio to solve crimes, but they soon learn that messing with time is a dangerous thing.
Melodrama
I Miss YouA man searches for his first love who tragically disappeared when they were teenagers.
Nice Guy (Innocent Man)
A man seeks revenge on the woman he loved after spending years in jail for taking the blame for a crime she committed.
A special forces captain and a doctor fall in love while providing aid in a country dealing with a natural disaster and civil strife.
Goblin: The Lonely and Great God
A goblin seeks to end his cursed immortal life and needs a human bride to do so, but when he finally finds his bride, he realizes he wants to live and be with her.
49 Days
A woman who dies before her time is given the chance to live if she collects the tears of three people who genuinely loved her.
A young man must overcome hardships to become a baker and inherit the company that is rightfully his.
Shining Inheritance (Brilliant Legacy)
A woman who has lost her family is suddenly told she will inherit a wealthy woman’s fortune and is invited to live with her family.
Sageuk (Historical)
A half human/half gumiho struggles to become human and protect those he loves.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Goryeo
A woman travels back in time to the Goryeo era where she gets romantically involved with several princes and finds herself in the middle of their battle for the throne.
A masked man robs from the rich and gives to the poor while trying to uncover the truth behind his father’s murder.
The Moon That Embraces the Sun
A love story between a prince and a shaman who share a complicated fate.
A love story between a man and a woman whose families seek to destroy each other.
A king hires a man to find out who is murdering his top scholars, but the man also has a vendetta against the king.
A woman is caught between the King of Goryeo and the Emperor of Yuan as she rises from a lowly concubine to become the mighty Empress Ki.
Looking for something newer to watch? Check out these recommendations below:
Currently/Recently Aired (Updated regularly)
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (romance melodrama)
Flower of Evil (romance crime melodrama)
Vincenzo (crime melodrama)
Tale of the Nine-Tailed (fantasy romance)
True Beauty (romantic comedy)
Alchemy of Souls (historical)
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