In recent years K-dramas have risen in popularity worldwide. From Squid Game to The Glory, every household with access to Netflix has fallen into the deep rabbit hole of K-dramas. K-dramas comes in all shapes and sizes, ranging from genres like romance to apocalyptic horror. The noticeable rise in popularity of K-dramas have us rewatching dramas we love and want you to add to your watchlist!
1. Sweet Home
Based on the webtoon of the same name, Sweet Home is an apocalyptic horror that focuses on the residents of an apartment building in the middle of a monster apocalypse. High schooler Cha Hyun Soo (played by Song Kang) is at the center of saving humanity from its downfall to these monsters. Sweet Home isn’t a regular apocalyptic K-drama; the CGI and special effects draw in viewers until the end of the episode. Instead of Zombies, monsters are responsible for wreaking havoc on humanity. Each monster harbors its own strengths and weaknesses. These monsters are not infected by each other, but they’re infected internally through their actions. Sweet Home season one is available on Netflix, and stay tuned for seasons two and three’s release dates!
2. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Park Bo Young and Park Hyun Sik’s chemistry is out of this world in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. Park Bo Young plays Do Bong Soon, the latest in a long bloodline of women with superhuman strength. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon is a quirky, colorful K-drama that doesn’t shy away from sentimental moments. Bong Soon saves the men of this drama from danger, making her the opposite of a damsel in distress. The woman lead is one of the reasons why Strong Woman Do Bong Soon stands out as a superior K-drama. Bong Soon overcomes any obstacle without needing the help of a man. Even though her relationship with Ahn Min Hyuk ( Park Hyun Sik) is adorable, she never fell into the place of needing a man to fight battles for her.
3. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
While we’re on the topic of strong female leads, in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, Lee Sung Kyung plays Kim Bok Joo, a weightlifter who knows nothing outside of a barbell. When Bok Joo becomes smitten by a man, she begins to change herself for the worse. She loses herself a bit to become more “feminine.” She realizes that she shouldn’t change herself for a man and that a man should love her for who she is. Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk’s chemistry was impeccable; they gave us some of the cutest moments in K-drama history. This K-drama is swoon-worthy and heart-touching, with a moderate amount of ups and downs. You’ll go through an emotional rollercoaster watching this one!
4. Extracurricular
Extracurricular is a nail-biting drama from start to finish. Kim Dong Hee plays a quiet high school student, Oh JiSoo, who runs a side business. His side business is illegal, but he had to turn to this life of crime to pay for college after his parents abandoned him. When classmates Bae Gyu Ri ( played by Park Ju Hyun) and Seo Min Hee ( played by Jung Da Bin) get involved in this life of crime, everything takes a turn for the worse for Oh Ji Soo. Extracurricular features an adequate amount of drama and suspense, keeping us on the edge of our seats with every episode. No episode ends in a predictable way, making Extracurricular the perfect K-drama to binge-watch. You can binge Extracurricular on Netflix today.
5. Extraordinary You
Extraordinary You follows our main character Dan Oh ( played by Kim Hye Yoon), who discovers that she isn’t the main character in the story. She, along with everyone around her, are characters in a manhwa. Dan Oh decides to take control of the author and chooses her path. She falls for a nameless and faceless character who she names Haru (played by SF9’s Rowoon,) and they become our favorite duo. As more characters become self-aware, the story becomes more chaotic as we follow Dan Oh and Haru on their adventure to gain independence from the characters they were assigned to portray. Extraordinary You is a bright K-drama with a loveable cast and hilarious dynamics between the characters. It’s the perfect beginner drama to make you fall in love with K-dramas.
These K-dramas are only five of the thousands of dramas out there. If you don’t know where to start with K-dramas, these are perfect dramas to catch your attention and keep it until the end! Do you have a favorite K-drama? Let us know on Twitter and Instagram !
