Recommended South Korean Dramas

A heartwarming journey with these young women who start off as housemates and develop supportive friendships.  It's lovely to see female friendship portrayed with so much heart and humor. I highly recommend the second season as well.

This investigative series by OCN stands out for its great performances by Kim Kang Woo and Park Hee Seon. The  cases  employ twists and question what justice really is.

This drama follows a single mother, her young daughter, and her grandfather in a small island village as they confront several stigmas along with the introduction of a prickly doctor from Seoul.  A star studded cast makes this drama a delight to watch. 

It may sound cliche but this drama is emotional as it touches on family, romance, and community. 

A look at the lives of a group of friends from the same neighborhood in the late 1980s in South Korea.  Lots of heart. Lots of tears. Lots of humor. 

An epic revenge tale with a formidable villain portrayed by Kim Kang Woo. 

A bunch of friends/neighbors solve cases and look for hidden gold. Love the quirky characters and the mystery. Lots of laughs in this one. 

Lee Seo Jin stole my heart with his passionate portrayal. The plot and dialogue are quality but the direction/production value seems to be on the amateurish end. 

A well-done drama about two lifelong friends, who once they move in together, realize how much they mean to each other.

The main leads have wonderful chemistry with one another and the plot moves along in a natural and realistic manner. The side characters are not just for filler, they are interesting and well-fleshed as well. A heartwarming journey for these two.

Son Ye Jin's best role. A mature and nuanced look at a divorced couple and their encounters with each other as they go about their daily lives. This drama feels a bit slice of life in a good way.

Great acting, great writing, great production. Gorgeous cinematography and quite relevant themes (corruption, justice, etc.) 

This drama focuses on a found family with a group of 'misfits'. It is hilarious and heartwarming and just a feel-good drama.

A Joseon-era investigation drama on supernatural and mysterious occurrences. 

An intriguing watch. 

A wonderful Korean drama adaption. Jung Kyung Ho shines as usual as the main lead. 

This k-drama is a bit melodramatic but it remains with me for its exploration of family and love. The drama evokes plenty of emotions. The beginning of So Ji Sub's popularity as the abandoned Cha Moo Hyuk. Jung Kyung Ho left a deep impression on me as the spoiled yet lovable Coi Yun Ne.

Sad yet heartwarming. Centered around family and workplace conflicts. Fantastic acting all across the cast. Bitter yet sweet. 

A surprisingly moving youth drama from KBS centered around competitive dance. The female lead can be unlikable, but she is realistic and relatable as well. This coming-of-age story for the group of teens is sweet and moving. 

Another solid drama from the team behind the 'Reply' series. 

A humorous and emotional portrayal of friendship, brotherhood and the power/hope of second chances, set in a male penitentiary. 

A fascinating look into corruption and morality in the police force. Han Seok Kyu and Seo Kang Joon deliver wonderful performances as the main leads. From the same director of "Stranger/Forest of Secrets Seasons 1 & 2".

This drama follows the journey of Goo Sera, a young woman who gets involved in local politics and learns lessons on life and love along the way. The cinematography style in this KBS drama is also quite unique and interesting.

I appreciate this drama for taking the risk of having a morally 'ambiguous' female lead character. 

At 4 episodes, we encounter cute and funny and dark and sad situations with the female lead, who is portrayed wonderfully by Kim Hwan Hee. I look forward to her future work. 

A realistic portrayal of criminal profiling in the Korean police force starting in the late 90s into the early 2000s. 

The casting director did an amazing job - all main and supporting characters are wonderfully portrayed. The OST is wonderful as well. The cinematography and production are all high quality as well.

An emotional look at the lives of a group of people in Jeju Island. I like the different characters and storylines. Lots of heart and great acting all around. 

A moving and nostalgic look at young love. Lots of laughs and heart in this drama with some great secondary characters as well. One of the better sports themed Korean dramas. 

A moving drama about food, family, life and death. Lovely performances by Han Seok Kyu and Kim Seo Hyung as the married leads of this drama. 

Lee Sung Min shines in this drama (and in Season 1!) as the weathered and determined detective on his pursuit to figure out the identity of the elusive blackmailer. The drama's cinematography is stunning and the drama delves into the inner politics of the police. 

A unique setting of a hair salon with a set of fascinating characters. This drama made me laugh and also touched my heart as it delved into the lives of the hair designer, interns and the customers at 'Salon de Nabi'. Lovely drama with lots of warmth and a unique storytelling style. 

The main character is a single dad in his 40s who is an aspiring webtoonist. The drama explores family, work, and friendships as it delves into the lives of his father and daughter, his friends, and the residents at his apartment complex. Lovely and heartwarming slice of life Korean drama. 

This drama has all my favorite things in one: great lead and supporting actors, amazing child actors and child storylines that weave well into the adult plotlines, a small town setting, a late bloomer lead character, humor, sadness, and quality cinematography. Highly recommended drama about sirreum, community and friendship.