In 2024, Korean dramas were all about out-of-the-box creativity or romantic couples to root for the ages.
Sukanya Verma lists 10 shows that have her (Korean finger) heart.
Lovely Runner
Where to watch? Netflix
What’s it about: A K-pop idol’s tragic death and his connection to a wheelchair-bound fan he knows from high school ensues in shuffling of chronology as the latter travels back and forth to fix a catastrophe as well as experience a love story spanning their teens, 20s and 30s.
What makes it special: Time slip is a popular genre in Korean TV shows but the adorable chemistry between Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon and the emotional rollercoaster they go through together (and apart) over the course of multiple timelines and countless challenges makes us root for the gorgeous couple from start to finish.
Jeongnyeon The Star Is Born
Where to watch?Disney+Hotstar
What’s it about: Based on a Webtoon set in the 1950s, Jeongnyeon chronicles the turbulent journey of a natural gifted classical singer from a remote village achieving star status in a theatre company specialising in Korean folk arts — Gukgeuk and Pansori.
What makes it special: Against spectacular production values highlighting the woes and virtues of life in post-war Korea, superlative performances by its all-female cast recreate a bygone era and its artistic might with such powerful precision, awe is a foregone conclusion.
Gangnam B-Side
Where to watch? Disney+Hotstar
What’s it about: Seoul’s colourful neighbourhood bustling with nightclubs and bars conceals dark secrets concerning the bigwigs of society until an unlikely quartet of a cop, a prosecutor, a prostitute and a pimp join hands to take them down in their own dramatic, dangerous ways.
What makes it special: Offering a gritty look into the murky side of Seoul’s glitz and glamour as well its drugs laden underbelly, Gangnam B-Side‘s tense action and bleak drama doesn’t have a single dull bone in its body.
Queen of Tears
Where to watch? Netflix
What’s it about: What appears to be a fairy tale marriage between a wealthy scion and handsome lawyer on the surface is actually on the verge of crumbling until one’s tumour diagnosis and another change of heart realises they are more in love than they ever knew.
Throw in a spoilsport villain trying to break up the two and lifestyle differences between the couple’s city and country dwelling family for conflict and what have you? The recipe for a superhit K-drama.
What makes it special: Despite the cliches, Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won’s roaring chemistry, fond depiction of belated affections and a melodious soundtrack renders Queen of Tears addictive viewing.
A Shop for Killers
Where to watch: Disney+Hotstar
What’s it about: Following her uncle’s sudden death under mysterious circumstances, his young niece must take on all his enemies, known and unknown, to survive, something she’s been unconsciously preparing all along.
What makes it special: You simply cannot miss the sly brilliance with which the screenplay unfolds, oscillating between past and present, to justify the kineticism and volatility on display further boosted by an exceptional Kim Hye-jun and Lee Dong-wook’s charismatic cameo.
Killer Paradox
Where to watch? Netflix
What’s it about: What if an accidentally committed crime triggered an endless bloodthirst against the irredeemably bad within an average college goer?
What if he found an unlikely ally and aide for his morally skewed purpose?
What if the cop hot on their trail understood this better than he wanted to?
What makes it special: A far cry from the classic K-drama format, the black humour and destructive imagery of Killer Paradox‘s cat and mouse chase wildly (and sans any judgement) oscillates between poignant and disturbing.
Above all, Choi Woo-shik’s performance is a masterclass in complex portrayals.
Marry My Husband
Where to watch? Amazon Prime Video
What’s it about: Time traveling to exact revenge from a callous ex-husband achieves a delightful potential in the highly entertaining Marry My Husband.
When the delicate Park Min-young is granted a miraculous opportunity to fix her past by ensuring she doesn’t marry the man cheating on her with her manipulative BFF and instead pair them up, she grabs it with both hands and finds her true Mr Right in the process.
What makes it special: A satisfying Korean masala wherein more than the good guys, it’s the bad guys who keep the momentum going what with Welcome to Waikiki goofball Lee Yi-kyung and Fight My Way‘s Song Ha-yoon cast against type in a deliciously devilish turn.
Flex X Cop
Where to watch? Disney+Hotstar
What’s it about: A chaebol heir-turned-cop and his colleague wanting to exonerate her father along with their like-minded crew of fellow detectives solve one case after another while confronting their own demons and dilemmas.
What makes it special: Korean Main Khiladi Tu Anari, anyone? Thrills and tenderness abound in this breezy series brimming on the strength of camaraderie and humour. A second second’s underway and we could not be more excited.
Parasyte: The Grey
Where to watch? Netflix
What’s it about: An adaptation of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Japanese manga of the same name, Parasite revolves around creepy, tentacle sprouting parasitic creatures using humans as hosts waging a war on mankind that appears increasingly impossible to win and undeniably entertaining to watch across Parasyte’s six rousing episodes.
What makes it special: The action? Superlative. The visuals? Striking. The performances? Bullseye. There’s absolutely nothing to fault about this poetically stark K-series set in a post-apocalyptic background.
Chicken Nugget
Where to watch? Netflix
What’s it about: Adapted from a Webtoon, the quirky comedy documents a dedicated father and his kind intern’s endeavours to revert his daughter back into her human form after she enters a strange machine and turns into fried chicken.
What makes it special Chicken Nugget is a bizarre comedy, an acquired taste that’s designed for extreme reactions. Either its cannot-get-more-absurd-than-this audacity will impress you to bits or leave you scratching your head altogether. But even its worst critic will marvel at how original the whole darn gig is.
