Limited series – no more than 21 episodes – normally 1 stand alone season.
These are re-watchable gems. Having viewed over 200 series in the past 6 months, picking the most entertaining, exciting, touching is no small feat.
This list is subject to change as new series come along and if we catch an old one we have missed. Comments are welcome on our new Facebook page being added soon.
However, if you are a fan of down to earth dramatic thrillers, then Alchemy of Souls probably wont be your thing. With this in mind, we are dividing the best into categories and genres making it easier to pick a Kdrama that will suit your test.
We have put the genre first in brackets which best describes the series, for instance the romance may be secondary to the drama or vice versa. CDR = Sustaining Comedy, drama and romance throughout a series is the most difficult to do well.
Top 5 – Not to miss.
- Alchemy Of Souls (pts 1 and 2.)
- Lovely Runner (Time travel)
- Squid Games (life or death games)
- Queen of Tears (Romantic drama with comedy)
- Destined with You. (Comedy drama romance) Office plus Joseon Back story
Best Fantasy / Magic Romance – All Romance/Comedy/Drama/ Action/ Adventure
- Alchemy of Souls – 2 parts (RCDAA) Joseon
- Destined with you. (RCDAA) Modern office setting with Joseon back story.
- My Demon (RCDAA) Modern – Business
- Goblin (RCDAA) Modern with Joseon back story
- The Golden Spoon (RDAT)- Modern – Body swap – School.
- Haunted Palace. (RCDAA) Joseon
- Extraordinary You (RCDAA) Comic Book setting
- Moon River (RCDAA) Joseon. (Body Swap)
Action / Thriller / Drama – may contain small romance where marked R
- Squid Games (S1) (Drama/Action/Thriller)
- The Glory (Drama/Thriller) Revenge
- Itaewon Class (Drama) R
- Dr Romantic (S1/2/3) (Drama) Medical
- Trauma Code (Action/Drama) Medical
- Buried Hearts (aka Treasure island) (Thriller/Action) Business/Gang R
- Big Mouth (Action/Thriller/drama) Prison main setting.
- Moving – super heroes – (action/drama) R
- Teach you a lesson – school based – (Drama/Action)
- Shop for killers – Season 2 soon. (Action/Thriller)
- 9 Puzzles (Thriller)
Comedy/Action (more focus on action and light comedy
- Study Group – School
- Bad and Crazy – Police.
- Healer – intrigue/action/romance
Horror
- We are all Dead (Drama/Action) – School
- Happiness (Action/Romance) – Zombies
- Gyeongseong Creature (Romance/Action) – Monster
- Sweet Home (Action) – Monster
- Head over Heels. (Mild horror/ romance/thriller)
Romantic Drama. (Emphasis on romance)
- When life gives you tangerines. (Slice of Life)
- My Dearest – Joseon. (Gone with the wind type epic)
- When the Phone Rings -(Thriller/romance)
- The King’s Affection – (Girl playing boy)
- Typhoon Family – (Warm-hearted)
- My love from the stars (Alien visitor)
- It’s okay to not be okay. (Mental health)
- The Trunk – (Dark modern tale)
Comedy Romance (light dramatic elements)
- Dynamite Kiss – Office
- Filing for love – Office
- Strong Girl Bonsoon (Action) Work
- Positively Yours – Office
- Spring Fever – Teachers
- Business Proposal -Office
- Hometown Cha Cha Cha – Fish out of water.
- Suspicious Partner – Legal
- Bon Appetite your Majesty – Joseon (Cooking based) (Action)
- Sold out of You – Fish out of water/intrigue.
Comedy / Drama / Romance
- Lovely Runner – Time Travel
- Queen of tears – Business
- Can this Love be translated – Unique
- What’s wrong with secretary Kim. – Office
Action / Romance
- Crash landing on You.
- My First night with the duke
- Descendents of the sun
- Mister Sunshine.
- Alchemy of souls (Pts 1 and 2) (CDR) Fantasy Period.
- Lovely Runner (CDR) Timeslip.
- Squid Games (Thriller/action)S1 Dystopian.
- Queen of Tears (CDR)
- Destined with you. (CDR) Workplace.
- My Demon (CDR) Fantasy.
- Can this love be translated? (CDR)
- Study Group (Action/comedy) High-School
- When the phone rings. (Thriller/Romance)
- When life gives you tangerines (CDR)
- We are all dead (Horror) New series 2 this year. High-School
- Goblin (CDR) Fantasy.
- The Golden spoon. (Romantic drama) High-School/fantasy
- The Haunted Palace (Romantic action)
- Extraordinary you. (CDR) High school / Fantasy.
- My Dearest (Drama)
- Itaewon Class (Drama)
- The Glory (Drama)
- What’s wrong with secretary Kim (CDR)
- Crash landing on you (CDR)
- The king’s affection. (CDR)
- My First night with the Duke (Action/Romance) Joseon
- Dynamite Kiss (Romantic Comedy) Office
- Filing For Love (Romantic Comedy/intrigue) Office
- Strong Girl Bonsoon (Romantic comedy)
- My love from the stars (dramatic comedy)
- Trauma Code – Heroes on call (Action/drama)
- Its okay to not be okay (Dramatic romance)
- Suspicious Partner (Romantic comedy)
- Happiness (Horror/Romance)
- Business Proposal (CDR)
- Hometown cha,cha,cha. (CDR)
- To my Beloved Thief (Romantic Drama action) Joseon – Body Swap
- Healer (Action romance)
- Typhoon Family (Romantic drama)
- The King’s Affection (Romantic drama)
- Moving (sci/fi) school – Super Heroes
- Positively Yours. (Romantic comedy) Office
- Moon River (Romantic/Drama) Body Swap
- Descendants of the sun. (CDR)
- Mister Sunshine. (Action Romance) Historical/espionage.
- Buried Hearts. (Action/Thriller/Drama) Mobster/hero
- W (Alternate life – comic) (CDR)
- Head Over Heels (Romantic/mild horror)
- Marry My Husband – Time travel (Romantic Drama)
- Big Mouth – (Action/Thriller) Prison
- A Good day to be a Dog (Romantic Comedy)
- True beauty – (Comedy Romance) School. Similar story to Gangnam Beauty.
- Gyeongseong Creature (Romance/Action) – Monster
- Spring Fever – (Romantic Comedy) School
- Bon Appetite your majesty. (Romantic comedy)
- Sold out on You. (Romantic comedy)
- Bad and Crazy (Action/comedy)
- Shop for Killers (actin/thriller)
- Sweet Home S1 (Horror/action) Building S1. (also has 2 more seasons)
- 9 Puzzles – (Thriller/Drama) Police/Serial killer
Photo – Extraordinary You
Stunningly binge watchable series. Unfortunately let down by last episode, may have done better with a few more episodes to finish in or end on ep 11. Still deserves an entry into best ever.
‘My Dearest’, almost remake of Gone with the wind with a bit of Tess of the D’Urbervilles. With extra plot lines and great performances by the leads, and some of the most memorable scenes in kdramas you could watch.