New to K-Dramas? Here Are 7 Top Tier Must Watch Titles to Binge

The Korean TV industry is all about great shows with compelling stories, heartfelt acting, and often a critical look at socio-cultural issues within Korean society. So if you're completely new to the genre, here are the best seven series to get you hooked right away.

7. Coffee Prince (2007)

The Korean Wave as a phenomenon has been around since at least the 1990s, and during that time, many shows were produced that are now universally recognized as classics. One of them is Coffee Prince, a story of a tomboy who pretends to be a guy and gets hired at a coffee shop where attractive young men work. The coffee shop owner falls in love with the protagonist, not knowing that she's a woman.

6. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)

Many K-dramas deliver mature romance stories. A prime example is Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, about a dentist who moves from Seoul to a picturesque seaside village and meets a local handyman. Throughout the story, you will see the protagonist change for the better, and you'll become attached to the male lead thanks to his sweetness and empathy.

5. Vincenzo (2021)

If you're not into romance, we recommend that you watch Vincenzo instead. The show is a crime drama, with elements of black humor, about an Italian-American mobster and lawyer who unexpectedly finds himself fighting against a corporation that is a front for a drug cartel.

4. Signal (2016)

Korean police procedurals are no less fascinating, and one of the most prominent examples is Signal, about a criminal profiler from 2015 who communicates via walkie-talkie with a detective from 1989. Being in different timelines, they investigate a series of related unsolved murders.

3. Mr. Queen (2020)

Korean people are obsessed with historical dramas! After a near-death experience, a top chef finds himself in the body of Queen Cheorin in the 19th-century Joseon. Not only must he find his way back to his own time while winning hearts with his cooking, but he must also uncover the secrets lurking around the throne.

2. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a unique Korean drama that's commended for its slice-of-life atmosphere, character dynamics, and successful representation of neurodivergent people. The story focuses on the experiences of a talented attorney with autism spectrum disorder.

1. Crash Landing On You (2019)

The division of North and South Korea is a national trauma for people on both sides. But Koreans can draw something uplifting from even the most painful moments in history. Crash Landing On You tells the love story between a wealthy South Korean businesswoman and a Korean People's Army officer.