What were the Best Korean Dramas of 2024?
With this list, Cinema Escapist aims to give you an answer. Here, we’ve curated 2024’s top Korean dramas—across genres like action, comedy, romance, musical, historical, and more. These K-dramas also feature top stars like Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Ji-won, Shin Ha-kyun, and beyond.
We used several criteria to make these picks. To start, we selected only K-dramas that ran most of their episodes during 2024. Within those dramas, we then narrowed to titles with high entertainment value and broader global availability on streaming platforms like Netflix, Viki, Amazon, or Disney/Hulu. Finally, per Cinema Escapist’s editorial ethos, we tried emphasizing Korean dramas that have some degree of artistic merit or social consciousness.
With the above in mind, here are Cinema Escapist’s 11 choices for 2024’s best Korean dramas. Take a look at our list, with streaming links included when available (region dependent)!
• • •
11. A Killer Paradox
Korean Title: 살인자ㅇ난감 | Starring: Choi Woo-shik, Son Suk-ku, Lee Hee-joon | Genre(s): Thriller, Dark Comedy, Crime
A Killer Paradox is a Netflix original drama that’s best described as a cross between the manga franchise Death Note and American TV show Dexter. This drama centers on college student named Lee Tang (played by Choi Woo-shik of Parasite fame) who, after inadvertently killing a serial killer, discovers he has a supernatural ability to discover evildoers. Lee ends up taking advantage of this unique talent—but a persistent detective named Jang Nan-gam (played by Son Suk-ku) seems to realize that there’s more than meets the eye.
Like many of Netflix’s in-house K-dramas, A Killer Paradox has relatively fast pacing and clocks in at only eight episodes. The show also blends dark humor and violence in an entertaining fashion. If you’re looking for a serial killer story that won’t drag or bore, A Killer Paradox might fit your bill.
Stream this Korean drama on Netflix
10. Marry My Husband
Korean Title: 내 남편과 결혼해줘 | Starring: Park Min-young, Song Ha-yoon, Na In-woo, Lee Yi-kyung | Genre(s): Revenge, Romance
In Marry My Husband, Park Min-young plays a woman named Kang Ji-won who’s terminally ill and trapped in an unhappy marriage with her husband Park Min-hwan (Lee Yi-kyung). After catching her best friend Jeong Su-min (Song Ha-yoon) sleeping with Min-hwan, a struggle ensues in which Min-hwan accidentally kills Ji-won.
However, Ji-won gets sent back 10 years in the past with all her knowledge intact. Sheimmediately resolves to get Su-min to marry Min-hwan in order to enact revenge against them both. At the same time, she also encounters other familiar figures in this past timeline which make all these relationships more complicated.
Marry My Husband maintained high audience share ratings during its television airing in Korea, and generated significant buzz with its international release. The show’s plot has relatively pacing especially in its earlier episodes, and should appeal to anyone who wants a revenge drama with a well-developed female lead.
Stream this Korean drama on Amazon Prime
9. The Frog
Korean Title: 아무도 없는 숲속에서 | Starring: Kim Yoon-seok, Yoon Kye-sang, Go Min-si, Lee Jung-eun | Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Crime
The Frog is perhaps one of the more polarizing selections on our 2024 list of best Korean dramas. This Netflix original has a relatively complex plot compared to other dramas, and contains a high degree of nihilism and violence.
Specifically, The Frog interweaves two stories across two timelines, connected only by a police detective named Yoon Bo-min (Lee Jung-eun), and notions of human darkness manifested through violence. Without giving too much away, each of the two stories explore how passivity in the face of dire situations can lead to tragedy, as well as the lingering effects of trauma and guilt.
If you want a standard romance Korean drama, The Frog is not a good choice. But if you’re looking for a Korean drama that requires you to turn your brain on and contemplate philosophical questions, then The Frog is for you.
Stream this Korean drama on Netflix
8. The Atypical Family
Korean Title: 히어로는 아닙니다만 | Starring: Jang Ki-yong, Chun Woo-hee, Go Doo-shim | Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Family
The Atypical Family stays true to its title with its story about the Bok family, whose members are all born with various superpowers. The drama especially centers on Bok Gwi-ju (Jang Ki-yong), the family’s adult son, whose superpower is the ability to travel back in time to happy moments of his life.
Unfortunately, when the drama starts, Gwi-ju and the other Bok family members have lots their superpowers due to various tragedies, diseases, and modern maladies like smartphone addiction. However, when Gwi-ju meets a mysterious and attractive woman named Do Da-hae (Chun Woo-hee), the Boks’ lives begin to change.
If you’re looking for a K-drama that doesn’t have a stereotypical saccharine K-drama vibe, you should especially consider The Atypical Family. The show has a rather refreshing atmospheric tone, and its cast of family members are all well-developed with complementary characteristics and struggles.
Stream this Korean drama on Netflix
7. Miss Night and Day
Korean Title: 낮과 밤이 다른 그녀 | Starring: Lee Jung-eun, Jung Eun-ji, Choi Jin-hyuk | Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Time-travel
Miss Night and Day offers a unique blend of body-swapping, romance, and some thriller elements with its plot. This drama focuses around a 20-something year-old woman named Lee Min-jin (Jung Eun-ji) who struggles to find stable employment, and jumps between part-time jobs whilst completing various certifications. However, after an incident with a mysterious cat, Mi-jin wakes up to discover that during the day, she finds herself in the body of a 50-something year-old woman named Lim Sun (Lee Jung-eun), though she returns to her younger self at night.
Mi-jin takes this situation in stride, combining her mental agility as a 20-something with the perceived wisdom of a 50-something year old to advance in her work at a district prosecutor’s office. At the same time, Mi-jin starts getting involved with a strict and workaholic prosecutor named Gye Ji-ung (Choi Jin-hyuk), which throws another twist into her already-complicated dance to balance her dual identities.
With a satisfying blend of comedic, romantic, and dramatic elements, Miss Night and Day keeps viewers constantly entertained whilst also containing valuable social commentary about issues like age discrimination.
Stream this Korean drama on Netflix
6. The Auditors
Korean Title: 감사합니다 | Starring: Shin Ha-kyun, Lee Jung-ha, Jin Goo | Genre(s): Office, Drama
Anyone looking for a good 2024 workplace-themed Korean drama should consider The Auditors. This series stars Shin Ha-kyun as a cynical and coolheaded corporate auditor named Shin Cha-il, who tries to investigate corporate corruption at his employer JU Construction. When the company’s former president mysteriously dies, Cha-il must work with other audit team members—including the idealistic rookie Gu Han-soo (Lee Jung-ha)—to investigate. In that process, the pair must face off against Hwang Dae-woong, an ambitious vice president and the third son of JU Construction’s founder.
The Auditors has a highly engaging plot with strong character development; the contrasting personalities of Shin Cha-il and Gu Han-soo play off against each other especially well. Those looking to for a drama that grapples with ethical issues whilst giving a glimpse into Korean corporate culture should also check out The Auditors.
Stream this Korean drama on Viki
5. Lovely Runner
Korean Title: 선재 업고 튀어 | Starring: Byeon Woo-seok, Kim Hye-yoon | Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Those who are interested in matters of celerity, fandoms, and romance should consider Byeon Woo-seok, Kim Hye-yoon. This Korean drama focuses on a woman named Im Sol, who’s an ardent fan of a celebrity named Ryu Sun-jae. One day, news breaks that Ryu Sun-jae’s has committed suicide—however, in a magical twist, Im Sol gets transported back 15 years in the past where she encounters a 19 year-old Ryu Sun-jae. Determined to prevent Sun-jae’s eventual death, Sol begins to get close to Sun-jae, whilst grappling with the implications of altering fate.
Byeon Woo-weok and Kim Hye-yoon have great chemistry as Seonj-ae and Sol respectively, which should please romance genre fans. At the same time, Lovely Runner contains significant emotional depth, as it contemplates matters like trauma and the impact of celebrity on one’s personal relationships.
Watch this Korean drama on Viki
4. The Whirlwind
Korean Title: 돌풍 | Starring: Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Hee-ae | Genre(s): Political
2024 has been a politically tumultuous year in South Korea, especially given real-life president Yoon Suk-yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law in early December. Therefore, we feel it’s quite appropriate to recommend Netflix series The Whirlwind as one of the year’s best Korean dramas.
The Whirlwind depicts the political battle between South Korean Prime Minister Park Dong-ho (Sol Kyung-gu) and Deputy Prime Minister Jung Soo-jin (Kim Hee-ae). Park kicks off the series by poisoning South Korea’s President, allowing himself to become Acting President and start an anti-corruption purge. However, Jung Soo-jin—who has entanglements with the corrupt elements that Park wants to purge—uses her own political wiles to thwart Park’s ambitions.
With a fast-paced, back-and-forth narrative that contains plot twist after plot twist, The Whirlwind is even more gripping than other well-known political K-dramas like Chief of Staff or Designated Survivor: 60 Days. The Whirlwind is highly comparable to the American Netflis series House of Cards, given their common elements of leaders with ruthless, amoral, and authoritarian tendencies.
Stream this Korean drama on Netflix
3. A Shop for Killers
Korean Title: 킬러들의 쇼핑몰 | Starring: Lee Dong-wook, Kim Hye-jun | Genre(s): Action, Crime
A Shop for Killers focuses on a young woman named Jung Ji-an, whose family has been marked by tragedy and death. Her father murdered her mother and then killed himself, leaving Ji-an to be raised by her uncle Jung Jin-man. However, one day Ji-man unexpectedly dies and Ji-an learns that, instead of the simple shopping mall manager that she thought he was, Ji-man is actually an assassin who’s been secretly training her in his craft since childhood. As figures from her uncle’s hidden life close in, Ji-an must figure out how to survive.
Set over the course of a single day, A Shop for Killers has quick pacing and high-octane action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Ji-an is also a very well-developed character who experiences a compelling transformation across the series, which provides A Shop of Killers with additional emotional depth.
Watch this Korean drama on Hulu
2. Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born
Korean Title: 정년이 | Starring: Kim Tae-ri, Shin Ye-eun, Jung Eun-chae | Genre(s): Musical, Coming-of-age, Historical
Actress Kim Tae-ri further showcases her range with Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born, a drama that entertains, educates, and tugs at emotions. In this drama set during the 1950’s, Kim stars as a young woman named Yoon Jeong-nyeon, who aspires to become a renowned actress for gukguek, a type of traditional Korean musical theater which exclusively features women performers. Jeong-nyeon ends up stowing away with a gukguek theater company and becoming a trainee; her talent attracts attention and begins to pit her against another trainee named Heo Young-seo (Jung Eun-chae), who becomes her rival.
Besides providing an inspirational narrative of perseverance and self-discovery, Jeongnyeon is especially worth highlighting for its societal and historical significance. For one, the drama eschews the usual romance tropes of many Korean dramas and has a strong focus on female characters without male leads. Additionally, the drama does an excellent job of painting a picture of society in 1950’s post-war Korea, and what that period was like for women and artists at large. In fact, Jeongnyeon’s popularity revived real-life interest in gukguek, helping new audiences discover a fascinating and previously less-known dimension of Korean culture.
Watch this Korean drama on Disney+ or Hulu
1. Queen of Tears
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg2D8zrzlOA
Korean Title: 눈물의 여왕 | Starring: Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, Lee Joo-bin | Genre(s): Romance, Comedy
At the top of our list of 2024’s best Korean dramas is Queen of Tears, which gained a very dedicated following and generated much internet chatter as it aired and captivated audiences worldwide. Admittedly, Queen of Tears is probably not your cup of tea if you do not enjoy romance Korean dramas; however, given the drama’s emotional complexity and massive popularity (overtaking even Crash Landing on You in ratings and becoming the third highest-rated show ever on Korean cable TV), it still ended up in the #1 spot for this year.
Queen of Tears stars Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won as Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in, a young couple who are on the cusp of divorcing after three years of marriage. Hae-in is the third-generation heiress of a chaebol called Queens Group, whilst Hyun-woo rose from humble beginnings to become a Seoul National University-educated lawyer at Queens Group. While on the surface Queen of Tears might seem like another highly cliched romance K-drama, it does contain some elements of nuance that put it above the rest. Unlike most other romance K-dramas, the series focuses on an already-married couple, and delves into many real-life issues that couples often face in their marriages. Furthermore, the series aptly blends humor and good acting to take the edge off of its melodrama.
Stream this Korean drama on Netflix
• • •
Want more K-dramas? Check out our lists of 2022 and 2023’s best Korean dramas. Or, check out our list of 2024’s Best Korean Movies!