Cover Some relationships are stronger even without a blood connection. Just check out these found families in K-dramas. (Photo: IMDB)
Some relationships are stronger even without a blood connection. Just check out these found families in K-dramas. (Photo: IMDB)
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Because sometimes your real soulmate is your cellmate—or the grumpy ajusshi who secretly knits. These shows prove why found families remain an unshakeable trope in K-drama
Biological families are great and all—until you’re disowned by your chaebol father, stuck in prison or stranded in North Korea. That’s when K-dramas work their real magic: building emotionally charged, laugh-out-loud, ride-or-die squads composed of the most unexpected characters. These surrogate families heal old wounds, dish out tough love and remind you that kinship isn’t always genetic. It’s about who shows up with fried chicken, soju and fierce loyalty when your world’s falling apart.
Whether it’s a ragtag group of badminton nerds or a band of surprisingly tender convicts, these dramas serve up heartwarming chaos, life lessons and the kind of bonds that last longer than a typical 16-episode run.
Here are the best found families in K-dramas that had us crying, laughing and group-hugging our screens.
1. ‘Reply 1988’ (2015)
If you haven’t cried over the Ssangmun-dong gang, do you even watch K-drama? This beloved slice-of-life series gave us five childhood friends whose lives intertwine across families, fried chicken and first crushes. The parents parent everyone. The kids tease everyone. And the group dinners? Michelin-level emotional nourishment. By the final episode, you’re either sobbing or texting your childhood best friend. We can only dream of found families like this.
2. ‘Hospital Playlist’ (2020)
Five doctors, one med school friendship and a whole lot of after-hours jamming—this series is less about hospital politics and more about how friendship is the best kind of anaesthesia. The group’s routine Friday dinners and impromptu karaoke sessions show that even Type-A surgeons need a soft place to land.
3. ‘Itaewon Class’ (2020)
Park Sae-ro-yi’s ragtag crew, which includes a transgender chef, a former gang member and a genius sociopath with a killer bob, is the most chaotic start-up team since Steve Jobs met a garage. But together, they build DanBam into a place that offers second chances with a side of kimchi stew. It’s vengeance with heart and a killer playlist.
See more: 13 groundbreaking K-dramas that dare to challenge South Korean norms
4. ‘Move to Heaven’ (2021)
Han Geu-ru (Tang Jun-sang), a neurodivergent teenager, teams up with his ex-con uncle to run a trauma cleaning business. That’s fascinating enough, but somehow, that’s just the beginning. As they sort through the belongings of the dead, they also sort through their grief and slowly build a bond neither of them saw coming. It’s not as comedic as the other found families on this list, but it’s quiet, aching and tender in all the right ways.
5. ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ (2021)
Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a), a displaced Seoulite dentist, moves to Gongjin and finds herself surrounded by nosy but lovable townsfolk who operate on a strict policy of zero boundaries and maximum support. Add in Chief Hong (Kim Seon-ho), the handyman with layers, and you’ve got a seaside found family that could rival any Netflix original.
6. ‘Prison Playbook’ (2017)
Leave it to a drama set in prison to deliver one of the most heartwarming found families on this list. Baseball star Kim Je-hyuk (Park Hae-soo) and his cellmates form a bond stronger than concrete walls. In this criminally underrated series, the cast always sticks together, whether they’re cooking instant ramyeon or shielding each other from shady guards.
7. ‘Because This Is My First Life’ (2017)
What starts as a marriage of convenience slowly blooms into a real partnership between awkward app designer Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki) and broke screenwriter Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So-min). But the real treat? Their extended circle of quirky friends and housemates function as a full-blown emotional support team. This is found family powered by shared trauma and delivery food.
8. ‘My Mister’ (2018)
A jaded middle-aged engineer and a debt-ridden young woman walk into each other’s lives, and somehow, what follows is one of the most delicate, platonic soul-deep connections ever captured on screen. The found family extends beyond the duo to include grumpy siblings, a nosy bar owner and a neighbourhood that heals in small, unspoken ways.
9. ‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo’ (2016)
What happens when an elite weightlifter, a swimmer with baggage and a campus full of eccentric athletes become your ride-or-die crew? You get one of the most wholesome K-dramas ever. Bok-joo’s (Lee Sung-kyung) friendships with her teammates and roommates are peak found family energy: loud, loyal and lovingly unfiltered.
10. ‘Crash Landing on You’ (2019-2020)
When heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) accidentally paraglides into North Korea, she crash-lands not just into the arms of Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), but into an entire squad of lovable soldiers. This ragtag bunch, including stoic Commander Pyo and tender-hearted Ju-meok, becomes her unlikely protectors and confidants, surprising her on her birthday and saving her from irate warriors. Found family with a dash of international espionage and military-grade loyalty? Sign us up.
11. ‘Racket Boys’ (2021)
A group of misfit middle schoolers with broken rackets and bigger dreams, this scrappy boys’ badminton team starts with internal rivalries but soon becomes a band of brothers (and one queen). Coach Yoon (Kim Sang-kyung) plays the reluctant dad, and the dusty gym turns into a training ground for self-worth, loyalty and belly-laugh-inducing antics. It’s Mighty Ducks meets Reply 1988, minus the ice and plus the jjajangmyeon. It’s not the most unique of found families, but it’s one of the most heart-warming.
