Cover ‘Goblin’ remains one of the most reliable gateway K-dramas for the uninitiated. (Photo: tvN)
‘Goblin’ remains one of the most reliable gateway K-dramas for the uninitiated. (Photo: tvN)
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Your crash course in K-dramas—eight essential shows that turn first-time viewers into lifelong fans
New to K-dramas and not sure where to start? We’ve rounded up eight essential series that have turned curious viewers into lifelong fans. Many of these shows helped shape the Hallyu Wave, which was designed to introduce Korean culture to the world through K-dramas and K-pop, influencing fashion, food and pop culture along the way.
From swoon-worthy romances and time-slip comedies to genre-bending thrillers and biting social commentaries, these shows do more than entertain—they showcase the storytelling, humour and heart that define Korean dramas. Whether you’re looking for your first binge-worthy romance or a thought-provoking hit like Squid Game, this list is your gateway to the best of K-dramas.
Don’t miss: 11 must-watch K-dramas that never lose the plot from start to end
1. ‘Guardian: The Lonely and Great God’ / ‘Goblin’
Above The 2016 K-drama has had a lasting impact on the Hallyu Wave.
This epic romance fantasy features breathtaking cinematography, a standout soundtrack, unforgettable scenes and iconic performances from OG Hallyu superstars Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-wook. The drama also made Kim Go-eun a global star. Goblin became a cultural phenomenon, influencing everything from fashion to filming locations and helped usher in the era of big-event K-dramas like Descendants of the Sun and Crash Landing on You.
Its legacy also lives on in the real-life bromance between Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-wook, the continued popularity of its OST and its status as a staple on nearly every “best of” K-drama list.
See also: From ‘Goblin’ to ‘Crash Landing On You’: these are the must-watch K-dramas of all time
2. ‘Crash Landing on You’
Above The K-drama became a comfort watch in the pandemic era.
Released at the height of the pandemic, Crash Landing on You found a global audience through Netflix, offering a much-needed emotional escape during an uncertain time. The story of star-crossed lovers Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), a South Korean heiress, and Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), a North Korean soldier, captured the hearts of viewers.
Full of heart, humour and swoon-worthy moments, it’s the kind of feel-good romcom that quickly earns its place as a comfort K-drama. It didn’t hurt that the chemistry between Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin was off the charts, so much so that it led to the greatest fan service ever—a real-life wedding.
See also: 5 fan-favourite K-dramas that deserve a season 2, from ‘Crash Landing on You’ to ‘Vincenzo’
3. ‘Love in the Moonlight’
Above ‘Love in the Moonlight’ is an excellent way to introduce people to sageuk.
With hits like Goblin and Love in the Moonlight, 2016 was a standout year for K-dramas. Love in the Moonlight, a coming-of-age historical romance, tells the story of Crown Prince Lee Yeong (Park Bo-gum) and Hong Ra-on (Kim Yoo-jung), a woman forced to disguise herself as a eunuch within the royal palace.
With its charm, humour and tender romance, the show is an excellent way to introduce the uninitiated to sageuk or historical K-dramas and is a showcase for the “Nation’s Crown Prince” himself, Park Bo-gum.
4. ‘Squid Game’
Above ‘Squid Game’ became a global phenomenon and is part of the latest Hallyu Wave.
For many viewers around the world, Squid Game became the gateway to K-dramas. When the South Korean series dropped on Netflix in 2021, it didn’t just have a moment—it was the moment, shattering the platform’s viewership records to become its most-watched series at launch.
Doubling as a searing commentary on socio-economic inequality, the exploitation of the marginalised and capitalism itself, it introduced a global audience not only to childhood Korean games and dalgona but also to the social issues Koreans grapple with every day. It fuelled serious conversations about inequality just as much as it inspired Halloween costumes and Internet memes.
Don’t miss: From ‘Squid Game’ to ‘Uncontrollably Fond’: K-drama deaths that broke our hearts
5. ‘Lovely Runner’
Above ‘Lovely Runner’ was the runaway K-drama hit of 2024.
The time-slip romcom has everything, including comedy, drama, romance and thriller, making it the perfect gateway K-drama for newbies. The series owes much of its success to the plot’s emotional core, a swoon-worthy plot twist and Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok’s chemistry, which crackles with enough electricity to power a small country.
But what really stunned industry watchers is that it managed to rival—and at times even eclipse—Queen of Tears, which premiered simultaneously and boasted a more established cast.
Don’t miss: From Byeon Woo-seok in ‘The Lovely Runner’ to Kim Soo-hyun in ‘Queen of Tears’, top K-drama actors of 2024
6. ‘Kingdom’
Above The historical zombie K-drama is so popular, fans are still petitioning for a ‘Kingdom’ season 3.
Hot on the heels of Train to Busan’s success in cinemas, Kingdom, the Netflix series that mixes historical drama with the zombie genre, became a huge hit and revived the career of first-wave Hallyu superstar Joo Ji-hoon. For fans of the horror or zombie genre, Kingdom is a fantastic gateway to K-dramas.
It introduces first-timers to the Joseon dynasty dramas, the unique features of the South Korean version of zombies and the K-drama style of storytelling. From Kingdom, they can move on to other horror and supernatural K-dramas such as All of Us Are Dead, Sweet Home and Light Shop Keeper.
7. ‘Strong Girl Bong-soon’
Above ‘Strong Girl Bong-soon’, along with ‘What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim’ and ‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo’, provide the ABCs of K-drama.
It’s one of the OG gateway K-drama romcoms that came out around the same time as What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo—both also gateway K-dramas in their own right. The drama introduces viewers to common Korean drama tropes—rich boy-poor girl, forgotten childhood encounters, piggyback rides—as well as male and female archetypes, storytelling style, humour and romance.
Together with Secretary Kim and Kim Bok-joo, it didn’t just provide a crash course in K-drama; it defined the modern template for Korean romcoms and helped cement their global appeal.
8. ‘My Love from the Star’
Above ‘My Love from the Star’ was an early K-drama global phenomenon.
The list wouldn’t be complete without My Love from the Star, a fantasy romance starring OG K-drama royalty Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun. Its unprecedented national and international success catapulted both leads to record-breaking pay cheques (though Kim Soo-hyun has since been overtaken by Strong Girl Bong-soon’s Park Hyung-sik). It also turned the series into a bona fide cultural phenomenon.
My Love from the Star supercharged the Korean Wave. From fashion and lingo to fried chicken sales, its worldwide popularity reshaped pop culture across Asia and introduced Korean drama and lifestyle to a new generation of global fans.
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Maggie Adan is a content writer, editor, and strategist with extensive experience across print, digital, and social media publishing. Formerly editor-in-chief at K-Zone Philippines, Summit Books and Content Lab, she has written lifestyle stories covering everything from entertainment and travel to beauty and wellness. A storyteller at heart with a keen editorial eye and a passion for narrative, she contributes to various publications and helps brands create and curate content for their social media platforms.
