Cover Photo: Thirty Nine/ Netflix
Photo: Thirty Nine/ Netflix
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The Hallyu wave is still going strong this year. Read more to find out what some of the most popular K-dramas are
The Covid-19 pandemic didn’t seem to stop the Korean entertainment industry from churning out dramas for viewers. 2022 has seen a fair production of some of the most popular Korean dramas to date, including Thirty-Nine and Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
There is no question that K-dramas have a way of drawing viewers in, from the plot, cast, and filming stylistics. Due to its popularity, there is no doubt that looking at ratings will come in handy when finding a new K-drama to binge-watch. In South Korea, audience ratings are generally recorded by media information company, Nielsen. For reference, ratings are not set against 100 per cent, but the higher the better, of course. Generally, ratings above six per cent are considered to be good or at least above average. The highest rating ever recorded rating was 28.371 per cent and belongs to the 2020 drama, The World of the Married.
Find your next binge right here as we give you a list of 8 highly rated K-dramas including genres like romance, action, and fantasy.
1. Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Rating: 17.534 per cent
The talk of the town when it released its first few episodes in June earlier this year, this legal drama has since the seventh highest rated drama in Korean cable television history and sixth highest rated television drama by the number of viewers.
South-Korean actress Park Eun-bin stars in the title role as Woo Young-woo, a female attorney with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who works in a major law firm in Seoul.
Apart from law, Young-woo also has an interest in marine animals, namely whales. Her ability to compare real-life situations with the characteristics of whales astonishes the people around her, causing her to be viewed as an awkward individual.
Don’t miss: 5 Things We Loved About Netflix’s K-Drama ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’
2. Our Blues
Rating: 14.597 per cent
Available on Netflix, Our Blues is a feel-good, slice-of-life drama that has since become one of the highest-rated dramas in South Korean cable television history since airing in April 2022.
Starring some of South Korea’s top actors and actresses including Shin Min-a, Kim Woo Bin, Han Ji-min and Lee Byung-hun, the 20-episode drama follows several inhabitants of Jeju Island as they tackle life’s joys and woes.
Dealing with themes such as poverty, mental illness, debt, and familial relations, take in the wise words of its characters as you walk through their struggles and times of happiness.
3. Twenty-Five, Twenty-One
Rating: 11.513 per cent
This romance and coming-of-age drama follows the lives of five characters from the year 1998 to 2021. The drama was an immediate commercial hit and has since won numerous awards.
Watch leading actors Kim Tae-ri (Na Hee-do) and Nam Joo-hyuk (Baek Yi-jin) navigate through their daily lives. Hee-do a promising member of her high school fencing team finds herself struggling to reach her dreams as her team was disbanded due to the South Korean financial crisis.
On the other hand, the crisis also causes huge financial losses for Yi-jin’s family. Once wealthy, he takes up several part-time jobs to keep his life afloat. Despite coming from two different backgrounds, the two characters meet and form a blossoming romance.
4. Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) 3
Rating: 10.395 per cent
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) holds an ensemble cast with three seasons so far. The recent third season was a hit, with the last episode gaining the best viewership of the season.
Season three involves three women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who face various misfortunes. The show is filled with rather dark themes including stalking, the supernatural, and discords of marriage.
True to its supernatural element, viewers come face to face with faceless reapers who act as omniscient narrators throughout the series, confirming the deaths of characters as the plots move along.
5. Military Prosecutor Doberman
Rating: 10.081 per cent
Starring viewer favourites Ahn Bo-hyun and Jo Bo-ah, Military Prosecutor Doberman is a legal drama set in the military of South Korea. Fans of the legal genre may find that this drama is written by Yoon Hyun-ho, the same writer who helmed the hit K-drama Lawless Lawyer back in 2018.
Embark on an adventure of trials and tribulations with the two leads as they both become military prosecutors to fulfil their own goals: one for money and fame and the other for revenge.
Dealing with assault, homicide, and corruption, viewers partake in the various investigations and mind games constructed by the many side characters in the drama. Have a go at your detective abilities as you binge-watch this series.
6. Alchemy of Souls
Rating: 9.295 per cent
Step into the world of fantasy as you encounter young mages who deal with heaven and earth. Brilliantly filmed, the series also comes with a stellar cast, including Lee Jae-wook (Jang-uk), Jung So-min (Nak-su/Mu-deok), and Hwang Min-hyun (Seo-yul).
With themes such as romance and action, the drama has it all. The young mages face and overcome their twisted fates caused by a dark magic spell, signifying their growth and maturity.
The soul of an elite warrior Nak-su is trapped inside the weak body of Mu-deok (who also happens to be blind). While she is trapped, she encounters Jang-uk, a member of a noble family, and becomes his servant for her own aspirations.
Read more: 4 Things to Know About Upcoming Fantasy K-Drama ‘Alchemy of Souls’
7. Thirty Nine
Rating: 8.122 per cent
Revolving around the lives of three friends who are about to hit the milestone 40, they experience life, love, and friendship together despite coming from different walks of life. The drama’s final episode achieved the highest ratings nationwide.
Starring Son Ye-jin, Jeon Mi-do, and Kim Ji-hyun, Thirty Nine is touching take on the experiences of working female professionals as they go head to head with the challenges of dating.
Experience the close friendship of the three women become even tighter as one of them falls victim to pancreatic cancer. Find that it will not be the only negative event plaguing them as they experience other dramatic encounters including adultery and family woes.
In case you missed it: Netflix: 5 K-Dramas With Kick-Ass Female Leads You Should Watch
8. Ghost Doctor
Rating: 7.953 per cent
Ghost Doctor is a fantasy and medical drama starring Rain, Kim Bum, Uee and Son Na-eun.
Rain (Cha Young-min) plays a cardiothoracic surgeon. Due to his skills and talent, he is selfish and arrogant. Kim Bum plays Go Seung-tak, an equally excellent doctor who has comprehensive medical knowledge. His only downside? He is fearful of blood.
Due to a series of unfortunate events the ghost of the arrogant surgeon Young-min possesses the body of first-year resident Seung-tak and makes him the most sought after physician overnight.
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