Best Korean Drama Recommendations, List of Kdrama Suggestions for Beginners

We have compiled a concise list of great Korean drama recommendations for beginners because, let's face it: entering the world of kdramas can be a pretty daunting task. Maybe a friend gushes over them every time you see her, or maybe your Netflix queue keeps recommending them to you, but you just don't know where to begin. These suggestions will help get your feet wet and prepare you for a lifetime of addiction!

ViVi's Picks

Okay, so the first criteria I have for watching a Korean drama for the first time is that it should absolutely be available for streaming without commercials, either on DramaFever or Kdrama.com with a commercial-free paid subscription, or Netflix (click here for a current list of kdramas on Netflix). That may seem like a minor point, but the first time watching can be overwhelming if you're used to the 23- or 46- minute breakdown of American television, and cutting out the commercials can really help.  My picks aren't necessarily all of my favorite k-dramas ever (though some of them are pretty high on the list), but I feel like they set the groundwork well to help you know what you're looking for in future dramas.  Happy watching!

 Attention, all k-drama newcomers: Watch at least two episodes of a show before you give up on it.  The first episode will possibly be confusing, boring, or cheesy.  K-dramas need time.  Trust me

1. Secret Garden: This one has a cute love story and just enough basic cliches to get you hooked for eternity.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll add "matching sparkling jumpsuits" to your list of requirements for true love.  The body switching is a little random, but what's a good k-drama without some crazy magical plot twists?

2. Boys over Flowers: A classic.  You can't say that you watch k-dramas if you have never seen BoF.  I would recommend watching this second or third on your list instead of starting with it so that you have something to give it some balance. There are parts of it that are absolutely absurd, but you won't be able to stop, and once you're done, you will understand 2/3 of k-drama jokes on the internet.  Welcome to our club! Coco: I am with ViVi on this one. Despite it being over the top and ridiculous, I could not stop watching it. I even became a pretty hardcore fangirl of Kim Hyun-Joon for a good week, complete with internet stalking and fantasizing about how I would run into him somewhere in America.

3. Rooftop Prince: I feel like this is a good place to start for the magical/time travel genre. The flashbacks will help you get a feel for full-fledged historical dramas without the commitment of an entire series set in the past, and the plot keeps moving at a pretty fast pace. Comas! Murder! Reincarnation! Love!  More funny track suits!  I will be writing a more in-depth review of this drama soon, but it has a lot going for it, and it has a dash of everything. Update:  My Review of Rooftop Prince.

4. Dream High/Prosecutor Princess: I put these together because they're both great introductions to pure "fluff" dramas.  Both of them are mostly lighthearted and fun and make you feel good.  They have a side of drama, but they're upbeat overall.  Dream High has a catchy soundtrack, and Prosecutor Princess has one of the better kissing scenes I've seen (though Lie To Me and the Cola kiss wins hands-down overall).  Take your pick, sit back, and enjoy the fun!

CoCo's Picks

1. Coffee Prince: Also a classic, must-watch kdrama. I've already established why Coffee Prince is my #1 Kdrama Love, so if you haven't already read my post, read it and get excited! Watch it next. You won't regret it.

2. Lie To Me: This was the first Korean drama I ever watched, so it will always have a special place in my heart. It's one of the kdramas most similar to American romantic comedies, but also has all the great kdrama plot points, so it's a perfect introduction and pretty relatable for beginning kdrama fans. It's fun and lighthearted, but there are some pretty great dramatic moments. Plus, like I mentioned earlier in my Introduction post, Kang Ji-hwan is a hot Mr. Darcy-esque character and Yoon Eun-hye is one of my favorite Korean actresses.

3.  City Hunter: I've also already established why you must watch City Hunter in my City Hunter Review, including the eye candy that is Lee Min-Ho and the girl power awesomeness of Park Min-Young. It's a fantastic introduction to the kdrama action genre. It still has a lot of the romantic elements of other kdramas we love, along with some pretty great action and suspense scenes. Watch it!

4. Answer Me 1997 (Reply 1997): This Kdrama has a distinct vibe, different from the typical Korean romantic comedy plot and characters, which makes it feel fresh and unique. It's a coming-of-age story, visiting key moments in a group of friend's journey from adolescence to adulthood. Each episode focuses on themes and events that are the quintessential parts of growing up, complete with first loves, evolving parent/child relationships, teen idols, and awkward encounters with the opposite sex. The characters are relatable and lovable, and the situations will likely remind you of your own adolescence. The best comparison I can make for the is the old American show from the 1980's, The Wonder Years. My Review of Answer Me 1997

5. Scent of a Woman: This drama is a fantastic introduction to the melodrama genre in kdrama. Watch it when you need a good cry. It's terrible, but you just can't stop, even when you know it only makes you sad. Luckily there are some pretty great romantic and comedic scenes as well, so all is not lost. It's pretty adorable and the characters are totally lovable. The female lead goes through one of the most satisfying makeovers, both emotionally and physically, in kdrama history. Update: My Review of Scent of a Woman




So now that you are armed with an arsenal of 10 new Kdrama recommendations from friends you can trust, get out there and start watching! Because, kdrama, it's a thing, and it's only getting bigger!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Let's Just Talk About Lee Min Ho: City Hunter Review

When I first started watching kdramas I was pretty hooked. I went through Lie To Me, Boys Over Flowers, and Coffee Prince in rapid succession. I had a bit of a drama hangover after that and needed a little break. For about a month I tried several different romantic comedy kdramas but I just couldn't get into them. Too much like BOF or Coffee Prince! Same old, same old. Then I was recommended City Hunter, and boom, the magic was back! Turns out I just needed a little action and revenge in my life. I recommend that every drama fan switch the genres up a little once in awhile so they don't get old. City Hunter was the first drama in awhile that I just couldn't stop watching. Here are some reasons you should invest some time and emotional energy into City Hunter.

1. The Story Line

Lee Min Ho plays Lee Yoon Sung, a man raised to take revenge on the government officials responsible for his father's death. He is educated in America and then returns to work in the Blue House (the Korean equivalent of the American White House) where he can infiltrate the system to find the culprits. In the process he becomes the City Hunter, an anonymous crime fighter. Think of Batman, but without a costume. He also falls in love with a girl who he loves but wants to protect so he pushes her away is in typical superhero fashion. It's a great story of love and revenge and the choice between the two. It had just enough of the great kdrama cliches we come to expect and love, along with some new plot twists. I was captivated throughout.

2. Lee Min Ho

Need I say more? Lee Min Ho is the Korean equivalent of Ryan Gosling. Just check out his meme potential. I have to admit that I wasn't super attracted to him in Boys Over Flowers, but he did grow on me. However, City Hunter came along and boom, all the hidden bad-a hotness came out! He's just so smooth in all the action scenes. I love this man, I can't help it. I'm pretty sure you won't be able to either.





              

       

3. The Leading Lady

Park Min Young is the perfect combination of strength and loveliness as Kim Na Na. The character Kim Na Na is talented and hard working as well as having a strong sense of what's right and wrong. She is an admirable heroine. Not only that, but she doesn't even need Lee Yooon Sung to give her a makeover! I really enjoyed this leading lady, even though I experienced intense feelings of jealousy of her for her beauty and the fact that she gets to kiss Lee Min Ho.

 

4. The Compelling Second Male Lead

Prosecutor Kim Yong-joo, played by Lee Joon-hyuk, is the City Hunter's rival in both crime fighting and love. Like the City Hunter, his goal is to uncover corruption and bring evil politicians to justice, but unlike the City Hunter, he believes in doing it by the book. He tries to discover the identity of the City Hunter because he believes he is dangerous. He is also the romantic rival of the male lead, as both vie for the attention of Kim Na Na. Once again all this is similar to Batman, but still in a fresh way. I really enjoyed this character, as he provided a great foil for the lead as well as additional eye candy.

5. The Chemistry Between the OTP

As mentioned in my Coffee Prince review, this is really the most important aspect of a good kdrama.  Lee Yoon Sung and Kim Na Na have believable attraction between them. They are simply adorable. I'm also a fan of a little, "I love you and want to be with you, but I want to protect you from the bad guys who I'm fighting, so I have to pretend that I don't love you. Maybe one day we can be together when I stop saving the world." So romantic, it gets me every time. 

The one complaint I have in this area is that this drama definitely left me unsatisfied in the passion aspect. Especially at the end. Ugh, that's the worst! But it was still great.

So if you need a change in pace in your kdrama addiction, or you're looking for a kdrama that you can trick your significant other into watching with you, City Hunter should be added to the top of your list. There's enough action for the men and adventurous women and enough romance to keep you wanting more. 

Places to Watch City Hunter

DramaFever

Viki

Hulu

Netflix

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

My #1 Kdrama Love: Coffee Prince Review

Photo Source

My all time favorite kdrama is Coffee Prince. When I merely glimpse a meme from it on Pinterest, I get a major urge to watch all 17 hours all over again despite the fact that it's only been a month since the last marathon. It was only my second kdrama, but it will always be My #1 Kdrama Love! I truly believe that anyone who gives this drama a real shot will fall in love with it. As evidence of this fact, I recently was temporally living with one of our other best friends and her husband and I made them watch Coffee Prince as their first exposure to kdramas. We collectively got addicted to the point where one night we were out with a group of friends and her husband turned and whispered, "I just want to get home so we can watch Coffee Prince," so the three of us bailed! 

Main Plot Summary: A spunky, androgynous looking girl, who is the head of her family, has a run-in with an immature but attractive heir of a family company. He thinks that she is a boy, and she lets him believe that in order to be able to get a job at the coffee house his grandmother demands he take on. They gradually fall in love, but he is incredibly torn because he thinks she is a guy and he doesn't want to be gay, but he can't resist her. An emotional roller coaster ensues.    

Here is a list of reasons you should watch Coffee Prince immediately:

1.The Chemistry between the OTP

Come on, we all know this is the #1 deal maker or breaker for whether or not we truly love a kdrama! It doesnt' really matter whether the story line is that great, or if the clothes are things we would actually want to wear, or even if the characters have that great of hair (as we can see from all the weird bowl hair cuts so many kdrama female leads have). What we really want is for there to be so much sexual tension that we are seriously satisfied when they finally actually HUG. Coffee Prince delivers! I can't stand how freaking cute Han-kyul and Eun-chan are. I want to be them.

2. The Amazing Supporting Cast

All of the characters in this kdrama are pure gold. I have no complaints about the casting whatsoever. There is eye candy galore! And just plain adorableness everywhere. Coffee Prince has the perfect love square. Both male leads have amazing chemistry with both female leads and you don't actually hate the second female lead. And as a bonus, the side stories are for the most part fun and interesting. There is something about the characters that make them really relatable and slightly more believable than the average kdrama romantic comedy. 

3. The Range of Emotions 

Oh man, I have to admit to you guys that I am not a kdrama cryer. I'm sorry, but a lot of kdramas are a little over the top in the wailing department. However, there were some pretty intense emotional moments for me in Coffee Prince! Both on the deep despair side and the overflowing joy side. Our OTP goes through a lot, and I was right there the whole way, ups and downs and everything!

                

4.The Kiss Scenes

We can all admit that kdramas do not always have the best kissing scenes, (here's a survey of the best), but what they lack in style they often make up for in substance! Coffee Prince takes the cake on some of the most passionate kisses in the kdrama universe. None of this slow motion stuff! See exhibit A below.

5. It's a Classic!

Coffee Prince is one of the most popular kdramas throughout the world. It had incredible success in not only Korea, but also throughout Asia when it aired. I don't believe you can be a true kdrama aficionado if you have never seen Coffee Prince.

Bonus: 6. The Fantastic Soundtrack

We love kdrama soundtracks and the soundtrack to Coffee Prince is amazing! It's full of Korean Indie music that matches the emotions of the scenes perfectly. Here's an example of my favorite song that really just makes the sad scenes so powerfully tragic.

So I would think of more reasons you should watch Coffee Prince, but instead I am going to go start episode one because looking at all these pictures and listening to the music makes me miss the characters like they're old friends. Enjoy!

Places to Watch Coffee Prince

Dramafever

Viki

Crunchy Roll

Hulu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8