Ever since Parasite created a global sensation and won the top prizes at the Oscars last year, Korean culture gained worldwide popularity. Although Korean television dramas do not have the popularity as much as the country’s cinematic output, they are still a requisition part of the cultural fabric.
Korean dramas and Netflix go hand in hand as Netflix has always been the go-to streaming platform to find the best Korean dramas especially the Netflix Originals ones. To help you get an insight into the expanding area of television, here are 7 of the best Korean dramas available on Netflix:
1) Vincenzo
In his latest k-drama, Korean heartthrob, Song Joong-ki stars as the title character Vincenzo, who was adopted by the head of an Italian crime family. He grew up to become a consigliere to the mafia. Vincenzo was forced by betrayal to flee to Korea, where he finds a new rival to take down.
2) Start-Up
Start-Up is about a group of youngsters working in Korea’s version of Silicon Valley. Although this drama shows their professional struggles similar to the HBO hit Silicon Valley, this Korean drama is more rom-com than industry satire. It stars Bae Suzy, Nam Joo Hyuk, and Kim Seon Ho.
3) It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
Different than any other romantic Korean drama, the central theme of this show is mental health. Although it is a highly taboo subject in Korea, the director did well in portraying the mental health problems faced by a children’s book author, played by Seo Ye Ji. She has an antisocial personality disorder where the male lead, on the other hand, has high emotional intelligence. The story revolves around Seo Ye Ji character’s healing process.
4) Itaewon Class
Starring the nation’s boyfriend, Park Seo-Joon, this underdog tale received high ratings for its diverse cast of characters. The bar’s employees include a transgender woman, a Guinean-Korean, a former gangster, and a sociopath, all together. It tells a story of their difficulties in trying to fit into a society that is normally tough to outsiders.
5) The Heirs
This drama was aired in 2013 but is still popular these days. Cha Eun-sang played by Park Shin-hye takes on part-time jobs to survive and ended up living in the home of the wealthy Kim family where her mother is a housekeeper. A scholarship lets her enroll in a prestigious high school attended by the rich children of Korea’s one percent where she finds herself in a love triangle.
6) Crash Landing on You
Currently rated as the third highest-rated show in Korean TV history, Crash Landing On You is a story about the multidimensional portrayal of life in North Korea. A South Korean heiress ended up on the wrong side of the Demilitarized Zone and was rescued by Ri Jeong-hyeok, a captain in the North Korean Special Police Force. They both fell in love with each other but the line between South and North Korea separates this couple.
7) Hospital Playlist
Pretty similar to Grey’s Anatomy, this show is about five friends who have been through a lot since medical school and who are now doctors at the same hospital. It tells about their complicated lives, both inside and out of the operating room.
Sources: Town & Country