Grab some popcorn and stream these 27 must-see K-dramas on Netflix

Season 1 is set largely in 1945, where a pawn shop owner helps a father and daughter, Chae-ok. The search for Chae-ok’s mother leads to the discovery of a monster living in the old hospital where it was created. The creature is capable of infiltrating people’s brains and mutating them, which ties into a larger mystery. Stream season 1 of the series and stay tuned for a time travel angle when season 2 arrives sometime in the future.

If monsters are your thing, then this series might just give you the perfect mix of horror and drama. Based on the Japanese manga Parasyte, the story introduces tiny alien larvae that are ravaging the Earth, looking for a way to implant themselves and take over. A group called the Grey tries to eliminate them and the people they infect, but a woman whose parasite has become symbiotic tries to keep her secret. You can watch six episodes of season 1 now.

Follow the story of Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in as they fall in love, get married, and endure “dizzying crises” that may break them — or bring them back together. New episodes are released weekly, and you can watch the first season now.

This romantic comedy series follows two doctors, former rivals in medical school who are now brilliant in their fields. When they both experience setbacks and burnouts in their careers, they end up living in the same house to get their lives back on track. And they realize they have more in each other than they thought.

This historical piece follows the royal and political drama in which a cruel king falls in love with a woman who seeks revenge. The first few episodes are available now, with more to come this year.

This limited series features two of the most sultry tropes: childhood friends who become lovers with a touch of magic. Ban Ji-eum can reincarnate endlessly, but in her 19th life, she decides to find her childhood sweetheart, who is now all grown up.

In a failed experiment, Choi Min-ah enters a scientific machine as a woman and exits as a chicken nugget. No, really. Follow Min-ah and her friends as they try to turn her back in this new absurdist series.

Demonic unearthly creatures invade Earth in this dark fantasy series, making predictions that condemn humans to a dark future. And it’s up to one group, the religious order New Truth, to try to stop them. Season one is available now, with the next season expected this year.

When it comes to critical acclaim, Mr. Sunshine is one of the highest-rated K-dramas in the genre. A period drama set in the early 1900s Joseon period, it centers on Eugene (once known as Choi Yoo Jin) who flees Korea to America as a young servant and later returns to his homeland as a Marine. His budding romance with Ae-shin, a noblewoman fighting for Korean independence, is marred by class friction, jealousy, and politics. If you enjoy period dramas, stream all 24 episodes in season 1 of the popular series.

This charming show follows Woo Young-woo, a sharp young lawyer with autism. The series combines legal drama with romance, family plots, comedy, and life lessons that will keep you glued to the screen. Season 1 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo is now available to stream, and Netflix has renewed the fan favorite for a second season, expected will air sometime in 2024.

Corporal Han Ho-yeol, Private An Jun-ho and the DP unit must face another tragedy in the latest installment of the military drama that tackles bullying, hazing and toxic hierarchies. You can watch seasons 1 and 2 now.

A paragliding accident sends South Korean heiress Yoon Se-ri inside North Korea’s borders. She meets Ri Jeong-hyeok, a soldier who wants to help her stay safe. The two fall in love, but this story is filled with complicated family relationships, political drama, and crime. The complete first season is now on Netflix.

A child fencing prodigy, Na Hee-do is determined to continue her fencing education when she transfers schools, where she meets the curious Baek Yi-jin. Told in two timelines, this series follows Hee-do as a teenager in 1998 and as a mother in the present, and shows how our coming of age can change everything.

After a crisis, Cha Jeong-suk returns to the medical career she left 20 years earlier. She struggles with new colleagues, mysterious diagnoses, and plenty of drama. You can watch the full limited series now.

Based on the webtoon of the same name, Divorce Attorney follows Shin Shin Sung-han as he fights for his clients in and out of court. His tragic past catches up with him and causes problems. You can watch the limited series now.

Based on the webtoon and webnovel of the same name, this workplace romance begins when Shin Ha-ri fills in for a friend on a blind date — with her CEO, Kang Tae-moo, who comes up with an interesting plan. You can watch the entire first season now.

Netflix describes this show as a “K-drama twist” on its hit series Orange Is the New Black. Rising baseball star Kim Je-hyeok (played by K-pop star Krystal Idol) unexpectedly ends up in jail instead of the pitcher’s mound. You can watch the entire first season now.

Black Knight is a dystopian series set in 2071. In this world, everyone is required to wear face masks due to severe pollution. Based on a webtoon where the surviving human population is 1%, the story follows 5-8, a “delivery boy” who is skilled at fighting. His job is to help refugees find settlements in a society where one company controls access to clean oxygen. Watch the story unfold when 5-8 meets a young boy named Sa-wol, an aspiring delivery boy. You can watch all six episodes now.

Based on the webtoon of the same name, Bloodhounds unites two opposing fighters — Geon-woo and Woo-jin — as they battle loan sharks. While paying off a debt proves to be an obstacle, the two must delve into an underworld of greed, violence, and a boss who’s surprisingly altruistic. But not everything goes smoothly. Watch all eight episodes on Netflix now.

A revenge story, The Glory centers on teacher Moon Dong-eu. After enduring terrible bullying in her youth, she seeks revenge against her tormentors. Then things get complicated. You can watch the full show, 16 episodes in total, available now.

Young-soon raised her son, Kang-ho, alone after being widowed at a young age. She gives him tough love to ensure he can thrive and not live in poverty when he grows up. Kang-ho grows up to be a successful lawyer, but an accident leaves him without his memory and reverts him back to his 7-year-old self. The series is a journey through their recovery and Young-soon’s role as a “bad mother” to help her son heal. You can watch all 14 episodes now.

With action, soul-swapping magic, intrigue, and a love story at its core, Alchemy of Souls takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Jang Uk is a nobleman who doesn’t have the greatest reputation or fighting skills. Then comes the warrior Nak-su — trapped in the body of another woman — and opens him up to what’s been missing in his life, including love. You can watch Part 1 and Part 2 now on Netflix.

Dong Hoon (played by Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun) is unhappy in his career, his wife Kang Yoon Hee is cheating on him, and he gets caught up in illegal activities. His colleague Lee Ji-an has the power to ruin everything for him, but will she? Their dynamic changes as they both learn more about each other’s problems. You can watch all 16 episodes now.

If zombie thrillers are your thing, then you need to watch the Netflix original series All of Us Are Dead. High school students get trapped in a school during a zombie outbreak and it becomes a race to survive. Not everyone is willing to help each other, so keep your eyes peeled for those willing to do their classmates some dirty work. You can watch the first season now, with season 2 confirmed by Netflix.

In a supernatural thriller, Sweet Home travels to an apartment building called Green Home. The series follows Hyun Soo, a lonely high school student who tragically lost his family in an accident. He moves into Green Home and finds himself surrounded by neighbors who turn into monsters when their darkest desires come to the surface. To survive, he and the other residents must work together to fight the monsters and their inner turmoil. Seasons 1 and 2 are available now, with Season 3 expected to debut in Summer 2024.

Fans of romantic comedies should stream this series about a famous private school teacher who gets romantically involved with a former athlete. Scandal, nosy parents, and antics keep the story interesting for season 1 of this Netflix original.

Queenmaker introduces viewers to Hwang Do-hee (played by Kim Hee-ae), a PR fixer hired by the Eunsung Group and tasked with working on an election campaign for Oh Kyung-sook, a resilient human rights lawyer. You can watch the full first season of this political thriller that shows how the race for mayor is no walk in the park.