The Best Classic Korean Dramas On Netflix

There are days when we just want to stay indoors and do a K-drama marathon. We've compiled a list of K-dramas that were a hit some time ago and worth watching even now.

Be sure to check out BestKorean Movies on Netflix and 2020 Korean Dramas On Netflix as well!

WHAT'S WRONG WITH SECRETARY KIM?
김비서가 왜 그럴까

Release Year: 2018
Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy
Cast: Park Seo-joon, Park Min-young

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 60 minutes

Lee Young-joon (Park Seo-joon) is a self-absorbed perfectionist who is the Vice President of his family's company. His secretary Kim Mi-so, who has worked for him for over 9 years, is one of the few people he trusts and likes to have around.

One day, Mi-soo expresses her will to resign from her job in order to go out and find herself. Young-joon, who always had answers and solutions figured out or handed to him, doesn't understand why Mi-soo wants to stop working for him. The misunderstandings between the two start creating funny stories.

The drama received lots of positive feedback from many fans globally and were voted one of the best K-drama couples in history.

GUARDIAN: THE LONELY AND GREAT GOD
도깨비

Release Year: 2016
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Cast: Gong-yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-na

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 60 minutes

Also known as Goblin, not only was The Guardian a huge hit in Korea with the highest viewer rating of 20.5%, but it was also the most watched drama in Taiwan during Mid-autumn Festival in 2017.

The story follows a ddokkaebi, or the goblin (Gong Yoo), in modern days as he helps people in trouble and lives with a jeoseung saja, or a grim reaper (Lee Dong-wook). In order to end his immortality, he needs to find a human bride.

Things start to get interesting when Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), who was destined to have died years ago, appear before the goblin and sees a magical sword in his chest that cursed him.

FAMILIAR WIFE
아는 와이프

Release Year: 2018
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Romance
Cast: Ji Sung, Han Ji-min, Kang Han-na

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 65 minutes

Cha Joo-hyuk (Ji Sung), an ordinary man in his 30s who works an ordinary bank job, is married to Seo Woo-jin (Han Ji-min), the mother of his two toddlers who works at a facial shop.

The married couple, who lead exhausting and chaotic lives, find themselves leading totally different lives due to a magical incident.

It's an interesting drama that will answer the question that floats around many people's heads: "What if?"

WHEN THE CAMELLIA BLOOMS
동백꽃 필 무렵

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2019
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Cast: Kong Hyo-jin, Kim Ji-seok, Kang Ha-neul

Episodes: 20
Running Time: 60 minutes

A romantic comedy thriller about a woman (Kong Hyo-Jin) who gets tangled up with 3 men. Romance, comedy, and thriller might seem like very unusual combinations for a drama, but this one became a hit.

This mini-series drama got a 23.8% viewing rate on one of the episodes. Generally, 10% is considered to be a success in Korea so to get over 23% is just astonishing. It received praise from the critics and audiences for having a great production and solid acting. 

CHIEF OF STAFF
보좌관

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2019
Genre: Politics, Drama
Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Shin Min-a, Kim Dong-jun

Seasons: 2
Episodes: 10
Running Time: 60 minutes

A detective (Lee Jung-Jae) who wants to gain more power decides to work in the National Assembly. He becomes a chief aide to a 4-time lawmaker who influences authorities and chases his ambitions to reach the top. Watch and find out more!

Both season 1 and 2 were released in 2019. This was Lee Jung-Jae's TV drama after a 10-year absence. 

HOTEL DEL LUNA
호텔 델루나

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Horror, Romance
Cast: Lee Ji-eun (IU), Yeo Jin-goo, Shin Jeong-geun

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 80 minutes

Hotel del Luna, located in Myeongdong, Seoul, is a hotel for ghosts. To regular people, this hotel can only be seen at night. Humans can only enter this hotel on special occasions like a lunar eclipse. 

SKY CASTLE
스카이 캐슬

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2018
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Cast: Yum Jung-ah, Lee Tae-ran, Yun Se-ah

Episodes: 20
Running Time: 60-80 minutes

A dark drama about upper-class parents who would do anything to keep their successful life. In a luxurious residential area called SKY Castle in suburban Seoul, housewives indulge in their wealthy environment. 

The wives are determined to make their husbands more successful and to raise their children into top students who enroll in only the best universities in the nation.

MR. SUNSHINE
미스터 션샤인 

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2018
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Cast: Lee Byung-hyun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok

Episodes: 24
Running Time: 60-90 minutes

A young boy (Lee Byung-hun) who was born as a slave finds a way to escape to the United States in 1871. He becomes a United States Marine Corps officer and returns to Korea. He finds himself falling in love with an aristocrat's daughter (Kim Tae-ri) and at the same time finds out about the foreign forces' plot to colonize Korea.

This drama reached a 20% viewing rate and was the number one drama at the time, showing great performance and filming sets. 

MY MISTER
나의 아저씨

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2018
Genre: Drama, Family
Cast: Lee Sun-gyun, Lee Ji-eun (IU), Go Du-sim

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 60-90 minutes

My Mister tells the story of three middle-aged brothers, who are enduring the weight of their lives, and a strong cold woman, who has been living a hard life on her own. A middle-aged man and (Lee Sun Gyun) and a young woman (Lee Ji-eun) develop a scene of kinship as they find warmth and comfort in one another. 

PRISON PLAYBOOK
슬기로운 감빵생활

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2017
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Cast: Park Hae-soo, Jung Kyung-ho, Krystal Jung

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 90 minutes

A superstar baseball pitcher (Park Hae-Soo) hears her sister screaming one night and notices a man hurrying out of her apartment. He runs after him and hits him on the head with a rock. He catches the guy who sexually attacked his sister but finds himself convicted of assault with a 1-year sentence in prison. What will happen to the superstar baseball pitcher inside the prison? 

The viewing rate for this drama started off at 4.8% and ended at 12% which shows the storyline of this drama connected more and more as the episodes went on. This was Park Hae-Soo's first-ever lead role. 

STRANGER
비밀의 숲

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2017
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Cast: Cho Seung-woo, Bae Doona, Choi Jae-woong

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 60-90 minutes

A prosecutor, due to his brain surgery at a young age, lacks emotions (Cho Seung-Woo). He gets partnered up with a female detective (Bae Doona) who is passionate and warm-hearted. They get together to solve a serial murder case. What kinds of dirt will they find?  

BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST LIFE
이번 생은 처음이라

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2017
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Cast: Jung So-min, Lee Min-ki, Esom

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 70 minutes

Ji Ho is a single woman, who is a writing assistant of drama series. She is strong and determined but has to leave her house and seeks for other places to live.

She finally finds a housemate, and they agree on getting married for each others' financial convenience. However, they get to discover nothing is simple when it comes to demanding in-laws or facing their growing feelings to each other. 

SIGNAL
시그널

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2016
Genre: Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Cast: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo, Cho Jin-woong

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 60-70 minutes

Signal follows a young profiler in the present day, Park Hae Young (Lee Je-hoon), who acquires a mysterious walkie-talkie which allows him to communicate with Detective Lee Jae Han (Cho Jin-woong) from the late '80s to the early 2000s.

Along with all the crime scenes, there is Detective Cha Soo Hyun (Kim Hye-soo), who is Hae Young's boss and a close colleague/friend of Jae Han. The three attempts to solve several cold cases to change the future and bring those responsible for their crime to justice. 

THE PRODUCERS
프로듀사

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2015
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Cast: Cha Tae-hyun, Gong Hyo-jin, Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Ji-eun (IU)

Episodes: 12
Running Time: 80 minutes

A group of young television producers Ra Joon Mo (Cha Tae-hyun), Baek Seung Chan (Kim Soo-Hyun), Tak Ye Jin (Gong Hyo-jin), and K-Pop star Cindy (Lee Ji-eun) works hard within the entertainment division of a major broadcasting network in Korea. If you are looking for a cute, easy-going workplace romantic comedy, this is right for you! 

OH MY GHOSTESS
오 나의 귀신님

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2015
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Cast: Park Bo-young, Jo Jung-suk, Kim Seul-gi

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 60 minutes

Oh My Ghostess is a story of Na Bong Sun (Park Bo-young), a shy and timid cook, and Kang Sun Woo (Jo Jung-suk), who is a star chef and happens to be her boss, and whom she has a crush on.

Bong Sun also has the ability to see ghosts, and one day, she gets possessed by Shin Sun Ae (Kim Seul-gi), a lusty virgin ghost who is trying to settle a grudge by having a night with a man before she can move on to the afterlife. 

REPLY 1988
응답하라 1988

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2015
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Family
Cast: Lee Hyeri, Ryu Jun-yeol, Go Kyung-pyo

Episodes: 20
Running Time: 90-110 minutes

Set in the year 1988, this drama shows 5 families who live close together in a town called Ssangmundong in Seoul. The story reflects on how people lived and grew up in 1988 in very realistic and pure ways.  

This was a hit drama, especially to the audience in their 30s as it brought back their childhood memories and made them go back in time. It reached an 18.8% viewing rate, and because of this drama, the 1980s fashion returned to young generations. 

SECRET AFFAIR
밀회

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2014
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Cast: Kim Hee-ae, Yoo Ah-in, Park Hyuk-kwon

Episodes: 16
Running Time: 60 minutes

A director (Kim Hae-Ae) of the Seohan Arts Foundation who is in her 40s and a young pianist who is in his 20s can not resist their love for one and other.

Kim Hee-Ae is well known for taking promiscuous acts on the screen and has gotten a lot of praise from her performance. 

REPLY 1994
응답하라 1994

Source: IMDB

Release Year: 2013
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Cast: Go Ara, Jung Woo, Yoo Yeon-seok

Episodes: 21
Running Time: 60-90 minutes

All hailing from various provinces of Korea for their secondary education, a group of college students go from being complete strangers to a big happy family at a Sinchon boarding house. 

Along with the series of Reply 1997, Reply 1994 follows the storytelling where it shifts between the past in 1994 and the present in 2013, making the viewers guess who will become Na-jung's husband among the male characters. 

The last episode of the series marked 14.3%, which was the highest viewing rate among the cable dramas.

That brings us to the end of the list. We hope you check some of them out as they are worth re-watching and getting into even today. Let us know your favourite too!

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