7 Best Korean Dramas on Netflix

The year was bursting into bloom with excellent K-dramas. My favourites are Sky Castle and Memories of the Alhambra, both of which affected my waking hours when I wasn’t watching them. I used to watch Korean dramas in my post graduate days and then the enthusiasm wore off. It does look like I am very much captivated by the new K-dramas. It is good news that the hold of the patriarchy on the script is weakening. At the same time, there’s nothing like a good K-drama to make you feel good—it always ends well and there’s always lots of food to drool over. These dramas are accessible on Netflix (here are some great Malayalam films if you are in the mood to explore other languages) and in case they are removed in the future, there’s always Viki to dazzle our K-drama binge nights.

1.Memories of the AlHambra (2018)

Set in Spain and South Korea, Memories of the AlHambra follows Yoo Jin-woo, an investment company CEO (Hyun Bin), and Jung Hee Joo, a hostel owner (Park Shin Hye). Jin Woo is at Granada to secure a deal on a new augmented reality game that is based on the mysteries of the AlHambra palace. The only problem is that the developer of the game is missing (maybe even dead) and the players who die in the game seem to be ending up dead in real life as well. The show is an adrenaline rush, really.

The graphics in the series are amazing, the cinematography promises beauty in every shot (no exaggeration), the storytelling is fast paced and each episode ends on a cliff hanger. I admit the last episode was slightly a downer, which often happens when you write out the story per episode instead of plotting it altogether (maybe? My speculations but I also think the script writer Song Jae Jung does a fantastic job more or less) and the product placements are severely over-the-top. What I would change about the series?—More Park Shin Hye please. She gave such an incredible performance that it is a shame she wasn’t in more scenes. Nevertheless Memories of the Alhambra remains one of the best and fantastic TV show of last year. You will want to take a trip to all the beautiful locations in Granada.

2.Sky Castle (2018)

This was a rush! Sky Castle definitely deserves a place on the best international dramas. It isn’t your typical K-drama, there’s more tension, sharp transitions and suspenseful episodes. It follows the housewives and professionals (doctor and lawyers) of a luxurious apartment complex named Sky Castle. This is the world of rich families and the odds they go to make sure their kids achieve the parents’ dreams. There are private tutors, stiff competitions, compare-and-shame parents, double crossing and murders. I watched this at the edge of my seat and I recommended it to everyone soon after. Being from India I could see the parallel world of entrance coaching and the psychological impact on the kids. There are book clubs (not your usual), enclosed study rooms, brain washing and much money in play. Sky Castle is the highest rated drama in Korean cable TV history. Absolutely worth the hype!

3.Her Private life (2019)

A cutesy watch—Sung Deok Mi (Park Min Young) is a museum curator by profession, and an idol fangirl in secret. She is the fan site manager of “Shi-An is my life” where she shares Shi An’s photographs, well wishes, and curates discussions but her new boss, Ryan Gold (Kim Jae Wook) seems to be a handful. The series has the fake-dating-to-fall-in-love trope, but it is so well done. I love how Deok Mi is shown as an intelligent career woman and an adorable fan girl. The show also shines a balanced light on the fan culture towards idols in Korea, fanboards, fan girls, stalking, art by fans, office politics and many fun moments. Also Ryan Gold is gold!

4.Something in the Rain (2018)

Heart eyes for this! Also known as Pretty Noona who Buys me Food, this series is slow (too slow perhaps, but that’s what makes it so good), touching and makes you feel very warm (and loved). After I finished the show, I wondered what made me fall in love with it? Was it the beautiful cinematography? Was it the soothing music or perhaps the unconventional love story? I do not know. But there is something deeply satisfying about a thirty-something woman going about her life—working, getting over a break up, being nitpicked by her mother, finding love, eating and simply existing.

This TV show was like a dream and I loved every minute of it. The story follows  Yoon Jin Ah (Son Ye Jin) who works as a coffee shop supervisor and a twenty something man, Seo Joon Hee (Jung Hae In), who has a crush on her. I loved how the supporting characters were so well defined—Jin Ah’s best friend who is also Joon Hee’s sister getting insecure and protective, the mother who is a Mrs. Bennett when it comes to her daughter’s relationships, and the supportive father. It explores work place harassment, stalking and moving out of parent’s home—yes, this is one wholesome show.

I spent weeks listening to the soundtrack on loop in what I would call the most beautiful hangover I’ve had after a series. Trust me you’ll be very tempted to cook some hot food (those quiet scenes of eating together are so joyful) and simply bask in the loveliness of the music.

5.Temperature of Love (2017)

This checks all the things that makes me gravitate towards a drama. A struggling screen writer, Lee Hyun-soo (Seo Hyun Jin) and chef On Jung Seon (Yang Se Jong, who dreams of opening his own restaurant) are online friends, and soon real-life friends. The third one in the love triangle, Park Jung Woo (Kim Jae Wook) is a wealthy man and an absolute darling—it tears you apart that Hyun Soo has to choose one. Watch for lots of delicious food, steaming soups, excellent fashion sense (Don’t go down the black hole googling Hyun Jin’s attire in the show), writer’s block, riotous script developments for TV shows  and beautiful friendships. The last episode was abrupt, rushed and kind of unbelievable but I promise this series will make you feel very good.

6.One Spring Night (2019)

When I finished watching Something in the Rain, I was left with a big hole in my heart. I wanted more. I wanted more of the slow momentum, the soothing music and the beautiful cinematography. The cast remains nearly the same (The lead couple were supposed to be cast again but that didn’t work out) in this series where a librarian and a pharmacist fall in love. The tone and feel is very similar to Something in the Rain and it touches on sensitive topics like single parenthood, over bearing father (the parents undergo a role reversal), supportive mother, abusive husbands, divorce and familiarizing with the other’s family members. Watch this after Something in the Rain if you ache for more, but not before.

7.Hotel del Luna (2019)

The Hotel del Luna located in Myeong-dong, Seoul, is headed by CEO Jang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun) and staffed by ghosts. The hotel caters to ghosts who can rent rooms and live their unfulfilled dreams for a few days before moving onto after life. (There was a ghost who was given a room filled with books to read to her heart’s content—this short scene was my favourite). Humans cannot see or visit the hotel, unless under special circumstances, and the CEO—spendthrift with a thing for new cars—trapped at the hotel because of a curse, employs a new human hotelier Koo Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo). Bring on evil spirits, mystery rooms, luxury travel to afterlife, squabbling ghosts, time travel and murders.

8.Goblin (2016)

Slightly cheating and adding this old K-drama into the list. I stay away from hyped dramas but last year I decided to give Goblin (also called Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) a try and it is worth every hyped praise! It isn’t available on Netflix, so Viki to the rescue here.

A 930+ year old Goblin is waiting for a human bride to free him from a curse. There’s God, the Samsin Halmoni (triple goddess of fate), Grim Reaper, rebirths and lots of myths entwined in this historical saga. Very intricate plot and the time jumps to the Goreyon dynasty (where the Goblin serves as a General) and back to the present add to the intrigue—I felt as if I was being told bedtime stories with its clever plot. There is an older man-young girl trope (Goblin doesn’t age whereas the human bride is first seen as a school girl). It worked in this series because of the mythical aspect but I am also glad that viewers raised voices against such tropes in future series.

All images, except the featured image, are promotional posters of the said films. Please contact me if any need to be removed.

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