By Marcelo Leite
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Starting with Kingdom and Love Alarm in 2019, Netflix has released dozens of original K-dramas, many of which are among the best Korean shows of recent years. There are plenty of K-dramas available on Netflix, and not all of them are streaming originals. For example, Queen of Tears, one of the most popular K-dramas of 2024, was broadcast in South Korea and streamed in several countries on Netflix. That said, while licensed titles still make for a significant portion of Netflix’s K-drama catalog, the streamer is releasing more original Korean content every year.
Netflix’s original K-dramas are usually limited series with a relatively short number of episodes compared to the usual 16 episodes of a traditional broadcast K-drama. That said, many of Netflix’s K-drama webseries have gotten more than one season, including but not limited to Sweet Home and Squid Game. Some of the most prominent Korean actors, writers, and directors have collaborated with the streaming giant recently, which is why Netflix has so many great original K-dramas.
15 Celebrity
(2023)
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8/10

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Celebrity
TV-MA
Drama
Thriller
- Release Date
- 2023 - 2022
- Directors
- Kim Cheol-Kyu
- Writers
- Kim Yi-young
Cast
-
Park Gyu-young
-
Kang Min-hyuk
-
Lee Chung-ah
-
Celebrity is a South Korean drama-thriller series created for Netflix. The show follows Seo Ah-ri, a woman who enjoyed a wealthy childhood, only to lose it all after an incident caused her family to go into poverty. Years later, now working as a door-to-door cosmetics salesperson, a chance encounter with a former friend begins to lure her into the world of celebrity influencer culture on social media. However, Seo Ah-ri quickly discovers the world is more intense and dangerous than she initially expected.
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
After a couple of memorable supporting roles in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and Sweet Home, Park Gyu-young got to lead her own Netflix series Celebrity. The series explores the impact of social media on mental health and the dangers of celebrity culture, particularly at a time when there are so many social media influencers. Park Gyu-young gives one of her best performances on this show, and while Celebrity isn’t groundbreaking, it does a good job of tackling a serious issue without coming off as preachy. It’s one of Netflix’s hidden gem K-dramas.
14 The Trunk
(2024)
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9.8/10

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The Trunk
Drama
Mystery
Romance
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2023
- Network
- Netflix
- Directors
- Kim Kyoo-tae
- Writers
- Park Eun-young
Cast
-
Gong Yoo
Roh In-ji
-
Seo Hyeon-jin
Han Jeong-won
-
The Trunk, releasing on November 29, 2024, follows the mysterious discovery of a trunk on the shoreline, unveiling a hidden marriage service and the peculiar relationship of a couple intertwined in its secrets.
- Main Genre
- Mystery
- Character(s)
- Roh In-ji, Han Jeong-won, Uncredited
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
The Trunk was Gong Yoo’s long-awaited comeback almost three years after his previous Netflix show, The Silent Sea. While seeing Gong Yoo in a leading role again after so long was exciting, The Trunk did not live up to the expectations and wasn’t that different from other psychological thrillers. It is a slow-burn show with a lot of mysteries carried by the performances of its lead actors. Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-jin lead The Trunk’s cast as two people who signed up for a fake marriage, a classic K-drama trope that gets a new spin on this show.
13 Parasite: The Grey
(2024)
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9.5/10

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Parasyte: The Grey
Action
Mystery
Horror
Sci-Fi
- Release Date
- April 5, 2024
- Directors
- Yeon Sang Ho
- Writers
- Ryu Yong Jae, Yeon Sang Ho
Cast
-
Jeon So Nee
-
Koo Kyo Hwan
-
Lee Jung Hyun
-
"Parasyte: The Grey" imagines a world where alien parasites begin taking over human hosts, blending horror with psychological drama. The story follows a young man who forms a symbiotic relationship with his alien parasite, leading to a morally complex journey as they confront other parasites threatening humanity. This adaptation adds a unique twist, focusing on the grey areas of survival, identity, and the essence of being human.
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Creator(s)
- Yeon Sang Ho
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
Apart from One Piece, Netflix’s live-action anime adaptations don’t have the best of reputations. Fortunately, Parasite: The Grey was from a traditional anime adaptation. Instead of retelling the story of the Parasyte manga and using the same characters from the popular anime series, Parasite: The Grey told an original story set in that same world. Whereas most of Parasyte was set in Tokyo, Japan, Parasite: The Grey took place in Seoul, South Korea, meaning the Netflix show was following new characters in a different setting. It was a fresh, creative, and well-executed take on the world of Parasyte.
12 Gyeongseong Creature
(2023-2024)
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16 9.5/10

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Gyeongseong Creature
TV-MA
Action
Horror
Thriller
- Release Date
- December 22, 2023
- Directors
- Chung Dong-yoon, Roh Young-sub
- Writers
- Kang Eun-kyung
Cast
-
Park Seo-joon
-
Han So-hee
-
Soo Hyun Kim
-
Gyeongseong Creature is an action horror-thriller television series that Kang Eun-kyung and Chung Dong-yoon created for Netflix. Set in 1945 during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Jang Tae-Sang, a wealthy informant in the heart of Gyeongseong, and Yoon Chae-ok, a highly skilled investigator, come together to face a literal creature created from the cumulative greed of humanity.
- Creator(s)
- Kang Eun-kyung, Chung Dong-yoon
- Seasons
- 2
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
Starring Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee, Gyeongseong Creature has two seasons that might be better perceived as two different shows entirely. While the first season is a historical drama set in the final days of Japan’s occupation of Korea that adds a sci-fi twist to the true, horrifying story of Unit 731, season 2 brings Gyeongseong Creature to modern-day Seoul. The idea of having a 79-year time jump between seasons was interesting, but Gyeongseong Creature didn’t have much else to offer. The chemistry between Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee is strong, but their characters never live up to it.
11 Hellbound
(2021-2024)
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4/10
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Hellbound
TV-MA
K-Drama
Crime
Fantasy
- Release Date
- 2021 - 2023
- Network
- Netflix
- Directors
- Yeon Sang-ho
- Writers
- Yeon Sang-ho
Cast
-
Yoo Ah-in
-
Kim Hyun-joo
-
Park Jeong-min
-
Netflix's Hellbound is a Korean Drama and Dark Fantasy series that is directed by Yeon Sang-ho and based on his graphic novel, The Hellbound Volume 1. The series takes place in a modern fantastical version of Korea in which strange creatures pick and choose individuals to send to Hell.
- Main Genre
- K-Drama
- Seasons
- 2
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
One of Netflix’s first original K-drama hits, Hellbound came out around a year after Sweet Home and delivered a similar yet equally interesting horror story with a lot of action and terrifying creatures. Exploring themes of religion and the social contract, Hellbound raised the question of what would happen if “angels of death” suddenly started appearing to sentence people to hell. Hellbound is full of mystery boxes and never gives the viewer all the answers they are looking for. However, this only adds to the show’s premise, which is how humans react to something they can’t understand or rationalize.
10 The Frog
(2024)
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6/10

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The Frog
Drama
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2023
Cast
-
Yoon Kyesang
Goo Sang-joon
-
Go Min-si
Yoo Seong-ah
-
Lee Jeong-eun
Yoon Bo-min
-
A mysterious woman arrives at a rental home and turns the owner's life upside-down.
- Seasons
- 1
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Character(s)
- Goo Sang-joon, Yoo Seong-ah, Yoon Bo-min, Young-ha, Jong-doo
If Song Kang is the Son of Netflix, then Go Min-si is the Daughter of Netflix. In the same year where she reprised her role as Lee Eun-yu for Sweet Home's third and final season, Go Min-si starred in her own Netflix original series, The Frog. A psychological thriller about how trauma can define one's life forever, The Frog followed two different stories that eventually intersected. Go Min-si arguably gives the best performance of her career in The Frog as a woman who has no remorse over her actions and will do whatever it takes to get what she wants.
9 The Silent Sea
(2021)
Two months after he stole the show in Squid Game as the mysterious Salesman, Gong Yoo starred in a different Netflix original K-drama, this time in the lead role. Combining horror and science-fiction, The Silent Sea is one of Netflix’s most interesting Korean shows and arguably doesn’t get the love it deserves. It marked Gong Yoo’s return to horror five years after the success of Train to Busan, although The Silent Sea was more about the ominous atmosphere of a space mission gone wrong than it was about scares. The Silent Sea had a self-contained story and great performances.
8 Love Alarm
(2019)
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7.3/10

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Love Alarm
Not Rated
Drama
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Release Date
- 2019 - 2020
Cast
-
Kim So-hyun
-
Jung Ga-ram
-
Song Kang
-
Love Alarm is a South Korean television series based on the popular webtoon by Chon Kye-young. Set in a world where a mobile app alerts users when someone within a 10-meter radius has romantic feelings for them, the show follows Kim Jo-jo, a high school girl who becomes embroiled in a complicated web of relationships and social hierarchies as she navigates the consequences of the Love Alarm app.
- Creator(s)
- Yu Bo-ra
- Seasons
- 2
Song Kang is known as the Son of Netflix, and it all started five years ago with Love Alarm. The first Netflix original K-drama to come out, Love Alarm wasn’t too different from other romance K-dramas but still delivered a charming story told across two seasons.
Go Min-si and Song Kang would reunite a year later for a different Netflix K-drama, Sweet Home.
Given that this was one of Netflix’s first K-drama projects, it made sense to start with a more traditional romance K-drama set in high school and featuring a love triangle. Still, Love Alarm has a fun premise about a futuristic dating app that sets the narrative for one of Netflix’s most charming K-dramas.
7 Kingdom
(2019-2020)
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Based on the webtoon The Kingdom of the Gods,Kingdom is a 2019 South Korean historical drama-horror series created for Netflix. Lee Chang, the crown prince of a fictional interpretation of 16th-century Korea, is forced to stand in for his ailing father as a plague begins to ravage their homeland, all while fighting off would-be-usurpers to the throne.
- Seasons
- 2
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
While Love Alarm was the first original K-drama to be commissioned by Netflix, Kingdom was the first original Korean series to debut on the platform. Over five years later, Kingdom still holds up and remains one of the best K-dramas on Netflix. While there had been plenty of zombie K-dramas and monster shows in general by that point across all networks and streaming platforms, Kingdom did something different by telling a zombie story in the 17th century. With elements of horror, fantasy, and romance, Kingdom has something for everyone and is one of the most entertaining K-dramas available.
6 Sweet Home
(2020-2024)
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16 9/10

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Sweet Home
TV-MA
Drama
Horror
Fantasy
Sci-Fi
- Release Date
- 2020 - 2023
- Directors
- Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo, Park So-hyun
- Writers
- Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min, Park So-jung
- Franchise(s)
- Sweet Home
Cast
-
Song Kang
-
Lee Jin-Wook
-
Lee Si-young
-
Sweet Home follows the story of Hyun-soo, a reclusive high school student who moves into the Green Home apartment complex after losing his family. When a mysterious epidemic turns people into monstrous creatures, Hyun-soo and the residents of Green Home must band together to survive, confronting their inner demons and the horrifying threats outside.
- Main Genre
- Horror
- Creator(s)
- Kim Seol-jin, Kim Carnby, Hwang Young-chan
- Seasons
- 3
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
Netflix’s first worldwide K-drama sensation, Sweet Home paved the way for other big-budget Korean webseries like Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead. With a lot of action, fun characters, and an exciting cast of up-and-coming Korean actors led by Song Kang, Sweet Home quickly became a hit. While it changes a lot in season 2, Sweet Home is still an overall enjoyable show that makes you root for the characters amidst a monster apocalypse. Song Kang plays a tragic protagonist in a show that also includes names like Go Min-si, Park Gyu-young, and Lee Do-hyun.
5 Mr. Plankton
(2024)
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10/10

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Mr. Plankton
Romance
Comedy
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2023
- Network
- Netflix
- Directors
- Hong Jong-chan
- Writers
- Jo Yong
Cast
-
Rich Ting
Wang Chil-seong
-
Woo Do-Hwan
Hae Jo - Considering
-
Lee Yoo-mi
Jo Jae mi- Considering
-
A man facing the end of his life and his former partner, the reluctant bride-to-be, embark on a poignant final journey together. The series examines their complex relationship and the profound impact of confronting mortality, blending emotional exploration with life's stark realities.
- Main Genre
- Romance
- Character(s)
- Wang Chil-seong, Hae Jo - Considering, Jo Jae mi- Considering, Ho Eung, Criminal
- Seasons
- 1
Woo Do-hwan and Lee Yoo-mi leading a Netflix original series about two unlucky people who can’t seem to get their lives figured out sounded like a great premise. Fortunately, Mr. Plankton lived up to it. With dark humor and a lot of chemistry between the lead actors, Mr. Plankton was one of the best K-dramas of 2024. Both Woo Do-hwan and Lee Yoo-mi succeed in making their characters feel human and relatable. Their love story is as funny as it is tragic, but it’s also full of sweet moments. That’s not to mention Oh Jung-se’s hilarious performance as Eo Heung.
4 My Name
(2021)
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9/10

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My Name
TV-MA
Crime
Drama
Mystery
- Release Date
- 2021 - 2020
Cast
-
Han So-hee
-
Park Hee-soon
-
Ahn Bo-Hyun
-
My Name is a South Korean television series starring Han So-hee as Ji-woo, a revenge-driven woman who infiltrates a drug cartel to avenge her father's death. As she rises through the ranks, Ji-woo must navigate the dangerous underworld of organized crime and confront her own morality.
- Creator(s)
- Kim Jin-min, Kim Ba-da
- Seasons
- 1
Han So-hee has been in a lot of romantic K-dramas, including hits like Nevertheless with Song Kang, but her best TV show was all about action and revenge. A violent show about a girl who becomes part of the mob to avenge the death of her father, My Name was full of twists and turns and allowed Han So-hee to play an action antihero. The fact that it was difficult to say who was in the right during the show made My Name incredibly interesting, particularly as Ji-woo started to realize that things weren’t as simple as she thought.
3 All Of Us Are Dead
(2021-)
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8/10
106 9.4/10

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All Of Us Are Dead
TV-MA
Action & Adventure
Drama
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Horror
- Release Date
- January 28, 2022
- Network
- Netflix
- Writers
- Chun Sung-il
Cast
-
Park Ji-hu
Nam On-jo
-
Yoon Chan-young
Lee Cheong-san
-
Cho Yi-hyun
Choi Nam-ra
-
All of Us Are Dead is a South Korean series that centers on a high school overrun by a zombie virus outbreak. The students, facing an unprecedented crisis, must navigate survival while combating the threat of becoming part of the undead horde.
- Seasons
- 1
- Production Company
- Film Monster, JTBC Studios
One of Netflix’s most-watched Korean shows of all time, All of Us Are Dead proved that even a worn-out concept like zombies could still make for an exciting show if done right. All of Us Are Dead doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to zombies, focusing instead on making these creatures as scary and intense as possible.
Related
Why All Of Us Are Dead Season 2 Is Taking So Long
More than two years after All of Us Are Dead was renewed, the Netflix K-drama still doesn’t have a release date. But why is season 2 taking so long?
5
The fight choreography is incredible, particularly the way the zombies move and run. With 12 great episodes so far, All of Us Are Dead is action-packed from start to finish but also has time for character development and romance.
2 The Glory
(2022-2023)
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9/10

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The Glory
TV-MA
Drama
Mystery
Thriller
- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022
- Network
- Netflix
- Directors
- An Gil-ho
- Writers
- Kim Eun-sook
Cast
-
Song Hye-Kyo
Moon Dong-eun
-
Lee Do-Hyun
Lee Gil-seong
-
Lim Ji-yeon
Kang Yeong-cheon
-
The Glory is a South Korean television series that follows the journey of Moon Dong-eun, a woman who seeks vengeance against those who tormented her during her school years. As she meticulously executes her elaborate plans, the show explores themes of bullying, revenge, and the lasting impact of trauma. Directed by Ahn Gil-ho and written by Kim Eun-sook, the series stars Song Hye-kyo in the lead role.
- Seasons
- 1
- Main Genre
- Thriller
- Character(s)
- Moon Dong-eun, Lee Gil-seong, Kang Yeong-cheon, Teacher Chu, Park Yeon-jin (young), Moon Dong-eun (young), Joo Yeo-jeong, Park Yeon-jin, Kang Hyeon-nam, Jeon Jae-joon, Ha Do-yeong, Lee Sa-ra, Choi Hye-jeong, Son Myeon-go, Yoon So-hee, Landlord, Shin Yeong-jun, Jeon Jae-jun (young), Hong Yeong-ae, Lee Sa-ra (young), Choi Hye-jeong (young), Son Myeong-o (young), Ha Ye-sol, Ahn Jeong-mi, Kim Jong-mun
- Creator(s)
- Ahn Gil-ho, Kim Eun-sook
- Producers
- Yoon Ha-lim
The Glory took the concept of revenge K-drama to a whole other level and delivered one of the most intense, violent TV shows on Netflix. The series doesn’t shy away from the physical and psychological aspects of bullying and makes the viewer root for Dong-eun regardless of how far she is willing to go to get revenge. The Glory’s global success on Netflix was no surprise, and it has since been regarded as one of the best K-dramas of all time. The Glory does a lot of things better than other psychological thrillers and feels like a horror show.
1 Squid Game
(2021-2025)
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8/10
190 8.7/10

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Squid Game
TV-MA
Action & Adventure
Mystery
Drama
Thriller
- Release Date
- 2021 - 2024
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Directors
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Writers
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cast
-
Lee Jung-jae
Seong Gi-hun / 'No. 456'
-
Lee Byung-hun
Front Man
-
Park Hae-soo
Cho Sang-woo / 'No. 218'
-
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 about financially struggling individuals who are invited to participate in a series of children's games. The competition offers a lucrative prize but comes with perilous consequences, as the players soon discover the lethal stakes involved in each round.
- Seasons
- 3
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
It is difficult to argue against Squid Game being Netflix’s best original K-drama considering how massively popular the show became. While popularity isn’t necessarily a measure of quality, Squid Game became Netflix’s most-watched show of all time for a reason. A compelling protagonist played by the now Emmy-winner Lee Jung-jae, relatable characters whose deaths were all tragic, and a twisted take on children’s games are just some of the reasons Squid Game became so big. With both seasons featuring a stellar cast and a fast-paced story that has a lot to say, Squid Game is Netflix’s best original K-drama.
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