As any modern consumer knows, streaming has opened audiences up to an endless source of entertainment. Both daunting yet exciting, many unearthed gems rest beneath the mammoths and titans of industry. Recently blooming into international popularity, K-Dramas have found success on traditional streaming services like Netflix, but have also flourished on more accessible sites like YouTube.
Both new series and cherished classics, these 10 series have enamored fans from across the world with their captivating characters and distinctly enthralling plots.
10 Gogh, The Starry Night (2016)
Gogh, The Starry Night is an intense romance drama that finds eager, hardworking Go Ho (Kwon Yuri) at the center of attention. Despite her professional demeanor, she hardly gets the respect she deserves from her seemingly cold and domineering boss (Kim Young Kwang). As if things couldn’t get even more complicated, her ex-boyfriend (Lee Ji-hoon) not only joins her company, but they both work in the same unit, creating the foundation for a suspenseful office romance.
A Tense Office Odyssey
Gogh, The Starry Night‘s clever storytelling is apparent from the title itself, a slight nod towards the famous Dutch painter and a play on the protagonist’s name. Workplace romances are anything but foreign to the ordinary romance aficionado. However, the love triangle between GoHo, her ex and her boss further raises the stakes, rendering it impossible for confrontation to be avoided. Within the thread of familiarity, the characters, and thus, the series blossoms into a thoroughly entertaining treat.
Watch Gogh, The Starry Night on YouTube.
9 A-Teen (2018)
A-Teen takes a look into the modern lives of six teenagers and their various crushes and dalliances. Capturing reality with a unique stroke of imagination, the series finds its six protagonists handling typical issues surrounding friendship, romance, and self-perception. While exploring mundane and easily identifiable paths towards maturity, the series’ familiar yet exciting plots make A-Teen an enjoyable, easy breeze.
An Earnest Ode to Youth
A-Teen‘s relatable storylines are its most appealing traits. The series does away with larger-than-life figures in favor of down-to-earth, messy souls that similarly attempt to navigate the intimidating seas of life. From their discussions on dating to having arcs dedicated to self empowerment and conflict resolution, the series makes for an excellent and authentic look into the lives of modern Korean teens.
8 Sweet Home, Sweet Honey (2015)
Sweet Home, Sweet Honey boasts a youthful ensemble cast, each with their own complex backgrounds and captivating traits. Following characters such as Oh Bom (Song Ji-eun), Kang Ma-Roo (Lee Jae-joon), and Choi Ah-ran (Seo Yi), the collection of tales highlights each characters’ insecurities as they inch closer to the fate life has in store for them.
A Suspenseful Illusion
Despite what the title suggests, Sweet Home, Sweet Honey is anything but tender. A drama at its core, the series includes earth-shattering family secrets, bitter rivalries, and an insurmountable amount of immature actions. Mirroring many Western soap operas, Sweet Home, Sweet Honey wears its absurdity on its sleeve, offering audiences a slew of characters they will surely love to hate.
Watch Sweet Home, Sweet Honey Here.
7 Doctor Stranger (2014)
Initially premiering on Korean broadcasting in 2014, Doctor Stranger follows the lives of employees at the Myungwoo University Hospital. At the center of a controversy between two countries, alongside malpractice allegations, the series finds Park Hoon (Lee Jong-suk) returning to South Korea after a case of deception leaves him and his father in the North. Working as a doctor, he comes across a woman (Jin Se-yeon) who reminds him of an old flame, drawing up even more intrigue as the series persists.
A Conundrum of Chaos
Doctor Stranger not only offers viewers a well written medical drama, but with its discussions on North-South Korean relations, the series delves deeper and never shies away from confronting the hostility between the two nations and its resounding effects on seemingly everyday people. With the mystery of Song Jae-hee resurfacing, Doctor Stranger explores themes of memory and identity while offering worthwhile character development and intriguing plots.
Watch Doctor Stranger on YouTube.
6 Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Boys Over Flowers sees the famous Japanese manga series adapted for a late-Noughties, Korean audience. Set in a hostile school environment, the series opens with the kind Geum Jan-di (Ku Hye-sun) navigating said terrifying terrain. After continuous bullying leads to a troubling situation, all eyes are on Jan-di and the boys responsible, soon blooming into a complicated web of attraction, envy, and ire.
Class Consciousness Between Classes
Boys Over Flowers provides audiences with all the much-needed romance and drama that they would have hopefully sought after. However, the juxtaposition between the humble Jan-di and the rich cluster of menaces known as “F4” shines a light on the layers of their torment without ever feeling “preachy” or extraneous. Alongside growing attractions between the two parties, the series has also been cherished for its campiness; offering laughs and a peek into just how ridiculous the characters’ behaviors are.
Watch Boys Over Flowers on YouTube.
5 I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)
Crafted by a childhood less than ideal, jaded prosecutor Jang Hye-sung (Lee Bo-young) lives with only her salary in mind. As her past surfaces through the presence of high school senior Park Soo-ha (Lee Jong-suk), she learns of an invisible world that further complicates her clear path towards wealth and solitude. Throughout the series, both Hye-sung and Soo-ha band together in hopes of solving more crimes.
A Chilling Supernatural Mystery
I Can Hear Your Voice sees two unlikely souls reunite. Lamenting the lives they left behind, Hye-Sung and Soo-ha’s partnership means more than a simple crime-fighting excursion. With acknowledgment of their shared past, the duo confidently steps into the unpredictable future, each with their own fears as they crystallize into more vulnerable and admirable leads.
Watch I Can Hear Your Voice here.
4 Suspicious Partner (2017)
Suspicious Partner finds prosecutor Noh Ji-wook (Ji Chang-wook) and trainee Eun Bong-hee (Nam Ji-hyun) joining forces to thwart the harrowing plots of a crafty murderer. In doing so, the two soon learn of their past, dark connections and, in the face of a shocking accusation, the mystery at hand becomes top priority for both Bong-hee and Ji-wook.
An Entertaining Maze Crafted by Personal Testimonies
Suspicious Partner excels at unfolding the mystery at hand through multiple perspectives, offering audiences an ample amount of evidence. Given the nature of the characters and the presence of multiple exciting twists, the series is an entangled web of secrets and lies that leads to a rewarding conclusion for anyone interested enough to dive in.
Watch Suspicious Partner on YouTube.
3 Playful Kiss
A seemingly typical high school romance, Playful Kiss chronicles the life of outcast Oh Ha-Ni (Jung So-Min) and her crush on popular genius Baek Seung-Jo (Kim Hyun-Joong). In a miraculous turn of events, the two and their respective families move in with one another and tensions rise as unrequited love hangs in the air.
Love and Discord Under One Roof
Playful Kiss’s saccharine title truly understates the dedication Oh Ha-Ni has when it comes to winning the affection of Baek Seung-Jo. The series largely focuses on the differing family dynamics while shining a light on both teens’ paths towards maturity and towards each other, despite the chaos that stands in their way.
Watch Playful Kiss on YouTube.
2 Coffee Prince
Before blooming into international popularity with Squid Game, Gong-Yoo melted the hearts of his fans during his tenure on Coffee Prince. Starring as Choi Han-gyeol, the heir to a thriving coffee empire, the series tracks the burgeoning romance between him and Go Eun-chan (Yoon Eun-hye), a tomboy who’s often mistaken for being a man. In hopes of getting a job at the titular shop, Go Eun-chan continues to mask her identity, leading to an exciting and hilarious series.
An Exceptionally Pleasant Rom-Com
From its exploration of gender expression to the bevy of likable characters, Coffee Prince has emerged as one of the most cherished K-dramas. While maintaining some semblance of simplicity, the series veers into an unexpected direction that ultimately diversifies and enhances the types of romances the world has to offer.
Watch Coffee Prince on YouTube
1 What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim finds Lee Young-joon (Park Seo-joon) in the midst of madness after his reliable secretary, Kim Mi-so (Park Min-young), decides to quit. Shocked by the announcement, he attempts to convince her to retain her position, but the pair soon learn more about themselves and their mutual connection as they unearth the past and hope to move forward.
A Quintessential K-Drama Worth Watching
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim balances the savory aspects of the romance at hand with the familiarly saccharine tropes many expect in romance. The mutual attraction between the two protagonists not only lead to a riveting romance that unfolds, but also offers audiences an equally entertaining supporting cast, all equipped with excellent comedic timing. All in all, What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim is a spellbinding romance that many consider to be a worthwhile series to indulge in.
Watch What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim on YouTube.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
