12 Series That Will Get You Hooked on K-Dramas

Season 2 of “Squid Game” comes out December 26 (the best and darkest holiday gift we could have asked for!) but that leaves plenty of time to take a fresh look at some of the best Korean TV shows available on streaming in the United States. “Squid Game” is undoubtedly the K-drama that broke through the American media machine and awards system, aided by the fact that a lot of American television is getting blessedly more international in its focus — “Pachinko” combines American and Korean filmmaking styles, sets, and sensibilities to become something of its own, while shows like “A Very Secret Service,” “Dark,” “Babylon Berlin,” and “Borgen” all feel perfectly at home in a U.S. Netflix queue. But “Squid Game” is by no means the end-all, be-all for K-dramas. 

In fact, the term “K-drama” might be a little misleading to the uninitiated because it implies a certain kind of story, tone, or focus. The truth is that there’s as much variety in genre and approach on Korean TV as anywhere else. There are dramas, of course — ranging from a broody, prestige piece like “Mr. Sunshine” to the Hong Sisters’ fantastical “Alchemy of Souls.” But there are also sitcoms and coming-of-age romps, countless rom-coms and romantic melodramas, sports-focused feel-good series, and gritty crime mystery shows. If you like serialized stories, you’re going to like K-dramas. The trick is finding the right entry point. 

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Accordingly, we collected a handful of shows from within the last couple of decades that would be a good fit for the K-drama-curious. Consider this a starter pack with one example of different kinds of shows and sensibilities, each with a different set of hooks for American audiences. So if you’re ready to get yourself or a friend or family member into K-drama, here are some places to start.

Christian Zilko also contributed to this list, originally published on June 20, 2022.

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