Korean dramas or K-dramas have become popular and trending among viewers even outside Asia. Forget statistics, just look in the Dubai metro and you’d see K-drama fans watching episodes with subtitles on their mobile phones! Is it the story, the characters, or the music? The internet paved way for these Korean dramas to reach a global audience.
Here are the top ten you should try and watch. Have we missed your favourite show? Let us know on our social media channels!
1. Descendants of the Sun
The cinematography is stunning! The excitement is sustained from the first episode right to the very end. You’re just on the first one but you know that the characters are meant for each other. Aside from the love story, both lead actors are funny. The captain of the Korean army falls in love with the female lead, a tough doctor, making the whole plot really interesting.
2. Legend of the Blue Sea
Although with a limited budget and screen time, this water world drama shows how a mermaid from the Joseon era can survive in the modern world. She is caught by the charming but awfully cold artist, who is coincidentally a doppelganger of the noble guy from the old world where she came from. Hearing just a few notes of the soundtrack brings back your favourite Lee Min Ho moments.
3. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo
This one is super light and easy to follow. The series is a coming-of-age sports' drama that revolves around the daughter of a former weightlifter, and an obesity doctor whom she falls in love with. It's the old story of friendship blossoming into romance, but the identity search of each of the characters gives it a relatable feeling for fans.
Bet you can say simple Korean phrases such as "Annyeong" (hello), "Kamsahamida" (Thank you) and use “oppa” or “unnie” before you finish watching the series.
4. Love in the Moonlight
It's traditional, it's historical, but it's cute. Hong Ra On disguises herself as a man who counsels men about love and dating. She accidently meets the Crown Prince Hyo Myeong when she wrote in for a client. Ra On had no idea that he is the Crown Prince and he is unaware that Ra On is a woman.
5. Goblin
This is an angsty romance story. An immortality-cursed goblin named Shin, who lives with a grim reaper who has amnesia, uses his powers to help others. Shin must search for a mortal bride who can pull the sword out of his chest and return him to ashes so he can end his immortality.
6. My Love from another Star
This will surely make you cry and laugh at the same time. It's about an alien who landed on Earth during the Joseon Dynasty period. He is near perfect in looks, strength and intelligence and meets a pretty actress, but soon finds out that he has only three months left on Earth. The lead actors are attractive enough to pull off weird and quirky runway outfits.
7. Pinocchio
The drama is a mix of romance, comedy and mystery. It is played in an extremely modern and true-to-life scenario where two young adults are rivals as investigative journalists from different stations, but fall in love along the way.
8. Two Worlds
This is a suspense series with romance, comedy and action. It's about a girl who searches for Mr. Right. Her dad used this theme for the main character in his comic book, which eventually found a life of its own, creating mysterious events bobbing between fantasy and reality.
9. Marriage Contract
This show is engaging, a tearjerker and builds hopeful scenes with its terminal illness melo plot. A young widow raising a little daughter found out that she has a brain tumour and has limited time to live. In order to secure her future, she enters into a contract with a man as his time-limited wife.
10. Strong woman Do Bong Soon
This K-drama is topping the drama lists of 2017. It's funny and entertaining. The story actually revolves around a woman with superhuman strength who gets hired as the bodyguard of the spoiled CEO of a gaming company who is threatened by an unknown enemy.
Annyeong!
