With the popularity of Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari and Netflix’s Squid Game, people around the world have been swept up in the ‘Korean wave’ (otherwise known as Hallyu). 

Squid Game ranked number one in 94 countries when it debuted on Netflix in 2021 and had millions of viewers gripped. The dystopian thriller has also been confirmed for an exciting second season (coming later this year) and Netflix even released a game show version of the series, Squid Game: The Challenge, in 2023.

However, it is well worth remembering that Squid Game is just one of many brilliant Korean TV dramas available for streaming. What will you be watching first?

One of the big K-dramas of 2024 so far, A Killer Paradox is a crime thriller that’ll leave you on the edge of your seat and possibly feeling a little stressed, but in a good way. When one accidental killing leads to another, an ordinary young man, Lee Tang, finds himself stuck in an endless cat-and-mouse chase with the relentless detective Jang Nan-gam. But the murder isn’t quite what it seems…

This remake of the Spanish-language thriller La Casa De Papel (or Money Heist, as it’s known in English) takes place in a parallel near-future, in which North and South Korea are on the edge of becoming reunified. As part of those plans, the new country will require a single currency, prompting a group of would-be thieves to plot to steal the freshly printed cash.

Kim Mo-mi (played by Go Hyun-jung) is an ordinary office worker who is plagued with insecurities about her appearance. At night, though, she dons a mask to become a live-streamer online, eventually getting caught up in a dramatic chain of events.

On the hunt for a gripping psychological thriller? Look no further than Beyond Evil, which stars Shin Ha-kyun and Yeo Jin-goo as a pair of police officers who must work together in order to catch the serial killer who has been persecuting a small town. Their twist-laden investigation leads them to uncover plenty of secrets.

After her husband’s death, former police officer Koo Kyung-yi (played by Lee Young-ae, famed for her role in Sympathy For Lady Vengeance) starts to drink too much and becomes a recluse. She starts a job as an insurance investigator, digging into false claims using her finely honed detecting skills. It might not seem like the most fascinating job, but that changes when a pattern of mysterious deaths causes her to suspect foul play.

Thinking back to your schooldays is enough of a horror for most people but what if you were trapped inside due to a zombie virus outbreak? Well, that’s the premise for Netflix’s latest popular Korean drama, All Of Us Are Dead.

Trapped and with nowhere to go, high school students must escape the zombie-infested school grounds. The drama was hailed by viewers as addictive and binge-worthy, not least because of how it also manages to tackle issues around school politics – as well as being a gruesome, suspenseful watch.

If you like your horrors with a dose of zombie apocalypse action, this is the drama that should be top of your watchlist.

This revenge drama should be a natural next step for lovers of Squid Game. The eight-episode series follows a young woman, played by Han Sohee, who joins a drug cartel to avenge her father’s death. Encountering hard truths along the way, she later infiltrates the law enforcement agency involved in his murder.

On the surface, Squid Game is all cutesy colourful fun, as 456 people come together to play traditional children’s games to win a huge cash prize. Much like Battle Royale, however, there’s a catch: to lose the game means… well, it means death, and a horribly violent death at that.

Who will win? Who will lose? And, if you can get past all of that shock value, gore and mayhem, it’s time to tackle the biggest question of all: what is the purpose of this twisted game?

Crash Landing On You tells the story of two star-crossed lovers, Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), a South Korean chaebol heiress, and Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), a member of the North Korean elite and a captain in the North Korean Special Police Force.

Their relationship begins, as all the best on-screen relationships do, frostily: Ri Jeong-hyeok finds Yoon Se-ri, after all, in an area forbidden for South Koreans. Quickly, she persuades him to give her shelter. Over time, she convinces him to help her get back across the border to her home. And, inevitably, they fall in love, despite the divide and dispute between their respective countries.

Romance Is A Bonus Book has garnered a lot of popularity with Netflix subscribers – and no wonder. Funny, sweet and evenly paced, it follows Cha Eun-ho (Lee Jong-suk), a gifted writer who becomes the youngest editor-in-chief ever at his publishing company. But, when former copywriter Kang Dan-i (Lee Na-young) comes to him desperate for a job, he quickly finds himself becoming enmeshed in her life.

Mr Sunshine tells the story of Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun), a young boy who ends up in the US after the 1871 Shinmiyangyo incident.

Now an officer with the American military, he returns to Korea at a historical turning point, and finds himself falling for a young noblewoman named Ae-sin (Kim Tae-ri). But, when he uncovers a dark plan to colonise the country he once fled, Eugene is faced with a seemingly impossible choice…

It’s worth noting, though, that while the series has received critical acclaim for its cinematography and storytelling, some have accused it of taking a “pro-Japanese” approach to Korean history.

The New York Times named this romantic drama series one of the best international shows of 2020, praising the “archly clever series” for its “tart commentary on cancel culture.”

For those of you who need a little more to go on, though, the critically acclaimed series tells the story of Moon Kang Tae (Kim Soo-hyun), an empathetic healthcare worker at a psychiatric ward who doesn’t have time for love, and Go Moon Young (Seo Ye-ji), a wildly successful children’s book author who doesn’t believe in it.

As the two get to know each other, they slowly find themselves wading into the L-O-V-E waters they’ve long determined to avoid. And, in the process, they embark on a journey of emotional healing.

If you’re looking for a fun mashup of Grey’s Anatomy and Friends, say hello to Hospital Playlist. Centring around five doctors who became friends while studying in medical school, it follows the 40-somethings as they navigate the landmines in their respective departments.

The first ever Netflix original Korean series to stream on the platform, Kingdom fuses the historical, fantasy and horror genres into one big addictive series. It begins with rumours of a deceased king rising from the grave and the spread of a mysterious plague, prompting Crown Prince Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) to embark on a mission to a) uncover an evil conspiracy, and b) put an end to a rapidly spreading influx of zombies. As you do.

Starring Ha Ji-won, this historical drama series sees a young woman navigate her way through love, war, politics, and national loyalties to become a powerful empress in China’s Yuan dynasty. As such, Empress Ki is just as beloved for its gorgeous cinematography and lavish costumes as it is the story at its heart.

This romantic thriller follows single mother Oh Dong Baek (Kong Hyo-Jin) as she meets and falls in love with Yongsik (Kang Ha-Neul), a do-gooder police officer in their small town. But, if you think this is just another small town romance, think again; a sinister serial killer lurks in the background, and it seems our hero may be his next target…

If you’re a glutton for crime dramas, you’ll absolutely want to check out Stranger. It’s best to avoid too much plot (because spoilers), so all we can really tell you is this: the gripping series sees exemplary prosecutor Hwang Si-mok (Cho Seung-woo) lose all his social skills and ability to empathise after undergoing corrective surgery. And so, when he is tasked with solving a high-profile murder case – and one riddled with political intrigue, no less – he finds himself leaning heavily on police detective Han Yeo-jin (Bae Doona).

Cha Hyun-Su (Song Kang) is a reclusive high school student at the best of times but, when his family is killed in a car accident, he’s forced to move into a rundown apartment complex and learn the true meaning of what it means to be alone.

This isn’t just a drama, though; it’s a horror series. Which means that, you guessed it, our hero is forced to overcome his penchant for introversion when the world is turned upside down by a zombie pandemic. Can he and his neighbours – including Pyeon Sang-Wook (Lee Jin-Wook) – join forces to defeat the monsters and survive the outbreak?

When government officers gather together for the president’s State of the Union address, an explosion rattles through the building and kills almost everyone – everyone, that is, except the unambitious minister of environment, Park Moo-Jin (Ji Jin-Hee).

Suddenly, the highest ranking government officer left alive, the former chemistry professor is told that he must sit as the acting president for 60 days… which, you guessed it, he really isn’t into as ideas go. But, as he settles into the role and does his best to track down the assassins responsible, he soon finds himself flourishing as a national leader.

Loosely based on the true story of a Korean serial killer, this series expertly blends crime and sci-fi in its tale of a mysterious walkie talkie that allows a detective from 1986 to communicate with Park Hae-young (Lee Je-hoon), a leading modern day criminal profiler. Cue the long anticipated resolution to a number of long cold cases and a thoroughly dangerous attempt to overcome the rules of fate and time, too.

Love Alarm revolves around the story of a technology that enables users to discover love through an application that notifies whether someone within the range of a 10-metre radius has romantic feelings for them. Which means that, yes, it’s here to make us reconsider everything we think we know about love and soulmates. In a very big way.

In this bittersweet romcom, Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki) and Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So-min) – a pair of 30-something housemates – enter into a marriage of convenience; all they want to do is boost their finances and appease their meddling families. As you’ve undoubtedly guessed, however, it’s not long before the pair start to ‘catch feelings’, and things quickly become more complicated as a result.

This dark fantasy series may just be the best series you’ve likely never heard of. Within 24 hours of its debut back in November 2021, the overnight phenomenon toppled Squid Game as the most watched show on Netflix.

The synopsis reads: “Unearthly beings deliver condemnations, sending individuals to hell and giving rise to a religious group founded on the idea of divine justice.”

As well as plenty of high octane drama, Hellbound promises a spin on the classic horror with some eerie supernatural elements – well worth adding to your watchlist if you haven’t already.

If you’re after a space-age drama that promises bucketloads of suspense, we’ve found just the show for you.

The sci-fi series follows a group of space explorers trying to retrieve samples from “an abandoned research facility steeped in classified secrets”, according to the synopsis. What transpires is a perilous mission to the moon and plenty of thriller action. It also stars acclaimed Korean actor Gong Yoo, who eagle-eyed viewers may recognise from Squid Game as the mysterious salesman.

An Italian lawyer and Mafia consigliere, Vincenzo (Song Joong-ki) is the adopted son of Don Fabio – aka the head of the Cassano mafia family. But, when his doting dad dies, our eponymous hero soon finds himself on his brother’s hit list and is forced to flee to Seoul, where he sets out to a) recover 1.5 tonnes of gold, b) give an unrivalled conglomerate a taste of its own medicine, and c) fall into a hate-at-first-sight relationship with Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been). Obviously.

If the words coming-of-age, romantic and comedy all fill you with nothing but pure, unadulterated joy then we’ve found the next show for you. 

Our Beloved Summer follows two former lovers who made a viral documentary in high school and now, are pulled back together “in front of the camera and into each other’s lives”, according to the synopsis. We say, it sounds like a treat for any romcom lover and will have you lapping up the 10 one-hour-long episodes in no time.

Images: Netflix