There are so many amazing Korean shows, also known as K-dramas, out there, and they just keep getting better! While it’s impossible to mention them all, J-14 made a list of some of the most iconic and essential K-dramas, including some of our personal favorites. Keep reading to see our very-own K-drama starter kit.
Many of the best K-dramas that we’ve put on our list are actually based off of webtoons, a.k.a. digital comics. One of the most highly-anticipated webtoons-turned-K-dramas was 2021’s True Beauty, which starred so many big actors in South Korea! K-drama rising star Cha Eun Woo played the character of Lee Su Ho, and spoke about some of the pressures of creating a show that has an already-loyal fanbase.
“It wasn’t like I didn’t feel the pressure. I think that a drama, which moves in three dimensions, has a different appeal from the webtoon, but we had to bring to life what made the webtoon enjoyable,” he told OSEN in February 2021.
ICYMI, Cha Eun Woo is also a member of the K-pop boy group ASTRO — who often show their support in the K-pop star’s acting career!
“[Members] Rocky and JinJin would send me proof that they were watching the broadcast,” he revealed. “They’d also joke around and tell me to give them spoilers for the next episode.”
Another K-pop star who has dipped their toes into the world of K-dramas is BLACKPINK’s Jisoo. The Korean singer made her acting debut in the highly anticipated K-drama titled Snowdrop in 2021, which is also based off of a webtoon.
Snowdrop is set in South Korea in 1987, a historical year for the country that saw a nationwide mass movement forcing the ruling government to hold elections. Snowdrop recounted a romance story between two college students, played by Jisoo (Yeong Ro) and Jung Hae In (Lim Soo Ho).
“Yeong Ro is full of hope and positivity; she’s the kind of person who lights up any room she walks into,” Jisoo said of her character during an interview with Elle Magazine. “She goes through some trials and tribulations and gets caught up in various situations, but she handles everything very maturely. That’s very different to my character personally. I loved that about her.”
Click through our gallery to uncover all of the essential K-dramas you *need* to watch.
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