A Newbie’s Guide To K-Dramas

If you're fully tapped into the greatness of K-pop bands like Monsta X and BTS, you're already riding the Hallyu wave of entertainment straight of out South Korea. But K-pop isn't the only cultural export making shockwaves around the world — Korean dramas are just as popular globally.

Historical epics. Fantasy tales. Romantic comedies. Novela-style sitcoms. K-dramas do it all, and they do it flawlessly. But long before big streamers like Netflix tapped into the cultural phenomenon to create original Korean dramas for its platform, there were certain staples of this specific section of television that drew early fans in. Marked by wild plotlines, Hallyu heartthrobs, and sweeping OSTs, these titles set the tone for many of the dramas that would follow.

I mean, you could settle for watching the modern projects, but personally? I suggest taking a look at the classics. The high-level production quality of today's new dramas is even sweeter when you know how they got here.

Ahead, the staples in the Korean drama archives that you need to be watching.