K-dramas have never been more popular, and it’s easy to see why. These bright, smart, often funny - and often very dramatic Korean exports suit every taste from dystopian horror to sweet romance - but where do you even start? We asked the HELLO! office for their favourite Netflix picks, and here are the top choices…
Crash Landing on You
Another very popular title in the HELLO! office is this 2019 series which follows Se-ri, an heiress who accidentally gets blown into North Korea while paragliding (seriously) and is rescued by Jeong-jueok, a captain in the Korean People’s Army who agrees to help sneak her back to South Korea.
Boys Over Flowers
An oldie but a goodie, the story follows Jan-di, a poor student who accidentally finds herself winning a scholarship to a prestigious school. Struggling to fit in, she runs afoul of the F4, a group of extremely wealthy, popular boys who run the school, particularly their leader, the grumpy and brooding Jun-pyo. You see where this is going, right?
My Love from the Star
A romantic comedy with a little alien twist, My Love from the Star follows Min-joon, an alien who is frustrated after being trapped on Earth for hundreds of years. With his rescue mere months away, he accidentally falls in love with his next-door neighbour, a brash but delightful actress, Song-yi.
Squid Game
It hardly needs mentioning since it was such a phenomenon when released back in 2021, but we couldn’t leave Squid Game out! The story follows Gi-hun, a man down on his luck who agrees to take part in a game to wish for an insane cash prize. Little does he know that if you lose, you die. Think The Hunger Games meets Taskmaster.
© Noh Juhan | NetflixSingles Inferno
If you love a dating show, this is the one for you! Singles Inferno 'traps' a group of singletons on 'Hell island', and they can only escape to 'Heaven island' if they manage to couple up before the evening. If you fail, you have to spend a night on the hellish island instead - and it is aptly named!
Descendants of the Sun
This 2016 show follows Si-jin, a captain in the South Korea Army’s special forces. While off-duty, he meets and falls in love with Mo-yeon, a doctor - but the nature of his work causes rifts between the two of them, and often leaves them in danger.
Hello, My Twenties!
The story follows five girls who live in 'Belle Époque' a house share, and their lives together and they learn how to become adults in their 20s. Even better, while Korean shows usually end after one season, Hello, My Twenties! has two! Enjoy!
The Heirs
This 2013 drama follows a group of highly privileged high school students who will one day be taking over their family empires. The story follows Kim Tan, a wealthy heir who is sent to the US by his villainous brother as he attempted to take control of the family business. Despite being engaged, while there he meets Eun-sang, and of course, the pair fall in love!
She Was Pretty
Based on a true story, this romantic comedy follows two former acquaintances who meet again at a fashion magazine. After Hye-jin’s publishing company went bankrupt, she faces hardships and loses her social standing, while Sung-joon once had low self-esteem, but is now a handsome and successful editor. Nervous to meet Sung-joon after her difficulties, Hye-jin enlists her friend Ha-ri to appear in her place.
