The Best Korean Dramas for Beginners

Many people have entered the world of K-dramas through Descendants of the Sun. This K-drama became popular not just locally, but also internationally.

Descendants of the Sun tells the love story of Yoo Si-jin, a captain in the South Korean Army's special forces, and Kang Mo-yeon, a surgeon. Apart from romance, this K-drama is filled with action, comedy, suspense, and plot twists. This K-drama has it all, so beginners should definitely watch it.

It also doesn’t have just one couple. You will also find yourself rooting for one of the most popular K-drama second lead couples of all time, Seo Dae-young and Yoon Myung-ju.

Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo, and Kim Ji-won star in Descendants of the Sun.

Goblin is one of the most popular K-dramas of all time. It tells the story of Kim Shin, a goblin over 900 years old who’s in search of his bride, the only one who can break his curse and end his immortal life.

Goblin has fantasy, romance, comedy, emotional scenes, and plot twists you won’t see coming. The story and characters of the K-drama are very interesting. You will be impressed with the cinematography too. Beginners definitely shouldn’t skip Goblin.

Goblin stars Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-na, and Yook Sung-jae.

Once you’ve finished Goblin and can’t get over the K-drama, you can watch Touch Your Heart, which stars Goblin’s Grim Reaper and Sunny, Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na.

If you want to watch a romantic comedy K-drama, check out Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo! The story follows Kim Bok-joo and Jung Joon-hyung, college athletes who are fighting for their dreams. Along the way, they fall in love.

While K-dramas are known to make their viewers cry, Weightlifting Fairy will make you laugh a lot. Amid all the laughter, you will also learn a lot of life lessons (it is a coming-of-age story, after all) and get entertained with the light-hearted romance.

Lee Sung-Kyung, Nam Joo-hyuk, Lee Jae-yoon, Kyung Soo-jin, Cho Hye-jung, and Lee Joo-young star in Weightlifting Fairy.

W: Two Worlds (also known as W, W: Two Worlds Apart) follows the love story of two people from different worlds. Oh Yeon-joo is a doctor and daughter of the illustrator of the webtoon “W”.

One day, she gets pulled into the webtoon’s world. She then meets its protagonist, Kang Cheol, and they eventually fall in love. They figure out how to be together even if they are “two worlds” apart.

W: Two Worlds will definitely make you smile and scream a lot because there are a lot of cute moments between the show’s couple (paired with the best song for the moment).

This K-drama also has a thrilling story because the main characters find themselves involved in a murder mystery. Lee Jong-suk and Han Hyo-joo star in W: Two Worlds.

In Crash Landing on You, an accident forces a South Korean businesswoman named Yoon Se-ri to make an emergency landing in North Korea. She is saved by a North Korean soldier named Ri Jeong-hyeok. Jeong-hyeok decides to help her go back to the South, and along the way, they fall in love.

Crash Landing on You is undeniably one of the best Korean dramas of all time. It even surpassed the very popular K-drama Goblin in ratings and became tvN’s highest-rated drama. You wouldn’t want to miss out on this one.

It stars Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin (both, by the way, got married in real life), Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Jung-hyun.

RELATED: Top Reasons Why You Should Watch Crash Landing on You

Now, this K-drama will definitely break your heart so PREPARE A LOT OF TISSUES. In Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Go Ha-jin/Hae Soo is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty.

She initially falls in love with Prince Wang Wook, but later on, she gets into a romantic relationship with the feared and misunderstood prince, Wang So. She also gets caught up in the politics of the palace.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is regarded as one of the saddest K-dramas of all time. There’s an amount of comedy in the series, but don’t be fooled. Again, prepare a lot of tissues.

Korean actress and singer IU, Lee Joon-gi, Kang Ha-neul, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo’s Nam Joo-hyuk, and more star in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo.

The Legend of the Blue Sea follows the love story of Shim Cheong, a mermaid, and Heo Joon-jae, a con-artist. Like Goblin, Legend of the Blue Sea also deals with reincarnation.

In the present day, Shim Cheong and Heo Joon-jae’s love story is paralleled by the tragic romance of their Joseon-era incarnations, the mermaid, Se-hwa, and the town head, Kim Dam-ryeong.

As Shim Cheong and Joon-jae fall in love, they try to prevent the ill-fate of their incarnations from happening to them.

The Legend of the Blue Sea stars Lee Min-ho, Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Hee-joon, See You in My 19th Life’sShin Hye-sun, and more.

Uncontrollably Fond is another K-drama that is regarded as one of the saddest K-dramas of all time. It follows high school sweethearts Shin Joon-young and Noh Eul.

Years later, they meet again. Joon-young is now a famous actor, while Noh Eul is a documentary producer. Noh Eul is tasked to film Joon-young's documentary. Joon-young also tries to win Noh Eul’s heart back.

No spoilers, but this one is guaranteed to make you cry (and the pain might even last for weeks). It is not one of those common sad love stories too, because there are many things you won’t see coming. Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy star in this heartbreaking K-drama.

While You Were Sleeping is a combination of romance, fantasy, and the legal drama genre. It follows the stories of three people who have the ability to see the future through their dreams: field reporter Nam Hong-joo, rookie prosecutor Jung Jae-chan, and police officer Han Woo-tak.

The three work together to prevent the bad things from happening, and at the same time, to stop the corrupt lawyer Lee Yoo-beom.

While You Were Sleeping will definitely entertain you because it will make you think, laugh, cry, and scream in the romantic moments. It also stars three big names in the Korean entertainment industry: Bae Suzy, Lee Jong-suk, and Jung Hae-in.

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim is a workplace romantic comedy that is definitely worth the watch. The story follows Lee Young-joon, a narcissistic vice chairman of a corporation. Kim Mi-so, his highly skilled and patient secretary who has worked for him for nine years, decides to quit her job.

Young-joon does everything he can to keep her by his side. Young-joon and Mi-so then fall in love.

There are many funny, thrilling, exciting, and romantic moments in this K-drama. This is best for beginners who want to get into the K-drama world without having their hearts broken.

Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young star in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim.

So, which of these K-dramas are you going to watch first?

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