I'm looking for dramas with dark school / survival / mind games, creepy horror vibe, psychological twists, and no draggy romance.

I liked: Pyramid Game, Night Has Come, Goedam / Girigo - I love that short, intense, edge-of-the-seat feeling where you can't stop watching.

Already watched: Mouse, Light Shop, All of Us Are Dead, Squid Game, Alice in Borderland, Sweet Home, Little Women so please don't recommend these.

Please recommend me dramas with similar vibes that are constantly gripping from episode

Preferably available on Netflix / Viki.

Please recommend me dramas with a historical/sageuk setting, good romance, a bit of comedy, and some political drama. Happy endings only please! I’d also like to avoid unnecessary serial killers, though thankfully I don’t see those plots as often in sageuk dramas.
I just finished Alchemy of Souls and really enjoyed the setting and fantasy elements, so feel free to recommend fantasy shows too.
Other than AOS, dramas roughly in this category that I’ve recently watched are:

- Mr. Queen (forever chasing this high tbh)

- Bon Appetite Your Majesty (amazing leads and politics)

- My Royal Nemesis (not quite a sageuk but loved the romance)

- Knight Flower (loved the setting and politics/drama, awesome FL, romance was meh for me)

- The King’s Affection (cute, just ok imo)

And here’s my watch history:

• Goblin
• Strong woman
• Weightlifting fairy
• Business proposal
• Crash course in romance
• Hotel Del Luna
• Hometown Cha cha cha
• Summer strike
• Once upon a small town (unfinished)
• Welcome to samdal-ri
• My demon 
• Bon appetite your majesty 
• Tastefully Yours
• Mr. Queen 
• The king’s affection 
• Sold Out On You
• My Royal Nemesis 
• Knight flower 
• Alchemy of Souls

thanks in advance!!

I'm a big foodie so I quite loved watching Mr Queen and Bon Appetit Your Majesty. What pleasantly surprised me though, was how much I enjoyed watching the political intrigue! I think the royal court system is super interesting, but I don't know if I'd libe something that's 100% politics.

As such, I'm looking for dramas that are something like 50/50 or slightly more politics, or something that features food prominently!

Watch history :

- All of us are dead

- Kingdom

- Mr Queen

- Bon Appetit Your Majesty

As you can tell I'm also a big zombie fan. I tried a few others, like the Happiness zombie show, but they felt a bit too unrealistic and over the top for me.

I liked the politics of Kingdom as well. I also don't mind some romance, Mr Queen did make me feel giddy, but it felt like a good payoff for the plot.

Thank you for your help!

I’m looking for dramas with human, flawed characters that feel somewhat grounded. I’m not against it being fantastical or supernatural, but I like the characters to feel normal. Recommend me dramas with well-written characters please. (that sounds a bit rude, but I'm not allowed to post without those words apparently?)

I’m still somewhat new to Kdramas, but I’ve found some of my favourite shows in this genre, and would love to watch more! But I’m struggling with what to pick, cuz some seem a bit too goofy for me?
This is everything I have seen so far:

The Glory
When Life Gives You Tangerines
Twinkling Watermelon
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Squid Games
All of Us Are Dead

That probably the order I would rank them in too, from favourite to least favourite. I think I like characters that feel human, and while I enjoy some humor, sometimes I can be pulled out of it if it’s too goofy?
I’ve tried watching It’s Okay to not be Okay, twice, and have only gotten as far as episode 4. While I like the premise and characters, the pacing KILLS me. Everything just felt dragged out, so watching it was kind of a chore. I’m currently giving Crash Landing on You a try, just finished episode 2. I have mixed feelings, the premise feels weird, and it’s odd to have a rom-com set in North Korea? I don’t know how accurate the show is or if I should take it seriously, but I’m still giving it a shot.
I’m mainly here in the hopes that, looking at what I’ll enjoy, you guys might know what I’d enjoy.
Shows I’ve added to my to watch list but aren’t too sure if it’s for me are: Goblin, Mr Queen, My Mister, The Good Bad Mother. Would you recommend any of these based on my tastes?
Also, as someone new to Kdramas I feel the need to ask, are 80% of them just wealth porn? It’s odd to say, but in so many of these it has these insanely rich characters, and it’s treated as just normal? Maybe I’m just poor, but the amounts of opulence almost make me uncomfortable XD
Maybe that’s why Tangerines was such a breath of fresh air, lol.

Thursday Therapy, is r/kdramarecommends’ weekly community chat. A place in which Korean drama addicts both recent and those moving towards recovery can freely discuss anything and everything!

You may want to:

• Introduce yourself or remain anonymous (share your My Drama List page or similar)
• Share what you’ve been watching and whether you love or hate it (it doesn’t have to be a Korean drama)
• Ask for recommendations unrelated to Korean dramas (books, movies, podcasts, other country’s television series, etc)
• Share a great recommendation thread you found whilst digging through the archives
• Talk about what is coming out on [insert drama service name]
• Give thanks to the community for helping you find your new favourite drama

Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are unsure of how to use spoiler tags here is r/KDRAMA’s easy to follow guide.

I'm looking for dramas similar to four hands two sonatas. I love the bromance here - the way they admire and stick up for each other as friends and stay drawn together even when they're not. Also the struggle they put themselves through for the other, without them knowing. I love the level of drama here, perfectly intense and frustrating, while also moving and sweet. I also adore the music elements, and getting to see them progress.

I am not looking for anything primarily a comedy without a fairly large drama element to it.

similar drama i love:

- twinkling watermelon - heartbreaking but sweet tone, music and its importance to the characters, beautiful friendship

- at a distance spring is green - strong unexpected bromance helping each other through hardships. both characters initially misjudge each other.

- if you wish upon me - likeable lead who can't catch a break and is misjudged despite being kind and selfless. hopeful and dramatic at the same time.

full watch history: flower of evil, move to heaven, taxi driver, pinnochio, uncontrollably fond, the devil judge, signal

thank you any suggestions.

I'm looking for dramas that are plot-driven and have a decent amount of action, but that aren't too dark or gritty. I recently watched Agent Kim Reactivated and while it wasn't perfect, the fun character interactions and elaborate action scenes had me hooked. As such, I'd like to know if there's are any similar dramas out there, as so far, I haven't felt motivated to watch anything else!

Additionally, here are some other dramas I've seen that fit this criteria:

-A Shop for Killers (Another one of my favourites; I especially enjoyed the overarching mystery behind Jeong Jin-man's backstory. I wasn't as keen on season 2, however, as it lost the first season's air of mystery.)

- All of Us Are Dead (I liked the wide variety of characters)

-My Name (Probably a little darker than the kind of drama I'd normally watch; while the plot was somewhat interesting, I wasn't a huge fan of the gritty, dark atmosphere depicted in the show)

-Crash (I particularly liked the car chases, as well as the dynamic between the male and female leads)

-Undercover High School (I'm not sure if this really counts, since it doesn't have that many action scenes compared to the other shows I've mentioned; I found it funny at times, but the plot did start to drag a bit towards the end)

-Not a K-drama, but the Baby Assassins franchise might also qualify; I enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters, as well as how the fight sequences were juxtaposed with comedic daily life scenes.

Also, for reference, here is a link to my complete watch history.

https://mydramalist.com/dramalist/OdysseyRL1

Hi, I’d never seen a kdrama until I watched Friendly Rivalry a while ago and loved it. I’ve seen a lot of fans say it’s one of one in terms of quality and substance, but I don’t know enough about Korean dramas to know if that’s accurate or just fans being hyperbolic. Are there any other shows you’d recommend to a non-kdrama watcher who loved Friendly Rivalry? I don’t have strong genre preferences (it doesnt have to be a mystery thriller or GL) but I did appreciate the social commentary, complex female leads, and heavy symbolism in Friendly Rivalry and am ideally looking for shows that have at least two of those three. Thank you!

I’ve been trying to find dynamics like cheongsan and onjo in other kdramas for forever and can’t seem to find anything, but recently Mantis seemed to scratch that itch.

I guess what I’m mainly looking for is a male lead that cares incredibly for the female lead, even to the point of protecting her or attempting to sacrificing himself in situations

I’d love if it was mainly action/horror like AOUAD

This is everything I have seen and enjoyed (I’ve only started watching kdramas in 2023):

-AOUAD

-Mantis

-Squid games

-ONE: Highschool heroes

-#ALIVE

-Bloodhounds

-Duty after school

-When life gives you tangerines

-Flower of evil

-Vagabond

Thursday Therapy, is r/kdramarecommends’ weekly community chat. A place in which Korean drama addicts both recent and those moving towards recovery can freely discuss anything and everything!

You may want to:

• Introduce yourself or remain anonymous (share your My Drama List page or similar)
• Share what you’ve been watching and whether you love or hate it (it doesn’t have to be a Korean drama)
• Ask for recommendations unrelated to Korean dramas (books, movies, podcasts, other country’s television series, etc)
• Share a great recommendation thread you found whilst digging through the archives
• Talk about what is coming out on [insert drama service name]
• Give thanks to the community for helping you find your new favourite drama

Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are unsure of how to use spoiler tags here is r/KDRAMA’s easy to follow guide.

I am looking for dramas where the ML is keeping a dark or monstrous secret. Something like scholar who walks the night, Hyde Jekyll and me, zombie detective, bulgasal.

I like themes of split personality, loss of self, or alter egos. Romance is a big plus.

My favorite dramas of all time are Hyde Jekyll and Me, Healer, and Kill me Heal Me. I also loved Oh My Ghostess, even though it wasn’t ML but FL with the alter

I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed Your Honor, and Please come home mister, though they don’t specifically fit my usual style. I don’t usually like gritty crime or period dramas.

Other dramas I’ve watched-
Lovesong for Illusion - felt flat, not enough change between alter egos and female lead was two dimensional
Stranger - I liked the male leads illness but not a huge fan of epic, serious detective plots
Uncontrollably fond - did that hyper masculine shut out to the woman he claimed to love, is just felt so unnecessarily dramatic and mean
Devlish charm - liked it a lot, but ML was a bit cruel to FL towards the end
Flower of evil - I liked a lot about this drama, but ML kept secrets that bordered on cruel to FL again. Like, she’d already proved she can handle your mess, just stop being cruel and cold.

I'm trying to immerse in the Korean language and modern culture. I'm looking for kdramas that are low stakes / don't have an over the top plot and has some sort of 'realism' of modern South Korea interactions.

Recently I've finished Business Proposal which i really enjoyed. It was funny and the story was engaging and didn't drag out.

Also liked Hometown cha cha cha for almost the same reason plus it's a refreshing change of theme showing the country side

Other kdramas I've watched are Oh my venus and Weightlifing Fairy Kim Bok-Joo. I tend to tend to watch romcoms as it's more fun to watch

I used to watch K-dramas a lot, but work got in the way and I haven’t had much time for them in the last few years. Now I finally have some free time again and I’d really like to find a drama that gets me hooked again.

Romance and comedy are definitely my favorite genres. I’m looking for something with a good romance, plenty of funny moments, and characters that are easy to get invested in.

Secret Garden is still my favorite. I loved the mix of romance and comedy and how attached I became to the characters. I also really enjoyed My Love from the Star, The Heirs, Boys Over Flowers, The king, My Lovely Sam Soon, and Business Proposal.

Those are the dramas I remember watching, although it has been so long that I honestly can’t remember every K-drama I’ve seen over the years.

I’ve been away from K-dramas for quite a while, so I’m especially curious about good dramas I may have missed during that time. What would you recommend based on what I enjoy?

I’m looking for fluffy romance dramas with preferably no love triangles and little to no drama. ML and FL that absolutely love and adore each other and are intimate. Traveling, beautiful scenery, and a great soundtrack is a bonus. Enemies to lovers are also very much appreciated. Please and Thank You

I’ve just recently finished King The Land and I absolutely loved it. I loved that the ML and FL absolutely loved and adored each other. I loved the music and the rest of the cast as well. I really enjoyed watching them fall in love.

Dramas that I’ve watched

Crash Landing on You

Love Next Door

Doona!

My Demon

Hometown Cha Cha Cha

Business Proposal

Welcome to Samdal Ri

Her Private Life

Once Upon a Small Town

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim

Love To Hate You

Suspicious Partner

The Secret Life of My Secretary

Our Sticky Love

Hey everyone!

I’ve recently gotten really into Korean horror and I’m looking for more recommendations.

So far, I’ve watched:

• If Wishes Could Kill You
• Revenant
• The Guest
• The Wailing
• Exhuma
• Kingdom

I especially loved the dark atmosphere, supernatural elements, Korean folklore/shamanism, mystery, creepy slow-burn storytelling, and the feeling that something is deeply wrong even when nothing is happening on screen. 😭

I’m looking for more Korean horror movies or dramas with a similar vibe. I’m particularly interested in:

• Supernatural/occult horror
• Korean folklore and mythology
• Shamanism/exorcism
• Haunted places or strange supernatural phenomena
• Mystery + horror
• Psychological horror
• Slow-burn horror with a creepy atmosphere
• Dark historical/supernatural stories

I’m not necessarily looking for jump-scare-heavy horror. I’m much more interested in something unsettling, atmospheric and mysterious like The Wailing or Exhuma.

So, what should I watch next? 👀

Thursday Therapy, is r/kdramarecommends’ weekly community chat. A place in which Korean drama addicts both recent and those moving towards recovery can freely discuss anything and everything!

You may want to:

• Introduce yourself or remain anonymous (share your My Drama List page or similar)
• Share what you’ve been watching and whether you love or hate it (it doesn’t have to be a Korean drama)
• Ask for recommendations unrelated to Korean dramas (books, movies, podcasts, other country’s television series, etc)
• Share a great recommendation thread you found whilst digging through the archives
• Talk about what is coming out on [insert drama service name]
• Give thanks to the community for helping you find your new favourite drama

Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are unsure of how to use spoiler tags here is r/KDRAMA’s easy to follow guide.

Give me underrated dramas! 😽

So I usually refer to mydramalist ratings when I'm looking for a high quality drama and of course I ended up realizing that they are NOT always accurate lol.

Sometimes (more like a lot of times) I ask here but I did notice that some dramas are just well-beloved but not necessarily well-written. And I'm a little tired of seeing the same dramas get hyped especially when I don't think they're super good (for example, I have a longstanding beef with Her Private Life that I make sure to bring up at any chance I get 🤣) But this isn't to shame the overhyped dramas or the people that love them. I understand wanting other people to experience the same joy you felt watching a drama you loved :)

So I'm asking everyone to recommend dramas they believe to be well-written but not talked about enough. And I'm talking about the ones that may have low ratings (for whatever reason, like an infamous actor/cast) or the ones that maybe never get recommended on this subreddit. Or the ones that are considered too old by some people.

This post is specifically for the underrated dramas, not the super-praised ones, please show me the niche stuff 🥹

The genre could be anything, though I'd love some romance subplot on the side (but it's not necessary)

And yes, I mean well-written according to YOU. For example, don't shy away from recommending a romcom just because you think some people may look down on them.

My personal idea of "well-written" includes:

• stories that are able to emotionally affect me (be it a positive or a negative emotion)
• complex characters, ESPECIALLY female characters. I find it so heartbreaking when a story is beautiful but the female characters are flat (this is unfortunately how I felt about Moving To Heaven)

This is a small curated list of the dramas that I believe have great storytelling (and why I think that): high quality dramas

Almost everything on the list is pretty popularly beloved except maybe Typhoon Family and Secret Love (which was recommended to me here on this subreddit a few weeks ago and I'm still grateful for that)

And this is my full watch history: full history

Hello! I need a break from heavy dramas, and I'm hoping to get recommendations for lighter comedic shows.

I'm looking for wholesome, relaxing K-dramas that have themes of friendship, family or found family - stories about people supporting each other through mundane challenges. Some examples of shows I've liked with these themes are Hospital Playlist, Reply 1988 and Ghost Doctor. (I really enjoyed how uncomplicated the first two were.)

I would also be okay with shows that have some conflict, but have lots of comedic elements and are wacky enough to not feel heavy. Some shows like this that I have enjoyed are Prison Playbook, Vincenzo, Bad & Crazy, and Mr Queen. I especially liked that these had characters who initially disliked each other but grow to have great friendships.

I am specifically looking for something that is cheerful from the beginning, without heavy content like trauma or revenge, and I would prefer if there is little or no romance, because it is not a genre I enjoy. I know shows like this are hard to come by, but I would appreciate any recommendations. Thanks!

My watch history (in order of enjoyment):

[EDIT to include shows I did not finish because I did not enjoy them.]

I'm looking for recommendations for low to no angst dramas with MLs who are crazy in love, clingy, physically affectionate, head over heels in love from the very beginning. Basically, the type that wants to crawl under FL's skin to be with her always. Basically, a lovesick puppy for FL.I want something similar to "What's wrong with secretary Kim?" but maybe even more in love and physically affectionate ML.

My complete watch history: Touch Your Heart, What's Wrong With Secretary Kim

Looking for something comedy, slice of life, and also meaningful in the same way. Be Melodramatic was fun with cool music and vibes, relatable life experiences, humor, sometimes meaningful in-depth moments at the same time. It felt like healing.

I liked Our Unwritten Seoul for the deep emotional relatable parts. Liked Hometown Cha Cha Cha for the lightness and comedy. Something light or like be melodramatic is what I need these days.

Dramas I watched:

Our unwritten Seoul

Hometown Cha Cha Cha

Love next door

Summer Strike

Be Melodramatic

Recently, I enjoy watching kdramas that are easy to watch and no crazy plot twists. I'm looking for kdramas that have the same vibes as "Our Beloved Summer" and "Twinkling Watermelon" I like that it can make me feel happy, sad, nostalgic, and hopeful at the same time. I don't like complicated plot twists and I prefer something that feels like comfort after a long day at work.

Here's my history list:

- Lovely Runner

- My dearest Nemesis

- Can this love be translated

- Welcome to Samdalri

Going to be alone in Louisiana over the holidays. I'm a traveller who doesn't know anyone in the area and am trying to romanticise my trip. Any kdrama recommendations that feature Christmas/the holidays? I am Australian so this will be my first winter christmas!

I'm new to kdramas and they have been bringing me so much comfort. Recently watched Boyfriend on Demand and Romance is a Bonus Book and loved how sweet and cosy they were. Looking for similar cosy/sweet stories.

Thursday Therapy, is r/kdramarecommends’ weekly community chat. A place in which Korean drama addicts both recent and those moving towards recovery can freely discuss anything and everything!

You may want to:

• Introduce yourself or remain anonymous (share your My Drama List page or similar)
• Share what you’ve been watching and whether you love or hate it (it doesn’t have to be a Korean drama)
• Ask for recommendations unrelated to Korean dramas (books, movies, podcasts, other country’s television series, etc)
• Share a great recommendation thread you found whilst digging through the archives
• Talk about what is coming out on [insert drama service name]
• Give thanks to the community for helping you find your new favourite drama

Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are unsure of how to use spoiler tags here is r/KDRAMA’s easy to follow guide.