There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of the streaming revolution and everything that it’s wrought. Still, one undeniable benefit of all these streaming services is that, in addition to more American content, we also get more stuff from other countries.
Not all of that stuff is great, of course, but entire new fandoms have emerged in part through American exposure to great TV and movies from all over the world. That may be true when it comes to Korean dramas, which have become incredibly popular in recent years. Here are 10 of the best Korean dramas streaming now on Netflix and Hulu that are definitely worth checking out.
The Silent Sea (2021-)
A fun riff on Alien that knows how to fill you with terror, The Silent Sea tells the story of a crew who are sent to investigate the aftermath of a tragedy in space. Imaginative in the ways that all great science fiction can be, The Silent Sea is a harrowing story about the mysteries of outer space.
This definitely isn’t the first time we’ve seen a story about a crew navigating outer space and discovering that it’s far more inhospitable than we originally believed, but if you’re someone who likes sci-fi and horror, then this Korean drama is likely perfect for you.
The Silent Sea is streaming on Netflix.
Nevertheless (2021)
There are plenty of great romantic dramas on American television, but nobody does a swooning love story quite like South Korea. Nevertheless tells the story of Yu Na-Bi (Han So-hee), a cynical woman who no longer believes in love. When she meets Park Jae-eon (Song Kang), though, she finds herself unable to resist his sheer magnetism.
Complications ensue from there, as he insists their relationship remain casual, even as her feelings only grow stronger. It’s a riveting romance that keeps evolving as the show progresses.
Nevertheless is streaming on Netflix.
Moving (2023)
A sprawling superhero epic that is up there with the best superhero stories ever told on screens of any size, Moving follows a group of superpowered parents who lead relatively regular lives but have also passed their abilities down to their kids.
The show leaps back and forth across decades as it tells the stories of these parents, even as it also spends plenty of time developing the stories of this younger generation. With a sprawling cast and plenty of exciting action, Moving is a must-watch for anyone interested in how other countries deal with superheroes.
Moving is streaming on Hulu.
Daily Dose of Sunshine (2023)
Another genre that is common in both Korea and the U.S., medical shows have a history as long as TV itself. In Daily Dose of Sunshine, we follow a nurse working in a psychiatric unit at a hospital, where she works hard to ensure her patients maintain an upbeat view of life. What makes this show so great is how it grounds itself in the day-to-day work of being in a hospital.
There are moments when it gets hugely dramatic, but this show is more about offering a slice of life, and it’s based on the real experiences of a nurse working in this setting.
Daily Dose of Sunshine is streaming on Netflix.
Mask Girl (2023-)
Telling the story of a young girl who decides to put on a mask and build a new life for herself online, Mask Girl is a series that examines the downsides of living an entirely online life. While things start out innocently enough, the series explores the simple ways in which living online can lead a person to fall down dangerous and disturbing rabbit holes.
The internet can be a great place, but it can also be terrible, and Mask Girl is much more focused on the downsides of building an identity online. Fans of David Fincher‘s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo should check this one out.
Mask Girl is streaming on Netflix.
My Name (2021-)
An intense thriller not unlike The Silence of the Lambs, My Name follows a woman who tries to avenge her father’s death. Her father was involved in organized crime, and to take out those who killed him, she teams up with a police detective who is investigating these organizations.
Like many of the best Korean dramas available to stream in the U.S., My Name is anchored in large part by its central performances and by the ways in which its plot continues to evolve and change as the series progresses.
My Name is streaming on Netflix.
All of Us Are Dead (2022)
There are plenty of great Korean dramas about zombie infestations, but All of Us Are Dead has one of the most unique perspectives on the genre. It follows a group of teenagers trapped in their high school as the zombie apocalypse falls on their country.
Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer before it, All of Us Are Dead crafts its thrills in part by imagining how conventional tropes from the world of high school would translate into these much more dire circumstances. Zombies may be worse than bullies, but there’s not as much difference as you might think.
All of Us are Dead is streaming on Netflix.
D.P. (2021)
A brilliant show that is brutally honest about the realities of mandatory military service in South Korea, D.P. follows a young South Korean soldier as he enters basic training and must deal with the culture inside the military. After he finishes his training, he is assigned to a unit that is tasked with tracking down those who have gone AWOL from their mandatory service.
The brilliance of the series, though, is the way that it sympathizes with these deserters and is critical of South Korea’s military and the culture around it.
D.P. is streaming on Netflix.
Crash Landing on You (2019)
There’s plenty of fiction from South Korea interested in their brothers to the North, and Crash Landing on You addresses those differences head-on. The series tells the story of a South Korean heiress who inadvertently crash lands in North Korea and eventually falls for a North Korean officer from a prominent family.
As they hatch a plan to get her back to the South, conflict emerges between their incompatible lives. Crash Landing on You may sound like a bit of a bummer, but the show is surprisingly light on its feet and way funnier than you might expect.
Crash Landing on You is streaming on Netflix.
Squid Game (2021-)
Undoubtedly the biggest Korean drama to ever come to America, Squid Game imagines a world where the poorest citizens of South Korea are made to compete against one another to the death for the chance at a massive cash prize.
The show’s focus on its characters, complemented by its compelling and inventive challenges, made Squid Game a huge hit. It was also beloved by critics who praised its focus on the ways the show critiqued both the rich and society as a whole. Squid Game season 2 is coming soon, so it’s time to catch up by watching the first blockbuster season.
Squid Game is streaming on Netflix.
