The Popularity of Korean Dramas and Original Korean Series of Netflix
Korean dramas have been very popular in the west over the past few years and many fans around the world are enjoying the fascinating storylines and great acting that Korean drama has offer. If you are one of the fans who spends your free time binge-watching Korean dramas and crying over them, you must be familiar with the television networks that broadcast them, such as KBS, SBS, MBC, cable network like tvN, OCN, JTBC, and so on. Due to their popularity, the well-known streaming service Netflix has put many Korean dramas in their library.
For those who don’t know, Netflix is a streaming service that allows their members to watch TV shows, movies, documentaries, and more on thousands of internet-connected devices without having to watch a single commercial. Netflix is also known to make their own original series from each country, which can be reached by many of their subscribers across the world. One of their original series is from Korea.
In this article, Byeol Korea will provide you the list of Korean dramas on Netflix original series you’re going to want to binge-watch. The genres vary from action to romantic comedy. So, stay tuned!
1. Kingdom
The first on the list is Kingdom, a sageuk drama that many people have said is a mix of Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. Can you imagine a kingdom full of zombies walking around? What an interesting premise! Kingdom is written by screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, whose previous work is tvN’s hit drama Signal, and is directed by Kim Seong-hoon, who is known for directing movies like How the Lack of Love Affects Two Men (2006) and A Hard Day (2014). It is the first original Korean series that Netflix has done, was released on January 25, 2019.
Set in the medieval Joseon period of Korea, it tells the tale of Crown Prince Yi-Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), who becomes involved in a coup/political conspiracy and is compelled to embark on a mission to explore the spread of a mysterious undead plague that has afflicted the present emperor and the southern provinces of the country. The tale begins with a billboard written in Korean, claiming that Joseon’s king is dead and that the crown prince should be crowned as the new king instantly. The king is known to be seriously ill within the palace, however, and has been handled secretly for the previous 10 days. No one, not even the crown prince himself, was allowed to visit the king.
The crown prince sneaks out late at night to visit his father, desiring to know the truth. But instead of his own dad, he met the silhouette of a beastly monster. Accompanied by the doctor Seo-Bi (Bae Doo-na), the enigmatic Yeong-Shin (Kim Sung-kyu), and his private guard Moo-Young (Kim Sang-ho), Prince Yi-Chang must stop the plague from advancing to his hometown of Hanyang (present-day Seoul) while addressing Minister Cho-ho’s sinister coup d’état.
The series received positive reviews and was renewed for a second season to be aired in 2020. Fans across the world are loving it, too!
[PRINCE KUMAR]: Awesome! After Stranger Things I have binge watched the entire season in just one day. Its story is very well written.
[James Albers]: This show is amazing. I have never imagined a period piece set in a modernizing Korea that features an undead contagion would be possible, but indeed it is.
[Mun Yuen Chooi]: This is definitely a non-linear zombie story with many twists at the least expected places. The writers really put in effort to surprise their audiences, not via loud and explosive noise but in story development.
I'm late to the party, but everyone should watch #Kingdom on Netflix. The pacing is good, the cinematography is gorgeous and it's a unique take on the zombie genre, which can become stale. Would recommend 10/10. pic.twitter.com/OHhlMdqsQp
— Micks 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈 🔜 Otakon (@lordjezebel) August 17, 2019
that #zombie rampage in @Netflix #Kingdom was intense. mothers eating daughters, sons eating fathers. definitely up there with the best of them.
— 🐤5⃣️ Douglas Fyfe (@realDuck5) August 21, 2019
What are you waiting for? Go watch Kingdom on Netflix, now!
2. Love Alarm
The second series on the list is Love Alarm, a romantic comedy starring our lovely Kim So-hyun, Song Kang, and Jung Ga-ram. The drama is based on the webtoon with the same name, by Chon Kye-young. The series was premiered on August 22, 2019, on Netflix.
The storyline is quite simple, like a typical rom-com drama. Love Alarm revolves around the tale of a disruptive technology that allows users to find love through an implementation that notifies them of a romantic feeling in the vicinity of a 10-meter radius. Kim So-hyun played as Kim Jo-jo, a bright and happy young girl, despite the painful history of her family. Kim Jo-jo has lived with the family of an aunt since the death of her parents. It’s not simple for Kim Jo-Jo to live there. She’s not downloading the Joalarm app.
Meanwhile, at the same high school where Kim Jo-jo attends, Hwang Sun-o (Song Kang) is a popular male student. He’s the son of a wealthy family, but his parents don’t love him. The same high school is also attended by his best friend, Lee Hye-young (Jung Ga-ram). Hwang Sun-o notices that he and Lee Hye-young love Kim Jo-jo. Hwang Sun-o wants to know if he really likes her, so he kisses her.
Wow, makes your heart ponder, right? This is a perfect story for younger audiences who crave high school romance, love triangles, and a bit of comedy. If you’re a fan of Kim So-hyun and want to watch her as a goody-goody high school girl with two cute boys fighting over her, Love Alarm is for you!
Go watch Love Alarm on Netflix, now!
