K-Dramafans are familiar with the thrill of a great story andbeing hooked on a premise from the first episodeitself. However, the downside of being a K-drama aficionado is that most of these shows often elegantly wrap up their elaborate tales in just 16 to 24 episodes, leaving the audiences with a bittersweet feeling of not getting more time to bond with the charming characters, or getting more of a mysterious and gritty crime-laden environment.
Fortunately for them, like an extra helping of tteokbokki after the first delicious serving, some K-Dramas turn out to beso popular or beloved, with stories that are too rich to fully unfold in just one season, that they earn extensions in the form of another season or two — or more. From time jumps to new antagonists, these dramas tap into the fans' fascination with a plot and provide additional doses of the same.
Here are 20 of the most addictive Korean dramas that fans and producers believed were worth being emotionally invested in for longer than one season.
20Let’s Eat (2013 – 2015) — 2 Seasons
Set in a small neighborhood,Let’s Eatis a heartwarming drama that follows a 33-year-old single woman named Lee Soo-kyung who always manages to keep a straight face and has a decent job, but loses control when she spots gourmet food.
Being in a new environment after moving leads her to Goo Dae-Young, who also has incredible taste. As a sweet romance develops between them, viewers are treated to not only a brilliant drama, but picturesque cinematography as well.
Let’s Eat Is a Celebration Of Gourmet Food
Let’s Eatmay havea premise that focuses on gourmet food, but it’s not exactly a “food drama.” Instead, it celebrates human relationships and the comfort provided by mesmerizing-looking dishes because of how they contain and satisfy you.
At its heart, the drama is a feel-good romance. It has a simple and interesting plot that portrays warmth from start to finish, which warranted a second season in 2015 and a spin-off series in 2016.
Stream Let’s Eat on Tubi TV
Bad Guysrevolves around a tough-as-nails police detective named Oh Goo Tak who is fired after he uses excessively violent methods to eradicate crime. Still adamant he was right, he decides to form a team of criminals, which includes a contract killer, a gangster, and the youngest serial killer in the city, to work together and fight violence with violence. Helping them is Police Inspector Yoo Mi Young.
Part spell-binding, part emotional,Bad Guysisa character-driven dramathat positions itself as an action/crime thriller. Featuring just as much joy and happiness as it does investigations and murders, the gripping story and visceral concept combines popcorn thrills with nuanced calls for justice. The second season,The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos, and the spin-off seriesBad Guys: City of Evil, are endlessly rewatchable and exciting.
Stream Bad Guys on The Roku Channel
18Hello, My Twenties! (2016 – 2017) — 2 Seasons
Hello, My Twenties!is a bright little coming-of-age K-drama that centers around a group of five college girls who share a house in Seoul called “Belle Epoque.” They’re all very different from one another, and they are pursuing love, friendship, and purpose during a decade of change. Despite being strangers at first, they turn from housemates to best friends and find solace in their unyielding bond.
Hello, My Twenties! Is Well-Crafted And Female-Driven
Watching extremely tender and complex female characters thrive on screen is always entertaining.Hello, My Twenties!never shies away from showcasing their uncertainties, flaws, and agitations. But what it champions most is the solidarity between women and the celebration of their feminist dreams. Even though ensemble pieces are hard to nail, this bingeworthy drama does it, and gives us a second season where the main cast returns.
Stream Hello, My Twenties! on Netflix
17Dr. Romantic (2016 – 2023) — 3 Seasons
Kim Sa Bu was a top surgeon and a triple-board certified doctor before a tragic incident changed his life forever, and he gave up his reputed role in the medical industry to move to a small rural town called Gangwon Province. He changes his name and devotes himself to helping those in need while also training two junior doctors, Kang Dong-joo and Yoon Seo-jeong, gradually earning the respect of the town’s local community.
Related:10 Medical Drama TV Shows That Are Absolute Tearjerkers
Dr. Romantic a Must-Watch in the Medical Drama Genre
As far asthe medical dramagenre is considered,Dr. Romanticis among the few thought-provoking and immersive ones that also feature quirky characters, well-paced writing, strong and driven narratives, as well as deep philosophical themes. Because it strikes the perfect balance between emotional intimacy and feel-good humor, the series led to not one, but two more seasons, with the latter ones switching up the cost and characters a little to consistently deliver more charming stories.
Stream Dr. Romantic on Kocowa
16Voice (2017 – 2021) — 4 Seasons
A procedural thriller revolving around a mysterious serial killer responsible for ruining the lives of two different families,Voicefirst introduces us to Moo Jin Hyuk, a popular and skilled detective mourning the death of his beloved wife. Meanwhile, Kang Kwon Joo, another professional detective/voice profiler, looks for the man who murdered his father. Despite their contrasting methods, one intuitive and the other logical, they join forces to hunt down the criminal who uses his voice as one of his weapons to attack his victims.
Voice Is Intense, But It Grows On You
Voiceis a nerve-wracking drama that turns up its intensity and gut-churning plot twists right from the beginning. The show keeps viewers constantly guessing the answer to its overarching whodunit puzzles by adding new elements to the chase. The tight pacing and stellar acting by celebrated Korean actors like Lee Ha Na and Jang Hyuk is what brought back viewers to appreciate and obsessively binge yet another season, which was released in the following year.
Stream Voice on Paramount+
15Stranger (2017 – 2020) — 2 Seasons
In Stranger, we follow a cool and intellectual prosecutor named Hwang Shi Mok who may be known for his unmatched skills now, but he had a violent past. When he gets embroiled in a complex case of murder and deceit, truths about his sinister past begin to emerge. At a crime scene, he meets Lieutenant Han Yeo Jin and finds his equal. Together they take on challenging new cases involving criminals and power players.
Stranger Is an Amazing Fast-Paced Legal Masterpiece
For a crime thriller,Strangerstays true to the genre and delivers not only some mind-buzzing mystery-solving, but also dissects corruption and politics with an unflinching gaze. Through the eyes of its troubled and cunning protagonists, who are basically anti-heroes, the show reveals the systematic darkness that lurks beneath a perfect community of people. The arresting finale left plenty of room for the second season to pick up from and continue the story.
Stream Stranger on Netflix
14Welcome To Waikiki (2018 – 2019) — 2 Seasons
Sitcoms are a rarity in the Korean drama landscape, butWelcome to Waikikiis the closest the medium will come to delivering the same kind of humor and heart. It centers around three down-on-their-luck friends — a film director, an actor, and a freelance writer — who decide to open a guest house, thinking it is an easy business that will help them make money. However, things do not go as planned, and chaos ensues.
Welcome to Waikiki Will Get You Cackling in No Time
Filled with silly gags and absurd adventures,Welcome to Waikikiraises the bar for comedywithin the medium by packing melodrama and romance into it. The A-list cast made of Kim Jung Hyun, Lee Yi Kyung, Jung In Sun, and more, play the roles of impulsive and lovable dreams with utter grace. The second season is more like a sequel because it features a new cast, with Lee Joon Ki being the only recurring character trying to revive the guest house.
Stream Welcome to Waikiki on Netflix
13Chief of Staff (2019) — 2 Seasons
One of the best legal K-dramas to come out in the last decade,Chief of Staffcenters around Jang Tae Joon, a talented detective who has always been hungry for power. Seeing an opportunity to work in the National Assembly, he puts his logical thinking and intuition into good use and becomes the chief aide of a lawmaker. He soon gets into conflict with first-year lawmaker Kang Sun Young, who not only happens to be a strong-willed and virtuous woman, but also an employee of Tae Joon’s biggest rival.
Related:15 Detective K-Dramas With Compelling Mysteries
Chief of Staff Is an Addictive Political Thriller
For fans of political dramas and gritty crimes,Chief of Staffis essential viewing. The show dives deep into themes of blackmail, corruption and betrayal, and also features cutthroat manipulations outside the system by those wanting to rise to the top.
Seoul’s halls of power are a playground for the characters brought to brilliant life by actors like Lee Jung-jae, Shin Min-a, Lee Elijah, and Kim Dong-jun. The two seasons are filled with enough intrigue and action to keep viewers hooked throughout.
Stream Chief of Staff on Netflix
12Kingdom (2019 – 2020) — 2 Seasons
Kingdomis a show has a lot of things going for itself. For starters, it is set in 16th century Korea, where a mysterious plague has begun spreading and turning village folks into terrifying zombies. When the King dies and the Crown Prince is declared a traitor, it is up to the latter, and his guard Moo Young, to look for a physician and cure their kingdom of this disease.
The Fluid Zombie-Centered Historical Drama That Is Kingdom
Kingdomtakes a bold step by establishing a ‘zombie apocalypse’ settingin historical Koreaand then infusing its narrative with internal power struggles, politics and royal court affairs. This unlikely and exciting blend makes the drama extremely riveting. Additionally, there are sword fights, gripping zombie-fighting sequences, and emotional moments to keep the audiences invested throughout the 6 episodes each of seasons 1 and 2.
Stream Kingdom on Netflix
11Love Alarm (2019 – 2021) — 2 Seasons
Set in a world where a popular app notifies its users if there is someone within their 10-meter radius who harbors feelings for them,Love Alarmis a lighthearted teenage romance that elevates itself above typical teen dramas. The main character, Kim Jo Jo, is an orphan who lives with her aunt and barely has any money to buy a new phone.
Lee Hye Yeong is a kind-hearted young man who has had a crush on Jo Jo for a while now. When his best friend, the popular Hwang Sun Oh, hears the news, he approaches Jo Jo.
Complexities of Modern Dating in Love Alarm
Adapted from a webtoon of the same name,Love Alarmshowed promise even before it premiered in 2019. With a creative and intriguing storyline, this drama effortlessly captures the sweet melodrama of being in love for the first time, as well as the heartbreak and jealousy that comes with it. Despite receiving mixed reviews for the writing and characterization,Love Alarm’srefreshing take on tech-controlled relationships led to another season, which came out in 2021.
