With the growing love for K-dramas reaching a global scale, the fandom is growing at a rapid speed. Major streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video also engage in releasing original K-dramas to retain and attract viewers. It is one of the reasons why Netflix installed nine sound stages at two of its facilities in South Korea, per Variety, and the audience completely abides by its decision.
While K-dramas like Hellbound, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Squid Game, and All of Us Are Dead have established a religious fan community for themselves, many other underrated K-dramas also deserve all the attention. Although they did not become the talk of the town, these underrated K-dramas carry the same level of excitement, engaging plot, charming characters, and mesmerizing music.
Thankfully, Netflix harbors a long list of underrated K-dramas that fits for everyone. Whether the viewer likes crime, slice-of-life, romance, or drama, the streaming service has it all. Here’s a list of 10 underrated K-dramas on Netflix you have to watch next.
10 Thirty-Nine
With Thirty-Nine, you will realize how growing up is never an easy task, but every realistic situation can be handled with a little support and love from your loved ones. The 2022 K-drama explores the lives of three best friends, who, through thick and thin, must stand with each other as they experience love, loss, and life, and are on the brink of turning 40.
The excellent script showcases the reality of Korean society, the traditional aspects, and how women are still perceived. At the same time, Thirty-Nine also presents a beautiful friendship dynamic between three women, which makes one crave an authentic friendship in real life, too.
9 Summer Strike
Though many deem it to be slow paced, Summer Strike is a perfect fit for someone who is looking to quest for healing. Lee Yeo-reum (Kim Seol-hyun) gets hit by a double stack of misfortune after her boyfriend dumps her and her mother passes away. As a result, she decides to move to a village and do nothing. However, things take a turn after she meets An Dae-boem (Im Si-wan), who carries his own share of past misfortunes.
In between their troubled pasts and new journey ahead, the two characters give the audience too much to relate to, with their introverted nature and difficulty to trust people. Summer Strike is a must-watch if you like slow and soothing realistic romance.
8 Because This Is My First Life
Because This Is My First Life has it all: romance, comedy, drama, and important life lessons. The drama follows two housemates who get married only to save money, but soon their lives become difficult with demanding in-laws and unrecognized growing feelings between them.
The 2017 K-drama perfectly displays the constitution of marriage, the problems faced by couples in the present world, and the importance of friendship. The drama brings a smile to the face with every episode and also a whiff of fresh air with its unique characters and storyline. You simply can’t miss Because This Is My First Life on Netflix.
7 18 Again
An original remake of the Zac Efron film, 17 Again, this 2020 K-drama follows 37-year-old Dae-young, whose world comes crashing down after his wife decides to divorce him. Things go berserk, when he finds himself in the body of an 18-year-old boy.
18 Again might be a fantasy K-drama, but holds a meaningful plot. Surrounding the complexities of being a father, who has the chance to do things differently again, the show also focuses on teen dynamics, platonic love relationships, friendships, and importance of a family.
6 Move to Heaven
Unlike typical drama and romance K-dramas, Move to Heaven is a gem that introduces audiences to an emotional roller coaster ride making them weep, smile, and value their loved ones. The drama follows Han Geu-ru (Tang Jun-sang), a young man with Asperger's syndrome, who, after his father’s death, starts to work with his uncle to continue working for Move to Heaven, a business started by his father. Along with his uncle, Han Geu-ru works as a trauma cleaner, clearing out possessions of dead people, and delivering their stories left behind to their family.
5 Navillera
There’s no age limit to achieve your dreams, and Navillera is a perfect example to prove it. The K-drama follows a 70-year-old who forms a special bond with a 23-year-old as they train to become ballet dancers. Navillera is both heartwarming and heartbreaking with a lot of beautiful lessons one can learn from. Moreover, the chemistry between the two male leads despite their huge age gap is another positive factor of the show.
4 Welcome to Waikiki
Almost kind of a sitcom, Welcome to Waikiki is a hilarious K-drama with equally hilarious characters. Three friends, who are struggling to ace their dream jobs, run a guesthouse in hopes to get rich. However, their hysterical ways to attract customers and earn cash always land them in trouble. Things become funnier when they decide to give shelter to a single mother and her baby daughter, who start to look like the key to their unfulfilled dreams and hassle-free life.
3 Chicago Typewriter
If you love anything fantasy and reincarnation, Chicago Typewriter should be your next K-drama pick. The drama revolves around three people who, because of their life problems, get entangled with each other. Though after spending time with each other, they realize that they are connected with each other; they are the reincarnation of three friends who lived together under the Japanese occupation in the 1930s. Chicago Typewriter also keeps the viewers guessing on what is coming next, resulting it an excellent binge-watch worthy drama.
2 Do You Like Brahms?
Although K-dramas are popular for romance tropes, Do You Like Brahms? is definitely a different pick. Starring Extraordinary Attorney Woo’s Park Eun-bin in the leading role, the 2020 K-drama explores the life of Chae Song-ah (Park), who joins a music school, and must adjust to the daunting environment since she is seven years elder to her classmates.
Moreover, the drama gives a look inside the lives of classical music students who must find love and develop themselves at a competitive prestigious school. With each episode’s theme described with a musical notation, Do You Like Brahms? also smartly uses the ancient love triangle of musical geniuses Brahms, Schumann and his wife Clara as its backdrop. In short, it’s a perfect watch if you love music and K-dramas.
1 My Liberation Notes
Lives of adults, at one point, can become mundane and dull, and to escape the loop, sometimes it’s important to dedicate five minutes of happiness to ourselves. My Liberation Notes brilliantly captures the humdrum lives of three siblings, who, despite their complicated routines try to seek freedom and fun.
The characters of the drama feel reachable as they slowly unfold their realistic problems to the viewers, making them connect to the story on a greater level.
Excluding unnecessary drama, My Liberation Notes, without any filters, showcases the struggles of adulthood, while simultaneously providing the antidote to beat the norms. Undoubtedly, one should definitely not miss out on the show for multiple reasons.