10 Best Korean Movies, Dramas And TV Shows To Watch And Where To Stream Them
MAIN POINTS
- The decision to leave has received awards and nominations from various organizations, including Cannes.
- The Body: 100 is one of the new competitive reality TV shows of 2023 available on Netflix.
- "Squid Game" director Hwang Dong Hyuk previously confirmed the series' second season.
Korean dramas and films are currently dominating the global film and television industry, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic, with over $1.3 billion (about KRW 1.7 trillion) in film sales and 817 films in total. Renowned critics have given parallel awards, opening huge doors of opportunity for international cinema and entertainment.
Remember how Parasite and The Squid Game, to name a few, had a huge impact on viewers around the world as many parodies and reviews of The Squid Game appeared online? Well, here are some other top-rated Korean movies, shows, and TV series that you can add to your must-see list.
The list below is taken from JustWatch's Global Broadcast Lists.
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"Physics: 100"
The only reality competition to make this list, Physique: 100 focuses on footage of 100 contestants competing in a series of physical challenges for pride, honor and a prize of $300 million or close to it. $225,000.
Participants include South Korean athletes from various sports. There are even fitness trainers and influencers vying for the title of most impressive body.
"Physical: 100" is still available to stream on Netflix.
Rotten Tomatoes review: "Physical: 100" received a 90% positive rating from professional critics.
9.
"The Decision to Leave"
The Decision to Leave, which has won multiple international awards, is the story of a detective investigating an unnatural death. He meets the victim's wife, who seems mysterious and suspicious. He then begins to show a greater interest in her, but this only leads the supposed investigation of a stuck death case into a tragic love story.
This critically acclaimed film received awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Golden Globe, Palm Spring International Film Festival, London Film Critics Circle and Cannes Film Festival, winning in various categories. It can be purchased or rented on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video.
Rotten Tomatoes Review: The Decision to Leave received a positive rating from 94% of professional critics.
8.
"Glory"
"Hunger," which recently won three awards at the 59th Baeksang Awards, tells the story of a student who is bullied in high school. Due to the severe impact of bullying on her life, she was forced to drop out of school.
She later plans a revenge filled with cruelty and suffering to get revenge on her persecutors and the people who witnessed her abuse but chose to remain silent. "The Glory" is available to stream on Netflix.
Rotten Tomatoes Review: "Fame" averages 83% positive reviews from professional critics.
7.
"The Flower of Evil"
It is about the life of a female detective and her husband, who hides behind someone else's identity to hide his violent past. He tries to cheat on his wife, who then discovers everything and decides to return to her past.
"Flower of Evil," a 16-episode Netflix drama starring Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won. Their chemistry on the small screen, which started in the 2017 drama Criminal Minds, is something fans have really missed.
IMDb Review: Flower of Evil rated 8.6 out of 10 stars.
6.
"It's okay not to be okay"
The 2020 drama starring Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Ye Ji as Moon Gang Tae and Go Moon Young respectively revolves around the love story of a mental health worker and a popular children's writer.
Both have no time, no knowledge of love, no past, no time to commit. However, the exciting part begins when they meet, cure each other's emotional problems and soon find love together. The comfort and journey they go through to find their true purpose in life is a very moving experience. Watch It's Okay, It's Not Okay on Netflix.
IMDb review: "It's OK to Disagree" received a rating of 8.6 out of 10 stars.
5.
"Crash Landing on You"
Crash Landing on Love, an award-winning romantic drama in South Korea, is still one of the best dramas of all time. It stars famous actors Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin, who are now married and enjoying married life with their first child.
The story begins in North Korea, where the love of two Koreans from different parts of the country was born. When an heiress of a South Korean company accidentally crashes a paraglider, she encounters a North Korean officer who tries to hide and protect her. The division between North and South embodied in the 16-episode romantic drama is something new and fresh for Korean theater fans, which makes the series even more exciting. "Crash Landing on Love," available to stream on Netflix, won the top prize at the 2021 Korean Communications Commission Broadcast Awards.
Rotten Tomatoes review: "Crash Landing on Love" received an overall positive viewership rating of 98%.
4.
"Hospital Reading List"
Last question: "When is season three coming out?" Various meetings on and off the 99ers have fueled speculation about a new season. But there is still no confirmation from director Shin Won Ho, the creator of Prison Book and Reply 1988. Fans are looking forward to the sweet and warm friendship of the five doctors at Yulje Medical Center: Ik-Joon, Jung-Won, Joon-Wan, Seok -Hyun and Sung-Hwa.
The two-part story follows the lives of five people who meet as adults after enrolling in medical school in 1999. This musical and medical drama is packed with emotion, so get ready for a few tears, but plenty of hilarious scenes that they compose for it. . Unlike other dramas, the story does not focus on villains or difficult life scenarios. His soothing life stories are perfect for those who want to enjoy simple yet meaningful Korean drama. The Hospital Playlist is still available to stream on Netflix.
Rotten Tomatoes Review: "Playlist in the Hospital" received a 100% positive rating from average audiences.
3.
"Alchemy of Souls"
Alchemy of Souls is a 30-episode Korean drama directed by Park Joon Hwa. Less than five months later, the second part of the series was released. This magical romance series is set in a fictional setting called Daeho.
Between young wizards, despite their twisted destinies, love grows thanks to a forbidden magic spell that allows some souls to return to the world of the living by entering another person's body.
So if you like Korean dramas like Hotel Del Luna, Goblin or Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart of Korea, then you might want to watch this and stream it on Netflix.
Rotten Tomatoes Review: A total of 97% positive reviews from viewers.
2.
"Squid Game"
Squid Game, a 2021 nine-episode series, revolves around the stories of people who are asked to play a $4.56 million survival game. It may seem like a normal series of matches at first, but the matches get extremely fast. Every lost life is exchanged for money, so hang in there because there is nothing to do in Squid Game. The desire and desperation of the participants to survive the hardships of life make the story more touching.
The show, directed by Hwang Dong Hyuk, won two Emmys in 2022. Hwang previously revealed that he was in talks with Netflix for a second and third season during an interview with The Korea Times. While you wait for new seasons, you can now start streaming The Squid Game on Netflix.
Rotten Tomatoes Review: Received 95% positive reviews from professional critics.
1.
"Parasite"
The award-winning South Korean film sheds light on the social inequality and class discrimination between the Kim family, who live in a basement and barely make ends meet, and the Parks, an ultra-rich family who live comfortably in a modernized home. among these films that pave the way for other international films, especially Asian ones, to impose themselves on the international market. "Parasite," directed by Bong Joon-Ho, made history by winning multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Film, and Best Original Screenplay. A funny yet dramatic thrilling ride as the Kims enter the Parks' lives, their employees becoming the source of all the complications.
Parasite offers a more interesting and artistic look at the indifference of any social status, with twists here and there, the viewers will definitely be glued to the screen. You can watch or rent Parasite through digital platforms such as Amazon, Apple TV and Google Play.
Rotten Tomatoes Review: "Parasite" received a 99% vote from professional critics.
