Emotional Rollercoaster: The Best Korean Dramas on Amazon Prime

This romantic comedy is based on Yoo Hyun-sook’s webtoon ‘I Steal Peeks At Him Every Day,’ and it revolves around an unusual love triangle. Dok-mi is shy and reserved, and she dislikes leaving her house. However, one day she notices Han Tae-joon, who lives across the street. Dok-mi is unaware that another neighbour – a webtoon artist – Oh Jin-Rak – has been in love with her for a long time as she develops affections for him. Jin-rak’s webtoon for Dok-mi inspired the title of the series. The show can be viewed here.

Heartbeat (2023)

‘Heartbeat,’ a tale starring a vampire who is semi-human named Seon Woo-hyul (Ok Taec-yeon) and an ill-behaved woman Joo In-hae (Won Ji-an), is a rom-com that illustrates that even the cold-hearted, literally or metaphorically, require love. Woo-hyul has failed to become a human owing to a single day in a hundred years, but he meets In-hae, with whom he ends up sharing a house and falls unwittingly in love. Perhaps falling in love with a human will make her feel more human. You may listen to ‘Heartbeat’ here.

Hush (2020 – 2021)

This comedy-drama based on Jung Jin-young’s 2018 novel ‘Silence Warning’ explores what happens inside a newspaper agency from every viewpoint. It delves into the lives of the reporters, as well as the conflict that exists between their existence in the newspaper industry and their conscience. We can tell that this is a difficult conflict to manage. We observe how the agency in issue handles this in the most amusing way. ‘Hush’ stars Hwang Jung-min, Kyung Soo-jin, Yoo Sun, and Kim Won-hae. The show can be viewed here.

Imitation (2021)

‘Imitation,’ based on the same-named South Korean webtoon, is a rom-com that examines the secret affair between Lee Ma-ha, a member of a rookie girl band called Omega III, and Kwon Ryok, a member of a popular boy band. However, their romance jeopardises their individual careers. In typical K-drama form, we get to see how the two navigate their romance and their careers. Jung Ji-So, Lee Jun-young, Jeong Yun-ho, and Jiyeon star in the series. You can listen to ‘Imitation’ right now.

Jirisan (2021)

Set against the backdrop of Mount Jiri, ‘Jirisan’ centres on Seo Yi-Gang (Gianna Jun) and Kang Hyun-Jo (Ju Ji-Hoon), two rangers who risk their lives to rescue trekkers who have become stuck or lost, as well as victims and survivors of accidents. ‘Jirisan’ is an entertaining binge-watch because of their experiences, which are heightened by the exploration of the mountains with their terrible conditions. Kim Je-hyeon devised the show. You can see it here.

Lost (2021 – 2023)

‘Lost’ tells the narrative of millions of individuals around the world through the eyes of two persons: one is a 40-year-old ghostwriter, and the other is a 27-year-old poor man who dreams of becoming wealthy. Both have failed to attain their goals and believe they are “lost.” The fear of becoming no one weighs heavily on the two. What we witness in the drama is whether they are able to get themselves out of this negative zone. The cast of ‘Lost’ includes Jeon Do-yeon and Ryu Jun-yeol. You may watch the drama online here.

Monthly Magazine Home (2021)

‘Monthly Magazine Home’ is an intriguing look at the connection between the CEO of Monthly House magazine and the editor of the magazine. The editor, Na Young-Won (Jung So-Min), lives in a leased house, whereas the CEO, Yoo Ja-Sung (Kim Ji-Suk), is all about buying properties and increasing his real estate assets. We learn how the two get along and how love blossoms from their chats. Kim Ji-seok is the star of “Monthly Magazine Home.” Jung So-min, Jung Gun-joo, and Chae Jung-an are the three main characters. You may watch the show online here.

Oh My Ghost (2015)

‘Oh My Ghost’ is a fantasy romance drama about Na Bong-sun, a gifted sous chef who is highly self-conscious. What makes her genuinely unique is her capacity to speak with spirits. When a seductive spirit takes possession of Bong-sun’s body, her life takes an unexpected turn. People are taking notice of Bong-sun’s new personality, including her crush, celebrity chef Kang Sun-woo. You may watch the K-drama online here.

Payback (2023)

The plot of ‘Payback’ is precisely what the title implies. It depicts a group of people who, in the name of combatting corruption, take on a money cartel and a prosecutor’s office that has been bought off by the cartel. With powerful performances by Moon Chae-won, Lee Sun-kyun, Kang Yoo-seok, and Park Hoon, the politics of power and how it is exploited as a tool of manipulation for personal profit have been effectively displayed. You may watch the show online here.

Playful Kiss (2010)

The romantic-comedy television series ‘Playful Kiss,’ also known as ‘Mischievous Kiss’ or ‘Naughty Kiss,’ is based on Tada Kaoru’s Japanese manga ‘Itazura Na Kiss.’ It is the manga’s third television adaptation. Despite receiving low ratings in South Korea, the sitcom developed a strong fan base in other nations.

The series follows Oh Ha-ni, a downtrodden girl who is nothing like her crush, Baek Seung-jo, who is brilliant, confident, and popular. However, the former embarrasses herself by penning a letter to Seung-jo. Furthermore, the house in which she and her father reside collapses. To make matters worse, Seung-jo’s family invites them in and offers them a place to stay. Things take an intriguing turn as Ha-ni and Seung-jo spend more time together. ‘Mischievous Kiss’ can be viewed here.

Royal Secret Agent (2020 – 2021)

Kim Sang-hui’s ‘Royal Secret Agent’ is a historical comedy series starring Kim Myung Soo, Kwon Nara, Lee Yi-kyung, and Jo Soo-min. It is set during the Joseon Dynasty and follows Sung Yi-gyum (Kim Myung-soo), who is appointed as the secret royal inspector tasked with preventing corruption among government officials. Inspector Hong Da-In (Kwon Na-Ra) and Park Chun-Sam (Lee Yi-Kyung) accompany him on the undercover mission. Click here to view ‘Royal Secret Agent.’ You are welcome to view the drama here.

So I Married My Anti-Fan (2021)

After seeing so many rom-coms in which people who despise each other end up falling in love, we can accept that opposites do attract, not just electric charges or magnetic poles, but also humans. The same is true in ‘So I Married My Anti-Fan,’ based on Kim Eun-Jung’s 2010 novel of the same name, in which we see how a superstar named Hoo Joon (Choi Tae-Joon) and his anti-fan, a journalist named Lee Geun-young (Choi Soo-young), meet through a TV show in which they must share the screen. The show can be viewed here.

The Kidnapping Day (2023)

Based on Jung Hae-yeon’s novel of the same name, ‘The Kidnapping Day’ is a dark comedy starring Yoon Kye-sang, Park Sung-hoon, Kim Shin-rok, and Kang Young-seok. It portrays the narrative of Kim Myeong-Jun, a poor man in severe need of money to pay for his daughter’s treatment. As a result, he joins forces with his ex-wife to abduct Choi Ro-Hee, the wealthy couple’s 11-year-old daughter. But things go wrong when Kim Myeong-Jun inadvertently hits Choi Ro-Hee with his car, causing her to lose her memories. Myeong-Jun transports Ro-Hee to his residence as her parents’ bodies are recovered from their residence. Myeong-Jun must now figure out what’s going on while keeping Ro-Hee safe. You may read about ‘The Kidnapping Day’ here.

The Killing Vote (2023)

Eom Se-yun’s suspense series ‘The Killing Vote’ deals with exactly what its title implies. By carrying out a ‘death vote’ made by the public, a mystery masked man named Gaetal (dog mask) takes the law into his own hands and brings offenders who receive lenient treatment by the law to justice. If 50% or more of the people votes yes, the culprit is sentenced to death. Will anyone be able to locate this individual? ‘The Killing Vote’ stars Park Hae-jin, Lim Ji-yeon, Kim Kwon, and Park Sung-woong. The show is available on Amazon Prime Video here.