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Korean drama reviews

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Korean drama reviews

In-depth reviews of the latest and hottest South Korean television series, also known as K-dramas, on cable and streaming services.

last updated:

9 September, 2024

Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in a still from Squid Game season 2. Photo: No Ju-han/Netflix

The 15 best K-dramas of 2024 ranked, from Queen of Tears to Squid Game 2

From a vigilante thriller to a period political drama, and Korea’s most awaited sequel, here is our pick of the top 15 K-dramas of 2024.

21 Dec 2024 - 7:12AMvideocam

Review | Light Shop: mawkish supernatural K-drama of two halves

19 Dec 2024 - 8:15PMvideocam

Light Shop: Ju Ji-hoon leads supernatural K-drama from Moving writer

6 Dec 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

The Fiery Priest 2 midseason recap: Kim Nam-gil in comedy overload

Slapstick humour and ludicrous scenarios take over as Kim Nam-gil fights a drug lord, in a series that has become funnier but less coherent.

4 Dec 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

Kim Nam-gil as secret agent turned Catholic priest Kim Hae-il in a still from The Fiery Priest season 2. The show has come to rely on slapstick comedy rather than a strong storyline.

The Tale of Lady Ok, period rags-to-riches K-drama with Lim Ji-yeon

Lim Ji-yeon plays a humble servant who pretends to be a noblewoman, in this period K-drama set in the era of Joseon dynastic rule in Korea.

3 Dec 2024 - 7:26PMvideocam

Review | The Trunk: Gong Yoo, Seo Hyun-jin lead romantic thriller K-drama

A woman leaves her wealthy husband and sets him up with another woman. Meanwhile a suitcase hides a mystery in atmospheric Netflix series.

2 Dec 2024 - 7:45PMvideocam

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Review | Gangnam B-Side: K-drama crime thriller descends into a gore fest

Ji Chang-wook’s Seoul pimp and Bibi’s escort fail to surprise us in this drama with gratuitous violence inflicted on badly-drawn characters.

29 Nov 2024 - 7:45PMvideocam

Jo Woo-jin in a still from Gangnam B-Side. Photo: Disney+

When the Phone Rings: Yoo Yeon-seok, Chae Soo-bin in ludicrous K-drama

This story, which follows a selective mute (played by Chae Soo-bin) and her public speaker husband (Yoo Yeon-seok), lacks substance.

28 Nov 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

Love Your Enemy, engaging romcom K-drama with Ju Ji-hoon, Jung Yu-mi

A man and woman from two feuding families are reunited after 18 years in this romcom set around a high school.

27 Nov 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

Review | Comedy K-drama A Virtuous Business sidesteps its cheeky premise

The Korean series on Netflix, which follows women who sell lingerie and adult toys, forgets its original message but is still a good watch.

22 Nov 2024 - 6:15PMvideocam

Kim So-yeon as former beauty queen Han Jeong-suk in a still from Netflix K-drama A Virtuous Business. Yeon Woo-jin and Kim Sung-ryung co-star.

Review | In Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, soaring performances save the show

Kim Tae-ri shines as a gifted singer who overcomes hardships in a story that has some good ideas but fails to follow through on them.

21 Nov 2024 - 4:15PMvideocam

Kim Tae-ri as singer Yoon Jeong-nyeon in a still from Disney+ K-drama Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born.

SCMP Highlights

Recap | Squid Game back for season 2, shows stir up alcohol controversy: 5 K-drama stories

Discover the latest in K-dramas, from news to reviews, in a look back at some of our recent coverage from the world of Korean entertainment.

19 Nov 2024 - 12:25PM

SCMP Highlights

Recap | Gladiator II, Love in the Big City, Cesium Fallout: our latest film reviews

We review six diverse films, from Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator II and the empowering tale of The Last Dance, to the stellar Love in the Big City and Hong Kong blockbuster Cesium Fallout.

14 Nov 2024 - 5:09PMvideocam

The Fiery Priest season 2: Kim Nam-gil beats up sinners in action K-drama

Korea’s most temperamental priest returns for a second outing, this time delivering his unique brand of divine justice to criminals in Busan.

11 Nov 2024 - 5:05PMvideocam

Kim Nam-gil as unorthodox priest Kim Hae-il in a still from The Fiery Priest season two, a Korean drama on Disney+.

Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born midseason recap – Kim Tae-ri’s musical triumph

Kim Tae-ri’s troubled stage singer outshines her rival, played by Shin Ye-eun, in stunning performances. There is the odd far-fetched moment.

8 Nov 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

Kim Tae-ri as prodigious singer Yoon Jeong-nyeon in a still from Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born.

Review | In K-drama Mr. Plankton, Woo Do-hwan, Lee Yoo-mi take a road trip

A confusing start to this Korean series and a lack of chemistry between the leads makes Mr. Plankton on Netflix a far from riveting watch.

8 Nov 2024 - 4:00PMvideocam

A Virtuous Business midseason recap: Korean sexual mores challenged

Kim So-yeon’s rural adult-toys seller overcomes personal struggles to make inroads in conservative 1990s Korea. But what is her endgame?

7 Nov 2024 - 5:15PMvideocam

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Review | The Judge from Hell: Park Shin-hye can’t save demonic K-drama

Park Shin-hye’s spirited turn as a demon who develops human feelings is failed by unconvincing characters and inconsequential twists.

6 Nov 2024 - 7:45PMvideocam

Park Shin-hye in a still from The Judge from Hell.

Review | What Comes After Love: cross-cultural K-drama is just too slow

Starring Lee Se-young and Kentaro Sakaguchi, this Korean romantic drama isn’t terrible but suffers from languid pacing and repetitive themes.

31 Oct 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

Review | In Hellbound season 2, Yeon Sang-ho’s worthy dystopia returns

Yeon Sang-ho’s second season of Hellbound is a fun, pulpy ride that reminds us why we got excited about Korean dystopias in the first place.

25 Oct 2024 - 3:00PMvideocam

Doubt: Han Suk-kyu leads immersive murder mystery K-drama

An aloof criminal profiler finds out his daughter is involved in a case he is investigating in this immersive, psychological Korean series.

15 Oct 2024 - 10:55PMvideocam

Han Ye-ri (left) as evidence gatherer Eo-jin and Han Suk-kyu as profiler Tae-soo in a still from Doubt.

Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born – Kim Tae-ri shines in period music K-drama

Kim Tae-ri stars as talented young singer Yoon Jeong-nyeon whose mother (Moon So-ri) tries to stop her singing, in this Disney+ period drama.

15 Oct 2024 - 5:15PMvideocam

Kim Tae-ri in a still from Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born.

The Judge from Hell midseason recap: Park Shin-hye’s demonic resolve wavers

As demon Kang Bit-na, Park Shin-hye struggles to control her body and emotions in The Judge from Hell as she sends murderers’ souls to hell.

14 Oct 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

A Virtuous Business: Kim So-yeon brings adult toys to a Korean rural town

This 1990s-set drama sees a group of women begin selling racy lingerie and adult toys door to door, shaking up their quiet rural town.

15 Oct 2024 - 11:00PMvideocam

Gangnam B-Side: Ji Chang-wook in gritty thriller K-drama on Disney+

The seedy underbelly of Seoul’s most glam neighbourhood is laid bare in this stylish thriller starring Ji Chang-wook as a pimp on the run.

11 Oct 2024 - 5:15PMvideocam

Bibi (left) as escort Jae-hee and Ji Chang-wook as pimp Gil-ho in a still from Gangnam B-Side. Photo: Disney+

Review | Love Next Door: love and food in undercooked Netflix romantic K-drama

High-flyer Baek Seok-ryu (Jung So-min) disappoints her parents by becoming a chef and falling for the boy next door in this meandering tale.

10 Oct 2024 - 7:15PMvideocam

Jung Hae-in as architect Choi Seung-hyo (left) and Jung So-min as chef Baek Seok-ryu in a still from Netflix K-drama Love Next Door.

Review | Spice Up Our Love: No Gain No Love spin-off deconstructs romantic dramas

This fantasy drama follows an erotic-novel author who turns into the lead character from one of her web stories, both played by Han Ji-hyun.

9 Oct 2024 - 7:45PMvideocam

High-school romcom K-drama Way Back Love is an instant classic

With stand-out performances and strong direction, Way Back Love is in the running to be one of the best Korean high-school romcoms ever.

5 Oct 2024 - 8:53AMvideocam

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