Dive into Alicia Hannah-Kim’s curated K-drama picks, featuring a mix of heartfelt, slow-burn romances and coming-of-age stories full of depth, connection, and moments that linger long after the screen fades to black.

Alicia Hannah-Kim's K-Drama Watchlist

Betrayed by his king, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), a decorated military general from the Goryeo Dynasty, was forced to watch his family die before him. Saved by the Almighty, yet condemned to an eternal life as a goblin, Kim Shin uses his supernatural abilities to save humans, including the mother of Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun), an optimistic high school student with a strange connection to the supernatural. When Eun Tak is repeatedly drawn to him, Kim Shin wonders if she might be the one he has spent an eternity searching for, the only one who can set his soul free, the Goblin Bride. Written by Kim Eun Sook, this award-winning 2016 South Korean fantasy romance series was directed by Lee Eung Bok and Kwon Hyuk Chan.

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

The Immortal Team

During a total solar eclipse, Go Ha Jin (IU), a 25-year-old woman from the 21st century, finds herself transported back to the Goryeo Dynasty where she awakens in the body of Hae Su, a 16-year-old girl. There, she finds herself entangled with ruling Wang family and the princes' rivalries as they fight for the throne. Hae Su develops feelings for the eighth prince Wang Uk (Kang Ha Neul), whose gentle countenance hides his deep ambitions and willingness to make ruthless choices. She also builds a relationship with the feared fourth prince Wang So (Lee Joon Gi), whose cruel and aloof reputation precedes him. However, Hae Su soon recognizes that his coldness is just a front to hide his pain, and helps bring out his true self, falling for him in the process. Will Hae Su's love end up changing history? This drama was adapted from the 2005 Chinese novel of the same name by Tong Hua.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) is devastated by the sudden and tragic death of her favorite star, Ryu Sun Jae (Byun Woo Seok), a former swimmer turned K-pop idol. But in the midst of her anguish, she magically time slips back to 2008 – when Sun Jae is still only 19 years old! Delighted that she has a chance to help him avert his unhappy future fate, Sol makes it her mission to change the future... and maybe find love along the way. Will her efforts to divert the course of the past prove successful – or could they have unexpected consequences? This 2024 South Korean drama was adapted from a web novel named “The Best of Tomorrow” by Kim Bbang and was directed by Kim Tae Yeop and Yoon Jong Ho.

Lovely Runner

✨ The Marvellous ✨ team

Prince Yi San (Lee Junho) vows to become a benevolent monarch despite his cruel grandfather's reign. He falls for Sung Deok Im (Lee Se Young), an intelligent and spirited palace maid. Yi San aims to make her his concubine but Deok Im knows becoming a royal consort would restrict her freedom and rob her of joy. Undeterred by Deok Im’s misgivings, Yi San’s pure love slowly wins her over. Will their hard-earned love be able to withstand the turmoils of palace life? Based on the novel of the same name by Kang Mi Kang, this 2021 South Korean historical series was directed by Jung Ji In and Song Yeon Hwa.

The Red Sleeve

💞Love Finds A Way 🛣

TVING

Despite Youn Ga Min's (Hwang Min Hyun) natural gift in martial arts, he dreams of academic success. However, the school he attends is notoriously attended by troubled students, making it difficult to succeed, and carries dark secrets – including a past teacher's murder. Determined to boost his grades, Ga Min forms a study group with Kim Se Hyun (Lee Jong Hyun) and other like-minded students, but the group soon finds itself targeted by bullies, led by Pi Han Ul (Cha Woo Min). Ga Min refuses to let his study group get beaten down, unleashing his fighting skills to defend them. Idealistic teacher Han Kyeong​ (Han Ji Eun), Ga Min's former tutor, also wants the school to do better, but she harbors some secrets of her own. Can Ga Min and Han Kyeong help this disastrous school?

Study Group

📝  The Diligent  📚  team

A modern-day college student suddenly finds her soul transported into the body of Cha Sun Chaek (Seohyun), a minor character in her favorite historical fantasy web novel. As she tries to adjust to her new world, Sun Chaek accidentally gets drunk and runs into Yi Beon (Taecyeon): the cold, handsome Prince Gyeong Seong and male lead of the novel. In her intoxication, Sun Chaek and Yi Beon seem to spend the night together... and the next morning, Yi Beon insists that they get married! Alarmed, Sun Chaek tries to steer Yi Beon back toward Cho Eun Ae (Kwon Han Sol), the original female lead, but Yi Beon remains undeterred, completely changing the novel's plot. Will "Sun Chaek" manage to make it back to her own world and set the story straight – or will she pursue a happy ending with the prince? This series was adapted from the web comic of the same name by Hwang Do Tol.

The First Night with the Duke

💘 Fateful First Night 🌠

Fund manager Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) is a workaholic father who reluctantly agrees to take his daughter to Busan on the KTX train. As they board with other passengers, a sudden zombie outbreak transforms the high-speed train into a terrifying battleground for survival. When an infected passenger turns into a zombie, the infection spreads rapidly through the train, turning most passengers into flesh-eating monsters. Seok Woo must protect his daughter and work with the remaining survivors to navigate the zombie-infested train and landscape. With the military establishing a potential safe zone in Busan, the group fights desperately to avoid infection and reach safety. Their journey becomes a heart-pounding struggle against the zombie pandemic, testing their courage, resourcefulness, and will to survive. This is a 2016 South Korean horror-action film directed by Yeon Sang Ho.

Train to Busan

🧟‍ Next Stop Zombieland 🧟‍

JTBC

After serving the Jin family and Soonyang Group faithfully for years, Yoon Hyeon Woo (Song Joong Ki) is embroiled in their succession battle and tragically murdered as collateral damage. Miraculously, fate gives him a chance to exact his revenge when he finds he’s brought back in time inside the body of Jin Do Jun, the youngest grandson of Jin Yang Cheol (Lee Sung Min), the CEO of Soonyang Group. Using his new identity and knowledge of the future, Do Jun plots a hostile takeover of the Soonyang Group. Will Do Jun succeed in his revenge and find his murderer? Based on the webtoon of the same name by San Kyung, this 2022 South Korean drama series was directed by Jung Dae Yoon.

Reborn Rich

🥊Reborn to Avenge Team🎯

While Sunwoo Hae (Song Joong Ki) originally found success as a child actor, he decided to quit acting after several negative experiences, eventually taking on a career as a florist and a writer under a pen name. He's uninterested in returning to the entertainment industry until he receives an unexpected visit from childhood friend Sung Je Yeon (Chun Woo Hee), now a manager at a talent agency. However, this isn't just a social call: a television producer is interested in finding Hae to film a documentary, and Je Yeon tracked Hae down through his flower shop. Hae initially turns down Je Yeon's request, but he later agrees after more consideration. As they begin to spend more time together, they begin to reckon with old, unaddressed feelings, past hurt and misunderstandings, and a possible way forward for them – together.

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