The best Korean series on Netflix

There's so much more than 'Squid Game'! Here, we give you a summary of some hot K-series on Netflix that will definitely get you to see a new side to Korean TV other than the usual sappy Korean drama.

(Images: Netflix, unless noted otherwise)

‘All Of Us Are Dead’ is a show based on a Webtoon series where a zombie apocalypse breaks out and threatens the lives of some high-school students. They are forced to make difficult decisions to survive the undead catastrophe.

Set on a Korean mountain of the same name, ‘Jirisan’ is a Thriller-Mystery that tells the story of park rangers and employees of the Jirisan National Park trying to uncover the mysteries behind lost trekkers and the mountain’s other visitors.

(Image: Netflix)

‘Hellbound’ is a series applauded for it’s unique take on addressing the collective anxieties of the world today, and is based on the horror webtoon ‘The Hell’ – where supernatural entities land an unexpected appearance on earth to condemn mankind to hell.

‘Squid Game’ can be said to be the biggest series to hit Netflix in 2021! Its unique ‘battle-royale’-esque premise was a refreshing take for viewers. The series also critiques South Korea’s issue of class-disaprity and capitalism through psychological horror.

‘Vincenzo’ is one of South Korea’s top dramas and for good reason. Other than starring heartthrob Song Joong-ki, ‘Vincenzo’ boasts a never before seen storyline that mixes Korean culture with that of Italy’s mafia culture, especially so with having a consigliere of Korean descent a main character!

Set in the 16th century, ‘Kingdom’ is a historical horror series that depicts a Joseon-like empire in danger of being wiped out by a pandemic that turns its citizens into zombies. Did you know that the writer for ‘Kingdom’, Kim Eun-hee was also responsible for the creation of ‘Jirisan’?

Adapted from the short film ‘Sea of Tranquility’, ‘The Silent Sea’ is a sci-fi mystery thriller that details the journey of a space crew on a mission to uncover the mystery of an abandoned space station. This show will keep you on the edge of your seat as there is also a double plot: the aspect of uncovering the betrayal from within the crew members themselves!

‘Hotel Del Luna’ is a show about managing a hotel that specifically caters to ghosts! Despite the spooky nature of the series, the show is a romantic comedy that stars big names such as K-songstress IU and actor Yeo Jin-goo as the main characters.

Based on the film ‘Frequency’, ‘Signal’ details of a similar plot where a detective from 1989 is able to contact a current day cold-case profiler in 2015 – taking police work to a transdimensional level that transcends time and space. Its interesting plot pushed ‘Signal’ to being of the highest-rated K-dramas in TV history!

‘My Name’ is a revenge story where undercover plots become reinvented: a young woman infiltrates the police force under the instruction drug smuggling crime group in order to investigate the reason for her father’s demise.

Adapted from a webtoon of the same name, ‘Sweet Home’ is an apocalyptic horror-drama that focuses on the struggle of a teenager who joins a group of survivors in his residential block in defending their lives from monsters – who also happen to be their fellow neighbours pre-transformation.

‘Extracurricular’ centers on the struggle and schemes of a top-scoring high school student who turns to a life of crime to fund his ambitions to enter into university. His life takes an unexpected turn when more students get roped into his life of crime and threaten the security of his crimminal operations.

‘D.P.’ is a TV series that details the harsh lives of military service in South Korea – which unsurprisingly leads to the plot’s focus on how a team of military policemen go on a journey to catch army deserters who desert the military for several reasons which include bullying.

A fantasy-historical drama, ‘Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’ is about how a group of immortals and an ex-immortal negotiate their mortal differences to achieve their goals and roles – which falter between revenge and duty.

While not based on a true story, ‘Beyond Evil’ is a psychological thriller that bears similarities to Korea’s infamous ‘Hwaseong serial murders’ case. This show is a wild ride and will get you questioning whether the true evil is truly the murderer… or the authorities trying to solve the case.