10 Underrated K-Dramas To Binge in One Weekend

With plenty of K-dramas available online, it’s hard to always make the right choice. Chooser’s dilemma is a real thing, and it can lead us to scroll endlessly, and then the evening ends, and it’s time for bed. To avoid that, people often pick the first or the most popular choices, leaving those underrated dramas buried in the pile.

K-dramas are usually not the type of show to be able to binge-watch in a day or two, but some are so exciting and gripping that binge-watching them is the only choice. The 10 underrated K-dramas to binge in one weekend will no longer stay buried in your watchlist or next-up pile; turn them on this weekend for a great time.

10

‘My Liberation Notes’ (2022)

Written by Park Hae-young

My Liberation Notes wasn’t among the most popular K-dramas of 2022, but it was praised by everyone who got the chance to see it. People loved it because of its slice-of-life character, but also because of how well the K-drama was written. It tackles topics related to youth life in Korea, capturing the aches of modern loneliness and social issues. It’s pretty realistic, powerful, and introspective, but it’s also sweet and mellow, often leading to relatable situations.

My Liberation Notes follows three siblings: sisters Ki-Jeong (Lee El) and Mi-jeong (Kim Ji-won) and brother Chan-hee (Lee Min-ki). They live outside Seoul and are stuck in the grind of small-town life, facing long commutes, fewer big break chances, and more life complications. One day, their mundane world shifts when a mystery man, Mr. Gu (Son Suk-ku), enters their lives; they’re unaware of how he’s connected to them, but his presence still causes some unease. My Liberation Notes will charm, surprise, and make you want to binge-watch it.

9

‘Hello, My Twenties!’ aka ‘Age of Youth’ (2016–2017)

Written by Park Yeon-seon

If you’re really keen on having a cozy, comfy, endearing, and wholesome binge-watch, Hello, My Twenties! will be the perfect show. It’s realistic, emotional, and relatable. It tackles many topics, from mental health and family baggage to self-discovery and identity. There’s lots of comfort and some catharsis in this dynamic of themes, and it’s all from a purely female perspective, as all five leads are women. The show has 2 seasons; the first is 12 episodes and the second 14, but the latter features a major cast change, so you can see how much you loved season one to go for the second.

Hello, My Twenties! follows five very different women in their twenties sharing a house they call Belle Époque. At Belle Époque, there is drama, gossip, and chatter, but it all soon turns to love and growth, as the women heal trauma together and bond for life. The cast is a mix of K-pop stars and seasoned actresses, including Hwayoung of T-ara, Seungyeon of Kara, and actress Park Eun-bin, more recently known for Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

8

‘Come and Hug Me’ (2018)

Written by Lee A-ram

Come and Hug Me is a melodrama and a romance, and if you like stories where the main couple was meant to be since childhood, this will be a major hit for you. It’s an interesting, one could even say gripping, blend of romance and a psychological thriller. The performances in the K-drama are nuanced without feeling like a slow burn, and the storytelling is well done. K-dramas like this one can be found in bucketfuls, which is why Come and Hug Me is underrated.

Come and Hug Me follows Do-jin (Jang Ki-yong) and Jae-yi (Jin Ki-joo) reuniting after not seeing each other since childhood, when they were each other’s first loves; Do-jin is now a detective, and Jae-yi is a rising actress. However, their pasts won’t be as easy to overcome, as the reason for their separation as children was brutal. The story shows how the two overcome their dark past and grow despite everything. The episodes are in short format, which makes them easy to follow and less filled with fluff.

7

‘Because This Is My First Life’ (2017)

Written by Yoon Nan-joong

Because This Is My First Life is an adorably quirky K-show that blends romance and drama; it’s subtle, smart, and emotional, touching real-life adulthood issues, gender roles, marriage, careers, and even housing issues. A lot of the themes are relatable to millennials facing such problems, but the show is for everyone tired of cliches; it’s quite well-made and discreetly accurate. The episodes are slightly longer, but the show will buy you from the first episode.

Because This Is My First Life follows Se-hee (Lee Min-ki), a socially awkward IT worker, and Ji-ho (Jung So-min), a writer’s assistant, struggling with their housing situations. When Ji-ho moves in with Se-hee through a friend’s recommendation, their relationship takes wild turns for the purpose of their housing contract, and later because of mutual feelings. Because This Is My First Life is also often a quirky comedy; overall, the show is lovable and very bingeable.

6

‘Strangers from Hell’ aka ‘Hell Is Other People’ (2019)

Directed by Lee Chang-hee

Strangers from Hell is elsewhere known as Hell Is Other People. Whatever you decide to call it, just remember—it’s creepy and unsettling, but brilliant. For fans of scares and more intense storylines in K-dramas, this one is the horror series that will get your blood pumping over the weekend. The show blends psychological horror with some dark comedy and a whodunit premise in most episodes; they’re all standalone, as the protagonist faces different characters from the same place, a cheap but creepy dormitory in Seoul.

Strangers From Hell follows a young, 20-something man, Jong-woo (Im Si-wan), who moves to Seoul from a small town after getting a company job. To save money, Jong-woo’s dormitory is cheap, but it’s also often unsettling and full of weird people. One of the most intense and terrifying protagonists is Moon-jo (Lee Dong-wook). Lee especially embraces his performance, easily shifting from a scary person to someone appearing understanding and compassionate. Strangers From Hell is a pretty exciting watch, and there aren’t many episodes; you could even binge-watch the K-drama in a day.

5

‘One Spring Night’ (2019)

Directed by Ahn Pan-seok

One Spring Night has the same format as Come and Hug Me—32 episodes that are around 30 minutes long. The show depicts adults in very complicated and often difficult relationships with their parents or partners. It’s a slow burn, but effective and very beautiful. The chemistry between the leads, Jung Hae-in and Han Ji-min, is palpable, and their forbidden romance makes the show a lot more powerful, as it helps both protagonists learn about themselves, life, and love. The show also covers the topic of single parenthood, something rarely shown in K-dramas.

One Spring Night follows the quiet librarian Jeong-in (Han), who is in a long-term relationship with banker Gi-seok (Kim Jun-han). When she visits the pharmacy where young single dad Ji-ho (Jung) works, their fates become entwined, and a whirlwind romance begins. One Spring Night will move you with its unconventional K-drama characters and show a more realistic side to the often idealistic plots they tend to serve.

4

‘Misty’ (2018)

Written by Je In

Misty is a K-drama you’ve definitely not heard of, but that’s OK; that’s why it’s here. It’ll surprise you with its main plot and themes, which carry strong film noir and thriller vibes. The show is intense and moody, and the series lead is Kim Nam-joo, one of the coolest female leads in any K-drama. If you’re a fan of strong women in dramas, Misty will be right up your alley. It has 16 episodes that are about an hour long, so an extended weekend binge is inevitable. Cancel all plans and get seated for this one.

Misty is about a highly popular and beloved Korean news anchor, Go Hye-ran (Kim), who becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. She’s married to former prosecutor turned public defender, Kang Tae-wook (Ji Jin-hee), and their marriage is on the rocks. The estranged Tae-wook still chooses to defend Hye-ran in the case, believing her innocence. The show depicts them repairing their marriage as they struggle through a tough and complex situation. Misty is quite stylish, too, so it’ll be a fun watch, no doubt.

3

‘Just Between Lovers’ aka ‘Rain or Shine’ (2017–2018)

Written by Yoo Bo-ra

Another drama with a dual title, Just Between Lovers, is often also known as Rain or Shine. Regardless of the title, it features Lee Jun-ho in his first lead role in a K-drama and Won Jin-ah in her TV debut; the co-leads had big shoes to fill, and indeed they did. Just Between Lovers is a deeply moving drama that also feels soft and healing. It deals with grief and trauma without inserting too much melodrama. The show is devastating in the best way, if that’s even a thing.

Just Between Lovers is about two young adults connected by a tragic accident that helps them bond many years later. Kang-doo (Lee) is a former soccer player who dreamed of going pro but sustained a terrible leg injury in an accident that also took his father’s life. Moon-soo (Won) is a woman dealing with the loss of her younger sister while taking care of her mother alone. Kang-doo and Moon-soo slowly but surely fall in love, bonding over a shared trauma. If you’re in the mood for a bit of tears and emotion this weekend, this is the K-drama to binge-watch.

2

‘Chicago Typewriter’ (2017)

Written by Jin Soo-wan

There are plenty of K-dramas that depict the Korean lifestyle during the Japanese occupation in the 1930s, but Chicago Typewriter was often overlooked in favor of similar ones with better word of mouth, like Mr. Sunshine. Not that Mr. Sunshine is at all bad, but this show is an equally genre-bending work of art, blending history, sci-fi, mystery, romance, and even bromance. It’s incredibly well-made, with brilliant set design, costumes, and performances.

Chicago Typewriter is about resistance fighters who lived in Japanese-occupied Korea in the 1930s but reincarnate in the present time as renowned writer Se-joo (Yoo Ah-in), his fan and veterinarian Jeon-seol (Im Soo-jung), and a ghostwriter Jin-oh (Go Kyung-pyo). The story follows the two plots simultaneously, showing how the bond between the three transfers into the future and vice versa. If you’re a fan of historical K-dramas, Chicago Typewriter is mandatory viewing, though it has some stylish 20th-century suits rather than a hanbok.

1

‘Mother’ (2018)

Written by Jung Seo-kyung

Standing at a whopping 9/10 rating on IMDb (impressions of around 1,000 reviewers), Mother is a K-drama not many people have heard of. However, it’s obviously loved by everyone who’s seen it, with many of the users reviewing it with a perfect ten; this could be recommendation enough. Mother is a remake of the 2010 Japanese series of the same name, and it’s a raw and often painful exploration of parenthood and participating in a child’s life. Mother features Lee Bo-young as the titular “mother,” bringing phenomenal rawness and heart to the show.

Mother follows temporary teacher Kang Soo-jin (Lee), who realizes one day that one of her child students, Hye-na (Heo Yool), is being abused by her mother. Soo-jin takes a drastic step and takes Hye-na to care for her herself. However, since it’s technically kidnapping, Soo-jin and Hye-na have to run, and the show depicts their journey from person to person. Mother is a gripping story that depicts the sacrifices of parenthood and the devotion of a mother willing to do anything to protect her child. Prepare some tissues, though; the show gets quite tough at times.

NEXT: K-Dramas That Are Bangers From Start to Finish