K-Drama comedies are the most loved and most viewed K-Dramas on television. With the surge of K-Dramas taking over streaming services across the world, comedic K-dramas are taking the top spots for viewers. From romantic comedies to dramatic comedies, K-Dramas always know how to mix humor into a storyline. The best of the best always have amazing or well-known leading characters with a great ensemble cast to go with them.
Since all series in South Korea are called K-dramas, it can sometimes be hard to decipher what is really just a drama, sci-fi/fantasy, or comedy series. The majority of the K-dramas have a romance tied into the story, while others just have characters who have close bonds and bring out their chemistry in other ways. What makes a good comedic K-drama? A good comedic K-drama has a cast that is full of chemistry and can use each other as great comedic partners, a fun storyline that has a few serious underlying storylines, and a happy ending that makes you feel all the good feelings just to get there.
20
‘Heavenly Ever After’ (2025)
Starring Kim Hye-ja and Son Suk-ku
Heavenly Ever After is a very fresh drama comedy from tvN that’s also been released on Netflix. This 12-episode limited series will make you cry, laugh, and cry from laughter, often in the same episode. It’s a unique outlook on Heaven and Hell and the rules that get a person into one or the other; it’s about 80-year-old Hae-sook (Kim Hye-ja), whose husband dies after nearly 60 years of marriage. A year later, she dies, too, and joins him in Heaven, only to realize they have a nearly 50-year age gap between them due to a misunderstanding.
Heavenly Ever After stars acting legend Kim Hye-ja, who was in Bong Joon-ho‘s underrated masterpiece Mother; she carries the show with her understated but often incredibly funny moments, like when she unintentionally curses or gets angry. Kim is joined by Son Suk-ku, a brilliant leading man who is as charming as he is handsome, and his comedic timing is off the charts in this show, too. Everyone, including the side characters, is hilarious and endearing, and the show itself is very endearing, too. —Anja Djuricic
19
‘Her Private Life’ (2019)
Starring Park Min-young and Kim Jae-wook
Deok-mi (Park Min-young) is a woman with a career as an art gallery curator who meets former artist, Ryan Gold (Kim Jae-wook), when he’s working as an art director. Deok-mi isn’t just a dedicated art curator; she leads a secret life as a fangirl who runs a fansite for Cha Si-an (One), an idol singer. Her home life and work life are starkly different, so when Ryan begins to work with her, the two learn things about each other that they never considered before. The two go from collaborators to lovers in a unique way that has them stumbling into a beautiful relationship.
Her Private Life is an inside look at the fangirl culture in South Korea, but this romantic comedy brings two people who are stern and serious about their work together to show each other who their true selves are. The chemistry between Park Min-young and Kim Jae-wook is more palpable with each scene. They have wonderful comedic timing with each other, pulling their scenes together with effortless ease. One thing to love about K-dramas is their way of always leading with one story, but having so many interconnected stories wrapped up inside. The stoic Ryan Gold is able to become freer and open after being acquainted with the lively Deok-mi. Their unlikely pairing makes their interwoven stories even more enjoyable to watch.
18
‘So Not Worth It’ (2021–)
Starring Park Se-wan, Shin Hyun-seung, Choi Young-jae, Minnie Nicha Yontararak, and Han Hyun-min
So Not Worth It is a 30-minute sitcom and K-drama mixed into one. The series follows a jumbled group of international and Korean students all living in a dormitory and getting through the wild times of life together. Se-wan (Park Se-wan) is a by-the-book student who serves as the resident hall director. She becomes more relaxed after meeting Jamie (Shin Hyun-seung), with whom she begins to have a K-drama-esque storyline, and the rest of the residents in the dorms. The show has wacky, surprising moments that give the audience big laughs, but also has relatable moments that any person experiencing college can have, whether they’re in a foreign country or not.
This show is fun and carefree, with a sprinkle of why Korean television is so loved. So Not Worth It features reality show stars, idol singers, and K-drama actors. So Not Worth It has a variety of diverse characters, and the setting allows for the series to play around with the content they can bring into the mix. It’s fun to see Minnie (Minnie Nicha Yontararak) and Sam (Choi Young Jae) interact as two students who bicker constantly, or watch Hyeon-min (Han Hyun-min) try to adapt to college life with his family issues interfering with his schooling. The show was new to the regular Korean content presented on Netflix, and many fans are still anticipating if it will return with more seasons.
17
‘Doctor Slump’ (2024)
Starring Park Shin-hye and Park Hyun-sik
Doctor Slump finds Yeo Jeong-woo (Park Hyun-sik) and Nam Ha-neul (Park Shin-Hye) as childhood rivals to successful adults. The two were always the highest-ranked students in their grade, and they grew up to be two successful doctors. When they meet again as adults, Ha-neul has just been diagnosed with depression, and Jeong-woo is being sued for malpractice after a famous patient died while he performed their surgery. They’re officially in the biggest slumps of their lives. The journey of hilarious and sometimes deeper, heartfelt moments that lead us through their story makes viewers laugh and cry continuously throughout the series.
Park Hyun-sik is known for his comedic takes on K-dramas, and Doctor Slump is no different. Shin-Hye and Hyung-sik play off each other so well and provide the best comedy intertwined with heavy topics of depression and loneliness. Watching Ha-neul and Jeong-woo bicker and get under each other’s skin as teenagers and then growing up and harboring the same feelings of dislike as adults made viewers want to return each week to see where the story would go. They are awkward with each other, and that provides funny moments between them, their family, and friends. It’s not the typical comedic love story, but the comedy makes the tougher mental health discussions seem more real.
Doctor Slump
- Release Date
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2024 – 2023
- Directors
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Oh Hyun-jong
16
‘One Dollar Lawyer’ (2022)
Starring Namkoong Min, Kim Ji-eun, Choi Dae-hoon, and Lee Deok-hwa
One Dollar Lawyer is a mix of several genres, but it’s primarily a legal dramedy. The protagonist, Chun Ji-hoon (Namkoong Min), or the so-called One Dollar Lawyer, accepts clients for only 1,000 Korean won, which is $1. This makes him a cost-effective representative for many people seeking legal counsel, though he wasn’t always working like this. At first, Chun starts as a talented and justice-driven state prosecutor with an elite career; however, after his girlfriend’s death, he decides to find her killers and accept clients for a small fee.
The premise of One Dollar Lawyer is interesting, and the show is very well written. However, its biggest star is undoubtedly Min, who uses slapstick and gag comedy to portray the protagonist and deliver some belly laughs. The rest of the cast is also great, and they provide many memorable moments to the series. If you’re interested in a bit of murder mystery to go with your comedy, One Dollar Lawyer is the best show for you. —Anja Djuricic
15
‘Crash Landing on You’ (2019–2020)
Starring Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin
Crash Landing on You is one of the most beloved K-Dramas of the last five years. Two people from rival countries find themselves falling in love after Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) crash-lands her parachute in North Korea and is found by Ri Jeon-Yeok (Hyun Bin). He hides her in his home while they work on a plan to get her back to South Korea. Se-ri has to integrate herself into Ri Jeon-Yeok’s life with the help of his comrades. Through the hi-jinks moments of Se-ri and Ri Jeon-Yeok trying to assimilate to the new life Se-ri will have to take on in order to keep up the ruse of Se-ri being Jeon-Yeok’s fiancée.
What makes this K-drama one of the best is the way it interlaces comedy, romance, history, and community into its storyline. The ensemble cast is stacked with excellent characters in Jeong-Yeok’s military crew. Viewers get to watch as Se-ri eases into Jeong-Yeok’s very serious and structured life as she brings light and fun into it. Se-ri may be the heiress and a serious business executive as the owner of a fashion company, but she knows how to loosen up and enjoy life. The chemistry between Se-ri and Jeong-Yeok radiates off the screen, and the leads falling in love in real life shows just how strong the chemistry is. Both funny and sweet, this K-Drama gives the audience a little bit of everything.
Starring Park Eun-bin, Kang Tae-oh, and Kang Ki-Young
Extraordinary Attorney Woo shows Attorney Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) as she gets her first job as a trainee lawyer for a top law firm as a woman on the autism spectrum. Though Woo Young-woo graduated at the top of her class, she is still mistreated and belittled at her workplace because of the different ways she conducts business. She has to count to five before she can enter a space, and she only eats gimbap. Young-woo is, however, extremely intelligent and uses her unique skills to solve her cases to be a better lawyer for her clients. Throughout the series, we see Young-woo fall in love with Jun-ho (Kang Tae-oh), grow a closer friend in Su-yeon (Ha Yoon-kyung), and show Myeong-Seok (Ka Ki-young), CEO Han Xeon-young (Baek Ji-won), and Kwon Min-woo (Joo Jong-hyuk) just how much she belongs at one of the top law firms in the country.
Park Eun-bin gives an amazing performance as a person on the autism spectrum who doesn’t present the audience as offensive or disingenuous. Her portrayal of Woo Young-woo shows the sides of her that are both vulnerable, confident, and misunderstood. The comedic part comes from the everyday quirks that Young-woo possesses and the responses she gets from her friends when she does them. Young-woo can make a joke that may or may not land with everyone, but it always hits its mark. Her relationship with her boss, who treats her no differently from any other trainee lawyer, or her friends that she gets advice from, Geurami (Joo Hyun-young) and Min-suk (Im Sung-jae), always shows just how hilarious this show that tackles serious matters can be.
13
‘Be Melodramatic’ (2019)
Starring Jeon Yeo-been, Chun Woo-hee, and Han Ji-eun
Eun-jung (Jeon Yeo-been), Jin-joo (Chun Woo-hee), and Han-joo (Han Ji-eun) are 30-year-old best friends working in the film and television industry. Eun-jung becomes an overnight sensation when one of her documentaries that she produced and directed becomes popular. She is a no-nonsense woman who decides to run her own production company after experiencing harassment and mistreatment at the company where she worked. Jin-joo is a drama writer who struggles with intimate relationships and has a peculiar personality that includes her seeking advice from a purse. Han-joo is the head of the drama production marketing team, but has a hard time finding a work-life balance. She is a single mother after being left by her husband when he decided he wanted to seek happiness over caring for his family.
Be Melodramatic has an interesting tone, which lends to the comedic value of the series. It seems serious in the context of the stories, but because of the personalities of each woman and how they handle their situations, Be Melodramatic comes across as a K-drama possessing many qualities. The experience of being thirty while still trying to find your footing in life is prominent in this series. One of the best parts of this series is its three female leads. Seeing Eun-jung, Jin-joo, and Han-joo support and care for each other in their own unique ways as they battle career issues and relationship problems shows just how important a strong support system can be.
12
‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo’ (2016–2017)
Starring Lee Sung-kyung and Nam Joo-hyuk
Aspiring weightlifter, Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung-kyung), works to become a professional in the field with the help of her friends Jung Jun-hyung (Nam Joo-hyuk), Jung Jae-yi (Lee Jae-yoon), and Song Shi-ho (Kyung Soo-jin). This isn’t a normal coming-of-age romantic comedy, but it still delivers some heartwarming and inspiring moments to go along with the chaotic goofiness of it all. The K-drama focuses on the different struggles these athletes have while going after their athletic dreams.
Bok-joo and Jun-hyung are a pair who don’t get along too well at the start of the series. Childish pranks and mean words are said between them, but they gradually begin to form a bond that brings them closer. The quirky feel-good vibe of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo makes this K-drama so well-loved by fans. Many have categorized the relationships in this show as their favorites of the genre. The natural comedy between Bok-joo, Jun-hyung, and their friends brings it all together. Not only does the K-drama teach an important lesson, but it also gives audiences a good laugh.
11
‘Gaus Electronics’ (2022)
Starring Kwak Dong-yeon, Ko Sung-hee, Bae Hyun-sung and Kang Min-ah
Gaus Electronics is like the K-drama response to The Office, though it’s not in mockumentary form. Still, it shifts its focus from workplace drama to romance to comedy quickly, often within the same episode; the cast has incredible chemistry, and they’re hilarious individually as much as they are in interactions with each other. Gaus Electronics is quite underrated, but it’s one of the few shows intended to be specifically a comedy hailing from the vast K-drama world. Plenty of dramas just combine comedy with other genres, while Gaus manages to maintain its comedic flair and style throughout all twelve episodes.
Gaus Electronics follows the employees of Marketing Team 3 in the electronics company, Gaus. They work and operate from the company’s headquarters, and each episode tackles a different problem each of the employees has; for example, the first episode shows one employee accidentally leaking a video he made, in which he mocks the Gaus CEO with funny animation. If you’re looking for straight-up comedy with other genres mixing into it just a tiny bit, Gaus Electronics is for you. —Anja Djuricic
Gaus Electronics
- Release Date
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2022 – 2021
- Network
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Seezn, Genie TV, ENA
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Kwak Dong-yeon
Lee Sang-sik
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Bae Hyeon-seong
Baek Ma-tan
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