Korean dramas are one of the hottest TV genres right now. Netflix and other streaming platforms offer easy access to popular Korean programs, and fans often find themselves addicted to the complex plots, characters with complicated motives, and emotions that are more intense and thoroughly explored than is typical of US programs.
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However, not all K-dramas are created equal: some shows have complicated plots that are difficult for beginners to follow or require advanced knowledge of Korean culture. Although shows like Empress Ki are critically acclaimed for various reasons, it’s best for beginners to steer clear of them until they are more used to the genre.
5) Innocent Defendant
This show is about a Korean prosecutor who wakes up one morning to discover he is on Death Row. He has no memory of what happened or how he went from prosecutor to defendant, but he must clear his name before he is executed.
Innocent Defendant‘s plot often sounds appealing to fans of American crime dramas, but it is not the best K-drama to begin with because of its complexity. The story is told through the eyes of the protagonist, who has little memory of the events leading up to his arrest, and who is often confused as he sorts through evidence to try to piece the past together. Unfortunately, this motif also leaves the audience confused, especially those who are not used to K-dramas.
4) Save Me
While many K-dramas are more lighthearted, Save Me deals with heavy and potentially triggering topics. This show is about a young student and her family who fall into the trap of a fictional religious cult after moving to a new city. The protagonist, Sang-mi, is forced into the cult with her parents soon after the death of her twin brother, but a group of boys decides to work together to save her.
This k-drama is extraordinarily well-done. However, it is not the best idea to start with it because it is not representative of the genre. Additionally, this drama is intense and heavy, involving sexual coercion and violence, including against a young girl. This potentially triggering content could make newer viewers less inclined to continue exploring the genre, which would be a shame, since there are other shows new audiences might enjoy more.
3) The World of the Married
The World of the Married was one of the highest-rated shows in South Korea, so it’s understandable that people new to the genre would be curious about it. However, it might be more confusing to newbies because it uses many common tropes to help execute a long, complicated plot.
The story is about a doctor who plots revenge after learning her husband is having an affair. This dark plot is not as heavy as Save Me. However, this show makes more sense once viewers understand South Korean culture better and are more familiar with the tropes these types of K-dramas rely on.
2) Sky Castle
Like The World of the Married, Sky Castle was an extremely popular drama when it first aired in South Korea. It has a fascinating premise that many Americans can relate to: housewives who are desperate to get their kids into a top-tier university and are willing to do almost anything to achieve their goal.
However, this show is not suitable for beginners because it requires too much familiarity with South Korean culture. The plots won’t make sense without a thorough understanding of why the characters behave the way they do. It’s best to come back to this one after picking up cultural norms from other K-dramas.
1) Empress Ki
Empress Ki features palace intrigue and political scheming during the Goryeo and Yuan dynasties eras of Korean history. While this premise sounds similar to Game of Thrones, it is set during real historical events.
This setting makes Empress Ki difficult for those new to K-dramas to follow. It relies on historical events that Koreans are already familiar with, but which Americans likely studied only briefly, if at all. Without the historical context, this show is difficult to follow. Thus, it is best to come back to it only after watching other dramas that reference historical events and reading about those events online.
Which k-drama do you think is best for newbies to avoid until they’re more familiar with the genre? Leave a comment and join the conversation at the ComicBook Forum.
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