Some of the best Korean dramas came out in 2018. People love these dramas a lot, they have high ratings, and they have brought out new actors. It is a great year for Korean dramas.
If you have never watched a Korean drama before, be warned: you will become hooked. Yes! Once you start watching Kdramas, it’s hard to stop.
Kdrama is addicting because it has good stories, heartwarming romance, different cultures, and a lot of funny scenes. They make an emotional connection with the viewers.
Best Korean Dramas Of 2018
If you are looking to binge-watch some Kdramas, 2018 has given us a lot of good ones. Here are 18 of them for you to watch if you need a break from your daily routine.
This list includes Korean dramas that have been watched by maximum viewers and have high ratings on IMDB & other drama sites. Most of them are available to watch on Netflix & Viki.
1. My Mister
The drama tells us the story of three middle-aged brothers, who are enduring the weight of their lives, and a strong, cold woman, who has been living a hard life of her own, as they come together in healing each other’s past scars.
2. Life On Mars
Hangul: 라이프 온 마스
Year: 2018
One day, Tae Joo has an accident while he is looking into a case. When he wakes up, he is in the winter of 1988. He is now a detective who works at a small city’s police station. He tries to solve the case so that he can get back to the present.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Jung Kyung Ho as Han Tae Joo
- Park Sung Woong as Kang Dong Cheol
- Go Ah Sung as Yoon Na Yeong
- Oh Dae Hwan as Lee Yong Gi
No. Of Episodes: 16 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
3. Mother
A temporary teacher at an elementary school realizes that one of her students is being abused at home by her family. She makes an impulsive decision to kidnap the child and attempts to become her mother.
Cast –
- Lee Bo Young as Kang Soo Jin
- Heo Yeol as Kim Hye Na
- Lee Hye Young as Kang Yeong Shin
- Go Sung Hee as Shin Ja Young
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Viki
4. Live
The drama revolves around the incidents that occur in the police force and the joy, sorrow, and pain that police officers experience as they try to protect justice. They form the ‘Live’ team at the Hongil patrol division. Each officer has their own story.
Cast –
- Lee Kwang Soo as Yeom Sang Soo
- Jung Yu Mi as Han Jung Oh
- Bae Sung Woo as Oh Yang Chon
- Bae Jong Ok as Ahn Jang Mi
No. Of Episodes – 18
Watch On – Netflix
5. Mr. Sunshine
A young boy born into a house servant’s family and travels to the United States during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo. He returns to his homeland later as a U.S. marine officer. He falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter. At the same time, he discovers a plot by foreign forces to colonize Korea.
Cast –
- Lee Byung Hun as Choi Yoo Jin
- Kim Tae Ri as Go Ae Shin
- Kim Min Jung as Kudo Hina / Lee Yang Hwa
- Yoo Yeon Seok as Gu Dong Mae / Ishida Sho
No. Of Episodes – 24
Watch On – Netflix
6. Children Of Nobody
Woo Kyung is a child counselor who works at a children’s center. Her life seems perfect. However, her perfect life doesn’t last long, when an accident changes her life. The only person she can rely on is Ji Heon, a detective who is strict toward criminals.
Cast –
- Kim Sun Ah as Cha Woo Kyung
- Lee Yi Kyung as Kang Ji Heon
- Nam Gyu Ri as Jeon Soo Yeong
- N (Cha Hak Yeon) as Lee Eun Ho
No. Of Episodes – 32
Watch On – Viki
7. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim
Lee Young Joon’s family runs a large company, and he works as the vice-president of the company. He is rich, handsome & intelligent, but he is arrogant. His secretary is Kim Mi So has worked for him for years and she is perfect for him, but suddenly decides to quit her job.
8. 100 Days My Prince
Hangul: 백일의 낭군님
Year: 2018
Crown prince Lee Yul falls off a cliff and nearly dies in an attempted assassination. He loses his memory and wanders for 100 days under a new name and personality. During this period, he meets Hong Shim, head of the first detective agency in Joseon.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Do Kyung Soo as Lee Yul
- Nam Ji Hyun as Hong Shim
- Kim Seon Ho as Jung Jae Yoon
- Han So Hee as Kim So Hye
No. Of Episodes: 16 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Short Review: The drama deals with themes of love, sacrifice, and the struggles of power and politics. The chemistry between the main actors is good, and the plot is interesting. The drama got good reviews for its beautiful portrayal of the Joseon era. Overall, it’s a worth-watch for fans of the genre.
9. Sky Castle
The drama revolves around the lives of housewives residing in a luxurious residential area called SKY Castle. The wives are determined to make their husbands more successful and to raise their children to be top students.
Cast –
- Yeom Jung Ah as Han Seo Jin
- Lee Tae Ran as Lee Soo Im
- Yoon Se Ah as Noh Seung Hye
- Oh Na Ra as Jin Jin Hee
No. Of Episodes – 20
Watch On – Netflix, Viki, Prime Video
10. Lawless Lawyer
Hangul: 무법 변호사
Year: 2018
The Lawless Law Firm is made up of Sang Pil, a former gangster turned lawyer who wants to get revenge for his mother, and Jae Yi, a lawyer with a good reputation. Together, they use the law to fight for justice against a corrupt judge and her associates.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Lee Joon Gi as Bong Sang Pil
- Seo Yea Ji as Ha Jae Yi
- Lee Hye Young as Cha Moon Sook
- Choi Min Soo as Ahn Oh Joo
No. Of Episodes: 16 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
11. The Guest
Yoon Hwa Pyung is a psychic born to a shaman family. Choi Yoon is a catholic priest known for exorcisms & Kang Kil Young is a detective. They meet each other and try to fight against crimes caused by mysterious powers.
Cast –
- Kim Dong Wook as Yoon Hwa Pyung
- Kim Jae Wook as Choi Yoon/Matthew
- Jung Eun Chae as Kang Gil Young
- Lee Won Jong as Yook Gwang
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
12. Still 17
Hangul: 서른이지만 열일곱입니다
Year: 2018
After falling into a coma, Seo Ri, a 17-year-old violin prodigy, wakes up 13 years later. Physically she is now 30, but mentally she is still only 17. Due to trauma, Woo Jin does not want to have a relationship. They get involved & fall in love.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Shin Hye Sun as Woo Seo Ri
- Yang Se Jong as Gong Woo Jin
- Ahn Hyo Seop as Yoo Chan
- Ye Ji Won as Jennifer
No. Of Episodes: 32 (35 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
13. Welcome To Waikiki
Hangul: 으라차차 와이키키
Year: 2018
Three men Dong Gu, Du Shik & Jun Ki along with Seo Jin runs a guesthouse. Things go differently when a single mother enters the house with her baby. Later, Dong Gu’s ex-girlfriend also lives in the house. The drama revolves around these six characters.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Kim Jung Hyun as Kang Dong Goo
- Lee Yi Kyung as Lee Joon Ki
- Son Seung Won as Bong Doo Shik
- Jung In Sun as Han Yoon Ah
No. Of Episodes: 20 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
14. Come And Hug Me
When they were children, Na Moo and Nak Won were each other’s, first love. They are forced to break apart due to a tragedy. 12 years later Na Moo is a professional detective & Nak Won is a popular actress. They meet again & try to heal their wounds.
15. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
A detective takes on a female university student murder case. He has a sister who meets a man who is not a good person, but she has sympathy for him. The detective tries to push him away from his sister as he suspects that the man is somehow involved in the murder case.
Cast –
- Seo In Guk as Kim Moo Young
- Jung So Min as Yoo Jin Kang
- Park Sung Woong as Yoo Jin Gook
- Seo Eun Soo as Baek Seung Ah
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Viki
16. My ID is Gangnam Beauty
Hangul: 내 아이디는 강남미인
Year: 2018
Mi Rae, once bullied for her looks, decides to get plastic surgery. When she begins university, people tease her as Gangnam Beauty. She meets Kyung Suk, who sees people for what they are on the inside and not the outside. He becomes attracted to her.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Im Soo Hyang as Kang Mi Rae
- Cha Eun Woo as Do Kyung Suk
- Jo Woo Ri as Hyun Soo Ah
- Kwak Dong Yeon as Yeon Woo Young
No. Of Episodes: 16 (60 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
17. Partners For Justice
Hangul: 검법남녀
Year: 2018
Baek Beom is an excellent forensic doctor working for 10 years, but does not open his mind to other people. Eun Sol is a rookie prosecutor with a bright personality and comes from a wealthy family. They both try to catch a serial killer.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Jung Jae Young as Baek Beom
- Jung Yoo Mi as Eun Sol
- Lee Yi Kyung as Cha Soo Ho
- Park Eun Seok as Kang Hyun
No. Of Episodes: 32 (35 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
18. Memories Of The Alhambra
After receiving an email about a game, Jin Woo, CEO of a company travels to Spain to meet the creator of the game. However, he has gone missing, and there, he meets his sister, who is the owner of the hostel he stays in. Both get involved in mysterious incidents.
Cast –
- Hyun Bin as Yoo Jin Woo
- Park Shin Hye as Jung Hee Joo
- Park Hoon as Cha Hyun Suk
- Lee Seung Jun as Park Sun Ho
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
Wrapping Up
These were the best Kdramas of 2018 you can watch to relieve yourself from stress. You can pick any of them, whatever genre – thriller, romance, suspense, fantasy, all are included in this list.
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