Ever since Disney+ launched in South Korea in 2021, a flurry of original K-dramas has been coming out of the country each year. With the global spotlight on South Korean entertainment, fueled by the explosive success of shows like Netflix’s Squid Game, Disney has been bringing in some of the top talent from Korea onto our screens. So Whether you’re craving pulse-pounding thrillers or soul-stirring romances, Here are the Top 10 Best Disney+ Korean Dramas of the year!
Number 10: Flex X Cop.
Flex x Cop delves into the romantic tale of Jin Yi Soo, played by Ahn Bo-hyun, a formerly immature third-generation chaebol who transitions into a detective, and Lee Kang Hyun, a seasoned detective in the violent crime department. Initially, Kang-hyun thinks that Yi-soo is nothing but trouble and wants nothing to do with him. However, as their relationship evolves, a pivotal moment shifts their dynamic, eventually leading them to become partners. Flex X Cop premiered on Disney plus on January 26, with subsequent episodes airing every Friday and Saturday. It is also available for streaming on Wavve in South Korea.
Next on the list is Red Swan.
with the moneyed classes is depicted once again in the glossy but vacuous Red Swan on Disney+. The series is a mash-up of classic 1990s Hollywood melodrama The Bodyguard and Korean chaebol drama and stars Kim Ha-Neul and K-pop icon Rain. Red Swan‘s plot revolves around a successful businesswoman named Oh Wan-soo and her bodyguard, Seo Do-yoon. Wan-soo is married to the heir of a South Korean chaebol — a family-owned business conglomerate. However, there are people in the family who want her eliminated to gain access to a fortune left for Wan-soo by her late father-in-law. Protecting Wan-soo is Do-yoon, who has his own personal agenda against the family. If you are yet to watch the show, You can catch all the drama and thrill on Disney+ Hotstar.
Number 8: Wonderful World.
Debuting on the streaming platform on March 1st, Wonderful World tells the story of Eun Soo-hyun, portrayed by Kim Nam-joo, a successful female professor of psychology and writer whose life unravels after her son is murdered. Driven to despair, Soo-hyun becomes consumed by revenge. As she seeks retribution, she finds solace and connection with others who share her plight, embarking on a journey of healing alongside her quest for justice. The drama also stars Cha Eun-woo as Gwon Seon-yul, a medical school dropout who bonds with Soo-hyun over their similar traumas. Wonderful World is told in a way that's emotionally captivating with a mixture of mystery and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat so it pretty much gives off Melo mystery vibes.
Number 7: The Light Shop
Moving fans will definitely be intrigued by Light Shop as its webtoon writer Kang Full’s new project. This ongoing mystery series is set in a puzzling lamp shop where the worlds of the living and the dead intersect. Based on a webtoon called Shop of the Lamp by Kang Full, It revolves around the story of a light store located at the end of a dark alley. The light shop often fills up with customers, and the owner of the shop specifically warns his regular customer, a girl who comes to buy lightbulbs, to be careful of the other visitors. The story unravels the secrets behind the light store and its frequent visitors. The drama features a star-studded cast including Ju Ji Hoon, Park Bo Young, Uhm Tae Goo, and more, and is available to stream on Disney plus.
Number 6: Gangnam B-side.
Starring Jo Woo-jin, Ji Chang-wook, Bibi, and more, Gangnam B-Side is a thrilling crime drama that follows a pariah detective pulled back into the game after his daughter’s friend goes missing. The latest in a long line of women to go missing in the Gangnam area of Seoul, the detective will delve back into a world of vice, drugs and corruption to uncover something that threatens to topple some of the city’s wealthiest elite. There’s murder, mystery, and a stinky load of crime genre elements in Gangnam B-side. The plot isn't something new, we’ve seen it before in decent K-dramas of this nature multiple times. Though Ji Chang-wook does a brilliant job with his fascinating anti-hero character, some of the heavy-handed tasks he’s burdened with and the twisted world he is set in.
Taking the fifth spot is Uncle Samsik.
Uncle Samsik is set amid the turbulent backdrop of the 1960s in South Korea, following Kim San, an ambitious idealist driven to turn his country’s fortunes around, and Pak Doochil AKA Uncle Samsik, a shady fixer who can adapt to any situation and do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals. They form an uneasy alliance united by their shared goal of improving their country. The solid cast should be reason enough why should watch this series – the show is helmed by Song Kang Ho of Parasite fame, and Byun Yo Han who rose to fame through the popular Mr. Sunshine. The ambitious show concluded with a three-episode finale featuring gripping set pieces and a complex conclusion to its central relationship, between the wily political fixer Uncle Samsik and the idealistic economist Kim San. For anyone who loves gripping political dramas, Uncle Samsik will nothing short of a thrilling watch.
Number 4 on the list is Blood Free.
Blood Free is a tv show ahead of its time. AI technology, cultured meat and organs. But this is where the real world might be growing towards to as well. Starring Han Hyo-Joo and Ju Ji-Hoon, Blood Free focuses on a biotechnology firm's dominance in producing lab-grown meat, with plans to replicate grains and palm oil next. While the company claims its mission is to save the planet, its growing influence is met with backlash as traditional industries like cattle farming and fishing face extinction. When the CEO has a bounty put on her head and the firm's computer system is held ransom by hackers, the pressure's on to figure out which members of her inner circle can be trusted, and who might be working against her. If you like watching action, innovation and conspiracies, Blood Free is right up your alley.
Number 3: Chief Detective 1958.
Cheif Detective 1958 is said to be a mix of comedy, drama, with a splash of romance. A prequel to the 1970s and 1980s K-drama Chief Inspector, this retro crime drama is set in 1958 Seoul, and follows Detective Park Yeong-han who gets promoted to Seoul after catching a maximum number of cow thieves in his hometown. As the upright, fun-loving straightforward 27-year-old steps feet in Seoul, he finds the world in the gutter. Instead of losing focus, he teams up with mad dog Guk Jin, and powerful Kwang Han to save the innocent. The series features a retro feel with sets and costumes that evoke the era. Each episode, we’re treated to a different case that the team has to solve and a new crime fighter to fight. Overall, It was a good show from beginning to end and if you’re in the mood for some laughs and some good guys fighting the bad guys then give this one a shot, you won’t regret it.
2nd on the list is The Tyrant.
The Tyrant is a perfectly decent show; a dark, action-packed, and blood-soaked good time for the four episodes it lasts. Starring Ja Yoon-so, Cha Seung-won, Kim Seon-ho, and Kim Kang-woo, The Tyrant is a sci-fi thriller series thay tells the thrilling story of the race to find a bioweapon, the last sample of the Tyrant program, that is stolen during a secret handover between Korean and US intelligence agencies. The performances of the cast members are particularly commendable, with actors delivering powerful portrayals that draw viewers into their violent world. Specifically Seon-ho and Yoon-Su, whose performances give their characters emotional dimension underneath all the bloodshed.
Topping the list is A Shop For Killers.
A Shop for Killers – which is a live adaptation of the novel The Killer’s Shopping Mall by Kim Ji-young – makes for a fun and appealing popcorn watch, one that fires all the right synapses in your brain. Both the lead actors Lee Dong-wook and Kim Hye-jun make quick work of the tightly paced script. Not a minute of A Shop for Killers is spent on boring filler. The story follows Jeong Ji-an, a 21-year-old raised by her uncle Jeong Jin-man after her parents' deaths. When Jin-man dies under mysterious circumstances, hitmen target Ji-an, leaving her confused about their motives. As the story unfolds, Ji-an discovers that Jin-man had been training Ji-an for this day all along, and being a quick thinker, she is able to use her training to survive. The mystery of who is and why they’re after Ji-an after all these years is just the cherry on top.
So Have you seen all of these, or is there one you're saving for later? Let us know in the comments section below, and don't forget to subscribe, like, and share with your friends.
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