It is safe to say that the wave of Korean entertainment like K-dramas, K-pop and K-movies has now taken Pakistan by storm.

So, if you still haven’t seen a K-drama, now is the best time to start. I was a bit hesitant to start watching K-dramas, it seemed like too much effort to watch while reading subtitles and it seemed like the stories were too dramatic. But after watching my first K-drama, I was sucked into the magical world and haven’t looked back ever since.

K-dramas are perfect for you if you are looking to watch something that will make you feel every emotion on the spectrum in a single episode. Watching them will put your mind in overdrive in the best way possible!

So, if you have been considering giving K-dramas a try, here is a list of the best ones to start you off on a magical K-drama journey.

1. Squid Game

You must have heard of the Netflix drama “Squid Game,” it was all everyone was talking about in late 2021. It had the biggest Netflix debut in history. If you like watching thrillers with lots of violence and an excellent storyline, this survival drama is the one for you. The story revolves around a group of people who play children’s games in attempts to win a large sum of money. But they are playing for life and death, literally and if you lose the game, you die. The game starts with 456 players; at the end only one person survives and wins the cash prize.

This drama will surely keep you at the edge of your seat with its tension filled episodes, but you will keep coming back for more. It has important anti-capitalist messaging that many viewers have picked up on, which makes the show meaningful as well as entertaining.

2. It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

The romantic “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” was quite popular among the Pakistani audience when it came out in June 2020. If you like romantic content, you will definitely love this drama.

The story follows a coming of age romance between a psych ward caretaker and an antisocial children’s book writer. Each of them have secrets and responsibilities that prove to be obstacles in their relationship, but we can see how they slowly heal each other’s emotional wounds.

The drama takes a powerful stance on mental health issues and gives the audience the idea that it is okay to not be okay. This drama will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, but have no fear, as the ending is exactly what you would want it to be!

3. Crash Landing on You

“Crash Landing on You” is a 16 episode Netflix K-Drama about a South Korean heiress who finds her life turned around when a paragliding accident lands her in North Korea.

When she gets there, a member of the North Korean Special Forces decides to help her hide, and ends up falling in love with her. The drama is an entertaining rom-com that tells the story of the two lovers who’s countries are at war. This drama is a fan favorite. It also tackles important themes of the war and conflict between North and South Korea, and uses the drama to educate people on it.

4. Nevertheless

“Nevertheless” is a Netflix original drama about two university students who are skeptical about love owing to bad past relationships. The drama is set in a university, and art is a big part of the entire show. The two students are sculpture majors, so we witness the process and creation of beautiful sculptures throughout the drama.

5. All of Us Are Dead

Last on our list we have “All of Us Are Dead”, is a coming-of-age zombie apocalypse horror television series that was released on Netflix in January 2022. It takes place in a school in South Korea, where there is suddenly a zombie outbreak and the children are left to fend for themselves. If you like watching apocalyptic shows filled with violence and horror, this show is the one for you.