Ready, Set, Binge! The 10 Best K-Dramas on Disney+/ Hulu

Crowned with this year’s Grand Prize in Television at the Baeksang Awards, Disney+’s “Moving” has redefined what’s possible in K-Drama. First making a splash as producers of K-Drama’s most expensive series (“Moving”), Disney+ is doubling down that Korean dramas are simply the best bet in the industry.

It’s hard to overstate the significance of the mouse house heralding that K-dramas are where it wants to allocate its focus and lots and lots of money. Disney might be somewhat of a new player in the K-Drama game. But after its acquisition of Hulu, and Hulu’s library of K-Drama originals, it’s now a heavy hitter. Twelve original dramas are scheduled for release by the Disney+/Hulu partnership in 2024 alone.

Beyond capturing Baeksang’s Grand Prize as the best in Korean television, “Moving” was also honored as having the year’s Best TV Screenplay (from Kang Full) and K-Drama’s Best New Actor (Lee Jung Ha.) In addition, Disney+’s Original “The Worst of Evil” won Best Director for Han Dong Wook.

Netflix may still be the 800 lb gorilla in the room with 40 K-dramas scheduled in 2024. But Disney+ is killing it by going bigger on fewer projects and making their dollars count.

Very high production values, smart scripts, big names and a healthy respect for the genre seem to be driving factors for their success. So far, Disney isn’t messing with K-drama’s secret sauce of most series ending in one season and only a handful of shows (of the 50 K-Dramas streaming across Hulu and Disney+) have multiple seasons.

We have high hopes for the remaining five originals still on their 2024 docket. Still waiting in the wings for their summer, fall and winter releases are: Red Swan, The Tyrant, Trigger, Gangnam B-side and Light Shop.

Since Hulu and Disney+ joined forces, content can be viewed straight from the Hulu platform or can be accessed in a hub on Disney+ (alongside Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar hubs.)

1. Moving (2023 Original): 9.1

When high school students come into their inherited superpowers, normal life becomes a thing of the past. Finding themselves neck-deep in the same dark government program that manipulated and exploited their superpowered parents, the teen and elder heroes join forces to escape ruthless operatives who hunt those who don’t fall in line. Shattering all K-Drama budgets that came before, the series re-defined production values and showcased a mini movie in each episode.

2. A Shop for Killers (2024 Original): 8.7

The series starts under a hail of gunfire and doesn’t let up, in the best way. While pinned down in a remarkably armoured house, the show gives you enough background to both propel the narrative and get you deeply invested in Jian’s (Kim Hye-jun) survival. But it’s unraveling the reasons for the fiery ambush, namely Jian’s mysterious uncle (Lee Dong-wook) and his secret “shop,” that will keep you riveted and bingeing episode after episode.

3. The Worst of Evil (2023 Original): 8.6

The nightclubs of 1990s Seoul host a rampant drug scene brutally controlled by a gang led by Jung Gi-cheol (Wi Ha-joon.) Gi-cheol’s known far and wide as the vicious kingpin of drug traffiking operations that span Korea, China and Japan. Recruited to go deep undercover to take down this criminal organization is Detective Park Jun-Mo (Ji Chang-wook.)

4. Dr. Romantic 3 (2023 Original): 8.6

Doldam Hospital’s finest, led by Dr. Kim Sa Bu (Han Seok Kyu,) are on the verge of opening their new trauma center. But before that can happen, the hospital’s dedicated doctors grapple with critical injuries aboard a damaged, drifting North Korean ship. Drs Seo Woo Jin (Ahn Hyo-seop) and Cha Eun Jae (Lee Sung Kyung) juggle medical, political and personal complications when ship passengers are ordered to return to North Korea before being treated at Doldam.

5. Flex x Cop (2024 Original): 8.5

When a third generation conglomerate Jin I-soo (Ahn Bo-hyun) accidentally catches a serial killer in the midst of his father’s mayorial campaign, he suddenly finds himself taking on the role of a “consulting” detective. The sense of purpose I-soo discovers for the first time in his spoiled, aimless existence charmingly collides with the no-nonsense sensibility of his senior officier, Lee Gang-hyeon (Park Ji-hyun.) They make an unexpectedly effective, and entertaining, crime-solving team as I-soo shamelessly exploits his chaebol access to investigate cases.

6. Revenant (2023 Original): 8.5

The demon and human world collide when Gu San Young (Kim Tae-ri) becomes possessed. With the help of folklore professor, Yeom Hae Sang (Oh Jung-se,) San Young tries to simultaneously exorcise her own demon while investigating other possible occult-related activities nearby. Luckily, Hae Sang can see demons. Unluckily, the problems at hand are… demonic.

7. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? (2018): 8.5

This K-Drama Hall of Famer just delivers. Whether it’s your first or fourteenth viewing, there’s a reason why so many subsequent series attempt to mimic this winning formula. Ridiculously gorgeous chaebol boss (Lee Young-joon (Park Seo Joon))? Check. Sassy, beautiful, clever employee (Kim Mi-so (Park Min Young))? Check. Boss chases employee so gold-digger accusations fall flat amidst the inevitable sizzling chemistry. Please and thank you. Also, this OG didn’t forget to throw in a little childhood trauma (another K staple) to cut the sweetness and add a little edge.

8. The First Responders 2 (2023 Original): 8.4

Well-executed crime and medical shows can’t help but be compelling. When life and death are literally on the line, First Responders need to have skills, brains and humanity to save the crisis at hand. Detective Jin Ho-Gae (Kim Rae-won,) firefighter Bong Do-jin (Son Ho-jun,) and paramedic Song Seol (Gong Seung-yeon,) at times neglect their own lives in order to work together to be the everyday heroes others need.

9. Wonderful World (2024 Original): 8.3

When there’s no justice following her son’s death, renowned author Eun Su-hyun (Kim Nam-Joo) starts down a dark path for revenge. As she struggles to navigate the consequences of her actions and her unraveled life, she meets Gwon Seon-yul (Cha Eun-woo.) Working in construction after dropping out of med school, Seon-yul can’t seem to find his footing after a troubled, tragic childhood. Together, the two help each other find some solace, move on and not be forever mired in their past.

10. Revenge of Others (2022 Original): 8.3

Ok Chan Mi’s twin brother falls to his death at school. But Chan Mi (Shin Ye-eun) doesn’t believe it was suicide. When police find no evidence of foul play, Chan Mi transfers to her brother’s school and starts her own investigation. As she follows clues, Chan Mi meets Ji Soo Heon (Park Solomon,) a witness to her brother’s death.

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