Over the years, K-Dramas have experimented with various genres, including romance, thriller, mystery, and more. Other dramas with more current themes include time travel, historical, and rom-coms. However, there is a third category: feel-good, slice-of-life K-dramas that talk about friendship, family, and the power of being together. One of the most popular ones in this genre is the 2015 drama Reply 1988.
Reply 1988 revolves around a group of childhood friends who lived in the same neighborhood in Seoul in 1988. They go through the trials of life together and form solid friendships and relationships. Romance, family interactions, teenage friendships, and challenging lives are why Reply 1988 is a popular K-drama. The cast includes Park Bo-Gum, Hyeri, Ryu Jun-Yeol, Go Kyung-Po, Lee Dong-Hwi, and others.
Check out other popular K-dramas like Reply 1988.
Hospital Playlist
Hospital Playlist is one of the most popular medical dramas that premiered on March 12, 2020. The series follows the story of five doctors, who have been friends since high school. They now work in the same hospital. Not only are they good at their respective fields, they also share a love for music and have their own band. Cast members include Jo Jung-Suk, Jeon Mi-Do, Jung Kyung-Ho, Yoo Yeon-Seok, and Kim Dae-Myung, among others. The drama also earned a second season as well as an upcoming spin-off. It is available to stream on Netflix.
Twenty Five Twenty One
Twenty Five Twenty One follows the story of two individuals, Na Hee-Do (Kim Tae-Ri) and Baek Yi-Jin (Nam Joo-Hyuk). Hee-Do is a high school fencing team member, but because of the financial crisis, the team disbands. She crosses every hurdle to make it to the national fencing team. Meanwhile, Hee-Do meets and falls in love with Yi-Jin. During the crisis, Yi-Jin sells newspapers for a living. He eventually becomes a sports reporter for a broadcasting network. Although the two fall in love, they don’t end up together because of their different goals. The drama premiered on February 12, 2022, and is available on Netflix.
Thirty-Nine
Thirty-Nine is a classic slice-of-life K-drama that premiered on February 16, 2022. It follows the story of three women: dermatologist Cha Mi-Jo (Son Ye-Jin), acting teacher Jung Chan-Young (Jeon Mi-Do), and cosmetics manager Jang Joo-Hee (Kim Ji-Hyun). They are best friends and lean on each other through the ups and downs of their lives. The series is an emotional rollercoaster that stresses the strength of friendship even during the most challenging times. The drama premiered on March 31, 2022, and is available to stream on Netflix.
Hello, My Twenties
Hello, My Twenties follows the story of five female housemates from different walks of life. They live together in a fictional shared house called Belle Epoque. Although they are strangers at first, they bond over life goals, taste in men, and the traumas they experience. Eventually, it brings them closer. Cast members include Han Ye-Ri, Han Seung-Yoon, Park Eun-Bin, Hwa Young, and Park Hye-Soo. The K-drama spanned two seasons in 2016-2017 and is available to stream on Netflix.
Other K-dramas about friendship and family include Dear My Friends, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, Itaewon Class, My First First Love, and many more.
