Welcome to my list of the Top 5 underrated Kdramas to watch in 2024. If you have recently stumbled upon the dreamy world of Korean media, and wish to explore some underrated gems, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some dramas you can add to your watch list in 2024.
1. Don’t Dare to Dream
When I tell you this show is hilarious, I truly mean it. It has family drama, some unrequited crushes, a love triangle, and of course, Jo Jong Suk’s charm; there’s just something about his acting here that provokes a laugh out of me every time I watch it. The show is on the longer side, with 24 episodes, unusual from the standard 16 episode set that Kdramas traditionally use. Don’t Dare to Dream has its unique charm, as it deals with male breast cancer survivors. You heard me right (I mean, you didn’t actually hear me…). It highlights stereotypes faced by a man who suffers from an ailment supposedly “reserved” for women. We also see the career progression of the female lead, who aspires to become a news anchor for the channel she works with.
Rating: 7/10 (Some family drama drags way too much.)
OST: 5/10 (cute, but forgettable)
2. Chicago Typewriter
A tale of past lives and fulfilling destinies, Chicago Typewriter is a fantasy drama starring Yoo Ah-in, Go Kyung-pyo and Im Soo-jung. A writer receives a typewriter from a quirky delivery woman and along with it comes a spirit, who claims to be his friend from a past life. The three discover a strange connection between them, dating back to pre-independent Korea, and a tale of unfinished business resumes in the modern era. With a backdrop of Japanese colonisation and freedom fighters, this drama is thrilling and a bit melancholic, to be honest. Be prepared to cry.
Rating: 8.5/10 (The beginning is a bit slow, and a tad bit (just a tad) cringe, but it picks up momentum fast and manages to juxtapose the past with the present. One is bittersweet, joyful yet dangerous, and the other is safe but void of any warmth.)
OST: 4/10 (Nothing remarkable)
3. While You Were Sleeping
Suzy Bae and Lee Jong-Suk star in this fantasy thriller wherein the protagonist is haunted by dreams that materialise in real life. This gift of precognition is what unites a young woman and two men, who try to prevent crimes before they happen. Suzy is adorable here, with her short hair and the round spectacles. The crime/thriller element was the highlight of the show, and I quite enjoyed watching it. The romance was pretty cute, in my opinion.
Rating: 6/10 (It’s fun for a one-time watch but I don’t think I’ll rewatch it.)
OST: 10/10 (The show is good, but the music takes the limelight, and to this day, the album is on my playlist.)
4. W: Two Worlds
Lee Jong-Suk and Han Hyo-Joo star in this sci-fi drama, which was an unprecedented take on the Isekai Genre. The female lead’s whole life turns topsy-turvy when her father, a well-known Manhua artist goes missing, and she is teleported into the fictional world created by her father. The situation worsens when she falls for the protagonist of the manhua. This show is so unique, honestly. Plot holes were easy to ignore, if only because I had so much fun watching. Fantasy and Sci-Fi are truly my favourite genres.
Rating: 6/10 (The plot confused me a little, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.)
OST: 3/10 (I can’t remember any track from this show.)
5. Kill Me, Heal Me
The story revolves around the protagonist, who suffers from Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID), and a psychiatrist, who finds herself linked to his woes, and perhaps his past. This show is extremely unprecedented in its plot, which includes the mental health field as its main driving force. The impact that mental disorders have on real life has rarely been explored in Korean television. It’s a unique watch, and every Korean drama viewer should experience it once, in my opinion. Ji Sung truly showed his brilliance and versatility as an actor here. I’m not a fan of Hwang Jeung Um in this drama, if only because she screams too much for my liking. Park Seo-Joon is charming as always.
Disclaimer: Since this is fiction, I would say that the depiction of this illness is dramatised for the viewers and shouldn’t be taken as a literal fact. The relationship between the leads is essentially a relationship between a psychiatrist and her patient. The female lead acts more like a friend to the male lead than an actual therapist, so the morality of the issue is uncertain. Just watch it for fun, I would say.
Rating: 8/10 (I am truly in awe of Ji-Sung’s acting, he can switch characters so effortlessly, flawlessly incorporating dialect and facial expressions into his performances. )
OST: 5/10 (I only remember one song being played all throughout the show.)
Have you seen any of these Kdramas? For me, these shows were part of the best era in the drama scene,. From 2016 to 2024, the style of Korean dramas has changed considerably. I enjoy both the olden charm and the new, more modern style of Korean dramas.
If you liked this list, you can check out my Korean drama reviews here.
Follow me on Instagram! (Tap on the Instagram Icon at the top of the page) Thank you for reading!
