Several of the most well-known such K-dramas are lighthearted.
However, these series are not without a handful of heartfelt moments sure to tug at the audience's heartstrings. Though there are a few series that follow friends at older stages of life, those following adolescent characters chronicle the accomplishments and hardships in life. The best friendship K-dramas have a balanced amount of humor and heart, and, beyond critical acclaim, have been able to connect with audiences.
The Best K-Dramas Of All Time, Ranked
K-Dramas have been enjoying a lot of success and fan adoration as of late, and these are the best K-dramas of all time.
15 Racket Boys (2021)
A Rundown Sports Team Gets In Shape
Racket Boys is an inspirational sports story about a middle school bton team on the verge of being shut down. That is until a father and son from the city move to the countryside and work to turn the team around. Similar to Hot Stove League, Racket Boys sees its on-screen sports team working together as friends for the sake of their sport's future. The athletic characters in the show committed to thorough training to perfect their bton form and technique. Throughout Racket Boys' 16 episodes, the young characters grow as people and bton players.
14 Welcome To Samdal-ri (2023-2024)
Two Friends Reunite After Years And Become Something More
Differing from most K-dramas about friendship, Welcome to Samdal-ri follows the rekindling of a friendship that initially ended after unfortunate circumstances. The series revolves around Cho Yong-pil (Ji Chang-wook) and Cho Sam-dal (Shin Hye-sun), two childhood friends who reunite in their hometown. Despite the abrupt end to their friendship, the two find their footing as friends rather quickly. As sweet and convincing as the platonic connection between Yong-pil and Sam-dal is, a romance starts to blossom between the two, making Welcome to Samdal-ri an underrated best friends-to-lovers narrative in K-dramas.
13 Twinkling Watermelon (2023)
A Man Time Travels And Meets A Younger Version Of His Dad
Twinkling Watermelon starts as a family drama about a father and son who don't see eye to eye on the latter's dreams of becoming a musician. However, Twinkling Watermelon quickly turns into a unique time travel K-drama as the son, Ha Eun-gyeol (Ryeoun), is transported back to the mid-90s when his parents were young. During this time, Eun-gyeol bonds with his fellow bandmates and father (Choi Hyun-wook), who is unaware that he's speaking to his future son. Twinkling Watermelon highlights heartwarming themes about seeing one's parents in a different light, better understanding their life decisions, and empathizing with the person they become.
12 Dear My Friends (2016)
Lifelong Friends Share Life Stories
Differing from the familiar story of teenagers or young adults navigating their lives with their best friends by their sides, Dear My Friends is centered around a group of people 60 years old and up. Throughout the series, each friend shares an anecdote from their life with Park Wan (Go Hyun-jung), the 40-year-old daughter of one of the friends. Dear My Friends includes an appreciated mix of humorous and heartfelt stories from a group of old friends and puts into perspective the reality of growing old and the beauty of lifelong connections.
11 Be Melodramatic (2019)
Explores The Work And Personal Life Of Three Friends
Be Melodramatic is centered around three best friends in their 30s. Each friend, Lim Jin-joo (Chun Woo-hee), Hwang Han-joo (Han Ji-eun), and Lee Eun-jung (Jeon Yeo-been), work in the entertainment industry as a screenwriter, marketer, and documentary director, respectively. During the show's run, the three friends are placed in a variety of circumstances that allow the show to address more themes beyond its central focus on friendship. Mental health, workplace obstacles, and romantic relationships are explored in the show within a show.
10 Thirty-Nine (2022)
Three Women Face Obstacles That Come With Age Together
Three friends about to turn 40 are at the center of Thirty-Nine. The series chronicles the women's failures and successes in multiple areas of life, including work, romance, and their friendship with each other. Just like other friendships depicted in K-dramas, those in Thirty-Nine are lighthearted and relatable to audiences, especially those within the same age range. However, Thirty-Nine isn't afraid to hit audiences with a tear-jerking scene now and then. Together, the three women push through heartache and do so adequately as a result of their unbreakable bond.
9 Welcome To Waikiki (2018)
Three Friends Operate A Guesthouse
Currently one of the funniest K-dramas on Netflix, Welcome to Waikiki follows the unpredictable adventures of three friends trying to make their dreams come true. Three friends aspire to work in the film industry as a film director, an actor, and a writer, so they operate the titular guesthouse in hopes of making money for work. The series is a lighthearted watch full of comedic moments as the friends navigate their way out of tough situations, proving they are well-equipped and qualified to run their business. Additionally, occasional heartfelt moments are included to highlight the friends' ion and desire for success.
8 Hot Stove League (2019-2020)
One Of The Worst Baseball Teams Strives For A Win
Drawing many similarities to shows like Ted Lasso, Hot Stove League is an inspiring sports drama that sees an underdog team determined to prove their worth. Namkoong Min leads the series as Baek Seung-soo, a successful general manager hired by a baseball team named Dreams. Despite Seung-soo's inexperience managing baseball, he uses several outside resources at his disposal to get Dreams to win their first championship in four seasons. Hot Stove League sees the teammates working together as friends to strengthen their team and avoid others who wish to see them fail.
7 Fight For My Way (2017)
Four Friends Grow In Their Personal And Professional Lives
A common theme in several K-dramas about friendship is that of young adults struggling together in their pursuit of success, and such a theme is present in Fight for My Way. The K-drama follows a group of friends known as the Crazy Fantastic Four. Each member of the friend group has dreams of successful careers but starts the series underqualified in their desired fields of work. Throughout the series, the friends grow in both their professional and personal lives, all done sticking by each other's side. Fight for My Way also features an endearing romance between Park Seo-joon's Dong-man and Kim Ji-won's Ae-ra.
6 Age of Youth (2016-2017)
Five Roommates Help One Another Out During Transitional Years
Age of Youth, also known as Hello, My Twenties!, begins by introducing each of the series' five roommates, detailing the events that led them to live under the same roof. The rest of Age of Youth sees the women come together to help one another out through the growing pains of being a 20-something-year-old. Despite their differing backgrounds and range of interests, the roommates continuously show up for one another. Though many of the subjects addressed in Age of Youth can be understood by audiences worldwide, the series has earned much praise from young audiences in South Korea who feel understood by the pressures and struggles depicted in the show.