Streaming services have been searching for the next “Squid Game” ever since the meteoric 2021 debut of the series, a bloody Korean tale of dystopian class warfare whose first season is the most-watched series in Netflix history.
Following up on its own success, Netflix announced plans last year to invest $2.5 billion in new Korean media, including scripted dramas — Season 2 of “Squid Game,” which debuted on Thursday, was already in development — and reality shows, notably the competition series “Squid Game: The Challenge.” Other major streamers have followed suit.
That’s good news for fans in the United States, who have more Korean drama, known affectionately as K-drama, to choose from than ever — including standouts like Apple TV+’s rich multigenerational family saga “Pachinko” and the antic Disney+ police comedy “Seoul Busters” (also streaming on Hulu). At the same time, streamers specializing in foreign content, like Viki and the Korea-based CJ ENM, have expanded their K-drama libraries and reach in recent years.
Did “Squid Game 2” whet your appetite for more? There’s a lot to sort through. Here are nine of the best new K-dramas from 2024, listed alphabetically, including a time-travel rom-com, a period musical and a show about a young woman who turns into a chicken nugget.
‘The Auditors’
Stream it on CJ ENM (including as an Amazon Prime Video add-on) and Viki.
Shin Ha-kyun’s deadpan performance as a supernaturally gifted corporate fraud investigator sets the tone for this unusual procedural, which follows an auditing team at the deeply corrupt JU Construction firm. As Cha-il, the auditing department’s perpetually exasperated and hypervigilant leader, Shin helps to uncover various scandals and white collar crimes. Cha-il’s prickly attitude doesn’t soften much despite the good example set by the naïve rookie auditor Han-soo (Lee Jung-ha). Nevertheless, Shin steals most of his scenes, playing his role with a winning combination of deductive reasoning and righteous indignation. Cha-il may not be a people person, but Shin makes him one of the most entertaining new lead characters in a K-drama this year.
‘Chicken Nugget’
Stream it on Netflix.
Two hapless office workers struggle with an absurd metaphysical dilemma in this bizarre science fiction comedy that asks the question: What would you do if a loved one wandered into a mysterious cabinet and transformed into a chicken nugget? Based on the gonzo web cartoon series of the same name, “Chicken Nugget” chases after the distressed small business owner Seon-man (Ryu Seung-ryong) and his happy-go-lucky intern, Baek-joong (Ahn Jae-hong), as they try to restore Seon-man’s daughter, Min-ah (Kim You-jung), to her human form. The show’s tone frequently changes to match the runaway plot, whose digressive subplots involve time travel, a mad scientist and his jealous nephew, and Baek-joong’s food critic ex-girlfriend (played by the celebrity fashion model Jung Ho-yeon). Come for the unpredictable mystery, stay for the surreal humor.
‘Chief Detective 1958’
Stream it on Hulu.
Lee Je-hoon turns heads as Yeong-han, a small-town detective who takes on big city corruption in this breezy period cop drama. “Chief Detective 1958” serves as a prequel to the popular series “Chief Detective” (1971-89) but you don’t have to be familiar with that earlier program to enjoy watching Yeong-han and his team of virtuous misfits take on powerful local gangsters and crooked cops. Lee pours on the charm, and his energetic performance makes you want to root for Yeong-han, a naïve hero who might have otherwise come across like an unbearably shticky do-gooder. His co-stars also excel in their supporting roles, especially Lee Dong-hwi as the stubborn Mad Dog and Choi Deok-moon as Yeong-han’s venerable mentor, Dae-cheon.
‘Crash’
Stream it on Hulu.
Prioritize this binge-worthy police procedural if you’ve ever wished that “C.S.I.” had more car chases and martial arts fights. The perpetually underestimated members of Seoul’s Traffic Crime Investigation (T.C.I.) give chase to a range of criminals who include a murderous insurance scammer and a corrupt local politician. Their episodic and surprisingly well-developed cases usually wrap up after an episode or two, but those stories often tie into an overarching plot involving the team’s veteran captain, Chae-man (Heo Sung-tae), and diligent newbie Yeon-ho (Lee Min-Ki), the younger of whom searches for information about a fatal car accident from his past. The ensemble cast’s comedic gifts also get a fine showcase throughout thanks to some snappy banter and amusing physical comedy — and some exciting car chases, too.
‘Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born’
Stream it on Hulu.
Kim Tae-ri (“The Handmaiden”) does her own singing in this engrossing musical period drama about a highly competitive troupe of gukgeuk opera performers. Kim stars as the gifted pansori folk singer (and actor and dancer) Jeongnyeon, who moves from the Southern harbor town of Mokpo to Seoul after the Korean War to cultivate her talent. Jeongnyeon then struggles to navigate the pitfalls of fame with encouragement from the jaded pansori singer and male impersonator Moon Ok-gyeong (Jung Eun-chae). Yoon also frequently clashes with Heo Yeong-seo (Shin Ye-eun), her talented rival. Relaxed, generous, long takes emphasize the intensity and range of Kim’s and Shin’s singing. The series finale also stands out for both its impressive musical performances and satisfying backstage drama.
‘Lovely Runner’
Stream it on Viki.
The boy band heartthrob Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo Seok) encourages his mobility challenged admirer Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon) and inspires a twisty relationship in this sunny time travel romantic-comedy. Im Sol uses her grandmother’s enchanted watch to relive her late teens by traveling back to 2008, where she helps a younger Sun-jae to preemptively address the roots of his depression. Im Sol’s intervention has unexpected consequences, but it also leads to a surprisingly adult relationship as she and Sun-jae change from a fan and her idol into two strangers with a strong mutual attraction. Some of the plot’s contrivances don’t really make sense, but Byeon and Kim have great chemistry, and the showrunners do a fine job of combining bubbly high school drama with cheery romantic fantasy.
‘Miss Night and Day’
Stream it on Netflix.
Part body swap romantic-comedy and part serial killer mystery, “Miss Night and Day” pairs Mi-jin (Jeong Eun-ji), a skilled but unemployed 20-something, with Ji-ung (Choi Jin-hyuk), a standoffish district attorney who has no clue that Mi-jin is also Lim-sun (Lee Jung-eun), a 40-something employee at his office. Mi-jin transforms into Lim-sun during the day and then back into her own body at night after she runs into a stray cat that used to belong to Mi-jin’s aunt. Ji-ung happens to be investigating the disappearance of Mi-jin’s aunt, along with that of a handful of other middle-aged women. Ji-ung’s search doesn’t land anywhere memorable, but the show is otherwise irresistible.
‘No Gain No Love’
Stream it on Amazon.
A marriage of convenience unites the insecure businesswoman Hae-yeong (Shin Min-a) with the underachieving convenience store clerk Ji-uk (Kim Young-dae) after Hae-yeong’s office job offers a promotion exclusively to married couples. Unfortunately for Hae-yeong, her job is run by the parents of her boorish ex, Gyu-hyun (Lee Sang-yi), who makes life difficult for Hae-yeong as he climbs the corporate ladder and also dates Hae-yeong’s roommate, the popular romance novelist Ja-yeon (Han Ji-hyun). Some K-drama fans don’t like how much Gyu-hyun remains in the picture, but his relationship with Ja-yeon provides a sweet compliment to Ji-uk and Hae-yeong’s conventional but satisfying romance. The show’s genre-savvy but unique plot carries Hae-yeong’s crowd-pleasing story through its sudsiest twists.
‘A Shop for Killers’
Stream it on Hulu.
This teenage assassin drama toggles between two separate but related story lines about the secretive mercenary Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook) and his precocious teenage niece, Ji-an (Kim Hye-jun). Jin-man dies at the beginning of the series, which leads Ji-an to dig up her uncle’s secret life as a hired killer. Most of the series toggles smoothly between flashbacks to Jin-man’s past and flash forwards to the present day as Ji-an realizes that Ji-man has been secretly training her for years in case of his death. The series’s dramatic momentum stalls when his story overtakes hers for two later episodes, but the finale provides a satisfying resolution. Dynamic action scenes also compliment Ji-an’s surprising discoveries throughout this pulpy and engrossing crime thriller.
The post Like ‘Squid Game’? Stream These 9 New Korean Dramas Next appeared first on New York Times.
