Hi !

At first I thought I would recommend my favorite ones, but they aren’t necessarily beginner friendly, I think. So I’ll try to be as objective as I can.

If you want a fun, fast, and romantic vibe:

1. Business Proposal (2022) https://kisskh.at/693591-in-house-confrontation
   My Rating 9/10
   It may be one of my favorite rom-coms, but it’s also generally a very good and loved one. It’s easy to watch, fun, and I believe it can be a very good first interaction with the K-drama world.

2. True Beauty (2020) https://kisskh.at/38627-true-beauty
   My Rating 7/10
   Very well known. I believe it’s a starter for many. It’s based in a high school and is very fun and enjoyable.

3. Crash Landing On You (2019) https://kisskh.at/35729-emergency-lands-of-love
   Another fan favorite. I have to admit I haven’t watched it, but I know it’s super popular and a good choice for a first K-drama.
   

If you want the youth vibe:

1. Twinkling Watermelon (2023) https://kisskh.at/739603-sparkling-watermelon
   My Rating 8/10
   It has romance, fun moments, music, and a little bit of time travel in it.

2. Twenty Five Twenty One (2022) https://kisskh.at/695149-twenty-five-twenty-one
   Another one I haven’t watched, but I know many people loved it. It’s a coming of age story with strong friendships and romance.

The rest of the recommendations aren’t necessarily beginner friendly in the usual sense (fast, easy to watch dramas). But as someone who prefers deeper stories, I know some people enjoy them more, so I will recommend some like this.

If you want a healing and slice-of-life kind of vibe:

1. Summer Strike (2022) https://kisskh.at/703721-i-don-t-want-to-do-anything
   My Rating 9.5/10
   It’s a peaceful, slower K-drama, but it has very deep characters and a bit of mystery in it. It’s not very well known, but I really liked it and I think many will find the characters relatable.

2. Our Blues (2022) https://kisskh.at/697585-our-blues
   My Rating 9/10
   The reason I put this one here is because I believe it’s a great K-drama to learn some things about the culture. It has different stories and characters that are connected with one another. It covers some heavy storylines, but I think it will be very interesting for someone to see how Korea treats certain topics.
   Warning: it’s not an easygoing drama, so I think it’s more for people who are into deeper stories that leave you thinking.

3. Hospital Playlist (2020) https://kisskh.at/36269-doctor-playbook
   My Rating 9.5/ 10
   It was a huge hit when it came out (it has 2 seasons). It’s a medical drama, BUT for me it’s so much more. It has romance and music, BUT the friendship aspect is the peak of this drama. I think it’s a must watch.
   Warning: it is a medical drama, so if you aren’t comfortable with that, you might want to skip it.

For an emotional and character driven vibe:

1. Its Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) https://kisskh.at/49865-psycho-but-it-s-okay
   My Rating 10/10
   Very few dramas can beat this masterpiece. It’s one of the first I watched, and I still love it to this day. Amazing characters and a beautiful romance, with some iconic funny moments.
   Warning: it’s emotional, heavy, and sad at times. It deals a lot with mental illness, and the characters have a lot of trauma. Another must-watch for me.

2. In Your Radiant Season (2026) https://kisskh.at/755669-in-your-brilliant-season
   My Rating 10/10
   The most recent drama on this list. This one is deep but also kind of fast paced at the same time (fast paced for a more emotional drama, obviously it can’t be compared to romc oms). It’s really cute.
   Warning: it may not be as heavy as some other dramas I recommended, but it’s not an easy watch either. It’s deep and can be emotional, but it leaves you with a bright aftertaste (at least for me).

Now I want to recommend two dramas that are intense and heavy. Most people wouldn’t recommend them for beginners, I know , BUT I believe this list can’t be complete without them. Of course, there are many intense dramas that I believe are must watch, but these two are not only very well known, but also good for someone who wants to start with something darker.

1. Taxi Driver (2021) https://kisskh.at/52921-model-taxi
   My Rating 10/10
   A revenge drama with a found-family subplot. It has multiple seasons and never disappointed. I only watched it recently, and I know for sure I was missing out all this time. Great characters and storylines.
   Warning: it has MANY trigger warnings, as it deals with serious topics. You should definitely check them first to see if you’re comfortable watching it.

2. Sky Castle (2018) https://kisskh.at/30740-sky-castle
   My Rating 9/10
   The reason this one is here is because it gives a great example of the Korean educational system. It was one of the first I watched as well, and it gave me great insight into the culture. Has some mystery as well.
   Warning: it’s dark and intense, so don’t go in blind check some warnings first.

This is my beginner friendly recommendation list. I know that not all of them are traditionally considered beginner-friendly, but I wanted to be diverse and give different options and interpretations. I also really tried to be unbiased (I left behind many of my favorites), but I had to include some of them hehehe.

Thanks for reading this <3