Welcome to the end of your life. Yes, the end because once you get deep into Korean dramas there is no way out. I’m not just saying it because I’ve been watching these dramas obsessively, but because the variety and depth of these dramas have left me speechless and wanting more. Believe it or or not until three months ago I had no association with Korean dramas nor any desire to watch any. However, once I started my first one I was hooked.

There are some challenges you will face when watching these dramas, like language and culture barriers, but you can watch with captions and slowly learn about the Korean culture while you progress through the shows. It can be confusing at first and a little tedious to watch, but the end result is great. So here are some great starter pack dramas to watch if your friend is asking you to, or you just want to dabble in it.

The classics:

These dramas are ones you absolutely must watch. They are pretty old (2007-2010), but great in content. Many drama watchers have either heard or watched the following dramas.

-Shining Inheritance

-Coffee Prince

-My Girlfriend is a Gumiho

A good starter in this category is Coffee Prince, starring Yoon Eun-Hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun-Kyun, and Chae Jung-An. This is a drama about four people facing the reality of life and the meaning of friendship, love, trust and responsibility. I would recommend this drama to anyone who needs a light drama full of laughter. Coffee Prince had me laughing and crying along with the characters and what they go through while trying to understand their purpose in life. Even though it’s a light drama, the lessons you learn from it have deep meaning.

The romantics:

Who doesn’t love a love story? Especially one with sassy characters, attractive leads, and twisting plots. Many, if not almost all, dramas have some romance to them, which spices up the story. If romance is what you’re looking for then the following dramas will definitely be your starter pack.

-Personal Taste

-Heirs

-A Gentleman’s Dignity

I started seriously getting into Korean dramas after I watched Personal Taste, starring Lee Min-Ho and Son Ye-Jin. This drama is about an architect trying to save his company pretending to be gay to live in a house where he is seeking inspiration from. The girl (Son Ye-Jin) is the sole owner of the house her father left her. She does not allow anyone to enter the premise except Lee Min-hH, who lied to her about being gay to move into the house. What I love about this drama is that it doesn’t deal with an over-involved family or cheesy cliches.

The Serious Kind:

If you’re not into the light and fluffy, then there are serious ones out there to watch. These plots keep you anticipating what happens next and often involve Korean politics. It takes patience and interest to watch these dramas which in turn will entice you.

-Doctor Stranger

-City Hunter

-Healer

The first drama that I had ever watched was Doctor Stranger, starring Lee Jong-Suk, Jin Se-Yeon, Park Hae-Jin and Kang So-Ra. It was the most complicated drama full of politics, plot twists and revenge. It’s a drama about a genius doctor (Lee Jong-Suk) who, as a child, had been sent to North Korea for an important mission, but was forced to live there instead. He grew up in North Korea and became one of the most skilled cardiac surgeons. This drama is so heartbreaking and intense that it is impossible not to love it.

Author’s Favorites:

Out of so many Korean dramas that I’ve watched only a few are heartbreakers, soul burners, and the kind that leaves you hungover from watching such a good drama. These dramas include all of the best elements like humor, romance, depth, multiple plots and amazing side characters. And the following dramas bring you exactly that:

-Secret Garden

-My Love From Another Star

-The Master’s Sun

Out of every single drama that I have watched my absolute favorite is Secret Garden, starring Hyun Bin, Ha Ji-Won, Yoon Sang-Hyun, and Kim Sa-Rang. This show gives you love in its purest form as possible. When I watch it, I can feel butterflies flying in my stomach one minute, then the tears roll down on my cheeks and a broad smile occupies my face at the end of each episode. The characters are complex, funny and deep. You can feel and understand what they are going through. The story line is enhanced with side stories and never boring. It’s more than a rich guy falling in love with a poor girl, but overall, those of you who watch the first couple of episodes and are not impressed, I say stick with it. You’ll be glad you did. All the characters are wonderful to watch and develop into three-dimensional people who you’ll root for and cheer on. It’s a fantastic love story that makes you want to find your soulmate.