No matter the taste in genres or daily mood, everyone needs a day off. If someone decides they wish to spend their time binge-watching K-dramas, who can stop them? But, with plenty ofK-dramas on various streaming services, it can be hard to pick one to watch. Whether someone’s in the mood to watch a thriller, mystery, action, or rom-com, there are about a dozen K-dramas to accommodate each taste.
However, few can be binged in one day (though that can be any K-drama if you’re dedicated enough). Still, they do exist and are shining examples of how great South Korean series can be, even with shorter or fewer episodes. Long gone are the times when each drama had over twenty episodes that were longer than one hour; that was an adventure of its own, but binge-watching a K-drama in 12 hours or so is a completely new, bold adventure. For some rest and relaxation,you’re able to binge on these K-dramas in a day.
15’Twenty-Twenty' (2020)
Number of Episodes: 20
Yes,Twenty-Twentyhas exactly 20 episodes, which doesn’t seem efficient to binge all day, but its episodes are only about 20 minutes long; you can do the math on how long it might take to finish this drama. It follows Da-hee (Han Sung-min) as she balances her new university life with her mother’s expectations. Adapting to school proves complex, but Da-hee makes friends along the way whose troubles are also part of the drama’s plot. The show is endearing and emotional, with some light comedy. It’s a rare twenty-minute-episode K-drama, so taking the opportunity to watch it might feel novel to a K-drama fan.
Theshow is a blend of coming-of-agecomedy with some dashes of romance; it’smore about friendship with others and oneself rather than romance or love triangles, and it’s pretty gentle viewing material. It’s ideal for those difficult and annoying days, for sure.Twenty-Twentymay not be perfect, but it hooks viewers in very easily. It’s also highly underrated, since long-form dramas are more popular among Korean TV fans, so it’s a real hidden gem.
Watch on Viki
14’Mr. Plankton' (2024)
Number of Episodes: 10
Mr. Planktonis a new Netflix K-drama combining comedy and romance, and it’s a very typical rom-com for fans of the genre.Woo Do-hwanplays the main character, Seung-hyeok, a freelancer who does various jobs; when he finds out he’s sick, he embarks on a journey to find his biological father before “his time” comes, picking up his ex-girlfriend Jae-mi (Lee Yoo-mi) along for the ride. Of course, it wouldn’t be a K-drama if there weren’t a couple of other plots going on: Seung-hyeok is also being chased by a man whose bride he kidnapped on her wedding day (per her request); while Jae-mi’s fiancé, the affluent Eo Heung (Oh Jung-se), chases after her and Seung-hyeok to bring her back.
Woo Do-hwan makes for a charming lead, but his character here is quite stubborn and rarely follows the rules. Deep down, though, he’s scared of what’s coming, since he knows he’s ill.Lee Yoo-mi provides brilliant comic relief as Seung-hyeok’s ex-girlfriend, who he broke up with in a very cruel way. She’s hurt, but obviously still cares for him, and the two carry thisheartwarming romantic comedy.Mr. Planktonhas ten one-hour episodes, but once you start watching, there’s no stopping; the show is great binge-watching material.
Mr. Plankton
Number of Episodes: 13
Netflix’sMad for Each Otherwasone of the first to implement a 30-minute durationformat across thirteen exciting episodes. This K-drama has it all: anenemies-to-lovers trope, a mysterious event, and chaotic, humorous characters that can make anyone fall in love. The show follows Hwi-oh (Jung Woo), a once great detective who, after a work accident, starts exhibiting severe anger issues. He goes to a therapist, where he soon realizes his neighbor, Min-kyung (Oh Yeon-seo), also goes.
Min-kyung’s psyche also changed as a trauma response, and she exhibits paranoia and obsessive-compulsive behavior. Hwi-oh and Min-kyung show their problems with mutual communication but help each other get those issues in check through a rivalry that slowly but surely turns into friendship. The pace ofMad of Each Otherperfectly aligns with the episodes' durations; within every 30 minutes, something happens that gets the viewer to press the ‘next episode’ button seconds into the end credits. And if someone worries that mental health issues can’t fit into such short episodes, the show doesn’t take away from their seriousness, and there are no clichés or fillers. A perfect one-day binge.
Mad For Each Other
12’A Shop for Killers' (2024)
Number of Episodes: 8
The latestLee Dong-wookseries,A Shop for Killers, is a Disney+ original and doesn’t pull any punches. ThisJohn Wick-esque show has eight episodes that last about 45 to 50 minutes, with each deepening the lore of the characters and the plot. The story revolves around the orphan Ji-an (Kim Hye-jun), who gets taken in by her eccentric uncle Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook). Jin-man is the owner of a highly unusual shopping mall called “Murthehelp,” and when he disappears one day, Ji-an is left to look after the mall and uncover the secrets of her mysterious uncle’s life.
With lots ofslick action scenes and well-thought-out characters,A Shop for Killersdoesn’t disappoint during its entire runtime. The fighting choreographies are on another level, and fans of fight scenes and overall more dynamic shows will surely enjoy binge-watching them. It’s the perfect action/mystery series to watch in one day and potentially rewatch as soon as rumors of season two get cleared up and fans getofficial confirmation that it’s happening.
A Shop For Killers
11’One Day Off' (2023)
The charmingslice-of-life K-dramaOne Day Offis a story about a teacher and all of her various days off. It’s set in 1990, following Park Ha-kyung (Lee Na-young), a quiet and kind Korean literature high school teacher. To make life a bit more interesting, Ha-kyung decides to take one-day trips on Saturdays, and the show depicts her traveling, meeting new people, and eating various delicious foods. The people in the show are typically kind to each other, so the show isan incredible feat of feel-good TV.
One Day Offis great for anyone who enjoys watching South Korean variety shows. Since they usually depict South Korea’s natural landscapes and rural life,One Day Offmight feel like a well-acted and directed variety show to some fans. With eight episodes that last around 25 minutes,One Day Offis the perfect one-day binge material. Fans of wholesome K-dramas can take a day off to bingeOne Day Off.
Watch on Kocowa
10’Weak Hero Class 1' (2022-)
Number of Episodes: 9
Weak Hero Class 1follows a high-school student, Si-eun (Park Ji-hoon), who doesn’t care about anything other than studying and getting good grades. He’s often the target of bullying at school, and is forced to face his bullies daily, but Si-eun is highly intelligent and has ways of defending himself other than with his body or fists. When he joins forces with the strongest kid in class, Su-ho (Choi Hyun-wook) and another bullied boy, Beom-seok (Hong Kyung), they become fast friends and an awesome vigilante squad.
K-drama fans went crazy forWeak Hero Class 1when it came out; it’s an adaptation of a highly popular webtoon of the same name, and was welcomed with open arms by comic and drama fans. The dynamic between the three protagonists warms up as each episode goes;it’s easy to cheer for them when they stand up to bullies, and they’re very likable characters who growand learn more about their strengths and weaknesses throughout the show.Weak Hero Class 1has nine 40-minute episodes, so it’s a quick watch. If it feels too short, it could be a preparation for season 2,which is coming in 2025.
9’Parasyte: The Grey' (2024)
Number of Episodes: 6
TheParasyteuniverse is long-lasting, as it first came out in the form of a Japanese manga in 1989. After several movies and anime series, it was time for South Korean authors to try their hand at it. What came out was a very entertaining sci-fi thriller,Parasyte: The Grey. The story follows Su-in (Jeon So-nee), a supermarket cashier who gets stalked and stabbed by a drunk customer one night. Su-in survives after an alien parasite enters her bloodstream and saves her from dying.
When these alien parasites take over a person’s body, they take over their consciousness, too. However, because Su-in was on the verge of death, the alien parasite used half of its life force to save her from dying, resulting in Su-in and the parasite giving each other a turn over her consciousness. Su-in names the parasite Heidi, and the two become an unstoppable tandem in a race against time and some very powerful enemies.Parasyte: The Greyhas six episodes full of action and cliffhangers that last between 45 minutes and one hour,keeping viewers at the edge of their seatsthe entire time.
Parasyte: The Grey
8’Live On' (2020)
The high school K-dramaLive Onwas ideal for viewing in 2020 when people needed something nice and lively to cheer them up during difficult times. Four years later, the drama is still as wonderful and relevant, with charming, relatable characters and a simple storyline that pulls viewers in from the start. It follows Ho-rang (Jung Da-bin), one of the most popular girls in school with a reputation for being cold and distant despite presenting herself as warm on social media. When a broadcast from her school’s broadcasting club reveals a secret involving Ho-rang, she decides to join the club and find out who the culprit is.
Live Onfocuses mostly on the members of the broadcasting club, with romance, friendship, and secrets defining a lot of their dynamics. Thisteen coming-of-ageK-drama has eight one-hour episodes, each ending on a cliffhanger, motivating the viewers to keep watching. If they get attached to Ho-rang or any of the side characters, watchingLive Onwill inevitably turn into a one-day binge-watching party. This one’s best watched with a cozy blanket and a warm cup of tea.
7’My Name' (2021)
My Namehas a brilliant use of a powerful female protagonist, andfans who love spy themes and Black Widow-type characters will surely love this action thriller. It starsHan So-heeas Ji-woo, who wishes to avenge her father by finding out more about the circumstances of his death. She joins an organized crime ring, and infiltrates the police, going undercover to look for answers as Oh Hye-jin. She becomes a mole for the gang, but as she digs deeper, Ji-woo (or Hye-jin) discovers things she may not have the capacity to fully deal with. Ji-woo then balances her chase for justice with her thirst for revenge.
Han So-hee is incredible in this spy thriller with numerous plot twists and surprises. She carries the series as a powerful action hero, simultaneously getting sympathy and adoration as an abandoned girl looking for answers. She’s joined byAhn Bo-hyunas her police partner, andPark Hee-soonas a vicious crime lord.My Namehas eight episodes which are all under an hour long, and it’s one of the best and most underratedSouth Korean thrillers on Netflix.
6’D.P.' (2021)
Number of Episodes: 12
The popular action dramaD.P.may not be an easy show to binge on due to its themes, but once the viewers become attached to its two protagonists, the episodes fly one by one.D.P.shows thedark sides of South Korean military service, which is mandatory in the country. It was based on a webtoon and written for Netflix by the webtoon author,Kim Bo-tong. He and the director and script co-writerHan Jun-heewanted to show the realities of enlisting, including severe hazing rituals, demeaning, and bullying among soldiers of various ranks.
D.P.stands forDeserter Pursuitand follows Private Ahn Jun-ho (Jung Hae-in) and Corporal Han Ho-yeol (Koo Kyo-hwan), who team up to find army deserters and bring them to justice. Their journey takes them to many places with people of various backgrounds and lives; they’re often forced to rethink their army roles and purpose within the system that rarely takes responsibility for the treatment of soldiers.D.P.has two six-episode seasons, with episode duration ranging from 45 to 60 minutes, and isone of Netflix’s most-watched K-dramas.
