Lovely Runner to Queen of Tears, 7 best K-dramas of 2024, so far — on Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar & Amazon Prime Video

The first half of 2024 was filled with engaging K-dramas to sink your binge-watching teeth into…

You're in safe hands if you’re an ardent fan of K-dramas in 2024. The year’s first half was filled to the brim with engaging dramas of varied genres and layered storytelling. Globally popular Korean dramas like Lovely Runner starring Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon and Queen of Tears starring Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won are further backed by strong ensemble performances. We’ve curated a list of the best K-dramas of 2024 so far, and where you can watch them…

Here are the best K-dramas of 2024, so far:

7 PHOTOS

1. Lovely Runner – Netflix, Viki

Lovely Runner emerged as the breakout show of 2024, thanks to Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon’s captivating chemistry. The fantasy rom-com follows an aspiring filmmaker whose dreams are dashed when she’s left paralyzed after a freak accident. She finds solace in a K-pop idol’s music and becomes his ardent fan. However, when her idol shockingly dies, she mysteriously time travels back to 2008 when she and the singer-actor were high school students. Given a second chance, the fangirl vows to change the ill fate of both herself and her idol. Lovely Runner also stars Song Geon Hee and N.Flying leader Lee Seung Hyub.

2. Queen of Tears – Netflix

Queen of Tears was a hotly anticipated K-drama of 2024 for two reasons: Hallyu stars Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won’s first-ever on-screen collaboration and Crash Landing on You fame Park Ji Eun’s attachment to the project as its screenwriter. Queen of Tears’ global popularity led to the series eclipsing Crash Landing on You as the highest-rated tv series. The rom-com melodrama is centered on an estranged married couple — the chaebol heiress of Queens Group and the legal director at Queens Group — who rekindle their lost romance when one of them is struck by a life-threatening situation. Queen of Tears also stars Park Sung Hoon, Kwak Dong Yeon, and Lee Joo Bin.

3. Marry My Husband – Amazon Prime Video

Marry My Husband kickstarted 2024 on a high note as the intriguing storyline came to life thanks to an incredible ensemble performance. The fantasy revenge rom-com follows a terminally ill woman who catches her husband and best friend red-handed. A scuffle ensues leading to her accidental death. She’s given a second chance when she time travels back to 10 years before at the same workplace where her husband and best friend also work. The scorned woman now seeks vengeance against her former loved ones for their illicit affair and hatches out the perfect revenge plan. Marry My Husband stars Park Min Young, Na In Woo, Lee Yi Kyung, and Song Ha Yoon.

4. A Shop for Killers – Disney+ Hotstar

Lee Dong Wook’s filmography is filled with underrated gems and A Shop for Killers is no exception. The well-executed action drama follows a young girl who lives with her eccentric uncle after her parents’ death. The uncle runs an unusual shopping mall named Murthehelp while training his niece on survival tactics. When her uncle unexpectedly dies, the young girl becomes a target of suspicious killers and now has to rely on her uncle’s past training to survive. A Shop for Killers also stars Kim Hye Jun.

5. Wonderful World – Disney+ Hotstar

ASTRO member Cha Eun Woo‘s fans were particularly excited about Wonderful Wonder as it showcased the idol actor in a new light. The emotionally stirring revenge mystery thriller series follows a famed psychology professor and writer who seeks revenge after her son’s tragic death. When the culprit evades punishment legally, the mother decides to take justice into her own hands. Her life further gets entangled with a former medical student who leads a rough life after losing his parents. Wonderful World also stars Kim Nam Joo, Kim Kang Woo, and Im Se Mi.

6. Captivating the King – Netflix

Captivating the King is a refreshing saeguk (historical drama) as it ends on a deeply satisfying note. The intricately penned series depicts the bittersweet love story between the King of Joseon and his close aide, a genius baduk player. The King lives a miserable life as he’s caught in the crossfire between royal and political power struggles while his close aide is a noblewoman disguised as a man seeking revenge against the monarch. However, a fatal attraction ensues between the unlikely pair. Captivating the King stars Jo Jung Suk, Shin Se Kyung, and Lee Shin Young.

7. Chief Detective 1958 – Disney+ Hotstar

A K-drama starring Lee Je Hoon rarely disappoints, and Chief Detective 1958 superseded expectations. The retro crime investigation drama is the prequel to the cult Korean series Chief Inspector and follows a passionate detective of the people who boasts of the highest arrest rate when it comes to petty thieves. He teams up with three other charismatic detectives to break down corrupt power using common sense. Chief Detective 1958 also stars Lee Dong Hwi, Choi Woo Sung, and Yoon Hyun Soo.