The 10 Best Shows to Learn Korean: K-Dramas 101

If you’re studying Korean, either as a beginner or at a more advanced level, one learning method you should employ is binge-watching Korean dramas.

There are many Korean dramas you should start to watch in order to explore new vocabulary and useful phrases. Binge-watching k-dramas will familiarize you with the sound of the language, immerse you in the culture and seriously improve your listening skills, comprehension and confidence when you start to speak Korean as a foreign language.

Read on for a list of our favorite Korean dramas on Lingopie, and some top pieces of advice for studying Korean in the most efficient and effective manner possible. We've recently launched Korean and Japanese and if you study Japanese and are interested in learning Japanese with Anime then check out the link.

How Watching Korean Dramas Can Help You To Learn the Korean Language

Learning a language is a long journey, but with the help of great TV shows on Lingopie, Korean learners can immerse themselves in Korean culture, language and drama, significantly speeding up their learning in the process.

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It's a simple fact that the more exposure you have to a language, the more you can retain it in your memory and the more confident you will become with using the foreign language.

Your Korean learning journey can be fun, engaging, and informative if you dive into the thrilling world of k-dramas.

These Korean dramas are the perfect tools for acquiring a new language and developing a deeper cultural awareness. Lingopie is here to make them accessible through English and Korean subtitles, quizzes and flashcards, and more interactive features.

So, let's get started! Here is a breakdown of ten of the best Korean dramas on Lingopie for developing your language skills.

1. Pluto, Secret Detectives

Korean learning just got a whole lot easier, with the help of four kid detectives and online streaming services!

This comedy k-drama stars four young detectives who make up an elite secret society of crime fighters.

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The show is entertaining, and it's also excellent for picking up new vocabulary. Given that the show is made for a young audience, the Korean is easy to follow. This makes it a great choice for language learners at the beginning of their Korean studies.

2. Masimon

Get ready to have your heartstrings tugged in this Korean drama about a boy with Down's Syndrome who enters a welfare center for the disabled.

This show deals with the societal treatment of disabled people and how far people will go to accept or reject those who are different in Korean culture.

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Remember, watching Korean dramas is not only a great way to learn Korean, but it also gives you a look into societal differences and values.

Masimon might make you uncomfortable at times, but this TV show will also make you smile, especially when you meet the lovely volunteer who helps the show's main character navigate his personal struggles.

3. Cactus

This Korean drama follows a group of high school students in South Korea. One of the girls falls pregnant and their caring biology teacher tries to help her, albeit at the risk of his own career.

The best k-dramas provide a look into Korean society, and this drama is no exception. It is also great for learning Korean vocabulary focused on school settings and young people's speech.

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If you want to sound authentic when chatting with your Korean friends, the best thing you can do is watch Korean dramas featuring young people and their colloquialisms.

4. Empty Room

When compiling a list of the best Korean dramas, it would be wrong not to feature this 15-part k-drama about a girl trying to resolve her relationship troubles.

She reaches out to her boyfriend over the phone, but the message she leaves sounds more like a goodbye. Will they manage to work through their issues?

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As there are several episodes in this TV show for you to sink your teeth into, it's a perfect k-drama to binge-watch. Save it for a rainy day and really dive deep into the Korean language and watch the romantic drama unfold.

You can watch this love story at your own pace, stopping and re-watching scenes when you need to, for an optimized learning experience.

And remember, if you can't understand a line of dialogue, you can pause the show and have Lingopie read out the phrase in a clear voice.

This feature on Lingopie, on top of the Korean subtitles, makes all the best Korean dramas accessible and engaging for Korean language learners.

5. Acid Solution

This entertaining Korean drama was made by a group of cinema students and their teacher. The low-budget drama depicts a group of school students mixing an acid solution with a mysterious liquid and - plot twist! - they accidentally start a zombie epidemic.

Will anyone make it out alive? Watch the drama unfold while learning Korean at a beginner's level with this super fun science-fiction Korean drama.

6. War of Scraps

If you're looking through our catalog for K-dramas to learn Korean at an intermediate level, check out this exciting one-off show about trash collectors who find themselves faced with a mysterious disappearance.

The unlikely focus on scrap collection workers and the juxtaposition with the slightly comical dark subplot makes this show unique, engaging, and very entertaining.

For this reason alone, you shouldn't miss War of Scraps.

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This Korean drama is a great choice if you want to develop your natural use of simple Korean phrases. This is due to the fact that the characters are average working Korean speakers, using language organically and in a natural context.

This show, unlike some others on this list, is more grounded in real life and employs a lot of relevant and useful Korean vocabulary. For this reason, War of Scraps is a great way to learn Korean through Korean dramas.

7. King of Skewers

This independent comedy-drama set in South Korea follows the journey of a shop owner who is starting a restaurant business.

He enlists the help of a couple of friends to get the ball rolling on his new venture. However, when an unforeseen problem arises, he risks losing it all.

We don't want to spoil the plot, so you will have to watch the show to find out what goes wrong for the skewer king!

King of Skewers is one of the best Korean dramas on the Lingopie platform through which to learn Korean.

It is funny and makes our list of the best Korean dramas for this reason. It also provides an insight into authentic Korean cuisine.

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Given that this K-drama is recommended for advanced learners, it is best to watch it with Korean subtitles. You can also use King of Skewers to delve into South Korean culture and culinary tips, as well as for your language learning.

8. Royal Guards Inspection Ceremony

This is a short Korean historical drama that reenacts the Royal Guards Inspection Ceremony using evidence from history books.

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Watching historical dramas to learn Korean is a great idea if you also want to familiarize yourself with the history and traditions of the country.

You may want to research the history online before starting this k-drama to familiarize yourself with the context.

This will make watching the show easier and allow you to focus on the new language and sentence structures rather than getting lost trying to understand the plot.

This drama is marked on Lingopie as "advanced", so you might want to use English subtitles as well as Korean subtitles to help you follow the action.

Korean subs are always recommended, as they will help your reading comprehension and understanding.

Often, we suggest you avoid over-using English subtitles, as they can distract you from listening to the other language. However, in instances where you need the extra help, Lingopie's dual subtitles feature is a huge advantage. Our platform offers not only dual subtitles but also a number of other tools which will help you to learn.

9. My Friend

Two Korean college students spend all of their time together until their friendship is shaken by a new girl who gets super close to one of them.

The other girl finds herself left out of the loop and tries to make her way back to her best friend. As with most of these k-dramas, this drama is emotional and gripping, and a great look into young people's lives in Korea.

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The vocabulary you will learn from this Korean drama will be very useful for meeting people and striking up friendships when you travel to Korea.

You can study the initial interactions between the new friends and employ the same phrases, mannerisms, and tones when meeting people in real life.

Watch My Friend with Korean subtitles to maximize your understanding and vocabulary acquisition and get the most out of this Korean drama.

If you want to go to Korea and chat with native speakers, you should get comfortable with the idea of making mistakes. This is a valid and essential part of learning Korean, and any other language.

The more you watch Korean dramas, the better prepared you will be, but remember that nobody expects your Korean to be perfect!

10. Home Cafe

Last but not least on our list of the best Korean dramas, we have Home Cafe, an independent Korean drama about a family business and its workers.

In this show, a coffee shop's internal politics and relationships are explored through themes of professionalism and family ties.

The Korean drama features language at an intermediate level, so you can watch it with Korean subtitles if necessary.

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This is a super useful show to watch in order to pick up some business Korean and coffee shop vocabulary, which you will need when exploring local eateries in Korea.

If you can't imagine being at the level where you are booking a holiday to Seoul and planning to visit their local cafes, remember that learning a language is a journey and that it requires commitment and perseverance.

This brings us to our next point...

There Has Never Been A Better Time To Learn Korean

There has been a significant spike in the popularity of Korean media across the Western world in recent years.

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This wave of influence from the East has put Korean shows, music, and culture in the spotlight. Included in this trend is the increased global success of k-pop bands like BTS.

Along with the musical takeover of Korean pop bands, k-dramas have taken off in a big way and become much more mainstream.

You can get ahead of the trend and start learning Korean today through binging Korean dramas on Lingopie.

We will leave you with some top pieces of advice for your language learning journey so that you remember to commit, persevere, and actively follow your dreams of speaking Korean.

Stay Committed & Use Korean Subtitles

Staying committed is key when learning a language by watching TV. The first dramas you watch might seem overwhelming; you will be experiencing a whole new culture and language, with subtitles available in a new alphabet (although you can also choose Korean subtitles with English letters to get started).

However, the more you watch k-dramas, the more you will immerse yourself in the language and the easier it'll become.

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When you binge-watch k-dramas, you will naturally build your vocabulary acquisition, develop a deeper understanding of culture, history, and mannerisms, and accustom your brain to hearing and processing Korean.

So, set yourself daily goals, such as watching at least twenty minutes of Korean TV per day. This is the best way to keep up your immersion into the language and culture and stay focused on your goal of speaking and understanding Korean.

Another important tip it to not forget to explore all the amazing features on the Lingopie platform as they will help advance your language learning skills much faster.

Don't Give Up: There's a Korean Drama for Everyone

If, at any point, learning Korean seems too hard or too much like hard work, remember not to give up.

With access to the most entertaining shows and movies, learning a foreign language does not need to feel like work at all.

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So, find a show that you love and forget that you're studying. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy. Why would you give up on your k-drama binging when every day is a treat with these dramatic and at times hilarious shows?

Moreover, through Lingopie, you'll have access to a great language learning community that is ready to support you.

There are online forums for questions and comments, a leaderboard so you can compete with others learning Korean, and regular webinars that you can attend. Just keep persevering and the community will have your back.

Be Pro-Active & Find the Best K-Dramas for You

Once you've watched each drama, you can test yourself to see how much Korean you've retained by using the Lingopie new words learned quiz.

This is one of the many great features you can employ to ensure you are making the most out of the platform and learning in the most efficient manner possible.

Through these quizzes, you can identify areas where you might need to improve and hone in on them.

Whenever you feel the need, you can re-watch shows to look for any useful phrases you might have missed the first time around.

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Moreover, we recommend you make written notes of any interesting and useful vocab featured in the shows.

You can turn these notes into lists for memorization or flashcards for testing yourself. On top of this, you can repeat words and phrases aloud to practice your pronunciation and get comfortable with spoken Korean.

These are common study techniques that you should employ to maximize your language learning potential.

Summing up: Start Watching Korean Dramas Today

This list of shows was carefully curated with the aim of helping learners to study Korean in a fun way. Streaming the best Korean dramas takes the stress and strain out of language learning and makes it engaging, effortless, and exciting.

Moreover, Lingopie is designed to teach you Korean through its interactive features, such as quizzes.

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This list of great dramas to binge on is the perfect point for you to kick-start your Korean learning journey. When you watch k-dramas, you are exposed to interesting Korean culture and societal ideas, as well as traditional cuisine and fun colloquialisms.

Watching Korean TV shows provides a deeper and fuller appreciation of the country and language you are getting to know.

With a good grasp of the Korean language and culture, you can work or travel in South Korea, make new international friends, enjoy endless hours of gripping TV and movies in Korean, and fully engage in the Korean wave of popularity rushing across the Western World.

So, start binging k-dramas on Lingopie today and open up a whole new world of great TV, popular music and travel opportunities. Good luck and have fun!