Looking for new Korean dramas to watch? I am currently obsessed with the streaming platform iQiyi because I’ve found absolute gems of Kdramas to watch on it ever since I downloaded it. The best part is that a lot of their content can be streamed completely free of charge (with minimal ads) so you can check out different series before deciding to invest in a subscription. Here are some of my current top picks:
Melancholia
Cast: Im Soo-jung, Lee Do-hyun
Starring Lee Do-hyun and Im Soo-jung, Melancholia follows Ji Yoon-soo, a math teacher of a prestigious high school who helps Baek Seung-yoo, a problematic student with math potential top his class. The teacher-student relationship scandal causes Yoon-soo to lose her job. After four years, they meet again as adults to reveal the corruption in school and to recover her reputation.
Happiness
Cast: Han Hyo Joo, Park Hyun Shik
A new apartment has been built in a big city. Inside the apartment, high floors are for rich residents who can afford to buy the house, and lower floors are for residents who rent. One day, a new type of deadly virus spread throughout the city, and to prevent the spread of the infections, the apartment is sealed off. With the fear of the virus and the conflicts of the different classes, the residents have to spend time together and survive in the new habitation.
IDOL: The Coup
Cast:Â Ahn Hee Yeon,Kwak Shi Yang
Starring EXID’s Ahn Hee-yeon, Kwak Si-yang, and Kim Min-kyu; IDOL: The Coup revolves around a passé idol group struggling to find success to avoid being disbanded. It follows the group members giving up on their dreams as they grow through their failures and take courageous steps towards their new goals in life.
Secret Royal Inspector Joy
Cast: Ok Taecyeon, Kim Hye Yoon
Set in the Joseon dynasty, Secret Royal Inspector Joy is a comedic, historical period drama that centers around an intelligent but lazy secret agent starring Ok Taecyeon and a woman with belief way ahead of her times as she seeks to get out of her unhappy marriage to search for her happiness.
Let Me be Your Knight
Cast: Lee Jun Young, Jung In Sun
Yoon Tae-in (Lee Jun-young) is the leader of idol group Luna. He suffers from sleep walking and to cure his ailment secretly, he commissions a doctor to live in with him and his group members. The ‘doctor’ is In Yoon-joo (Jung In-sun) who is, in fact, a tour guide.
Jirisan
Cast: Gianna Jun, Ju Ji-hoon
Rangers work to save people at Jiri Mountain National Park. Seo Yi-gang is the best ranger at Jiri Mountain National Park while Kang Hyun-jo is a rookie ranger. Along with the other rangers, they work to save people who are trapped and lost in the mountains.
Yumi’s Cells
Cast: Kim Go-eun, Ahn Bo-hyun
Yumi is an ordinary office worker. Her love cells are in a state of coma after her last relationship failed. The series will trace her growth and change as her brain cells wake up her love cell yet again. Ku Woong, a game developer, Ruby, and Seo Sae-i, her co-workers help in their own ways to revive her love cell.
Have you watched any of these yet? Email me at angeline.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send me a direct message at When in Manila Angeline on Facebook. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! Join our WhenInManila.com community on Viber, as well!
