7 Underrated K-Dramas That Are Too Good To Skip
“Underrated K-drama” is a relative term; what’s underrated for one viewer might be overrated for another. However, some dramas, despite having unique plots, great characters, and an amazing cast, are often overlooked, and this list is where you can find those gems.
Here are seven underrated K-dramas that are too good to skip. Some of these dramas are romance, some comedy, some sci-fi; some are new, while others are a decade old, but all are worth watching!
“A Piece of Your Mind”
Moon Ha Won (Jung Hae In) has made a name for himself in the AI programming industry as the founder and brain behind a device that can regenerate anyone’s voice. He is loved by everyone who knows him for his kind nature. He was in love with his childhood friend Ji Soo, whose loss left a gaping hole in his heart. While this tragedy did not change his kind nature, it left him melancholic and unable to move on.
Meanwhile, Han Seo Woo (Chae Soo Bin) is a classical music recording engineer who has lived her life without a family. Since she has no family home, she has spent her entire life wandering from one place to another. Despite not having the best life, Seo Woo has managed to maintain her optimistic mindset.
Ha Won’s and Seo Woo’s paths cross, and their lives slowly change. “A Piece of Your Mind” is not your typical romance K-drama; it is slow-paced, emotional, and requires the viewer to be in a specific mindset to enjoy it. However, the mature and realistic relationship between the main leads, breathtaking cinematography, and poetic dialogues are enough to keep you glued to your seat and finish this masterpiece in one go.
Watch “A Piece of Your Mind” below:
“Mask”
Byun Ji Sook (Soo Ae) has never had the chance to live a normal life as her father was constantly going into debt and being chased by loan sharks her entire childhood. Her one wish? To have been born into a better family with stable finances. Her wish comes true when she accidentally bumps into Eun Ha, a woman from a rich family who looks exactly like Ji Sook. Seizing the opportunity, Ji Sook steals Eun Ha’s identity. But how long can she keep it up?
“Mask” is a well-written and well-executed romance drama. One of the best aspects of this K-drama is Soo Ae’s acting. She plays two distinct characters: one moment she is evil, the next she is kind, but throughout, she brings both characters to life. The chemistry between the main leads is also palpable and at times exciting.
“Gaus Electronics”
The story of “Gaus Electronics” follows the lives of members of Marketing Team 3 in the home appliance department at Gaus Electronics HQ. This marketing team consists of around 10 employees, including Lee Sang Sik (Kwak Dong Yeon), a pure-hearted man who often struggles with understanding others’ emotions, and Cha Na Rae (Go Sung Hee), the assistant manager with anger issues.
There is also Baek Ma Tan (Bae Hyeon Seong), the heir of Gaus Electronics’ competitor. Despite being born into a rich family, Ma Tan shocked his friends and family by choosing to work as a junior employee for Gaus Electronics instead of living a life of luxury. On the other hand, there is Geon Gang Mi (Kang Min Ah), born into a modest household but strives to achieve more.
“Gaus Electronics” is mainly a comedy. Though the puns might be difficult to understand for non-Korean speakers, the slapstick humor has the power to make anyone laugh. There is also a romantic subplot in this story between Ma Tan and Gang Mi, but it is rather sweet and low-stakes compared to your usual rom-com love stories.
Watch “Gaus Electronics”:
“Two Weeks”
Jang Tae San (Lee Joon Gi), a member of a criminal organization, decides to leave the life of crime after finding out his girlfriend is pregnant. However, before he can do that, he is forced to take the blame for a murder his boss committed, or his girlfriend will be killed. To save the love of his life, he breaks up with her, tells her to get an abortion, and goes to jail.
Eight years later, upon his release, he discovers that not only did his ex-girlfriend not get an abortion and deliver their daughter, but their daughter is also suffering from leukemia. The only way to save her is through Tae San’s bone marrow transplant. He schedules the operation but is suddenly arrested for two murders he never committed. Will he be able to fix everything before time runs out?
“Two Weeks” is advertised as an action drama, and while the action and constant suspense are great, the character development of Tae San takes the cake. Although there is no romantic plot in the present timeline, the flashbacks show the sweet love between Tae San and the mother of his daughter, providing viewers with a breather from time to time.
Check out “Two Weeks” below:
“Boyhood”
“Boyhood” revolves around Jang Byung Tae (Im Siwan), a physically weak, academically average, and socially awkward high school student from Onyang in South Chungcheong Province. He has been bullied his entire life at school, but when he moves to a different village in Chungcheong Province, he sees an opportunity for a better life. In the new high school, the students mistake Jang Byung Tae for Jang Gyeong Tae (Lee Si Woo).
Despite their similar-sounding names, Gyeong Tae is nothing like the weak protagonist; he is obnoxiously handsome, dominant, and a gangster. With Gyeong Tae’s identity, Byung Tae gets to be the top dog of the new high school for a while, but what will happen when the real gangster returns?
Judging by the synopsis and the trailer, “Boyhood” looks like another teenage drama about the underdog rising up the ladder, but the entire cast, especially Im Siwan’s acting, and the realistic plot make this K-drama stand out among many others of the same genre. Starting as a slight comedy, “Boyhood” quickly shifts gears and becomes an emotional story that might be the best portrayal of bullying.
“Yonder”
Set in a technologically advanced future, “Yonder” is a six-episode K-drama about Kim Jae Hyun (Shin Ha Kyun), whose life loses its purpose when his wife, Cha Yi Hoo (Han Ji Min), dies of cancer. One day, he receives a mysterious message from his late wife, inviting him to come and meet her in Yonder, the unknown place between life and death. Though he hesitates at first, he finally decides to leave his current life and meet Yi Hoo.
Can happiness exist in a world without sadness? Is the light still as bright even in the eternal absence of darkness? Does life have meaning if there is no death? Despite the sci-fi setting, the main theme of “Yonder” is philosophical and will leave the viewer wondering about the meaning of life.
“Chicago Typewriter”
Set simultaneously in the 1930s and the 21st century, “Chicago Typewriter” tells the story of two men and one woman across time. Han Se Joo (Yoo Ah In) is a bestselling author in the present who is unable to write due to writer’s block; in his past life, he was also a writer. Yu Jin Oh (Go Kyung Pyo) was a bar owner in the 1930s and is now a great ghostwriter. Lastly, Jeon Seol (Im Soo Jung) was a sniper in her past life and is now a former Olympian, book lover, and runs a delivery service.
“Chicago Typewriter” is a layered narrative depicting the soul of a writer and that of a nation. The steady plot progression and the love triangle will keep you hooked every second of the runtime.
Watch “Chicago Typewriter”:
Hello Soompiers! Is there any underrated K-drama you would like to add to this list? Let us know in the comments section below!
Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres but believes no one can top the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs.
Currently watching: “I Hear the Sunspot” and “Serendipity’s Embrace”
Looking forward to: “Squid Game Season 2,” “Love Next Door,” and “Bad Memory Erasure”
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