15 Best Comedic K-Dramas, Ranked

K-Drama comedies are the most loved and most viewed K-Dramas on television. With the surge of K-Dramas taking over streaming services across the world, comedic K-dramas are taking the top spots for viewers. From romantic comedies to dramatic comedies, K-Dramas always know how to mix the humor into a storyline. The best of the best always have amazing or well-known leading characters with a great ensemble cast to go with them.

Since all series in South Korea are called K-dramas, it can sometimes be hard to decipher what is really just a drama, sci-fi/fantasy, or comedy series. The majority of the K-dramas have a romance tied into the story, while others just have characters who have close bonds and bring out their chemistry in other ways. What makes a good comedic K-drama? A good comedic K-drama has a cast that is full of chemistry and can use each other as great comedic partners, a fun storyline that has a few serious underlying storylines, and a happy ending that makes you feel all the good feelings just to get there.

15

‘Her Private Life’ (2019)

Starring Park Min-young and Kim Jae-wook

Deok-mi (Park Min-young) is a woman with a career as an art gallery curator who meets former artist, Ryan Gold (Kim Jae-wook) when he’s working as an art director. Deok-mi isn’t just a dedicated art curator, she leads a secret life asa fangirl who runs a fansite on for Cha Si-an (One), an idol singer. Her home life and work life are starkly different, so when Ryan finds begins to work with her the two learn things about each other that they never considered before. The two go from collaborators to lovers in a unique way that has them stumbling to a beautiful relationship.

Her Private Life is an inside look at the fangirl culture in South Korea, but this romantic comedy brings two people who are stern and serious about their work to show each other who their true selves are. The chemistry between Park Min-young and Kim Jae-wook is more palpable with each scene. They have wonderous comedic timing with each other, pulling their scenes together with effortless ease. One thing to love about K-dramas is their way of always leading with one story, but having so many interconnected stories wrapped up inside. The stoic Ryan Gold is able to become more free and open after being acquainted with the lively Deok-mi. Their unlikely pairing makes their interwoven stories even more enjoyable to watch.

14

‘So Not Worth It’ (2021–)

Starring Park Se-wan, Shin Hyun-seung, Choi Young-jae, Minnie Nicha Yontararak, and Han Hyun-min

So Not Worth It is a 30-minute sitcom and K-drama mixed into one. The series follows a jumbled group of international and Korean students all living in a dormitory and getting through the wild times of life together. Se-wan (Park Se-wan) is a by the book student who serves as the resident hall director. She becomes more relaxed after meeting Jamie (Shin Hyun-seung), who she begins to have a K-drama-esque storyline with, and the rest of the residents in the dorms. The show has wacky surprising moments that give the audience big laughs, but also has relatable moments that any person experiencing college can have whether they’re in a foreign country or not.

This show is fun and carefree with a sprinkle of why Korean television is so loved. So Not Worth It features reality show stars, idol singers, and K-drama actors. So Not Worth It a variety of diverse characters and the setting allows for the series to play around with the the content they can bring into the mix. It’s fun to see Minnie (Minnie Nicha Yontararak) and Sam (Choi Young Jae) interact as two students who bicker constantly, or watch Hyeon-min (Han Hyun-min) try to adapt to college life with his family issues interfering with his schooling. The show was new to the regular Korean content presented on Netflix and many fans are still anticipating if it will return with more seasons.

13

‘Doctor Slump’ (2024)

Starring Park Shin-hye and Park Hyun-sik

Doctor Slump finds Yeo Jeong-woo (Park Hyun-sik) and Nam Ha-neul (Park Shin-Hye) as childhood rivals to successful adults. The two were always the highest ranked students in their grade, and they grew up to be two successful doctors. When they meet again as adults, Ha-neul has just been diagnosed with depression and Jeong-woo is being sued for malpractice after a famous patient died while he performed their surgery. They’re officially in the biggest slumps of ther lives. The journey of hilarious and sometimes deeper heartfelt moments that lead us through their story makes viewers laugh and cry continuously throughout the series.

Park Hyun-sik is known for his comedic takes on K-dramas and Doctor Slump is no different. Shin-Hye and Hyung-sik play off each other so well and provide the best comedy intertwined with heavy topics of depression and loneliness. Watching Ha-neul and Jeong-woo bicker get under each other’s skin as teenagers and then growing up and harboring the same feelings of dislike as adults made viewers want to return each week to see where the story would go. They are awkward with each other and that provides funny moments between them, their family and friends. It’s not the typical comedic love story, but the comedy makes the tougher mental health discussions seem more real.

Watch on Netflix

12

‘Crash Landing on You’ (2019–2020)

Starring Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin

Crash Landing on You is one of the most beloved K-Dramas of the last five years. Two people from rival countries find themselves falling in love after Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) crash-lands her parachute in North Korea and is found by Ri Jeon-Yeok (Hyun Bin). He hides her in his home while they work on a plan to get her back to South Korea. Se-ri has to integrate herself into Ri Jeon-Yeok’s life with the help of his comrades. Through the hi-jinks moments of Se-ri and Ri Jeon-Yeok trying to assimilate to the new life Se-ri will have to take on in order to keep up the ruse of Se-ri being Jeon-Yeok’s fiancé.

What makes this K-drama one of the best is the way it interlaces comedy, romance, history, and community into its storyline. The ensemble cast is stacked with excellent characters in Jeong-Yeok’s military crew. Viewers get to watch as Se-ri eases into Jeong-Yeok’s very serious and structured life as she brings light and fun into it. Se-ri may be the heiress and a serious business executive as the owner of a fashion company, but she knows how to loosen up and enjoy life. The chemistry between Se-ri and Jeong-Yeok radiates off the screen and the leads falling in love in real life shows just how strong the chemistry is. Both funny and sweet, this K-Drama gives the audience a little bit of everything.

Starring Park Eun-bin, Kang Tae-oh, and Kang Ki-Young

Extraordinary Attorney Woo shows Attorney Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) as she gets her first job as a trainee lawyer for a top law firm as a woman on the autism spectrum. Though Woo Young-woo graduated at the top of her class, she is still mistreated and belittled at her workplace because of the different ways she conducts business. She has to count to five before she can enter a space, and she only eats gimbap. Young-woo is, however, extremely intelligent and uses her unique skills to solve her cases to be a better lawyer for her clients. Throughout the series, we see Young-woo fall in love with Jun-ho (Kang Tae-oh), grow a closer friend in Su-yeon (Ha Yoon-kyung), and show Myeong-Seok (Ka Ki-young), CEO Han Xeon-young (Baek Ji-won) and Kwon Min-woo (Joo Jong-hyuk) just how much she belongs at one of the top law firms in the country.

Park Eun-bin gives an amazing performance as a person on the autism spectrum who doesn’t present to the audience as offensive or disingenuous. Her portrayal of Woo Young-woo shows the sides of her that are both vulnerable, confident, and misunderstood. The comedic part comes in the everyday quirks that Young-woo possesses and the responses she gets from her friends when she does them. Young-woo can make a joke that may or may not land with everyone, but it always hits its mark. Her relationship with her boss who treats her no differently from any other trainee lawyer or her friends that she gets advice from, Geurami (Joo Hyun-young) and Min-suk (Im Sung-jae), always shows just how hilarious this show that tackles serious matters can be.

10

‘Be Melodramatic’ (2019)

Starring Jeon Yeo-been, Chun Woo-hee, and Han Ji-eun

Eun-jung (Jeon Yeo-been), Jin-joo (Chun Woo-hee), and Han-joo (Han Ji-eun) are 30-year-old best friends working in the film and television industry. Eun-jung becomes an overnight sensation when one of her documentaries that she produced and directed becomes popular. She is a no-nonsense woman who decides to run her own production company after experiencing harassment and mistreatment at the company she worked at. Jin-joo is a drama writer who struggles with intimate relationships and has a peculiar personality that includes her seeking advice from a purse. Han-joo is the head of the drama production marketing team but has a hard time finding a work-life balance. She is a single mother after being left by her husband when he decided he wanted to seek happiness over caring for his family.

Be Melodramatic has an interesting tone which lends to the comedic value of the series. It seems serious in the context of the stories, but because of the personalities of each woman and how they handle their situations, Be Melodramatic comes across as a K-drama possessing many qualities. The experience of being thirty while still trying to find your footing in life is prominent in this series. One of the best parts of this series is its three female leads. Seeing Eun-jung, Jin-joo, and Han-joo support and care for each other in their own unique ways as they battle career issues and relationship problems shows just how important a strong support system can be.

Watch on Netflix

9

‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo’ (2016–2017)

Starring Lee Sung-kyung and Nam Joo-hyuk

Aspiring weightlifter, Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung-kyung) works to become a professional in the field with the help of her friends Jung Jun-hyung (Nam Joo-hyuk), Jung Jae-yi (Lee Jae-yoon) and Song Shi-ho (Kyung Soo-jin). This isn’t a normal coming-of-age romantic comedy, but it still delivers some heartwarming and inspiring moments to go along with the chaotic goofiness of it all. The K-drama focuses on the different struggles these athletes have while going after their athletic dreams.

Bok-joo and Jun-hyung are a pair who don’t specifically get along too well at the start of the series. Childish pranks and mean words are said between them, but they gradually begin to form a bond that brings them closer. The quirky feel-good vibe of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo makes this K-drama so well-loved by fans. Many have categorized the relationships in this show as their favorites of the genre. The natural comedy between Bok-joo, Jun-hyung, and their friends brings it all together. Not only does the K-drama teach an important lesson, but it also gives audiences a good laugh.

8

‘Welcome to Waikiki’ (2018–2019)

Starring Lee Yi-keong, Kim Jung-hyun, and Jung In-sun

An aspiring film director, an eccentric overzealous actor, and a freelance writer open a guesthouse in Itaeweon to help fund their film. Dong-goo (Kim Jung-hyun), Joon-ki (Lee Yi-kyung), and Doo-shik (Son Seung-won) have no idea what they’re getting themselves into and soon find out the pressure of running a guesthouse. Dong-goo’s sister, Seo-jin (Go Won-hee), his ex-girlfriend, Soo-ah (Lee Joo-woo), and a mother with a mysterious baby, Yoon-ah (Jung In-sun) join them on this journey. They encounter some wild and hilarious times as they house people at the guesthouse and try to make a film they have no idea how to start up.

Welcome to Waikiki is an all-time favorite comedy of many K-drama watchers and has something for all viewers to enjoy. Not only is the series hilarious and outrageous some of the time, but the show also features so many inspirational moments as audiences watch these people figure out life. Though this show brings in a lot of guest stars and showcases a variety of comedic entertainment throughout, it also provides heartwarming moments. Mental health and perseverance are discussed throughout the series. The perfect mix of comedy and inspiration is what gives this K-drama full of a great cast a way to keep a place in K-drama lovers’ hearts.

7

‘Mr. Queen’ (2020–2021)

Starring Shin Hye-sun and Kim Jung-hyun

After a chef finds himself thrown into the Joseon era of not another man’s, but a woman’s body, he has to play the role of Queen Kim So-young (Shin Hye-sun) until he can find his way back home. Shin Hye-sun portrays the queen as a man trapped inside a woman’s body. King Cheoljong (Kim Jung-hyun) has no idea that the switch has happened and struggles to make a connection with his wife. Through hilarious mishaps like working in the palace’s kitchen and having accidental run-ins with the King that cause him and So-young to get closer than intended, Mr. Queen keeps audiences laughing along the way.

Shin Hye-sun’s protrayal of a man trapped in a woman’s body is executed with such delight that it can be visibly seen when the character becomes more comfortable with their place in the palace. The leads effortlessly show their comedic talents by bringing a fresh, new vibe to a historical drama with a difficult twist. Viewers never know where it is going or how it will inevitably end. Mr. Queen gives audiences time travel mixed with comedy and love. Scenes where So-young decides she isn’t going to be docile and follows the King’s every command truly bring out the best moments.

6

‘Vincenzo’ (2021)

Starring Song Joong-ki, Ok Taec-yeon, and Jeon Yeo-been

Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-ki) returns from Italy to South Korea as a lawyer and a consigliere to a mafia family. He works with Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been) and wants to fight for justice in whatever way he sees fit. The pair work together to take down a conglomerate that causes many highly intense showdowns to take place. While he stays there, he meets the other tenants living in his building, who eventually get caught up in all of Vincenzo’s affairs. The building they live and work in is in danger of being demolished. The ensemble cast and secondary characters are truly the humor and heart of Vincenzo.

With an ensemble cast including Im Chul-soo, Jo Han-chul, Yang Kyung-won, Kin Sung-choel, Seo Ye-hwa, and Kim Yoon-hye, the roles of these characters portraying people living in a depleted building could not have been cast any better. They bring the chaos and the jokes, much to Vincenzo’s dismay, that bring life back into the building. They may say things to the wrong people, but they can also get together and come up with a plan to help get the men Vincenzo and Cha-young are trying to take down. Taec-yeon as Jung-woo and Kwak Dong-yeon as Han-seo give phenomenal comedic performances. It’s a nonstop party with confetti and balloons, and maybe some explosions, when these characters get together to bring out the laughs.

5

‘Business Proposal’ (2022)

Starring Kim Se-jong and Ahn Hyo-soep

Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jong) gets mixed up in a relationship with her CEO when she decides to show up as his blind date in place of her friend. Ha-ri brings no manners to her blind date, but unfortunately for her, Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop) has already decided that he is going to marry her. He proposes a deal to Ha-ri, so his grandfather will stop worrying about him being a workaholic. Tae-moo has no intentions of falling for Ha-ri and Ha-ri is in love with her best friend. With the help of their best friends, they navigate getting through this strange relationship where they both can get what they need from it.

Kim Se-jong and Ahn Hyo-seop make quite the duo as a couple who are carrying around a lot of lies. Because of Ha-ri needing to keep her identity a secret from Tae-moo, she hides in the food lab at work Tae-moo comes around. She also dresses drastically different from her normal attire just to keep up the act. Situations like these bring the comedy into Business Proposal and give audiences that y2K romantic comedy vibe that has been heavily missed. When it first aired, audiences raved about the series. It gave a will-they-won’t-they scenario with both characters having something to lose. It’s easily a top comedic K-drama setting the tone for more to come in the future.

4

‘Love Next Door’ (2024–)

Starring Jung So-min and Jung He-in

Bringing back the signature K-drama formula of the leads not kissing until around the tenth episode and a best friends-to-lovers trope perfectly executed, Bae Seok-ryu (Jung So-min) and Choi Seung-hyo (Jung Hae-in) find themselves back in each other’s lives when Seok-ryu returns to her hometown. The two have always been best friends, but the distance between the United States and South Korea has kept them apart. Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo easily fall back into their bickering routines and the heartwarming chemistry between So-min and Hae-in shines through the screen vibrantly.

As Jung Hae-in’s first real comedy show, Love Next Door flawlessly gives Hae-in and So-min to show their comedic acting with freedom. The chemistry is easy between them, and it feels like viewers are truly watching best friends together who have strayed from each other fall back into being who they were as children. There is so much to see throughout each episode, but it never feels exhausting to watch. Even if Seok-ryu isn’t holding Seong-hyo in a headlock, their parents are making sure to give us some hilarious arguments to watch on the side.

3

‘Hospital Playlist’ (2020–2021)

Starring Jo Jung-suk, Jeon Mi-do, Jung Kyung-ho, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Kim Dae-myung

The best comedic K-dramas have an ensemble cast where each character is loved by the audience. Hospital Playlist is one of those shows that give you goofy and playful friendships in between the sad and heartbreaking medical moments. Jo Jung-suk, Jeon Mi-do, Jung Kyung-ho, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Kim Dae-myung portray Lee Ik-joon, Chae Song-hwa, Kim Jun-wan, Ahn Jeong-won and Yang Seok-hyung as top doctors in a hospital. The group of friends also go through their own personal battles throughout the series. A unique thing about this series is that it has two seasons, which is rare in the K-drama world.

Though they are all high-level doctors, they are not against being childish and petty when they’re around each other. The Hospital Playlist cast is comedic gold and viewers begin to feel closer to the characters by witnessing the warm interactions they have with each other. They go on weekly dinner dates and even have a real band that they have kept up with since college.

2

‘What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’ (2018)

Starring Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young

When Secretary Kim (Park Min-young) wants to quit and move on to something else, her narcissistic executive boss, Lee Young-Joon (Park Seo-joon), realizes he has feelings for her and the two enter into a relationship after nine years of working together. Park Min-young and Park Seo-joon have a chemistry that so effortlessly comes out during their romantic scenes and works even better in the comedic moments. They go through many trial-and-error moments as they navigate a new relationship in the workplace while trying to find Kim Mi-soo’s replacement. It’s a story with an unexpected backstory, but it offers humorous scenes that are unforgettable.

Office romances are always awkward, but even worse when the executive’s office room is full of windows and the entire office staff wants to know what’s going on between the boss and his secretary. One of the most memorable and ridiculously hilarious scenes in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim is when Young-Joon pushes his office chair across the floor to avoid being caught in a non-office-friendly situation with Mi-soo. They have many moments like this throughout the series, and it adds to the quirkiness of the K-drama.

1

‘Strong Woman Do Bong Soon’ (2017)

Starring Park Bo-young and Park Hyun-sik

One of the classic romantic comedy duos, Park Bo-young and Park Hyun-sik take on the roles of Do Bong-soon and Ahn Min-hyuk. A no-nonsense woman with superhuman strength that was inherited from the women in her family and the CEO of a game company meet, and she becomes his bodyguard. This quirky show has action-thrilling and cutesy coupley scenes that make the viewers cringe just a little bit, but they also fall in love with these characters. Bo-young and Hyun-sik have beautiful comedic timing that captures the audience’s attention and makes them want to see where these characters will end up.

Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon immediately grabs the audience’s attention with a clear opening to show just who Do Bong Soon really is. This show will essentially have viewers laughing at the absurdness of some scenes kicking their feet and giggling at how cute the leading characters are in the next scene. This wholesome K-drama has been seen by many K-drama lovers, so it has served as a romantic comedy to remember. There has even been a spin-off of the show that featured the two lead actors as their Strong Woman Do Bong Soon characters.

Watch on Viki

NEXT: K-Dramas That Are Perfect From Start to Finish