I recently created this list for my sister, and I thought, why not share it with all of you! These are some of my favorite top-rated dramas that I have watched within the last couple years (since 2019). These are my top 5 Korean dramas out of the total 27 I have seen, and my top 5 Thai dramas out of the 10 I have seen. I will include a (mostly) spoiler-free description of each drama, along with the platform you can watch it on, episode length, link to the shows and even my personal rating of the show.
This list only includes Korean dramas and Thai dramas, as these genres are what I mainly watch aside from long-running American primetime crime/medical dramas (such as The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam, and Law & Order: SVU etc).
All these dramas have English subtitles available. If subtitles are not a distraction for you in your tv-watching experience, I do recommend branching out and watching these dramas if the short summaries interest you! I personally love crime dramas and I have definitely found ones I enjoy in other languages.
korean dramas
the uncanny counter
summary: Noodle shop employees, who are also demon hunters, work together in an effort to catch evil spirits and release their victims to the afterlife.
platform: netflix
episodes: 16
link: the uncanny counter
rating: 1000+/10 A+ PERFECT
The Uncanny Counter is one of my all-time favorite dramas & whenever I talk about k-dramas, this is one I immediately recommend to everyone. I watched this when it first aired on Netflix weekly November 2020 to January 2021 and I LOVED it.
In The Uncanny Counter, the main character is So Mun who is a regular high school student. He joins the Counters after he gains his powers in Episode 1. The Counters are demon hunters who fight to capture demons who have taken innocent spirits. Once the demons are captured, the spirits they’ve taken can go to heaven and rest peacefully. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did.
There is a great family dynamic between all the Counters that is really sweet to watch and I loved how they all watched over each other. I also loved all their matching red tracksuits. It was so tough waiting for two episodes each week, but it was worth the wait when each episode kept me on the edge of my seat with all the evil villains.
I absolutely love my lil Counter Crew & I’m so beyond excited for season 2!
signal
summary: A cold case profiler from 2015 and a detective in 1989 work together to solve a series of murders spanning three decades using a special walkie-talkie to communicate with one another.
platform: netflix
episodes: 16
link: signal
rating: 1000+/10 A+ PERFECT
Signal is a k-drama that many k-drama watchers always rank in the Top 5 BEST. I first started watching when I heard it was really good and so many people gave it good ratings.
In Signal, Park Haeyoung is a criminal profiler who finds a mysterious walkie-talkie. On the other end, is Detective Jaehan from the past who mysteriously disappeared 15 years prior.
The episodes jump between past and present day as the characters work together to solve murder cases. It’s very easy to tell which moments are past and present, so viewers can keep track of what’s happening in the story. It definitely surprised me because all the cases the cold case teams work with are like a woven spider web. It’s so entertaining to watch it untangle as the episodes go by. This is definitely a drama I would rewatch in the future.
juvenile justice
summary: Elite judge balances her aversion to minor offenders and her firm beliefs on punishment and justice as she tackles the complex cases within a juvenile court.
platform: netflix
episodes: 10
link: juvenile justice
rating: 9/10
I first started watching when I saw that it was a new k-drama on Netflix. In Juvenile Justice, Shim Eunseok is an elite judge who is appointed as the judge of a juvenile court. She has her own ways of punishing young offenders due to her own firm beliefs.
I have seen quite a few American legal shows, and it was interesting to see the differences in legal proceedings in Juvenile Justice, and how cases are handled internally. The cases were also very different because for certain crimes, the sentencing is lighter than our justice system & for others, it’s much stronger.
mystic pop up bar
summary: A mysterious outdoor bar that is only open at night can travel to different worlds and heal customers through their dreams. With the help of a customer who can make others spill all their worries, the cursed owner of the pop-up bar must reach her quota of saved souls.
platform: netflix
episodes: 12
link: mystic pop up bar
rating: 10/10
I watched Mystic Pop Up Bar in three days when Uncanny Counter had a two-week break airing late 2020. I needed another drama to fill the time. In Mystic Pop Up Bar, Weol Joo is a mysterious pop up bar owner who has to settle the grudges of 100,000 souls. Han Kangbae begins working for her to help her since guests essentially pour their heart out to him.
If the Mystic Pop Up Bar was a real place, I would definitely be visiting! It was lighthearted at moments & I loved how much the Mystic Pop Up Bar squad was like a little family.
hello, me!
summary: An unsuccessful woman thinks all her spark is gone until her spunky, younger self appears in front of her demanding a change.
platform: netflix
episodes: 16
link: hello, me!
rating: 10/10
I first started watching Hello, Me! when it was released on Netflix. 37 year old Ban Hani was depressed, only working her contract job and her life was in shambles. 17 year old Ban Hani was popular, loved dancing and always had a smile.
Hello, Me! definitely surprised me as I watched. It was perfectly lighthearted, but pulls the heartstrings too and definitely what I imagine meeting your younger self would feel like. The casting was incredible, and worth a watch. Both Hanis needed each other and I loved seeing how they worked together to get young Hani back to where she came from. I also loved how they worked to get older Hani back to her happy self.
thai dramas
girl from nowhere s1 + s2
summary: A mysterious girl, Nanno, transfers to different schools while exposing the lies, secrets and hypocrisy of all the students and faculty.
platform: netflix
episodes: 21 episodes total (2 seasons)
link: girl from nowhere
rating: 10/10
Girl From Nowhere was the very first Thai drama I watched, which made me interested in other Thai dramas. I first started watching when it was recommended by my Netflix algorithm. In Girl From Nowhere, Nanno goes to different schools each episode and exposes everyone’s stories of lies and secrets.
In the first episode, Nanno shows up at a new school that was focused on being the “Purest School of The Year.” At this school, it was revealed that a teacher was preying on the students.
It was interesting that each episode was loosely based on actual cases and crimes involving students in Thailand. It was also interesting that every episode, Nanno was easily able to morph into what fit in at the school. She was always physically the same, but interacted in a way where no one ever knew where she came from, or went to. In multiple episodes, Nanno would subtly provoke her classmates to face their inner desires. Classmates would plagiarize assignments to become an award winning student, pretend to be rich to fit in the popular group and even use mysterious wishes to have their enemies destroyed.
Nanno’s eerie laugh creeped me out and the show overall made me stressed (in a good way, I promise). There are many Girl From Nowhere episodes that have content and trigger warnings, but overall the show is very mysterious. The episodes in season 1 can also be watched out of order, so whichever episode description catches your eye, give it a watch! My favorite episodes are titled “The Rank,” “The Ugly Truth” and “Wonderwall.”
the gifted (s1) + the gifted graduation (s2)
summary: The “Gifted Program” is a special class of students chosen by the administrator to participate in special classes and activities. Pang gets accepted to the program, and begins to realize the secrets about the other students and the school.
platform: GMMTV Official YouTube Channel*
episodes: 26 episodes (2 seasons)
link: the gifted + the gifted graduation
rating: 1000/10
I first started watching The Gifted when I saw it was a top rated Thai drama. In The Gifted, the main character Pang is an ordinary 10th grade student at his high school. At his school, there is a strict classification system and Pang is in the lowest class. After taking the placement exam, he joins the Gifted Program and everything goes south.
If I was at this boarding school, I would honestly be so stressed every single day. There were so many unexpected twists and constant betrayal. Pang could not catch a break at any time. I loved this show and always tell people about this when I talk about Thai dramas. Over the course of the series, I loved how Pang’s classmates grew into their powers, and especially when Pang finds out what his individual power is. I won’t say what it is, but I was shocked at the reveal.
**GMMTV is an official television production company in Thailand. The network simultaneously uploads new episodes weekly while the dramas are on air, with subtitles in multiple languages. Shows that have finished airing remain on the YouTube channel. Since the Thai drama selection on Netflix is slim, I’m grateful that the YouTube channel is free to view with no upload delays, and I do not have to scour the Internet for English subtitles.
gift to the people you hate
summary: Creepy gift shop sells gifts for people to purchase for the ones they hate, so a student and detective figure out how people use the gift shop and come to terms with their hatred for others.
platform: GMMTV Official Youtube Channel
episodes: 10
link: gift to the people you hate
rating: 11/10
I started watching because I thought the title was very interesting. In this drama, there is a gift shop that only certain people with hatred in their heart can see. I loved the gift shop owner’s eerie formalness with all his customers and each episode making me think “Now what would I do in this situation??” I surely wouldn’t purchase anything from this gift shop.
the underclass
summary: After being expelled from an elite academic program, a student finds herself caught up in the affairs of a school gang while searching for her own identity.
platform: netflix
episodes: 13
link: the underclass
rating: 10/10
In The Underclass, the main character Pang gets caught cheating and is demoted to Class F. As she tries to get back to her prestigious Class A, she realizes the girls in Class F aren’t so bad after all. I loved all their friendship dynamics in Class F. I also loved the acting, since most of the girls in the show were idols from a Thai pop group BNK48, and this show were their first acting roles.
sleepless society: insomnia
summary: Haunted by recurring visions, a young woman with insomnia visits her old home to solve the mystery and put her nightmare to an end.
platform: netflix
episodes: 13
link: sleepless society: insomnia
rating: 9/10
I was stressed for the main character throughout the ENTIRE series. Everyone in her life was a straight up liar & gaslighted her for everything she ever did. I’m surprised she was able to trust anyone.
I hope you enjoyed these recommendations. I enjoyed all these shows when I watched them. If any of the summaries sparked your interest, definitely check them out, even if just one episode. You may love it!
