There’s a long weekend coming up! We’ve got four days for the weekend of the Undas season, but since we won’t be able to visit our departed loved ones in the closed cemeteries, most of us will probably be staying at home to enjoy some off time. This is also the perfect time to binge-watch shows with multiple seasons, and if you’re a K-drama lover, these ones should be on your watch list:
Hospital Playlist
This heartfelt medical drama is probably every K-drama fan’s comfort show. It follows the daily lives of five doctors and their patients inside Yulje Medical Center, where each of them finds not only physical but also emotional healing.
The show has two seasons, and the same cast line-up joined in both. Season 2 was recently concluded just last August. The main cast members have also reunited for two variety shows, namely Game Caterers and Three Meals a Day: Doctors. The main drama seems to have concluded, but we’re still holding out hope for a third season! The first two seasons were exclusively released internationally on Netflix.
Dr. Romantic
Another medical drama! This one isn’t as easy-going as Hospital Playlist, but Dr. Romantic tackles similar heartfelt stories about life, death, and everything in between. It follows an eccentric, triple board-certified genius surgeon with the nickname ‘Hand of God’, who leaves his high-paying job in the city to work in a provincial hospital. There, he mentors young doctors and helps them learn how to empathize with patients better.
So far, there are two seasons of the show, and only the titular character played by Han Seok-kyu makes a comeback in Season 2. The first season (2016) starred Yoo Yeon-seok (also from Hospital Playlist) and Seo Hyun-jin, while the second season (2019–2020) starred Ahn Hyo-seop and Lee Sung-kyung. A third season is currently in the works, slated for release in late 2022. Both seasons are available on Netflix.
Let’s Eat
This food-centric series follows mysterious gourmet foodie Goo Dae-young (played by Yoon Doo-joon) as he moves into new places and gets involved with his neighbors. There are three seasons in the series, and each one brings in a new slate of cast members, with only the main lead actor making a comeback. The series was primarily halted when lead actor Yoon Doo-joon had to enlist in the military in 2018. He was discharged last year, but there are no plans yet for a fourth season. The three seasons are available on Netflix.
Age of Youth
Also known as Hello, My Twenties!, this slice-of-life drama tackles the issues that younger generations in Korea face daily through the story of five female friends who live together. Each girl has a different priority in her life, but they all share youthful woes that bind them together. The show has two seasons, released in 2016 and 2017, which are both available on Netflix.
Kingdom
If you’re a thrill seeker, this apocalyptic period hybrid drama may just hook you in. The series is set in the Joseon dynasty, where the kingdom is facing political strife and an apocalyptic crisis. An unnatural plague that resurrects the dead (i.e. turns them into flesh-eating zombies) sweeps across the kingdom, and it’s up to Crown Prince Lee Chang (played by Ju Ji-hoon) and his subordinates to save his people.
Kingdom currently has two seasons and a special film. Each season only has six episodes each, but for sure, they’d both have you hanging off your seats. They’re just *that* suspenseful. Both seasons and the special film are available on Netflix. A third season is currently in the works.
Voice
This crime procedural series is a perfect binge-watch choice for fans who love solving mysteries. Voice follows a special team of officers made up of a “mad dog” detective, a tough rookie policewoman, a talented voice profiler, and a principled foreign detective. Each season focuses on an overarching murder crimes that the team must solve before tme runs out.
The first two seasons are available on Netflix, while the third and fourth seasons can be streamed on Viu.
Stranger
Also known as Forest of Secrets, this crime thriller was praised both locally and internationally for its tight plot, gripping scenes, and strong performances, especially by lead actors Cho Seung-woo and Bae Doona.
The series follows genius prosecutor Hwang Si-mok, who ended up losing his sense of empathy due to a corrective surgery for his hypersensitivity to sound frequencies. He works together with police officer Han Yeo-jin to solve a murder case, but as they unravel the tangles surrounding the mysterious murder, they discover far more than they bargained for. The show has two seasons, which are both available on Netflix.
The Penthouse
We’re telling you now: if you don’t want your blood pressure to skyrocket, don’t watch this drama. The Penthouse follows the daily lives of wealthy families living in the luxurious Hera Palace with 100 floors and their children studying at the prestigious Cheong-ah Arts School. Each family struggles against one another to take the top spot in the food chain.
If you’re willing to go through migraines and heartaches for some entertaining times, then by all means. The series has three seasons with a total of 48 episodes, which are available on iQiyi, Viu, and Rakuten Viki.
Want to recommend other K-dramas with multiple seasons? Sound off in the comments below!
