Deviating from the popular romance or thriller K-dramas, the slice-of-life genre covers a wider range of themes and character relationships. By focusing on more characters and touching upon a vast number of themes, audiences can more easily connect with the stories. From classics like Reply 1988 to newer releases such as Thirty-Nine or Twenty-Five Twenty-One — the best slice-of-life K-dramas bring attention to the most relatable parts of life. Most slice-of-life stories address the amusing, heartbreaking, and complicated parts of life in one series, so there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Slice-of-life K-dramas aren't a form of escapism like many action-packed or romantic K-dramas are. However, they still contain intriguing plots and gripping character relationships to keep audiences' attention. Additionally, though many of these K-dramas confront distinct aspects of Korean culture, they can still be largely understood by everyone, creating a stronger connection with audiences worldwide. Workplace dynamics, the growing pains of young adulthood, and societal pressure to follow a predetermined path in life are just a few themes addressed in the best slice-of-life K-dramas.
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10 Thirty-Nine (2022)
The Friendship Between Three Women Grows Stronger With Age
While most slice-of-life K-dramas are lighthearted and revolve around young characters sorting out their romantic or occupational lives, others in the genre, like Thirty-Nine, are a bit heavier. Thirty-Nine is about three women (Son Ye-jin, Jeon Mi-do, and Kim Ji-hyun) who have been friends for so long that they're practically sisters. In Thirty-Nine, the women are about to turn 40. An overarching theme in Thirty-Nine is love — the love they have for one another, as well as their complicated experiences with romantic partners. As lighthearted as Thirty-Nine can be, the series is also quite the tear-jerker.
When one of the women receives a distressing medical diagnosis, the bond between the three women gets stronger and the rest of Thirty-Nine plays out as they continue to make the most out of every moment they have with one another. Considering a large part of the K-drama is focused on the effects of one character's medical diagnosis, Thirty-Nine isn't as broad of a slice-of-life as others and ranks lower. However, Thirty-Nine's ranking is not reflective of its quality as it's a bittersweet watch worth tuning in for.
9 Be Melodramatic (2019)
Details The Work And Personal Lives Of Three Thirty-Year-Olds
Be Melodramatic follows the lives of a group of 30-year-old best friends, Lim Jin-joo (Chun Woo-hee), Lee Eun-jung (Jeon Yeo-been), and Hwang Han-joo (Han Ji-eun). Each woman works in the entertainment industry as a screenwriter, documentary director, and a leader of a marketing team. Their daily work lives are depicted in Be Melodramatic, as are their romantic endeavors. Like many other slice-of-life K-dramas, Be Melodramatic addresses a range of topics like mental health, obstacles in the workplace, friendship, and more. Each of the main characters is complete and well-written, making it easy for audiences to root for them.
Be Melodramatic never reached incredibly high ratings like a few other popular slice-of-life K-dramas, but it reached a decent-sized audience. In addition to its relatable themes, Be Melodramatic was recognized for its catchy original soundtrack, featuring the voices of actors Chun Woo-hee and Ahn Jae-hong. Two of Be Melodramatic's award nominations were for the soundtrack, with the other nomination going to Jeon Yeo-been for Best New Actress at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.
8 My Liberation Notes (2022)
Three Siblings Wish For A Change In Life
Part of what made the 2022 K-drama My Liberation Notes so popular was its ability to make younger audiences feel seen. The series revolves around three siblings (Lee El, Lee Min-ki, and Kim Ji-won) who wish to escape from the monotony of their everyday lives. My Liberation Notes is one of the slower slice-of-life K-dramas, but the themes and grounded performances of its core cast make it worth watching.
A crucial part of My Liberation Notes is the spotlight it puts on issues that impact younger audiences. Upon its release, My Liberation Notes gained high praise for its depiction of the societal pressure on young adults in Korea. Despite the specificity of its culture and location, such pressures can be understood by all audiences, inviting a larger group of people to connect with the series' characters. Additionally, Squid Game actor Gong Yoo gave his stamp of approval and praised My Liberation Notes' screenplay and direction.
7 Age Of Youth (2016-2017)
The Lives Of College Roommates Come Together
Age of Youth, also known as Hello, My Twenties!, is similar to a few other slice-of-life K-dramas as it follows a group of women united under one roof. The girls, all in their twenties, live together and attend college, majoring in different fields, from journalism to culinary arts. Unlike K-dramas such as Thirty-Nine or Be Melodramatic, Age of Youth doesn't begin with the girl's individual lives coming together. Instead, Age of Youth starts by detailing the complicated, eventful lives of each girl, showcasing each roommate's personal goals and struggles.
Age of Youth's characters then get an equal amount of screen time and the emphasis on friendship and community takes the forefront. Similar to My Mister, Age of Youth calls attention to the importance friendships can have in one's life. No matter how mismatched one character's life is to another, the roommates can always rely on each other to overcome obstacles and get through the growing pains that come with being a 20-something-year-old.
6 Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014)
The Highs And Lows Of Corporate Culture
Misaeng: Incomplete Life, and the eponymous webtoon it's based on, get its name from a strategy board game, baduk or Go. The meaning "incomplete life" or "not yet alive" is fitting for the transitional phase in life the series' main characters go through. It's also a period of life that audiences in their twenties and thirties connected with, earning the original webtoon a large viewership. The series begins with Jang Geu-rae (Im Si-wan), who wants to be a professional baduk player.
When it becomes clear that Jang Geu-rae's not going to be able to make his dreams come true, he finds a job at a trading company. Though he is largely unqualified compared to his co-workers, he pushes through with determination and uses his knowledge of baduk strategy to help him succeed. Misaeng: Incomplete Life paints a balanced picture of working in an office, displaying workplace camaraderie and typical workplace politics. The struggles Jang Geu-rae and his co-workers go through have been noted as being an accurate portrayal of Korean corporate culture.
5 My Mister (2018)
The Importance Of Community During Difficult Times Is Emphasized
The message of My Mister is simple, but effective, making it one of the best slice-of-life K-dramas. The series follows the lives of two characters, Park Dong-hoon (Lee Sun-kyun) and Lee Ji-an (Lee Ji-eun). The two are dealing with various stressors in their personal lives, from dealing with ill relatives to working through a struggling marriage. Despite their 20-year age difference, the two form a bond while working together.
Though it takes some time for either party to open up to one another, they eventually help each other move on from their emotional baggage. My Mister had consistently high viewership numbers with the final episode earning a record-breaking number of viewers. The obstacles in Park Dong-hoon and Lee Ji-an's lives are presented in an honest and relatable way that audiences can appreciate. Critically speaking, My Mister was just as successful. Many critics praised the K-drama for its simple but moving message, in which the importance of community building was emphasized.
4 Prison Playbook (2017-2018)
Follows The Daily Lives Of Prison Inmates And Workers
Based on its title alone, one might assume Prison Playbook is a thrilling drama series about the relentless nature of daily life in prison. However, the slice-of-life series is quite the opposite and stands apart from most K-dramas in the genre. Prison Playbook follows inmate Kim Je-hyuk (Park Hae-soo), a famous baseball player who gets arrested after fatally attacking the person who assaulted his sister. Prison Playbook starts out centering on Kim Je-hyuk's story, but the character is supported by a variety of prisoners and duty officers who quickly become just as important in the series.
Mixing humor and heartfelt moments, Prison Playbook succeeds at getting audiences to empathize with its characters. Prisoners like Lee Joo-hyung (Kang Seung-yoon), a habitual thief, Kim Min-chul (Choi Moo-sung), a gang member, and Yoo Han-yang (Lee Kyu-hyung), a repeat offender for drug usage, are just a few supporting characters who round out the cast. Each character's backstory is thought out and presents them as someone more than another inmate.
3 Hospital Playlist (2020-2021)
The Musical Connection Between Five Doctors
From the creators of the Reply series and Prison Playbook comes Hospital Playlist. The medical K-drama has earned positive comparisons to American TV shows like Grey's Anatomy and Friends for its hospital setting and charming on-screen friendships. Like its American counter series, the K-drama follows a group of friends working as doctors. The characters have been friends since their days in medical school, with their closeness being immediately apparent and refreshing to audiences. Each character goes through their ups and downs balancing their personal lives and the hassle of working at a hospital, but the series remains consistently entertaining.
Mixed with Hospital Playlist's occasional sentimental scenes is a collection of musical performances. Much of Hospital Playlist's original soundtrack is performed by the series' cast, who provide their vocals and instrument-playing skills. Music helps the characters get through their personal and professional struggles and is a positive takeaway from the series. Each song on Hospital Playlist's soundtrack charted on the Gaon Digital Chart and several earned critical awards.
2 Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)
A Nostalgic Look At '90s Youth
Managing to fully capture the '90s through wardrobe, props, and filming locations, Twenty-Five Twenty-One earned much acclaim for its nostalgic elements and moving narrative. Twenty-Five Twenty-One tells the story of five characters from 1998 to 2021. The slice-of-life's main characters are Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) and Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk), two of the many individuals impacted by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Among the trying times, the series' high school students attempt to push forward and navigate their adolescent years.
Twenty-Five Twenty-One has one of the best K-drama romances, but the series is much more than its central love story. Even though Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin are the series' main romantic leads, the supporting characters are just as fleshed out — which isn't always to be expected in K-dramas. During the characters' time in high school in the '90s, they learn important lessons, specifically about the unpredictability of life, romantic relationships, and holding onto personal dreams for their futures. Soon after its release, Twenty-Five Twenty-One made its way into Netflix's Global Top 10 list for non-English TV shows, remaining on the list for 10 weeks.
1 Reply 1988 (2015-2016)
Details The Close Relationships In A Seoul Neighborhood
The entirety of Shin Won-ho's Reply anthology series has earned praise from critics and audiences. Each installment is set in its titular year and provides a well-researched look at Korean culture at that time. Reply 1988 is no different as significant cultural moments act as the backdrop for the day-to-day activities of a close-knit neighborhood in Northern Seoul. Everyone in the neighborhood, both young and old, is close and Reply 1988 chronicles their daily lives and the valuable life lessons they learn along the way.
Differing from most slice-of-life K-dramas that follow a group of characters within the same age range, Reply 1988 has a broader mix of characters, meaning there's something for everyone to enjoy. Both the young teenage characters and their parents are full and well-rounded and deal with their hardships separate from each other. As mentioned, key cultural moments in Korean history are highlighted in Reply 1988. Some of this includes the Seoul Olympics and student protests that changed the way others outside the country perceived South Korea.
