It’s not all the time that we crave for tear-jerking dramas. So, when you’re down for some comedy, there’s a lot of good ones on-demand. If you want to get a start on the top crowd-pleasers, you’ve found the right place. Check out this list we’ve rounded up for you!
1. I Am Not a Robot
If you’re down for a laugh-out-loud rom-com minus the crazy, dramatic plot twists, this series has the right elements to hook you in.
The story introduces us to Ki Min Kyu (Yoo Seung-ho), a chaebol who suffers from an incurable allergy that is triggered by skin-to-skin contact with other humans. He is forced to live a life of isolation, but he surrounded himself with all the accoutrements to somehow make his loneliness bearable.
He then becomes interested in a robotic project spearheaded by a world-renowned professor, Hong Baek Gyun (Um Ki-Joon), who modelled his invention after his ex-girlfriend. Since the professor and his team are in the process of getting it funded by Min Kyu’s company, a malfunction pushed them to seek drastic measures – that is to let his ex pretend to be the robot. Meanwhile, their stand-in unexpectedly becomes the closest thing that the lonely Min Kyu has to a real contact with another person.
With a script that is funny, imaginative, and meaningful, you can’t help but enjoy this fresh new take on a K-drama series. On top of that, the lead characters look so cute together that you just find yourself shipping for them!
The series may have gotten a lukewarm response locally, but it was a big hit with K-drama fans overseas, and it’s worth finding out why!
2. Strong Girl Do Boong Soon
Do Bong Soon (Park Bo-young) hails from a line of women gifted with mind-boggling strength. But, her small frame and cute personality betray the power she possesses – basically a walking contradiction. Who would expect that a petite lady as adorable as a Christmas mouse could lift cars and throw people into the air with ease? However, legend has it that if their strength is used for selfish reasons, they lose their power. Therefore, they can only use it for good.
After she was accidentally seen saving a bus full of kids, she has taken a job to protect CEO Ahn Min-Hyuk (Park Hyung-sik). During her stint as a bodyguard, she has shown impeccable strength, much to Min-Hyuk’s delight. Although on most occasions where he calls on her to use her powers, it shows how she seems to have trouble reigning it in. It is in those misadventures that the charm of the story lies.
However, there’s also a thriller element with women being kidnapped and disappearing without any trace. The police team, which includes Bong-Soon’s long-time crush Guk-Doo (Ji-soo), struggles to pin down the elusive suspect. However, due to personal reasons, Bong Soon gets involved with the case and vows to find the culprit.
If you’re up for some comedy and suspense, this series sure entertains! Bong-Soon’s run-in with goons and bullies left some scenes that give a real solid comedy. Meanwhile, it’s also refreshing to see a female lead who isn’t constantly in need of being saved!
3. Goblin: The Great and Lonely God
Goblin tells a story about a Goryeo general named Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) who was killed because of jealousy and eventually turns into an immortal Goblin. But there’s a catch! For him to die, he must find a bride who can pull a sword from his chest and he will turn into ashes. However, it takes several years before things turn in his favor – or is it?
In the present day, Goblin saves a dying pregnant woman who gives birth to a baby girl named Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go-Eun). She, later on, tells him that she can see the sword on his chest. This is where he realizes that while the end seems to be in sight, he finds himself a reason to stay.
The story, cinematography, and even the soundtrack are the magical elements that turned this into one of Korea’s iconic series. But it’s the story’s comedic features that charmed its way to the hearts of viewers. For instance, seeing a goblin and the grim reaper living as roommates in one house sure makes strange bedfellows, but it was fun to watch! These two also take the cake for bromance. Their love-hate bantering, while secretly caring for each other, will have you laughing and wanting more.
4 What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim
If you’re into some office romance riddled with comical segments, What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim fits the bill.
This 2018 romantic comedy starts with Kim Mi So (Park Min-young) deciding to turn in her resignation after years of loyal service to Lee Young Joon (Park Seo-joon). While Young Joon may be ambitious, capable, and driven, his narcissistic tendencies make it hard for Mi So to work with. But he realizes that she is the only secretary that is perfect for him, and maybe even more.
As Young Joon attempts to court her back into staying in the company, he realizes that she means more to her than just being her most trusted employee. Noticing this attraction, Mi So also reciprocates setting the stage for a lighthearted romantic story that gives viewers a lot of good laughs sprinkled with some heart-fluttering moments.
What also makes the story more comical is their funny office environment and its quirky characters. Their perfect comedic timing and delivery made their dynamics truly noteworthy and hilarious. The little lovelines that developed within the office gang was also fun to watch.
So, if you’re up for some feel-good rom-com that can leave you blushing and grinning with each episode, this drama should be on your list!
5 Crash Landing on You
After raking in impressive ratings in its run, Crash Landing on You was not only an epically dramatic love story between Yoon Se-Ri (Son Ye-jin) and Captain Ri Jung Hyuk (Hyun Bin), it also offered a steady supply of comedic episodes.
Crossing the border between North and South Korea is not a joke, but this unfortunate accident became a comical prelude to a memorable series. It started when Se-Ri found her way to the North Korean border where Captain Ri and his troops were manning. The two strike an agreement to keep this incident on the down-low while they try several times to sneak her back to the south. This sets a series of unfortunate attempts which were equal parts suspense and comedy.
One of the key points of the popularity of this drama is the supporting characters. The chemistry between the lead actors may have been undeniably good, but they’re not the only ones who owned the spotlight. From Captain Ri’s Loyal Band of Soldiers to the ahjummas in that rural town in the North, they definitely delivered a lot of wheeze-inducing humor injected into scene-stealing moments sprinkled all over the series.
If you don’t mind bawling your eyes out one moment and laughing the next, then this drama is right up your street!
6 Legend of the Blue Sea
Mermaids, an evil stepmother, and a handsome male lead makes this series seem like it’s plucked right out of a fairy tale. However, the story is actually inspired by a classic Joseon legend about a fisherman who captured and kidnapped a mermaid. However, this retelling shows the love story between the son of a Joseon noble family, Kim Dam Ryung (Lee Min-ho) and a mermaid whom he named, Shim Cheong (Jun Ji-hyun).
From the Joseon dynasty to modern-day Seoul, Shim Cheong follows her one true love. In the present, she meets Dam Ryung’s doppelgänger, Heo Joon Jae, who is a highly-skilled scam artist who became interested in her because of a jade bracelet she wore which was worth a fortune. However, tides turn and the con man is won over by the charms of this beautiful, but quirky, mermaid.
Shim Cheong’s fish out of water experience (pun intended) gave a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. The Joseon timeline was a dramatic backdrop, while the modern-day story played out with comedy and romance. With Jun Ji Hyun taking on this role, she proved her effectiveness both in drama and comedy, yet again.
7 Modern Farmer
This story is about four friends who banded together in their youth to form the rock band, Excellent Souls or ExSo. Unable to debut, they reunite years later and learn that their lives haven’t turned out as they planned. Lee Min Ki (Lee Hong-ki) convinces his friends to revive their musical dreams. He then encouraged them into a plan to finance a new album by growing and selling cabbages in a family farm he inherited in the small village of Hadeurokri. Without any knowledge and experience on the matter, this sends them to a series of hilarious misadventures.
The town was filled with quirky characters who had to deal with a new dilemma each week. The boys, together with their newfound friends and family, grow on you in each episode that is also spiced with running gags and bickering. With some flourishing romance, music, and cabbage, this drama gives lighthearted fun that amuses and entertains.
8 Welcome to Waikiki
In this hilarious drama series, the plot kicks off when Dong Gu (Kim Jung-Hyun), Joon Ki (Lee Yi-Kyung), and Du Shik (Son Seung-Won) discover a baby in one of the rooms of their guesthouse. After learning of the dilemma and plight of the baby’s mother, Yoo Na (Joong In-Sun), they decide to let her stay and work at the guesthouse.
In the realm of K-dramas we rarely get pure comedies. Most of the time it is interspersed with other genres like drama or romance. However, Welcome to Waikiki is the closest that a Korean TV series has come towards being a true sitcom that is reminiscent of western hits like “Seinfeld” or “Friends”.
With no main defining plot, the series follows the main characters’ interaction with each other as they navigate life, love, and ambition. Its a fun watch as we watch the cast hilariously struggle through most unfortunate and embarrassing situations in a comical but relatable way.
This is a new take on comedy which is a must-watch for K-drama fans looking for a true respite from stress – as long as you can catch up on their brand of humor.
9 Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
This sporty, coming-of-age comedy series gives us a peek into the life of athletes. It also takes you back to that tumultuous phase of growing up and falling in love for the first time.
The story takes off with a glimpse of the main characters in action. We find Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung-kyung) bagging the gold for weightlifting and Jung Joon Hyung (Nam Joo-hyuk) acing the preliminaries of a national swimming competition. The two meet by accident, but as the story progresses, we learn of their past, insecurities, and dreams.
It’s refreshing how Bok Joo is just your average girl. There is no grand makeover to make up for her insecurities of being a female athlete, but her character grows on you. The director is more inclined to give us a peek of the in-betweens of friendship, crushes, dating, unrequited love, and family troubles, in between layers of sweet and comical moments.
10 The Sound of Your Heart
This story is based on Korea’s longest-running webtoons series which goes by the same name. It follows Jo Seok’s (Lee Kwang-Soo) story in the form of 20 mini-episodes.
Jo Seok is a webtoon artist who finds himself in ridiculous but hilarious adventures with his family and girlfriend-turned-wife, Ae Bong (Jung So-Min). The family dynamics constantly evolve to be even more comical than before with each episode, leaving you to wonder if they’ll ever be normal.
One of the noteworthy storylines was when Jo Seok hid in the closet for days while his family sat outside the closet convinced that he ran away. The reason he stays in the closet is that he overheard them saying that they will buy him a new tablet if he comes back home because they are so distraught he left.
This drama offers a lot of cringeworthy moments and second-hand embarrassment that would have you squealing in laughter in complete and utter entertainment. It focuses on comedy and gets it right. Overall, the series is a ride of non-stop laughter making it a great choice if you’re looking for something to cheer you up!
If you’re not up to some heavy Korean drama, you can choose from any of these ten winners for some pick-me-upper. With their own brand of comedy, these series ticks the right boxes when all you need is just a good laugh.
