Korean Drama has taken the world by storm, and we are here for it. Whether you are happy or sad or hungry, there is always a Korean Drama that can instantly make you feel better. Thanks to platforms like Netflix and Rakuten Viki for continuously making new Korean Dramas, we can keep binge-watching them one after another because it is just that addicting. Korean Drama is the answer to all kinds of boredom and enjoyment, with it being available in a wide range of Genres.
Whether you are a sports fan, a sports player, or just someone looking for a change of genre to binge-watch, we have curated the perfect list of Korean Dramas that either have a Martial Arts sport or use Martial Arts to help them play their particular sport better.
1. Fight For My Way (2017)
Fight For My Way is a 2017 South Korean drama starring What’s wrong with Secretary Kim’s Park Seo-joon and Lovestruck in the City’s Kim Ji-won. The drama follows the story of four childhood friends who have big dreams and are trying their best to fulfill them. Ko Dong-Man is a Taekwondo player who quits the sport at the beginning of the drama, but something makes him change his mind later on in the show.
Choi Ae-ra is an independent woman who lives alone in a house across from her childhood friend Ko Dong Man. She had been dreaming of becoming an announcer at the department store where she works but failed. She gets disappointed but doesn’t give up. The drama follows Choi Ae-ra and Ko Dong-man as they become more than friends while also pursuing their dreams together. Fight For My Way was a huge hit among fans for its realistic plot and great performance by the actors.
Where to watch: Fight For My Way is available to stream on Netflix and Rakuten Viki.
2. Today’s Webtoon (2022)
Today’s Webtoon is the remake of a Japanese drama that was based on a manga series called Juhan Shuttai. Today’s webtoon stars Kim Se-Jeong, Choi Daniel, and Nam Yoon-su, among others. Today’s webtoon follows the story of On Ma-eum, a former athlete struggling to find a new identity after leaving Judo due to an injury. She did odd jobs for a while before coming across a job position that she really wanted, a webtoon artist manager.
The rest of the series follows On Ma-eum as she struggles to get a grip on her new job while also learning to let go of her past. One thing that we all can learn from her character is her optimistic nature and ability to say, ‘let’s do it!’ under any circumstances. Today’s webtoon covered some real issues and was a hit when it was aired.
Where to watch: Today’s Webtoon is available to stream on Rakuten Viki.
3. Twenty-Five Twenty One (2022)
Twenty Five Twenty One is one of the most popular shows of 2022 on Netflix because of its fantastic cast and plot. The series started in 2021 with Kim Min-Chae, Na Hee do’s daughter, who wants to quit ballet, but her mom doesn’t want her to quit, so she decides to stay with her grandmother for a while. At her grandmother’s house, Kim Min-Chae finds her mom’s diary and starts reading it. The series then takes us to 1998, when Na Hee-do was a high school student and loved fencing. She was a part of her school’s fencing team and even transferred to the school to continue it.
One day, her path crosses with Baek Ijin, who used to be rich but, due to bankruptcy, now does odd jobs. Both become friends and continue pursuing their dreams together. Later, Baek Ijin becomes a sports reporter, and Na Hee becomes a part of the National Fencing team. The series stars Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, and others. Twenty five Twenty one will motivate you to pursue your dreams, and at the same time, it will break your heart, so you should keep some tissues in hand.
Where to watch: Twenty-Five Twenty-One is available for streaming on Netflix
4. Dr. Champ (2010)
Dr. Champ is a 2010 Korean Drama starring Kim So-Yeon, Uhm Tae-woong, Jung Gyu-woon, and Cha Ye-Ryun. It follows the story of an Orthopedic doctor Kim Yeon-woo who goes to a new hospital in Taereung National village after getting fired. Taereung Village is where all the Olympic athletes’ train, and so does Park Ji Heon, a young judo athlete.
Kim Yeon woo becomes romantically involved with the judo athlete and also with Lee Do wook, the director of her hospital who used to be a speed-skating athlete but had to quit due to an injury. The series follows their love triangle as it gets harder for So-Yeon to decide whom to choose.
Where to watch: Dr. Champ is available for streaming on Rakuten Viki and Amazon Prime Video
5. Mental Coach Jegal (2022)
Mental Coach Jegal is a 2022 sports-themed Korean Drama starring Jung Woo, Lee Yoo-mi, Kwon Yul, and others. It follows the story of Je Gal Gil, a retired Taekwondo athlete who used to be famous for his dorky charms but after an accident, he is known as a failure.
Now, he has overcome his past and is ready to provide guidance to other retired athletes and current athletes who often find themselves in a slump as their mental coach. The series follows Je Gal Gil as he helps others overcome their traumas like he overcame his.
Where to watch: Mental Coach Jegal is available for streaming on Rakuten Viki and Apple TV.
6. Cheer Up (2022)
Cheer Up is an ongoing sports Korean Drama about a girl Do Hae-Yi who just started studying at Yeonhee University. Hae-Yi is a bright and cheerful woman with a weird sense of humor who gives priority to money above anything else since she is from a poor family.
Bae Young Woong, an alumnus of Yeonhee, offers Do Hae-Yi money to join the cheering squad Theia of Yeonhee, and after giving it some thought, she agrees. The rest of the series follows Do Hae Yi as she makes new friends and lives university life after joining Theia, with a few bumps along the way. She also gets stuck in a love triangle. Cheer Up stars Han Ji Hyun, Bae In Hyuk, Kim Hyun Jin, and others. The series has a total of 16 episodes, among which 11 are available for streaming.
Where to watch: Cheer Up is available for streaming on Rakuten Viki
7. Prison Playbook (2017)
Prison Playbook is a 2017 South Korean drama starring Park Hae Soo, Jung Kyung Hoo, Krystal Jung, and Jung Hae In. It follows the story of a famous baseball player Kim Je Hyuk who is sent to prison for a year after he goes after the guy who tried to assault his sister sexually.
After entering the prison, he realizes that one of his childhood friends and fellow baseball player Lee Joon ho, has given up baseball and become a prison guard. The rest of the series follows his time in prison as he reconnects with his friend and also meets new people. Prison Playbook was a major success and was one of the highest-rated series of all time.
Where to watch: Prison Playbook is available for streaming on Netflix, Disney plus
8. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo (2016)
Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok-Joo is a 2016 Korean Drama starring Nam-Joo Hyuk, Lee Sung-Kyung, Lee Jae-Yoon, and others. It follows the story of Kim Bok Joo, who is a female weightlifter with dreams of winning a gold medal. One day she sees a certain someone who causes her heart to skip a beat and makes her realize that she should have a feminine side.
Meanwhile, Jung Joon Hyeong is a professional swimmer with a troubled past. One day he runs into Bok-Joo and realizes that she is the same girl who saved him from falling through a window when they were little. The rest of the series follows both of their stories as they achieve their dreams and find love.
Where to watch: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo is available for streaming on Netflix
9. The K2 (2016)
The K2 follows the story of a former mercenary soldier Kim Je Ha who used to be famous and known as the ‘K2,’ but after a wrong accusation is cast upon him, he becomes a fugitive and has to go into hiding. Once he returns to Korea, he decides to work as a bodyguard for a man named Choi Yoo Jin, who is running for the presidency.
Later it is revealed that Kim Je Ha accepted the offer only to take revenge on the current president and the opposition party of Choi Yoo Jin. The rest of the series follows Kim Je Ha as he meets Go An Na, the daughter of Choi Yoo Jin, and is intrigued by her while also plotting a revenge plan for Park Kwan Soo. The series star Ji Chang Wook and Im Yoon Ah, among others.
Where to watch: The K2 is available for streaming on Rakuten Viki and Netflix
10. High School King of Savvy (2014)
High School King of Savvy is a 2014 South Korean sports drama about a high school ice hockey player Lee Min Seok. Lee Min Seok has a nice and simple life at school, where he plays hockey and has a classmate, Jung Yoo Ah, who has a crush on her. He has an older brother Hyung-suk who just got a job at an IT company and who looks the same as Min Seok despite the nine-year difference between them.
One day, Min-Seok gets a call from his older brother, who asks him to go to Hyung-suk’s workplace dressed up like him because he can’t. Min Seok agrees. The rest of the series follows Min Seok as he pretends to be his brother and learns to navigate through the place like an adult with a little help from Yoo-ah’s older sister.
Where to watch: King of Savvy is available for streaming on Rakuten Viki
11. Reply 1998 (2016)
Reply 1998 is a South Korean drama released in 2016. It stars Lee Hye-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol, Go Kyung-Pyo, Park Bo-gum, and Lee Dong-hwi. It follows the story of five people who have been friends since childhood. Duk-sun is poor but has a cheerful personality. Jung-Hwan’s parents are rich, and he loves to play soccer. Sun-woo is the perfect student with the right scores, and him being the president of the student council. Dong Ryong is a nerd who knows a lot about life and girls, but when it comes to studying, he fails. Choi Taek is a genius, but he dropped out of school to pursue a professional career in Baduk.
The five friends have always helped each other through thick and thin ever since childhood, and the rest of the series follows them doing so in the future as well. Reply 1988 is the third part of the ‘Reply’ series and was one of the highest-rated Korean dramas of 2016.
Where to watch: Reply 1988 is available for streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Rakuten Viki
12. Racket Boys (2021)
Racket Boys is a 2021 sports South Korean drama starring Kim Sang Kyung, Oh Na Ra, Tang Jun Sang, Son Sang Yeon, Choi Hyun Wook, and Kim Kang Hoon. Racket boys follow the story of a man named Yoon Hyun Jong, who used to be an awesome badminton player, but after retiring, he struggles to take care of his family. He hears of a position as a badminton coach at a middle school and takes the opportunity to help the team win.
The badminton team at Haenam only has three players and struggles to keep up with the new coach, but soon Hyun-jong’s son Yoon Hae Kang and another guy join the team, making it possible for them to take part in competitions and revive their school’s name in competitions.
Where to watch: Racket Boys is available for streaming on Netflix
13. Love All Play (2022)
Love All Play is 2022 sports Korean Drama that follows the story of a badminton athlete Park Tae-Joon who only plays the sport because his parents own an equipment store and doesn’t love the sport. Meanwhile, Park Tae Yang is a female badminton athlete who had been banned from badminton for 3 years due to a bribing incident and now wants to play it with all her heart. Tae Joon meets Tae Yang, and suddenly, badminton doesn’t feel like work anymore; instead, he starts playing the sport with passion as Tae Yang’s partner in badminton doubles tournaments.
The rest of the series follows the duo as they work hard together to match each other’s level and try to win against others together while also striking up a romance. Love All Play stars Park Ju-Hyun and Chae Jong Hyeop, among others.
Where to watch: Love All Play is available for streaming on Disney Plus
14. Vagabond (2019)
Vagabond is a South Korean action drama series starring Lee Seung-gi and Bae Suzy. It follows the story of Cha Dal-gun, who used to be a Taekwondo athlete but now works as a stuntman while taking care of his nephew. Dal-Gun’s nephew fights with him before leaving for a trip to Morocco, but later, he receives an encouraging video from his nephew recorded on the plane.
While Dal-gun is on the set, he finds out through a news report that the plane that his nephew had boarded for Morocco has crashed, and guardians of the deceased were supposed to go to Morocco. The rest of the series follows Dal-gun as he finds out that the plane crash wasn’t actually an accident but an intentional crash, and with the help of Go Hae-ri, an operative for the National Intelligence Service, he is determined to find out what actually happened on the plane.
Where to watch: Vagabond is available for streaming on Netflix
15. Mouse (2021)
The Mouse is a 2021 South Korean action series that follows the story of Jung Ba Reum, a rookie police officer who is determined to fight for justice and peace in the country along with his partner Go Moo Chi. One day, a psychotic serial killer started killing people leaving the people of Korea scared and panicked. Ba Reum is determined to find out who the killer is and why he is killing all these people.
The rest of the series follows Ba Reum as he comes face to face with the killer and barely survives, but the encounter changes his life forever. The series stars Lee Seung Gi, and Lee Hee Joon, among others.
Where to watch: Mouse is available for streaming in Rakuten Viki.
