Korean Dramas have been taking global viewership by storm. With recent shows like Squid Games and Vincenzo, people are getting towards the story and characters that Korean shows bring.
After the release, Extraordinary Attorney Woo quickly became one of the top Netflix’s Korean dramas. The show gained popularity on social media as people were imitating the protagonist of the show, Woo Young Woo. The show stayed at the top of the charts for six consecutive weeks.
The plot of the show follows a talented lawyer, Woo Young Woo, who is on the autistic spectrum. She finds it challenging to fit in socially because of her communication methods, but she has an excellent photographic memory that has been beneficial in solving countless cases.
If you have binged Extraordinary Attorney Woo, then this list has 15 Dramas Like Extraordinary Attorney Woo. The suggestions on this list are in no order. Just look for your favorite show and get into the beautiful cases of autism.
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Atypical
Atypical is a funny, realistic, and thought-provoking family drama show. It tells you a beautiful story of a family who resides with their autistic boy and the day-to-day challenges that they face.
Atypical’s script is narrated by their son Sam, and it is filled with well-balanced and thoughtful subplots. The story basically surrounds Sam’s life through his teenage years, including his unstable life of being a high schooler.
The emphasis of this presentation is not on school time. It concerns everyone who the autistic child is surrounded by, including family, friends, therapists, etc.
The entire ensemble is terrific, but Kier Gilchrist really shines as Sam. You simply want Sam to be successful in whatever he attempts to do because he makes him seem incredibly pleasant. And it’s wonderful how it makes you feel when he does.
The writers truly did an excellent job of making you feel as though you were a member of that family by allowing you to touch and experience every aspect of their existence. The jokes are funny, some of the characters are as sweet as sugar, and the dialogue is not generic.
The show dives deeper with equal importance to other characters in the show and not just their autistic son. The finely blended drama and comedy are what makes the show unique.
Move To Heaven
Move to Heaven is a special K-dramas. The plot feels fresh, and it discusses something that many shows have done in the past: the subject of death. It takes this taboo and stretches it to 10 episodes.
It is filled with skilled acting, fresh storytelling, and tear-jerking scenes. Someone who is emotional will find this show heavy and will move to tears very easily. Geu-Roo, played by Tang Jun Sang, our main character, suffers from Asperger’s, and his father, Jeong-U, takes care of him.
Both of them live together and run their own business, Move to Heaven. But his father passed away sadly, and his uncle Sang Gu, played by Lee Jee Hoon, comes up and becomes his guardian.
He starts off as a rude, selfish uncle, but we see a development in his character as the story unfolds. We see him genuinely care and start to appreciate Geu-Roo.
Basically, when someone dies, a team comes and clears the room. They collect anything precious in a yellow box and discard everything else. This team is the crew of Move to Heaven, and they are very much dedicated to their work.
As the story progresses, we see Geu-Roo meet a tragic loss, and now he is forced to question everything around him and everything else that he knows. The whole show is filled with lessons of family bonding and life and death.
Move to Heaven is a poignant drama. The duo of father and son have managed to bring us a touching drama that will make you think about your daily choices and lives in general.
Law School
Law School takes the viewers on a hunt for the truth in order to explore and unfold a never-seen-before mystery in the most lavishly prestigious Korean Law School.
The incredible cast of the drama includes Kim Bum, Kim Myung Min, Lee Jung Eun, Ryu Hye Young, Go Youn Jung, Hyun Woo, and Lee David.
The plot begins with a full, mysterious setup with the death of a teacher in murky conditions, which comes as a shock to everyone. This causes the involvement of both students and teachers.
The writing is very meticulous, and you’ll be in awe when you see the number of casts involved. All of them somehow are connected and taking part, which will lead to the conclusion.
While looking at the pointers of the case, you’ll also get a glimpse of the gruel of being a law student and the pressure they feel from their peers, family, and instructors. For someone who is enthusiastic about law school or is looking for a law drama, then this show is definitely for you.
Good Doctor
Just like Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Good Doctor also gained huge popularity and a lot of success and fame during its run and always was at the top of the lists and suggestions.
It was a huge success and earned many nominations and many awards in the K Drama genre for its unique plot and on-screen presentation by its cast and actors.
Even before the growth of streaming platforms, Good Doctor got a lot of global attention, which resulted in various remakes of the show from Hong Kong, the United States, and Japan.
The medical drama stars Moon Chae Won as Cha Yoon Seo and Joo Won As Park Si On. Si On is found to be under the autistic spectrum, with the genius skills to become a pediatric surgery resident.
He meets Cha Yoon Seo, who is another resident in the pediatric surgery. They connect with each other and become support for one another. It’s a good, heartwarming show that proves that people with autism can be a good asset to society. With their skills, they can contribute to society and well-being.
The show’s finale was a touch too upbeat and happy-go-lucky, but it was still fairly fulfilling. Even the bulk of the characters who had been like adversaries throughout the episode suddenly sided with the pediatric team and those that didn’t just disappeared from view.
Yumi’s Cells
Yumi’s Cells is based on a famous webtoon of the same name. It follows the story of Yu Mi, played by Kim GobEun, who is an ordinary office worker but has a vision of cells inside her head.
Alongside her, we see Goo Woong, played by Ahn Bo Hyun, who is a romantic but emotionless game developer, but he wakes her love cells.
This drama is full of lovely quirks, and it transitions between animation and live action back and forth, showing her struggle with her cells internally.
It’s a brilliant idea, therefore, it’s understandable why everyone adores webcomics. Its complete lack of pretense is quite refreshing in KDrama. This animation adds to the fun element of the drama. A deep and meaningful relationship also develops between the two as they spend more and more together with each other.
The entire cast does an outstanding job acting, and the writing, directing, and scripting are all excellent. The editing of the cells is also extremely good. Everything about the show feels calming and relaxing, and it gives a very soothing vibe.
There will be a constant smile on your face while watching this show, and you’ll root for them and their budding romantic feelings. The second season is also available to watch, which adds more to the fun and drama of this romantic escape.
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The King’s Affection
The King’s Affection features Park Eun Bin, who was also seen in Extraordinary Attorney Woo. It’s a history-based drama romantic Korean drama that is adopted from the manhwa of the same name.
The cast includes Buying Chan, Roo Woon, Jung Chae Yeon, Bae Yoon Kyung, and Nam Yoon Soo. The plot focuses on Lee Hwi, played by Park Eun Bin, who, after the demise of her twin brother, becomes a fake crown prince.
Naturally, she struggles to hide this secret of being a woman, and slowly, her feelings also increase for Jung Ji Un, played by Roo Woon.
The episodes show the versatility of Park Eun Bin, and she flips back and forth between the male mask of the prince and the softer feminineness of her true reality. She maintains the balance aptly we’ll between the two roles as she slowly explores the routes to solve the mystery of her brother.
And do not forget about the chemistry of Roo Woon and Eun Bin amidst all the chaos. They both will give the fans the expected butterflies. The two of them are sweet on screen, and you will root for their relationship and their sailing ship.
Do you like Brahms?
Chae Song Ah, played by Park Eun Bin, is a student at a university who is working hard to become a violinist. But as always, there are many obstacles in her way that are preventing her from getting close to her dream.
She meets ParknJoon Young, played by Kim Min Jae, who is a renowned pianist and is way out of her league but still likes Song Ah. The two of them string and close for a sweet, romantic relationship.
The audience can’t get enough of Park Eun Bin and her skilled portrayal of Woo Young Woo. On the other hand, Park Eun Bin’s endless streak of Korean dramas always keeps the fans on their toes about what other project she will be seen in.
In Do You Like Brahms? She is seen as Chae Song Ah and shows the range of emotions and heartbreak that her on-screen character is going through as she explores her love life and her dreams.
Park Eun Bin’s skill to showcase such powerful chemistry with her is always exciting for the fans, and it shows the skill level of each of these actors.
The story is also written with thoughtful emotions and logical plots. Nothing seems stretched out, and music also plays a huge part in showing the true emotions of the characters.
Stove League
In Stove League, you will see Namgoong Min as Baek Seung Soo. He is a manager and must work hard to convert the losing streak of team Dreams into a winning round.
The team is in the last place, and Seung Soo is appointed to do whatever he can to bring the changes that can improve the team for good. He questions the higher-ups and asks them to make difficult decisions in order to make a robust, balanced team that has the potential to win the championship.
The show also features Park Eun Bin as Lee Se Young. She is seen as the operational manager who has faithfully devoted her life to this team. Stove League is definitely worth checking out because of Park Eun Bin.
In the show, you will see a different Park Eun Binz, something that you have not seen in other shows, which makes it a new, refreshing watch. The show also won Daesang at the Baeksang Arts Awards.
This win was a no-brainer because the acting by the crew was of good quality and add to that, the writing of the show was also balanced. The combination of the two was adored by the audience.
In truth, there is very little on-field action throughout the course of the 16 episodes. It concentrates more on the team’s managerial side and the issues that arise after years of poor performance. You could even learn a few helpful tidbits along the road about management in general, presenting skills, and negotiating.
The duo of Park Eun Bin and Namgoong Min was ideal for the show story. They had no love chemistry going on but still managed to shine in their respective plots and characters, which carried the drama. Overall, it is a good watch with a sense of humor and many granular plots and subplots.
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Run On
In the drama Run On Im, Si Wan is seen as Ki Sun Kyum, a former runner. He has retired because he doesn’t find the sport exciting, and the sport cannot provide him happiness anymore.
He meets Oh Mi Joo, played by Shin Se Kyung, who works as a translator and provides subtitles to foreign movies. Both of them have distinct personalities, but Sun Kyum likes Mi Joo a lot, and they both begin to fall for each other.
In terms of building a reputation, Kang Tae Ho has been in the lead in South Korea, and it is evident to see why that’s the case. He has been at the top by winning the hearts of the audience by accepting the roles and adapting them naturally, especially Woo Young Woo.
In this drama, he made one of the most impactful performances of his career. He and Soo Young’s chemistry moved the audience and looked incredible on screen, and for the fans, it will be one of the top love stories in the Korean Drama space.
It’s very uplifting to witness good, non-toxic relationships in a drama; they’re realistic and mature and give you the impression that you’re seeing something real. Even the supporting cast members are so intriguing and multifaceted, and each character is special in their own right.
Tomorrow
Choi Jun Woong, played by Rowoon, is working hard to get a job, but this process is difficult for him. He meets an accident and meets Im Ryoo Gu, played by Yun Ji On, and Koo Ryeon, played by Kim Hee Sun from Grim Reapers.
Both of them work together by finding the people who are living in depression or are contemplating their lives. This is a drama for the audience who like the individual stories format, just like Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
Each episode focuses on one character and a plot revolving around him, and the other characters try to explore the plot and understand the situation.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo was a lot of success because of its heartwarming scenes; she managed to help a lot of people, and this made the audience connect with the show emotionally.
Similarly, in Tomorrow, the audience is shown many people who are going through hard times, and the Grim Reaper team helps them by motivating them and encouraging them to figure things out in order to get their lives back on track.
You will feel drawn to the characters shown and will relate to them at some level, which is a good connection between the story and the audience.
The Good Wife
The Good Wife, a.k.a. The Wonderful Wife, is adapted from an American show of the same name. The show is applauded for its storytelling and bold characters with Asian colors.
Many audiences showed interest and excitement in the differences of this Korean show, and this made them feel that the show was completely different from the popular American drama it was adopted from.
The plot of the show revolves around a famous Korean prosecutor, Kim Hye Joon, played by Yoo Ji Tae. After her husband got messed up in a sex controversy, he was highlighted for accepting bribes and was sent to prison.
Hye Kyung has to return to her roots of being a lawyer to meet the family’s financial demands. We also see Jeon Do Yeon in the show, who has been a national face.
It gained a lot of attention from the fans when it was released and even got nominated for best drama in the category. You will see the female characters and her emotional decisions that take care of the family.
It takes an actor with the necessary physical and emotional maturity to express this multifaceted complexity with authority. Jeon Do Yeon brought her character to life with her impressions, tone, and performances. You will like the plot as it is authentic and thoughtful.
Defendant
Defendant, a.k.a. Recollection of Memories in Vietnamese, tells the tale of the main character, Park Jung Woo, played by Ji Sung. He’s a top-level prosecutor and is also the head of the crime investigation unit.
He is renowned in the law industry as a lawyer as someone who never loses a case. But one day, everything changes for him when he somehow finds himself in prison for murdering his family and is sentenced to death.
The situation gets even more complicated when he is unaware of the circumstances cases because of his amnesia. This drama is a race against time by the main character to prove his innocence by uncovering the mystery behind it all and restoring his lost dignity and respect.
The show has a thrilling plot. The blend of the actors, Ju Sung and Yuri, and other famous actors makes it a well-deserved show. The show even won a Drama of the Year award in the year 2017 at the SBS Drama Awards.
The show grew increasingly entertaining as it went on. No episodes are stretched out that much. However, due to incredibly strong viewership, they added two extra episodes. The supporting actor in that part performed a fantastic job.
It is a complete show. With the script, screenplay, performance, and music, it feels like a good, thrilling show where the audience is always trying to catch what is going on with the protagonist.
Devil Judge
The Devil Judge, a.k.a. Dudge Evil in Vietnamese. After a break of two years, Ji Sung returned with this legal drama. The show is about a peculiar judge who is trying to stay honest while passing the verdict.
The judge’s character, Kang Yo Han and Kim Ga On, is played by Ji Sung and Park Jin Young. Kim Ga On is a jury member who tragically lost his parents in an accident when he was still very young.
Each character is incredibly complicated due to the intensity of their emotions and the reality that there are no absolutes in human nature.
One second, you may be rooting for a character to fail, and the next, you may feel sorry for them, rationalize their acts, and hope for their salvation. And the cast’s excellent performance helps make it all possible.
Each of them delivered performances that were spectacular. Their emotions changed along with their looks and movements. The final episodes in the series were pretty intense; the buildup for the whole show is done well, and the conclusion will keep the audience satisfied.
With the support from one of his father’s friends, he worked hard to become a judge and is now working under Yo Han. As per Nielsen Korea, when the show aired its first episode, it had a rating of 5.6% globally, which is commendable. If we compare the rating of the show with other shows of the same genre, it had the highest ratings.
I Hear Your Voice
I Hear Your Voice, a.k.a. Extrasensory Ears in Vietnamese. The plot shows a combination of a criminal team, which includes a policeman, a high school student, and a lawyer.
After conquering a demanding childhood, Jang Hye Sung, played by Lee Bo Young, finally becomes a lawyer, but luck is not on his side. She changes for good when she meets Park Soo Ha, played by Lee Jong Suk.
Park is not an ordinary high school student. He has the ability to read what’s going on in someone’s mind just by looking inside their eyes. Despite this, all three still have to face many problems while solving cases.
With a new plot, the show is fast to get the initial attention of the audience. At the time of realization, it got many awards and ceremonies. For Lee Jong Suk, I Hear Your Voice was a turning show in his career that highlighted him in the Korean drama space.
Special
Special is a semi-autobiographical which feels fresh in each episode. It has a sweet special tone to it, which makes it a we’ll written funny show with emotional and heart-warming aspects to it.
The plot of the show focuses on Ryan, who is a young gay man who suffers from cerebral plastic. As an intern, he is very nervous about his first day at work. He tries his best to hide this condition from the outside world.
He even hides his condition from his boss, Olivia, and new friend, Kim. As the story moves forward, more and more of Ryan’s life is uncovered, and his fight on whether to tell the truth or not begins to eat him from the inside.
The situation fits perfectly with his tumultuous home time. He loses his confidence and decides to move out alone. The selling point of the show is the number of episodes that are eight and the short runtime per episode of 15 minutes.
These two factors make the show bingeable and easy to watch. The main character played his part really well, and you will even appreciate the show and the writers who wrote each scene and the characters.
Ryan expressed the bucket of emotions in each episode, making it an emotional and easy-to-connect show. This show is a good illustration of why it’s important to have diversity across any team, not just in the writer’s room.
The genuineness of the finished product is quite different. What they managed to deliver here is very unique and emotional.
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