10 Must-Watch K-Dramas for Anime Fans
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K-Dramas and anime share a surprising amount of crossover, making it easy for anime fans to get hooked on Korean dramas. From fantasy worlds to action-packed thrillers, these K-Dramas feel like live-action anime adaptations. If you’re an anime lover looking to explore K-Dramas, here are 10 must-watch series that will captivate you with their unique storytelling, intense emotions, and anime-like aesthetics.
1. My First First Love (2019)
📌 Genre: Romance, Coming-of-Age
📌 Where to Watch: Netflix
This heartwarming coming-of-age drama follows Yun Tae-o (Ji Soo) and his friends as they navigate love, friendships, and adulthood while living under one roof. If you love anime with classic romance tropes like friends-to-lovers and love triangles, this K-Drama is for you.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Relatable characters with distinct personalities
✔️ A slice-of-life storyline similar to romance anime like Toradora!
✔️ Heartfelt moments filled with comedy and emotional depth
2. Weak Hero Class 1 (2022)
📌 Genre: Action, School, Thriller
📌 Where to Watch: Wavve
This action-packed drama follows Yeon Si-eun (Park Ji-hoon), a top student who teams up with his classmates to fight back against school bullies. With high-intensity fight scenes and a gripping underdog storyline, Weak Hero Class 1 gives off strong shounen anime vibes.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Underdog story similar to Tokyo Revengers
✔️ Fast-paced action sequences
✔️ Deep character development with strong friendships
3. My Love From The Star (2013-2014)
📌 Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Comedy
📌 Where to Watch: Viki
This fantasy romance K-Drama follows an extraterrestrial being, Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun), who has lived on Earth for 400 years. As he prepares to return to his home planet, he falls for a famous actress, Cheon Song-yi (Jun Ji-hyun). If you love sci-fi romance anime, this K-Drama is a perfect fit!
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Similar to Your Name and Clannad
✔️ A touching love story mixed with sci-fi elements
✔️ Beautiful cinematography and a strong fantasy setting
4. W: Two Worlds (2016)
📌 Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller
📌 Where to Watch: Viki
A mind-bending K-Drama, W: Two Worlds follows a surgeon who gets transported into a webtoon where she meets Kang Cheol (Lee Jong-suk)—the webtoon’s protagonist. The drama blends reality and fiction seamlessly, similar to isekai anime.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Similar concept to Re:Zero and No Game No Life
✔️ Unique world-building with a gripping plot
✔️ Emotional romance mixed with action
5. The Uncanny Counter (2020-2023)
📌 Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Action
📌 Where to Watch: Netflix
This supernatural action K-Drama follows a group of demon hunters known as “Counters” who exorcise evil spirits. Each member has a special ability, making this show feel like a live-action version of Jujutsu Kaisen or Bleach.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Similar to Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer
✔️ A powerful team dynamic with unique powers
✔️ Intense fight scenes and thrilling action
6. Strong Girl Bong-soon (2017)
📌 Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance
📌 Where to Watch: Viki
This comedy-action drama follows Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young), a petite woman with superhuman strength. If you love anime where a seemingly ordinary girl turns out to be insanely powerful (One Punch Man or The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.), then this one’s for you!
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ A strong female lead with comedic elements
✔️ Superpowers mixed with a love story
✔️ A thrilling crime subplot
7. Yumi’s Cells (2021-2022)
📌 Genre: Romance, Slice of Life
📌 Where to Watch: Viki
This drama stands out with its anime-style animation that depicts the emotions of Kim Yu-mi (Kim Go-eun) as cute, animated “cells.” It’s a unique blend of live-action and animation, giving it a very anime-like feel.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Unique mix of live-action and animation
✔️ A character-driven romance story
✔️ Similar to Inside Out and March Comes in Like a Lion
8. True Beauty (2020-2021)
📌 Genre: Romance, School, Comedy
📌 Where to Watch: Viki
Based on the hit webtoon, True Beauty follows Lim Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young), a high school girl who masters the art of makeup to hide her insecurities. It’s a perfect choice for fans of romance and high school anime like Kimi ni Todoke and Lovely★Complex.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Similar themes to Horimiya and My Little Monster
✔️ A classic love triangle romance
✔️ Commentary on beauty standards and self-love
9. All Of Us Are Dead (2022-Present)
📌 Genre: Horror, Action, Thriller
📌 Where to Watch: Netflix
A high school zombie apocalypse drama, All of Us Are Dead delivers non-stop action, emotional storytelling, and an intense survival theme. It has the same energy as horror anime like Highschool of the Dead.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Non-stop action and survival elements
✔️ Strong character development
✔️ Intense and emotional stakes
10. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin) (2016-2017)
📌 Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
📌 Where to Watch: Viki
One of the most iconic K-Dramas of all time, Goblin follows Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), a cursed immortal warrior searching for his human bride to end his long life. This drama blends fantasy, romance, and emotional storytelling similar to epic anime tales like Violet Evergarden.
Why Anime Fans Will Love It:
✔️ Mythological fantasy setting
✔️ Heartfelt romance with tearjerking moments
✔️ Breathtaking cinematography and soundtrack
Which of these K-Dramas have you watched?
Whether you love romance, action, fantasy, or thriller anime, there’s a K-Drama out there that will capture your heart. From mind-bending isekai stories like W: Two Worlds to supernatural battles in The Uncanny Counter, these dramas bring anime-style storytelling to life.
🌟 Which of these K-Dramas have you watched? Let us know in the comments below!
🔔 Don’t forget to share this post with your fellow anime & K-Drama lovers! 🎬💕
📌 Related Posts:
✅ 10 K-Dramas You’ll Want to Watch More Than Once
✅ The Best Webtoon-Based K-Dramas You Need to See
