Korean dramas, Q2 2024: the quarter in review

This tvN Monday–Tuesday drama aired 16 episodes from April 8 to May 28. In this time-slip romance, Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), a fan devastated by the death of her favorite star Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), goes back in time to try to save him. It is based on Kim Bbang's web novel Tomorrow's Best, which was also adapted as a webtoon. Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeop directed and Lee Si-eun wrote the script, with Song Geon-hee (Kim Tae-sung) and Lee Seung-hyub (Baek In-hyuk) co-starring.

It opened at 3.1% with episode 1 and peaked at 5.8% with its 16th and final episode, averaging 4.2%. It was released on TVING in Korea and on U-NEXT in Japan. It was selected for 2024 year-end lists by Time, Cine21 and others, and Byeon Woo-seok won the Asia Star Award (Korean popularity award) at the 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards.

This SBS Friday–Saturday drama aired 14 episodes from May 24 to July 6. Jang Jae-kyung (Ji Sung), a narcotics detective forcibly made addicted to drugs by an unknown party, traces the web of connections surrounding a friend's death. It is an original series directed by Kim Moon-kyo and Kwon Da-som and written by Lee Hyun, with Jeon Mi-do (Oh Yoon-jin), Kwon Yul (Park Tae-jin) and Kim Kyung-nam (Won Jong-soo) co-starring.

It opened at 5.7% with episode 1 and peaked at 14.2% with its 14th and final episode, averaging 9.2%.

This MBC Friday–Saturday drama aired 10 episodes from April 19 to May 18. A prequel to MBC's Chief Inspector, which aired from 1971 to 1989, it follows Park Young-han (Lee Je-hoon), a country detective in 1958 who takes on crime alongside his colleagues through old-fashioned, analog investigation. Kim Sung-hoon directed and Kim Young-shin wrote the script, with Lee Dong-hwi (Kim Sang-soon), Choi Woo-sung (Jo Kyung-hwan) and Yoon Hyun-soo (Seo Ho-jeong) co-starring.

It opened at 10.1% with episode 1 and peaked at 10.8% with episode 3. The finale drew 10.6%, and the series averaged 9.5%.

This JTBC weekend drama aired 16 episodes from June 15 to August 4. In this fantasy romantic comedy, Lee Mi-jin, a job seeker in her twenties who turns into a woman in her fifties by day, joins the prosecutors' office as a senior intern. Jung Eun-ji plays Lee Mi-jin in her twenties, and Lee Jung-eun plays her fifty-something form (Im Soon). Lee Hyung-min and Choi Sun-min directed and Park Ji-ha wrote the script, with Choi Jin-hyuk (Gye Ji-woong) co-starring.

It opened at 4.0% with episode 1 and peaked at 11.7% with its 16th and final episode, averaging 7.2%. It was also released on Netflix, where it peaked at No. 2 in non-English TV and spent 10 weeks in the Top 10, with weekly views totaling 16.2 million. Its best week, July 15–21, drew 2.1 million views.

A six-episode Netflix series released on April 5. When mysterious organisms that live as parasites in humans appear in Korea, a special task force called “The Grey” is formed to stop them. It is a live-action spin-off based on Hitoshi Iwaaki's manga Parasyte. Yeon Sang-ho directed and co-wrote the script with Ryu Yong-jae, and the cast includes Jeon So-nee (Jeong Su-in), Koo Kyo-hwan (Seol Kang-woo) and Lee Jung-hyun (Choi Jun-kyung).

It peaked at No. 1 on the global chart for non-English TV and spent four weeks in the Top 10, with weekly views totaling 21.8 million. Its best week, April 8–14, drew 9.8 million views, second only to Squid Game Season 2 among the 2024 titles selected in these recaps.

An eight-episode Netflix series released on May 17. Eight participants trapped in an eight-story space take part in a mysterious show in which time equals money. It is based on Bae Jin-soo's Naver Webtoons Money Game and Pie Game. Han Jae-rim directed and wrote the script, and the cast includes Ryu Jun-yeol (Floor 3), Chun Woo-hee (Floor 8), Park Jung-min (Floor 7), Lee Yul-eum, Park Hae-joon, Lee Joo-young, Moon Jeong-hee and Bae Seong-woo.

It reached No. 1 on the global chart for non-English TV in the week of May 20–26 with 4.8 million views. It spent five weeks in the Top 10 for a total of 11.7 million views.

A seven-episode Netflix series released on June 7. The arrival of Kang Ha (Lee Chae-min), a transfer student with a secret, shakes the class order of Jooshin High School, where the top 0.01% gather. It is an original series directed by Bae Hyun-jin and written by Chu Hye-mi, with Roh Jeong-eui (Jung Jae-i), Kim Jae-won (Kim Ri-an), Ji Hye-won (Yoon He-ra) and Lee Won-jung (Lee Woo-jin) co-starring.

It peaked at No. 1 on the global chart for non-English TV and spent four weeks in the Top 10, with weekly views totaling 13.6 million. Its best week, June 10–16, drew 6.3 million views. Critical reception was largely negative.

This JTBC weekend drama aired 12 episodes from May 4 to June 9. In this fantasy romance, a woman hiding her true identity, Do Da-hae (Chun Woo-hee), appears before a family that has lost its superpowers. It is an original series directed by Jo Hyun-tak and written by Joo Hwa-mi, with Jang Ki-yong (Bok Gwi-ju), Go Doo-shim (Bok Man-heum) and Claudia Kim (Bok Dong-hee) co-starring.

It opened at 3.3% with episode 1 and peaked at 4.9% with its 12th and final episode, averaging 3.8%. It was also released on Netflix, where it peaked at No. 3 in non-English TV and spent seven weeks in the Top 10, with weekly views totaling 11.8 million. Its best week, May 27–June 2, drew 2.1 million views. It was selected for 2024 year-end lists by Time, Cine21 and the South China Morning Post.