Korean dramas are well-loved worldwide for their heartwarming storylines, compelling characters, beautiful cinematography, and ability to meld seemingly incongruous genres. A supernatural romance whodunit? Consider us hooked until episode 78. This soaring popularity has influenced TV series formats in other Asian countries, with a few already taking a page (or two!) from the K-drama playbook. If you want to explore these Asian dramas, try the following.

Judge Dee (Yiwei Zhou) is based on the historical figure Di Renjie, who was county magistrate and statesman of the Tang court. The character first appeared in Di Gong An, an 18th-century Chinese detective novel, which was subsequently adopted and made mainstream by author Robert van Gulik. The 2024 hit TV series follows Judge Dee in Tang Dynasty China as he investigates and tackles crime on behalf of Empress Wu Zetian. The show is hailed for its entertaining characters and high production value.

Watch it if you like: Period dramas like Alchemy of Souls. Judge Dee’s Mystery is available to stream on Netflix.

The hospital drama, a popular trope in Korean dramas, also captures the plot of the Chinese drama You Are My Hero. Although set amid high-stakes medical emergencies instead of a corporate workplace, the show covers similar themes of office romance and finding that special connection while on duty. The kilig factor is definitely there, too. You Are My Hero follows the story of Doctor Mi Ka (Ma Si Chun), who just graduated from medical school, and Special Forces Captain Xing Ke Lei (Bai Jing Ting), whose serendipitous meetings lead to an unexpected romance.

Watch it if you like: Descendants of the Sun (Netflix, Viu).  You Are My Hero is available on Viu.

Filipino drama Can’t Buy Me Love has all the characteristics of a South Korean hit drama: mainly the disparity between the rich and the poor, and a man and a woman who fall in love despite it all. You also have the dreamy color grading, memorable hairstyles, and fashion-forward outfits to look forward to. The 2023 drama follows the story of a young man, Bingo (Donnie Pangilinan), who’s entangled in a plot against a rich woman, Caroline (Belle Mariano). 

Watch it if you like: Filipino teleseryes with iconic kontrabidas and kidnap-for-ransom tropes, or K-dramas with an underlying love story embedded in an intricate plot. Can’t Buy Me Love is available on iWantTFC and Netflix.

You’ll enjoy this Filipino adaptation of the hit 2018 Korean romantic comedy of the same name. Just like in the K-drama, a narcissistic boss (Paulo Avelino) falls in love with his indispensable, Secretary Kim (Kim Chiu), when she decides to resign from her long-term job. It captures the delicate balance between lightheartedness and depth of emotion that’s usually found in Korean dramas and stays faithful to the key storylines of the original.

Watch it if you like: What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim starring Park Seo-Joon and Park Min-Young. Both adaptations are available on Viu.

Alice in Borderland is a sci-fi drama thriller based on the manga Imawa no Kuni no Arisu by Haro Aso. Like hit Korean TV disaster/survival shows and films like Hellbound and Train to Busan, the 2019 dorama reimagines well-known locations like Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo into post-apocalyptic landscapes where the show’s protagonists, Ryohei Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and Yuzuha Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) are forced to compete in dangerous challenges and fight for their lives.

Watch it if you like: Hellbound, Sisyphus, and Squid Game (Netflix). All seasons of Alice in Borderland are available on Netflix.

K-dramas have mastered the art of romantic storytelling, and this dorama (Japanese television drama) echoes the same delicate, cinematic approach to BL (Boy’s Love) themes. Soul Mate is a transcontinental, love story between two young men. One leaves Japan behind and heads for a fresh start in a foreign land, where a boxer saves his life in a chance encounter that marks the beginning of a 10-year-long love affair. The highly anticipated TV series stars Ok Taecyeon of South Korean pop band 2PM and Japanese actor Isomura Hayato.

Watch it if you like: Until We Meet Again (Viki). Soul Mate will be released on Netflix in 2025.

High school drama is a theme that’s prevalent in many Asian dramas, but Girl From Nowhere takes it to extremes by going beyond petty teen quarrels and delving into disturbing lies and secrets that may occur in a campus setting. To make this more interesting, its main protagonist, Nanno (Chica Amatayakul), is an immortal entity who jumps from one Thai private school to another to expose crimes and wrongdoings.

Watch it if you like: The Glory. Both The Glory and Girl From Nowhere are on Netflix.

Cutie Pie is a Thai BL romance drama about finding love in an arranged marriage. Lian (Zee Pruk Panich) and Kuea (Chawarin Perdpiriyawong), who’ve been engaged since high school because of a family arrangement, find themselves at odds with each other. Having very different personalities and interests, they initially don’t get along as a couple. Kuea breaks off their engagement after discovering that Lian doesn’t love him back, and Lian reacts by taking Kuea to live in his home to change his mind.

Watch it if you like: Where Your Eyes Linger (Viki). Cutie Pie is on iQiyi and Viki.

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