K-dramas range from lighthearted comedies to spine-chilling thrillers, but a good drama should hook the audience in the very first episode. The best K-dramas know how to balance exposition with action, crafting a first episode that tells the audience everything they need to know to be invested — but conveying the information in an exciting way that holds our attention.
Plenty of K-dramas have perfect endings, but it’s even more impressive to make a good first impression. For some dramas, the first episode is where they peak; for many more, it sets a high standard that the rest of the series meets or exceeds. Even if a K-drama has the perfect conclusion, however, a drama’s first episode should be unforgettable.
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Twenty-Five Twenty-One
2022
Twenty-Five Twenty-One quickly became a must-watch K-drama following its 2022 release, but the fanbase started accumulating immediately after the first episode. The cozy drama follows teenage Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) through the eyes of her daughter after she discovers a diary from the late ’90s.
The first episode of Twenty-Five Twenty-One does a great job at setting up the central romance, but the pilot episode platforms Hee-do’s fencing career just as much as the love story, cementing her as the intriguing main character. Furthermore, the visual contrast between the past and present is instantly captivating, which sets the perfect tone for the series.
19
Start-Up
2020
Start-Up was lauded as one of the funniest K-dramas in recent years, but the first episode was full of necessary heartbreak. The premiere is split between expositional flashbacks and action-filled shots of the present, but they all center on ​​Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy), an entrepreneur with very few resources.
Start-Up begins by laying the groundwork for its biggest conflicts, digging into Dal-mi’s fraught relationship with sister In-Jae (Kang Han-na) and her secret pen pal, Han Ji-pyeong (Kim Seon-ho). Despite the tragedy she endured, however, the pilot still feels somewhat hopeful, urging the viewer to keep watching.
18
Itaewon Class
2020
Itaewon Class was undeniably one of the best K-dramas of the 2020s, and it kicked off with a monumental first episode. Rather than just tell the viewer about Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) and his quest for revenge, Itaewon Class shows how Sae-ro-yi tragically lost his father, ending on a consequential cliffhanger.
Despite Sae-ro-yi nearly killing Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun), Itaewon Class does a superb job of propping him up as an unlikely hero. Everything he does is closer to vigilantism than bullying, which sets him up in stark contrast to the corrupt Jang group.
17
Hotel Del Luna
2019
Hotel del Luna may very well be the best supernatural K-drama of the last 10 years, and its high potential was clear from the very beginning. From the dramatic deal Jang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun/IU) made to access the ghost guesthouse to Koo Chan-sung’s (Yeo Jin-goo) freedom being signed away by his father, the fantasy series started with a bang.
Hotel del Luna’s first episode was visually stunning, which set it apart from many contemporaries. Everything — from its detailed costumes to its impeccable set design to its background music brimming with personality — made Hotel del Luna instantly recognizable.
16
Castaway Diva
2023
Castaway Diva may be a divisive Netflix K-drama, but the first episode was irrefutably captivating. Seo Mok-ha (Park Eun-bin) always dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol, but Castaway Diva shows Mok-ha’s heartbreaking past as it runs parallel to Jung Ki-ho (Chae Jong-hyeop), her middle school classmate.
Both Ki-ho and Mok-ha experienced horrible abuse from their fathers, but the two devise a plan to escape to Seoul. As they’re on the boat to freedom, however, Mok-ha falls into the water and is presumed dead, while Ki-ho is left on their small island alone. The incredible backstory/world builder made Castaway Diva episode 2 a must-watch.
15
Lovely Runner
2024
Lovely Runner is one of the most romantic K-dramas of all time, but the first episode set up its fair share of conflicts for the main pairing. Lovely Runner introduces Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon) and Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok) with a unique dynamic: Sol is Sun-jae’s biggest fan, who travels back in time after the idol’s sudden death.
After she returns to 2008, Im Sol realizes Sun-jae was her childhood friend and neighbor. Lovely Runner does a flawless job of recontextualizing information per its ever-changing reality. Sun-jae and Sol’s secret past made Lovely Runner an emotional powerhouse, with themes of fate and love bittersweetly intertwining.
14
The Glory
2022
The Glory was a dark K-drama, but the first episode was especially disturbing. Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) may take her revenge plot to the extreme occasionally, but it’s impossible to hold it against her after watching the brutal and needlessly cruel bullying she endured.
After only one episode, Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon) was already one of the most fearsome K-drama villains ever. From there, she only got worse, while Dong-eun only grew more complex. The bullying may have been hard to watch, but the first episode easily secured Dong-eun as a sympathetic figure, allowing her to be morally grey as the show went on.
13
Sweet Home
2020
Sweet Home isn’t just an iconic apocalypse story — it’s one of Song Kang’s best k-dramas to date. Meeting Cha Hyun-su in the premiere is nothing short of heartbreaking, as he has lost all motivation and will to live after losing his family in an accident.
Just as Hyun-su begins to give up on the world, however, a strange virus begins infecting his apartment building. Sweet Home’s gore and terrifying monsters make it an instant horror classic, and ending on a cliffhanger of the protagonist showing symptoms made Sweet Home episode 1 unforgettable.
12
Alchemy of Souls
2022
Before Alchemy of Souls cemented itself as an iconic fantasy K-drama, the first episode was a groundbreaking entry to the genre. The female lead, trained assassin Nak-su (Jung So-min), swaps souls with Mu-deok and assumes her identity, while Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook) desperately looks for a magic tutor.
Alchemy of Souls’ prologue combines humor with heart to set up its dramatic two-part storyline. The king’s sordid history is only the tip of a reproachful iceberg when it comes to the royal family, but Jang Uk is instantly endearing as he tries to goad Mu-deok into revealing her true nature as an assassin.
11
Moving
2023
Moving eventually became a critically acclaimed K-drama, but its first episode was arguably a make-or-break moment. The concept of neighboring families all discovering they have superpowers was simple enough, but its spot on Disney+ prevented it from being too detailed in its violence.
Regardless, the first episode of the family drama was incredibly entertaining, and Moving quickly earned an eager audience thanks to its diverse ensemble cast. The unique superhuman abilities only made the main characters more relatable to a broad demographic.
