10 Best medical K-dramas to watch

Medical dramas are highly binge-able because of the high-intensity situations between death and life, portraying the hard and tiring life of doctors and life in a hospital.

One of the best K-dramas of all time is Hospital Playlist. It’s a medical drama with comedy, friendship, and heartwarming moments. Medical South Korean dramas are usually known to cover other genres aside from their primary one: helping patients. The genres may be romance, supernatural, or mystery.

So, on your venture to find your next K-drama to watch, first check out this list of 10 best medical K-dramas.

Descendants of the Sun (2016)

Song Hye-kyo plays Kang Mo-yeon, a beautiful surgeon from Seoul who is sent to the Uruk base as a volunteer after she refuses advances made by an executive at the hospital. Dealing with deadly viruses, earthquakes, and local criminals while falling in love with a soldier, Descendants of the Sun is one of the best medical K-dramas to watch. Starring Song Joong-ki, Kim Ji-won, and Onew.

Doctor Cha (2023)

Doctor Cha is a powerful and inspiring story of a woman having a second chance at life. Cha married a fellow resident doctor and, having children, chose to stay at home and raise her family. After years of ignoring her own desires, she is faced with new choices after suffering a near-fatal disease. Starring Uhm Jung-hwa, Min Woo-hyuk and Kim Byung-chul.

Hospital Playlist (2020)

Hospital Playlist has 2 seasons under its belt, following a group of friends who work at the same hospital. Personal life problems and the responsibility of being a doctor, the friends each have their own issues on and off. But what is constant is their unwavering and warm support of each other. A music and comedy drama, Hospital Playlist stars Jo Jung-suk, Jeon Mi-do, Jung Kyung-ho.

Ghost Doctor (2022)

After wowing the viewers as Lee Rang, Kim Bum played an inexperienced and clumsy doctor on Ghost Doctor. With the help of a senior doctor, whose soul had left his body after being in a coma, Go Seung-tak tries to overcome his fear of blood and save lives. This supernatural K-drama also stars Rain.

Doctor Detective (2019)

A female health doctor discovers a pattern of suspicious accidents and diseases that point at the same industrial company. Now, paired up with another doctor, she plans to uncover the secret and stop this string of deadly operations. Starring Park Jin-hee and Bong Tae-gyu, this K-drama has an additional touch of mystery and thrill.

Blood (2015)

A medical K-drama infused with romance, Blood is a must-watch. A vampire who has learned to control his thirst for blood spends his day bringing terminally ill patients back to life. His perfectly controlled world starts to take a turn when he falls for the hospital chairman’s niece. Starring Ahn Jae-hyun and Koo Hye-sun.

Life (2018)

Jin Woo, a diligent and expert medicine specialist, finds himself in a quagmire of conspiracy, secrets, and cover-ups after the suspicious death of the hospital director. When a new director takes over, Jin Woo and the hospital staff have a hard time adjusting to the new practices and rules introduced. Starring Lee Dong-wook, Cho Seung-woo, and Won Jin-A.

Doctor Stranger (2014)

Accompanying his father on a medical emergency trip to North Korea, a young man is stuck there due to their country’s volatile relationship. After years, he is defected back to South Korea and started pursuing a medical career, but his past still continues to affect him. The series shows North Korea and South Korea’s volatile relations and how severe it is. Starring Lee Jong-suk, Park Hae-jin, and Kang So-ra.

Good Doctor (2013)

The medical K-drama that inspired the American medical drama, The Good Doctor. The plot follows a resident pediatric surgeon who has savant syndrome. His highly intelligent brain, with his clumsy social behavior, points a lot of fingers at his worth as a Doctor. A heartwarming show, Good Doctor stars Joo Won, Moon Chae-won, and Joo Sang-wook.

Doctor Prisoner (2019)

A revenge medical drama that is so satisfying to watch. The worst thing a doctor can be accused of is malpractice and Yi-je finds himself a victim of this career-killing situation. After being kicked out, he takes a position in a prison medical center and starts planting webs to catch his perpetrators. Starring Namkoong Min, Kim Byung-chul and Choi Won-young.