The 12 Best Korean TV Shows For Korean Learners

When learning Korean, you need to understand how all that vocabulary and grammar you’ve learnt is used in context. And besides, nothing beats watching a K-drama in Korean. 

There are loads of different types of TV shows in Korea, from popular K-dramas to variety shows and reality shows.

Watching TV shows can be a great way to brush up on more conversational spoken language. And there are shows out there that are suitable for every level.

In this article, you'll discover the 12 best Korean TV shows from every genre, so there’s something for everyone.

Korean popular culture is well-known around the world. So you’ll have no lack of content to immerse yourself in spoken Korean and aid your Korean language journey through Korean TV shows!  

You can use the table of contents below to jump straight to the section or show that interests you most. Otherwise, keep scrolling to discover the 12 best Korean TV shows.

Best Korean TV Shows For Beginners

Even if you’re not yet at intermediate level, watching Korean TV shows can be a great way to familiarise yourself with the sounds of Korean, as well as introduce you to Korean culture and communication styles.

Don’t be put off if you don’t understand everything 100%, subtitles are there to help! 

1. The Return Of Superman

This Korean reality/variety show follows celebrity dads as they have to care for their children for 48 hours without any help.

The show started back in 2013, and has been airing for over 10 years, known for its humour and the tasks the dads have to complete with their children.

I recommend this show for beginners as the dads are often explaining things slowly and in simple terms for their children, and this can be really helpful for beginner learners.

Also, many Korean reality and variety shows have Korean subs on the screens.

2. We Got Married

We Got Married is a Korean reality show that puts two famous K-pop idols together in a fake marriage to see how they would fare.

Although sometimes controversial with the fans, We Got Married became well known for the funny interactions between idols as they embarked on their married life together.

Many of the interactions between the idols consist of simple everyday conversation, making it a good watch for beginners.

Some of the content is simple and repetitive, which helps drill new words and phrases into your memory. I especially recommend this one for fans of K-pop! 

3. Pororo The Little Penguin

This animated children’s show is extremely popular in Korea, and is the perfect show if you prefer to start out as simple as possible.

Children’s shows are designed to help introduce new vocabulary and phrases, and can be an extremely helpful resource if you're just getting started with Korean.

The language used isn’t complicated, so you’ll be able to follow along relatively quickly when compared to a K-drama or variety show.

4. The King Of Mask Singer

This competition show has been a huge hit in Korea, leading to a number of international versions.

In this show, celebrities compete in a one-on-one singing contest dressed as unusual characters. The identities of the celebrities are hidden through their masks, and not revealed until they are eliminated.

I recommend this show for beginners as it follows a set format, allowing you to familiarise yourself with repeated words and phrases.

Also, as it’s mostly focused on singing, you can also read the onscreen lyrics without having to follow too much dialogue.

Best Korean TV Shows For Intermediate Learners

Once you already have a solid grasp of the Korean language, TV shows can be a great way to introduce yourself to different speech styles and dialects.

Also, they can help you familiarise yourself with spoken Korean conversation in a variety of different situations.

5. Invincible Youth

In this reality show, a selection of female idols from famous girl groups such as KARA, Girls’ Generation, and T-ARA are sent to the countryside to live in a farming village and work with the locals.

From dancing K-pop choreography in front of bewildered older villagers to ploughing the fields and heartfelt moments, this is a funny show with simple dialogues.

As the idols are in different age groups and interact with many older people in the village, the dialogue of this show presents a great opportunity to get to grips with politeness, speech styles, and respectful language in Korean.

It’s also extremely funny! What’s great about reality shows is that you will also be able to pick up a lot of everyday conversational Korean.

6. Running Man

You might well have heard of this show already as it’s one of the most well-known Korean variety shows. In this show, the hosts and their celebrity guests are tasked with completing various missions to win the race.

The hosts (known in Korean as MCs) are famous for their humour, entertaining personalities, and close relationships to each other and interactions with their guests.

Running Man will definitely have you laughing, and you’ll not have to worry about running out of episodes to watch, as there are plenty! It's a great way to pick up some Korean slang words, as well as learn about Korean humour.

7. Single’s Inferno

This is something a little different, as it’s a reality survival show about dating. In this Netflix show, twelve singles need to find love on a deserted island whilst participating in challenges.

Contestants who are paired get to be in Paradise, an island where their needs are catered for. And those who are single are in Inferno, a deserted island where they need to use their survival instincts.

The dialogue on the show is fairly simple and not too complicated to follow. And although I’d not necessarily recommend getting dating tips from a TV show, Single’s Inferno can definitely help you get an insight!

8. I Live Alone

This is another show that falls into the category of reality/variety. In this show, single celebrities invite viewers into their daily lives.

The show has become extremely popular for its lack of reliance on editing and its genuine portrayals of single life.

Actresses, idols, athletes, and comedians have all featured on the show, and the dialogue isn't too complicated to follow.

9. Queendom

This is another recommendation for the idol fans. Queendom is a reality contest between female idols who need to ignite or restart their careers.

There are lots of famous female idols on Queendom, such as Park Bom from 2NE1 and girl group MAMAMOO. In Queendom, the groups must compete for the best comeback single, by performing both their own songs and songs of other girl groups.

The show follows a structured format and the dialogue will be no problem if you're familiar with the K-pop industry. The show is full of fun and drama, and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Best Korean TV Shows For Advanced Learners

Even if you’ve already gotten to grips with Korean, there’s always something new to be learnt from watching Korean TV shows.

Although you can watch these shows regardless of your level, some of the content might be more difficult to follow for beginner or intermediate learners.

10. Unpretty Rapstar

Unpretty Rapstar is a reality rap contest featuring female rappers and idol rappers from Korea.

Each episode, the contestants must complete challenges individually and in groups to win the right to feature on a song by a famous producer.

The contestants use a lot of slang, and some of the raps are extremely fast, but thankfully, they all have onscreen subtitles so you won’t get lost!

There are English subtitles available, but this is definitely a better show for you if you already have some knowledge of informal Korean and slang. 

11. Crime Scene

In this variety show, the players are invited to a mock-up of a murder scene. And they need to work out what happened, and who committed the crime.

In the show, the guests are tasked with adopting different roles based on real life crimes that were committed in Korea and abroad, and they need to find out who the killer is amongst them.

The players are first given a briefing on the case, before moving on to the investigation stage. Crime Scene originally aired from 2014-2017, but I’ve got good news as a new series has been planned for 2024. This is a great one for fans of crime TV.

12. Squid Game

I saved the best of these best Korean TV shows till last. Now if you haven’t watched this one already… I highly recommend that you do!

Squid Game rapidly became a global hit after release on Netflix, becoming the most-watched show in 94 different countries.

Squid Game follows protagonist Seong Gi-hun, a gambling addict who is down on his luck. He's mysteriously offered an opportunity to play children’s games to win a large cash prize along with 455 other contestants.

Things quickly take a turn, and you’ll find it hard to stop watching this psychological thriller! I’ve recommended this for advanced learners because there's a lot of linguistic information that you might miss out on just relying on English subtitles.

Learn Korean With The Best Korean TV Shows For Learners

Trying to follow along to Korean TV shows might seem a little daunting when you’re just starting out. But it can be a great way of training your ear, learning vocabulary, and getting used to how Korean conversations play out.

After a little time, you’ll be well on your way to picking up some Korean words and phrases, and all of the shows listed above have English subtitles to help you out! Even just one episode a day can go a long way in familiarising you with Korean.

Once you’re at the intermediate level and above, I recommend watching with Korean subtitles where possible. This can be extremely helpful in training your reading skills.

At these levels, you might start to pick up on dynamics of politeness, speech styles, and different Korean dialects, which can really help boost your Korean level.

The Korean TV shows in this list are divided by level, but don’t let that stop you! If you're a beginner and want to check out some of the shows I’ve recommended for other levels, go ahead!

Don’t feel disheartened if you don’t understand, you’ll definitely be able to pick up a few words. Enjoy! And if you want to learn Korean through stories instead, my course, Korean Uncovered has you covered. And you can try it for free!

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.