5 K-Drama gems that are good to stay underrated and remain hidden: From Catch the Ghost to Rain or Shine

There’s nothing wrong with rewatching Crash Landing on You for the 47th time, sobbing over Descendants of the Sun or having Queen of Tears permanently open in another browser tab. The classics are classics for a reason. But sometimes, the K-drama algorithm needs a little… encouragement. Beyond the mega-hits and endlessly recycled recommendations lies a treasure trove of shows doing everything from sweet romances and emotional family drama to twisty police procedurals and gloriously chaotic comedy.

So, if you’ve already exhausted the usual suspects, or simply fancy stepping off the well-trodden K-drama path, it’s time to dig a little deeper. From Catch the Ghost to Rain or Shine, these five gems prove that sometimes the best binge is hiding just beyond the algorithm’s spotlight.

Hello to Kim Seon-ho and his dimples! Before the days of Start-up and the glowing success of Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Seon-ho was making his way up the ladder with this delightfully offbeat police procedural. Catch the Ghost. He is paired with Moon Geun-young’s fiercely determined subway cop with Seon-ho’s cautious, rule-following partner, a mismatched duo who bring just the right amount of chaos to Seoul’s underground.

The show zips between crime-solving, action, comedy and surprisingly sweet emotional beats, without allowing any one ingredient to overwhelm the whole dish. Beneath its breezy, sometimes quirky exterior is a story about grief, family, duty and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. Moon Geun-young brings conviction to a woman searching for her missing autistic twin, while Seon-ho is charming as a man whose cautious exterior slowly gives way to courage. It’s just so much fun.

Streaming on Viki.

At its heart, Family by Choice is about three children who, despite not being related by blood, grow up as siblings under the same roof, supported by the two fathers who become their family. After years apart, they reunite as adults, bringing old wounds, unresolved feelings and complicated relationships back to the surface. The strongest idea is: Found family, built through shared meals, support and the messy, everyday intimacy of people who have chosen one another. The writing is strong, with all the characters mettle shining through. The romance proved more divisive, with some finding the shift from sibling-like affection to romantic feelings rushed or uncomfortable, while others found Hwang In-youp’s emotional transition convincing. Still, the consensus was clear: this was a warm, often heartbreaking drama that could have used more episodes — and, importantly, gave Hwang In-youp’s character the happy ending viewers desperately wanted.

Streaming on Viki

The Atypical Family takes the superhero genre, throws it into a family therapy session and asks: what happens when your superpowers disappear because real life gets in the way? Bok Gwi-ju can travel back to happy moments in his past, but depression leaves him unable to access his ability. The rest of his dysfunctional family are struggling with their own very modern problems — insomnia, smartphone addiction and eating disorders, which have also robbed them of their powers. Enter Do Da-hae, a mysterious woman who moves into their lives and, naturally, makes everything considerably more complicated. The drama attempts to go far beyond fantasy romance, and twists the knife with trauma, and family. It is slow, poetic, so you might need to hold on to your patience.

Streaming on Netflix

This one is a painful, healing process, and if you're up for Lee Jun-ho and Won Jin-ah to pummel your heart, then go for it. A story entrenched in guilt and the aftermath of one life-changing incident, the show holds up a mirror of what grief can look like, repulsive, disturbing and sickening— and yet, you can’t look away. There’s nothing romantic and poetic about loss, as the storytelling shows. The themes are so heavy and yet silent, that it takes time to watch the show.

Rain or Shine revolves around revolves around Jun-ho’s Gang Doo and Moon-soo, who are the survivors in a building collapse that occurred 10 years ago. 48 people were killed and several others killed. It’s the tragedy that headlines briefly, then fades from public memor, a familiar disaster in a world all too used to them. But Rain or Shine narrows in on the aftermath, showing how even a ‘small’ incident reverberates for years in the lives of those left behind.

Streaming on Netflix and Viki

 Another historical drama that is poignant, heartfelt and so raw, The Red Sleeve, stars Lee Jun-ho (again) as King Jeongjo and his court lady, played by Lee Se-young. They share a deep, moving connection and yet, time and duties strive to keep them apart.

Backstreet Rookie is the K-drama you watch when you want to decompress, laugh at some absolute nonsense and let Kim Yoo-jung carry you through the chaos. The story follows Choi Dae-hyun, a sweet but somewhat hapless convenience-store owner, whose life is turned upside down when Jung Saet-byul, the fearless, fiercely loyal former troublemaker who has had a crush on him for years, turns up looking for a part-time job. Cue romance, silliness, family drama and enough screaming to qualify as its own supporting character. Saet-byul is the undisputed star: tough, funny, warm-hearted and endlessly watchable, while Ji Chang-wook brings an adorably clueless charm to Dae-hyun. The romance may test your patience, the plot occasionally goes completely off the rails and the comedy can be… an acquired taste. But if you’re after a chaotic, silly, surprisingly sweet comfort watch, Backstreet Rookie knows exactly what it is — and has a very good time being it.