The best short K-dramas to binge-watch

The K-drama industry is growing rapidly, presenting viewers with gripping series of various genres, including romance, comedy, thriller, action, and more. Most of these shows have sixteen or more episodes. However, in recent years, several Korean drama series have also concluded their storylines in eight or fewer episodes.

The Frog is one of the latest short K-dramas and became popular due to its exciting plot and outstanding performances by the lead actors. The 8 Show is another Korean short thriller series from 2024 that became a huge hit. With that in mind, here are some series that are perfect for viewers who want to watch them in one go. Plus, they are available online on various streaming platforms.

The Frog

The Frog is a K-drama-style psychological thriller starring Go Min-Si and Kim Yoon-Seok. It premiered on Netflix on Friday, August 23, 2024. The series is based on the screenplays by Son Ho-Young and directed by Mo Wan-Il.

The Frog tells the ominous story of Young-Ha (Kim Yoon-Seok), a man who owns a vacation home in a quiet, deep forest. One day, the arrival of a mysterious woman, Yoo Seong-A (Go Min-Si), turns the owner's life completely upside down and turns it into a nightmare. The suspicious guest also destroys the peace and order in the lives of other people around Young-Ha.

Viewers can watch all eight episodes of The Frog on Netflix.

The Game of Death

Death's Game is based on the webtoon of the same name by Lee Won-Sik and Ggulchan and premiered on Prime Video and TVING on December 15, 2023. The fantasy thriller series with a total of eight episodes stars actor Seo In-Guk. Ha Byung-Hoon was both the writer and director of the drama.

Death's Game tells the fascinating story of a man named Choi Yi-Jae, played by Seo In-Guk. The series also focuses on the character of Death, portrayed by actress Park So-Dam. After not finding a decent job for several years and facing other major difficulties in life, Choi Yi-Jae loses all hope and decides to end his life. At that moment, the mysterious entity Death appears and punishes him for giving up on his life. Death also forces him to go through thirteen different cycles of life and death through reincarnation until he is given his final chance to live again.

The K-drama can be watched online on Prime Video.

Serendipity's Embrace

Serendipity's Embrace is a new eight-episode K-drama that began airing on tvN on Monday, July 22, 2024. It is an adaptation of Nam Ji-Eun's popular webtoon Is it Fate? and stars Jong-Hyeop as Hyu-Yeong and So-Hyun as Hong-Ju. The eight-episode series revolves around the concept of coincidence and fate.

Serendipity's Embrace tells the story of Hyu-Yeong and Hong-Ju, who went to the same high school before Hyu-Yeong went abroad. Their heartwarming story unfolds as the two meet again after a long time and fall madly in love.

Viewers can watch the Korean short series on Viki and Viu in select regions.

The 8 Show

The 8 Show is another popular dystopian thriller K-drama series with eight episodes. It premiered on Netflix on May 17, 2024. It is a black comedy survival drama starring Ryu Jun-Yeol, Bae Sung-Woo, Chun Woo-Hee, Park Jeong-Min, Moon Jeong-Hee, Lee Yul-Eum, and others.

Directed by Han Jae-Rim, The 8 Show tells the story of eight people who are struggling in life for different reasons. They are soon invited to play a strange game where the goal is to win large sums of money. However, while playing, they are soon confronted with social inequality, which leads to utter chaos.

The series can be watched online on Netflix.

Other short K-dramas that are worth watching include Soundtrack #1, The Hymn of Death, A Shop for Killers, and Weak Hero Class 1.