The Best Anime and K-Dramas on Netflix

After a long day of working, nothing beats laying down with your favorite snack and turning on Netflix. The billion-dollar media service offers shows and movies from all genres and countries, and during quarantine, Netflix has been pulling more people in to see what’s new.

Two categories in particular that have been gaining popularity on Netflix are anime and Korean dramas. These genres have been popular for some time but have been on the rise due to the success of shows such as My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan. Korean films such as Train to Busan and Bong Joon Ho’s film Parasite also brought about a bigger craze for Korean media, allowing more releases of Korean films and dramas on Netflix to be recognized.

If you’re looking for new anime shows or K-dramas to watch but don’t feel like searching, look no further. Here are five anime and K-dramas to binge-watch on Netflix.

Kingdom

If you loved the film Train to Busan, then you’ll love Kingdom. Do not be deceived by this show’s name. While the drama takes place in an era of kings and queens, something terrifying is going on in this kingdom. Things take a turn when the common kingdom folk eat something that turns them into human-eating monsters (basically zombies). The kingdom finds itself in a horrifying predicament that ultimately leads to an unexpected truth.

While the show focuses on the zombies, it also revolves around the Crown Prince, played by Ji-Hoon Ju, who seeks answers about his father falling ill. Alongside the Prince is his right-hand man Moo-young, played by Kim Sang-ho. Other characters include nurse Seo-bi, played by Doona Bae, who tries to finish her master’s research and find the cure to the unexpected turn of events, and the Crown Prince’s enemy Cho Hak Ju, played by Seung-Ryong Ryu, who wants the Crown Prince dead.

Akame Ga Kill

Tatsumi, a skilled swordsman, joins an assassin group called Night Raid after learning about corruption in the capital. The group is comprised of skilled fighters who use Teigu, a kind of imperial arms that is so powerful when two Teigu users fight one of them is bound to die. They also use Danger Beasts, which are legendary animals that accompany them in battle.

Night Raid’s members include Akame, a swordsman, Leone who has beast-like abilities, Mine, a skilled sniper, Sheele who uses giant scissors, Lubbock the string wielder, Bulot the armored warrior, and Najenda the leader. Along with Tatsumi, the group fights the capital and their empire’s general, Esdeath.

Monthly Girls Nozaki-Kun

With only 12 episodes, this anime is a quick binge that will make you feel like only twenty minutes went by. This romantic comedy show revolves around high-school student Chiyo Sakura and her crush on a famous manga artist, Umetarou Nozaki. Chiyo finds herself becoming his assistant to get closer to him and other characters come into the show to provide more comedic relief.

7 Seeds

Five groups of young people, along with their assigned instructors, wake up in a post-apocalyptic Earth and try to survive. Throughout the anime, you not only find out how the Earth transformed but also the dark secrets surrounding the event and how these young people were able to survive. The show engages viewers, leading them to question what could happen between these people and what new specimen could be lurking in the area.

Save Me

This K-drama tells the story of a family who moves into a small new town and finds themselves involved in a religious cult after the leader notices the daughter, Soo Ye-Ji. Ye-Ji realizes the craziness and inhumane behavior of the cult and attempts to save herself and her family from it. Ye-Ji seeks help from a young man she met in the area and asks him and his friends for help. The show escalates into a deeper and heartbreaking scenario, leaving you wondering if the boys will ever be able to get Ye-Ji and her family out.