Khaberni - With the increasing popularity of short series with a fast pace, Korean works consisting of 8 to 12 episodes have become an ideal choice for viewers looking for a concentrated dose of drama and suspense without prolongation or filler.
This shortened format grants the stories better balance, away from the problem of long preliminary scenes followed by sudden acceleration in the final episodes—a common observation among fans of Korean drama recently.
In this report, we highlight the top five short Korean series that succeeded in combining fun, emotion, and suspense, suitable for binge-watching over the weekend.
1- Can This Love Be Translated? (?Can This Love Be Translated)
This production marks a notable return for the star Kim Seon-ho to the lead role in romantic drama, after a hiatus of about five years since his great success in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, with a brief previous appearance in When Life Gives You Tangerines.
Kim portrays Jo Ho-jin, a candid and emotional young man whose life intersects with the struggling actress Cha Mo-hye (Go Yoon-jung), a dreamy character living under the pressure of the lights and photographers’ lenses.
Their relationship begins with a humanitarian gesture when he helps her face betrayal at their first meeting, before fate reunites them after she is involved in an accident.
The series is distinguished by light atmospheres, comedic touches, and attractive visual aesthetics, alongside a dry sense of humor and balanced emotional performance that reaffirms Kim Seon-ho as the "King of Romantic Comedy."
2- Business Proposal (Business Proposal)
Considered one of the most successful office romance series in the modern history of Korean drama, it still rightfully remains on recommendation lists.
The story revolves around the romantic chaos between CEO Kang Tae-mo (Ahn Hyo-sub) and employee Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong), who is forced to disguise herself as another person, using a wig to help her friend escape from a blind date.
The success does not stop with this duo, as there is a second romantic line that brings together Kim Min-kyu and Seol In-ah, in a relationship that quietly develops between two friends.
3- Little Women (Little Women)
For those who prefer something other than romance, this series is an ideal choice starring Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-hyun, and Wi Ha-jun.
Little Women offers a modern and darker treatment of a classic novel, turning it into a tense psychological thriller that tells the story of three sisters on the brink of poverty, who find themselves entangled in a murder case that turns their lives upside down and threatens to destroy them.
The series is marked by a well-crafted script and strong acting performance that highlights the unique path of each sister, and despite the absence of a romantic narrative, fans have long been clamoring for at least one scene that brings together Kim Go-eun and Wi Ha-jun.
4- Love to Hate You (Love to Hate You)
If 12 episodes seem too many, this work offers a complete experience in just 10 episodes.
The story centers on Yoo Mi-ran (Kim Ok-vin), a strong and independent lawyer who believes in social justice and has a complete distrust of men, but she suddenly finds herself in a large law firm dominated by men and dealing with celebrity scandals.
On the opposite side appears Nam Kang-ho (Tieu Yu), a famous romantic star with hostile ideas toward women, and shortly, a misunderstanding turns into a confrontation, before Mi-ran devises a plan to approach him and uncover his truth, after suspecting his involvement in unethical behavior.
The series combines smart clashes, black comedy, and sharp social critique.
5- My Name (My Name)
The shortest and darkest in the list, consisting of just 8 episodes, starring Han So-hee as Yoon Ji-woo, a young woman whose life is turned upside down after the murder of her father, leading her to seek revenge without hesitation.
Ji-woo joins a drug gang led by Choi Mo-jin (Park Hee-soon), before infiltrating the police under a false identity as a spy, and is assigned to work in the drug enforcement unit, where she participates in investigations alongside detective Jeon Pil-do (Ahn Bo-hyun), without him realizing her true identity.
The series is sharp, violent, and charged with moral conflicts, and the audience is divided between those who reject it and those who are fascinated to the point of shock.
