Family comes first in these holiday-bingeable K-dramas
Christmas and the year-end season are traditionally a time for reunion, when families gather to reconnect and celebrate shared love. Few mediums capture that sentiment as effectively as Korean dramas, which have long excelled at portraying the delicacy and warmth of human relationships.
From widely beloved titles like “When Life Gives You Tangerines” to the “Reply” series, K-dramas have consistently placed family at the emotional core of their storytelling. Beyond those well-known hits, here are some lesser-known, a bit quirky series that are just as affecting and well-suited for you to binge with your family during the holiday season.
“My Unfamiliar Family” on Tving
At first glance, “My Unfamiliar Family” presents an unconventional premise, but it emerges as a deeply humane and emotionally layered drama. The story follows a father in his 60s who regresses mentally to his 22-year-old self, just as his wife begins contemplating divorce. Their personal upheaval sends ripples through the rest of the household.
By shedding light on each family member's individual crisis — such as the eldest daughter struggling with her own failing marriage while the younger daughter begins reevaluating her feelings for her male best friend of a decade — the series examines miscommunication, resentment and the long process of understanding one another, ultimately asking what it truly means to be a "family."
“Family Matters” on Coupang Play
Coupang Play’s flagship series “Family Matters” takes a genre-bending approach to the concept of family, blending black comedy with superhero elements. The story follows five superpowered individuals who escape a shadowy organization, dubbed the Special Education Unit, form a makeshift family and go into hiding while quietly eliminating threats in their new city.
Led by heavyweights from the Korean film industry, including Bae Doo-na, who stars as a mother figure capable of manipulating memories and inflicting psychological pain, and Ryu Seung-beom, who plays her husband, “Family Matters” offers a funny, sharp yet affectionate portrait of family love. By conveying the sacrifice and devotion the characters pour into their makeshift family, the series connotes that even in the most unconventional circumstances, connection and care can become the ultimate superpowers.
“Family By Choice” on Tving, Netflix
A Korean remake of the popular Chinese series “Go Ahead,” “Family By Choice” is set in the small village of Hae-dong and follows a group of individuals with no biological ties who nonetheless become a family.
Rather than focusing on traditional family structures, the series emphasizes relationships built through emotional dependence and trust, reflecting a distinctly contemporary Korean reality shaped by the rise of single-person households and increasing social isolation.
By centering on everyday conflicts and moments of support among unrelated individuals, the drama suggests that family can be defined by care and commitment rather than blood. In doing so, “Family By Choice” offers a kind commentary on modern loneliness, delivering a message of comfort and solidarity to viewers exploring life on their own.
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