11 Top Korean Drama Apps for Binge-Watching Your Favorite Shows in 2023
Regardless of what Korean drama trope is your favorite, there’s one sure thing: Not much will create more drama in your life than desperately wanting to binge your favorite Korean TV shows but being unable to.
Even though you can watch Korean web series as long as you’re connected to the internet, many K-drama fans will still be left wanting all the study materials while watching their favorite programs.
With these 11 Korean drama apps, you can watch Kdramas free whenever you want—no fuss, no drama! (Just plenty of K-drama.)
Contents
- 1. Best for Kdrama community: Viki
- 2. Best for subtitles: FluentU
- 3. Best for fast program uploads: OnDemandKorea
- 4. Best for budget: Kocowa+
- 5. Best for free live showing: Viu
- 6. Best for variety: iFlix
- 7. Best for live broadcasts: KorTV
- 8. Best for convenience: Netflix
- 9. Best for personalization: Hulu
- 10. Best for hidden gems: AsianCrush
- 11. Best free app: Tubi
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
1. Best for Kdrama community: Viki
Price: $
Viki is a big name in Korean drama. In fact, you may have already enjoyed it online or via your Roku. You might not know, however, that Viki is also available on mobile.
Subtitling options for the app are remarkable; they’re available in 200+ languages because they’re submitted by users.
Note that not all languages are available for all programs, but regardless of what language you want to see subtitles in, you’re likely to find a program that offers subtitles in that language.
Another awesome feature of the Viki app is that you can actually chat with other users as you watch, which is a great way to connect with other K-drama fans and possibly other Korean language learners.
2. Best for subtitles: FluentU
Price: $$
The FluentU program turns authentic videos like K-drama clips and trailers into learning opportunities. Since these are short clips, they’re more approachable than full episodes, and easier to focus on for studying.
Here's a quick look at the variety of video choices available to you:
Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.
Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.
Don't stop there, though. You can use FluentU’s unique quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions.
FluentU even tracks your progress and remembers all the words you've learned, making for a 100% personalized experience.
Review sessions use video context to help embed the words in your memory. The best part? You can access the full FluentU video library with a free trial!
Start using FluentU Korean on the website or download the app from the iTunes or Google Play store.
3. Best for fast program uploads: OnDemandKorea
Price: Free, $$ – $$$
OnDemandKorea is another popular streaming option that you might be familiar with from using it on your computer or Roku.
However, OnDemandKorea also offers a popular mobile app.
The app features plenty of free content, and new programs are uploaded just hours after they air, giving you a great way to dig up a conversation topic for your next language exchange.
4. Best for budget: Kocowa+
Price: Free, $
Kocowa is a premium streaming service that you may already have checked out on your computer, but you can also use it on your favorite mobile device.
And Kocowa’s features are pretty appealing. While some content requires a subscription, you can watch Kdramas free for 24 hours after they’ve aired in Korea.
Not only that, the app saves your spot between devices, so you don’t have to fast-forward to find where you left off.
5. Best for free live showing: Viu
Price: $
If you’re in Asia, the Middle East or South Africa, Viu is a popular streaming platform worth checking out.
One standout aspect is that it features updated Korean dramas fast. Depending on your subscription, you can get them as quickly as four hours after live showing, with subtitles included in English and five other languages like Chinese and Indonesian.
Viu partners up with major Korean broadcasters, so it likely has most of the Korean shows that you’re looking for (including all of the shows of top celebrities like IU and Lee Min-ho).
6. Best for variety: iFlix
Price: $
iFlix is another Asia-based platform that caters to more than 20 countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It specializes in Asian shows, with a huge collection of Korean dramas.
You won’t run out of choices here because it automatically recommends shows that you might like. It’s built for watching on the go too because you can download shows for offline viewing for up to 30 days.
7. Best for live broadcasts: KorTV
Price: $$
Unlike the other apps on this list, KorTV lets you watch both Korean dramas and 24/7 live broadcasts from TV channels.
To start with, they have a base library of hundreds of on-demand dramas. Aside from those, you can tune in to TV channels like TV Chosun and KBS Korea, which show dramas, documentaries, variety shows and more.
Here’s an additional perk for Korean music fans: the app includes a channel that streams K-Pop 24/7!
8. Best for convenience: Netflix
Price: $$ – $$$
Ah, Netflix. The very word brings such joy. And for Korean students, there’s no shortage of Korean dramas to watch on Netflix.
Just search “Korean drama,” and you’ll have plenty of options.
You may be used to watching Netflix on your computer, smart TV or Roku, but you can also watch it on your phone.
The mobile app offers all the great features you’re familiar with: You can watch immediately, you can search, you can change subtitling options, etc. Additionally, the app will sync with your other devices so that you can easily pick up where you left off.
9. Best for personalization: Hulu
Price: $ – $$$
Hulu is another popular streaming option with some great Korean dramas.
You can access all of Hulu’s content through the mobile app.
Excitingly enough, Hulu is designed to be intuitive, so if you start watching Korean dramas, the app will likely suggest more Korean dramas for you to enjoy.
The only risk is that this could create a never-ending binge loop from which you’ll be unable to emerge.
10. Best for hidden gems: AsianCrush
Price: $
AsianCrush is another obvious drama stop. As its content is more wide-ranging, its selection of Korean dramas specifically is more limited than Viki.
Still, you can find the odd gem here that isn’t available on Viki, and this is a good spot to browse for Korean movies, too. AsianCrush content comes with English subtitles.
Like with Viki, you can watch most Kdramas for free, but you’ll have to deal with some ads. Unlike with many other services, though, AsianCrush seems to gear its commercials towards its audience.
Tip: You don’t get as many browsing choices through the app version of AsianCrush, so it may be easier to go to the website to figure out what you want to watch first.
11. Best free app: Tubi
Price: Free
Tubi, which offers all kinds of free content, doesn’t provide a way of searching for Korean dramas specifically, but their “Foreign Language TV” section is full of them.
On Tubi, you can watch all Kdramas for free, all Korean content has English subtitles and ads aren’t as persistent as on some similar sites.
So if you want your favorite Korean programs with you wherever you go, check out these 11 Korean drama mobile apps—many of which let you watch Kdramas free of charge!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
