4 Of The Best Free Streaming Apps For Watching K-Dramas

Over the last several years, Korean content has found significant popularity in the US, and if Netflix shows like Crash Landing on You, Boys Over Flowers, and Extraordinary Attorney Woo have you craving more Korean dramas, there is good news. Beyond the biggest Korean series on Netflix, and increasing number of K-dramas found on paid streaming services like Disney+ and Hulu, there is an excellent selection of Korean content found on free streamers, allowing you to get your fill of Korean dramas without worrying about subscription costs. 

You may have to put up with some advertisements, but that's a small price to pay for free access to new Korean shows. However, unless you're deep into K-dramas, you may be unfamiliar with where to find this content. So, to help keep the Korean content flowing, we have rounded up four of the best streaming apps that offer free Korean dramas on your mobile device or TV.

Viki is arguably your best friend when it comes to watching K-dramas for free on the internet. This Rakuten-owned streaming service hosts over 1,000 Korean TV series, many of which you can watch for free. However, you'll have to endure advertisements and SD resolution. The service also has a section that lists all of the content that's available for free streaming, removing the hassle of finding a show you want to watch and then realizing that it needs a Viki Pass subscription. Some of the best-rated free K-dramas available on Viki include Descendants of the Sun, Legend of the Blue Sea, and Mr. Queen.

Notably, Viki also allows you to watch two free episodes of most premium shows to give you a taste and decide whether shelling out for the Viki Pass is worth it. The service has apps for most platforms, including Android, iOS, and major smart TV brands, while offering subtitles in multiple languages, most of which are contributed by the community at large. You may get English dubs for some of the content, but it's relatively limited.

Tubi has gained popularity as folks replace their premium streaming services in favor of free and ad-supported options to save money in light of increasing subscription costs. While primarily highlighted for its English language catalog, Tubi has a pretty decent selection of Korean content as well. All of its K-dramas can be found neatly organized under the "K-Drama & Beyond" section. While most of its Korean shows have English subtitles, dubs are less common.

Like Viki, Tubi has official apps for all major platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. Highly-rated Korean shows you can find on Tubi include Her Private Life, Hogu's Love, The K2, Something in the Rain, and Because This Is My First Life. It's worth noting that the content on Tubi is limited to 720p HD resolution, with some older shows streaming in relatively low 540p resolution, and there is no way to remove ads. 

As the name suggests, OnDemand Korea is a streaming service dedicated to Korean content. While a lot of its K-drama selections are locked behind a paywall, it has a decent number of shows available for free. Fortunately, as the service clearly marks paywalled shows as Premium, you can easily identify free content. OnDemand Korea also has apps for all major platforms, including Android, iOS, and smart TVs.

You'll need an account to access the service, which can be setup for free with a valid email address. There are video ads, and besides the completely free content, you can access certain episodes of premium K-dramas, as with Viki. Some of the best-rated free K-dramas available on OnDemand Korea include The Tale of Lady Ok, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, Marriage, Not Dating, and Confession. And while OnDemand Korea generally lacks dubbed content, it does include English subtitles for most Korean shows.

AsianCrush only hosts content from Asian countries, and availability is limited to the US and Canada. While its K-drama selection isn't as extensive as Viki or Tubi, AsianCrush does give you a decent collection of Korean shows. Some are stuck behind a paywall, but others can be accessed without even registering. That said, you can register to track your watch history. The service also includes advertisements in the free content.

It can be slightly tricky to find K-dramas in one place on AsianCrush as there is no dedicated section. However, the platform does include curated collections that may include Korean content. That said, you'll have to browse around to spot any K-dramas you may like. English subtitles are available, but dubs are rare here. Some of the most popular and freely available K-dramas on AsianCrush include Boys over Flowers and Saimdang: Memoir of Colors. Like our other recommendations, AsianCrush has apps for all popular platforms. 

To choose the best apps for streaming K-dramas on your phone or TV, we focused on those that are available in the United States and have a reasonable selection of Korean content that can be watched without paying a subscription fee. We confirmed the availability of K-dramas by visiting each service. We also considered the availability of subtitles and dubs to ensure you don't need an understanding of the Korean language to watch K-dramas. Moreover, all our recommendations are available across all major mobile and smart TV platforms.