20 Gift Korean Drama Gift Ideas-2
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20 Gift Ideas for Korean Drama Fans

December 11, 2018 / 3 Comments

Are you looking for the perfect Christmas gift to give a KDrama fan?  Or maybe you’d like a birthday gift for your Korean Drama loving friend that will make you their best bestie?  Or just a little present to celebrate your own awesomeness?  We’ve got you covered.  Here are 20 amazing gift ideas for the Korean Drama fan in your life.

Disclosure:  This post contains some affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Purchases made through these links help us to keep running and are much appreciated.  Thank you!

1. Signed Memorabilia

Nothing says “awesome” like owning an item signed by your favorite star.  But while most signatures go for big bucks in other fandoms, Korean Stars’ signed memorabilia are usually very affordable — when bought from the right places.  Beware though, just like any other signature, KDrama sigs are often forged.  We’ve found two places where all the merchandise is guaranteed to be genuine.  (Do you know another?  Please tell us in the comments below.)

  • MWave: The original source for signed memorabilia, MWave has items from many of the biggest names in K-Pop (and KDrama.)  Plan to check back often, as stock changes frequently.
  • Makestar: Intended as a fundraiser to help Korean artists just starting out in entertainment, Makestar gives fans the opportunity to support their favorite artists and at the same time buy fan merchandise.  Keep an eye out as many support levels also include items signed by the artists.

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2. Subscription to KDrama Streaming Site

Buy KDrama Subscription Gift

Nothing is more obnoxious to a KDrama fan than reaching that crucial moment and then having to wait endlessly for ads.  Grr!  Save a life.  Buy your KDrama fan a subscription to their favorite streaming site.

  • Viki: The number one site for Asian Dramas, we are in love with Viki.com.  With the end of Dramafever, Viki has become THE go-to site for Korean Dramas.  (Also, Kocowa is included with the Plus package.  See below.)
  • Kocowa: Kocowa was created when the Korean broadcasting stations SBS, MBC, and KBS banned together to create an online streaming platform for overseas audiences.  The site is the best at getting viewers English subtitles quickly.  However, they do not have the same fan community that is available on Viki.  Also, almost all Kocowa titles are available from Viki as part of their Plus package.
  • Netflix: Best known for streaming American TV, Netflix recently expanded their shows to include many Korean titles not available anywhere else.  We love how easy it is to find our favorites and the crisp picture quality.
  • Hulu: Not many people know that Hulu now offers some Korean dramas and movies.  The selection is still limited, but many of them are popular titles. 

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3. OST CD’s or Downloads

Photo Credit: Dramabeans

Also known as Original Soundtracks, a great OST can bring back all the feels to a KDrama fan.  There are so many amazing OSTs out there, but these are a few fan favorites:

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4. Iconic items

Mr. Buckwheat Doll from “Goblin” 
Photo Credit: Koreaboo

Almost every drama has at least one: an iconic item which symbolizes that drama to all its fans.  Often unique and sometimes quirky, these items can bring back all the happiness and delicious pain.

Mr. Buckwheat Doll from “Goblin”: By far the most requested and recognizable item, Mr. Buckwheat is a play on the word for “lover.”  Available in both full size and as a keyring.

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Sugo Cow from “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?”: This happy bovine is an adorable play on the Korean words for “Cow” and “Good job.”  Available in multiple sizes from Amazon.

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Pig Bunny from “You Are Beautiful”: Perhaps the oldest and most recognizable symbol of the KDrama fandom.  Available from Amazon.

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Puuung Illustrated Love Story Book from “W”: Bring back all the Lee Jong Suk & Han Hyo Joo cuddle memories with this book about everyday love.  Available from Amazon.

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Monkey from “A Korean Odyssey”: A playful reminder of the mischievious Lee Seung Gi.  Available in 12 inches or 18 inches from Amazon.  (Other characters also available)

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Snail Plush from “Because This Is My First Life”: A symbol of patient love, Jung So Min & Lee Min Ki’s adorable game prize stole the show.  Available from Meeniful.

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5. KDrama Fan Shirts/Tops

We didn’t choose the fandom life, but we sure love to be in it.  Help your KDrama fan show off their drama love with one of these fun tops.  

“I Turned off My KDrama to Be Here” T-Shirt: So much sass packed into one shirt.  Available in 6 colors, additional styles, and in Men’s.

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“Single, Taken, Goblin’s Bride” T-Shirt: Single fangirls aren’t really single.  They are just waiting for Oppa. Available in 17 colors, multiple styles, and Men’s.

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“Healer” T-Shirt: We are in love with how subtle and classy the “Healer” logo is on this tee.  Available in 6 colors, multiple styles, and Men’s.

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“Do Bong Soon” T-Shirt: Bong Soon from “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon” could not be cuter than on this tee.  Available in multiple styles and in Men’s.

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“Next Episode” T-Shirt: This little KDrama fan melts in a pool of her own feels, but still bravely gives the KDrama fan’s battle cry: “Next Episode!”  Available in 5 colors and Men’s.

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“KDrama and Chill” Hoodie: This cute little panda really gets it.  Who wouldn’t rather KDrama and chill?  Available in 5 colors, multiple styles, and Women’s.  

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“Big Boss” Descendants of the Sun T-Shirt: Taken from the iconic code name for Song Joong Ki in “Descendants of the Sun.” Available in 4 colors and multiple styles.

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“The K2” Ji Chang Wook T-Shirt: This fierce and fun take on the K2 logo is comic-style perfection.  Available in 17 colors and multiple styles.

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“Drama Addict” T-Shirt: We can’t help laughing at this fun play on the words “Drama Addict” and the Subway logo (known by every fan to be the ultimate KDrama date place.)  Available in 4 colors and Women’s.

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6. Korean Drama Phone Case

Hello? Oppa is calling.  Let your inner fan shine with these fun and flirty phone covers.                                 

Goblin iPhone Case: Gong Yoo & Lee Dong Wook’s iconic rescue scene will never be beaten for coolness.  Available for most iPhone models.

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Finger Heart iPhone Case: the international symbol for “I love you”  used by all KPop and KDrama stars.  Finger hearts are the perfect way to show your KDrama love.  

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Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo iPhone Case: This couple date is so sweet we want to relive it forever.  

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Healer iPhone Case: This magical wintery kiss scene from “Healer” is a fan favorite for a reason.  The perfect gift for any Park Min Young or Ji Chang Wook fan.

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Legend of the Blue Sea iPhone Case: This seaside scene with Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji Hyun is beautiful in its subtilty.  Available in multipl iPhone models. 

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Strong Woman Do Bong Soon Phone Case: Park Hyung Sik and Park Bo Young brought all the cute in this dating scene, complete with cat-ear couple headbands.

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7. Way to watch on TV

One of the biggest struggles of being a Korean Drama lover (aside from having to wait for subtitles) is that your shows never air on TV.  Instead, we have to watch on tiny phone screens or laptops that run out of charge halfway through the episode.  But what many fans don’t know is that there are many ways to watch Korean Dramas on TV.  Below are the most popular streaming and connection methods.

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8. Tickets to a fan event or K-Con

In addition to the amazing chance to see our favorite stars, we love that Korean fan events give us the chance to connect with other KDrama and KPop fans, whether in person or online.   Tickets to an event are a great way to show your KDrama fan that she (or he) is not alone.

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9. Korean Beauty Products

Korean stars have MASTERED the art of beauty.  From facial masks, creams, cleansers, and make-up even the guys have a better beauty routine than most of us do.  Thankfully, with Korean stores shipping around the world, their secrets can be ours too.

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10. Korean Snack Foods

Watching KDramas is the WORST thing to do if you are hungry.  Seriously, Korean Dramas take the “late night munchies” to a whole other level.  Satisfy your fan’s cravings (and curiosity) with these deliciously addictive Korean snacks.

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11. Gift Certificate to a Korean Restaurant

Korean stars just make their local food look SO GOOD.  We want to try everything!  Give your KDrama fan a Gift Certificate to the local Korean Restaurant and they will be thanking you for days.  (Bonus:  This would also make for a great date place.  Just saying.)

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12. Korean Cookbooks & Tools

More than just Ramen noodles, Korean food is a treasure trove of cooking possibilities for a home cook…and a great source of gift ideas too.  From cookbooks, to special tools, to unique ingredients, there are so many things to delight your aspiring Korean chef.

Cookbooks:

Amazon’s Best Selling Korean Cookbooks

Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking: Authentic Dishes for the Home Cook

A Korean Mother’s Cooking Notes

Korean Home Cooking: Classic & Modern Recipes

Korean Paleo

Cooking & Eating Supplies

InstaPot/Rice Cooker

Korean Chopstick & Spoon Set by Buyer

Porcelain Rice Bowls

Lunchbox Container Set

Korean Ramyun Noodle Pot (w/ Chopsticks & Dish Scrubber)

Stone Bowl for Bibimbap & Soup

Stovetop Korean BBQ Grill Non-Stick Pan

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13. Korean Language Learning Book or Program

As a Korean Drama or K-Pop fan, at some point it hits you.: the desire to learn Korean.  Whether you are just exhausted waiting for subs to come out or frustrated by the behind-the-scenes clips that never get translated, there will come a day when you wonder whether you could learn Korean too.  The good news is: you absolutely can.  There are many curriculems and programs available, but these are our favorites (and the ones we used.)

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14. Clothes or Jewelry from Korean Dramas

Whether a bag, blouse, or bangle the clothes and jewelry worn by the stars in Korean Dramas give us envy for days.  The good news is that many of their clothes and accessories are available for everyone to buy.  Below are a few of our favorites, and a few ideas for where to look for more.

Find More:

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15. Backup drive for computer or iCloud storage plan

Korean Dramas take an insane amount of space in our electronic lives.  Whether it is episode downloads, kiss scenes screenshots, “accurate” gifs, or clips of Oppa dancing to “New Face,” our computers and phones are suffering from fandom-induced lag.  Give your KDrama fan a memory boost and she just might have enough storage to text you a “thank you” — and a KDrama gif.

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16. Headphones

Don’t think that just because we don’t speak the language we aren’t listening to our dramas.  We are totally there for Oppa’s chocolatey rich voice.  

Plus, with the right pair of headphones we can watch while everyone else is sleeping — because, let’s be real, it’s impossible to stop when the preview was a kiss scene!  

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17. KDrama/Korea Books

Whether they are about Korean culture, Korean Dramas, or just stories written like Korean Dramas, there are many fabulous books written to delight the KDrama fan.  Here are just a few to get you started.

  • “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by Maurene Goo: “When an embarrassing incident involving a crush occurs, a miserable Desi hunkers down and spends a weekend binge-watching Korean dramas. The teen comes up with a 24-step plan to snag a boyfriend, which is based on the formula of success for every K-drama television show. Desi has her heart set on the new kid in school, Luca, and puts her scheme into motion…A humorous romantic comedy with a Korean drama twist that should be on all YA romance shelves.”—Vivian Ho, Port Washington Public Library, NY
  • “Falling in Love Like a Korean Drama” by A.K. Moon: “Summer has been working at her dad’s restaurant as a chef since her mom’s demise. Enduring her step mom’s verbal abuse and unthankful dad seemed to be the only thing each day brought. One day, she sees a man at her deceased mom’s old house, and he strangely magnetizes her mind since then…Summer hopes that a trip to Korea would uncover her mom’s past, but she never expected to see the mysterious man who was at her mother’s house on the other side of the world.”
  • “Why Do Dramas Do That? Part 1” by Javabeans & Girlfriday: “Korean television dramas aren’t just for Korea anymore—their popularity has exploded across the globe, picking up rabid followings and spawning addictions worldwide. Yet for all the universal themes at play, inevitably things will get lost in translation. The authors created the wildly popular blog Dramabeans.com to explore these questions and more, where they deconstruct Korean dramas and pop culture on a daily basis. They take their trademark irreverence to Why Do Dramas Do That? Part 1, where they answer those questions and explore the most common tropes that arise from drama to drama.” 
  • “A Geek in Korea: Discovering Asia’s New Kingdom of Cool” by Daniel Tudor: “For every fan of K-Pop music, Korean Wave dramas and Kimchi—or anyone intrigued by Korea and Korean culture—A Geek in Korea is a hip, new guide to the land of the Samsung smartphone and Gangnam Style.”
  • “The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture” by Euny Hong: “A fresh, funny, up-close look at how South Korea remade itself as the world’s pop culture powerhouse of the Twenty-First Century.” 
  • “K-Love (Korean Drama Series Book 1)” by Devon Atwood: “Chase finds herself on a blind date she didn’t want, but it turns out that Daniel Bak is really dreamy. Just as she’s getting to know him better she is thrown into the path of his enigmatic best friend, Hyun Tae, son of a wealthy family. The cool, distant Hyun Tae is forced to protect her from his family when she stumbles on their corporate espionage, while Daniel is hiding a secret that could blow everything apart. Somewhere in the danger and the unraveling secrets her heart will find a place, but she isn’t sure where that will be.”

18. KDrama/KPop Monthly Club Membership

KDrama Box from Inspire Me Korea

Who wouldn’t be excited to see a bit of Korea arrive in their mail every month?

  • Daebak Box: Some of the most adorable boxes you’ll ever find, Daebak’s standard boxes come with $100 worth of assorted Korean foods, drinks, beauty items, Kpop related items, and plushies. Also available are more specialized items such as the Korean jewelry box, or Snackfever Box. Occasionally, Daebak also carries special collaboration boxes with highly sought after brands — definitely something to excited about.
  • Korean Snack Box: Korean snacks and candies shipped straight from South Korea and packaged in beautiful silk bags.
  • Korea Boxes: “is a monthly Korean Snacks/Cosmetics?K-Pop, Drama Merch subscription box service with FREE International Shipping from Korea.”
  • Inspire Me Korea Monthly Culture Boxes: a variety of snacks, beauty products, souvenirs, and other Korea related merch with a new theme every month.
  • KStyles Box: a variety of boxes, including Korea Tea Box, Beauty Box, Mask Box, and Snack Box
  • Snackfever Box: (now part of Daebak Box company) Available in original or deluxe.
  • BomiBox: Full or deluxe samplei sze Korean Beauty Box.

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19. Destination Trip to Korea

If a KDrama fan were to dream, a trip to the “land of love and Oppa” would be the best gift EVER.  Grab your bags because these tours are made for KDrama dreams.

20. Gag Gift

Looking for a gift that doesn’t take things too seriously?  We have a few ideas that speak to the fandom heart.

  • Coffee: Because after all those late nights watching KDramas, we need caffeine.  
  • Kleenex:  Because there is an insane amount of crying involved in watching Korean Dramas. 
  • Fake Eyes to look awake at work:  Because late night drama marathons leave us no time for sleep.
  • Subway Gift Card: Because according to KDrama logic this is the ultimate hot date.

Drama Unni is a Korean Entertainment Journalist and blogger based out of the US.  She enjoys late night kdrama binges with her two dogs. Email: unni@dramacurrent.com

3 Comments

  • Tina

    December 14, 2018 at 11:42 am Reply

    ♡♡♡ i looooveee korean drama so does my sis..we might be the only ones in our small country who love kdrama lol..shes getting chopsticks for christmas..straight from the land of our dashingly handsome oppas ..i love your list btw..should have been a bit earlier though when i needed it ♡ hope you get lots of kdrama related merchandise for christmas!

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