Are you also a Korean drama lover like me? If yes, this article will be very interesting for you.
Korean dramas are widely loved worldwide. Their uniqueness, compelling storylines, stellar casts and high production values have created another level of craze among fans.
In today’s article, I am going to talk about the best Korean dramas to watch. Let’s see if your favorite drama comes in this list or not.
Korean Drama
Korean dramas originally belong to South Korea and have gained a huge popularity all over the world with its amazing storyline and lead actors. The blend of romance, comedy, drama and action make Korean dramas a part of modern entertainment.
Korean dramas come in a wide range in different genres addressing love, family, friendship, and social issues, making dramas more popular globally.
5 Best Korean Dramas
There are different types of K-dramas available and a lots of them have made a permanent home in audiences’ hearts. Let’s talk about 5 best Korean dramas from them:
1- Crash Landing on You
- Release year: 2019-20
- Main leads: Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin
- Where to watch: Netflix
Plot: Crash Landing on You is a romantic drama in which a successful South Korean business woman Yoon Se-Ri, accidentally lands in North Korea while paragliding. Here she meets a military officer Ri Jeong-Hyeok, and then, a unique love story begins between them.
Contrary to the political and cultural divide, the two end up falling in love.
Why It is popular: Crash Landing on You is a heartwarming, thrilling, and tragic love story about two people from opposite sides of the border who fall in love despite politics and differences. A true love tale of sacrifice, courage, and emotional transformation.
Viewership rating: With 21.7% rating, this drama has become the highest-rated dramas in cable television history.
2- The Legend of the Blue Sea
- Release year: 2016-17
- Main leads: Lee Min-ho and Jun Ji-hyun
- Where to watch: Netflix
Plot: The story of Legend of the Blue Sea is based on Joseon classic legend where a mermaid is caught and released by a fisherman. Legend of the Blue Sea is a love story of a conman, Heo Joon-jae, and a mermaid, Shim Cheong, who crosses seas to be with him.
It is merged with their history in their previous lives in Joseon times, where they were Kim Dam-ryeong and Se-hwa.
Why It is popular: The drama is popular because of the powerful lead actors, its fantasy elements, and the beautiful cinematography.
The parallel storylines between the past and present add depth to the narrative, exploring themes of love, destiny, and reincarnation.
Viewership rating: With the rating of 21.0%, this drama became one of the most viewed dramas during its running time.
3- Boys over Flowers
- Release year: 2009
- Main leads: Koo Hye-sun, Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum, Kim Joon
- Where to watch: Netflix
Plot: Jan-di, a poor girl is admitted to prestigious Shinhwa High school after saving a student’s life. She soon encounters the F4, a group of wealthy and influential students who bully their classmates.
Jan-di’s determination and resilience lead her to clash with the F4’s leader, Jun-pyo, but their initial enmity blossoms into romance.
Why it is popular: Its impact on the Korean wave cannot be denied; it brought K-drama culture to many viewers. Its themes of love and friendship among young adults resonated widely, making it a classic drama.
Viewership rating: 28.4% that has made it a cultural phenomenon across Asia.
4- Its Okay to Not be Okay
- Release year: 2020
- Main leads: Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji and Oh Jung-se
- Where to watch: Netflix
Plot: The drama follows the story of Ko Moon-young, a children’s book author and a psychiatric ward worker Moon Gang-tae who heal each other’s emotional wounds.
This drama also shows the bond of two brothers Moon Gang-tae and Moon Sang-tae and how they find their own path in the end.
Why it is popular: Its original take on emotional healing and mental health awareness resonated with the audience. Strong performances and development of characters helped audiences identify deeply with the heroines’ struggles.
Viewership rating: 5.4% during its run on TVN and Netflix.
However, it is one of the most popular romance genre shows on Netflix in South Korea for 2020.
5- Business Proposal
- Release year: 2022
- Main leads: Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Se-jeong, Kim Min-kyu, Seol In-ah
- Where to watch: Netflix
Plot: Business Proposal is a romantic comedy series. It is a story of a woman Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) who goes on a blind date in disguise as her friend.
But her plans go wrong when the man she meets on blind date is the CEO of her company, Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop).
Tae-moo is on the hunt for a wife so he can stop being harassed by his grandfather, but marrying an assistant isn’t going well with Ha–ri. As they navigate misunderstandings and corporate dynamics, their relationship blossoms into romance amid comedic situations.
Why it is popular: This drama is a lighthearted comedy combined with romantic suspense. It became an overnight success among viewers looking for feel-good programs.
Its suspenseful plot and simple-to-identify characters were the key to its success.
Viewership rating: 11.6% during its run time that has made it the highest recorded rating throughout the series.
Conclusion
I know it is hard to choose the best Korean dramas because they have made a special place in our hearts and also everyone has their own personal favourite dramas.
However, there are dramas like Crash Landing on You, Boys Over Flowers, and others that have impressed viewers with their storyline, interesting plots, lovable characters, and excellent production quality.
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