Welcome to the world of Korean drama and if you’ve never ventured here before, then we’ll help you get started! Korean dramas are full of magic, boy-meets-girl meet-cutes, adorable dates, loves that transcend everything- basically it’s every girl’s romantic fantasy. Since we’re getting none of this larger than life romance in our real lives, we might as well watch it on a screen.
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12 Best Korean Dramas To Have On Your Watchlist
Are you a K-drama addict? Well, then we have curated a list of 12 of the very best Korean dramas that will help you increase your addiction.
1. Boys Over Flowers
Boys Over Flowers follows the life of protagonist Jandi, a humble girl from a humble background who gets jumbled up with a group of arrogant boys coming from very well-to-do families. She receives a scholarship and starts going to the poshest private school in the area and that’s when her life completely takes an upside-down turn. Also, it doesn’t hurt that all the men are supremely gorgeous and Lee Min Ho with bouncy curls looks absolutely yummy!
Also Read: Best Chinese Dramas
2. Coffee Prince
Coffee Prince is an unlikely love story between Go Eun-Chan, a tomboy from a family of fewer means and Choi Han-Gyul, a womanizer from a rich lineage. He spends his time with casual meetups and dates and has no interest in the family business. He meets Eun-Chan, a clumsy girl in boyish clothes and thinks she is a boy. They develop a friendship and he gets taken in with her innocence. Obviously, his feelings for her develop into something more and the turns the show takes is oh-so-adorable.
3. Descendants Of The Sun
Arguably one of the best Korean drama shows made and a personal favourite, Descendants of the Sun follows the life of special forces officers Yoo Shi-jin and Seo Dae-Young, who get posted to sensitive areas from North Korea to Afghanistan. Shi-jin meets Dr. Mo-yeon on one of his off days at the hospital and its love at first sight. Twists, turns, action and a whole lot of romance, this show will give you all the feels.
4. Princess Hours
The show is set in an alternate reality–21st-century Korea still has a monarchical setup and an imperial family ruling the country. It focuses on the life of the Crown Prince of Korea, Lee Shin, who is in love with an ambitious ballerina Hyo-rin but is being pressurised to get married because his father is seriously ill. He proposes to her and gets rejected when his wedding gets fixed with Chae-kyeong, a commoner who his grandfather had betrothed him to. It’s all about her adjusting to the new life in the palace and being a married woman. At first, awkward love starts blossoming between the two newlyweds. Here’s a typical princess fantasy so many girls fawn over!
5. My Love From Another Star
This quirky romantic drama is all about Do Min-Joon, an alien (yup an alien) who landed on Earth almost 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty period and stayed on. He’s supremely good looking and possesses superhuman qualities like incredible hearing, amazing speed, and great vision. He keeps to himself and is critical of humans, but it all changes when he falls in love with actress Cheon Song-Yi. An alien and an actress getting cozy, you definitely don’t wanna miss this inter-galactic romance! This is one of the best Korean drama of all time.
6. Heirs
Family drama, wealth, deceit and so much more, Heirs follows the complicated life of wealthy Korean young adults who are searching for love and a sense of self. The drama is all about Kim Tan, a self-centered Korean womaniser and the heir to one of the wealthiest families in the country. He is sent to the US because he’s unable to adhere to the strict life in Korea where he meets Cha Eun-Sang, a girl from modest means prompting him to leave and come back to Korea and look for her. The show is endearing and heartwarming, and it’s basically a good old high school drama but with a twist.
7. Legend Of The Blue Sea
This television series centres around the love blooming between Heo Joon-jae, the son of a rich businessman who becomes a con-man after his parents’ divorce and a mermaid named Shim Cheong. Centering around rebirth, fate and unrequited love, the tale is juxtaposed with a parallel story running of their Joseon era incarnations town head Kim Dam-ryeong and the mermaid Se-hwa. With beautiful cinematography, stunning outfits, this magical story is one arguably one of the best-made shows on Korean television.
8. Goblin
If fantasy romances are your thing that span centuries, then Goblin, also called Guardian: The Lonely and Great God is a must-watch. It’s about a modern-day Goblin who is the protector of souls. However, he needs a human bride to end his cursed immortal life. But once he finds her, he doesn’t want his life to end. An epic love story and a sweet bromance as well as mystery and suspense, the show keeps you guessing what’ll happen next. Unique concepts blended in together, watch this one as one of those once-in-a-lifetime tales of undying love.
9. Mischevious Kiss
The story revolves around an unpopular student who’s weak in academics, Oh Ha-Ni. She is in love with the most popular and smartest boy in her class, Baek Seung-Jo. She stirs the pot when she confesses her feelings to him in a letter which he returns, graded. Embarrassed and heartbroken, she goes home only to find that it has collapsed. As fate would have it, her father and her move with Baek Seung-Jo and his family in their house. She is relentless in her efforts to woo him but he remains cold and uncaring until he finally realises his feelings for her. This romantic Korean drama show is all time favourite among teenagers.
10. Oh My Venus
John Kim is a personal trainer to Hollywood stars and despite his family’s wealth, he suffered from a serious health crisis as a child. He uses this to run away from his family and believes in living a healthy lifestyle. However, a scandal with an actress forces him back to Korea. The there’s Kang Joo-eun, who was popular for her pretty face and an enviable figure, but is now curvier and passes out on the flight back to Korea. He takes care of her as he is the only medical personnel available, and looks out for her even as they are back. Series of events leads to him helping her lose weight and their bond becomes stronger as they fall in love and heal emotional wounds.
11. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Book Joon
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Book Joon is a coming-of-age love story set in a sports academy. It has been inspired by the life of Olympic medalist Jang Mi-ran. It follows the life of a group of athletes, mainly Kim Book-Joo who is a promising weightlifter. She’s bright, strong and has her priorities straight. Meanwhile, Jung Joon-Hyung is a swimmer who has been unfortunately plagued with numerous false start disqualifications. One thing leads to another and a cutesy romance brews between these two who are still trying to make their way through life, love, and understanding of self.
12. Kill Me, Heal Me
Kill Me, Heal Me is a heartwarming show based on Cha Do Hyun, who is a third-generation business heir. Because of several life-threatening traumas, he develops a dissociative identity disorder. He tries to regain control over his life with the help of Oh Ri Jin, a gorgeous first-year resident psychiatrist who helps him in secrecy. But her twin brother is a writer who is determined to uncover the lives of the rich and begins to follow him around. Will his secret be uncovered or not?
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