My K-Drama List 2013 - 2020

There's a lot of rubbish on Kdrama land nowadays and it's really frustrating to invest time and emotion into one drama then drop it at some point because you just couldn't go through it anymore. Still, when I find a gem among all those stones, it's worth all the frustrations in between. There's a lot of rubbish on Kdrama land nowadays and it's really frustrating to invest time and emotion into one drama then drop it at some point because you just couldn't go through it anymore. Still, when I find a gem among all those stones, it's worth all the frustrations in between.

Like most people, I rely on online reviews and peer recommendations to sort through all those dramas that seem to appear like flies. I recommend this site if you want an in-depth review of some of the famous Kdramas, Jdramas, and Cdramas since 2000. Just a reminder that the reviews are subjective and would greatly depend on the preference of the writer, to begin with.

I usually prefer light, funny, well-acted, and cohesive dramas but when it comes to heavy dramas, I would look more into the logic and the delivery of the story in order to like them. There are dramas that I really liked and loved, which most of the people didn't like (e.g. Master's Sun and A Korean Odyssey), and sometimes it's the other way around (referring to Descendants of the Sun and maybe Goblin). This happens, what matters is you stay true to what you really like and to what entertains you, rather than joining the bandwagon.

I've made a list of the Kdramas I've loved since starting out with fangirling. The shows are probably familiar to most of you, but even then I'll just write why I love them. In no particular order, here's my list:

Secret Forest (2017)

Healer (2014)

It's Okay, That's Love (2014)

Signal (2016)

Because It's My First Life (2017)

Romantic Dr. Kim (2016)

Fated To Love You (2014)

Master's Sun (2013)

A Korean Odyssey (2018)

Be Melodramatic (August 2019)

Hospital Playlist (March 2020)

Tell Me What You Saw (Feb 2020)

When The Weather Is Fine (Feb 2020)

Awaken (2020)

Handmade Love (2020)

The Good Detective (2020)

Secret Forest (2017) - The story starts with a murder case, which snowballed into the revelation of the corruption story of the decade. In the middle of it is Hwang Shi-Mok (Cho Seung-woo), who later on partnered with Han Yeo-Jin (Bae Doona) to create the perfect and most subtle love line I've seen. But the love line was not the point of the story, it was the unmovable moral compass of the main leads and the political corruption which seemed to surround and drown the justice and political system of Korea. This drama offers so much to viewers and it never disappoints. I love all the nuances, subtleties, and revelations that went throughout the story. Just a fair warning though that some people might find the pace slow and boring, but I love how the story took its time to unfold.

Healer (2014) - This drama is a mixture of action, drama, and rom-com. It's about a "fighter posing as a night courier agreeing to protect a tabloid journalist whose investigation into a long-buried tragedy makes her a target for assassination." This is the time when I fell in love with Ji Chang Wook and got surprised with Park Min-young, who I didn't think much of after City Hunter. The chemistry of the two was so real that you get drawn in their sweet scenes, get jealous of Min-young, or feel both at the same time. The story was fascinating and it kept me on the edge until the end. Most of the relationships within the story were also heartwarming and I really enjoyed the interactions and the lines. The presence of veteran actors, particularly Kim Mi-Kyung, only adds to the overall awesome delivery.

It's Okay, That's Love (2014) - This is about a novelist who clashes with a psychiatrist but for some reason they become roommates. I would say that this drama challenges the conventional Korean society and you'd have to be 'untraditional' to like this one. The psychiatric diagnosis and resolutions of those diagnoses are a bit simplistic and there are some illogical emotions and actions in the story, particularly from the character of Gong Hyo-jin BUT overall, the story was interesting and very engaging. As expected, Hyo-jin, Jo In Sung, Lee Kwang-soo, and Sung Dong-il delivered their parts with the ease of veterans. A well-rounded cast also helped shape the intricacies of the story.

Signal (2016) - The show is about a profiler in 2015 and a detective in 1989 working together to solve a series of related murders spanning three decades using a special walkie-talkie to communicate with each other. It involves some sort of time travel through the walkie talkie so some viewers might have to suspend their disbelief. Aside from Lee Je-Hoon having that same expression all throughout the series, this was a well-acted show. Show got heart and I love the level of acting and professionalism brought in by these two veterans, Kim Hye-Soo and Cho Jin-Woong. Storywise, I like its coherence, following its own brand of logic.

Because It's My First Life (2017) - This show touches on most problems of millennials, not being able to afford a house and if they're able to afford it, they end up being house poor. This is exactly the situation of the show's main leads. They somehow ended up being housemates then they entered into a contract marriage. I know the story might sound simple and jaded but for me, it's one of those shows that took an overused plot and made something new out of it. The show deals with most kinds of relationships that I think most Koreans relate to e.g relationship between parents-in-law and daughters-in-law. There are a lot of stories on the sideline which add to the overall charm and depth of the show. I just like to highlight the importance given to communication between the main leads. This is particularly seen in the character of the main female lead, who speaks up whenever she feels hurt or uncomfortable, which I sometimes find hard especially if you're in the position of dependency.

Romantic Dr. Kim (2016) - This is the first medical drama I got myself into and not bad for a first. Some people I know don't like medical dramas but just like any drama, medical dramas need to be differentiated by their stories and level of acting. Show is about the struggle between the politics within the Korean health sector and one's medical skills and talent. Master Kim (Han Suk-Kyu) was once a great surgeon for a big hospital but due to an unfortunate event, he left the hospital to work in a small hospital in the province. Kang Dong-Joo (Yoo Yeon-Seok) became a doctor to win somebody over and Yoon Seo-Jung (Seo Hyun-Jin) became a doctor to be recognised by somebody. What I loved most in the show is the journeys of Dong-Joo, Seo_Jung and Do In-Bum (Yang Se-Jong) becoming doctors with such talent and heart under the guidance of Master Kim. I also enjoyed each medical situation and condition the cast faced in each episode and how they overcome these challenges. The show has its flaws, just like any other show except maybe for Secret Forest, as it sometimes tries to be cute with the OTP but that's fine since it gives the viewer a break.

Fated To Love You (2014) - I am actually watching this right now for the third time, which shows just how much I liked this show. And just like the first two times I've watched it, I'm still hooked with its storyline and the characters. At first, I didn't particularly like Jan Na Ra's vulnerability, kindness, and pushoverness (if there is such a word) but as I progressed through the show, I can see the hidden and quiet strength in her character. It's like watching a bamboo endure so much storm but it just won't break and your heart just goes out to it. I also like the development of Jang Hyuk's character, he was such a torn man in this show but I can see integrity in his decisions and one can't help but just love him even more.

Master's Sun (2013) - Here's the older, less developed story from the Hong Sisters, despite this, I loved the show with a vengeance. It's about a poor woman who can see ghosts after an accident and the rich businessman is her only safe haven from those demanding and scary ghosts, a very reluctant haven at that. This was my first taste of So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo-jin and I was hooked. I loved how the relationship of those two unfolded in the story, it just hit the right spots with me. There was one scene there where I cried so hard as the emotion from Hyo-jin felt so raw and you can feel the pain she's trying to convey. The show requires a certain amount of suspension of disbelief but if you're into something like this (like me) it would not be much of a hardship. As a matter of fact, I was entertained the whole time and as always, wished it didn't have to end.

A Korean Odyssey (2018) - And here is, if I may say, the culmination of the Hong Sisters' effort into this kind of genre. To explain simply, it's about the fate of two lovers destined to die at the hands of one or the other in order to save the world. The plot and the back story were coherent and the acting from all of the casts, who include Cha Seung-Won and Lee El, was great. This is the first drama I've watched of Lee Seung-Gi after Gumiho and my first time ever of Oh Yeon-Seo. Show's characters and storyline are more developed and more cohesive compared to that of Master's Sun. Also, as I've said in one of my Facebook posts, this is what Goblin was trying to achieve and deliver but sadly couldn't. There are some dead and unnecessary scenes from the show but I can overlook them. The show is far from perfect but once the viewer's lens is adjusted, it would be one of the shows I'd love to go back to. {Useless trivia: Most of the actors in this show were also the actors in the 2014 show You're All Surrounded, a decent show which I also liked :))}

Be Melodramatic (August 2019) - Where do I start with this explosive bundle? Show's about three best friends, Im Jin-Joo (Chun Woo-Hee), Lee Eun-Jung (Jeon Yeo-Bin), and Hwang Han-Joo (Han Ji-Eun), navigating life, love, and their career in the entertainment industry. It's more of a slice of life presented in a comedic fashion, wanting to entertain and soften the blow of realities for people who haven't got their life figured out. The first thing that caught my eye about this Show is that the casts were new to me, which is refreshing. Show things in common with Hospital Playlist (March 2020), both are composed of an ensemble cast and each episode revolves around the day-to-day lives of best friends. Both Shows don't have an overarching story and this makes them more relatable and personally, entertaining. I was actively avoiding these two on Netflix because they didn't seem to be my cup of tea but surprisingly, they present a whole new way of storytelling in the Kdrama world. They're both well-written and you can feel the creativity, ingenuity, and realistic sides of the writer/s. I feel like watching them makes me realise how the Kdrama world is still evolving and that some shows can still surprise me

Tell Me What You Saw (Feb 2020) - This Show is about a genius profiler Oh Hyun Jae (Jang Hyuk) looking for the serial killer, who killed his fiance and teaming up with a rookie detective Cha Soo-Young (Sooyoung) who can remember everything she sees. I have to admit the main reason I really liked this Show was because of Jin Seo-Yeon, who is playing Hwang Hwa-Young. She was so cool and gritty, I couldn't take my eyes off her even with the presence of Jang Hyuk, who I think is the master of charisma and grit. I've been watching a lot of crime dramas lately, and one of the things which made this Show stand out for me is that the antagonist was just as good as the protagonists. The main antagonist, played by Eum Moon-Suk, was so creepy even when he was a kid it gave me spooks. He was also really smart, playing around with the main leads. I also liked the supporting casts, who felt similar to the ensemble on Signal. Show's plot is so direct that the backstories and decisions provided by the supporting casts add flavour to the overall story.

Question: Why does Jang Hyun-Sung always play the corrupt police officer?

When The Weather Is Fine (Feb 2020) - Show's a slow-paced drama with lots of flashbacks but what got me really into this is the main leads, Hye-Won (Park Min-Young) and Eun-Seob (Seo Kang-Joon). Show's about Hye-Won going back to her mother's hometown after getting soul tired from her life in Seoul as a cello teacher. Eun-Seob is her classmate in high school and now runs a bookstore in their hometown. First of all, the pair is such an eye candy. Second, I think that Park Min-Young has really grown as an actor. Whenever I see her in a drama, I can see the character, not the actor. She also has a way of bonding with her leading men, making their chemistry so palpable. Anyway, in this Show, I liked Eun-Seob's quiet disposition and unwavering love for Hye-Won, his family, and friends. He's such a beta character but you can't really help but fall in love with his quiet strength and wisdom. I also liked the supporting characters, they're all so cute and have their own personalities and stories. All in all, I think Show has a unique storyline and it's such a kind, sentimental story.

Awaken (2020) - There's one thing fresh about this mystery-thriller-Sci-Fi, it's the topic of human experiments. This made the Show different from other Kdramas of the same genre and I have to say Show is really well-written. It has its own story to tell. Do Jung-Woo (Namkoong Min) leads a team of detectives, including Kong Hye-Won (Seol Hyun) and Jamie Leighton (Lee Chung-Ah), to catch a serial killer. As the team gets closer to the truth, they also start to uncover horrifying events from 26 years ago. I loved how the Show unfolded. On the side, Namkoong Min's intense acting has made up for Seol Hyun's disappointing acting (imagine Kristen Stewart in Twilight).

Handmade Love (2020) - With only eight episodes of nineteen minutes each, Show is the definition of short and sweet. It's not messy or dramatic. It's a short study of the intricacies of human emotions and relationships albeit in a more idealistic light. Show will leave viewers cheered up and fluffy inside. I thought Lee Soo-hyuk (Woven) was perfect for the role of a god, who was cast out from the heavens because he stole a goddess' dress. He was tasked to comfort humans by making them clothes and Sa-rang (Lee Su-ji) became his assistant to help him understand human emotions. I wish there was more to it (e.g exploring the budding romance between Woven and Sa-rang) but I appreciate that the Show ended exactly where it should end.

The Good Detective (2020)

For other solid watching, I recommend Queen In-hyun's Man (2012), You're All Surrounded (2014), Money Flower (2017), Live Up to Your Name (2017), OCN's The Guest (2018), Kill It (2019) and Search (2020). If you're into comedy, Sound of your Heart (2016), from the popular webtoon, Welcome to Waikiki 1 and 2 will leave you gasping for air in between laughs.