Top 25 Korean Dramas of All Time

What's the Best K-Drama Ever?

Do you like watching Korean dramas? I love them, and this is a list of my all-time favorites—the best and greatest K-dramas ever made! Join me as we count down through my top 25 shows, and be sure to vote in the poll at the bottom for your number-one pick!

25. The Greatest Love (2011)

This drama is simply funny, sweet, and sometimes sad. The story focuses on Ku Ae-Jung, the lead vocalist of a former girl group called National Treasure Girls. After the group announces their breakup, Ku Ae-Jung experiences many difficulties in her life.

Meanwhile, top actor Dok Ko-Jin, who is arrogant and rude, is being chased by the public. The two are in separate worlds until they meet each other at an unexpected time, unexpected place, and unexpected way.

Cast

• Kong Hyo-Jin as Ku Ae-Jung
• Cha Seung-Won as Dok Ko-Jin
• Yoon Kye-Sang as Yoon Pil-Joo
• Yoo In-Na as Kang Se-Ri

24. Jumong (2006–07)

Jumong, the son of a royal family, was the founder of Goguryeo in 37 BC. He was raised by King Geum Wa, who took in the boy and his mother when Jumong's father, General Hae Mo Su, was seemingly killed in an ambush by the Han Dynasty.

A beautiful merchant's daughter named So Seo No helped Jumong realise his dream of building a new country, and she later became his second wife.

Cast

• Song Il Gook as Jumong
• Han Hye Jin as So Seo No
• Kim Seung Soo as Prince Dae So
• Hu Joon Ho as Hae Mo Su
• Oh Yun Soo as Lady Yoo Hwa

23. Endless Love: Winter Sonata (2002)

Winter Sonata is the second part of the popular Endless Love series. When it first aired in Korea, it was a modest hit, but then it became very popular in Japan, the Philippines, and other countries in Southeast Asia.

The story starts with Joon-sang as he moves to a new high school in search of his biological father. On a trip together with other schoolmates, Oh Chelin, Jin-suk, and Yong-kuk, Joon-sang saves Yu-jin from an accident. They become close, and then they become more than friends. However, circumstances and fate dictate that their love won't last forever, and Joon-sang moves away.

Ten years later, the old high school buddies gather to celebrate Yu-jin and Sang-hyuk's soon-to-be wedding. Yu-jin, who was deeply in love with Joon-sang, still has a fire in her heart for him. At the party, Oh Chelin's new boyfriend arrives—and he looks just like Joon-sang.

Cast

• Bae Yong Jun as Kang Joon-sang/Lee Min-hyung
• Choi Ji Woo as Jung Yu-jin
• Park Yong Ha as Kim Sang-hyuk
• Park Sol Mi as Oh Che-lin
• Lee Hye Eun as Kong Jin-suk (Yu-jin's best friend)

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22. Prosecutor Princess (2010)

This drama is cute, funny, and stylish. Ma Hye Ri is a woman blessed with an excellent memory and ability to focus, which allows her to pass the bar exam with ease. However, she is more interested in fashion than law and dislikes hard work, so she is far from being an ideal prosecutor. She has doubts about whether her job really suits her.

Because of her childish actions and fashion-obsessed mind, she has frequent conflicts with her senior colleagues and struggles with difficult cases. But as time goes by, our princess gradually matures into a brilliant prosecutor with a sense of duty and justice.

Cast

• Kim So Yun as Ma Hye Ri
• Park Shi Hoo as Seo In Woo
• Han Jung Soo as Yoon Se Joon
• Choi Song Hyun as Jin Jung Sun
• Yoo Gun as Lee Min Suk
• Park Jung Ah as Jeni Ahn
• Choi Sung Ho as Chae Ji Woon

21. Fated to Love You (2014)

This is a tumultuous but ultimately touching drama. Fated to Love You is about the unexpected relationship that blossoms when a chaebol heir, Lee Gun, and a "post-it girl," Kim Min Young, are forced to marry after their drunken one-night stand results in an unexpected pregnancy.

Cast

• Jang Hyuk as Lee Gun
• Jang Na Ra as Kim Mi Young/Ellie Kim
• Choi Jin Hyuk as Daniel Pitt
• Wang Ji Won as Kang Se Ra

20. Boys Over Flowers (2009)

Boys Over Flowers features Geum Jan Di as an ordinary girl whose family owns a dry cleaning store. She attends Shin Hwa High School with the elite F4 group and is terrorised by the F4 leader, Gu Jun Pyo. Although Jun Pyo persistently bullies Jan Di, he also becomes attracted to her. However, Jan Di has a crush on Yoon Ji Hoo, who is Jun Pyo's best friend.

When she realises that Ji Hoo is merely a close friend and that she really loves Jun Pyo, the couple are thrown into a dilemma as Jun Pyo's mother sets out to break them up and find a more suitable match for her son.

Cast

• Koo Hye Sun as Geum Jan Di
• Lee Min Ho as Goo Joon Pyo
• Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo
• Kim Bum as So Yi Jung
• Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin
• Kim So Eun as Chu Ga Eul (Jan Di's best friend)