Some Korean dramas are considered good, and others are quite bad, but only a few can be considered perfect from start to finish. Korean dramas are made to make people cry, feel the romance, and everything in between. They capture every fan's heart, becoming a famous phenomenon among international viewers, thanks to the Hallyu Wave. But what is the Hallyu Wave? Short explanation: when Korean dramas or anything South Korea-related becomes famous outside Korean soil, including Business Proposal or Squid Game, for example.
However, a select few K-dramas are so compelling, addictive, and engaging that they can't help but seem perfect from beginning to end. From period pieces to straight-up romantic stories to even an adaptation from another well-known story, these K-dramas are the very definition of perfection, and this list will discuss them at length.
'Thirty Nine' (2022)
Created by Yoo Yeong-ah
Three friends nearing the end of their 30s are the protagonists of this heartwarming drama. The story takes them through the highs and lows of life, including romance, work, and youthfulness, as each struggles with personal issues while still coming to her friends for comfort. Thirty Nine may not be too interesting to younger audiences, but women in their 30s and 40s could very easily relate to this 12-episode series. Son Ye-jin, Kim Ji-hyeon, and Jeon Mi-do lead as three friends whose lives are shown separately, and together. The show is a remake of the Chinese drama Nothing But Thirty.
Thirty Nine follows dermatologist Mi-jo (Son), drama coach Chan-young (Jeon), and cosmetics seller Joo-hee (Kim). The women all balance life's biggest challenges together, and separately, each struggling with unfulfilling love affairs and dead-end jobs. Their lives take a turn when Mi-jo finds her biological mother, and Chan-young finds out news about her health. The story will make you happy because of the friendship between the three women, which you might find relatable or inspiring. Thirty Nine is a great drama to watch with friends, and a perfect show from start to finish.
'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' (2022)
Created by Moon Ji-won
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is one of the most recent K-dramas with an interesting premise, following a woman with autism, Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin), as she rises through the ranks as an attorney in a prominent law firm. This is one of the first K-dramas that covers a topic of this kind, including a neurodivergent character in the narrative. People with autism and those with autistic people in their families have said the show gets unrealistic here and there, but that it's generally a nice depiction of autistic people and that Park Eun-bin portrays attorney Woo well.
Rookie attorney Woo Young-woo prides herself on her name being a palindrome. She knows all the fun and not-so-fun facts about whales, and has a photographic memory and extraordinary intelligence. Her social skills and emotional intelligence are lacking here and there, but attorney Woo learns how to work with others through her job at the Hanbada law firm, one of Seoul's biggest. She has lovable co-workers and a quirky best friend, and the show is brilliant at making Woo both a strong protagonist and someone who we can empathize with. It's perfect.
'Business Proposal' (2022)
Created by StudioS
A workplace romance K-drama that begins in the simplest of ways before the main pair falls in love and has difficulties. Viewers have seen this before various times, but what makes Business Proposal different from many others of the same genre is the phenomenal acting of Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Sejeong.
In Business Proposal, Shin Ha-ri (Sejeong) goes on a blind date instead of her friend, who doesn't want to go, and discovers that her friend's suitor is actually her boss, Kang Tae-Moo (Hyo-seop). Without knowing she wasn't the blind date he was supposed to meet, Tae-Moo proposes to Ha-ri to avoid his father setting him up on various blind dates so he can actually focus on his work. Eventually, they become lovers after having a fake engagement agreement. As stated beforehand, the main leads' acting is fantastic. They ensure that every scene is well-made and make viewers fall in love with them right from the first episode.
'Secret Garden' (2010)
Created by Kim Eun-sook
Another different-world kind of love story, just like MANY other 2000s Korean dramas out there. Secret Garden tells the story of Gil Ra-Im (Ha Ji-Won), a poor stuntperson who casually meets a very rich young man, Kim Joo-Won (Hyun Bin). Joo-Won falls in love with her at first sight and tries to be with her, but she refuses him. Many adventures happen between the two, and they end up becoming lovers by the end of the series.
What makes this drama different from the other different-world kinds of love stories is the fact that there is a body switch between the two leads, just like in the 2000s American movies like Freaky Friday, which makes the pair understand how their worlds are truly different from one other and fall for each other more. Furthermore, Secret Garden has very clever dialogue and comedic one-liners between the characters, which will make the viewer laugh for hours. It's truly a series worth watching.
'Queen of Tears' (2024)
Written by Park Ji-eun
A married couple faces many types of crises, and it makes viewers emotional in the midst of them. This is what Queen of Tears was able to convey in viewers' lives. This drama makes viewers feel like they are on a rollercoaster and won't get away from it till the very last emotional episode. It tells the story of a married couple, Hong Hae-In (Kim Ji-Won) and Baek Hyun-Woo (Kim Soo-hyun), as they navigate through a marital crisis and fall back in love again.
A reason why this drama is very good is mostly because of the leads' chemistry on-screen, which makes the plot instantly addictive and engaging. Another great point about Queen Of Tears is definitely the complex storyline, as viewers can see their love blossom once again in each episode despite the many emotional difficulties in between. Queen of Tears is definitely an interesting watch for all those who are into melodramatic stories with a healthy dose of humor.
'Vincenzo' (2021)
Directed by Kim Hee-won
The stylish crime drama Vincenzo with 2010s heartthrob and action star Song Joong-ki won over fans who took the opportunity to watch its 21-episode run on Netflix. A lot of them started claiming that Vincenzo was one of the best thriller K-dramas ever, and that each episode gets better than the last. Song is joined by K-pop idol and 2PM member Taecyeon, who has proved himself a formidable actor and delivers one of the best villains in K-dramas in Vincenzo. The show blends mystery, thriller, action, and dark comedy, and follows a set of unique, badass characters who are ultimately likable (even the bad ones, sure).
Vincenzo is about the titular character, Vincenzo, played by Song. As an orphan boy, he was adopted by an Italian family and then raised by the local mafia boss, Don Fabio. Growing up as a mafia enforcer, Vincenzo must return to Seoul and retrieve a buried stash of money, but finds himself working with some peculiar and fun characters, like lawyer Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-bin) and her assistant, Jun-woo (Taecyeon). If you like some action and a good laugh here and there, this show will deliver 21 perfect episodes to binge-watch in a week, or, if you're really dedicated, a weekend.
'W: Two Worlds' (2016)
Created by Song Jae-jung
Another highly dramatic series, but this time, it leans towards the sadder part of relationships. With a genius blend of the fantasy and mystery genres, W: Two Worlds tells the story of a surgical resident woman named Oh Yeon-joo (Han Hyo-Joo) who gets pulled into her favorite webtoon's story, W, written by her father. As she tries to resolve the murder mystery of the webtoon to get back to her normal world, she ends up meeting one of the webtoon's lead characters, Kang Cheol (Lee Jong-Suk).
W: Two Worlds is one of the saddest yet most enlightening Korean dramas out there. The chemistry between the main leads is electrifying, and the soundtrack is simply fantastic and instantly memorable. The storyline has a few holes in between, but it's still a great drama because of the emotional goodbye of the two characters. W: Tow Worlds is worth the watch and will make the viewer fall in love with their story.
'The King: Eternal Monarch' (2020)
Created by Kim Eun-sook
Lee Min-ho, one of the most famous Korean actors ever, stars as the male lead in this supernatural/action Korean drama. The King: Eternal Monarch shares with viewers the story of the life of the modern-day Korean Emperor, Lee Gon (Min-ho), as he discovers an alternate reality opened by demons to access the modern world and tries to close it to avoid supernatural creatures entering his realm. In the midst of all this, Lee Gon meets a detective, Jeong Tae-eul (Kim Go-Eun), who is devoted to protecting the people she loves.
This drama is a curious piece that might need some time before viewers can recognize its genius. To be precise, the chemistry between the main leads is phenomenal, and, as always, Min-ho showcases his talent in these types of dramas. The story is a bit hectic, but those who appreciate complex narratives will surely find great value in this ambitious tale that challenges and rewards its viewers.
'While You Were Sleeping' (2017)
Created by Park Hye-ryun
Jong-Suk often stars in melodramatic series because he is simply breathtaking while showcasing emotional moments. To be precise, the fantasy-comedy drama While You Were Sleeping focuses on a woman named Nam Hong-joo (Suzy Bae), who has continuous visions of terrible things happening to people in the future while she is sleeping. However, a prosecutor, Jung Jae-chan (Jong-Suk), prevents these dreams from actually happening in reality.
While You Were Sleeping is simply exquisite. The chemistry between the main leads ensures its popularity among every Korean drama viewer. Furthermore, people may know the title from the American movie of the same name, which stars Sandra Bullock, but it's not related to this drama whatsoever, as they both have different storylines. Still, the title itself should encourage viewers to watch this fantastic drama, which deserves more hype.
'Descendants of the Sun' (2016)
Created by Kim Eun-sook and Kim Won-seok
Another emotional love story, this time in the military, making it even more beautiful. Descendants of the Sun follows Captain Yoo Shi Jin (Song Joong-Ki), part of the Korean Special Forces, and Doctor Kang Mo Yeon, a surgeon at Haesung Hospital, who gets transferred to the military base overseas. Before her transfer, she has a chance encounter with Shi Jin, and he falls for her instantly. They have an enemies-lovers type of story at first before their love blossoms in a deep rollercoaster of emotions while serving their time in a war-torn country.
What makes Descendants of the Sun stand out from all the dramatic Korean dramas out there? Simply the very well-written storyline, realistic portrayal of war and military forces, and the obviously phenomenal on-screen chemistry between the main leads. The soundtrack is effortlessly perfect, and it makes the viewer emotional with every listen. Descendants of the Sunis a must for viewers who adore watching romantic yet tear-jerking love stories.
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