There have been some amazing Korean dramas over the years, shows that have left us on the edge of our seats or curled up on the sofa with a box of tissues. No matter the occasion, there are some Korean dramas that stand out and hit a chord with audiences across the globe – and in Korea too.
With hotly contested TV ratings warring between different channels, the desire to hit the top spot of the k-drama mountain has never been more competitive.
Join us as we celebrate the top 50 highest rated Korean dramas. The ratings are compiled thanks to Nielsen and exclusively based on cable TV. At the time of writing, these figures are accurate and up to date.
However, if you’re looking for the dramas we’d consider to be the best, we have a separate article for that here: Best Korean dramas of all time!
Updated: 26th August 2023
Contents (Tap to jump down the page!) |
||
50 – Uncle |
||
40 – Military Prosecutor Doberman |
||
30 – Prison Playbook |
||
20 – Hospital Playlist 2 |
||
10 -Mr. Queen |
||
5 – Reply 1988 |
50 – Uncle
Network – TV Chosun
Rating – 9.329%
Final Episode Air Date – 30th January 2022
Uncle is a Korean remake of the BBC drama with the same name. Following a down and out musician with no fans or prospects, Joon-Hyuk’s life hits rock bottom. He also has an estranged sister called Joon-Hee. However, with things looks bleak, Joon-Hyuk turns to his sister for help.
Joon-Hee meanwhile has just come out of an abusive relationship. She moves into a cheap apartment and decides to try and make a fresh start. Unfortunately her ex tries to take Ji-Hoo, her son, away. In order to try and sort all of this out, Ji-Hoo ends up living with Joon-Hyuk. Only, the child suffers from both OCD and anxiety.
Does Joon-Hyuk manage to help turn the fate of his sister and nephew around while maintaining balance in his own life? You’ll have to watch to find out!
49 – Stranger 2
Network – tvN
Rating – 9.408%
Final Episode Air Date – 4th October 2020
The sequel to 2017’s smash hit, Stranger 2 had a tough mountain to climb before it even came on-air. In many ways, this sequel fails to match the brilliance of the first but it’s not for the want of trying. Some of those issues stem from our two protagonists, Hwang Si-Mok and Han Yeo-Jin spending an awful lot of time on opposite sides of the conflict.
While the second half of the drama does improve a fair amount, the show never quite steps out the shadow of its predecessor. The mystery is intriguing no doubt but the story can be incredibly confusing at times, with a lot of politically charged references and ideas. Still, there’s a reason this one is rated so highly and the ending seems to hint we’ll be getting a third season at some point.
You can read our thoughts on Stranger 2 in our episode recaps here!
48 – Divorce Attorney Shin
Network – JTBC
Rating – 9.488%
Final Episode Air Date – 9th April 2023
Divorce Attorney Shin is a decent K-drama and defiantly refuses to be pigeonholed into a specific category. There are elements of romance but this is not a romantic drama; there’s thrilling moments, but it’s not a thriller; there’s a focus on law, but it’s not an outright law drama.
Divorce Attorney Shin does have some stand-out moments and there’s enough in this to make for an enjoyable watch. It’s certainly far from the best drama out there, and it’s unlikely to make waves in K-land in 2023. However, if you’re a sucker for a slice of life drama with strong friendships at its core, you should find enough to like here.
You can read our thoughts on Divorce Attorney Shin in our season review here!
47 – Alchemy of Souls Season 2
Network – tvN
Rating – 9.651%
Final Episode Air Date – 8th January 2023
Part 2 of this super popular drama sees Jang-Uk return as a monster carrying the sword for which his lover has stabbed him with. As a result, he now uses it to catch soul shifters. After losing everything, Jang-Uk grapples with his pain himself, descending into darkness alone… or does he?
The long-lost Jinyowon princess, Bu-yeon, has been used as a vessel for Naksu’s energy and it seems only a matter of time before all those memories come flooding back.
46 – Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) Season 1
Network – TV Chosun
Rating – 9.656%
Final Episode Air Date – N/A (Ongoing)
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) is a makjang in every sense of word but devoid of much drama. While that sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, that’s because it is. The main drama here stems from three couples split across three different age groups. All three men are cheating on their respective partners and look set to divorce their partners.
The latter end of the drama then slows things right down as it jumps back in time to fill in the blanks over who these mistresses are and what drove the husbands to see them.
It’s undoubtedly one of those shows that’s going to draw a large audience. The first season however, is a much more tepid affair (no pun intended) compared to the first.
You can read our thoughts on Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) in our full season review here!
45 – Strong Girl Bong-soon
Network – JTBC
Rating – 9.668%
Final Episode Air Date – Â 15th April 2017
Part-fantasy, part comedic drama, Strong Girl Bong-Soon gives no illusions about its premise. It’s a drama about a strong woman called Bong-Soon who was born with superhuman strength. Putting her abilities to good use, she’s hired by the CEO of a gaming company to be his bodyguard. It’s a simple premise on paper but one that’s propped up by a thick layer of comedy and romance.
Yes, the series includes all the usual tropes like slow-mo kissing and some cheesy dialogue, but it’s easy to look past in the wake of such a fun and lovable storyline. Like many others on this list, the chemistry between the two lead characters is ultimately what helps this stand out and if you haven’t already, this is definitely worth checking out if you’re in the mood for a classic Korean drama treasure.
44 – The Light in Your Eyes
Network – JTBC
Rating – 9.731%
Final Episode Air Date – 19th March 2019
The Light In Your Eyes is another JTBC time-manipulation drama, this time revolving around one specific incident. Kim Hye-Ma is our protagonist and using a special watch found at a beach as a child, realizes she can manipulate time. The only trouble is, it comes with a heavy price. Every time she uses the watch, she ages.
An incident forces Hye-Na’s hand and she becomes 70. Now old following her time manipulation, Hye-Ja bumps into her childhood friend Joon-ha again and the two cross paths. Of course, a lot has changed for them both.
While a little slow at times, The Light in Your Eyes is armed with a pretty shocking plot twist making it worth sticking with for the long haul.
43 – Bossam: Steal the Fate
Network – MBM
Rating – 9.759%
Final Episode Air Date – 4th July 2021
Bossam: Steal the Fate is an intriguing historical drama, split across 20 episodes and blending both romance and political drama together.
At the center of this is a degenerate man by the name of Ba-Woo. He gambles, steals fights and regularly engages in bossam. For those unaware, this is a customary remarriage procedure where a widow is kidnapped. And he does this for money.
One day, he mistakenly kidnaps Princess Soo-Kyung, leading to a lot of drama to ensue.
Although some lament the way this steers harder into political waters later on, Bossam is certainly a hit with its ratings.
42 – Another Miss Oh
Network – tvN
Rating – 9.991%
Final Episode Air Date – 28th June 2016
Another Miss Oh held the record for the highest audience rating for a tvN Monday-Tuesday show. The story, for the most part, works well and although it can feel a little slow at times, the drama delivers some memorable moments.
Sound director Do-Kyung is our main protagonist here and his life is turned upside down when his bride-to-be Hae-Young goes missing on their wedding day. One year after that incident, Do-Kyung is told that Hae-Young is getting married again. This time to a young entrepreneur named Han Tae-Jin.
Hearing this, Do-Kyung sets out to sabotage Tae-Jin’s business and get his revenge. Only, it turns out this woman just has the same name and the girl is actually just a stranger who happens to have the same name.
As fate would have it, Tae-Jin leaves Hae-Young and refuses to marry her, prompting Do-Kyung and this other Hae-Young to grow closer together. This is a romantic comedy in every sense of the word, with lots of laugh out loud moments peppered throughout the series.
41 – Memories of the Alhambra
Network – tvN
Rating – 10.025%
Final Episode Air Date – 20th January 2019
Split across 16 episodes, Memories Of The Alhambra is a highly engrossing sci-fi drama full of romance, mystery and action. Despite an overuse of flashbacks and a slow pace hanging over early parts of the series, this Korean drama is quite the rollercoaster ride.
Unfortunately that rollercoaster ends with a pretty devastating finale, leaving multiple threads open and a disappointing feel preventing re-watches. Why then is it on this list?
Well, to be fair parts of this drama are really compelling with a Sword Art Online vibe running throughout the story. The soundtrack is also incredible and Hyun-Bin completely owns his role.
Aside from the disappointing end, Memories Of The Alhambra is still an enjoyable ride worth taking if you haven’t already.
You can read our thoughts on Memories Of The Alhambra in our full season review here!
40 – Military Prosecutor Doberman
Network – tvN
Rating – 10.081%
Final Episode Air Date – 26th April 2022
Military Prosecutor Doberman tells the story of Do Bae-man, a man who initially became a military prosecutor for money and fame, looking forward to his retirement day. His counterpart is a woman called Cha Woo-in, who was born into a chaebol family and subsequently becomes a military prosecutor for revenge.
Given this show aired over Mondays and Tuesdays, the ratings are really impressive for this series.
39 – Encounter
Network – tvN
Rating – 10.329%
Final Episode Air Date – 24th January 2019
Encounter is a romantic melodrama featuring some really memorable moments and some great drama along the way. The story revolves around the daughter of a politician, Soo-Hyun. After graduating, she was married to the son of a family who runs a large company. This marriage was made out of convenience rather than love. Even worse, her husband then had an affair and left Soo-Hyun as a disgraced divorcee.
Meanwhile, ordinary man Jin-Hyeok decides to take a trip to Cuba as a way of seeing out his 20’s. Only, there he meets Soo-Hyun and one things leads to another and the two wind up working together.
The show balanced more heartwarming moments with dramatic beats nicely, but it’s the chemistry between the two leads that make this such an enjoyable watch.
38 – Show Window: The Queen’s House
Network – Channel A
Rating – 10.335%
Final Episode Air Date – 18th January 2022
Given Show Window started off with a relatively modest 2.049% rating, across 12 episodes this show has steadily increased in popularity, making it up to number 25 on the top ranking leaderboard. That’s pretty impressive!
The story centers on Han Sun-Joo, a married woman who finds her life is perfect. She lives with her husband Myung-Seob and their children. The thing is her husband holds a big secret. When Sun-Joo supports the adultery of another woman ,unbeknownst to her, that affair is actually with her husband.
Soapy, dramatic and nicely written, Show Window is a definite hidden gem!
37 -Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) Season 3
Network – Channel A
Rating – 10.395%
Final Episode Air Date – 1st May 2022
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) is a makjang in every sense of word but devoid of much drama. While that sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, that’s because it is. The main drama here stems from three couples split across three different age groups. All three men are cheating on their respective partners.
After breaking up and making peace with what’s happened, this rabble of characters find themselves faced with life, love, loss and ghost Ki-Rim kicking about too.
36 – Mine
Network – tvN
Rating – 10.512%
Final Episode Air Date – 27th June 2021
Taking elements of Sky Castle and Penthouse, Mine is an intriguing Korean drama – but boy does it take a while to get going.
At the center of this conflict is the Hyowon Mansion. A rich family hold many secrets there, with the women at the center of this doing their best to consolidate power. All of this is turned upside down by the arrival of two new workers at the mansion. Yu-Yeon is a simple girl but ends up romantically linked with young master Soo-Hyuk, who returns from a trip abroad.
Meanwhile, Ja-Kyeong shows up and she immediately becomes the tutor for Hi-Soo and her son Ha-Joon. Husband Ji-Yong clearly has a few skeletons in the closet, which is slowly revealed over time.
You see, there’s a murder mystery brewing at the heart of this family drama and it’s not until episode 8 where Mine finally settles into a consistent rhythm and showcases this as the dominant story. When it does, Mine feels much more pacey and a lot more effective as a result.
35 – Jirisan
Network – tvN
Rating – 10.663%
Final Episode Air Date – 12th December 2021
Jirisan is the 25th Anniversary special on tvN so it was always bound to bring in a fair amount of views. The story is not without its flaws, but with dual timelines and an intriguing central mystery, there’s certainly enough to like with this one.
Set against the backdrop of towering views of Mount Jiri, Jirisan centers its story on the rangers and other employees of the Jirisan National Park who climb through the mysterious and unexplored regions of the mountain.
34 – My Kids Give Me a Headache
Network – JTBC
Rating – 10.715%
Final Episode Air Date – 17th March 2013
My Kids Give Me A Headache is a simple family drama, one that revolves around three generations of one family. That family in question happens to be the Ahn’s who all live in one house in the suburbs of Seoul. The series itself tackles societal discrimination, specifically around being a single Mother which is a bit of a taboo in Korea.
With 40 episodes, JTBC’s answer to the Reply series knocked Reply 1997 out the top spot and becoming the highest rated drama (at that time) on Korean cable. It’s a simple enough drama in truth and its ideas and concepts are enough to make this 40 episode romp well worth a watch.
33 – The Crowned Clown
Network – tvN
Rating – 10.851%
Final Episode Air Date – 4th March 2019
The Crowned Clown is a dramatic, politically charged series awash with tension, twists and turns. With a satisfying conclusion and impressive cinematography throughout, this Korean drama makes for quite the impressive showing.
Set in Joseon, the Royal family are in a state of disorder following a number of uprisings among the unhappy populous. A power struggle for the throne soon ensues, with the maniacal Lee Hun ruling with an iron fist while the Queen Dowager, along with close advisor Sin Chi-Soo, plot to overthrow the King and snatch the throne for themselves.
When an entertainer arrives in town bearing the exact same face as the King, Lee Hun switches places with the pretender as a way of avoiding any assassination attempts. Unprepared and in over his head, with the help of both Eunuch Jo and the Royal Secretary, Ha Sun takes the throne and tries to navigate the murky waters of deceit and deception while avoiding being found out as an imposter.
With teasing glimpses of romance and lots of dramatic plot twists, The Crowned Clown constantly outdoes itself, playing host to a number of shocking revelations along the way.
You can read our thoughts on The Crowned Clown in our full season review here!
32 – The Uncanny Counter
Network – OCN
Rating – 10.999%
Final Episode Air Date – 24th January 2021
Based on the web comic Kyeongirowoon Somoon, The Uncanny Counter feels like a heady blend of Mystic Pop-Up Bar, Search and a special superhero team-up like The Avengers. The result is a drama that’s big on action, full of dramatic plot beats and with an intriguing enough story to keep you watching right through to the end.
The main story revolves around a group of Noodle Bar owners known as the Counters. They’ve been chosen by spirits within the realm of Yung to hunt down demonic forces on Earth and free the evil spirit dwelling within unsuspecting humans. When one of their own dies at the hands of a powerful level 3 known as Cheong-Shin, the Counters recruit a teenage boy called Mun to their ranks.
Blinded by emotion over his dead parents, Mun dives head-first into training and lets his emotions get the better of him. Mun soon sets out to find who was responsible for killing his parents but the truth is far more shocking than he could imagine.
With a second season already greenlit and lots of positives to take from this one, Uncanny Counter is easily one of the best Korean dramas of 2021 and well worth a watch.
You can read our thoughts on The Uncanny Counter in our full season review here!
31 – Little Women
Network – tvN
Rating – 11.105%
Final Episode Air Date – 9th October 2022
Little Women is the latest weekend K-drama that takes over from Alchemy of Soul’s slot on both tvN and Netflix. In essence, the story centers on three sisters get involved in a case that leads them to fight against the richest and most influential family in South Korea.
Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-Hyun and Park Ji-Hu will play the roles of 3 poor sisters whose lives are altered after they get involved in a case of a missing amount of 70 billion won.
30 -Prison Playbook
Network – tvN
Rating – 11.195%
Final Episode Air Date – 18th January 2018
There’s something endlessly fascinating about prison dramas. From Oz and Wentworth to Orange is the New Black, this genre certainly doesn’t look like slowing down anytime soon. Never one to miss a trick, Prison Playbook is essentially the k-drama version of a conventional prison drama.
Instead of leaning in on the melodrama and soapy elements, Playbook instead doubles down on the comedy to give it much more of a campy real-world version of an anime.
There’s some really memorable characters introduced along the way and the script is chock full of memorable moments. Don’t be fooled by the comedy though, there’s some serious emotional hammer blows along the way too. Whether it be heartbreak, tension or dark comedy, Prison Playbook expertly moves between all three states across its 90+ minute long episodes. This is certainly not one to miss.
29 – Reply 1994
Network – tvN
Rating – 11.509%
Final Episode Air Date – 28th December 2013
The second part of the Reply trilogy, Reply 1994 whisks us back to Korea in 1994. Just like Reply 1988, 1994 follows all the cultural events of the time which are interwoven into the day to day lives of a cast of well written and interesting characters.
At the center of this is Dong-Il and his wife Il-Hwa. Together with their daughter Na-Jung, they live out their life in a typical residential neighbourhood in the middle of Seoul. Using their home as a boarding house for students, this 21 episode drama deliberates through a pretty slow, breezy pace with plenty of plot twists and dramatic moments along the way.
While not quite as absorbing or prolifically known as its follow-up, Reply 1994 is still a great drama nonetheless.
28 – Twenty-Five, Twenty-One
Network – tvN
Rating – 11.513%
Final Episode Air Date – 3rd April 2022
With strong themes around youth, forgiveness, innocence and the harsh realities of life, Twenty Five Twenty One has a fair amount of emotional weight to it. What’s particularly interesting though is how this changes across the run-time. As Hee-Do and her friends get older, the problems they face become much more important.
At the start of the show, we’re tackling school exams and training woes, and by the end it interweaves the real life tragedy of 9/11 into the story, as PTSD, mental health and depression take the story in a very different direction.
Subjective ending aside, Twenty Five Twenty One is an excellent K-drama and one of the best released in 2022.
27 – Red Balloon
Network – TV Chosun
Rating – 11.566%
Final Episode Air Date – 26th February 2023
TV Chosun have been on a roll lately with their K-drama offerings and Red Balloon is no exception. In its simplest form, the show is about four people attempting to quench their desires and appease their heartbreaks.
These four people come from very different walks of life, doing well to inject a good deal of romance and drama into the fold.
26 -Hotel del Luna
Network – tvN
Rating – 12.001%
Final Episode Air Date – 1st September 2019
Hotel Del Luna may not be the strongest drama on the list, nor does it do anything particularly outstanding with its story. However, it does pack one heck of an emotional punch and arguably trumps every other drama from 2018 for its soundtrack. It’s also another classic IU masterclass in acting.
Hotel Del Luna refers to a gateway hotel between the real world and the after life which this drama takes place in. Following a bright opening act, a lot of the middle episodes fall into an episodic format until the third act starts to ramp up the drama, light horror elements and emotion.
There are some truly emotional scenes peppered throughout and the finale is certainly one of the most gut-wrenching episodes of Korean TV in quite some time. The supernatural elements and world building are excellent throughout and the cinematography is really impressive too.
You can read our thoughts on Hotel Del Luna in our full season review here!
25 -The Good Bad Mother
Network – JTBC
Rating – 12.032%
Final Episode Air Date – 8th June 2023
The Good Bad Mother starts off as a revenge drama with prosecutor Choi Kang-ho portrayed by the charming Lee Do-hyun going so deep undercover to find his father’s murderers, chaebol director Song Woo-byeok and presidential candidate Oh Tae-soo, that he is seen as a ruthless and corrupt officer.
Behind him, is his doting mother Young-soon portrayed by the veteran actress Ra Mi-ran who is like an angel who wants only the best for her son. But it is soon revealed that they are estranged as Young-soon set her son on the path of revenge by being a bad mother, never letting him eat, sleep or enjoy his childhood so he could become a powerful prosecutor. Phew, that’s some tough love, right there!
24 -The Lady in Dignity
Network – JTBC
Rating – 12.065%
Final Episode Air Date – 19th August 2017
Dark, dramatic and split across 20 episodes, The Lady In Dignity is another Korean drama cracker. The show follows Ah Jin, a beautiful woman who enjoys her luxurious life married into a rich family. Through her wits, she gains the truth of President Ahn, who happens to be her Father-in-law and the head of the house.
When the pair look for a caregiver, they stumble upon plain but cultured Bok-Ja, who seems like the perfect fit for her family. However, Bok-Ja has other plans and after seducing President Ahn, aims to take over the household.
With strong themes about power, it’s ultimately the dynamic between the characters that keeps this one so enthralling. The story itself is okay but the main draw here are the characters, who all do a great job in their respective roles.
23 -Signal
Network – tvN
Rating – 12.544%
Final Episode Air Date – 12th March 2016
Based loosely on true events that took place in Korea, Signal is quite simply an incredible thrill-ride. This police procedural blends a shocking string of crimes with a time-bending idea that sees a walkie-talkie able to communicate with the past. 1989 to be precise.
With both Hae-Young and Soo-Hyun working together, they team up with Jae-Han from the past and together set out to catch the killer. With the gift of hindsight and foresight at their disposal, they work to try and prevent these atrocious crimes from ever taking place.
While not an outright sci-fi proposition, the crime drama elements work really well with the timelines to make for a really engaging watch.
22 -Hometown Cha Cha Cha
Network – tvN
Rating – 12.665%
Final Episode Air Date – 17th October 2021
Hometown Cha Cha Cha is a light, breezy k-drama; a show rife with romance, comedy and light bites of drama. It’s the perfect small town weekend treat and an undeniably fun watch from start to finish.
The main premise is pretty straightforward and revolves around a woman named Hye-Jin. She’s a dentist from Seoul, but a series of unfortunate events see her wind up in the small seaside town of Gongjin. Once there, she immediately finds herself an outsider and struggles to fit in. When she decides to open a dentistry, it only exacerbates issues. Step forward “Chief Hong” Du-Sik.
Du-Sik is a handsome and suave man who’s officially unemployed but undeniably a busy man. He helps out all the different residents and gives Hye-Jin some sound advice. As one may expect, the duo start to grow closer together and across the episodes each grow and evolve over time.
Hometown Cha Cha Cha goes a lot deeper than a simple romance though, with a large ensemble of characters helping to flesh this show out. Like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, Hometown Cha Cha Cha will warm you right the way down to your core.
You can check out our full season review of Hometown Cha Cha Cha here!
21 -King The Land
Network – JTBC
Rating – 13.789%
Final Episode Air Date – 6th August 2023
With a simple plot, funny characters, cheesy dialogues and a mystery that doesn’t really mystery-ify, you’re going to either love it or hate it, and here at The Review Geek, you can guess the route we’ve taken. K-dramas really have progressed a lot with the newer ones pioneering a new age of TV shows.
But sometimes we just want to watch a silly little show with a bubbly female lead and the tsundere (cold) male lead who is actually a goofball falling for each other after they realise they are obsessed with the other not cause of hate but that other four-letter magical word.
20 -Hospital Playlist 2
Network – tvN
Rating – 14.080%
Final Episode Air Date – 16th September 2021
Hospital Playlist brings a simplicity back to the medical drama genre, serving up an enjoyable story which manages to strike a great balance between feeling grounded in realism but dramatic enough not to steer into unbelievable melodrama.
The series focuses on the heartwarming dedication of five surgeons and their different methods toward their patients, while we follow their lives and relationships unfold across the twelve episodes.
Kim Jun-Wan is a heart surgeon who sometimes acts coldly towards his patients while Ahn Jeong-Won is a very caring paediatric surgeon, with alternate plans to become a priest. Rounding out the quintet is gentle Yang Seok-Hyeong who is a divorced obstetrician and cares deeply about his mother.
The series follows these five as they start working in the same hospital, sharing their days together and interacting with the other doctors and students. They deal with many different medical cases across the episodes while blowing off steam after work by rehearsing for their fun musical band. It’s a well written series and also looks set to have a follow-up second season at some point too.
You can read our thoughts on Hospital Playlist in our ongoing episode recaps here!
19 -Hospital Playlist
Network – tvN
Rating – 14.142%
Final Episode Air Date – 28th May 2020
Hospital Playlist brings a simplicity back to the medical drama genre, serving up an enjoyable story which manages to strike a great balance between feeling grounded in realism but dramatic enough not to steer into unbelievable melodrama.
The series focuses on the heartwarming dedication of five surgeons and their different methods toward their patients, while we follow their lives and relationships unfold across the twelve episodes.
Kim Jun-Wan is a heart surgeon who sometimes acts coldly towards his patients while Ahn Jeong-Won is a very caring paediatric surgeon, with alternate plans to become a priest. Rounding out the quintet is gentle Yang Seok-Hyeong who is a divorced obstetrician and cares deeply about his mother.
The series follows these five as they start working in the same hospital, sharing their days together and interacting with the other doctors and students. They deal with many different medical cases across the episodes while blowing off steam after work by rehearsing for their fun musical band. It’s a well written series and also looks set to have a follow-up second season at some point too.
You can read our thoughts on Hospital Playlist in our full season review here!
18 – 100 Days My Prince
Network – tvN
Rating – 14.412%
Final Episode Air Date – 30th October 2018
100 Days My Prince is an intriguing Korean drama and while it doesn’t necessarily do anything outstanding, it does tick all the usual boxes one would expect from a period drama.
The story here begins with crown prince Lee Yool falling off a cliff and nearly dying in an attempted assassination. Amnesia-stricken, Lee Yool wanders around for 100 days under a new name and personality. During this period, he meets Hong Sim, head of the first detective agency in Joseon.
What ensues is a period drama that blends comedy, romance and history together into a bubbling pot of goodness. The mystery is engaging and the chemistry between actors is really good too.
17 – Our Blues
Network – tvN
Rating – 14.497%
Final Episode Air Date – 12th June 2022
Our Blues is a slice of life K-drama which follows the story of multiple characters all living on Jeju Island and are interconnected through their romance and friendships.
The episodes spread out across various different chapters following these characters as they depict real-life issues and tackle some pretty in-depth topics. Whether it be teen pregnancy or Down Syndrome, through to abuse and trauma, Our Blues adds this to the beautiful setting of Jeju Island to make for a really beautiful drama.
16 – Vincenzo
Network – tvN
Rating -14.636%
Final Episode Air Date – 2nd May 2021
Vincenzo is tvN’s latest comedy/thriller hybrid, taking parts of both genres and meshing them awkwardly together. It takes a while to get going but soon the show manages to strike the right balance between the two states. The opening scene in episode 1 is by far the best 10 minutes from any drama in 2021, with ruthless, unflinching action and tension.
The main story doesn’t come from a mafia feud or warring families though, instead turning to a simple court case and drama surrounding a building called Geumga Plaza. With lawyers on both sides of the conflict doing their utmost to gain the upper-hand, Vincenzo’s long (nearly 90 minutes!) episodes are packed full of shocking twists and slapstick comedy.
You can read our thoughts on Vincenzo in our full season review here!
15 – Agency
Network – JTBC
Rating – 16.044%
Final Episode Air Date – 26th February 2023
Agency is the latest K-drama that is bound to keep viewers glued to their TVs on weekend nights. This is a workplace drama following the life of a woman who becomes the first female executive in her group at an advertising agency.
The show will tell the story of the people who work behind the scenes in this industry, their struggles, dreams and the force that drives them in this cut-throat industry.
Expect a realistic portrayal of the day-to-day challenges of people who live passionately chasing their dreams at an advertising firm.
14 – Itaewon Class
Network – JTBC
Rating – 16.458%
Final Episode Air Date – 21st March 2020
While it could be argued that some of the middle chapters run out of steam before picking up toward the end, this conventional 16 episode Korean drama combined important themes around acceptance, belief and racism when it aired earlier this year.
The story revolves around rebellious high school student Sae-Ro-Yi, who finds himself entangled in a blood feud with a bully named Geun-Won following the shocking death of his Father.
Consumed by rage and thrown in prison, Sae-Ro-Yi finds himself antagonized by the Chairman of Jangga. What follows is a revenge-fueled redemption story that sees Sae-Ro-Yi team up with the eccentric Yi-Seo to open a pub in the bustling tourist area of Itaewon in a bid to usurp the Chairman and Jangga Co.
The main plot line is engaging, well written and this one is also armed with an incredible soundtrack too.
You can read our thoughts on Itaewon Class in our full season review here!
13 – Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) Season 2
Network – TV Chosun
Rating – 16.582%
Final Episode Air Date – 8th August 2021
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) is a makjang in every sense of word but devoid of much drama. While that sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, that’s because it is. The main drama here stems from three couples split across three different age groups. All three men are cheating on their respective partners and look set to divorce their partners.
The latter end of the drama then slows things right down as it jumps back in time to fill in the blanks over who these mistresses are and what drove the husbands to see them. The second season then switches things slightly as the mistresses come face to face with the wives.
It’s undoubtedly one of those shows that’s going to draw a large audience! It’s also now TV Chosun’s highest-rated drama of all time.
You can read our thoughts on Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) in our full season review here!
12 – Under the Queen’s Umbrella
Network – tvN
Rating – 16.852%
Final Episode Air Date – 4th December 2022
Under The Queens Umbrella is the latest weekend K-drama to hit Netflix and it’s certainly shaping up to be a really interesting watch.
The story takes place deep in the Joseon Era, and within the palace exists troublemaking princes who cause nothing but headaches for the royal family. In particular for their mother, the Queen Hwa-Ryeong who’s supposed to act with grace and dignity, but for her sons playing up. Understandably, she ends up exasperated and sensitive.
Every day of her life is full of trials and challenges but perhaps none are more challenging than simultaneously helping to run a Kingdom and raise two troublesome kids! Will she succeed?
11 – Crash Course in Romance
Network – tvN
Rating – 17.038%
Final Episode Air Date – 5th March 2023
Crash Course in Romance is a blend of slice of life and romance. The show depicts two very different people from alternate walks of life and thrusts them together into an unlikely pairing.
Haeng-seon used to be a national athlete but now, she runs a side-dish store. She’s super positive but she’s struggling financially. She’s taken to looking after young Hae-e, who’s struggling at school and in desperate need of tuition to catch up. Enter stage right: Choi Chi-yeol.
Chi-yeol is a popular math instructor and is both wealthy and famous. However, he’s also indifferent to people and believes romance is a waste of time. A situation involving a scandal with a student, along with a big misunderstanding, sets these two characters on a “crash course” for romance!
10 – Mr. Queen
Network – tvN
Rating – 17.371%
Final Episode Air Date – 14th February 2021
Mr Queen is a hilarious, well written body swap comedy, set deep in the heart of the Joseon Era. Despite a polarizing ending and a couple of misfires along the way, this historical drama is undoubtedly a really solid and enjoyable watch.
The story revolves around Bong-Hwan, an arrogant chef who finds himself suffering from a head injury which tumbles him back through time. When he awakens, he’s trapped inside the body of the new Queen, So-Yong. With political powers conspiring to thwart her at any moment, Bong-Hwan does his best to play up his role while desperately searching for a way back to the present.
Shin Hye-Sun and Kim Jung-Hyun absolutely carry this show, with some absolutely electric scenes when they share the spotlight. This one is certainly worth a watch.
You can read our thoughts on Mr Queen in our full season review here!
9 – Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Network – ENA
Rating – 17.534%
Final Episode Air Date – 18th August 2022
Extraordinary Attorney Woo centers on Woo Young-Woo, who happens to be an extremely smart woman who has autism spectrum disorder. She never forgets what she sees but has a lack of social skills. She begins working as a trainee lawyer at a large law firm.
She faces prejudice and irrationality against her from her peers and through the different cases she takes on, although she also approaches them with a fresh perspective that puts her a step above her peers.
As she solves cases with her own unique ways, helped in so small part by her obsession with whales, Woo Young-Woo more than shows what she’s capable of.
8 – Mr. Sunshine
Network – tvN
Rating – 18.129%
Final Episode Air Date – 30th September 2018
Another heavy hitting tvN drama, Mr Sunshine is an epic period piece that combines impressive visuals with a really well written story. Exceptionally well written infact. Coupled with some brilliant casting, this is one Korean drama not to be missed.
Set during the Joseon period in 1871, Mr Sunshine begins with a brief glimpse of the past as a Korean boy boards an American warship and grows up in the US as an American. Only, when he returns to his hometown again, it’s as an American soldier causing plenty of inner turmoil and conflict. To spoil much more would be a disservice to this drama but suffice to say when it dropped back in 2018, it was easily one of the best shows of the year.
The story is brilliantly paced, even across the extended 24 episode run, and the show backs up its solid writing with some excellent production design and set pieces. Given this one is available to watch on Netflix, Mr Sunshine is another must-watch.
You can read our thoughts on Mr Sunshine in our full season review here!
7 – Doctor Cha
Network – JTBC
Rating – 18.129%
Final Episode Air Date – 4th June 2023
K-dramas, like any other medium, have a good number of tropes that you get used to seeing. The white truck that hits an important character? Check. The second male lead syndrome? Yep. The obligatory “waiting outside surgery” scene? That’s gotta be in there. But ironically, when you’re given a drama that subverts some of these expectations, the reaction is undoubtedly doing to be split down the middle. And that perfectly sums up Doctor Cha.
Billed as a comedy/romance, JTBC’s latest weekend drama is a mixed cocktail of different influences. Sure, it has bits of romance and comedy, its fair share of some tropes, but it similarly works as a slice-of-life drama, a thought provoking look at one’s dreams and the real impact of divorce on a family. All of this, wrapped up across 16 episodes of various shenanigans.
6 – Guardian: The Lonely and Great God
Network – tvN
Rating – 18.680%
Final Episode Air Date – 21st January 2017
Guardian: The Lonely & Great God is quite simply one of the best Korean dramas ever made. Armed with excellent cinematography, crackling chemistry between its main cast and one of the best soundtracks in this medium, Guardian (often referred to as Goblin) is a wonderful journey from start to finish and a must-watch for fantasy fans.
At the heart of this one lies Dokkaebi (Kim Shin), a 939-year-old immortal who happens to be best friends with a Grim Reaper and a student called Eun-Tak with a tragic past. As fate would have it, Eun-Tak happens to be his bride who’s destined to break Shin’s immortal curse.
The story takes many twists and turns along the way but manages to nail every single part of its production. When it comes to gold-standard K-Dramas, this one sets a very high bar.
You can read our thoughts on Goblin in our full season review here!
5 – Reply 1988
Network – tvN
Rating – 18.803%
Final Episode Air Date – 16th January 2016
Highly regarded as one of the best slice of life Korean dramas, Reply 1988 is a real trip down memory lane – and perfect to wash down the bitter trip that is Penthouse. Nestling itself in nicely alongside other dramas of its kind, Reply 1988 adopts a light, breezy tone but finds strength in its characters who are all well written and have lots of dramatic moments.
There are some surreal and hilarious moments here too (“Aigoo Kim Sajang!”) mixed in with more heartfelt and touching segments across this expansive story.
Split across four different families and praised as one of the more accurate depictions of Korean life, this 20 episode series is split into feature-length episodes as we follow a dozen or so characters from 1988 up to 1994. There’s a blend of romance, comedy and drama here too, meaning fans of Firefly Lane should love this one.
You can read our thoughts on Reply 1988 in our full season review here!
4 – Crash Landing on You
Network – tvN
Rating – 21.683%
Final Episode Air Date – 16th February 2020
Who knew an innocent paragliding incident would cause such a stir in the world of K-Dramas. Crash Landing On You has been dubbed by many as 2020’s crowning jewel. It’s also arguably the gateway drama that attracted a whole new crowd of people to experience Korean dramas thanks to Netflix’s desire to showcase more of these wonderful shows. Crash Landing On You manages to effortlessly blend romance, action and comedy together into one heady cocktail of delight.
It’s a show that manages to constantly surprise with every episode, featuring twists and turns that leave you speechless, in tears, elated or even all three! While some may bemoan the ending and long for a second season, this K-Drama successfully crash lands onto our list for all the right reasons. It’s also one of the must-watch shows of 2020.
You can read our thoughts on Crash Landing On You in our full season review here!
3 -Sky Castle
Network – JTBC
Rating – 23.779%
Final Episode Air Date – 1st February 2019
Sky Castle boasts one of the highest network ratings and held that accolade for a long time until it was beaten to the post in 2020. It’s a remarkable feat, especially when you look back and see the drama hit a measly 1% with its opening episode.
This satirical drama revolves around four housewives residing in an exclusive residential area, desperate to get their kids into university no matter the cost.
While simple in theory, Sky Castle’s examination of class and culture is partly why the show works as well as it does. Alongside this are numerous thought provoking discussions around the parental pressure of excelling at school. All of this combines to make Sky Castle one of the best Korean dramas out there and a must-watch for any K-drama lover!
2 – Reborn Rich
Network – JTBC
Rating – 23.779%
Final Episode Air Date – 25th December 2022
Reborn Rich is the much-awaited Song Joong-Ki project of 2022. The series is based on The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate by San Gyung, and it follows the story of Yoon Hyun-woo (played by Song Joong-Ki) who is a reliable worker for Sunyang Group.
He is unfortunately murdered by Jin Do-Joon, the youngest son of the Sunyang Group. Yoon gets reincarnated and wakes up in the body of Jin. He uses this chance to launch his revenge plan and plot a hostile takeover of the company.
1 -The World of the Married
Network – JTBC
Rating – 28.371%
Final Episode Air Date – 16th May 2020
The World of the Married is the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history. And for good reason too. The show is an excellent Korean adaptation of the British series Doctor Foster and manages to balance well written characters with an evolving plot over time.
With a steamy affair taking centre stage, The World Of The Married only grows from strength to strength over the episodes. The story here basically revolves around a married couple whose betrayal of one another leads to a whirlwind of revenge, grief, forgiveness and healing.
It’s also worth noting that the lead actress – Kim Hee-ae – won Best Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards, and the show bagged itself the Best Director award too. It’s certainly one of the best Korean dramas of 2020 and well worth watching if you haven’t already.
So there we have it! The top 50 highest rated Korean dramas of all time. Of course, we’ll be sure to update this list over time as the ratings change.
Were you surprised by any entries here? Which Korean drama is your favourite? Which do you think are under-rated hits? Let us know in the comments below!
where is It’s okay to not be okay ?? it should be in top 10 of all time k-dramas
The glory should be on this list. Doom at your service was excellent. Desendance of the sun was dam good.
Hey MJ, yes Nielsen ratings are for Korean households only. It’s a pretty accurate model for Korean offerings to gauge the popularity of different shows and which ones have been massive smash hits. With the popularity of K-dramas now, there’s lots more modern choices reaching the list. Still baffled how Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) managed to hit this list for all three seasons!
Thanks for reading and for checking out the site!
-greg W
Hi Greg, Nielsen’s ratings are only from Korean viewers, right?
Thanks.
My Mister
Where the Camellias bloom
It’s Okay not to be Okay
Flower of Evil
Kingdom
Move to Heaven should be at the No.1 spot
What about #28? It is missing 🙂
Mr. Sunshine should be the #1.
Story, casts and cinematography superb.
Please review the following as well:
Secret garden
Couple on the backtrack
familiar wife
18 again
the information you have updated is very good and useful, please update further.
It is okay to not be okay should be right up there
Is this list the Top 50 highest-rated ORIGINAL Kdramas?
The 2021 20-episode Vincenzo plagiarised the 2018 16-episode Lawless Lawyer. If you care to examine and compare the 2 Kdramas, you will discover that countless scenes are similar. Vincenzo even copied from Flower of Evil.
It seems many Kdrama writers, award judges, reviewers etc fail to notice this or pretend not to know about the plagiarism. There is a lot of unethical behaviour, dishonesty, irresponsibility and lack conscience out there.
And what’s penthouse
The title is misleading. List is for cable shows only.
Yeah, where’s Penthouse in all of this. I would say the list is inaccurate if that show wasn’t on here
Some on the list deserve a mention but glaring omissions are:
Six Flying Dragons (best k-drama ever)
Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart
Money Flower
Black Night
A Gentleman’s Dignity
My Golden Life
Hwarang
My Country
It’s Okay not to be Okay
How about My Love from the Star and Penthouse too.
Hey Dita, you’re absolutely right. The final episode came in at a crazy 38.8% but the only trouble is it was shown on KBS2 which is a public broadcast channel. This list was based exclusively on cable TV because ironically, Descendants of the Sun still wouldn’t make it in the top 50 if this list included the public broadcast offerings as well!
However, we did give it some love in our ‘Best Korean Dramas Of All Time’ post, which you’re welcome to read here: https://www.thereviewgeek.com/best-kdramas-alltime/
Thanks for commenting!
-Greg W
How come there is no Descendants of the Sun? I thought the rating was good?