Meet the DC Crew: Our Top 10 Favorite KDramas

Now that you’ve met our new DramaCurrent Crew let’s keep the party going! For the rest of our birthday month, we will be sharing with you some of our top 10 lists. We are totally going to have fun with this, so please check back every Tuesday!

Apparently, we hate ourselves because we decided to narrow down the hundreds of dramas we’ve watched into each of our top 10. Believe me, it sounds easy, but it is like choosing a favorite child. Let the torture…ehm…fun begin!

Drama Unni

I’m a bit of a list junkie, so pulling together my favorites wasn’t really a big leap — especially since I’ve already had it typed into my phone for the past two years. hehe. What did surprise me was how many Lee Joon Gi dramas I managed to cram in. I guess the truth is out. I’m an LJG fan. Sorry, not sorry.

1. Iljimae: It doesn’t matter how old I get there will still be that 7-year-old part of me who is infatuated with Zorro. This drama is an oldie and it shows in the production quality, but don’t let that discourage you. This story about a masked vigilante(Lee Joon Gi) had me racing to push play all the way through.
2. Time Between Dog and Wolf: Another oldie but goodie and, of course, starring Lee Joon Gi. I love this drama for its complexity, moral dilemmas, actions scenes, and, admittedly, how great LJG looks in a sleeveless shirt.
3. Two Weeks: With three Lee Joon Gi picks in a row, I am totally busted by now. But hear me out because this is the best of the bunch. What made me love this story is the chemistry between LJG and his little girl(played by Lee Chae-Mi.) He completely falls in love with the daughter he never knew existed and it is the sweetest thing ever.
4. Healer: There is a reason this drama comes up as a favorite in our KDrama Twitter Chats every month. Ji Chang Wook’s “Healer” is funny, playful, edgy, and addicting. This was the first drama I watched as it aired and that was a HUGE mistake. The cliff hangers were unbearable. One of the best dramas ever made, in my opinion.
5. Gaksital/Bridal Mask: The first time I watched this drama I managed to cram all 28 hour-long episodes into two days. I just couldn’t stop. It was that good. Joo Won pulls off a dynamic performance as a Japanese sympathizer who ends up changing sides to fight as a vigilante for justice. (One warning: there are a few torture scenes.)
6. Faith: I’ll admit there are a lot of fantasy scenes in this that still make me go “huh? What the heck was that?” But what keeps me coming back to this time-travel drama over and over is the storyline between the main leads, played by Lee Min Ho and Kim Hee Seon. What the story lacks in sense, these two make up for by giving us one of the most supportive and understanding romances in KDramaland. Their love feels real.
7. Mad Dog: This drama popped onto my favorites list only recently. Somehow I missed the party when it first aired, but so many friends have raved about it that I got curious enough to check it out. I’m so glad I did because this found-family bent on serving justice is perfection. Also, the cockiness and intelligence of the writing were strong enough to hold even my interest.
8. Descendants of the Sun: It’s like KDrama cotton candy. Sweet, addicting, and fluffy nonsense. This is my go-to drama when I just want a good laugh.
9. Thirty But Seventeen/Still 17: There is just so much to love in this sweet rom-com. The male lead(Yang Se Jong) is caring and supportive while the female lead(Shin Hye Sun) is funny and relatable. Even the supporting characters draw you into their adorable found family. One of the most lovely dramas I’ve ever seen.
10. Chief Kim: Not just your average corporate machinations and revenge plot, this drama is character-driven deliciousness. One of my all-time favorite bromance dramas.

TeaRexDramaMama

I thought that this would be a really easy list to come up with since I keep a favorite drama list over on MyDramaList. Unfortunately, it not totally up to date and has more than just KDramas in it. Also, it always seems like it’s easy to come up with the top 3-5 and then the rest is debatable. Anyway, here’s what I came up with 😘

1. Chicago Typewriter: The bookcases, the glorious bookcases! But also the plot, the friendships, the fun, and the romance. The show is a masterpiece.
2. My Ahjusshi: This drama is the perfect example of the need for the 4-episode rule. It starts HEAVY. It really did take me until the end of the 4th episode to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But it is SO WORTH IT!
3. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo: I love sports dramas and a sports drama about female athletes? Even better! A sports drama about women that’s based on a true story? Perfection!
4. Angry Mom: Cuz I’m a mom, and I’m angry… This drama is not an easy watch but it was so worth it.
5. Chief Kim: Junho the Gluttonous Sociopath… enough said. Seriously though, it’s hilarious and the enemies to lovers bromance is everything.
6. Scarlet Heart Ryeo: My first sageuk. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So many tears… So. Many. Tears.
7. Prison Playbook: Found family galore. This drama is really funny. Every time you think it’s going dark, it surprises you. The characters are fantastic and the stories are great.
8. Goblin: This was one of my first dramas and it was my first high production value drama. The bromance was amazing and the scenery was gorgeous and the acting was lovely.
9. The Guardians: Another heavy one with an amazing found family. Amazing action sequences. The ending (spoiler) could be better, but its a pretty great ride. The start of the Sexy Priest trope in KDramaland.
10. Birdie Buddy: It’s not the best drama ever, but a sports drama with a female athlete who looks like she could actually be an athlete is fantastic. Also, it was my first drama so it holds a special place in my heart.

KDramasRock

My favorite dramas tend to have a little bit of everything in them. I’m also a sucker for levity and a bit of humor so all of the dramas on my list include that. Having only been into KDramas for a year and a half, I know this ‘all-time’ list will definitely be changing, but here it is for now (in no particular order)!

1. Healer: Parkour action + mystery + sweet romance.
2. The Player: Most badass found family + the creator of swagger.
3. Lawless Lawyer: Revenge-fueled, corruption combating lawyers + simple romance.
4. Secret Garden: Imperfect and silly classic that tickles my funnybone.
5. Are You Human Too?: Dual role amazingness + robo-human introspection.
6. Her Private Life: Cute take on Kpop fangirl life + Ryan the Lion.
7. My ID is Gangnam Beauty: Introvert college romance with some meaningful messages.
8. W: Exactly how I imagine fictional characters/worlds to be.
9. Thirty But Seventeen: Most adorable found family + life lessons + bonus chihuahua.
10. I Am Not a Robot: Sweet romance with a lot of laughs.

SojuNights

When coming up with my top 10 dramas it struck me what a varied collection of dramas I have. My favorite genre is really hard to pin down- I love romance, I love crime, I love fantasy, I love everything really! However, I think what I love most of all are good stories acted well, and that’s what most of these are.

1. Circle: This drama is an amazing sci-fi mystery story set in two separate timelines. it’s gorgeous, amazingly acted, and super engaging.
2. Fool’s Love (Hogu’s love): A somewhat sad romantic comedy with incredibly flawed characters, an adorable baby, and all the feels you could want. Also, a hilarious scene where someone gets condoms thrown at him dramatically which is always a good time.
3. Mirror of the Witch: A fantasy saeguk about a cursed princess and the son of a slave who falls in love with her. it’s beautifully shot, well-acted, and intriguing.
4. Because This Is My First Life: A pensive marriage contract style drama where two people get married- one so that she has a place to live and the other so that his parents will leave him alone about getting married. It’s relatable and beautiful.
5. Lawless Attorney: A gangster lawyer fighting the corruption that led to his mother’s murder when he was a child. Are there hot leads, sizzling fast-paced romance, and political intrigue? You bet.
6. Save Me: A girl gets caught up in the machinations of a cult, and four teenagers try to help her escape. It’s dark, beautifully shot, and somewhat terrifying.
7. Cruel City: A cop is trying to bust a drug ring run by the mysterious Doctor’s Son, but the further he goes in his investigation the more secrets unravel, leading to an absolutely confused undercover operation. This one is very adult and violent!
8. Marriage Contract: A man needs a donor for his mother who is dying, but you can only get a donor from a relative, so he marries a woman with a child in order to pay her for a kidney. However, the woman has another reason for needing the money. It’s pensive, sad, and filled with tragic angst- something I’m all about.
9. Bring it on, Ghost: A fun supernatural romp where a teenaged exorcist decides to use his ability to see ghosts to make some extra money, getting help from a teenaged ghost girl and two inept ghost hunting YouTubers along the way.
10. Shut up Flower Boy Band: The first drama I watched that I absolutely loved, a band gets a record deal after their leader is killed tragically, and they have to deal with navigating the corporate music world while still trying to maintain their identity as musicians.

WineAndAKDrama

This list was a bit harder than I had thought. I skew in my drama viewing preference less on romcoms and more with melos, and crime. So I don’t need a romance to make me enjoy the story, and I don’t need to connect with anyone. I’m a character person, and just to like to experience the stories of different people. That being said, there are always exceptions to the rule. Here’s my list.

1. Because This is My First Life: I’m starting off this list with my top drama of all time. This is a drama that I’ve watched more than once, and it has produced the same effect each time. Growing up is hard, and the need to run away from problems and just want to not deal with life’s ups and downs is something that I can relate with. The relationship between the friends was magic, and I adored the writing in this.
2. Come and Hug Me: “Come and Hug Me” is a gorgeously written story with a horrible subject: the two leads spend their lives being tormented by a serial killer in different ways. But above all else, this story is about survivors surviving and overcoming their demons.
3. Twelve Nights: This quiet drama captured my heart with it’s characters. It wasn’t shy in its portrayal of abuse, and how people can change throughout the seasons.
4. The Reason I Can’t Find My Love: A great JDrama that focuses on a group of women trying to navigate life, work, and relationships. The group has a solid relationship, and I loved the interactions they have between each other.
5. The Hymn of Death: This is a small drama based on the real-life story of Kim Woo Jin and Yun Shim Deok, a playwright and soprano who fell in love in the 1920s during the Japanese occupation. While this drama definitely gives liberties on their life and relationship, I loved a lot of the moments which played with and weren’t afraid of silence.
6. One Million Stars Falling From the Sky: Not to be confused with the recent Korean remake, this is the original version of the story. Heartbreaking and emotional, this drama is a rollercoaster and stands out even being from the early 2000s.
7. Coffee Prince: “Coffee Prince” will always have a special place in my heart. It’s my first true KDrama love. I loved the development of the relationship between Eun Chan and Han Gyul, and the relationships between all the princes at the coffee shop. This one has a lot of nostalgia for me and will always be in my top lists.
8. Just Between Lovers: A heartbreaking story about loss and finding comfort in allowing your grief to be told. I absolutely adored watching Junho and Won Jin Ah in this one. Also, I appreciated the way the story of the tragedy was told, and the relationships between Kang Doo and his literal found family were amazing.
9. I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper: Think Jennifer from Still 17 but weirder and you have Mita, a mysterious housekeeper who comes into the lives of a widowed father and his three children.
10. White Christmas: Dark and creepy, it keeps you on the edge of your seat and has a great JDrama feel to it. You don’t know where the story is going to lead you, and I love that uncertainty.

KDramaCriminal

This is one of the hardest lists I have ever had to make (and I love to make lists!) I watch everything and anything so this list is always subject to change.

What makes a drama part of my top 10 favorite list you ask? There are two groups of criteria. One: Did it keep my interest? Did I want to immediately watch the next episode? Did I binge it? (Bingeing is very hard for me to do so if I binge a drama, that means I am LOVING it.) Two, Did I connect with it? Did I connect with the characters, and was I satisfied with the ending?

This list is in no particular order.

1. Boys Over Flowers: “Boys Over Flowers” was my first KDrama ever so it will always hold a special place in my heart. No matter how troublesome and problematic it is.
2. Goblin: I binged THE HECK out of this drama when I got access to it. I also have rewatched it 3 times. It takes a special drama for me to rewatch it.
3. Faith: This was one of the first historical dramas that I tried to watch. I liked the mix between fantasy and historical. Also, I liked the female lead who was a doctor and a fighter. I am a sucker for strong, smart female leads. Lee Min Ho is always a plus as well haha
4. Kingdom: A recent drama that really blew me away. I am usually not a fan of zombies but there is just something about how Korea handles zombies in their dramas and films. I can’t wait for the next batch of episodes to come out.
5. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon: You have crime, comedy, and romance all wrapped up into one drama. WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR?! As I said earlier, if I rewatch a drama, it is special for me. I always turn on this drama when I need to be cheered up so, naturally, I have rewatched it at least 3 times.
6. The Crowned Clown: EASILY, my favorite historical I have seen. The acting, the costumes, the plot – everything about this drama is a 10. The anxiety of waiting for the next episode to air was agony but MAN was it worth it!
7. Falling for Innocence: I am a sucker for employer/employee dramas. This was the drama that brought me back into the fold of KDramas after a couple of years away and I binged it in about 2 days, maybe. I just loved the acting in this drama!
8. Come and Hug Me: If you haven’t seen this drama, you are missing out. It took me almost a year to see it and man I was so disappointed that I waited to watch it. It isn’t just your average crime drama…it is a character-driven drama and MAN THE ACTING IN THIS IS AMAZING!
9. Stranger: I tend to be very empathetic towards characters who are quiet and more reserved in dramas. This drama has a lawyer in it that I just fell in love with. Jo Seung Woo’s acting here, what he could express with just his eyes, was WONDERFUL! Also, Bae Doona can do no wrong, so this drama was a win-win for me!
10. Love in Sadness: Another recent drama that just BLEW ME AWAY! I was anxiously waiting for the next episodes to air to see what would happen next. Yes, it had a crazy plot and threw everything at us. Yes, the plot seemed a little over the top. But I ate it up. The acting was so good in this drama and the OSTs are some of my favorites of ALL TIME!

THERE I DID IT! I made my TOP 10 FAVORITE KDRAMAS OF ALL TIME list. It is probably subject to change since I am constantly watching dramas but some of these dramas will forever be in my TOP 10.

Now that you’ve heard our top 10, what are your top 10 favorite KDramas? Please share with us in the comments below!

Related: Introducing the DramaCurrent Crew with the Certified Noonas and Caitlin!