The first time I got hooked on Korean dramas and these are my favorites...so far

Kdramas that got me hooked!

KBS02

In the Kingdom of Silla, the reigning queen strives to keep her son Jin Heung (Park Hyung Sik) safe from enemies and assassins. Hoping to disrupt the existing noble hierarchy, she forms a group of warriors known as Hwarang with the intent of protecting Jin Heung, who joins the Hwarang’s ranks under the name Ji Dwi. Alongside him are mysterious commoner Moo Myung (Park Seo Joon), spirited physician’s daughter Ah Ro (Go Ara), aristocratic swordsman Su Ho (Choi Minho), the stoic Ban Ryu (Do Ji Han), the playful Yeo Wool (Cho Yoon Woo), and the innocent Han Sung (V), each grappling with their own burdens and aspirations. Amidst political machinations and forbidden romance, they navigate loyalty, friendship, and the quest for justice. Can they successfully usher in a new era for Silla?

Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

JTBC

Born from a long line of women gifted with monumental strength, Do Bong Soon (Park Bo Young) is far from ordinary. Only able to use her power for good, Bong Soon agrees to work as a bodyguard for Ahn Min Hyeok (Park Hyung Sik), the recently endangered chaebol heir and CEO of gaming company Ainsoft. With dreams of developing a video game of her own, Bong Soon hopes that by working with Min Hyeok, she’ll find a way to turn her dreams into reality. Meanwhile, her childhood friend, Detective Gook Doo (Ji Soo), is on the hunt for a kidnapper whose path soon crosses with Bong Soon. Using her gifts for the greatest good, will Bong Soon find her life full of everything she’s dreamed of and more? This is a 2017 South Korean romantic comedy series directed by Lee Hyung Min.

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

Small but Mighty Team

When Joseon-era mermaid Sim Cheong (Jun Ji Hyun) follows her true love, she finds herself mysteriously transported into modern-day Seoul. Though separated from her true love, she soon crosses paths with his doppelgänger, Heo Joon Jae (Lee Min Ho). With nowhere else to go, Joon Jae takes the stranded mermaid in, though not out of the goodness of his heart. As a con artist, Joon Jae is quick to spot the priceless jade bracelet Sim Cheong wears. Determined to take Sim Cheong for all she’s worth, Joon Jae soon finds himself thinking twice about the mermaid after she helps him evade the lethal plans of his greedy stepmother. As the two draw closer together, will the charms of the ancient mermaid begin to melt the icy heart of a bitter conman? Inspired by a historical folktale, this 2016 South Korean drama series was directed by Jin Hyuk.

The Legend of the Blue Sea

The Blue Sea

High school friends Ko Dong Man (Park Seo Joon), Choi Ae Ra (Kim Ji Won), Kim Joo Man (Ahn Jae Hong), and Baek Seol Hee (Song Ha Yoon) struggle to balance their big dreams with the realities of adulthood. After an injury, Dong Man was forced to quit taekwondo, but he still longs to return to fighting. Ae Ra, a department store employee with dreams of becoming a news anchor, faces constant setbacks in her stagnant relationship. Their lifelong friendship, built on playful bickering and unwavering support, begins to blossom into something more. Meanwhile, Joo Man and Seol Hee both work at a home shopping network where they’ve hidden their six-year relationship, but their love is about to be put to the test by new employees with less-than-pure intentions. Will these friends manage to find their way in life?

Fight For My Way

The Fighting Team

Lee Yeong Joon (Park Seo Joon) is the arrogant hotshot vice president of his family’s company, thanks to the tireless efforts of his incredibly talented secretary, Kim Mi So (Park Min Young). With her by his side for the last nine years, Yeong Joon has been able to appear like the shining star he believes he is. But when Mi So suddenly decides to quit, Yeong Joon quickly realizes just how important she is... and not just to his career. Jealous over his older brother, Lee Seong Yeon’s (Lee Tae Hwan) growing relationship with Mi So, Yeong Joon decides it’s time to get his secretary back, no matter what. Based on the novel of the same name by Jung Kyung Yoon, this 2018 South Korean romantic comedy series was directed by Park Joon Hwa.

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim

The Perfect Secretaries Team

In 14th-century Goryeo, loyal and fearless general Choi Young (Lee Min Ho) is tasked by King Gongmin (Ryu Deok Hwan) to find a legendary doctor capable of healing the dying queen. Through a mysterious portal, he travels 700 years into the future, landing in modern-day Seoul. There, he encounters Yoo Eun Soo (Kim Hee Sun), a feisty plastic surgeon who initially believes him to be a delusional cosplayer. Kidnapped and brought back to Goryeo, Eun Soo struggles to adapt to the ancient world and its primitive medical practices, all while facing political intrigue and the dangers of a warring kingdom. As she reluctantly treats the royal family and Choi Young protects her fiercely, an unlikely romance blossoms amidst their desperate attempts to find a way for her to return home.

The Great Doctor

The Faith Team

Kim Jae Ha (Ji Chang Wook), a former mercenary turned fugitive, returns to Korea after being wrongfully accused of his girlfriend’s murder. Now a bodyguard for Choi Yoo Jin (Song Yoon Ah), the wife of a presidential candidate, Jae Ha seizes the opportunity to seek revenge on Park Gwan Soo (Kim Kap Soo), the rival politician he believes orchestrated the crime. When Jae Ha is asked to guard Go Anna (Yoona), the reclusive daughter of his boss’s husband, he finds himself torn between duty and the growing romance between himself and Anna. The stakes rise as he discovers that Yoo Jin, originally his ally in revenge, now harbors dangerous intentions towards Anna. Jae Ha must navigate a perilous path where loyalty, love, and justice collide. This 2016 South Korean drama series was directed by Kwak Jung Hwan.

The K2

The K2 Minions

South Korean special forces officer Yoo Si Jin (Song Joong Ki) falls for surgeon Kang Mo Yeon (Song Hye Kyo) but their ideological differences force them to split up. Now, war has broken out in a faraway nation, and Si Jin’s unit is deployed on the battleground. Coincidentally, an unpleasant workplace incident has forced Mo Yeon to join a group of medical volunteers in the same country. The former lovers reunite, but can they find love again – against the backdrop of a bloody war? This 2016 South Korean drama series was directed by Lee Eung Bok and Baek Sang Hoon.

Descendants of the Sun

The Sunshine Team

Joseon Dynasty woman Hong Ra On (Kim You Jung) has lived her entire life disguised as a man, earning a living as a relationship counselor and writing romance novels. However, a love letter she wrote for a client leads her to meet the mischievous Crown Prince Lee Yeong (Park Bo Gum), although he’s unaware of her true identity. While their first meeting goes poorly, a bizarre turn of events turns Ra On into a palace eunuch, where she crosses paths with the prince once again. As Ra On navigates the treacherous royal court, an unexpected bond forms between her and Yeong, but their growing affection is complicated by Ra On's secret, the strict social hierarchy, and the political power struggles threatening the throne.

Love in the Moonlight

The Moonlight Lovers

Furniture designer Park Gae In (Son Ye Jin) lives in a spectacular historic home. She has been scarred by past events, and now craves stability and calm. She decides that she needs a housemate, but is very fussy about the kind of person she wants to live with. She thinks she has found the perfect housemate when she meets architect Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho), a man she mistakenly believes is gay – and will thus have no interest in her. He gladly agrees to live with her, thinking that living in her stunning home will help him land a dream architectural project. But things get complicated when Jin Ho finds himself falling for Gae In. Can he keep his feelings secret – or will she learn the truth about her new housemate? This 2010 South Korean drama series was based on a novel by Lee Se In.

Personal Taste

No Ji Wook (Ji Chang Wook) is a successful public prosecutor whose life changes suddenly after intern Eun Bong Hee (Nam Ji Hyun) joins his team. The duo becomes close, but things get chaotic when Bong Hee is wrongly accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend. Ji Wook pulls out all the stops to help Bong Hee – jeopardizing his stellar career in the process. Ji Wook and Bong Hee realize that the only way out of this mess for both of them is to track down the real killer. But will they close the net in time? And could they find love together as they hunt this cunning criminal?

Suspicious Partner

The Suspicious Team

Seo Jin Woo (Yoo Seung Ho) has hyperthymesia, allowing him to remember nearly everything in his life with perfect detail. When his father, who suffers from Alzheimer's, is falsely accused of murder, he utilizes his photographic memory to become a lawyer despite dropping out of high school. But in a cruel twist of fate, Jin Woo begins to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, causing his once-perfect memory to fade. As he races against time, Jin Woo fights against a powerful, corrupt conglomerate and their ruthless lawyer, Nam Gyu Man (Namkoong Min), who’s deeply embedded in the original cover-up. Jin Woo partners with prosecutor Lee In Ah (Park Min Young), one of the few people who believes in his father’s innocence, as he hopes to clear his father’s name before he loses his own memory.

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