‘90s Korean baby here, watching dramas since birth. In 1997, little 1st grader me obsessed over “Star in My Heart” and called cha in pyo’s character ‘la la’ oppa since a song with those lyrics played every time he appeared. I remember I actually cried watching this drama with my grandma LOL 
Hence, I curated this list where the young fan girl inside me obsessed and cried over these dramas time and time again. Hope I can share the love💕~ enjoy watching!

⭐️ Fave K- Dramas of All Time (since the ‘90s)

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

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

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?

Descendants of the Sun

The Sunshine Team

Alien Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun) landed on Earth 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty. With superhuman abilities like teleportation, enhanced vision, and slowed aging, he has lived a solitary life, meticulously observing humanity while waiting for his chance to return to his home planet. With only three months left until his departure, his carefully structured existence is disrupted by Cheon Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun), a wildly popular – albeit ditzy and often problematic – actress who moves in next door. Their initial clashes evolve into an undeniable attraction, forcing Min Joon to confront his long-held detachment from human emotions. As their unconventional romance blossoms, they face not only the impending deadline of his return but also a dangerous conspiracy surrounding Song Yi's career, forcing Min Joon to choose between his long-awaited journey home and the woman he has come to love.

My Love From the Star

Go Go Alien and Hallyu Star

Spirited and strong-willed weightlifter Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) dreams of becoming a top-ranked competitor. After a series of misunderstandings, she reunites with her childhood friend Jung Joon Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk), a talented but unlucky swimmer, who she shares a playful, teasing relationship with. Bok Joo also runs into Jung Jae Yi (Lee Jae Yoon), Joon Hyung’s older cousin, and begins to develop a crush on him. But as Bok Joo navigates the challenges of her sport, body image issues, and the awkwardness of first love, she finds herself falling for Joon Hyung, who, despite his initial obliviousness, slowly realizes his feelings for her too.

Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-joo

I'm Busy Getting Stronger Team

KBS, KOCOWA

Lawyer Kang Joo Eun (Shin Min Ah), once hailed as the "Daegu Venus" for her stunning looks, finds herself struggling with her weight and self-confidence. Fate intervenes when she faints on a flight back to Korea, only to be saved by Kim Young Ho (So Ji Sub), the secret heir to a powerful medical conglomerate and, under the alias “John Kim,” a renowned Hollywood trainer headed to Korea to lay low after a scandal. Surprisingly, they continue to run into each other in a number of precarious situations, and eventually Joo Eun enlists Young Ho to help her reclaim her health and former glory, desperate for a change after a devastating breakup. As they navigate grueling workouts, unexpected challenges, and the complexities of their pasts, their professional relationship slowly blossoms into something more.

Oh My Venus

Minion's Rising Team

KBS02

Seo Jung Hoo (Ji Chang Wook), also known as “Healer,” works as a night courier who executes any task for the right price, leaving no trace. His latest mission? Track down and protect rookie reporter Chae Young Shin (Park Min Young) at the behest of fellow news reporter Kim Moon Ho (Yoo Ji Tae). As Jung Hoo, masquerading as a bumbling reporter, integrates himself into Young Shin’s life, they uncover a deeply buried secret connecting their pasts to a tragic incident over a decade prior. Can Jung Hoo protect Young Shin from the powerful forces determined to keep the truth hidden, all while navigating his own growing feelings for his charge?

Healer

The Time Healers

Time has not been kind to Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum). Once a beautiful girl from a wealthy family, she has now lost both her looks and her wealth. Currently living rent-free with a friend and working part-time as a clerk, Hye Jin is shocked when her first love, Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon), contacts her out of the blue. Sung Joon, who was once unattractive, is now a handsome and successful editor. To preserve his perfect image of her, Hye Jin asks her pretty best friend Min Ha Ri (Go Jun Hee) to meet him in her place. This plan backfires when Hye Jin lands a full-time job and discovers that Sung Joon is her boss. Adding to the chaos, her co-worker Kim Shin Hyeok (Choi Si Won) develops feelings for her. Can a lasting romance emerge from this tangled mess?

She Was Pretty

The Ugly Ducklings

Oh Ha Ni (Jung So Min) is head-over-heels for Baek Seung Jo (Kim Hyun Joong), the school's most popular boy, but there's just one problem: he doesn't even know she exists! Determined to win his heart, Ha Ni concocts countless schemes to get his attention, but nothing seems to work. But when all hope seems lost, fate steps in when an earthquake destroys Ha Ni’s house, forcing her and her father to move in with a family friend – who just happens to be Seung Jo’s father! Now living under the same roof, Ha Ni’s dreams of catching Seung Jo’s eye seem closer than ever. Will she finally melt his icy exterior, or is she doomed to be stuck in the friend zone forever ? This 2010 South Korean drama was adapted from Kaoru Tada’s manga of the same name.

Playful Kiss

the PKer team

JTBC

Once bullied for her looks, Kang Mi Rae (Im Soo Hyang) undergoes a dramatic transformation through plastic surgery, only to face new challenges in college when people ridicule her for altering her appearance. Reconnecting with Do Kyung Suk (Cha Eun Woo), who values inner beauty over appearances, Mi Rae finds herself caught between external judgment and internal growth. As Kyung Suk stands up for her against harsh labels and superficial commentary, Mi Rae starts to reclaim her confidence and realizes that true beauty is about who you are on the inside… and starts to sense that she and Kyung Suk might become more than just friends. This 2018 Korean drama was adapted from the webtoon of the same name by Maenggi Ki and was directed by Choi Sung Bum.

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty

The Beauty Lovers

After a near-death accident, Tae Gong Sil (Kong Hyo Jin) has been plagued by the ability to see ghosts, which constantly torments her. Her only refuge seems to be Jo Joong Won (So Ji Sub), a cold, arrogant, and materialistic CEO of a large shopping mall, whose touch somehow makes the ghosts disappear. Driven by her desperation, Gong Sil clings to Joong Won, who reluctantly agrees to hire her as his secretary in exchange for her help communicating with the spirit of his deceased girlfriend. As they navigate the supernatural world together, solving ghostly mysteries and helping restless spirits, their unusual partnership slowly evolves. Joong Won, initially annoyed by her presence, begins to open his heart to the strange woman, while Gong Sil finds not just protection but also an unexpected connection with the man who brings light back into her life.

Master's Sun

I See Dead People Team 

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?

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