Dramas on this list either made me cry or left me with some sort of emotional trauma. Whether they had a good or bad ending, these dramas simply overwhelmed me emotionally.

Dramas that left me broken.

Weary homicide detective Yoo Jin Kook (Park Sung Woong) doesn’t have much to look forward to in life besides his younger sister, Yoo Jin Kang (Jung So Min), whom he’s fiercely protective of. While investigating a suspicious death, all signs point to the victim’s boyfriend, Kim Moo Yeong (Seo In Guk), a seemingly charming man with a dark side. But when Moo Yeong starts dating Jin Kang, Jin Kook becomes determined to end their relationship. Can he shield her from the looming threat, or is the real danger closer than he thinks? This 2018 South Korean drama, directed by Yoo Je Won, is a remake of the 2002 Japanese series of the same title.

Hundred Million Stars From the Sky

The Twinkle Twinkle Team 

KBS2

Raised as a soldier since birth, ambitious Princess Pyeong Gang (Kim So Hyun) intends to become the first Empress of Goguryeo after she learns about her real identity. She will stop at nothing to realize her dream, but her plans hit a hitch when she meets the peace-loving On Dal (Na In Woo). The duo fall for each other, despite their very different outlooks. On Dal decides to do whatever it takes to help Pyeong Gang achieve her goal, even if it means turning his back on his values. But the Princess’ quest to take the throne could end up forcing her to pay a price she is hesitant to pay, as a deadly fight for power is about to break out. Will Pyeong Gang and On Dal – and their love – survive this bloody struggle? This 2021 South Korean drama series was based on the novel “Princess Pyeong Gang” by Choi Sa Gyu and was directed by Yoon Sang Ho.

River Where the Moon Rises

Hunan TV

In the tumultuous era of the Northern Wei, innocent citizens are kidnapped and enslaved, including Chu Qiao (Zhao Li Ying), who is cast into a forest to be hunted for sport by wealthy lords. Just as hope seems lost, she is rescued by Yan Xun (Dou Xiao), the Prince of Northern Yan, forging a powerful bond between them. However, her life takes another turn when she catches the eye of the influential Yuwen Yue (Lin Geng Xin) from the formidable Yuwen family. As tensions rise and loyalties are tested, Chu Qiao finds herself caught in a web of power struggles, forcing her to choose between her growing affection for Yan Xun and the allure of Yuwen Yue’s world. With her freedom and heart at stake, will she fight for love or succumb to the demands of her new reality? This 2017 Chinese drama series was directed by Wu Jin Yuan, based on the novel “Division 11's Princess Agent” written by Xiao Xiang Dong Er.

Princess Agents

The Dancing Fingers

The Demon Lord (Luo Yun Xi) is an unstoppable being set to unleash unspeakable chaos and destruction on the world. But things were not always so: Centuries ago, he was a mortal prince.
A brave young woman named Li Su Su (Bai Lu) agrees to travel back in time to become the prince’s wife – and destroy him before he can amass all of his evil powers. But when they meet, romance blooms and complicates matters for both parties. Could the power of love overcome violence – and help save the world from evil? This 2023 Chinese drama series was directed by Kuk Kok Leung and Wang Hai Qi.

Till the End of the Moon

🐉 Dragon in a Clam 🐚

Betrayed by his king, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), a decorated military general from the Goryeo Dynasty, was forced to watch his family die before him. Saved by the Almighty, yet condemned to an eternal life as a goblin, Kim Shin uses his supernatural abilities to save humans, including the mother of Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun), an optimistic high school student with a strange connection to the supernatural. When Eun Tak is repeatedly drawn to him, Kim Shin wonders if she might be the one he has spent an eternity searching for, the only one who can set his soul free, the Goblin Bride. Written by Kim Eun Sook, this award-winning 2016 South Korean fantasy romance series was directed by Lee Eung Bok and Kwon Hyuk Chan.

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

The Immortal Team

JTBC

Ten years after a tragic mall collapse that claimed 48 lives, Ha Moon Soo (Won Jin Ah), Lee Gang Doo (Lee Jun Ho), and Seo Joo Won (Lee Ki Woo) – find their paths crossing once again when a new construction project takes place at the site of the disaster. Moon Soo, now a detail-focused builder, works for Joo Won, the architect behind the new construction, while Kang Doo, struggling to make ends meet, takes a job on the site. As they confront old wounds and lingering trauma, can they find healing amid the pain? This 2017 Korean drama was directed by Kim Jin Won.

Just Between Lovers

The Fated Lovers Team

He Ran (Xu Ruo Han) is an eighteen-year-old aspiring painter from a wealthy and conservative family. Her life goes into a tailspin one day when she hears a man’s voice and becomes completely besotted with him. She tracks him down and eventually discovers that the voice belongs to the despondent middle-aged horticulturist Xiao Han (Jerry Yan). That doesn’t stop the duo from embarking on a steamy love affair, but romance threatens to burn bright and fast: He Ran is suffering from a health condition that may prove fatal. Will this romance end in happiness – or tragedy? This 2023 Chinese drama series was directed by Chen Zhou Fei.

The Forbidden Flower

🌹 Blooming Temptation 🌹

Kim Soo Hyun (Jang Ki Yong), a skilled veterinarian, leads a double life as one of the world's most precise and anonymous assassins. Do Hyun Jin (Nana), a dedicated detective with a hidden compassionate side, investigates a case that brings her into Kim Soo Hyun's dangerous world. As she delves deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers unexpected connections that challenge her initial perceptions. Bound by a shared history, the two must work together to unravel a complex mystery that threatens to expose dark secrets. This is a 2019 South Korean thriller directed by Ahn Ji Sook and Nam Sung Woo.

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