These are my favorite KDramas. There is no real theme other than that each has something special: performance, storyline, humor, or je ne sais quoi.

Dramas with a Little Something Special

Oh Hae Young (Seo Hyun Jin) works as an assistant manager at a large corporate catering company. But there’s another Oh Hae Young (Jun Hye Bin) who has caused identity mix-ups and grief for Hae Young her entire life, as the two went to the same schools and now even work for the same company. Even worse, the “other” Oh Hae Young was known to be prettier, smarter and more popular. But when Park Do Kyung (Eric Mun), a sound director with a newfound ability to see into the future, enters the scene, he inadvertently becomes the link between the two women. As he grapples with his powers and the intertwining fates of both Oh Hae Youngs, he must navigate his growing feelings for one while understanding the impact of his visions on their lives. This 2016 South Korean drama series was directed by Song Hyun Wook.

Another Miss Oh

The Double Trouble Team 

Oh Yeon Joo (Han Hyo Joo) is searching for her missing webtoon-writing father when she is sucked into the strange world of her father’s comic creation. In this dimension, she comes face-to-face with Kang Cheol (Lee Jong Suk), an Olympic gold medal winner and self-made millionaire… and the main character in her father’s unfinished masterpiece “W.” Yeon Joo soon discovers that she can only escape from this bizarre universe by winning the feelings of Cheol. Will she ever return to the “real” world – and find love on the way?

Cassiopeia

Throughout her life, “ugly duckling” Kong Shim (Minah) was constantly overshadowed by her beautiful, more successful older sister Kong Mi (Seo Hyo Rim). When the quirky, hot-tempered lawyer Ahn Dan Tae (Namkoong Min) rents a room in their rooftop apartment, Kong Shim's life takes an unexpected turn. He initially seems to only bring her trouble, but his sharp wit and genuine kindness slowly chip away at her insecurities, and they gradually begin to fall in love. Meanwhile, Kong Mi sets her sights on the wealthy and kind Joon Soo (On Ju Wan), the heir to a large corporation – and Dan Tae's long-lost cousin. However, Dan Tae's complicated past and a surprising connection to Kong Shim's family threaten to unravel their newfound happiness.

Dear Fair Lady Kong Shim

The Inner Beauty Team

No Eun Seol (Choi Kang Hee), a feisty and unemployed young woman with a penchant for fighting, finally lands a job as a secretary – to the immature, eccentric, and utterly incompetent heir of DN Group Cha Ji Heon (Ji Sung). Ji Heon, riddled with social phobia and a deep-seated fear of public speaking, constantly clashes with his ambitious cousin and rival, Cha Mu Won (Kim Jae Joong), who is the perfect executive. As Eun Seol attempts to whip Ji Heon into shape, she finds herself not only protecting him from his own ineptitude but also from his manipulative family and their corporate machinations. Amidst office politics, hilarious mishaps, and growing feelings, Eun Seol helps Ji Heon mature into a capable leader, while inadvertently finding herself caught in a complicated love triangle and discovering her own potential.

Protect the Boss

The Bossy Team

Tired of being looked down on, civil servant Gong Ah Jung (Yoon Eun Hye) tells what she thinks is a small lie to an antagonistic acquaintance: she’s actually secretly married to wealthy hotel CEO Hyun Ki Joon (Kang Ji Hwan). To her dismay, the rumor spreads impossibly fast, eventually reaching Ki Joon himself. He threatens Ah Jung with a lawsuit, but a series of absurd events eventually forces Ki Joon to acknowledge that pretending to be married might actually prove mutually beneficial. As they navigate the absurdities of their fabricated relationship, dealing with nosy relatives, jealous ex-lovers, and the ever-present threat of exposure, genuine feelings begin to blossom amidst the lies. Will their pretend marriage evolve into a real one, or will the truth ultimately tear them apart?

Lie to Me

JTBC

Kang Min Ho (Jung Kyung Ho), devastated after losing his father and company to his uncle when he was younger, grows up to be a cold-blooded investment banker at Gold Investments. However, an unexpected heart attack and heart transplant transforms his perspective on life. As he discovers the meaning of true happiness and love, Min Ho develops unexpected feelings for his secretary, Kim Soon Jung (Kim So Yeon). However, his newfound emotional journey is complicated when Joon Hee (Yoon Hyun Min) also falls for Soon Jung, creating a complex love triangle that challenges Min Ho's personal growth and relationships. This is a 2015 South Korean drama series directed by Ji Young Soo.

Falling for Innocence

The Innocents

After enduring tragedy and struggles as a child, Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won) made a successful career for herself as a stuntwoman, although she has little patience for nonsense. When she meets narcissistic and arrogant CEO Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), she despises his attitude, but he feels strangely drawn to her in a way he can’t explain. Joo Won tries to win Ra Im over, but she rebuffs his advances, uninterested in the showy things he has to offer her. Their adversarial relationship takes an absurd turn when their souls swap, and they’re forced to act in each other’s lives while they try to find a cure for their conundrum – but neither of them could've expected that their body-switching would lead to falling in love.

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