여러분, 안녕! 잘 지내서?
Still wondering which Korean dramas have high ratings on IMDb? Whether you’re curious or not, I’m still going to continue from where I left off in the previous article, hehe. For those of you who haven’t read the first part yet, go check it out here.
I’m just going to continue the numbering from the first part, alright? Oh, and just so you know, I’m writing this in mid-November, so if the ratings change later on, don’t come for me, haha. Thanks for understanding, 여러분.
11. Alchemy of Souls - 2022 (Rating 8,7 on IMDb)
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| Photo: Pinterest/Annick Mazzilli |
Main casts: Jung So Min, Lee Jae Wook
The fate of these two people is shaped by the soul of a dead person who wants to come back to life. Jang Wook (Lee Jae Wook), a guy from a prestigious family who loves causing trouble, crosses paths with Mu Deok Yi (Jung So Min), a fragile woman possessed by the soul of a legendary killer. Because of the spirit trapped inside her, Mu Deok becomes Jae Wook’s teacher and trains him in the art of fighting.
12. Crash Landing on You - 2019 (Rating 8,7 on IMDb)
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| Photo: english.kyodonews.net |
Main casts: Hyun Bin, Son Ye Jin
Is this drama the start of the Bin-Jin couple’s relationship or what? I first found out about Hyun Bin from the drama Secret Garden.
Yoon Se Ri (Son Ye Jin), a South Korean chaebol heir, has an accident while paragliding. That crash forces her to make an emergency landing in North Korea. There, she meets Ri Jeong Hyeok (Hyun Bin), a North Korean military officer. Jeong Hyeok ends up protecting Se Ri and hiding her from danger.
13. Mr. Sunshine - 2018 (Rating 8,7 on IMDb)
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| Photo: imdb.com |
Main casts: Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri
Eugene Choi (Lee Byung Hun) is a descendant of Korean servants who was taken in by the U.S. military and grew up in America. After returning to Korea as a soldier, Eugene gets caught up in the movement against the Japanese occupation. That’s when he meets Go Ae Shin (Kim Tae Ri), a noblewoman who also has a strong nationalist spirit.
14. Navillera - 2021 (Rating 8,7 on IMDb)
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| Photo; Pinterest/Swan |
Main cast: Park In Hwan, Song Kang
Nope, this isn’t Navillera the G-Friend song. But yeah, there is a Korean drama called Navillera and the main guy is played by none other than Demon—just kidding, it’s Song Kang, haha.
This drama tells the story of two men from different generations who dream of becoming ballet dancers. Shim Deok Chool (Park In Hwan) has always dreamed of being a ballet dancer. But life circumstances forced him to give up his dream and settle for a regular job. When he hits 70 and retires, Deok Chool decides to pursue his dream again, even though his family doesn’t support him.
On the other hand, Lee Chae Rok (Song Kang) realizes he has a talent for ballet, but his father’s bankruptcy makes him lose his passion for it. Eventually, these two men with the same dream cross paths and end up supporting each other in their journey.
15. Hospital Playlist - 2020 (Rating 8,8 on IMDb)
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| Photo: koreaboo.com |
Main casts: Jo Jung Suk, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jung Kyung Ho, Kim Dae Myung, Jeon Mi Do
I’ve actually been meaning to watch this drama for a while, but I kept putting it off because I was planning to write a novel with a medical theme. So, I wanted to use this drama as a reference.
The drama focuses on various interesting stories that take place in a hospital, with five friends as the main characters. Lee Ik Joon (Jo Jung Suk), Ahn Jeong Won (Yoo Yeon Seok), Kim Jun Wan (Jung Kyung Ho), Yang Seok Hyeong (Kim Dae Myung), and Chae Song Hwa (Jeon Mi Do) meet while studying medicine at the same university and form a bond that lasts through their years of study. Their friendship eventually leads them to the same hospital, where they all work together as doctors.
16. Twinkling Watermelon - 2023 (Rating 8,9 on IMDb)
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| Photo: Pinterest/com |
Main casts: Ryeo Un, Choi Hyun Wook, Seol In Ah, Shin Eun Soo
Even though he has disabled parents, Ha Eun Gyeol (Ryeo Un) is an exemplary student with a talent for music. One day, Eun Gyeol visits a mysterious music store, and that’s when things take a weird turn.
In the store, he meets Ha Yi Chan (Choi Hyun Wook), Choi Se Kyung (Seol In Ah), and Yoon Chung Ah (Shin Eun Soo). Together, they form a band called Watermelon Sugar.
17. Mother - 2018 (Rating 9 on IMDb)
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| Photo: Pinterest.com |
Main cast: Lee Bo Young, Heo Yool, Go Sung Hee
This drama might be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster because it tells the story of a young girl named Hye Na (Heo Yool), who becomes a victim of abuse from her own mother, Ja Young (Go Sung Hee). Even though her body and soul are hurting, Hye Na always acts like everything’s fine, as if nothing’s wrong. But Soo Jin (Lee Bo Young), a temporary teacher at Hye Na’s school, notices what’s really going on in Hye Na’s life and decides to step in as her mother figure.
18. My Mister - 2018 (Rating 9,1 on IMDb)
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| Photo: Pinterest/HanCinema |
Main cast: Lee Ji Eun (IU), Lee Sun Kyun
If I’m not mistaken, this is one of the dramas Lee Je Hoon recommended.
It tells the story of Park Dong Hoon (Lee Sun Kyun), a man in his 40s whose life is filled with work stress and personal problems. He crosses paths with Lee Ji An (IU), a young woman caught up in her own life struggles and a heavy past.
At first, they seem worlds apart, but over time, they start to understand each other and offer support. This drama dives into themes of sadness, hope, and the strength to rise above hardships.
19. Reply 1988 - 2015 (Rating 9,1 on IMDb)
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| Photo: Pinterest/withnil_ |
Main cast: Hyeri, Ryu Jun Yeol, Go Kyung Pyo, Park Bo Geum, Lee Dong Hwi
If you ask me personally which drama I’d recommend, this one’s definitely on the list. I’ve watched it twice, and the comedy never gets old. Reply is actually a trilogy, with the order being Reply 1997, Reply 1994, and Reply 1988. But for me, it’s only Reply 1988 that has me laughing so hard I cry and makes me wish I could live in Samundong. Oh, and by the way, you don’t have to watch Reply 1997 first because the storylines aren’t connected.
The drama is set in 1988, following a group of friends and families living in a neighborhood in Seoul. It’ll take you back to a time when technology wasn’t as advanced as it is now. The story focuses on the everyday lives of Duk Seon (Hyeri) and her four friends—Jung Hwan (Ryu Jun Yeol), Sun Woo (Go Kyung Pyo), Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum), and Dong Ryong (Lee Dong Hwi)—as well as their relationships with their parents and neighbors. Honestly, this drama is bound to make you nostalgic for the past.
20. What Comes After Love - 2024 (Rating 9,4 on IMDb)
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| Photo: lifestyle.sindonews.com |
Main casts: Lee Se Young, Kentaro Sakaguchi
I seriously waited for this drama to finish airing so I wouldn’t be left hanging. Besides using two languages, clips from this drama kept popping up on my timeline, which made me think, ‘I have to watch this!’ Especially that one scene where Lee Se Young is arguing in Japanese, and then, in the next second, she switches to Korean. That moment was hands down the coolest.
Choi Hong (Lee Se Young) is a Korean student studying in Japan. She meets Jungo Aoki (Kentaro Sakaguchi), and they fall in love. But their relationship ends because they have different views on love. Five years later, they’re reunited in Korea.
[3rd December 2024]: I’ve watched it, and it’s so good! I’ve already drafted my review, so stay tuned!
Turns out, there are a lot of Korean dramas with high ratings on IMDb. So, what do you think? Out of all these dramas, is there one that caught your eye? One that made you curious about the plot, or maybe you’re into the cast?
How about for the next article, I talk about high-rated Korean dramas on Netflix? What do you guys think? Would you be up for it?