KDramas Chronological

Korean Dramas I've finished (in order):





Year 1: March 15, 2013–March 14, 2014


  1. Secret Garden = 시크릿가든 (秘密花園). The spirits of a guy and a girl end up in each other's body. 20 episodes. NetFlix.
  2. Heartstrings = 넌 내게 반했어. Music students in a performing arts college. 15 episodes. NetFlix.
  3. My Princess = 마이 프린세스. College student learns she is princess, being the direct descendant of the Joseon Dynasty's last emperor.  NetFlix.
  4. My Girlfriend is a Gumiho = 내 여자친구는 구미호 (我的女友是九尾狐). Gumihos are nine-tailed girls/foxes. NetFlix.
  5. Rooftop Prince = 옥탑방 왕세자. Joseon era prince suddenly appears in a modern women's rooftop apartment. 20 episodes. DramaFever and Hulu.
  6. Faith = 신의 (信義). 1300's Korea warrior travels to 21st century looking for a physician. 24 episodes. DramaFever and Hulu plus.
  7. City Hunter = 시티헌터. 28 years after some South Korean special forces are murdered, a story of revenge and intrigue. 24 episodes. NetFlix.
  8. Sungkyunkwan Scandal = 성균관 스캔들 (成均館 스캔들). Joseon-era girl dresses up like a boy to attend Sungkyunkwan University. 20 episodes. DramaFever.
  9. Arang and the Magistrate = 아랑사또전 (阿娘使道傳). A nobleman can see dead people.
  10. Prosecutor Princess = 검사 프린세스. KDrama version of "Legally Blonde." DramaFever.
  11. Boys over Flowers = 꽃보다 남자 (꽃보다男子). A poor (but smart) girl attends a prestigious high school for rich kids. 25 episodes.
  12. Lie to Me = 내게 거짓말을 해봐. A single woman gets a rich bachelor to lie that he's married to her. DramaFever.
  13. City Hall = 시티홀. A city hall secretary runs for mayor and wins. 20 episodes. DramaFever.
  14. Coffee Prince = 커피프린스. 17 episodes. DramaFever. A 24-year-old girl poses as a boy to be employed at an all-male coffee shop.
  15. Greatest Love = 최고의 사랑. Movie star Dokko Jin says he loves a girl ... and tries to prove it.
  16. 49 Days = 49일. Following death, spirits have 49 days to clear up unfinished business before moving to the next life. 20 episodes.
  17. Playful Kiss = 장난스런 키스. Two teen-agers pretend to be in love. They get married. Terrible acting and boring story.
  18. You're Beautiful = 미남이시네요. A nun joins a rock band, pretending to be a boy. 16 episodes. DramaFever and NetFlix.
  19. Flower Boy Ramen Shop = 꽃미남 라면가게. A rich kid falls for his student teacher. 16 45-minute episodes.
  20. Personal Taste = 개인의 취향. A straight guy pretends to be gay to rent a room from a famous architect's daughter. DramaFever.
  21. I Miss You = 보고싶다. Daughter of murderer is bullied at school, protected by boy who likes her. Paths cross later in life. 21 episodes. DramaFever.
  22. Queen In-hyun's Man = 인현왕후의 남자. A contemporary of the Joseon era Queen In-hyun travels through time to the filming of a movie about Queen In-hyun. Viki.com.
  23. Take Care of the Young Lady a.k.a. My Fair Lady = 아가씨를 부탁해. Father of a rich heiress hires a gangster to control his daughter.
  24. Full House = 풀하우스. When a girl goes on vacation, "friends" sell her house.
  25. My Name Is Kim Sam-soon = 내 이름은 김삼순. 29-year-old Kim Sam-soon has lead a mediocre life. No college, no apartment, no car, no boyfriend.
  26. A Gentleman's Dignity = 신사의 품격. Four "gentlemen" and four "ladies." (Only one gentleman really was a gentleman.) 21 episodes. DramaFever.
  27. I Hear Your Voice = 너의 목소리가 들려. A childhood accident leaves a boy (now a grown teenager) able to hear the thoughts of others. 18 episodes
  28. School 2013 = 학교 2013. Student (and faculty) life at one of Seoul's worst high schools. 17 episodes.
  29. The Master's Sun = 주군의 태양. A girl is haunted by the ghosts she sees. Ghosts vanish when the company president touches her. 17 episodes. DramaFever.
  30. Heirs = 왕관을 쓰려는자, 그무게를 견뎌라-상속자들. A bunch of rich kids attend a high school for rich kids. 20 episodes. DramaFever
  31. King 2 Hearts = 더킹 투하츠. Modern (fictional) king of South Korea loves a girl from North Korea. 20 episodes.
  32. Nine: Nine Time Travels = 나인: 아홉 번의 시간여행. Nine magical incense sticks allow a man to travel back in time exactly 20 years earlier. Unexpected ending.
  33. Last Scandal of My Life = 내 생애 마지막 스캔들. Middle-aged divorcee finds job on movie set where the star is her first love. DramaFever.
  34. The Prime Minister and I = 총리와 나. Girl pretends (?) to marry a candidate for Korea's prime minister.
  35. Bad Family = 불량가족. Some unrelated misfits pretend to be a family to a young girl whose parents have died in a car accident. DramaFire.
  36. Who Are You? (2008) = 누구세요. Similar to 49 Days (above), a person who died has 49 days to clear up affairs before departing. A father "borrows" another's body (while that person sleeps), trying to make amends to his daughter. DramaFever.
  37. You from a Star (aka My Love from the Star) = 별에서 온 그대. An alien marooned on earth 400 years ago falls in love with a modern Korean actress. 21 episodes.
  38. The Moon Embracing the Sun = 해를 품은 달. Historical drama about love between a fictional Joseon-era king and and a female shaman.

Year 2: March 15, 2014–March 14, 2015


  1. Protect the Boss = 보스를 지켜라. A woman finally lands a job as a secretary at a large company, then falls in love with the boss. 18 episodes. Viki.
  2. Scent of a Woman = 여인의 향기. A woman gets cancer and goes through her bucket list. Viki.
  3. Dalja's Spring = 달자의 봄. 33-year-old career girl meets younger disillusioned former attorney. DramaFever.
  4. The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry = 아직도 결혼하고 싶은 여자. Two female friends in their thirties look for love. A third friend has already given up. DramaFever.
  5. Secret Love Affair = 밀회. A 20-year-old piano prodigy Lee Sun-jae (of lower class background) falls in love with his 40-year-old piano teacher.
  6. Lovers in Prague = 프라하의 연인. Two guys and two girls meet in Prague, then all return to Korea. They finally live happily ever after. 18 episodes. Watched a second time, finished 10 Jul 2022.
  7. Three Days = 쓰리 데이즈. President of South Korea ends up missing while on vacation. Secret service has three days to bring him back to the Blue House.
  8. Doctor Stranger = 닥터 이방인. A South Korean child is tricked into going to North Korea with his father, a famous doctor. The child grows up to be an incredible heart surgeon. Back in South Korea, he is part of a soap opera in a hospital.
  9. Sly and Single Again = 앙큼한 돌싱녀. A wife divorces a nerd who goes on to lead a wildly successful high-tech company. The struggling former wife comes to work for the company. The CEO has never remarried.
  10. King of High School = 고교처세왕. A high school hockey champion fills in for his big brother as a director of a large corporation.
  11. Reply 1997 = 응답하라 1997. At a recent high school reunion, former students reflect on their lives since 1997. Viki.com
  12. Marriage, Not Dating = 연애 말고 결혼. A faked engagement goes on and off, around and around ... and around ... and around. The two finally marry.
  13. Pasta = 파스타. After studying cooking in Italy, a new head chef at the Spera restaurant in Seoul turns the cooking staff upside down.
  14. My Secret Hotel = 마이 시끄릿 호텔. Murder and marriages that last less than three months, one-sided love and love triangles resolve in the last two minutes of the final episode (episode 20).
  15. Surplus Princess (The Mermaid) = 잉여공주. A mermaid has 100 days to find someone who loves her 100%. Although the kdrama's unpopularity in Korea caused the networks to truncate it at 10 episodes, the writers/producers did a superb job of ending the series. Bravo! (Almost 5 stars!)
  16. The Three Musketeers = 삼총사 (First Season). Three musketeers (one of them the crown prince in Joseon, none of whom carried muskets) and a fourth dude (who also didn't have a musket) spend 12 episodes trying to mimic Alexander Dumas' novel.
  17. Blade Man = 아이언맨. [The Hangul title is "Ironman"]. A young man with superpowers (including blades that appear when he is angry) falls in love with a young woman who tames the blades. They fly away together.
  18. When a Man Loves = 남자가 사랑할 때. Abandoned by his mother, a man becomes a gagster for a loan shark, then falls in love with the daughter of the family owing money. He becomes CEO of a large company. Intricate plot. Gets better after episode 10, improving to the very last (20th) episode.
  19. Misaeng = 미생. Except for Jason Bourne-style scenes in Jordan in the first and last episode, this series takes place in an office building in Seoul. It tells about a temporary employee with only a GED in an office where the rest have ccollege degrees.
  20. Iris = 아이리스. Jason Bourne-like throughout, all 20 episodes were fast moving. Warning: Be prepared for a tragic ending at the end of episode 20. (Well, Shakespeare wrote a few plays with tragic endings ...)
  21. Bride of the Century =  백년의 신부. Two girls look exactly alike. Only one of them will be the bride of the century for the eligible bachelor of a wealthy Korean family.
  22. Pinocchio =피노키오. A female reporter ("Pinocchio") hiccups if she tells lies. Her mother (also a reporter) has ruined people's lives by lying in her news reports. The Pinnochio falls for a reporter whose family was ruined by the Pinnochio's mother.. Finished 16 Jan 2015.
  23. Ghost (Phantom) = 유령. Two hackers join the police academy. One joins the police force, the other doesn't. An explosion burns one of them; the other's face is badly burned and plastic surgeons make his face look like his friends. They root out criminals. Extremely tight plot ... to the last second of epislde 20. Finished 2 Feg 2015.
  24. King's Face =  왕의 얼굴. Historical drama with a plot based on "face reading." Has a little bit of everything: a king with concubines. The crown prince's love is a "companion" to the king. Episodes 18-22 were the most interesting. (23 episodes total).
  25. Healer = 힐러. A "night courier" known as Healer finds a girl friend, his girl friend's father's killer, his own father's killer, his teacher's killer, and a corruption ring, with the help of an Ajumma and others. Easily one of my favorite KDramas ... ever. Finished episode 20 2/11/2015.
  26. Kill Me, Heal Me = 킬미, 힐미. Two childhood best friends (a boy and a girl) are abused. The boy copes by developing seven different personalities. The two meet up years later. The girl--now a psychiatrist--helps heal the person that she discovers is her childhood friend. Never drags; superb ending. The acting is unparalleled! Watched episode 20 3/13/2015.

Year 3: March 15, 2015–March 14, 2016


  1. Punch = 펀치. A (fictional, I hope) series about corruption among prosecutors at the highest levels of government in South Korean. It seems like everyone was corrupt. (Well, except for 2-3 of the main characters. In the end, the bad guys got what they deserved. (Thank goodness!) Watched final (19th) episode 3/20/2015.
  2. Two Outs in the Ninth Inning = 9회말 2아웃. A guy and a girl have been friends since they were born. Now they are 30 and still single. They finally decide they love each other at the end. (So why does the girl say she won't marry him? The writers blew the ending big time; hence 4 stars instead of 5 ...) Superb acting. Finished 4/6/2015.
  3. Let's Eat = 식샤를 합시다. 16 happy go lucky (mostly) episodes about eating, featuring a four-some from a law office, one of whom lives next-door to an insurance salesman and a newly arrived younger woman whose father is in prison. Oh, there is also a delivery boy from Busan.
  4. What's Up! = 왓츠업. A pickpocket hoodlum steals a scooter and causes a man to die in a traffic accident. The hoodlum enters a musical theater university and falls for the man's daughter. An alcoholic professor, a masked singer-idol. Ended with few issues resolved.
  5. Falling in Love with Soon Jung = 순정에 반하다. Cutthroat investor is recipient of heart transplant from the fiancé of Soon Jung. With the new heart, the annoying investor becomes likable and falls in love with Soon Jung. Satisfying ending.
  6. Warm and Cozy = 맨도롱 또똣 aka Jeju Island Gatsby = 제주도 개츠비. Two "outsiders" from the mainland of Korea (Seoul, IIRC) try to fit in among the locals of Jeju Island. They fall in love (again?). Lots of dialect, as witnessed by frequent Hangul subtitles beneath the English subtitles.
  7. My Girl = 마이 걸. A young single woman picks tangerines that grow on a seldom occupied estate owned by a rich young single man. He catches her. Learning that she can speak Japanese and Chinese (besides Korean), he hires her to interpret from some Chinese tourists staying at his hotel. Ends happily.
  8. I Remember You (aka Hello Monster) = 너를 기억해. Psycopath(s), killers, murders (lots of them) and detectives. I could tell as it neared the 16th episode that there was no way that it could resolve. I was right. (Actually, it could have had more stars if they had written an ending.)
  9. Oh My Ghostess = 오 나의 귀신님. About ghosts, being possessed (in a positive light), cooking, etc. Superb writing, directing, acting (by the total spectrum of actors). Possibly my favorite of all time?
  10. Heard It through the Grapevine = 풍문으로 들었소. Son of the rich head of a corrupt law firm marries the daughter of a working family. Had moments reminiscent of the British "Upstairs Downstairs." Wonderful music, but the plot died out towards the end of the 30 episodes.
  11. Twenty Again = 두번째 스무살. At age 18 a girl began a 20-year unhappy marriage. They she discovered her first love (whom she had known before her marriage). 16 episodes. WARNING: Episode 15 is particularly annoying. It ruined the series for me. I couldn't take episode 16 seriously as a result.
  12. Miss Granny = 수상한 그녀. Rare Korean movie (single episode) that I didn't turn off during first 10 minutes.
  13. King of Dramas aka Lord of Dramas = 드라마의 제왕. 18 episodes, not one of them dull. Leads are both talented actors. Anthony Kim is the King--he'll do anything for a successful drama (and does do it)! A budding writer makes it big in her first drama. Satisfying ending.
  14. Dr. Champ = 닥터챔프. When a new M.D. becomes a whistle blower, she ends up as a doctor for athletes at Korea's national training center. Started out slowly; had its moments towards the end.
  15. Miss Korea = 미스코리아. When they graduated from high school they were in love. He went on to college; she was an elevator girl. Struggling with a startup company, he rediscovers his girl friend of 10 years earlier gets her to compete in the 1997 Miss Korea competition. 20 episodes (worth the episodes).
  16. Plus Nine Boys, Or Age Ending in Nine Boys =아홉수 소년. Three sons, aged 9, 19, and 29, live with their widowed mother and her younger brother, age 39. All five males were looking for girls. Satisfying (and believable ending). 14 episodes.
  17. The Pirates = 해적: 바다로 간 산적.. Second Korean movie I have let play to the end--but only because I was asleep through the last half. Not sure what it was about.
  18. Couple or Trouble or Couple Fantasy = 환상의 커플. A nasty hotel heiress returns to her husband in Korea. He talks of a divorce. She loses her memory and is rescued by a blue-collar worker. 16 episodes.
  19. Splash Splash Love = 퐁당퐁당 LOVE. Two episodes. High school girl steps in a puddle and transports back to King Sejong in the Joseon Era. Teaches him math, Hanagula, etc.
  20. Imaginary Cat = 상상고양이. Eight short (or 16 even shorter) episodes. An aspiring webtoon author lives with his cat and works part-time in a bookstore. A possible future girlfriend also likes the cat.
  21. She Was Pretty = 그녀는 예뻤다.About the creators of The Most magazine. The second male lead (TEN) stole the show. I felt sorry for him. (I'll look for him in future KDramas.)
  22. I Am Sam =  아이 엠 샘. Sam is a high school teacher. In the real world he would go to jail for being a live-in tutor of a cute female student. ... But he didn't go to jail, and there was no hanky-panky. The ending was very successful.
  23. Signal = 시그널. A story of three detectives communicating in different time lines. Very powerful, skillful writing. Well done. Could have had a bit better resolution at the end.

Year 4: March 15, 2016–March 14, 2017


  1. Baby Faced Beauty = 동안미녀. A 34-year-old woman gets a job using her 27-year-old sister's name. Falls in love with a 27-year-old guy.
  2. Page Turner = 페이지 터너. Two pianists--a boy and a girl--compete ... and turn pages for each other. A high jumper helps them resolve their differences.
  3. Please Come Back, Mister = 돌아와요 아저씨. Two men and return in others' bodies. Great ending!
  4. He Who Can't Marry = 결혼 못하는 남자. An 40-year-old loner who is an architect and a 40-year-old female physician try to fall in love for 16 episodes. Finally--at the end of the 16th episode--it seems like they MIGHT have married? Actually, the architect is a mentally ill jerk. Any marriage would be short-lived. Finished 24 Apr 2016.
  5. Ms. Temper & Nam Jung Gi = 욱씨남정기. Reminiscent of Misaeng but with a better ending. Takes place in the office of a small company trying to make it big.
  6. Drama World = 드라마월드.Outsiders (not of the "Drama World") step inside the fantasy of a KDrama series. The last 2 or more (of 10) episldes were definitely 5 stars. But the last two episodes can't make up for hos much I disliked the first episodes.
  7. Oh! My Lady = 오! 마이 레이디. A divorced Ahjumma convinces a rock singer to be in a musical.
  8. Bong Soon: A Cyborg in Love = 사랑하면 죽는 여자 봉순이. 12 short episodes about a female cyborg and the team that programmed her. The team leader gets Alzheimers.
  9. Shining Inheritance = 찬란한 유산 aka Brilliant Legacy. A father "dies," splitting up his family and leaving a daughter and autistic son to fend for themselves. Intrigue and fortune follow.
  10.  Another Oh Hae-young = 또! 오해영. Park Do-kyung is a Foley (motion picture) sound professional who becomes involved with two women named Oh Hae-young. The first half of the series had great chemistry and was headed for 5 or 6 stars. Then it was extended from 16 to 18 episodes, and they added far too much filler. Also it became too "honeymoon-before-marriage" for my taste. It crashed and burned at the end.
  11. Squad 38 = 38사기동대 (aka Task Force 38). Some con artists con rich tax evaders out of their tax money. Great at first; not quite as good toward the end.
  12. Thumping Spike = 두근두근 스파이.  After a wildly popular volleyball star injures her foot (ankle?), she decides to coach the last-place high school volleyball team. The team wins first place. 20 "web drama" (i.e. short) episodes on DramaFever.
  13. Let's Fight Ghost = 싸우자 귀신아.  A college student guy can see ghosts, both weird and not so weird. Interesting plot. Not for kids. 16 episodes on Dramafever. (Episode 15 was the best.)
  14. W = 더블유. A surgeon from the real world saves the life of her future husband who lives in the webtoon world. Watched last episode on Viki 14 Sep 2016.
  15. Six Flying Dragons = 육룡이 나르샤. Before watching this I vowed never to watch a KDrama of more than 20 episodes. Hearing great recommendations about this, however, I decided to watch a few episodes. There wasn't a single boring episode. It's a historical drama about Korea in the late 1300's as it was transforming to Joseon. Finished 1 Oct 2016.
  16. Another Parting = 어떤 안녕. YouTube Video of 5 10-minute episodes. An alien has 24 hours to learn why humans cry.
  17. Go Ho's Starry Night = 고호의 별이 빛나는 밤에. 20 15-minute episodes about 5 guys that like the same girl in a Korean advertising office. Finished 7 Nov 2016.
  18. Jealousy Incarnate = 질투의 화신. An SBS news anchor and a weather announcer are part of several love triangles in a very tight plot (not a single "filler" episode among all 24). Superb acting, writing and directing.  Watched last episode 10 Nov 2016 on DramaFever
  19. Shopping King Louie = 쇼핑왕 루이. At first looked like maybe a 5? Then downhill from there (especially the last 8 episodes). A Chaebol son loses his memory.  He's a great shopper. Finished 11 Nov 2016. On Viki
  20. The K2 = 더 케이투. Great acting by many actors, including the star of Healer. Great ending. Slow middle. High action adventure. Finished 3 December 2016. DramaFever.
  21. 1% of Something = 1%의 어떤것.  This 2016 remake of an earlier Kdrama is much better than the earlier one. A young school teacher saves the aging CEO of a large company. The CEO wants his grandson to follow in his footsteps, but he isn't married. He lines up his grandson with the school teacher. Finished 9 Dec 2016. DramaFever.
  22. The Beauty Inside = 뷰티 인사이드 (motion picture). Starting at age 18, a man wakes up in a different body every time he sleeps. Fascinating. Watched 12/16/2016 on NetFlix.
  23. Tree with Deep Roots = 뿌리깊은 나무. Fictional account of the invention of the Korean writing system (Hangul) during the reign of King Sejong (who died in 1450). The events of this Kdrama followed the events of Three Flying Dragons. Watched last (24th) episode  22 Dec 2016.
  24. Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim = 낭만닥터 김사부.  Forced to leave a Seoul hospital years earlier, a skilled surgeon winds up in a rural hospital. Riveting except for the last (20th) episode--or so I thought until I noticed an extra episode the following day. The 21st episode clinched 5 stars. Finished 17 Jan 2017.
  25. Goblin: The Lonely and Great God = 쓸쓸하고 찬란하神-도깨비. A great mythology, great characters (and actors), wide range of emotions, and superb ending. A goblin, grim reapers, ghosts. Watched last (16th) episode 1/21/2017 on DramaFever.

Year 5: March 15, 2017–March 14, 2018


  1. Tomorrow with You = 내일 그대와. A train wreck leads to marriage between a girl and a time travelling guy. They are fated to die together on a specific day in the future. Will it happen? (No spoilers, sorry). Watched last episode 25 Mar 2017.
  2. Train to Busan = 부산행. Korean Movie about zombies. Watched on Netflix 31 Mar 2017.
  3. Chief Kim = 김과장. A gang money manager decides to work for a corrupt corporation with the goal of cheating them out of some money and going to live in Denmark. Things change for the better, however.
  4. My Annoying Brother = 형. Movie. Two brothers--one a convict, the other a judo athlete blinded in a competition. Very coarse language. Very moving. Watched 29 Jul 2017 on DramaFever.
  5. Stranger (aka Forest of Secrets) =  비밀의 숲. An honest (and emotionless prosecutor and a female police officer root out root out corruption in the Seoul legal system. 16 episodes on DramaFever. Completed 25 Aug 2017.
  6. Father Is Strange = 아버지가 이상해.  Fantastic drama! A high school student serves three years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. A man lives under a false identity for 35 years. Loving parents rear a son and three beautiful daughters. A famous actor. You'll see how these fit together in 52 episodes. Extremely well done! My favorite KDrama ever as of 28 Aug 2017 (when I watched episode 52). On Viki.
  7. Going by the Book = 바르게 살자 (movie).  A series of bank robberies panics the townspeople. They demand action from the new police chief. (Comedy.)
  8. Man to Man = 맨투맨. A celebrity famous for his roles as super heroes hires a body guard who actually works as  "Ghost" for South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS). 16 episodes on Netflix. Watched last episode on 29 Sep 2017.
  9. Chicago Typewriter = 시카고 타자기. A Korean-language typewriter in Chicago is the motivation for this fascinating drama that is partly in the present, partly in the 1930's during Japanese occupation. Watched last episode 11 Nov 2017.
  10. The Package =  더 패키지. Seven Koreans go on a package tour of France. 12 Episodes on DramaFever. Finished 18 Nov 2017.
  11. Because This Is My First Life = 이번 생은 처음이라. A lame version of "We Married as a Job." Finished 12/1/2017 on Viki. 16 episodes.
  12. I'm Not a Robot = 로봇이 아니야.  A wealthy young man, who is allergic to humans, pays to have a robot help in his mansion--except that she isn't a robot (due to technical difficulties). Thinking she is a robot, the man doesn't develop allergies when she touches him. 32 short episldes.  Finished 25 Jan 2018.
  13. Just between Lovers = 그냥 사랑하는 사이.  Trapped together in a mall collapse 10 or more years previously, the two main characters, still with PTSD, become reacquainted  and fall in love. 16 episodes. Finished 1 Feb 2018.
  14. As One = 코리아. Feature film where table tennis players from North Korea joined players from South Korea in an international table tennis competion. Watched 5 Feb 2018.
  15. Midnight Runners. Feature movie viewed 2 March 2018 on DramaFever.
  16. I Am = 아이엠.  A robotics engineer leaves a robot with his children and disappears. Watched all six 15-minute episodes on 7 March 2018.

Year 6: March 15, 2018-March 14, 2019


  1. 20th Century Boy and Girl = 20세기 소년소녀.  Three girls and a boy--friends since childhood--are now in their mid-30s. One girl is a famous movie star, another an airline stewardess, the third a lawyer. The boy is a CEO. The story of how they find love. Watched last (32nd 30-minute) episode 3 Apr 2018.
  2. A Poem a Day = 시를 잊은 그대에게.  Interactions among some physical therapists, nurses, radiological technologists and trainees in a hospital. Finished 16 May 2018 on DramaFever.
  3. Switch: Change the World = 스위치 – 세상을 바꿔라 (Two men look alike. One is a prosecutor, the other a con man. When the prosecutor is injured, the con man takes his place. Completed 22 May 2018 on Viki.
  4. Miss Hammurabi = 미스 함무라비.  A rookie judge stirs up the court system. Finished 16 Jul 2018.
  5. Never Die =그녀는 200살. Watched all five short episodes in less than an hour. On DramaFever 17 Jul 2018
  6. Are You Human Too? = 너도 인간이니. Forced to leave Korea and go to the Czech Republic, a mother who is also a robotics expert makes a robot that looks exactly like her son back in Korea. When the robot shows up in Korea, it turns out he is better than the real son. Watched last episode 7 Aug 2018 on DramaFever.
  7. Witch's Love = 마녀의 사랑.  Three generations of witches have been running a restaurant unnoticed in Seoul. The head of a large company had a traumatic experience as a child, which took place in that restaurant. he finally finds—and buys—that building ... and is smitten by one of the witches. Watched last episode on 31 Aug 2018, on Viki.
  8. Thirty But Seventeen = 서른이지만 열일곱입니다. A promising 17-year-old violinist is in a bus accident. She is in a coma for 13 years, waking up at age 30, but still feeling like she is 17 years old. It is mostly melancholy (even lugubrious?) throughout. Became tiring. Watched last episode 21 Sep 2018, on DramaFever.
  9. Five Children = 아이가 다섯 (also known as "Five Enough"). A divorcee with three children and a widower with two meet up and are eventually married. They're very good at coping with family difficulties. Finished final (54th) episode 10 Oct 2018 on Viki.
  10. Room No. 9 = 나인룸. A woman falsely imprisoned for 34 years fights for exoneration. Some body switching takes place. Just the right mix of bad and good guys. Finished 27 Nov 2018.
  11. Ms. Ma, Nemesis = 미스 마, 복수의 여신. Ms. Ma is jailed after being falsely accused of killing her daughter. She escapes and identifies the real culprits. Patterned after Agatha Christie. Except for the very unsatisfying ending, it could have had 5 stars. Finished 29 Nov 2018 on Viki.
  12. Solomon's Perjury = 솔로몬의 위증. A death at a high school is deemed a suicide. ... But the students aren't satisfied. They decide to have their own trial. The truth is uncovered. Many unexpected turns. 12 tightly written episodes. Finished 21 Dec 2018 on Viki.
  13. Feel Good to Die = 죽어도 좋아. An employee tries to reform boss's terrible temper. Like the movie "Groundhog Day" on steroids. Except for the last two episodes, this would have received 5 stars. Watched last episode on 9 Jan 2019 on Viki.
  14. Memories of the Alhambra = 알함브라 궁전의 추억. An augmented reality (AR) game centered in the Alhambra, Spain, but also playable on the streets of Seoul (and probably anywhere else?). The AR apparently fails as players end up dying. Although very popular globally, my enthusiasm dropped as my favorite characters died, and as the plot began to drag. Finished 20 Jan 2019 on Netflix.
  15. Wind Bell = 풍겡. Web drama of ten 10-minute episodes about Daniel, a Korean who was adopted to the U.S. at age 10. He returns to Korea as a noted writer and meets a woman. They like each other. Watched in one sitting on 27 Jan 2019 on Viki. All right if you have nothing else to do.

Year 7: March 15, 2019–March 14, 2020


  1. Romance Is a Bonus Book = 로맨스는 별책부록. Some office romances in a smallish publishing company. One of the original employees of the company falls in love with a contract worker. Complex plot. Everything comes together in the last two episodes. Finished watching17 Mar 2019.
  2. Spring Turns to Spring = 봄이 오나 봄. Two women (an actress and a news anchor) with confusingly similar names drink some potion that makes then switch bodies periodically when then they itch, then sneeze. The news anchor is Kim Bo Mi (surname Kim, given name Bo Mi) generally referred to as Bo Mi; the actress is Lee Bom (surname Lee, given name Bom, generally referred to as "ee" Bom). Even while watching the final episode, I had to often pause the video to remind myself who's who: ee-bom (the actress) or bom-ee (the news anchor). In spite of a few slow parts, the drama was generally a hoot! Finished 21 Mar 2019 on Viki. (See my blog post that rambles about this ...)
  3. Touch Your Heart = 진심이 닿다.  A famous actress falls out of favor with the public because of a scandal that has no real basis. She has an opportunity to play in new legal drama if she will be a secretary for a real lawyer for three (or is it six?) months. This was definitely fun enough to be given 5 stars, but I'll give it 4 instead. Watched the last episode on Viki 29 Mar 2019.
  4. Her Private Life = 그녀의 사생활. Well-known actors in what started as a promising KDrama about a secret fangirl of a Kpop star. The writer ran out of ideas half through. It ended up with seemingly endless episodes about childhood pseudo-tragedies. I almost gave it zero stars, but decided to give a generous half star. Finished 2 Jul 2019 on Viki
  5. My Fellow Citizens = 국민 여러분. A con man marries a police detective. When then marry, neither one knows what the other does for a "living." Plot moves along throughout. Finished 6 Jun 2019 on Viki.
  6. Chief of Staff Season 1 = 보좌관. About the chief of staff of an aspiring assemblyman in the South Korean legislature. Promising and very interesting at first. Then, as the 10 episodes progressed, it grew steadily darker and worse as we watched the main character go to the dark side. Very disturbing. Finished on Netflix 13 July 2019.
  7. The Secret Life of My Secretary = 초면에 사랑합니다. A secretary pretends she is Veronica Park. I gave it three starts on the strength of the real Veronica Park. (If not for the real Veronica, this would have received only 2 stars.) Finished 24 Jul 2019 on Viki.
  8. Designated Survivor: 60 Days = 60일, 지정생존자. The president and legislature of South Korea are killed in an explosion, leaving only one person to take over the government for 60 days. It was the ending that gave this KDrama 5 stars. Any other ending would have resulted in 0 stars. Watched last episode on 23 Aug 2019 on Netflix.
  9. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung. A saguk drama in which four women become the first female historians among a larger group of male historians. Finished final (20th) episode on 26 Sep 2019. Netflix.
  10. Melo Is My Nature = 멜로가 체질. Three women, one of their brothers, and a child live together in an apartment. The women are all involved in television. After getting used to what seemed like slow initial episodes, I got into the "rhythm" of the drama. The final episode was very atypical, yet very satisfying. Finished 2 Nov 201l on Viki.
  11. Search: WWW. Chronicles two competing search companies and relationships among their employees. Few of the personal relationship problems are resolved. I initially dropped this KDrama, but took it up again during a KDrama "dry spell." Finished 23 Nov 2019. 
  12. Extra-ordinary You = 어쩌다 발견한 하루. A high school girl with a heart disease wonders why she has memory lapses. She realizes that she is a character in a cartoon—and that others around are also. Fascinating. Watched final episode on Viki on 27 Nov 2019.
  13. The Fiery Priest = 열혈사제. A Catholic priest with a mysterious past helps solve the murder of another priest. He cleans up the politics of the town while he's at it. Very inspiring. Watched last (40th) half-hour episode 13 Dec 2019 on Viki.
  14. The Tale of Nokdu = 조선로코-녹두전. Joseon drama about a guy named Nokdu who dresses up as a woman to join a village of widows. Finished 22 Dec 2019 on Viki.
  15. Hotel del Luna = 호텔 델루나. This started out very slowly (making it end up on my rejects page for at least a month). After reading other's opinions, took it up again. It really picked up in the end. Very complex plot and world building. Watched last episode 7 Jan 2020 on Viki.
  16. Live up to Your Name = 명불허전. A doctor from the Joseon era (400-500 years ago) appears in modern Seoul, where he meets and falls in love with another doctor. The ending made it well worth the time watching it. Finished 18 Jan 2020, on Netflix.
  17. Chief of Staff, Season 2 = 보좌관2 - 세상을 움직이는 사람들. I didn't watch all 10 episodes. I got tired of the bad guys continually getting away with bad things in episodes 1–3. Instead of abandoning it and giving it one star, I watched the last (10th) episode. I really liked it, and it answered all my questions/concerns. Since it was so good, I gave it 3 stars (even after watching only 4 episodes). Watched 10th episode 28 Jan 2020 on Netflix.
  18. My Holo Love = 나 홀로 그대. A drama that successfully deals with holographic humans. Might this be the most successful science fictional KDrama story? 12 episodes (perhaps one of the reasons for its success?) on Netfllix. Watched last episode 15 Feb 2020.
  19. Crash Landing on You = 사랑의 불시착. A woman who heads a large South Korean cosmetics company goes hang gliding near Seoul. A violent storm blows her into North Korea, where she is found by a small squad of North Korean soldiers. Watched final episode 17 Feb 2020. On Netflix.
  20. Stove League = 스토브리그. A struggling last place pro baseball team hires a new general manager, who tries to reverse its fortunes. 17 episodes on Viki. Watched last episode 22 Feb 2020.

Year 8: March 15, 2020–March 14, 2021


  1. Spark = 스파크. The lead singer of a kpop group and one of his female admirers are in close proximity when a celestial light (shooting star?) strikes them. Whenever he touches something metallic (and grounded?), he emits sparks and is shocked. He discovers that if he touches the female admirer, he doesn't get shocked. 12 very short episodes (between 10 and 15 minutes, generally) on Viki. Watched last episode 16 March 2020.
  2. I'll Go to You When the Weather Is Nice = 날씨가 좋으면 찾아가겠어요. A young woman returns from Seoul to the village where she grew up. She moves into her aunt's boarding hotel and meets a bookstore owner. She learns surprising things about her mother and dad. 16 episodes on Viki. Finished 24 Apr 2020.
  3. Reply 1988 = 응답하라 1988. The first 18 episodes of this 20-episode KDrama were absolutely fantastic—much better than five stars. Unfortunately, the final 1–2 episodes were a gigantic crash-and-burn flop, ... so it gets only four stars. The drama is about 5 high school friends (four boys and a girl) who have been friends since childhood and do everything together. When it appears that one of the boys is developing chemistry with the girl, it turns out that he like her older sister. The climax of the series is when those two get married. Unfortunately, the real climax should have been when the girl of the group of five marries an international champion Go player. ... But the 20 90-minute-plus episodes came to an end with two boring episodes of nothingness. Finished watching 17 May 2020 on Viki.
  4. Hospital Playlist, Season 1. Five doctors (one female and four males) went to medical school together and put together a band. Now they all work in the same hospital. Finished on 28 May 2020 on Netflix. Because it will have another season, it didn't get five stars, initially. After watching season 2, changed this to 5 stars.
  5. One Spring Night = 봄밤. When a woman on her way to work stops at a pharmacy to make a purchase, she realizes she has forgotten her purse. The pharmacist gives her the merchandise for free, telling her she can pay later. I give it 5 stars; my spouse gives it 3. ... So it gets 4 for now. Watched last episode 10 Jun 2020 on Netflix.
  6. Champion = 첌피언. A native Korean man, adopted by Americans as a very young child, returns to Korea and wins the arm wrestling championship. Watched 3 Aug 2020 on Viki.
  7. Kkondae Intern aka Old School Intern = 꼰대 인턴. A department manager for one ramen company badly mistreats a young intern, forcing him to leave. A few years later the department manager loses his job and, as an older man becomes an intern working for a the intern he had mistreated, who has now become a manager. It had some wonderful episodes in the middle of its 4 episodes, but the last part of the drama completely lost direction and fell apart. Watched final episode 10 Aug 2020 on Viki.
  8. Train = 트레인. A certain train, at a certain time, in certain weather takes the male lead to an alternate universe. But is that all? 12 episodes with surprises even in the11th and 12th episodes. This drama avoided opportunities to have fewer than 5 stars. In the very end, however, it was ultimately satisfying. Watched last episode 16 Aug 2020 on Viki. 
  9. My Unfamiliar Family = (아는 건 별로 없지만) 가족입니다. A father who drives trucks but can't communicate, a mother who can't communicate, and three non-communicative children try to learn what it means to be a family, and how to familiarize themselves with each other. Finished on Viki 4 Sep 2020.
  10. Hi Bye, Mama = 하이바이, 마마. A pregnant mama has an accident. She dies; her baby daughter survives. The mama follows her daughter as a ghost for five years, visible to the daughter. Finally the mama comes back for 49 days. The mama lies to everyone about why she is here. Half of the screen time is devoted to crying. Most of the rest is saying 죄송합니다 or 밍안해 ("I'm sorry")—it got old really fast. No one ever gave a straight answer. A lugubrious waste of time. Finished 6 Sep 2020 on Netflix. Worst KDrama I've ever watched start to finish. 
  11. Into the Ring = 출사표. An annoying 29-year-old woman has struggled her whole life to make ends meet. She manages to get elected to the District Assembly for the money. Finished 2 Oct 2020 on Viki.
  12. #Alive. Bizarre feature film about zombies that infiltrated a section of Seoul. The moral of the story: be sure to have lots of camping supplies. Watched 2 Oct 2020 on Netflix. The best acting I've ever seen from Park Shin-hye.
  13. Stranger 2 = 비밀의 숲 2. Second season of Stranger [1]. Completed 4 Oct 2020 on Netflix.
  14. Mystic Pop-up Bar = 쌍갑포차. A special tent-like (canvas?) bar mysteriously appears and disappears, generally at night. The living and the dead both visit the bar. Up until the last half of the last (12th) episode, it appeared that this KDrama would crash and burn completely. Fortunately, some pretty random fantasy rescued it during the last few minutes. Finished on Netflix 23 Oct 2020.
  15. Reply 1994. Probably my favorite "Reply" KDrama. There was only one glaring oversight, in my opinion. A few episodes from the end, the parents that ran a boarding house had a baby son. Yet, during the remainder of the episodes, that child was seldom seen in the drama. That is too unrealistic for words. Watched last (21st) episode on 8 Nov 2020, on Viki.
  16. Do Do Sol Sol La La Do. A little girl learns to play the piano and grows up. Whenever she plays (whether or not she plays well), her dad stands up and shouts "Bravo." The father dies on her weddings, which causes the ceremony to end abruptly. This drama started out at five stars, but its end was a disappointment (sadly). Watched last episode 26 Nov 2020 on Netflix.
  17. War of Prosecutors. There are two teams of prosecutors in a small town in southern South Korea. Finished on 28 Nov 2020 on Viki.
  18. Mister Zoo (motion picture). A detective can talk to animals. He is supposed to get the panda back. (The Panda is really a human or two in a Panda suit.) On Viki, 29 Nov 2020.
  19. Okay! Madam = 오케이 마담 (motion picture). A seemingly "normal" couple with a young daughter "win" a free trip to Hawaii. The flight to Oahu is hijacked by terrorists, and we learn that the man and his wife are anything but "normal" as they rescue the passengers. Watched on Viki 5 Dec 2020.
  20. Your Honor = 친애하는 판시님께. Twin brothers have lived very different lives. One is a judge; the other has been in and out of prison. 32 half-hour episodes. At about episode 18 I was afraid that this might not end well and almost dropped it. I decided to give it a chance by watching the 32nd episode, which seemed to turn out well, so I resumed where I had left off (episode 19?) and watched to the end. Very nice. Watched last episode (for the second time) on 17 Dec 2020. On Viki.
  21. Run On. About a runner (athlete) and his girlfriend who translates for movies. Also about a painter (artist) who is still a student (in college?) and a sometimes girlfriend who runs an agency for athletes. As it approached the final (16th) episode, I thought it would crash and burn. However, I ended up liking the ending, even though it wasn't the standard "happy ending." Watched last episode on Netflix 4 Feb 2021.
  22. Space Sweepers. Motion picture on Netflix. Set in the late 21st century, when there is so much garbage in space that it requires space travelers to go clean up the mess. Watched 5 Feb 2021.

Year 9: March 15, 2021–March 14, 2022


  1. Navillera = 나빌레라. A 70-year old retired mail carrier decides to pursue his life-long desire of learning ballet. Although there were several times in this 12-episode series when I was certain it was going to bomb, it ended up among my most satisfying KDramas. Watched last episode 28 Apr 2021 on Netflix. 
  2. Suits =슈츠. A prestigious lawyer at a prestigious law firm, hires an unlicensed person with a photographic memory to work with him. The interactions were interesting, and the actors were generally believable. There were definitely some plot holes, however. Finished 20 Jun3 2021 on Netflix.
  3. So I Married the Anti-fan =  그래서 나는 안티팬과 결혼했다. A woman who dislikes a KPop singer is selected to spend time with the singer. They end up falling in love. The anti-fan was reasonably fun, but the second and third leads were mediocre. The script writing was less than stellar. Although the KDrama ended after 16 episodes, it really had no ending at all. Finished 22 June 2018 on Viki.
  4. Hyena = 하이예나. A woman joins an elite law firm and underhandedly steals cases from another top lawyer there. Many of her methods border on being illegal. Watched last episode on 12 Jul 2021. Although it managed to hold my interest, it wasn't particularly uplifting.
  5. Startup = 스타트업. About software developers in the fictional Sandbox who try to succeed in startup(s). As a programmer myself who has worked for several startups, I was tempted to give it 5 stars. However, in reality, it is stretching to give it 4. Finished episode 16 on 31 Jul 2021. Netflix.
  6. On the Verge of Insanity. A brilliant developer (who wears plaid shirts) from a lower level of society joins the team led by an incompetent from a higher level of society. The team leader ends up nearly ruining the electronics company because he can't deal with the "plaid shirt guy." The episodes are completely unpredictable. The writers must be competent programmers. (They talk about Python, initializing variables, etc.) Middle-aged workers worry about being laid off. Human Resources challenges, etc. Possibly my favorite KDrama of the year 2021. Finished on 29 Aug 2021. On Viki.
  7. Hospital Playlist, Season 2. Five doctors (one female and four males) went to medical school together and put together a band. Now they all work in the same hospital. Finished on 16 Sep 2021 on Netflix. Worthwhile!
  8. Kimchi Family = 발효가족. Two sisters run a traditional kimchi restaurant Chunjiin (天地人) after their father with Alzheimers wanders off. Other characters come and go, including one named after Don Quixote (Ki Ho-tae). It was often slow, but was still worth watching. Watched final (24th) episode 23 Sep 2021 on Viki.
  9. One The Woman. (The Korean Title is identical to Wonder Women). A drama about two chaebol families and some prosecutors. One of the prosecutors (a woman, of course) looks exactly like one of the women in the chaebol families. The first 14 episodes are superb, and very interesting. It was the last two episodes that lost the fifth star. (What were the writers thinking? They missed so many obvious alternate endings.) Watched last episode 9 Nov 2021 on Viki.
  10. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. A dentist from Seoul goes to live in a small village by the sea. The side characters were probably more interesting than the main couple. Watched last episode 19 Dec 2021.  On Netflix
  11. Healer (second time). We need to watch this one every year. (The previous time was in 2015) 
  12. Dali and Gamjatang. A sophisticated art museum director meets an unsophisticated director of a company that sells gamjatang (a pork dish). Had its good moments. However, the two main leads were separated for a year in episode 16 (the last episode), as chemistry is at its height. Any KDrama that pulls that trick automatically loses 1 star. Episode 17 was a complete waste of my time. Finished 11 Feb 2022 on Viki.
  13. Ghost Doctor. An arrogant genius surgeon ends up in a coma for three months, during which time he becomes a ghost, interacting with other ghosts in the hospital. Definitely one of most masterful KDramas I've seen. Superb acting by superb actors, using a superb script. The best depiction of ghosts I've ever seen in a KDrama. Finished 26 Feb 2022 on Viki. 

Year 10: March 15, 2022–March 14, 2023

  1. Twenty Five Twenty One = 스믈다섯스믈하나. A drama about fencing, news announcers, high schoolers and their relationships. Very engaging, excellent actors and acting. The ending was disappointing. This could have been a 5-star KDrama. 16 episodes on Netflix. Watched last episode 3 Apr 2022.
  2. Business Proposal. 12 episodes about a female company worker who goes on a blind date for one of her friends with a man who ends up being the CEO of the company she works for. Initially with no love, love soon blossoms. The first 10 episodes were 5-star quality. The last two episodes fizzled, relegating this one to 3 stars. Finished 5 Apr 2022 on Netflix.
  3. Lovers in Paris = 파리의 연인. 20 episodes. Two guys fall in love with one girl in Paris ... or do they really? You might find out in the last episode. On Viki. Watched last episode on 4 Jul 2022. (This was a 2004 KDrama. Was it the first to use some common KDrama tropes?).
  4. Avengers Social Club. Three women and a step-son set out to get revenge. Watched final (12th) episode on YouTube 28 Nov 2022. Found it by subscribing to the Cereal channel.
  5. Reborn Rich = 재벌집 막내아들. A loyal employee of a chaebol conglomerate is betrayed by the conglomerate. He comes back as rich person (time travel? or is it reincarnation?). All 16 episodes were tightly written, well directed, with superb acting. Watched last episode 29 Dec 2022. Definitely 5 stars!
  6. Tunnel. A detective chases a suspected serial killer into a tunnel. When he exits the tunnel he finds himself 30 years in the future. Very engaging until the last three episodes. Watched the last episode on YouTube 11 Jan 2023. 4 stars.

Year 11: March 15, 2023–March 14, 2024

  1. Delivery Man. Should have been called Ghost Taxi. Full of plot holes. Finished 7 April 2023 on Viki.
  2. Finland Papa. Six episodes lasting total of three hours. A young woman looks for a job after her grandmother dies. She interviews at a cafe named Finland Papa. Who is "Papa"? Finished on 24 May 2023 on Viki.
  3. One Day Off. A Korean literature teacher escapes her ordinary days by visiting different places on Saturdays--her day off. Eight non-stressful episodes on Viki. Watched last episode 3 Jul 2024.
  4. Twinkling Watermelon. A family in 2023 has two deaf parents, one deaf son, and a hearing-capable son. The son who can hear travels back in time to 1995, where he meets his then teen-age father who can hear. He joins a band called "Twinkling Watermelon," where he plays with his father. I don't want to give spoilers. It's probably the best KDrama I've watched this year. Finished 22 Nov 2023 on Viki.
  5. Unlock My Boss. A company president gets trapped in a smartphone. Finished 9 Jan 2024 on Viki.
  6. The Matchmakers. A young widower and a young widow marry off some "old maids." Finished on final (16th) episode on 22 Jan 2024 on Viki.
  7. Stealer: The Treasure Keeper. A group of people steal back heirlooms and cultural treasures that have been stolen by wealthy individuals. After stealing them back, they are returned to museums. Finished on 31 Jan 2024. 12 episodes on Pluto TV. First 7 episodes were very good, the rest not so much.

Year 12: March 15, 2024-March 14, 2025

  1. The Producers = 프로듀사. Experienced producers are joined by a newbie trainee at the entertainment division of KBS Television. Lots of well-known actors, some of them playing themselves. 12 episodes on Viki, finished 30 Mar 2024. (An added 15th episode isn't really part of the plot.)
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