My Favorite Kdramas of All Time

My Favorite Dramas of All Time

                In the years that I have been watching Korean dramas, I have become so fond of some them that I ended up watching them several times when there aren’t any dramas worth watching.  Of course from where I live I can only depend on Viki.com.  It’s not that there are no other websites but I like Viki.com because they don’t have a whole lot of commercials, the quality of the videos are really good and they’re free.   The plot matters a lot to me as much as the acting of the actors and actresses in the series.  As I am putting all my thoughts together about my favorites of all time, some actors and actresses come to mind like Kim Sun Ah, Yoon Eun Hye,  Lee-Min Ho, Cha Seung Won, Gong Yoo and Ha Ji Won to name a few.

                To name the dramas that I like best is the easy part but to actually rank them would be difficult so I decided to present them in no particular order and what I think about each one.  Enjoy!

Secret Garden

                The drama revolves around an arrogant, eccentric, and perfectionist CEO Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin) and a poor and humble yet sexy stunt woman Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won); their accidental meeting and bickering, and their swapping of bodies which made the already complicated situation even more COMPLICATED.  It is a story of love between two people from the opposite side to the social classes and the challenges they have to face together with the touch of fantasy.  The plot, the acting, the fact that every episode feels like you’re left hanging on the edge of a cliff are what’s making this drama so captivating.  The acting was so believable I couldn’t imagine anyone else taking the roles of the two main characters other than Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won.  If you’re planning to watch this make sure you have Kleenex ready!

City Hall

                It took me 3 years before I actually decided to watch this because I wasn’t sure if I’d like it at first.  I could just bump my head on the wall for not doing so when the drama was first aired.  But then again, it was a good thing because I was able to watch it non-stop.  So there wasn’t that cliff hanger type frustration at the end of every episode because this is one of those that you could not let go once you started watching it. You just get addicted to the story.  The first few episodes, especially, were so hilarious.  Kim Sun Ah gave justice to Shin Mae Ri’s narcissistic yet funny and lovable character.  I couldn’t believe I’m typing narcissistic and lovable in one sentence describing just one character.   But of course Cha Seung Won once again has proven how versatile of an actor he is.  Although in the story it is hard to pin point where and when Joo Gook (Cha Seung Won) started falling for Shin Mae Ri (Kim Sun Ah), the rest of their love story isn’t really any hard to understand.  I could say a lot more about this drama and why I watched it for the third time now but I think the best thing is for you to try watching it and see for yourself.

Innocent Man

                This is a melodrama that reflects how weak human can be against the desire to take revenge after being pushed to the fires of hell.  It is a story of love, sacrifice, heartache and revenge.  Brilliant!

Queen In Hyun’s Man

                There were a lot of time- travel kind of plot in Kdrama world this year but this is far the best of them all.  The way they connected the past and the present was flawless.  The way they show Ji Hyun Woo’s character which is Park Boong Do jumping from past to present year actually makes sense and doesn’t look forced.  I like that the writer was able to balance the past and the future.  I am glad that Yoo In Na was given the opportunity to take a lead role this time.  She was good in this drama.  Oh, and did I mention that the kissing was like the best kissing scene ever?!

Coffee Prince

                This is another drama that captivated me.  The story is a balance of drama and comedy that I didn’t feel bored watching it.  This is the first project of Yoon Eun Hye that made me like her as an actress.  I give my Kudos to her and Gong Yoo on this one.

Boys Over Flowers

                I’ve seen the Taiwan version so I didn’t think I’d like the Korean version but I was wrong.  The story was just as good if not better.  There were fewer episodes compared to the Taiwan version but that didn’t compromise the whole story.  That’s one thing about Korean dramas; a lot of them are short but the whole story is there.  You wouldn’t feel like some things are missing.

The King 2 Hearts

                I’m sure this isn’t the first kdrama that features a love story between two people from North and South Korea but what’s special about this drama is that it contains the hope that one day the two countries will unite as one plus of course the exceptional acting abilities of not just the two main characters but also of the supporting cast.  Awesome drama indeed!

The Greatest Love

                Another drama that I didn’t think would be in my list until I watched it this year then watched it again and again and again because I couldn’t get enough of it.  Goo Ae Jung (Gong Hyo Jin) was in so many awkward and embarrassing situations and Gong Hyo Jin did a great job being Ae Jung that I felt embarrassed watching Ae Jung in those situations. It was like, feeling what she’s feeling.  That’s how powerful Hyo Jin's acting was in this series.  Then once again there was Cha Seung Won in his Dokko Jin’s character that adds to the quality of the drama.  I guess some people are just born with acting talent no wonder why they never run out of projects.

Wild Romance

                Talk about crazy, funny, yet kick ass girl character! This is Lee Si Young’s best if you ask me.  When I first saw her in Mischievous Kiss, I thought she should be given her own drama series and Wild Romance was just the right fit.  It was also refreshing to see Lee Don Wook in a Romantic Comedy again after Scent of a Woman which was more of a serious drama than comedy.

Scent of a Woman

                We all know Tango is one classy yet sexy dance but in Scent of a woman, Kim Sun Ah and Lee Dong Wook took the dance to a different level.  The already romantic dance became even more dramatic and sexy.  This is one Kdrama that is definitely worth your time.

                So there you go!  These are my favorites of all time.  This doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy other Kdramas because I wouldn’t have created this blog.  There are other Kdramas that gave me nothing but enjoyment and we can talk about them next time. J