I can never do number one favorite. I can’t do this even for movies. I always say top 3 or top 5. Forest of Secrets and Misaeng would definitely be in the top though.
Honestly, nothing extraordinary about the plot. A standard rom-com where a dickish rich hotelier with traumatic past (of course) (Hyun Bin) met a slightly chubby patisserie (Kim Sun Ah) with an old fashion name. Their first meeting was when she got dumped by her bf. They made a contract where she pretends to be his gf (mom keep sending him to blind date) and as you guessed it, real feelings get involved. Things got complicated when ex gf (Jung Ryeo Won) is back from US with her hot doctor (Daniel Henney). It was a mixture of funny and melo moments and KSS feels relatable at that moment. Had a certificate but didn’t have much going on with her life, trying to diet, trying not to fall to that hot guy XD
If I were to watch it now, I probably won’t like it as much. But this was among my first kdrama, so it was more of sentimental than objectively.
It’s MNIKSS for me as well. It has so much heart that I feel quite swept away when I watch it. It was foundational to dramas that came later, just that so many drew from it that MNIKSS ends up looking dated today. But it was a groundbreaker at the time and even academic papers were written about it. And something like half of Korea was watching it by the end. It broke rules and sent kdrama off into a new direction.
I was going to say Misaeng first tbh, but it’s been said above.😄 So let me sneak in a third: Buamdong Revenge Club. An underrated gem.
My total list of 10/10 dramas in my head contains only 7 at the moment, including 2 shorts:
Solomon’s Perjury
Life on Mars
Girl’s Generation 1979
to.Jenny
I cannot wait to see which dramas make your list if top 10. Is it your top 10 or an objective top 10?
BTW, I also love love love love Buamdong Revenge Club. I’ve rewatched it about 10 times. It’s televisual comfort food. But I don’t know if I’d rate it as a “best” drama.
Hehe *hi5*
Hmm I found it a novel premise – 3 “ahjummas” from different walks of life (well one of them anyway) come together to take revenge on all who wronged them. The dialogue is great, the plot is great, the sub-plots are great, the show is cohesive and well written, and well directed. I think it’s very underrated, perhaps because there’s no male lead to carry it. (Not underated by you, but by the general drama watching crowd. Dramas too often rely on handsome, perfect boyfriends to pull in viewers)
The first time I watched it I was underwhelmed but I’m not even sure why. Maybe because I was expecting it to be more ‘revenge-y’.
But for some reason I rewatched it (unusual for me) and I completely loved it the second time around. I do find some of the ‘revenge’ a little weird and juvenile – like the yoga thing – but I agree. Its a hugely underrated drama and it holds up on rewatch – and rewatch, and rewatch and rewatch.
Misaeng is my all-time top drama. I didn’t find it emotionally wrecking at all, in fact it’s quite inspiring. There’s a lot of irony and some humour too. It’s by the same PD as My Ahjussi, so it’s beautifully filmed, but not as heavy. In summary, you should watch it!
I agree. It is a little hard because of its realness but it doesn’t leave you there. It provides the optimism and catharsis you’ll need while gping on the journey with JGR. I do understand why so many people won’t want to watch it though. I watched it when i was studying and it was kind of a disclaimer like” hey this is how the real world works”. However, once in the job struggle, I find it hard to even re watch it because it would be too real to absorb.
I don’t know if I can put it into words. Just that no show has ever gripped me emotionally as hard as this one has. I have been rewatching it every two or three shows since it got aired and it still wrecks me every time.
The very real very relatable mother and daughter, the chaebol who is just a bored young man with no purpose, neither dickish nor broken. The chemistry, omg the CHEMISTRY! The second male lead. The normal side characters. The only annoying over the top character is the second female lead which, as romance is actually secondary to the story she becomes tertiary and I mostly ignore her.
There is something about this show. Every single scene feels urgent. Like something intangible is going to be lost forever.
I know loveing dramas is sooo subjective, so I didn’t mean to write this as promoting and recommending! I only tried to put down why I love this show so much.
It’s kind of frustrating but realistic and the cheabol is opposing to his dad, experienced poverty, the heroine is not magically healed from her cancer, that Tango dance and passion I want to learn (who knew you can learn tango from Al Pacino???), saving doggie from dog eater ajushi – metaphor on the heroine herself, making friendly bridge between Japan and Korea (KSA grew up in Japan), showing petty rich folks and “an artist” in a way how they mostly are, etc. It’s not happy happy ending but it’s happy and beautiful in a way to show that you can really love a person that much…
It’s written by the same writer of Healer.
It’s about a man, played by Park Yong-ha, who lost everything; his money, brother and girlfriend then he planned a vengeance to the man who ruined his life with the help of people he met in prison.
Kim Kang-woo played Chae Do-woo, a genius with mental health problem. He is the most memorable villain in my history of k-drama watching. He’s didnt act crazy or aggressive. There’s only one scene at the end when he lost control.
It’s an action/melodrama. The action scenes sometimes were laughable and the melos could be really dramatic as you can expect from Asian dramas at the time. At the end there’s no winner or looser as the hero and villain expected, but I really love the journey.
This!!! Loved your statement. Dramas may be a source of entertainment but the ones that merge with your lives and give you morals and lead you through the journey of life will forever have the biggest impressions. These two are at the top of my list too.
Dramaland has so much offer and most of the shows mentioned above have been my favorites but whenever I come across this question, I think which one has been the most memorable. Misaeng for sure. 5 years but it is still the best for many. That show is kind of timeless, will be applicable to many people in different times and professions.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 6:36 PM
I’m going to be ambitious and write a blog post on the Top 10 Korean dramas of all time. If you had to pick ONE, which would it be?
deadlybaby
June 12, 2019 at 6:55 PM
CIRCLE
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:36 PM
Definitely in any Top 10. What a great show.
drawde2000
June 12, 2019 at 7:15 PM
I’ve answe a similar question several times. My answer remains the same. None have managed to top them yet. Still waiting for that moment.
Subjectively: Answer Me 1997
Objectively: Misaeng
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:36 PM
*whispers*
I haven’t seen either of them, should probably get on that.
Midnight
June 12, 2019 at 8:49 PM
I couldn’t get past Misaeng first episode twice so I gave up. But R97 is a very very VERY good show.
UmbrellaMan
June 12, 2019 at 7:39 PM
I can never do number one favorite. I can’t do this even for movies. I always say top 3 or top 5. Forest of Secrets and Misaeng would definitely be in the top though.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:36 PM
Forest of Secrets is great. Definitely Top 10 material.
egads aka Dame Maggie
June 12, 2019 at 7:43 PM
My Ahjussi
Blue (@mayhemf)
June 12, 2019 at 8:15 PM
It would be a tie between this and Stranger(forest of secrets). I can’t pick one!
egads aka Dame Maggie
June 12, 2019 at 8:34 PM
If My Ahjussi didn’t exist, it would likely be Forest of Secrets or Because This is Our First Life would top the list.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:37 PM
Can’t agree on BTLIOF but My Ahjussi and Forest of Secrets would definitely compete for top spot
UmbrellaMan
June 12, 2019 at 8:55 PM
Agree. I still haven’t finished the last episode and a half of BTLIOF. But you see why it’s so hard to choose just one??
greenfields
June 12, 2019 at 9:01 PM
I think if you watch it, maybe Misaeng should get that top spot? 😂 It might be more than a little bleak though, so I dunno.
Blue (@mayhemf)
June 13, 2019 at 3:50 AM
My third would be ‘secret Affair’.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 13, 2019 at 1:50 PM
Such an underrated piece of art
HANI
June 12, 2019 at 8:04 PM
My name is kim sam soon
I know there are better dramas out there (FOS, Misaeng) but MNIKSS is just that special for me~
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:37 PM
oh, I’ve never seen that one. What draws you to it?
HANI
June 12, 2019 at 9:42 PM
Honestly, nothing extraordinary about the plot. A standard rom-com where a dickish rich hotelier with traumatic past (of course) (Hyun Bin) met a slightly chubby patisserie (Kim Sun Ah) with an old fashion name. Their first meeting was when she got dumped by her bf. They made a contract where she pretends to be his gf (mom keep sending him to blind date) and as you guessed it, real feelings get involved. Things got complicated when ex gf (Jung Ryeo Won) is back from US with her hot doctor (Daniel Henney). It was a mixture of funny and melo moments and KSS feels relatable at that moment. Had a certificate but didn’t have much going on with her life, trying to diet, trying not to fall to that hot guy XD
If I were to watch it now, I probably won’t like it as much. But this was among my first kdrama, so it was more of sentimental than objectively.
bbstl 🧹
June 13, 2019 at 8:53 AM
It’s MNIKSS for me as well. It has so much heart that I feel quite swept away when I watch it. It was foundational to dramas that came later, just that so many drew from it that MNIKSS ends up looking dated today. But it was a groundbreaker at the time and even academic papers were written about it. And something like half of Korea was watching it by the end. It broke rules and sent kdrama off into a new direction.
HANI
June 14, 2019 at 2:54 AM
greenfields
June 12, 2019 at 8:07 PM
Err.. damn that’s hard, I have about four or five.
But for this:
Signal.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:37 PM
And if you were allowed two?
greenfields
June 12, 2019 at 8:56 PM
I was going to say Misaeng first tbh, but it’s been said above.😄 So let me sneak in a third: Buamdong Revenge Club. An underrated gem.
My total list of 10/10 dramas in my head contains only 7 at the moment, including 2 shorts:
Solomon’s Perjury
Life on Mars
Girl’s Generation 1979
to.Jenny
I cannot wait to see which dramas make your list if top 10. Is it your top 10 or an objective top 10?
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:58 PM
I’m hoping to make it an objective-as-possible Top 10. Maybe i’ll do two and put in my personal top 10 as well.
greenfields
June 12, 2019 at 9:03 PM
Great idea! *waits for both*
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:59 PM
BTW, I also love love love love Buamdong Revenge Club. I’ve rewatched it about 10 times. It’s televisual comfort food. But I don’t know if I’d rate it as a “best” drama.
greenfields
June 12, 2019 at 9:06 PM
Hehe *hi5*
Hmm I found it a novel premise – 3 “ahjummas” from different walks of life (well one of them anyway) come together to take revenge on all who wronged them. The dialogue is great, the plot is great, the sub-plots are great, the show is cohesive and well written, and well directed. I think it’s very underrated, perhaps because there’s no male lead to carry it. (Not underated by you, but by the general drama watching crowd. Dramas too often rely on handsome, perfect boyfriends to pull in viewers)
greenfields
June 12, 2019 at 9:11 PM
But I don’t necessarily mean a handsome male lead, I just mean, a male lead.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 9:12 PM
The first time I watched it I was underwhelmed but I’m not even sure why. Maybe because I was expecting it to be more ‘revenge-y’.
But for some reason I rewatched it (unusual for me) and I completely loved it the second time around. I do find some of the ‘revenge’ a little weird and juvenile – like the yoga thing – but I agree. Its a hugely underrated drama and it holds up on rewatch – and rewatch, and rewatch and rewatch.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 9:13 PM
Also if you want to talk about several of my gripes with the classic Kdrama formula, Buamdong avoids all of them.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:25 PM
I really need to finally watch Misaeng
egads aka Dame Maggie
June 12, 2019 at 8:34 PM
Me too, but I never seem to be in the mood to be emotionally wrecked.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 8:35 PM
Yeah I’m in the wrong head space at the moment. I’d kill for another My Fellow Citizens though.
UmbrellaMan
June 12, 2019 at 9:03 PM
But it is oh so so so good. It was kinda cathartic for me.
WishfulToki
June 13, 2019 at 2:15 PM
Misaeng is my all-time top drama. I didn’t find it emotionally wrecking at all, in fact it’s quite inspiring. There’s a lot of irony and some humour too. It’s by the same PD as My Ahjussi, so it’s beautifully filmed, but not as heavy. In summary, you should watch it!
WishfulToki
June 13, 2019 at 2:16 PM
*I’d say Nirvana in Fire is my top drama but that’s a Cdrama lol.
egads aka Dame Maggie
June 13, 2019 at 2:32 PM
@wishfultoki, thanks that’s good to know!
wapz
June 13, 2019 at 3:52 PM
I agree. It is a little hard because of its realness but it doesn’t leave you there. It provides the optimism and catharsis you’ll need while gping on the journey with JGR. I do understand why so many people won’t want to watch it though. I watched it when i was studying and it was kind of a disclaimer like” hey this is how the real world works”. However, once in the job struggle, I find it hard to even re watch it because it would be too real to absorb.
greenfields
June 12, 2019 at 8:58 PM
Yeah I wouldn’t call it an easy watch. But it is amazing (as people keep saying, haha).
하데스
June 14, 2019 at 3:01 AM
I’m with G on this one. You might need to be in the right frame of mind and take it slow. It’s most certainly worth it though.
Midnight
June 12, 2019 at 8:48 PM
Scent of a woman
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 9:14 PM
Really? I haven’t seen it and not even sure it’s on my list. What do you love about it?
Midnight
June 13, 2019 at 1:03 AM
I don’t know if I can put it into words. Just that no show has ever gripped me emotionally as hard as this one has. I have been rewatching it every two or three shows since it got aired and it still wrecks me every time.
The very real very relatable mother and daughter, the chaebol who is just a bored young man with no purpose, neither dickish nor broken. The chemistry, omg the CHEMISTRY! The second male lead. The normal side characters. The only annoying over the top character is the second female lead which, as romance is actually secondary to the story she becomes tertiary and I mostly ignore her.
There is something about this show. Every single scene feels urgent. Like something intangible is going to be lost forever.
I know loveing dramas is sooo subjective, so I didn’t mean to write this as promoting and recommending! I only tried to put down why I love this show so much.
BC
June 13, 2019 at 1:10 AM
It’s kind of frustrating but realistic and the cheabol is opposing to his dad, experienced poverty, the heroine is not magically healed from her cancer, that Tango dance and passion I want to learn (who knew you can learn tango from Al Pacino???), saving doggie from dog eater ajushi – metaphor on the heroine herself, making friendly bridge between Japan and Korea (KSA grew up in Japan), showing petty rich folks and “an artist” in a way how they mostly are, etc. It’s not happy happy ending but it’s happy and beautiful in a way to show that you can really love a person that much…
Midnight
June 13, 2019 at 1:36 AM
“It’s not happy happy ending but it’s happy and beautiful in a way to show that you can really love a person that much…”
This actually describes everything in this show.
And I think you should have put a spoiler tag on your post 😉
BC
June 13, 2019 at 1:51 AM
Oops! But it’s so old drama that spoilers don’t matter anymore. Just you have to accept it and enjoy the rest😉
BC
June 13, 2019 at 1:55 AM
And it is one of a kind where noble idiocy makes sense.
Midnight
June 13, 2019 at 2:00 AM
Exactly! And not only noble idiocy, but rich parents opposing marriage too!
mano
June 12, 2019 at 9:12 PM
A Story of A Man aka The Slingshot
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 12, 2019 at 9:14 PM
Wow I’ve never even heard of it! What’s it about?
mano
June 12, 2019 at 9:43 PM
It’s written by the same writer of Healer.
It’s about a man, played by Park Yong-ha, who lost everything; his money, brother and girlfriend then he planned a vengeance to the man who ruined his life with the help of people he met in prison.
Kim Kang-woo played Chae Do-woo, a genius with mental health problem. He is the most memorable villain in my history of k-drama watching. He’s didnt act crazy or aggressive. There’s only one scene at the end when he lost control.
It’s an action/melodrama. The action scenes sometimes were laughable and the melos could be really dramatic as you can expect from Asian dramas at the time. At the end there’s no winner or looser as the hero and villain expected, but I really love the journey.
Midnight
June 13, 2019 at 2:04 AM
How can you not have heard of A story of a Man! I haven’t watched it but I have heard and read about it everywhere! It has THE famous ending!
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
June 12, 2019 at 9:49 PM
Healer is mine *shrugs*
ObsessedMuch
June 12, 2019 at 10:01 PM
This is almost an year old by now but @greenfields and I had started our blog with our favourite 5 dramas- so the list has 10 dramas there:
https://desifanchant.home.blog/2018/08/26/favourite-five-kdramas/
Kudo Ran
June 12, 2019 at 10:02 PM
Misaeng
Dear My Friends
I’ve got other dramas I’ve rated 10/10, but those two above share such insights about life, they’re above the rest by far
wapz
June 13, 2019 at 3:43 PM
This!!! Loved your statement. Dramas may be a source of entertainment but the ones that merge with your lives and give you morals and lead you through the journey of life will forever have the biggest impressions. These two are at the top of my list too.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
June 12, 2019 at 10:11 PM
My Ajusshi.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
June 12, 2019 at 10:13 PM
But Healer is my favorite.
purplesheesh
June 12, 2019 at 10:16 PM
Only one? Reply 1997.
Ugh, Forest of Secrets.
No, change that to Life on Mars.
Idk.
Melanie
June 12, 2019 at 10:31 PM
If I can only pick ONE then it would have to be Healer. My most favorite is Just Between Lovers but Healer is the one I’ve re-watched the most.
BC
June 13, 2019 at 12:58 AM
Just Between Lovers definitely for me. 💞
mugyuljoie is preciousss
June 13, 2019 at 1:05 AM
Just Between Lovers is high on my list too.
Esther
June 13, 2019 at 12:33 AM
My personal pick will always be “HEALER”
No drama is yet to top it on my list😊😊
Madkdr
June 13, 2019 at 12:54 AM
Wow! way to post a difficult question! LOL!!
ermmm Reply 97
DoubleFault
June 13, 2019 at 9:27 AM
Oh, wow. This is hard. It would be Misaeng for me, though Signal and Circle are not too far behind.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
June 13, 2019 at 2:45 PM
One vote for INAR
saturtledaisy
June 13, 2019 at 2:47 PM
I don’t think I need to answer this question. But you have my vote for the obvious.
saturtledaisy
June 13, 2019 at 2:53 PM
Screw all ahjussis.
wapz
June 13, 2019 at 3:47 PM
Dramaland has so much offer and most of the shows mentioned above have been my favorites but whenever I come across this question, I think which one has been the most memorable. Misaeng for sure. 5 years but it is still the best for many. That show is kind of timeless, will be applicable to many people in different times and professions.
egads aka Dame Maggie
June 13, 2019 at 4:02 PM
Thank you for making me laugh.
Madkdr
June 13, 2019 at 6:53 PM
Ooo wait – Smile, You 😍
How could I forget thee!!!
saturtledaisy
June 13, 2019 at 11:09 PM
I set myself up for this.
ship-happens
June 14, 2019 at 5:12 PM
For drama series, it would be a tie between Circle and Coffee Prince. For short series: To.Jenny