49 DaysĀ – 8/8
9 End, 2 OutsĀ – 6/6
90 Days, Falling in Love DaysĀ – 3/5
A Man Called GodĀ – 6/5
A Star’s LoverĀ – 7/6
Age of Feeling (Inspiring Generation) – 7/6
Air CityĀ – 6/5
All InĀ – 6/7
Answer Me 1997 – 9/9
Answer Me 1994 – 6/7
Answer Me 1988 – 8/8
Arang and the MagistrateĀ – 6/8
Autumn in My HeartĀ – 8/6
Bad FamilyĀ – 9.5/8
Bad GuyĀ – 5/5
Bad LoveĀ – 4/5
Beautiful DaysĀ – 9/8
Be Strong Geum Soon!Ā – 7.5/8
Best LoveĀ (The Greatest Love) – 7.5/8
BigĀ – 9/5
Boys Before FlowersĀ – 7/6
Bride of the Century – 9/8
Capital ScandalĀ – 6/7
Cheongdamdong AliceĀ – 6/6
ChunoĀ – 7.5/9
Cinderella UnniĀ – 7/7
City HallĀ – 10/9
Coffee PrinceĀ – 7.5/9
Conspiracy in the CourtĀ – 9/10
Cruel CityĀ (Heartless City) – 10/9
DamoĀ – 10/10
Delightful Girl Choon HyangĀ – 5/6.5
Dream HighĀ – 8/7.5
Dr. Jin – 5/4
Dr. Stranger – 8/6
East of EdenĀ – 4/5
Empress Ki – 7/7
Fantasy CoupleĀ – 6/7
Fashion 70’sĀ – 7/8
Fashion KingĀ – 3/3
Flower Boy Next DoorĀ – 8/8
Flowers for My LifeĀ – 8/9.5
Friend, Our LegendĀ – 9/9.5
GiantĀ – 9/9
GloriaĀ – 7/7
God’s Gift: 14 Days – 8/7.5
Goddess of Fire JeongiĀ – 4/4
Goddess of Marriage – 5/6
Goodbye SoloĀ – 9/9
GoongĀ – 9/7.5
GourmetĀ – 6/8
Green RoseĀ – 8/8
Gu Family BookĀ – 6/6
Healer – 7/8
Heard it Through the Grapevine – 8/9
Heirs – 7/7
HeroĀ – 7/7.5
Hong Gil DongĀ – 8/8
Hyde, Jekyll, Me – 5/4
I Am LegendĀ – 5/6
I Do I DoĀ – 6/6
I Live in CheongdamdongĀ – 10/10
I Need RomanceĀ – 7/7
I Summon You, GoldĀ – 4/3
IljimaeĀ – 6/7.5
Invincible Lee Pyung GyeonĀ – 7/7
IrelandĀ – 6/7
It’s Okay, It’s Love – 9/9
Jang Ok Jung, Live in LoveĀ – 7/6
Joseon Gunman – 9/8
Joseon X-FilesĀ – 10/10
JumongĀ – 7/9
Kill Me Heal Me – 9/9
Kim Soo RoĀ – 6/7
Lie to MeĀ – 9.5/5
Love MarriageĀ – 8/7
LoversĀ – 5/6
Lovers in ParisĀ – 5/6
May QueenĀ – 4/5
Marriage Not Dating – 6/7
Mary Stayed Out All NightĀ – 8/5
Marry Him If You Dare (Mirae’s Choice) – 5/4
Me Too, Flower!Ā – 8/7
Miss Korea –Ā 9/9
Missing YouĀ (I Miss You) – 5/6
My Fair LadyĀ – 7/5
My GirlĀ – 7/8.5
My Love PatzziĀ – 4/5
My Lovely Girl – 6/5
My Name is Kim Sam SoonĀ – 9.5/9.5
My PrincessĀ – 7/6.5
My Secret Hotel – 7/6
New HeartĀ – 8.5/9
Nice Guy (The Innocent Man)Ā – 9/8
OB/GYNĀ – 7/7
Oh My Ghost – 8/8
On AirĀ – 8/8
One Fine DayĀ – 5/3
Only YouĀ – 8/6
Operation ProposalĀ – 6/6
Painter of the WindĀ – 7/8
PastaĀ – 7/6
Personal TasteĀ – 5/5
Pinocchio – 9/8.5
Playful KissĀ – 9/6
PresidentĀ – 9/9
Pretty Boy (Bel Ami) – 8/7
Prime Minister and I – 9/8
Protect the BossĀ – 8/8
Queen of HousewivesĀ – 7.5/8
Remember (Son’s War) – 7/7
Resurrection/Revenge/RebirthĀ – 10/9.5
RobbersĀ – 6/6
Sang Doo, Let’s Go to SchoolĀ – 9.5/9
Save the Last Dance for MeĀ – 7/7
Scholar Who Walked the Night – 6.5/6
Secret GardenĀ – 6/8
Secret Love Affair –Ā 9/9.5
SeodongyoĀ – 9/6.5
She is NineteenĀ – 8.5/7
Sly and Single Again (Cunning Single Lady) – 7/8
Snow QueenĀ – 8/8
Spring WaltzĀ – 5/6.5
Spy Myung WolĀ – 4/4
Stairway to HeavenĀ – 3/4
Summer ScentĀ – 7/7
Super RookieĀ – 6/6.5
Surgeon Bong Dal HeeĀ – 7.5/8
Swallow the SunĀ – 5.5/7
Tamra the IslandĀ – 9.5/8.5
TazzaĀ – 6/7
Temptation of an AngelĀ – 6/6
Temptation – 7/7
Thank YouĀ – 8/8
The Blade and PetalĀ (Sword and Flower) – 8/7
The Devil/MawangĀ – 8/9
The DuoĀ – 9/9
The Girl Who Sees Smells – 9/7
The King 2 HeartsĀ – 9/8
The Kingdom of the WindsĀ – 5/7
The Master’s SunĀ – 6/7
The Princess’s ManĀ – 9/9
The Suspicious Housekeeper – 8/8
The Time I Loved You – 7/5
The Woman Who Still Wants to MarryĀ – 9/9
Time Between Dog and WolfĀ – 9.9/9
TripleĀ – 4/6
Two WeeksĀ – 9/8
War of MoneyĀ – 3/4
Warm and Cozy – 5/6
What Happened in Bali?Ā – 9/9
What Star are You From?Ā – 6/6
What’s With This Family – 8/8
When a Man LovesĀ – 5/6
When It’s at NightĀ – 7/6
Who Are YouĀ (Yoon Kye Sang version)Ā – 8/8
Who Are YouĀ (Kim Jae Wook version) – 6/6
Will You Love and Give It Away? – 6/6
Winter SonataĀ – 7/7
Wish Upon a StarĀ – 7/7
Witch AmusementĀ – 4/6
Wonderful Days – 8/8
Yongpal – 7/8
You’re BeautifulĀ – 8/8
You From Another Star – 8/8.5
Any drama I rated 8 or higher on the objective quality scale (second number) is a drama I would recommend for whatever genre it falls under.
MY TEN FAVORITE K-DRAMASĀ (in no particular order, and no testament to the quality of said drama – only that I liked them so very much):
– Time Between Dog and WolfĀ – Guns, amnesia, undercover operatives, beautiful first love, gorgeous overseas locale, stellar soundtrack, and, oh yeah, six different versions of Lee Jun Ki. I think that about sums it up. HK cops procedural combined perfectly with Korean melo-angst.
– What Happened in BaliĀ – THE love triangle to end all love triangle debates – even the leading lady isn’t so sure who she loves. Outstanding acting by everyone involved. You won’t stop thinking about it for awhile after you finish watching it.
– City HallĀ – Mature, sexy, sizzling romance wrapped in a feel-good shell of a political fairy tale. The single best ending to a drama I have ever watched. It gives you everything you want, and then some more.
– Tamra the IslandĀ – Fun, poignant, dreamy – a fairy tale for young and old, innocent and jaded. Breathtaking cinematography, lyrical soundtrack, and the introduction of Team Park Kyu to the world.
– DamoĀ – Naeuri-ahhhhhh! *collapses into a heap of tears and sobs*
– My Name is Kim Sam SoonĀ – Not over-rated at all. Deserving of every accolade and recommendation. A romantic comedy where being unmarried and nearly on-the-shelf is not sugar-coated, but the possibility of romance is still heart-thumpingly good.
– SeodongyoĀ – The drama that introduced me to K-dramas. You can call my love for it nostalgia, but its good on every re-watch. The one sageuk where the romance is given equal treatment with the historical intrigue. The OTP gets thrown every obstacle in the world, but you get all the ooey-gooey sweet moments and the forceful separations. In the end, you also get your happy ending.
– Beautiful DaysĀ – The only early Hallyu drama I adore to pieces. Watched it for the first time nearly ten years after it first aired, and everything worked perfectly to deliver the melodrama with the catharsis and the romance.
–Ā Lie to MeĀ – The qualitative absolute worst drama in this group, but quite possibly personally made me the happiest. The only drama to make me tangibly feel like I am experiencing falling in love all over again through two people onscreen.
– Sang Doo, Let’s Go To SchoolĀ – A story about first love, nurtured by the quiet strength of a man and the perseverance of a woman, a love story so pure and untainted that it reminds you that love is truly a beautiful thing to see.
THE TOP TEN K-DRAMAS I’VE WATCHEDĀ (again in no particular order, the best is my subjective standard of quality only, and I’m judging each drama within the standards of it’s respective genres – also, there are so very many K-dramas I have not yet watched):
– Mawang/The Devil
– Friends, Our Legend
– Goodbye Solo
– My Name is Kim Sam Soon
– City Hall
– Damo
– Joseon X-Files/Secret Investigation Record
– Giant
– Conspiracy in the Court
– Resurrection
Hi koala unni, in the above list I would suggest for you to watch sam soon.
Hello ms.koala~ May i know when BoTC ep 10 will be published?
Gomapta~~
Speaking of BOTC, how would rate it?
Thx for your ratings on these dramas! For Monstar, how would you rate it? __/__?
yeahh ! how about Monstar ??
Hi, I think you should totally check out Shut up Flower Boy Band, it’s full of heart. š
Hiiii… you should watch dong yi!!! It’s korean historical drama but it is one of the best!! U like bbjx so u should like this one…
Hey,
Sorry but the heirs was the best korean drama I’ve ever seen,but intthis rating it has gotten 7/7.
Min ho & Shin hye has also chosen as best couple.
love the actors…but heirs would get a 3/4 from me
my idol……………….
sorry but how does your rating system work? why are there 2 numbers?
thanks!
What happened to the korean drama who started the korean waves.. Jewel in the palace (Dae jang geum)
One of my favorite historical Kdramas I’ve seen was DAE JANG GEUM aka Jewel in the Palace except I hated everything about Min Jeong Ho (the guy she marries). My second favorite historical drama had to be to QUEEN SEON DEOK (only up until Mishil err departure, of course). I loved Mishil so much that I even rooted for her! lol
Koala-unnie!
Don’t know if you’ve checked out Rooftop Prince yet. Just finished the marathon and it hurts so good. (Plus it’s hilarious)
Reminds me of BBJX in reverse haha
So, I juuuuust finished Prime Minister and I after marathoning it in the last 2 and a half days. What, I was home sick! Finishing a drama in 2 days is totally acceptable! Ahem, going off topic. LOL
Anyway, since our taste in dramas are similar (City Hall…Lie to me *coughcough*), I was really curious as to how you’d rate PM and I. I loved it, and the ending fits the theme of the whole thing even if it kinda fizzed out a bit I think, but boyyy, am I a bit disappointed too. I wanted to see more actual shippy scenes between and I kept waiting for a real kiss that never came. I’m so shallow, I knooooow. *facepalm* So yeah, that’s why I’d probably give it a 7 and a half out of 8.
On a side note, OMG I miss having epic convos with you Ć la LTM!
On another note, before PM and I I started rewatching King 2 Hearts, but I had to stop before The Thing We Shall All Forget It Ever Happened. I can’t go through that again, omg! OTOH, I also wanna see the ending. IDK what to dooooo XD
*is
I’m still sick. Pls ignore my bad english.
How come that’s the only rate for HEALER???…That’s absurd… Koala’s the ONLY one with this such kind of rating for Healer….. I’ve read a lot of bloggers and their ratings, but this one is SOOO way way out, doesn’t blend with the rest… As well, as with the other dramas, DISAGREE with those rates… Anyway, that’s Koala’s perceptions… But I have my conclusion already with the website… NEVER RELY on THIS again….
I liked Healer but it was nothing stellar. I thought it was a sugarcoated melodrama with the my-father-might-have-killed-your-father + the birth secrets + forgotten childhood stuff. So-so ending too. But I do understand why others loved it so much and I acknowledge its addictiveness even though I did not experience it. The adorable otp(plus ahjumma) elevated the drama.
But then again different strokes for different folks so yeah.
I will recommend you to watch six flying dragons,and all I have seen a lot of blogs,the rating for boys over flowers is low for me. although that’s for you not for me.
Ugh, I watched “What happened in Bali” years ago and regretted watching it because the ending was not a happy one. The love triangle definitely ended with a triple bang! Definitely not a fan of that drama.
My favourite Korean dramas: Good Doctor, Are you Human too? Jumong, Dae Jang Geum, The Princess’ Man, Grand Prince, Gu Family Book, Tale of Nokdu, Arang and the Magistrate (so far…)
I love the list and I have a pick of my own favorite dramas of which Boys Before Flowers and A Man Called God tops the list. I have not seen all of them though but I know for sure that this was useful as I am planning on seeing the ones that I have not seen. I will like it if you could visit my site for something I shared recently. You can use this link to get there, I appreciate it.Thank you a lot for the list.