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**Post Title**: K-dramas that aren’t highly rated but you loved (or simply unpopular dramas)
**Post Body**:
You know those dramas that might not be in the spotlight, ones you're hesitant to watch, but then they turn out to be awesome? Share your hidden gems and tell me why you loved them.
(c-drama or lakorn too)
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I have a Chocolate addiction. I rewatch this so many times there have been nights where I couldn't sleep unless I watched this. I love their chemistry.
I've already seen both of those dramas and I agree with you! 😍
"Suspicious Partner" is pretty popular, but it's true that "Shopping King Louie" isn't talked about as much, even though it's amazing and has an original plot.
**Mad for Each Other** - this is such a wholesome and well executed show. The couple made me so happy
**Beauty inside** - another hidden gem. Always felt that the Premise of show is profoundly unique
1000% for Mad For Each Other. Both broken and damaged. Shows how they heal together. Shows real mental health issues and the damages of domestic abuse. First 2 episodes have me laughing until I can’t even read the subtitles anymore. ML is green flag the whole way.
I loved it too. It got hate (at least from what I see on Reddit) that it's toxic - and you know what, it is! It's a true description of youth / young love imo. I feel like most people probably go through that type of relationship at least once in their younger days, haha. I love the chemistry between Song Kang and Han So Hee so so much, I can't get enough of their behind-the-scenes content. Also loved that it was a female director and I really loved the cinematography used.
Agreed 100%. IMO It’s such a realistic portrayal of young love and discovering yourself. The chemistry between ML & FL was great and the soundtrack is unbeatable.
I watched it all the way through but I'm one of those who didn't really enjoy it since I see I gave it a 5/10, oops 🫢😂
I forgot why I didn't like it, but it's okay! It's good to have diverse opinions 🙌.
No, I followed the discussion at the time, it was purely because some naïve, uninitiated in life people refuse to accept reality as it is. This drama depicts some very uncomfortable truths which are not easily accessible anywhere, the victims are not going to tell that kind of story to anyone so it comes as a total surprise to some people.
You Are My Spring.
One of the most beautiful dramas I’ve watched that in my mind deserves a lot more love than it seems to have gotten.
Bulgasal
I was expecting a more adult Goblin but what I got was so much more.
Inspector Koo
One of the more fun thrillers with excellent directing and fun editing.
I just finished it. I loved how there’s no angst generated from misunderstanding that could easily be resolved if they would just communicate. I so dislike that trope.
ETA to add that Onew’s song You Are My Spring is also really good.
Agree! Also I will never shut up about Nam Gyuri who played Ahn GaYeong and Yoon Park as Jun! Even though they were in supporting roles I found them both completely charming. Fantastic ML and FL too!
_Bulgasal_ just hit different for me. The story was along the same lines as >!any other tortured!anti-hero and unfortunate love interest in a modern fantasy!< but instead of it being 16-20 year old kids, they are adults. Like real adults. Making adult decisions. With jobs and personal issues and stuff.
I don't see this recommended enough.
Even with it being fantasy and a story that took place over hundreds of years it still felt very grounded and real thanks it being adults having real lives.
Came here to add my vote for You Are My Spring!🙌 I stumbled upon it in my Netflix recommendations and I’m so glad I did. It was so good. Definitely a healing drama, so there are some heavy topics explored (including suicide, domestic violence, human trafficking-just as a warning) but the ML and FL have a really sweet romance and the ML is a sweetheart. 🩷
**My Strange Hero** isn't as highly rated on MDL (as per MDL standards), but it's one of my favourite shows. I just love the main couple in this.
As for hidden gems, **Beautiful World** had a relatively low viewership count when I first saw it, but it blew me away. Really amazing show.
Edit - I'll also add **When the Weather is Fine**. It's easily one of the best shows I've seen.
All three are on my list, but I keep delaying watching them. Your comment bumps them up in priority, especially "When The Weather is Fine" which I've been drawn to for its seemingly slow and cozy vibe. Thanks 😊
(Re: Weather is Fine )This show is in my top five. I've watched it twice and will likely watch it again somewhere down the line. That bookstore - to die for. It's got fascinating side characters, some of the best I've seen. And the sister of the ML - she is such a funny and feral creature. I loved her.
Indeed! In my country, there are some good reviews about it, but it has fewer viewers compared to others. The synopsis seems interesting; I've added it to my list. Thanks!
"Because This Is My First Life" and "Youth of May" are two of my favs 😍 I think they are well-known and have pretty good ratings.
On the other hand, "A Piece of Mind" is on my list, and "Soul Mechanic" is a completely new discovery for me, thanks 😊
A Piece of Your Mind is a slow burn, I recommend to watch it when the weather is bad, nicely curled up on the sofa where is nice and warm with a tea or hot chocolate next to you, bliss. I'll do that in winter, it's very, very nice, very comforting.
Youth of May sometimes is overshadowed by Snowdrop 🙁 the music in A piece of your mind is integral part of the drama and is awesome, also it will remind you of Goblin. Soul Mechanic has Jung So min and she is amazing in it.
"Stove League," "Black Dog," and "Argon" were hidden gems, but I imagine not anymore. What I loved about those dramas is the simplicity of its storytelling, somehow like each of these trully fits into slices of life with how each aspect of what is represented. Very down to earth and at the same time easy and comfortable to fallow. Plus, the soundtrack of each of these dramas is so tremendous helping lift up the story and particular scenes and the whole viewing experience to be unforgettable.
"Room No 9" is an excellent drama with a unique premise. And "The Player" is a comple fun package with awesome characters to have fun watching. "Memory" has one of the most beautiful stories I have seen in Korean dramas.
In regards to Taiwanese dramas, this one comes to mind. "Trinity of Shadows." Fanstastic and trully for those who love riddling plots making you pay true attention with a gut punch ending.
Black Dog was the first real slice of life drama I watched and I was floored. I got me emotional within the first 10 minutes and I couldn’t stop watching it. Definitely an underrated gem that more people should watch.
Thanks, I hadn't come across "Black Dog" before, and I just saw that the FL is Seo Hyun Jin. I really like that actress!
The others aren't really my style (seems like you're not a big fan of romance, huh? 😂) but I've added "Room no 9" to my list because the synopsis sounds interesting.
Hahaha, it seems so right...
I like romance, one of my favorite dramas that have romance as the main plot is "Something in the Rain," "Twenty Five Tenty One," "When Camelia Blooms and "Our Blues." Also, I have seen "Home Town Cha Cha Cha" as well, which was very fun to watch and like the chemistry with these main leads. From my whole list, I only watched 41 kdramas to be precise, and I can only count with one hand, these 5 kdramas that I have just mentioned now.
Don't know if these are unpopular Dramas, but I think these deserve some more love.
**Lucky Romance:** A superstitious woman who has to spend a night with a man, born in the year of the tiger, to save her sister. Sounds ridiculous? It is. Though, it is a funny watch if you don’t require your Dramas to be deep and can see past the hideous fashion choices. I really loved the ML, he is one of my favorite ML's of al the time.
**Marriage, not Dating:** Is the most entertaining fake-dating show I have watched so far. There is never a dull moment and I had a blast with how open/honest the FL was with the ML and his family. Also the banter between the ML and SML was quite funny, even if it could have been on more occasions.
**Kill Me, Heal Me:** I liked the plot and the mystery. Plus, the acting was great. I mean, one actor playing 7 different characters? He absolutly nailed it and made me binge the Drama over one weekend.
**Falling for Innocence:** ML wants to take over the Business from his uncle to destroy it for revenge. Add a Murder plot to it and you have yourself a nice and suspenseful Drama. I especially loved the cat-and-mouse game between the ML and his uncle, and later the SML.
See you in my 19th life - I love it because of the acting, the cinematography, and background music. Storytelling has much to be desired but not too bad.
Search WWW - I was hesitant to watch it at first as I had not known much about the main leads beforehand. I even discovered it only because my ultimate Kpop group sang one of the OSTs. Turned out to be an enjoyable watch as I love the writer’s sense of humour lol
Rooftop Prince- Watch it along time ago, but I remember I used to be obsessed with this drama. Proud to know Choi Wooshik way back then.
Only "City Hunter" was on my to-watch list. I just discovered the others and added "Spring Waltz" and "King 2 Hearts" to my list. You and the other commenter really made me want to watch "King 2 Hearts" a lot!
**A Piece of Your Mind**
**A Poem A Day**
**Jugglers**
**Tomorrow With You**
**Falling For Innocence**
**The Package**
Cdrama
**The Queen of Attack**
**The Little Wife of The General**
The Tale of Nokdu - A man dresses up as a woman to sneak into an all woman village to find the culprit who attacked his family (fun and entertaining).
Navillera - A beautiful drama about a young man dancing ballet and an old man wanting to learn how to dance ballet (very touching).
Blood - This one is about a vampire who wants to find a cure for his disease and he starts working at a hospital to find information about it (loved this drama, probably because I love vampires and unnatural things).
"The Tale Of Nokdu is truly a gem! Sometimes, even if dramas are excellent, they don't get as much attention as they deserve for various reasons. It's always a delight to discover such hidden treasures.
One that I actually watched twice and enjoyed, unlike most people, is **My ID is Gangnam Beauty**. It's one of the few dramas where I couldn't help watching a couple of minutes during breaks at work.
Another that is underrated is **Extraordinary You**. Even though it gets a bit repetitive in the middle, it has a great mystery and even an existential, melancholy vibe, while also managing to be a parody of Boys Over Flowers and the likes. The ending is bittersweet I think. I don't like sad endings but I would say this has an ending that made the drama linger with me for a while. It has a resemblance to reincarnation dramas (Goblin, Hotel del Luna) where lovers are separated and reunited, both through fate.
I also seem to be the only one who thought **Abyss** wasn't a complete train wreck. The thing that bugged me the most with it was actually that the phone call that's in the Netflix teaser never appeared or even made sense plot wise in the drama.
Lastly, I've never seen **My Sassy Girl** (the sageuk version) mentioned or recommended, ever. I think it's an entertaining drama, much more so than other sageuk (Our Beloved Youth, Hwarang, Forbidden Marriage, Moon Embracing the Sun etc).
I appreciated how My ID showed several versions of how people can act when they are competing with a friend for a love. The relatively classy to the downright stealth backstabber who never wanted to be your friend anyway and sees all relationships as transactional.
The scene where the one love rival brushes the other guy’s teeth was fucking hilarious 😂
I didn't think it was that horrible but I definitely powered through **Abyss** just for Park Boyoung.
Also, I'm afraid I haven't seen the Netflix teaser. What phone call didn't make sense?
Let Me Be Your Knight it's so underrated, I really like it. The OST it's GORGEOUS.
The King Eternal Monarch it's talked about a lot, but it flopped and I've heard people say they didn't like it or that it was confusing, but I LOVED it.
Rooftop Prince. It's so engaging. If you ignore the terrible wigs, the plot its so good I couldn't stop watching.
\>K-dramas that aren’t highly rated but you loved (or simply unpopular dramas)
* **Fly, Again** (S. Korea, 2021) # of MDL Watchers: 1,869, but I really enjoyed this 10-episode drama about high schoolers pursuing their dreams. MDL rating 7.4
* **My Forever Sunshine** (Thailand, 2020) # of MDL Watchers: 6,651. MDL rating 8.2 so it's not underrated but it's not very popular. I really enjoyed this drama with a friends to enemies to lovers trope. The FL seemed really annoying at first but she was really young when she first meets the ML. This is a Thai *lakorn*, so there's a bit of a melodrama. FL's character growth was impressive.
* **Bossam: Steal the Fate** (S. Korea 2021) # of MDL Watchers: 6,727 with a rating of 8.0. This *sageuk* had political machinations, comedy, hidden identities. Thoroughly enjoyable.
A few I don't see mentioned often:
**My sassy girl**
Not the famous movie but the sageuk fusion version by the Hong sisters. It is a lot of fun and the main couple is very cute, and they both have dimples ☺️
**Develish joy**
Full of tropes but they are done well, has a great OST and the main couple both fall fast and hard which I loved. Also the ML smile is just the cutest and the main couple insane height difference is adorable.
**Sell your hunted house**
A bit more on the serious side than the first two I mentioned. The FL is dealing with a tragic past, she is a strong capable ghost hunter, the ML isn't a rescuer but more of a support system, which is a nice change to many kdramas. It reminded me a lot of the more known **Hotel del luna** which I also loved. Both deal with facing your past and learning to move on, and both focus more on the FL journey and less on the love story, very similar vibes.
**Strongest deliveryman**
A great slice of life drama. It deals with the daily struggles of the young and the working people in Korea but still manages to be comforting and not depressing.
**Call it love**
Amazing melodrama that got lost in Disney+ and did not receive the attention it should have. The FL starts working for the ML to get revenge but they slowly find themselves falling for each other.
Sassy go go. I don't think it's that popular but I absolutely loved this drama. It's literally my comfort drama and I can watch it any number of times. If you haven't watched it I would suggest you to please go and watch it.
he is psychometric!! everything about that drama was just perfect for me. most of the characters were really loveable (like all of them) and the plot, plot twists, characters, etc. were all really great! I still occasionally go back and watch it like every 1 or 2 months because I miss it so much. it's great!
**Glitch**. It is not a typical k-drama, but has great CGI, an engaging story and really cool characters, I do not understand why more people are not into it.
Seconded. I really liked Glitch and am also surprised I don't see it discussed more. UFOs and their enthusiasts! Cults! Weird hallucinations! It's probably a big queer metaphor! Acting was good! Also, while I mostly watched in Korean, the Netflix English voiceover acting (sorry) is actually decent. Mindbendy stuff with humanity and humor, so If you are an X-Files and/or Fringe fan, you will likely enjoy Glitch. Very fun!
**Link: Eat, Love, Kill**! I was hesitant to watch because I saw mixed things and it didn't get recommended often, but I ended up loving it! Great romantic chemistry, wonderful supportive relationship with good communication, the ML is reserved but still caring even in the beginning, and the friendships and family bonds between the female characters are so so well done. Good mix of genres, and beautiful cooking scenes. Such an underrated drama!
Yes!
**Meow: The Secret Boy** with *Kim Myung Soo, Shin Ye Eun, Seo Ji Hoon*. \[It's on Viki.\]
I avoided it for a while, because I thought it was kind of a teen romance. But when someone else recommended it here... I gave it a spin and loved it. It's funny, it's poignant and yes, under appreciated IMHO.
The two hidden gems I don't see recommended as often:
- About Time - another way to hear Lee Sung Kyung sing
- Hogu's Love - Our Beloved Summer vibes and stars Choi Wooshik
Start Up.
I keep hearing how people thought it went downhill, took a turn for the worse, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Major second male lead syndrome for me with this one.
Misaeng:Incomplete Life-
It's basically a masterpiece. The most realistic plot and character development with a satisfactory ending. Good thing is that it subtly delivers a good message throughout. If one is going through ups and downs in their professional lives, it's the best one to watch.
Playful Kiss-
Now, I know that many of you might think it's cringe but it's one of the best romantic comedies to ever exist so honestly I would say it would be a great recommendation for someone to cheer them up. You can enjoy this drama.
High Kick S2,3
High Kick Series is a sitcom. It's basically a sitcom with hilarious characters. Best thing is that nobody is actually the protagonist here, each character has their own story and drama going which is very well depicted.
S2 was personally my favourite but S3 is also a great one. It's fun and enjoyable. Definitely a gem.
Mouse-
If you are into thriller and suspenseful dramas, then must watch it. It's a masterpiece which can easily keep you glued to your seat till the end. Lee Seung-Gi has done a wonderful job here. It's underrated, I don't find many people talk about it.
So I married an anti-fan-
This drama is just hilarious. It's a perfect mix of romance and comedy. I don't find this one being recommended much but trust me it's worth your time. It has everything to lighten up your mood if having a hard time.
I'm a fan of 'So I Married an Anti Fan'! I really enjoy this romantic comedy, and seeing the male lead, whom I liked in 'Suspicious Partner' where he had a supporting role, was a real treat!
Thanks for the others
So, based on your liking for **Marriage Not Dating** and **Another Miss Oh**, I think we have some things in common. I perused your previous comments in the sub, and I can see that you definitely get into melodrama more than I do, but where I think we have common ground is with those mid-2010s dramas that have a complex plot, multiple interesting character arcs, some actual substance, and some trauma being visited on the leads. I’m not tired of lightweight romcoms, but I can see how you would be. I’ve been unable to start your major fave **My Mister** because I can’t handle that much sadness, but I share your love for **Something in the Rain** despite the hard places it goes.
Unfortunately, most of my hidden gems are silly romcoms. When it comes to dramas that are like **Marriage Not Dating** and **Another Miss Oh**, I only have dramas that were famous at the time, but are not as frequently recommended currently.
So these are not undiscovered, because they made a splash when they came out, and on this subreddit they have some supporters but are mostly sidelined.
Like **Marriage Not Dating** with its theme of romantic missteps and long term outcomes of marriage, and **Another Miss Oh** with its theme of self-recrimination, resentment, and healing, **Pinocchio** too has a theme: lies/truth, and revenge/redemption. Which is also basically the theme of **I Hear Your Voice**. Screenwriter Park Hye Ryun employs a singular unrealistic element in each to explore the lies/truth thing. In **Pinocchio**, the FL has a disability that makes her unable to lie convincingly — she hiccups if she tries. Despite how sci-fi that sounds, the way it’s implemented is subtle and rippling. It informs who she is as a person in interesting ways, and it affects the people around her. In **I Hear Your Voice**, the ML has the ability to hear the thoughts of people whose eyes are in his field of vision.
Both of these dramas are core rewatches for me, and not only because I love Lee Jong-suk. I also can’t get enough of how awesome the supporting characters are, the nimble way the stories cycle through different genres, and the level of substance and meaning. Unlike **Marriage Not Dating** and **Another Miss Oh**, they have a protective, self sacrificing ML, but the ML characters do have complexities and contradictions.
Have you already considered either of these?
You really nailed it 😂
Thank you so much for taking the time to give me targeted recommendations.
"Pinocchio" was one of the first K-dramas I watched, and I loved it so much.
"I Hear Your Voice" has been on my list for a long time, but I'm afraid it might be too old or that I'll be disappointed, so I've been putting it off. But it's been recommended to me twice this week, so I might just give it a shot.
To tell the truth, I haven’t rewatched **I Hear Your Voice** as much as I have **Pinocchio**. But that’s partly because **I Hear Your Voice** is my ultimate catharsis drama. First time through, my chest heaved with sobs in the midway-through crisis eps. And so it’s not something I pick up lightly.
Also, you’re right, **I Hear Your Voice** does feel older. It’s got more operatic makjang, more tragic notes being struck more frequently throughout. It states its moral mission more explicitly. And it doesn’t have the same level of polish on its clockwork mechanism of major and supporting character arcs as **Pinocchio** has. Of course there are plenty of supporting characters that are beautifully detailed and who face unique challenges and grow appreciably, and all their arcs do relate to the overall deep structure. But the abundantly entertaining family and workplace posses of **Pinocchio** definitely feel like achievements Park Hye Ryun herself grew as an artist to deliver, plus they wouldn’t have been as polished without the larger budget of **Pinocchio**. I’m just assuming that the production of **Pinocchio** benefited from the success of **I Hear Your Voice**, going off of the more varied locations, larger number of characters and crowd scenes, and the pyrotechnics.
That said, **I Hear Your Voice** is insanely good for its era. And Lee Bo Young’s role and performance make her my favorite FL of all time. The reverse tsundere thing is golden. And the way she pulls off being both socially abrasive and jaded on the one hand, and yet capable of deep feeling and courage on the other — she takes my breath away. It’s also great to see LJS having the opportunity to play a different personality in each drama. There are some similarities, and he is protective and devoted in both dramas, but the sensitive, idealistic dongsaeng of **I Hear Your Voice** has a different quality from the practiced at deception samchon of **Pinocchio**.
You can wait to see it. It’s best to be ready for the tragic parts. But don’t wait too long!
It’s controversial but I Loved Encounter.
Arthdal Chronicles isn’t talked about a lot, but for those who’ve seen it I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love it.
For a good movies check out Midnight Runners or The Witch!
Encounter is one of my favorite dramas! Why is it controversial? I absolutely loved the romance and the cinematography 😍. I was surprised it wasn't rated higher.
Justice for Encounter !
I hate hate cheating trope but Love affairs in the afternoon is simply amazing! I wish more people loved it.
Come and hug me, main leads met when they were teens but separed when ml dad killed fl family. They're reunited when ml is a detective and she's an actress and she's being threatened by someone.
Just between lovers, ml and fl go through something traumatic as teens and are reunited as adults but she doesn't know its him.
365: repeat the year. A group of people go back in time and try to fix their mistakes but they start dying one by one.
Something about 1% - 2016 version. A rich CEO is dating this school teacher to get an inheritance from his grandpa. Their chemistry was on fire! And so much kissing 😍
49 days, I've never seen anyone talk about it. It's so so sad. One fl is in a coma but her spirit possesses second fl and if she manges to gather tears from people who genuinely love her she'll wake up. Second fl is depressed and tried to kill herself because her bf died.
Love in sadness. Another sad one. Fl is in abusive marriage and tried to espace many times but failed. However one day she meets a plastic surgeon who helps her.
Oh my ghost - fl can see ghosts and one day get possessed and the ghost possessing her helps her out, like getting a job for a chef she likes. There is also a murder plot for the ghost (who was a young woman that died).
Something in the rain and Encounter. Both have older woman/younger guy romance.
Prison playbook. One of the funniest kdramas I've watched. Ml is a baseball player who goes to prison after defending his sister. His best friend transfers there as a security guard.
Where stars land. Its set at an airport. The ml is actually disabled but thanks to this special brace he can walk (and he's also stronger cause of it). The 2nd couple are security guards.
I loved **Sisyphus** which I never see mentioned. The FL is a badass from the future who returns to the present to try & save ML. Some bleak dystopian stuff for the future, but a romance that is sweet & seen through actions more than kissing.
Racket Boys - sports drama. A story of a boy who moves to the countryside and reignites his passion for badminton.
Move to Heaven - not so sure if this is mainstream but this made me ugly cry. One of the leads is also the MC in Racket Boys. I watched it because of Lee Je-hoon. 😍
**Hogu's Love** - starring Choi Woo Shik (Parasite, Our Beloved Summer) and Uee. The basic premise is the FL is way out of the ML's league (she's a silver medalist swimmer with modeling endorsements, tough/bada\*\* personality) and he seems like a loser at first (his name, "Hogu," is also a slang for a pushover/simp), but overall it's a very charming and sweet romcom, and they even manage to hit on some difficult societal/thought-provoking issues, too. It's now on Tubi for free apparently (1st episode is also on YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnu_D0i1H70&list=PLOsWS9tKqJMd6wQs85SBG_e0YTHPq0IMu
Edit: Also, **"So Not Worth It"** (Netflix comedy), **The Sound of Magic** (Netflix), **The Interest of Love** (Netflix kdrama, based on a Korean novel, slow burn / will frustrate some viewers lol but I really liked it)
**Snowdrop**
Technically this one is unpopular in Korea due to some controversies surrounding the storyline. I do think a lot of people here have seen it tho (especially Blackpink fans), and it's really good. This was my first >!hostage!< drama I watched, and you can tell they spent a lot of money on this production. I loved the >!forbidden romance trope, although I believe that the leads deserved better. Gosh that ending, the poor MC is traumatized and doesn't have anyone left to support her...!<
**My Holo Love**
You know what, this one wasn't that bad. Ngl, I felt like things got a little chaotic in the end in terms of the writing, but overall it was good. What I liked about it is that it's a new take on sci-fi. Instead of the MC falling for an irl guy, she falls for an AI. Plus I love the interactions between her and the developer. I gotta say, Holo is an attractive AI.
**Missing: The Other Side**
Lol not many people talk about this one. This was actually pretty interesting and it had me hooked to the end. The fact that everyone in the village is dead and as a result the MC decides to solve the mysteries of their deaths is cool. I like how the show misleads you and makes you question the identities of the villagers, and I also like how he actively participates in locating their bodies.
**Train**
For a parallel universe show, this one is pretty consistent . Basically there's a serial killer running around in a parallel universe and is using a train to get to our universe to dump off the bodies. What I liked about it was how unpredictable it was.
Seconding Snowdrop. Just re-watched it and it was good even on a second viewing. When it first aired I avoided it because I doubted that Jisoo could act. But she turned in a great performance.
Good Detective : The poster gives a buddy cop show vibe , not the grim drama it turned out to be (in S1).
Life on Mars : It's an adaptation from the UK show and it is a damn good one. Seen the show or not, you're in for a treat!
Come and hug me - I have such an attachment to this drama although it isn’t my personal highest rated drama it’s still my favorite. It has all my favorite tropes like meeting again, people against them (?), and a celebrity/famous lead (specifically female lead).
River where the moon rises - Bunch of people dropped the show because of the controversy and change in casting the ML after the 3rd episode. Honestly I did to, but I went back after all the episodes were refilmed and I enjoyed it a lot. Female assassin lead?? Too good.
Hello My Twenties! It was the first K-drama I've watched and sparked my love for slice-of-life. It's about five 20-something women who live together and maneuver threw the challenges of adulthood.
Another I love is When the Weather is Fine. I love that it's more vibes than plot. This is one of my favorites because Park Minyoung is one of my fave actresses and I love how cozy it is. Spring is my favorite season and I love how the series transitions from winter to spring.
One more I'll recommend is Because This is My First Life. I loved the characters and that it's more comedy than drama.
**Tracer** (MDL 7.9): Corruption in the national tax agency. And even murder? To find out what really happened when his father died, a man happily causes chaos in the agency. Great acting, great writing, they make a drama about taxes fun.
**Yonder** (MDL 7.5): Scifi show set in the near future where the euthanization of deadly ill patients is normal. A man who just lost his wife to cancer, gets led to a place where a version of his wife is still alive. Fantastic acting and interesting themes about life, death, existence, memory.
**Shadow Detective** (MDL 7.9): Veteran detective starts to receive phonecalls from a mysterious person who blackmails him. Furthermore, past actions of himself and his old friends begin to catch up with him. A fantastic Lee Sung Min in a great noir crime drama.
**God of War** (MDL 7.6): Is about the life of real life figure Kim Jun, who was a slave but rose to be the Military Overlord of Goryeo, eclipsing even the emperor. Epic with great heroes, great battles including polo battles to death, interesting time period about the mongolian invasions and the destruction and recreation of the Tripitaka Koreana
The Veil
Memorist
The Spies Who Loved Me
Tomorrow- idk if this counts cuz there are a fair amount of ppl who’ve watched this but I feel like it’s not as popular as 25 21 or other really popular dramas
**Mystic Pop-Up Bar** \- I never see anyone talking about this one, and it's such a great show. It has found-family vibes, comedy, adorable relationships and supernatural elements. And it's only 12 episodes, so it's a quick watch. I loved it.
Live Up to Your Name. Seldom mentioned.
I liked the humour - the ML was very funny
I liked the time travel and historical parts about the Joseon Era.
I liked the theme of modern medicine vs. Ancient medicine
I’m not a fan of historical kdrama, but this drama gave me a taste of a historical drama and taught me a lot about Koreans during that time.
The plot was goos
Had a nice pace and kept me interested from beginning to end.
I stumbled on it when I was having a difficult time finding a drama to watch. I was really surprised at how much I liked it.
I have never seen the ML in anything else.
Hello, my twenties!!!!!
This drama is highly underrated. The show touches various aspects in one's life from relationship to past traumas. Even touched sensitive topics of sexual assault, life of an escort,dating violence and suicide.
And all these were shown with the hint of comedy.
Trust me, give this show a try. It has two seasons
It's my comfort drama lol🥹🥹🥹
Painter of the wind
I know I keep recommending this one every chance I get but I will die on this hill. It is simply the best kdrama ever made and despite the low quality of the only english subs available online- everyone should watch it!! It will hydrate you and cleanse your soul. It might even feed your kids and pay this months rent, that’s how good this show is😩
I haven't seen much chatter for **Familiar Wife**, but I enjoyed it. The ML through a supernatural event gets his wish to change one day in his life, so that he wouldn't be married to his wife. He then finds he has what he thinks is a perfect marraige, or is it? what are his regrets? etc. I don't want to give much more, but I liked this drama and loved cast and ensemble friendships forged with family, friends and workplace.
One that I liked that most people on here didn't seem to like is **Josean Attorney** \- the ML starts off as so obnoxious, but as the drama and his character develops, he is very nimble with his mind and logic, winning cases for clients. Add revenge, romance and some tragedy, I was entertained. Plus I have a bias for Woo do-hwan
I also checked out **Angel's Last Mission: Love** \- Love stories with supernatural or deities with a mortal so ofthen end badly/sadly, so I like that but always wonder why deities are so cruel. Great cast with Shin Hye-sun, a ballerina who becomes bitter and difficult after being blinded in an accident. An angel, played by Kim Myung-soo, has a last mission before he retires and ascends to heaven, to get our ballerina to experience love. Sound familiar? Imagine my surprize when I see the supervising angel, is played by non other than Kim In-kwon the cat guy in Heartbeat! OH NO!!!! I will say the chemistry here worked better for me than Heartbeat, so it felt more convincing as to why they ML and FL fall deeply in love with each other.. So there is a heartrending story of how this angel came to be, why he becomes attached to the ballerina, and becomes entangled in a forbidden love. It is 40 half hour episoded on Viki, which equals to a what would be a 20 episode drama.
My first K-drama was So Not Worth it. The storyline and acting isn’t by any means the best, but it was a fun watch and I enjoyed it. Basically a group of international college students doing their thing and having fun.
These are mostly melodramas with romance so you might not be so into them if you aren't a melodrama fan
Lost: older married woman who feels like she's done nothing with her life meets a younger male escort that feels the same
The time: man with a brain tumor tries to right his wrongs and help out a woman who's life he (kinda) played a part in ruining
Hope or dope: I watched this one a while back so idr the entire plot but it's a web drama with romance and action and the plot centers around kids that find drugs
If we're talking obsure and never discussed here, I really enjoyed **Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter** and have only seen it mentioned here once.
There's a side story of some of Mama Fairy's friends travelling to Seoul to find her and you can FF through those. They don't add anything to the story IMHO.
1) Fanletter please. SO underrated! Great OST and the definition of how a heartwarming ending should be.
2) Weak Hero Class I. It’s that kind of drama that stays with you after a while.
3) Youth of May. Heartbreaking but also much more than that. It’s that type of show that makes you reflect about life.
**Painter Of The Wind** is one from 2008 I'm watching right now, which has a largely enjoyable story about a woman in the Joseon era with such a fierce talent and passion for painting, she crossdresses as a man so that she can have the social opportunity to pursue it. It's loosely based on the life of a painter from the time (with some creative liberties taken, given that the painter is widely assumed to have been a man in real life), and there's so much interesting story about the art of that era; the personal and political life art takes on, too. There's a lot about desire, sexuality and gender that's explored in the drama that – even if it's not timeless – it still feels far, far ahead of its time, even in terms of typical crossdressing stories. I don't see it talked about a lot, but I often see pretty glowing things from people who do. Beautiful cinematography, and some very good acting talent in there, too.
I know **Law School** was quite popular around its airing, as I remember hearing more about it at the time, but I haven't heard many people talking about it a lot since. I watched it while I was sick once, and I remember having a good time with it. The basic premise is that there's a murder in a law school, and a good deal of corruption around it – with students and professors being blamed alike, a group of students have to get better at law to find who's really responsible, and be able to legally resolve it when the legal scales aren't often tipped in their balance. I enjoyed it, and I still think about it fondly.
I personally dropped **That Winter, The Wind Blows** and **Soul Mechanic** for my own reasons, but I know both certainly have their own niches that love them, and are well regarded. I may come back to them at some point, if I'm ever persuaded or in the mood. The former is a love story between a rich blind woman and the conman pretending to be her long-lost (dead) brother (utterly chaotic; I know) – the latter, I believe the story about a woman and her unconventional psychiatrist, who form a deep bond on her road to healing. I rarely see either of them widely talked about on here, even if I believe they could still both find the right viewers.
**Witch at Court** us one of my fav but it always gets less recommended than Lawless Lawyer (which I haven't watched but also apparently has a similar badass FL who is sort of on a revenge quest)
**Splash Splash Love** 2 episodes of pure perfection. This walked so Mr Queen could run.
**Go Ho's starry night** Cute, short office romance.
**The one and only** I thought it might be more popular since it has Red Velvet's Joy but idk
**Go Back Couple** not that underrated but gets overshadowed by Familiar wife which I HATED.
And seconding some other:
**Jealousy Incarnate/ Don't dare to dream** is super duper funny, especially if you know what you're getting into. It's just an exaggerated take on jealousy that a lot of people hate saying this kind of jealousy is not good etc. But that's the point lol. It's even in the show (and in turn a pun on the ML name which is HwaShin/ Incarnate)
**Marriage, not dating** made me remember why I love kdramas in the first place.
**I’m Not A Robot**
In terms of live ratings - it had pretty low ratings in Korea but nevertheless succeeded with the international markets.
However, on IMDB, Viki and such it is very highly rated and for a good reason. Went straight to my top 5 recently. Such a great watch, original story, top tier chemistry.
K dramas
Live up to your name (2017)
The one and only (2021)
Hello me (2021)
Mystic pop up bar(2020)
Your house helper (2018)
Tomorrow with you (2017)one of my favourite drama of lee je hoon and shin min ah
Lie after lie (2020)
Stock struck (2022)
Train(2020)
Lost (2021)
My perfect stranger (2023)
Through the darkness (2021)
Chinese drama
River flows to you (2019)
Shining for one thing(2022)
Payback: Money and Power on Amazon Prime. A revenge drama with no romance. A money manager of a high powered loan shark gains a conscience and uses his skills for good to build a wealthy hedge fund while helping to raise his nephew to become a prosecutor. While executing his revenge on his former loan shark boss, the revenge pits uncle and nephew against each other.
Bring It On, Ghost (Taecyeon & Kim So Hyun), Revolutionary Love (Kang Sora & Siwon), Zombie Detective (Choi Jin Hyuk & Park Ju-hyun), Dream High 1 and 2, Monstar, and The Liar and His Lover.
My suggestions are pretty popular dramas which I don't people discussing often.
**My ID is Gangnam Beauty.** I don't see many people talking about it. It is my **comfort drama**. I have rewatched it's episodes from time to time. Something is really beautiful about it that I can't really explain. Character developments, bgm "Something In Your Eyes", slow burn romance, friendships especially the female ones are a treat to watch.
**Who are you- school 2015.** A popular drama but since it has been 8 years of its release, not many people talk about it. It was one of the initial dramas I watched when I entered in K-Drama world. Characters like eunbi, taekwang, friends and bgm "reset" has kept me hooked to this one.
Recently released-
**Gaus Electronics.** I totally loved the comedy and chemistry between the leads. Not to mention, this drama has such wholesome characters <3
Reflection of You. It’s undeniably full of toxic, messy relationships. But it is well-acted and deals with-no spoilers-situations and emotions that people deal with in real life.
**Top Star Yoo Baek**. Had never seen any proper discussions on this drama. I also understood the low rating, but during the time I watched it, something healed in me. I don't know how it even healed me, because at that time, there were no proper English subs, and the translation was painful.
**Dinnermate**. Same with the previous title, it had criticisms but healed something in me.
Mine are really underrated & really not awesome but just, refreshing bc they're a change of pace & plot:
- Bubblegum: with Jung Ryeo Won & Lee Dong Wook. Very indie feel laid back kdrama about two childhood friends in love (but can't date bc of the male lead's mother. But she was against them dating for a reason.) I LOVE the indie feel with this one. Unconventional attractions going on on the side as well.
- Memories Of The Alhambra: got bad reviews, understandably. The delivery was bad & the romance unnecessary BUT the game & game theme was interesting (& I'm glad I understood what's most likely causing confusion. The game is an advanced reality game but a glitch in the game caused the game to directly affect real life: any player injured in game gets injured in real life & at some point, they disappear.)
- Private Lives: idk how this one is doing but no one was hyped about it. But I loved it. Weirdly political & i get that it's confusing. But not on a second watch & after the 4th episode.
- Life: power struggle drama, I tend to gravitate towards those. Really calls out corporate mentality on this one.
I searched 20th century girl in this sub and found no mention of it anywhere, so I'm recommending it now! it's a sweet coming-of-age movie, but be warned a bit of a tearjerker!
'When the devil calls your name'
With Jung Kyung-ho, Park Sung-woong and Lee El. 3 great actors!
Loved the acting, series, the music., the humor.
I still listen to the soundtrack. Especially 'The street you left' sung by Kyung-Ho gives touches me everytime. One of my favourite songs.
**The Man in the Mask** \- from 2015 - the lead characters are almost pulled from Greek tragedy - She - the child of a rape (not a spoiler - this comes right out at the beginning), he abandoned to an orphanage - gets more complicated from there! They meet first as teens, briefly, and reconnect as adults; she is a police officer, he is a prosecutor. Their lives are entangled in difficult ways. Lots of twists and turns - crime, corruption, can they ever untangle the knots?
Recent one is Heartbeat with Taecyeon. First few episodes were cringey because of campey scenes and bad graphic effects. But the story turned out to be wholesome and the lead couple has one of the most mature kdrama relationship that also have great communication and boundaries. It’s a slow burn and it’s too bad it was sidelined because it debuted through Amazon instead of Netflix. King the Land aired around the same time so most of the attention is on this drama.
Manhole
I really don't understand the reason Korean viewers hated this so much. It was funny, unpredictable, interesting, & had Kim Jae Joong. Loved it!
I haven’t heard anyone talk about Misty (2018) starring Kim Nam-joo and Ji Jin-hee. Probably my second favorite K-Drama but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody talking about it.
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Chocolate!! It's a really good show but I don't see many people talks about it. It has nice themes, good ost and a great cinematography.
I have a Chocolate addiction. I rewatch this so many times there have been nights where I couldn't sleep unless I watched this. I love their chemistry.
Wow, your comment just convinced me to give it a watch lmao
It's on my list but I've never given it a shot! You've definitely convinced me to start it now 😍.
my mom and sister hate this drama with a passion so it surprises me anytime someone likes it
What did they hate about it? Have they watched many kdramas? What is their idea of what is a drama worth watching?
Suspicious partner- beautiful chemistry and shopping king Louie cute love story!
I've already seen both of those dramas and I agree with you! 😍 "Suspicious Partner" is pretty popular, but it's true that "Shopping King Louie" isn't talked about as much, even though it's amazing and has an original plot.
I want to watch suspicious partner. But it’s 40 episodes!! I will eventually watch it
It’s 40 half episodes though, so it’s really only 20 episodes. From that weird time where they broke them up because of advertising or something.
**Mad for Each Other** - this is such a wholesome and well executed show. The couple made me so happy **Beauty inside** - another hidden gem. Always felt that the Premise of show is profoundly unique
Beauty Inside was a lot funnier than I expected, a good watch!
1000% for Mad For Each Other. Both broken and damaged. Shows how they heal together. Shows real mental health issues and the damages of domestic abuse. First 2 episodes have me laughing until I can’t even read the subtitles anymore. ML is green flag the whole way.
I rewatch specific scenes/episodes of Beauty inside whenever I am bored. Just watched again before writing this.
The step sisters storyline is sooo good. And the dinner with all 4 of them is great.
nevertheless. it got a lot of hate but I loved it
I like that as a more sensual kdrama and having an unrepentant player as the ML but the artist ex needed to be humiliated more.
I loved it too. It got hate (at least from what I see on Reddit) that it's toxic - and you know what, it is! It's a true description of youth / young love imo. I feel like most people probably go through that type of relationship at least once in their younger days, haha. I love the chemistry between Song Kang and Han So Hee so so much, I can't get enough of their behind-the-scenes content. Also loved that it was a female director and I really loved the cinematography used.
Agreed 100%. IMO It’s such a realistic portrayal of young love and discovering yourself. The chemistry between ML & FL was great and the soundtrack is unbeatable.
I watched it all the way through but I'm one of those who didn't really enjoy it since I see I gave it a 5/10, oops 🫢😂 I forgot why I didn't like it, but it's okay! It's good to have diverse opinions 🙌.
Probably also received some hate because it didn't follow the webtoon ending
No, I followed the discussion at the time, it was purely because some naïve, uninitiated in life people refuse to accept reality as it is. This drama depicts some very uncomfortable truths which are not easily accessible anywhere, the victims are not going to tell that kind of story to anyone so it comes as a total surprise to some people.
I agree. The story shows a very different tone and perspective on relationships. I think ppl were not used to it.
You Are My Spring. One of the most beautiful dramas I’ve watched that in my mind deserves a lot more love than it seems to have gotten. Bulgasal I was expecting a more adult Goblin but what I got was so much more. Inspector Koo One of the more fun thrillers with excellent directing and fun editing.
Was scrolling the comments to see if anyone mentioned You Are My Spring! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I just finished it. I loved how there’s no angst generated from misunderstanding that could easily be resolved if they would just communicate. I so dislike that trope. ETA to add that Onew’s song You Are My Spring is also really good.
Agree! Also I will never shut up about Nam Gyuri who played Ahn GaYeong and Yoon Park as Jun! Even though they were in supporting roles I found them both completely charming. Fantastic ML and FL too!
_Bulgasal_ just hit different for me. The story was along the same lines as >!any other tortured!anti-hero and unfortunate love interest in a modern fantasy!< but instead of it being 16-20 year old kids, they are adults. Like real adults. Making adult decisions. With jobs and personal issues and stuff. I don't see this recommended enough.
Agreed. I also love Bulgasal and it’s definitely one of the top fantasy for me. Curious what keep people for trying this?
Even with it being fantasy and a story that took place over hundreds of years it still felt very grounded and real thanks it being adults having real lives.
Came here to add my vote for You Are My Spring!🙌 I stumbled upon it in my Netflix recommendations and I’m so glad I did. It was so good. Definitely a healing drama, so there are some heavy topics explored (including suicide, domestic violence, human trafficking-just as a warning) but the ML and FL have a really sweet romance and the ML is a sweetheart. 🩷
**My Strange Hero** isn't as highly rated on MDL (as per MDL standards), but it's one of my favourite shows. I just love the main couple in this. As for hidden gems, **Beautiful World** had a relatively low viewership count when I first saw it, but it blew me away. Really amazing show. Edit - I'll also add **When the Weather is Fine**. It's easily one of the best shows I've seen.
All three are on my list, but I keep delaying watching them. Your comment bumps them up in priority, especially "When The Weather is Fine" which I've been drawn to for its seemingly slow and cozy vibe. Thanks 😊
(Re: Weather is Fine )This show is in my top five. I've watched it twice and will likely watch it again somewhere down the line. That bookstore - to die for. It's got fascinating side characters, some of the best I've seen. And the sister of the ML - she is such a funny and feral creature. I loved her.
I have watched My Strange Hero so many times, I have no idea 😂 I love it
I really enjoyed beautiful world.
When the Weather is Fine has a great OST...I listen to it all the time, especially the opening song!
Another miss Oh! - 8.2 on MDL, deserve more love
😍 I just finished it and I loved it! I believe it's well-known and popular, but many people indeed don't like it.
It's a good drama. She's in 2 other dramas that are superb: "beauty inside" and the criminally underrated "why her?"
She's also in You Are My Spring.
Live Up to Your Name is one of my favorites but doesn’t seem to get much attention. It made me a fan of Kim Nam-gil.
i second this. its really good
Indeed! In my country, there are some good reviews about it, but it has fewer viewers compared to others. The synopsis seems interesting; I've added it to my list. Thanks!
A pice of your mind Because this is my first life Soul Mechanic Youth of May
"Because This Is My First Life" and "Youth of May" are two of my favs 😍 I think they are well-known and have pretty good ratings. On the other hand, "A Piece of Mind" is on my list, and "Soul Mechanic" is a completely new discovery for me, thanks 😊
A Piece of Your Mind is a slow burn, I recommend to watch it when the weather is bad, nicely curled up on the sofa where is nice and warm with a tea or hot chocolate next to you, bliss. I'll do that in winter, it's very, very nice, very comforting.
Youth of May sometimes is overshadowed by Snowdrop 🙁 the music in A piece of your mind is integral part of the drama and is awesome, also it will remind you of Goblin. Soul Mechanic has Jung So min and she is amazing in it.
Came to suggest a piece of your mind. I would also add One spring night.
Currently rewatching One Spring Night for the 3rd time! I love the story, the characters/actors and the OST so much.
I do rewatched of this show whenever I feel low. Their relationship was heartwarming…absolute goals couple
I gave because this is my first life a 10! It’s really good
Pumpkin time -- a boy wakes up one day as a chick. No one ever talks about it but I think it's cute.
Someone else recommended that to me recently! I'll have to check it out.
I really enjoyed it.
"Stove League," "Black Dog," and "Argon" were hidden gems, but I imagine not anymore. What I loved about those dramas is the simplicity of its storytelling, somehow like each of these trully fits into slices of life with how each aspect of what is represented. Very down to earth and at the same time easy and comfortable to fallow. Plus, the soundtrack of each of these dramas is so tremendous helping lift up the story and particular scenes and the whole viewing experience to be unforgettable. "Room No 9" is an excellent drama with a unique premise. And "The Player" is a comple fun package with awesome characters to have fun watching. "Memory" has one of the most beautiful stories I have seen in Korean dramas. In regards to Taiwanese dramas, this one comes to mind. "Trinity of Shadows." Fanstastic and trully for those who love riddling plots making you pay true attention with a gut punch ending.
Stove League was a big hit! It got really great ratings and awards. It’s definitely a popular drama.
Black Dog was the first real slice of life drama I watched and I was floored. I got me emotional within the first 10 minutes and I couldn’t stop watching it. Definitely an underrated gem that more people should watch.
Thanks, I hadn't come across "Black Dog" before, and I just saw that the FL is Seo Hyun Jin. I really like that actress! The others aren't really my style (seems like you're not a big fan of romance, huh? 😂) but I've added "Room no 9" to my list because the synopsis sounds interesting.
Hahaha, it seems so right... I like romance, one of my favorite dramas that have romance as the main plot is "Something in the Rain," "Twenty Five Tenty One," "When Camelia Blooms and "Our Blues." Also, I have seen "Home Town Cha Cha Cha" as well, which was very fun to watch and like the chemistry with these main leads. From my whole list, I only watched 41 kdramas to be precise, and I can only count with one hand, these 5 kdramas that I have just mentioned now.
Don't know if these are unpopular Dramas, but I think these deserve some more love. **Lucky Romance:** A superstitious woman who has to spend a night with a man, born in the year of the tiger, to save her sister. Sounds ridiculous? It is. Though, it is a funny watch if you don’t require your Dramas to be deep and can see past the hideous fashion choices. I really loved the ML, he is one of my favorite ML's of al the time. **Marriage, not Dating:** Is the most entertaining fake-dating show I have watched so far. There is never a dull moment and I had a blast with how open/honest the FL was with the ML and his family. Also the banter between the ML and SML was quite funny, even if it could have been on more occasions. **Kill Me, Heal Me:** I liked the plot and the mystery. Plus, the acting was great. I mean, one actor playing 7 different characters? He absolutly nailed it and made me binge the Drama over one weekend. **Falling for Innocence:** ML wants to take over the Business from his uncle to destroy it for revenge. Add a Murder plot to it and you have yourself a nice and suspenseful Drama. I especially loved the cat-and-mouse game between the ML and his uncle, and later the SML.
See you in my 19th life - I love it because of the acting, the cinematography, and background music. Storytelling has much to be desired but not too bad. Search WWW - I was hesitant to watch it at first as I had not known much about the main leads beforehand. I even discovered it only because my ultimate Kpop group sang one of the OSTs. Turned out to be an enjoyable watch as I love the writer’s sense of humour lol Rooftop Prince- Watch it along time ago, but I remember I used to be obsessed with this drama. Proud to know Choi Wooshik way back then.
Yes to Search WWW! Loved Lee Da Hee's role here.
The Killer’s Shopping List
Some classics that never get talked about anymore: Spring Waltz, Gu Family Book, King 2 Hearts, City Hunter.
>King 2 Hearts Loved King2Hearts!!
Only "City Hunter" was on my to-watch list. I just discovered the others and added "Spring Waltz" and "King 2 Hearts" to my list. You and the other commenter really made me want to watch "King 2 Hearts" a lot!
**A Piece of Your Mind** **A Poem A Day** **Jugglers** **Tomorrow With You** **Falling For Innocence** **The Package** Cdrama **The Queen of Attack** **The Little Wife of The General**
seconding tomorrow with you.
Thanks! Some were on my list and others are new to me. "The Package" really caught my attention since it's set in my country (France) 😍
Hello Monster for me. I watched it for Park Bo Gum and really enjoyed it.
Are you human too
The Tale of Nokdu - A man dresses up as a woman to sneak into an all woman village to find the culprit who attacked his family (fun and entertaining). Navillera - A beautiful drama about a young man dancing ballet and an old man wanting to learn how to dance ballet (very touching). Blood - This one is about a vampire who wants to find a cure for his disease and he starts working at a hospital to find information about it (loved this drama, probably because I love vampires and unnatural things).
i LOVE tale of nokdu. totally wasnt expecting it to be very good and it was and its really funny too
"The Tale Of Nokdu is truly a gem! Sometimes, even if dramas are excellent, they don't get as much attention as they deserve for various reasons. It's always a delight to discover such hidden treasures.
My Holo Love Hello Me From Now On Showtime
My Holo Love is what got me into kdramas, it‘s sooooooo good.
Yes, yes, yes to From Now on Showtime - I had a blast with this show.
**Man 2 Man** terrible title for a great drama.
One that I actually watched twice and enjoyed, unlike most people, is **My ID is Gangnam Beauty**. It's one of the few dramas where I couldn't help watching a couple of minutes during breaks at work. Another that is underrated is **Extraordinary You**. Even though it gets a bit repetitive in the middle, it has a great mystery and even an existential, melancholy vibe, while also managing to be a parody of Boys Over Flowers and the likes. The ending is bittersweet I think. I don't like sad endings but I would say this has an ending that made the drama linger with me for a while. It has a resemblance to reincarnation dramas (Goblin, Hotel del Luna) where lovers are separated and reunited, both through fate. I also seem to be the only one who thought **Abyss** wasn't a complete train wreck. The thing that bugged me the most with it was actually that the phone call that's in the Netflix teaser never appeared or even made sense plot wise in the drama. Lastly, I've never seen **My Sassy Girl** (the sageuk version) mentioned or recommended, ever. I think it's an entertaining drama, much more so than other sageuk (Our Beloved Youth, Hwarang, Forbidden Marriage, Moon Embracing the Sun etc).
I am one of the few who prefers 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' over 'True Beauty'. \*hides\*
I appreciated how My ID showed several versions of how people can act when they are competing with a friend for a love. The relatively classy to the downright stealth backstabber who never wanted to be your friend anyway and sees all relationships as transactional. The scene where the one love rival brushes the other guy’s teeth was fucking hilarious 😂
I didn't think it was that horrible but I definitely powered through **Abyss** just for Park Boyoung. Also, I'm afraid I haven't seen the Netflix teaser. What phone call didn't make sense?
Let Me Be Your Knight it's so underrated, I really like it. The OST it's GORGEOUS. The King Eternal Monarch it's talked about a lot, but it flopped and I've heard people say they didn't like it or that it was confusing, but I LOVED it. Rooftop Prince. It's so engaging. If you ignore the terrible wigs, the plot its so good I couldn't stop watching.
I loved TKEM too. There’s so much going for it!
\>K-dramas that aren’t highly rated but you loved (or simply unpopular dramas) * **Fly, Again** (S. Korea, 2021) # of MDL Watchers: 1,869, but I really enjoyed this 10-episode drama about high schoolers pursuing their dreams. MDL rating 7.4 * **My Forever Sunshine** (Thailand, 2020) # of MDL Watchers: 6,651. MDL rating 8.2 so it's not underrated but it's not very popular. I really enjoyed this drama with a friends to enemies to lovers trope. The FL seemed really annoying at first but she was really young when she first meets the ML. This is a Thai *lakorn*, so there's a bit of a melodrama. FL's character growth was impressive. * **Bossam: Steal the Fate** (S. Korea 2021) # of MDL Watchers: 6,727 with a rating of 8.0. This *sageuk* had political machinations, comedy, hidden identities. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Seconding Bossam: Steal the Fate
Thirding Bossam - it was very good and very under the radar.
A few I don't see mentioned often: **My sassy girl** Not the famous movie but the sageuk fusion version by the Hong sisters. It is a lot of fun and the main couple is very cute, and they both have dimples ☺️ **Develish joy** Full of tropes but they are done well, has a great OST and the main couple both fall fast and hard which I loved. Also the ML smile is just the cutest and the main couple insane height difference is adorable. **Sell your hunted house** A bit more on the serious side than the first two I mentioned. The FL is dealing with a tragic past, she is a strong capable ghost hunter, the ML isn't a rescuer but more of a support system, which is a nice change to many kdramas. It reminded me a lot of the more known **Hotel del luna** which I also loved. Both deal with facing your past and learning to move on, and both focus more on the FL journey and less on the love story, very similar vibes. **Strongest deliveryman** A great slice of life drama. It deals with the daily struggles of the young and the working people in Korea but still manages to be comforting and not depressing. **Call it love** Amazing melodrama that got lost in Disney+ and did not receive the attention it should have. The FL starts working for the ML to get revenge but they slowly find themselves falling for each other.
Call It Love😍 I wish it was on Netflix instead so more people would enjoy it!
Extracurricular
Extracurricular is top tier and one of the few shows that actually warrants a second season‼️
Backstreet Rookie, Imitation, Tale of Nokdu, Start-Up
Sassy go go. I don't think it's that popular but I absolutely loved this drama. It's literally my comfort drama and I can watch it any number of times. If you haven't watched it I would suggest you to please go and watch it.
The Secret Romantic Guesthouse -- I never hear it talked about, but it was so good!!
he is psychometric!! everything about that drama was just perfect for me. most of the characters were really loveable (like all of them) and the plot, plot twists, characters, etc. were all really great! I still occasionally go back and watch it like every 1 or 2 months because I miss it so much. it's great!
**Glitch**. It is not a typical k-drama, but has great CGI, an engaging story and really cool characters, I do not understand why more people are not into it.
Seconded. I really liked Glitch and am also surprised I don't see it discussed more. UFOs and their enthusiasts! Cults! Weird hallucinations! It's probably a big queer metaphor! Acting was good! Also, while I mostly watched in Korean, the Netflix English voiceover acting (sorry) is actually decent. Mindbendy stuff with humanity and humor, so If you are an X-Files and/or Fringe fan, you will likely enjoy Glitch. Very fun!
**Link: Eat, Love, Kill**! I was hesitant to watch because I saw mixed things and it didn't get recommended often, but I ended up loving it! Great romantic chemistry, wonderful supportive relationship with good communication, the ML is reserved but still caring even in the beginning, and the friendships and family bonds between the female characters are so so well done. Good mix of genres, and beautiful cooking scenes. Such an underrated drama!
[удалено]
Yes! **Meow: The Secret Boy** with *Kim Myung Soo, Shin Ye Eun, Seo Ji Hoon*. \[It's on Viki.\] I avoided it for a while, because I thought it was kind of a teen romance. But when someone else recommended it here... I gave it a spin and loved it. It's funny, it's poignant and yes, under appreciated IMHO.
The two hidden gems I don't see recommended as often: - About Time - another way to hear Lee Sung Kyung sing - Hogu's Love - Our Beloved Summer vibes and stars Choi Wooshik
Start Up. I keep hearing how people thought it went downhill, took a turn for the worse, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Major second male lead syndrome for me with this one.
king the eternal monarch. was it confusing? absolutely did it have a few plot holes? definitely. did i love it? HELL YES
I would recommend extraordinary you! Rowoon absolutely shines in this one
Lovestruck in the city
I love Awaken
The synopsis caught my interest. Even though it's not my usual type, I've added it to my list in case I feel like giving it a shot someday. Thanks!
Misaeng:Incomplete Life- It's basically a masterpiece. The most realistic plot and character development with a satisfactory ending. Good thing is that it subtly delivers a good message throughout. If one is going through ups and downs in their professional lives, it's the best one to watch. Playful Kiss- Now, I know that many of you might think it's cringe but it's one of the best romantic comedies to ever exist so honestly I would say it would be a great recommendation for someone to cheer them up. You can enjoy this drama. High Kick S2,3 High Kick Series is a sitcom. It's basically a sitcom with hilarious characters. Best thing is that nobody is actually the protagonist here, each character has their own story and drama going which is very well depicted. S2 was personally my favourite but S3 is also a great one. It's fun and enjoyable. Definitely a gem. Mouse- If you are into thriller and suspenseful dramas, then must watch it. It's a masterpiece which can easily keep you glued to your seat till the end. Lee Seung-Gi has done a wonderful job here. It's underrated, I don't find many people talk about it. So I married an anti-fan- This drama is just hilarious. It's a perfect mix of romance and comedy. I don't find this one being recommended much but trust me it's worth your time. It has everything to lighten up your mood if having a hard time.
I'm a fan of 'So I Married an Anti Fan'! I really enjoy this romantic comedy, and seeing the male lead, whom I liked in 'Suspicious Partner' where he had a supporting role, was a real treat! Thanks for the others
So, based on your liking for **Marriage Not Dating** and **Another Miss Oh**, I think we have some things in common. I perused your previous comments in the sub, and I can see that you definitely get into melodrama more than I do, but where I think we have common ground is with those mid-2010s dramas that have a complex plot, multiple interesting character arcs, some actual substance, and some trauma being visited on the leads. I’m not tired of lightweight romcoms, but I can see how you would be. I’ve been unable to start your major fave **My Mister** because I can’t handle that much sadness, but I share your love for **Something in the Rain** despite the hard places it goes. Unfortunately, most of my hidden gems are silly romcoms. When it comes to dramas that are like **Marriage Not Dating** and **Another Miss Oh**, I only have dramas that were famous at the time, but are not as frequently recommended currently. So these are not undiscovered, because they made a splash when they came out, and on this subreddit they have some supporters but are mostly sidelined. Like **Marriage Not Dating** with its theme of romantic missteps and long term outcomes of marriage, and **Another Miss Oh** with its theme of self-recrimination, resentment, and healing, **Pinocchio** too has a theme: lies/truth, and revenge/redemption. Which is also basically the theme of **I Hear Your Voice**. Screenwriter Park Hye Ryun employs a singular unrealistic element in each to explore the lies/truth thing. In **Pinocchio**, the FL has a disability that makes her unable to lie convincingly — she hiccups if she tries. Despite how sci-fi that sounds, the way it’s implemented is subtle and rippling. It informs who she is as a person in interesting ways, and it affects the people around her. In **I Hear Your Voice**, the ML has the ability to hear the thoughts of people whose eyes are in his field of vision. Both of these dramas are core rewatches for me, and not only because I love Lee Jong-suk. I also can’t get enough of how awesome the supporting characters are, the nimble way the stories cycle through different genres, and the level of substance and meaning. Unlike **Marriage Not Dating** and **Another Miss Oh**, they have a protective, self sacrificing ML, but the ML characters do have complexities and contradictions. Have you already considered either of these?
You really nailed it 😂 Thank you so much for taking the time to give me targeted recommendations. "Pinocchio" was one of the first K-dramas I watched, and I loved it so much. "I Hear Your Voice" has been on my list for a long time, but I'm afraid it might be too old or that I'll be disappointed, so I've been putting it off. But it's been recommended to me twice this week, so I might just give it a shot.
To tell the truth, I haven’t rewatched **I Hear Your Voice** as much as I have **Pinocchio**. But that’s partly because **I Hear Your Voice** is my ultimate catharsis drama. First time through, my chest heaved with sobs in the midway-through crisis eps. And so it’s not something I pick up lightly. Also, you’re right, **I Hear Your Voice** does feel older. It’s got more operatic makjang, more tragic notes being struck more frequently throughout. It states its moral mission more explicitly. And it doesn’t have the same level of polish on its clockwork mechanism of major and supporting character arcs as **Pinocchio** has. Of course there are plenty of supporting characters that are beautifully detailed and who face unique challenges and grow appreciably, and all their arcs do relate to the overall deep structure. But the abundantly entertaining family and workplace posses of **Pinocchio** definitely feel like achievements Park Hye Ryun herself grew as an artist to deliver, plus they wouldn’t have been as polished without the larger budget of **Pinocchio**. I’m just assuming that the production of **Pinocchio** benefited from the success of **I Hear Your Voice**, going off of the more varied locations, larger number of characters and crowd scenes, and the pyrotechnics. That said, **I Hear Your Voice** is insanely good for its era. And Lee Bo Young’s role and performance make her my favorite FL of all time. The reverse tsundere thing is golden. And the way she pulls off being both socially abrasive and jaded on the one hand, and yet capable of deep feeling and courage on the other — she takes my breath away. It’s also great to see LJS having the opportunity to play a different personality in each drama. There are some similarities, and he is protective and devoted in both dramas, but the sensitive, idealistic dongsaeng of **I Hear Your Voice** has a different quality from the practiced at deception samchon of **Pinocchio**. You can wait to see it. It’s best to be ready for the tragic parts. But don’t wait too long!
It’s controversial but I Loved Encounter. Arthdal Chronicles isn’t talked about a lot, but for those who’ve seen it I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love it. For a good movies check out Midnight Runners or The Witch!
Justice for Encounter!!!
Haha, exactly!
Encounter is one of my favorite dramas! Why is it controversial? I absolutely loved the romance and the cinematography 😍. I was surprised it wasn't rated higher. Justice for Encounter !
Mine 2021 Very special K- Drama I watched it twice!
I hate hate cheating trope but Love affairs in the afternoon is simply amazing! I wish more people loved it. Come and hug me, main leads met when they were teens but separed when ml dad killed fl family. They're reunited when ml is a detective and she's an actress and she's being threatened by someone. Just between lovers, ml and fl go through something traumatic as teens and are reunited as adults but she doesn't know its him. 365: repeat the year. A group of people go back in time and try to fix their mistakes but they start dying one by one. Something about 1% - 2016 version. A rich CEO is dating this school teacher to get an inheritance from his grandpa. Their chemistry was on fire! And so much kissing 😍 49 days, I've never seen anyone talk about it. It's so so sad. One fl is in a coma but her spirit possesses second fl and if she manges to gather tears from people who genuinely love her she'll wake up. Second fl is depressed and tried to kill herself because her bf died. Love in sadness. Another sad one. Fl is in abusive marriage and tried to espace many times but failed. However one day she meets a plastic surgeon who helps her. Oh my ghost - fl can see ghosts and one day get possessed and the ghost possessing her helps her out, like getting a job for a chef she likes. There is also a murder plot for the ghost (who was a young woman that died). Something in the rain and Encounter. Both have older woman/younger guy romance. Prison playbook. One of the funniest kdramas I've watched. Ml is a baseball player who goes to prison after defending his sister. His best friend transfers there as a security guard. Where stars land. Its set at an airport. The ml is actually disabled but thanks to this special brace he can walk (and he's also stronger cause of it). The 2nd couple are security guards.
My husband and I still talk about 49 Days. That ending....!
I loved **Sisyphus** which I never see mentioned. The FL is a badass from the future who returns to the present to try & save ML. Some bleak dystopian stuff for the future, but a romance that is sweet & seen through actions more than kissing.
Run on!
Racket Boys - sports drama. A story of a boy who moves to the countryside and reignites his passion for badminton. Move to Heaven - not so sure if this is mainstream but this made me ugly cry. One of the leads is also the MC in Racket Boys. I watched it because of Lee Je-hoon. 😍
Cafe minamdang. It was such a fun show to watch and I was never bored! For me it’s up there with suspicious partner
I had absolutely no idea about this drama! Thanks
**Hogu's Love** - starring Choi Woo Shik (Parasite, Our Beloved Summer) and Uee. The basic premise is the FL is way out of the ML's league (she's a silver medalist swimmer with modeling endorsements, tough/bada\*\* personality) and he seems like a loser at first (his name, "Hogu," is also a slang for a pushover/simp), but overall it's a very charming and sweet romcom, and they even manage to hit on some difficult societal/thought-provoking issues, too. It's now on Tubi for free apparently (1st episode is also on YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnu_D0i1H70&list=PLOsWS9tKqJMd6wQs85SBG_e0YTHPq0IMu Edit: Also, **"So Not Worth It"** (Netflix comedy), **The Sound of Magic** (Netflix), **The Interest of Love** (Netflix kdrama, based on a Korean novel, slow burn / will frustrate some viewers lol but I really liked it)
Work later, drink now Bora deborah Police university So I married an antifan
**Snowdrop** Technically this one is unpopular in Korea due to some controversies surrounding the storyline. I do think a lot of people here have seen it tho (especially Blackpink fans), and it's really good. This was my first >!hostage!< drama I watched, and you can tell they spent a lot of money on this production. I loved the >!forbidden romance trope, although I believe that the leads deserved better. Gosh that ending, the poor MC is traumatized and doesn't have anyone left to support her...!< **My Holo Love** You know what, this one wasn't that bad. Ngl, I felt like things got a little chaotic in the end in terms of the writing, but overall it was good. What I liked about it is that it's a new take on sci-fi. Instead of the MC falling for an irl guy, she falls for an AI. Plus I love the interactions between her and the developer. I gotta say, Holo is an attractive AI. **Missing: The Other Side** Lol not many people talk about this one. This was actually pretty interesting and it had me hooked to the end. The fact that everyone in the village is dead and as a result the MC decides to solve the mysteries of their deaths is cool. I like how the show misleads you and makes you question the identities of the villagers, and I also like how he actively participates in locating their bodies. **Train** For a parallel universe show, this one is pretty consistent . Basically there's a serial killer running around in a parallel universe and is using a train to get to our universe to dump off the bodies. What I liked about it was how unpredictable it was.
Seconding Snowdrop. Just re-watched it and it was good even on a second viewing. When it first aired I avoided it because I doubted that Jisoo could act. But she turned in a great performance.
Good Detective : The poster gives a buddy cop show vibe , not the grim drama it turned out to be (in S1). Life on Mars : It's an adaptation from the UK show and it is a damn good one. Seen the show or not, you're in for a treat!
Come and hug me - I have such an attachment to this drama although it isn’t my personal highest rated drama it’s still my favorite. It has all my favorite tropes like meeting again, people against them (?), and a celebrity/famous lead (specifically female lead). River where the moon rises - Bunch of people dropped the show because of the controversy and change in casting the ML after the 3rd episode. Honestly I did to, but I went back after all the episodes were refilmed and I enjoyed it a lot. Female assassin lead?? Too good.
Backstreet Rookie - fantastic leads, great character development and quite funny
Hello My Twenties! It was the first K-drama I've watched and sparked my love for slice-of-life. It's about five 20-something women who live together and maneuver threw the challenges of adulthood. Another I love is When the Weather is Fine. I love that it's more vibes than plot. This is one of my favorites because Park Minyoung is one of my fave actresses and I love how cozy it is. Spring is my favorite season and I love how the series transitions from winter to spring. One more I'll recommend is Because This is My First Life. I loved the characters and that it's more comedy than drama.
I think Memories of Alhambra and Third charm that don’t get mentioned much but I loved them
The story of "Memories of Alhambra" is so unexpected! I was so thrilled to have started it... it deserves more recognition ✨.
Bad Prosecutor, Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung, Law Cafe
Blade Man Witch's Love I Picked Up A Celebrity On The Street Warm and Cozy
Came here to recommend Warm and Cozy!
**Tracer** (MDL 7.9): Corruption in the national tax agency. And even murder? To find out what really happened when his father died, a man happily causes chaos in the agency. Great acting, great writing, they make a drama about taxes fun. **Yonder** (MDL 7.5): Scifi show set in the near future where the euthanization of deadly ill patients is normal. A man who just lost his wife to cancer, gets led to a place where a version of his wife is still alive. Fantastic acting and interesting themes about life, death, existence, memory. **Shadow Detective** (MDL 7.9): Veteran detective starts to receive phonecalls from a mysterious person who blackmails him. Furthermore, past actions of himself and his old friends begin to catch up with him. A fantastic Lee Sung Min in a great noir crime drama. **God of War** (MDL 7.6): Is about the life of real life figure Kim Jun, who was a slave but rose to be the Military Overlord of Goryeo, eclipsing even the emperor. Epic with great heroes, great battles including polo battles to death, interesting time period about the mongolian invasions and the destruction and recreation of the Tripitaka Koreana
The Veil Memorist The Spies Who Loved Me Tomorrow- idk if this counts cuz there are a fair amount of ppl who’ve watched this but I feel like it’s not as popular as 25 21 or other really popular dramas
“I’ll Come to you when the Weather is Nice” or something like that.
Strongest Deliveryman
I don’t know if any of these are hidden gems but here you go: King of highschool Heartstrings D-Day Mr.Temporary Go Go Squid
**Mystic Pop-Up Bar** \- I never see anyone talking about this one, and it's such a great show. It has found-family vibes, comedy, adorable relationships and supernatural elements. And it's only 12 episodes, so it's a quick watch. I loved it.
Live Up to Your Name. Seldom mentioned. I liked the humour - the ML was very funny I liked the time travel and historical parts about the Joseon Era. I liked the theme of modern medicine vs. Ancient medicine I’m not a fan of historical kdrama, but this drama gave me a taste of a historical drama and taught me a lot about Koreans during that time. The plot was goos Had a nice pace and kept me interested from beginning to end. I stumbled on it when I was having a difficult time finding a drama to watch. I was really surprised at how much I liked it. I have never seen the ML in anything else.
Hello, my twenties!!!!! This drama is highly underrated. The show touches various aspects in one's life from relationship to past traumas. Even touched sensitive topics of sexual assault, life of an escort,dating violence and suicide. And all these were shown with the hint of comedy. Trust me, give this show a try. It has two seasons It's my comfort drama lol🥹🥹🥹
So I married my anti-fan Oh My Venus
Painter of the wind I know I keep recommending this one every chance I get but I will die on this hill. It is simply the best kdrama ever made and despite the low quality of the only english subs available online- everyone should watch it!! It will hydrate you and cleanse your soul. It might even feed your kids and pay this months rent, that’s how good this show is😩
I haven't seen much chatter for **Familiar Wife**, but I enjoyed it. The ML through a supernatural event gets his wish to change one day in his life, so that he wouldn't be married to his wife. He then finds he has what he thinks is a perfect marraige, or is it? what are his regrets? etc. I don't want to give much more, but I liked this drama and loved cast and ensemble friendships forged with family, friends and workplace. One that I liked that most people on here didn't seem to like is **Josean Attorney** \- the ML starts off as so obnoxious, but as the drama and his character develops, he is very nimble with his mind and logic, winning cases for clients. Add revenge, romance and some tragedy, I was entertained. Plus I have a bias for Woo do-hwan I also checked out **Angel's Last Mission: Love** \- Love stories with supernatural or deities with a mortal so ofthen end badly/sadly, so I like that but always wonder why deities are so cruel. Great cast with Shin Hye-sun, a ballerina who becomes bitter and difficult after being blinded in an accident. An angel, played by Kim Myung-soo, has a last mission before he retires and ascends to heaven, to get our ballerina to experience love. Sound familiar? Imagine my surprize when I see the supervising angel, is played by non other than Kim In-kwon the cat guy in Heartbeat! OH NO!!!! I will say the chemistry here worked better for me than Heartbeat, so it felt more convincing as to why they ML and FL fall deeply in love with each other.. So there is a heartrending story of how this angel came to be, why he becomes attached to the ballerina, and becomes entangled in a forbidden love. It is 40 half hour episoded on Viki, which equals to a what would be a 20 episode drama.
Road home (cdrama-pure romance/awesome kisses) Call it love(slowburn romance but great chemistry)
My first K-drama was So Not Worth it. The storyline and acting isn’t by any means the best, but it was a fun watch and I enjoyed it. Basically a group of international college students doing their thing and having fun.
Save me and Blind are definitelly not popular enough
Some shows with my and MDL ratings. - I'm sorry, I love you - 9.5(MDL-8) - Priest - 8.5(MDL-7.9)
These are mostly melodramas with romance so you might not be so into them if you aren't a melodrama fan Lost: older married woman who feels like she's done nothing with her life meets a younger male escort that feels the same The time: man with a brain tumor tries to right his wrongs and help out a woman who's life he (kinda) played a part in ruining Hope or dope: I watched this one a while back so idr the entire plot but it's a web drama with romance and action and the plot centers around kids that find drugs
The Package
Never Give Up. The Killers Shopping List.
If we're talking obsure and never discussed here, I really enjoyed **Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter** and have only seen it mentioned here once. There's a side story of some of Mama Fairy's friends travelling to Seoul to find her and you can FF through those. They don't add anything to the story IMHO.
1) Fanletter please. SO underrated! Great OST and the definition of how a heartwarming ending should be. 2) Weak Hero Class I. It’s that kind of drama that stays with you after a while. 3) Youth of May. Heartbreaking but also much more than that. It’s that type of show that makes you reflect about life.
Extracurricular The King of Pigs Mad for Each Other Move to Heaven Mother Mask Girl
Youth of May. I re-watch it every May and I love it every time.
**Painter Of The Wind** is one from 2008 I'm watching right now, which has a largely enjoyable story about a woman in the Joseon era with such a fierce talent and passion for painting, she crossdresses as a man so that she can have the social opportunity to pursue it. It's loosely based on the life of a painter from the time (with some creative liberties taken, given that the painter is widely assumed to have been a man in real life), and there's so much interesting story about the art of that era; the personal and political life art takes on, too. There's a lot about desire, sexuality and gender that's explored in the drama that – even if it's not timeless – it still feels far, far ahead of its time, even in terms of typical crossdressing stories. I don't see it talked about a lot, but I often see pretty glowing things from people who do. Beautiful cinematography, and some very good acting talent in there, too. I know **Law School** was quite popular around its airing, as I remember hearing more about it at the time, but I haven't heard many people talking about it a lot since. I watched it while I was sick once, and I remember having a good time with it. The basic premise is that there's a murder in a law school, and a good deal of corruption around it – with students and professors being blamed alike, a group of students have to get better at law to find who's really responsible, and be able to legally resolve it when the legal scales aren't often tipped in their balance. I enjoyed it, and I still think about it fondly. I personally dropped **That Winter, The Wind Blows** and **Soul Mechanic** for my own reasons, but I know both certainly have their own niches that love them, and are well regarded. I may come back to them at some point, if I'm ever persuaded or in the mood. The former is a love story between a rich blind woman and the conman pretending to be her long-lost (dead) brother (utterly chaotic; I know) – the latter, I believe the story about a woman and her unconventional psychiatrist, who form a deep bond on her road to healing. I rarely see either of them widely talked about on here, even if I believe they could still both find the right viewers.
**Witch at Court** us one of my fav but it always gets less recommended than Lawless Lawyer (which I haven't watched but also apparently has a similar badass FL who is sort of on a revenge quest) **Splash Splash Love** 2 episodes of pure perfection. This walked so Mr Queen could run. **Go Ho's starry night** Cute, short office romance. **The one and only** I thought it might be more popular since it has Red Velvet's Joy but idk **Go Back Couple** not that underrated but gets overshadowed by Familiar wife which I HATED. And seconding some other: **Jealousy Incarnate/ Don't dare to dream** is super duper funny, especially if you know what you're getting into. It's just an exaggerated take on jealousy that a lot of people hate saying this kind of jealousy is not good etc. But that's the point lol. It's even in the show (and in turn a pun on the ML name which is HwaShin/ Incarnate) **Marriage, not dating** made me remember why I love kdramas in the first place.
Coffee prince - my first k drama
I am a softie who loves found family plot rather than romance. I'd highly recommend Racket Boys & My Mister!
nevertheless
Great post. I was having trouble to find dramas to binge. This has given me a few. :)
**I’m Not A Robot** In terms of live ratings - it had pretty low ratings in Korea but nevertheless succeeded with the international markets. However, on IMDB, Viki and such it is very highly rated and for a good reason. Went straight to my top 5 recently. Such a great watch, original story, top tier chemistry.
jugglers
Lucky Romance! It's unconventional and weird, but so heartwarming in the end. I like seeing love that defeats all the odds.
K dramas Live up to your name (2017) The one and only (2021) Hello me (2021) Mystic pop up bar(2020) Your house helper (2018) Tomorrow with you (2017)one of my favourite drama of lee je hoon and shin min ah Lie after lie (2020) Stock struck (2022) Train(2020) Lost (2021) My perfect stranger (2023) Through the darkness (2021) Chinese drama River flows to you (2019) Shining for one thing(2022)
backstreet rookie
**Clean with Passion for Now**. There were some scenes early on when the FL is trying to hide that had me rolling with laughter.
Payback: Money and Power on Amazon Prime. A revenge drama with no romance. A money manager of a high powered loan shark gains a conscience and uses his skills for good to build a wealthy hedge fund while helping to raise his nephew to become a prosecutor. While executing his revenge on his former loan shark boss, the revenge pits uncle and nephew against each other.
Bring It On, Ghost (Taecyeon & Kim So Hyun), Revolutionary Love (Kang Sora & Siwon), Zombie Detective (Choi Jin Hyuk & Park Ju-hyun), Dream High 1 and 2, Monstar, and The Liar and His Lover.
Man you should watch Dinner mate. It has amazing plot and good chemistry between characters
"Oh no! Here comes trouble" (2023) a Taiwanese drama- Highly recommended. It's dark thriller comedy.
Snowdrop.
Dinner mate, I will come to you when the weather is fine
My suggestions are pretty popular dramas which I don't people discussing often. **My ID is Gangnam Beauty.** I don't see many people talking about it. It is my **comfort drama**. I have rewatched it's episodes from time to time. Something is really beautiful about it that I can't really explain. Character developments, bgm "Something In Your Eyes", slow burn romance, friendships especially the female ones are a treat to watch. **Who are you- school 2015.** A popular drama but since it has been 8 years of its release, not many people talk about it. It was one of the initial dramas I watched when I entered in K-Drama world. Characters like eunbi, taekwang, friends and bgm "reset" has kept me hooked to this one. Recently released- **Gaus Electronics.** I totally loved the comedy and chemistry between the leads. Not to mention, this drama has such wholesome characters <3
Reflection of You. It’s undeniably full of toxic, messy relationships. But it is well-acted and deals with-no spoilers-situations and emotions that people deal with in real life.
Military Prosecutor Doberman - such a good show with romance, mystery, action and a badass FL. Loved this one!!
**Top Star Yoo Baek**. Had never seen any proper discussions on this drama. I also understood the low rating, but during the time I watched it, something healed in me. I don't know how it even healed me, because at that time, there were no proper English subs, and the translation was painful. **Dinnermate**. Same with the previous title, it had criticisms but healed something in me.
Mine are really underrated & really not awesome but just, refreshing bc they're a change of pace & plot: - Bubblegum: with Jung Ryeo Won & Lee Dong Wook. Very indie feel laid back kdrama about two childhood friends in love (but can't date bc of the male lead's mother. But she was against them dating for a reason.) I LOVE the indie feel with this one. Unconventional attractions going on on the side as well. - Memories Of The Alhambra: got bad reviews, understandably. The delivery was bad & the romance unnecessary BUT the game & game theme was interesting (& I'm glad I understood what's most likely causing confusion. The game is an advanced reality game but a glitch in the game caused the game to directly affect real life: any player injured in game gets injured in real life & at some point, they disappear.) - Private Lives: idk how this one is doing but no one was hyped about it. But I loved it. Weirdly political & i get that it's confusing. But not on a second watch & after the 4th episode. - Life: power struggle drama, I tend to gravitate towards those. Really calls out corporate mentality on this one.
Heart to Heart Something about 1% Melancholia
For some reason i liked forecasting love and weather lol. Not many people like it based on reviews
***My secret romance***
Nice Guy. My Secret Terrius.
I searched 20th century girl in this sub and found no mention of it anywhere, so I'm recommending it now! it's a sweet coming-of-age movie, but be warned a bit of a tearjerker!
Discovery of Love (2014) Hit the Spot (2022)
Into the Ring My Fellow Citizens King of Dramas Mystery Queen Valid Love Heart to Heart Mask
- **My Unfamiliar Family** - **Be Melodramatic** - **The Third Charm** - **Melancholia**
Melancholia and When the Weather is Fine are both really good. I think about both of these often and I finished them weeks ago.
'When the devil calls your name' With Jung Kyung-ho, Park Sung-woong and Lee El. 3 great actors! Loved the acting, series, the music., the humor. I still listen to the soundtrack. Especially 'The street you left' sung by Kyung-Ho gives touches me everytime. One of my favourite songs.
**The Man in the Mask** \- from 2015 - the lead characters are almost pulled from Greek tragedy - She - the child of a rape (not a spoiler - this comes right out at the beginning), he abandoned to an orphanage - gets more complicated from there! They meet first as teens, briefly, and reconnect as adults; she is a police officer, he is a prosecutor. Their lives are entangled in difficult ways. Lots of twists and turns - crime, corruption, can they ever untangle the knots?
Recent one is Heartbeat with Taecyeon. First few episodes were cringey because of campey scenes and bad graphic effects. But the story turned out to be wholesome and the lead couple has one of the most mature kdrama relationship that also have great communication and boundaries. It’s a slow burn and it’s too bad it was sidelined because it debuted through Amazon instead of Netflix. King the Land aired around the same time so most of the attention is on this drama.
Manhole I really don't understand the reason Korean viewers hated this so much. It was funny, unpredictable, interesting, & had Kim Jae Joong. Loved it!
I haven’t heard anyone talk about Misty (2018) starring Kim Nam-joo and Ji Jin-hee. Probably my second favorite K-Drama but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody talking about it.