There's no deterring our love affair with all things K-drama. In our continuous search for the best K-dramas of all time, we give you the lowdown on the highest rating Korean dramas on cable TV. Think of it as an essential tried-and-tested listicle of shows any genuine K-fan should watch.
Read up below to see if your favorite made it to the top 50.
Note: The list has been updated to reflect each show's highest rating episode as per Nielsen Korea as of August 6, 2023. It's subject to change should a new drama rate higher in the future. It does not include shows from public channels (KBS, SBS, MBC) which naturally have more viewers.
1. The World of the Married (2020)
Rating: 28.371%
TV Channel: JTBC
A revered medical doctor's seemingly perfect life is overturned when she discovers her husband's infidelity. In her pursuit to retaliate against his betrayal, a bitter back-and-forth ensues between the two as they both seek to exact revenge on the other. The World of the Married smashed TV ratings after its finale episode rated at 28.37%, breaking its own record of 24.44% which it had set just an episode prior.
Starring: Kim Hee Ae, Park Hae Joon, Han So Hee
2. Reborn Rich (2022)
Rating: 26.948%
TV Channel: JTBC
Even after years of loyalty to them and their business, Yoon Hyun-woo gets betrayed and murdered by the Jin family. In an inexplicable turn of events, he wakes up in 1987 as Do-jun, the grandson and heir-apparent of the Soonyang Group, the same company that forsake him. He hatches a well-calculated plan to take down the chaebol family from the inside out.
Starring: Song Joong Ki, Lee Sung Min, Tiffany Young
3. Sky Castle (2018)
Rating: 23.779%
TV Channel: JTBC
This satirical drama revolves around four housewives residing in the exclusive residential area of Sky Castle. Ruthlessly ambitious, the women will stop at nothing to get their children into Seoul National University.
Starring: Yeom Jung Ah, Lee Tae Ran, Yoon Se Ah, Oh Na Ra, Kim Seo Hyung
4. Crash Landing on You (2019)
Rating: 21.683%
TV Channel: tvN
The lives of a South Korean heiress and a North Korean military officer collide when the former lands into North Korean territory after a paragliding accident.
Starring: Hyun Bin, Son Ye Jin, Seo Ji Hye, Kim Jung Hyun
5. Reply 1988 (2015)
Rating: 18.803%
TV Channel: tvN
Five childhood friends who live in the same neighborhood of Ssangmundong rely on each other as they enter the peak of their turbulent teen years.
Starring: Hyeri, Park Bo Gum, Ryoon Joon Yeol, Go Kyung Pyo, Lee Dong Hwi
6. Goblin (2016)
Rating: 18.680%
TV Channel: tvN
A romantic fantasy drama, the series follows the story of a 939-year-old Goblin, also known as the Protector of Souls, as he ends up falling for the girl destined to end his cursed immortal life.
Starring: Gong Yoo, Kim Go Eun, Lee Dong Wook
7. Doctor Cha (2023)
Rating: 18.493%
TV Channel: JTBC
For 20 years, Cha Jeong-suk was content with life as a housewife. Though, one day, she chooses to finally fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a medical professional and pursues residency at the same hospital as her husband Seo In-ho.
Starring: Uhm Jung Hwa, Kim Byung Chul, Myung Se Bin, Min Woo Hyuk
8. Mr. Sunshine (2018)
Rating: 18.129%
TV Channel: tvN
A poor boy born into a house servant's family travels to the United States during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo incident. He soon grows up to become an American military officer who returns to his homeland and falls in love with an aristocrat's daughter, all while unveiling a sinister plot by foreign nationals to colonize Korea.
Starring: Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri
9. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)
Rating: 17.534%
TV Channel: ENA
Woo Young-woo is an exceptionally diligent but socially awkward attorney with savant syndrome. She's initially met with prejudice by her peers at her new job, but case after case, she proves just how skilled and resilient she is. Right by her side is her best friend Dong Geu Ra-mi, and Lee Joon-ho, a charming litigator at their law firm.
Starring: Park Eun Bin, Kang Tae Oh, Joo Hyun Young
10. Mr. Queen (2020)
Rating: 17.371%
TV Channel: tvN
In modern-day Seoul, prestigious chef Jang Bong-hwan of the President’s Blue House gets caught in a scuffle that leads him to fall off a building. When he wakes up, he realizes he’s traveled back to the Joseon period, and his soul is now inhabiting the body of Queen Kim So-yong. Unable to escape this odd situation, he sets out to learn more about the queen’s life but ends up getting caught in the Kingdom’s political drama.
Starring: Shin Hye Sun, Kim Jung Hyun
11. Crash Course in Romance (2023)
Rating: 17.038%
TV Channel: tvN
A retired national athlete, Nam Haeng-seon runs a side dish store where she encounters Choi Chi-yeol, a sought-after teacher at an elite university. The two are polar opposites with their personalities, but somehow, a little love story starts to come about.
Starring: Jeon De Yeon, Jung Kyung Ho
12. Under the Queen's Umbrella (2022)
Rating: 16.852%
TV Channel: tvN
As the queen of Joseon, Im Hwa-ryeong walks with poise and dignity—this, however, is a challenge because of her troublemaker sons. She tries to whip them into shape, as one of them will eventually have to inherit the throne from her.
Starring: Kim Hye Soo, Kim Hae Sook, Choi Won Young, Bae In Hyuk, Yoo Seon Ho
13. Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) 2 (2021)
Rating: 16.582%
TV Channel: TV Chosun
More illicit romances, drama, and betrayal ensue in the second season of Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce). This time around, the melodrama further unravels the crumbling marriages of our three lead radio show professionals as we get to know more about their husbands’ mistresses.
Starring: Lee Ga Ryeong, Sung Hoon, Park Joo Mi
14. Itaewon Class (2020)
Rating: 16.548%
TV Channel: JTBC
Ex-con Park Saeroyi and his misfit group of employees work to turn their modest bar into the number one pub in Itaewon. Reaching their goal turns out to be an uphill battle as they deal with the ruthless CEO of Jangga Co., a.k.a. the man responsible for setting off a chain of events that landed Saeroyi in jail in the first place.
Starring: Park Seo Joon, Kim Da Mi, Kwon Nara, Ahn Bo Hyun
15. Agency (2023)
Rating: 16.044%
TV Channel: JTBC
Despite her less privileged background, Go Ah-in fearlessly takes charge in one of Korea's leading advertising agencies. She builds herself from the ground up, hoping to one day become her company's first female lead executive.
Starring: Lee Bo Young, Son Na Eun, Jo Sung Ha, Han Joon Woo
16. Vincenzo (2021)
Rating: 14.636%
TV Channel: tvN
Vincenzo Cassano, a South Korean-born Mafia lawyer in Italy, flees to his homeland after he finds himself caught in between two warring factions. Back in Seoul, he teams up with a spunky female lawyer to exact justice on evil criminals through any means possible.
Starring: Song Joong Ki, Jeon Yeo Bin, Ok Taecyeon, Kwak Dong Yeon
17. Our Blues (2022)
Rating: 14.597%
TV Channel: tvN
Led by a star-studded ensemble cast, Our Blues is set on Jeju Island. Here, the lives of multiple individuals intertwine in unexpected ways as they go through the uncertain motions of life in the province.
Starring: Shin Min Ah, Kim Woo Bin, Lee Byung Hun, Uhm Jung Hwa
18. 100 Days My Prince (2018)
Rating: 14.412%
TV Channel: tvN
Lee Yul, a crown prince suffering from amnesia, ends up in the care of Hong Shim, an intelligent but unmarried woman, and her father. Thinking of himself to be a commoner, he weds Hong Shim to save her from being punished by a law that he himself established as a prince.
Starring: Do Kyung Soo, Nam Ji Hyun, Kim Seon Ho
19. Hospital Playlist (2020)
Rating: 14.142%
TV Channel: tvN
Five doctors who've been friends since medical school go through the ups and downs of their job in Yulje Medical Center, all while sharing their love for music by forming a band.
Starring: Jo Jung Suk, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jeon Mi Do, Kim Dae Myung, Jung Kyoung Ho
20. Hospital Playlist 2 (2021)
Rating: 14.080%
TV Channel: tvN
In yet another season of Hospital Playlist, the bond of five college friends turned doctors continue to be tested as they deal with life, death, and everything in between at their hospital.
Starring: Jo Jung Suk, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jeon Mi Do, Kim Dae Myung, Jung Kyoung Ho
21. King the Land (2023)
Rating: 13.789%
TV Channel: JTBC
Goo Won, the heir of King Group, possesses charm, intelligence, elegance, and sophistication. However, he is plagued by the absence of memories related to his mother. Determined to recollect his past, he revisits King Hotel. At King Hotel's renowned venue, Cheon Sa-rang, known for her radiant smile and impeccable hospitality, has climbed the ranks from the front desk to a prestigious position—and the setting where she crosses paths with Goo Won.
Starring: Lee Jun Ho, Yoona
22. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Rating: 12.665%
TV Channel: tvN
The series follows Yoon Hye-jin, a picture-perfect woman who works as a well-respected dentist. However, when her seemingly ideal life falls into shambles, she somehow finds herself moving to the seaside village of Gongjin. In the midst of attempting to restart her career, she crosses paths with, and eventually develops a fondness for, Hong Doo-shik, who’s popularly known in the area as Mr. Hong. Although unemployed, Mr. Hong is a jack of all trades and can take on any odd job if it means helping out the locals of Gongjin.
Starring: Kim Seon Ho, Shin Min Ah, Lee Sang Yi
23. Signal (2016)
Rating: 12.544%
TV Channel: tvN
When police lieutenant and criminal profiler Park Hae-Yeong gets hold of a special walkie talkie that can communicate with people from the past, he joins forces with a detective in 1989 to solve three decades of related murders.
Starring: Lee Je Hoon, Kim Hye Soo, Cho Jin Woong
24. The Lady in Dignity (2017)
Rating: 12.065%
TV Channel: JTBC
A wealthy woman living a luxurious life finds her daily routine tarnished when a mysterious stranger moves into her home as the caregiver to her ill father-in-law.
Starring: Kim Hee Sun, Kim Sun Ah
25. The Good Bad Mother (2023)
Rating: 12.032%
TV Channel: JTBC
A devastating accident transforms an ambitious prosecutor into a person with mind of a child, compeling both him and his mother to undertake a profound journey at reconciling their relationship and finding healing along the way.
Starring: Ra Mi Ran, Lee Do Hyun, Ahn Eun Jin
26. Hotel del Luna (2019)
Rating: 12.001%
TV Channel: tvN
Located in downtown Seoul, the peculiar Hotel del Luna has existed for several millennia catering to lost souls. Its CEO, Jang Man Wol, is cursed to run the establishment for all of eternity as punishment for a sin she can't remember. The only way to free herself from her penance is to find someone who's committed a crime far worse than hers.
Starring: IU, Yeo Jin Goo
27. Red Balloon (2023)
Rating: 11.566%
TV Channel: TV Chosun
Four individuals navigate their respective careers as they face rejection after rejection. Among them is Jo Eun-gang, a young woman who dreams of being a school teacher, but gets redirected to a job as a private tutor.
Starring: Seo Ji Hye, Lee Sung Jae, Hong Soo Hyun, Lee Sang Woo
28. Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)
Rating: 11.513%
TV Channel: tvN
Set in 1998, this coming-of-age drama follows its young characters as they’re forced to deal with the aftermath of the IMF crisis in Korea. At the center of the story are Baek Yi-jin and Na Hee-do, two individuals who fall in love three years after they first meet at the ages of 22 and 18. Now 25 and 21, their worlds collide in unexpected ways.
Starring: Nam Joo Hyuk, Kim Tae Ri, WJSN's Bona, Choi Hyun Wook, Lee Joo Myung
29. Reply 1994 (2013)
Rating: 11.509%
TV Channel: tvN
Alternating between 1994 and 2013, the series follows six university students all residing in one boarding house in Seoul, where they encounter the daughter of the house's owner, Sung Na-Jung. While experiencing various cultural Korean milestones together, including the emergence of the K-Pop boygroup Seo Taiji and Boys, and the Sampoong Department Store collapse, these seven strangers soon learn to treat each other like family.
Starring: Go Ara, Jung Woo, Yoo Yeon Seok, Kim Sung Kyun
30. Prison Playbook (2017)
Rating: 11.195%%
TV Channel: tvN
A star baseball player's bright future hits a dire snag when he's sentenced to one year in prison after defending his sister from sexual assault. Forced to adapt to a life behind bars, he gets reacquainted with a former baseball player and childhood friend, now turned prison guard.
Starring: Park Hae Soo, Jung Kyung Ho, Krystal, Jung Hae In
31. Little Women (2022)
Rating: 11.105%
TV Channel: tvN
The Oh sisters, all born into poverty, get entangled in a case against the wealthiest and most influential family in Korea. With 70 billion Won gone "missing", the trio watches out for one another as they face what is quite possibly the biggest challenge of their lives.
Starring: Kim Go Eun, Nam Ji Hyun, Park Ji Hu
32. The Uncanny Counter (2021)
Rating: 10.999%
TV Channel: OCN
Disguised as employees at a noodle shop restaurant, four demon hunters visit earth to thwart evil spirits from attempting to attain eternal life.
Starring: Cho Byung Gyu, Yoo Joon Sang, Kim Sejeong, Yeom Hye Ran
33. The Crowned Clown (2019)
Rating: 10.851%%
TV Channel: tvN
To protect their king during a state of social unrest, the Joseon empire asks Ha Sun, a clown and the king's lookalike, to take his place in the palace. Anxious about being found out, Ha Sun struggles with his new role, especially when he finds himself falling for the beautiful Queen Yoo So-Woon.
Starring: Yeo Jin Goo, Lee Se Young
34. My Kids Give Me a Headache (2012)
Rating: 10.715%
TV Channel: JTBC
A drama that follows a family of three generations, the story starts with eldest daughter Hee Jae whose secret pregnancy causes a storm within her tight-knit family once they find out about her nine month old belly.
Starring: Uhm Ji Won, Yoo Dong Geun, Kim Hae Sook
35. Jirisan (2021)
Rating: 10.663%
TV Channel: tvN
This mystery drama follows Seo Yi-kang, a skilled ranger who’s saved countless lives in Mount Jiri. When mysterious rumors start to plague the titular hiking ground, she teams up with ex-military lieutenant and rookie ranger Kang Hyun-jo to patrol the area. New to his job, Hyun-jo takes on the harrowing task after having experienced a traumatizing incident of his own on the mountain.
Starring: Jun Ji Hyun, Ju Ji Hoon, Oh Jung Se
36. Mine (2021)
Rating: 10.512%
TV Channel: tvN
This Korean drama follows two wealthy and ambitious women in a conglomerate family as they seek the meaning of true love and joy, all while toppling anyone who dares stand in their way.
Starring: Lee Bo Young, Kim Seo Hyung
37. Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) 3 (2022)
Rating: 10.395%
TV Channel: TV Chosun
The third season of the makjang multi-series Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) starts off following the three surprise weddings that closed out season two. It also features two new faces as lead actors Kang Shin Hyo and Ji Young San join the drama in place of lead stars Sung Hoon and Lee Tae Gon.
Starring: Lee Ga Ryeong, Park Joo Mi, Jeon Soo Kyung
38. Show Window: The Queen's House (2022)
Rating: 10.335%
TV Channel: Channel A
Born into a wealthy family, Han Sun-joo’s charmed life soon falls apart when her seemingly devoted husband starts an affair with her friend, Yoon Mi-ra. Initially clueless about the man Mi-ra’s coveting, Sun-joo cheers her on, not knowing it will cause the ruin of her own family.
Starring: Song Yoon Ah, Lee Sung Jae, Jeon So Min
39. Encounter (2018)
Rating: 10.329%
TV Channel: tvN
Opposites attract in Encounter when divorcee and hotel CEO Cha Soo Hyun, and the innocent and ordinary Kim Jin Hyuk, both searching for a fresh start, cross paths and fall in love during a trip to Cuba.
Starring: Park Bo Gum, Song Hye Kyo, Jang Seung Jo
40. Military Prosecutor Doberman (2022)
Rating: 10.081%
TV Channel: tvN
In pursuit of money and fame, Do Bae-man becomes a military prosecutor but remains indifferent to his job while he daydreams of retiring one day. Meanwhile, Cha Woo-in, the only daughter of a chaebol family, enters the same job to get her revenge. Despite working for very different reasons, the two pair up to help each other fight evil in the military.
Starring: Ahn Bo Hyun, Jo Bo Ah, Oh Yeon Soo
41. Memories of the Alhambra (2018)
Rating: 10.025%
TV Channel: tvN
Yoo Jin Woo, a brilliant game developer, and the strong spirited CEO of an investment company has his competetive nature tested after his best friend betrays him. He subsequently travels to Granada, Spain after hearing about a groundbreaking AR game created by someone from the area. There he stays at a hostel and unwittingly entangles the owner, Jung Hee-joo, into a series of strange events.
Starring: Hyun Bin, Park Shin Hye
42. Another Oh Hae-young (2016)
Rating: 9.991%
TV Channel: tvN
Alternatively titled Another Miss Oh, this 16 episode fantasy rom-com involves a long game of mistaken identity. Two women both named Oh Hae Young continually cause confusion in their respective jobs and relationships as they somehow always get entangled in each other's lives.
Starring: Eric Mun, Seo Hyun Jin, Jeon Hye Bin
43. Bossam: Steal the Fate (2021)
Rating: 9.759%
TV Channel: MBN
Set in the Joseon period, Ba Woo, an elusive delinquent makes money by doing Bossam—an old practice in which he kidnaps widows to be remarried to other men. While on one of his jobs, his life is upended when he mistakenly kidnaps the king’s daughter, Princess Hwa In.
Starring: Jung ll Woo, Kwon Yu Ri, Shun Hyun Soo
44. The Light in Your Eyes (2019)
Rating: 9.731%
TV Channel: JTBC
When Kim Hye Ja stumbles upon a watch that lets her travel through time, she accidentally ends up turning into a 78-year old woman overnight. Thus ensues her complicated love story with Lee Joon Ha, a young wannabe reporter who wastes away his own time and has decided to live lethargically instead.
Starring: Nam Joo Hyuk, Han Ji Min, Kim Hye Ja, Son Ho Jun
45. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (2017)
Rating: 9.668%
TV Channel: JTBC
With an unknown threat lurking behind him, the CEO of a gaming company hires Bong Soon, a petite woman born with supernatural strength, to be his bodyguard. He falls in love with her at first sight but faces competition for her affections seeing as she has her eyes set on a childhood friend who is now working as a police officer.
Starring: Park Bo Young, Park Hyung Sik, Ji Soo
46. Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) (2021)
Rating: 9.656%
TV Channel: TV Chosun
This K-drama centers on three successful women who work on a radio show. Their seemingly perfect lives start to unravel when twists and turns begin to plague their happy marriages.
Starring: Lee Ga Ryeong, Sung Hoon, Park Joo Mi
47. Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow (2023)
Rating: 9.651%
TV Channel: tvN
Years after his untimely demise, Jang Uk mystically resurrects and spends his second lease of life hunting down soul shifters. Meanwhile, Nak-su's soul has returned to its original body, but is now imprisoned somewhere in the kingdom of Jinyowon.
Starring: Lee Jae Wook, Go Yoon Jung, Lim Chul Soo
48. Divorce Attorney Shin (2023)
Rating: 9.488%
TV Channel: JTBC
Shin Sung-han leaves his peaceful life as a musician overseas and returns home to shocking news. He's prompted to pursue a career as a divorce lawyer, facing clients whose stories strike him at a personal level.
Starring: Cho Seung Woo, Han Hye Jin, Kim Sung Kyun, Jung Moon Sung
49. Stranger 2 (2020)
Rating: 9.408%
TV Channel: tvN
A sequel to crime thriller Stranger, the second season finds tensions rising between the prosecutor’s office and the police force as the former demands for discretionary power over new case investigations. The men in blue, however, are adamantly against the notion and are fighting for complete investigative authority of their own.
Starring: Cho Seung Woo, Bae Doona
50. Uncle (2022)
Rating: 9.329%
TV Channel: TV Chosun
After his sister divorces her abusive husband and hides away to keep a low profile, Wang Joon-hyuk, a down-on-his-luck musician, is tasked to take care of his nephew who’s developed both an anxiety disorder and OCD.
Starring: Oh Jung Se, Jeon Hye Jin, Lee Kyung Hoon
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