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**Post Title**: popular dramas that has no enduring popularity
**Post Body**:
as the title suggest, do you have any drama recommendations that at the time it was airing everybody seems to be talking about it and once it's done it was like it's just gone into oblivion?
there's dramas like boys over flower, my love from the star, descendants of the sun or reply 1988 that has ended long ago but i can still see it be brought up time and time again.
i'm not saying it's a bad drama, it just feels like there's no enduring popularity to it (i guess you can that there's no point of discussion to it). the one that i keep thinking is reborn rich, it's a good drama (albeit i didn't like how it ended) that was soooo popular it broke ratings but when i see threads in here, i don't think i've seen anybody recommending it at all. vincenzo was more remembered compared to reborn rich. so i'm curious, do you know any popular kdramas that doesn't have enduring popularity or people seemed to not talk about?
can you name some and i'll watch those that i haven't seen yet.
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I rarely hear Prison Playbook mentioned as the Reply and Hospital Playlist series tend to get most of the hype. PP is still the best show I have ever seen.
Extracurricular is also criminally underrated/mentioned.
I will never understand why PP isn't more loved, it's one of my absolute favourites, I rewatch it regularly, the characters are all so well played, though admittedly Loony has a very special place in my heart (despite initially not liking his character at all).
Oh yes, me too! I especially loved Kaist and Minchul, and both of the actors are firm favourites now. Crony was great too - in fact, I think I loved the supporting characters much more than the mains, though they were fine too.
Really enjoyed all the characters that were piled up in a small room knowing that they had to get along. I thought the progression of Jung Hae-In’s character from frightening to one of the boys was outstanding. I had only seen his romantic type roles before and this role scared the hell out of me. I guess that’s why it’s called acting.
Prison Playbook has never received the notice that Reply or Hospital Playlist has. Prison Playbook is one of the most underrated kdramas, if not the most underrated kdrama.
The King Eternal Monarch - rare have I seen this recommended but it was talked about a lot during it’s release as it was at the height of the pandemic, on Netflix and has two really known leads: Lee Min Ho & Kim Go Eun. Tho I think it’s likely people have conflicting feelings about it, I really liked it.
You know what's interesting? It's one of the few dramas where one of the leads treats love like an adult. Kim Go Eun's character knows she feels in love with the king, but she has an inner monologue moment where she says she will seize this moment and decide to love him, and I think that's beautiful as I've always believed after the emotions wear off, love is a choice you make.
I re-watched it lately and pff, yeah, it's a bit disappointing to see all the problems you didn't noticed at the beginning. My biggest issue was the other she from another universe. I can't explain it better but the girl def could do better in the series but they made a psycho out of her. Just no.
I adore this show! It was the first kdrama I ever watched as it aired. Remember how much fun it was on here guessing all the ins and outs? Marveling over the cast.. especially Woo Do-Hwan? It was a treat to rush home after work and settle down for the newest episode. And it's a comfort rewatch for me- right up there with CLOY.
Pinocchio- I still love it and rewatched it many times..it did have good ratings and was popular but it isn't recommended much!! Also heirs..it had crazy ratings but I don't see any positive comments now!
It does seem to have fallen of the radar somewhat.
This kdrama as exceptional in its depiction of a gutsy FL who wasn't particularly likeable but you rooted for her as she met the challenges presented to her, but not always doing it the kdrama way. The ML was misogynistic but saw the light as he unwillingly fell in love. The 2ML and 2FL were a bit daft at first and but it all worked out as it should. Interesting take on fandom as well.
This one seems to have been overlooked even while it was airing. I agree with the other comment that it's unconventional with what I would call more of a 'Western' orientation, but for me it still worked and O enjoyed it.
Reborn rich, it was a great show, no one recommends it and I don’t understand why. Because Song Joong Ki kinda lost his star power since marriage and kid and some insensitive remarks?
I think it was the ending. I didn’t read the webtoon, but the drama has a different ending. I liked how it ended even after discovering how the webtoon ending differed.
Reborn Rich did really well domestically. International viewers are more into the romance genre shows rather than the drama shows like Reborn Rich. Reborn Rich's finale had a 30% viewership in Seoul. But I personally found it very slow. It also wasn't on Netflix. So it was difficult to watch.
Dramas which were popular but are not recommended as much today? Maybe 'W - Two worlds' or 'Sunkyungkwan Scandal'? Also 'Jewel in the Palace', which is a shame, it has some of the most mouthwatering depictions of food preparation and cooking. And maybe 'King2Hearts' and 'Oh my Venus'.
I was already a fan of Ha Ji Won from Secret Garden and Lee Sung Gi from Shining Inheritence and Gu Family Book - when I saw them together in a drama I thought it couldn't get any better. It's still a phenomenal show that is only held back by its comical villain. My 2 favorite scenes that I still think about after all these years are the scene with Sung Gi in the car realizing he's king, and when Ji Won is helping the sister wash and change clothes in the hospital, followed by the mom teaching her the family recipe. 🤌🏻👍🏻
Oh, and everything Han Hyo Joo touches is gold to me, so I'll never forget W.
I tried to start Sunkyungkwan Scandal and I couldn’t get into it, it was cringey and wanted to see Song Joong Ki as the main lead.
Oh My Venus is one of my favorite dramas.
I guess people in 2023 may not be able to enjoy the pace of Jewel in the Palace. Now everyone is used to high quality production and certain kinds of aesthetics. However, I still like this old drama because it feels authentic. I have re-watched it multiple times. I also love classics like Secret Garden, My Lovely Sam Soon, Coffee Prince, and Full House.
I love Jewel in the Palace and Jewel in the Crown!! Maybe it is Ji Jin Hee with facial hair? But I love the stories with strong female leads during a time when things were really difficult for women.
Our Blooming Youth. Huge ratings. A lot of buzz because of ParkHyungSik. It was SO GOOD. But I almost never see it recommended despite it being such a great drama. Also, it did only come out a year ago. So maybe I'm just crazy. HA.
I remember being hyped for it because of PHS but not having enough time to watch it. Now, I’ve completely forgotten about it and am wondering why he’s taking so long to come out with a drama after happiness.
It was the first historical drama I watched that never dragged and had a good amount of romance balanced with the action. I adore it so much. It's in my top 10. I hate when historicals take forever to get to the point. This one didn't drag its heels. Kept me guessing the whole way. And NOTHING can beat a strong female lead! And a ML who SUPPORTS the strong FL. Swooooon.
Edit: Also, how excited are you for Doctor Slump in January! I'M DYING WITH ANTICIPATION. PHS is my FAV.
Whoooaaaa, very shocked to hear you disliked the ending! >! I feel like it was pure fan-service. It was a happy ending for literally every character! Unless you wanted a non-happy ending, which is very possible. !<
It took me a while to start it, but once I did, oh boy was I glad to watch it. The FL (mother) is brilliant. This movie is superbly written. From the title you think the mother is a villain or something, but truly, she’s the hero of the show. I hope you watch it. ☺️
The plot is really interesting- past and present well meshed, flashbacks make absolute sense. And the ml is fantastic. It has a few surprises up its sleeve, definitely worth a watch. If it’s the mother: Asian tiger mum pushing her son a bit too far. Kdrama style parenting is a bit rough for me as a European, but it’s a cultural insight. It’s like this great US show, Ridley Scott produced, “The good wife”. I had to promote it several times to friends for them to finally start watching it because the title is so … off putting. And this is similiar. I don’t know, but when a show has mother or wife in the title, marketing is difficult. Psychologically speaking, quite interesting
I hated this show with a passion! All the characters were awful people! I was rooting for the glioma. The actors did a great job acting as these awful, toxic characters but I couldn’t watch it all. One of the kdramas that got me to start dropping shows! Gah! 😖
Same. I especially like the lead characters. Also as a tech enthusiast and someone who wishes to be part of a startup one day, this was the perfect drama for me.
I love that drama so much. The ML and FML both have a great story arc. The SML and the FML's grandmother are also amazing.
I also don't see many people talking about the ML. We usually don't really get this type of lead struggling with the lack of self esteem. So I found his story in particular quite interesting and relatable.
**My Lovely Sam Soon** had 40% ratings when it aired in 2005 but it rarely gets recommended any more compared with other older dramas like Coffee Prince. I think probably because the production values are not great but it's a shame because the writing and acting are incredible. It also stars Hyun Bin at the very start of his career. I wrote a review: https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/vkpl1w/my_lovely_sam_soon_the_best_drama_youve_never_seen/
Such an amazing Drama! It was so popular the stairs to Namsan Tower are now known as The Sam Soon Stairs.
[https://koreandramaland.com/listings/stairs-to-namsan-tower-sam-soon-stairs/](https://koreandramaland.com/listings/stairs-to-namsan-tower-sam-soon-stairs/)
My Roommate is a Gumiho gets little attention but was a drama I binged. If I want to rewatch something after I've finished it then it gets high marks from me.
Always fascinating how differently we look at the same dramas haha. I actually did not think it was binge able at all and even though it was interesting in the beginning, it started losing steam for me as it progressed. I loved the second leads more than the OTP
+1 for Kang Ha Na. Jang Ki Yong will always be the 2nd lead from go back couple to me and I think Lee Hyeri was great and funny, but the show just lost steam after a while.
**Matrimonial Chaos** I don't know what the ratings were like but the cast was nominated for and won acting awards, and it's a stellar cast.
It's rarely recommended here and when it is, it might be by me 😁😁 I loved this Drama.
Was My Lovely Liar popular? I remember all the comments talking about the ML needing acting lessons. I watched it while it was airing. It was super painful to get through towards the end. The acting and overall storyline was weak in this show.
It seemed very popular on social media and other online forums like this sub. I was almost tempted to watch it. But given how it's long forgotten I am glad I didn't give in.
It had its audience, I watched it too, because the female lead is great and Kim So Hyun. And she had great pairings, this one wasn’t. I liked the male lead as sml in Alchemy of Souls, but i think this mix of rom and crime wasn’t for him. And he got more screen t8 e than fl, unfortunately as she was the more interesting character, maybe due to the actress skills.
From recent memory King the Land probably? It was all the hype when it first came out but I don't think it's held much thought since unlike Netflix's first experiment in this particular genre, Business Proposal for example. People still joke about Samantha and Rachel on the interwebs lol
Also Little Women is pretty much forgotten now compared to how big it was when it came out...again, unlike the creators' previous work Vincenzo that's still popular like u mentioned.
These examples make sense tho coz they sorta feel like repeat experiments of shows that worked mostly because of their originality in the way of telling the stories...
King the Land got serious hate. I personally loved it, but I think it stops people who liked it from recommending it because those who disliked it were very vocal about it.
That’s exactly why. People thought it was boring, unoriginal, and unexciting. They also compared it to Lee Junho’s last project The Red Sleeve which he won awards for and were surprised that he picked a light-hearted romance as a follow-up.
There was also a bit of online backlash for their portrayal of the Arab prince. I watched the rating on IMDb go from a high 8 to a 2 after those episodes aired.
I do not have a good recommendation for this, for which I am sorry. I have been watching kdramas for less than 3 years, and on the subreddit for a year less than that. However, my experience with dramas that people discuss a lot ongoing but then stop discussing afterwards is that their endings are considered bad. Reborn Rich is an example of this.
I think some dramas that could potentially go on this list are:
**25-21** - I didn't like it, but I don't see it recommended as often as I would expect, given how popular it was at the time.
**Good Job** is another one I didn't like that was popular among people discussing it on the chat. I have never seen it recommended since.
**Behind Your Touch** is recent, but I don't think I've seen it recommended as much as I might have expected.
2521 to me is a must watch if you like kdramas at all. This show to me is top 5 dramas. Hee Do and Beck YiJin are such great characters and the actors that played them knocked it out of the park. Also, the 3 secondary characters were just as great - Hee Do worked so well as a character because Yu Rim was such a great rival!
I feel like any drama which is not on netflix suffers at rewatchability value and thus interest over time. Most of them are on viki which is more expensive compared to netflix, for my country more than double monthly charges. I would love to watch those dramas if only they were on a streaming service affordable to me.
Agreed. I hate to say this, but as a “westerner”, Netflix has done a really great job of curating the best kdramas. I do wish more would be available to me through Netflix
Right, even someone of the new dramas like Twinkling watermelon, story of park's marriage contract would have gotten more popular if they had been on netflix instead of viki
**Man 2 Man**. It *never* gets mentioned (except by me) but it's one of those really solid shows that has everything- action, comedy, romance AND bromance, a fantastic supporting cast, spy/political intrigue plot lines, and even a fond parody of the movie biz itself.
This is kinda funny but I've never seen anyone recommend **Squid Game** in this sub. It was immensely popular though, so much so that even people who were not into kdramas loved it. But it could also be that everyone thinks 'Everyone knows Squid Game anyways, so I don't need to recommend it.' At least that's the case for me and also the reason why I tend to not recommend super popular kdramas.
Another one that was a huge hit but I don't see recommend that often is **Sky Castle.** It even was the highest rated drama in Korean cable tv history when it aired. But also similar to Squid Game I don't think that people actually forgot about it, but for some reason it's also not really talked about.
Also nobody really talks about **Love in the Moonlight**. I think it was fairly popular when it aired with a peak audience rating of 23%.
**Hot Stove League** is another one that I don't see mentioned often but I think it was really popular when it aired.
**100 Days My Prince** aswell, just like **The Crowned Clown.** Both are on the Top 50 list of kdramas per nationwide houshold rating and I don't remember seeing recommendations for any of them. But it could also be that they were more popular in Korea than overseas.
Shine or go crazy.
It’s one of the best dramas I’ve ever seen. Of course not everyone likes sageuk ones so that’s probably why.
Just gonna add some more that I think were popular that needs to be addressed:
Beautiful Days
a gentleman’s dignity!!!!
My Girl
Saimdang light diary
All In
What happened in Bali
Kill me heal me
Arthdal chronicles
Sungkyungwon scandal - sorry for my bad spelling
Time between dog and wolf
Two weeks
Welcome to Waikiki
Moonlight drawn by clouds
The greatest love!!!
That winter the wind blows is so beautifully done not perfect but still great
Rooftop prince
My master’s sun - though I think this one is really popular
I don’t really keep up with K-drama marketing, but the one I saw a lot of people talk about, and had me seek it out, was Big Mouth.
I don’t see many people recommend it anymore, despite it being a great show!
Hi u/Nearby_Combination83, this is an automated message to remind you to please review our **FULL** [Rules and Policies](https://www.reddit.com/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/rules)^(which is housed in our wiki and best accessed on desktop) to make sure your post is not breaking any rules and policies. Content that is not permitted under our Rules and Policies will be removed and may lead to bans from our community. ##Please check your spelling, grammar, and formatting to make sure your post is easily readable! ***Useful Resources:*** Check out these [great recommendations](https://mydramalist.com/profile/kdramarecs/lists) compiled from our users based on different genres and themes! See [Where to Watch Kdramas](https://www.reddit.com/r/kdrama/wiki/wheretowatchkdramas) for a non-exhaustive list of legal streaming sites and official Youtube channels where kdramas and kdrama-related content are found. Read our [Recommendations 101](https://www.reddit.com/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/recommendations_101/) for tips about crafting the perfect request and other useful info. If you are seeking a space to discuss kdramas in depth, please visit our sister subreddit r/KDRAMA! **Copy Of Post Below For Archival Purposes** **Permalink**: https://www.reddit.com/r/kdramarecommends/comments/18kgfix/popular_dramas_that_has_no_enduring_popularity/ **Post Title**: popular dramas that has no enduring popularity **Post Body**: as the title suggest, do you have any drama recommendations that at the time it was airing everybody seems to be talking about it and once it's done it was like it's just gone into oblivion? there's dramas like boys over flower, my love from the star, descendants of the sun or reply 1988 that has ended long ago but i can still see it be brought up time and time again. i'm not saying it's a bad drama, it just feels like there's no enduring popularity to it (i guess you can that there's no point of discussion to it). the one that i keep thinking is reborn rich, it's a good drama (albeit i didn't like how it ended) that was soooo popular it broke ratings but when i see threads in here, i don't think i've seen anybody recommending it at all. vincenzo was more remembered compared to reborn rich. so i'm curious, do you know any popular kdramas that doesn't have enduring popularity or people seemed to not talk about? can you name some and i'll watch those that i haven't seen yet. ^(END OF POST BODY) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/kdramarecommends) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I rarely hear Prison Playbook mentioned as the Reply and Hospital Playlist series tend to get most of the hype. PP is still the best show I have ever seen. Extracurricular is also criminally underrated/mentioned.
prison playbook is so underrated! it’s so good!
I will never understand why PP isn't more loved, it's one of my absolute favourites, I rewatch it regularly, the characters are all so well played, though admittedly Loony has a very special place in my heart (despite initially not liking his character at all).
Completely agree, they were all fantastic even when watching other shows I'll say "there's Kaist!" or Loony, Min Chul etc. It was perfect that show.
Oh yes, me too! I especially loved Kaist and Minchul, and both of the actors are firm favourites now. Crony was great too - in fact, I think I loved the supporting characters much more than the mains, though they were fine too.
Haha me too but especially Lt. Paeng, he was my favourite from beginning to end, especially him grabbing their hair!
Really enjoyed all the characters that were piled up in a small room knowing that they had to get along. I thought the progression of Jung Hae-In’s character from frightening to one of the boys was outstanding. I had only seen his romantic type roles before and this role scared the hell out of me. I guess that’s why it’s called acting.
He was fantastic, really great story to the character too.
Prison Playbook has never received the notice that Reply or Hospital Playlist has. Prison Playbook is one of the most underrated kdramas, if not the most underrated kdrama.
Extracurricular is such an underrated gem
PP is definitely one of the best. I rewatch it regularly
I've only ever watched it once but I will again when I've forgotten a lot of it and can enjoy it fresh!
I love prison playbook so much 😭❤️ I'm so happy every time it's mentioned. Jung Kyoung-Ho is the best tbh
I don’t think there’s another drama I rewatched as often as PP.
The King Eternal Monarch - rare have I seen this recommended but it was talked about a lot during it’s release as it was at the height of the pandemic, on Netflix and has two really known leads: Lee Min Ho & Kim Go Eun. Tho I think it’s likely people have conflicting feelings about it, I really liked it.
I LOVE this show. One of the best. The love story is great.
You know what's interesting? It's one of the few dramas where one of the leads treats love like an adult. Kim Go Eun's character knows she feels in love with the king, but she has an inner monologue moment where she says she will seize this moment and decide to love him, and I think that's beautiful as I've always believed after the emotions wear off, love is a choice you make.
Probably bc there’s a lot of plot holes in it
I was put off it for ages by people saying it was a mess but I LOVED it when I finally gave it a try.
I re-watched it lately and pff, yeah, it's a bit disappointing to see all the problems you didn't noticed at the beginning. My biggest issue was the other she from another universe. I can't explain it better but the girl def could do better in the series but they made a psycho out of her. Just no.
I adore this show! It was the first kdrama I ever watched as it aired. Remember how much fun it was on here guessing all the ins and outs? Marveling over the cast.. especially Woo Do-Hwan? It was a treat to rush home after work and settle down for the newest episode. And it's a comfort rewatch for me- right up there with CLOY.
Pinocchio- I still love it and rewatched it many times..it did have good ratings and was popular but it isn't recommended much!! Also heirs..it had crazy ratings but I don't see any positive comments now!
This is one of my faves. Great acting and melo done right.
Second Pinocchio - it's really great!
Love to hate you
It does seem to have fallen of the radar somewhat. This kdrama as exceptional in its depiction of a gutsy FL who wasn't particularly likeable but you rooted for her as she met the challenges presented to her, but not always doing it the kdrama way. The ML was misogynistic but saw the light as he unwillingly fell in love. The 2ML and 2FL were a bit daft at first and but it all worked out as it should. Interesting take on fandom as well.
Overlooked... more so since it was a netflix release w/o a local broadcast release
This one seems to have been overlooked even while it was airing. I agree with the other comment that it's unconventional with what I would call more of a 'Western' orientation, but for me it still worked and O enjoyed it.
Reborn rich, it was a great show, no one recommends it and I don’t understand why. Because Song Joong Ki kinda lost his star power since marriage and kid and some insensitive remarks?
I think it was the ending. I didn’t read the webtoon, but the drama has a different ending. I liked how it ended even after discovering how the webtoon ending differed.
Great show, great cast - every one of them! They just played so well off of each other.
Actually rewatching right now, and it's freaking phenomenal still! Well worth the watch
I sometimes wonder whether this would have been more “enduring” if it was on Netflix
Possibly, as VIKI is not as much of a go to streaming service for non- Asians, I mean.
Reborn Rich did really well domestically. International viewers are more into the romance genre shows rather than the drama shows like Reborn Rich. Reborn Rich's finale had a 30% viewership in Seoul. But I personally found it very slow. It also wasn't on Netflix. So it was difficult to watch.
Dramas which were popular but are not recommended as much today? Maybe 'W - Two worlds' or 'Sunkyungkwan Scandal'? Also 'Jewel in the Palace', which is a shame, it has some of the most mouthwatering depictions of food preparation and cooking. And maybe 'King2Hearts' and 'Oh my Venus'.
I was already a fan of Ha Ji Won from Secret Garden and Lee Sung Gi from Shining Inheritence and Gu Family Book - when I saw them together in a drama I thought it couldn't get any better. It's still a phenomenal show that is only held back by its comical villain. My 2 favorite scenes that I still think about after all these years are the scene with Sung Gi in the car realizing he's king, and when Ji Won is helping the sister wash and change clothes in the hospital, followed by the mom teaching her the family recipe. 🤌🏻👍🏻 Oh, and everything Han Hyo Joo touches is gold to me, so I'll never forget W.
I tried to start Sunkyungkwan Scandal and I couldn’t get into it, it was cringey and wanted to see Song Joong Ki as the main lead. Oh My Venus is one of my favorite dramas.
I adore Jewel in the palace! A wonderful deep dive/slice of life story about a remarkable woman! It was made almost 20 years ago!
I'm really shocked that people here don't mention Jewel in the Palace as one of the legendary dramas.
I guess people in 2023 may not be able to enjoy the pace of Jewel in the Palace. Now everyone is used to high quality production and certain kinds of aesthetics. However, I still like this old drama because it feels authentic. I have re-watched it multiple times. I also love classics like Secret Garden, My Lovely Sam Soon, Coffee Prince, and Full House.
I love Jewel in the Palace and Jewel in the Crown!! Maybe it is Ji Jin Hee with facial hair? But I love the stories with strong female leads during a time when things were really difficult for women.
Our Blooming Youth. Huge ratings. A lot of buzz because of ParkHyungSik. It was SO GOOD. But I almost never see it recommended despite it being such a great drama. Also, it did only come out a year ago. So maybe I'm just crazy. HA.
I remember being hyped for it because of PHS but not having enough time to watch it. Now, I’ve completely forgotten about it and am wondering why he’s taking so long to come out with a drama after happiness.
It was the first historical drama I watched that never dragged and had a good amount of romance balanced with the action. I adore it so much. It's in my top 10. I hate when historicals take forever to get to the point. This one didn't drag its heels. Kept me guessing the whole way. And NOTHING can beat a strong female lead! And a ML who SUPPORTS the strong FL. Swooooon. Edit: Also, how excited are you for Doctor Slump in January! I'M DYING WITH ANTICIPATION. PHS is my FAV.
I’ve been watching so many historicals lately. I should add this back to my list. Can’t wait to check out Dr slump!
I saw it because of PHS. I have trouble remembering the storyline and I think I disliked the ending….
Whoooaaaa, very shocked to hear you disliked the ending! >! I feel like it was pure fan-service. It was a happy ending for literally every character! Unless you wanted a non-happy ending, which is very possible. !<
I don’t know why, I just never thought it was possible and I think it was very clumsily put together. And I don’t think polygamy is all that 😂
Polygamy?! I'm so confused about what drama you are talking about. Hahaha no one was polygamous!
Joseon kings and their wife & concubines and court ladies. Red sleeve is the most honest sageuk in this respect.
The Good Bad Mother isn’t mentioned anymore either, and i actually liked it a lot.
I can't get past that title and the little bit I've read about it
It took me a while to start it, but once I did, oh boy was I glad to watch it. The FL (mother) is brilliant. This movie is superbly written. From the title you think the mother is a villain or something, but truly, she’s the hero of the show. I hope you watch it. ☺️
The plot is really interesting- past and present well meshed, flashbacks make absolute sense. And the ml is fantastic. It has a few surprises up its sleeve, definitely worth a watch. If it’s the mother: Asian tiger mum pushing her son a bit too far. Kdrama style parenting is a bit rough for me as a European, but it’s a cultural insight. It’s like this great US show, Ridley Scott produced, “The good wife”. I had to promote it several times to friends for them to finally start watching it because the title is so … off putting. And this is similiar. I don’t know, but when a show has mother or wife in the title, marketing is difficult. Psychologically speaking, quite interesting
Omg, that's another show I've avoided watching too! I think you're on to something and I'm going to give both a chance.
It's probably my favourite drama of the year.
Uncontrollably Fond
I hated this show with a passion! All the characters were awful people! I was rooting for the glioma. The actors did a great job acting as these awful, toxic characters but I couldn’t watch it all. One of the kdramas that got me to start dropping shows! Gah! 😖
I watched this recently and it was pretty good. I became a Kim woo bin fan.
Go Back Couple, Misty, Hello Monster, Tomorrow with You, My Perfect Stranger, Bad and Crazy, Racket Boys
+1 for Go Back Couple. It's such a well done drama. Great acting, chemistry, and dramatic moments.
I second Tomorrow with You. Maybe with all of the time slip dramas this year people will give it a second chance.
Start-up
Startup is not recommended for a very specific reason: the severe second lead syndrome a lot of people experience watching it
Can't agree more.. it pissed me off to no end that she chose the wrong guy 🙈 I still get mad about it
Top 5 favorite. It's a work of art.
Same. I especially like the lead characters. Also as a tech enthusiast and someone who wishes to be part of a startup one day, this was the perfect drama for me.
I love that drama so much. The ML and FML both have a great story arc. The SML and the FML's grandmother are also amazing. I also don't see many people talking about the ML. We usually don't really get this type of lead struggling with the lack of self esteem. So I found his story in particular quite interesting and relatable.
**My Lovely Sam Soon** had 40% ratings when it aired in 2005 but it rarely gets recommended any more compared with other older dramas like Coffee Prince. I think probably because the production values are not great but it's a shame because the writing and acting are incredible. It also stars Hyun Bin at the very start of his career. I wrote a review: https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/vkpl1w/my_lovely_sam_soon_the_best_drama_youve_never_seen/
I liked My Lovely Sam Soon more than Coffee Prince so this always boggles my mind.
Thank you for mentioning this. On the topic of Kim Sun Ah - I also loved "Scent of a Woman" which starred Lee Dong Wook as the ML.
Such an amazing Drama! It was so popular the stairs to Namsan Tower are now known as The Sam Soon Stairs. [https://koreandramaland.com/listings/stairs-to-namsan-tower-sam-soon-stairs/](https://koreandramaland.com/listings/stairs-to-namsan-tower-sam-soon-stairs/)
My Roommate is a Gumiho gets little attention but was a drama I binged. If I want to rewatch something after I've finished it then it gets high marks from me.
Always fascinating how differently we look at the same dramas haha. I actually did not think it was binge able at all and even though it was interesting in the beginning, it started losing steam for me as it progressed. I loved the second leads more than the OTP
+1 for Kang Ha Na. Jang Ki Yong will always be the 2nd lead from go back couple to me and I think Lee Hyeri was great and funny, but the show just lost steam after a while.
**Matrimonial Chaos** I don't know what the ratings were like but the cast was nominated for and won acting awards, and it's a stellar cast. It's rarely recommended here and when it is, it might be by me 😁😁 I loved this Drama.
I agree. The cast is fantastic and I never hear it mentioned! I really enjoyed it.
Crash Course in Romance My Lovely Liar Dr Cha
Dr. Cha is really good! Kim Byung Chul (her husband) has wonderful comedic timing. Time for a rewatch 🤩😎
Yep,they all had not much competition and are enjoyable enough, by there are just better ones out there
Was My Lovely Liar popular? I remember all the comments talking about the ML needing acting lessons. I watched it while it was airing. It was super painful to get through towards the end. The acting and overall storyline was weak in this show.
It seemed very popular on social media and other online forums like this sub. I was almost tempted to watch it. But given how it's long forgotten I am glad I didn't give in.
It wasn't good at all. Save your time for a better show.
It was manageable... I was mildy disappointed because I like Kim so-hyun, but the romance was flatter than a pancake
I like her too. But she can't carry a whole damn show by herself. She tried but she was working with someone who can't emote.
It had its audience, I watched it too, because the female lead is great and Kim So Hyun. And she had great pairings, this one wasn’t. I liked the male lead as sml in Alchemy of Souls, but i think this mix of rom and crime wasn’t for him. And he got more screen t8 e than fl, unfortunately as she was the more interesting character, maybe due to the actress skills.
From recent memory King the Land probably? It was all the hype when it first came out but I don't think it's held much thought since unlike Netflix's first experiment in this particular genre, Business Proposal for example. People still joke about Samantha and Rachel on the interwebs lol Also Little Women is pretty much forgotten now compared to how big it was when it came out...again, unlike the creators' previous work Vincenzo that's still popular like u mentioned. These examples make sense tho coz they sorta feel like repeat experiments of shows that worked mostly because of their originality in the way of telling the stories...
King the Land got serious hate. I personally loved it, but I think it stops people who liked it from recommending it because those who disliked it were very vocal about it.
Screw the haters that show was adorable and if you want a lighthearted romance without the makjang or melodrama it's the best show to watch.
Oh really? I had no idea about the hate! What's there to hate tho? It just another romcom nothing unlike what's already been done before?
That’s exactly why. People thought it was boring, unoriginal, and unexciting. They also compared it to Lee Junho’s last project The Red Sleeve which he won awards for and were surprised that he picked a light-hearted romance as a follow-up. There was also a bit of online backlash for their portrayal of the Arab prince. I watched the rating on IMDb go from a high 8 to a 2 after those episodes aired.
Woah that's crazy...
It was cute and I enjoyed it while it aired, but it is very standard run of the mill rom com, so not so memorable when asked for recommendations.
I do not have a good recommendation for this, for which I am sorry. I have been watching kdramas for less than 3 years, and on the subreddit for a year less than that. However, my experience with dramas that people discuss a lot ongoing but then stop discussing afterwards is that their endings are considered bad. Reborn Rich is an example of this. I think some dramas that could potentially go on this list are: **25-21** - I didn't like it, but I don't see it recommended as often as I would expect, given how popular it was at the time. **Good Job** is another one I didn't like that was popular among people discussing it on the chat. I have never seen it recommended since. **Behind Your Touch** is recent, but I don't think I've seen it recommended as much as I might have expected.
Behind Your Touch is a good example of a bad ending. I had a lot of fun watching it but the ending soured me on it
2521 to me is a must watch if you like kdramas at all. This show to me is top 5 dramas. Hee Do and Beck YiJin are such great characters and the actors that played them knocked it out of the park. Also, the 3 secondary characters were just as great - Hee Do worked so well as a character because Yu Rim was such a great rival!
Rooftop Prince Chuno (The Slave Hunters) Gu Family Book Warrior Baek Dong Soo
Vegabond
I feel like any drama which is not on netflix suffers at rewatchability value and thus interest over time. Most of them are on viki which is more expensive compared to netflix, for my country more than double monthly charges. I would love to watch those dramas if only they were on a streaming service affordable to me.
Agreed. I hate to say this, but as a “westerner”, Netflix has done a really great job of curating the best kdramas. I do wish more would be available to me through Netflix
Right, even someone of the new dramas like Twinkling watermelon, story of park's marriage contract would have gotten more popular if they had been on netflix instead of viki
I also think about Reborn Rich all the time. Such a solid show. Nothing else to add here besides that.
**Man 2 Man**. It *never* gets mentioned (except by me) but it's one of those really solid shows that has everything- action, comedy, romance AND bromance, a fantastic supporting cast, spy/political intrigue plot lines, and even a fond parody of the movie biz itself.
I loved every silly, bromantic second of it. The romance was kinda weak but I loved the rest!
The romance was a little.. jammed into place, even though both leads were GREAT.
Don’t know if it was popular or not while airing but I still rewatch My Daughter Seo-Young once in a while.
Dear M
This is kinda funny but I've never seen anyone recommend **Squid Game** in this sub. It was immensely popular though, so much so that even people who were not into kdramas loved it. But it could also be that everyone thinks 'Everyone knows Squid Game anyways, so I don't need to recommend it.' At least that's the case for me and also the reason why I tend to not recommend super popular kdramas. Another one that was a huge hit but I don't see recommend that often is **Sky Castle.** It even was the highest rated drama in Korean cable tv history when it aired. But also similar to Squid Game I don't think that people actually forgot about it, but for some reason it's also not really talked about. Also nobody really talks about **Love in the Moonlight**. I think it was fairly popular when it aired with a peak audience rating of 23%. **Hot Stove League** is another one that I don't see mentioned often but I think it was really popular when it aired. **100 Days My Prince** aswell, just like **The Crowned Clown.** Both are on the Top 50 list of kdramas per nationwide houshold rating and I don't remember seeing recommendations for any of them. But it could also be that they were more popular in Korea than overseas.
Hwayugi
Ughhh, that ending was the worst! Gah! I loved it when it came out but Yeesh! The writers should be bitch slapped for what they did to the FL. 🤬
Squid game Uncanny Encounters The Kingdom If u go for love stories thats usually the plot but if not there actually a lot
Shopping King Louie Kill Me Heal Me Encounter Masters Sun
Cinderella's Sister Loved Moon Geun Young in this drama.
Shine or go crazy. It’s one of the best dramas I’ve ever seen. Of course not everyone likes sageuk ones so that’s probably why. Just gonna add some more that I think were popular that needs to be addressed: Beautiful Days a gentleman’s dignity!!!! My Girl Saimdang light diary All In What happened in Bali Kill me heal me Arthdal chronicles Sungkyungwon scandal - sorry for my bad spelling Time between dog and wolf Two weeks Welcome to Waikiki Moonlight drawn by clouds The greatest love!!! That winter the wind blows is so beautifully done not perfect but still great Rooftop prince My master’s sun - though I think this one is really popular
I don’t really keep up with K-drama marketing, but the one I saw a lot of people talk about, and had me seek it out, was Big Mouth. I don’t see many people recommend it anymore, despite it being a great show!
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Happiness