10 Emotionally Draining K-Dramas For Those Who Love a Good Cry (And Where To Stream Them)

The South Korean industry is conquering the world with its unique K-dramas. The powerful storylines that the writers come up with all the time seem to have turned the viewers into obsessive fans.

Along with many lighthearted rom-coms, the industry also offers a lot of absolutely devastating dramas that will leave you in tears. People say it’s impossible to finish them during a weekend binge because you'll need some time after each episode to collect the fallen pieces of your heart.

Here we have 10 K-dramas so emotionally draining

1. Lost (2021) – Netflix

At the center of this K-drama there are absolutely ordinary people, with their own fears that are almost always similar. The fear of achieving nothing, being invaluable for the society, dying alone. The show focuses on 40-year old Lee Boo Jeong and 27-year old Lee Kang Jae, who are standing at the edge of darkness and don’t know what move to take.

“There is no beginning, there is no end - you are just there for the ride with the characters. The beautiful, layered, gray, kind, broken characters. Each actor played their role to perfection. Every emotion was conveyed beautifully. The monologues were heartbreaking,” Redditor fifty45ninety said.

2. My Mister (2018) – Netflix

This is a kind of K-drama that makes you experience all sorts of emotions. The show revolves around the unhappy life of Park Dong Hoon, a middle-aged married man, whose wife is cheating on him and wh has two lazy unemployed brothers totally depending on his money.

One day he met Lee Ji An, and that changed his life forever.

3. Youth of May (2021) – Netflix

This K-drama is set during the Gwangju Uprising of May 1980, one of the most important events in South Korea's recent history. The story centers on a democracy-minded student rebellion in the city of Gwangju against the policies of the then authoritarian government. His actions, however, resulted in the reported deaths of 170 citizens, if not more.

The series also follows a love story that couldn't have blossomed at a worse time.

4. The Glory (2022) – Netflix

Well, we guess there's no need to tell you much about this series, since the whole world has been talking about it non-stop for the past two years. However, for those who don't know, the show is about a young woman named Moon Dong-eun who was a victim of bullying during her school years.

Many years after graduating from high school, she decided to teach those who made her life miserable a lesson. She planned every little detail of her revenge and that's something worth watching.

5. My Dearest (2023) – Prime

At the center of this K-drama there's a young noblewoman named Gil Chae, who is some sort of an outcast in her little town. Women think about her as too straightforward and even inappropriate, but still envy her looks. One day she met a mysterious man who showed up in front of her out of nowhere.

Something strange begins to happen as soon as their lives begin to intertwine. The drama is inevitable.

6. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (2018) – Apple TV+

Even the fans of tear-jerkers say that this particular K-drama is too much. Still they chose to watch it because it is full of everything. At the center of the series there’s an unlikely relationship between a man named Kim Moo Young who is also called a monster and a kindhearted woman named Yoo Jin Kang, who wishes to be Moo Young's safe haven.

But how often do such plans work out?

7. Come and Hug Me (2018) – Apple TV+

This K-drama is one of the most devastating romance shows that revolves around a tragic love story. The two leads were kids when they first fell for each other, but unfortunately they were separated due to a terrifying event. Yoon Na Moo’s father, who was a serial killer, killed Gil Nak Won’s parents…

That became a deal breaker in their relationship, but even this kind of thing is not enough to keep them far from each other.

8. Tomorrow (2022) – Netflix

This emotionally draining series centers on Choi Joon Woong, a man who is seen as a failure because he can’t land a single job. One night though he saves a person from killing himself and accidentally becomes a part of a team of grim reapers Koo Ryeon and Im Ryoong Gu, whose purpose is to prevent people from committing suicide.

“I loved this show but it took me a long time to finish because I felt like I needed to pause and collect myself after every episode. Definitely not something for binging in a day,” Redditor mandemango said.

9. Death's Game (2023) – Prime

The K-drama focuses on Choi Yi Jae, a hopeless man who spends years after years trying to find the meaning of his life, but fails miserably. One day he is so fed up that he decides to take his own life, but instead he meets the real Death at the gate to hell.

Death decides to punish him and assigns the man to endure death in 12 different bodies. To avoid his fate in hell, he must find a way to survive. And his journey to be saved is a genuine emotional rollercoaster.

10. Our Blues (2022) – Netflix

The people who eventually became fans of the show all claim that it took him a year to finish the series because they needed some time to come to their senses after each episode. And whenever they remember the events of the K-drama, they still can't hold back the tears.

Our Blues is an omnibus-style drama that tells the story of several characters who are somewhat connected. They are all placed on Jeju Island and know nothing about each other, yet they become crucial to each other's lives.