Some K-dramas are like fine wine; they just get better with age, and despite feeling just a little bit off in 2024, they still as entertaining as ever.
No Boys Over Flowers on this list; these series are timeless, with stories of love that conquers all, friendships that withstand every trial, and families that stick together through thick and thin; they're set in worlds that range from the high-stakes boardrooms of conglomerates to the simple, heartwarming kitchens of family restaurants, showing that some themes are universal, no matter the year.
1. "Personal Taste" (2010) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+
Jeon Jin-ho, an architect, pretends to be gay to become roommates with Park Gae-in, a messy, trusting woman, to secretly assess the design of a historic home she lives in; their cohabitation leads to mishaps, misunderstandings, and eventually a genuine romance that challenges their initial deceptions and personal insecurities.
2. "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho" (2010) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+
Cha Dae-woong accidentally frees a gumiho, a mythical nine-tailed fox, who transforms into a beautiful woman; in exchange for her help in realizing his dreams of becoming an action star, he agrees to help her become human, leading to a series of comedic and dangerous situations as they fall in love while evading a gumiho hunter.
3. "City Hunter" (2011)
Lee Yoon-sung adopts a new identity and infiltrates the South Korean government to avenge his father's death by punishing corrupt politicians; amidst his mission, he struggles with his feelings for Kim Na-na, a presidential bodyguard, and the moral complexities of his vigilante justice.
4. "Faith" (2012) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+
A modern-day plastic surgeon is kidnapped and taken back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty by a warrior to save the queen; amidst political intrigue and the threat of war, she falls in love with her captor, the stoic general Choi Young, while seeking a way back to her own time.
5. "My Love From The Star" (2013) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+, Prime Video
Do Min-joon, an alien who landed on Earth 400 years ago, discovers he has just three months left on Earth just as he meets Cheon Song-yi, a famous actress whose life he saves multiple times; as they grow closer, he struggles with his departure and the danger his otherworldly origins pose to her.
6. "Couple or Trouble" (also known as "Fantasy Couple") (2006) Where to stream it in 2024: Kocowa+
After a wealthy, spoiled woman suffers from amnesia in an accident caused by a handyman, she is convinced she is his wife, leading to a series of comedic and romantic events as they live under one roof and she learns humility, love, and the value of hard work.
7. "Star's Lover" (2008) Where to stream it in 2024: Kocowa+
A top actress, Lee Ma-ri, falls in love with her ghostwriter, Kim Chul-soo, leading to a scandal that threatens both their careers; their relationship challenges the disparities between their social statuses and the invasive nature of fame.
8. "Creating Destiny" (2009) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki
Han Sang-eun, raised in Australia, and Kim Yeo-joon, a determined lawyer, are arranged to be married by their families; despite initial resistance, their frequent clashes lead to love, as they work through cultural differences, personal ambitions, and family pressures.
9. "My Fair Lady" (2009) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+
Kang Hye-na, an heiress with a prickly personality, hires a poor but ambitious man, Dong-chan, as her butler to improve her image; their master-servant relationship evolves into a romance that challenges their class differences and personal demons.
10. "Shining Inheritance" (also known as "Brilliant Legacy") (2009) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+
Go Eun-sung's life falls apart when her father dies, and her stepmother takes everything; by chance, she meets an elderly woman who, unbeknownst to her, is a wealthy company owner and her benefactor, leading Eun-sung through a series of trials and tribulations towards love and familial reconciliation.
11. "Lie to Me" (2011) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+
To impress her friends and an ex-boyfriend, Gong Ah-jung, a government employee, lies about being married to the wealthy and aloof hotel manager, Hyun Ki-joon; what starts as a small lie spirals out of control, entangling them in a fake marriage with real feelings at stake.
12. "Spy Myung-wol" (2011) Where to stream it in 2024: Kocowa+
North Korean spy, Myung-wol, infiltrates South Korea with a mission to kidnap a popular actor, Kang Woo, but ends up falling in love with him instead; her loyalty to her country is tested as she faces the dilemma between duty and her feelings.
13. "49 Days" (2011)
Following a car accident, Ji-hyun is given 49 days to collect three genuine tears shed out of pure love for her from non-family members to avoid death; inhabiting another woman's body, she discovers truths about her friends, fiancé, and the connections between them all.
14. "Protect the Boss" (2011) Where to stream it in 2024: Viki, Kocowa+
No Eun-seol, once a delinquent, lands a job as a secretary to the immature and cowardly chaebol heir, Cha Ji-heon; their unconventional working relationship turns into something more as they deal with corporate rivalry, family pressures, and personal growth.
15. "Queen In Hyun's Man" (2012) Where to stream it in 2024: Prime Video, The Roku Channel
Kim Boong-do, a scholar from the Joseon Dynasty, finds himself transported 300 years into the future to modern-day Seoul, where he meets Choi Hee-jin, an actress playing Queen In-hyun in a drama; their romance transcends time as they navigate the dangers of his temporal displacements and the quest to restore the real queen's honor.
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