6 Most Expensive K-Dramas Of All Time, Ranked

The world of South Korean dramas is now open to everyone, as all the major streaming platforms have been adding more and more K-dramas to their libraries for the past decade.

Of course, there are the ones that are always talked about and the ones that never seemed to be on the agenda, and there are many reasons why.

It's important to note that the quality of K-dramas has increased significantly over the past few years, but that also means that the amount of money and effort put into the shows has gone up as well.

So here are 6 most expensive K-dramas ever created – and they are completely worth it.

1. Moving (2023)

Budget: 64 Billion Won

The most expensive South Korean series was released last year and has three main characters: Kim Bong Seok, Jang Hee Soo, and Lee Gang Hoon. At first glance, they seem to be normal kids. However, they are nothing like that.

One of them can fly, the other recovers from any injury in a second, and the third has super strength and speed powers. You might think it's just another superhero show, but this one is so much more.

“This is one of the most immersive shows I've ever watched. The world building is top tier. Even side characters get back stories. Some might find it a bit slow in some parts, but this also makes it so that you truly miss the world it builds when you stop watching. At 20 episodes long, it has just about everything,” one Redditor said.

2. Arthdal Chronicles Part 1: The Children of Prophecy (2019)

Budget: 54 Billion Won

Before the arrival of Moving, this K-drama held the title of the most expensive drama for four years, since its release in 2019. The series is set in a fictional land called Arthdal during the Bronze Age.

At the center of the show is Eun Seom, a young man known for his unfortunate fate: he will lead his nation to a great disaster. This causes him and his mother to leave the kingdom.

However, they soon realize that there is another young girl who has the same prophecy as Eun Seom. How will they manage to overcome it?

3. The Legend (2007)

Budget: 43 Billion Won

This is a fairly old historical drama that focuses on the 19th king of Goguryeo, Hwanwoong. It is known that he was sent from heaven to try to make the world a better place. As the show progresses, we see him fall in love with a woman named Saeoh and give her a very special necklace that holds the power of Kajin.

They start a family and Saeoh brings their baby to life, but this becomes a threat to Kajin, and he decides to end the baby's life by throwing him off a cliff. Saeoh is devastated and thinks her son died in childbirth, so she turns into a nightmare and wants to destroy the world.

Is there any way for Hwanwoong to stop her?

4. Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area (2022)

Budget: 40 Billion Won

The remake of the famous Spanish series ended up as a huge success in South Korea, and it’s no wonder why.

The story at the heart of the show is almost the same, but with the national twist. A genius man created a team of talented criminals to pull off an unprecedented heist in the Korean Peninsula.

“Having watched the original I didn't know what to expect from the remake. However I did enjoy the first episode. It is so similar and yet so different. It is hard not to compare the characters to the original ones but I try to think of them as new ones,” Redditor rajanna77 said.

5. Alchemy of Souls (2022)

Budget: 40 Billion Won

One of the most popular South Korean TV shows is definitely this one. The show is set in a fictional country called Daeho. You can't find it anywhere, and it's not even on the maps, but while watching the show, you can't stop dreaming of actually seeing the place with your own eyes.

The series follows the love and growth of young magicians as they navigate their twisted destinies through a forbidden spell known as the "Alchemy of Souls," which makes it possible for souls to change bodies.

At the center of the story is an assassin on the run named Naksu, and we understand that her soul is trapped in the weak body of Mu Deok-Jang Uk, the servant of a powerful wizarding family. How will they find the way to their true selves?

6. Bulgasal: Immortal Souls (2021)

Budget: 40 Billion Won

At the center of this story is a man who has become immortal as a result of the magical accident. However, he holds a certain woman responsible for that.

He blames this mysterious lady for his misery of being an immortal for the past 600 years and plots revenge to finally seek justice for his trapped soul.