Trouble in Paradise: 5 Must-Watch K-Dramas About Dysfunctional Families

The South Korean industry has turned viewers around the world into obsessed K-drama fans. And we have nothing to say about it except that it comes naturally: if you give your audience something worth watching, you will definitely get such a response.

There are K-dramas about literally everything: you can find many Korean shows about zombie apocalypse, and the next thing you know - the main villain of the movie plays the charming male lead in another rom-com.

The industry also specializes in dramatic series. And we know for sure that family drama is one of the most heartbreaking. So here we have 5 K-dramas with families that are so toxic and dysfunctional that it actually hurts us.

1. Something in the Rain (2018)

At the center of this K-Drama is a young woman named Yoon Jin Ah. Despite the fact that she is in her thirties, she never dated a man. She is always picked for that, but she doesn’t care, she just waits for the right man.

But when he appears, it seems like fate is laughing at her: the man she finally felt crazy about turned out to be her best friend’s little brother. Of course, there will be many comments on the matter… But who cares?

2. One Spring Night (2019)

Why is it so hard to find love and peace in this world? The main character of the web series, a young woman named Lee Jung In, seems trapped in her stale relationship, but doesn't want to take the next step and marry her boyfriend. Social pressure and her own family do not help her overcome her fear of commitment…

One day, however, she meets Yu Ji Ho in his own pharmacy, and it seems that she might finally find peace in his arms.

3. It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014)

Despite the fact that it’s a ten-year-old series, people still choose to binge watch the drama pretty often. The thing is, it’s really captivating, but for the wrongest reason… The fans say that they have never seen such touching and at the same time troubling drama.

The series’ creator goes deep into the troubled past of the characters of the main family and tackles the topic of mental health problems and how it affects the lives of every member of the family.

4. My Unfamiliar Family (2020)

To save the family no matter what! That is the mission of Kim Eun Hee, the middle child of the family that seems to be falling apart. When the father of the family is a cold and rather distant person and the siblings are also not as friendly as you’d like, it’s really hard to keep up with everything.

Seems like Eun Hee is the only one in the entire family who needs a little warm blood related touch. Still, she chooses to hide away her feelings. But how long can she stay that way?

“Seemed so realistic, a normal income family, but dysfunctional in many ways. Focus is on the female lead's work, love and family life, but all the members of the family get the chance to have their stories told,” Redditor LcLou02 said.

5. Heard it Through the Grapevine (2015)

Heard it Through the Grapevine is a dark comedy that revolves around the wealthy family of Han Jeong Ho and Choi Yeon Hee when their teenage son impregnates his girlfriend, Seo Bom, who comes from an average family.

Bom is willing to suffer isolation from her own family and humiliation from her in-laws for the sake of her child's future, while In Sang is torn between his love for Bom and his family's high expectations.