Over the last half a decade or so, Korean Dramas (or K-Drama) have really picked up steam in terms of their global popularity. In part, this is thanks to Netflix’s consistent investment in the country’s content, whether through their own original projects or the licensing of existing offerings that then brings them to a much broader audience. However, with so much out there, to the uninitiated, it can be hard to find the perfect jumping-in point. Do you go with the most popular? What seems the most buzz-worthy online? A mix of the two?
Here, at Ready Steady Cut, we thought it’d be handy to present the Top 40 Best and Highest Rated Korean Dramas of all time according to their Nielsen rating on cable TV in Korea. This rating is illustrated by a percentage, which shows the share of audience that a show had at a given time. So, if something has a Nielsen rating of 4%, that means that 4% of the public with a television were watching the Korean Drama at the time.
So, if you’re looking for a comprehensive list of shows that were amongst the most popular with the domestic Korean audience, or if you’re just in need of something new to watch, look no further than here with our Best and Highest Rated Korean Dramas of all Time.
Also if you love K-Drama Horrors, you should check out our piece on the Best Horror K-Dramas You Must Watch. If that does not take your fancy, we also have the Best Korean Dramas on Netflix of all Time List too.
LAST UPDATED: FEB 10TH, 2023
Top 40 Best and Highest Rated Korean Dramas of All Time
40. Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) (2021)
Network: TV Chosun
Nielsen Rating: 9.656%
Final Episode Date: 14 March 2021
Premise: Everything comes unravelling for three successful women who work on a radio show as twists, turns and troubles plague their seemingly happy marriages. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Sung Hoon, Lee Ga-ryeong, Lee Tae-gon, Park Joo-mi, Jeon Soo-kyung, Jeon Noh-min, Lee Min-young
Read our Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) season 1, episode 1 recap
39. Strong Girl Bong-soon (2017)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 9.668%
Final Episode Date: 15th April 2017
Premise: Born with supernatural strength, Bong-soon fights evil and procures justice while getting tangled in a love triangle with her CEO boss and cop crush. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Park Bo-young, Park Hyung-sik, Kim Ji-soo
38. The Light In Your Eyes (2019)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 9.731%
Final Episode Date: 19 March 2019
Premise: Kim Hye-ja is a young, optimistic woman who dreams of becoming a TV news anchor. Her plans are disrupted when she suddenly turns into a 70-year-old. Meanwhile, Lee Joon-ha, wants to become a reporter. He has worked hard to achieve his dream but now lives in a disappointing reality. (Source: VIKI)
Starring: Han Ji-min, Kim Hye-ja, Nam Joo-hyuk
37. Bossam: Steal the Fate (2021)
Network: MBN
Nielsen Rating: 9.759%
Final Episode Date: 4 July 2021
Premise: Ba-woo is a degenerate man. He gambles, steals, fights and will do bossam (customary remarriage procedure where a widow is kidnapped) for money. He hides his real identity. While performing a bossam, he mistakenly kidnaps Princess Soo-kyung. She is the daughter of Prince Gwanghae and the daughter-in-law of his enemy Lee Yi-cheom. For a secret political agreement, she married the older brother of a man she loved, but, on the day of her wedding, her husband died. She then became a widow. (Source: AsianWiki)
Starring: Jung Il-woo, Kwon Yu-ri, Shin Hyun-soo
36. Another Miss Oh (2016)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 9.991%
Final Episode Date: 28 June 2016
Premise: A sound director who suddenly starts getting visions of someone else’s future gets mired in the lives of two women, who happen to share the same name. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Eric Mun, Seo Hyun-jin, Jeon Hye-bin
35. Memories of the Alhambra (2018)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 10.025%
Final Episode Date: 20 January 2019
Premise: While looking for the cryptic creator of an innovative augmented-reality game, an investment firm executive meets a woman who runs a hostel in Spain. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Hyun Bin, Park Shin-hye
Read our Memories of the Alhambra episode 1 recap.
34. Military Prosecutor Doberman (2022)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 10.081%
Final Episode Date: 26 April 2022
Premise: An army prosecutor with ambitions of power and wealth finds his plans disturbed by an unyielding newbie with an agenda of her own. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Ahn Bo-hyun, Jo Bo-ah, Oh Yeon-soo, Kim Young-min, Kim Woo-seok
33. Encounter (2018)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 10.329%
Final Episode Date: 24 January 2019
Premise: Following a chance encounter overseas, a woman with much to lose and a man with little to his name meet again as employer and employee. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Song Hye-ko, Park Bo-gum
32. Show Window: The Queen’s House (2021)
Network: Channel A
Nielsen Rating: 10.335%
Final Episode Date: 18 January 2022
Premise: A story about a woman who supports the adultery of another woman, without knowing that the affair is with her husband. (Source: NAVER)
Starring: Song Yoon-ah, Lee Sung-jae, Jeon So-min, Hwang Chan-sung
31. Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) season 3 (2022)
Network: TV Chosun
Nielsen Rating: 10.395%
Final Episode Date: 1 May 2022
Premise: Unpredictable twists and turns continue to put a strain on the tumultuous relationships of these couples seeking happily ever after. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Park Joo-mi, Kang Shin-hyo, Lee Ga-ryeong, Jeon Soo-kyung, Ji Young-san
30. Mine (2021)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 10.512%
Final Episode Date: 27 June 2021
Premise: Encaged in a gold-clad life of secrets and lies, two women in a conglomerate family seek to topple all that stands in their way of finding true joy. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Lee Bo-young, Kim Seo-hyung, Ok Ja-yeon
Read our Mine season 1, episode 1 recap
29. Jirisan (2021)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 10.663%
Final Episode Date: 12 December 2021
Premise: Set against the backdrop of towering views of Mount Jiri, it depicts the story of rangers and other employees of the Jirisan National Park who climb through the mysterious and unexplored regions of the mountain. (Source: IMDb)
Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Joo Ji-hoon
28. My Kids Give Me a Headache (2012)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 10.715%
Final Episode Date: 17 March 2013
Premise: A heart-warming love story of a large family in the beautiful countryside. (Source: JTBC)
Starring: Uhm Ji-won, Yoo Dong-geun, Kim Hae-sook
27. The Crowned Clown (2019)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 10.851%
Final Episode Date: 4 March 2019
Premise: Standing in for an unhinged Joseon king, a look-alike clown plays the part but increasingly becomes devoted to protecting the throne and the people. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Yeo Jin-goo, Lee Se-young, Kim Sang-kyung
26. The Uncanny Counter (2020)
Network: OCN
Nielsen Rating: 10.999%
Final Episode Date: 24 January 2021
Premise: Noodle shop employees by day and demon hunters by night, the Counters use special abilities to chase down malevolent spirits that prey on humans. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Jo Byung-kyu, Yoo Joon-sang, Kim Se-jeong, Yeom Hye-ran, Ahn Suk-hwan
Read our recap of The Uncanny Counter season 1, episode 1
25. Little Women (2022)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 11.105%
Final Episode Date: 9 October 2022
Premise: Three sisters, who only have each other and never enough money, get entangled in a conspiracy involving the rich and powerful. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-hyun, Park Ji-hu, Uhm Ji-won, Uhm Ki-joon, Wi Ha-joon
24. Prison Playbook (2017)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 11.195%
Final Episode Date: 18 January 2018
Premise: With his major league baseball debut right around the corner, a star pitcher lands in prison and must learn to navigate his new world. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Park Hae-soo, Jung Kyung-ho, Jung Hae-in, Jung Soo-jung
23. Reply 1994 (2013)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 11.509%
Final Episode Date: 28 December 2013
Premise: All hailing from various parts of Korea, a group of college students go from being complete strangers to a big happy family at a Seoul boarding house. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Go Ah-ra, Jung Woo, Yoo Yeon-seok
22. Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 11.513%
Final Episode Date: 3 April 2022
Premise: In a time when dreams seem out of reach, a teen fencer pursues big ambitions and meets a hardworking young man who seeks to rebuild his life. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Bona, Choi Hyun-wook, Lee Jo-myung
Read our recap of Twenty-Five Twenty-One episode 1.
21. Hotel Del Luna (2019)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 12.001%
Final Episode Date: 1 September 2019
Premise: When he’s invited to manage a hotel for dead souls, an elite hotelier gets to know the establishment’s ancient owner and her strange world. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: IU, Yeo Jin-goo, Shin Jung-keun, Bae Hae-seon
20. The Lady in Dignity (2017)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 12.065%
Final Episode Date: 19 August 2017
Premise: The wife of a corporate heir finds her luxurious life overturned by a mysterious woman who joins the household as a caregiver for her father-in-law. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Kim Hee-seon, Kim Sun-ah, Jung Sang-hoon, Lee Tae-im, Lee Ki-woo
19. Signal (2016)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 12.544%
Final Episode Date: 12 March 2016
Premise: Communicating via a walkie-talkie that transcends time, a profiler from 2015 and a detective from 1989 join forces to tackle crimes and injustice. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo, Jo Jin-woong
18. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 12.665%
Final Episode Date: 17 October 2021
Premise: A big-city dentist opens up a practice in a close-knit seaside village, home to a charming jack-of-all-trades who is her polar opposite in every way. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Shin Min-ah, Kim Seon-ho, Lee Sang-yi
Read our recap of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha episode 1
17. Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 14.080%
Final Episode Date: 16 September 2021
Premise: Inside the hospital, where every patient and every story matters, the five friends confront the ups and downs of life as doctors — and as human beings. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Jo Jung-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-myung, Jeon Mi-do
Read our recap of Hospital Playlist season 2, episode 1.
16. Hospital Playlist (2020)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 14.142%
Final Episode Date: 28 May 2020
Premise: Every day is extraordinary for five doctors and their patients inside a hospital, where birth, death and everything in between coexist. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Jo Jung-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-myung, Jeon Mi-do
15. 100 Days My Prince (2018)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 14.412%
Final Episode Date: 30 October 2018
Premise: Upon losing his memory, a crown prince encounters a commoner’s life and experiences unforgettable love as the husband to Joseon’s oldest bachelorette. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Doh Kyung-soo, Kim Seon-ho, Nam Ji-hyun
14. Our Blues (2022)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 14.597%
Final Episode Date: 12 June 2022
Premise: Romance is sweet and bitter — and life riddled with ups and downs — in multiple stories about people who live and work on bustling Jeju Island. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-ah, Cha Seung-won, Lee Jung-eun, Uhm Jung-hwa, Han Ji-min, Kim Woo-bin, Kim Hye-ja, Go Doo-shim, Choi Young-joon, Park Ji-hwan, Bae Hyun-sung, Roh Yoon-seo
Read our recap of Our Blues episode 1.
13. Vincenzo (2021)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 14.636%
Final Episode Date: 2 May 2021
Premise: During a visit to his motherland, a Korean-Italian mafia lawyer gives an unrivaled conglomerate a taste of its own medicine with a side of justice. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Song Joong-ki, Jeon Yeo-been, Ok Taecyeon
Read our recap of Vincenzo episode 1
12. Itaewon Class (2020)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 16.548%
Final Episode Date: 21 March 2020
Premise: In a colourful Seoul neighborhood, an ex-con and his friends fight a mighty foe to make their ambitious dreams for their street bar a reality. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Park Seo-joon, Ahn Bo-hyun, Kwon Na-ra, Kim Da-mi, Yoo Jae-myung
11. Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) season 2
Network: TV Chosun
Nielsen Rating: 16.582%
Final Episode Date: 8 August 2021
Premise: Emotions boil over as the women learn of their husbands’ affairs and confront the distrust plaguing their once-happy marriages. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Sung Hoon, Lee Ga-ryeong, Lee Tae-gon, Park Joo-mi, Jeon Soo-kyung, Jeon Noh-min
10. Under the Queen’s Umbrella (2022)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 16.852%
Final Episode Date: 4 December 2022
Premise: A spirited queen tries to rein in her rowdy sons in order to make one of them the next king of Joseon, while her competitors vie to snatch the throne. (Source: Netflix)Starring: Kim Hye-soo, Kim Hae-sook, Choi Won-yeong
9. Mr. Queen (2020)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 17.371%
Final Episode Date: 14 February 2021
Premise: When a modern day chef gets trapped in the body of a queen in the Joseon era, chaos ensues. (Source: IMDb)
Starring: Shin Hye-sun, Kim Jung-hyun
8. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)
Network: ENA
Nielsen Rating: 17.534%
Final Episode Date: 18 August 2022
Premise: Brilliant attorney Woo Young-woo tackles challenges in the courtroom and beyond as a newbie at a top law firm and a woman on the autism spectrum. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Park Eun-bin, Kang Tae-oh, Kang Ki-young
Read our Extraordinary Attorney Woo episode 1 recap
7. Mr. Sunshine (2018)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 18.129%
Final Episode Date: 30 September 2018
Premise: A young boy who ends up in the U.S. after the 1871 Shinmiyangyo incident returns to Korea at a historical turning point and falls for a noblewoman. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han, Kim Min-jung
Read our Mr. Sunshine episode 1 recap
6. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 18.680%
Final Episode Date: 21 January 2017
Premise: In his quest for a bride to break his immortal curse, a 939-year-old guardian of souls meets a grim reaper and a sprightly student with a tragic past. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-na, Yook Sung-jae
5. Reply 1988 (2015)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 18.803%
Final Episode Date: 16 January 2016
Premise: Take a nostalgic trip back to the late 1980s through the lives of five families and their five teenage kids living in a small neighbourhood in Seoul. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Lee Hye-ri, Go Kyung-pyo, Ryu Jun-yeol, Park Bo-gum, Lee Dong-hwi
4. Crash Landing on You (2019)
Network: tvN
Nielsen Rating: 21.683%
Final Episode Date: 16 February 2020
Premise: A paragliding mishap drops a South Korean heiress in North Korea — and into the life of an army officer, who decides he will help her hide. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, Kim Jung-hyun
3. Sky Castle (2018)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 23.779%
Final Episode Date: 1 February 2019
Premise: For the families living at Sky Castle, an exclusive residential community that’s home to Korea’s elite, their children’s success means everything. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Yeom Jung-ah, Lee Tae-ran, Yoon Se-ah, Oh Na-ra, Kim Seo-hyung
2. Reborn Rich (2022)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 26.948%
Final Episode Date: 25 December 2022
Premise: After ten years, a loyal employee is framed for embezzlement, then murdered by his employers, only to be reborn as their youngest son, with a yearn for revenge guiding his hostile takeover. (Source: IMDb)
Starring: Song Joong-ki, Lee Sung-min, Shin Hyun-bin, Kim Nam-hee
1. The World of the Married (2020)
Network: JTBC
Nielsen Rating: 28.371%
Final Episode Date: 16 May 2020
Premise: A turbulent twister of lies, betrayals and revenge tears apart the seemingly picture-perfect marriage between a doctor and a filmmaker. (Source: Netflix)
Starring: Kim Hee-ae, Park Hae-joon, Han So-hee
And there you have it! The Top 40 Best and Highest Rated Korean Dramas of All Time.
Will you be checking out any of these K-Dramas? What would you add to this Best and Highest Rated Korean Dramas of All Time list? Let us know in the comments.
Why is Dots not in the list seriously vincenzo above hp1 and 2
Also dr john , dr romantic not here
Here are three that I think should be added to the list below, but there are more that escape me at the moment. “It’s Okay to Not be Okay”, “A Korean Odyssey”, and “My Liberation Notes”. ?
Nice list. I agree with above post, “It’s Okay to Not be Okay.” Also, “One Spring Night.”
Wonderful acting & dialogue in both.
The descendants of the sun must be here
IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY, FLOWER OF EVIL n DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN, are supposed to be there seriously
I think this list was based on ratings, as in percentage of the viewership.
Fated to Love You and My Lovely Kim Sam-soon were highly rated and have only gained in viewership through the years.
Can’t believe Love In The Moonlight (2016) with Park Bo Gum isn’t on here. It was one of the most watched korean dramas in korea when it aired and gained a huge following globally. Literally people were so obsessed with it because it was brilliant that “Moonlight Syndrome” became a thing.
It’s ok to not be okay is meant to be here,it had nice rating on IMDB
Descendants of the sun, true beauty, love with flaws, Cinderella and the 4 knights, she would never know, forbidden marriage, love red sky, king and I, sweet revenge, blue spring at a distance, am i too human, i am not robot, uncontrollably fond, prosecutor doberman, school 2015 and 2017 and 2921, it’s ok not to be ok, what’s wrong with Secretary kim, business proposal, start up, nokdu, holo love, hwarang, why her, exo next door, she was pretty, oh my venus, big mouth, weak class hero, revenge of others, my name, sissyphis, squid game, all of us are dead, and many more
Alchemy of souls too
alchemy of souls
ALCHEMY OF SOULS
MOON LOVERS: SCARLET HEART
QUEEN FOR SEVEN DAYS
KILL ME HEAL ME
From this list, I only liked ‘Another Miss Oh’ and ‘Goblin’. My all time favorite will remain ‘Rain or Shine’. I also enjoyed ‘Red Sleeve’, ‘Chief Kim’, ‘Wok of Love’, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes’, ‘Hello Monster’, ‘Memory’, ‘Confession’, ‘Reply 1997’, ‘Mask’, ‘Coffee Prince’, ‘Que Sera Sera’. I guess people taste for movies is very diverse.
Yes to Business Proposal, Startup, but then Flower Crew, Who Rules the World, Rookie Historian, Run On, The Bride of Habaek, Thirty Nine, My Sassy Girl, and of course Crash Landing, 100 Days My Prince, Atty Woo, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Memories of Alhambra, Mr Queen, and Under the Queen’s Umbrella.
These hit and quality dramas should be included:
Designated Survivor: 60 Days
Misty
Dong Yi
Jewel in the Palace
Move to Heaven
The Kings Affection
The Kings Affection
The Kings Affection