Maybe you finished Moving (the Disney+ K-Drama powerhouse currently sitting at the #1 position on MyDramalist) and want more family vibes in your next watch? Unfortunately, it might be difficult to locate good family K-Dramas because oftentimes the “family” genre is a tricky one to pin down. Many dramas that are very family-centric often don’t get labeled as such, and thus can get left out of a drama search (even Moving isn’t labeled a family drama, despite it being its main theme ) So, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to parse out the best family-based K-dramas. The following are the top 10 family Korean dramas of all time (in our opinion).
Best Family Korean Dramas of All Time
The Reply Series: 1997, 1994 and 1988 (2012)
MDL Score: 9.1 | MDL ranking overall: #32
Three complete sets of family-based K-dramas make up the award-winning Reply series, slice-of-life dramas set in some of South Korea’s most memorable times. If you intend on watching all three, start with Reply 1997 and work backward time-wise. (They were created in that order, and actors from the previous dramas make cameos.)
The Good Bad Mother (2023)
MDL Score: 8.9 | MDL ranking overall: #83
Young Soon is a single mother who struggles with being a “bad mother” in order to raise her son, Kang Ho. As an adult, Kang Ho became a stand-offish prosecutor, keeping his distance from his mother and his hometown. However, an unexpected accident causes him to return and start over with Young Soon. Watch this drama for the incredible performances by the leads Ra Mi Ran and Lee Do Hyun.
18 Again (2020)
MDL Score: 8.7 | MDL ranking overall: #245
Jung Da Jung and Hong Dae Young have been married for almost 20 years, raising their twins together. Despite appearances, their life is far from perfect, made more complicated by Dae Young’s nonstop shenanigans. When he loses his job, Da Jung reaches her breaking point and files for divorce. While Dae Young struggles with this news, he experiences a supernatural incident that transforms him back into his 18-year-old self. Lee Do Hyun (see The Good Bad Mother above) earned himself a Best New Actor with this performance of a middle-aged man trapped in a high schooler’s body in this drama modeled after the 2009 Zac Efron film 17 Again.
My Liberation Notes (2022)
MDL Score: 8.6 | MDL ranking overall: #343
Three adult siblings find themselves growing stagnant in their rural hometown where they commute on long train rides into the city during the week and help their parents farm on the weekends. When a mysterious man moves into their neighborhood, he provides the catalyst for the siblings to reevaluate their lives. This introspective drama won a Best Screenwriting award, as well as nominations for Best Drama & Best Director and Best Actor/Actress for four of its cast.
Once Again (2020)
MDL Score: 8.6 | MDL ranking overall: #353
Sometimes “family dramas” refer to weekend K-dramas: dramas that air on the South Korean public television channel on Saturday and Sunday, often ranging from 50-100+ episodes in length. Such is the case of Once Again, a 100-episode weekend drama that captured many a heart with its family tales of a thrifty father and his four children. Don’t let the lengthy episode count sway you from watching it; the episodes slip by effortlessly.
Go Back Couple (2017)
MDL Score: 8.6 | MDL ranking overall: #384
Like 18 Again above, Go Back Couple tells the story of two people who married young and after almost 20 years of marriage, regret their decision. The couple ends up traveling back in time to their university days where they met each other for the first time.
Beautiful World (2019)
MDL Score: 8.6 | MDL ranking overall: #403
“Family dramas” don’t always mean warm feelings and happy times. In Beautiful World, a family works to find out the reason behind their son’s accident which leads him to become critically injured.
Hi Bye, Mama! (2020)
MDL Score: 8.5 | MDL ranking overall: #519
Get out your tissues for this drama before you watch; it will just save you time later. A father struggles with his grief after losing his wife. Despite being remarried after four years, he fails to be an active participant in his present life. Meanwhile, his first wife is given the opportunity to return to her human self, provided she successfully passes a 49-day reincarnation challenge.
My Unfamiliar Family (2020)
MDL Score: 8.4 | MDL ranking overall: #713
Elements common in longer weekend dramas (see Once Again above) are present in this shorter 16-episode award-nominated drama. Middle-child Eun Hee finds herself confiding in her friends about her daily struggles rather than her distant family. However, when things take a turn for the worse, she struggles to reevaluate her relationships. This drama earned Best Drama, Screenwriting, and Directing nominations.
Birthcare Center (2020)
MDL Score: 8.4 | MDL ranking overall: #778
What better location for a family drama than where it all begins? The birthcare center—a facility where new mothers can recuperate after childbirth and learn about raising their new family member—is the setting of this drama that sheds light on societal and interfamily issues common to most women and families. Female leads Uhm Ji-won and Park Ha-sun were nominated for their respective performances in this woman-centric, eight-episode drama.
What do you think are the best family Korean dramas of all time? Let us know in the comments below!
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