These Are The Romantic K-Dramas We Loved In 2024

It was a good year to be a romantic K-drama fan. 2024’s line-up of shows covered a diverse range of sub-genres in the category. Whether it was revenge dramas that had a healthy dose of romance or second-chance romances that were clear tear-jerkers, these K-dramas of 2024 have been some of the highest-rated TV shows of all time.

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Best Romantic K-Dramas Of 2024 On Netflix and Viki

Now that the year is coming to a close, we took a (short) walk down memory lane and revisited all of our favourite romantic K-dramas of all time. Take a look…

Queen Of Tears

The name should have been an indicator of what a tear (nay wild sobs)-inducing show this one is going to be The story follows a married couple in crisis trying to save their relationship and rekindle their love. The drama stars the brilliant Kim Ji-won and Kim Soo-hyun and packs enough adorable moments and heartwrenching twists to make a special place in the hearts of fans. It was not only the most-watched K-dramas of all time on Netflix, but it also ranked seventh amongst the most searched TV shows globally on Google.

Watch it here

Lovely Runner

This critically acclaimed drama is based on the popular web novel Tomorrow’s Best and is easily one of the best shows of the year. It follows  Im Sol, who has been a fan of idol Ryu Sun-jae since his songs gave her solace to cope with the accident that left her disabled. When the idol gets into a fatal accident, fate sends Im Sol back 15 years into the past, giving her a chance to rewrite both destinies.

Watch it here

No Gain No Love

Shin Min-a starred in this romantic comedy-drama that followed all the clichéd tropes without being a cliché (if that makes sense!). In the show, Son Hae-yeong seeks out a fake relationship to avoid missing out on a promotion at work. Her best bet? A righteous neighbourhood convenience store employee who agrees to help her. The show even spawned a spin-off, Spice Up Our Love, focussing on the second-lead couple.

Watch it here

Marry My Husband

Who doesn’t love a good revenge drama? And when that utterly delectable revenge plot is mixed with time travel and romance, it’s a brilliant combination. In Marry My Husband, Park Min-young’s Ji-won, who is a terminal cancer patient, discovers that her husband is having an affair with her best friend. When she confronts them for the betrayal, she is murdered by them. However, fate lets Ji-won travel 10 years back in time to give her a chance to take revenge on her husband and best friend and escape her fate.

Watch it here

Frankly Speaking

A workplace romance that made us swoon this year was Frankly Speaking. In this K-drama, radio announcer Song Ki-baek, who is known for his polite and well-mannered way of speaking, mysteriously develops a disorder that causes him to speak without thinking. While it’s a huge problem for him, it becomes the inspiration for entertainment variety show writer On Woo-jin who wants to cast him in her next show. As the two start working together, sparks fly!

Watch it here

The Midnight Romance In Hagwon

The Korean culture of cram schools, aka Hagwon, has spawned many riveting K-dramas, whether it’s the dark comedy Sky Castle or the immensely watchable romantic comedy-drama Crash Course in Romance. In this one,  romance blossoms between a veteran cram school teacher and one of her former students who returns to teach at the same Hagwon after a decade.

Watch it here

Doctor Slump

This unexpectedly poignant drama follows high school rivals who parted ways to become successful doctors in their own right. However, different circumstances lead them back to their home town where they’re forced to start over again, this time together. The drama is one of the highest-rated Korean TV shows of the year.

Watch it here

Wedding Impossible

Based on a webtoon of the same name, this drama is chaotic in the best way possible. It follows the complicated story of wealthy heir Lee Do-han, who is gay but cannot come out to his family. He proposes a sham marriage to struggling actress Na A-jeong, who happens to be his closest friend. But Do-han’s brother wants him to get married to the heiress of another wealthy family and decides to do everything he can to stop it.

Watch it here

Brewing Love

We love a good K-drama where two people come together to heal each other and this one delivers just that and more. Chae Yong-ju, a former member of the special forces in the military, is adept at hiding her true emotions and adopting a cheerful disposition. Her special ability allows her to succeed at her new job as a salesperson for a liquor company. Her life changes when she has to work closely with the sensitive and reclusive CEO of the company Yun Min-ji to save the company.

Watch it here

Mr Plankton

The mini-series is about a journey that unites two people who couldn’t be more different from each other but are ultimately looking for the same thing. Tired of his aimless existence, Hae Jo figures out that finding out his real father can help him understand his true identity. In his quest to locate his father, he is unexpectedly joined by Jo Jae-mi, a woman who is desperate to have a family and is engaged to the heir of a big food company.

Watch it here

When The Phone Rings

In this ongoing romantic thriller, Baek Sa-eon is the presidential spokesperson and his wife Hong Hui-ji works as a sign language interpreter in court. While they are married, it’s only for appearance’s sake and they barely communicate with each other, until Hui-ji is kidnapped and everything changes. The show is steadily gaining popularity amongst K-drama fans, if all the fan edits of Baek Sa-eon and Hui-ji are to be believed, and is a must-watch!

Watch it here

Cinderella at 2 AM

This workplace rom-com follows pragmatic and practical Ha Yun-seo. This is why, when she discovers her boyfriend/co-worker is actually the son of the family who runs the company, she breaks up with him as she believes a prince cannot fall for Cinderella in real life. Now it’s up to her boyfriend to change her mind. If you love dramas that explore complex relationships, this one is for you!

Watch it here

The Judge From Hell

This fantasy romance follows Kang Bit-na, a cold and vicious judge who is known for her lack of empathy. What most people don’t know, however, is that she is possessed by a demon from hell who has been tasked with dragging criminals back to hell. Detective Han Da-on is kind and empathetic but is hiding a painful past. What happens when the two meet and fall in love? Will the judge abandon her mission?

Watch it here

Love In The Big City

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Park Sang-young, the drama is about the friendship between two roommates—a gay man, who is struggling with getting acceptance from his mother, and a straight woman. The show follows them as they navigate love, life and societal pressures. It’s one of the first mainstream shows in Korea that depicted an LGBTQ+ lead and so it, predictably, faced backlash from conservative groups when it was released. However, the coming-of-age story remains one of the best K-dramas of the year.

Watch it here

Love Next Door

In the K-drama, childhood friends Bae Seok-ryu and Choi Seung-hyo reunite years after they had a falling out with each other. Now Seok-ryu is down on her luck and her former best friend is the one person who can help her out. Will the reunion spark some of the feelings from the past?

Watch it here

My Sweet Mobster

It’s easy to see why this drama became a fan-favourite online quickly after its release. The story follows reformed mobster Seo Ji-hwan as he meets and falls in love with Go Eun-ha, a children’s content creator. Their adorable love story is not without complications, and some ridiculous twists and turns. It’s definitely worth a watch.

Watch it here

Captivating The King

If you like historical dramas with romance, betrayal and intrigue, this one is a no-brainer for you. In the show, miserable King Yi-In is caught in the middle of a power struggle and is surrounded by nobody he can trust. Then there’s Kang Hee-soo who plans to get closer to the king to seduce him and take revenge. Will she succeed? Or will she end up falling for the king herself?

Watch it here