Skip to Main Content

Manchester Campus Library

Manchester K-Dramas

What's a K-Drama?

Where can I watch them with English subtitles?

My Favorite Drama 2011 - Secret Garden

Secret Garden  

Gil Ra-im, a stuntwoman who dreams of becoming a martial arts director, and Kim Juwon, a rich CEO of a department store, have their souls switched and a unique romance blossoms. This drama stars Hyun Bin & Ha Ji Won. Lee Jong-Suk has a small role in it as a gay musician.

This was a tough choice since 2011 was a year of so many wonderful dramas that I also recommend; The Greatest Love, Lie to Me, Protect the Boss, 49 Days & Scent of a Woman. A really good year for dramas!

My Favorite Drama 2012 - Wild Romance

Wild Romance 

Baseball player Muyeol is a star in baseball, but is known for his wild image. Eunjae is a bodyguard who is also a Diamond member of Muyeol's anti-fan club. One day, Muyeol and Eunjae get into a fight at a karaoke room, where they first meet. A video of their fight goes viral on the Internet, so in order to deal with the controversy, Eunjae has no choice but to become Muyeol's bodyguard. Originally planning to be his bodyguard for a short while, things go longer as planned when Muyeol's stalker shows up. Will the two be able to get along? 'Wild Romance' is a sweet and scary love story between Eunjae, having to protect a guy she wants to beat up, and Muyeol, who must be protected by his most dangerous anti-fan. It stars Lee Dong Wook & Lee Si Young. 

One of the best secondary couple ever. They are absolutely wonderful as well. Hilarious.

Honorable mention for 2012 is A Gentlemen'ts Dignity.

My Favorite Drama 2013 - Master's Sun

Master's Sun

A snobbish, greedy, stingy mall CEO hires a depressed, jumpy female employee who can see ghosts in this horror romance drama. This stars So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo-Gin. One of Seo In-Guk's earliest roles and L (Kim Myung-Soo.

The Good Doctor and The Suspicious Housekeeper also premiered that year. They are definitely worth a watch.

My Favorite Drama 2014 - Marriage Not Dating

Marriage Not Dating - A perfect man, Kong Ki-Tae (Yeon Woo-Jin), is forced to marry by his family, but he doesn't to marry. To make his family give up, he introduces a woman, Joo Jang-Mi (Han Groo), to them that they would never accept.

Fated to Love You was also a favorite of mine from 2014. Highly recommend Naeil's Cantabile.

My Favorite Drama 2015 - Oh My Ghostess

Na Bong-Sun (Park Bo-Young) works as an assistant chef. Because of her timid personality and low self-esteem, she doesn't have any friends. Since she was a child, she has been able to ghosts because of her shaman grandmother. One day, she becomes possessed by seductress ghost Shin Soon-Ae. Kang Sun-Woo (Cho Jung-Seok) is a star chef. Na Bong-Sun has a secret crush on him. He is good looking and confident as a chef. Even though he is popular with women, he has yet to get over his ex-girlfriend. He begins to notice Na Bong-Sun after her sudden change.

Also worth a watch from 2015 is Heart to Heart.

My Favorite Drama 2016 -

n ancient times, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) is an unbeatable general in wars, but the young King (Kim Min-Jae) is jealous of Kim Shin and kills him. Kim Shin becomes Dokkaebi (Goblin), possessing an immortal life. At first he thinks that he is blessed, but he realizes that he is cursed.

Closer to the present day, Kim Shin has waited 900 years for a human bride to end his immortal life. One night, he saves a dying pregnant woman (Park Hee-Von) who is destined to die. Meanwhile, the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-Wook) is unable to find the dead pregnant woman. The woman gives birth to a baby girl named Ji Eun-Tak (later played by Kim Go-Eun). 9 years later, Ji Eun-Tak lives with her mother and is able to see ghosts. One night, her mother suddenly dies. On that night, she meets the Grim Reaper.

In the present day, Ji Eun-Tak is a high school student. She still sees ghosts and hears their whisper of “Dokkaebi’s bride.” She now lives with her aunt’s family, but she is mistreated by them. On her birthday, Ji Eun-Tak sits by the sea with a lighted birthday cake. At that time, Kim Shin suddenly appears in front of her. Kim Shin does not know why, but he can hear her voice and appears in front of her against his will. Coincidentally, Kim Shin lives with the Grim Reaper at the same house. Now, Kim Shin appears in front of her against his will, whenever she turns off the lights. One day, Ji Eun-Tak tells him that he is Dokkaebi and she is his bride.

2016 was a great year for K-dramas...also of note Descendants of the Sun, Moonlight by Clouds, Weightlifting Fairy, Romantic Dr. Kim, Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Age of Youth, Cinderella & the Four Knights, Cheese in the Trap, Second to Last Love, and Hwarang.

My Favorite Drama 2017 - Because This is My First Life

Because This is My First Life

A house-poor man and homeless woman become housemates in a drama that examines the institution of marriage and the problems that young people face today.

Nam Se Hee (Lee Min Ki) is a single man in his early 30’s. He has chosen to not marry. He owns his home, but he owes a lot on his mortgage. Meanwhile, Yoon Ji Ho (Jung So Min) is a single woman in her early 30’s. She does not own a home and envies those that do. She has given up on dating due to her financial struggles. Yoon Ji Ho begins to live at Nam Se Hee’s house. They become housemates.

2017 was another great year for K-dramas. Almost an equal favorite is Strong Woman Do Bong Soon.

Other very good dramas for this year are Fight for My Way, Chief Kim, Mystery Queen, While You were Sleeping, Suspicious Partner, Prison Playbook, Tunnel, Voice, and Lookout.

My Favorite Drama 2018 - My Secret Terrius

Go Ae-Rin (Jung In-Sun) suddenly loses her husband. A mysterious man, Kim Bon (So Ji-Sub), lives next door. Kim Bon is a legendary NIS agent. 3 years ago, he was involved in a failed secret operation and the woman he loved died. He has since become disconnected with the world and lives alone quietly. He helps his neighbor Go Ae-Rin uncover a conspiracy, which her husband became involved with.

Some other good dramas from this year include I'm Not a Robot, Thirty But Seventeen, Mother, My Mister, Life on Mars, The Beauty Inside, Laughter in Waikiki, Sky Castle, Mr. Sunshine and What's Wrong with Secretary Kim?

My Favorite Drama 2019 - Hotel Del Luna

Jang Man-Wol (IU) is the CEO of Hotel del Luna. The hotel is situated in downtown in Seoul and has a very old appearance. She made a big error many years ago and, because of this, she has been stuck at Hotel del Luna. She is beautiful, but she is fickle, suspicious and greedy.

Koo Chan-Sung (Yeo Jin-Goo) worked as the youngest assistant manager ever at a multinational hotel corporation. He is a sincere perfectionist. He looks level-headed, but he actually has a soft disposition. Due to an unexpected case, he begins to work as a manager at Hotel del Luna. The hotel's clientele consists of ghosts.

Other notable dramas of 2019 include The Tale of Nokdu, When the Camellia Blooms, One Spring Night, The Fiery Priest, Stove League, Her Private Life, Search:WWW, and Crash Landing on You.

My Favorite Drama 2020 - Itaewon Class

On the first day of attending his new high school, Park Sae-Ro-Yi (Park Seo-Joon) punches his classmate Jang Geun-Won, who was bullying another classmate. The bully is the son of CEO Jang Dae-Hee (Yoo Jae-Myung). The bully's father runs restaurant business Jagga where Park Sae-Ro-Yi’s own father works. CEO Jang Dae-Hee demands to Park Sae-Ro-Yi that he apologizes to his son, but Park Sae-Ro-Yi refuses. Because of his refusal, Park Sae-Ro-Yi gets expelled from school and his father gets fired from his job. Soon, an accident takes place. Park Sae-Ro-Yi’s father dies in a motorcycle accident caused by his ex-classmate Jang Geun-Won. Burning with anger, Park Sae-Ro-Yi viciously beats Jang Geun-Won. He is soon arrested and receives prison time for the violent assault. Park Sae-Ro-Yi decides to destroy the Jagga company and take revenge upon CEO Jang Dae-Hee and his son Jang Geun-Won. Once Park Sae-Ro-Yi is released from prison, he opens a restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul. Jo Yi-Seo (Kim Da-Mi), who is popular on social media, joins Park Sae-Ro-Yi’s restaurant and works there as a manger. She has feelings for Park Sae-Ro-Yi.

These dramas were also outstanding in 2020; Penthouse, Hyena, Flower of Evil, Hospital Playlist, It's Okay not to be Okay, The Uncanny Counter, Mystic Pop-up Bar, The World of the Married, Extracurricular and Mr. Queen.