Korean television is unlike television in the U.S. or Canada. Unlike the season style shows that are popular in the North American continent, in South Korea, television series are episodic with a set number of episodes, which have a start and an end that are well defined. These shows also tend to be overtly dramatic and extremely stylishly shot. With the wave of popularity that Korean culture is enjoying, there has been an increasing demand for shots of Korean culture, like the cuisine, top Korean songs, top Korean dramas, etc. In this article, we try and list out for you some of the top Korean dramas on television, that you should catch.
List of Top Korean Dramas
Korean television generally restricts itself to three very definitive styles of drama in television - romantic, historical and detective. The romantic genre of drama is hugely popular in the country and is the base for most television shows. Given below are the five most watched Korean dramas on television and also a list of the top Korean dramas over the years.
The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince
Telecast on MBC between July and August 2007, airing every Monday and Tuesday, The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince was a dramedy about a young tomboyish woman and a man who is the heir apparent to a food empire. The man assumes initially that the woman is a guy and hires him to pretend to be his gay lover. The drama details their love story with all the confusion that unfolds, as it dawns on all the characters of the drama, that the protagonist is actually a woman. A coffee shop owned by the hero is the background for the show.
Dae Jang Geum
Another MBC production from 2003, this drama series had as its protagonist, the first female practitioner of medicine in the royal family of the Josean Dynasty. The series revolved around her life, the trials and tribulations she faced. The show was immensely popular for showcasing the cultural heritage of Korea.
Sandglass
This 24 episode political drama series from 1995 aired on SBS. The protagonists were two men who grew up in the turbulent 70's and 80's and chose two different paths, one growing up to become a gangster and the other turning to law and becoming a prosecutor. Starring Choi Min-soo and Park Sang Won, the series dealt and portrayed many politically sensitive issues from the era in which it was based.
Winter Sonata
Also known as the Winter Ballad or the Winter Lover Story, it was a sequel to the drama, Endless Love, which was also telecast on KBS. In 2009, Winter Sonata was adapted into an anime series. In 20 episodes, Winter Sonata told the story of two lovers who are torn apart by circumstances which included an accident that results in the hero losing his memory and his moving to the United States under what he believes is his true identity. Ten years later, he returns to Korea and a chance meeting with his former love complicates both the relationships they are in.
Rustic Period
With 124 episodes, it is one of the longer drama series in this list. The show, which was telecast on SBS in the years 2002-03, was a fictional account of the life of the politician Kim Doo Han. The story starts from his childhood detailing his relationship with his father, moving on to how he grows up to become a leader and politician who wants to keep the dying culture of a nation alive. The show starred Ahn Jae Mo as the young Kim Doon Han, later replaced by Kim Young Chul.
These were just some of the top Korean dramas of all time. There are many other T.V. shows that are worth a watch. Given below is a list of the top Korean dramas to watch.
* Punch
* Full House
* Golden Bride
* Goong
* Jumong
* Thank You
* Romance in Paris
* Stairway to Heaven
* All In
* Summer Scent
* Attic Cat
* Snowman
* Shoot for the Stars
* My Love Toram
* My Love Patji
* Loving You
* Ruler of Your Own World
* My Name is Kim Sam Soon
* Romance
* Success Story of a Bright Girl
* Autumn Fairy Tale
* The Palace
* Alone in Love
* Goodbye Solo
* Spring Waltz
* The Great King
* Lovers in Prague
* Rose-Colored Life
* My Girl
* Age of Heroes
* Full House
* Hearts in Bali
* Jewel in the Palace
* Damo
* Mermaid Lady
* The Age of Warriors
* Alcohol Land
* Love Letter
* Present
* Glass Slippers
* Loneliness
* Wang Gun
* Beautiful Days
* Fox & Cotton Candy
* Guardian Angel
* Hotelier
* Ladies of The Palace
* Piano
* Sang Do
* All About Eve
* Hur Joon
* Mr. Duke
* Truth
* Goodbye, My Love
* Happy Together
* Into The Sunlight
* Model
* The Power of Love
* Wish Upon a Star
* Trap of Youth
* First Love
* Barefoot Youth
* The Last Match
Some of the top Korean dramas in 2010, which are expected to become hugely popular are Please Marry Me that is going to start airing this month, Comrades, Road Number One, Running, etc. Traditionally, Korean dramas have been restricted to an audience within Korea, but sometime in the last decade, Korean dramas started becoming hugely popular in Asia and Hawaii, resulting in syndication of the several shows with subtitles. Many of the top Korean dramas can attribute their popularity to this pan-continent fan base. Hopefully, this list of top Korean dramas has been helpful to those amongst us, who are not familiar with the Korean television industry.
List of Top Korean Dramas
Korean television generally restricts itself to three very definitive styles of drama in television - romantic, historical and detective. The romantic genre of drama is hugely popular in the country and is the base for most television shows. Given below are the five most watched Korean dramas on television and also a list of the top Korean dramas over the years.
The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince
Telecast on MBC between July and August 2007, airing every Monday and Tuesday, The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince was a dramedy about a young tomboyish woman and a man who is the heir apparent to a food empire. The man assumes initially that the woman is a guy and hires him to pretend to be his gay lover. The drama details their love story with all the confusion that unfolds, as it dawns on all the characters of the drama, that the protagonist is actually a woman. A coffee shop owned by the hero is the background for the show.
Dae Jang Geum
Another MBC production from 2003, this drama series had as its protagonist, the first female practitioner of medicine in the royal family of the Josean Dynasty. The series revolved around her life, the trials and tribulations she faced. The show was immensely popular for showcasing the cultural heritage of Korea.
Sandglass
This 24 episode political drama series from 1995 aired on SBS. The protagonists were two men who grew up in the turbulent 70's and 80's and chose two different paths, one growing up to become a gangster and the other turning to law and becoming a prosecutor. Starring Choi Min-soo and Park Sang Won, the series dealt and portrayed many politically sensitive issues from the era in which it was based.
Winter Sonata
Also known as the Winter Ballad or the Winter Lover Story, it was a sequel to the drama, Endless Love, which was also telecast on KBS. In 2009, Winter Sonata was adapted into an anime series. In 20 episodes, Winter Sonata told the story of two lovers who are torn apart by circumstances which included an accident that results in the hero losing his memory and his moving to the United States under what he believes is his true identity. Ten years later, he returns to Korea and a chance meeting with his former love complicates both the relationships they are in.
Rustic Period
With 124 episodes, it is one of the longer drama series in this list. The show, which was telecast on SBS in the years 2002-03, was a fictional account of the life of the politician Kim Doo Han. The story starts from his childhood detailing his relationship with his father, moving on to how he grows up to become a leader and politician who wants to keep the dying culture of a nation alive. The show starred Ahn Jae Mo as the young Kim Doon Han, later replaced by Kim Young Chul.
These were just some of the top Korean dramas of all time. There are many other T.V. shows that are worth a watch. Given below is a list of the top Korean dramas to watch.
* Punch
* Full House
* Golden Bride
* Goong
* Jumong
* Thank You
* Romance in Paris
* Stairway to Heaven
* All In
* Summer Scent
* Attic Cat
* Snowman
* Shoot for the Stars
* My Love Toram
* My Love Patji
* Loving You
* Ruler of Your Own World
* My Name is Kim Sam Soon
* Romance
* Success Story of a Bright Girl
* Autumn Fairy Tale
* The Palace
* Alone in Love
* Goodbye Solo
* Spring Waltz
* The Great King
* Lovers in Prague
* Rose-Colored Life
* My Girl
* Age of Heroes
* Full House
* Hearts in Bali
* Jewel in the Palace
* Damo
* Mermaid Lady
* The Age of Warriors
* Alcohol Land
* Love Letter
* Present
* Glass Slippers
* Loneliness
* Wang Gun
* Beautiful Days
* Fox & Cotton Candy
* Guardian Angel
* Hotelier
* Ladies of The Palace
* Piano
* Sang Do
* All About Eve
* Hur Joon
* Mr. Duke
* Truth
* Goodbye, My Love
* Happy Together
* Into The Sunlight
* Model
* The Power of Love
* Wish Upon a Star
* Trap of Youth
* First Love
* Barefoot Youth
* The Last Match
Some of the top Korean dramas in 2010, which are expected to become hugely popular are Please Marry Me that is going to start airing this month, Comrades, Road Number One, Running, etc. Traditionally, Korean dramas have been restricted to an audience within Korea, but sometime in the last decade, Korean dramas started becoming hugely popular in Asia and Hawaii, resulting in syndication of the several shows with subtitles. Many of the top Korean dramas can attribute their popularity to this pan-continent fan base. Hopefully, this list of top Korean dramas has been helpful to those amongst us, who are not familiar with the Korean television industry.
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