2024 has been an incredible year for Kdramas!
This year’s Kdrama offerings have been diverse, exciting, and utterly addictive. From romantic comedies to thrilling mysteries, many shows made waves with their near-perfect storylines.
“Queen of Tears,” “Lovely Runner,” “Love Next Door,” “Good Partner,” and more Kdramas stood out this year. Plus, Kim Soo Hyun, Byeon Woo Seok, Kim Hye Yoon, Jung Hae In, and Kim Ji Won emerged as top stars in 2024.
Best Kdramas of 2024
Here are the top 10 Kdramas that made waves and stole viewers’ hearts
Queen of Tears
If there is one Kdrama that deserves a top spot, it has to be Queen of Tears. Starring Kim Ji Won and Kim Soo Hyun, the drama made waves both domestically and internationally. Kim Soo Hyun returned to Television screens after 3 years in the role of Baek Hyun Woo, a legal director for conglomerate Queens Group.
Since its premiere, Queen of Tears grabbed attention for its leading cast and the undeniable chemistry between them.
The script was written by Park Ji Eun, known for her successful works like “Crash Landing On You” and “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” so viewers had high expectations for a heartwarming romance.
The viewership ratings soared past 13% in just 4 episodes and climbed to 20% by episode 12. The drama finale set a new record for the highest viewership rating of any tvN drama by peaking at 24.9%.
The drama follows the love story of Baek Hyun Woo (Kim Soo Hyun) and Hong Hae In (Kim Ji Won), a married couple navigating a tumultuous period in their relationship.
Lovely Runner
Lovely Runner proved to be the surprise hit of 2024. While its lead cast may not have had the same level of popularity as the stars of “Queen of Tears”, they have since risen to fame following the drama’s conclusion.
This drama, starring Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon, came out of nowhere and took the world by storm. While its peak 5.8% TV rating was not spectacular, the show’s online presence was a different story altogether.
Social media and YouTube were flooded with clips, parodies, and fan-made content. The frenzy shows no signs of dying down even after the final episode aired in May.
“Lovely Runner” is a time-slip romance that follows the story of Ryu Sun Jae (Byeon Woo Seok), a talented artist who dies after losing her will to live. The drama takes a unique turn when Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon), a devoted fan of Sun Jae, travels back in time to 2008 in an attempt to save him.
Byeon Woo Seok rose to global fame through the drama, while Kim Hye Yoon also enjoyed a surge in popularity.
Good Partner
It’s safe to say that 2024 was more than just a year of romantic comedies soaking up all the spotlight. The legal drama “Good Partner,” which ran from July to September on SBS, created quite a stir in the Kdrama scene. While “Lovely Runner” and “Queen of Tears” dominated the first half of 2024, “Good Partner” made a splash in the second half.
“Good Partner” is a courtroom drama that follows two lawyers, Cha Eun Kyung (Jang Na Ra) and Han Yoo Ri (Nam Ji Hyun), with contrasting views on divorce. Penned by a divorce lawyer, the show’s success can be attributed to its realistic storytelling and strong performances from the cast.
It became the most-watched program of the week by scoring an average nationwide rating of 15.2 percent.
Connection
“Connection” made headlines as Ji Sung, the leading man of the drama, made his acting comeback after 2 years.
“Connection” is a suspense drama that tells the story of a top detective on a drug task force who is forced into addiction and seeks to uncover the truth.
The drama achieved a peak viewership rating of 14.2% due to a strong storyline and notable performances from its cast. Ji Sung, Jeon Mi Do, Kwon Yul, and Kim Kyung Nam delivered standout performances.
The Whirlwind
“The Whirlwind” is a political thriller aired on Netflix featuring veteran cast members such as Sol Kyung Gu, Kim Hee Ae, and more.
It is a drama that revolves around an intense power struggle. Seol Kyung Gu plays the Prime Minister, who plots to assassinate the President. On the other hand, Kim Hee Ae stars as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Economy, who attempts to stop him and gain control.
The Judge From Hell
SBS’ “The Judge From Hell,” starring Park Shin Hye and Kim Jae Young, wrapped earlier this month. The drama combined all the elements including romance, mystery, thrill, and action.
The amazing performance of the leads, particularly Park Shin Hye’s portrayal of Kang Bit Na (a judge by day and demon by night) received critical and public acclaim. The drama finale ended its successful run on November 2 with a peak rating of 11.9%.
Written by Jo Yi Soo, The Judge From Hell’s storyline did not have any loophole. In fact, it is being considered for the second season, and fans want to see the original cast return.
The Frog
The Frog is a spine-chilling thriller on Netflix starring Go Min Si, Kim Yun Seok, and Yoon Kye Sang. Things change when a mysterious woman (Go Min Si) arrives at the vacation cottage in the middle of the summer and disrupts the lives of Yeong Ha and Sang Jun.
Love Next Door
Despite some flaws in the storyline, Love Next Door became a huge success. The chemistry between leads Jung Hae In and Jung So Min was undeniable and they became one of the best Kdrama couples of 2024.
“Love Next Door” is a neighborhood romance drama where two childhood friends reunite after years and explore feelings for each other. It received a lot of attention overseas, even BLACKPINK’s Lisa is a fan of the drama.
It also made headlines since this is the first time Kdrama heartthrob Jung Hae In ventured into the romantic comedy genre. While it was his first-ever rom-com, he swooned viewers with his amazing performance.
No Gain No Love
Another romantic comedy “No Gain No Love” brought a lot of laughter to the audience. Starring Shin Min Ah and Kim Young Dae, the drama wrapped its laughter-filled run on October 1 with a viewership rating of 4.8 percent.
“No Gain No Love” follows the story of Son Hae Young (Shin Min Ah), a practical woman, who proposes a fake wedding to secure a job promotion. She recruits Kim Ji Wook (Kim Young Dae), a kind-hearted convenience store worker, to be her fake fiancé.
Pachinko Season 2
Apple TV’s Korean series “Pachinko” returned for a second season on August 23, with the original cast and new faces joining the show. Lee Min Ho, Kim Min Ha, and Youn Yoh Jung reprised their roles.
The new season jumps forward in time, following Sunja as she navigates the aftermath of World War II in 1945 Osaka. The story also fast-forwards to 1989 Tokyo, where her grandson Solomon struggles with his career and identity.
Other dramas that made waves include “Pyramid Game,” “Hierarchy,” “The 8 Show,” “Dear Hyeri,” “Family By Choice,” and “Korea-Khitan War.”
