10 Classic K-Dramas That Are Definitely Worth Rewatching Or Binge Watching

K-dramas have been popular especially in Asian countries for years or even decades now and some of the older ones are considered a must-watch.

If you have always been a fan of K-dramas or recently got into them, we have some classic K-drama recommendations everybody should watch at least once in their lives.

Check them out below and see how many you have watched before or want to start watching soon!

#1 Stairway to Heaven (2003)

Photo from IMDb

The relationship of childhood sweethearts Cha Song Joo and Hang Jung Suh becomes complicated when Jung Suh's father remarries and are torn apart as they get older. On the night of Song Joo's return from America, Jung Suh is mysteriously hit by a car and believed dead. Having lost her memory in the crash, she is taken in by Tae Hwa, who relocates and gives her another name. Five years later, Song Joo sees someone who looks exactly like his long lost love Jung Suh.

Sounds dramatic already, right? Warning: get your tissues ready because this one is going to make you bawl your eyes out. This melodrama paired with stellar acting by actors now considered veterans such as Choi Ji Woo, Kwon Sang Woo and Kim Tae Hee will bring you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

#2 Jewel in the Palace (2003)

Photo from MyDramaList

Also known as Dae Jang Geum or Da Chang Jin, this is one iconic K-drama your parents or even your grandparents would have watched before.

It's based on the true story about a legendary girl, Jang Geum, who became the first woman to be the supreme royal physician of her times. Despite being labelled as a low class girl in a male dominated society, Jang Geum overcomes a series of social discrimination and lands herself a job as a royal cook, later becoming the royal physician and ultimately the physician in charge of the king. 

#3 My Lovely Sam Soon (2005)

Photo from Pinterest

Can't get enough of Hyun Bin since Crash Landing on You ended its run? Then this is the drama to watch!

Kim Sam Soon's boyfriend cheats on her and she breaks up with him. She ends up getting a job at the restaurant Jin Hyeon owns and the two bicker like cat and dog. But when they pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend for the sake of Jin Hyeon, the two of them discover that they have a lot more in common and fall in love.

#4 Goong (2006)

Photo from AsianWiki

Shin Chae Kyung, a normal high school student is forced into an arranged marriage with Crown Prince Lee Shin who also attends her school. The marriage is tough for Chae Kyung as Shin is already in love with someone else. As she struggles to adapt herself to royal life, learning proper manners and taking on the duties of palace life while dealing with a disagreeable husband, the Crown Prince's sentimental cousin and second-in-line to the throne, Yul, steps into her life. 

As cliche as it sounds, this is an interesting one to watch because of the modern and historical influences portrayed in the drama.

#5 Coffee Prince (2007)

Photo from Pinterest

Choi Han Gyul was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, has never had a job and does not care for responsibility. He is hung up on his first love, Han Yoo Joo, who only sees him as a friend. Han Gyul takes over a rundown old coffee shop, later renamed "Coffee Prince" to prove that he's capable, both to his grandmother and to Yoo Joo. In order to attract female customers, he only hires good looking male employees. Go Eun Chan is a tomboy who is often mistaken for a guy but desperate for money, continues to hide her gender to get a job at Coffee Prince. 

This well-loved romcom is one of the most popular classic dramas and the chemistry between the leads is solid!

#6 Boys Over Flowers (2009)

Photo from KBS

We would be letting all the K-drama fans down if we didn't include this in the list! It's the drama that catapulted Lee Min Ho to fame and is one of the dramas that stays relevant even after more than a decade because of how popular it was.

Geum Jan Di comes from a poor family who owns a dry-cleaning shop. One day, she visits Shinhwa High School, a prestigious school for the wealthy, and saves a student who was going to commit suicide. She then receives a scholarship to attend the school for her heroic act. There, she meets the notorious F4, who are the most popular and powerful group of boys at the school. Her life at school starts out miserable and later becomes worse when she comes under the radar of the F4 boys. 

#7 Secret Garden (2010)

Photo from SBS

Another Hyun Bin drama because why not? ? He has acted in a few highly popular dramas and this is just one of them. In fact, this drama was so popular that many celebrities reenacted scenes from the drama on variety shows back then.

Kim Joo Won, an arrogant and eccentric CEO who maintains the image of perfection meets Gil Ra Im, a poor and humble stuntwoman whose beauty and body are the object of envy amongst top actresses. Their accidental meeting marks the beginning of a tense, bickering relationship while Joo Won tries to hide a growing attraction towards Ra Im. To complicate matters, a strange sequence of events results in them swapping bodies.

#8 Dream High (2011)

Photo from Pinterest

This drama tells the story of six students at Kirin Art High School who work hard to achieve their dreams of becoming music stars in the Korean music industry.

Most OG K-pop fans would have watched this drama before but if you haven't, you are definitely missing out! Starring many popular second generation K-pop idols such as 2PM's Taecyeon and Wooyoung, Suzy, IU, T-ARA's Eunjung and actor Kim Soo Hyun, this relatable drama touched the hearts of many people.

#9 The Heirs (2013)

Photo from SBS

Kim Tan is the heir to Empire Group who has been sent to study abroad in the U.S. In reality, it's a form of exile as his elder half-brother back home schemes to take over the family business. While in the States, he meets Cha Eun Sang, who arrived from Korea in search of her older sister. He feels himself falling for her, without knowing that she's the daughter of his family's housekeeper. When his fiancée Rachel Yoo arrives to bring him back to Korea, his heart is torn between love and duty.

It had many popular actors fronting the show such as Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye, Kim Woo Bin, Kang Ha Neul and Kim Ji Won. It also had well-known singers as the supporting casts such as f(x)'s Krystal, CNBLUE's Minhyuk and ZE:A's Park Hyung Sik. We'll be honest, the drama was full of plot holes and cliches but it was somehow addictive enough to become of the classics in the K-drama land now, at least in our opinion.

#10 Descendants of the Sun (2016)

Photo from Pinterest

Before Crash Landing on You, there was Descendants of the Sun. Don't tell others you have never heard of this drama before unless you want others to know you have been living under a rock. ? If you have watched this before, it's a good time to rewatch again!

Kang Mo Yeon works as a surgeon at Haesung Hospital. She isn't afraid to admit her mistakes and believes that capability overrides connections. However, she is soon faced with reality that she cannot advance with just capability. Her life changes when she meets Yoo Si Jin, the military captain and leader of Alpha Team who cares more about protecting anybody who needs help as well as his country, even if it goes against the order of his superiors. 

Which of these have you watched before? Which one will you be watching next? While you are here, check out these classic Taiwanese dramas every drama lover must watch.

Share this post with a friend who needs to know or watch these dramas! 

Text by: GirlStyle SG