2024 has given us a strong list of K-dramas that had us all in a chokehold. The list of oppas and unnies that we admire and adore just got longer this year—and well, we're totally not complaining.
Filipinos and global audiences alike continue to dive into the K-drama craze. Netflix revealed that 80% of its subscribers are tuning into Korean content—a big reason behind its massive investment in Squid Game Season 2. And it's not just Netflix; platforms like Disney+, Viu, Viki, and Prime Video also keep releasing exclusive K-dramas year-round.
The South Korean entertainment industry also keeps making global waves, offering its latest hits on streaming platforms. Gone are the days of sneaking onto not-so-legal sites like DramaCool (RIP this year). With Korean media giant SBS now partnering with Netflix to stream its shows, everything is becoming more accessible.
With 2024's success, 2025 promises even more exciting K-dramas (some casting news already has us thrilled!). But before we leap into the new year, let's look back at the dramas that kept us glued to our screens. Check out Cosmopolitan Philippines' Top 10 K-Dramas of 2024!
Editor's Note: All the listed K-dramas ended in 2024, so as much as we'd want to include some ongoing K-dramas, (like When The Phone Rings), it's def slated for a 2025 review ;)
The Best 10 K-Dramas Of 2024, Ranked
10. Love In The Big City
It's rare for the Korean entertainment industry to release a drama that explores the nuances and everything in between about gay love stories, a.k.a BLs. This year, Love In The Big City did it with so much grace.
Love In The Big City was adapted from the 2019 hit novel by Park Sangyoung. It was adapted into a movie and a K-drama series this year (which totally made me curious about the book). The K-drama, produced by TVING, revolves around Go Young, who's trying to navigate through his life and love life all while handling HIV and living with his straight female best friend, Mi Ae.
The series and its lead actor Nam Yoon Su were embroiled in controversy even before it aired, as some viewers rejected the thought of watching a BL story. Following the release of their official trailer, the series garnered backlash from conservative Korean organizations, stating it was outright inappropriate to air such a series. Yoon Su also received some homophobic comments here and there, questioning his decision to portray a gay character. In their press conference, the 27-year-old actor addressed hate comments by saying, "I didn't care about them. I just laughed it off when I got malicious comments. Those people were one in 100. I got messages of support."
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Together with Yoon Su, Law School star Lee Soo Kyung, All Of Us Are Dead actor Jin Ho Eun, Do Yu, Lee Hyeon Soo, and more are part of the series.
9. Marry My Husband
Marry My Husband began the year with a bang. It officially aired on January 1 and had everyone giddy with revenge for its protagonist, Kang Ji Won, portrayed by none other than Park Min Young.
Adapted from the famous webtoon of the same name, Marry My Husband is about the 37-year-old Kang Ji Won, who found out that her husband was cheating on her while she was battling cancer. She mysteriously goes back in time to a period 10 years earlier in her life and decides to seek revenge against her husband and his mistress.
The hit TV series was the first drama of the media giant, tvN, to hit the #1 spot in South Korea and even in their chosen global streaming platforms (for the Philippines, Prime Video) this 2024. Marry My Husband's final episode logged a 12 percent rating in Korean television.
Marry My Husband also stars Na In Woo, Lee Yi Kyung, and Song Ha Yoon. It is still available on Prime Video Philippines.
ALSO READ: Marry My Husband Couple To Get Married In Real Life
8. The Frog
Okay, maybe not everyone may have enjoyed watching this psycho-thriller—because it's psycho AF. But if there's one drama that got us hooked from start to end, in one sitting (eight hours straight, mind you), it's The Frog.
Starring the veteran actor Kim Yoon Seok, Sweet Home star Go Min Si, Crash Course in Romance actress Roh Yoon Seo, and (yes) EXO's Chanyeol, the eight-episode series grasped everyone with its twists and turns. This Netflix original tells two stories of hotel/guesthouse owners in different eras, who have encountered killers and got embroiled in terrible and mind-boggling scenarios. Told in precise and thrilling scenes, the characters struggle to live through the worst times of their lives.
Oh, and if you're thinking that Min Si here is the usual protagonist who you'd want to coddle and protect, brace yourself. You'd clench your fists because of hatred against her character here. So yes, it is a must-watch!
The Frog is available on Netflix.
7. My Demon
We're including My Demon in this list since it technically ended in 2024. More than that, it is a fantasy romance we never knew we needed. Actually, it has all the tropes worth watching: contract marriage, enemies-to-lovers, and the red string of fate kind of trope. Produced by SBS, My Demon brought together two of the K-celebs with undeniably perfect visuals, Kim Yoo Jung and Song Kang.
The story is about a human and a demon marrying each other for convenience. Kang, who plays the demon named Jeong Guwon, got married to Kim Yoo Jung's human character Do Dohee. Together, they try to overcome troubles all while falling in love with each other (again). My Demon amassed a huge following on social media with how well it was portrayed and presented.
My Demon is still available on Netflix.
6. Family by Choice
So much has been said about Family By Choice. For one, the drama received criticisms during its run as it was first compared to the original. ICYDK, Family By Choice was adapted from the Chinese drama, Go Ahead. But aside from that, the K-drama received more love than expected because of how beautifully the cast depicted the story.
Family By Choice is not for people who easily cry at just about anything. (Personally, every episode made me cry.) But we do recommend JTBC's Family By Choice as it captured the hearts and souls of its viewers with its story that gravitated around a family brought together—not by blood—but by life's ups and downs, and their choices.
Jung Chae Yeon (read: a revelation for K-drama actresses), True Beauty actor Hwang In Yeop, and Hospital Playlist's Bae Hyeon Seong, played the three main characters, Yoon Juwon, Kim San Ha, and Kang Haejun respectively. The three were brought together because of their not-so-perfect family situations. One was mysteriously abandoned by his mother, another was manipulated by his mom, and Juwon who grew up not knowing her late mom.
Together, they were raised by Yoon Jeong-Jae who was played by Choi Won Young a.k.a. the best K-drama dad ever, and Kim Dae Wook portrayed by another K-drama dad, Choi Moo Sung. Trust us when we say that these two seasoned actors made us cry in all ways possible with their scenes.
Family By Choice is still available on Viu Philippines.
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5. Queen of Tears
We're now down to our Top 5 K-dramas, and yes, of course, Queen of Tears is on the list. This is tvN's 2nd #1 drama of 2024 in both television and streaming platforms. Top-billed by two of the most well-known Korean actors, Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won hooked everyone with their insane acting skills. Queen of Tears garnered a 24.9 percent rating during its finale, beating Crash Landing On You—also making it one of the highest-rated K-dramas of all time.
Kim Soo Hyun portrayed Baek Hyun Woo who has been thinking of divorcing his wealthy wife, Hong Hae In (Kim Ji Won). As he decides to call it quits, he discovers that Hae In is suffering from a rare and deadly condition. With their marriage on the brink of falling apart, the two navigate through their second-chance romance and rediscover why they became a couple once again.
Queen of Tears can still be streamed on Netflix!
4. Atypical Family
Atypical Family might just be one of those underrated K-dramas out there. But it's actually another work of art from JTBC. The series explored the world of supernatural characters—of course, with a twist. Tagged as a fantasy romance, Atypical Family is about a family who mysteriously gained back their powers after meeting Do Da Hae portrayed by Chun Woo Hee.
Woo Hee partners here with Jang Ki Yong, who plays a depressed and detached-from-reality kind of dad named Bok Gwi Ju. Although Da Hae has approached their family because of money (she's kind of a professional swindler, LOL), the two fall in love and try to make sense of their family's powers and love.
Even before the year ended, Atypical Family already won the Best Drama Series award at the 2024 Asian Academy Creative Awards. Joo Hwa Mi also won Best Writer for the drama's screenplay.
3. The Judge From Hell
The Judge From Hell was one hell of a K-drama. Everyone was so stoked to see it. Add to that the fact that it was Park Shin Hye's first dark fantasy drama where she played the dark protagonist, 'coz well, she was the judge from hell in the drama—and it was like she really unleashed something we've never seen before from her as an actress.
Embodying a demon in the series, Park Shin Hye's character, Kang Bit Na, works as a part-time judge for humans during the day, and judge for the underworld at nighttime. She was sent to Earth as part of a punishment, but there she meets the love of her life and learns how to be human (again), harboring "human emotions," like love, sympathy, and more.
ICYDK, this action-packed dark fantasy is Shin Hye's second drama after she gave birth to her first child with husband and actor Choi Tae Joon. Just recently, SBS held its annual drama awards where The Judge From Hell team won big. Shin Hye gave a heartwarming speech as she took home the Director's Award. In her speech, she thanked her husband, and most importantly, her fans for supporting her even after becoming a wife and a mother. She also got the Best Couple Award together with her The Judge From Hell leading man, Kim Jae Young.
The Judge From Hell is streaming on Disney+!
2. Lightshop Keeper
Awesome—that's one word to describe our Top 2 K-drama of 2024. Written and honed by the award-winning webtoon artist and screenwriter, Kang Full (also one of the minds responsible for Moving), Lightshop Keeper got us all reeling in our seats like we were on a rollercoaster ride. Based on the webtoon of the same name, the drama gravitated around the genres of psychological horror, mystery, thriller, and drama.
Lightshop Keeper is about the stories of people from both the living, the dead, and the in-between—all intertwined by a mysterious light shop at the corner of a street. Even with its horror touch, the series told stories that make us all feel human. Needless to say, it's heartwarming and extremely tear-jerking.
Lightshop Keeper stars Ju Ji Hoon, Park Bo Young, Seolhyun, Uhm Tae Goo, and many more. It is exclusively streaming on Disney+.
1. Lovely Runner
Here's an absolute shocker this year. This time-slip drama exceeded everyone's expectations. Even without many promotions and not much of an A-lister in its cast prior to the airing of the drama, Lovely Runner ranked as the most phenomenal drama of tvN this 2024.
Starring Kim Hye Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok, Lovely Runner tells the story of the fangirl Im Sol who struggled to save her idol, Ryu Sun Jae from different timelines—not knowing that she is Sun Jae's first and greatest love. Together, the two discover a love that transcends time and memories. The drama offered the perfect balance of romance, comedy, and even angst.
Lovely Runner was crafted with heartfelt sincerity, both in its portrayal of characters and its connection to the audience.
ALSO READ: Why Lovely Runner Deserves All The Accolades For Life
Despite its low viewership ratings in South Korean television, with its finale logging 5.8 percent only, Lovely Runner still recorded the highest demand when it comes to its international viewers. The drama was also made available on streaming platforms, which led to its global success. Due to the demand, a live viewing event of its final episode with the fans and the cast was organized; several pop-up stores were put up, not just in Korea, but across Asia as well (Japan, Thailand, Philippines); and its scriptbook and OST album sold out thousands!
Lovely Runner also catapulted its main cast to success. Kim Hye Yoon, who was already known for her roles in Sky Castle and Extraordinary You, received more love and support, resulting to sold-out Asia fan meetings, sold-out Hyeppiness merch, and several brand deals following the end of Lovely Runner. The 28-year-old actress is currently filming her upcoming drama as well. Indeed, a well-deserved break for Hye Yoon!
As for Byeon Woo Seok, we've already had a crush on him since Record of Youth and his Netflix film 20th Century Girl. But this year, it was remarkable for him as he topped celebrity charts in Korea, sold out his first Asian fan meeting in all the cities he visited, bagged brand deals, secured his spot at the top ranks of actors, and is now probably the most talked about actor of 2024. ICYDK, Lovely Runner was the first drama where he was the male lead (!) Now, he is set to lead his first-ever modern monarchy drama in 2025.
Other cast like Lee Seung Hyub and Song Geon Hee were also introduced to the public through Lovely Runner and are now booked and busy in their careers. And as awards shows wrap up this year, Lovely Runner is out there winning back-to-back awards—from Best Couple, Best Screenwriter, and even Best OST, Lovely Runner has it.
Lovely Runner can be watched via Netflix and Viu Philippines.
What are your top K-Dramas this year? :)