Are their any that you'd recommend that are more on the serious side or not so much focused on the romantic side?


Mr. Queen is a decent example, obviously more on the comedy side but not too much romantically focused. Another example would be from manhwas, such as My Royal Awakening (or I Shall Live as a Prince) was excellent to read, other examples that would interest are Doctor's Rebirth and I Reincarnated as a Legendary Surgeon.

Or even ones like Reborn Rich (I'd read up to where was translated of the manhwa before the drama was released, currently got a few episodes left to watch)

Are there any that are combat focused or about going back in time as a prince (whether from that time or modern), or emperor etc?

Reincarnated/sent back in time/sent back in time to younger self/different world are my favourite genres lol

Thanks!!

  • I feel like this genre is more explored in c-dramas for sure.
    • Joy of Life -ML transmigrates and reborn  as a baby in an ancient empire

I actually like these type of shows too and these recs might not be exactly what you were after .Most i can think of are romance based , main character is female and not korean. You might be better off finding these type of stories watching anime  or reading web/light novels too

 Saygo:

I actually like these type of shows too and these recs might not be exactly what you were after .Most i can think of are romance based , main character is female and not korean. You might be better off finding these type of stories watching anime  or reading web/light novels too

Thanks for that! Some excellent recommendations by the looks! :)

Parallel World (Chinese, 2023) - Indiana Jones type action, very strong FL, excellent performances and desert photography. HOWEVER, it's more a fantasy pocket world accessed via our own rather than parallel.

Time Travel:
Someday or One Day (Taiwan) - travelling back and forth from present to past
Somehow 18 (S Korea) - travel to the past
Till the End of the Moon (China) - travel to the past + travel to a different world
My Perfect Stranger (S Korea) - travel to the past
A Time Called You (S Korean remake of Someday or One Day)
Shining for One Thing (China) - travel to the past
Tomorrow With You (S Korea) - travelling back and forth from present to future (it does have romance but there's more drama and suspense)
Tunnel (S Korea) - no romance

Reincarnation:
See You in My 19th Life
Again My Life 

Sent To Another World/Transmigration:
Alchemy of Souls  and Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow - it involves soul swapping. Though there is romance, it's not the main focus. Especially in part 1.
Ghost Doctor - travel to the spirit world
W - travel into a comic

Several Korean dramas explore time travel, reincarnation, or being sent to another world with a more serious tone, rather than focusing heavily on romance. Some notable examples include Signal, which involves communication with the past to solve crimes; Tunnel, where a detective travels to the future to solve a serial killer case; and Dr. Jin, where a surgeon from the 21st century travels back to the Joseon Dynasty

  • First Night with the Duke
    A modern girl wakes up in a romance novel world as the heroine who must survive her first night with a dangerous duke.
    (Note: This is originally a Korean webtoon and not yet a full K-drama adaptation.)

  • Alice (2020)
    A time-traveling detective reunites with a woman who looks exactly like his dead mother, uncovering secrets about a mysterious organization called Alice.

  • Sisyphus: The Myth (2021)
    A brilliant engineer gets caught in a dangerous time-loop while a mysterious woman from the future tries to save him and the world.

  • Grid (2022)
    A mysterious figure who saved Earth in the past returns—now as a suspect in a murder—and secrets of time and survival begin to unravel.

  • Tomorrow With You (2017)
    A time-traveling CEO marries a photographer to change their tragic fate, but love complicates the timeline.

  • Memories of the Alhambra (2018)
    An augmented reality game turns deadly as a CEO and a hostel owner in Spain are pulled into a glitch-filled mystery.

  • Kairos (2020)
    Two people living in different times communicate through a phone call to prevent a kidnapping and change fate.

  • Reunited Worlds (2017)
    A boy who died returns as his 19-year-old self while his friends have all grown up—bringing love, grief, and healing.

  • Hit the Top (2017) (aka The Best Hit)
    A 90s pop star accidentally time-travels to the present and discovers his past, career, and fatherhood in hilarious and emotional ways.

  • 49 Days (2011)
    A woman falls into a coma and is given 49 days to collect pure tears from three people who truly love her to live again.

  • Thirty But Seventeen (2018)
    A woman wakes up from a 13-year coma still mentally 17, and tries to reconnect with life and love in her 30s.

  • Go Back Couple (2017)
    A married couple on the verge of divorce get a second chance at love by time-traveling back to their college days.

  • The Light in Your Eyes (2019)
    A girl who gains a time-controlling watch becomes old overnight, exploring life, loss, and love in a truly unique story.

  • Reset (2022)
    A college student and a game designer are trapped in a bus explosion time loop and must work together to uncover the truth and break free.
    (A gripping Chinese sci-fi thriller known for tight pacing and emotional depth.)

    The Double (2024)
    A lowborn girl takes the place of a noblewoman who looks exactly like her, navigating deadly palace schemes and an unexpected romance.
    (A historical C-drama full of identity swaps, revenge arcs, and high-stakes court politics.)

  • Familiar Wife (2018)
    A frustrated husband magically wakes up in an alternate reality where he’s married to his college crush instead of his current wife—only to realize love isn't as simple as a fresh start.
    (A heartfelt K-drama blending time-travel and marriage realism with second-chance romance.)

  • 365: Repeat the Year (2020)
    Ten people get the chance to reset their lives by going back exactly one year—only to find themselves caught in a deadly game of survival.
    (A suspenseful K-drama where time travel becomes a twisted trap rather than a second chance.)

    Signal (2016)
    A criminal profiler in the present communicates through a mysterious walkie-talkie with a detective from the past to solve cold cases and change the course of justice.
    (Critically acclaimed for its gripping storyline, emotional impact, and masterful use of time-crossing teamwork.)

    The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
    A Korean emperor discovers a parallel universe where he meets a detective who holds the key to unraveling his father’s murder and a cosmic war between worlds.
    (A romantic fantasy with stunning visuals, time rifts, and dual realities woven into royal intrigue.)