Hi !

I've already seen plenty of dramas (around 300) and I have no idea what to watch next. The more time passes, the harder it is to be satisfied with a story... The kind that will stay with you for many months 

I thought maybe one of you will have their own favorite drama that could fit what I'm looking for ^^

I'll give you first my top 10 ALL-TIME (in order. That was HARD tbh :'( ). I guess it is clearer that way than a endless list of  criteria...

  1. Lighter & Princess 
  2. Love Me If You Dare
  3. Mouse
  4. Move to Heaven
  5. It's Okay to Not Be Okay
  6. Blossoms in Adversity
  7. Not Me
  8. To Fly With You
  9. Love and Redemption
  10. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge


Every country is fine with me.  Same for genres. I do prefer longer drama (16, 24, 50 or even 60). 

As you can see, I'm okay with no romance drama but I'm also stricter with them since I loooooove romance :) 

Please avoid recommending naive/weak FL who remains unchanged throughout the story... 

I do not watch sad endings, plot can be dark or heart-wrenching (it is even preferred) but the ending must be at least open (to let me imagine everything will be alright :'( ) I attach great importance to the way stories are wrapped up

Thanking you in advance you all !

All of these have romance (unless noted) and all have happy endings.

Because of Mouse, you might like (thrillers):

Because of Love and Redemption, you might like (xianxia dramas with multiple lives):

Because of Blossoms in Adversity you might like (historical dramas with strong FLs overcoming challenges):

Because of Lighter & Princess, you might like (modern drama with a kind of troubled ML and a devoted FL)

And because of It's Okay Not to Be Okay (sort of troubled people drawn to each other):

 emeraldarrows:

All of these have romance (unless noted) and all have happy endings.

Because of Mouse, you might like (thrillers):

Because of Love and Redemption, you might like (xianxia dramas with multiple lives):

Because of Blossoms in Adversity you might like (historical dramas with strong FLs overcoming challenges):

Because of Lighter & Princess, you might like (modern drama with a kind of troubled ML and a devoted FL)

And because of It's Okay Not to Be Okay (sort of troubled people drawn to each other):

You mentioned dramas I really love! LBFAD, FOE and Come and Hug Me especially.

 I've been thinking about New Life Begins and Destined, I'll try them out, thank you !!

 lanzhanya:

You may like:

Hi! Thank you for your help ^^ I've already watched them both and they are really good recs :) Rated 9.5 and 10 in my Watchlist haha

I feel ya. I really like well developed crime/thriller dramas that are sticking out but it gets harder and harder finding any good ones. But then the majority of dramas that are produced today are....always the same annoying story with the same bland characters.....it is quite frustrating.

Some dramas I did not find on your watched list but that I consider gems;
Trinity of Shadows - I can never recommend this enough. It is amazing, amazing, amazing. It does have very little romance but the main story is the crime case(s) and how they are all connected to each other.
King of Pigs  - kinda similar to Mouse in terms of brutality, no romance.
Watcher - in this one you really start to question the actions of all characters. no romance.
Money Flower - this is the absolute best revenge drama however it is a drama that you need to be the type for.  All characters are flawed, heavily at times. The story is complex, well developed and masterfully delivered. There are strong female leads and male leads. There is very minimal romance but it is NOT a romance drama. It is a revenge one.
Kesenai: Warasshi: Fukushu no rensa - this one is similar to "The Glory", so trigger warnings but it is well done.
My Mister - kinda surprised you have not seen it. It is very well known in the korean community, and highly appreciated. It is well done. no romance
 Misty &  World of the Married: Both dramas are great, however there is infidelity in them and lol I know some people have some sort of problem with watching that sooo if this is not up for you, avoid, but if you dont mind, then defo watch them. They are absolutely amazing dramas! highly recommend both

And if you like a mixture of Western + Asian drama I'd recommend you:
- Tokyo Vice => based on a true story, has some minor flaws but it is quite interesting and well done.
- Shogun => this was soooo well done! Amazing story. Arguable one of the absolute best series of 2024 so far
- Drops of God => this is an oddball on this list lol. It is about a girl understanding her father and discovering what she really wants. It is really beautifully done, very interesting. it does have romance, but it is not the main story. 

 Lou:
I feel ya. I really like well developed crime/thriller dramas that are sticking out but it gets harder and harder finding any good ones. But then the majority of dramas that are produced today are....always the same annoying story with the same bland characters.....it is quite frustrating.

Hi Lou ! Thank you very much for your recs ! You introduced some dramas I've never heard of before so it's super interesting. I know My Mister is really appreciated but Idk why I've never considered watching it (I'm not a huge fan of IU, unpopular opinion haha, maybe that's why but I'm going to give it a try).

When it comes to infidelity, I don't really mind expect for the ending... If it's about getting revenge and in the end, she ends up with the person who cheated on her, I'll be upset lol

Never tried Western, could be a good option to stave off boredom :) 

Anyhow, thank u very much ^^ 

After doing a deep dive into your watchlist, I'll reccomed three shows that you probably haven't watched(atleast i didn't find them in your list):

Stranger : a detective and prosecutor team up for a investigation. There is no romance in this but the chemistry is amazing. It's a very well written show with smart dialogue and reveals. You need to pay attention while watching this. This has two seasons. Must watch 

Under the queen's umbrella : this a historical with the queen being the central character. She was initially mild mannered but palace politics keep pushing her to her limits that she becomes an abrasive person in order to protect her kids. She is a very well written character that I hope other historical dramas learn from. The element that struck me the most was if this drama was made from the perspective of the antagonist, i would have rooted for him.  Must watch 

Go back couple : this a rom com youth drama.  An adult couple gets divorced because they are worn out by their life and responsibilities. Soon after their divorce they are sent back in time to their university days where they first met. This is the only sci to aspect of the show. Over the episodes you are shown what went wrong between them. On a rewatch I realised it's such a plausible story that even when two good people try their very best, if things are taken for granted, it can ruin a great relationship. Focus on the leads while enjoying the freedom and fun among a group of students. Must watch 

All three are Korean with satisfying endings that fit the storyline. I hope you like them.

PS: You already have a very full plan to watch list. Are you sure you want to add more?lol

 Sam:
PS: You already have a very full plan to watch list. Are you sure you want to add more?lol

Hi ! LOL that's why I need help haha I tried some hype dramas but they were not for me in the end. So, I thought it could be a good idea to ask a few names according to my taste. Though, you're right ! I need to clear my PTW list out ^^ (1/3 is upcoming dramas though XD) 

Many thanks for your answer ! Under the Queen Umbrella caught my eye since I loved the actress in Signal and Juvenile Justice. I was just wondering if the plot could be my cup of tea. I just dropped The Atypical Family and I'm considering trying this one out soon !

I liked Voice a lot but sometimes it felt redundant. I wanted to try Stranger next since it seems to be similar in a way however I'm worried I won't like the ML in this one. If the story is as good as you say, I need to give it a chance when I'll be in the mood for thriller (Since Mouse every thriller felt dull)

 Dejes:

Hi ! LOL that's why I need help haha I tried some hype dramas but they were not for me in the end. So, I thought it could be a good idea to ask a few names according to my taste. Though, you're right ! I need to clear my PTW list out ^^ (1/3 is upcoming dramas though XD) 

Many thanks for your answer ! Under the Queen Umbrella caught my eye since I loved the actress in Signal and Juvenile Justice. I was just wondering if the plot could be my cup of tea. I just dropped The Atypical Family and I'm considering trying this one out soon !

I liked Voice a lot but sometimes it felt redundant. I wanted to try Stranger next since it seems to be similar in a way however I'm worried I won't like the ML in this one. If the story is as good as you say, I need to give it a chance when I'll be in the mood for thriller (Since Mouse every thriller felt dull)

Stranger is more of a mystery than a thriller. It's pure investigation. It's a show for seasoned viewers as many times they don't tell you the info as dialogue but show it to you via the acting and directing. That's why I said you need to pay attention to this one. As for the characters,  the majority of the cast acted very well.

For under the queen's umbrella watch a few episodes and then decide. Although the reveal is later, it's a bonus as you already like the actress. 

I dropped voice after the first season. I was binging the show and couldn't handle the fact that they changed the actor for ml for season 2. Felt betrayed...

 Sam:
Stranger is more of a mystery than a thriller. It's pure investigation. It's a show for seasoned viewers as many times they don't tell you the info as dialogue but show it to you via the acting and directing. That's why I said you need to pay attention to this one. As for the characters,  the majority of the cast acted very well.

Thanks for the clarification ;) I'll keep that in mind