My Top KDrama List

A quick watch. Lots of flashbacks to clue us in to their backstory. Satisfying HEA.

High school to working life RomCom, Unrequited love. There are also Chinese & Thai adaptations.

High school setting where the popular class president and a loner archery scholarship student meet. Can a real friendship begin from such an acrimonious start? BL  

I loved this for the way it tackled difficult family issues, Park Ji Hoon's acting and the ML/SML bromance.

So, Jung Ki Sub generally goes with the flow and says yes to anyone who asks him out, asks for his number. But, it seems like for the first time, there's something he himself wants - he want to go out with Jin Woo, but he wants Jin Woo to ask him out because he knows Jin Woo likes him. But Jin Woo is so resistant to this whole idea because he thinks of Ki Sub as a player. Oh, what a chaotic mess.

MLs live in the same home but rarely hang out. High school to college romance. BL

I'm a sucker for gender bender (cross-dressing) shows and this one was incredibly well acted by the main leads and the supporting cast. ML only hires good-looking males in his new coffee house, so FL pretends to be man to work there.

ML is in special forces. FL is a medical doctor. They're both stationed in a fictitious foreign country. Good mix of action, comedy and romance. Great scenery. Filmed in S. Korea and Greece.

FL and ML's marriage was arranged by their grandfathers. ML is the Crown Prince of a modern South Korea, and he attends the same high school as FL. SML is ML's cousin who is second in line for the throne. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this, a slow burn with enemies to lovers trope.

I was not a big fan of the FL, but I adored the ML and SML. And the cast of gorgeous Hwarang warriors kept me glued to the screen. Great bromance show.

I don't know why I assumed this was just another fluffy BL. It turned to be more than that.
TW: Internalized homophobia

Action, Mystery. Former gang member, now a lawyer of uncertain ethics seeks revenge on those who have wronged him in the past.

An unusual show where the ML wakes up within a game and must complete certain missions in a given timeframe. Incredibly well-acted and well-produced.

I loved this show even though I normally shy away from time travel dramas. This one just pulled me in, hook, line and sinker.  Both leads did a fantastic job, esp. the ML juggling his multiple roles as student-athlete, rock star, regular college student and celebrity actor/model. The FL was impressive as well, plus they had great chemistry together. I also loved the SML who had fun bromance moments with the ML. As much as I rarely re-watch shows, I know I will re-watch this one.

Coming of age, Poor ML, well-to-do FL, bullying.

A CEO and a demon end up in a contract marriage for their own reasons. His tattoo (and powers) transferred to her, and she needs to be married to be CEO of the parent company. Action, RomCom, Fantasy.

High school best friends meet again in a work place setting. Really cute flashbacks and love their chemistry. BL

FL has a crush on ML school genius. When FL's house is destroyed, she and her father end up living in ML's house. Adapted from the manga series "Itazura na Kiss." Note that there are about 8 adaptations from this manga. In addition to Playful Kiss, I have also watched Kiss Me (Thailand, 2015), Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo (Japan, 2013), Miss in Kiss (Taiwan, 2016).

A revenge drama done well with the right amount of fantasy. It helps that I'm of the age that recalls those historical moments that helped the ML succeed as Jin Do Joon. I found each episode compelling. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Do Joon and his grandfather.

The smart students and the cheer club reluctantly band together to achieve more than they imagined.

BL college romance of opposites attract.

Historical, Comedy, Romance, Youth. Gender bender FL as she attends an all boys school as her brother.

College and surf club setting. Emotional LGBTQ+ drama as one of the MLs has trauma and depression. Camerawork seems shaky at times but is meant to make you feel as if you’re in the characters’ space. The scenes were imbued with symbolism using shades and colors. MLs had great chemistry.

In the first couple of episodes, the FL's shaman acting was a bit over the top and was not meant to be taken seriously. This historical show has comedy, romance, action, and mystery. The chemistry and rapport among the FL/ML, ML/SML and FL/SML were so good. Satisfying ending.

FL cross-dresses as crown prince when her twin brother is killed. She eventually becomes the monarch, is married but avoids consummating the marriage. The ML is a childhood friend and the SML is her cousin.

ML cross-dresses to enter a widows’ village where he believes he has traced the assassins that attacked his village. As he digs deeper, he finds more than he bargained for. Great action scenes, palace intrigue, comedy, romance.

FL attends an all-boys school to be there for her crush who had a major sports injury. I have seen two other adaptations but the Korean one is my favorite: Hana Kimi (Taiwan, 2006) and Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Japan, 2007).

This had a great cast of characters, esp. the three main leads. The chemistry and rapport among FL/ML, ML/SML and FL/SML were fantastic. I also enjoyed FL's sister and her relationship with the teacher, plus FL's relationship with the Dad who was always on her side. I have re-watched various episodes because I join every Watch Party on Viki.

2521 was a poignant coming of age story with the back drop of competitive women's fencing. A story of friendship, love, hope, resilience and sacrifice.

I enjoyed every minute of this sageuk. For me, there was not a second that felt like it was dragging. Instead, it felt like watching two masters play chess where discarded pieces could very well be bodies dropping on the ground! But it was speed chess, no time to dilly dally lest your opponent gets the better of you. I esp. like the bromance between the Crown Prince and Grand Prince Sung Nam. Little romance.

BL about an 18yo heir and his classmate who was hired as his bodyguard.

FL joins a musical group until her twin brother recovers from surgery. I have also seen the Taiwanese version, Fabulous Boys (2013), and I'm planning to watch the Japanese version, Ikemen Desu Ne (2011).