My Favorite K-Dramas of 2020 + OSTs ❤

First of all, a Happy New Year to everyone! Wishing you all a better 2021.

What an unforgettable year 2020 was!

Things weren’t the best, but we survived. Let’s focus on the positive and talk about some of the things that made us happy in 2020.

2020 was the year I started watching k-dramas. My aunts and some of my friends were into it for years, decades even, but it took a pandemic for me to get in on this trend. I was always a Western TV series type of binge watcher, but in the last few years, many of the shows I used to watch, I didn’t enjoy anymore, and ultimately dropped.

And then we were all forced to stay home all the time, Crash Landing on You was all the rage, so I decided to find out what all the hype was about, and the rest is history! I am now a k-drama addict ?

I have also started watching a few c-dramas, but only upon recommendations from trusted friends / reviewers. I have tried to watch some c-dramas on my own and I hated them because the female leads were overboard pa-cute in a very annoying way and the way they talk hurts my ears.

I’ll include the c-dramas I liked in this k-drama recommendations list 🙂

Why do I like watching K-drama?

I somehow feel that it’s more in tune with me. K-dramas can be fun, they can be entertaining, they are usually quite far-fetched, but most of them don’t make it a point to offend their audience, which was quite refreshing for me. Majority of them actually try to make their audience happy, unlike Western shows which I notice lately have frequently tried to “push the boundaries” of their audience’s comfort zones. I watch TV to relax, to be entertained, to be happy. I don’t watch TV to be lectured on issues that are not even relevant to me nor to be bombarded with nonsense like casting actors who don’t make sense in the context of the show’s time period or setting.

After enjoying K-drama, I find myself already hesitant to start new Western TV shows. Netflix pushes recommendations but I already have this resistance to start watching any. I am happy with my K-dramas and C-dramas and just don’t want to go back to all that sex and gang violence and misery and angry people taking every opportunity to tell others to “check their privilege”. That’s just not fun to watch, ok? I still watch Western shows but I’m very picky now. The last one I saw was Vanessa Hudgen’s The Knight Before Christmas and it was just the right kind of uplifting watching I needed during the holidays 🙂

Also, almost all the K-dramas I have watched are family-friendly, which means I can freely watch them in public (in the sala) without worrying about awkward scenes.

K-Drama Recommendations – What I Watched in 2020

So here’s how I classify the K-dramas I have watched:

On a Different Level

Mr. Sunshine – this kept being suggested on my Netflix feed for months, and I kept avoiding it because the leads didn’t look like the typically handsome idols, then one day I had nothing else to watch so I gave it a go. This k-drama was on a whole different level. Out of all the k-dramas I have watched, this is the one I would call a masterpiece, like Gone with the Wind but for Korea, and 24 episodes long.

Favorites

The Beauty Inside – the premise is unrealistic, but I just love this k-drama. Everything was perfect. It wasn’t dragging, the cameos were fun, the acting was good. It’s about this famous actress who has a secret – she shapeshifts into random people (the shapeshifting is not under her control) and it’s a problem for her career and her personal life. She meets a chaebol heir who also has a secret – he has face blindness – and his business career will be in trouble if his enemies ever learn of his disability. Because of his face blindness training, he ends up being the only person who recognizes her even if her outward appearance changes. Don’t we all want someone who sees our real selves whatever we look like outside? 🙂 I like how they didn’t drag it out when they realized their feelings for each other. The drama came from dealing with circumstances because they loved each other. I especially like how their love is rock solid – they don’t let petty things affect their relationship. The soundtrack is great, too! They still didn’t explain some things in the end, but that’s my only complaint.
Mystic Pop-Up Bar – I don’t know why but I really liked this k-drama. It’s deep, but not too deep, and it’s funny sometimes, too. I also like how this drama is neatly wrapped up in the end. At first, I thought it was like a rip-off of Hotel del Luna, but I actually like Mystic Pop-Up Bar better. I thought this series was actually more romantic than other obviously romantic series. This wasn’t about flowery words or grand displays, but instead showcased a love of quiet devotion and thoughtful actions. The pay-off is at the end.
My Girlfriend is an Alien – this is a C-drama, but it’s just plain funny. Don’t try to make sense of it. I just thoroughly enjoyed it. The lead actress was just the right amount of quirky and funny. It was recommended by many friends and I finally gave in. Season 2 is coming out on 2021! You can watch it on WeTV (click link above).
Legend of Fei (C-drama | I love it so far, it’s still ongoing) – if you like watching kung fu with all the flying acrobatics and sword play, this show has a lot of those! I’m hooked! I watch it on WeTV and they release 2 episodes every weeknight at 8pm (for VIP subscribers – only P59/month).

Worth the Hype

Crash Landing On You – this became a phenomenon! This was the k-drama that really started me on this journey ? It’s a roller-coaster ride for your emotions, and also features a lovable supporting cast. Titas of North Korea, woohoo!
It’s Okay to Not be Okay – this was a very different kind of k-drama, focusing on psychological issues. It had people knitting Mang-Tae dolls and buying the books featured on the show 😀 Excellent!
My Love from the Star – alien gets stranded in Korea for 400 years and meets an annoying actress / neighbor 🙂
Descendants of the Sun – Special Forces guy and a medical doctor fall in love, but break up due to circumstances. After a while, they meet again while doing volunteer work in a war-torn country and encounter bad guys. Some iconic scenes from this show are frequently parodied / referenced in other k-dramas 🙂
Kingdom – I’m not sure if this Joseon-era zombie series counts as a k-drama, but it’s very good so far

Special Mentions

Pinocchio – I liked how this k-drama shows that news media needs to have unquestionable integrity. It is something we expect from our news reporters, but sadly, many are corrupted, threatened, or just go with the flow. It also makes us aware of how easily stories can be angled to fit certain interests. It’s like a course in journalism ethics, but made more entertaining and the series was done well, the writing was good. It also shows us that a real reporter’s life isn’t easy.

Light & Entertaining / Enjoyed / Good

Start-Up – for me, this wasn’t worth the hype but it’s still good. The three Samsan friends & grandmother were my favorite characters. I liked seeing how life inside a Business Incubator is like. I didn’t feel the love story as much as in other dramas. For me, it was more about seeing the character development of Nam Do San and about grandmother and Good Boy. I actually didn’t care about the main love story nor about the main female lead.
Strong Girl Do Bong Soon – a bit corny, but fun. All the females in girl’s family line are born with super strength and they lose their powers when they use it for bad things 🙂
Rooftop Prince – hilarious! Crown Prince from 300 years ago gets magically transported to modern Korea
Live Up to Your Name – a brilliant doctor from several hundred years ago is transported to modern Korea. He meets a modern doctor and after some misunderstandings, they eventually learn medical stuff from each other 🙂
Dating in the Kitchen (C-drama) – girl is a young aspiring chef. Guy is a rich businessman and also a very picky eater – he has very high food standards. He accidentally tastes food she cooked and eventually realizes that he only likes eating food she makes. The last 1/4 feels like they’re trying to drag it out to meet 24 episodes 🙁
Angel’s Last Mission: Love – ballerina becomes blind due to an accident and becomes bitter. An angel who looks after animals ends up saving her life (from a new accident) but because he disobeyed orders in order to save her, he was given a last chance to redeem himself. He must help her learn to love.
My Sassy Girl – sassy princess and gifted scholar must fight against a corrupt councilor who wants to keep control of the kingdom. The sassiness can be a bit much sometimes, but overall, this was a fun & light series.
Legend of the Blue Sea – mermaid and swindler against bad guys from the past who reincarnated and want to continue their grudges. They must try to avoid the same fate that befell them hundreds of years ago. Stars Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Min-ho, Jun Ji-hyun is always funny 🙂
Her Private Life – the “serious” museum curator has a secret – she is an avid fangirl who runs a popular fan site of her favorite idol. She literally does paparazzi shots of her idol and her home is full of pictures and products of her idol.
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim – After 9 years, the boss’s competent secretary decides to quit to pursue her own life. Egotistical Boss looks for ways to keep her.
Still 17 – 17-year old girl got into a bus accident and ends up in a coma. She wakes up 13 years later in her 30-year old body, but still thinks like a 17-year old. Turns out the guy she had a crush on from afar also had a crush on her.
The Emperor: Owner of the Mask – they tackled a modern issue inside a Joseon package. In spite of that, I liked how they did it. Basically, the Illuminati of that era wanted a monopoly control of vital resources in Joseon (old Korea), and the crown prince must find a way to free himself and his country from their corrupt grasp. I like how the Crown Prince actually turned out to be a very competent person who was good at martial arts as well as information gathering.
Find Me in Your Memory – tackles stalking, as well as how rumors / gossip can affect people. It’s a good reminder for us, as the public, to not react to celebrities’ dating gossip with hurtful comments, because we’re not really involved, and we don’t know exactly what happened.

Not Worth the Hype

These are okay / so-so but just did not live up to the expectations that their hype generated.

The King: Eternal Monarch – concept was different, the set was great, but this just didn’t work for me. The ending was realistic but not satisfying at all.
Tale of the Nine-Tailed – again, concept was good, I liked many of the supporting characters, but this just didn’t work for me and I felt that there were too many unanswered questions
Hotel del Luna – I loved IU’s earrings! I liked the heroine’s back story but wasn’t into the male lead character. I always expected there to be more to his character, so I felt kind of cheated that *** SPOILER (highlight to read) *** he turned out to be nobody special *** SPOILER ***
Goblin – Watched this because it was a classic. I was actually more interested in the second couple than in the lead couple… High school girl with 939 year-old Goblin just felt weird.
Memories of the Alhambra – it’s something different than the typical k-drama, incorporating a virtual reality game world bleeding to reality, and a lot of it’s shot in Spain, but the ending is not satisfying
School Nurse Files – ??? after finishing this, I still didn’t understand what I just watched

Okay / So-So / Meh if You’ve Run Out of Things to Watch

Suspicious Partners – started out really interesting but got draggy towards the end. Mainly watched for Ji Chang-wook. I loved the OST though.
Healer – a lot of people like this but it was just so-so for me. Also watched mainly for Ji Chang-wook, and also because I wanted the resolution to the “mystery” of the past thing that they were dragging the reveal of until the end.
Nokdu – this was okay except for the ending. They went through all of that only for this ending???
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung – this started out out well but I wasn’t satisfied with the ending
Shopaholic Louis – rich chaebol heir is famous in the shopaholic circle. He gets amnesia and is taken in by a poor country girl. He learns to work and clean, etc…
Lie to Me – Girl was being looked down on by her frenemy, so she lied and said she was dating a rich hotel owner. The rumor went viral, so both of them decided to continue the fake relationship because they both had something to gain from it.
While You Were Sleeping – this totally reminded me of Minority Report, just k-drama-fied. Girl gets dreams and her dreams come true. She tries to prevent them from happening but she can’t. Eventually she meets two other people who also receive dreams and they try to prevent bad things from happening.
My Girlfriend is a Gumiho – watched this because I like Lee Seung-gi in Vagabond, but this was just so-so
A Korean Odyssey – also watched this because of Lee Seung-gi in Vagabond. I liked the world they built and I liked the supporting characters, but the ending was not satisfying
You’re All Surrounded – another Lee Seung-gi series, I thought it was going to be funny like Extreme Job, but it was just so so
Touch Your Heart – watched this because I liked the second couple in Goblin. This was okay but kind of flat – no emotional highs and lows. It’s just light.
Vagabond – this feels more like a regular TV show than a rom-com k-drama. Of all the Lee Seung-gi series I’ve seen, this seemed to be his best acting work. A lot of it was shot abroad and it’s actually a good show, but as of this writing, we are still waiting to know if there will be a season 2, because the story isn’t resolved at all and it is frustrating. It feels like the first part of what was planned to be at least 2-3 seasons.
Clean with Passion for Now – clean freak CEO of a cleaning company meets a girl who is dirty (stopped caring about cleaning anything, even washing her hair or wearing clean clothes). How dirty the girl character was was making it cringey sometimes. Kinda corny. I was on the verge of dropping this several times but just continued on for the sake of finishing the story.

Dropped /Might Continue If I’ve Really Run Out of Things to Watch

Coffee Prince – I think maybe because I was watching this in 2020, the whole premise didn’t appeal to me. I only started watching it because it was a classic k-drama. I really tried to like it and got to about 3/4 and just dropped it because it bored me.
Tale of Arang – started watching something else and just never got back to it
Scholar Who Walks the Night – started out interesting but went downhill so I started watching something else
W Two Worlds – started watching something else and just never got back to it
Meow, the Secret Boy / Welcome – watched this because of L, but this was just not good. Dropped.
Fight for My Way – I only got through episode 3. It’s already episode 3 and the leads were still so downtrodden, always abused, taken for granted, etc… Episode 3 and still no progress. It’s episode 3 and they were still kawawa. It got depressing and tiring.
Bring it On Ghost – wasn’t hooked enough to continue
Bride of Habaek – the actress’s acting got annoying and the story seemed to stall
Gu Family Book / Kang Chi, the Beginning – After watching A Korean Odyssey, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, Vagabond, and You’re All Surrounded, I started noticing Lee Seung-gi’s acting – it’s always the same acting / expressions / angry face through all of these series
Miss Hammurabi – this drama was focusing more on the issues they want to tackle (gender inequality, social justice, #metoo, etc…) than on the actual romance. I like both the lead actor / actress but this just got too tedious to watch – this heroine always has some cause or crusade to push again and again. I understand that these issues need to be discussed, but this was too much. Never-ending na. You know how we end up avoiding that “friend” who always wants to sell us something or who’s always pushing us to participate in some cause / crusade / political movement or whatever every time we see them? That’s how I started feeling every time I saw her. Dropped. See Pinocchio above on how to incorporate a certain issue into a kdrama without getting on the audience’s nerves.

Favorite OSTs

These are the soundtracks that I noticed and liked the most while watching the shows, and I ended up playing them frequently as background music while working or doing chores.

I usually play the OSTs of good k-dramas that I recently finished, like the one for It’s Okay to Not be Okay, but get tired of after a few days. But the ones below are the ones that stuck until the present. They are on Spotify.