Have you ever regretted watching a particular drama? To be honest, I have. Of course, there are an uncountable number of Korean dramas that are superb, in fact, there are a huge number of masterpieces. But some dramas for sure can not stand out as they should. Now let’s know about some dramas while ranking them from the best to the worst. Allow me to talk about some K-Dramas ranked from worst to best.
As not all that we do can be flawless and not everything can be worse, the same goes for every field and Kdramas are no exception. Let us explore some of the worst, average and the best Kdramas. Let’s do it.
The Bottom of the List: K-Dramas That Didn’t Hit the Mark
Let’s start with the worst ranked dramas as we are writing about K-Dramas ranked from worst to best. Among the thousands of dramas, there are some dramas that surely could not hit the mark, either in the list of ranking or in the eyes of the viewers or the critics. Such as:
Manhole (2017)
Manhole became one of the biggest disappointments to the fans because the drama started with a promising story and fans liked it too. But the problem was the ending. It deals with a story related to time travel and romance which is usually loved by all, but the ending confuses the audience and an amazing story becomes a failure. A magical manhole attracted the audience to raise their hope but the aftermath was nothing but disappointing.
Fashion King (2012)
The story of some aspiring fashion designers dragged the attention of the viewers. The storyline was enjoyable till some point but when the ending point came it came out as total rubbish. Again the leads had zero chemistry with each other. There was no character development at all. The star-studded drama fell on its face for so many reasons.
Big (2012)
This drama has some A-listed actors, it has one of the best writer pairs (The Hong Sisters) of South Korea and the production quality is good too but what this drama does not have? A strong storyline. A fantasy drama is always liked by the audience, the idea of body swapping almost worked but the story was so confusing, some episodes were so confusing that the audience did not understand what was happening and why was this happening on the screen. And for this reason, the drama was hardly criticized by both the netizens and the fans, and even Gong Yoo couldn’t save it.
Average K-Dramas: Shows That Are Good But Not Great
In our article K-Dramas ranked from worst to best, let’s not be captivated into only best or worst, let’s know about those dramas which are somewhere in the middle of good or bad. There are some dramas that are good but not too good, they have the potential but can’t stand out as they should. There are so many reasons for that such as predictable storyline, inconsistent pacing, lack of character depth, overused tropes, low production quality and so on.
Let’s see some of the average dramas.
Bride of the Water God (2017)
Some people definitely liked this drama and there is no doubt about it. The setting and the visuals were stunning. The chemistry between the stars was commendable. As a fantasy drama, the story was nice.
Even though the story was good the drama was violated with its slow pacing. The story of a human and god is for sure unique but it’s quite predictable. When the story couldn’t live up to the original Manhwa story it became a barrier for the drama to shine.
My ID is Gangnam Beauty (2018)
The drama is unique as it talks about a sensitive social issue like cultural beauty standards and bullying. Both are common problems in every society so this topic is kind of relatable to the viewers. The Cha Eun Woo charm also worked. The performances of the other actors are also estimable.
The drama was surely praised because of the story but this did not work out so well as expected because everything was so predictable. The main male lead protecting the female lead in every situation is a repetitive situation that happens in every drama of Cha Eun Woo.
Cinderella and Four Knights (2016)
The drama is known better as a light hearted romantic drama. A classic Cinderella story with a fun twist that is the plus point of the drama. The chemistry of the lead actors was amazing.
But what stopped it from becoming the best one is the typicality of a poor girl being involved with some elites. Everyone knows what’s going to happen till the end. The predictability made this superb drama average.
Fan-Favorite K-Dramas: The Best of the Best
So now it’s time to talk about the best of all time in K-Dramas ranked from worst to best. A unique storyline, strong or well developed character, emotional depth which leaves some impact, Strong chemistry between leads, outstanding performance, high production quality, satisfying ending and so many other things make a drama the best drama to fans and viewers. Let’s check out some of the dramas that fans claimed as the best of the best.
Goblin (2016)
With a wonderful blend of fantasy and romance with an essence of and present life connection, this drama captured the hearts of millions of fans. The emotions of every character touched the hearts of the fans, they cried together and laughed together. The bromance of Lee Dong Wook and Gong Yoo was the most enjoyable part of the drama, and this drama also made their real life friendship. The chemistry of Gong Yoo and Kim Go Eun was also admirable. This drama gave the fans something more than their expectations. And this drama also has some iconic OSTs.
Crash Landing on You (2019)
Thus unpredictable drama got the full attention of the fans because of the astonishing presentation of love, support, sacrifice and the political intrigue altogether. The plot was unique, the characters were strong, the location and landscapes were amazing and even the cinematography was mesmerizing. In one word this drama is an absolute masterpiece. Not only the Korean but also the international fans praised this drama highly.
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020)
The meaningful message towards the society, the strong performance of the actors and the high quality production especially made this drama one of the best dramas of all time. A caregiver of a mental hospital who already has an elder brother who needs his help meets another woman with mental trauma. This trio is forever loved by the fans.
The unique story of emotional healing made this drama exceptional too.
Surprise Hits: Underrated K-Dramas You Shouldn’t Miss
I think it’s unfair to not talk about the underrated dramas which demand praise just because we are highlighting K-Dramas ranked from worst to best. Round the year amid a hundred dramas some superfine drama can not get the recognition that it deserves. Without any doubt those dramas are the hidden gems, now let’s talk about some of them.
My Mister (2018)
This drama didn’t make it from the start but later slowly got the recognition it deserved. The story of a young woman and a middle aged man’s social issue didn’t appeal to the fans at first, but soon the viewers felt connected with the story. As no man in the society is problem free but no one talks about the problem that the middle aged people of the society face. This drama is not an exaggeration and that is why people started liking this drama so much. Also, actors like Lee Sun Kyun and IU portrayed their roles so skillfully that compelled the viewers to praise the drama.
Record of Youth (2020)
This drama has some superfine actors like Park Bo Gum, Park Go Dam, Byeon Woo Seok and many more but it didn’t actually shine as it should. This drama is actually like that blub of our houses which gives us a bright shine of light but takes time to gather its power at first. This drama passes a positive message to the viewers and deals with the problem that the youth of our society faces to achieve their goals. The bond of the friends was highlighted too. The story is so realistic that every viewer can relate themselves to it. Along with the story, the performance of the actors and the superb work of the production team brought back the attention of the audience.
Because This Is My First Life (2017)
This drama didn’t get the deserving hype but soon the loyal fanbase got it. The realistic view of today’s relationship between the people of the new generation is what people actually liked about this drama. This drama is more than just a romantic drama. The deep conversation of life and the realistic characters was what the viewers were looking for. Marriage is not just a ritual or rule of a society; it’s all about a bond that two different people build with each other. Two different types of people grow together with mutual love and understanding, and this new theme gives the fans a refreshment. These things made this drama a surprise hit.
Not all the gems shine brightly in the midst of a thousand gems at first glance, but still, they are precious gems, as like that some dramas which are a must watch don’t get that hype and they become the hidden gems. To let you know about those precious Gems I am going to give you a short list and hope you will give it a try for sure.
The Short List of the Hidden Gems
- Prison Playbook (2017-18)
- The Light in Your Eyes (2019)
- Be Melodramatic (2019)
- Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014)
- Just Between Lovers (2017-18)
- The Secret of My Secretary (2019)
- Go Back Couple (2017)
- Flower of Evil (2020)
- Healer (2014-15)
- The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (2018)
- Life on Mars (2018)
- Strangers from Hell (2018)
- Chicago Typewriter (2017)
- Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016-17)
- My Liberation Note (2022)
I hope all the dramas give you your desired enjoyment and you can find your favorite dramas from this list.
Raking dramas is the worst or is not an easy task to do, because every person has different tastes and different story preferences. Dramas that are marked as the worst can be someone’s favorite. Again, dramas that are marked as the best dramas can be seen as overhyped by some people. So my lists or this article can not be flawless, but I tried to present those dramas as worse or best or average with the point of view of the majority of the fans. But it will be a hundred percent worth your time if you first decide what kind of story you want before watching. Because for some people slow burn dramas are more enjoyable and again to some people slow pacing dramas are too boring.
So before you watch a drama, be sure about what type of drama it’s going to be. But if you like to watch ongoing drama then check the given summary and go for it, let it be your favorite or one of your guilty pleasures. Whatever you do please make sure to enjoy what you are watching.