These ratings reflect how I feel about a drama, not how technically brilliant I think the drama is. Only the ones that I’ve completed in their entirety will be rated. By the way, this page used to be “Top 10 Dramas” and then “Top 40 Dramas” before morphing into “Drama Ratings” on March 10, 2010. That would explain comments #1-39!
Updated: August 19, 2011
Ratings: 1-10 (1 for yikes and 10 for yay!)
1% of Anything (6)
A Love to Kill (3)
Accidental Couple (6)
Again, My Love (3)
All In (7)
Alone in Love (9)
Assorted Gems (8)
Attic Cat (8.5)
Auction House (3)
Bad Family (9)
Beating Heart (9)
Beautiful Days (6)
Best Love (8.5)
Booyong of Mt. Kyeryong (8)
Brilliant Legacy (8.5)
Can You Hear My Heart (10)
Chuno (7.5)
City Hall (7.5)
City Hunter (9.5)
Comrades (10)
Conspiracy in the Court (10)
Count of Myeongdong (10)
Dae Jang Geum (6.5)
Dal Ja’s Spring (8.5)
Damo (9.5)
Delicious Proposal (6.5)
Delightful Girl Choon Hyang (7.5)
Devil (10)
Did We Really Love? (9)
Dr. Champ (7)
Eyes of Dawn (10)
Eight Days: The Mystery of Jeongjo’s Assassination (9)
Evasive Inquiry Agency (10)
Family Honor (8)
Fantasy Couple (7)
Fashion Seventies (8.5)
Fight (9)
Full House (6)
Giant (9)
Glass Slippers (8)
Goodbye Solo (9.5)
Goong (6)
Green Rose (8)
Gyeongsuk, Gyeongsuk’s Father (10)
H.I.T. (8)
He Who Can’t Marry (5)
Hotelier (7)
Hyena (9)
I’m Sorry, I Love You (9)
Jejoongwon (10)
Joseon X-Files (10)
Kingdom of the Wind (6.5)
La Dolce Vita (9.5)
Legend (6.5)
Life is Beautiful (9)
Lovers in Paris (5)
Magic (8.5)
Mr. Duke (6.5)
More Beautiful Than a Flower (10)
My Girl (8)
My Girlfriend is a Gumiho (8.5)
My Love Toram (9)
My Name is Kim Sam Soon (9)
My Older Brother (8)
My Sweet Seoul (7.5)
New Tales of Gisaeng (6)
Oh! My Lady (8)
Only You (7.5)
Partner (5)
Phoenix (3)
Queen Seondeok (6)
Really Really Like You (6.5)
Resurrection (10)
Return of Iljimae (10)
Royal Family (7)
Ruler of Your Own World (10)
Que Sera Sera (9)
Sang Doo, Let’s Go to School (8.5)
Sandglass (10)
Scale of Providence (8.5)
Secret Garden (7.5)
Shin Don (12)
Solitude (9)
Soulmate (9.5)
Son of Wind (7)
Stairway to Heaven (2)
Strike Love (4)
Strongest Chil Woo (8)
Sungkyunkwan Scandal (8.5)
Super Rookie (7.5)
Surgeon Bong Dal Hee (8)
Sweet 18 (8)
Taereung National Village (10)
Tamra the Island (9)
Thank You (8.5)
The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry (9)
Thousand Years of Love (3)
Time between Dog and Wolf (9)
Transformation (9)
We Are Dating Now (7.5)
What Happened in Bali (8.5)
What’s Up, Fox (9)
White Tower (10)
Who Are You (9)
Winter Sonata (4)
Wish Upon a Star (8)
Women in the Sun (7.5)
You’re Beautiful (8.5)
thundie
ockoala
Serendipity
Michael
Softy
Laica
momosan
leonardswench
supah
Hi nabi
Tell me about unfinished dramas! *sigh* Here’s my list/s:
Started and hope to finish someday
Ballad of Seo Dong
Cain and Abel
Coffee Prince
Dr. Kkang
Emperor of the Sea
Friend our Legend
Gourmet
Hong Gil Dong
Hwang Jini
Invisible Man
Ireland
Jumong
Piano
Someday
Sunshine Pours Down
The Lawyers
Worlds Within
Started but do not plan to finish (or touch again, ever!)
Air City
East of Eden
IRIS
On Air
Powerful Opponents
Robber
Queen of the Game
Temptation of Angel
Three Dads One Mom
Triple
I’m sure I’ve left out some titles for both lists…
Hi lovekorea
Ah, Shin Don for your 100th drama? Great idea! (btw, I’ve been trying for days to upload Shin Don to MU so that I can share the links here, but am getting such slow speeds I’m about to give up.)
In the first few years of my kdrama addiction (when I wasn’t such a goner like now), I would watch one drama at a time (to the bitter end whatever its quality and never fastforwarding because I hate missing anything). I would also wait 1-2 weeks before beginning a new drama. After becoming a fansubber four years ago, I began watching a few dramas at a time, but that didn’t mean I could watch a lot of dramas because subbing takes up so much time. So I got more picky and would drop a drama if I didn’t like it after 1-2 episodes. I’m averaging about 20-25 dramas (old and current ones) a year but finishing just 10-15.
Hi Clarence
I love Brilliant Legacy but 9.5′s too high, lol. Jumong’s in my “To Finish Someday” list.
nabi -
I am joking (a little) when I say that a “3″ is too high for Beethoven Virus.
Obviously, it is difficult to imagine what a “3′ is on a Thundie scale, but I said what I said because I wanted to highlight it.
BV had, by far, the worst musical instrument fake-playing I’ve ever seen on television or in the movies, anywhere.
But, BV is ENTIRELY about playing music. JGS and Lee Jia in particular, sucked. Lee Jia wasn’t even on the right beat, and her air-violin was so bad that it hurt me. I was in pain. In some scenes, her bow isn’t even close to the violin and she was moving it back and forth like she was buttering bread. And JGS randomly playing with his valves to simulate playing…. just awful.
And given the fact that JGS and Lee Jia were two of the three main characters… and the two characters that are supposed to be really good at playing their instruments…. I cannot give BV higher than a -2.
KMM notwithstanding, BV is a -2. Without KMM, I wouldn’t have rated this drama because I wouldn’t have gotten past episode 1.
The fake playing haha.. yeah that was hilarious but for me KMM more than made up for it in BV and I liked LJA in BV (well except her fake-playing the instrument) so I think my score would be about 7. I think I’m pretty generous when rating dramas I watched because the ones I hate I simply stop watching them.
Here are my lists of unfinished dramas.
Started and hope to finish someday: Smile You (cuz I only have 5 more eps to go), Conspiracy in the Court (only 1 more ep to go but will probably re-watch from the beginning), Be Strong Geum-soon, Immortal Yi Soon Shin
Liked or was okay but didn’t finish because something else occupied my interest and I have no plan to finish: Capital Scandal, Hong Gil-dong, Alone in Love, Hero
Tried some episodes and couldn’t stand: Will It Snow for Christmas, Cain and Abel, Goong, Boys before Flowers, Winter Sonata, What Happened in Bali (I might actually attempt to watch this again someday though because of the two eye candies and the amount of praise people give to it), Full House, My Fair Lady, Heading to the Ground, Love Story in Harvard
Tried some episodes and wasn’t too drawn into: La Dolce Vita, Man Who Can’t Marry
Lost interest and stopped watching: Lawyers of Korea, Queen Seon-deok, Witch Amusement, A Star’s Lover, Queen of Housewives
Hi Thundie, it’s been quite some time.
I ran thru your list… and I LOLed when it came to Shin Don.
I know it’s your favourite drama, but 12? HAHHAHA…
Hi thundie!!
As always you give me the kick in the butt I need to watch those must-see dramas that I keep putting off, or introduce me to gems I may have missed. I think Shin Don just got bumped up to the top of the must-watch list! I’ve watched 51 kdramas since January 2009…WOW!
It hurts my heart a little that my number one (Coffee Prince) and number two (Hong Gil Dong) didn’t fare better, but I’m glad to hear you’re giving HGD another shot! I’ve seen better dramas than Coffee Prince, but it just has a special place in my heart, what can I say?
But…but…but…no Robbers? Ever? *sob*
I am very appeased, LOL.
I’ve been on a high ever since X tweeted the news about Jung Ha Yeon’s new drama, btw.
You need to watch Friend, pronto! I KNOW you’ll love it. Also, how about we watch Worlds Within together? I need to finish it too…
Hey thundie Jumong is a must watch, you will not regret =)
I personally give it a 9.
And yeah whats up with Shin Don ..haha
Just added Ireland and Piano to the “Hope to finish someday” list. Oh, while I’m at it, let’s throw in Coffee Prince as well. The guilt, how it grows!
And let’s not even get started on the “Bought/downloaded/given and still unwatched” list! *looks at Dear Heaven, Love Letter, Nine-tailed Fox, Iljimae, Pasta, Jejungwon, Woman Who Still Wants to Marry, etc. etc. etc.* What possessed me to buy Love Story in Harvard?
samsooki, anything 4 and below is bad in thundie’s books. But -2 for BV? No kidding? I can’t bring myself to give anything a 0 or less. Even for Stairway to Hell, you’ve got to give the drama props for carting a white baby grand all the way to the edge of the ocean. The OST’s pretty cool, too.
nabi, WHIB is so twisted, so messed-up, it’s awesome. The best thing is seeing the Kang In-wook (So Ji-sub) and Jung Jae-min (Jo In-sung) camps go at each other, talons and all.
ripgal… I exercised restraint, I did. Would have been 15, lol.
langdon813, after seeing the awesomesauce that is Dae-gil (man, ep 16 of Chuno…), I may retrieve Robbers from that not-touching-ever bin. I watched 2-3 episodes and didn’t care for the leads, but loved the supporting cast.
dahee babe, thundie can’t think of anything else except Return of Iljimae now (did you ever watch this, btw?). But I recently bought the Friend and Worlds Within DVDs (still in their shrinkwrap) and will resume WW whenever you are ready. I think I stopped at ep 3 last year?
Clarence, Shin Don is TEH DRAMA, lol. If I’m allowed to watch only one drama and one movie the rest of my life, it will be Shin Don and Duelist. Everything else is secondary.
something tells me a certain drama from 1997 will end up over there pretty soon, and if not necessarily two digits, will get very close to reach that pantheon of greatness… (of course, with 36 episodes still to encode, pretty soon could be December 2019. Although by then John Cusack might have to time whatever I end up scribbling). I’ll just say Noh Hee-Kyung.
eh… mistook quote for edit. And I see a giant sign with Mexican moka vendors pointing me to the vending machine. Yeah…
I saw the first episode of Return of Iljimae ages ago and didn’t like it (that giant…). It’s in my to-watch pile, though, mostly cuz so many of my pals seem to love it.
Can’t wait to read what you think about Friend! (That reminds me, I need to buy the Friend DVD.) Also, I’m ready for WW whenever you are.
I think I stopped at episode five or something like that?
X: SQUEE!
Can’t wait for that! Your hard work is greatly appreciated!
nice list Thundie…I think we both started watching Kdramas at the same year, 2002. and I noticed that all the good dramas that you rated were melodramas, which I agree sinceare more excellently written (though still there are exceptions). Anyway upon seeing your list, I think I should really at least bookmark all the dramas I’ve seen since 2002, I keep losing track of it lately..
Dearest, I love this rating thingy. But I love the previous one too. I hope if you may you still keep that pages and make this one in another pages.
Just a suggestion.
Oh and yes, I have watched almost 7 years. Not that I watched every years since but I started at 2003/04.
Hi Thundie, I am only a recent K-drama addict, I’m currently watching Brilliant Legacy, and I have to say from what I’ve seen so far, I’m loving it! I’ve recently watched Boys Over Flowers, and I noticed you don’t have it on your list.
Just want to know your opinions on it. =) PS I loved that BOF, that’s what got me into K-Drama! =)
Hmm..found an official Korean boxset of More Beautiful Than a Flower for $80. Your rating and reviews make me wonder if I should buy it!
Hi Tamni
Sorry for the very late reply!
I’ve not watched BOF so have not seen the Lee Min-ho magic, alas.
Hi Kristal
Oh, MBTAF is absolutely worth every penny of that $80! It’s the best family drama that I’ve ever watched. It’ll change the way you view your family, plus… the cast is superb. Kim Myung-min!!!!
More Beautiful than a Flower is a classic. Great cast and good writing and a plot that you will want to embroider towards the ending. why didn’t they ..do this? why not that?.. and so forth. Rooting for them all the way. I would watch this once a year.
I’m always glad when I see someone else who doesn’t rate Winter Sonata highly (I give it a 0) or rate Coffee Prince so highly (for me it’s a 6 for 6 good episodes (7-12)).
I haven’t seen nearly as many dramas as you have but I can already suss out your taste
Hi Thundie Unni, how are you?
just run through your list..and glad that you gave 9 and 9.5 to my favorite dramas MISA, GOODBYE SOLO and ALONE IN LOVE
) been planning to watch DEVIL, ROYOW, and La Dolce Vita. but have not yet found the DVDs here in KL..
Hi Thundie,
Well I know ou did something haiku-ish on Road no1 and I commented but no way can I fid it again.
Well never mind. I think you were very brave to make that heroic attempt.
It’s too late now to write anything. Eyes closing but I will come back again an try to navigate properly.
Blessings. Peg
I’m really serious about Sunkyunkwan scandal, comrades, and harvest villa rating…..
I would give a Gold Medal to SKKS. One of the best made dramas for a long time. Not just for the lovely young actors but for the seniors also. Well balanced casting.
It all started about 4 years ago when a friend suggest that I watch this Korean drama, starring a really hot guy. Yes, it’s Song Seung Heon! So, in the order of when I viewed the drama (not its air date), here are my ratings:
Autumn Tale – 8/10
Summer Scent (partial viewing – only fast-forwarded to scenes of Song Seung Heon but then stopped when I realized his shaggy hair and colourful wardrobe wasn’t going to change any time soon. Storywise, it was both ridiculously contrived and boring.)
Winter Sonata (partial viewing – just wasn’t into Yonsama. Storywise, it was too “melodrama” for my liking.)
Spring Waltz (partial viewing – just watched this for the sake of completing the four seasons.)
Fast forward 3 years later and I somehow picked up another drama…and then another one…
Coffee Prince – 7/10
Alone in Love – 8/10
Personal Preference (partial viewing – abandoned at mid-point due to Lee Min Ho’s wooden acting and Son Ye Jin’s annoying character.)
and then another one…and I’ve finally reached my final destination, also known as UhmTaeWoongland.
Resurrection – 10/10
Queen Seon Deok – 8/10 (up to episode 50)
Queen Seon Deok extension – 2/10 (remainder 62 episodes)
Mawang (partial – only watched first 4 episodes for UTW)
Dr. Champ – 7/10
I think that’s it for me. All my free time has been sucked up by Kdramas and I wouldn’t want to end up “a goner”. Peace out!
thundie…. giant has end this week… I’m glad if u decide make this awsome dama a review, please please please….
I love this drama more than comrades did to me
I love this drama to bits….
T___T OMG wiggygreggy, I’ve seen too many ratings about Mawang already from diff. people and I never read a single one that spoiled anything. I love the first few episodes, but I just couldn’t finish it because of school/work… I’m intending to continue watching soon and I really had to see here that you spoiled what happened to Uhm Tae Woong. Argh. Just nice. x__x Hope you wouldn’t do it again.
Hi Maia
I’ve deleted the Mawang spoiler. Hope you don’t stay mad at wiggygreggy, thanks!
I’d like to see you write some in depth reviews on some of these dramas, particularly Immortal Yi Soon Shin, my very first one.
whah. I can’t believe you rate coffee house 5. haha HAve you finished watching it? I wonders if it’s because Jin SOo’ character…
But I’m curious want to know your reason why you rate secret garden higher than city hall..? It seems alot of people love city hall more.
how come u only give Smile, You 7 rating and Strongest Chil Woo 7.5? I think i could rate Smile, You a little higher compared to SCW, coz that drama, is full of crap, there’s only Yoo Ah In there that I managed to watched till the end, but i really don’t like it….
Hi thundie,
So far I give it about an 8.5 but I think it has a way to go yet so may change.
Made it back. I am still floating on the air of Sungkyungkwan Scandal. Lovely drama with an interesting plot that was close enough tp historical possibility for me. The leads were delicious and they all blended so well as pals and co-conspirators and students. The older experienced actors made a solid base for all the devious plotting. One I can watch over again more than twice.I give it a 10
For something really different I am just finishing the last episodes of ‘Flames of Desire’. Such a drama…! Strong cast and interesting settings. lush chaebol houses and all that money and power being coveted by devious daughters in law. It is one drama to be watched carefully because lots of twists and turns and much emotiional storm. I love it but I can see where many young watchers would hate it and drop it. Must say the last episode but one or two gets a little ‘Oh get on with it and die’. However I want to see how it ends because it is still very uncertain for the watcher. I give it a 9.0
‘Royal Family’ is great to watch. Just seeing all that power in the houses and buildings makes you realise that there are people in the world who honestly do not know how rich they are. ( Many of the guests at the recent Royal Wedding in UK are actually decendants of Croesus I am sure.)
In the drama it seems that wealth can definitely be an anchor around the neck. Several in the cast can be loathed with glee. They are all tainted by greed it seems. Good Stuff to watch.
City Hunter and Lie to Me are top dramas currently.
lie to me all the way…seriously showed how two actors litrallly saved the WHOLE f***kin drama… jus love to prove the film industry that it is all about the people on the reel n not behind the scenes
re Royal Family …Well it certainly did not live up to the early promise for me. It started out to be a well oiled mystery with powerful and mostly evil people. I thought there might be a hero or heroine emerging but it was not to be. Everyone in this drama had an axe to grind and most of them had truly been quite immoral or illegal or unethical and plain criminal. I did not understand the ending at all and have no idea who won… if they did anyway. I would give it a four just for the plushy scenery and the interior designs.
I just saw the beginning of City Hunter. I loved the beginning and loved Lee Min Ho as Jungle Boy. He looked marvellous and was very physical and ferocious. Then what happened. He suddenly shot off to Korea and then to US and lo and behold he had a doctorate from M.I.T !!???
All in a short seven years and he didn’t speak English?? Now, of all things we see him entering the Blue House with apparently a good and serious job. Of course he bumps into our heroine who is also becoming a bodyguard there. Plus we have insufferable daughter of the Pres. Haven’t I seen this plot before with an insufferable son of the Pres. ? I really don’t know if I want to follow this drama.
I am also not much taken with The Greatest Love. It seems a bit silly to me. The lead actor is a good actor in drama usually but he doesn’t have the touch or timing for comedy.
I am rewatching an old drama called Age of Warriors. It is the essence of early Korean wars and there are so many actors who are easily recognised and some who are much younger and I suddenly saw Ha Jung Woo all dolled up in warrior costume and he was playing the younger son of the fiercest leader trying to oust the Emperor and take over. I think this drama has a few hundred episodes and it is running around midnight and one a.m so I don’t always stay awake….
Not too many watchable dramas recently. Nit picking again…..
PS I didn’t care for Beethoven’s Virus either. Maybe a 2 and that only for the older members of the orchestra.
I just discovered this website recently, but it has already proved very helpful for my K-drama needs (thanks a lot for the recommendation on “Joseon X-Files”, which was great!). I’m well versed in theatrical films from Japan, South Korea, and China/Hong Kong (2,000+ under my belt), but I’ve only seen a few dozen K-dramas. Fortunately, I’ve enjoyed the vast majority that I’ve seen thus far. I think my top 5 are “Jumong”, “Dae Jang Geum”, “Iris”, “Brilliant Legacy”, and “Joseon X-Files.”
hi thundie, I can’t wait to see your rating for city hunter
Hahas ….
city hunter and lie to me aren’t that great. 5 should be enough
Anyone who could give Dae Jang Geum only 6.5 must not be right in the head, or rather the heart.
I know, right? Next to The Teletubbies and Sesame Street, it was the most intellectual piece of television I’d ever seen at the time. I’m sure you agree.
I am still trying to watch and finish THE PRINCES’ MAN. something about this drama is just too emotional for me and I cannot watch a whole episode all the way through. Crazy, but there it is. I really love this drama and all the cast. The seniors are great and the main couple are delightful. I think Park Shi Hu has at last got his teeth into a strong role and he is really showing cast acting depth. The history is there but the writers have switched some of the characters around which bothered me at first but not any more. The story is the thing that will get your heart.