Here are seven K-dramas that dominated both ratings and buzz in 2024.
Marry My Husband
Based on a web novel of the same name, tvN’s Marry My Husband is a fantasy drama where Kang Ji Won (Park Min Young) is murdered after witnessing the affair between her friend (Song Ha Yoon) and husband (Lee Yi Kyung), only to travel back in time for a second chance at life and revenge. Even before airing, the drama created significant buzz with stills showing Park Min Young’s dramatic weight loss for her terminal illness role. Lee Yi Kyung and Song Ha Yoon drew viewers’ ire with their reprehensible behavior, which interestingly contrasts with Na In Woo‘s character, who also breaks free from toxic entanglement in his second life. The drama peaked at 12% viewership.
The Judge from Hell
SBS’s The Judge from Hell follows Kang Bit Na (Park Shin Hye), a demon possessing a judge’s body who punishes unrepentant criminals. True to its premise of making perpetrators experience the same suffering they inflicted on their victims, the show featured numerous intense scenes that, while graphic, enhanced viewer immersion. Park Shin Hye earned praise for her piercing gaze and action sequences as an avenging force, as well as her emotional portrayal of a demon gradually experiencing human emotions. The drama reached 13.6% ratings.
Connection
While there have been many dramas about fighting drug trafficking rings, SBS’s Connection stood out with its unique premise of a narcotics detective becoming addicted to drugs. Detective Chang Jae Kyung (Ji Sung) and journalist Oh Yoon Jin (Jeon Mi Do) are estranged high school classmates. They reunite at their friend Park Jun Seo’s (Yoon Na Moo) funeral and begin tracking a “drug connection” tied to the case, with the story delivering twist after twist until the end. The series peaked at 14.2% viewership.
Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born
tvN’s Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born tells the story of Yoon Jeong Nyeon (Kim Tae Ri), a naturally gifted singer pursuing her dream of becoming the greatest performer at the traditional theater. The drama showcased diverse entertainment through the performances of the Maeran Theater Company members, including Yoon Jeong Nyeon, her rival Heo Young Seo (Shin Ye Eun), and Moon Ok Kyung (Jung Eun Chae), who first recognizes Jeong Nyeon’s talent. Based on a webtoon about “women’s traditional opera,” a popular post-Korean War entertainment form in the 1950s, the drama faced some criticism for the changes during the adaptation but achieved impressive ratings of 16.5%.
Good Partner
SBS’s Good Partner is a legal office drama centering on star divorce lawyer Cha Eun Kyung (Jang Na Ra) and rookie attorney Han Yu Ri (Nam Ji Hyun). When Cha Eun Kyung, who specializes in handling others’ divorces, faces her own marriage crisis due to her husband’s infidelity, the show realistically portrays her struggles as a mother and daughter. The developing bond between Cha Eun Kyung and Han Yu Ri as they become true “good partners” was particularly compelling. Jang Na Ra won the grand prize for her role in the 2024 SBS Drama Award, and the show peaked at 17.7% ratings.
Knight Flower
MBC’s Knight Flower is a comedic historical drama following Jo Yeo Hwa (Lee Ha Nee), who leads a double life as a widow by day and a masked hero by night. Lee Ha Nee convincingly portrayed both sides of Yeo Hwa—submissively following Joseon-era expectations for widows during daylight while leaping over walls at night to dispatch villains as a female assassin. The satisfying ending showed her taking revenge as an assassin in place of her brother. The series reached 18.4% viewership.
Queen of Tears
tvN’s Queen of Tears follows Baek Hyun Woo (Kim Soo Hyun), a small-town man who married into a chaebol family, and Hong Hae In (Kim Ji Won), a third-generation chaebol heiress, as they face a crisis in their third year of marriage. While some viewers criticized the clichéd terminal illness plot and the portrayal of incompetent chaebol characters, the solid acting and chemistry between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won drew positive responses. The drama achieved 24.9% ratings, surpassing Crash Landing on You to become tvN’s highest-rated drama ever. It also ranked in Netflix’s TOP 10 in 69 countries.
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Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
