Top 3 Most watched Korean dramas of all time

This ranking of the highest-rated Korean dramas of all time is updated every time a new drama breaks a record and unseats another series. 16 out of 20 dramas on this list were broadcast on tvN and four of them were directed by one director. You’re an avid K-drama fan if you can guess the name of that PD before you scroll down this page!

3. Goblin (2016-2017) — 12.9%

Goblin is a global hit series that received critical acclaim and became a cultural phenomenon in South Korea. Starring Gong Yoo and Kim Go-eun, it is an interesting series with a fresh and unique story woven beautifully throughout each episode, about a goblin who seeks to end his cursed immortal life and the human bride who can stop his immortality.

The drama’s success is attributed to its creative plot and screenwriter who has a particular way of wooing the viewers into watching her show. Writer Kim Eun-sook won the Grand Prize at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards for this drama, while Gong Yoo took home the Best Actor award. The series recorded a peak rating of 18.7 percent.

2. Mr. Sunshine (2018) — 13.0%

Interestingly, Mr. Sunshine was directed and penned by the same director-writer pair who produced Goblin and the terrestrial series Descendants of the Sun. This period drama centers around a man (Lee Byung-hun) who is taken to the US as a child and returns home as an American Marine Corps officer during the time when foreign forces are threatening to colonize the land.

After his return to Joseon, he meets a noblewoman (Kim Tae-ri) and falls for her. Praised for its history-rich plots and particularly strong female characters, the series received critical acclaim and positive reviews from both critics and ordinary viewers.

The drama achieved a peak rating of 18.1% and became the top Korean drama in 2018 (beating 70 others) as far as the relative viewership performance is concerned. It is Sky Castle‘s biggest rival in the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.

1. The World of the Married (2020) — 18.8%

The World of the Married kicked off its broadcast with a bang when it became the highest-rated drama premiere of JTBC. Its second episode saw a jump in ratings to 10 percent, making it the first-ever JTBC series to hit double-digit ratings on the second episode.

The series stars Kim Hee-ae as a respected doctor whose relationship with her husband (Park Hae-joon) starts to fall apart after he betrays her. Many viewers described the first two episodes as amazing.

#Kdrama #Kdramamostrated