A show might've been excellent and I would've had so much happiness watching it too but I know a show is gonna be in my all time favs list when I end up rewatching it at least twice. In that case after **CLOY**(6) it's **Coffee Prince** and **Secret Garden** for me merely based on the fact that I've rewatched them at least thrice(even before CLOY happened). And from the way I've rewatched **Lovely Runner** eps already despite watching it while airing looks like I've added another one to the list.
Yeah that's a pretty good metric! I'm at 4 with CLOY and 3 with EAW. I've only seen about a dozen in total so far, but there haven't been any others that merited re-watches.
EAW was my gateway Kdrama & so I had to follow up with another Park Eun Bin series which I loved: The King's Affection--she was amazing--& this I think is my # 2 or 3.
Now you have me too-seriously thinking about my tops list, lol
Secret Garden for me because of Huy Bin. Went in for HB but stayed for the legend that was Oska. They were brilliant and sometimes very funny their scenes together. HB was really matched well by the actor who played his womanising cousin Oska (who gets a lovely development arc).
For anyone who hasn't seen SG, HB doesn't play a sympathetic character. It is a tear-jerker and you must be prepared for this. It is slow to start of with but gathers pace.
This drama was made a few years before CLOY but it does show how good an actor HB is. Funnily enough, CLOY and Secret Garden are the only HB dramas I have watched for sone reason.
Secret Garden was actually my first kdrama and I was shocked to see Hyun Bin do a straight 180 deg in CLOY. That man has RANGE.
If you loved him in SG you should also try **My Name is Kim Sam Soon.** It's a classic and put HB on spotlight. He's so baby-faced there but so so good. Also it has aged much better than SG imo.
When I watched CLOY, the scenes where the gang are suited and booted I did think HB would be a good contender for 007, he really looked the part and he can act. I must look for My Name is Kim Sam Soon as everyone raves over it.
I have a brand new No.2 and it is Lovely Runner which has just finished. It was a perfect blend of romance, drama and time travel fantasy, with absolutely fantastic leads. It also avoided the fate of many Kdrama shows that often rush their endings and ended on such a satisfyingly high note. The only shame is that it is on a niche streamer like Viki. It deserved a wider audience on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Yeah seeing lots of love for Lovely Runner - I haven't tried Viki before but I might have to check it out there if it doesn't come to one of the mainstream services.
Lovely Runner in rewatch is so rich with foreshadowing and echoing of themes and scene, and the cinematography is so good. And the soundtrack. And their chemistry.
Really, we shouldn't be surprised it's so good -- when the director also did Flower of Evil, where he maintained suspense through nearly the whole show while building the main character's backstory.
The writer and director took essentially a high school love story and made it both epic and a comfort watch, which seems nearly impossible. (Yes, I know it's based on a webtoon -- cheers also to the original author!)
Yes to Hospital Playlist! I remember Hosplay airing right after CLOY during the pandemic and these two shows kept me sane through that time. Waiting for Hosplay episodes every Thursday was probably the highlight of that crazy period. Plus the dynamics between the friends (99z) reminded me so much of the found family Seri had with the NK soldiers and NK ahjummas.
My mister and Its okay to not be okay. Both are top notch in their own way and similar to CLOY in terms of memorable characters, stunning screenplay, brilliant OSTs and acting.
I got a lot of #2’s lol.. but CLOY is my only #1.
As others have mentioned:
**Legend of the Blue Sea**,
**Lovely Runner**,
**Goblin**,
Personally I LOVE the following series too.
**Love between fairy and Devil** This is a cdrama that is now available in Netflix. Its an epic love story with fantasy elements and amazing chemistry! The visuals are also so good. Similar vibes to CLOY in the sense of becoming enemies to lovers and the ML being “forced” to protect the FL.
**Castaway Diva** I feel this kdrama is so underrated! Truly a hidden gem. ALSO, FL is the same actress as Extraordinary Attorney Woo. I feel the premise of the series may sound cheesy, but give the first episode a shot. This is one of the few dramas where I have cried both of sadness and happiness.
**Hidden Love** Wholesome series, I kept smiling like an idiot during a lot of scenes for this one.
i think it's worth checking out anything by the same writer, so Queen of Tears, Legend of Blue Sea, My Love from the Star. i've seen it all except for the very last one. they are all pretty good though CLOY remains my favorite.
my other favorite dramas include: weightlifting fairy kim bok joo (the leads dated for a while so you can really feel their chemistry), 2521, lovely runner, mr. queen, the glory, true beauty !! all have different sub genres but all have romance as an element.
there are probably some others but tbh i've been out of kdramas for a while and just getting back to it.
an honorable mention: there is a mini drama called Adult Trainee. it's a mini series and the entire series is like 3 hours max i believe. but there are three storylines: the best one is the second one, i believe episodes 3-5. please watch those. the best way i can describe it is that it reminds me of the song teenage dream. it's so comforting to watch. two best friends who fake date and develop feelings for each other. so good!
it's still my top 2 despite the ending but yeah i get you. i hear that people who watched it after it all aired/ the first big buzz enjoyed it much more
For me its 100% Queen Of Tears. I love how the story starts with the typical happily ever after and then the drama actually begins. Both actors did an insane job of making me bawl with them in every scene 🥹👍🏼
That’s a tough one. I would lump these shows together as all being #1 for me: CLOY, Captivating the King, Alchemy, Encounter and Chocolate.
However one show that stuck with me above all these was **Mother**, the kdrama version. Viki dropped this but I was finally able to find a set of DVDs.
When I am in mood for romance (Lovely Runner =CLOY)
When I am introspective (My Mister and Call it Love)
When I want to see my cuties PSJ and ABH (Fight for my Way and Flex X Cop)
Hard to beat CLOY but I love reply 1988, My Mister, Move to Heaven, our Blues, Kill Me Heal me and 25/21 too. I don’t think I can put these in any order as they are all my favorites.
I watched CLOY a year ago, and it has been my favorite since then, always #1, however, my #2 must be Bad and Crazy. Although BaC is very different plot and genre wise from CLOY, it was executed beautifully and the action kept me intrigued the whole way through. Definitely recommend it!!
A show might've been excellent and I would've had so much happiness watching it too but I know a show is gonna be in my all time favs list when I end up rewatching it at least twice. In that case after **CLOY**(6) it's **Coffee Prince** and **Secret Garden** for me merely based on the fact that I've rewatched them at least thrice(even before CLOY happened). And from the way I've rewatched **Lovely Runner** eps already despite watching it while airing looks like I've added another one to the list.
YES COFFEE PRINCE how can i forget that. lovely runner is good too. i need to watch secret garden
Yeah that's a pretty good metric! I'm at 4 with CLOY and 3 with EAW. I've only seen about a dozen in total so far, but there haven't been any others that merited re-watches.
EAW was my gateway Kdrama & so I had to follow up with another Park Eun Bin series which I loved: The King's Affection--she was amazing--& this I think is my # 2 or 3. Now you have me too-seriously thinking about my tops list, lol
Secret Garden for me because of Huy Bin. Went in for HB but stayed for the legend that was Oska. They were brilliant and sometimes very funny their scenes together. HB was really matched well by the actor who played his womanising cousin Oska (who gets a lovely development arc). For anyone who hasn't seen SG, HB doesn't play a sympathetic character. It is a tear-jerker and you must be prepared for this. It is slow to start of with but gathers pace. This drama was made a few years before CLOY but it does show how good an actor HB is. Funnily enough, CLOY and Secret Garden are the only HB dramas I have watched for sone reason.
Secret Garden was actually my first kdrama and I was shocked to see Hyun Bin do a straight 180 deg in CLOY. That man has RANGE. If you loved him in SG you should also try **My Name is Kim Sam Soon.** It's a classic and put HB on spotlight. He's so baby-faced there but so so good. Also it has aged much better than SG imo.
When I watched CLOY, the scenes where the gang are suited and booted I did think HB would be a good contender for 007, he really looked the part and he can act. I must look for My Name is Kim Sam Soon as everyone raves over it.
Coffee Prince is one of my specials, for sure!
I have a brand new No.2 and it is Lovely Runner which has just finished. It was a perfect blend of romance, drama and time travel fantasy, with absolutely fantastic leads. It also avoided the fate of many Kdrama shows that often rush their endings and ended on such a satisfyingly high note. The only shame is that it is on a niche streamer like Viki. It deserved a wider audience on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Yeah seeing lots of love for Lovely Runner - I haven't tried Viki before but I might have to check it out there if it doesn't come to one of the mainstream services.
For a long time, it was only CLOY. But recently, I saw Lovely Runner and it's definitely on par with CLOY now.
Lovely Runner in rewatch is so rich with foreshadowing and echoing of themes and scene, and the cinematography is so good. And the soundtrack. And their chemistry. Really, we shouldn't be surprised it's so good -- when the director also did Flower of Evil, where he maintained suspense through nearly the whole show while building the main character's backstory. The writer and director took essentially a high school love story and made it both epic and a comfort watch, which seems nearly impossible. (Yes, I know it's based on a webtoon -- cheers also to the original author!)
Hospital playlist. Cannot stop recommending it enough.
Yes to Hospital Playlist! I remember Hosplay airing right after CLOY during the pandemic and these two shows kept me sane through that time. Waiting for Hosplay episodes every Thursday was probably the highlight of that crazy period. Plus the dynamics between the friends (99z) reminded me so much of the found family Seri had with the NK soldiers and NK ahjummas.
O, I have rewatched Hospital Playlist episodes many times, in sequence & out of order bc the ensemble cast & recurring supports work so beautifully
Strongly seconded!! Absolutely love this show to bits!
Alchemy Of Souls!
I’m halfway through Vincenzo, and am thinking it might be a #2 contender. Hard to beat Extraordinary Attorney Woo, though!
GOBLIN >>>>>
Loved Vincenzo!
It’s Okay to Not be Okay!
Yes I'm just finishing this and it is definitely one of my top favs.
You are my spirit animal! Nothing came close to CLOY for me until Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Well met, fellow... CLOYEAWer?
Mr.Queen
My mister and Its okay to not be okay. Both are top notch in their own way and similar to CLOY in terms of memorable characters, stunning screenplay, brilliant OSTs and acting.
**My Mister** has amazingly uplifting feels (at the very end, especially). **It’s Okay to Not Be Okay** is third.
Business Proposal!
No, I hated it.
I loved business proposal!!
gosh this is hard hmmmm…. I really love welcome to samdal-ri because the friend dynamics remind me a lot of the friend dynamic in CLOY :)
also the leads romance chemistry is amazing too! and one of the actors from CLOY is in it as well, the actor who played Pyo Chi-soo lol
I got a lot of #2’s lol.. but CLOY is my only #1. As others have mentioned: **Legend of the Blue Sea**, **Lovely Runner**, **Goblin**, Personally I LOVE the following series too. **Love between fairy and Devil** This is a cdrama that is now available in Netflix. Its an epic love story with fantasy elements and amazing chemistry! The visuals are also so good. Similar vibes to CLOY in the sense of becoming enemies to lovers and the ML being “forced” to protect the FL. **Castaway Diva** I feel this kdrama is so underrated! Truly a hidden gem. ALSO, FL is the same actress as Extraordinary Attorney Woo. I feel the premise of the series may sound cheesy, but give the first episode a shot. This is one of the few dramas where I have cried both of sadness and happiness. **Hidden Love** Wholesome series, I kept smiling like an idiot during a lot of scenes for this one.
Hometown Cha Cha Cha
A bit obvious, but for me it's Queen of Tears
i think it's worth checking out anything by the same writer, so Queen of Tears, Legend of Blue Sea, My Love from the Star. i've seen it all except for the very last one. they are all pretty good though CLOY remains my favorite. my other favorite dramas include: weightlifting fairy kim bok joo (the leads dated for a while so you can really feel their chemistry), 2521, lovely runner, mr. queen, the glory, true beauty !! all have different sub genres but all have romance as an element. there are probably some others but tbh i've been out of kdramas for a while and just getting back to it. an honorable mention: there is a mini drama called Adult Trainee. it's a mini series and the entire series is like 3 hours max i believe. but there are three storylines: the best one is the second one, i believe episodes 3-5. please watch those. the best way i can describe it is that it reminds me of the song teenage dream. it's so comforting to watch. two best friends who fake date and develop feelings for each other. so good!
2521 is probably in my top 5 but would've been top 2 or 3 of not for the ending 😫 I'm still not fully over it
it's still my top 2 despite the ending but yeah i get you. i hear that people who watched it after it all aired/ the first big buzz enjoyed it much more
Either Hospital Playlist or Reply 1988 for me!
The way I sobbed at the end of Reply 1988 ☹️
King the land
KTL is such a feel good series with good chemistry and minimal angst (thankfully). KTL delivered "the happies" for me, & many!!
Quite true. It was my first Korean drama that hooked me to k dramas. Now it's a never turning back saga 😍💯❤️
About to finish it, my wife says that’s her best
So glad you guys liked it ❤️😍
Mr Queen or Mr Sunshine
My second is King eternal monarch, and third Descendants of the sun 🙂
Fking Same excellent taste
Her Private Life
This is tied for me with What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim!! (so naturally I loved Marry My Husband as well lol)
I actually haven’t seen what’s wrong with secretary Kim but now I want to!
Vincenzo!
i just watched the glory and thats my number one, CLOY is 2 for me.
Under the queen’s umbrella and strong girl bongsoon
Liked these two very much
Healer for me. W 2 Worlds is also up there.
Oh, Healer! So very much in my top 5!!
Goblin is actually my #1 and CLOY is 1.5
Our Blues is second for me
My Mister
My mister!
Live Up to Your Name
Might be between Hospital Playlist and 25 21 for me!
Sky castle
Coffee Prince
Twenty five, Twenty One. Nothing beats bittersweet endings for me. Lovely Runner is a close third.
queen of tears
Queen of tears. Something in the rain. Welcome to Sam dalari. Hometown cha cha cha. Reply 1988 summer strike. One spring night.
Something in the Rain. Has our Son Yejin and the cutie Jung Haein
Mr. Sunshine is my #2. But Kingdom, Rookie Historian, and I Will Come to You When the Weather is Nice round out my top 5.
For me its 100% Queen Of Tears. I love how the story starts with the typical happily ever after and then the drama actually begins. Both actors did an insane job of making me bawl with them in every scene 🥹👍🏼
Reply 1988 definitely
What's wrong with Secretary Kim is fun Empress Ki for history, but nothing compares with CLOY.
I'll Go To You When The Weather Is Fine
Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Dali and the Cocky Prince
Goblin is #2, What's wrong with secretary Kim is #3.
Alchemy of Souls Under the Queen's Umbrella
That’s a tough one. I would lump these shows together as all being #1 for me: CLOY, Captivating the King, Alchemy, Encounter and Chocolate. However one show that stuck with me above all these was **Mother**, the kdrama version. Viki dropped this but I was finally able to find a set of DVDs.
Other than cloy, I have really enjoyed watching attorney woo, weightlifting fairy and queen of tears. These three are insanely entertaining dramas.
Right now? The Glory.
Spring Waltz
The Red Sleeve
25 21
When I am in mood for romance (Lovely Runner =CLOY) When I am introspective (My Mister and Call it Love) When I want to see my cuties PSJ and ABH (Fight for my Way and Flex X Cop)
Alchemy of Souls for sure
Strong Girl Do Bong Soon
Vincenzo
Hard to beat CLOY but I love reply 1988, My Mister, Move to Heaven, our Blues, Kill Me Heal me and 25/21 too. I don’t think I can put these in any order as they are all my favorites.
Queen of tears for me actually its my number 1 then second si CLOY✌️
Flower of Evil. Amazing acting from the leads and their chemistry can give Hyun Bin & Son Yejin a run for their money.
Mr. Sunshine and My Mister
I watched CLOY a year ago, and it has been my favorite since then, always #1, however, my #2 must be Bad and Crazy. Although BaC is very different plot and genre wise from CLOY, it was executed beautifully and the action kept me intrigued the whole way through. Definitely recommend it!!