10 Greatest K-Drama TV Masterpieces of the 21st Century, Ranked

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Published Oct 10, 2026, 1:04 PM EDT

Dyah (pronounced Dee-yah) is a Senior Author at Collider, responsible for both writing and transcription duties. She joined the website in 2022 as a Resource Writer before stepping into her current role in April 2023. As a Senior Author, she writes Features and Lists covering TV, music, and movies, making her a true Jill of all trades. In addition to her writing, Dyah also serves as an interview transcriber, primarily for events such as San Diego Comic-Con, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival.

Dyah graduated from Satya Wacana Christian University in October 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, concentrating on Creative Writing. On March 2026, Dyah graduated with Master's degree in English Literature Studies, with a thesis on intersectionality in postcolonial-feminist studies in Asian literary works.

Born and raised between Indonesia and Singapore, Dyah is no stranger to different cultures. She now resides in the small town of Kendal with her husband and four cats, where she spends her free time cooking or cycling.

Many K-dramas have stood the test of time, but only a select few have earned their rightful place as masterpieces. K-dramas have been a part of Korean television since the post-war era, and over the years, these dramas have evolved to reflect the generations they come from.

Today, K-dramas continue to build on the story tropes established by their predecessors while putting their own spin on them. From mixing genres and experimenting with different characters to challenging societal expectations, modern K-dramas have found new ways to tell familiar stories. From a satire of academic obsession to a slice-of-life series celebrating the beauty of ordinary life, here are the 10 greatest K-drama TV masterpieces of the 21st century, ranked.

10 'Boys Over Flowers' (2009)

Jun-Pyo & Jan-di sitting together and laughing about being locked in a mall overnight in Boys Over Flowers.

If there’s one universally beloved K-drama responsible for the 21st-century Korean Wave, it’s Boys Over Flowers. After saving a student from suicide, Geum Jan-di (Koo Hye-sun) earns a scholarship to elite Shinhwa High. It doesn’t take long for the powerful F4 gang to notice Jan-di, who becomes their bullying target because of her working-class background. But Jan-di isn’t one to be underestimated.

From rich boy vs. poor girl to enemies-to-lovers, Boys Over Flowers packs in nearly every K-drama trope that would define the genre. Its outrageous twists, larger-than-life characters, and messy romance make it an addictive teen melodrama. At the heart of all that chaos, however, is Jan-di, whose refusal to bow to the entitled F4 transforms her into the ultimate underdog.

9 'Winter Sonata' (2002)

The cast of Winter Sonata wearing winter clothing and smiling at the camera with trees behind.

Winter Sonata follows Joon-sang (Bae Yong-jun) and Yoo-jin (Choi Ji-woo), two high school students whose romance is cut short when Joon-sang gets into a devastating accident. Although he survives, he loses his memories, including everything he experienced in Korea and his relationship with Yoo-jin. Ten years later, the two reunite, but neither realizes just how closely their pasts are connected.

Before the 21st century, K-dramas were famous for stories of loss and heartbreak. Winter Sonata retained the melodrama of the ’90s while adding a trendier Y2K touch through its youthful fashion, polished visuals, and modern Seoul setting. Its simpler approach gives room for the heartbreak to take the spotlight, with the cast delivering genuine performances as two unfortunate lovers.

8 'Princess Hours' (2006)

Yoon Eun-hye, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Jeong-hoon, and Song Ji-hyo drinking champagne in Goong aka Princess Hours.

In Princess Hours, ordinary art student Shin Chae-kyeong (Yoon Eun-hye) is far from princess material. However, her world changes overnight when she is betrothed to Crown Prince Lee Shin (Ju Ji-hoon), a cold and arrogant heir she has little interest in. Forced into an arranged marriage, the unlikely couple must play the perfect pretend couple while struggling to see eye to eye.

Princess Hours changed how audiences viewed royalty. While these kinds of stories are often told through a Western lens, the genre-defining K-drama offered a glimpse into a fictional modern South Korean monarchy. Its unique traditions and customs set it apart, showing how Korean royalty, especially the younger generations, might balance centuries-old expectations with the realities of modern life.

7 'SKY Castle' (2018–2019)

Kim Seo-hyung sits and talks to a male student in Sky Castle.

SKY Castle offers a microscopic look at South Korea’s upper-class society, where status is measured not only by wealth but by how successfully parents raise their children. For these families, that means securing admission to the country’s elite SKY universities. As academic success becomes the ultimate measure of prestige, parents will do almost anything to guarantee their children a future among the privileged.

Good education is one thing, but SKY Castle turns society’s obsession with Korea’s three most prestigious universities into something feverish. As parents weaponize tutors, bribery, manipulation, and deception, their academic ambitions push children to the brink. Straight As and acceptance letters become meaningless when pursued at the cost of morality, happiness, and human empathy.

6 'Hospital Playlist' (2020–2021)

The 'Hospital Playlist' cast is looking forward and smiling side by side.

Working in the medical field is no joke, but Hospital Playlist proves that happiness can still be found even when lives are at stake. Five doctors first became friends during medical school and, now in their forties, continue working together at Yulje Medical Centre. Despite specializing in different fields, their decades-long friendship remains the heart of their lives.

Hospital Playlist combines the gravity of Grey’s Anatomy with the lighthearted sitcom appeal of St. Denis Medical, creating a medical K-drama show about adult friendship in one of the most demanding professions. The medical cases carry real weight, and failed surgeries can leave doctors grieving. Yet even in those difficult moments, their friendship provides the support they need to keep going.

5 'The Glory' (2022–2023)

A man holds Song Hye-kyo's wrist in The Glory

Years after enduring horrific abuse at the hands of her classmates, Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) returns as an adult with one goal: making every person responsible pay. Rather than confronting them head-on, she patiently waits for the perfect moment to strike, manipulating their relationships and exposing their darkest secrets. With years spent preparing for this moment, Dong-eun refuses to let the wealthy intimidate her again.

The Glory is the ultimate anti-heroine K-drama. There’s nothing more admirable than standing up to your bullies, but Dong-eun’s quest for revenge is complicated. Despite the righteous purpose behind her vengeance, the pain she has endured for years never truly goes away. The Glory isn’t just about revenge, but whether revenge can ever bring true satisfaction, even when the perpetrators deserve to pay.

4 'Goblin' (2016–2017)

Eun-tak and Kim Shin taking a stroll together in Goblin.

Centuries after being betrayed and killed by his king, immortal warrior Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) lives as a “dokkaebi” (goblin), waiting for his destined bride to end his endless life. His fate changes when cheerful high schooler Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), who can see ghosts, summons him. Their unlikely companionship soon becomes a bittersweet journey of fate, love, and sacrifice.

Goblin goes all in on Korean folklore and mythology, but the story is more about how fate is at the center of everything, especially the question of whether we can actually change what’s meant to happen. It’s through Shin’s immortality that audiences learn how valuable life is, especially when it’s temporary. Knowing death can come at any moment makes the characters’ time together feel even more meaningful in this modern K-drama now considered a classic.

3 'Reply 1988' (2015–2016)

The cast of 1988 eating chicken on a bedroom floor in Reply 1988.

Reply 1988 follows five childhood friends as they grow up together in Seoul’s Ssangmun-dong neighborhood in the late 1980s. With their close-knit families always around, they deal with school, first loves, family problems, and all the awkwardness that comes with growing up, while also experiencing a South Korea caught between its traditional roots and the fast-changing modern world.

Reply 1988 is one of the K-dramas that helped popularize the slice-of-life format, finding beauty in the ordinary moments that make up family life. But those moments aren’t always happy. Behind the laughter, shared meals, and everyday routines are disappointments, sacrifices, and heartbreak. Love and pain can coexist, even among our loved ones.

2 'Squid Game' (2021–2025)

Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) in 'Squid Game' Season 1.

It’s a different type of competition in Squid Game. Deeply indebted gambler Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) accepts an invitation to compete in a mysterious series of children’s games for a life-changing cash prize. Alongside 455 other desperate contestants, he soon discovers that losing means death, with every elimination increasing the jackpot.

It’s not every day that a K-drama becomes a global Netflix phenomenon. Squid Game takes the innocence of childhood games and turns them into a deadly fight for survival, shocking viewers with every bloody twist. Yet the real thrill comes from the alliances and betrayals that follow, keeping viewers invested in who will hold onto their integrity and who will stab them in the back.

1 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' (2025)

A young man stands next to a young woman wearing a headscarf on a boat in When Life Gives You Tangerines.

Growing up on 1950s Jeju Island, Ae-sun (IU) and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum) couldn’t be more different in When Life Gives You Tangerines. Ae-sun is a rebellious dreamer with a deep love for poetry, while Gwan-sik is quiet, practical, and far less comfortable expressing himself. Despite their differences, Gwan-sik’s feelings for Ae-sun run deep, more than he’d like to admit.

Following a 70-year romance, When Life Gives You Tangerines is arguably one of the most ambitious love stories in K-drama. The series stays true to its title by balancing the sweetness and bitterness of life. One minute, you’ll find yourself smiling at Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s youthful banter. But as the decades pass through one of Korea’s most devastating periods, painful realities can shatter their happiness in mere seconds.