The Top Korean Dramas That Will... (And You’ll Love Every Second)

Sometimes you don't want a happy ending. You want a drama that will take your heart, shatter it, and leave you on the ground weeping with tears in your eyes — smiling, because it was that good. These Korean dramas don't just hurt — they devastate you in the best possible way. Every moment pulsates with longing, loss, or love that's too late. And yet, you'll watch until the very end, begging for more pain. If you're ready for dramas that destroy you (and you'll thank them for it), these 12 unforgettable masterpieces are waiting.

1. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

This is no romance — this is a legend in heartbreak. Hae Soo (IU) travels through time to the Goryeo Dynasty and falls in love with the feared 4th Prince (Lee Joon-gi). What follows is a maelstrom of palace politics, sacrifice, and heart-wrenching loss. It will ruin you. It sets out to ruin you. And it does.

2. The Light in Your Eyes (2019)

On the surface, it's a fantasy time-travel romance. But in its final few episodes, you get socked with a twist so emotionally resonant that it recontextualizes the entire series. This show sneaks up on you and then just completely devastates you — gently, beautifully, and completely.

3. Youth of May (2021)

Set against the background of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, this drama pulls you in with a sweet, tender romance… then breaks your heart into a million pieces under the weight of history. Lee Do-hyun and Go Min-si deliver career-defining performances in a tragedy that hits far too close to home.

4. My Mister (2018)

Not all pain stems from love. Sometimes it comes from loneliness, regret, and finding meaning in meaningless moments. IU and Lee Sun-kyun's unsettling connection will rip through your heart and stay there. This drama doesn't have to be flashy — it is quiet devastation.

5. Uncontrollably Fond (2016)

When Shin Joon-young (Kim Woo-bin) discovers he has a terminal illness, he hides it from the woman he fell in love with. What ensues is a poignant, poetic romance that unravels like a goodbye letter — every episode more heartbreaking than the last.

6. A Time Called You (2023)

This love across time goes beyond past and present, love and sorrow. Jeon Yeo-been and Ahn Hyo-seop create a love so powerful it tries to alter fate. But no matter how many timelines you chase, some heartbreaks are meant to happen. And they do hurt.

7. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (2018)

A romance, a mystery, and a psychological thrill ride all rolled into one. Seo In-guk's performance as a man with a dark history will have you falling in love with him — and fearing for him. The finale will shatter your heart in silence.

8. Chicago Typewriter (2017)

Two love stories — one in the present, one in 1930s Japanese-occupied Korea — connect through fate and reincarnation. It's a tale of friendship, loyalty, and a love that lasted lifetimes. When the truth about the past is revealed, it's a stab to the heart. And yet… it's beautiful.

9. Hi Bye, Mama! (2020)

When a woman is given 49 days of life again to see her daughter for the final time, every episode is like a countdown. Kim Tae-hee gives a heart-wrenching performance in this gut-wrenching drama regarding motherhood, loss, and letting go.

10. Just Between Lovers (2017–2018)

Two survivors of a building collapse meet again years after, still carrying trauma they cannot shake off. Their romance is not glamorous — subdued, raw, and drenched in pain. This drama will make you realize that healing hurts… but it is worth every tear.

11. Autumn in My Heart (2000)

One of the older, classic heartbreak K-dramas. A story of swapped identities, star-crossed love, and the harsh hand of destiny. Song Seung-heon and Song Hye-kyo made millions cry with this one, and the pain still holds strong decades later.

12. The Glory (2022–2023)

Revenge is not supposed to be like heartbreak — and yet here, it is. Song Hye-kyo plays a woman who survived brutal school bullying and returns years later to seek revenge against her abusers. But beneath all that vengeance is a deep, festering sadness that never really disappears.