10 K-Dramas Turning 10 Years Old In 2025
2015 was the year when K-dramas focused on a lot of topics, such as mental health issues, highlighting emotional baggage and childhood traumas, and poignantly telling stories which came with memorable performances. Several of the dramas continue to have high recall value and are a point of reference for storytellers. Check out these 10 K-dramas which turn 10 years old this year.
“Reply 1988”
An iconic K-drama, “Reply 1988” rates high amongst fans for its wholesome narrative on family and friendship. In the year 1988, Seoul gears up for the summer olympics, and it is also on the cusp of a sociopolitical change. Duk Sun (Hyeri), Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum), Sun Woo (Go Kyung Pyo), Jung Hwan (Ryu Jun Yeol), and Dong Ryong (Lee Dong Hwi) are the famous five of Ssangmun, which is also a prime character in the story. The five, having grown up together, are in and out of each other’s homes, and there is nothing that they don’t know of the other or their families. As they transition from teenagers into adults, following their dreams, there are challenges on the way as growing pains bring its own shares of struggles, learnings, love, and heartbreak. But what doesn’t change is their bond, which remains strong and intact. “Reply 1988” brings a whiff of nostalgia of uncomplicated times as well as the yearning to turn back the clock and relive the best moments of your life. It is always a good idea to revisit the neighborhood of Ssangmun and take a walk down memory lane with its amazing inhabitants.
Start watching “Reply 1988”:
“She Was Pretty”
Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon) is back in Seoul after having spent years in the United States. As he gears up for his new job as editor of an upscale fashion magazine, there is one thing he needs to do: meet his friend and first love, Kim Hye Jin. But what he doesn’t know is that Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum) doesn’t want to see him. She is unsure about her looks and thinks she is not worthy of him, so she sends her best friend in place of her. It seems Hye Jin is fated to meet Sung Joon, because she lands up as an intern at the magazine he runs. Though Sung Joon initially gets irritated and is bothered by her clumsiness at work, he finds himself watching her keenly, since she seems familiar. Hye Jin remembers every detail about Sung Joon, and when the truth is revealed, things are cutely romantic between the two. But Sung Joon finds a rival in his colleague, Shin Hyuk (Choi Siwon), who has taken a liking to Hye Jin.
“She Was Pretty” is a breezy rom-com, and we get plenty of fun moments with the leads. The show also comes with a strong message that you need to love yourself before you start expecting love from another.
Start watching “She Was Pretty”:
“Oh My Ghostess”
Na Bong Sun (Park Bo Young) is a timid commis chef and is assistant to Kang Sun Woo (Jo Jung Suk), a superstar chef who runs a popular restaurant. Bong Sun has this ability to see ghosts, and things get complicated when an avenging virgin ghost named Soon Ae (Kim Seul Gi) takes home in her body. Bong Sun, who is something like a wallflower, suddenly becomes a flirty and playful person thanks to Soon Ae. To top it off, the ghost has taken a fancy to Sun Woo, whom Bong Sun also has a crush on. What we get is a delicious fare with a bit of spice thrown in, as Soon Ae leads both Sun Woo and Bong Sun towards those responsible for her death.
Jo Jung Suk singing “Gimme a Chocolate” further adds the right chords to this tripping rom-com.
Start watching “Oh My Ghostess”:
“Kill Me, Heal Me”
Hwang Jung Eum and Park Seo Joon once again share screen space, but this time as siblings. Oh Ri Jin (Hwang Jung Eun) is a resident at a psychiatric ward. She runs into Cha Do Hyun (Ji Sung), who comes from wealth, but has been struggling with his mental health since he was a child. He suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder and lives with six other personalities, who are his coping mechanism. But Ri Jin could well be the key to unlocking the door to his many memories.
“Kill Me, Heal Me” is a psychological thriller, which delves into mental health and how past traumas have a deep bearing on one’s life. Ji Sung aces the role, playing each character to the hilt, and it’s his bromance with Ri Jin’s brother, Ri On (Park Seo Joon), which gives a breather in an otherwise tense narrative.
Start watching “Kill Me, Heal Me”:
“Oh My Venus”
Kim Young Ho (So Ji Sub) is a personal trainer to Hollywood’s A-listers. However, a scandal brings him back home to Seoul. He meets Kang Joo Eun (Shin Min Ah), a lawyer, on a flight and helps her regain consciousness after she passes out. Joo Eun is physically unfit. She has been so immersed in work that she has been unable to focus on her health and fitness. After she is dumped by her boyfriend, she is on a mission to get her life back together, and her first goal is to get back in shape. Young Ho agrees to train her, and though he is strict, the two strike a friendship. But there are also some serious sparks between the two, which leads to a passionate romance. And it isn’t just Young Ho helping Joo Eun get her life back together, but Joo Eun too helps Young Ho cope with his many issues, which also includes his family.
The So Ji Sub and Shin Min Ah chemistry is a scorcher. “Oh My Venus” is the best way to get your diet and fitness in order for the New Year.
Start watching “Oh My Venus”:
“Warm and Cozy”
Yoo Yeon Seok stars as Baek Gun Woo, a rich, good-looking guy who is laid back and lives his life fuss free. He is also talented when he wants to put his skills to use, and he opens a restaurant in Jeju on a whim. Jung Joo (Kang Sora) has moved to Jeju to start life afresh, and the last thing she needs is unnecessary hassles. When these two polar opposites meet, there is plenty of drama as they bicker and squabble over anything and everything. But when these two find things in common, including a shared past, the animosity turns into friendship. Soon enough, sparks fly, and a cute romance brews between the two.
Yoo Yeon Seok is smugly cute and charming in his role. And though the drama may feel a tad stretched, this delightful couple and their chemistry keeps it warm and cozy.
Start watching “Warm and Cozy”:
“Who are You: School 2015”
Kim So Hyun plays twin sisters Lee Eun Bi and Lee Eun Byul, who were separated when they were young. While Eun Byul gets adopted by a wealthy family in Seoul, Eun Bi has a lonely and difficult childhood, having had to fend for herself. However, when Eun Byul disappears, Eun Bi steps in to take her place. Eun Bi also finds herself as the object of affection of the school’s star swimmer, Han Yi Ahn (Nam Joo Hyuk), who mistakes her for Eun Byul. On the other hand, Gong Tae Kwang (Yook Sungjae) also takes a liking to Eun Bi. Though Eun Bi finally finds everything she has lacked in life, including family and friends, what happens when the real Eun Byul returns?
This drama is a typical coming-of-age high school story which comes with everything from mistaken identities to first loves and heartbreaks. Kim So Hyun carries her double role with ease.
Start watching “Who Are You: School 2015”:
“The Producers”
Seung Chan (Kim Soo Hyun) gives up on a thriving career in law to pursue a stint in the broadcast industry. His reasoning is simple: he is infatuated with Ye Jin (Gong Hyo Jin), a producer of “Music Bank.” He joins the station as a rookie producer and works hard in understanding the world of broadcast shows while also hoping to get close to his crush. However, little does he realize that reel and real are very different and things are not what they actually seem to be. This is where he meets the temperamental Cindy (IU), a poker-faced singing sensation, who ends up having a crush on him.
“The Producers” trains its lens on the going ons in the television industry and the lives of the people who work in a hyper-competitive ecosystem. Gong Hyo Jin, Kim Soo Hyun, and IU get the beats of their characters on point, giving a real and lived-in performance.
Start watching “The Producers”:
“Hyde, Jekyll, Me”
What’s better than one Hyun Bin? Having two! Seo Jin (Hyun Bin) is a rich and aloof CEO of an amusement park. Though everyone around him finds him difficult to work with, what they don’t know is that he suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder. Robin is part of Seo Jin’s fragmented personality, and being his polar opposite, he is playful and chilled out. However, both these personalities collide with Ha Na (Han Ji Min), the new manager at the theme park. She is swept off her feet by Robin, but finds herself around Seo Jin. When she realizes they are the same person, she steps in to help Seo Jin.
“Hyde, Jekyll, Me” is a psychological drama with elements of romance and a suspenseful thriller. Watch it for Hyun Bin, and you will have no complaints!
Start watching “Hyde, Jekyll, Me”:
“My Love Eun Dong”
Ji Eun Ho (Joo Jin Mo) is a popular matinee idol, but his reel romantic image is far from his real one. Eun Ho has not had a relationship since he is still hung up on his first love and childhood sweetheart, Eun Dong. His sole purpose has been to locate her, and when everything else fails, he hires Seo Jung Eun (Kim Sa Rang) to help write his autobiography. As Jung Eun listens to his recordings, the story seems all too familiar with her own life. Why does Ji Eun Ho sound like Jung Eun’s Park Hyun Soo, the boy she had loved and lost?
“My Love Eun Dong” is for all die-hard romantics, and even though the show tends to stretch things a wee bit, there are quite a few surprises in store. The younger version of Ji Eun Ho is also well played by Jinyoung.
Start watching “My Love Eun Dong”:
Hey Soompiers, which one of these were your favorite K-drama in 2015? Let us know all about it in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
Currently watching: “Love Scout“
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