2024 so far has given fans some of the best romance K-dramas. These shows have captured the hearts of viewers with their compelling storylines and electric chemistry between the male and female leads. One of the biggest hits this year is Byeon Woo-Seok and Kim Hye-Yoon’s time-travel romance series, Lovely Runner. Another drama which gained popularity globally is Queen of Tears starring Kim Soo-Hyun and Kim Ji-Won.
The list also includes Chun Woo-Hee and Jang Ki-Yong’s The Atypical Family and Park Min-Young and Na In-Woo’s Marry My Husband. These shows also received critical acclaim and are highly rated on IMDb. Here’s a list of the best romance Korean dramas.
Lovely Runner
It is one of the most beloved romance K-dramas of 2024. It gained 8.8 IMDb rating, which is the highest among the shows released this year in the genre. Starring Byeon Woo-Seok and Kim Hye-Yoon, Lovely Runner made its debut on tvN, on April 8, 2024. It chronicles the fascinating time-slip story between a K-pop idol Ryu Sun-Jae and one of his biggest fans Im Sol.
In the series, Im Sol travels back and forth in time to save Ryu Sun-Jae’s life. Meanwhile, the latter willingly sacrifices his life to save the former in every timeline. It is a compelling drama of two lovers connected through fate. The series also stars Song Geon-Hee, Lee Seung-Hyub, Seo Hye-Won and more. Viewers can watch Lovely Runner on Viki.
Queen of Tears
It is another popular romance K-drama that was released in the first half of 2024. The drama has received the second-highest rating on IMDb, which is 8.2. It first aired on March 9, 2024, on tvN. The series stars beloved South Korean actors Kim Ji-Won and Kim Soo-Hyun as the main couple Hong Hae-In and Baek Hyun-Woo.
Queen of Tears centers around the gripping love story between a married couple of three years, Baek Hyun-Woo and Hong Hae-In. It showcases the crises in their marital life and their intense fight to overcome those and grow stronger together. The K-drama also stars Park Sung-Hoon, Lee Joo-Bin, Kwak Dong-Yeon and several others. The series is available to watch online globally on Netflix.
Marry My Husband
It is another highly arresting hit of 2024. Marry My Husband has a 7.9 IMDb rating, which is one of the highest ratings for a romance Korean drama released in the first half of the year. It premiered on tvN, on January 1, 2024. In the series, Park Min-Young plays the female lead, Kang Ji-Won and actor Na In-Woo portrays the male lead, Yoo JI-Hyuk.
Marry My Husband revolves around Kang Ji-Won who gets another chance at life to take revenge on those who betrayed her and were the reason for her painful demise. She also finds her true love, Yoo Ji-Hyunk, after having a second chance at life. The audience can watch the K-drama online on Amazon Prime Video.
The Atypical Family
It is another highly compelling romance K-drama of 2024. It has a 7.7 rating on IMDb. The series premiered on JTBC on May 4, 2024. It stars actor Jang Ki-Yong as the main male character, Bok Gwi-Ju and Chun Woo-Hee as the female lead, Do Da-Hae. Other than them, The Atypical Family also stars Park So-Yi, Moon Woo-Jin and Claudia Kim, among others.
The series centers around the fantasy love story between Bok Gwi-Ju, a man with the superpower to revisit the past and Do Da-Hae, a woman with a challenging present. Viewers can watch The Atypical Family on the global streaming platform Netflix.
Some other top-rated romance K-dramas in the first half of 2024 on IMDb include Doctor Slump, Wedding Impossible, Love Song for Illusion, Captivating the King and more.