This year might have been a hot topic for a lot of unexpected events, and while most of them might be negative, 2020 also saw a great deal of fun trends such as trying new recipes in the kitchen, making Dalgona Coffee, working from home, home workouts, becoming a plant parent, Zoom calls, and binge-watching TV shows.
One TV show genre that soared in the past year are Korean dramas.
In previous years, finishing a series involved watching the show on TV or waiting for a recorded copy to be released. Fortunately, TV show episodes are now made available for online streaming on many platforms, right after the episode airs on TV. It's no wonder digesting a drama became an easy, stress-busting habit for many.
While some assume K-dramas are all about tear-jerking scenes and predictable plots, many K-dramas proved to be creative and innovative in storytelling and acting--no wonder so many got hooked into the K-dramaland this pandemic. These shows provided a soothing routine for people staying at home, and something new to watch for each time an episode drops.
Many fanatics found themselves living vicariously through the drama characters while many restrictions were imposed due to COVID-19 safety protocols. Though every K-drama fan has their own personal favorite drama list, there are a handful that made it to so many fan fave lists.
As 2020 draws to a close, we've compiled some of the highly watched dramas this 2020 as reported by 'Teen Vogue' and 'Forbes.' These are also part of the Most Watched K-drama on Netflix PH and Most Searched K-drama on Google PH in 2020. Check out these popular dramas from 2020 in no particular order.
This drama shows star-crossed lovers South Korean style mogul Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) and North Korean elite Special Police Force Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin). Their love story as well as the supporting cast's heartwarming adventures fared well with viewers as it became the highest rated tvN drama and the third highest-rated South Korean TV drama in cable television history.
This romantic fantasy drama stars Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun. The story shows modern-day Emperor Lee Gon (Lee Min-ho) ruling over the Kingdom of Corea and comes across detective Jung Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun) in an alternate reality. Though the drama received mixed reviews, the drama was one of the most anticipated dramas of 2020.
The drama is Kim Soo-hyun's TV comeback after his mandatory military service. He plays Moon Gang-tae, a caretaker in a psychiatric ward who takes care of his autistic older brother Moon Sang-tae (Oh Jung-se). While working in a hospital, Gang-tae meets famous children's book writer, Ko Moon-young (Seo Ye-jo) who is rumored to have antisocial tendencies.
This drama chronicles the hardships of Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon), a bar-restaurant in Itaewon after growing up experiencing traumatic events after the death of his father and his unexpected imprisonment for attacking his the man responsible for his father's death.
'Start-Up' revolves around Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy) who grew up experiencing many struggles and dreams of becoming a top CEO. Nam Do-san (Nam Joo-hyuk) is the founder of Samsan Tech who ends up having a hard time building his company. Later on, it is revealed that he was Dal-mi's first love. Meanwhile, Han Ji-pyeong (Kim Seon-ho) is a skilled team leader in SH Venture Capital known for his sharp tongue. Their worlds collide when Ji-pyeong encounters Dal-mi and starts falling for her.
The World of the Married aired originally on JTBC in 2020 and became the highest rated Korean cable TV dramas in history, with its final episode reaching a nationwide rating of 28:37%. The show became a hot topic on the internet after it premiered on video streaming platform Viu. The story revolves around Dr. Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee-ae), a prestigious family doctor married to budding movie director Lee Tae-oh (Park Hae-joon). Their family life becomes scandalous as Tae-oh's extra-marital affair is uncovered.
'Record of Youth' showcases the lives of millennials in South Korea, struggling to make it in the country's highly competitive fashion industry. The drama showcases Park Bo-gum's most recent drama before entering the military.
February to April 2020
This drama marked the TV comeback of Kim Tae-hee--one of South Korea's most beautiful actresses. Tae-hee plays the role of Cha Yu-ri, a woman who becomes a ghost after dying from a car accident. She is given a reincarnation project, where if she succeeds she can become a human again and be with her husband and child. However, she discovers that her husband has already remarried.
Following the success of Kingdom: Season 1, the second season premiered on Netflix in 2020. 'Kingdom: Season 2' depicts The Crown Prince of Joseon Lee Chang's (Ju Ji-hoon) sacrifices in saving his countrymen from a mysterious plague. As a disastrous calamity looms, can Prince Lee Chang save his people on time or will the plague become the end of the Joseon dynasty?
'VIP' tells the story of Sung Un Department Store's team who caters to elite customers. One of the company's top executives, Na Jeong-seon is happily married to Sung Un's team leader--Lee Sang-yoon. Things turn sour when Jeong-seon receives a text message that accuses her husband of cheating with a co-worker. 'VIP' is also airing on GMA, every Monday to Thursday 10:50 PM.