There are a variety of Korean dramas where some make us laugh, keep us up at night, and motivate us to do our best in life. It has a wide range of genres that give us different types of satisfaction that will make us feel content, whereas some will make us bawl our eyes out. Korean dramas are also a great way to relieve stress, and watching these can help release pent-out stress by crying. Here is a list of the top ten Korean dramas that will leave you in tears.
1. “Hi Bye, Mama” (2020)
Hi Bye, Mama is a tragic story that will leave the viewers in an emotional mess, and it is about a woman named Cha Yuri who passes away in an accident. She gets the chance to come back alive for 49 days and can live as a human if she can get the place back that she had before she passed away. Hi Bye, Mama is a very thought-provoking drama that makes you realize how important the people you love are, and the series will want you to call up your cherished ones and tell them how much you love them before you regret it.
2. “Uncontrollably Fond” (2016)
The story is about Shin Joon Young, a famous actor, and Noh Eul, a documentary producer. Both knew each other in high school, and after facing some misunderstandings, they went their way. Fate makes them meet again, and Joon Young develops feelings for Noh Eul. He has no plans of letting her go and is determined to keep her close. The drama will leave you in a flood of tears as the story deals with death, regret, love, and the importance of family.
3. “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo” (2016)
In the series, Go Ha Jin has gotten herself transported to the Goryeo dynasty, where she bumps into a royal family with many good-looking princes. She falls for one and gets heartbroken, after which she falls in love with the evil prince Wang Soo. As the series moves forward, we can see the royal princes fighting each other for the throne, and there’s bloodshed everywhere. There are many scenes in the series where the viewers cannot help but shed tears, and the series holds a special place in every Korean drama fanatic.
4. “Stairway To Heaven” (2003)
The story revolves around the love story of childhood sweethearts Han Jung Suh and Cha Song Joo. It also shows how love can go to great lengths and deals with the deaths of people that are dear to them. Although the series was released years ago, it is still considered one of the saddest Korean dramas. It is recognized as a masterpiece and is a work of art that is one of the greatest shows of all time.
5. “It’s Okay, That’s Love” (2014)
It's Okay That's Love's plot revolves around the theme of mental health, which was unusual for Korean dramas to show as this was still a topic of stigma in South Korea. The series tells us how childhood traumas develop and stay with you until you grow up. The series is one of the first ones in Korea to show and depict mental health issues in society as it spreads awareness to the public about them. It is a series that will make you sob, and the OSTs are also very soothing.
6. “Goblin” (2016)
Goblin, also called Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, is a fantasy drama that garnered international attention. Kim Shin is an immortal goblin who needs to find his human bride to remove an invisible sword from his chest and end his life. The series has a happy ending, but the sad scenes will make the viewers cry their eyes out. Fans also love the drama as it has good OSTs that emphasize emotions in the series that draw the viewers into the story more.
7. “Youth Of May” (2021)
Youth of May is a romantic drama about the fateful meeting of medical student Hwang Hee Tae and nurse Kim Myung Hee who fall in love amid the Gwangju Uprising in South Korea. The drama mainly focuses on the tragic love story of two lovers at the wrong time, and it also shows the damage caused during the Gwangju uprising. This series was a hit in South Korea for the realistic and emotional acting by the cast that moved the people. Fans were left heartbroken over the emotional scenes, and the end is something that many have cried over.
8. “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” (2018)
The Smile Has Left Your Eyes is a dark romance drama, and the story revolves around Kim Moo Young, who has lost his memories. He later meets Yoo Jin Kang and falls in love with her. She has a negative impression of him and tries to stay away from him; however, that changes later in the series. The series is a rollercoaster ride with lots of twists in the plot, which makes the viewer's mind blown by it.
9. “Hymn Of Death” (2018)
Hymn of Death is a story that revolves around Kim Woo Jin, a well-known and respectable playwright. He meets Yoon Shim Deok Joseon’s first soprano singer, and they soon develop feelings for each other. The love story is an actual story that took place during a time when Japan had occupied Korea. The viewers were very well aware that the couple would commit suicide in the end and that it was a tragic love story. The viewers could not help but cry for the dreadful ending to the series.
10. “Queen For Seven Days” (2017)
Queen for Seven Days is a political romance between Grand Prince Lee Yeok and the daughter of a prominent politician who ascended as the queen for just one week before being dethroned. She gets caught in the rivalry between the Prince and his half-brother King Yeonsangung. The series is a tragic love story where they cannot be together despite their undying love for each other, which will have the viewers crying for their misery.
