Amnesia or memory loss, as the name suggests, is unusual forgetfulness, where a person may not be able to remember events or memories they have experienced from their past. It is almost like it never happened to them. It usually occurs when a person retains damage to their brain, which causes them to either temporarily or permanently lose some memories. It is a common tactic used in dramas to create suspense, mystery, and dramatic tension. When a person loses their memory, it affects not only their well-being but also of those around them. Here are some dramas that feature this disease.
1. W: Two Worlds
The story follows Oh Yeon Joo, who is a doctor. She gets pulled into an alternative universe where she saves the life of Kang Chul, who happens to be the main character of a webtoon comic. He is a former gold medalist in shooting and a self-made millionaire. Yeon Joo keeps switching between the real world and the webtoon world only through changes in Kang Chul’s feelings. He suffers from a gap in his memory around the time when his family was murdered, and it drives him to find the truth, which connects him with Yeon Joo, who claims to know everything about him.
2. Guardian: The Lonely And Great God
It follows a military general from the Goryeo Dynasty who is cursed to stay immortal and watch his loved ones die. He becomes an immortal goblin that helps people. The only way he can end his immortality is when his bride pulls out the sword embedded in his chest, which happens to be Ji Eun Tak. The central concept of this drama is reincarnation. This way, the characters in the drama do not have their past memories with them. But as their lives intertwine, a more complex fated story reveals itself. This drama introduces the concept of memory loss creatively, disclosing their past lives.
3. Crazy Love
This drama follows Noh Go Jin, a top mathematics instructor and CEO of GOTOP Education. He has an extremely high IQ, wealth, and appearance. He seems like a perfect man until suddenly, he receives death threats. Lee Shin Ah is his secretary; she is diligent, responsible, and introverted. After learning that Noh Go Jin has amnesia, she pretends to be his fiance because she does not have much time left to live.
4. Extraordinary You
The drama revolves around Eun Dan Oh, a high school student from a wealthy family studying in a prestigious academy. After noticing odd occurrences and long gaps in her memory, she discovers that she is a side character in a comic. Unsatisfied with her fate, she plans to alter it. She encounters the nameless student 13 and names him Haru, trying to change the course of the comic and becoming her own person. The concept of memory loss works in this drama through gaining awareness. The characters are not aware that they are part of a comic, and once they become aware. everything starts falling out of place.
5. Oh My Ghost
The drama follows Na Bong Sun, an extremely shy woman who works as an assistant chef in Sun restaurant. She has a crush on star chef Kang Sun Woo but can not act on it because of her personality and low self-esteem. Bong Sun has an odd ability to see ghosts because of her shaman grandmother. She can see a young spirit of Shin Soon Ae, who is a lustful virgin ghost unable to experience any sort of romance in her life, and gets possessed by her. The concept of memory loss comes rather interestingly in this drama because the ghost has lingering memories and unresolved emotions from her life, bringing depth to their stories. Soon Ae realizes that her past life is connected with the chef Sun Woo.
6. Duel
The story follows Jang Deuk Cheon, a detective whose daughter is kidnapped. The only clue he has regarding the kidnapping is that there were two men with the same face on the crime scene. It is a suspense thriller drama. The concept of memory loss is the central plotline. Duel follows the premise of cloning. The clones not only copy the physical appearance of the person but also their memories, which creates conflict among them. Each clone believes they are the real one, creating confusion and an identity crisis.
7. Two Cops
It revolves around Detective Cha Dong Tak, feared by criminals for being harsh and showing no mercy. He encounters the spirit of a clever con artist, Gong Soo Chang, and finds himself being controlled and possessed by him. He is forced to find Soo Chang’s murderer and bring justice to him and his family. The concept of memory loss is also incorporated interestingly in this drama; the two men share their consciousness, and Soo Chang’s memory reveals itself through Dong Tak, making it a hilarious and comedic drama.
8. 100 Days my Prince
It follows Lee Yul, the crown prince of the Joseon dynasty. One day, he is ambushed by assassins and escapes narrowly. However, he is injured and loses his memories. He is found by a kind woman, Hong Shim, and is adopted by the Hong family, who are not aware his real identity. He experiences life outside the palace for the first time and lives as a commoner under the name of Won Deuk. Hong Shim marries him without knowing that he is the crown prince. This drama displays short-term memory loss, and Lee Yul eventually regains his memory.
9. Devilish Joy
It revolves around Gong Ma Sung, a neurosurgeon and successor to the Sunwoo company. He gets into an unfortunate car accident that changes his life forever; he loses his ability to remember, and his memory is confined to one day; meaning his memory resets every day. He meets Jo Gi Bbeum, a once famous star, and falls in love with her. She is determined to help him recover his memories and uncover the truth about his car accident. The drama focuses on their love story, memory, and trauma.
10. Kill Me, Heal Me
It revolves around Cha Do Hyun, who is a third-generation business heir. He suffers from dissociative identity disorder and memory loss after a series of life-threatening traumatic events. Oh Rin Jin is a first-year psychiatric resident. She helps him with his disease and falls in love with one of his personalities. The concept of memory loss comes here because Cha Do Hyun has seven personalities, and when one of his personalities is in control, his other ones are unaware.
