7 Long-Running K-Dramas To Spend More Time With Beloved Characters
When longer really is better.
You have to admit, in this fast-paced era where everything and everyone is expected to move as quickly as possible, sometimes it feels so good to slow down and spend time without rushing anywhere.
Surprisingly, long-running K-dramas can help you do just that. When a story spans several seasons and dozens of episodes, you can spend days and even weeks with favorite characters and their arcs without jumping from one miniseries to the next.
If you like that idea, here are seven K-dramas with over 50 episodes that fans say are totally worth your time.
My Golden Life (2017, 52 episodes)
IMDb rating: 7.4/10
Where to stream: Netflix, Viki, Kocowa
Seo Ji-an grew up in wealth until her father's bankruptcy left her destitute. She gets a fresh start when a rich chaebol family mistakes her for their long-lost daughter and takes her in. However, this new life proves to be just as complicated and unpredictable as her previous one.
My Husband Got a Family (2012, 58 episodes)
IMDb rating: 7.7/10
Where to stream: Kocowa
When top TV drama producer Cha Yoon-hee ties the knot with surgeon Terry Kang, she feels like she’s hit the jackpot - her husband is an orphan, which means no in-law drama. But things take a wild turn when she discovers that her pesky neighbors are actually her husband's biological parents, and he comes with a big, boisterous family.
I Have a Lover (2015-2016, 50 episodes)
IMDb rating: 7.9/10
Where to stream: Viki, Kocowa, SBS World, iWant TFC
Do Hae-gang is thriving in her career as a lawyer, but her personal life crumbles when her husband has an affair with a younger woman. After a car accident leaves Hae-gang with amnesia, she's mistaken for her estranged twin sister and starts living a completely different life.
My Father is Strange (2017, 52 episodes)
IMDb rating: 8.2/10
Where to stream: Prime Video, Viki, Kocowa
The peaceful routine of a typical middle-class family - father, mother, three daughters and a son - is shattered when a TV celebrity arrives at their door claiming to be their long-lost child.
Once Again (2020, 100 episodes)
IMDb rating: 8.2/10
Where to stream: Netflix, Viki, Kocowa
This touching slice-of-life family drama explores the ups and downs of an extended family: a father, a mother, and their four grown children. The three daughters and one son never seem to get a break in life, each navigating their own relationship and professional challenges.
Empress Ki (2013-2014, 51 episodes)
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IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Where to stream: Netflix, Prime Video, Viki, Kocowa
This fan-adored historical drama follows the journey of Ki Seung-nyang, a Goryeo-born woman who begins as a slave girl sent to another state. As Seung-nyang grows into a formidable warrior and eventually becomes the emperor's wife, she navigates treacherous political intrigue and power struggles at the heart of the empire.
Dr. Romantic (2016-2023, 52 episodes + 2 specials)
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Where to stream: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Viki, Kocowa, etc.
Boo Yong-joo, once a renowned genius surgeon at a prestigious medical center, suffered a life-changing trauma that caused him to adopt a new identity and relocate. Now practicing at a small hospital, Yong-joo finds his purpose in life by mentoring aspiring doctors and helping them blossom into skilled professionals.