We can all agree that Korean dramas are comfort-evoking content; however, many of them have left us crying but in a beautiful way. Sometimes the most beautiful Korean dramas have left us in tears. We have created a list of such sad Korean drama shows that will make you cry, and each episode will leave you with strong emotions that are happy and sad.
These tearjerker shows have made a special place in our hearts. We’ve seen sad drama about lovers as well as families. We are quite sure we’ve all cried at least once watching these shows.
Whether it’s unrequited love, a drama dealing with mental health, or a best friend who falls in love. This list of Korean dramas will surely make you question life, relationships, and their importance. Do check out to know more about the shows.
30. Innocent Man
- Director: Kim Jin-won Lee Na-Jeong
- Writer: Lee Kyung-hee
- Cast: Song Joong-ki, Moon Chae-won, Park Si-Yeon
- IMDb: 7.6
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Viki
This revenge melodrama tells the story of a man who is wrongfully accused of a crime and seeks revenge against those who betrayed him. The ending of this kdrama with sad ending is tragic, as the main character is unable to escape the consequences of his actions and ultimately pays the ultimate price for his revenge.
29. Autumn in My Heart
- Director: Kim Cheol-kyu
- Writer: Yoo Jung-hee
- Cast: Lee Joon-gi, Moon Chae-won, Jang Hee-jin, Seo Hyun-woo
- IMDb: 8.8
- Streaming Platform: Hulu, Viki
In this revenge melodrama, a man who has been falsely accused of a crime seeks vengeance on those who have betrayed him. This Korean drama’s tragic climax is heartbreaking because the main character is powerless to escape the repercussions of his choices and must pay the ultimate price for his vengeance.
28. The King: Eternal Monarch
- Director: Baek Sang-hoon Jung Ji-hyun Yoo Je-won
- Writer: Kim Eun-sook
- Cast: Lee Min-ho Kim Go-eun Woo Do-hwan Kim Kyung-nam Jung Eun-chae Lee Jung-jin
- IMDb: 8.1
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Two young children who are switched at birth and grow up in separate families are the subjects of this timeless melodrama. It chronicles their journey as they meet up again as adults, fall in love, and ultimately are pulled apart by sad events.
This Korean drama’s sad ending is heartbreaking since the two main characters must continue on with their separate lives after being unable to be together.
27. I’m Sorry, I Love You
- Director: Lee Kyung-hee
- Writer: So Ji-sub
- Cast: Lee Joon-gi, Moon Chae-won, Jang Hee-jin, Seo Hyun-woo
- IMDb: 8.3
- Streaming Platform: Viki
In this drama, a guy learns he has a fatal illness and tries to rebuild his relationship with his estranged mother and the woman he loves. This Korean drama’s sorrowful ending is heartbreaking since the lead character ultimately gives his life to save the lady he loves.
26. Iris
- Director: Kim Kyu-tae Yang Yun-ho
- Writer: Choi Wan-kyu Kim Hyun-jun Jo Gyu-won Kim Jae-un
- Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-hee, Jung Joon-ho, Kim Seung-woo
- IMDb: 8.8
- Streaming Platform: Hulu, Viki
Hyun Joon and Sa Woo, two best friends who work as operatives for a covert organization, are the center of the plot. They both fell for the same woman in this situation.
Someone betrays Hyun Joon when he embarks on a lone mission in Hungary and makes an attempt on his life. He returns later to get revenge and discover who put him up in that way.
25. 49 Days
- Director: Jo Young-kwang
- Writer: So Hyun-kyung
- Cast: Jo Hyun-jae, Nam Gyu-ri, Lee Yo-won
- IMDb: 8
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
A woman who is in a vehicle accident is given 49 days to locate three individuals who genuinely love her in order to come back to life in this fantasy drama. As the main character ultimately fails in her search and is unable to resurrect, the sorrowful finale of this Korean drama is painful.
24. Radiant
You’ll be surprised at how invested you become in Joon Ha and Hye Ja’s lives after watching this series. The two develop a bond that will simultaneously help you heal and break your heart. You can see why Kim Hye Ja won the Daesang at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 2019 if you watch the series.
With regard to Nam Joo Hyuk, this is undoubtedly his best performance; you’ll feel his anguish as you watch him perform. You will undoubtedly cry your eyes out after reading it because it is so relatable and moving.
23. Queen For 7 Days
Queen Dangyeong of the Joseon Period is portrayed by Park Min Young in “Queen for 7 Days.” Seven days after taking the throne, she is forced to give up both her position as Queen and the man she loves (Yeon Woo Jin).
22. Mr. Sunshine
This historical drama, which is set in the early 1900s, stars Lee Byung Hun as Eugene Choi and Kim Tae Ri as Go Ae Shin. Despite their glaringly dissimilar upbringings, Eugene falls in love with Ae Shin in the story. Ae Shin is a Joseon noblewoman, but Eugene, who was born a slave, escapes to America and joins the Marine Corps as a captain.
21. Good Doctor
An autistic man with savant syndrome faces resistance almost immediately after working as a pediatric surgeon in a hospital.
He has to find ways to demonstrate that he can work with children successfully despite the challenges he must overcome because he is despised for his autism by both his coworkers and the parents and families of his clients. Another similarly successful American remake of Good Doctor is available to view with a Viki subscription, though.
20. The Snow Queen
The emotional roller coaster that is The Snow Queen lasts for the majority of the program, from the moving soundtrack to Korean actor Hyun Bin. When Han Tae-woon meets a woman he first met when he was a child, he falls in love with her only to learn that she was his best friend’s younger sister.
After his best friend committed suicide, Han Tae-woon gave up his genius-level mathematical abilities in favor of boxing. They support one another as they go through grief.
19. Just Between Lovers
Just Between Lovers is a truly heartbreaking tale of two people who slowly become closer after discovering they experienced the same tragedy as children.
As Ha Moon-soo, an architect determined to stop tragedies similar to the one she experienced from ever happening again, it showcases one of actress Won Jin-A’s best performances. Until a slowly forming friendship with Lee Gang-doo (Lee Jun-ho) enables them to both come to terms with the trauma that still affects them, she suppresses her memories.
18. The Hymn of Death
Japan occupied Korea in the 1920s, and liberation movements were just beginning to take off. The show, which is currently available on Netflix, is based on Korea’s first soprano singer Yun Sim-deok (Shin Hae-sun), and it explores her relationship with the writer Kim Woo-jin (Lee Jong-suk), as well as the tragic conclusion they both reach.
17. Kill Me, Heal Me
Kill Me, Heal Me delves into the depths of Cha Do-hyun’s (JiSung) past and his subsequent dissociative identity disorder. It’s a rare K-drama that uses identity disorders and child abuse as a premise. Several awards were given to Kill Me, Heal Me for its plot.
The issue it raises is poignant and current, and the main character’s various personalities are all skillfully portrayed and develop into real characters.
The show, which combines a mystery, a comedy, and a romance, doesn’t shy away from the more depressing moments that arise and can be thoroughly enjoyed with a Viki or Amazon Prime membership.
Read More: The Funniest Korean Drama To Watch For a Good Laugh
16. My Love From Another Star
When Do Min-Joon (Kim Soo-Hyun) falls in love with actress and star Cheon Song-Yi (Jun Ji-Hyun), he finds himself in a star-crossed relationship quite literally. only one issue. A handsome and intelligent alien who works as a professor, Min-Joon is an alien imprisoned on Earth.
In My Love From Another Star, one of the most-watched Korean dramas, opposites attract. A bittersweet conclusion only enhances the show’s charm, which already exists thanks to Jun Ji-hyun’s excellent comedic timing and unexpectedly moving scenes.
The drama, which was a cultural phenomenon, propelled the male lead actor, Kim Soo-hyun, to new heights in his acting career. Viki, a streaming service, now offers free access to it.
15. Flower of Evil
- Director: Kim Cheol-kyu
- Writer: Yoo Jung-hee
- Cast: Lee Joon-gi, Moon Chae-won, Jang Hee-jin, Seo Hyun-woo
- IMDb: 8.8
- Streaming Platform: Hulu, Viki
The series is about a family who is happy and well on the outside, and nothing or anyone can point out any flaws. The series looks at Baek Hee-sung. He has a mysterious past and hides it from his wife, Cha Ji-Won. They both are married and have a beautiful Daughter.
Things start to take a turn when his wife, a detective, starts working with her team on a case, and she is faced with unexplained murders that lead somewhere to a connection with her husband. Her all so perfect might not be the person he shows to be.
14. Hi Bye, Mama!
- Director: Yoo Je-won
- Writer: Kwon Hye-Joo
- Cast: Kim Tae-hee, Lee Kyu-hyung , Go Bo-gyeol
- IMDb: 8
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Cha Yu Ri died in a car accident five years ago and always longed to hold her child and spend time with her. Finally, she receives an opportunity to live again for 49 days. However, the conditions set will only cause pain to everyone. She can live as a human for 49 days and has to get her place back before the end of 49 days.
Her husband has now remarried, and Yu Ri will have to face the difficult decision of whether she will choose her happiness of being next to her kid or her husband’s new life that has already set course.
13. Uncontrollably Fond
- Director: Park Hyun-suk & Cha Young-hoo
- Writer: Lee Kyung Hee
- Cast: Kim Woo-bin, Bae Suzy, Lim Ju-hwan, Lim Ju-eun
- IMDb: 7.9
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The story is about Shin Joon Young and Noh Eul, who were classmates during school but were separated, and they both went on to live their own lives. One had it all while the other struggled for every small thing. Noh Eul had to drop out of school because of the sudden death of her father and later on became a documentary producer, and Shin became a successful actor/ singer.
Fate makes both of them meet once again. The two meet once again when she convinces a producer that she can persuade Shin to allow them to film his documentary. However, at the start, Shin doesn’t treat her right and makes her life miserable. But, later on, we see him falling for her and eventually agreeing to film the documentary.
12. Goblin: The Lonely and Great God
- Director: Lee Eung-bok, Kwon Hyuk-chan
- Writer: Kim Eun-sook
- Cast: Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-na, Yook Sung-jae
- IMDb: 8.7
- Streaming Platform: Viki
The goblin story revolves around the four main characters of the show. Kim Shin – a military general of the Goryeo Dynasty, Ji Eun-Tak – a school student who is also the goblin’s bride and living a miserable life. The second lead couple, the Grim Reaper, and a woman named Sunny, also run relations from previous ones.
As the story moves forward, we get to know that these four have more history than visible to our eyes. We learn about their last time, how they were all related, and how they all turned out to be in the present time.
11. Youth of May
- Director: Song Min-yeob
- Writer: Lee Kang
- Cast: Lee Do-hyun, Go Min-si, Lee Sang-yi, Keum Sae-rok
- IMDb: 8.6
- Streaming Platform: Kocowa, Viki
The story is set during the Gwangju Uprising in the year 1980. The story follows the lives of Hwang Hee Tae and Kim Myung-Hee, who are medical students and nurses, respectively. The drama mainly focuses on the tragic love story of these two lovers who will be twisted in a time when democracy didn’t exist.
In the drama, we get all the feels of them going through difficult times of the period they were living and how life would have been different if not for the lack of democracy. The drama tears the viewers because of its amazing portrayal of a love story while everything else is perishing.
10. Chicago Typewriter
- Director: Kim Cheol-kyu
- Writer: Jin Soo-wan
- Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Im Soo-jung, Go Kyung-pyo
- IMDb: 8.3
- Streaming Platform: Viki
The series Chicago Typewriter is about a Writer, A ghostwriter, and a die-hard fan. The series is about three resistance fighters who lived during the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1930s, who are now reincarnated into the present time as the characters stated above. The drama is peaceful yet has soo many elements in it.
The drama shows the complications of love, friends, and betrayal in 80 years. The three of them are seen finding answers to their previous lives and why it haunts them and will finding out their previous lives’ stories end up ruining their present.
Read More: The Best Korean Drama to Watch Right Now
9. Snowdrop
- Writer: Yoo Hyun-mi
- Cast: Jung Hae-in, Jisoo, Yoo In-na, Jang Seung-jo, Yoon Se-ah, Kim Hye-yoon, Jung Yoo-jin
- IMDb: 9.0
- Streaming Platform: Disney Plus
This heartbreaking drama will leave you crying. The story is about Lim Soo-ho and Eun Yeong-Ro, who meet at the wrong place at the wrong time. The story is set when it was a major event for South Korean History. In the year 1987, mass protests took place to hold fair elections.
Soo-ho gets injured, and Yeong-ro helps him hide him in the girl’s dorm room. She soon starts falling for Soo-ho, but soon she is shaken to her core when she comes to know that he is a North Korean Spy. The story is about how their love blooms in these unfavorable situations.
8. Go back Couple
- Director: Ha Byung-hoon
- Writer: Kwon Hye-Joo
- Cast: Son Ho-jun, Jang Na-ra
- IMDb: 8.0
- Streaming Platform: Kocowa, Viki
The story looks at the lives of two main characters, Choi Ban-do and Ma Jin-Joo. Both of them are married and are in their late 30s. They have reached the breaking point of their marriage and are living their daily lives unhappy and exhausted. Ban Do works as a pharmaceutical salesman while Jin-Joo is a housewife raising her son alone and questions the meaning of her life.
One day both of them wake up in the bodies of 20-year-olds and are shocked at first, but they soon decide since they don’t know the reason for their change, they might as well enjoy it till it lasts. So, they decide to use this second chance and make better choices than the last time. However, every decision will affect their friends and family.
7. The smile has left your eyes
- Director: Yoo Je-won
- Writer: Song Hye-jin
- Cast: Seo In-guk, Jung So-min, Park Sung-Woong
- IMDb: 7.8
- Streaming Platform: Viki
This sad story will make you cry and leave you heartbroken. The story revolves around Kim Moo Young, who has lost his memories. He is met with Yoo Jin-Kang and soon falls in love with her, but she has a pretty bad impression of him; however, that changes later on in the series. We are then introduced to her older brother, Yoo Jin, a homicide detective.
Yoo Jin suspects Moo Young and thinks there is more to him than what he shows. However, he is unknown because he is a key element in Moo Young and Yoo Jins history. Things start to get complicated when Moo-young starts regaining his lost memories and discovering the truth of his father’s death, and more things start to uncover.
6. Hotel Del Luna
- Director: Oh Choong-hwan
- Writer: Hong Jung-eun, Hong Mi-ran
- Cast: Lee Ji-eun, Yeo Jin-goo
- IMDb: 8.2
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Viki
The k drama Hotel Del Luna is about Jang Man-Wol, whose soul is tied to a hotel where the deceased souls are offered a place to stay before they go on their afterlife journey. She is the owner of the hotel. One day she meets Gu Chan-sung’s father, who had promised her that she could take in his son after he turns 20.
When Gu Chan-Sung turns 20, he returns to Korea and meets Jang Man-wol, who informs him about the promise made by his father. However, he doesn’t agree at first but starts working as the hotel manager. The series looks at the painful yet happy stories of its customers and its employees.
5. Winter Sonata
- Director: Yoon Seok-ho
- Writer: Kim Eun-hee, Yoon Eun-Kyung, Oh Soo-Yeon
- Cast: Bae Yong-joon, Choi Ji-woo
- IMDb: 8.0
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Winter sonata’s dramas are a classic tale of love and forgiveness and will surely make you cry. The k drama looks at the lives of Joon-sang and Yoo-jin. Joo-sang is an academic student but thinks no one loves him due to circumstances. However, Yoo-Jin was his classmate, and they both soon fell for each other.
Things don’t go as planned. They both are separated and bought back together, but they are now at very different stages of their lives, and it will be a difficult choice for them.
4. A Korean Odyssey
- Director: Park Hong-kyun, Kim Jung-hyun, Kim Byung-soo
- Writer: Hong Jung-eun, Hong Mi-ran
- Cast: Lee Seung-gi, Cha Seung-won, Oh Yeon-seo, Lee Hong-gi, Jang Gwang
- IMDb: 8.1
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Viki
The series looks at Son Oh-gong and Woo Ma-wang’s conflict with each other as evil surrounds them all the time. They lookout for a beam of light in their world filled with darkness. Son Oh-gong had saved a little girl, Jin Seon-mi, years ago and had promised to protect her during her lifetime.
Since he made a contract to protect her whenever she would be in danger, she summons him when she faces danger and meets him again. This protection contract came in an agreement that she would free him.
3. Move to Heaven
- Director: Kim Sung-ho
- Writer: Yoon Ji-ryeon
- Cast: Lee Je-hoon, Tang Jun-sang, Lee Jae-wook, Ji Jin-hee, Hong Seung-hee
- IMDb: 8.6
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The series is inspired by the book “Things Left Behind” by Kim Sae-Byul, a former “trauma cleaner”. Get-Ru has Asperger Syndrome. He meets his uncle, who is an ex-convict. This meeting takes place because his father dies suddenly. His uncle is termed as Geu-Ru’s legal guardian.
They both start working together to run the family business of Trauma cleaners named “Move to Heaven”. The duo soon bonds and deal with the tales the dead couldn’t tell but left clues in the living world for those living.
2. Stairway to Heaven
- Director: Lee Jang-soo
- Writer: Park Hye-Kyung
- Cast: Choi Ji-woo, Kwon Sang-woo, Kim Tae-hee, Shin Hyun-Joon
- IMDb: 7.9
- Streaming Platform: Viki
Out of all the tearjerker shows, this has to be one of the saddest Korean dramas, and viewers should keep their tissues ready. The series is a perfect example of how love can go to great lengths. The plot follows the lives of three people’s intertwined experiences with each other.
The series tells us the main characters’ sad but true love story. Cha Song-Joo, Han Jung-Suh / Kim Ji-soo, Han Tae-Hwa / Han Chul-soo, and Han Yoo-Ri, the lives and fate of death are shown along with their parents and especially the death of Jung Suh’s mother.
Read More: The Best Romance Korean Dramas You Should Watch Right Now
1. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
- Director: Kim Kyu-Tae
- Writer: Cho Yoon-Young
- Cast: Lee Joon-gi , Lee Ji-eun , Kang Ha-neul
- IMDb: 8.8
- Streaming Platform: Viki
In the drama Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Go Ha Jin, a woman of the modern-day gets transported to the Goryeo dynasty in the past after a solar eclipse. She gets transported to the year 941, during King Taejo, and is in the body of Hae Soo. As the story moves forward, she falls for the 8th prince but later develops feelings for the 4th prince, who is feared and has the label of “wolfdog”.
As the series moves forward, all the princes of the Wang family are seen fighting each other for the sake of the thrown. In this fight between the palace brothers, Hae Soo is caught up in politics and rivalry.
Ending this list, we all know many more sad dramas have a special place in our hearts. Right from The Moon Lovers to Korean dramas like Move to heaven. Read the list and pick your favorite. Watch them to your heart’s content while you cry your heart out. These k dramas will give you a good cry session.
