9 Best K-Dramas Of First Half Of 2020

It is already halfway through June and half of 2020 has already passed by! It is time to look back at the best K-Dramas of the first half of the year. Did you find any interesting dramas to watch in the first half of the year? For us, there were plenty.

Here are 9 dramas that aired in the first half of 2020 (and ended) that you should not miss according to us. They are the best of the first half of the year (in no particular order).

Let us know in the poll and comments what are the best drama(s) according to you and the one(s) you would like to recommend. This list includes drama that ended before June 17.

1- "The King: Eternal Monarch"

When: April 17 - June 12

Cast: Lee MinHo, Kim GoEun, Woo DoHwan, Kim KyungNam, Jung EunChae, Lee JungJin

Summary: It is the fantasy romance drama in which Lee Gon, the Emperor of Corea and Jung TaeEul a detective from the Republic of Korea try to protect's lives and love through cooperation between the two parallel worlds.

For: Viewers looking for a drama with fantasy, passion-filled romance, complex storyline, action scenes of huge scale, big-budget, and beautiful sets.

Why watch: It is a must-watch drama! The story and acting are both perfect. The romance is worth watching and the plot is climatic and fascinating. There are a lot of poignant and memorable scenes. One of its main strengths is also its big-budget and beautiful cinematography allowing viewers to watch majestic scenes.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

2- "Itaewon Class"

When: January 31 - March 21

Cast: Park SeoJoon, Kim DaMi, Yoo JaeMyung, Kwon NaRa

Summary: In an irrational world, the "hip" revolt of young people, who are united in stubbornness and courage, starts. Itaewon seems to have condensed all the world. In this little street, they are looking for their own freedom based on their values. "Itaewon Class" is their foundation legend. They open a food-related business.

For: Viewers looking for a growth story centered on revenge in a multi-cultural district of Seoul.

Why watch: "Itaewon Class" has a lot of qualities and its main one is the plot. The story focuses on the revenge of the lead character acted by Park SeoJoon with an incredible on-screen presence. The characters surrounding the lead character also bring much fun to the story. The drama stands out by touching on mental health, prejudice towards the LGBT community, and racism in Korea. Don't expect much romance as it is not the central plot.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

3- "Extracurricular"

When: Released on April 29 on Netflix

Cast: Kim DongHee, Jung DaBin, Park JuHyun, Nam YoonSoo

Summary: It tells the incidents that happen to a model student who commits a grave crime to make money and his friends and people surrounding him who get unintentionally involved in the crime.

For: Viewers looking for a story that talks about social issues and that questions them on teen crimes and prostitution. If you are looking for a new genre of K-Drama, this is for you.

Why watch: The plot touches on a sensitive subject never talked about before in a K-Drama. It highlights the reality of what teenagers are going through in Korea. The four actors are newcomers (even if Kim DongHee increased in popularity) but they managed to show perfectly a variety of emotions. If you don't like violence, vulgarity, and dark subject, this is not for you.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

4- "Born Again"

KBS

When: April 20 - June 9

Cast: Jang KiYong, Lee SooHyuk, Jin SeYeon

Summary: It tells the love of a detective, the detective’s lover, and a serial killer who likes the detective’s lover. The story has two timelines. The three characters first met in 1986 and met terrible misfortune. 32 years later, they are reincarnated and get to meet again in 2020. Their death was not the end of the story but a new door. In 2020, this is round 2 of their persistent links and ill-fated relationship.

For: Viewers looking for a mysterious and passion-filled love triangle along with psychological elements. If you like reincarnation stories, this is for you.

Why watch: The main qualities of this drama are perfect acting, an intriguing mystery and dark atmosphere, and a passion-filled love triangle with a complex reincarnation story. The drama makes you curious and you only think: "I need to know!" throughout the whole story. For more reasons, you can read 6 Reasons Why "Born Again" Is The Most Underrated Drama Of The First Half Of 2020.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

5- "Hospital Playlist"

tvN

When: March 12 - May 12

Cast: Jo JungSuk, Yoo YeonSeok, Jung KyungHo, Kim DaeMyung, Jeon MiDo

Summary: It a drama about the extraordinary daily life of close friends of 20 years who are working in a hospital.

For: Viewers looking for a heartwarming friendship story in a medical drama.

Why watch: This drama is one of the best rated K-Dramas of the year and there is no doubt that this drama is a must-see. The characters were just amazing. The story was perfectly written bringing a new side of the hospital to the screen.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

6- "Dr. Romantic 2"

SBS

When: January 6 - February 25

Cast: Han SukKyu, Ahn HyoSeop, Lee SungKyung

Summary: It tells the true lives of doctors in a humble local hospital with a genius surgeon and young doctors.

For: Viewers looking for a passionating hospital story and interesting characters in a well-written story.

Why watch: If you like medical drama, this is for you. The drama has realistic medical scenes and a lot of surgery scenes. The medical team also has good teamwork making the drama interesting to watch. The characters have complex stories and the plot has touching scenes. The drama was a sensation in Korea. Don't expect much for the romance.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

7- "When The Weather is Fine"

JTBC

When: February 24 - April 21

Cast: Seo KangJoon, Park MinYoung, Lee JaeWook

Summary: It tells the healing heart-warming romance of HaeWon who goes down to her hometown -a village called BukHyeonRi- because she got tired of living in Seoul and EunSeob who runs an independent bookstore, they meet again.

For: Viewers looking for a non-action healing romance with wounded leads and a s.l.o.w. paced story. If you like literature, that is for you.

Why watch: This love story is slow-passed (very slow!) and sets in the countryside with a focus on literature. The hurt lead characters are healing each other and find happiness through love and simple life. Their story is beautiful with solid acting. It is worth watching if you are looking for therapy like drama.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

8- "Meow, the Secret Boy"

KBS

When: March 25 - April 30

Cast: Kim MyungSoo (INFINITE's L), Shin YeEun , Seo JiHoon

Summary: The love story of HongJo a cat that turns into a man and SolAh a woman who is like a puppy.

For: Viewers looking for a simple and cute love story. If you like cats, this is for you.

Why watch: If you are a cat lover, you will like this drama. The cute characters make the story engaging and funny. The chemistry between Kim MyungSoo and Shin YeEun is good too with plenty of heart-fluttering scenes and emotional moments. Don't expect too much from the story, it is just a cute and comfortable love story to watch.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

9- “Crash Landing On You”

tvN

When: December 14 - February 16

Cast: Hyun Bin, Son YeJin, Kim JungHyun, Seo JiHye

Summary: The absolute top secret love story of a chaebol heiress who made an emergency landing in North Korea because of a paragliding accident and a North Korean special officer who falls in love with her and who is hiding and protecting her.

For: Viewers looking for a love story with actions and huge chemistry between the leads.

Why watch: The hit drama "Crash Landing On You” is a must-see if you like romance. The drama is mainly set in North Korea bringing a refreshing background. Hyun Bin and Son YeJin are total couple goals. The secondary and minor roles also brought much fun to this memorable drama. This drama will bring you tears and laughter.

For more information, poster, teaser you can check our cast and summary here.

Update: Don't miss the best drama of the second half of the year.