The cast of Winter Sonata wearing winter clothing and smiling at the camera with trees behind.Image via Pan Entertainment
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Anja Djuricic
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Anja Djuricic was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1992. Her first interest in film started very early, as she learned to speak English by watching Disney animated movies (and many, many reruns). Anja soon became inspired to learn more foreign languages to understand more movies, so she entered the Japanese language and literature Bachelor Studies at the University of Belgrade.
Anja is also one of the founders of the DJ duo Vazda Garant, specializing in underground electronic music influenced by various electronic genres.
Anja loves to do puzzles in her spare time, pet cats wherever she meets them, and play The Sims. Anja's Letterboxd four includes Memories of Murder, Parasite, Nope, and The Road to El Dorado.
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The rise of short-form K-dramas began with the rise of streaming platforms, first reducing episode runtimes from nearly 90 minutes to sometimes as short as 30 minutes per episode. Then, the reduction came in the form of fewer episodes per season, and then just a single-season miniseries consisting of eight to ten episodes. Today, short form is king, but was there ever a K-drama that lasted longer than three seasons?
Well, South Korean television, too, didn't always work that way. Like any network TV show in the US, Korean fans also had the chance to watch long-running content, whether that was a rural family drama, a multi-season sitcom, or a sprawling historical epic. Here are the ten longest-running K-dramas, ranked by how long they stayed on air.
10 'Hur Jun' (1999–2000)
Jun Kwang-ryul as Hur Jun in Hur Jun smiling proudlyImage via MBC TV
While Hur Jun isn't the longest-running drama by some accounts, it was on air from November 1999 until June 2000, continuously. It had 64 episodes, with two airing weekly for nearly a year—that's a great feat on its own, allowing the show to stretch across two calendar years. Historical romance dramas are usually a hit among South Korean audiences, and Hur Jun was one of the first ones to spark that wave of medical and historical (often both in one) dramas, being particularly influential on the shows made in the early 2000s.
Hur Jun is set in the Joseon era, the most diversely depicted historical era of the Korean peninsula in K-dramas. It follows the famous doctor, Heo Jun/Hur Jun (Jun Kwang-ryul), and chronicles his life, from romantic affairs to dealings with the royal family and the crown. The life of Heo Jun became an inspiring story for other creators of K-dramas, and the show even got a remake in 2013. Besides airing for almost a year nonstop, Hur Jun was endlessly re-aired and remained in conversation far longer than its runtime suggests.
9 'Dear Heaven' (2005–2006)
The cast members of the K-drama Dear Heaven looking out into the distance and smilingImage via SBS TV
Dear Heaven is a K-drama that boasts a classic weekend melodrama formula, and the show ran every weekend for about a year, from September 2005 to July 2006. The K-drama also caused some controversy as more and more people tuned in on Saturdays and Sundays due to its interesting and sometimes deemed incestuous plot. The emotional catharsis of each episode garnered a great number of viewers over time, making Dear Heaven one of the most influential soap operas on South Korean television.
Dear Heaven follows a woman, Ji Young-sun (Han Hye-sook), who gave away her baby, Ja-kyung, at birth and later becomes a stepmother to her husband's kids. As a young woman, Ja-kyung (Yoon Jung-hee) falls for handsome news anchor Wang-mo (Lee Tae-goon), who turns out to be Young-sun's stepson, and Young-sun tries to bring them together so she can get closer to Ja-kyung. The soap opera plot twist is very formulaic, intended to trigger a bit of controversy through relationships and plot twists barely passing the mark of good taste; yet, people tuned in for every single episode, and it stands as one of the longest-running K-dramas.
8 'Endless Love' (2000–2006)
Characters from the K-drama Winter Sonata stand in front of barren trees wearing coats.Image via Pan Entertainment
Though Endless Love wasn't a single continuous storyline, it's officially categorized as a multisegmented series; it's divided into parts or chapters according to seasons (like winter and summer). The chapters were conceived as separate K-dramas released over six years, and all were directed by Yoon Seok-ho, who envisioned a melodramatic and hyper-romantic series through stunning cinematography and directorial work, and some soap opera plot twists. Endless Love boasts the classic K-drama aesthetic and could be deemed an inspirational series to others after it.
Endless Love was divided into four romantic drama series, named after the four seasons in one year. They are Autumn In My Heart (2000), Winter Sonata (2002), Summer Scent (2003), and Spring Waltz (2006). Each of these was a highly influential series that changed the K-drama landscape and jump-started the Korean Wave. Autumn In My Heart and Winter Sonata are arguably more famous because they were internationally acclaimed series. In case you didn't know, these K-dramas were a part of a unified series, now you do.
7 'Nonstop' (2000–2006)
Han Hyo-joo dancing and having fun in Nonstop Season 5Image via MBC
Yes, you read that correctly—the South Korean sitcom Nonstop has over 2,000 episodes. One Piece, move aside. Nonstop is also the series that gave some of South Korea's most prominent actors their start, from Lee Min-ho and Jo In-sung to Han Hyo-joo and Jang Na-ra; if you can think of an actor, they were probably in this. Nonstop is one of Korea's earliest youth sitcoms, and it became a smash hit as soon as it started airing. It ran for six seasons over six straight years, and while it's not a traditional K-drama in its structure, it's a scripted, televised narrative series that became a cultural staple for a generation.
Nonstop follows an ensemble of young actors portraying college students, showing their daily lives and adventures with friends and family. Each season includes a completely different cast, keeping the concept fresh and appealing to everyone who loved to tune in year after year. The only downside of this would be getting attached to specific characters, but with so many likeable actors from season to season, it's easy to move on. Not sure where you can watch Nonstop nowadays, but if you find it, it'll be like the most charming time capsule ever.
6 The 'High Kick!' Franchise (2006–2012)
The cast members of High Kick! the first series in the High Kick FranchiseImage via MBC TV
Like Nonstop, the High Kick! franchise isn't a single-season K-drama, but its interconnected comedic universe ran across the late 2000s and early 2010s, staying on the air for roughly six years. Also, like Nonstop, High Kick introduced now-mega-stars like Shin Se-kyung, Park Min-young, and Park Shin-hye, among others. The franchise's longevity cemented it as Korea's most iconic long-running sitcom, marking the era as the beginning of more format-diverse TV content.
The High Kick! franchise is conceived as a situational comedy that follows the daily lives and adventures of the Lee family members. A lot of the characters that come into the family's lives use their real names, but portray fictional characters or fictional versions of themselves; the actors portraying the Lee family members also used their real names. The first series is called High Kick! and it aired 2006–2007; the first sequel is High Kick Through the Roof, which aired 2009–2010, and the second is High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged, which aired 2011–2012. You can watch one of them, but why not all three? Episodes are short and entertaining, sitcom-style, and a time capsule of sorts.
5 'Jumong' (2006–2007)
Song Il-kook posing as King Jumong in the series JumongImage via MBC
Jumong is one of the most famous historical epics in Korean TV history. It aired for over a year, continuously, and dominated ratings during its entire run. This historical epic series was incredibly popular and is one of the historical romance shows that paved the way for others of the same genre; Jumong has 81 episodes that aired between May 2006 and March 2007. This K-drama is also special because it was filmed on location, in the Yongin Daejanggeum Park, the largest open filming set in Korea that recreates the streets and houses from the Three Kingdoms period and the Joseon Dynasty.
Jumong follows the titular character, Jumong (Song Il-kook), the founding monarch of the Goguryeo dynasty. Jumong's path from a weak prince to the dynasty's leading monarch is chronicled throughout the 81 episodes, which also include his love story with Soseono (Han Hye-jin), Jumong's second wife and a figure crucial to the dynasty's establishment. Again, this isn't a show that expresses longevity in terms of multiple years, but it is a long-running series that captivated viewers for nearly a year.
4 'Tears of the Dragon' (1996–1998)
Kim Mu-saeng and Lee Min-woo talking to each other in Tears of the Dragon, dressed in Joseon Dynasty clothesImage via KBS1
Tears of the Dragon is another historical epic, and this sweeping series depicts the foundation of the famous Joseon Dynasty, spanning from the founder, King Taejo, all the way to its final monarch, King Sejong. With 159 episodes and nearly 18 months of airtime (November 1996–May 1998), Tears of the Dragon is a historical tour de force and a major legacy series. For anyone interested in the historical development of the Korean empire, specifically its most famous historical era, Joseon, Tears of the Dragon is truly the greatest and most straightforward depiction of events. A lot of the facts were based on the historical research on Prime Minister Jeong Do-jeon, making Tears of the Dragon the first series to use that as a source.
Tears of the Dragon starts with the depiction of King Taejong (Yoo Dong-geun) and his commitment to furthering the power and influence of his dynasty, as well as his involvement with other royal officials and the relationships with his own family members. Legendary actor Kim Mu-saeng portrayed Taejong's father, the Joseon founder Taejo. Tears of the Dragon is highly influential and a great long-running series that defined an era.
3 '500 Years of Joseon' (1983–1990)
A still from the final series of the 500 Years of Joseon, DaewongunImage via MBC
Another drama franchise that dives deep into the Joseon era is 500 Years of Joseon, which has the same concept as Endless Love—a thematic concept that encapsulates/is represented by various K-dramas. The shows that represent the serial 500 Years of Joseon are all historical dramas and count as some of the most influential K-drama shows of their time. 500 Years of Joseon is represented by 11 different dramas, which aired between 1983 and 1990, coming to a total of 538 episodes.
This MBC megaproject dramatizes different eras of the Joseon Dynasty in a unified format, and it's one of Korea's longest sustained drama projects. The 27-episode drama that started the concept was The King of Chudong Palace, depicting the fall of the Goryeo Kingdom and the founding of Joseon; the series ends with Daewongun, a 32-episode saga following the titular political figure, who was crucial during the Joseon period. The series ends with the subsequent fall of Joseon, with MBC's concept creators rounding out the story with a moving drama. It's an interesting concept, though it's not technically a single K-drama.
2 'Ugly Miss Young-ae' (2007–2019)
Kim Hyun-sook posing at a desk for the poster for the series Ugly Miss Young-aeImage via tvN
Ugly Miss Young-ae is a unicorn in the K-drama world, as it is the longest-running modern scripted Korean series. It doesn't represent a concept that encapsulates different dramas; it's not a multiple-series franchise; it's just a sitcom that follows the life of a relatable woman, Lee Young-ae (Kim Hyun-sook), including the lives of other women in their 30s who juggle office work with their private lives. The show jumped from season to season for 12 years, and what kept it on air for so long was its realistic portrayal of working-class womanhood.
Ugly Miss Young-ae follows multiple women's lives in an office environment, focusing on Lee Young-ae, her office duties and love life while she remains single throughout most of the show. Kim Hyun-sook portrays Young-ae, and her comedic skills are unmatched; interestingly, Kim worked on this show for 12 years straight but also starred in other projects during that time, like Queen of Mystery and Bring It On, Ghost. If you like situational comedy and female-centered shows, this is the series to put on your watchlist.
1 'Country Diaries' (1980–2002)
Kim Hye-ja and Choi Bool-am in Country DiariesImage via MBC
The longest-running K-drama of all time is Country Diaries, a series that had over 1,000 episodes and was on air for 22 years, from 1980 to 2002. This show is a gentle slice-of-life series depicting various farming families and focusing on the appeal and difficulties of rural life in South Korea. Country Diaries spanned multiple generations of actors and audiences, including some famous faces and legends of South Korean cinema (most notably Kim Hye-ja and Choi Bool-am, who portray the leads). Nothing comes close to Country Diaries; this beautiful series lasted longer than most shows globally.
Country Diaries is about various characters who either live the rural lifestyle or leave the rural lifestyle and long for it after leaving. Interestingly, sentiments around the rural lifestyle haven't changed since the inception of Country Diaries in 1980; so many modern K-dramas depict similar subject matter, with people who lose everything suddenly shifting their lifestyles to rural areas and learning the beauty of simplicity and slowing down. Country Diaries has, undoubtedly, influenced this and inspired some of the most beautiful K-dramas of today.
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Autumn in My Heart
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