Throughout the world of K-Dramas, various broadcasting stations bring numerous series to the home of fans all across the globe. One of these stations is the illustrious MBC. MBC is one of the most popular broadcasting channels, with its K-Dramas consistently placing in the best ratings list. The channel continues to deliver high-quality productions appealing to fans in South Korea and abroad. As such, MBC drama ratings rise to the very top, with many reaching record highs.

Here are the top MBC Dramas with the highest ratings since 2020!

 

1. "Knight Flower" - 18.4%

Starring Lee Hanee and Lee JongWon, the historical drama "Knight Flower" starred high in ratings and quickly reached high ratings. The drama gained even more popularity in its last weeks and reached the ratings of 18.4% with its final episode. In 2024, the drama broke the previous records held by "The Red Sleeve". The drama is available on Viki, Kocowa, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

 

2. "The Red Sleeve" - 17.4%

Among historical K-Dramas, "The Red Sleeve" was phenomenally made, filled with moments of romance and yearning that cannot be easily forgotten. Due to its massive success, it gained 17.4% ratings, making it the highest rated series among MBC K-Dramas from 2020 to 2023. Luckily for fans new and old, the K-Drama is available to watch on Rakuten Viki.

 

3. "Big Mouth" - 13.7%

"Big Mouth" made big waves during its initial run. The chemistry between Lee JongSuk and Girls' Generation's YoonA was magnificent, and combined with a compelling storyline, it became an immediate hit, reaching 13.7% ratings. The drama can be watched via streaming site Hulu.

 

4. "My Dearest (part 1 & 2)" - 12.9%

Starring NamKoong Min and Ahn EunJin, "My Dearest" gained massive success and tugged on the heartstrings of all its viewers with a total of 21 episodes. Reaching its highest rating of 12.9% with the final episodes, it puts the series as one of the most watched of MBC. "My Dearest" is currently available on Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

5. "Wonderful World" - 11.4%

"Wonderful World" (2024) is a revenge and thriller drama starring Kim NamJoo and ASTRO's Cha EunWoo. The drama went viral on social media and the mysterious story caught attention. The drama peaked at 11.4% with its 9th, 11th, and 13th episodes. It started at 5.3%.

 

6. "Chief Detective 1958" - 10.1%

The retro crime drama "Chief Detective 1958" starring Lee JeHoon, Lee DongHwi, Choi WooSung, Yoon HyunSoo, and Seo EunSoo started with 10.1%. The drama started after "Wonderful World" and garnered a lot of attention to be able to start with such high ratings.

 

7. "The Veil" - 9.8%

Also starring NamKoong Min, "The Veil" kept audiences at the edge of their seats with its various twists and turns. Its captivating suspense allowed the drama to reach its highest ratings of 9.8%, landing it at number four among MBC dramas. "The Veil" is available to watch via Rakuten Viki or Kocowa.

 

8. "The Story of Park's Marriage Contract" - 9.6%

"The Story of Park's Marriage Contract" based on webtoon gained a lot of popularity. Bae InHyuk and Lee SeYoung's chemistry was amazing and the story was full of mystery so the drama gained a lot of viewers. The drama started at 5.6% and reached the highest rating of 9.6%.

 

9. "Tracer" - 9.0%

This MBC drama depicted the hard working performance of the National Tax Service. Featuring a cast with Yim SiWan, Go AhSung, Son HyunJoo, and much more, "Tracer" reached its highest rating at 9.0%, earning it the fifth spot among MBC dramas so far. "Tracer" is available on Rakuten Viki, Kocowa, and Wavve.

 

10. "The Golden Spoon" - 7.8%

"The Golden Spoon" is a webtoon-based drama that followed poor, yet studious Lee SeungCheon (BTOB's SungJae) and chaebol son Hwang TaeYong (Lee JongWon) as they switched lives during adolescence and adulthood. The drama explored the stark differences between the extremely rich and those living in poverty. While there were moments of crushing heartache, there were scenes of uplifting hope that lit up all the dark spaces in your heart. "The Golden Spoon" earned its highest ratings at 7.8% and is available on Disney+ and Hulu.

 

11. "Tomorrow" - 7.6%

While this webtoon-based drama had various moments of uplifting comedy, it also did an excellent job at exploring hard-hitting topics. This involved aspects of mental health, life after death and those left behind, as well as the will to live on. At its highest peak, "Tomorrow" earned 7.6% in ratings. This MBC K-Drama is available on streaming platform, Netflix.

 

12. "Doctor Lawyer" - 7.2%

Starring the iconic actor, So JiSub, "Doctor Lawyer" is a fusion of medical and law, providing the best of both worlds. As Han YiHan (So JiSub) searched for the truth, viewers could not help but remain by his side. With the help of its loyal viewers, the MBC drama reached its highest ratings of 7.2%, placing it at eighth on this list. "Doctor Lawyer" is currently available on Disney+ and Hulu.

 

13. "Kkondae Intern" - 7.1%

Adapted from the winning script from MBC's 2018 drama writing contest, "Kkondae Intern" follows the reversal of roles between Ka YeolChan (Park HaeJin) and Lee ManSik (Kim EungSoo). The office comedy provided viewers a reason to smile and laugh, week after week, and reached its highest ratings of 7.1%. "Kkondae Intern" is available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

14. "Dinner Mate" - 6.1%

A story of strangers to lovers, Kim HaeKyung (Song SeungHeon) and Woo DoHee (Seo JiHye) unexpectedly meet on Jeju Island. Bonding over their respective heartaches and love of food, they remain in contact and gradually fall for one another. "Dinner Mate" earned its highest ratings at 6.1% and is available to watch via streaming sites iQIYI and Prime Video.

 

15. "Find Me In Your Memory" - 5.4%

"Find Me In Your Memory" is a moving story between Lee JungHoon (Kim DongWook) and Yeo HaJin (Mun KaYoung). While the drama had its fair share of romance, it also offered moments of healing that aided broken souls everywhere. The drama earned its highest ratings at 5.4%, landing at eleventh among MBC K-Dramas. It is available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

16. "The Forbidden Marriage" - 4.9%

"The Forbidden Marriage" certainly had it all: a budding romance, a swoon-worthy second lead, a love triangle that broke your heart, and so much more. Audiences certainly agreed, sticking with the drama for every new episode, helping it reach its peak at 4.9% ratings. "The Forbidden Marriage" is available to watch on Prime Video, Rakuten Viki, and Kocowa.

 

17. "Kokdu: Season Of Deity" - 4.8%

"Kokdu: Season Of Deity" was filled with quirky characters, electrifying chemistry, and a romance that withstood the test of time. Switching between historical and modern, "Kokdu: Season Of Deity" had fans constantly coming back for more, earning 4.8% ratings. The MBC drama is made available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Wavve.

 

18. "When I Was Most Beautiful" - 4.7%

"When I Was Most Beautiful" is a heartbreaking love story featuring Oh YeJi (Im SooHyang) who is caught between brothers Seo Hwan (Ji Soo) and Seo Jin (Ha SeokJin). As they navigated feelings of love and jealousy, audiences remained glued to their seats, watching the story unfold. With the help of its dedicated viewers, the series earned 4.7% ratings, placing it at number fourteen among MBC K-Dramas. "When I Was Most Beautiful" is available to watch via Rakuten Viki and Kocowa.

 

19. "From Now On, Showtime!" - 4.6% & "The Game: Towards Zero" - 4.6%

Comedic with a touch of mystery, "From Now On, Showtime!" was able to captivate viewers with its lighthearted storyline and incredible lineup of actors. On the other hand, there was the more serious, thriller series "The Game: Towards Zero" which kept viewers shrouded in suspense. While two different genres, these series earned its highest ranking at 4.6%, tying at number fifteen among MBC K-Dramas.

Which of these MBC dramas is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

 

tvN is a cable channel of Korea and its dramas are popular in and out of Korea. The channel has quite a lot of hit dramas on its record. The channel keeps on having high ratings with interesting plots and Hallyu actors in its cast.

Here is a list of the tvN dramas with the highest ratings up until now (all years) (updated article).

 

1. "Crash Landing On You" - 21.7%

The drama "Crash Landing On You" (2019-2020) with Hyun Bin and Son YeJin makes tvN history by breaking the record of its highest ratings. With the final episode of the drama, the drama ratings reached 21.7%. The love story of the North Korean soldier and South Korean chaebol hooked the country.

 

2. "Queen of Tears" - 21.6%

The awaited K-Drama "Queen of Tears" (2024) with top Hallyu stars Kim SooHyun and Kim JiWon started with 5.9% and reached impressive ratings of 21.6% with episode 14.  Viewers are hooked and the drama went viral for its story and amazing acting. It is still airing.

 

3. "Goblin" - 20.5%

The drama "Goblin" also titled "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" aired in 2016-2017 starring Gong Yoo, Kim GoEun, Lee DongWook and more. In and out of Korea, the drama was extremely popular. There was definitely a "Goblin craze". The final episode of the drama reached its highest personal ratings at 20.5%. "Goblin" held the record of tvN best ratings until "Crash Landing on You" broke it.

 

4. "Reply 1988" - 18.8%

The "Replies" series were popular and "Reply 1988" (2015-2016) was the most popular. The last episode reached 18.8%. Girl's Day's HyeRi, Park BoGum, Go KyungPyo, Ryu JunYeol and Lee DongHwi acted in the drama.

 

5. "Mr. Sunshine" - 18.1%

The historical drama "Mr. Sunshine" (2018) with Lee ByungHun and Kim TaeRi had a huge budget and it received a lot of love in and outside of Korea. The drama scored 18.1% of ratings on its last episode.

 

6. "Mr. Queen" - 17.4%

The comedy historical drama "Mr. Queen" (2020-2021) starring Shin HyeSun and Kim JungHyun was also popular. The drama started at 8.0% and kept on increasing its ratings up to 17.4% for the final episode.

 

7. "Crash Course In Romance" - 17%

The romance drama "Crash Course in Romance" (2023) starred Jeon DoYeon and Jung KyungHo. The drama started with 4.0% but gained a lot of popularity week after week with its love story, elite education, and scandals. The drama reached 17% with its last episode.

 

8. "Under The Queen's Umbrella" - 16.852%

The historical drama "Under The Queen's Umbrella" (2022) starred Kim HyeSoo, Kim HaeSook, Choi WonYoung, Moon SangMin, SF9's Chani, Yoo SeonHo, Kim MinGi, and more. It was a hit drama. Starting at 7.6%, the drama kept on gaining viewers and reached 16.852% with its last episode. The story of the queen, her sons, and all the political schemes passionated.

9. "Vincenzo" - 14.6%

The black comedy drama "Vincenzo" (2021) starring Song JoongKi, Jeon YeoBeen, 2PM's Ok TaecYeon, Kim YeoJin, and Kwak DongYeon was popular. The drama was also available on Netflix at the same time. The drama started at 7.7% and ended at 14.6%. Viewers have been stunned by the amazing acting and the catchy storyline of a mafia consigliere getting rid of the bad guys.

 

10. "Our Blues" - 14.6%

The life drama "Our Blues" (2022) starring Lee ByungHun, Shin MinA, Han JiMin, Kim WooBin, Cha SeoungWon, and Lee JungEun gathered a lot of interest with its touching story and its talented cast. The drama started at 7.3% and ended at 14.6%.

 

11. "100 Days My Prince" - 14.4%

The comedy historical drama "100 Days My Prince" (2018) starring EXO’s D.O. and Nam JiHyun was also one of the most popular dramas of tvN. The last episode of the drama reached 14.4%.

 

12. "Hospital Playlist" - 14.1%

The drama "Hospital Playlist" (2020) with Jo JungSuk, Yoo YeonSeok, Jung KyungHo, and Kim DaeMyung was popular. The drama kept increasing in ratings and reached 14.1% with its last episode. The story of these close friends working at the hospital had interested many.

 

13. "Signal" - 12.5%

The drama "Signal" (2016) with Lee JeHoon, Kim HyeSoo, and Choi JinWoong was also a hit. The drama reached 12.5% of ratings with its last episode. This drama is often mentioned as one of the best K-Dramas in the international K-Drama community.

 

14. “Hotel del Luna"- 12%

IU and Yeo JinGoo addicted viewers to the ghosty fantasy drama “Hotel del Luna”. The drama was so popular that many are hoping for a second season. The drama reached 12.0% on its last episode.

 

15. "Marry My Husband" - 12.0%

The 2024 drama "Marry My Husband" based on a web novel and webtoon was a hit. With Park MinYoung, Na InWoo, Lee YiKyung, Song HaYoon, and Highlight's Lee GiKwang, the revenge drama caught attention from the start with 5.2%. It continuously grabbed viewers' attention until reaching 12.0% with its last episode.

 

In a world where many Western television series welcome multiple seasons, K-Dramas are often wrapped up in at least 16 episodes, sometimes even more. And while daily dramas often sit at the cusp of 40+ episodes, they never crest over one singular season.

The Korean film industry followed this model for a long time, however, in recent years, the landscape of K-Dramas has greatly evolved with the roaring tide of the Hallyu wave. Following the globalization of Korean entertainment, production companies and film crews are starting to take a new approach, splitting one K-Drama into two different parts.

Now, before we explore the success of this new approach, let’s take a look at the evolution of the typical K-Drama.

 

One Story, One Season

There is no doubt that the main allure of K-Dramas is the fact that many end within one season. Working with this model for so long, film crews, writers, and directors understand what it takes to create a compelling K-Drama that audiences will love.

Within the first few episodes, they introduce the main characters, the core focus of the plot, and the looming obstacle that stands in the main characters’ way. Then over the course of the series, there’s internal struggles, a multitude of disagreements, and at times, heart-fluttering romance in between. But regardless of how many things happen over the course of a drama, viewers know that by the final episode, most, if not all, questions will be answered and any loose ends will be promptly tied up.

This tried and true formula has led dramas like “My Love From The Star”, “Secret Garden”, and “Coffee Prince” become shining examples of what a classic K-Drama should be. Many viewers will fondly remember committing 16+ hours of their time to these dramas without a second thought.

 

Multiple Seasons Approach

Although a majority of K-Dramas continued forward with its usual format, there has been a recent rise in multiple season shows. Some of these include “Uncanny Counter”, “The Penthouse: War In Life”, and “Taxi Driver”.

Despite not having a definitive end, these shows reached mass success from the public both locally and abroad, and as a result, fans were more than happy to hear of their renewal. These dramas kept viewers at the edge of their seats and by the time the final credits rolled, they were understandably asking for more.

Now, not all successful dramas end up having a second season, as highlighted by the many years of K-Drama history. But the ones that do usually receive thunderous applause from viewers that makes it difficult to not have a second, or even third, season.

Despite their obvious success, not everyone is on board for these changes. On forum sites like Reddit, many argue that multiple seasons take away the initial appeal K-Dramas had in the first place and the risk of leaving behind too many unanswered questions due to cancellations or other issues. While this might be true for some, many multiple season dramas are still able to properly close the door on the series, allowing fans to move onto the next big thing.

 

The Rise Of A New K-Drama Model

Seasons aside, there seems to be a new K-Drama model coming to light: one story, split into two parts.

This can be seen through the highly successful Netflix-produced “The Glory” and TVING’s “Death Game”. These shows contain the typical flow of the classic K-Drama model, however, the main difference is that they are split into two separate parts. In the case of “The Glory”, the first 8 episodes were released on December 30, 2022, while the final 8 were released on March 10.

Now, with a number of shows split up into two separate parts, there’s more shocking cliffhangers, more mysteries waiting to unfold, and more time to ruminate and fully digest the events of a drama. And while the wait between the first and second part isn’t nearly as long as a K-Drama with multiple seasons, a bit of patience is required to fully appreciate the entirety of a drama.

Of course, dedicated fans in addition to a great storyline will keep viewers excitedly waiting for part 2, and ultimately the conclusion of the drama, however, for more casual viewers, this might cause them to lose interest and move onto something else.

This newer model of K-Dramas will not please everyone, but it seems like it’s growing in popularity as more shows adopt its structure. Now comes the question: will it work? Outside of "The Glory", looking at the success of shows like "Island", "Duty After School", and etc., K-Dramas split into two separate parts continue to retain a majority of their viewers. However, there is the danger of waiting too long or going up against a surging series with high viewership. If these conditions are met, this might mark a significant fall in viewership compared to the first part of the series.

But as seen from these previous works, the right story, cast, and amount of hype make it possible to create a drama that many people will love and continue to support worldwide. In the end, this newer model of dramas is establishing a firm foothold in the scene, and there's no doubt we will see more of it.

Which K-Drama model do you prefer the most?