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!

 

“My ID is Gangnam Beauty” (2018), also called “Gangnam Beauty”, was a hit, with many overseas viewers falling in love with the K-Drama. Based on the webtoon of the same name by Gi MaengGi, it tells the story of MiRae who was bullied for her looks at school, leading her to get plastic surgery. She now enters her "new life" with a whole new face at university. While everyone is focused on what people look like, KyungSuk, MiRae’s fellow classmate, thinks differently, and MiRae learns what real “beauty” is.

While it is a rom-com, the story also touches on many deep topics such as lookism, sexism, the societal pressure to meet beauty standards, and the importance of realizing one’s inner beauty. The drama received a lot of positive reviews because of its various messages.

However, did you know that there is a Thai adaptation of the same webtoon and that with top Thai actors? Named "Beauty Newbie" (2024), the Thai drama is based on the same webtoon as the Korean drama. The airing just ended on April 2nd. Although the story largely remains the same, it focuses more on the female lead making her first-ever friend in her new life at university than the Korean show.

Let us introduce the cast to you:

MiRae (Im SooHyang) becomes Liu (Baifern), KyungSuk (ASTRO's Cha EunWoo) becomes Guy (Win), SooAh (Jo WooRi) becomes Faye (Jane), and WooYoung (Kwak DongYeon) becomes Saint (Great).

ChanWoo (Oh HeeJoon) becomes Mac (Mike), WonHo (Kim DoYeon) becomes Mok (Drake), and Eun (Park YooNa) becomes Ann (Emi).

Important Note: To avoid too many spoilers we will cover until episode 5 of the Thai drama. We can't cover all the points. Also, the comparison is done with the Korean drama and not the original webtoon. 

Here are a few differences we could notice between the Korean drama "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" (2018) and the Thai drama "Beauty Newbie" (2024) both based on the same webtoon.

 

Overall Differences

1. It's faster

The Korean drama consists of sixteen 60-minute episodes while the Thai drama only has fourteen 44-minute episodes, making it 344 minutes (or approximately 6 hours) shorter.

Since the Thai version is shorter, the drama starts way faster than the Korean drama, and all the main elements are quickly settled within the first minutes of the show. However, the Thai production still kept some key scenes, such as the face grading scenes (scenes where the female lead grades women's faces).

 

2. Its use of social media & cyberbullying

Like in some other GMMTV dramas such as “F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers”, the characters of “Beauty Newbie” are frequent users of social media. This leads to many cases of cyberbullying which were not present in the Korean drama.

The use of Instagram, X (Twitter), online messengers, online communities, and more are shown on screen and play an important role in the story and heavily impact the characters.

While both MiRae and Liu were victims of bullying in the past, Liu continues to struggle against online bullying at her university. Everywhere she turns, there are people talking behind her back or on the internet, not only in her department, but across the entire school

 

3. The fighting is more violent

Compared to the Korean drama, the Thai drama has more severe violence. The fight scenes are longer and taken to a higher level. If you don't like violence, don’t worry as it shouldn’t be anything that will stop you from watching.

KyungSuk does get into a few fights but the intensity of the fights is different from the ones Guy takes part in. We noticed more kicks, punches, and blood shown to viewers.

It might be a cultural difference or solely a choice to show that Guy is ready to be hurt for Liu.

 

Differences in the characters

4. Liu/MiRae: from a smart to a naive female lead

From the start, MiRae is quite smart and relatively quick-witted while Liu is much more naive. Their mental maturity seems different.

When Liu faces all the red flags of Faye, she still does not realize that she is being used and wronged. What is more, Liu does not side with Guy who is trying to help her. She keeps people who use her by her side and keeps the good ones far.

It seems that the Thai production wanted to make the growth of her character more significant and make her character more dependent on the two lead characters for their romantic interest.

 

5. Faye/SooAh: from a villain with flaws to a self-centered vicious lady

This character is one of the most striking differences between the two dramas, in its nature but also in screen time.

The Korean drama villain is SooAh even if some events later on seem to redeem her. SooAh is a liar, has ill feelings for MiRae, and manipulates guys for her gains.

However, in the Thai drama, Faye is more evil and vicious. You might wonder, "how is that even possible?".

Faye's mentality and behavior possess a darker edge, as she's prepared to go to any lengths to uphold her façade of the 'beautiful angel.' Despite her charming exterior, her actions are fueled by self-serving motives, leveraging her beauty and influence to manipulate situations in her favor, all while making any of her rivals hit low.

From the first episodes, she gets a lot of screen time and we know what she planning early while we know later for SooAh.

Liu is also much more under her manipulation, a real puppet. The first episodes portray how Faye is using Liu to give herself a better image. For example, after making sure everyone knows that Liu had plastic surgery and making people make negative comments about it, she would defend Liu. This whole plan makes her look like a "nice" person defending the weak, when really, she had planned it all.

Also, another difference is while SooAh hates being taken in pictures because of her trauma, Faye enjoys it and enjoys having her 'fanclub'/'followers' like Mok taking pictures of her, secretly or not.

The Thai production takes this character further to add more drama (read fun) and makes viewers even more engaged in hating Faye and hoping for Liu to listen to Guy. Also, the summary of the Thai drama mentions that Faye is Liu’s “first friend” ever, making her even more important to the story.

 

6. Saint/WooYoung: from a quick story use to a real second lead for a love triangle

In "My ID is Gangnam Beauty", WooYoung is a TA for the chemistry department and a neighbor of MiRae. He has a crush on her but this was mostly used to just move the plot forward and make MiRae date KyungSuk. He was not ever taken seriously as a potential boyfriend so there was never any real love triangle in the drama.

However, in "Beauty Newbie", Saint is much more than just "a oppa with a crush". He creates a love triangle, and makes some viewers feel the second lead syndrome. Furthermore, not only does he live in Liu’s neighborhood, he also lives next door. Living in the same building and floor, he always appears in her sphere.

Saint is also much more sweet and kind to the female lead than WooYoung. He also got the support of Liu's parents from the very first episode, while this happens later for WooYoung. Saint is one step ahead of Guy and a strong contestant for Liu's heart. He also has his own perfume lab on the rooftop of the building, which only makes Liu like him more and spend more time with him.

Saint is even on the main poster of the drama while WooYoung is not. The Thai drama has four characters while the Korean one has three.

The Thai production decided to make Saint a more important character to add more romance and make viewers invested in the love triangle. Also, Liu needed a real friend to help her mature and Saint gives her a lot of help on finding solutions and building self-esteem. The character of Saint is very much popular among the viewers.

 

7. Not as many friends for the female lead

MiRae makes a few close friends at school, adding on her already close friend and roommate HyunJung (Min DoHee). However, Liu is friends with Faye and her two friends and that is all. In the drama, she is mostly surrounded by men and them. Liu does not have a roommate/friend like HyunJung either.

We can guess that since the drama is shorter, the production decided to make Faye and Saint more present in the story. They had to make some choices on who to put the spotlight on in Liu's life.

 

8. Ann/Eun: quite similar but Ann is not Liu's friend but Guy's

Ann and (Yoo) Eun are quite similar. They are blunt and quick-witted. They are both quick to notice Faye/SooAh's true nature. Eun is the first one to know that SooAh was lying about living in Gangnam.

But we noticed that Ann is not as close to Liu than Eun is to MiRae. Also, unlike Ann, Eun is the representative of the department and much interest in what is happening among the students and doesn't hesitate to stand out.

Furthermore, Ann is a very close friend of Guy’s, whereas in the Korean drama, the characters of Eun and KyungSuk are not as close. The reason for this might be that there are no other students that match her mindset. This little twist is quite interesting. It seems that Ann is filling the void left by the character of Seo YooJin (Lee TaeSun), the male lead’s best friend, who is nowhere to be found in the Thai drama.

 

9. The "sunbae" vs Mac

You will mostly remember the "sunbae" named ChanWoo that annoys everyone and that includes Mirae. The Thai drama kept the character but changed a few things.

While in the Korean drama, ChanWoo grosses out everyone in the department with his actions and is not particularly attractive, Mac is just a senior who is physically attractive but has difficulties with dating.

Mac becomes interested in both Liu and Faye, and Faye, who he prefers, manipulates him by confessing to him. Eventually, he turns violent towards Liu, but luckily, she is saved by Guy. This is exactly like in the Korean drama. The cafeteria scene and the kick-out scene were both kept with each their own twists.

However, there are quite a few differences from the Korean drama. MiRae was never really interested in ChanWoo, who didn't quite have the charm – mentally or physically – and even showed some borderline aggression in the first episodes. On the other hand, Mac seemed like a much better fit from the start, which is why Liu decided to give him a chance.

We can't be sure of the reason for these changes, but we can guess that the impact on Liu's mental would be bigger if she was interested in this character but then threatened by him.

 

10. Guy's sister is free to do her broadcast

In "My ID Gangnam Beauty", KyungSuk's sister hides from her family to do her broadcast and covers her face with masks to keep secret her identity. But in "Beauty Newbie", Guy's sister is openly doing her broadcasts, face fully shown on camera, and is supported by both her father and brother. They even help her fix some of her props, something we would never see with KyungSuk’s family. Also in the Thai drama, the sister is a bit older.

We guess that since the Thai production had to shorten the story, they removed this element of the story that required more scenes in the Korean drama.

 

11. Professors are involved in the school tensions

In the Thai drama, professors (administrative professors) are involved in the trouble students are facing. If students fight, they are called and receive a punishment. The characters are more responsible for their actions and they are asked about it and face punishment for it. In the Korean drama, WooYoung is the TA and takes care of these.

As seen earlier, WooYoung and Saint are different in both dramas, so we can guess the Thai production did not want to give him this role at school in the drama. Saint is here to support Liu emotionally and as a man and not as a school authority. He also makes his stands clear in front of the professors when she is facing difficulties.

 

Differences in the story

12. A different level of the "bathroom kick-out" scene ft. kendo

One of the most famous scenes of "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" is KyungSuk kicking ChanWoo (or "the sunbae") in the bathroom to save MiRae. In this scene, everyone is scared to stop ChanWoo from screaming and threatening MiRae. KyungSuk jumps in and fights the sunbae putting him K.O. on the toilet seat.

Are you not curious how the Thai version portrayed this scene?

The fight scene was a bit different. Mac threatens Liu that he will reveal to everyone her pre-surgery picture by clicking on the remote if she does not agree with what he wants. Guy jumps in the room and intervenes. Since Guy does Kendo, he takes the broom from Mac's hands and makes a few moves. He ends up hurting his hand and bleeding but Mac is defeated.

While the two dramas use a broom, the result is different. Also, students were not helping Liu because they were curious about the picture while students were not helping MiRae because they were scared of the sunbae. The Thai version went for a longer scene for more impact and painted Guy as Liu's savior.

 

13. MiRae & KyungSuk vs Liu & Guy

In the first episodes of "My ID is Gangnam Beauty", MiRae and KyungSuk are not close but MiRae has no hatred towards him, whereas Liu as a deep resentment of Guy. Their relationships have different starting points. Even if Guy helps Liu at various times, she always has a reason to hate him even more and does not let him explain himself.

The Thai drama production team decided to put one more obstacle for Guy and Liu to get closer. It has a small taste of a "from enemies to lovers" trope.

 

14. Liu's dad is aware of her plastic surgery

In the Korean version, only MiRae's mom knows about her plastic surgery (and was the only one who agreed on it!). It's a big secret to her dad, who only finds out later on and is greatly impacted by it.

However, in the Thai drama, the dad knows about her plastic surgery just like the mom and is just as supportive from the start, which makes for quite a big difference in the story.

Just like KyungSuk's sister, this aspect of the drama has been omitted.

 

15. The whole school accessed Liu's pre-surgery picture

In “My ID is Gangnam Beauty,” MiRae’s department does know that she had plastic surgery but they don’t have access to her pre-surgery picture. However, in "Beauty Newbie", the whole school accessed it as it was spread through social media. The trauma for Liu and the hardships to overcome seem much bigger than MiRae with this element.

 

Bonus: Liu/MiRae pre-surgery face stay not shown to drama viewers

We were happy to see that the Thai production also chose to not reveal on screen the pre-surgery face of the lead character. She is seen with a blur or a mask.

The Korean drama never revealed her face, showing only her eyes or her back, because the production team did not want to create a standard for what is ‘ugly’ or not. The Korean director Choi SungBum talked about it before and highlighted that "it is unethical to create a fixed definition of ugliness in a drama that strives to find the real meaning of beauty" as translated by The Korea Herald (here). They left it up to the viewers' imagination to represent the "ugly"/"unattractive" face.

 

Bonus: The outfits for the school festival stay similar

Do you remember the scene when the girls of the department were forced to wear these revealing outfits to sell drinks at the uni festival? It stayed the same in the Thai drama.

To give you a bit of a spoiler, Liu is the victim of sexual harassment but the men in her department do not take her side because "it is her job to make customers satisfied".

Let us share one shocking line. Faye has customers staring at her chest and taking illegal pictures so she goes to ask for help from one of the men of the department. He then decides to send Liu to that table and says to Faye: "It's okay. She's all plastic. A bit of staring and touching wouldn't tarnish her, unlike a natural beauty like you."

 

You can watch the drama for free and officially with subs on GMMTV YouTube below:

K-Dramas always amaze us with perfect casts and breathtaking actors and actresses. But we cannot help but imagine a "Dream Cast" before the final cast is revealed. Creating a "Dream Cast" is simply imagining which actor or actress we think would suit best a role or a specific drama. Often we choose it based on the original characters from the webtoon the drama is adapted from, or if it's a remake, which other actor or actress we would want to see playing a certain character.

Even if all actors and actresses cast for K-Dramas are good, some are especially outstanding in some roles or story genres. Also, we can't help but think of some people when we first discover or hear about some dramas. And now is your time to also choose your dream cast by voting for each of those K-Dramas' dream cast suggestions.

We've made plenty of potential "Dream Cast" on Kpopmap, you can now take a look at all of them, and participate in the votes!

 

1. "Bastard" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: SeonWoo Jin, is a young boy who inadvertently becomes an accomplice to a serial murderer, who also happens to be his father. However, when his father makes his girlfriend, Yoon Kyun, his next target, Jin is determined to fight back.

Some dream cast contestants: Um KiJoon, Park HaeJoon, Jung JiSo, Park JiHu...

 

2. "Do You Remember Me?" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: A young woman named Lee JiHyun, once dreamed of becoming a fashion columnist, but life had other plans. Presently, she works at a celebrity gossip website in the big city. She's overworked and barely has any time for herself, so much so that she ties her hair with a bulldog clip. As she turns 30, her world is turned upside down when she finds out about her favorite celebrity HaNeul's new relationship with a motorsports model, Choo AhRa.

Some dream cast contestants: Go Ara, Chae SooBin, NCT's JaeHyun, INFINITE's L...

 

3. "Dear Actresses" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: A young college student Han ChoWon is heartbroken over her ex-boyfriend So WooJoo, and is having a difficult time navigating her feelings. She is suddenly possessed by the soul of the beloved actress Cha Eugene, known as the "Nation's Goddess", who is in a coma from an accident that she has no memory of. To find out the truth about her accident, Eugene directs ChoWon towards acting, where she is perceived as a copycat of Cha Eugene and looked down upon by Gong YeonJun, an actor with national prestige. Even though she is embarrassed in front of So WooJoo, who is also an actor, through ups and downs, trials and tribulations, Han ChoWon discovers her own knack for acting, develops her unique style, and becomes a lovely actress in her own right. At the same time, with ChoWon's help, Eugene gets closer to finding out the reason why she is in a coma.

Some dream cast contestants: Jin KiJoo, Go MinSi, Yoo InNa, Shin HaeSun, Park JiHoon, WEi's YoHan...

 

4. "A Good Day To Be A Dog" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: “A Good Day To Be A Dog” is an unpredictable fantasy romance drama about a woman who is cursed to turn into a dog when she is kissed and a man who can break the curse but is afraid of dogs.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim HyeYoon, Kim SeJeong, Lee SungKyoung, Park BoGum, Park HyungSik...

 

5. "A Compendium Of Ghosts" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: A young girl, SeJin, who has the ability to see supernatural entities, and her friend, Sang, a rather cowardly huntsman, ends up being followed by one. SeJin and Sang have a black cat x golden retriever dynamic.

Some dream cast contestants:  Kim SoHyun, Han SoHee, Chae JongHyeop, Lee DoHyun...

 

6. "Alice In Borderland" Korean Remake Dream Cast

Drama Summary: Japanese drama that follows a group of players as they face death in numerous "games" where they must either participate or die by default. Japan, as we know it, has been transformed into an arena, and life has been turned upside down. Amidst this chaos, a few resilient players fight for survival, making terrible sacrifices and experiencing heartbreaking loss in the process.

Some dream cast contestants: GOT7's JinYoung, Han SoHee, Park JiHoon...

 

7. "Time Share House" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: A lovely young woman Yoon DoAh, has just landed her dream job as a writer at a broadcasting company and is more than elated to begin a new chapter of her life. Little did she know, her parents are also looking forward to a new beginning because they are getting divorced. Upon finding out that both of her parents have lovers of their own, DoAh decides to find a new place to live. Luckily, she stumbles upon an affordable share house but there's something off about the place.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim YouJung, Song Kang, Kim MinGue, Seo JiHoon...

 

8. "Is It A Coincidence?" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: Back in middle school, HongJu was HooYoung's first love but she would pass on love notes to him from her friends with not the slightest clue about his feelings. 10 years later, they meet on a blind date where HongJu introduces herself, and HooYoung recognizes her at once. As it turns out, both HongJu and HooYoung had come for a blind date, but they had their respective partners mixed up. The two resume their separate dates, but the encounter leaves HooYoung wondering whether it was just a coincidence that he met HongJu after such a long time.

Some dream cast contestants: Ahn HyoSeop, 2PM's TaecYeon, SF9's RoWoon...

 

9. "The 26th Murder" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: An arrogant serial killer who is caught and sentenced to the death penalty but suddenly loses his memory to a concussion a day before his execution. The narrative thus explores the moral dilemmas of crime and punishment and the judicial structures governing the same through the lens of a suspense mystery as we grapple with the possibility of a murderer lying about his amnesia to get out of death row or alternatively, him genuinely having forgotten all his sins. If the latter is true, does that absolve him from his crimes, and if not, will a psychopath roam free?

Some dream cast contestants: Choi WooShik, UP10TION's Kim WooSeok...

 

10. "House Of The Dragon" Dream Cast

Series Summary: "House of the Dragon" is the newly famous show by HBO, the prequel of the worldwide known "Game of Thrones". "House of the Dragon" tells the story of House Targaryen, ruler of Westeros and dragon rider. The plot takes place 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen, who will be one of the central characters of the series "Game of Thrones".

Some dream cast contestants: Seo YeaJi, Kim HyeSoo, Song KangHo...

 

11. "Back To You" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: HaYoung, is an unassuming young girl who strongly believes that the boy who keeps appearing in her dreams is the one she is destined to be with. This boy is JaeHyun, a popular classmate and neighbor who seems to notice everyone but her. To JaeHyun, HaYoung is not a friend or a lover but rather just a girl he knows, and that apparent indifference is enough to deter HaYoung from approaching him. Nevertheless, JaeHyun is HaYoung's first love, and her heart remains unchanged.

Some dream cast contestants: Park EunBin, Kang Daniel, WOODZ...

 

12. "Now I'm Taking A Break From Dating" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: Two young individuals who used to be schoolmates, each going through rough patches in their lives in terms of love, bumping into each other, and unlearning their trauma through getting to know each other's sincere feelings.

Some dream cast contestants: Moon GaYoung, Kim SaeRon, BTS's V, Lee JaeWook...

 

13. "Gorae Byul - The Gyeongseong Mermaid" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: "Gorae Byul - The Gyeongseong Mermaid" is set in the independent movements during the Japanese colonial era. The lead character SuA is a servant in a pro-Japanese household. At the beach, she met EuiHyeon who had jumped into the sea after being shot by the Japanese police.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim HyangGi, Kim TaeRi, Lee JongSuk, Yoo SeungHo, Woo DoHwan, Na InWoo...

 

14. "The Remarried Empress" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: "The Remarried Empress" tells the romance of the perfect empress of the Eastern Empire named Navier. The Emperor was not planning to keep her as an Empress anymore so she decides to choose to divorce him and to be an Empress elsewhere.

Some dream cast contestants: Seo YeaJi, Ju JiHoon, Seo KangJoon, Lee YuBi...

 

15. "Seasons Of Blossom" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: “Seasons Of Blossom” is a youth drama that follows the story of 18-year-olds with their own secrets and the sweet two-tone romances they create.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim HyeYoon, Park JiHoon, ASTRO's MoonBin...

 

16. "True Beauty" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: It tells the romantic comedy story of JuGyeong who has a complex about her appearance and who turns into a goddess thanks to makeup and of SuHo who keeps hidden scars. The two met and by sharing their secrets they grow and restore their self-esteem.

Some dream cast contestants: Chae SooBin, Kwon HyunBin, Min DoHee...

 

17. "Weak Hero" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: “Weak Hero Class 1” is a story about Yeon SiEun, a seemingly fragile top 1% model student, who fights violence inside and outside the school with his natural smarts and analysis skills.

Some dream cast contestants: Stray Kids' I.N, ATEEZ's SeongHwa, Kwon HyunBin, Hwang InYoup...

 

18. "The Girl Downstairs" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: “The Girl Downstairs,” tells the story of Idol Lee DooNa, who suddenly chooses to retire, and Lee WonJoon, a freshman in college, living in the same share house.

Some dream cast contestants: Song Kang, BTS's JungKook...

 

19. "Delusion" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: The story is based in 1935 in Gyeongseong where a struggling artist Yun Iho has just received a strange commission from the strange and reclusive Madam Song JeongHwa. No one has seen her face to face but it is assumed that she is an elderly woman from the aging portraits she has displayed of her. In order to have her portrait painted, Madam Song allows Iho to look at her but much to his surprise, it is a young woman who hasn't aged a day over her twenties.

Some dream cast contestants: Lee DongWook, Lee JaeWook, Seo YeaJi, Krystal Jung...

 

20. "The Moon That Rises In The Day" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: It is a story about a man whose time has stopped and a woman whose time flows. It is not a simple love story but a ‘romance thriller’. It will show the conflict between the past and the present.

Some dream cast contestants: Chae SooBin, Lee JoonGi, Yoo SeungHo...

 

21. "See You In My 19th Life" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: “See You In My 19th Life” is a drama that follows a reckless romance of a woman who remembers her past lives and is living her 19th life.

Some dream cast contestants: Seo KangJoon, Ji ChangWook...

 

22. "There Must Be Happy Endings" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: This webtoon combines the complexities of contract marriage with the even more intense and interesting topic of time travel and reincarnation. The leading characters are YeoNu and SeonJae. These two characters enter into a contract marriage out of certain obligations but as most contract marriages go, neither of them seems to be happy in this made-up relationship. YeoNu painfully endures the pressures from SeonJae's family and quietly suffers each day until one day, she decides to divorce him.

Some dream cast contestants: Im SooHyang, SHINee's MinHo, Seo KangJoon, BLACKPINK's JiSoo...

 

23. "Hash's Shinru" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: "Hash's Shinru" is a historical drama that tells the story of a mysterious woman Hae Roo, who can see the future. After being rescued by an old man from a life of starvation and bullying, she is raised by him until she reaches adulthood. However, she is forced to become a fugitive by circumstances and finds herself hiding away. One day, while she is being chased by government officials, she comes across a mysterious scholar Lee Hyang who believes that the most difficult battles are won by brains and not brawn. He is an extremely clever and learned genius who has a passion for astronomy. He makes her sign a contract in return for hiding her, declaring once and for all that Hae Roo is "his". Upon this encounter, the wheel of Hae Roo's fortune begins to turn again as her fate becomes intertwined with Lee Hyang.

Some dream cast contestants: IU, Jung SoMin...

 

24. "Borrowed Body" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: “The Borrowed Body” is a fantasy mystery academy drama depicting the commotion that occurs as the bodies change between Lee SangYoo, who is framed and is hated by all students, and insider, Gi DaRim, a popular student who is good at studying and exercising.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim YouJung, Lee YuBi, NCT's JaeHyun, TREASURE's JiHoon...

 

25. "Tomorrow" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: A drama about jobseeker, Choi JunWoong, who fell into a coma and ended up as a member of the Special Crisis Management Team of the underworld.

Some dream cast contestants:SF9's Chani, Hwang InYoup, Song Kang...

 

26. "Yumi's Cells" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: It tells the relatable story of YuMi an ordinary office worker in her 30s from the perspective of the cells of her head.

Some dream cast contestants:Lee DongWook, Nam JooHyuk...

 

27. "Itaewon Class" Dream Cast

Drama 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.

Some dream cast contestants: Yoo AhIn, Jang KiYong...

 

28. "Lookism" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: It tells the story of an unattractive guy who by miracle started to have 2 different bodies, a handsome one and an unattractive one.

Some dream cast contestants: Park BoGum, Nam JooHyuk, Jay Park, Lee JongSuk...

 

29. "Princess Hours" Remake Dream Cast

Drama Summary: "Princess Hours" tells the romance between the crown prince and a commoner woman who got into an arranged marriage in an alternate universe where Korea is a constitutional monarchy.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim HyeYoon, Lee JaeWook, Hwang InYeop, Kim WooSeok...

 

30. "My Roommate Is A Gumiho" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: It is about a gumiho (Korean nine-tailed fox) and a girl that got linked to each other by accident. The girl got the gumiho's fox orb (an orb at the origin of his power) in her body, they have to live together because he has to protect the orb.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim JiWon, Lee DongWook, Seo KangJoon...

 

31. "She Would Never Know" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: The story is taking place in a Korean leading fashion company. HyunSeung (RoWoon) is a new recruit of 7 months and a straightforward guy. SongAh (the lead actress) is his lovely sunbae and she is 1 year older than him. JaeShin (another male actor) is a team manager in the same company.HyunSeung has a one-sided love for SongAh. He got to see her kissing the team manager JaeShin. However, HyunSeung knows that JaeShin has a girlfriend and realizes that he is a cheater. To protect the girl he likes, HyunSeung decides to tell her about it and also confesses his feelings. She asks HyunSeung to pretend to date her to take revenge on JaeShin.

Some dream cast contestants: Lee SungKyoung, Shin SeKyung...

 

32. "Tale Of The Nine Tailed" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: It is the action fantasy story of a nine-tailed fox (Gumiho) who settled down in the city and of the producer who chases after him.

Some dream cast contestants: Park ShinHye, Lee SungKyoung...

 

33. "Sweet Home" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: It tells the story of a loner high school student who lost his family and the bizarre and shocking things that happened to him in his new flat.

Some dream cast contestants: Yang SeJong, Woo DoHwan, Nam DaReum...

 

34. "Favorite Part" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: It tells the struggling romance of a woman name So WooJoo who has special tastes in men. So WooJo -the main female character- easily falls in love with handsome men. She understands that she has special taste in men when she enters university. She likes only flower boys and doesn't care about their personalities. Because of this, she has been in several dramatic relationships to the point of ruining her life where the guy was using her for money or others. She started to mature with these experiences. So WooJo has low self-esteem and a gloomy personality.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim TaeRi, Nam JiHyun...

 

35. "Harry Potter" Dream Cast

Movie Summary: On his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter, a young boy, receives the revelation that he is the child of two mighty sorcerers who have passed away, and he possesses extraordinary magical abilities. Suddenly plucked from his unwelcome existence, he is beckoned to join Hogwarts, a prestigious British wizarding school. In this enchanting place, he encounters a group of companions who become his dearest confidants and aid him in uncovering the enigmatic circumstances surrounding his parents' demise.

Some dream cast contestants: Nam DaReum, Kim DaMi...

 

36. "Time And reason" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: BanJi is a cold and indifferent young girl, perceived as rude and snobby by her peers. Hong BaekYeong is a loner who exists quietly, sleeping during class and whiling away his time in school. When the two get partnered up for a lesson, they inevitably butt heads until they cross each other's lines. What starts off as a verbal argument turns into a physical altercation, all stemming from the fear of having their secrets revealed.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim HyeYoon, SF9's DaWon...

 

37. "I Thought My Time Was Up" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: Set in the year 732, in the fictional Harushan Empire "I Thought My Time Was Up" tells the story of a promising young woman named Lariette Blanche, who is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Despite being born with extraordinary magical talent and a destiny that could shape an entire century, she has spent her life in the shadow of her jealous younger brother and indifferent parents, who granted her no education or support. Now, she faces an arranged marriage to an elderly but wealthy marquess, who not only objectifies her but treats her like a return on an investment. However, with only three months to live, she embarks on a journey to fulfill her bucket list and finally live life on her own terms.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim SeJeong, Hwang MinHyun...

 

38. "Drishyam" Dream Cast

Movie Summary: The blissfully uneventful life of an ordinary family is turned upside down when they find themselves involved in a heinous crime. "Drishyam" follows Georgekutty (played by Mohanlal), a local cable TV operator whose life is dedicated to his family and films. He lives with his wife, Rani (played by Meena), and two daughters - Anju (played by Ansiba Hassan) and Anu (played by Esther Anil). When his oldest daughter Anju becomes a victim of a hidden camera crime, and the perpetrator Varun (played by Roshan Basheer), son of Inspector General Geetha Prabhakar (played by Asha Sharath), proceeds to blackmail her and her mother to coerce them into sexual favors, the two women accidentally end up killing him to defend themselves. When this gruesome act is brought to Georgekutty’s knowledge, he puts his expertise in thriller films to use and sketches out the perfect plan to get away with murder.

Some dream cast contestants: Park HaeSoo, Lee SunKyun...

 

39. "Go Ahead" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: Ling Xiao, He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian grow up in seperate family, which all had their own issues. They go through a lot together, and prove to each other that family is not just about bloodline. Unfortunately, they loose sight of each other during their high school years. Years later, the three of them reunite, but they'll have to face the scars of their past in order to move on..

Some dream cast contestants: Golden Child's Choi BoMin, Infinite's L...

 

40. "Guns And Talks" Dream Cast

Movie Summary: "Guns And Talks" tells the story of a group of four hitmen - all of whom are highly skilled at their jobs but not too bright. They are not motivated by some grand evil or noble purpose but instead simply run a private business where anyone can place an order, including students who even get a discount!

Some dream cast contestants: Lee MinHo, Ahn BoHyun, Hwang InYoup, ASTRO's Cha EunWoo...

 

41. "Vampire Chef" Dream Cast

Webtoon Summary: A charming vampire named Hong KiJoon owns a successful, yet shady, restaurant in Itaewon and he is the resident Masterchef at the same time. He is also the only employee at the restaurant, no matter how big the crowd gets. KiJoon has been in this business for quite a while and has built up quite the reputation for himself. In addition, he offers preferential treatment for 30-year-old women in particular and is evidently, quite the flirt! However, his worldly success doesn't change the fact that he is as bloodthirsty as ever, especially for a certain someone.

Some dream cast contestants: Seo InGuk, MONSTA X's HyungWon...

 

42. "My Man Is Cupid" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: The drama tells the tale of a fairy who gets shot by his own arrow and ends up falling in love. A woman gets caught up in this situation and consequently loses her soulmate.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim YooJung, Moon GaYoung...

 

43. "When Flowers Bloom I Think Of The Moon" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: "When Flowers Bloom I Think Of The Moon" tells the story of three people who can ruin each other's lives because they keep on bumping into each other in front of the secret liquor warehouse during the prohibition law in Joseon: an inspector who came to Seoul to achieve fame and prestige to restore his family's name, a poor noblewoman who started to brew alcohol to pay back her debt and the crown prince who keeps on going over the wall to have a drink.

Some dream cast contestants: Lee TaeRi, Kim Bum...

 

44. "Now We Are Breaking Up" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: A story of love and break ups in the romantic world. It illustrates the present scenario in the context of fashion industry. Ha Yeong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) is a trendy team leader of design department of a fashion company called 'The One'. Yoon Jae-gook (Jang Ki-yong) is a successful freelance photographer.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim JaeWook, Park HaeJin...

 

45. "River Where The Moon Rises" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: The drama will be recreating the famous Goguryeo traditional story of PyeongGang and OnDal. It tells the love story of PyeongGang who uses OnDal's feelings to become an empress and of OnDal who made foolish sacrifices.

Some dream cast contestants: Seo KangJoon, Kim DongHee...

 

46. "Hong ChunGi" Dream Cast

Novel Summary:"Hong ChunGi" tells the story of the only female painter of the Joseon Dynasty.

Some dream cast contestants: IU, Seol InA...

 

47. "Love Revolution" Dream Cast

Drama Summary: "Love Revolution" tells the love story of the couple Gong JuYoung and Wang JaRim while depicting realistically the teen's lives with their love, friendship, study, and dream.

Some dream cast contestants: Kim BoRa, Shin YeEun...

 

47. "Born Again" Dream Cast

Drama 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.

Some dream cast contestants: Shin HyeSun, Lee SungKyung...

 

 

Which is your favorite Dream Cast on this list? Let us know in the comments!