Lovely Runner to Doctor Slump: Highest-rated romance K-dramas of 2024 (2024)

Directed by: Boo Sung-chul, Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeong

Cast: Byeon Woo-seok, Kim Hye-yoon, Song Geon-hee

Release date: 8 April

Episodes: 16

IMDb rating: 8.8

Synopsis: Celebrity Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon) loses his life to unfortunate events. His sudden demise shatters his number one fan Im Sol (Kim). Later, under mysterious circ*mstances, she is able to travel back in time. Sun-jae in the past timeline, is alive and studies in high school. Relieved, Im Sol sets out to alter the events of the past that could lead to his death in the future.

About the show: This Byeon Woo-seok starrer is a Korean drama adaptation of the web novel The Best of Tomorrow by Kim Bbang.

Read more:Lovely Runner ending explained

Directed by: Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo

Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon

Release date: 9 March

Episodes: 16

IMDb rating: 8.3

Synopsis: Hong Hae-in (Ji-won) is the heiress of Queens Group and is married to Baek Hyun-woo (Soo-hyun), the Legal Director of the group. The duo are a happily married couple on the surface. But behind closed doors, they can’t stand each other. What happens when a crisis forces them to work together? Will Hyun-woo and Hae-in finally grow closer?

Directed by: Kwon Young-Il

Cast: Jun Jong-seo, Kim Do-wan, Moon Sang-min

Release date: 26 February

Episodes: 12

IMDb rating: 7

Synopsis: Close friends Na A-jeong (Jun) and Lee Do-han (Kim) do not believe in marriage and enjoy staying single. But when Do-han’s chaebol family forces him to marry, he requests A-jeong to pose as his wife. Will this fake bond change their notion of commitment and love?

About the show: This 2024 Korean drama is adapted from the romantic web novel of the same name by Song Jung-won.

Directed by: Park Won-gook

Cast: Park Min-young, Na In-woo, Lee Yi-kyung, Song Ha-yoon

Release date: 1 January

Episodes: 16

IMDb rating: 7.9

Synopsis: Loving wife Kang Ji-won (Park) discovers that her husband Park Min-hwan (Lee) is having an affair with her best friend Jung Soo-min (Song). Devastated, she confronts them only to be killed in the process. However, when mysterious events take her back 10 years, she gets a second chance at love.

About the show: This time-travel K-drama is based on the 2021 romantic webtoon Nae Nampyeongwa Gyeolhonhaejweo by Korean artist Seong So-jak.

Directed by: Jo Nam-gook

Cast: Cho Jung-suk, Shin Sae-kyung, Park Ye-young, Lee Shin-young

Release date: 21 January

Episodes: 16

IMDb rating: 7.7

Synopsis: Qing Dynasty king Yi In (Cho) meets a skilled Baduk (Go) player Kang Hee-soo (Shin Sae-kyung) and is instantly enamoured by her. He appoints her at his palace unaware of the fact that she has hidden agendas. What happens when Hee-soo starts falling for the king and gets distracted from her goal?

Also read: 8 best historical K-dramas to step back in time with

Directed by: Jo Hyun-taek

Cast: Chun Woo-hee, Jang Ki-yong, Claudia Kim, Go Doo-shim, Kim Su-hyun

Release date: 4 May

Episodes: 12

IMDb rating: 7.8

Synopsis: Superhuman Bok Gwi-joo (Jang) possesses the ability to time travel. However, the ways of the modern world affect his mental health, and he is soon diagnosed with depression. Following this, Gwi-joo loses all his special abilities. One day, when fate brings him to the mysterious Do Da-hae (Chun), Gwi-joo and his family are convinced that it’s Da-hae who can cure him.

Directed by: Ahn Pan-seok

Cast: Wi Ha-joon, Jung Ryeo-won, So Ju-yeon, Kim Song-il

Release date: 11 May

Episodes: 16

IMDb rating: 7.4

Synopsis: Lee Joon-ho, tired of the corporate world, leaves his high-paying job and becomes an instructor in the academy he had studied in. There, he comes across his first love, academy teacher Seo Hye-jin. Will this chance encounter give the duo a second chance at love?

Directed by: Oh Hyun-jong

Cast: Park Shin-hye, Park Hyung-sik, Yoon Park, Kong Seong-ha

Release date: 27 January

Episodes: 16

IMDb rating: 7.5

Synopsis: Successful doctors Yeo Jeong-woo (Hyung-sik) and Nam Ha-neul (Shin-hye) have despised each other since their university days. What happens when a crisis forces the duo to cross paths again and work together?

Also Read: 7 K-dramas with an enemies-to-lovers trope to keep your romantic heart hooked

Directed by: Kim Jin-man

Cast: Suho, Hong Ye-ji, Myung Se-bin

Release date: 13 April

Episodes: 20

IMDb rating: 7.2

Synopsis: Crown Prince Lee Geon (Suho) is soon to marry Choi Myung-yoon, the daughter of the royal physician. What happens when he gets kidnapped by his to-be bride? Will the duo grow close while on the run and end up falling for each other?

Directed by: Lee Jung-seob

Cast: Park Ji-hoon, Ji Woo, Hong Ye-ji

Release date: 2 January

Episodes: 16

IMDb rating: 7.1

Synopsis: Assassin Yeon Wol (Hong) is assigned with the mission of killing Crown Prince Sajo Hyun (Park) of the Asatae dynasty. When Wol discovers that Prince Sajo suffers from dual personality disorder, she decides to trap him by posing as a concubine and starts working at Sajo’s mansion. However, Wol develops romantic feelings for Sajo and gets conflicted about her mission of murdering him.

About the show: One of the best romantic K-dramas of 2024, Love Song for Illusion is adapted from the webtoon of the same name by artist Vanziun.