Top 10 Korean Family Dramas to Watch as of June 2023

1

Reply 1988

Trailer of the most touching Korean family drama. Reply 1988

Reply 1988 is a South Korean drama that debuted in 2015. This drama belongs to the genre of family drama and romance, set in 1980s Korea. It is the third installment of the "Reply series" created by director Shin Won-ho and screenwriter Lee Woo-jung.

"Reply 1988" revolves around the story of a group of five boys and a girl in a neighborhood in Seoul. The film focuses on the characters' friendships, love, and family, with small tidbits from everyday life and fond memories of childhood. The story is told through the perspective of a girl named Duk-sun (played by Lee Hye-ri) as she looks back on her sweet and bitter memories from her childhood.

"Reply 1988" received huge popularity from audiences and became one of Korea's most successful dramas. It is appreciated for its good script, quality acting, and lovely interaction between characters. The film was also quite commercially successful and had a profound influence on Korean culture, even spawning some signature language and phrases.

Director: Shin Won-ho
Writer: Lee Woo-jung
Starring: Lee Hye-ri, Park Bo-gum, Go Kyung-pyo, Ryu Jun-yeol, Lee Dong-hwi, and others.
Duration: 90-120 minutes per episode.
Episodes: 20 episodes.
Status: The film has been completed and aired.
Genre: Drama, comedy, family, romance.
Release year: 2015-2016.
Country: South Korea.

2

Ode to my father

Trailer of the most touching Korean family drama Ode to my father

Ode to My Father is a 2014 South Korean film directed by Yoon Je-kyoon and starring Hwang Jung-min, Kim Yun-jin and Oh Dal-su. .

"Ode to my father" tells the story of a man named Deok-so who has been through many ups and downs in his life and pursued his dream for over 60 years. From the time he was young, he promised his father that he would take care of his family and protect his loved ones. The film recreates many important historical events such as the Korean War, immigration in the 1950s and the Vietnam War, through the perspective of the main character.

The movie "Ode to my father" became one of the most famous and loved movies in Korea. It was a huge hit nationally and internationally, and was a commercial success and marked a turning point in the Korean film industry. The film is famous for its authenticity, excellent acting and touching message about family love and sacrifice.

Directed by: Yoon Je-kyoon
Screenwriters: Park Soo-jin, Yoon Je-kyoon
Starring: Hwang Jung-min, Kim Yunjin, Oh Dal-su, Jung Jin-young, Jang Young-nam, Ra Mi-ran and others.
Duration: 126 minutes.
Episodes: Movie version.
Status: The movie has been completed and released.
Genre: Drama, Family, History.
Release year: 2014.
Country: Korea.

3

Hope

Trailer of the most touching Korean family drama. Hope

Hope is a South Korean film released in 2013. This film is directed by Lee Joon-ik and is based on the true story of a real child rape incident that happened in Korea in 2008.

"Hope" is about an 8-year-old girl named So-won (played by Lee Re) who is kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a stranger. After this heartbreaking incident, she must battle the physical and emotional consequences, with support and love from her family and surrounding community.

The film "Hope" was appreciated for its sensitive approach to the issue of child rape and its ability to create strong emotions in the audience. It focuses on recovery and hope, showing human strength and resilience in the face of pain and hardship. The film received many awards and was highly appreciated by both the audience and the critics.

Directed by: Lee Joon-ik
Screenwriters: Kim Ji-hye, Jo Joong-hoon
Starring: Sol Kyung-gu, Uhm Ji-won, Lee Re, Kim Hae-sook, Ra Mi-ran and others.
Duration: 122 minutes.
Episodes: Movie version.
Status: The movie has been completed and released.
Genre: Drama, Family.
Release year: 2013.
Country: Korea.

4

The Good Bad Mother

Trailer of the most touching Korean family drama. My Good Bad Mother

“The Good Bad Mother” (The Good Bad Mother) focuses on the lives of Young Soon (Ra Mi Ran) and Kang Ho (Lee Do Hyun), a mother and child. After Young Soon's husband died, she cherished her dream of becoming a prosecutor for her son, because for her, it was the only way for Kang Ho to have power, money and happiness. However, the way she raised her children took a radical turn when she "killed" Kang Ho's childhood by conveying a rigid philosophy, criticism, pressure tests, and lack of meals, because she believes that eating full will make Kang Ho sleepy and unable to concentrate on studying. From an early age, Kang Ho viewed his mother as a terrible mother.

However, Kang Ho's limit is only really broken when his best friend, who is also his last hope, has an accident on the day he takes his college entrance exam, causing Kang Ho to decide to give up the exam. and scolded by her mother. That moment completely collapsed Kang Ho's faith in his mother. He decides to leave Jou's home and away from the woman he once called "the bad mother".

Directed by: Shim Na-yeon
Screenwriter: Bae Se-young
Starring: Young-soon and Lee Do-hyun.
Duration: 60 minutes.
Episodes: 11/14 episodes.
Status: The movie is showing.
Genre: Drama, Family.
Release year: 2023.
Country: Korea.

5

Mother

Mother - touching Korean family drama. Photo credit: Vie OnMother - touching Korean family drama. Photo credit: Vie On

Mother is a 2009 South Korean film that was directed by Bong Joon-ho and starred actors such as Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin and Yoon Je-moon. .

“Mother” tells the story of a single mother (Kim Hye-ja) who lives with her mentally weak son (Won Bin). When her son is accused of murder, the mother embarks on an investigation and learns the truth to protect her son. The film explores the strong presence of motherhood and the contrast between love and violence.

"The movie Mother" has received great acclaim from both audiences and critics. It is recognized for its excellent acting, great script, and profound message about motherhood and unconditional love. The film has won many international awards and has become one of the most famous and worth watching movies of Korea.

Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Screenwriter: Bong Joon-ho, Park Eun-kyo
Starring: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yoon Je-moon, and others.
Duration: 128 minutes.
Episodes: Movie version.
Status: The movie has been completed and released.
Genre: Drama, Crime, Mystery.
Release year: 2009.
Country: Korea.