Many family dynamics portrayed in K-dramas They're relatable and explore moving stories, making them an ideal comfort watch. Most of the best K-dramas include intense revenge plots or dreamlike romance stories, but there's something special about how family relationships are portrayed in K-dramas. Unlike the fast and tense unfolding of events seen in most popular K-dramas, those centered on families take their time, often dragging out their stories over a greater number of episodes.
However, because there is a stronger focus on slice-of-life narratives in these K-dramas, audiences are not in a rush or anticipating a specific ending. So, although they may seem intimidating at first, the long episode lengths of some K-dramas are not a problem. Many of the complexities The family relationships these K-dramas portray are specific to Korean culture, but can be understood and appreciated by audiences around the world. The types of relationships range from siblings hoping to repair a broken bond to founding families created by a group of people who were once strangers.
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Father, I will take care of you (2016-2017)
The adult siblings return to live with their parents.
In addition to showing specific behaviors and attitudes of Korean families, K-dramas also have the opportunity to reflect current societal issues that impact these families. In Father, I will take care of youTwo retired parents are ready to live a peaceful life with their children outside the home - that is, until they all move back in with them. The aim is to address rising housing costs in South Korea at the time.
Although the parents are taken by surprise, they learn to adjust. Father, I will take care of you is primarily concerned with paying attention to issues that arise in the family, but some stories involve workplace romance and revenge as well. The beloved K-drama clichés and tropes sprinkled throughout keep the audience invested throughout the series' 50 episodes.
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My Unknown Family (2020)
A broken family finds its way back to each other.
As comforting and light-hearted as many family-oriented K-dramas are, there are also some that highlight struggles within families, one of which is lack of communication. In My unknown familythe main characters are a family adrift. There are three children, each with their own set of personal obstacles that they must overcome throughout the series. Although these characters are sometimes confusing and frustrating, they are extremely relatable.
Some episodes are slower paced, but patient audiences are rewarded with a stronger understanding of each character's motives as they are explored over the long episodes. While events in My unknown family are dramatized, there is something that almost all viewers can relate to and apply to their lives. The honest portrayal of a fractured, uncommunicative family is realisticand it's gratifying to see how these characters develop throughout the series.
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What happens to my family? (2014-2015)
A father is fed up with his ungrateful children.
What happens to my family? revolves around a father, Cha Soon-bong (Yoo Dong-geun), who receives help from his sister to raise his three children. Your children have had the opportunity to live full lives thanks to your hard work, but When they grow up, Soon-bong's children start to treat him badly. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Soon-bong files a lawsuit against his children for childish ingratitude.
Although such a measure causes even more conflicts and acts of disrespect, there is an important lesson that Soon-bong's children must learn. However, the difficult family dynamics established in the series are not all that audiences can expect from the show. The comedic moments are also plentiful, with the K-drama characters being overly dramatic and finding themselves in exaggerated dilemmas.
7
Five Enough (2016)
The children of two single-parent families join forces.
Blending two separate families into one is not an easy task, and Five enough make that clear. The series follows the early love story between Lee Sang-tae (Ahn Jae-wook) and Ahn Mi-jung (So Yoo-jin), two single parents hoping to merge their families when their relationship starts to get serious. However, their children and other family members oppose this decision for various reasons, complicating a plan that the couple thought would be easy.
The story had the potential to become choppy and very complicated, but the series' writers managed to tell a sprawling story in a relatively concise and engaging way. Five enough also follows several love stories throughout its 54 episodes, but complex family dynamics remain the heart of the series. Strong performances and natural chemistry between the cast round out the series' achievements and make it an effective family drama.
6
18 Again (2020)
A father has another chance to bond with his children.
The K-drama 18 again tells a similar story to the American film on which it is based, 17 again. In 18 againa fighter Hong Dae-young (Yoon Sang-hyun) wishes he could go back in time and remake his life. Dae-young's wishes come true, and he wakes up in his 18-year-old body (played by Lee Do-hyun), with his 37-year-old memories intact. Although the series highlights the crumbling marriage between Dae-young and his wife, K drama has the same emphasis on family.
At 18, Dae-young grows closer to his teenage children, who were starting to distance themselves from him. Blending in as one of his peers, Dae-young makes an effort to get to know his children and help them in their struggles. All over 18 againThere are many comedic scenes that support the series' overarching message about living in the present and valuing life.
5
Family by Choice (2024)
Three unrelated teenagers form their own family.
Although not considered one of the best K-dramas of 2024, Family by choice still tells a heartfelt story about three once close-knit individuals finding their way back to each other. As the title itself indicates, Family by choice follows a group of three teenagers, unrelated by blood, forming a unique family under the care of two of his parents. The series is based on a Chinese drama with a similar concept, Go ahead.
Family by choice sees the family drift apart over the years and reunite a decade later to rekindle the bond that brought them together in the first place. Like many K-dramas that revolve around families, The sibling dynamic is by far the most compelling part of the series. Hwang In-youp, Bae Hyun-sung, and Jung Chae-yeon have palpable on-screen chemistry, making the emotional scenes throughout the series even more difficult.
4
Cheer up, Mr. Kim! (2012-2013)
A man works as a governess to support his adopted children.
The titular character in Cheer up, Mr. Kim!Played by Kim Dong-wan, he is full of optimism and even when life doesn't go his way, he never gives up. The K-drama is centered around Kim Tae-pyung, Mr. Kim, a housekeeper who builds his own unique family. after taking on the responsibility of caring for four orphaned children. It all started with his niece, who was a newborn when Tae-pyung was 17 years old.
Although Tae-pyung's workload is demanding, he is determined to create a better life for his children, which produces several touching scenes. Considering the episode's long length, there are a handful of subplots that feel unnecessary and could have been cut from the series. Yet, Cheer up, Mr. Kim! is a family-focused K-drama worth watching for its unique setting and to see Tae-pyung's endearing paternal relationship with his childrenespecially the one formed with his niece.
3
The Good Bad Mother (2023)
The fractured mother-son relationship begins to heal.
Like other series about life, The good bad mother features a variety of animated supporting characters that make up a fun, tight-knit community. However, what it does The good bad mother such a compelling series is the depiction of a mother-son relationship. In the series, Jin Young-soon (Ra Mi-ran) raises her son, Choi Kang-ho (Lee Do-hyun), as a single mother. Her tough demeanor and rigid attitude drive a wedge between her and Kang-ho as he ages.
However, an opportunity to mend the broken relationship arises from an unfortunate accident that sends Kang-ho back home to care. The K-drama's poignant scenes are balanced with an appreciated amount of humor and focus on interesting supporting characters. The good bad mother It has its flaws, and Young-soon's treatment of his son can be difficult to watch, but Ra and Lee's performances make it worth it.
2
My Dad Is Strange (2017)
The presence of a celebrity confuses an ordinary family.
The strong performances and the balance between drama and comedy in My dad is weird make the series one of the best K-dramas that revolve around a family. In the show, An ordinary family living in Seoul has their lives changed when a celebrity shows up on their doorstep and claims to be the son of Byun Han-su, the family patriarch. The revelation confuses the family, and from that point on, they learn to move forward with their newest family member.
The series' characters feel lived-in, and the actors' satisfying on-screen chemistry results in realistic sibling relationships. The series was originally scheduled to have 50 episodes, but proved to be quite popular with audiences. As a result, two more episodes were added to the My dad is weird. Despite the high number of episodes My dad is weird rarely drops in quality or pacekeeping the audience engaged with a series of subplots that complicate the central family.
1
Response 1988 (2015-2016)
The lives of families in a Seoul neighborhood are intertwined.
Situated in a neighborhood in northern Seoul Reply 1988 is described as a light-hearted K-drama. The series follows the lives of five friends and their families who live in the neighborhood, highlighting different areas of life, including romance and friendships. The K-drama is the third installment of To respond series, with each installment depicting life in South Korea during the titular year. The nostalgic elements Reply 1988 add to the overall warmth and comfort of the series.
Friendship is a significant type of relationship seen in the series, but the neighborhood itself is like a big family. This creates a familiar look found in Reply 1988with the love and support shared by the characters reminiscent of that seen in more direct families K-dramas. The series finale received much praise from audiences and critics and garnered high ratings, which made Reply 1988 one of the highest-rated dramas in Korean cable TV history.