Bored of the usual romance dramas? Try makjangs! Makjang is a Korean drama with over-the-top plot twists, revenge stories, and melodramatic characters that push the boundaries of reality.
If you got excited reading about Makjang dramas, here are the best ones that you need to watch. They will take you on a wild ride!
1. The Escape of the Seven
The drama tells the story of seven people who are connected to the case of a missing girl. They have to deal with situations made complicated by desires and lies. It will show the journey to find the truth and revenge, resembling divine punishment.
2. Cruel Temptation
A betrayed wife, presumed dead, returns with a new identity to exact revenge on her cheating husband and envious best friend who stole him. As she plots, love blossoms with another, but vengeance may cost her true happiness.
3. The World of the Married
Hangul: 부부의 세계
Year: 2020
Sun Woo is a family doctor and the associate head of a hospital. She is married to Tae Oh, who wants to be a director, and they have a son together. Sun Woo thinks her family is perfect until she finds out that her husband is seeing another woman.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Kim Hee Ae as Ji Sun Woo
- Park Hae Joon as Lee Tae Oh
- Han So Hee as Yeo Da Kyung
- Park Sun Young as Go Ye Rim
No. Of Episodes: 16 (80 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
4. Sky Castle
Hangul: SKY 캐슬
Year: 2018
The drama revolves around the lives of housewives residing in a luxurious residential area called SKY Castle. The wives are determined to make their husbands more successful and to raise their children to be top students.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Yeom Jung Ah as Han Seo Jin
- Lee Tae Ran as Lee Soo Im
- Yoon Se Ah as Noh Seung Hye
- Oh Na Ra as Jin Jin Hee
No. Of Episodes: 20 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
5. Remarriage and Desires
Matchmaking company Rex serves the wealthiest high class individuals. Their clients want to enter this high class world or maintain their status at the top through marriage or remarriage. The drama portrays different clients of the company.
Cast –
- Kim Hee Sun as Seo Hye Seung
- Lee Hyun Wook as Lee Hyung Joo
- Jung Eugene as Jin Yoo Hee
- Park Hoon as Cha Seok Jin
No. Of Episodes – 8
Watch On – Netflix
6. The Penthouse
Hangul: 펜트하우스
Year: 2020
The story of the children of rich families who live in Hera Palace and go to Cheong-ah Arts School. Su Ryeon came from a wealthy family. She is now a beautiful upper-class woman. Seo Jin came from a rich family. Yoon Hee was born into a poor home.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Lee Ji Ah as Shim Soo Ryun
- Kim So Yeon as Cheon Seo Jin
- Eugene as Oh Yon Hee
- Uhm Ki Joon as Joo Dan Tae
No. Of Episodes: 21 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
7. My Happy Ending
The story of a woman who had a difficult childhood and now pursues achievement, working hard to fulfill her strong desire while attempting to escape from it meanwhile, her husband is drawn into her world of intense obsession.
Cast –
- Jang Na Ra as Seo Jae Won
- Son Ho Jun as Heo Soon Young
- So Yi Hyun as Kwon Yun Jin
- Lee Ki Taek as Yoon Teo
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Viki
8. The Second Husband
Betrayed and left with a child, Seon Hwa seeks revenge on her cheating ex and his mistress. In a twist of fate, love blossoms with a kind stranger, but their happiness is threatened by her past and hidden truths.
9. A Man in a Veil
A cheerful woman cares for her family and a man with childlike innocence after an accident. His past and her scheming twin entangle them, but love blooms as they face challenges and chase dreams, perhaps even miracles.
10. The Last Empress
Hangul: 황후의 품격
Year: 2018
Set in an alternate reality in which Korea is a constitutional monarchy in 2018, a bright and lively musical actress who marries the emperor teams up with the imperial family’s bodyguard to uncover the crimes of the imperial family.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Jang Na Ra as Oh Sunny
- Shin Sung Rok as Lee Hyuk
- Choi Jin Hyuk as Wang Shik / Woo Bin
- Lee Elijah as Min Yu Ra
No. Of Episodes: 52 (30 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
11. Mine
Hangul: 마인
Year: 2021
Hi Soo, a former top actress who gave up her profession and is now the Hyowon Group chaebol’s second daughter-in-law, and Seo Hyun, the Hyowon Group’s first daughter-in-law, are both attempting to discover their true identities.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Lee Bo Young as Seo Hee Soo
- Kim Seo Hyung as Jeong Seo Hyun
- Ok Ja Yeon as Kang Ja Kyung
- Lee Hyun Wook as Han Ji Yong
No. Of Episodes: 16 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
12. Graceful Family
Mo Seok-hee, haunted by her mother’s unsolved murder 15 years ago, returns to Korea. Working alongside a kind-hearted lawyer, she infiltrates her family’s company to uncover the truth, facing a web of corruption and a ruthless power struggle.
Cast –
- Im Soo Hyang as Mo Seok Hee
- Lee Jang Woo as Heo Yoon Do
- Bae Jong Ok as Han Je Kook
- Lee Kyu Han as Mo Wan Soo
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Viki
So, dive into the world of Makjang dramas and get ready for an unforgettable experience. Just be prepared for anything, because with these wild plots, you never know what will happen next.
