Marriage is definitely not a walk in the park. While weddings are usually the ideal “happy ending” to every love story, tying the knot is actually just the beginning of another chapter of the couple’s lives where new challenges and hurdles await to test their love for each other. Even K-dramas are not oblivious to the reality of a married life, and several shows have managed to depict the many facets of marriage in a way that will warm your heart and make you cry buckets.
So whether you’re still dreaming of becoming a bride one day, in a relationship and about to say “I do,” or already married to the love of your life, below are some of the best and most relatable K-dramas about marriage that will definitely tug at your heartstrings.
Best K-Dramas About Marriage:
1. Go Back Couple (2017)
Watch the trailer here:
If you love K-dramas about time travel, then this might just pique your fancy. Go Back Couple tells the story of married couple Choi Ban-do (Son Ho Jun), a husband struggling to provide for his family; and Ma Jin-joo (Jang Na Ra), a housewife with low self-esteem. Because of their current situation, they begin to hate each other and regret having married at such a young age. One morning, they wake up to find themselves back in time as 20-year-old college students before they met for the first time. They could either choose each other again or pave a different path for themselves.
Watch on: Viu, iQIYI
2. Because This Is My First Life (2017)
Watch the trailer here:
Nam Se-hee (Lee Min Ki), a single man in his 30s, has no plans of marrying and owes a lot on his house's mortgage. Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So Min), a single woman with financial struggles, suddenly finds herself homeless. The two ends up in a contract marriage in order to save money and conveniently live as “housemates.” But apart from their bills, they also have their growing feelings for each other to worry about. A heartwarming drama that tackles both marriage and adulting, Because This Is My First Life also touches on the reality of being in a long-term relationship: Yang Ho-rang (Kim Ga Eun) has long been waiting for her boyfriend to propose, and Sim Won-seok (Kim Min Suk), even though he isn't financially and mentally ready for marriage, is forced to pop the question with the fear of losing Ho-rang.
Watch on: Netflix, Viu, iQIYI
3. You Are My Destiny (2014)
Watch the trailer here:
Alternatively titled Fated to Love You, it tells the story of an ordinary woman who accidentally spends one night with the heir of a big company and finds herself pregnant. Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) and Kim Mi Young (Jang Nara), although not in love and practically strangers, are suddenly forced to get married and live as a husband and wife with a child on the way. Life throws them more curveballs as reality catches up with them, including Lee Gun’s six-year girlfriend coming back to Korea to find the love of his life suddenly married to another woman.
Watch on: Netflix, iQIYI
4. Matrimonial Chaos (2018)
Watch the trailer here:
In a modern world where divorce is common, could marriage actually be synonymous to true love? Matrimonial Chaos is a romantic comedy that aims to answer such question as it tells the story of men and women in their 30s and how they deal with love, marriage, and family. Jo Seok-moo (Cha Tae Hyun) and Kang Hwi-roo (Bae Doo Na) are polar opposites who have been married for three years when they realize they need to face an impending divorce. They cross paths with another married couple, Lee Jang Hyun (Son Seok Koo) and Jin Yoo-young (Lee El), the latter being Seok-moo's first love.
Watch on: Viu
5. Familiar Wife (2018)
Watch the trailer here:
Married for five years, Joo-hyuk (Ji Sung), who works at a bank, and Woo-jin (Han Ji Min), a massage therapist, have two young children, an apartment to pay for, and parents to support. They’re struggling financially and are unhappy with their marriage. Joo-hyuk happens to meet Hye-won (Kang Han Na), his first love from college, and both confess about the feelings they once had for each other. One day, on the subway, he receives two coins from a mysterious man. He wakes up and finds himself back in time and in a different marriage, where he’s married to Hye-won instead of Woo-jin.
Watch on: Netflix
6. Full House (2004)
Watch the trailer here:
One of the OG Koreanovelas that started it all, Full House stars Song Hye Kyo and Rain in a charming story about a marriage bound by a contract between a famous actor and an ordinary woman. Han Ji-eun, an aspiring writer, leaves for a short vacation gifted by her two friends, only to come home to her house already sold to Lee Young-jae. They end up agreeing on a fake wedding, with Ji-eun doing all the household chores in order to buy back her house. But soon enough, complications arise as the two find themselves growing real feelings for each other.
Watch on: Netflix, WeTV
7. Big Mouth (2022)
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Park Chang-Ho (Lee Jong Suk), a lawyer with a talkative nature and a modest 10% winning rate, goes by the affectionate moniker "Big Mouth." His life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes entangled in a murder case and is mistakenly identified as the mastermind swindler, Big Mouse. Facing a perilous situation, Park Chang-Ho grapples with the consequences.
Enter Go Mi-Ho (Im Yoon Ah), Park Chang-Ho's wife and a nurse with a stunning appearance and a wise, brave personality. As a supportive force, she played a crucial role in her husband's journey to becoming a lawyer, offering both financial and emotional backing. However, their lives take a dramatic twist when Go Mi-Ho discovers that Park Chang-Ho is accused of being the genius swindler Big Mouse. Determined to clear her husband's name, she embarks on a mission to unravel the truth and navigate the complexities of the situation with resilience and determination.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: Disney+
8. Tomorrow, With You (2017)
Yoo So Joon (Lee Je Hoon), a successful CEO in real estate, discovers he cantime travel via the subway. As he shuttles between past and future, he glimpses a future marked by torment and discontent. To change his fate, So Joon decides to marry Song Ma Rin (Shin Min Ah), a cheerful photographer, even without genuine love. The narrative unfolds with Ma Rin possibly playing a pivotal role in altering So Joon's path, steering him away from the predicted unhappiness and toward a more optimistic future.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: iQIYI
9. Something About 1% (2016)
Lee Jae-in (Ha Seok Jin), the formidable heir to a wealthy family, faces a crucial ultimatum: marry to secure his grandfather's fortune. In an intriguing turn of events, he enters a six-month contract for a faux relationship with Kim Da-hyun (Jeon So Min), an elementary school teacher handpicked by his grandfather. Little do they know, Da-hyun had once rescued the very person orchestrating this arrangement. The story kicks off with a clash between the heir's push for dating and the teacher's suspicions of a marriage scam.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: Viki
10. 18 Again (2020)
Jung Da-Jung (Kim Ha Neul), a dedicated rookie announcer, finds herself at a crossroads in her marriage with 37-year-old Hong Dae-Young (Yoon Sang Hyun). Their family includes an 18-year-old son and daughter. Despite Da-Jung's warm heart, she reaches a breaking point with her husband, who has faced job loss and family disapproval, leading her to initiate divorce proceedings.
On the flip side, Hong Dae-Young (Lee Do Hyun), viewing himself as an ordinary middle-aged man without a job, is burdened with regrets about his life. A peculiar twist occurs when his 37-year-old mind inhabits the body of his 18-year-old self. In his teenage days, he was a skilled basketball player and quite popular. Embracing this unexpected opportunity, he adopts the name Ko Woo-Young and embarks on a new chapter of life with his rejuvenated 18-year-old body.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: Netflix, iQIYI, Viu
11. Emergency Couple (2014)
Jin-Hee (Song Ji Hyo), a dietitian, had her life take an unexpected turn when she crossed paths with Chang-Min (Choi Jin Hyuk), a medical school student. Despite facing strong opposition from his affluent family, they chose to tie the knot. However, their marriage faced challenges as Chang-Min, originally on a medical path, shifted to working as a pharmaceutical salesman. The strain intensified with disapproval from Chang-Min's family, leading to their eventual divorce.
Post-divorce, Jin-Hee decided to pursue a career in medicine, becoming a medical student and currently working as an intern. Chang-Min, having graduated from medical school, is also starting his internship. Fate brings them together once again in the emergency room of the hospital where they both now work, marking a significant reunion in their professional lives.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: iQIYI, Viu
12. Marriage Contract (2016)
Ji-Hoon (Lee Seo Jin), shaped by a cynical family history, discovers his mother's terminal liver disease, pushing him into a desperate search for a transplant. Enter Hye-Soo (Uee), a single mother burdened by her late husband's debts and her own impending brain tumor diagnosis. Their paths cross when Hye-Soo, driven by the need to secure her daughter's future, offers to be Ji-Hoon's liver donor. Unaware of her own health struggles, Ji-Hoon accepts, leading them to concoct a marriage contract for legal purposes. This gripping tale weaves together the complexities of two lives colliding amidst health crises and financial struggles, adding layers of drama and emotion to the story.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: Netflix
13. Strangers Again (2023)
Oh Ha Ra (Kang So Ra), renowned as the "goddess of litigation" in legal circles, navigates the complexities of divorce law with finesse, having even divorced her longtime love and fellow lawyer, Goo Eun Beom (Jang Seung Jo). However, her routine takes a different turn when she finds herself reunited with her ex-husband in the courtroom. Forced to collaborate, their past grievances resurface, creating a tense and professional dynamic that threatens to spill over into personal territory.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: Viki
14. Once Again (2020)
Song Young-Dal (Chun Ho Jin) and Jang Ok-Boon (Cha Hwa Yeon), a couple with a rich history, navigate the challenges of raising their four children: Joon-Sun (Oh Dae Hwan), Ga-Hee (Oh Yoon Ah), Na-Hee (Lee Min Jung), and Da-Hee (Lee Cho Hee). Na-Hee, the third child, is a doctor working alongside her husband, Dr. Kyu-Jin, but their marriage faces hurdles. Joon-Sun and Ga-Hee, the elder siblings, are both divorcees residing with their parents. The youngest, Da-Hee, grapples with the challenges of being an intern at a company. The family dynamic unfolds with a blend of individual struggles, relationships, and the shared journey of this multigenerational household. As the narrative weaves through their diverse lives, it paints a vivid picture of familial bonds and the complexities that come with each member's unique path.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: Viki, Netflix
15. Marriage, Not Dating (2014)
Gong Ki Tae (Yeon Woo Jin), a prosperous plastic surgeon, thrives as a content bachelor with no intentions of settling down. Convinced that singlehood is the key to his well-planned life, he faces persistent pressure from his family to embrace marriage. In a strategic move to deflect their matchmaking efforts, Ki Tae introduces Joo Jang Mi (Han Groo) to his parents, pretending she's his girlfriend.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch on: iQIYI
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