Everyone knows that kdramas are addicting. Once you start watching them, you can’t leave them. You can watch most of them on Netflix & Viki or all of them on free streaming sites.
In South Korea, these dramas are aired on TV channels. Some of the well-known channels that air Korean dramas are tvN, OCN, JTBC, KBS, MBC, SBS, etc. These channels show various dramas in a specific time period.
In this article, you will get to know some of the popular kdramas aired on tvN till 2021 beginning. According to Wikipedia, tvN Korean dramas hold 33 spots of the 60 on the list of highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television currently.
Best tvN Korean Dramas
tvN (an abbreviation for Total Variety Network) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network owned by the E&M Division of CJ ENM.
tvN is known for its popular Korean dramas that have received one of the highest viewership ratings ever. If you are looking for some of the best dramas aired on tvN, read this article.
1. Goblin
Kim Shin (Goblin) is framed as a traitor and killed by the young king. Years after his death, he is cursed by the almighty to stay immortal forever. He meets Ji Eun-Tak who claims to be his bride. The story revolves around four main characters.
Cast –
- Gong Yoo as Kim Shin
- Kim Go Eun as Ji Eun Tak
- Lee Dong Wook as Grim Reaper
- Yoo In Na as Sunny
- Yook Sung Jae as Yoo Dook Hwa
No. Of Episodes – 16
2. Signal
Park Hae Young witnesses the kidnapping of a girl 15 years ago. Currently, Hae Yeong is now a police officer and criminal profiler. One day, he finds a walkie-talkie that connects him with Detective Lee Jae Han who is in the past. Together, they solve a series of murders.
Cast –
- Lee Je Hoon as Park Hae Yeong
- Kim Hye Soo as Cha Soo Hyun
- Jo Jin Woong as Lee Jae Han
No. Of Episodes – 16
3. Crash Landing On You
Yoon Se Ri goes for a short paragliding ride, a sudden tornado blows her off course, leading her to crash land in North Korea, where she meets an army officer, who agrees to help her return to South Korea. Over time, they fall in love, despite the divide and dispute between their respective countries.
Cast –
- Hyun Bin as Ri Jung Hyuk
- Son Ye Jin as Yoon Se Ri/Sam Suk
- Seo Ji Hye as Seo Dan
- Kim Jung Hyun as Goo Seung Jun
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
4. Hospital Playlist
Hospital Playlist tells the story of doctors, patients, and nurses working at Yulje Medical Center. It focuses on five doctors who have been friends since they entered medical school in 1999. The drama will also deal with a story of a band formed by a group of doctors.
Cast –
- Jo Jung Suk as Li Ik Jun
- Yoo Yeon Seok as Ahn Jung Won /Andrea
- Jung Kyung Ho as Kim Jun Wan
- Kim Dae Myung as Yang Suk Hyung
- Jeon Mi Do as Chae Song Hwa
No. Of Episodes – 12
Watch On – Netflix
5. Reply 1988
The drama follows the lives of 5 families living on the same street in a neighborhood. A nostalgic look back at the year 1988. As the group of friends gets into and out of mischief, what experiences from these memorable times together will they carry with them into their future lives?
Cast –
- Lee Hye Ri as Sung Deok Sun/Sung Soo Yeon
- Go Kyung Pyo as Sung Sun Woo
- Ryu Joon Yeol as Kim Jung Hwan
- Park Bo Gum as Choi Taek
No. Of Episodes – 20
6. Mr. Sunshine
A young boy born into a house servant’s family and travels to the United States during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo. He returns to his homeland later as a U.S. marine officer. He falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter. At the same time, he discovers a plot by foreign forces to colonize Korea.
Cast –
- Lee Byung Hun as Choi Yoo Jin / Eugene Choi
- Kim Tae Ri as Go Ae Shin
- Kim Min Jung as Kudo Hina / Lee Yang Hwa
- Yoo Yeon Seok as Gu Dong Mae / Ishida Sho
No. Of Episodes – 24
Watch On – Netflix
7. Prison Playbook
A captivating drama revolving around the lives of convicts behind bars, their families, and duty officers working in the correctional facilities. A superstar baseball pitcher, Kim Je Hyuk, is convicted of assault after he saves his sister & lands in prison.
Cast –
- Park Hae Soo as Kim Je Hyuk
- Jung Kyung Ho as Lee Joon Ho
- Krystal Jung as Kim Ji Ho
- Im Hwa Young as Kim Je Hee
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
8. It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
The drama revolves around a community health worker at a psychiatric ward who lives with his brother having autism & a popular writer who is suffering from an antisocial personality disorder. They unravel many secrets, seek comfort from each other, and move forward in their lives.
Cast –
- Kim Soo Hyun as Moon Gang Tae
- Seo Ye Ji as Ko Moon Young
- Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Tae
- Park Gyu Young as Nam Ju Ri
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
9. Mr. Queen
In the present day, Jang Bong Hwan works as a chef at the President’s Blue House. He has a free spirit, but his spirit somehow finds its way into the body of Queen Kim So Yong in the Joseon period. Queen Kim So Yong will come to discover that her husband harbors some secrets, and is not as gentle and meek as he seems.
Cast –
- Shin Hye Sun as Kim So Yong
- Kim Jung Hyun as King Cheoljong
- Bae Jong Ok as Dowager Sunwon
- Kim Tae Woo as Kim Jwa Geun
No. Of Episodes – 20
Watch On – Viki
10. My Mister
The drama tells us the story of three middle-aged brothers, who are enduring the weight of their lives, and a strong, cold woman, who has been living a hard life of her own, as they come together in healing each other’s past scars.
Cast –
- Lee Sun Kyun as Park Dong Hoon
- IU as Lee Ji Ahn
- Park Ho San as Park Sang Hoon
- Song Sae Byuk as Park Gi Hoon
No. Of Episodes – 16
11. Hi, Bye Mama!
Cha Yu Ri has been a ghost since she died in a tragic accident. Through a reincarnation project, she is given the possibility to become human again if she succeeds in going back to her place within 49 days. However, her husband is now remarried.
Cast –
- Kim Tae Hee as Cha Yu Ri
- Lee Kyu Hyung as Jo Gang Hwa
- Go Bo Gyeol as Oh Min Jung
- Seo Woo Jin as Jo Seo Woo
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
12. Vincenzo
Vincenzo, a mafia consigliere flees to South Korea to recover 1.5 tons of gold within the basement of Geumga Plaza. However, a company has illegally taken ownership of the building, and Vincenzo must use his skills to reclaim the building and recover his fortunes.
Cast –
- Song Joong Ki as Vincenzo Cassano
- Jeon Yeo Been as Hong Cha Young
- Ok Taec Yeon as Jang Jun Woo
- Kim Yeo Jin as Choi Myung Hee
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
13. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim
Lee Young Joon’s family runs a large company, and he works as the vice-president of the company. He is rich, handsome & intelligent, but he is arrogant. His secretary is Kim Mi So has worked for him for years and she is perfect for him, but decides to quit her job.
Cast –
No. Of Episodes – 16
14. Hotel Del Luna
Hotel del Luna is the eponymous hotel located in the middle of Seoul, which caters only to ghosts; the beautiful but ill-tempered CEO, Jang Man Wol is cursed to manage the hotel due to a terrible crime she committed, but cannot remember.
Cast –
- IU as Jang Man Wol
- Yeo Jin Goo as Goo Chan Sung
- Shin Jung Keun as Kim Sun Bi
- Bae Hae Seon as Choi Seo Hee
No. Of Episodes – 16
15. Stranger
Hwang Shi Mok is a prosecutor who had brain surgery & now lacks social skills and emotions. He meets Police Lieutenant Han Yeo Jin at a murder crime scene. They work together to eradicate corruption at the prosecutor’s office and solve a serial murder case.
Cast –
- Jo Seung Woo as Hwang Shi Mok
- Bae Doo Na as Han Yeo Jin
- Lee Joon Hyuk as Seo Dong Jae
- Yoo Jae Myung as Lee Chang Joon
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
16. Sweet Home
Cha Hyun Soo decides to leave his home & stays in an apartment. Strange incidents start occurring in his apartment & throughout Korea & his quiet life is disturbed. As people start to turn into monsters, Hyun Soo and the other residents try to survive.
Cast –
- Song Kang as Cha Hyun Soo
- Lee Jin Wook as Pyeon Sang Wook
- Lee Shi Young as Seo Yi Kyung
- Lee Do Hyun as Lee Eun Hyuk
- Park Gyu Young as Yoon Ji Su
No. Of Episodes – 10
Watch On – Netflix
17. Mother
A temporary teacher at an elementary school realizes that one of her students is being abused at home by her family. She makes an impulsive decision to kidnap the child and attempts to become her mother.
Cast –
- Lee Bo Young as Kang Soo Jin
- Heo Yeol as Kim Hye Na/ Kim Yoon Bok
- Lee Hye Young as Kang Yeong Shin/ Cha Yeong Shin
- Go Sung Hee as Shin Ja Young
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Viki
18. Chicago Typewriter
The drama depicts three resistance fighters who lived during the 1930s Japanese occupation of Korea and are reincarnated into the present as a best-selling writer, a fan, and a ghostwriter. It is an epic story of friendship, comradeship, love, and betrayal.
Cast –
- Yoo Ah In as Han Se Joo/ Seo Hwi Young
- Im Soo Jung as Jun Seol/ Ryu Soo Hyun
- Go Kyung Pyo as Yoo Jin Oh/ Shin Yool
- Kwak Shi Yang as Baek Tae Min/ Heo Young Min
No. Of Episodes – 16
19. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Hye Jin works as a dentist. She ends up moving to the seaside village of Gongjin. There, she meets Du Shik. She becomes curious about him. He is known as Mr. Hong around town. He is unemployed officially, but he is a master of odd jobs who appears to help everyone.
Cast –
- Shin Min Ah as Yoon Hye Jin
- Kim Seon Ho as Hong Doo Shik
- Lee Sang Yi as Ji Sung Hyun
- Lee Suk Hyeong as Kang Do Ha
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
20. A Korean Odyssey
In 2017, Son Oh Gong and Woo Ma Wang conflict with each other as they look for a true light in a dark world where evil thrives. Having made a contract with Seon Mi 25 years ago, entitling her to seek help whenever she calls him in exchange for letting him free, the two meet again in a fateful encounter.
Cast –
- Lee Seung Gi as Son Oh Gong
- Oh Yeon Seo as Jin Seon Mi/ Sam Jang
- Cha Seung Won as Woo Ma Wang/ Woo Hwi
- Lee Hong Ki as Jeo Pal Kye/ P.K.
No. Of Episodes – 20
Wrapping Up
These were the 20 dramas aired on the channel tvN till the beginning of 2021. Looking at the list, it is true that tvN has given some of the best dramas from different genres to watch.
tvN has is also aired good dramas in 2021 such as My Roommate is a Gumiho, Doom at your Service, Mine, Dark Hole, Mouse, Jirisan, etc. You can watch other dramas too aired on tvN.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & subscribe YouTube channel for more exciting content on Korean dramas & movies.
Keep watching!!
