15 Heartbreaking K-Dramas You Can Only Watch Once

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K-dramas have grown incredibly popular around the world, though some can be surprisingly intense. Most fans enjoy the romantic ones, which often follow familiar and comforting storylines. For a lot of viewers, K-dramas have become a source of relaxation – whether the stories are realistic or completely over-the-top, they offer a sense of security.

While many popular K-dramas have happy endings, it’s not always the case. Plenty of K-dramas are deeply sad and don’t offer viewers the satisfying conclusion they might hope for. This leads to a lot of series that are simply too heartbreaking to watch again, whether due to unexpected, upsetting plot twists or disappointing finales.

Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol

2020

The drama Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol initially feels familiar and comforting. The developing romance between Goo Ra-ra and Jun Sun-woo appears to follow typical romantic comedy tropes. Sun-woo even supports Ra-ra by helping her pursue her hidden talent as a pianist, opening Lala Land for her to perform.

The romantic comedy was gaining popularity when a surprising plot twist occurred: Jun Sun-woo was diagnosed with leukemia. The show led both the character Ra-ra and the viewers to believe Sun-woo had died, but he unexpectedly returned in the final episode. Instead of a happy reunion, however, his return felt frustrating and unnecessarily upsetting.

The King of Pigs

2022

Like many K-dramas, The King of Pigs centers around revenge, but it stands out for its intensely graphic violence. The show, similar to the popular series The Glory, tells the story of Hwang Gyeong-min (played by Kim Dong-wook), a man haunted by the terrible bullying he experienced in high school, even years later.

Though not overly graphic, this intense drama delivers powerful emotional blows with its scenes of bullying. The King of Pigs confronts difficult issues – like sexual assault and social inequality – that sadly remain relevant today. While the film boasts strong writing, direction, and performances, it’s ultimately too disturbing to watch more than once.

Save Me

2017

The K-drama Save Me is fantastic but doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, likely because of its dark and difficult themes. The story centers around Im Sang-mi (played by Seo Yea-ji), a young woman who is coerced into joining Goseonwon, a cult led by the unsettling Baek Jung-ki (Jo Sung-ha).

Save Me has a gripping plot that builds suspense until the very end, but it’s deeply disturbing and can be genuinely unsettling to watch. The main character, Sang-mi, feels completely vulnerable because of a series of tragedies: her brother’s suicide, her mother’s severe mental illness, and her father being brainwashed by a dangerous cult. These events leave her with no defenses against the manipulative and terrifying world of Goseonwon.

Mr. Plankton

2024

When the K-drama Mr. Plankton premiered on Netflix, many viewers initially focused on its hopeful aspects despite the story’s underlying sadness. While it was clear from the beginning that Hae Jo (Woo Do-hwan) was seriously ill, his developing relationship with Jo Jae-mi (Lee Yoo-mi) and the show being advertised as a “romantic comedy” led many to believe a happy ending was still possible.

Many K-dramas, like Doom at Your Service, have defied expectations by saving main characters from predicted deaths. However, Mr. Plankton tragically followed through with Hae Jo’s death in the final episode, with Jae-mi holding her as she passed. Despite the show’s warning that this would happen, it was still heartbreaking for viewers. Similar to the classic story of Romeo and Juliet, Hae Jo’s fate in Mr. Plankton felt unavoidable.

It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

2020

Since its release in 2020, the K-drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay has sparked a lot of debate, with many viewers shocked by its intense moments. The character Ko Mun-yeoung, played by Seo Yea-ji, faced rejection from almost everyone because of her antisocial personality disorder, except for Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun). However, learning about her past provided a heartbreaking explanation for her behavior.

The K-drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay showed that the character Mun-yeoung suffered emotional abuse from her mother, and their scenes together were often disturbing. While the show ultimately had a happy ending, many viewers wondered if the intense emotional pain throughout the series was worth it.

Hi Bye, Mama!

2020

The K-drama Hi Bye, Mama! was deeply moving, and its emotional finale beautifully concluded the story. The series centers around Cha Yu-ri (played by Kim Tae-hee), a ghost who gets a chance to return to life and be with her family again – her husband and daughter.

What starts as a straightforward mission becomes heartbreaking for Yu-ri when she discovers her husband has fallen in love with someone else during the five years she was gone. In a deeply sad moment typical of K-dramas, Cha Yu-ri sacrifices her opportunity to come back to life so her family can be happy. Hi Bye, Mama! is a touching story about love, but it’s also incredibly painful to watch.

Mr. Sunshine

2018

Even though it only came out seven years ago, Mr. Sunshine is already considered one of the most famous historical Korean dramas. Set in Seoul during the late 1800s and early 1900s, the show is a political drama that’s especially celebrated for its outstanding acting.

Let me tell you, Lee Byung-hun is fantastic as Eugene Choi, a man who fought his way out of slavery by becoming a U.S. Marine. But his story, and the entire series Mr. Sunshine, really hits you hard. He gets pulled into the fight with Go Ae-shin and the Righteous Army, and while there’s bravery and passion, the show ultimately drives home a really bleak truth: nobody actually wins in war. Prepare yourself, because Eugene’s fate is absolutely devastating – it’s a truly heartbreaking ending.

The Red Sleeve

2021

The K-drama The Red Sleeve is based on a true story, which makes its emotional impact even stronger. However, even if the story were completely made up, the relationship between Yi San (Lee Jun-ho) and Seong Deok-im (Lee Se-young) would still have been heartbreaking.

Deok-im gave up her freedom to be with the king, but sadly, she died, ending their love story. Though heartbroken, Yi San continued to rule. The final episode was particularly painful, showing the king finding Deok-im even after death. Even in the afterlife, the differences in their social status continued to haunt them, reminding them of the difficulties they faced.

Mouse

2021

The show Mouse initially appears to be a standard murder mystery, but it quickly becomes much darker. Not only does it feature a high number of victims killed in gruesome ways, but it also has a shocking plot twist that makes it impossible to enjoy a second viewing: the seemingly innocent and well-liked rookie detective, Jeong Ba-reum (played by Lee Seung-gi), is revealed to be the sadistic serial killer everyone has been searching for.

Usually, a plot twist revealing a killer would encourage viewers to rewatch a show, looking for clues they missed. However, in the K-drama Mouse, the character Ba-reum became one of the most unsettling villains ever. He murdered people based on the seven deadly sins, and his increasingly brutal methods made Mouse too disturbing for many to revisit.

Youth of May

2021

Similar to the popular show Derry Girls, Youth of May is a Korean drama set in the past that focuses on characters navigating everyday life during a time of political unrest. The series centers on the developing relationship between Kim Myung-hee, played by Go Min-si, and Hwang Hee-tae, played by Lee Do-hyun, all while the Gwangju Uprising unfolds in the background.

Because the main couple was so likable, many viewers hoped they would make it through the conflict. However, Youth of May powerfully illustrated the tragic cost of political violence by unexpectedly killing Myung-hee in the final episode. The show then reinforced this heartbreak with a scene showing Hee-tae still grieving her loss years later.

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2025-11-20 21:11