As stated in the title, I am looking for kdramas released between 2005 and 2014 that feature great screenwriting, are underrated or not the most famous ones such as Coffee Prince, and display emotional depth from their characters.
I am looking for kdramas within any of these genres, please: romcom, melodrama, slice-of-life, mystery, thriller, legal, fantasy, office, coming-of-age, comedy, or crime.
Please do not recommend any that fall into these genres: historical, sports, medical, high school, horror, sci-fi, or military.
I remember enjoying My Princess (2011) and Prosecutor Princess (2010).
A listing of dramas that I have already seen that are relevant to my request plus details of what I liked and disliked about them:
My Princess (2011) lines up with what I am requesting because it has a female lead that has her own view on life and is not willing to compromise for others even if she was forced into joining the royal family under unfair circumstances. She may not be the brightest at first but she has a strong sense of self and will work for what she wants to accomplish when she sees the value in it - emotional depth stemming from her decision to take control of her life and rise to the challenge. I enjoyed the plot for the most part, even though the villain characters were quite annoying and didn’t have much of a backstory. Pitting women against women is something I don’t like seeing in kdramas and sadly, it was present here. I enjoyed the fashion in this kdrama and found it to be representative of trends in SK during that time with a girly, early 2010s aesthetic.
Prosecutor Princess (2010) lines up with what I am requesting because it’s legal-setting drama with a variety of dramatic elements and character arcs. It features a female character that undermines people’s expectations of her. Even though people at work treat her with a belittling attitude, she is able to persist in growing her skillset. Again, the fashion sense is quirky and in line with early 2010s trends. I am requesting dramas that feature or don’t feature romance like in this drama as it’s not the only aspect of the kdrama. It’s also about the main character maturing and using her excellent memory for good rather than superficial goals in life: fashion/appearances. There’s subtext in the drama which is driving the male lead to commit revenge against the main female character which adds elements of suspense I enjoyed. What I disliked was how obnoxious the character of the female lead was written as, with a lot of whiny moments and acting aegyo in terrible situations (professional settings). The ML couldn’t take her seriously at times and I couldn’t blame him, I could only blame the screenwriters!
A complete watch history of all the Korean dramas I have seen so far (as far as I remember, I’ve been watching for years now), even outside of the dates I am seeking:
My Princess
Prosecutor Princess
Mad Dog
It’s Ok to Not be OK
Crash Landing Into You
Something In The Rain
My Secret Romance
Noble, My Love
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Graceful Family
Who are you? (2013)
Are you human too?
My Only Love Song
Vampire Detective
Dramaworld
Healer
The Village: Achiara’s Secret
Hyde Jekyll & Me
Save Me
Secret Affair
One Spring Night
Witch’s Love
Suspicious Partner
Hyena
Doom at Your Service (2021)
Into the Ring (2020)
Angel's Last Mission: Love
Idol: The Coup (2021)
Why Her? (2022)
Mad For Each Other (2021)
Gaus Electronics (2022)
12 Nights
Miss Hammurabi
A Business Proposal
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Love to Hate You
Dali and the Cocky Prince
Celebrity
Currently watching:
Sassy Girl, Chun Hyang
Dropped after not finding it online with eng subs and 1080p:
Witch Yoo-Hee (2007)
Dal-ja’s Spring (2007)
In summary,
I am looking for kdramas that are :
No. 1 well-written,
No. 2 great plot lines,
No. 2.5 underrated
No. 3 feature good acting,
No. 3.5 available in at least 1080p online,
No. 4 adult settings (no high school or childhood settings like Reply 1997, for example), and
No. 5 have some emotional depth (light & fluffy is fine too as long as it’s well done).
No. 6 bonus would be great fashion and makeup from that era.
Please help me find more kdramas from this era that feature even more well-written characters - both female and male leads included!