1) Queen Seon Duk
Since it's the drama that made me obsessed with KDrama in earnest, I can't say anything bad about this. It has solid story and acting (special mention goes to Go Hyun-jung and Kim Nam-gil), riveting plot, two kick-ass ladies as its central characters and a love line that tugs at your heart-string.
2) Jewel in the Palace/Dae Jang-geum
Again, wonderful story and heroine. Jang-geum overcame many setbacks to get to the top, not once but twice, through her own abilities--a rare feat for a commoner, not to mention a woman, at that time.
3) Ruler of Your Own World
It has many elements that have become cliche in KDramas: terminal illness, socioeconomic gap between the leads, dark painful past, love square and even birth secret. Amazingly, while watching this drama, I never once felt that I was being manipulated as a viewer, because those melodramatic elements were incorporated naturally into the story. Another bonus point is that this drama doesn't have villainous, over-the-top characters or a jerk-ish male lead. The male lead isn't conventionally good-looking and the female lead is pretty in a girl-next-door kind of way, two combination that I rarely find in more contemporary KDramas.
4) Evasive Inquiry Agency
Probably one of the best-written KDramas I've ever seen. There's no coincidence in this drama; the writer (or writers?) skillfully put nuggets of information and events along the way that might seem trivial, or even inconsequential, at first but would eventually be revealed as important to the story.
5) Misaeng
Wonderful and poignant in its simplicity. Sometimes hits too close to home for comfort. Beautiful visuals as well.
