Most Well-Written Characters in a Drama
Lead character(s) in this drama may not undergo multiple time-span in their lives to show real growth, but specific events are thrown into the antagonists' lives and the way they deal with the events and the proper flesh out to their backstories is what makes the characters so satisfyingly written, relatable and incredibly memorable.
This is a twin list to Best Developed Lead Characters in a Drama here. Please click/point your cursor to the word 'here'.
- Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji, two talented disciples of respected clans, meet during cultivation training and accidentally discover a secret carefully hidden for many years. Taking on the legacy of ...more
- When a total eclipse of the sun takes place, Go Ha Jin is transported back in time to the start of the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea during King Taejo's rule. She wakes ...more
- Seo Jung Hoo is a special kind of night courier, known only as "Healer" by his clients. For the right price and with the help of a genius hacker, he gets his ...more
- Park Dong Hun is a middle-aged engineer who is married to attorney Kang Yun Hui. However, his life is not that happy as he has two unemployed brothers, Sang Hun and Gi ...more
- Five childhood friends, who all live in the same Ssangmundong neighborhood of Seoul, lean on each other to survive their challenging teen years and set a path for their futures. Sung Deok ...more
- Despite being a bit of a prickly pear, Jang Jae Yeol has become famous for authoring mystery novels and for hosting a popular radio show. While sitting on a talk show panel ...more
- In the heart of Seoul stands a mysterious, ancient hotel, managed by the greedy and resentful Jang Man Wol, who has spent a thousand years running it. Bound by a deity to ...more
- Kim Je Hyuk, a famous baseball player, is arrested after using excessive force while chasing a man trying to sexually assault his sister. Shockingly to him and the rest of the nation, ...more
- A major accident takes the lives of 48 people. The lives of the survivors, those who lost loved ones and those connected to the parties blamed for the tragic event are also ...more
- Han Seo Jin, Noh Seung Hye, Jin Jin Hee, and Lee Myung Joo all live with their families in SKY Castle, a luxury private neighborhood hosting wealthy doctors and professors. All of ...more
- A traumatic childhood experience leaves Cha Do Hyeon, suffering from memory loss and dissociation. The latter has resulted in the creation of seven distinct personalities. Wanting to regain control over his life, ...more
- After getting into a paragliding accident, South Korean heiress Yoon Se Ri crash lands in North Korea. There, she meets North Korean army officer Ri Jung Hyuk, who agrees to help her ...more
- Five girls in their twenties come to live together in a house called "Belle Epoque," which means "a beautiful time" in French. Each girl has a particular personality, background, and issues. In ...more
- A TV series centered around the unfolding relationship between free and unpredictable yet dangerous Kim Moo Young, who is called a "monster". He is the first assistant in a Korean beer brewery ...more
- Kim Shin was once an unbeatable general in Goryeo's military who died a tragic death. He now possesses immortality but is tired of living while everyone else around him dies. For 900 ...more
- Set in the 1990s, the drama centers around a female high school student Shi Won, who idolizes boyband H.O.T, and her 5 high school friends in Busan. As the timeline moves back ...more
- In 2017, Son Oh Gong and Ma Wang are in conflict with each other as they look for a true light in a dark world where evil thrives. Having made a contract ...more
- The Nine-tailed Fox Bai Qian, the youngest daughter of the Fox King, is brought to Kunlun Mountain to become a disciple of the God of War, Mo Yuan. While studying there, a ...more
- Genius profiler Lee Hyun, returns home to Korea after something from a case he’s been sent triggers a memory he thought he’d lost forever. Unbeknownst to him, one of his team members, ...more
- Hwang Shi Mok underwent brain surgery as a child to curb his violent temper, which left him devoid of emotions. Hwang becomes a prosecutor known for his piercing intelligence and logic, but ...more
- Mr. Sunshine centers on a young boy born into a house servant's family who travels to the United States during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo (U.S. expedition to Korea). He returns to his homeland ...more
- In sixth-century China, the Emperor of Great Liang orders the unjust execution of his brother-in-law Marshal Lin Xie alongside the Lin family, his 70,000 army soldiers, and Crown Prince Qi. Secretly surviving ...more
- Zi Fen, the Flower Deity, dies after giving birth to a daughter, Jin Mi. Before her death, Zi Fen foresaw that Jin Mi would encounter a fatal love trial and fed her ...more
- Yun Jong U is a young guy in his 20s who moves from the countryside to Seoul after his college friend, Jae Ho, offers him a job. While looking for a place ...more
- Lee Yeon Seo, is a cynical and arrogant ballerina. She is the prima ballerina, but after an accident she has to give up her dream. After her parents' sudden death, she doesn’t ...more
- Jeon Nok Du lives on an island with his father and older brother. He is smart and a good swordsman. Since he was little, his father did not let him study or ...more
- To tackle rising violent crime, Police Chief assigns Detective O Gu Tak to form a team of criminals. Suspended for excessive force, Oh recruits gangster Park Ung Cheol, young serial killer Lee ...more
- Oh Sung Moo, the father of cardiothoracic surgeon Oh Yeon Joo, mysteriously goes missing while writing the last chapter of his webtoon "W". Yeon Joo goes to his office looking, but a ...more
- A fictional, historical drama about the ambition, rise and fall of real and fictional characters based around Yi Bang Won. Yi Bang Won was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in ...more
- Yun Jin A is a woman in her mid-30s who doesn’t know yet what it’s like to date a man. She’s been dumped by a man many times because of her clumsy, ...more
- The story of a man who became a neurosurgeon, though he dreamed of becoming a cook, and a woman who became a cook because of him. Lee Kang is a neurosurgeon who ...more
- Jang Geu Rae, a former Go prodigy, struggles after his dream of becoming a professional player fails. Forced into an internship at the company One International, he meets fellow intern An Yeong ...more
- Set in the Northern Song dynasty, the story follows Sheng Ming Lan, an unfavored concubine-born 6th daughter of an official. After losing her mother at a young age, Ming Lan is raised ...more
- Fan Xian is born in the ancient empire of Southern Qing with memories of the 21st century. He lives in a rural town as the illegitimate son of the Minister of Finance, ...more
- Following the failure of her father's business, Sang Mi and her family move to Muji-gun, where they have no friends or relatives. There she meets four young men, Han Sang Hwan, Seok ...more
- Im Jin Joo, Lee Eun Jung, and Hwang Han Joo are best friends who are 30-years-old. Hwang Han Joo is the head of a marketing team for a drama production company. She ...more
- In 18th century Beijing, during the 6th year of Qianlong Emperor's reign, Wei Ying Luo enters the Forbidden City as an embroiderer to investigate the truth behind her older sister's rape and ...more
- Feeling trapped in a stale four-year relationship and reluctant to take the next step into marriage, Lee Jung In stumbles into Yu Ji Ho's pharmacy one morning, nursing a hangover after a ...more
- Set in a highly competitive school that emphasizes achievement and scores above all else, the drama will lay bare the absurdities and hypocrisies of the education system while also featuring the growth ...more
- “Memories of the Alhambra” tells the unique and suspenseful love story of Yoo Jin Woo and Jung Hee Joo. Strong-spirited Yoo Jin Woo is the CEO of an investment company with a ...more
- The story takes place at the beginning of the 19th century. Goo Hae Ryung is an intern to become a palace historian. However, it was not acceptable for women to write historical ...more
- This drama revolves around the incidents that occur in the police force and the joy, sorrow, and pain that police officers experience as they try to protect justice. Yeom Sang Soo, is ...more
- “The culprit who is posing as a royal official is not stealing wealth. He is stealing the hearts and minds of your people, Your Majesty.” There was a divisive figure in the ...more
- An inspector who decided to live as a watchdog for the rest of his life after being betrayed by a trusted senior. A young police officer who lives suspecting that his father, ...more
- Kim Hae Il is a Catholic priest. He makes spiteful remarks, and he can be rude to others. Koo Dae Young is a detective. He talks a lot, and he is also ...more
- After being ambushed by the ten immortal sects while trying to steal the Wanjun Sword, Lu Zhao Yao dies, believing her ally, Li Chen Lan, the demon king’s son, is responsible. Five ...more
- Although Park Shi On is an autistic savant who lacked mental maturity and empathy, he graduated from medical school with distinction. His medical skills are exceptional, but he struggles to deal with ...more
- Choi Kang Woo, who is a former police and leader of Taeyang Insurance's investigators team, decides to create his own investigation team, after an airplane crash that took the life of his ...more
- This series examines the hospital as a breeding ground for misuse of power. It is a place of conflicting interests and clashing egos. The doctors have the power to save lives, but ...more
- In the 1930s Japanese occupation of Korea and the 21st century. Han Se Joo, a bestselling author in the present, struggles with writer’s block, while Yu Jin Oh, a talented ghostwriter in ...more
- After losing his parents in a fire, Lee Ahn acquires the power of psychometry, the ability to read a person or an object's past through physical contact, and he decides to use ...more
- Early in his reign, King Se Jong accidentally causes the death of his in-laws and their slaves in an attempt to save them from his brutal father, King Tae Jong. Two young ...more
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53. Nirvana in Fire Season 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin
Chinese Drama - 2017, 50 episodes847 points by 9 votersXiao Ping Zhang and Xiao Ping Jing are the talented sons of Xiao Ting Sheng, the Prince of Changlin and general of the Liang dynasty’s most powerful army. Ping Zhang is the ...more - Park Moo Jin is a former professor of chemistry and now holds the Minister of Environment position. He doesn't have ambition, personal beliefs or political sense. One day, the cabinet is gathered ...more
- After his family is massacred by a ruthless general, young Ning Que survives in the wild, honing his wits and combat skills. He rescues a baby girl from a pile of corpses, ...more
- This drama is about a family that lives on the outskirts of Seoul. Byun Han Soo is the father and His wife, Na Yeong Shil is a dedicated, responsible mother to his ...more
- The drama tells the story of Kim Joo Won, an arrogant and eccentric CEO who maintains the image of seeming perfection, and Gil Ra Im, a poor and humble stuntwoman whose beauty ...more
- Fifty thousand years ago, Jiu Chen, the God of War, sealed away the demon lord and fell into a deep slumber. When Ling Xi accidentally awakens him, they fall in love, only ...more
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59. Arthdal Chronicles Part 1: The Children of Prophecy
Korean Drama - 2019, 6 episodes584 points by 6 votersSet in the ancient land of Arthdal, Eun Seom, born with a fate to bring disaster, and his mother endure hardships before fleeing to a new land. Though Eun Seom grows up ...more - Cha Woo Kyung is a child counselor who works at a children’s center. Her life seems perfect since she is married to a great husband and is pregnant. However, her perfect life ...more
- Cha Dal Gun, devastated by his nephew’s death in a mysterious plane crash, embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind a massive cover-up. Go Hae Ri, the eldest daughter of ...more
- This is the story of a tragic love that spans 12 years. When they were children, Yoon Na Moo and Gil Nak Won were each others first love. They are forced to ...more
- Set during the transition from the Goryeo to the Joseon period, two friends become enemies due to differing views on "my country." Seo Hwi, a skilled warrior and son of a renowned ...more
- Do Min Joon is an alien who landed on Earth 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty period. He possesses a near perfect appearance and enhanced physical abilities involving his vision, hearing ...more
- Two women, both named O Hae Yeong, find themselves constantly mixed up in each other’s lives because of their shared name. From confusion over boys and grades in high school to ending ...more
- Whatever gets the job done. Bong Sang Pil grew up living the gangster life, full of tough physical fights and evading the law. When his mother dies a tragic death, he is ...more
- Kim Sa Bu was once a famous surgeon at the peak of his career at a major hospital. But he suddenly gives it all up one day to live in seclusion and ...more
- Set during the Donghak Peasant Revolution (1894-1895), two half-brothers find themselves on opposing sides of the conflict. Baek Yi Kang is the first son of a prominent family whose wealthy father is ...more
- Lee Kang To is an ambitious and callous Korean officer employed by the Japanese colonists. Despite his mother's disapproval of his work and his own brother's antagonistic history with the Japanese, Kang ...more
- Consumed by revenge, Zhao Yi Ting’s life becomes cold and meaningless. But when he meets Lei Xin Yu, a young woman whose wealthy family has fallen on hard times, everything changes. He ...more
- Lee Yoon Sung is a talented MIT-graduate who works on the international communications team in the Blue House. He plans revenge on five politicians who caused his father's death with his surrogate ...more
- Joseon is in a state of disorder due to uprisings and a power struggle surrounding King Lee Hun. To avoid assassination, a clown named Ha Sun is brought to the palace to ...more
- A car accident sends Zhang Xiao back in time into the body of one of her previous reincarnations, a 16-year-old aristocratic Manchu girl, Maertai Ruoxi, who lived during the Qing Dynasty. Despite ...more
- Dojima Otaro works as a popular host. Because of a past incident, he believes that love makes people unhappy. He now only pursues money and power. A mysterious woman appears in front ...more
- Kim Min Kyu is the largest shareholder of a financial company. He suffers from a "human allergy", preventing him from normal interactions with other people. He becomes interested in a robotic project ...more
- Maki Maki, Sebuki Suzume, Beppu Tsukasa, and Iemori Yutaka happen to meet and form a quartet. They even begin to live together in Karuizawa during the winter, but there is a big ...more
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77. Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas
Korean Special - 2011, 8 episodes294 points by 3 votersAfter receiving an anonymous letter stating that someone would die, eight students at the elite boarding school, Susin High School, nicknamed "Prison High", decided to remain at school for the 8 days ...more - An ordinary man dies in a car crash, but his spirit awakes inside another man with the same name and age but an entirely different background. He becomes the head of two ...more
- The story of a man named Gong Joon Soo who sacrificed himself by pretending to be a murderer to protect his younger stepbrother from being accused instead. While serving time in prison, ...more
- A “real doctor” story set in a small, humble hospital called Doldam Hospital. It is a story about people who meet Kim Sa Bu, a genius doctor, and discover “real romance.” Kim ...more
- To become a top songwriter, Ha Rip sacrificed his soul to the Devil, gaining fame and success in exchange for Lee Kyung’s talent and life. Ten years later, as the Devil comes ...more
- The Northern Wei Dynasty was obliterated one night leaving behind the kindhearted Princess Feng Xin Er as an orphan. Although she escapes death, she accidentally enters her enemy's territory and she assumes ...more
- Queen of Qing Qiu, Bai Feng Jiu, is the only red nine-tailed fox in the world. One day, Feng Jiu is attacked by a savage beast while seeking cultivation in the mountains ...more
- Geum Jan Di comes from a poor family who owns a dry-cleaning shop. One day, she visits Shinhwa High School, a prestigious school for the wealthy, and saves a student trying to ...more
- Park Jung Hwan is the chief of the anti-corruption investigation team for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. To get to his position, he has made compromises on achieving justice. Jung Hwan then learns ...more
- Guan Pi Pi is an amateur reporter. In spite of being beautiful and kind, she often finds herself alone in the world. Because of that, Guan Pi Pi feels abandoned and hopeless. ...more
- Wu Xin is a wandering immortal who has no recollection of how long he has lived or how he came to be, but he has supernatural powers where he can see and ...more
- The stories of people going through their days are seemingly ordinary but actually special at the hospital, a place known as the microcosm of life, where someone is being born and someone's ...more
- After his mother is brutally murdered in front of him by the Thai criminal syndicate Cheongbang, Lee Soo Hyun is adopted into NIS agent Kang Jung Ho's family. Together with Kang Min ...more
- Tomo is a neglected 11-year-old girl. She lives with her mother, who abandons her when she falls in love with a new man. Whenever that happens, Tomo goes to live with her ...more
- Noh Ji Wook is a brainiac prosecutor and Eun Bong Hee is a rookie justice department intern, who always seems to find herself in the most unfortunate and embarrassing situations. Bong Hee ...more
- Genghis Khan built an empire that spanned vast regions in East Asia and East Europe. And there was one woman who held immense power in the Yuan Dynasty, which Genghis Khan founded, ...more
- Fukami Hiroki's younger sister was killed by a friend. Hiroki then meets the killer's sister, Toyama Futaba, 15 years after the incident. Both of their families have been burdened with grief, but ...more
- Tokai, a surgeon at Tojo University Hospital, boasts a 100% surgery success rate, but his arrogance often causes friction among his peers, who refer to him as "a doctor who saves patients ...more
- Adopted as an orphan, Fu Yao served as a slave for the Xuan Yuan sect in the Taiyuan Kingdom. After a series of tragedies, she journeyed across the lands, searching to lift ...more
- In 2014, a series of murders targeting women takes place in Kawasaki City. All the victims have been killed as if they had hanged and these are dubbed the “Hanging Murders” in ...more
- The story follows Aya Saito from last year in high school to her 40s, as she moves from Akita, a small rural town in the Japanese countryside to the glittering metropolis of ...more
- Gong Ah Jung, a level 5 Ministry of Culture official, gets entangled in a web of lies when she mistakenly lies that she's married to Hyun Ki Joon, a noble hotel manager ...more
- Mi Yeong is a typical office clerk who is rather plain, somewhat awkward and has her good nature taken advantage of by her co-workers on a daily basis. While on vacation, she ...more
- Oh Hyun Jin has had a glittering career in her work life. She is the youngest member on the board of executives at the company she works at and is used to ...more