3 Korean Dramas Written by 'The Glory' Writer Kim Eun-sook

Kim Eun-sook, the writer of the Netflix series "The Glory," released at the end of 2022, is the most famous writer of romantic dramas in Korea. Here are three of the most beloved dramas written by Kim Eun-sook.

“Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” (도깨비) (2016)

The drama "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (도깨비), which aired on tvN in Korea from 2016 to 2017, also holds the record for the highest viewership rating in tvN's history. It's a romance story about Kim Shin, the main character who has lived as a goblin for 939 years, and his encounter with his goblin bride, who is destined to pull out the sword stuck in his body. Although pulling out the sword would free him from the pain of eternal life, he falls in love with his bride and starts to struggle between love and death.

The drama "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (도깨비) was incredibly popular, and the actors who starred in it also gained immense popularity. In particular, Gong Yoo, who played the goblin, and Lee Dong-wook, who played the grim reaper, even filmed commercials together after filming this drama.

You can watch the Korean drama "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (도깨비) on Netflix, TVING, Apple TV, and Disney+.

“Mr. Sunshine” (미스터 션샤인) (2018)

The drama "Mr. Sunshine" (미스터 션샤인), broadcast in 2018, is set during the late Joseon Dynasty. It tells the story of the independence fighters who tried to protect their country at a time when Korea was on the brink of becoming a Japanese colony. The protagonist, Eugene Choi, born the son of a slave, had an unfortunate childhood and, after his parents were murdered, fled Joseon until he discovered an American warship. He overcomes various forms of discrimination as an Asian in America and becomes a US Marine officer, serving in the US military. Upon returning to Joseon as a US Marine, he meets a woman named Ae-sin.

This work, which details the efforts of independence fighters to prevent Korea from being taken over by Japan during the late Joseon period, is often featured on special broadcasts during Korea's Independence Day (also known as Liberation Day) and March 1st Movement Day, which commemorates the March 1st Movement in 1919. "Mr. Sunshine" (미스터 션샤인) is a great drama for learning about Korean history and can be viewed on TVING and Netflix.

“Descendants of the Sun” (태양의 후예) (2016)

Only four dramas aired in Korea in the 2010s exceeded a 40% viewership rating. One of them is "Descendants of the Sun" (태양의 후예). This drama portrays a love story between a soldier and a doctor. Yoo Si-jin, the main character, becomes a soldier with the belief that he must protect human life and maintain peace. He embodies the key theme of the drama: humanism. He meets Kang Mo-yeon, a doctor who initially valued human life but gradually became driven by profit. However, when she engages in overseas medical volunteer work, she rediscovers the value of life.

"Descendants of the Sun" (태양의 후예) became hugely popular not only in Korea but also internationally. It was exported to various countries, including Japan, the UK, Italy, Indonesia, Taiwan, and the US. It was particularly popular in China and other parts of the Chinese-speaking world.

You can watch the Korean drama "Descendants of the Sun" (태양의 후예) on Netflix, Hulu, Coupang Play, Watcha, Wavve, and Rakuten Viki.