3 K-Dramas that will make you cry

 Are you looking for K-Dramas that will shatter your heart in the best way? Ones that will make you drown in tears and fall in love with the characters? If so, you should watch these three K-Dramas. 

1.  Hi Bye, Mama! 

This K-Drama is an underrated masterpiece that I highly recommend. It follows the story of a ghost who is reincarnated and given 49 days to return to her former life as her husband's wife and the mother of her daughter—just as it was meant to be. However, what makes this story truly interesting is the emotional dilemma she faces: her husband has remarried, and she's practically a stranger to her daughter. Will she fight to reclaim the life that was taken from her, or will she accept her fate and the painful truth that some things can’t be undone?

What makes this drama so impactful is its exploration of grief, love, and the interconnectedness of our lives. It’s not just about the person who was lost, but also about the loved ones left behind—the daughter, the sister, the husband—each carrying the weight of their sorrow, even years later. Watching their journey reminds us that you don't ever completely get over grief, you just learn to live with it day by day. That's how you survive.

This show will make you reflect on all the "what ifs" in your own life, leaving you deeply moved by its message. I’d like to end my review with a quote that resonated with me:

"Perhaps the most beautiful thing we can feel in life is telling someone that we love them and thanking someone we're grateful for. I realized it's a great joy to give, and you end up feeling regret if you always receive."

2.  Reply 1988 

Although this K-Drama was released in 2015, I only watched it a year ago—and it truly changed my outlook on life, holding a special place in my heart ever since. The story revolves around five families who live on the same street in a neighborhood in Seoul and were inseparable since childhood. Set in the 1980s, it not only brings back nostalgia but also reminds younger generations about life before the internet, showing how people leaned on each other for comfort and support.

What I love most about this series is how it embraces the slice-of-life genre, beautifully portraying everyday moments that many of us can deeply relate to. It explores the complexities of family relationships and sibling dynamics, allowing us to connect with each character in a personal way. You can see the sacrifices the parents have made and the struggles they’ve endured, but you also feel the pain of the children, some of whom may feel forgotten or impacted by their family’s circumstances. The show is rich with stories of love, friendship, loss, and personal growth. One scene that stuck with me was when a dad asked his daughter about her dream. She felt pathetic for not having one, but he reassured her that it’s okay not to know yet—that she’ll find her path in time. I remember crying a lot over that scene since I needed to hear that from someone as well. 

This K-Drama is so wholesome and will give you a good cry. Watching the five families experiencing both the joys and sorrows of life together, and always being there for each other through the ups and downs made it feel like they were one big family. 

3.  The Good Bad Mother

This K-Drama centers around a single mother who, after her husband’s death, runs a pig farm and raises her son in a harsh and demanding parenting style. She constantly pushed him to study, taking away his social life, all in the hope that he won’t have to endure the same hardships she did. Though it came from love and good intentions, she shaped him into a successful yet cold-hearted prosecutor who was driven by winning cases rather than a sense of justice. The sad thing about it is that she pushed him so hard to be this powerful figure who should protect the weak because she wasn't able to protect her husband. Naturally, their bond weakened causing him to be emotionally distant from her. 

However, after a tragic accident leaves him with the mind of a 7-year-old and no memory of his past, she is given a chance to raise him once more—this time, filled with love and nurture. What makes this show so powerful is the transformation we see in their relationship, turning what was once broken into the loving connection it was always meant to be. Not only that, but I also enjoyed seeing his character evolve from a person who was always alone and coldhearted, to someone who is surrounded by people who care for him and a partner who loves him. If it weren't for this tragedy, he wouldn't have been able to turn his life around, heal his relationship with his mom, and reunite with his lover. A meaningful quote from this show that I'd like to leave you guys with is: 

"Falling down is a way for you to see another world, a world you have never seen before."