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Many K-dramas start strong, but only the best leave audiences stunned by their ending. Whether K-dramas end too soon or drag out the plot for too long, there are plenty of ways to mess up a finale. There are even beloved K-dramas that many recommend with the caveat that you skip the last 20 minutes to avoid a subpar ending. Furthermore, iconic K-drama couples that helped popularize their series could make or break the ending. Each love story is different, but the end fates of the main characters — both independently and together — could single-handedly determine whether a K-drama becomes one of the greats. 20 Lovely Runner 2024 Lovely Runner may be a recent K-drama, but it is already lauded as an all-time great thanks to its unique plot and satisfying ending. The time-travel K-drama follows Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon) as she travels back in time to save her favorite K-pop idol, Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok). Whenever they fall in love, however, Sun-jae dies, prompting Sol to reset the timeline. Sol becomes convinced they’re fated for tragedy— but Lovely Runner proves her wrong. After the series antagonist is killed, Sun-jae and Sol are finally able to be together with the memories of the past lives they shared. It’s the perfect twist on a bittersweetly fated romance. 19 Healer 2014 Healer is one of the best K-dramas of the 2010s, following a "night courier" with the titular codename. The main character's real name is Seo Jung-hoo (Ji Chang-wook), but he operates anonymously before being hired to protect journalist Chae Young-shin (Park Min-young). This martial arts K-drama has many exciting fight sequences, but it ends with a more subdued approach. After catching the series antagonist, Healer fakes his own death to be with Young-shin. The pair even began working together at a newspaper, thankfully free from mortal threats. 18 Her Private Life 2019 Her Private Life may be the best workplace romance K-drama yet, and much of it has to do with Ryan Gold (Kim Jae-wook) and Sung Duk-mi’s (Park Min-young) happily ever after. Most of the drama is split between Duk-mi trying to hide her fangirl obsession with a young K-pop idol and running an art museum alongside Ryan, the new director. While Her Private Life implements many K-drama clichés, like the main characters secretly knowing each other from childhood, the ending scene is sheer perfection. When Duk-mi can’t get tickets for a fangirl event, Ryan swoops in and buys them. Duk-mi’s happy ending wasn’t just falling in love; it was finding Ryan, who embraces her second life without judgment. 17 It's Okay To Not Be Okay 2020 It’s Okay to Not Be Okay may be a controversial K-drama, but there’s no denying its ending is pure catharsis. Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun), Ko Mun-yeoung (Seo Yea-ji), and Moon Sang-tae (Oh Jung-se) all experience unimaginable trauma, but together they heal and have an extremely hopeful ending. What sets It's Okay to Not Be Okay apart is how the ending answers every lingering question. The many side characters and subplots were all tied up with a bow, most characters find their perfect match, and Sang-tae realizes his dream of being an illustrator. After such an intense battle, the main characters earned their fairytale ending. 16 Reply 1988 2015 The ensemble cast K-drama Reply 1988 is the best installment of the iconic Reply franchise, but it has a devastating ending that perfectly fits its core themes. Most of the K-drama follows a core group of friends who grew up together and relied on each other to navigate adolescent drama. Sadly, the central friend group naturally drifts apart over time, culminating in the unforgettable final episode that confirms with the utmost certainty that their hometown is now a ghost town. It may be heartbreaking, but Reply 1988 was always a cautionary tale about the passage of time, and its ending matches that exactly. 15 The Red Sleeve 2021 The Red Sleeve has quickly become a fan-favorite historical K-drama, but the ending has divided viewers for years. Yi San (Lee Jun-ho) and Seong Deok-im (Lee Se-young) initially seemed like a doomed pairing, despite being based on real-life figures. Deok-im becoming San’s concubine was a sacrifice; she gave up her freedom so she could love him. As a result, Deok-im dies after giving birth to their son, leaving San (now King Jeongjo) consumed by grief. After his own death, however, Yi San finds Deok-im waiting for him in the afterlife. The K-drama’s overarching theme of choice versus duty makes the ending especially poignant: in such hierarchical roles, their only chance at true happiness was in death. 14 Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha 2021 Aside from being one of the most cozy K-dramas of all time, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha has one of the most uplifting endings to boot. Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a) and Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho) get off on the wrong foot, but their hostility quickly gives way to a wholesome love story set in the picturesque village of Gongjin. Hye-jin and Du-sik’s relationship makes Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha one of the most romantic K-dramas, which is reflected in its ending where the main characters propose to each other. The chaotic wedding filled with the village residents is a sweet bookend to their love story, and it draws Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha to a blissful, angst-free close. 13 It's Okay, That's Love 2014 An incredibly underrated yet thought-provoking K-drama is It’s Okay, That’s Love, which tackled nuanced mental health issues over a decade ago. Author Jang Jae-yeol (Zo In-sung) quickly falls in love with fellow physician Ji Hae-soo (Gong Hyo-jin), but the couple has many hurdles to overcome, including Jae-yeol’s undiagnosed schizophrenia and Hae-soo’s judgmental family. In the end, however, the couple earns a well-deserved happy ending. After spending a year apart while Jae-yeol receives treatment and Hae-sol goes on sabbatical, the pair reunite and decide to pursue their relationship. A flash-forward shows the main couple married and expecting a child, an outcome neither would have anticipated in the first episode. 12 My Mister 2018 My Mister has one of the most complicated female leads in K-drama history: Lee Ji-an (Lee Ji-eun/IU). She spent much of the drama stalking and spying on Park Dong-hoon (Lee Sun-kyun), but Ji-an stayed isolated for her own protection. In the end, however, her crimes catch up to her. At heart, My Mister is a tale of redemption, which is exemplified by Park Dong-hoon forgiving Lee Ji-an and giving her a hug before she leaves Seoul. The pair reconnects later, where Ji-an is shown to be thriving and healed. Turning Dong-hoon and Ji-an’s relationship romantic would have been My Mister’s biggest mistake, but the ending thankfully keeps it platonic. 11 Happiness 2021 Whether you’re a horror fan or a romance lover, Happiness is a must-watch K-drama with an immensely satisfying ending. Yoon Sae-bom (Han Hyo-joo) and Jung Yi-hyun (Park Hyung-sik) are quarantined in an apartment complex during a zombie outbreak, but the dynamic duo are far from safe.
