The Best TV Shows on KBS1

Every KBS1 Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Dive into our updated selection of KBS1’s finest, featuring more than 20 series as of June 2025. Highlighting KBS1’s quality programming, Tears of the Dragon and Emperor Wang Gun stand out, premiering in 1996 and 2000. KBS1 has delivered an expansive roster of over 20 shows, dating from 1996 all the way to 2024.

  • Seoul 1945
    Seoul 1945 (2006)10.0

    Seoul 1945 is a 2006 South Korean television series starring Ryu Soo-young, Han Eun-jeong, So Yoo-jin, Kim Ho-jin, and Park Sang-myun. It aired on KBS1 from January 7 to September 10, 2006 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:30 for 71 episodes. Set around 1945 right after Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule when the nation was engulfed by ideological turmoil, the story revolves around the rivalry between Suk-kyoung, a renowned pianist and daughter of a rich pro-Japanese politician, and Hae-kyung, a headstrong servant; both women love Woon-hyuk, whose ambition to become a lawyer gets thwarted due to his political ideology.

  • Journalism Talk Show J
    Journalism Talk Show J (2018)9.5

  • Tai Chi Chasers
    Tai Chi Chasers (2007)9.0

    After a strange and devastating attack on his home, a young boy named Rai is shocked to discover he’s a secret descendent of the Tigeroids: an ancient race of peaceful beings locked in a struggle with the ruthless and cunning Dragonoids. In a parallel universe called Suhn, the Tigeroids and Dragonoids are battling furiously to recover 500 lost tai chi characters. Whoever retrieves these precious and potent symbols will possess the ultimate power to rule their realm... and destroy their enemies. As Rai hones his innate tai chi skills to fight the Dragonoids, he must find the lost tai chi and battle to become one of the champion Tai Chi Chasers!

  • Larva
    Larva (2011)7.2

    Two curious worms spend their days investigating the otherworldly objects that fall through the grate into their subterranean world.

  • Bravo, My Life
    Bravo, My Life (2022)7.2

    Even though Seo Dong Hee comes from a poor family background, she has a bright and positive personality. She dreams of becoming a designer and slowly works her way to achieve her dream. She decides to become the mother of her nephew and raise him by herself. She also gets involved with Kang Cha Yeol. Kang Cha Yeol’s father runs a big company. His father wants him to work for his company, but Kang Cha Yeol doesn't want to. He wants to go back to the U.S., but he realizes he can't do anything without his father's financial support. His father tells Kang Cha Yeol to work for 1 year at his company.

  • Be My Dream Family
    Be My Dream Family (2021)6.8

    The story of the series revolves around two families Geumgane and Hangane from different cultural backgrounds. They meet when their parents remarry in the twilight of life, and they become one family. The series follows the conflict, understanding and harmony of the extended family, showing meaning of a true family.

  • My Merry Marriage
    My Merry Marriage (2024)6.4

    A delightful family drama that asks the true meaning of 'happiness' by showing various aspects of marriage such as divorce, remarriage, and single life, and brings about empathy and laughter from all generations. Maeng Gong Hee is a contract designer at Jayce Fashion. Having inherited her strong mother's spirit and her former detective father's athletic ability, she is a rare wild woman these days who has the guts to survive even if she were to be stranded on a deserted island. Gu Dan Soo is the grandson of Jayce Fashion Chairman Hwang Ik Seon and born to a wealthy father and a poor mother. Dan Soo, who was living as a free spirit in a foreign country, comes to Korea according to his grandmother's plan to make a successor to the chairman out of him and he reunites with childhood friend Maeng Gong Hee once again.

  • You are My Destiny
    You are My Destiny (2008)5.5

    Jang Sae-byuk is a cheerful and grateful orphan who always tries her best. She dreams of one day becoming an interior designer, despite her lack of education and money. Because of an accident that happened before the story starts (about three years ago), she loses her sight and undergoes corneal transplant surgery. Different events unravel when she encounters the Kim family, who has lost a daughter in a horrible car crash, unbeknownst to everyone besides the father and older brother. The stories then intertwine when Sae-byuk meets the Kim's extended family and the son of a big interior design company, Lohas, in Korea.

  • Smile Again
    Smile Again (2010)5.5

    Raised in America by his mentally handicapped mother Anna, Dong Hae dreams of traveling to Korea to propose to the woman he loves.. After qualifying for a speed skating competition, he smuggles his mother to Korea with him, but his undying devotion to her soon begins causing him problems. Finally reconnecting with his lost love Saewa, Dong Hae finds his affections divided when things don’t work out as he planned in this award-winning daily drama.

  • The King Dae Joyoung
    The King Dae Joyoung (2006)5.3

    This 100-episode epic drama vividly depicts the life of King Dae Jo-yeong and other heroes of the Balhae Kingdom, which dates back 1300 years ago.

  • King Sejong the Great
    King Sejong the Great (2008)4.8

    "The Great King, Sejong" is a full-scale political drama describing how King Sejong and his loyal retainers cooperate and contrive to make his dynasty a better place. While King Sejong was on the throne, the Joseon Dynasty enjoyed increasing prosperity. The drama shows the dramatic processes of how so many new cultural heritages have been devised. At that time, "Hangul", the native phonemic alphabet system for Korean language was first invented and introduced. Before it was made, Chinese characters had been used for a written communication, which makes it extremely difficult for ordinary people to learn and use. "Hangul" is easy to learn for its simple and scientific principles. Other than "Hangul" itself, there had been so many cultural heritages during his regime including a rain gauge, a sundial, an hourglass to name a few. Also, King Sejong’s pragmatic diplomacy is concentrated in the drama. Then, the Joseon Dynasty was facing a powerful Ming dynasty of China, and King Sejong demonstrates the essence of pragmatism with dignity.

  • Age of Warriors
    Age of Warriors (2003)4.7

    This is a KBS 1TV drama that aired from February 8, 2003 to August 15, 2004.

  • Likeable or Not
    Likeable or Not (2007)4.6

    Likeable or Not is a South Korean television series starring Han Ji-hye, Kim Ji-seok, Jo Dong-hyuk, Yoo In-young, and Lee Young-eun. The daily drama aired on KBS1 from September 3, 2007 to May 2, 2008 on Mondays to Fridays at 20:25 for 172 episodes. It was one of the most highly rated Korean dramas since 2000, reaching a peak viewership rating of 43.9%.

  • Apple of My Eye
    Apple of My Eye (2023)4.0

    A work about the delightful and heartbreaking story of a family growing up while raising a child, centering on a single dad Geum Kang San and adopted child Ok Mi Rae who is the apple of his eye.

  • Emperor Wang Gun
    Emperor Wang Gun (2000)3.2

    Taejo Wang Geon was a 200-episode Korean drama starring Choi Soo Jong in the title role. It became very successful, reaching very high ratings, around 60%.

  • Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin
    Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin (2004)2.5

    Admiral Yi Sun-shin, who led the Joseon Navy to a myth of invincibility during the Hideyoshi invasion, was a true soldier and leader who struggled to protect people. Drama Yi Sun-shin is not a biography of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, nor does it inetnd to reconstruct a part of the Joseon Dynasty that existed in the 16th century. This drama will merely look into many human beings, incliuding Yi Sun-shin, who underwent an extreme situation. It is not just a historical drama series. It’s rather about human nature that makes both of the war and peace. It is a Korean version of “War and Peace” in 21st century. No hero has ever been sent by heaven. He has emerged as one ultimately after undergoing a lifelong process. Drama Yi Sun-shin is designed to shed a new light upon him as a human being.

  • Tears of the Dragon
    Tears of the Dragon (1996)N/A

    This drama depicts the turbulent period spanning from the reign of King Taejo (born Lee Seong Gye), the founder of the Joseon dynasty, to King Sejong.

  • Hometown Over the Hill
    Hometown Over the Hill (2007)N/A

    By depicting the dreams of people living in farming villages, this drama also reveals problems that today’s residents of rural areas face, such as a growing number of biracial children from international marriages and the cutthroat competition to survive.

  • Cheer Up, Mr. Kim!
    Cheer Up, Mr. Kim! (2012)N/A

    A family drama involving a 32-year-old unmarried man who is raising four children! Kim Tae Pyung is a domestic helper and a legal guardian for four children who are not related by blood. Mr. Kim and his children go through a range of difficulties on their way to becoming a family. Let’s find out how they learn to accept each other as family members and become a true family!

  • Mr. House Husband
    Mr. House Husband (2016)N/A

    Mr. House Husband is a South Korean television entertainment program, where six men who do housekeeping and parenting are observed by their fellow cast members. For season 2, the format changed and the cast members' recordings were observed and narrated by two hosts.