The Best TV Shows on KBS1

Every KBS1 Show Ranked From Best To Worst

With its programming history stretching from 1990 to 2024, KBS1 offers an impressive lineup of over 20 shows. 서울뚝배기 and Tears of the Dragon represent the pinnacle of KBS1’s programming, launching in 1990 and 1996. As of November 2025, our compilation of KBS1’s top-rated series boasts over 20 unique shows.

  • Yellow Handkerchief
    Yellow Handkerchief (2003)10.0

    Sang-min wants success in life, and in pursuit of success, he abandons his ten-year relationship with Ja-yeong to marry his boss’ daughter, Min-ju. Ja-yeong finds herself pregnant and raising a child alone. When Sang-min finds out, the battle over custody of child begins. This drama became a number one hit and captured more than 30% of viewers during its broadcast while unraveling the mysteries of waiting, forgiveness and above all - the value of love.

  • 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.

  • Unpredictable Family
    Unpredictable Family (2023)6.7

    A romantic family drama about a divorced couple who broke up 30 years ago out of hate, reuniting as in-laws through their children and overcoming long overdue conflicts and enmity.

  • 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.

  • Gwanggaeto, The Great Conqueror
    Gwanggaeto, The Great Conqueror (2011)6.0

    Gwanggaeto, The Great Conqueror is an alternate title for King Gwanggaeto the Great, a historical drama based on the life of the nineteenth monarch of Goguryeo, Gwanggaeto the Great. The drama was based on two sources, Gwanggaeto the Great by Jeong Jip, and Great Conquests of Gwanggaeto by Hyeong Minu.

  • My Dear Cat
    My Dear Cat (2014)5.8

    While looking for her lost cat, magazine journalist Go Yang-soon meets law school student and part-time photographer Yeom Chi-woong. Soon, they begin to get to know each other and each other's families.

  • The King Dae Joyoung
    The King Dae Joyoung (2006)5.7

    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.

  • Dream of the Emperor
    Dream of the Emperor (2012)5.2

    Kim Chunchu is the grandson of King Jinji, but when his grandfather is overthrown, Chunchu is denied the chance to become a successor to the throne of Silla. He later meets Kim Yushin, and the two men begin a friendship. Chunchu later becomes King Muyeol, the 29th Korean monarch who leads the unification of three ancient kingdoms - Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, while Kim Yushin becomes one of the greatest generals in Korean history.

  • The All-Round Wife
    The All-Round Wife (2021)4.8

    A drama centered around the district of Gangnam and Seo Cho Hee, a woman who struggles to improve the quality of life with a house. It has a realistic family message that happiness is not about the house but about the family that lives in it.

  • Save the Family
    Save the Family (2015)4.5

    Jung Woo Jin is an ambitious doctor. After he failed in love, he no longer believes in true love. He views marriage as just a business. Meanwhile, Lee Hae Soo works as an assistant chef. She dreams of getting married to the right man and having a family. Then, Woo Jin falls in love with Hae Soo and He comes into conflict with love and ambition.

  • Apple of My Eye
    Apple of My Eye (2023)4.5

    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.

  • Sweet Home, Sweet Honey
    Sweet Home, Sweet Honey (2015)3.4

    Even though Oh Bom is in a difficult financial situation, she is still bright and positive. She works part-time work at a factory. Kang Ma-Roo is a kind and simple young man. He is naive about the world. An Tae-Ho is the section chief of a company. He is an ambitious man. He approaches Choi A-Ran for his own gain and marries her. Choi A-Ran is the heiress of a large company. She is smart, but has a painful past. Her younger sister went missing and her parents abandoned her.

  • The Jingbirok: A Memoir of Imjin War
    The Jingbirok: A Memoir of Imjin War (2015)3.4

    Jingbirok, the name of a book written by real-life Joseon historian and scholar Ryu Seong Ryong (Kim Sang Joong),detailing the Imjin War (1592-1598). The drama will be a telling of historical events with the scholar as the central character, in the samevein as “Jung Do Jun”(who influenced the founding of the Joseon dynasty). Ryu Seong Ryong was an official who served during King Seonjo’s reign in the late 16th century. He was a brilliant Confucian scholar who was put in charge of military operations during the Imjin War, and greatly influenced AdmiralLee Soon Shin.

  • 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%.

  • 서울뚝배기
    서울뚝배기 (1990)N/A

  • 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.

  • 사랑은 이런거야
    사랑은 이런거야 (2001)N/A

    It is a drama that gets the sympathy of an unspecified number of people and satisfies their needs.

  • 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.

  • Hello Carbot
    Hello Carbot (2014)N/A

    An unexpected package is delivered to a school boy, Chatan. Chatan opens the box, but there is only an ordinary toy cube inside. However, as soon as Chatan touches the cube, a car-transformation robot appears.