Watch some of your favorite book characters come to life! Here's a list of dramas based on novels!

Based on Novels

Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) is devastated by the sudden and tragic death of her favorite star, Ryu Sun Jae (Byun Woo Seok), a former swimmer turned K-pop idol. But in the midst of her anguish, she magically time slips back to 2008 – when Sun Jae is still only 19 years old! Delighted that she has a chance to help him avert his unhappy future fate, Sol makes it her mission to change the future... and maybe find love along the way. Will her efforts to divert the course of the past prove successful – or could they have unexpected consequences? This 2024 South Korean drama was adapted from a web novel named “The Best of Tomorrow” by Kim Bbang and was directed by Kim Tae Yeop and Yoon Jong Ho.

Lovely Runner

✨ The Marvellous ✨ team

Born blind, Hong Cheon Gi (Kim Yoo Jung) is a gifted painter who miraculously regains her sight and earns an unprecedented position at the prestigious royal art school during the Dan dynasty. In contrast, astrologer Ha Ram (Ahn Hyo Seop), despite his ability to see the future, lost his sight in a childhood accident. Fate brings Cheon Gi and Ha Ram together, and they quickly fall in love. However, their budding romance is threatened by political machinations of the royal court. Is their love fated to last or was it doomed from the start? Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jung Eun Gwol, this 2021 South Korean fantasy romance series was directed by Jang Tae Yoo.

Lovers of the Red Sky

For Your Eyes Only 👁‿👁  

Tencent Video

Zhou Fei (Zhao Li Ying) is the granddaughter of a national hero who was forced to become a bandit to serve the greater good. For 20 years, her grandfather, then her mother, were charged with running a secret fort, staffed by bandits.

The fort’s role is to protect the world against strange, otherworldly warriors intent on bringing their unique brand of chaos to the mortal realm.

However, the fort has fallen in status in recent years, and Zhou Fei is sick of being confined to the place of her birth. She longs to escape, and makes repeated efforts to get away.

But her life changes forever when she almost drowns, and is only saved by a free-spirited young material arts expert named Xie Yun (Wang Yi Bo).

The duo forms an unlikely friendship and decides to hone their fighting skills together – a timely decision as malevolent forces are now plotting fresh trouble.

The pair begins on an adventure. But as time goes by, they begin to unearth secrets…including that of Xie Yun’s true identity.

This drama series was adapted from a novel named “Bandits” by author Priest.

“Legend of Fei” is a 2020 Chinese drama series that was directed by Ng Gam Yuen.

Legend of Fei

The Flying Legend Team

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In a small city on the outskirts of Seoul, lives Josée (Han Ji Min), a unique young woman who lives life by her own set of rules. Abandoned as a child, Josée has spent most of her life on her own. Living in a rundown house, surrounded by an odd collection of rescued books, Josée has come to interpret the world in her own way. Spinning magical stories as a way to cope with the harsh realities of life, Josée’s lives in a world more of imagination than reality, but when fate brings Young Seok (Nam Joo Hyuk) into her life, things begin to change.

A university student nearing graduation, Yeon Seok has spent his entire life living by other people’s rules. Ever the loyal son, he has always tried his best to live up to the expectations placed on him by others. It was this sense of duty that compelled him to help the woman who had fallen from her wheelchair in the street, and his sense of obligation which compelled him to help her back home. But after sharing a meal with this woman, who introduces herself as Josée, he begins to see that there is more to life than simply doing what you’re told.&nbsp;

Intrigued by Josée’s unique view of the world and her incredible imagination, Yeon Seok finds himself drawn to her. Stopping by for visits more and more frequently, Yeon Seok hopes to give Josée a way to tether her imagination to the real world. As the two grow closer their hearts begin to entwine, but is their love fated to last?

Based on the short story, “Josee, the Tiger and the Fish” by Seiko Tanabe, “Josee” is a 2020 romantic film directed by Kim Jong Kwan.

Josee

💕 With You, Always 💕

Tencent

Shi Yi Niang (Tan Song Yun) is the strong-minded, ambitious daughter of a concubine, with dreams of becoming an embroiderer and living a life of freedom. But her hopes appear to be cut short when her family arranges for her to marry the powerful general and Duke Xu Ling Yi (Wallace Chung). Ling Yi’s family initially treats Yi Niang with disdain, but she is undeterred by this sudden marriage and her subsequent change of circumstances. However, the challenges have just begun for both Yi Niang and her new husband: the Xu family faces impending ruin! Together, Ling Yi and Yi Niang realize that they must pool their wits together if they are to avoid an unhappy fate. Will they save the family – and find love along the way? This 2021 Chinese drama series was based on the novel “The Concubine-born Daughter’s Strategies” by Zhi Zhi and was directed by Wen De Guang.

The Sword and the Brocade

⚔ Jin Xin Si Yu ✾ Team

Oh Yoon Seo (Yoo In Na), a glamorous actress with a tarnished career, is given a chance at redemption with a new lead part. To prepare for it, she must work as a secretary for icy lawyer Kwon Jung Rok (Lee Dong Wook) for several months. As she struggles to adapt to her new role and prove her acting skills, tensions rise between the two – his cold demeanor constantly clashes with her determination. Amidst professional challenges and personal conflicts, Yoon Seo must navigate this tumultuous journey to restore her reputation and find her true self. Will this unexpected opportunity be her path to success or lead to more setbacks? This 2019 Korean drama series was directed by Park Joon Hwa.

Touch Your Heart

Sincerely, Yours Team

KBS2

During the Joseon Dynasty when women were not expected to be smart or allowed to be educated, Kim Yoon Hee (Park Min Young) was both. 

After her father passes away and her brother becomes ill, Yoon Hee disguises herself as a boy and takes on her brother’s identity to get odd jobs and help support her struggling family. When she realizes that there is good money to be made, Yoon Hee begins to take the entrance exams in the place of other students who want to get into the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University. 

During one such test, Yoon Hee is discovered to be perpetrating the illegal activity by the morally upright Lee Sun Joon (Park Yoochun), who threatens to turn her in. 

But believing that Yoon Hee is a boy, Sun Joon encourages her to take the test herself (with her brother’s identity). Both pass the exam and get into the university and become roommates. As Yoon Hee is now enjoying the glories of getting a higher education, she befriends the playboy Goo Yong Ha (Song Joong Ki) and the rebellious Moon Jae Shin (Yoo Ah In) and starts to develop feelings for Sun Joon – all the while trying to keep her true gender a secret from her new friends and the other male students. 

Can she keep up the charade long enough to get the education she desires and keep her emotions at bay? 

“Sungkyunkwan Scandal” is a 2010 South Korean drama series directed by Kim Won Suk and Hwang In Hyuk. It is based on the bestselling novel The Lives of SungKyunKwan Confucian Scholars by Jung Eon Gweol. The series won numerous drama awards, and Park Min Young and Park Yoochun received numerous Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Couple awards.

Sungkyunkwan Scandal

JSTV

A struggling student, desperate to find a way to make enough money to cover the cost of attending university in Shanghai, Xiang Yuan (Victoria Song) was willing to do whatever it took to make her dreams come true. When the Ye family offered to pay for all of her university expenses, Xiang Yuan accepted their offer without hesitation. Little did she know that in so doing, she would alter the course of her life forever.

Smart, dedicated, and determined to make a better life for herself, Xiang Yuan excelled in school, so much so that by the time she enters the workplace, she’s well on her way to becoming financially independent. Nearly free of the debt she owed the Ye family, Xiang Yuan found herself falling for the family’s eldest son, Ye Qian Ze (Ou Hao). Little did she know that the family’s second son, Ye Yun (Xia Ning Jun) had already fallen in love with her.

Caught up in an unexpected and messy love triangle, Xiang Yuan must find a way to overcome the obstacles of life and love, while holding onto the one thing that has always driven her forward... Her dreams.

Based on the novel by Xin Yi Wu, “Love Under the Moon” is a 2019 drama directed by Yu Chun.

Love Under the Moon

Moonlight Lovers 🌙

Wang Xuan (Zhang Zi Yi), a 15-year-old noblewoman, becomes a political pawn when the power struggle between the royal family and their extended relatives intensifies, leading to her arranged marriage with low-born general Xiao Qi (Zhou Yi Wei). Thrust into a web of court intrigue, they form a powerful alliance, navigating fierce succession battles, palace conspiracies, and shifting loyalties. But as tensions rise, can they overcome the kingdom's political turmoil and safeguard their legacy from the shadows? Directed by Hou Yong and Cheng Yuan Hai, this 2021 Chinese drama series is adapted from the popular novel "Emperor's Conquest" by Mei Yu Zhe.

The Rebel Princess

The Emperor’s Conquests

After losing her mother and finding out that her college funds were stolen by her cruel stepmother, Eun Ha Won (Park So Dam) is in desperate need of a job. After a chance encounter with an incredibly wealthy old man who admires her straightforward personality, Ha Won becomes a housekeeper for the man’s three grandsons. Living with the brooding Kang Ji Woon (Jung Il Woo), the charming Kang Hyeon Min (Ahn Jae Hyun), and the affable Kang Seo Woo (Lee Jung Shin), Ha Won faces unexpected challenges and even more unexpected romantic tension. As her relationship with the cousins deepens, she must navigate her new life and determine where her heart truly lies. This 2016 South Korean romance drama was directed by Kwon Hyuk Chan and Lee Min Woo, based on the web novel of the same name by Lee Min Young.

Cinderella and Four Knights

✨ Cinderella's Knights ✨

Eun Chan is a licensed taekwondo instructor who works part-time as a delivery driver. One day, a delivery order leads her to Han Gyeol, the heir to a large conglomerate. Her boyish appearance tricks everyone into thinking that she's a strong man with a slight figure. Han Gyeol is relatively close to men, a fact that leads his grandmother to think he's gay. Eun Chan and Han Gyeol's interaction leads to them both working in a cafe, and love begins to brew between them. They face problems along the way, bringing them closer together – and making their love stronger than ever. Han Gyeol's cousin Han Sung and his ex Yoo Joo throw other obstacles in their way. Love triangles begin to form, testing the bonds between friends and family.

Coffee Prince

JTBC

After several unhappy events at work, Seoul-based cellist Mok Hae Won (Park Min Young) has grown tired of big-city life. She decides to take a break from the hustle and bustle and returns to the small village of Bukhyeon, where she lived for a short time during her high school years, hoping to take some time and unwind. However, she didn’t bank on reuniting with her former classmate and neighbor Im Eun Seop (Seo Kang Joon), who now owns a small, unassuming independent bookstore. Hae Won is drawn to Eun Seop, who lives his life at a slower pace than the people she used to hang out with in the capital. Over time, they begin to feel the pull of attraction. But Eun Seop, too, has deep secret scars. Can they overcome the obstacles they find in their way – and begin a lasting romance? This 2020 South Korean drama, based on the novel of the same name by Lee Do Woo, was directed by Han Ji Seung.

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