4 Best Rags-to-Riches K-Dramas That Are a Must-Watch
Many K-dramas deal with childhood friends who become lovers, former enemies who find love, and unsuspecting romance. But there is one genre trope of K-drama often forgotten, the rags-to-riches storyline. These dramas often involve a male or female lead who have lived their lives in the lower class and are suddenly given riches beyond their wildest dreams and changed their lives. Here are a few dramas that fit the genre and are worth watching.
‘Brilliant Legacy’ stars Han Hyo-joo and Lee Seung-ki early in their career
One of the oldest but most worthwhile K-dramas is 2009’s Brilliant Legacy. The drama stars Mouse and The Law Cafe actor Lee Seung-ki as Seon Woo-hwan. 20th Century Girl actor Han Hyo-joo plays the female lead role as Ko Eun-seong.
Brilliant Legacy focuses on Eun-seong in a Cinderella-style rag-to-riches K-drama story. Having lost her mother at a young age, her father got remarried to a woman best described as an evil stepmother. Tragedy strikes again when her father dies. But Eun-seong’s life changes completely when she inherits a grand fortune. The kicker is that the inheritance is not from her father.
Meanwhile, Woo-hwan has lived a carefree rich life and does not understand the responsibility of money. He is shocked when his grandmother reveals she is giving away her fortune to Eun-seong.
Brilliant Legacy is available on Viki.
‘The Master’s Sun’ is a rags-to-riches K-drama between a CEO and a woman who sees spirits
Tae Kong-sil (Kong Hyo-jin) has had a rough life after her accident several years ago. Due to the accident, she can see ghosts and lives her life fearing them. Kong-sil is unable to live a normal life like everyone else and works odd jobs to make money.
The rags-to-riches K-drama begins when she meets the CEO of an extravagant shopping mall, Joo Joong-won (So Ji-sub). They meet when Kong-sil is on the side of the road looking for a ride from a willing stranger. Joong-won tells his driver not to intervene until a shining light forces the car to stop. Kong-sil enters and, when touching Joong-won, feels something bizarre.
She soon realizes that being near or touching Joong-won quiets the ghosts that have been haunting her. They decide to help each other, dive into a kidnapping from Joong-won’s past, and fall in love.
The Master’s Sun is available on Viki.
‘Tomorrow With You’ involves a poor female lead and a rich time traveler
Tomorrow With You can be classified as a rags-to-riches K-drama due to the backstory of the lead characters. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha actor Shin Min-a stars as Song Ma-rin. She was once a child star but became famous for the wrong reason. Now an adult, she makes money as an amateur photographer. Her life changes when she meets the CEO of a real estate company, Yoo So-joon, played by Lee Je-hoon.
But So-joon is no ordinary man with an ordinary story. In reality, he has the ability to time travel through the subway. He learns he will die a sad and lonely death in the future. During his travels, he realizes a connection with Ma-rin. In the hopes of changing his fate, he marries her and learns to fall in love with her and be selfless.
Tomorrow With You is available on Viki.
‘The Crowned Clown’ is an unordinary rags-to-riches K-drama story about a clown turned king
It is not every day a low-class clown gets thrust into the glamorous life of the elite. The 2019 K-drama, The Crowned Clown, is a unique take on the rags-to-riches storyline trope. A remake of the 2012 movie Masquerade, Ha-seon (Yeo Jin-goo) is a clown who finds himself in the middle of political upheaval and palace drama.
Set in the historical Joseon dynasty, the current king is in jeopardy as there is a planned assassination against him. To avoid his death, he has Ha-seon take his place, seeing as he is his doppelganger. The once poor clown now lives in absolute luxury and becomes a king the people had one day hoped for. Ha-seon proves to be a just king who creates a stronger kingdom. Actor Lee Se-young plays the Queen, who also begins to feel something for her changed husband.
The Crowned Clown is available on Netflix.
