Top 5 Sad K-Dramas That Will Break Your Heart

Sometimes the K-Dramas that break us the most aren’t the ones everyone talks about they’re the quiet stories that leave us staring at the screen, unable to move. If you’re looking for sad K-Dramas that are emotional, powerful, and underrated, this list is for you. Get ready for heartbreak.

1. Just Between Lovers (2017–2018)

Episodes: 16

Where to Watch: Disney+ / Viki / Kisskh / hitv or any other dramas website

Plot:

Two survivors of a deadly mall collapse meet years later and slowly bond over their shared trauma. Lee Gang-doo hides his pain behind anger, while Ha Moon-soo carries quiet guilt. Together, they try to rebuild their broken lives.

Why It Breaks You:

This drama is slow, soft, and so real it hurts. It’s not loud sadness it’s the kind that grows quietly inside you. A beautiful take on grief, healing, and the weight of the past.

2. Come and Hug Me (2018)

Episodes: 16

Where to Watch: Viki / Kisskh / hitv or any other dramas website

Plot:

A boy and girl fall in love until his father murders her parents. Years later, they meet again as adults: he’s a detective, she’s an actress. But their past still haunts them, and forgiveness feels impossible.

Why It Breaks You:

Tragic, intense, and emotionally heavy. The love is pure, but the pain is constant. The emotional performances and storyline leave you shattered.

3. Missing: The Other Side (2020)

Episodes: 12

Where to Watch: Viki / Kisskh / hitv or any other dramas website

Plot:

In a mysterious village, the souls of missing people live while their bodies remain unfound. A man who can see the dead teams up with a cop to help them find peace and justice.

Why It Breaks You:

Every episode touches on unresolved pain, regrets, and heartbreaking stories of people who were forgotten. It’s not just sad it’s beautifully respectful of grief and loss.

4. A Piece of Your Mind (2020)

Episodes: 12

Where to Watch: Viki / Kisskh / hitv or any other dramas website

Plot:

Ha Won, an AI programmer, mourns his first love while Han Seo-woo, a classical recording engineer, silently supports him. Together, they learn how to live again one quiet moment at a time.

Why It Breaks You:

It’s calm, emotional, and incredibly lonely. The heartbreak isn’t loud it’s soft and slow. For those who’ve grieved quietly, this one cuts deep.

5. My Liberation Notes (2022)

Episodes: 16

Where to Watch: Netflix / Kisskh / hitv or any other dramas website

Plot:

Three siblings live a dull life in a quiet town until a mysterious, broken man named Mr. Gu enters their world. Their search for meaning, love, and emotional “liberation” begins.

Why It Breaks You:

It’s deeply relatable. This drama doesn’t have dramatic events it has real-life sadness, emotional emptiness, and quiet desperation. It’s the kind of pain we all feel but rarely express.

Also read: Complete List of Romantic K-Dramas with Strong Chemistry (2019–2023)

Which One Made You Cry?

These underrated sad K-Dramas don’t rely on popularity they rely on raw emotion. They make you cry because they feel real, not because they try to shock you. If you’re ready for emotional impact, give them a try.