10 Must-See Medical K-Dramas That Aren't Just About Romance

Here are some of the K-Dramas that are more than just sappy love stories.

1. Doctor Stranger (2014)

Park Hoon (Lee Jong-suk) is a gifted cardiothoracic surgeon who spent his childhood in North Korea under tragic circumstances. He manages to flee to South Korea, but faces another challenge: being a non-certified genius in a foreign land. He starts working as a taxi driver but can't resist helping out in medical emergencies. He eventually gets a job at a prestigious hospital but has to keep proving himself to skeptical colleagues. He's always in search of his childhood sweetheart, who he's not even sure is alive or dead.

2. Good Doctor (2013)

Park Shi-on (Joo Won) is a young surgical resident with autism and savant syndrome. He's got the skills, alright, but lacks social cues. He's often ridiculed and underestimated by his peers. But when the going gets tough, this guy shows up with solutions you wouldn't believe. Shi-on fights against prejudices and proves that he can be a good doctor, even saving a critically ill child when senior doctors had given up.

3. Descendants of the Sun (2016)

Captain Yoo Shi-jin (Song Joong-ki) leads a peacekeeping mission in a fictional war-torn country, Uruk. Dr. Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo) is a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders. Here's the kicker: they're in a relationship. The show gives you a taste of military and medical drama as the duo saves lives under gunfire, deals with explosive devices, and provides emergency treatment for infectious diseases. This one's a hit: it even won the Grand Prize at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards!

4. Hospital Playlist (2020)

This one's less about hospital politics and more about the camaraderie between five friends who are doctors. We see them saving lives, yes, but we also see them jamming out in a band after work. These pals, who've been friends since med school, work in the same hospital, and their friendship is a major stress-buster. They deal with challenging cases, sure, but they also face personal struggles such as aging parents, failed relationships, and the question of when they'll ever settle down.

5. Emergency Couple (2014)

Ex-spouses working together in the ER? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Well, that's what Emergency Couple is all about. Oh Chang-min (Choi Jin-hyuk) and Oh Jin-hee (Song Ji-hyo) were once madly in love but divorced due to family pressure and personal disagreements. Years later, they end up as interns in the same emergency room. They bicker constantly but, when it comes to saving lives, they make a stellar team.

6. Doctors (2016)

Yoo Hye-jung (Park Shin-hye) used to be a wayward teen, rebellious and closed-off. But one teacher sees potential in her and inspires her to turn her life around. Flash forward, and she's a neurosurgeon. Yet, despite her skills, she's still grappling with past traumas and feuds with her estranged father. The surgeries are nerve-wracking and the drama thickens as she finds herself in a love triangle with her former teacher and another doctor.

7. Dr. Romantic (2016)

Ever wanted to escape the city hustle and bustle for a quiet country life? Dr. Kim Sa-bu (Han Suk-kyu) did just that. He was a top surgeon in Seoul but ditched it all to work at a small hospital named Doldam. Two young doctors, Kang Dong-joo (Yoo Yeon-seok) and Yoon Seo-jeong (Seo Hyun-jin), join him. This isn't some relaxed, rural gig, though. The hospital deals with critical injuries and lacks resources, putting everyone's skills to the ultimate test. And Dr. Kim? He's got secrets that make you question, "Who really is Dr. Romantic?"

8. Life (2018)

This series focuses on the power struggles within a hospital, and oh boy, does it get messy – think New Amsterdam of sorts, but without cancer diagnosis for the main character. Lee No-eul (Won Jin-ah) and Ye Jin-woo (Lee Dong-wook) are emergency doctors who stand up against the hospital's new president, Gu Seung-hyo (Cho Seung-woo), who's all about profits over patients. It's a chess match filled with ethical dilemmas, standoffs in the operation room, and heated board meetings.

9. It's Okay, That's Love (2014)

Jang Jae-yeol (Jo In-sung) is a mystery writer and radio DJ who has OCD. He ends up sharing a house with Ji Hae-soo (Gong Hyo-jin), a psychiatrist. While the series has a love angle, it's more focused on mental health issues. Both main characters have their own traumas and disorders to deal with.

10. New Heart (2007)

This one takes us into the intense world of cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Choi Kang-gook (Ji Sung) is the cold and highly skilled surgeon, while Nam Hye-suk (Kim Min-jung) is the passionate, dedicated resident. From life-saving surgeries to confrontations with patients' families, it's all in a day's work for these pros. Amidst the hospital drama, there's the subplot of an experimental surgery that could be a game-changer.