20 Best Korean Dramas About Wealthy Families and Chaebols

Ever wondered about the lives of conglomerates? Numerous Korean dramas explore the experiences of these affluent families. Some portray these wealthy families as living ordinary, happy lives, while others depict them as riddled with problems and conflicts.

Intrigued by the lives of the elite? Here are 20 Korean drama titles recommended by Showpoiler that delve into the backdrop of conglomerate family life.

1. Crash Landing On You

This must-see drama, featuring South Korea's sweetest couple, Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin, deserves a spot on the list of conglomerate dramas.

Crash Landing On You (2020) narrates the story of a famous, wealthy businesswoman named Yoon Se Ri (Son Ye Jin). While paragliding, an unexpected tornado strands her in North Korea.

In this unfamiliar territory, Yoon Se Ri fortunately encounters Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok (Hyun Bin). Facing a vastly different lifestyle, Yoon Se Ri must struggle to adapt to life in North Korea. However, it is there that she discovers her true partner, as feelings of love begin to blossom between Yoon Se Ri and Ri Jeong Hyeok.

2. Sky Castle

Sky Castle (2019) delves into the obsession of South Korea's elite families with education. Parents residing in luxurious neighborhoods boast about their highly educated children's accomplishments, until this obsession starts to ruin the children's lives, burdened by their parents' expectations.

Not only do these children push themselves harder in their studies, but they even resort to cheating. This aligns with their parents' behavior, who, relying on their financial power, strive to secure quality education. They do not hesitate to risk their lives just to get their children into top universities.

3. The Penthouse Series

A drama that keeps audiences enthralled and agitated, The Penthouse Series (2020-2021) is not to be missed. The Penthouse showcases how high society individuals can act without fear of the law, using their wealth to conceal their misdeeds, even when lives are at stake.

The drama unravels the mystery surrounding the death of Min Seol Ah (Jo Soo Min), who turns out to be the biological daughter of Shim Su Ryeon (Lee Ji Ah).

This girl was intentionally separated from her mother, as Joo Dan Tae (Uhm Ki Joon) sought to control his wife's property alone. The drama features various scenes of violence, such as bullying, confinement, beatings, and schemes to deceive the law.

4. The Devil Judge

The Devil Judge (2021) is indeed a captivating Korean drama to watch. Its unique premise of turning a courtroom into a reality show sets it apart from others.

However, this drama doesn't solely focus on a judge trying defendants. The Devil Judge also illustrates how the upper class can easily evade the law.

They use money to silence victims and even intimidate them. But with the arrival of Kang Yo Han (Ji Sung), known as the "Devil Judge," justice is finally served.

Yet, behind his firmness and cunning, it becomes evident that Kang Yo Han is not entirely clean and cannot escape his own criminal past.

5. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (Park Bo Young) tells the story of a strong woman who is hired as a bodyguard by a man named Ahn Min Hyuk (Park Hyung Shik).

Ahn Min Hyuk is the CEO of a well-known gaming company called Ainsoft. He is also the son of the conglomerate owner of Ohsung Group.

The women in Do Bong Soon's family are known to have superpowers. She never showed this power except when she was bullied.

Ahn Min Hyuk learned of Bong Soon's powers by accident when he saw her fighting with the thugs. He was very surprised to see Bong Soon's strength and was interested in offering Bong Soon a job as a bodyguard.

After being with Bong Soon for a long time, his feelings for the bodyguard developed into fondness. However, Bong Soon turns out to like his schoolmate In Gook Doo (Ji Soo). Thus, a love triangle arises between them.

6. Business Proposal

Based on HaeHwa's webtoon, Business Proposal is the highly anticipated drama of 2022. The drama features well-known names, such as Ahn Hyo Seop, Kim Se Jeong, Kim Min Kyu, and Seol In Ah.

The story begins when Shim Ha Ri (Kim Se Jeong) initially wants to help her best friend, Jin Young Seo (Seol In Ah), make a decision regarding an arranged marriage.

Unfortunately, the man matched with her best friend is Kang Tae Mu (Ahn Hyo Seop), who turns out to be her own boss. Eventually, the truth is revealed, and Shim Ha Ri finds herself in a difficult situation with her boss.

7. Little Women

Three beautiful and talented actresses, Kim Go Eun, Nam Ji Hyun, and Park Ji Hu, join forces in this drama penned by the author of the phenomenal The Handmaiden (2016).

They play three sisters named Oh In Joo, Oh In Kyung, and Oh In Hye, who are accustomed to working hard due to poverty. Each of them struggles in their own way for a better life.

One day, In Joo experiences a traumatic event after discovering her best friend's suicide. She suspects there is something suspicious about her friend's death.

Her suspicions turn to confusion when she becomes entangled in the embezzlement of funds belonging to a lawyer and a conglomerate. Together with her two younger siblings, In Joo becomes embroiled in conflict.

8. What's Wrong with Secretary Kim

This Korean drama, adapted from a webtoon series, tells the story of a romance that develops between a boss and his secretary.

Lee Young Joon (Park Seo Joon), the CEO and vice chairman of the Yumyeong Group, is Kim Mi So's (Park Min Young) boss. Young Joon is a handsome, confident, and narcissistic CEO. Mi So has dedicated nine years of her life to working for Young Joon.

After working for so long, Mi So decides to resign, stating that she wants to pursue something else. When she informs Young Joon of her intentions, he questions her sudden decision.

Young Joon does his best to prevent Mi So from resigning, offering her a car and even creating a special event at an entertainment venue just for her.

The tumultuous relationship between Mi So and Young Joon is filled with jealousy and secrets, which ultimately reveal the nightmares and phobias experienced by both Young Joon and Mi So.

9. The Beauty Inside

The Beauty Inside is a remake of the US television series and Korean movie of the same name. The drama follows the character Seo Do Jae (Lee Min Ki), who is the director of an airline company called T Road Airline.

Seo Do Jae is a cold and detached CEO, and the grandson of a wealthy conglomerate that owns the airline company.

Do Jae's company hires a model named Han Se Gye (Seo Hyun Jin). When he wants to avoid extending the contract, Do Jae manages to outsmart her so that Se Gye remains a model for his company. Do Jae and Se Gye both have secrets known only to those closest to them.

Do Jae had an accident in Europe which left him unable to recognize anyone's face, including his own. At the same time as Do Jae's accident, Se Gye changed shape for the first time.

Se Gye has an unusual condition that causes her to transform into another person once a month, returning to her original form a week later. Both Do Jae and Se Gye try to conceal their respective secrets from their coworkers.

10. I Am Not a Robot

Have you ever felt completely alone? That's the life experienced by Kim Min Kyu (Yoo Seung Ho) in the drama I Am Not a Robot.

He lives in isolation from others. Although he is the heir to the largest share of a financial company called KM Financial, he cannot live with other humans due to his allergy to people. He lives only with his collectibles.

Joo Ji Ah (Chae Soo Bin) is a persistent and intelligent businesswoman. She possesses knowledge about mechanics, thanks to her father who works at a car company.

Ji Ah is then recruited as a member of the Santa Maria Robot team. Her job is to pretend to be the Aji 3 robot, the most advanced human-like robot.

Robot Aji 3 becomes Kim Min Kyu's friend. Spending a lot of time with Robot Aji 3 leads Min Kyu to fall in love with her. But what happens when Min Kyu discovers that Aji 3 is not a robot, but a human?

11. Graceful Family

Curious about the difficulties of life as the daughter of a wealthy family? You should watch the Korean drama Graceful Family (2019).

The drama, starring Im Soo Hyang and Lee Jang Woo, became one of the highest-rated Korean dramas during its broadcast. The story centers on Mo Seok Hee's life, which is not only privileged but also very tragic.

The drama tells the story of Mo Seok Hee (Im Soo Hyang), who is determined to return to South Korea after being banished abroad by her father.

Her sole goal is to uncover the truth about the highly suspicious death of her biological mother. However, this investigation instead reveals her true identity and various hidden wrongdoings by her father and stepmother.

12. Mine

Starring Lee Bo Young and Kim Seo Hyung, this drama delves into the family life of the conglomerate owner of Hyowon Group.

Led by Han Suk Chul, this affluent family has two sons and one daughter. Each son is married; Han Jin Ho, the first son, is married to Jung Seo Hyun, while Han Ji Young, the second son, is married to Seo Hee Soo, a former actress.

The Han family lives a truly luxurious life, even importing their drinking water from the Atlantic Ocean. But can wealth guarantee their happiness?

13. One the Woman

Imagine waking up in a hospital and being mistaken for a conglomerate's daughter. This is what Jo Yeon Joo (Honey Lee) experiences when she wakes up as the descendant of a conglomerate named Kang Mi Na.

Jo Yeon Joo, a corrupt prosecutor who often solves cases for South Korea's elite, must impersonate Kang Mi Na, who has a very different nature from her.

Attempting to adapt to her new life while dispelling the suspicions of many people, this fake Kang Mi Na accidentally meets Han Seung Wook (Lee Sang Yoon), the son of one of the top executives of the Hanju Group.

Their encounter eventually leads to a collaboration to investigate the case of the Hanju Fashion factory fire that occurred over a decade ago.

14. The Golden Spoon

The Golden Spoon (2022) also features a wealth-themed story as its backdrop. It is a fantasy drama about a poor young man who can switch places with a rich man using a magical golden spoon.

Lee Seung Cheon is a poor young man who attends a school where the children of conglomerates study. As a poor student, he endures bullying every day. Amidst his despair, a mysterious grandmother offers a magical golden spoon that can exchange Seung Cheon's fate with that of a rich man.

All he has to do is eat at the house of the wealthy man he is targeting three times. The spoon turns out to be lucky, and Seung Cheon's destiny is instantly swapped with that of Hwang Tae Yong, the son of the wealthiest businessman.

15. Remarriage and Desires

Seo Hye Seung's home life with her husband is falling apart due to another woman named Jin Yoo Hui. Her husband even demands a divorce to live with the other woman.

Unfortunately for him, Jin Yoo Hui was never truly sincere. She only used Hye Seung's husband for her own interests. As a result of being betrayed and slandered, the husband commits suicide.

Hye Seung struggles to accept her husband's death. One day, she learns that Yoo Hui plans to find a wealthy man to be her partner with the help of a high-class dating agency.

Unwilling to let Yoo Hui be happy, Hye Seung joins the dating agency. Without resorting to any cunning tricks, Hye Seung manages to capture the heart of Lee Hyung Ju, the young and affluent target man Yoo Hui had in her sights.

16. Encounter

The world of high society is often full of schemes that sometimes sacrifice many things, including happiness. It's not uncommon to see Korean dramas filled with wealthy characters who are restless and suffer from various constraints.

In Encounter (2018), Song Hye Kyo portrays a character who seems to be trying to escape such anxiety. Playing Cha Soo Hyun, she is a politician's daughter who must marry the son of a conglomerate family.

Cha Soo Hyun's life is constantly regulated as she is required to maintain the good name of her extended family. When her marriage can no longer be sustained, Soo Hyun shifts her focus to her career. During a business trip to Cuba, she encounters a simple, free-spirited young man.

17. Eve

This drama is accompanied by themes of infidelity and revenge, which are actually quite common. However, Seo Ye Ji's performance as the main character is certainly not to be missed. In the drama Eve (2022), the beautiful actress plays the role of Lee La El.

She is the daughter of a businessman, whose heart is wounded and traumatized by her father's death. Since her father's company was seized by a cunning businessman named Han Pan Ro, revenge burns within her.

After many years, La El returns from America to embark on a mission of revenge. Using a new identity, she executes her plan by seducing Han Pan Ro's son-in-law, the husband of Han So Ra, who had killed her mother.

18. Anna

What would happen if someone suffered from the psychological disorder known as Ripley Syndrome? They would be antisocial while frequently lying and believing in a fictional world, becoming trapped in it. That's the condition Yoo Mi experiences.

The young woman is financially unfortunate, but her life changes with just one lie. In the lie she concocts, Yoo Mi steals Hyun Joo's identity, the daughter of a conglomerate with a higher education background.

Yoo Mi, or Anna, later marries Ji Hoon, a power-hungry and ambitious young businessman. So, will Yoo Mi forever live a life of luxury that belongs to someone else?

19. Devilish Joy

Have you ever seen the Hollywood movie 50 First Dates starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler? The main character's story in the drama Devilish Joy is similar to that film.

However, in 50 First Dates, it's the female character who experiences short-term memory loss due to an accident, while in Devilish Joy, it's the male character.

Gong Ma Sung (Choi Jin Wook) is the heir to a wealthy family that owns the Sunwoo company. He works as a doctor specializing in cranial nerves. One day, he has an accident which results in memory problems. His memory lasts only one day, a condition called Cinderella Memory Disorder.

He then meets a woman named Ju Gi Ppeum (Song Ha Yoon), a former famous artist whose star has dimmed. She faces numerous problems in her life after a murder scandal, causing her to lose confidence.

Gong Ma Sung meets Ju Gi Ppeum and immediately falls in love with her. However, his short-term memory problem becomes an obstacle in their relationship. How will they overcome this? If you're curious if the story is similar to 50 First Dates, don't forget to watch Devilish Joy.

20. Cinderella and Four Knights

This drama stars Park So Dam, Jung Il Woo, and Ahn Jae Hyun. Titled Cinderella and Four Knights (2016), it follows the life of Eun Ha Won, a girl treated like a maid by her mother and stepsisters.

To make ends meet, Ha Won works part-time every day. One day, she meets three wealthy young men who live with her grandfather.

They are Kang Hyun Min, a corporate heir from Haneul Group; Kang Ji Won, who has a cold demeanor; and Kang Seo Woo, who focuses on his idol career. Ha Won is tasked by their grandfather to change the nature of his three grandsons. Can Ha Won succeed?

Korean dramas often tell stories about the children of extremely wealthy families. While their lives may appear happy from the outside, they are not immune to problems, just like everyone else. If you were the child of a conglomerate like the characters in Korean dramas, what would you do?