My Dearest

During the Joseon Dynasty, as the kingdom was shaken by the Qing invasion, Lee Jang-hyun (Namkoong Min) is a mysterious, independent nobleman who claims to believe in neither marriage nor love. His worldview changes when he meets Yoo Gil-chae (Ahn Eun-jin), a young woman from a noble family—attractive, proud, and accustomed to drawing attention.

Gil-chae, however, has feelings for Nam Yeon-joon (Lee Hak-joo), a Confucian student betrothed to his best friend Kyung Eun-ae (Lee Da-in). When war reaches their region, romantic concerns are abruptly replaced by the struggle for survival. Jang-hyun uses his skills and connections to protect his loved ones, while Gil-chae must abandon her privileged life and learn to survive in a country ravaged by conflict. Their love blossoms amid separations, sacrifices, and the political upheavals stemming from the war between Joseon and the Qing.

According to screenwriter Hwang Jin-young, it was inspired by the novel Gone with the Wind, the series thus blends a grand historical epic with a tragic love story, placing significant emphasis on the impact of war on civilian populations.

Impact and Success

My Dearest It established itself as one of the major Korean historical dramas of 2023, with a spectacular rise in viewership. Part 1 began with a national rating of 5.4 % before reaching 12.2 % during its tenth episode. After returning for Part 2, the series gradually regained double-digit ratings and set a new record with a national rating of 12.9 % during its 21st and final episode.

In fact, the drama was so popular that MBC decided to add an extra episode, bringing the total number of episodes to 21. Its critical acclaim was accompanied by an impressive haul of awards. At the 2023 MBC Drama Awards, My Dearest won the Drama of the Year award, while Namkoong Min won the Daesang, Ahn Eun-jin won the Top Excellence Award, and the couple Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-jin won the Best Couple Award. Kim Mu-jun and Kim Yoon-woo also each won the Best New Actor award.

The big break came at the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2024, where My Dearest won the prestigious Best Drama award, while Namkoong Min was named Best Actor on Television; Ahn Eun-jin was also nominated in the Best Actress category. The series had previously won the Daesang at the Grimae Awards, along with awards for Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, and the directing. The chemistry between the two lead actors also remained particularly popular: in 2024, Gallup Korea ranked Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-jin among the top ten Korean TV couples of the previous decade.

Through its historical scope, its storytelling, its melodrama, and Gil-chae's transformation in the face of war, My Dearest has thus become a A recent example of a romantic sageuk, receiving particularly strong critical acclaim.