9 K-Dramas About Infidelity That Are Worth Watching
If your guilty pleasures include the makjang genre of Korean television, check out our highly rated list of infidelity and illicit love affairs you shouldn’t be missing out on
K-dramas have been exploding in popularity, paving the way for Hallyu (The Korean Wave) and most of the fan favorites are the heart-fluttering romantic comedies and dramas that occupy special places in the viewers’ hearts.
Enter makjang K-dramas. Makjang dramas contain crazy, intense and outrageous storylines such as adultery, murder, revenge, secret child and other plot twists, that keep viewers glued to the screens. This particular K-drama genre could be likened to Western soap operas, following explosive storylines that get melodramatic and addictive. While there are a few awful makjang dramas out there, there are also some really good ones.
SBS
And you know what may be considered among the good makjang dramas? The ones about infidelity, quite simply because it’s not a cultural issue. You don’t have to be a Korean to understand how damaging adultery is. It is a universal issue that encompasses race and culture, making it very relatable and quite juicy!
Every now and then, there are quality makjang K-dramas like The World of the Married that barge into our collective consciousness and hold our attention because piping hot tea is being served and we can’t look away. We just want more!
To feed your thirst for more drama and tea, we list down 9 makjang K-dramas, including classics like Secret Affair and I Have a Lover, as well as current obsessions like The Penthouse and Love (Ft. Marriage and Divorce), that you may want to check out for your fix!
9 'Makjang' K-Dramas Worth Watching
9 'Makjang' K-Dramas Worth Watching
A Secret Love Affair (2014)
Kicking off this list is another Kim Hee Ae-starrer where she plays Hye Won, an elite art director who discovers young piano genius Sun Jae, played by Yoo Ah In. Coming from a poor background, Sun Jae did not have formal music lessons but Hye Won takes him under her and her husband’s wing to train him. Sun Jae starts to think of Hye Won as his muse and the two eventually begin a love affair.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
A Secret Love Affair (2014)
Not only is this show about extramarital relationships but it also tackles a May-December noona-dongsaeng one, which portrays an older woman and a younger man falling for each other.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
VIP (2019)
The drama tells the story of a working wife who also appears to have a happy home and a wonderful husband. Everything changed one fateful day, when the wife received an anonymous text message about her husband’s affair with someone she works with.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
VIP (2019)
The series follows how the wife tries to uncover the truth and more by studying her co-workers. It stars Jang Nara, Lee Sang Yoon, and Pyo Ye Jin.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
Temptation of Wife (2008)
Oh, the drama! Goo Eun Jae, played by actress Jang Seo Hee, dreams of studying abroad but her plans were shattered one drunken night when Jung Gyo Bin (Byun Woo Min) took advantage of her and got her pregnant. They get married for the baby but Eun Jae suffers a miscarriage, which inevitably ends to the couple having an unhappy union. Wanting out of the marriage, Gyo Bin has an affair with Shin Ae Ri, a woman who grew up in the same household as Eun Jae, and plots to kill his wife.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
Temptation of Wife (2008)
When she is presumed dead, Gyo Bin moves on with his life together with Shin Ae Ri, his lover. Later, he is astonished to meet a woman who looks completely identical to Eun Jae. Viewers find out that Eun Jae is indeed back for revenge but she has now assumed the identity of a different woman.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
Two Wives (2009)
Bring out the soju as we go on a pretty wild journey with Yoon Young Hee, a wife who divorced her husband Kang Chul Soo, after finding out that he carried on an affair with Han Ji Sook, a single mother. The adulterers start a new life together but things get complicated, and fast, when Chul Soo gets into a car accident and loses his memories of his new wife Ji Sook and thinks he’s still married to Young Hee. Young Hee then pretends that they’re still married.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
Two Wives (2009)
The Korean version starred Kim Ji Young, Son Tae Young, Kang Ji Sub, and Kim Hom Ji. The ABS-CBN adaptation was headlined by Kaye Abad, Jason Abalos, and Erich Gonzales.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
I Have A Lover (2015)
This is as makjang as it gets. The story begins with twins Hae Kang and Yong Ki who were separated 30 years ago and lead very different lives. Hae Kang is a married lawyer haunted by the death of a daughter. Hae Kang’s husband Jin Eon has an affair with a young woman named Seol Ri, which eventually leads to the couple’s divorce. Meanwhile, Hae Kang’s twin, Yong Ki, is a pregnant widow trying to discover the truth behind her husband’s death.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
I Have A Lover (2015)
While on the run from those who have been threatening her, she accidentally switches cars with her twin Hae Kang. Hae Kang gets mistaken as Yong Ki and her life is endangered, which leads up to a life-changing accident. Hae Kang loses her memories and lives as her twin Yong Ki. She meets her ex-husband, Jin Eon, again and conflict begins anew. This drama casts Kim Hyun Joo, Ji Jin Hee, Park Han Byul and Lee Kyu Han. ABS-CBN successfully aired the Tagalized version of this provocative series.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
My Wife's Having An Affair This Week (2016)
Turning the tables on cheating wives this time and with “Parasite” actor Lee Sun Gyun as the lead actor and Song Ji Hyo from “Running Man” as his female lead. It begins as Do Hyun Woo (Lee Sun Gyun), a veteran producer, suspecting his wife Jung Soo Yeon (Song Ji Hyo) of having an affair.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
My Wife's Having An Affair This Week (2016)
Having been married for eight years, he had since thought it had been a happy relationship up until the moment he discovers a hotel reservation text message sent to his wife by a male stranger. He finds himself talking to anonymous people on online social networking sites to figure out what to do with his proof of her infidelity and find out how to save his failing marriage.
Photo Credit: JTCB/SBS
Love Ft. Marriage and Divorce (2020)
Centering on three married couples in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, the series depicts an array of marital troubles as the characters experience love, marriage, and divorce. It stars Sung Hoon, Lee Tae-gon, Park Joo-mi, Lee Ga-ryoung, Lee Min-young, Jeon Soo-kyeong and Jeon No-min.
Photo Credit: TV Chosun, Netflix
Love Ft. Marriage and Divorce (2020)
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) is penned by famous writer Phoebe Lim (also known as Im Sung-han) who has a slew of hits like Miss Mermaid, Dear Heaven, and New Tales of Gisaeng. We love the drama because its relatable for couples at any age (30s, 40s, and 50s) and is chockfull of dizzying twists!
Photo Credit: TV Chosun, Netflix
The World of the Married (2020)
Undoubtedly a world-wide hit, The World of the Married is based on BBC One's drama series Doctor Foster written by Mike Bartlett, it tells a story of a married couple whose betrayal of one another leads to a whirlwind of revenge, grief, forgiveness and healing. It stars Kim Hee-ae, Park Hae-joon, and Han So-hee.
Photo Credit: JTBC
The World of the Married (2020)
The drama received it received critical acclaim for its screenplay, direction and acting performances, with Mo Wan-il winning Best Director and Kim Hee-ae winning Best Actress at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.
Photo Credit: JTBC
The Penthouse: War in Life
Who *hasn't* been tuning into the absolute drama this makjang drama series delivers? The series, directed by Joo Dong-min and written by Kim Soon-ok,[7] spins the story of real estate and education war, a desire to be number one. It depicts the solidarity and revenge of women who had no choice but to become evil women to protect themselves and their children.
Photo Credit: SBS
The Penthouse: War in Life
Starring Lee Ji-ah, Kim So-yeon, Eugene, Um Ki-joon, Yoon Jong-hoon, and Park Eun-seok, the drama had been such a hit that it was picked up for not one, but two follow up seasons before season 1 ended! If, like us, you've been tuned into season 2, you know that the Hera Palace residents have yet to run out of drama involving revenge, secrets, and competition.
Photo Credit: SBS
A word of advice, though, for those planning to watch these dramas: it is highly advisable to have a full glass of water or a stress ball beside you! Proceed with caution, but do remember to have fun with these dramas as they take you on wild roller coaster rides of emotions and dizzying plot twists!
Lead photos courtesy of TV Chosun, Netflix, JTCB, SBS
Top Stories
Metro Beauty Picks Of The Week
BEAUTYMar 14, 2023