10 Great Christmas-Themed K-Dramas To Watch If You're Missing The Holidays

The holiday season is now coming to an end, and for anyone missing the festivities, there are several K-dramashows that can help make the transition to the new year a little smoother. Not only do K-dramas like Winter Sonata and That Winter, the Wind Blows take place over winter, but many also include little holiday moments or decorations. Many of these are also feel-good K-dramas, even leaning into the romance element of the series when that is the focus of the show.

Romances are not the only K-dramas that can help if viewers miss the holidays. Family-focused K-dramas are also great places to start to keep the season going. If someone is looking for a show to fill the void of the passing holiday season, these cozy K-dramas are the perfect place to start.

10 The One And Only (2021)

This Murder Mystery Takes Place In The Winter

Following the stories of three separate women, The One and Only doesn't exactly seem like the most Christmas-focused series at the outset. The series follows three women who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the main plot kicks off when they meet a hitman surrounded by mystery. What will they do, then, when tasked with deciding the one person who is truly precious?

The meaning of life is something so central to the Christmas season, and that is one of the central themes of this K-drama. It is reminiscent of plots such as that found in It's a Wonderful Life, which has become a Christmas movie staple. This, paired with the winter setting, makes for a great K-drama that really captures the essence of the holiday season.

9 Uncontrollably Fond (2016)

Tragedy And Heart Are At The Center Of This K-Drama

Uncontrollably Fond is a romantic K-drama that focuses on the somewhat tragic relationship between celebrity Shin Joon-young and documentary filmmaker Noh Eul. The show explores their relationship, from when they met as classmates to their working relationship with Noh Eul being in charge of filming a documentary about Joon-young's life. It can be sad, exploring their lives in painful detail, but at its core the show has heart.

Bae Suzy won a Best Star Award for her performance of Noh Eul.

There is no avoiding it; this show is a sad one. The juxtaposition between the snow and the falling blossoms is a beautiful one, allowing this K-drama to lean into themes of loss that can so often come around wintertime. For any viewers looking for something to make them feel something, Uncontrollably Fond is the right K-drama to watch.

8 Winter Sonata (2002)

This K-Drama Is Over 20 Years Old

Following a group of friends and the complicated relationships that arise among them, Winter Sonata begins with the tragedy of Joon-sang, who finds himself the victim of a car crash after finally finding someone to love him. Presumed dead, his love interest Yoo-jin moves on. However, it is revealed that Joon-sang survived the crash and lives with amnesia as a result of it.

Winter Sonata has since been adapted into several different mediums, including an anime, a Japanese live-action series, and a live musical adaptation.

The importance of winter in the story can be seen in the name of the series, as it plays a foundational role in the setting of the story. The show was incredibly popular when it released and is still a great watch today. It is emotional and well-acted, with plenty of moments to keep viewers guessing what will happen next.

7 Doom At Your Service (2023)

Romance Can Be Both Heartwarming And Tragic

Doom at Your Service begins with a variety of painful revelations for main character Tak Dong-kyung. On the anniversary of her parent's death, she finds out that not only will she die soon, but the boyfriend she had been spending time with is a married man with a family. It is because of this she makes a wish for the world to end, a wish that is heard by a messenger of the gods.

In the end, Doom at Your Service is another K-drama reminiscent of the Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life.The value of life is something so important to the holiday season, and this show is an important reminder of that. With plenty of heartwarming moments and equally painful ones, Doom at Your Service is a great watch for those looking for something similar to other series and films that take place over Christmas, but with a more supernatural twist.

6 That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013)

This K-Drama Is Based On A 2002 Japanese Series

The cover image for the k-drama That Winter, The Wind Blows featuring the two main characters.

Originally based on the 2002 Japanese romantic drama series Forget Love, the series That Winter, the Wind Blows revolves around a gambling man and an heiress with a visual impairment. Oh Soo, the gambler in question, attempts to worm his way into the heiress' life in an attempt to steal the fortune she is set to inherit. However, as the series progresses, the two grow closer and slowly begin to warm up to each other.

This series is set against a winter backdrop, immediately bringing thoughts of the holidays to mind. Not only that, but That Winter, the Wind Blows focuses on taking the chilly exterior presentations of its characters and melting them, allowing them to learn to love in a way that feels real and dynamic. It is a sweet story, one that leaves the viewer feeling better by the end.

5 My Mister (2018)

A Miserable Start Leads To A Happy Finish

A series mired in drama, My Mister features cheating spouses and more across its single season. Life is miserable for the series' main characters, Dong Hoon and Ji An. However, when the two of them come together, they realize that life doesn't have to be so bad.

My Mister won several different awards, including the award for Best Drama at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Although the show does begin a bit sad, the focus on healing and overcoming loneliness together with others. The winter season can often be a lonely one for many people, making it a difficult season to make one's way through. This series reflects that feeling, allowing for a sort of healing in the way it shows this reality.

4 I'll Go To You When The Weather Is Nice (2020)

Winter Plays A Big Role In This K-Drama

The cover image for I’ll Go to You When the Weather is Nice featuring the two main characters.

I'll Go to You When the Weather is Nice is a K-drama about the characters' school days, alternating between the past and the modern-day and reconnecting after so much time apart. It focuses on cellist Mok Hae-won and her one-time classmate and current bookstore owner Im Eun-seob. The two begin to grow close as the winter sets in, making for the perfect setup for a lovely romance story.

Winter is as much of a character as the main love interests in this K-drama, allowing for the two main characters to grow close as a result of it.

Winter is as much of a character as the main love interests in this K-drama, allowing for the two main characters to grow close as a result of it. It feels like something that would be made for Christmas, or at the very least, the holiday season. This romance is cozy and sweet, with a small-town feeling that really makes for a perfect show to watch over the holidays.

3 Healer (2014)

This Action Series Takes Place During Winter

More action-focused than most of the K-dramas that take place over winter, Healer delves into the story of five friends and their experience running an illegal, pro-democracy broadcasting station. An incident occurred as a result of this broadcast station in 1992 that has since led to a string of murders in the modern day. As the plot continues, the desperate attempt to uncover the truth of these murders is soon revealed.

Not only does this series take place over winter, but it originally aired over Christmas. The cold chill of the season in question adds to the suspense of the story, making the mystery lying at the center of the series that much more engaging. The aesthetic is atmospheric, making for an engaging show to watch over the holiday season that isn't just romance.

2 My Roommate Is A Gumiho (2021)

This Supernatural Romance Is Perfect For The Holidays

My Roommate is a Gumiho is the story of a romance between a Gumiho, otherwise known as a nine-tailed fox, and a human woman. The human woman, a college student named Lee Dam, accidentally swallows the Gumiho's precious bead. This brings the two of them together, leading to an often comedic and unconventional romance.

This series is a passionate one, fun throughout, and originally based on a WebToon. There are scenes that take place during the winter, with snow falling and holidays just around the corner. Aside from this, My Roommate is a Gumiho does feature scenes with holiday lights, making the holiday feeling that much more festive.

1 Guardian: The Lonely And Great God (2016)

Squid Game's Gong Yoo Stars In This Tragic Romance

Starring Gong Yoo, who most recently played The Salesman in Squid Game, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God is a show about a god who simply cannot die. This is the result of a curse that forces him to watch those around him die over and over due to his supposed involvement in the death of the king. He later meets Ji Eun-tak, a high school student who may hold the key to finally allowing him to die.

The show has won many awards, most notably at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards for Gong Yoo's acting and Kim Eun-sook's incredible writing.

It is clear from the beginning that this show will be a tragic one, with death being the end goal for Gong Yoo's character Kim Shin. The fact that it takes place over Christmas only makes it hit that much harder. It is a beautiful story about life and death, making it one of the best K-dramas to watch if you're missing the holidays.

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