Aleksandra Ovchinnikova

Aleksandra Ovchinnikova

January 15, 2024
Source: https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/172614598210325199/

Top 5 Rich Man, Poor Woman K-Dramas you need to watch

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Everyone loves a classic cold-hearted, rich CEO who recklessly falls in love with a poor Cinderella-type girl just trying to survive each day. These types of stories allow you to daydream a little before snapping into reality, and that is exactly why it has always been one of the most popular tropes in K-dramas.

It contains everything: drama, romance, cheesy moments, and the irresistible tension of two opposite worlds colliding. No wonder fans rewatch them again and again.

Here are the best “rich man, poor woman” K-dramas that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even wish you were a poor Cinderella.

1. Heirs (2013)

The Heirs is an absolute classic, the most “rich man, poor woman” K-drama you will ever watch. The main male lead, Lee Min-ho plays a nonchalant chaebol heir exiled to America by his own family, who suddenly falls in love with a girl from the opposite side of the wealth spectrum. Park Shin Hye is a smart, hardworking (and very naïve) female lead who suddenly finds herself thrown into the world of Korea’s richest of the rich, like a sardine in a hungry shark tank.

Source: https://vnexpress.net/lee-min-ho-hon-park-shin-hye-ngot-ngao-2902446.html

This drama is a classic for a reason. It has absolutely everything: forbidden romance, messy chaebol family politics, backstabbing friends, and the “will-they-survive-this?” love story that set the standard for all future chaebol K-dramas.

2. Cinderella and the four knights (2016)

This drama is pure fantasy fluff. The main female lead is a broke, tough but cute girl who suddenly finds herself living in a mansion with 3 handsome chaebol cousins. You already know it is going to get messy, in the best way possible.

Source: https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/717057571939866790/
The fun part of the show is not what will happen next, but the constant tension, forbidden crushes and the thrill of wondering which chaebol knight our heroine will end up with.
Source: https://www.soompi.com/article/1371147wpp/4-reasons-cinderella-and-four-knights-is-the-ultimate-guilty-pleasure
In this light-hearted drama you will find romance, fluffy moments, humor and all types of male leads: the playboy, cold jerk and the soft idol. It is the ultimate chaebol fantasy drama.

3. Clean with passion for now (2018)

This drama has the classic “rich man, poor woman” trope but adds a quirky twist. The male lead is a classically wealthy and handsome CEO, but he has a massive fear of germs. His whole life is controlled by his obsession, and after hiring a messy but charming girl, everything turns upside down.

Source: https://heart-n-seoul.com/2019/05/26/clean-with-passion-for-now/
In this drama the “opposite-attracts” is taken to a whole other level, her chaos crashes straight into his spotless perfection, this results in constant sparks, hilarious tension, and many fluff moments.
Source: https://progres.id/entertainment/sinopsis-clean-with-passion-for-now-kisah-ceo-dan-karyawati.html
If you love the “rich man, poor woman” trope but want something with more comedy and charm, this one will not disappoint.

4. The bride of Habaek (2017)

This is a “rich man, poor woman”, fantasy edition. The male lead (another Lee Min-Ho) is not just another rich chaebol; he is literally the arrogant water god Habaek, who visits the human world with a spoiled rich kid attitude (except he doesn’t even know how to survive without his powers). Our female lead, So Ah, is a psychiatrist struggling to pay her bills, when Habaek crashes into her life and demands that she serves him.

Source: https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/632263235160181301/
I love this drama for the dynamic between our couple: she is sarcastic, stubborn, and refuses to worship him, while he is bossy, clueless, and slowly learns how to be vulnerable. The push and pull between them is hilarious and genuinely romantic. The fantasy element really adds uniqueness to a classic “rich man, poor woman” trope.

5. Rich Man, Poor Woman (2018)

This article wouldn’t be complete without a K-drama that literally has the name “Rich man, poor woman”, and the name delivers. Our male lead is, as expected, a handsome genius CEO, but with a huge flaw: he has prosopagnosia (faceblindness, he cannot recognize people), which hinders his ability to connect with people. Enter our broke, but bubbly female lead, who barges into the life of our CEO with pure chaos, optimism, and persistence.

Source: https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/34621490870923096/
Initially, our cold CEO is forced to put up with our heroine as she helps him with his flaw. But eventually, this drama slowly flips the script. It is so addictive to watch how the CEO secretly starts to fall for the annoying girl he swears he despises so much. This type of K-drama makes you drool because it feeds straight into that Cinderella fantasy of finding your own rich, complicated man who can’t help but fall for you.


Final Thoughts

Rich man, poor woman K-dramas will always be a fan favorite. It has everything we secretly love and desire: rich, arrogant, incredibly handsome CEO’s, forbidden romance, and just enough drama to be glued to the screen.
 
We can keep watching the same trope in different formats, from a chaebol heir, a germ-fearing CEO, to a literal God. The Cinderella fantasy is alive and well, and we will never get enough of it.

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