Must-watch Lee Se-young K-dramas, from ‘The Red Sleeve’ to the upcoming ‘The Remarried Empress’

For many viewers, The Red Sleeve is the definitive Lee Se-young K-drama. Her powerful performance as Seong Deok-im, the cheerful and headstrong court lady who wins the heart of Crown Prince Yi San (Lee Jun-ho), earned her widespread critical acclaim and fame.

Her portrayal beautifully balances humour and heartbreak, showcasing her remarkable range. Meanwhile, the K-drama, based on the real-life love story between King Jeongjo and Royal Noble Consort Uibin Sung—once known as Yi-san and Deok-im—captures the highs and lows of a relationship shaped as much by love as by duty and sacrifice.

Beyond the poignant romance and the compelling work of Lee Se-young and Lee Jun-ho, their chemistry—marked by playful banter and charged with longing—captivated audiences around the world and contributed to the drama’s enduring appeal.

See more: Must-watch Lee Jun-Ho dramas ‘Typhoon Family’ fans will love

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract is a Lee Se-young K-drama that combines elements of time travel, reincarnation and contract marriage. She plays Park Yeon-woo, a young Joseon widow who suddenly finds herself in modern-day Seoul. A spirited and independent noblewoman, Yeon-woo is way ahead of her time—in whichever century she’s in.

She doesn’t hesitate to enter a contract marriage with Kang Tae-ha (Bae In-hyuk), the cold chaebol who is the spitting image of her late Joseon husband. In return for posing as his wife to appease his grandfather, she hopes he can help her return home. But as present-day circumstances begin to mirror the past, she can’t help but wonder if history is destined to repeat itself.

Lee Se-young’s comedic timing and her chemistry with co-star Bae In-hyuk give the K-drama levity and warmth, making it a fan-favourite feel-good watch that is equal parts whimsical, romantic and heartfelt.

The Kentaro Sakaguchi and Lee Se-young K-drama is based on two novels that tell the same love story from the perspectives of its two leads. It follows the cross-cultural slow-burn romance between Choi Hong (Lee Se-young), a South Korean woman who travels to Tokyo as much to find herself as to escape her overbearing mother, and Aoki Jungo (Kentaro Sakaguchi), an aspiring Japanese writer. The two meet-cute at a subway turnstile and fall giddily in love.

Fast forward five years and we learn that they are no longer together. He has written a bestselling novel under a pseudonym and is in South Korea to promote it. She has been assigned as his interpreter, unaware that he is the author. The book is about them, except it ends happily. Now, Jungo is hoping their real-life love story could, too.

Blending K-drama and J-drama sensibilities, What Comes After Love offers the best of both worlds—anchored by two leads whose quietly resonant chemistry carries the romance through its light and dark moments.

See more: Meet the Japanese actors stealing scenes in K-dramas and cross-border series

The Crowned Clown is the K-drama adaptation of the award-winning Korean film Masquerade—think Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper as a sageuk K-drama. It stars Yeo Jin-goo as King Yi Heon, a manic and paranoid monarch who secretly places his doppelgänger—a clown named Ha Seon—on the throne to thwart repeated assassination attempts.

Lee Se-young plays the long-suffering Queen Yoo So-woon. Dignified and righteous, So-woon is more than just a regal presence in court. As Ha Seon proves himself a more worthy ruler and husband than Yi Heon, it’s no surprise that So-woon falls for the impostor.

The role, which required her to embody a queen enduring a volatile king, the palace’s beating heart, and a woman grappling with romantic betrayal, stretched Lee Se-young’s range, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

In 2027, viewers can look forward to another Lee Se-young K-drama. In the upcoming Netflix original series Long Vacation, which follows the romance between a demon and a human, Lee Se-young stars opposite next-generation Hallyu star Choo Young-woo.

The drama introduces the audience to Demon 3375, who, in all his centuries of existence, has yet to experience love. That is until he meets Lee Se-young’s Lee Deul-pan, a seasoned attendant at the seaside hotel where he is staying. As fate continues to throw them into each other’s paths, 3375 finds himself catching feelings—the type that threatens to turn his world upside down—or maybe, right side up.

On top of the inspired casting and intriguing storyline, another thing the drama has going for it is Lee Jung-hyo—the same director who brought audiences Romance Is a Bonus Book and the global K-drama hit Crash Landing on You.

In the medical K-drama Doctor John, Lee Se-young plays a young resident under the tutelage of Cha Yo-han (Ji Sung), a brilliant anesthesiologist—who’s known to diagnose conditions within ten seconds—with a complicated past. The two meet in prison, where he is serving time for euthanising a patient, and she works as a part-time medical officer.

After he is released, they cross paths again at Hanse Medical Centre, where he has been made head of the Pain Management Clinic, and she is completing her residency. Together, they work to solve medical mysteries to help their patients.

In the K-drama, Lee Se-young holds her own opposite veteran actor Ji Sung. She brings an emotionally layered depth to the role as the empathetic doctor struggling to overcome her PTSD and the love interest of a vulnerable yet morally complex hero.

As a child star, one of Lee Se-young’s earliest milestones was starring in Jewel in the Palace (also known as Dae Jang Geum), the massive first-wave K-drama that became a worldwide phenomenon. The then-young actress impressed viewers with her strong turn as the young Choi Geum-young—rival to Seo Jang-geum, the drama’s heroine.

Tasked with establishing the dynamic that would later define the adult relationship of Jang-geum (Lee Young-ae) and Geum-young (Hong Ri-na), the young cast understood—and nailed—the assignment. At just ten years old, Lee Se-young proved she could take on complex characters and deliver a deeply affecting performance.

From sageuk epics to time-slip romcoms and contemporary romance, Lee Se-young’s K-drama filmography showcases her remarkable versatility and staying power. With acclaimed past roles and highly anticipated upcoming projects, she continues to evolve as one of the most compelling actresses in Korean entertainment, consistently delivering performances that resonate with global audiences.

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