"Rags-to-Riches"

Shining Inheritance - A girl helps a senile old woman, who actually happens to be the owner of a large restaurant chain. The grandmother repays her debt to the girl by having her move in with her and the rest of her family. - u/silverbluefox

I liked the fact that it wasn't just based around romance but the growth of the female lead. - u/kassim3

Big Man - The lead suddenly becomes a chaebol but there are complications.  - u/omlettes

'Bread, Love and Dreams' is most watched TV show in Korea, average viewership rating was around 45-50% I believe, which makes it one of the highest rated dramas of all time. - u/Dracyarys_baby

King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo. It was fabulously weird, because it's an older drama and it's all about baking bread. It also makes you hungry. There are some tropes, but are overshadowed by the step-siblings' intriguing relationship and the sheer positiveness of Tak Goo. If there's one role Yoon Shi Yoon acts well, it's being a cheerful person in a world that's trying to crush him. Perseverance is the name of the game.  - u/AlohaAlex

Kim Tak Goo is an inspirational character. Even though he has a bad life, he refuses to succumb to negativity, hatred, and revenge. He keeps his compassionate heart through the end, a very difficult task to do but his determination makes it happen. - u/jarnumber

Golden Empire - Another brilliant drama. I liked Lee yo won's character a lot in this drama. - u/omlettes

Cheongdamdong Alice ends up in a huge debt after her boyfriend steals from a company he worked at and disappears. She then decides to force her way into the world of the rich and the famous following the example of her old classmate. Not the most entertaining drama but Park Shi Hoo steals the show playing a wacky, easygoing, revenge-driven, borderline psychotic character.  - u/AlohaAlex

Cheondamdong Alice - The whole drama is themed around how the lead actress makes it in Gangnam although not exactly by the traditional means. - u/omlettes

I loved Cheondamdong Alice. I thought it was a really fresh, interesting take on 'rags to riches' and the moral implications of trying to marry into money that other dramas usually ignore.  - u/majekmistake

May Queen- 36 episodes and has a love triangle of three friends since childhood. Two of them become childhood sweethearts and the other goes overseas and returns later, just as the childhood sweethearts are having disastrous relationship issues. - u/silverbluefox

May Queen - Han Ji Hye sort of becomes the rich person here, although the money ain't hers. - u/omlettes

My Woman - Park Sol Mi is the rags to riches story here.  - u/omlettes

History of a Salaryman - it's been a while since I saw it, but it was undoubtedly one of my favourite dramas ever (and I've seen quite a few). It has a good mix of black comedy/political (or corporate, in this case) intrigue and doesn't get tied down in the usual K-drama tropes.  - u/Helikaon242

Stairway to Heaven - Stairway to Heaven- Much like Cinderella, a girl lives with her step mother and pesky step siblings. She falls in love with her friend that she was raised with, but because of plot they were separated. The years pass and their love is nearly forgotten until they meet each other again and sparks fly.

More like riches to rags to riches - u/silverbluefox

Stairway to Heaven is one of the classics and I highly recommend it - u/Junnielocked

Only the strong survive Stairway to Heaven. And those who can handle the industrial strength dose of early Hallyu lol. - u/AgentSkipper

Her Legend - a melodrama about a girl that loses everything to gaining everything to losing it all again (the second leads acted better than the leads in my opinion) - u/digi_baby

Bride of the Century - spoiled rich girl goes missing, they bring in a poor girl look alike so the engagement isn't ruined while they look for her.  Meanwhile rumor has it that the brides in the family always die, so missing girl really just wants poor girl to get married and die, and then she can come back and be the wife.  But naturally romance blossoms between poor girl and fussy rich boy. Plenty of cute in this one.  - u/SpinThePickle

Bride of the Century - The main characters really work well together.  I also thought the twists and turns of this one made it really fun to watch.  Lots of surprises.  I'm also kinda partial to Lee Hong Ki.  - u/gordonshumway85

Bride of the Century - Seriously an underrated Kdrama. One of my favorites. It's fast-pace and has lots of interesting twists. It's Rom-com with a dash of mystery and ghost. - u/nomm01

My princess - It is literally about an ordinary girl finding out she’s a descendant of Korean royalty and they want to establish Korean royalty again. u/Kolibar

My Princess -  I don't see it talked about very much.  I originally watched it because I like Kim Tae Hee.  I really liked the beginning of the drama but the last part got a little tedious. - u/gordonshumway85

Jang Ok Jung is about a seamstress (so I guess she is too fashionable to be in actual rags...) who ends up working in the palace and falling in love with the king. - u/silverbluefox

Mask - When a woman is forced to take the place of her doppelganger, she enters a whole new world of wealth and manipulation. - u/silverbluefox

Mask - Doppelganger impersonates a paranoid chaebol's dead fiancee, moves into his highly dysfunctional family's house and makjang ensues. – u/deviantrockstar

My Golden Life - It's about a girl, who was raised in average family and has very hard work life, but then she founds out that she's a daughter of very wealthy family, who was lost when she was 5. It's good, but on the longer side (52 ep. each 1h). - u/Fallen_Ruby

My Golden Life - A rich family finds its long lost daughter and daughter has to adjust with the rich life. Its pretty entertaining. It had over 40 percent ratings in Korea. - u/DETHEAMIT

My Golden Life has a pretty great story, but a tad heavy on the melodrama. Shin Hye Sun is amazing though. - u/tingkagol

For me Five Fingers will always be a favourite. You get the usual early childhood episodes, and without spoiling a lot builds up and half way through the series you wonder why you would carry on watching, but past that dip it makes everything worth it. - u/Jynxette

Doctor Stranger, male lead is a North Korean defector who is also a very skilled doctor. His girlfriend failed to escape with him, but while living in South Korea he finds a complete look-a-like of her and tries to find out if it is actually his girlfriend. (Though there are scenes where they perform heart surgery so I don’t recommend this drama if you’re squeamish about blood and organs etc). - u/i-ate-it

Goong - In a time when the royal family still exists in Korea, a common girl weds the crown prince due to a promise between their grandfathers. She is open to forming a relationship but he seems to want nothing to do with her. (It is a bit older, so mind the dated styles. It's Boys Over Flowers, era.)  - u/Kordiana

There is the “old” classic Goong. High school kids getting married. One is royalty and the other common person. It’s been ages since I watched it, but I remember enjoying it when I watched it. Not sure if it holds up today.  - u/sfgirl00

Dong Yi - follows life story of a peasant girl who rises to a high position in the court. Has a sweet romance, comedy (with a young Lee Kwang Soo) and of course lots of palace politics. Good character development and lots to learn culturally. It is older, so slower paced - u/LcLou02

Dong Yi follows a servant who eventually becomes a consort, mostly fictional but good nevertheless. It focuses more on the inner court and the King’s harem. - u/NgocLinh359

Cinderella's Sister- A closed-off girl is forced to move in with her mother's new husband's family. She doesn't relate to anyone and hates it there, but one of the workers at her step-father's company helps her to adjust. They come to understand each other, but he leaves for 8 years and when he returns she is back to her cold self.  - u/silverbluefox

Liar Game - the only real rags to riches, from pursued by loan sharks to winning the cash prize  - u/GSV_Zero_Gravitas

Secret Garden - not exactly destitute to start with, but main girls marry fabulously rich - u/GSV_Zero_Gravitas

Monster - It's riches-to-rags-to-riches story. - u/lannisterstark

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon - not exactly destitute to start with, but main girls marry fabulously rich - u/GSV_Zero_Gravitas

Romance is a Bonus Book - from homeless to having a solid middle class job in publishing - u/GSV_Zero_Gravitas

The King of Dramas - kind of fall, rise, slight dip again, but at least he triumphs over adversity through his own strength and it's the main theme of the drama - u/GSV_Zero_Gravitas

Flower Crew Joseon Marriage Agency - the second lead is a poor blacksmith who becomes king. The heroine is an escaped slave who becomes a noble lady (My Fair Lady style) - u/GSV_Zero_Gravitas

Sungkyunkwan Scandal - she's dirt poor and a girl, manages to go to enter university and become a lady scholar - u/GSV_Zero_Gravitas

The Master's Sun Girl is not interested in money, but finds out she she needs some after falling in love with chaebol, so that they can be on a more equal footing. Mostly about ghosts and personal development and jokes. - u/the-other-otter

Potato Star - Not exactly riches, but the economic circumstances of female lead definitely improved. Funny commentary on how us flawed humans are trying to survive in today's unequal society.  - u/the-other-otter

Potato Star 2013 - FL and mom have to leave their house when it is demolished, have no money and end up living in the garage of a wealthy family.  FL ends up with one of the sons.  - u/LcLou02

Rooftop Prince Hard work can pay off, but it is not always needed. The funniest scam and the best track suits.  - u/the-other-otter

Perfume An overweight, stressed out, average housewife comes into possession of a magical perfume that transforms her back into her twenties. Unable and unwilling to stay home, she becomes homeless and while trying to rekindle her old dreams, she becomes entangled with an arrogant fashion designer. She moves in with him and hijinks ensue. A story of self-discovery and second chances, Perfume tells a lovely story of self-love and love for others. While monetary riches were not the focus of the story, personal growth and glory is delivered in heaps.  - u/myweithisway

Perfume - She becomes homeless and ends up with the head of a fashion house. Unexpectedly, This drama has a lot to say about loving yourself.  - u/LcLou02

Tomorrow with you - Poor former child actress ends up marrying a rich entrepreneur who happens to be a time traveler.  Interesting premise, good acting.  - u/LcLou02

Tomorrow with You - FL is a popular child actress known as “Bap Soon” and despite getting popularity as a child she grows up to become popular but in a bad way. She is poor and trying to make ends meet until her life gets entangled with the ML who is a time traveler and is the owner of a well-known company. - u/Fatooz

Crowned Clown - Poor clown lives the life of a King.  Great acting by Yeo Jin Gu, playing two roles.  Beautiful cinematography.  One of the best dramas of 2019 in my opinion.  - u/LcLou02

The Innocent Man - SFL betrays ML for money and from dirt-poor journalist she ends up becoming the wife of a wealthy man. I guess her story does fit in the rags to riches tag. She, however, becomes the step mother of the FL and so the ML takes revenge on the SFL using the FL, but soon falls in love with her. It’s a melodrama that could’ve been done better but both Moon Chae-Won and Song Joong-Ki had outstanding chemistry and I enjoyed it for the most part. - u/Fatooz

Cinderella and the Four Knights - ML is working at a garage and living an ordinary life until he finds out that he is an heir and now lives the rich life. It’s a rom-com which is filled with cliches as the name suggests. I loved the FL, she was strong, witty and quirky. Also loved the chemistry between the main leads. It’s an entertaining drama when you don’t want to use your brain cells or watch a lighthearted and cliched rom-com with fun characters. - u/Fatooz

Doctors - FL is a thug-like brat who doesn’t want to study and gets kicked out of her school. She ends up living with her grandmother in a small town where they try to make ends meet. FL meets ML through chance events and he motivates her to do something better in life. FL ends up dreaming of becoming a doctor and achieves her dream through hard work. She is now living a good rich life. She is not extremely rich but her situation is definitely a contrast to her life as a student. It’s a nice medical drama with the slice-of-life aspect, I enjoyed the relationship between the main leads. Most side characters also had a nice character development and overall, it’s worth your time. - u/Fatooz

Uncontrollably Fond - ML was living an ordinary life and dreamt of becoming a prosecutor like his father but turn of events leads him to becoming a popular actor who has only a few months remaining to live. It’s a cliched melodrama with frustrating side characters but the chemistry between the main leads was amazing and so was the cinematography and soundtrack. It’s worth watching for Kim Woo-Bin who was amazing as Shin Joon-Young, make sure you go in with your tissues ready because it’s going to make you cry buckets. - u/Fatooz

Record of Youth - This drama amazingly portrays the struggle of a rookie to earn his place in the entertainment industry.  - u/Designer_Top_1829  

King's Doctor (Horse Doctor) - A combination of a medical drama, romance, a rags to riches story, and a fight the system story, this one is an epic historical with staring Cho Seung Woo as a lowly horse doctor who rises through the ranks to become a physician in the royal court. It's most definitely a feel good story and I got completely sucked in to enough to binge this 50 episode drama.  - u/Silly_Merricat