2004 will always be remembered as a significant year in Korean entertainment history because of its innovative music releases, dynamic cultural environment, and captivating dramas. It seems unreal to consider how much has changed in the twenty years since that momentous year, especially if we are now two decades away from it. To honor previous years, let's go back and revisit six classic Korean dramas that aired in 2004.

Want to explore your nostalgia for the early 2000s? Come along as we take a trip down memory lane to reflect on the shows that captivated audiences twenty years ago. These timeless dramas are sure to make an impression, regardless of whether you are a long-time K-Drama fan or a casual viewer.

Full House

Considered as one of the pioneers of the "romantic comedy" genre in Korean drama, "Full House", first went on air on July 2004 and went on to steal the viewers hearts. The story takes center stage with aspiring writer Han Ji Eun (Song Hye Kyo), who finds herself in an unexpected dilemma as she comes home that her "Full House" was sold by her friends to the famous actor Lee Young Jae (Rain). She ends up marrying Young Jae under a contract marriage in order to keep the "Full House" and for Young Jae to make his crush jealous. They try to live together and make things work despite how different they are from each other and realize that they are falling for each other.

The drama was a massive success in Korea as the drama sustained high viewership ratings, with as high as 42.0% nationwide viewership ratings during the last episode. During the 2004 KBS Drama Awards, they bagged awards such as the Top Excellence Award for an Actress (Song Hye Kyo), Excellence Award for an Actor (Rain), Popularity Award for an Actor (Rain), Popularity Award for an Actress (Song Hye Kyo) and the Best Couple Award (Rain and Song Hye Kyo). 

The drama also helped propel the Hallyu Wave internationally, with the drama shown internationally in different countries and remakes in 8 countries overseas.

I'm Sorry, I Love You

One of the classic K-Dramas that will leave you crying with its painful story, tragic plot, and chaotic challenges that never seem to end, "I'm Sorry, I Love You" was released November 2004. The drama revolves around the fateful meeting of two distraught souls, Cha Moo Hyuk (So Ji Sub), a part-time scam artist working the streets of Australia who was abandoned as a child, and Song Eun Chae (Im Soo Jung), a fashion coordinator and childhood friend of famous Korean singer, Choi Yoon (Jung Kyung Ho) whom she is in a one-sided love with. They realize their fate is much more entangled when Moo Hyuk goes back to Korea to find his biological parents, to find out that her mother is also Yoon's mother. Pained by the discovery, he vows to take revenge for all the suffering he has experienced by becoming Yoon's road manager. 

The drama has become very popular, including the legendary OST "Snow Flower" sung by Park Hyo Shin. During the 2004 KBS Drama Awards, the drama won awards such as the Excellence Award for an Actor (So Ji Sub), Best New Actress (Im Soo Jung), Netizen Award for an Actor (So Ji Sub), Netizen Award for an Actress (Im Soo Jung), Popularity Award for an Actor (So Ji Sub), Popularity Award for an Actress (Im Soo Jung), and the Best Couple Award (So Ji Sub and Im Soo Jung). It also received awards from the prestigious 41st Baeksang Arts Awards, such as Best TV Drama Award and Best Actor for Television (So Ji Sub). It also won the Best Drama Award during the 32nd Korean Broadcasting Awards.

Lovers in Paris

"Lovers in Paris" sweeps viewers off their feet with a captivating romance set against the picturesque backdrop of Paris, released in June 2004. The story revolves around Kang Tae Young (Kim Jung Eun), who is studying film in Paris to carry out the wishes of her film director father. To make ends meet, she works as a housekeeper for Han Ki Joo (Park Shin Yang), who is unhappy with her services and fires her. But due to a circumstance, she is hired back with a condition to act as Ki Joo's fiancée, to which she gladly accepts. However, as the fake girlfriend plan backfires, they part ways on bad terms in Paris. They meet again in Korea and find themselves falling for each other. However, destiny has different plans for them as they encounter different issues that seem to prevent them from being together.

The series was very popular during its run, with an average viewership rating of 40% and a peak of 56.3% during its last episode, making it the 13th highest-rated series of all time based on viewership per nationwide household rating. The drama also received critical acclaim and various awards, such as the Grand Prize (Daesang) awarded to Park Shin Yang and Kim Jung Eun during the 2004 SBS Drama Awards, Best Actress for Television (Kim Jung Eun), Best Screenplay for Television and the Grand Prize (Daesang) for Television from the 41st Baeksang Arts Awards, and two more Best Actress Awards for Kim Jung Eun from the 17th Grimae Awards and the 2005 Asian Television Awards.

Something Happened in Bali

"Something Happened in Bali", released in January 2004, takes a darker turn as it explores the intricacies of love, betrayal and tragedy. The drama revolves around the complicated relationships between three individuals: Jung Jae Min (Jo In Sung), the callous youngest son of the wealthy chairman of the Pax Group who was bound to an arranged marriage to a woman he doesn't love, Lee Soo Jung (Ha Ji Won), an orphan who works as a tour guide in Bali who barely ends meet and aspires to be rescued out of her current predicament by a rich man, and Kang In Wook (So Ji Sub), a skillful person despite his poor financial situation and is the ex-boyfriend of  Choi Young Joo (Park Ye Jin), the woman whom Jae Min is to be arranged married with. 

The drama took a lot of attention due to its dark themes and tragic ending, and sustained good viewership rating, averaging 26.4% nationwide. They also caught the attention of award giving bodies, winning awards such as Top Excellence Award for an Actor (Jo In Sung) and Top Excellence Award for an Actress (Ha Ji Won) during the 2004 SBS Drama Awards, and Best Actor for Television (Jo In Sung), Best Actress for Television (Ha Ji Won), Most Popular Actor for Television (So Ji Sub), and Best Screenplay for Television during the 40th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Emperor of the Sea

A unique genre among its peers during 2004, "Emperor of the Sea" is a period drama is based on Choi In Ho's 2003 novel "Haesin", which depicts the life of Jang Bogo, who rises from a lowly slave to a powerful maritime figure who dominated the East Asia seas and international trade during the Unified Silla dynasty. The series was released in November 2004, airing the story of Jang Bogo (Choi Soo Jong), who undergoes a remarkable journey from a humble slave to the naval commander of the Unified Silla dynasty. Throughout his rise, he confronts pirates and enters into a fierce rivalry with Madam Jami (Chae Shi Ra), a noble from Silla who challenges Jang Bogo for control over trade rights in the South Sea. Serving as Jang Bogo's charismatic ally is Yeom Jang (Song Il Kook) who supports Jang in his quest to become the "Emperor of the Sea." However, their friendship faces a test as Yeom Jang vies with Jang Bogo for the affection of Lady Jung Hwa (Soo Ae).

The series was received extremely well, holding the number one spot in the ratings for majority of the weeks it aired. They received multiple awards during the 2005 KBS Drama Awards, such as ther Top Excellence Award for an Actor (Choi Soo Jong), Excellence Award for an Actress (Soo Ae), Excellence Award for an Actor (Song Il Kook), Popularity Award for an Actor (Song Il Kook), and Best Couple Award (Song Il Kook and Soo Ae). They also received a  Final Round Nomination for a Drama series in the Asia, Africa and Middle East region during the 2005 International Emmy Awards, and won Runner-up for Best Series Drama during the 1st Seoul International Drama Awards.

Forbidden Love

The fantasy drama "Forbidden Love" was released in July 2004, which centers around a unique fox race with human appearances surviving by consuming dead human livers. Yoon Shi Yeon (Kim Tae Hee) is a "gumiho" (nine-tailed fox) leading a dual life: a daytime work at a natural history museum and a nighttime duty as a prominent warrior in the Nine-Tailed Fox clan. Her tragic past involves the massacre of her family, leaving her an orphan. The story takes a twist when a series of brutal murders, involving victims whose internal organs are extracted, emerges. Detective Kang Min Woo (Jo Hyun Jae) suspects a connection to organ trafficking and goes undercover. However, his cover is exposed, leading to a complex web of relationships as Shi Yeon and fellow Nine-Tailed Fox warrior Moo Young (Jun Jin) intervene to save him, revealing their true identities in the process.

The drama became one of the early dramas that incorporated the mythical creature, gumiho, in the plot and as a character, which is now a familiar character to K-Drama viewers due to its various depictions in different shows. The main lead, Kim Tae Hee, won the Best New Actress Award during the 2004 KBS Drama Awards, with this role paving more way for her rising popularity, who will eventually be dubbed as the "CF Queen" as she becomes one of the most sought-after faces in the TV commercial industry.

As we wrap up this nostalgic journey that brings us twenty years back, we'd love to hear from you! Which 2004 drama have you watched, and which one is your favorite? Feel free to share your recommendations with fellow drama enthusiasts in the comments below.