Our love life may be all messed up and completely out of shape, but we have these perfect romantic Korean dramas in our lives to bring a smile to our faces. Korean dramas are the newest trend and much-loved culture all over the world. No wonder why all the fifteen-year-olds just couldn’t get over Jae Chan from While You Were Sleeping, as he deserves to be in every girl’s fantasies (and honestly, we totally understand their situation).
Apart from having an adorable love story and a moving plotline to leave you crying like a baby, these K dramas tend to showcase excellent chemistry between the main leads. We believe that’s where the viewers get hooked on the show. And especially when the theme is a romantic comedy, not even an earthquake can stop us from completing the show! So here are the most romantic Kdramas to binge-watch on your low days. These irresistible shows are so hard to miss!
11 of the most romantic Kdramas
11. Snowdrop
- Director: Jo Hyun-tak
- Writer: Yoo Hyun-mi
- Cast: Jung Hae-in, Jisoo, Yoo In-na, Jang Seung-jo, Yoon Se-ah, Kim Hye-yoon, Jung Yoo-jin
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
- Streaming Platforms: Disney Plus
In 1987, a critical year in South Korean history, the authoritarian Fifth Republic of Korea was overthrown, and the democratic Sixth Republic of Korea was established. These events included the June 1987 Democracy Movement, a large-scale protest movement intended to pressure the dictatorship in South Korea to hold fair elections, and the democratic elections that followed in December 1987.
In November and December of 1987, Snowdrop takes place. A female university student named Eun Yeong-ro (Jisoo) discovers a graduate student named Lim Soo-ho (Jung Hae-in) drenched in blood and protects him from the authorities in her dorm room. But it turns out that Soo-ho is not who he seems to be. The two’s story develops as political unrest plays out in the background, and they start dating.
10. Descendants of the Sun
- Director: Lee Eung bok, Baek Sang hoon
- Writer: Kim Eun sook, Kim Won seok
- Cast: Song Joong ki, Song Hye Kyo, Jin Goo, Kim Ji Won, Park Hoon, Choi Woong, Seo Jeong yeon
- IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix
Descendants of the Sun is a 2019 superhit romantic Korean drama that greatly attracted the audience for its fiction element. It was released on a cable network called KBS2 from February 24, 2016, to April 14, 2016. The series ran for 16 episodes. The drama successfully captured the audience’s attention in South Korea itself. This series collected praise and awards at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Award.
OST Queen Punch has just won Discovery of the Year (R&B) at the 8th Gaon Chart Music Awards
From her Goblin and Descendants of the Sun OSTs to "When Night Falls", she's sure to be right up on the charts for years to come pic.twitter.com/8WuK2HBrv4
— Koreaboo (@Koreaboo) January 23, 2019
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The storyline follows Yoo Si Jin’s unexpected meeting, the South Korean Special Forces unit captain with Dr. Kang Mo-yeon (who says the love of your life can’t be found in a hospital!?). Kang Mo is the cardiothoracic surgeon at Haesung Hospital. Looking at the dazzling cardiothoracic surgeon Kang Mo at Haesung Hospital, our protagonist falls hard for her.
Its evident their lives are going to be changed forever after that brief meeting. The drama Descendants of the Sun aims to tell a tale about the love between a surgeon and a special force officer and how their relationship develops within a short period. The drama’s theme is about them conquering over the misunderstandings in their relationship.
Apart from featuring an unbelievable love story, the Korean drama also has an undying bromance between Shi Jin and Dae Yeong, which anyone can die for. Their unique bond is truly one of the greatest connections we have ever seen.
9. Goblin
- Director: Lee Eung bok, Kwon Hyuk chan, Yoon Jong-ho
- Writer: Kim Eun sook
- Cast: Gong Yoo, Kim Go eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-na, Yook Sung jae, Lee El, Kim Byung chul, Jo Woo-jin, Yeom Hye ran
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Apple TV, Prime Video
Goblin or Guardian: The Lonely and Great God is a 2016 popular romantic Korean drama. It was released on a cable network called tvN from December 2, 2016, to January 21, 2017. The series ran for 16 episodes. The massive popularity of this drama, not just in South Korea but also internationally, made it achieve the target of the Fifth Highest-Rated drama in Korean cable television history.
In addition, the show received many awards, including the Grand Prize (Daesang) in the writing category to the show writer, Kim Eun-sook, and Best Actor to Gong Yoo on the occasion of the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards.
The Korean Drama Awards 2017
Yook Sungjae won 2 awards in drama "Goblin" 도깨비1) Male Rookie Awards
2) Star Award"Melodies/fans are the confidence to Sungjae".#육성재 #YookSungJae #배우#도깨비 #yookcandoit#비투비 #육잘또
Full speech herehttps://t.co/bDMXlmget5 pic.twitter.com/bFGkfjYp4X
— 💙비투비&멜로디💙3♡7 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓴 🤍💙Be Together💙🤍 (@ardo_37) December 16, 2019
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The story revolves around Kim Shin, a decorated military general envied by the king. He somehow turns into a Goblin when he dies while fighting a battle. He is tasked with saving certain people from the adversities of life. But deep down, he craves to find his destined bride who can remove the sword from his chest while setting his soul free.
He spent years being miserable until he fell for his bride and found a new goal. The adorable love story of Kim Shin and Eun-Tak and the cute moments shared by the two main leads will be remembered by fans for years and years to come. This romantic drama will definitely make you ride an emotional roller coaster.
Before I forget to mention, the kind of bromance depicted on the show is phenomenal. The bond not only made us giggle but also made us weep our eyes out because it was so heartbreaking.
This drama makes you feel every emotion portrayed on screen, and that’s what makes this series so exceptional. The premise of the show is one of a kind. The drama has a mix of everything, ranging from bromance, romance, mystery, and suspense.
8. My Love from Another Star
- Director: Jang Tae-yoo
- Writer: Park Ji-eun
- Cast: Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Soo-hyun, Park Hae-jin, Yoo In-na, Kim Chang-wan, Jo Hee-Bong, Kim Gang-Hyun , Kim Bo-Mi
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix
My Love from Another Star is a 2013 fantasy romantic comedy-drama. It was released on SBS from December 18, 2013, to February 27, 2014. The series ran for 22 episodes. It earned massive popularity and was very well received by the audience.
Trends were set in fashion, makeup, and restaurants taking inspiration from this drama. This show is the reason for the widespread Korean wave at that time. The series has received many awards, including Korea Drama Award for Best Drama, Seoul International Drama Award for Excellent Korean Drama, Magnolia Award for Best Foreign Television Series, and many others. Kim Soo-Hyun also received an award for the Most Popular Actor.
My Love From Another Star
Nominates in Asian Academy Creative Awards as Best Cinematography twenty twenty
Congrats Justin and Stephanie#MLFASToTheRescue pic.twitter.com/jo8iC2FHoH
— Ashangel love (@AngelSnowNY1) October 15, 2020
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Have you seen any good-looking aliens? No? Then watch this show to know more about this alien called Do Min-Joon, who is unbelievably gorgeous and has advanced physical abilities that involve vision, hearing, and speed. He landed on Earth 400 years ago when the Joseon Dynasty period existed.
He has now learned to survive with humans. (In fact, we have fans watching the episodes every week and peeking out of their windows after the show was released hoping for some good-looking alien invasion).
Do Min doesn’t have any good opinions about human beings until he falls in love with Cheon Song-Yi. This show has everything you possibly need. The charismatic main leads a romantic story and a dangerous villain. We highly recommend this show!
7. Coffee Prince
- Director: Lee Yoon-jung
- Writer: Lee Jung-ah, Jang Hyun-joo
- Cast: Yoon Eun-hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun-kyun, Chae Jung-an, Lee Eon, Kim Dong-wook, Kim Jae-wook
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Apple TV
Coffee Prince is a 2007 romantic comedy series. The series is based on a novel that goes by the same name, written by Lee Sun Mi. It was released from July 2, 2007, to August 28, 2007. It ran for 17 episodes. The series was greatly adored by audiences all around the world.
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The drama portrays a cute romance between a tomboyish woman named Eun Chan and a young food empire mogul named Han Gyeol. He is the grandson of the chairwoman Bang of a flourishing coffee business. He is also a reckless bachelor, totally ignorant of his responsibilities.
On the other hand, Eun Chan is a responsible girl who earns for the family. She was just a teenager when her father died, and that’s why she had to work for her family at a very young age. Her boyish appearance deceives everything into thinking she is just a regular boy.
Han Gyeol initially wasn’t aware of her situation and that she is a girl. Eun Chan and Han Gyeol’s complicated relationship leads to an extremely unique love story that we haven’t seen before. The actors featured in the drama not only have attractive looks but also amazing acting talent.
nothing will ever top the beach scene in coffee prince like this was oscar-worthy and it didnt even have ANY dialogue. a masterclass in acting. https://t.co/wDTeh1O6c5 pic.twitter.com/weZnMrDI2E
— 07. phia 🌊 ARSD (@erosamongroses) November 11, 2022
Everything about this show feels so real that we just couldn’t get our eyes off the show even for a second. Coffee Prince also has an exciting set of love triangles that are sure to entertain you thoroughly.
6. Doom At Your Service
- Director: Kwon Young-il
- Writer: Im Me-a-ri
- Cast: Park Bo Young, Seo In Guk, Lee Soo Hyuk, Kang Tae Oh, Shin Do Hyun, Dawon, Lee Seung Joon, Woo Hee Jin
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video
Doom At Your Service or One Day Destruction Entered the Front Door of My House is a 2021 romantic fantasy South Korean drama. The series was released on tvN from May 10 to June 29, 2021. It ran for 16 episodes.
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The story revolves around a strong woman named Tak Dong Kyung, who has been working extremely hard ever since her parents passed away as she has to support her younger brother. For the past six years, she has been handling the job of a web novel editor. Yet, she still maintains a hopeful outlook on life. But this is only the tip of the iceberg.
The series further reveals that she has been diagnosed with the miserable disease of Glioblastoma(brain cancer). Disheartened by every circumstance she is made to deal with, she blames her miserable life for this terrible situation. This leads to her fateful meeting with the immortal Doom, also known as Myeol Mang. He is a sort of mediator between God and Humans. He has the superpower to grant any wish.
Dong Kyung signs a contract with Myeol Mang for a hundred days to live while risking everything. This series has everything you ever dream of in any suspense drama, a likable fantasy and interesting storyline, a mysterious and charming immortal male lead, (I was wondering if we are we could faint and fantasize about Seo In Guk at the same time, whenever he appears on screen!?) and adorable chemistry between the main characters.
Durup dururken gelen doom at your service izlemek isteme perileri… Aşşırı seviyorum ya aşşırı pic.twitter.com/zhxQmOhTq9
— Katie⁷ #INDIGObyRM (@pastosodoloree) October 4, 2022
5. While You Were Sleeping
- Director: Oh Choong Hwan
- Writer: Park Hye Ryun
- Cast: Lee Jong Suk, Bae Suzy, Jung Hae In, Lee Sang Yeob, Kim Won Hae, Ko Sung-Hee, Min Sung Wook
- IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 81%
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Hulu
While You Were Sleeping is a romantic K drama with a twist of thriller, suspense, and comedy. The series was released on SBS from September 27 to November 16, 2017. It ran for 16 episodes. This series is popular in South Korea and all over the world.
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This fantasy romance drama revolves around a young woman named Nam Hong Joo. She lives with her widowed mother and helps her run the restaurant. She is used to seeing the future deaths of people in her dreams. Not knowing exactly when death is going to happen, she does everything to deviate from reality. She even dreams about the unfortunate death of her own mother.
Jung Jae Chan is a rookie prosecutor. He shifts into a new house and thus becomes Hong Joo’s neighbor. One night Jung dreams about Yoo Beom driving Hong Joo’s car, which involves a chain of events that eventually leads to Hong Joo’s mother’s death. When he sees the dream is about to get real, he does everything to stop it. When her mom’s life is finally saved, Hong Joo thanks him deeply. After that incident, Hong Joo and Jae Chan worked together to save other people’s lives.
The audience went gaga over the amazing chemistry between the two main characters. Hong Joo and Jae Chan’s playful kiss is still discussed by many fans. It is interesting to see how their alluring chemistry turns into a romantic relationship.
Can we all agree that While you were sleeping is one of the best or prolly the best Korean drama with top tier casting, OST, and plot?#WhileYouWereSleeping#BaeSuzy #LeeJongSuk pic.twitter.com/280HlD70h8
— ًjinjin (@jongsuk_junyeol) September 26, 2020
4. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim
- Director: Park Joon Hwa
- Writer: Jung Eun Young
- Cast: Park Seo Joon, Park Min-young, Lee Tae Hwan, Kim Byeong Ok, Kim Hye Ok, Baek Eun Hye, Kang Ki Young
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Hulu
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim is based on a popular novel of the same name, written by Jung Kyung Yoon. This romantic Korean drama series was released on tvN from June 6, 2018, to July 26, 2018. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim ran for 16 episodes.
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What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim revolves around an arrogant, narcissistic yet successful vice president of Lee Young Joon’s family-owned business. He is also extremely self-centered and thinks too highly of himself. He is good-looking and rich. In short, he has every quality a girl wishes for in her significant other. He also has a secretary named Kim Mi So.
She is patient, and she remains by his side no matter the circumstances. Secretary Kim has worked with him for years, and she has now perfected her job. A moment of twist comes when secretary Kim decides to quit her job.
Secretary Kim is resigning from nine years of being consistent at one job because she wants to focus on herself after nine years of an exhausting work schedule. However, the thought of secretary Kim resigning from her job leaves Lee Young Joon startled.
This well-written storyline with deep character development is definitely going to be enjoyable. But, after working in a strict workplace environment, can this connection turn into a romantic relationship? Let’s find out.
what’s wrong with secretary kim eles têm mtttt química https://t.co/pFdM4uicBS
— ♡ (@chimmyuttt) November 3, 2022
3. Oh My Venus
- Director: Kim Hyung Suk
- Writer: Kim Eun Ji
- Cast: So Ji Sub, Shin Min A, Jung Gyu Woon , Yoo In Young , Sung Hoon, Jin Kyung, Choi Jin Ho
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV
Oh, My Venus is a 2015 romantic K drama that was released on KBS2 from November 16, 2015, to January 5, 2016. It ran for 16 episodes.
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The series revolves around a personal trainer of Hollywood stars named Kim Young Ho. The male lead suffered from health issues during his childhood. However, his determination to overcome all the complexities in life to be where he is now is simply mind-blowing.
We also have a 33-year-old female protagonist named Kang Joo Eun, a lawyer by profession. She also has seen a bad phase in her life where she struggled to meet both ends. Now she is obese and somewhat unattractive.
Kim Young Ho agrees to be her personal trainer to help her lead a well-balanced and active lifestyle. Soon after, they discover they have feelings for each other. They fall in love with each other as they heal each other’s wounds. They bridge the gap of wanting emotional support for years in each other’s life as they grow closer.
The cute little moments and the playful kiss shared by the couple make this drama on the top of our favorite list. Its so hard to not notice Shin Min A’s bubbly yet charming personality. She is effortlessly beautiful.
The story was absolutely adored by so many fans because it aimed to teach us a strong message about health and beauty. While the plotline of Oh My Venus may look mainstream, the whole drama is portrayed in a way that we rarely see. The concept is utterly simple, but the execution makes it wonderful.
Oh my Venus 9話pic.twitter.com/ljliu02PZL
— Handmadejisubgoods (@JISu_51bot) November 9, 2022
This romantic Korean drama stands out from the rest of the romantic series in South Korea. Yet, it was still intense while avoiding all the typical K drama cliches.
2. The Legend of the Blue Sea
- Director: Jin Hyuk
- Writer: Park Ji Eun
- Cast: Jun Ji Hyun, Lee Min Ho, Lee Hee Joon, Shin Hye Sun, Lee Ji Hoon, Na Young Hee Hwang Shin Hye, Ahn Jae Hong
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix
The Legend of the Blue Sea is a 2016 romantic comedy-drama released on SBS from November 16, 2016, to January 25, 2017. It ran for 21 episodes.
The Legend of the Blue Sea features a peculiar love story between a mermaid named Shim Cheong and Heo Joon Jae, a cunning con artist by profession. This love story also deals with fate, reincarnation, and unrequited love. This romantic Korean drama is on the list of dramas with every element, making it one of the greatest shows ever.
After watching the first episode, the connection you form forces you to complete the show as soon as possible. We keep coming back to this series maybe because of the exciting chemistry between Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji Hyun to watch on screen. They look so cute together (it looks like someone is fangirling!).
The Legend of the Blue Sea story features an extremely unique concept. This story is a modern twist of the traditional mermaid fairy tale story. The thriller elements are truly appreciable.
Legend of the Blue Sea 💙
it's just so magical ✨️ https://t.co/TdQh0qX7W9 pic.twitter.com/Mt0WyWcXM7— t. 이민호♡ (@amorelmh) November 7, 2022
Some action thriller moments are definitely going to leave you awestruck. There is definitely a twist of comedy too. Overall, this drama makes up for a decent romantic Korean drama. If you are in the mood for fairytale-style romance, then you should definitely watch it. It is definitely worth your time and energy.
1. Crash Landing On You
- Director: Lee Jung hyo
- Writer: Park Ji eun
- Cast: Hyun bin, Son Ye jin, Kim Junghyun, Seo JiHye, Kim Jung-hyun , Yang Kyung won , Yoo Su bin
- IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Crash Landing On You, also known as Emergency Love Landing, is a 2019 romantic comedy Korean drama that received a positive response from viewers worldwide. This drama was released on December 14, 2019, to February 16, 2020, in South Korea through tvN. It was also released on Netflix for its foreign viewers. Crash Landing On You is one of the outstanding Korean dramas.
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The drama revolves around Se-ri, a South Korean heiress who accidentally lands in brutal North Korea. A North Korean army captain in the Korean People’s Army, Hyun Bin, decides to help her out of the terrible situation.
He goes out of the league to safeguard her from the grinding situation; eventually, they fall in love during this journey. The stressful situation between both countries couldn’t stop the emotional pull between the two. Even though Crash Landing On You concentrates on developing their relationship in these impossible circumstances, this drama successfully portrays the differences between North Korea and South Korea.
unforgettable lines from crash landing on you pic.twitter.com/05EFlW7UlX
— ～ (@ktpsej) November 10, 2022
The sweet chemistry between our protagonists, Se-ri and Hyun Bin, straight up gives relationship goals. We can all agree how teary-eyed we have been witnessing their onscreen romance (and to spice things up, they are actually dating in real life!
Now we know where the magic comes from!). Crash Landing On You has a special place in our hearts and is a perfect watch this holiday season.
Conclusion:
Romantic Korean dramas have always been a go-to means of entertainment on every possible occasion. Be it a sleepover or when you want to watch something cozy with your significant other, or when you just want to binge-watch to your guilty pleasure, you can always switch to these K dramas.
These romantic Korean dramas are certainly proven to make your rough day a little more tolerable by featuring a perfect tale about love and romance. Watching any mushy romantic series and then fantasizing about it for hours is the life of a teenage girl. They are not only tasted by teenagers but adults as well binge-watch these romantic dramas for hours without realizing it.
Dramas like Crash Landing on You and Now, We Are Breaking Up, along with It’s Okay To Not Be Okay, are some slice-of-life K dramas that have become a trend because their storyline is appreciated by all.
Romantic Korean dramas have proven to be therapeutic as it is a sure fast way of escaping from reality. Series like When the Camelia Blooms and W depict a love story we could only dream of. Rachel and Ross, who?
We could only imagine Jae Chan from Crash Landing On You crashing our hearts with his unbelievable charm. K dramas like Her Private Life, Touch Your Heart, Dr. Romantic, Extraordinary You, and What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim are some of the masterpieces and definitely need a watch. Well, honestly, we could go on and on because we have a never-ending list of our favorite shows.
The international audience gushes over frictional characters in the dramas and the actors playing them. Some of the most crushed celebrities are Lee Min Ho, Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Jong Suk, Park Yoo Chun, Bae Suzy, and Park Shin Hye. K drama lovers also love to watch Korean award shows like Seoul Drama Awards, where they cheer for their favorite actors and actresses.
Addicting is a more suitable way to describe these popular dramas and can leave an impact on our minds for days. But, the bottom line is that we absolutely love these Korean dramas, and they will always be at the top of our watchlist.
Frequently Asked Question
Q1: Which are the best romantic Korean dramas of all time?
Ans: The best romantic Korean dramas of all time are Snowdrop, Crash Landing on You Her Private Life, Touch Your Heart, Dr. Romantic, Extraordinary You, and What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim. These are some of the masterpieces and definitely need a watch.
Q2: Which is the best romantic Korean drama of all time?
Ans: The best romantic Korean drama of all time is Descendants of the Sun. The babyface of Song Joong with a slight charm makes him the number one choice of many teenage girls out there. The show is extra cheesy, and we all know how much we crave cheese in our life.
Q3: Which is the best romantic Korean drama in 2022?
Ans: The best romantic Korean drama in 2022 is Twenty-Five Twenty-One. The story revolves around a young fencer who pursued his great dreams and met a determined young guy who was trying to repair his life when aspirations seemed unattainable to him.
