TheK-dramagenre is a wide-reaching one, filled with stories covering romance to horror, but some of these stories, while good in their own ways, can often make viewers cringe. This is not the case for some ofthe best K-dramas of all time, but in many cases, some of the best dramas can be difficult to watch. This is either because they are too gory or frightening for casual viewing, or they have too many emotional stakes.
However, there are many K-dramas that are both fun and easy to watch, while lacking many other similar shows cringe-inducing to watch. They are often wholesome, with warm plotlines that go a step further in bringing the viewer into the story. Shows likeTwenty-Five Twenty-OneandBoys Over Flowersare short, sweet, and to the point, making many of thesethe perfect k-dramas to binge in a day.
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim
Cast
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim follows Lee Young-Joon, an accomplished and self-assured vice-president of a large company, whose world is disrupted when his highly competent secretary, Kim Mi-So, unexpectedly resigns after years of dedicated service. The series explores the dynamics of their professional and personal relationships.
Beginning as the story of a narcissistic company chairman and his secretary,What’s Wrong with Secretary Kimis an unexpected romance with genuine funny moments.However, as the story progresses, viewers slowly get a look into the life of Chairman Young-joon through Secretary Kim’s eyes.What follows is a genuine story of love and affection, showing that love can blossom even in the face of adversity.
Not only do the leads have incredible chemistry, but they also seem to put their all into these roles. Because of their incredible performances,What’s Wrong with Secretary Kimhas won many different awards, each for the performances of its cast. This comedic romance’s strong cast really carries it, preventing any awkward or contentious moments from being too uncomfortable.
Love To Hate You
Love to Hate You is a 2023 series featuring the intertwined lives of an attorney who dislikes losing to men and an A-list actor with a mistrust of women. Despite their initial disdain, they find themselves in an unexpected romantic entanglement when circumstances force them to date.
Focusing on a contentious will-they-won’t-they relationship between an actor and an attorney,Love to Hate Youis a romance that makes a variety of interesting moves over the course of its story.It is not afraid to address hard-hitting topics such as sexism, both in the workplace and otherwise.Even so, it remains mostly a well-intentioned love story between two people who could not be more different.
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Despite the fact the plot itself can sometimes feel predictable,Love to Hate Yougenerally comes across as a romance that wanted to make an important point. The performances are perhaps the best part, with Kim Ok-vin being the fan favorite. Even with a bit of a rocky start,Love to Hate Youreally takes off in the second half for a K-drama truly worth watching.
Boys Over Flowers
Boys Over Flowers is a 2009 South Korean television series based on the Japanese manga of the same name. The show follows Geum Jan-di, a courageous but impoverished girl who receives a scholarship to attend a prestigious high school. There, she encounters the infamous F4, a group of wealthy and influential boys, leading to complex relationships and social conflicts. The series stars Koo Hye-sun, Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum, and Kim Joon.
Boys Over Flowersis an incredible show, not only for its succinct plot, but for pioneering the high school drama genre in South Korea. Following the life of a lower class girl named Geum Jan-di, the series finds Jan-di as she consistently gets tangled up in the lives of her wealthy classmates. Though she dislikes them at first, as the series grows, so does their relationships with one another.
Boys Over Flowerseventually became so popular that the filming locations used by the crew became tourist attractions.
This series is notable not only for its fame in South Korea, but in Asia as a whole.Boys Over Flowersgarnered millions of viewers and countless awards, even launching the acting career of Lee Min-ho.Despite being a high school drama, this series avoids many of the cringe-worthy moments that high school-centered shows can have, instead opting for a format with more genuine heart.
Alchemy of Souls
Alchemy of Souls is a South Korean TV series set in the fictional Daeho kingdom, following the lives of mages whose fate is altered by the practice of soul-shifting. Directed by Park Joon-hwa, the series stars Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min, and Hwang Min-hyun, weaving together themes of magic, mystery, and destiny as characters navigate their intertwined lives under the influence of powerful spells and political intrigue.
Starting with a bit of a complex concept,Alchemy of Soulsrevolves around the idea that young mages have the ability to participate in what is called the “Alchemy of Souls,” a forbidden magic that essentially allows them to switch bodies.This develops into a love story, one where the powerful warrior Nak-su is left trapped in another body and yet continues to fall in love with a noble named Jang Uk. Despite the complicated background information, as the story progresses, it becomes a sweet romance peppered with action and fantasy.
The series is beautiful with incredible direction, and because of this the viewer is immediately drawn in.Alchemy of Soulswon awards for this very reason, with fans and critics alike praising both the director and the actors. The second season is a bit more intense than the first, but it is no less of an enjoyable watch because of it.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is a South Korean television series starring Shin Min-a as a pragmatic dentist and Kim Seon-ho as her free-spirited counterpart. The narrative unfolds in the seaside village of Gongjin, where personal and professional lives intersect in heartwarming and often humorous ways. Directed by Yu Je-won, the series explores themes of community, love, and personal growth amidst picturesque coastal scenery.
A blossoming tale of romance between a dentist and a handyman,Hometown Cha-Cha-Chais an easygoing K-drama with a focus on love. Getting away from the big city, dentist Yoon Hye-jin visits her grandmother in the seaside village of Gongjin, where she not only falls in love with the town, but finds love for herself as well.The show is very easygoing, relying on the feel-good aspect of the story and setting as opposed to tense stakes.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Chais a remake of the 2004 romantic comedy filmMr. Handy, Mr. Hong.
This is not to the show’s detriment, as not only is the story itself sound, but the show became incredibly popular. It quickly became one of the most highly-rated K-dramas on Netflix, with the comfort the series provides being noted as its largest draw.Hometown Cha-Cha-Chais nuanced and warm, offering the perfect foil to darker K-dramas on Netflix such asSquid Game.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Extraordinary Attorney Woo follows the life of Woo Young-woo, a young attorney with autism spectrum disorder, who navigates the challenges of the legal profession in South Korea. The series portrays her brilliant legal mind and unique approach to cases, highlighting her struggles and triumphs both in and out of the courtroom. Park Eun-bin stars in the titular role, delivering a poignant and nuanced performance.
Extraordinary Attorney Woois a unique K-drama, telling the story of the socially uncomfortable Woo Young-woo, a brand-new attorney.Most notably, Young-woo is portrayed as living with autism, a topic that is often not addressed in K-dramas.The series follows Young-woo as she strives to become a better attorney, addressing topics such as romance and acceptance along the way.
Extraordinary Attorney Woowas an immediate breakout hit, setting the record for highest ratings in ENA history when it premiered. The series itself has been praised for how it portrays mental health and autism, offering an inspiring portrayal that does not dwell on stereotypes. All in all, the series is gentle fun, with situations sure to warm any viewer’s heart.
Twenty-Five Twenty-One
Twenty-Five Twenty-One is a South Korean television series directed by Jung Ji-hyun. Set amidst the aftermath of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the series follows the lives of a fencer and a reporter as they navigate love and ambition. Starring Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk, the show delves into themes of resilience and growth as the characters strive to achieve their dreams in a time of uncertainty.
Being a series with some ofthe most romantic moments in K-drama,Twenty-Five Twenty-Oneis a great watch with its sweet and passionate scenes. It takes place in two timelines, first in the leads' high school days in 1998 and later in the modern day once they have become adults. Not only doesTwenty-Five Twenty-Onemanage to tug on viewers' heartstrings, but it also calls into question what the meaning of a life lived intentionally is as told through the lens of an old diary.
Not only doesTwenty-Five Twenty-Onemanage to tug on viewers' heartstrings, but it also calls into question what the meaning of a life lived intentionally is as told through the lense of an old diary.
This series shot actress Kim Tae-ri to the heights of stardom, coming recommended by artists such as BTS' Jungkook and iconic actor Gong Yoo.Twenty-Five Twenty-Onewas celebrated for the feeling of nostalgia it brought with it, offering a look back at simpler times through rose-colored glasses.Despite moments of explosive emotional tension, it is a feel-good story at its core, offering the viewer warm feelings of the past.
Hotel Del Luna
Hotel Del Luna is a fantasy romance television series set in a mystical hotel where the employees and guests are ghosts. The story revolves around Jang Man-wol, the owner of Hotel Del Luna, and Goo Chan-sung, a young and ambitious hotelier, as they navigate love, redemption, and the consequences of their past actions.
Taking place in a hotel that exclusively caters towards dead clientele,Hotel Del Lunaoffers an interesting premise right from the start. The main character, hotel owner Jang Man-wol, is both extravagant and entertaining, serving at the hotel as penance for her actions over a thousand years ago. When a new general manager is appointed at the hotel, he and Man-wol naturally begin to argue, leading into the further plot of the series.
WhileHotel Del Lunais a delightful watch all the way through, full of romantic moments and sweet words, most of the awards it has won have been for its original soundtrack.The music is hauntingly beautiful, really setting the stage for the hotel. Despite the fact that the show revolves around death, it is full of life, with lively characters and easy-to-understand situations.
True Beauty
True Beauty is a South Korean television series based on the Line Webtoon of the same name. The show follows high school student Im Ju-kyung, portrayed by Moon Ga-young, who masters the art of makeup to overcome her insecurities about her appearance. Cha Eun-woo and Hwang In-yeop star as her romantic interests. The series delves into themes of self-esteem, beauty standards, and the impact of outward appearance on personal identity.
On the outside,True Beautymight seem like any other high school romance. It follows Lim Ju-kyung, a girl who has been called ugly for most of her life. However, once she learns how to use makeup, she sets out to hide her perceived ugliness from the world around her and make the boy of her dreams fall in love with her.
True Beautywas originally based on a Webtoon of the same name, and an anime series following the same story released in 2024.
This series has a very deep focus on mental health and self-acceptance, critiquing society’s look on human beauty and how it treats those that don’t fit within its standards. There are several scenes that depict mental health realistically and sometimes painfully, something that the show has been praised for. Outside of this,True Beautyis a lovely romance, where the awkward moments feel realistic for the teenagers it depicts as opposed to cringe-inducing.
Marry My Husband
Kang Ji-won, a terminally ill cancer patient, is brutally murdered by her husband, Park Min-hwan, and her best friend, Jeong Su-min, after discovering their affair. Miraculously, Ji-won is transported ten years into the past, giving her a second chance at life and revenge. Determined to alter her fate, she partners with Yoo Ji-hyuk, a director at her company, and sets out to prevent her tragic end by exposing and dismantling the lives of her betrayers.
One of the more recent hit K-dramas to release,Marry My Husbandis a time-bending adventure that sees Kang Ji-won seek to undo her life decisions.After finding her husband in bed with another woman, Ji-won is killed, only to wake up in the year 2013 with the knowledge of what would happen in the future.With a revenge plot that is both simple and elegant,Marry My Husband’s incredible endingis sure to leave viewers satisfied.
The series has more than a few unexpected twists, serving as emotional eye candy for viewers hoping for a better life for Ji-won. It does not get too bogged down in the minor elements of time travel, allowing the plot to unfold rather than heaping lore onto the viewer. It is a great revengeK-drama, and even more than that, it has a great romance hidden at the center of it all.
