一 | If there is anything apart from Shah Rukh Khan's films that have raised the bar for romance for Indian fans, it's definitely Korean dramas. Over the years, K-dramas have redefined what on-screen love can look like. More than just visually stunning, these dramas resonate because they are rooted in sincerity, good storytelling, layered characters, and meaningful writing. K-dramas don't just show dreamy love stories, many of them spotlight social issues, evolving relationships and personal growth.
So, scroll through our list of some of the most romantic K-dramas for every mood and moment.
In This Article
Crash Landing on YouAll of Us Are DeadGoblin (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God)Twenty-Five Twenty-OneCoffee PrinceOur Beloved SummerCrash Landing on You
Director: Lee Jung-hyo
Cast: Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, Kim Jung-hyunCrash Landing On You is the drama everyone will ask you to watch if you are new into Korean shows. It follows Yoob Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), a successful South Korean businesswoman who accidentally lands in North Korea after a paragliding mishap. There, she meets the Captain in the Korean People's Army Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), who gives her shelter and helps her return back home. Se-ri navigates the harsh realities of North Korean life and bonds with her new neighbours as well as Captain Ri's subordinates. The two of them slowly develop a deep bond.
On the other hand, Seo Dan, a wealthy North Korean woman who is engaged to Captain Ri is not happy with Se-ri's arrival. However, destiny brings her closer to Gu Seung-jun (Alberto Gu), a charming yet morally grey South Korean conman.
All of Us Are Dead
Directors: Lee Jae-kyoo and Kim Nam-su
Cast: Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo, Lee Yoo-mi
All of Us Are Dead isn't a conventional love story. It unfolds in the middle of a terrifying zombie apocalypse. The story follows a group of students trapped inside their school after a deadly virus outbreak turns their classmates and teachers into zombies. Confined within those four walls, they fight for survival and are faced with tough choices that make them question their believes and morals.
Amid this chaos, the show explores the tender moments of young love. Childhood best friends Lee Cheong-san (Yoon Chan-young) and Nam On-jo (Park Ji-hu) begin to realise their feels for each other as the danger around them grows. Their bond becomes the emotional core of the series. Another romantic thread involves Su-hyeok (Lomon) and Choi Nam-ra (Cho Yi-hyun), whose budding romance blossoms slowly, even as the world around them falls apart. The drama also explores questions of survival, friendship, and the erosion of social norms during a horrible incident.
Goblin (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God)
Directors: Lee Eung-bok and Kwon Hyuk-chan (Ep. 5–16)
Cast: Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-na and Yook Sung-jae
One of the most popular K-dramas, Goblin tells the story of Kim Shin aka Goblin (Gong Yoo), a general from the Goryeo era who is cursed with immortality after his death. Bound to live forever as a punishment for all the people he had killed in war, he carries a sword invisibly logged in his chest. The only way to free him is if the Goblin's Bride appears and removes the sword. Enter Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), a cheerful yet lonely high school girl who can see ghosts. When she accidentally summons the goblin, their lives intertwine in unexpected ways. She realises that she might be the destined bride who can end his eternal life.
Adding a dash of comedy is the hilarious dynamic between the Goblin and the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook), whose constant bickering bring in some of the show's most iconic moments. Goblin became a cultural phenomenon in South Korea after its release.
Twenty-Five Twenty-One
Director: Jung Ji-hyun
Cast: Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Bona, Choi Hyun-wook, Lee Ju-myoung
Twenty-Five Twenty-One is a coming-of-age romantic drama set between the late 1990s and early 2000s. It follows Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri), a passionate high school fencer whose life turns upside down during South Korea’s IMF financial crisis. Her fencing team is disbanded, forcing her to shift to another school. She crosses paths with Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk), once the son of a wealthy family but now struggling after his father’s business collapses. Forced to juggle multiple part-time jobs, Yi-jin slowly rebuilds his life and Hee-do’s fiery spirit brings warmth into his bleak world. Hee-do also crossed paths with fencing prodigy Ko Yu-rim (Bona), her idol turned rival and later close friend, class clown Ji Seung-wan (Lee Ju-myoung), and loyal friend Moon Ji-woong (Choi Hyun-wook), each pursuing their own dreams while navigating the changes of youth. The show ends on a bittersweet note with Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin growing older and moving in different directions, not becase they stopped loving each other, but because they couldn't find a way to grow together in the same direction.
Coffee Prince
Director: Lee Yoon-jung
Cast: Gong Yoo, Yoon Eun-hye, Lee Sun-kyun, Chae Jung-an
Coffee Prince tells the story of unlikely romance between a tomboyish woman and a young food empire moghul. Go Eun-chan (Yoon Eun-hye), a tomboyish woman who disguises herself as a man to get a job at Choi Han-kyul’s (Gong Yoo) cafe, Coffee Prince. Han-kyul hires her believing she’s a boy, and the two grow close, leading him into emotional turmoil as he begins to fall for her. When Eun-chan finally reveals she’s a woman, the confusion gives way to a genuine romance. Their relationship is later tested when Eun-chan moves to Italy to train as a barista, but Han-kyul supports her dreams.
Our Beloved Summer
Director: Lee Yoon-jung
Cast: Gong Yoo, Yoon Eun-hye, Lee Sun-kyun and Chae Jung-an
Our Beloved Summer follows to ex-lovers, Choi Ung (Choi Woo-shik) and Kook Yeon-soo (Kim Da-mi), who breakup and promise bever to meet again. However, the documentary they filmed in high school goes viral, forcing them to face each other once again.
As they work together again, old wounds resurface, but so do old feelings. Ung, now a rising illustrator, still carries unresolved hurt, while Yeon-soo, a successful PR professional, confronts the emotional walls she built to survive her difficult upbringing.
Also Read: 12 Winter-set K-dramas To Watch On Cosy Nights In: Goblin, Romance Is A Bonus Book and More。
