Love always finds a way.
You could be at the lowest point of your life, running away from a traumatic past, or smack dab in the middle of a zombie apocalypse… but sometimes the stars are aligned and you may just find your soulmate against the odds.
Just ask these K-drama couples who found love and solace in each other in unexpected circumstances, or — to paraphrase Rihanna — fell in love in a hopeless place.
1. Lee Soo-hyeok and Choi Nam-ra in “All of Us Are Dead”
The first rule of a zombie apocalypse is cardio, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pursue your heart’s desire when you’re running for your lives.
The duo could not have been more different — Lee Soo-hyeok is a dashing, semi-reformed bad boy who’s popular among his peers, while Choi Nam-ra, though she is the class president, is an introverted brainiac who often keeps to herself. Soo-hyeok has always had a crush on Nam-ra and his feelings became apparent during the zombie outbreak. In their battle to survive, Nam-ra begins to open up, feelings were confessed, a kiss was had, and rejoice, shippers! — we have an OTP to root for throughout the series.
2. Na Hui-do and Back Yi-jin in “Twenty Five Twenty One”
The 1997-98 financial crisis brought the Asian economy to its knees, and its harrowing effects were not only felt by the adults; it trickled down to the younger generation as well.
In a turbulent time where dreams are put on hold and people are struggling to make ends meet, Na Hui-do — a high school fencer in limbo after her team got shut down due to lack of funds — and Baek Yi-jin — a young man rebuilding his life after his family’s finances were brought to ruin — strike up an unlikely friendship that blossoms into romance through the years.
Will Hee-do and Yi-jin achieve their dreams and get their happily ever after? Follow the emotional ups and downs in “Twenty Five Twenty One”, now streaming on Netflix with new episodes every Saturday and Sunday.
3. Jin Ha-kyung and Lee Si-woo in “Forecasting Love and Weather”
Breakups can be messy. Even more so when your ex is a colleague who cheated on you with another colleague, and everyone in the office gets front row seats to the fallout.
So you can hardly blame Jin Ha-kyung — chief weather forecaster at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) — for vowing to never get involved in an office romance ever again after that humiliating experience. Little did she know, earnest KMA newbie Lee Si-woo is about to put her resolve to the test.
Will Si-woo succeed in melting the ice queen’s heart? Chase the storm in “Forecasting Love and Weather”, now streaming on Netflix with new episodes every Saturday and Sunday.
4. Yoon Se-ri and Captain Ri Jung-hyuk in “Crash Landing on You”
Two countries, both alike in dignity,
In two Koreas, where we lay our scene,
A chance meeting break to ardency,
The star-cross’d lovers’ fate remains to be seen.
This modern-day Romeo and Juliet story starts with an unlikely meet-cute — wealthy South Korean woman Yoon Se-ri meets elite North Korean officer Captain Ri Jung-hyuk when she is forced to make an emergency landing in North Korean territory during a paragliding mishap.
As he protects Se-ri from his fellow officer and tries to help her find her way back into South Korea, the two catch feelings for each other despite knowing that neither could safely stay in the other’s country… and that’s when you know you’re in for a bittersweet and potentially heart-wrenching binge.
5. Lee Hwi & Jung Ji-un in “The King’s Affection”
Set in the Joseon era, where twins are considered an ominous sign, Dam-i — a future prince’s twin sister — narrowly escapes death when her mother sends her away from the palace. As fate would have it, she returned to the palace to become a court maid-in-training and was forced to assume her twin brother a.k.a. the Crown Prince’s identity when he got himself killed in a botched assassination attempt.
It’s a lonely life from here on out — she grows up to become a cold and distant Crown Prince, as she can never have anyone get close enough to discover her secret. Fate, however, has other plans, as her childhood crush Jung Ji-woon was assigned to become her tutor. She fell in love with him all over again and Ji-woon, too, found himself developing “forbidden” feelings for the “Crown Prince”.
Will Dam-i ever be free to live her own life? You’ll have to watch the drama to find out.
6. Hong Du-sik and Yoon Hye-jin in “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha”
There must be something in the seawater of Gongjin.
Coming off from the lowest point of her career and hoping for a fresh start at her mother’s coastal village hometown, Yoon Hye-jin sets up a dental practice at Gongjin, where she meets Hong Du-sik, the village handyman who may or may not be hiding a traumatic past. Though they are polar opposites — she’s a perfectionist who can’t quite shed her city girl tendencies; he’s a jack-of-all-trades who doesn’t seem to have a day job but is always willing to lend a hand — they cannot deny the attraction they have for each other.
7. Captain Yoo Si-ji and Dr. Kang Mo-yeon in “Descendants of the Sun”
Having parted ways after a brief fling due to their philosophical differences, elite soldier Captain Yoo Si-jin and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Kang Mo-yeon reconnect at war-torn Uruk where they were deployed for a peacekeeping mission and leading a medical team respectively. Working side-by-side allowed them to gain insight into each other’s jobs, and the couple eventually reignites their romance right in the middle of a warzone.
Don’t be afraid to catch feels. Stream these K-dramas with unexpected romance, only on Netflix!
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