When we were young, summer was a time to be lazy, and have way more hours to ride our bikes, and swim in the pond, or just swing on the tire swing. Yeah, I’m dating myself! Now it’s a brief time when I can stop worrying about the school emails and driving the kids everywhere and just relax into a good romantic drama. Thankfully, dramaland has followed through on bringing me the romance that I’ve been longing. Here are the top 5 romance dramas that I’m watching right now, and why you might want to check them out. They are in no particular order.
Yumi’s Cells 2
The cells are back and cuter than ever! I know some of you were upset by the ending of the first season, but I’m here to tell you that Yoo Babi is where it’s at. Yumi is following her own path this season, trying to discover who she really is and going after her dream, and having the very handsome Park Jin Young by her side helps her with every step. This show is so refreshing, knowing that in life we might date several really great people and still not end up with them. Kim Go Eun seems to have chemistry with anyone she’s paired with, and this is no exception. FYI, we meet some cells down the road for a side character and I have been laughing all week. Per Mr. Drama Geek’s comment: you can view yourself however you want inside your head.
Dear.M
Anyone in the mood for a breezy college romance? Dear.M is an idol drama with lots of new (yes, a bit green) talent that is an easy watch and has all the episodes ready and waiting on Viki. The best part about campus life is the fun sismances and bromances, and this show does not disappoint. If friends to lovers is your jam, then you’ll really enjoy our OTP. She’s totally clueless about any feelings she might have, but the male lead is all too aware of how he feels, especially when she develops her first crush on an upperclassman in his major. The mystery premise of someone posting a confession letter the first day of school is a light thread throughout; everyone is excited and wanting to know who has a crush on one of their classmates. On the romance side, there are several ships to sail, apart from the main love triangle, so it might have something for everyone.
Love the Way You Are
Noona romances are all the rage for Cdramas the last few years, and this is the latest installment. The main pull for me on this one is Lai Juan Lin. He’s a former Wanna One member and just a cute and sweet love interest. The setup is a bit… well, they’re technically step-siblings, but she doesn’t recognize him when they first meet again, so I’m guessing he was sent off to live with his dad or study pretty soon after their parents got together. Yin Yi Ke (Angelababy) is a career woman who is in a long distance relationship with a textbook narcissist. So far her chemistry with the male lead is sweet and comfortable without having any sibling vibes. Ha! That’s not a sentence you want to say too often. The rest of the cast has several possible couples forming and it has a nice comfortable feel to all of it.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Word of advice if you’re single: Find someone that looks at whales the way Attorney Woo does, or better yet, find someone who looks at you when you’re fangirling over something you love the way Lee Jun Ho looks at Attorney Woo when she looks at whales. If you are on any kind of social media that discusses Kdramas, you’ve probably heard about this drama. Korea is pushing their own boundaries by showing diverse representation in the dramas, and it is something I get super excited about. Though representation isn’t always good representation. You will have to watch the show for yourself and see what you think of Park Eun Bin’s depiction of a lawyer who is on the autism spectrum, and how the writer and production team are tackling this topic. My take is that is isn’t perfect and there are things they could do better, and maybe the next time they will. For now, I’ve seen proof that people in Korea are sitting back and asking themselves if their biases should be questioned because of watching the show. Is it enough? Not sure, but I am sure that Woo Young Woo and Lee Jun Ho are the cutest thing ever. They have set Woo Young Woo’s character up to be someone who might have a hard time showing connection and love in a romantic relationship, so it’ll be interesting to see how they explore that. Will they make sure to show that not all people on the spectrum have a hard time showing love in relationships? It’ll be interesting to find out.
Link: Eat, Love, Kill
Okay, I said they weren’t in any kind of order, but I did save my favorite for last, at least when it comes to couples. Yeo Jin Goo has been doing adult roles for a while now, but this is the first pairing I’ve seen from him that has me 100% all in. His chemistry with Moon Ga Young is just everything that is delightful about a couple. Their characters are connected by an unseen link, and therefore when she cries, he cries. When she has nightmares, he wakes up and makes her delightful snacks in his forever about-to-open restaurant. They have a linked past that could be the ruin of all things happy in the next few weeks, but I still think it’s all worth it. Possibly overshadowing their romance a tad is the female lead’s family — three generations of women who will carry around a shovel or stuff a body in a refrigerator just to make sure you’re safe. There is some fun dark humor to go along with the romance, and a small town full of suspects. Bonus for Kmuse: there’s a serial killer or two running around the show.
P.S. I forgot Alchemy of Souls, but in the end I decided to stick with these five. We have a full first impression on that drama on the blog and podcast where I share my opinion on our Patreon. 🙂
Until the Next Heart Flutter,
Drama Geek
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi