The snow is melting, the flowers are blooming, and love is blossoming in these five K-dramas! From budding romance to fleeting love, these shows capture every trust, turn, and triumph of pure romance. If you haven’t made yourself some popcorn or grabbed a bag of candy, you may want to do so now — things are about to heat up!
One Spring Night (2019)
With twisted relationships and complicated personal lives, Lee Jeong-in (Han Ji-min) and Yu Ji-ho (Jung Hae-in) have more in common than meets the eye. As winter melts into spring, Jeong-in finds herself unhappy with her inattentive boyfriend, so when he suggests it’s time for marriage, she knows she has to call it quits. But when she thinks she’s ready to move on, she meets Ji-ho, and suddenly, ending it isn’t so easy anymore.
Jeong-in’s dream of finding a fateful, passionate love shows a glimpse of reality when she walks into a pharmacy and feels an instant connection with the man behind the counter. But when she sees him in the apartment above her best friend’s and at her boyfriend’s basketball game, she suddenly can’t escape what she was hoping would be a momentary pull of her heart. Now, Jeong-in must choose between staying in her predictable, mundane relationship, or diving into the uncertainty of love in the warming of spring. Yet there’s one thing she has yet to figure out: Ji-ho has a secret life of his own that could change everything.
Genre: Romance, Drama
Where to watch: Netflix
Twinkling Watermelon (2023)
As the only hearing member of a four-person family, Ha Eun-gyeol (Ryeoun) has to navigate finding his voice elsewhere in the world. find his voice elsewhere. By day, he’s a perfect student and his family’s interpreter, but by night, he disguises himself and sneaks away to pursue his secret passion for music. Having found refuge in a local music shop throughout his childhood, Eun-gyeol is determined to live his dream of being a musician while also being the model citizen that his father wants him to be. That is, until his father discovers his secret.
Following a massive fight with his dad, Eun-gyeol runs to the music shop…only to find himself in 1995 upon leaving. In his disoriented state, he winds up in a band audition — led by none other than his father. The biggest shock of all? His father, who Eun-gyeol believes has always been deaf, can hear, speak, sing, and even plays guitar. As Eun-gyeol grapples with this alternate version of his father (Choi Hyun-wook), he embarks on a journey to understand why his dad can hear and how to find his way back to his present day. Along the way, he also begins to question one crucial thing: If his dad is here, where is his mother?
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Coming of age
Where to watch: Viki
Thirty-Nine (2022)
For twenty years, Cha Mi-jo (Son Ye-jin), Jang Joo-hee (Kim Ji-hyun), and Jeong Chan-young (Jeon Mi-do) have shared their lives as best friends, growing together through the highs and lows of their lives. Their bond has weathered personal struggles — Joo-hee’s mother’s battle with cancer, Mi-jo’s struggle with being adopted, and Chan-young’s heartbreak as she watched her first love marry another woman and start a family. Yet, through it all, one constant has remained: their unwavering support for each other.
But now, everything is about to change. After a group routine health checkup before Mi-jo travels abroad, one of the women receives the news that she has stage four pancreatic cancer and has six months to live. The trio is then faced with the reality that their time together is increasingly limited. Determined to make the most of their time together, Mi-jo, Joo-hee, and Chan-young ask themselves the age-old question: what do I really want?
Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy
Where to watch: Netflix
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)
Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) has the brains and the confidence, but in a judgemental society, her autism is often seen as a barrier. Determined to succeed, Young-woo embarks on a mission to live her dreams, regardless of society’s perceptions. Every morning, she leaves the comfort of her father’s kimbap shop and sets off to show the world. While others may view her autism as a fault, it is actually her biggest strength.
Recently hired by Hanbada, a top law firm, Young-woo fights for cases against other experienced attorneys, eager to show her skills at full capacity. Her unique ability to uncover reason and evidence in unconventional ways makes her an invaluable asset. However, her true challenge isn’t proving her legal expertise — it’s navigating the complex social dynamics at the firm and in court. While society may struggle to adapt to her, some people along the way embrace her with open arms, and with their help, Woo Young-woo is only getting started.
Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy
Where to watch: Netflix
Our Beloved Summer (2021)
One documentary, two students. When a film is proposed to highlight the contrast between the top and bottom students in their senior class, it seems like a simple idea — until the director has to convince both Kook Yeon-su (Kim Da-mi) and Choi Ung (Choi Woo-shik) to do it. Kook Yeon-su, a model student and perfectionist, has little patience for Choi Ung, a carefree student who does little more than irritate her and doze off in class. However, after begrudgingly participating in the documentary, they unexpectedly find they get along better than expected. That is, until their summer and their relationship comes to a close.
Years later, Yeon-su is a successful PR executive, and Ung has become a famous landscape illustrator. Their lives have moved forward and the past seems long behind them. But when the original documentary unexpectedly goes viral, curious viewers are eager to discover where both subjects are now. Though both are reluctant to step back into the spotlight, their want to show that they have fully moved on conquers their judgement. Now, with a new documentary up and running, they have to prove their relationship is in the past… but is it?
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Coming of age
Where to watch: Netflix
Want more Team ACT!ON recommendations? Check out 14 Asian Films & Series to Watch This Valentine’s Day here!
