Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Hana Lee
>> 5 Binge-Worthy Teen Romance Dramas to Watch After ‘True Beauty’
Spring has arrived, the season that makes many people feel like falling in love. It’s a time that can make you feel nostalgic for past loves and see your long-time partner in a new light. Today, we’re going to introduce five romantic films that are both entertaining and emotionally captivating, leaving you with both a fluttering and aching heart.
Nothing Serious (2021)
Nothing Serious is a romantic comedy that depicts the love story between a man and a woman who meet on a dating app. The main character, Woo Ri (played by Son Suk Ku), is a 33-year-old man who works for a magazine company and reluctantly joins a dating app to cover a story. Meanwhile, Ja Young (Jeon Jong Seo), a 29-year-old woman who has failed in every relationship, turns to a dating app as a last resort to find her true love. The two connect through the online app using unique nicknames and have candid conversations that lead them to have positive feelings about each other. The show features realistic dialogue and is incredibly immersive as director Jeog Ga Young based the script on real-life love stories and experiences of those who have used dating apps. The unique casting lineup adds to the fun, with Son Suk Ku, known for his role in The Roundup, and Jeon Jong Seo, who starred in The Call, at the center of the story.
On Your Wedding Day (2018)
On Your Wedding is a romantic drama that explores the complex relationship between two high school friends as they navigate their way through love and friendship into adulthood. The story follows Woo Yeon (played by Kim Young Kwang), a high school student who falls in love with Seung Hee (Park Bo Young), a transfer student. Despite his unwavering love for her, their relationship never fully develops due to circumstances beyond their control. Through flashbacks, the show depicts the two reuniting multiple times throughout their lives but ultimately going their separate ways. On Your Wedding has been praised for its realistic portrayal of the characters’ emotional growth as they experience the ups and downs of their first love, including happiness, sadness, anger, and frustration. The show offers a fresh perspective on the genre and is sure to resonate with audiences who appreciate a more nuanced approach to romantic storytelling.
Love Forecast (2015)
Love Forecast is a romantic comedy that follows the story of Jun Su (played by Lee Seung Gi) and Hyun Woo (Moon Chae Won), who have been friends for 18 years but never progressed to lovers. Jun Su, an elementary school teacher, always gets dumped by girls he dates despite being sweet to them. Hyun Woo, on the other hand, is constantly searching for a new man but struggles to find true love. The two have maintained an awkward relationship since Hyun Woo rejected Jun Su’s love a long time ago. Will they be able to confirm their feelings for each other? The film cleverly depicts how modern men and women struggle to turn flings into serious relationships.
My Love, My Bride (2014)
My Love, My Bride is a remake of the first-ever South Korean romantic comedy film of the same name. The story follows Yeong Min (played by Jo Jung Suk) and Mi Young, who are enjoying their newlywed life after four years of dating. However, they soon realize that marriage is not as easy as they thought and start finding little things that bother them about each other. Mi Young gets upset about her husband’s lack of help with house chores, while Yeong Min becomes jealous of her male colleague. The film realistically portrays various episodes that could happen to newlyweds, from being lovey-dovey to quarreling over trivial things.
Architecture 101 (2012)
Architecture 101 is a popular romantic movie from South Korea that revolves around the story of a man and a woman who first meet in an architecture class and fall in love with each other. After 15 years, they reunite as an architect and a client while working together to build a house. As they collaborate, they clear up past misunderstandings and put missing pieces of memories back together. The young versions of the protagonists during their college days were portrayed by Suzy and Lee Je Hoon, while Han Ga and Uhm Tae Woong played their grown-up versions. The movie was a huge success, and Suzy became an icon of first love. Jo Jung Suk also garnered much attention for his comic role as Seung Min’s best friend, who gave him dating advice. The movie’s soundtrack, “An Essay of Memory” by Kim Dong Ryul and Cafe De Seoyeun, located on Jeju Island, was also beloved by viewers.
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
