Coming-of-Age K-dramas are one of the well-experimented genres and a lot of them have gone on to be extremely successful. These series document a character’s journey as they navigate adulthood and the different aspects that come along with it. They also test the strength and will to survive and learn how to deal with hurdles that come your way.
The storylines are famous for resonating with the audiences as they are also on the same trajectory, somewhere in their real lives. Many popular coming-of-age K-dramas remain popular, having garnered a large fan base. Viewers can watch many of them on Netflix, including Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo, Reply 1988, Twety-Five Twenty-One, and more. Check out more details about these shows below.
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo follows the story of weightlifter, Kim Bok-Joo (Lee Sung-Kyung), who dreams of winning a gold medal at the Olympics. She trains hard. Meanwhile, she falls in love with a doctor. But she soon learns that he is her childhood friend and swimmer Jung Joon-Hyung’s (Nam Joo-Hyuk) cousin. As she falls into a slump, Joon-Hyung helps her through it because he had feelings for her. Gradually, she falls for him as the two navigate their romance and professional careers. In this K-drama, Lee Jong-Suk makes a special appearance.
Reply 1988
Reply 1988 is one of the most popular coming-of-age K-dramas that is available on Netflix. The series follows the journey of five childhood friends who live in the same neighborhood of Seoul. Although they have different personalities and different family lives, they lean on each other as they navigate the challenges of entering adulthood. They also form meaningful friendships and relationships in the story. It stars Park Bo-Gum, Lee Hye-Ri, Go Kyung-Pyo, Ryu Jun-Yeol, and more.
Moment of Eighteen
Moment of Eighteen follows the story of transfer student Choi Jun-Woo (Ong Seung-Wu), who lives in his shell after his traumatic past school memories. He meets class president Ma Hwi-Young (Shin Seung-Ho) but the two don’t get along instantly. Jun-Woo crosses paths with Yu Soo-Bin (Kim Hyang-Gi), who sees a different side to him and falls in love despite Hwi-Young’s crush on her. The teens navigate friendship, romance, and more as they become adults.
Cheer Up
Cheer Up is also an interesting coming-of-age drama that was recently added to Netflix. The series documents the story of Do Hae-Yi (Han Ji-Hyun), who joins a university’s cheer squad named Theia. Although initially she’s in it for the money, she begins to have fun and falls for leader Park Jung-Woo (Bae In-Hyuk). She also faces the consequences of the cheer squad’s three mysterious prophecies and becomes the target of an unknown criminal. Her squad mates and seniors help solve this mystery and keep her safe. The drama also stars Kim Hyun-Jin and Jang Gyu-Ri in pivotal roles.
Twenty-Five Twenty-One
Twenty-Five Twenty-One follows the story of fencer Na Hee-Do (Kim Tae-Ri), who has dreams of making it into the national fencing team. However, due to the financial crisis in South Korea, her high school fencing team gets disbanded. She crosses paths with Baek Yi-Jin (Nam Joo-Hyuk), whose family becomes bankrupt due to the crisis. The two navigate the challenges in their personal and professional lives and fall in love. They also deal with the struggles of balancing their relationship amidst their careers.
Viewers can watch these aforementioned coming-of-age K-dramas on Netflix. Other similar shows with similar plots on the platform include Fight For My Way, True Beauty, The Heirs, Because This Is My First Life, and more. Viewers who would like to watch these series can get a subscription to the platform and binge.
