Romantic South Korean dramas mostly revolve around storylines where two enemies fall in love. But there are a few best friends-to-lovers K-dramas like Welcome to Samdalri and True Beauty, in which two friends become a couple.
In such storylines, the two characters start as friends and eventually take the next step. In the K-dramas mentioned above, the lead characters share a connection since their respective childhood. Due to the beautiful representation of romance between two friends, these series are big hits among fans.
Take a look at some of the best friends-to-lovers K-dramas here:
True Beauty
True Beauty is a classic series and one of the best friends-to-lovers K-dramas. The 2020 romance drama tells the story of Im Ju-Kyung (Mun Ka-Young), who is bullied in school for her average looks. When she moves to her childhood place and enrolls in a new high school, she decides to wear heavy makeup to cover up her blemishes. While her schoolmates don’t know her natural face, Lee Soo-Ho (Cha Eun-Woo) is the only one who knows the truth.
The two used to be childhood friends, but Ju-Kyung moved to somewhere else. Now she is back, and they become friends again. He helps her hide her truth in the school but also lets her know that true beauty lies inside—eventually, the two fall in love.
Welcome to Samdalri
Welcome to Samdalri is the latest example of a K-drama based on the friends-to-lovers theme. Starring Shin Hye-Sun as Cho Sam-Dal and Ji Chang-Wook as Jo Yong-Phil, the Netflix & JTBC series is a story of two childhood friends who were meant to be together. But they part ways because of Yong-Phil’s father.
Years later, the two reunite and become friends again. While finding comfort in each other, they rekindle their romance in the latest K-drama.
Reply 1988
Reply 1988 is one of the classic K-dramas about childhood friends who find love within their group. Set in 1988, a group of friends grew up in the same lane and were there for each other through their teenage years. Aside from their strong bond, the storyline also has a romance angle. Ryu Jun Yeol’s Kim Jung-Hwan and Park Bo-Gum’s Choi Taek, both like their friend Lee Hye-Ri’s Sung Deok-Sun. She likes Jung-Hwan and tries to take the next step with him, but he hesitates after learning Choi Taek’s feelings. The latter, too, takes a step back when he finds out that his best friend also likes Deok-Sun.
Their friendship grows stronger over the years, and eventually, Choi Taek decides to take a step closer to her. Reply 1988 is a beautiful, heartwarming story that will make every 80s kid nostalgic. It is available on Netflix.
Twenty-Five Twenty-One
Twenty-Five Twenty-One is also one of the best friends-to-lovers K-dramas. The romance series tells the story of teenage fencer Na Hee-Do (Kim Tae-Ri) and riches-to-rags Back Yi-Jin (Nam Joo-Hyuk). Starting off as friends, the two grow mature together. Along the way, they fall in love. But trouble looms over the couple when they have to choose between their careers and relationships.
The 2022 drama is available on Netflix.
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo is another Nam Joo-Hyuk K-drama alongside Lee Sung-Kyung. Bok-Joo is a weightlifter who has a crush on a fitness doctor. To get close to him, she pays daily visits to his clinic, claiming to lose weight. Her childhood friend Jung Joon-Hyung, a skilled swimmer, is the doctor’s younger brother and helps her in her mission. But he also inspires her to achieve her dream.
The two chaotic friends eventually become each other’s inspiration and fall in love. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo is available to stream on Netflix.
