No K-drama fan can resist a good romantic storyline that gets the heart racing, possible love triangles, and a few skeletons in the closet. During 2022, there have been more than enough romance K-drama storylines to satisfy the desire, like The Law Cafe and Crazy Love. But with so many K-dramas on the list, which ones reign supreme with the most riveting love stories and drama?
‘Love is for Suckers’ is a friends-to-lovers story with a small twist
There are multiple subcategories in the romance genre, like the highly popular friends-to-lovers trope. Disney+’s Soundtrack #1 is a prime example. But in 2022, the romance-comedy K-drama Love is for Suckers adds a good setting twist.
Actor Lee Da-hee stars as Goo Yeo-reum, a production director for reality TV whose job is not going so well. With the threat of her projects getting canceled, she puts her hope in her new dating reality series, Kingdom of Love. It just so happens that her best friend of over 20 years, Park Jae-hoon, played by Choi Si-won, gets cast in the series.
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Jae-hoon is a plastic surgeon who has given up on finding love and being in a relationship. But to help Yeo-reum, he joins the cast. Despite always having platonic feelings, working together in a lovey-dovey environment leads them to unearth feelings for each other.
Love is for Suckers is available on Viki.
‘Business Proposal’ was a successful 2022 romance K-drama based on a webtoon
In 2022, Netflix released the highly anticipated romance K-drama, Business Proposal. Based on a webtoon of the same name, it focuses on a few lies, mistaken identity, and boss and employee relationship. Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) works as a food developer for GO Foods. Her best friend, Jin Young-seo (Seol In-ah), is a chaebol heir whose father actively tries to marry off.
As a good best friend, Ha-ri poses as Young-seo on blind dates to ward off suitors. In one final favor, she goes on a date and lands in trouble. The suitor is her boss, Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop). His grandfather also pushes him to get married.
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To appease his grandfather, he decides to marry the next girl he dates. It just so happens to be Ha-ri posing as her friend. Despite her efforts, he still pursues her, thus beginning a whirlwind of lies. Their story soon becomes something more.
But Business Proposal is one of the best of the year because of its second-lead romance. Young-seo soon finds love at first sight with Tae-moo’s best friend and assistant. Fans should prepare for plenty of steamy kiss scenes. Business Proposal is available on Netflix.
‘Love in Contract’ is a complex love triangle with a bride for hire
Park Min-young has been the Queen of romance dramas since her leading role in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim. She now stars in the 2022 romance K-drama Love in Contract. What makes the drama worthwhile is its premise and use of multiple tropes.
Choi Sang-eun (Park) has a dark past she left behind. As an adult, she uses her only skills to make money. Her job? She is a bride/wife for hire. Bachelors and single men hire her services to appease grandparents, impress co-workers, or gain something legally. While having multiple clients, Jung Ji-ho (Go Kyung-pyo) has been her only consistent client for five years.
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When famous actor and chaebol heir, Kang Hae-jin (Kim Jae-young), moves into Ji-ho’s building, there is a shift. Sang-eun begins to realize she may have grown attached to Ji-ho. As Hae-jin hires her to be his fake fiancé, her career takes a turn.
Love in Contract is available on Viki.
‘Yumi’s Cells’ Season 2 is a realistic take on love and romance
Before watching Yumi’s Cells Season 2, fans should watch the first season as it is a continuous storyline. The first season gained fame for its realistic portrayal of what it means to be in a relationship, breakups, and moving on. Yumi’s Cells Season 2 follows Kim Yu-mi (Kim Go-eun) after heartbreak.
But this time, fans see the feelings of a prior character begin to blossom into something more. Yu-mi soon realizes her co-worker Yoo Babi (Jinyoung) does have a crush on her. But she is unsure whether or not to pursue it. While hesitant, she takes the plunge and another shot at love.
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Yumi’s Cells Season 2 continues the webtoon storyline as Yu-mi becomes enchanted by Babi’s near perfection as a boyfriend. But there is trouble on the horizon as Yu-mi again looks within herself for what she truly wants.
Yumi’s Cells Season 2 is available on Viki.
‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’ was the most popular 2022 coming-of-age romance K-drama
It is hard to have a 2022 romance K-drama list without Twenty-Five Twenty-One. While the drama focuses on the growing lives of the teen characters, there is a resonating love story. In 1998, Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) joins her dream fencing team after the IMF Crisis disbanded her school’s program. At the same time, Baek Yi-jin’s (Nam Joo-hyuk) family goes bankrupt. He ventures on his own to rebuild his life.
The two characters meet by accident and begin a friendship. While Yi-jin is older than Hee-do, they become each other’s shoulder to cry on. Their deeply rooted connection soon hits the heart and begins to develop into blossoming love. While it may not be Yi-jin’s first love, it is Hee-do’s. Fans watch their growing journey into complex adulthood and possibly love.
Twenty-Five Twenty-One is available on Netflix.
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