6 Second Lead Couples Who Deserve Their Own Dramas

If there’s anything worse than having a strong dose of second lead syndrome, it’s when the second leads are in a relationship of their own and they are just as (if not more) swoonable than the main leads of the drama. Either way, if you’ve experienced this you know you’ve felt the sad and true disappointment that they don’t have an adequate amount of screen time. We’ve rounded up a list of five K-dramas and one C-drama with secondary couples that have such sizzling chemistry, they should lead a drama of their own!

Warning: Spoilers for the dramas below!

Ji Seo Joon and Song Hae Rin from “Romance Is A Bonus Book”

Honestly, if Wi Ha Joon and Jung Yoo Jin don’t lead a drama together in the future we will all be robbed. Ji Seo Joon (Wi Ha Joon) and Song Hae Rin (Jung Yoo Jin) are basically a cute and campy version of the “enemies-to-lovers” trope. After Song Hae Rin miraculously convinces Ji Seo Joon to sign with Gyeoroo Publishing House to design a book cover, it’s uphill (and a bit of downhill) from there.

One of their sweetest scenes occurs after Song Hae Rin gets completely wasted (plus, has an allergic reaction) when they go out drinking together. Comedy and chaos ensue when Ji Seo Joon carries her all the way back to his apartment and lets her stay there for the night. Afterward, she goes to apologize to him, and her apology is adorable as it recreates an iconic scene from the movie, “Love Actually.”

Also, can we just appreciate how he confesses to her in the end?

If your heart isn’t fluttering than do you even have one? These two deserve a rom-com of their own!

Moo Yeon and Kim So Hye from “100 Days My Prince”

These two are for the angst lovers. Kim Jae Young and Han So Hee portray forbidden lovers so well in “100 Days My Prince” that my heart hurts just thinking about it. Moo Yeon (Kim Jae Young) does all the dirty work for the king and So Hye’s (Han So Hee) father. There’s a long and twisted history as to how he ended up there, but due to this position, he has time to protect and watch over So Hye, who is betrothed to the Crown Prince (EXO’s D.O.). Over the years, they end up growing closer than anyone could have thought. So much so, that (spoiler alert) her baby is actually his, not Won Deuk’s! They try to run off together after Won Deuk returns to the throne (after living as a peasant for 100 days) and allows them both to live.

But ultimately fate is not on their side. She watches her father kill him and our only shred of hope is that they find each other in another life. These two could totally pull off leading a dramatic saeguk (or any other genre)! And if they ever do, my fingers are crossed for a happy ending!

Yeon Woo Young and Oh Hyun Jung from “My ID Is Gangnam Beauty”

A spin-off for “My ID Is Gangnam Beauty” should have been mandatory if only to see how Woo Young (Kwak Dong Yeon) and Hyun Jung (Min Dohee) finally ended up together. These two were totally hitting one of the best couple tropes in history: the second love trope. You know, the one where one character makes the heartbroken character believe in love again?

While Hyun Jung has a crush on Woo Young for nearly the whole drama, he has eyes for Kang Mi Rae (Im Soo Hyang). He was definitely reevaluating his whole outlook on love by the time the drama finished. However, he does seek advice from Hyun Jung many times throughout the drama. Their friendship is something that would have made their romance even better. In the end, he tells Hyun Jung that he has a lot to learn from her. Kwak Dong Yeon and Min Dohee had some major chemistry in this drama, and who knows, if luck is on our side we can see them put their talents to good use in a drama of their own!

Watch “My ID is Gangnam Beauty”:

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Ban Ryu and Soo Yeon from “Hwarang”

Ban Ryu (Do Ji Han) and Soo Yeon (Lee Da In) are amusing, mischevious, and frankly soft. Not only do they have an incredibly hilarious first meeting – she grabs his butt thinking he’s her brother, Suho (Minho), that she wants to get revenge on for always pranking her – but they are also star-crossed lovers. Ban Ryu also happens to be Suho’s biggest rival.

Ban Ryu and Soo Yeon date in secret, stealing glances and kisses. They frequently share secret letters with each other that will make you smile and maybe cringe from the cheesiness. One of their cutest scenes is when Soo Yeon gives him her braid when he has to go away and is unsure if he will make it back alive. The chemistry is really delightful in the midst of all the angst in “Hwarang” and they would shine in a drama together.

Watch “Hwarang”:

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Lee Se Joo and Choi Soo Ji from “Tempted”

I know, I know, most people talk about Kwon Si Hyun (Woo Do Hwan) and Choi Soo Ji (Moon Ga Young), but there is something incredibly special about Se Joo (Kim Min Jae) and Soo Ji. They’ve been best friends since childhood and are also ultimate schemers when it comes to getting revenge against people who they feel have done them wrong. Their chemistry was just as good, and they had such a terrific “will-they-won’t-they” pull since, let’s be honest, Si Hyun was obviously going to end up with Eun Tae Hee (Joy). And their last scene when they finally reunited after going their separate ways? Iconic. Their hug is so endearing. They looked so at peace to be in each other’s arms.

It would be amazing if these two could reunite in a drama. Kim Min Jae and Moon Ga Young’s chemistry was underrated and they deserve to have their acting abilities shine as they lead a drama together!

Watch “Tempted”:

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Lin Yi Yang and Zhang Fang Fang from “Accidentally In Love”

“Accidentally In Love” is a drama that is full of all of the great tropes. Enemies to Lovers? Check. The bad boy that falls in love with the good girl? Check. And surprisingly, it’s so well written that all of the couples switch seamlessly into the “friends to lovers” trope without you even realizing. Zhang Fang Fang (Zhou Mo) and Lin Yi Yang (Zhao Yi Qin) fall into the bad boy/good girl trope.

Yi Yang is misunderstood as the school bully, and instead of correcting people he just rolls with it. Fang Fang is smart and tends to witness all of his kind acts that eventually get twisted into something ugly through the gossip train. One of which is when he saves her best friend, Qing Qing (Sun Yi Ning) from drowning, but the rumor mill says he pushed her in the pool. Things kick off once he saves her from a perilous haunted house and they keep bumping into each other. By the end of the drama, she tutors him and they have a swoon-worthy moment that involves a love poem. And his confession? Unparalleled.

If these two lead their own drama together one day, then the world will be blessed!

These are just a few of many dramas that have second lead couples that we hope will lead their own drama one day. Which ones are your favorite and were they on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

kaityv spends most of her time watching K-dramas even though she should be writing. If she’s not watching a drama then she’s for sure binging BTS, iKON, and Red Velvet music videos.

Currently watching: “Her Private Life,” and “Abyss”
All-time favorite: “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon”
Looking forward to: “So I Married An Anti-Fan,” and “Vagabond”