A Charming Male Lead, Heartbreaking Love Triangle, And Talented Kim Go Eun: What To Watch After "Yumi's Cells"
It’s been hard getting over the fact that the first season of “Yumi’s Cells” is complete and that we no longer have the pleasure of seeing Yumi’s adorable cells help her navigate through the hardships of life. On the bright side, there is a Season 2 looming on the horizon, and a date will be dropping soon enough. In the meantime, if you’re looking for some other K-dramas to help lesson the pain of no longer having “Yumi’s Cells” to lean on, here are some recommendations.
The Charming Ahn Bo Hyun
“My Name”
Yoon Ji Woo (Han So Hee) has lived a rough life as a result of her father being a gangster. But after her dad gets murdered in cold blood, she becomes a police officer to try and find out who was responsible. She trains for years in hopes of one day avenging her father’s death. Ahn Bo Hyun plays Jeon Pil Do, her partner and confidante when times get difficult for Ji Woo. He vows to help her get revenge.
Ahn Bo Hyun as Jeon Pil Do is quite the heartthrob. The character is pretty conventional but one that Ahn Bo Hyun has never played. He’s strong, charismatic, and oozing with charm – you’ll love him until the very end of the series! Playing a rough and tumble police officer suits him very well, and the chemistry between the leads is sizzling; you really need to see it to feel it!
“Her Private Life” is a well-loved K-drama rom-com starring Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook. The series involves an artist by the name of Ryan Gold who falls in love with an art curator named Sung Deok Mi (Park Min Young). Ahn Bo Hyun plays Nam Eun Gi, a long-time friend of Deok Mi who happens to be in love with her.
This role was one of Ahn Bo Hyun’s first breakthrough roles. His portrayal as the long-time friend of Park Min Young’s character, who he has longingly been in love with for years, is sweet and memorable. His character has a carefree and fun personality, which makes Ahn Bo Hyun that much more attractive. If you like seeing romantic comedies and would like to see Ahn Bo Hyun in a very rare role as a romantic and sweet second lead, make sure you check out this series!
Watch “Her Private Life” here:
“Kairos”
“Kairos” is a fantasy thriller starring Shin Sung Rok as Kim Se Jin, Lee Se Young as Han Ae Ri, and Ahn Bo Hyun as Seo Do Kyun. Kim Se Jin’s daughter is kidnapped and is in despair trying to find her. Han Ae Ri is searching for her missing mother and living one month in the past from Seo Jin. The two are able to communicate with each other and are trying to race time in order to rescue their loved ones.
Ahn Bo Hyun plays Kim Seo Jin’s right hand man at the company they work at. Do Kyun looks up to his boss and respects him, but when he discovers a flaw in one of his boss’s projects, he is one of the key characters who drives the plot into twists and turns. Ahn Bo Hyun does a great job of playing a dual character who hides much of who he is from everyone around him. He has small changes in demeanor when around people, which is subtle but very significant to his character, and he does an amazing job of portraying it! Ahn Bo Hyun also snagged his first K-drama award for this series as he won Best New Actor at the 2020 MBC Drama Awards.
Check out the series here:
Talented Kim Go Eun
“Eungyo”
“Eungyo” is about a high school girl who ends up literally at the front door of a 70-year-old poet played by Park Hae Il. He becomes so infatuated with her that he decides to write a literary piece about her. He offers her a part-time job at his house, and the two form a very complicated and artistic relationship.
This was Kim Go Eun’s first ever role in a K-drama or movie, and she didn’t even mean to go to the audition. She followed her good friend, and the director couldn’t help but see the star quality in Kim Go Eun as he asked her to star in his movie. The movie was a huge success in Korea, and it shot Kim Go Eun to stardom. She also won four Best New Actress awards at various film festivals, making her one of the most sought after actresses in the industry.
Kim Go Eun plays Hong Seol in the webtoon-based K-drama “Cheese in the Trap.” She’s a normal university student who is just trying to get by in life with various part-time jobs and being a good daughter and older sister. When she meets the oddball Yoo Jung (Park Hae Jin), she’s convinced he hates her, but then he suddenly asks her out.
This was Kim Go Eun’s first K-drama role and was very highly anticipated as “Cheese In The Trap” was a very successful webtoon. Needless to say, she did an amazing job portraying the very innocent and naive university student Hong Seol who is just trying to get by in hopes of having a successful future. Fans loved how relatable and down-to-earth her character is. Unsurprisingly, Kim Go Eun also snagged the Best New Actress award at the 2016 Baeksang Arts Awards.
You can watch “Cheese In The Trap” here:
“Coin Locker Girl”
Kim Go Eun stars in “Coin Locker Girl” alongside some mega stars – Kim Hye Soo, Um Tae Goo, Park Bo Gum, and Go Kyung Pyo, just to name a few. She plays a poor girl named Il Young who runs dangerous and sometimes illegal errands for her mother, whom she was sold to at 10 years old. One day, she’s forced to run an errand for her mother and meets Suk Hyun (Park Bo Gum). The two form a close friendship, and Il Young starts to develop feelings for him.
Kim Go Eun’s versatility in her choice of movies is jaw-dropping. Her characters have depth, meaning, and are very complicated, which is only a testament to her amazing acting abilities. Her portrayal as the baggage-filled Il Young is raw and flawlessly executed. Kim Go Eun is able to take on the role of this tortured girl and own it completely, only emphasizing her acting abilities as an actress. The versatility in roles that Kim Go Eun picks really never ceases to amaze!
“Tune In For Love”
Kim Go Eun stars in this film as Mi Soo, a girl who helps run her parents’ bakery. When Hyun Woo (Jung Hae In) stumbles into their bakery and asks for a part-time job, the two soon fall in love only to be separated several times as they achieve their dreams. Mi Soo and Hyun Woo finally find the perfect time to be with each other but are torn when Hyun Woo’s past catches up with him.
The carefree and lovable Kim Go Eun shines in this movie as Mi Soo, and her chemistry with Jung Hae In is so intense and heartwarming all at the same time. The movie has a somber tone throughout but is definitely worth the watch to see these two together. The progression of their love is so heartfelt to see, and the destined love they have for each other is beautifully shown throughout the movie.
The Heartbreaking Love Triangle
“Love Alarm”
A mobile application is created to indicate if someone within 10 meters of you likes you. When someone likes you, the alarm rings, but it doesn’t reveal the exact person who likes you. Kim Jo Jo (Kim So Hyun) gets caught in a situation with two boys and decides whether or not it’s a good idea to download the app.
“Love Alarm” has the angst of a high school romance and the love triangle that shook the K-drama world, with fans still talking about the two characters who were trying to win Kim Jo Jo’s heart. The series tackles a lot of issues with the female lead having gone through very traumatic events in her life. She is constantly figuring out who she is while dealing with her past, and in the process, she meets two men who happen to both be perfect for her. Who does she choose? Watch the series to find out!
This second lead syndrome draws very close to that of “True Beauty,” so if you’re going to watch it, prepare your heart! “School 2015” is a normal high school K-drama with a significantly memorable second lead. Yook Sungjae plays Gong Tae Kwang, a quirky student who never paid much attention to Eun Byul (Kim So Hyun) because of her snobbiness. But when Eun Bi appears at Eun Byul’s school pretending to be her twin sister, Tae Kwang finds himself oddly attracted to her.
As Eun Bi adjusts to her new life, stepping into her twin sister’s shoes, she befriends Gong Tae Kwang, and he ends up falling in love with her. Gong Tae Kwang is a total charmer, which makes it so hard for the viewer when Yi Ahn (Nam Joo Hyuk) ends up falling for her too. The two fight over the affections of Eun Bi, and she’s forced to choose between them. The romance and heartbreak between these three high school students will have your heartstrings tugging and aching.
Start watching “Who Are You: School 2015” now:
“Don’t Dare To Dream” (“Jealousy Incarnate”)
Go Kyung Pyo plays the well-to-do chaebol Ko Jung Won, a very unforgettable character. He pursues Pyo Na Ri (Gong Hyo Jin) in a very romantic and persistent way. In a moment in her life where she feels like she doesn’t have much and doesn’t have the most self-confidence, Jung Won loves her so much, giving her everything a girl could want. Despite this, Na Ri finds her herself falling back in love with Hwa Shin (Jo Jung Suk), the man who broke her heart before.
Jung Won and Hwa Shin are the bestest of friends but have the unfortunate tendency to fall for the same girl. This theory is put to the test when Jung Won ends up falling in love with Pyo Na Ri. Initially, it seems as though Hwa Shin isn’t interested in Na Ri, but when he sees how they are together and how Na Ri is with Jung Won, Hwa Shin slowly becomes interested. This love triangle has both elements of heartbreak and humor. Because Jung Won and Hwa Shin are best friends, they try to find humor in their messed up situation, and the three of them even agree at one point to live together to see who Na Ri would pick! The charm from the entire cast will entrance you and keep you invested in their messy love story – it can’t be missed!
Check out the first episode here:
K-Dramas Based On Webtoons
“True Beauty”
Lim Ju Gyeong (Moon Ga Young) is a high school student who has been bullied for not being the most attractive and popular girl in school. She decides to take it upon herself to learn how to do makeup by watching videos online. She gets the opportunity to transfer to another school and gets caught in the middle of a heart-wrenching love triangle between Lee Su Ho (Cha Eun Woo) and Han Seo Jun (Hwang In Yeop).
“True Beauty” is based on the hit webtoon written and illustrated by Yaongyi. The series went on to also become an international success as the cast was very effective in portraying the already popular webtoon characters. Moon Ga Young did a brilliant job playing the quirky high school student, and she managed to have chemistry with both her male co-stars, who were quite the heartthrobs! The series is a great one to watch if you’re looking for something light-hearted and fun. Who doesn’t like a cute romantic comedy stock full of makeover fun?!
Start watching “True Beauty” now:
Eun Dan Oh (Kim Hye Yoon) thinks she’s a normal high school girl with a large group of friends. Everything seems to be going smoothly for her until she realizes that she’s living in a comic book and is nothing but a minor character. What makes this situation worse is that she ends up falling in love with Ha Roo (Rowoon), who is an extra in the comic book. Because he’s an extra, he’s barely in the comic book, which makes it difficult for Dan Oh to ever see him. The two agonize over how they should be with each other despite the odds being against them.
You will absolutely fall in love with the cast of this series. Kim Hye Yoon was coming off of the success she garnered from being in the hit drama “SKY Castle,” and it was a good change in pace for her. In this series, she plays a sweet and innocent girl who falls head over heels in love with the very unpopular Ha Roo. Seeing her work so hard to change the fate of their tragic destiny makes the series so exhilarating to watch. It also helps that there is lots of eye candy to go around for the entire series!
Check out the first episode of “Extraordinary You” here:
“Nevertheless”
Yoo Na Bi (Han So Hee) is a university art student who gets entangled in a messy relationship with a fellow student named Park Jae Eon (Song Kang). Jae Eon doesn’t believe in dating but appears to enjoy flings. Yoo Na Bi is torn between her emotional and physical attraction for him.
If you like messy love stories and a lot of eye candy, “Nevertheless” will be right up your alley. The series is based on the webtoon written by Jung Seo. Han So Hee is known to have been a big fan of the webtoon prior to getting cast, so it was a delight for her to find out that a drama would be produced. She ended up fitting the character perfectly despite having never played a role quite like her. Her character can be relatable for many, and seeing her go through the process of figuring out her emotions is enough to keep you watching until the end.
Hey Soompiers, which of these K-dramas will you check out next? Let me know in the comments below!
binahearts is a Soompi writer whose ultimate biases are Song Joong Ki and BIGBANG but has lately been seen obsessing over Hwang In Yeop. Make sure you follow binahearts on Instagram as she journeys through her latest Korean crazes!
Currently watching: “The King’s Affection,” “Reflection of You,” “Melancholia,” and “Let Me Be Your Knight”
All-time favorite drama: “Secret Garden” and “Star In My Heart”
Looking forward to: Won Bin‘s return to the small screen
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