5 K-Dramas Where Lovers-Turned-Strangers Become Lovers Again
As the handsome couple gazes into each other’s eyes and seals their marriage vows with a kiss, that’s where most dramas end. We can imagine our favorite drama couples having a happily ever after. But then there are those dramas which start off where most dramas end. The honeymoon is over, and as reality bites, the once in-love couple has declared war on each other. They become complete strangers and cannot stand the sight of each other, or so we think!
The recently concluded “Strangers Again” is a delightful watch that uses this trope. Hotshot divorce attorney Ha Ra (Kang Sora) is a formidable lawyer with a high success rate in cases. A divorcee herself, she is still hurting over being betrayed by Eun Beom (Jang Seung Jo), her former husband and also a lawyer. When Eun Beom lands up at the same law firm as Ha Ra, all hell breaks loose. Eun Beom reiterates he has moved on, even going to the extent of setting up his ex-wife with his friend. But Ha Ra’s feelings still run deep for her ex-husband. Is hate just another expression of love, and can they reignite the lost spark? Or is it the end of the road for these two?
“Strangers Again” is a fun-filled ride as the couple is clashing over the minutest of issues if not wrestling clients. However, the bickering aside, it’s the simmering passion beneath the surface which is waiting to explode that makes this drama a fun watch. As we watch what unfolds next in Ha Ra and Eun Beom’s complicated life, here’s a look at five dramas where lovers-turned-strangers find their way back to each other again.
“Cunning Single Lady”
They were young—he had a promising future, and she wanted a stable life. But they got married and realized they could neither live on love nor with each other. They are now divorced and living separate lives. So what could be the problem? Ae Ra (Lee Min Jung) is broke and livid when she realizes her ex-husband Jung Woo (Joo Sang Wook), whom she divorced for being poor, is now a millionaire running a super successful business. When Ae Ra gets a job at her husband’s company, her arrival shakes things up for both them and for those around them. As Ae Ra and Jung Woo confront the memories of the past, the rage, and regrets, they cannot ignore the lingering feelings despite their efforts to move on from the other.
Lee Min Jung as the hyper and even comical Ae Ra is delightful while Joo Sang Wook as the nerdy Jung Woo, who continues to wear his heart on his sleeve for Ae Ra, is endearing. He will win your heart over. “Cunning Single Lady” is one of those underrated dramas that’s a breezy and enjoyable watch!
Start watching “Cunning Single Lady”:
“Emergency Couple”
“Marry in haste and repent at leisure” is a phrase that often gets thrown around, and that’s exactly what happens when Jin Hee (Song Ji Hyo), a dietician, meets medical student Chang Min (Choi Jin Hyuk). Sparks fly, and they decide to get married. Chang Min is rich and wealthy, and to make matters worse, he is younger than Jin Hee, who also comes from a less than ordinary background. Despite parental opposition, the two start their life together, but it seems marriage is not what they had bargained for. With parental and financial pressures, their relationship goes downhill, and they grow apart. Jin Hee and Chang Min decide to get divorced and go their separate ways. Years later, the estranged two meet again, this time at a hospital as medical interns. In charge of the emergency room, they are a volatile combination—chemistry that is waiting to explode as passion of the past and pain of the present cause friction.
“Emergency Couple” is a rollercoaster of a drama that never gives you a dull moment. Song Ji Hyo is perfect as the impulsive and impatient yet naive Jin Hee, but it’s Choi Jin Hyuk who walks away with a piece of your heart as his longing and persistent feelings for his ex-wife come through naturally. The couple has crackling chemistry that explodes through the screen.
Start watching “Emergency Couple”:
“My Secret Hotel”
Nam Sang Hyo (Yoo In Na) is a wedding planner, but organizing her ex-husband’s wedding is definitely not what she had signed up for. Sang Hyo and Hae Young (Jin Yi Han) had a rather short-lived marriage, so much so that they did not even get time to register it.
In the meantime, Sang Hyo’s boss Sung Gyeom (Namgoong Min) has taken a fancy to her. Hae Young, thrown off by the arrival of his ex-wife, finds himself pining for her all over again, until a murder in the hotel complicates the situation for all.
“My Secret Hotel” is a fun watch as it tries to blend romance and a murder mystery. Though the plot meanders a bit, the situations seem a tad crazy, and it’s a bit of a jaunty ride. And Namgoong Min gives major second lead syndrome, so much so that you end up caught trying to decide who your favorite lead is in the triangle.
Start watching “My Secret Hotel”:
“Goodbye Dear Wife”
The title of this drama itself suggests where this one is headed. Cha Seung Hyuk (Ryu Shi Won) and Kang Sun Ah (Hong Soo Hyun) have been married for five years. Seung Hyuk loves being the center of attention, is good looking, and has been a star athlete with a winning record. However, he gives it all up for Sun Ah, who tells him she can’t imagine being married to a martial arts fighter. She prefers a quiet and idyllic life, having severe complexes of her own. Bored with married life, the arrival of his former girlfriend Oh Hyang Gi (Park Ji Yoon) shakes things up for Seung Hyuk, who leaves Sun Ah. But things get complex for Sun Ah too with the arrival of her first love Hyun Chul (Kim Min Soo), who had left her years ago. Can Sun Ah save her marriage and start afresh?
“Goodbye Dear Wife” is an interesting take on the complexities of relationships and human follies. Hong Soo Hyun brings a lot of gravitas to her character Sun Ah, who is in no way a pushover. And the drama is a teary yet entertaining fare.
Watch “Goodbye Dear Wife” below:
“Fated to Love You”
An unanticipated one night stand between a wealthy chaebol and a timid office worker sends things into a spiral. Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) is to propose to his lawyer girlfriend, but he is in an inebriated state in his hotel room. Kim Mi Young (Jang Nara), who is also a guest at the hotel, enters his room by mistake, and inevitably something happens. Mi Young finds herself pregnant and married to Lee Gun, but the two are unsure about their feelings for the other, and they part ways after an unfortunate accident. Years later, Mi Young is back—she is now an artist and a self-assured woman. She also finds a supportive friend and prospective parter in Daniel Pitt (Choi Jin Hyuk), an artist. Fate has other things in store as Lee Gun and Mi Young once again find themselves facing each other. Do they deserve a second chance at happiness?
“Fated to Love You” is an enjoyable watch, packed with romance, humor, and drama. Even though the writing is uneven and stretched at times, it keeps you engrossed. Jang Hyuk is at his charming best here, and his love-hate relationship with Choi Jin Hyuk is winsome. And while Jang Nara’s Mi Young does frustrate you with her timidity, the actress does bring forth her character out superbly.
Start watching “Fated to Love You”:
Hey Soompiers, which one is of these dramas is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Song Joong Ki and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
Currently watching: “Strangers Again” and “Crash Course in Romance.”
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