8 Heartwarming K-Dramas For Introverts To Enjoy
An introvert is often described as someone who likes to spend time on their own. They are happy to focus on their inner thoughts and ideas, preferring the company of a few. Reflective and self aware, introverts prefer hibernating in their own self-made islands. K-dramas have given us several poignant narratives, delving into the minds of introverts, from slice of life scenarios to heartwarming stories. Here are eight K-dramas which make for perfect viewing for introverts as well as for those who are not.
“Call It Love”
A young girl sets out to take revenge but finds herself falling in love with the man she wants to destroy. Shim Woo Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) is a reserved and headstrong young girl. Embittered after her father’s betrayal tears the family apart, she is the glue that keeps everyone together. Soon after her father’s death, Woo Joo and her siblings are thrown out from their home by their father’s mistress. Hot on revenge, Woo Joo starts working at the office of the mistress’s son, Han Dong Jin (Kim Young Kwang). Dong Jin, a non-confrontational and quiet man, is oblivious to Woo Joo’s plans. However, Woo Joo’s best laid plans go awry when she starts warming up to the gentle and unassuming Dong Jin. Woo Joo’s protective streak towards him makes her his knight in shining armor of sorts. Dong Jin, who has had his heartbroken too, warms up to the brusque and aloof Woo Joo.
As the two star-crossed lovers navigate around their ill-fated destiny, seeking solace and comfort amongst the heartache, “Call It Love” strikes a chord. And the comfortable silences between Woo Joo and Dong Jin speak volumes. It’s a moving and heartwarming drama with several layers to it, from the complex yet flawed characters, to the weight of melancholy, human follies, and the road to redemption. Plus Lee Sung Kyung and Kim Young Kwang are a sheer delight to watch on screen.
“Yumi’s Cells”
Yumi (Kim Go Eun) is a regular office worker and an aspiring writer. Her life is controlled by these tiny blue unitard clad creatures who control her thoughts, actions, and behavior. These cute looking beings are her cells and inhabitants of the Yumi Village. Their mission is to awaken her dormant love cell and silence the overactive anxiety and suspicious cells. As Yumi finds love with Woong (Ahn Bo Hyun) and later with Yoo Babi (Jinyoung), she transitions from a quiet and unsure young woman to an empowered individual who is willing to open herself to many possibilities that life has to offer.
“Yumi’s Cells” perfectly blends live action and 3D animation. An adaptation of the popular webtoon, which spanned 512 episodes over five and a half years, the drama chronicles Yumi’s journey through her relationships, blending romance with comedy. The ever versatile Kim Go Eun, who plays the titular character of Yumi, is relatable at many levels. The male leads lend their own charm, and the cutesy cells play the perfect supporting cast.
Start watching “Yumi’s Cells”:
“My Liberation Notes”
The three Yeom siblings live a monotonous and mundane existence on the outskirts of Seoul. Yeom Gi Jeong (Lee El), the eldest, is an employee at a research company and is desperate to fall in love. Yeom Chang Hee (Lee Min Ki), the middle one, works at the headquarters of a convenience store franchise and ambles around life with no particular goal in mind. And the youngest, Yeom Mi Jeong (Kim Ji Won), works in the design department of a credit card company and wants to break free from the shackles of daily life. She is exhausted and consumed with a lingering feeling of loneliness. But their boring lives take a swerve with the arrival of the mysterious Mr. Gu (Son Suk Ku), an alcoholic who keeps to himself.
A character-driven slice of life drama, the protagonists seek new beginnings and discover themselves in “My Liberation Notes.” The drama is a gratifying journey about life and its endless struggles and is a drama one can easily find resonance with, as it gives an insight into your own life and decisions.
“Because This Is My First Life”
Nam Se Hee (Lee Min Ki) is a reticent young man. He is single, does not date, feeds his cat, goes to work, and comes home. Living in a comfortable apartment with a heavy mortgage to pay, Se Hee lives life on autopilot mode. Meanwhile, Ji Ho (Jung So Min) is an aspiring drama writer burdened with insurmountable financial woes, and she is overwhelmed with making ends meet. Se Hee and Ji Ho enter into a contractual marriage and decide to live together. She gets a home, and he gets a flatmate and someone to look after his cat. But they soon realize this contractual arrangement could well become permanent.
“Because This Is My First Life” is a slow and steady drama that remains consistent as the story progresses. The drama addressees many things such as outmoded traditions, the diktats of society, and several other socio-cultural issues. Lee Min Ki and Jung So Min slip into their characters with ease and give viewers a heartwarming narrative.
Start watching “Because This Is My First Life”:
“Love In Contract”
Choi Sang Eun’s (Park Min Young) favorite pastime is to get married and divorced. She has done it over a dozen times and is pretty chill about it. As a “single life helper,” Sang Eun has never had any luck when it comes to matters of the heart. But things change as soon as she decides to retire. Sang Eun discovers she is attracted towards the socially awkward judge, Ji Ho (Go Kyung Pyo). He has been her most reliable and no-fuss client out of all the men she has encountered. But when matinée star Kang Hae Jin (Kim Jae Young) hires her to be his wife, things get complicated. If Sang Eun is haunted by the demons of her past, both Jo Ho and Hae Jin are also dealing with issues of their own.
“Love In Contract” is a breezy watch and include two awesome male leads, from the stoic Ji Ho to the sensitive Hae Jin. Though the two are at loggerheads with each other, they protect Sang Eun in their own way. There’s also Gwang Nam (Kang Hyung Suk), Sang Eun’s former husband and current flatmate, who is a man dealing with his own sexual identity. He remains a rock solid support to her throughout and endears with his caring streak.
Start watching “Love In Contract”:
“A Piece of Your Mind”
An AI programmer named Ha Won (Jung Hae In) has had a crush on his childhood friend Ji Soo ( Park Ju Hyun) for nearly a decade. He cannot forget her, even though she is married and has moved on. Ha Won is a pure hearted soul, but sometimes comes across as aloof and withdrawn. A sound engineer named Seo Woo (Chae Soo Bin), who has worked with Ha Won, is well aware of his background story and finds herself falling for him.
An underrated drama, “A Piece Of Your Mind” has a unique concept as it explores the mindset of people who are unable to articulate their feelings. The characters feel real, and both Jung Hae In and Chae Soo Bin give a restrained and nuanced performance.
Start watching “A Piece Of Your Mind”:
“I’ll Go to You When the Weather Is Nice”
A cellist named Mok Hae Won (Park Min Young) moves back to her hometown from Seoul. She is cold and distant, exhausted with a series of unfortunate events, and wants to recoup. Once there, she encounters her former classmate and neighbor Eun Seob (Seo Kang Joon), a kindhearted man who runs a bookstore. Trying to escape the harsh realities of their life, they find warmth and comfort in each other. And as their winter turns to spring, it also thaws their frozen hearts as they heal and move on from their past wounds. The two fall in love and embrace life, and their relationship is simple and unhurried.
A totally character-driven drama, “I’ll Go to You When the Weather Is Nice” captures and encapsulates daily life in a small town. As it weaves in many sub plots around the lead protagonists, it is a heartwarming show. And Park Min Young and Seo Kang Joon have a comforting chemistry.
Start watching “I’ll Go to You When The Weather Is Nice”:
“Summer Strike”
Yeo Reum (Seolhyun) has never got her due at work and is dumped by her boyfriend. Losing her mother in an accident is the final straw for her to quit her life in Seoul. Burnt out and tired, she feels liberated as she moves to a small seaside town. Here she meets a reticent and kindhearted librarian named Ahn Dae Beom (Im Siwan). Dae Beom had been a math genius with a promising future, but his circumstances had other things in store for him.
The slow-burn romance between these two introverted souls is amusing to watch as well as heartwarming. And the drama espouses how not everyone needs to adhere to societal norms and its diktats. A well-written narrative with wholesome characters, “Summer Strike” is worth a watch.
Start watching “Summer Strike”:
Hey Soompiers, which one of these shows is your favorite ? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Tae Oh 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.
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