Korean Dramas sure make waves across the globe. With dramas spanning across genres like thriller, romance, and crime, they provide us with entertainment for 16-long-hours. But if you cannot make the time to fit a 16-hour-long binge into your schedule, here are 5 top Korean romantic movies with your favourite K-drama actors to keep you entertained for a short time. Each one offers a different feeling, but they all will leave a lasting impression in your mind. Spanning 2001 to 2022, here are the top picks for Korean Romantic Movies.
My Sassy Girl (2001)
A classic Korean film that contributed to the Korean Wave (Hallyu) in the early 2000s, My Sassy Girl is a rom-com starring Jun Ji-hyun (The Legend of The Blue Sea fame) and Cha Tae-hyun (known for The Producers). Based on a true story, it shows the life of Gyeon-woo and ‘The Girl ’ (whose name is never mentioned), who end up bumping into each other unexpectedly. ‘The Girl’ is told that she is not feminine enough, being bold and unpredictable, while Gyeon-woo is gentle and calm, his nature going against traditional ideas of masculinity. The movie shows their life together and Gyeon-woo’s experience dating a girl like her, whose mood keeps changing every minute. Each time they separate, they end up getting back together. My Sassy Girl gives you humorous, comedic moments and emotional, heart-touching scenes, leaving a lasting impression on the viewers. A movie acclaimed by both critics and audiences and remade in multiple languages across the globe, this is a movie that will surely keep you entertained, even after over 20 years of release.
A Moment to Remember (2004)
A bittersweet movie that teaches a lesson on true love and loyalty, A Moment to Remember is a 2004 movie about the romance between a woman named Su-jin and a man named Chul-soo. Su-jin falls for Chul-Soo, who works at a construction site for her father. She courts him, and they eventually end up marrying. However, their happiness is short-lived as one of them unconsciously starts to pull away from the other. But none of them are willing to give up on each other. They hold onto each other during their worst times, showing the power of love to the audience. Starring Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You fame) and Jun Woo-sung (12.12: The Day fame), A Moment to Remember tells that love is not always a fairytale but also a mix of hardship and sacrifice. A hit across Korea and Japan, this movie stays with the audience for a long time.
20th Century Girl (2022)
The latest release in the list, starring Kim Yoo-jung (known for the drama My Demon) and Byeon Woo-seok (Lovely Runner fame), is 20th Century Girl. A high school romance tale, it follows the story of Na Bo-ra, who helps her best friend conquer her crush, Baek Hyun-jin, by spying on him to collect information about him. On the way, she too falls in love with his best friend, Poong Woon-ho. But they face hurdles in their relationship, as Woon-ho leaves for the U.S. Set in 1999, with tape cassettes and love letters, the movie shows the innocence and warmth of young love. Director Bang Woo-ri captures the feelings and innocence of first love wonderfully. Released in 2022 via Netflix, it entered the global chart of Top 10 non-English films on Netflix. A must-watch for all romance lovers, this movie will shock the viewers with an unexpected climax.
The Classic (2003)
From the director of My Sassy Girl, The Classic is a romantic melodrama presenting the love stories of two generations. Telling the story of Joo-he’s past relationship through letters and diary entries that her daughter, Ji-hye, finds while parallely showing the romance blossoming in her daughter’s life, the movie takes us through a roller coaster of emotions. With rain, chance encounters and love letters, the director Kwak Jae-yong portrays love in various ways that reach the audience. With Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You fame) in a dual role opposite Zo In-sung (known for It’s Okay That’s Love) and Cho Seung-woo (Divorce Attorney Shin and Marathon fame), this a love story that spans two generations and comes full circle in the end. It is a bittersweet movie that shows the sacrifices one makes for their loved ones, partners and friends.
Tune in for Love (2019)
Set across years, from 1994 to the mid-2000s, Tune in for Love tells the story of Cha Hyun-woo and Kim Mi-soo as they navigate their lives in their 20s. The story starts as they meet each other during their teens when Hyun-woo is hired to work in Mi-soo’s bakery. They end up falling for each other but have to separate. Later, as they grow up, their paths collide again and again, but have to separate each time. Known for its realistic and minimalistic portrayal of romance and characters and the wonderful setting of Korea in the 1990s, the movie stars Kim Go-eun (Goblin fame) and Jung Hae-in (Something in the Rain fame) in the lead roles. Released in 2019, Tune in for Love presents the lives of the youth, from love and friendship to the struggles young adults in their 20s face in their careers, all while giving a happy ending, leaving everyone satisfied.
Each of these movies leaves you with something special, from heartache to warmth. They are perfect to spend your free time on. If you are done with all of them, here are some special mentions: Always (starring So Ji-sub and Han Hyo-joo), Il Mare (starring Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae), Love 911 (starring Go Soo and Han Hyo-joo), and Windstruck (starring Jang Hyuk and Jun Ji-hyun ). All of these movies let you enjoy the feeling of watching a K-drama without the long binge sessions.