With “Wedding Impossible” at an end and spring in sight, it’s a great time for rom-coms. Here’s a roundup of some of the best fake marriages, fake relationships, fake fiancés, and real marriages-in-crisis in dramas the past few years, with lots of heart and just as much chemistry. If you loved “Wedding Impossible,” then give these a try!
Note: spoiler-free reviews below.
“Familiar Wife”
“Familiar Wife” deals with the breakdown of a marriage. Cha Joo Hyuk (Ji Sung) is a banker who finds himself under severe strain at work. The only bright spot in his day is the lunch break he shares with his best friend Yoon Joong Ho (Jang Seung Jo) and his PlayStation. As for his wife Seo Woo Jin (Han Ji Min), she’s left to pick up the pieces at home, work a full-time job, perform all household chores, take their two children to school, and be the primary caregiver for them. Naturally, things get ugly when Joo Hyuk keeps neglecting Woo Jin and breaking promises to her. Woo Jin throws out his PlayStation in anger, and Joo Hyuk leaves home—only, the road he’s driving aimlessly on suddenly warps and changes, and he finds himself back in the past. A slight alternation of plans, and he’s no longer married to Woo Jin but to his first love, the very wealthy Lee Hye Won (Kang Han Na). Joo Hyuk is finally as wealthy as he wanted to be and is living the dream in his point of view. But things alter in a second when he runs into a happy, thriving Woo Jin at the same workplace at him. And what happens when he realizes that her life turned out better because he wasn’t in it?
Why you’ll love it: This one’s a different sort of second-chance romance, where we follow a male character who really is the worst. But it’s a story of redemption, growth, and maturity that drives in how the grass isn’t always better on the other side.
Check out Ji Sung in “Familiar Wife” below!
“A Business Proposal”
Shin Ha Ri (Kim Sejeong) has the best job ever as a food researcher for a reputed company. She isn’t as well off as her friend Jin Young Seo (Seol In Ah), the daughter of a chaebol family, but she and her family (who run a chicken restaurant) get by. Ha Ri also earns a little extra on the side by going on blind dates in Young Seo’s stead and ruining them for her because Young Seo has no interest in marrying for convenience. Only, as fate would have it, the blind date Ha Ri goes all out on ruining is with Kang Tae Moo (Ahn Hyo Seop), the new president of Ha Ri’s company. What’s worse, despite their disastrous date, he suddenly asks her to marry him.
Ha Ri is shuttled into a double life, hiding from Tae Moo at work and pretending to be this glitzy rich girl at night. But how long can she keep it up? And what happens when she starts to fall for Tae Moo in turn?
Why you’ll love it: The central romances are cute and all, but the sisterhood and the bromance are just so wholesome! Ha Ri and Young Seo have the best friendship, and Tae Moo and his secretary Cha Sung Hoon (Kim Min Kyu) are just as fantastic.
The two couples are also pretty darn cute, and that kiss remains one of the best in recent years in terms of swoon-worthy execution!
See Kim Sejong in “I Wanna Hear Your Song” below!
“Where Stars Land”
Can a workplace romance work in the most transient of places?
Han Yeo Reum (Chae Soo Bin) has just been transferred to the passenger service team at Incheon Airport after her hot temper gets her booted off two teams. She’s determined to make this job work, but her good intentions often result in more errors. Enter Lee Soo Yeon (Lee Je Hoon), the genius new recruit who is competent to the extreme. Soo Yeon keeps to himself and isn’t pleased when he’s partnered with Yeo Reum to prevent her from doing anything crazy. Yeo Reum is equally displeased at having to be watched over.
But Soo Yeon’s keeping a secret, and when Yeo Reum inadvertently finds out, there’s no going back. Soo Yeon’s secret is dangerous, and to hide it, the man who seems to have it all under control will need to rely on the girl who cannot seem to control anything. Let the sparks fly!
Why you’ll love it: Romances live and die by chemistry, and these two have it in spades! For all her headstrong attitude and clumsiness, Yeo Reum’s a ray of sunshine and the perfect foil to the quieter, more wary Soo Yeon. Add that to the fact that these two could romance a rock, and you have a winning combination!
Without giving away too much, the drama also deals with the very sensitive topic of Soo Yeon’s secret quite respectfully. It’s not something often dealt with in dramas, and it’s definitely worth a watch for that alone!
Check out the drama below!
“Her Private Life”
In “Her Private Life,” Sung Duk Mi (Park Min Young) is the classic career woman. Polished, talented, and stunning to boot, she’s the curator at a well-frequented gallery in Seoul. But Duk Mi has a secret, one that no one can find out. She’s a fangirl. And not just any kind of fangirl. She’s an idol fan page manager who would do anything for her obsession: the mega popular Si An (Jung Je Won). Duk Mi works hard to ensure that both spheres of her life remain firmly separate, especially since her boss is no fan of idols or idol fangirls. Yet, fate strikes when a work trip takes her to an auction where a painting by an artist Si An likes is up for sale. To her dismay, Duk Mi is outbid by the handsome yet cold art world genius Ryan Gold (Kim Jae Wook), to whom Duk Mi takes an instant dislike.
Their impressions of each other only worsen when Ryan is assigned as Duk Mi’s boss, and Duk Mi runs into Ryan in her fangirl disguise and nearly breaks his back. For his part, Ryan has no clue about Duk Mi’s double life but is both furious at and curious about the strange woman who fled from him, accidentally dropping her fangirl diary. He resolves to find her, but little does he know that she’s closer than he thinks.
Why you’ll love it: Kim Jae Wook and Park Min Young. That’s it. Those are the reasons. Not only are these two amazing actors, but their chemistry is on fire! On paper, this drama isn’t the most highbrow of concepts, but these two elevate it to so much beyond that. Every second of them onscreen is a delight. Ryan isn’t one of those male leads who takes pleasure in being awful to everyone. He may be aloof, but he’s kind, sincerely apologizes when he’s wrong, and respects personal space. What’s not to love?
Check out the drama below!
What are your favorite rom-coms to watch during spring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Shalini_A is a long time Asian-drama addict. When not watching dramas, she fangirls over Ji Sung, and spins thrillers set in increasingly fantastic worlds. Follow her on X and Instagram, and feel free to ask her anything!
Currently watching: “Queen of Tears” and “The Midnight Studio.”
Looking forward to: “Ask the Stars,” “Sweet Home 3,” “Gyeongseong Creature 2,” and “Connection.”