You know what that means. Chocolates, flowers, teddy bears... Well.... if we had a significant other, maybe. Thankfully for the rest of us who happen to be single, we can overdose on ice cream and chocolate by our lonely selves and live vicariously through drama couples. For this Valentine's Day, we decided to look at some of the drama couples with relationships that we dreamed of having (SPOILERS BELOW)!
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The Couple with the Worst Timing
Sung Shi Won (A Pink's Eunji) and Yoon Yoon Jae (Seo In Guk) of 'Reply 1997' by contagion
HE WAS TOO EARLY...
Ahh, teenage life. It's amazing how one day you think you're on the same page as your best friend, and the next day you seem to be hailing from different planets entirely. Yoon Jae (Seo In Guk) learns this the hard way when his life-long best friend Shi Won (A Pink's Jung Eunji) ditches her thick-rimmed glasses on the first day of high school and he suddenly sees her in a whole new light. It is a whole year before he finally decides to do something about it - though maybe he should have given her a little warning before going in for the kiss. Come on, man, you've known her your whole life, you had to know she was going to chase you around with a frog after that!
By the time he's mustered up the guts for a real confession, however, he's got two very important things working against him. First, Shi Won already knows that one of her closest friends, Jun Hee (INFINITE's Hoya), likes Yoon Jae. Yoon Jae does his best to keep going as if nothing is wrong, but that's a tough pill to swallow for anyone, and he eventually does tell Shi Won how he feels - but even then, the timing just isn't right. She isn't ready to redefine the relationship, and he just can't keep acting like he isn't in love with her.
...BUT SHE WASN'T TOO LATE.
By the time Shi Won catches up to him, they are living far away from each other and have more or less moved on with their lives until the funeral of a close mutual friend's father has the whole gang back in town for a while; not to mention, Tae Woong's upcoming surgery has everyone lurking around the hospital. Shi Won does right by the friend code by getting her good friend Jun Hee's blessing since Jun Hee liked Yoon Jae first. Then, she proceeds to pester Yoon Jae into admitting that he still likes her, sealing the deal with the now-infamous stairway kiss. It isn't the end of their bad-timing struggles, but it is the beginning of finally getting these two life-long friends on the same page. It only took twenty-some years!
The Most Realistic Couple
Sung Na Jung (Go Ara) and Trash/Kim Jae Joon (Jung Woo) of 'Reply 1994' - by alim17
One of the most emotional moments and pivotal plot twists that occur in this drama is when everyone finds out in the end of the second episode that Na Jung and Trash are not in fact related by blood and could hence get involved in a romantic relationship. It is the age-old tale of a girl falling in love with an older brother figure who only sees her as his little sister (forget friendzoned!). However, she eventually is seen as a woman by him, but things don't go smoothly like a fairy tale like in all of the other dramas that end right when the couple gets together with the hint of "happily ever after." There are rough patches in their relationship, like keeping it a secret from her parents, being thrown apart by busy work lives, and going through a long-distance relationship. Like most long-term relationships, they experience one break up before getting back together again; it's natural, it's common, and it's realistic.
In addition, this isn't a typical case of the parents disapproving of the relationship because one is too poor for the other. The reason Na Jung's father disapproves is because he's scared of the consequences, the very consequences that actually happen later on when they break up because the long-distance thing is too hard on them. The two families are torn apart and they rarely see each other, which is heartbreaking because they had such a deep relationship before thanks to their long history. This whole story strongly captures a very realistic element of long-term, deep relationships between two people who love each other and are struggling to be with each other. There is no turning back--after such a passionate romance like this, it is hard to just become brother and sister once again (good thing it works out for them in the end!).
The Greasiest Couple
Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye) and Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho) of 'Heirs' - by alim17
Eun Sang and Kim Tan's fated meeting and subsequent adventure in California seals the deal. The drama keeps repeating that the days they spent together in Cali are almost like a faraway dream because they were so fantastical and perfect. This is how their romance comes to blossom into a passionate story of youth as Kim Tan throws greasy comments one after another at Eun Sang who can't make up her mind about accepting him even though she so wants to. This first meeting and adventure are really the catharses of this relationship, but it is helped by some super greasy lines that would make some girls shudder and others squeal in delight (obviously, they work on Eun Sang).
Notable greasy phrases include, "Do I like you?" and, "Like me from now on, sincerely if possible." With killer lines like these, Young Do had no chance, even with his angsty, charismatic gaze and attractive bad boy tendencies, which is why Eun Sang and Kim Tan win the greasiest couple award for their sweet and dreamy romance in 'Heirs.'
The Most Violent Couple
Kim Baek Won (UEE) and Seo Do Young (Jung Il Woo) of 'Golden Rainbow' by jennywill
From the very start, Baek Won is no pushover. She usually lets her hands speak for themselves, meaning that ever since they were middle schoolers, Do Young didn't get hit on - he just got hit, period. All the same, Baek Won is the only one who treats Do Young like a person, and he falls in love (duh). Cue in tragedy where Baek Won's father is wrongly put to jail and her older brother decides the siblings all have to run away or else be adopted into different families and separated; the pair's youthful relationship is broken even before it can properly start.
But maybe that was for the best, because years later, Baek Won becomes a policewoman who beats everyone up, making for some great action scenes on UEE's part, while Do Young becomes the laziest prosecutor, who lives to get women. They don't recognize each other when they meet up again, and Do Young steals Baek Won's criminal catch, making her get violent again. When Do Young finally realizes who's been hitting him, Baek Won still reacts with her fists before her words (she even once accidentally hits Do Young on his broken arm, forgetting that he has the injury). Between that, the fact that Baek Won's older brother is the head of some gang, and Do Young's father hiring a thug of his own, 'Golden Rainbow' just may yet be the most violent drama that revolves around a seafood company.
The Cutest Office Couple
Jung Hee Jae (Yoon Seung Ah) and Lee Woo Young (Park Yoo Hwan) of 'I Need Romance 3' by eric-r-wirsing
Is there anything cuter than an office romance? Hee Jae and Woo Young both work at an online shopping network. As hoobaes on the same marketing team, they spend many hours in close proximity. And as close proximity breeds comfort and familiarity, so too can love blossom. But it is complicated, because she already has a "plus 1." So what to do? The choice is made for her by boyfriend, who breaks it off with her after he passes the civil service exam. Woo Young sees his chance, and moves in quietly, subtly, sweetly. Holding hands at the office bowling game, they confirm their romance in front of their colleagues.
The Oddest Couple
Shin Joo Yeon (Kim So Yeon) and Joo Wan (Sung Joon) of 'I Need Romance 3' by eric-r-wirsing
Seventeen years ago, Joo Wan was taken care of by Joo Yeon's family because his mother was a high-powered exec who had no time for a baby. When he was 9, he and his mother left for America, but he vowed to come back to Korea and to his childhood friend, Joo Yeon, who was about six years older and practically raised him. Upon his return, he finds Joo Yeon, now a bitter career woman who has had her heart broken too many times. He stays at her home, and slowly wears away her armor and makes himself at home in her heart. He is her close confidant. She smiles when he's around, he cooks for her, he makes sure she's healthy, and they can often be seen in each other's arms. They're not a couple yet, but there's not much standing in their way....except maybe her love for her supervisor, Director Kang!
Love-Hate Couple
Lee Min Jung (Park Hyo Joo) and Ahn Min Seok (Yoo Ha Joon) of 'I Need Romance 3' by eric-r-wirsing
He wants in; she wants out. Min Jung and Min Seok found each other online. Not wanting anything complicated, Min Jung lies about her age, her name, and pretty much everything else. However things start to fall apart when he moves into her building right next to her own apartment (unbeknownst to him) and she finds out she's pregnant with his child. She makes every attempt to push him away, but his researches lead him to her real identity. Initially angry at being deceived, he becomes determined to win her back despite their heated confrontation. A pendant and love letter left on her door is hopefully not the last we'll see of him.
The Richest Couple
Han Ah Reum (Clara) and Oh Chang Min (Choi Jin Hyuk) of 'Emergency Couple' by eric-r-wirsing
Initially a blind date set up by Chang Min's mother, Ah Reum never shows up for the date, but instead sends a surrogate. Much to his surprise, Ah Reum works as an intern for the same hospital. After a hilarious misunderstanding with his mother mistaking her for a prostitute and shoving her out the door of his apartment, Chang Min is still interested and has made that known. She and Chang Min have a common goal: to be seen as doctors on their own merits and not because of the influence their families have. They are certainly comfortable around each other and definitely easy on the eyes.
Which drama couples were most notable to you in the last few months and what superlative would you give them?
Have a Happy Valentine's Day!
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