Need More "To All The Boys I've Loved Before"? Check Out These 7 K-Dramas
Unless you’ve been living underneath a rock, you know that everyone’s been talking about the recent Netflix film, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.” Starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” tells the story of a shy high school girl named Lara Jean (Lana Condor) who finds out that her secret love letters, written to crushes she’s had throughout her life, have all been mailed out into the real world. Two of these recipients happen to be her older sister’s ex-boyfriend and boy-next door, Josh (played by Israel Broussard), and the popular jock at school, Peter Kavinsky (played by Noah Centineo).
Based on the book by Jenny Han, this film is known for featuring a character of Asian (specifically half Korean) descent, which is a big deal in the U.S. entertainment industry. We’re so glad they decided not to white-wash the main lead, because Lana Condor is amazing! Her chemistry with Noah Centineo is just too cute for words.
Many of you may be feeling a ton of withdrawal after seeing the sweet romantic comedy film. Well, we’ve got you covered! K-dramas are known for their sweet and innocent romances between leads that melt many hearts. Check out these K-dramas that will help anyone who is going through “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” withdrawal.
If you miss the innocence of school romances: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
This one goes without saying. If you miss the cute and innocent romances that happen in school, then you have to check out “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo.” Starring Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk, the drama centers around Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) as she juggles romance, school, and striving towards her dream of becoming a professional weightlifter. While the characters in this drama are technically in college, there’s still the same dose of fun friendships, heartwarming family moments, and struggles that come with painful first loves that will remind you of TATBILB.
Catch the first episode below:
If you miss the subtle retro vibes: Reply 1997
While the Netflix film takes place in the present, it does have a subtle vintage feel to it – maybe thanks to Lara Jean’s appreciation of ’80s rom coms like “Sixteen Candles” and her writing love letters to crushes.
If you’re looking for more of that subtle old school vibe, check out “Reply 1997.” Set in the year ’97, the drama stars Apink’s Jung Eun Ji as Shi Won, who deals with being a student right around the time when when K-pop was starting to boom with groups like H.O.T and SECHSKIES. It’s a fun drama that will give you all the good feelings of the ’90s along with a good dose of romance and friendships.
Catch the first episode below:
If you want to see messy relationships get sorted out: Ex-Girlfriend Club
Part of the fun in watching “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” is that viewers get to see Peter realize his main motivation for maintaining his fake relationship with Lara Jean. In the end, it isn’t to make his ex-girlfriend jealous – it’s because he’s actually developing real feelings for Lara Jean. Well, imagine if Lara Jean had to deal with ALL of Peter Kavinsky’s old girlfriends, and not just one!
In “Ex-Girlfriend Club,” film producer Kim Soo Jin (Song Ji Hyo) has to produce a film with an old crush, a webtoon writer named Bang Myeong Soo (Byun Yo Han). While the sparks between them are still there, Soo Jin gets way more than what she signs up for when all of his ex-girlfriends get involved in the film production as well! As they work together on the film, past feelings get re-ignited as everyone tries to sort their relationships. And while exes in any film or drama can make things messy, it’s always fun to watch the male lead get his stuff together and realize that the girl he most needs is the one closest to him.
Catch the first episode below:
If you miss the playfulness of the fake dating: Wednesday 3:30 PM
It’s always cute seeing two people falling in love, even if they originally start a relationship for reasons other than romance. In “Wednesday 3:30 PM,” VIXX’s Hongbin and Jin Ki Joo respectively play two friends named Seon Eun Woo and Yoon Jae Won, who decide to fake a relationship in order to make Eun Woo’s ex-boyfriend fall in love with her again. To do this, they snap photos of their adorable fake dates every Wednesday at 3:30 in the afternoon, when women supposedly look the most tired during the week, and post it on social media. But what they don’t realize is that the weekly Wednesday dates as well as living together(!) cause them to actually develop real feelings. This friends-to-lovers drama is short, sweet, and will surely melt your heart.
Catch the first episode below:
If you miss the sweet, mellow romance: 20th Century Boy And Girl
“To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” is such a sweet movie because of the way it showed the two main characters falling in love. It was heart-fluttering with a very mellow, not too dramatic pace.
If you’re looking for more of that “butterflies in your stomach” kind of romance, then look no further, because that is exactly what “20th Century Boy And Girl” offers, the only difference being that this drama features an adult cast. Han Ye Seul and Kim Ji Suk play two longtime friends named Sa Jin Jin and Gong Ji Won, who have always kind of liked each other. Despite being grown adults, this drama portrays their romance (and the other relationships) with all the sweetness and innocence of high school romances, and we’re here for it.
Catch the first episode below:
If you miss the great sister dynamic: Age of Youth series
One thing that made “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” go beyond just being a sweet teen romance is the way the film explores family relationships – especially between that of the two oldest sisters.
While the relationships could have gone into more depth, if you loved the dynamic between Lara Jean and her sisters and want more, then check out the “Age of Youth” series. Both the first and second season feature a main character who is shy and awkward, but throughout the drama, thanks to the great relationships they have with their housemates, they both learn to open up and grow out of their shell.
If you need more spicy fake relationships: Lie To Me
Don’t lie – if you’ve seen the film, you know how much chemistry there was in that hot tub scene. It got us melting and blushing at the same time.
Well imagine a whole drama filled with that kind of tension, and that’s what you get with “Lie to Me,” featuring Yoon Eun Hye and Kang Ji Hwan. When Gong Ah Jung (Yoon Eun Hye) fibs about getting married to save face, the situation goes way out of hand, and she ends up actually faking a marriage with a wealthy hotel president named Hyun Ki Joon (Kang Ji Hwan)! Fans of this drama know just how crazy that “Coca-cola” kiss is, and as these two fall in love, it makes all of their fake marriage interactions that much sweeter.
Catch the first episode below:
Hey Soompiers, which drama do you want to watch the most? And have you seen “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before?” Let us know in the comments below!
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