Stoic Leads, Amazing Moms, & Self-Love: What To Watch After "My ID Is Gangnam Beauty"
Have you watched the finale for “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” yet? If so, are you wallowing around knowing you will never have a new episode of Kang Mi Rae (Im Soo Hyang) and Do Kyung Suk (Cha Eun Woo) being adorable ever again? Maybe you’re even missing all the other wonderful girls from the show that stuck together through thick and thin? Or maybe you’re missing Yeon Woo Young (Kwak Dong Yeon)? Maybe you haven’t watched it yet because you don’t want to experience the loneliness that comes along when a beautiful K-drama ends.
Well, now you don’t have to procrastinate! Here are seven beautiful dramas you can watch to fill the post-K-drama void! Each of these dramas captures different themes and traits of the show that we loved.
“Ride or Die” romance between leads
“The Liar and His Lover”
While we all love a dramatic love triangle, it’s refreshing when you don’t have to wait for one of the leads to make a choice. Especially when you know who they’re going to choose anyways! From episode one, Kyung Suk always has his eyes set on Mi Rae! And while Mi Rae’s feelings take their time blooming, she never has a crush on anyone else. If you enjoy this kind of romance, this then check out “The Liar and His Lover”!
It’s love at first sight for Yoon So Rim (Joy) when she meets Kang Han Kyul (Lee Hyun Woo). While he does have the cutest face, it’s the melody that he records on her phone that puts her in a frenzy. Especially since So Rim is a sucker for music. Her life goal is to be a singer; she even has a band with her best friends Jin Woo (Song Kang) and Gyu Sun (Park Jong Hyuk).
Likewise, Han Kyul finds himself drawn to So Rim and her voice. As the secret producer of the most popular band, Crude Play, he’s obsessed with music to the point that he closes himself off to others. However, So Rim’s persistence and their bond through music crack his walls. Even when Seo Chan Young (Lee Seo Won) chases after her, So Rim’s eyes are only on Han Kyul! “The Liar and his Lover” has a beautiful story of first love that will have you swooning!
“What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim.”
Of course, if this is not enough for you, you can always check out “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim.”
Though he may not want to admit it right away, Lee Young Joon (Park Seo Joon) has never loved anyone else but Kim Mi So (Park Min Young). And while he does have exes and new dates for formal events, Young Joon has a hard time having intimacy with any of them. In fact, he doesn’t even like to touch them. But things are different with Mi So, who’s been his secretary for nine years. He’s so comfortable with her that he has no problems with her leaning in close to fix his tie every morning. Even when he is in denial about his feelings, he is very attentive to her and tries to stay in her good graces. He apologizes when they argue and tries to remedy any of his mistakes.
It’s the same for Mi So. While it does seem like she may have some affinity for his brother, Lee Sung Yeon (Lee Tae Hwan), her simmering crush on Young Joon soon becomes too much to deny. Not to mention, just like Mi Rae and Kyung Suk, Mi So and Young Joon have an intertwined past. “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim” is a drama about a love that has withstood many years and will continue to last a whole lifetime!
Catch the first episode below:
Bad boys (but not really)
Kyung Suk is one of many stoic male leads in the K-drama world, but he’s a little bit different than your stereotypical one. Unlike almost every other male character in the show, he’s very respectful of the girls around campus. He has no problem sticking it to the other boys who think it’s alright to objectify girls however and whenever they please. And despite being very introverted, he is never afraid to own up and talk about his feelings with someone he trusts. He doesn’t care for someone’s looks but rather their personalities. This is an incredibly refreshing trait about his character, after all, who could ever forget this gem?
“Because This Is My First Life”
If you fell in love with Kyung Suk then you will also fall in love with the incredible Nam Se Hee (Lee Min Ki) from “Because This Is My First Life.”
If anyone is a professional at hiding any emotions, it’s Se Hee. The only attachments he has is to his house and his kitten. With his roommate contracts, a strict plan to pay off his loans, and a will to die in his house, it’s safe to say that Se Hee wants as little human interaction as possible. However, he isn’t actually a bad guy.
When misunderstandings cause Yoon Ji Ho (Jung So Min) to be his roommate, he’s respectful of every single boundary they set. He’s so amazed at her that he even shows her his own pie charts about how she is the best roommate he’s ever had. And we all know pie charts are serious. When she first rejects his proposal of a fake marriage so they can keep rooming together, he respectfully backs off. He knows that he cannot force her into something that she doesn’t want to do. Despite keeping everything bottled up, Se Hee soon finds himself opening up to Ji Ho. If you enjoyed how Kyung Suk was always respectful of Mi Rae, Se Hee will surely have your heart doing somersaults as well!
Catch the first episode below:
If Se Hee isn’t enough for your swoon-able male lead needs, then there’s also Gong Woo Jin in (Yang Se Jong) “30 But 17.”
Due to an accident when he was younger, Woo Jin shuts off his loving and bright personality. He’s terrified to get involved with someone’s life, as he doesn’t want to mess it up. He even walks around with unplugged headphones in his ears just so people don’t bother him. Even when they think he’s creepy for measuring everything (an occupational hazard), he is simply uncaring. He’s almost incapable of letting himself bond with someone unless he’s known them for years.
However, his personality slowly begins to reverse once Woo Seo Ri (Shin Hye Sun) shows up in his house. With her excited and youthful attitude that is similar to his nephew, Yoo Chan (Ahn Hyo Seop), he quickly finds himself wanting to make sure she’s okay. He allows her to make her own decisions and establish her own independence. He has her bests interests at heart and is very keen on giving her advice when she’s in a pickle! Of course, he isn’t a man without faults, and he does overstep from time to time. However, he always apologizes and tries to make things right. Much like how Kyung Suk melts around Mi Rae, Woo Jin’s stoic behavior softens when he’s around Seo Ri and we adore it!
Catch the first episode below:
Amazing K-drama moms
Let’s face it, most moms in K-dramas are just straight up evil. However “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” blessed us with one of the most amazing K-drama moms, Na Hye Sung (Park Joo Mi). While at first, it seems like she abandoned Kyung Suk and his sister, we soon find out that there are two sides to every story. Knowing that she did not handle the past as well as she could, she’s very willing to take responsibility for her children’s anger and to support them in any way they are comfortable with. It’s refreshing to see Kyung Suk slowly open up to her again and allow her back into his life after he discovers the truth. Besides, who wouldn’t want a mom who teaches such poignant and valuable life lessons?
If you loved Na Hye Sung and her unwavering support for her children, then you will love Chae Ok Hee (Seo Jeong Yeon) in “Come and Hug Me.”
You need to buckle down with some chocolates and tissues if you’re going to venture into this drama. Ok Hee is the step-mom of Chae Do Jin (Jang Ki Yong) and Yoon Hyun Moo (Kim Kyung Nam). They’re quite a dysfunctional family as her husband/their father, Yoon Hee Jae (Heo Joon Ho) is an infamous serial killer. After Hee Jae was sent to prison, Ok Hee makes sure that neither of the boys is alone. She is a constant in Do Jin’s hectic life as a police officer, who is often heckled by the general public and the families of his father’s victims. Ok Hee gladly chases away any fame-hungry reporters, and she encourages him to open up and express his feelings because they are valid. She reminds him that he can’t forget his own life while he tries to atone for his father’s sins. Ok Hee is the MVP of K-drama moms and we love how she’s always ready to stand up and protect her children!
Catch the first episode below:
Girl solidarity
With all the entitled men looming in the chemistry department, it is no wonder that the girls in “My ID Is Gangnam Beauty” have such great alliances throughout the show. When a senior corners Mi Rae, the girls are quick to say they’ll stick around. It’s very comforting, especially knowing that Mi Rae never had a lot of peers stand by her side before. Though they all struggle to say something as boys comment on their appearances, they eventually band together. Of course the best friendship on the show is, hands down, Mi Rae and Oh Hyun Jung (Min Dohee). Hyun Jung is incredibly protective of Mi Rae and is willing to confront anyone who speaks ill of Mi Rae, especially if they’re from her past!
If you enjoyed the refreshing friendships between the girls but also a fight for respect and fair treatment, “School 2017” is the drama for you!
The best friend duo in this drama belongs to Ra Eun Ho (Kim Sejeong) and Sa Rang (Park Se Won). From the moment we see them we’re as thick as thieves. When Ra Eun wants to skip class, Sa Rang is right there helping her. Even as Eun Ho gets wrapped up in some serious school drama and is constantly teetering on the line of expulsion, Sa Rang is always at her side.
It’s Sa Rang that Eun Ho confides in when she begins to look into the mysterious X that is exposing the corrupt faculty in the school. These two also help stand by Seo Bora (Han Bo Bae) when she gets bullied from other students in their class. Watching these girls band together and support each other will fill you with hope and courage that things will get better. There is nothing better than knowing that you have amazing friends who have your back. “School 2017” is a drama full of organic and unique relationships that anyone can relate to!
Catch the first episode below:
Always remember to love yourself
While we could just go play BTS’s Love Yourself trilogy on repeat, sometimes we also just want to see someone going through the journey. Self-love is the most prominent theme in “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” as Mi Rae slowly but surely overcomes all her insecurities. Every time she stands up for herself we can’t help but feel proud of her.
If you want to watch another drama that is all about self-love and acceptance watch “She Was Pretty”!
While she was the prettiest girl in her class when she was young, the drama opens with Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum) becoming the subject of rude remarks as she meets her friend Min Ha Ri (Go Jun Hee). While most would think her wild hair and red cheeks make her pale in comparison to her best friend, we know that it’s really a part of her charm.
However, it’s clear that Hye Jin does not see herself in high regards like she did when she was younger. When she agrees to reconnect with her childhood best friend, Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon), she finds out that, unlike her, he grew up gorgeous. Intimidated by his new looks, she sends Ha Ri in her place. But fate has other plans, as Sung Joon winds up being her new boss! As the drama progresses we see how far Hye Jin goes to keep her secret, and how along the way she slowly learns to trust and believe in herself. Much like Mi Rae, it’s inspiring to watch how she grows and overcomes all of her fears. “She Was Pretty” is a drama that will comfort you with a large tub of ice cream on those nights when you really need it!
Catch the first episode below:
We hope that you check out some of these amazing dramas, but if you’re really missing Mi Rae and Kyung Suk you can always just rewatch the drama all over again!
What are some other dramas that remind you of “My ID is Gangnam Beauty”? Tell us in the comments below so we can get over the withdrawal together!
If you haven’t seen “My ID is Gangnam Beauty,” start watching below!
kaityv spends most of her time watching K-dramas even though she should be writing. If she’s not watching a drama then she’s for sure binging BTS, iKON, and Red Velvet music videos.
Currently watching: “30 But 17,” “100 Days My Prince,” and “The Ghost Detective”
All-time favorite: “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon”
Looking forward to: “The Third Charm,” and Ji Soo‘s first lead role.
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