6 Korean Dramas you should watch if you LOVE love triangles!

Everyone knows the classic love triangles. What about the new ones? We’ve got an up-to-date list of heart-wrenching dramas for you!

By Afreen Khan

Published on Mar 09, 2021 | 08:35 PM IST | 20.3M

6 Korean Dramas you should watch if you LOVE love triangles!

fter KPop, the other best thing that the South Korean industry gave us is, arguably, KDramas with love triangles. With dramas released in 2020, the famous second lead syndrome was in the air more than love. If you don’t know what ‘Second lead syndrome’ means, it is when your heart wants the female lead to end up with the second male lead.

Reasons? They’re (mostly) more handsome, more lovable, and treat the lady right. Majorly, this syndrome is experienced more for two male-lead dramas. But, don’t worry. We’ve got some exceptions for you!

We’ve listed the most current dramas that have a love triangle. And the ones you definitely should give a watch! If you’d like to know about classic, old KDramas, scroll to the end. Shi-jak-hae?

Record Of Youth (2019) (16 Episodes)

Cast: Park BoGum (Sa Hye Jun), Park So Dum (Ahn Jeong Ha) & Byeon Woo Seok (Won Hae Hyo)

With a stunning cast, and incredible acting, this is one drama that had us on the edge of the seat in every episode. Maybe we expected too much, because the ending was just okay. But, like people say, the journey is much more beautiful than the destination. The same is the case here. We’ve got our two leads - Sa Hye Jun and Won Hae Hyo - trying to make it big in the entertainment industry. It’s classic one-rich-one-poor-best-friend-pair. In comes an aspiring makeup queen, Ahn Jeong Ha. Hye Jun and Jeong Ha start as friends, and gradually (with sweet moments sprinkled around) transform into a couple, while Hye Jun keeps on getting popular as a model. Hye Jun’s popularity overshadows his best friend, Hae Hyo’s, who has by now, started liking our makeup queen.

So in our second lead’s life, there’s nothing going right - neither career, nor love. But, he turns out to be a close friend once our hero starts getting busy. Does the drama turn into the jealous friend backstabbing his friend? Who will Jeong Ha choose? Record of Youth is a love triangle worth watching.

Recommended: 7/10

Love Alarm (2020) (Ongoing) (8 Episodes)

Cast: Song Kang (Hwang Sun Oh), Kim So Hyun (Kim Jo Jo), Jung Ga Ram (Lee Hye Yeong)

Season 1 left us on such a cliffhanger, we still haven’t been able to get it out of our heads! Imagine a world where people know what’s in other’s hearts, but on top of that, add a love triangle. It’s as chaotic as it could be. Especially when two male leads fall for the same girl! Sun Oh’s the typical broody, rich, extrovert but keeps-to-himself guy who falls not for the girl who likes him, but for the girl who doesn’t even look at him once. Hye Yeong is the shy introvert who can wait forever for the girl to just notice him once - he’ll take up extra shifts, help her anonymously. But, you know what’ll mess with our hearts more? If they both turn out to be best friends!

As for our girl Kim Jo Jo, you will fall in love with her, no doubt. But you will also want to tear your hair out to try and understand why she can’t make a decision! Oh, and Season 2 is going to be out on March 12. So you guys have only a couple of days. Good luck!

Recommended: 8/10

True Beauty (2020) (16 Episodes)

Cast: Cha Eun Woo (Lee Su ho), Hwang In Yeop (Han Seo Jun), Moon Ga Young (Lim Ju Kyung)

Based on a webtoon by the same name, the stories are not at all the same. The drama takes a different route than the True Beauty webtoon, but well, we are here for it. This is, by far, one of the best love triangles we’ve seen. You can either be a Team Suho or Team Seojun. There’s no in between. Both of them are the top guys in school and fall for our leading lady, Ju Kyung. They too, are once-best-friends-turned-enemies. But what happens when they find out Ju Kyung is in a relationship with…? This drama has the right amount of humor, jealousy, romance and angst. Definitely note this down in your to-watch list!

Recommended: 10/10

Start Up (2020) (16 Episodes)

Cast: Kim San Hoo (Han Ji Pyeong), Nam Joo Hyuk (Nam Do San), Bae Suzy (Seo Dal Mi)

Well well well. This is the Korean equivalent to Mujhse Dosti Karogi. Only, the roles have been reversed. The absolute heart-breaking moment is when Seo Dal Mi finds out who actually sent her letters - Nam Do San or Han Ji Pyeong. Watching both men fall in love with Dal Mi, and Dal Mi falling in love with someone else because of one misunderstanding, you won’t be able to stop shouting at your laptop screen - ‘Dal Mi-ya, please love him, not HIM!’

Also, a disclaimer: not many can stay on one team for the whole series. You will see your heart sway to the opposite guy. Isn’t the drama better when we can’t choose between the two leads or worse? Figure it out yourself!

Recommended: 9/10

Itaewon Class (2020) (16 Episodes)

Cast: Park Seo Jun (Park Sae Royi), Kim Da Mi (Jo Yi Seo), Kwon Nara (Oh Soo Ah)

Hailed one of the best K-Dramas of 2020, this is the exception we were talking about. Rather than the cliched one-lady-two-men, Itaewon Class gave one of the most refreshing themes in 2020. In this drama, Park Sae Royi is torn between Oh Soo Ah, the love of his life, and Jo Yi Seo, the one who’s always been there for him and works by his side. From an ex convict to an entrepreneur, Sae Royi’s dreams are big. Yi Seo and her friends are right by his side to be his wings. The second lead syndrome hits hard here as even years pass by, Sae Royi seems to still be in love with his first love (who has by now also betrayed him).

Special mention: The extraordinary script and characters. The group has representations from the transgender community, the African-Korean community and an ex convict who’s left the bad world to live a normal life. The show does its best to not have token characters but actually give them their own separate story arch and development.

Recommended: 10/10

The World Of The Married (2020) (16+2)

Cast: Kim Hee Ae (Ji Sun Woo), Park Hae Joon (Lee Tae Ho), Han So Hee (Yeo Da Kyung)

Another exception in many cases - two female leads with one male lead and the most intense KDramas of the list. This multiple award-winning show is a controversial, revenge drama about extramarital affairs. It had the highest viewership in Korea of all time and for the best of reasons - a refreshing, intense, and relatable concept. It deep-dives into the raw emotions of extramarital affairs and a divorce. Ji Sun Woo and Lee Tae Oh have been together since their college time, are married and have a child. But, Tae Oh isn’t satisfied enough. What happens when Sun Woo, who gave her entire life to Tae Oh and her child, finds out her husband is cheating on her with a young Da Kyung? She isn’t the woman who begs her husband to stay or keeps quiet. She’s fierce. But so is Da Kyung. Tae Oh divorces her and marries Da Kyung. And then realises, he still loves Sun Woo! This show is a rollercoaster of emotions, betrayal, intense drama.