Here's what to watch on Valentine's Day (Photos: Netflix, Viki) It’s almost Valentine’s Day and for those of us who ride the Hallyu wave, we know where our interest lies — settling down on the couch and consuming Korean dramas that have established the reputation of tugging at the heartstrings. Confessions in the rain? Check. Sharing a bowl of hot Ramen? Double check. Sweet nothings that make your heart flutter? Here you go.
Here’s our pick of what you could watch on Valentine’s Day, ranging from popular, to severely underrated romantic dramas and films that deserve more love. (Not counting Crash Landing On You, because that’s a given!)
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo
You can’t go wrong with a pairing like Nam Joo-hyuk, who has the perfect innocence of the boy-next-door, and Lee Sung-Kyung. The name itself draws you in, and is inspired by the life of Olympic gold-medallist Jang Mi-ran. A weightlifting champ has a crush on her friend’s older brother, only to realise the age-old trope “what she is seeking is right in front of her”. Packed with cuteness, this sports drama is an exciting fun one and doesn’t venture into the excessively mushy territory either. Catch it on Netflix.
Descendants Of The Sun
This is probably the rite of passage that you follow when you start watching K-dramas. The show, starring the ‘Song-song’ couple as they were called, Soong Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, entails the heart-wrenching story of a soldier and a surgeon, and how they struggle to overcome the obstacles to stay together. The chemistry between the leads translated into their off-screen pairing as well. Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t last. Nevertheless, this show remains a favourite among fans. Catch it on Netflix!
The Legend Of The Blue Sea
We had you at Lee Min-ho. Enjoy this fantastical love story, starring Lee Min-ho, as a con artist and Jun Ji-hyun, a mermaid. The story is inspired Korean historical tales about a fisherman who captures and releases a mermaid. This romantic drama chronicles the story of a mermaid, and how she journeys across the ocean to find the love of her life. It’s on Netflix.
Touch Your Heart
Lee Dong Wook and Yoon In-na didn’t get their happy ending in Guardian: The Great And Lonely God, but they got a second chance at it in Touch Your Heart. The story is warm and wholesome and follows a stern lawyer, who falls in love with an actress, who has fallen from grace. It’s just the right kind of cheesy too, so those who don’t want too much mush might enjoy this one. Catch it on Netflix!
The King: Eternal Monarch
Back to Lee Min-ho again, but this is truly his most engrossing romance. Watch Lee Min-ho traverse different worlds just to be reunited with the love of his life, Kim Go-eun — the man literally opens all the doors in the universe to get to her, if that isn’t a perfect Valentine’s Day choice then what is? Catch it on Netflix!
My Sassy Girl
Too much effort to watch a K-drama, then do give the films a try too. My Sassy Girl is one of the highest-grossing comedies in South Korea and chronicles the relationship between Gyeon-woo and an unnamed girl. He meets her when he rescues her from falling off a train platform and they fall for each other, but sadly break up. Nevertheless, they write letters to each other and stick them in a time capsule, which are to be read years down the line. A sweet, enchanting film. Watch on Amazon Prime.
Tune In For Love
Do as the title says. The ever-study Jung Hae-in and Goblin’s Kim Go-eun play lovers, and the film explores their story over the course of a decade. They meet as teenagers, and soon go down different paths in life — only to be brought together again — except this time, with a secret that might end their relationship. Watch on Amazon Prime.
Always
Chul-min is a boxer and also works as a parking lot attendant when a visually impaired woman, Jung-hwa, walks into his tollbooth to watch TV. Her effervescent spirit charms him and they fall in love, but their happiness is brief. The film is an intense, but sweet affair that follows the couple as they fall in love while battling their own challenges in life. The main couple is played by So Ji-sub and Han Hyo-joo.
Spellbound
A magician falls in love with a girl, who has the ability to see ghosts, ever since she survived an accident in high school. To add to the complications, she is haunted by her best friend who died in the accident, which leads her to shut off from people. A love story unfolds, with strange twists along the way. A fun and pleasant watch. Watch on Viki.
Snow Is The Sea
If you feel that you need to shed a few tears on Valentine’s Day, do give this film a watch. It’s highly reminiscent of A Walk To Remember, and centres around a girl who has a blood disease. She falls in love with a man working at an aquarium, and he proposes to her, unaware of her health condition. A story of heartbreak, but pure love—a perfect watch for those who want to sob over ice-cream on Valentine’s Day. Watch on Amazon Prime!
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