Unexpected Cameos in K-Dramas (Part 1)
Hello MDLers!
We all have those bad, gloomy, and not-so-happy days in our lives. Here is a shortlist of dramas I like to watch on such days. These dramas make me warm up like a hot pumpkin soup bowl on a winter night!
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)
This drama is about a university girl who is majoring in weightlifting. She finds herself falling for a doctor who runs a weight loss clinic. She faces a situation where she has to choose between her crush and her dream. She accidentally finds out that a popular swimmer from her university is actually her classmate from elementary school. It is a coming of age rom-com that focuses on the students who are majoring in various sports like weightlifting, swimming, and rhythmic gymnastics.
Who doesn't love this drama?! It is the best drama I've ever seen. It has all the elements I crave on any day. It made me reframe the popular slang 'Netflix and Chill' to 'WLFKBJ and Ramyun'. This drama stimulates my appetite with their mouth-watering mukbang-like scenes. The antics of female lead and male lead crack me up every single time. I can't ask for more when the girl squad appears on the screen. Not only does it have a lot of meme-worthy moments but also some emotional scenes which make us cry a river! I totally recommend this drama to those who are having a tough day and also those who haven't watched it yet.
Go Ahead (2020)
It tells a story of a complicated yet close family who came together under unfortunate situations. Even though the three main leads are not related by blood, they find comfort in each other like a family. Will they be together or abandon each other when unexpected incidents keep happening? This drama is a rom-com that also has the family element.
Surprisingly, this drama ended up in my top 10 dramas, which I did not expect at all while watching the first episodes. The more I watched, the more connected I became to it. This has so far the best father character in a drama, he is the source of the warmth reflected through the drama. It gives me a homey feeling as I watch the broken families coming together to find solace in each other. I found the acting of the main leads very convincing. I highly recommend watching this when you are depressed and want a family drama with light and cute romance.
Playful Kiss (2010)
It is based on the manga "Itazura na Kiss". Oh Ha Ni, a clumsy and dull-witted girl, has a one-sided love for a cold and smart student, Baek Seung Jo. He rejects her when she expresses her love, and she gets mocked by the whole school. An accident leads her to live in his house along with his family. This is a school rom-com that has many drama adaptations.
I have many complaints about this drama, and I know many people have them, too. But since this was my first drama which opened the gate to heavenly dramaland, I have a soft spot for it. I watch this drama whenever I feel nostalgic, and it instantly brightens up my mood. Jung So Min played Oh Ha Ni's character very well. She is so cute and lively, making everybody around her cheerful. I have proof that Baek Seung Jo can be one of the worst male leads, but his mother is one of the coolest moms ever in a Kdrama. She and Oh Ha Ni are the main reason for me to go back to this drama. I honestly recommend it only if you can handle watching a rude and arrogant male lead.
Refresh Man (2016)
Refresh man is about two childhood sweethearts who met again after becoming adults. Zhong Yu Tang, who is working as a secretary at a cosmetic company, aims for the chief secretary position. Ji Wen Kai, her childhood classmate, joins the company as the CEO and their flame of love starts igniting after a series of misunderstandings and fights.
This tops my 'CEO/Employee Relationship' drama list. I find it refreshing to watch the main leads' romance in it. This is a feel-good drama that mainly has a corporate backdrop. It shows the competition between corporates and the life of marketing people. This drama also has some wonderful family moments. I recommend this to everyone who hasn't watched it yet and also to those who are demotivated with their work life. It has some amazing quotes!
You Who Came From The Stars (2013)
An alien who has been living on earth for 400 years crosses paths with a popular actress, Cheon Song Yi. Do Min Joon has superpowers as an alien and avoids associating with humans. He tries his best to hide his identity and waits for his turn to return to the planet he came from. But before that happens, he is entangled with Cheon Song Yi in different ways. 
I fell in love with this drama because of Jun Ji Hyun's acting. Her character is so funny and bright, which makes up for the distant and cold male lead character. I always watch this drama for their bickering romance and funny scenes. This drama is worth watching, and the lead's acting will leave a deep impression in a good way. I recommend this when you are craving a warm and sweet love story in the fantasy genre.
One Spring Night (2019)
Lee Jung In is not happy with her stale romantic relationship but is also reluctant to take any steps. One day, she meets Yu Ji Ho, who works in a pharmacy which is located near her friend's house. Their daily natural interactions lead them to develop feelings for each other. This drama shows how parents and social norms affect the romantic relationship between two people.
This drama made me realize how much I enjoyed slow burn romances. The story naturally flows and doesn't seem forced anywhere. It shows that some toxic relationships have to be broken for people to live in peace. It also has much-needed family moments, some of which made me smile and also some made me furious like crazy. While watching the main leads, I felt like watching an ordinary couple who has all the insecurities, expectations, and difficulties which people face in a real society. I recommend this to watch on a rainy day to feel that extra coziness. ;)
Pinocchio (2014)
This is a rom-com drama with a mystery element. Choi In Ha has a rare condition called Pinocchio syndrome, which makes her break out into hiccups whenever she tells a lie. She dreams of becoming a reporter like her mother but fails several times because of her condition. She has an uncle named Choi Dal Po, who decides to become a reporter along with In Ha to know the secrets of his tragic past. Choi Dal Po was adopted by Choi In Ha's grandfather when he was a child, leading to the complicated relationship between both the leads. 
It is a very comforting drama for me. More than anything, I liked the interactions between the grandfather and Choi Dal Po. Through this, I found out that all the interesting news get cooked up in the broadcasting station, and how much difference lies between the actual story and the reported news. It is a much funnier drama than it seems, and Lee Jong Suk is adorably cute. The romance between the main leads is lit. I highly recommend watching it for a light drama with a deep plot.
Love O2O (2016)
Xiao Nai is a popular, smart and intelligent university student who has a passion for video games. He is also a member of the campus basketball team. One day, he sees the excellent video game skills of Bei Wei Wei, who is also a computer science major in the same university. He tries to approach her through an online video game where both are considered masters of their guild.
This drama is so soothing to watch! With its white theme in most parts of the drama, my aesthetic brain cells are fully satisfied every time I watch it. Apart from that, I like the plot and the video game interactions of the leads. The side characters are funny and make the drama livelier. The pace of the story and their romance is perfect for me, although there are some annoying parts that I like to skip. I recommend this to watch when you are feeling low and suffer mood swings.
My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018)
My ID Is Gangnam Beauty is a rom-com that tells the story of Kang Mi Rae, a girl once bullied for her looks which made her insecure around others. So, Mi Rae decides to get plastic surgery to transform her face. When she begins university, she meets Do Kyung Suk, her classmate from their middle school days who knows her past face. Will they fall in love while accepting each other's flaws?
How can I not feel the warmth after watching Cha Eun Woo's face? <3 But apart from the visuals, this drama has a good storyline. The sweet and short conversations between the leads and their romance make my heart flutter. This is one of those dramas which doesn't require putting in much effort to watch. The male lead, who is brutally honest with other girls, becomes a cute dork in front of the female lead. I recommend this drama for healing on a stressful day!
Thanks for reading the article. Hope you enjoyed it!
Special thanks to the editors, especially devitto, for guiding me and to Shiro for letting me use the link to one of her custom lists (Dramas with the worst male leads).
