How to Fall in Love: The Dramaland Edition
When we were kids, our parents often told us fairy tales and most of us spent our time fantasizing about our Prince Charming. Sadly, the real life is much different, and we only get to live these fantasies through books, movies or tv shows. Of course, we do have our very own dramas which fall nothing short of fairytales. When it comes to dramas, we all enjoy different genres - be it thriller, friendship, action or others. Nothing can beat a good old romantic drama! The world of dramas offers a huge variety in this genre. There are SO many dramas we love and enjoy, but we decided to each choose only 5. Here's our pick of top 5 best romantic dramas (in no particular order):
dramaqueen4life's list:
What would happen if you put together two very similar people, both with a strong sense of pride and bad tempers, capable of starting a volcano?
CHEMISTRY--I say, and lots of it, at that! Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won) is our female lead stunt-double who values her pride and spends her days listening to her oppa's - a.k.a Oska's - songs. Our male lead is Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin) - a laidback guy, the president of a huge departmental store who judges women based on the way they react to an art exhibition. Include supernatural stuff and lots of drama, and we have one of the best romances in dramaland. It's such a joy to watch these two snap and have a go at each other. Surprisingly, their fights end up in many adorable kisses and good make out sessions! :D
Being my favourite one, this drama has many awesome scenes. Some of them would be when Joo Won is doing sit ups with Gil Ra Im and trust me, you didn't know sit-ups could be this hot. :D
Another would be when Joo Won kisses Ra Im in front of all the VVIP at a Christmas party and keeps on doing it even though he knows his stocks are dropping every minute he continues. The best one is when he leaves a letter for Ra Im to read. What's written in that letter is a poignant story of how much this man truly loves this woman, even to the ends of death.
What would you do if you were a girl, and the guy sitting in front of you took you for a man? Moreover, if that guy suggested you pretend to be his gay lover in order to ward off his arranged marriage dates, what then, would you do? The answer is Coffee Prince.
In this drama, Choi Han Gyul (Gong Yoo) is an arrogant guy, living only for his love of the past 10 years, Han Yoo Joo (Chae Jung Ahn). However, in the midst of that, he meets a petite "man", who he develops feelings for. What he actually doesn't know is that it's actually a "she" and not a "he" that he's fallen in love with! What we see is the tension building up in our male lead until he can hardly take it and how he explodes (really!). And boy! The way he does can make all girls go gaga over him. Choi Han Gyul is the ideal lover who will love you despite your pimples and fat nose, or what-not. A straight guy who accepts you even when struggling with his sexuality is the best example of love for me (addicted2dramas heartily agrees).
One of the best scenes would definitely include when Eun Chan (Yoon Eun Hye) and Han Gyul, both as sworn brothers, go to the beach and he ends up snuggling up with her. But he can't go further, as he thinks Eun Chan is gay and he is not, so they can't be together.
One of the many heartbreaking and so very bittersweet scenes would be when Choi Han Gyul first kissing her and says that he doesn't care if Go Eun Chan is a man or an alien and that they should try going far together this way. Afterward, Eun Chan hugs him back.
I also love the scene when he's jealous over the phone because of his cousin liking her, and as he's scolding her--cutely--suddenly, she says she loves him. He replies that she should have told him sooner that she was a girl because they could have said 'Saranghae' lots more, and dated much more too. Later, he adds he loves her MORE. <3
Watching Autumn's Concerto is like reading a good old classic romance. It's got all the cliches that a drama could possibly come up with and still, I love this little drama to pieces. Ren Guang Xi (Wu Vanness) will forever be imprinted in my mind as one guy who fought the law and the world to bring justice to the girl he loved. Where do you get to see such outstanding love?
Ren Guang Xi and Liang Mu Cheng (An Ady) are what a couple should be. A cold, arrogant, rich college student meets an abused, pretty canteen girl, and falls in love after hearing her play the piano. Both of them are damaged in their own ways, and it takes them time to heal each other and start to love again, but tragedy always follows them around.
Vaness Wu and Ady An have charming chemistry here and the drama is touching and heart-wrenching. Their love is what love should be--simple and beautiful. Undoubtedly, one of the best scenes has to be the courtroom scene when Guang Xi is trying to save Mu Cheng from wrong accusations, and the amount of work he puts into the case is touching. A guy who hardly ever glanced at his books prepares a case to support his love and in open court, he declares his love. It's emotional and perfect to tug at our heartstrings (addicted2dramas says, "Dude! I gotta watch this ASAP!").
What would you do if you knew you had only a few months to live? I for one, like Lee Yeon Jae (Kim Sun Ah), would prepare a bucket list and enjoy the few remaining days and fall in love. This is one drama where you feel your heart beating faster just a few episodes into the show.
Our hero Kang Ji Wook (Lee Dong Wook) is not the typical K-drama hero. He's not arrogant and cold but comes off as a very nice guy who falls deeply in love with Yeon Jae just a few episodes into the show. With a dying heroine in a drama, what romance can one expect? Still, Kim Sun Ah does wonders to her role and makes Yeon Jae, who was very weak and vulnerable in the beginning, into a woman who likes petty revenge and her dancing shoes too. The chemistry is superbly crafted with enough tensions to keep one on their toes. (addicted2dramas is busy gawking at Lee Dong Wook to pay much attention to what's written here!)
I love the tango dance scene when Ji Wook comes and dances with Yeon Jae, and at the end says, if their hearts beat so fast while dancing together, how can they not go further? Really, these two could set the stage on fire if they keep dancing like that! :D
I also like the scene where Yeon Jae, her mum and Ji Wook are out on a vacation together, and how she's in pain late at night and he holds her firmly trying to decrease her pain. He wants her pain to be his so she could suffer less, and in the morning end up sleeping on the sofa cuddled up together. :)
Everybody loved Barbie Hsu and Vic Zhou in Meteor Garden, so they wanted another show with them as leads and they gave us Mars--one of the best Taiwanese dramas out there. It is pretty twisted, dark and compelling.The boring cliches are barely there, and everything in here makes the viewer question a lot of things.
We again have a very kind-hearted girl as the lead and a playboy as the hero. Chen Ling and Qi Luo both have a dark past which neither of them wants to face; therefore, they end up stifling in among their ghosts. As they meet and grow fond of each other, we see these two damaged souls sticking it out and fighting against all odds and their past to be together. It's a very touching story in the sense that both have to get rid of their baggage before they can learn to care and love. It won't leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling, but with a sinister, sad and bitter feeling for all that, they have suffered. Nonetheless, it's romantic - their love was greater than their emotional scars.This couple fits the image of damaged couple perfectly.
One of the many best scenes would definitely include one where Qi Luo and Chen Ling have quarreled, and the next day, he confesses how he couldn't sleep all night long and how his heart ached. A guy who can confess his mistakes like that is one worth keeping.
CONCLUSION: Every drama that I have discussed has amazing leads and wonderful heroines. It is these dramas which give tribute to their everlasting and eternal love and take us on a long journey of love. It doesn't matter which one is your favorite, but the fact remains that these characters have touched us in different ways and have left us feeling happy and content.
Happy time watching for those of you who still haven't picked up. :)
addicted2drama's list:
Using one of the most widespread and overly used ideas based on time-travel, this drama indulges in not only a great, deep story but also a heartwarming romance. The idea of falling in love with someone from the past is ridiculous if you think of it. Though, in Queen In Hyun's Man, we have a pair who are willing to make it work in spite of the constant struggles and their odds. Plus, they are one of the cutest couples I have seen yet. (dramaqueen4life nods in agreement)
Kim Boong Do (Ji Hyun Woo) is a scholar of the past era who magically gets transported to modern day Seoul with the help of a talisman. Not only does he win over a naive, struggling actress named Choi Hee Jin (Yoo In Na) but he learns quickly the ways of the present century. Hee Jin tells him that kissing someone is a very 'normal' way of greeting, and uses that as an excuse to kiss him whenever she wants. Their first kiss takes place in an elevator where they get caught by the security cameras. It's one of the funniest and cutest kisses I have seen. However, he is a smart guy who can tell that she gives absurd explanations for things. LOL.
This drama makes use of a common cliche and succeeds in giving us something fresh to watch. It has a number of cute scenes, and while watching, I always found myself wanting him to appear again. His disappearances are also plenty, and there are times and situations when they are forced apart. His appearance is always the tricky part because he can only time-travel when his life is in danger and he needs to escape. Since he cannot always be in life-threatening situations, he asks his servant to aim an arrow at him and risks his life very boldly each time to meet his girl. Then again, that can't go on forever, right?
So, how could they really end up together? Do they or don't they? The answer is that we (and the characters) realize that some kinds of love exist which can actually bend time and space. Interesting, huh? Well, you gotta watch this one if you haven't yet!
I fare very low when it comes to long melodramas but Love Rain is an exception. This drama has absolutely one of the best and strongest romances I have seen. It's about an artist, In Ha and a simple girl, Kim Yoon Hee, who met and fell in love in the 1970s. Unfortunately, they were not meant to be and are forced apart due to helpless situations. Years later, in the present time, In Ha has a son, Seo Jun (Jang Geun Seok), and Yoon Hee has a daughter, Ha Na (Im Yoon Ah), who also fall in love. In Ha and Yoon Hee meet again and plan to get married, but by this time, their children are madly in love with each other. The questions that arise after this is, who should sacrifice their love? Who would be able to make it?
What's good about this drama is how the love stories of the parents and their children are so unique and amazing in their own ways. While the 70s one focuses on 'pure love', which includes falling in love in 3 seconds the present one shows the current generation who 'pick up' each other within 3 seconds. Both love stories have a certain depth to them. All the characters mature and their love grows along with it--more so with Seo Jun and Ha Na. The lead actors have good chemistry and they deliver some moving performances. The older couple will also appeal to you because they have a certain sadness and bitterness attached with their love story. You might find yourself rooting for both couples!
My favourite scenes from the 70s one included those from the first episode. A broken yellow umbrella and two people walking under it in the rain is just awesome for me. Especially with the pretty backgrounds and a lovely soundtrack, it won me over as soon as I saw it. The present era's scenes were also great and most of them include emotional ones where Ha Na and Jun are struggling with their feelings for each other and trying their best to keep it a secret from their parents so that they wouldn't get hurt in the process. They put the feelings of their parents above theirs and I love this selfless aspect of their relationship.
With the best quality cinematography a drama can offer, a great cast (big names like Jang Geun Suk and YoonA) and a slow, beautiful story- it is definitely not the one to miss out on. While there are people who complained that the show was 'boring', I guess this was not their kind of drama. All it takes is a bit of patience and appreciation for its characters and this drama can become anybody's favorite (it's certainly one of mine).
While most dramas are fairly similar to fairy tales, here's one that I think that is realistic. Buzzer Beat provides situations that are so simple that you can imagine those happening with you or anyone in general. It is a journey of two people getting to know each other, becoming friends and falling in love. I believe this to be one of the most well-done Japanese romance dramas. Here, they get to know each other before they fall in love which is a very rare thing to see in dramas. While it might seem that this drama is about basketball, it has a great romance plot too. It's not the typical rich boy-poor girl love story at all! They are both very ordinary people who meet by a matter of chance.
Naoki (Yamashita Tomohisa) is a basketball player and Riko (Kitagawa Keiko) is a struggling violinist. While this drama has cliches, they won't bother you much. Everything that happens in this drama happens for a reason. Both characters have big dreams, and their determination to do their best for what they do is what brings these two people together. They always provide each other with comfort and are there to constantly support each other. It's quite nice to watch them admitting to themselves that their friendship goes beyond what it seems to be. When the realization finally strikes, we get a touching confession and a very passionate kiss (and a few other decent kisses too). Plus, their relationship is absolutely perfect.
I think I loved all their interactions and scenes together, but if I had to choose just one, it would be the one from the picture above. The kiss I was talking about before happens just before this scene and later they lay on the same bed, facing each other and trying to grow accustomed to the feeling of their new-found love. (dramaqueen4life also loves this scene)
The leads are both popular actors, namely Yamapi and Keiko Kitagawa and they have amazing chemistry together. Their screen presence is what lightens up the whole mood of the drama plus their entertaining performances make it a whole lot better! Almost all their scenes together are adorable. It's a fairly quick watch with just 11 episodes and you might end up marathoning it (like I did!). Again, one of my absolute favorite dramas.
This drama is one of the very recent ones I saw and it ranks very high on my favorites list. It falls under the category of 'Romantic Comedy' but is much more than that. It's about two complicated people falling in love with all the hilarity and sweetness that you can include in it. Again, one well-done story with an actual build-up of romance and development of a relationship than one of those whereby the fourth episode, both leads are in love. It gave me major FANGIRL moments (dramaqueen4life adds, "Me too!").
What I love is how the characters take time to develop. They slowly fall for each other and they don't deny it for as long as other characters in dramas tend to do. Here, the guy falls for the girl first and actively pursues her trying to convince her to be with him. The one who's scared to admit her feelings here is the heroine- the very nice and helping Mei Le. I generally get pissed if the guy only likes the girl after she gets transformed, but here he falls for just the ordinary person she is. In fact, she transforms much later.
All my favorites include banter between the main leads. The guy's a jerk at the beginning and the girl gets really mad at him so they argue a lot. The real complicated events take place after her fiancee cheats on her and she falls herself falling for his brother who helps her through tough times. They have a real connection and are very sweet to watch. Plus, they have a few hot scenes as well which are so uncommon in dramas.
The chemistry between the leads is outstanding and they have very good kisses. Plus, when they hug there is no awkwardness or shyness. I also love how the writer managed to make these characters deep and believable with their flaws. Though I've had a history of never understanding why super rich, hot guys fall for ordinary, average-looking girls here's one drama that explains everything well and gives us a reason behind their actions and thoughts. I think this is a fairly lightweight drama and anyone can enjoy it- especially because of its likable cast starring Cyndi Wang and Mike He (*swoon*).
This drama has seriously one of the best, no-nonsense romances I have come across. It is a gender-bending scenario with the main girl Kim Yoon Hee dressing up as a boy to attend the all-boys Sungkyunkwan University. She shares a room with two guys who both fall in love with her. It's a triangle with both guys vying for the girl's affection. And also- a rare drama where I wouldn't have minded either of the guy getting the girl. Even the girl is worth fighting for. Let's just say they are all worthy of each other.
Since only one man wins, obviously Lee Sun Joon is the one because he displays unconditional love. He is an uptight, law-abiding son of a high-rank minister who falls for his poor roommate. When the heroine gets caught in a homosexual scandal with the other guy, he very boldly defends her and says, "I'm the homosexual instead"- which he does think he is at that point. It's really quite something watching such a careful person come out of the closet. His struggle with his sexuality is quite hilarious and you also empathize with his dire situation. While homosexuality is not that uncommon nowadays, it was not tolerated in those days and was a taboo. Their relationship is about not only accepting the other person for who they are but also accepting yourself for who you are.
One of the best scenes is when Sun Joon finds himself attracted to her lips. After he sees her dressed like a woman, he gets so disturbed that he asks her not to dress up like a woman ever again. It's also sad to see Yoon Hee struggling with what she feels at this point because she knows they are not meant to happen. Also, there are a lot of LOL moments when both guys fight over who wants to sleep next to her (I and dramaqueen4life almost fell off our chairs laughing!).
Now, I have to mention Moon Jae Shin. He is her closest friend who very well guards the secret that she is a woman. He is always there to protect her and provides her with a shoulder to cry on. I find it very cute that he gets hiccups around women and is picked on by his friend, Yong Ha about this. They also have good chemistry together. I think he and Yoon Hee had a deeper connection than she did with Sun Joon. Ah! What a set of incredible characters!
CONCLUSION: There are so many other dramas I would love to mention and talk about but these are the ones I loved most. I think they are all great dramas and everyone should give them a go at least once! They also gave me enjoyable viewing experience as well as scenes, characters and relationships to cherish for a long time. If you haven't seen these yet let me say you're missing out on a lot! These dramas are all highly recommended! :)
*THE END*
Hope you enjoyed reading the collaboration between two drama fans cum friends: addicted2dramas & dramaqueen4life! If you have comments, thoughts or questions we'd love to hear them. Just post them below! :) :)
