These Romantic K-Drama Moments Live In Our Minds Rent-Free

It’s been established time and again that nobody does romance like K-dramas. Whether it’s grand gestures of love or small things that make your toes curl in delight, there’s no dearth of romantic moments in K-dramas that make them unforgettable.

Think about the time the weary, immortal Kim Shin begged God to leave him in purgatory, after achieving the death he had longed for centuries, just so that he could go back to Eun-tak if she called him (In Guardian: The Lonely God). Or the time Ik-jun quietly showed up to support Songhwa at her doctor’s appointment, despite her insistence that she could manage it alone (In Hospital Playlist).

We don’t know about you, but we’re definitely going for a rewatch. While we do that, here’s a list of some of the most romantic moments from K-dramas that live in our minds rent-free… (Needless to say, the following list contains major plot spoilers!)

Most Romantic K-Drama Moments

When Gwang-sik swims back to Ae-sun in When Life Gives You Tangerines

In the recently concluded drama When Life Gives You Tangerines, it’s clear that Yang Gwang-sik (Park Bo-gum) and Ae-sun (IU) are made for each other. But Ae-sun manages to push him away, in a misplaced effort to get him to follow his athletic dreams and not be tied down because of her. By the time she realises her mistake, Gwang-sik is on a boat that has left the port of Jeju to head towards the city. However, hearing Ae-sun call out his name, Gwang-sik jumps from the boat and swims back through the icy water to come back to her. The bar, people, is officially sky high.

When Captain Ri risks crossing the North Korean border to protect Se-ri in Crash Landing On You

It won’t be an exaggeration to say that a whole separate list should be dedicated to the swoonworthy romantic moments from Crash Landing On You. However, if we have to pick one (and this was hard), it would have to be Se-ri and Captain Ri Jeong-hyuk’s reunion in Seoul. After the wealthy heiress manages to escape North Korea and come back home, Jeoung-hyuk realises that her life is still in danger. He risks everything to cross the border himself to protect her. The moment when a depressed Se-ri finds Jeoung-hyuk standing in front of her as the snow fell over them is one for the books.

When Ik-jun doesn’t let Songwha be alone at her doctor’s appointment in Hospital Playlist

Romance might not have been the focus of this slice-of-life drama, but Hospital Playlist managed to pack a powerful punch with its different representations of love over the course of its two seasons. One of our favourites is best friends Ik-jun (Jo Jong-suk) and Songhwa’s (Jeon Mi-do) slow journey towards love. Even though the couple gets together towards the end of the second season, there’s a moment earlier in the season when Ik-jun displays just why he is the right partner for Songhwa. The strong and independent neurosurgeon is up for a doctor’s appointment that could come with a terrible diagnosis for her. While she had insisted that she didn’t want anyone there, Ik-jun knew she was only saying this because she was terrified. Ik-jun shows up to give her his silent support at the appointment even after completing a rough overnight surgery himself.

When Lee Gon took his entire force to save “his future queen” in The King: Eternal Monarch

While we do love quiet moments of romantic expression, sometimes a handsome king on a white steed coming to save his queen is just what we need, and it’s exactly what The King: Eternal Monarch delivered. Lee Gon (Lee Min-ho) amasses the might of his army and crosses through the portal between two dimensions to reach Jung Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun), who is in danger. While the sight of Lee Gon charging to save his love from harm is enough, his declaration to his men that they’re going to save the “future queen” is what makes this one stick in our brain for all the right reasons.

When Du-sik makes a jewellery box for Hye-jin in Hometown Cha Cha Cha

Walking, talking green flag Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho) proved several times throughout Hometown Cha Cha Cha why he should be the gold standard for boyfriends. If you want an example of why that’s irrevocably true, you can look at what happens when he (finally) gets together with Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a). The dentist immediately gets to crossing off items from her list of things she wants them to do as a couple, including a date in Seoul. While shopping in the city, Hye-jin comes across a diamond necklace that she had been eyeing and saving up for a while. When she notices Du-sik’s shock at the price tag after she buys it, she secretly sells it off to avoid making him feel inferior and upset. However, Du-sik defies her expectations by not only planning a surprise romantic date on the beach for her but also making a wooden jewellery box by hand for the diamond necklace. The scene from the episode’s epilogue, which reveals that making something for Hye-jin by himself was on his list, is just the cherry on the cake.

When Vincenzo treats Chae-young to a unique Mafia ritual in Vincenzo

Hear us out. This one from the immensely engaging Vincenzo might not be like the others listed above and below, but it’s definitely a moment that solidifies why Vincenzo and Hong Cha-young are perfect for each other. Former Italian mafia consigliere Vincenzo decides that going up against the evil Babel group using ethical means is not going to cut it. This is why he decides to bring back a unique ritual employed by mafia families to ‘welcome’ a new rival family boss. When his colleagues at the law firm hear his plans of drenching the new Babel CEO in pig’s blood (yes, that’s the ritual), everyone except Hong Cha-young expresses their disgust at the practice. He goes with their plan of hacking the company’s press conference AV and showing a video of Babel’s corrupt dealings. But, much to the delight of Cha-young, he also decides to bathe CEO Jang Jun-woo in pig’s blood on stage. Watching the two enjoy popcorn while enjoying the beginning of the downfall of their enemy is easily one of the most memorable K-drama moments in recent past.

When the Goblin honours his contract with Eun-tak in Guardian: The Lonely God

The former army general Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), AKA the goblin, is cursed with immortality and has waited for centuries to meet the one who can grant him the death he longs for. Ji He doesn’t envision that he would meet and fall in love with Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), his destined bride and the one destined to finally end his life. When they realise their love story might not have the perfect happy ending, Eun-tak makes Kim Shin sign a contract that has him promise her that he would return to her as the rain and the first snow every year. When Kim Shin finally meets his end, he refuses to go into the afterlife and, instead, begs God to leave him in purgatory so that he could return to Eun-tak as he had promised in the contract.