All you need is love, and when that affection comes with a healing touch, it makes it all the more sweet. K-dramas have more often than not given us male leads who have defined and redefined what it means to be a green flag.
These are men who celebrate the success of the women they love, thrive in her victories, but also show resilience and fortitude in helping the female lead offload her emotional baggage as well as overcome her traumas.
They also showcase strength in character. Determined and confident in themselves, they show us that a relationship is based on loyalty, trust, and embracing all aspects—the good, the bad, and the ugly—with no judgment. Here are six K-drama men who help the female leads heal and made us root for them.
Warning: spoilers for the shows below.
“Love Scout”
Kang Ji Yun (Han Ji Min) is a workaholic. A hardworking and fiercely independent woman, she leads a headhunting firm. Ji Yun has never had it easy. She built her firm on her own merit and feels that everything is her responsibility. She’s sassy, smart, and very principled. But beneath the tough exterior lies a lonely girl craving warmth and affection. She is constantly in flight or fight mode, a hustler with no time for herself.
Things change with the arrival of Yu Eun Ho (Lee Jun Hyuk), a former HR manager who takes on the tough task of becoming an assistant to Ji Yun. A single parent, Eun Ho understands the importance of balancing work and personal life. A seasoned professional, he is also perceptive and sensitive.
As he tries to bring a semblance of normalcy into Ji Yun’s chaotic life, she resents it. She is snarky and difficult, but Eun Ho is patient, taking care of her schedule as well as making sure she eats on time and takes care of herself.
As a relationship blossoms, it is Eun Ho who provides her with a safety blanket of warmth and affection that she so craves. Gaining the support from a man who doesn’t feel threatened by her nor resents her, Ji Yun realizes it is okay to let go and slow down.
“Love Scout” is a heartwarming drama. From its progressive portrayal of gender dynamics, it also gave us one of the best on-screen characters in Lee Jun Hyuk’s Eun Ho. A doting father who understands his young daughter, he also brings the same level of compassion toward the woman he loves.
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“Encounter”
Cha Soo Hyun (Song Hye Kyo) is the CEO of Dong Hwa Hotel. She’s a reserved woman who prefers solitude since her personal life has been anything but peaceful. The daughter of influential parents, Soo Hyun has lived her life stifled by the spotlight. Married into an equally influential family and keeping the political interests of both her parents and in-laws in mind, she feels burdened and suffocated. She asks for a divorce and devotes herself into building her hotel. However, a business trip to Havana changes the way Soo Hyun looks at life and herself.
Kim Jin Hyuk (Park Bo Gum) is a fellow traveler, making the most of his stay in Cuba before he starts work back home in Korea. Young, free-spirited, and friendly, he is perhaps the first person who makes Soo Hyun laugh freely and smile easily.
Once back home, she discovers that Jin Hyuk is the new recruit in the PR department. She fondly remembers their time in Cuba, and it is apparent that he does as well. The spark and connection they shared is reignited, and as the two grow close, and it is clear that the feelings run deep.
Jin Hyuk is a man who does not concern himself with Soo Hyun’s status, personal or professional. For him, she is just a woman he loves and wants to protect. The sincerity of Jin Hyuk’s feelings and the faith he has in her gives Soo Hyun the wings to soar when she finds herself caged again in family politics.
“Encounter” is a show for all romantics. The chemistry between Song Hye Kyo and Park Bo Gum is palpable, with both leads giving nuanced and effortless performances.
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“She Was Pretty”
Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon) returns home to Seoul after having grown up in the States. The first person he seeks is his old childhood friend and crush, Kim Hye Jin. Hye Jin, the prettiest girl in the neighborhood, had befriended the chubby and friendless Sung Joon. Sung Joon would be mocked by kids, but it was Hye Jin who always had his back. The two had been in touch, but Sung Joon has no idea what the adult version of Hye Jin looks like.
The years haven’t been kind to Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eun). Her family fell into hard times, she couldn’t pursue her dream to write, and she hustles between different jobs. Most importantly, she is extremely self-conscious about her looks. She feels she is no longer nice looking, given her frizzy hair and sallow complexion.
She sends her friend to meet Sung Joon instead of her. But when she lands a job as an intern at the same magazine where Sung Joon is an editor, she can no longer avoid him. Though initially oblivious to her, Sung Joon keeps finding himself drawn toward Hye Jin, who seems familiar to him. As the truth finally surfaces, Sung Joon is just happy to have found Hye Jin back. All he remembers of her is her sensitive and caring nature, something that still remains the same. She had helped him when he was young, and now it’s his turn to make her feel confident in her skin as well as her own abilities.
“She Was Pretty” is a charming rom-com with a deep message: that beauty is more on the inside than the outside. Hye Jin’s complex regarding her looks is of no importance to Sung Joon, who loves her for who she is.
Start watching “She was Pretty”:
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“Can This Love Be Translated?”
Joo Ho Jin (Kim Seon Ho) is a multilingual interpreter. A polyglot who likes to keep to himself, he finds his life taking an unusual turn after meeting Cha Mu Hee (Go Youn Jung).
When they first meet, Mu Hee is an aspiring actor. However, a freak accident, which happens on the set of her film, changes the course of her life. The film becomes a hit, and when Mu Hee awakens from a coma, she is a top star.
The two meet again but Ho Jin is his usual reserved self, avoiding Mu Hee’s exuberance but also taken aback with her mood swings. He understands she is suffering from anxiety and helps her but maintains a professional distance. After all, that’s the sensible thing to do, given her status as a star and him being just an interpreter.
But when a work trip takes them half way across the world, he sees beyond Mu Hee’s starry facade. She suffers from a trauma-induced dissociative identity disorder. It’s something that makes her behave erratically and causes her emotional distress.
Ho Jin understands Mu Hee for who she is, embracing her and her alter ego, Do Ra Mi, who is nothing but a mental shield to protect herself. He patiently helps Mu Hee as she embarks on her healing journey. He doesn’t judge her, instead standing by her as an anchor through her emotional upheaval and struggles.
“Can This Love Be Translated?” is a charming show with Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung making it a worthwhile watch. Their on-screen chemistry and Kim Seon Ho’s dimples are unmissable.
“Our Blues”
A bittersweet anthology on the everyday lives of folks living in Jeju Island, “Our Blues” strikes a chord for its relatability. Amongst the many chapters is the story of Jung Joon (Kim Woo Bin) and Young Ok (Han Ji Min).
Jung Joon owns a boat, navigating the sea through calm and choppy waters with remarkable stoicism. He is in love with Young Ok, a temperamental haenyeo (female diver) who also does part-time jobs around the island. Young Ok is secretive and harbors guilt of abandoning her older twin in the city. Her sister, who has Down syndrome, wants to live with her, but Young Ok is conscious about societal reactions.
When she is forced to bring her sister to the island, she realizes the judgements exists more in her eyes than in those around her. The one who helps her understand this is Jung Joon. He is the first to recognize her sister’s artistic abilities and makes Young Ok look beyond her sister’s condition.
Kim Woo Bin’s Jung Joon is endearing and warm as he remains steadfast through every emotional wave.
“When the Camellia Blooms”
Dong Baek (Gong Hyo Jin) moves to a small town after being abandoned by her husband and is left to fend for her young son. She starts a restaurant but faces constant challenges, including being ridiculed and judged by the town folk as she tries making ends meet.
She meets Yong Shik (Kang Ha Neul), a police officer who finds himself falling for her. Yong Shik is unwavering in his feelings and is the one person who stands up for Dong Baek as she is gossiped and spoken ill about. Never does he question her, nor doubt her, but rather respects her for who she is. He stands by her and for her son, even defying his own mother, who disapproves of Dong Baek. It is Yong Shik who empowers and helps her live the she wants to, unapologetically.
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
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