This is for K-drama fans who enjoy both romance and intense action in their stories. These titles are also ideal for watching when you and your bestie or partner are trying to decide what to watch but have different tastes. It’s the perfect balance to keep you on the edge of your seat while giving you butterflies. Here are eight K-dramas that are the ideal mix of action and romance!
1. “Healer”
Ji Chang Wook plays Seo Jung Hoo, an anti-hero who spends his nights running errands to save money. He does this so that he can live the rest of his life alone, until one day he falls in love with Chae Young Shin (Park Min Young).
“Healer” is one of those K-dramas that surprises you by having action scenes that even a romantic at heart would enjoy watching. Several times throughout the series, Seo Jung Hoo tries to figure out what happened to his past. It also helps that his job involves a lot of action, as he runs errands for anonymous people. For those who enjoy romance, the chemistry and love story between Young Shin and Jung Hoo is among the best ever!
2. “Flower of Evil”
In the mystery thriller “Flower of Evil,” Lee Joon Gi co-stars with Moon Chae Won. His character, Baek Hee Sung, is a loving husband and father to a young girl. To the naked eye, he is perfect, but he lives another life – one filled with murder, deception, and lies. Cha Ji Won, his wife, is a detective who is involved in a cat-and-mouse game that will lead her to her husband as the prime suspect.
The success of “Flower of Evil” can be attributed to a number of factors, including the plot, the cliffhangers, the character development, and, of course, the love story between Ji Won and Hee Sung. The series is a crime/thriller, but viewers were surprised to see that the romance aspect was perfectly sweet and swoon-worthy. Seeing the two characters’ true love as husband and wife as they try to solve the mystery surrounding Hee Sung is the perfect blend of the two genres.
3. “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon”
Park Bo Young plays an aspiring game developer who was born with super strength in “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon.” She meets Ahn Min Hyuk (Park Hyung Sik), the CEO of a video game company who is looking for a bodyguard. He hires Do Bong Soon with the added benefit of allowing her to develop a game while working for him.
When you hear the synopsis of “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon,” you might think it’s more on the romantic side, but there’s actually a lot of action. When you have a female lead who becomes a crime-fighting hero while also trying to figure out her feelings, you can expect a lot of cute romantic scenes alongside Do Bong Soon kicking some serious butt.
4. “Happiness”
“Happiness” stars Park Hyung Sik as detective Jung Yi Hyun and Han Hyo Joo as tactical agent Yoon Sae Bom of the Gyeonggi Police Station. They were high school classmates who end up in an apocalyptic situation where people are infected with a virus that turns them into zombie-like creatures. The two are fighting for their own lives as well as the lives of others.
“Happiness” is another Park Hyung Sik series worth mentioning. When the setting of a romantic story is a zombie-like apocalypse, you can expect a lot of action. Even more so because Yi Hyun and Sae Bom are detectives and police agents, respectively. Viewers will be surprised to learn that at the heart of this apocalyptic storyline is a heartfelt romance, which makes the gruesome and grotesque scenes almost bearable.
5. “Come and Hug Me”
In high school, Chae Do Jin (Jang Ki Yong) and Han Jae Yi (Jin Ki Joo) fall in love. They are each other’s first loves, and there is nothing Do Jin would not do for Jae Yi. Unfortunately, Do Jin’s father is insane and murders Jae Yi’s entire family. He is unable to kill Jae Yi, but this separates Do Jin and Jae Yi. When the two grow up, they find their way back into each other’s lives, but Do Jin’s murderous father is about to be released from prison and wants to finish the job he started by killing Jae Yi.
The intensity of the serial killer story at the forefront is perfectly balanced by the passionate love story between Do Jin and Jae Yi. The series’ overall tone is one of suspense and action, which only adds to the romance. You’ll enjoy seeing Jang Ki Yong in uniform as a detective who is willing to go to any length to catch the bad guys and protect the woman he loves.
6. “Descendants of the Sun”
Song Joong Ki plays Yoo Shi Jin in “Descendants of the Sun,” and Song Hye Kyo plays Kang Mo Yeon. Yoo Shi Jin is an army captain who is madly in love with Dr. Kang. Despite their disparate backgrounds, they embark on a whirlwind romance. Despite their desire to be together, Yoo Shi Jin’s job consistently puts his life in danger, which is difficult for Mo Yeon to deal with.
This classic romantic series revolves around two love stories set in a fictional country. Although it is known for the chemistry between the couples, there is a lot of action in the background as the army deals with a variety of issues, including various villainous characters attempting to commit crimes and harm people. The action-packed series will not only keep you guessing until the end, but the love story between the two main couples will steal your heart!
7. “City Hunter”
Lee Min Ho plays Lee Yoon Sung in “City Hunter,” a character who goes undercover at the Blue House as an IT expert in order to carry out his father’s revenge plan. There, he meets Kim Na Na (Park Min Young), a bodyguard. They form an alliance after realizing that their plans for vengeance are similar. They have a passionate romance as a result of this.
This classic series is based on the ever popular Japanese manga, and it became extremely popular both in Korea and internationally. Throughout the series, you get a glimpse of Lee Min Ho performing some very serious stunts and fight scenes. It’s surprisingly entertaining, but the highlight is definitely seeing Na Na and Yoon Sung’s blossoming romance.
8. “The K2”
Ji Chang Wook plays Kim Je Ha, who works as Go Ahn Na’s (Yoona) tough and loyal bodyguard but also falls in love with her. You can’t get away from the fact that Ji Chang Wook is a master of action/romance K-dramas. He can make any action scene look effortlessly smooth while still maintaining a loving, romantic relationship with his counterpart. What made this couple even more appealing was their love story. In this series, everything about Je Ha and Ahn Na’s love story is heartfelt and beautiful, especially how Je Ha continues to rescue and protect her. What a romantic scene!
