I think A Piece of Mind is the only one that works for me. The Reply series didn't have love triangles, lol, it was obvious to me who the FL was going to pick every time. Then again I have never had SLS, so love triangles have never been something I believed in, no matter what the writer is obviously trying to do. A Piece of Mind comes the closest though because he loved her so much he made her the voice of his AI. That being said I loved that drama, still one of the best intimate dramas ever. Showing love through hugs is always a winner in my book.

Reply ‘88! I don’t think it will ever stop hurting. It hurt like hell and it still does. I will never be able to rewatch this drama.
And I have never had Second lead syndrome ever since.

I’ll admit this isn’t one of my favorite dramas (Jung Hae-in notwithstanding) At the stake! 😂

My favourite love triangle is in Judge vs Judge. The SML is friend with both leads. He doesn't hide his feelings for the FL but doesn't do anything about it. He's just a friend for her. Each character cares and respects each other and their feelings.

But in a general, I don't like love triangle when it's clear from the start that the lead is not interested and it's only the SML/SFL who is delusional...

Gun, Mi-young, and Daniel (Jang Hyuk, Jang Na-ra, and Choi Jin-hyuk) in Fated to Love You (2014). Choi Jin-hyuk doesn't quite beat out Jung Hae-in in WYWS as the most appealing and heartbreaking SML I've seen, but the triangle is more convincing (and my SLS is stronger) because his relationship with the FL is based on mutual attraction, support, and shared interests and history rather than 'fated love' and tropey coincidences. The drama should have stopped with his proposal at the end of ep. 14 - and she should have said 'yes.'

But then it would have had to be called 'Forced to Endure So Much Nonsense from You but Fated to Love Someone Else.'

I think love triangles are a bit ridiculous. This isn't really a criticism, because plenty of kdrama tropes are ridiculous and it doesn't mean they are bad or that I don't enjoy them. But because they are, I really enjoy it when they are as ridiculous as possible.

That's why I have to go with Alchemy of Souls. I think at one point in part 1, we were up to eight different members of our complex love polygon (this is breaking the triangle rule a little and I apologize). Three different people in love with our FL at once (two of whom knew her true identity!), three in love with our ML, and miscellaneous people in love with everyone who is in love with the leads. It involved all Four Seasons and all Eligible Bachelors of Daeho. It was complicated and ridiculous and hilarious and fascinating and we may never see its like again.

I really enjoyed the love triangle in F4 Thailand. Ren was so emotionally sound and respectful in his love for Gorya, I wouldn't have minded at all if she'd actually chosen him over Thyme.

And how can I not mention one of my favourite shows, Bloody Romance. That Wan Mei and Chang An held this pining love for each other was nothing one could possibly miss, but I'll never believe for a second she wasn't tempted by Gong Zi, who albeit manipulative and villainous was a better fit for her, even though her rank in his heart always would be second to power.

Start Up comes to my mind. It was the first time I loved both main and second lead.
Not a fan of love triangles especially because there are never real love triangles in kdrama world. The second lead never has a single chance. They don't even get a chance to kiss or be kissed once, because that would made the main love story impure. And they don't even get the chance to get mad or curse. They simply accept everything with a smile... gah. I hate that XD

!! This is my moment!

Love triangles are one of my guilty pleasures, although I am actually somewhat critical of it. For me, it needs to be a reason to exist, not just for some drama about who the female lead (or male) will choose, because if we know who she will choose and it is just in the background, why even bother? If it is for comedy or it is really incorporated into the characters in a good way, it is great. I don't even mind then that we know who she ends up with, if it is used to show us the characters in new lights.

Which is why my favourite love triangle is, if I have to choose, from Seven Days Queen. The triangle did not separate the brothers, because they were already in a very complicated relationship, and the love was honestly just the hay that broke the camel's back. The way the men treated the FL was trying to keep her in mind as a human being, but she ended up again and again being humiliated because of them, or treated like an object, and in the end, she even used this against the villain. Also, the villain is the second male lead, making it obvious that he won't have her, but also gives us different sides of him and the FL; they loved each other like siblings before, and they had secrets and an understanding nobody else had of them, so the situation is painful for both of them. Even so, the FL, not having a lot of agency due to the archaic setting, uses the few moments she is allowed to show her strength and love, and goes against him.
Honestly, while the actual male lead actor did a good job and I cheered for the main couple's victories, the actual main couple for me was the FL and the SML's complicated and toxic love. I am happy she did not end up with him (honestly I agree with her actress that she shouldn't have ended with either of them, because the male lead also had quite some "bruh"-moments), but I am so happy that relationship exists.

I could compare it to the Grand Prince, which I thought from the commercials would cater to all my guilty pleasures (love triangle, bad guy with a crush on the female lead, the female lead trying to find agency in a setting that makes that hard), and it did, but I missed the more complicated relationship between the female and second male lead, as, barring some few moments, it was very clear what she felt about him, so the internal drama was not as strong.

The thing that I've noticed about a lot of love triangles in kdramas is that they're not really triangles at all. That is, a real triangle (at least, as far as I'm concerned) involves two people, both valid choices, between whom the person at the top (and the audience) is completely torn. There has to be a sense that the person at the top could feasibly pick either one of the other two and be happy; it's also usually the case that there are genuine feelings on all sides. And this type of triangle usually resolves according to chance or timing.

In contrast to this classic model, a lot of kdrama triangles make it clear from the start that the person at the top is or should be more drawn to one of the other two options, so that the second option isn't truly an option at all. This is precisely why I never understood the outrage over "Start-Up," as it seemed obvious to me from the start that the FL was not torn, so there was no triangle at all.

So I'm with missvictrix: the ultimate love triangle is the one at the center of Reply 1988.

In that drama, up until very late in its run, it's clear that Deok-sun could believably end up and be happy with either Jung-hwan or Taek, and both of those young men have real feelings for her. I was truly torn and knew that no matter who the writers decided Deok-sun ultimately married, I would always, always feel bad for the other guy. Because Deok-sun married Taek (and they were a very nice couple together), my heart broke for Jung-hwan, but I also knew that if it had gone the other way, I would have felt sad for Taek (who the writers did suggest ultimately needed Deok-sun more than Jung-hwan did, even if both loved her equally).

That quality--of knowing that either way you're going to be both happy and sad--is what makes this the perfect triangle.

The ultimate love triangle to me is in Dae Jang Geum: Jang Geum, Min Jung Ho, the King.

Love triangles, for better or worse, are just that, love triangles. He likes her, she likes the other one. There is very rarely something more than love at stake.

But in Dae Jang Geum, this triangle was twisted times hundred because of the sheer amount and depth of their beliefs and values.

This was not something to be seen or told in 3 sentences either. We were prepared and set up for this conflict 40 episodes in advance. The love triangle came at the last fifth of the drama. And it hit the hardest because by that time we had learned what these people felt, believed, and would die for by heart. It truly was the ultimate love triangle for me and nothing has yet topped it.

I'll admit that I don't hate love triangles, with the following caveat. They must serve a purpose to move the characters or the story forward. When they're done well, there's nothing quite like that feeling of beautiful heartbreak for the SL, and perfect contentment for the FL & ML.

My pet peeve though, is when the writer purposely sets up the SL to be the "perfect match" for the FL, but he never stands a chance because she can't see anything except Mr. Complicated ML. It feels manipulative and just frustrates me.

I'm not much of a fan of complex love geometry, so for me the "ultimate" love triangle would be the LAST one before kdramas outgrow this silliness.

Runners up would be the abovementioned Alchemy of Souls & Oh My Ghostess, for the reasons their proponents have stated.

My pick will always be: Ho Gu's Love (more like a love square tho).

Honorable mentions: Five Enough, Protect the Boss.

I kinda hate love triangles and I'm not a fan of second leads. Even with the Reply series it was weird. I liked the second leads but not for the female leads. I just knew who was the "one" after watching a few episodes and I stick with him, the other guy was never on my radar as a real love interest.

What better drama title to pick for "best love triangle" than a drama that determinedly and unapologetically celebrated that topic since the very beginning? I choose Jealousy Incarnate, the one drama that managed to make love triangle fun and hilarious instead of mightily frustrating and rage-inducing.

I think love triangle i enjoy the most is love triange which controbute to the narrative, and not being there only to prolong the story or just mere gimmick. I think I love the innocent man love triangle and what happened in bali.

I have an unconventional pick: Hi Bye Mama.

Cha Yu-Ri (Kim Tae-Hee) has been a ghost since she died 5 years ago. She left behind her husband, Jo Kang-Hwa (Lee Kyu Hyung) and their child. He remarries to have a mother for his child and to help with the loneliness of his loss. Oh Min-Jung (Go Bo-Gyeol) is a loving wife to and great mother to Jo Seo-Woo. After five years of missing her life, Cha Yu-Ri returns to Earth for 49 days to carry out a reincarnation project.

What makes this triangle work is that Kang-Hwa can have true feelings for his dead wife, Yu-Ri, and his current wife who has done nothing wrong. It is that conflict of loving two different women for two different reasons/time that makes it an unconventional love story. And this show really stuck the landing.

...but the farewell conversation(that conversation we do not want to have but we'll finally have to have it by choice or force) between (the person who caused the triangle and the person who didn't get the one who caused the triangle) was such an unforgettably beautiful, honest moment that it negated any complaints...

Thanks for this sentence @mistyisles . It pretty sums up my final angst towards triangles

I most definitely agree with this. Irrespective of what choices you'll make moving forward make it known that whatever you have in the past something worthwhile even though you might leave it in the past. It irks me less if you didn't have a past shared story together, but when you do and you decide to make it something easily negligible because that person isn't your final choice, I'll rant...heavily. I really wish the love triangles I come across do this and do it properly. Sometimes doing it wrong makes it hard for me to root for whoever became endgame especially when I do not like the pairing at all.

My ultimate love triangle comes from Dae Jo Young(Saguek) and Temperature of Love(modern). What scores ToL in is that I have only till date followed this with just the recaps. Yet, I was well wrapped up in the triangle that was spinned in this drama. It was as if I was watching it live.
As for Dae Jo Young, watching the FL pick the opposition guy over and over again - talk of tanking yourself with your eyes wide open. But she was consistent with her choice, no matter how much she could rely on the good guy to come to her aid when she is in sore straits - not from the her relationship choice but from life, the good guy's goodness always moved her, perhaps even second guess her choice. But, whenever it got to the point of choosing between her choice and the good guy, her heart never swayed. Her objectivity remained as sharp. At a point, till the end I stopped worrying about her choices cause life goes on. But life didn't seem to go on for her so she was always having to make that decision.

And Dae Jo Young is one show where the love story didn't take over the story even though it was a focal point cause the characters had enough things to sort out and character developments were just on point.

the only comfort for me about the triangle in Reply 1988 is that he got the girl in real life!

Greasy Melo has what is probably my favorite love triangle, thanks largely to the amazing chemistry among our leads: Jung Ryeo-Won, Junho, and Jang Hyuk. Their characters were all so emotionally mature and respectful of each other, which made it even more poignant knowing that one of the guys was going to end up with a broken heart. BTW—I enjoyed the bromance just as much as the romance!

Reply 1988 gave me such severe second lead syndrome that it permanently cured me of ever even accidentally rooting for the second lead again. I think I have to choose that if only for the impact it had on my drama-watching habits.

love triangle....
nothing hurts more than Reply 1988 love triangle. we saw Jung hwan love for Deok Sun throughout his teenage years till his adult life. but he love taek the same way all that years. it hurts him and us the viewers, that he hesitate too much till the chances were no longer there anymore.

it double the pain when we dont actually know what happen to him in the future too. like after all the pain the writer put him through, they glossed over his future after Ssangmundong. did he get married? did he change career or stay to be high ranking military official? or did he actually passed away while serving the country, just like what circulated on internet during post Reply 1988 end? like forreal, what happen to him?? we saw everyone in the future, they even talk about his brother, but not a peep about him at the end. he received way much more dubious ending compared to chillbong. at least chillbong move on and found someone else to love. but not junghwan and i will always wonder why.

I’m going to give this to Dream High, because I went in unspoilered and legitimately was not sure until quite late in the show if she would end up with the misunderstood bad boy with a heart of gold or the poor lovelorn farm boy also with a heart of gold, to the point where I wondered if they changed who was going to be the hero part way through.

I had to think about this, as others have noted a lot of supposed love triangles are not so much triangles as a pairing with a clingy person who hasn't read He/She's Just Not That Into You. Maybe that's an isosceles triangle.

Anyway, I think I'm Sorry, I Love You counts because she switches from one to the other (and then back, and then back again...). But for ambiguity over how it's going to turn out, I nominate My Love Patzzi.

Hometown Cha-cha-cha had two well-done love triangles: The one with the main couple and the producer college friend. And there was the one with the divorced couple and the friend. The triangles ended with new/renewed friendships and everyone feeling that they're off to a brighter future.

I also liked the love triangle in Shooting Stars where the two guys end up being rivals/neighbors/stairwell-frenemies/dinner-friends.

1988 didn't feel like a triangle to me. It didn't register to me that Taek was in the running until later on. I guess I'm the type to miss the signs. What was heartbreaking was Jung-hwan's reflection that his cowardice had led him to miss the timing. And he was completely right. (Also, hard to win against a chessmaster. They know strategy!)

Answer Me 1988 for sure. But I’m probably in the minority since I love all three and can’t choose even if the drama did that for me.
I’m just saying we can apparently be fine with a king having a bazillion concubines and still refer to the him as ‘Noble’ like in Under The Queen’s Umbrella but we can’t be fine in the modern era for one woman loving two men? (Obviously this has to consensual for all people involved, no cheating)

I’ve always been fascinated with the kdrama love square which to be fair usually ends up being a love triangle anyway because the second female lead is most of time portrayed as a bitch.

But lately we’ve been getting true love squares that it could go either way and I’d be fine with it. For example Our Beloved Summer and now The Interest of Love (I’m on episode 5 currently, so I don’t how much has changed and no spoilers pls. It just took me a long time to get through those rough first two episodes)

I know it won’t happen anytime soon but since the love square has been such a staple in kdramas for so long, they could probably do a convincing polyamorous relationship. I’d definitely be here for it if or when it does happen.

Poem a day—afraid of winding up on the wrong ship, so threw it all into the ocean and stayed on the Island if Neutrality ti keep my heart intact. I think she ended up with the right person though, even if the writer changed her mind midway through.

I have triangle answer for this

Reply 1988 (my heart still aches when I remember Jungpal)
Jealousy Incarnate (it’s a sin not to chose Go Kyung Pyo’s handsomeness and genuineness in this one)
Discovery of Love (props to Yumi for having deep chemistry with both Eric and Sung Joon)

I prefer love squares to love triangles but if I have to choose then I think that I would go with some real classics where, objectively speaking, I can seriously you can see how wonderful the second male lead is- to the point where turning him down is essentially an act of insanity: So my favorite has to be YOU ARE MY DESTINY (aka FATED TO LOVE YOU- any one of several versions) where fate alone can explain why our FL ends up with the ML rather than with The Greatest Second Male Lead Of All Time. Why my favorite triangle? Precisely because the SML is no way shape or form a loser - nor does the universe treat him like one by ultimately rewarding him with the one thing he wanted even more than the girl. In fact, the moment when he is re-united with his long-lost sister is one of the absolute emotional high points of the story.

Never once in the entire drama is the SML in any way treated or seen as second best and that is what makes this triangle so unique.

Damo.

I love the love triangle in Jealousy Incarnate. I just freaking love that drama. The friendship between the two friends is amazing. I still regularly think about the moment where they go digging in the mud for squid? Octopus? And she's happily digging away and the two men are beating each other up and they pause their fight and ask if they are still best friends. They agree of course they are and go back to walloping each other. She happily holds up her prize and looks back at the guys--covered in mud. Another favorite scene the boys are arguing again and Lee Hwa Shin is steadily ripping his clothes off because they were bought by Jung Won. It's hilarious.

Since I have to reflect on this, I realize that it is very rare for me to agonize over the second lead (that is very often a 2ML).
Is it because I have internalized that the mains are endgame and thus there is no need to cry over future spoiled milk ? Is it because the main character has better description, and quite often the 2ML has just enough agency to be a revelator of hidden feelings ?
I seldom get SLS.
The first drama that made me curse at the scenario is Romance is a bonus book. To be frank, this is the third drama that I watched, so it is easy for it to be first. However, it is one of the dramas that I liked the less. The reference of the bottom. Lack of chemistry in the main couple, humour that does not elicit a smile, stupid decisions, plot holes... I am angry with myself to give this drama's name as an answer. The only good thing in it is Wi Ha Joon smile.
There are a few dramas for which I am convinced FL would have made a better choice with 2ML : 100 days my prince, Protect the boss, Nevertheless.
Yet, for the ultimate love triangle I have to nominate Born again since the whole drama is the triangle.

Fun & interesting fact (to me, at last) : I consider all the aforementioned dramas not good.
Is the conclusion that I do not appreciate a believable love triangle ? Or quite probably that if the love triangle is the only good thing I find in a drama, it is lacking some substantial parts.

My pick? The Taiwanese drama Someday or One Day, the school relationship between Chen Yun-Ru, Li Zi-Wei and Mo Jun-Jie. Though that triangle was admittedly weighted to one side, considering the heroine had traveled back in time to be with her true love.

My worst love triangle Razzie award goes to 'Revolutionary Love'. When the feckless second male lead finally confesses to the heroine she has this priceless look of distress on her face, like she did not want to be in the same room with this guy. She didn't much like them male lead either and attempted to emigrate to Norway to get away from him stalking her.

Definitely Reply 1988, and I would also go with School 2015. The FL should have ended up with the 2nd ML.

Are we talking love triangles I still enjoyed watching? Or love triangles that hurt so bad I stopped watching the show when I realized it was actually a 24 episode drama and not a 16 episode drama?

If you mean enjoyable love triangles... I rather enjoyed the second lead love triangle in Sh**ting stars that I likely just made up... but I really wanted our SL to end up with the fangirl actor star lady. It seemed like it would go that way for a while. But then it didn't!

And if you're talking the latter love triangle which burned my heart forever... Jealousy Incarnate. I can't watch that drama. I loved Go Kyung Po here too much, and I didn't like Jo Jung Suk... so much so I didn't watch his dramas for a while after this.

I'd never forget how miserable I am when Deok-sun chose Taek over Jung Hwan in Answer Me 1988. The only thing that cure me is the news that out after the drama ends, that Hyeri and Ryu Jun Hyeol are dating, at least in real life they are together LoL

Sigh... KBear, you must do this! Fighting!!!

Okay... Truth I genuinely don't believe love triangles. There, I said it. For me, I never torment myself with the possibility of another person, heck, I don't even read AU fanfics with a different pairing. Good for my mindset 💆🏽‍♀️

But!!!!

Hometown Cha Cha Cha, I hate you for living rent free in my head; along with She was Pretty and Judge vs Judge. That's it! No more 🥲