[Drama chat] Favorite side couples
by missvictrix
It takes a lot of couple power to defeat the lure of a drama’s all-powerful OTP, but sometimes — sometimes — there’s a side couple in a drama that just take the cake. And it’s not just that they deserve the cake. It’s that they steal the Best Couple cake right out from under the noses of the main couple, and then they run off with it into the night, and we’re left standing there all alone wishing for a spin-off.
I think Business Proposal’s side couple of Kim Min-kyu and Seol In-ah is a clear example of how a delightful side couple can siphon off some of the OTP’s power and claim it for their own. But they’re definitely not the only ones. Kim Sun-ho and Go Won-hee in Strongest Deliveryman come to mind for me — as does the total night ninja power of Park Yeon-woo and Sohn Hwa-ryung in Love is for Suckers.
Who are some of your favorite drama side couples?
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26 vienibenmio
March 20, 2023 at 7:07 AM
Can't believe no one said John Jang and Ji-won from Love is for Suckers yet! They're so good, a bunch of us wanted them to be the main couple and kept watching the drama just for them.
Anyway, other side couples:
- Gwi-nam and Ji-a from Secretary Kim kept me watching long after I got bored with the main coupl.
- Seo Dan and the lawyer guy from Touch Your Heart.
- The ML's sister and his friend in Another Ms. Oh. I still rewatch that elevator kiss a lot.
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ar_arguably romantic
March 20, 2023 at 5:09 PM
Omg, I can't believe I forgot that cute couple from Secretary Kim.
There really could be a whole series on the down-to-earth girl noticing that the handsome, popular coworker is an image-conscious-penny-pinching guy.
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27 TAS-Mania
March 20, 2023 at 8:37 AM
Ojakgyo Brothers - Hwang Tae Hee (Joo Won)/Baek Ja Eun (Uee) had a wonderful romance, much better than the lead couple. Was shocked when Hwang Tae Beom/Cha Soo Yeong won best couple award. While I enjoyed the Hwang Tae Beom/Cha Soo Yeong romance, it wasn't near as good as Hwang Tae Hee/Baek Ja Eun romance which was the best thing about this drama. Also, hated the older brother (Hwang Tae Shik)'s romance. Kim Mi Suk deserved so much better than him.
Same with King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo - Joo Ma Jun (Joo Won)/Shin Yoo Kyung (Eugene) totally dysfunctional, messed up romance was completely addictive. Again, can't believe Kim Tak Goo/Yang Mi Sun extremely bland, emotionless romance won best couple award.
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Isa is always time travelling
March 20, 2023 at 12:06 PM
Secondary couple (or I should say the only real couple?) in King of Baking had a very interesting story arc.
It was a quite toxic relationship indeed, but at least it ended as I wanted it to end. Happily.
Somehow I disliked her and I suffered just thinking she could end as a pair with our angel/saint Tak Gu, so the ending was a relief XD
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TAS-Mania
March 20, 2023 at 4:05 PM
I agree, Kim Tak Goo and Yang Mi Sun didn't have much in the way of romance but I guess they had to pair Kim Tak Goo up with someone since he was that rare male lead who lost the female lead to the second male lead.
Did you ever watch Passionate Love? It was a direct rip off of King of Baking (some switch in the characters but basically tried to recreate the fan fervor that King of Baking had). Oddly, I only watched it for the second male lead as I disliked almost all of the characters in this drama (I found to male lead and his family just too nice). Unfortunately, the female lead/second male lead romance in this drama didn't have the dysfunction, addictiveness as the romance in King of Baking. I actually liked the female lead in King of Bake (Eugene) better than the too sweet female lead in Passionate Love. My favorite scene in Passionate Love was when the second male lead rejected the female lead after she had spent years looking for him. So satisfying (hehehe) but of course he took her back in the end. Like King of Baking, another rare drama where the female lead ends up with the second male lead. They had to bring in a new character halfway through the drama to pair up with the male lead.
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Isa is always time travelling
March 20, 2023 at 5:21 PM
I have not watched Passionate Love. In fact, I have only watched one makjang and it was King of Baking. I was totally hooked and enjoyed it, but I'm not really into makjangs.
About FL falling in love with SML, I think I have only watched four dramas where that happened, being King of Baking one of them.
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TAS-Mania
March 20, 2023 at 6:11 PM
I actually wouldn't recommend anyone watch Passionate Love. It lacked the addictiveness of King of Baking and actually was a pretty bad drama (despite trying to model itself after King of Baking).
I love dramas where the second male lead ends up with the female lead. Unfortunately they are extremely rare. I've probably found/watched less than 15 of them.
Reply1988 - 🍊Mother Bean🍊
March 21, 2023 at 8:17 PM
I get second lead syndrome regularly so would love to see where the better guy actually gets seen. If you have any dramas you feel you can recommend where the female lead and second male lead fall in love please can you list them.
Reply1988 - 🍊Mother Bean🍊
March 22, 2023 at 4:13 AM
Thank you! I would be controversial and say in Yumi’s cells the three men were all the leads according to the season so I wouldn’t class any as the second lead.
Reply1988 - 🍊Mother Bean🍊
March 21, 2023 at 8:09 PM
I would like to watch a drama where the second lead gets the girl/boy. Are they all old dramas as I am newish to K dramaland so have mainly seen current dramas and have not found one with this type of story so can’t believe I have missed out if there are so many out there. Please can you send out some recommendations.
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TAS-Mania
March 21, 2023 at 10:03 PM
Instances where the second male lead ends up with the female lead are extremely rare and unfortunately most of the dramas were just not that good. I'll give you the full list of the ones I've watched and you can decide if you want to watch any of them:
* The King in Love (2017) (Korean) - This had the classic second male lead getting the female lead, I enjoyed this drama and was rooting for the second male lead but I think some folks were upset that the male lead didn't up with the female lead
* Empress Ki (2013) (Korean) a very addictive drama where the female lead marries the second male lead but warning on the ending
* King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo (2010) This was a huge hit when it aired in Korea, getting 50% ratings (a makjang done right). As we discussed above the female lead/second male lead had a totally dysfunctional relationship, but I found it very addictive - the second male lead was not the classic "good guy"
* Passionate Love (2013) (Korean) - a King of Baking wannabee but lacking the addictiveness
* Dr Champ (2010) (Korean) - I liked both the female lead and the second male lead and enjoyed the drama
* The Fierce Wife (2010) (Taiwan) The drama has a open ending, so you need to watch the 2012 movie for the conclusion to the drama
*Queen of Reversals (2010) (Korean) Based on audience feedback script was rewritten to have female lead end up with second male lead
* How to Meet a Perfect Neighbor (2007) (Korean) - this drama had some major flaws as it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a melodrama or a rom/com so tried to be both
* Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter (2018) (Korean) - not a very good drama
* Flower King/Substitute Princess (2013) (Taiwan) - loved the second male lead Chris Wu and kept watching this drama as it was airing solely for him. I hated the male lead (one of the worse written characters I've ever seen) and didn't like the female lead - Lots of shipping wars when this aired and they tried to soften the blow to the lead actor by their cop out ending
* Nail Shop Paris (2013) (Korean) Watched solely for the second male lead Song Jae Rim - overall a truly bad, horrible drama
* Peach Girl (2001) (Taiwan) - a really bad drama
* Top Medical Team (2013) (Korean) - just ok medical drama
* A Little Love Never Hurts (2013) (Korean) - this was a drama I kept watching only because of the second female lead who had the misfortune to fall in love with the wimpy, spineless male lead (who was dumped by the female lead, who recognized a loser when she saw one). Female lead had a completely lackluster romance with the second male lead. Loser of a hero ends up alone. Sadly, my favorite character, the second female lead also ends up alone because of the gutless male lead. Ten years later I'm still in a rage about this drama.
Isa is always time travelling
March 22, 2023 at 12:55 AM
Apart from the already mentioned King of Baking, I have watched:
(Spoilers about FM falling in love with SML, of course:)
- Queen Seon Deok.
- Love Alarm.
- Yumi's cells.
There are other series where ML and SML roles are switched up, so it's difficult to say who is who: My Holo Love, My first first love, The best hit, Start-up...
Reply1988 - 🍊Mother Bean🍊
March 22, 2023 at 4:15 AM
@tazmania Thank you looking forward to seeing if I can locate any of these!
Reply1988 - 🍊Mother Bean🍊
March 22, 2023 at 4:19 AM
@isagc love the category male leads swaps definitely agreed in Best hits and My holo love.
TAS-Mania
March 23, 2023 at 6:18 AM
Viki has The King in Love under the title The King Loves. Viki also has Empress Ki.
At the time most of these shows aired, most shows were either subbed by Viki or Dramafever (which was purchased and closed by Warner Bros).
KBS World TV has put King of Baking under the title Bread, Love and Dreams on youtube. YT might have others.
28 Joycie
March 20, 2023 at 10:23 AM
2015 High Society’s Lee Ji Yi and Yoo Chang Soo.
My sister and I came into this drama with High expectations (pun intended) for the love of UEE and Sung Joon. But we ended up loving the side couple played by Im Ji Yeon and Park Hyung Sik. If it wasn’t for them, this drama had already crashed and burned.
(For the record, the drama did crash and burn but these two is like the salve you put on the third degree burns that the drama gave - it doesn’t heal you but has a soothing placebo effect, I guess?)
Also this is a 180 degree turn from Im Ji Yeon’s amazing villain portrayal lately so it might be nice to check out to help remove her scarring Park Yeon Jin portrayal.
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29 bluestone
March 20, 2023 at 11:52 AM
Descendants of the Sun.
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30 TAS-Mania
March 20, 2023 at 6:29 PM
History of the Salaryman (2012) - Loved the secondary romance of Choi Han Woo/Cha Woo Hee. Overall a fun, quirky satire on office politics (apparently the drama itself is based upon historical events occurring during China's 202-206 BC Chu-Han Contention but set as a parody of modern office politics). While I preferred the secondary romance over the main romance, the female lead was quite a hoot.
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31 SooHa
March 20, 2023 at 11:39 PM
Forever my SL couple, Lee Da-hee and Lee Jae-wook in Search WWW (I even skip the main couple)
Yoo Inna and Lee Don Wook in Goblin definitely in my list
Park Hyung Sik and Im Ji Yeon in High Society (I don't even care with main couple)
Kim Min-kyu and Seol In-ah in Business Proposal (I'm still love ML couple though)
Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ji Hye in Crash Landing on You (ML couple still my favorite)
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32 OldLawyer
March 21, 2023 at 1:55 PM
To me the side couple from BUSINESS PROPOSAL is second only to The Golfer Couple (Sung Hoon and Shin Hye Sun) in FIVE ENOUGH. Sung Hoon and Shin Hye Sun portrayed the magical pairing up of two people who are not so much similar but rather complementary: Each brought a strength to match the weaknesses of the other.
Had the writers not chosen to weaken the full story from the webtoon that was portrayed by Kim Min-kyu and Seol In-ah in BUSINESS PROPOSAL their story might have actually overshadowed the story of the ML and FL. The result was the unnecessary recasting of Chairman Jin (the father of the 2FL) as an emotionless, cold hearted, calculating caricature of a Chaebol rather than a man who is bawling at his daughter's wedding- and also the wonderful moment when Grandpa rides to the rescue of his (actual other) grandson. There was nothing "side" about our wonderful and passionate second couple in BUSINESS PROPOSAL it was originally written.
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TAS-Mania
March 22, 2023 at 9:14 AM
I did love the golfer couple! Is the webtoon for Business Proposal available to read in English?
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OldLawyer
March 22, 2023 at 11:07 AM
It is available in English on the TAPAS website.
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33 ixion
March 21, 2023 at 7:15 PM
I loved the second couple from A Business Proposal, but my hands down, all time favorite has to be Sunny and the Grim Reaper. TBH, I watched Goblin for them.
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34 ninidolpin 🐬
March 24, 2023 at 4:38 AM
I adored IU-Wooyoung couple in Dream High2
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ninidolpin 🐬
March 24, 2023 at 4:57 AM
I also want to add secondary couple of Dinner Mate. they were mature characters.
Mr Queen and the chef-court-lady couple were also fun to watch
Yummy 's cell did not have exactly a secondary couple because they were introduced late in the drama but they were funny
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35 OhSoEnthusiastic
March 24, 2023 at 12:06 PM
A discussion about best side couples is not complete without talking about Kim Seul Gi and Go Kyung Pyo in Flower Boy Next Door. Her tactics to ensnare him are truly hilarious, and they are so cute with each other.
Chef John and Ji Wan are the only reason I finished Love is for Suckers, and I honestly wish the whole drama had been about them.
And I know there are other side couples I loved, but I'm drawing a blank right now.
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36 Wise
March 26, 2023 at 2:16 AM
Yong Hwa and Dan Ah from Run On
Airport security couple from Where Stars Land
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37 K-BearLovesDramas
April 19, 2023 at 4:17 PM
So the first couple that came to mind is the OG side couple: Chu Ga Eul and So Yi Jung 🤣
My my my! My 2013 (newbie) drama watcher heart was fed full of SoEul fanfiction!!!
Some other side couple I absolutely love are the two in Search WWW (Noona Romance and finding love with each other after a divorce, sign me up!), Be Melodramatic (where to start? I even love the two sets that didn't get together 🥲), 25-21 and Miss Hammurabi.
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