15 Best South Korean Romance Movies, Ranked

There’s no better activity than getting cozy with a blanket and a movie, no matter the season or weather. The best kinds of movies to watch in such for getting ultimately cozy and comfortable are, undoubtedly, heartwarming romantic movies. Fans of cozy romance movies have a large movie library to choose from, but how about giving a chance to some South Korean ones?

South Korea is known for its romantic K-dramas with incredible stories and slow-burn love, but its romantic feature films tend to take a backseat in the eyes of international audiences. This makes sense, as K-dramas span several episodes and allow viewers to get to know the characters much better. However, romantic feature films from South Korea have the same sentiment but convey their love stories much better. They’re a quick rollercoaster of feelings, heartwarming and heartbreaking alike, making them ideal for those cold winter moments.

15

‘Bungee Jumping of Their Own’ (2001)

Directed by Kim Dae-sung

One of Korea’s biggest action stars, Lee Byung-hun, is also a well-known heartthrob among South Korean movie fans. He started acting in 1991 and has had various roles since, from cold-blooded vigilantes to romantic leads. One of his unique roles was in the romantic drama Bungee Jumping of Their Own from 2001, which was a bit controversial at the time. Though imperfect in some ways, it’s an interesting love story that depicts the idea of having “the one,” a person that’s meant for us.

Lee Byung-hun and Lee Eun-ju play two young students, In-woo and Tae-hee, who get to know each other and fall in love. When their romance blossoms, things seem to be going well, but suddenly, Tae-hee gets involved in a car accident and dies. In-woo, heartbroken, continues his life, and 17 years later, the story shows him as a high school teacher. When In-woo gets a new student, Hyun-bin, he notices similarities between him and his former love, Tae-hee. The story unfolds, depicting struggles with self-acceptance, self-discovery, and the idea that there’s always that one person in someone’s life.

14

‘Love and Leashes’ (2022)

Directed by Park Hyeon-jin

Love and Leashes may be an unusual choice for a great romantic movie, but this rom-com has a lot of surprising elements that will make you chuckle and say “awww.” It’s an unconventional love story and one that’s potentially more realistic than many of the most romantic K-movies. Why? It incorporates sexual desires into its central theme, and a couple who fall in love through exploration of each other’s hidden preferences. Love and Leashes isn’t the first kind of movie to be this open about different types of love, but it’s one of the most prominent recent ones that won over a large audience, mostly due to its Netflix streaming slot.

Love and Leashes follows two employees in a PR firm, Ji-hoo (Lee Jun-young) and Ji-woo (Seohyun). Ji-woo, Ji-hoo’s senior, accidentally learns one day that he is into BDSM, and he asks her to enter such a relationship with him. At first, it’s purely transactional, but then Ji-woo gains more confidence in herself, and the two inevitably fall in love. There’s not a lot of melodrama, but Love and Leashes is just as endearing and romantic as the rest of these movies.

Love and Leashes

Release Date

February 11, 2022

Runtime

118 Minutes

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  Lee Jun-young

  Jung Ji-Hoo

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  Seo Hyun-woo

  Team Leader Hwang

13

‘Sweet & Sour’ (2021)

Directed by Kae-Byeok Lee and Kate Jopson

Sweet & Sour is one of the newer South Korean romantic comedies that comes from Netflix, which has produced some great K-romance movies over the past few years (great examples are Love and Leashes and 20th Century Girl). It portrays a couple, Da-eun and Hyuk (Chae Soo-bin and Jang Ki-yong), who become close after Da-eun takes care of him at the hospital where he is her patient. They enter a relationship that soon becomes long-distance because Hyuk accepts a job in Seoul, whereas they live in Incheon.

Hyuk’s traveling back and forth puts a strain on their relationship, evolving the story into a more complex analysis of emotional neglect—both of oneself and their partner—the working and overworking culture, and long-distance romance. The twist at the end is another great part of what makes Sweet & Sour rewatchable and relatable. Though many viewers feel that the ending is disappointing, it shows that happy endings aren’t always realistic and that romance is sometimes like that.

Sweet & Sour

Release Date

June 4, 2021

Runtime

101 Minutes

Director

Lee Gye-byeok

12

‘Always’ (2011)

Directed by Song Il-gon

Always is a melodrama starring So Ji-sub and Han Hyo-joo, who were at the height of their popularity at the start of the 2010s. So Ji-sub plays a former boxer, Cheol-min, whose rough exterior slowly gets broken down by a blind girl, Jung-hwa (Han Hyo-joo). They meet at his new job, a parking attendant booth, where Cheol-min sits and observes the world passing him by. Jung-hwa is optimistic and relentless in tearing down Cheol-min’s walls, but their romance has rocky moments and chilly periods.

This romantic drama has it all: a great-looking tough guy with a kind heart, a beautiful girl whose life didn’t go as planned, but she doesn’t give up, and an unbreakable bond between the two that tugs at the heartstrings. The performances in Always are superb, if not a tad overdramatic, but, as any fan of cheesy South Korean dramas will know, this is how it’s done over there. Letting the emotion in without judging the melodramatics will help viewers enjoy a wonderfully made romance.

11

‘Moonlit Winter’ (2019)

Directed by Lim Dae-hyung

Moonlit Winter is a touching drama that covers many topics, from coming-of-age to forbidden love. Yoon-hee (Kim Hee-ae) lives in the Korean countryside with her teenage daughter Sae-bom (Sohye). Sae-bom finds a love letter in her mother’s possessions one day, which she discovers was sent to her mom from a woman named Jun (Yuko Nakamura) in Japan. Seeing her mother’s loneliness, Sae-bom decides to reunite her mother with the Japanese woman, awakening a decades-old romance that remained hidden for so long.

While the movie follows Sae-bom’s maturing and compassion, it also gives Yoon-hee a second chance to finally live as the woman she always wanted to be. This second life, as well as meeting her first love, Jun, encourages Yoon-hee to embrace herself and make bolder choices that make her happy. While it’s a movie about a queer romance, it’s also a love story that encapsulates more than just romantic love. Moonlit Winter is a visually gorgeous and touching romance for anyone looking for a good cry.

10

‘Architecture 101’ (2012)

Directed by Lee Yong-ju

Interestingly enough, Architecture 101 had a largely male audience to thank for its impeccable run at the South Korean box office. Architecture 101 was a breakthrough hit upon release and is often cited among must-watch South Korean movies, whether in the romantic category or in general. While that could be solely due to Bae Suzy, the most popular actress of the 2010s, portraying the younger version of her character, So-yeon, there’s a lot more appealing and beautiful to this movie than just her.

Architecture 101 is a story about two architects, Seung-min (Uhm Tae-woong) and So-yeon (Han Ga-in). So-yeon approaches Seung-min to ask him to redesign her Jeju Island home, and while they work on the house, the two grow closer. The movie also introduces a flashback to the time when the two attended college, and it’s revealed they met while they were students. Architecture 101 is a bittersweet exploration of lost love, entwined with beautiful displays of impeccable architecture. Director Lee studied architecture himself at university, and collaborated with another famous architect to get the details in the movie right; in that way, it’s also a love letter to architecture, here depicted as an art form.

9

‘Be With You’ (2018)

Directed by Lee Jang-hoon

Another So Ji-sub romance, Be With You, is one of the most popular movies of 2018. This could be because of him or because of his co-star Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You), who was the sweetheart of the romance genre at the time (and remains for so many of us). Be With You is a remake of the Japanese drama of the same name, and even the trailer for this movie is a tearfest.

The movie follows Woo-jin, who’s unexpectedly left to raise his son alone after the premature death of his wife, Soo-ah. Before dying, Soo-ah makes a promise to return in the rainy season. Woo-jin soon realizes that Soo-ah miraculously manages to fulfill that promise, but when she does return, her memory is wiped. Woo-jin must show Soo-ah why and how they fell in love, reinventing their romance and getting another chance to hold each other before it gets too late. As the publication London Korean Links said, “If you’re not blubbing uncontrollably at various points in this lovely thing, you are a heartless brute.”

Be With You

Release Date

March 14, 2018

Runtime

132 Minutes

8

‘The Beauty Inside’ (2015)

Directed by Baek Jong-yeol

Body-switching movies are common, but The Beauty Inside takes that premise to a higher level. This movie, starring K-drama hero Park Seo-joon and Always‘ Han Hyo-joo, revolves around a furniture maker, Woo-jin, who wakes up as a different person every day. No matter the gender, age, race, or nationality, Woo-jin’s life transforms significantly every time he wakes up; this, however, doesn’t change his personality, as he always stays Woo-jin on the inside.

Woo-jin begins frequenting a furniture store where the beautiful Yi-soo (Han Hyo-joo) works. He visits her every day, though she doesn’t know he’s the same person every time he visits. When he wakes up as a handsome man one day (Park Seo-joon), he decides to ask Yi-soo out on a date. How Woo-jin and Yi-soo later manage their relationship leaves viewers to see whether beauty comes from the inside. This quirky romantic drama was based on an online social series of the same name that starred Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

7

’20th Century Girl’ (2022)

Directed by Bang Woo-ri

Writer/director Bang Woo-ri had a great stroke of luck with her feature film debut, as 20th Century Girl is often considered one of the best romance movies hailing from South Korea. A mix of a coming-of-age story and a love story, the movie is as heartwarming as it is sad. This was one of the most watched K-movies on Netflix within its first week of release, and it generally received rave reviews from critics and fans. People called it a touching tribute to the beauty of teenage years, remembering some of their own friendships and first loves.

20th Century Girl is set in 1999 and follows high school student, Bo-ra (Kim Yoo-jung) and her best friend, Yeon-du (Ro Yoon-seo). Yeon-du falls for a boy just before her departure for surgery abroad, and Bo-ra promises she’ll keep tabs on him and learn more about him while Yeon-du is away. Bo-ra curiously follows the boy around, but develops feelings for his best friend along the way. 20th Century Girl is a cute high-school romance that is sure to make you happy, and a little bit sad.

6

‘Failan’ (2001)

Directed by Song Hae-sung

Choi Min-sik may be South Korea’s most famous export when it comes to actors, but Oldboy is far from his only role. This actor’s achievement list is long and impressive, as he continues to act and bring life to new and exciting characters. Before he made Oldboy, Choi Min-sik starred in an interesting (and admittedly heartbreaking) romantic drama titled Failan. To see him as a love interest was fun, though he had to be some sort of gangster even in a romance.

Choi portrays Kang-jae, a gangster who lacks any sympathy for others. He’s cold, rude, and careless, but also cowardly when it comes to doing real gangster work. On the other hand, there’s Failan (Cecilia Chung), a Chinese woman who comes to Korea looking for her remaining relatives. Failan’s family is all gone, but she wants to stay; Kang-jae signs marriage papers to help her settle in Korea, though the two never meet. Kang-jae and Failan are attracting opposites—he’s cold, and she is warm like sunshine on a winter day. Failan writes love letters to Kang-jae but never dares to give them to him; when Kang-jae finally sees them, his transformation by Failan’s warmth becomes more obvious. The movie superbly shows that love can find anyone.

5

‘Christmas In August’ (1998)

Directed by Hur Jin-ho

Christmas In August was received exceptionally well across Asia, having become a movie that’s studied for its exceptional screenwriting and cinematography in various Asian film schools. Today, it’s still relevant and greatly considered to be one of the best romantic dramas hailing from South Korea, with local actors preparing for their roles by observing Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha as the leads. It’s also one of the biggest Asian Christmas movies, or at least, Christmas-themed.

Christmas In August is about photo store owner Jung-won (Han), who is in his 30s and lives with his family. One day, he meets a parking attendant, Da-rim (Shim), and the two bond and fall in love. But, Jung-won finds out he’s terminally ill, and decides to leave a lasting legacy for his family and Da-rim. It’s another pretty sad but very beautiful romantic movie, including themes of self-sacrifice and grief. Christmas In August is incredibly romantic, on top of it all.

4

‘3-Iron’ (2004)

Directed by Kim Ki-duk

Kim Ki-duk, the director of 3-Iron, is a famous name in South Korean cinema. Though he passed in 2020, his movies leave a permanent legacy because of how unusual they are. Kim’s most famous movies include Pietà and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring; two contrasting movies which carry a unique stamp. The romantic drama 3-Iron is in between the two, tackling social themes like the treatment of outcasts and domestic violence and depicting the power and birth of love in tragic and desolate places.

3-Iron follows Tae-suk (Jae Hee), a drifter who sleeps in people’s houses while they’re gone. He never steals anything—in fact, he takes care of the homes. When he breaks into a home he thinks is empty, Tae-suk runs into the woman who lives there, Sun-hwa (Lee Seung-yun). After witnessing Sun-hwa’s husband physically abusing her, he beats him, and the two run away. For the majority of the film, the two don’t speak to each other, and Tae-suk is a master of hiding and being a ghost-like presence. This touching drama is more than just romantic—it tries to show fulfillment in those who often feel alone.

3

‘A Moment to Remember’ (2004)

Directed by John H. Lee

South Korean A-listers Jung Woo-sung and Son Ye-jin starred as the leads in one of the most heartbreaking movies that show the power of love, A Moment to Remember. At the center of the story is a young couple meeting, falling in love, and facing adversity that tests the strength of their bond. It was based on a Japanese TV drama, Pure Soul, and it was remade in other countries, too, such as Turkey, Malaysia, and India; there was an American remake with Josh Hartnett in the works, too, but it was seemingly scrapped.

A Moment to Remember follows a young woman, Su-jin (Son), whose life starts going downhill after she breaks up with a married man. While grocery shopping, she meets Chul-soo (Jung), who soon becomes an inseparable part of her life. The movie follows how they fall in love and eventually get married. Halfway, Su-jin gets a rare Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and the couple now must deal with the consequences; Su-jin retreats out of fear, while Chul-soo does whatever it takes to take care of her. This touching movie will likely leave you sobbing by the very end, but romance is often sad, too.

A Moment to Remember

Release Date

November 5, 2004

Runtime

117 Minutes

Director

John H. Lee

Writers

John H. Lee, Kim Young-ha

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2

‘Il Mare: A Love Story’ (2000)

Directed by Lee Hyun-seung

Remember The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves? The touching romantic drama about two people corresponding through the mailbox of a lake house was initially a South Korean romance titled Il Mare. Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) and Jun Ji-hyun (Kingdom) star as time-intertwined lovers who fall for each other through their mailbox correspondence. This fantasy spin on a love story carries an obvious message—that love transcends time and space and always finds a way to connect people.

Jun Ji-hyun plays Eun-joo, a woman shown leaving a beautiful seaside home called Il Mare. While packing, she places a Christmas card in her mailbox, asking the next resident to forward her mail to her. The person who receives her card, however, is Sung-hyun, the first-ever resident of Il Mare; through further correspondence, the two realize they are two years apart but living in the same house simultaneously. They help each other through various personal issues while slowly falling for each other. Luckily, Il Mare has a wonderful ending and is a beautiful romantic movie perfect for a cozy night in.

1

‘My Sassy Girl’ (2001)

Directed by Kwak Jae-young

When My Sassy Girl is mentioned to South Korean viewers, most would agree it’s the most famous romantic comedy that hails from their nation. Its leading stars were in top form when the movie came out, and its unique blend of quirkiness, charm, comedy, and romance isn’t groundbreaking, but it created a mold for numerous movies later on. The leading man, Cha Tae-hyn, is a famous face in South Korea—a comedian, actor, singer, and reality show star; a likable and relatable personality. His co-star, the sassy girl in question, is Il Mare‘s Jun Ji-hyun, one of the most prominent actresses of the time (and today).

My Sassy Girl follows Kyun-woo (Cha), a college student who rescues a drunk girl from falling off a train platform one night on his way to a date. Her name is never mentioned; throughout the movie, she’s known as The Girl. Kyun-woo and The Girl start a relationship of ups and downs from that night on, but its tumultuous nature binds them closer together, and they fall deeply in love. Many who’ve watched My Sassy Girl have proudly proclaimed it their favorite romantic comedy.

NEXT: K-Romances You Can Binge All Day