Top 5 Slow Burn Romance K-Dramas That Are Totally Worth It

Slow burn romances may take a little longer to grow but they're that much more special.

Ishani Sarkar, Kpopmap Editor
3 min to read · Published : May 18, 2021

Top 5 Slow Burn Romance K-Dramas That Are Totally Worth It

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Korean dramas are taking over the world with lightning speed and without a doubt, this is more than just a fad. Viewers are recognising the beauties of storytelling through Korean dramas and the bite sized format is of course, a bonus. K-Dramas explore a varied range of genres and they do so in a refreshing and innovative way each time. From period pieces to political thrillers, comedy to slice of life, you name it and there are probably tens of K-Dramas lined up for you to watch, tailored near perfectly to your tastes.

Out of these genres, one which has resonated most popularly among audiences is the romance genre. Romance too, branches off to several sub-genres such as melodrama, romantic comedy, fantasy or supernatural romance and so on and so forth.

One such type of romance is the slow burn romance. When something is a slow burn, it means that is develops slowly. In some cases, it might be an extended case of friend-zoning and in others, it might even be an enemies to lovers arc. It is common for one person to endlessly pine for another only for the other to be hopelessly unaware. The tropes are aplenty but fans still can't get enough of them either way. After all, who doesn't like a little push and pull and the thrill of the chase. However, slow burn romances tread on a thin line between being thrilling and boring. At the same time, this line varies from person to person. What is tedious and monotonous to one might be perfectly exciting for another. One recent example of a slow burn romance is the mega-hit "Vincenzo".

With that said, here are our top 5 picks for the most adorable slow burn romances that are totally worth the wait. We've ranked them in no particular order, especially because we love all of them equally.

1. "When The Weather Is Fine"

https://youtu.be/RD9stlNgi44

Starring Park MinYoung and Seo KangJoon, this drama is quite a bit of a hidden gem that is criminally underrated solely because of its pace. This drama flows more like poetry than anything else and for a story that revolves around two people deeply in love in a quaint old village in the hills, the pace is fitting regardless of popular opinion. The cinematography is beautiful enough to win anyone over and of course, the actors radiate charm and charisma beyond comparison.

2. "Coffee Prince"

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Gong Yoo and Yoon EunHye go through the numerous trials and tribulations of love and relationships in this drama caused by a deliberate comedy of errors. When Go EunChan (played by Yoon EunHye) disguises herself as a man and decides to stick with it for the sake of making a living, she doesn't realise the effect she's slowly but steadily having on her boss, Choi HanKyul (played by Gong Yoo). The complexities of same sex relationships are well dealt with, even though the portrayal and treatment of the same might be considered a little outdated in today's day and age. Either way, this drama is definitely a watch for the sake of it being a classic, if nothing else.

3. "Still 17"

Shin HyeSun proves her mettle as an incredible actor yet again in "Still 17" where she plays Woo SeoRi, a young woman in her thirties. However, she has only aged when it comes to numbers. After a coma makes 17 year old Seo Ri miss out on her youth, she takes a chance and reclaims it with the help of Gong WooJin (Yang SeJong) and Yoo Chan (Ahn HyoSeop). It perfectly expresses what true maturity really means and the lead pair's chemistry is adorable to say the least.

4. "Itaewon Class"

If there was ever a drama where the slow burn romance was just as satisfying as it was frustrating, "Itaewon Class" would definitely be it. As such, while we can't deny that it was a little vexing when our OTP kept circumventing around their true feelings, it was just that much more gratifying when the two do actually get together. Starring Park SeoJoon, Kim DaMi and Kwon NaRa, we'll let you find out yourself about which characters finally end up together for a happily ever after.

5. "Reply 1988"

Finally, the romance triangle that brought the K-Drama fandom to its knees on the one hand and had them up in arms on the other: HyeRi, Park BoGum and Ryu JunYeol in "Reply 1988". This drama was a double whammy when it comes to slow burn romances because not only are we kept in the dark about who the endgame couple is, neither of the characters seem to be in any hurry about confessing their feelings. However, persevering with them through it all is a 100% worth it.

Which other K-Drama would you add to this list? Leave your recommendations in the comments section down below!