Rom-com/thriller/melodrama: The cold-hearted businessman who owns what is essentially “knock-off Disneyland, Korea” has a secret split personality who is his total opposite, and who he will do anything to suppress. Mr. Businessman clashes with the woman who runs the circus in his park, doing his level best to kick her out, but they keep getting tangled together. In a twist, she and his alternate personality end up falling in love. But…only the alternate personality. The “main” personality has an entirely different kind of relationship with her. Which brings in questions: which one is the “real” personality? What does it mean to be a “real” person? And more! An unknown attempted murderer is after the male lead for Reasons, which of course means that the female lead will get dragged into danger.

This show starts off as a stretch concept rom-com, but ends up as a surprisingly deep and wrenching commentary on multiple-personality disorder and mental health. The exchanges between his two personalities—via videos that they record for each other, because they don’t remember any time that the other personality is “active”—are fascinating to watch unfold as they begin as enemies sharing the same body and…progress from there.

Most heartbreaking exchange: FL asks the alternate personality if it would be okay if she loves all of him—both personalities. The alternate responds that he is his own whole person, and that he cannot—he will not—share her love with anyone, not even with another version of himself.

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Sometimes slow but always sweet

Fantasy romance/melodrama: A classic since its release in 2016, and it remains one of the most popular K-dramas of recent years. A 900-year-old immortal goblin meets his “bride,” who is the poor, unlucky, abused-by-her-family young woman—a high school senior—fated to end his painful existence. (You have to just NOT think about the age difference.) While the idea of finally dying delights the goblin, things get complicated when the two leads...maybe don't want to be separated? This is essentially “Cinderella” in a more tragic and complicated form.

The scenes filmed in Canada are gorgeous. Fantastic second lead couple and fun supporting characters all around. The goblin’s developing bromance with a Grim Reaper who is accidentally house-sharing with him is worth watching this alone—if handsomeness were currency, the two male leads could buy a country with their collective looks.

Lovely quote: “When you’re coming home on a rainy night, what is it that becomes your umbrella? A voice that answers when you call. A memory of seeing the same thing at the same time. The first time you matched someone’s pace. Does someone come to mind? Yes, it’s that person. First love.”

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Goofy, sweet office romance

The defining office rom-com of modern K-drama: The world’s most perfect secretary (she is who I want to be when I grow up) works for the world’s most perfect boss (who is work- and self-absorbed to the point of not really noticing anyone else). The drama starts when, after 10 years of dedicated service, Secretary Kim suddenly announces her resignation. The boss is shocked. He immediately decides that he must figure out why she is leaving and somehow stop her. Why would she leave the perfect boss? What could have caused this so out-of-the-blue? More importantly, how can he convince her not to go? Which leaves us asking the more important question: Why can’t he let her go so easily? Well…the answer may be more personal than he wants to admit. (hint-hint, wink-wink) A traumatic childhood backstory involving a psychotic kidnapper and suicide is thrown in for the tension of it all, and there’s also a cute CEO’s brother/famous author/love rival to round out this classic series. Quote of the show: [a post-it note reminder on the female lead’s desk] “Think coolly (cool head); feel warmly (warm heart); run like your feet are on fire.”

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Everything you want in an action-romance

Action/rom-com: A pretty doctor and a dreamy Special Forces dude meet through a series of misunderstandings. They quickly fall for each other, but then break up just as quickly when they realize their worldviews are incompatible. They end up in a fictional foreign country (filmed in gorgeous Greece), where they survive a series of attacks, kidnappings, building collapses, and plague, among other disasters. In the middle of all this, they somehow work out their issues and fall head-over-heels for each other. The humor and banter make every interaction between the main leads and secondary characters a sheer delight to watch. There are gratuitous “absolutely built men running without shirts” scenes, with female characters appreciating them appropriately. Some fun, intense action scenes. Defining doctor quote: “All life has dignity, and no value nor ideology is more important.”

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