A love that starts blooming in high school, which always ends up giving those butterflies and nostalgic feelings simultaneously. The high school romance genre plays a vital role in the K-drama industry and portrays the experiences of high school students. This genre is always carried out in a high school setup, revolving around the main leads. The story served by such a genre is not always sweet, romantic, and cheesy; however, each drama has a hint of action, thrill, suspense, etc. It also highlights the hardships that youth undergo during their journey to adulthood. The high school romance drama is always appealing and loved by the fans. Here are ten high school romance K-dramas that you must watch.
1. Boys Over Flowers
Boys Over Flowers is one of the famous television series of South Korea. It consists of 25 episodes, aired from January 5 to March 31, 2009. The drama is adapted from the Japanese manga series 'Hana Yori Dango' i.e. 'Boys Over Flower' by Yoko Kamio. The actors who were cast in this drama were Koo Hye-sun, Lee Min-Ho, Kim Hyun-Jung, Kim Bum, Kim Joon, and Kim So-Eun. The series depicts the love story of a poor working-class girl, Geum Jan-Di (Koo Hye-sun), and the F4 gang’s wealthy and fearless leader, Gu Jun-Pyo (Lee Min-ho). The series starts with a rough beginning for Jandi and Junpyo, who eventually fall in love with each other. Still, due to their different family statuses, many difficulties arise in the journey of their happy ending.
2. The Heirs
The Heirs, also known as The Inheritors, is a 2013 series that was aired from October 9 to December 12 on SBS. It is a drama written by Kim Eun-Sook. The cast of the series are Park Shin Hye, Lee Min Ho, and Kim Woo Bin. It is a South Korean drama that depicts a wealthy and privileged group of high school students who will be taking over their family's business empires, passing every hurdle of their way. The series depicts the love story of Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho), who is the heir to a wealthy Korean conglomerate family known as Jeguk Group, and Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye), the daughter of a housekeeper who works for Kim Tan's family. After facing all the tough times and challenges together, Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang succeed in reaching a happy ending.
3. Extraordinary You
Extraordinary You is a webtoon July Found By Chance,2018, based series. The actors cast for the drama were Rowoon, Lee Na Eun, Kim Hye Yoon, Lee Jae Wook, Jung Gun Joo, Kim Young Dae, and Lee Tae Ri. It is a series about a high school girl Eun Dan Oh (Kim Hye Yoon), who comes from a wealthy family and is 17 years old when she realizes that she is living the life of a minor character in a comic book where she ends up falling in love with Ha Roo (Rowoon) who’s just an extra character in the comic. Despite everything being against them, they both fight to stay together.
4. True Beauty
True Beauty is a series about a high school girl, Lim Ju Kyung (Moon Ga Young), who has been bullied and differentiated in her previous school for not being beautiful and popular enough. Ju Kyung ends up mastering make-up to transform herself into an elegant and literal goddess. It is a 2020-2021 drama based on a webtoon of the same name by Yaongyi. Ju Kyung transfers to another school where she meets Han Seo Jun (Hwang In Yeop), a bad boy with dashing looks, and Lee Su Ho (Cha Eun Woo), a wealthy but cold boy. Both boys fall in love with her, creating a love triangle.
5. Who Are You: School 2015
Who Are You: School is a 2015, mysterious and exciting teen story aired from April 27 to June 16, 2015. The series portrays the story of two identical twin sisters who are orphans. The twin sisters get separated from one another after one of them gets adopted and one is left alone in the orphanage. Nevertheless, during their tough and dark times, fate brings them back together. Kim So Hyun, the lead actress, played the double role of Lee Eun Bi, who lives in an orphanage, and Go Eun Byul, who was adopted. The series consists of a love triangle between Han Yi An (Nam Joo Hyuk), Gong Tae Kwang (Yook Sung Jae), and Lee Eun Bi (Kim So Hyun) which makes it worth watching.
6. Dream High
Dream High is a series that was released in 2011, depicting the heart-fluttering love story of six Kirin High School students who share the desire to become K-pop idols. The students learn to develop, enhance and work on skills like singing, dancing, and songwriting that are required to become a K-pop idol. Through their school journey, they also learn the real meaning of love, friendship, and hardship in life.
7. Love Revolution
Love Revolution is a 2020 rom-com and teen drama. The story portrays a high school student, Gong Ju Young (Park Ji Hoon), who falls madly in love with Wang Ja Rim (Lee Ruby), a cold-hearted schoolgirl who is constantly annoyed by his cheesy way of showing affection. The series is full of unexpected plots fun, and romance which makes it interesting to binge-watch.
8. Love Alarm
Love Alarm is a series based on a webtoon by Chon Kye Young, the same name, which follows the story of a love triangle between two high school boys i.e., Hwang Sun Oh (Song Kang), Jung Ga Ram (Lee Hye Yeong), and one hard-working school girl, Kim Jo Jo (Kim So Hyun). Love Alarm is a series where a particular technology i.e., phone app, allows users to find the person who likes and has romantic affection for them within a 10-meter radius.
9. Reply 1977
Reply It 1997 is a series with one of the highest-rated South Korean dramas in history, aired in 2012. The drama explores the lives of six high school buddies of age eighteen, from Busan in 1997, now 33 years old in 2012, meeting at the high school reunion where they embrace and recall their old high school memories and unforgettable crushes on boy bands
10. School 2017
School 2017 is a series that follows the plot of a high school romance between two individuals who have different natures. Ra Eun Ho (Kim Se Jeong) is an 18-year-old, happy, and kind-hearted girl who aims to become a webtoon artist but comes across a mysterious student named 'X' who creates trouble in the school for which Eun Ho becomes the primary suspect among the students. In contrast, Hyun Tae Woon (Kim Jung Hyun), the school directors son, helps Eun Ho from the situation and eventually falls in love with her.
