Youth dramas are always a treat to watch. It always manages to give comfort to the viewers. Some dramas are built around crucial life choices and give viewers a piece of life experience. There’s something special about youth dramas that keep the viewers glued to the screen; people from every age group like lightweight youth dramas. There may be various reasons for this; some may relate to the characters and the story, and some may relive their young days. Whatever reasons it may be, this is the genre that never fails to entertain viewers. With that said, let's take a look at the top 10 Korean Youth dramas.
1. Twenty-Five Twenty-One
The drama Twenty-Five Twenty-One is the story of a young fencer with big dreams. Na Hee-do, played by Kim Tae-Ri, had a plan to be in the National Fencing team. But she faces various hurdles along the way; due to some crisis, she faces difficulty pursuing her dreams. Later, she met a hardworking man who also had faced many difficulties in life. Beak Yi Jin, played by Nam Joo Hyuk, worked as a sports reporter. This drama was loved by the audience and showcased the hardship of the characters.
2. Start Up
The story of this drama is around young entrepreneurs who have a passion for becoming a unicorn. A young, ambitious woman, Seo Dal Mi, played by Bae Suzy, wanted to start her own company, which was an unfulfilled dream of her father. In the story, we also have a genius and founder of Samsan Tech, played by Nam Joo Hyuk. As the story progresses, we see the hardship, struggle, and challenges faced by the whole team in the process of establishing their start-up.
3. Our Beloved Summer
Our Beloved Summer is a romantic comedy-drama. The story tells you about two ex-lovers, Choi Ung, played by Choi Woo Shik, and Kook Yeon-Soo, played by Kin Dal Mi, who broke up and promised never to meet again. But destiny had its plan. They meet again when their producer friend urges them to film the second part of the documentary, which they had filmed ten years back. The drama showcases the tangled love story of two loves, which started when they were in school, broken up, and again blossomed when they were young.
4. Racket Boys
Racket Boys is the story of a badminton team, which is on the brink of disbandment. The team is then saved by a coach, Yoon Hyun Jong, played by Kim Sang-Kyung. Hyun Jong was once an excellent badminton player, but now he is unable to support his family. Then, as the story progresses, new members are added to the team, giving them chance to participate in the competitions.
5. Our Blues
Our Blues is a drama with many characters and tells many different stories. The drama tells us one story of Lee Dong Suk and Min Sun Ah. Dong Suk sells goods from the mainland to make a living on Jeju Island; he then meets Sun Ah, who had a mysterious past and visited the island to escape it. The drama also tells a story about Park Jung Joon, who was the captain of the ship and a diver with a charming personality. Then there is Jung Eun Hee, who owns a fish shop, reunites with his ex-lover Choi Han Soo.
6. Because This Is My First Life
Because This is My First Life is a story of two individuals with different mindsets and living situations. Nam See He, played by Lee Min Ki, in his 30s, chooses not to marry and live his single life in his own house. On the other hand, we have Yoon Ji Ho, who is also in her 30s, has no place, growing up in a patriarchal family, and with no financial support, chooses not to date. Things start escalating as they begin to live together as roommates. This drama also has a story of two more couples in the background who have their share of struggles in their life. This drama is a perfect examples of modern-day struggles faced by young people, and hence many can relate to it.
7. Reply 1998
Reply 1998 is the story of five friends living in the same neighborhood who lean on each other to face various challenges in life. Kim Jung Hwan, played by Ryu Joon Yeol, has only one dream; to become a soccer player. Sung Deok Sun, played by Lee Hye Ri, is the middle child of the family and struggles to get an equal position as her siblings in the family. Sung Sun Woo, played by Go Kyung Pyo, is the perfect son that every Asian parent can expect; he is the president of the student council and a son that his family can rely on. Then we have Choi Teak, played by Park Bo Gum, a school dropout to become a professional baduk player.
8. Hospital Playlist
Hospital Playlist is a story of a group of friends who graduated from the same med school and now working together in the same hospital as colleagues. The story of drama depicts their day-to-day life in the hospital, working as a doctor. This drama was aired in 2020 and is a comfort drama for many K drama enthusiasts.
9. Run On
Run On is a story about Ki Sun Gyeon, played by Yim Si Wan, who was a national sprinter but had to quit due to a legal issue. The story also has Oh Min Joo, played by Shin Sae Kyeong, who is a translator and also translated subtitles for movies. The drama shows how the characters cope with life issues and maintain their relationship.
10. Something In The Rain
Something in the Rain is a dramatic series released in 2018. The drama tells the story of a woman, Yoon Jin Ah, played by Son Ye Jin, in her mid-30s and unable to find love. She gets dumped by men for the stupidest reasons. She then meets Seo Joon Hee, played by Jung Hae Jin, who is the younger sibling of her best friend. Both fell in love but faced rejection from Jin Ah’s parents because of Hae Jin’s family background. The story depicts the hardship the young couple has to go through to convince her parents.