Cover The boys from the band in the coming-of-age K-drama ‘Twinkling Watermelon’ (Photo: tvN)
The boys from the band in the coming-of-age K-drama ‘Twinkling Watermelon’ (Photo: tvN)
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These K-drama bands from ‘Twinkling Watermelon’, ‘Hospital Playlist’ and more made us laugh, cry and sing along
K-Pop Demon Hunters’s fictional girl group Huntr/X just made history on the US Billboard charts as the first K-pop idol girl band, and the first girl group since Destiny’s Child in 2001, to reach number one with their global hit “Golden”.
But they’re not the first fictional K-pop group to leave a lasting impact with fans, and they’re probably far from the last. From basement rehearsals to stadium-filling anthems, K-dramas have given us some truly unforgettable fictional bands. Whether they’re med school friends unwinding after work, high schoolers chasing first love or idols navigating the pressures of fame, these groups bring more than just music—they capture friendship, heartache and dreams in perfect harmony. Here are the K-drama bands from Twinkling Watermelon, Hospital Playlist and more that struck a chord with fans and left us wishing their setlists were real.
Don’t miss: 8 K-drama stars who lent their vocals to their own OSTs
Eclipse from ‘Lovely Runner’
Back when Eclipse was still a struggling high school band—when their biggest audience was the school gym and light sticks were just a fantasy—resident bad boy Kim Tae-sung (Song Geon-hee) was the bassist, and Ryu Sun-jae’s (Byeon Woo-seok) lifelong dream was to become a world-class swimmer. But after a career-ending injury and relentless badgering from best friend and Eclipse guitarist Baek In-hyuk (Lee Seung-hyub), Sun-jae reluctantly auditioned for the band.
What began as a favour soon led him to write a heartfelt song for Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon)—a melody that would change both their lives and pave the way for Eclipse’s rise as the biggest K-pop boy band in the country.
See also: 9 romantic K-dramas where the male lead fell in love first—and fell the hardest
Mido Falasol from ‘Hospital Playlist’
Mido and Falasol, made up of five doctors who’ve been friends since med school, only play in Yang Seok-hyung’s (Kim Dae-myung) basement. One running joke in this fictional band is that Chae Song-hwa (Jeon Mi-do) can’t hold a tune—even though, in reality, Jeon is an excellent singer with a background in musical theatre. But that’s fine since they have no aspirations of conquering any stage.
Their post-work band practice is more group hobby than grand ambition—a way to decompress from their stressful jobs. Nevertheless, fans of the K-drama would probably be willing to pay good money to watch them perform, Seong-hwa’s off-key singing notwithstanding.
Watermelon Sugar from ‘Twinkling Watermelon’
In Twinkling Watermelon, Ha Eun-gyeol (Ryeoun), a musically gifted child of deaf adults, time-travels to the past and comes face-to-face with his teenage father Ha Yi-chan (Choi Hyun-wook) before Yi-chan loses his hearing in an accident. To keep from blowing his cover, Eun-gyeol joins Yi-chan’s high school band Watermelon Sugar. Between band practice, temporal dilemmas and high-school hijinks unfold and first love blooms.
But the real heart of Twinkling Watermelon lies in the bond between Eun-gyeol and Yi-chan. The band becomes a way for father and son to connect—especially poignant since in the present day, they don’t see eye-to-eye about music, much less being in a band.
Two Sagye from ‘Spring of Youth’
After being kicked out of the biggest K-pop band, Sa Gye (Ha Yoo-joon) is forced to enrol in university. At school, he meets Kim Bom (Park Ji-hu), a promising music talent, and together they form a college band with Seo Tae-yang (Lovely Runner’s Lee Seung-hyub), Gong Jin-gu (Kim Seon-min) and Bae Gyu-ri (Seo Hye-won). Apparently, you can take the idol out of the band, but you can’t take the band out of the idol.
A.N.Jell from ‘You’re Beautiful’
Ko Mi-nyeo’s (Park Shin-hye) plans to become a nun are put on hold when her twin brother Ko Mi-nam (also Park Shin-hye)—the newest member of the popular K-pop idol group A.N.Jell—is sent to the US to recover from a botched cosmetic procedure. Reluctantly, Mi-nyeo agrees to impersonate her brother in the meantime. Idol training isn’t easy—there are dance rehearsals, photo shoots and crazed fans to deal with—but all that is nothing compared to keeping her secret and staying on the good side of A.N.Jell’s temperamental lead Hwang Tae-kyung (Jang Keun-suk).
Fictional bands may never release real albums, but their songs and stories still linger long after the credits roll. From the camaraderie in Hospital Playlist to the father-and-son bond of Twinkling Watermelon, these groups remind us why music is such a powerful part of storytelling.
Maggie Adan is a content writer, editor, and strategist with extensive experience across print, digital, and social media publishing. Formerly editor-in-chief at K-Zone Philippines, Summit Books and Content Lab, she has written lifestyle stories covering everything from entertainment and travel to beauty and wellness. A storyteller at heart with a keen editorial eye and a passion for narrative, she contributes to various publications and helps brands create and curate content for their social media platforms.
