Cover Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin broke fans’ hearts. (Photo: tvN)
Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin broke fans’ hearts. (Photo: tvN)
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In K-dramas, there are few things sadder than when two people who are meant for each other don’t end up together
The demise of Geum-myeong and Yeong-beom’s relationship in When Life Gives You Tangerines is a poignant reminder that even in K-dramas, love isn’t always enough to keep couples together. They can be perfect for each other but a meddling mother-in-law, personal growth, physical distance and even political turmoil can keep them apart. And no fervent fan shipping can change their inevitable fate.
Here’s a look at six K-drama couples who, despite their deep love for each other, didn’t end up together.
Also read: 7 hidden details in ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ that fans spotted—but you might have missed
‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’
Above Geum-myeong and Yeong-beom in happier times (Photo: screencap from ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines,’ Netflix)
Geum-myeong and Yeong-beom in happier times (Photo: screencap from ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines,’ Netflix)
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Just as Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum) was Ae-sun’s (IU) first love, Park Yeong-beom (Lee Jun-young) was Geum-myeong’s (IU, pulling double duty). The two couples shared plenty of parallels, which the K-drama cleverly highlighted. Like Gwan-sik, Park Yeong-beom was devoted, attentive and loving. Like Ae-sun, Geum-myeong took the lead, with Yeong-beom following her cue. This led viewers to believe that, like her parents, Geum-myeong, too, would marry her first love.
But this is a slice-of-life K-drama and not a romcom, and so in one of the most bittersweet breakups you’ll ever see on screen, Geum-myeong parts ways with Yeong-beom, telling him that although she loves him deeply, she is choosing to put herself first.
Don’t miss: 7 K-drama and movie characters that showcase IU’s versatility
‘Start-Up’
Above More than a mentor (Photo: tvN)
More than a mentor (Photo: tvN)
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Han Ji-pyeong (Kim Seon-ho) was never going to get the girl. As the second lead in the drama, his chances were slim at best. But because the character and his backstory were so beautifully written, and Kim Seon-ho’s heartfelt portrayal brought him to life in such a compelling way, it was hard not to root for him. After all, beneath Ji-pyeong’s gruff exterior was a selfless, emotionally mature and caring “Good Boy” who deserved all the good things.
See also: 5 things about the Korean actor, Kim Seon-ho, revealed
‘Twenty Five Twenty One’
Above Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin broke fans’ hearts. (Photo: tvN)
Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin broke fans’ hearts. (Photo: tvN)
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Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) and Baek Yi-Jin’s (Nam Joo-hyuk) love story is the kind of youthful romance you look back on with fondness later in life, and the kind that spells endgame, at least in K-dramas. That’s why, perhaps, it was a huge blow to fans of the drama when Hee-do and Yi-jin, despite their history and deep feelings for each other, couldn’t make it work. Their paths diverged, and in the end, they understood that they were no longer what the other person needed. Distance—and ultimately, life—pulled them apart.
Don’t miss: Why Netflix K-Drama ‘Twenty Five Twenty One’ Is Going to Be a Heart-Fluttering Watch
‘20th Century Girl’
Above Kim You-jung and Byeon Woo-seok play high school sweethearts. (Photo: IMDb)
Kim You-jung and Byeon Woo-seok play high school sweethearts. (Photo: IMDb)
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Na Bo-ra (Kim You-jung) and Poong Woon-ho (Byeon Woo-seok) become high school sweethearts after overcoming a comedy of errors involving their friends. Like typical high school romances, theirs is sweet and innocent. When they are torn apart by circumstances, they tearfully promise to keep in touch. But after he leaves, Bo-ra never hears from Woon-ho again, and it’ll take years before she learns why.
See also: 5 things to know about rising K-drama actor Byeon Woo-seok ahead of his Hong Kong visit
‘Yumi’s Cells’
Above Kim Go-eun and Ahn Bo-hyun’s chemistry was off the charts. (Photo: tvN)
Kim Go-eun and Ahn Bo-hyun’s chemistry was off the charts. (Photo: tvN)
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There’s no question that Kim Yu-mi (Kim Go-eun) and her first love, Goo Woong (Ahn Bo-hyun) care deeply for each other. But as Yu-mi grew and evolved, Goo Woong, well-meaning and sincere as he was, struggled to keep up. Ultimately, Yu-mi’s success weighed heavily on him, and he was unable to overcome his feelings of inadequacy.
Yu-mi and Goo Woong’s failed romance shows that even in K-dramas, love—and an entire fandom rooting for you—isn’t always enough to make things work.
Don’t miss: Little Women: How to Get Kim Go-Eun’s Dark Academia Look
‘Snowdrop’
Above Jung Hae-in shares the screen with Blackpink’s Jisoo in ‘Snowdrop.’ (Photo: JTBC)
Jung Hae-in shares the screen with Blackpink’s Jisoo in ‘Snowdrop.’ (Photo: JTBC)
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As a man with a mission, cold and calculating Lim Soo-ho (Jung Hae-in) isn’t about to let anything get in his way, not even sweet, innocent Eun Yeong-ro (Kim Ji-soo). Or is he? It’s hard to tell if Soo-ho is just using her or if he’s fallen for her, but once he makes the choices that he does, there’s just no turning back. It becomes impossible to see a future for the couple. Had things ended differently, would they have truly been able to make it work?
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