We all love this trope. In K-dramas, when a man and woman meet and absolutely despise each other, they are quick to discover that they may actually have feelings for each other. There is a fine line between love and hate after all, am I right? This trope is always successful in bringing all the feels as we’re able to see the cold-hearted OTP turn from being hateful and angry towards each other to being warm and loving. Here are 12 “enemies to lovers” K-drama couples that exude intense chemistry.
Boys Over Flowers
“Boys Over Flowers” is the quintessential K-drama in all respects. Aired in 2009, the drama is a one of the oldest of the modern era of K-drama and a staple of the drama-watcher’s library. It is often confessed to be a gateway drama. Part of the reason for its appeal is its over-the-top antics and aggressive enemies-to-lovers relationship between the two leads, Goo Joon Pyo (Lee Min Ho) and Jan Di (Ku Hye Sun). Joon Pyo is the ultimate bully, backed by his wealth, social status, and posse of equally affluent friends. After transferring to Joon Pyo’s prestigious school on scholarship, Jan Di becomes his target. However, she is not the easy mark he made her out to be. Oh no. She refuses to bow down to his cruel machinations, and over time, the two grow to like and then love each other. Their adventures are wild, dramatic, and quite unbelievable, but that is what makes their love worth cheering for.
1% Of Something
Lee Jae In (Ha Seok Jin) is forced to be in a relationship with Kim Da Hyun (Jun So Min) in hopes of attaining his grandfather’s inheritance. The two are total opposites in character, but they decide to go through with a six month contract relationship with some added requests. They bicker, fight, and can’t see eye to eye on most things but they somehow manage to find a way into each other’s hearts.
An underrated K-drama with all the classic tropes, this drama was such a success solely based on the chemistry between Jun So Min and Ha Seok Jin. These two had fiery chemistry that was undeniable from the start. Even when they were arguing and bickering throughout the entire series, you could feel the tension and intensity in their feelings for each other.
I Am Not a Robot
With an allergy to people that has cultivated a rather insufferable attitude, Kim Min Gyu (Yoo Seung Ho) is not an easy man to love. The woman who breaks into his literal human-free fortress of isolation is Jo Ji Ah (Chae Soo Bin), an independent, scrappy woman who does all sorts of things for money to achieve her dream of inventing something people will find touching. Their first meeting doesn’t go so well, and they part with sour first impressions. She was a substitute shopper for him and he refused to pay her because there was something on the package. Later, when she poses as a robot and bypasses Min Gyu’s allergy trigger (human touch), the two begin to build a relationship. On the phone as substitute shopper and client, they fuss heatedly, but even that relationship turns into something more affectionate as Min Gyu begins to yearn for human affection. They go from enemies-to-lovers on two different paths that merge and become one satisfying enemies-to-lovers romance.
Strongest Deliveryman
When one is struggling to make ends meet and escape a lifestyle of economic hardship, competition can be fierce enough to shove any thoughts of romance out of one’s mind. Jobs are competitive and so therefore are people, which is the situation in which our two enemies-turned-lovers, Choi Kang Soo (Go Kyung Pyo) and Lee Dan Ah (Chae Soo Bin), meet. Dan Ah is a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense delivery woman who has had to be strong in a business that doesn’t treat women kindly. She has encased herself in a shell of protection comprised of a prickly attitude, excellent martial arts skills, and a distrust of people. Enter Kang Soo, who is a kindly man on a mission. Rather than hate Dan Ah, he instead views her as an obstacle. Needless to say, Dan Ah’s icy attitude eventually melts towards Kang Soo’s compassionate heart, and he falls for her strength, making them the strongest deliverymen in love.
The Innocent Man
Kang Ma Ru (Song Joong Ki) is on a mission to get revenge on the woman who ruined his life. Ma Ru made the biggest mistake of his life when he took the blame for a crime that was committed by a woman he loved named Han Jae Hee (Park Si Yeon). After spending time in jail and having thrown away his promising future, Ma Ru decides to do whatever he can to take Jae Hee down.
Just like any good melodrama, there is a villain and betrayal. In “The Innocent Man,” the villain that we hate to love is Song Joong Ki as Kang Ma Ru. The conniving and deceitful ways in which he coerces Seo Eun Ki (Moon Chae Won) into loving him as part of his revenge will make you angry. But as he starts to develop strong feelings for her, it’s undeniable that the two have some crazy chemistry. That dangerous kind of love ignites such heated passion!
It’s Okay, That’s Love
This drama stars veteran actors Jo In Sung and Gong Hyo Jin, which means you really can’t go wrong performance wise. Jo In Sung plays Jang Jae Yeol, an enigmatic writer who is dealing with the effects of a traumatic childhood. He comes across a feisty psychiatrist named Ji Hae Soo, played by Gong Hyo Jin. The two fall in love and are faced with having to deal with each other’s issues together.
The emotional intensity of this series could not have been successful without the likes of Jo In Sung and Gong Hyo Jin. The two share a special bond in the drama that is very strong. This drama was only a success because of their chemistry. As Jae Yeol suffers from a mental illness, seeing Hae Soo comfort him and desperately want to help him was all the comfort we needed. It was the indirect healing that satisfied all viewers.
My Love From the Star
“My Love From the Star” is a drama that took all of Asia by storm. Kim Soo Hyun stars in this drama as Do Min Joon, an alien with a chip on his shoulder who falls in love with the vain and outrageous actress, Cheon Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun).
This particular series doesn’t start with the OTP being “enemies” per se, but the two are pretty annoyed with each other when they first meet. Do Min Joon can’t understand the high maintenance Song Yi and couldn’t be bothered with all the hustle and bustle that comes with her celebrity life. But when he discovers that there is a very fine line between his annoyance with her and actual genuine feelings, he can’t help but express his love. The two have such great chemistry that the series became an international success!
Hyena
In “Hyena,” Yoon Hee Jae (Joo Ji Hoon) falls in love with Jung Geum Ja (Kim Hye Soo) and makes it pretty obvious that he wants to be with her. What Hee Jae doesn’t know is that it’s all part of Geum Ja’s master plan. Hee Jae is a lawyer at an elite law firm and Geum Ja, who is also a lawyer, is trying to do whatever she can to get high profile cases so that she can make more money. The two realize that they’re total opposites and are better off staying away from each other, that is, until a specific case forces them to work together.
This is a noona drama that really doesn’t feel like one. There are not many noona K-drama main leads that can pull this off. Joo Ji Hoon’s mature acting, character, and aura definitely made us a believer in his connection and feelings for Kim Hye Soo’s Jang Geum Ja. There is so much tension and angst between them whenever they are on screen. This chemistry carried the series, making it one of the best of the year. Just look at the way Joo Ji Hoon looks at Kim Hye Soo!
Which pair of enemies-turned-lovers is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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