Avid Korean drama watchers would certainly have their favourites, be it suspenseful moments that make them grip their chair in fear, or heart-wrenching ones that cause them to burst out crying. Here are 10 iconic K-drama scenes that live rent free in our heads.
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Image adapted from: SBS Drama
Our parents always teach us not to play with food, but K-drama oppas beg to differ.
In Secret Garden, main characters Kim Joo Won and Kil Ra Im are eating in a cafe. When Ra Im takes a sip of her coffee, the foam from the drink stains her upper lip.
Joo Won teases Ra Im that she left the foam residue on purpose to attract his attention. She raises her arm, intending to wipe it off with her sweater. Joo Won stops her and kisses the foams off her lips, leaving her in a flustered state.
Image adapted from: YG Entertainment (BIGSHOW 2011)
This swoon-worthy moment instantly garnered much attention from viewers and celebrities alike. Fans might remember K-pop group Big Bang’s parody of the show, and how members G-Dragon and T.O.P. actually locked lips to recreate the iconic coffee foam kiss.
Image adapted from: KBS World TV
The 2014 K-drama Discovery Of Love also recreated this scene, where Yoon Sol licks away the coffee foam on her upper lip instead of letting any of the male characters kiss her, creating an awkward atmosphere.
Image adapted from: SBS
What makes a moment even more romantic than being in the rain together with a loved one?
The most iconic rain scene in K-dramaland is arguably in To The Beautiful You. Characters Kang Tae Joon and Goo Jae Hee are sharing an umbrella in the downpour when a bus drives into a puddle of water in front of them.
Like a true gentleman, Tae Joon rushes before Jae Hee, using his own body to shield her from the splash.
A funny rendition of this scene was shown in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. When met with the same dilemma, Jung Joon Hyung, chooses to hide behind Kim Bok Joo to protect himself from the puddle splash instead of being a gentleman like Tae Joon.
Video credit: The Swoon
Video adapted from: MBC Drama
A strong slap in the heat of an argument is one of the most classic K-drama cliches, and a kimchi slap just dramatises the intensity of the moment.
The most memorable reenactment of the kimchi slap would be in MBC’s morning drama Everybody, Kimchi!. At the height of an argument, Na Eun Hee fiercely rips open a packet of kimchi, and smacks a handful of the fermented vegetable dish across Im Dong Joon’s face.
Video credit: MBC Entertainment
Actor Won Ki Joon, who plays the character Im Dong Joon, shared what it was like filming that legendary scene on a broadcast of Radio Star in 2014.
Won Ki Joon shared that being slapped by kimchi caused him to get chilli powder in his eyes, ears and nose, which led to an intense headache for him later on.
Video adapted from: tvN
Viewers enjoyed this scene so much that when Chloe Grace Moretz made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) Korea, she recreated this very iconic scene.
Video adapted from: Netflix
Dramatic entrances are everything in K-dramas, and nothing screams over-the-top more than F4’s walk into the school in episode 1 of Boys Over Flowers. This has got to be one of the most iconic K-drama scenes hands down.
Image adapted from: tvN Drama
In fact, dramatic scenes of K-drama male leads walking became so popular that many subsequent shows had their own renditions of this iconic trope. Check out Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook’s powerful struts in Goblin, that emphasised their characters’ godlike images.
Video adapted from: tvN D Ent
Prison Playbook also put their own spin on this type of scene, where they had the main characters stride across the courtyard in order to intimidate another group of prisoners. But instead of putting up a natural front, they seem to try too hard, unintentionally creating a comedic yet suave moment.
Video adapted from: Netflix
Once again, Boys Over Flowers makes the list, this time for the iconic show of female empowerment.
When Geum Jan Di gets harassed repeatedly by fellow classmates under the orders of Koo Jun Pyo, she decides it’s time to stand up for herself. She confronts the cocky male lead and, in a fit of anger at his nonchalance, performs a well-executed spinning hook kick to his face.
Strong heroines are not an uncommon concept in K-dramas, but Geum Jan Di’s retaliation still takes the cake for being one of the best responses one can give to an overbearing male lead.
The most iconic scene of a “zero to hero” situation would be in Dream High, where Kim Pil Suk goes on a 200-day journey to lose 30kg.
In order to impress her crush, she diligently exercises and cuts down on her food intake. She manages to lose 30kg, and change her looks so drastically that even her crush was unable to recognise her.
Watch her impressive weight loss journey here:
Video credit: KBS World TV
This scene in Dream High became so popular that fans started naming this diet “The Pilsuk Diet”, and many personally attempted the weight-loss program.
Image credit: SBS
K-dramas are no stranger to the beauty transformation trope, and many other series have used this cliche to aid their storytelling. The drama Birth Of The Beauty tells the heart-wrenching story of a woman subjected to the lookism judgment of society, and decides to undergo a complete makeover to escape her poor fate.
Check out the drama teaser here:
Video credit: KOCOWA TV
It may be entertaining to watch characters glo-up and find confidence in themselves again, but we believe that viewers should take these dramatisations with a pinch of salt because they are often fictitious and portray unrealistic results. Also, true beauty comes from within, and not in physical appearances.
Video adapted from: Netflix
Love triangles are stimulating to watch – what with the dilemma, conflicts and eventual heartbreak. In The Heirs, our 3 leads perform the perfect display of a love triangle with a double wrist grab, and even right in the middle of a crosswalk.
Video adapted from: KOCOWA TV
In 2019, Extraordinary You did a perfect rendition of the classic move, paired with the intense stare-down between the hot-headed Baek Kyeong and the gentle Ha Ru. We reckon this the epitome of iconic K-drama scenes.
Although a highly performed trope, we still dream to be standing in the middle of 2 handsome oppas, being the subject of their affections.
What would K-dramas be without one, if not several, food scenes? Not as appetising, for sure.
Coffee Prince’s Ko Eun Chan especially, makes our stomachs growl with her mukbang scenes. From tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) to pizza, she makes every dish look extraordinarily appetising.
Take a look at a compilation of her eating scenes in Coffee Prince here:
Video credit: KOCOWA TV
Mukbang scenes in K-dramas have become a form of fanservice, and are a must-have in most shows.
Check out Lee Sung Kyung’s mukbang scenes in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, and in particular, how the famous “RMFC” came about:
Video credit: KOCOWA TV
Image adapted from: Rakuten Viki
Nothing says security more than being carried piggyback by a strong and handsome oppa.
We think that the piggyback scene in Heartstrings between Lee Kyu Won and Lee Shin takes the cake for sweetest piggyback moment. After the 2 leads have some drinks at an event, Lee Kyu Won gets incredibly drunk. Lee Shin takes things into his own hands and carries her on his back, even dreamily telling her to “hold on tight”.
The chemistry between the 2 is through the roof, and this cute moment just manages to prove it.
Image credit: SBS
But not all piggybacks are adorable and sweet – sometimes, they can be heartbreaking too.
For instance, in the 5th episode of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, the ill Madam Hae and her husband Wang Wook share a stroll in the snow.
As Madam Hae starts to collapse, Wang Wook carries her on her back. After telling Wang Wook that loving him was enough for her, Madam Hae passes away peacefully on his back, as Wang Wook tears up sorrowfully.
Ultimately, the piggyback symbolises the characters’ utmost affection for each other, and is a classic move in K-dramas.
Image adapted from: MBCdrama
Aegyo (a cute display of affection) is characteristic of K-pop idols, but do you know that it can sometimes be included in a K-drama script too? Fans may remember Lee Jong Suk’s iconic aegyo as Ahn Jong Suk in High Kick 3!.
In desperate need for a laptop, Ahn Jong Suk does the adorable cheek-rubbing motion to persuade his sibling to lend a laptop to him. While the cute act was cringe-worthy enough for his character to become the butt of everyone’s jokes, it was also memorable enough for viewers to remember this as an iconic aegyo moment.
Image adapted from: Viu Singapore
And, if we’re talking about unforgettable aegyo moments, the legendary “Ae Ra aegyo” from Fight For My Way is another scene that comes to mind.
When arguing about Ko Dong Man’s decision to go back to his fighting career, Choi Ae Ra is evidently unhappy with his choice, and shows her displeasure through aegyo.
She speaks in a cutesy way to tell him to not continue fighting and horrifies their friends, who are stumped by her uncharacteristic behaviour. However, Dong Man does not back down from this challenge, and fires back with his own aegyo, causing their friends to react in a violent manner, even threatening them with knives.
Video adapted from: Viu Singapore
Check out this scene, and the leads’ reaction to it winning them the 2017 KBS Drama Best Aegyo here:
Video credit: KBS World TV
Korean dramas are only getting better and better, in terms of plot and graphics, but these emblematic moments will always be remembered for shaping the whole entertainment landscape. We can’t wait to see more iconic K-drama scenes, and for more new and interesting interpretations to be made.
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Cover image adapted from: Viu Singapore, SBS, MBCdrama
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