Let’s face it some K-drama pairs are a match made in heaven, while some seem to lack that spark. However, for this list, we want to narrow down some of the onscreen couples who displayed palpable chemistry that they worked on more than one project. Find out if your favorite made the list!
Kwon San Woo and Choi Ji Woo
It has been almost two decades since Stairway to Heaven aired. But hardcore K-drama fans can still recall how Cha Song Joo and Han Jung Suh made our hearts flutter and caused many to cry their hearts out over their love story. Their characters started out as childhood friends whose friendship eventually blossomed into a romantic relationship.
As proof that they have undeniable chemistry, the pair would reunite on the small screen with the melodrama ‘Temptation.’ In this drama, Kwon Sang Woo’s character is a man from a rural village who’s juggling various part-time jobs to support his studies. Meanwhile, Choi Ji Woo plays a hotel heiress who is groomed to take over her father’s company.
Jang Hyuk and Jang Na Ra
Jang Hyuk and Jang Na Ra first starred in the 2002 rom-com series, ‘Successful Story of a Bright Girl.’ She plays an innocent country girl while he becomes an arrogant president of a makeup company. Having proved that they show good onscreen banter and romance, they were given a reunion project in 2014, which was ‘Fated to Love You.’ Jang Hyuk still played another rich guy who is slated to inherit his family’s company, while Na Ra is the naive office employee at a law firm.
In 2022, there have been reports that the pair might reunite again for a project in 2023. Their passionate performance has been truly missed by fans, and this possible third project has been raising expectations.
Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae
My Girl was one of the hits in the early 2000s and it was largely due to casting compatible leads. Lee Dong Wook plays the only heir of a high-end hotel, while Lee Da Hae is a tour guide who conducts mini-tours in Jeju Island. Their performance breathed life into this story which turned it into a phenomenal success that spurned four remakes in different countries.
The two would then reunite in 2014 for the melodrama, ‘Hotel King,’ and this time around, the tables have turned Lee Dong Wook plays the general manager of a hotel, while Lee Dae Hae’s character is an heiress and the only daughter of the owner.
Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin
The Bin-Jin couple was first paired in the 2018 action-crime-thriller ‘The Negotiation.” In the film, Hyun Bin transformed into a Korea-based international arms dealer and kidnapper. Son Ye Jin is the movie’s crisis negotiator and an Inspector at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Department. Although they never filmed together in person for this film, they were both very engaging in the movie.
The following year, Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin reunited on the small screen for ‘Crash Landing On You.’ This role was definitely one for the books and it left many fans crazy over their seemingly star-crossed love story. Hyun Bin takes on the iconic Captain Ri of the North Korean Special Police Force, and Son ye Jin is an heiress who accidentally landed in North Korea. We all know how this reel romance eventually turned into a real love story which shows that, between these two, the chemistry is real. A fun fact is that So Ye Jin also made a cameo as herself in Secret Garden, a 2010 K-drama where Hyun Bin starred as the male lead.
Kim Soo Hyun and Jun Ji Hyun
We may be more familiar with Kim Soo Hyun and Jun Ji Hyun from the K-drama ‘My Love from the Star’ in 2013, but that was not the first time they worked together. They starred in the top-grossing file, ‘The Thieves’ which was released a year before. Jun Ji Hyun played a cat burglar while Soo Hyun’s character is a criminal.
‘My Love from the Star’ was Jun Ji Hyun’s comeback after fourteen years. Reports surfaced that she was not keen on taking the role, but it was Soo Hyun who persuaded her. We can say that it was a good call as the drama turned out to be a classic even with its rom-com and sci-fi theme. They were able to strongly convince fans to root for the love story between an alien and a top Hallyu star.
Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na
Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na were first paired in 2016’s ‘Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.’ It was there that fans noticed their heartwarming chemistry even if it was between two unlikely characters—a grim reaper and a chicken restaurant owner. Their onscreen dynamic was so genuine that it even sparked rumors that the two may be dating. However, both denied it to be true.
Fans clamored for another team-up, and their wish was granted in 2019 when the two headlined another series called ‘Touch Your Heart’. This time Dong Wook plays a lawyer, while In Na’s character is a top celebrity who was linked to a drug scandal.
Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ji Hye
Besides the famous Bin-Jin couple, ‘Crash Landing On You’ also gave us another couple to stan in Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ji Hye. He played a South Korean con-man who fled to North Korea to evade the people he owed money to. Meanwhile, her character is the daughter of a wealthy North Korean department store owner. Even though their love story had a tragic ending, many rooted for their team up and the K-drama gods answered.
In 2020, the two would reunite for the series, ‘Dinner Mate.” This time around Kim Jung Hyun did a cameo as Seo Ji Hye’s ex-boyfriend. But did you know that CLOY was not the first series they both starred in? In 2016, they both appeared in the K-drama ‘Don’t Dare to Dream.’ She was a news anchor, while he played the brother of the female lead.
Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won
One of the most successful dramas to air in 2020 is the melodrama/suspense series ‘Flower of Evil.’ It starred Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won, and they played husband and wife who are facing marital problems and some damning secrets. This project not only showcased a heartstopping storyline, it was also a revelation of Joon Gi and Chae Won’s undeniable onscreen chemistry.
However, that project was actually the second time the pair worked with each other. They first teamed up in the Korean adaptation of ‘Criminal Minds,’ with him playing a SWAT officer turned investigator at the Violent Crimes Unit and her as an NCI agent and behaviour analyst.
Ji Soo and Kim So Hyun
It was evident that Ji Soo and Kim So Hyun had the spark as they played the role of Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal in the 2021 sageuk, ‘River Where the Moon Rises.’ In this drama, her character wanted to re-establish Goguryeo, while he was an ordinary man who was driven to protect the princess. The two would have made a great pair until Ji Soo was embroiled in a bullying controversy and had to be replaced in the drama by Na In Woo.
If you love their work, you can get a full length of it in the three-episode drama, ‘Page Turner,’ which aired back in 2016. Ji Soo played an aspiring pianist and So Hyun was a piano prodigy.
Lee Seung Gi and Bae Suzy
Lee Seung Gi and Bae Suzy starred in the 2019 action, spy, and crime series, ‘Vagabond.’ He played a stuntman whose nephew is killed in a mysterious plane crash, which pushed him to find the truth behind the incident. She, on the other hand, played a National Intelligence Service agent involved in a covert operative. Many are drawn to the story and the pair’s team-up that fans are still hoping a second season would be in the works.
So to quench your Seung Gi and Suzy craving, you can also catch them in 2013’s historical/fantasy series ‘Gu Family Book.’ He played a half-man and half-gumiho who falls in love with Bae Suzy’s character who is a martial arts instructor.
How do you find this list? Do you have other onscreen couples you think we should add? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments!
