Top 40 Must See Korean Romance Movies as of 2019
by Uxorae | created - 20 Dec 2011 | updated - 12 Nov 2019 | PublicA collection of the top 40 must see Korean romance titles in my opinion. Will be updated as I watch more movies. I listed them in order starting from the best. For a comprehensive Korean romance movie list, check out my compilation list: Korean Romance Movies.
Movie mood definitions:
* Happy = light-hearted and most likely contains comedy
* Sad = depressing and will most likely make you cry
* Bittersweet = happy, but sad at the same time
* Thought-provoking = emotionally neutral, but evokes thoughts about life and love
Updates:
July 23, 2018
* Replaced Please Teach Me English with Be With You
May 2, 2017
* Changed title: year from 2016 to 2017
May 30, 2016
* Replaced My Girlfriend Is An Agent with The Beauty Inside
January 5, 2016
* Changed title: year from 2015 to 2016
April 23, 2015
* Replaced Daddy-Long-Legs with Man In Love
January 3, 2015
* Changed title: year from 2014 to 2015
January 4, 2014
* Added Romance types (genre of romance)
* Changed title: year from 2013 to 2014; number of movies from 30 to 40
February 20, 2013
* Added "A love story between..." to movie descriptions
January 25, 2013
* Changed title year to 2013
October 26, 2012
* Replaced He Was Cool with Oasis
* Replaced Please Teach Me English with Always
October 22, 2012
* Replaced Art of Seduction with ...ing
* Replaced Humming with Sad Movie
October 11, 2012
*Added movie moods
October 8, 2012
* Replaced 100 Days With Mr. Arrogant with Innocent Steps
October 5, 2012
* Added Humming, Please Teach Me English, Art of Seduction, 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant
* Added Architecture 101
* Changed title: year from 2011 to 2012; number of movies from 25 to 30
October 1, 2012
* Replaced Humming with Mr. Robin Kkosigi
Other Lists:
If you like:
Japanese Romance Movies check out Top 20 Japanese Romance Movies as of 2016
Asian action movies check out Top 30 Asian Action Movies from 2000-Present
Asian thriller/mystery films check out Top 30 East Asian Thriller/Mystery Films as of 2016
Asian horror movies check out Top 30 Asian Horror Films from 1995-Present
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1. A Moment to Remember (2004)
PG-13 | 117 min | Drama, Romance
A young couple's enduring love is tested when 27-year-old Su-jin is diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.
Directors: Park Kyung-Jin, John H. Lee, Kim Tae-Won | Stars: Jung Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Jong-hak Baek, Lee Seon-jin
Votes: 25,574
The best Korean romance movie ever! If you only watch one movie from this list, A Moment to Remember should be the one!
A love story between a construction worker and the head of construction site's daughter.
Movie mood: Bittersweet
Romance type: drama
2. My Girl and I (2005)
Not Rated | 97 min | Drama, Romance
Beautiful student Su-Eun prevents her fellow student Su-Ho to drown in the ocean. Su-Ho however, does not know who saved him, until Su-Eun tells him after a while. The love between them ... See full summary »
Director: Yun-su Jeon | Stars: Cha Tae-hyun, Song Hye-kyo, Song Chang-ui, Moon Jeong-Hee
Votes: 2,737
You can never let go of your one and only love.
A love story between an ordinary high school student and the prettiest girl at his school.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
3. Marriage is a Crazy Thing (2002)
103 min | Drama, Romance
Jun-young (Kam Woo-seong) is a man in his early thirties who has seen his friends and younger brother get married but has yet to open himself to a serious relationship. Rather he is happy ... See full summary »
Director: Ha Yoo | Stars: Kam Woo-seong, Uhm Junghwa, Park Won-sang, Ryu Hyun-kyung
Votes: 1,203
A couple's battle on differing perspectives on life/sex, and real love. 18+.
A love story between an English literature professor and a woman he meets on a blind date.
Movie mood: Thought-provoking
Romance type: drama
4. Always (2011)
108 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A love story centered on ex-boxer Chul-min and a blind telemarketer Jung-hwa.
Director: Song Il-gon | Stars: So Ji-seob, Han Hyo-joo, Kang Shin-il, Park Chul-min
Votes: 11,223
A love story between an ex-boxer and a blind telemarketer.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: drama, action
5. My Sassy Girl (2001)
Not Rated | 137 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A young man sees a drunk, cute woman standing too close to the tracks at a metro station in Seoul and pulls her back. She ends up getting him into trouble repeatedly after that, starting on the train.
Director: Jae-young Kwak | Stars: Cha Tae-hyun, Jun Ji-hyun, In-mun Kim, Song Wok-suk
Votes: 50,503
A love story between an engineering student and a girl he meets on a train.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy
6. Once in a Summer (2006)
121 min | Drama, Romance
Once in a Summer (Hangul) is a 2006 South Korean melodrama/romance film directed by Jo Keun-shik. The film stars Lee Byung-hun and Soo Ae. It won Best Film and Best Director (for Jo) at the 15th Chunsa Film Art Awards in 2007.
Director: Geun-shik Jo | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Soo Ae, Oh Dal-su, Choi Deok-moon
Votes: 1,113
A love story between a city boy and pretty country girl.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama, war
7. Love Phobia (2006)
117 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A boy falls for a mysterious girl who keeps disappearing.
Director: Ji-eun Kang | Stars: Cho Seung-woo, Kang Hye-jeong, Ju-yeon Byeon, Jung Jin-young
Votes: 907
Pretty good movie about a boy in love with a girl who tells him many outrageous things to cover up for her true situation.
A love story between two childhood friends.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: comedy
8. Architecture 101 (2012)
G | 118 min | Drama, Romance
A 20-year-old architecture student, falls in love with a music student. However, he fails to confess his feelings to her, and they grow apart. 15 years later, she reappears before him and asks him to design her house.
Director: Lee Yong-ju | Stars: Uhm Tae-woong, Han Ga-in, Lee Jehoon, Bae Suzy
Votes: 4,108
A love story between first loves.
Movie mood: Thought-provoking
Romance type: drama
9. My Little Bride (2004)
Not Rated | 115 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A teenage girl tries to continue her normal social and school life, after her grandfather forces her into an arranged marriage with a man in his twenties.
Director: Ho-joon Kim | Stars: Kim Rae-won, Moon Geun-young, Ahn Sun-yeong, Kim Bo-kyung
Votes: 5,938
A movie about an arranged marriage between the grandchildren of two friends. The catch? The boy is a new teacher and the girl is a high school student at the same high school.
A love story between a student and her teacher.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy
10. Hello, Schoolgirl (2008)
113 min | Comedy, Romance
Thirty-year-old Yun-woo bumps into a high school student in the elevator while on his way to work. His heart starts pounding at this teenager's boldness. At a subway station, KANG Sook ... See full summary »
Director: Jang-ha Ryu | Stars: Yoo Ji-tae, Lee Yeon-hee, Chae Jeong-an, Kang In
Votes: 1,201
A love story between a 30 year old man and a high school student, and a 22 year old man and a 29 year old woman.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy, drama
11. The Classic (2003)
127 min | Drama, Romance
A college student finds a diary detailing a long-ago love triangle involving her mother, her future father, and his best friend.
Director: Jae-young Kwak | Stars: Son Ye-jin, Zo In-sung, Cho Seung-woo, Lee Ki-woo
Votes: 10,135
A love story between a city girl and a country boy (past), and the city girl's daughter and a guy in the drama club (present).
Movie mood: Bittersweet
Romance type: drama
12. Sad Movie (2005)
Not Rated | 108 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
This film follows the lives of four very different couples as they deal with love, loss and life in these romantic, loosely interconnected tales.
Director: Jong-kwan Kwon | Stars: Jung Woo-sung, Lim Soo-jung, Cha Tae-hyun, Yum Jung-ah
Votes: 3,462
A love story between a firefighter and his girlfriend; a girl and her unemployed boyfriend; a mother and her son (motherly love); and a deaf girl working at a theme park and a guy she meets there.
Movie mood: Sad, obviously
Romance type: drama
13. Il Mare (2000)
105 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
In 1999, a voice actor moves from Il Mare, a seaside house, and leaves a Christmas card in its (magical) mailbox. An architecture student receives it in 1997, and a friendship separated by 2 years begins.
Director: Hyun-seung Lee | Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Jun Ji-hyun, Mu-saeng Kim, Jo Seung-yeon
Votes: 9,462
A love story between two people that live in the same house during different time periods communicating via mailbox.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: drama, fantasy
14. Failan (2001)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama, Romance
A marriage of convenience between a petty gangster and an illegal immigrant he has never met has unforeseen consequences for them both.
Director: Hae-sung Song | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Cecilia Cheung, Son Byung-ho, Kong Hyeong-jin
Votes: 6,224
A movie about falling in love with a person you've never met.
A love story between an obsolete gangster and an illegal Chinese immigrant he has never met.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
15. More Than Blue (2009)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama, Romance
"K" loves Cream but has terminal cancer so he keeps his love for her secret and tries to find a mate for her before he dies so she will not be alone after he dies.
Director: Won Tae-yeon | Stars: Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Bo-young, Lee Beom-su, Jeong Ae-yeon
Votes: 2,800
A love story between two orphans.
Movie mood: Bittersweet
Romance type: drama
16. Windstruck (2004)
123 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
The heart-warming romance story between Kyungjin and Myungwoo. Even though he has passed away, he will be always with Kyungwoo forever.
Director: Jae-young Kwak | Stars: Jun Ji-hyun, Jang Hyuk, Kim Soo-ro, Lee Ki-woo
Votes: 7,709
A love story between a Physics teacher and a young female police officer.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: comedy, action
17. Lover's Concerto (2002)
Not Rated | 106 min | Drama, Romance
A college student befriends two cute girls his age. He loses contact with them. He tries to find them years later.
Director: Lee Han | Stars: Cha Tae-hyun, Son Ye-jin, Eun-ju Lee, Park Yong-woo
Votes: 2,135
A love story between a boy and two girls.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
18. A Millionaire's First Love (2006)
116 min | Drama, Romance
Jae-Kyung (Hyun-Bin ) is a tough guy, who is a high school senior,If he turns 19 years means, he could be a millionaire by inheriting his deceased grandfather's wealth. Unfortunately his ... See full summary »
Director: Tae-gyun Kim | Stars: Hyun Bin, Yong-joon Cho, Park Jin-young, Lim Ju-hwan
Votes: 5,393
A love story between a rich boy and a country girl.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
19. ...ing (2003)
104 min | Drama, Romance
Mi-na, a high school student living alone with her mother, dreams of having the perfect boyfriend. But can any man hope to live up to her image of the ideal partner?
Director: Eon-hie Lee | Stars: Lim Soo-jung, Kim Rae-won, Lee Mi-sook, Jang-Su Bae
Votes: 2,279
A love story between a buoyant photographer and a girl with a chronic illness and a deformed hand.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
20. Ditto (2000)
110 min | Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Two students, separated in time, are somehow able to talk to each other using amateur radio, one in 1979 and the other in 2000.
Director: Jeong-kwon Kim | Stars: Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Ha-neul, Ha Ji-Won, Do-Yoon Kim
Votes: 2,229
Similar to Il Mare as they are both about love between two people from different time periods; however, Ditto has a twist.
A love story between a guy living in the year 2000 and a woman living in 1979 communicating through radio.
Movie mood: Bittersweet
Romance type: drama, fantasy
21. Innocent Steps (2005)
Not Rated | 110 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
In pursuit of a triumphant comeback, a former dancing star imports a teenage phenom to play the role of his partner, only to discover that she barely has any experience. Can he train her to dance like a champ in just three months?
Director: Young-hoon Park | Stars: Moon Geun-young, Keon-hyeong Park, Song Ha-yoon, Kim Ji-yeong
Votes: 1,558
A love story between a former renowned dancer and girl from China that knows nothing about dancing.
Movie mood: Bittersweet
Romance type: drama
22. Oasis (2002)
133 min | Drama, Romance
An irresponsible and childish ex-con befriends a girl with cerebral palsy and develops a progressively stronger bond with her.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Moon So-ri, Ahn Nae-sang, Ryu Seung-wan
Votes: 10,406
A love story between moderately mentally disabled man just released from prison and a woman with severe cerebral palsy.
Movie mood: Thought-provoking
Romance type: drama
23. 200 Pounds Beauty (2006)
Not Rated | 120 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A talented but obese girl, who ghost-sings for a not-so-talented pop star, undergoes extensive plastic surgery to become a slender beauty with a new identity.
Director: Yong-hwa Kim | Stars: Ju Jin-mo, Kim Ah-jung, Sung Dong-il, Kim Hyun-sook
Votes: 8,821
There's more to love than looks...but looks certainly help.
A love story between an obese singer that undergoes plastic surgery and her company's director.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy
24. Someone Special (2004)
107 min | Comedy, Romance
A struggling for love, Baseball players discovers he has terminal illness and meets a girl who has had a crush on him since times immemorial. The twists and turns of events bring them together.
Director: Jin Jang | Stars: Jeong Jae-yeong, Lee Na-young, Jo Deok-hyeon, Jeong Gyu-su
Votes: 1,139
A love story between a baseball player and a girl who has loved him from afar.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: drama
25. Addicted (2002)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
2 Korean brothers live together with the older's wife. The 2 each have a car accident and end up in a coma. After a year the younger wakes up but behaves like and claims to be the older brother. Is he and will the wife accept it?
Director: Young-hoon Park | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Lee Mi-yeon, Lee Eol, Park Seon-yeong
Votes: 1,509
More of a thriller than a romance, but it still has love as an underlying theme.
A love story between a man and his brother's wife.
Movie mood: Thought-provoking
Romance type: drama
26. Seducing Mr. Perfect (2006)
Not Rated | 107 min | Romance
A Korean company analyst rear-ends an American man's car then discovers he's her new boss. Unlucky at love, she begins to take romance lessons from him in order to seduce him.
Director: Sang-woo Kim | Stars: Uhm Junghwa, Daniel Henney, Holly Karrol Clark, Joong-hyeon Bang
Votes: 2,089
A love story between a woman and her new boss.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy
27. 3-Iron (2004)
R | 88 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A transient young man breaks into empty homes to partake of the vacationing residents' lives for a few days.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Lee Seung-yun, Jae Hee, Hyuk-ho Kwon, Joo Jin-mo
Votes: 58,291 | Gross: $0.24M
The minimal dialogue in this movie may deter some.
A love story between a drifter and an abused housewife.
Movie mood: Thought-provoking
Romance type: drama
28. My Tutor Friend (2003)
110 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
A man from a wealthy family who should be in his second year of college, is still finishing his highschool requirements. His family hire a tutor for him who is his own age but she comes from a poor background.
Director: Kyeong-hyeong Kim | Stars: Kim Ha-neul, Kwon Sang-woo, Baek Il-seob, Ji-woo Kim
Votes: 2,552
A love story between a rich, struggling male high school student and a poor female university student.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy
29. Too Beautiful to Lie (2004)
115 min | Comedy, Romance
While a man is out of town, a con-woman claims to be his fiancée and moves in with his family.
Director: Hyeong-jun Bae | Stars: Kim Ha-neul, Gang Dong-won, Song Jae-ho, Kim Jee-young
Votes: 1,970
A love story between an ex-convict and a naive country boy.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy
30. Daisy (2006)
Not Rated | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
About a tragic love triangle story involving young painter Hye-young, Interpol detective Jeong Woo, and professional hitman Park Yi.
Director: Andrew Lau | Stars: Jun Ji-hyun, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-jae, Sara Bernardo Aires
Votes: 6,682
A love story between a painter and two guys: an Interpol detective and a hitman.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
31. Christmas in August (1998)
Not Rated | 97 min | Drama, Romance
Hahn Suk-Kyu suffers from a fatal disease. He meets Shim Eun-Ha and falls in love with her. Will their love story have a tragic ending?
Director: Hur Jin-ho | Stars: Han Suk-kyu, Shim Eun-ha, Shin Goo, Oh Ji-hye
Votes: 3,919
A love story between a male photographer and a female parking agent.
Movie mood: Bittersweet
Romance type: drama
32. A Werewolf Boy (2012)
Not Rated | 127 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Summoned by an unexpected phone call, an elderly woman visits the country cottage she lived in as a child. Memories of an orphan boy she knew 47 years ago come flooding back to her.
Director: Sung-hee Jo | Stars: Song Joong-ki, Park Bo-young, Yeong-ran Lee, Jang Young-nam
Votes: 8,911 | Gross: $0.34M
A love story between a country girl and a wild boy.
Movie mood: Thought-provoking
Romance type: drama, fantasy
33. Man in Love (2014)
Not Rated | 120 min | Drama, Romance
Tae-Il lives a fast life as low level thug. He then learns that he has a terminal illness and not much time left to live. For the first time in his life falls in love. The woman's name is Ho-Jung.
Director: Dong-wook Han | Stars: Hwang Jung-min, Han Hye-jin, Il-woo Nam, Kwak Do-won
Votes: 1,057
A love story between a gangster and the daughter of a man with a debt to pay.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
34. Du eolgurui yeochin (2007)
117 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Gu-chang meets a sweet, cute girl, also a college student. They date. Later, he discovers her dissociative identity disorder, when she becomes vicious at times.
Director: Seok-hoon Lee | Stars: Sin Eun-jeong, Sa Hee, Ji-min Kim, Hye Eun Lee
Votes: 652
A love story between a 30 year old virgin and a woman with a split personality.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: comedy
35. Humming (2008)
96 min | Romance
Jun-Seo (Lee Chun-Hee) and Mi-Yeon (Han Ji-Hye) have been dating for a long time. Jun-Seo grows tired of his girlfriend's unfailing love, and volunteers to do research work in Antartica. ... See full summary »
Director: Dae-yeong Park | Stars: Lee Cheon-hee, Lee Jeong-hoon, Han Ji-hye, Soo-hyeon Kim
Votes: 228
A love story between a bored boyfriend and an unwavering girlfriend
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
36. Postman to Heaven (2009)
107 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Jaejoon, isn't your ordinary postman, he delivers letters to Heaven from those missing their loved ones.
Director: Lee Hyeong-min | Stars: Jae-Joong Kim, Han Hyo-joo, Oh Jung-Won
Votes: 854
A love story between a grieving woman and a special man.
Movie mood: Happy
Romance type: drama
37. Miracle of Giving Fool (2008)
99 min | Comedy, Romance
A mentally challenged man trying to keep his mother's only wish alive at any cost while trying to reconcile with his first and only real crush.
Director: Jeong-kwon Kim | Stars: Cha Tae-hyun, Ha Ji-Won, Jo Ah-ra, Sulli Choi
Votes: 1,607
A love story between a pianist with stage fright and the village fool.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama, comedy
38. Maundy Thursday (2006)
Not Rated | 120 min | Drama, Romance
A suicidal girl started to visit a convicted murderer awaiting execution every Thursday.
Director: Hae-sung Song | Stars: Lee Na-young, Gang Dong-won, Youn Yuh-jung, Kang Shin-il
Votes: 1,488
A love story between a university professor and a death row prisoner.
Movie mood: Sad
Romance type: drama
39. The Beauty Inside (2015)
Not Rated | 127 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
A South Korean has a different person's body, changing every morning to a body "borrowed" for a day - man, woman, old, child and sometimes a foreigner. "He" works as furniture designer. He loves a girl. She loves him for the beauty inside.
Director: Jong-Yeol Baek | Stars: Han Hyo-joo, Park Seo-joon, Juri Ueno, Lee Jin-wook
Votes: 7,929 | Gross: $0.11M
A love story between a furniture shop employee and a man whose appearance changes after waking up.
Movie mood: Thought-provoking
Romance type: drama
40. Be With You (2018)
PG-13 | 132 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Woo Jin takes care of his son Ji Ho alone after his wife Soo A passed away. Before she passed away, she promised she would be back on a rainy day one year later. One year later, Soo A appears again, but she does not remember anything.
Director: Jang-Hoon Lee | Stars: So Ji-seob, Son Ye-jin, Ko Chang-seok, So-Hyun Gam
Votes: 7,087
A love story between high school crushes.
Movie mood: Bittersweet
Romance type: drama
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