1.My ID is Gangnam Beauty

Starring heartthrob Cha Eun-woo, this K-drama is a sweet and relatable one. The drama revolves around Kang Mi-rae (Im Soo-hyang), who undergoes plastic surgery at the beginning of the drama, largely because of societal pressure and self-consciousness about her looks. When she meets Do Kyung-suk (Cha Eun-woo), he is a charming and handsome university student. But as they interact, Kyung-suk recognises her from when they went to school together and realises his feelings for her are beyond just looks.

2. Short

Charmed by Kang Tae-oh from Extraordinary Attorney Woo? Check out one of his older dramas, Short. Another sports drama, this one is relatively short with only four episodes. Kang Tae-oh plays the talented but unmotivated Kang Ho-young, who discovers his love for short track speed skating. He develops an interest in Yoo Ji-na (Kim Do-yeon), a former figure skater who had had to give up on the sport due to an injury. She comes back to Korea to audition for a new

K-pop group. The drama follows Ho-young’s struggle to rise to the top.

3. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo

A comfort K-drama if there was any, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo is as delightful as it is funny, inspiring and soothing. Set in a sports university, the romantic leads in this drama are Lee Sung-kyung (as Kim Bok-joo, a champion weightlifter) and Nam Joo-hyuk (as Jung Joon-hyung, a swimmer). Childhood acquaintances, they eventually come together as a sweet couple. What makes the drama even better are their friends and Bok-joo’s journey towards accepting herself.

4. At a Distance, Spring is Green

Starring Wanna One’s Park Ji-hoon, this was a lowkey hit in 2021. A coming-of-age story, it features Park as Yeo Jun, a rich and handsome student who is popular on campus as an all-rounder. Nevertheless, there are painful parts of his life that he must keep hidden. Nam Soo-hyun, a straight-A social outcast forges an unlikely friendship with Yeo Jun and they are joined by Kim So-bin (Kang Min-ah), Soo-hyun’s year-mate but an average student who struggles to stand out.

5. Do You Like Brahms

Set in another specialised college, this time for music, this drama stars Park Eun-bin of Extraordinary Attorney Woo fame. Chae Song-ah (Park Eun-bin) is a pianist but her family is against her musical aspirations. When she does manage to go to music school, it is at the same university where she had gotten her business degree and her classmates are almost seven years younger than her, daunting her. She meets the talented Park Joon-young (Kim Min-jae) here and is touched by his performance. They eventually connect over their shared love for Johannes Brahmes, a German composer.

6. Age of Youth

A girl squad K-drama, this K-drama features five roommates, Yoon Jin-myung (Han Ye-ri), Jung Ye-eun (Han Seung-yeon), Song Ji-won (Park Eun-bin), Yoo Eun-jae (Park Hye-soo), and Kang Yi-ma (Ryu Hwa-young). It is a heart-warming drama where different personalities come together to help and support each other despite having different goals and often, different problems. It will certainly make you want to have a girl squad of your own!

7. Cheese in the Trap

Adapted from the webtoon of the same name, this drama has darker notes compared to most college rom-coms. However, it is still an entertaining watch on the love triangle between Hong Seol (Kim Go-eun), Yoo Jung (Park Hae-jin) and Baek In-hon (Seo Kang-joon). Hong Seol is a hardworking but poor student who falls for the rich and charming senior Yoo Jung. The latter, however, hides dark secrets that relate to Seol’s recent friend In-ho as well. Spoiler alert, you might find yourself rooting for the second lead Baek In-ho!