6 K-Dramas Where Childhood Sweethearts Turn Into Passionate Lovers

While growing up, many things happen in life—you meet true friends, learn to face happiness and hardships, and of course, you could also find your very first love. First loves can be quite special and intense for some, especially if they happen during the most tender age. They can also be really sweet and some other times very dramatic and painful, but most of them do not always have a happy ending. Nonetheless, with a little bit of luck, that first love can turn into the most beautiful love story there is. The following K-dramas show all of this and more, as you will enjoy watching the protagonists turn from innocent childhood sweethearts into truly passionate lovers.

6 PHOTOS

1. “Le Coup de Foudre”

They say opposites attract each other, and in this C-drama, that is totally true. “Le Coup de Foudre” follows the story of Zhao Qiao Yi (Wu Qian) and Yan Mo (Zhang Yu Jian), two completely different high school students that, due to a random seat arrangement, end up becoming desk mates. Slowly but surely, they become friends to eventually falling in love. While Qiao Yi is very shy and not that affectionate to study, Yan Mo is an aloof prodigy who finds relationships rather boring. The story progresses going back and forth from their student years to their current daily life as a married couple, which makes you wonder how they got there. From just being two awkward classmates, they start to take interest in each other, spending their youth together, and making memories and friendships along the way that will mark their lives forever.

On the other hand, Hao Wu Yi (Ma Li), Qiao Yi’s best friend, and Zhao Guan Chao (Zhao Zhi Wei), her brother, will bring the laughs with their sloppy interactions as the former has a secret crush on him, while he only can see her as his sister’s best friend. Can you guess if their love will bloom or sink? This C-drama has an interesting plot, told in a fresh and entertaining way that will make you root for both couples but also shed some tears as you get to know their compelling stories.

2. “A Love So Beautiful”

Having a crush on a dazzling and intelligent boy is not always easy, especially if, like Chen Xiao Xi (Shen Yue), you gather the courage to confess your love only to be brutally turned down by an indifferent young man like Jiang Chen (Hu Yi Tian). Being neighbors since they were very young, this first negative does not discourage Xiao Xi, as she is completely sure that she can win the heart of that cold boy. She continues to make the effort to approach him and make him notice her, even if that brings her some troubles along the way. Thankfully, she doesn’t have to face those struggles alone because she has very good friends by her side who not only encourage and support her but also always make her smile.

Soon enough, Jiang Chen opens his heart to the sweet and cheerful girl who has always followed him around, taking them to experience wholesome love. However, as life pulls them apart, it will take time for Jiang Chen to fight for Xiao Xi’s love and be convinced as he was that their destiny is and always will be to be together. “A Love So Beautiful” is a light C-drama, full of fun and youth that depicts the perfect story for those who love to watch when she falls first but he falls harder.

3. “My Little Happiness”

If the previous drama was all about her falling first and him falling harder, then “My Little Happiness” will show you how it is when the man is the one who falls in love first. Wen Shao Qing (Tang Xiao Tian) meets Cong Rong (Xing Fei) when they are little, and the two make a promise to meet again in a place that only they know about. Although Shao Qing keeps his promise close to his heart, it’s a completely different story for Cong Rong, who has to go against her mother’s wishes to follow her dreams.

Working hard on both becoming a lawyer and hiding the truth about her return to her homeland from her mother, the last thing in Cong Rong’s mind is her old childhood friend, who now has become a prominent surgeon. On the other hand, Shao Qing has little worries in his life until he has to face the fact that his first love doesn’t remember him at all. Thankfully, luck is on his side as they turn out to be neighbors. They have to constantly face each other, slowly reigniting that young love that made them get together again. If you are craving to watch a very romantic show where the pair is not afraid to demonstrate their affection, this is the C-drama for you. Additionally, this is the second time Tang Xiao Tian and Xing Fei have worked together, having the opportunity to fully show their undeniable chemistry in many heart-fluttering moments.

4. “Go Ahead”

What seemed like any other normal day for a small family with an only child and a widowed father turns into a moment that changes their lives forever. When Li Jian Jian (Tan Song Yun) sees her little new neighbor Ling Xiao (Song Wei Long) being abandoned by his mother, she unexpectedly rejoices at the idea of having gained a new older brother. Soon enough, she gets the not-so-pleasant surprise that her father is thinking about remarrying, and she will get another older brother. Though the marriage doesn’t go through, He Zi Qiu (Steven Zhang) stays with them as the second older brother, and just like that, the family of two turns into a family of five with two single fathers, two shy boys, and a bubbly little girl.

Growing up surrounded by love and care, Jian Jian will have to face the heartbreak of being separated from the person she loves the most, only to reunite years later, now not only as two childhood friends but as a man and a woman. Will this family be able to come together again, or will their bonds be cut forever? This 2020 drama will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, going from laughter to tears, showing that a family is more than just blood ties and that your home is where your heart is.

5. “A Little Thing Called First Love”

Love can move mountains, and for Xia Miao Miao (Zhao Jin Mai), that mountain is none other than the college entrance exam for the university that her long-time crush Liang You Nian (Lai Kuanlin) attends. Miao Miao and You Nian have been friends for a very long time. To her, he is the perfect upperclassman who has always helped her and encouraged her to be better, so it is no surprise that she develops a huge crush on him. In You Nian’s case, despite Miao Miao being what you would call an ugly duckling, to him she is a kindhearted and cute girl who slowly wins his heart, and eventually, their love starts with a heartfelt confession from both parties. What could be more perfect than seeing two young lovebirds corresponding to each other’s feelings?

Well, these two youngsters will have to persist and be patient with themselves and their feelings to finally see their happy ending. Will you join them in this adventure that is their first love? This adaptation of the iconic Thai movie from 2010 gives you the chance to explore some more on Miao Miao and You Nian’s sweet and innocent love story, her transformation both internally and externally, and every step they take on their way to finding their own dreams together.

6. “Suddenly This Summer”

As previously said, some first loves can be quite painful, especially if there are some disappointments and broken promises in between the relationships. When He Luo (Bu Guan Jin) and Zhang Yuan (Bai Yu) meet during their high school years, they start off on the wrong foot. However, they quickly resolve their differences and find out that they have more in common than they originally thought. Their friendship is full of laughter, understanding, and support for each other, so much so that Zhang Yuan helps He Luo to enter the same prestigious university that he has been dreaming of attending. Nonetheless, the first heartbreak occurs when, in a shocking turn of events, Zhang Yuan loses his chance to enter that very university, forcing them to be in two far away cities.

Though both of them stay positive, accepting their new long-distance relationship, little by little they start to drift apart until they decide to put an end to their romance in a heartbreaking and tearful scene. Years later, when they get the chance to meet again, they’ll have to decide whether their love is more powerful than the regrets and pain they have experienced. This 2018 C-drama is full of feelings, emotions, and of course, the drama, which is perfectly portrayed in every scene and even in the original soundtrack, which includes a song performed by the male lead Bai Yu.