Warning: Spoilers ahead!
When we watch a kilig romance drama, we know we’re in for some really good slow burn love with attractive leads and great cinematography (hopefully, a killer soundtrack too!). While we do get swoon-worthy kisses, they hardly get hot and heavy, and bed scenes are hard to come by. This doesn’t make our fave Korean dramas any less exciting, of course, but sometimes, we’re in the mood for shows that will make us *blush*.
K-dramas don’t feature anything too risqué, but if you want to try romance that’s a little more mature than usual, check these out:
1. Witch’s Romance (2014)
Who’s in it: Uhm Jung Hwa, Park Seo Joon
Where to watch it: Viu
Everyone calls 39-year-old workaholic Ji Yeon (Jung Hwa) a witch in the office, and she’s got an unlucky history in romance too. Enter Dong Ha (Seo Joon), an errand center owner (and runner) and all-around good guy in his 20s. They unexpectedly get attracted to each other—and, well, JSYK, the clothes come off pretty early in this drama. This was the first Park Seo Joon drama we ever watched, and we couldn’t get enough of him. The kisses, the touches! The lead couple’s chemistry is off the charts, and we swooned every time Seo Joon held Jung Hwa’s face.
2. It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014)
Who’s in it: Gong Hyo Jin, Jo In Sung
Where to watch it: Netflix, Viu
Jae Yeol (In Sung), a man with OCD, and Hae Soo (Hyo Jin), a woman who fears intimacy, start an unlikely romance as they struggle to heal. The path isn’t smooth even when they finally get together, but their journey is touching and relatable. In Sung and Hyo Jin just look so comfortable together onscreen. If you’re yearning for some hot kisses and sexy times, this drama has them in spades. And while our protagonists are working through a lot of issues, the payoff is worth it.
3. Another Miss Oh (2016)
Who’s in it: Eric Mun, Seo Hyun Jin
Where to watch it: Netflix, Viu
A year after being jilted on his wedding day, Do Kyung (Eric) finds out that his former bride, Oh Hae Young, is about to get married. He sabotages her fiancé’s business to wreck their relationship—only to realize that the woman whose life he ruined is just someone with the same name (Hyun Jin). When he can’t stop thinking about her and their paths keep crossing, sparks start to fly. When they finally have their first passionate kiss (by a wall with their hands wandering everywhere), we squealed.
4. W: Two Worlds (2016)
Who’s in it: Lee Jong Suk, Han Hyo Joo
Where to watch it: Netflix
Yeon Joo (Hyo Joo) is the daughter of the artist behind the famous webtoon W. When her dad disappears, she gets the shock of her life when she’s literally pulled into the webtoon world. There, she saves its hot, smart, and rich protagonist Kang Chul (Jong Suk) who’s on the search for his family’s murderer. You can technically pick any Lee Jong Suk drama and get some quality kiss scenes, but we picked our fave for this list! The two leads kissed so many times Hyo Joo once jokingly asked Jong Suk in an interview if he was tired of kissing scenes already.
5. My Secret Romance (2017)
Who's in it: Sung Hoon, Song Ji Eun
Where to watch it: Viki, YouTube
Cha Jin Wook (Sung Hoon) comes from a wealthy family, but is forced to work as a bellhop under his father's orders at a Gangwon-do resort, where he meets Lee Yoo Mi (Song Ji Eun), who is there for her mother's wedding. The two hit it off and spend the night together (yes, there's already a sexy scene in ep 1!), but Yoo Mi vanishes the next morning, leaving Jin Wook upset and angry. Three years later, Yoo Mi is now working as a nutritionist at the company cafeteria where Jin Wook works. Their renewed acquaintance is off to a rocky start, making this a K-drama riddled with passion, misunderstandings, and (eventually) love.
6. What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? (2018)
Who’s in it: Park Seo Joon, Park Min Young
Where to watch it: Netflix, Viu
Hardworking secretary Mi So (Min Young) decides to resign from her job. Her boss, Young Joon (Seo Joon), does everything he can to show how important she is to him and make her stay. They discover some truths about each other along the way. What can we say? Park Seo Joon is a great kisser! We almost wished he and Min Young were a real-life couple. If you’re looking for kisses (and an emotional bed scene) that will make your heart pound, this drama has plenty. Make sure to watch behind-the-scenes clips, too.
7. Something in the Rain (2018)
Who’s in it: Son Ye Jin, Jung Hae In
Where to watch it: Netflix
Jin Ah (Ye Jin), a woman in her 30s, finds herself attracted to her best friend’s younger brother, Joon Hee (Hae In). The feeling is mutual, and the sweetest courtship happens as Joon Hee tries to prove starting a relationship with him is worth it. What makes this drama lovely is how it tackles the progression of a romantic relationship in a realistic manner. They flirt, date, kiss, and take things to the bedroom (and the kitchen). It’s exciting yet familiar and comforting, and the cinematography for the scenes is topnotch.
8. Her Private Life (2019)
Who’s in it: Park Min Young, Kim Jae Wook
Where to watch it: Netflix, Viu
Art museum curator Deok Mi (Min Young) is hiding a secret: She’s a super fangirl and fansite manager of K-pop idol Shi An. To ward off other fangirls thinking she’s dating him, she starts a fake relationship with her new boss, Ryan (Jae Wook). Things get ~steamy~ when they fall for each other for real. This drama probably has the longest, hottest kiss we’ve ever seen to date. But aside from our leads’ obvious chemistry, we love how natural they are with each other and how they talk about their problems (communication, people!).
9. A World of Married Couple (2020)
Who's in it: Kim Hee Ae, Park Hae Joon, Han So Hee
Where to watch it: Disney+, iQIYI, WeTV
Based on the widely successful BBC show, Doctor Foster, the K-drama remake centers around the seemingly picture-perfect marriage between Ji Sun Woo (Hee Ae) and her husband Lee Tae Oh (Hae Joon). Sun Woo is an associate director in a hospital, while Tae Oh owns a small entertainment firm. However, all isn't right when Sun Woo begins to suspect that her husband is cheating on her—enter Yeo Da Kyung (So Hee), a young woman who is infatuated with Tae Oh and will do anything to guarantee her own happy ever after. When Sun Woo seeks revenge to protect her and her son, everything slowly starts to fall apart. Be prepared for the show to get pretty *intense*—the episodes leading up to the finale were all rated 19+!
10. It's Okay To Not Be Okay (2020)
Who's in it: Kim Soo Hyun, Seo Ye Ji, Oh Jung Se
Where to watch it: Netflix
Moon Gang Tae (Soo Hyun) lives with and cares for his autistic older brother Moon Sang Tae (Jung Se). The brothers move around a lot after Sang Tae witnessed their mother's murder when he was young. Working at a psychatric hospital, Gang Tae encounters Ko Mun Yeong (Ye Ji), a famous children's book author who has antisocial personality disorder. Sang Tae is a huge fan of Mun Yeong's work, and eventually the trio's lives intertwine as the story progresses—but will their shared past turn their love into a fairy tale, or a nightmare?
From shirtless scenes to a swoon-worthy confession scene nearly interrupted by deer (LOL!), #MoonCouple and the trio's relationship journey make IOTNBO worth watching.
11. Nevertheless (2021)
Who’s in it: Han So Hee, Song Kang
Where to watch it: Netflix
After a cruel experience with an ex, Na Bi (So Hee) swears off love. But when she meets Jae On (Kang), a commitment-shy campus flirt, soon after, sparks immediately fly. Their physical attraction is undeniable, but there’s something suspicious about Jae On that makes Na Bi question his motives. There’s a lot of staring and touching. It even gets *hot and heavy* in Na Bi’s dreams. Spoiler: Things move fast here. Their first kiss is in ep two, and they’re falling into bed an ep later!
12. My Name (2021)
Who's in it: Han So Hee, Ahn Bo Hyun, Park Hee Soon
Where to watch it: Netflix
Driven by a need to avenge her father and learn the truth about his death, Yoon Ji Woo (So Hee) infiltrates the police as an undercover agent. In the Drug Investigation Unit, she's assigned to parnter with Jeon Pil Do (Bo Hyun), and together they're tasked to focus on the drug lord, Choi Moo Jin (Hee Soon).
A lot of viewers love the drama for its action noir theme, so many were surprised to see a bed scene between Ji Woo and Pil Do's characters—including Han So Hee herself!
13. Love and Leashes (2022)
Who's in it: Seohyun, Lee Jun Young
Where to watch it: Netflix
Love and Leashes may be a rom-com, but Netflix really said ~fresh storyline~ with this one—the drama deals with BDSM play, so it's definitely racy territory. Jung Ji Woo (Seohyun) has feelings for her co-worker Jung Ji Hoo (Jun Young), but hasn't told him how she feels. One day, due to a delivery error she opens a package intended for him, and discovers a spiked collar—which leads to Ji Hoo asking Ji Woo to be his temporary master. What could go wrong when feelings are involved, right?
14. Somebody (2022)
Who's in it: Kang Hae Lim, Kim Young Kwang
Where to watch it: Netflix
Talented app developer Kim Sum (Hae Lim) develops a top-rated AI-assisted dating platform called "Somebody"—but things get deeply twisted when serial killer Yun Oh (Young Kwang) uses the app to find his next victim. When Kim Sum uses her AI-assisted dating app to track down the killer, she's matched with Yun Oh...and falls for his deadly charms. This unsettling psychological thriller will get under your skin and contains *actual* sex scenes, including full-frontal nudity and explicit lovemaking. You've been warned!
15. Hit The Spot (2022)
Who's in it: Hani, Bae Woo Hee
Where to watch it: Viki
Son Hee Jae (Ahn Hee Yeon, professionally known as Hani) is a friendly and considerate person who knows next to nothing about romance. Together with her confident BFF Lee Mi Na (Woo Hee), she works at Play Books, an erotic book and toy shop. They're both experts in knowing how to achieve physical pleasure, but when they find themselves hosting a sex and romance podcast, the girls are understandably a little lost.
From the first episode opening with an explicit sex scene (nudity and all!) to the characters openly discussing masturbation and female pleasure, Hit the Spot is a refreshing and titillating ride for viewers. We can't be the only ones who want to slap Hee Jae's ex-boyfriend Hyeon Woo (Choi Woong)!
