Television series
Lovely Horribly
A charmingly unhinged romantic comedy where a cursed pair—a perpetually unlucky screenwriter and a charmed movie star—are bound by fate to torment each other. Park Shi Hoo and Song Ji Hyo spark with genuine chemistry as they navigate slapstick disasters and genuine feelings. It's silly, sweet, and completely committed to its premise without ever winking at the camera.
If you liked this
Crash Landing on You2019
A South Korean heiress and North Korean soldier fall in love amid geopolitical chaos. Gorgeously shot, funny, genuinely moving, and features the same blend of rom-com warmth with fantasy-adjacent high stakes that makes Lovely Horribly work.
But Romance can tip into saccharine, and if you're not invested in the couple by episode three, the show's emotional beats won't save you. Some plots drag.
My Love from the Star2013
A time-displaced alien and an aging actress navigate modern Seoul with hilarious chemistry. It has that same perfect tone—supernatural absurdity grounded in real emotion—and the same joy in its own ridiculous premise.
But The pacing softens in the middle stretch. If you need constant momentum rather than character moments, you might fidget.
The Legend of the Blue Sea2016
Reincarnated lovers and a curse spanning centuries, played with anarchic energy. It commits fully to paranormal romance-comedy without embarrassment, sharing Lovely Horribly's willingness to be both goofy and genuinely affecting.
But The plot weaves together several threads that don't always land cleanly. It's occasionally chaotic in a way that frustrates rather than amuses.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Lovely Horribly
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Go Back Couple2017
Both use supernatural circumstance to force characters into uncomfortable proximity and discovery, using comedy to soften what could be unbearable emotional weight.
A middle-aged couple gets transported back to 1988 as young versions of themselves and relives their early relationship. It has Lovely Horribly's romantic core and slapstick energy, but adds genuine poignancy about time, regret, and second chances. Lee Sang Yoon and Jang Na Ra are unexpectedly moving.
But The body-swap comedy wears thin, and once you adjust to the premise, the middle sags. It's also genuinely sad in places, which surprises people expecting pure fun.
More like this (6)
She Was Pretty2015
A sharp, fast-paced rom-com with genuine laughs and a premise that subverts vanity. Park Seo Joon and Hwang Jung Eum create electric tension, and the writing is clever enough to reward attention.
But The tone can shift abruptly between slapstick and melodrama. If you prefer consistency over variety, it may feel uneven.
Romance Is a Bonus Book2019
A middle-aged divorcée and a publisher fall in love while working on a novel. It's warm, funny, grounded, and treats its characters with genuine respect. The chemistry is effortless.
But It's deliberately low-stakes and quiet. If you need plot momentum or high drama, this will feel slow.
Descendants of the Sun2016
A soldier and a surgeon fall in love in a war-torn country. It's beautifully shot, action-packed, and surprisingly emotionally intelligent. Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo have star power that justifies the blockbuster scope.
But The melodrama can tip into oversaturation by the final act. Some find the geopolitical backdrop exploitative.
Abyss2019
A woman gets a second chance at life after being murdered; a man with godlike powers falls in love with her. It's darkly funny, visually inventive, and genuinely weird in the best way. Ahn Hyo Seop and Park Bo Young are magnetic.
But The tone is deliberately strange and the mythology gets convoluted. Viewers who want straightforward storytelling will find it deliberately obtuse.
My Roommate Is a Gumiho2021
Both pair mismatched characters whose supernatural entanglement forces intimacy. Both treat the absurd premise as real emotional ground rather than a gag to wink at.
A college student accidentally releases a 999-year-old fox spirit from a bead, and he has to stay human by absorbing her energy. It's visually gorgeous, wildly funny, and shares Lovely Horribly's commitment to absurdist romance. Jang Ki Yong and Lee Dam have wonderful chemistry despite the premise making no sense.
But The mythology is intentionally nonsensical. If you need the paranormal rules to follow internal logic, this will drive you up the wall.
Doom at Your Service2021
Both feature couples bound by a curse or supernatural debt, but this one prioritizes mood and visual storytelling over laughs—a different register entirely, same underlying structure.
A woman accidentally curses herself to doom and summons a literal personification of destruction. It's gorgeously melancholic, visually sophisticated in a way Lovely Horribly isn't trying to be, and treats its romantic premise with genuine tragedy. Seo In Guk brings real darkness to what could be cute.
But It's considerably heavier and more painterly than typical K-rom-com. Some will find it pretentious; others will find it emotionally exhausting.
People
Cast
Production
- Moon Bo MiProducer