Every K-drama has unforgettable scenes, but the right kiss can cement a show’s legacy. Korean dramas become exponentially more popular with each passing year, due in no small part to Netflix and other major streaming services introducing the genre to Western audiences. Though there are typically many romantic moments in K-dramas of every sub-genre, nothing compares to a climactic kiss.
Even otherwise perfect K-dramas can fall flat if its big kiss scene goes wrong. Whether the leads lack natural chemistry, the pacing is off within the overarching narrative, or the execution fails to live up to the hype, there are plenty of ways for a kiss to fail. Conversely, the best K-drama kisses turn already good series into global favorites.
20
Ryan Gold and Sung Deok-mi
Her Private Life Episode 10
Ryan Gold (Kim Jae-wook) is one of the most beloved K-drama male leads of all time, and he undoubtedly secured legend status in episode 10 of Her Private Life. After he and Sung Deok-mi (Park Min-young) officially confess their feelings for each other, the art curator and museum director passionately kiss in the middle of a workshop.
Her Private Life includes frequent kisses after the leads get together, but none are as impactful as their first. It’s especially steamy for a mainstream K-drama, as the pair stumble through the shop looking for private corners to continue kissing. Their physical chemistry is undeniable, but their love confession adds a sweet tinge that softens the sexy scene.
19
Sung Deok-sun and Choi Taek
Reply 1988 Episode 17
Reply 1988 is a quintessential coming-of-age K-drama that follows a tight-knit friend group in the late 80s. Multiple of the male main characters develop feelings for Sung Deok-sun (Lee Hye-ri), but the drama’s most bittersweet moment happens between her and Choi Taek (Park Bo-gum).
After extenuating circumstances cause him to miss his date with Sung Deok-sun, Choi Taek dreams of their perfect first kiss. In the slightly blurry fantasy world of his dream, Taek and Deok-sun share an upside-down kiss similar to the iconic moment from Spider-Man (2002). Taek quietly wishes it wasn’t just a dream, but the scene is heartwarming nonetheless.
18
Choi Ae-ra and Ko Dong-man
Fight for My Way Episode 14
Fight for My Way is a hidden gem of a friends-to-lovers K-drama, and every scene between Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won) and Ko Dong-man (Park Seo-joon) was pure sweetness. In episode 14, Dong-man turns to Ae-ra for comfort while preparing for a daunting fight he has scheduled.
To calm him down, Ae-ra kisses wherever he points on his face, claiming her lips will protect him from any pain. Whereas other kisses are memorable for being hot and heavy, Fight for My Way episode 14 is more chaste, but it still packs an emotional punch and perfectly reflects the reciprocal support in their healthy relationship.
17
Ahn Jeong-won and Jang Gyeo-ul
Hospital Playlist Episode 12
The two-season medical drama Hospital Playlist is one of the best K-dramas on Netflix, and the romance between Ahn Jeong-won (Yoo Yeon-seok) and Jang Gyeo-ul (Shin Hyun-been) was a major highlight. Gyeo-ul’s crush on Jeong-won ran as an undercurrent throughout the first dozen episodes, but it finally came to a head in the season 1 finale.
In a bid to convince Ahn Jeong-won to stay at the hospital, Jang Gyeo-ul confesses her feelings. In response, Jeong-won kisses her, and we later learn he decided to stay. Their kiss was an incredibly satisfying ending to Hospital Playlist’s slow-burn romance, and it was much more intimate than most viewers expected.
16
Do Bong-soon and Ahn Min-hyuk
Strong Girl Bong-soon Episode 15
Strong Girl Bong-soon is a classic romantic K-drama, and Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik) was the perfect match for the eponymous Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young). While the two initially cross paths after Bong-soon is hired as Min-hyuk’s bodyguard, love quickly blooms for the young woman with superhuman strength.
In Strong Girl Bong-soon episode 15, sparks fly when Min-hyuk lifts Bong-soon onto a nearby piano to meet her eye as he kisses her. The couple is particularly affectionate throughout the rest of the episode, but the piano scene remains a fan-favorite for obvious reasons.
15
Nam Hong-woo and Jung Jae-chan
While You Were Sleeping Episode 20
Out of the many supernatural K-dramas, While You Were Sleeping is one of the few that can make viewers swoon just as often as they cry. Nam Hong-woo (Bae Suzy) and Jung Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk) are brought together by fate, with both of them experiencing prophetic visions in their dreams.
By While You Were Sleeping episode 20, there have been thrills and chills galore that leave Jae-chan hospitalized. In a romantic —if not reckless— gesture, Jae-chan rips out his IV and flees to find Hong-woo. After an emotional confrontation, the two kiss in the rain, making the episode a cathartic release of their overflowing tension.
14
Jeong Gu-won and Do Do-hee
My Demon Episode 8
Since its 2023 premiere, My Demon has earned its reputation as one of Song Kang’s best K-dramas. In the fantasy romance, he plays the eponymous demon, Jeong Gu-won, who enters into a contract marriage with a human named Do Do-hee (Kim Yoo-jung).
For the first half of the drama, a killer threatens the couple, even stabbing Gu-won at the end of episode 7. In the following episode, Do-hee selflessly gives up her career ambitions to try and protect Gu-won. When he learns of her sacrifice, Gu-won corners Do-hee in a garden and fervently kisses her as the nearby sprinklers begin spraying them.
13
Myul Mang and Tak Dong-kyung
Doom at Your Service Episode 6
Similarly, Doom at Your Service saw its protagonist— Park Bo-young’s Tak Dong-kyung— fall in love with a K-drama reimagining of the grim reaper, known as Myul Mang (Seo In-guk). Their unconventional relationship starts because Dong-kyung hopes to outwit doom and kill Myul Mang by falling in love with him.
Tak Dong-kyung’s clever loophole backfires when she begins having real feelings for the immortal being. Myul Mang, who has spent eternity without the freedom to have emotions, inexplicably falls for the human as well. In episode 6, Myul Mang pushes past centuries of repression and kisses Dong-kyung in the pouring rain.
12
Eun Bong-hui and Noh Ji-wook
Suspicious Partner Episode 16
Suspicious Partner is a captivating K-drama about crime, but its romantic subplot is just as compelling. Noh Ji-wook (Ji Chang-wook) and Eun Bong-hui (Nam Ji-hyun) meet by pure coincidence, but their mentor-mentee dynamic takes a dive after Bong-hui is wrongly indicted for murder.
Ji-wook ends up sacrificing his own career to clear her name, but the two have to team up to discover the truth. While Bong-hui realizes her feelings early, Ji-wook takes longer to accept her love due to his experience being cheated on. As such, Ji-wook kissing Bong-hui in episode 16 is as meaningful as it is alluring.
11
Park Do-kyung and Oh Hae-young
Another Miss Oh Episode 9
Another Miss Oh seems like a traditional rom-com, but the fantasy K-drama elements add an intriguing twist. Park Do-kyung (Eric Mun) starts having visions of Oh Hae-young (Seo Hyun-jin), a stranger who shares the exact same name as his ex-fiancée.
Despite his immediate attraction, Do-kyung is reluctant to act on his feelings due to lingering guilt for inadvertently sabotaging Hae-young’s wedding. Nonetheless, the magnetic pull between them pulls too strong, and Do-kyung feverishly kisses Hae-young against a wall in episode 9. Without a word, he walks away, leaving both Hae-young and the audience stunned by the intense kiss.
