10 Best K-Dramas with the Juicy Love Triangle Trope

While fictional love triangles are forever popular, it's the timeless love triangle that often takes center stage and keeps viewers hooked. These 10 compelling K-dramas bring out the complexities of love, friendship, and personal growth as viewers root for their favorite characters caught in a tug of emotions and tough choices.

10. Romance Is A Bonus Book (2019)

Starring K-drama sensation Lee Jong-suk and marking the anticipated return to Korean television of Lee Na-yeong, this heartwarming series not only offers a romantic storyline but also delves into the complexities of adult life.

The story follows Cha Eun Ho, the youngest editor-in-chief at a prestigious publishing house, who offers a job to his childhood friend, Kang Dan Yi, a divorced single mother. As romance blossoms, they face competition when a popular book cover artist, Ji Seo-joon, enters the scene vying for Dan Yi's affection.

9. Cheer Up (2022)

Set against the backdrop of a cheerleading squad, this drama series portrays a mysterious campus romance that follows the story of Do Hae Yi, a hardworking student at Yeonhee University, who faces financial hardship and puts earning money ahead of her education. Unexpectedly, she joins the 50-year-old Theia cheerleading team at her university, initially for financial gain.

However, as she immerses herself in the team, Do Hae Yi begins to discover the joys of college life, crossing paths with various people, including Theia alum Bae Young Woong. As her journey unfolds, she finds herself in a complex love triangle with two men vying for her affection.

8. Nevertheless (2021)

Adapted from a popular webtoon, the show explores the complexities of modern romance by following the story of Park Jae Eon and Yoo Na Bi, two people drawn to each other but skeptical of love due to past experiences.

Park Jae Eon eschews traditional dating and prefers casual affairs, while Yoo Na Bi, a romantic at heart, has become suspicious of men after a heartbreak. Their paths cross and they embark on a friends-with-benefits relationship, fully aware of the potential for heartbreak.

7. Record of Youth (2020)

Regarded as a remarkably authentic coming-of-age story, the series delves into the lives of three young individuals navigating the tumultuous fashion world, carrying their shattered dreams like secrets. Childhood best friends Sa Hye-jun and Won Hae-hyo, both models, find themselves on different rungs of the showbiz ladder.

Sa Hye-jun's talent and fervent desire to break into the film industry clash with his stagnant career, while Won Hae-hyo ascends the modeling ranks thanks to his family's connections. But as a love triangle unfolds, it becomes evident that more than friendship is at stake.

6. Extraordinary You (2019)

Eun Dan-oh, a mere backdrop in her own life, discovers she's a supporting character in a webcomic and decides to rewrite her destiny. In a sprawling 32-episode saga, Extraordinary You weaves a mesmerizing tale of love triangles and an ensemble cast like no other.

As Dan-oh grapples with her creator-controlled destiny, she stumbles upon a nameless character who offers hope for a better tomorrow. But the strings of her heart are inexplicably tied to Baek-kyung, complicating her search for a new narrative.

5. Start-Up (2020)

Start-Up centers on a woman who dreams of emulating Steve Jobs' path and navigates a love triangle with her mysterious first love and a man posing as him. This K-drama explores the precarious balance between success and failure in the business world as the story unfolds in the realm of advanced technology, where four determined individuals strive for success within the fictional Sandbox Company.

At the time, the show's love triangle between Kim Seon Ho, Bae Suzy, and Nam Joo Hyuk sent shockwaves through the K-drama community and made the entire Internet buzz.

4. Strong Girl Bong-Soon (2017)

Gifted with superhuman strength, Bong-soon fights evil while navigating a love triangle involving her CEO boss and a cop she secretly admires. Despite her longtime crush on her childhood friend, now a dedicated cop, Bong-soon's life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Ahn Min Hyuk, a charismatic CEO of a game company who, impressed by her extraordinary abilities, hires her as his bodyguard.

Starring Park Bo-young and Park Hyung-sik, this suspenseful yet light-hearted romance won praise at the Seoul International Drama Awards.

3. Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021)

This extremely comforting K-drama tells the story of a city dentist, Yoon Hye-jin, who moves to the seaside village of Gongjin after a clash with her boss. Her attempts to open a dental practice are met with resistance from the locals, especially her nemesis, the multi-talented town boss Hong Do Shik.

Tension reaches a peak when their budding romance hits an obstacle as Ji Seong-hyun, Hye-jin's high school classmate, arrives to film a documentary, creating a love triangle that adds an intriguing twist to the story of the charming seaside village.

2. Hwarang: The Poet Warrior of Youth (2016)

Set in Seorabeol, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, Hwarang: The Poet Warrior of Youth tells the story of a group of elite male warriors known as Hwarang as they navigate the complex territory of love and passion, with each character undergoing personal growth and transformation, all set against the backdrop of this historic Korean kingdom.

The series skillfully blends action, romance, and political drama to paint a vivid picture of Silla's history. At its heart is the story of Ah-ro, Moo-myung, and the young king Sam Maek-jong, who are caught up in a complex love triangle and ultimately led by their hearts in a tale of love, loyalty, and historical greatness.

1. All That We Loved (2023)

The story follows Go Yoo, a basketball star with little time for romance, and Joon Hee, a dedicated scholar whose life revolves around books. Immersing viewers into the world of Hara High School, where 18-year-old students grapple with the complexities of love and friendship, this teen romance introduces a unique twist.

The narrative introduces the concept of actions that transfer memories, triggered when Go Yoo donates his kidney to Joon Hee. Upon awakening, they become fierce rivals fighting for the affection of So Yeon, the most popular girl in school.