5 Best K-Dramas About School Love and Coming of Age

5. Boys Over Flowers (2009)

A simple girl from a getting-by family mistakenly gets enrolled in a prestigious school ruled over by four rich kids and becomes their target for bullying. The leader of the bullies eventually falls in love with the girl, but she has feelings for his best friend. Who will she choose, and how will this classic love triangle be resolved in the end?

Released in 2009, Boys Over Flowers has become a classic high-school romance story in South Korea. Its compelling and all-too-familiar characters, the backdrop of an elite school for spoiled kids, and the drama of coming of age make this series a must-watch for every K-drama fan who wants to reminisce about their school days.

4. Dream High (2011)

Kirin Art High School helps its students develop their artistic nature into fully-fledged talents, releasing a new generation of artists and idols every year. Dreaming high is obligatory for those who study here, and the competition is tough; what will it take for the six ambitious students to achieve their goals of becoming singers and dancers?

If you’ve ever wanted a high-school show about idols in the making, Dream High is the top pick for you. This series was so dedicated to its idea that it even featured several real-life idols from Miss A, 2PM, T-ara, and more! But it’s not all about ambition and motivation, of course: in this competitive atmosphere, love is blooming.

3. Who Are You: School 2015 (2015)

Orphan twin sisters were separated when one of them was adopted into a rich family, but years later, the poor girl suddenly replaces her more fortunate twin after the latter’s disappearance. Thrown into the elite high-school drama where no one knows who he really is, the girl turns out very different from her sister in every way.

The “separated twins” trope is as old as cinema itself, but School 2015 finds a way to make it interesting again. Watching the poor sister come to terms with her new life, crack a romance with her lost sibling’s best friend, and try to figure out what’s happening is fun — but apart from that, the show tackles serious and grim topics.

2. Extraordinary You (2019)

Life of a shy teenage girl in an elite school is hard as it is, but as if her troubles were not aplenty already, the main character realizes that she is, indeed, just a supporting character in a webcomic. Worse yet, she’s supposed to be disposed of soon! Knowing that, the girl decides to change her fate and become a lead romance star.

Breaking the fourth wall is a fairly common concept, but a character knowing what they are is rarer. Extraordinary You shows that every life is, indeed, just a story, and it’s in our power to become its protagonist if we want to. Cheery and lighthearted, this series will bring a smile to your face and teach you to control your own life.

1. Love Alarm (2019)

Forget Tinder and other dating apps; there’s now an app that gives you a notification if someone in your immediate vicinity likes you — but it doesn’t reveal the person. The app immediately takes over South Korea, and schools are full of alarm sounds. It’s not all fun and games, though: the app makes love triangles all too common.

Love Alarm chose a path of imagining a technology and taking it to absurdity, similar to Black Mirror but, instead of going in a grim direction, goes for romance. Tensions in high schools are high as it is, so imagine how much chaos and drama an app like this could produce! Or better yet, don’t imagine and stream Love Alarm, instead.