Top 5 Korean Drama Recommendations With Tsundere Heroes

Do you want a stoic marshmallow to play the role of your drama hero? You’re in luck because most dramas feature a tsundere hero who appears to be a grumpy porcupine on the surface but is a warm and fuzzy ball of hot fudge on the inside — and I agree. The recommendations are virtually limitless, but i’ve selected five of my personal favorites to share with you.

1. Boys Before Flowers (2009)

 Photo Credit: Dramabeans

For me, as I’m sure it was for many of you, Boys Before Flowers was one of my very first K-dramas, and I have to give a lot of credit to the legendary Go Jun-pyo (and specifically Lee Min-portrayal ho’s of him) for really getting me hooked on K-dramas in general, as well as Boys Before Flowers in particular. I sometimes wonder what I would have thought of Boys Before Flowers if I had watched it later in my drama-watching career because it was such a fantastic experience for me at the time I watched it. Jun-pyo’s change from the bully who couldn’t communicate his feelings for Jan-di in any manner other than by making her unhappy, to the guy who truly put forth the effort to earn Jan-love, di’s made me cry with all of my heartstrings. This came as my first ever introduction to the Noble Idiocy trope, which I felt was the most fantastic thing that had ever happened to me. (Oh, the anguish! Oh, the yearning! He had feelings he couldn’t express because they were too deep.

Boys Before Flowers strikes me as both the ultimate gateway film into the world of Korean dramas and also a film that is completely unrepresentative of what K-dramas are really like. The plot consists almost entirely of tropes, and yet the film feels like it belongs in a genre of its own. I’d be interested to know how it stands up if you were previously familiar with K-dramas prior to its release (or if you’re bold enough to attempt a re-watch) if it wasn’t your first introduction to the world of K-dramas at the time of its release.

 2. You’re Beautiful (2009)

 Photo Credit: Dramabeans

Tsundere heroes exist in a variety of shapes and sizes, and in addition to the standard aloof and enigmatic male leads, we occasionally see the testy and caustic variety. With a hero who is harsh on the exterior yet compassionate on the inside, You’re Beautiful provides us with exactly that experience. He is morose, surly, and prickly when we first meet Tae-kyung (played by Jang Geun-seok). He is the antithesis of what we expect from a hero. The first few scenes show Tae-kyung utterly despising Mi-nyeo’s guts and with her repeatedly crashing into his path and causing a mess, it’s not difficult to see why they just don’t click. Soon enough, though, we see that his surliness is the result of a self-defense system he has developed to defend himself. It’s not that he is unconcerned about it; on the contrary, he is quite concerned about the situation. In order to avoid being harmed again, he reacts angrily anytime he finds himself feeling compassion for someone else.

Of course, Mi-nyeo, with her amiable demeanor, isn’t deterred in the least by this. To witness Mi-nyeo slowly but steadily learn to read Tae-tells, kyung’s see past his frigid demeanor, and meltdown his defenses in order to reach his heart was a lovely (and hilarious) sight. Mi-nyeo is always eager to wait for Tae-kyung at the conclusion of his circuitous route to convey his feelings, or even meet him halfway if he takes a long way around. Despite the fact that Tae-kyung isn’t very fluent or expressive, his sincerity and feelings are always evident in the way he conducts himself. As a result, the endearing Pig-Rabbit doll will live on in the hearts of children forever.

3. Falling for Innocence (2015)

 Photo Credit: Dramabeans

When Min-ho (played by Jung Kyung-ho) transforms from a callous, cutthroat businessman to a lollipop-sucking softie, it is said that he has experienced a literal change of heart. While somewhat implausible, Min-post-heart ho’s transplant transformation is entertaining since he — like the people around him — is perplexed as to why he has developed a strong preference for being pleasant.

In addition to his newfound merriment, he has an unexplainable affection for the main lady Soon-jung, who happens to be the fiancee of his heart donor. Although it’s difficult to watch their romance at first due to the tragic circumstances surrounding his heart transplant and the fact that he is such a massively abusive jerk before his surgery, he grows on you in the same way that he grows on Soon-jung

4. Just Between Lovers (2017)

 Photo Credit: Dramabeans

With the exception of the fact that this drama cemented my commitment to Junho as a lifelong fan, the character of Kang-doo is also one of my favorite drama heroes (in a long line of favorite drama heroes). In many ways, Kang-doo is a version of the tsundere hero that we are all familiar with and love — he has the gruff exterior and hot-headed tendencies that only just barely conceal the heart of gold that beats within him. As for Kang-doo, he’s not successful in keeping his great heart hidden from our heroine, despite his best efforts to do so. It is the reason why we adore him and why we adore her.

The film Just Between Lovers is primarily about healing from loss and trauma, so Kang-doo may be a little more serious than some of the other heroes on our list. However, he is also proof that this hero archetype can be used across genres, and aren’t you pleased that it can? From parka hugs to construction site rescues to climbing through her bedroom window (okay, Romeo), following the journey of our wounded + magnificent hero was well worth the time invested in watching this drama unfold. Then there’s a rewatch. After that, he was given a permanent spot on the favorites list.

 5. True Beauty (2020)

 Photo Credit: Dramabeans

The character of Seo-joon (Hwang In-hyub) possesses all of the necessary attributes of a leading tsundere man, which is something I don’t frequently experience when watching a second lead. All of the accessories, such as the motorcycle, the black eyeliner, the leather jacket, and the piercings, help him retain his “too cool for school” attitude. True Beauty, on the other hand, allows viewers to see behind his roar and discover his inner kitty. Our heroine Joo-kyung, his sister, and music are all things that make him a big ol’ softie.

He, unfortunately, won over everyone’s hearts, with the exception of our leading lady, whom I don’t mean to disparage, but — girl, you’re insane. Although she deserves credit, most of what made us fall in love with Seo-joon was the side of him that he never let us see. This was partially due to his rejection of his own feelings for her, which he concealed behind playful insults and mocking. For example, when he bravely protected her from smacking her head against a tree while claiming he was saving the tree from her forehead – Hah! We were all aware that he was secretly in love with her, but it took him a long time to admit it to himself, and even longer to confess it to her. But it’s all right, Seo-joon; you’ll always be my favorite tsundere in my heart.