From parallel universes to magical realms, K-dramas have a way of sweeping viewers off their feet and into the unknown. Whether it’s through a mysterious portal, a reincarnation twist, or a glitch in time, these characters find themselves navigating unfamiliar worlds and discovering love, danger, and destiny along the way. Here are five such K-dramas where our leads leave the ordinary behind and step into the extraordinary.
“The First Night With the Duke”
If you could turn back time, or in this case, pages, would you want to become the lead character in your favorite book? Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun stars as an ordinary college student who suddenly finds herself transported into the storyline of her favorite novel, waking up next to the handsome Prince Yi Beon (2PM’s Taecyeon).
In the book, she is Lady Cha Sun Chaek, the youngest daughter of a noble family and just a minor side character. But with the soul of a modern-day student named “K” inside her, Sun Chaek begins to act out of character and even seems oddly familiar with the plot and events of the novel.
There’s just one problem: Prince Yi Beon is completely smitten and begins to pursue her, while she does everything she can to avoid him. After all, he’s just a fictional character… right? Still, sparks begin to fly, and Sun Chaek may not be able to resist the pull of her heart. She could even outmaneuver the villainy of Do Hwa Seon (Chi Hae Won) and protect Yi Beon from his archnemesis the King.
The classic trope of isekai meets historical romance here, and the drama comes with a quirky and hilarious spin. Seohyun and Taecyeon serve up quite the magical ride and a chemistry that may just rewrite the ending.
Start watching “The First Night With the Duke”:
“Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo”
When Go Ha Jin (IU) sees her boyfriend (Byeon Woo Seok) with her best friend, she is is heartbroken. As she drinks her sorrows away, she sees a child losing its balance and slipping into the water. In her bid to save the child, which she does, Ha Jin finds herself slipping into the depths of the ocean, only to end up in the Goryeo Dynasty.
She finds out that she is now Hae Soo, a noblewoman who encounters the many princes in the house of King Taejo. However, she becomes the object of affection of two princes in particular: Wang Wook (Kang Ha Neul), the sensitive and poetic one with whom Hae Soo is infatuated, and the ruthless fourth prince, Wang So (Lee Joon Gi), whom she is unable to resist. Hae Soo finds herself at the center of courtly battles, palace intrigues, and an ill-fated romance.
“Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo” continues to maintain a high recall value. As one of the most popular K-dramas, it offers viewers everything from love and hate to betrayal and heartbreak, all wrapped in a breathtaking period setting.
Start watching “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo”:
“A Time Called You”
Han Jun Hee (Jeon Yeo Been) is grieving and unable to come to terms with the death of her boyfriend, Ko Yeon Jun (Ahn Hyo Seop). What makes it even worse is that they had argued just before he died, and he was on his way to see her when he was killed in a tragic accident.
Exactly one year after his untimely death, Jun Hee receives a mysterious gift: a cassette player. As she presses play and hears the haunting melody of Seo Ji Won’s “Gather My Tears,” she is suddenly transported back in time to the year 1998.
Jun Hee wakes up in the body of her doppelgänger, Min Ju and soon encounters someone who looks exactly like her late boyfriend named Si Heon. Si Heon is the school’s most popular student: outgoing, charming, and hard to ignore. His best friend is the quiet and observant In Gyu (Kang Hoon). As their lives become increasingly intertwined, a looming tragedy threatens to change everything. Can Jun Hee alter the past to rewrite her present?
“A Time Called You” is a cleverly crafted drama. While its time-travel twists take a moment to settle in, the storytelling keeps you hooked. And the chemistry between Jeon Yeo Been and Ahn Hyo Seop is electric, making this emotional rollercoaster all the more compelling.
“The Heavenly Idol”
From priest to K-pop idol — it’s unbelievable, right? Pontifex Rembrary (Kim Min Kyu), the high priest of the god Redlin, is battling evil in his own realm when he suddenly finds himself on Earth in the body of a K-pop idol.
His soul is now housed in Woo Yeon Woo (also played by Kim Min Kyu), the leader of the struggling boy group Wild Animal. They haven’t been able to gain traction since their debut. As Rembrary trades his celestial robes for flashy stage outfits, he quickly realizes that life on Earth is far trickier than he imagined. But while waiting for a chance to return to his world, he ends up becoming the divine intervention Wild Animal desperately needs. There is also an unanticipated love line as well with a fan named Kim Dal (Go Bo Gyeol).
“The Heavenly Idol” offers a unique blend of fantasy, comedy, and K-pop chaos. Through the eyes of a bewildered high priest, the drama hilariously captures the pressures of the entertainment industry. Kim Min Kyu carries the show with charm and those adorable dimples.
Start watching “The Heavenly Idol”:
“W”
What if your ultimate idol was a character from a comic book, and what are the chances of ever meeting him? It’s pretty unlikely, right? Well, Oh Yeon Joo (Han Hyo Joo) somehow ends up doing just that. She’s always idolized Kang Chul (Lee Jong Suk), the charismatic lead in her father’s webtoon. But one day, she gets pulled into the world of the comic and meets Kang Chul in real life and even becomes his savior. Yeon Joo finds herself switching between her real life as a surgeon and the fictional world inside the comic. Kang Chul, unaware that he’s actually a character in someone else’s story, is suspicious of Yeon Joo’s sudden appearances. But as he’s drawn to her, a romance begins to unfold between two people from completely different dimensions.
“W” was one of the first of its kind and later spawned a trend that became widely popular. The show continues to remain a fan-favorite for its intriguing storyline and the sizzling chemistry between Han Hyo Joo and Lee Jong Suk.
Start watching “W”:
Hey Soompiers, which of these is your favorite drama? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
