Did “Pump Up the Healthy Love” inspire you to reassess your fitness goals? Are you missing Lee Jun Young‘s portrayal as the passionate fitness trainer Do Hyeon Joong? Or perhaps it’s Lee Mi Ran’s (Jeong Eun Ji) relatable commitment to both exercise and tteokbokki that resonates with you? Either way, here are four K-drama recommendations that offer a well-balanced mix of motivation, readability, and entertainment.
“Weak Hero Class 2”
Lee Jun Young’s endearing portrayal of Do Hyeon Joong in “Pump Up the Healthy Love” was charming. In spite of his big build, Do Hyeon Joong is a softie at heart. He is sometimes obtuse, given his obsession with diet and fitness, but as a human being, he is empathetic, compassionate, and very loyal. In “Weak Hero Class 2,” Lee Jun Young introduces us to a very different side of him as Geum Seong Je. Geum Sung Je calls himself a slave to adrenaline. He’s unpredictable and free-spirited with a penchant for dangerous games. His chilling smile is eerie, and he is one person you don’t want to mess with. Geum Seong Je is Yeon Si Eun’s (Park Ji Hoon) arch nemesis in the new school. Si Eun, still traumatized by the events of the past, makes new friends. But Si Eun’s biggest adversary is the Union, an ultra violent group in school, and one of its members is Geum Sung Je. But Sung Je, who knows no loyalty, is more than happy to shift allegiance to wherever he can have some fun.
Lee Jun Young’s contrasting personalities in both shows showcase his versatility as an actor. In case you haven’t watched “Weak Hero Class 2,” you might want to start with the first one!
Start watching “Weak Hero Class 1”:
“Work Later, Drink Now”
Jeong Eun Ji’s Lee Mi Ran loved her soju and tteokbokki in “Pump Up the Healthy Love,” and it seems Jeong Eun Ji likes playing hearty and fun characters. In case you are missing her zest for life, tune into “Work Later, Drink Now.” Jeong Eun Ji plays Kang Ji Goo, an origami YouTuber, who, along with her two best friends (played by Han Sun Hwa and Lee Sun Bin) love to meet up for drinks after work. There is nothing that a meetup with your girls cannot solve. Be it love, messy relationships, professional challenges, or emotional baggage, the girls are there to lift each other up. The three actors have a charming chemistry, which makes this show an adorable womance. Jeong Eun Ji is a natural on screen, making her character feel real and relatable. Watch it with your girl gang so you can laugh and heal together.
“Oh My Venus”
“Pump Up the Healthy Love” gave us a weekly dose of oxytocin and serotonin. A cute gym romance blossomed amongst sets of squats and lunges. “Oh My Venus” is a drama which also gave us all that and much more. So Ji Sub‘s Kim Young Ho is a celebrity fitness trainer to Hollywood’s A-listers. However, a scandal derails his career, and he is back home in Seoul. Kang Joo Eun (Shin Min Ah) is a lawyer. She is physically unfit and so immersed in work that she neglects her diet and health. And she has never worked out a day in her life. Young Ho comes to her rescue on a flight after she passes out, and she asks Young Ho to train her after she is dumped by her boyfriend. From grueling workout schedules to healthy eating plans, Young Ho and Joo Eun become friends. And it is only a matter of time until a passionate romance blossoms between the two.
“Oh My Venus” remains a fan-favorite, and the scorching chemistry between So Ji Sub and Shin Min Ah is the star of the show.
Start watching “Oh My Venus”:
“Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo”
Food plays a key character in “Pump Up the Healthy Love” and is the bone of contention between Hyeon Joong and his clients. If you love watching shows that feature food, you might like “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo.”
Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) is the university weightlifting champ. She can lift weights with the same ease as chowing down plates of galbi and barbecue. But all that changes when she starts crushing on a doctor named Jung Jae Yi (Lee Jae Yoon). On the pretext of seeing him, she signs up for a weight loss plan at his clinic. The move, of course, is detrimental to her since she is a weightlifter. In the meantime, she also meets star swimmer Jung Joon Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk) in college. Joon Hyung is someone she had known when they were kids but she is unable to remember him at first. Bok Joo and Joon Hyung get close, and soon enough friendship turns into love.
“Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo” is an uncomplicated feel-good show. A coming-of-age story of a young woman, the friendships depicted in the show are goals. And Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk play a cute campus couple.
Start watching “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo”:
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.
