My favorite not-so-romantic K-dramas to watch during Valentine’s

There was a time that all Valentine’s Day meant to me was stress. No tingling, romantic feelings; just STRESS. Being a single girl back then, the red-letter day brought about worries, like: will anybody ask me out on a date and do something special? Or will someone send me flowers and chocolates? Anyone, please! Otherwise, my self-esteem would take a dive. But now that I am older, self-assured, married, wiser, and with a heart of stone—erm, I mean a heart of gold—I realize that love goes way beyond these warm, fuzzy feelings. Love is greater than romantic gestures: showing kindness is love; embracing life is love.

K-dramas are not all kilig and for muni muni-muni. There are some dramas that have a bigger scope in terms of themes that go beyond the lovey-dovey. So on Valentine’s Day, let me recommend K-dramas that are not-so romantic (or only a little bit), but are nevertheless deeply touching, or oh-so-exhilarating.

Before I give my personal review of this drama, I would like to say that I won’t be rewatching it for a while after the sad demise of Lee Sun-kyun. My heart can’t take it. I’ve watched it a few times though, and My Mister has always had the same soul-stirring impact. This is a story of redemption and the universal healing power of kindness and compassion. K-pop queen IU delivers an impeccable performance as Lee Ji-an, someone who has been hardened by a harsh and painful life. Lee Sun-kyun’s character, Park Dong-hoon, is a man who has lived rightly, but is so deeply sad due to his wife’s betrayal and work drama. His subtle acting here is brilliant. Park Dong-hoon and Lee Ji-an form an unexpected friendship at their lowest moments. The most touching scene is when Lee Ji-an’s grandmother dies, and she said it was the saddest and happiest time of her life. You have to watch it to see why.

Read more: https://philstarlife.com/geeky/114114-favorite-romantic-kdramas-watch-valentine