Less Cliché, More Chemistry: 7 Love Triangle K-Dramas, Ranked by IMDb

Romantic tropes are there for a reason. They simply appeal to our basic instincts. We can't help but identify with and root for one of two fictional characters vying for the affections of a third. It gets our blood pumping and our emotions flying. That's why love triangles are such turn-ons.

If the trope gets you every time, there are some amazing projects in K-dramaland that do it very well, prioritizing chemistry over drama. Here they are, ranked by IMDb score.

Still 17 (2018)

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

A 30-year-old woman wakes up in a hospital after 13 years in a coma. For her, only one night has passed since she got into a bus accident at the age of 17. While such a premise may sound depressing, Still 17 is in its core a fluffy and lighthearted romance with a gentle love triangle and lovable characters.

Business Proposal (2022)

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

The story of a blind date gone wrong after the protagonist shows up disguised as her friend and her date turns out to be her boss is funny, well written and acted. The romantic arcs are lovely, and the chemistry is palpable with some steamy action.

While You Were Sleeping (2017)

IMDb Rating: 8.3/10

Three young adults start dreaming about the future and come together to stop bad things they see in their dreams from happening. The writing is amazing, with elements of fantasy, legal drama, and complicated relationships between the protagonists.

Chicago Typewriter (2017)

IMDb Rating: 8.3/10

The lives of three main characters are intertwined for decades as they live through two timelines. In the past, they are resistance fighters during the Japanese occupation of Korea. In the present, they are a writer, a fan, and a ghostwriter haunted by their past and trying to find the truth about it.

Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021)

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

The drama is set in an idyllic seaside village where the main character, a big city dentist, comes to open her clinic. As the protagonist gets to know the locals, we fall in love with her two potential love interests. The love triangle is as healthy as it gets and the character development is off the charts.

Mr Queen

IMDb Rating: 8.6/10

A renowned chef has a near-death experience and travels back several hundred years to wake up in the body of the near-future queen of Joseon. The man's experiences in a woman's body lead to all kinds of comedy and drama, including an unconventional love triangle. There's also suspense, action, and political intrigue.

Alchemy Of Souls (2022)

IMDb Rating: 8.8/10

Set in a world where magic exists, the drama follows a powerful assassin whose soul has been transferred to a weak body through a spell, and a troublemaking aspiring magician who becomes her apprentice. The plot is gripping, the cinematography and special effects are amazing, the interaction between the leads is charged.