It's never easy for kdrama romances. Even if the couple met during childhood-and they often do-something will keep them apart for the 12 to 24 episodes of a drama. Here are some of the situations that make it difficult for the lovers to unite.
1. Revenge. His family and her family hate each other. Her father killed his father or vice versa. In "Gu Family Book," Choi Kang Chi learns that Dam Yeol Wol's father killed his monster father but after a while, all is forgiven. And in "Shark," the desire to revenge what was done to his father conflicts with the love that Kim Nam Gil's character feels for Son Ye Jin's. Or there could be bad feelings because a character's father sent another's father to jail for a crime he did not commit. Grudges can last for generations and still haunt a love.
2. The girl and boy think they are related or might become related. There are a few episodes in "You're Beautiful" where it seems like Hwang Tae Kyung and Go Mi Nyu might have the same mother. Oh no. And then in Love Rain, Jang Geun Suk's character faces a similar problem when he wants to marry Yoona's character. If their parents marry, they will technically become brother and sister. Not a good way to start a relationship.
3. He's rich. She's not. This is the most common reason a couple cannot get together. Well-to-do young men must marry into their own class. This is what happens to Moon Geun Young's character, Han Se Kyung, in "Cheomdamdung Alice" and to the heroines in 'Boys Over Flowers," Coffee Prince," "Princess Hours," and "Lie to Me." "My Fair Lady" has a female heir and in that drama the situation is reversed. Either way, in the end, the players-and sometimes their families-realize that money is really not as important as love. But it can take them 24 episodes to realize that.
4. Being rich leads to the next roadblock to romance. His parents do not approve. This mostly happens because she is poor and he is rich but sometimes, the parents want him to marry someone else. In "Secret Garden" and "Boys Over Flowers," the prospective mother-in-law refuses to let the son make his own love choice, a poor one. In "Mary Stayed Out All Night," the father thinks Mary's boyfriend is not suitable and wants her to marry his son's friend.
5. The guy thinks the girl is a boy. In these situations, the girl is forced to pretend she is a boy and the boy has to grapple with the idea that he is falling in love with someone he thinks is a boy. Think "Coffee Prince" or "You're Beautiful." This can be combined with other roadblocks. For example, as soon as he realizes she really is a girl, his best friend might like her, they might be siblings or she might be too poor to win his family's approval. Or the age difference between them might be too great.
It's always fun to see which combination of these romantic roadblocks occur in a kdrama. And how long it takes to resolve them. Can you think of any other romantic kdrama roadblocks? Let us know.
