You can only pick one, and boy the pressure is on. The DB team will answer a new prompt in each post, and you’re invited to do the same in the comments. Ready to play?
You can only pick one platonic drama friendship
mistyisles: My catnip. My kryptonite. I’ve written an entire essay about how beautifully dramaland does friendship, and now I’m supposed to pick only one of those friendships?? I agonized over this one, but the more I thought about it, the more I kept coming back to one platonic pairing in particular. Because while I shed many tears over the romance in Twenty Five Twenty One, for me the central relationship of that show will always be the complicated, ever-shifting relationship between rivals-turned-best-friends Hee-do and Yoo-rim. From the very first episode, Hee-do’s #1 goal was to become Yoo-rim’s officially recognized fencing rival, and their final match against each other ranks among my top K-drama scenes of all time for its intensity and unforgettable emotional impact. Their relationship runs the gamut from idol and fan to enemies to lifelong friends — and everything in between — and I laughed and cried and cheered them on throughout the entire journey.
DaebakGrits: Oh, look! I’m writing about Hospital Playlist again. Is anyone actually surprised, though, that I’d pick Joon-wan and Song-hwa as my favorite platonic friendship? For starters, these two foodies are absolutely hilarious whenever a meal is placed in front of them, and it amuses me to no end that the rest of the 99 Crew has to keep them in check or else they won’t get a bite in edgewise. But, the thing that really makes this particular friendship stand out to me is how the writer/director used them to specifically ridicule the absurd belief that men and women can’t be “just friends.” As someone with a lot of male friends, I’ve always found that idea silly, so when Joon-wan caught Song-hwa’s ex cheating on her and the ex responded by accusing Joon-wan of harboring feelings for Song-hwa, I applauded the way Joon-wan put ex in his place.
solstices: Simply say the word “friendship,” and I immediately think of the bone-deep bond that Lee Jong-seok and Kim Woo-bin shared in School 2013. As Nam-soon and Heung-soo, these two displayed such visceral despair and unwavering devotion from their devastating separation to their poignant reunion. They may not have been the most eloquent at expressing their feelings — “dumb bastard” is pretty much bro-speak for “you’re my best friend, please always stay by my side” — but their mutual concern, loyalty, and love always shone through in their instinctive desire to defend and protect each other. Beyond just our main pair, I also loved the web of friendships in the classroom, connecting diverse personalities (including the bully trio!) over the simple joys of adolescence.
Unit: Dal-li and Won-tak’s friendship in Dal-li and Gamjatang is my fav platonic friendship yet. In the beginning, I thought it was going to be a one-sided crush on his part, and I seriously dreaded that because after everything Dal-li had been through, she did not need to worry about yet another man’s feelings. I was relieved to see that Won-tak was a genuinely supportive big brother-like figure in Dal-li’s life, and he did not try to take advantage of her or sway her emotionally even after she moved in with him. I loved the zero awkwardness and how comfortable they were around each other in that tiny apartment of his, and it was really refreshing to see two non-siblings under one roof without anyone catching feelings for the other. Unlike the case with some other dramas I know… *Coughs* Her Private Life *coughs*
Dramaddictally: I have always loved the friendship between the characters played by Junho and Kang Hanna in Just Between Lovers. When I originally saw the drama, I remember it being the first time I noticed a mature relationship between a man and a woman that remained platonic. Apart from the maturity, I love that they start out as enemies and end up supporting each other as friends. It’s a nice transition to watch. They also have a natural and easy rapport that in another drama would make them very shippable. Here, though, the leads are so obviously meant for each other that it never even entered my mind for the friends to be anything more. Although, being a fan of both actors – and finding them individually so pretty to look at – I certainly wouldn’t complain if they appeared together again in a non-platonic way.
alathe: Look, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from binge-watching two seasons of Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim and recapping a third, it’s… well, it’s that a bovie is an electrosurgical device used to prevent blood loss in the operating room. But, also! I have learned that the friendship between Teacher Kim and Nurse Oh is eternal and unbreakable. These two are the very definition of platonic soulmates. Nurse Oh was the very first Doldam recruit, and since then, she and Teacher Kim have worked seamlessly together. Not to spoil Season 3, but one of my favorite moments of the entire show was that heart-to-heart they had in the final episode, where Nurse Oh gently knocked some sense into a despairing Teacher Kim. They just get each other — and, what’s more, they inspire each other to be better. Plus, at heart, they are both a) hyper-competent, b) unafraid to call each other out when needed, and most importantly, c) deeply unhinged. May they continue to save lives, deliver brutal verbal smackdowns, and be utterly terrifying together forevermore!