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 Park Seo-joon drama
missvictrix: It’s nearly impossible to pick, since I love Park Seo-joon in everything and forever more, but I’m going to go with Witch’s Romance, since it’s the first drama I saw with him, and it’s where he cast his turtle-boy spell on me. If K-dramas are to be held responsible for giving women unrealistic expectations of romance (no comment), then Park Seo-joon in Witch’s Romance is the first in line — his character is playful and swoony, but also loyal, dependable, and mature. This is the noona romance that gives life to noonas everywhere. Even this one.
DaebakGrits: This is a tough one because Park Seo-joon has been in so many great dramas! But after a quick peek at a list of his filmography to refresh my memory, the clear winner for me is She Was Pretty. It ticks off so many of my guilty pleasure tropes, but it also handles the dreaded childhood connection better than his later rom-com What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim. (No childhood kidnapping and PTSD here, folks!) There’s also something super endearing about watching Seo-joon’s character fall in love with his childhood best friend all over again without realizing it’s her. I love a cranky CEO who softens when he falls in love. If I had one complaint about this drama, it would be the secondary female character who lied and pretended to be the female lead for longer than necessary, but even she served a purpose and did so without being overly obnoxious. Definitely a drama I need to rewatch.
solstices: Itaewon Class still stands out for its rousing OST, uplifting atmosphere, and iconic Park Seo-joon hair, but I’d have to go with the friendships of Fight My Way. There’s something so simple, yet so sentimental, about the four friends who stuck by each other’s side through thick and thin. Just like its title, the drama feels like a toast to living life the way you want to — honestly, courageously, and without regrets. It delivered a lot more than I’d expected from its simple rom-com premise, gifting us with a wholesome tale of growing up and growing stronger.
Unit: What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim is one of the two Park Seo-joon dramas I completed, and it’s one of my favorite rom-coms. Plot wise, it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before, but it was a really enjoyable watch. Park Seo-joon managed to make the male lead’s narcissism very endearing (I mean, who can forget his “aura”?), and his self-love was so iconic, I’ve almost never seen someone have that much chemistry with himself! Lol. As the cherry on top, he also had really great chemistry with Park Min-young and a fun bromance with Kang Ki-young — and I want to see them together in another project.
Dramaddictally: Now we’ve stepped into difficult territory. The only way to pick just one is to be brutal with the cuts — and even then I’m kicking and screaming against having to choose. Fight My Way wins by a hair because I love both leads, their workout clothes, and the stoop they hang out on. This is a bit of a spicy drama, but also funny and heartfelt with memorable characters and a rooftop to die for, which adds up to a gold-star mix. Park Seo-joon is at his best here, beefed up for MMA but a regular guy when it comes to crushing on his neighbor, Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won) — who is one of my favorite female characters ever. These two together are magic, and that kiss where he grabs her behind the knees and pulls her flat on the bed is about one of the hottest drama moments there is. What can I say? I love the setting, the chemistry, and the story about how hard it is to achieve your dreams. And there’s also just something about Park Seo-joon in a jean jacket that I can’t get over.