Korean drama’s best ‘noona romances’ – when a younger man seduces an older woman: Lee Na-young and Lee Jong-suk, Kim Sun-ah with Hyun Bin

Korea is no stranger to “noona romances” – where the pairing of an older female and younger male sends the hearts of certain women aflutter. Here are the five best noona dramas, starring heartthrobs including Park Seo-joon and Hyun Bin.

Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)

A-list actress Lee Na-young’s long-awaited return to television saw sparks fly with noona-killer Lee Jong-suk. Lee stars as Kang Dan-yi, a divorced mother who used to be a successful copywriter, but has been out of the workforce for years and is now broke and unemployed (no thanks to her ex-husband).

Her old friend Cha Eun-ho (Lee Jong-suk) is the youngest editor at a publishing company and a popular writer. Eun-ho’s always had a soft spot for his noona, and Dan-yi ends up working at his company after secretly applying.

Get ready for some serious second-lead syndrome with book designer Ji Seo-joon (Wi Ha-joon).

My Name is Kim Sam-soon (2005)

Without a doubt, the OG of noona-romance, also known as My Lovely Sam Soon in English. A very sassy Kim Sun-ah plays the titular heroine, who is belittled by others for her lack of success, her weight and her singlehood.

Hyun Bin plays Hyun Jin-hun, the chaebol owner of an upscale French restaurant, who witnesses Sam-soon’s humiliating break-up. Despite their antagonistic beginnings, she ends up working for him, and through a series of events pretends to be his girlfriend.

Throw in the return of Jin-hun’s ex-girlfriend (played by Jung Ryeo-won) and a hunky Korean-American doctor (Daniel Henney), and drama ensues.

With great acting, sizzling romance and a stellar soundtrack, it’s no wonder this is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas of all time.

When the Camellia Blooms (2019)