Summary
In the world ofK-dramas,What’s Wrong with Secretary Kimhas become a beloved classic, and luckily, there are several moreromance K-drama seriesthat are just like it. Released in 2018,What’s Wrong with Secretary Kimcenters on a narcissistic CEO, Lee Young-joon, and his hardworking secretary, Kim Mi-so. After nine years of loyal work, Mi-so unexpectedly quits, turning Young-joon’s world upside down. As a result, he will do anything to get Mi-so to return, causing their relationship to grow more intimate than it ever had before.
The best K-dramasto watch afterWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kimare those that share the series' best qualities. For one thing,What’s Wrong with Secretary Kimis a workplace romance. Therefore, picking out dramas that follow couples who work together is a great choice. Additionally, the stars ofWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young, have gone on to make other amazing k-dramas that are worth watching. For those seeking unlikely romances, these are the ideal K-dramas to check out.
10 Most Exciting K-Dramas Releasing In 2024 & Beyond
The list of K-dramas releasing in 2024 and beyond includes long-awaited sequels like All of Us Are Dead season 2 but also new shows.
Master’s Sun
Cast
Master’s Sun (2013) is a South Korean television series starring So Ji-sub and Gong Hyo-jin. The show blends elements of romance, comedy, and horror, following the story of a woman who gains the ability to see ghosts after an accident. She encounters a cold-hearted CEO who becomes her unlikely partner in resolving the spirits' unfinished business. Directed by Jin Hyuk and written by the Hong Sisters, the series explores themes of love and redemption.
Released in 2013,Master’s Sunused the CEO romance trope long beforeWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kimmade it cool. This K-drama followsa cold-hearted CEO who forms a strange relationship with a woman who can see ghosts. When the woman realizes that her ghosts go away when she touches the CEO, she promises to help solve his girlfriend’s murder in exchange for staying near him. Despite their differences, they quickly learn to appreciate each other’s company.
Master’s Sunis a great follow-up toWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kimbecause it has a similar romance at its core.Both series see emotionless CEOs putting their selfishness asidefor an unlikely woman. ThoughMaster’s Sundoes not technically have the workplace romance trope, it makes up for it with a unique supernatural spin. By watching this K-drama, audiences can appreciate the joys of anenemies-to-lovers K-dramawith a bit of murder mystery on top.
Business Proposal
Business Proposal is a South Korean romantic comedy series. It follows Shin Ha-ri, a company employee who reluctantly goes on a blind date in place of her friend, only to discover her company’s CEO, Kang Tae-mu, is her date. Tae-mu proposes a fake relationship to avoid his family’s pressure to marry, leading to unexpected romantic entanglements and corporate adversity. The series explores themes of love, identity, and ambition within a corporate setting.
A K-drama that may be just as popular asWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,and for good reason, isBusiness Proposal.This romantic comedy series tells the story of Shin Ha-ri, who goes on a blind date in place of her friend and ends up in a fake marriage with her boss. Meanwhile, Ha-ri’s friend finds herself living beside a man who she is infatuated with but who wants to avoid her at all costs.
It is a comedy of errors, with each character desperate to maintain their secrets and keep up their lies.
On its own,Business Proposalis an incredibly entertaining K-drama. It is a comedy of errors, with each character desperate to maintain their secrets and keep up their lies. Yet, without their permission, love blossoms and leads them to the truth, no matter how messy. Ultimately,Business Proposalhas the same workplace romance element asWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Woo,but portrays it in a much sillier and chaotic light. It is afunny K-drama seriesthat is equal parts funny and sweet.
Her Private Life
Her Private Life (2019) is a South Korean romantic comedy series starring Park Min-young as Sung Deok-mi, a professional art curator who secretly runs a fan site for a K-pop idol. Kim Jae-wook co-stars as Ryan Gold, her new boss at the art gallery. The show explores themes of balancing professional life and personal passions, along with the developing romance between the leads.
A year after Park Min-young portrayed Kim Mi-so inWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,she appeared in a new K-drama calledHer Private Life.This series centers on Sung Deok-mi, a talented art curator who hides her status as a major fangirl. However, when rumors start to fly that Deok-mi is dating her favorite musician, her boss, Ryan, suggests they pretend to date to fend off his angry fans. Eventually, the relationship they are faking proves to be real.
Once again,Her Private Lifeoffers a workplace romance, but with a distinct twist. WhereWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kimsees a pair of long-time colleagues fall in love after a years-long professional relationship,Her Private Lifefollows strangers jumping into a romantic relationshipand developing feelings that way.Her Private Lifehas the additional excitement (and stress) of Deok-mi’s fangirl problems. All in all, this drama captures the magic ofWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,but with an entirely different story.
Kill Me, Heal Me
Kill Me, Heal Me is a South Korean television drama released in 2015. The series follows a business mogul’s grandson, who struggles with dissociative identity disorder, manifesting as seven distinct personalities, and a female physician who clandestinely becomes his personal doctor to aid in his treatment.
This K-drama may have an odd premise, but it is more likeWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kimthan it seems.Kill Me, Heal Meis a 2015 K-drama that follows Cha Do-hyun, a businessman who has dissociative personality disorder. Hoping to take control of his mental health, he enlists the help of a psychiatric resident. However, their relationship comes under fire when the resident’s twin brother starts trying to get dirt on Cha Do-hyun.
Park Seo-joon plays the evil twin brother inKill Me, Heal Me.
Similar toMaster’s Sun, Kill Me, Heal Meexplores the struggles of a CEO and his unexpected relationship with a woman who can show him a new perspective. However, whatKill Me, Heal Mecaters to most is the emotional side ofWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim.Though they are romantic dramas,the series both delve into their lead characters' traumatic pasts. In this way, both series are dark, yet hopeful, along with being romantic.
Crazy Love
Crazy Love (2022) is a South Korean television series starring Kim Jae-wook and Krystal Jung. The series follows the story of a successful CEO who fakes having amnesia after receiving death threats and his enigmatic secretary, who pretends to be his fiancée. As they navigate their fabricated relationship, they uncover deeper personal and professional struggles. The series combines elements of romance, mystery, and drama.
WhereWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kimis fairly straightforward, dramas likeCrazy Lovehave much more complexity to their premises. The 2022 series follows Noh Go-jin and Lee Shin-ah. After getting in a car accident,Go-jin pretends to have amnesia to avoid his responsibilitiesas CEO of South Korea’s top math institute. Meanwhile, his secretary, Shin-ah, takes advantage of his amnesia by pretending to be his fiancée, knowing her days are already numbered.
LikeBusiness Proposal, Crazy Lovehas quite a quirky and chaotic concept, but that only makes it more fun to watch.Crazy Lovecertainly gives the workplace romance ofWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,but it adds interesting dynamics via Go-jin’s fake amnesia and Shin-ah’s deadly diagnosis. While it is certainly enjoyable to see the pair fall in love,it is almost better to try and figure out how they are going to make it past all their lies.
5Clean With Passion For Now (2018)
A Germophobic CEO & His Messy Employee
Released in the same year asWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,this touching K-drama has one striking similarity to the series.Clean with Passion for Nowtells the story of a wealthy CEO who has mysophobia, yet develops feelings for his employee, who is messy to the extreme. Together, they overcome their cleanliness preferences and class differences to fall in love.
Just likeWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Clean with Passion for Nowhas the classic boss-falls-for-employee trope. In this way, their foundations are exactly the same. However,Clean with Passion for Nowstands out, not only because of the CEO’s mysophobia but because of how the series handles it.The K-drama may be a romance, but it isn’t afraid to dive into class differencesto explain how the characters are different. In this way, the show has as much substance as it has romantic fluff.
Fight For My Way
Fight For My Way is a South Korean television drama series that aired in 2017. Starring Park Seo-joon and Kim Ji-won, the show follows the lives of four young adults struggling to achieve their dreams in the face of societal expectations and everyday challenges. The series explores themes of friendship, ambition, and romance, offering a nuanced portrayal of the hardships and triumphs faced by its characters.
Fight for My Waymay seem nothing likeWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,but the dramas actually have two major details in common. Released in 2017,Fight for My Wayfollows four friends who are attempting to get the jobs and the relationships they want, despite their immature ways. The friends try to overcome their pasts while also building the futures they desperately want.
Park Seo-hoon plays Ko Dong-man inFight for My Way.
First and foremost, Ko Dong-manis theK-drama character Park Seo-joon playedright beforeWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Woo.Therefore, those who loved his performance should certainly check this out. More importantly,Fight for my Wayshares a major theme withWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Woo.Just as the four friends are making strides to get what they want, Lee Young-joon must come to terms with wanting Mi-so.Both series show the importance of being true to yourself, no matter what traumas may hold you back.
3King The Land (2023)
A Hotel CEO & His Best Hotel Employee Get Together
King the Landis just likeWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,but add an inheritance war into the mix.King the Landfocuses on a hotel CEO who is in the midst of a violent inheritance war. The situation is only made worse when he begins to butt heads with his hardworking and optimistic hotelier. As expected, these enemies eventually turn into lovers.
While many of the K-dramas on this list came out a few years ago,King the Landis the most recent. However, that isn’t the only thing that makes this series stand out. The hotel setting is actually one of the best parts ofKing the Land.Other workplace romances often take place in skyscrapers or corporate buildings, but this one has a much different feel. Yet,King the Landis still adjacent toWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim.King the Land’sstrong, independent female character is exactly like Kim Mi-so.
Suspicious Partner
Suspicious Partner is a South Korean television series featuring Ji Chang-wook as Noh Ji Wook, a former prosecutor turned private attorney. Alongside Nam Ji-hyun as Eun Bong Hee, a trainee embroiled in a murder investigation, the series explores themes of justice and personal trauma amidst a search for truth.
Romance may be a key factor in a romantic K-drama, but the plot is sometimes just as thrilling. In 2017’sSuspicious Partner,audiences follow prosecutor, Noh Ji-wook, and his prosecutor trainee, Eun Bong-hee. The two work together on a mysterious case of a serial killer, and in time, discover all the ways in which they are connected. However, their partnership turns upside down when Bong-hee becomes a murder suspect.
Suspicious Partnertakes the workplace romance trope and flips it on its head. While the series certainly has its fair share of romance, the aspect that really makes the series shine is its murder mystery component. The stakes are higher than an average romance, and in turn, the relationship becomes so much more important. Plus,likeWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,this series also includes details from the characters' pastswhich come into play in the present.
1The Secret Life Of My Secretary (2019)
A Face-Blind Manager Depends On His Secretary
Finally, the K-drama that is an ideal follow-up toWhat’s Wrong with Secretary KimisThe Secret Life of My Secretary.This series follows the manager of a mobile company who loses his confidencewhen he becomes diagnosed with face-blindness. In desperate need of help to keep his company afloat, he enlists the help of his secretary, who he soon falls in love with.
The Secret Life of My Secretarynot only has the CEO/secretary relationship, but it is also bursting with heartwarming moments. In both series, the CEO characters are proven to be not as strong as they previously thought, and their female love interests are able to help them find love and acceptance. Overall, audiences who lovedWhat’s Wrong with Secretary Kimshould most certainly add theK-dramaThe Secret Life of My Secretaryto their list.
