Timing is a jerk. Honestly, if you've ever spent ten years pining after a best friend who only seems to want you when you’ve finally decided to move on, you know exactly why the More Than Friends kdrama feels like a personal attack. It’s messy. It’s slow. Some people absolutely hate it because of how much the characters circle each other without ever landing. But that’s the point, isn't it? Real-life unrequited love doesn’t wrap up in a neat sixteen-episode arc with a bow on top, and this show leans into that discomfort with its whole heart.
Directed by Choi Sung-bum, the same mind behind My ID is Gangnam Beauty, the series follows Kyung Woo-yeon and Lee Soo. They are stuck in a decade-long cycle of "almosts." It’s a classic "friends to lovers" trope, but it strips away the rose-colored glasses. Most dramas give you the payoff early. This one? It makes you work for it. It makes you sit in the frustration of a girl who has been rejected twice but still can't shake the guy who treats her like a safety net.
The 10-Year Curse: Why We Can’t Stop Watching Lee Soo and Woo-yeon
The core of the More Than Friends kdrama is the agonizing timeline. We start in high school. We move through their twenties. Every time Woo-yeon tries to date someone else—like the perfectly charming On Joon-soo—Lee Soo suddenly realizes he has feelings. It’s a toxic pattern, frankly. But it’s a pattern that resonates because we’ve all seen it happen. We’ve seen that one friend who refuses to be "just a friend" but isn't brave enough to be a partner.
Ong Seong-wu plays Lee Soo with this detached, almost cold aura that makes his eventual vulnerability feel earned, even if you want to shake him for the first eight episodes. He’s a photographer. He values his freedom. He’s also incredibly selfish. Shin Ye-eun brings a raw, tired energy to Woo-yeon. You can see the exhaustion in her eyes every time she tries to start a "curse-breaking" relationship with another man, only for Lee Soo to wander back into her frame.
It’s not just about romance. The show digs into the "calligraphy" of life—literally. Woo-yeon is a calligrapher, and the metaphors about ink, pressure, and mistakes are woven into the script. Sometimes you press too hard and the paper tears. Sometimes you wait too long and the ink dries up. It’s poetic, sure, but it’s also a bit of a warning.
Breaking Down the "Second Lead Syndrome" That Actually Hurt
Usually, the "second lead" in a KDRAMA is just there to be a placeholder. But in the More Than Friends kdrama, On Joon-soo (played by Kim Dong-jun) is actually a viable, healthy option. He’s stable. He’s kind. He’s the CEO of a publishing house. He represents the "easy" love—the kind that doesn't make you cry yourself to sleep at 3:00 AM.
Watching Woo-yeon struggle between the man who should be right for her and the man who is her history is where the show gets its teeth. It’s a battle between logic and the stubbornness of the human heart. Most viewers found themselves screaming at the screen for her to just choose the CEO. Why stay with the guy who rejected you for ten years?
Because the heart is a stubborn muscle.
The writing doesn't shy away from the fact that Woo-yeon’s obsession with Lee Soo is a bit of a tragedy. It’s not framed as a "destined" romance from the start; it’s framed as a habit. A bad one. The show explores how being "more than friends" often means losing the friendship entirely when things go south. It’s high stakes.
The Side Characters Are the Real MVPs
While the main couple is busy making questionable life choices, the supporting cast provides the grounded reality that keeps the show from drifting too far into melodrama. You’ve got Jin Sang-hyeok and Han Jin-joo. Their dynamic is the breath of fresh air the series needs.
Sang-hyeok owns a bar called "Tonight," which serves as the unofficial headquarters for the friend group. It’s where the secrets come out. It's where the tears fall into beer glasses. The chemistry among the six friends feels authentic—like they’ve actually known each other since high school. They call each other out on their nonsense. They don't sugarcoat the fact that Woo-yeon and Lee Soo are being idiots.
- Jin Sang-hyeok: The loyal friend who provides the comic relief but has a deep emotional core.
- Han Jin-joo: The lawyer who is brilliant at her job but a total disaster when it comes to her own dating life.
- Kim Young-hee and Shin Hyun-jae: The long-term couple. Their story is perhaps the most heartbreaking. After ten years together, they face the harsh reality of poverty and family illness. It’s a stark contrast to the "will-they-won't-they" fluff of the leads.
Young-hee’s storyline, in particular, hits hard. Her struggle with her mother’s illness and the feeling that she’s a burden to Hyun-jae is a masterclass in realistic writing. It asks: Can love survive when you can't even afford to buy a decent meal? It balances the main plot's "first world" romantic problems with genuine, gut-wrenching life problems.
Visuals, Calligraphy, and the Aesthetic of Seoul
If there’s one thing everyone agrees on, it’s that the More Than Friends kdrama is stunning to look at. The cinematography is top-tier. Whether they are in a cozy bookstore in Seoul or on the windswept shores of Jeju Island, every shot looks like a postcard.
The use of calligraphy as a narrative device is brilliant. Each episode title is written in a specific style that reflects the mood. It’s tactile. You feel the scratch of the pen on the paper. This visual language helps bridge the gaps when the pacing slows down. Even if you’re frustrated with Lee Soo’s indecision, you’re distracted by the beautiful lighting and the way the camera lingers on the small details of their shared history.
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Seoul itself is a character here. The show explores the quiet corners of the city—the old alleys, the small cafes, the rooftop views. It’s a love letter to the city as much as it is a story about two people trying to find their way to each other.
Is it Worth the Watch?
People are divided. If you want a fast-paced rom-com with constant dopamine hits, this isn't it. The More Than Friends kdrama is a slow burn that sometimes feels like it's stalled. But if you appreciate a story that acknowledges how messy, selfish, and timing-dependent love is, you’ll find something special here.
It’s about the "what ifs."
It’s about the regret of not saying things when they needed to be said.
It’s about the growth required to move from being someone’s "option" to being their "choice."
The ending? I won't spoil it, but it’s consistent with the journey. It doesn't take the easy way out. It respects the ten years of history that came before it. It acknowledges that even when you finally get what you wanted, the scars of the waiting remain.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Watch
If you’re planning to dive into the More Than Friends kdrama, keep these things in mind to enjoy it better:
- Pace yourself: Don't binge it too fast. The emotional weight of the "missed connections" can be draining if you watch ten episodes in a row.
- Watch the background: Pay attention to the side couple (Young-hee and Hyun-jae). Their story often carries more weight than the main leads.
- Focus on the growth: Instead of just waiting for them to kiss, look at how Woo-yeon learns to value herself separately from her crush. That's the real arc.
- Listen to the OST: The soundtrack, featuring tracks by Ha Sung-woon and Chen, is genuinely some of the best in recent years. It perfectly captures the "longing" vibe.
Ultimately, this drama reminds us that friendship is a foundation, but it’s also a boundary. Crossing it takes more than just a confession; it takes a total demolition of the status quo. If you've ever been stuck in that "more than friends, less than lovers" limbo, this show is going to feel very, very real.
Stop expecting the characters to be perfect. They aren't. They are stubborn, they are scared, and they make mistakes that will make you want to throw your remote at the TV. But they feel like people you might actually know. And in a world of sanitized, perfect TV romances, there’s something deeply refreshing about a story that isn't afraid to let its characters be a little bit of a mess for a decade.
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Next time you find yourself stuck in a "friend zone" situation, maybe give this a watch. It might not give you the answers, but it’ll definitely make you feel less alone in the waiting.