Dissecting the power of friendship in K-dramas

K-dramas are more than your guilty pleasure if you’re looking for an oppa or unnie. They are a source of inspiration, particularly when it comes to friendships. And sometimes, we need to be reminded that platonic relationships are just as important as finding a partner.

Some of the most underrated, yet heartwarming highlights in K-dramas are the friendship moments involving our favorite characters. Whether it’s being a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on, there are a lot of scenes that portray the language of friendship. 

The way they talk to the heroine might be straightforward, as all true friends would do, but it’s a display of one’s care and affection. To celebrate National Best Friend Day, let us revisit iconic friendships in K-drama land.

Ssangmundong squad (Reply 1988)

Childhood friends Sung Deoksun, Choi Taek, Kim Junghwan, Sung Sunwoo, and Ryu Dongryeong have been together since forever. They have been each other’s playmates, schoolmates, and even neighbors.

One of our favorite moments of this squad is how they constantly crash at each other’s homes (especially Taek’s). Even if they constantly get into arguments about petty things, they vow to watch out for each other at all times. 

Deoksun, Taek, and Junghwan’s love triangle is a crucial turning point in their squad, but the three of them don’t allow it to destroy their friendship. What makes their friendship heartwarming is that they’re all close in real life as well.

Swag trio (Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bokjoo)

Who can forget the “SWAG” food trip queens of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bokjoo?

Kim Bokjoo, Jung Nanhee, and Lee Sunok’s friendship goes beyond constant samgyup food trips and noraebang marathons. They are each other’s voices of reason, especially when it comes to weight concerns.

They are easygoing and fun, and don’t miss their upfront (but helpful) way of motivation.

From high school and beyond (Reply 1997)

In the words of Sung Shiwon in Reply 1997, her best friends are the most important part of her high school life. They played a huge role in her character development from a crazy fangirl to a mother.

Watching Shiwon, Yoon Yoonjae, Mo Yoojung, Kang Joonhee, Do Hakchan, and Bang Sungjae as high school students hits home. Their experiences together seem mundane—like fangirling over their favorite K-pop group and eating lunch together—but it’s still heartwarming.

This K-drama will show you that true friends are constantly present. And if they're not physically present, they are with you in mind and spirit.

Yulje Medical Center’s best doctors (Hospital Playlist)

Being a doctor doesn’t start and end at the hospital. It begins from med school until your final years as a health worker. The friendship of Yulje Medical Center’s Lee Ikjun, Ahn Jeongwon, Chae Songhwa, Kim Junwan, and Yang Seokhyeong is proof of this. 

When they all meet by accident in a small stock room, it’s the beginning of their bond as a group. Twenty years later, their friendship is still going strong. 

The squad navigates through crazy hospital shifts, stressful times at work, moments of self-doubt, and adulthood. Apart from all of their personal experiences, they remain present in each other’s lives. 

What makes this squad heartwarming is they also have special band sessions, like back in the day, to escape from the real world. Even for a while.