Second Lead Syndrome in K-Dramas: This Is What Each Loss Taught Us About Love!

“I am rooting for the underdog”—who knew we’d ever say this in the context of a K-Drama? Yet here we are shedding tears at 2AM, yelling non-sensical things at our laptops like, “Ako nalang, Han Ji Pyeong!” After watching countless dramas that were designed to make us swoon over the charming lead Oppa, we often find ourselves secretly hoping for the second lead to win this time around. Then again, is it really a K-Drama if you’re not swimming in your salty bathtub of tears and all the feels? While the successful love stories of two main characters have taught us plenty about love, happiness, and forever, there is definitely a lesson or two that can be picked up from the journeys and the losses of the second male leads. Do yourself a favor and grab a tissue, or maybe an entire box, as you continue reading up on what we’ve learned from them!

Second Lead Syndrome in K-Dramas: This Is What Each Loss Taught Us About Love!

1. Accept and love your partner for who they are.


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Don’t try to change your partner for your sake, you don’t want them resenting you in the long run. Love them for who they are now, then grow and change together, for the better. She Was Pretty’s Kim Shin Hyuk has always looked at Kim Hye Jin like she was the best thing to exist in this world. From making her (and us) laugh with his crazy antics, to caring for her after one too many drinks, and to eventually letting her go because she asked him to, Shin Hyuk taught us to love people despite their “ugliness” and to accept them for who they are. Let’s not even get started on the part where he dropped everything and headed out in his motorcycle in the middle of a storm just to save Hye Jin. Five years later and we’re still not over it.

 

2. Love takes courage.


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Speak up and don’t be afraid of rejection because sometimes, actions can only take you so far. Reply 1988’s Kim Jung Hwan could’ve had his own happy ending had he been brave enough to confess his feelings instead of hesitating countless times and letting fate decide, something he realized at the end. Let his story teach you that what you make of your life depends on the choices you make and the chances that you take. So say what you feel because you know what they say, an ‘oh well’ is better than a ‘what if’.

 

3. Know the difference between toxic love and real love.


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Is it love when he bullies you to get your attention? Absolutely not. Know your worth, girl! The Heirs’ Choi Young Do showed his love and affection for Cha Eun Sang by terrorizing her, which obviously made a lasting impression on her. It’s also probably the reason why she couldn’t get herself to fall in love with him, even when his character started developing into an actual human (let’s just also ignore the fact that she gave up one toxic guy to be with another. Man, what a drama!). So, to the single ladies and gents out there, remember that while first impressions can be changed, it’s still a factor for some people out there. Also, maybe show the person you love them through affection? Just an idea for your consideration.

 

4. Don’t give up on the person that you love.


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Even when the one you love tries to push you away, be there for them no matter what, whether it’s in a romantic way or just as a friend. While My Love From The Star’s Lee Hee Kyung’s main presence was to drive romantic tension between Do Min Joon and Cheon Song Yi, we can’t help but appreciate all his efforts to be there for Cheon Song Yi. From literally catching her when she fell, which led him to the hospital, to being her rock while Do Min Joon was somewhere in the Milky Way, Hee Kyung was always there for Song Yi, even when it was clear it was Min Joon she has feelings for. Even up until the end, he supported her career and was there for her as a friend.

 

5. Be you partner’s number one support system.


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We don’t understand why Start-Up’s Han Ji Pyeong is the second lead…we really don’t. We immediately fell in love with Ji Pyeong the moment we started watching Start-Up. While he didn’t realize until later on that he had feelings for Dal Mi, you can’t deny the lengths he went through to make sure Dal Mi succeeded as a CEO—answering her 400 questions, giving up his mentor spot to make sure they get the best, improving her Hackathon pitch, editing their business plan, we can go on and on and on. Is it obvious we are on Team Han?

 

Thank you, K-Dramas, for keeping us company during this crazy time!


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