Office romance is fun and thankfully quite common in Korean dramas. For every season, there is a boss-employee romance out there catering to fans of this trope. To be honest, I like office romance. A LOT! I have watched all the shows on this list, except one, which is enough to prove my love for this premise. So, allow me to share some of the best boss-employee or office romance Korean dramas.

13 Best Boss-Employee/Office Romance Korean Dramas

Let’s have a look at some of the best office romance dramas that might make you want to fall for a hot and handsome boss of your own.

1. She Was Pretty (2015)

Kim Hye Jin was a pretty girl growing up but adversities in her teens made her lose her beauty and her adult version has no trace of her younger beautiful self. When she meets her childhood friend Ji Sung Jun, who is her new boss, he fails to recognize her and treats her badly at work. They both dislike each other but are forced to work together. Gradually, Sung Jun learns to look beyond Hye Jin’s unkempt appearance and starts to fall for her.

This show is infused with hijinks and hilarity that make it a laugh riot. If you like romcoms, then do not miss this one. Watch it, especially for the second-male, lead, Choi Siwon who is absolutely adorable.

Read the full review here.

2. Coffee Prince (2007)

Go Eun Chan juggles multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet until she meets the rich spoilt casanova, Choi Han Kyul who mistakes her for a boy and offers her a job at his coffee shop. She does not clear his misunderstanding and works as a male employee at his café. Han Kyul’s proximity to Eun Chan makes him develop feelings for her and eventually confesses the same unaware that Eun Chan is actually a girl.    

This is a classic K-drama known for its cross-dressing theme. The show is too much fun to watch especially parts where Han Kyul teases and troubles Eun Chan like an older brother troubling his younger sibling.

Read the full review here.

 

3. What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018)

Lee Young Joon is a self-centred, self-obsessed Vice-President of his company who cares about no one but himself. One day, his secretary of nine years, Kim Mi Soo resigns from the job, which leaves him shocked and shaken. Unable to accept her resignation, Young Joon comes up with the bizarre idea of proposing marriage to her so she does not leave. But Kim Mi Soo is obstinate which leaves Young Joon no option but to try harder to make her stay in his life one way or another.

“Entertaining” is the word that perfectly encapsulates the core of this show. From start to end, the drama is funny with some really interesting characters and a very sexy office romance.

Read the full review here.

4. Her Private Life (2019)

Deok Mi works as a curator of an art gallery. In her free time, she manages a fan base of her favorite K-pop artist by stalking him physically to keep other fans updated. One day, she gets the unwanted attention of some obsessive fans who start creating problems for her. To thwart their interest in her, she and her boss Ryan Gold fake a relationship to convince the fans that Deok Min is not seeing their favorite K-pop artist.

This is one swoon-worthy romance with tons of sweet romantic moments. Deok Mi and Ryan Gold’s love story is full of warmth that can comfort you on a cold lonely evening.

Read the full review here.

5. My Secret Romance (2017)

Lee Yoo Mi is upset about her mother getting married when she herself is of marriageable age. One night, she gets drunk and sleeps with a complete stranger in his car by the beach. The next morning, she feels so embarrassed that she leaves the stranger sleeping while running away with her clothes and his jacket. Years later, she comes face to face with the same stranger she slept with, and this time she meets him as her boss at work. Sadly for her, he hasn’t forgotten their one-night stand and is ready to punish her for leaving him without a word and with his jacket.

If you like a sexy office affair, then this one should be your next watch. Full of heart-melting moments, this show has a ton of kisses and if you like that too, then do not miss this show. 

Read the full review here.

6. Radiant Office (2017)

Eun Ha Won is a college graduate who is unable to secure a job despite giving 100 interviews. One day, she does get a job but is fired soon after because of some misunderstanding with her boss, Seo Woo Jin. Woon Jin never liked Ha Won right from the time he took her interview. But seeing her hardworking and determined nature, he slowly warms up to her and starts liking her a little more every day.

Radiant Office is one of the most underrated shows ever. I watched it in bits and part because during its original telecast, I was caught up with a lot of other stuff. But I enjoyed it even then. It is not fully a romantic drama. In fact, the romance builds up at a glacial pace. But it is the slow pace that makes it so real and warm.

7. Strong Girl Bong-Soon (2017)

Do Bong Soon may look like a sweet little girl on the outside but she is full of immense muscle power and can take down a truck with her bare hands. When the CEO of a gaming company, Ahn Min Hyuk witnesses Bong Soon in action, he hires her as his bodyguard. What ensues is a cute love story with Min Hyuk trying hard to win over Bong Soon who has zero interest in her boss.

This show has comedy, drama, and lots of romance. It has a love triangle that will tickle your funny bone. The leads share great chemistry and it is overall a fun watch. 

8. She Would Never Know (2021)

Chae Hyun Seung works for a cosmetic company and is madly in love with his mentor, Yoon Song Ah. He wants to confess his feelings for her but happens to learn that she is already in a relationship with another man. Hyun Seung then finds out that Song Ah’s boyfriend is cheating on her. He exposes her cheating boyfriend hoping to be able to finally date the woman he loves.

Not a regular boss-employee relationship but certainly a senior-junior relationship. You need patience to watch this slow-paced drama. But once you get into its rhythm and come to like the characters then you will sail your way to the end.  

Read the full review here.

9. The Secret Life Of My Secretary (2019)

Jung Gal Hee works hard sparing no efforts at work hoping to become a permanent employee at her company. Sadly, her boss Do Min Ik does not believe and having a permanent secretary and fires Gal Hee as she completes her contract. Gal Hee put up with Min Ik’s poor treatment only to secure a full-time job but with her dream shattered she now hates Min Ik. However, a twist of fate coerces Min Ik to re-hire Gal Hee as he becomes a lot more dependent on her than before.

I enjoyed watching this drama during its telecast. It has some really heart-warming moments between the leads and even the supporting cast romance is worth watching.

Read the full review here.

10. Touch Your Heart (2019)

Oh Yoon Seo is an actress who was on a hiatus following some controversy. She now wants to return with a new legal drama for which she has to work with real lawyers to get into the skin of her character. At the law firm, she has to assist lawyer Kwon Jung Rok who finds Yoon Seo annoying and tries to avoid her. But no one can escape Yoon Seo’s disarming charm as she innocently makes a place for herself in Jung Rok’s heart.

This drama is as sweet as Yoon Seo’s smile. It starts off well but staggers towards the climax. But the show is still worth a watch because of Yoon Seo and Jung Ruk’s honeyed love story.

Read the full review here.

11. Rich Man (2018)

Lee Yoo Chan is the founder of IT company Next In. He suffers from a medical condition that makes it difficult for him to remember faces. Kim Bo Ra comes from a humble town in Jeju Island hoping to secure a job with Yoo Chan’s IT company. Yoo Chan does not want to select her for his company, but something she does makes him unable to forget her and he unwillingly hires her.

Adapted from the J-dorama “Rich Man, Poor Woman”, this is the only show I did not watch myself because I have seen the original version. The romance between the leads is slow yet pleasing. If you like EXO’s Suho, you might want to watch him in his first show as a leading man.

 

12. Love In Trouble (2017)

Eun Bong Hee is on a train when she feels someone touch her inappropriately. She turns around to find Noh Ji Wook standing behind her and accuses him of trying to molest her. Noh Ji Wook vehemently denies the accusations but Bong Hee refuses to believe him. Later, when she reaches work on her first day as a lawyer, she discovers that Ji Wook is her boss. Still feeling indignant about the false accusation, Ji Wook despises her and ensures she pays the price for it.

Bong Hee and Ji Wook’s romance is funny and full of raw chemistry. They look so good together that you will want to see more and more of them. This is a cool rom-com melded with some suspense and courtroom drama.

Read the full review here.

13. Don’t Dare To Dream (2016)

Pyo Na Ri works as a temporary weather forecaster at a news channel and is madly in love with the head news anchor, Lee Hwa Shin. Hwa Shin is rich, arrogant, and hates Pyo Na Ri. He leaves no opportunity to insult Pyo Na Ri and often pushes her to the limits. But when his friend starts showing interest in her, Hwa Shin is unable to see Pyo Na Ri with another man and does everything to sabotage her relationship and make her fall back in love with him.

Hwa Shin is not Pyo Na Ri’s direct boss, but he is her superior are work and does help her with her job. This show is yet another underrated jewel that needs more acknowledgement. It starts slow but once it speeds up you will be laughing your guts out because the show is that damn funny.

Read the full review here.

 

Boss-employee/office romance is always welcome for me. I enjoy watching it once in a while. (Nah! I’m lying. Not once a while, I can watch it all the time hehehehe.) These were my personal favorites. If I missed any then do let me know in the comments below.

 

Image Courtesy: MBN Dramax, tvN, SBS

 

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