[2024 Year in Review] Losers in love » Dramabeans Kdrama recaps

[2024 Year in Review] Losers in love

by Unit

We’re again for an additional 12 months in evaluate, and it’s time to judge the boys of dramaland. One archetype of male leads that was prevalent within the many rom-and-tear-coms we had this 12 months was the loser in love. However “loser” on this context doesn’t confer with the unfortunate second leads who lose out on love and by no means get the lady. Slightly, it’s a classification of dramaland males who’re shamelessly, madly, unapologetically, and completely whipped for his or her love pursuits — generally, foolishly so — and so they don’t thoughts doing adorably silly issues within the title of affection. With out additional ado, I current to you my high 10 losers of the 12 months.

10. Search engine optimisation Joo-won (Moon Sang-min in Cinderella at 2AM)

Most guys could be upset if their girlfriends break up with them after succumbing to parental interference, however not Joo-won. Based on Mr. Loophole, his mother stated to interrupt up, however she didn’t say they’ll’t get again collectively. Pfft. When Yoon-seo brings up the truth that she accepted Mother’s cash, he’s all “That’s why I’m excellent for you. If you happen to date me, you get cash and me.” *Sighs in limitless financial institution stability* He had more cash and didn’t assume to pay for his or her dates again when she thought he was an everyday beginner at work? Smh. (Sidenote, this is the reason we must always all watch Ok-dramas. If you happen to see your intern combating the copier, chances are high that they’re chaebol heirs.)

Joo-won’s lengthy legs have been keen to chase his beloved ex-girlfriend to the ends of the earth, and he went from common worker to boss with a view to get her consideration. It was a raffle that paid off as a result of what might a lady do when the lovely pet she adopted refused to go away her aspect? Joo-won flirted with reckless abandon, turned on the allure and jealousy, tailor-made his pursuits to swimsuit Yoon-seo’s, and smothered her with all of the love and affection on this world till her resistance crumbled. Sadly, I didn’t like this drama in any respect, and that translated into not caring about Joo-won as a lot. However I can’t deny his loserism standing when it got here to Yoon-seo.

9. Yoo Ji-hyuk (Na In-woo in Marry My Husband)

This man is a greater particular person than me as a result of if I’ve to repeat the final 10 years of my life — and pay hire once more — I’m rioting! Sadly, my working-class rants don’t have anything to do with chaebols like Ji-hyuk. He bought a second likelihood at life, and the very first thing he did was to avoid wasting Ji-won a number of occasions in Episode 1. She was the one falling like dominoes, however he was the one on the ground of loserism. “[I am] your dad’s allowance. So you should use me all you need.” Wow! A black card gained’t minimize it, so this man turned himself into a complete forex for her to spend on her revenge plans.

Ji-hyuk devoted his second life to Ji-won and pledged to be her strong land. But when it have been me, I’d have used the information from my earlier life to make strong investments in landed properties as a substitute. Even when Ji-hyuk wasn’t excited about actual property, he might have a minimum of put cash in shares or crypto or one thing. Positive, he invested early in drone know-how — however then he went to make use of the drones to boost Ji-won’s engagement to her scummy ex as a result of he didn’t need her to expertise a repeat of the shitty proposal in her earlier life. *Sighs in selfless loserism* To high all of it off, Ji-hyuk intercepted the Truck of Doom heading for Ji-won’s automobile and bought concerned within the accident himself. OMG! Do you individuals not worth your lives? It’s giving “I’d quite have all of the bones in my physique damaged than you having a single scratch in your little finger” vibes. All proper, then, welcome again, Gu Jun-pyo.

8. Bok Gyu-hyun (Lee Sang-yi in No Achieve No Love)

Curiosity led this fool to learn smut on his mom’s pill PC, and the ensuing trauma landed him within the hospital — however not earlier than he wrote tons of hate feedback concerning the novel and its author. Ms. Author sued him for defamation, however in the midst of the lawsuit, he nonetheless discovered time to fall in love together with her. *Facepalm in audacious loserism* Gyu-hyun lived out the enemies-to-lovers e-book trope, and he went from hating the author’s tales to turning into a fan and going again to go away optimistic feedback on the novel. He even went so far as taking her on a tour spherical his workplace for analysis functions, and performing out the scenes in her novel. Who’d have thought?

Gyu-hyun’s greatest act of heroic loserism was rescuing the love of his life from her loopy dad, and beating the shit out of Dad with lightsabers glow-in-the-dark dildos. This Gyu-hyun-wan Kenobi scene was legendary, and I cannot be forgetting it anytime quickly. What I want to neglect, although, is the Spice Up Our Love spinoff that was created to proceed the losery love story, however ended up being kinda underwhelming.

7. Search engine optimisation Gang-ju (Kim Jung-hyun in Iron Household)

A number of run-ins at a crosswalk led to a one night time stand, and Gang-ju fell into the pit of loserism. He tried to play the out of sight out of thoughts card, however after working into Da-rim once more years later, his loser coronary heart began to beat afresh. Satisfaction, disgrace, and embarrassment are alien ideas to him, and he follows Da-rim round like a stray searching for treats. I imply, who brings a congratulatory plant to the reopening of his crush’s household’s laundromat – after he by accident burnt the place down, by the best way – and insists that he’s her past love? Lol.

Gang-ju might come off as annoying, however Kim Jung-hyun does an awesome job at anchoring the character that I’m extra endeared to than postpone by his antics. Da-rim needs to see a film regardless of her sight points? He buys the tickets. She will get again her sight and worries about not getting a job, he crashes the pity occasion and encourages her to toughen up. He recommends her for a place at work and bends firm guidelines in order that supply individuals — a.ok.a Da-rim — can use the elevator quite than stressing on the steps. Overzealous Da-rim might get Gang-ju into bother and he’d take the blame with out ratting her out. He’s presently hiding the truth that her household is in possession of his mom’s stolen cash, and anybody who betrays his mom’s belief for his crush deserves a seat on the losers desk.

6. Search engine optimisation Ji-hwan (Uhm Tae-gu in My Candy Mobster)

On a scale of 1 to loser, this emperor penguin is a ten. Ex-mobster turned shoulder thug turned dumb loser in love. May seem agency and intimidating to everybody else, however in actuality is weak for his girl. Doesn’t care if the rival gang hates him, however will completely lose his thoughts if his girl doesn’t communicate with him. Will shield her from rotten milk assaults, present her room and board when she’s homeless, and save her from demise by hypothermia. When he’s not mendacity about not being her childhood oppa — for noble idiotic causes — he’s fainting after their first kiss at his massive virgin age. Pfft.

Ji-hwan’s emotions hit him like a truck, and he didn’t know what to do with himself. A complete CEO making massive enterprise selections all of the sudden turned clueless within the face of affection. I do know Cupid isn’t any respecter of individuals, however rattling. Dude left the warring lifetime of mobsters behind, however was nonetheless going to bat in his lady’s YouTube remark part. #BiggestFanOfEunHaUnnie #ProsecutorJusticeStayFarAway. Ji-hwan grew to become the largest client of children content material due to Eun-ha, and I guess if she began making {couples} content material, he would fortunately skip work to study all of the TikTok dance challenges. Now I wish to see him dancing.

5. Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun in Queen of Tears)

This gentleman went from helping an intern with the copy machine at work, to falling in love together with her and promising to deal with her along with his 35 cows. Despite the fact that the entire time, she was a chaebol heiress! *Facepalm in idiotic loserism* Once more, watch Ok-dramas, individuals. After a fairytale begin to their marriage, communication issues joined their household, and he ended up shedding a mess of tears that would replenish the Pacific. Hyun-woo swore that he hated his spouse and he couldn’t wait to be free from her and her loopy household, however the identical man stood by her by a terminal prognosis, threatened her physician into offering remedy, panicked at any time when she was out of his sight, and virtually ran mad when he thought she died.

Hyun-woo won’t have been capable of steal the moon and pluck the celebs for his spouse, however he actually might arrange Christmas decorations earlier than Christmas and the accompanying pretend snow as a result of she wished to see snow sooner. In fact, he needed to go on and ecstatically wag his invisible losery tail when she rewarded his adorably clueless ass with the knowledge that he’s her past love. Smh. Hyun-woo was hit by a automobile, however he nonetheless dragged his halfway-to-death self to search for his kidnapped spouse — and took a bullet to guard her all in the identical night time! The common man would have died in any case of that, however queens by no means cry and losers by no means die. What they do is drunkenly pluck off leaves whereas reciting “she likes me. She likes me not,” and blush when the ultimate leaf is “She likes me.”

4. Han Da-on (Kim Jae-young in The Decide from Hell)

After seeing the worst sides of individuals — his household’s assassin as a child, plus all types of criminals as a cop — Han Da-on cancelled all the human race and went to fall in love with a demon. Like a literal demon from hell — who as soon as killed him, by the best way. Da-on began out as a champion for justice and ended up aiding and abetting the crimes of his murderous demonic girlfriend. Mr. Cop had no issues sitting by his superior’s scolding about unsolved circumstances, and going again dwelling to marinate within the heat embrace of the perpetrator of these circumstances. His ethical compass? Flushed down the bathroom. However why search justice when you could have Justitia?

As a value for falling in love, Da-on confronted demise once more on the hand of one other demon, however what does it matter when the love of his life is excessive atop hell’s meals chain? This man had zero worry of demise, hell, and Bael — and he harassed the heaven out of his guardian angel in his loserism quest. Nothing says “I’m a shameless loser” higher than calling out to your crush — who doesn’t wish to see you — in entrance of her office with a public deal with system. Then once more, his crush additionally dropped a physique outdoors his precinct to get his consideration, so I suppose they each matched one another’s freak.

3. Park Soo-ho & Yoon Min-joo (Lee Jong-won in Knight Flower and Brewing Love)

It was a busy 12 months for Lee Jong-won, and a time properly spent within the valley of loserism. He began off the 12 months as officer Park Soo-ho in Knight Flower — who got down to arrest the masked vigilante inflicting righteous mayhem on the town. However after discovering the vigilante’s actual id, my man went from being intrigued by her to mesmerized, to falling headlong in love. Cue: drunken confessions, coronary heart eyes in every single place, and peak Joseon ranges of downbad. “Whether or not you put on a masks, are a widow or get divorced, I don’t care. I will likely be by your aspect.” Pfft. You’ll simply know that if she says “paw,” he’ll stick out his tongue and raise his palm into hers.

Lee Jong-won returned in the midst of the 12 months with the eraser drama which I checked out of after two episodes, however I gained’t be stunned if he was additionally a loser there. He then ended the 12 months as Yoon Min-joo from Brewing Love. Min-joo set a agency boundary between himself and others, and he by no means hesitated to dam any try and cross the road. However when Yong-joo barged into his life, the remainder was historical past. Min-joo tried to withstand, however after falling helplessly and hopelessly for her, he went from brew grasp to rizz grasp — with an overflowing pure allure that had me doing a double take as a result of who is that this man and what has he finished to the person who flees from any look of emotional attachment? Min-joo wore his coronary heart on his sleeves as you’d anticipate from an empath, and he was actually the sweetest, most unproblematic, will-shock-you-with-his-rizz-when-you-least-expect-it kinda man. All of us deserve somebody like him in our lives.

2. Lee In (Jo Jung-seok in Fascinating the King)

All it took was one sport of baduk for this man to lose his thoughts and enroll within the college of loserism. So what if he began out by betraying the love of his life for the throne? Lee In grew to become king and created a complete authorities place simply so she could be by his aspect. Look, in case your man doesn’t broaden the nationwide funds to make you his Royal Baduk Associate and construct you a personal baduk quarters within the palace, is he even worthy of your love? Mr. King was the right embodiment of “love is blind” as a result of he readily accepted his newfound sexuality after falling in love with Mong-woo — by no means thoughts that she and her distracting eyeliner and lipstick seemed nothing like a person! Sure, he discovered that she was a girl in a while, however that’s not the purpose.

Lee In was purported to be the sovereign untouchable of the nation, however this loser nonetheless selected to guard Mong-woo after she set him up for an assassination. Their “Was it as a result of I’m a girl?” and “It’s since you are my girl.” change had me folding, no, crumpling like moist tissue. And while my wrinkled self was on the ground gasping for air, all I might take into consideration was why Mong-woo? And no, this isn’t a case of it ought to have been me in her footwear. lies, it ought to have been me However actually, why her? She acted like the neatest particular person on earth, however she was so royally silly and made all types of dumb selections in her quest for revenge. However hey, you by no means ask a girl her age, a person his wage, or a loser in love what precisely he sees within the girl he loves.

1. Ryu Solar-jae (Byun Woo-seok in Pretty Runner)

Increase your hand for those who have been anticipating one other #1 on this checklist. *Scans the room* No arms. Precisely! Ryu Solar-jae is the uncontested valedictorian of the 2024 class of losers. Sol’s easy act of working as much as shade him together with her umbrella altered his mind chemistry and branded him a loser for all times. Stolen glances, flying kisses, tune composition, time capsule unearthing, drunk lamentations, burning his mouth with scorching tea in an try and one-up his rival in love… Solar-jae was contaminated with a critical case of Sol downbadism, and nothing might remedy him. No medication, no vaccines, no medical trials, nothing. Simply demise. And he willingly succumbed every time. Sol was busy leaping timelines to forestall his demise, however what? “If I find yourself dying to avoid wasting you, I’ll be effective with that. It doesn’t matter.” Who’re you, a martyr?

Solar-jae was gone, gone! A loser in each single timeline. Sol forgot about him within the first timeline and turned him right into a piner and a yearner. Within the closing timeline when she eliminated herself from his life and he didn’t keep in mind her, amnesiac Solar-jae was nonetheless preventing for his proper to be the lead actor in her film. The place is the disgrace? The place is the dignity? And most significantly, the place is my very own Solar-jae? *Sobs in single as a result of he has set my customary stage to inconceivable* This pretty man would crawl into Sol’s pores and skin if it was doable, and now I want they’d caught with the Korean title of the drama: Carry Solar-jae and Run. You simply know this big child gained’t thoughts tiny Sol piggybacking him and working round Seoul.

What struck me most about these losers was the genuineness and tenderness in the best way they cherished their love pursuits. Regardless of my seemingly cynical rant about how their acts of loserism made me cringe and roll my eyes, I cherished their unabashed expressions of affection and the way they went all out to guard the ladies they cherished — even when it meant placing their life on the road. It’s within the nature of affection to drive individuals to do foolish and embarrassing issues, and in a world of emotionally constipated tsunderes, losers who’re clear with their emotions are at all times welcome.

PS: Baek Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon-seok in When the Telephone Rings) is an honorable point out on this 12 months’s class of losers. I gained’t get into particulars as a result of we aren’t formally contemplating the drama for our 2024 YIR, however I needed to get it off my chest. Phew!

 
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