Those who say you should never fall in love with a bad boy probably haven’t watched a K-Drama yet. It’s a common K-drama trope—the good girl falls in love with the mysterious, brooding, and often misunderstood male character (or sometimes, it’s the other way around), and the audience tunes in to see whether the bad boy will change his ways for her.
While these characters have attitude problems and a lot of baggage, we can’t help but find them irresistible. After all, they’re charming and willing to go to the ends of the earth for the woman they love—who wouldn’t fall for that?
Here’s a list of our favorite—not to mention unforgettable—K-Drama bad boys. Fall in love with them and stream their dramas on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Wang So (Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo)
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Lee Joon-gi plays Wang So, the 4th Prince in line to become the King in Goryeo. He is cruel, aloof, and tries hard not to fall in love with Hae Soo (IU), but he can’t hide his feelings forever. He’s constantly struggling with his bad-boy ways, but in the end, it becomes clear just how much he loves her. This pairing won everyone’s hearts when the drama aired in 2016, and up to this day, their fans are still hoping for a Part 2! Watch Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Kang Ji-woon (Cinderella and the Four Knights)
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A fun, modern take on the classic fairytale, this K-Drama finds the female lead, Eun Ha-won (played by Park So-dam), living with four hotties under one roof in the hopes of transforming them into worthy heirs of a conglomerate. The toughest nut to crack is Ji-woon (played by Jung Il-woo), the cold, rebellious, and ill-tempered middle cousin who refuses to become part of his grandfather’s family. However, once he becomes closer to Ha-won, Ji-woon shows his lonely and sensitive side and wins our hearts —and the female lead—in the process. Watch Cinderella and the Four Knights on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Han Seo-joon (True Beauty)
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Not all bad boys are destined to be male leads. Many of them play “the other guy” and give us a serious case of Second Lead Syndrome. First on that list is Seo-joon (played by Hwang In-youp)–the motorcycle-riding, sleek-looking tough guy who can’t believe he’s falling for the female lead. It doesn’t help that he becomes a soft-hearted and kind gentleman whenever he interacts with her, so we can’t help but root for him even if we know he’s not the end game. Stay strong, Seo-joon! Watch True Beauty on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Baek Kyung (Extra-ordinary You)
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Before Lee Jae-wook became Alchemy of Soul’s Jang Uk, he was first Baek Kyung, the second lead we loved to hate (at first!) because he’s well aware of Eun Dan-oh (played by Kim Hye-yoon)’s feelings for him but can’t be bothered to treat her nicely. He ignores her advances, embarrasses her, and always makes her cry. However, when Dan-oh starts to pay attention to another guy, he realizes he’s actually in love with her—and we find out he’s just preventing his family from taking advantage of her. He becomes kinder as he tries to win her back, and honestly, we can’t help but soften at his change of heart! Watch Extra-ordinary You on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!
Choi Young-do (The Heirs)
Courtesy of Viu
When it comes to second-lead bad boys, no one does it better than Kim Woo-bin, who played Choi Young-do, a chaebol with a really rough childhood, in this K-drama. He’s narcissistic, a bully, and he’s extremely violent (we wouldn’t want to date him in real life!), but we can’t help but root for his transformation anyway, especially as his feelings for Cha Eun-sang (played by Park Shin-hye), the female lead, start to grow. He can’t convey his feelings well, which is why he comes off as harsh towards her, but boy, did we want to hug him when he gets his heartbroken at the end of the series! Watch The Heirs on Viu Premium with PLDT Home!