K-Drama First Kiss Scenes Ranked: The Most Romantic Moments by Year
Okay, real talk — can we all agree that no one, no one, does a first kiss scene like K-dramas do? I’ve been watching Korean dramas for over a decade, and I still pause, rewind, and watch these scenes approximately 47 times before I can move on with my life. There’s something about the way Korean dramas build up to that first kiss moment — the longing glances, the almost-touches, the OST swelling at exactly the right second — that completely wrecks me every single time. I’ve literally canceled dinner plans because I was “just going to watch one more episode” and then suddenly it’s 3am and I’m crying into a bag of chips.
So today, I’m doing what I was put on this earth to do: ranking the most romantic K-drama first kiss scenes by year, from the early classics that started the whole obsession to the modern masterpieces that are currently living rent-free in my head. Whether you’re a veteran fan or you just discovered Korean dramas on Netflix last week and immediately lost all sense of time — this list is for you.
Grab your snacks. This is going to be a long one.
Why K-Drama First Kiss Scenes Hit Different
Here’s the thing that non-drama fans never quite understand: it’s not just a kiss. It’s the everything that leads up to the kiss. Korean dramas are absolute masters of slow burn. They’ll make you wait six episodes, ten episodes, sometimes an entire season for that first moment of contact, and by the time it happens, you’re so emotionally invested that you genuinely feel like you’re the one being kissed. Is that parasocial? Maybe. Do I care? Absolutely not.
The best first kiss scenes in K-dramas share a few things in common: perfect timing, an OST that makes your heart physically ache, and two actors with chemistry so electric you could charge your phone off it. And the settings — rain-soaked streets, rooftop confessions, hospital corridors at midnight — always feel cinematic in a way that makes you genuinely angry at your own boring life.
Now let’s get into the rankings, organized by year, because I’m a chaotic person who also has a system.
Early 2000s – The Classics That Started Everything
Winter Sonata (2002) – The Snowfall Kiss That Broke the Internet (Before the Internet Was the Internet)
If you’re a K-drama fan and you haven’t seen Winter Sonata — first of all, are you even a K-drama fan? This Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo masterpiece practically invented the modern Korean drama formula. The first kiss scene, set against falling snow with that hauntingly beautiful OST, is still talked about twenty-plus years later. It aired on KBS2 and literally caused a cultural phenomenon across Asia. Honestly, it still holds up. The longing in this drama is unmatched — it’s the granddaddy of second lead syndrome, slow burn romance, and ugly crying into your television.
Hot take incoming: Winter Sonata’s kiss scenes are still better than 80% of what’s airing today. There, I said it. The restraint, the emotion, the way the camera lingers — modern production budgets don’t automatically mean better romance, and this drama is proof.
My Lovely Sam Soon (2005) – The Kiss That Proved Ordinary Girls Win Too
Kim Sun-ah and Hyun Bin in My Name Is Kim Sam Soon (also known as My Lovely Sam Soon) gave us a first kiss that felt genuinely real and messy in the best way. Sam Soon isn’t your typical drama heroine — she’s loud, emotional, and eats her feelings. So when the kiss finally happened, it felt earned in a completely different way than the icy, perfect kisses of other dramas. This one aired on MBC and became one of the highest-rated dramas of its era. Available on Viki if you want to go back and experience the chaos.
2010–2014 – The Golden Era of Heart-Fluttering Romance
Boys Over Flowers (2009–2010) – Problematic But We Watched It Anyway
Okay, I need to address the elephant in the room. Boys Over Flowers did not age perfectly. The chaebol hero is… a lot. But can we be honest? When Lee Min-ho finally kissed Goo Hye-sun on that rooftop in Macau, with the wind blowing and the city lights behind them, millions of people simultaneously lost their minds. This drama on KBS2 had a 37.3% peak rating — because this was the era before streaming fractured everything — and the kiss scene was a genuine cultural event. It’s on Netflix now if you want to experience the chaos for yourself.
The first kiss in BOF is iconic because of its drama, not despite it. Everything about it is slightly over the top, and that’s exactly the point.
Secret Garden (2010–2011) – The Body-Swap Kiss That Made Everyone Short-Circuit
Hyun Bin and Ha Ji-won in Secret Garden gave us a body-swap romance that somehow made the first kiss scene even more complicated and electric than usual. When the kiss finally happened — you know the one — it was both tender and completely unhinged, which is honestly the perfect description for this entire drama. MBC aired this in 2010–2011, and it’s still referenced constantly in K-drama fan communities. Want to know the best part? The OST. “That Woman” by Baek Ji Young will ruin you in the most beautiful way.
You Who Came from the Stars (2013–2014) – The Kiss That Broke Streaming Records
My Love from the Star (also called You Who Came from the Stars) with Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun is the drama that genuinely made the rest of the world sit up and pay attention to Korean dramas. The first kiss scene — [SPOILER WARNING] after the drunk “kiss” misunderstanding — was so perfectly executed that it trended globally. MBC, 2013–2014, and it’s still one of the most-watched K-dramas of all time. The alien-falls-for-human premise sounds ridiculous until you’re three episodes in and completely emotionally compromised.
2015–2018 – Netflix Changed Everything
Descendants of the Sun (2016) – The Military Base Kiss We All Needed
Let me tell you, when Descendants of the Sun dropped in 2016, it was a full-on global event. Song Joong-ki came back from his military service absolutely glowing, and his chemistry with Song Hye-kyo was so undeniable that they literally got married in real life afterward. (Yes, I know how it ended. Don’t @ me.) The first kiss scene — direct, confident, and completely swoon-worthy — matched Captain Yoo Si-jin’s character perfectly. KBS2 produced it, but it was simultaneously released on Chinese streaming platforms and became one of the first truly global K-drama hits. You can catch it on Netflix.
This drama’s first kiss works because it’s intentional. No accidents, no misunderstandings, no “oops I tripped and landed on your mouth” — he just decides he’s going to kiss her and does it. Iconic.
Goblin (2016–2017) – The Field of Buckwheat Flowers Kiss That Still Lives In My Brain
Okay, I’m going to fight anyone who argues with me on this one: the kiss in the buckwheat flower field in Goblin: The Lonely and Great God is one of the most visually stunning romantic moments in K-drama history. Writer Kim Eun-sook at her absolute peak, Gong Yoo and Kim Go-eun with otherworldly chemistry, a setting that looks like a painting — this scene has everything. tvN, 2016–2017, available on Netflix. The OST alone (“Stay With Me” by Chanyeol and Punch) is enough to make me emotional on a regular Tuesday.
I will not apologize for ranking this scene this high. Not even a little bit.
2019–2021 – The Pandemic Era That Gave Us Everything
Crash Landing on You (2019–2020) – The Kiss in the North Korean Countryside
Crash Landing on You shouldn’t work on paper. A South Korean heiress accidentally paraglides into North Korea and falls in love with a North Korean army officer? And yet, Hyun Bin (yes, him again — the man is a menace) and Son Ye-jin created something so warm and emotionally rich that it became one of Netflix’s most-watched non-English series. The first kiss scene, set against a backdrop of unexpected warmth and quiet intimacy, is everything. It aired on tvN and hit a peak rating of 21.7%, which is extraordinary by modern cable standards.
Sound familiar? Slow burn, impossible circumstances, perfect timing. K-dramas figured out the formula and they’re not letting go of it, and honestly, I respect it.
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) – The Gothic Fairy Tale Kiss
Kim Soo-hyun (back again, because of course) and Seo Ye-ji in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay gave us a romance that was dark, complicated, and completely magnetic. The first kiss scene in this tvN drama — available on Netflix — came with all the unhinged intensity of Ko Moon-young’s character and it was perfect. This drama dealt with mental health, trauma, and healing in a way that K-dramas rarely do so openly, and the romantic moments felt earned in a genuinely deep way, not just as plot mechanics.
2022–2024 – The New Golden Age
Business Proposal (2022) – The Accidental Engagement Kiss That Launched a Thousand Rewatches
Hot take number two: Business Proposal on Netflix is the most fun first kiss in K-drama history. Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong had the kind of fizzy, comedic chemistry that makes you grin like an idiot at your screen. The drama doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that first kiss reflects that perfectly — it’s chaotic, a little embarrassing, and absolutely delightful. SBS, 2022, and it broke Netflix Korea records for a reason. Sometimes you don’t need to be emotionally devastated by a kiss scene. Sometimes you just need to be happy.
My Demon (2023) – The Contract That Became Everything
Song Kang and Kim Yoo-jung in My Demon (SBS, 2023, on Netflix) delivered a supernatural romance with a first kiss scene that managed to feel both plot-driven and deeply personal at the same time. Kim Yoo-jung’s expressive performance and Song Kang’s quiet intensity created a dynamic that kept fans absolutely glued to every episode. The OST in this one? Chef’s kiss. No pun intended.
Queen of Tears (2024) – The Comeback Kiss That Broke My Heart and Put It Back Together
I need a moment. Queen of Tears on Netflix — Kim Ji-won and Kim Soo-hyun together again, older, more emotionally devastating — gave us a 2024 first (re)kiss that I genuinely cannot think about without tearing up. This tvN drama became one of the highest-rated K-dramas ever on cable TV, and the romantic scenes between the two leads felt like watching two people fight their way back to each other through sheer force of love. The kiss in this drama doesn’t feel triumphant. It feels like relief. And somehow that’s so much more powerful.
What Makes the “Perfect” K-Drama First Kiss Scene?
After ranking all of these and spending an embarrassing number of hours rewatching clips online, I’ve come to a conclusion: the best first kiss scenes in Korean dramas aren’t about perfection. They’re about truth. The moments that stick with us are the ones that feel like they couldn’t have happened any other way — where the timing, the setting, the OST, and the chemistry all converge into something that feels inevitable.
Whether it’s the snow falling in Winter Sonata, the buckwheat flowers in Goblin, or the quiet desperation in Queen of Tears — these scenes work because they’re honest about what love actually feels like. Terrifying. Overwhelming. A little bit like jumping off a cliff and hoping someone catches you.
And honestly? That’s exactly why I keep watching. And rewatching. And canceling my weekend plans to rewatch again.
FAQ: Your K-Drama First Kiss Questions, Answered
What is considered the most romantic first kiss scene in K-drama history?
This is highly subjective — as it should be! — but fan polls consistently rank Goblin‘s buckwheat flower field kiss and Crash Landing on You‘s intimate countryside moment among the all-time greats. Both feature extraordinary chemistry, iconic OSTs, and cinematography that feels genuinely cinematic. Winter Sonata‘s snow kiss is often cited by older fans as the original benchmark for Korean drama romance.
Where can I watch classic K-drama romance scenes online?
Netflix has a massive K-drama library including Goblin, Crash Landing on You, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Queen of Tears, and Business Proposal. Viki (Rakuten Viki) is excellent for older classics like My Lovely Sam Soon and Winter Sonata. Disney+ carries several tvN and JTBC productions in certain regions.
Why do K-dramas take so long to get to the first kiss?
The slow burn is intentional and deeply cultural. Korean dramas traditionally build emotional investment through tension, near-misses, and longing before any physical romance. This makes the eventual kiss feel genuinely earned and emotionally significant. Writers like Kim Eun-sook have essentially turned the slow-burn first kiss into an art form, and fans have come to expect — and love — that extended emotional build-up.
Which K-drama has the best OST for a kiss scene?
Goblin‘s “Stay With Me” by EXO’s Chanyeol and Punch is consistently ranked as one of the greatest K-drama OST tracks ever recorded, and it plays during the most pivotal romantic moments. Crash Landing on You‘s OST, particularly “Flower” by Yoon Mi-rae, and My Love from the Star‘s score are also fan favorites that dramatically elevate the kiss scenes they accompany.
Are K-drama kiss scenes choreographed in advance?
Yes, most K-drama kiss scenes are carefully planned and rehearsed with the director. Actors discuss the emotional intention, blocking, and camera angles beforehand. This is one reason why even “spontaneous-looking” kisses feel so deliberate and cinematic. The chemistry you see on screen is real emotion channeled through very precise direction — which is part of why Korean drama romance feels so different from Western TV productions.
The Verdict: K-Drama Romance Isn’t Going Anywhere
Look, I could keep going. I genuinely could. There are dozens of first kiss scenes I didn’t even get to — Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Twenty-Five Twenty-One (I’m still not over it, don’t bring it up) — but we’d be here until next week and I’ve already dramatically rearranged my whole weekend to write this.
Here’s what I know for certain: K-drama first kiss scenes are a legitimate art form, and the writers, directors, and actors who create them deserve every bit of the global obsession they’ve earned. From the snow-covered classics of the early 2000s to the emotionally complex romances of 2024, Korean dramas keep finding new ways to make us feel things we weren’t prepared to feel.
And I, for one, am completely okay with that.
Now I want to hear from you — which K-drama first kiss scene wrecked you the most? Drop your answer in the comments below, and if I left off your all-time favorite, please tell me (gently, I’m fragile). And if this post convinced you to rewatch even one drama on this list, my work here is done. Go stream something beautiful, cry about it, and come back and tell me everything.
