Every K-drama has that one defining scene that surely leaves an indelible impression on our minds. It could be because of its poignant dialogue or its cinematic effect. These scenes, sometimes, aren’t even the most important plot point but got stuck in our heads because of its grandness or sincerity. We have varying reasons but one thing’s for sure: these scenes definitely left a mark on our memory.
Maknae’s Choice
The Crossroad Reunion of Lee Gon and Jung Tae-eul in The King Eternal Monarch
Big dramatic scenes don’t usually enter my top three unforgettable scenes but for this year, this scene from TKEM deserved the top spot. From the breath-taking entrance of Lee Min-ho to Kim Go-eun’s on-point act of despair, the grandness of the whole scene was aptly made for TKEM. Also, Lee Gon declaring Tae-eul as the future queen of the Kingdom of Corea toppled all the love declarations in dramaland this year.
The Chocopie-gate in Hospital Playlist
Hospital Playlist has given me a lot of seemingly ordinary yet heart-fluttering moments. I could name one for each member of the Mido and Falasol squad: Lee Ik-jun and Chae Song-hwa’s “what makes you happy” conversation, Yang Seok-hyeong’s late night tteokbokki delivery for Chu Min-ha, and the Jajangmyeong scene with Kim Jun-wan and Lee Ik-sun. But out of all of these moments, the scene with Ahn Jeong-won giving TWO pieces of choco pie to Jang Gyeo-ul tops my favorite HosPlay scenes list. Jeong-won and Gyeo-ul actually have a lot of moments in this series where their chemistry is on level 100. The choco pie scene, however, is THAT scene where Jeong-won made his feelings obvious. Aside from the choco pie giving part, Jeong-won could actually rival Korea’s Top Three Thieves with his numerous subtle stolen glances to Gyeo-ul during the entire meeting.
“You Did Well” monologue in Into The Ring
A few years ago, I cried my heart out in a Fight My Way scene where Cho Ae-ra failed another interview and said this:
“We never had time. We woke up earlier than others and slept later than others, but we still didn’t have time. We lived more diligently than anyone, so it makes me angry that my resume acts like it knows everything about how I spent my time.”
This year, a scene from Into The Ring did the same thing. Goo Se-ra was having a hard time and these words somehow consoled her:
“’The youth these days don’t try hard enough!’ This is what the adults say. But it’s not that they are lacking in effort. The world is a tough place even if you try hard. I wish to say it’s okay. I wish to commend you and say it will work out. You had a long, hard day, and thank you for your hard work. You did well.”
This scene feels like an answer or a sequel to Ae-ra’s monologue. It is simple but it is comforting enough for anyone’s tired heart.
The Frown Crown
Breathtaking Cross-border Hug in Crash Landing on You
Well, who would forget Captain Ri shouting “Stop running!” at Yoon Se-ri during Crash Landing on You‘s final episode? It was the culmination of this really ridiculous storyline yet because of Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin’s magical acting, they were able to pull through and execute this into a powerful, iconic parting scene in the middle of the Korean border. It’s the perfect depiction of how CLOY may seemed to be a really out-of-this-world love affair, and yet it still would make you fall even harder for Captain Ri and Se-ri’s affection for each other.
The Unexpected Dinner in The World of the Married
When I first watched this very uncomfortable dinner scene, I clapped literally! It was super satisfying to witness Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee-ae) casually eating steak and drinking wine while dropping truth bombs about her husband having an affair with the chairman’s beloved daughter. Watch this even though you haven’t watched the entire drama yet. It’s the smash hit of 2020, and rightfully so.
Ik-jun and Jun-wan eavesdropping each other’s calls in Hospital Playlist
If only I could paste all of Hospital Playlist‘s funniest scenes, I would! And majority of them include Ik-jun. Who would forget his grand entrance as Darth Vader, the sterilized fridge, and the Wangsimni Station monologue? This one, however, was comedy gold! It’s like your best friend starts dating and you endlessly tease them about it. In this particular scene, Jun-wan was a legit lover boy talking to his girlfriend. Unbeknownst to Ik-jun, his BFF and his sister are dating, and he was out there eagerly eavesdropping their phone conversation. I couldn’t finish this scene at first because I was really laughing so hard! I want to give full credit to The Swoon’s Youtube channel for immortalizing these scenes! Time to binge-watch Hospital Playlist for the nth time! Can’t wait for Season 2!
Busy Ahjussi’s Fave
Moon-young’s self hug scene in It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
A scene doesn’t have to be so grand to be memorable. Sometimes, it is the quiet and the sincerest ones that leave a long-lasting imprint in our memories – just like Go Moon-young’s butterfly hug scene in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Each of us has scars that we oftentimes conceal because they make us vulnerable and it’s hard to be vulnerable before judging eyes. So to see Moon-young, who projects herself to be a very strong and powerful, be ‘weak’ and be her own comfort in her solitude kinda struck a chord. RIP, replay button.
The Bus Scene in Start-Up
The technique in which a writer let his or her audience know about an impending doom a character will face ahead of the character himself/herself always gets me every time. We all knew that Dal-mi’s father would die but it still didn’t save us from being emotionally wrecked when it finally unfolded. It was a very short stint but Kim Joo-hun delivered a very moving performance, enough for it to linger in our minds.
The Grand Reveal in The World of the Married
This last favorite scene of mine is the entire opposite of the previous one. Our heroine Dr. Ji Sun-woo dropped the bomb when we least expected it and like every character in the scene, we’re all caught off guard, in a very good way. The reveal of the affair was so satisfying to watch because it’s the moment we were all waiting for and it’s like all us, along with Dr. Ji, were able to kick Tae-oh and Da-kyung in the gut. Clapback at its finest. This scene is definitely one of the best confrontation moments in K-drama history.
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