Both of these are rom coms involving employee-boss relationship, and set in the workplace with workplace cases interspersed throughout the drama. They both take a look at social dynamics in the workplace, especially in romance between colleagues.
Both of these shows are about a power couple, with themes of marriage, divorce, conglomerates, relationships with your in-laws, and differences in social status in romantic relationships. The FLs in both are quirky and misunderstood. I feel like the romance, comedy and melodrama balance is similar in both of these.
In both of these beautiful melo dramas, the leads went through something traumatic together, and then years later, without realising, begin to help each other out of the darkness. With themes of healing, friendship, self-discovery and trauma, both of these shows pack an emotional gut punch. Both romances start with the leads becoming close friends first which is the cherry on top for me.
Figuring out the identity of one of the main leads is the core concept of both shows, set in the police and detective environment, where the answer to the central mystery keeps the viewers guessing all the way through. Both the ML in Awaken and the FL in The Art of Sarah are characters shrouded in secrecy and darkness and it feels like peeling back the layers of an onion while watching (including the tears!). Very entertaining and worth watching.
The office romcom vibes are very similar and the cinematography is very similar. Both are really enjoyable to watch to relax.
Although not obviously similar, the ML in both of these is a doctor and a criminal, and both shows have you debating the morality of his character. With a partial prison setting, and a partial medical setting, both shows hold a high suspense, psychological tension and interesting premise. I highly recommend both of these.
Both dramas feature an FL who is good with children and enjoys educating, and an ML with a tough reputation that precedes him. The humour is fantastic in both shows. Highly recommend both of these.
Both are law genre with high emotional stakes involved. Both MLs get to start again from a point in their life before things went wrong and get to bring themselves and others justice for what they went through in their past life.
These were both written by the same scriptwriter and involve societal commentary on a range of topics relevant to modern day Korea. Both MLs are judges who learn how to make true friends over the course of the series.
Both of these shows dig deep into the Korean idol industry corruption and the negatives of fame, while showing the human side of celebrities. They both also contain the core message that it's never too late to develop the relationships that you really want in your life and to follow the dreams you've long held.
Both are set in the workplace, with fake relationships and melodramatic dangers galore. If you enjoy giggling and kicking your feet at the romcom clichés of Dynamite Kiss, then you will also enjoy When the Phone Rings.
Both of these dramas are about a man trying to prove his innocence while conspiracies and merciless villains try to tear him down.
