‘Little Women’ and 4 Popular Kim Go-eun K-Dramas – Ranked According to IMDb
South Korean actor Kim Go-eun is likely one of the most popular K-drama actors known among fans. Within her career, she has starred in the most renowned storylines depicting every major trope from ‘Second-lead syndrome’ to dramas that helped define genres like romance and fantasy. Before starring in the Netflix and tvN thriller Litte Women, Kim Go-eun has been an A-list star for some time.
‘Cheese in the Trap’ is highly regarded as an infuriating romance K-drama
In the romance genre, many storylines helped develop famously and often used tropes. In 2016, the webtoon-based K-drama Cheese in the Trap became Kim Go-eun’s claim to fame early in her career. But its storyline goes down in history as one of the most frustrating regarding its leading couple.
Kim stars as Hong Seol, a hardworking college student who crosses paths with the school’s most popular and rich student Yoo Jung, played by actor Park Hae-jin. When she feels threatened by Yoo Jung, she takes time off and returns on a scholarship meant for him. But instead of the cold Yoo Jung, Hong Seol is met with a kind and generous version. She becomes unsure of his true intentions.
Along the way, she meets Baek In-ho, played by Seo Kang-joo. He is a young and talented pianist who develops feelings for Hong Seol. But the K-drama is the epitome of ‘Second-Lead syndrome,’ and love triangles as Hong Seol and Yoo Jung develop a relationship that raises red flags.
Cheese in the Trap has a 7.3 score on IMDb and is available to stream on Viki.
‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ is a Kim Go-eun K-drama that takes place in a parallel world
Kim Go-eun starred in the 2020 Netflix and SBS fantasy K-drama, The King: Eternal Monarch. Its storyline is another romance but with an added twist of mystery. Lee Gon, played by Lee Min-ho, is the king of the Kingdom of Corea. As a child, his father was killed by his uncle and vanished into the Republic of Korea, a parallel universe.
Now older, he finds the barrier, crosses into the other universe, and meets police inspector Jeong Tae-eul, played by Kim. As a child, Lee Gon found Tae-eul’s ID badge the night his father was killed. Now in the Republic of Korea, they work together to stop his uncle from creating an army and fall in love.
The King: Eternal Monarch has an 8.1 score on IMDb and is available on Netflix.
‘Yumi’s Cells’ is a webtoon K-drama about love and emotions
Yumi’s Cells captured fans’ hearts as an innovative drama about what it means to be in love, combined with fun animations depicting emotions. In the K-drama, Kim Yu-mi, played by Kim Go-eun, is an ordinary office worker who is still getting over a bad breakup. Due to the breakup, her Love Cell disappeared until she meets game developer Goo Woong, played by Ahn Bo-hyun.
Sparked with a new zest for love, she goes through the ups and downs of a relationship. Yumi’s Cells is renowned for breaking the rules of the romance genre with its finale. Its second season continued Yu-mi’s quest for love, but this time with someone teased from the first season. Once again, the new season defied K-drama rules to give fans a realistic romance.
Yumi’s Cells has an 8.2 score on IMDb and is available on Viki.
‘Guardian: The Lonely and Great God’ is Kim Go-eun’s most recognized K-drama in her career
The 2016 Guardian: The Lonely and Great God needs no introduction for seasoned and dedicated K-drama fans. It is inarguably the K-drama that solidified actor Kim Go-eun in her career, starring in the leading role of Ji Eun-tak. Its storyline and visuals are considered a cultural phenomenon.
Its fantasy story is a human and non-human romance involving an immortal goblin. Kim Shin, played by Gong Yoo, was a decorated soldier framed as a traitor and killed by the king. He is punished by becoming immortal. Only his bride can remove the sword and end his immortality.
Eun-tak is a bubbly high school student who unknowingly summons Kim Shin. Their encounter becomes destined for fate, and they develop a romance that spans her life.
Guardian: The Lonely and Great God has an 8.6 score on IMDb and is available on Viki.
‘Little Women’ stars Kim Go-eun in a loose thriller adaption of Louisa May Alcott’s novel
Soon after finishing Yumi’s Cells Season 2, Kim Go-eun now stars in the Netflix and tvN thriller K-drama Little Women. While the title is the same as the Alcott novel, the K-drama storyline is a loose adaptation. Oh In-ju and her sisters, In-kyung and In-hye, have always been poor. But In-ju and In-kyung work hard to try and give their younger sister a life they never had.
At work, In-ju is tagged as an outsider. Her only friend is a coworker who takes care of the plants in another office. When her friend disappears, In-ju finds herself in possession of millions. The money gets her involved in a dark and twisted conspiracy of the elite.
Little Women has an 8.7 score on IMDb and is available to stream on Netflix.
