‘Dynamite Kiss’ tops Netflix with new kind of chaebol romance hero

A poster for the SBS drama "Dynamite Kiss" / Courtesy of SBS

A romance between a wealthy, good-looking man and a poor but kind-hearted woman has long been a cliche in Korean romantic comedies.

The ongoing rom-com “Dynamite Kiss” may start with this familiar Cinderella-style setup, but what sets this 14-episode Netflix hit apart is its leading man. Unlike the traditional chaebol characters, he stands out for his sensitivity and thoughtful, attentive approach to relationships — qualities that reflect a growing trend in contemporary K-dramas and strike a chord with today’s viewers.

After premiering on Nov. 12, “Dynamite Kiss” climbed up Netflix’s non-English series chart on Nov. 30 and remained there for a week as fans expressed their fondness for the drama on social media.

At its core is the romance between Ji-hyuk (Jang Ki-yong), the heir to a wealthy conglomerate owner family, and Da-rim (Ahn Eun-jin), a financially struggling job seeker. After a chance meeting on Jeju Island, the pair are swept into a fake relationship that turns into real love, and circumstances eventually lead them to an explosive kiss that begins to soften the heart of the wealthy and initially arrogant heir.

After learning of her mother’s fall and returning home abruptly from Jeju, Da-rim falsifies documents, pretending to be a working mother in order to get a job, and encounters Ji-hyeok during a job interview. She continues the deception by pretending to be married with a child, which unsettles Kong both professionally and emotionally.

“In ‘Dynamite Kiss,’ the male lead is not only wealthy but also sensitive and attentive to the woman’s feelings and needs,” Yun Suk-jin, a drama commentator, told The Korea Times.

“Unlike older Korean romantic comedies, where male characters often dominated relationships through displays of power and wealth, he doesn’t rely on money or status to win her over. Instead, he prioritizes her well-being and doesn’t hesitate to put himself in difficult situations for her sake.”

A prime example is shown in Episode 7, when Da-rim collapses from stress due to her family’s debts, including her mother’s medical bills. While Ji-hyuk grapples with the idea that Da-rim can’t be “his” woman, he expresses a genuine desire to protect her in a monologue and acts accordingly.

Yun thinks viewers have responded to Ji-hyuk’s sensitivity toward Da-rim, noting that gender issues have increasingly taken center stage in the 2020s.

The show leans into rom-com tropes — fake relationships, secret identities and heartwarming reconciliations — but executes them with enough chemistry and heart that fans find the predictability comforting, not stale.

“The chemistry between... Jang Ki-yong and Ahn Eun-jin is what sells it,” according to a review on ScreenRant.com. “Their dynamic builds organically through small, quiet moments where the characters slowly let their guards down. The fake-marriage premise could’ve felt ridiculous, but... the show adds emotion exactly where viewers don’t expect it, turning predictable beats into something that actually lands.”

In the 10th episode, released last week, the two finally clear up misunderstandings and confirm their feelings for each other. As the series moves into its final four episodes, few expect it to deviate from familiar rom-com conventions, with anticipation building for a happy ending that stays true to the genre’s roots.