From 'Love Alarm' to 'Start-Up,' beloved K-drama pairings reunite years later

Some of K-drama's most memorable pairings are getting another chance to share the screen, years after their romances first captivated viewers.

From Song Kang and Kim So-hyun of "Love Alarm" to Suzy and Kim Seon-ho of "Start-Up," actors who once generated buzz with their romantic chemistry are reuniting in a string of new projects — sometimes in relationships dramatically different from the ones fans remember.

The reunions come anywhere from four to about 10 years after the stars first worked together, bringing nostalgia as well as curiosity over how their chemistry may have changed.

Song Kang and Kim So-hyun reunite 5 years after 'Love Alarm'

Song Kang and Kim So-hyun are set to reunite in MBC's upcoming drama "White Scandal," five years after the Netflix series "Love Alarm."

Based on a webtoon of the same name, "White Scandal" follows Dan Yi-hyuk, played by Song, a third-generation chaebol heir who does not want to inherit his family's business empire, and Ji Eun-seol, played by Kim, a former child star whose career has fallen apart. The two enter a fake relationship to deceive the public, only to begin healing each other's buried emotional wounds.

Their reunion is particularly notable for fans of "Love Alarm," whose two seasons were released in 2019 and 2021. The Netflix romance helped introduce Song, then a relatively new actor, to international audiences.

Appearing recently on the YouTube talk show "Salon Drip," Song looked back on working with Kim early in his career.

"Back then, So-hyun was already famous, and I was a rookie," he said. "It was nice seeing her again like this."

He then joked, "I've become a little famous too, right?"

Recent online posts claiming to show filming for "White Scandal" have further fueled anticipation among fans.

The reunion also carries a twist for "Love Alarm" viewers. Their characters ultimately did not end up together in the Netflix series, disappointing some fans who had supported the pairing. This time, "White Scandal" is being billed as a romance in which the two leads save and heal each other.

Moon Ga-young and Cha Eun-woo could reunite after 'True Beauty'

Another globally popular K-drama couple may also be heading toward a reunion.

Moon Ga-young and Cha Eun-woo starred together in tvN's "True Beauty," which aired from 2020 to 2021 and became a major international hit.

The series helped raise both stars' profiles overseas and has continued attracting viewers years after its original run through global streaming platforms.

The two are now considering roles in the upcoming drama "Seorabeol Life," a food-themed romance directed by Jang Tae-yoo, who helmed "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty."

The potential reunion has another connection: Moon signed an exclusive contract with Fantagio, Cha's agency, in July.

Cha is currently completing his mandatory military service, leaving fans watching to see whether "Seorabeol Life" will become one of his post-military projects — and whether it will bring the "True Beauty" pairing back together.

Joy and Choo Young-woo reunite — this time with their voices

Red Velvet's Joy, whose real name is Park Soo-young, and actor Choo Young-woo are reuniting four years after playing a young couple in the 2022 KakaoTV drama "Once Upon a Small Town."

This time, however, they will not appear together on screen.

Both have joined the Korean voice cast of the animated monster fantasy adventure "Stitch Head," which opens in Korea on Sept. 30.

Joy voices Arabella, a curious human girl, while Choo plays Stitch Head, a small monster longing to be loved. The film marks the first voice-acting role for both stars.

"I was drawn to how kind she is, looking at the monsters without prejudice and trying to help them," Joy said of her character. "I tried to capture her bright energy and positivity, so I hope many people will watch."

Choo said his love of animation led him to accept the role, although he later wondered whether he could pull it off.

"I love animation, so I jumped at the opportunity, but afterward I worried a lot about whether I could do it well," he said. "I worked really hard to make it cute alongside a wonderful director, senior actors and voice actors, so I hope people will give it lots of love."

Seo Hyun-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok face off 10 years after 'Dr. Romantic'

Seo Hyun-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok are also sharing the screen again, about a decade after starring as doctors Yoon Seo-jung and Kang Dong-joo in the hit medical drama "Dr. Romantic."

The pair will reunite in MBC's psychological thriller "Liar," scheduled to premiere in October.

The drama follows a man and woman who give completely opposing accounts of the same memory as they clash in their search for the truth.

A teaser released Sept. 11 shows Seo and Yoo confronting each other in an interrogation room, with each insisting that the other is lying.

The dynamic is a dramatic departure from "Dr. Romantic," where their characters developed both professionally and romantically. A decade later, viewers will instead see the former on-screen couple locked in a tense psychological confrontation.

Suzy and Kim Seon-ho get another chance after 'Start-Up'

Suzy and Kim Seon-ho are reuniting six years after tvN's 2020 drama "Start-Up," but in a very different world.

The two will star in the Disney+ series "Portraits of Delusion," set in 1935 Gyeongseong, the name used for Seoul during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.

In "Start-Up," Suzy's Seo Dal-mi ultimately pursued a romance with Nam Do-san, played by Nam Joo-hyuk. Kim's Han Ji-pyeong, however, also developed feelings for Dal-mi, creating a love triangle that generated intense debate among viewers.

Kim's character attracted such a strong following that many viewers found themselves rooting for the second male lead rather than the central romantic pairing — a phenomenon K-drama fans often refer to as "second-lead syndrome."

Their new project gives Suzy and Kim a very different setting and relationship.

"Portraits of Delusion" follows artist Iho, who is commissioned to paint a portrait of Song Jeong-hwa, a mysterious and alluring woman who has remained isolated from the world for more than half a century. As he paints her, he begins uncovering her secrets.

After meeting in the contemporary world of "Start-Up," Suzy and Kim will now reunite in a dark fantasy period drama, adding another layer of anticipation for viewers who remember their unresolved romantic tension six years ago.

With familiar pairings returning in new genres, roles and relationships, the growing wave of K-drama reunions is offering longtime fans both nostalgia and the chance to see whether old chemistry can take on a new form.

This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.