Have you ever finished a K-Drama that left you craving for more, wishing for closure, or maybe even a time skip that showed you where life took your favorite characters in the future? If so, this is the article for you. Here are the top 10 K-Drama characters that still make us wonder how they’re doing.
Spoiler Alert!
1. Kang ShinJae/Kang HyeonMin (Kim KyungNam) - “The King: Eternal Monarch”
Kang ShinJae, or rather, Kang HyeonMin, played by Kim KyungNam, is undoubtedly a character that deserved much better than was dished out to him, not just in terms of the final closure but also in his life. With his existence wrapped up in the twisted logic of the parallel universes, HyeonMin’s storyline is fraught with tragedy and uncertainty. Even when he’s struggling with a crisis, he stands by his principles, and that is exactly what endears him to the audience. As history itself is rewritten, HyeonMin regains his real identity back home in the Kingdom of Corea. He becomes a detective in the Violent Crimes Squad 3, working alongside Luna (Kim GoEun). We still cannot help but wonder how HyeonMin and ShinJae are living their rightful lives. In fact, a spin-off about these parallel characters would be rather entertaining, wouldn’t it?
2. Moon SangTae (Oh JungSe) - “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay”
“It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” is one of those dramas that gives us the ideal, most incredible ending and still leaves us wanting more. It is so heart-breaking to part with the characters that we have spent hours adoring that even when the drama ends, our love for them lingers. Moon SangTae, played brilliantly by Oh JungSe, has an exceptional character arc that finally ends with him becoming a professional illustrator who sets out to find his own identity as an artist and an individual. We wish we could see more of SangTae and his work, how he grows and flourishes, dreams up the most extraordinary dreams, and fulfills them.
3. Han JiPyeong (Kim SeonHo) - “Start-Up”
“Start-Up” has a long list of merits, and fully fleshed-out characters that stole viewers’ hearts in their own ways is definitely one of them. Han JiPyeong forms the very core of the story, giving it the initial push that drew the audience in and got them hooked. However, less than halfway through, he becomes the second male lead, and we don’t get to explore much of his life. In the final episode, the only conclusion we’re given about Han JiPyeong is that he is successful, as always. Perhaps, a more significant ending for one of the drama’s most beloved characters would have been more appropriate because we’re still curious as to what became of Han JiPyeong.
4. RiEul (Ji ChangWook) - “The Sound Of Magic”
One of the most wonderful webtoon-based K-Dramas of 2022, one that will stick with viewers and remain iconic years down the line, “The Sound Of Magic” came to us like a healing spell. In the last episode, we see RiEul cornered by the cruel, unforgiving world once again, but this time, Yoon AhYi comes to his rescue. He passes down his magician’s hat to her, and she helps him in his last disappearing act. As time passes, AhYi continues to write to RiEul through the magic mailbox and we can only assume that the letters reach their destination. As fitting as it is for RiEul to have as enigmatic an exit as his entry, the heart wants what it wants: we just need to know if he’s doing alright!
5. Baek Kyung (Lee JaeWook) - “Extraordinary You”
One of the most misunderstood, complex, and tragic characters in “Extraordinary You” is Baek Kyung, played by Lee JaeWook. He is a victim of his fate, driven by emotions that aren’t remotely his own, and by the time he can make an attempt to go against them, it is already too late. He suffers quietly throughout the series, and because hurt people hurt people, he comes across as painfully obnoxious. The final episode takes us into the world of a new webtoon, and this time, there’s no Baek Kyung. We hope he finds his true happiness in another world created by the author, even if it is one that we won’t know about.
6. Eun YoungRo (BLACKPINK’s JiSoo) - “Snowdrop”
Few K-Dramas have as much poignance and melancholy as “Snowdrop”. In the final episode, the exact thing we had been dreading all this while, finally happens. SooHo (played by Jung HaeIn), sacrifices himself to protect YoungRo, leaving her with a cassette tape as a final goodbye. Summer of ‘88 rolls around, and YoungRo sits in the cafe where she had first met SooHo. She listens to his cassette and breaks down promptly, the wounds of their parting still fresh. We do get an alternate ending that is a much-needed respite from the original one, but it is certainly not enough to alleviate the pain. We just hope YoungRo found inner peace and lived well.
7. Seo Dan (Seo JiHye) - “Crash Landing On You”
Speaking of characters who lost the love of their lives, we cannot possibly forget about Seo Dan from “Crash Landing On You”, played by Seo JiHye. Easily a fan favorite, Seo Dan was lovely in her own unique way, and Gu SeungJun was the one who brought it out. So, when he passed away trying to save Dan, the world came crashing down on her. As it is written in the stars that SeungJun is the only man for her, she turns to music and devotes her life to it. Just like wanting to hear from an old friend, we wish we could know more about Seo Dan.
8. Cha DalGeon (Lee SeungGi) - “Vagabond”
Lee SeungGi and Suzy’s action thriller “Vagabond” is unforgettable for more reasons than one. Not only is it one of the best in the genre, but it is also the most infuriating case of cliffhangers in all of K-Drama history. In the very last moments of the last episode, HaeRi (Suzy) and DalGeon are both in Kiria on their respective missions, but they also happen to be on opposing sides. DalGeon is ordered to shoot HaeRi, but he eliminates his partner instead, and tears roll down his face. End scene. That’s all we get from the finale. While we do have some idea of what HaeRi is up to, we’re absolutely clueless about DalGeon and the consequences of his actions. At this point, if we’re not going to get a second season, we can at least wish for a special episode that finally brings us some answers. We need to know what happened to DalGeon!
9. Han SeoJun (Hwang InYoup) - “True Beauty”
The rom-com that divided the world into Team SuHo and Team SeoJun, “True Beauty” will always be close to our hearts. In the final episode, Han SeoJun, played by Hwang InYoup, lets go of JuGyeong (played by Mun KaYoung) and makes his debut as an idol. The K-Drama adaptation takes a significantly different route than the currently ongoing original webtoon, which means there is no way of knowing what happened next to drama-verse Han SeoJun. As such, the question remains, did SeoJun eventually find love, or did he choose to focus on his art instead? Perhaps, both! We wish we knew.
10. Han WooTak (Jung HaeIn) - “While You Were Sleeping”
Jung HaeIn has a penchant for choosing projects that etch his characters into viewers’ hearts forever. Han WooTak from “While You Were Sleeping” is the perfect example of this lasting quality. In the final episode, WooTak gets a bright and hopeful ending, whereby he goes to law school to start afresh, aiming to become a lawyer who saves people. Maybe because he got such an optimistic ending, we cannot help but want to actually see him happy and prosperous. We hope he found a soulmate too! Which K-Drama character lives in your head rent-free? Tell us in the comments section down below!
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