“Did you ever really love me?” This line, spoken by the main character of the 2005 Korean drama My Lovely Sam Soon, captures the emotional intensity typical of early 2000s romance dramas. In the scene, the protagonist cries in the bathroom, mascara running—an outpouring of emotion rarely seen in today’s series. Yet, a similar sentiment appears in a recent drama, with the line, “Do you believe in love that never changes?” from What Comes After Love, a Korean-Japanese joint production set to air Sept. 27. The drama is based on a 2005 novel of the same name, published the same year My Lovely Sam Soon aired.
While modern K-dramas often focus on infidelity, breakups, and casual relationships, the earnest exploration of love from the early 2000s is making a comeback. Streaming service Wavve recently sparked interest by releasing My Lovely Sam Soon 2024, a director’s cut that condenses the original series. Meanwhile, What Comes After Love, written by South Korean author Gong Ji-young and Japanese author Hitonari Tsuji, has been adapted into a Coupang Play original series, drawing attention.
Nearly 20 years later, the revival of these two works highlights how portrayals of love in media have evolved. My Lovely Sam Soon follows the story of a so-called “chubby spinster” who bravely pursues love despite societal expectations. What Comes After Love explores whether eternal love is possible through the story of two people who reunite after a love they once believed was destined. These romantic, idealistic narratives reflect the tone of early 2000s content. Dramas like Full House (2004), I’m Sorry, I Love You (2004), Princess Hours (2006), and Coffee Prince (2007) were massive hits, and the lyrics of popular songs from that era were often more emotional and heartfelt.
Compared to today’s more grounded, reality-based romance dramas, these older series feel like a breath of fresh air. Modern romantic stories are often centered around betrayal, divorce, or revenge, with characters who pursue relationships without marriage or treat marriage as a contractual arrangement. Yoon Seok-jin, a drama critic and professor of Korean language and literature at Chungnam National University, said, “The way romance is portrayed is influenced by the times. Generally, when reality is tough, people tend to seek out fantasy in love.” He noted that many early 2000s dramas, produced around the time of the IMF crisis, leaned heavily into romantic fantasy.
Though some might consider the old-fashioned sentimentality outdated, My Lovely Sam Soon 2024 has been well-received. On its release day, Sept. 6, the drama attracted the highest number of new Wavve subscribers across all content. Even before the director’s cut was released, edited clips from the original series gained popularity among younger audiences on social media, thanks in part to the character Sam Soon, who was ahead of her time as an independent woman with clear goals. Director Kim Yun-cheol remarked, “I watched the series three times before starting work on the director’s cut, and I was relieved to see that Sam Soon didn’t feel too outdated.”
In a Sept. 13 interview, Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi, who stars in What Comes After Love, said, “While communication methods may have changed, the feelings of love remain the same.” Professor Yoon also observed, “Although younger generations may appear ‘cool’ when it comes to love and relationships, everyone, deep down, longs for love.”
However, reviving older works requires adapting them to fit modern sensibilities. In My Lovely Sam Soon 2024, certain scenes were edited to reflect contemporary views on gender equality and to address concerns about dating violence. The male protagonist’s behavior, which once followed the “bad boy” trope, was adjusted to better align with today’s attitudes.
