It is always exciting when a cold-hearted, arrogant male lead suddenly becomes all warm and fuzzy over a girl and tries to win her over. This trope usually leads to amazing character development and a gripping love story.
If you are a fan of this trope, K-dramaland has a few shows that are right up your alley.
Gangnam Beauty (2018)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Where to stream: Netflix, Viki
The female lead, Kang Mi-rae, gets plastic surgery and becomes pretty after years of bullying. But that doesn't help her earn the love of her peers or even herself. Do Kyung-seok is Mi-rae's cold and distant classmate who suddenly shows her his caring side.
Marriage Contract (2016)
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Where to stream: Netflix, Prime Video, Viki
Han Ji-hoon is the stone-hearted son of a chaebol who finds himself in need of a contract marriage. He chooses a financially struggling single mother. But as their fake marriage develops, he falls in love with the woman and her daughter.
Shooting Stars (2022)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Where to stream: Netflix, Viki
Shooting Stars is the embodiment of the trope we are talking about. Gong Tae-sung is a top star and on the rough side at first. However, as his love-hate relationship with the head of his PR team grows, the character opens up and we learn that he has good reasons not to trust people.
Something About 1% (2016)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Where to stream: Prime Video, Viki
Lee Jae-in is a business shark and heir to a multi-million dollar fortune. Kindness and caring for people has never been his strong suit. So when his grandfather suddenly threatens to disinherit him if he doesn't marry a girl of his choice, Jae-in becomes even tougher. But the more he learns about the girl, the more his attitude changes.
Crash Course in Romance (2023)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to stream: Netflix
Choi Chi-yeol is a self-confident math teacher who keeps his distance from the people around him. However, he melts when the mother of one of his students and a local shop owner is around. The problem is that he thinks she is married.
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to stream: Disney+, Hulu, Viki, Roku
Lee Young-joon is a big boss in a huge corporation. His narcissism makes him difficult to work with. But when his trusted secretary of nine years decides to quit, Young-joon embarks on a personal quest to stop her, developing feelings for her along the way.
Dali & Cocky Prince (2021)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to stream: Prime Video, Viki
Jin Moo-hak is the director of a global grocery chain and anything but nice to his debtors. But when he meets the charming new director of the struggling art museum, he decides that in this case, collecting a debt is not so important.