Love is in the air: K-dramas to watch this spring

As spring breathes life back into the world, it also rekindles the urge for romance. Flowers bloom, the days grow longer and somewhere between the warmer air and the sprouting buds, love starts to feel a little more possible again.

Reflecting that mood, romantic K-dramas are arriving in full force. Here are some of the hottest spring shows ushering in into the year's most romantic season.

First up is Netflix’s “Boyfriend on Demand,” a glossy rom-com elevated by the star power of Blackpink’s Jisoo. The series follows Mi-rae (Jisoo), a weary office worker who signs up for a virtual dating reality service in search of companionship.

The series has quickly generated momentum. According to Netflix’s Tudum website, “Boyfriend on Demand” racked up 2.6 million views within three days of release, landing at No. 4 on the platform's global top 10 TV shows (non-English) list during its first week.

Much of the hype may stem from the series' approach. Going beyond a straightforward love story, the show thoughtfully explores how the lines between real and fabricated connections become blurred in an increasingly digital world. Equally enjoyable are the bold, eye-catching fashion choices and inventive world-building details, such as the option to pay for premium subscription tiers that unlock perks like receiving calls from a virtual companion.

Altogether, "Boyfriend on Demand" offers a mix of heart-fluttering romance and almost tangible near-future speculation, making it one of this spring's most unmissable offerings.

AI continues to dominate the cultural conversation in another freshly concluded rom-com that leans into that zeitgeist while offering a distinctly different flavor from "Boyfriend on Demand."

In "Lovephobia" — Streaming on Viu and U+Mobile TV — singer-turned-actor Yeon-woo plays a CEO who runs an AI dating application company. She has also sworn off the idea of genuine, human love, a fitting disposition, perhaps, for someone in her line of work.

Her unlikely counterpart is a romance novelist whose profound distrust of her AI dating app seemingly makes him the last candidate to fall for its creator. Yet what follows is an emotional journey through personal wounds, unresolved trauma and the tender work of healing. It's the kind of story that leaves a lingering warmth long after the credits roll.

Rounding out the season is JTBC's "The Practical Guide to Love," available on Tving. The show offers a refreshingly candid portrait of contemporary romance: one in which a prospective partner's credentials often take precedence over genuine attraction.

The 12-episode series, based on writer Tari's popular webtoon, follows Lee Eui-young (Han Ji-min), a 33-year-old professional navigating the tension between pragmatism and the heart as she finds herself drawn to two very different men she meets on blind dates.

The show deftly balances its exploration of efficiency-driven modern courtship with the hallmarks of K-drama storytelling, from love triangles to comedic misunderstandings.

Anchored by a veteran performance from Han, widely regarded as one of Korea's reigning queens of rom-com, the series also marks a notable return for "Squid Game" breakout Park Sung-hoon, who steps into the lead role of Tae-sup, an ostensibly ideal blind date candidate for Eui-young. Then enters Ki-taek, a charismatic young prospect who throws Eui-young's world into welcome disarray.

The resulting romantic entanglement is difficult to look away from, guaranteed to set hearts racing and put a new spring in viewers' steps. Six episodes have aired as of Tuesday, with two new episodes dropping each weekend.