When it comes to sweet, quirky, and nostalgic romance, 고백의 역사 has become a delightful addition to Netflix’s collection. With upbeat humour, relatable protagonists, and a ’90s setting, it is the type of film that is actually humorous and sad. And if you’re in the mood for more Korean movies similar to Love Untangled, you’re in luck with a whole long list of titles that do the same gentle rom-com zing, retro flava, and cute charm.
What sets Korean movie Love Untangled apart is not only the farce-like humour or the bubbly personalities of the lead actors, but the more substantial issues lurking under the frothy surface. Featuring Gong Myoung as Han Yun-seok and Shin Eun-soo in the lead role of Park Se-ri, the film tackles insecurities, ethnic standards of beauty, and the process of coming to terms with oneself while managing to keep viewers giggling with farce-like romcom shenanigans. That blending of goofiness with genuine heart is the very reason that viewers come to care for it so deeply.
South Korea has produced many films and dramas with the same combination of laughter and heart. From high school romances through college romances through heart-wrenching romances that span years, the films capture the growing-up and falling-in-love rollercoaster. So if you enjoyed this one, then below are five other Korean films like Love Untangled that will make you laugh and cry at and recall the spirit of youth at a young juncture of life.
Korean Movies Similar to Love Untangled
20th Century Girl
Set in the late 1990s, 20th Century Girl inevitably causes one to think of Love Untangled because of the nostalgic setting. From the era’s tech to the wardrobe and pop culture references, the film is a millennial time capsule. Na Bo-ra, the lead of the story and a feisty teenager, is played by Kim Yoo-jung and is framed against the background of first love and friendship. By her side is Byeon Woo-seok, whose soft performance adds depth to the rom-com, with Park Jung-woo and Roh Yoon-seo completing the lead cast.
What rings especially true in this movie is emotive truthfulness. What begins as a lighthearted teen rom-com shifts in a bittersweet way to get viewers thinking about the fleeting nature of youth. Yoo-jung is excellent in the lead and shifts from laughter to tears with poise, and Woo-seok delivers one of his best performances. Much like in Love Untangled, it is a gentle reminder that experiences of young love, however brief in terms of duration, can etch a lasting impression.
Ditto
If Love Untangled left you nostalgic for simpler times, Ditto amplifies that feeling with its unique time-crossing premise. The film stars Yeo Jin-goo as a 1999 college student who discovers he can communicate with Kim Hye-yoon’s character living in 2022 via a ham radio. Their conversations evolve from playful and casual into heartfelt confessions about love, regrets, and destiny. The chemistry between the two leads is key, making the unusual setup feel believable and endearing.
Supporting turns from Cho Yi-hyun and Na In-woo add more emotional depth and achieve a cast that possesses the innocence of youth and the wistfulness of adulthood. Where Ditto succeeds is that it matches the fantasy sci-fi premise with the all-too-human sorrow of lost chances. Like Love Untangled does with the power of timing and decision in relationships, this movie does, but with a greater sorrow of regret.
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On Your Wedding Day
On Your Wedding Day is a story that spans years and centres on the power of timing to either ruin or salvage a relationship. Park Bo-young plays Seung-hee, the charismatic but complicated object of desire, and Kim Young-kwang plays Woo-yeon, the lovestruck man whose feelings for her never falter. Their inherent chemistry renders the movie accessible and touching, and pulls the audience into a relationship that is at the same time authentic and bittersweet.
While Love Untangled thrives on exaggerated humour and quirky scenarios, On Your Wedding Day opts for realism, showing the imperfect nature of love. Bo-young delivers a performance that balances warmth and emotional depth, while Young-kwang makes Woo-yeon’s journey feel deeply human. Together, they create a film that is as nostalgic as it is heartbreaking, reminding us how first love often shapes who we become.
You Are the Apple of My Eye
In the Korean adaptation of the best-selling novel by Giddens Ko, stars Jin Young is the feisty but lovable high school student Jin U in a starry opposite pairing with Dahyun of the K-pop girl group TWICE in her acting debut as the model student everyone is jealous of named Seon A. Their budding relationship of witty banter and gentle caresses is akin to the free-spirited but heart-tugged feel that viewers relished in Love Untangled. The film is successful because of the natural and revitalising rapport between them that is young but real.
What makes this adaptation stand out is Dahyun’s performance in capturing the innocence and emotional validity of Seon A. Jin Young brings the clumsiness and zeal of a first-time in-love adolescent male to the character. Both of them add a new voice to a story that has already captured the hearts of Taiwanese and Japanese viewers. Like Love Untangled, it is filled with laughter, honesty, and the sweetness of first love.
Architecture 101
A more subdued but no less effective film is Architecture 101, featuring Uhm Tae-woong and Han Ga-in in the lead roles of former university friends reunited years afterwards. Theirs is a story told in flashbacks where Lee Je-hoon and Bae Suzy feature in the lead roles in younger incarnations and capturing the innocent fervour of a first love and the attendant doubts that plague the memory long afterwards in adulthood. Double casting brings a rich depth to the film with the pairing of youthful fervour and mature introspection.
Unlike Love Untangled, which thrives on whimsical comedy, Architecture 101 takes a more reflective and subdued approach. Suzy, in particular, gives a standout performance that captures the sweetness of young love, while Je-hoon delivers the quiet intensity of a boy deeply in love for the first time. The film’s nostalgic tone and heartfelt storytelling remind us that even the loves we outgrow remain an important part of who we are.
Did you guys get the chance to watch the Korean movie Love Untangled? If yes, let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Also Read: Love Untangled Review: Whimsical, Relatable, and Perfectly Imperfect
