8 Appas Or Abeojis That We Loved In Recent K-Dramas

Yoo Jae-myung’s Hong Yoo-chan in “Vincenzo”

In the beginning of this K-drama, we were introduced to Yoo Jae-myung’s Hong Yoo-chan and Jeon Yeo-been’s Hong Cha-young who are lawyers from different law firms and are at odds over a case involving a corrupt company. We find out later that they’re a dad-daughter duo, and that they’re not on good terms. They may be fighting and arguing all the time and Yoo-chan may talk about disowning his daughter, but deep within them, they know how much they care about each other. He always tries to talk some sense to his daughter and remind her of what she’s supposed to do as a lawyer. He tells her, “How could you be so proud of destroying the powerless?... You’re a lawyer. How could you not have a sense of duty or justice?”

Photo Credit: tvN

Photo Credit: tvN

Ji Jin-hee’s Han Jeong-U in “Move to Heaven”

Ji Jin-hee’s character here is merely a special appearance; it was short but very meaningful. Han Jeong-u is the father of Tang Jun-sang’s Han Geu-ru, a young man with Asperger’s syndrome. Together, they run the trauma cleaning company called Move to Heaven. Since his wife passed away, he has to raise Geu-ru on his own. Now with Geu-ru all grown up, the story sees Jeong-u passing away but not without leaving meaningful lessons with his son. His last message for his son? “If someone asked me what my happiest memories in life were, I’d answer they were living as your dad.”

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

Park Ho-san’s Lim Jae-pil in “True Beauty”

After investing a huge amount of money in something that turns out to be a scam, Lim Jae-pil (portrayed by Park Ho-san) gets scolded day in, day out by his wife (Jang Hye-jin as Hong Hyun-sook). Though he’s dealing with the aftermath of this unfortunate event, he remains patient and steadfast. To somehow recover, he discovers scented candles, makes them himself, and tries to earn from selling them. As a father, he always makes it a point to lighten the mood in their home to maintain a positive vibe within and makes himself available whenever his kids need support or some much-needed confidence boost. Sometimes being merely present in someone’s life can be comforting enough.

Photo Credit: tvN

Photo Credit: tvN

Kim Joo-hun’s Seo Chung-myung in “Start-Up”

He’s had a tough life. He’s disrespected in his workplace, and that prompts him to resign and start his own business. But the uncertainty of this plan leads to his wife asking for divorce. They have two daughters who suddenly have to choose whether to stay with their mom or dad. Bae Suzy’s Seo Dal-mi decides to live with her father, and although they’re struggling, they’re happy together. But with the untimely death of Chung-myung, Dal-mi is left behind with her grandmother. Still, her father’s passion and insights on running a business have stayed with her many years later as she navigates the world of start-ups. “I didn’t quit my job because my boss hit me. I quit my job to prepare for a new world,” he once told his daughter.

Photo Credit: @zu_hun_kim

Photo Credit: tvN

Jo Jung-suk’s Lee Ik-jun in “Hospital Playlist”

Being a parent is extremely challenging in itself. Imagine how much more difficult it is to be a single dad. After getting divorced with his wife, Jo Jung-suk’s Lee Ik-jun now singlehandedly raises their son. Despite his demanding job as an assistant professor of general surgery, he makes it a point to spend ample time with his son. He’s such a doting and loving father who’s always up for a fun bonding time with his kid, whether by wearing a costume (remember episode 1 where he arrives in the hospital with a Darth Vader helmet stuck on his head because his son put super glue all over it?) or enjoying an egg drop sandwich with him.

Photo Credit: tvN

Photo Credit: tvN

Lee Joon-gi’s Do Hyun-soo in “Flower of Evil”

Despite his mysterious background and the fact that he’s been hiding his true identity from his wife (Cha Ji-won, played by Moon Chae-won), Lee Joon-gi’s Do Hyun-soo is undeniably a great father. The couple has a daughter, and she’s very close to her dad. With the demands of Ji-won’s job as a detective, Hyun-soo is often left to take care of their daughter. In one scene, he brings his daughter to preschool and packs some extra snacks for the teachers. The teacher tells the young girl, “Eun-ha, your mom must be really happy… Because your dad is kind and cooks well.” And in the last scene, his daughter tells him, “You are my gift. You’re my favorite person in this entire world.”

Photo Credit: tvN

Photo Credit: tvN

Yoon Sang-hyun’s or Lee Do-hyun’s Hong Dae-young in “18 Again”

In this fantasy coming-of-age drama, 37-year-old Hong Dae-young (Yoon Sang-hyun) is in the middle of a marital problem and his teenage twins lack respect for him. He mysteriously and magically returns to his 18-year-old self (portrayed by Lee Do-hyun) and gets a chance to rewrite the story of his life. He enters the same school his twins are attending, and there, he gets to understand what they’re going through in their campus lives—including his son getting bullied and his daughter getting pretty rebellious. As his 18-year-old self, he helps his kids fit better in school and inspires them to be confident about themselves and pursue their passions.

Photo Credit: JTBC

Photo Credit: JTBC

Jung Jin-young’s Kim Sang-sik in “My Unfamiliar Family”

In this K-drama that shows how families can become like strangers over time, Jung Jin-young’s character, Kim Sang-sik, is the father of three adults: two daughters and one son. His relationship with his wife (Won Mi-kyung as Lee Jin-sook) has turned sour due to miscommunication and misunderstandings that has piled up over the years. But beneath their complex relationships, Sang-sik is a father who wants nothing but the best for his children even though he may not be good at expressing his feelings.

Photo Credit: tvN

Photo Credit: tvN