Second Lead Syndrome: A Kdrama Malady

Has watching "The Heirs" and "Future's Choice" given you second lead syndrome? If so, you're not alone. Both dramas have second leads that are appealing enough to make any heart waver.

While Lee Min Ho is the obvious choice for Park Shin Hye, viewers can not help but wish that tough-cut-secretly-sweet-guy Kim Woo Bin also has a chance at love. And in "Future's Choice," it didn't take a visit from Yoon Eun Hye's future self to make many viewers think she really should have chosen Jung Yong Hwa. He was so much nicer to her.

Second lead syndrome happens when you can't help but cheer on the second male lead and want the female lead to wind up with him.

Despite the fact that the second lead is usually much nicer to the heroine she almost always winds up with the male lead. In most dramas, there are signs that the two leads will get together but occasionally it's not so clear. Or you can't help but wish things might turn out differently for a change.

Appealing second leads are not unique to kdramas but the writes do have a way of developing such characters that make them seem particularly attractive.

Here are a few dramas that kept you guessing and hoping:

"Flower Boy Next Door"

Park Shin Hye falls for gamer Yoon Si Yoon and while he does deserve her affection for having convinced her to go out into the real world, you can't help but feel sorry for Kim Ji Hoon. Don't those two lonely souls belong together? And the fact that he created a webcomic about her would win most hearts.

Maybe the worst case of second lead syndrome can be experienced while watching Kim Sun Ah in "I do I do." Although she winds up in bed with Lee Chang Woo in the first episode, it's hard to consider him the actual male lead. He's irresponsible and a bit of a brat, a completely unsuitable choice. When she meets the doctor played by Park Gun Hyung, he is perfect. Neither of her suitors is always nice to her so its easy to root for her making the sensible choice.

"Flower Boy Ramen Shop"

While it may have seemed obvious that Lee Chung Ah would wind up with the spoiled baby chaebol played by Jung Il Woo, Lee Ki Woo was so ready to do whatever she needed that he was the more practical choice. Fortunately, in real life, Lee Chung Ah chose to date the second lead and has been seeing Lee Ki Woo.

The same thing happened in "Goddess of Fire: Jeonji." While Kim Bum did not get Moon Geun Young in the drama, viewers wanted to see them together. The drama did not satisfy viewers' desires but real life did. The two stars are now a real-life couple.