SPOT THE BOOK: Real Books That Appear in K-Dramas For Your Reading List

As if watching Korean dramas isn’t enough fun, there are other ways to make them even more entertaining. For example, carefully watching episodes and then honing in on a specific book used as a storytelling device to enhance the plot. Or it just shows up on screen.

• Check out this list of Real Books Mentioned in Five (5) Popular Korean Dramas. References to the books were incorporated, and they were key to developing the storyline.

Another way to make watching Korean dramas more fun is by playing a game I made up called “Spot the Book”.

• In many K-dramas, real books appear briefly on screen. These titles rarely drive the plot directly, yet their presence adds texture, personality, and emotional depth to the episodes. Sometimes they’re just tucked into a character’s backpack, stacked on a desk or on a bookshelf at home or in a library. The book briefly appears to reinforce the drama’s mood or aesthetic.

The list below highlights five (5) Korean dramas with titles of real books spotted in K-dramas. Even though they are not intricately woven into the plot, you might become curious and want to add them to your reading list.

(1) Because This Is My First Life (2017); 16 episodes

• Genre: Romance, Comedy (Rom-Com), Slice-of-Life
• Where to Watch: Viki
• Viki audience rating: 9.4 out of 10 stars
• IMDb Rating: 8.1 out of 10 stars

STORYLINE:

Nam Se Hee, a meticulous, introverted software designer who prefers routines, quiet evenings, and the company of his cat. Yoon Ji ho, an aspiring writer struggling with financial instability and gendered expectations, finds herself suddenly homeless after a family conflict. Through a twist of circumstances, she becomes Se Hee’s tenant — neither realizing the other is the opposite gender until after signing the lease. Their relationship begins as a pragmatic housing contract, but living together forces them to confront emotional wounds, societal pressures, and their own misconceptions about love and partnership.

SPOT THE BOOK?

• To Room Nineteen — A Doris Lessing short-story collection that appears as a physical prop. A psychological story about a woman who feels trapped by domestic expectations and seeks solitude as a form of self-preservation. (Author: Doris Lessing, Nobel Prize Winner for Literature ~ Year Published: 1963)

Main Characters:

• Nam Se-Hee (played by Lee Min-Ki, “Mary Kills People”, “Face Me”, “The Lies Within”, “Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead”, “Behind Your Touch”, “My Liberation Notes”, “Crash”)
• Yoon Ji-Ho (played by Jung So-Min, “Love Next Door”, “Alchemy of Souls”)

TRAILER/TEASER:

CJ ENM Global. “Because This Is My First Life.” YouTube, 31 Mar. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agYjoFB909A. Video.

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(2) Romance Is a Bonus Book (2019); 16 episodes

• Genre: Romance, Workplace, Slice-of-Life
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• IMDb Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

STORYLINE:

Set inside a lively publishing house, this K-drama follows Kang Dan-i, a once-successful copywriter whose life has unraveled after divorce and years spent prioritizing her family. Now unemployed and struggling to reenter the workforce, she hides her past accomplishments to secure an entry-level job at a company run by her longtime friend, Cha Eun-ho. He is a brilliant editor-in-chief who has quietly loved her for years. Through workplace challenges, editorial triumphs, and tender romantic development, the show explores themes of reinvention, resilience, and the healing nature of literature. The drama celebrates books, writing, and the emotional power of storytelling as the female lead rebuilds her confidence and discovers her worth beyond societal expectations.

SPOT THE BOOK?

• Every Day a Good Day — Full title: “Every Day a Good Day: Fifteen Lessons I Learned about Happiness from Japanese Tea Culture”. A reflective nonfiction work about learning the art of tea ceremony and discovering mindfulness through everyday rituals. (Author: Noriko Morishita ~ Year Published: 2011)

Main Characters:

• Kang Dan-i (played by Lee Na-Young, “Honour”, “Ireland”)
• Cha Eun-Ho (played by Lee Jong-Suk, “Law and the City”, “Decibel”, “The Witch: Part 2. The Other One”, “Big Mouth”, “W: Two Worlds Apart”, “Pinocchio”, “While You Were Sleeping”)

TRAILER/TEASER:

Netflix Philippines. “Romance Is a Bonus Book.” YouTube, 31 Jan. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjeXZEtEI2A.

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(3) Our Beloved Summer (2021–2022); 16 episodes

• Genre: Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com), Coming -of-age
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• IMDb rating:  8.1 out of 10 stars

STORYLINE:

See PLOT SUMMARY in PopGeeks list of Five (5) K-Dramas That Let You Enjoy the Weather: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall or Just Rain.

SPOT THE BOOK? (Spotted two.)

• The Unbearable Lightness of Being — Considered a modern literary classic. A philosophical novel exploring love, identity, and political oppression through interconnected relationships in 1960s Prague. Characters are seen reading Kundera’s novel. (Author: Milan Kundhttps://account.yougov.com/us-en/accountera ~ Year Published: 1984)

• Love in the Time of Cholera — A sweeping story of lifelong devotion as two lovers navigate decades of separation, longing, and emotional endurance. (Author: Gabriel García Márquez, a Nobel Prize Winner – an international bestseller, recommended by Oprah’s Book Club ~ Year Published: 1985)

(4) Alone in Love (2006); 16 episodes

• Genre: Romance, Melodrama, Slice-of-Life
• Where to Watch: KOCOWA+ and The Roku Channel
• IMDb Rating: 8.4 out of 10 stars

STORYLINE:

A quiet, introspective drama about a divorced couple, Eun-ho and Dong-jin, who remain emotionally entangled long after their marriage ends. They continue meeting for meals, sharing memories, and supporting each other through personal struggles, creating a relationship that is neither fully romantic nor fully severed. Through gentle pacing and realistic dialogue, it portrays grief, regret, and the difficulty of moving forward when the past feels unfinished. The show explores the subtle ways people hold onto love even when they believe they have let go.

SPOT THE BOOK?

• A Demon in My View — A psychological thriller – visibly read by characters – about a seemingly respectable man hiding violent impulses beneath a façade of normalcy. (Author: Ruth Rendell ~ Year Published: 1976) [NOTE: The British television series “The Ruth Rendell Mysteries” is based on Ruth Rendell’s published crime fiction and short stories.]

Main Characters:

• Lee Dong-Jin (played by Kam Woo-Sung)
• Yoo Eun-Ho (played by Son Ye-Jin, “The Truth Beneath”, “The Pirates”, “Blood and Ties”, “Spellbound”, “Crash Landing on You”, “No Other Choice”)

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Alone In Love (2006 SBS) Korean Drama Review Ye Jin Son. | KDrama Love

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(5) IRIS (2009) (movie)

• Genre: Action, Thriller, Spy Thriller
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
• IMDb Rating: 7.1 out of 10 stars
• Amazon customers: 3.5 out of 5 stars

STORYLINE:

A high-stakes espionage thriller. Click here for PopGeeks Review Summary.

SPOT THE BOOK?

• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close — A nine-year-old secret agent in New York?? A novel about a young boy coping with grief after losing his father, blending trauma, memory, and emotional discovery. (Author: Jonathan Safran Foer ~ Year Published: 2005)

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Do You Like the Game?

Spotting real books appearing in K-dramas is so much fun! Korean television frequently incorporates real-world literature to deepen atmosphere and subtly frame character psychology. Whether or not they influence plot development directly, their presence enhances the drama’s visual language. Don’t you think so?

The next time you watch a Korean drama, are you going to play “Spot the Book”?

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