The ever-youthful 40-year-old Shin Min Ah (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha) is back on the small screen with her latest series No Gain No Love alongside 28-year-old Kim Young Dae (Shooting Stars). The series is trending for its fresh take on the fake marriage trope as well as the fun cameo of Byeon Woo Seok. While waiting for Shin Min Ah’s wedding news with her real-life beau Kim Woo Bin, let’s dive into her on-screen relationship chemistry with her other co-stars, where we’ll rank them from our least favourite to our top pick.
The K-drama queen Shin Min Ah is taking on a ‘noona’ role in her latest series. (Photo from: @youngdae0302)
No Gain No Love: trailer, cast, plot, and where to watch in Singapore
But first, here’s a quick rundown on what you need to know about the new rom-com No Gain No Love. It’s centred on Son Hae Yeong (Shin Min Ah), who has always prioritised avoiding loss and risks in money matters and relationships. Facing the potential loss of a coveted promotion at work, she plans for a fake wedding.
She recruits Kim Ji Uk (Kim Young Dae), a part-timer at a local convenience store to execute her scheme. He has a reputation for being kind towards everyone around him, but he finds himself clashing with Hae Young. He reluctantly agrees to become her fake fiancé to solve his own troubles.
Other supporting cast members include Lee Sang Yi AKA Shin Min Ah’s second male lead in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and Han Ji Hyun who previously shared the screen with Kim Young Dae as his sibling in The Penthouse.
This drama can also be categorised as a noona romance — referring to a relationship between an older woman and a younger man. There are also hints of Hae Yeong and Ji Uk’s connection when they were kids, but it hasn’t been fleshed out yet. The series has released four episodes as of writing.
Ready to see how their relationship will grow deeper? New episodes will air on Prime Video every Monday and Tuesday. Watch the 12-episode series here.
Ranking Shin Min Ah's popular romance dramas
There’s no doubt that Shin Min Ah is a chemistry queen, so it’s quite challenging to rank her shows. And so, we’ve selected her best romance dramas in our book and ranked these titles from our least favourite to our highly recommended ones. We have high hopes that No Gain No Love will also earn a spot on our list!
#4 (least favourite): Tomorrow With You
Tomorrow With You is an underrated time-travel romance series. Lee Je Hoon (Taxi Driver) takes on the main lead role of the series named Yoo So Joon. He meets Song Ma Rin (Shin Min Ah) and marries her to prevent his doomed future. Throughout the series, they portray a sweet relationship. Since they get married early on in the series, you’ll be treated to a lot of heart-fluttering moments.
What to note: The only downside to this series is that it’s a slow burner. There were multiple moments throughout the 16-episode series in which the plot became dragging and will most likely cause one to drop it in the middle.
Stream Tomorrow With You here.
#3: Oh My Venus
Shin Min Ah portrays the adorable and bubbly character of Kang Joo Eun in Oh My Venus. Meanwhile, So Ji Sub takes on the role of Kim Yeong Ho, an attractive personal trainer for Hollywood stars. Their relationship grows deeper after Yeong Ho agrees to be Joo Eun’s personal trainer to help her get healthier. The show will grow on you with its comedic and lighthearted moments.
What to note: Shin Min Ah won the Best Couple award with So Ji Sub at the 2015 KBS Drama Awards and Outstanding Korean Actress at the 2016 Seoul International Drama Awards for her role in this series.
Stream Oh My Venus here.
#2: My Girlfriend is a Gumiho
Shin Min Ah landed her breakout role in My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, which is probably one of the OG fantasy dramas revolving around the mythical creature called the gumiho, a nine-tailed fox. It offers a wonderful blend of romance and comedy between a carefree student named Cha Dae Woong (Lee Seung Gi) and a gumiho (Shin Min Ah) who wants to become a human. As they start to fall for each other, you won’t find a dull moment in their story.
What to note: Shin Min Ah won the Best Couple award with Lee Seung Gi and the Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special at the 2010 SBS Drama Awards for this show.
Stream My Girlfriend is a Gumiho here.
#1 (TheBeauLife's favourite!): Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Kim Seon Ho and Shin Min Ah AKA the dimple couple gave us a ton of butterflies while the drama was airing. It was a refreshing and “healing” drama as it brought comfort to many while the world was trying to get back up from the effects of the pandemic.
The development of the relationship between Chief Hong (Kim Seon Ho) and Yoon Hye Jin (Shin Min Ah) feels authentic and fresh as they grow from people who got off on the wrong foot to two souls who genuinely care about each other.
What to note: Shin Min Ah bagged the Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries in the 2022 APAN Star Awards for her role in this countryside rom-com.
Stream Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha here.
(Cover photos from: @youngdae0302, @illusomina)
More of a dark and heavy drama fan? Check out Queen Woo starring Jeon Jong Seo and Ji Chang Wook.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected].
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