With Qixi and Chilseok Valentine’s Day approaching (August 4), have you found yourself a date yet? Well, fret no further, for you will definitely enjoy the festive mood when paired with these 4 costume idol dramas that you just can’t miss. 

What differentiates costume idol dramas like Untamed, Word of Honor and The King’s Affection, is their romance-filled plot and good-looking leads who appeal to audiences’ aesthetics. The actions of the lead characters might be a tad bit exaggerated, but it’s this exact flamboyant display of love that leaves audiences squealing for more! All are currently available on iQIYI mobile application and iQIYI international platform (www.iq.com), so what are you waiting for?

1. Love Between Fairy and Devil – Love that Conquers All Differences!

Love Between Fairy and Devil crosses the spheres of species and also societal standings, as it features two leads who come from vastly different backgrounds and are complete opposites in every way possible! 

Dylan Wang acts as the evil Demon Prince Dongfang Qingcang, who eradicated the fairy race previously. 10,000 years later, one of the holy fairies is reincarnated as the lowly fairy Xiao Lan Hua – played by Esther Yu. Xiao Lan Hua accidentally frees the imprisoned Dongfang Qingcang, who now wants to sacrifice the young fairy to remove the seal on himself and truly be free. In the process, the two get to know each other better, and the ruthless demon finds himself falling in love with the gentle and adorable fairy. 

Lead actress Esther Yu, who plays the female protagonist Xiao Lan Hua, has also released a song for the drama titled Lapse in Memory of You. Her voice and the song lyrics depict the emotions that her character goes through as she struggles over whether or not her love has been well-placed.

2. Love Like the Galaxy – Fleeting Actions but Deeper Feelings 

Love Like the Galaxy revolves around Cheng Shaoshang (portrayed by Zhao Lusi), who soon meets the emperor’s adopted son Ling Buyi (portrayed by Wu Lei). Through their interactions, Cheng Shaoshang came to acknowledge that Ling Buyi was not the cold and ruthless individual she had initially known him to be. As time progresses, she unintentionally becomes involved in the mystery surrounding his family and his identity. 

This series has already made headlines for the unbelievable chemistry between the two leads! Featuring both tooth-rotting sweet moments and also heart-wrenching ones when both are placed in situations of peril, audiences would definitely be able to empathize with the characters and enjoy watching the two leads dance around each other as they take time to come to terms with their feelings. 

As the relationship between both parties grows, a marriage proposal will soon be made! The story then continues from here in Part Two, which would be accompanied by the release of a new chapter name – Xing Han Can Lan, Yue Sheng Cang Hai (which literally translates to Love Like the Galaxy, Moonrise Over the Sea).

3. Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth – An Ancient “Boarding School” with Pretty Members!

Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth depicts the story of Hwarang (literally “Flowering Knights”) – an elite group of male youths in the Kingdom of Silla. Like an ancient version of a “boarding school”, they are selected and then placed in training together so that they can become the future guards to the heir of the throne. 

From commoners to even the heir himself (who joins the Hwarang to better camouflage himself against enemies), treat yourself to a comical adventure that will definitely suit your aesthetics as these cute “flower boys” group together to complete various tasks assigned to them.

4. Secret Royal Inspector & Joy – A Light-Hearted Comedy paired with mystery

Set in the Joseon dynasty, Secret Royal Inspector & Joy involves a series of mysterious cases that Royal Secret Agent Ra Yi-Eon and Kim Joy work together to try and solve. Both Ra Yi-Eon and Kim Joy have strong personalities – one is someone who still craves an easy-going life and is unwilling to tax himself during work; the other is a progressive woman who wants to divorce her useless husband. 

Cue a series of light-hearted comical moments, as these two strong personalities constantly clash with each other. For example, the female lead Kim Joy is not afraid to challenge anyone who she thinks is wrong, and made a name for herself by yelling out to the entire world that she wants a divorce in what was still a very traditional Korea. Yet, a budding romance still begins to manifest between them as they solve the ultimate mystery. 

Other characters with distinct personalities would soon join the chaotic duo – a guy who disguises himself as a woman, another who possesses supernatural powers that lets her give off-beat prophecies, and another who has an excellent memory and maintains a poker face even in the most bizarre of situations. Just these descriptions are enough to let you know how comical some moments would be!