1. Moon Lovers: The Green Tea of Aristocrats Sageuk · 2016

In this historical drama set during the Goryeo dynasty, court scenes are systematically accompanied by green tea. The way the princes serve it (or refuse to serve it) reveals their character long before their actions.

Green tea of that era, a precursor to today's sejak, was reserved for the nobility. When Hae-soo serves tea to the princes, she symbolically crosses the boundary between classes. The Hadong region, already renowned in the Goryeo era, produced the most prized leaves for Korean royal courts.

2. Crash Landing on You: Ssanghwa-cha of Reconciliation Romance · 2019–2020

One of the most commented scenes in Crash Landing on You is seemingly simple: Yoon Se-ri awkwardly prepares a dark herbal tea for Captain Ri, who has just been injured protecting her.

The herbal tea she prepares, made from multiple roots, almost black in color, served in a ceramic bowl, is a Ssanghwa-cha, the quintessential traditional Korean herbal tea. Prepared for over a thousand years, it combines licorice, cinnamon, peony, ginger, and jujube.

This is no coincidence. In Korean culture, preparing Ssanghwa-cha for someone means "I care for you." It's an act of domestic love, discreet and profound. To learn all about this royal infusion, consult our article Ssanghwa-cha: The Elixir of Royal Palaces.

3. My Love from the Star: Yuja-cha for Seoul Winters Fantasy · 2013–2014

It's hard to forget Cheon Song-yi and her way of ordering Yuja-cha as if it were the elixir of life. In several episodes, it's this drink (candied yuzu lemon with honey, diluted in hot water) that she craves when she's tired, stressed, or simply… Song-yi.

Yuja-cha is one of the most iconic drinks of the Korean winter. Its golden color, its floral and tangy aroma, its honeyed sweetness make it a comforting presence in dozens of dramas. Its popularity exploded in France after the drama aired.

4. Mr. Sunshine: Omija-cha for the Five Senses Sageuk · 2018

In Mr. Sunshine, scenes in traditional houses often feature a drink of an intense reddish-purple: Omija-cha, an infusion of the five-flavor berry (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, all at once).

Director Lee Eung-bok used the deep color of omija as a visual signal: when the tea is red, the scene is serious. The characters who drink it know that something irreversible is happening. Mungyeong omija, considered the best in Korea, grows in the mountains of Gyeongbuk.

5. Reply 1988: Bori-cha of Ordinary Families Family Comedy · 2015–2016

In Reply 1988, there are no precious ceramic teapots. There's a thermos bottle on the dining room table, always full of a golden-brown liquid: Bori-cha, roasted barley tea.

It's the drink of ordinary Korean households. Free, simple, comforting. In this drama celebrating the nostalgia of the 1980s, bori-cha is omnipresent, at dinner, at breakfast, placed between characters during their long night conversations. When a K-drama character offers a cup to another without saying a word, it's almost always Bori-cha. To learn more, consult our article Boricha: Traditional Korean Barley Tea.

6. Vincenzo: Kombucha for the New Generation Crime / Comedy · 2021

Contemporary dramas like Vincenzo show another reality: today's Seoul, where characters drink stick kombucha between episodes of their hectic lives.

Korean kombucha, especially Teazen's which went viral thanks to K-pop idols, represents the modernization of tea culture in Korea. In contemporary dramas, a character drinking kombucha signals that they are trendy and immersed in today's Seoul.

Which Tea for Which Drama?

Preparing Your Tea Like in a K-drama

K-drama characters don't just drink tea: they prepare it. This slow, almost meditative gesture is part of the narrative rhythm. Here's how to recreate that moment at home.

Choose according to the time. In Korea, you choose your herbal tea as you choose your outfit: depending on what's happening. In the morning, a green tea or Bori-cha. In the afternoon, a Yuja-cha. In the evening, a Ssanghwa-cha.

Water at the right temperature. Never boiling for green tea (75°C maximum). Ssanghwa-cha and Bori-cha prefer hot water at 95°C. Yuja-cha is diluted in hot water to your liking.

The bowl rather than the cup. In historical dramas, tea is served in a ceramic bowl. This wide shape allows the aromas to express themselves and warms the two hands holding it.

Drink without looking at your phone. In K-dramas, characters put down their cup and stare into space or look at each other. Korean tea is a break.