It’s true what they say: Adopt a plant once, and you’ll end up with a hundred in no time.
My plantita journey started relatively late into the quarantine. I don’t exactly remember when, as I’ve lost all semblance of time since I’ve been locked home in March. Alas, let me measure time through the K-drama series I’ve been watching, because it’s COVID-19 season and no one can judge another’s coping mechanism. But I digress.
While other millennials have started plant parenthood since Crash Landing on You, I started my plantita journey congruently with Record of Youth. I started late simply because I had always believed that I had a black thumb.
After trying to take care of one plant, I somehow found myself obsessed with flora! Now, I just can’t help but notice every single plant whenever I watch K-drama series. Can you relate? Here are some K-drama houseplants I’ve been seeing!
Also read: Korean Drama Bucket List: 17 K-Dramas That Will Take You Around the World
In Crash Landing on You, the cherry tomato plant takes the front stage multiple times. Its first appearance was in Episode 3, when Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) gives it to Captain Ri (Hyun Bin) as her parting gift. At first, he rejects the gift as he complains: “I have neither interest nor talent in keeping a plant.” But, Se-ri is determined to change his mind. “Think of it as a pet and water it with love,” she advises. “Water it diligently and say ten nice words to it every day.”
Eventually, Captain Ri learns to cherish the plant. Later in the series, he even names his gaming character “Tomato Cultivator”!
Also read: I Watched a K-Drama for the First Time & I Regret Nothing!
Another meaningful plant in Crash Landing on You is the edelweiss. Se-ri finally reunites with Captain Ri in Switzerland, where the edelweiss blooms. It is here that they commit to forever; interestingly, Switzerland was also where they met for the first time.
By the end of the final episode, Captain Ri presents Se-ri with a bouquet of edelweiss. It’s only apt that the kilig series closes with the beautiful country’s national flower. After all, the flower symbolises the promise of devotion.
We all love how Jo Yi-seo (Kim Da-mi) came into Park Saeroyi’s (Park Seo-joon) life and turned it around. In Episode 5 of Itaewon Class, Yi-seo oversees the interior decoration of DanBam: Lights, pillows, and — most importantly — plants!
Early in the morning, Yi-seo finds Saeroyi hanging plants on the rooftop. From the short scenes, we find out that the DanBam CEO loves Ivy, String-of-pearls, fern, pothos and hoya just as much as we do!
Trendy Yi-seo even leaves a tip when decorating with hanging plants: “If you hang them in a row, it looks boring. Hang them at different heights.” Yes, ma’am!
Remember when Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-Hyun) gave Ko Moon-young (Seo Ye-ji) a cluster of gypsophila and a kiss? I bet you swooned, too! We see how Ms. Ko treasures these flowers, even after they’ve dried. (Well, the gypsophila makes really beautiful dried flowers, right?)
Gypsophila flowers generally symbolise everlasting and undying love. They’re also called Baby’s Breath, and are known to be the purest and most innocent flowers there are. And as we watch the love that blooms in It’s Okay Not to Be Okay, we can only agree that this is the flower that best represents Gang-tae and Moon-young.
Also read: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay Filming Locations: 15 Must-Visit Spots in South Korea
In Episode 11 of Record of Youth, Sa Hye Joon (Park Bo-gum) gives Ahn Jung Ha (Park So Dam) a China doll plant as a congratulatory gift for opening up her own studio. He says it’s the “Happiness Plant”, as it supposedly brings joy to any space. I must agree — plants do bring joy! Even after Hye Joon and Jung Ha’s relationship wilts, Jung Ha continues to take care of her plant until the end of the series.
Bonus: In Jung Ha’s studio, we also get a peek of hanging pothos and a potted fern!
When Seo Dal-Mi (Bae Suzy) pays a surprise visit at Nam Do-San’s (Nam Joo-Hyuk) fake office, she brings along a ZZ plant. She believes that the plant, also known as the money tree, will bring success and good fortune to Do-San’s start-up venture. Little does she know, the office actually belongs to Han Ji-Pyeong (Kim Sun-Ho).
Also read: ‘Start-Up’ K-Drama: 5 Life and Business Lessons for Millennials
The ZZ plant stays in Mr. Han’s apartment, even after Do-San and his team leave. At one point, Mr. Han throws out the plant. However, thanks to the outstanding segregation policies of his apartment building, Mr. Han finds the ZZ plant back under his care. And, as all of us have, he eventually falls in love with it — he even buys it fertilizer!
Also read: 11 Beginner Plant Care Tips + Life Lessons & Hugot That Come With Them
So, those are all the K-drama houseplants we’ve been seeing this year. Thankfully, most of them are low-maintenance plants that are perfect for beginner plantitos and plantitas! Have you spotted any more K-drama houseplants this year? Let us know in the comments section!
All images credited to Netflix.
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