Kapanlagi.com - Friendships formed during school or college often become one of the most memorable relationships in life. However, after graduating and starting their own lives, the frequency of meetings can change due to busyness, work, moving to a new city, or the presence of new social circles. Nevertheless, there are friendships that remain strong despite the passage of time and changing circumstances. Stories like this often make viewers feel close to the narratives in Korean dramas or drakor.
Not only presenting love stories, several drakor also highlight friendship as an important part of the plot. The relationships between friends are depicted through various moments, from supporting each other when facing problems, reuniting after a long time apart, to being present when one friend is at their lowest point. Such stories feel even more engaging because they show that graduation doesn’t mean friendships have to end.
For those of you who miss school days, college friends, or simply want to watch warm and relatable friendship stories, the following drakor can be added to your watchlist. Not only do these dramas offer entertaining stories, but they also present moments filled with laughter, conflict, emotion, and nostalgia about how a friendship can endure through life changes. So what are the recommendations for dramas about friendships that last even after graduation and evoke nostalgia? Citing various sources, Sunday (23/8/2026), here’s the information review below.
1. Reply 1997

Cast: Jung Eun-Ji, Seo In-Guk, Hoya, Eun Ji-Won, Lee Si-Eon, and Shin So-Yul.
Number of episodes: 16 episodes.
Genre: Romance, comedy, friendship, coming-of-age.
Drama summary:
Reply 1997 takes the audience back to the atmosphere of South Korea in the 1990s through the life of Sung Shi-Won and her five friends. Shi-Won is a huge fan of the boy band H.O.T., while her friends have very different characters and lives. Despite experiencing conflicts, first loves, rivalries, and family issues, their relationships become one of the core stories. This drama uses a past and present storyline, allowing the audience to see how their lives change as they grow older.
Synopsis:
The story centers around Sung Shi-Won, a high school student who idolizes H.O.T. and spends a lot of time with her five friends. Their lives are filled with typical youth activities, from discussing their idols to facing school issues and feelings for one another. As the story progresses, their relationships evolve, and the audience is invited to look back at the teenage moments that shape their lives as adults.
2. Reply 1994

Cast: Go Ara, Jung Woo, Yoo Yeon-Seok, Kim Sung-Kyun, Son Ho-Jun, Baro, Min Do-Hee, and Yook Sung-Jae.
Number of episodes: 21 episodes.
Genre: Romance, comedy, friendship, student life.
Drama summary:
Reply 1994 follows a group of students from different regions living together in a boarding house in Seoul. They come from diverse backgrounds, but living together brings them closer like family. Friendship, love, college life, and the process of adapting to life in a big city become important parts of the story. The drama also uses a contemporary timeline to invite viewers to guess who ultimately becomes Sung Na-Jung's partner.
Synopsis:
Sung Na-Jung lives with her family who runs a boarding house for students. The residents come from various regions and have different personalities. They then navigate college life, face personal issues, fall in love, argue, and support each other. The closeness that initially forms from living in the same place gradually evolves into a bond of friendship that feels like family.
3. Reply 1988

Cast: Hyeri, Park Bo-Gum, Ryu Jun-Yeol, Go Kyung-Pyo, Lee Dong-Hwi, Ryu Hye-Young, Ahn Jae-Hong, Kim Seol, and senior cast members such as Sung Dong-Il, Lee Il-Hwa, Ra Mi-Ran, Kim Sun-Young, and Choi Moo-Sung.
Number of episodes: 20 episodes.
Genre: Family, friendship, romance, comedy.
Drama summary:
Reply 1988 centers around five friends who grow up together in the Ssangmun-dong neighborhood in 1988. They are Duk-Sun, Jung-Hwan, Sun-Woo, Dong-Ryong, and Taek. The five characters come from different families, have varying economic conditions, personalities, and aspirations, but have been accustomed to spending time together since childhood. Their friendship becomes one of the main strengths of the drama alongside the family and romance stories.
Synopsis:
Duk-Sun, Jung-Hwan, Sun-Woo, Dong-Ryong, and Taek are five children who have been friends since childhood. They live next door to each other and often gather in Taek's room to chat and spend time together. As they enter their teenage years, their lives begin to change. Some face family issues, education, love, and future concerns. Nevertheless, the bond among the five friends remains a place they return to when facing various problems.
4. Hospital Playlist

Cast: Jo Jung-Suk, Yoo Yeon-Seok, Jung Kyung-Ho, Kim Dae-Myung, and Jeon Mi-Do.
Number of episodes: 12 episodes for the first season.
Genre: Medical, friendship, life, comedy, romance.
Drama summary:
Hospital Playlist tells the story of five doctors who have been friends since entering medical school in 1999. After years of living their own lives, they eventually work at the same hospital. Their professional lives at Yulje Medical Center run parallel to the friendship that has developed over decades.
Synopsis:
Lee Ik-Joon, Ahn Jeong-Won, Kim Jun-Wan, Yang Seok-Hyeong, and Chae Song-Hwa meet when they are medical students. Their friendship lasts into adulthood and leads them to a phase of life as professional doctors. While working at the same hospital, the five of them spend a lot of time together again. They face patients, exhausting work, family issues, romantic relationships, and various life challenges while maintaining their friendship.
5. Hello, My Twenties! or Age of Youth

Cast: Han Ye-Ri, Han Seung-Yeon, Park Eun-Bin, Hwa Young, and Park Hye-Soo.
Number of episodes: 12 episodes in the first season.
Genre: Friendship, student life, romance, drama.
Drama summary:
Hello, My Twenties! follows five young women living together in a house called Belle Epoque. They are Yoon Jin-Myung, Jung Ye-Eun, Song Ji-Won, Kang Yi-Na, and Yoo Eun-Jae. Each of them has different personalities, problems, and backgrounds. Although they are not always close at first, living together helps them learn to understand and support one another.
Synopsis:
The five women navigate their lives as university students with their own issues. Jin-Myung must balance her time between studying and earning money, Ye-Eun is very focused on her romantic relationship, Ji-Won has a cheerful personality, Yi-Na is popular because of her looks, while Eun-Jae tends to be shy. These character differences make their life at home full of conflicts, funny incidents, secrets, and emotional moments.
6. Be Melodramatic

Cast: Chun Woo-Hee, Jeon Yeo-Bin, Han Ji-Eun, Ahn Jae-Hong, and Gong Myung.
Number of episodes: 16 episodes.
Genre: Comedy, drama, friendship, adult life.
Drama summary:
Be Melodramatic takes the perspective of three female friends who have entered their 30s. Lim Jin-Joo is a drama writer, Lee Eun-Jung is a documentary director, while Hwang Han-Joo works at a drama production company and is also a single mother. The three of them face issues related to work, relationships, loss, and personal life, but continue to be each other's support.
Synopsis:
Lim Jin-Joo, Lee Eun-Jung, and Hwang Han-Joo are three friends who live and go through life together at the age of 30. Each has different careers and personal issues. Jin-Joo is trying to build a career as a drama writer, Eun-Jung is developing her own documentary production company, while Han-Joo has to balance her time between work and raising her child. Amidst these various issues, their friendship becomes a safe space for the three of them to share stories and support each other.
7. Dear My Friends

Cast: Go Hyun-Jung, Kim Hye-Ja, Na Moon-Hee, Go Doo-Shim, Park Won-Sook, Youn Yuh-Jung, Joo Hyun, Kim Young-Ok, Shin Goo, and Zo In-Sung.
Number of episodes: 16 episodes.
Genre: Drama, life, family, friendship.
Drama summary:
Dear My Friends presents friendship from a different perspective as its main characters have entered old age. This drama follows a number of old friends who maintain their relationships after going through decades of life. Park Wan, a writer, becomes one of the characters who observes the life of his mother and her friends. The story discusses friendship, family, love, regret, and how one still needs friends even as they age.
Synopsis:
Park Wan lives his life as a writer while facing a complicated relationship with his mother. Around his mother is a group of friends who have known each other for many years. They face various issues that arise as they age, including family relationships, love, health, loneliness, and memories of the past. Their relationships show that friendships built over a long time can endure and become a source of strength when one faces different phases of life.
8. Questions & Answers About Dramas on Friendship That Lasts Even After Graduation
1. What are the dramas about friendships that last even after graduation?
Some dramas that highlight friendships that remain strong after school or college include Reply 1997, Reply 1994, Reply 1988, Hospital Playlist, Hello, My Twenties!, Be Melodramatic, and Dear My Friends. Each offers a different perspective, ranging from school friendships, student life, to friendships that endure into adulthood.
2. Which drama is most suitable for you if you miss your school friends?
Reply 1997 and Reply 1988 can be interesting choices. Both present a group of friends who grow up together and go through various experiences during their teenage years. The stories are also filled with simple moments that remind viewers of school days, such as hanging out with friends, discussing first love, and facing everyday problems.
3. What are the dramas about friendships after graduating college?
Hospital Playlist is one of the most suitable choices. The five main characters have been friends since they were medical students and later reunited as doctors working in the same hospital. The story shows how friendship can remain strong even though each has their own career, personal life, and responsibilities as adults.
4. Are there any dramas about strong female friendships?
Yes. Hello, My Twenties! and Be Melodramatic both feature female friendships as an important part of the story. Both dramas show how the characters support each other when facing issues of love, work, family, and various changes in life.
5. Which drama brings the most nostalgia?
If you are looking for a drama that is the strongest in terms of nostalgia, Reply 1988 is definitely a top choice. This drama depicts the lives of five friends who grew up together in the same neighborhood. Besides friendship, the story also explores family relationships, neighborly life, first love, and the changes in life as they begin to grow up.
(kpl/iya)
Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.