Doona! is a 2023 romantic Korean Drama starring Bae Suzy and Yang Se Jong on Netflix. It is based on the Korean Webtoon The Girl Downstairs.
It follows engineering university student Lee Won-jun who is shocked to learn that his housemate is none other than the famous and recently retired K-Pop idol Doo-na. After initially mistaking him for a stalker fanboy, the lonely and burned-out Doo-na decides that she likes this ordinary boy and foists her friendship upon him — though she swears that they won't fall for each other.
The show was released on October 20, 2023.
Not to be confused with the books of the same name.
Tropes:
- Almost Kiss: In episode 2, a drunken Doo-na nearly kisses Won-jun on the roof, but she stops at the last minute and beseeches him to "turn away next time".
- Betty and Veronica: Won-jun's two love interests: well-heeled and friendly longtime acquaintance Jin-ju and temperamental new housemate and ex-idol singer Doo-na.
- Casting Gag: Ex-K-pop idol Doo-na is played by none other than ex-K-pop idol Bae Suzy.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Jin-ju had long hair in high school flashbacks, though she now wears her hair in a chic bob.
- Fainting: Doona faints due to the cold, allowing main character Won-jun to heroically rescue her and bring her to the hospital. She takes a liking to him after that and stops being so standoffish towards him.
- Grievous Bottley Harm: A schoolmate of Won-jun's begins harassing him. Doo-na steps in waving a wine bottle. The bully threatens her to actually hit him, and she swings — though Won-jun is able to stop it from escalating to bloody murder with a motorcycle helmet.
- Loony Fan: Won-jun is mistaken for a stalker fan of Doo-na's because he's been wearing her group's merch and playing their music around the house they share. He has to disclaim that he didn't initially recognize her and his favorite girl group is TWICE, not Dream Sweet.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Discussed. K-pop idol Doo-na claims that she can walk on the street unbothered because people don't tend to recognize her when she's in plainclothes — after all, Won-jun didn't. He says that in the moment, it doesn't seem realistic or likely that you would actually be in front of a celebrity.
- Symbolic Serene Submersion: Doo-na's frustration with her K-pop celebrity is established in the opening minutes — while she's performing for a crowd, she imagines plunging into water and sinking. The second episode reveals that she fainted onstage during a performance.
