How to Make a Romantic Xianxia: Love Between Fairy and Devil
After the publication of Awesome Cdrama Rom-Coms to Watch on Any Day, Blizzardahm is back with another MDL writer and drama lover, Anushka, who has watched many Kdramas and would like to share them with the wonderful MDL community. There are Korean dramas of all genres, but if you want a fluffy or funny one, resorting to rom-coms is the best idea.
Most Kdrama rom-coms have 16 episodes (1 hour - 1 hour 20 minutes long), and others have 32 episodes (35 minutes long, although some sites do put two 35-minute episodes together). Here is a list of Kdrama rom-coms with a diversity of tags that you can choose from. This is a two-part article series, Part 1 will have modern Kdrama rom-coms and Part 2 will have classic, web drama, fantasy, science-fiction, and historical Korean drama rom-coms.
Drama topics (color-coded):
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Note: When a drama is in a certain category, it has the same tag (or genre) as the others in the category. (For example, Her Private Life does not have the tag "Boss/Employee Relationship" in its slot on this article, but it does have the tag on MDL because all dramas under the category have this tag.)
Note (2): This article DOES NOT contain all Kdrama rom-coms, but there is a good amount of them. We chose the dramas based on what we watched and would recommend.
Note (3): Dramas in each category are listed in random order.
Note (4): We added some notes to each category about some of the Kdramas and our opinions.
High School Rom-Coms (Common tags: High School, Student) |
K-dramas always tend to focus on different things other than just being a rom-com. High school dramas are not an exception, because, other than A Love So Beautiful (C-drama original story having the same title), all dramas speak about some serious topics such as school bullying, family issues, etc. |
| MDL rating: 28, 648 users | MDL rating: 8.2 (4, 398 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, School, Friendship, Youth, Mystery Tags: School Bullying, Love Triangle, Amnesia, Twins, Childhood Friends, Hidden Identity |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, School, Friendship, Youth Tags: School Bullying, Hidden Past, Popular Female Lead, Social Media, Broadcasting Club, Male Chases Female First |
| MDL rating: 8.2 (18, 268 users) | MDL rating: 8.1 (7, 305 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, School, Youth, Mystery Tags: School Bullying, First Love, Friendship, Childhood Friends, Bromance, Love Triangle |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, School, Family, Life Tags: First Love, Love Triangle, Controlling Parent, Shy Male Lead, Multiple Couples, Strong Friendship |
| MDL rating: 8.4 (25, 1821 users) | MDL rating: 7.8 (5, 878 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, School, Friendship, Youth Tags: Adapted from a Webtoon, Love Triangle, Beauty Standards, Transfer Student, School Bullying, Naive Female Lead |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, School, Friendship, Youth Tags: Love Triangle, First Love, Female Chases Male First, Cold Man/Warm Woman, Smart Male Lead, Slice of Life |
Office Rom-Coms (Common Tag: Office Romance) |
These dramas are office-centered but are not boss-employee relationships. She Would Never Know has the tag of Older Woman/Younger Man. They actually only have a 1-year age gap, but they do have a big difference in terms of maturity and work experience. Romance is a Bonus Book has a little slow-burn romance so it's not going to be fast-paced when it comes to romance. |
Boss/Employee Relationship Rom-Coms (Common tag: Boss/Employee Relationship) |
The list of Boss/Employee office rom-coms was terribly long, so we chose the most enjoyable ones in our opinions. They are pretty common but have a big influence. Falling For Innocence is hilarious in many ways, especially with the male lead's personality. Kill Me, Heal Me is sure worth trying even if it is a little old. The acting is just phenomenal. Strong Woman Do Bo Song tries to break many stereotypes by having the female lead as a 'hero', plus the male lead is a MOOD. It does have a thriller side but it is very fluffy as well! |
Marriage Contracts/Contract Relationships Rom-Coms (Common Tags: Marriage Contract, Contract Relationship) |
Because This is My First Life has one of the coldest male leads I've ever seen but this is what makes it more fun. How can I forget that I was interested in the second lead's story here? (Which rarely happens.) Noble, My Love is a short drama, but an interesting watch. Something About 1 Percent has the sizzling chemistry between the leads, and although male lead is kinda 'nope' and very possessive, it actually didn't affect me much as it sure was fun. |
| MDL rating: 8.2 (23, 773 users) | MDL rating: 8.5 (33, 202 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Family, Business Tags: One-Night Stand, Pregnancy, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Naive Female Lead, Heir, Marriage of Convenience |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Friendship, Life Tags: Cohabitation, Multiple Couples, Sismance, Writer, Workplace Abuse, Cat, Strong Female Characters |
| MDL rating: 8.1 (7, 730 users) | Prime Minister and I | MDL rating: 7.3 (8,016 users) | |
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Family, Melodrama Tags: Single Parent, Terminal Illness, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Older Man/Younger Woman, Child, Hate to Love |  | Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Family Tags: Single Father, Age Gap, Journalism, Older Man/Younger Woman |
| MDL rating: 8.2 (16,003 users) | MDL rating: 8.2 (20,943 users) | ||
 | Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama Tags: Possessive Male Lead, Teacher, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Strong Female Lead, Sassy Female Lead |  | Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Family Tags: Bickering Couple, Controlling Parent, Cold Man/Warm Woman, Eccentric Female Lead, Love/Hate Relationship |
| MDL rating: 7.5 (19,169 users) | MDL rating: 7.6 (14,338 users) | ||
 | Genres: Comedy, Romance Tags: Coming To Age, Pretend Relationship, Lying, Steamy Kiss, Heir |  | Genres: Comedy, Romance Tags: Possessive Male Lead, Male Chases Female First, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Web Series, Cheerful Female Lead |
Sports Rom-Coms (Common Genre: Sports) |
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is a full dose of fluff and cuteness. And not just in the aspect of romance but it's very appealing having such a great portrayal of friendship, too. Fight For My Way lives up to its name. It's about the struggle of finding the right way to lead your life. It teaches many things but it never loses its rom-com vibe, and it keeps that smile on your face when you are watching it. I wouldn't exactly call Oh My Venus a sports rom-com but I really like how it tries to focus on being healthy (it's not just about having a good appearance). Run On fits more as a life lessons drama that teaches self-love. |
| MDL rating: 8.8 (57,758 users) | MDL rating: 8.5 (36,763 users) | ||
 | Genres: Friendship, School, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Youth Tags: College Life, Friends To Lovers, Dream, Tomboy, Strong Female Lead, Slow Burn Romance |  | Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Business, Friendship, Sports Tags: Childhood Friends, Friends To Lovers, Strong Male Lead, Strong Female Lead, Personal Growth |
| MDL rating: 8.4 (15,082 users) | MDL rating: 8.3 (33,618 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Drama, Sports, Life Tags: Strong Female Lead, Calm Male Lead, Nice Male Lead, Female Chases Male First, Secondary Couple |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Law, Sports, Friendship, Drama Tags: Weight Loss, Cohabitation, Bromance, Hidden Identity, Rich Male Lead, Hardworking Male Lead |
Medical Rom-Coms (Common Genre: Medical, Common Tag: Doctor) |
There aren't many medical romcoms, but here are a few. A Poem a Day is more than just a rom-com. You'll get many life lessons through it. It's a beautiful journey and I just love the leads. Emergency Couple is hilarious. Well, I guess its poster gives that vibe for sure! But the leads did a great job in acting here and their chemistry rocks. Descendants of the Sun does not just focus on the medical genre but it sure has a big role. Doctors is also a fun and interesting drama, but it has a slightly bigger age gap so just keep that in mind. The female lead is such a badass and is also talented. |
| MDL rating: 7.9 (5, 026 users) | MDL rating: 8.0 (20, 330 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Medical, Life, Drama Tags: Poetry, Love Triangle, Female Chases Male First, Hospital, Doctor, Cold Man/Warm Woman, Nice Female Lead |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Medical, Drama Tags: Blind Date, Marriage, Divorced Couple, Ex-spouse Relationship, Love/Hate Relationship, Second Chance |
| MDL rating: 8.7 (57, 098 users) | MDL rating: 7.8 (23, 427 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Medical, Military, Action, Melodrama Tags: Soldier, Doctor, Gun Violence, Bromance, Multiple Couples, Strong Friendship, Male Chases Female First |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Medical, Drama Tags: Older Man/Younger Woman, Student/Teacher Relationship, Nice Male Lead, Male Chases Female First, Badass Female Lead |
Food Rom-Coms (Common Genre: Food) |
Friendly suggestion: don't watch if you are hungry. Wok of Love lives up to its genres: Romance, Comedy, and Food. It doesn't distract from them and tries to get serious haha. My Lovely Sam Soon is much older... It might not fit your taste if you are more into modern dramas, but it's one of those dramas worth experimenting with to get out of your comfort zone. Oh yes! Oh My Ghostess has a ghost in it, but don't worry! It's not scary at all and you'll love the ghost more, haha... Well, it's not only focused on food but it is an important factor as both leads are chefs. |
| MDL rating: 8.0 (7, 658 users) | MDL rating: 7.5 (6, 487 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Food Tags: Cooking, Boss/Employee Relationship, Love Triangle, Cold Man/Warm Woman, Older Woman/Younger Man |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Life, Food Tags: Love Triangle, Older Woman/Younger Man, Chef, Second Chance Romance, Writer, First Love |
| MDL rating: 7.9 (13, 114 users) | MDL rating: 8.4 (34, 517 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Family, Drama, Food Tags: Love Triangle, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Woman Loves Eating, Older Woman/Younger Man, Boss/Employee Relationship |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Supernatural, Sitcom, Food Tags: Ghost, Chef, Boss/Employee Relationship, Identity Swap, Ghost-Seeing Female Lead, Love Triangle |
Music Rom-Coms (Common Genre: Music) |
Thirty But Seventeen and Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol are very different from each other but the common thing they have is the heartwarming and feel-good story. I'm more in favor of Thirty But Seventeen as it really impressed me in many ways. It's heart-touching, emotional, and was a memorable ride. Do You Like Brahms? is a slow burn but the interactions the leads have are so cute and natural. The awkwardness they have at the start is very real but later you'll see them getting more and more comfortable with each other. Dream High is definitely old but gold! |
| MDL rating: 8.5 (20, 479 users) | MDL rating: 7.7 (8, 936 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Music, Mystery Tags: First Love, Cohabitation, Tragic Past, Naive Female Lead, Trauma, Musical Prodigy |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Music, Melodrama Tags: Pianist, Nice Male Lead, Riches to Rags, Male Chases Female First, Classical Music, Hardworking Male Lead |
| MDL rating: 8.1 (6, 072 users) | MDL rating: 7.5 (12, 615 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Friendship, Music, Melodrama Tags: Violinist, Pianist, Love Triangle, Classical Music, Friends to Lovers, First Love, Perseverance, University Student |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Music, Friendship, Youth Tags: Music Competition, Adapted From a Manga, Bromance, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Cold Man/Warm Woman, Band, Singing |
| MDL rating: 7.5 (30, 223 users) | MDL rating: 8.0 (33, 564 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, School, Youth, Music Tags: College Life, Love Triangle, Competition, Band, Cold Man/Warm Woman, Singer-Songwriter, Female Chases Male First |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Music, School, Friendship Tags: High School, School Bullying, Childhood Friends, Love Triangle, Character Development |
Cross Dressing Rom-Coms (Common Tag: Cross-Dressing) | |||
As you can see, there aren't any new dramas here, so I'll say Cross-Dressing is a bit of an old trope in K-dramas (though there is Love in the Moonlight and The Tale of Nokdu, which are more recent dramas). Coffee Prince would be perfect to represent this tag. You might get mixed feelings while watching it, but it's worth giving try. It's a must-watch if you want to explore everything in K-dramas. Sungkyunkwan Scandal is historical, friendship is also one of the focuses of this drama. Another fact I like about it is that it doesn't get very political near the end as many historicals tend to do. | |||
| MDL rating: 8.1 (44,977 users) | MDL rating: 8.3 (39,286 users) | ||
 | Genres: Friendship, Comedy, Music, Romance, Drama Tags: Celebrity, Love Triangle, House Mates, Identity Swap, Bromance, Idol, Twin Exchange |  | Genres: Food, Friendship, Comedy, Romance, Drama Tags: Hidden Identity, Tomboy, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Coffee Shop, Hardworking Female Lead, Bromance |
| Sungkyunkwan Scandal | MDL rating: 8.2 (18,867 users) | MDL rating: 7.5 ( 28,374 users) | |
 | Genres: Historical, Romance, Comedy, School Tags: Bromance, Hidden Identity, Joseon Dynasty, Love Triangle, Roommates, Friendship |  | Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Youth, Drama, Sports Tags: High School, Adapted From A Manga, School Dorm, High Jump, Celebrity, Idol Actress/Actor |
Love/Hate Relationship Rom-Coms (Common Tag: Love/Hate Relationship) |
Hate To Love is a very common trope where the leads' interactions start with bickering. Boys Over Flowers and Secret Garden would be classic examples, but Secret Garden is also fantasy with body swap. Another Miss Oh and So I Married an Anti Fan are definitely fun and interesting watches, no one can deny that the leads have really great chemistry in both of them. Another common theme they have is that you won't like the male lead at the start but then you start to adore him. So I Married an Anti-Fan is a perfect example of a hate-to-love drama, and it also provides good insight into the hardships of the entertainment industry. |
Law Rom-Coms (Common Genre: Law) |
The fluffiest and cutest drama in this genre is Touch Your Heart as it mostly focuses on romance instead of law. Suspicious Partner and Your Honor have a bit of mystery and also have law as a major factor. In Miss Hammurabi, you aren't getting heavy romance, but it sure has great chemistry between the leads and their cute interactions are a plus. |
| MDL rating: 8.3 (33, 385 users) | MDL rating: 8.3 (23, 102 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Law, Suspense, Crime, Thriller Tags: Cohabitation, Nice Male Lead, Serial Killer, Tragic Past, Hardworking Female Lead |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Law, Life, Drama Tags: Famous Lead/Common Lead, Lawyer, Law Firm, Office Romance, Hardworking Female Lead |
| MDL rating: 8.1 (3, 441 users) | MDL rating: 8.2 (7, 817 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Law, Drama Tags: Twins, Identity Swap, Tragic Past, Revenge, Prosecutor, Ex-Convict, Boss/Employee Relationship. |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Law, Life, Friendship Tags: Social Problems, Sassy Female Lead, First Love, Male Chases Female First, Slow Burn Romance, Childhood Friends |
Family Rom-Coms (Common Genre: Family) | |||
The next two dramas aren't normal-length K-dramas. Instead, they are more like sitcoms as they have 50 - 100 episodes. However, they are worth it! They have the perfect balance of romance and comedy with being family dramas and having multiple couples. My personal favorite is My Father is Strange. I didn't just love all couples and their interactions and stories but the relationship between the siblings was amazing, too. | |||
| MDL rating: 8.6 (7,973 users) | MDL rating: 8.5 (2,514 users) | ||
 | Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Family Tags: Huge Family, Family Secret, Sisterhood, Eccentric Female Lead, Multiple Couples, Strong Female Lead, |  | Genres: Business, Comedy, Romance, Life, Drama, Family Tags: Divorce, Family Relationship, Multiple Couples, Multiple Mains, Huge Family, Married Couple, Divorced Couple |
Star-Crossed Lovers Rom-Coms (Common Tag: Star-Crossed Lovers) |
You Who Came From the Stars, Scripting Your Destiny, The Legend of the Blue Sea, and Goblin are fantasy Kdramas. Bride of the Century is supernatural. Bride of the Century doesn't focus on the supernatural genre if we compare it to the other drama having the same genre. Do I have to give an introduction to Goblin? I guess it's one of the best well-known dramas. But yeah, you'll enjoy bromance more than romance here for sure. ;D And its OSTs are gold. Crash Landing On You is ace when it comes to Star-Crossed Lovers while You Who Came From the Stars is an absolute classic and a must-watch (in my opinion). Scripting Your Destiny gives strong vibes of Goblin from the poster to the opening scene but trust me, it's different when it comes to plot. Though it's a short drama, it did really well with aspects like cinematography and music, and also gives justice to the story. |
| MDL rating: 8.9 (44, 866 users) | MDL rating: 8.6 (55, 096 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Military, Political, Drama Tags: North and South Korea, Lovers From Different Countries, Army Officer, Rich Female Lead, Sismance |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Melodrama Tags: Alien, Interspecies Romance, Famous Actress, Time Manipulation, Special Power, Neighbors |
| MDL rating: 7.9 (11, 530 users) | MDL rating: 7.9 (1, 464 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Supernatural, Mystery Tags: Arranged Marriage, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Heir, Love Triangle, Love/Hate Relationship, Double Identity |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy Tags: Deity-Human Relationship, First Love, Hidden Identity, Flashback to Past, Writer, Forbidden Love, Web Series |
| MDL rating: 8.4 (36, 980 users) | MDL rating: 8.9 (67, 688 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Drama Tags: Mermaid, Interspecies Romance, Naive Female Lead, Reincarnated Lovers, Housemates, Evil Stepmother |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Melodrama Tags: Grim Reaper, Interspecies Romance, Age Gap, Bromance, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Ghost-seeing FL |
Youth Rom-Coms (Common Genre: Youth) |
W.H.Y and Wednesday 3:30 PM are short web series, with them being 120 minutes long and 300 minutes long, respectively. Youth Kdramas always try to focus on the problems the youth are facing in their perspectives. So yeah, these stories sure are refreshing. Lovestruck in the City isn't the regular kind of drama. It's more like a documentary, they did well with many aspects here and if you like to explore something different, it has that element. |
| MDL rating: 8.0 (7, 423 users) | MDL rating: 7.4 (3, 811 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Youth, Life Tags: Break Up, Flashback to Past, Multiple Couples, Double Identity, Best Friends, Character Development |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Youth, Drama Tags: Multiple Lovers, Self-Centered Character, First Love, Love Triangle, Unrequited Love, Sismance, Female Chases Male First |
| MDL rating: 8.1 (34, 091 users) | MDL rating: 7.9 (7, 254 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Life, School, Youth, Friendship, Psychological Tags: Beauty Standards, Plastic Surgery, College Life, Nice Female Lead, School Bullying, Female Antagonist, Friends to Lovers, Healing |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Youth, Friendship, Business, Life Tags: Entrepreneur, Debt, Love Triangle, Multiple Couples, Delivery Man/Woman, Abusive Parents |
| MDL rating: 8.0 (1, 822 users) | MDL rating: 7.9 (6, 127 users) | ||
 | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Youth, Life, Friendship, Drama Tags: Multiple Couples, Older Woman/Younger Man, Web Series, Miniseries, Bromance, Unrequited Love |  | Genres: Romance, Comedy, Youth, Friendship, Life Tags: Childhood Friends, Love Triangle, Web Series, Cohabitation, Nice Male Lead, Breakup, Friends to Lovers |
Thank you for reading and we hope you found some good Kdramas to add to your Plan to Watch list! Happy watching! ~Anushka and Blizzardahm |  |
Edited by: Nymphadora (1st editor), devitto (2nd editor)
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