The Heart Remembers (Cellular Memory)
Can an organ transplant give you a connection to someone else, or change how you behave? In these dramas it can.
Spoiler Alert - the relevant to the list notes are more than likely spoilers
There's decades of anecdotal evidence regarding organ transplants and cellular memory, but the only studies were too small. Scientists theorize that changes in food preference, personality, etc. can be attributed to any number of things including medication side effects, and that cellular memory theory is nothing more than pseudoscience. Source - Organ Transplants: A change of heart in more ways than one
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1. A Tale of a Thousand Stars
Thai Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
After recovering from surgery and learning the truth about the donor of his new heart, spoiled rich kid Tian , volunteers at a remote village to fulfill the dreams of his heart donor. While there he finds himself drawn to Chief Forest Officer Phupha.
BL, Drama, RomanceRelevant to the list - After receiving Torfun's heart Tian takes on some of her mannerisms and he feels drawn to Phupha, the man she loved.
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2. Mouse
Korean Drama - 2021, 20 episodes
Working at a local substation, rookie police officer Jung Ba Reum lives an uneventful life. He's dedicated and hard working, but a bit squeamish around gore, but when a string of brutal murders begin he befriends the officer in charge with the aim of being transferred to the case. It's best to ignore the science & psychology and think of this as a Sci-Fi drama
Thriller, Mystery, Psychological, Sci-FiRelevant to the list - Spoiler Alert - after a partial frontal lobe transplant Jung Ba Reum takes on some of the donor's characteristics.
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3. Someone Like You
Taiwanese Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
Fang Zhan Cheng has concealed that the accident that killed Luo Han, his fiancée, also caused him to be blind. He hires Wang Yu Xi, who coincidentally looks just like his fiancée, as a personal care aid, and befriends Xu Ya Ti whose mannerisms remind him of Luo Han. Will he be able to move past his grief, and move on?
Drama, Romance
Relevant to the list - XuTa Ti, receives Luo Han's heart & bakes the same cookies and is instantly drawn to Fang Zhan Cheng
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4. Falling for Innocence
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
aka Beating Again - In business Min Ho is as cold-blooded and cutthroat as they come, but after an emergency heart transplant his secretary, Kim Soon Jung, starts to see the behaviors and mannerisms of her deceased boyfriend.
Drama, Romance, Comedy
Relevant to the list - After receiving Ma Dong Wook's heart, Min Ho starts behaving like Dong Wook, craving the same foods and falls in love with Kim Soon Jung.
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5. Heartbeat
Thai Movie - 2019
A year ago Namwhan had a heart transplant, as a result her mom prefers her to stay home. One day at Namwhan's family's guest house, Chai comes to stay. Chai is an introvert and a homebody but a puzzle left behind by his deceased girlfriend brought him to Chiang Mai. When Namwhan discovers the reason for his stay she take him around the city to find answers.
Romance, Comedy, Drama
Relevant to the List - Namwhan's heart beats faster when she sees Chai, and Chai and Fern's (was that her name) friends see similar mannerisms in the two women.
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6. Memory Love
Taiwanese Drama - 2017, 18 episodes
Upon her return to Taiwan, Qiao Jia En, along with her boyfriend & best friends, is involved in a fatal car accident. Jia En awakes with amnesia and her best friend steels her identity to reunite with Jia En's wealthy father. At the same time pastry chef Xing Shao Tian collapses and needs a heart transplant.
Drama, Romance
Relevant to the list - Xing Shao Tian recieves Jia En's boyfriend's heart and she seems to recognize it somehow, even from meters away.
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7. Angel Heart
Japanese Drama - 2015, 9 episodes
After an accident Kaori Makimura's heart was stolen in transport and given to a top assassin code named Glass Heart. For a year Ryo Saeba , aka City Hunter, has been looking for his dead partner's heart. Upon waking from a coma, and being chased by The Legion, Glass Heart goes searching for the memories she's having.
Action, Crime
Relevant to the List - Glass Heart is experiencing memories and feeling from Kaori.
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8. The Spring Day of My Life
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
One year after her heart transplant Lee Bom Yi visits the town where her heart donor lived. While there she keeps running into Kang Dong Ha, who she finds irritating, but she's instantly drawn to his kids. It has an 8.9 ⭐ on Viki & 7.6 ⭐ on MDL. I can't finish it, she's too much of a brat and I don't typically like Melodramas.
Melodrama, Romance, Family
Relevant to the List - Lee Bom Yi's heart donor was married to Kang Dong Ha and mother to his children, who Bom Yi feels an instant connection to.
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9. Summer Scent
Korean Drama - 2003, 20 episodes
I haven't watched this but from the synopsis it sounds like it fits.
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10. A Change of Heart
Hong Kong Drama - 2013, 30 episodes
I haven't watched this but from the synopsis it sounds like it fits.
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11. All About Love
Hong Kong Movie - 2005
From the synopsis it doesn't quite fit, but I'm adding it anyways.
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12. Love is Drop by Drop
Korean Drama - 2016, 120 episodes
From the synopsis, it might fit.
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13. Dear Heart
Japanese Movie - 2009
Not the typical romance from the transplant trope, this one is a Horror Movie.
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14. Wonderful Life
Chinese Drama - 2018, 45 episodes
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15. Confession
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
???