Television series
Marriage, Not Dating
- Romantic comedy
- Light-hearted
A brisk Korean romantic comedy about a surgeon who hires a woman to pretend to be his unsuitable girlfriend, hoping to scare off his marriage-obsessed family. It's lighter than air, genuinely funny, and rides entirely on the charm of its leads. Perfect if you want something warm and effortless that asks nothing of you but laughter.
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Crash Landing on You2019
A South Korean heiress falls into North Korea and falls for a military officer. It has the same rom-com DNA—unlikely pairing, family chaos, genuine chemistry—but with higher stakes and stunning production values.
But Longer (16 episodes) and occasionally melodramatic in ways that pull against the comedy.
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim2018
A powerful CEO and his secretary finally admit their feelings. It's got the workplace-romance angle done right, sharp banter, and actors who visibly enjoy each other's company.
But The power dynamic of boss-assistant doesn't sit right for everyone, and it leans heavily on the male lead's whims.
Touch Your Heart2019
A disgraced actress becomes a lawyer's secretary. Nimble, funny, and surprisingly touching. The two leads have an ease together that makes even the lighter moments feel genuine.
But The plotting is straightforward to the point of predictability. If you need surprises, this won't provide them.
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Lovely Horribly2018
Both centre on a false relationship premise, but this one uses it to explore consent and power rather than just manufacture meet-cute complications. The comedy comes from real stakes, not just family chaos.
A woman agrees to be a stuntwoman's fake girlfriend to escape her abusive ex. It sounds light but carries real darkness about coercion and autonomy. Funny and unafraid to let the comedy sit next to actual fear.
But The tonal shifts are sharp and deliberate—if you want steadily cheerful, this will jolt you. The violence is played seriously in a rom-com framework.
More like this (8)
My Roommate Is a Gumiho2021
A college student shelters a mythical creature who happens to be beautiful. It's playful and weird in all the right ways, with fantasy elements that keep it from feeling like every other rom-com.
But The fantasy stuff might feel precious if you're after pure grounded comedy. The tone wobbles occasionally.
Her Private Life2019
A PR executive with a secret life as a K-pop fan falls for a famous actor. It's knowing about fandom culture in a way that feels affectionate rather than mocking, and genuinely witty.
But Some plotlines feel half-baked, and the resolution leans on tropes rather than earned character growth.
Because This Is My First Life2017
A woman agrees to a marriage of convenience with a man she barely knows. It sounds rom-com-standard but goes quieter and more thoughtful, treating its characters like actual people.
But It's slower and less joke-heavy than rom-com fans expect. Some will find that refreshing; others will find it a slog.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha2021
A dentist moves to a seaside village and meets a cheerful drifter. Cosy and sweet, with a real sense of place. It's comfort food done right, and the side characters are delightful.
But It prioritizes warmth over conflict. If you need actual stakes, the low-key plotting will feel thin.
Suspicious Partner2017
A prosecutor and a woman he wrongly accused of murder team up to find the real killer. It blends legal thriller and romance in a way that keeps both threads alive and interesting.
But It's longer (40 episodes) and the crime plot sometimes overshadows the romance in uneven ways.
Thirty But Seventeen2018
A woman wakes from a 13-year coma and falls for the man who's been waiting for her. Genuinely moving beneath the rom-com exterior, with real emotional weight.
But The premise is heavy in a way the tone doesn't always match. Some scenes feel tonally confused.
Descendants of the Sun2016
Both feature a surgeon paired with someone from a completely different life, but this one flips the script—the doctor is the professional, and the romance emerges from genuine mutual respect rather than family scheming. Same engine, entirely different fuel.
A soldier and a doctor meet in a war zone and fall in love while dodging bullets. It's a romance that treats its characters as competent adults with actual jobs, not plot devices. Gorgeously shot, smartly paced.
But It's a drama in a romantic-comedy's clothing. People die. It wants to matter in ways Marriage, Not Dating never asks to.
Mr. Sunshine2018
It shares the DNA of Korean rom-coms—the male lead reluctant to admit his feelings, family complications, the pull between duty and desire—but transplants that machinery into something genuinely tragic. It shows what happens when you tell the same emotional story but actually let the stakes matter.
A man returns from America to 1910s Korea and falls in love amid colonial occupation and independence movements. It's a romance told at epic scale with stunning cinematography and genuine historical weight.
But It's 25 episodes of melodrama set during a real atrocity. Heavy in every way. Zero lightness. It will exhaust you emotionally.
