The Love That Never Was

by amrita828, August 14, 2013

52 93

I'm not always looking for romance in a drama; on the contrary, now and then I find myself in dire need of distraction from love and all the complications attached.
This said, I am a romantic at heart, one who nurtures a strange fascination for couples that never became such. There is something profoundly sad and yet beautiful about a love that is evident to everyone but never comes to a happy conclusion, or realization.
It fascinates me, and it frustrates me at the same time.

Therefore I have decided to compile a short list of those drama couples I would have loved to see together but never were, be it because the plot did not contemplate the issue, or because the screenwriters decided to disappoint every romantic viewer for unknown reasons. Or simply because they are pesky.

Obviously what follows is, by its own nature, spoilerish. To avoid crushing that tiny flicker of hope you may still be harboring to see these people walk the aisle, I am not going to mention the show title, only the pairing. Those among you who have seen the drama will certainly recognize the couple; those who haven't won't remember them when and if they decide to fill the void.

Unless of course you wish to be spoiled. In this case, click on the link.

TSURARA YOSHIKAWA and KUROSAKI

My very favourite couple that never was.

To be honest, I can’t understand why the direction decided to leave the issue open, since there was such a sizzling chemistry between these two it was amazing. They only had a few encounters and all of them brief, but invariably intense. Somewhere, in that part of my brain where I store little drama related things, these two are a couple, living somewhere far.

Both happily swindling, of course.

See the drama here

KANZAKI NAO and AKIYAMA SHINICHI

Really, would it have been so difficult to give us at least a little sop?

Ironically, Matsuda Shota is one of the most gorgeous Japanese actors, and yet no matter the drama he's never romantically involved. I am sure he compensates in real life, but that's another pair of shoes and, as a Shota fangirl in the grip of an insane jealousy, I'm not exactly willing to buy those shoes right now.

Therefore, once again I have decided to interpret the end of this story my own way and imagine these two are vanquishing every con-gang in Japan right now. Together.

What drama is this?

Not that Toda Erika is any luckier.

In fact, she's the protagonist of my next star crossed non-lovers:

TOMA SAYA and SEBUMI TAKERU

She provided the brain, he the… gun. A perfect match made in heaven… ok, perhaps not on so high a cloud, but the writer or the director must have had something similar in mind when putting these two together, because their alchemy was palpable. Alas… their spec is the ability to keep their feelings locked in that red suitcase.

Really want to know?

AIZAWA KOSAKU and SHIRAISHI MEGUMI

Maybe I seem a little Yamapi biased, but it's not my fault he's again involved in an unfulfilled love! They even had the nerve to hint at some sort of connection between these two, but it never concretized.

Their blossoming affection – be it real or the outcome of my rampant fantasy - must have been surgically removed. :P

Drama here

YANKUMI and SHIN

Yosh! Yes, naughty me has decided to tread on illicit ground and couple a student with his homeroom teacher. By Japanese drama standards, this is not such a big deal anyway and Shin would have been a perfect addition to the honourable Ooedo family.

Marginally, to get Yankumi Shin would have had to walk all over Tetsu's corpse… but that’s another story, and another love that never was.

What could this possibly be?

HIMEKAWA REIKO and KIKUTA KAZUO

Ahhh, those two. The drama was superb and it didn't need the added weight of a complicated love story between colleagues, but I'd lie if I said I didn't wish to see these two finding some sort of consolation one in the arms of the other. There's a vague hint, a delicate touch which was gone before it left a big impact. I have to live with it… I suspect.

*insert sigh*

See drama here

Before I complete my list, I need to insert a disclaimer. At this point perhaps you are asking yourself why I'm only mentioning Japanese couples. The reason is simple: all the Korean dramas I've watched dealt with love. The same goes with Taiwanese ones.

In 90% of those, a love triangle is involved, which means that someone won’t get his or her prize in the end. In general I am not a second lead shipper, so I saw no reason to add those to the list.

This said, rules exist to be broken. By yourself, if possible.

So here you have my most dubious peccadillo, and the only time I really wanted a second lead to get the girl:

GEUM JAN DI and YOON JI HOO

Yes, the bias needs a short defense.

Unlike its predecessors, this drama is watchable at best, the acting is terrible and Jan Di isn't exactly my idea of a female role model. Nevertheless, I watched the 25 episodes and for the whole duration of them I prayed the director decided to go against the original script, against everyone's better judgment, against Min Ho's fans and against the drama gods and have Ji Hoo win the girl in the end!

It still frustrates me that it wasn't so.

The very obvious drama

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I am sure I don't need to point out how incomplete this list is.

Be patient, my days aren’t longer than yours and I can't have watched all the dramas in the known universe. Furthermore, to feel the lack of something one has to feel strongly. This is something I can’t say about all the dramas I’ve watched.

Feel free however to add your favorites to the list. I’m sure it’s going to become very long. ;)