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Leads Aren't Endgame

HaveNoJams

As my title suggests I've been coming across a lot of dramas/movies recently that have romance as one of the genres but end with the main couple not together. I can agree that it's about the journey not the destination, but in some cases it really feels like a waste of time rooting for the main pairing/watching hours of episodes only for the ML/FL to end up alone or with someone else... but I digress. 

Basically two questions;

1) Does that title make sense, because I just added it as a spoiler tag on the couple of dramas/movies I've come across recently to maybe help out other viewers?

2) Can you name some dramas/movies where the leads don't end up together and why? (For instance FL marries someone else) I'll either move that drama/movie in my "Not Interested" list or if you say that it's still worthwhile check it out regardless! Obviously with the exception of a tragedy tag because in that case it's pretty obviously why they didn't end up together lol. 

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AH

There are a lot of dramas that I can think of where it's not clear who the FL is going to end up with from the beginning, but in those dramas it's a bit less clear which guy is the ML - the guy who the FL seems like she's going to end up with in the beginning or the guy she actually ends up with in the end? So "~leads~ not being endgame" might not be the right way to phrase it for these, but:

  • Ms. Perfect
  • Dream High
  • Story of Yanxi Palace

Then there are the dramas where circumstances force the main couple apart or one or both of them die:

  • Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo
  • A Korean Odyssey 
  • Bloody Romance 
  • Mr. Sunshine
  • Uncontrollably Fond
  • Queen for Seven Days
  • She's Dating the Gangster
  • The Rise of Phoenixes 
  • The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
  • Time

Dramas that sort of fit in both categories:

  • Empress Ki
  • Misty

The ending is left open to interpretation / unresolved / the end is a cliffhanger: 

  • Cheese in the Trap
  • My Mister
  • Princess Agents
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Czakhareina

Leads dont end up together because of some circumstances:

  • Money Flower - he has used her too much as pawn for her revenge
  • Blue GateCrossing (movie)- she is gay
  • Surplus Princess - she returns to the sea as foam? 
  • Secret Love Affair - she goes to prison
  • Remember - he has alzeimer's and can't remember her
  • you are the apple of my eye
  • windstruck -(movie)because this is a prequel to My sassy girl and he ends up with that gjy
  • Third Rate My Way
  • Leads drifted apart with ending:
    • Rush to the end of summer
    • Reply 1988
    • when we were young

Kinda like Open-ended with Leads not ending up together, but unlike mostly because it's not romance centered kind of drama...  so close ended drama narrative with ambigous and inconclusive romance:

  • Radiation House
  • When we were you
  • Idolm@ster. Kr
  • Nine times travel
  • Lovers in Paris

Multiple couple headline, and one of the couple had the open ended narrative :

  •  Girls generation 1979
  • The Producers
  • age of youth


Second Lead gets the girl/Guy, thus leads dont end up together:

  • Diamond Lover
  • Baker Takgoo
  • Love Song
  • Fashion King
  • A king Loves
  • I summon you gold
  • The First Born
  • You are the apple of my eye
  • Orange
  • orange (Movie)
  • Lead falls for second Lead, but even then the one they love dies and still dont end up with the lead:
    • Inspiring generation
    • Queen seondeok
    • Slave hunters

Tragic end, with one or both of leads dying:

  • Memories of bali
  • 1 liter of tears
  • 15 years of migratory birds
  • 49 days
  • I am sorry I love you
  • Beautiful Life - together until FL dies
  • Autumn in My Heart
  • Bridal Mask - FL dies during their wedding
  • Heartless city
  • Tree of Heaven
  • Hymn of death
  • The Devil/ Lucifer - Together until ML dies
  • Maou - Japanese version of The Devil
  • The way we were - together until ML dies
  • Super daddy yeol

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Bree Lee-Moss

A lot of Japanede dramas where romance isn't the main genre but somehow, romance was subtle so your hopes kinda goes up, or they love to throw romance angle in between characters and so but won't give them a real ending like the romance part was nothing but a filler.

Example is Jimi ni Sugoi, they didn't end up together, even though FL likes ML a lot, but she chose to pursue her dreams. Still, they end up as friends.

-Dame na Watashi ni Koishite kudasai - not clear If they were together or they reached an agreement to try or work their relationship.

- strawberry night (2010-2012) -this is a detective drama but one can see the chemistry between FL and ML and ML having very obvious feelings for FL but in the drama's SP ,  the fl ends-up with a yakuza and they had a sizzling affair.

- It's not that I can't marry, but I don't want to- twisted ending, so obvious the leads have fallen for one another but they didn't give us that ending.

- Survival Wedding - maybe it's just who wanted the FL to end up with his boss, but I guess that was never part of the story in the first place.

- Okitegami Kyoko - FL has 1 day amnesia but there was an episode when the leads clearly stated their feelings but for some reason, still open ended towards the end.

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HaveNoJams

Although this is a bit of a delayed response I would just like to thank everyone that replied! You've helped me dodge some bullets, but also put a couple new dramas on my radar that I didn't know of prior to this post! :)

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