Any where the female lead where she either has a dead loved one or ex who she has problems getting over and she constantly compares the male lead to this person thus causing problems for their relationship. In the end, she learns to let go and has a proper relationship with the male lead.

None of these are perfect fits, but they're somewhat close:

  • Marriage Contract
  • Witch's Romance
  • Empress Ki
  • Sound of the Desert
  • Falling for Innocence - FL's fiancee is killed, and somehow ML is transplanted with the fiancee's heart. FL sees the similarity between the mannerisms of the two but she cant bring herself to forget her late fiancee that fast.
  • Just Between Lover - the FL does have a dead first love, and it does somehow get in the way of their relationship, but not because  she sees similarities or compares the guy to the dead one. Its just that tragedy between them with the dead first love is a shared experience that somehow binds yet separates them
  • Will it snow for Christmas - When they were younger, FL's brother died trying to help her get a necklace that was thrown to the river for the ML. She feels guilty and blames herself and can't make herself see the ML thus she ran away, and they get separated. They will meet again years later.
  • Romantic Doctor teacher Kim - FL was in an accident with her BF, where he dies. FL feels guilty. FL has somewhat guilty feelings because the day the accident she had been attracted to someone else, the ML. then she runs away, and they meet a few years after.
  • Wonderful Life (2018) - new chinese drama. almost the same synopsis as Falling for Innocence
  • Nara's Rain - KBS drama special
  • Not dead ex/fiancee/love one who comes back seemigly out of no where to create havoc between the leads:
    • Lovers in Pragui
    • Meloholic
    • Stars Lover
    • Witch Yohee