Hi! So I recently finished watching The Liar game (the Korean version) and I absolutely loved it.  I loved how the male lead was able to turn the female lead's so called  "weakness" into her strength. I also liked how the romantic angle was implied. It was left to our imagination, whether they remained friends or became a couple.
So can anyone recommend a drama similar in tone? One where the male lead is fiercely protective of the female lead regardless of any romantic feelings and the romance is subtle or implied in the end  (I'm not saying there should be no romance. I like romantic dramas but I'm just in the mood for a more subtle romantic angle with more focus on the plot). Also i prefer Korean. I'm not into chinese or Japanese or Taiwanese dramas.


This is a list of shows I've watched (and completed)

https://mydramalist.com/list/z1d8NNA1

And a list of shows I dropped

https://mydramalist.com/list/71NwlEWL

Your watch list said private so not sure what you have watched. Might suggest Miss Hammurabi if you don't mind legal drama. It isn't romance focused and ML is defiantly a support to FL.

 MyDramaObsession:

Your watch list said private so not sure what you have watched. Might suggest Miss Hammurabi if you don't mind legal drama. It isn't romance focused and ML is defiantly a support to FL.

Really? That's odd...all my lists are public (at least that's the option I selected but I dunno) and I havent seen miss hammurabi

Is it rom com? Cuz I really can't stand rom coms for some reason. Its why I couldn't complete shows like strong woman do bong soon. I like a more serious touch in the shows I watch with tasteful or witty humour here and there (best example would be goblin)

Thnks for the rec!      

Honestly I a huge romcom fan so I'm probably not the best to give you recommendations. I liked Liars Game Korean but the Japanese version is in my top all time favorites list. I don't watch many dramas without a strong romantic element maybe Healer, Circle, Yong Pal, Remember, Signal, I Remember You, etc off the top of my heads on non romance centric dramas lol. I remember Miss Hammurabi being more of a legal drama with comedy and some romantic elements but most of those were with the secondary cast. I will say the FL is very strong to the point of obnoxious at first. But as the drama progresses she kind of evolves and becomes more reserved? Anyway it's focus is social injustice, morality, legal system fails with commentary on social norms and expectations in SK. More melodramatic comedy though if your looking for action. Sorry couldn't be of more help.

You may want to check out Ms Temper and Nam Jung Gi. The leads devlop a friendship from working together, and by the end, the possibility of the relationship developing further in the future is hinted at. Unlike Ms Hammurabi, the leads in Ms Temper never kiss or become openly romantic with each other.

Medical Examiner Dr Qin (2016)- Pretty decent crime drama, don't eat when your watching hehe. Strong FL, just implied Romance... it's refreshing. 

 MyDramaObsession:

Honestly I a huge romcom fan so I'm probably not the best to give you recommendations. I liked Liars Game Korean but the Japanese version is in my top all time favorites list. I don't watch many dramas without a strong romantic element maybe Healer, Circle, Yong Pal, Remember, Signal, I Remember You, etc off the top of my heads on non romance centric dramas lol. I remember Miss Hammurabi being more of a legal drama with comedy and some romantic elements but most of those were with the secondary cast. I will say the FL is very strong to the point of obnoxious at first. But as the drama progresses she kind of evolves and becomes more reserved? Anyway it's focus is social injustice, morality, legal system fails with commentary on social norms and expectations in SK. More melodramatic comedy though if your looking for action. Sorry couldn't be of more help.

I never watched the Japanese version of liar game because I don't really like the acting in Japanese dramas (also if there are more versions of a book or drama, I tend to stick to one version since that way I can avoid comparison. Had I disliked the Korean version, then I would have tried the Japanese version but I really liked the korean version so I don't want my enjoyment to be marred by unnecessary comparisons)

I've watched healer and I did like it initially but I felt like it would have been better if it had been a few episodes shorter. Circle and yong pal I've heard about but I also read some reviews saying that there shows became disappointing after the first few episodes. Signal I know was a big hit but I dunno, it doesn't seem like my kinda show but I might give it a try since there has to be a reason behind all the good reviews 

Thankyou so much for your recommendations!   

 burhaaadmi:

You may want to check out Ms Temper and Nam Jung Gi. The leads devlop a friendship from working together, and by the end, the possibility of the relationship developing further in the future is hinted at. Unlike Ms Hammurabi, the leads in Ms Temper never kiss or become openly romantic with each other. 

This sounds interesting, but os it more serious or rom com? Because the poster makes it seem like it might be a lighter show and I prefer serious shows 

Thankyou for your recommendation!  And yeah I would actually prefer if the romantic angle is only hinted at in the end.  

 Thousand_Paper_Cranes:

Medical Examiner Dr Qin (2016)- Pretty decent crime drama, don't eat when your watching hehe. Strong FL, just implied Romance... it's refreshing. 

This is a Chinese drama and i don't really watch C dramas (nothing against them, just a personal preference) but thank you for taking the time out to recommend it!   

 Vampirehunter007:

This sounds interesting, but os it more serious or rom com? Because the poster makes it seem like it might be a lighter show and I prefer serious shows 

Thankyou for your recommendation!  And yeah I would actually prefer if the romantic angle is only hinted at in the end.  

It's not a romcom, because there's no real romance between the leads, but is a lighter show, with a lot of comedic elements balancing the focus on the challenges the FL faces as a boss in a male-dominated world. She's the ML's boss. Lee Yo Won makes a habit of choosinbg very strong, independent female lead roles, for a more serious one, I recommend Running Mates, which has no romantic arc at all, and Night Light, which has a VERY subtle and understated (possible) romantic arc between the two female leads. Whether their relationship IS romantic or not is deliberately unclear, but their bond is much stronger, more complex and nuanced and more interesting than between Lee Yo Won's character and her former BF, the male lead

Here are some dramas where the romance is only hinted or it isn't the main focus:

Kill It 

A Beautiful Mind 

Hello Monster 

Two Weeks 

 Kdramalover203:

Here are some dramas where the romance is only hinted or it isn't the main focus:

Kill It 

A Beautiful Mind 

Hello Monster 

Two Weeks 

I only just added two weeks to my plan to watch list and since you've recommended it too, I have a good feeling about this show ? kill it I've heard about I think I'll watch that too since it seems interesting 

Thanks!

@burhaaadmi, I'll try your recommendation too 

Thankyou everyone for the replies!

  • Stranger
  • Voice (season 1)
  • Ms Temper and Nam Jung Gi