ROMANCE | Strangers to Lovers
This list includes couples who don't know each other at the beginning of the drama - so there is no typical childhood connection. Strangers to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes. I really like it when the main characters have yet to really get to know each other.
I only name dramas that I've already watched or am currently watching.
I provide brief information about how the leads met.
The upper half of the list has dramas with straight couples and lower half with gay/lesbian couples.
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1. Rising With the Wind
Chinese Drama - 2023, 40 episodes
FL and ML meet at FL's father's company. Later ML becomes the investor for FL.
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2. Stealth Walker
Chinese Drama - 2021, 24 episodes
FL and ML meet during an undercover mission. Later they sometimes work together or against each other.
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3. Parallel World
Chinese Drama - 2023, 38 episodes
FL and ML meet at a shadow puppet show. Later they go on a mission into the desert.
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4. The Rational Life
Chinese Drama - 2021, 35 episodes
FL and ML meet in front of a supermarket. Later ML becomes FL's assistant.
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5. Falling Into You
Chinese Drama - 2022, 26 episodes
FL and ML meet at a sports competition. Later FL becomes ML's coach.
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6. Reset
Chinese Drama - 2022, 15 episodes
ML and FL meet on the bus. They are trapped together in a time loop.
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7. Mama Gogo
Thai Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
FL und ML meet in a clothing store. ML is a debt collector and wants the money back that was lent to FL.
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8. Across the Sky
Thai Drama - 2023, 14 episodes
FL and ML meet outside on their way to the academy. ML is a new student there.
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9. Healer
Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes
FL and ML meet on the bus. Both become entangled in a big mystery that needs to be solved. ML has to investigate more about FL's life.
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10. Dirty Laundry
Thai Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
FL and ML meet at the laundromat. They both come into contact with gangsters and have to help each other.
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11. Knight Flower
Korean Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
FL and ML meet during a mission. After that, they often meet again due to other criminal cases and FL has to hide her identity.
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12. Lighter & Princess
Chinese Drama - 2022, 36 episodes
FL and ML meet on their first day of university. They have the same classes together.
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13. Hoshi Furu Yoru ni
Japanese Drama - 2023, 9 episodes
FL and ML meet on a starry night during camping. They then meet again by chance at a funeral.
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14. Witch's Romance
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
FL and ML meet in front of an office building. Later they become neighbors.
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15. The Judge from Hell
Korean Drama - 2024, 14 episodes
FL and ML meet in the courtroom. FL is a judge and ML is a police officer. They meet again because of various criminal cases.
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16. Lesson in Love
Taiwanese Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
FL and ML meet on a sports field at the school. FL is a new teacher and ML is a student and troublemaker.
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17. Pending Train: 8:23, Ashita Kimi to
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
FL and ML meet on the train. After the accident they have to survive together with the others in the wilderness.
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18. Promise Cinderella
Japanese Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
FL and ML meet outside on the street. FL has lost her home and soon gets a room in ML's family house.
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19. Tender Light
Chinese Drama - 2024, 28 episodes
FL and ML meet in the small town, in FL's store. They become entangled in a criminal case.
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20. To the Moon and Back
Thai Drama - 2023, 21 episodes
FL and ML meet on the street in front of garbage cans. They live close to each other and get to know each other better through baking.
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21. The Story of Pearl Girl
Chinese Drama - 2024, 40 episodes
FL and ML meet during the dance of the pearl maidens in the cave. FL is a slave and pearl diver there. ML is a merchant.
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22. A Tale of Thousand Stars
Thai Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in the mountains. They live together in a village there for many weeks.
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23. Ai Long Nhai
Thai Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at the university. ML1 has returned home after a stay abroad.
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24. He's Coming to Me
Thai Drama - 2019, 8 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in the cemetery. ML1 is a ghost and ML2 is a living person who can see him.
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25. Happy of the End
Japanese Drama - 2024, 8 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in a bar. Both have a tragic past and are trying to survive in their harsh reality.
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26. I Feel You Linger in the Air: Uncut Version
Thai Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at the river. ML1 has had an accident and suddenly wakes up in another century, where ML2 lives.
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27. I Will Knock You
Thai Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet outside. Later ML1 becomes the tutor of ML2.
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28. Knock Knock, Boys!
Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
ML1 + ML2 and ML3 + ML4 end up in a shared house and live together. ML1 + ML2 are students at the university and ML3 + ML4 are working adults.
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29. Last Twilight
Thai Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at an interview for a care worker. ML1 is almost blind and ML2 gets the job to take care of him.
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30. Laws of Attraction
Thai Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet because of a criminal case. ML1 is a lawyer and starts helping ML2.
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31. Moonlight Chicken
Thai Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
ML1 + ML2 meet at the chicken restaurant of ML1.
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32. Not Me
Thai Drama - 2021, 14 episodes
ML1 + ML2 meet at the garage. ML1 is undercover to investigate the group that his twin brother and ML2 belong to.
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33. Only Boo!
Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at the restaurant of ML2's mother. ML1 is new in town.
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34. Never Let Me Go
Thai Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet because ML1 needs ML2 as a bodyguard.
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35. Rak Diao
Thai Drama - 2022, 15 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet on their way to the office. ML1 starts working with ML2 and soon they live next to each other.
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36. Something in My Room
Thai Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at ML1's new home. ML2 is a ghost who lives there too and has unfinished business.
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37. Sotus
Thai Drama - 2016, 15 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at the university. ML1 is a freshman and ML2 his senior.
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38. Sugar Dog Life
Japanese Drama - 2024, 9 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at night. ML1 is slightly drunk and ML2 is a police officer who first thinks he's underage.
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39. The Eclipse
Thai Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in front of the school. ML1 is a new student and tries to find out more about the death of a loved one.
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40. Unintentional Love Story
Korean Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in the pottery store. ML1 has the task to find out more about ML2's secret.
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41. Wandee Goodday
Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet at the hospital. ML1 is a famous boxer and becomes a patient of ML2 who is a doctor.
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42. Kidnap
Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in front of a shopping mall. Later ML1 accepts a job to kidnap ML2.
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43. Jack & Joker: U Steal My Heart!
Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in a bar. ML1 is a thief and ML2 will become a debt collector.
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44. Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo
Korean Drama - 2024, 8 episodes
ML1 and ML2 meet in front of a Taekwondo gym in a rural area.
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45. Pluto
Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
FL1 and FL2 meet in the house of FL1. FL2 has a twin sister who is in the hospital. Then FL2 pretends to be her twin sister who is in a relationship with FL1.