Age gap romance
Well, I've always liked older men and women, and I always loved age gap romance in novels, so of course I like it in dramas as well. (Now that I'm 40+ myself, I look for it less and it is harder to find, but I guess I'm still young at heart and like it as a trope.) When I say age gap I don't mean a handful of years. Three or five or even seven years don't count in my book. I get that by Korean standards, even someone one year older is an oppa or a noona, but I AM picky about this. Also, when it comes to "noona romance" I generally dislike it because those dramas tend to be silly with bubbly puppy type male leads. (It annoys me that many c-dramas these days have that!) In case of older woman/younger man, I want the Mrs Robinson kind of older woman who is confident, chases the guy first and seduces him. This is SO hard to find in dramas. As far as I know, it barely exist; it's always the other way around with a cheerful young guy and an inexperienced and/or low self-esteem FL. That is why there are few such dramas on this list and why most of these dramas have an older ML. Generally I find maturity and confidence hot... and I guess I don't just look for romance where I can feel the chemistry, but also where I can take the point of view of one of the characters... and maybe I just want dramas where one of the characters come close to being my "type"...
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![Mr. Sunshine]()
1. Mr. Sunshine
Korean Drama - 2018, 24 episodes
Such a perfect romance drama! I know there are people who hate the ending, and I know there are people who prefer the SML, but for once... I got something that truly made me swoon.
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![The King of Dramas]()
2. The King of Dramas
Korean Drama - 2012, 18 episodes
I am very, very fond of KMM... and I know that he tend to do similar types... Anthony is one of the most likable ones. I liked the drama even more after rewatching 8 years later.
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![Iki mo Dekinai Natsu]()
3. Iki mo Dekinai Natsu
Japanese Drama - 2012, 11 episodes
This romance is VERY between the lines and some may say it's not there at all, but I loved it. (Watched if years before making this list.)
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![Kou Kou Kyoushi 2003]()
4. Kou Kou Kyoushi 2003
Japanese Drama - 2003, 11 episodes
Absolutely weird and twisted, but one of the dramas that made the deepest impression on me when I was still a newbie in Asian Dramaland; I loved it so much!
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![Love Song]()
5. Love Song
Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes
Oh so good and heartbreaking in a way, because I didn't agree with some of the things that happened even though they did make sense. Head said yes, heart said no...
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![My Rainy Days]()
6. My Rainy Days
Japanese Movie - 2009
Barely remember it when I'm making the list but the rating says I liked it!
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![Secret Love Affair]()
7. Secret Love Affair
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
I remember it was good and I liked the FL. Wish I remember why I didn't rate it higher.
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![Mitsu no Aji]()
8. Mitsu no Aji
Japanese Drama - 2011, 11 episodes
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![The Forbidden Flower]()
9. The Forbidden Flower
Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes
In the first half, it was cute and funny and sexy and a little bit mysterious, and I loved it in a guilty pleasure (silly drama...) kind of way; it was also pretty gorgeous with all the flowers, sunshine and the ocean... The second half got draggy when there was suddenly a secondary couple (very typical boring noona romance) and I disliked the last few episodes.
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![Empresses in the Palace]()
10. Empresses in the Palace
Chinese Drama - 2012, 76 episodes
Well... that's an age gap romance all right. It's just that... only half of it was subbed where I watched it. I had to watch the Netflix short version which ruined the whole thing.
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![Utopians]()
11. Utopians
Hong Kong Movie - 2016
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![Valid Love]()
12. Valid Love
Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes
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![The Painter of the Wind]()
13. The Painter of the Wind
Korean Drama - 2008, 20 episodes
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![Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu]()
14. Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu
Japanese Drama - 2016, 11 episodes
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![Beethoven Virus]()
15. Beethoven Virus
Korean Drama - 2008, 18 episodes
I clearly remember how much I LOVED this drama when I watched it. I think I must have read too much into it between the lines, because reasons.... because when I rewatched it a couple of years ago, to my great disappointment, I didn't like it that much. The amazing maestro Kang... had some better moments, I guess, but no... I couldn't like him. (I'm glad there are other KMM dramas to love!)
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![Dating in the Kitchen]()
16. Dating in the Kitchen
Chinese Drama - 2020, 24 episodes
This age gap romcom about food had a promising start, but the second half of the drama was less interesting. Cute and fluffy in many ways, but the ML was just way too possessive for my taste.
