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Looking for dramas with a FL that is serious/subdued

JulySnow2

These dramas really come to mind & probably  fit your description:


Cinderella's Sister
FL is very bitter and goes through alot of pain,  in fact her intriguing bitter grey&layered character is the best thing of that drama imo.   The ML is older and quite serious but not as bitter as FL

Temptation of An Angel
FL is bitter and seeks revenge,  the actress intense melo acting as revengful trixter is amazing too!
ML is very serious and sad too & also starts seeking revenge.

Golden Empire
  However no actual romance but ML & FL using each other.  Watch it more for its type of Charles Dickens style storytelling of poor people's struggles meets shakespeares dramatic style.
Main theme how eventually characters turn very dark for money.
ML is very dark in 1st flashforward scene,  but then his strarting point he is very kind, so his dark turn is fascinatibg to watch.  Yet you can't really hate him for going dark either when you see his struggles. FL is very serious, ambitious and definitely not the positive type.

Mask
Both ML & FL are very quiet and serious.
Very melo moody drama.

Saimdang Light's Diary
The writer allows a FL to actually scream and cry and break down  instead of being annoyingly positive.
Male lead is very sad and melodramatic too.

La Dolce Vita /Bittersweet Life
Multiple Cheatings/Affairs between couples and FL &  the other leads are very quiet, serious and contemplative to the point of overthinking their ways into serious depressions.



Secret

FLand ML very serious,  dark melo where one lead seeks revenge on the other lead.

If you like Secret, you'll probably like this thai lkaorn too, which is basicalky thai equalent, similar plot:

Chaloey Sak (Thai lakorn) / aka. "Prideful Prisoner"
FL is very calm and quiet and serious type,  seeks revenge.
ML is very kind-natured and dark plot turns him also very serious too.
(warning:   With the exception of Female lead,  all other females in this drma are total psychopats & idiots,  the drama is good despite of it though & FL likable)


Or  the drama A Love To Kill  also has similar plot as Secret and as Chaloey Sak,

with a serious and sad FL too. ML sad too.

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JulySnow2

Also this new drama that just started aring:

Fix You

I haven't yet started it, but from the descriptions of those who've started it, the FL sounds very emotional and angry and far from positive and going through alot (Hence why being treated by the ML psychiatrist).

Not sure but the ML also seems a bit messed up/scarred too?? And like you wished, he is older than FL.

The theme of the drama seems to be how to be happy/meaning of happiness and HEALING, which should fit your criteria.

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JoanneSmith

The Story of Ming Lan fits most of your requirements.  (Cdrama)

Also, fr a Kdrama standpoint Fates and Furies also meets most of your requirements too.  I don’t recall her age though... I think a bit older.   

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AH
 Vampirehunter007:
I have come across misty several times but I dunno somehow I've never actually wanted d to watch it, maybe because its about reconciliation between two divorced parties and I dunno how I feel about that.

I can tell you that Misty definitely is not about reconciliation between divorced parties. The ML married the FL even though she warned him that she would never love him. They appear to become a little closer during a dark time but they definitely do not make it all the way to being close. In fact it turns out that the ML basically betrayed the FL from the beginning and then in the end it's strongly implied that he commits suicide. Not sure if you would enjoy it though because the male love interest characters around the FL are all pretty dark and the ending for the FL is not bad but in general the end is definitely not as hopeful as in My Mister.

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AshesandDust Author

@JulySnow2

I've actually tried and dropped secret. I preferred kill me heal me with the same actors. Somehow, kdramas with revenge plots never seem to interest me. the execution isn't the kind I like. Also I could never get over the whole "I don't regret my decision" line. I mean this was after she lost her child. Because of her decision to go to jail. Mask doesn't appeal to me either but the rest sound very interesting.

I know that Cinderella's sister is by the same writer as my mister, so I've been contemplating watching that, but most of the reviews says that the first 4 episodes are good and the rest are bad, is that true? It did seem like a good drama from the some of the clips I saw on YouTube 

Fix you is something I plan to watch since it seems like it'll be right upy alley. Just waiting for a few more episodes to air so that I can watch a couple of the together 

Sorry for the delayed reply, I'm a doctor and i was on call the past   two days, I'm really am thankful that you took the time to recommend so many shows  :)

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AshesandDust Author
 AH :

I can tell you that Misty definitely is not about reconciliation between divorced parties. The ML married the FL even though she warned him that she would never love him. They appear to become a little closer during a dark time but they definitely do not make it all the way to being close. In fact it turns out that the ML basically betrayed the FL from the beginning and then in the end it's strongly implied that he commits suicide. Not sure if you would enjoy it though because the male love interest characters around the FL are all pretty dark and the ending for the FL is not bad but in general the end is definitely not as hopeful as in My Mister.

I dunno, I think I might skip misty then. It sounds like it'll be the kind that's depressing and without any hope in the end. I liked my ahjussi because of how there's hope and how even the loan shark's son showed that redemption can be found. I kinda stray away from shows like misty and the world of married because I know its going to show the realities of life and how people can be horrible. My ahjussi was realistic too but at the same time, the writer decided to show redemption and hope and change for the better. I don't want to see a show where everything is sad and hopeless from beginning to end 

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JulySnow2

Hi no worries about late reply, I havent checked this tread again until now anyways.

I don't really agree with the reviews that only the 1st 4 eps are good,   I supscet those people simply don't like the melodramatic turn the drama takes at that point.

Cinderella's Sister is worth watching imo for the complex female lead's character journey.

Just a warning:   The romance barely gets developed and only one kiss at last ep, but that's basically it lol. So don't watch it for the romance (even when FL & ML there are super cute together) but watch it for the FL,  Her character there is very fenomonal!

FYI I did drop the drama at ep10,  this is because annoyance over story not going anywhere (&hearing tgey dibt realky develop the romance either anyways), but even so, the character journey of ep 1-10 of the FL IS SO WORTH IT (despite me dropping the drama lol).  

I might pick up the drama again & warch the rest one day when I have more time, but for now I'd say the 1st 10 episodes are easily 9/10 stars,  so even if you end up dropping the drama as me, the first 10 eps are still very much worth it!!

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AshesandDust Author
 JoanneSmith:

The Story of Ming Lan fits most of your requirements.  (Cdrama)

Also, fr a Kdrama standpoint Fates and Furies also meets most of your requirements too.  I don’t recall her age though... I think a bit older.   

Okay Thankyou, I'll check both of them out :)

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AshesandDust Author

@JulySnow2 okay I'll definitely give this a try then!

And honestly I like dramas with a more subtle unspoken romance. I can't handle the ones that are like super romantic  :P so this sounds like its precisely my kind of show

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Bluekitchen

It's Ok, It's Love seems to fit right in your criteria. They both have issues to overcome and the FL is very practical and honest. She has trauma  but is a psychologist, so she analyzes herself and is very self aware. Refreshingly smart dialogue.  Excellent acting, too.

Also try Romantic Dr.  Kim 1 and 2.  The charwcters are very multi dimensional and went thru a lot, so theyre not starry eyed and stupid. The relationships and character growth are realistic.  Theyre flawed but thats what makes their decisions to open up and overcome their past even more satisfying to watch.

Other strong,  complex female leads,  try Doctors and be melodramatic 

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Apatu

Hi @Vampirehunter007 for Cinderella Sister drama, if you understand each character stories and pain, you will immerse into this storyline. From MC, 2nd Leads, FL's mom why she behave like that, SFL's dad pure love. Yes i admit, the plot is a bit boring in the middle but i wont say it bad (when 4 main leads become adult) bcs of all business owned by SFL's dad related crisis, but you will see, each character in this drama developed very well. Plus beautiful OST and cinematography are really good. 

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