C-Dramaland

tags/themes:

• transmigration
• action, slapstick comedy, fantasy
• romance as a subplot
• BROMANCE
• chosen one trope
• investigation, mystery, secret societies
• at times it reminded me of priyadarshan comedies iykyk
• strong, smart, witty and green flag ML
• LOTS OF strong female characters, from the fighters to the princesses; even if a FL isnt a physically strong character, they are still emotionally and morally strong. 
• court politics
• CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

negatives (things that might put you off):

• if you are looking for romance in it, dont. there is a healthy relationship in it, but that's not the point of the story.

personal note; if you are an avid anime watcher, this should be your first cdrama.

tags/themes:

• first love
• secret crush
• FL chases ML
• no (major) misunderstanding trope
• introvert/soft spoken ML
• a *lot* of physical contact
• age gap
• brother's best friend / best friend's sister

negatives (things that might put you off):

• the first time the ML and FL meet, FL is a kid. even though he isnt a "groomer", he did see her as a kid for most of his life. so if that gray area makes you uncomfortable, you can skip this one.

tags/themes:

• immortals
• bad boy/good girl
• naive FL (but her kindness isnt a weakness but a character strength)
• borderline (highkey) evil ML (but imho justified)
• love being treated like a relationship bigger than life and your overall being - romanticising love
• CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT 
• bickering relationship
• magic/fantasy/xianxia

negatives (things that might put you off):

• there is a kiss b/w FL and ML that is kinda forced out of jealousy

personal note, this drama truly has all the tags and themes that would put me off a work of fiction but when i tell you this is my favourite romance cdrama (maybe favourite romance drama, period) out there. i cannot put into words why i love it because i would YAP. but it's so dear to me.

tags/themes:

• book transmigration
• demons and demon-hunting
• enemies to lovers —  ML literally kills FL 
• bickering relationship
• romcomtasy / wuxia
• smart FL / smart ML
• chosen one trope
• miaomiao my babie
• no kiss scene b/w leads
• no (major) misunderstanding trope

negatives (things that might put you off):

• to me, none actually. just the ending might feel a little dragged and yet somehow rushed at the same time

tags/themes:

• author/editor relationship
• internet friends to lovers
• BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS
• cohabitation
• bickering leads relationship
• LOTS OF KISSES — i think they kissed here so much thats why we had zero kisses in LGIEF
• love triangle or quadruple actually

negatives (things that might put you off):

• i love ding yu xi, and zhou chuan but let's be real he can really act as a manchild at times. if this character was played by anyone but ding yuxi, i think i would have been annoyed by him. 

personal note; would recommend watching after or alongside LGIEF, these feel like sister stories.

tags/themes:

• strangers to lovers
• nice FL/nice ML
• green flag ML
• healing drama
• slow burn, fluff, zero to minute angst *if you squint*
• rebound relationship

negatives (things that might put you off):

• it's so much fluff that at times it feels like literally nothing is happening in the story.

tags/themes:

• ANGST
• slow burn
• second chance at romance
• from strangers to friends, friends into lovers, and strangers again.. but dw lovers again
• cohabitation
• MAJOR TW for SA, rape, sexual violence, PTSD
• healthy relationship
• green flag ML
• toxic family

negatives (things that might put you off):

• it breaks you apart, truly.

personal note; would recommend watching after Hidden Love, as it is a side story of a secondary character from that drama.

tags/themes:

• older woman/younger man —  noona romance 
• greenest male lead out there
• very strong female lead, without her losing her feminine traits
• SLOW BURN
• no (major) misunderstanding trope
• very healthy relationship
• the ML never makes his jealousy/insecurity FL's problem

negatives (things that might put you off):

• the FL's mother is annoying —  think Something in The Rain and multiply it by 100.
• there felt like a *little* bit of victim blaming for FL's ex behaviour
• there was one scene where ML decides to hack into FL's profile (not for negative reasons tho) but it was so outta place that i just ignore that subplot

tags/themes:

• book transmigration —  screenwriter has to redo her script bcz of the actor's criticism of it, and somehow she ends up in her own script herself 
• matriarchal society tho i wish it was explored more
• bickering leads
• enemies to lovers
• parody —  since it is a screenwriter stuck in her script, it makes fun of lots of tropes that cdrama romcoms use
• romcomtasy
• ML is literally a puppy in love

negatives (things that might put you off):

• there are two scenes with almost SA which is "justified" bcz of plot reasons but i hated it both times —  i understand it is criticising screenwriting tropes, but the second one truly tarnished the ML for me.

tags/themes:

• youth, found family, friendship
• love at first sight
• FL chases ML first
• shy, soft spoken, nice ML
• second leads relationship >>>>
• bickering second leads relationship
• friends to lovers for second leads
• crush, first love
• school setting (for the most part)
• healing, comfort drama

negatives (things that might put you off):

• none. it's so fucking cute i wish i could experience it for the first time again.

tags/themes:

• childhood friends to lovers done PERFECTLY
• slow(ish) burn; very gradual and natural shift in relationship from friends to lovers
• STRONG FL
• GREEN FOREST ML
• even the parents are such green flags

negatives (things that might put you off):

• none. 

personal note; this is so underrated it's insane. this is the perfect childhood friends to lovers story, nothing comes close.