Terminal illness

This list contains dramas/movies which touch upon terminal illness or similar. It doesn't need to have a tragic ending, but it has to be more serious than a flu. The list itself is ordered alphabetically.

EunAeYoon Dec 21, 2023
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  • A Wedding Invitation

    1. A Wedding Invitation

    Chinese Movie - 2013

    7.0
  • Beautiful World

    2. Beautiful World

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes

    8.0

    Not terminal illness, but one of the main characters falls into a coma. The series revolves around finding out what exactly happened. It also explores the impact severe bullying can have.

  • Chocolate

    3. Chocolate

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes

    7.5

    This series and many of the episodes, are kind of like stand alone short stories. The first episodes are there to establish the main and supporting actors you'll see towards the end of the drama.

  • Heavenly Forest

    4. Heavenly Forest

    Japanese Movie - 2006

    7.5
  • Hospital Ship

    5. Hospital Ship

    Korean Drama - 2017, 40 episodes

    6.5

    One of the main characters has cancer, though it's a very small part of the series over all. It does bring up several cases which involves terminal illnesses though.

  • Koizora

    6. Koizora

    Japanese Drama - 2008, 6 episodes

    7.0

    It's short, but not too bad.

  • Love Next Door

    7. Love Next Door

    Korean Drama - 2024, 16 episodes

    7.0

    Romantic comedy.  

  • Mama

    8. Mama

    Korean Drama - 2014, 24 episodes

    8.5

    This one was quite good. It did feel a bit draggy towards the end. 

  • Marriage Contract

    9. Marriage Contract

    Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes

    8.0

    Great acting by the leads. I did find the father of ML ridiculous though. MLs brother is also.. not a good character.

  • Midnight Sun

    10. Midnight Sun

    Japanese Drama - 2006, 10 episodes

    6.0
  • Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

    11. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

    Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes

    6.5

    Including it since it's the KR version of Scarlet Heart. They changed it for the KR audience, which makes sense. But I prefer the original. 

  • More Than Blue

    12. More Than Blue

    Korean Movie - 2009

    8.0
  • Nirvana in Fire

    13. Nirvana in Fire

    Chinese Drama - 2015, 54 episodes

    9.0

    While it certainly is a ficticious illness, the end result is death. It's a big aspect of the main male lead's character.

  • One Liter of Tears

    14. One Liter of Tears

    Japanese Drama - 2005, 11 episodes

    8.0

    While the acting will definitely feel very amateurish to some, if you can forget that bit and focus more on the content, you'll like this one. I highly recommend reading/buying the actual book as well.

  • Our Movie

    15. Our Movie

    Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes

    6.0

    Sadly, the pacing of this drama was too slow for me. It became very boring here and there. 

  • Scarlet Heart

    16. Scarlet Heart

    Chinese Drama - 2011, 35 episodes

    8.0

    While it definitely feels dated and the terminal illness part is only during the latter part, it's still quite good.

  • Scent of a Woman

    17. Scent of a Woman

    Korean Drama - 2011, 16 episodes

    8.0

    I really liked this one. Great characters.

  • Snow Is on the Sea

    18. Snow Is on the Sea

    Korean Movie - 2015

    7.0
  • Still 17

    19. Still 17

    Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes

    7.0

    Not terminal illness, but rather a female lead who wakes up from a 17 year long coma. The reason for the coma was a bus accident and it focuses on her getting back into society after she wakes up. 

    It's for the most part light and quite good.

  • The Hours of My Life

    20. The Hours of My Life

    Japanese Drama - 2014, 11 episodes

    9.0

    This one was superb.

  • The One and Only

    21. The One and Only

    Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes

    6.0

    The main FLs all have terminal illnesses.

  • Uncontrollably Fond

    22. Uncontrollably Fond

    Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes

    6.0

    I was never able to really get into this one. 

  • Woman

    23. Woman

    Japanese Drama - 2013, 11 episodes

    8.5

    FL finds out that she has cancer.

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