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"...

Lily_B Jan 16, 2016

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1. Mr. Sunshine

Korean Drama - 2018, 24 episodes

9.5

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.
2. The King of Dramas

Korean Drama - 2012, 18 episodes

8.5

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.
3. Iki mo Dekinai Natsu

Japanese Drama - 2012, 11 episodes

10

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.)
4. High School Teacher

Japanese Drama - 2003, 11 episodes

10

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!
5. Love Song

Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes

8.0

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...
6. My Rainy Days

Japanese Movie - 2009

8.0

Barely remember it when I'm making the list but the rating says I liked it!
7. Secret Love Affair

Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes

8.0

I remember it was good and I liked the FL. Wish I remember why I didn't rate it higher.
8. Mitsu no Aji

Japanese Drama - 2011, 11 episodes

8.0
9. The Forbidden Flower

Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes

7.0

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.
10. Empresses in the Palace

Chinese Drama - 2012, 76 episodes

8.0

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.
11. Utopians

Hong Kong Movie - 2016

7.0
12. Valid Love

Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes

7.0
13. Painter of the Wind

Korean Drama - 2008, 20 episodes

7.0
14. The Full-Time Wife Escapist

Japanese Drama - 2016, 11 episodes

7.5
15. Beethoven Virus

Korean Drama - 2008, 18 episodes

6.5

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!)
16. Dating in the Kitchen

Chinese Drama - 2020, 24 episodes

6.0

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.