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On, who lived a secluded life with Motoi at the age of 14, has not been able to forget the relaxed and careful life in the countryside even after returning to New York.
One day, On, tired of the hectic and monotonous life in New York, gets into a big fight with her mother, Ichino. Without thinking about the consequences, On runs out of the house and returns to the village where Motoi is. Motoi and On reminisce about their reunion and cook together like they did "that time" a year ago.
Meanwhile, it turns out that On came to the village using Ichino's credit card without her permission. The card is also stopped. Motoi suggests to On that they save up money together to get a ticket back to New York. With Yukari visiting the hermitage regularly, the three of them start living together again...
One day, On, tired of the hectic and monotonous life in New York, gets into a big fight with her mother, Ichino. Without thinking about the consequences, On runs out of the house and returns to the village where Motoi is. Motoi and On reminisce about their reunion and cook together like they did "that time" a year ago.
Meanwhile, it turns out that On came to the village using Ichino's credit card without her permission. The card is also stopped. Motoi suggests to On that they save up money together to get a ticket back to New York. With Yukari visiting the hermitage regularly, the three of them start living together again...
On, who lived a secluded life with Motoi at the age of 14, has not been able to forget the relaxed and careful life in the countryside even after returning to New York.
One day, On, tired of the hectic and monotonous life in New York, gets into a big fight with her mother, Ichino. Without thinking about the consequences, On runs out of the house and returns to the village where Motoi is. Motoi and On reminisce about their reunion and cook together like they did "that time" a year ago.
Meanwhile, it turns out that On came to the village using Ichino's credit card without her permission. The card is also stopped. Motoi suggests to On that they save up money together to get a ticket back to New York. With Yukari visiting the hermitage regularly, the three of them start living together again...
One day, On, tired of the hectic and monotonous life in New York, gets into a big fight with her mother, Ichino. Without thinking about the consequences, On runs out of the house and returns to the village where Motoi is. Motoi and On reminisce about their reunion and cook together like they did "that time" a year ago.
Meanwhile, it turns out that On came to the village using Ichino's credit card without her permission. The card is also stopped. Motoi suggests to On that they save up money together to get a ticket back to New York. With Yukari visiting the hermitage regularly, the three of them start living together again...
On, who lived a secluded life with Motoi at the age of 14, has not been able to forget the relaxed and careful life in the countryside even after returning to New York.
One day, On, tired of the hectic and monotonous life in New York, gets into a big fight with her mother, Ichino. Without thinking about the consequences, On runs out of the house and returns to the village where Motoi is. Motoi and On reminisce about their reunion and cook together like they did "that time" a year ago.
Meanwhile, it turns out that On came to the village using Ichino's credit card without her permission. The card is also stopped. Motoi suggests to On that they save up money together to get a ticket back to New York. With Yukari visiting the hermitage regularly, the three of them start living together again...
One day, On, tired of the hectic and monotonous life in New York, gets into a big fight with her mother, Ichino. Without thinking about the consequences, On runs out of the house and returns to the village where Motoi is. Motoi and On reminisce about their reunion and cook together like they did "that time" a year ago.
Meanwhile, it turns out that On came to the village using Ichino's credit card without her permission. The card is also stopped. Motoi suggests to On that they save up money together to get a ticket back to New York. With Yukari visiting the hermitage regularly, the three of them start living together again...
A heartwarming tale about 2 brothers, On and Motoi, as descendants of tengu (flying goblin-like creatures in Japanese folklore). The story follows their everyday lives as simple agrarian folk celebrating the joys of family and friendship.
In the previous season, the couple met in an unwanted marriage, but gradually bonded as they tried to revive Kuwanoki with a single day of "heartwarming cooking," eventually becoming a real couple.
In the sequel, Ichika and Amane welcome a new member into their family. Furthermore, with the arrival of Sakae, the second son of the Yamaguchi family and Amane's older brother, Kuwanoki, which had begun to recover from financial difficulties, faces another challenge, and the bond between the couple is put to the test.
In the sequel, Ichika and Amane welcome a new member into their family. Furthermore, with the arrival of Sakae, the second son of the Yamaguchi family and Amane's older brother, Kuwanoki, which had begun to recover from financial difficulties, faces another challenge, and the bond between the couple is put to the test.
In Kyoto, soon after the war, Ichika strives to save her family's long-established ryoten restaurant from financial crisis. In order to do so, she marries Yamaguchi Amane, who is 15 years younger, in a marriage of convenience.
In Kyoto, soon after the war, Ichika strives to save her family's long-established ryoten restaurant from financial crisis. In order to do so, she marries Yamaguchi Amane, who is 15 years younger, in a marriage of convenience.
Justifiable Defense delves deeper into a case's impact on a young man. It explores different aspects of the legal system, but if you enjoy Rising Justice, this is a complementary, deeper story to explore.
Because of a family emergency, Qing Ye is sent to a small coastal town as a guest of her late mother’s childhood friend, who runs the local barbershop, struggling to repay a huge debt. Finding it difficult to adjust after spending most of her life in a bustling city, Qing Ye vows to leave as soon as she gets a chance. But when she meets Xing Wu, a local teen who had to drop out of school and is working hard to help his struggling family. As Qing Ye gradually adapts to small town life and warms up to the local people, so different than her distant father, she finally finds what feels like a real family. Xing Wu and Qing Ye grow closer to each other, despite their different personalities and priorities in life and she resolves to help him join again and graduate. But after a while, Qing Ye’s father’s situation gets back to normal and he takes his daughter away, back to her old luxurious life. The two young people make a promise. Years later they meet again in Beijing. Will this second meeting give them a chance to finally fulfill their dream of being together?
Snowdrop (2021) and Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid (2019) share several similarities. Both are tragic historical romances set during turbulent periods in Korean history, exploring political oppression, forbidden love, betrayal, and sacrifice.
In both stories, an innocent young woman helps a wounded, mysterious man and becomes entangled in a dangerous political conflict. Eun Young-ro shelters Lim Soo-ho in Snowdrop, while Heo Su-a rescues independence fighter Kang Uihyeon in Whale Star. Their relationships bring love but also heartbreaking consequences.
The main difference is their historical setting: Whale Star takes place in 1926 during Japanese colonial rule, while Snowdrop takes place in 1987 under South Korea’s military dictatorship.
Ultimately, both stories explore how love and innocence can be destroyed by political violence, and how personal sacrifice becomes intertwined with the struggle for freedom.
In both stories, an innocent young woman helps a wounded, mysterious man and becomes entangled in a dangerous political conflict. Eun Young-ro shelters Lim Soo-ho in Snowdrop, while Heo Su-a rescues independence fighter Kang Uihyeon in Whale Star. Their relationships bring love but also heartbreaking consequences.
The main difference is their historical setting: Whale Star takes place in 1926 during Japanese colonial rule, while Snowdrop takes place in 1987 under South Korea’s military dictatorship.
Ultimately, both stories explore how love and innocence can be destroyed by political violence, and how personal sacrifice becomes intertwined with the struggle for freedom.
100 Days of Deception (2026) and Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid (2019–2021) share several striking similarities, particularly in their historical settings, female protagonists, romantic relationships, and exploration of Korea’s independence movement during Japanese colonial rule. Although 100 Days of Deception is a historical espionage romance and Whale Star is a historical romance webtoon inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, both stories explore how ordinary young Korean women become entangled in the struggle for their country’s liberation. Their journeys reflect the emotional and personal consequences of living under colonial oppression, where love, loyalty, survival, and sacrifice become closely intertwined.
One of their most significant similarities is their historical background. 100 Days of Deception takes place in the 1930s, primarily in Gyeongseong, modern-day Seoul, while Whale Star begins in 1926, initially following events in Gunsan before the story expands to Gyeongseong. Both works portray Korea during Japanese occupation, a period marked by political repression, inequality, and the activities of underground independence organizations. The protagonists live in a society where ordinary Korean citizens have limited freedom, and those who resist Japanese authority risk imprisonment, torture, or death. This historical environment provides the foundation for both narratives, influencing the decisions, relationships, and personal struggles of their characters.
Another important similarity is that both female protagonists come from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds and initially have little involvement in political resistance. In 100 Days of Deception, Lee Ga-kyung, portrayed by Kim You-jung, is a talented pickpocket who dreams of escaping her difficult circumstances and eventually moving to America. Her priorities initially revolve around survival and the possibility of building a better life outside Korea. However, her circumstances change when she becomes involved with the independence organization Gugukdan and is recruited to undertake a dangerous undercover mission. Similarly, in Whale Star, Heo Su-a is a seventeen-year-old handmaiden working for a wealthy household in Gunsan. Her life changes dramatically when she discovers an injured independence activist named Kang Uihyeon and secretly cares for him. What begins as a compassionate act gradually introduces her to the dangerous world of Korean resistance fighters. Neither woman originally intends to become involved in the independence movement, yet both eventually find themselves participating in struggles much greater than their personal ambitions.
Romance also plays an important role in both narratives, particularly through the heroines’ relationships with men whose backgrounds are complicated by Japanese colonial authority. In 100 Days of Deception, Ga-kyung encounters Kim Tae-woong, also known as Sato Hideo, an elite interpreter working within the Japanese colonial administration. His position as the adopted son of an influential Japanese official complicates his identity and relationships. In Whale Star, Su-a develops feelings for Kang Uihyeon, an independence activist whose family background is complicated by his father’s pro-Japanese affiliations. Although the two male characters occupy different positions within their respective stories, both introduce conflicts involving family, political loyalty, and personal identity. Their relationships with the heroines demonstrate how romantic attachments can become inseparable from the political tensions of colonial Korea.
Furthermore, both stories examine the conflict between personal happiness and patriotic responsibility. As Ga-kyung becomes increasingly involved in espionage, she must navigate a dangerous environment where trust is uncertain and maintaining her secret identity is essential to survival. Her developing relationship with Tae-woong becomes complicated by the political circumstances surrounding them. Likewise, Su-a’s feelings for Uihyeon gradually become connected to her understanding of Korea’s struggle for independence. Her experiences expose her to the sacrifices made by resistance fighters and force her to confront difficult questions concerning love, loyalty, and national liberation. In both narratives, romance is not simply a separate element of the plot but an important part of the protagonists’ emotional and ideological transformations.
The theme of sacrifice is another significant connection between the two works. In Whale Star, Su-a loses her ability to speak following a violent incident involving Song Haesu, another independence activist. This tragedy establishes a direct connection to The Little Mermaid, whose heroine sacrifices her voice, and also symbolizes the experiences of those who are silenced under oppression. Su-a’s suffering becomes central to her personal development as she struggles to understand the independence movement and her place within it. Meanwhile, in 100 Days of Deception, Ga-kyung must sacrifice her personal security and conceal her true identity while operating undercover within the colonial administration. Her mission requires considerable courage because a single mistake could expose her involvement with the resistance. Although the circumstances of their sacrifices differ, both heroines experience the loss of personal freedom as they become increasingly involved in the fight for Korea’s independence.
Despite these similarities, the two stories differ in their narrative approaches and overall atmosphere. Whale Star places greater emphasis on emotional tragedy, literary symbolism, and the devastating consequences of love and political struggle. Its reinterpretation of The Little Mermaid allows the story to explore themes of silence, longing, sacrifice, and the painful realities of the independence movement. By contrast, 100 Days of Deception adopts a more espionage-oriented narrative, focusing on undercover operations, political intrigue, hidden identities, and dangerous relationships. Ga-kyung’s one-hundred-day mission provides a central structure for the story, whereas Su-a’s journey develops through a succession of personal tragedies and encounters that transform her understanding of the world.
Ultimately, the strongest similarity between 100 Days of Deception and Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid lies in their portrayals of ordinary women whose lives are transformed by extraordinary historical circumstances. Both Lee Ga-kyung and Heo Su-a begin as young women primarily concerned with their own survival, yet their encounters with Korean independence activists gradually draw them into the political struggle against Japanese colonial rule. Through their experiences, both works emphasize that the fight for independence was not limited to prominent political leaders or trained resistance fighters, but also involved ordinary individuals who found themselves making difficult and courageous decisions. While Whale Star approaches these themes through tragedy and symbolism, 100 Days of Deception explores them through espionage and romantic suspense. Both narratives ultimately connect the personal struggles of their heroines to the broader pursuit of freedom, demonstrating how love, identity, sacrifice, and patriotism can become deeply intertwined during periods of national oppression.
One of their most significant similarities is their historical background. 100 Days of Deception takes place in the 1930s, primarily in Gyeongseong, modern-day Seoul, while Whale Star begins in 1926, initially following events in Gunsan before the story expands to Gyeongseong. Both works portray Korea during Japanese occupation, a period marked by political repression, inequality, and the activities of underground independence organizations. The protagonists live in a society where ordinary Korean citizens have limited freedom, and those who resist Japanese authority risk imprisonment, torture, or death. This historical environment provides the foundation for both narratives, influencing the decisions, relationships, and personal struggles of their characters.
Another important similarity is that both female protagonists come from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds and initially have little involvement in political resistance. In 100 Days of Deception, Lee Ga-kyung, portrayed by Kim You-jung, is a talented pickpocket who dreams of escaping her difficult circumstances and eventually moving to America. Her priorities initially revolve around survival and the possibility of building a better life outside Korea. However, her circumstances change when she becomes involved with the independence organization Gugukdan and is recruited to undertake a dangerous undercover mission. Similarly, in Whale Star, Heo Su-a is a seventeen-year-old handmaiden working for a wealthy household in Gunsan. Her life changes dramatically when she discovers an injured independence activist named Kang Uihyeon and secretly cares for him. What begins as a compassionate act gradually introduces her to the dangerous world of Korean resistance fighters. Neither woman originally intends to become involved in the independence movement, yet both eventually find themselves participating in struggles much greater than their personal ambitions.
Romance also plays an important role in both narratives, particularly through the heroines’ relationships with men whose backgrounds are complicated by Japanese colonial authority. In 100 Days of Deception, Ga-kyung encounters Kim Tae-woong, also known as Sato Hideo, an elite interpreter working within the Japanese colonial administration. His position as the adopted son of an influential Japanese official complicates his identity and relationships. In Whale Star, Su-a develops feelings for Kang Uihyeon, an independence activist whose family background is complicated by his father’s pro-Japanese affiliations. Although the two male characters occupy different positions within their respective stories, both introduce conflicts involving family, political loyalty, and personal identity. Their relationships with the heroines demonstrate how romantic attachments can become inseparable from the political tensions of colonial Korea.
Furthermore, both stories examine the conflict between personal happiness and patriotic responsibility. As Ga-kyung becomes increasingly involved in espionage, she must navigate a dangerous environment where trust is uncertain and maintaining her secret identity is essential to survival. Her developing relationship with Tae-woong becomes complicated by the political circumstances surrounding them. Likewise, Su-a’s feelings for Uihyeon gradually become connected to her understanding of Korea’s struggle for independence. Her experiences expose her to the sacrifices made by resistance fighters and force her to confront difficult questions concerning love, loyalty, and national liberation. In both narratives, romance is not simply a separate element of the plot but an important part of the protagonists’ emotional and ideological transformations.
The theme of sacrifice is another significant connection between the two works. In Whale Star, Su-a loses her ability to speak following a violent incident involving Song Haesu, another independence activist. This tragedy establishes a direct connection to The Little Mermaid, whose heroine sacrifices her voice, and also symbolizes the experiences of those who are silenced under oppression. Su-a’s suffering becomes central to her personal development as she struggles to understand the independence movement and her place within it. Meanwhile, in 100 Days of Deception, Ga-kyung must sacrifice her personal security and conceal her true identity while operating undercover within the colonial administration. Her mission requires considerable courage because a single mistake could expose her involvement with the resistance. Although the circumstances of their sacrifices differ, both heroines experience the loss of personal freedom as they become increasingly involved in the fight for Korea’s independence.
Despite these similarities, the two stories differ in their narrative approaches and overall atmosphere. Whale Star places greater emphasis on emotional tragedy, literary symbolism, and the devastating consequences of love and political struggle. Its reinterpretation of The Little Mermaid allows the story to explore themes of silence, longing, sacrifice, and the painful realities of the independence movement. By contrast, 100 Days of Deception adopts a more espionage-oriented narrative, focusing on undercover operations, political intrigue, hidden identities, and dangerous relationships. Ga-kyung’s one-hundred-day mission provides a central structure for the story, whereas Su-a’s journey develops through a succession of personal tragedies and encounters that transform her understanding of the world.
Ultimately, the strongest similarity between 100 Days of Deception and Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid lies in their portrayals of ordinary women whose lives are transformed by extraordinary historical circumstances. Both Lee Ga-kyung and Heo Su-a begin as young women primarily concerned with their own survival, yet their encounters with Korean independence activists gradually draw them into the political struggle against Japanese colonial rule. Through their experiences, both works emphasize that the fight for independence was not limited to prominent political leaders or trained resistance fighters, but also involved ordinary individuals who found themselves making difficult and courageous decisions. While Whale Star approaches these themes through tragedy and symbolism, 100 Days of Deception explores them through espionage and romantic suspense. Both narratives ultimately connect the personal struggles of their heroines to the broader pursuit of freedom, demonstrating how love, identity, sacrifice, and patriotism can become deeply intertwined during periods of national oppression.
Both dramas revolve around children who gain superpowers, while the villains want to exploit their abilities for their own selfish purposes. But despite having a similar basic premise, both dramas are completely different from each other.
Are You The One leans into the "fake identity" trope in a different but fun way. In Are You The One, she loses her memory. There in pretending to be someone she's not, at someone else's say so. She's tricked into thinking she's the wife of the ML. When she finds out, she does in fact make him grovel.
Switcheroo between two women — a vicious noblewoman married to a husband who hates her and a lower class woman who is clever and kind. Same premise, but one is kinda rebirth and the other is a fake bride switch.
The director is also Zoe Qin, with her powerful FL's, ML is golden retriever who bites and role reversal dynamic.
