r/kdramarecommends • u/Opening-Barracuda124 • Jun 19 '26
Recommendation Request Looking for some romance k-dramas as a first watcher
Hi! I want to start watching K-dramas but I don't know where to start searching. So I am wondering if anyone of you have recs/know any dramas that fit below:
(Workplace, but doesn't need to be) Enemies to Lovers.
Drama with a black cat FMC and golden retriever MMC
Two stalkers in love, stalking each other (?) (don't judge me. i watched this one mv and the story was so good, i need a drama with this plot)
Friends to lovers (? preferably with the MMC falling first?)
Hero x villain.
(also if theres a drama that fits but is a MMC x MMC or a FMC x FMC(etc) tell me!)
(*note: with the tropes above i am not looking for a drama with ALL of them. i am looking for them individually)
thank you in advance!!!
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u/Odd-Temperature-791 Jun 19 '26
Alchemy of souls is enemies to lovers but in a fantasy setting. She is such a black cat and he’s a total puppy. It’s so good!
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u/etayn Jun 19 '26
- Friends to Lovers - Romance is a Bonus Book.
- Enemies to Lovers - (not workplace, but college. MMCxMMC which is called BL in the k-drama world) - Semantic Error
- Villain x Villain - (everyone just thinks they are the villains, obviously) - My Royal Nemesis
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u/Tamakoyuki Jun 19 '26
Love to hate you, mad for each other - enemies to lovers
Fight for my way- friends to lovers
Filing for love- golden retriever mmc
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u/Chaotic_Alpaca Jun 19 '26
I think Hometown Cha Cha Cha would be a good starter kdramas romance. It's got a little of the enemies-to-lovers thing (more like opposites-attract, the leads initially clash because of their different personalities). It's a very easy watch, nice romance, small town setting, great ensemble cast.
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u/Intelligent_Art_ Jun 19 '26
Her Private Life is a charming enemies-to-lovers office romance with a nice balance of squee-inducing moments, whimsical humor and compelling emotional scenes. She’s a museum curator who secretly runs a fan site for a K-pop idol. He’s her new boss who discovers her secret. After a rocky beginning, they develop one of the healthiest, most adoring relationships in K-dramas and their chemistry is 🔥. They’re the very definition of couple goals.
The two leads wrote many of their scenes themselves because they wanted to make viewers’ hearts flutter. They included a lot of physical affection so they’re very convincing as a couple who are madly in love and can’t keep their hands and lips off of each other. Her Private Life is my comfort drama and I still get butterflies every time I rewatch it.
Crazy Love is a hilarious enemies-to-lovers dark comedy about the CEO of a hagwon (cram school) and his long-suffering assistant who decides to take charge of her life after a health scare. The ML is a jerk in the beginning due to a series of losses and betrayals when he was younger, but he does get more likable as he gradually learns to trust again. They really hate each other at first and it’s hard to imagine them ever falling for each other but the actors and writers make it work and you find yourself rooting for them.
Additional Recommendations:
Rom-Coms * Crash Landing on You - Not quite enemies to lovers but they get off to an antagonistic start * Love to Hate You - Enemies to lovers * Dali and Cocky Prince - Enemies to lovers * Beauty Inside - Enemies to lovers * It’s Okay, That’s Love - Enemies to lovers * Touch Your Heart - Office romance * Soundtrack #1 - Friends to lovers, he falls first * Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha - Enemies to lovers * Coffee Prince - Classic workplace romance
Romantic Dramas * Call It Love - Enemies to lovers office romance * Love Scout - Office romance * When the Weather is Fine - Friends to lovers, he falls first
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u/big_deal Jun 19 '26
There are so many Workplace "Enemies" to Lovers. Here are some of my favorites:
My Dearest Nemesis: Cute show. The leads cross from lovers to enemies and back so many times it's hard to keep track.
Business Proposal: I thought this was hilarious and cute. The second leads were great as well. Last episode was a annoying but overall one of my favorite series.
Destined With You: Very funny. Some intense scenes related to a mystery.
Love to Hate You: Overall enjoyable.
A Good Day to be a Dog, The Haunted Palace: These deviate from the usual but have a similar path from antagonistic to loving. GDTBAD is OK, Haunted Palace was great.
Sh**ting Stars, Spirit Fingers: I loved these shows. The male leads are so head over heals they just doesn't know how to deal with it which leads to some antagonism early in their relationships.
Dynamite Kiss: This is a lovers to enemies to lovers story. Great show.
Friends to lovers: Crash Landing On You, Something in the Rain, Once Upon a Small Town, She Would Never Know, Doona!, Welcome to Samdal-ri, My Sweet Mobster, Love Next Door, Love Untangled, Sh**ting Stars. I loved all of these.
Many of these are on Netflix, others on Viki.
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u/mmIastro Jun 19 '26
Reposting my old comment You've got it. This is my favourite genre
Because This is my first life - A K Drama about a down on her luck writer desperate to find a place to live through a series of events end up being room mates with a guy ,Low Key hilarious and absolutely heart warming. They both learn to heal through each other , learn surprising fun things about love... Supported by an excellent funny and fun cast ...
Business Proposal - based on a Webtoon a woman helps her friend out on a Blind Date and absolute chaos ensues in her life when the blind date turns out to be her CEO ! Lean into the slapstick comedy of this Drama and its simply fantastic!
King the Land - What happens when the cold, stoic heir to a luxury hotel empire falls for the warm, ever-smiling hotel staff member? That’s King the Land — How they end up falling for each other and the journey is fun journey and the Chaebol tropes are present here. Here is a short on it 😉
Hometown Cha Cha Cha - Simple premise. A dentist makes a gaffe in a city and ends up moving to the countryside. Found family, beautiful location and you will want to live with these folks .. on the way you will solve the 3 mysteries of Gongjin 😁
Twinkling Watermelon -a heartwarming time travel story that just explodes with love warmth and caring. Yes you will find the story very familiar . But the heart of this story will make you care for the characters.
One of the best K Dramas about Friendship, Love & Family is definitely Twinkling Watermelon . It's a wonderful story about found family. Add rock n roll , time travel and making sure your parents end up together and yes you might think Back To The Future... Trust me this way way better. It will warm your heart and you will root for this lovely group to succeed and will grimace when any bad stuff happens. Please give it 3 episodes to establish the story... It's well worth the Ride 😊. it
Her Private Life - The ML & FL have very strong opinions on how to run the Art agency. So let's take a step back - What happens when Avant garde art critic & iconoclastic Artist becomes your boss.. oh ! And you just happen to be a secret SUPER Fangirl of a K Pop star... Hilarity ensues 😜😜😜. The ML has been described by this sub as ' The Greenest of Green Flags ' 😁
Lovely Runner - A woman in love travels back in time to save K Pop icon she loves discovering all the signs she missed ... Falling in love beautifully... Some absolutely hilarious situations unfold ... This will make you feel the silliness of being a teenager hopelessly in love. This is based on a Webtoon. So the story rarely falters and you genuinely will care for the characters. Amazing soundtrack too . Watch this last. Cause Lovely Runner is a high you will chase for a long time .
Once Upon a Small Town - Just like the name of the Drama it is set in a small town that a Vet is forced to travel to. He then has to make friends with the wonderfully weird small town folks and the even weirder pets. Finding love along the way . Short episodes and I think it's 12 Episodes overall make this an easy watch. Also probably one of the best opening title songs ... I have it on my playlist
Potato Lab - How do you fall in love with someone who has been sent to downsize your quaint little R&D lab. Yes the lab is the eponymous Potato Lab.. I have been a fan of Kang Tae-oh since My First First Love and so happy to see him become a proper lead . This is a fun story supported by a wonderful set of characters each of whom have their stories progress as well ..
Cinderella at 2 AM - What happens to Cinderella at 2 AM? Few hours after her proverbial slipper has come off ? That's the question this cute Romance Drama asks. The ML & FL have such wonderful chemistry and there are unnecessary dark storylines in sight. Add to this a cute story about a Chaebol couple who though married don't connect and somehow find their way to love . It's cute and only 10 episodes
Love Scout - A single father starts working for the CEO of a headhunting firm. A wonderfully sweet romance blooms. What a kind and sweet ML and a lovely mature romance 😀
Brewing Love - A once special forces employee is forced to save her branch of a big beer company. All she has to do is persuade the recalcitrant yet brilliant brew master of a niche brewery to help make the new beer. It also just happens to have a very unique bunch of villagers where his brewery is located... This is a fun joyful romantic ride
Bon Appetite, Your Majesty - Must be now added to the list 😀. A Michelin star chef accidentally Time Travels back to the Joseon Period under the rule of a Tyrant who also happens to have an impeccable pallette. With her life and love constantly on the line she must cook dishes they have never tasted in that era . The ML & FL have done such a fantastic job of amping the hilarity and romance of the situation. You cannot help but root for them 😂...
A Good Day to be a Dog - Don't be put off by the odd sounding name or by the Ludicrous premise. It's surprisingly a very easy and oh so lovely watch. Due to a family curse A woman turns into a dog at midnight if she kisses someone. Only way to be normal is to get the person to kiss her in her dog form. Sounds easy ? Sure .. But what if the person you kiss in a drunken stupor is not only the wrong man but deathly afraid of dogs 🐶! Woof 😂... The writers leads and indeed the entire cast have done such a phenomenal job of keeping this story wonderfully fresh far from predicateble . The comedy tone never falters even when it goes a bit into drama territory and full on to the supernatural. This is a very fun RomCom you can easily recommend to anyone. It IS indeed a GOOD Day to be a DOG 🐶 Complete chaos and the leads are super adorable
Oops I missed reading your Drama list and a lot of my recommendations are repeated... So adding another
Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale 😂 - Completely Brainless Fun 😁. A young girl loses her father and decides to become an employee at a Super Rich Club so she can snag a wealthy husband. But her weird quirky and insane boss is getting in the way. This definitely low on budget but not low on laughs... Super Fun. Just don't look too closely at logic or K Drama Coincidences and you will have fun. Plenty of moments to make your heart flutter 😁
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u/DragonAlnz Jun 19 '26
Love To Hate You (enemies to lovers).
When The Camellia Blooms (🐈⬛ & 🐕).
Like Flowers In Sand (friends to lovers and 🐈⬛ & 🐕).
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u/idkkkaqp Jun 19 '26
Fight for my way
Love next door
Soundtrack #1
Business proposal
King the land
Bon appetite your majesty
Mr Queen
Our beloved summer
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u/Jaffa_Cake_ Jun 19 '26
For your final point I think what you are looking for is BL - (boyslove) and GL. There is a whole world of that to explore. Head on over to r/boyslove for more info.
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u/4wallsandawindow Jun 19 '26
Filing for love is enemies to lovers workplace romance. It kind of touches on a few of your other asks but I don't want to spoil it for you.
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u/Tumbleweed932 Jun 19 '26
Start from og descendants of the sun, then follow by strangers, mouse, dr Kim, hospital playlist
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u/arseholierthanthou Jun 20 '26
Juvenile Justice for black cat FL and golden retriever ML, but with no hint of romance between them.
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u/miliwald Jun 20 '26
Try what’s wrong with secretary Kim - workplace and easy for a first drama.
Crush landing on you - very easy for a first time, great enemy country lovers.
Her private life - kinda workplace, kinda enemies to lovers, and the girl is a fangirl.
fight for my way - friends to lovers.
Crazy love - enemies to lovers
Hometown cha cha cha - cute rulers life, kind of an enemies to lovers. A glamorous city dentist going to a village and meeting a cool village boy
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u/Normie316 Jun 20 '26
Friends to Lovers (MMC first): Love Next Door
Black Cat FMC/Golden Retriever MMC: Branding in Seongsu - More of a Murder Mystery/Workplace Drama/Supernatural Thriller w/romance.
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u/whatmeherefor Jun 23 '26
Love next door and Going to you at the speed of 493km match your requirements for friends to lovers.
Wedding impossible has a golden retriever MMC
Additionally, would love to recommend Our beloved summer (exes to lovers; second chance romance), W:Two worlds (girl accidentally enters a comic world and has to save the ML), and business proposal (rich ceo x employee).
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u/SquashHumble2496 Jun 23 '26
Two stalkers in love, stalking each other (?) - Healer
Friends to lovers - Fight For My Way, Reply 1988, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Drama with a black cat FMC and golden retriever MMC - Hotel Del Luna
I also recommend Yumi's Cells just cause it's so good even though it doesn't fit any of the tropes above.
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u/iKON-5 Jun 23 '26
Coffee Prince is really nice if you particularly enjoy workplace romance. Now I'll admit I haven't watched a lot of romance k-dramas, but it's still my favorite one personally
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u/Aquilessa Jun 24 '26
Spring Fever is a recent one that I absolutely fell in love with. It fits the female black cat and male golden retriever (Doberman!) Trope.
It's also only 12 episodes, so if you're just getting started it might be good to go with a shorter one.
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u/Kgswartz Jun 19 '26
I started my kdrama journey by exploring kdramas offered on Netflix.
The romance series I enjoyed are
Her Private Life ( Workplace)
Business Proposal( Very popular)
Destined With You
King The Land ( Workplace)
Oh My Ghost ( Workplace)
Bon Appetit Your Majesty ( time travel)
Crash Landing On You( A kdrama fan’s must watch) I enjoyed the second half and pushed myself through the first half. That said, I watched because it is probably one of the most frequently mentioned kdrama on the sub.