My Favorite Modern Dramas
This was the hardest list for me. I got to narrow it down by putting some of my favorites in the historical or sci-fi/fantasy categories. It was still so large that I had to do 17 instead of my normal ten. Narrowing it down was so hard. There’s a lot of really good dramas out there and I’ve seen most of them. But this was the best I could do.
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1. Amor O2O
Chinese Drama - 2016, 30 episodes
If you’re looking for a drama that breaks the mold then you’ve found it. There are no love triangles, no hateful meddling parents, no amnesia plot, or any other cliche drama tropes. Both leads are strong confident people that navigate the pitfalls in life without ever doubting each other. For all of you out there that keep saying you don’t have to break the main leads up a bunch to make a drama interesting, this one’s for you. It’s proof that a drama can be interesting without the constant push and pull most main leads go through. The bromance and sismance are amazing. The side characters have depth. And the romance is epic.
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2. A Vida Privada Dela
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
This drama delves into the world of fans and their devotion to kpop idols. It’s cute, funny, and sweet. Even though having the main leads get amnesia over a traumatic past they shared has been done before, I liked this one. It had an original twist to it that was refreshing. And the romance is pretty steamy with lots of real kisses and skinship. It’s the romance that propels this to the top for me.
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3. Mate-me, Cure-me
Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
The issue of mental health is addressed in this hilarious yet dark drama. The male lead does an amazing job depicting his 7 different personalities. And when his 17 year old female personality comes out and chases Park Seo Joon throughout the city yelling “Oppa” I laughed my butt off. This paired along with a touching romance makes for one amazing drama.
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4. O Que Houve Com a Secretária Kim?
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
This seems like a simple straight forward romantic comedy. But underneath it all is a dark event in the past everyone wants to hide. The story has a bit of a twist and things are not what they seem. And along the way there’s a pretty steamy romance that goes far beyond the usual boundaries.
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5. Vai, Cara de Lula!
Chinese Drama - 2019, 41 episodes
He’s a genius in the field of CTF (cyber security) having won many accolades in his field. But he has a painful past that has emotionally damaged him. And she’s his sweet quirky little savior. She’s an incredibly smart college student and talented singer with a huge online following. I liked that the kisses were real and they had such great chemistry. This one has lots of action with the CTF competitions that keeps it faced paced throughout the drama. And of course (as always) the romance is really good.
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6. Ombro Amigo
Chinese Drama - 2019, 24 episodes
He’s a genius that’s completely clueless when it comes to dealing with others. His continual internet searching on how to please her was just hilarious. He helps her to come out of her shell and chase her dreams. She helps him learn how to interact with others and become more outgoing. This doesn’t have a deep plot. It’s a slice of life drama that touches your heart with its sweet romance and numerous lovable characters. There’s a lot of memorable sweet moments in this drama.
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7. Amor Bem Intencionado
Chinese Drama - 2019, 20 episodes
From the crazy obsessed childhood friend to the murderous relative intent on revenge, this drama pulled me in with its unique storyline. Even the reason for their fake contract marriage was a huge surprise. I liked the storyline but I loved the romance! There’s lots of cute romantic moments in this one.
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8. Love Designer
Chinese Drama - 2020, 45 episodes
I just love everything about this drama. I love the designer outfits they wear. I love the strong sassy confident female lead. I love how the male lead constantly teases and flirts with her. And I love the interesting world of design and how it’s depicted so true to life. The story has depth, the leads are gorgeous, their chemistry is on fire, and the side characters are great. And the antics between her nephew and his sister are just adorable and really adds to the story. I’ll be rewatching this one on down the road.
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9. Lutando Pelo Meu Caminho
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
The world of MMA fighting makes for an interesting story and it doesn’t hurt that we get to see Park Seo Joon’s abs a whole lot. But the journey of these two childhood friends is both interesting and funny. There are great side characters with lots of character growth. And the romance is just as sweet as it can get.
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10. Tudo Bem, Isso é Amor
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
This drama does a great job of helping us to see how those with mental health issues and their families are effected by the public’s perception of them. I like that both leads have issues with mental health and they are the solution to each other’s problems. It’s an emotional journey but the comedy that is sprinkled throughout quite liberally lightens it up considerably. The romance here is quite spicy.
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11. Oh, Minha Vênus
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
He can’t stand to see someone helpless or in danger which draws him to her. She needs his expertise in health and fitness to get back in shape and reclaim her former glory. I just loved all of the adorable side characters in this drama. And his hidden identity along with all the drama it brings breathes life into the story and gives it much needed depth. This along with the steamy romance keeps this as one of my top dramas to watch.
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12. Descendentes do Sol
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
This story is action packed from beginning to end. There was never a boring moment. I liked how they blended humor, suspense, romance and action so effortlessly together. The acting is phenomenal and the bromance is epic. Don’t miss this one!
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13. O Chefe e Eu
Chinese Drama - 2014, 34 episodes
Shan Shan’s sweet innocent plucky personality just shines through in this drama. She never gives up her dreams and strives to be good enough to be with the man she adores. Feng Teng thinks she’s perfect just the way she is and tells her so, but supports her through every difficulty she faces as she strives to improve herself. They face a lot of issues at both work and in their personal lives. But her sweet personality and huge character growth just steals the show. Their amazing chemistry and endearing personalities make this drama stand out.
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14. Você É Minha Glória
Chinese Drama - 2021, 32 episodes
I expected this to be a cute romcom but was pleasantly surprised to find a rather deep drama with a unique story to tell. The drama mainly focuses on the leads and their struggles to achieve success in both their careers and in their private lives. It’s a mature drama about adults working together to build a healthy relationship without all of the noble idiocy, stupid misunderstandings, love triangles, and unnecessary breakups. There are no second leads causing trouble nor is there anyone plotting against the leads at their workplace. This is more of a slice of life drama that has an underlying message and a lesson to teach. Overall I’d say this was an amazing drama. It’s not cliche nor is it cheesy and the acting is incredible. And the romance and chemistry is some of the best I’ve seen.If you don’t watch this drama then you’re missing out, I highly recommend it.
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15. Curador
Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes
This story is very original. The male lead is so talented he’s almost like a James Bond type of character with his fighting skills, constant brushes with death, and his ability to outsmart people and get out of perilous situations. He tries not to like the female lead but she’s just too sweet and down to earth to not fall for. When they find out about their shared past and decide to confront the villains that killed their parents it gets really interesting . The romance is super sweet and the story is fast paced with never a dull moment. This is a definitely one you’ll want to watch.
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16. Se Tiver Coragem, Me Ame
Chinese Drama - 2015, 24 episodes
He’s a genius criminal profiler that brings down the vilest of criminals so he has no time for emotional attachments with family or anyone else. But her intelligence, bravery and plucky personality draws him to her so he makes her his protége. Together they are a formidable team as they solve case after case. But this drama isn’t just about solving cases, there’s a major plot twist that you won’t see coming. This drama has a lot of death scenes and autopsies. And the story is super deep and dark at times. But the sweetness of the romance combined with the twists and turns in the plot makes this a truly great drama.
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17. Pousando no Amor
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
The scenery and breathtaking views really stood out in this drama. A lot of the filming was done outdoors and the hang gliding scenes were super realistic. I liked seeing what it might be like to live in North Korea. And seeing how a North Korean and South Korean might react to each other was quite well done. The romance is sweet and the ending was very realistic. Overall this was a very good drama. Just a side note I wanted to add that the main characters got married and have a child. So all of the sizzling chemistry is real and I love that this drama brought them together.