Dramas With Little Or No Romance
sometimes we just wanna watch something that's not so romance focused, each drama in the list has a comment explaining why i put the drama in this list
INCLUDES:
- dramas i think personally have no romance
- dramas that only have romantic subtext but no obvious canon romantic main couple
- dramas that have no main couple but might have romantic side couples
obviously this only includes dramas i've seen so it'll continue to be updated the more i watch
note: there may be an imbalance of what country the drama is from as a lot of the korean, thai, taiwanese, & chinese dramas i've watched have a romantic plot with heavy focus within them, so that's why there's a lot of jdramas above anything else
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1. 17 Sai no Teikoku
Japanese Drama - 2022, 5 episodes
- definitely an implied romance but it can be ignored
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2. 19th Floor
Chinese Drama - 2024, 30 episodes
- romantic sideplot, definitely has a heavier focus nearer the end of the series compared to the beginning
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3. 3 Nen A Gumi: Ima kara Mina-san wa, Hitojichi Desu
Japanese Drama - 2019, 10 episodes
- very minor background romances that can be ignored
- more student/mentor & platonic focused dynamics
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4. A League of Nobleman
Chinese Drama - 2023, 29 episodes
- bromance focused
- no romance
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5. A Mai Cong Jun
Chinese Drama - 2024, 36 episodes
- romance sideplot
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6. An Ye Ming Tan
Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes
- minor romance (married couple)
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7. Aogeba Toutoshi
Japanese Drama - 2016, 8 episodes
- platonic & mentor focused
- i don't remember there being any romance in this
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8. Aoki Vuanpaia no Nayami
Japanese Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
- no explicit romance but could be read as romantic subtext
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9. Are You Safe
Chinese Drama - 2022, 31 episodes
- romance sideplot between 2 support characters that can be ignored
- bromance focused
- mentor/mentee focused
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10. Aristocratic Birth: PRINCE OF LEGEND
Japanese Drama - 2019, 6 episodes
- no romance
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11. Aristocratic Birth: PRINCE OF LEGEND - THE MOVIE
Japanese Movie - 2020
- very minor romance
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12. Atom no Warabe
Japanese Drama - 2022, 9 episodes
- mostly postentially implied subtext
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13. Bangkok Breaking
Thai Drama - 2021, 6 episodes
- minor romance but the main focus of the drama is the corruption
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14. Barakamon
Japanese Drama - 2023, 11 episodes
- no romance
- platonic/familial focused
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15. Bionic
Chinese Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- subtle romantic sideplot that you can honestly just view platonically if you wanted
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16. Bittersweet
Japanese Movie - 2016
- platonic focused
- mentions of romance
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17. Black Postman
Japanese Drama - 2023, 7 episodes
- barely any romance
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18. Blade Master
Japanese Drama - 2022, 9 episodes
- no romance
- barely any romantic subtext imo
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19. Blind
Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
- very little romance, which is mostly subtext
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20. Brotherhood of Blades: Shadow of Mountain and River
Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes
- bromance focus
- romantic sideplots that you can ignore (i felt nothing for them)
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21. Brush Up Life
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- friendship focused
- very minor romantic sideplot near the beginning / mentions of an old crush/relationship
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22. Bu Liang Zhi Nian Qing Chu Shi
Taiwanese Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- romantic subtext
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23. Cat Property
Japanese Movie - 2022
- barely any romance you pretty much have to squint to see it if you really want to but very platonic focused
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24. Cheat
Japanese Drama - 2019, 10 episodes
- anzai flirts with literally everyone but that's about it
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25. Cheer Boys!!
Japanese Movie - 2019
- platonic focused
- maybe a very minor subtext towards a romance
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26. Chicken Gangjeong
Korean Drama - 2024, 10 episodes
- romance sideplot that well is only mentioned a few times because the FL turns into a nugget
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27. Chinese Paladin 4
Chinese Drama - 2024, 36 episodes
- romance sideplots that do get a bit of focus from time to time but the main relationship that has the focus are the platonic, familial, student/master relationships
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28. Code: Negai no Daisho
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- romantic subplot that doesn't last long
- revenge focused
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29. Coffee Ikaga Deshou
Japanese Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
- romantic subtext but kind of not really at the same time
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30. Company
Japanese Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
- minor romance (husband/wife going through divorce) but it's not the main focus
- hints at potential romances that don't go anywhere
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31. Cool Doji Danshi
Japanese Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- no romance
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32. Crosstail: Tantei Kyoshitsu
Japanese Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
- very little romance from what i can remember
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33. Da Capo Shimasen ka?
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- aint no time for romance in this drama tbh
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34. Death Note
Japanese Drama - 2015, 11 episodes
- there is a romantic relationship but i think it was more out of convenience than love & can be ignored imo
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35. Death Note NEW GENERATION
Japanese Drama - 2016, 3 episodes
- no romance i think
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36. Death Note: Light Up The New World
Japanese Movie - 2016
- no romance if i remember correctly
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37. dele
Japanese Drama - 2018, 8 episodes
- very little romance (mostly related to side characters)
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38. Desire Catcher
Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes
- maybe romantic subtext
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39. Doctor Prisoner
Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes
- hints to a possible romance
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40. Dr. White
Japanese Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
- no romance from what i remember
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41. Dream
Korean Movie - 2023
- no romance
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42. Enjiya
Japanese Drama - 2021, 6 episodes
- only the first 2 eps are somewhat romance focused but it's more about revenge & heartbreak than the romance itself
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43. FAKE MOTION: Takkyu no Osho
Japanese Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
- no romance
- platonic focus
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44. Fermat no Ryori
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- basically none
- there might be subtext between one of the MLs & his friend but it's very unrequited imo from her side
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45. Fixer
Japanese Drama - 2023, 5 episodes
- no romance from what i remember
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46. Gifted Season 1
Japanese Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- no romance
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47. Gifted Season 2
Japanese Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- no romance
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48. Guang Ming Zhi Lu
Chinese Drama - 2024, 38 episodes
- minor romance sideplots
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49. Hakozume: Koban Joshi no Gyakushu
Japanese Drama - 2021, 9 episodes
- little romance (characters go on mixers/dates but never really lead anywhere)
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50. Heaven and Hell
Japanese Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
- minor romantic subtext
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51. High School Ghost Story
Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
- no romance
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52. HiGH&LOW
Japanese Drama - 2015, 10 episodes
- friendship focused
- some minor hints to romance here & there but it doesn't lead anywhere & can be ignored
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53. HiGH&LOW The Movie
Japanese Movie - 2016
- platonic relationships are the main focus
- minor mentions of a romance
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54. HiGH&LOW The Movie 2: END OF SKY
Japanese Movie - 2017
- platonic relationships are the main focus
- minor mentions of a romance
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55. HiGH&LOW The Movie 3: FINAL MISSION
Japanese Movie - 2017
- platonic relationships are the main focus
- minor mentions of a romance
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56. HiGH&LOW THE WORST
Japanese Movie - 2019
- platonic relationships are the main focus
- minor mentions of a romance(?)
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57. HiGH&LOW THE WORST EPISODE.0
Japanese Drama - 2019, 6 episodes
- platonic focused
- (not so) romantic sideplot for a side character in ep 4
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58. HiGH&LOW THE WORST Sequel
Japanese Movie - 2022
- no romance
- bromance focused
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59. HiGH&LOW: The Red Rain
Japanese Movie - 2016
- familial relationship is the main focus
- no romance if i remember correctly
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60. Hill Season 2
Japanese Drama - 2022, 6 episodes
- barely any romance compared to the first season
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61. Hitotsubashi Kiriko no Hanzai Nikki
Japanese Drama - 2022, 5 episodes
- no romance from what i can remember
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62. Hot Stove League
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
- no romance
- maybe some subtext between female lead & second male lead
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63. Il Divorzista
Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- drama is mostly about divorce so there's that
- romance sideplots
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64. Il voto della morte
Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- romance subplot between secondary characters
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65. Ima kara Anata wo Kyouhaku Shimasu
Japanese Drama - 2017, 9 episodes
- mostly romantic subtext with a minor romance in flashbacks
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66. In The World Which Is Neither White Nor Black, Panda Laughs
Japanese Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
- little/minor romance
- to me the romance(s) felt very one sided
- honestly the romance in this drama can be easily ignored
- the little romance there is doesn't really add to the plot
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67. Informa
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- minor romance sideplot
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68. Insider
Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
- very minor romantic subtext
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69. Invert: Jozuka Hisui Toujoshu
Japanese Drama - 2022, 5 episodes
- barely any romance unlike the prequel
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70. Invisible
Japanese Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
- romantic subtext
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71. Ishiko to Haneo: Sonna Koto de Uttaemasu?
Japanese Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
- romance sideplot but it doesn't have much of a focus because you kinda forget about it
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72. Itsu Made
Japanese Movie - 2023
- bromance focused
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73. Janus no Kagami
Japanese Drama - 2019, 8 episodes
- implied that shindo maybe has feelings for hiromi
- implied that tatsuya has feelings for yumi
- no romantic relationships
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74. Joshi Kosei no Mudazukai
Japanese Drama - 2020, 7 episodes
- mentions of romance
- friendship focused
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75. K
Japanese Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
- platonic focus
- mentions of romance of side characters
- main character gets hit on by another character's wife
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76. Kaidanshita no Gogh
Japanese Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
- could be romantic subtext in this but you can read it platonically and/or as admiration
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77. Kana Kana
Japanese Drama - 2022, 28 episodes
- main focus is familial and platonic
- romance sideplot that's mostly unrequited
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78. Karma: Seven Joseon Notices
Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- i think they tried for romantic subtext but i wasn't feeling it
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79. Kashimashi Meshi
Japanese Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- romantic sideplots but the main focus is the friendship
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80. Keiji to Kenji, Tokidoki Hanji
Japanese Drama - 2023, 9 episodes
- minor romantic sideplots that either are unrequited or are from guest characters
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81. Keishicho Outsider
Japanese Drama - 2023, 9 episodes
- bromance focused
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82. Kichijoji Losers
Japanese Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
- minor romantic subplots that last really one ep or half an ep but overall there's not much
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83. Kiwadoi Futari -K2-
Japanese Drama - 2020, 6 episodes
- no romance
- family focus
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84. Knockin' on Locked Door
Japanese Drama - 2023, 9 episodes
- no romance
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85. Koi Senu Futari
Japanese Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
- no romance as it focuses on two aromantic characters who don't want romantic relationships
- though it does touch upon past romantic relationships & romantic relationships in general in regards to combating amatonormativity
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86. Kyojo
Japanese Drama - 2023, 11 episodes
- no romance from what i remember
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87. Kyoso no Bannin
Japanese Drama - 2022, 11 episodes
- barely any romance & if there is it's guest couples
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88. Law School
Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
- minor romance
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89. Liaison: Kodomo no Kokoro Shinryosho
Japanese Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- no romance
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90. Maestra
Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- barely any romance it's revenge focused so there aint no time for that
- 2ML(? not the FL's husband her childhood ex) definitely has feelings for the FL tho
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91. Malice
Japanese Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- no romance
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92. Mars: Zero no Kakumei
Japanese Drama - 2024, 9 episodes
- no romance from what i remember if there was some i didn't catch on
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93. Megami no Kyoshitsu: Legal Seishun Hakusho
Japanese Drama - 2023, 11 episodes
- student/mentor focused
- minor romantic subplots
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94. Mirai e no 10 Kaunto
Japanese Drama - 2022, 9 episodes
- student/mentor focused
- grieving widower
- definitely implies romance from the FL but feels one sided imo
(it's literally so minor that you can ignore itwhich i did) - minor romantic sideplot love triangle between 3 students in an early episode
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95. MIU 404
Japanese Drama - 2020, 11 episodes
- barely any romance just mentions here and there
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96. Mob Psycho 100
Japanese Drama - 2018, 12 episodes
- i'm pretty sure there's no romance in this but it's been so long since i watched it ngl or if there is it's only hints to romance
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97. Model Taxi
Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
- very minor romantic subtext
- unrequited love of minor side character in one episode
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98. Monster
Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
- there's pretty much no romance in this (the only thing really is a very incredibly minor subplot of a romance of a dead character in like one flashback)
- romantic subtext
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99. Move to Heaven
Korean Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
- minor romance between support characters
- minor mentions of potential future romance between some main characters
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100. Muscle Granpa
Korean Movie - 2021
- no romance
- familial focus (grandpa & grandson)