Endgame Pairing is Not Obvious
Stories where the endgame pairing isn't the usual "met as children and loved forever" - the leads have romantic relationships and even marriage with someone else first, the love triangle looks like it could go either way, SML has traits of a ML, or the endgame ML has traits of a SML. Also includes those rare instances where the SML actually gets the girl.
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1. 24 Hours Love
Thai Drama - 2024, 4 episodes
FL has an ex girlfriend
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2. A Mai Cong Jun
Chinese Drama - 2024, 36 episodes
FL does not end up with ML despite it indicating that way for most of the drama. The ending is open, but appears to be interpreted as the FL choosing the SML.
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3. A River Runs Through It
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
ML has the traits of a SML, and FL loves someone else for a long time first
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4. A River Runs Through It Special
Chinese Special - 2021, 10 episodes
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5. Beside You
Thai Drama - 2024, 3 episodes
ML has a boyfriend when it begins, and it's unclear at first who he'll end up with
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6. Bon Appetit
Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
ML has an ex boyfriend
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7. Choice Husband
Chinese Drama - 2023, 30 episodes
At different points in the drama, FL marries the ML and the SML. When she learns she's pregnant, she's unsure who is the father. She eventually ends up with the ML who is the father of her child.
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8. Click Your Heart
Korean Drama - 2016, 7 episodes
all the SMLs get the girl ;)
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9. Colourful Bone
Chinese Drama - 2017, 54 episodes
heavy love triangle, FL has the childhood connection trope with the SML
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10. Cupid of Chou Dynasty
Chinese Drama - 2019, 24 episodes
ML is atypical, has traits of a SML or supporting character
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11. Dear Mayang Street
Chinese Drama - 2020, 37 episodes
SML gets the girl
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12. Deep Love Love Again
Chinese Drama - 2024, 22 episodes
FL is married, betrayed, and then gets involved with the ML
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13. Dr. Cutie
Chinese Drama - 2020, 28 episodes
heavy love triangle, FL is much closer to SML at first
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14. Ex Deadly Mirror
Chinese Drama - 2024, 20 episodes
FL has a long term boyfriend at the beginning. By the end, it appears that she's starting a relationship with her friend, the SML.
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15. Ex's Revenge
Chinese Drama - 2022, 20 episodes
FL is engaged to someone else at the beginning
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16. Faith
Korean Drama - 2012, 24 episodes
ML had a former first love who he planned to marry until she died
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17. Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
FL has the childhood connection trope and expectations of marriage with the SML
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18. Fu Liu Nian
Chinese Drama - 2022, 30 episodes
ML has traits of a SML, and FL marries someone else first
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19. Golden Spirit: Joseon Marriage Prohibition
Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
heavy love triangle, FL is initially engaged to the SML
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20. Gui Zhong Mi You
Chinese Drama - 2023, 20 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning
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21. Handsome Siblings
Chinese Drama - 2020, 44 episodes
love triangle in which the FL initially meets, loves and has a stronger connection with one of the MLs, but ultimately ends up with the other
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22. Happy Merry Ending
Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
ML is still broken hearted over his ex boyfriend
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23. Heartbeat
Chinese Drama - 2023, 20 episodes
FL has the past connection and first love with the SML (and actually only approaches the ML because she wrongfully believes he has the SML's heart transplanted into him)
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24. Hidden Marriage Love
Chinese Drama - 2021, 30 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning, love triangle
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25. His and Her Secrets
Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning
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26. Huang Fei Wei He Na Yang
Chinese Drama - 2023, 32 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning
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27. Hundred Days Bride
Chinese Drama - 2023, 30 episodes
SML gets the girl
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28. Jin Ji De Fu Ren
Chinese Drama - 2024, 21 episodes
FL has a different boyfriend at the beginning
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29. Kurosaki-kun no Iinari ni Nante Naranai
Japanese Special - 2015, 2 episodes
heavy love triangle, ML is atypical protagonist
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30. Lost You Forever
Chinese Drama - 2023, 39 episodes
SML gets the girl
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31. Love Better Than Immortality
Chinese Drama - 2019, 40 episodes
ML has traits of a SML, SML has the ML traits and the FL is much more drawn to him at first
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32. Love Under The Stars
Chinese Drama - 2022, 26 episodes
FL is engaged to someone else at the beginning
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33. Lovely Swords Girl
Chinese Drama - 2019, 24 episodes
heavy love triangle, SLS
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34. Lovers
Korean Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
FL is in love with someone else at the beginning
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35. Marry My Husband
Korean Drama - 2024, 16 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning
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36. Mei Ren Mou
Chinese Drama - 2024, 24 episodes
FL is married to the SML, reborn, and marries the ML
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37. Mei Ren Mou Lu
Chinese Drama - 2023, 20 episodes
love triangle, ML has a much smaller role than SML
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38. Miss Fox
Chinese Drama - 2022, 24 episodes
FL is dating someone else at the beginning
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39. Miss Jiang's Counterattack
Chinese Drama - 2024, 67 episodes
FL is married, betrayed, reborn, and falls in love with the ML
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40. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes
heavy reverse harem, FL eventually ends up the SML for the remainder of her life in the past, despite still being in love with the ML and having his child
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41. Mortal Housewife
Chinese Drama - 2022, 24 episodes
FL is married for most of the drama but ends up with the SML
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42. Mountains and Ocean
Chinese Drama - 2019, 24 episodes
FL loves SML for most of the drama, ML has traits of a SML
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43. Mr. Cool
Chinese Drama - 2021, 32 episodes
FL is dating someone else at the beginning
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44. My Boss
Chinese Drama - 2024, 80 episodes
FL is married, reborn, and falls in love with the ML
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45. My Dearest Part 2
Korean Drama - 2023, 11 episodes
FL marries another man but ultimately ends up with the ML.
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46. My Handsome Husband
Chinese Drama - 2021, 30 episodes
FL is married and divorced from someone else at the beginning
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47. Night of Love With You
Chinese Drama - 2022, 24 episodes
ML has traits of a SML/secondary villain
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48. Ning An Ru Meng
Chinese Drama - 2023, 38 episodes
heavy reverse harem, FL is in love with someone else for a long time, ML is an atypical protagonist
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49. Ocean Like Me
Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
ML has an ex boyfriend
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50. Only Friends
Thai Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
everyone is involved with or in love with everyone, endgame is not clear until the very end
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51. Orange Soda
Chinese Drama - 2024, 20 episodes
SML gets the girl
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52. Pachinko
Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
SML gets the girl, FL is in love with and pregnant by the ML at the beginning
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53. Perfect Marriage Revenge
Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning
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54. Princess Agents
Chinese Drama - 2017, 67 episodes
love triangle, SML is given scenes/tropes with the FL commonly given to the ML
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55. Princess Silver
Chinese Drama - 2019, 58 episodes
ML is FL's second love, and she marries someone else before ultimately ending up with the ML
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56. Qian Jin Nan Tao
Chinese Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
FL has a stronger connection with the SML at first, love triangle
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57. Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People
Korean Drama - 2017, 30 episodes
ML is in love with someone else for a long time first, FL has traits of a SFL at first
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58. Renascence
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning, ML has traits of a SML
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59. Rinko san wa Shite Mitai
Japanese Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
heavy love triangle that could go either way
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60. Say You Love Me
Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
ML has a first love who returns
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61. Sea You Soon
Thai Drama - 2024, 4 episodes
FL has a girlfriend in the beginning
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62. Seen from a Distance, Green Spring
Korean Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
FL is in love with her childhood friend at the beginning, then meets and falls in love with the ML, and then the childhood friend falls in love with her. She ends up with the ML.
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63. Shan Shan Lai Chi De Ni
Chinese Drama - 2023, 15 episodes
FL has a boyfriend and is pregnant by him, ML has a fiancée, but they end up together
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64. Shao Ye Yu Wo De Luo Man Shi
Chinese Drama - 2020, 32 episodes
heavy love triangle that leans more toward the SML who the FL likes first
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65. She Came out of the Abyss
Chinese Drama - 2024, 78 episodes
FL has a fiancée who betrays her, she then finds love with the ML
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66. Star and Sky: Sky in Your Heart
Thai Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
ML had an ex-girlfriend he's still heartbroken over
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67. Strobe Edge
Japanese Movie - 2015
ML is in love with another woman at first
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68. Stunner
Chinese Drama - 2023, 95 episodes
FL has a fiancée who betrays her, she then finds love with the ML
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69. Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka
Japanese Drama - 2024, 10 episodes
ML's ex-boyfriend returns and for a while it's uncertain which of the two men he'll choose
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70. The Forbidden Woman
Chinese Drama - 2022, 22 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning
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71. The Ghost Bride
Taiwanese Drama - 2020, 6 episodes
FL has the childhood connection trope and engagement with the SML, heavy love triangle
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72. The King in Love
Korean Drama - 2017, 40 episodes
SML gets the girl
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73. The Police Station Next to Fire Station
Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
love triangle that could go either way, FL has the childhood connection trope with the SML
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74. The Police Station Next to Fire Station Season 2
Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
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75. The Return of Iljimae
Korean Drama - 2009, 24 episodes
ML had a first love who died, and at first it seems he's just settling for the FL due to her resemblance to his lost love
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76. The Trap of The Goddess
Chinese Drama - 2021, 53 episodes
FL is initially the SML's mistress and the ML is her employee who is secretly in love with her.
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77. Untouchable Star
Chinese Drama - 2021, 20 episodes
FL is dating someone else at the beginning
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78. Waiting For Spring
Japanese Movie - 2018
Reverse harem, love triangle with childhood friend
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79. Wang Fu Lai Le Ge Xiao Tian Xin
Chinese Drama - 2022, 20 episodes
ML is in love with another girl before and for a while after he marries the FL
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80. Wanton Indulgence
Chinese Drama - 2023, 103 episodes
FL has a boyfriend at the beginning
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81. Warrior Baek Dong Soo
Korean Drama - 2011, 29 episodes
ML ends up with SFL, despite having the childhood connection trope with the FL
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82. Who Are You
Korean Drama - 2013, 16 episodes
heavy SLS, FL has a first love who is a ghost/in a coma and for a while it's unclear whether she'll have a second chance with him or choose the ML
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83. Xiao Ting Tai
Chinese Drama - 2024, 24 episodes
FL is in love with the SML, then is betrayed, reborn, and falls in love with the ML
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84. Xing Han Can Lan
Chinese Drama - 2022, 27 episodes
reverse harem, FL is supposed to marry SML at first
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85. Yi Bu Xiao Xin Liao Cuo Ren
Chinese Drama - 2023, 75 episodes
FL has a different boyfriend at the beginning
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86. Ying Hou De Fu Chou
Chinese Drama - 2023, 20 episodes
FL is engaged to someone else at the beginning
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87. You Are My Cosset
Chinese Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
FL has a long crush on someone and accidentally confesses to the ML while she's drunk. Her crush re-enters her life later on but she ends up with the ML.
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88. You Are My Destiny
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
ML has a fiancée at the beginning and wavers back and forth for a while before choosing the FL
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89. You Are My Exclusive Surprise
Chinese Drama - 2023, 14 episodes
FL is dating someone else at the beginning
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90. Zai Yu, Liang Ge Ta
Chinese Drama - 2023, 20 episodes
FL is married to someone else at the beginning
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91. Zong Cai De Tou Hao Jia Qi
Chinese Drama - 2021, 20 episodes
FL is dating someone else at the beginning