Faking it to Make it - Contract and Fake Relationships
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1. Marriage, Not Dating
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
Marriage Not Dating is a romantic comedy standout. Twenty-somethings are busy adulting and becoming who they were meant to be. The fake dating situation is only one of several hilarious elements. And the drama has added depth because of its sober backdrop: the older generations’ messed up marriages. - u/amnesiafakedating
Fake relationship
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2. Noodlanding op jou
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
Crash Landing on You - This drama has a fake relationship between the ML and FL, they both decide to get into this to avoid and deal with certain circumstances. It’s a rom-com with slice-of-life aspects. It’s a good entertaining watch where the side characters shone and I enjoyed the chemistry between the main and second couple. It did seem to be a bit dragged out but it’s a good drama when you want to watch innocent romance along with lovable characters. The soundtrack is an add on. - u/Fatooz
Fake Relationship
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3. Because This is My First Life
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Because This is my First Life - A slice-of-life drama. ML doesn't believe in marriage but has to marry because of parents. FL is career oriented but see her career going no where and struggles to find a decent place to live. She moves in with ML when their respective friends mistake the other party to be same gender as their respective friends. ML/FL get to know each other and agree to get married for their own conveniences. Superb OST and wonderful quotes in this drama. - u/Psychological_Report
Because This is my First Life - The FL is basically broke and met the ML by chance. Both of them have different ideas of marriage, but agree on one thing. Marriage is sort of a convenience for both of them. So they ended up having a contractual marriage. - u/ivanraptor730
I adore the originality of this drama’s take on fake marriage, its detailed relationships for three sets of leads, and all that slow burn. The drama uses the cliches of this time-tested trope, but rises above them. Its thoughtfulness puts me in a more textured fictional world than the one I encounter in more lightweight kdramas. And yet, Because This Is My First Life is upbeat and makes me laugh. - u/amnesiafakedating
It's lighthearted and fun and will surely make your heart flutter. But more than that, I appreciate this drama because it speaks about how women are treated everywhere, especially in a patriarchal society - u/iamballadtrash
Contract Marriage
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4. Er is iets met die 1 procent
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
Something about 1% - The rich spoilt ML's grandfather writes his will forcing the ML to date FL for 6 months for him to be eligible to get the property and as a result the FL/ML start dating and falling for each other eventually. Light hearted cute watch. - u/Psychological_Report
Charming leads that banter as the sparks fly make this drama a classic among contract relationship dramas. It’s fun to see the chemistry growing and the tsundere melting. Luckily, they’re thrown together by their arrangement, since without it I have absolutely no idea how they’d get past their differences. - u/amnesiafakedating
Contract Relationship
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5. Marriage Contract
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
Marriage Contract: It's about a nice son of a second wife of a corporate CEO, who tries to save his mom by getting her a liver transplant surgery. the mom's condition gets worse and the waiting list is not even close, that's why he tries to get into a fake marriage just so his wife can donate her liver to his mom. the female lead, desperate for money for raising her only daughter, accepts the marriage and help convince the mother to get surgery and save both their lives! - u/rawarauf
Marriage Contract was my first K-drama. I never quite understand why it is not mentioned more often because although the plot sounds daft, it has some of the best acting and is actually a serious film. Lee Seo Jin is amazing in it, and he and UEE have really great chemistry that comes from working well together as actors. The last episode has two long scenes between them of such intimacy that you only get from really great acting. I heard that people were bothered by the 17 year age gap between the two leads, but if no-one had mentioned it I would not have noticed...UEE looks older and LSJ looks amazing, and who cares anyway. I wish he worked in k-drama more instead of endless variety shows. - u/Englishk-dramafan
Contract Marriage
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6. My Husband Oh Jak Doo
Korean Drama - 2018, 24 episodes
My Husband, Mr.Oh - just finished watching this recently and it is not bad.
I liked how the roles were switched initially because the FL has money and a good job and she convinces the ML to have a contract marriage with her, so she can feel safe and fulfil her needs. It was nice that she opened up and felt she had someone to rely on for the first time and didn't have to always be strong but I feel like it she did too much of a 180. Also the stalker/murderer was what got them together in the first place, but that also ended kind of ambiguously. - u/rachimomo
Contract Marriage
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7. Mask
Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
"Mask" starring "Ju Ji-hoon" and "Soo Ae" is a romantic, murder mystery movie where the ML and FL enter into a contractual marriage and are forced to cohabitate.The FL has a double role. The hauty version of FL was supposed to marry the ML instead the naive one marries the FL. I liked the relationship developed between the ML and FL. - u/cloudy_with_chances
Contract Marriage
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8. Fated to Love You
Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes
Fated to love you/You're my destiny - My all time top #1 because of the leads. They're forced to be married because of pregnancy as a result of one night drunken mistake. They start living together for the baby and eventually fall for each other. - u/Psychological_Report
Contract Marriage
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9. Haar Privéleven
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
Her Private Life! - A photo featuring a reflection of Seong Deok Mi in the background of her favourite idol Cha Si An’s apartment is posted to social media. The media releases articles claiming that they are dating. Her boss Ryan Gold offers to fake date her instead to stop Chan Si An’s other fan girls from hating on her. - u/a-conservation-nerd
Fake Relationship
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10. Sweet Stranger and Me
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
The way the leads interact over her family home, the history they both have — it all comes together to make me think about what it is to belong somewhere. There’s also some beautiful land that’s part of her inheritance, which adds to the sense of place. This drama also has opposites attract going for it. She’s older, but grew up sheltered, while he’s an orphan who’s been through the school of hard knocks and then some. While it has some awkward elements, this drama has way more smart touches and appealing humor. And the second leads are gifts that just keep on giving. - amnesiafakedating
contract relationship, but it’s not between the leads
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11. 100 Days My Prince
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
100 Days My Prince - If you're looking for a good fusion sageuk, I'd recommend this drama. The reason why I enjoyed this drama so much is because it combined many tropes that we all know and love/hate: amnesia, childhood connection, forced cohabitation, contract marriage and made it fun. The premise is that the crown prince has lost his memory after a bad injury from an assassination attempt, and is saved by a villager. The crown prince lives as a commoner because no one knows his identity. He is also forced to marry a woman he's "never met" because of a royal order. The humor comes from the fact that although the prince lost his memories, he still retains his "noble and upperclass" habits and tastes, which gets him in trouble while he's adjusting to life in the village. I think this drama is the most enjoyable if you've seen other historical dramas before, because you'll understand why the villagers are so frustrated with the prince's behaviors, since no one expects his true identity as the crown prince. However, this drama is a fun watch nonetheless, and there's also a great romance story in it. Lastly, the two leading actors, EXO's D.O. and Nam Ji-hyun have excellent chemistry and bring so much charm to the drama. - u/eal8
contract marriage
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12. My Lovely Sam Soon
Korean Drama - 2005, 16 episodes
My Lovely Sam Soon - This has a contract relationship between the ML and FL. They’re bound by a mutually agreed with contract caused by turn of events. Personally, I found the FL to be so bold and quirky that she’s become one of my favorite pre-2010 drama heroines. I also like how she treats the ML and the toxic characters around her. She stands up for herself and knows when to speak her mind. Love the rapport between her and the ML which is played by Hyun Bin. The chemistry was good for a noona romance and I was so fond of both the leads because they’re both funny and charming. One of my favorite pre-2010 dramas! - u/Fatooz
contract relationship
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13. Find Me in Your Memory
Korean Drama - 2020, 32 episodes
Find Me in Your Memory - The main leads are in a fake relationship. ML and FL get entangled with each other after an interview and FL ends up developing a crush on him, since the FL is an actress, she gets involved in a scandal with the ML and they end up fake dating for some time. It’s your basic slow burn romance where the main leads had decent chemistry and their relationship was a bit cliché but despite that the drama keeps you entertained for a good amount of time. It’s good for a watch when you want to watch something basic and cliché with good soundtrack and chemistry and actors. - u/Fatooz
fake relationship