High school and University romance dramas have always been popular among the youth. One of the dramas among them is “Professional Single”. Some similar dramas like “Professional Single” are Horimiya, My Little Princess, Love O2O, First Love, and many more. “Professional Single” is a Chinese drama that aired in 2020, directed by Lin Yan.
The plot describes how the arts students of the University face different challenges in life in their journey to achieve their dreams. The main characters of the drama were played by Aaron Deng and Ireine Song as Qin Shen and Yuan Qian, who were art students; one is a handsome and tall sculptor, while the other is a friendly and cute sculptor.
The story of “Professional Single” revolves around the art school, where the art students, the main protagonists, encounter new challenges in the path of their dream with the slice of romance. Yuan Qian missed her drawing exams, and then she wanted to change her major to sculpturing while Qin Shen wanted to pursue his passion for making sculpture but fell in love with Yuan Qian when she became his classmate.
“Professional Single” is a simple love drama that was liked by the audience for its challenge and difficulties, artistic pursuits, visual aesthetics, personal growth and relationships among the characters, and pursuing one’s dreams. The drama is available on YouTube and Netflix.
1. Horimiya
“Horimiya” is a Japanese high school romance drama anime and manga series written by Hero. The story is about two high school classmates, Izumi Miyamura and Kyoko Hori. Izumi Miyamura is a silent and introverted guy in school while hiding his secret identity as a pierced and tattooed himbo.
Kyoko Hori is a famous and academically outstanding student who is hiding her responsibilities of managing household work and taking care of her younger brother because her parents are always occupied with work.
Coincidentally, both Izumi Miyamura and Kyoko Hori discover each other’s secrets. This later helps them to form an unlikely friendship that slowly and gently turns their friendship into a romantic relationship.
The story tells about their journey as they start to handle the twists and turns of high school life and deal with issues like family, friendship, and personal growth in life that continue to grow them closer and support each other in facing every obstacle.
“Horimiya” is a season 1 series that was aired in 2021, while season 2 that is “Horimiya: The Missing Pieces,” aired in 2023, is not related to season 1 but is a side story that tells about the missing pieces of season 1.
Season 2 takes a look at the fine stability between growth, romance, and difference of opinion, helps in making it an inspiring and captivating teen romance story.
- Released in Season 1 aired in 2021, and Season 2 aired in 2023
- Run Time: Season 1 contains 13 episodes of approx. 23 min
- Cast: Haruka Tomatsu, Koki Uchiyama, Seiichiro Yamashita, and Zeno Robinson
- Directed by: Masashi Ishihama
- Streaming platforms: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Funimation, Crunchyroll, VRV, and HiDive
2. My Little Princess
“My Little Princess” is a Chinese drama. The story is about a wealthy heiress, Lin Xin Chen, who is an illegitimate child of a wealthy family. She was pressured by her family to marry a wealthy heir. Lin Xin Chen is defined as a rich and attractive young lady with a willful attitude, which is the opposite of the obedient and modest qualities that her fiance wants.
The story tells about how Lin Xin Chen wins the heart of a rich heir while overcoming different obstacles and facing challenges in her way. The drama discovers themes like family, love, and societal expectations as Lin Xin Chen sails her way through the complications of her relationship and social status.
The series shows a fun and light-hearted tone with a bold female lead who knows what she has to do instead of a delicate female lead, as shown in other dramas.
- Released in 2016
- Run Time: 16 episodes of 45 min
- Cast: Zhang Yu Xi, Mike D. Angelo, Kenji Chen, Li Yi Xiao
- Directed by: Yu Chung Chung
- Streaming platforms: Viki, Asian Crush, Caravan
3. The Best of You in My Mind
“The Best of You in My Mind” is a Chinese romance drama. The story is about two childhood friends, Xu Fang and Lin Xi Chi, who slowly and gently fall in love with each other. Xu Fang is a national defense student and an outstanding musician while Lin Xi Chi is an optimistic and cheerful veterinary medical student in college.
Xu Fang and Lin Xi Chi have been friends since their childhood; the story marks their road from being friends to gradually falling in love with each other. The story describes their path as they sail their way through family relationships, friendship, college life, and personal growth.
- Released in:2015
- Run Time: 35 episodes of 45 min
- Cast: Zhang Yao, Song Yi Ren, Li Chung Lin, Qu Jing Jing, Guo Xin Yu, Jiang Rui Lin, and Cui Ya Han
- Directed by: Su Hao Qi
- Streaming platforms: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Viki
4. Cheese in the Trap
“Cheese in the Trap” is a South Korean romance drama. The story is about two college students, Hong Seol and Yoo Jung. Hong Seol is a painstaking and assiduous student who comes from a meek family, while Yoo Jung is a mysterious guy in college who is also a senior of Hong Seol; he looks like an ideal guy on the surface but has a darker side.
As they come closer to each other in their relationship, they start to experience complications, manipulations filled with dark secrets, and psychological games.
“Cheese in the Trap” is built on a webtoon series by Soonkki of the same name. It displayed an original ending at the time of filming, as the webtoon was not completed at the time. “Cheese in the Trap” displays themes like love, friendship, and the problems of relationships between humans, especially concentrating mainly on Yoo Jung and Hong Seol.
At the end of the drama, both Yoo Jung and Hong Seol, not knowing of each other’s presence, pass by each other on the footpath. At the same time Yoo Jung, after a long time, replies to one of the many emails of Hong Seol, passing the expectations to the audience for a plausible future reunion.
- Released on: 2016
- Run Time:16 episodes of 1 hr
- Cast: Kim Go Eun, Park Hae Jin, Seo Kang Joon, Lee Sung Kyung
- Directed by: Kim Je Young
- Streaming platforms: Viki, Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Tubi TV, Kocowa
5. Shining Like You
“Shining Like You” is a Chinese romance drama. The story talks about how Lu Qi Yi, the female protagonist, misled her parents by taking admission to an art school in place of a foreign language college.
In art school, Lu Qi Yi meets Ye Lin, the male protagonist, who is displayed as a cold and arrogant character, but later, he eventually opens up to the female protagonist and helps her achieve her dreams in the entertainment industry. Their relationship grows as the drama moves forward, and they start to work in the entertainment industry with each other.
As the female protagonist sets foot in the entertainment industry, the plot shows different locations like entertainment agencies, music studios, and performing stages. The drams also show China’s fashion and music in the modern day.
In the whole drama, both of them face many challenges and fight to pursue their passion for the arts. The drama displays themes like sacrifices, self-doubt and insecurities, competition, rejection and setbacks, personal growth, and overcoming obstacles and limitations.
- Released in 2021
- Run Time: 24 episodes of 45 min
- Cast: Gong Jun, Wang Zi, Ma Chuan Rui, Liu Jan Yu, Nikki Chen, Cheng Pen Wan Li, Wang Jia Yin, and Guo Jia Yi
- Directed by: Fu Cong
- Streaming platforms: WeTV, JustWatch, CPOP HOME
6. Put Your Head on My Shoulder
“Put Your Head on My Shoulder” is a Chinese romance drama. The story is about a genius physics student, Gu Wei Yi, and an accounting student, Si Tu Mo, who is unsure about her future paths as her graduation is held soon.
“Put Your Head on My Shoulder” is adapted from the novel of the same title, both novel and drama was written by the same writer.
The story talks about Gu Wei Yi and Si Tu Mo. Under some circumstances, both were resulted in living with each other. As they spend more time with each other they end up developing feelings for each other.
The main focus of the show was entirely on the main characters, with the story of the drama being simple and sweet. As the drama moves forward, it is seen how both of them encounter different challenges on the path to achieving their passion.
The theme of the story mainly displays personal growth, campus romance, physical and emotional support, simplicity, innocent romance, etc.
- Released in 2019
- Run Time: 24 episodes of 45 min
- Cast: Xing Fei and Lin Yi
- Directed by: Shi Shi
- Streaming platforms: Netflix, Roku, Rakuten Viki, Reelgood
7. A Love So Beautiful
“A Love So Beautiful” is a Chinese romance drama. The story revolves around its main characters, Jiang Chen and Chen Xiao Xi. Jiang Chen is the distant and cold top student in the class, while Chen Xiao Xi is a normal high school girl who has a crush on her neighbor, which is Jiang Chen.
The story talks about how Chen Xiao Xi pursues Jiang Chen and how they develop a relationship in college. Though, they ended up being separated because of the breakup.
The story was adapted from a novel, “To Our Pure Little Beauty,” both written by the same writer. “A Love So Beautiful” was a huge hit when it was aired in 2017, spiraling the fame of the main characters. The drama deals with themes like separation, first love, personal growth, and hardships.
The setting of the drama circles around high school and college romance; it brings one’s emotions of first love that they were separated and only looks at the memories of the past as fondness.
- Released on: 2017
- Run Time: 24 episodes of 30 min
- Cast: Shen Yue, Hu Yitian, Gao Zhi Ting, Wang Zi Wei, Sun Ning
- Directed by: Yang Long
- Streaming platforms: WeTV, Netflix, JustWatch, BetaSeries, Rakuten Viki
8. Flourish in Time
“Flourish in Time” is a Chinese romance drama. The story revolves around Jiang Haoyue, who is displayed as an aloof and cold guy, and Lu Miao, who is displayed as a brave, sweet, and kind girl. The story tells how, because of an accident caused by Lu Miao’s father, Jiang Haoyue enters the life of Lu Miao as her brother.
The drama brings out their journey of how they overcome challenges in high school while gradually developing a close bond with each other and obtaining friends in high school.
The theme of the story is personal growth, independence, and falling in love. The drama makes the audience connect with it by showing the childhood moments of Jiang Haoyue and Lu Miao.
All through the drama, both of them made a deep connection with each other by being supportive and caring. The drama is based on the novel “Shei Neng Ping Ai Yi Jiang Yue Guang Si You.”
- Released in 2019
- Run Time: 24 episodes of 45 min
- Cast: Zhang Ling He, Anchy Deng
- Directed by: Jiang Jin Lin
- Streaming platforms: WeTV, iQiyi, Viki
9. Master Devil, do not Kiss Me
“Master Devil Do Not Kiss Me” is a Chinese romantic comedy-drama. The story revolves around the main characters, Han Qi Lu and An Chuxia. In the drama, An Chuxia, custody was given to Han Qi Lu’s family after the death of her mother.
At first, Han Qi Lu does not like An Chuxia, but as the drama moves forward, they eventually start to get closer, and then later, they end up falling in love with each other.
The drama brings out themes like friendship, family, and, finally, love. The drama is adapted from the novel written by the same writer of the drama and has a total of two seasons. The audience liked this drama because of its comedy, light-hearted tone, and romantic setup.
- Released on: 2017
- Run Time: a total of 46 episodes of 20 min
- Cast: Li Hong Yi, Xing Fei, Zhang Xin Cheng
- Directed by: Shang Tao
- Streaming platforms: Amazon Prime Video, WeTV, Apple TV, MyDramaList
10. Love O2O
“Love O2O” is a Chinese romance drama. The story starts with Xiao Nai, the male lead, who is also a senior in college, notices Bei Weiwei, the female lead and a junior in a PC cafe; Xiao Nai is left with a great impression by Bei Weiwei after seeing her extraordinary skills in computer games.
Xiao Nai proposes to Bei Weiwei to be her partner in the game, which later helps them to get closer, and then they gradually fall in love and develop a relationship in real life. As the story moves forward, Xiao Nai starts to make his name in the entertainment industry by developing a game, with the help and support of Bei Weiwei, they overcome many challenges which come in the path of their passion.
The story brings out themes like friendship, love, and personal growth. The story achieved huge fame in 2016 and was ranked first in ratings during the broadcast; it became a huge topic by becoming the most searched and most discussed topic on online platforms. It has a total of 24 Billion views all over China.
The drama gained a massive audience for its refreshing storyline, visually appealing cinematography, engaging characters, attractive personalities played the main leads, and by showing modern love in a digital era. The story is based on a novel, “Just One Smile Is Very Alluring,” also known as “Wei Wei’s Beautiful Smile”.
- Released on: 2016
- Run Time: 30 episodes of 45 min
- Cast: Yang Yang, Zheng Shuang, Mao Xiaotong, Bai Yu, Ma Chunrui, Qin Yu, Songxin Jiayi
- Directed by Lin Yu Fen and Guo Hu
- Streaming platforms: Netflix, Viki, JustWatch, Redbubble
11. My ID is Gangnam Beauty
“My ID is Gangnam Beauty” is a South Korean romance drama. The story is about a girl named Gi Maeng-gi, a college student who was body shamed in her past and undergoes plastic surgery to change her appearance and become beautiful.
In college, she crosses paths with Do Kyung-seok, a tall and handsome guy who identifies with her and is impressed by her because of her talent in dancing. As they get to know each other, they gradually fall in love with each other.
Together, they face judgemental society and beauty standards and learn the importance of inner qualities and self-acceptance.
The drama deals with themes like love, friendship, trust, self-growth, self-esteem, etc. The drama gained a huge audience for its heartfelt performances, relatable storyline, and thought-arousing messages of self-esteem and self-worth. The drama is based on a webtoon of the same name.
- Released on: 2018
- Run Time: 16 episodes of 1 hr
- Cast: Im Soo-hyang and Cha Eun-woo
- Directed by: Choi Sung-bum
- Streaming platforms: BetaSeries, JustWatch, Tumblr, IMDb, Hums of Sum
12. Love Alarm
“Love Alarm” is a South Korean romance drama television series; it was made based on a webtoon of the same name by Chon Kye-young. The story of “Love Alarm” is basically what the name of the story says: one fine day, an app was developed by a stranger; the app tells a person of the presence of a love interest in a distance of 10 m or so.
The mobile phone makes a sound if someone is nearby and tells you that the person nearby loves you. The story moves forward with a high school girl, Kim Jojo, who faces love and personal difficulties.
The drama was featured on Netflix in 2019 as it appeared as Netflix’s top releases. Despite that, the drama got mixed reactions from the audience; some liked it for its unique plot, while some complained about it being an essential high school drama. “Love Alarm” experiences themes of technology, love, social disruption, etc.
- Released in 2019
- Run Time: 6 episodes of 57 min
- Cast: Kim So-Hyun, Jung Ga-Ram, and Song Kang
- Directed by: Lee Na-Jeong
- Streaming platforms: Netflix, Cosmo.ph, Preview.ph, Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore, PR Newswire, The Review Geek
13. First Love
“First Love” is a Japanese drama. The story was made based on two Hikaru Utada songs, ‘First Love’ and ‘Hatsukoi’. The story shows a young guy, Harumichi Namiki, and a girl, Yae Noguchi. Both of them were childhood sweethearts but had to be separated because of an accident; they met each other a few years later.
Meeting Yae Noguchi after so many years, Harumichi Namiki felt the same excitement and emotions he had a few years ago. As the drama moves forward, they start rebuilding their first love through the past moments and face different obstacles in their journey.
The story deals with themes like love, friendship, personal growth, etc. The story received mixed reactions from the audience; some liked it for its exquisite and enjoyable value, while some disliked it by saying it was an idiotic plot that lacked understanding.
- Released on: 2022
- Run Time: 9 episodes of 30-60 min
- Cast: Hikara Mitsushima, Takeru Satoh, Rikako Yagi, Taisei Kido, and Minami
- Directed by: Yuri Kanchiku
- Streaming platforms: Netflix, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Variety
