romance with a bad guy / sort of antihero ml

Sep 30, 2020 08:23 am

time for another one of my super specific cravings

i'm in the mood to watch a drama with a bad guy male lead - and i don't mean like bad boy in the teen angst sense or the asshole ceo (tho i love both tropes), i mean someone who actually has questionable morals? i guess?

for example: han shuo from the romance of tiger and rose, he starts out with the goal of killing the female lead but eventually (immediately) changes pace because he's so struck by her cuteness. i really like how he always had his secret army ready to kill whoever wronged her, which is especially where my craving is leaning.

not an asian drama, but like captain hook from once upon a time also fits

but it doesn't have to be as lighthearted as romance of tiger and rose, nor does it have to be a historical. i'm cool with any time period, any genre, any country.

i guess i'm sort of asking for the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one trope, but on steroids

thanks for the help!

iOizys

Sep 30, 2020 09:23 am

I actually love this trope, but I don't see it a lot and it's disappointing.

Here are some dramas that might fit your criteria:

That Winter The Window Blows

Flower of Evil (the ML DEFINITELY has some problems and questionable morals)

Extracurricular (I don't think I can describe how the ML has skewed morals without spoiling)
Kill It (the ML is a retired assassin)
History3: Trapped (it's BL and then ML is a mafia boss)
Cruel City (I honestly don't remember much of this drama, sorry. I just remembered the ML being kind of bad.)
Bad Guys (There is no romance but the main characters are criminals)
Prison Playbook (I think the MLs morals are fine but if you're looking for a darker drama with criminals this is it)

Czakhareina

Sep 30, 2020 01:23 pm

Hundred Million stars falling from the sky JP / The Smile has Left Your Eyes KR - very very tragic end with ML scheming forhis revenge
Kings Woman - Tragic end with the ML as king whobis ruthless and a dictator who absconded the FL ans wont let her go
Goodbye My Princess - another tragic end with ML schemed to use the FL to annihilate to FLs kingdom/clan/family
Innocent Man - ML is a gigolo excon who is out for revenge
Hateful But aonce again - ML is a spoiled player who is rude and crude
Todome no Kiss - fantasy drama with ML is a notorious gigolo but the leads dont end up together
The Devil KR / Maou JP - tragic end with guy being a crime mastermind our for revenge
Finat Cut - not romance centered but the MK did try to seduce a girl to use her for her revenge/redemption plan for his mother
Que Sera Sera - ML is a notorious player and he actually broke up with FL for money.
Karn La Krang Neung…Nai Hua Jai - ML is a mafia boss

Eun Hwan Ki

Sep 30, 2020 09:41 pm

iOizys:
I actually love this trope, but I don't see it a lot and it's disappointing.
Here are some dramas that might fit your criteria:
That Winter The Window Blows
Flower of Evil (the ML DEFINITELY has some problems and questionable morals)
Extracurricular (I don't think I can describe how the ML has skewed morals without spoiling)
Kill It (the ML is a retired assassin)
History3: Trapped (it's BL and then ML is a mafia boss)
Cruel City (I honestly don't remember much of this drama, sorry. I just remembered the ML being kind of bad.)
Bad Guys (There is no romance but the main characters are criminals)
Prison Playbook (I think the MLs morals are fine but if you're looking for a darker drama with criminals this is it)

me too, i have a really soft spot for my demon children lol

dang i really gotta finish flower of evil. yeah i had left bad guys out of the post because of the lack of romance, but it is definitely along the lines of what i was thinking. i adored park hae jin's character.

thank you for the other recs!

Eun Hwan Ki

Sep 30, 2020 09:47 pm

Czakhareina:
Hundred Million stars falling from the sky JP / The Smile has Left Your Eyes KR - very very tragic end with ML scheming forhis revenge
Kings Woman - Tragic end with the ML as king whobis ruthless and a dictator who absconded the FL ans wont let her go
Goodbye My Princess - another tragic end with ML schemed to use the FL to annihilate to FLs kingdom/clan/family
Innocent Man - ML is a gigolo excon who is out for revenge
Hateful But aonce again - ML is a spoiled player who is rude and crude
Todome no Kiss - fantasy drama with ML is a notorious gigolo but the leads dont end up together
The Devil KR / Maou JP - tragic end with guy being a crime mastermind our for revenge
Finat Cut - not romance centered but the MK did try to seduce a girl to use her for her revenge/redemption plan for his mother
Que Sera Sera - ML is a notorious player and he actually broke up with FL for money.
Karn La Krang Neung…Nai Hua Jai - ML is a mafia boss

oo these all sound great. i think i might go with karn la krang next.

side note: i thought the leads did end up together in todome no kiss? wasn't the last episode of todome no parallel an epilogue to the main story or something?

fanitha

Oct 1, 2020 06:26 pm

Todome no kiss
Hwayugi
Que sera sera
Byakuyakou
Cheap Love
Queen of the game
I'm sorry I love you
Mars

AT the beginning they are nice but then they change:

Innocent man
Phoenix
Green Rose

talesoforever

Oct 25, 2020 03:51 pm

Love Better Than Immortality has a romantic interest that is considered dark and evil by others. ((main antagonist of the hero)) He becomes protective of the FL and enjoys teasing her.

they become a couple in the end