drama with long time friends to lovers

I am looking for a specific type of drama and because I almost can't find the exact same thing somewhere else, I try my luck making a topic myself.   (Could be long, please read everything!)

Sooo... I'm searching for dramas where the main leads are friends/best friends for a significant amount of time (doesn't have to be childhood friends) but they NEVER  had a crush on each other. I really want them to be only friends without one of them having a secret crush on the other or even worse both of them having a crush. I want a platonic relationship where they realize LATER, that they might actually love the other person. It's fine if they might had a light crush at the beginning, but then faded away. I am fine with that.

Important things and wishes:

• I prefer ML falls in love first/Realizes his love first, but FL realizes it first or both at the same time would be okay, if the FL is cool with it and doesn't try to make a move
• If the ML is a douche, a Player or anything like that he HAS to fall in love first
• Slowburn appreciated, but not a must
• No big age gap especially older female/younger male (also not a must)
• No one night stand or anything that forces them unnaturally to be close
• Some jealousy on the ML's part would be great
• Happy ending please :( I cannot watch something like Twenty-Five Twenty-One  again D:

All these things are actually important for me, but I am so desperate to find something that comes even close to my description, that I would be willing to watch it even if it doesn't fit all my points

Some good examples:

• My First First Love (The perfect example! They only had a little crush in highschool, that was shortly mentioned, but wasn't that important. The rest is perfectly what I want. Slow romance, didn't feel too forced for me, ML realizes first and is jealous. It's one of my all time favorite dramas)
• 9 End 2 Outs (Good drama. Only a bit too fast paced for me)
• You Drive Me Crazy (Too short :( And they had a one night stand which I didn't like, but everything else was great)
• Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (Perfect example again. He had a crush on her when they were young, but that's it. Also one of my absolute favorite dramas)

Not what I want:

• Plus Nine Boys (I loved the dynamics, but they both are actually in love with each other and that's exactly what I don't want)
• Fight for My Way  (I love Fight for my way, but it's exactly the dynamic that I don't want. She is actually in love with him the whole time but is just good at hiding it)
• Romance Is a Bonus Book (Self-explanatory. He has a crush on her from the beginning)

Any language is fine!

 Lou:

Pinocchio - try that. The story has so darn many troops but one could be seen as friends to lovers. She is his pseudo niece, they are not related but something happens and he is taken in as the long lost child of the fm's grandfather. They end up living together, grow up together (they are the same age), and end up working together. It is a very good dramas that I'd highly recommend you.

Then it gets a little difficult. There isn't really a drama where childhood friends grow up together without at least one of the leads falling for the other at some point. You could try Bubblegum and
You drive me Crazy, or Go Ahead but all have leads that decided to do a profession because of their childhood friend and the male leads generally do develop feelings not too far into the story. 

Thank you! It's honestly really hard for me to find some drama tropes, because I am quite a picky watcher, but I will try your recommendations. These dramas are actually even on my PTW list!^^

 AH :

Wednesday 3:30 PM - As kids, I'd say the ML and FL were more playmates than best friends. Their moms were best friends. When the ML returns as an adult, they are friends in the sense of people who knew each other growing up and look out for each other. No prior romantic feelings. The ML helps the FL make her ex jealous before they start to develop feelings for each other.

Ohh, thank you so much! I actually already watched Wednesday 3:30 PM 2 times. I love this drama so much, but it's too short T_T 

I will try watching the other ones you mentioned!

And thanks for letting me know about Pinocchio ^^

 AH :

Hmmm. Kiss Scene in Yeonnamdong and Adult Trainee are also short. Have you watched The Story of Ming Lan? It's very different from the other dramas in this thread, but it's definitely not short. The ML helps the FL when they're kids. When they're a bit older, he becomes her half brother's friend. Later, he makes some bad choices and she gives him some hard-to-hear advice. They're definitely not best friends or buddies, or even friends exactly, but they look out for each other without harbouring romantic feelings. The ML is the first one to fall, eventually.

No I haven't actually, because I need to be in a specific mood to watch historical dramas^^" My problem is... that is too long xD And I am unfortunately someone that doesn't like it that much, when the couple comes together, because then the most interesting part is gone for me. And if I start watching a drama with almost 80 episodes and they come together in... idk episode 56... I will have a hard time watching the rest of the show :/ Usually only works if it has other couples that are not together yet, that I concentrate on.

But thank you for mentioning it. I really need to watch some historical dramas xD

 AH :

I imagine it's pretty rare to have a drama where the ML and FL are friends for a long time and it's purely platonic with no secret crushes on either side until they get together romantically near the end of the drama. Because then it would be a non-romance drama for most of it, with a sudden switch to romance in the end? I can't think of any regular-length dramas that would fit.

Yeah, it is really uncommon. That's why I hate being a picky watcher, because I have certain tastes and things I like, that most dramas just won't include. So it's not only this request but most of my requests are hard to find xD That is why I am really desperate sometimes  °^° 

But it's not really non romance drama that suddenly switches. I mean more like... a  Slowburn then. With little hints here and there. It's hard to describe. You mentioned Wednesday 3:30 P.M. That was actually a really good example, because they were really close but didn't see each other romantically. But little things like that scene in the flower field happened and he took pictures of her that were beautiful and yeah... I like the slowly falling in love part with subtle hints here and there and them falling in love but only realizing near the end. stuff like that, it's really hard to describe :/  I think My first first love did it perfectly. 

 AH :

Would you be interested in a drama where the ML admires and falls for the FL when they are in high school, but at the time the FL doesn't trust guys and isn't interested in dating, so the ML becomes her best friend instead? They remain best friends into adulthood and both date other people. The ML pretty much gives up on the possibility of having a romantic relationship with the FL, tries to make romantic relationships work with other people and focuses on staying by the FL's side as her friend. Until pretty much the end of the drama when they do get together romantically. That's what happens in In Time With You.

That drama is on my PTW for many years now. I love this dynamic. I know I will like it. But I need to eventually bring myself to watch it then xD 

But thank you so much for trying to help me. I always appreciate your comments and recommendations^^

 Bubblegum20:

But thank you so much for trying to help me. I always appreciate your comments and recommendations^^

Happy to do it. I do hope you find a drama that matches what you're looking for.