Queer Storylines
supporting and minor characters/storylines & implied/censored characters
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1. Itaewon Class
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
trans supporting character/subplot, handled fairly well
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2. Wedding Impossible
Korean Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
2ML is gay, the entire plot kicks off bc of this
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3. Kekkon Aite wa Chusen de
Japanese Drama - 2018, 8 episodes
supporting queer characters voicing their concerns over the marriage bill is a subplot
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4. Reply 1997
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
supporting character has crush on his best friend, handled respectfully
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5. 10 Years Ticket
Thai Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
2 supporting characters are queer women
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6. Secret Garden
Korean Drama - 2010, 20 episodes
supporting character has crush on his mentor/idol
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7. Run On
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
supporting character has crush on his best friend, handled respectfully, tw homophobia from parent
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8. Kiss
Thai Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
supporting characters revealed to be a couple 2/3 through the series
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9. The Sweet Blood
Korean Drama - 2021, 15 episodes
2ML is bi
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10. Kleun Cheewit
Thai Drama - 2017, 15 episodes
FL's manager is gay, they have a very sweet friendship
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11. Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
Japanese Drama - 2007, 12 episodes
possible unpopular opinion, but I'm including it because 2ML goes through self-reflection and accepts his feelings for her before finding out FL is a girl
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12. Love in Contract
Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
FL's best friend is gay, handled okay. Mild homophobia from his boss and family.
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13. The Forbidden Marriage
Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
supporting character revealed to be gay + a stealth plug for marriage equality, although both in the last 10 min of final episode
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14. A Time Called You
Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
minor but significant gay characters appear in one episode (tw death)
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15. Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
lesbian minor character featured in 1 episode (+ her partner w/ no lines)
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16. She Would Never Know
Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
supporting character's husband leaves her for a man, extremely minor subplot, handled okay
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17. Love Alarm
Korean Drama - 2019, 8 episodes
minor character/subplot, iirc some bullying from another minor character, ML sticks up for him
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18. Cheese in the Trap
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
gay couple as minor characters, face difficulty due to homophobia which is exploited by ML :(
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19. Someday or One Day
Taiwanese Drama - 2019, 13 episodes
minor but significant gay character appears in one episode. tw suicide, bullying
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20. So I Married an Anti-Fan
Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
FL's ex bf (minor character) left her because he's gay
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21. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
odd amount of faux/dream sequence flirting btwn the ML and 2nd ML / some characters believe the ML is gay at first meanwhile the supporting (actually) gay character depicted as an offensive stereotype
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22. The Untamed
Chinese Drama - 2019, 50 episodes
INCREDIBLY gay for a drama that is technically censored
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23. Payakorn Sorn Ruk
Thai Drama - 2020, 13 episodes
implied bi supporting character; not explicitly canon, but implied ex-girlfriends Lyla & Rin are then implied to get back together at the end of the series
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24. Eternal Love
Chinese Drama - 2017, 58 episodes
FL's uncles (supporting characters) are depicted as a married couple despite the text never explicitly stating it
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25. Eternal Love of Dream
Chinese Drama - 2020, 56 episodes
FL's uncles (supporting characters) are depicted as a married couple despite the text never explicitly stating it; female supporting character in love with her female guard (posing as male)
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26. School 2013
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
not explicitly canon, but the actors said they played it as if they were in love and it SHOWS
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27. Are You Human Too?
Korean Drama - 2018, 36 episodes
not explicitly canon, but 2 supporting male characters are devoted to each other/end the series together
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28. Sassy Beauty
Chinese Drama - 2022, 24 episodes
not explicitly canon, but one of the princes and his bodyguard/best friend are implied to be a couple
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29. Search: WWW
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
not explicitly canon, but this drama is shot like a love triangle btwn the 3 female leads (I'm honestly confused why they gave them male love interests at all)
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30. At a Distance, Spring Is Green
Korean Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
not quite as insane as Search: WWW, but coded ot3?? ML is equally obsessed with FL and the other ML, FL refers to the boys as having a married couple's quarrel, and the show ends with the three of them laughing together, no love interest for the "single" "third wheel" ML
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31. Because This Is My First Life
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
FL implied to be bi; makes passing reference to finding a woman attractive and asks her on a date
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32. The Last Immortal
Chinese Drama - 2023, 40 episodes
lowkey feel like they were implying something between Xiuyan & Mingqi??
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33. The Love Proposal
Thai Drama - 2022, 15 episodes
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34. Love with Flaws
Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes
supporting character(s) are gay
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35. Personal Taste
Korean Drama - 2010, 16 episodes
supporting character is gay
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36. Word of Honor
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes