Highly Recommended Youth (Highschool/College) Dramas
Here is a list of shows under my ultimate favorite drama genre. This will include Korean/Chinese/Taiwanese dramas.
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1. Who Are You: School 2015
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
This drama satisfies that "What if I have a twin?" question we all had growing up.
I definitely asked this question once or twice as a kid/teenager. This school drama plot revolves around a girl that gets to live a very different (and much more fun) life as her twin sister. It involves students' everyday struggle as teenagers in school with some hint of mystery on the side. You'd also enjoy its ending which surely is one of the most satisfying ever!
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2. Dream High
Korean Drama - 2011, 16 episodes
Classic.
Need I say more? This slightly old-but-gold school drama features many of our fave leads today - Bae Suzy, IU, Kim Soo Hyun, Kim Taecyeon, etc. It was one of my first kdramas and was definitely a favorite (I still have its theme song dance memorized up to this day). The story revolved around a group of students in an art school going through their journey to stardom.
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3. Someday or One Day
Taiwanese Drama - 2019, 13 episodes
Dual timeline with the main lead slaying a dual role.
Taiwanese dramas never disappoint. Another plot element i love so much is the lead playing dual roles. This starts with the present timeline (with adult characters) and later on progress to the past where the highschool setting takes place. When you get past the first few episodes of this series, I promise you won't be able to stop. With multi-dimensional characters and a complex plot, you are surely for one hell of a ride. -
4. Unrequited Love
Chinese Drama - 2021, 38 episodes
A very cute love story between two geniuses!
We're so used to the FL-liked-ML-first tropes where the FL is gullible and always finds herself in so many embarrassing moments. However, Unrequited Love (2021) successfully told this story without the cringe factor you usually get from this kind of dramas. You'd definitely enjoy imagining yourself as the FL!. The chemistry between the Hu Yitian and Hu Bingqing will surely leave you filled with butterflies on your stomach throughout the series!
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5. Twenty-Five Twenty-One
Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
THIS COMING-OF-AGE DRAMA HAD ME LAUGHING SO HARD.
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6. A Little Thing Called First Love
Chinese Drama - 2019, 36 episodes
I'm a sucker for the FL-liked-ML-first trope and this is one of the most entertaining I've watched. The original story was from a Thai Movie "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" which was very cute too. ALCFL is a light romantic comedy drama that follows the story of a 'simple' girl and her genius senior from high school to college. I loved watching the FL grow and improve from that shy and timid girl (makes you reminisce taking inspiration from your crushes HAHA). But, really, it's Lai Kuan Lin that really made me watch this drama 'til the end (AHHH I LOVE HIM). He's that typical smart, sporty, handsome, and most-popular-guy-in-school ML you just can't help but love.