A completely different era and country, but both dramas follow three very different women looking to make their way in a male dominated world. Both are well-produced and tightly written.

A Dream of Splendor is a bit more romance focused, but both have romance elements.

Both dramas have a younger woman and a more older male mentor. In both, the romance is forbidden, ill-fated and is full of yearning.

The Rise of Phoenixes however is beautifully produced, has wonderfully complex and interesting politics. It's also romance at a distance but has lots more quality interactions between the male and female leads.

In both dramas, the main male lead (ML) is the star of an investigation and enforcement force with many powerful political players seeking to manipulate or neutralize him. He's sucked into the middle, until the main female lead (FL) inspires him to find a way out

In both, the FL has her own ambitions and desires for her life that the ML is happy to support and pursue. The FLs take their fates into their own hands and come up with their own strategies.

A Dream of Splendor however is better produced and is less cruel and sadistic. Also a little less romantic and a bit more focused on female friendship than a main romance.

Both have a practical, just trying to make a living , a bit of a con artist/unscrupulous ML and an eccentric, whimsical always sticking her foot in it FL.

Conspiracy elements, and family elements overlap as well.

Legend of the Blue Sea is a bit more even in tone and a wee bit more of a fantasy element . . .

Both feature incredible chemistry with two leads whose romance is delayed and in fits and starts due to their professional ambitions as they cross paths and try to make it work over months (and maybe even years) . .

Whereas Descendents of the Sun also has a lot of adrenaline from taking place in rescue/war zones the feel of being on a journey with a couple you are absolutely cheering on and have gotten to know extremely well is very similar.

Both dramas have lots of strategic intrigue, fight scenes, and a romance that just keeps being a bit too out of reach ...both have a high production budget and are cinematic

The Rise of Phoenixes is more strategy than romance and the intelligence and complexity stays strong all the way through.

In both dramas, the main female lead (FL) is a spirited woman allowed a lot of freedom who falls in love with a prince in disguise.

In both, when the FL realizes the horror of what she's getting into, she tries to back out, compromise, run away from her fate. In both, these attempts are rational, understandable and deeply empathetic. In both, the FL has much more to lose than the prince.

On the other hand, Good Bye, My Princess is darker and more sure of its themes than The Red Sleeve, and it centers the main FL's troubles and sacrifices all the way until the end.

Both follow three millenial couples trying to sort out adulthood. Because This is My First Life, however, is 1000% + better. Actually has points and themes to be made regarding gender expectations, ambitions, and finding purpose in life and the value of life long friends in uncertain times.

Both dramas have:
- similar balance of humor, romance, action and drama
- quick pacing
- an upbeat, occasionally silly but competent female lead, and a grumpy self-involved male lead
- similar production budgets

Both have one, single romance dominating the story between a sunny joyous young woman and an overly serious/grumpy young man. Both stories go very fast, are addictive, and easy to binge watch.