We NEED more actual canon same-gender ships, most importantly in innocent media & particularly in Korea; for now we have to settle. Sick of heteronormativity? You'll either love or hate these. Might love if don't mind overlooking cliche plots to focus on potential beneath tropes cuz whee, they sure do inspire ~adorkable happy-ever-afters, especially for poly shippers! ♡ Avoid if dislike getting hopes up for same-gender ships. Hope it's useful. Based on my own prefs/faves. Check my MDL @SimbiAni!

Same-Gender Romances (or "Not Gay But Shdve Been")

Channel A

Pan Da Yang (Yoon Seung Ah), a sweet bakery owner, hires Ko Seung Ji (Donghae), a talented but prickly pastry chef, at her Panda Café. As they create delectable desserts, they find themselves in a competitive battle against a national cake franchise owned by Da Yang's first love. Their contrasting personalities and culinary skills lead to both tension and unexpected chemistry as they strive to make their small bakery successful. Despite their initial conflicts, Seung Ji and Da Yang gradually develop a deeper connection through their shared passion for baking.

Panda and Hedgehog

The Panda Bears Team

KBS2

Working-class highschooler Jan Di (Ku Hye Sun) secures a scholarship at the prestigious Shin Hwa High School. Shin Hwa is attended by elites, most infamously the F4 — the four richest boys in school. Not one to stir up trouble, Jan Di keeps to herself... until her best friend accidentally drops ice cream on F4 leader Goo Joon Pyo (Lee Min Ho). After Jan Di stands up for her friend, her anonymity goes out the window and the F4 won't leave her alone. However, as Jan Di learns more about the F4, she realizes that there's more than meets the eye... and it seems Joon Pyo feels the same way. Will this unlikely duo find romance? Released in 2009 and based on the Japanese manga of the same name, this drama is a worldwide phenomenon and a fan-favorite classic.

Boys Over Flowers

🌸The Fabulous Four Team🌸

No Eun Seol (Choi Kang Hee), a feisty and unemployed young woman with a penchant for fighting, finally lands a job as a secretary – to the immature, eccentric, and utterly incompetent heir of DN Group Cha Ji Heon (Ji Sung). Ji Heon, riddled with social phobia and a deep-seated fear of public speaking, constantly clashes with his ambitious cousin and rival, Cha Mu Won (Kim Jae Joong), who is the perfect executive. As Eun Seol attempts to whip Ji Heon into shape, she finds herself not only protecting him from his own ineptitude but also from his manipulative family and their corporate machinations. Amidst office politics, hilarious mishaps, and growing feelings, Eun Seol helps Ji Heon mature into a capable leader, while inadvertently finding herself caught in a complicated love triangle and discovering her own potential.

Protect the Boss

The Bossy Team

Sung Shi Won (Jung Eun Ji) and her five high school friends – Yoon Yoon Jae (Seo In Guk), Mo Yoo Jung (Shin So Yul), Kang Joon Hee (Hoya), Do Hak Chan (Eun Ji Won), and Bang Sung Jae (Lee Shi Un) – were obsessed with K-pop idols in 1997. For 18-year-old Shi Won, her world revolved around Tony An of H.O.T., with dreams of becoming his wife. Fifteen years later, at 33, the friends reunite for a mini-reunion where two of them announce their engagement. As they reminisce about their teenage years, the story challenges viewers to guess which two friends' passionate idol worship transformed into genuine love. This nostalgic journey explores friendship, first loves, and the transformative power of youth. "Answer Me 1997" is a 2012 South Korean drama series directed by Shin Won Ho that captures the essence of teenage dreams and lasting connections.

Reply 1997

 The Super Busan Team

In the late 1980s Seoul, five childhood friends from the Ssangmundong neighborhood navigate their challenging teen years together. Seong Deok Seon (Lee Hye Ri) struggles with her low school ranking, Kim Jeong Hwan (Ryu Jun Yeol) is soccer-obsessed, Seong Seon Woo (Ko Gyung Pyo) is the perfect student, Ryoo Dong Ryong (Lee Dong Hwi) is a knowledgeable geek, and Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum) is a genius baduk player who dropped out of school. As they support each other through various misadventures, they form unbreakable bonds that will shape their future lives. Their shared experiences and friendship become a testament to the power of youth and community during a transformative era in South Korean history. This is a 2015 South Korean nostalgic drama series directed by Shin Won Ho, the third installment in the "Reply" drama series.

Reply 1988

The Lucky Eights Team

In desperate need of money, tomboy Go Eun Chan (Yoon Eun Hye) takes up an additional part-time job as a delivery worker to help make ends meet. Her job leads her to Choi Han Gyeol (Gong Yoo), a wealthy slacker who’s sick of his grandmother setting him up on blind dates. He’s been tasked to rebuild his family’s struggling coffee shop, and decides to hire attractive young men to boost sales. Mistaking Eun Chan for a boy, Han Gyeol decides to hire her as a cafe employee – and to pretend to be his gay lover to ward off unwanted blind dates. As Eun Chan juggles her secret identity and her new job, an undeniable connection blossoms between her and Han Gyeol, who struggles with his unexpected attraction to Eun Chan. Will love find a way to conquer all?

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