There’s something about J-Dramas that keeps drawing audiences to them of all kinds. There are many reasons why J-Dramas – which stands for “Japanese dramas,” and refers to TV series that originally aired on broadcast TV in Japan – are so popular, but for us, it’s the combination of likable characters, simple but effective narratives, and an episodic format that makes them so bingeable. Not only that, but J-Dramas usually have a strong emotional component, focusing on emotion rather than complex twists, which is why romantic J-Dramas are so beloved by viewers everywhere.
If you’re not based in Japan, you have to rely on streaming platforms to watch your favorite J-Dramas, and Netflix is the perfect place to start looking! Not only does the popular streamer contain so much content for you to browse, with a combination of Netflix Originals and other shows, but it’s accessible worldwide, in many locations. Not only that, but the list of accessible titles changes in every country, and some may choose to download a VPN for Windows in order to bypass geo-restrictions and access an even wider catalogue.
There are different types of romantic J-Dramas: some series have romance at their center, while others revolve around a different subject but also contain romantic tropes. This list contains a little bit of everything: here are 5 of the best romantic J-Dramas on Netflix, ranked in alphabetical order!
1. Eye Love You (2024)
This popular TBS show has a supernatural twist. It revolves around 30-year-old Yuri (Fumi Nikaido, of A Pale View of Hills), who had an accident in the past that gave her telepathic powers: all Yuri has to do is looking into someone’s eyes, and she will be able to hear their thoughts. If the premise sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a little similar to Nancy Meyers’s classic What Women Want, but it’s what Eye Love You does with this premise that makes it stand out.
What makes this J-Drama so interesting is that Yuri doesn’t want to have this power: finding out feelings and ideas that people don’t want to share with you can be hurtful, and Yuri is also someone who doesn’t like sharing things about herself with others either. To her, it’s a form of protection, especially when it comes to love. One day, though, Yuri meets the Korean Yoon Tae-O (Chae Jong-Hyeop), who’s studying in Japan; but when she makes eye contact with him, she can’t understand his inner voice. This opens up a world of possibilities for our protagonist, who finds herself drawn to this mysterious stranger.
Eye Love You is clearly a metaphor for the walls we put in place in order to protect ourselves from getting hurt, especially when it comes to romance. But this subject is tackled with such charm here that you’ll find yourself hooked from episode 1. Fumi Nikaido, one of Japan’s most popular actresses right now, gives a fantastic performance in a lesser known J-Drama that’s absolutely worth the watch.
2. First Love (2022)
Unless you’ve been living under a bridge, you’ve probably heard of First Love, a Netflix Original that took audiences by storm when it hit the streaming platform in 2022. This J-Drama was inspired by two songs from singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada: “First Love” (1999), and “Hatsukoi” (2018). The two songs are somehow connected, despite the 20 years gap between their release dates, and so is the story of this series.
First Love takes place over three different decades – the late ’90s, the 2000s, and the present – over which we get to see a couple’s love story evolve, from their titular “First Love” to the many events that would shape the relationship, and the characters’ individual journeys, years later. Our protagonists are Yae and Harumichi, who first fell in love in high school, but then lost touch with each other when the former had a tragic accident. When they meet again, twenty years later, they are nearly strangers, but the memories are still there.
Will Yae and Harumichi be able to fulfil their destiny? It’s up to you to find out, and you won’t regret it.
3. Good Morning Call (2016)
If you’re looking for a high school drama with a twist, look no further than Good Morning Call. Adapted from beloved 1990s manga “Guddo Moningu Koru,” this J-Drama sees students Nao Yoshikawa (Haruka Fukuhara) and Hisashi Uehara (Shunya Shiraishi) become accidental roommates when they fall victim to a scam. Though both Nao and Uehara think they’re renting a flat where they would live on their own, while attending school, they soon find out that the owner rented the same apartment to both of them, and they have no choice but to share it.
Needless to say, Nao and Uehara eventually fall for each other, but the best part of this J-Drama is to watch them both come to terms with the situation and influence each other’s lives. Both protagonists have a life of their own, and the dynamics within Nao’s group of friends in particular make the series a very enjoyable watch. As for the romance itself, while there’s plenty of that in Season 1, it’s in Season 2 that things really start to get interesting when a new character (Yosuke Sugino) is introduced and Nao finally learns what a healthy relationship should be like.
4. La Grande Maison Tokyo (2019)
If you’re like us, you sometimes like to watch a J-Drama where the romantic component is only a part of the story and doesn’t make up its entire plot. In that case, we’d recommend La Grande Maison Tokyo, which takes place in the culinary world. Our protagonist is chef Natsuki Obana (Takuya Kimura), who trained at L’Ambroisie, the best restaurant in Paris, and soon opened his own restaurant there… Only to lose his job not long after, due to irregularities with both the food and the workers.
But when he was still at L’Ambroisie, Natsuki had met Rinko (Kyoka Suzuki), a fellow chef who was hoping to get a job there but had failed a cooking test. Still, that meeting led to something better, as when Natsuki’s first business endeavor fails, he teams up with Rinko. Together, the two decide to open a new place, the titular “Grande Maison Tokyo”, so they can finally earn the three Michelin stars they deserve. But it’s not so easy, given their reputation.
La Grande Maison Tokyo has a very simple premise that you shouldn’t take too seriously. When the show gets going, what will keep you watching is the dynamics between our characters – not only the two protagonists but also their future colleagues at the restaurant – and their unique way of overcoming challenges. Of course, there’s a romantic element as well, but we’ll let you discover that on our own…
5. Turn to me Mukai-kun (2023)
Watching love stories is often rewarding, but it can be hard to relate to a character if you’re someone who isn’t into meet-cutes and know that romances tend to often be awkward, rather than epic and problem-free. If you can recognize yourself in that description, Turn to me Mukai-kun was made for you.
33-years-old office worker Satoru (Eiji Akaso) leads an ordinary life: he is a nice guy, his colleagues like him, and he has many friends. But he has been single for over ten years. One day, Satoru decides to start looking for a partner, but it isn’t easy when the people around him are either married, unavailable, or not right for him. And so, Satoru starts wondering about why that is, and begins to look at his past choices in order to understand modern love.
It’s so refreshing to watch the topic of romance approached by Turn to me Mukai-kun, because while most romantic J-Dramas provide you with fantasies and escapism, this 2023 series offers a realistic, mature portrayal of adult relationships, avoiding tropes and clichés and opting for authenticity instead. It’s grounded and it will make you think, but there’s also a strong romantic element in it.
The 5 J-Dramas listed above are all available to stream on Netflix right now, and they will all make for fantastic watches, depending on what you’re looking for! Enjoy!
