The show follows the story of Jiro Yakuin, a high school senior who has to go through a complicated practical in order to graduate. Jiro and the other students of his class will be split into pairs where each male student will be paired with a female senior. These pairs will live like married couples for the course of the term and will have to rack up scores in order to pass the term. Jiro has a crush on his childhood friend, Shiori Sakurazada and is hopeful that he would be paired with her. However, things go sour for him when a nobody like Jiro is paired with the school’s gyaru (pick-me girl) Akari Watanabe who hates his guts. After seeing how the 12-episode show came to an end, we can expect a second season of More Than A Married Couple, but not Lovers until that is released, here is a list of more shows that are similar to the popular Japanese Manga.
Love in Contract (K-drama)
Similarities: Fake relationship, Love Triangle The 2022 Korean drama Love in Contract may not have been a popular one when it comes to its ratings but the show was quite popular among fans on Twitter who loved the chemistry between actors Park Min-young and Ko Gyung-po. Love in Contract follows the story of Choi Sang-eun, an attractive woman who works as a contract marriage master. Sang-eun transforms herself into the ideal match for her single clients who want to fake being married or in a relationship with someone. She had been in a marriage contract with Jung Ji-ho for the past five years. Sang-eun’s new client is a popular actor, Kang Hae-jin and her life turn chaotic when she gets involved in a love triangle with the two.
Engaged To The Undefined (Anime)
Similarities: Fake relationship, Romance Engaged to the Undefined is a high school drama about Kobeni Yonomori, a young student who lives with her mother and older sister Benio. Upon turning sixteen, Kobeni learns that she is engaged to a boy named Hakuya Mitsumine due to an arrangement by her late grandfather. Hakuya Mitsumine and his little sister Mashiro, come to live with Kobeni as the young girl only starts spending some time adjusting to this new family. Soon, Kobeni’s life becomes a bit more interesting between having a fiancé, a new sister-in-law, and a crazy sister.
Hello Mr. Gu (C-drama)
Similarities: Fake Relationship, Enemies to Lovers The 2021 drama follows the story of Zhou Jian Qing, the daughter of a wealthy family who was raised like a princess. She lived her entire life never wanting anything but that is until her family goes through a hard time that makes them lose all their money. With her fairy tale life crashing down, a CEO with an aversion to crowds enters a contractual marriage with Zhou Jian Qing. Both the CEO and Zhou are opposing personalities who initially butt heads but eventually become one another’s confidats and eventually fall in love.
Zindagi Gulzar Hai (Pakistani Drama)
Similarities: Enemies to Lovers, Romance The popular 2012 Pakistani drama that cemented Fawad Khan’s reputation around the world is Zindagi Gulzar Hai (Life is a Bed of Roses) which follows the story of Kashaf, the daughter of a school teacher who was manhandled by her father. The show follows intense topics like class discrimination in its narration. Kashaf who considers men trickily and thinks that her life is unfair meets Zarun in college. The two initially clash due to their differences but eventually end up falling in love with each other. The show focuses on Kashaf’s life in poverty and her hard work that enables her to earn a reputed position.
Perfect and Casual (C-drama)
Similarities: Fake relationship, Romance The popular 2020 drama follows the story of a cold and icy professor Zhang Si Nian who is as prim, proper and efficient as it can get. He runs into the casual, calm and sunny Yun Shu who is a final year student at the University. After a prickly first interaction between the two, Yun Shu runs into Zhang Si Nian another time, this time desperately needing his help. Si Nian decides to help Yun Shu out and they enter in a contractual marriage. Living together as a couple in such close proximity brings the two together and their relationship starts to blossom.
Full House (K-drama)
Similarities: Forced Proximity, Fake Relationship After a chaotic turn of events, Han Ji-eun, an aspiring scriptwriter, loses her house that was built by her late father. Ji-eun is forced to live with a famous actor named Lee Young-jae who is now the new owner of the house. The forced proximity starts when Ji-eun is forced to live with Young-jae. The two are not able to get along initially due to their contrasting habits and Ji-eun starts works as Young-jae’s maid in order to buy her house back. The couple then enter a contract marriage because Young-jae wanted to make his crush, Kang Hye-won jealous with Ji-eun’s help. Eventually they start developing feelings for each other.
Rent-A-Girlfriend (Anime)
Similarities: Enemies to Lovers, Fake Relationship The Japanese anime follows the story of Kazuya Kinoshita, a 20-year-old college student whose girlfriend ends up breaking up with him. Following the sudden breakup, Kazuya is utterly heartbroken and lonely. In order to end his suffering, he hires a rental girlfriend through an online app. Kazuya gets paired up with Chizuru Mizuhara, who through her unparalleled beauty and cute demeanor, manages to gain Kazuya’s affection. However after seeing how Chizuru treats all her clients the same, he does not feel special anymore. Kazuya rates her poorly on the app which infuriates Chizuru. Circumstances put the two together in front of Kazuya’s grandmother and the two have to pretend to be lovers.
Occasional Wife (English Sitcom)
Similarities: Fake Relationship, Forced Proximity The 1966 sitcom, Occasional Wife follows the story of a bachelor named Peter Christopher who enters a fake relationship with his platonic girl friend, Greta. This comes after he is not able to gain professional advancement because of his singledom. Peter takes Greta’s help to be his pretend wife in order to convince his mother and boss. Things get complicated for Peter when his actual girlfriend crashes the party he had thrown for his friends and colleagues with Greta acting as his wife.
My Girlfriend and Childhood Friend Fight Too Much (Anime)
Similarities: Fake Relationship, Love Triangle The Japanese Anime follows the story of Eita Kido, a high school freshman who wants to get a scholarship into medical school. He is left in the care of his aunt after both his parents get divorced and find new partners making him swear of being involved in anything romantic. One day, the schools gyaru, Masuzu Natsukawa, invites him to walk home with her and suggests that she and Eita should become a fake couple. Since Masuzu is tired of being proposed by her classmates every day, she blackmails Eita into becoming her fake boyfriend. The shocking news is suddenly spread around the school and Eita’s childhood friend, Chiwa Harusaki starts getting jealous.
Boy For Rent (Thai drama)
Similarities: Fake Relationship, Forced Proximity The Thai drama follows the story of Smile, a college freshman who has a crush on her handsome senior, Kyro. Kyro tells her that he does not like childish girls like Smile which forces her to hire an experienced boyfriend for rent. Smile wants to learn how to make a man’s heart beat like a mature woman. At the same time, Liz believes that her boyfriend Badz is cheating on her, and decides to hire a Boy For Rent service to get back at him. Things get chaotic when the boy Liz hires is Kyro and the boy Smile hires is Badz as the two couples develop new relationships. So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished with the anime, More Than A Married Couple, less than Lovers! What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
Feel free to check out more of our TV Show recommendations here!
