Anti-Heroes / Villainous Male Leads

the set up for this drama is literally "conman swindles blind heiress out of money by pretending to be her long lost brother who he knows is actually dead" so if Oh Soo doesn't deserve to be at the top of the list I don't know who does! 

[One of my favorite melodramas.]

this bold drama doesn't give anything away or provide an explanation for the ML's behavior in its early episodes so Kim Moo Young comes off as irredeemable and unsympathetic, which I actually loved since it isn't something I have seen before (most anti-hero MLs are provided with tragic backstory very, very quickly)

the plot of this drama rests on the ML's morally ambiguous characterization and the mysteries surrounding his violent past, which is similar to The Smile Has Left Your Eyes so I think if you liked one, you'll probably enjoy the other

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for power & revenge

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for power

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for power & revenge

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for revenge

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for revenge

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for revenge

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for power & revenge

[I dropped this drama because the ML consistently and easily outwitted the FL while she's portrayed as sulky and irrational, which isn't a combination I enjoy.]

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans for revenge

[I dropped this drama because the lead actress's performance as a naive FL was distracting.]

the scheming ML uses the FL as a pawn in his nefarious plans

[I dropped this drama because Joy's acting was a disappointment. I might return to it with adjusted expectations though, I'm a huge fan of Kim Min Jae, Moon Ga Young, and Woo Do Hwan.]

obsessive ML who is willing to engage in unethical behavior to keep the FL by his side

obsessive ML who is willing to engage in unethical behavior to keep the FL by his side

obsessive ML who is willing to engage in unethical behavior to keep the FL by his side

obsessive ML who is willing to engage in unethical behavior to keep the FL by his side

obsessive ML who is willing to engage in unethical behavior to keep the FL by his side 

[I wouldn't recommend this drama, although it fits this trope well. The performances and premise were great, but the execution fell flat for me.]

debt collector ML

debt collector/thug ML

debt collector/thug ML

gangster ML

gangster ML

gangster ML

NOT a romance, but like the title suggests, it's full of (sexy) bad guys

the ML has Dissociate Identity Disorder and one of his identities acts as an antagonist

extraordinarily toxic 2nd male lead who I was rooting for because I found Rowoon's character extraordinarily boring

2nd male lead who I was not rooting for but found very, very compelling and multi-dimensional regardless

scheming 2nd ML

the lead actors share such out-of-this-world explosive chemistry (they're married IRL) that their respective love triangles became window dressing, but I was excited every time Vanness Wu appeared on my screen

scheming 2nd ML

bully romance

bully romance

bully romance 

[My favorite version of Boys Over Flowers.]

the film version

the Korean film version of That Winter, the Wind Blows