Who doesn’t love a good romance? I know I do! Valentine’s Day is almost upon us and what better way to soak up the romance in the air than to watch people fall in love? A favorite in TV, film, and literature is the “she fell first but he fell harder” trope: Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. The girl falls in love with the boy first, but the boy falls in love harder.
Here’s a compilation of some of my personal favorite watches with this trope just in time to cozy up to in the month of love.
[Warning: There will be some spoilers ahead!]
- flipped
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Starting strong with what is probably the most adorable depiction of love in film, Flipped. Yes, they’re kids, but they are THE most adorable couple you’ve ever seen on screen.
Bryce Loski and Julie Baker first meet at age seven when Bryce moves in next door. Julie instantly knows it’s love, but for Bryce, it’s quite the opposite. After spending years trying to convince Bryce to think the same, she’s ready to give up. Until…
- Pretty Woman
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Many people tend to miss this in the movie, but Jaded Vivian indeed breaks her own rules and falls for Edward first (But doesn’t that just make it so much more romantic?)
Thankfully, he wasn’t far behind and we got to witness an epic grand gesture at the end (It still gets me every time).
On Valentine’s Day, you can never go wrong with a good ‘ol classic and Pretty Woman always does it for me.
- a walk to remember
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This classic Nicholas Sparks adaptation leaves most people teary-eyed by the end. Although Jamie rightfully so doesn’t like Landon at first and even goes as far as to ask him not to fall in love with her, she still falls first.
That’s why she’s especially hurt when he expresses that he just wants the play that they’re working on to be over with. Landon eventually falls in love with her of course, and even goes as far as rearranging his life for her. At 57, Landon recalls it as his fate-changing year.
- it’s okay not to be okay
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This Korean show follows a popular children’s story writer with Antisocial Personality Disorder and an orphaned caregiver in a psychiatric ward. Moon Kang Tae meets him and is instantly smitten, understandably, it’s Kim soo- hyun. Even going as far as moving back to her hometown to pursue him, it’s safe to say Moon was head-over-heels.
Their love eventually blossoms and they slowly heal each other’s wounds. The show touches on themes of mental health and illness, family bonds, and reassuring us that it is okay not to be okay. It’s also important to note that the outfits on this show were stunning! Whoever dressed and styled the female lead needs a raise!
- heart stopper
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This show will stop your heart with how adorable it is.
Though Charlie and Nick own the show with their cuteness, another adorable couple to watch is the blossoming love of Elle and Tao. They both start as part of a tight-knit friend group that includes Nick but midway through the show, Elle realizes that she has a crush on Tao. By this time, they’re at separate schools and miss each other deeply, so much so that Tao keeps buying her favorite drinks at lunch although she’s absent. Talk about heart-stopping!
- twenty-five twenty-one
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This coming-of-age series has all the feels, despite its ending. Twenty-Five-Twenty-One follows the love story of two people who first met when they were 22 and 18, then reunite years later at 25 and 21 to experience a love that gets them through their darkest days. Although Na Hee Do fell first, Baek Yi Jin fell harder for the fencing champion, which makes the troupe that much better to watch. Beyond their love story, it is also a wonderful show of friendship and belonging.
- and lastly, a few honorable mentions
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The list of great ‘She fell first, but he fell harder’ troupe goes on and on. I can’t end this article without a few honorable mentions that we all know and love:
Little Women, the Duff, Harry Potter, She’s the Man, Semantic Error (BL), 10 Things I Hate About You, and lastly, Love Rosie.
I don’t know about you, but I’m OMW to get my watch on! Now, you’re supplied with the most heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking) watches to enjoy for your Valentine’s season. Happy watching!