When viewers checked 2021 relationships, they compared Bly Manor to other horror-romances like The Invisible Man . The consensus? This was the most adult, heartbreaking, and beautiful depiction of “til death do us part” on screen. The “fingers in the dirt” montage became a shorthand for quiet, domestic love. It remains the most critically checked romantic storyline of the year.

A standout K-drama, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha offered a quintessential "opposites attract" narrative, with a big-city dentist and a versatile handyman falling in love in a serene seaside village. It was a massive hit on Netflix in 2021.

Okay, hear me out. This isn't a romantic storyline in the physical sense, but it is the most intense love story of 2021. The relationship between Ava (the millennial writer) and Deborah (the legendary comedian) had all the beats of a great romance: hate at first sight, forced proximity, a betrayal, a grand gesture (the plane speech!), and a heartbreaking separation. When we checked in on their “relationship” at the end of Season 1, it was broken. And it hurt more than most actual breakups on TV.