[Netherrealmer]

“Enemies to lovers” is a very popular romance genre these days. When it first started, it was usually set in an office: a man and a woman competing for a position they both wanted. They start off as rivals who dislike each other, and over time that tension slowly turns into romance.

Eventually, the trope expanded into high school settings as well. But in recent years, many “enemies to lovers” stories have become more toxic, often focusing too much on bullying. In some cases, the so-called enemy character bullies the protagonist, and that behavior even encourages others to do the same. It becomes one-sided.

Then, out of nowhere, the bully develops feelings for the person they’ve been hurting and starts acting as their protector. For unclear reasons, this then turns into a romance. Meanwhile, the victim initially rejects the bully and is drawn toward a kinder, less toxic person—but eventually still ends up choosing the original bully.

I find this version of the genre hard to enjoy, yet it has become extremely popular across romance novels, movies, TV shows, and even micro-dramas.

[eldavis]

Lol i understand what you mean, but i have watched a few that are actually good. I recently watched the Chinese drama prisoner of beauty, and it was actually interesting. I have watched so many others like fated hearts and some Korean and even Thailand dramas that I can't remember the name. Some are actually fun, especially when the settings is not in an office or modern time.