This Slow-Burn Anime Blends What We Love Most From K-Dramas (2025)

Love triangles, affairs, and forbidden feelings are what K-dramas are all about. These shows often exaggerate unrealistic depictions of romance, yet fans can admit that the joy of watching them surrounds the addictive guilty pleasure that goes with it! This is exactly what one can expect from The Apothecary Diaries — one of last year’s most-watched anime that presents its audience with a chance to experience a slow-burn romance that K-drama lovers will squirm over.

Inspired by Imperial China, The Apothecary Diaries is a joint production by Toho Animation Studio and OLM, telling the story of a talented and young apothecary, Maomao (voiced by Aoi Yūki), who is suddenly kidnapped into the Imperial Palace to serve as a poison food taster for the Emperor's court. The period anime, ranked sixth in Anime News Network's "Top 10 Anime of 2024", is praised for its accuracy of medical knowledge and cultural history. For K-drama fans who adore a slow-burn, medical romance, The Apothecary Diaries is a rare gem that strikes at your heart and your last brain cell.

'The Apothecary Diaries' Is a Courtly Romance Featuring an Inquisitively Adorable Protagonist

Closer to being classified as a medical study than a romance, The Apothecary Diaries surprises you not only by its unique historical setting but also with the depth of its medical knowledge. The anime made such an impression in the real world that the main character Maomao was featured on the front cover of February's 2024 issue of the Health, Labor and Welfare magazine. But beyond the holistic subject, the story makes you fall in love with learning and grips you into the center of a subtly played romance.

Following in line with Natsu Hyuuga’s popular light novel series, the anime follows pharmaceutical genius Maomao just at the start of her new position as a maid servant in the royal court. Maomao is inquisitive and sharp-witted by nature, and her curiosity gets the best of her when she gets involved in an investigation surrounding a strange illness cursing the emperor's infant son. Soon, Maomao uncovers the truth behind the sickness and, in doing so, is promoted to be the official poison taster for the Emperor's concubine, Gyokuyō. However, with Maomao's keen deduction skills, sharp wit, and herbal intelligence, she quickly attracts the attention of the handsome palace official, Jinshi (Takahiro Sakurai)

Despite being a eunuch, Jinshi is a high-raking administrative official respected official, who's the talk of the town. His suave demeanor melts the hearts of both men and ladies of the rear palace, but not for Maomao! Like most K-drama leads, the one girl who doesn't end up swooning for them is the one person they always try to pursue. For Maomao and Jinshi, their story follows a similar path as Maomao is nearly unfazed by Jinshi's flirtatious ways, making him all the more desperate to win her love. As the two of them navigate high-risk jobs, Maomao finds herself using her medical wisdom to help crack mysteries within the palace while she makes an eventual sweet connection with the patiently awaiting Jinshi.

'The Apothecary Diaries' is a Cozy Version of Lee Min Ho’s 'Faith' or MBC's 'Jewel in the Palace'

Quirky love in a historical setting is something K-dramas deliver on repeat, and The Apothecary Diaries mimics similar themes seen in popular K-series like the Lee Min Ho starring historical doctor series Faith or the female-dominated classic Jewel in the Palace. One of the most enchanting elements of the anime is its ability to incite you with the intelligent accuracy of period medicine in a world driven by tradition, status, and danger. The attention to detail makes the environment feel gigantic and touchable, where the background is as much a character as the people at the center of it.

Longtime K-drama enthusiasts can appreciate having a main character who isn't a trope themselves, favoring characters who can carry the show on their backs. Maomao is a brilliant protagonist who is instantly loveable from her passion for apothecary and nosy brain. She's brutally honest to the point she can make the ladies-in-waiting cower in fear. Her evolving relationship with Jinshi adds slow-burning romantic tension to the anime without overwhelming the episodic mysteries. Their dynamic is reminiscent of classic K-drama couples who are initially at odds yet irresistibly drawn to each other.

In this way, The Apothecary Diaries echoes what we love most from period K-dramas, which often balance unrequited love with thrilling political treason. As Maomao’s journey from a lowly red-light district pharmacist to a trusted, royal investigator, viewers stay for the cozy romance but become invested in the story's eye-opening knowledge. Moreso, the acclaimed anime is no stranger to stunning visuals that go hand-in-hand with representing budding love, courtly intrigue, and poisoning plots. Recently starting its 2nd season, fans can look forward to escaping back into the rear palace to see what awaits Maomao and Jinshi in a time of healing and duty.

The Apothecary Diaries is streaming on Crunchyroll now.

The Apothecary Diaries

TV-14

Release Date

October 22, 2023

Creator

Natsu Hyūga

Cast

Emi Lo, Kaiji Tang, Alex Horn, Molly Zhang, Jim Foronda, Trina Nishimura

Main Genre

Animation

Studio

OLM, TOHO animation STUDIO

Creator(s)

Natsu Hyūga

Writers

Norihiro Naganuma

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Directors

Norihiro Naganuma

Japanese Title

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto

MyAnimeList Score

8.88

WATCH ON CRUNCHYROLL