We Watch Challenge 2024

7th challenge completed! 

Hi, Sweetsis_warrior. You asked me to recommend something, so I took a look at your profile and list. While romcoms aren’t really my forte in recs and I also have a limited Taiwan assortment to choose from, I’ll throw you some options here…

For a Taiwanese title, I’ll recommend Someday or One Day with the small warning that you will want your brain turned on/focused on the drama (it is simple on its face but is anything but simple) and should probably not binge it like a romcom/most bl stories since your brain will benefit from time between watching chunks of it to process all the info and weave it together. Binging it has made a lot of people lose a lot of the detail (there is a lot, too-it is a pretty complexly designed story from my recollection and is understated so some important details might get lost if your brain is only half-present). There is also a very short special extra end bonus (on YT iirc-I think it is linked to the main drama page) that I would definitely watch after finishing. :) 

On the romcom end… two options come to mind.

Joseon era drama Mr. Queen is a favorite that still has me remembering a lot of it 3 years later. It goes from very smart to very dumb humor effortlessly, something I personally love. The FL is a comedy veteran and the soul of it, two souls, technically, as her female body has the soul of a modern era man in it. “More than a simple romcom” storywise, so it might not be what you wanted.

A modern true romcom that is a bit of a throwback to older styles (but without the hair pulling issues older ones typically have) is office-set romcom A Business Proposal which never takes itself very seriously and is quite binge-suitable light fluff with some charming characters and self-aware, intentionally cringe-inducing comedic moments. I admit I don’t remember the story as much as the characters, but they are sweet fluffy ones.

Open for recs! Same as always, up for anything up to 30 hours long so long as there is a solid storyline and no dubbing. Ignore my PTW since it is not at all indicative of my taste. My completed list is infinitely better for figuring out what I like (sort it by rating for ease). Any genre, any country, “normal“ or weirdly wonderful, it is all welcome! :)

I accept Mmopus’s recommendation for Hidden Love! I’ve seen posts for it (and an abundance of photos of the FL) on feeds but never bit the bait til now. Guess I’ll know soon what the hype is about!

Rating/thoughts: I am very conflicted. This show definitely set out to do what it wanted, and the cast did a wonderful job carrying out their parts… the things that fall short for me come down to the writer and director. The FL started as a kid who, knowing she was teased for being smaller than others, made sure to get in the last word, to seem smart and mature to others, highly relatable (and great kid actress though they should not have tried making her 14 or should’ve considered someone who looked like a teen-no one I know would buy that she is almost in high school, but that was easy enough to overlook)… where I got really frustrated is with them insisting that this thoughtful, smart kid who could work quite hard and think maturely grew into a less mature, baby voice using 17-20+ year old who, while mostly wonderful, was also so overly sheltered and “zero real hardships experienced” that it felt a bit empty at times. The ML’s backstory seemed there as an excuse to let us see mixed emotions and occasional sparks of anguish on his beautiful young face, and the daughter obsessed with him felt really underdeveloped and out of place because they were fixated on the leads and everyone else felt very generic, like props to make the time-place-situation more believable, not fleshed out humans (common issue, but this is so character-driven, it shows more when characters are that forgettable on all accounts save their visuals). The acting was solid, but there was nothing about the friends around them that wasn’t stereotypical and boring-I could’ve easily been interested in them, but all style, no substance for all but one supporting character, the brother who really needed more screentime and story focus.

The actual leads were beautiful together, and the story is sweet and fluffy throughout, but some of the dialogue was so strange it will stick with me a long time (“you have no feelings for me?” with a no then maybe a little? That isn’t flirting, that is shooting yourself in the foot and telling the guy to back off… the whole insistence on being an adult got very old, I admit, too, because she was more mature when she knew she was a kid than when she suddenly hit a numeric marker and kept declaring it meant she was somehow mature and adult overnight). I guess it needed something a bit more tense for 25 episodes. This would’ve been perfect for 12 hours (16eps this length), but it was an awful lot of cotton candy, beautiful, fluffy, alluring, and squishy like my cat… but a bit stale, lacking personality or real world feeling humans much of it. The people were almost too low-conflict/ideal to feel human when every one of them was so minimally flawed that it felt borderline utopia . No one actually failed in any endeavors, no one but the ML (and obsessive side character they threw at us randomly) had even brief moments of genuine, deep grief, and as much as i did enjoy it, my brain felt a little neglected with nothing but the cute butterfly storm in the stomach scenarios. Their specific love story was darling and beautifully brought about (I even got used to her using a baby voice more often than seemed natural), but the real world around them felt poorly crafted, largely because life is not that sugary 24-7. It felt like her only two real pains were the airport imagination-driven pity party and the embarrassing need for a new skirt and feminine gear as a teen hanging around her brother’s pals. They really REALLY should’ve made the brother more present (I saw something about an offshoot, but with a different actor, it isn’t the same guy to me lol-maybe like Arthdal, if I wait 3-5 years, I’ll forget what Victor looks like lol). 

End rating is an 8.5 (still excellent, just not quite well-rounded enough/real-feeling enough for me to find it perfect). Thank you, though, for the rec! As much as I can find flaws in it, I still swooned and finished it ridiculously fast, just eating it up like calorie free ice cream… surprised my teeth didn’t hurt from how sweet it is! ^_^

Hi, ELBee.

I recommend you to watch the CDrama Hidden Love. It's a cute and gives-me-butterflies sort of a drama and I love all the characters!

I am open to recommendations! I prefer Korean dramas (unless the drama is really good). I would currently prefer either a thriller mystery (with some romance) or a cutesy rom com, but I am definitely open to more (✿◕‿◕✿).

I accept disdoortion's recommendation for Just between lovers. Interestingly I clicked on the drama today itself but couldn't get myself to watch it. Looks like it's fate!

6th Challenge | 7th Challenge | 8th Challenge | 9th Challenge :

Hi disdoortion ,

I was going through your PTW to make sure I did not recommend something you are planning to watch and I also went through your list. Unfortunately, I have not seen most of those titles either, so it limited my recommendation scope. It seems like we have one thing in common: time skips (unless it's executed properly - which is rare, but I have seen some I am a  fan of). Anyway, after going through your profile/link  I suggest either of these two:

Koisenu Futari [from your list]


The Devil Judge [one that I thought you may enjoy]

Open to recommendations. Please no horror and not over 20 episodes for now. I am extremely stressed from work and I just want something short, cute, and enjoyable. Thank you in advance.

My lovely ElBee, I see you recommended another show once again. I accept your rec to watch Someday or One Day.  I will be watching this solely because you recommended it, I was looking at this a couple of days ago and was going to mark it as "Not Interested" for the sole purpose of it being a love triangle. My fragile heart is too broken from past love triangle dramas, which has made me steer clear from them for a few years. I have stumbled upon love triangles in other shows but it was not so focused on nor the plot as it seems here. I appreciate your suggestion regarding pacing cause I am also not a huge fan of plots involving time however, this seems interesting enough--- if only it was not a love triangle cause I can already tell I will not get the ending I want and will have me digging through A03 looking for my kind of ending.

Status: Completed.
Started: 02.15.24
Finished: 02.19.24

Rate: 8
ElBee! let me explain my rate. I enjoyed it but idk if my brain or just my mood but some of the later scenes were a bit heavy for me to watch (i.e. the scene with the psycho killing the cat and even my favorite character's suicide ). That was some heavy stuff and then the slight moment when Yun Ru returns and tries to live out her life while pretending to be Huang Yu, with that part I was just annoyed and it kept confusing me. There were some moments in which they were switching back and forth between the past and present and it made my head hurt. I even gave it some time from my watching to let it all digest better. This was definitely not very light since some parts made it difficult to watch in my opinion. It was still a very good series just maybe not something I would rewatch. Even though I would not rewatch I give it an 8 rate for the amount of detail they added to the plot and how some things were not exactly or who you may have expected. 

Elbee 

This was incredibly difficult as very drama I thought of at first you already had watched it but there is a few you haven't 

The first one is (first responders) as it shows us what it means to be a firefighter police or paramedic in emergencies. It has great action scenes for us and is easy to follow without needing to have worked in that job. There is a second season to watch if you enjoy

https://www.nme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/the-first-responders-new-trailer--1392x884.jpeg

The second drama is a Chinese one (being a hero) showing how drugs affect individuals and how innocent people get sucked in. It also shows us how the police try to rid it 

https://i0.wp.com/www.globalgranary.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Being-a-Hero.jpeg?fit=1366%2C1943&ssl=1

This drama is a romance that had some flaws but is a great watch showing how love can alter a personality and how it affects mental health

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjkxN2YzYWEtMTNhMC00NDI0LWJjZTQtZmU4ZDU1M2ZiMmE2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTkzNjEwMjI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

This last one was too short but hooked straight away because of its originality of the supernatural and magic (enigma). This one is more of a mystery drama that left us on a cliffhanger 

https://www.sitnas.id/uploads/large/f35e74cb5e7b2d830137dea475f5b79c.jpeg

Sorry if the summary is too short, I didn't want to spoil it 

I'm open to anything but would love a thriller from Thailand 

I accept the challenge

I'm sorry but I had to drop it 

The time loop genre I enjoyed and tried to find a way out of it but it got ruined by the acting with them making the same mistakes all over again, not working together with constant conflict and the police. Don't make me laugh. I understand that they need proof but in that situation, I would have an open mind.

I felt the pacing was so slow with no one achieving anything, I felt I was the one in a time loop. Because of this, I will be more cautious when it has a time loop genre 

3/10

Fourth Challenge completed here!

Hi Selma, I hope you don't mind that it's me again hhh tbh I agree, the drama varied quite a bit from the novel but regardless I really loved the chemistry between the leads and how in their endless loop of BE they will still choose to save each other :"") typical XX trope HAHAH 

Anyway here is my recommendation for you this time! 

• An Ancient Love Song
  • Personally have not watched this yet but this is a short c-drama that has yielded high ratings on Douban and I've also heard many good reviews about this one
• Gaus Electronics 
  • A rather short comedic k-drama. A light drama that you can watch while destressing, having a meal etc. It talks about how the son of a rich chaebol completing his 'side quest' working in corporate as a normal human HAHA
  • 

Happy CNY all! Open to any recs but probably k/c dramas :D

I accept fulltimetrash's recommendation to watch Crazy Love. 

Verdict: 7/10. I think the show really lived up to the word 'Crazy' HAHAH. For what it's worth I did enjoy the character development of Gojin and the comedic elements from the main trope and side characters :D 

6th Challenge | 7th Challenge | 8th Challenge | 9th Challenge | 10th Challenge:

Hello fulltimetrash !

I am not completely sure whether you are fully participating in this challenge since there was no indication of wanting a recommendation but in the off chance that you are looking, I recommend Crash Landing on You, I am fairly certain that this was a huge Netflix hype in 2019. I even recall my friends and I waking up at 6:30 am on weekends to watch the new episodes as they were released.  This drama has a bit of everything and the banter between the characters and the female lead was my favorite!

I am open to recommendations but please something light and happy this time and no longer than 16 episodes haha.  I feel like lately I have been watching some heavy stuff and I kind of need a bit of sweetness in my life. 

Hi SKYLINE ! not sure if I have accepted a rec from you before already but I accept your rec. Yeah, my completed list is almost as long as my PTW list. I have seen Kiss Goblin when I scroll on Viki but simply ignore it. I guess it's a perfect time to see what it's all about. 

Status: Completed
Started: 02.21.24
Finished: 02.21.24

Rate:  7.5
It was cute. I liked it but not something I would rewatch but its definitely something to have in the background for light watching. Thank you!

6th Challenge | 7th Challenge | 8th Challenge | 9th Challenge | 10th Challenge | 11th Challenge:

Hi SKYLINE !
I see you have not seen a lot of Taiwanese dramas and I noticed that you have seen some of the History series and based on your rates, you have not been a huge fan. That being said and in hopes that you will at least like one of the History, I recommend HIStory3: Trapped. If you do not want to give it a shot, feel free to shoot me a DM and I can change it but hope you try one more History before you call it quits. I will admit the ones you have completed and rated are probably the worst of the series. 

I am open to recommendations and still only looking for something light and happy this time and no longer than 16 episodes haha.  

Sweetsis_warrior I accept your rec for 3 papas. I have already watched Let's Talk About Chu, I think I watched it all in one sitting a few days ago.

Status: Completed.
Started: 02.21.24
Finished: 02.22.24

Rate: 9
I loved this drama so much! I have no idea why it has a 7.8 overall rating on MDL. I appreciated how we get three different types of men and despite their differences, they come together as a family, each supporting the other through their little quirks. I also enjoyed how they managed to communicate their feelings and allowed themselves to be vulnerable with one another -- especially when not a lot of male characters are portrayed as the vulnerable and paternal kind. They talked about the fears they had about getting a DNA test and I think that scene was the best because they felt like once they discovered the truth, the other two fathers were/might feel like they no longer have the right to voice their opinions regarding Haruto. The only reason I am not giving it a higher rate is because I wished that they all had continued living with Haruto OR that they all became fathers and not just one but I can see how the directors stayed true to the character's personalities. 

9th challenge completed!

Hi, Sweetsis,

I saw your mention of Thai thrillers earlier and Chinese dramas here so I will offer both.

For a Chinese title, how about Reset, a time loop story (I found one part of it a little tiring because I binged it which was my own fault-it might have been a little better to stop when my brain got tired of the loop instead of powering through, but I still found it rewarding). 

On Thai thrillers, I have two options:

Not Me, if you are okay with violence and LGBTQ, is an intense powerfully acted story.

Because you enjoyed Enigma, how about The Gifted which is made by the same main creator, albeit 5 years prior, and is set in a high school and could easily be tied into the Enigma universe? 

I hope you like whichever you pick!

Open for recs! Same as always, up for anything up to 30 hours long so long as there is a solid storyline and no dubbing. I need mouths to match the audio To enjoy it! Ignore my PTW since it is not at all indicative of my taste. My completed list is infinitely better for figuring out what I like (sort it by rating for ease). Any genre, any country, “normal“ or weirdly wonderful, it is all welcome! :) 

Heh Jenn, if you look at my most recent updates (wayyy down at the bottom of my too-long profile), you will notice I added Manner of Death 16 hours before you recommended it. HOWEVER, the service that used to have free viewing of it legally… merged with the VIPs only paid one, so I am trying to see if they will make it free after some months/once it stops being so popular. I understand Triage is in the same universe as MOD with some cameos (though independent enough to watch separately)? 

I’ve been enjoying quite a few GMM shows of late, and The Warp Effect discussing sex honestly is very appealing (I also loved Hit the Spot and appreciated You Raise Me Up except for getting an earworm religious song in my head every time I saw the title lol), and most wonderfully, it is up for the world to see for free, so I will gladly reward them with ads viewed along with their usually funny product placements!

Rating: 8/10. In one sentence: It has a lot of charm but a lot of flaws, too… but I am still happy I watched it.

I have extremely mixed feelings about this… The core story structure/MECHANICS with the photos in particular are great, That keeps it in my 8 territory, but a lot keeps it stuck there, the biggest gripe being that in skimming through a lot of relationship types/issues in a short time frame, very little besides the FL felt truly authentic. It felt like the creator listened to Savage Lovecast or read the column Savage Love (which I’ve read since its early syndication, my age quite up there) and took a lot of those dating advice questions and threw them at characters to be a mix and match all the interesting combinations of problems addressed a bit, well, too tidily. I would like the comedic aspects more if the dialogue felt a bit more like separate people, but the writer didn’t really give anyone much style to their ways of talking, relying on “mixed skill level” cast members to make it their own which made the ones who feel like rookies seem like caricatures or puppets. Teen language is the least homogenous, and for all the groups and issues, they sure felt like one person’s wording. It is something I can’t not notice after teaching for so long! ?I didn’t look at the writer, but the writing as we get it is a bit rough/choppy. They have a wonderful structure, but the actual scenes feel like sitcom shows, disjointed, almost like someone took an omnibus format and integrated them all.

I didn’t down rate it on the sets being… lackluster and very school drama club level… but despite a solid story mechanism for the timeline changes, the mixed acting skills thrown together and the clumsy production do feel a bit like something made “by teens for teens” or a low budget educational sex awareness campaign even moreso, something proposed in a board room of old people by government lackeys seeing teen pregnancy spike and college enrollment drop and thinking about the economy suffering, It has some really fun stories included, and the pup and FL we get a complete enough story for, but just soooo many side couples, so much clutter this should’ve been longer to properly develop characters’ psychological makeups, their backstories to some extent, and the pain they feel beyond fleeting “3-5 sentence summary of the story you are cosplaying, acting as a stand in prop for the people whose story we briefly glance at but little else.”

My brain is dying as I try typing, zonked out thoroughly, so I will end here before it,looks like my cat played piano dancing on my tablet as I doze off. :) I will hopefully see those other titles, but I’ll give em time to release them somewhere free or that I have a subscription for. Can’t justify another on my budget.