Dramas Completed: 2024

The story took time to build but it becomes much more interesting when things start to unravel. I liked Go Jun's character who I felt had more screen presence than Byun Yo Han's character even though the story revolved around him. I enjoyed watching their interactions once they started to work together. Not many likeable characters esp the parents but it was interesting to watch the mystery unfold. It didn't have the emotional impact but still a good mystery slow burn crime thriller. 

Overall it was a decent watch, the cinematography was good. Story was simple, maybe a little generic. It had potential to be stronger with more emotional impact but it didn't deliver those aspects. The ending was rushed which kinda let the drama down. The highlight was seeing Sakaguchi Kentaro :)

"She Fell First But He Fell Harder". ❤️ For anyone who enjoyed this wholesome sweet drama probably watched it at least twice (maybe more ) xD I honestly thought I moved on from youth dramas and I have low expectations when it comes to modern romances so I was totally surprised Hidden Love managed to exceed my expectations but it had to be that GOOD for that to happen. The chemistry between Chen Zhe Yuan and Zhao Lu Si completely won me over ❤️ I adored all their tender moments together as Jia Xu and Sang Zhi and the story revolved entirely around them so plenty of shared screen time. Too many captivating moments to point out but I loved the way Jia Xu teased Sang Zhi and even the way he teased her brother was funny. Jia Xu is dreamy, I can only imagine how many have swooned over watching him haha. His attentiveness to Sang Zhi was on another level.....11/10. It was necessary to put some depth into his back story which helped to develop his character. I agree with some of the comments that they could have used a younger actor to play Jia Xu along side 14 year old Sang Zhi. It would have made more sense. The drama (besides being pure escapism) was a bit too rosy picture....especially with Sang Zhi's perfect family background. It made me appreciate that they put some depth into Jia Xu's back story which at least gave it some contrast. I enjoyed watching this more on the 2nd round to soak in all those cute adorable moments (Jia Xu even pulled the seat belt away from Sang Zhi so it wouldn't tug on her as she leant forward....wow! The attentiveness was seriously on another level!....) ❤️ The beginning wasn't as strong but after a few episodes it does build up momentum. The OST's were lovely and created a warm light ambience to the drama. ❤️ 

Maybe I wasn't in the right mood so I couldn't get into this. There was enough story/plot to keep me watching and the cast and acting was good. With the right time and mood this drama could have been more engaging to watch especially with the power struggles at play. Took longer than normal to complete it. 

A warm healing drama with very nice cinematography and some lovely OSTs. I like most of the cast especially the grandma but I wasn't interested in 2 of the supporting characters. Both the meditating guy and the music guy bored me so I fast forwarded their scenes. I liked the way the romance was developed between the main couple however it didn't leave me with a lasting impression like other slow romances. My 2nd time seeing Li Xian and he seems to have good chemistry with his leading ladies and while his character was nice he wasn't intriguing which is something I like to see in a male lead. I was more intrigued with Xiao Xia since he was quiet and reserved. Overall it was an enjoyable and easy to watch drama. In some ways the setting did resonate with me. The last time I was in Hong Kong I visited a rural heritage site where I explored traditional working Hakka villages which were recently opened up to attract local tourism much like how it was presented in the drama which made the themes quite realistic.

I struggled with getting into this drama, the story and characters didn't capture my interest even though the cast and acting was good. Only the final 3 episodes had my interest. Too bad I couldn't connect with it as much as I hoped despite such positive feedback from others. I guess I am in the minority here. 

This was a solid drama with a good cast and Sugisaki Hana was the highlight of the show. I liked the way she portrayed her character with strength and nuance. She had such a soothing presence. There was one aspect I felt wasn't executed too well which was a minor let down. I am normally a little hesitant when picking up medical themed dramas because they can be episodic which is something I want to avoid. There was a slight episodic feel to this drama as different patients came along but overall the mystery of what happened to Miyabi was the driving force and that was what kept me engaged. 

I can see why this drama gave classic romance J-drama vibes as other users have commented. The relationship between the couple was very affectionate with natural intimacy which was refreshing to see and this was helped along with how good the chemistry was between them. Not familiar with the cast except the FL mother whom I have seen in 3 other dramas. Early on the drama seemed to tick all the boxes so what's not to like? Now having completed it I can see why I couldn't rate it higher than I have. There was a bit too much push and pull from the FL (I understood the reasons...) but it caused too much unnecessary angst. This is why it gave old J-romance vibes which often came with too much angst. The last 2 episodes were frustrating and some things could have been avoided. I know it's been adapted from a novel but they could have tweaked it for something more consistent. I did like the acting from the 2 main leads they portrayed their complex and flawed characters well. This was also a family focused drama so it was interesting to see the different dynamics of the family members. The themes in the drama besides the romance may be a bit heavy for some viewers but I guess that's what makes it realistic. The ML Lee Xian is kinda cute! I will look forward to watching him in 'Meet Yourself'  soon. 

Firstly I have to say I can't believe the last time I watched Wu Lei he was 15 yrs old in Nirvana in Fire and now he is all grown up....I can now call myself a veteran drama watcher xD Trying to gather my thoughts about this drama and I was a little conflicted on how to rate it. Objectively I would have rated it slightly lower than 9 but I am letting my emotions lead the way this time for a higher rating. I love the build up of the relationship between Zi Sheng and Shao Shan they had natural chemistry and it was captivating to see them on screen together. I warmed up to the Cheng family and the Emperor. I appreciated the lighter ambience of the drama especially in the first part. The subtle comedy was on point and not over done (maybe Shao Shan's grandmother could have been toned down but it's a minor thing...). Zi Sheng was an intriguing character, intense, heroic and majestic. His battle/fight scenes were incredible to watch. At first he was portrayed as the perfect man whom all the palace ladies fawned over but as the story progressed we get to see his flaws and dark secrets. Shao Shan had the most character development who we get to see grow and mature. Overall the cast carried their roles well and I couldn't fault the acting, however the main let down was towards the end where the story became most frustrating. The pacing and execution becomes uneven with a somewhat rushed ending. From what I read from some of the comments about the novel there were aspects of Zi Sheng that was portrayed a little different.  Still it was endearing to see Zi Sheng so totally captivated by Shao Shan and that was one of the most memorable highlights for me. ❤️ A side note: I loved some of the BGM whenever there were sweet tender moments between our main couple. ❤️

I picked this up on a whim after seeing a few seconds of the trailer on Netflix. I was surprised how much I liked it and more impressed that it wasn't filled with annoying characters making stupid decisions. It was executed well and the pacing was good. The 2 main leads carried their roles well. Not familiar with the cast...the only actor I remember well was Kwon Hae Hyo. Just to add the female character who was in charge of the police dept felt a bit forced, her behaviour and reactions were out of place at times.  

I can only describe this drama as a very pretty box with lots of sparkles lol. This is one of those rare times I completed a very popular and hyped series. Not sure why I picked it up but the premise did get my attention and I liked Kim Ji Won's role in My Liberation Notes so I wanted to see her again. As for Kim Soo Hyun this is my first completed drama with him since his other works didn't get my attention. Firstly I have to say I totally agree with the comments picking out all the flaws and frustrations. The series is more style over substance....it became a guilty pleasure for me to see all the visuals from both the leading couple and the stunning location settings hence why I call this a 'pretty sparkly box' drama. My rating is reflected by how much I enjoyed the visuals haha. Story wise it was lacking and messy particularly towards the end....the villains had too much involvement and just added unnecessary angst. It took away the potential of a more in depth and nuanced story of a couple trying to overcome their obstacles. Park Sung Hoon's character annoyed me so much....don't remember the last time I disliked a character to this level. It's a shame the overall story didn't quite meet it's potential. A story about married couples will always intrigue me but in this case they glossed over some of the aspects where there could have been more impact. There was a large cast but I didn't form any attachments to them except for the main couple. Everything else was surface level. I liked some of the OST's.  It was indeed a guilty pleasure watch :)

This was a decent watch with some emotional aspects to the story. I was intrigued to see Kim Nam Joo again since her last drama Misty. She was in a completely different role this time which made it interesting to see. My first complete drama with Cha Eun Woo....(his other works didn't pique my interest). I can see that he is making more attempts to delve into different roles in his career which is a good thing. His acting has improved since I skimmed through 'My ID....'. but he still lacks nuance and depth (I wasn't expecting much lol.) There were some good reveals as the story unfolded and pacing was fine and I'm glad it was 14 eps because it didn't need anymore. 

This was a decent slice of life family themed drama. I would have enjoyed it more if I connected with the characters more. 

Decent thriller despite rushed ending. 

I liked the story concept even though it's not something I would typically go for. Acting from the main cast was good overall. I wasn't drawn in as much as I wanted to be and some parts dragged out more than necessary (mostly from the back story...). Maybe I'm just in the minority where I wasn't wowed by it but it was a decent enough watch. 

The posters here are accurate showing the distance between the 2 lead characters (where all I wanted was more screen time of them together xD...). Overall it was a solid drama with good cinematography and pacing was steady. I loved the OSTs which created a nice ambience that complemented the slow build up of the romance. I enjoyed the role and performance of Namkoong Min. I couldn't finish one of his previous dramas so maybe it came down to finding the 'right' drama. Acting was good from the main cast. There were some frustrating flaws which could have been avoided.