2022 Watched List

Started: 12/31/21  Finished: 1/1

Such a sweet way to welcome in the new year; cleansed the drama palette. It’s seriously precious and I laughed the entire time. I might have even gotten choked up during one scene, shhhh. I don’t know which I liked more: the cute romance between Aoki and Ida or Aoki’s friendship with Hashimoto.

Watched: 1/1

A high quality coming of age/young love movie. Gave me all the feels.

Started: 1/1   Finished: 1/2

Started out rough (got annoyed with the FL’s pity parties), but it grew on me a lot and I ended up really enjoying it.

Started: 1/2   Finished: 1/2

Hilarious, laughed the entire time.

Started: 11/24/21   Finished: 1/6

The main leads were way too cute and second couple didn’t disappoint either (the writers kinda did them dirty part way through). The sport aspects were handled well, although, they could have dove deeper into the process of training. Some subplots could have been trimmed out, but nothing felt too awkward. Overall, it was fun and easygoing, yet balanced well with some more emotional narratives.

Started: 1/4   Finished: 1/7

I don’t usually condone dramas where bullies are romanticized, however, it’s so compelling when Kioyi finally allows himself to be vulnerable that I couldn’t help but feel moved. Both actors performances in the last episode where so good I found myself appreciating the characters and understanding the deeper meaning behind the story at the end.

Started: 1/16   Finished; 1/16

Enjoyed spending the day with this story. It’s very warm-hearted, but the second couple didn’t work for me.

Started: 11/12/21   Finished: 1/12

The supporting cast (lead’s friends) had me laughing and Joy was an interesting character, but Taecyeon’s performance was jarring.  There were too many characters so the story got bogged down by different side stories and subplots.  Also, would have loved to see it as a total parody rather the mixed bag that it was.

Watched: 1/16

Nice short continuation of the story.

Started: 1/17   Finished: 1/17

Odd little drama but inexplicably endearing.

Started: 6/29/21   Finished: 1/20

Appreciated the effort they put into the plot and such, it just didn’t work all that well.

Watched: 1/21

Rewatch in movie format.  Better then I remembered.

Started: 1/10  Finished: 1/21

I always complain about Korean BL being too short, but this is a perfect example of one I would NOT have finished if it had been any longer. And the song was annoying as hell.

Started: 1/9   Finished: 1/21

The story was nothing original, but three things made it amazing: 

1. Leads’ chemistry - they were so natural together.
2. Leads’ relationship wasn’t toxic - no unnecessary misunderstandings, etc.
3. Charming female characters- GL side couple/no obnoxious females.

Watched: 1/22

A dark comedy that’s not quite as funny or as clever as it thinks it is. 

Watched: 1/23

Very touching and emotional.

Started: 11/13/21   Finished: 1/23

A total formula drama, but despite its predictability and some glaring flaws i.e. the “American” accents, I rather liked it.  I thought going into it that I would probably drop it, however, it kept my interest.

Started: 12/8/21   Finished: 1/25

This drama was like a sniper’s shot to the heart.  I wasn’t feeling it at first (maybe I wasn’t ready for it) and then wham! Out of no where, I fell in love.  

Watched: 1/29

There were lots of dynamics that could have been further explored if it had been a show, but as it is…fun but lacked depth.

Started 1/22   Finished: 1/30

Way more ambitious than they could handle.

Watched: 2/9

So mushy.

Started: 1/14   Finished: 2/3

One word: Impressive. The story was gripping and emotional, with a slow revealing plot. The acting was spot on. The cinematography didn’t get in the way of the story.  Really it was a fantastic drama, however, I did have three complaints:

1. We learned more about Xiao He Yun than Li Shi Qing, despite her being the first one pulled into the loop.
2. The police were suspicious of things before they had any reason to be and missed things that were pretty obvious.
3. The ending was anticlimactic and a little too perfect, but I would have preferred a smidge irreversible consequences.

Started: 12/18/21  Finished: 2/12

I felt like I was thrown back into my CW watching days. It had some major flaws, but it was atheistically pleasing and a classic dark fantasy/supernatural story. I had a hard time connecting with the characters until about the midway point but the villain is was so impeccable it kinda seemed like a waste to have him in this drama.  So all in all, a mixed bag of good and bad.

Started: 2/3   Finished: 2/27

It was a mess and I’m almost ashamed that I finished this…

Started: 7/5/21   Finished: 3/8

It look me so long to finish not because it was bad, but because so good that I got too anxious for the characters. Most of them were incredibly complex and layered, and the plot was just as nicely executed. If I were made of stronger stuff I wouldn’t have been able to turn it off.

My only criticisms:

1.  Some wasted potential in Soo Hyun - she wasn’t as competent as I was hoping she would be.
2. The three stooges - the president and two chairman were a little to “typical bad guy” for my taste (but fit well enough to the story).
3. Ga On’s back and forth became a little too redundant -in the end his lack of “results” within the plot makes sense but I would have liked him to have more mental grit and be less impressionable.

Started: 2/7   Finished: 3/10

This drama has renewed my hope for Korean BL. And raised the bar. The plot wasn’t anything too complex but it was entertaining and it didn’t need any more time to develop.  The characters were reasonably believable with actual motives that drove their decisions.  The acting wasn’t anything to write home about but the two leads had good chemistry and worked well together.  But I think production was where this show shined.  The sets, styling, etc was were right on the money and really brought a richness that otherwise wouldn’t have been there.

Started: 1/16   Finished: 3/20

There so many good things but the highlights for me, besides the obvious SeanWhite chemistry, was the effort to address real life issues and Gun’s performance.  He was very convincing acting as two incredibly different people as well as those characters pretending to be each other.  Impressive. Negatives?  If I were to pick? Last two episodes were the weakest and Gram’s story got boring.

Started: 1/14   Finished: 3/20

Started out so strong, but plateaued after episode 4 and got repetitive. It wasn’t all bad though: the leads did a good job with what they where given and I enjoyed the grittier film noir style. I would watch another season if it happens.

Started: 1/28   Finished: 3/28

It made a nice and sweet romantic drama but a boring sports one.  For a show where the major plot point is that the characters are athletes, the actual athletics were poorly executed and not represented well.  Otherwise, the couples had good chemistry, the cinematography was pleasing with a nice warm color pallet, and the pacing was leisurely (which was nice for the relationship angst and built up but once again not great for the sports part).  

Side note: Torn needs better friends….

Started: 3/31   Finished: 4/1

Organic and charming. Artistic but not stylized.  Simple yet emotionally complex.  Definitely has room for improvement i.e. the poor sound quality in some of the scenes, but overall a much better approach to story telling the the average Korean BL.

Started: 3/27   Finished: 4/4

A good body-swap story. A little cringe at times, but mostly funny.  Jan (and Mix) did a great job playing both Lin and Win.

Started: 3/4  Finished: 4/5

Literally can’t think of anything negative about this show. Maybe it’s not to some peoples tastes, but it’s exactly the type of show I find super easy and enjoyable to watch.  It’s got all the classic tropes of a good kdrama but at the same time it’s super self aware.  I really appreciated that it’s short because I think it helped eliminate a lot of unnecessary noise.  The both couples were equally charming and the side characters were great supports that added flair without bogging down the story.

Started: 2/13   Finished: 4/6

A story filled with life, and a brilliant show in so many ways. Wonderfully complex characters,  inspiring and emotional script, beautiful imagery, and on and on.  If there was a weakness, it was the ending. You shouldn’t want something overly dramatic to happen to the characters, but I had guessed the ending right from the start and found myself hoping someone would have amnesia at least!  

Ultimately, I felt the story came to a natural - if lackluster - conclusion and luckily it didn’t lessen my personal enjoyment in watching.

Started: 2/25   Finished: 4/14

It just felt awkward. Every interaction between ever character felt so forced. 

Started: 5/17   Finished: 5/20

Binge worthy. Best Chinese crime/mystery drama that I’ve seen so far, and definitely a favorite for the first half of the year.

Started: 3/17   Finished: 4/23

A lot of the nitty gritty details lacked realism and the supporting couples had little to no impact on the story (I skipped most it), but Dr. Gu and Zhi Xiao were charming and believable.  What really felt impactful, though, was Zhi Xiao’s father’s illness and the effect it had on his family.  It made me very emotional.

Started: 5/21   Finished: 5/25

So wholesome and sweet, I got cavities.

Started: 5/25   Finished: 5/25

Just as cute as the show.

Started: 4/17   Finished: 5/29

This show has the “it” factor.  The entire cast has great chemistry and the characters were deeply relatable - even the ones that felt annoying a first were lovable in the end.  The pace is slow but somehow every scene felt intense since the tension between characters was so tight.  Mr. Gu is top tier, but it was Yeom Mi Jung that I found to be the most intriguing.

Started: 6/1   Finished: 6/5

It’s starts out all rainbows and butterflies for the first 3/4 but by the last 1/4 you realize what you’ve been watching a tragedy.  It reminds me of Steins:Gate in the sense that it sorta blind slides you part way through when you come to understand what you’ve actually been watching, and by then it’s already too late to recover.

Started: 5/15   Finished: 6/10

A little too “cutesy” to have any real substance, but a good one to throw on in between better ones.

Started: 4/24   Finished 6/12

Can’t put my finger on why, but it just didn’t do it for me. The story wasn’t that original and characters weren’t particularly special.  It wasn’t bad, but it just lacked that stand out factor.  Gong Tae Sung’s antics did make me laugh - especially when he interacted with his manager - but he started out pretty toxic so the character was a little tainted by that.

Started: 5/2   Finished: 6/14

Another basic romcom.  There were good and bad things about it, but it boils down to just not being a stand out. It had a trio of sidekicks which is usually a shoe-in for Kdrama gold, but even our ghostly friends didn’t have the right magic.  If I had to pinpoint one thing it would the acting, and if it had been better then the show might have been more impactful.

Started: 6/7   Finished: 6/21

Park twins! 

At times it was too melodramatic to be convincing, and they dumped too hard on our FL.  Early on some of the characters were truly awful to the FL, but then later the audience is supposed to feel connection to those characters as if they were likable all along.  But the FL and ML’s chemistry was the shows saving grace.  Some of the other smaller storylines were endearing as well.

Started: 6/17   Finished: 6/20

Left it’s mark for sure, but there were some flaws that prevented it from being a “top” drama for me.  Yet, I really enjoyed it, and look forward to season 2.

Started: 6/24   Finished: 7/4

A pleasant mature romance.  Not one to fangirl over, but their relationship was nice. I especially appreciated how the show approached the subtleness of ageism and sexism in society, and how harmful it can be to ones mental heal and self image. 

Started: 4/18   Finished: 6/23

The beginning was good. It was light and fun, the character interactions (especially our leads) were enjoyable, and the political maneuvering and plot might have lacked some logic it was at least entertaining. However, part way through it was almost like the director said, now that we’re done having fun let’s wrap this up as quick as possible. Which created a lot of plot holes.  We had characters just go missing, King Yong’s personality did a 180, and the fighting went from lackluster to just bad. 

Honestly, I did enjoy myself for the most part. The last episodes were a struggle, but it wasn’t a total waste of time. At least it’s good for eye candy.

Started: 7/4   Finished: 7/5

I’m not usually a fan of second seasons as so often they let you down.  Likewise, I was concerned for this one as well, thinking it might taint the happiness of the first season.  But, it ended up surpassing the quality of the first season, for me.  

The character’s decisions and choices were authentic to the original story, and because it dove deeper into the character’s histories the audience gets a better understanding of their motivations.  Especially Han Ji Woo, who I always felt was a little too aloof in the first season.

Combining both seasons together elevates the story, and as a whole it’s definitely one of my favorites.

Started: 7/9   Finished: 7/10

The drama had some good aspects but there was always a but: the chemistry was there but the story was lacking.  The characters were fun but the acting was just so-so.  I was glad to see a transgender character, but the “explanation” felt a little bit like a cop-out.  etc.

Started: 4/2  Finished: 7/12

I was torn on how to rate this drama because there were some major pluses, but it was set up to be filled angst and play into morally grey territory and, sadly, it derailed into something much lighter. Especially Kinn and Porsche’s relationship lacked emotional complexity, whereas, I think Pete and Vegas delivered a lot more (not condoning it). I felt like their relationship was the only one that lived up to my expectations as far the writing and storyline was concerned. If they had done a better job flushing out the plot and writing, they could have pulled off an intense, fast-paced drama, but it just wasn’t.

Watched: 7/21

Good. Solid. But unfortunately not one that stands out as super memorable.  

Started: 6/25   Finished: 7/26

Cozy with a touch of sweetness, like cuddling under a warm blanket with a cup of hot cocoa during a cold winter day.  

If I had a list of top ten ML characters, Xing Ke Lei would be on it, and Mi Ka carried her own. Unfortunately, she was a touch too “good” which made it hard to relate to her.   The other two couples were entertaining enough, though it might have been one too mainly couples for one show.  Forty episodes is a little long for a romcom, which lead to it loosing some of its lasting impact.

Overall, an enjoyable and comfortable drama, but one that didn’t try to hard to think outside of the box. 

Started 6/7   Finished: 7/27

It had a great plot, but by focusing so hard on the love line that they missed the opportunity to develop all crazy, sketchy characters living in the town which could have been loads of fun to watch.  And unfortunately our leads’ romance was more wish-washy then my dirty clothes on laundry day. 

Start: 7/2   Finished: 8/2

I’m crazy about how this show took a coming-of-age literary classic and twisted into a messed up reflection of the human condition.  There are so many obvious parallels to the original works, but it’s all done so cleverly that it never becomes cheesy or predictable.  

I also appreciated how complex the plot and characters were.  There was always another layer to everything so nothing could be taken at face value.  I felt like Arisu had the weakest character set up, and I wouldn’t have minded seeing a few more games that allowed him to show off his intelligence more, but even that is pretty comparable to the original text as Alice spends the majority of the story bumbling through her confusing world.

Started: 6/27   Finished: 8/12

It lacked in pretty much every aspect, though there was enough sweetness to keep me watching.

Started: 7/1   Finished: 8/18

A heartwarming, calming show that tried to show the struggles of being “different” in our world but ended up feeling more a like the fantasy of what the screenwriter wished the world could be. Park Eun Bin performance as Woo Young Woo was exceptional and, though he was a bit of a one trick pony, Kang Tae Oh as Lee Joon Ho was a refreshing green-light ML.  Our supporting cast lacked some character development but helped by rounding out WYW’s world.  Her mentor and bestie were my favorite.

Started: 2/13   Finished: 8/18

More like forecasting boring tropes and toxic parents.  There were no truly likable characters and the plot was held together by a tiny thread that was “weather forecasting”. Song Kang was stiff as a board, and had better chemistry with the old man from Navillera.  Despite enjoying Park Min Young’s other dramas, she needs stop recycling her roles and get out of the office…

Started: 6/29   Finished: 8/23

Too long. Too cringe. Too ridiculous.

The writers created caricatures not characters, there was zero authentic suspense or creativity, and the humor was only slightly funny.  However, I did settle into Minamdang team and stuck around for them. 

Started: 8/23   Finished: 8/27

 Loved the old school Sherlock Holmes / Agatha Christy vibes. The actual cases had pretty dark themes but Totono was so quirky that most of his interactions, even with criminals, were funny and charming. The highlight for me was Episode 7. It was about as close to perfection as you can get.

Started: 6/20   Finished: 9/5

There’s no doubt that this drama fell victim to a lengthy production.  The beginning laid a good foundation with strong world building and top tier special effects. We were given a strong FL and a charming ML with interesting set ups, and the secondary characters added new layers. The villains were probably the weakest as they felt mostly one faceted.

The problems came in the middle. Naksu/Mu Deok was painfully underutilized and because of the pacing some of the characters became somewhat annoying.  There wasn’t really extra filler, but between the dialogue and the filming style, each scene dragged longer than it needed to.

Though it ended well, there are two things that absolutely have to happen for season two to work.  One, they need to maintain the momentum of the last episode; and roll right into the juicy bits. Two, if we’re not getting Jung So Min then Go Yoon Jung has to be very convincing.

Started: 8/1   Finished: 9/14

This show is a representation of how intentions behind actions are important.  While it’s reasonable that their age gap might make people uncomfortable, it’s pretty obvious their relationship develops from a place of equal standing and mutual understanding.  Shin knows what he wants, and although Minato doesn’t, he still encourages Shin and takes pride in his achievements.

I don’t think the show portrayed  exactly what it set out to, but it was fun.  I wouldn’t recommend it unless someone was into BL.

Started: 8/13   Finished: 9/17

A great rendition of the classic “Beauty and the Beast”, and just might be my favorite of this genre.  Production value was better than my previous experience with Xianxia, I especially loved the (sometimes over the top) costumes. There was good continuity in the story telling as well as world building.  But where it really shined was the characters.  They were complex, detailed, and heartfelt.  Dylan Wang’s performance as the big baddy was especially memorable.

Started: 9/30   Finished: 10/17

A “B” grade show with an “A+” for cuteness and charm.  Nothing about this drama says big budget: the set and styling are basic and the plot is somewhat childish. However, the characters are very lovable and the story is enduring.  The actors did nice job portraying their characters (there are a few scene’s specifically that were super touching) and both couples had their own appeal. I didn’t skip forward at all and I think the short length played a huge role in that. 

Special shout out to Mama Bear in this one. She deserves drama mom of the year for sure. 

Started: 8/20   Finished: 10/21

What could have been an emotionally healing slice of life show turned into a weakly constructed melodrama.  Of course JCW did an exceptional job portraying layers of emotions, but sadly I didn’t feel a connection with most of the other characters.

It had a strong start, but ended being slightly boring despite its overworked plot.

Started: 10/11   Finished: 11/4

If I were to be honest and critically analyze it, then I would probably lose some of my enjoyment of it, but (without too much scrutiny) it was just the right vibe for what I’ve been wanting to watch. It hit all my happy buttons. The only real disappointment was the ended felt rushed. I think it could have benefited from cutting some fat in the middle and adding it to the end.

Started: 9/25  Finished: 11/2

Disappointed.  The second couple was a complete was of time.  They were boring, trite, and toxic.  The main leads started out cute but also became uninteresting.  Pretty much the entire show was filled with liars and hypocrites, which is fine if you’re writing a political melodrama.  But for a romcom it was just irritating.

Started: 1/28/21 (dropped)

Restarted: 10/29   Finished: 11/8

Just not my cup of tea.  I don’t mind a good apocalyptic story, but character development is essential to my enjoyment.  I need to really be able attach to the characters, but this drama didn’t quite do that for me.  I never cared enough about any of them to worry about what would happen in the end.

The last two episodes were definitely the strongest. 

Watched: 11/8

Lost some of the “magic” from the series, but still cute.  They are my comfort couple.

Started: 11/5   Finished: 11/26

Probably the most realistic and impactful modern Cdrama I’ve watched.  The child actors were perfectly cast and during the teenage years the audience can really feel the characters’ closeness, but the anxiety of “impending doom” is there as well.   I really loved how the show addresses the idea of what makes a family truly family as well as the heartbreak of abandonment. 

However, the show slightly declined after the children grew up and I disliked Chen Ting (Ling Xiao's mother) character ark.  She clearly had very complicated mental health issues - borderline personality or bipolar disorder - but it felt glossed over at the end.

I finished feeling slightly disappointed, but over all it’s a wonderful drama.

Started: 12/2 Finished: 12/6

I’m not usually drawn to Shōnen type dramas nor shows that primarily focus of school bullying, as I feel like most of them are tactless or infuriating. However, this was beyond expectations.  

Starred:11/28   Finished:12/14

The writing was a mess and the acting was subpar.  Everyone kept getting side tracked into playing detective and covering up for their own mistakes that the revenge plot sort of took a back seat. That would be fine if the writers hadn’t tried to include a billion different twists just to trick to audience into forgetting how obvious the main reveal really was.

Jae Beom and Ji Soo Heon were the show’s saving grace. I liked Tae So Yeon too but she was sadly underutilized as were most of the female characters in this drama. Chan Mi was especially foolish and gullible. Not to mention, every adult in the drama was a waste of space,  

I also didn’t like the ending.

With all that said, it wasn’t all bad. If you turn off your brain a bit then it’s definitely entertaining, and the characters had good chemistry.

Started: 10/16   Finished: 12/28

A  heartfelt story about learning to openly and honestly communicate with one another through barriers within and without of our control.  Though it ended on warm note throughout the show the characters and audience experience a great deal of heartache.  

Started: 11/22   Finished: 12/29

Another basic drama with a handful of likable characters and another handful of ones you’re supposed to like but I didn’t.  Our main leads were cute with their introverted interactions, but others like Bom and Jo Ji Young never gave me much reason to care for them.  I appreciated the message of finding happiness in the small and quiet things, but it’s felt like there was more to be said that didn’t.