Shows Watched In 2021

January 2021

the SML was BEAUTIFUL and HILARIOUS. I wish he had a better ending with more closure.

April 2021

May 2021

The SML was so cute, I love that the love triangle wasnt over-done. The acting was SUPERB.  and the kisses were FIRE.

May 2021

June 2021

Can Park Seo Joon do ANYTHING wrong?  Doubtful.  Cute story for sure! Some nice kisses too.

Re-watch June 2021

July 2021

I adore the ML and the FL, and their chemistry was amazing. I laughed, I cried, and I identified with the FL for so many things. The second couple was cute because I like Tsundere men. His voice alone could give me the feels.

July 2021

Watched all available episodes twice while waiting for new episodes to be subbed and released.

The ML was so cute once he fell for the FL. He went from cold and aloof to a naughty tease. Cute story, cute second couple. The finale was a little.... disappointing. I was hoping for more story between the ML and FL rather than 80% of the episode being the gaming.  The open ending was a little frustrating too.... unless there is a second season Top 5 of the year, if I neglect the ending.

July 2021

Such a soft and fluffy story.  It was just what I needed at a time when I didn't know I needed it. The amount of love and consideration between the leads was total couple goals. And the note he left when he thought he was dying.... omg. "If this is my life journey's end, I only wish you peace and joy throughout your life.  There's a cycle of life, and there's love in another life. My dear... I love you. See you in the next life." The fashion was gorgeous, especially for the FL and ML!

On a side note... I hated the SML and SFL's story. I skipped it all. 

July 2021

SO cute. The ML was such a jealous arse to her face but always doing the best he could for her in the background.  He was so awkward at times, then so smooth at times. So stupid but then so smart. Definitely a unique mix with a strong personality! His constant need for cheek kisses was adorable too.  I also didnt hate the SML and SFL in this one. They contributed to the story well without detracting from it. I ADORE the actor that plays the ML (Ryan Ding).  

July 2021

This was ok. Cute at times but very forgettable. I'm struggling to remember the plot points I liked only a week after finishing it. The Lawyer SML was a little too clingy, but at least he wasn't over-done.  The sister and the actor couple was kinda meh... I wasn't invested in their story at all.

July 2021

Nice slice of life, not a lot of romance. I wasn't in love with the ML, he was a bit like an alien at times with the slow blinks. I want to be best friends with the FL. I HATED the SFL at the start.... I never warmed up to her much through the whole show.  The SML deserved better. Her younger brother also deserved better. He was so sad and adorable and just wanted her love. The ML's dad was scary and didn't deserve a redemption scene.

July 2021

Jasper Liu is definitely one of my favourite Chinese/Taiwanese actors. He's so great in all his roles. I felt so bad for the ML in this show, and Jasper plays him soooo well with a perfect mix of arrogance and vulnerability. There were a lot of side-couples too, which was a nice add-on. The SML went a little astray in the middle and did more harm than good, but once he let his feelings go he was an admirable SML. FL's brother is SUPER hot, ridiculously so.  

Re-Watch July 2021

Re-watch July 2021 

I loved the transition from the aloof gamer god that had no time for anyone or anything but his team to a caring and supportive partner. There were bumps along the way, but they weren't over-done. I skipped a lot of the competition, flashbacks, and the kid/Solo father/daughter relationship this play-through. The FL was SUPER immature at times, even in the end, which got a little irritating. Still a very cute story.

August 2021

The story itself for this show wasn't all that amaze-balls. It was an average K-drama, although the melodrama was light and I laughed my arse off at many scenes. The true gem of this show was Lee Ji Hoon as the SML. His acting when the FL found him in her apartment and he was looking for a sign that she still wanted him... Oh man. My heart broke for him at the same time that I was terrified of him. The boy has some MAJOR acting skills. I'm so glad he got a redemption arc at the end. 

The ML was very understanding and trusting and I like that he knew the FL's past but didn't hold it against her when she struggled to move past it initially. 

The CEO and the other Psychiatrist had such a funny relationship. I'm glad he got the closure he needed from the SML.

The SFL was so damn selfish I could throat-punch her. Eventually she chilled out, but it took almost the whole 16 episodes to get there. 

August 2021

The ML was adorable BUT the story was so frustrating. The SML was so... domineering. And the break up in the middle that lasted FOREVER made me so angry. SO many misunderstandings because they werent being honest with themselves or each other. The ending felt rushed and we didn't get some resolutions or answers. What happened to the SML? Did the FL's brother stay with the niece?  

Despite these issues I still watched it from beginning to end, so it was good enough to keep my attention. The FL's brother was HOT AF, as was the ML. He can kiss like a demon woohoo!

August 2021

This was soooo dramatic, surprisingly sweet, and mildly addictive. The FL's ex was a manipulative tool, the ML's ex was a manipulative cow. I'm surprised they didn't end up together. At least he made strides to redeem himself. The acting was very well done, especially by the ML in his crying scenes. Hot damn he can cry. For the FL, it's probably hard being an actor acting as an actor learning how to be an actor. This was a slow-burn and took sooooo many episodes for the ML to finally confess his feelings, but also fed my "hero falls first" kink because while HE may not understand or voice his feelings, the viewer sure knows what's in his heart.  

August 2021

Re-watch 2021 -  This show had SO MANY tropes... wrist grabs, princess catches galore, "gastritis" and a hospital visit... you name it, it was here. BUT the cheese it brought was delicious and I found myself laughing through every episode. The FL was a bit too abusive with her "sunbae" suitor, the ML, and her brother at times. The romance was sugary sweet and the whole "he's been in love with her since the day she started" is absolutely my new kink. Ahhhh to be loved like that.  

August 2021

OUCHHHHH my Second Lead Syndrome is SCREAMING.  - Oh thank god he got a happy ending!!

Overall a cute and fluffy story with minimal unnecessary misunderstandings and all loose ends nicely tied. The love rivals (there were lots) all resolved themselves quickly and didn't drag on forever making you wonder if they actually felt anything for each other.... that was never put into question - the ML and FL were always doing things for each other behind the scenes. 

I've decided that my drama kink is "The Hero Falls First". Something about his watching and waiting from the sidelines and being jealous fulfils an empty part of my soul. "It puts the hero in the position of the observer, and he sees and loves the heroine for who she is, and not the version of herself she thinks she needs to project in order to be loved. He was the observer who saw everything going on in the love triangle and was aware of all sides, including his own painfully unrequited position in it, and when he saw the heroine’s insecurity and self-doubt, his approach to winning her over was to make her realize that she was lovable, and loved by him."

August 2021

Very pure and innocent love story with NO misunderstandings between the ML and FL. I like this ML quite a bit and he plays a good student. The story was pretty ok, very fluffy and nice. I didn't scream at the screen like other dramas. The SML and SFL relationship was frustrating in it's own way, but tolerable.

It took until the end for there to be a real kiss... so many almost-kisses though! The sexual tension was a little thick at times lol

August 2021

OMG this was adorable. The ML NEVER faltered, he was always true to himself and his feelings. There were no huge misunderstandings and everyone was honest (if a little delayed in that honesty at times) about what they wanted, especially after the FL finally decided to be with him. They stuck to their words when they made promises and they trusted each other to be there and "never leave, even if it's for my own good".  The skinship was SMOKING, and the kisses and bed scene... oh boy. All the side characters and relationships were tolerable and felt necessary to the story so I didn't skip any of it. I'm SO glad the parents were happy and enthusiastic once they found out about the relationship. All in all this is probably top 5 of 2021 for me! My heart is happy beyond belief at the end.

August 2021

Isn't this why women like bad boys? We want to be the one they love or want enough to change for. For them to still be their independent, unpredictable selves, while we are the one they dedicate themselves to because they realize that their previous way of living was nothing compared to the benefits of loving one person the most. 

A third of me is happy she chose jae-on, a third whishes the chose Potato Boy because he was just sooooo sweet and caring, and the last third hoped she would stay single and discover herself some more. Jae-on was toxic, but so is almost every relationship at some point. It was satisfying to watch him grow, and to see the back story of the first time he encountered Nabi. And the fact that Potato Boy was there that night as well... It's a nice twisted fate. It's interesting that they kept Jae-on mysterious throughout the whole show, giving minimal back story about why he is the way he is.  I'm also glad they tied up all the secondary couples. 

August 2021

I REALLY didn't expect to love this as much as I did. That ENDING though! I'm so glad they found each other again. This is giving me "show hangover" because I keep thinking about it. The actor that plays the ML is now my favourite Chinese actor ever. He made me hate him, then love him, then hate him, then love him, then cry for him out of sadness, then cry for him out of happiness. The SML was infuriating at times, but also incredibly amazing. He did some manipulating, but once he accepted that she wouldn't be with him he turned into a very noble supporter. The second sister was Satan incarnate and unstoppable in her self-righteous jealousy. I'm so glad she wasn't a part of the FL's life outside of the 'dream', but I'm sad that the parents, the two bickering servants, and especially the FL's mother exists only in the dream. Overall a great drama with lots of fun plot twists. It's in the top 3 of this year!

Re-watch August 2021

I forgot how cute this one was. The relationship was incredibly healthy and very supportive. Part of me was irritated at the focus on her 'tummy fat' etc, but the reassurance that it was about her being healthy and living a long life rather than being more attractive made it tolerable. He also fell for her before she lost all the weight, which was nice to see.  I adored the UFC boy. He had a violent past with lots of anger, but because he had 'hyung' take him in he turned into a little puppy man that cried during romantic movies. His story arc with his mom was cute too. The other American friend was adorable, but his acting was cringy at times. Overall this show was well done without too many drug out melodramas. Things were resolved well and I now have a thing for older men.

September 2021

I wish we got some closure on PD Kang. He loved her for so long then left to Tibet and we never got any kind of happy ending for him. It would have been nice to see him come back, or a fast forward further into the future to show him happy somewhere. It was hard to watch him lose Song Geu Rim. More closure with Ji Soo Ho's dad would have been nice, to see some of the effect of the scandal. And WHY didn't it show what they got Soo Ho's mother for her birthday?? She had a nice redemption arc at least. I wish Soo Ho had kept doing radio, even once or twice a week rather than not at all. The child actress girl didn't deserve the manager, he was so good and she was so bad.

September 2021

ADORABLE. I laughed so much throughout this show. I'm sad he didn't get his face recognition back permanently, but the ending was cute "As we lived, those moments came like a miracle. If it was that day, no matter where he was, the man looked for the woman.  He looked at her for a long, long time and shared a deep long kiss. Living endlessly thankful for all the little moments you are able to see,  so that I can remember her face, until I can see again". The SML and SFL were super cute, and despite the SFL being a bit over-the-top she was still an intelligent and hard-working CEO.  

I loved how much of a marshmallow her boss turned out to be.... sentimental, caring, considerate, emotional, and kind. 

Re-Watch September 2021

This show... ALL the feels. Lee Seung Gi is such a fantastic actor. The range of emotions this show gives me every time I watch it is NO joke. The hate-to-love dynamic is SO well done that it's hard to tell when it changes from fake love due to the spell/geumggango to a real, abiding "Here is a piece of my soul so that I will always be able to find you, no matter where you are" type love. The twists and turns of the story always keep me engaged, and they gave me SUCH a soft spot for Pal Kye (piggy). He loved his zombie brother so much, it's sad he didn't get to say good bye to her. And when Jade Dragon gave his life for him.... ah... so sad. The scene when he's looking at the picture and says "i'm the last one left" rips my heart out. Also the fact that Son Oh Gong did/would destroy the world for Seun Mi when she died in the film... ah chills.  100/10  

Re-watch September 2021

Re-watch September 2021

October 2021

Oh Noooooooo the Second Lead Syndrome is PAINFUL. He's ADORABLE. When their fates were tied and he was her match made in heaven he was even more adorable, and then when he cried.... oh god my heart. How dare they do that to that beautiful boy. He was a bad boy that went good boy for the girl he fell in love with. Ahhhhh QQ.

That being said... i still shipped the ML and FL together. He absolutely adored her, and the struggles he had as a gumiho and his need for energy being pitted against the care and concern he had for her.... it was a captivating dynamic. Especially THAT KISS when he lost control. oooooh boyyyyyy that man can kiss like a DEMON.

November 2021

Chief Hong is a gift that we all wish we could receive. He's intelligent, hard-working, talented, kind, thoughtful, romantic, honest, straight-forward, and too pure for this earth. His smile and those dimples could make a grown-ass woman's heart beat a little faster (namely mine). He's lived his life blaming himself for the deaths of the people he loves, and trying his best to atone for it through his work and his abilities. He got blamed for events that were not his fault, that were not his responsibility, and made the best of his life despite his inner turmoil. We all should be more like Chief Hong. The actor's scandal was resolved, which makes me SO happy. Now there's a chance I will see his ASTRONOMICAL acting skills being used again. His ability to cry had my eyes dribbling for hours.

This was a 50/50 split of Romance/Slice Of Life genres. The townspeople all grew on me over time, even the initially irritating ones. They all had very rich back-stories and added a lot of humour and poignancy to the main storyline.  The love triangle was very classy and well resolved. It showed a nice level of jealousy from the ML, but the friendships that were built didn't suffer. Overall an excellent show, very relaxing to watch, with some really amazing demonstrations of healthy relationships, recovery from trauma, and finding yourself in the ashes of your previous life. 

November 2021

This show was a bit of a trip! The ML faking his delusions was an interesting plot twist. The ML fell so hard for the FL, and it was adorable. When she found out he was faking and left him... the devastation he showed was heartbreaking. The FLs brother and best friend's relationship was very cute, and the MLs uncle being the SML and how much he felt for the FL was so sad.

November 2021

This was cute. Very fluffy and very sweet. The relationship was so supportive once the fact she was a girl was finally revealed. His quietly loving her for so long was very cute because he didnt out her for his own gain ever. The other team mate that had a crush on her was adorable as well. He also worked hard at protecting her secret. The FLs brother was ultra-cute but the girl he ended up with was so obnoxious. The face blindness was a strange dynamic, especially how her kissing him lets him see faces again. I wish they had just let her stay on the team with the guys she had played with all year long.

November 2021

For a very short drama there was surprising depth involved in the plot. I wish they had resolved it better in how she 'wrote her own destiny" so that she could keep the man she fell in love with over and over. If there's that much fate at play then it would be nice to see a well-resolved ending. Finding out how many times they met and fell in love was very surprising and such a poignant revelation. The friend that sacrificed himself was a bit of a gut-punch. Definitely a much better mini-drama than I was expecting.

November 2021

Wow. The hecticness of this story was intense. So many aspects to the plot - the brother dying, the feuding mothers, the asexual chef, the office dynamics of betrayal, the niece being a huge flirt with the two boys while treating her uncle like shit, the MLs banishment to Taiwan, the breast cancer, the FLs pursuit of her career, the MLs bitch mother (the funeral scene broke my heart), and alllllllll of the second lead syndrome... so much going on.

The scenes when the FL was dating the SML and the ML was watching it happen, especially the kiss and the mud fight, when he was crying and you could tell he was absolutely devastated... oh man my heart couldn't handle it. The ML is a fantastic actor (that knows his way around a good make out scene). The SML was SO HOT and I felt SO BAD for him when the FL picked the ML. 

November 2021

I both LOVED and HATED this show. The relationship was very supportive, and it was nice watching the ML come into himself and be more interested in letting people in. You could see him physically change through the show in how he presented himself with his hair and clothes, and his ability to bend regarding rules. The FL was a bit stagnant, although you could watch her skill with politics grow, her personal growth was still a little stunted at times. The part I hated was the plethora of political content that I didn't understand a second of. It drug the story down and made me almost quit a few times because it was so dry. The FLs friend with the kid was SO unsupportive for a long time, and even when she got on board it seemed grudgingly. And then she decided to become a politician? Bullshit.  

December 2021

December 2021

This drama touched on three very controversial topics for women that so many of us face.

1. A woman choosing to focus on a career rather than focus on getting married. - The FL was shown to be incredibly competent. She had excellent support from the ML, but he never tried to take her autonomy or claim credit. It showed the progression of her career to have bumps, which made it more realistic. 

2. Being in a relationship with a younger man. - The social stigma of being with a younger man was brought up plenty, but most people in their lives were supportive, especially the FLs best friend and the MLs mother. The FLs mother waffled between amazing and atrocious. I had issues with her character due to the aggressively controlling behaviour. 

3. Choosing not to have kids for whatever reason. - The friend's decision to not have children was SO well done. Kudos to this drama for actually having the friend stick to her decision of not having kids. The husband and the families were frustrating in how pushy they were at first, but I’m SO HAPPY she didn't change her mind in some dramatic proclamation because all of a sudden her empty womb became unbearable.

All in all a very well done drama that never bored me despite the office politics. The ML was so caring and considerate, but also confident and a bit cocky at times. The FL had a lot of layers that were very well portrayed.

December 2021

Was ok, but forgettable. The ML was too stoic, and even with the FL very rarely cracked his façade. The SML ex-BF was a jackass, talking about he cultivated her to be his perfect wife. The brothers romance was cute, but they dominated too much of the story so it didn't feel like you saw the main couple enough to really get attached to them. Maybe I'm not a fan because I finished 'Youth' right before I watched the last few episodes of this. The ML in Youth was so perfect that he made this ML seem empty and lifeless. Also! the FL's dad in this show was such an abusive jackass. Ugh. I hate when they have parents be so controlling and mean in the Chinese Dramas.

December 2021

Terrible. The first 19 episodes were ok, but I should never have went back to finish it. Episodes 20-35 were chaotic, frustrating, and annoying AF. They tried to cram too much into a short time, but drew out stupid scenes and unnecessary interactions. And they never explained anything or give reasons or answers for how anything worked. The ending was super rushed and felt completely unresolved. Why did her and her brother get transported? Did the brother actually get transported or was it just her dreaming? Why did she remember but he didn’t if he WAS transported? How did the ML find her? Why did he look modern all of a sudden when he shouldn’t have a clue in hell how her world works? Was he actually modern and dreaming like her? If so, how did the ugly snow globe end up with her? What happened to the cultivation world? How did all the demon gate stuff work? Why was the holy aunt girl such an annoying %€£#¥%€>¥££€€%!? I SCREAMED at my screen at what a stupid see you next Tuesday she is. SO ANGRY. Such a bad show. This is the first one I’ve finished but hated so much.  

December 2021

This show gets a 10/10 for sentimentality and ALL THE FEELS. Was it a perfect story? no. Were there plot holes? yes. But i stayed up all day and all night to watch it because I couldn't help but get attached to the ML and his unbelievably fantastic personality. ALSO his voice. No man should ever have a voice that sounds that amazing. He was so honest to himself about his feelings for the FL although he wasn't as forthcoming to her about them. He always supported and helped her with everything, even when she wasn't aware he was doing it, and he knew he wouldn't get anything out of it. Someone in a review called him a "stalker", but I never saw his actions the same. He was protective and adamant in his feelings, but he never forced himself or them onto her. He got grumpy and angry at times, but it was always about her choice to not see him and only see the other guys around her. Very few times has a ML made me feel so much for him. I cried when it ended because I didn't want it to be over.

The criticisms I have for the show are about the secondary characters and issues with pacing. We spent so many episodes establishing relationships in the one year of school, but then skipped over so many years, only showing snippets of interactions. It was hard to follow at times. Then there is the episode in university when he kissed her, she took care of him when he was sick, and then another time skip and you never see what happens after that and why they don't get together. All of a sudden you're at the brothers wedding years later. Also the best friend and his brother were a strange story of both loving her, both confessing, one dying (sad but also strange... suicide? the way he said good bye before he left seemed like it), then the other disappearing for 10 years.  Also, a recap video to get the feels again: Here

December 2021

Cute show, but forgettable. Nothing was super stand-out about this other than the MLs jealousy. The first half had the FL being very independent, intelligent, and a good equal to the ML. After he went off to school and decided to ignore her then she went all stage 5 clinger with no personality of her own other than "I will follow him anywhere" I lost a lot of my interest in them as a couple. After they figured out their crap and got together officially they got cute again.

December 2021

Holy Plot Twists Batman! This was definitely full of holy shit moments. From finding out that the villain is the SML's dad, to them finding out that they've been in the game for an extended period, then finding out the SML is a robot that's giving the villain their locations... what a ride.

The ML and FL were a boring couple. They started out on the cute side, but the SFL and SML overtook them with a much more mature/stable courting and relationship. The ML/FL seemed childish and immature after watching the second leads. The two other house-boys were equal parts frustrating and cute. I could see why they were so scared, but they did some stupid shit in the name of their fears. Also, the two relationships for them felt rushed and insincere. 

December 2021

First story: Hilarious. Him being a chronic wanker trying to "cure" himself was pure comedy! The FL was total garbage so I didn't care for them as a couple, but his storyline was funny AF.

Second story: ADORABLE. For only being 3 episodes long it was such a well done little story. I rooted for the ML and FL the whole way, and they both had some character growth. The ML was SUPER HOT. Abs you could wash your clothes on. Definitely made the story even better.

Third story: A nice short story about accepting yourself despite being fat. Was hard to watch at times because I really wanted them to show that she could love herself AND be loved by someone else. We get these body positivity shows that portray the FL learning to love herself but still being alone in the end... doesn't give much hope to us that already are ok with who we are. I'd rather be shown some hope that someone other than just myself could love me. Maybe instead of having the SML actually be in love with the bully girl they could have shown him actually having unrequited feelings for the FL. It started off that way then veered to him actually liking the bully girl. Disappointing.

December 2021

December 2021