Sports meets noona romance

I love Zhou Yu Tong's acting in Begin Again. I had never watched Wu Lei's acting so I watched this cdrama for both of them.

What I like:
1) Wu Leo's acting - wow, I was blown away by his commitment to the role. He really looked like a top-tier athlete and his good looks is a bonus.
2) Tennis - I must have overlooked the synopsis because I didn't expect plot to focus on tennis coaching. As tennis fan in 2000s, I enjoyed the tennis scenes immensely. I love watching Wu Lei & Xia Hao Ran playing tennis & their physicality. Great to also see community from coaches to nutritionist.
3) Supporting characters - My favourites are Coach Zhang Yan, Jiao Jiao & Luo Nian.

What dislike:
1) Liang You An's characterisation - her character started off great in the first few episodes when she was at Y Space. Then I didn't like her character when she acted more like a manager than a girlfriend. I dislike when she made decisions for Sang Chuan without discussing with him.
2) Y space involvement - too much interference & I think the later parts were unnecessary because the club was already financially independent.
3) Second leads' romance - I wanted to see more Coach Yan - Luo Nian's romance because of the emotional baggage they have is intriguing.

Favourite scene:
Song San Chuan first match that he won. What a thrill!

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Overhyped, overrated waste of talents!

I had high hopes on 'King the Land' as I only became a fan of 2PM in 2023. I was disappointed by the quality of this series.

What I like
1. The flight attendant -Pyunghwa's struggle and love life kept me watching this series.
2. Jeju island - so pretty

What I dislike
1. Poor writing - Aigo, King the Land has no proper plot. The showrunner is banking so much on Junho-Yoona chemistry.
2. Gu Won's characterisation - My number #1 issue with his character is that he lacks motivation/drive to run family business. I don't mind so much about him being rich, pampered/spoiled brat but if you don't want to run family business then why so greedy? I can't deal with mediocre employee who knows nothing but kissing boss's ass. That's my view of his character.
3. Sa-rang's characterisation - started off as ambitious & driven woman who now gets distracted by her boss's charms. Why is a hardworking female lead's romantic interest a nice nepo baby?
4. Visit Thailand ad - what a filler episode!


Favourite scene
Da-eul's re-enactment of RoWoon's deep voice & coolness during a sleepover. That's hilarious!

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Queen Woo draws parallel to British film Elizabeth (1998)

I was intrigued by Queen Woo after seeing two versions of the series on Viu - "Why is there a censored version?". Read article and viewers' opinion on the explicit content which further led me to watch this series. Glad that I did!

I understand if the series creator and writer wants to dramatise the tale of Queen Woo as this technique has been done in Hollywood many times. I don't understand the fuss about its historical inaccuracies - if viewers wants Queen Woo's story to be true to history, then they should search for documentary not a tv drama.

What I liked:
1) Plot - I don't watch Game of Thrones so can't comment on the similarities with that series. However when I watched Queen Woo, I got this Elizabeth (1998 British film starring Cate Blanchett) vibe. That character growth, dynamics with prime minister and stance on political marriage (or in Queen Woo's case, remarriage) in particular.
2) Queen Woo characterisation - Queen Woo started off as a chess piece in the kingdom of Goguryeo and the 5 tribes. It's great to see her character acquired certain skills (fight training, military strategy/analytical thinking) before the untimely death of the King and used those skills confidently to revamp the top management of her nation. Jeon Jong Seo was excellent as Queen Woo. Her emotions were expressed in her eyes, mouth and body posture.
3) Prime Minister Eul Pa So - What a compelling character! He was cunning even from episode 1 I was suspicious already! I was drawn to Kim Mu Yeol - he was magnetic on screen.
4) Dynamics - I enjoy watching different dynamics between King Gu and Queen Woo and between Queen Woo and Eul Pa So. Ji Chang Wook did great in expressing different feelings of King Gu for his Queen - the gentle gaze, soft smiles and later part, indifference and Queen Woo's reactions to those feelings. I also like the chemistry between Queen Woo and Eul Pa So. The battle of wits, either through military strategy discussion or chess games, seemed like foreplay between them. Though it is not implied, I would not be surprised if he is attracted to her. I want them to be romantically together!
5) Battle scenes - Those scenes were thrilling & done well - - good choreograph and amount of gore.
6) Supporting characters - I enjoyed watching these characters on screen: Moo Gul, Mo Chi, Woo Sun, Bal Gi, Mil Woo. They enrich the series with their intent, motivations and actions.

What I disliked:
1) Explicit sex and nudity scenes - I was bothered by the explicit sex and nudity scenes because I feel that most scenes were unnecessary. The only ones that add value to the storytelling are Woo Sun / Shaman Sa Bi / King Go Nam Moo (she was drugged which led to that fantasy) and Third Prince and his wife (she was forced/coerced to have sex with him and overall that scene just showed how vicious he was) .
2) Side characters - I find some side characters were overdeveloped (too much screentime) e.g. Yeon Bi while others were underdeveloped e.g. Crown Prince, the clan in black robes. I would love to see more backstory from those characters / clans so me / viewers understand the importance of that tribe to Queen Woo's alliance and eventual ruling.

Favourite scene:
When Queen Woo confronted her sister. I didn't expect it would go down in that manner.

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Saccharine sweet new adult romance

Hidden Love is saccharine sweet I almost got toothache. Very light cdrama focusing on first love. Chen Zheyuan reminds me of Chanyeol of EXO, kpop group☺️

What I liked:
1) I really liked Sang Yan and his interactions with his younger sister, Sang Zhi. Victor Ma rocks the role.
2) The actress who played middle school Sang Zhi was really good despite not resembling Zhao Lusi.
3) Sang Zhi's characterisation once she was an intern. She didn't waver easily when her love rival threatened her and harassed Jia Xu.
4) Their kisses and intimate scenes were hot.

What I disliked:
1) 1st half of the series was slow.
2) Don't like how Sang Zhi was infantilised at start. I find her cunning because she knew how to manipulate her parents and brother to do things for her. I also don't like that she hero worshipped Jia Xu.
3) I am on indifferent about Jia Xu. Yeah he has conflict like any other main characters but I don't find him interesting enough to root for him.

Favourite scene
Everytime Sang Yan bickered with Sang Zhi

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Light but thought provoking series exploring AI and loneliness

This underrated kdrama focuses on characters that go out of their comfort zone. I enjoyed My Holo Love because it has a great combination of genre (tech thriller, romance, drama, comedy) with great performances led by Yoon Hyun Min and Go Sung Hee.

What I like:
1) Dual roles - let me highlight on characters Go Nan Do & Holo, both played Yoon Hyun Min. Nan Do creates artificial intelligence (AI) called Holo. Yoon Hyun Min was brilliant in portraying both roles. Surprisingly at times Holo seemed more "human" than Nan Do.
2) Genre - I expected typical romance kdrama. I love the tech thriller angle with bits of comedy (who knew Nan Do could be funny) .
3) Writing - The series explored AI, which prompted me to think a lot but at the same time, the AI content is light and easy to digest. I cried at least in two scenes because of the dialogue and performance of main leads.
4) Acting - My first time watching Yoon Hyun Min & Go Sung Hee and I am impressed. Go Sung Hee seemed natural in this role. She should act in more main roles.

What I dislike:
1) I wish Chansung's character was meatier - perhaps leverage on his conflicts with his father.
2) I enjoyed Chansung's chemistry with Goo Yoo-jin. Wish they were given more screentime.

Favourite scene:
When So-yeon told Nan Do that she likes him and reassured him that he deserves to be loved. I cried during this scene.

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Enjoyable body swap story

After avoiding kdramas for a few months, finally broke my "fast" with this. Branding in Seongsu is a light romantic thriller
with bits of comedy.

What I like:
1. The mystery plot - was thrilling especially in the 1st part.
2. Acting - Kim Ji Eun & Lomon did well playing their roles (first
time watching their acting) although at times Lomon stole the show when he played Naeon.
3. Kissing - Wow Lomon can kiss. The first kissing scene was hot.
4. Song 'On my hill' - Love this song because the alluring beat is fitting for seductive moments.
5. Supporting characters - Team Underdogs out shined other side characters. Joo Rex reminds me of P1harmony's Keeho. Hehehe

What I dislike:
1. Villains - underdeveloped & tad predictable.
2. Supernatural element - wish they develop that element. It'd be interesting if the 'demon' is tied to Naeon's feeling of guilt.

Favourite scene:
As a non-drinkers, I enjoy the Mood project the most. I know there is non-alcoholic soju sold in Thailand because it is endorsed by Mark Tuan, a member of GOT7.

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Fun series and I am enchanted by Satomi Ishihara

Being a fan of Satomi Ishihara and Rika Adachi, I've added this series in my watchlist. Decided to watch it last weekend upon finding out that it would leave Netflix on 14 October 2024. What a fun series!

What I liked:
1) Etsuko Kono characterisation - Satomi Ishihara was radiant and enchanting. I love that she's cheerful and colourful. She might seem frivolous because of her appearance but she was never condescending. Great to see that she takes her proofreading work seriously despite that not being her first job choice. I also like that Etsuko enjoyed learning new content through her proofreading job and saw its value for the future.
2) Supporting characters - From Etsuko's proofreading colleagues and Oden buddies to her clients/writers, all of them had significant role in her growth as a person. My favourite is Mr Takehara, who was a wonderful mentor to Etsuko.
3) Etsuko - Mr Kaizuka's dynamics - To be honest, I prefer their feisty proofreader-editor relationship to Etsuko-Yurito budding romance. I feel that the former has a lot to offer to each other despite them budding heads most of the time. They had more honest conversations with each other.
4) The fashion - I love Etsuko's fashion style though she often wore very high heels, which always concerning me. I love her mantra "When I dress my best, I do my best!".
5) The ending - Yukito's first attempt at writing something he's passionate about resonate with me. "There are work that may never been noticed nor recognised by most people, but it holds meaning, and that's what matters." It is realistic and I like it! I wish there was season 2.

What I disliked:
1) Morio's immediate boss - She didn't seem to care much about the articles makes me think that she saw her job as a paycheque.
2) Etsuko - Yurito's dynamics - I feel like Yurito hero-worshipped Etsuko. Yes Etsuko is an amazing woman but dude barely spent time with her. She knew what she wanted in terms of career but Yurito was still figuring out, which is fine but he needed to know his priorities.
3) Colour grading - There was too much yellow during the outdoor Tappi-bashi scenes.

Favourite scene
When Etsuko, Ms Fujiwa and Yoneoka helped Mr Kaizuka to proofread Mr Kiritani's work

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Better than the other Cinderella kdrama but I wish for more depth

I needed something light & romantic to watch after finishing Again My Life. Moon Sang Min's face was heavily promoted on Viu so I chose this drama. Cinderella at 2 AM is light touch romance drama with moments of seriousness.

What I liked:
1) Moon Sang Min - He has this sweet, kind face. This is my first time watching his work and I enjoyed it. For a leading man with this characteristic, he's alright.
2) Yun Seo chracterisation - It's great that her past was shown to the audience because then I understand why she is the way she is - fiercely independent woman who is focused on raising her younger brother. I cried when scenes of her childhood was revealed - I did not expect that at all.
3) Si Won characterisation - I also enjoyed knowing Si Won outside of work. Such a quirky but sensitive character.
4) Seong Min - At first I find his character creepy but later on he turned out to be a great guy. I wish he formed a tighter friendship with Yun Seo because they have a lot in common.
5) Yi Rae & her Uncle - Great support system for Yun Seo and Ji Seok. Plus I love that they brew their own maekgeolli.
6) Music - I love most of the songs featured in this drama, which is quite rare for me. Love the 80s vibe of the OST. Standout songs are Sweet Drama and Boyfriend.

What I disliked:
1) Romance - The romance between Yun Seo and Ju Won was sweet but I wasn't convinced at the end and I sided with Ju Won. I don't know why they needed a wedding when Yun Seo doesn't seem to be ready. I also wanted more of Si Won and Mi Jin's romance. They were so adorable but only got together in episode 7 if I am not mistaken.
2) Si Won and Ju Won's mother - She is selfish because she acts more like a chairwoman than a mother. I still don't understand why she opposed Ju Won's relationship with Yun Seo. Overall I find her character poorly written.

Favourite scene
Yun Seo's childhood because I see the love she has for her brother.

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Had potential but poor execution

I was curious about this series because of the title and synopsis. Was looking forward to a refreshing tale of Cinderella but oh boy, what a disppointment. I got bored mid-way through the series but persisted because I want to mark this series as 'Complete',

What I liked:
1) Lee Jun Young - This is the second work of his that I've watched (The Impossible Heir being the first one). Lee Jun Young did well in a role that's been assigned to him - flawed & a little eccentric but charming chaebol/CEO. He is handsome and has a nice build and height, which are important traits for a male lead.
2) Supporting characters - It's great that the stepmom and stepsisters were nice people (unlike the classic Cinderella story) and were given some backstory so their characters were not just 2D. I also like Baek Dong Ho and Youngbae though I wish writer developed a better friendship arc for Dong Ho and Jae Rim.

What I disliked:
1) Shin Jae Rim characterisation - It's hard to like her because she was ungrateful brat and shallow even till the end. I wish there was more character growth because it's frustrating that female lead was still in self-pity mode in second last episode. Gosh she should have taken the opportunity to travel to Berlin and self-discover. There were very few scenes of Jae Rim as a person, as opposed to her as a stepsis and stepdaughter, a employee, a love interest.
2) Pyo Ye Jin - She is miscast unfortunately. I expected female lead to be wholesome and charming even when being a damsel in distress (best example is Giselle of Disney's Enchanted). However Pyo Ye Jin couldn't demonstrate these traits though the seduction scenes were a nice attempt).
3) Romance - The most frustrating part in a romance story is when a couple hardly communicates. This happens in the series - there are too many mixed signals from Cha Min, it's tiring. Plus there is no chemistry between Pyo Ye Jin and Lee Jun Young.
4) Fantasy elements - I'd say the fantasy scenes put a damper in my enjoyment of the series. The seduction scenes were fine because they tell viewers that Cha Min was falling for Jae Rim. But for example the "homeless Cha Min". They feel like a filler.

Favourite scene
When Jae Rim had too much drinks and had to pee.

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Weird plot but overall light & enjoyable!

Having watched Mango short plays on Youtube, I thought "Let's check out other titles".

What I liked:
1) The romance - both Jin Jia Yu and Zhao Si Tong had good chemistry. Their kissing and intimate scenes were hot.
2) Jin Jia Yu is handsome and has good body.
3) I didn't expect the second half of the story would be action-driven. I enjoyed the rivalry between Liang Ze and his competitor.
4) Funny moments were sparsed but good enough for some laughs.

What I disliked:
1) Yuan Chu Yu was too kind to Liang Ze/ Bai Ze after he ghosted her for some years. I wish she had moved on and made Bai Ze grovel.
2) There's too much going on at the end. That jealous ex-girlfriend arc was too much since we already have Liang Ze's competitor arc.

My favourite scene:
Rescue scene. That's unexpected!

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The fluffiest romance Jdorama I've watched

Shanai Marriage Honey is the fluffiest romance Jdorama I've watched. This jdrama has the most "kawaii" uttered by the actors.

What I liked:
1) Ami & Manatsu sure enjoyed making out & making love. A lot of kissing & hugging.
2) I like Airi Matsui's acting.
3) Mizuki Itagaki is handsome.
4) The opening sequence is cool.

What I dislike:
1) Underdeveloped main characters so it was frustrating at times because there is not much character development.

Favourite scene:
When Manatsu dropped the bomb about his marriage to Ami to his colleagues.

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Fake relationship romance that has similar format to Jdorama

Noble, My Love is a light, fake relationship romance Kdrama. Since each episode has a short duration of 15 minute, this series gives Jdorama vibe.

What I like:
1) Light and well-paced. I finished this series in one seating.
2) Good chemistry between Sung Hoon and Kim Jae-kyung. That scene in the kitchen is hot!
3) Kim Jae-kyung's acting was alright. She does well during comedic scenes.

What I disliked:
1) Wish the last 3 episodes had clear focus on the romance.
2) I felt his character was stunted & remained bossy till the end.

Favourite scene:
I like the dynamic between Lee Kang Joon and Cha Yoon Seo so their scenes are always fun.

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Noona romance with serious mood

This is my first Park Bo Gum drama that I watched. Park Bo Gum in long, wavy hair in episode 1 was mesmerising especially when he smiled.

What I liked:
1) The first episode was magical perhaps due to "beach holiday" vibe of Havanna.
2) Jin-hyuk characterisation - I am not sure if it's because of Bo Gum's youthful look but Jin-hyuk has this charming, nice guy aura. He's personable but don't underestimate his tenacity and quick thinking.
3) The hotel - I liked plot surrounding the work at the hotel group.
4) Public figure storyline - I also liked this storyline because I got to see challenges faced by public figures. Pity that their personal life is scrutinised, often time unfairly, by media and the public.
5) Romance - This series is good at highlighting challenges faced by older woman-younger man couple especially when one of the pair is financially successful.

What I disliked:
1) Soo-hyun characterisation - It's great that she's a girl boss but she's giving this misery vibe whenever the camera is on her. I noticed that Song Hye-kyo has played several older woman characters but all these characters are so serious and gloomy. I wish there were more scenes of lightness especially when Soo-hyun and Jin-hyuk met in private.
2) Soo-hyun's overbearing mum
3) Jin-hyuk's mum when she asked Soo-hyun to break up behind Jin-hyuk's back. That's not cool

Favourite scene
When Jin-hyuk met Soo-hyun after she was conned. Such a romantic scene with Bo Gum's hair blowing in the wind.

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Sports meet noona romance drama...what a delightful series!

Older female/younger male romance is my favourite trope and I enjoy watching the Olympics. This series was a delight! This series reminds me of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (another favourite series of mine) especially scenes about the slump period and the training

What I liked:
1) Acting - Wow, Wang An Yu gave a stellar performance as a soft-hearted student-athlete. He looked like an Olympian during his high jump scenes - the posture, running and jump. I enjoyed watching Wang An Yu's facial expression especially his eyes. Very expressive. The scene when Coach Luo Na was comforting him when he was wet was heartbreaking. Jin Chen was great at her role of coach and girlfriend too. Luo Na knew when to put on coach hat and girlfriend hat. I read comments commenting on Jin Chen's skinniness but I think that's how a (former) athlete who keeps good care of her body looks like. Chi Jia was also great as Coach Wu Ze.
2) Writing - I didn't read the novel so my comments will focus solely on the show. I love watching the journey of Du Yu Cheng throughout the series. From high school to university and professional athletics training. I also love that writers feature different types of track and field events from training to competition.
3) Luo Na characterisation - I love how the writers balance the different roles held by Luo Na - assistant coach, girlfriend, friend, daughter. As an assistant coach, she knew when to be confidant to her students. She also knew when to follow her instinct with the case of Zhang Hong Wen.
4) Duan Yu Cheng characterisation - I always giggled when watching his antics. Duan Yu Cheng is crybaby and playful, at times childish. I think he's needy/clingy with Luo Na because of his upbringing but he never showed signs of toxic masculinity.
5) Romance - wow, palpable chemistry between Wang An Yu and Jin Chen right from the start. Their kissing and intimate scenes were really hot.
6) Supporting casts - Wonderful supporting characters such as Coach Wu Ze, Xia, Jian Tian, Lian Shu, Jia Shi Li. Mao maoqi is my favourite because he is so endearing.
7) The reunion at the end - It's great to see Jia Shi Li in the last episode.

What I disliked:
1) A lot of the romance scenes were for the benefit of Duan Yu Cheng. I wish there was a scene or gesture that was done by Yu Cheng for Luo Na as his girlfriend not coach.
2) The English song that was played during competition between Duan Yu Cheng and Li Ge made me laugh because that was a love song but the scene called for rivalry!
3) I disliked Mrs Duan's action during Yu Cheng's decathlon competition. She shouldn't barge like that since it might disrupt his focus on the competition.

Favourite scene
The scene when Coach Luo Na was comforting him when he was wet. Heartbreaking. Wang An Yu's best performance in this series.

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Always treasure family over money

I watched in Malaysian cinema on 9 June 2024. This movie reminds me of my own grandma. When I was on summer break from uni in Australia, my dad asked me to return home. I visited my grandma 1 week before I returned to Australia then few days after, my grandma passed. I was grateful that I made the trip to visit her.

What I like:
1) How to make millions before grandma dies is beautifully written & directed film. Cinematography was well done. Well done, Pat Boonnitipat and his team!
2) It is set in Thailand but the core themes relatable to Malaysian audiences. Some cultural practices are same here.
3) Wonderful acting by Putthipong Assaratanakul & Usha Seamkhum - their dynamics translated well on screen. Supporting cast did well too.

What I dislike
1) I think the title is misleading because I thought M worked multiple or sketch jobs to gain that much of money

Favourite scene
When M bathed his grandma. I understand perspectives from both sides.

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