Would you like to be the Female Lead of a K-drama?

First of all, "7 First Kisses" is really not a drama or web drama. It's a big commercial for Lotte Duty Free. So, don't be disappointed if this is not a well-written drama. Just enjoy the ride!

However, you can immerse yourself in these short 10-minute videos and pretend to be the Female Lead of a Korean drama. Go on a memorable date with your childhood friend, your boss, a secret agent, a rich chaebol, a celebrity or be in a noona romance. Experience the world of tropes and cliches and enjoy the time spent with 7 handsome guys.

I wish I could go on any of these dates with one of these handsome guys.

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I want to shake some sense in all of them!!!

Completed: 10/16/2022

This is not how I typically write a review but I find it quite difficult to put a rating and write about my likes and dislikes. Instead, I am just going to put down my rants and feelings.

This drama depicts the very complicated and unhealthy relationship between two VERY flawed characters. They are pretty unlikeable and don't have too many redeeming values. I fail to see why everyone is so in love with Otomo Kyoichi. He's selfish and self-centered, and plays with others emotions. I really don't know why Imagase Wataru is so obsessively in love with him for 8 years, when Otomo has never done anything nice to him. I want to stick my arms into the screen and shake some sense into Imagase. I also want to bitch slap Otomo so bad.

Throughout the movie, I keep on saying to myself, "Imagase, get the F out of there! He doesn't deserve you! Why do you keep doing this to yourself? Why do you want to be in this toxic relationship? He doesn't give a damn about you!! GET OUT!!" Unfortunately, the leads are in this never-ending cycle of a torturous relationship. I am so angry!!

In the end, there's growth in the characters but it's a long roller coaster ride before we get there.

Is this a good movie? I don't know and it really depends if you like this type of movie. But if this movie can evoke such emotions out of me, it deserves at least an 8.0.

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So impressed with Han So Hee - exciting fight scenes, bloody and violent.

Completed: 9/19/2022

It took me a while to decide on watching "My Name" since it's not usually my kind of genre. It has excellent reviews but I need to be in the mood for it. Luckily, this day has come and I am glad I watched it.

Let's just start by saying I am so impressed with Han So Hee. I saw her in "100 day my Prince" but totally forgot about her. I never watched "Nevertheless" but saw enough clips to see what the drama is about. I wish viewers will remember her excellent performance in "My Name", a less popular drama than "Nevertheless".
It's apparent that she has put in a lot of hard work for this drama. Not only is her acting great, but all her action scenes are great as well. There are so many fight scenes in this drama that if an actor is not serious about their craft, you get unbelievable and half-ass weak fighting.

The plot of this drama is simple - finding the killer who murdered FL's father and seeking revenge. Each episode is filled with excitement and the pace is fast. There are plot twists, but I would not say they are completely unpredictable. I have a feeling who the murderer would be from the beginning and it's actually not a tough guess. Nevertheless, it does not dampen the excitement. It was a fun ride.

It's interesting that the Netflix rating is MA (Mature Audiences) and gives warnings of "substances, language, sex, smoke". What about violence? This has got to be one of the more violent dramas I've watched, aside from "Bulgasal". There is a lot of of cruel killings, torture, and graphic wounds... all very realistic. So, a warning to those who do not like all the blood involved. These gangsters are no joke!

I am curious as to when Korean cops carry guns. There are scenes when they have to specifically check out guns before an operation. Other times, cops already have guns with them when it's just a normal day. There are scenes when the leads could have shot the gangsters easily instead of fist fights and getting caught. Other times, our female lead can magically keep on shooting when she only has 5 bullets. Interesting, isn't it?

This is a very enjoyable short drama about revenge....actually, it's a never-ending cycle of revenge. If you like this type of drama, I strongly recommend it.

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Light-hearted version of "Royal Feast" but Dishes are not up to standards for the Royal Family

Completed - 9/13/2022

“Delicacies Destiny” was aired right after the more well-known “Royal Feast”. It doesn’t have the big budget and famous cast as “Royal Feast'' but it provides a different flavor for viewers who prefer a more light-hearted drama of a similar plot.

However, because of the smaller budget, you really can’t compare the exquisite food scenes to those in “Royal Feast”. In fact my biggest criticism of the drama is the food. Not that the food scenes don’t look good or mouth-watering, they are just not up to par with food served to the royal family. If the food scenes are for a chef trying to make a name for herself and open her own restaurant, I would applaud the effort and appreciate them more. Unfortunately, the dishes are not beautiful or exquisite enough to be served in the palace. Another low budget drama, “Chef Hua”, does a very good job in cooking and food scenes and they are very appropriate to the plot of a chef trying to open up her own noodle shop and restaurant.

On a positive note, the acting of all the cast members is not bad. The female lead, He Rui Xian, is an experienced actress and has appeared in many dramas. Comparatively, male lead Wang Xing Yue is a newbie but did a pretty good job. The supporting cast is full of veterans. They are not afraid to act silly in many of the comedic scenes and do an admirable job in the more emotional scenes.

The first half of the drama is a lot more colorful and louder. It took me a while to get warmed up to the female lead and the kitchen staff. Once I did, they are a fun bunch and I enjoy how the friendship and sismance develop. The comedic moments toned down in the second half as more issues arise. With only 16 episodes, the drama is fast-paced with no drag. Sometimes, it appears too fast.

I thought I would like the romance more when I read the plot. But I ended up just feeling OK about it. The Crown Prince doesn’t seem to need to work or do any princely duties. He’s a cute male lead, but not a perfect one. Wang Xing Yue is definitely good-looking and I find him super cute when he’s pouty. But as a character, he’s a lovesick puppy and not very useful. I enjoy the sassiness and daring personality of the female lead, but those traits seem to have disappeared in the few episodes when the romance plot takes center stage. In the last episode (ep 16), I think the drastic decision made by the Crown Prince is a little too much. I would have thought there would be a better way to solve the problem than to do that. But then, I guess that’s why we have a special episode 17 to provide us with an alternate ending. I think this alternate ending is unnecessary but other viewers might enjoy that more.

Overall, this is a light watch with decent cooking and food scenes. The many close-ups of people eating reminded me of the “Let’s Eat” K-drama series. It could feel a bit over-the-top for those who are unfamiliar.

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Comfort watch that put a smile on my face (esp. first 1/3)

Completed - 8/16/2022

China is excellent in churning out teen dramas. There are so many out there that it's really hard to be a standout. The reason I want to watch this is because I was looking for something light and easy. "Wait, My Youth" fits the bill perfectly.

Even with these cute teen dramas, most of them can't get away from serious topics such as bullying, tragic pasts, overbearing parents, etc. Well, you don't find any of that in this drama. "Wait, My Youth" focuses on the simple life of 5 high school friends through their high school, college and young professional life. Ep 1-9 cover the high school days, and these episodes put a big smile on my face. They are so cute and adorable. Li Jia Qi is probably the most high-school looking actress that I've seen in one of these teen dramas (even more so than Seven Tan in "With You" or "Go Ahead").

College days are also an easy breeze in the 2/3 of the drama. Nothing too dramatic and quite predictable. The fluffiest and sweetest romance happen during the college days, as you know they are not allowed to date in high school. High school is saved for bickering and picking on each other. Do not be afraid of the Love triangle tag. It's the mellowest and nicest love triangle you can find. There isn't anything annoying or evil either.

The 'sad' part of the drama happens towards about the last 4-5 episodes of the drama. Even though they are 'sad', you can totally see it coming and it's a very predictable situation. The fluffiness is reduced and real life challenges happen through these few episodes. I do think the quality of writing and editing drop off, compared to high school days.

Acting overall is just so-so. Li Jian Qi as the female lead is probably the best of the bunch. Zhao Yi Qin as our male lead is really good-looking, but his acting is somewhat bland. He actually has acted in quite a few dramas before "Wait, My Youth", more than Li Jian Qi. But his acting is not as good. If I didn't enjoy the cuteness of this drama so much, I might have complained about everyone's acting a lot more. So be warned!

Another very personal complaint I have about this drama is our female lead's hairstyles/wigs. I know many high school girls have the mushroom/bow cut, but hers is the worst I've seen. Unfortunately, the stying doesn't improve throughout the drama. Her super short college hair is the most tolerable. Who gives her such a weird long hair wig when she's a professional??? I feel bad for Li Jian Qi. She has the worst hair and costumes in this drama, and she's the female lead that carries the show.

If you are looking for a simple, cute and light watch, this is it for you. Just don't expect plot twists or amazing acting.

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Strong Wuxia theme but lacks chemistry and good fights

Completed - 8/12/2022 - 7.75

“Heroes” has a very strong pugilistic world theme that is rare these days. Most recent wuxia dramas have elements of the martial arts world but then would be overshadowed by palace politics or fight for the crown. Luckily, the politics in this drama is minimal and the drama does focus on the power struggles between different sects and clans.

What I Like:

1. Overall Plot - As mentioned earlier, this drama has very minimal court politics and I like that the focus is on the struggles and the rise of our heroes. This is the primary reason I want to watch this drama because I was hoping for a true wuxia drama.

2. Smart Characters - All 5 main characters are pretty intelligent in their own ways. They don’t easily fall for others’ tricks and are oftentimes schemers themselves. I was initially worried that Wang Xiao Shi would be naive and dumb, but glad to find out that he’s just inexperienced. I have the same concerns for Wen Rou. We really don’t need another spoiled, annoying and dumb female lead. Though she was sidelined as a supporting character most of the time, at least she’s smart in her own ways, and didn’t really get into too much trouble and need saving.

3. OST - Instead of noticing the songs first, I actually was impressed with the background music this time. There’s this particular piece that sounds like a movie score. It’s beautiful and I am not sure the name of it. But whenever it’s played, the word ‘movie’ comes to my mind. I really like the BGM in “Heroes”. This drama also has several songs played throughout (and not overplayed) and I enjoy them all. My favorite song is probably 《奈何奈何》https://youtu.be/2VbFPoZgR8s


What I have Mixed feelings about:

1. Brotherhood - Plot wise, I really enjoy the brotherhood between Wang Xiao Shi, Bao Chou Fei and Su Meng Zhen. This is usually a plot that I enjoy in wuxia dramas. However, I feel that the chemistry is lacking, or there isn’t enough time spent on the development of their friendship to create such a tight bond. I did not read the novel, so maybe more time is spent on the friendship than the drama.

2. Romance: Su Meng Zhen + Lei Chun - I am usually a sucker for a tragic romance like theirs. It reminds me of the romance between Dugu Ban Ruo and Yuwen Hu in “The Legend of Dugu”. Both romances are forbidden because they were on different sides. But the chemistry between the Dugu pair was off the charts. In “Heroes”, I don’t feel any chemistry between Su Meng Zhen and Lei Chun during their secret rendez-vous in the chess house. Their quiet moments together should be loving and heartbreaking, but what I get is quiet and boring. They were much more interesting when Lei Chun changes in the latter part of the drama.

3. Su Meng Zhen and Di Fei Jing - Two of my favorite characters in this drama that are mysterious and complicated. Su Meng Zhen has the sexiest gaze but I wish he was just a little less sickly so that I could see him fight more. I wanted more screen time for them, especially for Di Fei Jing. He would have a much bigger role in the latter half of the drama, but we barely saw him. I was hoping to see his big fight with Fang Ying Kan but got nothing.

4. Acting - Decent acting all around for the main characters. I think it started a little rough in the first few episodes, but then it got better. I wasn’t sure how Liu Yu Ning would do in this role, as it’s very different from his very popular role in “The Long Ballad”. I think he did fine, but not as nuanced as he could be. Out of the 5 main leads, I’ve enjoyed Baron Chen’s role as Su Meng Zhen the most. But I think the veteran actors are the ones that shine.

5. Production quality - There are times when I noticed the weird CGI and green screens. Same goes to the set designs. But then, other times, I would think to myself that the sets are pretty nice. Either the drama’s quality is inconsistent, or I was (LOL). As much as I dislike the men’s hairstyles (see comment below), I quite like the female characters' costumes, hairstyles and accessories.


What was most disappointing:

1. Fight Scenes - This has to be my #1 disappointment. This is a wuxia drama and it comes with the expectation that there should be great fights. Our three male leads and the supporting cast are all martial arts experts. I understand if they’re fighting regular soldiers that the fights are quick and easy - one slash and you’re done. However, we don’t even see long fights between the main characters. The camera cuts away after a second or two, and adding to this, is the annoying slow-motion camera. Moreover, I was hoping to see the big fight between Fang Ying Kan and Di Fei Jing, and see how Di avenges Lei Chun. Well, we saw the aftermath but not the actual fight. The same situation happens between the two Masters.

2. Romance between Wang Xiao Shi and Wen Rou - Their romance is the most boring romance I’ve ever seen between two main characters. The drama basically tells us that they like each other, but doesn't show us how they really fall in love. There aren’t any longing gazes, fluffy scenes, or romantic banter. Their bickering seems to be between friends or siblings. The lack of chemistry and the lack of romantic development make it hard for me to like this pair, or to suffer with them.

3. Male Hairstyles - Someone in the costume department must not be feeling well. All the male characters have horrible hairstyles. Just look at the pictures and you’ll see. Thank goodness the ladies still look good.

4. Wen Rou - I wanted Wen Rou to have a more prominent role in this drama. She is not a bad character. She’s smart, brave, somewhat sensible and understanding. But she’s only always on the sidelines being a cheerleader.

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Condensed and fast paced, but I wanted more storytelling

Completed - 7/18/2022

After watching so many dramas about Japanese occupation in China and South Korea, I finally watch a drama about war time in Japan when they're being occupied. No matter where the war is, ultimately, it's the common folks that suffer and have to live with hardships during and after the war.

"Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni" also known as "In This Corner of the World" follows the story of our female lead, Suku, as she marries into the Hojo family and moves from Eba (Hiroshima) to Kure. As with most Japanese dramas, the pacing of this drama is fast, and actually a little too fast for my taste. I don't usually ask for more episodes, but for this drama, I would have loved to have more, and have the drama spend some time exploring stories of the supporting characters.

Though romance is not the main focus of this drama, we witness the sweet romance between Suku and Shusaku. They get married after meeting once when they were little, and have to start a romantic and marital relationship at the same time. There are some heartwarming moments, and surprisingly a few kisses (which I didn't expect in a period drama). However, I would have liked to see the drama dedicate a little more time on how they slowly fall in love and how they resolve one of their first marital disagreements regarding Suku's best friend, Tetsu. In a way, I understand why Shusaku would arrange for Suku to spend time with Tetsu when he visited. On the other hand, it's not something that a wife would appreciate. Their reconciliation happened too fast without really discussing how each other feels. I was hoping for more. The drama also didn't spend much time on Suku's knowledge of Shusaku and Rin's relationship, and no discussion between the married couple about it.

We didn't see much of how Suku gets accustomed to her new life in Kure. In a blink of an eye, a month passed by and she made new friends. I've been told and saw a few of her absent-mindedness, but I wanted to see more of her struggles to fit into her new life. I am also interested in earning more about ML's sister, Keiko and her family life. We know she disagrees with her in-laws, but I would like scenes of her son and in-laws, and maybe flashback moments of her marriage before her husband passed away. Additionally, I want more of Tetsu. How was his life in the navy, and was he thinking of Suku before decided to stop by unannounced and visit her?

"In This Corner of the World" focuses on Suku's life before and after she got married, and struggles during wartime. The plot is predictable and very similar to other dramas and movies during any war time. I wanted more in-depth storytelling. 9 episodes are not enough to tell a story that spans so many years. I also do not find the modern day timeline to be very effective in telling us the story. I think I can live without it, and just have one timeline.

Overall, it's still a good drama with pretty good acting, nice cinematography and music, but not an excellent one.

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Dreamy ML but Frustrating FL (spoiler at the end).

Completed - 6/19/2022

“The Crown Princess” is my first ever non-BL Thai Drama. I was attracted to the plot and the mature romance that I was reading about. Since this is my first Thai drama, I am not familiar with lakorn culture and tropes, and when I criticize it might just be how Thai dramas are. However, if it affects my viewing pleasure (just like dramas from other countries), I will still try to be as honest as all my other reviews.

What I Like:

Davin (ML) - Aside from the fact that Nadech is handsome, his role as Lieutenant Commander Davin is dreamy. He’s the perfect man as a male lead - smart, calm, cool-headed, great fighter, protective, respectful, detail-oriented, attentive and caring. What more can you ask for a Lieutenant Commander and a romantic lead. Nadech is so cute when he smiles and flashes us his dimples. But when he’s serious, he frowns a lot.

Acting - Initially, I was worried that the acting would be overdramatic for my taste. However, I am pleasantly surprised that it’s not and everyone does an amazing job. Special props to our leads, Yaya as Crown Princess Alice, and Nadech. There are many scenes where they have to control their emotions because of their statuses, yet you can see the subtle micro-expressions in these emotional scenes. I now understand why they are so popular in Thailand. I am also very impressed with Sara Legge’s portrayal of Princess Kate. She has a few very emotional and angry scenes and she was amazing in them. The rest of the cast also perform admirably. Aside from two annoying wives that I dislike and I guess they are supposed to be annoying, I enjoy everyone’s story.

Beautiful Actress and Beautiful Dresses - There are so many beautiful women in this drama! I am usually more excited about handsome guys, but for once, the ladies stole the spotlight. Yaya is stunning and all her tailor-made royal dresses. She looks so regal! But she also looks beautiful in casual wear (ponytail, white tank top and jeans), and looks adorable in the mountain village tribal outfit. Sara Legge also has a great selection of royal dresses, especially her many black ones. Other beautiful women are Cindy (Princess Mona), Yoghurt (as Sergeant Paen), Reindeer (as JC).

Slow-burn Romance - As much as I dislike our FL (see below), I like the slow-burn romance between Alice and Davin. Enemies-to-lovers and fake marriage are two of my favorite tropes and from them, we see how their romance slowly develops. Do not expect a cute, fluffy and sweet romance. This forbidden love is mature and full of longing. I was actually very surprised at the lack of PDA in this drama. But given the fact that they have very different statuses, their controlled emotions make this romance even more desirable. The chemistry between the leads is amazing. I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for a kiss, and the kisses are not even that great. LOL. Very different from the Thai BL dramas I watched.

Cinematography - I enjoy the mountain village scenes in Northern Thailand. Gives the drama a little break from life in busy Bangkok. I especially love the many gorgeous places in Hyross. Hyross looks like a European country and I think my best friend Google told me that scenes are shot in beautiful Switzerland. No wonder this drama makes me want to travel to Hyross.


What I don’t Like or have mixed feelings:

Crown Princess Alice - I was so excited in episode 1 when we’re first introduced to Alice. She’s trained like a soldier, can fight, proud and just a badass. She seems intelligent and doesn’t seem to need to be saved by a man. Imagine my disappointment in subsequent episodes when she continues to make dumb and impulsive decisions and puts herself at risk. I can understand her doing that once or twice, because the drama wants to show us that she’s caring and will do what it takes if it’s right. However, given her situation, she repeatedly puts herself in harm’s way, disregards others' good intentions and protection throughout the whole damn drama. I initially thought she’s pretty smart but the writing makes her the dumbest person in the drama, who never questions who the villain is. For someone who is trained, she twists her ankle and slips on her butt quite often. What a disappointment of a heroine.

Action scenes - I actually quite like the amount of action scenes in this drama between gun shooting and hand-to-hand combat. However, I am not sure if this is what Thai dramas usually are, I find it hilarious that the leads would be choreographed in a way that they’re switching poses when shooting their guns. There are some interesting acrobatic moves mixed in the fights. It’s over-the-top and funny at the same time.

Illogical writing - I feel like in order to enjoy this drama, I have to switch off my brain a little. Otherwise, I would be questioning everything, e.g. 1) FL gets shot underwater and was drowning, but survived till the next day to be saved by ML, 2) wearing bulletproof vests don’t matter, 3) leads can survive going in and out of a burning house (the house has been burning for a while), 4) people really should stop screaming and watching and take those hurt to the hospital ASAP, 5) a trained soldier rebel can’t take down a weak prince or princess, even if he’s hurt. 6) lastly, it’s amazing it took so long for everyone to figure out who the villain is.

Songs - There are a few songs in the drama and they sound OK. But they are overplayed. There are a few scenes where songs are played right after another. It doesn’t leave a lot of quiet times for viewers to feel the emotions being displayed by the actors. It’s disappointing because the actors are doing a great job and I don’t really need the music to tell me how to feel.


**** Spoilers of the Ending ****




I have mixed feelings about the ending of Alice and Davin. I am happy that they finally get to live happily-ever-after. However, I hope for an alternate ending. Why can’t Alice have a career and her man? She would be a great queen as she truly cares for her people and has learned through her experience as Naree how the common folks live. Even if she’s not the queen, she can still continue to be a princess and do a lot of good for her country. Davin can marry Alice and live in Hyross, and help train the people there to build their own military. But I guess she really wants to be a commoner, or women just can’t have it all.


Other Random Observations:

1. FL has the special ability of running in the sand, in the forest and climbing trees all while wearing high heels.
2. Prince Alan has the best character development - his friendship/romance is kinda cute.
3. The pacing of this drama is pretty good. But each episode is 1 hr 50 mins, that’s super long!!

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List of Triggers/Themes listed at the end of Review

Completed - 6/2/2022 - 8.25

“Tomorrow” is an ambitious drama that wants to tackle serious social issues and how they contribute to suicides, and also put a fantasy spin to it. I quite like the general plot of the drama but I feel that the execution leaves room for improvement.

What I Like:

1. Plot - I think the idea of having grim reapers not just escorting the dead, but also trying to save them is a very interesting concept. It’s also interesting to see the behind-the-scenes operation. I heard complaints about how this drama makes it appear that it’s too easy to dissuade suicides because of a few words. With that, I would like to say that this is the whole concept of the drama, so maybe you shouldn’t watch it if you don’t even like this general plot. Why force yourself to watch it if you can’t even get past this? Do I believe suicides could be dissuaded this easily? Absolutely not. However, as the Jade Emperor said, and I paraphrase, it’s not that victims can be talked out of committing suicides with a few words, it’s more like NO ONE has ever said those right words to them in the first place. Living is hard, and if you don’t have the support system and kind words from people who care about you, it’s easy to give up. Do I think the execution of the drama is great, no, I don’t. More in the next section.

2. Impactful Cases - There are a few very impactful cases shown in this drama. I was taken back by the first case regarding bullying. It was hard to watch and I question if this is the tone set for the rest of the drama. Luckily, the drama just started with a BANG. I personally enjoyed the first ⅓ of the drama and those 4 cases (see my list of cases at the end of the review if you are interested). They are nicely developed, about two episodes per case, and provide enough background for me to feel for the victims and be glad that their issues are resolved.

3. Acting - This is my first drama of Kim Hee Sun’s and I love her in this drama. She is able to portray Goo Ryun (FL) very well, showing her sassiness, bossiness, badassness, heartbreak and often with very quiet subtle facial expressions. Rowoon’s acting has gotten better as well. He has come a long way from his “Extraordinary You” days. I do not personally find his comedic moments incompatible with the drama, but just enough to lighten the mood. Looking at Yun Ji On’s biography, I noticed I’ve seen quite a few of his dramas and he looks familiar, but I can’t recall any of his previous roles. I think I will remember him moving forward after “Tomorrow”. The handsome Lee Soo Hyuk didn’t really have that big of a role in this drama. I wish I could see more of him, and more when his character is not so ‘cool’. I enjoyed his Joseon scenes more as he is provided more opportunity to shine.

4. Outfits/Appearance - Kim Hee Sun has quite an eclectic wardrobe. I love her pink hair and her orange/reddish eye shadows. She looks amazing in suits, high boots, tight leather jeans or casual wear. But let’s not forget our Jade Emperor. What flashy attire she has! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kim Hae Sook wear such fancy clothes, as she always plays the mother or grandmother roles. All the grim reapers look good in their fitted back suits.

What I don’t like or have mixed feelings:

1. Blaming the victim - The Risk Management team, or our FL mostly, likes to use reverse psychology and blame the victim tactics to start their ‘counseling’ sessions. I personally have a problem with it, especially when I noticed this right off the start in the first case. I do not believe that is the way to go, no matter what good intentions you have.

2. Half-baked Cases - For a 16-episode drama, it covers many 12 different cases. I feel that some of them are too short and not enough time is invested in developing the story. The drama tries to tackle too much. Some cases are resolved within an episode and then you move on to the next one following a similar formula of how they tackle it. I think it’s best to reduce the number of cases and then really spend quality time in executing the select few.

3. Over-the-top/Unrealistic scenes - There are few scenes where I went “Huh?”. When it’s time for the war veteran to be escorted, it was a little over-the-top to have the whole Escort team + RM Team + Jade Emperor to be present. Do they do this for all war veterans? Because each one of them deserves such respect. I know it’s for TV, but it’s a little too much for my taste. A suicidal puppy? On the other hand, ther court scene in ep 11 is one of the most laughable and unrealistic court scenes I’ve seen. They really dumb it down to move the plot forward.

4. Leads story - I would like to see character and relationship development throughout the drama. I feel that I don’t see enough of the main characters interacting with each to develop a supposedly strong bond. Their background stories pop up every so often and not enough due to the focus on the cases. I hope to see snippets of the Joseon storylines throughout the drama and not just in the end. I am actually more interested in their previous lives than any of the suicide cases.


Below is a list of themes/triggers that might prevent someone from watching. I hope by listing them, you can skip episodes that are too much for you, but not completely write off the drama. However, suicide is the main theme and cannot be ignored.

Ep 1-2: Bullying with verbal and physical assaults
Ep 2-3: Exam failure
Ep 4-5: Survivor’s Guilt and loneliness
Ep 6: War veteran/PTSD/regrets
Ep 7: Body Image/Eating Disorder/Bulimia
Ep 8: Criminals - to save or not to save; physical violence
Ep 9: Dog passing away
Ep 10-11: Sexual assault with physical violence
Ep 12: Miscarriage with guilt and depression
Ep 13: War Comfort Women with physical/sexual/verbal assault
Ep 14: Suicide/wrist cutting
Ep 15: Stress of being a Celebrity

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It's Good - but not good enough to be a serious political drama, or a romantic-comedy

Completed - 5/22/2022 - 8.25 rating

When “The King’s Affection” was airing everyone commented how good Park Eun Bin was in the dual role of Dam Yi/Lee Hwi. And it is without a doubt that her great acting is a big selling point to watch this drama. I was hesitant though, as I am not a big fan of gender-bender. But my fellow MDL’er recently recommended this to me again, so I gave it a try. And yes, Park Eun Bin is excellent. However, I was under the impression that this is a romantic-comedy with a side of political plot. It ended up being a political drama with a side romance, and unfortunately, I found the execution to be average.

What I Like:

1. Park Eun Bin - As mentioned, she is excellent in her role here. Gender-benders could be a hit-or-miss as oftentimes, I just can’t force myself to believe that the actress is a man. But here, PEB gives off such an aura of a cold prince. We follow his/her journey from being manipulated as a puppet crown prince, to slowly dissolving that ice facade into a caring prince for his people, and the eventual king who finally has the strength to oppose his grandfather. Add in the romantic plot of acting shy and naive, PEB deserves her acting award. However, I would have loved to see more scenes of her as the adult Dam Yi, so that we have a better contrast of her acting prowess in playing the male and female roles. We got a little of that, but not enough.

2. Choi Myung Bin (child version of Dam Yi/Lee Hwi) - this young actress has a bright future ahead of her. She’s already appeared in many dramas and her role as the young Dam Yi/Lee Hwi really impresses me. What I criticized above for the lack of Park Eun Bin scenes as Dam Yi, we got it covered with Choi Myung Bin. Half of her scenes are of young Dam Yi - innocent, sweet, hopeful and smart. The other half of her scenes are of Prince Lee Hwi - scared and traumatized. Choi Myung Bin and her counterpart, Ko Woo Rim (young Jin Woon) reminded me of the excellent teen cast of “Moon Embracing The Sun”. And we all know how those young actors’ careers panned out now.

3. Romantic Role Reversal - It’s refreshing to see Lee Hwi as the typical cold male rom-com role, e.g. those CEOs, and then Ji Woon as the one who is lovesick and madly in love. The chemistry between the leads are great, especially n their initial student/tutor relationship, and when Ji Woon falls in love with Lee Hwi. I also like that the drama did not make it a big deal that Ji Woon is in love with a man. It’s portrayed that he couldn’t believe he loves the crown prince and didn’t really care that he’s a guy. He’s not afraid to profess his love. Additionally, once the leads are in a relationship, we see FL initiates a lot of physical affection.

4. Rowoon - He is really pretty to look at! (sorry, I just have to mention this). His acting has definitely improved since his “Extraordinary You” days. His role as Ji Woon provides him with an opportunity to portray many more emotions than his role as Ha Ru in EY. I do think he is better as the lovesick and funny Ji Woon, than the emotional and sad Ji Woon. His crying scenes leave room for improvement. I am looking forward to seeing him in “Tomorrow”.

5. Production Quality - Beautiful costumes for everyone. I love the colors and the patterns, especially the subtle designs on the king and crown princes’ hats. Ji Woon also has a variety of very colorful costumes as a male character, and is not limited to just blue, white and black. The set designs, props, and the use of natural lighting in candles are to my liking as well, even though the palaces are not as grand as in C-dramas.


What I don’t like or have mixed feelings:

1. Plot/Plot holes - I enjoy the overarching plot of this drama. However, I feel that it has an identity crisis. The drama appears to be a political drama with a romance subplot, but the execution and the tone are not as serious as other sageuks, e.g. “The Red Sleeves” or “Moon Embracing The Sun”. On the other hand, the romantic subplots have a rom-com feel to it with the slow-motion, bright backlighting, falling into your arms, etc. These elements are not enough to call this drama a rom-com, compared to “100 Days My Prince” or “The Tale of Nokdu”. The drama is not serious enough, and not rom-com enough to be excellent in either genre. The pacing of the drama isn’t great either. If this is a 16-episode drama, the stories would be tighter and won’t drag in the middle. I had to watch it at 1.25x speed at one point because everything is so slow in the middle.

Moreover, I do have minor issues with the writing of the story.
* The leads really don’t care about kissing out in the open????
* If the Left State Councilor is making life difficult for everyone, isn’t it easier to just assassinate him? He obviously went home at night with just a few bodyguards, and we got some excellent swordsmen and bodyguards on the good side.
* I don’t think I’ve seen a court official being so blatantly disrespectful to the King or Queen Dowager that he would barge into anyone’s room without announcement, insult or talk over others. There are similar villains in other historical dramas, but this one takes the cake in “I don’t care” and giving the King the ‘finger’. No finesse needed in manipulation.
* The ending of FL after having tea with the villain - no explanation of how and why she would have such an ending.

2. Music - There are some really good songs. However, I don’t like the use of songs in this drama. Ballads are on cue to play whenever there’s a romantic scene. It doesn’t leave room for viewers to feel for themselves, and the songs seem like manipulation of viewer’s moods. Some of the ballads sound pretty modern for a sageuk, but that’s just my personal opinion. I am used to watching historical C-dramas where songs have a more traditional feel.
3.
Underdeveloped characters/stories - Since there are 20 episodes and they somewhat ran out of stories to tell, why not give a little more on some of the supporting cast? I would love to see more of our good-looking bodyguard, Kim Ga On, so that he’s not just standing there looking handsome. I want to know more about his struggles after the death of his father. How about more childhood stories between Lee Hyung and Lee Hwi, so that we can see how Lee Hyung’s feelings start to develop for Lee Hwi? Or the friendship between the two veteran guards and how the friendship fell apart?

4. Fight Scenes - The fight choreography could have been better and longer. We have a couple top swordsmen in the show, and they barely show their skills. In fact, they seem to get hurt pretty easily and are unable to face off even 5 mere soldiers (not super assassins). I thought our ML is both an excellent scholar and a great swordsman, but he ended up always getting slashed and hurt in a fight.


Other Random Observations:
1. Love Court lady Kim and Eunuch Hong!
2. Korean eunuchs can have wives? They still have their…. reproductive organs?
3. No matter how wounded you are, you recover real fast - except Lee Hwi who needs TLC from Ji Woon often.
4. The tutors provide comic relief - not too over-the-top
5. No annoying character - The young queen borderlines funny and annoying and didn’t quite tip to the annoying side.
6. The way these characters tail/spy/follow others, it’s amazing no one was discovered.
7. Leads’ secret rendezvous spot is used in several other K-dramas aka “Rookie Historian”, “The Red Sleeve”. This must be the prime spot to have secret meetings.

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Great Chemistry + Fashion but Many Annoying characters and side stories

Completed - 5/14/2022

I was interested in watching this drama because of our two leads, Zheng Han and Xu Lu. I liked Zhang Han in "The Four" and Xu Lu in "Love Scenery". I thought this paring would be great for a romantic comedy. Well, their romance ended up to be main reason why I stuck around and finished this drama. Without them and their amazing chemistry and visuals, I would have dropped this drama within the first third of the show. This drama could have been 30 episodes long instead of 45.

Romance - Although I enjoy the main romance, I found the leads spent too much time apart. I like their initial attraction and interaction, and how they get to know each other through the Li Embroidery storyline. But once Mo Fei (FL) went to France, they were apart for too long and their romantic scenes are filled with mindless, cute and fluffy lines without a lot of substance. Luckily the romance continues to be a mature one with them trusting each other, while maintaining a long-distance relationship. Although Tang Ming Xuan (ML) is a little demanding in the beginning, he slowly becomes quite a perfect boyfriend. He is not afraid to show his affection with words and action. He is quite a touchy-feely CEO and enjoys some PDA. Thank goodness he's not one of those overbearing and cold CEOs. Mo Fei on the other hand shows maturity when handling a long-distance relationship, even when she's being pursued by Fang Xiao Yu. I was not aware that Mo Fei is a college student and thought she seems a little immature to catch the attention of Ming Xuan. Her character grows on me and I particularly applaud her passion and perseverance for fashion design and the inclusion of Chinese elements in her clothes. Their scenes are those that I didn't skip and encouraged me to keep watching to see them live happily-ever-after.

Chinese Elements in Fashion - On the one hand, I really appreciate a drama that incorporates so much Chinese cultures and really teach me a lot of about embroidery and other elements used in Mo Fei's designs. However, this cultural education comes on really strong and becomes really preachy. I feel like the patriotism and even 'propaganda' of the Chinese fashion elements/industry is stronger than a military drama about Chinese military pride. Too much time is spent on the education and it drags the plot and the pacing of the drama. I wish the drama can find a better balance.

Annoying Characters - There are so many annoying supporting characters in this drama. We have the unrequited, stalker-ish and clingy love from Fang Xiao Yu and Xia Xue Ling towards our main leads. We also have jealous, two-faced women such as Shen Jia Xi and Bai Xiao Man who couldn't stand the success of Mo Fei. Additionally, we have meddling parents who don't care about how their children's feelings on love and marriage. So much time is spent on these annoying characters and side stories. This has got to be the first drama that I have fast-forwarded so much, basically the last 12 episodes of the drama.

Good Characters - Thank goodness for a few of them that are cute, kind and not annoying. I love the bond between Ming Xuan and his father. They have such a good understanding of business practices and values, and also how to deal with Mrs. Tang (quite hilarious). There's also Mo Fan, the sweet and handsome little brother of Mo Fei. I am grateful for a kind Fang Qian, who came back after 3 years and is not a jealous and crazy woman.

Fashion - If you like beautiful clothes and fashion, this is a great drama to watch. We have age-appropriate and event-appropriate clothing for everyone. Gone are the oversized sweatshirts and sweat pants worn by female leads. Whoever dresses Ming Xuan, you did a great job. Ming Xuan has a varied selection of classic, sleek, flashy, and patterned (some crazy and some delicate) suits. Mo Fei also has a great selection of college/casual wear, business attire and evening gowns. I don't know if there are real fashion designers who made the dresses in the runway shows, but I really like all the dresses in the Mist and Cloud Chinese splash ink-themed fashion show.

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Comfortable watch

Completed - 5/10/2022 - 8.25

"Blueming", though I still don't understand what it means, is a short BL campus drama about two lost souls who found each other, accepted their true selves with the support of each other. It's a very light and comfortable watch. The relationship between the two male leads is healthy, and quite mature with honest conversations.

Our two male leads, Jo Hyuk Joon and Kang Eun Bin, are pretty new to the industry. I found the acting a little rough in the first couple episodes, especially for Kang Eun Bin, who played the main role of Cha Si Won. I think he found his groove in the latter episodes and is more comfortable in his character. Jo Hyuk Joon (who I think is the more handsome one ?) seems to be a little more comfortable and his acting is decent in the drama. The supporting cast is fine and luckily, there isn't anyone too annoying. I would say the acting on a whole is average and decent. I've definitely seen worse acting for new actors.

Because the drama is so short, only 11 episodes at about 10-15 minutes each, there are storylines that are not fully explored. But given the budget and time constraints, I am quite satisfied with the drama. If there's more time, I would like to know more about Da Un's story. As Si Won said, Da Un really didn't talk much about himself, and I would like to know more about his backstory and loneliness. I was hoping in the last episode when they had the heart-to-heart, Da Un would have opened up to Si Won a little bit more. "Blueming" focuses more on Si Won's growth - the reason for his perfect persona, his acceptance of who he really is, dealing with his insecurities, and being comfortable enough for Da Un to get to know the real Si Won.

The music and songs are not as memorable as the other Korean BLs. I do think some of the scenes are shot beautifully, given the drama is about film students.

There aren't many kiss scenes, but viewers are rewarded with a couple that are done romantically and passionately. It's nice to see real kisses when both leads did not shy away from the action.

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Mature, murder mystery + life of women at a nightclub in the 80s

Completed - 2/24/2022

**Trigger warnings - end of review**

The "Light The Night" series is divided into 3 parts of 8 episodes each. Part 1 provides us with the background information of our main characters, especially the women at Hikari Nightclub. We're introduced to their complicated and tragic lives and romantic entanglements.

The story is told through the present day timeline and many flashbacks. The flashbacks could be confusing as these are also in different timelines - 4 years ago, 1 year ago, 4 months ago, 1 month ago, 2 weeks ago, a few hours ago, etc. The drama does jump back and forth often, thus, viewers would have to stay focused.

Acting is great all around., esp. the two female leads, Ruby Lin and Cheryl Yang. The production quality is high. If you enjoy the 80s, you would appreciate the hairstyles, outfits, makeup and especially the music and songs in this drama. They brought back so many memories for me and I love the opening theme song, the famous oldie, "The Moon Represents My Heart/月亮代表我的心".

If you are looking for a fast-paced action- packed crime/mystery drama, then this is NOT it. Part 1 only let us know that there's a murder, and we don't find out who was murdered until the last few minutes of Ep. 8.

Personally, it was so great to see Ruby Lin again. I've only watched one of her dramas, "Princess Pearl", when she was very young. She has definitely aged but is still a beautiful woman at the age of 46. She reminded me of watching Zhang Zi Yi in "The Rebel Princess". On the other hand, I haven't watched too many Taiwanese dramas, but I am glad to recognize quite a few actors/actresses in this drama. "Light the Night" has many guest roles and it's a great way of introducing all these amazing Taiwanese actors/actresses.

** Trigger Warning*
- End of Ep. 5 and Beginning Ep 6. - rape scenes
- End of Ep. 6 and Beginning of Ep. 7 - attempted suicide scenes

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Be open-minded about this taboo topic and you will find a beautiful story

Completed - 3/20/2022

Before you start watching this drama, you should know that it's about a forbidden love story between a 25-year old teacher and a 15-year old student. If you have a problem with this and can't be open-minded enough to appreciate this drama, it's best to not watch it.

I am usually not a big fan of infidelity, older woman/younger man tropes and such a taboo topic. But reading some of the reviews, I am willing to give it a try and not to judge a book by its cover. I am so glad I did. This is a beautiful and emotional story about growth, consequences and life's challenges. It doesn't gloss over the fact that this is a taboo subject and that it's not accepted by family, friends and society.

It is without a doubt that our female lead, Suenaga Hijiri, should not have reciprocated her feelings and really put a stop to all of this. She's a teacher after all. However, as the story continues, it's really hard not to root for Kuroiwa Akira to grow up faster, so that they can be together officially.

I really like the fact that the drama does not portray Kuroiwa as super mature and use that to justify this romance. The drama did a great job in showcasing the emotions of a 15 year-old teenage boy. He's passionate, impulsive, immature but oh so in love. He doesn't know what to do with his feelings. His love blinded him from seeing anything else, thus, creating all sorts of problems. Actor Okada Kenshi did such an amazing job in showing raw emotions with his eyes. I see innocence and uncontrolled passion. Although Kuroiwa has matured as an 18-year old, he is not quite mature enough to handle all of his emotions. His mother is correct that he could be so out-of-control when it comes to Suenaga. He doesn't know how to act and respond maturely and is unaware of the consequences to his actions in the adult world. But I do applaud him for still having the self-control to not get too physical with Suenaga. I really enjoy seeing him grow up from a 15 year-old impulsive teen, to finally realizing what he needs to do as a 18-year old, and then as a 23 year-old.

Suenaga also has changed throughout the drama. As an inexperienced and young teacher, she is unable to do the right thing and control her feelings. She should have put a stop to all that until Kuroiwa is 20 years old. Because of her decision, she has to face the aftermath and consequences throughout the rest of the drama. The drama never makes this taboo romance to be all rainbows and roses. There are realistic consequences, and some very serious/extreme ones courtesy of Kuroiwa's mother. The drama does surprise me towards the end with the decision Suenaga made regarding the pledge, and I'm glad she did what she had to do, and finally realized what's best for both Kuroiwa and her.

As much as I root for the leads to be together, I can totally understand where Kuroiwa's mother is coming from. While watching this drama, I asked myself what I would do if I was his mom. I might not have used such drastic (surprising) measures at the end, but there's no way in hell I would approve my son's relationship with his teacher. It could be difficult to watch how Kuroiwa's mom treat Suenaga, but watchers have to understand where she's coming from.

Lastly, I also enjoy the secondary romance and how it all develops. Machida Keita is just as handsome as ever, and this drama came out before the popular "Cherry Magic". I enjoy his dynamic with both Suenaga and Haraguchi Ritsu in two very different relationships. Haraguchi is such a badass female character. She's so cool, eccentric but caring in her own ways.

I would have loved to see the 23 year-old Kuroiwa a little more and have a longer ending/epilogue but I am satisfied.

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Completed - 3/7/2022

A miracle under the Cherry Blossom Tree - a simple but beautiful premise to this short Jdorama (8 episodes at about 30 minutes each). This is a drama about second chances and healing. Our ML, Kota, died in an accident 7 years ago, and magically came back to life when the tree blossoms in the winter. His re-appearance brought his group of best friends back together to start the healing process. After Kota's death, they led separate lives, some are living better than others. Life was especially difficult for our FL, Mei. She was devastated when her crush passed away. Kota's best friend, Iori, was not living life to its fullest for a very different reason.

I was surprised that I didn't cry as much as I thought I would. I was ready to cry every single episode. I really like the premise of the story, but I was expecting more heartwarming and heartbreaking moments between Kota and Mei. I feel that because the episodes are so short, the drama cannot properly devote enough time to develop and tell each story: the past romance & friendship, the present romance, the present healing process, and the present investigation.

However, I still recommend this short drama if this is your cup of tea. The acting is solid, the scenery is beautiful and that the Cherry Blossom tree really is nice. What a nice location to be confessed to! ❤️

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