This drama harkens back to the shoujo-like stories of old, Nurse Sunshine slowly melting Dr Grouch's hardened heart. As you delve more into their love story, in parallel, the heartbreaking medical cases also pinches through the heart. No wonder dramasphere is filled with medical dramas. If executed well, and the cases are connected with the growth of the main characters, these are stories we all can relate to. It has its cheesy moments, but it's still cute, fun, and doesn't take itself too seriously. The plot sputtered a bit through the end though, with some overused plot points (forced separation, time skip).

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This was loads of fun to watch! This was more of a mysterious whimsical adventure to the underworld, than horror. The 'big' reveal may have been a bit rushed and predictable, but personally the ending left me satisfied.

Li Lan got into a kind of Beauty and the Beast situation saving her dad. I'm pleasantly surprised by the humor and the slow burn romance which was done well, and totally ship it! Admittedly, the drama can be thought of as Li Lan choosing between 3 unlikely suitors lol.

I adore the distinct Malay-Chi identity of the drama. We may be from different cultures, but I felt a familiar bond in timeless practices like serving food and burning incense for loved ones to still care for them even beyond death. The Ghost Bride just portrays a theme of love that transcends culture and mortality.

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Crossdressing ajumma fusion sageuk The Tale of Nokdu...and the Crazy King (a more apt title), is a solid spiritual successor of my fave Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, this is a rare show where the intertwined plot threads paid off, and one of the more satisfying endings I've seen in awhile.

The world building itself is fascinating as there's a village of widows coexisting beside a gisaeng house, who are composed of all female assassins involved in a mysterious plot? Yes, count me in!

Jang Dong Yoon impresses as he transitions seamlessly from boyish Nokdu to widow Lady Kim. He has good comedic timing and has kind of baby Kim Soo Hyun vibe (from Producers) about him, I'm curious to see his continued growth as an actor. The OTP pairing might not have reached magical squee levels for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed their easygoing chemistry and relationship that slowly developed through solid friendship.

My breakout star of the drama is undoubtedly Kang Tae Oh, with his fascinating turn as Lord Yul Mu. From his head turns, to his smirk and strut, he wholly embraced the complicated facets of his character. I won't be surprised if I see him in a lead role soon.

This is a drama where the characters are well drawn out and multi faceted. Even those guys we love to despise, the drama took time to show their perspective and make us understand their human flaws. Not to mention all those beloved side characters, esp. the women, who are badass.

The first half of Nokdu about crossdressing and light moments, differed a lot from the second half which was more court politics and heartbreak as Nokdu searched for his identity. On the surface, the crossdressing might seem a gimmick for laughs, but through this, the show uplifts women with its portrayal of female empowerment, and uplifts the soul through its message of freeing oneself with thoughts of hatred and revenge, as it can consume and destroy you.

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Sequels sure have a tough job ahead of them, following the success of a blockbuster hit. In this case, AWTG2 may have come up short in a few aspects, but it sure captured the spirit and the heart of the first movie.

Guiding another paragon, Kim Su Hong into the afterlife is just a side story here. It's about the much awaited back story of our 3 grim reapers, and it didn't disappoint. Didn't disappoint to tug at my heartstrings, that is.

Honestly before that last third of the movie, I thought ok this is still a good fun fantasy movie, but it doesn't quite capture the wonder of that first movie, the magic of going into this world as a newbie, meeting all these grim reapers, unforgiving gods, and lost souls.

To be frank, Kim Su Hong is quite annoying, and probably one of the last people you want to be rooting for. While the other part of the movie, was about 3 powerful beings figuring out how to get a mortal kid adopted, and Jurassic Park dinosaurs?

Before I realize it, the movie got to me, so be prepared to have the Kleenex ready. I love how the tale of our reapers tackles war, compassion, race, acceptance, repentance, and forgiveness. All in all, I adore this series (awesome acting and great cameos) , and I can't wait for more!

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There's a lot of conflicting views out there whether to watch Alhambra or not. I just want to say I don't regret all the hours with Jin Woo and Hee Ju, and given the chance I'll watch it for the first time all over again. I'll always remember the thrill that came with watching each new episode.

So what is Alhambra exactly? It explores what happens when a guy gets involved in a game which becomes a nightmarish reality. From the moment, Hyun Bin as rich CEO Jin Woo comically dragged his heavy suitcase up the long flight of stairs of Hostal Bonita, I was in for the ride.

There's simply nothing like Alhambra in dramaland yet, and I hope it starts a genre trend. It's mainly a scifi thriller with a futuristic theme, but at its heart it's still about very human things like love, family, and friendship kdramas excel at. There's a tragic tone throughout, but there's lightness and hope amidst it all.

Finally, Hyun Bin is worth the watch alone. He is the heart and soul of this show. Jin Woo is Memories of the Alhambra. His unforgettable performance here is truly one for the books and will leave a mark in your kdrama-loving heart.

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Nobody does whimsy better than the Japanese! I’ve been grumbling for some time now why modern fantasy stories tilt towards the dystopian genre, making magic and the supernatural all about gloom and doom 99% of the time with 1% hope at the end of it all. If you’re kind of sick of that too, Destiny Kamakura Monogatari is definitely worth a look.

This is about a husband and wife tandem who lives in Kamakura where they meet strange creatures and phenomena in their day to day life. I simply loved this world! It’s rife with stories of spirit festivals, of grim reapers, of Hogwarts Express-like trains, of body-stealing souls, and of forbidden treats.

That cast is awesome! I’ve been lured to this movie by my fondness for Takahata Mitsuki, playing the wife Akiko to writer Masakazu portrayed by Sakai Masato. They have quite an age gap so some of Mitsuki’s mannerisms here feel similar to what she did as Kahoko. Who stood out for me was the amazing Grim Reaper (Ando Sakura), she made a small role shine through. And special mention to badass Auntie Kin.

The movie ultimately portrays unconditional love even beyond death. Unfortunately (mild spoilers!) where the movie stumbled was in the climax.

Overall, that was still such a fun adventure, and I’m wistful they make more sequels as the Kamakura world is brimming with more magical tales of wonder to tell.

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Review (no major spoilers):
The hype is real and well-deserved! This epic adventure is must watch for fantasy fans. The movie explores what happens after the death of a hardworking fireman Kim Ja Hong (Cha Tae Hyun), as he meets three guardians/grim reapers that will guide him through seven trials in hell, as he seeks reincarnation.

What’s wondrous is the two worlds are both equally traversed in the movie, and there are fascinating scenes where we parallel have things happening in the living world that affect hell too. As we travel through mystical hell, the different gods (the cameos are awesome!) judge different aspects of Ja Hong’s humanity, and the mysteries of his life are slowly revealed to us.

I really enjoyed the trio of grim reapers who guided Ja Hong, with Gang Rim (Ha Jung Woo) as the brains, Hae Won Maek (Joo Ji Hoon) as the brawn, and Duk Choon (Kim Hyang Gi) as the heart. The whole cast is so so good! I rarely watch kmovies so it’s a pleasure to discover movie talents like Ha Jung Woo.

Cha Tae Hyun is always solid when he plays the everyman. D.O. never fails to amaze with his performance. Kim Dong Wook (as Su Hong) shone in a multifaceted character. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of adorable Kim Hyang Gi in dramas. But Joo Ji Hoon is the most pleasant revelation to me as he carries the movie’s dark humor with his comedic quips and expressions! Someone please cast him in a romcom soon lol.

As k-stories are, underneath all the flair of the CG which is a feast for the eyes, Along with the Gods tackles serious relevant themes that ends with a pinch through the heart as we unveil the unconditional love of a mom for his sons, and the filial love of the sons for their mother, which will make you hug your family closer. There are so many stories not yet explored in this universe like the past of our grim reaper trio. I’m so excited for the reported sequels and spinoffs to come.

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In the current trend of crime, medical, or complicated dramas, this show shined because of its simplicity and sincerity. It has such a big heart (just like Kahoko), you can't help but fall in love with it.

From the moment I saw Takahata Mitsuki's transcendent performance as Kahoko, it was love at first sight. From her multitude of expressions to her voice acting to so many intangibles, I have no words. Screen-caps and gifs alone don't do her justice. She made a flawed character like Kahoko feel real and lovable.

I also now have a soft spot for Takeuchi Ryoma, he's such a natural actor, and esp. gifted in comedy. His chemistry and comedic timing with Mitsuki was spot on. Their OTP was too darn adorable. This was such a funny, heart-warming show composed of all these talented actors, who all did such a great job.

Coming of age dramas are usually about school or career, but this is about family, which resonated all the more with me, with life truths that will stay with me long after the show is done. Some may have found Kahoko's childlike innocence and naivety off-putting. But that continuous hunger to persevere, grow and learn, and not lose that endless optimism and positivity for life is the perfect armor in this current world full of troubles. I'll always remember Kahoko fondly for being the beacon of happiness when I needed it the most.

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Evergreen love is a very laid back easy breezy simple love story. Quite slow-paced, very slice of life, that can be likened to the changing of seasons, and growing of plants, that our characters bond over. Before you pick this up though, you have to get by the weird premise of her adopting him as a roommate when they just met. Now I laugh at all the outrageous theories I have behind Itsuki’s personality (I thought: does he turn into a plant, is this secretly a fantasy genre lol!). The leads look cute and charming together (Iwata Takanori looks like the hot long lost brother of Running Man’s Kim Jong Kook), but the plot didn’t really stretch anybody’s acting muscles. As I was looking forward to seeing more of Takahata Mitsuki’s projects after her excellent turn as Kahoko, so in that aspect I was disappointed. Overall I still appreciated the warm feel of the movie and how it tried to be different in the way it told the usual love story.

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The director has to juggle 5 plot threads in almost 2 hours. The movie handled this well, I appreciated the tales even with their limited time, as k-stories always shine when they’re simple relatable narratives of pure love and good humor. The film avoided getting messy which worked both to its advantage and its detriment. As it didn’t have time to delve into something deeper, it failed to tug my heartstrings, and left some unexplained things. The ensemble cast is stellar, starting with a good performance from ever likable Cha Tae Hyun. Overall Because I Love You is enjoyable enough to spend a few hours with, but you’ve probably already forgotten it once you pick up your next k-ent fix.

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If Goblin and I are in a facebook relationship, our status will say "it's complicated". I had a lot of fun watching this fantasy world Kim Eun Sook created, and I looked forward to it every week, but felt it lacked the deep emotional hook kdramas are so good at. After the premiere, the pacing was meandering (to pull the sword or not fiasco), Eun Tak felt too needy, and I was unable to connect with Sunny due to her limited screen time.

But the cast was so endearing, it's Gong Yoo's first drama back in so long, his chemistry with Lee Dong Wook was so on point, Shin & Grim Reaper were adorkable beta heroes kdramaland don't always get, and I'm a sucker for fantasy about gods so I stuck on.

It might have started with getting entertained only through Shin's first love squeeing, but gradually per episode, I was feeling more for the OTP. Once Eun Tak admitted her neediness came from a place of fear of being alone, it's truly wondrous to watch her settle down and mature. I've grown to appreciate how good their relationship is, finally not keeping secrets from each other and just a great support system for one another. They chose to fight their destiny together, and not go all noble idiotic on me (or rather noble idiocy I can get behind on).

Once the show finally got over the first pulling of the sword out of the way, the pacing improved and slowly built up. When most of kdramas lose their way at the end, Goblin is part of that 1% that saved the best for last and went out with a bang, leaving me with all the feels and tears that makes it all worth it after all. Faults and all, I'll always treasure the drama for what it has done for the kdrama fantasy romance genre (which I'm craving more of). And like the rest of Goblin fandom, I know I'll forever feel a little bit blue when the rain falls.

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Gurumi is a fairy tale. There's the dashing Prince Charming in Crown Prince Lee Yeong, who has to be the swooniest kdrama male lead character ever. Park Bo Gum has always been amazing, but he is simply epic here. Ra On is the poor Cinderella girl with a heart of gold, which made a Kim Yoo Jung fan out of me. There's the evil wizard and the evil queen with the Kims. Fairy godmother in second lead heartbreaker Yoon Sung. So if you love a dreamy romance with all the feels amidst breathtaking scenes give it a try. First half of the drama was utterly magical, though some momentum was lost on the second half because it tackled more politics. In its heart, this drama is essentially a feel-good tale about a coming-of-age story of a young prince you'll hopelessly fall for.

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For those who are wary of picking up a crime procedural drama, be rest assured. This is one such drama that has the right dose of drama, comedy, psychological thriller, and a pinch of romance/bromance. Crime procedural is also not my first choice in watching any kind of show. I was not engrossed right away by the first 2 episodes, but I slowly got into the drama more and more as the likable cast tackled each case. Each case is connected to the characters and further our understanding of them, and of psychopaths, for that matter. With each episode, I found myself getting more infatuated with Seo In Guk (who looks at his most gorgeous here), admired Ji An more and more (played adorably by Jang Nara), and getting more and more heartbroken for the tragic bromance. The OTP romance did suffer a bit, because of the many things the drama is trying to tackle, but I really loved their relationship. It is very solid and based on friendship, mutual trust and respect. So give it a try, you are missing out on one of the most epic bromances in kdrama.

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