Currently Watching: Bad and Crazy
Hello MDLers! *w*
This is the 4th part of my “Why you should try... “series. :)
The topic today is TAIWANESE DRAMAS!
With the help of my nice fellow MDLers, I’m gonna introduce you to all the MDL countries and why you should give them a try - for those who haven’t watched any yet. :) So you’ll have a wide range to choose from and maybe discover the one or the other gem. ;)
(PS: better read in light-mode)
► Here are the introductions of my dear friends, who joined me today:
filovedrama: Hi there. My name is Fairooz, and I’ve been watching dramas like a maniac since 2009. I started with J-dramas and have ventured out to watch Taiwanese, Korean, and Thai Dramas.
Tofu: Hello, everyone! I’m Tofu. I’ve been watching dramas since 2015. I mostly watch rom-com, fantasy, and historical but that really depends on what mood I’m in, haha. I’m a kind of a moody person, but not picky about what I watch.
Bebe Doremeira: Hi, it’s Anna (in MDL as Baby Drama’s Fan). I’m Brazilian, in my 20’s and my favorite genre is (Romance) Historical and Fantasy.
Misunderst0_od: Hello, I’m Misunderst0_od, and I’m an Asian drama addict. I’ve been watching Asian dramas for about 15 years now.
filovedrama: My first Taiwanese drama was Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nu. This is the Taiwanese version of Hana Kimi, which is a very popular manga. It was televised first in Japan and then in Taiwan. Because I saw the J-drama, I was excited to watch this version. I thought it was just as quirky and funny as the Jdrama at that time. Plus, I remember loving the music.
Tofu: I don’t remember my 1st Taiwanese drama, but as far as remember they always try to show super happy-type families. The mostly overreact a little in the whole drama. Also, it kinda seems like you are watching some kind of comic live version. But when you watch Tdramas, it makes you relaxed unconsciously.
Bebe Doremeira: The couples are more close to real-life… fights and obstacles are really realistic.
Misunderst0_od: I think my first Taiwanese drama was Smiling Pasta. I remember being annoyed that the female lead was pretty dumb, but I was totally hooked because it ended up being pretty cute. It wasn’t too far off from the old school Kdramas at the time, so I liked it, and it was a fandom that was easy to transition into. I loved them for their cheesy clichés before they got overdone and annoying. I also remember them having way better kisses than Kdramas (who at that time we're still doing the fish kiss). [lol xD]
Me: I remember my first Taiwanese drama was Devil Beside You. I actually don’t remember much but what I noticed was the great chemistry. It had more realistic/dark vibes, at least I thought so at that time. :)
filovedrama: T-dramas released in the 2000s are mainly repetitive and melodramatic, though entertaining. Recently, T-dramas have adapted themselves to become more contemporary - particularly the romances. T-dramas are a bit more mature, practical, relevant, and engaging now. You should try T-dramas because many are slow burners rather than fast burners like K-dramas. And they don’t usually focus on revenge like Thai lakorns, so they are not extremely heavy watches usually. C-dramas are light and fluffy while T-dramas are more down to earth and will tackle sensitive issues that C-dramas don’t. There is less censored romance in T-dramas, showing somewhat moderate to high affection between couples, even same-gender ones.
Tofu: They are good if you like it more dramatic. I wouldn’t recommend for everyone tho. One thing I like is the comic-style-acting (they are like the middle of Japan and China comic). Let me explain this: Comic version means there are lines. They talk like in comic lines, but it mostly doesn’t feel that natural. But then, they also do a good job of emotional scenes.
Bebe Doremeira: Besides the realistic plot, we also have skinship!! Yes, the relationships always have great kisses, schedule life, rarely we don’t win some bed scenes, you know, real couple vibes! I think that is a strong reason you should give it a try. This makes the watch easier. Plus reason to try Taiwanese dramas: silly in love ML. I love this reason because what I like about the ML is when they finally fall in love and get silly. ;D
Misunderst0_od: Taiwanese dramas are very good at telling one story that can make you feel a whole range of emotions such as happiness, laughter, sadness, and angst. Speaking of angst, they are really good at it. They are also good at balancing your range of emotions, so you don’t feel too much on one thing for too long. I’ve also noticed they tend to be more wholesome. You will see a theme of family, hometown community, or friends having your back. They also don’t have the annoying dubbing that most Chinese dramas have.
Me: Ok, of course, it depends on the genre. There are many down to earth dramas, which are really emotional/dramatic and real (gladly some with happy endings). There are also office-romances and such (Better Man). But then there are also silly ones for entertainment like Miss No Good, etc. :)
filovedrama:  | Mars It’s about a racer and a student who face many societal obstacles together and find love. What I love about Mars beside the sizzling chemistry is that you have two people in a relationship, who are equally emotionally dedicated to each other, which is hard to find in drama land. |
 | Before We Get Married This is about two people who are in a relationship already but still are attracted to each other. I love this drama because it’s controversial but relatable on so many levels, especially for an Asian woman. |
[FL fails to hand over the love letter to her crush and instead gives it to the school’s troublemaker by mistake. Coincidentally, he is about to become her step-brother.] This was a really cool drama about a mean, cool boy and nice warm girl. Their hairstyles and clothes are like webcomics type.^^ | Tofu:  |
[This is a very funny story about a girl, who wants to go after a boy she met before, so she dresses as a guy and enters the all-boys high school ML is attending.] It’s one of my favourite dramas because it’s really funny. Every time I watch it, it makes me laugh. |  |
Bebe Doremeira:  | The Perfect Match It’s about one famous Chef with Michelin Stars and a woman who has a stand in a night market. After the netizens made a lot of comments about the standing food being as good as that of the chic restaurant with a cheaper version. The Chef starts teaching the girl how to cook properly for a challenge. |
 | Marry Me or Not After a misunderstanding between the FL and ML’s sis, the two women start a fight for one man to win a job role (at the beginning, it’s a little crazy). The chemistry of the FL and ML it’s the greatest. The love confessions are very cute and romantic. |
A runaway heir of a jewelry company owner meets a con artist, who also happens to be an aspiring jewelry designer. They end up in a situation where they are forced to spend the day together. Despite their initial intolerance for each other, they eventually begin to learn and understand one another. I have rewatched this drama so many times, and it is still entertaining and hilarious every time. The humor can be a little bit silly and even scandalous at times, but it had me hooked. It has a nice mix of angst and drama. Plus, it’s got an adorable kid shipping the main characters together. | Misunderst0_od:  |
Two polar opposite cops end up having to work together as partners when they take on an important case. Although they don’t get along, this duo actually ends up being a pretty good team. I know the synopsis sounds pretty basic, but this drama is pretty hilarious and has many twists and turns. I particularly loved the bromance. It was a fun and entertaining mix of Action, Comedy, Mystery, and Suspense. You don’t get to see much of it in Taiwanese dramas since they tend to focus more on romantic comedies. |  |
Tine:  | Meet me @ 1006 It’s about a lawyer who lost a case and has to move to a cheap apartment. But he finds out he is not the only one living in it. A girl also lives there but at a different time. They meet through a kind of portal every day at 10:06 pm—lots of mysteries to discover. First, I really love the time travel genre - It’s a weakness of mine. Since there was a mystery, it was especially interesting for me. Although the FL was annoying at first, I really loved the drama overall. :) And I love the opening.^^ |
 | Autumns Concerto This is exactly one of the close-to-reality and emotional dramas I was talking about.^^ The totally different main leads meet at school because of a bet and fall in love. But there are lots of obstacles: family, health, and kids included. It tells the story from school to adult life later. I loved it because it was really damn emotional. The chemistry was amazing too. :) |
filovedrama: … a slow burner. They often take a little to warm up to, but once you are warmed up, they make entertaining watches.
Bebe Doremeira: … the silly and sassy moods are my best moods to watch Taiwanese dramas!
Misunderst0_od: … feeling a little bit of everything.
Me: … either something to cry along and feel the feels, lol. Or something silly to give your brain a break. ;D
Last Words:
filovedrama: I think Taiwanese dramas are the least favored from the Asian drama categories because they are not usually rapidly engaging like K-dramas and not as deeply meaningful as many J-dramas. However, selectively T-dramas are great watches in their own rights and when you are in the mood for “something outside the usual”.
Misunderst0_od: I really hope you give Taiwanese dramas a chance. They can be a nice break from Chinese and Korean dramas, especially when they seem like they are stuck following trends. Some Taiwanese dramas may be cheesy, but they are very heartwarming and entertaining.
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Me: I hope you had fun reading and maybe found a drama to watch next. ;) Give Taiwanese dramas a try! ^-^ The next article will introduce HongKong dramas to you, so stay alert.^^ See you guys next time! :)
Big Thanks to my T4:
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The previous parts:
I don’t own any pictures: They are taken from the MDL sites, YT and Google. Some might be resized for better fitting. Credits to the respective owners. The headers are done by myself.
Edited by: Yuanwei (1st editor), BrightestStar (2nd editor)
