⚡️Watched List 2021

⌛  Watched:  2 June 2021 - ON HOLD 16 June 2021 (Ep 8/12)

✔️️  Watched:  15 June 2021 - 16 June 2021

✔️️  Watched:  16 May 2021 - 19 June 2021   [Watched while Currently Airing]

♫ OST Playlist: So I Married an Anti-fan 〈그래서 나는 안티팬과 결혼했다〉 OST ↗

✔️️  Watched:  18 June 2021 - 21 June 2021

I can see why this is a favourite for a lot of people. The feminist views were especially refreshing, and you can't go past how easy on the eyes Ryan Ding is.

☠️  Dropped:  21 June 2021 - 23 June 2021 (Episode 26 of 36)

Ryan Ding is so watchable, but by episode 26 the storyline wasn't going anywhere and I'd had enough of the frustrating characters and especially female lead.

☠️  Dropped:  22 June 2021  (Episode 2 of 12)

I started this to check out Youngjae's acting debut. And he wasn't bad! But the comedy of sitcoms is just not my style... sorry Youngjae.

✔️️  Watched:  24 June 2021

♫ OST Playlist: Rurouni Kenshin 「るろうに剣心」 (All Movies) Complete OST ↗
♪ OST Theme Song:  ONE OK ROCK 「Heartache」 [ Youtube (Studio Live) ↗ ]

✔️️  Watched:  25 June 2021

♫ OST Playlist: Rurouni Kenshin 「るろうに剣心」 (All Movies) Complete OST ↗
♪ OST Theme Song:  ONE OK ROCK 「Renegades」 [ Youtube (MV) ↗ ]

✔️️  Watched:  25 June 2021 - 26 June 2021

✔️️  Watched:  26 June 2021

✔️️  Watched:  27 June 2021 - 29 June 2021

✔️️  Watched:  29 June 2021 - 30 June 2021

✔️️  Watched:  29 June 2021 - 30 June 2021

✔️️  Watched:  30 June 2021 - 1 July 2021

✔️️  Watched:  20 May 2021 - 2 July 2021 ~ [Watched while Currently Airing]

♫ OST Complete Playlist: Doom at Your Service 〈어느 날 우리집 현관으로 멸망이 들어왔다〉 OST ↗

♪ OST Highlight: Ailee - Breaking Down (Spotify)

✔️️  Watched:  2 July 2021 - 6 July 2021

Steven Zhang was especially great in this body-swap romance done right. Both leads had plenty of development and supporting characters didn't drag the pace at all. Wouldn't expect less from the writers of Go Ahead.

♫ OST Playlist: The Day of Becoming You 《变成你的那一天》 OST ↗

✔️️  Watched:  18 February 2021 - ⌛(Ep 2) - 12 July 2021  ~ [Watched after subs completed]

✔️️  Watched:  15 July 2021 - 17 July 2021

The perfect balance of romance and genuine laugh out loud moments. Jang Kiyoung is sooo easy on the eyes and Hyeri is not afraid to make fun of herself, which I love!

♫ OST Playlist: My Roommate is a Gumiho 〈간 떨어지는 동거〉 OST ↗

✔️️  Watched:  16 June 2021 - CURRENTLY WATCHING  ~ [Watched while Currently Airing]

Starts off a little slow, with more of a focus on the goal and message that these two larger-than-life producers want to convey. The contestants too are highlighted in more than just stage talents, which makes the audition process feel a lot more meaningful to the show.

➰ Skip-Watched:  19 July 2021 - 20 July 2021

Only watched it for Jang Ki Yong and skipped the rest. I have no regrets.

✔️️  Watched:  19 July 2021 - 22 July 2021

To be honest was a little bored, BUT Xing Fei has this amazing knack for being sooo likable that I can't help but find the couple adorable.

✔️️  Watched:  22 July 2021 - 23 July 2021

⌛ Watched:  23 July 2021 ~ (⌛ Episode 1)

✔️️  Watched:  26 July 2021

✔️️  Watched:  27 July 2021 - 30 July 2021

✔️️  Watched:  1 August 2021 - 4 August 2021

♫ OST Playlist:  Falling Into Your Smile  《你微笑時很美》 OST ↗

✔️️  Watched:  6 August 2021 - 8 August 2021

✔️️  Watched:  6 August 2021 ~ CURRENTLY WATCHING

♻️  Re-Watched:  8 August 2021 - 9 August 2021 (Skipping ~50%)

✔️️  Watched:  9 August 2021 - 11 August 2021

Cookie cutter storyline but enjoyable nevertheless. The cast is full of young idols, and the only character that wasn't convincing in her role was (unfortunately) the female lead.

♪ OST Soundtrack:  Imitation Original Television Soundtrack  (Spotify)

☄️ Actor Discovery:  Lee Jun Young [766] 

-- The start of a serious binge.  Curious About U is seriously catchy.

✔️️  Watched:  11 August 2021 - 13 August 2021

✔️️  Watched:  13 August 2021 - 15 August 2021

✔️️  Watched:  19 August 2021

✔️️  Watched:  20 August 2021 - 22 August 2021

♻️  Re-Watched:  28 August 2021 (Skipping ~60%)

✔️️  Watched:  24 August 2021 - 27 August 2021

✔️️  Watched:  27 August 2021 - 31 August 2021

✔️️  Watched:  28 August 2021

✔️️  Watched:  29 August 2021 - 3 September 2021

✔️️  Watched:  1 September 2021

⌛ On-Hold:  3 September 2021  (⌛ Episode 2)

There are plenty of modern rom-com C-Dramas to choose from, and from the onset this one starts differently with an upfront Female lead.

✔️️  Watched:  6 September 2021 - 8 September 2021

While the first season had a slight mystery element to drive the story, the second season lacked a sense of tension or agency. The leads were super nice, and it was -- SPOILER ALERT -- a refreshing change that the nice guy got the girl.

✔️️  Watched:  8 September 2021 - 11 September 2021

The next chapter in the A-Teen universe shows a more mature side with morally grey characters. Wooseok in his first lead role in a series, is so easy on the eyes, and that might be enough to keep you interested.

✔️️  Watched:  12 September 2021 - 16 September 2021

✔️️  Watched:  23 September 2021 - 24 September 2021

♫ OST Playlist: She Was Pretty 「彼女はキレイだった」 OST ↗

♪ OST Highlights: 
-- Opening Theme:  Awesome City Club 「夏の午後はコバルト」 [ Spotify ↗ | Youtube (MV) ↗ ]
-- Ending Theme:  Sexy Zone 「夏のハイドレンジア」 "Summer Hydrangea" [ Youtube ↗ ]

✔️️  Watched:  28 September 2021

✔️️  Watched:  29 September 2021

✔️️  Watched:  29 September 2021 - 30 September 2021

✔️️  Watched:  30 September 2021 - 2 October 2021

A nice watch full of young talent, playing entertaining characters. It was refreshing to see a kind male lead, despite being confidently handsome. Beware the second lead syndrome, it hits hard but you won't be able to choose between them.

✔️️  Watched:  31 July 2021 ~ 3 October 2021   [Watched while airing]

Not as fresh as the first season, but still plenty of laugh out loud moments and the Jessie/Pork Belly ship continues strong...

✔️️  Watched:  23 September 2021 ~ 31 October 2021

Took a while to get through this one which leans more towards the slow-paced slice of life feel.

✔️️  Watched:  3 September 2021 ~ (⌛ Ep 5, Oct ~) ON HOLD

✔️️ Watched:  4 October 2021 ~ 5 October 2021

Knocking this off my PTW list but wasn't really worth it, even though it is super short.

✔️️ Watched:  6 October 2021 ~ 8 October 2021

The first genuine feel-good J-romcom that has come out in a while so this was super cute and sweet and hit all the right notes!

☄️ Actor Discovery:  Maeda Gordon  [63]

✔️️ Watched:  10 October 2021

Surreal and engaging. Like the story theme, you will see the end coming, but hope for something different anyway... 

And of course the amazing OST featuring plenty of HigeDan:

♪ OST Highlights: 
-- Official髭男dism 「Vintage ビンテージ 」 [ Spotify ↗ | Youtube (MV) ↗ ]
-- Official髭男dism 「Last Song ラストソング」 [ Spotify ↗ | Youtube (Studio Live) ↗ ]
-- Official髭男dism 「Saigo no Koiwazaru 最後の恋煩い 」 [ Spotify ↗ | Youtube (Studio Live) ↗ ]

✔️️ Watched:  10 October 2021 ~ 14 October 2021

Surprisingly well paced and character developed for a web-drama!

✔️️ Watched:  14 October 2021

✔️️ Watched:  14 October 2021

Despite it's predictability, and few likable characters, still very well made and engaging.

✔️️ Watched:  9 October 2021 ~ 16 October 2021

♻️  ReWatched:  21 October 2021 ~ 28 October 2021

✔️️  Watched:  28 October 2021

♫ OST Playlist: Rurouni Kenshin 「るろうに剣心」 (All Movies) Complete OST ↗
♪ OST Theme Song:  ONE OK ROCK 「Broken Heart of Gold」 [ Youtube (MV) ↗ ]

✔️️  Watched:  31 October 2021

✔️️  Watched:  31 October 2021 ~ 1 November 2021

So cringe. But at least the theme music was good!

♪ OST Highlights: 
-- Opening Theme:  JO1 「Dreaming Night」 [ Spotify ↗ ]
-- Ending Theme:  all at once 「23:59 (Being)」 [ Spotify ↗ ]

✔️️  Watched:  1 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  1 November 2021 ~ 4 November 2021

☠️  Dropped: 30 October 2021 - 5 November 2021 (Eps 4 of 8) 

✔️️  Watched:  5 November 2021 ~ 6 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  7 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  8 November 2021 ~ 14 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  3 November 2021 ~ CURRENTLY WATCHING (with Mike) [10 Nov, Ep 2?]

✔️️  Watched:  15 November 2021 ~  16 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  18 November 2021 ~  19 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  19 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  20 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  21 November 2021 

✔️️  Watched:  21 November 2021

✔️️  Watched:  22 November 2021 ~  23 November 2021 

✔️️  Watched:  27 October 2021 ~ 1 December 2021

Cliched moments but the chemistry makes up for the predictability.

⌛  On Hold:  23 October 2021 ~ (⌛ 26 Oct, Ep 5 ~) ON HOLD

✔️️  Watched:  2 November 2021 ~ 6 December 2021

Relaxing and soo genuine. You can feel their friendship and sincere sentiments about their experience with the show.

❤️ Favourite Variety Show of the Year (2021)

〰️ Watched:  8 November 2021 ~  [Watched while Currently Airing]  SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

So cheesy... my guilty pleasure of 2021...

♫ OST Playlist: Let Me Be Your Knight 〈너의 밤이 되어줄게〉 OST ↗

❤️ Favourite Guilty Pleasure of the Year (2021)

*Guilty Pleasure: "It's objectively not good, and I don't know why I like it, but I can't stop watching..."

✔️️  Watched:  23 November 2021 ~ 5 December 2021

I put off watching this for a long time as the plot seemed thin and generally nothing I hadn't seen before. Boy was I wrong! With 50% of the plot featuring the animated world, I quickly took more interest in the animated characters, who (perhaps purposefully) had more character than the live action counterparts.  While the love story itself didn't do it for me, the way it was told was realistic and relatable. I'm more excited for the Season 2 "Love Alarm reversal" to happen.

*Love Alarm reversal: Where the main love interest changes between season 1 and 2.... for better or worse it up to you!

☠️  Dropped:  23 November 2021 ~ 11 December 2021  [DROPPED at Ep 2 of 8]

With overly scripted scenarios the concept that (I assumed) was supposed to feel fresh and "out of this world" just seemed convoluted and disingenuine. Even variety show masters like Lee Seungi couldn't save it.

➰  Watched:  4 December 2021 ~  [Watched while Currently Airing]  SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

⌛  On Hold:  6 December 2021 ~ [ON HOLD at Ep 5 of 10]

✔️️  Watched:  2 October 2021 ~ 19 December 2021

✔️️  Watched:  19 December 2021 ~ 20 December 2021

✔️️  Watched:  21 December 2021

✔️️ Watched:  15 October 2021 ~ 24 December 2021

✔️️  Watched:  26 December 2021 ~ 27 December 2021

Although the characters lean into the kind of unpleasant toxic behaviour I hate, it's fitting to the story of two complex neuro-divergent characters with flaws.

✔️️  Watched:  27 December 2021

Youngjae does a decent job as a tsundere in this, his second main acting role.

✔️️  Watched:  26 December 2021 ~ 29 December 2021

Started strong but lost the point with the excessive time skips that also skipped over any character exploration... If it weren't for Machida Keita's 2ML character carrying the show in it's final arc I would have dropped it.

✔️️  Watched:  30 December 2021

Curious as to why this series is so well recommended, I gave it a shot. It started well, but I found it unnecessarily overdramatic and lacking in actual plot or character exploration...

✔️️  Watched:  30 December 2021

〰️  Ongoing:  14 December 2020 ~  [Watched while Currently Airing]  SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

➰  Partial Watch:  30 December 2021

I thought the prequel might give more context, and it did. But still overdramatic and not interesting enough to keep me engaged.

〰️ Watched:  21 December 2021 ~ WILL CONTINUE  NEXT YEAR

Would you rather: Someone who has been watching you from next door like a stalker for 3 years, or someone you've just met who persistently knocks on your door and won't leave you alone even after you tell them to? Doesn't sound romantic does it?

⌛  On Hold:  29 December 2021 ~ [ON HOLD at Ep 1 of 20]

2021 got away from me so I'll pick this up next year!

✨ HAPPY NEW YEAR! ✨