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One of the first dramas I ever watched, and it set an incredibly high bar for subsequent dramas. You can tell from the stylistic choices that it's a product of its time (think 2004's Full House or 2006's Goong), but at the same time the cinematography, costuming/makeup (or lack thereof), and production design exude so much youth, passion, and honesty in a way I find sorely lacking in today's dramas. So much has already been written about how the story of Coffee Prince was ahead of its time - so much so, that even by today's standards I think the story would stand out as progressive. Gong Yoo's performance as Han-gyul has been praised to no end, and rightfully so, but it's actually Yoon Eun-hye's performance as Eun-chan that makes this drama soar for me. For anyone who grew up with insecurities either around girlhood or money, Eun-chan is such a fleshed-out, poignant character. Her burden as her family's breadwinner explains both her tomboyish charm as well as this sense of naivete regarding anything that's not about survival. It's such a delicate balance to strike, and Yoon Eun-hye does it so well. Coffee Prince is just such a special drama for me, and if you can move past some of its dated qualities, like Han-gyul starting off a bit too much like the tropey asshole ML, or the amount of time it takes for the drama to "settle in," it's truly a singular drama that stands the test of time.

The rare drama that has the tension of a melo driving the story forward, but in all other ways is more of a slow-burn slice-of-life. To make what is pretty much a makjang plot feel so grounded, is clearly the work of a director who isn't afraid to exercise restraint and let subtleties take the lead over big emotional moments. There's nothing like watching and being utterly convinced by two characters slowly falling in love with each other, and Call It Love is a masterclass of that. I have to shout out the cinematography, which might well be influenced by Wong Kar-wai and his blocking and framing choices. (I know the pink-ish color grading bothers a lot of people, but I couldn't care less.) In this drama, the placement of the actors and camera in a scene so often adds to the story and/or tone, that I have to believe it's intentional. It's one thing for a drama to look great, but it's a whole other thing for it to look great in a way that directly contributes to the story, and that is just one of the qualities that makes Call It Love a deeply satisfying watch.

Refreshingly realistic and so, so moving. Apparently, many of the scenes were somewhat improvised; the script would serve as a foundation, and the director would have the actors improv the dialogue within those boundaries. I think that sort of creative freedom shines throughout the drama and adds massively to the realism. The easy, organic, realistic dialogue is one of the strongest qualities of this drama, and the characters and relationships between them feel extremely relatable. And as someone who didn't grow up in a big city but now lives in one, I love how this drama captures that specific love/hate relationship a lot of people have with big-city living. It feels exciting and grand to be surrounded by people with big dreams, but it can also be lonely and suffocating and wearying. Even more special, the friendship between the 4 main female characters is the core of the story and is perhaps the best depiction of female friendship I've seen in any drama.

I could talk (and have talked) someone's ear off about the sheer excellence of this drama. It holds up on every front, from the storytelling, to the performances, to the costumes, to the music, you name it, this drama delivered. My one nitpick is the portrayal of the fictional secret court ladies' organization, which feels a bit jarringly spy movie-esque amidst an otherwise gritty depiction of palace life for women during the Joseon era. I'm a sucker for sweeping romances that are full of yearning and valid angst, and The Red Sleeve has it in spades, but what elevates the drama above many other historical romances is the undercurrent of moral grayness in the romance. More than being a romance, I see The Red Sleeve as a show that asks foremost the question, how did women in Joseon maintain dignity in an environment that held them entirely at the mercy of men? The drama deliberately doesn't shy away from underlining the uncomfortable power gap between the ML and FL, and the FL's struggle to maintain agency and a sense of self throughout the episodes is what I found most compelling. I have rarely cried more than I did in the last couple episodes of this drama, and while it's not one I'm particularly keen on ever rewatching, it is a story that I think tackles a fascinating slice of Joseon history with honesty and tenderness.

I love the style with which this drama was shot - the pseudo-documentary format, the episode titles paying homage to different romance movies, the interspersing of present-day Ung and Yeon-soo with past Ung and Yeon-soo. It must be said that my most love/hate trope is when a romantic pairing has past history, whether that's in the form of childhood friends or having dated before. When the trope is haphazardly shoehorned in or otherwise adds no real depth to their dynamic, I hate it. But when it's emphasized just how much history the two characters have, or how much their history informs who they are in the present, I find it to be really compelling. The entire premise of Our Beloved Summer hinges on the history between Ung and Yeon-soo, and telling their story through the lens of their history together breathes a freshness and life into this drama. My biggest complaint lies not with either of the two main characters nor the overarching story, but with the choice to make Ji-ung (the 2nd ML) so hung up on Yeon-soo for 10 YEARS despite having no substantive relationship with her. It's as off-putting as it is utterly unbelievable. That being said, even with the bonkers writing for the 2nd ML, the drama is overall very artistically done and makes for a sweet, warm watch.

This should be the standard for youth/coming-of-age dramas. It takes a few episodes to find its rhythm, but from there on out it stays consistently delightful to the end (something many dramas have a hard time doing, it seems). It's zany, lovable, bright, and true to the ups and downs of growing up. It's also probably one of the most rewatchable dramas for me.