watched/completed in 2024

A thought provoking drama on  romance that asks a lot of great questions through the main character who goes on this journey to find love/a relationship.

I usually enjoy Haru but she seemed a bit under utilized in this role. She had great outfits but did not leave much of an impact to me.

Very high quality period piece, almost felt slice of life in some moments. But I never really connected with the characters or the case. 

Not enough heart, but lots of production quality and good acting. 

Not my cup of tea.  Tropey. No chemistry between the leads. Male lead felt childish.

Positives: Lee Se Young is funny, modern hanbok designs, and Sawol (the lovely female sidekick who also had an amusing loveline)

Loved this. A slice of life with a comedic tinge. Follows a single dad who is an aspiring webtoonist.  Really enjoyed the pace, all the characters, and his relationship with his father, daughter and best friend. 

Loved this. Looks at the lives and interactions of hair designers and their customers at a hair salon. A nice cast and interesting plot lines. Enjoyable and heartwarming. 

An interesting shift from Season 1. Season 2 focuses on the main characters as they grapple with their mental health, love, careers. It's great to see that all four continue to be supportive friends. Definitely a darker tone than the more bubbly and fun Season 1. 

Not my favorite Korean mystery/thriller. It was interesting to see the themes around family and shamanism woven in. The big reveal was actually quite surprising to me - usually Korean dramas don't venture into that territory. 

This was okay. I didn't care for the love line between the leads.  First time watching a drama with Ji Chang Wook - he's interesting but very  shouty in this role.  

I mostly enjoyed the plotlines about the friendship with the main leads and their childhood buddies and the two sisters of the female lead so there was a lot of fast-forwarding on my part.  I love the Jeju setting though.

Cute and predictable youth drama. Both leads presented a natural and sweet acting style. Lots of misunderstandings and fluff.

An intriguing drama on how a shut-in gets back out into society after confronting the incidents and friends of her past. This drama features a quirky female lead, a cute father-daughter relationship, and what I loved is that I never truly knew where the drama was going. At times, the drama felt unsettling and twisted too.

Need to watch the last episode.

Watched this because I was curious about the this HK remake.  It was cute in its own way though it was annoying that I kept comparing this to the Korean version. I do think that this version should have incorporated more personalized touches instead of copying the Korean version quite closely. 

The chemistry between the leads is tangible and sparky. Wow. In terms of plot, nothing ground breaking. Lots of eating and traveling and texting scenes. Some amusing side characters.  Dropped this at episode 10 because I can watch the fan edits of all the fluffy moments. I don't care enough  to sit through another 20 episodes. 

Does Jinmai have chemistry with all her male leads or what?

I am doing a rewatch of this 2015 Japanese drama about a fake marriage. Lots of humor and crazy characters. I am reminded again of why I enjoy watching Amami Yuki - she's hilarious and charming all at once.  The gay male lead character feels a bit over the top and dramatic but maybe that is to match the frenetic energy of the show?  

Overall, an enjoyable watch the second time around. There are many types of relationships out there that don't fit the typical labels of society. 

An interesting watch. It's predictable but I am watching for the impeccable performance of Su-Min by Son Ha Yoon as the female antagonist - I haven't seen a best friend like this in a Korean drama ever.  She is absolutely stealing the show and her character is interesting. Also, Lee Yi Kyung as Minhwan is so despicable and a hoot to watch! 

The drama lost steam in its last half. The inclusion of the Yura character was not needed. At all - and I am saying this as a BoA fan - who casted her for this role? Why was this role needed in this drama?

This is impressive. An underdog main lead, a sassy female lead and a lovely seaside village centered on the local ssireum team. Really enjoying the script and the acting is great by all of the cast. Also, ssireum as the focus is lovely.  Love the humor, the supporting characters, and the community/friendships portrayed. I actually wish the drama was longer. 

The hidden gem of the drama is definitely the character Jin-su portrayed by Lee Jae Joon who has a smile that changes the room.  Looking forward to seeing more of his work. 

I loved all the scenes between the Grand Prince and his brother the King - very emotionally charged. Shin Se Kyung disguised as a male is hilariously unbelievable but I am choosing to ignore this because I am curious to know where the plot will go with a morally gray royal character.  

Loved the cinematography, the acting of Jo Jung Suk was captivating - I couldn't keep my eyes off of him whenever he was on screen - and some of the supporting characters really shone. Some minus points for poor plotlines but still enjoyable. 

A melancholic love story that starts in high school but the plot also focuses on family, dreams, and death. Yamada Yuki and Nagano Mei are doing a fantastic portrayal of their characters - I tear up in almost every episode. Lovely supporting characters as well.  Episode 9 is especially emotional - I may have cried non-stop during the last half of this episode.  Edit: I cried a lot during the second half of the drama.

Extra points for the beautiful cinematography - the landscapes of Nagasaki are breathtaking - and for Utada Hikaru's song “Nani Iro demo nai Hana”  which fittingly matches the atmosphere of the drama . 

Let's our lives to the fullest.

Wow - Eita and Mitsushima Hikari paired together is a treat even though the premise of the drama is quite dark.  It goes into the depth of the grief and anger of the families involved in such an incident and at times, it is a hard watch. 

I do wish that I had access to a better quality version of the drama. 

Tropey but cute. The female lead is gorgeous and the pastries featured in this drama look delicious!

Ok, Jung Il Woo in period dramas is great but I did not know that Kwon Yuri could portray the elegance and grace of a Joseon princess so beautifully. Great acting and little Chae Dol is the sweetest kid character I have seen in a while.

Also, great cinematography and soundtrack. 

The pleasure of watching this decreased for me in the last half - too much court politics and not enough Chae Dol. 

The casting is great - Kim Dong Wook has a great voice/speaking style and Jin Ki Joo has a very natural and energetic acting style.

The mystery part caught me off guard and overall, it was a nice show with a emphasis on family and I enjoyed the small town 1980s vibe.

A rewatch from 2017! Overall, I am enjoying the spunky and bright female lead Kanna and her son Reon is so adorable. 

Loved the fashion and styling of Kanna and I liked how the story had the female lead go through ups and downs and land somewhere in the middle. The show reminded me of how valuable confidence and a good mindset are. 

I picked this up again (jumping from ep 83 to 350). It still makes me laugh out loud (especially the comedians) and the moms on the panel are lovely. A nice watch when I am feeling stressed. 

Chae Jong Hyeop is absolutely adorable as the sweet and slightly pushy Yun Tae-oh.  Nikaido Fumi's Yuri seems to be a slightly cringy and indecisive female lead which takes away some of the satisfaction of watching this - her CEO character feels a bit off.  

Lots of fast forwarding for this drama to get to the Tae-oh scenes because he's like a golden retriever. 

First time watching Liu Shishi and I am really enjoying her as the no-nonsense assassin Ruyi. Lots of interesting secondary characters as well - my favorites are Princess Yang Ying and Yuan Lu. 

The fight choreography and the production value is quite impressive. The OST is also great. 

I can tell where this story is going at episode 24 so no motivation to continue. Dropped.

Crystal Liu is stunning and lovely, as usual. Lots of lovely secondary characters as well - the village kids and the male lead's grandmother especially. 

The drama is a visual feast - the landscapes, the food, the mix of traditional and modern aesthetics.

Very soothing, slice of life style drama. Very enjoyable and to be slowly consumed. 

Not good. Lots of fast forwarding. 

Cohabitation drama about a mangaka who takes reference from real life. Steamy and predictable.

Yes, I rewatched the 2006 classic Goong with the babies - Yoon Eun Hye and Ju Ji Hoon. I really enjoyed the drama this time around. I liked the fiesty main couple, I liked the production value - the palace settings, the fusion outfits, the landscape shots. An enjoyable re- watch.  This makes me want to watch Coffee Prince. 

I really enjoyed this. I loved the OST. I loved the story and the acting. Jung Woo Sung reminded me of how masterful he is at body language and facial expressions. This was my first time watching Shin Hyun Been and I really enjoyed her performance. The secondary characters were great too - loved the male lead's bestie who has been so consistently there for the male lead since childhood - and I loved the group of highs school art students who brought a fun and upbeat vibe to this at times sad and melancholy drama. 

Ultimately a show about relationships and communication. The ending is open to interpretation which I like and I liked how the drama portrayed the female lead's fatigue and doubts about the future of this beautiful relationship. 

Whatever the ending, these two left a huge impact on each other's lives and that is lovely. 

Adorable portrayal of young love. Amazing casting and gorgeous cinematography. The teasing female lead and the suspicious male lead have great banter.

This is such a cute and refreshing drama!  

I love the themes of being true to oneself and reconciliation. Mata is the female lead that I've always wanted to watch in a Thai drama. 

The drama is such a fun and light hearted watch. 

A re-watch of this goofy and fun Taiwanese drama. Baron Chen and Megan Lai make this campy drama work with their chemistry. This makes me laugh out loud.

"Why are you reverse parking?" asks Du Zifeng to Pi Yannuo is one of my favorite lines. 

The secondary couples are meh to me and the fights are goofy - but the scenes between Baron and Megan are worth it. The behind the scenes are great too!

The male lead is a fascinating character and this drama portrays him coming out of his shell and interacting with people in a different way. 

The drama does deal with some trigger heavy topics which made me want to drop this several times. High quality and interesting, just not my cup of tea. 

I love the kimonos and the traditional Japanese inn setting. The plot seems predictable but cute.

The male lead is hilarious as he experiences and stumbles around when he falls in love for the first time.  I am not convinced by the chemistry of the lead couple but the bumbling male lead makes me continue watching. 

The vibe reminds me of the movie Parasite. An interesting concept. Don't care much for the main leads or the time travel plotline so tons of fast forwarding.

Staying for the babies : Park So Yi (Bok I-Na) and Moon Woo-jin who are showing so much chemistry for middle schoolers. And for the character of Sauna Mom - Kim Geum Soon is a wonderful actress who has amazing delivery and can steal a scene - want to see her in more roles.

Tropey but fun. 

Pyo Yejin and Jun Young are very attractive and their banter is fun to watch. However, nothing much is happening due to poor writing. 

A lot of fast forwarding from me to get to the end of this. I felt like the ending was mediocre but I am glad to have watched it for the cuteness that is Jun Young. 

A Thai mini-drama about high school students and their obstacles with their families and making a living.  An interesting watch. Two very different teens end up impacting each other's lives in an interesting way. 

Watched the first two episodes and dropped.

Very high production value. However, the acting is green, I can't seem to care about any of the characters, and the whole premise feels 'done better elsewhere'.  Also, the romance felt more adult-like than what I typically see in high school setting Korean dramas - maybe the Netflix effect?

A look at the work and life of a nurse aide who is also grappling with her past. Interesting so far.  A bit of mystery as well with what happened to the lead's sister.

Lost my interest in second half. The plotline felt overly campy and manga-like but not executed in a way that is appealing. 

A rewatch. Interesting to see a baby Kaho as the main lead. 

Vivian Sung was a delight. Marcus Chang was handsome as usual and Simon Lien made me root for the second lead.

Funny with tons of rom-com references, lots of romantic chemistry between the leads, and a decent ending. 

High production value.  There's a lot of heart and emotions in this workplace-based drama. 

One of the best Japanese dramas that I have seen recently. Amazing acting, amazing writing, amazing cinematography, amazing OST. 

The chemistry between Sugisaki Hana and Wakaba Ryuya is so tender and real. I may be convinced that they are together in real life - their chemistry feels too raw and palpable to not be. 

A beautiful love story on display here in this charming dorama. Even the side stories were a delight to watch.

I enjoyed this a lot. I liked the retro vibe, the humor and the plotline about two people falling in love despite their differences. 

Mikey Panitan seems a bit miscast as a baby-faced army doctor since he looks like a teenager but he plays earnest and sweet enough. The spunky female lead was also fun to watch. 

This is a hard watch at times but it asks really great questions about marriage and partnerships.  

Dropped at Episode 2 because no motivation or interest to continue.

Lovely. Coming of age elements and lovely cinematography and art featured.  I love the focus on the paintings of the sky, sunrises and sunsets by the main character. It's gorgeous. 

The tale of four brothers living and learning together after their parents pass away. Funny and also sad at times, when they recall their lovely parents. 

Really enjoying this family drama with bite-sized episodes.  Each brother has a distinct personality and how they interact with one another is great to watch - they are so affectionate and sweet with each other! A heartwarming watch!

A drama focusing on three sister each 10 years apart in age. Each sister is facing a challenge and the drama focuses on their relationship with each other and the people in their lives. 

Lovely when focusing on the relationship between the 3 sisters.

The drama felt weak when it came to the sister's love lines. I felt that Matsushita Kouhei was wasted in his role and I fast forwarded through much of the love lines since I did not care for any of them. 

I like this. It reminds me of older Korean dramas that I enjoyed like 'Bad Family' or 'Kid Gang' - has gangsters but the vibe is funny or goofy with found family elements. 

Also Um Tae Goo is dreamy and his voice is so unique.  And his family of ducklings are such a hoot. 

Average. Enjoyed the anime version more.

A look at the complexities of marriage. It was alright. I didn't connect to any of the characters so that lowered my interest in this drama and I was done with the story before the last episode.

A revenge drama that is engaging and wild ride.  Scheming, betrayal, retribution and family are all the themes of this engaging series. 

I do think that the antagonists may have stole the show towards the end -  Shen Yurong and Princess Wanning are interesting villains and portrayed with great acting.  I was surprised to learn that Ji Shu Ran was portrayed by Joe Chen, the Taiwanese actress!

Great OST as well. 

Creepy and funny all at once. A writer returns to his father's hometown in Hayabusa, joins a local fire brigade, and encounters some strange people and incidents including arson and cults. An interesting ride to the finish line as well. 

Lovely. A look at death, grief, aging, disability, and family.  Featuring many flawed  but likeable characters and great acting across the board. 

Great cinematography and OST.  Also, it features wonderful chemistry and some intense push and pull between the leads - it's fascinating to watch.

Some of the scenes and issues addressed are challenging to watch as well. Glad that the drama did not shy away from portraying difficult conversations and behaviors.  The way that the drama dealt with intimacy was fascinating.  I really like how the drama showed how two people who are very different from each other can fight and work on figuring out how they can be together. 

I do wish the drama delved more into the female lead's daily life and difficulties with her disability. I feel like this did not play as much of a role as it should have. 

Overall, highly recommended modern romance drama from China.

Green flag male lead which is refreshing to watch . August is very attractive and so supportive - I may have developed a crush. The female lead is also someone who is plucky and fights back. Cute and funny but maybe a bit too long. 

A Chinese youth drama with some interesting characters set in the early 2000s. The vibe is that of a manga come to life which is fun to watch.  The female lead is a breath of fresh air - she is a physically strong, no nonsense teen with nerves of steel who is dealing with grief. I love the friendships and crushes portrayed in this.

Lots of laughs with the goofy teens of this school drama. It is also interesting how the drama incorporates some darker elements like illness, death/loss, and lies to create a unique and moving youth drama.

It was great to see Eleanor Lee on screen again. 

This was an okay drama. It could have been better with a more developed plot and higher budget. 

Spoiled CEO ends up in the countryside and encounters the hardworking  female lead and falls in love despite their fake engagement. 

Lots of inner monologues in this drama which is kind of annoying. 

Inexperienced OL is trying to find love. I liked how the drama also focused on the relationships of three other female colleagues as well. 

An older OL gets into a fake dating relationship with a younger colleague from another department. Soon real feelings commence. Enjoyable and light.

This is cute and funny - an office romance with hilarious supporting characters. It's good to see Sam Lin again. The drama also has some interesting secondary couples. 

There is a surprising layer of depth to this drama - exploring values and attitudes towards money which impact relationships - very enjoyable. 

The ending felt a bit off to me (too rushed in terms of the leads sorting out their differing values) but overall, I am pleased with this drama.

Predictable and sunny drama about high school desk mates who encounter each other again as adults and then end up in fake relationship and then start living together. It's pretty obvious what the end game is from the start. I continued because I thought the secondary couple was cute. 

I am enjoying this. Some interesting banter and conversations between JK and Haiba this season. And the focus is on JK figuring out how to improve her life and mindset, which is enjoyable. Lots more to think about in terms of life and death, which is nice to watch. 

The chemistry between the two is palpable though Haiba looks too young to be a teacher, right? I think that Takaishi Akari did an amazing performance as the female lead and am curious what her upcoming performances will be like. 

The leads are adorable when interacting with each other though there does not seem to be a sparky chemistry between the two.

I fast forwarded my way to the end. I did not care for the male lead's mother or the second male lead at all. 

Fascinating plotline. Bai Lu is stunning. Zhang Ling He feels a bit miscast here - he may not have the acting prowess for this sort of character and at times his acting feels a bit amateurish. Would have liked to see his character played by a more technical and experienced actor. 

The ending was amusing - Zhang Ling He's character remained petty and jealous to the end. And the kids were so adorable. 

It's great to watch Shawn Dou in another cheeky male lead role. The female lead is a good person morally but so far, she comes off as unlikable - she is stubborn and a bit immature. I am curious to see where the drama goes with the romance and family during such a turbulent period. 

It's frustrating to watch the leads together. There is a lot of miscommunication and lack of trust between them which leads to a lot of push and pull. It can be annoying to watch. My favorite character is the male lead's stepmother - Auntie Qi who is so strong and sweet. 

Overall, an interesting drama that shows that hardships of war and the push and pull of a relationship with poor communication and trust.

This was interesting and also cheesy at the same time - the romance ban with the student surveillance and reporting. I still liked the production value and the leads were good but nothing memorable.

Surprisingly enjoyable. I like the chemistry between the leads who are flawed and ambitious characters.  They are fun to watch together.

It's great to see Donut portraying the antagonist here as she used to be the female lead in dramas before!

A short drama about cooking at a guesthouse. Features animations and a cute, lighthearted vibe.