Finally, after a decade, this drama trumped my previous favorite Korean drama. It contains all my favorite tropes: Rich man/poor woman, Cold man/warm woman, Contract Relationship, Enemies to Lovers. It's like WWWSK without the annoying secondary couple. Ahn Hyo Seop gives Lee Young Joon vibes as Kang Tae Moo, and is quirky as the workaholic and aloof chaebol. But Kim Se Jeong is amazing as the duplicitous Shin Ha Ri who pretends to be her BFF to get her said BFF out of blind dates. Kim Se Jeong is adorable as the ardent food researcher and funny as the fake Young Seo and she plays both characters well.

The situations that Ha Ri find herself in are hilarious and Tae Moo's unusual responses to her antics make for comedy gold. ABP is rom-com done right, and is lighthearted despite all the clichés. The secondary couple isn't too shabby either, and their story is also endearing. Other characters are also multi-dimensional, and I especially liked Tae Moo's grandfather who is a hoot. Love, love this drama.

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I'm not really fond of FML chasing ML first, especially if they are clingy and looking desperate for male attention, but after a few episodes of this drama, I'm not as averse to Yuan Bing Yan as the Princess Chang Le as I thought. But what really kept me going is Zheng Ye Cheng as the aloof Commander of the Guards. He first caught my attention in Love O2O as Hao Mei who was in this bromantic relationship with Vin Zhang. But here, Ye Cheng is a totally different person, much older and with better acting.

As Shen Yen, he endures the silly antics of the stalker-y Princess, sometimes even to the detriment of his missions. The Princess thinks that she has charmed her way in Shen Yen's heart as he was as firm in his rejection. Portrayed as a pampered brat, especially over-indulged by her doting Grandfather, Chang Le is most likely a misunderstood woman who had to deal with political machinations (even from her own father) since her mother's death. Of course, we know eventually that Shen Yan will cave in and profess his undying love for the Princess but before they can live happily after, the couple has to go through the usual trial and tribulation set forth by their conniving relatives and friends and relatives of said conniving relatives.

The drama would not be complete without secondary and tertiary couples, between ML's brother and FL's bestie, and also between their two servants. Contrived couple-dom for the win. This drama is lighter than your usual historical drama, just by counting by the number of times that the FML strategically falls into the ML's arms, and eye-rolls at said "accidental" tripping.

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This is my favorite E-sports drama so far even trumped my previous fave E-Sports Romance (Love O2O). Cheng Xiao is adorable as the amateur game goddess Tong Yao, who in the beginning was like a deer caught in headlights when she enters a professional gaming league as the only female player and a mainly-male dominated sport. She suffers some initial setback and distrust from more seasoned players, including the team captain of ZGDX, where Tong Yao is a member. Xu Kai as Lu Si Cheng is convincing as the cold and aloof leader, who later warms up to Tong Yao after she proved her value to the club. Supporting Tong Yao from the beginning is her bestie Jin Yang, even while she is navigating her own battles with love (the on-and-off relationship with Ai Jia).

In the course of the drama, we see the introduction of many characters, with some falling for the Mulan and God of OPL, and while some are harmless crushes, others fans were far more vindictive. The drama takes this opportunity and others to demonstrate how being a keyboard warrior can affect the lives of the people being talked about. Despite the popularity of some of these players, they are also human who are vulnerable to unwarranted criticism, especially if they are attacks on a personal level. The drama also showcases the level of cooperation between teammates while playing a game, as well, as how they operate in their private lives. For example even though Si Cheng's tenacious protectiveness of his colleagues is well-intentioned, he had to learn to trust his teammates to carry the burden.

In other notes, Though the in-game animation /CGI is pretty badass, sometimes it is difficult to follow the gaming strategies especially if you are not an active player of a MOBA game like Onmyoji Arena. Although the drama imparts many kernels of wisdom regarding teamwork, online bullying, lack of parental support and/or self-esteem, etc. sometimes it tends to get preachy. Otherwise it is a feel good drama.

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The premise started promising of an ordinary girl capturing the attention of the CEO of a very large corporation. However, the story arcs became repetitive, the damsel in distress became less endearing and the expressionless CEO became less attractive. As the story wore on, it reminded me of "It Started With A Kiss," a story which I find very annoying: a seemingly useless girl and an all-talented boy. The leads from this drama also looks and feels eerily similar to the leads in ISWAK. The conflicts in the drama also come across as lackluster. I find the side characters, such as the friends of the main couple, more endearing.

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This sprawling historical saga spanning thousands of years, is rich and luscious in its story-telling. The war, the love, the tribulations among the immortals and mortals are depicted with detail. Characters and plot are not one-dimensional. Most of them are easy on the eyes, even the villains. It would have been a 10 if it weren't for the female characters in the story, being given less redeeming qualities than their male counterparts. The female characters (even the good ones) are shown as duplicitous at worst, and unreasonably obstinate at best. While the male characters come across as the more forgiving, and more understanding partners. It was nice to see role reversals even at that time - the man cooking for the woman even if he was the crown prince, but this does not negate the fact that the women were given a harsher brush stroke. Bonus: if you don't even like the story, Mark Chao's acting is worth the 58 episode watch.

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This easily shot to the top of my favorite modern Chinese drama list, with my favorite actress in tow. Zhao Lu Si is nothing short of amazing in this romance where her character is crushing hard on her brother's best friend. If it were anybody else, the FL will probably come across as clingy and annoying, but she just does it with the right amount of sass.

First time encountering Chen Zhe Yuan in a drama but he's not too shabby himself as the doting big-bro type who is totally clueless in the love department despite his handsome looks since he's pretty focused on working to clear his father's debts. Of course, the difference in age while one is still a minor in itself is a tricky situation, when treated the wrong way. But we learn that Jia Xu does not even express any romantic interest in Sang Zhi until much later when the FL was in college.

I believe the drama made this distinction as clear as day to make all those accusations of pedophilia or grooming baseless. You can't accuse Jia Xu for encouraging Sang Zhi's affections when he is oblivious and does not even see her as more than a younger sister. The feelings of the FL has always been one-sided until they both got older and the show demonstrates this in several occasions.

In other aspects, the parents are not caricaturally cruel but had the appropriate amount of concern for their daughter's well-being as well as being supportive. There are no over-the-top characters and most are well-rounded. The pacing of the plot suited the narrative, and there was no blinding inconsistencies that I can think of. There was the right amount of fluff, angst, comedy and romance in this drama that I enjoyed watching it from beginning to end without touching the FFWD button.

Last but not the least is the swoon-worthy OST that I barely even notice in other dramas, but here, it serves as a delightful backdrop to Sang Zhi and Jai Ju's platonic-to-romantic journey.

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I am not typically into heavy melodrama, unless I count those teenage years of watching British shows about royals, or those childhood days of watching Hong Kong drama series about corrupt cops and dishonorable politicians. But Youth of May was a surprising pick that brought up memories of Martial Law when I was living in my home country. While my experience with martial law pales in comparison to the martial law imposed during the Gwangju uprising, this drama certainly puts into perspective how people have suffered and sacrificed their lives in the fight for democracy.

The drama starts with the discovery of the remains of one of the victims of that fateful event in 1980, but we don’t know who had died. It could be any of the characters the drama will introduce later, except we know that a broken pocket watch was found along with the ruined corpse, and that watch could belong to anyone. So there will be death, we’re almost sure of that, and it would not be pretty.

Then the show takes us back to the days before the uprising, when innocence and love can still bloom despite the political oppression surrounding the area. The chance meeting of a nurse and a medical student turns out to be destined, as fate later brings Hee Tae and Myung Hee together when the latter’s bestie asks her to stand-in as proxy for her blind date with the son of the Head of the Anti-Communist Investigation. This arranged date was supposed to bring the two families together as political allies, with the Hwangs gaining a rich businessman as an in-law and their resources to facilitate the government, while the Lees try to take advantage of political clout to release Soo Ryun and her friends from being incarcerated.

But of course, the activism in Soo Ryun doesn’t allow her to collude with the opposition as she and her friends regard Hee Tae’s father as no more than a government lackey intent on suppressing the democratic freedom of its people. At first, it was funny how Soo Ryun coaches her best friend on how to be rejected by a suitor, but all the tricks and tips Myung Hee deployed did not prevent Hee Tae from wanting to see her again. Although Myung Hee does not seem to mind the affections bestowed upon her, she realizes that she cannot entertain these feelings as she plans to leave the country in a few weeks.

Undeterred, Hee Tae launches an all-out charm offensive, despite his father’s warnings, and pleads with Myung Hee to take a chance on him, even if it’s momentary. The chemistry between Myung Hee and Hee Tae is palpable on screen. Lee Do Hyun’s playfulness balances out Go Min Si’s wistfulness, and they are certainly better matched than Lee Do Hyun with Song Hye Kyo (that romantic pairing as dry as a flatbread). Both leads brought their A-game to this drama and carried so much weight that their characters, despite their flaws, are humanized. The rest of the cast also bring life and color to their respective roles, even the actor portraying the hated Ki Nam who lords over the city, or the actors playing Soo Chan and Soo Ryun who were grappling with the dilemma that their protected status almost exempts them from further investigation, while the poor suffers injustice.

The cinematography and fashion are on point as it paints the 80s cultural vibe against a political backdrop, where they separate the haves and have-nots. The pacing of the plot also sets the urgency of living in the moment when they still can and while Hee Tae and Myung Hee navigate their feelings for each other, they are faced with the reality of the struggles happening around them. Their personal choices on continuing with their star-crossed romance hinge on the plight of their friends and the citizens of Gwangju. Whereas Hee Tae wants to hightail out of the city at the first real sign of political trouble, Myung Hee feels obligated to stay and help those who are victimized by the soldiers.

Although I should commend Myung Hee’s compassionate nature, I sometimes got irritated at her reluctance to leave that put herself and Hee Tae in dangerous situations. Following in her footsteps is her brother who also decides it was a good idea to bolt when he feels like it and causing his sister grief. If only he stayed in place where he should, Myung Hee wouldn’t have gone and tried to save him more than once. Their father is no better, with his attempts to cross military zones and roads that have been closed due to volatile circumstances. Everyone seems to be trying to be a hero and recklessly go into perilous situations that can be avoided.

I understand that cowering and hiding inside your own house is not the solution either, nor I am suggesting that the government at the time had the right to impose martial law or that the soldiers are justified in beating innocent people senseless just because they look like students who are about to protest, but when the situation calls for you staying inside your house for your own safety, I don’t see why you would go out of your way to incur danger.

So kudos to those who are brave enough to die for their beliefs; without them, there will be no calls for change. And Youth of May serves as a reminder that those who came before us paved the way for a better future.

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Call it slow-burn. Like watching rotisserie chicken simmering in the oven. A tale of revenge-turned-love unfolding in bits and pieces in this drama as Sim Woo Joo battles with her conflicting feelings about the son of the woman who stole her father, their house and ruined her whole life. Meanwhile, Han Dong Jin, slouches his back as problems at work surround him, and a belated visit from his ex-lover disrupts his routine. While Sim Woo Joo fights her way through life, Han Dong Jin acquiesces for what falls on his way. He lives minimally as if ready to relinquish everything he has at a moment’s notice. And this is what Woo Joo takes an issue with, the man’s passiveness and easy forgiveness as if he has no right to feel wronged.

Lee Sung Kyung shows some of her best acting prowess in this drama; the way she unleashes her pent-up frustrations at how life dealt her hand, how the father she loved betrayed their family, how she has to hold back some of her emotions for the sake of her sister and brother, how she defends her actions as justifiable, and how she grapples with her growing feelings towards her sworn enemy.

The rest of the cast also pull their own weight in this mostly character-based drama, with the plot being secondary as a background. The events that unfold showcase how humanity or lack there-of can play in the decisions of some, like how some people are repentant while others are not, despite numerous chances given. We learn in this drama, that while some people are just plain horrible, it does not necessarily mean that their off-spring will be the same. Some just lack the basic human decency of treating others with respect and continue to become trash, but we should not be painting their relatives in the same brush because they can turn out to be really decent human beings with an unfortunate excuse of a mother.

If you are expecting a light-hearted, fluffy romance drama, this is not it as Call It Love meanders its way along the excruciatingly long road of life.

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I almost passed on this drama because of the bad advert (looking at you, poster) but I'm so glad I didn't. This for me is an almost perfect enemies-to-lovers romance, with a side of celebrity/commoner trope.

Having known each other for a decade, Nation's boyfriend Tae Sung and Hot Shot PR Manager Han Byeol are constantly at each other's throats through a series of misunderstandings. Their rivalry is widely-known and some figured it was mostly due to unrealized sexual tension and rumours about "are they/aren't they dating" are circling throughout the company.

I didn't realize that Han Byeol is being portrayed by the same woman in Weightlifting Fairy and she is so much better here (maybe because of the bad hair in the latter) and Kim Young Dae is adorable as the love-sick Tae Sung who belatedly realized his feelings for his nemesis. It was so fun and a hoot to watch this show and it certainly is a must-watch.

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Story: A collection of erotic shorts about men fantasizing about other men in uniforms.

Acting: No better than amateur porn stars.

Music: Maybe the sound of beeping horns can even lull you to sleep.

Rewatch Value: Not bored enough to do so again.

Overall Impression: This feature is actually just glorified porn trying to pass as avant-garde film. The stream of consciousness monologuing may impart some life truths that may seem profound, but they are overly gratuitous. I will not totally give this a zero though, but maybe an F for F-fort.

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I nearly dropped this drama after watching one episode. In the beginning, the antics, though funny, seemed forced. The main characters were not only stubborn, but clueless about each other’s plight, often making assumptions they were out to get each other. I almost gave up if it were not for Jung Woo and Oh Yeon Seo’s performance. Their pairing may not be your typical drama couple, but they brought out their A game in this show.

Jung Woo stars as Hwi Oh, a cop who could not control his temper. Despite his good intentions, Hwi Oh believes his outbursts are justified, considering what happened to his colleague. Meanwhile, Yeon Seo stars as Min Kyung, a woman who’s constantly paranoid and keeps looking over her shoulder. She thinks that everyone she encounters will hurt her, therefore she hardly ventures out unless absolutely necessary. She assumes Hwi Oh to be a relentless stalker, as he appears everywhere she is, not realizing he’s her neighbor. After realizing her mistake, Min Kyung lowers her guard after finding out that Hwi Oh was a police detective, currently unemployed because of his suspension from the force.

As time goes by, the two slowly form an unlikely bond. We see both Hwi Oh and Min Kyung grow fond of each other and become accepting of the other’s quirks..We see them relying on each other during difficulties, and how they care for each other despite struggling with their own issues. Hwi Oh’s pursuit of justice sometimes lands him in precarious positions, as he did not have authority to conduct investigations because of his suspension.

On the other hand, Min Kyung had to deal with her POS ex and his manipulative mother. The deliberate sabotage of Min Kyung’s already fragile reputation, led Min Kyung to be shunned by the condo community. And here we see how endearing Hwi Oh is, by standing on her side despite the lack of proof to the contrary. However, even this wasn’t enough for Min Kyung who questions every motive of Hwi Oh going close to her. The previous trauma that she endured, made Min Kyung unable to trust anybody, even herself. Not wanting to seek help or seem weak, Min Kyung tries to tackle everything by herself, even if it’s to her own detriment. Meanwhile, Hwi Oh tries his best to be there for Min Kyung, becoming her protector and guardian.

But the story is more than the developing relationship between these two main leads. We have to appreciate the secondary characters, acted out by an amazing cast. They exist in the drama not merely to support the plot to its fruition, but they each have a role in asserting how society can stigmatize people with mental illness. The show also highlights the importance of not jumping to conclusions, especially when you don’t know the entire story. There are always two sides to a coin, and it may be worth your while to fully understand what’s going on before making hasty judgments.

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It started out interesting until it wasn’t. Let’s start with the simple part and discuss the second couple, where Murao persistently followed Tanaka Yoichi despite his rejection, not because she was unattractive, but because she was a teenager. Despite being warned about the consequences of being involved with an adult and a faculty member at her school, she did not seem deterred. I really have no patience for people who are only concerned about their own feelings, despite bringing other people into trouble and not thinking about the consequences of their actions. That being said, I mostly overlooked the parts with those two.

Now on to the leads. The premise of their meet-cute was interesting, seeking refuge in a desolate corner from the rain (of course!) Then their friendship blossomed because of their quirkiness and commonality. And it all changed when Tanaka transferred to another school. Upon his return, Tanaka-now-Mabuchi becomes less carefree, and more aloof, even towards Futaba whom he liked back then.

We later learned that Kou had a hard time dealing with his mother’s passing, hence his dreary and detached attitude, which was perfectly understandable. But that doesn’t mean he can take out all his frustrations and dump them on his friends. I can understand how grief can change people’s personalities, and the first time he abruptly left Futaba without saying a word, was undesirable but reasonable. However, for a guy to keep doing this time and time again to a girl whom he supposedly likes, would not fly with me.

I used to root for Kou and Futaba to be together, but Yoshioka deserves better. Kou keeps ditching her and giving all these excuses, then becomes angry when someone else becomes interested in her. He’s just treating her like a toy, losing interest in playing with her until another child enjoys it. He even admitted to his friend, that even if he likes Futaba, he has no intention of dating her. Then he brushes off the accidental kiss as if it’s no big deal and gets upset when she ignores him as he did to her?????

Towards the end of the first series, I was no longer invested in their story and wished for Futaba to be with Kiuchi instead. At least Kiuchi is consistent, and transparent with his feelings. If Kou cannot prioritize Futaba, then she’s not that important to him. He could have sent a simple text, saying he will be late or that even if he can go to the festival, he needs to be somewhere else later. Anything really to give Futaba at least the time of the day as she had provided him. But no, he ghosts her and is more concerned about his classmate just because they shared the same pain of losing someone close to them.

If Futaba insists to be with Kou, what next? On the day of their wedding, something comes up again that he’s unable to attend? But hey, if that’s the kind of guy she prefers, then she better be prepared for the consequences and don’t come crying. I’m so pissed to even watch the second season. It’s not worth it to keep my blood boiling.

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Story: Two boys go from friends to being more than friends, but less than lovers. Their shenanigans escalated from silly things like spinning bottles on their foreheads, to more brazen acts like throwing Molotov cocktails in public streets. And at some point, probably experimented with each other during one of these reckless escapades. But to what extent, we don't really know.

Acting: The actors are not too shabby.

Music: Unmemorable.

Rewatch Value: If only to figure out whether some parts are a dream or the reality.

Overall: We see two friends bonding with each other for different reasons. Jie Yu uses his friendship with Yan Shiu as an escape from the real problems his family had been facing, with his mother working hard, and still had to help at the shop his father was supposed to oversee. His father doesn't seem to take responsibility; he wakes up late and he runs off to "business trips" that no one knows where he really went. Tired of picking up his father's slack, Jie Yu goes and spends more time with Yan Shiu. But the time spent made Jie Yu confused about what he really feels, especially when sex gets in the mix.

All the scenes of both boys being together are interspersed with scenes of Jie Yu riding solo on the streets. The camera work was choppy as the frames go back and forth the present and the past. If the film's intent was to confuse the viewers, it certainly did its job.

So many questions were left unanswered. Was Jie Yu running away because he had developed feelings for Yan Shiu , or was he just escaping the increasing intimacy of their friendship? Was Jie Yu denying his sexuality or was he afraid that Yan Shiu was only fooling around and wasn't as invested in their friendship as he was? Nevertheless, we will never know whether the lovemaking between them really happened or just a figment of Jie Yu's imagination.

I'm leaning towards the belief that they did sleep with each other, since Jie Yu said he wanted to go back to being friends. But whether he meant it or not, was another question.

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Story: A boy gets "saved" by a life-guard who mistakenly thought that the swimmer was in dire danger. However, Wu doesn't protest and lets himself be assisted by the lifeguard to shore. Wu fantasizes about this encounter, especially when their bodies were touching. He tries to dispel these carnal thoughts by meditating, but this doesn't seem to work when he finds out that the lifeguard also happens to be a patient at his father's clinic.

Wu incorrectly assumes that the lifeguard's frequent visit is due to mutual attraction, and therefore is present whenever the lifeguard was there. Whereas Wu wasn't motivated before to study acupuncture, with the lifeguard's presence at the clinic, he becomes fascinated with the different types of therapy that his father uses on his patients.

Acting: The actor who plays Wu is expressionless, despite his supposed infatuation with another male. The other actors were even less memorable.

Music: Ho-hum.

Rewatch Value: Once is enough.

Overall Impression: Not abysmal enough to get a 1, but still a snooze-fest. The film was trying to be profound until it got convoluted in its attempt at symbolism.

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