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If you don’t mind sad content and are fond of the separation trope…

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean Historical romance drama with 21, 60-90 minute episodes. It was originally divided into two parts: Part 1 with ten episodes and Part 2 with eleven episodes. So some say there are two seasons but there is only one season sometimes divided in two parts..

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Lee Jang hyun (Namkoong Min) is not the type of serious, respectful and honorable noble Yoo Gil chae (Ahn Eun jin) is used to encountering. He is a bit of what we would call these days, a lady’s man but also a “player.” He falls hard for the spirited Gil chae who, as the prettiest girl in her small community, has her pick of suitors. Of course the only guy she is interested in, Nam Yeon joon (Lee hak joo), is in love with her best friend. Kyung Eun ae (Lee da in), Gil chae’s best friend would do about anything for her friend except give up the guy they both love. Eun ae knows Gil chae really just wants Yeon joon because he is not interested and that the roguish Jang hyun is actually a better match for her friend. Eun ae both kind and wise and knows that Jang hyun is actually a very kind and capable man who deeply cares for Gil chae. But Gil chae is slow to recognize her own feelings and does not believe Jang hyun’s feelings are sincere. He has also clearly stated he is against marriage something any noble lady would scorn. Through war and the aftermath the two suffer many missed opportunities and Gil chae weds another man. Despite this, they both have each other firmly in their heart. Korea is suffering as the defeated party under a faction of China and the people are suffering by being impoverished, persecuted, killed and enslaved. Is there any hope for these two who seemed destined to be together?

Review

I do not like sad shows. If you like sad then you would definitely like this more than I did. I actually looked up the ending and it said it ended happy enough so I went with that. But what I didn’t understand is, it may end fairly happy, but it is sad all over the place throughout. Why? Well it is loosely based on true events where there was this Josean king who became paranoid and did a lot of horrible things as a result. And the royals were always trying to poison each other. That is why food tasters were common in many countries among the royalty. It was good for what it was. Wonderfully acted, the filming was amazing, and it was interesting throughout. So, understand that my ranking is based mostly on the fact that it had sad threaded all through it. I would not watch it again because it made me too down. I would recommend it to people that like historical and do not at all mind sad content.

Spoilers

I read that it ends with him losing his memory but that he remembers events around her. But they are together. That is true and that is the way it is nearly to the very end. But, in the last few minutes, he fully remembers her it shows his gaze becoming more steady and he says her name and looks her right in the eyes. So he does fully remember her. But two things about that. I personally hate the amnesia trope in general. And he has not one but two separate periods of amnesia. And, since it ended that way, we don’t know if he remembered any of the other people in his life.

Yeon joon was just an annoying character to me. I guess that wanted you to think Gil chae’s love for him in the beginning was completely juvenile and ridiculous. He was never a character I admired as he was so sanctimonious and it shadowed and influenced everything he did. He was never as thankful to Jang hyun for protecting him during the war as he should have been. If he told Gil chae about that in a “he is my life safer” type way she might have admitted her feelings for Jang hyum sooner. But I think there was a part of Yeon joon that liked having Gil chae romantically interested in him.

Gil chae was really annoying in the beginning. It had a real “Gone with the Wind” sort of vibe as she started as a noble that was very princess like as she was the beauty of the community. Then war breaks out and she goes through serious hardship and has to suffer horribly at the hands of the Barbarians. And it did humble and change her. But then she scorns Jang Hyun and marries the man who lied on the path on the island to basically use her as Barbarian bait. I get that it was Jang hyun’s fault a bit because, even at that point, he did not offer marriage but still you don’t turn your back on someone that has done so much for you and you obviously have feelings for.

Eun au, on the other hand, was such a sweet, humble and loyal person from the beginning, I did not feel like Yeon joon deserved her. The way he treated her when she was asking about being “defiled” by Barbarians made me like him even less. And then when he was a traitor to Jang hyun by leading the soldiers that nearly killed him, I liked him even less. There were just a few moments in the end when he asked Eun au to go with her and if he was still her husband where I think they were trying to show he had come around, but it wasn’t enough. So that wasn’t a sweet side romance.

I thought the Crown Prince and Princess dying was just tragic and unnecessary. Yes that may have been what happened, or close to it, historically but they could have departed and had him live. And then to make the Princess a traitor and even kill the royal heir, just made it Greek tragedy level.

The royal concubine was the evil doer behind most of the tragic events and we did not get the benefit of seeing her taken down. Evil essentially won. And that may have been what happened in the historical event it was drawn from but stories have the opportunity to improve and depart from such things. I suspect the king in the end was the concubines’ son. That was her goal to have her son put on the throne, but that was not very clear.

A large portion of the show was told with the main characters parted by war and other circumstance. I really dislike the separation trope so that being so prevalent and repetitive throughout the series was a serious negative to me. They were apart way more than they were together. Then, they would just get together briefly and either they would have a misunderstanding and go their separate ways, or a tragedy would strike and drive them apart. It was so frequent that the majority of the live commenters were complaining about them mostly being apart.

I guess the ending was supposed to be happy in the house he created to her specifications. But they were always surrounded by so many others throughout that them two alone just seemed very lonely. And it seemed they just planned to live as if dead so that he would not be hunted. But that was sad too. If it weren’t for the mad king and the evil concubine he should have lived out a heroes’ life.

#NamkoongMin #AhnEunJin #MyDearest#LeeDaIn #LeeHakJoo

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Did not enjoy and would not re-watch. It's iconic so perhaps worth the watch for that

7.5/10 is my rating. This is 2016 South Korean TV series with
16, 60 minute, episodes. Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) is a university student who wants to make it through college with as little drama as possible. That all changes when she notices that her Sunbae, senior, Yoo Jung (Park Hae-Jin) does things that are psychotic in nature. Those around her do not see it and she seems to be alone in noticing his dark actions. Ironically the fact that Hong Seol can see through him causes Yoo Jung to be strangely attracted to her. Yoo Jung is wealthy and used to those around him using him for his money.

spoiler 🚨 I liked elements of this. I found the side romances a lot cuter than the main one. I like the friendships a lot. Now it’s a bit of a spoiler. I found it hard to believe with him as cold and vindictive as he could be that someone with a personality that started out as sweet as Seol would find him attractive. The things he did would fall under a sociopath. I think they were trying to sell that someone with those attributes could change. I really liked the second guy. At first I thought I would be disappointed that she didn’t end up with him but in the long run I decided she changed so much that she became a lot like the main male lead. I understood that he’d been hurt by those closest to him as a child but still could not excuse things like watching as his essentially younger brother was beat up and his hand injured. I know he said some things that weren’t exactly nice but kids say things like that sometimes. And I was really shocked later on when he would do things to get back at somebody that was way beyond what they had actually deserved and Seol seemed OK with it. And after all of that for it to end not really knowing for sure if he ever came back into her life felt like a real waste of time. I mainly just felt sorry for the siblings and the way that they were used and the fact that the father never really loved them as children but was simply using them as playmates for his son. It was a very twisted story way too much for me to like it very much. I probably rate this a lot lower than some others because I’m not super sympathetic with people that treat other people poorly so I couldn’t feel sympathy for some of the characters like I think they expected and that lessened my enjoyment a lot. I also got to where I did not like Seol a lot anymore because the way that she changed and became very cold towards the people in her life was very off putting to me it was almost as if they wanted you to believe she had become a sociopath herself. This is not one I would watch again nor recommend.

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Don't let the title fool you this is not any kind of study group you have seen before

My Rating is 10/10

I can't believe I waited so long to watch this.

I'd known about Study Group for a while and had heard plenty of good things, but the relatively short episode format kept putting me off. Now that I've finally watched it, I can honestly say I loved it. It deserves any hype it receives.

One of my favorite things about the series is Yoon Ga-min (main character). He has abilities that are superhuman. He punches people through walls, launches himself through the air, and moves with unbelievable speed and strength. What I love, though, is that the drama never treats him like a superhero. He doesn't have powers from an experiment, another planet, or magic. Instead, everyone simply accepts that he's a human who trained so incredibly hard that he can do things no normal person should be capable of. It gives the action a larger-than-life feel. If a fight erupts and he is not there, you and all the characters are just waiting for him to arrive. He'll fix this nonsense.

At its core, this is a "bullies get served" story—a satisfying battle of good versus evil—and it delivered exactly the kind of justice-filled moments I was hoping for.

If you're looking for romance, though, this isn't that kind of drama. In fact, I'd recommend treating it as a "skip the romance" series. There are a handful of cute moments that make you think certain characters might develop romantic feelings, but the story never fully goes in that direction. That applies to both the student characters and the adults. The focus stays on friendship, loyalty, standing up for what's right, and helping each other become better people.

The fight scenes are exciting, the friendships are genuinely heartwarming, and I loved watching everyone grow stronger—not just physically, but as people. Overall, Study Group was an incredibly fun watch that I enjoyed far more than I expected.

Spoilers

Yoon Ga-min (main character)

I absolutely loved Yoon Ga-min. It was so cute and genuinely amusing how seriously he took protecting anyone who wanted to study. You want to study? Great. He's got your back. If that means fighting an entire army of bullies so you can do your homework in peace, then that's exactly what he'll do.

He had such an innocent personality in the best possible way. He may not have been able to take his incredible brain and translate it into excelling at standard subjects, but he had a brilliance in the way he worked with people. An emotional intelligence that was way beyond what could be measured by standard means. I also loved how his abilities were portrayed. He could do things that seemed almost impossible. But they weren't because he trained others in small pieces of what he knew. So it was achievable. Just like you had the sense that with his absolute determination some day he would figure it out and do well in his studies.

I also loved that he never truly lost. He might get knocked down, exhausted, or overwhelmed, but he was never out. He always got back up. I don't like when the character gets beaten. It is disappointing. And I have seen some where they get beaten time and again and finally get strong. I sometimes like that but I more often like when the hero is just strong. And you can be sure, if they show up things will change for the better.

One of my absolute favorite parts of the action was his uncle's forbidden moves. Every time Ga-min looked like he was finally beaten, you'd think, "Well...this might actually be it." Then he'd be lying on the ground, catch his breath, calm himself down, and suddenly decide this opponent deserved one of his uncle's forbidden techniques. The entire fight would immediately swing back in his favor. It added so much intrigue and excitement because I was always wondering, "Okay...what incredible move is he going to pull out next?" It kept the fights feeling fresh instead of repetitive.

One of my favorite surprises was Lee Mi-kyeong (Ga-min's mother). I wasn't expecting her to be such a badass, but seeing her do a little bully-stomping of her own was incredibly satisfying.

The Study Group

I loved the study group itself and how everyone eventually came together. They made their own family like friend group. The judo girl even said it one time. Let's see how "study group", a team that works together, fairs against those that do not. Each member had their own reason for joining, so it never felt forced, and at the core of the reason was always hope and desire for a better future.

The sweet girl of the group wasn't much of a fighter, but that never stopped her. If one of her friends—or even a complete stranger—needed help, she would throw herself into danger anyway. She had so much heart, and that made her easy to root for.

The smartest member of the group joined very reluctantly, but becoming part of the study group ended up being almost therapeutic for him. Watching him slowly open up and learn to trust other people was one of my favorite character arcs.

The boy with the strawberry-colored hair originally cared much more about becoming a great fighter than becoming a great student. He wanted to climb the ranks, but Yoon Ga-min completely changed his outlook. Seeing him gradually decide that studying actually mattered was such a satisfying journey. His unwavering loyalty to Ga-min became one of the best bromances in the entire drama.

I also thought he had a little bit of chemistry with the girl who worked because her brother was in prison. Whether that was intentional or not, I enjoyed their interactions.

That girl ended up being one of my favorite characters too. She was such a tsundere. She never acted particularly excited about anything, but underneath it all she cared deeply about the people around her. I especially loved when the sweet girl came to bring her back. She acted like it wasn't a big deal, but you could tell how much it meant to her.

Okay I will admit it. They were all my favorite characters. Every member of the study group was amazing in their way. Including their teacher. And the police officer. It takes a special level of courage to go up against people that enjoy seeing others suffer.

Winning People Over

One of my favorite things about this drama was how Yoon Ga-min changed people simply by believing in them.

The blond former gang member started out as one of the enemy's soldiers, but Ga-min saw something better in him. He cared about him, cared about his grandfather, and recognized that—even if it was buried very deep—he genuinely wanted to study and have a better future. Ga-min managed to bring that part of him to the surface, and I loved watching that transformation.

I also loved the blond boy's grandfather. Even while he was dying, he still wanted to keep learning. He recognized what kind of person Ga-min was and entrusted him with helping his grandson find the right path. Honestly, he couldn't have picked a better person for that job.

The Finale

One of my favorite moments in the finale was when the sweet girl gathered all of the former bullies and troublemakers that Yoon Ga-min had helped throughout the series. Watching them all come together to protect the teacher was incredibly satisfying because it showed just how many lives Ga-min had changed without even realizing it.

I was also really happy that the true mastermind—the chaebol student who controlled everything through his family's construction company—actually faced consequences. Too often villains like that get away with everything, so seeing him finally disciplined was very satisfying.

I also loved that everyone continued improving throughout the series. One moment that especially stood out was when Ga-min coached his friend through a fight instead of simply winning it himself. He helped build his friend's confidence and let him experience victory on his own. He also taught him how to protect himself. That perfectly summed up who Ga-min was as a character.

Ending

The ending was definitely on the softer, more open-ended side. It was obviously written with the possibility of a second season in mind, which is normally one of my biggest pet peeves. One of the things I love most about Korean dramas is that they're usually complete stories with a planned ending, so I don't like feeling as though I'm waiting for another season that may never happen.

Normally that would have bothered me a lot more, but I loved Study Group enough that I could forgive it this time. The ending still felt satisfying while leaving the door open for more, and if we do get a second season, I'll absolutely be watching.

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Harsh Reviews a Surprise. One of my favorite tropes and it is relatively rare.

My rating 9.5/10

This is a sweet, compelling story about two people who get thrown together to raise a child that isn’t theirs. The romance feels completely believable, the leads have fantastic chemistry, and the toddler is just adorable. I really appreciated that the show doesn’t make you get super attached to the parents - it's sad but not devastating because you really do not get too attached to them. It’s the perfect mix of heartwarming moments, realistic co-parenting struggles, and slow-burn romance that leaves you smiling by the end. If you love forced-proximity tropes, unique parenting situations, or just good old-fashioned thrown-together romances that feel genuine, this one is an easy recommend. It’s not perfect, but few are, but it is that unique show where a toddler gets a lot of center stage. So, the cuteness alone is worth the watch. The fact that it is a heartwarming romance is icing on the cake. I would watch it again and would recommend it to other fans of these types of series.

Spoilers

I loved how it started with Woo Hyun-jin and Seon Tae-hyung not really liking each other at all. He was also pretty indifferent to baby Seon Woo-ju at first because of his complicated history with his older brother Seon Woo-jin, but he’s still a decent guy at heart, so he steps up to help her anyway. Reluctantly at first and on a case-by-case basis. But then his apartment plan falls through, so he selfishly decides to stick around for the co-living arrangement, and it all fits his opening character so perfectly.

I was afraid it would be sad knowing that the parents die but I appreciated that we didn’t get overly attached to Seon Woo-jin and Woo Hyun-ju before the car accident took them out. Their presence in the story was relatively brief - not enough to get so attached that it feels personal when they die. Instead, it kept the focus on the two leads and little Woo-ju right from the jump. Since we already knew about the baby from the previews and synopsis I wish it would have shown him a bit more with his parents. It made it feel like he just came out of nowhere.

All the characters were super well-developed, especially the little found-family group at Yu-seong Villa. Those apartment complex neighbors really came through in the clutch when the custody/guardianship drama kicked off and people were trying to claim Woo Hyun-jin didn’t deserve to keep Woo-ju. What I thought was kind of odd, though, was that Seon Tae-hyung didn’t also apply for guardianship himself. I kept waiting for some dual-guardianship setup, or for them to realize marriage would make it official. The ending makes it pretty clear they’re together now, which is sweet, but I’m the type who loves a little more permanence—I would’ve eaten up an engagement or something concrete! And her threat of losing guardianship would have been an obvious push toward having a permanent relationship and more settled home environment for Woo-ju. I honestly thought that was where it was going.

The one big thing that bugged me (and I know a lot of viewers felt the same) was how much screen time they gave to the second guy, Park Yoon-seong. They almost built a whole side romance between Woo Hyun-jin and her college senior/first love. I get that she was uncertain and this was her first chance in years to reconnect with someone from her past, but after that much time apart, it just doesn’t track that you’d suddenly catch feelings stronger than the ones for the guy you’re literally surviving daily life and raising a toddler with. It started feeling like a real distraction, and yeah, I was sitting there worried she might actually end up with Yoon-seong for a minute. As a viewer who came for the co-parenting cuteness, I would’ve much rather had more scenes of Woo Hyun-jin, Seon Tae-hyung, and little Woo-ju’s adorable everyday interactions. Every time Woo-ju was on screen I was happy to see him - cute baby fever hit hard! The unnecessary focus on her relationship with her first love, and the duration of it, also came off a bit dishonest because it felt like she was stringing both guys along for a while.

Her almost losing guardianship was crazy yet real. The mistakes Woo Hyun-jin made were totally normal new-parent stuff—not everyone realizes how fast an almost-two-year-old can get into trouble. For someone who had zero experience, she was actually doing an amazing job overall. If anything, she was a little more prone to those accidental slip-ups than Tae-hyung just because she was still adjusting to the “mom” role, but nothing was ever intentional and she was always devastated when it happened. The lost in the mall happens to the best of parents. When you have multiples where it is literally impossible to keep all the babies in sight - that point gets driven home even more. I used to help my cousin with her twins and, when I babysat, I would have to pick a twin at times Both are headed for something, and you are one person. They actually portrayed the child protective agency stuff pretty accurately (at least compared to how it works in the US)—sometimes they come down hardest on the people who are genuinely trying their best. I was surprised the guardianship wasn’t more automatic, especially since Korean dramas usually show moms giving up babies so easily, yet here you have two people who clearly love Woo-ju and are doing everything right, and they still got grilled. They were even nitpicky about the leads working, which felt backwards—like, don’t you want them earning money to support the kid?

The situation with Tae-hyung’s dad, Seon Gyu-tae, wasn’t a huge shock. Crappy parents rarely do a full 180. They took it slow and cautious, which felt realistic, and I liked that Woo Hyun-jin owned up to feeling guilty for pushing Tae-hyung when he should’ve just trusted his own instincts.

The backstory with Seon Woo-jin was played so beautifully. Yeah, Tae-hyung had been giving him the cold shoulder, but the reason was totally valid—he was trying to protect his little brother all along. As a kid who felt abandoned, Tae-hyung’s reaction made complete sense; you’re not thinking logically about hidden motives at that age.

So, my only major criticism is that whole detour into the almost-romance with Park Yoon-seong. It just felt unnecessary given this romance is about four episodes shorter than what used to be traditional k-drama length dramas. I would’ve traded every bit of it for more of the cute trio moments between Woo Hyun-jin, Seon Tae-hyung, and Woo-ju. I couldn’t get enough of those!

Overall, I’d recommend Our Universe to anyone who loves romances with forced situations, unique parenting setups, or “thrown together and slowly falling for each other” vibes. The romance is genuinely cute and heartwarming, the baby steals every scene, and it wraps up happy.

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Moving Family Drama and Interesting Slice of Live Trauma Cleaners

My rating 9.5/10

Move to Heaven is a deeply emotional series that balances heartbreak with profound moments of human connection. Even as someone highly empathetic, I found it more stirring and thought-provoking than overwhelmingly sad, largely because I went in knowing the heavy themes—it allowed me to appreciate the nuance without being blindsided. Tang Jun-sang delivers an outstanding, authentic portrayal of Han Geu-ru, a young man on the autism spectrum. Having multiple autistic people in my life, I recognized and appreciated how faithfully the show captures traits like intense focus, stubborn persistence on certain ideas, and quiet brilliance. It never feels stereotypical; it's respectful and insightful. The evolving dynamic between Han Geu-ru and his uncle Cho Sang-gu (Lee Je-hoon) is one of the show's strongest elements—raw, complicated, and ultimately touching as they navigate grief, family, and personal growth together. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend it to others, especially those who enjoy character-driven stories about healing. It's rewatchable for its emotional depth, and I'd be thrilled if Netflix ever greenlights a second season.

Spoilers

While the series excels in so many ways, the Netflix-typical soft, open-ended finale left some threads feeling unresolved, which kept it from a perfect 10/10 for me. I loved watching Cho Sang-gu gradually warm to his role as guardian and truly come to care for Han Geu-ru as family—it felt earned and heartfelt. However, certain moments that could have fully cemented their bond, like Han Geu-ru openly allowing Cho Sang-gu into his personal space (e.g., his room) or Cho Sang-gu more explicitly acknowledging him as his nephew, never quite materialized in the way I hoped. Those small but powerful gestures would have provided the heartwarming closure their relationship deserved, tying everything up more neatly instead of leaving it ambiguously open for potential future seasons. It's a minor frustration in an otherwise beautiful show, but it did make the ending feel a bit incomplete.

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A Hidden Gem - not often at the top of must watch lists

Rating: 10/10

I passed over watching this multiple times before getting to the spot where I did not have a lot of preferred content and I was willing to give it a chance. I am glad I did. I almost considered it more as a 9 or 9.5 out of 10 because there's a strong thread of sadness running through this drama that really hit me hard—but I am an empath and so it had me in tears more than once. But, even though it was more of a tear jerker than I expected, the story and the romance were nice enough that it was forgivable. The main couple, Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei, have one of the sweetest and most believable romances. Their chemistry feels natural and genuine, and it's the kind of feel-good love story that warms your heart. There is a gentle balance in dramas, end too abruptly and it feels like they expect you to complete the story, drag on too long and you feel like you are riding side car on their whole life. This one struck just the right balance it did not feel rushed nor did it feel slow or padded. Thus I highly recommend this one for anyone that likes a mostly feel-good romance drama with emotional depth. Some people actually find the cathartic sadness healing, but even if you're sensitive like me, the happy ending and uplifting romance make it worth it in the end. The only minor thing that bugged me was one family plot point that felt unnecessary and a bit too heavy. It didn't ruin the show at all, but I think the story would have been just as strong (maybe even lighter) without it. Overall, this drama left me smiling through the sniffles—super sweet, and heartfelt.

Spoilers

The part that almost made me rate it lower was Lin Zhi Xiao's father dying. I really didn't think it was necessary for the story. He could have stayed in remission, and the emotional weight of the cancer storyline would still have been there without the full tragedy. It added such a deep layer of sadness that lingered. It hit me at a particularly rough time in my own life when several elder family members and friends had passed away. So, there is enough of that in real life I don't want it in my entertainment. I am not entertained by being sad. It was lightened up by just the right amount of post-wedding glimpses which showed that Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei were still going strong and happy years later even after suffering the loss of her father. That was just enough continuance on their story to leave you satisfied without overdoing it. But the story centered so much on the cancer, and Lin Zhi Xiao's parents close relationship that I wish we'd seen something about how Lin Zhi Xiao's mom was doing seven years later. She must have been absolutely devastated after losing her husband, and it would have been so comforting to get even a small glimpse or mention of her being okay, maybe finding some peace or happiness. That was the only very minor flaw for me—the show wrapped up the main couple perfectly with those sweet after-wedding details and their life together (love the family they built!), but leaving her mom's outcome hanging felt incomplete. Still, the romance between Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei is so pure and believable that it carries everything. The way it was foreshadowed and built made the sad elements predictable enough that they didn't blindside me, and the happy, loving payoff made it okay even though I don't normally prefer series that have such a heavy and sad element.

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How to ruin a good drama in the last two episodes

Review

Rating: 6.5/10

The first three-quarters of this drama are genuinely cute and comforting. The workplace chaos is funny, the found-family energy is warm, and the central message—that it’s okay to accept help and stop trying to do everything alone—is lovely and actually meaningful. I was having a perfectly nice time.

Then the final stretch happens and everything I liked about the show collapses. The turn it takes felt so wrong to me that I couldn’t properly watch the last two episodes—I’d already looked up the ending because I had a horrible suspicion where it was going, got confirmed, and then I just skimmed the rest to see how bad the damage was. The drop-off in enjoyment was brutal. Because of that ending, I can’t recommend the drama and I have zero desire to ever rewatch it. What a waste of a promising setup.

SPOILERS

I’m usually against big age gaps in romance, but there are a handful of shows that sold me on one because the chemistry was electric, the life experiences lined up in an interesting way, and it really felt like these two people would be lonely forever without each other.

This drama did the exact opposite of that.

Mei (28) has not one but two attractive, successful, age-appropriate guys who clearly like her and get along great with her. And yet, the second, her 50-year-old housekeeper Nagisa says he might leave, she panics and decides the solution is… marriage. Not because she’s in love. Because she’s terrified of losing the guy who does her laundry and cooks for her. That is not romantic. That’s separation anxiety and codependency dressed up as a happy ending.

You don’t marry someone so they’ll keep cleaning your apartment. Hire another housekeeper (he’s basically a magical unicorn, but they exist) and go to therapy for the attachment issues. Problem solved, no lifelong regrettable marriage required. It’s honestly depressing to watch. It feels like watching Mei self-destruct and drag a perfectly nice man into a relationship that’s wrong for both of them. Imagine them ten years down the line when people assume he’s her dad. Or worse, when she wakes up one day and realizes she married her Mary-Poppins-housekeeper out of pure panic. And yes, I get that older-man/younger-woman pairings are more normalized in some Japanese media, but this drama was clearly marketed to an international audience on streaming platforms. In most of the world a sudden 22-year age-gap romance with zero romantic buildup is not going to land as sweet or aspirational—it lands as uncomfortable and unrealistic. To me it was cringy. They built the relationship up as some kind of found mentor/family type relationship. Maybe that charming older uncle type. And then turned it into some kind of indentured servitude type romance. Mutual I guess. He gets a young troubled wife and she gets a live in domestic engineer and life coach.

The only thing that still gets full points is the mental-health message about not trying to “do it all” and learning to accept help. That part was great. Everything else about the romance destroyed the show for me.

Final score: 6.5/10, carried almost entirely by how pleasant the first 7–8 episodes were. Skip it or drop it before the train wreck—your future self will thank you.

Synopsis

In the bustling world of pharmaceutical sales, the ever-diligent Mei Aihara juggles high-stakes deals by day while her apartment descends into complete chaos by night. On her 28th birthday, enter the enigmatic Nagisa Shigino, an impeccably poised housekeeper with a knack for turning disorder into domestic harmony—and perhaps stirring deeper emotions. As Mei's life gets an unexpected upgrade from this unlikely ally, sparks fly when she crosses paths with the suave Yuta Tadokoro, a competitor whose charm threatens to upend her carefully ordered existence. Blending quirky humor, tender revelations, and the quiet magic of found family, this series explores how a spotless home can sometimes lead to a fuller hear


Air Year: 2020
Number of Episodes: 9
Runtime per Episode: Approximately 57 minutes

Major Characters

*Aihara Mei (Tabe Mikako): A dedicated and efficient pharmaceutical sales rep whose professional prowess starkly contrasts with her messy personal life and social awkwardness.
*Shigino Nagisa (Omori Nao): An eccentric, highly competent male housekeeper who mysteriously appears to overhaul Mei's home, bringing order, wisdom, and subtle emotional support.
*Tadokoro Yuta (Seto Koji): A charismatic and persistent rival sales rep from a competing company, whose flirtatious pursuit of Mei adds romance and rivalry to her routine.
*Suyama Kaoru (Takahashi Maryjun): Mei's loyal best friend and colleague at work, offering comic relief and steadfast encouragement through thick and thin.
*Segawa Haruto (Maeda Gordon): A fresh-faced new hire at Mei's company, eager and optimistic, often providing youthful energy to the team dynamics.
*Matsudaira Shinya (Hirayama Yusuke): Mei's stern yet fair boss, who pushes the sales team hard while navigating his own professional pressures.

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Flips the stereotype of identical twin closeness; healing family drama

Review

9.5/10 is my rating.

Our Unwritten Soul is a deeply emotional drama that blends romance, family struggles, and the complexities of identity with identical twin sisters at its center. The acting is phenomenal—especially from the actress playing both female leads, Mi-hi and Mi-rae. She captured each sister so convincingly that I never once lost track of who was who.

Mi-hi stood out as a character I really loved. She was kindhearted, thoughtful toward her family and friends, and always trying to support others even when she was hurting. Her warmth made it even harder to watch how her mother constantly criticized her and compared her unfavorably to Mi-rae.

The story tackles family expectations, sibling rivalry, and the ways love can both heal and complicate relationships. At times, it’s heavy and heartbreaking, but it’s never dull. Even the side characters—like the adopted mother whose fierce love for her son was one of the most touching parts of the drama—felt layered and real.

This is a romance at its core, but also a family-centered story that explores how we see ourselves and how others define us. It isn’t a light watch, but it’s beautifully done and meaningful. If you enjoy stories about complicated families, strong character growth, and romance that develops under unique circumstances, Our Unwritten Soul is worth your time.

Spoilers

Mi-rae, though compelling, often came across as selfish. She had Mi-hi take her place at work even though she knew it meant sending her into a hostile environment with bullies and even a sexual harassment situation. Mi-hi wasn’t warned and was told only to “sit quietly,” avoid the male lead, and keep secrets—while Mi-rae, when pretending to be her sister, behaved however she wanted. She ignored their grandmother at first, treated Mi-hi’s best friend who was her ex-boyfriend coldly, and worked the farm with little concern for how her choices would affect Mi-hi’s reputation. It felt unfair and very one-sided.

The relationship between the adopted mother and her son was another emotional highlight. Their eventual heart-to-heart about his guilt—believing he couldn’t call her his true mother—was powerful. I only wish he had told her sooner what he overheard his relatives saying about him being a burden. That moment could have added even more emotional depth.

Some story choices frustrated me. For example, Mi-hi keeping her secret from her romantic interest for so long felt unnecessary; he was proven trustworthy and capable of keeping confidences, so the delay only created avoidable frustration. The grandmother’s death also felt like an oddly placed plot point—it was heartbreaking, but it didn’t meaningfully move the story forward.

As for the ending, it leaned too “soft” for my taste. Mi-hi’s decision to go to school to become a therapist was wonderful, but the delay in marriage felt like it was playing into a modern “independence before romance” trend rather than being true to the heart of the story. A proposal or engagement would have been a more satisfying romantic payoff. Similarly, Mi-rae and “strawberry guy” had clear chemistry when he returned, but the lack of even a confession felt like a missed opportunity.

On the positive side, I appreciated how both sisters grew from the experience and came to understand themselves and each other better. By the end, their relationship was warmer and healthier, and it felt like the beginning of true healing from a mother who had always struggled to show love.

The two single mothers’ friendship—so different in background yet united in strength—was inspiring, and Rosa the poet’s arc was fascinating and uplifting in the end.

Overall, Our Unwritten Soul is a powerful drama with stellar performances and heartfelt themes. I recommend it highly, though it’s not a light or endlessly rewatchable story. It’s heavy at times, but if you stick with it, it rewards you with meaning, emotion, and a memorable exploration of love, family, and identity

Synopsis

This is a 2025 South Korean family drama with 12, 70 minute episodes.

Identical twin sisters Yoo Mi-ji (Park Bo-young) and Yoo Mi-rae (Park Bo-young), have covered for each other their whole lives. When one twin is better at something than the other they tag switch and few people can tell they swapped places. So, when Mi-rae is considering self harm as a result of extreme stress and workplace bullying, her twin Mi-ji determines it is time to switch. While identical in looks the two have always had very different personalities. Mi-ji, is an extroverted free-spirit who cared more about track and field than academics. But, an injury kept her from going on to achieve any greatness in athletics and she is currently living back at home and taking on multiple part-time jobs and piece work. She has remained in their home town of Duson-ri while her introverted by high academic performing twin has moved to Seoul to pursue a career. Mi-rae is stuck in a job that is draining her spirit but has to keep working as the family needs her career income. So, she accepts Mi-ji's offer to switch to give Mi-rae a break from the dog eat dog existence of the salary person. The twins had drifted apart so neither was fully aware of what the other's life was like. Stepping into each other's roles they begin to learn a lot of things they did not know about the other.

As Mi-ji navigates Seoul’s corporate maze and Mi-rae finds solace in the countryside, their ruse not only reveals the conditions of their current existence, but it also unearths things they were unaware of from the past. Mi-ji is joined by Lee Ho-soo (Park Jin-young), a charismatic lawyer with a concealed wound who was her first love her broke her heart. And Mi-rae becomes a business partner with Han Se-jin (Ryu Kyung-soo), a thoughtful strawberry farmer. This is the journey through the heart and minds of two sisters who, by playing the other, learn more about themselves and what happened to their once tight shared twin bond. As they figure a better way forward they discover a way to chart a future that leads to true happiness. the sisters confront love, identity, and the courage to rewrite their futures in a poignant tale of healing and self-discovery.

#OurUnwrittenSeoul

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Starts slow but is worth it as it gets very good

9/10 is my rating.



Review

(Scroll down for synopsis and spoilers)



This is a very heartwarming romance that will give romantics the warm fuzzies that we look for in romance dramas. I liked it a lot and would highly recommend it for anyone that likes romantic dramas with some roots in some hard realities. My main critique is it started really slow. I am not, in general, a huge fan of just straight up drama.  Up until about episode 10, I was wondering what people liked about it.  But then it started to get REALLY good and I understand why it was very popular. And I also understood, a little, why that long, seemingly slow lead up mattered. But it was a really frustrating later as it kept flashing back and filling in details. There are few instances where I like stories told as flashbacks. I would rather just get the story in the order it occurred.  A technique that gets overused is to tell a skeleton of the crucial events and then use the flashbacks as the reveals. To me, the character finding out those details could be the reveals. Traveling back and forward in time can easily become disorganized chaos. In this story they use a realer like time line and show, as you travel back and forth, where you are at on that timeline during the cut scenes. That helped. But the fact that was necessary is an indicator of how much the story moved back and forth in time.



Synopsis



This is a 2025 Chinese Romantic drama with 32, 45 minute episodes. It was adapted from a novel by Zhu Yi and has the same title.  The main lead character in this played the brother in another Chinese drama "Hidden Love." There are references to the characters from Hidden Love and even a cameo or so. In terms of timeline this takes place partially, in the flash backs, during the same timeframe as the high school scenes in hidden love but after the main part of the story after high school.





Sang Yan (Bai Jingting) and Wen Yifan (Zhang Ruonan) were a high school couple until a series of misunderstandings drove them apart. Wen Yifan broke up with Sang Yan and they were both heart broken. Eight years later they are living very different lives. Sang Yan wealthy and lives in a nice apartment and is part owner of a popular bar and also a video game programmer. Wen Yifan is trying to break into the news reporting industry. She works for a smaller news program and is trying to get a big story to get more recognition and so she is promoted. Because of her limited economic means, she lives in a very impoverished area. Because she has very little resources and is alone in the world she lives in an apartment with multiple virtual strangers to keep living costs down. Due to her beauty she suffers many unwanted advances and has even been assaulted by unwanted admirers. Wen Yifan has avoided Sang Yan for over eight years but starts to bump into him more frequently and then finds herself in a co-habited rental where she knew she was getting a new roommate but did not realize it was the man she was trying so hard to avoid.



Spoilers



Her mother is among the worst I have seen. Call me vindictive but I was glad she told her just pretend like I was a victim of that serial killer you refused to save me from. Because, really, if she hadn't been a tough victim, that is what would have happened.  It was heart breaking when she called her mother begging her to get her out of the situation and saying she didn't feel safe and her mother basically saying suck it up. If you are that cold to someone, anyone, let alone your own child, you deserve to spend the rest of your life thinking of what you could have done better. She tried with her. FL did. She went to her house when the mom reached out but then her horrible aunt was there.  Her last string of trust was betrayed.  The fact that she did not forgive her made me like the show more.

I am also glad FL did not fall for her half-sister's ruse that she wanted to be close to her. I thought it was all about being able to get in with the ML through her. I loved that about the FL. I give you every chance to be a good human but if you don't take any of them then that bridged you burned is not repairable.  You reap what you sow.

If ever you wanted a ML who would walk through literal fire for the FL this was it. He loved her with a conviction and unwavering determination. Some might say he was "stalking" her.  I would agree if he ever approached her and she indicated she did not want him around.  There can be a fine line between the two. But he was clearing watching out for her. Checking in on her. 

I am not usually a fan of people leaving but, in her case, I totally understood. The treatment she dealt with was both physical and psychological torture. She genuinely thought people she cared about would do better without her. There was no malice in her actions.



#FirstFrost

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A very well done bullying and revenge drama

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean psychological thriller drama with 10, 49-64 minute episodes. It is based on a web toon of the same name.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Seong Soo-ji (Kim Ji-yeon) is a military child who has moved around her entire life and thinks she has the new student thing down. But that all changes when she enters an all girl school where the students in her class are playing a very dark game called the Pyramid Game. The “game” creates a stratified hieracrchy where those at the top of the pyramid can order and direct horrific acts of bullying and violence. As a new student, Soo-ji immediately finds herself at the bottom of the pyramid which means she is a target at the outset. Her father told her they would be moving on in about three months which seemed easy enough to survive until she became an unwilling participant of the game. To “win” and put an end to the “game” Seong Su-ji must figure out who started this game and why and among the girls around her, who all seem to be playing roles, who is actually good and who created and is perpetuation the evil “game”.


Review

This is a very well done bully and revenge theme drama.  They mostly skip the romance although there are a few characters where something seems to develop.  If you have read the web toon it sticks closely to that script with a variation at the ending.  The actors they cast fit very well with the way the characters are depicted in the manga.  I highly recommend this to anyone that likes this genre, is a fan of any of the actors, or are looking for something where there is little to no romance.  I would watch it again as it has a lot of depth and complexity.

 Spoilers

 It ends happy with all major plot points resolved.  Two aspects of the ending that I wasn’t as happy with are first, I though they could have easily made the relationship between Jo Seung Hwa (Jo Dong In), the convenience store worker and brother of the student severely bullied, and Seong Su Ji (Bona).  And I seriously disliked they introduced two new characters, twins, whom the school was renamed after, who were suggesting they wanted to play the Pyramid Game.  That was completely unnecessary.  And stupid.  First, you have Seong Su Ji in that class and she would never allow it to even start.  And, the rest of the class has already seen how the game can be stopped.  So, I think that the producers did that to open the door for a second season but a second season does not make sense with the same main characters in the mix. 

 I wish Soo Ji’s father, Sung Hee-Seok (Choi Dae-Chul) would have seen video of teacher Im Ju-Hyung (Choi Sung-won) smacking on his daughter.  We saw him getting arrested, but we could assume that was for the cheating and bribery and perhaps allowing the bullying.  But he should have been called out for the stuff he himself directly did to the students. 

 #PyramidGame #KimJiYeon. #JoDongIn #ChoiDaeChul.

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I have watched over 300 kdrama series at this point and I loved it

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 60 minute episodes.

First, I provide a unique synopsis and then review


Synopsis

 Go Eun-ha (Han Sun-hwa) is an influencer and web entertainer who has a persona “Sister Mini” with content targeted for young audiences.  She is beloved among her young followers, and they want whatever product placement items she shows.  When a milk product she was promoting lands children in the hospital, it sends Eun ha’s web career into a tailspin.  She offers to go on sabbatical to minimize the damage to the image of the company she works for as well as give herself time to personally recover from what she feels like is her responsibility.  During this volatile time, Eun ha encounters former mobster, and current CEO, Seo Ji-Hwan (Uhm Tae-goo) and his team of ex-cons who run a food company intended to offer ex-convicts a fresh start.  Ji Hwan is enamored with Eun ha and finds her television persona particularly compelling becoming a closet fan of her content.  And most of his closest friends and management team Joo Il-young (Kim Hyun-jin), Kwak Jae-soo (Yang Hyun-min), Jung Man-ho (Lee Yoo-joon), Yang Hong-ki (Moon Dong-hyeok), and Seo Dong-hee (Park Jae-chan) are willing to play match maker to see their mentor and friend find happiness. 

Review

I loved this. One of my new favorites. I have watched over 300, mostly korean, drama series now so I am really picky. I thought the characters were very well developed. The “thugs” were very likable and it exhibited how you can firm a family with people that love and mutually support each other. The friendships and romances were very heart warming. I highly recommend it and will be watching it again.

 
Spoilers

 Il Young and Koo Mi-ho’s (Moon Ji-in) second romance represents one of my favorite tropes.  The playboy who encounters that one girl he just can’t seem to forget.  I liked his friendship with Jihwan and her friendship with Eunha.  They were both very supportive friends and it made sense in their interactions, that ultimately got the main couple together, they would have noticed each other.

 I never felt too bad for second guy, Jang Hyun-woo (Kwon Yul) as he had so many opportunities to romance main girl but had this sort of aloof wait for her to catch the feels that was sure to make him lose out to the far more compelling Jihwan.  I found him very admirable in his support of main girl, and he was a stand-up person in telling Eunha the truth about who Jihwan was as well as his willingness to re-evaluate what he thought about Jihwan. He finally fully let go of her and just wished her happiness even if not with him. He was just a great guy who became a great friend for Jihwan as well.

 I loved the ex-con team.  They were such great friends to Jihwan and I liked the way they did not like Eunha at first but then became her greatest advocates.  Jaesoo calling Eunha “Little Rat” in derision in the beginning then later as a pet name was a cute addition to the storyline.

#MySweetMobster  #UhmTaeGoo  #HanSunHwa  #KwonYul   #KimHyunJin  #YangHyunMin   #LeeYooJoon   #MoonDongHyeok   #ParkJaeChan  #MoonJiIn

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Heartwarming romantic sports drama with coming of age , mystery and small town elements

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean coming of age, romantic, sports drama with 12, ~60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Coming from a family of decorated ssireum players, Kim Baek doo (Jang Dong yoon) becomes disillusioned when he is unable to excel as was expected of him. Feeling the pressure of being viewed as a prodigy, and not living up to his name, Baek doo goes through the motions of retiring. When his “soul mate”/childhood friend, Oh Yoo kyung/Oh Doo sik (Lee Ju myoung) returns after dropping out of contact for years, Baek doo feels re-energized to try again to rise to the top in his sport. Problem is this woman who looks exactly like his childhood friend in form and manner insists she is not Oh Doo sik. She says she is Oh Yoo kyung and appears to be married. Still she will be managing the ssireum team which puts the two in the same circle and gives Naek doo more opportunities to determine if she is actually his friend in disguise. With the team on the verge of collapse, it will take the two of them, the team and supporters to keep the team together. But why is Oh Doo sik really back and why is she pretending to be married?

Note: Ssireum is Korean wrestling sport that began in the Goryeo and Joseon period. Each opponent wears a cloth called a satba (belt) that loops around the waste and thigh. The opponets grab each other’s satba and make whatever moves it takes to get the other’s body, above the knee, to touch the ground.

Review

I really like sports dramas. This one is enjoyable on just the slice of life level and having the opportunity to learn more about ssireum. But it has mystery, romance, family and ftiendships all wrapped into one lovely drama series. I will likely watch it again and highly recommend it to others. It ends well and happy.

Spoilers

The way Baek doo mumbles to himself about all manner of things is cute and makes the character incredibly likable.

Part of the charm of Doo sik was her boyish ruff and tumble nature but I would have liked to see her soften more particularly with Baek doo. The way she smacked him in the head bordered on abusive and I did not enjoy that aspect of her character. She could be a bit cold to him and I thought her reasons for missing both of his matches were ridiculous. When you really care about someone you find a way to show up. Still after all,of that they admitted their feelings and got together at the very end. We got so little time seeing them as a couple, I would have liked a little more.

The big reveal on who the killer was fell flat because we did not get to know him much. I watched with my daughter and we were both like “rice cake who?” So it was not a shocking plot twist like I think they were trying for.

While it ended well it would have been even better to know what they were going to do about her living in Seoul and him living in their hometown. Other than her coming back for a visit, there was no mention of how they planned to manage the distance factor. It was also unclear if Baek doo would continue wrestling.

#LikeFlowersinSand. #Ssireum #JangDongYoon #LeeJuMyoung

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If you can look past the slapstick comedy elements it is a hidden gem rom com

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 Thai Dystopian Romantic Comedy Series with 6, 63-7 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

The show is set in a dystopian parallel universe where a virus has resulted in males representing only 1% of the population. The rarity of males has lead to the government raising them from birth in a controlled, secure, and luxurious environment (a gilded cage) called The Farm. Every Four Years a contest is held in the form of an elimination dating game where ladies are able to choose to marry an individual from a group of the young bachelors. In previous games, the contestants were chosen from elite families only but, for the first time, they hold a lottery to choose an average femalecitizen to compete. Darika Chokwithee or “Day” (Belle Kemisara Paladesh) is a hardworking young lady whose life centers around making sure her sister, May (Neen Neennara Boonnithipaisit) who has cancer, gets the best care. Her sister May though has always fan girled over the boys on the farm particularly Son (Blue Pongtiwat Tangwancharoen) who she particularly admires. While Day is busy working a variety of jobs, May focuses on getting as many entries as possible to the lottery. When a miracle happens and May’s entry is chosen, she talks Day into going in her place. Day could care less aboit some frivilous show until she discovers if she wins, and marries one of the men from “The Farm”, she can secure the future for herself and her sister including top quality medical care. But, things are not as they are portrayed and the game has been rigged for the top elite to have their choice of the men. Day’s friend, Valentine (Jane Jaytiya Naiwattanakul) is working with a counter group, and goes to work for the show as the spy inside. Can true love overcome odds so heavily weighed against it?

Review

If ypu can see past some of the siily slapstick aspects around the game show, it is a hidden gem. It can be hard to find a truely feel good romantic comedy like this one. This is cute, not super complex, and ends happily with all major plot elememts neatly resolved. It is short but the number of episodes were enough to tell the story well. I would rewatch it in the future and recommend it as a heartwarming romantic comedy. I could habe done without the boy love and girl love elements but it was not hyper sexualized content in general so it was not a big deal.

Spoilers

The only very slight detractor for me was some of the three stooges level comedy. But it did make me giggle a couple of times as it was so incredibly silly.

Despite the relative light fluff of the main story, there are some deeper messages. What is health and safety without freedom? The men on the Farm are living in the highest level of safety with every luxury but they are not free.

If there was ever a situation like that we can all envision where the elite would likely control it. Natural selection and genetic diversity is what keeps a population strong and healthy. So their “selection” system would be horrible from that perspective. But if you think of inbreeding among royal lines in the past, and the genetic issues that caused, it is not surprising.

Almond’s (Man Trisanu Soranun) fear and decision to stay behind makes sense considering the psychology of a situation like that. It is like opening a cage and the bird or whatever either does not leave or uses it as a home base.

#ReadySetLove #BelleKemisaraPaladesh #NeenNeennaraBoonnithipaisit #BluePongtiwatTangwancharoen #JaneJaytiyaNaiwattanakul #ManTrisanuSoranun

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A Nice Contract Marriage Romance

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Japanese romance series with 10, 45-60 minute episodes. Also known under the Japanese title Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi

First I provide a Unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Hanada (Kanna Hashimoto) has had a tough life because she is so pretty people assume she uses her looks to get ahead and treat her poorly as a result. She has a hard time keeping jobs because customers pock up on her and colleagues are jealous. She finally gets a job as a wedding planner and thinks she has finally landed a job she can keep. It is not long though and trouble starts there, landing her in the office of the company President. Togo Nitta (Ryosuke Yamada) has turned down a variety of eligible women preferring to be alone to having a fake relationship. His focus is on increasing the sales for the bridal company to prove his ability as his father’s successor. When he sees Ayuka he comes up with a mutually beneficial plan in the form of a marriage contact. She needs money for her struggling family and he can use the perfect marriage to promote his business. No pesky feelings involved right?

Review

It is a nicely paced romance with a happy ending. If you like the cold CEO type, contract marriages and/or cinderella like stories this is a good one for all of that.

Spoiler

I found the plot point that being too attractive has its own set of problems compelling. It is a phenomenon not frequently recognized but those that have experienced it know it exists.

She had a way about her that she remained positive despite people treating her unfairly due to assumptions they made about her. They were perfect for each other as each led ampn isolated life for different reasons

I was a little disappointed when he broke it off with her and was pursuing an arranged marriage. That is one of my least favorite tropes. I was glad she realized what was going in and basically told him knock it off.

#KissingtheRingFinger

#KannaHashimoto

#RyosukeYamada

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Heartwarming family drama with bonus super sweet friends to lovers like romance

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 Chinese drama with 40, ~45 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis and then review.

Synopsis
Li Jianjian (Tan Songyun) lost her mother who died in child birth but has a dad, Li Haichow, (Tu Songyan) who loves people. He is the dad everyone wants and winds up taking in He Ziqiu (Zhang Xincheng) after making a comment to his single mom that if she doesn’t want her son he would take him. A police officer and his wife move in upstairs and their fights become the talk of the building as the thin walls allow everyone to overhear their conflicts. Ling Xiao (Song Weilong) spends a lot of his time quietly reading on the communal stairs to get out of the apartment when his parents are fighting. The Li’s are determined to invite the young boy into their warm apartment to share meals rather than sadly sitting on the stairs. It is not long before Xiao’s mother leaves the family and now it is just the boy and his dad. The two single fathers become close relying on each other to raise the three kids. This series follows this heartwarming family through many stages of life.

Review
The child actress who plays young Li Jianjian is cute like Shirley Temple. She is kind, courageous and a little mischievous and both boys wind up drawn to her energy. I love the two dads and especially Haichow who uses his culinary skills to feed those that need not only the meal but the human caring. The way it portrays the concept of family as not just those with blood ties, but those that take care of and love each other in a formed family unit is very touching.

I highly recommend this for a sweet, friends to lovers coming of age romance. It is a great family drama. There are many comedic moments that flow very naturally. I enjoyed it start to finish. It ended happily with all major plot points resolved.

Spoilers*

I read elsewhere and I have to agree her proudly declaring she is menustrating to the table of her all male family is funny. It does not even cross her mind that it might make them uncomfortable. But they do their best to help the only female in their midst mature even doing things like gifting her a bra in secret.

Some reviewers felt weird with both of her brothers liking her romantically. Her ”oldest brother”, Ling Xiao (Song Wei Long) was not a blood relative and did not even live in the same apartment. So them harboring romantic feelings was not weird to me at all. The younger brother, He Zi Qiu (Zhang Xin Chang) was thinking along those lines but it was more from his deep desire to be a part of the family officially than real romantic feelings for his ”sister”. They were not blood related either but they were close to being step siblings and, in the end, they were officially step siblings. But other than a brief encounter when he had some romantic feels for her when they were decorating pastry (he was sort of back hugging her to guide her hands) he was more like “ooh sister cooties“ when she jokingly suggested they kiss. I think he was briefly confused about the nature of his feelings for her and they sorted out as more brotherly.

The filial above all else was a problem for me with this one as they even largely encouraged forgiving and looking the other way on behaviors that were physically and emotionally abusive. Chen Ting (Yang Tong Shu), Ling Xiao’s mom, was awful, she was abusive to her husband, Ling He Ping (Zhang Xi Lin) and her son when tgey were married then abandoned her young son to let her now ex, He Ping and super dad, Li Hao Chao (Tu Song Yan) raise him. She returns later, remarried, with a step sister in tow and expects the son she abandoned to just pick up where she left off. And it was not just that expected it the adultsdid a bit by not putting an immediate full stop to it. I looked up the child abuse laws in China because I was curious about the adults lack of intervention. It doesn’t appear like there’s a lot they really could’ve done if they had chose to press the issue at least not legally. But I would have been a harpy so that it was in inconvenient enough that she just left him alone. In the end they try to make it out Chen ting finally saw the light but I still thought she was horrible as she was emotionally blackmailing them with suicide even then. Shenwas not even close to repairing any if the emotional damage she caused and would likely continue to cause. In my opinion someone that behaved like that has borderline personality disorder. She exhibited all the major traits which include: Unstable relationships, sense of self, and emotions, impulsivity, recurrent suicidal behavior and self-harm, fear of abandonment, chronic feelings of emptiness, inappropriate anger, feeling detached from reality. The disorder cannot be cured but can improve with therapy. She was not seeking help with her persiponality issues so she would continue to do things both emotionally and physically harmful.

Then there was Little Big Brother’s biological dad, Zhao Hua Guang (Liu Jin Long) and he was also awful and abusive. He, admittedly did not take care of his son when he was young, because he was too poor to afford taking care of a child so he let him be raised by others. Then he makes money and thinks he cannot have children with his new wife so he comes back and expects Zi Qui to just to turn his back on the people that care for him, and raised him all those years. Then rather than asking nicely and being so pleasant, his son would want to come with him he blackmailed him and threatened to harm the only family the son knew and loved if he did not do as he wished.

Then there was her friend and roommate Luo Hong (Mei Ling Zhen) whi had a crush in Big Brother, Ling Xiao, and was angry when she mistakingly thought he had romantic feelings for her but only saw her as a good friend. She was willing to give up her years long friendship with Jianjian out of a situation of her own making. Then she takes her mom’s side when her parents are going to divorce criticizing her father for not being there and her mom doing it all when she was a housewife and he was working to support the family. It was the same with Zi Qiu’s police officer father and his mom, also a housewife who could not cope with her young children so much she locks them up so she Can go play cards then blames her son (like an abuser) amd her husband for her daughter’s tragic death. I found Luo Hing an unlikable character.

#Zhang Xinchang
#TanSongyun
#GoAhead
#TuSongyan
#SongWeiLong

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