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  • Last Online: 2 days ago
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Texas USA
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  • Join Date: February 14, 2020
  • Awards Received: Flower Award1

dramadisciple

Texas USA

dramadisciple

Texas USA
Completed
Jao Sao Jum Yorm
2 people found this review helpful
Mar 3, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

Not your typical Thai drama

When I first saw this dramas description I skipped over it. How could a person go from marrying the love of their life to sleeping with a total stranger all in the same day? I didn’t think I’d like their characters much. But thankfully the glowing reviews made me give it a try and I’m so glad I did. Once you start watching the drama it all makes sense. Let me explain.

The female lead (May) and the male lead (Kade) are getting married to other people on the same day. Then their fiancé’s abandon them and run off together. May is terribly upset, not because of a deep passionate love, but because of the betrayal. She has PTSD from a past trauma and doesn’t trust men. And since her childhood friend is the only man she’s ever trusted and she doesn’t think she could ever trust another man, she agrees to marry him. So his betraying her and leaving without a word hurts her deeply. Kade on the other hand, wasn’t even dating the woman he was marrying. He had a crush on her when they were younger but now he sees her as a little sister. But when he finds out she’s pregnant (by her ex boyfriend) and not in a good place mentally, he offers to marry her in order to protect her. So both leads aren’t in love with their fiancé’s, but they are hurt by the way they were treated. And when they meet the sparks fly! Boy do they have chemistry!

Even though this drama does have a couple of the typical Thai drama slap and kiss scenes in the beginning, it’s quite different from most Thai dramas. The male lead is very sweet and totally devoted to the female lead. Even though he is rich, he is never rough or forceful with her and treats her with respect. He’s not a womanizer or an arrogant jerk either. And the female lead is not your typical weak female that cries all of the time and is dirt poor. She is wealthy, strong, independent and sassy. And their wardrobe is stunning! I loved seeing these two independent headstrong individuals clash. They have amazing character growth as they learn how to love and trust again.

The romance is done perfectly here. It’s not insta love but it’s definitely insta attraction and they sizzle together. He accepts the attraction and immediately pursues her. But she’s in denial and has trust issues to overcome. Be prepared for lots of hugs, kisses, hand holding, and flirting. I really liked how natural and realistic their relationship was.

The storyline was really good. There’s lots of twists and turns. Even though you can figure out who the bad guy is pretty quickly, the journey along the way is interesting. There’s kidnappings, car chases, sabotage, lots of fight scenes, and hidden identities to keep things fast paced. I was never bored. It has an original plot, great actors, and charming side characters. There are multiple couples that were pretty interesting with great stories of their own. There’s no second lead syndrome and no true love triangles.

Overall I would highly recommend this drama. It was one of the best Thai dramas that I’ve watched. I love male leads that are kind snd sweet instead of those typical arrogant CEO’s most dramas have. And I like a woman that is strong and confident. And all of the side characters are great. If there was any negative I would have to say it would be that the female lead teases the male lead for too long. She knows how she feels about him but refuses to admit it to him. She eventually admits that she just really enjoys teasing him because his reactions are so cute. But her eventual confession is dragged out for way too long. And it does get a little cheesy sometimes, but what romance drama doesn’t? It’s not a perfect drama but it comes pretty darn close.
Don’t miss this gem!

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Completed
Once We Get Married
1 people found this review helpful
Jun 30, 2022
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.5

Perfect romance & sizzling chemistry will make you overlook the cliche’s

Is this some boring drama full of clichés that I’ll regret watching? Or is it a sweet fluffy romcom with a sizzling romance I’ll love? The reviews seem very divided on this one. I put off watching it for a long time due to some of the reviews and comments. After watching it I completely understand where people are coming from. I’ll just say this, if you absolutely live for really romantic dramas with lots of kisses and skinship where the romance is done perfectly, you’ll love this drama. But if you hate clichés, you expect more out of a drama than just romance, and you’re not into laidback slice of life type dramas, then you should skip this one.

The romance in this drama is done perfectly. There’s no insta love. They get to know each other over time and slowly fall in love. They have a healthy relationship and trust each other. And when issues pop up they actually talk to each other instead of making assumptions. Their chemistry is on fire and there’s lots of real kisses and skinship too. I also like that the female lead isn’t your typical shy scared of intimacy type of female like you normally see in dramas. Once they get together neither of them are shy about expressing their feelings physically. Even though this drama is full of clichés the romance had a lot of characteristics that were very unique like the healthy relationship, great communication, no silly misunderstandings and no breakups. I found the romance to be very touching and memorable.

The male lead is more complex than he seems at first glance. He has a really nice dad but his mom was overly strict with him when raising him. She even threw away any toys he got overly attached to saying emotional attachments make us weak. Anytime he really liked something she got rid of it. So the male lead believes that the more you like something the more likely you are to lose it. Therefore he refrains from getting emotionally attached to anyone or anything. He’s become this cold distant CEO whose world revolves around the business he created. So when circumstances call for him to marry the female lead in order to secure a huge partnership his company really needs, he doesn’t hesitate to enter into a contract marriage with her. He’s not a naturally cold person, he was just raised to distrust feelings of any sort. So on one hand you see this smart mature man that is very smooth and confident. Then on the other hand you see this petty jealous man child that doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings because he’s emotionally stunted. I loved his complexity and enjoyed watching his character grow and mature as he eventually accepted his feelings and learned how to deal with them.

The female lead is a very strong feisty woman that doesn’t let anything hold her back. She’s very smart, stands up for herself, and always has a comeback to anyone that harasses her. I like her spunk. And even though the male lead criticizes her intelligence in the beginning, when she helps him solve a crisis at work he finally acknowledges her intellect. I’ve always liked a smart sassy female lead so I definitely liked her character. And even though she was constantly being saved, they never portrayed her as being dumb or helpless. When she was being setup she was smart enough to record the encounter. She always made sure a friend was nearby for help too. So her needing saving had no bearing on her intelligence, it’s just that things don’t always go as planned. But overall I liked her character and was rooting for her the whole time.

So if the drama was so great, why didn’t I give it a perfect 10? Well as you’ve probably heard, it has a ton of clichés. Like a lot. The second female lead has an unrequited love for the male lead and constantly attacks the female lead. Then you have the typical second male lead that is in love with the female lead. There’s also tons of falling into each other’s arms and accidentally kissing between the main leads too. So I had to take a full point off because of the clichés. I took another point off for the storyline, or I guess the lack of one. There’s really not much to this drama except the romance. They really don’t go much into the female leads design business nor the male leads company. There isn’t any past trauma to heal from or evil antagonist out to take over the business or get revenge. It’s just basically a love story about the main leads lives and how they overcome a lot of obstacles to find their happiness together.

But for some reason despite the problems I had with this drama, I really liked it. I liked how perfectly they did the romance. I loved a lot of the characters, especially the male leads grandma. Her shenanigans in trying to push the main leads together was too cute. Her little giggles every time she pulled a fast one on them had me laughing. She really did want them to be together and was their biggest supporter. And even though I hate evil second leads that cause problems and misunderstandings, nothing really bad happened. The second female lead was a bully but she never tried to physically harm the female lead or ruin her. She just did stupid little irritating things. Fortunately, they were all resolved very quickly. And I loved that the male lead saw right through her and confronted her on it. And he made it clear he would never be interested in her romantically. And when the second female lead said she was the better choice because she could help the male lead in his business ventures, I loved his response. He said; “You don’t understand love. Love isn’t like a business deal. It’s not an equal exchange. Even if she does nothing for me and I do everything for her I’m happy to do so because I love her. Love isn’t about what the other person can do for you it’s about doing things for them because you want them to be happy. Because if they are happy then you’re happy. That’s what love is, that’s it.” The drama was so touching that I ended up adding a half point back and giving it an 8.5. And if I rewatch it a lot and it becomes one of those dramas I just can’t forget I may bump up the score even higher. We will just have to see.

In conclusion, it’s a drama you’ll either love or hate depending on your preferences. Some love it because of the epic romance. Others just can’t get past all of the cliches. I say the cliches aren’t that bad because of the main leads superb chemistry and the great acting. I’m a sucker for a romance where the leads have a healthy relationship with good communication, no breakups, amazing chemistry, lots of kisses, and tons of skinship. So if you’re a romance addict like me you’ll love it. If you’re wanting more than romance and hate cliches you might want to skip this one. But as far as I’m concerned this was a great drama. It was far from perfect but I found it very touching.


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Completed
Legally Romance
1 people found this review helpful
May 14, 2022
33 of 33 episodes seen
Completed 7
Overall 8.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

It’s never too late to start over

How many times have we watched dramas where the second male lead wishes he had met the female lead first? Or had confessed first? They always lament “if I had met her first or had made my move on her first then she would be with me now. I know I would have made her happy.” Well this drama starts out with that unique idea. The second male lead meets the female lead first then confesses and becomes her boyfriend right before the male lead is about to confess. But does meeting someone first or confessing first really make a difference? Is it all up to chance based on who meets who first or is there more involved? And if you meet the wrong person first and miss out on being with your ideal mate, can you go back and change things? Can it be fixed? I love the journey this drama takes us on as it explores the answers to these questions.

One thing that is important to take note of before you watch this drama is that you will be very confused as to what timeline the female lead is in during her coma if you don’t pay close attention. It switches between present events and past memories frequently. And since it’s all happening in the same college setting, her clothing and appearance is almost identical. The best way to tell the difference is in her appearance. During current events she has much shorter hair and her ponytail barely goes past her shirt collar. But in her memories of her past she has much longer hair and her ponytail trails down the middle of her back. So watch for her hair length. Shorter hair is current events and longer hair is memories of her past.

The storyline for this drama is very unique and interesting. In college the female lead is so focused on competing academically with the male lead that she never thinks of him as anything but a rival. Unfortunately this leads her to being in a long term relationship with the second male lead who is all wrong for her. He’s a nice guy but they don’t have the same goals or dreams in life. She ends up getting sidetracked by him and puts him and his needs above her own. Her grades, academic achievements, and career choices suffer because of it. So the drama starts out in the present time which is 10 years after the female lead met the male lead and the second male lead. She’s still in a relationship with the second male lead but is miserable and her life is a wreck. She’s regretting a lot of her life’s choices and wishes fervently that she could go back and do it all over again. It’s at this time that she is injured and goes into a coma. And during the coma she finds herself back in college. Her wish comes true and she gets to go back and correct all of the mistakes she made in the past.

I like the female leads personality. She’s not a pushover nor is she one of those cheerful happy little airheads either. She’s a very hardworking goal oriented person with very high moral standards. She has a very strong sense of justice and fights intensely for those in need. I like how it’s her life’s goal to make a difference in this world for the poor and the needy. Her biggest problem though is that she got sidetracked by love and made some very poor choices that had a huge negative impact on her life. To make matters worse, she doesn’t correct those mistakes so her life continues to go nowhere. But she finally realizes that it’s never too late to start over. She makes some tough choices but it’s for the best. Seeing her character grow and mature was a joy to watch.

The male lead was unique. He wasn’t some cold domineering CEO like you usually see in office romances which was refreshing. He’s been in love with the female lead for 10 years protecting her and taking care of her the best he can. But his pride and fear of losing her keeps him from ever confessing to her. On the outside he’s proud and confident. Yet on the inside he’s in constant turmoil as he worries over her and deals with his unrequited love. He’s a tortured soul that you can’t help but root for. So when he finally finds the courage to open his heart to her, I was very touched.

I like the the underlying theme this drama had. We often wish we could go back and correct all of our past mistakes. But that’s just a pipe dream, an impossibility. Dwelling on past mistakes that can’t be changed will only bring us down. Wiping the slate clean so to speak and starting over is a really tough choice, especially after investing 10 years into a relationship like in the female leads situation. But starting over romance and career wise was the best choice for her. Many others in the drama had to make similar choices and do what’s right which meant letting everything go and starting over. But in the end it was the best choice they had ever made. We often think it’s too late to start over but its never too late. So don’t dwell on the past but work on making a better future for yourself, even if it means having to wipe the slate clean and start from scratch.

The romance in this drama was pretty good. There were lots of very realistic kisses, hugs, and cuddles. You could also feel the emotional connection the leads had together. The analogy of how the right person is like a puzzle piece that fits perfectly into the right spot in your heart was so true. With the wrong person your life can go downhill really fast. But with the right person things flow so smoothly and you’re so much happier. Choosing the perfect mate for yourself makes a big difference in your overall happiness in life. This wasn’t a spicy drama romance wise but it was very sweet, cute, and endearing.

My only complaints would be that this is advertised as an office romance but two thirds of the drama is spent in a college setting. I felt like I was watching a college romcom, not an office romance, so the title and description are a bit misleading. So for that reason I took off a point. The other issue I had with this drama was the confusing jump from present time to the past. In both situations the female lead is wearing similar clothes and hairstyles and it’s in the same college setting. So I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out where she was, past or present, and what was going on. A drama shouldn’t confuse it’s audience like that. So for this reason I deducted another point.

Overall I’d definitely recommend this drama. It has a very unique setting, it teaches a lesson, the romance is sweet, and the acting is superb. Just be aware that it’s a college romance the majority of the time and keep an eye on the female leads hair so you don’t get confused when she has flashbacks of her memories and you’ll be fine.

Spoilers ahead
(Was it all really just a dream?)

How do we know it was a dream and not a parallel universe or time traveling as some suggest? When the female lead comes out of her coma in episode 23 the title of the episode is “You And I Were In A Dream.” And from then on they consistently refer to it as her dreams. They never say she time traveled or was in a parallel universe. The doctor said it was normal to have very realistic dreams while in a coma. And when the female lead wakes up from her coma, she even says it was nothing but a sweet dream. Then episode 24 is entitled “The Gap Between Dreams and Reality.” She asked the doctor why she had dreams of stuff she had no knowledge of. The doctor said the nerve damage from her fall injured her brain. So while she was in the coma he told her family and friends to remind her of the past. This would help to trigger and activate the damaged neurons in her brain. They most likely told her of things that she didn’t know about or wasn’t aware had happened since they were speaking from their own personal experiences. Then these new tidbits of information were incorporated into her dreams. Which in turn drastically changed the choices she had previously made. Realizing that the male lead had been her protector, not her rival, made her choose him instead. Knowing that the second male lead would choose his career over love made her reject him. All of this helps her to realize that she needs to make some big changes in her life moving forward. Even though she can’t change the bad choices she made in the past she can make better choices for her future. So her comatose dreams were very helpful and helped her to grow as a person.








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Completed
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 12, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.5

Phenomenal acting saved this drama

After reading so many conflicting reviews I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was it touching and sweet? Yes. Was the acting good? I was blown away by the acting skills of this entire cast. Did the main leads have chemistry? Absolutely! So why didn’t I give it a perfect 10? Two reasons: the pacing of the drama and the storyline. (Don’t worry, I’ll be addressing a lot of good stuff about this drama later. But let’s get the bad out of the way first).

First, let’s talk about the pacing. Yes, I know it’s a slice of life drama which is typically slow paced, which I expected. I love slice of life dramas and adored You Are My Glory (my all time favorite slice of life drama). But it wasn’t the slow pacing of the drama that bothered me. It was how the drama started out a little slower than normal, then continued at a very relaxed laidback pace, then suddenly out of nowhere it had major drama and angst in the last few episodes. I felt like I was watching a melodrama. I’m not talking about small misunderstandings or love triangles. It got much deeper and darker. Not only does a beloved character die but someone almost committed suicide. It was such a light, fluffy, relaxing drama that I never expected death and suicide to be the main topics of discussion in those last few episodes. If they had paced things better it would have been a far better drama. It was very slow for a good deal of the drama with very little excitement. Then there was too much excitement and angst crammed into the last few episodes. If the excitement and angst had been sprinkled throughout the drama in little bits it would have been perfect. I appreciated all of the various topics that were touched upon. Like death, mental health issues, the effects of divorce on both parents & children, and alternative lifestyles. But most of these issues were hinted at and slowly built up throughout the drama but didn’t really come to light till the last few episodes. So it seemed like everything happened all at once near the end. If each issue had been dealt with separately throughout the drama it would have been more interesting and more evenly paced.

Now let’s address the main problem of this drama, the storyline. I think the reason it felt slower than normal for so long was because of the basic setting of the story. The female lead is a dentist, which is not a very exciting job. Then the male lead doesn’t really have a career, he just fills in wherever he’s needed all around town. Most of his jobs are uninteresting like waiting tables or making coffee at the local coffee shop. And since slice of life dramas mainly focus on the lead characters daily lives, I found it a bit slow and uninteresting at times, especially when it involved their jobs. And since it was set in a laidback quiet little town in the countryside, there wasn’t much excitement. I normally enjoy a laidback drama, I find them relaxing. But this one was just too calm and sedate for my tastes. If the main leads had more interesting careers or had it been set in a more exciting location, the drama would have been much better.

Now for the good stuff: the acting. The acting of the entire cast was far above average. I’ve watched hundreds of dramas and it’s extremely rare for me to like the entire cast. But they acted their butts off. I think that’s why this drama has such great ratings. These amazing actors took a drama with pacing and storyline issues and elevated it to one of the top dramas of the year. I don’t expect it to get drama of the year, but to have everyone talking about the possibility is a testament to their fine acting.

One of the things I always look for in a drama is character growth. And I was thrilled to see lots of that in this drama. All across the board each and every character grew and changed. They learned from their past mistakes and became better people. I enjoyed watching them become better versions of themselves.

With a romance drama the chemistry between the leads is essential and these leads oozed chemistry. They are both gorgeous and seemed very attracted to each other. There’s lots of kisses, flirting, and hand holding. But I wish there had been a little more skinship. And the kisses were too light and delicate. The sweet delicate kisses are more appropriate for youth dramas. When the actors are more mature then steamy kisses are expected and much more realistic. That being said, I still loved their romance and looked forward to their romantic moments. Just don’t expect a real life romance between the two. The female lead is already taken. (Shout out to Kim Woo Bin.)

My favorite thing about this drama and what I think makes everyone like it so much is that it has some deep underlying messages, such as:

First: don’t judge a book by its cover, the image people portray may not be who they really are.

Second: Burying a pain deep inside will only make the pain worse. Just like an impacted wisdom tooth, if you don’t pull it out it will just hurt more.

Third: No occupation or lifestyle is superior to another.

Fourth: Appreciate the small things in life, they are what brings true happiness, not money or fancy careers.

In conclusion, I now understand why the reviews are so varied. Slice of life dramas are not everyone’s cup of tea. You will only like this if you’re into slice of life dramas that are slower paced. Yes this is slower paced than most slice of life dramas but the acting is phenomenal, the leads have chemistry, the side characters are interesting, there’s lots of character growth, and it teaches some valuable lessons. I probably won’t watch it again because it’s a bit too calm and sedate to bring me back a second time. But I loved how fuzzy and warm it made me feel. The ending is so touching and sweet and not cheesy at all. I would definitely recommend it but only for those who like slower paced slice of life type of dramas.

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Completed
My Roommate Is a Gumiho
1 people found this review helpful
Aug 4, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 7.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.5

Sweet, cute, & funny

This is a light fluffy romcom with very little angst or melodrama. If you’re looking for something simple and easy to watch that doesn’t make you think too much and has a cute romance, then you’ll love this drama. But if you’re looking for something with an intriguing storyline or a spicy sexy romance with lots of skinship, then this is not the drama for you.

All of the actors in this drama did a great job. They made me laugh, they made me angry, and they made me cry. The acting was way above average. I give top marks to their acting.

The romance is a bit of a slow burn in the beginning but once they get together they are very cute. This isn’t a spicy romance with lots of skinship. It’s more of a sweet cute type of romance. There are several steamy kiss scenes and a very brief bedroom scene towards the end, but for the most part, there isn’t a lot of physical touching between the main leads. As a Gumiho he craves a humans energy and fears he will harm her if he touches her too much so for a good part of the drama they refrain from touching each other. They are very sweet together and have great chemistry. But I was left wishing they had more romantic moments between them. I took a half star off because the romance left me wishing there were was a little more to it.

The storyline was what I had the biggest issue with. The first few episodes were interesting but after that I found it getting a little slow. It took forever for the main leads to get together and there wasn’t much to the storyline other than their romance. So I took a star off for the slow start that almost made me drop it (I’m glad I didn’t.)

The storyline is a bit simple and mainly revolves around the male lead wanting to become a human and his romance with the female lead. A deity called “the mountain spirit” or the “old man” shows up a few times, and there’s an evil spirit that briefly creates chaos, but they only seem to appear when they’re needed to move the story along. The evil spirit just gives up and disappears without an explanation. And the deity is given no backstory as to who he is or why he does the things he does. So I took another star off for the lack of depth in the storyline and it’s side characters.

Even though there were several things I didn’t like, there’s still a lot of things I did like about this drama. The comedy is really good. There aren’t any evil antagonists trying to cause problems for the main leads. And there are no mean family members trying to break up the main leads either. There’s no love triangles or second leads causing misunderstandings. And I also like that’s it’s not full of angst and melodrama. And I loved the fact that they didn’t have any breakups, time jumps, or lengthy separations.

Overall I’d say this is a decent drama that’s worth watching. It isn’t a masterpiece but it’s cute, sweet, and funny. I wish the storyline and side characters had more depth. And it does start off a bit slow. But the main leads are cute together and it’s got some great comedy. It’s definitely worth watching.


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Completed
Mysterious Love
1 people found this review helpful
Jul 11, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

A bit cliche but worth watching

This isn’t really a romcom so if you’re looking for lots of laughs then you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a drama with an interesting storyline and a sizzling romance and don’t mind a few cliches thrown in along the way then you’ve come to the right place.

The storyline is pretty original with a few twists and turns to keep it interesting. I liked that there were several villains throughout the drama which kept it from getting predictable and boring. I also liked that both main leads are tough and can hold their own. If it weren’t for the cliche guy obsessed with the female lead and the cliche girl obsessed with the male lead it would have been much better. I’m so tired of seeing that scenario in almost every drama I watch nowadays. But the second male lead and his romance with the female leads best friend made up for that. I enjoyed watching their little romance. The side characters were well fleshed out and thankfully there weren’t any love triangles which was so refreshing.

The romance was the best part of this drama. Not only are both leads gorgeous, but they had great chemistry. The kisses were pretty steamy and there were plenty of them. The romance wasn’t cliche at all either. In fact it was pretty original. There weren’t any accidental falls into the male leads arms or second leads sabotaging the main leads by creating misunderstandings between them. Instead we see the male lead make some original moves like smoothly maneuvering the female lead into his lap on a bus. It was also nice seeing them together fairly early on and getting to enjoy their romance for a good deal of the drama. Overall the romance was done really well.

The male lead is a smooth confident and very charming guy. Even though he was orphaned at a young age he’s brilliant and was able to create a lucrative security company that provides protection to the elite upperclass. His charismatic personality along with his superb fighting skills reminded me of James Bond. He’s a bit high handed and aggressive with the female lead sometimes but I’ve always been a sucker for strong alpha males as long as they are respectful of women. And the male lead was a complete gentleman throughout the drama.

The female lead is smart, confident, talented, and capable of taking care of herself. On numerous occasions she got away from those trying to harm her all by herself. Yes the male lead does rescue her a few times but she helps him out too. I like how she saw through the women that tried to make her jealous or misunderstand things. She’s definitely not one of those annoying female leads. I found her character very likable.

In conclusion I would say this is definitely a drama I’d recommend watching. The storyline is great, the acting is great, the romance sizzles, and you can tell it was a high budget drama. I did deduct a full star for both main leads having someone obsessed with them without much of a reason for the obsession other than to move the story along. And to make matters worse they were so obsessed that they were willing to kill to be with them. I also deducted half a star because of the numerous flashbacks. There were multiple flashbacks every episode. It got tiresome and confusing at times. But it’s still a great drama that doesn’t get too melodramatic and is pretty balanced. Most misunderstandings get resolved fairly quickly and it’s well paced. This is a drama that shouldn’t be skipped. I really enjoyed watching it.



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Completed
Make My Heart Smile
1 people found this review helpful
Jun 13, 2021
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Light fluffy romcom with likable characters

This is an easy watch that’s low on angst, high on romance, and has really likable characters. I wish the story had more depth but the acting was really good. And there’s some great side characters that are fun to watch.

The storyline:
The dramas description doesn’t really tell you what the basic storyline is about which might lead to confusion because it jumps right into the story so let me fill you in. The FL (Ye Wei Mian) has an identical twin sister (Ye Zheng Han) who is in a coma from a car accident. They are both in college but at different campuses with different majors. The FL pretends to be her sister at her sisters college to help her with an important scholarship she desperately needs. She also keeps up with her own college classes and works several part time jobs. She’s so exhausted she ends up accidentally breaking the ML’s birthday gift for his mother when delivering it to his house. It’s super expensive so she ends up paying for it by pretending to be the ML’s girlfriend which his mother says is the best birthday gift she could ever receive (I loved his mom). And he’s happy because it gets his mom off his back about him needing to find a girlfriend.

The female lead:
I was a bit apprehensive about the FL because it looked like she might be one of those annoying FL’s that are silly and naive and is always needing the ML’s help. But I was pleasantly surprised when she ended up being very smart and hardworking. She’s already a great designer with her own online shop. And the way she’s always dancing, laughing, or singing makes it understandable why people are drawn to her. She seems pretty happy with her life and is very positive all the time. I just got good vibes from her.

The male lead:
What can I say? He’s super hot and the perfect boyfriend. I love a male lead that knows what he wants and goes after it. And the way he shuts down the girl chasing after him every time she makes a play for him was refreshing. Even though he’s your typical super smart successful rich male lead, he’s very charismatic, charming and funny too. If you like shirtless scenes and a male lead that knows how to kiss, you’ll love this guy!

What I didn’t like:
The storyline was the weak point in this drama. The whole entire drama is about the twin swap and the problems it causes. If the drama had shown more of their family life and backgrounds or had went into more detail about their future goals it would have been more interesting. It just seemed to lack depth. Fortunately there is character growth, some cute side romances, and lots of great comedy which makes it worth watching. Plus the romance sizzles with lots of kisses and skinship which is a must for me when watching a romance drama.

The maid outfit controversy:
The FL is trying on formal dresses for a fancy event when one of the dresses looks a lot like a maids uniform. The ML says “you look like a Filipino maid.” Her dress did resemble a maids outfit and I think that’s all they were trying to convey because it wasn’t appropriate for the event they were going to attend. Was it disrespectful to say that? Yes. Could it offend some people? Yes. But for so many people to watch only one episode then give the entire drama one star based on a single isolated comment they didn’t like is ludicrous. I was more offended by the numerous reviews giving the drama one star and calling it racist after only watching one episode than I was about the comment itself. Fortunately, most websites and apps have removed that comment from the drama. And despite all those unjustified one star reviews, the dramas ratings are still quite good which proves that it’s a decent drama worth watching.

Final thoughts:
This isn’t the best drama I’ve watched but it’s not the worst either. I guess it’s somewhere in between. It lacks depth and has a predictable storyline. But the acting is amazing, the comedy is really good, and the characters are delightful. If you’re looking for something light, fluffy, romantic, and easy to watch then this is the drama for you. It’s a decent drama and I’m glad I watched it.

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My Little Happiness
1 people found this review helpful
Feb 25, 2021
28 of 28 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

A very chill, laidback, feel good drama

This is one of those dramas that gives you a warm cozy feeling like you’re sipping on hot cocoa while snuggling under a warm blanket reading a good book. It just gives off chill laid back vibes. Some may call it slow because its more focused on the leads everyday lives and careers and there’s not a lot of angst. But that’s how slice of life dramas are supposed to be. They don’t use misunderstandings, overbearing parents, or scheming second leads to make the drama interesting. Instead, they delve further into normal everyday situations finding deeper meanings and understandings of things. And this is a classic example of how a good slice of life drama should be. It pairs soft sweet music with the poetic musings of various characters thoughts throughout the drama which I found both interesting and endearing.

And can I just say how refreshing it is to finally have a Chinese drama that doesn’t dress its female lead in odd looking clothes that are at least two sizes too big? It’s one of my biggest gripes about Chinese dramas lately. Fortunately this female leads wardrobe is not only form fitting but it’s very stylish and flattering too. And speaking of the female lead, I just love that she’s a strong, confident, woman that knows exactly what she wants and is willing to put in the hard work it will require to achieve her dreams. And even though she’s confident, she’s not arrogant or rude. I also like what she says about her desire to be a lawyer and why she has such a strong sense of justice. She says; “the silent majority is a victims accomplice. I can’t stay silent. As long as I can make even a little bit of change to society then my dreams will come true. We must uphold justice even if it’s trivial justice.” Her character is very likable because even though she has a very high profile career she’s still down to earth and dedicated to helping others.

The male lead isn’t your typical arrogant chaebol with a cold aloof personality. Even though he’s a doctor with a wealthy family background, he’s very kind and considerate. And he’s especially nice to the female lead as he chases her. He’s very principled with strong work ethics and a deep desire to help others. I like how he’s so cool and sexy one minute, then a sweet little puppy the next minute. And boy is he obsessed with kissing the female lead or what? I’ve watched hundreds of Asian dramas and I’ve never seen one with so many kisses. And they were such realistic kisses too. If you’re looking for a drama with real kisses, lots of skinship, and an epic romance, you’ve come to the right place.

I’m not usually into the side couples in dramas but the second leads romance is really quite good. At first I didn’t like the second female lead because of her tendency to cry at the drop of a hat. But she grew on me as her character began to mature. I liked that after she got her tears out of the way she was always very determined to keep working hard toward her goals. And she was a very loyal and thoughtful friend too. I liked her character and her romance was both realistic and sweet.

The main drawback of this drama is the storyline. It touches on many interesting subjects like dealing with meddling parents that oppose their children's career choices, how judgemental people are towards doctors, how unfairly lawyers are viewed, and how the elderly are easily taken advantage of. At the same time it’s dealing with the main leads romance and the issues they were facing in their careers. And they spent a ton of time on the secondary romance too. I think they were trying to put lots of little storylines into the drama to make it more interesting but it ended up backfiring for me. They spent too much time on trivial side stories and not enough time on the important stuff. If more time had been invested in the main leads lives and the challenges they faced in their careers as a doctor and lawyer, the drama would have been much better. For that reason, I deducted a point. The other problem I had was that they used the very much over used childhood friends reunited to become lovers trope. If this were my first drama or early on in my many years of drama watching I wouldn’t be so bothered by it. But I’m really tired of seeing this overused trope in dramas. Therefore, I deducted a half point.

That being said, I just loved that there were no evil exes, no parents opposing the romance, no love triangles, and no evil corporate bad guys. This drama was free of most of your typical cliche drama tropes that are so annoying which gave it a fresh unique feel. There was the one childhood friends to lovers trope but it was the only thing that was cliche about this drama. For the most part it was very unique and refreshing. I would definitely recommend watching this sweet fluffy romcom.

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Dating in the Kitchen
1 people found this review helpful
Oct 22, 2020
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.5

Food, romance, great comedy!

This starts out light sweet and funny. The female lead is very playful and carefree. The male lead is very serious and unemotional. So their personality clashes are quite hilarious. The mishaps between the main leads in the beginning are both comical and endearing. Their chemistry just sizzles. Then, towards the middle just when it seems a little too sweet, the story picks up. The couple not only face misunderstandings due to the second leads, but they also have to deal with their age difference and their social standing in life. I like that the misunderstandings aren’t overdone or drawn out too long. And most of them are reasonable and understandable.

The cooking scenes are absolutely mouthwatering and quite ascetic but never overwhelmed the drama. Some food dramas get so focused on the cooking scenes that it gets annoying and there are more scenes about cooking than the main leads. But not this drama. It’s very balanced.

I also like that the second leads didn’t continue to cause problems throughout the whole drama which is very annoying. Other more interesting issues pop up which keep the drama from being predictable or boring. There’s not just one main villain or problem to solve so I didn’t lose interest.

I was really touched by the male leads story. He and his mother were abandoned by his father when he was very young. His mother created a very successful corporation all on her own. And she strictly trained her son from a very young age to be a cold unemotional CEO that does whatever it takes to get the job done. His mother continually tells him that love is a weakness that should be avoided at all costs. So his life is very cold, sterile, and unemotional. You can’t help but feel bad for him.

The female lead has a very charming personality. She’s happy, confident, and playful. And the crazy predicaments she gets herself into had me literally laughing out loud numerous times. I loved her passion and enthusiasm. She steals the show with her hilarious antics.

In the beginning when the male lead is obviously smitten with the female lead he has no idea what to do because he’s never been in love. She doesn’t chase after him like most women do so he has to pursue her. And his lack of experience in this area makes him very childlike when he pursues her. He doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings of jealousy, protectiveness and possessiveness. Just watching him figure things out and grow as a person was both funny and touching.

I took off a point because of the excessive angst and unrealistic plot towards the end of the drama. It started out as such a perfect romantic comedy. But the angst and misunderstandings overwhelmed the last few episodes. And then taking a lighthearted sweet guy that spends every moment playing with toy cars and turning him into this evil businessman out to ruin his brother just wasn’t even remotely believable. It doesn’t ruin the drama. It’s definitely worth watching, but it could have been perfect if they had left that part out of the plot line.

In conclusion, this starts out light and sweet. It gets into some office politics and political drama as well as family drama towards the end. But it’s really about learning to trust in love and in family. There’s tons of character growth, several couples, a good plot line, and a great romance. Be ready for some steamy kisses, princess carrying, hugs, and cuddling because this dramas full of it. It’s a great drama that left me all warm and fuzzy inside. I’m glad I watched it

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Completed
Well Dominated Love
1 people found this review helpful
Aug 21, 2020
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Very similar to “Well Intended Love”

This was produced by the same people that made “Well Intended Love” and you can see the similarities right away. It even has the extra little scene clip at the end of every episode. It’s very romantic with lots of skinship.

Things I liked:
I liked the light fluffiness of the drama. This is exactly what I need after a really heavy emotional drama. It’s low on angst and heavy on romance. The kisses were downright steamy. And I also liked that the female lead was very strong and confident. Even though the male lead was a very wealthy CEO she didn’t need him. I’m so tired of the wimpy simpering females that play damsels in distress in most dramas nowadays. And getting to see the main leads together for a good length of time and seeing what their lives are like on down the road was awesome. I really liked that they didn’t abruptly end the drama right after the main leads got together which happens in almost every drama nowadays. There are two more couples that are pretty cute and we even see their storylines well fleshed out which was nice. I liked being able to see how they turned out. The acting was pretty good and the editing wasn’t choppy at all like some dramas. It flowed smoothly, the actors wardrobe was really nice. It wasn’t a low budget production at all.

Things I disliked:
I wished this drama had the deeper storyline like they did with “Well Intended Love.” With WIL there was an obsessed female friend, kidnapping, amnesia, a revenge plot, along with the male lead lying to get the female lead to marry him. This entire drama revolved around the male leads amnesia. Every bump in the road for the main leads had to do with overcoming his amnesia issues. There was very little to the story other than amnesia. The other two couples did make it better. They were cute. And there was one little brief issue of a spy at their workplace. But other than that there wasn’t much to the story other than the bickering main leads trying to work out their differences over his amnesia. It was a decent plot but having the amnesia issue drag on for the entire length of the drama without anything else exciting happening got monotonous. I can see why some people said it was boring. I wouldn’t say it was boring but I could see why others who aren’t as into romance as I am would. The sweetness of the main couple along with steamy kisses, and skinship kept it sweet and cute and made it a worthwhile watch. But the storyline needed depth and a few more twists. And dubbing this drama with the same exact voices used for the male and female leads in WIL was disappointing. Hearing Ling Yi Zhou’s voice and Xia Lin’s voice from WIL on the main leads in this drama was a bit disconcerting.

One other issue:
I’m not sure if this is a problem everywhere this drama was offered because that’s how it was produced or if it was strictly a YouTube problem.
But the only place I could find English subs was on YouTube. And the YouTube version had a few issues. Sometimes the music was so loud that you couldn’t hear the actors speak. And several times the sound cut out completely. And occasionally the subs on the screen weren’t up long enough to finish reading them. It wasn’t a constant issue. I would say these problems only occurred every once in a while. Probably about 70% of the time the drama had none of these issues. So it wasn’t super bad and it wouldn’t stop me from watching it. But still, it was annoying and detracted from the overall feel of the drama.

Final thoughts:
Overall I’m glad I watched it. Yes the storyline wasn’t as deep as I’d like it to be and the YouTube version I watched had a lot of technical glitches. But I loved that it was low on angst and high on romance, skinship, and sweetness. So if you go into it knowing what to expect you should enjoy it. I did.

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Completed
Swimming Battle
1 people found this review helpful
Jun 18, 2020
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
I was drawn to this because the female lead was one of my favorite actors in “Love Now.” Her acting was great and so was the male lead. The story was pretty good. Even though it had amnesia it wasn’t thrown in as filler halfway through the drama to keep it going. The female lead’s amnesia was the central plot to the drama so I was okay with the amnesia plot even though it’s been used way too much in dramas lately.
I loved the side characters, especially the swim teams. They had me cracking up all of the time. For most of this drama it’s light and sweet and the villains attempts to cause problems are very mild. The comedy takes central stage along with the romance.
But as with most Taiwanese dramas lately, it starts out as a light sweet romcom then turns into a melodrama for the last third of the drama. The angst sets in and it just gets more and more melodramatic until halfway through the last episode. I don’t mind the melodrama or angst, just label the drama correctly. Don’t label it as a romantic comedy then change it into a melodrama towards the end.
Other than that, I liked the drama. I would have rated it higher if it had stayed true to its genre as a romcom. There were multiple couples but there was no second lead syndrome here. The second male lead was nice but a little goofy. Most of the couples were high schoolers on the swim team so their romances were cute but not swoon worthy. Overall I liked the drama but I wouldn’t watch it again.

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Completed
The Love Equations
1 people found this review helpful
May 25, 2020
27 of 27 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Sweet slice of life romcom

This drama was made by the same people that produced “A Love So Beautiful” (ALSB) and “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” (PYHOMS). I also see a lot of “Love O2O” in it. It has the handsome male lead that’s a genius scientist and is always walking around in a lab coat and has few friends because he’s so focused on his studies from PYHOMS. And it has the angst and lengthy breakup of ALSB. Then from “Love O2O” it has the pretty, confident, popular female lead that lives with several bff’s in their dormitory. The sismance is very similar to the sismance of “Love O2O” and is one of the things that makes this drama appealing. Overall it’s a good drama worthy of watching. But keep in mind that it’s not an action drama or a melodrama. It’s light and fluffy with just a touch of angst and drama but not too much. It’s a slice of life, coming of age drama that depicts youths facing the trials and tribulations of becoming adults.

What I liked:
The storyline is good and the characters are interesting. There were a lot of kisses, cuddles, and skinship. And I liked that there were several side couples. The bromance and sismance kept it from being boring and made it cute. The family drama was just enough to make things interesting without going to far and make It annoying where you hate the parents. I also like that there was a good reason for the temporary breakup. It wasn’t one of those noble idiocy situations that has you rolling your eyes over the stupid reason to breakup. And it wasn’t some silly misunderstanding that could have easily been fixed with proper communication. The ML really did have a good reason to breakup if what he was lead to believe was the truth. Fortunately he was tricked and lied to and was able to fix the situation. So this temporary breakup was reasonable and believable which made me like this drama even more.

What I didn’t like:
I didn’t like that there was the typical cliche second female lead that was obsessed with the male and constantly causing trouble. It’s a drama trope that’s being way over used in dramas nowadays. It’s almost a given occurrence in romance themed dramas now. I also wish that there was more character growth. I didn’t see much of that here and it would have added to the depth of the drama. The female lead was a bit stiff during the kisses but it got better as the drama progressed. But I guess since she’s very new to acting I shouldn’t complain. I’ve seen much worse from much more experienced actresses. And speaking of acting, both the ML and FL did a really good job on their acting. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for their future dramas.

Overall I would definitely recommend this drama if you like PYHOMS, ALSB, or Love O2O because it’s very similar to these dramas. It’s light fluffy and sweet with a little bit of angst but it’s not overly done. I would definitely recommend watching this drama.

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Completed
Meow, the Secret Boy
1 people found this review helpful
May 10, 2020
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.5

Cute, hilarious, & touches on animal rights

If you like fantasy dramas with romances involving ghosts, nine tailed foxes, vampires, etc. then you’ll love this drama. Yes it’s a very far fetched story and it doesn’t really explain why a cat suddenly becomes a human. But I like how sweet and funny it is. There’s not a lot of angst or sorrow in this drama. It’s a light, sweet, fluffy romantic comedy.

First off, the story is unique and has interesting characters. And I like that it touches on many issues we all face regardless of what country we live in. Such issues as animal abuse, animal neglect, animal hoarding, and abandoning animals are all addressed here and really make you think. It’s all issues that are close to my heart so it made me really like this drama. It’s so sad that many animals are abandoned after they are no longer cute little puppies or kittens. Or they are just tossed into the backyard and forgotten. These issues are highlighted and addressed quite well.

There’s also lots of comedy that really cracked me up. I loved how the cat that’s now become a human behaved when he was in a grocery store and saw the live fish in the tank. Or when he found the owners stash of canned tuna and proceeded to try to cram as many cans as he could into his pockets and make a run for it. But I think the funniest and cutest moment was when he was riding in the bus. He couldn’t resist swatting at the cute little stuffed animal toy dangling from the passengers bag in front of him. Myungsoo played the part of a human cat to perfection. His mannerisms and facial expressions were so adorable and very believable. It reminded me of Dilraba Dilmurat’s portrayal of a cute little nine tailed fox in “Three lives three worlds: the pillow book.” You just can’t help giggling at the cuteness.

Overall this is one of those dramas that if you turn off your brain and don’t over analyze the premises of the story then you’ll love it. That’s not to say there’s no depth to the story. It has depth and tons of character growth. But you just need to sit back, relax and not take things too seriously if you want to really enjoy the sweet funny romcom that touches on a few important issues.

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Skate Into Love
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 19, 2020
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This is similar to Gank Your Heart or Go Go Squid. It’s a romantic comedy with a sports theme. But
it’s centered more around the students lives than the sports. There are about 5 couples in total and the second lead couple get a lot of screen time. In the beginning when the male lead bullies the female lead it’s a bit irritating. But the saving grace is that the female lead doesn’t cower away and look all pitiful. She’s strong and sassy and fights back. Their battle of wits is compelling and the sparks fly because their chemistry is what makes this drama shine. Expect lots of kisses and skinship.

I liked that I found myself laughing out loud quite often. It’s a true romantic comedy. It starts out with a bit of angst in the first 7 or so episodes and then it turns very sweet light and fluffy. But then during the middle as they set up the backstory for all of the couples and their issues it bogs down and gets a bit draggy. What saves the drama during this time is the chemistry and storyline of the main leads. Then when you’re tired of all the couples and even the main leads story gets a bit stale, then bang, the angst hits around episode 26. I was really expecting solid angst till the last bit of the last episode which has been typical in Chinese dramas lately. But surprisingly it lightened up way before then and was quite enjoyable. I like the motto of the drama which was repeated frequently throughout the last few episodes This drama teaches us that dreams don’t shine. What shines is you who’s chasing after the dream. And it doesn’t matter what dream you’re chasing. Whether you’re chasing a dream to be a world champion or to be an ordinary teacher or coach, what matters is that you chase after whatever dream makes you happy. Just be happy and do what you love and stay true to yourself.

I liked that this drama had tons of character growth. I also liked the sassy female lead that always stood up for herself. I wished that there was less time spent on side couples and more time spent on the competitive sports. And there were too many sports that were covered. It jumped from one characters figures skating issues to another characters speed skating issues to another’s issues with ice hockey. If they had just focused on one main sport like Go Go Squid did then the story would have been more cohesive and interesting. With all of the side couples and multiple sports to follow the story seemed to bounce around a lot and lose its focus. But by the end of the drama everything tied in together and the main theme of following your dreams regardless of how big or small they are began to shine through. At this point I began to understand the point this drama was trying to make and I really liked it.

Overall, despite the dramas various flaws, I really liked it and what it was trying to say. I also liked how they included the names and pictures of various Chinese athletes and paid tribute to them at the end of the drama. It was quite touching. This drama wasn’t perfect, it certainly had its flaws. But I walked away with a warm fuzzy feeling. Don’t be intimidated by the 40 episodes either. After taking away the beginning and ending credits each episode is less than 40 minutes long. So the 40 episodes fly by quickly. This is a good drama that I’m glad I watched.

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Completed
Well-Intended Love Season 2
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 25, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
Season 2 is not a continuation of season 1 so you don’t have to watch the first one to see this one. But they do make lots of cute references to the first one which enhances your appreciation of it. When the male lead mentioned putting away the female leads medical report because they wouldn’t need it after all, I loved it! In season 2 it’s the same cast but they're in a different world. It’s like seeing what would have happened had they lived in another world and had made different choices. I like that they bring back the male leads sweet grandma and the cute little white dog.
In season 2 the antagonists are different and honestly speaking they aren’t very bad or scary. I like that there’s no evil crazy girl that’s obsessed with the male lead. I honestly hated that in season 1. But with that being said, with no really overly evil person and no other underlying issues to deal with, the story seemed to lack depth.
The acting was top notch. And the two side couples get a lot more screen time than they did in the first season. All of the skinship, real kisses, chemistry, and romance more than made up for the negatives in this drama. It’s a light, fluffy, sweet romance drama that’s very easy to watch. I would definitely recommend it.

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