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A perfect match!

Les Belles was not in my radar and I can't remember why I started watching it, but I am glad I did because this is easily one of the best romcoms of this year. And not only that, it has a solid political intrigue on the side.

Lingyu is a wonderful leading lady. She has being through it after her parents' passing, raised (if you can call it that) by her uncle and aunt, she has manage to grow to be a young lady full of confidence and self-love, smart as a fox but, because of her circumstances, she's also kind and humble. Lingyu has a very clear goal in life and plans several steps ahead to get it. It is only right that she would meet her match in Yun, a young lord who has a talent for political and military strategy and comes from a family of court officials. Raised by his uncle, an important Minister, just like Lingyu, but in a loving enviorement that has allowed him to grow to be one of the capital's most desirable talent and bachelor.

Watching these two play an extended game of wits, as they get to know each other and come to the realization they might be perfect for each other, it's an absolutely a treat. It's only enhanced by Yun's family dynamics with his cousin Xian (a hilarious mother hen), followed by the strict aunt and uncle, and Grandma's constant health ruse. Add to that Jinchuan (Yun's nagging servant) who does everything possible to get his ship sailing, and you have romcom gold.

But that's not all, the rest of the supporting cast it's also full of lovable characters with excellent character development. The Crown Prince and his siblings are a handful (iykyk) but really honest and good people; it's been a while since I have seen such great royals. Miss Chen and Miss Zhou complete the friends group, bringing some really heart-wrenching and hilarious moments.

The political narrative of this drama it's also really interesting and balances out the comedy perfectly, giving the drama some gravitas and opportunities for the characters to grow as young adults taking their places in the public arena. All the characters are developed wonderfully through their relationships but also the political intrigue they must handle, which has an emotional and action packed resolution.

Les Belles just kept getting better with every episode, until the very last scene, and keeping me on my toes and entertained. The excellency of this is not only thanks to the cast perfect chemistry and performances, but also due to the people behind the scenes. The filming locations were perfectly chosen, the sets beautiful to look at, each costume design a perfect mirror to the character wearing it. The stunt coordinator for all the action scenes and even some of the physical comedy really delivered some of the most hilarious and bloody savage choreographies.

Director Huang Ying Xiang and scriptwriter Wang Hong are a dream team; and I would love for these two badass women to work together again if they deliver this kind of high level production every time.

Don't miss out on Les Belles!!

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Nicely done

Shoutout to My Hot Sexless Lover!

This drama follows a group of young adults in contemporary Japan. Each are in a different stage of their lives as they try to figure out their relationships with other people and themselves. But what I really liked about this drama is that it's mostly for a sweet love letter about embracing your needs in a healthy and responsible way in order to love yourself and others.

The story overall is kinda generic, so it's really the acting that carries this drama and the actors deliver with their performances.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama for what it is: an easygoing drama about love, sex and friendship.

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Better together.

Two lonely and neglected high school seniors find friendship, love and a family in each other when their respective difficult circumstances bring them together. The tittle comes into play as they study otters in the biology class and they learn how when adrift in the ocean, otters hold hands to be less scared and stay together.

It's the perfect metaphor for our leads and what they are going through. For them life is as big and scary as the ocean, and the lack of support from their respective families leaves them to be adrift in it, with no one to turn to when things go from bad to worse. So when at first glance this might look like a story about teenage angst, it couldn't be more far from it. Neither of the leads has a safe place to go or a sense of what a true family it's like until they find each other.

The performances are really good. Shin Eun Soo delivers a strong performance as the always in the move kinda of character, for her this is essential because staying put means thinking how bad things are for her at home. On the other hand, Kim Jae Won delivered a great deal of contained emotions. His performance is more subdued, until it comes to a turning point. Both actors share great chemistry and managed to make me believe their character's instant connection through shared pain and frustration that slowly becomes something more positive, full of warmth and eventually love.

Most of the drama was shot at night, under cool tones, which fills the story with dark vibes and sometimes a gritty feel. It gives us a glimpse at a time of day that doesn't seem fit for two kids to be walking around the city, delivering alcohol and condoms. Which is exactly the point the drama it's trying to make visually: the world these kids live on is cold and dark. Except for the scenes at the school, when they can disconnect from their families and connect with each other. Those scenes are shot under a warm color palette and full of light, sunny and happy days.

The conclusion of the story is somehow bittersweet because in order for our leads to be happy, they have to come to terms with the fact that family is not always the one you were born in but the one you choose. Abuse it's not always physical and people need to recognize this in order to move forward and start holding on tightly to those who care for your well being and happiness.

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Not fully fleshed out.

When Si Jin was first announced, I was really excited and I am not going to deny it was because Jing Tian and Zhang Wanyi are two of my favourite chinese actors working today. They were, for the most part, the best of this drama but that's to be expected considering they are the leads and need to carry a heavy storyline of family and court politics, and outsmarting not only our main villain but every pawn she puts in their way. On this, Si Jin was satisfying. The rest of the supporting cast was also really good with what they were given to work with.

But from the beginning Si Jin had some storytelling issues. It could be ignore at first but as the story progressed and revelations started, it started to look messy. I struggled to put my finger on it for a while, why wasn't Si Jin working as it should when it had all the right elements? I have narrowed it down to the combination of small and big things.

For starters, Si Jin's script is not exactly tight and coherent the whole time. As a consequence, for example, the main villain comes of as one-dimensional; so when she argues her talents were always were overlooked because of her gender or that she was in marriage without love, it simply leaves the viewer wondering "Am I supposed to feel bad for her?". Because I spent 39 episodes watching her murder indiscriminately, with the first point never being developed and the latter where it's clear as day she actually forced the man to marry her. Another key point, is that the mystery surrounding one of the leads' connection to another nation was put in the back burner for way too long, in favour of repetitive family conflicts.

All of this gets more obvious when you realize one of the drama's weakest points, its editing. There are harsh cuts and inconsistencies in the sequence of the story, so much so, that makes me think a studio suit (or censor?) put their hands on the show, cutting in order to achieve a certain amount of episodes, avoid some of the points the show was trying to make or the story it was trying to tell.

I googled the people responsible for this drama, behind the scenes, and while they are experienced, looking at their filmography makes me think perhaps this story was too big of a project to develop for them. Which it can be a reality that affected the drama's final cut.

Overall, Si Jin feels like the skeleton of what could have been a really great drama have they had the opportunity to be fully fleshed out. I still enjoyed it, tho, and it didn't drag at any minute. It's a solid 7 out of 10 stars.

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Park Ji Eun does it again.

Queen of Tears strongest point are the performances, directing and cinematography, there's no doubt about this. Scriptwriter Park Ji Eun has a talent for teaming up with great talents, particular actors, and that's in my opinion the main reason why her drama are usually so successful. She manages to write really interesting and endearing characters, and put them in entertaining situations that grasp the attention of the viewer.

The casting director did a particular excellent job on this one because every single character was cast to perfection, every actor and actress fitting into the role as if it was written for them.

I am fascinated by the way scriptwriter Park Ji Eun has managed to mix genres in one drama, because Queen of Tears is a dark comedy, makjang, comedy, romance and melodrama all in one. This screenwriter is not stranger to making a successful and entertaining kdrama, but if you are looking for something that will dwell into the deeper reasons as to why the leads' marriage crumble, logic and cohesive editing, this story might not be for you.

Queen of Tears strongest point is the way both families come together, learning to respect and love each other but apart from that the drama is developed at a surface level. The scripts lean hard on the other genres which is perfectly fine but there were times when I was frustrated at the desiciones being made, the complete waste of time when the families are running against the clock to save one of their own AND the family's business, etc. This is when I think Queen of Tears is a lot like other Park Si Eun's kdramas: they start strong but run out of material towards the second half of the episode, almost as if she introduce a bunch of plotlines with proper solutions to a few of them.

Overall, I found Queen of Tears to be a really entertaining watch to disconnect from reality.

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Shogun is 2024's best drama

Fans of period dramas, full of intrigues and political chess plays will find SHOGUN to be their cup of tea. This is an incredible story set in the change of eras which compounds the bushido culture and the arrival of western sailors to the shores of feudal Japan.

Shogun is based on a best selling novel, that fictionalizes real events about the rise of a Samurai Lord to becoming Shogun and the start of what we all know as the Edo Period. Around the end of the 1500s, the portuguese and spanish had arrived to Japan and the Peloponnese, establishing a treated that divided the region in ways that their countries could benefit from the commerce but also create colonies and spread their religion. Rumours about these lands spread among sailors for the next 50 years or so, and finally in the 1600s ships from other monarchies, such as Britain arrived in the region.

At the same time, years earlier there was a time of inner fights and civil war among the japanese. During this time, many peasants were able to socially clime in ranks thanks to their leadership as samurai and eventually became Lords. These new nobility has a hierarchy among them, of course, related to the lands they had won in battle, people and their family's history.

The story of Shogun starts during a period of peace among these Samurai Lords... or so it would seem.

One particular character, a british sailor, is supposed to be the audience placement in the story. As he is introduced and learns about japanese culture, the audience learns about it and what game the Samurai Lords are playing among themselves as the fight for power over the realm.

Legendary japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada is listed as actor and producer in this tv show. His first time, according to interviews, having a role and say behind the scenes and I have to say he has done an incredible job. This might be an american production but Sanada insisted, as producer, on having an almost all japanese crew and the end result is a 10 episode tv show where each episodes feels like watching a movie. The attention to detail from the cinematography, lighting, sets, locations, the fabrics and designs of the clothing, and performances are simply superb.

Sanada also took it upon himself to teach the younger actors how to speak the japanese from the period the story is set at, something none of them had done before. In western culture this would be equivalent of teaching Shakespeare's english. Maybe you don't know japanese and it doesn't matter to you, plenty of the audience members watching this tv show won't even know this, but I think it adds another layer to the level of commitment everyone involved in this production had when filming Shogun.

The performances are outstanding. Everyone brings their best game and the acting is very subtle, each of actor manages to deliver the strongest emotions through micro-expressions and even silence, a difficult feat when you think this is a story mainly about the art of appearances. Where everyone is holding their cards very close to their chest, so you never know what they are capable of and what will they do next.

Actors like Asano Tadanobu, Hira Takehiro, Nishioka Tokuma and Abbe Shinnosuke are incredible to watch on the screen. Their performances will leave you wanting more. But the true gems of this story are a women: Anna Sawai, Hoshi Moeka, Kouri Yuuka and Nikaido Fumi hold their own against veteran actors and play them like fiddles. They standout as Samurai women, trained in the arts of war and court alike, and play key roles into the events that develop through the ten episodes of the series. The weakest link, acting wise, is Cosmos Jarvis. I am sorry to say I have no cluewhy he was casted. His performance leaves much to be desired, like his character, and since the tv show was renew for two more seasons I am hoping he does better in the future.

This is also a slow burn, goes hand in hand with the nature of the story being told and the performances. Big things do happen in each episode but the tv show slowly builds up to the last two, that's when things really implode/explode and makes a shift to get you ready for the next season.

For all these and so much more that I can't tell you without spoiling the series, you should watch Shogun.

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Between the living and the dead

Exhuma is an explosive mixture of south korean folklore and mythicism. It effectively evokes the universal dread and mystery regarding the afterlife.

Our group of leading characters are the perfect bridge between the spiritual and supernatural, never quite here or there, always between the two worlds. Great atmosphere, never looses the steam, with memorable moments.

But then it reaches the mid point of the film. This is a strong story, but the uneasiness and tension goes away, and never quite reaches the same high as the first half.

This film is ambitious and creative. The cinematography outstanding and visually delivering the eerie emotions you are supposed to feel in every scene. It helps that the effects are mostly practical as well, which it's marvelous to watch nowadays.

Horror film fans will be satisfied but this story is more of a mix of genres. There are no traditional jump scares but very well crafted world building and character development that will immerse you in the film experience.

I do recommend watching this film without knowing anything about the story or the characters for a bigger impact.

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Sweet and tender

Hidden Love it’s a beautiful love story about love, overcoming grief, guilt and building a family. The acting is really good and the OST fun. I don’t know where scriptwriter Shen Fei Xian has been for the past 7 years but, God, I am so glad she’s back!

This drama had two MVPs: Sang Yan for opening his home and always being a good friend and brother, and Qian Fei for helping Jian Xu figure out his love life. Where would our leads be without them? Probably still pining for each other.

Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan carry the drama with ease and sizzling chemistry. It was a joy to see their characters fall in love and dealing with everything that came their way as a team with a deep understanding of each other. They made an effort to communicate and this made them stronger and smarter as couple. Wonderful.

If you enjoyed this drama, you might want to check out Love O2O. Shen Fei Xian was also the scriptwriter responsible for that adaptation to the screen and she clearly very talented. And if you have already seen both dramas, then good news: she’s already working on her next project!

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It's good.

I think fans who have been watching kdramas for a while will be able to find familiar elements in what makes Destined with You: Candy female lead, Chaebol male lead, aloof but cool second lead, unhinged girlfriend, past lives and spells. It honestly feels like describing a kdrama from the 2010s, like My Girlfriend is a Gumiho.

My issue is the script. The way the story is structured makes the situations feel repetitive, with no proper development in some of the gaps within the logic of the kdrama.

The kdrama mostly works because of the undeniable chemistry between Jo Bo Ah and Rowoon. They both give really good performances, full of charm and heartfelt moments. I have been following both actors since the star of their respective careers and I am delighted to see them grow in their craft.

The secondary characters were entertaining enough but, honestly, forgetful. Yura and Ha Joon being the standouts, along side some veteran actors that overstayed their welcome in my opinion.

The production quality of Destined with You is solid, and it really shows when it "flashbacks" to the Joseon period, the transitions between dream, reality and memory it's amazing and so pretty to look at.

Overall, I think this is an entertaining watch with some issues that can be ignored if you are looking to have a good time with a fantasy rom-com.

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Camp romance galore!

You might think this is your typical Cinderella love story but you would be wrong. As a matter of fact, nothing about this fairy tale turns out to be like our heroine (and us) expect it.

I freaking loved this drama and I really enjoyed spending time with these characters, which I find to be some of the most likable this year with their camp attitude and sizzling chemistry that puts other romances to shame. It was also refreshing to see a drama couple that truly felt like equals. They actually talk to each other and at the same level all the time, but they also know how to have fun with each other, openly flirting in a way that that feels candid and sexy.

Pyo Yejin and Lee Jun Young are going to be tough act to follow.

Most of it is thanks to the writing, which is solid, coherent, smart and fun. The writer, Yoo Ja, knew exactly what they were doing. BRAVO!

Dreaming of a Freaking Fairy Tale is more than a drama about a Candy heroine meeting Chaebol. This story is a love letter to self-love. In a very simple and fresh way, we are thrown into the world of these characters and see them grow into becoming even more amazing people.

Our heroine, insecurities are really well rooted and subsequently developed. We see how growing up in poverty has affected her self-worth but also how her mother's abandonment affected her dynamics with the new family his father formed. This is another point that I loved about this show: Step-mom and the two step-sisters are actually kind and cool people and the entire problem the family faces is a lack of proper communication. There's plenty of love between them.

Our hero's personal story is also rooted on a family conflict but in many ways it hasn't cripple him emotionally. Sure, he has his ups and downs but most of the time I personally believe he is thriving because he's open to new people and experiences. This is a man that it's not afraid to "follow his joy". He is a really good listener, doesn't talk down to people as someone with more money than them, and he’s also not patronizing as a man. Prince Charming? I THINK SO!!

So far, I am yet to see better than this drama when it comes to the romance/comedy genre and it's definitely one of favourites I have seen this year. Likely to make it to my TOP 10 list.

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Unmasked, unnerving

I wasn't planning to watch Unmasked but people in social media were adamant I was missing out, so I gave it a try. I admit, they were right. This kdrama is a really good production, Kim Hye-soo simply doesn't miss. Another factor I liked was that every case presented to the viewers was actually based on a real life crimes that were highly covered by the media. To be clear, the stories presented in the drama are no dramatisation of these real life events, which touch on very sensitive issues.

It's almost like a serial, following each story for one or two episodes. and each case helping the viewers get to know the main characters as they position themselves morally and ethically as journalist having to tell this really difficult stories. There is, however, a bigger case following through the entire run that I wish it would have been more of the main story. I think the drama spend too much time with certain aspects that it didn't serve for the overall development of the kdrama.

This is where I have to warn you; because some of Unmasked's episodes can be really grotesque and triggering. Having watched the whole drama, I can't say this is something I would recommend to everybody and Disney+ was smart to not make this a drama to binge-watch because I don't think this is something most people could sit through without pausing, taking a break. It's not really as bad as I am making it sound but there are episodes dealing with animal abuse, SA, chid and elderly endangerment.

On technical aspects, I think this drama is really well done. Director Yoo Seon-dong knew what he was doing. The cast had impeccable chemistry and everyone delivered really amazing and compelling performances, from the main actors to the guest roles. The standouts for me being Choo Ja hyun and Choi Dae Hoon, whom played siblings and every scene they shared was incredible. A very well deserved shoutout to teen actor Moon Woojin who delivered a bone-chilling performance. And also Ahn Suk-hwan, he was unrecognisable on this production.

Very well done!

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Dr. Makino's growing pains.

It's been a while since I last watched a jdrama, but Netflix kept pushing Hokago Karte, or After School Doctor, and I figured why not? I needed something wholesome to watch and the story of a hospital's pediatrician sent to work at a primary school sound like the right thing. As per usual, you can always trust any japanese production to deliver on the slice of life genre.

Doctor Makino is one of the best pediatricians in the hospital he works at, but his lack of bedside manner with the parents (and sometimes even children) put him in hot water with his boss. So, in order for him to grow as a professional and better connect with his patients, he must work at a primary school for six months. What ensues it's so wonderful, I have a hard time being able to express it, because this drama it's the kind you have to watch to understand. It fills you with good feelings and hope for the future, and about people's best nature.

Of course this is a jdrama, so it's painfully formulaic in its development but After School Doctor does it a little different. Each episode presents a new patient that introduces some sort of medical issue or, because we are dealing with kids, a family conflict. It gets resolved but, at the same time and depending on the case, it doesn't. Because, at the end of the day, these are still kids growing and some health concerns aren't magically resolved, they need time to be treated in long term. These are the episodes that really pull at your heartstrings. If an adult has difficulty explaining what it's happening to them when their mental health is declining, how can a child ask for help?

Doctor Makino comes across, at first glance, as someone who lacks empathy but this could not be a worst assessment of his personality. He is single minded, caring so much about the children's health that he doesn't pay attention to the grown ups. But, hey! Someone has to listen to the kids, right? Through the development of the story it also became obvious that the hospital environment perhaps was not the best option for him to work at. Some doctors are better equipped for it but some are better at private practices or, in this case, as the primary school's physician. Instead of seeing the patience once, with no follow up, by getting involved in the kids every day's school life, Doctor Makino is forced to expand his abilities in order to help them and, in return, win their trust.

Overall, this was a wonderful watch that made me laugh, get teary-eyed and think about everything that entitles a child's happy life. I really recommend it!

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