#loved the chemistry between FL and ML

[hyog-blog]

The Story of Pearl Girl (ep. 35 - ep. 40) [end of series][spoilers]

Out of all the show's tropes, this one did it for me - knowing that you will die soon, for sure, and spending your last days with the person you love the most, cherishing each and every bit of it. This was just heart-wrenching to watch, mostly due to Liu Yuning's and Zhao Lusi's stellar acting. I mean the TORMENT is not just real, it's almost unbearable, but also, somehow, you can feel so much love and appreciation and, actually, light during those last days of Yan Zijin.

Probably because of his attitude. Like, it hurts, more than anything, but there's also one more hour you can spend with the woman you love, and then a whole day, and maybe one day more. Isn't that all that we could really ask for? The most precious moments line up like pearls to form a beautiful necklace. But then, eventually, everything fades away, both good and bad.

Of course, she knew he was poisoned. With her level of intelligence, I'd be surprised if she didn't. The fall of the bad guys was a bit meh, I mean, yes, that's what Yan Zijing was killing himself for, but in the end, that was not what truly mattered. But his family's name did get cleared, so he achieved his life's mission. Alas, he didn't have the time to enjoy the ordinary, simple pleasure of a life surrounded by the people you love and care about. it's kind of a happy ending for Yan Zijing, but with a very dramatic twist, which was obvious from the start, no one even tried to hide it. The poison was there, I just hoped for some ridiculous miraculous last-minute saving. Which didn't happen, but like with most things in life - we get some good stuff, we get some bad stuff, it's a mix.

I can see how ep. 40 could inspire a few depressions out there, but the message is still surprisingly hopeful. Justice prevailed, the bad guys got what they deserved, and the good guys, well, they took whatever happiness came their way, just like we do in real life. Su Muzhe did become the free-spirited trader she always dreamed of being, traveling far and wide just like Yan Zijing did. Cui Shijiu rose from the ashes and finally got her shit together XD Becoming a smart and cool girl we knew she could be, but for some reason, it just wasn't happening.

I have to admit there was a moment between Su Muzhe and Cui Shijiu, when our girl called the other one zhiji and all that wine-drinking was happening. I mean, I could totally see things going more than a little bit queer if the show wanted to go there. With all those powerful female characters, it would have totally worked. It was a lovely hint, though, which I enjoyed immensely :D

I need to go and watch some kittens now XD And remember there's more to life than torturous romance and people in love who can't be with each other. Still, I appreciate this show very, very much. I ended up loving every bit of it, surprisingly. It's very realistic in many aspects, maybe less so in others, but when put together, everything works great. Zhao Lusi's and Liu Yuning's acting is just 5 stars, they are both seriously amazing actors and their chemistry in both happiness and suffering and everything in between is truly top-notch.

I can see how this show might not be everyone's cup of tea, but we're all different, so it's okay. But I'm happy I watched it and that it was made, and I wish ZL and LYN much happiness and more great roles in the future.

Yep, he doesn't know it yet, but she knows already. And you can see it by the way she treats him, just playing along to keep the illusion of happiness going. They're such a bittersweet couple.

And not Kang Ju working as a model for female jewelry))) That moment just made me giggle, he's such a cutie))

Everyone posing for a family portrait. I almost thought they were foreshadowing another one of Li Kui's attacks that would kill half of the cast, but I was wrong. It was just a sweet happy moment shared between friends and co-workers.

And not Kang Ju asking whether he's actually so pretty in real life, too XD

More heartbreaking moments hide behind the seemingly happy surface. You can literally see it in her eyes that she already knows everything.

Some girl-to-girl romance, happily celebrating the fall of the Zheng family. All smiles and cutesy talk. Effortlessly qeer-ish.

Then back to the emotional torment of being unable to say goodbye to each other. YZJ cooking for her continuously to show his love. And Su Muzhe asking Yan Zijing not to leave, finally showing her true feelings. Pure 100% heartbreak.

It's been a nice, although a bit hectic ride 💖

[fiddleyoumust]

I've been thinking about my taste in historical c-dramas and realized I always lean toward political/palace intrigue over xanxia or wuxia fantasy dramas. So, without further ado, my list of favorite historical c-dramas (with a happy ending) that ground the romance in political power struggles.

1. The Double

Cast: Wang Xing Yue, Wu Jin Yan

Synopsis: After being framed for adultery by her husband and his family, Xue Fang Fei takes on the identity of the deceased daughter of a high-ranking court official in order to clear her family's name and take revenge on the people who wronged her.

This drama is flawless. Both the FL and the ML are two of my favorite characters of all time. They're both smart, funny, and badass in their own way. Their relationship is one of mutual respect and admiration, and the way they fight for and support one another is beautiful and romantic. The villains are fleshed out and great at making you hate everything about them while also understanding their motivations. Wang Xingyue gives an INCREDIBLE performance as Duke Su, and while I think Wu Jin Yan is too old to believably play a teenager, she is a fantastic actress who does a complicated character justice. I really have nothing negative to say about this drama. It's perfect to me.

2. Blossom

Cast: Li Yun Rui, Meng Zi Yi

Synopsis: A chance meeting between a woman leaving her cheating husband and a general helping a second prince overthrow the crown results in both of their deaths, intertwining their fates. When the woman wakes up reborn in her 10 year old body with all her memories intact, she has the opportunity to change her fate, the fate of the general, and maybe the entire country.

Dou Zhao and Song Mo are my parents, full stop. This couple is so good - both smart and capable in their own right, but damn near unstoppable together. Their chemistry is great. Their love and devotion for each other is crazy, and they're both just so, so pretty 🩷. I never found this drama boring, but I have seen some people say they thought the back half drags a bit. I think if you're not fully enamored with the couple, that might be the case since the back half focuses more on palace power struggles, but I'm a political intrigue girlie, so I was hooked the whole time.

3. Are You The One

Cast: Zhang Wan Yi, Wang Chu Ran

Synopsis: An anti-heroine bandit and a vassal Prince army general find their lives entwined when he saves her from near death and uses her resulting amnesia to trick her into thinking they're a married merchant couple in order to use her to catch the mastermind behind her bandit stronghold. As he sinks deeper into his own lies, he desperately tries to cling to their made-up life, fearing the day she regains her memories...

THIS SHOW!!!! My beautiful power couple who outsmart everyone but each other and wield death with knives and swords. This show does so many things right. The palace politics are interesting. The second male lead is compelling and complicated in a way that makes you seriously consider him as a contender. Both of our protagonists are smart, capable fighters who slowly realize they want the same things but have chosen different paths to achieve their goals. Also, the ML is a SIMP, which I am always here for.

4. New Life Begins

Cast: Bai Jing Ting, Tian Xi Wei

Synopsis: Ignored by his Emperor father and neglected by his concubine mother, the 6th prince of Xin Chuan marries the daughter of a farming family from a neighboring country as part of an annual marriage selection. Together, they face the challenges of court politics, royal etiquette, treatment of women, and international relations as the prince's reputation rises in the court of Xin Chuan and he begins to earn the respect of his father.

The ML and FL are great, and their relationship is solid, lovely, and heartwarming. But the real delight of this show is the women and their friendships. The unwavering support and love all the female characters have for one another is the true heart of this show. If you love women supporting women and women fighting for change and equal access to power while a few great men support them, I can not recommend this one enough.

5. The Princess Royal

Cast: Zhang Ling He, Zhao Jin Mai

Synopsis: After 20 years in an arranged marriage, Princess Li Rong has her Prince Consort, Pei Wenxuan, assassinated after she believes he's been slowly poisoning her. She dies from the poison soon after his death and wakes up to find she's gone back 20 years, memories intact, to before she and Pei Wenxuan got married. She quickly realizes that Pei Wenxuan is also back, and the two of them must decide what parts of their past they'll repeat and what parts they can change to avoid their fate.

Li Rong is one of my favorite female characters. She's cold, closed-off, analytical, and so repressed it's painful. She's tries so hard to protect herself, that she ends up missing out on the most important thing in her life the first time around and her bravery in trying to change herself enough to not miss it a second time is breathtaking. Watching fiery and charismatic Pei Wenxuan try to properly win her heart in their second life is one of the most swoonworthy romances I've watched. The politics in the show are engaging, and there is interesting meta to be had around how our desires and how we prioritize those desires affect the course of our lives.

6. The Story of Kunning Palace

Cast: Zhang Ling He, Bai Lu

Synopsis: A wicked Empress is pushed to her death after a coup overthrows the Emperor. She wakes up in her 18 year old body and vows to make different choices this time around. But changing her course is more difficult than she imagined, and things become more complicated when she gets entangled with the man responsible for the coup and her death in her first life.

I thoroughly enjoyed the politics and court drama of this show, but ultimately, it's the performances of Bai Lu, Wang Xingyue, and especially Zhang Linghe as the intense and unhinged Xie Wei, that really make this drama worth watching. Bai Lu's chemistry with both MLs is fantastic, and her scenes with Zhang Linghe are so charged that you'll be holding your breath. They both chew their way through this drama immaculately. Watch it for the simple joy of watching two actors ACT.

7. Melody of Golden Age

Cast: Ding Yu Xi, Ancy Deng

Synopsis: In order to protect her family, the 6th daughter of a low-level court official marries the favored general of the queen dowager in place of her older sister. Neither party wants the marriage, but neither can afford to anger the queen. They decide to bide their time and divorce in a year, but in the meantime, they help one another achieve various goals... and, of course, fall in love for real.

I can't be rational about Ding Yu Xi. If he's in it, I'm tuned in. His chemistry with Ancy Dang is fantastic, and watching his character, Shen Du, slowly melt and fall for his wife, Yan Xing, is so, so enjoyable. I was less interested in the mystery/court politics of this one, but I still liked it a lot. The romance is very good and Shen Du and Yan Xing are dreamy protagonists.

8. Blossoms In Adversity

Cast: Hu Yi Tian, Zhang Jing Yi

Synopsis: The feisty and brilliant daughter of a noble family must find a way to keep all the women and children in her family alive when her grandfather offends the king and gets their family's wealth, property, and status stripped away, as well as all the men banished to a labor camp.

This show is all about the FL, Hua Zhi, for me. She is a fantastic character - strong, sensible, smart, and fearless - while still managing to hold on to her heart and see the good in the people around her. Her love story with the prince/commander lacked something for me. I think I wanted it to be more intense than it was and might have worked better if a different actor played him. But, Hua Zhi, her family dynamics, the court politics, and all of the side characters were beyond enjoyable.

9. Flourished Peony

Cast: Li Xian, Yang Zi

Synopsis: A woman in a terrible marriage makes an escape with only the clothes on her back and a rare potted peony her mother left her. She ends up pawning the peony to the king's flower envoy in order to start a business, and the two become entangled as a result.

The FL, Mu Dan, is a badass. She tackles villain after villain with just her wits and the sheer determination to live her life freely. The ML, Cheng Yang, realizes early on that he's found a kindred spirit, but neither of them are interested in romance at first. I loved that they are genuinely friends for the majority of the show and that the ML trusts Mu Dan to solve her own problems, rarely stepping in to help her because he knows she's strong enough to solve it herself. This show, much like New Life Begins, highlights the horrors of being a woman in this time period. And like New Life Begins, one of the best things about this show is the women Mu Dan collects throughout her journey, building her own little found family. Flourished Peony has a 2nd season on the way that will air some time in the back half of 2025, but the end of S1 is solid and won't leave you hanging if you decide to watch it before S2 comes out.

10. The Rise of Ning

Cast: Zhang Wan Yi, Ren Min

Synopsis: After spending most of her childhood in the country away from her scholarly family, Yi Ning, the black sheep daughter, returns home for her grandmother's birthday. Rivalry between her and her other siblings and cousins cause tension, but she finds an ally in her father's illegitimate son, Shen Yuan, another black sheep who has cultivated a life for himself in the shadows of a family that doesn't acknowledge him. Together, they try to solve the mystery of Yi Ning's mother's death and decades old case involving Shen Yuan's master. A case that puts them in contact with a dangerous man from Ning's past.

Full warning, the romance in this is between Yi Ning and Shen Yuan. Spoiler: No, they're not really siblings. He knows they're not very early on. She finds out much later, and the romance starts after that, but he's very clearly already fallen for her while she still considers him a brother. If the trope bothers you, skip this one.

If you're like me and don't care 😂, this show is great. Yi Ning is a sweetheart with a spine. The second male lead is a combination of incredibly handsome and scarily unhinged, which makes him all the more sinister. Shen Yuan is smart, calm, and deadly - my male lead kryptonite!!!, and his devotion to Ning is so wonderful. I also have a Zhang Wan Yi bias. His face is just very, very good to me. The mystery plot is engaging, and I didn't ever find myself bored with this show.

[noona-is-afk]

For everyone who’s looking for kdramas to watch between Lovely Runner episodes may I suggest:

Twinkling Watermelon

similarities: time travel, lots of shenanigans, great music, disabilities and mental health themes

A Time Called You

similarities: time travel adult back to high school, great chemistry between leads, murder plot

twenty five twenty one

similarities: ml falls first, love over the years, high school to college years

True Beauty

similarities: same writer! second lead syndrome, love triangle, high school love story, idols in training

Honourable mentions:

Record of Youth (Byeon Woo Seok plays second lead! Idol drama!)

Sh**ting Stars (Idol drama!)

Extra-ordinary You (Kim Hye Yoon FL, tall drink of water Rowoon ML)

20th century girl (movie but Byeon Woo Seok is incredible in it)

Strong Girl Nam Soon (nothing like this show but Byeon Woo Seok plays an INCREDIBLE villain)

[cheriecelestial]

Batboys as Desi Films

𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

Raj and Simran meet during a trip across Europe and end up getting stranded in the middle of nowhere after they miss their train. Despite their initial clashing, they fall in love. However, Simran’s traditional father has arranged her marriage elsewhere. Raj must win over Simran’s family to marry her, leading to a series of heartfelt moments, comedic misunderstandings, and ultimately, a dramatic climax where love conquers all as the couple fights for their happiness against societal norms.

Dick is so raj coded with his quips and charisma. Their chaotic banter and chemistry is off the charts. Any Indian who hasn’t watched this gets their desi card revoked immediately, I don’t make the rules. This movies fits Dick’s dramatic flair perfectly.

𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝

Goliyon ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013)

The modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” set in rural Gujarat, India. It follows the love story of Ram, from the Rajadi clan and Leela, from the Sanera clan, who belong to rival gangster clans engaged in a long-standing feud. Despite the enmity between their families, Ram and Leela fall deeply in love, leading to a tragic and tumultuous journey filled with passion, violence, and sacrifice.

It fits Jason’s love for guns and classics. An absolute visual treat with cinematography and all the songs are absolute bangers.

𝐓𝐢𝐦 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐞

Jab We Met (2007)

Aditya, a heartbroken business tycoon, someone who was dwelling in the lowest ebb of his life and was almost on the brink of giving it all up, aimlessly boards a train to escape his depressing life. On his journey he meets Geet, a talkative and vivacious young woman. Geet is on her way to meet her boyfriend, but her plans go awry, and she ends up stranded. Aditya, feeling sorry for her, decides to help her get to her destination safely. Along the way, they encounter various adventures and challenges that bring them closer together. Despite their contrasting personalities, they develop a deep connection. However, when they part ways, Aditya realizes his love for Geet and sets out to find her. In the end, they reunite, realizing they are meant to be together.

Grumpy x sunshine. The OG green flag. Epitome of ‘if he wanted to,he would’. Makes my chatterbox heart happy because of how much I relate to the FL. Favourite comfort movie of all time. ML kinda looks like Cillian Murphy’s scarecrow. “I like you a lot but that is my problem, you don’t need to worry about it.” Their fights and his little sassy comebacks and rants were so cute and fun to watch.

𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞

Jodhaa Akbar (2003)

The Mughal emperor Akbar, seeking to forge political alliances, marries Jodhaa, a Rajput princess. Initially a marriage of convenience, their relationship evolves as they learn to respect and love each other. Jodhaa struggles to adapt to Mughal customs, especially with their cultural and religious differences but her courage and integrity win Akbar's admiration. Despite conspiracies and opposition, including from Akbar's own court, their love prevails. The film explores the transformation of a young ruler, initially groomed for ruthlessness by his mentor Bairam Khan, into a wise and compassionate emperor who values mercy, diplomacy, religious harmony and cultural acceptance. Akbar's realization of the importance of religious tolerance, showcased through his abolition of discriminatory policies and his respect for all faiths.

The arranged marriage tag and the ‘raised as a weapon but softens and shows more compassion out of respect and love for his empress’ tag fits demonhead!Damian so much. The way he said mashallah after he pulled off her veil in the middle of a sword fight >>>>. I love how it captures the essence of India’s rich heritage and diversity. “Why seek paradise ? It is before me now.”

𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞

Khoobsurat (2014)

Milli, a free-spirited and eccentric young woman becomes the physiotherapist for a royal family. She brings her lively yet clumsy personality into the conservative royal household, shaking up their structured lives. It clashes with the formal atmosphere of the palace, especially with the stern matriarch, Nirmala Devi. Despite initial resistance, Milli's unconventional methods bring joy and laughter into the lives of the family members, including the brooding prince, Vikram. As Milli navigates the challenges of fitting into the royal household, she also finds herself falling in love with Vikram, leading to a series of comedic and heartwarming moments.

Very cliched (well it is a Disney film) and the second hand embarrassment is unreal but sometimes after a long day all you need is a feel-good cheesy rom-com. Oh to sit next to Fawad Khan in a red convertible while gazing lovingly at him. I like how she emphasises on improving the patient’s mental health to help him heal. Incase you haven’t noticed already, cold brooding™️ x silly goose is my favourite character dynamic.

𝐀/𝐍 - I’ll be honest with y’all, this was to satiate my desire of writing x desi! reader cuz I don’t have enough motivation or time to do it T^T

[moononmyfloor]

A Love Never Lost (人生若如初见 Rénshēng ruò rú chū jiàn) First Impression

I'm so excited that this is finally out after being fridged for what... 5 years? It's incredibly rare to have "serious" historical Cdramas these days (as in based on real characters and real events, not just reenactment type dramas like The Litchi Road and Riverside Code by Qingming Festival, or Guzhuang shows like Blossom or The Glory. We barely get even ONE actual period drama per year, and even then, they are ones that had been made years ago and hadn't had the fortune to see the light of the day until now. Well, the reason is obvious. The more representative of the actual history a work of fiction is, especially if the relevant period of time is very sensitive, the more careful you have to be in order to not suffer public backlash let alone government interference. Such projects are very risky, and nobody wants to watch their money, time and effort of months go down the drain.

As for why A Love Never Lost was shelved after one (or was it five?) episode, there are many theories: one being that the protagonist was a bad guy in actual history and was portrayed in a too positive light, and the good guys were given negative portrayals. However, the show had already passed censorship when it first aired. There was no reason for the censor board to recall the license. Plus you see how the show is still in its 40-episode glory, each the usual 45 mins length, so obviously if any re-editing had been done in the past few years, it was nothing major. I've seen shows that were forced to cut down almost half their material to get the approval. The other argument is that it was a shared distribution rights dispute between IQIYI and Mango. ANYWAY, without further ado:

Ep 1

LMAO who said the ML is whitewashed? Barely 2 mins into the show, we are given proof that he's twisted in head. Look at the excitement in his face! He skipped school so he could witness beheading. I only hope this isn't going down the same path as Legend of Zang Hai, where we were given clues the ML was not ok even before the tragedy that befell him (as a kid he kidnapped and imprisoned and beat up another kid in a cellar he himself had dug), but then they did nothing with that and went down the classic "traumatized young man who has justifiable reasons for his acts of revenge but he's actually a meow meow" path.

I really like how the show establishes the clear distinction between Manchu and Han women's fashion. (Single piece vs two-piece, swallow tail hair vs liangbatou)

The show looks like a million bucks alright. And keep in mind this has been produced years ago, and it still looks better than many of the 2025 costume drama productions. Yep, the IQIYI and Mango war is making more and more sense. Both parties wanted the bigger portion of commission, and in the end both lost out. I feel bad for the showmakers.

Ep 2

So let me get this straight. The FL went to Shanghai alone on her to-be-husband's ship, to deliver stuff to her brother-in-law. Who barely writes to his pregnant wife waiting at home, but he's building a school for girls in Shanghai (because he thinks it'd be a profitable business) ... with an all-male teacher ensemble...

My girl it sounds like you should run far far away from your current family, future family and in-laws too. It sounds like not a SINGLE one of them got their priorities straight, regardless those priorities are period typical or anachronistic.

The FL encourages the Brother-in-law to start classes and start teaching the maids and servants to encourage actual students to enroll, and I gotta say it's really nice that he and the other teachers take their teaching seriously despite the classroom being filled with old people and their still-breastfeeding babies and toddlers. I fully expected them to just make them sit in the benches and do nothing, looking down on them for not being appropriate student candidates.

The Chemistry teacher is a creep tho. He draws the FL he just met a picture of a lotus and tells her cheesy pickup lines, then oggles her and tells her to not bind her chest because it's bad for her health and because to build a healthy nation they need healthy mothers. You JUST met the girl! Uhh that's nothing but male saviour complex masquerading as a feminist. And the next day he looks at her chest again and says going unbound looks good on her. 🥲

Ep 3

He handed her a whole Yukata and she managed to magically put it perfectly on herself. Sure Jan.

After shopping for chemicals as a Japanese couple, the creep has managed to fully secure the FL's trust. She's changing out of her Yukata in his lab's personal area, and he's suddenly overtaken by passion for his great future causes and ALSO her partially undressed silhouette. He jumps her, cocooning her with the modesty curtain, and utters macho promises at her. She's charmed. Trump would love him.

His plan is to bomb the remaining Imperial family, and use the FL to bring the bomb through. In brother-in-law's credits, he's been trying to keep the FL away from the creep for a while now, knowing his true nature, but it's too late.

Ep 4

All the main characters are on-board a ship to Japan. The ML with his buddies, to attend school in Japan, the FL with the creep she hitched up with because now they are wanted criminals in China. ML and FL meet each other for the first time.

Poor girl finally realizes the mess she's in. Alas.

Ep 5

ML and his buddies are settling into the difficult life in a new country where their homeland status means nothing, and the FL has basically become the snobby creep's servant. Seems like the story is going to take place in Japan for a while. That's very rare and interesting. Previously I've only seen a period Cdrama about expats set in Singapore only, I think. Finally, there are some humorous moments, and the change in atmosphere is a welcome change after several episodes of China in their most downward-slope era. Also, about 60% of the dialogues are happening in Japanese now, with the main characters all speaking it themselves. Some real effort has gone into the making of this show.

Ep 6-10

Not a lot of character or plot progression save for the creep redeeming himself a tiny bit. He's no longer the revolutionist on high-horse who feels too proud to live off the meager money his woman is earning by laboring through the day but also does nothing to share her burden. He now actively tries to be helpful to her, his expressions of care and affection to her are sounding more and more genuine, he maintains a respectful distance from her always, despite living together (which I find rather unbelievable of a stretch for his character, looking at how he came off in those first days he met her). He's still very much a loser though, who sleeps through the entire day when she's not home.

Nothing significantly important happened with the other characters that wouldn't make sense if a simple "Three Years Later" was used instead of the past 5 episodes. The storytelling feels super meandering, very daily-records/slice-of-life kind. I have no clue what the aim or direction of the story is and I'm by the 1/4 point of the show.

One thing for sure. This is not a fluffy cos-play romcom, nor is it a show about tsunderes with hearts of gold. If the show doesn't waste the initial momentum it had, I think it has the potential to be a proper, holistic examination of people from many walks of life, all lost in various ways in this particularly bleak era. Everyone's full of lofty ideals but not enough introspection to recognize their inborn hypocrisy. Saying they want to make a mark in the history, but in fact just trying to keep up with the rapidly changing times. The characters are opportunistic voyeurs but are all products of their time. However, the show doesn't attempt to overly justify them nor villainize them. I felt they were presented quite objectively; hence it wasn't much of a difficult watch despite the underlying darkness of everything. And if that is not what you want to see in your leisure time Cdrama, then this show isn't for you.

.

A Love Never Lost Masterpost

[thekatea]

Reasons why Ben and Sa Xin are THE best headcanon ship:

1. PERFECT setup for soft enemies to lovers because the initial dislike they had for each other did not come from them actually disliking each other, but the idea they had about each other in their heads (that was then proven wrong as the drama progressed).

2. Even when Ben was annoyed at Sa Xin, he was still protecting him.

3. The way their dynamic follows far more the typical "straight" love lines than "male friendship" IN ASIAN MEDIA, example: Ben being protective over Sa Xin, instead of them being "us two against the world" seeking revenge together. ML manipulating and keeping FL out of danger against her will is literally a trope.

4. The fact their scenes together have more depth and emotional impact to both character than any scene Ben had with Doctor so far. The devil is in the details. For the doc he bought a generic drink, for Sa Xin he made his special date drink with full on magic trick.

5. Majority of scenes he has with a doc happen in context of Sa Xin reacting to them, him being the cause it happened, or him being mentioned in them by Ben. The way he was dancing with the Doc while also keeping his eyes on Sa Xin for the majority of the time.

6. The fact the whole intro does not have ONE scene between Ben and the Doc. Guess what it has tho - bar scene between Ben and Sa Xin.

7. How their bar scene borderline mirrored the composition of the lead couple bar scene.

8. Truth to be told, his "love line" with Doctor is so shallow so far it feels like a way to pass censorship. Like when they tried to give Wuxian female love in in The Untamed drama version 🙂 The way their scenes are always sandwiched between scenes liking him with Sa Xin is literally a full on circus.

9. The chemistry is there 🔥

Ps. I do not hate the female doctor, I think she is a great character, love her scenes and want to see more (they are painfully underusing her potential as a character). I just like Ben's dynamics with Sa Xin more 🙂

[arminthada]

Hello! I have plenty of rec lists of yours saved and plenty of stuff that I still need to watch, so I really really should not ask this question. But I am curious, so ...

I recently watched Spare Me Your Mercy and Cheery Lee, Village Headman and Paradise of Thorns and now I want to ask if you know more Thai series/movies that play in rural areas as opposed to the cities we more frequently see?

I am aware of Doiboy and A Tale of A Thousand Stars as well... Anything you know of that I am missing? As you can see I am genre hopping anyway, so anything might be interesting if it tickles my fancy ...

Thank you so much for posting about Thai media beyond the QLs as well, I thoroughly enjoy it.

Hi ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

I'm sooooo very glad you enjoyed Cheery Lee, Village Headman.

While I'm not the most avid lakorn watcher (like nowhere near as good as @nonkul in watching long lakorns), these are some countryside/rural life/period setting Thai series I've quite enjoyed.

1. Nha Harn (2022)

This series is probably the closest to what you might be looking for in terms of depiction of countryside life of Isan teens with a dash of BL.

2. My Love in the Countryside (2024)

No QL in this one but it's one of my favorite rural setting romcom. Great pacing, sizzling chemistry between ML and FL, and a very likable FL.

3. Doctor Climax (2024)

While technically not a rural setting piece, this raunchy sex dramedy, set in 70s Bangkok, is THE most gorgeous cinematography I've witnessed in a Thai series last year. The main protagonist is a total cheater bastard so I could have loathed him but I'm glad he was played by one of my favorite Thai actors, Ter Chantavit so the hate was mildly lessened. There's an episode focusing on a gay character played by Ud Awat (who's in Doi Boy).

okay maybe one more gif but my gorgeous Goy smoking

4. Once Upon A Star

The film is about a traveling pharma-cinema troupe as they go on the road to spread the joy of live-dubbed movies. It's like a beautiful and poignant love letter to Thai 60s cinema.

5. The Teacher's Diary

I actually got around to properly watching this film just the other day. It's a classic GTH/GDH film that was very popular when it was released about a former wrestler who got sent off into to teach kids at a rural house boat school.

6. You & Me & Me

A beautiful coming of age film about twin sisters You and Me who moved to the countryside for the first time and experienced their first love with a countryside boy named Mark.

There's in fact a lot more lakorns with rural setting due to the popularity of hi-so girl/farmer boy trope in thailand but I just wanted to give spotlight to some of the more underrated/heart-tugging works that really stuck with me (which tends to be works that lean more into the bonds between characters rather than leaning into the romance although romance is there).

[dangermousie]

hello! i was wondering if you would mind me asking for period/wuxia cdrama recs - i have really appreciated your blogging on various shows and have run out of things to watch 😅 off the top of my head i've really enjoyed stuff like minglan, love like the galaxy, heroes, monarch industry, yanxi palace, eternal brotherhood, a journey to love. thanks in advance for considering this ask!

I love giving recs!!!!

You may have watched some of these already but hopefully some are new.

There are no xianxia on your list so I am not providing any xianxia or xianxia adjacent recs :)

Novoland Eagle Flag - in my top 3 cdramas. Recommending it because you mentioned Eternal Brotherhood and in a lot of ways, NEF is if EB had a bigger budget; it has the same "low fantasy" vibe and a main who is a gritted teeth idealist in a feudally dark world.

Vigilantes in Masks - because you mentioned AJTL. This one features Liu Shi Shi as an outlaw and is also a story of a group of down-and-out people coalescing together into a team on a mission. She and Wallace Huo have insane chemistry.

Battle of Changsha - from the writers of Minglan. It's set in 1930s so not sure if that is an issue, but it is a wonderful, nuanced story of a family with a great love story in the middle, but the family is as or more important in the narrative.

Love In Between - because you mentioned Heroes and AJTL. This one is a criminally underrated drama. It follows a group of people whose mission intersects now and then and they are sometimes a team and sometimes enemies. FL is on a quest to heal her master, ML is a physician with no martial ability, due to childhood events, there are seemingly favored daughter and son of a fancy sect, an information broker etc etc. There are causes, love, friendship, grudges, some fascinating gender reversal dynamics, the filming is beautiful. It's just genuinely amazing. Listening Snow Tower also has that vibe (FL and ML both fascinating, tons of cool secondaries) and is also a wuxia I love.

You seem to like female-centric narratives where women triumph and deal with harem or family or plots etc matters. The Sword and the Brocade is inferior to Minglan but has that same vibe. The Princess Weiyoung and Legend of Xiao Chuo are both "female protag rises to power and obtains love" that are fun.

I hesitate to recommend General and I even tho I adore because a lot of people don't like Angelababy, but to me this is a great entrant into "FL is strong and ruthless and with her own agenda and that is what ML falls for and they form a team eventually subgenre." The same is true for Twisted Fate of Love (so so so good and so so underrated!)

Everyone loves Nirvana in Fire but I prefer Nirvana in Fire 2 (different generation, no need to watch the first one) due to family dynamics and approach. It also has idealists against the court, politics vibes.

The Young Warriors is ooooold (over 20 years old) and looks it, but is one of the best family centric period narratives and a lot of concurrent great stories and dynamics and also confrontation between warrior protags and corrupt court (see shades of EB) and the same for Lan Ling Wang (it features an amazing love story to boot) tho that one is newer of course.

Oh, and if you haven't seen Joy of Life 1 and 2, it has everything you would love I imagine.

The Rise of Phoenixes is a great narrative about families, power struggles and a love story with two vvv smart protags.

Hope you find something you like and thank you for the awesome ask!

[loveschoice-if]

as a newbie k-drama watcher...have any cute romance k-dramas you rec?

Ooooh that's a good question! I'm assuming you mean more like sweet romances with not too much drama so here are some recs:

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim - I feel like this is a good introduction to romance K-dramas and it has a lot of the tropes that you can expect to see in romance dramas. There are some heavy moments, but overall very cute and a little bit silly.

Touch Your Heart - very similar to WWSK, either had same director or writer. The leads had really good chemistry and it's a very sweet romance. Likewise, lots of silly moments that keep things light.

Because This Is My First Life - another K-drama I watched very early on. I thought the romance development was very natural and sweet, and it was satisfying to see the ML in particular develop and open up to the FL.

Splash Splash Love - a short movie-length drama about a girl who travels back in time after skipping her SATs. It's not as well known, but I thought it was cute. The romance between the FL and the ML is very sweet and there were so many unserious, silly moments.

If you're interested in more specific recommendations, let me know!

[stephreviews]

Steph's Weekly Watchlist (Feb. 10)

QL Dramas - Currently Airing

1. Perfect 10 Liners (17/24)

This week's episode was so tooth-rottingly sweet with Yotha and Gun, and it set us up for Faifa and Wine next episode. But what the hell was that resolution with their mom?? The way a lot of these shows handle the parents is honestly insane. I will forgive it because the rest of the show has been so good. I can't wait for Faifa and Wine to start. I enjoyed them a lot in Cherry Magic, although I felt like there was something missing.

2. The Boy Next World (7/10)

Phu's little pajamas are just the cuuuuuutest. I've been trying to figure out what it is I like about this drama. And tbh it's not really the story. The story is very similar to many other BL's: set in college, small age gap, older top, cute younger bottom, rich guy with controlling parents who threaten his partner to leave him, big lie at the beginning that starts the conflict.

No, what makes me love the show is how natural the relationship between Cir and Phu is, and how natural the friendships are. The natural affection between them, the sex, the communication. Phu's friends aren't immediately okay with Cir just because he's hot! Phu and Cir talk about boners! They have sex that isn't penetrative! What a wild concept!

3. The Heart Killers (Finale!)

WHY DID THEY GO TO CAPTAIN CHRIST FOR HELP! JUST KILL HER GOD DAMN IT! SHE DESERVED TO DIE. Ughhhhh. What is this "no more killing"??? Okay but the preview for the finale is hilarious. I expect nothing less of Style than to commit a crime just to snuggle with Fadel. My man is unhinged.

QL Dramas - Catching Up

1. Eternal Butler (airing: 8/12, me: 5/12)

I was doing SO WELL with this drama. It's so cute! I never actually watched Anti-Reset, and I feel like I should now. The plot's not anything groundbreaking, but their chemistry is so good and it's so fun. And DAMN they are both so hot.

2. ThamePo (airing: 10/13, me: 5/13)

Again, I was doing SO WELL....the holidays really messed up some of my drama watching 🤣. This show is just such an amazing slow burn, and William and Est are doing it so well. And I am a sucker for the rare good slow burn.

QL Dramas - Other

1. Heart Stain (airing: 3 & 4/8, me: 1/8)

The premise of this looks weird, idk how I feel about one of them having a crush on his teacher, but I will always support BXB Hamin in anything he does so I'm watching it. If you haven't listened to BXB, I recommend their song planet!

2. Ossan's Love TH (airing: 6/12, me: 1/12)

I was so sad when EarthMix didn't have a show last year (I'm an OG ATOTS fan) - so I was really excited to see them have a show this year, especially one where Earth finally gets to be a silly character.

3. Affair the Series (GL) (completed, me: 6/8)

For various reasons, I haven't watched that many of the GL series out there. Mostly for lack of knowledge of when they were airing or how to watch them. Recently, I sought many of them out, trying to make a list for @darthhafsa 's and my lesbian Wednesdays.

We decided to start with Affair. The chemistry is astounding, the kisses to die for, and we both want to murder Ek. To quote my wife, "Please jump off a bridge, dude."

4. Love Sea (completed, me: 6/10)

Why did I not watch this when it aired? Great question. I, too, would like to know. In the meantime, the plot of this drama is honestly sending me. Peat playing a spoiled rich boy who "buys" Fort? Amazing. No notes.

Other Dramas

1. My Sweet Mobster 🇰🇷 (completed, me: 5/16)

This is an old one I accidentally dropped a while ago. I wanted to wait until it finished, and then I forgot about it....oops. Time to finish it!

2. Melody of Golden Age 🇨🇳 (completed, me: 40/40)

See my full review here. This show was dramatic from start to finish, but I loved it. The best part? Just when I thought the FL was going to back off and let the ML "fix" things without communicating, she bites back! Remember kids: if your husband tries to divorce you for your own good without telling you why, stab him and sign the divorce papers in his blood!

[kikizubik]

The First Night with the Duke is getting every new episode better and better, I wasn't prepare to enjoy it in that amount I do actually. I haven't read webtoon comics, but the drama itself is so much fun. FL is walking storm and I am loving her fangirling. ML is good himself and the chemistry between them is so good. The drama is just hilarious ride and I'm ready for more chaos!

Second episode is my favorite so far! I love how he was always 1 step ahead. Pretty excited for next week!

What's your thoughts about the drama so far?

[mandalhoerian]

Oh em geee u read manhwa?! Can you share ur list? I haven’t seen anyone on tumblr who reads manhwas

anon i don't have lists i keep track of i'm unfortunately not that organized. i bookmark a manhwa and then forget about it until it updates :( but i can share personal favorites !! but i do favor isekai, romantasy and historical ones because i want to turn my brain off, so, WE LISTEN WE DON'T JUDGE. i've been around ever since the genesis of childcare isekai (like. emperor's daughter explosion) so you might have already gone through these but. yeah. i never said i was original 😭🤙 these are off the top of my head!

1- miss not-so sidekick: this is my favorite of all time, it's my comfort manhwa i go back to it all the time i absolutely adore the humor. arwin and latte are MY LOVES. i haven't seen any leads on arwin's level ever after this and i go through withdrawals, he was something else

2- the reason why raeliana ended up in the duke's mansion - one of the ogs and another favorite of mine god i love the leads (NOAH SUPREMACY). i was over the moon when this got an anime !!!!

3- who made me a princess: listen i know alright. I KNOW. but the art is divine and i love claude despite him being the biggest of dicks and a trash father, he makes things so interesting AND he's so iconic that all of the emperor's daughter manhwas are a copy of him for a reason ok. i'll never forget the period of suffering i went through after he went into his sleeping beauty era. i never said my taste was great ok. (also lucas having long hair may or may not be a factor because i love long haired men)

4- villainess in love: the romance is amazing in this, adult relationship between mature leads with so much cuteness. yunifer >>>>

5- the count's secret maid: this is a fairly new manhwa but i loved it so much that i actually went and read the novel of it and cried my fucking eyes out. im eagerly waiting it to be adapted . the female lead paula is amazing i want to protect her from the world

6- for better or for worse: this is another one of the comedic ones but the leads have such a funny chemistry I LOVE THEMMMMMM

7- i fell into a reverse harem game: no comment....... ahem

8- happily ever afterwards: LISTEN this starts out as cringefail with the fl peony's delusions (SECOND HAND EMBARRASSMENT) about wanting to marry her favorite second male lead richt in the novel she isekai'd in but it really gets so cute & realistic that it shocked me. i love love love this

9- the villainess wants a divorce: another og . the art is DIVINE and all the male characters are eye candies. one of those "omg noooo the original plot whatever shall i doooooo im destined to die in the end" ones. alas i go "omg then what???" every time. also, ceasar's a puppy i want him so bad

10- a villainess for the tyrant: another favorite of mine. this is one of the rare manhwas that there exists side couples, and all of them are amazing. yes please

11- not sew-wicked stepmom: this is on the same wavelength as "miss not-so sidekick" !! the ml in this has gone through sexual abuse and the representation is amazing, take this as your trigger warning!

12- let's hide my little brother: the dude in this has been dressed and forced to be a girl all his life because of plot reasons and has his heterosexual awakening thanks to the female lead. he's also a yandere yes. but his long luscious pink hair has seduced me i wished he never cut it

13- the villain's savior: an underrated gem tbh i love a villain acting like a villain

14- i failed to oust the villain: a yandere guilty pleasure

15- the villainess flips the script: tooth rotting fluffy dynamic between fl and ml, a dynamic cast, and such a feel-good read

16- i married the male lead's dad: another fluffy read but it turned angsty SO FAST. the male lead is the greenest flag ever i adore him. but you are NOT ready for the plot....

17- i became the tyrant's secretary: what's wrong with secretary kim but make it romantasy isekai LMFAO . she HAS HIM ON A LEASHHHHHHHHH

18- villains are destined to die: I FUCKING FORGOT. This is like on top of my list. I WANT TO GET PENELOPE OUT OF THERE. I HATE DERRICK ALL MY HOMIES HATE DERRICK. Also if you like sylus you are going to LOOOOOVE callisto he's sooooo UHHHUHJFHJFHFJ!!

19- flower and the beast: a comedy! not a chapter went by where i wasnt smiling. love this it's a fluffy read

20- syrinx the villain healer: girlboss and spicy malewife . shockingly, drawn by bwat (who does bl) so the art was right up my valley 😭

21- common story of a lady's new life: misunderstandings galore BUT I LOVE ITTTTTT

22- your majesty please spare me this time: this one is quite angsty and layered, i love the complicated nature of the female lead laliette and her devotion to her family (who aren't that innocent) and overall the theme of family and the inability to let go. a great read

23- becoming the dark hero's daughter: I LOVE THE DAD. I LOVE THE DAAAAAAAADDD UGH IM STILL WAITING FOR THE SECOND SEASON

[starcrossed591]

CDrama Year in Review 2023

I'm still very much a CDrama beginner--I just started watching them in the summer of 2022--but since this is the first year I got into them in earnest, I figured I might as well do a year in review a la @dangermousie (whose lists I have found incredibly helpful in deciding which CDramas I really, really need to go back and watch as part of my CDrama education--so thank you!). So, without further adieu, here is my ranking of 2023 CDramas, in order of least enjoyed to most enjoyed*.

(See also: KDrama Year in Review 2023)

*Disclaimer: *not* a measure of objective quality

10. Royal Rumours: This drama was not great? Meng Zi Yi and Jeremy Tsui were fun, but the story started out messy and got messier. For some reason I still finished it, I think because I had a lingering cold and it was all my brain could handle at the time *shrug*

9. Gone with the Rain: I actually really enjoyed this one! The pacing was inconsistent, but Zhang Nan was fun as the irreverent Mo Xi, and we love a grizzled general. Special shout to the teacher who was not actually evil, just a sad lesbian whose gf disappeared on her

8. Love You Seven Times: Intriguing concept, not a strong enough FL to carry it through. The reincarnation stuff really worked for me at first, especially in their first mortal tribulation (as people, not CGI animals), but I got tired of it pretty quickly. I admit, the gifs of Ding Yu Xi as a sexy cat demon *did* pull me back in, but not enough for me to actually finish the thing, alas

7. Destined/Chang Feng Du: Started out really strong, and then stalled out on me. I think I only got up to about episode 22 or so, after their epic desert crossing and new start in a new state--they lost all narrative momentum for me there. I stopped watching and then just...didn't start again. I do, however, remain a big Bai Jing Ting fan, and will be keeping on eye out for whatever he does next

6. Hidden Love: (Contemporary) Age gap romances are hit or miss for me, but Zhao Lu Si absolutely stole/carried the show for me in this one. Although more fun imo when the main couple are in the the will-they-won't-they phase than in the family melodrama after they get together, still the only contemporary CDrama to get me to give it a go this year--and I'm glad I did

5. My Journey to You: Featuring my favorite murder girlies Esther Yu as Yun Wei Shan and Lu Yu Xiao as Shanguan Qian! Gorgeous costumes and sets, sweeping cinematography, and plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Full disclosure, I have not actually watched the last two episodes because I got busy and then saw weird chatter about them, so I have no comment on the allegedly weird ending

4. Till the End of the Moon: Look, I know the ending wasn't ideal, but for the majority of its run, this drama owned my entire soul. It also introduced me to Bai Lu as Li Su Su, who inspired my first actual tumblr post (that wasn't a reblog) because I was so obsessed with her. And everyone knows that Tantai Jin is the CDrama ML of the year. 10/10, no regrets at letting it take over my life (and the OST my Spotify) from April to May of this year

3. The Story of Kunning Palace: More Bai Lu is always a good thing, and she's extra fun here as the transmigrated former evil empress and totally-over-your-nonsense Xiang Xue Ning here. The reverse haremness of it all totally shows why Bai Lu is the chemistry queen, especially with the princess (Liu Xie Ning) and cranky, morally grey, would-fail-gym-class strategist Xie Wie (Zhang Ling He). So glad this drama made it out of the CDrama vault and didn't languish indefinitely in censorship hell

2. A Journey to Love: Finished this one two days ago as of this writing and am still not normal about it. Ren Ruyi (Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (Liu Yu Ning) lead an exceptionally strong ensemble cast in this wuxia that explores the complicated relationships between love, duty, loyalty, loneliness, and companionship. Ruyi and Yuan Zhou are far and away one of my fave OTPs of the year, but just as compelling are the relationships between friends/brothers/fellow assassins Yu Shisan, Yuan Lu (ugh my heart), Qian Zhou, and Sun Lang. This drama definitely has one of the strongest ensemble casts of the year. And the character growth of Yang Ying from little princess abandoned in the cold palace to who she becomes by the end will stick with me for a long time. Plus another 10/10 OST!

1. Lost You Forever S1: I'm not normally a reverse harem girl, but the longing, loss, and hard resolve portrayed to perfection by Yang Zi as Xiao Yao really did it for me here. This whole drama struck an emotional chord for me, and where TTEOTM consumed my soul, LYF took over my heart. Xiao Yao's relationships with her power hungry, overprotective cousin Cang Xuan; hot snake demon Xiang Liu/playboy archery shufu Feng Feng Bei; and perfectly devoted Tushan Jing are all equally compelling to me, and while I may know who she ends up with in the end, who I *think* she should be with changes based on who's on screen at any given time. And A'Nian, my favorite bratty princess who really just needs some strong parenting, holds a special place in my heart. I know we may never get S2, and even if we do, censorship means it probably won't be what the drama makers are capable of, but I'm so glad for this little piece of absolute perfection. And, again, a top notch OST!

Fave Drama: Lost You Forever, by just a hair over A Journey to Love. See above.

Least Fave Drama: Royal Rumours--truly why did I finish this, what was past me thinking

Biggest Disappointment: 2023 is also the year I read Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir, my very first CNovel! But then I didn't even bother checking out its adaptation, Romance of a Twin Flower, because it got rid of everything that made the novel such an addicting read, including a brilliant, strategic, ice cold FL and an ML who actually kind of sucked at the beginning, only to grow on you very, very slowly over time. I'm grateful that the chatter around the drama is what brought the novel to my attention, but other than that, hard pass.

Favorite Male Character: Lots of good ones this year, but I'm gonna go with Cang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi) from Lost You Forever. The conflict he faces between getting enough power to protect the people he loves the most and that power making him incompatible with those loved ones is so compelling, and his yearning for Xiao Yao even when she's right in front of him is wrenching. Full disclosure, I also just really love the sound of his voice

Favorite Female Character: This could easily have gone to Li Susu (TTEOTM), Xiao Yao (LYF), or Ren Ruyi (AJTL), but I'm gonna go with Bai Lu's Xiang Xue Ning in The Story of Kunning Palace. Something I really loved about this character was just how jaded Xue Ning really was, even in her second go round at life. Yeah, she wants to make amends for the harm done in her previous rise to power, but that has hardly turned her into a good--or even pleasant--person. Instead, she's incredibly skeptical and still plays most things ice cold, especially with her family. As a bonus, we got plenty of Bai Lu's fantastic side eye as she basically had to do high school all over again when she gets called into the palace despite her very best efforts not to be.

Favorite Ship: Ren Ruyi and Yuan Zhao from A Journey to Love have got to be it. They balance each other out so well, and over the course of the drama, learn to communicate effectively with each other whenever they have a problem. They also recognize that not all problems can be solved by ~love~, which makes their relationship even more compelling when they decide to prioritize each other in a way that respects what the other wants from life.

Favorite Secondary Ship: Little princess Yang Ying and Yuan Lu absolutely broke stole my heart in A Journey to Love. Doomed love even more than the main OTP, these two's youthful romance was such much fun to watch, especially as they egged their respective mentors on in their own romance. Yang Ying's recognition that her first love did not have to be her only love is also something I always love to see, even as it broke my heart that (spoiler) she and Yuan Lu never really had a chance at an HEA. Their relationship really exemplified a key theme of this drama: that you should love the people you love while they're still with you because tomorrow is never promised.

Non-2023 Dramas that I Watched: Two non-2023 dramas I watched that deserve a special shout out are Love and Redemption and The Sword and the Brocade. Love and Redemption prepared me to really appreciate the big swings that Till the End of the Moon took, and The Sword and the Brocade went a little way to filling the Story of Ming Lan shaped hole in my heart. The Sword and the Brocade also had absolutely searing critique of the concubine system, even as it featured one of the most genuinely good-hearted FLs I've seen. Would recommend both!

Most Looking Forward To: Yes, I'm a sucker and the censors (not to mention the characters) will probably break my heart, but I'm still crossing my fingers that Lost You Forever S2 will live up to the promise of part one. See above: still a CDrama beginner, have not yet had all the optimism knocked out of me. Sue me.

[pi-ying-xi]

Just over a third of the way in, Si Jin is giving me nothing new. The drama* is a pretty formulaic rebirth drama, with some flaws that are magnified somewhat.

If you watched and enjoyed The Double, you will find many 'types' reappearing here: the internal family politics, the arrogant princess, the ML who is committed to the FL's success early...

But! Much as I love both Zhang Wanyi and Jing Tian on their own, I don't feel any chemistry between them. The drama especially did Jing Tian bad, because she's unaccountably helpless and passively dependant on too many other people, but especially the men around her.

*spoilers*

The point of a rebirth drama, surely, is that the protagonist has a second chance at correcting her mistakes from her previous life, of choosing a different path to a better outcome that ideally leads not just to her staying alive, but keeps other people important to her from dying?

So with the last couple of episodes (23-14, Jiang Zhan 'drowning'):

Even though the Nanwu Saintess plotline shows Jiang Si realising that she must be the Saintess of the prophecy, because she now knows how everything is going to play out, she's oddly helpless when it comes to Jiang Zhan's death by drowning from her previous life.

She has tried to prevent him from doing anything at all in the hope of saving him, instead of doing what an intelligent person given a second life would do - find out well in advance who has got it in for them and watch how those people are moving and act to prevent or mitigate as necessary.

Instead what does she do? She uses the 'I saw it in a dream' excuse everywhere, from personal conversations all the way to the freaking court!

She's helpless even when she witnesses the princess's cruelty; she's helpless at home when the rest of the family calls for a burial and closure; she's winging it in court based on her 'dream' and the support of two men who are in love with her.

In fact, there would be no good outcome without Chuchu, Qiao Niang, Yu Qi and Zhen daren.

What even is the point of all her foreknowledge in this life? Book!Jiang Si would never!

Not going to go into how this played out in the book. It's enough to know that because Jiang Si knew in advance, she was hypervigilant and identified early on who needed to be guarded against, and when it was clear that some events couldn't be avoided, was actively present in order to rescue her brother and make the perps face the consequences of their actions.

This is my real peeve with drama!Jiang Si: she's so annoyingly passive!

*Not to be that person, but the book is much more fun, because the voice, the humour, the dog - none of that translates onto the screen. Failing which, the drama ought to have thought through how to adapt it so that something unique represents what was lost.

[renewedmotionforjudgment]

A Definitive (See: Extremely Subjective) Ranking of (Not All) Yu Zheng Dramas

With the Double airing, it has occurred to me that despite all of my critiques of Yu Zheng, I have watched quite a number of Yu Zheng dramas. Two reasons: (1) I do love a palace makjang, and Yu Zheng wrote a lot of them before harem dramas got banned, and (2) Yu Zheng is a prolific producer.

Disclaimer: despite everything, I have not seen Female Prime Minister.

So a definitively, extremely subjective, rank of Yu Zheng dramas.

Gong 1 aka Jade Palace Lock Heart. A plot that is banned these days. Modern girl time travels back to Qing dynasty, specifically during the Kangxi era, and gets mixed up in the dynastic battle between the 4th prince and the 8th prince. Starring Yang Mi and Feng Shao Feng. Copious plagiarism from Hana Yori Dango/Meteor Shower, FL advises a Kangxi concubine to rollerblade her way into seduction, and the start of Yu Zeng's neon era. Does it have the cerebral gut punch that Bu Bu Jin Xin gave? Nope. But it remains an extremely fun watch. Only 35 episodes.

Scheme of Beauty/Beauties Rival in the Palace (the first one, I have not seen subsequent ones). An extremely fictional story about Empress Dou of Han, played by Ruby Lin, also featuring Yang Mi, Feng Shao Feng, and Luo Jin, back when he was still playing the second ML. There is some plagiarism scandal attached to it, but I will say that plot wise it's probably the most tightly written of all Yu Zheng works.

Yanxi Palace. I admit, I am a Legend of Ruyi girl through and through, but upon re-watch, honestly Yanxi Palace is so fun. It is a later era Yu Zheng, when he's no longer as restrained by thing like "put less plot armor on your main characters," but it is probably the drama that plays best into Yu Zheng's strength, aka a fun makjang.

Gong 2. Was Yu Zheng trying to rip off Zhen Huan? Yes. BUT it's a fun watch with albeit VERY NEON outfits.

Legend of Haolan. The story about Qin Shi Huang's mother. Wu Jinyan playing a very Wei Yingluo character, so enjoyable watch, but also it felt very ... Yu Zheng madlibs.

Ban Shu Legend. The costumes were fugly. But I actually enjoyed the chemistry between Zhang Zhehan and Jing Tian. The plot is a mess though, I can't even describe it.

Untouchable Lovers. It was a mess! but! it's like a whose who of Yu Zheng's current talent roster.

Swordsman. Yes, I'm putting it below Untouchable Lovers because that drama was at least aesthestically pleasing. Swordsman was Yu Zheng's peak neon era and if there is one thing Yu Zheng should have no business touching, it is a classic wuxia.

[alloveydovey]

Blah blah, dramas of this month. This is the ACTUAL month of rewatch lol.

It’s Okay, That’s Love, 2014 (kdrama) 8.5

A psychiatrist who has issues getting intimate in her relationships meets a flirty famous author who might have a lot more issues than he lets on.

Okay, so, mixed feelings. It's very different from what I've seen before, so that's a good thing. It took me a while to get into it because I didn't like the secondary characters that much. One of them is 28 and is after a high schooler, and the other one has a whole family somewhere but lives with FL, ML, and the dude in love with the teenager-- and like? He's also in a weird relationship with his ex-wife. Maybe I can't take complex characters cause what is this man doing with his life? Or maybe that's part of the theme of this drama. What are we all doing? lmao, anyway. It's more adultish, and it deals with mental health. Zo In Sung and Gong Hyo Jin are great, their acting very natural, and their chemistry is fire. It did take me a while to end it, sooo... I don't know. I'm still not sure how to rate it. Overall good, though.

One Spring Night, 2019 (kdrama) (rewatch!) 9 ⭐

A librarian meets a pharmacist. She’s already in a relationship, and he has a kid outside of wedlock.

I guess this is where cultural differences collide. This drama would make absolutely no sense where I'm from. ML is a father whose girlfriend runaway after having the child... ok? Single parents (even young ones) are a common thing where I'm from. FL breaks up with her boyfriend, but he, her father, and his ex's father as well don't seem to get the memo and insist on a wedding... absolutely insane. I do get it, though. I get that in their culture, such things (maybe a little hyperbolic) happen, so I forego the cultural contrast and absolutely adore this drama. It's one of my favorites. And not just because of Jung Hae In (although, yeah, he was the reason I watched it the first time lol). The whole cast is amazing, you hate almost every man in it, but the women... the women are so worth it. Hae Ji Min is such an amazing and realistic FL. And the comfort... It's one of those cozy dramas perfect for watching every once in a while. Even the repetitive songs hit differently.

Because This is My First Life (kdrama) (rewatch!) 9

FL loses her job and on top of that doesn’t have where to live. ML wants monthly rent to keep up with his mortgage. A wedding contract ensues.

This is probably my favorite marriage contract/fake relationship drama. Also, the softest FL and ML ever. Even with their awkwardness, Jung So Min (I loooooove her) and Lee Min Ki manage to grasp you. My only two cons are the ending and one of the secondary couples. The unnecessary, always present separation between FL and ML. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn't. I feel like it might have made sense here, but at the same time it was one of the separations I hated most. Happy ending, though, so yay. I loved the girl with the bra problem and the sentimental boss, they were badass. But yeah, I hated the other secondary couple that broke up and made up over and over again. Extra notes: It was the first drama I saved music from lol.

Boys Over Flowers, 2009 (kdrama) (rewatch!) 7.5

Jan Di gets a scholarship at a rich kids' school and stands up to the F4, a group of popular guys who love to bully the shit out of everyone who they dim as bothersome.

I watched BoF when I was fourteen, and to be honest, I didn't remember much other than the fact that it wouldn't be one of those dramas I'd rewatch again. Well, let's ignore the fact that I'm here watching it again lol. I’m into 00s dramas lately, they’re kind of addictive so I had to re-check this one.

I didn’t remember Joon Pyo being so soft. I mean, still a menace to society, yes, but I think my mind got stuck with the first episodes and I low-key forgot that he actually falls for Jan Di way earlier in the drama and that he's just a caricaturized dumbass. And as for our FL, she could be a pain in the ass, but Jan Di could also be pretty fucking badass. Obviously the drama is way outdated, an adaptation from an even more outdated manga, and has a million red flags. Outside of that, I didn't think I'd be able to rewatch it. It gets extremely annoying at one point, but maybe the nostalgia won me over, and I low-key mostly enjoyed this. Extra notes: One of my favorite secondary couples/ Fuck Ji Hoo I never liked him lol.

Love in Contract, 2022 (kdrama) 8

FL works as a wife for hire. In between various clients, she’s had a consistent one for the past 5 years, a quiet and awkward man who she doesn’t know much about. Now, when she decides to retire, she has doubts about how to approach the end of their business relationship (fake marriage) with her longest and favorite husband/client.

I should stop reading drama reviews before watching them cause, unlike everyone else apparently, I enjoyed this drama a lot. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s far from being bad. The chemistry between Park Min Young and Go Kyung Pyo is everything. It also has an openly gay character who is possibly my new favorite character ever. It does drag at the end, but I don't think it diminishes the rating of the drama.

A Piece of Your Mind, 2020 (kdrama) 8.5

ML is trying to capture the personality of the woman he loves (but hasn’t seen in years) inside a device he invented. A classical music recording engineer ends up connecting with that same woman, and they both meet in— spoiler.

I admit I still haven’t finished this one but I’m really into it. Great story, great visuals, great OST. It’s a slow drama, but I feel like it’s meant to immerse you in its little melodrama world. It's both heartbreaking and comforting at the same time. Apparently, it has a low rating, and I can understand why it might be that way because it's a soft drama, but I absolutely adore it. Jung Hae In never disappoints. Also, Chae Soo Bin might be becoming one of my favorite Korean actresses.

Rich Man, Poor Woman, 2012 (jdrama) 8

Poor Woman is restlessly looking for a job and ends up working for the project of Rich Man’s company. Poor woman likes Rich Man. Rich Man is bratty and in serious need of social skills. However, fire chemistry ensues.

This drama was a surprise, for sure. The chemistry between the leads is amazing (old rom-com style), and the storyline itself, though sometimes focusing a little too much on the company and the partners-turned-rivals, is quite capturing. I did wish that it could concentrate a little more on the two leads and their romance since they were great together. I usually hate when dramas have their leads get together in the last episode (jdramas do this so much man) but here... well, I hated it, but it's okay cause they were cute af. (Also there’s a follow up movie apparently).

Haven't finished yet and don't know if I will ⬇️

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, 2024 (cdrama) 8

ML falls in love at first sight with a girl in Finland. She plays billiard which is coincidentally the sport he gave up.

I have a lot of mixed feelings here because, yes, this is extremely romantic, which is what I always look for. The chemistry absolutely takes the cake, and the actors deal with it incredibly well. But... For me, love at first sight lacks substance. I rarely like it, and here, it felt like she liked him because he was good-looking and attentive (sometimes a bit too much... like back off, she's not a kid), and he liked her because... he just did. She obviously had great qualities but, yeah, I don’t know. I need a little friction to enjoy a good romantic drama. Also, it's not important, but I don't like billiards, so a lot of this was a bit boring for me. The writing felt also a bit off.

I might finish it because the characters and setting are interesting enough. Romance is cute and seems promising as well.

My Boss, 2024 (cdrama) 7

An inexperienced lawyer ends up sharing a flat with her boss after they accidentally rent the same place. Both are complete opposites.

This is actually from January, but I tried seeing if I'd be able to finish it now and still no. Back then I was looking forward to this one cause it seemed like a cute silly rom-com, but it might have been a little bit too much on the silly. The actors are okay, their chemistry is fine. I guess what really made me drop it was the writing. Which was not good... at all.