#2018 asian drama

[25shadesoffebruary]

[cloudtinn]

Burning/ 버닝 (2018), dir.  Lee Chang-dong.

[fuckingbi]

Shancai : *goes missing*

Daoming Si, literally : hello? Police station? Yeah I'd like to report something stolen. Yeah it's my heart-

[asian-cine-phile]

"It took me 8 years to read him. How long will it take... to forget him?"

KBS DRAMA SPECIAL: THE LONG GOODBYE 이토록 오랜 이별 (2018) dir. song min yeob

[tinyreviews]

I think the allure of the movie is multifold. It hits the sweet-spot of intersectional, foreign, privileged, strong women, and formulaic rom-com. I like that the main female characters all have mini arcs and nuances.

Rachel learns to accept that high society life isn’t for her and she has to let go for everyone to be happy.

Astrid learns to accept that she is from high society.

Elanor accepts that just because she sacrificed herself for her family, doesn’t mean she should expect the same from her son or daughter-in-law.

Kerry learned long ago not to accept abuse, and started all over in a new place.

Amanda still cannot get over her old love and suffers for it.

Grandma Young still tries hard to maintain the status quo and will probably suffer disappointment.

Crazy Rich Asians is a 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jon M. Chu, from a screenplay by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, based on the 2013 novel of the same title by Kevin Kwan. The film stars Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong and a debut film for Jasmine Gee.

[bengiyo]

Hi, i'm a newish bl drama watcher from thailand that just started watching thai bls. i'm a bit ashamed to say that for a long time as a gay man living here i've been avoiding bl shows like the plague cuz of both the fandom reputation and of misconception from my yaoi era which i leave far behind. i'm just want to ask how did you got into watching thai bls and what were you preconception before you got into it.

Welcome to the Tumblr side of BL fandom. I'd actually like to also hear more of your experience with yaoi and BL as a gay person growing up in Thailand if you're willing to share.

For me, I'm a Black American from the Gulf Coast (the South). I grew up in a Catholic city and spent my entire adolescence in the closet. Despite having a sense of who I was as early as 8 years old, I kept most of that to myself. Because I didn't talk about it much with people, I found out most information about queer media and queerness from the internet.

I entered BL via queer cinema. I think the first explicitly gay character that I remember from TV was Marco from Degrassi: The Next Generation. There were probably others, and definitely more subtle expressions, but when I think about the oldest gay character I remember and connect to, it's Marco. I don't like counting things like shipping Shawn and Corey on Boy Meets World or Tai and Matt on Digimon for oldest gay characters. Sailor Moon can't even count because we got a censored version of it in America.

I got access to satellite television away from observing eyes around age 16 and started watching content on Logo back when they aired gay content regularly. I watched basically whatever I could late at night. It's how I saw movies like Get Real (1998), Beautiful Thing (1996), and Bent (1997). It's also how I saw Queer as Folk (2000-2005) Noah's Arc (2005-06).

After hitting adulthood I mostly got lost in video games and standard American TV for a while, but I did basically show up to any Gay Event in TV. I appreciate that Stef and Lena from The Fosters (2013-2018) were some of the only TV lesbians to survive the horror of 2016.

I watched a bunch of movies in this time, many of which appear on the Queer Cinema Syllabus I made for a hypothetical Westerner new to BL and queer cinema, which @wen-kexing-apologist has decided to try to complete.

I got into Thai BL in 2018 accidentally. I started seeing gifsets of Kongpob telling Arthit he'll make him his wife passing around Tumblr and was basically like, "Right, what's all this then?"

I had watched a few Thai gay films, mostly notably Love of Siam (2007), Bangkok Love Story (2007), How to Win at Checkers Every Time (2015), and The Blue Hour (2015), but this was the first time I was seeing a long series made available so easily from any Asian country.

From there I got into Make It Right (2016-17) and Love Sick the series (2014). Once I realized that yaoi had moved beyond manga and a few anime adaptations, I went looking for a lot more. I basically haven't left since I started in about 2016 with SOTUS.

There's my basic entry into the genre. I don't think I was as worried about fandom and worries at the time because so much of being a fan of queer cinema was a mostly-private experience for me for so long. I didn't realize that BL fans active in the space would predominantly be women or queers figuring themselves out. It took a while to adjust to that, and also to adjust my expectations of the kinds of queer stories BL distributors were willing to fund.

That being said, I tend to agree with @absolutebl that BL has a useful role in normalization for non-queer audiences who encounter it. I like cheering BL when it does things I think work really well, and also deriding it when I think it does things that are offensive to help nudge the genre and offer my perspective as a gay man.

I like the place we're at right now where there's way too much to watch for any person with other hobbies and responsibilities because it means that people can pick and choose what's to their tastes.

More often than not, I'm probably most-invested in something airing from Japan because of my melancholy nature, but there's so much variety these days that it's okay if you don't like everything. I certainly don't!

I'm glad you joined us on Tumblr and look forward to your thoughts!

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊  To The Most Amazing Chinese American Actress On The Planet

Born On December 2nd, 1968

Lucy Liu was born in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens.

She is an American actress. She has received several accolades including a Critics' Choice Television Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Seoul International Drama Award, in addition to a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award.

Liu has starred as Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal (1998–2002), Alex Munday in two Charlie's Angels films (2000 and 2003), and Joan Watson in the crime-drama series Elementary (2012–2019). Her film work includes starring in Payback (1999), Shanghai Noon (2000), Chicago (2002), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), Watching the Detectives (2007), The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), and Set It Up (2018).

She voice acted as Master Viper in the Kung Fu Panda franchise (2008–2016) and Silvermist in the Tinker Bell series (2008–2014). Her other voice credits include Maya & Miguel (2004–2007), Mulan II (2004), as well as the English and Mandarin-dubbed versions of Magic Wonderland (2014) and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). She also voiced Callisto Mal in the Disney-animated film Strange World (2022). Most recently, she starred as Kalypso in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and directed the Disney show American Born Chinese.

She is Very Well Known for Her Iconic Roles in Various Films & Several TV Shows Over The Years

From Charlie's Angels, To Kill Bill, To Kung Fu Panda,  From Ally Mcbeal,  To Elementary. 

She is also a Critics Choice Awards & a few other Award winning Awards

She is A All Asian Magnificent Work Of Art & is a Talented Artist 🎨 herself on her spare time of course.

PLEASE WISH THIS MAGNIFICENT ASIAN 🇭🇰🇲🇴💛 AMERICAN ACTRESS OF PHENOMENAL ACTING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

THE 1

&

ONLY

MS. LUCY ALEXIS LIU🇭🇰🇲🇴💛

HAPPY 55TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU MS. LIU & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME

 

#LucyLiu #CharliesAngels #KillBill #KungFuPanda #Elementary #StrangeMagic  #ShazamFuryOfTheGods

[writingmochi]

a terra incognita introduction

cast: jake ✗ fem.reader

synopsis: as the world entered the middle of the 21st century, many things have changed for the better or for worse in the newly united korea peninsula: the preparation for the succession of the new conglomerates of the past decade, the uprising of deviant androids, and the new layer of life shield by walls of codes. in the middle of it, two beings are trying to understand each other and the situation of the world they live in; an unknown territory

genre: cyberpunk, cyber noir, psychological thriller, science fiction, dystopian future, politics and philosophies regarding artificial intelligence and humanity, romance, drama, angst, mature content (war and revolution, explicit smut)

based on: video game cyberpunk 2077 (2020) and detroit: become human (2018), anime serial experiments lain (1998), and tv show succession (2018-2023)

masterlist

united korea

the united republic of korea (known as "united korea") is an east asia nation on the korean peninsula. as a result of the reunification agreement back in 2025 of the former north and south korea, the state has now prospered in terms of sociopolitical and economic issues from the korean war. it now excels technologically as one of the firsts in the world to introduce commercialized androids along with other east asian countries such as japan and china. in the aftermath of the social media collapse and the cyber world war of 2027-2030, the private conglomerates of the state have released a new way to connect to the information superhighway.

FLAG

(flag link to r/alternatehistory on reddit)

INFORMATION

capital cities: neo seoul | neo pyongyang

population: 65.5 million

language: korean | english | japanese | chinese

>> HISTORY

>> GEOGRAPHY

>> GOVERNMENT

>> SOCIETY

>> ECONOMY

>> MILITARY

>> MAJOR CITIES

neo seoul

one of the capital cities of united korea and the former capital of south korea, neo seoul is a metropolis for the state's bustling life from the most traditional to the most modern. neo seoul is known for six districts that are divided by the han river flowing in the middle, known as the division of north seoul and south seoul

north seoul encapsulates the traditional side of neo seoul and the center for the city's and state's government administration

south seoul lies the center of neo seoul's economy where conglomerates build their headquarters. a distinct living cost gap can be seen to compare those living in the north and those in the south where it is connected to incheon, a major city of transportation with its international seaports and airport

neo pyongyang

one of the capital cities of united korea and the former capital of north korea, neo pyongyang is the capital of the parliament of united korea. it's located on the taedong river kilometers upstream from the yellow sea. it is known as the city where the declaration of unification was signed along with its establishment as half of the capitals of the unified countries. much of the population of neo pyongyang are citizens coming from the southern of the peninsula as they migrate to fill in the spaces and utilize materials. it is also a growing industrial hub where conglomerates built their factories, along with kaesong.

with the rise of deviancies from androids made by shim laboratories, journalists have made observations and assume that neo pyongyang is the main hub of the rebellion between androids and their creator (as one human equates to two androids), creating unrest between the two parties. yet, they also say that neo pyongyang is a better refuge for deviant androids than neo seoul.

taglist: @raeyunshm @endzii23 @fluffyywoo @camipendragon @hiqhkey @wccycc @cha0thicpisces @y4wnjunz @yeehawnana @beansworldsstuff @kimipxl @blurryriki @reallysmolrenjun @frukkoneeeeg

© writingmochi on tumblr, 2021-2024. all rights reserved

[gabrielokun]

Hi. You watch a lot of dramas/series. Do you have any favorites? If you do, what's your top 20 favorite Asian BL dramas/series?

Hi, anon)) thank you for asking. Sorry, it took a while) but I have to prepare a visual representation to compensate for the lack of writing skills))) english is hard T_T

anyway, here are some of my favorite things

Love by Chance (2018)

The show that started it all (づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡ Yep, my first Bl therefore I just must include it. Is is a good show? - not really. BUT! AePete are my babies, I love them. Nobody does it like them ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

2. My Only 12% (2022)

Childhood friends to lovers done right! My favorite show of the last year. It is a slooooow burn but it's so worth it! Very lively and real boys. great family and friend dynamics, kind of meh last story outside of CakeEwi but still…If you want some great friendship slowly blooming into romance this is the show

3. Kieta Hatsukoi (2021)

Super cute show. All characters are amazing, story well written, minimum hurt all the comfort. Good girl-not an enemy (im really easy too please ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀) xd)

4. 30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii (2020)aka Cherry magic

JapBL are totally for me when they do fluff, (cause their angst is on a such level I need a lifetime to process it xd)

but this one is so fluffy (ฅ́ ˘ฅ̀)♡ They make me happy and I grateful for it

5. My Ride (2022)

Speaking of fluff °ʚ(´꒳`)ɞ° Other couples are kind of boring But! Mork's uncles, MorkTawan's adopted son (still a bit salty we didnt see him again, Tawan should've had more parenting time, he is clearly a great dad ଘ(੭◌ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚) natural growth of their friendship into love *_*. This one is good!

6.Color Rush (2020)

I love soulmates. Its short, simple story but with very interesting and original idea.

7. Hello Stranger (2020)

Such a simple story but the way it was done is amazing! Falling in love through web camera (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡ Characters have such an incredible chemistry even tho they have minimum personal contact(kudos to actors they done well)))

I Will Knock You (2022)

Okay, yes age gap not for everyone. But again it was done very respectful. ૮₍ ´ ꒳ `₎ა I love love love Noey's ˖°.✧aesthetic✧˖°., his room is my fave ngl, i want everything he has))))I love this delusional king He was so sure Thi is into him from the second they met and i live for it.

9. Until We Meet Again (2019)

I love soulmates 2. I just love this show. Its gonna traumatize you and then comforts you with cutest fluffiest boys that going through it

10. Vice Versa (2022)

I didn't like it at first

Puen annoyed me too much ૮꒰˶> ༝ <˶ ꒱ა but then I binge rewatch it in one weekend and I just fall for it. Its so good))) I love soulmates 3 and it's super pretty. I love colors

11. About Youth (2022)

Show where I love main and second couple the same ପ(๑•ᴗ•๑)ଓ ♡ thats rare))) Again very simple story but told beautifly

12. HIStory2 Right or Wrong (2018)

Let's talk HIStory. They kind of getting worse imho. 4 and 5 were just fine. thats sucks ʚ₍ᐢ ›̥̥̥ ༝ ‹̥̥̥ ᐢ₎ɞ i still love them tho

HIStory2 Right or Wrong (2018) 13. HIStory3 Trapped (2019) and 14. HIStory2 Crossing the Line (2018)

are superior for me. but just watch any of them they all are worth your time

15. Our Dating Sim (2023)

Second chance romance done very very right!

16. Oxygen (2020)

Good fluffy fluff. P'Phu and his bunny are so precious. Main are cute and sweet and adorable. Ignore weird girl and doctor everything else is just so lovely

17. Light on Me (2021)

Love triangle done right. Good light fluffy show that did hurt so good (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)

18. To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories (2022)

I love how they told this story

19. Not Me (2021)

its hard to explain how good this show is, its more serious than usual bls, great acting, amazing story, strong message told through not just cinematography but art and dance too. its truly great show

20. Triage (2022)

Time loops are fun

+ some honorable mentions

Ingredients (2020)

not a show))) just an add but damn. It such a feel good little comfort add Jeff and Gameplay have an amazing chemistry, simple slice of life stories but so good , mutual pining done so well

anything by strongberry, literally just go at their YT chanel and enjoy ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭ ੈ♡‧₊˚

emmmm that a long post sorry

[adamwatchesmovies]

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

While it would be nice for every story to be wholly new and completely unpredictable, there’s something satisfying about a film that uses genre tropes this well. Crazy Rich Asians is the best romantic comedy we’ve seen in a long time. It’s glamorous, romantic, gorgeous, hilarious, smart and expertly directed.

Economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is travelling to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding) for his best friend Colin’s wedding. There, she learns that Nick's family is among the richest in the country. Dismissed by many because they don’t believe she will fit in, Rachel becomes determined to prove them wrong.

I watched Crazy Rich Asians on a double-bill with Monster-in-Law because of the two pictures’ similarities. Basically, they share a plot but the execution makes them so different it’s like they have nothing in common. You can probably guess the story’s beats but there’s a twist to them that makes Crazy Rich Asians so much more. When you see Nick and Rachel together, they’re perfect. She’s got a good head on her shoulders. He’s wealthy but isn't insensitive to the problems of the common person and doesn't flaunt his riches. The performers have excellent chemistry. They’re both beautiful people. The camera doesn’t shy away from showing you Henry Golding without a shirt on and Constance Wu appears in several glamorous outfits that make her look like a princess. You like them as individuals. You like them even better as a couple. There’s no reason for Nick's mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) to disapprove of them but she does. In her eyes, Rachel's upbringing means she will never fit in.

It’s not that Rachel grew up “poor” and that Nick didn’t. This film is deeper than that. Eleanor doesn’t approve because of the way Rachel was raised. Her parents were Chinese but she grew up in America. In Eleanor's eyes, Rachel could never understand the values the Young family hold so dearly. The opening scene shows Eleanor being discrimated against for being a foreigner. It generates sympathy for her. Seeing her judge Rachel later shows how much of a hypocrite she is.

You could dig deep into the film’s themes of old money vs. new money, of tradition and need to move away from them as well, the significance of the relationship between Astrid (Gemma Chan) and her husband, Michael (Pierre Png), or what it means to see a major theatrical release with an all-Asian cast, but ultimately, all of these are gravy. What you came for are some laughs and scenes of tenderness that will make your date want to hold your hand. That's what you get. The wedding Nick and Rachel attend is so beautiful and so glamorous. It radiates love so brightly it’ll bring tears to your eyes. It’s as romantic as attending a real-life wedding between two people you know are perfect for each other. You love seeing Nick and Rachel together. Seeing them having a great time with every luxury money can buy at their fingertips is rewarding.

There's so much going on with the cinematography, sets and costume designs you could watch the movie on mute and have a great time but then you’d be missing out on the comedy. Awkwafina (an actress who continues to impress with each film) delivers one big laugh after another. So does Ken Jeong - the funniest he’s been in years. Many of the side characters are quirky and memorable for their comedic values. The “serious” characterization is left to the main cast, with Eleanor coming off as particularly multi-faceted. She can afford to be. As in any fantasy, the leads have to be “perfect” to reinforce that anyone who doesn’t cheer for them is a villain.

Crazy Rich Asians is so enormously pleasing only those with a bone to pick against romantic comedies could dislike it. That said, I would agree with criticisms directed towards the conclusion. It’s a bit too long and does indulge a bit in some rom-com clichés. I'm mentioning this to show I'm not biased. The visuals, humor, drama and romance make Crazy Rich Asians a film you’ll be glad to return to over and over. It’s a terrific pick for date night. (August 7, 2020)

[boozles]

Boozle's 2023 Top Ten Dramas

I've been really enjoying reading everyone's top lists of the year, and I've actually been thinking about my own for a few weeks now, because I knew how hard it would be for me to put my lists together! Basically, in terms of Asian drama series, I watched a lot this year. According to my MDL, I have completed 99 dramas for the whole year. (Disclaimer: not all of these were BL, and a handful were short films. Regardless, I still think that's a ridiculous amount and I understand why people think I have no life x_x) So, I think you all can understand why these lists are going to be a little difficult for me!

Note: Everything I say here is my own personal thoughts and opinions. I'm not trying to attack anyone for liking something I don't, or disliking something I loved. We're all pals here, okay? <3

Top Ten Dramas (Note: not all dramas were released in 2023.)

(i) He's Coming to Me (2019) After watching Something in my Room last year, I swore to never watch another 'ghost boyfriend' series because gosh, even if ghosts are my favourite spooky thing, my heart cannot handle the pain of a sad ending. However, Ohm and Singto sucked me in, and this was just lovely and even gave me a happier ending than I'd expected. I'm a little sad that I was so late to this series, but it has definitely found it's place in my heart.

(ii) My School President (2022/23) I still can't believe that I originally thought this was gonna suck and only started it because I wanted to see what everyone was fussing over. I became so invested in these lads and gosh, I fell in love with the cast (minus Prom, who still irks me). Fourth, Gemini and Mark were absolute standouts in this, and I honestly cannot wait for My Love Mix-Up! because they will be fantastic.

(iii) Moonlight Chicken (2023) This is a surprise to no one, because it seems like it's on everyone's favourites list. Again, though, this was a surprising hit for me; I originally only planned on watching for First and Khaotung because I didn't really know Earth and Mix very well (I only started watching BL at the tail end of 2022, so I feel like I was still a little bit of a newbie at the time) and I just fell in love with EarthMix. They have chemistry that is just so mesmerising and belongs to them. The writing of this series was also just perfect, and the cast was wonderful. It deserves all the accolades it's been getting, and I honestly think this will always be a favourite of mine.

(iv) Choco Milk Shake (2022) In all honesty, I expected this to be weird because it's literally about a guy's pets coming back as humans and his dog falls in love with him and his cat falls in love with his uncle. It sounds like it should be creepy, but it really isn't. I sobbed like an absolute baby during this, and whilst I found the ending a little confusing, I loved it. I really hope we get that rumoured second season.

(v) The Gifted (2018) & The Gifted: Graduation (2020) Okay, I'm including both seasons of The Gifted because I loved them both for their own reasons. However, one of the main things I loved about this series was that it made me appreciate actors I'd never cared much for before. I didn't get all the fuss about Gun Attaphan until I watched this (and yes, I'd already seen Not Me), but I thought he was spectacular in this. Chimon and Nanon were fantastic, and I really loved Mek and Victor, even if they weren't as porminent and I'd have liked.

(vi) A Boss and Babe (2023) Ah, my first experience of ForceBook. I would die for these men. This was a bloody brilliant series, and if you want my honest opinion, it really showed how fantastic Book is at acting, because Cher is nothing like any other character he has portrayed. I loved the backstories and the little nuances, and the supporting cast was fantastic, too. This series deserves more credit and respect (but can we pretend the Our Skyy 2 episodes never happened? Because they were so weird.)

(vii) Beyond Evil (2021) This is probably the best Kdrama I watched all year. It had everything I need - murder, mystery, tortured men with tragic backstories, plus twists and turns in every damn episodes. The acting and writing was superb and I'm honestly depressed there isn't going to be a season 2 (as far as I know?).

(viii) Only Friends (2023) Okay, I know we all have our complaints about things that went wrong with OF, but you know what? I still loved it. Yes, I still think the creators made mistakes with allowing fan opinions to influence the editing and I'm bitted about the treatment of Boston in the end, but I loved these characters and their stories. The cast put their heart and soul into their performances (especially Khaotung and Force) and I really hope we get to see them in future series' together again, as they all work so well together.

(ix) I Feel You Linger in the Air (2023) This was another series I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did, yet I was there with the rest of you, bawling my eyes out when it ended. Despite the fact my dream career is a historian, I often don't enjoy historical dramas, so I put this off for the first few weeks of it airing until all the gif sets finally forced me to check it out. The cast was fantastic, and the writing was brilliant. I will be broken hearted if they don't get a second season, because they deserve it.

(x) I told Sunset About You (2020) & I Promised You the Moon (2021) I'm including both series as one since technically it's just season 1 and season 2. I loved these shows. They were the most realistic portrayals of young teenage queer love that I have seen in so long. I know a lot of people get angry with Teh in IPYTM but by gosh, my heart just hurt for that confused boy; Billkin's crying is so tragically realistic and as much as I too hated that he was hurting Oh-Aew, I also could understand the confusing feelings that come with growing up. Oh-Aew was just...perfect. PP Krit really just cut my chest open, crawled inside and made a little home for himself with this performance. My only issue is that these two haven't been in anything else together since, and I really hope 2024 fixes that, because as much as I support their music careers, I need them on my screen again.

Honorary Mentions: (i) Kiseki: Dear to Me (2023) (ii) The Warp Effect (2022) (iii) Home School (2023) (iv) Our Dating Sim (2023) (v) La Pluie (2023)

[waitmyturtles]

Drama Accountability Pinned Post!

EDITED April 24, 2024: Hello! Thank you for landing here. This blog is devoted mostly to Asian drama and movie reviews and meta analyses, along with your random fashion post and maybe a floating meditation on parenting along the way. This pinned post will help me keep track of where my scattered brain is at with what I’m watching, what I want to watch, and what I have watched.

My major focus regarding dramas is in completing what I’m calling the Old GMMTV Challenge (OGMMTVC), where I’m learning about the young history of Thai BLs through an expansive list of GMMTV and non-GMMTV dramas, to learn about the genre’s fumbles and improvements, as recommended by @absolutebl in their original post on the topic. I’m also inspired to learn about the development of Thai BL as an art form, complete with tropes, frameworks, and responsive commentaries, as described by @miscellar in an analysis post on Bad Buddy the Series. 

I’m also catching up in general with other classic and/or essential QLs of all other Asian countries, reviews of which you can check out on this tag. 

I tend to go down actor/actress rabbitholes when I’ve watched a drama of theirs that I have fallen in love with; I don’t always watch things chronologically; I LOVE SHOWS ABOUT FOOD AND/OR COCKTAILS, and I’m still new to Tumblr fandoms. But this is my space to absolutely just dump and analyze thoughts, so please, welcome, and thank you for reading!

What I’m watching!

Living With Him (J, BL, Thursdays) (my thoughts here) My Precious the Series (T, Thursdays) 23.5 (T, GL, Fridays) (my thoughts here) Cherry Magic (J, BL, anime), and fast-forward rewatches of Cherry Magic (J, BL) and Cherry Magic Thailand (T, BL) The Eclipse OGMMTVC Rewatch to Reexamine “Genre BLs” and Internalized/Externalized Homophobia in GMMTV Shows (T, BL) (2022) (The Old GMMTV Challenge)

Past Big Meta

Pain, Suffering, and Narratives in Some Asian Dramas (Our Skyy 2 x Bad Buddy x A Tale of Thousand Stars, Our Dining Table, He’s Coming To Me, Double Savage, Dark Blue Kiss, and more)

Pain, Trust, and Separation in Some Asian Dramas (Bad Buddy, Still 2gether, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Until We Meet Again, I Promised You The Moon, and the movie version of Cherry Magic: 30 Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!)

What’s on deck (generally speaking):

Make a Wish (T, BL)

What’s on deck (The OGMMTVC Project and historic/significant Thai BLs): 1) The Love of Siam (2007) (movie) (review here) 2) My Bromance (2014) (movie) (review here) 3) Love Sick and Love Sick 2 (2014 and 2015) (review here) 4) Gay OK Bangkok Season 1 (2016) (a non-BL queer series directed by Jojo Tichakorn and written by Aof Noppharnach) (review here) 5) Make It Right (2016) (review here) 6) SOTUS (2016-2017) (review here) 7) Gay OK Bangkok Season 2 (2017) (a non-BL queer series directed by Jojo Tichakorn and written by Aof Noppharnach) (review here) 8) Make It Right 2 (2017) (review here) 9) Together With Me (2017) (review here) 10) SOTUS S/Our Skyy x SOTUS (2017-2018) (review here) 11) Love By Chance (2018) (review here) 12) Kiss Me Again: PeteKao cuts (2018) (no review) 13) He’s Coming To Me (2019) (review here) 14) Dark Blue Kiss (2019) and Our Skyy x Kiss Me Again (2018) (review here) 15) TharnType (2019-2020) (review here) 16) Senior Secret Love: Puppy Honey (OffGun BL cuts) (2016 and 2017) (no review) 17) Theory of Love (2019) (review here) 18) 3 Will Be Free (2019) (a non-BL and an important harbinger of things to come in 2019 and beyond re: Jojo Tichakorn pushing queer content in non-BLs) (review here) 19) Dew the Movie (2019) (review here) 20) Until We Meet Again (2019-2020) (review here) (and notes on my UWMA rewatch here) 21) 2gether (2020) and Still 2gether (2020) (review here) 22) I Told Sunset About You (2020) (review here) 23) YYY (2020, out of chronological order) (review here) 24) Manner of Death (2020-2021) (review here) 25) A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) (review here) 26) A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) OGMMTVC Fastest Rewatch Known To Humankind For The Sake Of Rewatching Our Skyy 2 x BBS x ATOTS (re-review here) 27) Lovely Writer (2021) (review here) 28) Last Twilight in Phuket (2021) (the mini-special before IPYTM) (review here) 29) I Promised You the Moon (2021) (review here) 30) Not Me (2021-2022) (review here) 31) Bad Buddy (2021-2022) (thesis here) 32) 55:15 Never Too Late (2021-2022) (not a BL, but a GMMTV drama that features a macro BL storyline about shipper culture and the BL industry) (review here) 33) Bad Buddy (2021-2022) and Our Skyy 2 x BBS x ATOTS (2023) OGMMTVC Rewatch (Links to the BBS OGMMTVC Meta Series are here: preamble here, part 1, part 2, part 3a, part 3b, and part 4) 34) Secret Crush On You (2022) (review here) 35) KinnPorsche (2022) (tag here)  36) KinnPorsche (2022) OGMMTVC Fastest Rewatch Known To Humankind For the Sake of Re-Analyzing the KP Cultural Zeitgeist (part 1 and part 2) 37) Honorable Mention: War of Y (2022) (for the sake of an attempt to provide meta BL commentary within a BL in the modern BL era), with a complementary watch of Aam Anusorn’s documentary, BL: Broken Fantasy (2020) (thoughts here) 38) The Eclipse (2022) (tag here) 39) The Eclipse OGMMTVC Rewatch to Reexamine “Genre BLs” and Internalized/Externalized Homophobia in GMMTV Shows (watching) 40) GAP (2022-2023) (Thailand’s first GL) 41) My School President (2022-2023) and Our Skyy 2 x My School President (2023) 42) Moonlight Chicken (2023) (tag here) 43) Bed Friend (2023) (tag here) 44 La Pluie (2023) (review coming) 45) Be My Favorite (2023) (tag here) (I’m including this for BMF’s sophisticated commentary on Krist’s career past as a BL icon) 46) Wedding Plan (2023) (Recommended as an important trajectory in the course of MAME’s work and influence from TharnType) 47) Only Friends (2023) (tag here) (not technically a BL, but it certainly became one in the end) 48) Last Twilight (2023-24) (tag here) (on the list as Thailand’s first major BL to center disability, successfully or otherwise) 49) Cherry Magic Thailand (2023-24) (tag here) (on the list as the first major Japanese-to-Thai drama adaptation, featuring the comeback of TayNew) 50) Ossan’s Love Returns (2024) (adding for the EarthMix cameo and the eventual Thai remake) 51) Dead Friend Forever (2024) (thoughts here) 52) 23.5 (2024) (GMMTV’s first GL) (thoughts here) (There are many, many more on @absolutebl‘s wonderful compilation lists that I’ll want to check out eventually, and will adjust this list accordingly.)

What’s on deck (the Jojo Tichakorn/pre-Only Friends playlist):

Gay OK Bangkok (2016) (review here) Gay OK Bangkok 2 (2017) (review here) 3 Will Be Free (T, 2019) (review here) Mama Gogo (T, 2022) The Warp Effect (T, 2022) (review here) Dirty Laundry (T, 2023) (tag here)

What’s on deck (the Fluke Teerapat/Tanachot Prapasri playlist):

YYY (2020) (review here) My Ride (2022) (T, BL) La Pluie (2023) (T, BL)

What’s on deck (the JamFilm playlist):

Khun Chai (To Sir With Love) (2022) (T, lakorn) Laws of Attraction (2023) (T, BL)

What’s on deck (essential non-Thai BLs and other shows): The Gifted (T, 2018) Blacklist (T, 2019) Let’s Fight Ghost (T, 2019) The Gifted: Graduation (T, 2020) Takara to Amagi/Takara-kun to Amagi-kun (J, BL, essential BLs)  Seven Days (J, BL, essential BLs)  Ototo no Otto/Otouto no Otto (My Brother’s Husband) (J, 2018) Summerdaze (Singapore, BL) Guilty: Kono Koi wa Tsumi Desuka? (J) Nee Sensei Shiranai no (J) Kimi wa Petto (2017 version with Shison Jun (J)) Ingredients (T, BL)

What I have watched that I recommend you MUST MUST WATCH FOR YOUR SOUL:

Kinou Nani Tabeta (J, BL) (my writing on KNT) Old Fashion Cupcake (J, BL) (my writing on OFC) Cherry Magic Japan (J, BL) (my writing on CM) Cherry Magic Thailand (T, BL) (my thoughts) Bad Buddy (T, BL) (my mini-thesis on BBS, and my BBS tag) Moonlight Chicken (T, BL) (my writing on MC, my manifesto on khao man gai/Hainan chicken rice/nasi ayam, and my master list of MC Big Themes) A Tale of Thousand Stars (ATOTS) (T, BL) (review here) Our Skyy 2 x Bad Buddy x ATOTS (T, BL) (my OS2/BBS tag, my OS2/ATOTS tag, and my OS2/BBS/ATOTS tag) He’s Coming To Me (T, BL) (review here) Make It Right seasons 1 and 2 (T, BL) (review on season 1 here) (review on season 2 here) The Eighth Sense (K, BL) (my writing on T8S) Life as a Girl (Joshi Teki Seikatsu) (J) (my writing on LAAG) She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat (TsukuTabe) (J, GL, seasons 1 and 2) (thoughts here) The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House (J) (review here) Love For Love’s Sake (K, BL) Drive My Car (J, movie) His (J, BL, movie) Tonbi (2013 version with Uchino Seiyou) (J)

What I have watched that I highly recommend:

Unknown (TW, BL) (my thoughts) (final review coming) I Cannot Reach You (J, BL) (my thoughts) I Feel You Linger in the Air (T, BL) (my thoughts) Be My Favorite (T, BL) (my thoughts) Our Dining Table/Bokura no Shokutaku (J, BL) (my thoughts) The Eclipse (T, BL) (my writing on The Eclipse) KinnPorsche (T, BL) (my writing on KP) Semantic Error (K, BL) (review here) Minato Shouji’s Coin Laundry (J, BL) (review here) Utsukushii Kare/My Beautiful Man Season 1 (J, BL) (review here) Utsukushii Kare/My Beautiful Man Season 2 (J, BL) (my UKS2 tag) Kabe Koji/Kabe-Koji-Nekoyashiki-kun Desires to be Recognized (J, BL) (my writing on Kabe Koji) Eien No Kino (Eternal Yesterday) (J, BL) (my writing on EY) Kieta Hatsukoi (J, BL) (review here) Extraordinary Attorney Woo (K) (my writing on EAW) Silent (J)  Okaeri Mone (J, asadora) Life: Love on the Line (J, BL) Mozu (J) Wakako Zake (J) (seasons 1-4) XX: Blue Moon (K) Shinya Shokudo (Midnight Diner) (J) Crash Landing on You (K) Like Father, Like Son: Soshite Chichi ni Naru (J, movie) After Life (J, movie) What I really want to watch, but I’m in not a huge rush:

Home School (T) Raise de Wa Chanto Shimasu (three seasons and SP) Kim Ji Young: 1982 (K, movie) It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (K) Again My Life (K) Run On (K) The Tale of Nokdu (K) Little Women (K) Thirty Nine (K) Nora From Queens (US) My Liberation Notes (K) Doom At Your Service (K) Ishiko to Haneo: Sonna Koto de Uttaemasu? (J) Sotsugyo Time Limit (J)

What I have watched, in no particular order (besides the OGMMTVC shows above):

Marry My Dead Body (TW, movie) Ossan’s Love Returns (J, BL) (my thoughts) Cooking Crush (T, BL) (my thoughts) Wednesday Club (T) (my thoughts) Double Savage (T) (my thoughts) Only Friends (T, ended up being BL-ish, BLOOP) (my thoughts) Cutie Pie (2022) and Cutie Pie 2 You (2023) (T, BL) The Promise (T, BL)  (my thoughts) SOTUS S (T, BL) Bed Friend (T, BL) (my review of the finale) (my Bed Friend tag) Love Sick and Love Sick 2 (T, BL) (review here) Our Dating Sim (K, BL) A Shoulder To Cry On (K, BL) Jack O’Frost (J, BL) (thoughts!) The End of the World, With You (J, BL) (my writing on TEOTWWY) SOTUS (T, BL) (thoughts here) 10 Years Ticket (T) (review here) The Novelist: Playback (J, BL, movie) (review here, spoilers) Ameiro Paradox/Candy Color Paradox (J, BL) (review here)  Dirty Laundry (T) (my posts on DL here) Individual Circumstances (K, BL) (review here) The New Employee (K, BL) (review here) Three Star Bar in Nishi Ogikubo (J) (review here) Cafe Minamdang (K) (review here) Hiru (J) (review here) Ase to Sekken (Sweat and Soap) (J) (review here) Big Dragon (T, BL) (review here) Ichigeki (J) (review here) The Director Who Took Me to Dinner (K, BL) (thoughts here) Two Office Workers Who Are Too Poisonous for One’s Eyes (Me No Doku Sugiru Shokuba No Futari) (J, BL kinda) BL Metamorphosis (J, quick review here) Why Her? (K) Let’s Eat (seasons 1, 2, and 3) (K) Where Your Eyes Linger (K, BL) Kodoku no Gurume (J) Chef wa Meitantei (J) Crisis: Special Security Squad (J) Meitantei Akechi Kogoro (J) Teppachi! (J) The Novelist (J, BL) Mood Indigo (J, BL) Izakaya Shinkansen (J) Sayonara Itsuka (J, movie) Fullmetal Alchemist: The Avenger Scar (J, movie) Hatsukoi (2020) (J, movie) Rinjo (J) To Heal Wounds of the Heart (Kokoro no Kizu to Iu Koto) (J) Hoshi to Lemon no Heya (J) My Husband Got a Family (K) Tony Takitani (J, movie) I'll Still Love You Ten Years From Now (Juunen Saki mo Kimi ni Koishite) (J)

What I tried to watch, but couldn’t finish:

Alice in Borderland (J) (I couldn’t do it, I can’t do violence, but Machida Keita’s Karube is really wonderful, and Yamazaki Kento was also fabulous of the bits I watched. Please don’t take my inability to watch this as a judgment of the show, it’s clearly a FANTASTIC show for people who can handle blood and games and killings and fights and stuff) (I will try this again considering so many people like it!) <3

On hold/dropped (permanent or otherwise)

Playboyy The Series (T, BL) (my thoughts) Bake Me Please (T, BL) The Sign (T, BL) Shadow (T) Gokushufudo (J) (on hold) Keishicho Outsider (J) (this is such a good show but I don’t have capacity to watch it, but Nishijima is FABULOUS IN IT, I will watch it at some point) A Boss and a Babe (T, BL)  All the Liquors (K, BL) UMG (T) Wakako Zake (season five) (J) Banshaku no Ryuugi (J) Tokyo In April Is... (J, BL) Minato’s Laundromat/Minato Shouji’s Coin Laundry, Season 2 (J, BL) (my thoughts so far) (on pause) Dangerous Romance (T, BL) Absolute Zero (T, BL)

What I’ve watched that I recommend you please do NOT watch, it’s not worth the expenditure of energy:  The Unusual Family (K) TharnType (T, BL) Step By Step (T, BL) (my thoughts) My Husband Won’t Fit (J) (I could go on and on and on about how I think this show was particularly irresponsible, but I might have a Western bias about my interpretation, sigh) Super Rich (J) (maybe this is necessary if you’re a total Cherry Magic/Akaso/Machida stan, but this show was unbelievably bad and a total waste of their talents -- if you really need some fan service, zoom through episodes three to five and SKIP THE REST)

[mynonblwatchlist-bl-bam-beyond]

Hana Yori Dango-Boys Over Flowers & Meteor Garden: The Female Lead

I posted about the male leads of this stories awhile ago and always wanted to follow up with more. This series made me dive into the world of Asian Dramas. This one and The Heirs or The Inheritors.

This is a story by Yoko Kamio, a gifted manga artist and writer and she received an award (SHOGAKUKAN MANGA AWARD 1996) Many countries have made some version of this story. But as in the Male Lead Post I will focus on only 5. I love all these actresses and version of Makino Tsukushi and I guess that translate to weed.

So without further ado let's meet the lead actresses of HANA YORI DANGO (BOYS OVER FLOWERS) METEOR GARDEN

Number 1: Meet UCHIDA YUKI she is the first live action Makino Tsukushi and she was adorable. Unfortunately her version was a movie from Japan in 1995. It was more satire but charming and she was good. However not as popular as the other adaptations many are unaware of it. Actually this version does not tell the complete story of all Domyouji and Makino since it does not include the vicious mother of Domyouji or Makino's parents. But still it deserves acknowledgement.

Number 2: 2001 brought the first series of this story. No longer HANA YORI DANGO or BOYS OVER FLOWERS it changed it's name to METEOR GARDEN for the Taiwanese version. And Makino Tsukushi became Dong Shancai played by BARBIE HSU.

Fun Fact: In the 2018 Chinese Version co-starred Dee Hsu as Daoming Si's sister. She is the sister of this actress.

Number 3: In 2005 Japan stepped up to create a series version after the 1995 movie with great success. It spawn a second season and a movie finale. Of course the character returned to Makino Tsukushi and was played by INOUE MAO

Number 4: It was 2009 when South Korea put together their version of BOYS OVER FLOWERS. And their female leads name became GUEM JAN DI. This version was also very popular as most were. The actress that brought the strong willed JAN DI to life was GU HYE SEON.

Number 5: Meet SHEN YUE a very talented lady with a variety of credits and successes. China decided to remake the Taiwanese Version so we returned to METEOR GARDEN and the female lead once again became DONG SHANCAI. SHEN YUE received many accolades for her comedic as well as dramatic rendition of the female lead of this story.

In conclusion I loved all these actresses and with each version these ladies brought their A game. That is the reason for adaptation is to bring a great story to different generations and audiences so obviously people have their favorites. Maybe I do to but no need to diminish one version to bring another up. They all can be appreciated and respected.

@pose4photoml

[ncisfranchise-source]

The evolving dramatic universe centered around "NCIS" is hitting a major milestone: 1,000 combined episodes.

The April 15 episode of the original "NCIS" (9 EDT/PDT) will reach the millennial mark propelled by the "NCISverse" of shows that now spans from "NCIS: Hawaii" to "NCIS: Sydney," on CBS and Paramount+. Franchise stars from past and present were on hand for a February celebration during the filming of the episode, which features crossover stars Daniela Ruah (from now-defunct "NCIS: Los Angeles") and Vanessa Lachey (from "NCIS: Hawaii").

Two new upcoming shows – "NCIS: Origins" and the still-untitled spinoff led by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo – were also represented at the party.

"Now it's like our own Marvel universe within 'NCIS,' which is the ultimate testament of the power of this show," says Rocky Carroll, who has portrayed Leon Vance on "NCIS" since 2008.

'NCIS' (2003 - )

"NCIS," also known as "The Mothership," is a spinoff of creator Donald Bellisario's naval legal show "JAG," which aired on NBC in 1995-96 and for nine more seasons (1997-2005) on CBS. 

Notable characters: Mark Harmon, the "NCIS" cornerstone as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, left in 2021 after nearly two decades. Other departed original characters include Weatherly's Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo, who departed in 2016 after 13 seasons, Pauley Perrette's Abby Sciuto, exiting in 2018 after 350 episodes, and David McCallum's Donald "Ducky" Mallard (the veteran actor died last year).

"NCIS" has been network TV's most-watched drama for the last five seasons with a team that includes Carroll, Sean Murray (Timothy McGee), Brian Dietzen (Jimmy Palmer), Wilmer Valderrama (Nicholas Torres), Katrina Law (Jessica Knight), Diona Reasonover (Kasie Hines) and Gary Cole (Alden Parker).

Seasons: 21

How to watch: CBS (Mondays 9 EDT/PDT); Paramount+; Netflix (first 15 seasons).

'NCIS: Los Angeles' (2009-23)

Notable characters: Ruah's Kensi Blye and the star pairing of Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J, as G. Callen and Sam Hanna, respectively. Linda Hunt starred as Henrietta "Hetty" Lange and Eric Christian Olsen as Marty Deeks.

Seasons: 14

How to watch: PlutoTV, for purchase on iTunes.

Flavor: The first spinoff was an instant hit that played a crucial role in expanding the franchise "during its incredibly long run," says David Stapf, president of producer CBS Studios.

'NCIS: New Orleans' (2014-21)

Notable characters: Scott Bakula as Dwayne "King" Pride, CCH Pounder as Loretta Wade and Lucas Black as Christopher LaSalle.

Seasons: 7

How to watch: Paramount+, PlutoTV.

'NCIS: Hawai'i' (2021- )

Notable characters: Lachey became the franchise's first female and Asian American, lead as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant of the Pearl Harbor Field Office. Supporting stars include Alex Tarrant (Kai Holman), Noah Mills (Jesse Boone), Jason Antoon (Ernie Malik), Tori Anderson (Kate Whistler) and Yasmine Al-Bustami (Lucy Tara). Sam, LL Cool J's LA transplant, moved to "NCIS: Hawai'i" in Season 3.

Seasons: 3

How to watch: CBS (Mondays at 10 EDT/PDT), Paramount+.

Flavor: Set in paradise with unforgettable island surroundings and many crimes intertwined with Hawaiian lore – with an added dose of Cool J. Stapf says the actor will continue "hopefully, forever, or as long as he wants to do it."

'NCIS: Sydney' (2023- )

Notable characters: Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) heads the collaboration between the NCIS Sydney office and the Australian Federal Police led by Jim "JD" Dempsey (Todd Lasance). Originally conceived for Australian TV audiences but recruited to the American schedule during the Hollywood strike, "NCIS: Sydney" has proven its worth, fair dinkum, and was renewed for a second season in March.

Seasons: 1

How to watch:Paramount+

'NCIS: Origins' (CBS 2024-25)

Notable characters: Beloved leader Gibbs returns as a younger man for the franchise's prequel series, "NCIS: Origins," announced in March "The Hating Game" star Austin Stowell will play young Gibbs. "We weren't just casting Gibbs; we were casting a young Mark Harmon," says Stapf. "And Austin embodies it all."

Harmon, 72, will narrate and serve as executive producer. Sean Harmon, Mark's real-life son, who often played the younger version of Gibbs in flashbacks on "NCIS," will also serve as executive producer.

"Origins" follows young Gibbs as he fights for his place on the team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks. Kyle Schmid has been cast as the younger version of the Texan Franks (Muse Watson in "NCIS") who played a pivotal role in Gibbs' early career.

How to watch: Coming to CBS this fall.

Untitled Tony and Ziva spinoff (CBS)

Notable characters: Fans loved the special sizzle between agents Tony DiNozzo (Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote De Pablo, who left "NCIS" in 2013 after eight seasons). The couple, known as Tiva, announced their return in February for a European-set spinoff on Paramount+. No premiere date has been set, nor has an actor been cast to play the couple's young daughter Tali.

After Tony’s security company is attacked by terrorists, the new show features a family on the run through Europe.

How to watch: Coming to Paramount+

Flavor: Whatever the title, it's "NCIS: Tiva." In a statement, the two stars promised "an action-packed roller coaster fueled by love, danger, tears and laughter."

[romanceyourdemons]

This is. Such a strange question. But you seem like you might have good suggestions? I'm taking a class on pre-1500 East Asian History and I'm absolutely loving it. and I am in the mood to watch movies/shows of dubious historical accuracy.

Now, as a movie nerd and also a nerd about the warring states period... do you have recommendations about movies set in ancient/medieval china? If not, no worries, I know this is a weirdly specific ask!

definitely! my favorite film about the warring states period (slash qin dynasty) right now is the emperor and the assassin (1998), but if you're also interested in films depicting more general pre-1500 chinese history i'd recommend red cliff (2008-2009) and legend of the demon cat (2017) (big-budget historical dramas), the lost bladesman (2011) (hong kong-style martial arts film), the last supper (2012), hero (2002), and shadow (2018) (damn gorgeous art films). off the top of my head these are my favorite films handling pre-1500 chinese historical events. i hope you find something there you like, and good luck in your class!

[redsamuraiii]

5 Crime J-Dramas You Could Watch

Investigation dramas that have a good mix of seriousness and comedy with strong chemistry among the casts.

1) Hakozume ~Tatakau! Kouban Joshi (2021)

Pic by Tokyo Hive

20 year old rookie police office Kawai Mai (Mei Nagano) joins the police force out of family expectations for her to be a civil servant and as such she does not have the right motivation to push through when things get tough when she becomes physically and mentally drained.

Feeling unappreciated serving the ungrateful and rude citizens, she contemplates her life and considers quitting, until she was assigned to an enigmatic and fearless senior officer, 30 year old Fuji Seiko (Erika Toda) , who is said to be a former ace detective who was demoted.

After going on patrols with Fuji, Kawai became inspired by her driven nature and wishes to be like her. Over the course of the series, they solve numerous realistic ordinary cases that everyday police officers faced, unlike the typical armed robbery cases you often see on TV series. 

2) Tengoku to Jigoku: Psychona Futari (2021)

Pic by IMDB

Mochizuki Ayako (Haruka Ayase) is a determined and passionate 35 year old who is the only female detective in her department that she works hard to earn herself a name and seek justice to hunt down law breakers like the shrewd Hidaka Haruto (Issei Takahashi) who often gets away with his crimes.

Ayako has come close to apprehending Haruto under the full moon when something mysterious happens that knock them both unconscious. When they re-awakened, they discovered that they have swap bodies, much to Haruto's delight. Now Haruto in Ayako’s body is arresting Ayako in Haruto’s body!

The game begins as one tries to outwit the other as Ayako tries to buy time to figure out what happened and how to get her body back while Haruto takes the opportunity of being a police officer to frame Ayako for the crimes instead so that when their bodies switched, Ayako will be arrested instead of Haruto. 

3) Unnatural (2018)

Pic by Drama Wiki

Misumi Mikoto (Satomi Ishihara) is a forensic investigator who works for the special department that investigates unnatural cause of death, solving dead-end cases or re-opening cases due to requests from police departments or family members of the deceased who wants a full closure .

She works with her team of misfits of different characters and backgrounds, from arrogant veteran investigator who has record breaking of solving numerous cases to a young part time officer, fresh from school who wants to work to gain experience and learn the ropes of becoming an investigator .

I think it is the most interesting show out of the five here as each episode are like puzzle solving where the story start off with one assumption leading you think that it might be this case but halfway through it makes you think that it might be that case but eventually it turns out to be something unexpected.

4) Hello, Detective Hedgehog (2017)

Pic by Asian Wiki

Goro Nanase (Eita) and Kyusaku Kogure (Go Morita) are private detectives at Akatsuka Detective Agency, which is led by Kaoru Kaze (Tomoko Yamaguchi) . They handle dead-end or weird cases that the police do not want to handle, from corporate conspiracy, to treasure hunting and ghost sightings.

On their bad days when they are struggling to pay the space rent of their agency, they even perform non-investigative cases like fulfilling strange requests from clients which eventually turned into a genuine criminal case when some mishap happen along the way.

Their days of being private detective changes when they assisted Ranko Shidawara (Kyoko Fukada) who believes that her father was murdered and did not commit suicide as the police and company led her to believe. Their antics alone are worth watching as it's meant to be a lighthearted show.

5) You're Under Arrest (2002)

The story revolves around two police officers, Natsumi Tsujimoto (Misaki Ito) and Miyuki Kobayakawa (Sachie Hara) . Being an officer is not as glamorous as you would think, just like any other jobs, there are the good days and there are the bad days on the job, dealing with difficult people and challenging tasks.

Although they are with the traffic police department, but their line of work often cross path with criminal in progress activities that they decide to take matters into their own hands instead of waiting for the respective back up team to arrive which cause jurisdiction problems with the other department.

I love their complex relationships as they have opposing personalities, mindset and way of doing things, which makes them conflict each other from time to time but once they learn to set aside their differences to work together, they're an unstoppable pair.