I am so glad the new kdramas are bringing back the specific brand of loser men. You know which brand I'm talking about. The Ahn "min min" Minhyuk brand of loser men and I'm loving it. The "I worship this goddess and I'm so in love with her and I can't believe I get to love her. Oh my gods I love her so much" brand of loser men. And we're being fed so well with lovely runner, love next door, no gain no love, my demon, Cinderella at 2am, Hierarchy, Midnight Romance in Hagwon, doctor slump, Queen of tears, welcome to samdal-ri and even good partner (yes it's one sided but the dedication and yuri's couple too).
We need more fictional loser men who worship women to satiate our eldest independent daughter desires.
watching my demon feels a lot like watching doom at your service - the themes seem repeated with the addition of jeong gu won and do do hee’s cuddliness.
but watching welcome to samdalri feels a lot like watching hometown cha cha cha - it’s a similar setting, and we all know what’s going to happen, but they both feel like coming home.
So I binged Hierarchy on Netflix and OH MY GODS. It's so good. I see people lashing out on the drama because they want UK and Spain type of high school drama but can we please acknowledge that THIS IS ASIA. The standards and morals are DIFFERENT here. Why are you expecting the UK and Spain kinda storyline in a country that's NOT UK or Spain.
NOT SPOILER FREE
It makes each character so very morally grey that you cannot help but root for all of them.
Kang Ha is driven by revenge but truly cares for Jae-i. He also wants to make amends (I think. I don't think he's the one who sent the last message).
Jae-i is a tortured heroine and will go to any lengths to protect the people she loves and I'm here for it. But she's also someone who acknowledged her mistakes and that of her friends. She's also very steady. Like a rock.
Ri-an, again is someone who is accountable. He takes responsibility for his mistakes once he's aware of it but he's also arrogant. But he's so selectively loyal that it just gives Slytherin vibes. He's also a tortured chaebol and loves loves loves Jae-i.
Woo jin is a mastermind. He's kind but he'll do anything and I mean anything for the person he chooses. It's so cool to see him choosing one friend over another. And he's so artistic. He's a kind face but a wicked mind. So morally grey
Yoon He-ra is jealous and prideful. She herself admits that she's a bitch but she's a bitch with morals. I absolutely loved the dynamics between her and jae-i and the way it ended. And seriously. You will grow to love her.
I loved the way they absolved the love triangle also. They made a case for each one of the characters. They didn't make Jae-i indecisive. She was headstrong and steadfast. And it didn't downgrade one love interest over another. Both love and care for jae-i in their own way. Jae-i also doesn't lead anyone on.
And the way Kang Ha made the school take responsibility- it wasn't your typical revenge drama. That's why I think that the last message wasn't sent by Kang Ha. He's not the type to do it.
All the characters are so morally grey. Especially Ri-an. I loved every single one of them. I would totally recommend it because it really is very good. I genuinely hope this gets a season 2.
SUMMARY: A cold-hearted Demon remembers what it’s like to be human after falling in love with the one who stole his powers.
THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING: Supportive PR employees, diabolical chaebols, powerful skinship, sham marriages, best friend butlers, sword dancing, Joseon flashbacks, tattoos, cropped suit jackets, cakes, clocks, disguised deities, full moon transformations, and the joy of just letting go and listening to your heart.
HOT TAKE: I didn't really love the start of this show, but its themes of loss and love really pulled on my heartstrings throughout. I didn't really love the ending either, but hey, its a love story and you get what you get. I will say though, Song Kang and Kim Yoo Jung win the award for 'Couple with the Smoothest Skin I've Ever Seen in a Kdrama.'
obviously this is quite late but to those who want to start a kdrama, this is it.
#10 - soundtrack #2
there is such a comfort in the soundtrack series. even soundtrack #1 was so good, but this new instalment, truly works on the og kdrama tropes. lovers to exes to accidental 'fate' encounter to forced proximity to lovers again. puppy dog male lead, angsty female lead, jealousy, wholesome second lead, it's got it all. and ofc, music.
#9 - king the land
many people did not like this drama. honestly, if you're watching a kdrama that is romance and comedy then why would be angry that it had romance and comedy. again, a true example of a classic kdrama, rich ceo guy with hardworking girl, mix in some trauma and employee-employer drama, and this is the perfect clichéd drama.
#8 - see you in my 19th life
honestly i just like watching ahn bo hyun. he is such a pretty man. storyline-wise, i feel like they did a lot of stuff, but the ending honestly disappointed me. shin hye sun, as usual, love the woman, what an actor, the second leads also did not disappoint, loved them all.
#7 - crash course in romance
such a heartwarming drama. choi chiyeol with the temperament of a wet cat, the stress of studies in all asian countries, not just korea. all the romances were so cute (barring the best friend and brother). one thing they could have done better was cast a younger actress for the female lead. even this love triangle was so cute and fun.
#6 - my demon
song kang and kim yoo jung really killed it with the chemistry. i mean, forget everything else, i'll just take 16 episodes of them hanging out. even behind the scenes reels will work. the plot was pretty solid, felt like a remake of doom at your service. song kang does a wonderful job at being both goofy and serious, and kim yoo jung did so good at the angsty ceo.
#5 - the good bad mother
am i surprised this ended up higher than my demon? yes. this was such a good show, the past and present layered together so beautifully. the villains seemed like actual villains, but you weren't sure who to hate until the last episode. really shows some aspects of motherhood through both the eyes of the kids and mothers. had a cute little romance as well.
#4 - the worst of evil
ji chang wook and wi ha jun. need i say more? i have said it once, and i'll say it again - so few do action like koreans do. i mean, vincenzo, my name, midnight runners, and now this, such action masterpieces.
#3 - daily dose of sunshine
park bo young wa sso cute in this one. i miss small kdramas with intense plots. mental illnesses were dealt with very well in this one. the romance was so cute, and chang ryul, my baby, i missed him so much.
#2 - alchemy of souls s2
i just. love. this series. so much. like, the characters are so well built, the storyline, the romance, the destiny, oh my god. please watch this.
#1 - welcome to samdal-ri
this comes as a surprise to absolutely no one. what a feel-good drama to end 2023. it was the perfect remix of hometown cha cha cha that we all needed. ji chang wook, my absolute gem of a man, and shin hye sun, queen of no shit given but too many shits given roles. adore the friendships, romance, calm setting, the love between everyone. please watch it.