Asian Drama That Is

Ailbe, She/Her, 21+, Main blog: lovinglolipop0402. Kpop Blog: kpop-to-my-ears

[reading-is-an-escape]

Doom at Your Service: he need to hold her hand every day before midnight to recharge her so she won't feel pain from her brain tumor.

My Demon: he need to hold her wrist to use his power since his tattoo (the source of his power) is now on her wrist. Ergo, if he doesn't hold her wrist, he cannot access his demon power.

So, these 2 dramas have similar vibes, but different mechanism on how this holding hand/wrist works. And believe me, I ache for BOTH.

[wolsim]

"You shouldn't move around yet. Lie down right now." My Demon (2023 - 2024), dir. Kim Jang Han

[cuddlybitch]

squirrel cheeks 🐿️🐿️

[livefordrama]

So, I need help understanding a joke. In episode 7 of My Demon on Netflix, the character jokes about the name Jeong Sip-won, and after Jeong Gu-won gets really offended, Do Do-hee repeats 십원 multiple times to tease him. I am learning Korean and do understand a certain amount, enough to know that Netflix can miss the ball on a lot of their subtitles, but not enough to understand certain jokes or slang quite yet. Is there anyone who can help explain? 'Cause web searches just tell me the direct translation which, not only do I already know, but also it doesn't help make the joke make sense. Sorry if it's something simple or obvious, I'm just confused, so I thought I'd ask.

[usertoxicyaoi]

"You humans call me ... The Devil."

MY DEMON (2023-2024). Episode 3: Joining Hands With A Demon.

[livefordrama]

Hey! I love your review of Hit the Top/The Best Hit. I'm so glad there are still people who watch it, I feel like nobody does anymore. It's just my fav drama so I had to say hi ☺️

Hi! Thanks for your message! Sorry it's been a while since you messaged, I've been offline for quite a bit. Glad to see others who loved it too! It was one of my favorites to date and I even got my friend to start watching it!

[livefordrama]

Kdrama recommendations

Okay, I need some help. I have started many kdrama recently and quickly burned out without finishing them, some even after watching just the first episode. So I need some good recommendations for what to watch next. It can be recent or older. Preferably on a safe streaming site like viki, netflix, kocowa, hulu, etc. 

My favorite tropes are found family, and a cute romance between a headstrong, self confident woman with a geeky, awkward man (bonus points if there is angst or hurt/comfort where the female comforts the male). I also enjoy shows that involve the main characters being a gay couple, and I love when friendship takes the main plot or where the romance is more of a slow burn subtle thing rather than the main plot, but romance being the main plot also isn’t a deal breaker for me if it’s cute and not explicit or too mushy. I’d prefer nothing too dark, as I’ve been dealing with a lot of stress and have seen too many dark shows recently. 

If it helps, my favorite shows are things like Korean Odyssey, I am not a robot, My shy boss, Clean with passion for now, Shopping King louie, and Memorist. 

I know that was a lot of information, but I figured I’d give something to help with the recommendations, however, I am open to shows that don’t fit these at all or fit only a little as I’m always excited to branch out from my usual tropes and try something different.

Thanks in advance!

[livefordrama]

Reviewing Drama’s I Have Watched Part 10

Finally made it to double digits! Once again, here is my rating system:  1- Did not like, 2- Enjoyed but probably wouldn’t watch again, 3- Enjoyed and would watch some episodes again/may watch again, 4- Enjoyed and would watch again, 5- Loved

Korean Drama

You Raise Me Up: 4

Trigger Warnings: Anxiety attacks, Suicide attempt, Blood, Gore, Talk of insecurities and hating self.

You raise me up is a romantic comedy about a man who is incredibly insecure due to his failing of the civil service exam many years in a row which causes him be unable to become aroused. He seeks out a urologist to aid in his issues, however to his horror, his urologist is his first love who just so happens to have been bragging about him to her ex. She becomes determined to return him to the man he once was in order to save her pride.

This show was actually pretty good despite it’s more awkward scenes that give you second-hand embarrassment. I had to pause and walk away a few times due it just being so painfully awkward but it was really funny and super cute. I think it’s a good comedy for those who enjoy some drama with lots of silly, inappropriate jokes, and some cute romance. 

Hotel Del Luna: 4

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Violence, Death, Suicide threats, Gore, Non-con themes, Jump scares, Murder. 

Hotel Del Luna is a dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast where the girl is the Beast. It follows a young woman who was cursed to run a hotel and help lost souls pass on to the afterlife to pay back for her sins while living. She has been unable to get over her grudge for thousands of years and thus cannot be reborn. One day, she finds a living man in her hotel for the dead stealing a flower from her tree. She goes to kill him but after he begs to be set free for his son, she instead makes a deal with him that when his son is of age, said son will come to the hotel to work with her. After he becomes of age, the son is indeed taken to work at the hotel but it’s she who begins to regret her own deal. The two may just be tied together in a way neither imagined.

I really enjoyed this movie, it was dark yet pretty, the soundtrack and overall aesthetic were perfect. The only reason I give it a four is because is started to drag and get kind of boring towards the end only to feel rushed in the last few episodes. I wish the pacing was a little better but other than that it was very good. I highly recommend to those who enjoy classic story retellings with a twist, as well as those who enjoy gothic romance vibes. 

The Sound of Magic: 5

Trigger Warnings: SA, Bullying, Death, Neglect, Assault, Suicide, Mental breakdowns, Murder, Panic attacks, Abuse. 

The Sound of Magic is a dark musical about a girl growing up in poverty having to raise her little sister after her parents both abandoned them, who lives her life only to make ends meet. She wanders into the nearby abandoned amusement park where rumors of a real magician are spreading. There she meets the magician who tries his best to convince her that magic is real and to not only believe but allow herself to have fun and not have to worry about anything even if it’s just for a moment. Her along with the top student at school, start to take lessons with the magician however not everything is as it seems when more rumors spread and more people start to go missing. 

I absolutely loved this musical, it’s my first Korean musical and it exceeded every expectation I had. It was delightfully dark and mysterious while also being enchanting and magical. The storyline, singing, acting, it was all perfect. I only wish it had a few more episodes to cover some questions I had but overall it was spectacular and I highly recommend. Make sure to stay for after the credits on the final episode though, trust me. 

Moonshine: 4

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Death, Violence, Drunkenness, Blood, PTSD, Anxiety Attack, Torture.

Moonshine is set during the alcohol prohibition in Joseon Era Korea. It follows low ranking noble who, after finding herself in debt, decides to secretly make and sell alcohol and an investigator who stubborn holds onto his beliefs. Due to circumstances the two end up living in the same home. They start off as enemies but as their paths begin to entangle, they find themselves working together, along with the mischievous prince and romantic daughter of the minister of war, to reveal the truth behind the prohibition and their pasts.

I really enjoyed this series, it has enemies to lovers, found family, mystery, tragedy, fun characterization, and great writing. I saw many say that this show is “just about alcohol” and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. This show is about the struggle of sticking to your beliefs and loving someone who has a different set of beliefs, how powerful people will manipulate and sacrifice whoever they can to become more powerful, and how nothing is truly as it seems. I ended up watching this whole series in three days and enjoyed every minute of it and it ended exactly as I had hoped which is a huge plus. 

The Best Hit (Hit The Top): 5

Trigger Warnings: Terminal Illness

The Best Hit is a Comedy about a 90′s kpop idol who after a special storm, is teleported 20 years into the future where he discovers not only has he been missing for 19 years, but his family and friends all hate him because of his actions during that missing year. He know has to keep his identity a secret while trying to figure out exactly what happened that missing year to cause him to go missing. However, the longer he stays in the future the more he finds himself hesitant to go back.

(Spoilers ahead) Now hear me out, I know this show is on the controversial side because of the love triangle, but I genuinely enjoyed it. I loved the main lead with the girl, to me they had the most chemistry and the cutest scenes. I know a lot of people hated it because his “son” also had a crush on her and the age gap, but those feelings were never returned in the slightest, and they were both consenting adults who were physically and mentally the same age through wibbly wobbly timey whimey stuff. Not to mention, the main lead never even knew the mother or the son in his timeline and is from a completely different timeline (as seen when he can go back and see himself as well as he can exist in the future without affecting it). Plus the immediate ick and subsequent termination of any support of the son being with the girl the moment he told her that her feelings didn’t matter and that he would pursue her romantically no matter what she said. That just is disgusting to me, I don’t care how long you waited to tell her your feelings, her feelings are just as valid and important as yours, accept that she only sees you as a friend and move on. I saw a ton of people calling the couple disgusting and wrong and I just don’t see why, I mean he has less of an age gap even without the time skip than most “immortal falls for reborn love” kdrama which I also love dearly, don’t get me wrong. I think the winning couple was the best option and the ending was super cute. I do wish the son got with the female idol though, that was such a cute dynamic. (Spoilers end)

Okay, small rant over this show was hilarious, sad, and adorable. I enjoyed every second of it and binged it in only a few days. It had me on the edge of my seat wanting to see what happened next. I loved watching the characters become a family again. The romantic scenes were super cute and the funny scenes were my type of humor. Yoon shi yoon’s singing is also really great, I wasn’t expecting that but the song got stuck in my head for days. It’s got a lot of episodes but they are only about 30 minutes long so it’s perfect or a quick watch. 

Your Honor: 4

Trigger Warnings: Kidnapping, Torture, SA, SH, Suicide, Abuse.

Your Honor is about two twins who lead very different lives; one is a cold, arrogant lawyer, the other is a criminal who loves too much. After the lawyer goes missing one night, the criminal takes the opportunity to make some money and change his life by pretending to be his twin. However, he soon begins to become too attached not only to his new identity but to the student lawyer under him. After his brother returns, he has to figure out how to lead his own life without falling back into his old lifestyle. 

I know, I know. Two Shi-Yoon shows in a row? To that I say absolutely, he always does such a good job and sometimes I just wanna marathon new shows he stars in as they are always so good. (Also, I watched You Raise Me Up when it was airing so that one doesn’t count.) This show was no different, I love the drama that comes with the twins dynamic as more of the backstory gets revealed. I will say the court scenes are not at all accurate to the point of being laughable but it is very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed watching all the ups and downs the plot goes through as the story carries on. I will say, I did give it a four due to how rushed the ending felt. I’m not saying it needed a super happy ending, I love my fair share of bittersweet endings, but this one really felt incomplete. I wish the characters got more closure than they did and that we had a proper interaction between the twins. Other than that, it was amazing and I highly recommend to those who enjoy drama, romance, humor, and a long watch for it has many episodes. 

Clean with Passion for Now: 5

Trigger Warnings: OCD, Panic Attacks, Mysophobia, Self-harm, Suicide Attempt.

Clean with Passion for Now is a romantic comedy based off a webtoon of the same name. It is about Jang Sun-Gyeol, a man with mysophobia, and Gil O-Sol, a girl who is very messy. They start off disliking each other because of their views on cleanliness, but as they learn to understand each other and the struggles they both have to face, they begin to realize they gained feelings for each other. 

This show was super cute! It’s like a perfect mixture of “My Shy Boss” and “I Am Not A Robot” both of which I adore. I feel like I just really like the trope of “Quiet, misunderstood CEO falls in love with struggling girl who is the exact opposite of him.” bonus points if they start off not liking each other and through a traumatic incident, realize each others struggles. The storyline was super cute, if a little gross and cringy in some scenes, and the characters were lovable, especially towards the end. The romance had me both laughing and awing, sometimes at the same time. I honestly liked all the versions of the love triangle, every ship had the potential and chemistry. My favorite scenes with no context are definitely the umbrella scene and the drunk scene. I did have a issue with how long the conflict took to be solved in comparison to how quickly it was solved and wrapped up. I wish the conflict could have gotten solved earlier, so we could have seen more of the wrap-up without it feeling as rushed as it did. Despite this, I really enjoyed watching and loved how it ended. 

 WebDrama

Blue Birthday: 4

Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Blood, Mourning, Murder, Gore, Self-harm.

Blue Birthday is a drama about a girl who lost her best friend and crush in high school, after getting some film developed from his camera years later she finds she can travel back in time to the day of the picture. Now she tries everything she can to make sure he survives but is she willing to pay the price of saving a life?

This show was really sad and kept you thinking about what could possibly come next. It was filled with twists and turns and I really enjoyed every second of it. It is super sad and dark so be careful when watching in case you are sensitive to any of the above triggers as it is graphic. 

The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim: 5

Trigger Warnings: Bullying, Suicide, SH, Murder, Demonic Possession. 

The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim is about a young girl who comes from a long line of powerful shaman, however she never wants to become one herself after witnessing the dangers and alienation that comes form the job. Unfortunately, she doesn’t get much of a choice as her mother transfers her to a school where the bottom ranking student always dies of mysterious causes. Causes that could only be an evil spirit. Now she and the schools top student, who she gives shaman abilities after her grandmother possesses him, must figure out how to stop the slaughter of their fellow classmates before they all die. 

This webdrama was amazing! I loved every moment of it and binge watched it in less than a day. I adore the relationship between the characters and the way the shaman powers are shown both humorously and also dramatically so that you understand that it’s a burdensome power but without making the show too dark. I will say I was thrown for a loop when (slight spoiler) we find out that Woo-soo’s future vision ability is not a shaman ability at the very last episode and it never explains why he has such an ability. My personal headcanon is that he always had it and that’s why the grandmother chose him, cause she knew he would be a powerful shaman and aid as he already had powers of his own. (spoiler end) There is a cute little puppy love romance that is so satisfying and the friendships are all adorable though I wish they actually explained how the highest ranking and lowest ranking classmates became close friends. Like they are so protective over each other and they talk like there’s a story only to brush it off when asked and it’s never actually explained. I just wish there was more explanation in general but I guess that’s what you get when you watch a webdrama. They don’t have enough time to explain everything so you’re left with so many questions, or maybe I just over think. Anyway, I adore this show and recommend to those who love supernatural stuff, drama, puppy love romance, and some cool but subtle super powers. 

[livefordrama]

Hi I'm claire

So i read online that you have a platform where we discuss kdramas I'll like to join

Hi Claire! So sorry for the late reply. Haven't really been on Tumblr recently. unfortunately, the platform was a tumblr chat and they removed those within like the same month they made them so it's no longer available. I'm really sorry again.

[helianthus21]

Hyun-su: actually i don’t have any friends at all:/

Eun-yu: eXCUSE U??

[baejoos]

audrey “man weol” hepburn ☽

[k-pop-n-drama]

Just finished Because This is My First Life with @kpop-to-my-ears​ and oh my gosh, so freaking good! T.T Highly recommend! 

[livefordrama]

It is super cute! I highly recommend to those who enjoy romance with plenty of drama and tropes such as roommates, innocent woman with emotionally constipated man, and fake marriage.

[kateknowsdramas]

Like father like son…

[hnrycheng]

Hwayugi

      ↳ character posters →   woo ma wang / bull demon king

[komunyoung]

Favourite Kdrama Couples | Jo Ji-a and Kim Min-kyu

[livefordrama]

TV Show Tag

So I decided to try this since I figured it would be a fun way to learn about people and the different shows/movies they like/don’t like. 

Show I always skipped the intro for: Most Cdrama’s I have watched. At least until the last episode cause so many spoilers.

Show I never skipped the intro for: My Shy Boss. It’s just so artistic and catchy.

Show/movie that makes me happy: I Am Not A Robot. Such a wonderful feel-good drama, highly recommend. 

Show/movie that makes me sad: Northern Limit Line. Let’s just say it put me in a different mental state for three whole days. 

Show/movie that makes me angry: Number Six. I can’t stand that drama, even now my blood is boiling.

Favorite show/movie of all time: A Korean Odyssey. It’s so good, I have seen it so many times.

Least favorite show/movie: Again, Number Six. Fuck that show.

Show/movie with the best romantic relationship: Either I Am Not A Robot, My Shy Boss, or Shopping King Louie. I really can’t decide. 

Show/movie with the worst romantic relationship: To not call out Number Six again, I’d go with Who Are You School: 2015 for sure. The biggest love square disappointment ever. There was just zero chemistry in my opinion and the other option would have been way more fulfilling... and less weird.

Show/movie with the best friendship: Uncanny Counter had THE BEST friendship I have personally ever seen in a show. Literally so pure and cute. We love to see it.

Show/movie with the worst friendship: Love Alarm for sure. I have never been so mad at a supposed “friendship.” Like you find out a character is being abuse and neglected, and you decide to abandon them for romance? Disgusting.

Show/movie that had my favorite trope, or made me realize I had a favorite trope: Mystic Pop-up Bar made me realize that I love the found family trope after so many other found family shows. My favorite dynamic in a show now is found family, and I actively search for it when I look for a new drama.

Show/movie that had a trope I hate: Moonlight Drawn By Clouds. I just really hate the girl is suddenly the lost daughter of this super powerful man and she can’t be with the lover anymore. It pisses me off cause at that point it feels like they ran out of content so they made drama out of nowhere to keep the show going. Nothing against girls, just personally haven’t seen it done with guys yet.

Show/movie I expected to hate but loved: Love Alarm definitely. I hate romance dramas but somehow it grabbed me by the feet and dragged me to the depth of garbage fictional relationships. I say this with so much affection don’t get me wrong. Every relationship in that show is so freaking toxic yet so good when it is fictional.

Show/movie I expected to love but hated/disliked: The Emperor: Master of the Mask. I was so sure I was going to love it that I even bought a subscription to an app I didn’t even use and haven’t used since, but then I was just over it by the end. It was just so annoying and dragged the last twenty episodes. I even finished it the day it renewed for another month so that just made the experience worse. XD

Tag some people: @k-pop-n-drama @withinkandquill

[livefordrama]

Reviewing Drama’s I Have Watched Part 9

Again, here is my rating system:  1- Did not like, 2- Enjoyed but probably wouldn’t watch again, 3- Enjoyed and would watch some episodes again/may watch again, 4- Enjoyed and would watch again, 5- Loved

Korean Drama

Emperor: Master of the Mask: 3

Trigger Warnings: Cult Themes, Blood, Suicide Attempt and Themes

Emperor: Master of the Mask, or Ruler: Owner of the Mask, is about a young prince who was hunted down and poisoned by this underground group which controls the government and even the king. After the poisoning, his father forced him to wear and mask to protect him and even made a law that anyone who sees his true face would be killed.... and then things get worse.

That’s the best way I can explain this show without giving too much away, and also because there was so much content. This show was 40 episodes of about 30 minutes, which is huge for a kdrama. I did really love this show at the beginning and end but the middle was just so... dry. Like don’t get me wrong it was okay, it just focused to much on romance, completely changed almost all the characterizations to be either completely insufferable or pathetic, and was kind of boring. My favorite character through the beginning was the prince with Lee Sun being my second, my favorite character at the end was Hwa-gun with the Prince tied with Gon and Chun-woon as my second and Lee Sun one of my least favorite. I just hated how they made him so possessive to the point it was terrifying. I was more able to forgive and feel bad for the main bad guy at the end than for him. Probably because I have witnessed first had various people I am close to in very similar relationships and it actually scared me. Overall it was a very good show, but I just wish the writing was better so the middle wouldn’t have been so dry and the characters would have become so pathetic about love. Hwa-gun, Gon, and Chung-woon deserve all the praise and love. Just protect them please. I would probably watch some episodes again but I don’t see myself watching the whole series again.

Doom At Your Service: 5

Trigger Warnings: Terminal Illness, Suicide, Harassment, Death

Doom At Your Service is about a woman, Dong-kyung, who after finding out she has a deadly brain tumor, wishes doom upon the world. Unexpectedly, the god of doom himself heard her wish and decided to grant it, but like with most shows that have gods and deities there’s a catch. She will be healed only if one the day she is destined to die, the person she loves most must die. However, Dong-kyung has a plan she won’t lose anyone if the person she loves most is the God of Doom himself.

I watched most of this show as it aired and each time I ran out of episodes it was almost like torture. The main characters stories and personalities were super interesting, and even the side characters were all amazing. I love how they even had a foreign actor who could actually act, I have seen way too many shows where the foreign actors just read their lines out and didn’t even attempt to act so this was a refreshing change. I was so invested in all the different plot lines this show had to offer and felt satisfied with the ending too. I highly recommend to those who love angst, fantasy, and drama.  

He Is Psychometric: 2

Trigger Warnings: Death, Murder, Blood, Suicide, Sensory Overload, Kidnapping, Arson, Themes of Rape

He is psychometric is about a boy who, after a tragedy, discovers he has the ability to see the past of someone or something through skin contact. He uses his power to solve cases for the police but the real case he wants to solve is what really happened on the night of the tragedy. 

I really liked this show when I first started it. However, halfway through I just got so bored and it never really picked up for me. I think it was because I didn’t really ship any of the couples except the one side couple and that was just slightly as well as that I guessed every single plot twist in the show so it was just kind of dry for me. I really liked the found family stuff they did at the beginning as well as the brotherly humor stuff but that all disappeared halfway through and nothing really took it’s place to lighten the mood other than romance so it just became dark and bland. The actors and actresses were great, and the plot had potential but I think it needed a little more mystery and development for me to personally get into it. I also wasn’t really into the romantic tropes and there were a lot, you had the enemies/indifference to lovers with the mains, the sociopath and empathetic one with the second leads, and the single mother with the rich childlike man. All of these I’m not a huge fan of, I know people who would love it but it just wasn’t for me. Overall it was decent, the ending was unsatisfying and quite dry but the beginning was really good. I would recommend to those who enjoy superpower crime shows with quite a bit of romantic tropes. 

Memorist: 5

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual Assault, Suicide, Rape, Cults, Panic Attacks.

Memorist follows a detective who can read memories through touch but cannot remember his own past, and a police chief whose past she keeps carefully guarded as they try to catch a serial killer who has been killing people that have gotten away with horrible crimes for decades. 

So, this happened. I didn’t expect when I started Memorist that I would be reviewing it right under He is Psychometric as I had started so many shows in between the two but haven’t quite finished them. So, I guess since everyone says the two are similar I will take a moment to briefly compare them with my opinion. If I had to compare, He is Psychometric is darker with regards to after a certain point in the show, there is nothing but dark drama and romance. Meanwhile, Memorist keeps a similar feeling of comedy balanced with the dark drama throughout the whole show while still getting more intense as it continues, not to mention the heavy and super cute found family vibes that He is Psychometric was just lacking after a certain point. I did enjoy both but for my personal taste, Memorist drew me in and kept me engaged throughout the whole show while He is Psychometric drew me in then lost me after that certain point. I love when a show has comedy mixed with angst and drama and Memorist just had that for me. 

Now, to talk about Memorist itself. This show was amazing, I was hooked immediately and suffered every day I wasn’t able to watch it because of my schedule. The reveal was so unexpected for me, I had many theories but the actual reveal was not one of them. I actually gasped and got so excited. I also loved the ending so much. (spoilers) I do wish that they showed more of what happened to the villain at the end after Dong Baek did what he did, but it was still a perfect ending. I especially loved that the romance subplot was completely subtext, like you have to look to find romance and that is always a nice twist in kdrama. (spoilers end) I think this was one of the best shows I have seen in a while, I wanted more content after it ended. The actors and actresses are all amazing and played their characters so well. Love seeing Lee Se-young from A Korean Odyssey, Jun Hyo-Seong from My Shy Boss, and as always Yoo Seung-Ho from many of the shows I watched. He may be type casted as having pretty much the same personality every show, but he plays those character so well (and they are my favorite type of characters) that I just love to watch his work.

Chinese Drama

The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty: 5

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Suicide, Sexual Assault, Themes of Rape, Vomit.

The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty follows Tang Fan, a food loving genius, Sui Zhou, a cold military official, and Wang Zhi, a cunning palace eunuch and young commander of the Western Depot, as they solve various crimes throughout Ming. They solve many crimes ranging from swindlers all the way to bomb threats and conspiracies to murder the Emperor. 

This show was amazing, it did have its slower parts but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a lot of delicious food scenes that made me so hungry and plenty of found family moments. I started the show thinking Tang Fan would be my favorite as his characterization from the trailer looked like my type of character and I do love Darren Chen’s acting, but Wang Zhi ended up stealing both the show and my heart. There were happy moments, sad moments, and plenty of epic women being bosses moments. I watched with the viki live comments and, they were awful and really racist, but I realized that not everyone was aware of China’s censorship so I will address that here. This show is based off the novel “The Fourteenth Year of Chenghua” and yes, that is a bl. This show does make some hints towards the relationship and the love triangle of Tang Fan, Sui Zhou, and Wang Zhi, but does not go full bl because of chinese censorship. It’s kinda of like how Untamed censored their show from the original novel, but a little more subtle. So don’t go into this show expecting any romances with female characters, but also don’t go in expecting big romance scenes with the main three either, everything is subtext. Overall it was a great show and I highly recommend to those who like mystery, food, and found family, with a subtle romance/love-triangle subplot.

WebDrama

Must You Go?: 5

Trigger Warning: Bullying, Blood, Forced Stripping, Sexual Harassment

Must you go, aka are you leaving or leave me not, is about a modern aspiring singer who is hired to play a song at an abandoned shrine one night. This song summons a famous musician from the Joseon Period. While trying to find out who he really is and send him back, they begin to perform together and realize their feelings. However, they soon discover that they are destined to be reincarnated only to meet the same tragic fate as their past lives.

I really enjoyed this show, I saw a lot of people give it crap for being too rushed and I agree, but that’s just a webdrama for you. They are so short that they feel really rush since the writers have to shove a lot of information in a small time slot. I really wish this was a full drama or we could get a second season. I did enjoy the ending, it reminded me slightly of the ending of The Untamed. I also saw someone saw it reminded them of Goblin, it didn’t really remind me of Goblin other than the reincarnation thing but that’s a lot of shows. So if you enjoy Goblin then you may just like this one. It did have it’s flaws as every show does, but I really enjoyed it and finished it in about a day and a half on top of school.

Lover of the Palace: 2

Trigger Warnings: Themes of Bullying, Suicide, Panic Attacks

Lover of the palace is about two childhood friends who grew apart after one moves then find each other again when they both end up working at a tourist event. The main female must then help the main male get over his crippling stage fright so that they can perform together.

I liked this one okay, it was cute and interesting at parts but mostly it was rather dry in my opinion. Like I have said many times before, I am not a huge fan of strictly romance genre so I may be a little biased against the show but it wasn’t bad. I did really enjoy a lot of it, I just felt there could be more to it which unfortunately has to do with its status as a webdrama. I personally probably wouldn’t watch it again myself, but I would recommend to those who like a cute romance with a little angst and does not have time to commit to an entire kdrama. 

Love as You Taste: 2

Love as you taste follows a groups of friends who enjoy cooking and even formed a cooking club, as they deal with new situations involving romance. Each episode had a new story based around the making of a dish.

This show was okay, it had some good parts and the food looked pretty good. However, most of the show was boring for me personally. Probably because of the mainly romance based plot but also because there was just no humor or anything that really made me like the characters. The plot and characterization just felt dry and thrown together in order to make a quick show. Having said that, I would probably recommend this show to people who enjoy cute romance shows but don’t have the time to commit to a full length kdrama.

Korean Movies

Train to Busan: 5

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Gore, Jump scares, Death

Train to Busan follows a father as goes with his daughter on a train to see her mother for her birthday. However, once they get one the train they become trapped in a zombie apocalypse. They quickly realize one of the infected is on the train with them and the father, along with a few other passengers, have to fight their way through zombies and the other coward passengers alike to make it to the safe haven in Busan. 

I hesitated to watch this because I am not really a zombie horror person, but everyone talked so highly of it and I finally had time to watch it so I gave in. Wow, just, wow. It was amazing. The acting, the plot, the characters, everything was brilliant. It was cute, suspenseful, and heartbreaking all at the same time. There were a few jump scares but it wasn’t endless to where you got bored of it, it only happened a few times and at good timings too. I was able to hold my tears in throughout the movie but once the credits rolled, I cried for five minutes. Not even a pretty cry, like tears streaming, needs a tissue cry. I highly recommend this, even for those who don’t like zombie movies like me, or the horror genre in general. You won’t regret giving this movie a try. 

Blind: 4

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Kidnapping, Rape, Graphic Death, Murder, Themes of Self-harm.

Blind is about a woman who went blind three years before and a young man who sounds just like her brother who died in the same crash that made her blind. They both witness a murder/kidnapping and have to work together to help the police catch the killer before the killer catches them. 

(Warning) This movie was dark as hell. I did not expect it to be that dark, take everything in the list serious guys, I’m not kidding. Just, there are no pornographic scenes so... there’s that. (Warning)

Okay, I was bored and for once has nothing to do and nothing I wanted to watch as I just finished Memorist and was in major withdrawl. So, I just turned this on to have something to do since it was in my to watch list anyway. It was actually pretty darn good, I was pleasantly surprised. It was dark and sad but also really nice and cute in some scenes. I loved the found family dynamic between the main two characters, it was super cute. The plot was also written very well and kept me engaged throughout the whole show. I did find the scenes of the noncon uncomfortable even though it didn’t really show anything graphic, it was just weird for a kdrama that the scenes even went as far as they did. I think this is a really good movie for people who enjoy dark, sad, suspensful, crime movies. I would most likely watch again next time I wanna watch something and don’t know what.

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