Decade of cdramas challenge
This year, I resolved to actually make a dent in my watchlist, so to make it fun I’m planning to watch a new-to-me drama from every year of the past decade (2015-2025). I’ll document my progress on this post, not proceeding in any particular order.
2019 - Princess Silver
Three men try to out-pathetic each other through increasingly desperate means in order to win the FL’s heart. Too bad all the FL wants is to die in peace and she doesn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with the latest round of Sick, Obsessed, and Traumatized (you know who you are). Needless to say, I loved this. In addition to the epically messy relationships (and a ML with truly staggering mommy issues that he never missed a chance to be as weird as possible about), I also appreciated the big cast of awesome female characters. Dropped at 80% due to persistent pacing issues, but may pick back up someday.
2020 - The Legend of Xiao Chuo
The real history of badass queen Xiao Chuo is much more exciting and romantic than this lukewarm dramatization with a FL who has little charisma or chemistry, let alone the brains to run a country. Don’t even get me started on the insipid love triangle where I sincerely don’t understand why anyone likes anyone. Dropped at 66% but I may return someday for the older sister’s plot-line, plus the political intrigue wasn’t all bad.
2021 - The Rebel Princess
Came for the romance, stayed for the plot. This drama ruined my life, as I watched like 60 episodes in less than a week. This was the most glorious drama I’ve seen in a while, with the epic big budget war scenes, beautiful sets and costumes, and huge talented cast playing multi-dimensional characters. This is political melodrama at its ridiculous best: fast-paced and tense, with at least 3 parties maneuvering against each other simultaneously, elaborate schemes, and allies and enemies switching on a dime. I really felt immersed in the tumultuous setting (tho they definitely prioritized general aesthetic over any historical accuracy). The only downsides are 1) the romance, which became flatter over the course of drama and missed some important emotional beats (confusing to me as the drama is otherwise well-plotted and characterized), and 2) the FL losing her spine somewhere in the 2nd half, made more obvious by how steady and principled the ML was by contrast. Imperial Physician Shen is the true mvp for always getting stuck in the middle of the wildest couple drama.
2022 - Lost Track of Time
Now on my list of all-time favorite dramas, a real second chance time-travel drama that somehow made it past censorship (no frame narrative, no “it was just a dream”!!). Our FL goes back in time to fix things before a horrific series of tragedies can occur - and finds out that changing fate isn’t so easy. This was an addictive watch but sooo emotionally draining. I went from whole-heartedly enjoying it to wanting to tap out by the end, but was compelled to see it through.
2023 - An Ancient Love Song
A tragic love story with no beginning and no end, this was a fantastic concept if nothing else. The main characters experience a romance in reverse with each other, as the ML, a modern time traveler, goes a few years further back every time he visits ancient times, while the FL is living out a linear timeline in her own time period. The first time he sees her, she already loves him, but to him, she is a stranger. Every time he sees her, as he knows her better and falls deeper in love, she knows him less. Overall I enjoyed it, despite the ML’s lukewarm acting. They probably could have replaced him with a cardboard cutout.
2024 - Kill Me Love Me
First 2/3: Compelling performance by leads, equally pretty and murderous characters, exciting plot with ridiculous but fun political intrigue, supremely hate-able villain, lovely age gap secondary romance.
Last 1/3: Deserves to be drop-kicked into a lava pit. My last brain cell died as I limped over the finish line.
