This review may contain spoilers
A Beautifully Painful Drama Of Life
This drama caught me off guard. Not with plot twists or flashy romance, but with its honesty. It’s a slice of life, but the kind that doesn’t taste sweet all the time. It’s a little burnt around the edges, soft in the middle. Real.Cheng Le Le is in her 40s, doing stand-up comedy that barely stands on its own. So she works part-time at a convenience store too. That’s her life. Not a dream, not a tragedy. Just life. Her story unfolds around the people in her orbit, her dad who believes in aliens, two friends who shouldn’t make sense together but somehow do, a husband she once loved, maybe still does in some quiet corner of her heart. But deosnt matter as the marriage life is near its end.
There’s no climax. No victory lap. Just roads she has to walk. Because life doesn’t come with a final destination. It flows. Sometimes like a river, sometimes like a flood. And when loss comes, no amount of preparation saves you from breaking. What hurts even more is when you realize you have to keep walking, even when your legs don’t know this new path.
The show was labeled with a healing tag, but don’t believe that. No one heals here. Not in the way we want. They endure. They laugh, they cry, sometimes in the same scene. And I cried with them. For joy. For grief. For being alive.
That’s the thing about Taiwanese dramas. They’re too real. They don’t pretend. They remind you you’re human, beautifully, painfully human. And I love them for that. Even when I say I hate them.
I was especially grateful this wasn’t about some teenager/20-something figuring out life. This was about a woman who’s already halfway through it, still stumbling, still unsure, still trying. Cheng Le Le is not your ideal protagonist, and that’s what makes her perfect. She’s ordinary, unpolished. She turns her pain into punchlines, not healing. Just survival.
And her dad—what a character. He says, “Being childish for your whole life is quite an achievement.” And he’s right. I’m going to hold onto that. But let’s not pretend his life was all sunshine and UFOs. His sadness was there too, packed deep inside, not hidden from us, but from himself. I liked him. I really did. And like Cheng Le Le, I’ll keep looking for aliens after him.
His death was a quiet, painful unraveling. But the harder part was watching her feel it. That kind of grief lingers. It lingers even now.
Visually, the drama is stunning. Not dramatic. Just beautiful in the way reality is, natural light, soft shadows, warm colors that bleed into everyday spaces. The kind of cinematography that makes you feel like you’re there.
And this line will stay with me:
“Others call their dads superheroes, but I call mine an alien. He always said the universe is infinite, and humans are insignificant. We should take it easy in life. However, he forgot to tell me, humans exist in the world, and humans are complicated.”
What a beautiful, aching piece of work.
8 out of 10
And a piece of my heart with it.
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This review may contain spoilers
I won’t forget you—until the day I start to forget to
A Hidden Gem: ‘Forget You Not’I recently watched Forget You Not, a Taiwanese drama that I stumbled upon without any prior knowledge—didn’t read the synopsis or watch a trailer. Initially, I thought it would be a typical romance, focusing on the relationship between the main characters. However, as the episodes progressed, it unfolded into something much deeper and more impactful than I anticipated.
The series follows Cheng Le-le, a stand-up comedian in her 40s, portrayed by Hsieh Ying-xuan. She balances her comedy gigs with a part-time job at a convenience store, all while navigating a separation from her husband, Zhang Kai (played by Wallace Huo), and the challenges of caring for her aging father, Kuang-chi (Chin Han), who begins to show signs of early dementia.
What struck me was how the show seamlessly blends humor and heartache. Le-le uses her stand-up routines to share stories about her father, turning personal struggles into relatable comedy. This narrative approach adds a unique layer to the storytelling, making the emotional moments even more poignant.
The cinematography, acting, and soundtrack are all top-notch. Each episode is crafted with care, and certain songs have lingered with me long after the series ended. It’s a shame that Forget You Not hasn’t received the recognition it deserves; it stands toe-to-toe with popular K-dramas in terms of quality and emotional depth.
The final episodes were particularly moving. They delve into the complexities of caregiving—the guilt, the exhaustion, and the profound love that drives us to care for those who once cared for us. It’s a raw and honest portrayal of the role reversal that often occurs between aging parents and their adult children.
This drama isn’t just about a woman facing life’s hurdles; it’s about the heavy burden of becoming a caregiver, the sacrifices made, and the enduring bonds of family. It has carved out a special place in my heart.
As the show beautifully puts it: “It’s okay if you forget, I’ll remember. As long as I talk about you, I won’t forget you—until the day I start to forget too.”
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This review may contain spoilers
You are going to need tissues by the end.
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.This was an outstanding series. The script was incredible and very well written. It really knew how to grab your attention from the very beginning. It also did a great job setting up the story, introducing all of the characters, and integrating the comedy and drama sections together. There is not much else to say without giving spoilers. My only minor critique was there is a slight problem with the editing/directing choice. Again, it’s only minor and didn’t really affect the incredible storyline. The entire cast was incredible. I really enjoyed how each one portrayed their character. This also had beautiful cinemaphotography to help convey the different moods of the series.
Random Notes:
I don’t say this often, but this a must watch. Especially for anyone that had to go through similar situation of taking care of a parent.
Wallace Huo should be listed as a support role, not guest role, on MDL. His character was seen throughout most of series. Hopefully someone will fix this.
I’m 100% positive that Aaron Lai had a guest role in episode 3. It was cool that his character was also an actor.
I’m not 100% positive, but I think Huang Chun Chih had a cameo appearance in episode 6 (the bike guy in front of the hospital)
******Potential Spoiler Alert******
The similarities of Le-le’s parent’s relationship story and her own relationship story was genius.
As for my minor editing/directing critique, there were no indications on how long Le-le and Chang Kai dated and how long they were married. Again, this was only a minor issue for me.
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