My Dearest has everything: a beautiful love story, history, action, engaging characters, and a satisfying growth arc. It's just about perfect.
Navillera doesn't seem to get much attention, but it was charming, inspiring, and heart-wrenching—all in just 12 episodes. Song Kang surprised me in a non-romantic role. Recommended for those who appreciate ballet, but anyone can enjoy it. I read Song Kang practiced ballet for six months before shooting, and he did a commendable job. Of course, there were long shots of fantastic leaps and spins that I'm sure were done by a professional, but the editing was well done.
Encounter was an attractively filmed drama. I'm not a fan of pure romance (throw some dead bodies or comedy at me to make mushy stuff palatable), but I made an exception for this. MDL even tagged it as a melodrama, which I usually avoid like the plague, but I saw it was leaving the service I use, so I took a chance. It's as if the creators of the drama took notes of some of my favorite things and lovingly showcased them: art, photography, music, bookstores, prose, poetry, plants (I want a lemon cypress!), and beautiful landscapes. The anime in each episode was charming, and the OST was magnificent. There was angst, but there was positive progression from it.
Joy of Life surprised me. The poster was dark and serious, but the drama was filled with comedic moments. The ML only wanted a simple life, but fate wouldn't allow that. Actor Zhang Ruo Yun made the character Fan Xian such an iconic character. He was chosen as a pawn of the Imperial family, but he's the chess piece that won't move in the expected direction! Court intrigues kept me off balance and unsure who to trust. No one, evidently! There's a second season, and a third is supposed to be in the works. There were five years between the two seasons; I'm hopeful it won't be that long for season three.
When it comes to revenge dramas, try Reborn Rich. Song Joong Ki played the role of the reincarnated avenger. The plots, conniving, and intrigue were delicious. It didn't move quickly, and it didn't finish well. Viewers are hoping a second season will rectify that muddled ending. Still, it's worth a watch just for the interactions between Lee Sun Min and Song Joong Ki.
The Devil Judge was violent dystopia. Ji Sung's performance was mesmerizing. Kim Min Jung depicted a fascinating villainess. The interactions between Ji Sung and Park Jin Young were electric. Add the powerful OST, and the drama is a good watch for those who like dark drama served by intelligent actors.
The Double is another revenge drama, but the protagonist is female in a male-dominated society. Xue Fang Fei used her wits and bided her time to destroy her enemies. It's often difficult to introduce romance into a revenge tale (Reborn Rich suffered in that area), but The Double did it well. Fang Fei and Xio Heng were enemies who slowly became allies, then friends, then lovers. I'm not the best critic of romance, but this on-screen couple were magnificent in their interactions with one another. I often complain that C-dramas are too long, but, at 40 episodes, I could have happily watched more of this intelligent, loving pair.
The Prisoner of Beauty was enemies to lovers. Rather than the silly reasons some dramas manufacture for a couple to hate one another, this drama had a credible premise: her clan abandoned his clan and caused the deaths of many of his family. The FL was sent in a marriage alliance to the ML to stop the feud between their people. Naturally, the ML harbored resentment against the FL and treated her poorly in the beginning. FL didn't take offense; she had expected the hostility. She responded with strength, kindness, and wisdom. I appreciate when a female character is able to maneuver in an antagonistic relationship using her brain and heart to wear down the walls of opposition in her male counterpart. Great chemistry between the leads.
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