Shows I Watched: June 2025

Status: Dropped

Year:  2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: contemporary, youth, romance

Episodes:  10/24

Plot:

Two top students from different schools meet and fall in love, but the male lead is going to study abroad, so their relationship ends as friends. But the ML suddenly comes home and attends the same university as the FL, and their love story continues.

Comments:

• I think the story is overdone: high school sweethearts who got separated due to circumstances beyond their control reunite. And it will still be worth watching if it was done well, but I think there was a pacing issue. I was waiting for them to separate and reunite, because man, I was bored with their interaction and was ready for the drama to move on.
• I think the female lead lacks the energy to portray this type of female lead. I liked her in more clamer and darker dramas (derailment).  This needs an actress with a different charm for the drama to work.
• I think it tried too hard to be aesthetically pleasing. 

Status: Dropped

Year:  2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: mystery

Episodes:  1/8

Plot:

A man who has multiple personality disorder interacts with his different personalities, and one of the dominant ones thinks that she is the real one.

Comments:

• I was looking forward to this because of Zhao Liying.
• But it was too avant-garde for me.

Status: Dropped

Year:  2025

Country: Japanese

Genre: mystery. thriller, romance

Episodes:  4/8

Plot: 

A lawyer defends a man who is accused of killing her mentor, and she ends up having an affair with him (because spoiler, he is married) but finds out that he is an abusive MF!

Comments:

• This story is a very Japanese drama plot.
• I used to enjoy this, but the twist was too much thinking and weird relationships, and I wasn't feeling this one.
• Although there's a romance, it's not a traditional romance story.
• The ML is so fine.

Status: Dropped

Year:  2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: xianxia, idol, romance

Episodes:  22/32

Plot:

Two mortals equal in power fighting for millions of years fall in love. But a grudge/feud forms between them. Years later, the ML is still a god, but the FL's spirit is yet to be found/discovered (IDK if they presumed she was dead), but the ML meets a mortal that looks like the FL.

Comments:

• I think the story is unnecessarily complicated, or the way it's told is messy.
• Too many side characters.
• The sound effects and background music are too on the nose, and there are too many conversational and reaction scenes that use sound effects, which makes it obvious what is happening and what emotions are being displayed; I'm not that naive.
• Too much skin smoothing.
• The costumes are not flattering.

Status: Dropped

Year: 2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: adventure, mystery, fantasy

Episodes:  25/32

Plot:

A mysterious murderer is still out on the loose, a our team is chasing down the mysterious relics that are the cause of these misfortunes.

Comments:

•  I don't mind this type of story with fantasy elements, but I can't take this drama seriously. Because you can't say that because it's fantasy elements, of course, you're not supposed to take it seriously, but the mood of the drama is quite serious.
• The two leads can't act. I am sorry, they are not consistent with how they portray their characters. The only person out of the main gang I was comfortable watching was the comic relief.
• The writing, editing, and directing sound is choppy.

Status: Completed

Year: 2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: costume, revenge (fantasy elements)

Episodes: 40/40

Plot:

The ML's family gets massacred, and a mysterious person rescues him and trains the ML for years to help him get his revenge. Then the time finally comes to enact revenge on the person who killed his whole family, but he finds out more people are involved.

Rating:  8/10

Comments:

• As a revenge drama, it was not emotionally gripping. And I think I wasn't attached to most of the characters, but I did feel something when his two mentors died. 
• The twist was not as surprising, I knew (who the third enemy was or how they defeated him)...  I blame all my years of watching dramas and TV series.
• I wish there were more angst in the romance. I know it's not the main focus of the story, but since they included one, why not do it well and make it one of the selling points of the drama?
• I did not mind the fantasy element; I loved the Tomb Raider series.
• I can tell that they spent money on the sets and costumes, but I don't think it showed in the TV series, but in the pictures from still cuts.

Status: Completed

Year: 2025

Country: Korean

Genre: Noir, action, revenge

Episodes: 7/7

Plot:

A former gangster and legend in the field comes back to enact revenge for the death of his brother.

Rating:  7.5/10

Comments:

• I will only base my review solely on the drama; I have not read the original source.
• I felt it was believable for the most part, So Ji Sub with his build makes a believable action hero/anti-hero.
• They all looked like they belonged in that world.
• I hoped they did not introduce guns, then I'm gonna be like, where the fuck are the guns and the government.
• The writing of the final villain was not good; all he did was get a search warrant.
• But every was fiiiiiine in this drama, especially Lee Joo Hyuk.

Status: Completed

Year: 2023

Country: Japanese

Genre: contemporary, workplace, romance

Episodes: 8/8

Plot:

Our FL is known as the ice iron lady in a workplace. She overhears her crush (the ML) getting coerced into dating her and dumping her within two months. Whith knowing the truth she willingly complies.

Rating: 6/10

Comments:

• I watched it because the ML in this drama is the SML in this really cute Japanese drama that I am currently watching.
• This is a nice short watch that satisfied my craving for this actor.

Status: Completed

Year: 2017

Country: Japanese

Genre: contemporary, romance

Episodes: 12/12

Plot:

Our FL works in a game company where she is performing the task of a CEO without the title. One day the CEO announces that that he will be leaving, and she is expecting to get the job, until the ML takes the place instead her. And the ML is someone she meets earlier in the drama whom she was interested in in a long time.

Rating: 7/10

Comments:

• The leads had great chemistry.
• I liked the second couple better.
• But I loved the simulations the FL did to see what will happen if she involved herself with the ML. 
• I watched this because of Koseki Yuta but he is like the 6th lead.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Korean

Genre: weekend, family

Episodes: 44/54

Plot:

The FL decides to take over her late husband's makkeolli business and maintains a good relationship with her 4 brothers-in-law in law. She meets fellow widower and Hotel owner, their relationship starts off on the wrong foot, but eventually falls in love.

Rating:  7/10

Comments:

• I skip a lot in these series because all I care about is the main couple, the professor/daughter of the family enemy couple, and the ex-marine and rich girl couple.
• It's cringeworthy but endearing at the same time.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Korean

Genre: action, crime, romance

Episodes: 10/16

Plot:

Former Olympic medalists are recruited into the police force through a special recruitment process. They enforce justice and catch bad guys.

Rating:  7/10

Comments:

• Good cast
• Unique action scenes that highlight the sport that each character played.
• But I feel like the same thing is happening, but not in an exciting ways, where our guys seem to finally catch the bad guy, but then he gets away, and the cycle repeats.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Korean

Genre: fantasy, romance

Episodes: 4/12

Plot:

A collage students gets sucked into her favorite manhwa as a side character, she wants to enjoy her favorite story unfold, but she realizes that she is taking the place of the FL of the manwha.

Rating:  7/10

Comments:

• I really haven't watched Seo Hyun in a full-length drama, because I can't really get over the fact that she is an idol.
• I feel that the drama has choppy editing or transitions, maybe they are trying to mimic manga or manhwa cuts, but like things happen w/o visually showing how it happens.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: youth, slice of life, romance

Episodes: 14/30

Plot:

Our FL moves into a new neighborhood and a new school. She meets new friends and they go on a personal journey of growth and romance.

Rating:  9/10

Comments:

• still very cute.
• The characters are very human.
• Love the chemistry.
• still slowly watching

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2019

Country: Chinese

Genre: xian xia, fantasy, romance

Episodes: 15/60

Plot:

A fairy accidentally wakes up the god of war, who had fallen into a deep slumber. They fall in love, but they are faced with the obstacles of world destruction.

Rating:  9/10

Comments:

• This drama still holds up to this day; it remains as good as I remember it.
• The actors are awesome!
• Slowly watching it in between all the dramas.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Filipino

Genre: youth, romance

Episodes: 3/16

Plot:

Our FL is asked by her crush and best friend to date our ML so that his ex-girlfriend would come back to him.

Rating:  7/10

Comments:

• Brings me so much to my Wattpad reading days.
• It's cringy, but I think the FL is so charming that I keep watching it!

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Korean

Genre: mystery, thriller, crime, psychological

Episodes: 10/16

Plot:

Our FL is a genius forensic pathologist, but her past comes back haunting her as her father, who is a serial killer, comes back into her life.

Rating:  7.5/10

Comments:

• I was really into it until she went into murder mode. I understand that she is forced to do things because she is blackmailed. I think people expected a cat-and-mouse type of drama based on the synopsis.
• I am just trying to see where this goes.
• I like Kang Hoon and Park Young Woo. I know people are bothered by the FL acting, I think its because of how she is mechanically saying her lines, I'm sure it's a choice on the actress.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: costume, idol, romance

Episodes: 13/36

Plot:

An unfavored princess is set to marry a prince of another country, but she ends up marrying a powerful official instead. She plots to survive and ensure the safety of her brother, who is held hostage. She also falls in love with her husband.

Rating:  7/10

Comments:

• It's kind of below my expectations. The heavy scheming scenes are good, but the light-hearted scenes are too light and elementary to my liking.
• I kinda read the original IP, and I liked the FL had to find her footing by herself helping the ML take down the concubines and their family and finally tackling the crown prince and the main wife
• I'll still watch this, though.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: fantasy, costume, idol, romance

Episodes: 14/40

Plot:

An up and coming actress gets transported into her drama script. She tries to change her fate in the story, mostly by trying kill the ML.

Rating:  8.5/10

Comments:

• This drama is very funny!
• I haven't watched Li Yi Tong in a while, because she just hasn't starred in dramas I was interested in, but I forgot how good she is, especially with a good script, she is so charming.
• Lui Yi Ning in this type of character fits him really well. And the leads have good chemistry. 
• I kind of get confused between the the two dramas (The Princess Gambit and this one) because the emperor is played by the same actor. 
• Looking forward to this drama, I want to see the FL fall for the ninth prince before it gets revealed, I think its going to be fun that way!

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Japanese

Genre: fantasy, romance

Episodes: 2/10

Plot:

Our FL protagonist time travels back in time, before she got betrayed her husband and best friend who have been waiting for her death to collect insurance money and live happily ever after. So she sets to live her life happily but realizes that things that are meant to happen, happen, but the key is to whom the unfortunate events happen to, so she is determined for her best friend to marry her husband.

Rating:  7/10

Comments:

• To be honest I did not really LOVE the Korean version.
• I feel like this is too on the nose on the story telling perspective and active perspective.
• I love Satoh Takeru, I think I can tolerate his portrayal of the ML character compared to Mada Mada Koi Wa Tsuzuku yo Doko Made mo, it's less greasy, but I wish he was a little it more relaxed in his portrayal of these type of dreamy female fantasy characters.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Japanese

Genre: period, romance

Episodes: 8/10

Plot:

Tells the newlywed life of a naval officer and his wife in the WWII setting.

Rating:  9/10

Comments:

• A very very cute drama.
• I love the the first and the second couple, but a little bit more on the second couple. I am a sucker for the playboy and reserved girl dynamic.
• And I love that they introduced the second couple when I felt like the the lead couple story line getting repetitive. 

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Korean

Genre: fantasy, supernatural, youth, romance

Episodes: 2/12

Plot:

Our FL is a high schooler but also a shaman, she conceals her face when dealing with clients. One day she falls in love at first sight with our ML who came in as one of her client and saw that he has 21 days at best to live and the ML happens to be her classmate. She puts her life on the line to save our ML in the next 21 days. 

Rating: 8/10

Comments:

• This is really cute.
• The two leads haven't really clicked with me yet even though I have seen them in many projects especially the FL. But I think this will be the drama to do it.
• Love the chemistry so far.

Status: Currently Watching

Year: 2025

Country: Chinese

Genre: business, slice of life

Episodes: 16/34

Plot:

Set in the 1990s, the drama tells the story of how the Chinese government supported the manufacturing industry.

Rating:  8.5/10

Comments:

• Zhang Xin Cheng can carry a drama
• I am watching this for the romance, but the drama forces you to watch the drama.