Vertical Dramas {6.0+}

This isn’t so much about a love story between a boy & girl (though that is definitely a big part of the story!) but rather a story of a girl relearning to love herself more, rather than changing herself to meet someone else’s standards/expectations. It’s very lighthearted even as it addresses several serious topics of life. I enjoyed this & a big reason why is due to the absolutely refreshing aspect of both the Leads’ parents being 100% loving & supportive of their child’s choices, in both career & romance. That’s so rare to see! Definitely glad I gave this drama a chance.

This is a very sweet love story between the Leads (with a hecka toxic & delulu SML). I’m glad the focus is on their developing relationship after marriage, though I feel we did see too much of the SML’s story (I guess just to show us how icky he was?) I watched this on 2 different platforms due to wondering if the first time I watched it that platform left scenes out, but nope. They must’ve just actually cut several scenes and released it a bit choppy in format which def detracts from my rating & enjoyment. Plus, I was expecting more yummy scenes due to other dramas I’ve watched of both Leads, but this is really quite tame with barely any of that. Which I think are a lot of the scenes that got cut cause it’s like we’re about to get a kis$ and then bam! new scene. Blah. Despite all of that, I still enjoyed this storyline & how great & healthy the Leads’ relationship was.

This is definitely a drama where the ML constantly gets to show off his skills in rescuing/protecting the FL cause this girl is constantly getting bullied & humiliated, mostly due to her toxic ex (who happens to be the ML’s older half brother). Which really drives home the point on how we need to wise in choosing who we love…& who we stay far, farrrr away from! The brothers were complete opposites in how they treated the FL. As the story plays out, it’s not at all hard to see why the FL would fall quickly for the ML after the everything the SML put her through. I also appreciated how realistic they were in the physical aspect of things - they flirted, they kis$ed, etc. like we do in reality so they’re relationship was believable.

I liked how resolute the FL was in her pursuit of the ML upon her rebirth. Her main goal wasn’t revenge or making money, it was to return all the love he gave her in the past life that she was unaware of until she was dy!ng. It did get a bit frustrating seeing the ML constantly reject her despite how much he wanted her, but his heart was in the right place so I can forgive him. It just stinks since that meant they didn’t officially get together until after the halfway point. But their bond is alive & present throughout the whole drama so it all worked out. And their flirty yumminess once they were dating was a nice treat.

Honestly, the only complaint I have about watching this is that the subtitles cut out a lot so I missed some very important conversations. But, even with that happening, I still thoroughly enjoyed this story of 2 mature college students falling in love. Upon her rebirth, the FL is resolute in being with the ML whom she never realized deeply loved her in their past life. His initial resistance made me think that she’d have to chase him for a good portion of the drama but that’s not it at all - they actually get together very early on & they stay together throughout the whole story (something I absolutely LOVE to see in any drama). There’s only slight bullying of FL, but ML immediately deals with it every time (& it’s not from the same people). No green tea characters, no toxic delulu love rivals. No backstabbing friends, no poising or kidnapping. Their love is so pure & good, giving them both a sense of security. While the ML protects her from all outward harm, the FL protects him from destructive thoughts of not being worthy. A great couple with an enviable love (& their flirting & kis$es are swoon inducing!)

Whoa - this ML deserves applause because he totally slayed this role! I was rooting for him the entire time, no matter what “persona” he was in - his puppy-like state or his domineering CEO era, I loved him as both! The FL was more iffy for me (the role, NOT the actress!!!) since she wasn’t invested in him until over halfway through since she’s just trying to follow the novel’s script so she can return to the real world. So where he was all about being with her, she was just about playing her assigned role & getting home. Once she finally gave into his pursuit, though, hellooooo steam! This duo were all about kis$es, which I will never complain about! So why the lower rating? Simply because I didn’t like the ending. Yes, they reunite so the HEA is implied, but they don’t remember each other so everything they went through together gets erased. Bleh. I hate that trope. Aside from that, I enjoyed the story.

{This couple kept reminding me of the Leads’ relationship in, “Desire’s Dance, Fate’s Chance”. Storylines are different, but there’s a lot of similarities in the dynamics between the male & female leads.}

Be aware that this is one of those dramas that has constant scheming & ridiculous bullying against the FL by the SML & his toxic family BUT I just skipped their scenes which left me thoroughly enjoying this story. The Leads have such a comforting chemistry with their maturity & steadfast loyalty to one another. Watching their love blossom after marriage is a treat, as well as seeing the FL & her daughter flourish under his protective care. He’s always there to support her in defending herself, never allowing anyone to get away with slandering or belittling her. They’re super good together, imho, & were a delight to watch.

This couple is adorable together. I actually thought I was gonna drop it in the first couple eps but I’m so glad I didn’t because I absolutely loved this duo! They don’t play games, there’s no angsty push-&-pull, they don’t leave room for misunderstandings with love rivals, they give each other no reason to doubt them or be jealousy of anyone. They’re both mature & loyal, yet very cutesy with each other. And strong - nobody can get away with bullying or scheming because these 2 are too good to fall for it. My lower rating has nothing to do with them & everything to do with all the dumb side characters (but I just skipped their scenes a lot so they didn’t bug me endlessly). The Leads have very good chemistry & there’s no awkwardness about being affectionate/flirty.

I loved this! It has revenge without rebirth, smokin’ hot chemistry with tons of yummy scenes, lots of humor, & Leads who never get played by anyone’s attempted schemes. They’re a total power couple who made me laugh & also made me swoon. I loved how confident the FL was in divorcing her ex & taking charge of her own life. I also appreciated how, even with her awesome boss-lady energy, she recognized the ML’s value & accepted his help when necessary (rather than being like some stup¡d people who see accepting help as a weakness rather than it’s own kind of strength!) This duo was perfect together & I thoroughly enjoyed their story. This is one I’ll def watch again!

The Leads are very sweet with their commitment to make their relationship official once FL graduates college (so in 2 years). I think it must be a cultural thing because they were dating almost the whole drama… I don’t really understand it but I’m glad it went this way rather than them being only friends until the last few eps! The FL’s mom & step-sis are horrible the entire time, while the step-bro starts as standoffish & rude but soon stands up for FL due to ML’s influence. I loved how mature the Leads were & how confident the FL was despite multiple people constantly telling her she was an unworthy nobody who didn’t belong. She always stood up for herself, though she struggled at times to speak up under her mom’s attacks due to how disappointed she was in her mother’s attitude towards her. FL knew her own worth & trusted in the ML sincerity, with the ML returning that trust & devotion in full. A very steady couple with comfortable chemistry.

A vertical version of the KDrama, “Beauty Inside” (which I loved!) I enjoyed this remake, but was surprised by the lack of chemistry between the Leads since I’ve seen them have tons of chemistry with other costars. That was a bit disappointing & lessened my rating. I enjoyed some of the changes they made to the script regarding ML’s condition & Fl’s role in it (or not, as the case is here.)

On iQIYI, “A Thousand Faces of Love”

This is a very funny transmigration story. The Leads have tons of steamy moments with really great chemistry. I really enjoyed their flirty banter & playful-yet-serious threats. Example - them negotiating over which one of them is the sugar daddy & which one is the canary, ha! Big fan of villains’ plots never succeeding because the Leads are too smart & always turn the tables in their favor. A super big bonus of this particular drama is the FL’s 3 brothers - LOVED their relationships with the FL, always having her back & supporting her in every situation (even when they think she’s too love brained to make good choices.) And I love how they extended that same favoritism to the ML in the end. Such a great fam they made!

Okay, look - this ML is a total red flag with his obsessive possession of the FL, BUT he’s that kind of red flag that we can’t help but love (but only in dramaland!!!) At first, due to his deep insecurities (& how she treated him in the past), he literally locked her away a couple times to keep her from leaving him (though she wasn’t actually trying to leave…). It’s not a script we’re unfamiliar with, but ohmyword, this actor did this role so well!! And I LOVE that the FL was 100% all in with him upon her rebirth. Her sincere devotion won his trust & helped heal his inner wounds. Her unwavering love finally got through to him & whoa - what a dynamic couple they are! Love all the revenge that took place & how everybodyyyy paid for their schemes against the Leads. I also appreciate that the FL wasn’t playing games or keeping secrets - she wasn’t trying to seduce him but then getting all schoolgirl shy when he’d respond. No, these were 2 adults who acted their age & fogged up the screen with all their steamy scenes. So if you’re a fan of tons of kisses where they’re literally devouring each other constantly, I HIGHLY recommend watching this!

While this couple doesn’t have as much chemistry as I’d like, they’re still completely lovable & enjoyable to watch. I always appreciate when both Leads are mature & know how to communicate & this duo does that really well. From the start they make it clear that divorce isn’t an option so they need to be open & honest with one another in all things. And they both take that commitment very seriously, clearing up any misunderstandings quickly & cutting off any avenue for outsiders to come between them. They trust one another & stay loyal every moment of their story. Their love develops organically through each respectful, playful, & serious interaction between them. Very delightful to watch! I do wish the kisses had been done a bit better but they’re not horrible so it’s all good. And I loved that, though the ML was always able & willing to step in for his wife, the FL was capable of standing up for herself.

This is a very sweet youth drama. The Leads are adorable as they navigate their cohabitation mishaps. I appreciated that the ML wasn’t ever cruel to her, even though he had a misunderstanding about her identity. Despite being outwardly cold & standoffish with her at first, he always had her back & took care of her. And her sunshine personality quickly won him over (though, due to the previously mentioned misunderstanding, he kept putting distance between them). I loved there not being any prolonged suitors or any love triangles. The script very much flowed as a youth drama, even if there were some inconsistencies. Leads had great frenemies chemistry with only 1 innocent kiss at the end, which was appropriate for their age.

I thought this was good for what it was. There were some nice twists to the crime element to add some extra tension & drama. The script also tugs at the heartstrings with the loss of FL’s family (she never met them). The age gap isn’t at all creepy or really even mentioned so it’s a non-issue. Both Leads are genuinely good, kind people who want to protect their country. I’m glad they both had such good personalities as well as functioning brains (meaning neither was an airhead or dramatic/petty about stuff). Their bond is immediate & I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. This is definitely more crime heavy & romance light, so I’m a bit bummed we didn’t get more kis$es, but oh well. The romance we did get was very sweet & enjoyable.

I was able to enjoy this a whole lot more once I just started skipping through the toxically delulu SML’s scenes (seriously, dude went total cray-cray!) The Leads are so good together with awesome chemistry & yummy scenes. I also loved how, even though the ML had to show up & “save her” every time, it wasn’t due to any weakness on the FL’s part. She wasn’t a pushover, nor a doormat. It’s more because she had no support or powerful backing her whole life so everybody thinks they can look down on her & bully her. So while she always stood up for herself, nobody really took her seriously because of her lack of status (a sad thing that’s often happening in reality too). I thoroughly enjoyed the way the ML openly & proudly adored her, & how quickly he won her love with his sincerity.