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If you don’t mind sad content and are fond of the separation trope…

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean Historical romance drama with 21, 60-90 minute episodes. It was originally divided into two parts: Part 1 with ten episodes and Part 2 with eleven episodes. So some say there are two seasons but there is only one season sometimes divided in two parts..

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Lee Jang hyun (Namkoong Min) is not the type of serious, respectful and honorable noble Yoo Gil chae (Ahn Eun jin) is used to encountering. He is a bit of what we would call these days, a lady’s man but also a “player.” He falls hard for the spirited Gil chae who, as the prettiest girl in her small community, has her pick of suitors. Of course the only guy she is interested in, Nam Yeon joon (Lee hak joo), is in love with her best friend. Kyung Eun ae (Lee da in), Gil chae’s best friend would do about anything for her friend except give up the guy they both love. Eun ae knows Gil chae really just wants Yeon joon because he is not interested and that the roguish Jang hyun is actually a better match for her friend. Eun ae both kind and wise and knows that Jang hyun is actually a very kind and capable man who deeply cares for Gil chae. But Gil chae is slow to recognize her own feelings and does not believe Jang hyun’s feelings are sincere. He has also clearly stated he is against marriage something any noble lady would scorn. Through war and the aftermath the two suffer many missed opportunities and Gil chae weds another man. Despite this, they both have each other firmly in their heart. Korea is suffering as the defeated party under a faction of China and the people are suffering by being impoverished, persecuted, killed and enslaved. Is there any hope for these two who seemed destined to be together?

Review

I do not like sad shows. If you like sad then you would definitely like this more than I did. I actually looked up the ending and it said it ended happy enough so I went with that. But what I didn’t understand is, it may end fairly happy, but it is sad all over the place throughout. Why? Well it is loosely based on true events where there was this Josean king who became paranoid and did a lot of horrible things as a result. And the royals were always trying to poison each other. That is why food tasters were common in many countries among the royalty. It was good for what it was. Wonderfully acted, the filming was amazing, and it was interesting throughout. So, understand that my ranking is based mostly on the fact that it had sad threaded all through it. I would not watch it again because it made me too down. I would recommend it to people that like historical and do not at all mind sad content.

Spoilers

I read that it ends with him losing his memory but that he remembers events around her. But they are together. That is true and that is the way it is nearly to the very end. But, in the last few minutes, he fully remembers her it shows his gaze becoming more steady and he says her name and looks her right in the eyes. So he does fully remember her. But two things about that. I personally hate the amnesia trope in general. And he has not one but two separate periods of amnesia. And, since it ended that way, we don’t know if he remembered any of the other people in his life.

Yeon joon was just an annoying character to me. I guess that wanted you to think Gil chae’s love for him in the beginning was completely juvenile and ridiculous. He was never a character I admired as he was so sanctimonious and it shadowed and influenced everything he did. He was never as thankful to Jang hyun for protecting him during the war as he should have been. If he told Gil chae about that in a “he is my life safer” type way she might have admitted her feelings for Jang hyum sooner. But I think there was a part of Yeon joon that liked having Gil chae romantically interested in him.

Gil chae was really annoying in the beginning. It had a real “Gone with the Wind” sort of vibe as she started as a noble that was very princess like as she was the beauty of the community. Then war breaks out and she goes through serious hardship and has to suffer horribly at the hands of the Barbarians. And it did humble and change her. But then she scorns Jang Hyun and marries the man who lied on the path on the island to basically use her as Barbarian bait. I get that it was Jang hyun’s fault a bit because, even at that point, he did not offer marriage but still you don’t turn your back on someone that has done so much for you and you obviously have feelings for.

Eun au, on the other hand, was such a sweet, humble and loyal person from the beginning, I did not feel like Yeon joon deserved her. The way he treated her when she was asking about being “defiled” by Barbarians made me like him even less. And then when he was a traitor to Jang hyun by leading the soldiers that nearly killed him, I liked him even less. There were just a few moments in the end when he asked Eun au to go with her and if he was still her husband where I think they were trying to show he had come around, but it wasn’t enough. So that wasn’t a sweet side romance.

I thought the Crown Prince and Princess dying was just tragic and unnecessary. Yes that may have been what happened, or close to it, historically but they could have departed and had him live. And then to make the Princess a traitor and even kill the royal heir, just made it Greek tragedy level.

The royal concubine was the evil doer behind most of the tragic events and we did not get the benefit of seeing her taken down. Evil essentially won. And that may have been what happened in the historical event it was drawn from but stories have the opportunity to improve and depart from such things. I suspect the king in the end was the concubines’ son. That was her goal to have her son put on the throne, but that was not very clear.

A large portion of the show was told with the main characters parted by war and other circumstance. I really dislike the separation trope so that being so prevalent and repetitive throughout the series was a serious negative to me. They were apart way more than they were together. Then, they would just get together briefly and either they would have a misunderstanding and go their separate ways, or a tragedy would strike and drive them apart. It was so frequent that the majority of the live commenters were complaining about them mostly being apart.

I guess the ending was supposed to be happy in the house he created to her specifications. But they were always surrounded by so many others throughout that them two alone just seemed very lonely. And it seemed they just planned to live as if dead so that he would not be hunted. But that was sad too. If it weren’t for the mad king and the evil concubine he should have lived out a heroes’ life.

#NamkoongMin #AhnEunJin #MyDearest#LeeDaIn #LeeHakJoo

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Did not enjoy and would not re-watch. It's iconic so perhaps worth the watch for that

7.5/10 is my rating. This is 2016 South Korean TV series with
16, 60 minute, episodes. Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) is a university student who wants to make it through college with as little drama as possible. That all changes when she notices that her Sunbae, senior, Yoo Jung (Park Hae-Jin) does things that are psychotic in nature. Those around her do not see it and she seems to be alone in noticing his dark actions. Ironically the fact that Hong Seol can see through him causes Yoo Jung to be strangely attracted to her. Yoo Jung is wealthy and used to those around him using him for his money.

spoiler 🚨 I liked elements of this. I found the side romances a lot cuter than the main one. I like the friendships a lot. Now it’s a bit of a spoiler. I found it hard to believe with him as cold and vindictive as he could be that someone with a personality that started out as sweet as Seol would find him attractive. The things he did would fall under a sociopath. I think they were trying to sell that someone with those attributes could change. I really liked the second guy. At first I thought I would be disappointed that she didn’t end up with him but in the long run I decided she changed so much that she became a lot like the main male lead. I understood that he’d been hurt by those closest to him as a child but still could not excuse things like watching as his essentially younger brother was beat up and his hand injured. I know he said some things that weren’t exactly nice but kids say things like that sometimes. And I was really shocked later on when he would do things to get back at somebody that was way beyond what they had actually deserved and Seol seemed OK with it. And after all of that for it to end not really knowing for sure if he ever came back into her life felt like a real waste of time. I mainly just felt sorry for the siblings and the way that they were used and the fact that the father never really loved them as children but was simply using them as playmates for his son. It was a very twisted story way too much for me to like it very much. I probably rate this a lot lower than some others because I’m not super sympathetic with people that treat other people poorly so I couldn’t feel sympathy for some of the characters like I think they expected and that lessened my enjoyment a lot. I also got to where I did not like Seol a lot anymore because the way that she changed and became very cold towards the people in her life was very off putting to me it was almost as if they wanted you to believe she had become a sociopath herself. This is not one I would watch again nor recommend.

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Moving Family Drama and Interesting Slice of Live Trauma Cleaners

My rating 9.5/10

Move to Heaven is a deeply emotional series that balances heartbreak with profound moments of human connection. Even as someone highly empathetic, I found it more stirring and thought-provoking than overwhelmingly sad, largely because I went in knowing the heavy themes—it allowed me to appreciate the nuance without being blindsided. Tang Jun-sang delivers an outstanding, authentic portrayal of Han Geu-ru, a young man on the autism spectrum. Having multiple autistic people in my life, I recognized and appreciated how faithfully the show captures traits like intense focus, stubborn persistence on certain ideas, and quiet brilliance. It never feels stereotypical; it's respectful and insightful. The evolving dynamic between Han Geu-ru and his uncle Cho Sang-gu (Lee Je-hoon) is one of the show's strongest elements—raw, complicated, and ultimately touching as they navigate grief, family, and personal growth together. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend it to others, especially those who enjoy character-driven stories about healing. It's rewatchable for its emotional depth, and I'd be thrilled if Netflix ever greenlights a second season.

Spoilers

While the series excels in so many ways, the Netflix-typical soft, open-ended finale left some threads feeling unresolved, which kept it from a perfect 10/10 for me. I loved watching Cho Sang-gu gradually warm to his role as guardian and truly come to care for Han Geu-ru as family—it felt earned and heartfelt. However, certain moments that could have fully cemented their bond, like Han Geu-ru openly allowing Cho Sang-gu into his personal space (e.g., his room) or Cho Sang-gu more explicitly acknowledging him as his nephew, never quite materialized in the way I hoped. Those small but powerful gestures would have provided the heartwarming closure their relationship deserved, tying everything up more neatly instead of leaving it ambiguously open for potential future seasons. It's a minor frustration in an otherwise beautiful show, but it did make the ending feel a bit incomplete.

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How to ruin a good drama in the last two episodes

Review

Rating: 6.5/10

The first three-quarters of this drama are genuinely cute and comforting. The workplace chaos is funny, the found-family energy is warm, and the central message—that it’s okay to accept help and stop trying to do everything alone—is lovely and actually meaningful. I was having a perfectly nice time.

Then the final stretch happens and everything I liked about the show collapses. The turn it takes felt so wrong to me that I couldn’t properly watch the last two episodes—I’d already looked up the ending because I had a horrible suspicion where it was going, got confirmed, and then I just skimmed the rest to see how bad the damage was. The drop-off in enjoyment was brutal. Because of that ending, I can’t recommend the drama and I have zero desire to ever rewatch it. What a waste of a promising setup.

SPOILERS

I’m usually against big age gaps in romance, but there are a handful of shows that sold me on one because the chemistry was electric, the life experiences lined up in an interesting way, and it really felt like these two people would be lonely forever without each other.

This drama did the exact opposite of that.

Mei (28) has not one but two attractive, successful, age-appropriate guys who clearly like her and get along great with her. And yet, the second, her 50-year-old housekeeper Nagisa says he might leave, she panics and decides the solution is… marriage. Not because she’s in love. Because she’s terrified of losing the guy who does her laundry and cooks for her. That is not romantic. That’s separation anxiety and codependency dressed up as a happy ending.

You don’t marry someone so they’ll keep cleaning your apartment. Hire another housekeeper (he’s basically a magical unicorn, but they exist) and go to therapy for the attachment issues. Problem solved, no lifelong regrettable marriage required. It’s honestly depressing to watch. It feels like watching Mei self-destruct and drag a perfectly nice man into a relationship that’s wrong for both of them. Imagine them ten years down the line when people assume he’s her dad. Or worse, when she wakes up one day and realizes she married her Mary-Poppins-housekeeper out of pure panic. And yes, I get that older-man/younger-woman pairings are more normalized in some Japanese media, but this drama was clearly marketed to an international audience on streaming platforms. In most of the world a sudden 22-year age-gap romance with zero romantic buildup is not going to land as sweet or aspirational—it lands as uncomfortable and unrealistic. To me it was cringy. They built the relationship up as some kind of found mentor/family type relationship. Maybe that charming older uncle type. And then turned it into some kind of indentured servitude type romance. Mutual I guess. He gets a young troubled wife and she gets a live in domestic engineer and life coach.

The only thing that still gets full points is the mental-health message about not trying to “do it all” and learning to accept help. That part was great. Everything else about the romance destroyed the show for me.

Final score: 6.5/10, carried almost entirely by how pleasant the first 7–8 episodes were. Skip it or drop it before the train wreck—your future self will thank you.

Synopsis

In the bustling world of pharmaceutical sales, the ever-diligent Mei Aihara juggles high-stakes deals by day while her apartment descends into complete chaos by night. On her 28th birthday, enter the enigmatic Nagisa Shigino, an impeccably poised housekeeper with a knack for turning disorder into domestic harmony—and perhaps stirring deeper emotions. As Mei's life gets an unexpected upgrade from this unlikely ally, sparks fly when she crosses paths with the suave Yuta Tadokoro, a competitor whose charm threatens to upend her carefully ordered existence. Blending quirky humor, tender revelations, and the quiet magic of found family, this series explores how a spotless home can sometimes lead to a fuller hear


Air Year: 2020
Number of Episodes: 9
Runtime per Episode: Approximately 57 minutes

Major Characters

*Aihara Mei (Tabe Mikako): A dedicated and efficient pharmaceutical sales rep whose professional prowess starkly contrasts with her messy personal life and social awkwardness.
*Shigino Nagisa (Omori Nao): An eccentric, highly competent male housekeeper who mysteriously appears to overhaul Mei's home, bringing order, wisdom, and subtle emotional support.
*Tadokoro Yuta (Seto Koji): A charismatic and persistent rival sales rep from a competing company, whose flirtatious pursuit of Mei adds romance and rivalry to her routine.
*Suyama Kaoru (Takahashi Maryjun): Mei's loyal best friend and colleague at work, offering comic relief and steadfast encouragement through thick and thin.
*Segawa Haruto (Maeda Gordon): A fresh-faced new hire at Mei's company, eager and optimistic, often providing youthful energy to the team dynamics.
*Matsudaira Shinya (Hirayama Yusuke): Mei's stern yet fair boss, who pushes the sales team hard while navigating his own professional pressures.

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Lighthearted but with surprising depth on the topics of emotions and marriage

Review

8.5/10 is my rating

Scroll down for a unique synopsis if you want to know what this is about. There aren't a lot out there and it gets confused with others of similar title.

Marry You is what I feel constitutes a hidden gem. I have watched over 400 Asian dramas, mostly Korean, and mostly rated on average 9.0 and above. So, I am very selective, but I am also running out of things to watch that fit all my criteria. I dug deep in my search to find some hidden gems, and this came up as one of them. This Korean romance isn't one of those high-profile hits everyone’s talking about. And I think it is somewhat a factor of it not being widely available or maybe the opposite is true. But the fact that it is not all the buzz is part of its charm—it's a hidden gem that fellow movie and drama lovers who enjoy sweet, feel-good tales might want to seek out. I rated it an 8.5/10, which for me means it's solidly enjoyable and worth recommending, even if it doesn't quite reach perfection. I'd still suggest it to anyone who likes romances that tug at the heartstrings without getting too heavy.

Overall, the story follows Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung), a kind-hearted bachelor from a quiet island village, and Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min), a civil servant who had a bad experience which made her firmly against the idea of marriage for herself. What unfolds is a predictable romance in the best way— the kind where you know from the start that these two, one who is ready for marriage and one who has sworn off marriage, warm to each other, build a connection, and hopefully find their happy ending. It's heartwarming and cute, with plenty of moments that made me smile and root for the characters. Bong Cheol-hee, in particular, is the standout; he's such a sweet, genuine guy—helpful to everyone around him, including the adorable niece and nephew he's raising—that it's impossible not to cheer for him. Jung Ha-na is sweet too, but her past created some emotional flaws more guarded in her emotional interactions. She portrays this happy go lucky persona but her deep self is uncertain and unwilling to gamble her emotional well-being for love. The supporting cast, including the quirky team at the marriage agency bring some fun energy and light humor without overdoing it.

If you're looking for a cozy watch that celebrates kindness and second chances in love, this one delivers. It's not groundbreaking, but in a sea of more intense dramas, its simple charm is refreshing. Just know it's the type where you settle in for the predictable beats of a good romance—you're always hoping they'll get that good ending. If you know me I am not one to recommend anything that has a tragic ending.

Spoilers

There are several plot holes and frustrating aspects that keep it from scoring perfect on my scale.

First off, the whole setup with the marriage agency felt inconsistent. The mayor pushes this as a special project to boost his re-election, pulling in the entire team like it's a temporary gig, but then it suddenly seems like a well-established operation with long-term plans. At one point, they're handling over 90 clients—that's no small number, and it makes the agency feel way more permanent than the initial "quick fix" vibe suggested. It just didn't add up smoothly. They also aren't really experts in relationships but that is the role they are playing in the way they interview each client. And then they are held responsible if there is not a good outcome as if they are somehow matchmaking experts. No-one has that formula of love that dialed in. Sometimes opposites attract and sometimes they absolutely detest each other. There is just way too much complexity in human emotional interactions for anyone to predict the perfect match. So, it was an odd unit in that regard.

Then there's Jung Ha-na's (Jo Soo-min) past relationship with her college ex (the one who faked an affair to break things off). It's weird that she forgives him so easily once the truth comes out about his father's gambling debts. And he should've been upfront and let her decide, instead of staging something so hurtful—it left her feeling rejected and pitied, which is a real stigma for a woman. So when he comes back, tells her the truth of what happened when their relationship ended and claims he wants her back it never reached second guy vibes because, obviously, she wouldn't fall for that. Or she certainly shouldn't. But what really made it so I never got strong second contender vibes, is she friend zones him, he tells others he hopes to win her back but then does absolutely nothing to show romantic interest; he just seemingly accepts the friend zone and acts disappointed later without making any real moves. It was frustrating to watch, like if you want someone you have to tell them. Just watching and having some kind of weird jealousy from afar does not make you a strong second man character. He expected her to come back to him without her ever even knowing he still hoped for that.

The dynamic with Oh In-ah (Ji Yi-soo) was another head-scratcher. The show build them as a possible second romance. That the two rejected exes will wind up together. They were friends enough to conspire to make Ha-na think they are having an affair. Then they meet regularly to talk about how much they long for the leads. Even stalk after them a bit together spying on their growing attachment. And, there is this pizza scene that shows how much they think alike. Almost completing each other's sentences. Serious couple vibes. Any minute they should be confessing, and it would make sense given the entire series seemed to build to that. But, last few episodes she not only gives up on lead guy but then she jumps into an arranged marriage while Choi Ki-jun (Koo Jun-hoe) stays a bachelor? It didn't make narrative sense. Why the build up to a second romance if that was going to be the conclusion?

Bong Cheol-hee’s (Lee Yi-kyung) backstory as a former firefighter had this bizarre side plot where he saves a rich guy, who later picks him up in a fancy car. I thought it was building to something meaningful, like the guy becoming a benefactor or mentor, but nope—it just fizzles out. It seemed like it was only there so Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) could mistakenly think he was involved with shady types like the mob, but it came across as a forced, pointless detour. And he just gave up being a firefighter and is now what? A sous chef? An island bum? I mean I really liked him but he has two kids and now a girlfriend and needed to have something serious going on. I thought that was a little weird. It ends with him coming on as a special member of the team - but that didn't seem permanent.

There was a recurring pattern of immoral or near-criminal behavior getting brushed off too easily, which really pulled me out of the story. For instance, Oh In-ah (Ji Yi-soo) essentially pays to have Bong Cheol-hee’s (Lee Yi-kyung) niece and nephew kidnapped and shipped off to boarding school without his permission. When it's revealed, she just shrugs it off like, "Oh, I thought you'd like it," and everyone forgives her. You arrange to have the dead beat father come kidnap the kids and ship them off - that is not a forgivable action. But it was like oh well she is sorry and thought she was doing the right thing. I mean there is a whole scene where he essentially says that and that was so out of character for him. He adored those children. Why would he forgive some girlfriend for trying to ship them off? And his brother? He is like bad on you man. And that is essentially it.

Even creepier was the mayor's son storyline. There are all these reports of women being assaulted and how it is not safe for women to be out and all indicators point to this masked mystery man. It builds like he's this predatory figure, almost leading to something as serious as date rape, with all the tension around women not being safe alone implying he's the culprit. And he acts so creepy to In-ah and tries to do something we don't fully know to her when she pretends to be drunk. Yeah, she head butts him and he ultimately apologizes but what he did was criminal. They figure out it is the mayor's illegitimate son who has mommy issues because of it, and the mayor is feeling guilty and going above and beyond for the son, and they all feel sorry. So, the mayor asks nicely, and they just drop it—no charges, no fallout. The whole thread vanishes, which felt like a massive cop-out after the buildup.

What was really frustrating in terms of the romance itself was we waited so long for Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung) and Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) to finally get together. They are finally admitting their feelings and showing affection and she suddenly gets cold feet about long-term commitment and marriage? It contradicted her earlier damage from the breakup, where she was heartbroken because she truly wanted to marry. Why flip that now? Hadn't she forgiven the ex, admitted she probably would not have followed through herself had she known the real reason, and had all these insights on relationships through observing other couples. Wasn't she emotionally grown and healed now?

Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung) absolutely carried the show—he's so sweet and decent to everyone, from the women in his life to all the people around him, that you can't help but root for him. The niece and nephew are just precious, adding that adorable family element. In the end, they do end up as a couple, which ties things up nicely. There is no permanence, like it shows a proposal but I wasn't clear if she accepted or not. Just an "I love you" I guess that was a yes? But they are a couple plus two. And she just seemed like good buddies with the kids. I wish Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) had stepped up more as a true mother figure for the kids. They needed that stability after losing their parents, but she comes across more like a friendly aunt or distant relative—playing guitar while they're in the background, not really engaging like a committed partner would. A happier resolution for me would've shown her fully embracing that role, making the family feel complete. Still, despite these quirks, it's a recommend from me for its overall sweetness.

Synopsis

This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 10, 60-minute episodes.

Bong Cheol-Hee (Lee Yi-Kyung) is a warm-hearted single guy from the quiet island village of Cheongdo who is juggling odd jobs while raising his mischievous twin niece and nephew, Bong San-Yi (Seo Woo-Jin) and Bong Ba-Da (Ahn Tae-Rin). He was featured in a documentary just about being a young bachelor and the island and that results in him getting roped into a quirky government matchmaking scheme. The mayor formed a special team to help solve the decline in marriage problem and appoints the only civil service expert they know of, Jung Ha-Na (Jo Soo-Min), to act as the "government expert" on matchmaking based on a former job she had at a dating agency. At first reluctant, because one of her previous matches resulted in tragedy, she is promised a promotion and decides to accept the special assignment short term until she meets the criteria for promotion. Ironically, Ha-na actually hates the idea of marriage largely because of her ex, Choi Ki-Joon (Koo Jun-Hoe). And, as luck would have it, Ki-Joon, who is also a civil servant, is assigned as the supervisor of the government matchmaking team. Ha-Na, as the perceived expert, is assigned Cheol-Hee who is seen as a difficult case due to his carefree lifestyle and the fact that he comes with two children. But determined to get that promotion, Ha-Na pushed Cheol-Hee toward eligible ladies like the fancy chaebol heiress Oh In-Ah (Ji E-Suu). But proximity breeds unintended feelings and even though they are like country mouse and city mouse and there are a lot of hilarious mix-ups there are also a lot of heartfelt moments centered on love and family. Cheol-Hee may be the only one that can convince Ha-Na love is worth the emotional risk.

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Flips the stereotype of identical twin closeness; healing family drama

Review

9.5/10 is my rating.

Our Unwritten Soul is a deeply emotional drama that blends romance, family struggles, and the complexities of identity with identical twin sisters at its center. The acting is phenomenal—especially from the actress playing both female leads, Mi-hi and Mi-rae. She captured each sister so convincingly that I never once lost track of who was who.

Mi-hi stood out as a character I really loved. She was kindhearted, thoughtful toward her family and friends, and always trying to support others even when she was hurting. Her warmth made it even harder to watch how her mother constantly criticized her and compared her unfavorably to Mi-rae.

The story tackles family expectations, sibling rivalry, and the ways love can both heal and complicate relationships. At times, it’s heavy and heartbreaking, but it’s never dull. Even the side characters—like the adopted mother whose fierce love for her son was one of the most touching parts of the drama—felt layered and real.

This is a romance at its core, but also a family-centered story that explores how we see ourselves and how others define us. It isn’t a light watch, but it’s beautifully done and meaningful. If you enjoy stories about complicated families, strong character growth, and romance that develops under unique circumstances, Our Unwritten Soul is worth your time.

Spoilers

Mi-rae, though compelling, often came across as selfish. She had Mi-hi take her place at work even though she knew it meant sending her into a hostile environment with bullies and even a sexual harassment situation. Mi-hi wasn’t warned and was told only to “sit quietly,” avoid the male lead, and keep secrets—while Mi-rae, when pretending to be her sister, behaved however she wanted. She ignored their grandmother at first, treated Mi-hi’s best friend who was her ex-boyfriend coldly, and worked the farm with little concern for how her choices would affect Mi-hi’s reputation. It felt unfair and very one-sided.

The relationship between the adopted mother and her son was another emotional highlight. Their eventual heart-to-heart about his guilt—believing he couldn’t call her his true mother—was powerful. I only wish he had told her sooner what he overheard his relatives saying about him being a burden. That moment could have added even more emotional depth.

Some story choices frustrated me. For example, Mi-hi keeping her secret from her romantic interest for so long felt unnecessary; he was proven trustworthy and capable of keeping confidences, so the delay only created avoidable frustration. The grandmother’s death also felt like an oddly placed plot point—it was heartbreaking, but it didn’t meaningfully move the story forward.

As for the ending, it leaned too “soft” for my taste. Mi-hi’s decision to go to school to become a therapist was wonderful, but the delay in marriage felt like it was playing into a modern “independence before romance” trend rather than being true to the heart of the story. A proposal or engagement would have been a more satisfying romantic payoff. Similarly, Mi-rae and “strawberry guy” had clear chemistry when he returned, but the lack of even a confession felt like a missed opportunity.

On the positive side, I appreciated how both sisters grew from the experience and came to understand themselves and each other better. By the end, their relationship was warmer and healthier, and it felt like the beginning of true healing from a mother who had always struggled to show love.

The two single mothers’ friendship—so different in background yet united in strength—was inspiring, and Rosa the poet’s arc was fascinating and uplifting in the end.

Overall, Our Unwritten Soul is a powerful drama with stellar performances and heartfelt themes. I recommend it highly, though it’s not a light or endlessly rewatchable story. It’s heavy at times, but if you stick with it, it rewards you with meaning, emotion, and a memorable exploration of love, family, and identity

Synopsis

This is a 2025 South Korean family drama with 12, 70 minute episodes.

Identical twin sisters Yoo Mi-ji (Park Bo-young) and Yoo Mi-rae (Park Bo-young), have covered for each other their whole lives. When one twin is better at something than the other they tag switch and few people can tell they swapped places. So, when Mi-rae is considering self harm as a result of extreme stress and workplace bullying, her twin Mi-ji determines it is time to switch. While identical in looks the two have always had very different personalities. Mi-ji, is an extroverted free-spirit who cared more about track and field than academics. But, an injury kept her from going on to achieve any greatness in athletics and she is currently living back at home and taking on multiple part-time jobs and piece work. She has remained in their home town of Duson-ri while her introverted by high academic performing twin has moved to Seoul to pursue a career. Mi-rae is stuck in a job that is draining her spirit but has to keep working as the family needs her career income. So, she accepts Mi-ji's offer to switch to give Mi-rae a break from the dog eat dog existence of the salary person. The twins had drifted apart so neither was fully aware of what the other's life was like. Stepping into each other's roles they begin to learn a lot of things they did not know about the other.

As Mi-ji navigates Seoul’s corporate maze and Mi-rae finds solace in the countryside, their ruse not only reveals the conditions of their current existence, but it also unearths things they were unaware of from the past. Mi-ji is joined by Lee Ho-soo (Park Jin-young), a charismatic lawyer with a concealed wound who was her first love her broke her heart. And Mi-rae becomes a business partner with Han Se-jin (Ryu Kyung-soo), a thoughtful strawberry farmer. This is the journey through the heart and minds of two sisters who, by playing the other, learn more about themselves and what happened to their once tight shared twin bond. As they figure a better way forward they discover a way to chart a future that leads to true happiness. the sisters confront love, identity, and the courage to rewrite their futures in a poignant tale of healing and self-discovery.

#OurUnwrittenSeoul

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Starts slow but is worth it as it gets very good

9/10 is my rating.



Review

(Scroll down for synopsis and spoilers)



This is a very heartwarming romance that will give romantics the warm fuzzies that we look for in romance dramas. I liked it a lot and would highly recommend it for anyone that likes romantic dramas with some roots in some hard realities. My main critique is it started really slow. I am not, in general, a huge fan of just straight up drama.  Up until about episode 10, I was wondering what people liked about it.  But then it started to get REALLY good and I understand why it was very popular. And I also understood, a little, why that long, seemingly slow lead up mattered. But it was a really frustrating later as it kept flashing back and filling in details. There are few instances where I like stories told as flashbacks. I would rather just get the story in the order it occurred.  A technique that gets overused is to tell a skeleton of the crucial events and then use the flashbacks as the reveals. To me, the character finding out those details could be the reveals. Traveling back and forward in time can easily become disorganized chaos. In this story they use a realer like time line and show, as you travel back and forth, where you are at on that timeline during the cut scenes. That helped. But the fact that was necessary is an indicator of how much the story moved back and forth in time.



Synopsis



This is a 2025 Chinese Romantic drama with 32, 45 minute episodes. It was adapted from a novel by Zhu Yi and has the same title.  The main lead character in this played the brother in another Chinese drama "Hidden Love." There are references to the characters from Hidden Love and even a cameo or so. In terms of timeline this takes place partially, in the flash backs, during the same timeframe as the high school scenes in hidden love but after the main part of the story after high school.





Sang Yan (Bai Jingting) and Wen Yifan (Zhang Ruonan) were a high school couple until a series of misunderstandings drove them apart. Wen Yifan broke up with Sang Yan and they were both heart broken. Eight years later they are living very different lives. Sang Yan wealthy and lives in a nice apartment and is part owner of a popular bar and also a video game programmer. Wen Yifan is trying to break into the news reporting industry. She works for a smaller news program and is trying to get a big story to get more recognition and so she is promoted. Because of her limited economic means, she lives in a very impoverished area. Because she has very little resources and is alone in the world she lives in an apartment with multiple virtual strangers to keep living costs down. Due to her beauty she suffers many unwanted advances and has even been assaulted by unwanted admirers. Wen Yifan has avoided Sang Yan for over eight years but starts to bump into him more frequently and then finds herself in a co-habited rental where she knew she was getting a new roommate but did not realize it was the man she was trying so hard to avoid.



Spoilers



Her mother is among the worst I have seen. Call me vindictive but I was glad she told her just pretend like I was a victim of that serial killer you refused to save me from. Because, really, if she hadn't been a tough victim, that is what would have happened.  It was heart breaking when she called her mother begging her to get her out of the situation and saying she didn't feel safe and her mother basically saying suck it up. If you are that cold to someone, anyone, let alone your own child, you deserve to spend the rest of your life thinking of what you could have done better. She tried with her. FL did. She went to her house when the mom reached out but then her horrible aunt was there.  Her last string of trust was betrayed.  The fact that she did not forgive her made me like the show more.

I am also glad FL did not fall for her half-sister's ruse that she wanted to be close to her. I thought it was all about being able to get in with the ML through her. I loved that about the FL. I give you every chance to be a good human but if you don't take any of them then that bridged you burned is not repairable.  You reap what you sow.

If ever you wanted a ML who would walk through literal fire for the FL this was it. He loved her with a conviction and unwavering determination. Some might say he was "stalking" her.  I would agree if he ever approached her and she indicated she did not want him around.  There can be a fine line between the two. But he was clearing watching out for her. Checking in on her. 

I am not usually a fan of people leaving but, in her case, I totally understood. The treatment she dealt with was both physical and psychological torture. She genuinely thought people she cared about would do better without her. There was no malice in her actions.



#FirstFrost

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A very well done bullying and revenge drama

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean psychological thriller drama with 10, 49-64 minute episodes. It is based on a web toon of the same name.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Seong Soo-ji (Kim Ji-yeon) is a military child who has moved around her entire life and thinks she has the new student thing down. But that all changes when she enters an all girl school where the students in her class are playing a very dark game called the Pyramid Game. The “game” creates a stratified hieracrchy where those at the top of the pyramid can order and direct horrific acts of bullying and violence. As a new student, Soo-ji immediately finds herself at the bottom of the pyramid which means she is a target at the outset. Her father told her they would be moving on in about three months which seemed easy enough to survive until she became an unwilling participant of the game. To “win” and put an end to the “game” Seong Su-ji must figure out who started this game and why and among the girls around her, who all seem to be playing roles, who is actually good and who created and is perpetuation the evil “game”.


Review

This is a very well done bully and revenge theme drama.  They mostly skip the romance although there are a few characters where something seems to develop.  If you have read the web toon it sticks closely to that script with a variation at the ending.  The actors they cast fit very well with the way the characters are depicted in the manga.  I highly recommend this to anyone that likes this genre, is a fan of any of the actors, or are looking for something where there is little to no romance.  I would watch it again as it has a lot of depth and complexity.

 Spoilers

 It ends happy with all major plot points resolved.  Two aspects of the ending that I wasn’t as happy with are first, I though they could have easily made the relationship between Jo Seung Hwa (Jo Dong In), the convenience store worker and brother of the student severely bullied, and Seong Su Ji (Bona).  And I seriously disliked they introduced two new characters, twins, whom the school was renamed after, who were suggesting they wanted to play the Pyramid Game.  That was completely unnecessary.  And stupid.  First, you have Seong Su Ji in that class and she would never allow it to even start.  And, the rest of the class has already seen how the game can be stopped.  So, I think that the producers did that to open the door for a second season but a second season does not make sense with the same main characters in the mix. 

 I wish Soo Ji’s father, Sung Hee-Seok (Choi Dae-Chul) would have seen video of teacher Im Ju-Hyung (Choi Sung-won) smacking on his daughter.  We saw him getting arrested, but we could assume that was for the cheating and bribery and perhaps allowing the bullying.  But he should have been called out for the stuff he himself directly did to the students. 

 #PyramidGame #KimJiYeon. #JoDongIn #ChoiDaeChul.

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I have watched over 300 kdrama series at this point and I loved it

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 16, 60 minute episodes.

First, I provide a unique synopsis and then review


Synopsis

 Go Eun-ha (Han Sun-hwa) is an influencer and web entertainer who has a persona “Sister Mini” with content targeted for young audiences.  She is beloved among her young followers, and they want whatever product placement items she shows.  When a milk product she was promoting lands children in the hospital, it sends Eun ha’s web career into a tailspin.  She offers to go on sabbatical to minimize the damage to the image of the company she works for as well as give herself time to personally recover from what she feels like is her responsibility.  During this volatile time, Eun ha encounters former mobster, and current CEO, Seo Ji-Hwan (Uhm Tae-goo) and his team of ex-cons who run a food company intended to offer ex-convicts a fresh start.  Ji Hwan is enamored with Eun ha and finds her television persona particularly compelling becoming a closet fan of her content.  And most of his closest friends and management team Joo Il-young (Kim Hyun-jin), Kwak Jae-soo (Yang Hyun-min), Jung Man-ho (Lee Yoo-joon), Yang Hong-ki (Moon Dong-hyeok), and Seo Dong-hee (Park Jae-chan) are willing to play match maker to see their mentor and friend find happiness. 

Review

I loved this. One of my new favorites. I have watched over 300, mostly korean, drama series now so I am really picky. I thought the characters were very well developed. The “thugs” were very likable and it exhibited how you can firm a family with people that love and mutually support each other. The friendships and romances were very heart warming. I highly recommend it and will be watching it again.

 
Spoilers

 Il Young and Koo Mi-ho’s (Moon Ji-in) second romance represents one of my favorite tropes.  The playboy who encounters that one girl he just can’t seem to forget.  I liked his friendship with Jihwan and her friendship with Eunha.  They were both very supportive friends and it made sense in their interactions, that ultimately got the main couple together, they would have noticed each other.

 I never felt too bad for second guy, Jang Hyun-woo (Kwon Yul) as he had so many opportunities to romance main girl but had this sort of aloof wait for her to catch the feels that was sure to make him lose out to the far more compelling Jihwan.  I found him very admirable in his support of main girl, and he was a stand-up person in telling Eunha the truth about who Jihwan was as well as his willingness to re-evaluate what he thought about Jihwan. He finally fully let go of her and just wished her happiness even if not with him. He was just a great guy who became a great friend for Jihwan as well.

 I loved the ex-con team.  They were such great friends to Jihwan and I liked the way they did not like Eunha at first but then became her greatest advocates.  Jaesoo calling Eunha “Little Rat” in derision in the beginning then later as a pet name was a cute addition to the storyline.

#MySweetMobster  #UhmTaeGoo  #HanSunHwa  #KwonYul   #KimHyunJin  #YangHyunMin   #LeeYooJoon   #MoonDongHyeok   #ParkJaeChan  #MoonJiIn

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Heartwarming romantic sports drama with coming of age , mystery and small town elements

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean coming of age, romantic, sports drama with 12, ~60 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Coming from a family of decorated ssireum players, Kim Baek doo (Jang Dong yoon) becomes disillusioned when he is unable to excel as was expected of him. Feeling the pressure of being viewed as a prodigy, and not living up to his name, Baek doo goes through the motions of retiring. When his “soul mate”/childhood friend, Oh Yoo kyung/Oh Doo sik (Lee Ju myoung) returns after dropping out of contact for years, Baek doo feels re-energized to try again to rise to the top in his sport. Problem is this woman who looks exactly like his childhood friend in form and manner insists she is not Oh Doo sik. She says she is Oh Yoo kyung and appears to be married. Still she will be managing the ssireum team which puts the two in the same circle and gives Naek doo more opportunities to determine if she is actually his friend in disguise. With the team on the verge of collapse, it will take the two of them, the team and supporters to keep the team together. But why is Oh Doo sik really back and why is she pretending to be married?

Note: Ssireum is Korean wrestling sport that began in the Goryeo and Joseon period. Each opponent wears a cloth called a satba (belt) that loops around the waste and thigh. The opponets grab each other’s satba and make whatever moves it takes to get the other’s body, above the knee, to touch the ground.

Review

I really like sports dramas. This one is enjoyable on just the slice of life level and having the opportunity to learn more about ssireum. But it has mystery, romance, family and ftiendships all wrapped into one lovely drama series. I will likely watch it again and highly recommend it to others. It ends well and happy.

Spoilers

The way Baek doo mumbles to himself about all manner of things is cute and makes the character incredibly likable.

Part of the charm of Doo sik was her boyish ruff and tumble nature but I would have liked to see her soften more particularly with Baek doo. The way she smacked him in the head bordered on abusive and I did not enjoy that aspect of her character. She could be a bit cold to him and I thought her reasons for missing both of his matches were ridiculous. When you really care about someone you find a way to show up. Still after all,of that they admitted their feelings and got together at the very end. We got so little time seeing them as a couple, I would have liked a little more.

The big reveal on who the killer was fell flat because we did not get to know him much. I watched with my daughter and we were both like “rice cake who?” So it was not a shocking plot twist like I think they were trying for.

While it ended well it would have been even better to know what they were going to do about her living in Seoul and him living in their hometown. Other than her coming back for a visit, there was no mention of how they planned to manage the distance factor. It was also unclear if Baek doo would continue wrestling.

#LikeFlowersinSand. #Ssireum #JangDongYoon #LeeJuMyoung

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If you can look past the slapstick comedy elements it is a hidden gem rom com

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 Thai Dystopian Romantic Comedy Series with 6, 63-7 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

The show is set in a dystopian parallel universe where a virus has resulted in males representing only 1% of the population. The rarity of males has lead to the government raising them from birth in a controlled, secure, and luxurious environment (a gilded cage) called The Farm. Every Four Years a contest is held in the form of an elimination dating game where ladies are able to choose to marry an individual from a group of the young bachelors. In previous games, the contestants were chosen from elite families only but, for the first time, they hold a lottery to choose an average femalecitizen to compete. Darika Chokwithee or “Day” (Belle Kemisara Paladesh) is a hardworking young lady whose life centers around making sure her sister, May (Neen Neennara Boonnithipaisit) who has cancer, gets the best care. Her sister May though has always fan girled over the boys on the farm particularly Son (Blue Pongtiwat Tangwancharoen) who she particularly admires. While Day is busy working a variety of jobs, May focuses on getting as many entries as possible to the lottery. When a miracle happens and May’s entry is chosen, she talks Day into going in her place. Day could care less aboit some frivilous show until she discovers if she wins, and marries one of the men from “The Farm”, she can secure the future for herself and her sister including top quality medical care. But, things are not as they are portrayed and the game has been rigged for the top elite to have their choice of the men. Day’s friend, Valentine (Jane Jaytiya Naiwattanakul) is working with a counter group, and goes to work for the show as the spy inside. Can true love overcome odds so heavily weighed against it?

Review

If ypu can see past some of the siily slapstick aspects around the game show, it is a hidden gem. It can be hard to find a truely feel good romantic comedy like this one. This is cute, not super complex, and ends happily with all major plot elememts neatly resolved. It is short but the number of episodes were enough to tell the story well. I would rewatch it in the future and recommend it as a heartwarming romantic comedy. I could habe done without the boy love and girl love elements but it was not hyper sexualized content in general so it was not a big deal.

Spoilers

The only very slight detractor for me was some of the three stooges level comedy. But it did make me giggle a couple of times as it was so incredibly silly.

Despite the relative light fluff of the main story, there are some deeper messages. What is health and safety without freedom? The men on the Farm are living in the highest level of safety with every luxury but they are not free.

If there was ever a situation like that we can all envision where the elite would likely control it. Natural selection and genetic diversity is what keeps a population strong and healthy. So their “selection” system would be horrible from that perspective. But if you think of inbreeding among royal lines in the past, and the genetic issues that caused, it is not surprising.

Almond’s (Man Trisanu Soranun) fear and decision to stay behind makes sense considering the psychology of a situation like that. It is like opening a cage and the bird or whatever either does not leave or uses it as a home base.

#ReadySetLove #BelleKemisaraPaladesh #NeenNeennaraBoonnithipaisit #BluePongtiwatTangwancharoen #JaneJaytiyaNaiwattanakul #ManTrisanuSoranun

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A Nice Contract Marriage Romance

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Japanese romance series with 10, 45-60 minute episodes. Also known under the Japanese title Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi

First I provide a Unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Hanada (Kanna Hashimoto) has had a tough life because she is so pretty people assume she uses her looks to get ahead and treat her poorly as a result. She has a hard time keeping jobs because customers pock up on her and colleagues are jealous. She finally gets a job as a wedding planner and thinks she has finally landed a job she can keep. It is not long though and trouble starts there, landing her in the office of the company President. Togo Nitta (Ryosuke Yamada) has turned down a variety of eligible women preferring to be alone to having a fake relationship. His focus is on increasing the sales for the bridal company to prove his ability as his father’s successor. When he sees Ayuka he comes up with a mutually beneficial plan in the form of a marriage contact. She needs money for her struggling family and he can use the perfect marriage to promote his business. No pesky feelings involved right?

Review

It is a nicely paced romance with a happy ending. If you like the cold CEO type, contract marriages and/or cinderella like stories this is a good one for all of that.

Spoiler

I found the plot point that being too attractive has its own set of problems compelling. It is a phenomenon not frequently recognized but those that have experienced it know it exists.

She had a way about her that she remained positive despite people treating her unfairly due to assumptions they made about her. They were perfect for each other as each led ampn isolated life for different reasons

I was a little disappointed when he broke it off with her and was pursuing an arranged marriage. That is one of my least favorite tropes. I was glad she realized what was going in and basically told him knock it off.

#KissingtheRingFinger

#KannaHashimoto

#RyosukeYamada

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Heartwarming family drama with bonus super sweet friends to lovers like romance

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 Chinese drama with 40, ~45 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis and then review.

Synopsis
Li Jianjian (Tan Songyun) lost her mother who died in child birth but has a dad, Li Haichow, (Tu Songyan) who loves people. He is the dad everyone wants and winds up taking in He Ziqiu (Zhang Xincheng) after making a comment to his single mom that if she doesn’t want her son he would take him. A police officer and his wife move in upstairs and their fights become the talk of the building as the thin walls allow everyone to overhear their conflicts. Ling Xiao (Song Weilong) spends a lot of his time quietly reading on the communal stairs to get out of the apartment when his parents are fighting. The Li’s are determined to invite the young boy into their warm apartment to share meals rather than sadly sitting on the stairs. It is not long before Xiao’s mother leaves the family and now it is just the boy and his dad. The two single fathers become close relying on each other to raise the three kids. This series follows this heartwarming family through many stages of life.

Review
The child actress who plays young Li Jianjian is cute like Shirley Temple. She is kind, courageous and a little mischievous and both boys wind up drawn to her energy. I love the two dads and especially Haichow who uses his culinary skills to feed those that need not only the meal but the human caring. The way it portrays the concept of family as not just those with blood ties, but those that take care of and love each other in a formed family unit is very touching.

I highly recommend this for a sweet, friends to lovers coming of age romance. It is a great family drama. There are many comedic moments that flow very naturally. I enjoyed it start to finish. It ended happily with all major plot points resolved.

Spoilers*

I read elsewhere and I have to agree her proudly declaring she is menustrating to the table of her all male family is funny. It does not even cross her mind that it might make them uncomfortable. But they do their best to help the only female in their midst mature even doing things like gifting her a bra in secret.

Some reviewers felt weird with both of her brothers liking her romantically. Her ”oldest brother”, Ling Xiao (Song Wei Long) was not a blood relative and did not even live in the same apartment. So them harboring romantic feelings was not weird to me at all. The younger brother, He Zi Qiu (Zhang Xin Chang) was thinking along those lines but it was more from his deep desire to be a part of the family officially than real romantic feelings for his ”sister”. They were not blood related either but they were close to being step siblings and, in the end, they were officially step siblings. But other than a brief encounter when he had some romantic feels for her when they were decorating pastry (he was sort of back hugging her to guide her hands) he was more like “ooh sister cooties“ when she jokingly suggested they kiss. I think he was briefly confused about the nature of his feelings for her and they sorted out as more brotherly.

The filial above all else was a problem for me with this one as they even largely encouraged forgiving and looking the other way on behaviors that were physically and emotionally abusive. Chen Ting (Yang Tong Shu), Ling Xiao’s mom, was awful, she was abusive to her husband, Ling He Ping (Zhang Xi Lin) and her son when tgey were married then abandoned her young son to let her now ex, He Ping and super dad, Li Hao Chao (Tu Song Yan) raise him. She returns later, remarried, with a step sister in tow and expects the son she abandoned to just pick up where she left off. And it was not just that expected it the adultsdid a bit by not putting an immediate full stop to it. I looked up the child abuse laws in China because I was curious about the adults lack of intervention. It doesn’t appear like there’s a lot they really could’ve done if they had chose to press the issue at least not legally. But I would have been a harpy so that it was in inconvenient enough that she just left him alone. In the end they try to make it out Chen ting finally saw the light but I still thought she was horrible as she was emotionally blackmailing them with suicide even then. Shenwas not even close to repairing any if the emotional damage she caused and would likely continue to cause. In my opinion someone that behaved like that has borderline personality disorder. She exhibited all the major traits which include: Unstable relationships, sense of self, and emotions, impulsivity, recurrent suicidal behavior and self-harm, fear of abandonment, chronic feelings of emptiness, inappropriate anger, feeling detached from reality. The disorder cannot be cured but can improve with therapy. She was not seeking help with her persiponality issues so she would continue to do things both emotionally and physically harmful.

Then there was Little Big Brother’s biological dad, Zhao Hua Guang (Liu Jin Long) and he was also awful and abusive. He, admittedly did not take care of his son when he was young, because he was too poor to afford taking care of a child so he let him be raised by others. Then he makes money and thinks he cannot have children with his new wife so he comes back and expects Zi Qui to just to turn his back on the people that care for him, and raised him all those years. Then rather than asking nicely and being so pleasant, his son would want to come with him he blackmailed him and threatened to harm the only family the son knew and loved if he did not do as he wished.

Then there was her friend and roommate Luo Hong (Mei Ling Zhen) whi had a crush in Big Brother, Ling Xiao, and was angry when she mistakingly thought he had romantic feelings for her but only saw her as a good friend. She was willing to give up her years long friendship with Jianjian out of a situation of her own making. Then she takes her mom’s side when her parents are going to divorce criticizing her father for not being there and her mom doing it all when she was a housewife and he was working to support the family. It was the same with Zi Qiu’s police officer father and his mom, also a housewife who could not cope with her young children so much she locks them up so she Can go play cards then blames her son (like an abuser) amd her husband for her daughter’s tragic death. I found Luo Hing an unlikable character.

#Zhang Xinchang
#TanSongyun
#GoAhead
#TuSongyan
#SongWeiLong

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You are more likely to like it better if you did not read the webtoon

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean paranormal romance drama with 12, 70 minute episodes. It is based on a very popular webtoon of the same name.

First I provide a synopsis then review.

Synopsis

If you not only reincarnated but were able to remember all your past lives you would excel at many things but feel isolated and lonely. Ban Ji-eum (Shin Hye-sun) considers her "ability" a curse until something haopens in one of her lives that changes her mind. After reincarnating for nearly 1000 years Ji-eum meets someone in her eighteenth life that makes her happy she can remember. When her life is cut short by an accident, she vows to find him, Moon Seo-ha (Ahn Bo-hyun) and make him fall for her again. It is not easy though because Seo-ha experienced a lot of trauma from losing his mother at a young age, the accident and feeling guilty and responsible for Ji-eum's death. So when the ever persistent Ji-eum shows up he is now t sure he wants to entangle himself with this odd woman. But fate and familiarity will have their say and the 19th life may be the one that counts.

Review

When I read some reviews I noticed a trend where those that read the webtoon were, in general, less satisfied with tge direction things took in the last part if the series. This started really well. I loved her confident, spunky, knew how to do about everything personality. Her relentless pursuit of Seo-ha was entertaining. The 2nd couple was also cute. I did not read the webtoon but even for me it felt like they destroyed the story toward the end. Watch it for the interesting story and slow build romance for both couples. It is heavy in the 1st love aspect. It is a deep thinking topic for anyone interested in reincarnation. It also visits several historical points in her flash backs to previous lives. It is a happy ending if you can accept the strange twist it takes.

Spoilers*
My daughter read the webtoon and said that female lead character did not reincarnate due to a revenge arc like was portrayed in the drama but rather she lost her twin sister through murder and was reincarnating to be reunited. So that was very different. In the drama anyone who found out she was reincarnated suffered bad consequences such as strange ailments. It was weird within the drama as there was no sensible reason that would be the case. And apparently that was never a thing in the webtoon., there were no ill consequences of finding out she reincarnated. In the webtoon Ha Do-yoon (Ahn Dong goo) was her reincarnated sister and that was a surprising twist. In the drama. He was not her reincarnated sister he was a man in her 1st life, a side character, and he looked exactly as he did in her 19th life. In her 19th life her sister had reincarnated as Yoon Cho won (Ha Yoon kyung) and she also looked exactly as she did in her 1st life. There is also a character in the drama who murdered Ji-eum in her 1st life, who also was continually reincarnated and remembered his past lives. He got close to Ji Eum and wanted her to remember so they could break the cycle because, in the drama, Ji Eum created the situation where they reincarnated and remembered as she vowed to not forget and get revenge. In the drama Seo ha's mom had reincarnated and was watching over him to remedy an injustice around his attempted murder. So it makes it seem like remembering past lives is common. In the webtoon there was just her and another character. Then, the reincarnated mom, makes a decision to do some ritual somehow the murdery guy knew about where she stops remembering past lives. Main female lead sees her after and it was like, not only did she no longer recall, but her personality was different. Somehow that makes lead girl decide to do the same. Supposedly it fixes all those suffering harm from knowing about reincarnations if you are just willing to do some weird ritual that makes you selectively forget. And lead girl is like yes I struggled to get everyone to like me and accept that I reincarnated but now I just want to forget all about all of that. It was cool she knew so many languages, had so many skills and had historical knowledge, it added a lot of depth to her character but then that is all wiped clean. So then this now different person who somehow remembers how to be an engineer from her 19th life but not where the ring on her finger came from. But all the people she met in her 19th life remember her and all that but now it doesn't make them sick somehow. So then he relentlessly pursues her. But there was this slow build romance to that point with him and the super cool her who could do all these things but niw there is this renewed her that he is determined to make love him. If you can completely suspend your belief that things you experience shape who you are I guess you could buy off on that. Realizing some changes need to be made to adapt it to drama but many just seemed unnecessary.

#ShinHyeSun
#AhnBohyun
#SeeYouInMy19thLife.

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Heart warming, happy ending, contract like marriage, cool executive who melts, cinderellaesque

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Chinese Romantic drama with 30, 20 minute episodes.

First I provide a synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Qi Si Le (Jade Cheng) feels very fortunate to be a mom even though she is single and has to suffer the brutal corporate world where women in general and single mothers in particular are not held in the highest regard. However, she is willing to do whatever it takes (except compromise her morality) to earn enough to get her beloved daughter, Xuan Xuan (Huang Bo Si), life saving surgery. That is why, when she needs to land an important account, she sets her sights on convincing company President Hao Yu to select her firm for his advertising need. Running into each other outside of the business setting, Hao Yu notices that both children, who are the same age, have a very distinctive broach from their mothers. Not only are they the same age but they also have the same birthday. All the connections make Hao Yu suspect that Si Le and Xuan Xuan have ties to his family. When a secret genetics test reveals that Xuan Xuan’s is indeed genetically related, Hao Yu proposes to Si Le. Although reluctant at first Hao Yu’s generous and gentle actions toward Si Le and Xuan Xuan lead her to think he is being sincere so she ultimately accepts. However not all is as it seems and as real feelings develop it is uncertain if the budding relationship can survive the initial deception.

Review

Overall a heart warming romantic drama. She and he are both single parents which, right there, puts a unique spin on things. There is mystery surrounding the kids and who the other parent is. She is pretty but not beautiful so it has that sort of single girl next door vibe. He is the cold executive who warms up and becomes the perfect, doting husband. Their relationship was founded on deception without true love, but they grow to love each other deeply, so it has similar aspects as a contract marriage. The side characters are interesting and their romances are also compelling. The kids are adorable. She is a jewelry designer so that is a bit of a slice of that profession. I highly recommend it for those that like happy ending romances with a female character who sticks up for herself when it counts. If you like the Cinderella like story of an impoverished single mother climbing out of poverty this is a good one on that front. Cool executive type that melts for main girl this has that. Love triangles of course. Great friendships. It hits a lot of the tried and true tropes that drama fans tend to like.

Spoilers
This had one of the most second hand embarrassment/cringy moments I have experienced in watching over 300 Asian dramas. Hao Yu is rich, handsome and well connected and has many women chasing him for relationships and marriage. Si Le is barely making it and has no power or influence. She is pretty but not beautiful still men are interested but she is not what would be considered a catch because of her status as a single mother and a relatively unstable professional history. When Hao Yui unexpectedly proposed to her she turned him down as she thought it was pity. That made sense and is what any woman with an ounce if pride would have done. Then, when Xuan Xuan takes a turn for the worse, and he is right there caring for and nursing the little girl and comforting Si Le, she suddenly decides he cares about them both a lot. What would have made sense would be to ask if the proposal still stood now that he knows the child had a serious health condition. But no. Si Le decides to do him a favor and agree to be his son’s mother (okay that is a big deal) but announces she will be Hao Yu’s wife as if she is doing something big for him being his wife. And that is not the worst, she makes this announcement with some weird wedding veil she made from something in the hospital and a bouquet that materialized. He had expressed his interest with a trunk full of beautiful roses (which it turns out she was horribly allergic to but there is no way he would know that) and she reciprocates with a table cloth on her head and an I will do YOU the honor. I am still cringing the next day. So that was an unecessary way for her to accept his proposal and detracted a bit for me. I had to get over it and was nervous it would not be good enough to make up for the cringe but it was.

Later, when she finds out he tricked her and did not care for her when he proposed she is naturally hurt and is on the brink of divorcing him. Ok I get it he was a jerk the way he did it back then and deserved her anger but I thought she took it way too far. And she wasn’t believing him but was believing the villainous second guy who she knew had lied and also deceived her. She would believe villian guy over the man she supposedly loved. But the worst of that was when she decided to leave Hao Yui to go to her parent’s house then lies to the children and leaves the little boy behind. He chases the car down the street hysterically and falls in the road. Not only could I not do something that selfish and heartless to a child I loved and was the mother for but I could not be that heartless with any child. It made me mad at her character.

It was crazy and cute how Si Le was able to turn all her romantic rivals into close friends. I have never seen it like that but it was one of the most heart warming and cute aspects of the series.

The show was good enough even with these detractors I highly recommend it.

#PleaseBeMyFamily
#BinbinXie
#JadeCheng

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