The plot was the kind of dramatic that made me feel like I was watching Hana Yori Dango 2005 (not a bad thing). But it wasn't executed well. ESPECIALLY the point of non-linear storytelling (which is sad for me because the kind of angst that's MEANT to come from that is my favourite):
They could have easily given them a better reason for separation, not enough had changed despite 10 years passing (settings, aspects of personalities), would have appreciated an entire episode focusing on them through the year prior to their reunion or so just so that we as the audience get to feel the time passing and the jump of joy when they finally do meet again, and after they do meet they get back together way too fast and easily.
All that being said though, I still love this drama for two reasons. Firstly the main two characters were loveable - ready to get into mischief if need be but morals in the right place and down to earth. And secondly but most of all, their dynamic hit home and the chemistry was there to back that dynamic up - "best friends that always have each others' back" is my absolute favourite kind of relationship between two people in love.
So although story does matter a lot to me and I so wish that was handled well too, this drama was a win because characters and relationships come first for me. If I like how those two things are handled, then there ya go.
Sidenote: That little tidbit at the end of the last episode? CALLED IT xD
People are complaining too much. S2 was still an enjoyable watch.
Maybe. But the amount of it both here and on reddit are overwhelming even for a Kdrama. Which is concerning. And specifically what they’re complaining about are the kinds of things I don’t like in other stories. And what’s even MORE concerning is that when I finally find positive takes, they aren’t really explaining why they liked it so much.
Looking at the complaints … I don’t think I’m gonna watch s2 anymore. Shame, having been excited for years and all. But I hate when characters are written out of character for the sake of plot. So there ya go.
I’ll still rewatch s1 cause I’ve been excited for that too. But in my head, I’ll keep the canon of it as a standalone season.
Picked this up knowing nothing but the title. And with no expectations (I don't hang on social media enough to know what's hyped). And that was awesome on both parts. Couldn't figure out what was gonna happen, loved the settings and multicultural cast, and the chemistry between the two characters was refreshing. Such a blast <3
Like yes it's SkyNani who did HSF but this setup had me expecting we wouldn't get much of what we got there here - that the story would be the only priority. Which is silly cause GMMTV duh, but I just felt that way. Of course it was otherwise. Had me grinning from ear to ear. And that their characters are so different here, so it's a completely different dynamic so now there really are two loveable versions of this duo T-T <3
And if you're looking for an easy and fun series instead:
Shades of Magic by V. E. Schwab: Three books about an adopted prince who can travel between dimensions, specifically four different versions of London. He meets a girl from our version of London who tags along with him to put aside a magic object he shouldn't have smuggled from one world to the next.
Lunar Chronicles: Four books plus a novella collection. Fantasy/scif-fi retelling of four fairytale romances intersecting to form one plot - Cinderella is a cyborg, Red-Riding-Hood flies spacecrafts, Rapunzel grew up in a satellite and Snow-White's kingdom is on the moon.
The Raven Cycle by Maggie Steifvater: Four books. If you love bromance, that is basically the plot. Modern setting where four boys and one girl from very different backgrounds set off to find the lost tomb of a Welsh King in a forest, said to grant the finder's wish. But the real heart of the story is the home this cast of characters have in each other.
Sure, no worries! Since I'm not sure precisely what you're looking for, I'll give a batch with a bit of description so hopefully you can find which seems up your alley ^^
Here are some easy/fun standalones:
Half A Soul by Olivia Atwater - Gives Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle vibes. Very short (but concise) read too, like 230 pages if I remember correctly.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter - Basically Your Name meets Final Fantasy
Vicious by V. E. Schwab - Super fast-paced crime fantasy of enemies who were once best friends now trying to kill each other with non-linear storytelling. This one is technically a trilogy BUT the first book reads like a standalone because that's how it was originally written and can therefore be read like so - I highly recommend it be read that way.
And Then She Vanished by Joseph Bridgeman - Time travel in the same style that the animanga Erased is. I think this one is also a series but I read the first book as a standalone because all loose ends introduced in the one book are tied up already by its end.
Wow it was a surprise to see book-related things here lol, but for me it's definately Powerless and The Cruel…
There are all sorts of tags for these games so figured I'd use one in a random way ^^
And nice. Cruel Prince is one of my faves too (sitting with ROTE, Gentlemen Bastards and Raven Cycle). Jude and Cardan's growth as individuals, their relationship that slowly builds alongside that, the modern vs older style language depending on who is speaking or where characters are, all the double-meanings and Jude as an unreliable narrator having readers trusted to read between the lines so often. It's a wonderful series <3
For over a decade my answer was 2005's Hana Yori Dango and it wasn't a contest because I didn't even like any of the other versions I'd seen before or after it (anime, Kdrama, 2018 Cdrama).
. . . loyalty where? Finished the Thai version last week. It hijacked my brain. Has become my favourite with so much ease.
I don't get second-lead syndrome no matter how much I personally love the second-lead character because who the characters end up with generally makes sense for the characters.
Everything else? WAY too dramatic for me to handle xD I swear one crazy emo scene would happen and I'd be like "watch, the next one will top it" and then it WOULD hahah.
2 
4 
A new fave.
The plot was the kind of dramatic that made me feel like I was watching Hana Yori Dango 2005 (not a bad thing). But it wasn't executed well. ESPECIALLY the point of non-linear storytelling (which is sad for me because the kind of angst that's MEANT to come from that is my favourite):
They could have easily given them a better reason for separation, not enough had changed despite 10 years passing (settings, aspects of personalities), would have appreciated an entire episode focusing on them through the year prior to their reunion or so just so that we as the audience get to feel the time passing and the jump of joy when they finally do meet again, and after they do meet they get back together way too fast and easily.
All that being said though, I still love this drama for two reasons. Firstly the main two characters were loveable - ready to get into mischief if need be but morals in the right place and down to earth. And secondly but most of all, their dynamic hit home and the chemistry was there to back that dynamic up - "best friends that always have each others' back" is my absolute favourite kind of relationship between two people in love.
So although story does matter a lot to me and I so wish that was handled well too, this drama was a win because characters and relationships come first for me. If I like how those two things are handled, then there ya go.
Sidenote: That little tidbit at the end of the last episode? CALLED IT xD
Last 6: What 6? The drama ends at the end of Episode 10 :D
So I’m good.
I’ll still rewatch s1 cause I’ve been excited for that too. But in my head, I’ll keep the canon of it as a standalone season.
The acting of all the emotional scenes hit from both Nani and Sky <3
Anywho. Only two eps left how?? Where did the time go??? T_T
Like yes it's SkyNani who did HSF but this setup had me expecting we wouldn't get much of what we got there here - that the story would be the only priority. Which is silly cause GMMTV duh, but I just felt that way. Of course it was otherwise. Had me grinning from ear to ear. And that their characters are so different here, so it's a completely different dynamic so now there really are two loveable versions of this duo T-T <3
Loved these characters so much, both as individuals and as a duo <333
- Take a nap
- Read a book
- Listen to music
- Clean/organise something
Hopefully one of the seven piques your interest~
Shades of Magic by V. E. Schwab: Three books about an adopted prince who can travel between dimensions, specifically four different versions of London. He meets a girl from our version of London who tags along with him to put aside a magic object he shouldn't have smuggled from one world to the next.
Lunar Chronicles: Four books plus a novella collection. Fantasy/scif-fi retelling of four fairytale romances intersecting to form one plot - Cinderella is a cyborg, Red-Riding-Hood flies spacecrafts, Rapunzel grew up in a satellite and Snow-White's kingdom is on the moon.
The Raven Cycle by Maggie Steifvater: Four books. If you love bromance, that is basically the plot. Modern setting where four boys and one girl from very different backgrounds set off to find the lost tomb of a Welsh King in a forest, said to grant the finder's wish. But the real heart of the story is the home this cast of characters have in each other.
Here are some easy/fun standalones:
Half A Soul by Olivia Atwater - Gives Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle vibes. Very short (but concise) read too, like 230 pages if I remember correctly.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter - Basically Your Name meets Final Fantasy
Vicious by V. E. Schwab - Super fast-paced crime fantasy of enemies who were once best friends now trying to kill each other with non-linear storytelling. This one is technically a trilogy BUT the first book reads like a standalone because that's how it was originally written and can therefore be read like so - I highly recommend it be read that way.
And Then She Vanished by Joseph Bridgeman - Time travel in the same style that the animanga Erased is. I think this one is also a series but I read the first book as a standalone because all loose ends introduced in the one book are tied up already by its end.
And nice. Cruel Prince is one of my faves too (sitting with ROTE, Gentlemen Bastards and Raven Cycle). Jude and Cardan's growth as individuals, their relationship that slowly builds alongside that, the modern vs older style language depending on who is speaking or where characters are, all the double-meanings and Jude as an unreliable narrator having readers trusted to read between the lines so often. It's a wonderful series <3
. . . loyalty where?
Finished the Thai version last week. It hijacked my brain. Has become my favourite with so much ease.
I don't get second-lead syndrome no matter how much I personally love the second-lead character because who the characters end up with generally makes sense for the characters.
Who Are You 2015 did not make sense!!
Everything else? WAY too dramatic for me to handle xD I swear one crazy emo scene would happen and I'd be like "watch, the next one will top it" and then it WOULD hahah.
Gonna have to pass on it sadly.