bojojoti

I'd grown weary of American shows. They were predictable, mundane, and increasingly mediocre. I tried a few foreign shows. I clicked with a Russian show, but there weren't many that had English subtitles. I sampled a few other countries, then came across Alchemy of Souls. I watched it and became obsessed. Two years later, I'm still enthralled with K-dramas. I've recently begun to expand into Chinese dramas, and I've even ventured into Japanese dramas. 

If dramas were an amusement park, K-dramas would be an extreme roller coaster: the ride is full of highs, lows, and all the emotions. The roller coaster often takes a detour into a horror house but then emerges into glorious sunshine and does a leisurely curve in the bright air before hurtling down in a face-peeling dive and then spinning into several stomach-churning turns. When the ride is over, people are shaken and stumble away half dazed, but they crave the exhilarating, emotionally draining experience again.

Chinese dramas are an exquisite carousel with hand-carved beasts adorned with jewels, accompanied by pretty music. It doesn't go anywhere, but it's beautiful and pleasant. The ride often lasts way too long and can become repetitive. One starts to wonder if the ride will ever end. (UPDATE: It seems most of what I'm watching now is Chinese.  I've been craving sweet and comforting. I'm still of the opinion some C-dramas are burdened with too many side stories, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying some wonderful stories. The Story of Ming Lan was 78 episodes long, and I was sorry when it finished!)

Japanese dramas are that odd little man standing with a microphone and pop -up stand outside the public restrooms. He engages the passersby and offers to guess their weight; if he's off by more than 10 pounds, he awards the lucky participant a large stuffed pickle. The  encounter is weird but oddly entertaining, and it doesn't take much time at all. (UPDATE: I've since watched a number of Japanese dramas. For heart-pounding excitement, watch Alice in Borderland. For a raucous good time, watch One Piece. For an excellent thriller, try Erased. It's so good. For a sweet, quiet love story, A Calm Sea and Beautiful Days with You fills the ticket. I may be romance impaired, but there are a number of Japanese romcoms I've enjoyed. Plus, I love the Japanese language: it's sharp and concise like stiletto heels walking on marble floors.)

Note about rating: Everything starts out at 7.5 stars. A drama loses stars by poor writing, manufactured angst (see poor writing), foolish inconsistencies (see poor writing), nonsensical misunderstandings to rachet conflict (see poor writing), and an uninspired take on established clichés (see poor writing).  A drama gains stars by good writing, believable conflict, respecting the intelligence of the viewer, beautiful cinematography, and a cohesive OST. I'm also partial to dramas that teach me something or give an experience new to me. An otherwise mediocre drama may be given a higher rating by including books and libraries, attractive fashion, exquisite sets, lush gardens, or an unexpected twist.  I'm capricious, so my mood also dictates the rating. I can be swayed by redheads and tall men, too. And cats or people who remind me of cats. 

On Hold is for dramas that interest me but aren't shown on any of my services. Yet. Undecided is dramas that haven't aired completely or have conflicting reviews from friends. I'll get back to them later. Not Interested is for those dramas with posters that make me think I'd enjoy them but, upon closer look, aren't my cup of tea. I add them in order to keep from encountering them continually and wondering why I haven't added them. Reasons vary from poor writing, stupid characters, infidelity, cruelty to children or animals, too much angst, or I clicked on the wrong tag.

WARNING: Avoid my lists if you are averse to  spoilers. Also, my views are mine only. Feel free to love what you love. If you think Love Alarm Season 2 was wonderful, I'll champion your right to hold that opinion. I may silently judge you for that, but we can still bond over our admiration for My Dearest, Twinkling Watermelon, or Healer.