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Sweet Slow Burn

A young woman entered a marriage arranged by her parents with a man she'd never met. He was asea for their wedding ceremony; a photograph took his place. The drama detailed their slow adaptation to one another and the deep connection that gradually developed.

This was a very sweet story about two people with tall walls who overthink internally. There were no villains except for that treacherous inner voice many of us have that comes to rob our peace.

The romance between the second leads was just as compelling, if not more. I didn't begrudge their time onscreen as I often do with secondary romances.

MDL doesn't have this listed under the "Comedy" genre. The over-reactions may seem out of place if the viewer isn't expecting a romcom, but this is firmly in that category.

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Being a Genius Doesn't Bring Happiness

The Kidnapping Day showcased many of the reasons I find K-dramas appealing: an intriguing story, warm human elements, and emotional impact. The suspense was balanced with surprisingly comedic moments (I was giddy with amusement during the hamburger eating scene). Best of all was the growing relationship between the kidnapper and his "victim." The child actress did an amazing job.

As much as I enjoyed the drama, there were plot holes and unanswered questions. Evil doesn't stop just because circumstances change. Those holes left ample opportunity for a continuation of the story. With Ro Hee's intelligence, would she be tempted to continue her parents' plans? Or could she look for vengeance? I'd love to see more of Ro Hee.

Note: It's important to watch the post-credit scene of the last episode. Holy open ending!

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Friendships Save Lives

It seems I've watched mostly light, quirky Japanese dramas, so I was unprepared for the beauty and suspense of Erased. The visuals were stunning: starry night skies, snowy fields, barren trees, and a little girl in a red coat at the center of it. The story kept me at rapt attention, jostling me from sweet interactions with a rag-tag group of school children to gut-gripping dread that one of them will become the next victim. Kudos to the child actors; they were all exemplary. And, amazingly, they resembled the adult actors they were to become.

When first introduced to Satoru, he wasn't in a good place. He lived estranged from his mother, was a sullen loner, and his career as a manga artist wasn't going anywhere, so he worked as a pizza delivery guy. Even so, when he had his "revival" spells, he still tried to help people anonymously. He was afflicted with a five-minute reset of time whenever something bad was about to happen. He saw the issue in real time and worked to remedy it during the reset.

Every reset was about five minutes previous until something dramatic happened, and Satoru was sent 18 years back into the past to his younger self. He realized he was reset to prevent the murders of three school children that occurred when he was a child. In order to do that, he had to break out of his shell, stop being a loner, and reach out to his classmates. The ensuing friendships changed Satoru. He wasn't just trying to solve the mysteries in order to return to his timeline; he began to genuinely care for his classmates, and they loved him in return. He started to see his mother in a new light and began to appreciate her. His character development was rewarding to watch.

There's also a psychopathic killer on the loose if personal growth arcs and adorable children don't hit your sweet spot.

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Enjoy the Scenery: Mountains, Yi Lin, and Esther Yu

I like sports dramas. I appreciated learning more about snowboarding, but I wish there had been a little more competition shown. Except for two jumps, there was no suspense involving the snowboarding.

There should be an expiration age on full-time aegyo for adult humans, and Esther Yu, approaching 30, has reached it. I didn't mind the childishness in Love Between Fairy and Devil, because aegyo suited the character of an innocent flower fairy. It's different when Esther Yu is playing an adult businesswoman. This is not a criticism of the actress; I like her very much and will happily watch most of her dramas, but I hope she can get more adult-ish roles where she plays an intelligent, competent person without all the toddler, spoiled attitude. What's cute as a toddler just isn't as an adult. I'm not saying she has to take cold, calculated roles, but wouldn't it be fun to see what she could do with a villain role?

When watching this drama, leave logic at the door. FL wore a new snowboarding outfit every day but claimed she couldn't afford to buy fogless snowboard goggles. This from a woman staying at an exclusive resort and taking personal snowboarding lessons. And she carried one suitcase a trip when she wore the equivalent of a complete dress shop. She seriously couldn't get two of her coats in that suitcase, much less all of the boots/shoes/purses/hats/dresses. That suitcase must be like the Tardis: bigger on the inside.

Kudos to the secondary romance of a snowboarder and his ex-skier girlfriend who lost her legs in an accident. Their love story was more interesting to me than the leads. It's not often a disability is done well. Either the person is pitied or made into a saint. The girlfriend was treated like a normal, sweet person with dreams and abilities. The third romance between FL's best friend and snowboarder Lao Yan was weird and unfinished.

Loved the scenery. The mountains were exquisite. It's hot summer where I watched the drama, but I had to cuddle up in a warm blankie to make it through all that snow! Beautiful scenes!

All in all, I'm not mad I watched, but I was a tad disappointed, because I expected more.

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We Are More Than Our Brains

This drama ticks many of my boxes: a plethora of brain conditions/injuries, intelligent characters, and engaging actors. The co-leading man was a handsome psychopath; the other co-leading man was the relatable, comic relief; and the supporting/guest actors were gems. I'm always mesmerized by Ye Ji Won: she never plays a boring part.

I enjoyed all the brain dilemmas, even though the science was flawed. I'm capable of overlooking poetic license for a little drama.

I'm a sucker for intelligent characters, and this drama had mostly smart people until the 15th and 16th episodes, when everyone must have take stupid pills and overdosed. I was cringing at the thought of two neuroscientists being so brainless, and three cops (count them!) being so unprofessional and unprepared. There is also no way a truly psychotic being would have ended the way he did. It was agonizing sitting through all that while muttering, "Call for back-up!"

I wanted to remove a star due to the cringe-worthy ending, but I can't because the leading man had a two-story library and a mouse/rat named Algernon (read the short story Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes; don't read the novelette as the short story is superior: https://www.sdfo.org/gj/stories/flowersforalgernon.pdf). It obviously doesn't take much to make me overlook a disappointing ending. I also liked the philosophy that we are more than our brains. We don't have to be constrained by what we're given.

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The Winner of Worst Wig...

Is Hong Ryeon/Mu Yeon, by a landslide. Wigs are often bad in historical dramas, but this one was atrocious. The actress had dark auburn hair, but her wig was raven black. The actress, Kang Moon Young, did a fine job chewing the scenery in her role as a villain, but I couldn't keep my eyes off her wig. Very distracting. As was the rap music in the fight scenes. Still, time spent with Lee Joon Gi and Shin Min Ah elevated what, otherwise, could been an average offering. I enjoyed Hwang Bo Ra as comic relief, too.

In typical K-drama style, early episodes started promisingly, middle episodes had a tendency to drag, and the last episode had everything thrown into the blender at high speed, then poured out haphazardly. I won't add this to my "Unsatisfying Ending" list, but it just barely escaped. It isn't a sad ending, but it's unfulfilling. It's just enough to leave me disgruntled.

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Loopholes, We've Got Your Loopholes of All Sizes Here!

Nothing was explained or made sense: why was a modern woman outrageously, belligerently fearless in an isolated area when a man repeatedly tried to kill her (with arrows, sword, and knife!); if she was from the future and had foreknowledge, why didn't she make better choices or give out warnings; why would cooks well-known for their knife skills choose wooden spoons as weapons to save their lives; and why was the king's mother killed? The ending is equally nonsensical, and the writers even admitted in a sideways fashion that they couldn't come up with a viable explanation. As for loose ends, the whole drama garment was frayed! If you don't need logic or explanations, this is the drama for you.

Even so, I enjoyed myself. The leads and supporting cast were fun. I enjoy food dramas, and I could happily watch the ML eat in slow motion for an entire drama. Which is, basically, the main reason to watch this show. I've added an entire star for the ML's acting skills in relishing each bite.

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Every Trope Known to Drama Lovers!

This is a satire written for drama lovers, as only they can fully appreciate the many tropes. There are also puns and references that only those who know Chinese culture and language will comprehend. Even without those understandings, anyone can enjoy the drama even though they will miss some humor and foreshadowing. A Dream Within a Dream is so rich in music, art, poetry, philosophy, lush cinematography, Easter eggs, and tropes that missing a few allusions won't matter, as the story holds together without needing total awareness.

The cast was exceptional, from the charismatic leads to the wonderful supporting characters.

If I had to quibble about anything, it's that a character with foreknowledge should use it to her advantage. If something horrible is going to happen in the forest at night, don't decide to travel through it at that time. It was frustrating to experience the FL floundering and making foolish choices. She took excruciatingly long to wise up to those around her, and it wasn't until late in the game that she tried to use the script to her advantage.

I found ADwaD to be fresh and innovative while using old, tired tropes. I generally don't enjoy slapstick or overt silliness, but they fit well in this parody.

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I Think I'm Fated to Watch All The Versions of This Story

I didn't expect to like this rendition as much as the Korean one (Jang Na Ra, Jang Hyuk, and Choi Jin Hyuk were wonderful in their roles and set the bar high), but I was pleasantly surprised by the Taiwanese leads. The ML was appropriately alternately angry and tortured, the FL was a long-suffering sacrificial lamb, 2ML was sweet and supportive, and 2FL was a horrific excuse of a human being.

The story was much the same, but there was more slapstick comedy to angst ratio, and I didn't mind that too much, as the Korean version was emotionally painful to endure. I could have done without the FL's family, though. They were so loud and annoying! And Anson. The best thing about him was when the ML would zip his lips! I never wanted him to unzip them. Some of their scenes could have easily been cut to tighten up the drama; 24 episodes weren't necessary.

The OST was mostly lighthearted; the Korean OST was heart-wrenching ("Goodbye, My Love" by Ailee is one of my favorite songs from a drama: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=UEVjA5CdkPk).

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You'll Laugh, Cringe, and Fan Yourself

This was the equivalent of Cheetos, dipped in chocolate sauce, topped with whipped cream, and garnished with pickles. It didn't make sense, and it wasn't good for me, but I enjoyed it anyway.

Passionate groping and steamy kisses were interspersed with nonsense. I obviously watched it in the right frame of mind; generally, I would have looked askance at a drama that was so silly (when it wasn't trying to be campy), but it made me laugh (rather unintentionally, I'm sure).

I snickered when the ML tore off his shirt, and his torso glistened with oil. Well, with a torso like that, a guy should oil up on the off chance he's going to rip off his clothing. My eyebrows rose when the bride-to-be made out with a stranger at her fiancé's funeral--on top of his coffin, no less. The FL had to have hemorrhoid surgery, something I've not encountered in a romance before. The FL was forced to marry the psycho because he put a bomb in her bridal bouquet. ML was viciously knifed and in a coma for days. When the FL walked into his room, he was standing and fully dressed right after awakening. Those are some killer genes that provide instant healing! And kudos to the ML. That actor approached every kiss like an Olympic event in which he was going to set a record. The man was enthusiastic!

I laughed, I cringed, and I fanned myself. It wasn't a cinematic masterpiece, but I had fun.

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A Drama About Nothing That Touches Everything

When teacher Park Ha Kyung needed an escape from her life, she'd take a day trip. She didn't pack for overnight, as that would be too much trouble, and, ironically, she didn't enjoy traveling. The drama revolved around her walking and eating in different locales, and that could have been extremely boring, but Park Ha Kyung had the gift of observation and appreciation for the small things. A quotation attributed to Albert Einstein states: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Park Ha Kyung doesn't look for large miracles; she is content with the tiny, healing ones that come from simple acts such as sincerely apologizing, sharing a meal with a stranger, or attempting something new. Definitely not a drama for thrill seekers or romantics, but I relished how different, subdued, yet rich, it was.

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Conquering Cities and Hearts

A fun romp that didn't take itself seriously, a love triangle done right, some truly funny moments (especially male jealousy), and a charismatic cast made for a pleasant experience.

The Good
• The romance between the leads felt natural, and their interactions were charming. I got the feeling the actors enjoyed making this drama. It may have been due to their acting skills, but when actors convey that enjoyment to their audience, everyone has a good time.
• The comedic timing was delectable, and I say that as someone who generally doesn't enjoy over-the-top slapstick.
• The FL played the role of a man better than most actresses.
• I so appreciated the FL was intelligent and not easily deceived. The IQ of most of the leads was appreciably higher than in most comedies.

The Bad
• There is a bit too much bathroom humor, but I've dealt with plenty of children, so I'm probably jaded in that area.
• Logic wasn't the point, so little was explained and not everything made sense. Cut to a kissing scene and the viewer won't notice.

Extra half star for the inventive way each episode was introduced. I appreciate originality.

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This is NOT Go Go Squid!

I had higher expectations. I enjoyed Go Go Squid! It was sweet to watch a girl break down the walls of a cold, angry man. Squid 2 had some good things going for it. I enjoy Hu Yi Tian and Wang An Yu on screen. The group blind date was original and had me laughing out loud. The family and friends' relationships were warm. The OST was enjoyable and featured some of Go Go Squid's music; listening felt like meeting an old friend, and it made me smile.

But that's pretty much where the good stuff ended. There was little conflict or growth. The drama was basically two people soulfully staring at one another, interspersed with a few scenes of battle robots. Seriously! If you'd edited down the cringy eye contact between the ML and FL, the drama would have been cut in half and not dragged as hard.

For being so sugary, Squid 2 left a bad taste in my mouth. The ML was the greenest flag of all time—to the point of not having a personality. The FL took advantage of him in numerous ways. The one that was unforgiveable to me was that she willingly became his opponent. When a couple is dedicated to one another, they're loyal. They support one another. They don't join the enemy (which was the company of her ex!). They don't undermine one another. They build a life together.

I admit I probably have defective romance genes. If you like romance, this may be your cup of tea. Just don't expect anything much other than insipid romance. I took lots of breaks in the last episodes, as the romance was painfully dull to me.

I awarded an extra half star for the blind date scene, the music, and Wang An Yu's portrayal of an immature Shen Zhe.

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Ming Lan Has Become One of My Favorite Heroines

Delightful! I adored Ming Lan from her difficult childhood through her tortured teens and into a blossoming adult. I'd hesitated starting the drama because 78 episodes is a commitment, but time flew faster with Ming Lan than with some 16 episode dramas.

The writers did a commendable job juggling a large cast; each character was distinct and had purpose. The acting was as good as the script.

Children who live with abuse, neglect, or bullying learn to observe their surroundings and the people around them closely. As a survival device, they become invisible, but they're always assessing danger and planning how best to extricate themselves. Ming Lan learned strategy at an early age, and she hid her intelligence behind a quiet, inoffensive smile.

It was pure pleasure to see her outthink and outmaneuver her siblings, parents, and other adults during her childhood. She willingly took abuse and blame and quietly accepted punishment. She seemingly had little desire to protect herself, but when it came to those she cared about being hurt, she'd assume that quiet smile and plot retribution in scary fashion.

The romantic scenes were relatable with teasing, laughter, and faux umbrage. The chemistry was sweet. The interactions between Ming Lan and her grandmother were warm and touching.

All in all, a wonderful slice of life/coming of age drama featuring intelligent, decent people fighting against adversity and evil people.

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