Showing posts with label TOPFIVE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TOPFIVE. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

TOPFIVE Korean Dramas of 2020

January 05, 2021 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

If you're looking at this post and thinking, "Wow, Preethi only posts twice a year now, huh," you would be absolutely correct. I've been reading and consuming so many books and dramas throughout the pandemic year that I simply have not had the time or inclination to share my findings with the rest of the world outside of Twitter. However, I do love making these TOPFIVE posts because it's a really nice way to summarize the best dramas of the year, plus you guys seem to love them! While I definitely struggled to come up with five dramas that were good enough to brag about for my "best kdramas from the first half of 2020" post and had to end up compromising a bit on the last few dramas on the list, rest assured that the kdramas that have made this list are naught but the best.

Awaken

Awaken is Namkoong Min's latest drama, and I have to say that it's shaping up to be my favorite kdrama of 2020. There are still two weeks left to this drama (that's four episodes), and boy am I thankful because I'm going to be so sad when I'm all out of episodes to watch. This drama is a blast from the very beginning, but it's around the second episode that the laughs start hitting their mark and the plot starts to come in more thoroughly. The key to clicking with a drama is loving the cast and loving the story, and I can assuredly say "I do" to both of these. Each episode is such a thrill, and the characters are so unique and fun that the wait for new episodes each week is truly a misfortune. Awaken is about a special police team that's tasked with finding out why people keep dying in these apparent suicides that aren't actually suicides. They're joined by a Korean American woman who used to work for the FBI, and as it turns out, the mastermind behind the murders may be closer than they seem. There's an elaborate backstory, characters exploring how they're connected to one another and turning on each other, delightful chemistry between the two leads (yay!), and comic scenes and memorable moments that will literally make you laugh out loud. Comedy + romance + plot executed together beautifully = a perfect drama.

Sweet Home

This was one of my most anticipated dramas of the year because I am a huge Lee Jin-wook fan, but I thought this wouldn't end up airing in 2020 because of COVID and so I kind of forgot about it for the most part. However, imagine my surprise when we got an air date and all ten episodes dropped on Netflix on a Friday — a weekend has never been better spent. The monster premise is quite awesome - even better than zombies because we get variety - and Lee Jin-wook's character is my favorite, but also literally everything about this drama is amazing. The large, star-studded cast is perfection; the music choices are fun and interesting, although it takes a couple episodes for them to get the transitions to music to be more seamless; and the whole theme of what makes humans different from monsters and the exploration of relationships between the different characters truly makes this drama what it is. We're left with a cliffhanger that basically begs for a second season, but regardless of whether this drama is renewed, I absolutely love love love the single season we have right now.

None of these are main characters, but the writing and cast did so well a job that they're just as memorable and impactful. [Sweet Home]

Stranger 2

I knew that Stranger 2 was coming out in the second half of the year, and so I purposefully watched the first season at the start of 2020 just for that reason (and also because I'd low key become a Cho Seung-Woo fangirl after seeing him in the drama Life). I enjoyed the first season without being obsessed with it and was really looking forward to the second season, especially after the first half of 2020 turned out extremely disappointing in terms of kdramas. I'm happy to say that Stranger 2 did not disappoint, and in fact, I liked it even more than season one! The second season is admittedly slower than the first, and it deals more with the theoretical question of prosecution versus police - where is the power balance, or lack thereof? - and yet I looked forward to it week after week. The main characters were as brilliant and compelling as always, and I adored the new cast — I really grew invested in them even though they were the most flawed characters that ever existed. It took quite a while for our two favorite leads to start working together and give us those delightful partner scenes, but honestly just their faces and attitudes were a delight to watch week after week. I love them. And in a surprising Stranger 2 twist, this season got me extremely invested in Prosecutor Seo Dong-jae! There's this really funny meme that's the Finding Nemo movie poster with Stranger 2 character's faces on it — I would share but that'd spoil the drama, so I shall refrain.

Hospital Playlist

This one won't be new to you if you're a huge Chef (aka Jo Jung-suk) fan or if you've already checked out my best kdramas from the first half of the year post, but I cannot emphasize how good this drama is, and I'm happy to say that it still makes the best of 2020 list! It's written by the Reply series writer, but even if you don't adore those dramas the way most people do (I may or may not fall into this category), this one is definitely worth a try. The characters charm you right from the start - just wait 'till Chef shows up - the writing is so warm, and this drama just makes you so happy. The relationships are brilliant and so realistic - I still don't know how the writer does it - and I love everybody. I swear I've never felt so strongly about a slice of life drama in my entire existence. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger while wrapping most plot points up, but that's a-okay because I believe we're getting the second season in just a couple more months! Also, if you're hesitating because you're rarely in the mood for a medical drama, don't worry, that's not what this is. This is just a chill, wholesome, and lovable drama about some lovely people's lives, and even though most of those lovely people happen to work in a hospital, I can't even clearly remember a single surgery or patient's case because this drama isn't about that — it's about the characters.

Hyena

I can already hear you going awww, Preethi, this one was on your other kdramas of 2020 post too! I know, I know, but don't blame me, blame 2020 for giving us such poor dramas! Besides, thanks to this drama, at least we're able to maintain our top five list — if this didn't exist, I would've just given up and written a top four list because I refuse to compromise like I did for the first half of the year.

Hyena, if you've not heard of it, is a drama on Netflix with the hands down sexiest poster I have seen on a kdrama. And to my surprise, the chemistry between the two leads lives up to it! The first episode is fun and brilliant cinema that sets up a (not quite) lovers to enemies to lovers romance between the two leads, all against the backdrop of a court case because yes, they're two lawyers — one rich and lacking some heart, the other broke but fiery with passion. Hyena's premiere episode is literally the second best of 2020 — the first best premiere, I hate to admit, goes to Start Up, although that ended up being the worst drama of 2020 and also the worst drama I've ever watched in my life, so I guess don't put too much stock in premiere episodes. But I digress. The Hyena couple remains iconic because they're so freaking wacky, and I completely adore them for that. They've been serving looks, attitude, and sexual tension since February, so go check them out if you haven't already and you're in the mood for a fun romp set against a relatively simple storyline. You won't regret it.

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Saturday, July 4, 2020

TOPFIVE Best Kdramas From The First Half Of 2020

July 04, 2020 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

For the past two years, I used to literally count down to June 30th because I'd be so excited to write this annual post and talk about the brilliant dramas released during the first half of the year. In 2020, however, I've been stressing myself out instead because I wasn't even sure whether I could come up with five dramas that were good enough for me to discuss. Offhand, there were only two I loved and wanted to discuss, but I thought a top two list would be rather sad, so I've done some digging through my watch history and miraculously came up with five that I genuinely appreciate. Some of these dramas are in fact better than others, so I'll list them loosely from most amazing to least amazing (but still good enough to make the list).

Hospital Playlist

Without a doubt, this is my absolute favorite drama to come out this year. I hadn't actually planned on watching it originally, but the draw of the Reply series writer and Jo Jung-suk were enough to pull me in after about two weeks of it airing. Of course, the plan was to watch it casually, which I did for a few episodes, but soon enough each episode became the highlight of my week, an event I looked forward to every Thursday after work. It physically hurt me that this drama only aired once a week (but considering each episode is one and a half hours long, perhaps that was actually a good thing). The main and supporting characters in this drama are brilliant, and I love how they interact together, as well as how the writer really brings out the joys and sorrows of humanity through these doctors, nurses, and residents who are more than just their jobs. I adore everyone in this drama and I hope they're happy forever.

There are only twelve episodes in the season, and unexpectedly, not everything wrapped up in episode twelve — apparently I was unaware of the fact that a second season was basically guaranteed before this drama even began, so I'm happy to say we'll be seeing this beloved cast again in 2021!

Hyena

This drama was such an unexpectedly delightful surprise. My friends and I were ooh-ing and aah-ing over the sexy poster before this drama even aired, but episode one veritably blew me away with its bold lead characters and the arc of glorious betrayal depicted right off the bat in episode one. Hyena is a legal drama with a heavy side of one of a kind hate-to-love romance (extra steam please). The plot is rather simple if you stop and think about it, but what you're watching this for is the comedy as well as the clash of wills between the lead characters, one a successful, high-powered lawyer, the other a more gangster-like lawyer (I say this with the greatest admiration) who will stop at nothing to get her way in court. This isn't a drama I'll be forgetting anytime soon.

I grew to love this odd duo so much throughout the course of the drama. [Hyena]

Mystic Pop-up Bar

If you told me a couple weeks ago that Mystic Pop-up Bar would be third on this list (or even make this list at all), I would've laughed and barred you from my blog. I watched the first episode on a whim because it was on Netflix, and wow that was boring — I dropped it almost immediately. But after all twelve episodes aired, everyone I knew was raving about it, so I watched the second episode, only to be bored out of my mind once more. It just reminded me too much of Hotel del Luna - a drama I despise - and nothing about Mystic Pop-up Bar seemed promising enough for me to continue watching. However, come Independence Day weekend, I gave it one last try...and loved it. The characters grew on me and I wanted them to all have happily ever afters, the backstory really started coming into play in interesting ways, and lo and behold, I became invested (something that's becoming more rare nowadays). This isn't a fast paced drama, but if you're willing to sit in there and watch a truly beautiful story unfold - featuring a delightful and heart hurting pair of star-crossed lovers - then you're in for a treat.

My Unfamiliar Family

This is definitely not the sort of drama that I usually watch, and yet I am impressed. I randomly decided to watch this because Kim Ji-seok was wonderful in I Need Romance 2 and Top Star Yoo-baek and I was excited to see more of him, and also of course because Han Ye-ri is an amazing actress. My Unfamiliar Family is a really well done drama dealing with mature topics regarding a single family. This is another drama with an amazing cast, and it deals with topics like cheating, sibling relationships, infertility, homophobia and coming out, and so many other things that may make one's familiar family seem unfamiliar. There's a lot of love throughout this drama, and it's beautiful to watch, but it's certainly not something to pick up if you're looking for something cute and fluffy, because this gets deep (although yes, just like every other drama on this list, there is romance).

Friends who feel like more than friends. [My Unfamiliar Family]

Dinner Mate

Now, if you are in the mood for something cute and fluffy, then Dinner Mate is the drama for you. I was psyched for this solely because I am a huge Song Seung-heon fan (plus the drama poster was ridiculously cute and fancy), and thankfully it didn't disappoint! This drama was adorable right from the beginning, and though we're nearing the end, the leads are still so precious that I absolutely want to pinch both their cheeks. This is a drama about getting over painful first loves and opening yourself up to love again, while also dealing with some mental health issues since the male lead is a psychiatrist. Dinner Mate is a primarily soft drama with just enough of an antagonist to keep things interesting — some of the highlights are the Kim Jung-hyun cameo in episode one (which is exciting if you've watched Crash Landing on You) as well as a particularly funny reference to CLOY in a later episode.

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Saturday, December 28, 2019

TOPFIVE Favorite Books Of 2019

December 28, 2019 Adult , Books 0 Comments

It's come to my attention that while I do TOPFIVE Favorite Kdramas posts every year, I've never done any sort of list of books, and I've read some really good ones this year that I want to talk about. Of course, I've also read a lot of not great books this year that did not at all live up to the hype I heard about them, but that's a conversation for another day. All of the books on this list are absolutely brilliant, but I have attempted to order them from most favorite favorite to least favorite favorite, although there may be some overlap because they're all so good.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

I literally just finished reading this one — I kind of like that fact that one of the last books I read in 2019 trumps all the other ones read in the past 360-some days. That's not an easy feat. This book is both huge and gorgeous (I dished out on the Waterstones Exclusive, so sue me), and I won't lie: I was very intimidated by both its size and all the love for The Night Circus by the same author, which I still haven't read. This always seemed to me a book you had to think through; it wasn't just something you could read and enjoy. Well, I was right and wrong. You don't really have to think particularly hard - the author does a great job laying everything out; the hard part is definitely in the writing of the book rather than the reading of it - but it also does provoke thought. The story itself - a meta-story of sorts - is so large in its scale, and yet also so small, that it is something you have to wade through. But in a good way — you have to experience it. It's intimidating in the way that The Book Thief is intimidating: it's big, it's fancy, and it's beyond brilliant, but every page enchants the mind. It's hard for me to describe exactly how amazing it is, but I loved every moment of reading this, from page one to the end that's really only another beginning.

Lovely War by Julie Berry

I already mentioned this book in another post, but this was about to be my favorite book of the year if The Starless Sea hadn't shown up and stolen its thunder. It's a book about war and segregation and love, and as expected of Julie Berry, it's beautifully written. This aching, lovely story is further encased within the narrative of a trial going on between the gods: Aphrodite and her husband Hephaestus, as well as a few other key mythological players. This is another book that's enchanting from the first page on, and I highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a gorgeous historical fiction or romance.

I hadn't even known that Julie Berry had a book out this year, so I'm extremely glad the cover got my attention.

Between the Water and the Woods by Simone Snaith

I also wrote a post about this book — check it out if you want to see the kinds of beautiful illustrations you can find in it plus general flailing. I randomly picked this one up in the bookstore earlier in the year, and what a great decision that turned out to be! It's so rare that I pick up a book without finding it on Goodreads first, plus I just loved it so much and it successfully drew me out of the book slump I was in at the time. It's a cute little YA fantasy novel that combines magic with science, and the romance between the characters was so soft and probably hate-to-love (it's been a while since I read it) considering how much I adore this book. And of course one of the best parts plus one of the reasons I bought it is became there are some really pretty illustrations in it that I just had to own.

Stormy: A Story About Finding a Forever Home by Guojing

This is the only picture book on the list, but it's one of my favorite finds of the year. I kid you not, I cried almost the whole way through. The reason I added the book to my TBR (to-be-read list) is because of the gorgeous art on the cover, but then I saw that the author/illustrator was a POC and I knew it was a must-read. When I finally picked up the book at the library - it was pleasantly large in shape - I was beyond in love (and in tears, of course). The art is gorgeous, and it's amazing that such a compelling story can be told without words. It was a very quick read, but it's not one you're going to forget quickly. Also the puppy is so adorable and I love soft, happy endings.

I literally could not say no to this cover. I mean, look how cute!

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book in the series, City of Ghosts, so I'm very surprised that I not only read, but loved this book. I'm a fan of the author, although not everything she writes ends up becoming a favorite, or even something I enjoy (apparently I read The Near Witch sometime before I purposefully read V.E. Schwab books and I saw on Goodreads that I only gave it two stars — ouch). I hadn't even planned on reading this book, but I picked it up in the middle of my last uni semester and raced through it. I just ended up loving the Parisian setting, the female friendship, and the ghost friend, and even the plot was entertaining, although things weren't as surprising as they would have been if this wasn't written for a Middle Grade audience. I can't wait for the third book!

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Friday, December 20, 2019

TOPFIVE Korean Dramas of 2019

December 20, 2019 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

Hello, everyone! I haven't blogged here in months, but I just took my last uni final exam yesterday (as in yes, I am done with college forever!), and am super psyched to talk about my top five favorite Korean dramas of the year! I will note that all but one of these dramas are from the second half of 2019 — not quite sure if that's because they're more fresh in my head and so I think I love them more, or because these five are all so brilliant that there's no room for the other early 2019 dramas I already talked about in this post. But either way they're brilliant and you must watch them immediately if you haven't already, so let's just get straight into it!

Catch the Ghost

This is hands down my favorite drama of the year, and also the one I watched most recently. Ever since I watched and adored Mystery Queen, I've been looking for a similar drama in terms of brilliant detective/crime cases and two leads with absolutely breathtaking chemistry who have such fun together. I found that earlier this year with Voice 2 - a darker take on the genre, but just as addicting, if not more so - and of course, that just left me wanting more such dramas but not finding any. But then came Catch the Ghost. The leads are brilliant and I have never loved either of them more, and every episode is the finest delight. This drama made me laugh, it made me cry, and I swear just talking about it makes me want to go watch it again. It's perfect in all ways. The drama is about a young woman trying to find her sister's killer (a serial killer dubbed the Subway Ghost), and as part of this attempt, she tries to get a job on the subway police team. There she meets the male lead, a "by the rules" kind of guy who is really not ready to handle this new hurricane of a person who's just blasted her way into the team and thinks rules are suggestions.

I am absolutely in love with this entire cast.

Extraordinary You

Did I swoon or did I swoon? I didn't get around to watching this until it finished airing - and thank goodness, because it would've been a pain to wait for new episodes each week - but I binged the heck out of it and perhaps disregarded my homework more than I should have. The premise pulled me in immediately: a young girl with a heart disease finds out that she's a character in a comic book — and not even the female lead but the supporting character. When she finds out she's expected to die soon, she rebels against the comic, determined to make her own decisions and chase her own love instead of blindly following the author's decisions. The drama ended up being just as amazing and unique as the premise sounds, and it was also so beautifully filmed? I love the actress (who may not be the lead of the comic, but she's definitely the lead of our drama), and of course one of the main draws was Lee Jae-wook who I'm sure we all fell in love with when he played the struggling actor in Search: WWW. I love him when he's playing a cute, nice boy, but even more so when he's an arrogant asshole with daddy issues (he brought back Kim Woo-bin feels from Heirs lol). This is truly a drama that's not to be missed!
This dude made the entire drama for me.
I swear he's angry for like 95% of the drama.

Love Alarm

Another brilliant story setup, this time by a Netflix drama: an app that tells you when someone in your near vicinity is in love with you. I did not think I would adore this drama as much as I did - especially considering how meh Netflix's My First First Love turned out to be - but errrr I binged all eight episodes in a single night and the cliffhanger definitely destroyed me. Classic Netflix love triangle, but gah, I definitely love one guy more than the other. The most unique aspect of the drama is that it traverses both the characters' high school years as well as their adult years, and they did it pretty well too. There's drama, feels and so much misunderstanding because duh the app is a terrible idea, but like, I need season two right now. I'm really hoping the show gets renewed and we get the second season in early 2020 because the three main characters are great and I'm really invested in their relationships and undoing the misunderstanding between a certain two characters.

Search: WWW

Search: WWW is an unforgettable drama, and certainly one of the best of the year. It's a women-centric kdrama with a beautiful, talented cast, amazing writers, gorgeous cinematography and directing, and literally anything you could want in an intelligent, contemporary drama (including man candy LOL). I fell in love with all three of the lead women, and I love how they're all so different and how the drama doesn't present "good" and "bad" as a simple dichotomy. Search: WWW is a character-centered drama that explores relationships, marriage, business, and marketing (the latter through a search engine company that I would love to work for if it was a real company), and each episode is like...well, dessert.  Women supporting women is seriously my favorite thing.

I started watching this for Jang Ki-yong and stayed for the women. And also Jang Ki-yong.
Literally one of my favorite friendships — I adore these two.

Voice 3

I know Voice 3 isn't perfect - I had a whole rant about it when it finished airing - but apparently I just can't stop myself from adding it to this list regardless. I just love the characters and the drama so much that even a major mishap like that not-so-great ending can't put me off too much. I already discussed my love of Voice 2 earlier in this post, and it's for those same reasons that I was super thrilled to sit down and enjoy Voice 3 week after week while it aired — it was one of the highlights of that uni semester. If you want to give this drama a go, you have to watch Voice 2 first because Voice 3 is a direct continuation of the plot. I'd also highly recommend you start with Voice before watching the second or third season because it comes first and Voice 2 begins from where it leaves off, even though Voice is more stand-alone and isn't as relevant to the rest of the series. TL;DR: you can skip Voice if you're a mega Lee Jin-wook fan, but otherwise you'll get the most out of the drama by watching the seasons in order.

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Monday, July 1, 2019

TOPFIVE Best Dramas From The First Half Of 2019

July 01, 2019 Dramas , Kdramas 2 Comments

2019 has been a spectacular year for Korean dramas, so you can bet I've been bouncing up and down in my chair waiting for the halfway point of the year - June 30 - to come around just so I could write up this post. The reason this is a day late is because I didn't want to put any still running dramas on this list in case they flopped in future episodes (I have made this mistake so many times: see previous TOPFIVE Best Drama posts). One of my favorite dramas finished airing yesterday so I wanted to watch that before writing this list. 

As usual, this post will be ordered from most most favorites to they're still freaking awesome, but since all the dramas on this list are magnificent, the ordering is relatively arbitrary.

VOICE 3

I only watched Voice 2 earlier this year but immediately fell in love with the new cast and especially the new male lead, Lee Jin-wook, who plays Team Leader Do Kang-woo in the drama. The season only had twelve episodes though, so I was extremely excited for Voice 3 which was going to have a full sixteen episode run. This is the drama that just finished airing yesterday, and while it did not end up living up to the previous season, I still adored and enjoyed every moment. The stakes were so much higher this season and the plot was intense, but at the same time, the writers didn't include many Code Zero cases, which is what the Voice drama series is known and loved for. Even so, this is one of my favorite dramas of the year so far and I'm going to go sit in a corner and cry now that it's over.

For anyone who hasn't watched the drama series, it's about a Golden Time Team that aims to solve 911 call cases within the "golden time" when they're more likely to solve the case and save the victim. The main character Kang Kwon-joo can hear sounds other cannot, which is why she's so good at her job. I'd recommend starting from Voice and going in order from there, but if you really can't wait and just want to see Lee Jin-wook in action, you can start with Voice 2 and follow it up with Voice 3.

LEGAL HIGH

A friend actually recommended this to me earlier in the year, and the convincing factor was the absolutely hilarious teaser trailers that showcase just how wacky the main characters of this drama are. I finally watched it and the drama was an absolute delight. It's a legal drama, but it's super unique because the male lead is literally the Sherlock Holmes of the legal world: he's nuts, he's fun, he values money above all else, and he has never lost a case in his lifetime. But then he meets this uptight female lawyer with exactly the opposite beliefs and they clash in the best and most amusing ways possible. There's no outright romance but the chemistry and adorable situations are plenty fulfilling - just how I like it. If you're looking for a fun time with a great plot and story to boot, then you'll definitely want to check this one out.

My faaaave quirky partnership! This picture exemplifies their whole relationship.

KINGDOM

Kingdom aired pretty early in the year as a Netflix Original and it immediately blew me away. Think Train To Busan, except before there were trains. It's a historical drama that's all about zombies; there are only six episodes and each of them is freaking brilliant. The cinematography, acting, story - everything was super well done, and there is in fact going to be a season two to the series. I don't have much to say about this other than watch it because it's super good and you will not regret it.

THE LIGHT IN YOUR EYES

This drama was sold to audiences as a young woman falling in love and finding her place in the world - all with a little help from a watch that allows her to manipulate time. However, one day, after using the watch too many times, she suddenly wakes up and finds herself looking and feeling like a 70-year old woman. The Light in Your Eyes is probably one of the most painful, but also the most beautiful, dramas that I have watched this year; I spent whole episodes just sobbing into my blanket. Everything about this drama is perfect: the chemistry between the two leads is off the charts and intense, and Han Ji-min and Nam Joo-hyuk and truly wonderful actors. There's also a plot twist toward the end that will shock you to your core, but it also adds that much more depth to this drama and elevates it to a new level of excellence. I am so impressed with the cast, crew, and writers of this drama. This seriously beautiful story is one that I will never forget.

I dunno why but Nam Joo-hyuk is super hot in this drama. You're welcome for the heads up.
Cute couple being cute. (Any Howl's Moving Castle fans? You'd like this drama.)
The way he looks at her OMG.
Ah, the beautiful hate/annoyance to love relationship we all adore so much.
Not even kidding: I adore these three more than the besties in Weightlifting Fairy.

ROMANCE IS A BONUS BOOK

This was one of my most anticipated dramas from the first half of the year because, hello, books! And after watching it, I can confidently say that this drama loves books just as much as you and I do. The premise of the drama reminded me a bit of the show Younger (which I think some drama is actually adapting in the near future): Kang Dan-yi is recently divorced and looking for a job, but no one will hire her because she hasn't worked in quite a few years. Desperate, she lies about her age and gets a job at a publishing company, but it just so happens that her best friend is an author and chief editor at that company (this is Lee Jong-suk's role) and he's harbored a crush on her for years. The noona romance in this drama is unbelievably adorable, and I fell in love with all the bookish scenes and moments and circumstances! I highly recommend this drama if you're looking for all the cuteness.

These two make me want to throw my CS degree to the side and work in publishing.

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Saturday, December 22, 2018

TOPFIVE Korean Dramas Of 2018

December 22, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

Since it's almost the end of the year and I haven't written another Korean drama post since my mid-year TOPFIVE drama post, I figured it was time for an update - especially since a lot of what I said in that other post is null and void. I put some dramas in that list that were currently airing, and unfortunately, they turned a tad sour after making it onto my list. If you're curious regarding which dramas on those list you should probably avoid: Wok Of Love and About Time. But why start on such an unfortunate note? Let's get straight into the most amazing dramas of the year!

Mr. Sunshine

This is the new drama written by the famed writer who gave us beautiful dramas like Heirs, Goblin, and Descendants of the Sun. Mr. Sunshine is a breathtaking tale of Japanese colonization of Korea and the resistance fighters who will give up anything to save their country. It is a glorious and gorgeous drama, and it's conveniently on Netflix - I highly recommend it. It has a superb cast, and the dialogue is so charming and witty that I just melt. There are twenty four episodes in the drama, and while that may feel long, it's actually quite perfect. I want to say that this is my favorite drama of the year, but I feel like that spot goes to the melodrama Nice Witch.

Nice Witch

This drama was in my last drama post as well. If you knew how much I loved it, you wouldn't even blink at seeing it again in this list. Long story short: it's about two twins, one evil and horrendous and dubbed "Ice Queen" (but not in the cute romantic way which means some male is about to get close to her and melt her heart - no, she's actually an awful Ice Queen who'd sooner shoot shards of ice at your face than be nice) and the other a beautiful soul, a mother of an adorable child and a terrible husband, and such a nice person. The premise of Nice Witch is that the mean sister falls into a coma after getting herself in trouble, but before falling unconscious, she begs her nice sister to take her place and pretend to be her. And then of course she meets this hot pilot, who thinks she's the awful Ice Queen who he hates, only to find that for whatever reason he's suddenly reacting differently to her. Cue swooning. Nice Witch is the nice twin's love story and character arc, and if you're looking for adorable romance, this is what you want to watch.

Hot pilot who avoids women ends up falling for the angel of a twin sister. (Nice Witch)
Is it even romance if it's not hate to love? (Nice Witch)

Life

Life is a medical drama with Lee Dong-wook as the male lead, but I don't think medical drama really captures what it's about. Life takes place in a hospital, yes, but it's much more about the politics of hospitals that anything else. I don't even know how to put this drama into words because it's that unique and brilliant, but it has a great cast, an amazing suspenseful atmosphere the entire time through, and although I wouldn't go for this drama if you're wanting romance, it's so so good. And also conveniently on Netflix. (I swear I'm not a sponsor for Netflix or anything.) The antagonist character is really the true gem of the drama, and the relationship between him and Dong-wook is...wow. But fair warning: if you watch this, you're not going to be trusting hospitals or doctors anytime soon.

Mystery Queen 2

If you read all my ravings about this drama already, feel free to skip ahead. If not, just know that the sequel to Mystery Queen more than lives up to its predecessor - it might even be better - and if you love mysteries and Sherlock Holmes, then you're really missing out if you have yet to check out the first season as well as this one. It features a ton of slow burn romance and cutesy angst - as opposed to the stressful kind - and the mysteries as well as the way the main characters go about solving them is truly fun to watch and really quite smart. All I want for Christmas is a Mystery Queen 3.

The Last Empress

I'm going to straight up be honest about this one and say that this drama is still in the middle of airing, so it's entirely possible that I might become bored of this one by the time it's finished. As of now, however, this is one of my favorite kdramas, partly because it features Choi Jin-hyuk and Jang Na-ra as the leads. We saw them together in Fated To Love You, but Jin-hyuk was the second lead at the time. The Last Empress begins with musical actress Oh Sunny (Jang Na-ra) catching the eye of the Emperor, but she didn't really catch his eye and it's all actually a conspiracy to cover up a crime. Jin-hyuk plays a Bodyguard aching for revenge against the throne, and he has some really cute moments with Jang Na-ra. Of course there's a ton of politics in this one, and you're really going to end up hating rich, royal persons, but hey, there's nothing wrong with that.

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Saturday, June 30, 2018

TOPFIVE Best Dramas From The First Half Of 2018

June 30, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

It's about half way through the year and it's been a while since I did a kdrama post, so I figured now was probably a good time to share my favorite drams that have aired so far this year. I'm feeling nice, so we'll go in order from favorite favorites to ahhh they're too different, I can't possibly compare them.

NICE WITCH

Nice Witch is my favorite drama of the year so far, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it stayed my favorite by the end of the year as well. It's unlike any other drama I've ever seen - it's very reminiscent of Indian soap operas, and possibly Spanish telenovelas - and I unabashedly admit to adoring every second of it. It's one of those rare dramas (possibly the only drama) that kept my attention from the beginning to the end of the season. It's about a super nice twin who's been constantly pushed aside by her crazy mean younger twin. However, when the mean twin gets in trouble and ends up in a coma (I TOLD YOU), she asks her sister to take her place as an air hostess until she gets better. Of course, it wouldn't be much of a soap opera if there wasn't a conspiracy within the airlines, as well as a hot pilot who doesn't date, but finds himself oddly frustrated by a certain air hostess. I highly highly recommend this drama for all the cheese and swoons.

MYSTERY QUEEN 2

If you saw some of my posts on Mystery Queen, then you already know how fond I am of the series. As much as I loved the first season, I was super surprised when the second season actually managed to outdo it: a rare feat. I thought I'd be put off with the additional (read: new) cast members they brought it - I don't readily accept change - and the hole in my heart that came about when I realized that Lee Won-keun wouldn't be in it anymore, but nope, the second season was definitely a win. Obviously you want to watch the first season before starting this one, but this is a series that will nevertheless make you smile giddily if you are a mystery fan.

JUGGLERS

So first of all, you should know that I've had a thing for Daniel Choi since I saw him in School 2013, and I've had a thing for Baek Jin-hee since I encountered her in Pride & Prejudice. Since both of them are the leads in this romantic drama, it's only logical that it made this list. In Jugglers, Jin-hee plays a secretary who is fired by her sucky boss, only to be hired by the company to assist...the one dude who doesn't want a secretary (Choi). The two are adorable, yes, but I also really appreciated how stupid but often lovable tropes were averted. Unlike most romantic couples, these two communicated and trusted each other. I know, it sounds boring, but try it out - their relationship works for both them and the audience.

WOK OF LOVE

Also called Greasy Melo. This drama features Lee Jun-ho (you might recognize him from Just Between Lovers), Jang Hyuk (Fated to Love You, Voice), and Jung Ryeo-won (Witch's Court). It's probably one of the quirkiest dramas I've seen to date, but it's super cute, super feel-good, puts a smile on your face, and mmm the food. Make sure you always have something to eat while you're watching this or you'll feel like a starving man without an oasis in sight. The romance, the bromance, and the plot are all adorable. The character relationships are very unique, and to be honest I feel like I need to emphasize the cuteness of this drama more.

ABOUT TIME

I had a hard time choosing between this and Handsome Guy and Jung Eum, but About Time is too unique and well done to pass on. Lee Sung-kyung is the lead in this drama, and she plays an aspiring musical actress - who can sing, baby! - who also happens to be able to see how many years, months, days, minutes, and seconds a person has left before they die. She unfortunately can also see how long see herself has, and it's only a couple of months. She tries to make the most of each day, but one day, she runs into a man who stops her clock i.e. keeps her that much farther away from death. The drama from there on out is splendid in terms of melodrama, actressing, and romance, and yeah, the leads have great chemistry.

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Saturday, April 28, 2018

TOPFIVE Mystery Dramas To Watch - Inspired By The Mystery Queen 2 Finale

April 28, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 2 Comments

I recently finished watching Mystery Queen 2 - the second season of Mystery Queen - and I it left me with such a warm, bubbly feeling at the end, as well as an intense need for a third season that'll give viewers some more of the banter between the lead characters as well as some answers to questions that the writers purposefully kept gaping open. You can read my quick review of the season here.

With the end of the season, I figured it might not be a bad idea to compile a short list of some of the more amazing mystery dramas I've watched in my days. These dramas are sure to satisfy anyone's Sherlockian, inquisitive mind.

BLACK

Black was my favorite Korean drama of 2017, and I don't think I'll stop raving about it anytime soon. It's about a foolish grim reaper - that saying will tear your heart out once you watch the drama - and it's quite dark and atmospheric. I know some people aren't huge fans of the actress, Go Ara, but this was my first drama of hers and I have come to absolutely adore her. The plot is wicked brilliant, and the fantasy element just makes it that much more exciting and differentiates it from the other detective/mystery storylines out there. If you're in the United States, it's also available to watch on Netflix.

TUNNEL

This drama features another of my favorite actors, Choi Jin-hyuk. Tunnel is a story about Korean cops dealing with a serial killer who strangles women with stockings. Serial killing was new at the time, so it was impossible to catch the villain. However, the main character ends up traveling to the future through, you guessed it, a tunnel, and he'll meet people that aren't quite so new to him as he thinks that'll help him find the murderer. There's a great cast, again a great atmosphere, and the romance is cute but sits to the side of the actual plot.

Tunnel's lead, Park Gwang-ho, smiling for the camera.
Park Gwang-ho's unwilling partner from the future, Kim Sun-jae.

UNCONTROLLABLY FOND

This one is more romance than mystery, although the crime is actually a big part of the romance. Uncontrollably Fond just so happens to be my favorite kdrama of all time, so it wouldn't be a mistake to say I highly recommend it along with a side of tissues and chocolates. Kim Woo-bin and Suzy are the main leads, and boy do they deliver the emotions. I still tear up whenever I listen to the soundtrack on my commutes to university.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

Before you ask, no, this isn't a drama based on Jane Austen's novel of the same name. There is a romantic relationship that stems from hatred, but from there the story diverges. The first episode is by far one of the most amazing things I've seen, and the two leads are great. This is a law drama, but the main mystery is about what happened to the female lead's brother, and it turns out that quite a few people are entangled in that mess. This is another drama where the romance is still there, but on a back burner. It's quite good.

MYSTERY QUEEN

And how could I leave out the wonderful drama that inspired this post? Whereas dramas like Black, Tunnel, and Pride & Prejudice are dark and serious with moments of adorable, Mystery Queen is the Korean equivalent of Sherlock, I would say. It's a combination of fun and serious, and it's so well written. There are individual mysteries throughout the episodes as well as a larger mystery that encompasses the seasons. The characters are a delight and make the show, but the plot, dialogue, and mysteries are right up there in terms of excellence. 

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