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!

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.

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!

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 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 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.

My feelings toward Voice 3 are so incredibly complicated. I loved the first week (which is to say, the first two episodes) of this drama so much, as you can clearly tell by the fangirl-y post I wrote about it. But the rest of the season didn't live up to that first week. Why? Mainly because whereas the first week featured a brilliant Code Zero case that involved saving Korean tourists in Japan, all whilst they were trying to keep Do Kang-woo out of the hands of Japanese detectives, the rest of the season had very few other such cases.

Voice and Voice 2 had roughly a new Code Zero case each week while also having an overarching plot that is taken care of between these cases; Voice 3, however, instead chose to focus on the overarching plot and scatter at most 2-3 cases throughout the entire season. And this was disappointing. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the heck out of this season - no, I genuinely adored it. It wasn't quite as good as Voice 2, but I love all of the characters so much at this point that it didn't matter. Plus it's not that the plot was bad - if anything, the stakes were even higher than in the previous season - it was just that it wasn't as exciting and charming as Voice 2 had been.

Now that everything is said and done, the story behind Do Kang-woo really is quite brilliant, and I really like how things unfolded. I do wish there had been more scenes between Kang Kwon-joo and Do Kang-woo in this season - Voice 2 was ripe with such scenes and cute banter, which is a big part of why I loved it so much - but plot-wise, everything was great. Granted, Do Kang-woo didn't do all that much other than stand around looking angry at the world (and to be fair, the writers of the drama really do love torturing the man), but whatever - I adore his character no matter what he's doing. My biggest problem with this season is, in fact, the ending. I hate it so much.

I was all ready to end the season on a high note, being fully in love with it despite its apparent flaws, when the writers really went and wrote that ending. My biggest concern before the final episode was that there wouldn't be a Voice 4 because no actor in his right mind would be willing to do another season of just standing around and looking pretty, but then the writers did what they did and completely shattered my heart, but in a very boring and frankly, dumb way. It's not even that it doesn't fit with the story - it makes sense - but if that's really what they wanted to do, then they should have at least written it better, i.e. with more emotion and drama. Even the ending of Voice 2 had me in exhilarated shock, whereas not only was the final episode of Voice 3 anticlimactic, but it also left me feeling really unsatisfied and disappointed.

I still love this drama to infinity and beyond - I feel like I haven't found something this much up my alley since Mystery Queen - but if I had the opportunity to erase the ending from my memory and force the writers to write me a new one, would I do it? Yes, a million times yes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

On my latest trip to Barnes & Noble, I happened upon this super cute looking book called Between the Water and the Woods by Simone Snaith. I picked it up because of the cover, and I bought it because of the synopsis and the claim that there were illustrations in this - and what lovely illustrations they turned out to be.

People are always raving about hardcore fantasy novels like The Poppy War and Game of Thrones (literally the only two examples coming to mind right now), but I have such a soft spot for these cute fantasy stories about magic and kings and knights. As soon as I began reading this, I knew I was going to love it. The heroine Emeline is adorable and yet fierce in her own way, and her family and friends are the cutest - I grew to love all of them. And honestly, the summary doesn't do justice to the wonderful love interest that is the "whip-wielding Lash Knight". The characters are on the road for a good portion of the story, and they spend the rest in a castle; I greatly enjoyed both portions. The chemistry between Emeline and Reese aka the Lash Knight is super soft and the story is a perfect blend of fantasy and science. There aren't enough standalone fantasy novels in this world, but at least this one exists, and it is a delight.

And don't even get me started on the illustrations: they're gorgeous. It makes me glad I have a copy for myself so I can look at them whenever I want (I haven't done this, but it's possible in theory). As I've mentioned before, many times, I haven't been reading as much as I'd like, but on the bright side, not being obsessed with reading over-hyped books means I get to discover little gems like these - I highly recommend Between the Water and the Woods if you're looking for a lovely, standalone fantasy novel that will leave you feeling all cute and warm inside.

I watched the Korean movie Swing Kids the other day and I was rightly impressed. It's very different from other Korean films I've watched - the style feels more similar to Hollywood movies that most other Korean films tend to - and everything about it was spectacular: it takes place during war and deals with tough issues like racism and discrimination, but it's done in a musical format where you get tap dancing instead of lyrics. It was a joy to watch, and probably one of the best films I've seen this year. I usually complain about two hour movies but this one was brilliant all the way through. And shortly after, I stumbled upon a new book by one of my favorite authors - Lovely War by Julie Berry. Imagine my pleasantly surprised expression when I began reading and the book turned out to be in a similar vein! It took place during a war (hence the title), it dealt with racism and discrimination, and it had similarly beautiful and heartbreaking relationships between characters: exactly my cup of tea.

I've read quite a few Julie Berry books in my day, and I have never been disappointed by anything she has written - Lovely War is no exception. Berry's books are always brilliant and emotionally draining in the best way possible, and there's always some super unique perspective to them that I always enjoy. Lovely War is a multi-year story of human love during wartime, except the twist is that it's narrated by Greek gods Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, Hades, and Hephaestus. This beautiful, beautiful book gives us not one, not two, but three amazing love stories that are so much more than just sappy romance (not that I have anything against sappy romance - I adore the genre). But Berry clearly did a crazy amount of research to bring this book to life, and it shows. 

Another thing Berry is kind of known for, at least with me, is her heartbreaking endings. I won't say anything to spoil this one, but allow me to say that the reader will be immensely satisfied but at the same time still shed a bucket of - equally satisfying - tears. It's been a couple of weeks since I read the book but I still can't stop thinking of both Swing Kids and Lovely War. If you've watched one, read the other; if you've read one, watch the other. I can't recommend these two titles enough, so if you're in the mood for amazing, deep relationships, brilliant stories, and more than a tinge of sadness, do yourself a favor and pick one of (or both of) these up.

I hadn't really been excited for Aladdin - sure, I'd watched and enjoyed the live action versions of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, but I felt that live-action remakes were getting old really fast. In fact, I hadn't even planned on watching the film in theaters, but other people's excitement rubbed off on me and I couldn't stop myself from going. I ended up having a glorious experience: I love spectacle, and this film gave it to me.

When you think Jasmine and Aladdin are too cliché but you keep watching and you were wrong.

That moment you realize that Will Smith is actually a brilliant Genie.

It's been quite a while since I watched the animated Aladdin, and that made me enjoy this film that much more. There were obvious scenes from the original film that I'd completely forgotten about, and it made those moments that much sweeter when watching the live-action. And you'd think this film would be boring because it's pretty much the animated version, except live, but NO. Everything about this film is perfect; just like with the live-action Beauty and the Beast, Disney creates new depth to the characters (although let's be real, Aladdin did it better). And the actors and actresses really bring the original, beloved figures to life! I don't have qualms about any of them! And wow they all sing really well? I am very impressed.

Jasmine being her usual gorgeous, genius self who doesn't buy into the Prince Ali of Ababwa nonsense.

I've been feeling pretty meh about Disney movies lately - I rewatched Mulan a couple months ago and I felt nothing; even Li Shang started to annoy me (I know, it's terrible) - but this live-action film has reminded me of why I loved the original Aladdin in the first place. It really does justice to the original animated feature, and this is hands down the best live-action remake Disney has done so far; I doubt any of the others will top this. The film is gorgeous from beginning to end, and ugh, I fell in love with each and every character, except the villains, all over again! It's so heartwarming and makes me feel warm inside - and don't even get me started on how much I love Princess Jasmine, and Naomi Scott's portrayal of her. The laughs in this film are ridiculous and cute, and Will Smith has outdone himself as the genie. Even Aladdin was perfect, as was the magic carpet. I have zero complaints, and I loved every minute of the movie. Hopefully I'll get to go again this weekend and show my mom this masterpiece that she was too lazy to accompany me to the first time.