Dramas watched in 2024

My rating is objectively too high but Taevin's portrayal of Myung Ha moved me. Myung Ha as a character was touching. 

It was okay? 

Liked some of the lines but as I write this I realise that I don't remember much of it ><

Enjoyable to some extent but quite predictable. I have mixed feelings when it comes to the acting. 

It was a nice and easy watch :) Made me read the manga series right afterwards. It's always a pleasure to see Kyo Hwan act. And I also liked the fact that the main character was a woman. It was the first I had watched one of So Nee's works and I thought she was great!

Nope. Did not like it. 

So many mixed feelings about this one but the acting got better as the story progressed and that's what kept me watching. Made me read the novel and I like the novel's characterisation way better. The characters made more sense. 

This felt like reading a draft of a book that could have become something but got published by mistake before being reviewed. 

This drama was beautiful and I thought I would like it better but the characters felt too distant for some reason.

What a lovely family drama! Loved the diverse cast of characters and seeing Makoto trying his best for his family. Daichi's dad arc felt rushed but other than that, the pacing was great. It was an easy watch for me and that says a lot ><

That was intense. 

[rewatch]

I liked the insight this short film offered on the Japanese tea ceremony. 

Great production value and great acting, yet it took me some time to finish it. 

I've read an article about this drama and its portrayal of feudal Japan. No surpise there but the drama isn't exactly faithful but that's not what bothered me. The author of that article pointed out how Toranaga's mastermind was kind of undermined with the heavy emphasis of his shukumei (fate) although Tokugawa Ieyasu (the real person who inspired Toranaga) came to power thanks to his political flair and military strategies. The last episodes shed light on these aspects of his personality but I feel like it arrived a bit too late. Anyway perhaps the characteristaion wasn't as solid as I thought it would be hence the time it took me to finish it? Not just Toranaga's. Blackthorne felt a bit cartoonish at times and the same goes for Toranaga's son. Surely it was intentional but it didn't exatcly click with me.  It was still a great watch though! (I'm not linking the article for the simple reason that it hasn't been translated into English). 

[watched the six-episode-long drama version]

I'm so biased about them so I probably should wait a bit before writing something. I'll just write a few words in the meantime.
This prequel/spin-off did not disappoint! It was pretty consistent with what shown in Unintentional Love Story —  especially in terms of characterisation and timelines — and the bittersweet ending was to be expected :) Dong Hee you [incoherent thoughts]. 

Beautiful characters with great acting and a stunning OST. What more could I ask for? 

I love family dramas. This was short and sweet :) 

That was such a stunning adapatation. The casting director did amazing. Nam Yoon Su, I knew you'd pull it off.

I read the book in February this year and there was one lingering feeling that the drama captured so well: loneliness. Go Young's loneliness is like sweat glistening on one's skin in a hot and humid summer day. It clings to you and no matter what you do, you can never brush it off. It's suffocating. It's agonising. It's terrible but it's what makes up the human condition. Because we're all a little lonely. Some more than others. Because some look at this life and know that it makes no sense. That the only sense it has is the one you create for yourself. And loneliness strikes hardest when the creating process is hitting a wall. Go Young uses writing to break the wall and still it's not enough but he knows. He is so accutely aware of everything. I wish for all Go Young out there to keep trying, keep looking for words that bring you comfort. Because you're all worth it. 

Have I watched the same drama as everyone else? The director and scriptwriter of this drama are now blacklisted. Truth be told, I have no idea how I managed to watch all 14 episodes. The camera work and editing were awful, the music direction was messy, and the use of violence and fake blood were just morbid. On top of that, there barely was any character development. The leads looked good on screen together although their romance made no sense. This drama was sadly a disappointment.

will update later