Favorite Dramas

Amazing cinematography and production quality, from awesome fighting scenes to the magnificent set and beautiful costumes.  A star cast with Hu Ge captivating brilliantly the fragililty yet intelligence and determination of Mei Chang Su and Wang Kai potraying perfectly the headstrong and fierce determination of Prince Jing. The intelligent yet emotionally captivating story with unique main characters, well-rounded female characters and the best villains. The story takes a bit of time to build up but once it gets going, one can't stop but watch the entire series in just one go. Forever NiF fan!

An amazing depiction of school life, its hierachy and the cruelty it brings, but also the power of friendship and how a little bit of kindness and acceptance can be the one to save us. It depicts the difficulties, loneliness and confusion of not fitting in: however, the drama also questions the need for popularity and the challenges it brings, having to go against your own beliefs and personality just to keep your place as the popular kid on top of the hierarchy. Heartfelt drama that hides big themes behind its at times comedic and light nature. One of the best and most realistic depictions of school life that I have come across in dramas. The characters and the story will always have a special place in my heart, having watched it first as a high schooler myself and later as an adult, understanding more of the deeper themes the drama offers.

A beautiful story about fate, love and the inspiration and courage we can give to each other. The plot moves between past and present and does this beautifully, without confusing the audience. Symbolism and meaning with every action is being tied up in the last episodes in a magical way. A realistic yet at the same a fairytale kind of story with spectacular writing. The story has been brought to life with great production quality, lovely OST, amazing cinematography and great acting with the top Japanese actors. 

A story that changes forever how you view life and yourself. Never has there ever been a more perfect title to describe how one feels while watching a series. Thoughtfully and tenderly written story based on real life events that makes you appreciate the life that has been given to you, and at the same time giving you the courage to fight your own battles.

Heart-warming, slice of life drama with laughs, tears, questions and new experiences. The biggest theme of the series is finding one's place in this world and learning to accept yourself and those around you. A classic and one of the first dramas to bring LGBTQ+ themes on Korean TV. 

A classic that brought me and many others to the world of Asian dramas. It might not stand the test of time with some questionable scenes, but still the story of Makino and Domyoji and the wild ride of emotions that I experienced while watching the drama and the many scenes thatI still vividly remember might never be quite able to leave me.

A thriller and mystery with encaptivating cinematography, OST, story and acting, true tvN quality. Still desperately waiting for season 2. :')

Such a beautiful and heartbreaking love story, with especially amazing child actors. Simple yet addictive story with beautiful visuals. Romance and drama in a great and beautiful balance, story that will leave a lasting mark in the heart.

Perfect in so many ways, yet cannot compare to the brilliance of the original. Heavy cutting of episodes and the story from the the end when the drama was broadcasted did a lot of damage to an otherwise fantastic ending.

Adapted faithfully from manga with amazing acting by the vertisale Suda Masaki who brings so many emotions to Kunou Totono with his subtle yet descriptive expressions. The production quality could have been a lot better and the mysteries have unfortunately somewhat used plot lines with quite a few of moments where the story felt more like a fairytale than a believable mystery. Yet the ending was a positive surprise that tied well together many of the inconsistencies of the plot. The best offering of the drama is however the harsh critic expressed towards modern Japanese society as well as the humanity overall with some great, thought-proving themes and arguments. And who couldn't love Kunou Totono, our eccentric college student who harbours his own deep wounds of the past and has absolute kindness and acceptance for other living beings. 

Such a quirky, thought-provoking masterpiece! All the way from the production quality to the writing and acting performances: it reminded me of the screenwriter's The Handmaiden (2016) which I loved dearly. The story was build in layers: it started from a simple storyline that got bigger and bigger but also a bit more closer to the truth with every episode. The three sisters' storylines intersected beautifully, the story unfolding through differerent perspectives. The visuals were very metaphorical, there was a lot to unpack during every scene and the whole series was like a super long, artistic movie, in which every light and shadow, color, angle and stillness versus motion were thougth carefully and executed brilliantly. In addition to that, the OST was hautingly beautiful.

The theme of society, politics and private lives run by money were interestingly pondered throughout the almost dreamlike plot were beautiful and simple things turn to horror, where horror again turns into humanity, and where the humans are only part of the bigger game called life.

Extra points for the lovely, subtle romance lines between all the beauty, mystery, thriller and bigger themes.

I really enjoyed Little Women and will surely watch it again, just to be able to catch all the magnificent details it entailed!

What a beautiful mix of the 80's nostalgia, family dynamics, mystery, crime and the hope of being loved. My Perfect Stranger covered themes of loneliness, broken families, prejudice, heartbreaking cruelty but also forgiving people around us, and did it beautifully. The 80's aesthetic with a lovely OST and amazing production quality set the frame for a nicely paced, although at times somewhat lacking plot. Some illogicalities that were left unexplained did take away from the overall score of the drama, as well as not really digging even deeper into the main characters' lives and personalities - a potential wasted, in my opion. In the same vein, the 80's lifestyle wasn't really explored by the main characters, something which I thought would have been a nice add-on. However, Jin Ki Joo, especially, really carried the drama with her ability to nail down the emotional scenes. Her character also had the best storyarch overall. There were other really nice performances which I thoroughly enjoyed, most notably Lee Won Jung's and Hong Na Hyun's animated acting. 

The plot had consistencies with the Back to the Future trilogy and could capture the same kind of wholesome, heartwarming sentiment but with some darker themes. All the way from the idyllic town setting, to the 80's clothing and the old-fashioned cars, there was this beautiful sense of calmness that encompassed every scene, soothing my soul and heart. :)

I loved the drama but have hardly any memories of it. Is it a sign that it shouldn't be so high on my favorites list? Maybe it's time for a rewatch.

What an awesome, unique drama with a brilliant cinematography and touch of humanity that only Japanese dramas can bring . At times a bit dragging and with hoping that the story could have gone a bit deeper into the main characters, it is still one of my top comfort series.

Cute and heart-warming but with a touch of awesome, thrilling drama that made its parent story Hana Yori Dango the queen of dramas of the first decade of 2000. It has quite bad reviews, still when viewing it as its own story and not comparing to the original parent story, we get an absolutely lovely high school drama with Sugisaki Hana and Hirano Sho bringing warmness and loveliness to the main characters.

Very shounen manga like, the fantasy and historical genres  being in a nice balance. Filled with drama, romance, comedy and especially adventure, this is a like a good book you read as a child and got totally swept away by its magic.

Might not be able to stand the test of time and rewatch but I remember watching Time Between Dog and Wolf literally at the edge of my seat going from one emotion to another. One of the older K-dramas that had every cliché on it and still managed to pull it off.

D.P. has managed to capture a great balance in portraying the battle of wrongdoing and righteousness in a dysfunctioning system. We peek at the cruelty of humanity and find the goodness of the human heart on the other side of it. D.P. has been one of the top 10 dramas of the year in South Korea, and for a reason. Even though the scenes are dramatized (a bit too much for my taste), the issues raised are very real and partly even based on the real-life events. The story sheds light to the humans' natural tendencies to build hierarchies and ostracize those who we deem different. Going against the current not only calls for strength and courage, but the right resources as well. Sometimes we find ourselves helpless against the greater forces. When we witness unkindness and unfairness, even cruelty, we feel small and frightened in front of its immensity. Quilt follows us for not noticing, not speaking, and not acting.

How much can one person do to change the system? How many victims are needed for someone to care enough to act?

From the society to the system, all the way to the one individual, D.P. looks all of the layers of our world through a critical lense. "What makes a monster and what makes a man?" is pondered throughout the 6 episodes. Is violent rage justified if you have been driven to do it? Is abuse okay as long as no one intervenes?

D.P. tackles big issues skillfully, both those of more concrete and visible nature, all the way to the deeper philosophical questions. The raw and beautiful cinematography greatly complements the themes and offers the cast a perfect stage for splendid performances. Humour is dark and witty, action is there when called for, and a pause on a perfect moment lets the message sink in. Very graphic, dark and even brutal at times, it wants to shake the viewers from their utopias: sorrow, abuse, and cruelty exists in those nooks and corners we choose to ignore.