This is a short drama, but it does pack an emotional punch. All four characters have personal issues, past traumas, and are trying to deal with them while being adolescent still. It’s all the painful and heartbreaking path to growing up. Mei, even before her kidnapping ordeal, is obviously a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder. She needs psychiatric help. I believe with Ibuki protecting her only makes Mei’s OCD worse. Since it is such a short drama, the ending seems too abrupt and tied-with-a-bow closure for the four friends, especially with all the psychological issues these main characters are facing (i.e., OCD, child molestation, kidnapping, guilt, abandonment, bullying, body-shaming). Some of these issues are alluded to, but never fully explored in the drama. I enjoy seeing Asada’s love for Ibuki grew from a self-centered love to one of understanding and sacrifice: You can continue to protect Mei; I will in turn protect you. I love how he never asks Ibuki to choose between him and Mei; he just wants to part of Ibuki’s life.

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This is a slow burn romance, which I quite enjoy. I love that the progression of friendship, respect, and admiration eventually turn to love. Insta-love sometimes can get boring fast. One of the things I love about this drama is that the audience actually get to see the ML and FL working real jobs. The drama focuses a lot on the workplace, so it is nice that our leads are not devoted only to chasing love. Another thing I like is seeing the character development of not only the main leads, but also the secondary characters, especially the 2nd FL. She went from a rich and spoiled girl (albeit with a kind heart) to an entrepreneur. I enjoy that both sets of parents are supportive of their children and really there’s no hindrance from family about the FL and ML falling in love and becoming a couple like in many other dramas, especially if the ML is from a rich family and the FL from a working class/poor one. We have three couples, and a minor one (Ddot and Ano): our main leads (Matt and Toon), the second leads (Nat and Rose), and third couple (Sean and Pimmy). The third couple was the least interesting. There are a lot of heart fluttering moments between the FL and ML, especially when the ML is staring at the FL or when he becomes jealous/possessive. Some parts of the drama are very frustrating because of various misunderstandings or miscommunications (talk to each other, people!), and sometimes there are too much “I am going to make this sacrifice so the other person can be happy”. When I want to smile and feel some romance, I will definitely rewatch some of the scenes.

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This is a cute, sweet movie about two people who have had difficulties finding and believing in real life love. Riko Shirano is a game designer. I like that she doesn’t cower and speaks up for herself. She’s pretty; it’s adorable that her dimple shows when she smiles. Although this came out in 2016, I still love her outfits and styling! Soichiro Kurokawa is the epitome of the cold, successful, driven company owner (adorable with his glasses on!). He has a three year one-sided love for an employee, the pretty Momose, but fails at some awkward attempts to show her his interest. So, he enlists Riko to be his Cyrano de Bergerac. She uses romantic movies to teach him all the romantic tropes such as the drunken piggy back ride and the airport scene. They become friends through sharing their stories; sometimes unpleasant and sad history. I like that through the act of getting to know each other, becoming friends first, lead to them falling in love. His love confession at the end is a dream come true for the romantics at heart. I love that we get a happy ending and a nice kissing scene.

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The ML miscalculates a business transaction resulting in a huge loss for his father. In order to be his father’s successor, instead of his college-educated younger brother, he will have to finish his last year in high school and get a diploma. His father arranges for him to be a student at St. Agnes, but he will fail his mission if his identity is revealed. So, first day at school, he’s having a hard time with all the school subjects and not being able to fight the bullies. The pudding scenes are pretty hilarious. Although I can’t ship a 27 year-old (pretending to be 17) with a 17 year-old high schooler, it is pretty funny his reactions to being in love for the first time. This drama is more about friendship, learning to navigate life, and learning about oneself than romance. I think, unlike other J movies and dramas, this drama did really well addressing the ML’s romantic love. It was all very innocent; the most that happened was them holding hands. Plus, in the end they both recognize that she has a lot of growing up to do and she tells him “when I am older, let’s go out on a date.”

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On her first day in high school the FL meets the ML and provides him direction to their high school. The boy turns out to be handsome, outgoing, and popular. Although she’s been bullied and made an outcast since a child, the FL never lost her kindness, cheerfulness, or innocence. The ML sees this side of her, beyond the girl people call “Sadako,” and starts to like her. She doesn’t have the confidence to believe that anyone would like her, or would like to be her friends. Her goodness, however, wins over two girls. These two girls are great friends, and people she much needed in her life. They don’t give up on her and defend her from bullies. I love her BFFs. The ML, too, is kind and sweet. His actions, to any other girls, would certainly convey the message that he likes her, but for the FL, she’s confused and cannot believe that the ML would like someone like her. When he finally asks her out and to be his girlfriend, she panics and turns him down. Her friends convince her to tell him the truth about how much she likes him but just panicked. The homeroom teacher counsels the ML that he should see beyond the FL’s words and to understand why she turned him down. So, the end we have a love confession and the two ends up together. This drama is so cute and innocent. I love the most her two friends. I love that the ML never wavers in his love for her from day one, and I love how he is so sweet and kind to her.

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Strong and Spunky Female Lead

The drama is about catching the bad guys, the main characters falling in love, unraveling old mysteries/murders, and family and friendship. I love that the FL stays consistent with her character as this tough girl with a smart mouth who grew up in the slums, but is smart and warm-hearted. When P’Aik was constantly contacting her, showing up at her school and work place, the ML and almost everyone else assume that the FL is his mistress. The ML asks her why she doesn’t defend herself against this misconception. Her response is that no matter how loudly she shouts her innocence, no one would believe her because she’s from the slum. It’s as if your birthplace and your socio-economic station in life determines your integrity and morality. How sad. The one storyline that I am not satisfied with is how the ML’s sister (cousin really) gets away with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. She hires a gunman to kill the FL and the FL ends up being shot in the arm. She should’ve been prosecuted and sent to prison, but I know this doesn’t fit into the drama as a whole. Added to all of this is that the FL is able to see ghosts and future happenings. This supernatural ability is explored a bit and integrated in the story lines, but people just seem to accept her ability. The second couple (Neung and the police Inspector, Padet) is cute and provides a much needed break from all the angst in the FL and ML’s relationship. The last episode provides an excellent closure to all the storylines; I felt satisfied as a viewer that the ending is not rushed like so many other dramas.

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WARNING: Spoilers Below, Read at Own Risk

This movie is set in Amsterdam. The ML is a hired assassin. The FL is a painter. Ever since he saw her painting daisies in the countryside, he has been essentially stalking her, leaving potted daisies for her daily. One day, she meets a man, an undercover Interpol agent, and by chance he brings her potted daisies. She tells this agent about her secret admirer, but instead of telling her the truth he stays silent because he doesn’t want to lose her. The ML, although extremely dangerous in his line of work, decides to approach her. So, a love triangle ensues, with both men refusing for their own selfish reasons not to tell her the truth. The ending is tragic. Although there is no happy ending, the acting is superb and the movie is so emotionally charged and beautiful to watch.

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A Joy to Watch

I love the character development of the FL. Yes, she started out as an ugly duckling, but her transformation took time which made it seem natural and not made it looked forced. The ML was her catalyst to change, but along the way she became independent and her own person. I love the pace of the drama allowing the main and supporting characters to have their stories told. This drama makes me feel all gooey reminiscing about first love. Whenever the ML looked at the the FL, especially secretly, my heart just melts. The ending reveal by the ML to the FL is just too darn cute! Also, I absolutely love Wang Bowen’s Can You Hear My Heart.

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I love the main couple’s cute and sweet love story at the beginning. It is all about innocent first love that as a viewer, it just warms my heart. In some ways it reminds me of the 1980s movie Blue Lagoon: young love in paradise. In the second half, the lakorn then descends into complete madness: the evil, jealous adopted sister; the angry, possessive ML; the many times the FL experiences verbal and physical abuse. In a very small fraction of my heart, I kind of ship the FL with P’Mor, the good doctor. He’s older and seems more mature; a perfect guy to care for and love the FL. When I feel that the ML is too angry and does stupid sh*t to the the FL, I rewatch their earlier episodes when they were so sweet to each other on Min Island. I am pretty satisfied with the ending, but I am trying to understand the whole forgiveness and self-sacrificing nature of the drama. The sister committed so many hateful, evil acts, but in the end she was never punished for it. Our main couple reaffirm their love for each other, and I am sure, the FL’s memories will slowly return. Still, though, all the angst that I felt, which was created by the sister, did not get its justice. I guess I want the bad guy to pay somehow. Maybe I am a vengeful person.

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Too Much Sweet Is Bad for Your Health

I am getting too old, too cynical for this sugary confection of a drama. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind fluff, sweet, no-brainer romance, but this drama although with all the right tropes and cliches (rich older CEO ML, bright and cheery younger FL, love triangle, unrequited love, etc.), it just fails in the genuine feel department. Something is off, and I can blame it on the lack of chemistry between the ML and FL, how the FL is written and portrayed, etc. The FL, who happens to be on the average side in terms of looks and intelligence, is selected by the 2nd FL to be the ML’s assistant because she’s average. The 2nd FL, having carried a torch for the ML since college in her unrequited love, does not want any pretty females near the ML. Through some forced meetings, coincidences, and tarot card readings, the audience is made to believe that two good-looking, successful, rich company co-owners are suddenly infatuated with the FL all within the first three episodes. This is just not enough time for me, as a viewer, to really believe in the genuine feelings of these three. If I have to nitpick about wardrobe, I am questioning why the styling department opts to send the FL into a professional office environment wearing sneakers, t-shirts (tying a neckerchief does not make printed t-shirts dressy or professiona), jeans, and rompers, especially when she’s the assistant to the CEO. First day, ok, I am fine with her clothes since she interviewed for a voice acting gig and not an office job, but after that and still in t-shirts and jeans? No way. The FL’s naïveté and gullibility just make me pull out my hair in frustration. I am surprised she’s grown to be at this age without the help of the ML. This may be a trope that allows the ML and FL to have some form of physical contact, but I guffawed at how easily they sprain an ankle with a simple fall (heck, I slipped on ice, landed on my butt, and still able to walk and attend class) or catch a cold/flu while standing in the rain for maybe five seconds. If you’re going to have a boring, predictable plot for a drama, at least make the main leads’ relationship believable, genuine, and maybe a dose of sizzling hot.

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This is a short web drama set in a world similar to ours where at any point in one’s life, one’s soulmate’s name is written on one’s body. The name of the FL’s soulmate appeared on her lower arm when she was in high school. She is now a junior in college and has failed thus far to locate her soulmate. She meets a new transferred photography student and approaches him thinking he’s her soulmate. But he denies it and shows her his blank arms. He initially denies it (her name is written across his heart) because he thinks the FL is a male and is just in shock. The ML tries to deny his attraction, but the more he gets to know the FL (still thinking she’s a male) the more he likes her. So, he decides that no matter her gender, he is going to confess his feelings and tells the FL about her name on his body. Of course, he eventually finds out her gender. The story has an interesting premise beyond the usual young romantic love and take on the gender-bender theme. We can delve into deeper philosophical questions: Does being named take away a person’s free will? What happens if you fall in love unnamed but later gets named? Will you stay with the love you have chosen or will you choose to find your named soulmate? For a short web series, the characters are fleshed out well, the story/plot is intriguing, and the young actors acted well and have great chemistry with each other.

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Beauty with not a lot of substance

This drama has all the star powers: screenwriter of Goblin, Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun, Woo Do Hwan, and most likely a huge budget. I won’t go into the the details of the plot, but there’s a lot going on: treason, parallel universe, time travel, royal intrigues, fate, crimes spanning two worlds, friendship, romance. I admit there are funny scenes (see Woo Do Hwan and his other parallel person) and truly heart fluttering romantic moments between the King and Tae Eul (neck kiss for one). The first few episodes captured my attention and I find them interesting, wanting to know more about Lee Lim’s treachery and how Lee Gon’s and Tae Eul’s relationship will progress. I think starting episode 10, I became less enthused about the drama, not bored exactly, but the episodes became too predictable. I am also having a hard time connecting emotionally with most of the characters. Even the romance between Lee Gon and Tae Eul became kind of stale (maybe the love confessions came too early). It’s hard for me to write it, but sometimes I ship the bromance between Lee Gon and Jo Yeong (royal guard) better thank Lee Gon and Tae Eul.

After finishing the drama, I still have questions: why was Lee Gon able to time travel but not Lee Lim; who is the kid/young man with the yo-yo and are there more like him; where did the flute come from; why didn’t Jo Yeong’s memory get erased like the others; why was Prime Minister Koo’s parallel person killed; how did the young Sin Jae become comatose.

This is just me, as a fan of romantic happy ending, I would have liked for Tae Eul to be his queen and maybe for viewers like me to see a baby. The first few episodes were all about him needing to get married and having successors/heirs. One of the most romantic moments is when he declared Tae Eul to be his future queen ("Save her at all cost; she is your future queen."). That statement sets an expectation for me as a viewer that I am going to see Tae Eul the Queen of Kingdon of Corea. This living in the moment, going to and from different worlds and times, is to me, like eating whip cream or cotton candy: all sweet, but no substance.

I wish the whole time travel thing wasn’t thrown into the mix; just stick with the parallel universe—my average human brain can’t take two space-time continuum theories simultaneously. Also, the product placements in this drama is just too much! They become laughable because they’re so obvious.

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A few episodes into the drama and already I know that this drama is not for me. The weird Three Stooges type of background music, sound effects, and humor are not my cup of tea. The humor is going to be at the toilet level I am afraid: there’s already stereotypes of male gay characters, and the FL in her disguise, uses browning/blacking of her face and having short curly hair to appear unattractive. These horrible transphobia and overt racism are a big no for me. The truly sad part is that this came out in 2021. I am dropping this drama like a hot radioactive potato.

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