What a year, I say.

I know I said last year that Dramaland was exploding with more dramas than ever before, but Dramaland basically outdid itself in 2018 – and then some.

You know when you have only 2 ice-cream flavors, and only room in your stomach for 1 scoop, it’s really easy to choose, but you still wish you had more flavors to choose from? Well, it’s all fine and good when it increases to 5 flavors, or 10 flavors, right? But when it gets to like, a thousand flavors, your eyes glaze over, you get hit by decision paralysis, and it just feels impossible to choose, anymore? Same thing.

I used to try and keep up with Dramaland, especially after I started blogging. I’d try to stay on top on what dramas were airing, and which ones were good, and I’d try to watch all the reportedly good ones, because I’m a curious cat and FOMO is real, yo. Well. I think 2018 is the year that I realized it is humanly impossible to keep up with everything that Dramaland is putting out, and there is just not enough time in one person’s world, to watch all the reportedly good ones, and take time for the ones that you wanna watch, whether anyone else is interested or not.

So 2018 is the year that I stopped trying. Uh.. Kinda.

My Mister OST – 어른

MY DRAMA YEAR IN 2018

Overall, I feel like I’ve had a solidly good drama year.

Dramaland managed to put out some really good dramas this year, and even though I didn’t try out every single one that people said were good, I’m happy with the ones I did see. Thanks to thoughtful suggestions from you guys, I discovered some dramas that I really loved, that I wouldn’t have attempted to watch otherwise. Thanks, y’all. You got my back, and I love ya for it. ❤

Part of the reason I’ve been unable to keep up with all the kdramas that people have been saying are good, is because I’ve been curious to keep exploring Chinese dramas. Being ethnically Chinese, but having cut my serious drama teeth on Korean dramas, it’s been an interesting experience getting into Chinese dramas in the last few years. For one thing, it’s been making me feel more connected to my roots. The other thing is, watching Chinese dramas has been the most effective method I’ve personally experienced, of improving my Mandarin. Beats all the Chinese lessons I ever attended in school, hands down. Thank you, C-dramas. Because of you, I’m now more fluent in Mandarin than I’ve ever been, and hopefully I’ll continue to get better. 😉

This year, I did get into a bit of a drama rut for about a month – just a while back, in October – but I’m happy to report that it didn’t take long for me to get back into the swing of things. Thanks for your patience while I was out of action, and thanks too, for continuing to enjoy the reviews. The reason I’ve been able to keep at this for as long as I have (6 years now, can you believe it?!), is the support that I receive from all of you. Thanks, y’all. ❤

Of course, besides the really good dramas I mentioned, Dramaland also put out a good number of duds, as well as a whole range of stuff in-between. On the upside, you could say that there was a little something for everyone, more or less. Whether you’re a drama newbie for whom everything is amazing and shiny, or a drama veteran who’s seen one trope or ten too many, you probably found at least a couple of dramas to love this year, I’d like to think. On the downside, like I said earlier, there’s a lot of stuff to sift through – more than ever before, in the entire history of Hallyu, I think! – to find the shows that actually work for you.

Which is where I hope this year-in-review will come in useful for you guys. As before – coz why fix what’s not broken, eh? – I’m going to break down my drama year, so that maybe your drama year will become a little better. I’m hopeful that you’ll find a great show you might not have watched otherwise, or perhaps avoid a trainwreck – or three – that might’ve made you pull out your hair. Not a bad outcome either way, right? 🙂

THE ONES WORTH MAKING TIME FOR

This first section is reserved for all the gems that I watched this year. These are the dramas that made me laugh, made me cry, made me feeeel, and basically grabbed my heart and wouldn’t let go. These are the ones that I wanted to watch back-to-back episodes of, and then felt sorry to say goodbye to, when I got to the end. If you have no time for any other dramas in your life, these are the ones that I think are worth carving time out of your schedule for.

For the record, and as you likely know, if you’ve been around the blog for a bit, I like to include dramas that started last year, but ended this year, in this post. It just always makes more sense to me, to judge a drama only after it’s finished its run. After all, too many dramas start strong, and then whimper to the finish line, right?

Oh, and one last thing: one man’s meat is another man’s poison, as they say. So what works for me, may not work for you, and vice versa.

KOREA

My Mister (My Ahjusshi)

This one is literally the best drama I saw this year. It looks gloomy, yes, but give this one a chance, and you’ll likely be sucked in by its warmth and beauty. I loved the themes of solidarity, kinship, loyalty, and hope, which Show serves up with elegance and care. I loved the characters and I enjoyed getting to know them, as they came to accept just how human they are, and how humans need other humans, to live. Beautifully written, wonderfully delivered, and lovingly directed, and with a truly lovely OST, to boot. Cannot recommend enough.

Grade: A+

Review: here.

Money Flower

This is the revenge melo that I never knew I needed, in my life. Assured writing, cracky pacing, and consummate acting, all come together to make this one addictively compelling package. Jang Hyuk is prowling-pather magnificent in this, and I just could. not. look. away. As a fantastic bonus, the music in this is masterful and completely consuming, which just took everything to a whole other level. Captivating to the very last drop.

Grade: A-

Review: here.

Prison Playbook (Wise Prison Life)

Contender for the warmest, most heartfelt prison drama ever made. Show takes the time and care to make its hodgepodge ensemble cast of characters really come alive, and weaves through and among them, a story of humanity, understanding, and community, even in the midst of trial and tribulation. As a bonus, the bromance is strong in this one.

Grade: A-

Review: here.

Life On Mars

Fantastical and sometimes purposefully vague, Show was something that I never fully understood, but that didn’t stop me from viscerally enjoying it anyway. Jung Kyung Ho is absolutely fantastic in this, as are Go Ah Sung and Park Sung Woong, and I loved this bunch of characters’ reluctant burgeoning relationships with one another. Weird but wonderful in the best way.

Grade: A-

Flash Review: here.

Thirty But Seventeen

A sweet, heartfelt story about growing up, and being true to yourself and the people who matter to you. Found friends, found family, and personal – and interpersonal – healing are the themes of the day in this one, and it all comes together in the most cozy, endearing way possible. Shin Hye Sun is wonderful in this, but it was Ahn Hyo Seop who unexpectedly stole my heart. “Don’t think, feeeel!” ❤

Grade: A-

Review: here.

CHINA

Nirvana In Fire 2

A very solid sequel to the breathtakingly amazing Nirvana In Fire. Nothing can quite match up to the magnificence of NIF, but this is a worthy follow-up, especially for fans of Season 1. Show was a slow burn for me, but by Show’s second half, I found myself fully gripped by these characters’ journeys. At its best, Show had me crying big, heartfelt tears, from being so moved. This show also turned me into a Liu Haoran fan. He’s so young, and yet, he manages to pull up so much gravitas. Very impressive indeed.

Grade: A

Flash Review: here.

SOLID WATCHES I’D RECOMMEND

Familiar Wife

Warm, heartfelt, hopeful, and even kind of funny, once you get past the initial rough-times set-up. Ji Sung and Han Ji Min are very good in this, and best of all, the writing proves to be thoughtful and assured, all the way through to the end. I was genuinely surprised – in the best way possible – at how solid this one turned out to be. Totes recommend.

Grade: B++

Flash Review: here.

The Third Charm

A poignant, thoughtful, sensitive story of personal journey, growth, and maturity. Sometimes it gets rather dark, with plot points involving pain and personal tragedy, but overall, Show presents a perspective of hope that should resonate well with a slightly more mature audience. Seo Kang Joon and Esom are excellent in this, and make their characters truly come to life. As a bonus, the music is lovely.

Grade: B++

Review: here.

Just Between Lovers

This melo bravely delves into the rarely-mentioned realities of surviving a tragedy, and explores the mental and emotional wounds that run much deeper than the physical ones sustained. Lee Joon Ho and Won Jin Ah are very good as our leads, and together, they bring to life their characters’ combined story of survival, understanding, and empathy, and the healing process that stretches out, long after the physical wounds have closed. Not an easy watch by any means, but a meaningful one, nonetheless.

Grade: B+

Flash Review: here.

I’m Not A Robot

A cute rom-com with a very cute OTP that shares oodles of warm, cracky chemistry. Yoo Seung Ho and Chae Soo Bin are adorable separately and together, and as a bonus, Chae Soo Bin’s robot alter-ego is sassy and smart in her own way, too. Best of all, both of our leads inject so much heart into their roles, that beyond the cute, Show manages to deliver more than a few poignant, punch-to-the-heart moments too, with some meaningful themes on the side.

Grade: B+

Flash Review: here.

Are You Human Too?

With the right absurdist lens, this show is cracktastic goodness, even in spite of its flaws. Seo Kang Joon is seriously impressive while toggling between his human and robot roles, and demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is definitely much more than a pretty face. Leaps in logic abound, but tight pacing, well-crafted cliffhangers, and a bemused and confused love interest opposite the handsome robot, more than make up for it. Embrace the weird and be entertained, is what I say. 😉

Grade: B+

Review: here.

Beauty Inside

A very well-done rom-com in the tradition of Hallyu, with a fantasy twist. Tropes abound but are generally narratively sound, any angst is relatively short-lived, and some arcs even manage to deliver heart-squeezy poignance of the best kind. Seo Hyun Jin and Lee Min Ki are individually excellent, and also share a very sparky chemistry from start to finish. Plus, the various cameos are impressively pitch perfect too. Good drama comfort food that’s easy to slurp up, like abalone porridge on a sick day.

Grade: B+

Review: here.

Lawless Lawyer

Suspension of disbelief is required in large spades, but if you can look beyond the logic leaps and the plot holes, Show is one big, fat rollicking ride. Our villains are mustache-twirling, larger-than-life types that you just love to hate, and our good guys ultimately prevail, after an appropriate number of thrills, spills, fancy car chases and shoot-outs. On top of his usual impressive kickassery, Lee Jun Ki demonstrates a nice layer of restraint in his delivery, which I really enjoyed, and I liked his bickering chemistry with Seo Ye Ji as well.

Grade: B+

Flash Review: here.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty

A relatable and endearing story of growing into your skin and learning to accept and love yourself, packaged as a bright and reasonably cracky campus romance. The acting of our leads leans stiff, but Show is heartfelt enough, that it’s easy to look past the acting limitations. As a bonus, Show manages to touch on more serious topics like unrealistic beauty standards, harassment, and double standards, without losing its breezy touch.

Grade: B

Flash Review: here.

Thirty But Seventeen OST – Just Stay

OKAY, IF IT’S YOUR STYLE/YOU CAN SPARE THE TIME

Suits

The cases in this show aren’t consistently interesting, and I was far from convinced of the loveline for Park Hyung Sik’s character, but I stayed for the simmering bromance between Park Hyung Sik and Jang Dong Gun’s characters. Jang Dong Gun’s stifled smiles to the glint in Park Hyung Sik’s eyes just made my day. Additionally, Show is character- rather than case-driven, which I rather liked.

Grade: B

Flash Review: here.

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim

A little uneven, and Show’s story is paper-thin, but Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young really are cute together. Amid the lighthearted jokes and cutesy antics, Show manages to serve up some nicely heartfelt moments, which I appreciated. Show also knows to capitalize on its strengths, and presents us with shirtless Park Seo Joon on a regular basis, which is something I found equal parts amusing and squee-worthy.

Grade: B

Flash Review: here.

A Poem A Day

An easy, warm workplace drama that has a bit of a family drama feel thanks to its found-family type of dynamic among the hodgepodge group of characters sharing a work space. Regular voiceovers by a poetry-obsessed Lee Yoo Bi lend a lyrical, thoughtful touch. And, because Show is vague about who is romantic endgame, the thrill of not knowing who would get the girl, was quite a big highlight of my watch.

Grade: B

Flash Review: here.

Fox Bride Star (Where Stars Land)

Another warm workplace drama, this time with a slight fantastical twist in the form of hi-tech bionic limbs. Still, Show manages to be engaging, and I ended up caring more about these characters than I’d expected to. Too much time spent on gangster stuff took away from Show’s appeal, but empathetic leads, a super cute secondary loveline, and a nice variety of human interest stories help to make up for it.

Grade: B

Review: here.

You Drive Me Crazy

This friends-to-lovers mini-series is just 2 hours of screen time total, so it’s good for a quick drama snack for when life’s too busy for a full 16 or 20 episodes. Story’s got a cute premise (she comes to bunk with him when her pipes at home burst, hyper-proximity hijinks ensue), and Show even throws in a very cute hedgehog into the mix. To be honest, though, I only really found the leads likable in Show’s final 10 minutes. Before that, I found both lead characters frustrating and annoying in their own ways (I found her pushy and highly inconsiderate, while I thought he was proud, uncommunicative, and quite the player). I think lots of folks found this one very cute though, so maybe you might, too?

Grade: B-

SHOWS WHICH FEEL SOLIDLY GOOD, BUT WHICH I JUST DIDN’T FINISH

Live

So many people loved this one that I figured I ought to give it a try, even though I wasn’t in the mood for a police/crime type show. I rather enjoyed the first 2 episodes, which covers the backstories of our key characters, and show us why they would be so determined to make it to the police academy, and stay the grueling course, to graduate.

The thing is, I was spooked by the (apparently quite key) story in episode 3, which involves a case where a woman has her tongue cut off. Greargh. There was So. Much. Blood. I couldn’t handle it. I bailed hurriedly, and parked this one for a while. Some weeks later, I cautiously ventured to try episode 3 again, and – again – couldn’t stomach the bloody cut-off tongue thing. That’s when I decided that this show probably isn’t for me. I’m a wuss, can’t deny it.

Lots of folks love this show to bits, though. So you might, too?

SHOWS THAT I LOST INTEREST IN, SOMEHOW

KOREA

Misty

Even though mystery thrillers aren’t my usual thing, I was captivated by Misty for a while. I thought Kim Nam Joo made such a badass female lead, and her strong character – ambitious, sharp, passionate about work, but cold and calculative about people, and impossibly regal and elegant through it all – felt like quite the breath of fresh air, in Dramaland. Plus, Show also serves up the very, very handsome Ji Jin Hee in suits, often wearing wistful gazes. Very nice. Add on a tangled web of a situation building up to implode on itself, and I just couldn’t look away. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion: dreadful, but compelling, at the same time.

BUT. I spoiled myself for the ending, and knowing what I know about the ending, while I was watching, I was convinced, based on a key actor’s expressions, that the ending was not something that writer-nim – or said actor – had known about and actually planned for, from the very beginning. In my head, this meant that the ending was a cop-out; something that writer-nim decided on late in the game, for the shock factor. That was a downer for me, and I found that as a result, I unfortunately promptly lost interest in continuing my watch.

8 episodes in, this one had felt like a potential A, assuming I hadn’t spoiled myself for the ending. My advice? If you’re planning to watch this, maybe don’t spoil yourself for the ending. 😛

Mr. Sunshine

I tried to get into Mr. Sunshine because those who love this show love it a lot. I thought this one was beautifully and very expensively produced, with costuming that looked authentic to the times, and execution that felt cinematic. I also thought the actors were very solid in their deliveries. I liked Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri, Kim Min Jung and Byun Yo Han well enough, but it was Yoo Yeon Suk, with his tortured samurai vibe, that I found most arresting.

The thing is, I never felt fully pulled into this story, no matter how hard I tried. Some of the logic leaps (particularly in relation to the main loveline) niggled at me; I didn’t find myself particularly interested in the political aspect of our story, on which Show spends a fair bit of screen time; I realized that I wasn’t particularly gripped by these characters and their stories. The slow pace of the overall narrative didn’t help either.

I got 13 episodes into my watch, before I realized that I simply wasn’t looking forward to the next episode. That’s when I wandered off from this one, and haven’t had the inclination to go back, since. I’ve heard that Show gets really, really good from about the episode 19 mark, but.. I don’t know if I have the fortitude to actually get to episode 19.

13 episodes in, this one felt like a potential B or B+ to me. But, just know that lots of viewers consider this one an A.

Witch’s Love

Lots of my Twitter friends seemed to enjoy this one, which is why I decided to give this a try. My initial impression is that this could be a mildly entertaining sort of watch, in a B production sort of way. To my eyes, Hyun Woo didn’t look super convinced that he’s a powerful director, but was trying hard to come across as fierce and prickly, while Yoon So Hee seemed quite pitch-perfect as our sassy young witch looking for love.

Unfortunately, I personally thought the acting in general leaned stiff, the Intended Funny, not that funny, and the narrative, stilted. 4.5 episodes in, I just wasn’t feeling this one, and drifted off with vague intentions of maybe coming back to this one, if I ever find myself in the right mood.

From what I saw, I’d say this one felt like a potential B-.

CHINA

Legend of Yun Xi

There’s a fair amount of cute in this one, at least in the initial to mid episodes. Basically, our frosty male lead prince gets unwillingly betrothed to the cheerful daughter of the Imperial Physician, and can’t help but melt in degrees in the face of his new wife’s persistent warmth. That stuff was fun.

The thing is, this whole show is about poison. Our female lead even uses poison medicinally, so there’s good poison, and there’s bad poison. Show takes that whole poison thing and runs with it, until our entire drama world is All About The Poison, by our second half. I wouldn’t have minded that so much, if Show had remembered to keep serving up OTP goodies along the way. But no. By episode 24 (of this show’s 48), this show had become a lot less fun to watch. By episode 27, I literally couldn’t stay awake through to the end of the episode. Show had become all about poison and politicking, and there was precious little screen time given to the OTP, which I counted as Show’s main draw.

I stopped watching after episode 30, and haven’t gone back since. I’ve heard that if you fast-forward through the poison stuff, that it becomes a much more enjoyable watch. The thing is, at the episode 30 mark, that would’ve meant fast-forwarding through about literally 90% of the episode, which.. didn’t make sense to me.

Based on 30 episodes of screen time, I’d call this a potential C+.

Meteor Garden 2018

I’ve concluded that I’m just not the kind of viewer who can watch remake after remake of the same show. I wasn’t going to watch this one, because I was sure that the J- and K-versions were enough for me. But there was so much spazz and hype over this drama, that the curious cat in me decided I needed to see what the buzz was all about.

Long story short, I surprised myself by really enjoying episode 1 – and then everything slowly slipped downhill from there, for me. I found the show mildly amusing, but nothing to really shout about, and at the episode 4 mark, I drifted off and never quite went back. I also couldn’t see myself sitting through 50(!) whole episodes of this story.

The thing is, though, my sister watched this and loved it. The key difference in our responses to this show, I think, is that this was her first watch of this story, period. Therefore everything felt new and more interesting to her. Plus, she was intrigued enough by this show’s lasting power across boundaries, that she looked up the original manga and read some of it. So part of her enjoyment was comparing this show to the original manga as well.

From what I saw of this iteration, I’d call this a potential B-, maybe. But depending on your viewing history and viewing lens, you might call this an A.

Are You Human Too? OST – Heart

SHOWS THAT I DON’T THINK ARE WORTH THE EFFORT, TO BE BRUTALLY HONEST

KOREA

Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food (Something in the Rain)

Starts out really, really cute, but quickly changes gears into Angst with a capital A. My problem with the angst was, it felt like nothing much came out of all the angst, in the end. Also, by Show’s later stretch, I found that I wasn’t so taken with our male lead after all, and I really, really disliked our female lead. The heavy-handed overuse of the soundtrack didn’t help one bit.

Grade: C

Review: here.

My Husband Oh Jak Doo

Show is cute in concept, not so much in execution. The annoying characters are plenty and often screechy, the cultural tangents on the makings and virtues of the gayageum are long and preachy, the direction is OTT, and worst of all, I don’t think the OTP shares much chemistry (Hey! That all rhymes, ha). Kim Kang Woo being handsome and Jung Sang Hoon being Eric got me to the finish line, but just barely.

Grade: C+

Flash Review: here.

Your House Helper

Show’s got some bright spots in its middle stretch, but overly simplistic resolutions to overly hyped problems and mysterious backstories dragged this one down. The main OTP is also so muted and tepid that I found them decidedly uninteresting and unbelievable. A rather amusing secondary loveline and the various cleaning tips offered up are the mild silver linings in this one.

Grade: C++

Flash Review: here.

Let’s Eat 3

Show’s got a pretty good concept, mixing prequel with sequel by showing us the origin story of Siksya-nim in flashback form, while present-day Dae Young searches to find meaning again, in the midst of his personal and professional slumps. Problem for me was, I thought the pacing was uneven, and the acting, on the muted, halfhearted side of things. I also struggled to warm to Baek Jin Hee in the role. Overall, not terrible, but not great either.

Grade: C+

Flash Review: here.

CHINA

Moonshine and Valentine

Cute concept, with an alien fox prince seeking to get the present incarnation of his human wife to fall in love with him. Unfortunately, the spots of cute were not enough to save this one. Stiff acting, filler galore, narrative inconsistencies and logic leaps, all came together to drag this show down. I loved the regular flashbacks to our OTP’s younger selves – those younger actors legit did a better job than the adult actors, in my books – but even that wasn’t enough to make up for Show’s very underwhelming ending.

Grade: C+

Flash Review: here.

ACTIVELY AVOID, IF YOUR DRAMA TASTE IS LIKE MINE

KOREA

Radio Romance

This one immediately felt formulaic, with a fair amount of stuff looking stagey and try-hard to me. I also found our female lead unreasonably pushy and persistent. Even though that was in service of setting things in place to put our male lead in her orbit, I just found it unacceptable professional behavior. To make things even less appealing, I thought the humor in very poor taste, right away. It didn’t help that everyone was wearing copper hair and orange lips – or that Doo Joon looked like he needed an eye doctor, in literally every scene. I bailed after just 2 episodes.

Dropped post: here.

Bad Guys 2 – City of Evil

Show immediately struck me as trying too hard to be cool. Lots of gratuitous violence, blood & gore, no narrative context, too much dim lighting, and WAY too much shaky camera work made me drop this one like a hot potato, right after episode 1. I mean, that shaky camera work gave me an actual headache. Even the combined appeal of Kim Moo Yul, Joo Jin Mo and Ji Soo weren’t enough to entice me to watch more episodes of this.

Dropped post: here.

The Great Seducer

I was initially intrigued by this one, but Show soon lost its shine to my eyes. There just wasn’t enough narrative logic to hold up this story, and Show couldn’t seem to decide either, whether it wanted to be dark like its source material, or romantic, like most of its Hallyu cousins. All the initial sizzle basically petered out to a fizzle, and I soon found everything either cringey or boring to watch. I lasted 10 regretful episodes of this.

Dropped post: here.

Greasy Melo (Wok of Love)

Basically, Show is very strange, weird and surreal, but Show’s brand of whimsy just didn’t work for me. I didn’t like the Intended Funny, I didn’t take to the leads, I didn’t take to the secondary characters either, and I definitely didn’t take to the voiceovers by the talking horse. I lasted 11 whole episodes of this, which is as far as my Jang Hyuk loyalty could take me.

Dropped post: here.

About Time

To be brutally honest, I dropped this one before I even got to the end of episode 1. I didn’t find either lead character very likable from the get-go, and I didn’t feel much chemistry between them either. In particular, I thought Lee Sang Yoon was overly disdainful and grumpy, which I didn’t like. I could’ve given this one more time to grow on me, but I wasn’t feeling this one pretty much right away, and decided to give it a hard pass. Word on the street is that I made the right choice, with this one.

CHINA

Guardian

There are legions of passionate fans out there, for this show. Reportedly, it’s the simmering, sizzling chemistry between these two actors, and the suggestion-but-never-confirmation of their characters’ mutual attraction, that make this one a cracky watch. I tried 3 episodes of this, but couldn’t see the appeal. I found the story’s fantasy context confusing, the CGI very clunky, everything pretty low-rent, and most important of all, I didn’t see the sizzling chemistry that everyone else saw. I couldn’t talk myself into watching a fourth episode, so that was the end of the road for me, with this one.

JURY’S STILL OUT

KOREA

Terius Behind Me (My Secret Terius)

No cool and edgy spy stuff here. The spy stuff is more amusing and lame than anything else, but that doesn’t matter, because gruff marshmallow So Ji Sub trying to babysit little kidlets is the most precious, funny thing. My heart surges every time the gruff marshmallow leaks a smile.

I’m just 6 episodes in, so it’s early days with this one, but so far it feels like a potential B.

The Last Empress (An Empress’s Dignity)

A show that revels in how makjang it is, and is never apologetic about any plot holes, logic leaps, or sudden casualties, along the way. With the right lens, this one is quite the entertaining rollercoaster. Just make sure not to think too hard, coz that will just spoil the thrill of the ride.

16 episodes in, this one feels like a potential B++.

Boyfriend

Most folks seem to love or hate this. I’m liking it in a very moderate sort of fashion. I’m not fully on board yet with the main loveline, but I’m curious to see more. Bogummy‘s very pretty to look at, which is a plus, and I’m waiting in anticipation for him to develop his character with more depth and intensity beyond the clear-eyed, pure-hearted innocence of when we first meet him.

6 episodes in, this is a B, for me.

Clean With Passion For Now

You really need your manhwa lens on, for this one, coz Show’s idea of humor is a little out there, and the manhwa lens helps to make it more palatable. Be warned that there is a lot of vomit and toilet humor in this, which I guess makes narrative sense since our story takes place in a cleaning company, but which might be a real turn-off for some folks. On the upside, Kim Yoo Jung manages to be cute as a button even when she’s completely disheveled, and Yoon Kyun Sang’s elastic reaction faces are gold. I haven’t decided yet whether this is a keeper, for me. Sometimes I want to bail, like, immediately, and sometimes, I think this show is pretty cute. It all depends on what Show is serving up at any given moment.

4 episodes in, this feels like a potential B- or C, depending on how Show eventually leans.

SKY Castle

Intriguing, right off the bat. Show gives us a beyond-the-shiny-surface look at the twisted lives that the rich and privileged lead, and how the frenemies compete with one another, particularly when it comes to getting their children into the best schools. I find this a compelling watch, but also, I feel like I seriously need to detox after an episode, with lighter, happier things.

3 episodes in, I feel like this could be a potential A-.

Fates and Furies

I’m so pleasantly surprised with this show, you guys. I immediately find this one engaging; I like the premise (which Show manages to make believable, narratively), I like the chemistry between Joo Sang Wook and Lee Min Jung, and I’ve consistently wanted to see more, after an episode. I even rather like Show’s slightly theatrical flair. All very promising things.

4 episodes in, this feels like a potential A-.

CHINA

Imagine Me Without You

This reminds me of Japanese drama 1 Litre of Tears, because it’s based on a true story, about a girl who has a terminal condition, but who is determined to live her best life, with whatever time she has left. Beautifully directed, with gorgeous cinematography and vivid colors, everything looks and feels raw and real. Episode 1 already had my heart pinching for these characters, whom I was constantly reminded are actual, real people. I’m told it’s a somewhat uneven ride over the entire series, but it’s refreshingly different, and worth a look, if you are able to manage without English subs. On the upside, the Mandarin is relatively simple.

2 episodes in, this feels like a potential A-.

You can find it on YouTube, in HD. Episode 1 is here.

Our Youth

This one has flown under the radar for a lot of folks, most probably because English subs aren’t available. Sobs. But if you can manage without subs, I really recommend this one. This is China’s take on Answer Me, 1988 – and it’s really well done. It’s not a remake per se, because you don’t find similarities character for character across the shows, but it’s definitely got the AM1988 vibe, with neighborhood friends who’ve known one another for forever, families who feed one another and share a strong sense of community, plus crushes blooming in various corners of our neighborhood. This also feels authentic to the times; a great peek into what China was like, in the 80’s.

40 episodes sounds long, but if you add up the screen time, it’s literally about the same length as AM1988.

6 episodes in, this feels like a solid A.

You can find it on YouTube, in HD. Episode 1 is here.

When We Were Young 2018

A nostalgic, warm, slice-of-life, coming-of-age little drama that legit feels like a younger, slightly less polished cousin to 2017’s well-loved A Love So Beautiful. I wish I found our female lead a little more immediately endearing, but overall, these characters are really growing on me. Also, things get suitably amped up once all the burgeoning crushes, hormones and feeelings come into play. This isn’t crack for me (yet?), but I do look forward to each episode.

8 episodes in, this feels like a potential B+.

2018/2019 SHOWS STILL ON MY LIST

KOREA

Memories of the Alhambra There is so much hype over this one, that I feel like I need to see what the fuss is about, for myself. I’ve also heard this one is compelling and twisty, so I’m saving up for a bit of a marathon – just in case I get super sucked in.

Top Star Yoo Baek Kim Ji Suk playing a vain egotistical top star, who needs to suck it up in the countryside where no one cares who he is? Snerk. This sounds potentially hilarious and heartwarming.

Children of Nobody (Red Moon, Blue Sun) So many people are raving about this one that I think I need to check it out, even though I’m not usually one for mystery-thrillers.

My Strange Hero I have a big ol’ soft spot for Yoo Seung Ho, so I feel like I need to check this out, even though I’m rather bemused at this show’s premise.

Dance Sports Girls This high-school drama about dance dreams sounds like just my kind of show. I’m saving this for when I finish the current youth dramas on my plate.

Dae Jang Geum is Watching I’m told this has a similar vibe to the Let’s Eat dramas, with quirky characters loving and eating food. I’m intrigued. And hopeful.

Twelve Nights Several of you have mentioned that this one feels quite special, so I’m duly curious to check it out, especially now that it’s pretty much at the end of its run.

CHINA

Suddenly This Summer Coming-of-age, slice-of-life drama, well-acted, and with lashings of nostalgia, to boot? This sounds right up my drama street. Plus, the whispers that this one is under-appreciated just makes me want to root for the underdog.

Like a Flowing River This one is reportedly the top Chinese drama on TV and online at the moment. Color me duly curious. I took a tiny peek at episode 1, and this does look like a quality production. Plus, it’s available on YouTube, in HD, with subs! Whoop!

The Story of Minglan I am intimidated by Show’s 76 episodes, for sure. I usually stay far away from period shows above the 60-episode mark. But.. this comes from the makers of the absolutely amazing Nirvana in Fire, so I think I need to give it a toe-dip, at least.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Woof. That was a lot of dramas. I’m not even sure how I managed to check out so many shows this year. I just did a count, and I talked about – gasp! – 45 dramas in this post! That’s not bad at all, considering that I had fewer drama hours to spend over the several months that I was moving house earlier in the year, and that I also went through a bit of a drama rut for a month.

I’ve heard some folks remark that 2018 was a meh drama year for them, but I personally felt like I had a very solid drama year, all things considered. Not only did I find 6 dramas that I felt were solid As that I loved, I also enjoyed a good number of other ones very well, too. Yes, there were duds, but I feel the good outweighed the bad, and I didn’t finish too many of the stinkers.

Thanks for sticking with me through another year, you guys. Your company makes the journey so much more fun and meaningful. Here’s to another great drama year for us all, in 2019.