Patreon Year End Awards: Sean’s Year In Dramas!

Hey everyone!

We’re having guest posts from the lovely folks on Patreon, to help us take stock of our drama years, kinda-sorta like what we had last year, woot! 🥳

We’ll be seeing about 2 guest posts per week, and this will unfold into January 2023, and that’s perfectly ok. AND, my annual year-in-review, which usually comes out in December, will also come out in January (or thereabouts 😅), after all the guest posts have been published.

If you missed our earlier posts, you can check them out as follows: phl1rxd, j3ffc, Uyen.

Today, I’m pleased to announce that Sean is sharing his drama year!

As many of you may already know, Sean is a master at magically squeezing in a literal TON of dramas into his already packed schedule. I don’t know how he does it, but I am always in awe of the number of dramas he manages to watch, every year. 🤩

Sean also writes about management and leadership on his own blog, which you can visit here.

I hope you guys enjoy!

KFG ❤️

A Little Bit About Me 😊

I opened the portal to the world of Kdramas during 2016. As I entered this enticing realm of drama possibilities, I stumbled across thefangirlverdict. After reading a number of reviews, I knew I was on the path to something fabulous.

The types of dramas I enjoy are varied. I like a romcom as much as a like a thriller or political sageuk. The show can be heavy or light. I will always be up for a show that embraces the zero to hero, a contract marriage, a lonesome bodyguard, or a beleaguered spy.

Of course, I haven’t stopped at Kdramas, there are Cdramas, JoDoramas, Tdramas, HKdramas, Thai dramas, Pdramas and dramas from Singapore.

Now for the thundering drum roll across the drama universe as I reveal my awards for 2022:

The Top Three

This year has ended up being a belter of a viewing year. As Kdramas waned, Cdramas came to the fore. Then, Kdramas came back with a vengeance. My top three contains one Kdrama and two Cdramas. Please read on. 😊

Number Three – Reset

Rita was so right when she convinced me to watch a show in which I had my finger over the press play button, trying to decide whether to watch it or not.

This show was a sci-fi delight for me. The moment I watched the opening titles, I was drawn in.

Throughout my watch, I couldn’t fault the “ground hog day” moments as each story strand unfolded after a reset. Then there was the OTP. How great were they!

Number Two – Love Like The Galaxy

So, phl1rxd was on a roll when she suggested I should take a look at Love Like The Galaxy. Even my wife was taken with this show.

As I did with The Silent Sea last year, I finished watching Galaxy without her – not the smartest move on my part, but I did have my viewing schedule to stick to. 😁😁😁

Here we had a show where both leads cut through the shenanigans of the imperial court and arranged marriages. We had some wonderful humour, some darker moments, heroics galore, a stoic love, warrior parents and a grandmother who was utterly delightful.

In terms of Chen Shaoshang’s ability to construct and make things, show never addressed how she had such a talent due to time travel censorship.

In the novel, she is a well educated, troublesome young woman living with her grandmother in modern times who somehow ends up in Shaoshang’s body.

On another note of interest, the author also wrote The Story of Ming Lan.

Number One – Under The Queens Umbrella

I mentioned roughly, over on Patreon, the umbrella is an emblem of protection, power and dignity. And didn’t we see this played out in spades by Queen Im.

Show has it all: power plays, a wily king, clever and powerful adversaries, a range of romantic happenings, humour, drop kick sons, some heartfelt moments, the most amazing queen of all time and mother to boot.

My further observations were:

“Without doubt, UTQU is going to redefine Sageuks. It’s just a wow for me on every front. The attention to detail re the buildings, the costumes. We are also getting more of an insight in how the Queen does queenie stuff too. Fabulous 😊”

“Honestly, KFG – Queen Im has entered the pantheon that is the list of the great drama and literary creations. And, re her scenes with the Queen Dowager. Let’s face it, Kim Hae Sook is without peer here too. I relish their confrontations.”

“As for Mama Bear, Goldilocks wouldn’t even tempt fate with Queen Im. 😂🤣😂”

In terms of those shows that could have been in the Top Three, this included: Extraordinary Attorney Woo, From Now On, It’s Showtime and Glitch.

The next three down are: One Dollar Lawyer, Bad Prosecutor and First Love: Hatsukoi.

If you want to know about the show that nearly tipped all of the above from my list, see my award for the hidden gem.

Best Actor

Kim Hye Soo was sensational this year as the magnanimous queen, the exasperated (but loving) mum and canny daughter-in-law.

As a result, Queen Im for me has become one of the great drama characters.

It was as if the role of Queen Im was written for her. In many ways, our indefatigable queen is the role of a life time.

Hye Soo played her with such depth, unending energy (all that running about) and compassion. She was wholeheartedly believable and left no doubt that Queen Im would have been a formidable monarch in her own right.

However, I do have a special mention for Park Eun Bin. Her performance as Attorney Woo was as beautiful as it was heartfelt. She has been acting since she was a little girl, and I think, has well and truly come into her own as an actor capable of a wide range of performances.

Then there is Zhao Lu Si (Lucy). This has been a monster of a year for her and at 23, she is showing what a tour de force she will be in the years ahead.

Best OTP

Ah!, what more can I say, the couple from Be My Princess was superb!

Their love story in the ancient Chinese drama part was breathtaking. In fact, I would have been extremely happy for the show to stay with this storyline instead of what happens when the production is finished.

However, this show overall is a mini triumph and deserves some viewing appreciation.

Best Supporting Actor

Straight up my best supporting actor is Kim Hae Sook, also known as the National Mother. The number of acting awards she holds, breathtaking.

As the Dowager Queen in Under The Queens Umbrella, she gave a performance full of menace, ruthlessness and admirable gloating.

[SPOILER] My favourite moment was when she feigned sickness to try and get her son’s sympathy. It was then I knew she would do anything within her power to be number 1. [END SPOILER]

I don’t think anyone could have played the Dowager better. Queen Im was deserving of such an adversary. Here they are together preparing for an interview:

The Razzie Award

Oh boy😱 There’s been more than just a few razzies this year.

However, the standout 😂🤣😂 for me was Forecasting Love and Weather. I struggled to finish the first episode.

My notes on this one were quite to the point: “It wasn’t engaging and the male leads annoyed me!”

Apart from this, I was bemused by the whole forecasting weather office setup and internal staff politics.

Writer-Nim spent 12 months living and breathing what happens in what we call over here The Bureau of Meteorology, but for my mind, show missed the mark.

I know it’s only a drama, but in terms of what I do in life, I attend weather briefings with the meteorologists for the coming year where we look at the weather patterns and so on.

Despite the improvements in technology and the depth of knowledge we now have with changing weather patterns, blaming a meteorologist for getting it wrong is pure lunacy – oh, yeah, that’s right it’s kdramaland. 😁

It also meant that as a result, I gave Love in Contract a wide berth. I’m just hoping Park Min Young’s future drama choices get back on track.

My Special Awards 🎉🎊🍾

I have a range of special awards this year with some fine winners throughout. They are:

Hidden Gem

My hidden gem is Be My Princess.

The use of filming an ancient Chinese drama as the faux mechanism regarding a time travel story was awesome.

We have actors filming this wonderful romantic story set in ancient times while their romance also unfolds in present day. It’s two romances for the price of one, with some of the best backdrops and scenes to be found in any show.

Then there is the best scene of any drama regarding a male lead desperately trying to get back to his princess.

The imagery of Jeremy on horseback, breaking back through into the city is a triumph and a big thank you to phl1rxd for inserting such an image in one of my comments somewhere on The Verdict.

Musical Escapades

The OST from Be My Princess does the trick. In particular, JiJi’s Love Will Find A Way has a great hook and something I like to play along to:

Super Tanker

Let’s face it, there were so many shows this year that had an awesome start and then tanked in stunning fashion: the swan dive pirouette into oblivion.

There was Doctor Lawyer, Kiss Sixth Sense, and It’s Beautiful Now (This show for the first 16 episodes was fabulous).

And the winner is:

Kiss Sixth Sense

The whole premise was fabulous. The OTP – Ay caramba. Then, it happened. The story became classic Kdrama “let’s put everything in the way of the happy couple.” Some of you might like this, but for me when this happens, I start reaching for the fast forward button. 😢😢😢

I suppose I could mention Love Is For Suckers, but I won’t. 😉

The Backlog

There were a number of shows I watched during 2022 that were from previous years. This included: DP, Rainless Love in a Godless Land and Ancient Detective.

DP was quite good. It certainly treated the subject matter with respect and with a ring of truth. As much as many viewers enjoyed Ancient Detective, I found it didn’t live up to the hype. The execution of the story was lacking for me. However, the concept was awesome.

The winner of the Backlog Award though is: Rainless Love in a Godless Land.

This Taiwanese show is a triumph on so many fronts: the concept, the respecting of local mythology and language and awesome characterisation with acting to match. In fact, some bloggers even dedicated travel posts to the story’s location.

The music was also awesome – so much so, I enjoy playing Shi Shi’s Never Ending Rain on the guitar.

The Best Short

Cdramas now come in a range of 2, 3, 5, 8 and 10 minute episodes. We even get 15 minute episodic (morning) shows from Japan.

The best short this year is Female CEO Love Me.

This was cute, tropey and lots of fun and consisted of 12 x 8 minute episodes. The OTP have been in other dramas together, so some very solid fan service was going on.

The Best Post (Or the Kfangurl Post I Enjoyed the Most)

I am always amazed by Kfangurl’s ability to pull together such amazing reviews and the way she accommodates her readers is second to none.

The gong for best post by Kfangurl for 2022 goes to Love Like The Galaxy. Not only was this post by her epic in its construct and delivery, it was a homage to how much Cdramas are changing. 🤗🤗🤗

[Aw, shucks, thank you Sean! ❤️ I never imagined there’d be special award for lil ol’ me, in the year-end drama awards! Excuse me while I implode a little bit, from the feels. 🥹🥰😅 ~KFG]

The Year Ahead

As I turn my attention to the year ahead, I am making my way through She and Her Perfect Husband. Unlike so many other Cdramas where I have given up on at the halfway point, this Yang Mi vehicle is doing the trick. The cast is superb.

There are many promising offerings for next year.

Those shows I have my eye on are: Gyeongseong (Seoul) Creature, The Worst Evil, Chicken Nugget (lol), and Ask The Stars – this is right up my alley for a whole range of reasons!

And yes, I am watching Alchemy of Souls 2.

And with that, wishing you all a very Happy New Year and see you around here and on Patreon too.

~Sean

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Leslie
Leslie
10 months ago

There are so many overlaps in our favorites, Sean, and I was feeling all sorts of seen… and then you supertanked It’s Beautiful Now, and I felt all sorts of deflated. 😞 (Or was that outraged? 🤔😂) For some reason, that show got under my skin, even though it is the most soap opera-ish of the kdramas I’ve watched (usually not a compliment.) Oh, well. We’ll always have Reset and Love Like the Galaxy to swoon over.

Under the Queen’s Umbrella is next up on my docket, and I’ve just added Be My Princess. Thanks for a great year-in-review, Sean.

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
10 months ago
Reply to  Leslie

Leslie, I’m glad you liked the review and we had so many overlaps 😊

I wanted so much for It’s Beautiful Now to be a mini triumph. Those early episodes were delightful. I tried everything to keep the supertanker at bay 😂

I enjoy at least one 50 episode Kdrama a year. So, I always earnestly look for one that I can get my teeth into. If you haven’t seen it, Marry Me Now, is worth a look.

Reset and Love Like the Galaxy are gems for the ages 😊😊😊

I think you will enjoy Under the Queen’s Umbrella very much. It has something for everybody 😉

kate
kate
10 months ago

Sean I am laughing so much reading your post 😀

Especially the “super tanker” category may be my new favorite 😛 “swan dive pirouette into oblivion” 😀 😀 😀

“Be My Princess” is the show where I was at the other end of the spectrum as everyone else on the blog. It did not work for me at all. Iirc I ended up only watching the final episode (on JJ’s recommendation) after dropping it halfway through. I am glad it had a good resolution of the two arcs and am especially happy for everyone who loved this show that they managed to stick the landing.

Your enthusiastic endorsement of UTQU makes me really want to start this. Bestie signaled she is on board, so I may start this in a couple of weeks. I love the FL (I saw her in Signal and the lawyer/ corruption drama with Ju Ji Hoon, the name escapes me right now) and love the actress who plays grandma (from StartUp and Tomorrow).

As Natalia would say, I hate-watched “Love is for Suckers” til the end but really wish I had dropped it/ never started it. Enough said.

Edited to add: You just blew my mind with that tidbit about Shaoshang in the book (I didn’t even know this was based on a book, I am so oblivious) being from the future. That is an angle I would have loved. It also explains a lot of her being so much more “relatable” to me as a (female) viewer. Even though I did not love LLTG as much as everyone else, I still appreciated it from beginning to end and Shaoshang was one of my favorite female characters in 2022 and solidified Lusi as my favorite Cdrama actress to date.

Last edited 10 months ago by kate
seankfletcher
seankfletcher
10 months ago
Reply to  kate

I’m glad you found the post amusing, Kate 😊

I can appreciate what you are saying re Be My Princess. I was like that with Soundtrack #1. Everyone was (is) so enthusiastic about it, by the time I got to watch it I found show didn’t do anything for me at all.

I hope you and your bestie do enjoy UTQU. There are so many dimensions to this show. The level of humanity it has is quite refreshing.

2022 was a big year for Lusi. I don’t know how she and the other actresses so as Yang Mi and Tan Song Yun do it all. They make shows one after another and then are endlessly promoting and appearing at fan meets and participating in variety shows non stop.

There are some excellent blogs out there re Shaoshang, what it means and how it fits in the whole cosmic dynamic. Phl is the one who is really good at tracking down the books on shows. LLTG is no exception.

My three favourite CDramas at the moment all happen to be on the same official drama channel – Huace TV. So, it makes it easy to go from one to the other as episodes are released. The Chinese have discovered the power of YouTube channels 🤗🤗🤗

Ele Nash
11 months ago

Ooh, Be My Princess sounds right up my street! Thanks for flagging it. And, yay, giving our kfangurl a well-deserved award too 😄 Her brilliant review of Love Like the Galaxy manged to simultaneously satisfy my thirst for General Ling and NiaoNaio while making me desperate to watch their gorgeous, if a tad tumultuous, love story all over again! Ah, such a great show 😍😍😍 It totally deserved the epic review 😍😍😍

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
10 months ago
Reply to  Ele Nash

I think you will enjoy Be My Princess very much, Ele. KFG is deserving of many awards. I’m sure many others will come her way 😊😊😊

Princess Jasmine
Princess Jasmine
11 months ago

Thanks for writing in Sean. I must confess that I haven’t watched anything on this list yet. Either I am living under the rock or I seriously need to overhaul my drama watching list 😢. (The only 2022 dramas I watched are 2521 and Little Women)
But what I have done is this (based on the amazing review by FGV and you putting it at No.1): From ignoring UTQU to moving this drama to my Feb 2023 watch (I might even start earlier) 👍.
btw – I am genuinely curious on the Singapore dramas – do you really watch them and which ones are you referring to. I haven’t watched any yet but my husband watches them quite diligently at times which I found it very weird. But now that you have mentioned I am really curious. Thanks.

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
10 months ago

Thank you, Princess Jasmine 😊 Stick to your drama watching list. You need to do what works for you. I’m glad you are now going to watch UTQU, though. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

In terms of Singaporean dramas, Last Madame (Netflix) is very, very good. Also, I was on a roll with Titoudao – done very well. Several months ago, I enjoyed an undercover police drug drama called Unriddle (two seasons) that’s very good. It’s 9-10 years old now.
I was in the process of having Singaporean dramas listed on MDL when life interrupted, which I will get back to eventually.

Princess Jasmine
Princess Jasmine
10 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

Dear Sean – Sincere apologies for the late reply. And many thanks for the recommendations. I looked up on Last Madame and Titoudao and both sounded like amazing dramas. Made a note. Unriddle would be something that might not appeal to me as I know a bit more on police drugs etc as an ex-law student here in Singapore.
Just sharing a related fun trivia – My Buddhist Center is located in one of those alleys in Singapore which in the 1930s-1940s served as thriving brothel places. I am guessing this could be the place that Last Madame is referring to as well. Of course now the whole alleys are replaced with hip-cafes and restaurants. But at times in the late evening when I walk down those paths after class, I used to wonder what an odd place to meditate and learn Buddhism. Strange World 🙂

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
10 months ago

Hello Princess Jasmine, I’m currently binge watching The Oath, a Singaporean medical drama. After about four episodes, I felt it was very familiar. I then realised I had watched it previously. Anyway, I’m enjoying it so much, I have kept watching. This is unusual for me.

Thank you for sharing your fun trivia. Urban renewal turns up these strange, yet interesting facts all the time re the past, present and what will be the future. Our former main maximum security prison (which an historic family member of mine managed over 130 years ago) is now a place for ghost/torchlight tours, trips through the underground manmade caverns and a key venue for concerts!

Alaskan
Alaskan
11 months ago

Your top three dramas are identical to my top three!
You have excellent taste, ha ha.

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  Alaskan

How fabulous is that re having the identical top three, Alaskan 😊😊😊 I thought 2022 was a very good drama year overall. It will be interesting to see what KFG comes up with in her end of year review 😉

uyen
11 months ago

Excellent post, Sean!! I have yet to see Reset and Be My Princess, but they are on my list. Ditto with Rainless Love In a Godless Land — I’m very interested in the indigenous mythology. Having not seen many cdramas, I’m always interested on your and other folks’ takes on how the dramas have shifted over the years. It really did feel like you said this year it was a kdrama – cdrama – kdrama year (for me the jdramas also slid in!).

Kim Hye Soo was my honorable mention for fav actress of the year 🙂 Her and Kim Hae Sook’s scenes in Queen’s Umbrella were totally *munching on popcorn while glued to the screen* material.

I am also looking forward to Gyeongseong Creature with that storyline and cast (I imagine the costumes are going to be great with the ’40s style).

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  uyen

Greetings again, Uyen and thank you for your very kind words. I think, we are seeing that change in CDramas coming through where they are a bit more uplifting. By that I mean, the characters are more positive, not always full of cranky male leads, and the endings are more hopeful. I’m watching Hi Venus at the moment and grinning from ear to ear with each episode.

There is one show you must watch at some point and that is Love Destiny. It’s a Thai drama, but historically very accurate and culturally too. It is an amazing show. The sequel in the form of a movie has just come on to Netflix. It also makes you wonder why they can’t produce more shows at that level, but every now and then a good one gets through 😂🤣😂

As it turns out, I watched six Jdorama’s in 2022, including First Love: Hatsukoi of course.

Yes, yes, yes – the munching on pop corn watching those two is such an apt description. I just loved how their facial expressions changed each time one of them had the upper hand, only to see the advantage slip away – purely golden moments.

Here’s to Gyeongseong Creature, the atmosphere is going to be awesome 😎😎😎

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
11 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

Sean – I am laughing as there must be a few pages of dramas with Love Destiny as its title. Can I please have a year made? That would help me pinpoint the one you are referring to (please say it is the 2018 archeologist one).

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  phl1rxd

Phl – yes it is the 2018 archaeologist one – Bpoop Phaeh Saniwaat 😂🤣😂 Both Bella and Pope are outstanding in this show. As I was watching, there were key historical moments and characters that rang a bell. So, there I was cross referencing everything as it unfolded for the rest of the show. The government at the time even made it a requirement for it to be shown in Thai prisons, as a means to educate local prisoners on a key moment in their history.

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
11 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

Thanks Sean – it will be my first Thai drama. Thanks!

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  phl1rxd

😊😊😊

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
11 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

I am also watching Hi Venus and it is a delight. Nine episodes in and binging my way through. It is a nice surprise.

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  phl1rxd

Yes, I couldn’t help myself, phl – I binged 11 episodes straight, before I ran out of episodes. I just love the whole dynamic of this show – it’s like a breath of fresh air.

Then in contrast, Flight to You popped up, so I started watching that. I didn’t think Wang Kai could be anymore cranky than he was in When A Snail Falls in Love, but he is! I must say though, Tan Song Yun is turning in her best performance since The Sword And The Brocade.

LaVieEstBelle22
LaVieEstBelle22
11 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

I liked 7 in go ahead too

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
10 months ago

The ML has the silliest plans to get her attention, but somehow she puts up with it 😂

j3ffc
j3ffc
11 months ago

Sean, fantastic and enjoyable post (surprised? nah!). Very little overlap between your top shows and anything I’ve seen, but I’m in contractual talks with the Time Lord to somehow add Reset, Umbrella, and LLTG to my drama itinerary. Maybe I can start with Female CEO Love Me and go from there….

I love that you play guitar along with OST tunes you like! Spurred on by Someday or One Day, I checked out a little Shi Shi – she’s fantastic (although I prefer her guitar based stuff to the more techno things). And, sorry to be nosy, what sort of guitar is that? I can’t read the headstock.

Thanks for sharing today and looking forward to hearing more from you starting in 2023 (as in, pretty much, now)! Happy new year!

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
11 months ago
Reply to  j3ffc

– I cracked right up over the term Time Lord…

uyen
11 months ago
Reply to  j3ffc

, can we make this a group claim? I’d also like a word with the Time Lord 😂

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  uyen

Perhaps my Tardis (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space) can help 😂🤣😂 Here is a photo of the model used by Doctor Who I have on display…

AB73C2CC-5B7D-4D90-803C-389E02D673D9.jpeg
seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  j3ffc

My eyes are watering j3ffc 😂🤣😂 And, thank you for your generous comments.

Speaking of Time Lords – My daughter for my Christmas present arranged a personalised video message from Sylvester McCoy, the seventh doctor from Doctor Who (he reprised his role a couple of months ago in ep 300, which was Jodie Whittaker’s last as the 13th doctor). I was totally blown away.

That particular guitar is a Maton, an Aussie made guitar. It has a fine reputation as perhaps, the most reliable playing guitar over here. You can’t get hold of it now. I also played it in a live gig with my great band mate Tony, the weekend before Christmas, at a seafood restaurant on the Swan River. It looks like we will be playing there throughout 2023. For the record, Tommy Emmanuel plays a Maton – he is one of the all time greats. I wouldn’t mind even having as much as a pinky fingernail of his talent – just awesome 🎸😎🎸

Good luck with your contractual talks – when you do get to those three shows, I’m positive you will relish them 😉

A very Happy New Year to you and I look forward to your wonderful thoughts during 2023 🥳🥂🍾🎇

j3ffc
j3ffc
11 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

Sean, wow, that’s a fantastic Christmas present! Yes, if you could put in a word with the Time Lord, that would be great insofar as he has not yet responded to any of my texts.

Thanks for the info on the guitar. This seems like the perfect use of a brand spanking new Patreon Water Cooler thread, so I’ll post a little more guitar stuff over there.

And one more happy new year to all….

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  j3ffc

J3ffc – texts can get lost in wormholes very easily. Here’s to the new Water Cooler thread…”excellent” 😉

Natalia
Natalia
11 months ago

Reset and Love like the Galaxy are the two shows that definitely won me over to Cdramas, after years of failed attempts with men in long white wigs flying around (no offense to those that appreciate Chinese fantasy shows!).
Be my Princess seems to get a lot of love from all of you so far, so I’ll just put it on the top of my watch list!
Thanks for all the tips, and Happy New Year!

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  Natalia

Lol, Natalia re “men in long white wigs flying around.” I tend to agree. That’s why Zhao Lu Si in Who Rules the World, makes such an awesome change. It’s her flying around instead displaying some awesome martial skills to boot.

Be My Princess is very special and is worth an initial look. It is a magical show 😊

A very Happy New Year to you too 🥳🥳🥳

Elaine
Elaine
11 months ago

Thank you Sean for always being so generous with your time and thoughtful comments on this blog! I greatly enjoy your gentle, dry humour haha.

Great list of shows to chew on! I haven’t seen most of them but will correct that post-haste. Be My Princess and Love Like the Galaxy are on my list! About Reset – a greatly satisfying show, and I definitely agree the OTP was cracking! Really great acting and performances throughout, and movie-style directing too! It’s definitely on my Top 10 list this year!

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  Elaine

My absolute pleasure, Elaine 😊 I’m sure you will delight in Be My Princess and LLAG. I look forward to your thoughts along the way. Here’s to another successful viewing year! 🥳🥂🍾

anonymous
anonymous
11 months ago

Reset was really dope.
Also that picture of Kim Hye Soo in that black dress. What a beauty. She is twice my age but damn

Last edited 11 months ago by anonymous
seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  anonymous

Anonymous, I am reminded of this saying from the Comedy of Monsieur Thomas by noted Jacobean playwright John Fletcher:

”Oh, woman, perfect woman! what distraction Was meant to mankind when thou wast made a devil! What an inviting hell invented.”

😂🤣😂

anonymous
anonymous
11 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

Nonono not distraction, more like main attraction ^^

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  anonymous

In essence, that was what m.Thomas was saying 😉

anonymous
anonymous
11 months ago
Reply to  seankfletcher

Ah this is from 1639… thats why it makes no sense

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
11 months ago

Sean – Loved the top photo and it only needed Priscilla with a Santa hat on, sitting in the chair with her legs crossed and her arm around the guitar.

Love your Top Three and as I mentioned I have yet to watch Queen’s Umbrella but I will surely do so soon. I do keep getting diverted somehow.

You know I also love your second and third choices. These were unexpected CDramas. It is like they came out of the blue to knock our socks off. CDrama needs more of these. I sincerely hope Lovely L got to finish LLTG! I started on the book and will probably finish it when I get caught up. Author Guan Xin Ze Luan has a way to draw you into her novels so that you feel that you are a part of the story. She is a great writer.

From Now On It’s Showtime! I waited for these episodes every week and I really enjoyed this drama. You know me Sean, when they ring the shamanic bells I come running. That adorable trio made for lots of fun and games. I got lost in Glitch and could never find my way out. I loved First Love immensely. The rest I have put on my list.

Yes Sean – Taifu and Wei Wei! 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖The love was overwhelming. So glad you mentioned this one to me!

On the Razzies – Park Min Young needs a better drama and as quickly as possible please. She can carry a good drama and make it look easy.

Hidden Gem – Be My Princess. Yes Sean, it was a hidden little gem and I loved it so, so much. I loved the OST as well and even though they played Love Will Find a Way a lot during the drama, I never minded listening to it. So many great moment of tenderness and affection! TAIFU! 💖💖💖

Kiss Sixth Sense – I felt the same way that you did and was glad that even the dark side stopped posting the episodes as it made it much easier to drop it. It really had a ton of promise.

I am going to watch Female CEO Love Me after I am done typing this.

I am also watching She and Her Perfect Husband. I have to say up front I am not a big fan of Xu Kai, but he is just downright adorably endearing in this. Yang Mi is going to town with this role and I wish I had her ability to negotiate not only life, but all the challenges she meets. I had forgotten how very good looking Li Ze Feng is. so it is nice to see him on my screen along with Liu Lin, Ming Lan’s stepmother and consummate acting pro. I have to fess up – it took me a long time to realize who was playing the part of her older brother Wen Bin. I’m ashamed to admit it! Still watching and so far still really enjoying this. I have bonded with the turtles as they vibe with my 2023 motto “It is OK to Go Slow”. Turtle Power! 🐢🐢🐢

Future 2023 Picks: Ask The Stars is Sci-Fi so I have it marked to watch. The Worst Evil has a cast that demands that we watch, so that is on my to-watch list as well. Then Gyeongseong Creature – Park Seo Joon AND Wi Ha Joon? ‘Nuff said! All three of these are MUST watches. As for Chicken Nuggett, let us see if Kim Yoo Jung can make an impact on the script.

Fantastic EOY post Sean. As always, I thank you for all your mentions and recommendations over the years! It is much appreciated.

And on that note I have dug up my fave Taifu pic for your viewing delight…

TAIFU.jpg
Last edited 11 months ago by phl1rxd
seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  phl1rxd

I am doing a little happy dance right now, Phl. I can’t thank you enough for your comments – just awesome 🕺💃

Ah, now, a Christmassy photo in this post would have been good. I did take one as we did have some Christmas ornaments up just before Chrissy🎄

Priscilla is wearing my fez on top of a Santa hat right now. She tends to get a bit silly at New Year’s Eve 🐆💎🎅

I have no doubt you will delight in “Under The Queen’s Umbrella.” This show is multi-dimensional and multi-layered, but at the same time so beautifully focussed on its cast.

There is no doubt that “Reset” and LLAG have reset 😉 the bar for CDramas. I’m busily gearing up for what comes next. Of course, there was quite a bit of buzz around “Lighter and Princess,” which I enjoyed, but tanked for me during the last seven episodes. I hope you enjoy “Female CEO Love Me.” It’s pure fun.

Yes, author Guan Xin Ze Luan does draw you in. Her mind’s eye is very strong. I need to read a few more chapters myself 📚📚📚

With “From Now On, It’s Showtime,” I found myself eagerly awaiting the next episode🔮✨🪄I just loved the whole concept. In terms of “Glitch,” lololol … finally a classic send up of the genre. I kept thinking of “Dude Where’s My Car.” 👽👾🛸

Park Min Young is fabulous. Fingers crossed she is having a good rest now and has something in the works later next year. As for “Kiss Sixth Sense,” I have watched Seo Ji Hye in her last nine roles and she is such a stand out. I would just like to know what goes through the writers heads when they change things up the way they do 🤔😳🤷‍♂️

Those tortoises in “She and Her Perfect Husband” crack me up. They are never going to do what Xu Kai wants them to do. As for Yang Mi, she nails some wonderful scenes. There’s a scene round about ep 33/34 where she bats her eyelids at him and in the most pleasant voice says “no, I’m not angry, I’m really not,” and gracefully storms off, leaving him totally bewildered 😳 🐢🗯

Taifu and Wei Wei – will we ever see them together again? I hope so, in another drama, somewhere. Both have a busy time ahead and with what look like some very interesting dramas 🤩🤩🤩

Thank you for including this pic of Taifu. A big heroic thumbs up 😊😊😊 Have a wonderful New Year and I look forward to sharing many adventures with you next year 🥳🎇🎉🥂🍾

Trent
11 months ago

Sean — I loved it! Especially since I actually recognized, have even seen, most of your highlighted shows…even one of the C-dramas–a rarity for me!

Agree that Under the Queen’s Umbrella was a real winner, and the dual Kims (Hye-soo and Hae-sook) were pure nitro in a bottle, together and separately. What a fine show!

And I dropped Forecasting Weather after the first couple episodes… the ML was so off-putting; PMY’s main sin was dallying with such a jerk!

I too am keeping my eye out for Gyeongseong Creature; top-line cast and Netflix production budget demand no less. And the premise for Chicken Nugget sounds pretty crazy, but Kim Yoo-jung at least compels a look at the first episode or two to see what’s what…

Thanks for sharing, and here’s hoping for a fruitful 2023 drama year!

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  Trent

Cheers, Trent – thank you for loving what I wrote. I’m glad you were able to relate to most of my highlighted shows 😊

I would love to see the two Kims together again in another show. Perhaps working together to take down some chaebol conglomerate – phew, wouldn’t that be something 🎇🎇🎇

As for Forecasting Weather, yes, your assessment is spot on. In terms of where to next for PMY, she has to weather her own storm before she can come up trumps again. Hopefully, she can have more input in her future drama choices.

I think Netflix is turning the corner with what it is getting behind. Afterall, Disney+ (there, I had to say it 😂🤣) and Prime are putting the pressure on now.

A fruitful viewing year to you ahead, Trent and a very Happy New Year 🥳🎉🥳

JJ
JJ
11 months ago

Mr. Fletcher! Well done, Sir! Another fine post from you even if I am completely shocked you had to be talked into Reset! Way to go for phl1rxd for saving the day for you!

TAIFU!!!!!!

Rainless was just superb wasnt it?! What a story. So gripping and told so well. I loved how they included the indigenous folklore. Such a great experience from that Show with your added notes!

I guess you do that once a year, eh? Leaving wifey behind on a Show?! Will you ever learn?!?! 🤭😂

I hope you mean you are watching and loving Alchemy of Souls Pt. 2. Ill hear nothing less, thank you very much 🦄

I still have to get to Queen’s Umbrella as I love both FL’s with a passion! Seeing that you loved and had us all watch Red Sleeve, I am looking much forward to QU!

None of us know how you manage your drama viewing schedule along with your life and work. Amazing! And we all benefit it from it when you pop over on the Deep Dive to give us your current viewing schedule with suggestions for us to watch.

Couldnt be happier First Love: Hatsukoi gets a nod from you ❤️

Enjoy your next batch of 1,000 episodes as your strum along with your guitar 🙂

seankfletcher
seankfletcher
11 months ago
Reply to  JJ

Thank you ever so much, JJ 😊

Um, leaving wifey behind on watching a show happens a little bit more than that. However, she is happy to be brought up to speed – mostly 😂🤣

I think with Reset, I just needed the impetus to get underway and of course phl made that happen 😊😊

Go Taifu 😎😎😎 What more can be said. Some of those scenes I hung on to and didn’t want them to end.

Rainless, for me, is in a class all on its own. It defies being categorised. I found the same with Stranger (Secret Forest) 1 and 2.

I am enjoying AoS Part 2 very much. In fact, I think it is better than Part 1 so far. The Hong Sisters are well and truly back in drama heaven, where they belong.

With QU, I’m sure you will devour it, JJ. In many ways, it is very different, but also has those kdrama anchor-points.

Wishing you are fabulous and very happy New Year 🥳🥳🥳