Drama Watchlist of 2024

What I Liked: Very heartwarming. Coming from Till the End of the Moon, I needed a light romance with comedy to lift my spirits and LIS did exactly that. I loved the chemistry between the leads and their journey to becoming a couple. 

What I Disliked: While I do love when dramas have a good number of episodes, LIS didn't need 36. While I've seen draggy-er dramas, I feel like this one could've easily been wrapped up in 25 episodes or atleast at episode 30 where all of the main conflict is resolved for the most part. 

Recommend?: ✅

What I Liked: Growth of the FL in terms of prowess, maturity and chemistry with the ML. 

What I Disliked: The villains. Too obvious, not fleshed out or gone too soon and then brought back for an unnecessary "shock" factor, which makes me wonder if they were even needed at all.  The story is also very predictable and some characters that were meant to be important were not fully developed or rushed to complete the story.  Those last few episodes as well.. were a piece of work. 

Recommend: ❌

What I Liked: The shining light of this show was the family aspect. I loved quanquan and what he brought to the story. 

What I Disliked: The insane amount of miscommunication and draggyness of the plot. I didn't love the FL, I wanted her to grow in maturity and it felt like majority of the time I couldn't agree with her actions. Once the main drama was resolved, it felt like more obstacles were being thrown in to prolong the story where it wasn't necessary. 

Recommend: ❌

What I Liked: 

• AJTY is very purposeful in what is shown to viewers episode by episode. I enjoyed unraveling the mysteries behind character's actions before they were revealed and I loved that there were moments in the show that I couldn't have imagined or guessed would happen. 
• AJTY portrays chemistry well, I was particularly more interested in the secondary couple.  The characters in this show feel fleshed out and well written. I like the challenging aspect that I felt when trying to dechiper if some characters (i.e. Shangguan and Shang Jue) were playing a game/not following for each other or if they were truly moved by each others actions despite the fact that Shangguan has a mission and Shang Jue is skeptical of those around him.  
• AJTY made me think in more ways than one and I can appreciate unique storytelling when I see it. 

What I Disliked: 

• Gong Zi Shang. I feel like this character was meant to be the comedic relief of the show but it's very exaggerated comedic relief that I seldom found entertaining. I think I could've dealt away from this and instead kept the shows focus on developing pivotal characters, relationships and the history behind Wufeng and the Gong Family.

• The pacing was extremely slow. 

• The ending. End the show at 42:27 to avoid cliffhangers. 

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked: I loved the female empowerment. The three female lleads stuck with each other and even when their sisterhood was challenged, they always found their way back to each other.  I found myself in awe of Pan'er's confidence, bravery and intelligence as she navigated through the series as a proud businesswoman of the Song era. 

The cinemetography was also absolutely beautiful. 

What I Disliked: The plot is slow which I expected but there is immense dragging in the middle of the story that I didn't love. 

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked: 

•  The show brought me the feels in every way possible. I didn’t think I’d be interested in the world of billiards but it was exciting watching Yin Guo competitive fire when playing in the sport and Lin Yiyang reignite his spark and love in the sport through Yin Guo. As we watch Yin Guo and Yiyang get to know each other over the course of episodes, I found the romance to be adorable. I felt so much chemistry watching these two together and the pairing felt natural.
• In the later half of the series, I liked seeing Yiyang finally face his past and reunite with his friends — i felt emotional as the character was able to overcome that sense of pride to progress in his maturity.
• There are zero love rivals (that had a serious chance) or annoying side characters that disrupt the flow of the show.  
• The cinematography + location was beautiful and added a different layer to the story

What I Disliked: 

• The pacing is quite faster than i expected with getting the leads together. Usually I’m happy to avoid a slowburn romance but given that the show is 30 episodes, it does feel like the story/plot was not enough to keep up for the faster paced romance. By this, i mean that while I was interested in Yiyang’s past and the romance, the show in between revealing this felt very slow and a less engaging watch.
• This drama features an attraction at first sight and feelings progress rather quickly between the two as discussed above. Even as I completed this drama, I still wonder what attracted him to Yin Guo (before even speaking to her he was insta attracted) out of all women in the show. 
• Leo Wu felt a bit stiff in his portrayal of the ML

Recommend:✅

What I Liked: 

• Chemistry is fire. 
• One of the satisfying endings -- which granted after the ride we watched, we deserved it.
• Strong female lead

What I Disliked: 

• Horribly written characters -- especially the King! The king is insufferable, the main villain/second male lead is tedious and the conflict between the main couple is frequent and unrelenting. The villains and the conflict in the story do not show us anything we haven't seen before and it's repetitive throughout the story. 
• There are many episodes (that should’ve been downsized) where the ML has so much intelligence and prowess and yet we still have the airhead king, the ML’s scheming brothers, the second female lead and second male lead that he continuously falls victim to. Not to mention the endless amount of conflict and bickering between the leads for small reasons. 
• There would be moments where one episode would be “let’s forget who we are and have a great day” and the next episode problems will continue to make a breakthrough.

Recommend: Undecided. If you're used to endless amount of tropes, nonsense and repetitive conflicts -- you may be able to sit through this and still enjoy the gem of romance we were allowed to see. This was a hard watch for me and I wish the conflicts, villains and story showed me something different. The saving grace was the acting of our leads and the romance/chemistry they shared telling the story. 

What I Liked: 

• I liked seeing Feng Xin/A’Yin grow through her tribulations.  It is very rewarding that have watched such a likable character that has struggled for 20+ episodes and have them be such a powerful force of nature that can back up her already strong willed personality.
• I also liked the friendship and bonds A’Yin was able to make across the eagle and demon clans. Their banter and journey together made the watch very enjoyable.
• Additionally, although lacking in power, I love that our ML is kind to those who deserve it rather than being the typical stern/brooding/aloof type of character.
• Lastly, the acting from our leads is something I looked forward to in every episode. The script may not be my absolute favorite but every-time our ML felt sad or wronged, as a viewer I could feel it and I felt sad too. The same can be said for our lead, Zhao Lu Si. Her performances get better and better with every drama. The chemistry was great, I wish there were even more scenes to flaunt it.

What I Disliked: 

• TLI falls into the same predictable elements that many xianxia genre dramas hold. This could be a good or a bad thing to a viewer but I for one, love when a drama goes against the typical tropes and makes me think.
• Falls short in terms of intelligent characters and interesting villains.
• CGI wasn’t the best. Felt very weak in many important moments.
• The ending for the main couple could've been better. 

Recommend: ✅ (I'm a bit more forgiving of the drama's flaws when weighing the pros + cons)

What I Liked: 

• This youthfulness that is this drama was a serotonin booster. I felt waves of motivation and happiness when watching that made for an enjoyable watch of the team and their friendship.
• I love how charismatic the FL is. I started the drama on a whim and it certainly cheered me up with many of the elements i enjoy.
• The leads relationship were so cute & fluffy.
• I actually belly laughed while watching this drama multiple times. I can say that it was truly a breath of fresh air despite its flaws.

What I Disliked: 

• The emphasis every episode that the accidents are a coincidence until the later end (15-16) of the show. It’s clearly not a coincidence if accidents keep occurring to the same people and I wanted our characters to wisen up. There was always curiosity of the latter but no action until it was too late.
• The villain. The motivation was a weak plot point. I didn’t foresee this drama even having a villain or mystery plot that was shown but the villain didn’t have a strong enough motivation to convince me on why they would target the FL and other women for example and not other team members that also had feelings for others in the squad.
• The romance was very cute between the leads but I wished they fleshed the ML out a bit more. It was also harder to ship the SML with the amount of obsession he showed over Hae Yi. The other characters of the drama although their romance is hinted, it felt rushed (with exception to Hae Yi’s best friend and Min Jae which I saw coming).

Recommend: ✅ (an overall fun drama to watch with a good blend comedy, romance & mystery.)

What I Liked: 

• The level of friendship and camaraderie amongst the firefighter team and medical team. Both leads have lost their bio family’s so it was nice to see them develop that bond in other ways.
• Chemistry + acting between the leads was perfect, I enjoyed watching them onscreen.
• There were many moments of the drama that felt real, heartwarming and touching.
• The comedy was a nice touch as well considering that the drama can be serious at many moments.

What I Disliked: 

• The amount of timidness in the female lead went on far longer than my patience would allow and the progression is painfully slow. Its pretty frustrating to watch a character for several episodes be so wishy washy with their feelings. I can empathize with how hard it can be to stand up for yourself but to have the character’s personality be so back & forth thus hurting the male lead even more is not an easy watch.
• The second male lead/FL's brother made me feel so uncomfortable with his role in the drama. I didn't like this character one bit.

Recommend: I don't want to be responsible if you hate it LOL

What I Liked: 

• It wasn't all bad but there were very few things I liked.  Our ML is great at expressing his emotions on screen & I loved the friendship between Qi Pa + Hongxiu.

What I Disliked: 

• Many things.  Truthfully I should’ve dropped this drama a long time ago but I’m a fan of the ML so I stuck it out. I cannot stand when shows depict werewolves as complete dogs, it throws me off because although it’s probably for humor, I don’t find it funny at all. 

• Qi Pa, is very prejudiced. In the beginning i was on her side because realistically no matter how nice your kidnapper is, they are still your kidnapper and you shouldn’t be forced to fall for them or marry them. However, her falling for his “cuter” persona while shunning the werewolf version was pretty cruel because they are in fact the same person and act completely the same when showing affection for her.  

• The CGI,  bad costuming, the awkward growling, the boring “mysterious man” villain were more than enough reasons I should’ve walked away from this project.

Recommend: ❌

What I Liked:

• The FL is brave, strong, bold and intelligent. She takes charge when necessary and I was in awe of her inspiring personality and kind nature. She’s a character that will pave the way for her own future and I am fond of those types of characters. Even when there was an issue with lying, her original feelings never waned and she was levelheaded through it all.
• I loved the ML's character. He is a bit more fierce with enemies than I’ve seen in a while (think Ling Bu Yi from LLTG) and I quite enjoyed the fighting style, attitude and consideration. He also has a different way of acting that may be inhumane or brutal to others but I quite enjoyed seeing the bad guys get their just desserts. This along with the fact that he is also very protective of his family and the FL, made for a diverting watch.
• The chemistry between the ML and FL. You’ll notice within the first few episodes how perfectly matched the leads feel.
• The Hua family characters made the story more interesting. I looked forward to seeing how they’d overcome each of their challenges.
• The relationship/bonds between the FL, her family and the ML’s family (shaoyao). There were several heartwarming moments that made me laugh, smile and cry that I could appreciate from watching this drama.
• One of the best endings. Hua Zhi opened so many doors for the women of her family. 

What I Disliked:

• The king was so exhausting. It took far too long for him to get his just deserts. He was not worth Yanxi's undying loyalty and I wished he stood up to him earlier and valued his life more than just the king's "sword." 
• The ML's acting and expressions need some work to convey the emotions of his character. 

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked: 

• The steamy scenes are very tasteful, if I do say so myself.
• The drama is quite fluffy + affectionate with a satisfying end. 
• I enjoyed the cinematography, the beach and island scenes were particularly alluring. 
• I laughed quite a bit while watching, the characters just feel organically funny.
•  The plot is pretty simple but I like that the ML figures out the path that works best for him throughout the show. It’s a nice message towards following your dreams.
•  There is some angst and drama (because without it the story would probably be a bit dull/boring) but nothing that isn’t resolved in an equal timeframe.

What I Disliked: 

• I don’t feel like Duan Yu Cheng (ML) matures in the way I was hoping/expecting. He was still pretty immature throughout the show with how he handles conflict or losses. I kept waiting for him to grow but I felt like he mainly stayed the same in temperament. I guess it wasn’t all bad because I laughed a ton at the whining.
• Duan Yu Cheng has a love for sports but his affection alot of the time completely takes over. Sometimes it felt like he would do things (i.e train) simply for Luo Na rather than for himself and his love for the sport.
• I couldn't really feel when Luo Na found that spark for Duan Yu Cheng. On the other end, I can infer that she fell for him due to his work ethic and charm but seeing is believing. 
• The distracting 'cloudy' filters when unnecessary. They were probably looking for a cinematographic vibe for some of the cuter scenes but at times I thought I was looking at a flashback or something tragic was about to happen.

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked:

• I enjoyed the tribulations more than I thought it would given there would be multiple and they would all eventually have to come to an end. I didn’t expect to feel so touched enough to cry and laugh at the scenarios the leads were put through. Namely, the General/Princess tribulation was my favorite tribulation. The mannerisms, tones of voice and humor really sold me on these scenes. Their past life 30,000 years ago is a close second with how absolutely adorable and shy they were (especially Chongkong) during their initial meeting and courtship.
•  I was intrigued in figuring out by Cang Hai's story and how the king of the immortal realm fit in. While I accurately guessed some things there were elements that i couldn’t unravel.
• I loved the chemistry between the lead and the romance in each tribulation unbelievably touched me. The way our leads were willing to sacrifice themselves each and every time for their love whether knowingly or unbeknownst, was moving.
•  Finally, Ding Xu’s constant switch between playful and serious shows his depth as an actor. I’ve seen other works where I wasn’t impressed but this one has changed my mind.

What I Disliked:

• I lost interest in some characters. Namely, Luo Na and Zihui. I lost my momentum when Luo Na appeared and then disappeared for several episodes, reappeared and disappeared again. I wish there was a balance.
• The plot feels bare bones in its reference to the six realms. Other than the immortal, mortal and demon clans, I don’t think anything else was mentioned or shown. I feel like this should’ve been unpacked further to add to the story and the villains motivation.
• I couldn’t take Jin Cheng/Jin Lian seriously at all. There was something off about the acting.

Recommend: ✅

What i Liked:

• I had a few laughs when the jokes weren’t outwardly funny. (I.e Gu Shengnan screaming for no apparent reason)
• My interest peaked at this drama for Zhao Lu Si as I’ve been on a binge of her dramas, I found her charm here exceptionally adorable.

What I Disliked:

• Cliche mom-monster with her “i will pay you to leave my son” schemes.
• With the amount of times Lu Jin struggled to even call Shengnan his girlfriend was a huge red flag.
•  Adding to the mismatched relationship, I didn’t think the lead’s maturity levels matched at all. Although, Shengnan is 21, her maturity level is much lower comparably to our ML who acts much older.
•  I didn’t care for the secondary couple at all, that romance didn’t move me in any capacity and it led to me becoming bored with the story.
•  Shengnan continuing to go and work at the same place that has wronged her several times.. Lu Jin not firing his work partner after she's crossed the line several times.. so many red flags. 
• The unflattering lipsticks.

Recommend: ❌

What I Liked:

• Xiao Yao as a male is believable. Her acting in this project with regard to mannerisms, stance, attitude, wardrobe are balanced.
• I found myself relating to Xiao Yao’s character. When she worries about dying and being alone, I can and I’m sure others as well can relate to her character. She doesn’t feel untouchable and that makes the watch more gratifying.
• The characters didn’t feel predictable. I don’t love “harem-type” dramas, however, I found myself lost in figuring out the past behind Xuan, Shiqi and Xiang Liu that I spent more time watching rather than unraveling the plot myself as I would many other cdramas.
• The acting portrayals of emotionally packed scenes amazed me. 
• OST >> To my playlist it goes.

What I Disliked:

• Some portions of the show, namely the time on Zhaoyue Peak, felt like filler.
• Fenglong left zero impression on me. Once his scene ends, I forget about him.
• There isn't much of a story to Lost You Forever. Once XY and CX find each other and CX reaches his goal, I lose understanding of where the story would go. 

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked:

• The soundtrack. I was enamored with the music variety in this show. I’ve easily added majority of the entire soundtrack to my playlist now.
• The romance dynamics between the leads are so sweet. I love that they were both equally a fan of each other and how the character’s personalities mesh. Sheng Sheng is adorably innocent and albeit relatable as she’s interacting with someone she’s a major fan of. Qing Cheng is warm & considerate of her personality leading to a healthy relationship. He is patient with Sheng Sheng and we never have to question his interest in her with the way he courts her.
• Sheng Sheng’s wardrobe. It was so cute and matched her character.
• I loved watching the live dramas within the drama. It was entertaining watching the voice acting which i’m used to being behind the scenes.
• The leads are passionate about their craft and this added more of my interest in the show.
• Eye candy >>> (We don’t just have TTC but we also have Hou Wen Yuan and his dimples)

What I Disliked:

• This drama suffers from feeling too lengthy. The plot is the romance which I found enjoyable (I love romance) but it is missing elements of storytelling to keep it interesting over time. 
  • For example, the side couple occasionally becomes a cliff-note in most episodes, there are no misunderstandings or conflict which can be a good thing sometimes but I feel like those would’ve made the couple’s relationship more realistic (there are ups/downs to any relationship), no barriers in either's career, etc. 
  • Given that it tends to remain on the lighter side in terms of the story, it should’ve been a shorter story.
    
    

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked

• The acting is still as amazing as it was in season 1. The main actors stole the show with their emotionally driven performances and left me wanting to experience more. 

What I Disliked: 

• The path the story went is not my favorite and that stems from the characters (since there isn't much plot). 
  • XY’s fixation on Jing and love above all, Jing’s weak constitution, CX’s obsession and XL’s baggage and inability to be honest with her because they can never be in his eyes. 
• XL deserves so much more than this story was willing to give him. He did so much (including making himself the villain) and got back so little in return. 
• Would've loved to see XY have her power back or more action driven scenes with her. 

Recommend: ❌

What I Liked:

• Connection & chemistry of the leads. Their playful nature and the enemies-to-lovers trope, were right up my alley of enjoyment.
• Li Xun kept me on my toes. As the story starts at the end and rolls back to the beginning, I couldn’t guess where this character would go or why was going to end up the place that he did.
• I hated Old Gao but it's truly at the strength of the actor to create a convincing villain.
• The OST >>>

What I Disliked:

• The story falls into the same predictable misunderstandings/ “I’ll push you away & hurt you to save you from hurt” schema. Wish the characters were a bit smarter and worked with each other to communicate.
• Second male lead is dull. There wasn’t a moment in the drama where I viewed him as any competition for Zhu Yun.
• Story features parents that “want the best for their daughter” and thus try to control her at every aspect even though she’s an adult throughout the story. Their growth/acceptance was rushed and came far too late. 
• The story begins to drag for me once we return to the present and establish the rivalry between Li Xun and the former classmate. I do think I enjoyed the first portion a bit more than the second but I appreciate seeing the parallel between their past and present and the camaraderie the two leads built in Flying Heart comparably to the bonds formed in the past.
• Gao's "redemption." 

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked:

• We get the opportunity to explore some of the lives of the former mobsters and learn their pasts. It could’ve been more fleshed out but i appreciated what was presented.
• Ji Hwan is adorably goofy as much as he looks rigid. This side to him gives his character depth and makes for an intriguing rom-com. Additionally, I love that he’s willing to take responsibility for and aid his team.
• The second lead couple has like-able traits. The initial courtship, shyness of them both and eventual romance was a nice plus to the show. The chemistry felt just right, and if I can smile through all their scenes without feeling bored that the leads aren’t on screen, MSM is doing something right.
• I looked forward to the main leads eventual relationship. I think they balanced and complemented each other.
• I enjoyed the budding kinship between the former mobsters and the FL. They were forming their only little family with her before she even became their actual “sister in law” and I loved every minute of it.

What I Disliked:

• I wished we got to learn all of the pasts of the former mobsters (the ones that worked and lived with Ji Hwan)
• The second male lead is dull and possessive for god knows why and I didn’t look forward to his character.
• The over-the-top moments of humor and cheesiness. In the beginning i was like ah it’ll be fine, I’ve grown up on slapstick coming from some of the oldest Taiwanese dramas. But as it went on, I realized i’ve evolved from this level of “in your face” humor and exaggerated expression.
• Too much beating around the bush.. not enough communication. The story drags far more than necessary.

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked: 

• The FL is smart, observant and resourceful. It’s refreshing to see that even without her core memories, she’s analyzing the situation before acting.
• I lived for seeing the ML bent out of his element by the FL. He’s cunning but she is seeing right through him episode by episode.
• The acting portrayals of Liu Miantang and Cui Xing Zhou are well-done and the characters are interestingly written. Wang Chu Rang and Zhang Wan Yi were best choices for this type of role, they both know how to pull an excellent poker face and play a role where the character has this double side to them.
• The comedy is excellent in this drama. Almost every episode cracked me up and placed me in a good mood.

What I Disliked:

• Not enough visible anguish/struggle for our leads leading to quick and fast resolutions. 
• Lacks in excitement factor. I feel like AYTO will build scenes up only to let us down at pivotal moments.
• Where is the action from our leads? More scenes (like the last episode) with our leads fighting side by side or even on their own would've been the perfect topper on the cake.

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked

• Zhang Liang He and Bai Lu's chemistry >>
• I looked forward to the Princess & Ning’er’s relationship. Their friendship felt genuine and unrelenting. 
• Action scenes were tastefully done.
• Well paced HEA. 

What I Disliked:

• Cinematography + direction. This drama is dramatized to the 10th power. In scenes where the angst is driven to a higher magnitude, I noticed the cinematography seems to amplify unnecessarily (i.e random/unflattering zoom-ins on the leads, echos in voice, dramatic music, blurry and blinding filters and multiple changes in camera orientation) and distractingly.
• Strangely written and laughable way of presenting schizophrenia, dementia (the subtitles kept switching the illness) or whatever this show was trying to portray Xie Wei’s illness as.
• Jiang Xuening. While understanding that her character is meant to be selfish and resentful, her temperament and how she handled problems were not my favorite. 
• Extreme slowburn.
• Overacting 

Recommend: 50/50

What I Liked:

• TFWY excels at presenting competition, keeping up the suspense and my interest in watching our leads navigate new skating spaces professionally. I was at the edge of my bed gripping my sheets watching our leads compete.
• I felt and lived for the chemistry + cuteness between our leads. The playful banter, longing glances, affection in more ways than one and unconditional support the characters had for each other were pioneered by Wang Anyu and Song Zu Er.
• Comedy is enough without being too much.
• Coach Zheung is my favorite character. When the previous coach only had eyes for one success, she saw multiple in the team and did what it took to nurture that growth. That’s the type of coach that should be leading a team.
• I adored Sheng Yi’s fearless attitude. She paved the way for her own success out of a sport that she deeply enjoyed despite opposition from her family.
• The transitions and editing were pretty good when presenting figure skating techniques.
• I didn’t feel like the plot dragged in a way that made me not want to keep watching or that felt like it was a chore to continue.

What I Disliked: 

• I wanted to root for the secondary couple because they did have cute moments but they, more often than not, were too childish with their communication skills. Speaking of them, they were also lacking character development. What was Zhu Lele’s actual passion?
• To make coach Xiao Han any kind of love interest/option/thought is strange because the age and maturity gap between the FL and him looks very obvious.
• Predictable mom-monster crushing their only child’s confidence, hopes and dreams out of “love.”

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked:

• Spot on body switching. The actors presented great attention to detail while portraying each other’s temperaments, personalities and actions.
• Sheng Sheng’s parents. I loved that we can focus on Jiang Yi’s past and how Sheng Sheng’s family is so receptive to him.
• Playful + cute banter between the lead characters.
• The comedy is on par with what I enjoy and not to the level of slapstick. 

What I disliked:

• Annoyingly loud sound effects when something “quirky” happens.
•  Sheng Sheng’s wardrobe. Sheng Sheng dresses like shes going to work in every situation.
• Missed opportunities for secondary character development. Pei Jia Shu’s character felt unrealistic and I couldn’t find myself relating to this character. Cheng Le Yi’s character development outside of being a band member was also severely underdeveloped.
• New angst/drama introduced extremely late in the show. It should’ve been balanced instead of rushed at the last second.
• As a boy band, I was surprised by the lack of singing and music. I know when we started the story the group was already starting the motion of disbanding but other than a little piano from Jiang Yi, where was the music?
• Although Jiang Yi had a moment of reconciliation with his mom, there wasn’t an in-depth heart to heart talk with his father who in my opinion, was the worst of the two. I would've liked them to explore a better relationship and for Jiang Yi to fully get out his feelings about how his father treated him growing up until now. 

Recommend: ✅

What I Liked:

• The leads’ romance is cute, it’s the only thing that kept me going.

What I Disliked:

• Female lead has the most exaggerated + animated facial expressions that don’t succeed in making me laugh.
• Side characters weren’t interesting to the story.
• Many episodes feel like filler. No goal, no direction.
• Ling Chao’s confession/start of expressing his feelings felt out of nowhere. The show did show us glimpses of him being affected by her but I couldn’t see the gradual start of feelings that pushed him to making a confession.
• No obvious character progression for our female lead from high school to college.
• Lots of cringeworthy scenes.

Recommend: ❌ (I think I’ve evolved from these type of dramas)

Pros

• I like the initial communication from the ML. He explains the truth to the FL from the beginning regarding her heart and who he is.
• I love that we can see character progression in Tianyao’s trust and the blossoming of the main couple’s relationship.
• Chemistry & the way Tianyao looks at Yanhui >>
• Thoroughly entertained throughout

Cons

• Weird editing. Some scenes are choppy. Odd sharp/dramatic black screens.
• Baby adult Tianyao
• Suying didn’t convince me as a villain with her backstory/relationship with Lu Musheng. The show didn’t do a great job in showing me how the obsession that Suying had for Lu Musheng came to be. They gave us sparse flashbacks but I can’t recall the gap between him meeting Suying again and then meeting the fox demon of Qingqiu. It also didn’t seem like Musheng ever reciprocated her feelings in the past so I’m not sure what drove Suying to the point of obsession.

Recommend: ✅

Pros:

• Acting is top tier between Zhou Ye and Arthur Chen
• I love time travel whenever + wherever 
• Chemistry >>>>
• Realistic ending

Cons:

• Their initial reunion felt like it didn't convey as much emotion as it should've. 
• Predictable

Recommend: ✅

Pros:

• Zhang Xin Cheng & his acting. 
• Realistic end to toxic family relationship. 

Cons:

• A lot of details about the main characters and their family outcomes go unanswered. 
• Feels like less of a romance and more of a melodrama with a touch of romance. 
• Couldn't connect with the characters or the romance, the way their stories were presented left no impression on me.
• Predictable

Recommend: ❌

Pros

• As a gamer, I love adding the idea of gaming or elements related to gaming into romance dramas. The graphics in the games presented were well crafted.
• I enjoyed Zhou Ye’s portrayal of Qingliang’s attitude and the FL character overall. especially when she stopped trying to change her personality for someone else and acted as herself.
• Dabbles of humor.
• As short lived as the skinship and affectionate scenes were, I enjoyed them. I think Zhou Ye and Lin Xi had the right amount of chemistry and cuteness.
• Nice ending

Cons

• I wish the story dabbled in what initially attracted Qian Ling to Gu Xun. She says she’s not interested in looks but what exactly about him made him interesting? His personality is borderline rude prior to recognizing her.
• Too many moments of second hand embarrassment.
• Dragging after main leads get together.
• Horrible communication
• Lackluster secondary couple.
• Slooooow romantic progression.

Recommend: If you're a fan of Zhou Ye, I think it's worth the watch. 

Pros

• Adachi and Kurosawa were my favorite couple of the show. Their romance felt sweet and authentic.
• I enjoyed the relationship progression between Adachi and Kurosawa. Kurosawa is very in tune with his feelings for Adachi and is considerate of how Adachi might react towards those feelings. Adachi is pretty adorable as he’s experiencing his own romance for the very first time.
• The show acknowledges that Adachi's power cannot last forever and shows us his progression towards having confidence in himself. 
• Great Ending

Cons

• At times the characters can be unnecessarily animated which typically i can understand as it’s a J drama that is also an adaptation of anime source material but it doesn’t seem to translate naturally in a live action.
• I didn’t enjoy the secondary characters or their relationship. They felt a bit more cringe than necessary.
  
  

Recommend: ✅

Pros

• Graphics, CGI, Costuming, OST, fight scenes and acting were all spectacular and well-put together.
• Characters are interesting and you’ll catch yourself falling in love with even the antagonists of the show.
• Bromance is top tier.
• Backstories of characters are fully fleshed out/explored.
• Several underlying themes + deeper messages to learn (i.e. loneliness, family, love in multiple forms, friendship, fear, fate, good vs evil) that are explored through the characters.
• Great character progression for Zhou Yi Chen.
• Many twists that are the exact opposite of what you assumed they were going to be.

Cons

• Female lead felt the least interesting amongst the other characters. I had high hopes for the female lead but she became the show’s damsel in distress.
• Story feels absent and relies on characters to drive the plot. 
• Romance was not up to par for what I would’ve expected and the chemistry is non existent. 

Recommend: ✅

Pros:

• This drama is cute, there were many moments where I could laugh (especially when Miao Miao’s cuteness was warming Mu Sheng’s iciness) and relax while watching the bickering between the leads.
• OST, costuming and cinematography
• Enemies to lovers >>>
• Mu Sheng & his “I’ll kill you if you touch her” vibes.
• A few twists that I didn’t expect.

Cons:

• Female lead is pretty weak in temperament and has a baby-like persona. I found myself cringing a couple times at the cowardice and whining.
• Story begins to drag after about episode 20 and the romance starts becoming stagnant.
• Finale feels rushed and not fulfilling, leaves you wanting more.  
• Final boss fight felt too fast compared to how much build up the story created for the resentful woman.

Recommend: ✅

Pros:

• Most impressive acting from leads and this drama has become a new favorite performance from Lu Si’s overall works.
• Costuming is gorgeous and eyeworthy.
• Chemistry >>>
• This drama portrays deeper elements tastefully
• Duanwu is strong, resolute + resilient throughout the entire show. You just want her to succeed because she deserves it.
• Lighthearted + beautiful moments from the characters.
• Quote worthy moments & life lessons.

Cons:

• Antagonistic plots can feel repetitive.
• ML seems to lose his position and drive that he initially had in the beginning towards business after reuniting with the FL.
  
  

Recommend: ✅

Pros

• Gradual romance and eventual warmth of ML.
• P&C has excellent video quality, the colors looked beautiful.
• Fluffy & heart warming
• Growth in ML
• Comedy

Cons

• Female lead's sense of fashion felt unflattering. 
• Second male lead's feelings for Yun Shu felt forced and it did not feel realistic. 
• All secondary couples were too toxic for me to enjoy and I wish they weren't added. 

Recommend: ✅

Pros:

• The personalities of the main and secondary characters are adorable. Hashimoto was particularly my favorite out of the bunch.
•  Huge misunderstanding is cleared up early.
• Comedic
• Variety of adorable moments between the leads

Cons:

• So many moments of second-hand embarrassment that I wanted to hide.
• Aoki was a bit immature and cowardly comparably to Ida. I wish the show explored more of a progression to Aoki being comfortable in his feelings for Ida publicly and more sure of himself.
• Too short (per usual)

Recommend: ✅

tbh i multi-tasked when watching the later half of this so not sure if i'll list any pros/cons. 

Pros:

• Chemistry >>>
• Eye candy
• Enemies to Lovers
• Cute jealousy scenes

Cons:

• Sang Woo can be a bit annoying, immature + stubborn.
• Sow start to a short series
• Ends when it’s getting good. 

Recommend: ✅

Pros:

• The acting of Wang Xing Yue and Zhou Ye are well done. Wang Xing Yue can really tell a story with his eyes and Zhou Ye delivered when it came to showcasing her character's emotions. 
• Strong + Ruthless Female Lead >>>
• I loved the chemistry between the main leads, Hua Qin and Xi Wu but also couldn’t stop myself from having third male lead syndrome with Hua Rong Zhou. Both Xi Wu and Rong Zhou had traits that I fell head over heels for -- Rong Zhou with his attentiveness and Xi Wu with his obvious display of love that transcends time. 
• Bonus footage at the end of each episode for additional context.
• Hua Rong Zhou & his martial arts scenes.
• Huge twist at the end that brings everything full circle. 

Cons:

• The story begins to drag around the 20s with the lack of communication and endless heartache.
• I had  a bittersweet mix of emotions for the ending due to my attachment of a certain character and Hua Qin's "reversal of fate".  It's objectively happy but still has twangs of sadness in it. 
• More intentional romance.
• A better send off for our characters. 

Recommend: ✅

Pros:

• Plenty of skinship + affection. 
• Eye candy

Cons:

• Female lead character (Ninion) has an over-the-top and distracting personality that can be quite childish. 
• Acting could use some work. 
• Pacing is extremely fast. 

Pros:

• Bao Bao is literally the star of the show. She’s so cute without even trying to be and her character development + past was interesting.
• I also enjoyed Neo Hou’s portrayal of Wang Ye. I wish there were more of him
• Serious Chu Lan was the version of him that I could tolerate. I was intrigued by his growing relationship with Baobao and the other outsiders.

Cons:

• The CGI isn’t the best I’ve seen
• The “comedic” scenes rarely succeeded in making me laugh. It inches near slapstick humor.
• Cliffhanger