#dramalist

Sorry. But my unit needs to eat.

endless list of dramas: The Ghost Bride (2020)

Won Jin Ah

On the surface, she looks just like a porcelain doll with the sweetest, purest smile - but her performance in Just Between Lovers showed she’s capable of so much more. Ha Moon Soo is soft yet brave and while it looks like She Would Never Know might be a bust script-wise, I’m still holding my breath for Won Jin Ah’s next hit!

Dramas watched: 2

Greatest Hits:

Just Between Lovers/Rain or Shine (2017) - between slice of life and melo, a personal favorite

Life (2018) - medical drama, haven’t seen it but looking forward to it!*

Latest:

She Would Never Know (2021, still airing)

Hellbound (2021, coming soon!)

Gong Hyo Jin

Her characters and dramas are super offbeat (usually less glamorous). Gong Hyo Jin is a total dramedy queen, and the great news is that she’s got tons of movies and shows to choose from!

Dramas watched: 2.5

Greatest Hits:

Thank You (2007) - breakout role as a single mom with an HIV+ child*

Master’s Sun (2013) - fantasy romcom

It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014) - explores mental health and social stigma*

Jealousy Incarnate/Don’t Dare To Dream (2015) - workplace romcom*

Latest:

When the Camellia Blooms (2019)

Ha Ji Won

Can you say versatile? I watched Secret Garden and didn’t love it but appreciated Ha Ji Won’s performance but then came Chocolate and Empress Ki. I started both at once and the way she pulled off a quiet, pining chef and a badass, broken power lady fighting to survive - oof, the range 👌

Dramas watched: 2

Greatest Hits:

She’s got so many dramas so this is a hard one! Listing recent cross genre works but check her filmography to see what suits your taste

Empress Ki (2013) - historical political drama, it’s a heavy one

Hospital Ship (2014) - medical drama*

Latest:

Chocolate (2019)

Shin Hye Sun

I cannot believe I forgot to put her on this list! Total powerhouse and loved seeing her move from secondary characters into lead roles in multiple genres! I’ve hated her guts and worshipped her guts, Shin Hye Sun is, as they say, a true acting chameleon. 

Dramas watched: 4

Greatest Hits:

My Golden Life (2017) - family drama, break through role!*

Still 17/Thirty But Seventeen (2018) - romcom*

Angel’s Last Mission: Love (2019) -  fantasy melo, blind ballerina meets cheerful angel

Latest:

Hymn of Death (2018)*

Mr. Queen/Queen Cheorin (2020, currently airing)

Seo Ye Ji

Okay, so this one’s is kinda literal - Seo Ye Ji is stunning. I didn’t love It’s Okay to Not Be Okay as much as others did but I enjoyed it mainly for her fantastic performance as Ko Moon Young (plus her chemistry with the male lead!) and cuz I'm a sucker for found family. Really looking forward to seeing more of her work moving forward!

Dramas watched: 2

Greatest Hits:

Save Me (2017) - thriller mystery drama*

Lawless Lawyer (2018) - legal thriller drama, insane chemistry with ML*

Hwarang (2016) - historical hot ppl fest, watch for costumes + eye candy 

Latest:

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)

Honorable Mentions:

Park Min Young - loooved her in Healer and heard great things about Her Private Life and Sungkyunkwan Scandal!

IU - I feel like this one is kind of obvious, she did so well in dramas like Scarlet Heart Ryeo: Moon Lovers and My Ahjussi; Hotel Del Luna is on my watchlist!

Go Ara - she plays sweet but defiant and strong willed really well. Loved her performance in Miss Hammurabi and looking forward to watching Black soon. 

I’m guilty of following kdrama men more than the women so if there are any actresses you really like or dramas featuring great female performances, let me know!

1) not everyrhing i saw, just the one i love

2) only kdramas

The oldies

My Girl (2005) the first ever drama i watched, didn't know a word in english

Full House (2004) it on YT, go watch it

GOONG (2006 or Princess Hours)

Coffe prince (2007)

My lovely Kim Sam Soon (2005)

Iljimae (2008)

And now the good stuff (according to me)

2009

Shining inheritance

City Hall

Invincible Lee Pyun Kang

You're Beautiful

Honorable mentions: Boys over flowers (it's stupi, but classic), Creating destiny, High kick 2, Return of Iljimae

2010

Baker king Kim Tak Goo

My girlfriend is a Gumiho

Oh my lady

Prosecutor princess

Sungkyunkwan scandal

The woman who still wants to marry

Obgyn doctors

2011

Flower boy ramyun shop

Deep rooted tree

Vampire prosecutor

Scent of woman

City hunter

Baby faced beauty

Can you hear my heart

49 days

Dream high

My princess

2012

King 2 hearts

Ma boy

Arang and the magistrate

Gaksital (Bridal mask)

Queen In Hyuns man

Moon that embraces sun

Wild romance

Dishonorable mention: Dream High 2

2013

Prime ministr and I

Good doctor (they made american show of it)

Who are you (the one with Taecyeon)

I can hear your voice

Lee Soon Shin is the best

2014

Healer

Swedish laundry

Pinocchio

Tomorrow Cantabile

Surplus princess

Fated to love you

Joseon Gunman

You're all surrounded

Emergency couple

2015

Splash Splash love

Imaginary cat

Oh my Venus

D-day

She was pretty

Twenty again

Scholar who walks the night

Oh my ghost

Remember you (the one with Seon In Guk)

School 2015

2016

Goblin

Cinderella and four knights

Age of youth

W

Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok Joo

Lets fight ghosts (Bring it on ghost)

Shopping king Louis

Doctors

Beautiful mind

38 task force

Moon lovers Scarlet heart Ryeo

Beautiful Gong Shim

Laurel tree tailors

Mirror of the witch

Page turner

Honorable mention: Descendants of the sun(it's good drama, but i never understood the hype), Hwarang (more bromance, less romance and it could be such a good drama)

2017

Hwayugi

Black knight

Jugglers

Doubtful victory

Prison playbook

Because this is my first life

While you were sleeping

The best hit

Lookout

Suspicious partner

Radiant office

Queen of the ring

Steong woman Do Bong Soon

Rebel: Thief who stole the people

Voice (season 1)

Honorable mentions: Criminal minds, Fight for my way, Man to man, Chief Kim

2018

Hymn of death

Clean with passion for now

The last Empress (i hate this, but i love this)

Mama fairy and the woodcutter

Where stars land

Terius behind me

Devilish Joy

My ID is Gangnam beauty

Thirty but seveteen (Still 17)

Are you human too

A poem a day

Welcome to waikiki

Honorable mentions: My strange hero, Thirs charm (it will break your heart), To Jenny, What's wrong with secretary Kim

2019

Leverage

Extraordinary you

The great show

Moment at eighteen

Class of lies

Hotel del Luna

Angels last mission love

Her private life

He is psychometric

Romance is a bonus book

The Crowned Clown

Here it is! My first ever blog post under my Asian Drama Blog Series. The following are the dramas I watched during the month of January 2019.

// Okay, I kinda felt the need to explain. Most of the dramas I watched this month are those of EXO Members’. As I’ve said in my 2018 Highlights, I only decided to officially spazz kpop recently and this is sorta part of it. I really wanted to watch most of the members (if not all) to somehow catch up to whatever I’ve missed when I still haven’t “stanning” as much as I can so I watched and am continually watching their dramas. //

SERIES

1) EXO NEXT DOOR Rating: ★★★☆☆ | Light plot No. of Episodes: 16 Running time: 15 minutes Genre: Web Series, Comedy, Romance Plot: 23-year-old Ji Yeon-hee is extremely shy and introverted with zero dating experience tends to blush like a tomato when talking to someone she likes. One day, four young men move into the house right next door to hers. Much to her surprise, they turn out to be Chanyeol, D.O., Baekhyun and Sehun from EXO, her favorite boy band who are trying to lay low for a while.  Thoughts: It’s like your typical boy band fanfiction that has been adapted to become a tv series. I don’t know if it’s because I watched so many dramas already or the fact that I grew up reading fanfictions or because I watched it few years after it’s hype that’s why I said this??? Had I watched this during its release, I would have been really stoked! (Probs because I’m much younger back then) But of course, I am not any less glad even though I watched it years late because it’s still like a dream come true of some sort to have seen your idols actually act as the characters in a plot that you have only been imagining or you have just read in a fan fiction. We’re talking about audio-visuals here lol.

This is actually the first drama where I saw Chanyeol, Baekhyun and Sehun act. I have watched Kyungsoo before in Pure Love and 100 Days My Prince (he’s also the main reason why I decided to finally look up and stan EXO lol) and it irks me a bit to see him do the second lead this time. Sehun was really funny here. Total maknae! I can never forget you, brotha. The series is actually short. I finished it in two nights alongside with another drama I was watching. You can totally finish this in one sitting! Finished Watching On: January 09, 2019

2) THE UNIVERSE’S STAR Rating: ★★★☆☆ | Moderate plot No. of Episodes: 6 (MBC) Running time: 30 minutes (MBC) Genre: Fantasy, Romance Plot: Byul is a 19-year-old student who has been struggling to keep up with her job to guide dead souls to the afterworld as a Grim Reaper, learned that her favorite singer Woo Joo, is expected to die soon. She decided to save him as he is the only memory that she had in her previous life before she got into the accident which caused her life.  Thoughts: It’s a little refreshing for me because I haven’t came across a fantasy plot between an idol and a fan, more so a mystic entity in this case, for quite a while. Although it’s a bit predictable (perhaps for me since I’ve read a lot of fan fics/ teen fics and watched so many dramas already or it really is predictable), I still liked how it ended and also a bit sad over its bitter-sweet ending. Finished Watching On: January 11, 2019

3) BE POSITIVE Rating: ★★★☆☆ | Very Light plot No. of Episodes: 6 Running time: 10 minutes Genre: Web Series, Romantic comedy Plot: Film major student Hwan-dong prepares for his graduation project as a movie director. He is facing a difficulty in finilizing the film due to lack of funding. Left with no choice, he asked Hye-jung, an actress of present time and alumna of his university who happened to be his ex-girlfriend to play the main role in his production. Thoughts: It’s really light but it’s understandable since it’s only a web series/ promotional series. To be honest, I only watched it since Kyungsoo is the lead role. I think it’s the perfect drama which portrayed relationships that ended without proper closure. Can relate. I like to commend this because true to its mission to “send a message of support to the younger generation”, it actually showed how we must really own up our mistakes and be mature enough to talk any misunderstandings out. Kyungsoo was really cute here huhuhu. It’s super duper short! I mean it’s only an hour!!! I seriously finished this in one sitting. Finished Watching On: January 12, 2019

4) STRONG GIRL BONG-SOON Rating: ★★★ ★ ☆ | Moderate plot No. of Episodes: 16 + 1 (Special) Running time: 70 minutes Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Action, Romantic comedy Plot: Born with superhuman strength,  Do Bong-soon dreams of creating a video game with the main heroine as herself. Her strength is hereditary and passed along only to the women in her family. She is desperately trying her best to become a willowy and elegant woman to meet the ideal type of her long-term crush, In Guk-doo, a police officer. Due to her strength, she was scouted to be the bodyguard of Ahn Min-hyuk, a rich heir and the CEO of a gaming company who recently received anonymous threats, blackmails and a series of stalking.

One day, a series of kidnapping cases break in Dobong-dong, the district Bong-soon lives in. After her friend was targeted, she became determined to catch the culprit. As they try to find the suspect, the three found themselves in a love triangle. Thoughts: What’s there to say aside from it being super good? It’s a mixture of suspense, romance and cuteness. The romance isn’t annoying at all. I really liked how the kidnapping case added so much spice to the plot and how after all the ruckus it all went down to family being your major strength.  Finished Watching On: January 18, 2019

5) TERIUS BEHIND ME Rating: ★★★☆☆  | Moderate plot No. of Episodes: 32 Running time:  35 minutes each / 2 episodes per day Genre: Romantic-Comedy, Mystery Plot: Go Ae-Rin suddenly loses her husband. A mysterious man, Kim Bon, lives next door. Kim Bon is a legendary NIS agent. He was involved in a failed secret operation wherein the woman he loved died three years ago. He has since become disconnected with the world and decided to live alone quietly. He helps his neighbor Go Ae-Rin uncover a conspiracy which her husband got involved with. Thoughts: Watched this because of a trailer I came across on Facebook and So Ji-sub!!! This has been on my list since last year and I only got the chance to watch it this month. It’s a breather from my usual teen fictions so I was hooked. Super Ioved the twins, they were super cute. I especially enjoyed the part where they had to deal with the bioterrorism coz I can 10/10 relate, my Microbiolog(ist)y heart was very happy and was very amazed to at least see it be executed/ planned even if it’s just on screen. It’s not the most perfect spy series but it’s enough for me (or because I never really watch spy shows). The traitor in the ending (a supposedly plot twist) wasn’t very surprising to me... not sure if it’s predictable or because I have watched so many dramas already that I did predict who’s who already.  Finished Watching On: January 24, 2019

6) SEVEN FIRST KISSES Rating: ★★★☆☆ | Light plot No. of Episodes: 8 Running time: 9-12 mins Genre: Romance, Comedy Plot: Lotte Duty Free store employee Min Soo-jin has never been in a relationship before. One day, she meets with the goddess of date who grants her an attempt to pick the perfect partner for her first kiss among seven men. Her options are firstly, a religious tech billionaire (Lee Joon-gi), a serious yet romantic boss (Park Hae-jin), a sexy secret agent (Ji Chang-wook), an adorable younger male friend (Kai), an innocent chaebol heir (Ok Taec-yeon), a beloved k-idol (Lee Jong-suk) and finally a free-spirited travel writer (Lee Min-ho). Thoughts: Bukod pala sa babaeng lahat. Charot! I have watched this during its release but I failed to catch up with every episodes. It’s only now that I decided to watch it as a whole again. Watched this after finishing Memories of the Alhambra as a rebound/ to ease my broken heart. It’s super light, tamang kilig and fantasize sa oppas. Literally watched in one sitting. Finished Watching On: January 28, 2019

7) SECRET QUEEN MAKERS Rating: ★★★☆☆ | Light plot No. of Episodes: 7 Running time: 15 mins Genre: Romance, Comedy Plot: A travel agent who lacks confidence in her appearance finds her hidden beauty with the help of six men she met at Lotte Duty Free stores. Thoughts: Watched this because of Chanyeol and Sehun!!! I only knew it was also a short series the moment I decided to watch it so I also ended it in one sitting. Dunno what to say other than it was cute and fun and short. I suck at reviews but this is another usual fan fiction I have read huhu but ofc, I love that I have seen it with my eyes than just imagining it. Finished Watching On: January 28, 2019

8) MEMORIES OF THE ALHAMBRA  Rating: ★★★★☆ | Heavy plot No. of Episodes: 16 Running time: 65 minutes Genre: Fantasy, Suspense, Sci-fi, Romance, Melodrama Plot:  After receiving an email regarding a groundbreaking AR game about medieval battles in Alhambra, Yoo Jin-woo, CEO of an investment company that specializes in optical devices, travels to Granada, Spain to meet the creator of the game, Jung Se-joo. However, Se-joo is missing and there, he meets his sister Jung Hee-joo, owner of the hostel he stays in and a former guitarist. Both get entangled in a mysterious incident and the border between the real world and the AR world built by Se-joo begins to blur. © Thoughts: Watched this while it’s on-going. 11/10 would recommend!!!! At first, I felt like it has the same vibe as W and got super amazed then I only learned mid-drama that both drama were written by one writer that’s why they have the same vibes. Super crazy plot! I honestly couldn't quite catch what’s going on in the first few episodes, I thought I was going stupid and going crazy myself but got a hang of it din later on. Super genius! Everything is astounding... except the ending. LOL I’M SO MAD!!!!

I decided to delay watching the finale for a week to “emotionally prepare” myself but I never thought I would be betrayed like this??? Had I known, I would have prepared for a month. Have already watched tons and been watching kdramas for several years already, I shouldn't be surprised and disappointed to open-ended stories anymore BUT I AM!!!???!!! So proud of Chanyeol here and my girl, PSH, still never disappoints! Finished Watching On: January 28, 2019

MOVIES Never a fan of watching movies but for EXO, I watched them loooool

1) SO I MARRIED AN ANTI-FAN Rating: ★★★☆☆ | Light plot Genre: Comedy, Romance Plot:  Top star Hoo Joon ended up living together with his anti-fan reporter Lee Geun-young. Thoughts: Literally a fan fiction ripped straight off of Wattpad... charot! Not sure which came first but that’s what it was for me. Not that I don’t like it... again, it’s a dream come true to have seen my favorite idol actually act as the character I have only imagined before but I read a fanfic with the same plot before I watched this. Watched on: January 05, 2019

2) HYEONG/ MY ANNOYING BROTHER Rating: ★★★★★ | Light plot Genre: Comedy, Drama Plot:   All thanks to  Doo-Young, his younger brother, Doo-Sik was granted a parole from prison. Doo-Young is a then promising judo athlete but got involved in an accident before the selection for the national team which made him lose not only his break but his eyesight as well. After 15 years, Doo-Sik (Jo Jung-suk) suddenly appears in front of Doo-Young and they begin to live together. Thoughts: Of course, watched this because of my bias Kyungsoooooooo. Seriously this guy knows how to tickle your lacrimal glands and make you cry. Almost all of his movies were tear-jerker!!!! I felt super proud of him here. He literally pulled it off #nobias. It’s super relatable especially because it tackles about sibling-hood. Watched on: January 26, 2019

endless list of dramas: Her Private Life (2019)

endless list of dramas: The School Nurse Files (2020)

endless list of dramas: Love Lasts Forever / Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomademo (2020)