2018 Hits and Misses - PotUppers Flops and Tops
kakashi: Another year gone, another one begins. Time is like an endless river and we ride it on our little boats for a while. I am happy to have found so many great blogger friends on this journey. May 2019 brings as many memorable dramas as 2018! Below: the PotUppers Picks of the Year. Good or bad doesn't matter, this year, we talk about what made an impact.
Anyway, given the admittedly high volume of shows I've watched, you'd think I'd be the one to fill up the post with all ten of my allotted spaces, right? Wrong. The first three I list are 'must-watch' TV. The last 3 are memorable - you could skip them, but you'd miss a lot of fun.
... looks at old RAWRs ...
You lie, kakashi! You did watch things, though you dropped a lot. For example, I watched The Weasel's Grave, but.... no, don't watch it if you haven't already. I also watched Tientsin Mystic, which was quite good, but also didn't leave a lasting impression, so it doesn't deserve to be on my list. Was Tribes and Empires this year? BEAUTIFUL, so flawed, I dropped it around episode 20.
When it comes to KDramas, oops, didn't do well though I hear it's been a really good KDrama year? To my great surprise, I seemed to have watched several episodes of Misty! I have no recollection of this show at all. I have a recollection of What's wrong with Secretary Kim that I dropped sometime near the end: very cute and very dreary, got utterly bored. I just cannot stand it if couples are too happy, hehe. For reasons not clear to me, I did not finish Lawless Layer and I didn't even get that far - though that one was very good. Then, the new Kim Ji-hoon drama... let's not even mention it.
Oh, but this one, this deserves a mention... for tanking most spectacularly after being the most anticipated drama for months:
But now, my meager list of things I watched with some enjoyment.
Honorable mention in addition to Let's Shake It ... that one was so funny in the first half. Still laughing.
These are the memorable dramas that I have re-watched some episodes at least more than once this year. May we have an amazing drama year everyone!
This was the first kdrama I watched this year and it is truly a testament to its quality that it still resonates so much with me 12 months later. I have re-watched the entire drama at least 3ce this year, that's how much I love it. I should not have been surprised considering the team behind its track record- The Reply series; but I what I love most about it is the sense of family that I got from the series. This show filled me with so much warmth and I love everyone in our little ragtag team. The bromance was heartwarming, all the characters were all so well fleshed out and my heart ended up falling for teddy bears Min Chul and Lt Paeng. Such a special show.
Our heroine- Wei Yingluo is a Nancy Drew-ish maid in the Qing dynasty with one burning goal- get revenge for her dead sister. She is smart, skilled, ruthless and single-minded in her quest and I loved it. She has a strong moral compass but that doesn't mean she will take being stepped on by anyone, slap her and she'll slap you back harder! Yass! Played so well by Wu Jinyan, she became one of my fav ever female leads.
She didn't let anything derail her from her goal and had an amazing sense of loyalty with her 2 sisters- Empress and Mingyu. I especially loved her bond with the gentle Empress Fucha and still feel that was her one true love.
Misty- That end! But what a glorious ride.
Familiar Wife - Oodles of fun with Elf ears stealing the show from Ji Sung in a lot of places. Not an easy feat!
Unnatural- Best jdrama I watched this year but oddly didn't have a sticky factor once it ended.
Add to all this the gorgeous costumes, the lust Cao Pi has for the empress, which inspires him to target the emperor, the way the emperor manages still outmaneuver everyone in the very end to hold on to his principles of peace and unity above all for the land, and all the fascinating side characters, and we have a show that I could not stop re-watching.
My only gripe: Ma Tian Yu needs to learn to ride or get off the horse. Urgh, those poor babies were being tortured. (Still love you, Xiao Ma.)
And he loves her - most of the time. She is his first choice in for legal wife, but politics intervene, and she is relegated to side chamber consort, but because the emperor, then a prince, still loves her, she is constantly the target of plots, as is anyone associated with her. She goes from middle-ranking consort, to getting higher up, to falling into the Cold Palace, to working her way out, with a little help from the emperor from afar plus help from best friend Hailan, and loyal guard, Ling Yunche, and when she comes out, you feel the exhaustion of leaving that horrid place with her while seeing the wonder of the Forbidden City's vista's after two years away. You are totally with her, and, really, with every character, when you see their viewpoint.
In fact, with her and with Noble Consort Jia, another favorite character of mine, there was this amazing directorial thing they did where when they had their intense emotional moments, Ruyi coming out of the Cold Palace, and Jia chasing after the Joseon King, they were set against incredible, cold, vistas. The cinematography alone tells you how trapped they are within all that space.
In essence, then, what I liked the most about this drama is the way it is a slice of life show that happens to be set in a harem. Everyone, even the villains in this, are simply people who are rising to challenges in their circumstances as human beings. You feel every single one of their aches and pains and heartaches and their developments from girlhood to womanhood to middle-aged and beyond and you really feel it at the end when Ruyi says, "if there had been no plots and jealousy, we could all have been drinking tea and chatting, the emperor too." And thus, you feel the tragedy of the harem and its system that takes that chance at camaraderie away from so many, and love from a marriage.
Jao Sao Jom Yorm / Reluctant Bride
This is Mik's last aired show before heading to Military Service. And he picked a good one to tide us over for these long months, with Pooklook. The plot finds these two people jilted at the altar who find themselves in bed together after a night of drinking and celebrating their not-married status. It reminded me of my all-time favorite TW rom-com Drunken To Love You, but only a bit.
Mik's Kade clearly falls hard and fast, but he's one smart cookie and knows how to gently but swiftly overcome Maysarin's reluctance at this odd pairing. It's also helped by the near-constant flirting, kissing, and skinship, even more than a Channel 7 lakorn usually has. The shipping sidekicks are a nice touch. The two losers who drop this wonderful pair to cling to each other inspired my first fan video in well over a year. The leads of course had to have their own sweet music too! Subbed by MUSE Fansubs.
Khun Mae Suam Roy / You Are Me
This one didn't easily slip into any particular genre. A mistress with a child from a married man gets shot and left partially paralyzed. When the man is found dead, the mistress' twin, an athletic stunt woman, takes over her sister's identity to force her way into the family and discover the culprit.
Our lead guy is the younger brother, who gradually warms to the adorable little boy and the feisty woman in the wheelchair. A few superfluous characters don't really pull you away from the chemistry of the leads. While I found it tough to figure out who the ultimate bad guy was, I also didn't care too much, as long as my leads win each other in the end. Subbed by Neko^^MeowMeow
Mee Piang Rak / Secret Moon
What to say about my hearthrob, Ken Theeradeth? I'm so happy that he can still do an amazing job as leading man, even as his contemporaries are easing into older brother / evil lead roles. I was a bit concerned at first. Toey is a cute tiny, little thing; could she overcome a RealLife 13 years / 20cm difference between them? Turns out she can! Fun and engaging, I rewatched several episodes more than once, just so I can squeal all over again.
The plot is simple: a young female detective is hired to track the women of a supposed playboy, then gets hired a second time to create an environment suitable for him to fall in love with the woman his family chose. The problem is, he is one smart, gorgeous guy who already has his sights set on Spy Girl. Cosplay, Cows, and Chemistry! He even takes a spin as a DJ mixer. Also subbed by Neko^^MeowMeow.
Sampathan Hua Jai
How can a woman resist a Weir who literally spends hours and hours shirtless or unbuttoned? Plus he loves your son and is willing to take a bullet for you. A woman tossed away by her greedy husband finds love with a gruff scruffy sexy guy on a birds-nest island. Wun (and we) eventually get to see Naboon cleaned up and in a suit, but before that we get episodes and episodes of their island interactions. The eventual thaw and skinship makes this a worthwhile watch, even if you have to FF through some of the evil sabotage / takeover plot.
It marks a comeback from Weir's last couple of blech dramas. And as my first Thisa lakorn, she has a good range of emotion and decent acting chops. Subbed by Thippy / Oh Sweet Haven.
Fan Chun Bpen Nguek / Mr Merman
Okay, this one is on the list for fluff, pure and simple. No spectacular plot twists, skinship, production sets, or acting. Three male merfolk hiding out in an aquarium with a luxurious tailed-members-only pool in the penthouse. One of them accidentally converts a human girl, who has ninety days to live before she either turns into seafoam or becomes wholly human again. Tail-changing shenanigans. Two-dimensional evil scientist. And lots and lots of underwater swimming scenes. How the heck can they hold their breath long enough to film? LOL. Unfortunately, the original fansubbing site has shut down, but it may be possible to see it at MUSE Fansubs (where the original translator is located now).
Honorable Mentions....Or Not
JoAnne
I just counted, and I completed 46 Korean dramas, 4 Chinese/Taiwanese dramas, and 1 Japanese drama in 2018. That's about normal for the year for me with Asian shows, actually, but doesn't give the full picture - it doesn't account for the shows I paused, sometimes mid-way or two-thirds finished. I didn't count those but there are probably 25 at least, and it might be more. And then another 25 or so that I dropped flat. Sigh...I need new glasses. Anyway..it certainly FELT like I watched a lot more, but I think the increase was in US shows. I've slowly been finding a return to my tastes the past couple years and I'm taking advantage.Anyway, given the admittedly high volume of shows I've watched, you'd think I'd be the one to fill up the post with all ten of my allotted spaces, right? Wrong. The first three I list are 'must-watch' TV. The last 3 are memorable - you could skip them, but you'd miss a lot of fun.
My Ahjussi
The healing powers of friendship and trust, and NO, they do not have an affair.
Mother
Some people fail biology; others ace a test they thought they'd never take.
Mr. Sunshine
Laughter, tears, and an honest-to-God heroine who doesn't change one thing about herself when she falls in love.
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| Okay yes, also three very handsome men |
Prison Playbook
Navigating an unfamiliar world.
Lawless Lawyer
More fun than anyone could have expected, plus an excellent OTP |
| Okay yes, Lee Jun Ki is hot - but skinny - but SO HOT |
Hwayugi
Zombie girl for the win, really.
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| Come play monkey for me, Seung Gi |
kakashi
This has been a very busy year for me at work, with great success and lots of stress. Also, my parents are getting old and are not as healthy as I wish they were, but such is life, whether we like it or not. And yes, Fanfiction writing continues, it's so much more fun than recapping, sue me! Anyway, I think I've watched... nothing?... looks at old RAWRs ...
You lie, kakashi! You did watch things, though you dropped a lot. For example, I watched The Weasel's Grave, but.... no, don't watch it if you haven't already. I also watched Tientsin Mystic, which was quite good, but also didn't leave a lasting impression, so it doesn't deserve to be on my list. Was Tribes and Empires this year? BEAUTIFUL, so flawed, I dropped it around episode 20.
Oh, but this one, this deserves a mention... for tanking most spectacularly after being the most anticipated drama for months:
But now, my meager list of things I watched with some enjoyment.
Ashes of Love
I was very late to the game (a CDrama airing schedule is basically the death of anyone with a busy agenda, really), but once I watched this together with my daughter, we both enjoyed it a lot. It's indeed similar to Three Lives, Three Worlds etc. etc. Peaches, but the characters in Ashes are far more flawed and their redemption far more difficult.
Bloody Romance
I did not manage to finish this, but not because I wasn't interested, I was just too busy when it aired and then never found the time to finish. It deserves to be on this list for causing almost as much fervor as Peaches did on this blog. I liked that it was much more mature than most other CDramas I have seen - more mature and also quite dark.
Legend of Fuyao
Much awaited, not without flaws, well, the opposite... lots of flaws, especially towards the end (like so many other CDramas). Still, when it was good, it was really good - and the two leads for so a d o r a b l e (until they moped). Also, it is the drama set in the past of the next one on my list...Rise of Phoenixes
This drama continues to receive so much praise worldwide after tanking in China. I simply love it (though I have not finished it at the time of writing this). I don't care whether they've capture the spirit of the book or not or whether they changed the ending. This drama not only has Chen Kun (*swoon*), it also has Ni Ni, who is one of my favorite actresses. I also like that she is Wuji and Fuyao's descendant!
Honorable mention in addition to Let's Shake It ... that one was so funny in the first half. Still laughing.
Panda
Every year I think to myself "I watched the least amount of kdramas this year" but this year was especially low. I dropped as many as I started (which initially was not much) and then towards the end had a bad case of drama drought. Ironically, the consensus among my other drama chingus is that dramaland served some quality this year. I think those dramas just didn't appeal to me. Therefore I am going to write only about my loved dramas this year.These are the memorable dramas that I have re-watched some episodes at least more than once this year. May we have an amazing drama year everyone!
Prison Playbook
What's wrong with Secretary Kim
My favorite kdrama romcom of the year. Yes, I know the ending sucked as they had absolutely nothing to fill in the last 4 episodes than just cutesy scenes but I didn't care. The first 12 episodes for me where romcom crack. The OTP was cracky AF but the real gem was Park Min Young. Wow, she sparkled throughout this drama. And that ponytail!!! It was glorious. Her chemistry with Seo Joon was A+ and I still remember a particular scene that .... :)) Special mention also goes to the boy who played young Seo Joon because he knocked it out of the ballpark. He has a very bright future ahead of him. All in all, I had a really fun time watching this and why it did not completely escape the weird thriller-romcom mishmash kdramas are going for these days, it did veer more solidly towards the romcom side and was a solid winner in my books (minus the boring end).
Story of Yanxi Palace
Most googled drama on Earth in 2018! Short on realism and high on entertainment, Yanxi was my favorite cdrama of the year. Which other drama would have a maid talk to the Emperor in such a way without her head being looped off? LOOL. I enjoyed this so much and binged all 70 episodes in I think 4 days. One thing that grabbed me off the bat was the color palette and the opening credits and theme. So gorgeous.Very fast paced, it had the usual harem shenanigans but somehow I felt less frustrated here (although some schemes hurt so much) and that was mainly because I knew our heroine was going to find a way around them miraculously.
The Empress was such a lovely character but was no match for the ugly underbelly of the harem. The fact that the Emperor was genuinely in love with her made her an easy target for lots of nasty tricks and schemes. It was quite obvious, her end was not going to be a happy one. I always pity women in harems. Those poor women have nothing to do except vie for the attention of the spoiled Emperors.
Qianlong here was a typical example. Used to getting his way always and always being the center of attention, he could not understand why a mere maid stirred up such feelings in him and made him uncomfortable. I never had SLS in this drama, I just always felt like YingLuo needed a strong man and that was Qianlong. I also liked how she purposely played him before she herself fell in love.
The other women in harem therefore lost out. No wonder they employ their entire arsenal to stay in his orbit. I loved the fall and eventual blooming in the dark side of Consort Xian.
This drama had a lot of flaws and some major unanswered questions but I had a BLAST watching it. I mean any drama that Mr Panda can watch in almost its entirety deserves a spot here for that fact alone :)
Bhuppae Sunniwat
My darlings Mae Ying Karakade and Por Date! I started this on a very insistent recommendation from a friend and after the first episode, loved completely. It's a time travel drama slash reincarnation drama and the the fun gets truly started once both events happen. Our leads are so cute together!! *Squeals* Bolstered by a very strong supporting cast including I and Feather's love- Got Jirayu; this was lovely through and through.
Honorable Mentions
The Rise of Phoenixes - Honestly, I can see why this didn't set the ratings meter on fire. So so gorgeous. Such amazing leads, but the editing and pacing is just simply off and in some places quite odd. It is so slow. I am still trudging on but sometimes it feels like a labor of love than watching something I like.Misty- That end! But what a glorious ride.
Familiar Wife - Oodles of fun with Elf ears stealing the show from Ji Sung in a lot of places. Not an easy feat!
Unnatural- Best jdrama I watched this year but oddly didn't have a sticky factor once it ended.
SakiVI
My memorable and impactful dramas were the same because if it didn't have an impact, I probably wouldn't remember it for this post. And if there was one very good thing about 2018, it was that I got the two excellent historical dramas mentioned below emblazoned in my heart. I really felt like a satisfying historical with strong female leads was missing from my life since Cruel Palace days, and suddenly I had two. Cup runneth over and all that.
Secrets of the Three Kingdoms
I must've watched each episode at least twice, and the earlier episodes even thrice because of the incredible spooky-fairytale quality they had. This show hit all the spots for me: complicated villains you couldn't totally hate, but you didn't mind seeing fall, twisted political mind games, genius politicians, and a saintly emperor and his empress who want and work only both for their empire and to stay together, even beyond death. I still remember that entry to the temple as Liu Ping is brought to the temple where Tang Ying resides, alone, guarding her late husband's memorial, and his approach. Later, Sima Yi travels the same way, and ends up falling in love with Tang Ying, the second deep love story of the show.
My only gripe: Ma Tian Yu needs to learn to ride or get off the horse. Urgh, those poor babies were being tortured. (Still love you, Xiao Ma.)
Ruyi's Royal Love In the Palace
This is very much a character drama. And it's another historical drama favorite of mine where I often watched episodes 2 or 3 times to get them out of my system. I started expecting to just enjoy watching a few pretty costumes and jewelry and furniture and before I knew it, I was hooked into the characters. The main character, Ruyi, is firm in her principles of staying kind and polite and not being nasty to others like some are in the harem. She never looks for opportunities to cut others down, she does not fight for favour, and she is firm in her love for the emperor as a man, not as a stepping stone for her clan.
Switched
Normally, I do not like school shows, and I've not been into Jdoramas for almost two years now, and I really hate body switching because just ew, privacy anyone? Switched is a body-switching school Jdorama on Netflix and it was so good, I watched it twice and watched some more Japanese school shows in a desperate attempt to recreate the buzz, and well, I might have to watch Switched a third time. Basically, pretty Ayumi's perfect world evaporates when envious evil classmate Zenko uses black magic at the time of the full Red Moon to steal her body, her boyfriend and her life and yet, somehow, I didn't hate Zenko as I got to know her. Now that's some storytelling skillz.
Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter
If you are familiar with the Fairy and the Woodcutter fairy story, then this is one extremely enjoyable long retelling. The fairy is waiting for her husband to reincarnate, and she isn't even that interested in finding her wings, she just really likes her hubby and wants to get back together. There's a host of other earthbound celestial characters and they all have their love lines as well. It was basically a happy show.
Happy Sisters
Well, this show was daily drama that to end all daily dramas. Just no other can live up to it! They really made things bad for the heroine, yet she was never such a victim that you couldn't stop watching her either. And Hoe Jo, there will never be another villain like you. I'm still following the actors on instagram, asking them all when they're going to act again. The actress who played Ye Eun is in Fate and Fury in a supporting role, but about to break out and attack the villains soon, there, but the rest of the Happy Sisters cast all seem happy to have done an amazingly satisfying daily drama with all loose ends wrapped up and even the villain not particularly badly shamed Because She Was Mentally Ill.
Shukie
For me, it's going to be all about Thailand. There weren't any SoKor dramas that I started that had enough staying power for me to finish. Same with TW and Malaysia. And the last JP drama I saw to the end? Hmm, Time Spiral, maybe?Jao Sao Jom Yorm / Reluctant Bride
This is Mik's last aired show before heading to Military Service. And he picked a good one to tide us over for these long months, with Pooklook. The plot finds these two people jilted at the altar who find themselves in bed together after a night of drinking and celebrating their not-married status. It reminded me of my all-time favorite TW rom-com Drunken To Love You, but only a bit.
Khun Mae Suam Roy / You Are Me
This one didn't easily slip into any particular genre. A mistress with a child from a married man gets shot and left partially paralyzed. When the man is found dead, the mistress' twin, an athletic stunt woman, takes over her sister's identity to force her way into the family and discover the culprit.
Our lead guy is the younger brother, who gradually warms to the adorable little boy and the feisty woman in the wheelchair. A few superfluous characters don't really pull you away from the chemistry of the leads. While I found it tough to figure out who the ultimate bad guy was, I also didn't care too much, as long as my leads win each other in the end. Subbed by Neko^^MeowMeow
Mee Piang Rak / Secret Moon
What to say about my hearthrob, Ken Theeradeth? I'm so happy that he can still do an amazing job as leading man, even as his contemporaries are easing into older brother / evil lead roles. I was a bit concerned at first. Toey is a cute tiny, little thing; could she overcome a RealLife 13 years / 20cm difference between them? Turns out she can! Fun and engaging, I rewatched several episodes more than once, just so I can squeal all over again.
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| KenT yanking on a cow! Thumbs up, and squeeze! And it's okay to lick your lips. We all do! |
Sampathan Hua Jai
How can a woman resist a Weir who literally spends hours and hours shirtless or unbuttoned? Plus he loves your son and is willing to take a bullet for you. A woman tossed away by her greedy husband finds love with a gruff scruffy sexy guy on a birds-nest island. Wun (and we) eventually get to see Naboon cleaned up and in a suit, but before that we get episodes and episodes of their island interactions. The eventual thaw and skinship makes this a worthwhile watch, even if you have to FF through some of the evil sabotage / takeover plot.
Fan Chun Bpen Nguek / Mr Merman
Okay, this one is on the list for fluff, pure and simple. No spectacular plot twists, skinship, production sets, or acting. Three male merfolk hiding out in an aquarium with a luxurious tailed-members-only pool in the penthouse. One of them accidentally converts a human girl, who has ninety days to live before she either turns into seafoam or becomes wholly human again. Tail-changing shenanigans. Two-dimensional evil scientist. And lots and lots of underwater swimming scenes. How the heck can they hold their breath long enough to film? LOL. Unfortunately, the original fansubbing site has shut down, but it may be possible to see it at MUSE Fansubs (where the original translator is located now).
Honorable Mentions....Or Not
- Bhuppae Sunniwat: This lakorn was the DotS of Thailand 2018, spawning fanmeets, concerts, and lots and lots of advertisements. It was also exported to other Asian countries with wild success. and Panda put it on her list! Yes, the leads were likeable, but I didn't buy the soul-swap / time swap aspect. And Bella's performance was a bit too wide-eyed girly for my taste. It's not bad for a Boran historical fusion, I guess.
- Ngao: The only reason this one isn't featured is that it hasn't completely aired at the time of this post. It will probably have a sad ending, but I still plan to watch to the final credits. It's another variation of Death Falls in Love. In this case, the job of Death God isn't permanent, as long as the current holder becomes karmic-neutral and can find a replacement. The problem is, this one has been waiting generations for the soul he fell in love with, and this time she comes with a damaged heart and a bad fate. And each time he refuses to take her soul, his chances of ever becoming human again lessen. Su Su fighting, Prince Wasawat!
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| God of Death plus his favorite Reapers |
- SoKor / KDrama Remakes: There were two lakorns produced and aired in 2018 that were adaptations. OMG/Pee Bpuan Chuan Maa Rak is based on Oh My Ghostess; and Mongkut Sut Tee Rak, which is from the Hong Sisters' My Girl. The first one suffered from a lack of chemistry between the leads; the second was missing that "snap" in the dialogue so prevalent in the sister's scripts. Not bad, but not exciting, either, these two.
Trotwood
I enjoy our end of year posts because it gives me an excuse to reread the RAWR posts for the whole year and remind me of the fun and flops. To me 2018 was the year of Daniel Choi and Baek Jin Hee--opening with Jugglers (in which they starred together) and then closing with Ghost Detective (Daniel Choi) and Feel Good to Die (Baek Jin Hee). Though I enjoyed both of these shows, they aren't on my list, but I wanted to give a shout out because these two actors were so good in both.
I will also say that my list doesn't include the best dramas I've watched just the ones that had the most impact on my year. I also include two categories rather than dramas, so I'm already breaking rules for 2019. (listing in alpha order not in preference order)
Accidentally in Love
With all the darkness in the real world, I spent quite a bit of time looking for light, but that didn't mean I wanted complete chaos. This Chinese drama provided a fun university drama that had heart and one of my favorite heroines of the year: Quing Quing. She goes in disguise to college because she's running away from an overprotective grandfather, but she is loyal to her friends, doesn't back down from bullies,and has the mind of an entrepreneur. I'd want to be her friend. I said the set was in the Barbie meets Fisher Price style.
Aishi Girl
A Japanese drama that has another female character who doesn't get all wishy washy when she falls in love. She is so determined, she actually goes back in time to save her man and becomes one of the soldiers in his army. However, do not assume that this is some dark costume drama; it's actually pretty funny and fun (these two surprisingly don't always go together), so much so that when you realize your face is wet with tears, you'll be surprised. I liked her. I liked her family (something that isn't always true with heroines), I liked the hero, and they really worked as a team even after he realized she was a she. This is definitely on the rewatch list.
BG: Personal Bodyguard
This was not the best Japanese drama I watched this year. That award would go to either Ossan's Love (see below) or Unnatural, but it is the one I decided to recap first because it made me sooo angry (cursing out loud and crying on the treadmill at the gym angry) that I almost dropped it but then it seduced me right back and swept me up into a really good and satisfying conclusion. The whole recapping project with Kakashi and Panda (thanks so much you guys) was a highlight of my year plus while I was doing it, I actually got to meet one of the actors in it, Takumi Saito. It also spawned Hair retrospectives plus two Takumi Saito hair posts. It includes one of my favorite work teams of the year in a year that was filled for me with really great work teams.
Guardian
This show made me change pics in my twitter account. I've read more fanfiction and watched more fanvids of this show than I have ever had. Worldwide phenomenon despite its major flaws and being pulled from sites by the Chinese government. The two stars, Bai Yu (as the Chief) and Zhu Yi Long (as Shen Wei/Black Cloak Envoy), into superstars as if they hadn't been in multiple things before. This really was drama crack for me; there was a time over the summer that I think I watched 22 episodes in one week!! I just couldn't stop. The 10,000 year old love story between our two leads really came through despite the show trying to go the bromance route and play under radar and the story of the fight between the different gods, humans, demons, and aliens (who've lived underground for thousands of years) is played on a human (no pun intended) scale, and you get really invested in this battle and the love that saves the world. These two are my 2018 OTP, and they had a LOT of competition.
Group Watching
I get up early every day between 2 and 3 AM), so my time clock is usually not the same as the people around. Fortunately, having drama buddies from around the world means that someone is usually up no matter when I go online. However, this is the first year where I actively watched shows with people, either at the same time or near enough to the same time where we can talk to each other while watching. I watched Happy Sisters with Saki doing this and it spawned a year of watching more dailies after swearing off them because I was so mad at the ending of 2017's Sweet Enemy. This show gave us Perfect Boyfriend (aka Abs Oppa) whom I still miss. Group watching also lead to me doing a series review of Love By Chance because Kakashi and Jo thought the running commentary on twitter about this show (and the drama behind the drama was so funny). That Thai BL drama watching group is a hoot and a holler. We have watched another series together (sorta) and have several more in the wings for 2019.
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| This is Perfect Boyfriend talking about, you guessed it, HoeJo, and being shirtless in the hospital just because |
The Guest
I said this year was the year of the work team for me, and this group is at the top of my list. The was on my radar because of Kim JAe Wook, but he didn't even show up until the end of episode 1, and I didn't even notice because I was so enthralled (and scared) by it all. Jung Eun-Chae's Kil-Young was probably my favorite heroine of the year; she had a great year in movies and was one of the highs of another year favorite of mine (Return). I hated the flak she/her character got for basically not being nicer when we all know that if her character had been male, no one would've said anything. Also, people forget how good Kim Dong Wook is and only remember him from Coffee Prince, but if you'd seen him in movies, you were not surprised. Dark and not afraid to go darker, but not so dark that you lost hope. I thought I'd be more scared, but the show made me more worried about the characters than scared, which was a good thing.
HIStory2: Crossing the Line/ HIStory2: Boundary Crossing
This Taiwanese show is actually one story in the two-story HIStory2 series. I liked both, and I like HIStory1 as well, but this is the show that I've rewatched multiple times because it has volleyball and because watching Hsia Yuo Hao fall in love is such a refreshing treat. We watch a LOT of falling in love stuff on this blog, but this still made my heart flutter. All the friends are great and they film the volleyball scenes well enough for me to almost believe they are that good.These are short shows, so you can get a full story in a shorter amount of time.
Lawless Lawyer
Lawless lawyer was a thriller romp with some of the best action scenes I've seen on screen (laptop, television, or movie theater). It was funny, fun, sharp, and unafraid. It was a show that clearly knew what it wanted from the beginning and worked on it until the end. The only thing I didn't like was how skinny Lee Jun Ki was to the point that it made me worried. However, it also gave me the fantasy pairing that I wanted--when the male and female leads fall in love and work together rather than against each other. See how this can work, drama gods?!?! We want more of that. I even bought this show on dvd for my dad for Christmas; we've always bonded over gangster movies and fight scenes. We watched four eps on Christmas day. Another great team and even better foes. Best elevator fight scene ever. In a parallel universe, these two could've been friends.
Ossan's Love
I had a number of shows that made me laugh this year, but very few (thanks, Feel Good to Die) made me laugh out loud as much as this one. A movie first, Ossan's Love is a Japanese drama where a sexually confused man who is about dorky but kind as you can get has three people of both genders fall for him. It addresses some serious topics, but despite me cringing from embarrassment for him in several situations, I loved it. On my definite rewatch list. I am very excited for the movie sequel, something that Japan seems to be doing more and more of. Don't ruin it, dramagods!
YouTube Dramas
This is my last entry and another category post. This year I started watching more and more web dramas on Youtube channels. It started with Boy Next Door (hilarious--watch now if you haven't) on Dingo-K Drama, but I kept watching others, which led me to watching shows on Playlist Global (I recommend A-teen). I recommend these shows because with episodes ranging from 3 minutes to 15 minutes a piece, you can get some drama in even if you don't have a lot of time. There are many of them that are really good with topics and attitudes about relationships that I often don't see in dramas on the networks (real kissing by grown ups, female characters who are not villains who have sex before marriage, etc.). There are many many shows, so if you don't like one, you are bound to like another, especially if you like school/unis stories, dating tales, or workplace romances. There are even shorts based on real life scenarios.
