The sum of our parts.

Death's Game is an interesting narrative on being left alone in the world, including the worlds we make for ourselves, whether purposefully or through a vast turn of events that stack up one after the other.

I had a lot of complicated feelings finishing the second part of this series.

It all started with Choi Yee Jae and his difficulties in life - a death on a day that he was supposed to be opening up a world of opportunities, isolation, struggling through jobs, being looked down on, and alienation. After a clinching decision, we then follow him on a journey of others who feel the same, and how he comes to terms with what he thought was true.

Something I really liked about Death's Game was that it really showed how being depressed made one forget all the good moments that led up to the darkness. How difficult it is to realize that the people around you are precious and don't find you a burden, and how, in those darkest moments, all you have left is yourself in a pit of despair that you were given with no choice in the matter.

The acting, build-up, cinematography, and overall storyline was amazing. I enjoyed it down to its grisly, bare bones. The star studded cast didn't disappoint, and they pulled out all the stops to it, which resulted in an absolute masterpiece of a drama.

So here's the clinching reason why I had complicated feelings towards this, and why I'm unlikely to come back to this despite how well it's pulled off. The subject of death, despair, depression, and understanding of love is prominent here, and I was absolutely enthralled by the relationships and portrayal of them. But since the series starts out addressing suicide, and then how it continues to tackle it in a rather outside looking in way, I'm not sure I was a fan of the message it subtly gave. If you watch this and deal with depression or have those near you that struggle with suicidal thoughts, I would go in prepared with several tablespoons of salt.

Other than this though, it was an enjoyable series, and even when I was annoyed, I was never bored of the storyline. It progresses quickly, nails all the underlying plot points, joins together beautifully, and really gives you some insight into those that deal with depression. All in all, I would say give it a go and form your own impression of it, but do so knowing this series is not in any way a light watch.

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Full of plotholes, but endlessly endearing

Twinkling Watermelon is about eighteen year old Ha Eun Gyeol traversing through life as his parents "angel" and how that stacked a burden on his shoulders until he blows up. In a fun bit of magic, he then becomes a blast from the past and meets his father. Shenanigans ensue.

To be quite honest, I struggled to get through the first half of this drama and failed to see what others enjoyed so much. Characters were annoying, I disliked certain plotlines, and thought it had no direction besides relying on chaotic humor and a prevailing feeling of anticipation for already known events. The MC's everyday adventures were not enough to capture my interest, and I wondered if I should continue.

Probably around episode seven or eight is when I felt myself being pulled in, and I'm extremely glad I continued watching. The plotlines all gather up in a cohesive bundle, the characters redeem themselves without sacrificing their base motivations, and the developed relationships between all of them tugged on my heartstrings continuously. Twinkling Watermelon has a perfect blend of magic, storyline, and family relations to keep you watching. It's a bit cheesy at points but endearing, enough angst to keep the plot propelled but not so much it bogged it down, and everything was drawn up neatly.

There are plotholes concerning the time travel, but I just squinted and pretended they weren't there. It's not too glaring of an issue at the end of the day.

All in all, I would recommend you watch for a lovely story about found family. It's not a wholly light watch, but it is a pleasantly surprising one.

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cliche, enjoyable, and best of all, unproblematic

Honestly, this is pretty much your run of the mill highschool and young love drama. It took me two tries to get past the initial first few episodes, but after that I coasted right through.

There are a lot of things to love about this WIFTY. The main fl is cute, witty, and bright. She has a good heart, but she can stand up for herself and knows how to prevent others from walking all over her. It's a refreshing change from other cute fl characters who need the ml to stand of for them. Although the ml was always there, it was more out of support and encouragement rather than a need to save her. The main couple quietly yet openly supported each other throughout, effectively cutting off many overdone and tiring cliches used to create drama. Because of this, it was easy to watch. All the problems were faced together and solved quickly through the power of good ol' honesty and respect, and honestly, loved that.

There is a second couple that is just as cute and loveable, which you sometimes fail to see. Both were great in their own rights and fun to watch.

The friendships and relationships really shine here. Besides the romance, they tackle things like societal pressure, respect of others and self, growing pains, the meaning of friendships ,and how parental love effects their children. It was all portrayed well and easily digestible without being too frustrating.

Some parts did lose my interest, but not for lack of pacing. This type of highschool drama is either hit or miss for me, and this one sat on the high end of hit. I went into watching with this knowledge and came out pleasantly surprised and with fewer tears in my tearducts.

All in all, this is incredible sweet, meaty in the right places, and just stinkin gosh darn lovable. I would recommend watching if you're looking for something light to keep you in a good mood.

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A smile on a silver platter

King the Land is a wholesome delight.

It mainly follows the lives of Sa Rang and her three friends, along with Gu Won and his assistant. Honestly, there's nothing new to this story. It's your typical CEO and the beautiful woman that catches his attention and never lets it go kind of drama. King the Land is the tropiest of the tropes. If you don't want cliches and overused scenes (one even so closely recycled from another series I thought I was hallucinating) then give this drama a pass.

That being said, I really enjoyed this! The storyline is bland at best but the interactions, character growth, and and acting is fun to watch. There are hardly any drawn out misunderstandings and battles are won quickly, which was refreshing as I sometimes am looking for something a little less stressful. This drama is full of wholesomeness at every turn, healthy couples (even the one that wasn't) and supportive relationships. Any ounce of negativity is quickly demolished.

The last two episodes did drag a bit, especially since all the storylines had been tied up nicely by that point, but it was still easy to watch.

All in all, I would recommend if you're looking for something light, fun, and sweet to watch!

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Survival & the pursuit of happiness

For the watchers who enjoyed The Guest, this is like its younger cousin twice removed. Still very eerie at times, and gloomy in its own right, but it didn't crawl up my spine near as much as TG did.

It starts off following Sanyoung, who lives a life cleaning up after her mother and never quite making ends meet despite working herself to the bone. She's tired, rarely smiles, and contemplates ending it for herself. This drama does not have much humor in it, and consistently portrays graphic suicide and violence. If you're looking for something light with ghosts in it, this is not the one.

The storyline and pacing is honestly kind of eh. I found myself bored at times, and scrolling through my phone while half listening through the more filler moments. There is a lot of running around, finding clues, and a slow reveal of the truth, that constantly backtracks with twists and turns.

Yet, despite the more dull moments, I still clicked the next episode without hesitation every single time. Why? The acting takes the whole bakery in Revenant.

By far, the acting is what got me through this. I was unsettled, jump scared, horrified, and angered through this. The first few episodes are rough going, but once the ball starts rolling, the characters were what drew me in and kept me there. They delved into the true motives of peoples actions, the meaning of happiness, and the lengths people will go to just to survive. I highly recommend for the performances alone. Just be prepared to have to push through a few of the repetitive scenes where they run around and extract information.

All in all, a great watch and I finished in three days. If you're looking for truly bad ghosties and superb performances, then definitely give this one a go.

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A taste of the good life, and the addiction it brings.

Just what would you do to get one more taste of fame?

Celebrity is an interesting narrative of living life online, and just how that pristine perfection might be hiding the secrets that lurk beneath.

To start off, I honestly thought this would be a lot lighter of a romance (I just clicked and watched) but the storyline is so much deeper than it seems. It follows a girl who was once rich, lost everything, and then glimpses a chance to get it all back. That drug proves to be too tempting, and she falls head first into a world built on the most premium of lies.

Let's be clear, Seo A-ri is not the most likable character. She does as she pleases, sinks her claws into who she needs, and is downright stubborn when being pushed around. She sometimes hurts those who are trying to help her, has an incredibly large sense of pride, and maintains a clear vision of where she wants her future to go. That being said, I didn't hate her. I wanted her to succeed despite everyone else trying to take her down. As you watch, you learn all her faults are just a shield against the world and she's desperately afraid of hurting those close to her. It redeemed her a little.

The acting is quite good, but the nasty troupe do get a little ad nauseum after twelve episodes. I found myself skipping through a lot of the villains scenes, and didn't feel like I missed anything as it was just one more scene where they do the dance one more time. Despite this, I continued watching and without much trouble. The storyline is interesting, I enjoyed the flow of the past and present, and the editing was meshed well all around. My only real gripe is the ending is too rushed. There was a lot of repetitiveness leading up to the last few episodes, but then we sped through all the parts and reveals that I think would have really made this drama memorable.

Would I watch again? I doubt it. I loved the main couple, despite them having little quality screen time, and the chemistry of the likable characters was enough to keep me clicking to the next episode. However, it's not something I imagine I would want to experience again.

I would say give it a go if you like a short revenge drama, and some tantalizing chemistry between the mains.

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One person, forever.

Sometimes home is a person, and happiness the sound of the heartbeat that resides there.

It's been some time since I've written a proper review but this drama sincerely deserves it.

If you're worried about the age gap aspect here, set those worries aside, it's been done extremely well and tastefully. This is a drama about two people who meet at all the right times, and who are what the other needs throughout all of the hardships and hidden wounds. Every green flag you can think of is in here. There is no misunderstandings, the couple works together to make their relationship mesh well despite their different places in life, and they will have you smiling and crying the entire time.

Hidden Love is heartwarming in all the best ways. Not only is there romance, but familial love as well. Every single relationship, from SZ's friends to DJX's buddies, is something wholesome and it is portrayed so naturally it's hard to not believe they are real friends who have known each other for years. I adored every single character as they grew together and leaned on each other.

The music is perfect, and by the end will have you sobbing and smiling at the same time, and the pacing in Hidden Love is absolute perfection. There wasn't a moment where I wanted to skip ahead or felt like there could have been more. This is a feel good drama and it is extremely well done.

If you need softness and a beautiful love story, give this a try!

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Raw & Necessary

This was hard to watch, not in any other way than the real and rawness of everything portrayed in this movie.

This is a movie that deals with the subject of bullying in the most blatant and shocking way possible. There is blood and bruises, humiliation and nastiness. This is young humanity at its darkest and it's all displayed on a tiny screen for your viewing tears. And there will be a lot of them.

This depicts the story of Chen Nian who is in her senior year and just trying to prepare for her exams. Her dream is to get into the college of her choice. Right off the bat, this is emotional. A girl that she knows and avoids is getting bullied and jumps off a building at school. Then we see the bullies shift their focus onto her because of her moment of care.

Like I said, this was hard to watch. It was painful and I cried for most of it, because the reality is sad. They didn't pull the punches and show the repercussions of bullying at its worst. This is dark but it makes the spots of light all the more impactful. We do get those happy moments where she shares a newfound joy with Liu Bei Shan. They rescue each other and continue on together. Their relationship surpasses friends or any simple romance to the purest kind of love. It's beautiful and heart wrenching.

All in all, I highly recommend watching this. It is painful but worth the watch.

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A Heartfelt Drama

There are some dramas where the story is needed to keep the viewer watching or the relationships fall short of the mark. WoH is not one of those dramas.

WoH starts as your basic wuxia drama that follows different sects who are for fighting for some coveted item. It is nothing to the wuxia/xianxia world hasn't done before nor is it particularly exciting (for me at least) but the basis plotline is not the whole picture. Viewer beware, there will be a lot of information thrown at you very quickly so be ready. There are a lot of sects and many (many) side stories we follow along the thirty-six episodes. Out of the many side characters, only one was (however necessary) rather bland but the others were absolute perfection. This is a drama that is going to make you angry, smile, and cry often.

Although the story lacks individualism, the relationships and characters shine bright. The acting was wonderful, with obvious character development brought through in micro-expressions and interactions. The romance depicted between the various couples are sweet, built on good foundations and pure. I honestly loved the wholesome aspects between the non-romantic and the romantic relationships as toxicity was scarce. WoH is all about the simple things like learning to rely on someone and the happiness that loved ones can bring you. The chemistry between the cast was engaging no matter the scene and I was delighted and heartbroken throughout the course of the watch. The costumes and choreographed fight scenes are only an add-on to the growing list of reasons to watch this. They are respectively flawless, vibrant and eye-catching. The detail in the fight scenes and the costumes really brought me a lot of joy while watching. The OST is stunning, heartfelt, and follows the tone of the drama perfectly.

My only complaint with this is obviously the basis for the storyline felt a little bland but the pros outweighed the cons in this case and it hardly impacted my viewing experience. The pacing at times felt a little fast in some places and a little slow in others, with the ending feeling a tad rushed. It might have benefitted from a couple more episodes to iron out some storylines but I will say the drama rarely felt draggy. There are A LOT of side stories in this so be prepared to devote your full attention. It's very easy to miss important information and then get a little lost.

All in all though, WoH is a wonderful drama with heartfelt relationships that result in a rewarding watching experience. It has wuxia and romance as well (or bromance if that's your thing) which are both flawless pulled off. I highly recommend.

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Chemistry for Miles

This is a slow burn, chemistry laden short film that grabs you from the moment it starts to the last finishing scene. There was not a dull or insignificant scene in Wuliang and I'm all the happier for it.

This is the same length as its predecessor Painted Skin, and features the same two leads wonderfully enough. The two main actors have some serious chemistry together and this is what truly brings forth the emotional performance. This could have easily been a full length, forty episode, wuxia drama but it still manages to deliver a solid experience within thirty minutes. The storyline is well done, easily followable, and concise. The plot is engaging and continues to move forward nicely while maintaining a semblance of mystery. Although this is a short film, the chemistry between the ML's felt like a slow burn and I could easily believe they built a bond over time. Nothing here felt too abrupt or empty. They sprinkled some action scenes into Wuliang too and they were well done without being cheesy. The acting is on point and very believable. I loved the difference in the characters here than in their previous film together. Their diversity is no joke and the emotional scenes here carry some heavy impact to them. Though the soundtrack is used less than the previous film, it is beautiful.

All in all, a good action and emotion based wuxia drama that will be sure to wrench your heart. I would recommend if you're looking for a concise but emotional watch.

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Work of Art

This is for Wuxia lovers and is honestly just a beautiful piece of cinematography.

The story is a simple one, but is executed quite well for a short story. I can't get too much into the storyline because it would give the whole story away, but they did a phenomenal job of creating a perfect atmosphere right off the bat. I did feel a little lost at first but everything draws together by the end. My only qualm would of course be the length (this is is only thirty minutes long) just because there is so much that could have been fleshed out. The characters were complex and the way they influenced each other made me want to explore them more in depth. However, this wasn't too glaring of an issue because what they did portray held so much weight to it.

Painted Skin succeeds in creating an air of mystery but also delivers an almost intimate experience. Every interaction and scene carries itself flawlessly and was meaningful which I loved. This made me feel more than some full length dramas and it did it well. The acting is on point and despite the short length, this had me completely immersed in the characters quickly and thoroughly. They did a great job of building the relationships in Painted Skin up on a strong foundation and then moving them forward towards the endgame. The music in this is so beautiful and really contributed to the emotional scenes within. The cinematography was absolutely gorgeous and each take was beautiful and/or heart wrenching.

All in all, a really good mini-film that carried its weight in watching gold. I would recommend if you're looking for something meaty (pun intended hehehe. You'll understand if you watch) but short. This was a really good filler drama for in between drama indecision and I thoroughly enjoyed the watch.

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Sweet & Refreshing

YMMD is a sweet BL that is short but to the point in all the good ways. The chemistry is great between the leads, there's appropriate conflict to propel the characters in the best dramaland has to offer, and there's plot.

As with Korean BL's to date, this shows one shortcoming is length. There could have been a lot more foundation for the characters had there been a couple more episodes. That is really my only complaint. Getting past that though, this makes for an extremely pleasant watch. For such a short drama, we get some mild character development, lovely moments between the leads, and an actual plotline that manages to stay decently relevant throughout. The music is nice to listen to and the cinematography is on point. I appreciate the scenes when Shi On is dancing as they really made sure to focus on the moves and bring out the beauty. This left an honest smile on my face by the end and generally good feelings about the overall experience.

All in all, I would definitely recommend if you're a BL lover or even just looking for something short and wholesome to watch.

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An Orange Blossom in the Midst of Winter

Disclaimer: I haven't read the manga for this movie so this is just based on the movie.

This is honestly such a chill and laid back drama that it will satiate any needs for a relatively angst free watch.

As with many Japanese dramas, this drama had a certain nostalgic feel to it. The cinematography was very pleasant and cozy. This is definitely a movie that you can curl up on the couch with a cup of tea. It just has that sort of feel to it. The storyline is pretty simple and since it is a movie, we move on to the character introductions and storylines quite quickly. There are lovely elements in here like family, burgeoning love, and accepting oneself. We tick through the discovery boxes decently fast, but the pacing didn't leave me feeling left behind. I would have liked to go more in-depth into the characters but since the movie was only an hour and half long, it wasn't too big of a hang up. There was so much to these characters and I think after watching this, it might benefit to read the manga though. The characters have substance to them, so maybe go in expecting a surface plot. The acting was lovely, charming, and believable. The relationships were sweet and foundational as well and flawlessly executed.

All in all, a drama for lazy afternoons and it makes for a pleasant watch. I would recommend if you're looking for something slightly nostalgic but light.

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A Slice of Realism Pie

TW for a verbally and borderline physically abusive relationship.

This drama confronts some issues head on and it really does it well in my opinion. The main message is to be your own star, stand up for yourself, and that it is okay to be different. There are many romcoms out there and very rarely does one shine out from the rest with nary a need for the skip button. This drama filled all my romcom needs while still portraying realistic (or as real as it gets in drama world) characters, relationships, and outcomes. The characters can be eccentric but still came off as refreshing and fun.

There isn't much in the way of a in-depth storyline with Run On if I'm quite honest. This drama is entirely character and relationship motivated. Even though there wasn't much happening outside of the characters daily life, I found myself enjoying the simple moments and becoming attached to the characters. I was happy to watch them grow together or just maintain their wonderfully down-to-earth relationships. There are so many points to this drama that are in the quiet moments or between the lines and I love how honest this drama was.

The acting was wonderful. I laughed, smiled, was angry, and cried along the way. Every person was portrayed well and conveyed the emotions perfectly. The chemistry between all of the actors really carried the drama and made it easy to watch. The OST is lovely and resonates as well.

All in all, a really lovely and simplistic drama. I would say this is a drama for rainy days or when you want something sweet but deep. This is entirely character motivated so it might not be your cup of tea if you prefer storyline motivated dramas.

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Love & Letting Go

This drama is all about what someone would do for love and when it is time to gracefully bow out.

Here's to the nit and the grit of this seemingly low-key drama. It really gave off normal mellow vibes but that is not what it delivered. There was angst galore but moments that shone through with brilliance. This is a very nostalgic drama about a girl who has followed a boy around since her childhood days, but he remains oblivious to her efforts until much later.

The storyline wasn't too special as there are many chased love stories out there, but this breaks away with its delivery. There are many threads between the characters and, just like life, their relationships get messy. There is much laughter to be had but there was frustration as well. If you're not into the annoyingly persistent and unwanted female characters I might suggest giving this a pass. Although there is a lesson to be learned from each character, there were some female characters I could have done without. However, each relationship within shines. My heart broke and was mended repetitively throughout this drama. My only complaint was that there was indeed some unnecessary conflict in the middle of the drama and seemed more filler angst than motivating. I loved the strong women in here who, despite getting hurt, still picked themselves back up in the end. There was only one couple I ended up skipping past and I felt their arc was close to unimpactful. But, they did carry a message and their scenes were pretty concise.

The acting was pretty on par. There were some characters I thought fell a little behind or were slightly outshined here, but the women in this consistently delivered great scenes. The OST was alright, but didn't leave to much of an impression. That's pretty normal for modern day Chinese dramas though.

This drama shows that in life there is a box and we consistently live within that box, often afraid of looking outside. Our judgments and emotions reflect based on the inside of the box, but there so much outside of it. It's really about learning when to push yourself and when to wait for the right time. To just be aware of how we affect those outside our box and to be ready to move on or grow. I think that is what this drama excels in conveying.

All in all, a nice drama but not a super light watch. I would suggest watching if you're looking for something meaningful with enjoyable relationships within.

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