Top 2023 Dramas

As good as expected! This was one of my highly anticipated watches of the year and it lived up to my expectations.

The only things I didn’t like was the random forced love connections they were trying to make with our leading men. Also, the acting of Chen Du Ling left a lot to be desired. During her crying scenes, I couldn’t tell if she was crying or smiling. Definitely didn’t move me. The third thing was the constant vicious cycle that Di Feichang had with Jiao Li Qiao.. That story arc could have ended earlier on but they sort of dragged that out for the sake of having a story. Lastly, the OST wasn’t anything special.

So many good things about this show. I still give an overall 10 rating even with some flaws because it was a uniquely written story that kept me engaged all the way through. There wasn’t a single throwaway episode. I appreciated how they kept the story progressing even when completing side cases. Many of those still connected to the larger story. I also loved how our 3 men used their real voices. It made things so much more authentic and the conversations and interactions between them seemed so natural. Definitely one of the more interesting and most fun leads in a show. Each had a different personality and brought something unique to their trio. Of course the acting was top notch in here. Besides Chen Du Ling, everyone else did such an amazing job, especially our 3 male leads. Hands down, this is the best show I’ve seen for them 3 to date. Next the fighting scenes were amazing. I wish we had more. It’s refreshing to see leads with good coordination and real martial arts pull off the scenes. It elevated the show for sure. Lastly, the visuals were beautiful. Pretty good CGI, costumes were good, high quality wigs with no visible lace fronts that I see quite a bit in CDramas. Also no CDrama tropes that most of us come to dread.

Went in with low expectations but I was surprised at this production. I didn’t read the book so I went in with low expectations but was moved by the high quality of the story, acting, visuals, and OST.

The CGI isn’t the best I’ve seen not the worse but doesn’t take away from the rating at all. Overall the visuals are still beautiful.

The story is very captivating. I’ve never come across a story as complex as this one and it’s to the point that I really have no clue what is going to happen next as I watch each scene unfold. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a show make me feel the full spectrum of emotions. The acting is done so well from each character. Even supporting characters are able to hold their own in the acting department. I also appreciate that each character is different and has different goals and ambitions. No character is good or bad and you almost forget that they are deities or creatures. They seem so human, unlike most non humans in xianxias. I also like how logical they are which gives them a sense of realism. Though this is a romance, it’s not all filled with romance and definitely leaves you pondering about the complexities of life and relationships. This story doesn’t have the CDrama tropes that most of us come to expect in these types of xuanhuan/xianxia shows. The OST is beautiful, each song is carefully tailored at the right moment to elevate each scene.

Enjoyed I Am Nobody and excited to see part 2 to complete the rest of the story. One of the top series of 2023!

This was a very fun and exciting watch! The plot was very strong and had a great setup with world building and character setups. The comedy was well placed in this fantasy drama and balanced well with the seriousness of some of the situations. The CGI and VFX was done very well and showcased each person’s power really good. I especially enjoyed all the fight scenes because they didn’t only just rely on people standing there with CGI but had actual choreographed fighting as well. The acting was done so well with all the unique characters and each left me engaged and interested in their stories. I also appreciated the OST. Well placed songs throughout.

Not too much negative but sometimes there were moments that were too silly and the scenes became a little sidetracked from the story and I wondered about the relevance and where it was going.

This is a high must watch! Would love to see more CDramas created in this genre.

A hidden gem. This was an amazing story and one I’d highly recommend for those looking for a coming of age story! First off, this isn’t a romance drama and not sure why MDL tagged it as such. I suspect that many who are looking for romance would be disappointed in this one. I would also say this is for more mature audiences. It’s heavy on the realism and does not contain fluff. It’s definitely not an idol drama.

The story was well written and had a strong execution. This was one of the best high school dramas I’ve seen and left a deep impression. There were many profound moments and life lessons portrayed in this drama. The female lead Luo Qiqi was an extremely relatable character and had me rethinking my youth, thoughts, actions and choices made during those times. Every character was very complex, not perfect and had their own interesting story to tell. There was so much character growth and development seen that it left a deep satisfaction at the end. In my opinion, this was Zhao Jin Mai’s best drama that I’ve seen from her lineup through 2024. It really showed her acting range. All the remaining cast also did an amazing job and portrayed their characters very well.

It’s a slow drama and requires patience to sit through as it’s 30 episodes with 50 min runtime per episode. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Though I enjoyed every episode and it kept me engaged, of course this drama still has the misunderstandings we’ve come to know in CDramas. The difference here is these are more realistic, relatable and understandable situations. It’s a basic production with a not memorable OST. The ending may leave some dissatisfied.

This show was interesting as it focused on a taboo issue and the consequences that can happen from it. I enjoyed the overall action presented in this show. It was very fast paced and the acting was real and raw for such a heavy topic. I kept watching to see how the main character would survive each life and if he would be able to change his fate. 

One thing I can’t help but also wonder is if this show was trying to provide a positive or negative message underneath it. Either way, it’s a recommended watch.