Underrated Gems I'd Recommend

Genre: Music, Comedy, Romance, Fantasy
Type: Movie (1½hrs)

Very cute romantic story about a 'long distance' relationship between two people magically connected

Genre: Action, Thriller, Mystery, Fantasy (Revenge, Suspense, Investigation, Historical)
Type: Movie (2+hrs)

An intriguing parallel world (normal world & fictional world) story with mystery/thriller vibes. 

Genre: Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi
Type: Short Film (29min) 

The more unknown Edward Guo short film. Very touching story about aging, companionship, loneliness with an amazing OST and beautifully made

Genre: Youth, Drama, Friendship
Type: Short film (28 min)

An arthouse film. Definitely a standout for it's unique cinematography and art direction. It was a bit headache-inducing so keep that in mind. Story was simple but effective. 

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Type: Short Film (15min)

Dystopian scifi story with spectacular filmography. Most intriguing aspect is obviously the choose-the-ending part, which was quite interesting and unlike anything I've seen before.

Genres: Action, Thriller, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Type: Short Film (8min)

A glorified sci-fi skateboarding sequence in the best way!! Not only was it beautifully shot, but the skateboarding was epic and the premise was hilarious! 

Genres: Action, Thriller, Psychological, Crime
Type: Full Length Drama (12hrs)

So fricking good? Great chemistry amongst all mcs, interesting storyline, nice cinematography, fun and unique characters, refreshing locations, the whole package, really.

⚠ Warning: Not for the faint of heart

Genre: Psychological, Life, Drama (Healing, Friendship, Slgiht Romance)
Type: Short Length Series & Miniseries (2hrs) 

Adorably endearing minidrama about healing and plants. The story was simple, well-executed and endearing. An easy watch

Genres: Action, Mystery, Fantasy
Type: Miniseries (3 ½hrs)

So unique? Dark urban fantasy done right! Very interesting plot, setup, antagonist, pacing and characters (and so much whump). And those fight scenes?!? Absolutely incredible!! The only downside is the fact that it's short which does ultimately sacrifice a bit of the story but still so very worth it! 

Full review by me

Genres: Action, Thriller, Historical, Comedy
Type: Short Length Series (5hrs)

Surprisingly good for a short drama? Not at the same budget or quality level as the others but a good, quick watch. Interesting characters and story, good pacing and a rather unique take 

Genres: Drama, Historical, Romance
Type: Short Length Series (1½hrs)

Very similar to the above. Unique and strong FL, interesting dynamics, steamy romance, quick plot, pretty shots, good chemistry 

Genres: Youth, Drama, Sports, Friendship, Slight Romance
Type: Movie (1+hr)

Heartwarming and lovely. A good and endearing approach on serious topics through a fairly lighthearted lens and a tasteful exploration of gender roles and expectations. Honestly, super cute and fluffy and that ending dance scene was sooo satisfying.   

Genres: Action, Drama, Fantasy, (Friendship, Horror, Thriller)
Type: Miniseries (4hrs)

Unique and charming in the dark and gritty kind of way. Superpowers used to tell the story of three broken teenagers trying to survive. Phenomenal art direction, cinematography and aesthetics to really rail in the unsettling unnatural retro vibe. Everything from the performances to the OST to the CGI and practical effects were amazing! Criminally underrated. 

Genre: War, (High) Fantasy, Historical, Action, Martial Arts, Adventure, Xianxia
Type: Movie (2½ hrs)

A grandiose epic the likes not often see these days. Very thorough production, compelling characters, amazing acting, and visually incredible! If you love epic fantasy, you can't miss this

Admittedly this one is popular outside of MDL but not so much within. 

Genres: Historical, Drama, Martial Arts, Youth, Friendship, Slight Comedy, Slight Romance,
Type: Movie (1½ hrs)

Interesting, over-the-top dramatic setting unlike much I've watched before. Good fight scenes and parkour scenes. The story isn't all that, quite inconclusive and with some problematic moments but other than that, an enjoyable watch.

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Type: Movie (1hr, 50min)

A heartwarming film about disability with lovely characters and dynamics. The bond between the leads and their families was the highlight. I also enjoyed how quiet the movie was, really emphasizing the deaf representation!

Genre: Historical, Romance, Fantasy, Friendship, Time-Travel
Type: Short Length Series (4hrs) 

Pretty solid world-hopping minidrama. Cute characters, cute romance, interesting premise and an overall serviceable production quality.

Genres: Mystery, Horror, Wuxia, Fantasy
Type: Full Length Drama (27hrs)

Once again, a visual masterpiece. So beautifully shot, 10/10 performances from everyone, interesting cases, good chemistry, good story- No complaints, really 

Genres: Romance, Drama
Type: Short Length Series (3½hrs)

Unlike anything I've seen before! The plot twists were so many and so refreshing! I love the initial set up and the plot twists kept making it more and more interesting! I love the story, the messages and the conclusion. Such a refreshing watch! 

Genres: Romance, Wuxia, Historical
Type: Short Length Series (4½hrs)

Quite a treat. Good production value, unique characters (FL in position of power), role reversal, interesting plot, interesting characters, good pacing, steamy romance with good chemistry. Very solid but the ending is a bit lacklustre 

Genres: Life, Drama
Type: Miniseries (4hrs)

Bold, interesting, and heartwarming. Once you settle into the wacky premise, the story is super tender and well executed. Good social commentary on diversity, gender roles, and labels paired with good performances and pacing! 

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Life, Youth, Friendship
Type: Miniseries (7½hrs)

A fun, fluffy romcom. It had some unfortunate downsides but overall, I really enjoyed it. Characters were mature and interesting, the romance was cute (and the mains really worked well together as a couple), didn't drag on for too long and I had quite a few laughs. 

Genres: Historical, Romance, Martial Arts, Fantasy (Comedy, Supernatural, Musical, Mystery)
Type: Short film (21min)

Unusual but tight. Good banter between the leads and a funny, albeit outlandish, story. Not too spooky but has supernatural elements related to death (but kept lighthearted). It is half a musical though so do keep that in mind! 

Genre: Mystery, Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Friendship, Sci-Fi, Action, Suspense, Thriller, Youth
Type: Full length (20hrs)

Fluffy romcom with a twist! It's primarily a romantic comedy so the plot is very romance heavy and quite nonsensical but with an underlying mystery/thriller plot that ties in well with the unusual premise of the drama. 

Genre: Comedy, Medical, (slight) Romance, Healing
Type: Miniseries (8½hrs)

A very solid medical comedy. Realistic and raw in portrayal with a colourful and compelling cast of characters. 

⚠ Warning: Not for the faint of heart (medical related CWs, you see a lot)

Genre: Comedy, Romance
Type: Short Film (19min) 

Two introverts with a crush trying to communicate. This was such a pleasant watch! Short and teeth-rotting sweet. Cutest thing everrrr

Genres: Action, Thriller, Mystery, Supernatural
Type: Full Length Drama (17½hrs)

Not the best ending but a very legit thriller, of the better ones out there from what I've seen. Interesting plot with supernatural elements, smart characters, interesting dynamics, not the best but definitely better than given  credit for. 

Genres: Action, Drama
Type: Short film (19min)

A wacky manga-adaptation which really commits to the wacky. Hilarious and rather impressive over-the-top antics quite tastefully translated into a short film. I wish it were longer 

Genre: Military, Historical, Drama, War
Type: Movie (2+hrs) 

Visually STUNNING and an intriguing story that felt a bit more like a documentary than a movie but still an incredible watch

Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance, Fantasy, Thriller, Suspense, Investigation
Type: Full length drama (15hrs)

A solid and interesting watch set in an unusual location with compelling drama as long as you can withstand lower-tier quality and not the most sound/deep plot or characters. 

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Business
Type: Miniseries (4½hrs)

Extremely cute feel-good romcom. It's not serious and that's a good thing. Simple but wholesome story, cute main characters, and an overall fun watch! It also explores the fear of growing old through a fairly lighthearted lens which was definitely interesting.

Genres: Thriller, Wuxia, Fantasy
Type: Short Film (31min)

Short film but so worth it. Beautifully shot, good pacing, unique take. Very poetic and tugs at heartstrings

Genres: Historical, Mystery
Type: Full Length Drama (11½hrs)

Visually absolutely breathtaking. Stellar cinematography, performances, locations and characters! Only downside is the story took a turn for the worst around the midpoint. 

Full Review by me

Genres: Historical, Romance, Drama, Political
Type: Full Length Drama (40hrs)

Wow... Where to even start? Interesting leads, phenomenal performances from every single actor, side characters matter, world feels vivid and real, good theme song, unique setting (dynasty and all), quite a thorough level of realism, formidable and badass villains, high stakes, interesting drama, shippable romance, wholesome bromance, strong female characters... Like, what is there NOT to like???

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Type: Movie (1hr, 50min)

A very solid action/thriller with actually good action and thrill, very epic car chases, compelling characters (+++strong female lead, found-family AND accidental-child-acquisition) and a solid story all wrapped up with a proper thrilling OST that has you hooked. Really enjoyed

Genres: Romance, Life
Type: Short Length Series & Miniseries (30min)

Teeth-rotting adorable. It's a simple and fluffy watch while still telling an interesting story. The premise is unique enough to get you interested and the drama is cute enough to keep you staying.

Genres: Life, Youth, Drama
Type: Short Film (19min)

I honestly have nothing bad to say. It was a simple and thoroughly heartwarming treat of a short film <33

Genre: Food, Life, Friendship (Music)
Type: Short Length Series & Miniseries (1½hrs)

Cute, fluffy and heartwarming minidrama about an unusual family/friendship dynamic with well-crafted episodic-like arcs.

Still watching... 

Genres: Thriller, Mystery
Type: Full Length Drama (8hrs)

Beautiful cinematography, interesting setup & characters, great performances. Everything feels quite realistic and genuine. 

⚠ Warning: Not for the faint of heart

Genres: Historical, Mystery, Romance, Drama
Type: Full Length Drama (30hrs)

So beautiful. Amazing OST, strong FL, Older man x younger woman done RIGHT, nicely shot, beauitful costumes, interesting message, realistic portrayals, feminism, varied and unique characters, female villains, and interesting plot!

Genre: Thriller, Historical, Drama, Supernatural, Cult
Type: Full length (9hrs)

Lovecraftian horrorish thriller with a cult. Compelling mystery and interesting progression. Setting is unusual and the characters are endearing. It's a tad bit slow at times but definitely worth the watch! 

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi
Type: Short Length Series (2½hrs)

So unique and quirky and surprisingly high quality for a minidrama! Tackles societal issues from the perspective of a man stuck in a world where the gender roles are reversed. Interesting concept, fun characters, quirky humour. 

Genres: Action, Thriller, Mystery, Crime
Type: Full Length Drama (14hrs)

Somehow stumbled upon this drama by accident, but wow, what a treat! Badass male lead, thorough depiction of mental illness (for ML!!), good fight scenes, interesting plot, good supporting cast, great acting, intelligent characters, scary and intelligent villains, thrilling, good mystery... Honestly, the only thing a bit lacking where certain supporting characters.

Genres: Thriller, Historical, Mystery, Horror, Suspense, Supernatural, Investigation
Type: Movie (1½ hrs)

Beautifully shot movie with a unique narrative style. The story is told from multiple perspectives and all are unreliable narrators. In the end, it's still not clear what *actually* happened, which could be considered a minus. Everything from the shots to the production quality to even the CGI was very well done and I truly appreciated the eerie mythology and folklore inclusion! 

Genres: Horror, Supernatural (Suspense, Tragedy)
Type: Short film (23min)

A solid soft-horror film. The overall production quality was very good and the story was simple but well executed!

Genres: Action, Thriller, Psychological, Crime (Investigation, Mystery, Law)
Type: Miniseries (6hrs)

Better than expected. An overall solid action/thriller with dark themes and social commentary. The plot isn't anything to write home about but rather than being preachy and overly serious the drama takes on more a 'superhero' approach and thus embraces a more over-the-top style that is quite hard to come by these days, especially in Kdramaland. Acting and fight scenes were very solid, especially ML's.

Genres: Historical, Romance, Drama
Type: Short Length Series (3½hrs)

Minidrama quite well crafted and unusual!! Great story, unique characters, interesting plot, unusual world, etc though admittedly and noticeably low budget! A pleasant surprise! 

Still watching...

Genres: Thriller, Romance, Drama, Fantasy
Type: Full Length Drama (22hrs)

Unique affff. Fantasy/sci-fi bordering on absurdism. Unique premise, setting and plot, fun and entertaining characters portrayed excellently- Only downside so far is the slow pacing

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Youth
Type: Full Length Drama (8hrs)

Stunning AND interesting!! Unlike any cdrama premise I've heard before. Very interesting set-up, locations and premise (futuristic scifi? Sign me up!). Interesting & flawed characters (ungodly levels of stupid tho), good pacing, good chemistry, good acting, stellar cinematography. The story did end up being somewhat underwhelming near the end, though.

Full review by me

Genre: Historical, Romance, Drama, Revenge, Slight Fantasy
Type: Short Length Series (4hrs)

Unlike your average drama. Extremely strong FL who doesn't need saving and a respectful and supportive ML that make an excellent power couple seeking revenge! Solid story, a bit too fast paced but endearing mature romance and a nice production quality. A pleasant surprise

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Drama, Supernatural, Dark Fantasy, Psychological, Suspense
Type: Movie (1hr, 50min)

Definitely a confusing watch but also a stunning one! Definitely requires a bit of 'taking it for what it is' and not thinking about the plot *too* much but it's gotta be of the most whimsical, magical and beautiful looking films I've ever seen. What good art direction can do. 

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Drama, Youth, Suspense, Investigation, Revenge
Type: Miniseries (5hrs)

A bittersweet slowburn and very poetic mystery/thriller focused on generational trauma. The story itself was fairly solid but not without issues. Beautiful cinematography and art direction as well as compelling characters and dynamics. Overall, a touching story and a lovely watch. 

Genres: Action, Historical, Romance
Type: Short Length Series (54min)

Steamy romance, quick and fast paced plot, unusual characters and dynamics, pretty shots