Favourite Dramas
October 2018
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1. Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas
Korean Special - 2011, 8 episodes
Korean mystery drama set in elite school, fascinating idea and story, though the "murder while holed up in an inaccessible place" is as old as English author Agatha Christie's detective stories of the 1920s. But this is not just a "who-dunnit" but a psychological thriller exploring the characters and motivations of the protagonists. Highly recommended. The music (from Vivaldi) is haunting.
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2. Maou
Japanese Drama - 2008, 11 episodes
Really well played, shorter than the Korean original - and no worse for that, the drama was much tighter and focused, though lacked a bit in development by comparison. Well you can't have it both ways.
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3. Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
Japanese Drama - 2007, 12 episodes
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4. RH Plus
Japanese Drama - 2008, 13 episodes
cute actors, good opening and ending music.
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5. Otomen
Japanese Drama - 2009, 12 episodes
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6. Nobuta Wo Produce
Japanese Drama - 2005, 10 episodes
Cool quirky series, nice male leads with BL happy ending (though you better not blink or you won't get it).
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7. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
Japanese Drama - 2010, 10 episodes
Fantastic quirky drama with some cute/cool actors. Worth a re-watch, well - apart from the ending, that is.
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8. Samurai High School
Japanese Drama - 2009, 9 episodes
Miura Haruma
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9. Long Time No See
Korean Drama - 2017, 5 episodes
Great gay themed drama with cool look main male leads. Plus happy ending gay movie, thanks be.
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10. Antique
Japanese Drama - 2001, 11 episodes
Just discovered this (17 years after it played in 2001) and it has great charm and emotional pull for. Plenty of feel-good. Plus I especially like quirky, off beat dramas. Takizawa Hideaki a very sweet character in this.
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11. School 2013
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
riveting, best so far in 2018, really glad I overcame my reservations about school drama as the acting and handling of real life struggles here is outstanding
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12. School 2017
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Very different from School 2013, slow start but soon becomes riveting - on my re-watch list, which is highly selective, since it requires something more than finding out what comes next in the plot. I was more impressed with female leads at first but the boys soon caught up. Very quirky (manga?) background plot plus strong back story. Comic relief with "black humour" and parodic characters like the corrupt principal - looking like a combination of Dracula and Frankenstein but with the brain of Daffy Duck. Convincing stories cover father-son conflict, bright but poor student struggling to make it in materialistic society where power and wealth count for more and give a headstart to second-raters. Stressed out kids unable to live up to parents' expectations. This drama covers such a wide variety of social issues but is such a good story you really get absorbed and care in the characters playing them out in their personal stories. Plus we've got a "good guy" sem/teacher who cares for his students, not their academic performance - if only they existed in the real world. There's even a "good gal" cop - now that's really hard to imagine existing in the real world.
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13. Secret Garden
Korean Drama - 2010, 20 episodes
After huge reservations finding the first couple of episodes chaotic and impenetrable, I got hooked by this drama, it's so bizarre and the characters so complicated, you can't decide if you like/hate or are just bewildered by them - or whether you like their looks even. I'm not attracted by Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won) but I suppose she's suited to the role, I am (to my shame) attracted by Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), he's a more complicated character beneath the horrid spoilt rich guy exterior. I also like the side stories with Oska and Han Tae Seon (Lee Jong Suk). I also like the clothes and decor, Joo Won's house and garden. Also the music. I'm learning to be more patient (so difficult!!!) otherwise I'd have missed a few good series due to unpromising starts.
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14. GTO
Japanese Drama - 1998, 12 episodes
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15. Are You Human Too?
Korean Drama - 2018, 36 episodes
Fascinating, edge of the seat stuff, raises a lot of issues like where does body as machine end and consciousness begin, great playing in double role by seo kang joon.
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16. Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Korean Drama - 2010, 20 episodes
Just wonderful - for me especially up to episode 15 when the 「 dark secret 」was revealed.
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17. Love in the Moonlight
Korean Drama - 2016, 18 episodes
Lovely, delightful, brave in showing same sex love as prince put love first even when thinking Hung a boy. Love the period costumes and settings. (⺣◡⺣)♡*
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18. Hello Monster
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
More than just a thriller, gripping throughout not just for story but characters and the actors were fantastic, especially Seo in Guk and Park Bo Gum. One of few I will re-watch I think.
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19. Tunnel
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Exciting how it all came together.
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20. Life on Mars
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
Too much casual violence at first but character development good, I wanted to know more about these people, and the story good if sometimes confusing.
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21. Black
Korean Drama - 2017, 18 episodes
Intriguing, slow start but switched to more exciting level once the supernatural element kicked in and the changed character of Black. Romantic ending.
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22. Splendid Politics
Korean Drama - 2015, 50 episodes
Thought this would be too long but is consistently gripping despite poor production values. Riots and big battles with thousands you have to imagine - 30 people whirling around is not convincing but they have to work to their costs I suppose.
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23. Class of Lies
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
Absorbing. Well acted weirdos.
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24. Avengers Social Club
Korean Drama - 2017, 12 episodes
Ah! This was great comedy drama to start but development so-so and some aspects of ending not in character and not so believable.
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25. The Untamed
Chinese Drama - 2019, 50 episodes
Beautiful drama, fantasy, settings. The two leads played to perfection. Such a pity the love bond was not truly shown here.
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26. Yamada Taro Monogatari
Japanese Drama - 2007, 10 episodes
Very heart-warming comedy, the leads played off each other so well, it could have become formulaic but was perfectly done and a joy to watch. One of the few I may re-watch.
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27. Rinsho Hanzai Gakusha Himura Hideo no Suiri
Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes
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28. Rinsho Hanzai Gakusha Himura Hideo no Suiri Special
Japanese Special - 2019, 1 episode
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29. Puzzle
Japanese Drama - 2008, 10 episodes
I like yamamoto in this early fun role
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30. Extracurricular
Korean Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
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31. Blood
Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
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32. Life
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
riveting and better for having minimal romance。Lee Dong Wook acts well and looks good〜 all the other actors were also very good will be on re-watch list〜〜
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33. Vita~Amore in Riga
Japanese Drama - 2020, 4 episodes
beautiful moving and happy ending〜
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34. Nine: Nine Times Time Travel
Korean Drama - 2013, 20 episodes
ending not so convincing but kept me watching every night
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35. Evasive Inquiry Agency
Korean Drama - 2007, 16 episodes
very good combination of mystery and comedy and characters
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36. A League of Nobleman
Chinese Drama - 2023, 29 episodes
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37. Ancient Detective
Chinese Drama - 2020, 24 episodes
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38. The Birth of The Drama King
Chinese Drama - 2019, 24 episodes
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39. Baberu Kuzaku
Japanese Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
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40. Minato Shouji Coin Laundry
Japanese Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
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41. Cherry Blossoms After Winter
Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
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42. Colore Rush
Korean Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
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43. Discipline Z: Vampire
Korean Drama - 2020, 6 episodes
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44. Holyland
Japanese Drama - 2005, 13 episodes
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45. Hotel del Luna
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
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46. Ima Koko ni Aru Kiki to Boku no Kokan-do ni Tsuite
Japanese Drama - 2021, 5 episodes
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47. Innocent
Taiwanese Drama - 2021, 4 episodes
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48. Kaitou Yamaneko
Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes
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49. What Did You Eat Yesterday?
Japanese Drama - 2019, 12 episodes
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50. Love is More Than a Word
Chinese Drama - 2016, 12 episodes
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51. Men with Sword
Chinese Drama - 2016, 30 episodes
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52. Men with Swords 2
Chinese Drama - 2017, 30 episodes
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53. Mood Indigo
Japanese Drama - 2019, 6 episodes
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54. Move to Heaven
Korean Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
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55. Mystic Pop-Up Bar
Korean Drama - 2020, 12 episodes
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56. Night Watchman's Journal
Korean Drama - 2014, 24 episodes
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57. Nirvana in Fire
Chinese Drama - 2015, 54 episodes
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58. Ryu Sun Bi's Wedding Ceremony
Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
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59. Old Fashion Cupcake
Japanese Drama - 2022, 5 episodes
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60. Ossan's Love
Japanese Drama - 2018, 7 episodes
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61. Otona Koukou
Japanese Drama - 2017, 8 episodes
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62. Peach of Time
Korean Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
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63. Player
Korean Drama - 2018, 14 episodes
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64. Prison Playbook
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
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65. Red Balloon
Taiwanese Drama - 2017, 8 episodes
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66. Rokuhodo Yotsuiro Biyori
Japanese Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
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67. Secret Campus
Korean Drama - 2006, 24 episodes
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68. Secret Investigation Record
Korean Drama - 2010, 12 episodes
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69. Semantic Error
Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
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70. Sherlock: Untold Stories
Japanese Drama - 2019, 11 episodes
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71. SKY Castle
Korean Drama - 2018, 20 episodes
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72. Solomon's Perjury
Korean Drama - 2016, 12 episodes
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73. Stranger
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
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74. The Crowned Clown
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
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75. King of Pigs
Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
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76. The Silent Criminal
Chinese Drama - 2020, 13 episodes
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77. The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty
Chinese Drama - 2020, 48 episodes
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78. Florida Banjeom
Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
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79. The Uncanny Counter
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
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80. The Village: Achiara's Secret
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
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81. Till Death Tear Us Apart
Chinese Drama - 2017, 15 episodes
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82. Time Slip Dr. Jin
Korean Drama - 2012, 22 episodes
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83. Tinted With You
Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
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84. To My Star
Korean Drama - 2021, 9 episodes
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85. What's Wrong with Secretary Kim
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
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86. Where Your Eyes Linger
Korean Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
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87. Word of Honor
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
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88. Word of Honor Prequel
Chinese Drama - 0000
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89. Word of Honor - Epilogue
Chinese Special - 2021, 1 episode
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90. Yakou Kanransha
Japanese Drama - 2013, 10 episodes
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91. Absolute BL
Japanese Special - 2021, 1 episode
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92. The Lotus Casebook
Chinese Drama - 2023, 40 episodes