No Gain, No Love had a lot of promise. It had a lot of classic tropes, it had Shin Min Ah, it was very progressive for a kdrama. But I think that the main issue is that this show tried to do way too much with only 12 episodes.

There were so many storylines that a lot of them didn’t get resolved at all (with Ji Uk’s parents, or her ex) or were so rushed that they had no impact at all. Even the main relationship didn’t feel developed, so it felt like it had no stakes. Kim Young Dae really didn’t work for me as a lead and he did not have great chemistry with Shin Min Ah.

Ja Yeon was adorable and I really wish she had gotten more screentime. The show tried to do too much with her character in very limited time. I liked her arc as a romance writer and would have liked that to be more of the focus. The whole murderer dad getting out of jail and coming for her was a pretty unnecessary plot line. I wanted to like her romance more than I did. The way they met was very hard to come back from and it kind of dampened their entire arc.

The third friend’s storyline was completely forgettable and uninteresting. They should have just written her out if they were going to do a shorter show. Everything with Hae-young’s ex was also very annoying and took time away from other plot points.

I could see that there were elements of Hae-young’s character arc that I would’ve liked and could’ve connected with but the show just never delved into those parts in any meaningful way. Even her relationship with her mom felt like afterthought.

After a somewhat promising start, the show really fell flat for me in the last couple episodes. I’d still say watch it if you love Shin Min Ah, but overall the drama felt pretty shallow in terms of the characters and story.

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I loved the beginning of this show so much. The banter and bickering between Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo felt so genuine and accurate for friends who had known each other so long. Seok-ryu was such a fantastic character and I love that the show delved into her burnout and the unfair treatment she got as the eldest daughter. One of the first scenes that really got to me was when they were sitting in the rain and she is laughing and Seung-hyo tells her not to laugh when she really wants to cry, and she immediately starts sobbing. The two of them showed the importance of truly being seen. Both of them could see through the facades that the other would put up and knew what they truly needed. I loved the two of them together. They had fantastic chemistry both as friends and as a couple.

The show really spent a lot of time on Seung-hyo’s feelings and I would have loved more time spent on Seok-ryu’s. I think that the best part of friends to lovers is the tension and them slowly realizing their friend is hot, but since we got so little of her perspective, we didn’t really get those moments from her. It was such a missed opportunity to not do flashbacks showing moments where she found herself attracted to him as well, even if she didn’t realize it or accept it at the time.

I loved Seok-ryu so much and I was so excited to see a depiction of an overachieving eldest daughter crashing and burning, and then her efforts to create a life that actually makes her happy. The show takes a bit of a turn that I was disappointed with because it really took away from all the totally valid reasons that she could be burnt out. I also really wanted her family, but especially her mom, to realize on their own how unfair they’d been to her. The way the show went with it made it so that they didn’t really have to come to terms with how awful they’d been, which was extremely frustrating.

Mo-eum and Dan-ho, the second leads, had such a great meet-cute and her career as a paramedic was interesting to watch. I felt like this couple really went downhill over the course of the series. Mo-eum did have a sweet connection with his daughter but she tried to move things so fast that it was uncomfortable. Dan-ho’s constant rejection of her never really made much sense and it felt a little degrading to have her continue to pursue him when he was acting so cold to her. The energy between them just really seemed to shift partway through the show.

The storyline with his mom’s memory was really what took this show down a notch for me because what was that. The show continued to just throw in dramatic elements for shock value and then just reel it back, which was completely unnecessary.

At the beginning of the show, this was a 10/10 for me. Some of the frustrating elements did bring it down a bit, but I still really enjoyed the show. Jung So-min and Jung Hae-in were both incredible, together and separately. There were such sweet heartwarming moments, not just between the leads but also with their families. Even if it didn’t go into it as much as I wanted, I still really appreciated how they showcased Seok-ryu realizing in her thirties that she doesn’t even know what she likes or wants to do. She became such a beloved character to me that I won’t forget anytime soon.

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I struggled so hard to get through Business Proposal. I skipped so many scenes because I was determined to finish it so I could rate it. I don't hate cheesiness or tons of tropes, there was just something about this that really didn't work for me.

I know a lot of people loved the second leads, but there was a conversation related to consent that bothered me so much I could barely watch the two of them after that.

The main couple I did not find very interesting and there were a couple points at which I feel that relationship would have been over. Spoiler: at one point he kicks her out of the car in the middle of nowhere, at night, without a phone while they are supposed to be on a date. Regardless of the reason, she could've died! The love triangle was also incredibly boring and I didn't care about it in the slightest.

I think the character relationships just all had deal breaking moments for me that really put me off the show. There were parts that I enjoy, because there were some scenes where the main couple had good chemistry. Her team at work was pretty entertaining to watch.

While there were some entertaining and humorous parts of the story, I found the characters shallow and relationships problematic.

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Link started off with an interesting premise and did not deliver on any front. The main issue with this show is that it had no business being 16 episodes. If it had been 10 or 12 the pacing wouldn’t have been so off. The main mystery was dragged out to the point that I didn’t even care by the end. The show somewhat held my attention until about episode 10/11 and then it just really fell apart and I struggled to even finish it.

The main part of the show that I was interested in was the link between the two lead characters. Feeling each other’s emotions was something that sounded unique and it could have been really cool. I don’t need big drawn out explanations about supernatural elements, but the whole link plot line was so poorly done. In the beginning it was kind of funny and sweet, and then towards the middle it felt like it was barely even a plot point anymore with no reason given. The fact that the female lead did not know what was happening despite him explicitly telling her, her feeling his emotions, and him knowing things about her that would have been impossible to know was so irritating. The way this plot device was used to allow the male lead to continue to find her when she was in trouble was cute though.

I cannot imagine a woman with a violent stalker on the loose acting anything like Dahyun and it felt so unrealistic that it was hard to watch. Episode after episode it felt like all she did was wander down deserted alleyways alone at night. The stalker plot also just abruptly ended with almost no resolution.

I normally love a small town show with kooky characters but almost every single person in this show was a horrible person, which would have been fine except the show tried to make them all sympathetic and give them happy endings. I’m sorry but a man who leaves an injured small child alone at night while she is crying, begging for help, and saying that she’s scared and being chased, simply because he’s too tired is supposed to deserve a happy ending? I don’t even know what the show was trying to say by vindicating all of these terrible characters.

There were elements of the show that I enjoyed, primarily the relationships between Dahyun, her mom, and her grandma. Their dynamic was a lot of fun to watch, especially the way they tried to protect her from stalker by constantly carrying around bats, rolling pins, and hammers. There were elements of the romance that were cute and the leads did have some chemistry, but there were so many breakups and back and forth that it really lost its appeal by the end. There were some pretty scary scenes with the stalker that had me on the edge of my seat. The very beginning of the show when Dahyun is realizing that she is being stalked was also very creepy but interesting. Overall kind of a letdown and not something I’d recommend unless you are fast forwarding through a lot of the scenes.

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Starting off this show, I thought that the child actors were just going to have a few scenes. I was a little annoyed when I realized that it was more than that, until they stole my heart with their earnest and heartbreaking performances. It was impossible to not be rooting for them so hard after that.

Of course the premise of the show is a little ridiculous and the show really leans into the absurd nature of her past rather than what would actually be an extremely traumatic experience. I feel that this choice was made because of the already very bleak and upsetting depiction of domestic violence and the show wanting to still have some lighthearted moments.

I think what worked best in this show was Ki-ho and his dedication to Mok-ha. Every choice he made in his life revolved around her. His unwavering devotion to her was so beautiful. I really wish they had shown more of their romance. His family was so precious and I would watch an entire show based on the backstory of the mom and dad running away together.

What worked the least in my opinion was the music industry bit. The show spent so much time focusing on the shares when that storyline not only didn’t really make sense but also was uninteresting. Ran-jun could be pretty frustrating to watch and her romance plot line was tiring. The show would have been better with less focus on the music industry.

The portrayal of domestic violence was definitely meant to show how deeply unfair the legal system was towards victims. This was a very important message but it felt like even the show was giving their bio dad too much grace. It felt crazy that fighting back against someone who is attacking you and your family was shown as almost equivalent to being abusive? Just let the guy punch his dad, he deserves so much worse.

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Sometimes in action or mystery stories, less is more when it comes to explanations because the more they try to explain things, the stories become less fun and it’s easy to find the plot holes. Healer definitely did not take the less is more approach and I think the story suffered for it. I almost dropped this drama so many times in the first half because I was so bored by the backstory. It took probably until episode 7 until I was more invested.

The action itself is great and it’s clear that Ji Chang Wook had a great time doing all of the stunts. The romance was also very well executed and Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young had such good chemistry. Her character getting into a love triangle with Healer and one of his other aliases was hilarious.

I ended up skipping a lot of the scenes with the main villains because it just did not feel interesting or make a lot of sense. The second male lead was also one of the weaker parts of the show as it seemed like they didn’t know what to do with him.

Everything with Healer and his team was great. The team dynamics, humor, and caring for each other. Her dad and the ex-cons he’d hired at the cafe were fun to watch and the dad was one of the sweetest drama dads ever.

I wish the show had found a way to be more mystery of the week rather than focus on this big convoluted conspiracy that’s gone back decades. Every time the show would focus on the mystery, I just wanted to go back to the main leads or see some more action sequences.

I would have dropped this drama if the romance didn’t hold my attention like it did. Ji Chang Wook really is great in both action and romance, and Healer showcased his skills in both.

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This was my first ever kdrama and is still the only one I’ve rewatched to this day. I know CLOY gets a lot of hype, but there is a reason for it!

First off, the love story is epic and very well done. The premise of the show creates the perfect opportunity for a star-crossed lovers story. I love the meet-cute, I love the grumpy-sunshine trope, I love the backstory of their paths having crossed before. Many, many shows have the storyline that the leads have known each other in the past, but I think few have executed it the way that CLOY does. One of the reasons I think it’s so successful is that it’s not a forced storyline of them knowing each other as kids or unknowingly being a part of the same traumatic event, instead it shows the ways their paths have continued to cross against all odds. This aspect of the show had a fated lovers/red thread of destiny aspect to it that I just loved.

Captain Ri is so reserved for most of the show and, yes, he is constantly saving her life, but he also displays his love through such beautiful, little acts of consideration. Se-ri is also such a fantastic female lead. It would have been easy in a show like this to have her solely be the damsel in distress who needs saving from the hero, but she also saved him multiple times. Se-ri was brave and determined, a perfect match for Captain Ri.

Another one of my favorite parts of the show is the found family dynamic she has with all of his friends. Found family is one of the best tropes and CLOY does it so well. Se-ri had her own relationship with each of the soldiers and they all loved her so much by the end of the show. All of these characters added so much needed humor to the story.

I know not everyone does, but I loved secondary couple as well. I wish they’d gotten more time on screen together. The two of them seemed like a perfect match because they both could be pretty morally grey but had such a soft spot for each other.

I love the majority of this drama but there are a couple things that keep it from being a 10 for me. The first is that I really wish the main couple had been more passionate. These two people are living never knowing when they’ll be pulled apart forever and understanding that when that happens, they’ll never see each other again, and you’re telling me that they barely touch each other?! Yeah, right. There are also several plot lines that the show spends way too much time on, which makes the episodes a lot longer than they needed to be. Dan’s mom and uncle had too much screen time, as did Se-ri’s brothers. Se-ri’s family dynamics were very confusing, especially with her dad.

Even with my minor complaints, I would still recommend just about everyone to watch this show. This is a fantastic starter drama as well and it introduces you to a lot of the most beloved tropes. CLOY was unforgettable to me.

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Great Start, Weak Finish

I loved this drama so much at the beginning. I liked the focus on friendship and the chemistry between the couples. The show portrayed sexism and had a pretty progressive attitude towards sex. One of my main issues is that the show focused on the three main friends and their romances, but I only cared about two of them. I found one of these storylines to be incredibly boring and skipped most of those scenes. The last few episodes really took the show down for me, which I would have rated much higher before I saw those. The decisions that the main lead makes in the last few episodes felt really bizarre and out of character.

Likes: Soo-ji - a part of me almost wanted her and the CEO to be the main couple because I cared about them so much. The portrayal of sexism, especially that in the corporate world. The focus on female friendship. Forced proximity and contract marriage trope for the main couple. Chemistry between all the couples was great. The way that the main couple bonded over the simple things and how those became some of their greatest joys in life.

Dislikes: Ho-rang's relationship just did not work for me and there is just no way that couple would work. I was frustrated when it would switch to this storyline because it took time away from the storylines I was interested in.
Everything with Ji-ho's family felt very unsatisfying as it didn't seem to really address the issues with her dad and brother. While I liked the main couple for the most part, there were quite a few times that I didn't understand her draw to him, as he felt pretty unappealing. The last few episodes Ji-ho made some decisions that felt almost cruel and didn't make any sense.

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Enemies to lovers is possibly my favorite trope of all time and I also love fake dating, so a combination of the two was right up my alley. I was not immediately sold on the show and it took me a couple of episodes to feel invested, but I ended up loving the leads and romance. I did feel like the reasons they hated each other at the beginning felt a little bit forced and didn’t resolve in a very satisfying way but I always appreciate the tension that enemies to lovers trope brings.

The show does have a pretty progressive and feminist lens, at least by kdrama standards. The male lead is fully aware of the female lead’s past and he stands by her completely. It did bother me that the show seemed to really harp on how he was drawn to her because “she’s not like other girls”, but it did bother me a little bit less because to her, he’s also not like other guys, so at least it went both ways.

I love when dramas don’t stick to the 16 episode model and allow themselves to be shorter, but the characters backstories were not as well-developed as I would have liked. It seemed pretty obvious that her issues with men stemmed from her dad’s treatment of her mom, but it was never really explored in detail. The male lead’s issues with women seemed to stem from his mother but they seemed so extreme and then just resolved immediately, with very little explanation about how his ex played into it.

I love when dramas show adult relationships in a complex and realistic way, which this show did really well. Once they get together, the main couple is very affectionate, they communicate well, they tease each other in a very sweet and good-natured way, and they very clearly support and trust one another. I would have liked to see more of them being happy in a relationship, but I do appreciate that this was a legit rom-com, with no wild unnecessary side plots. This was a super fast watch and it was overall a great time.

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Crazy and Fun

I am not usually a fan of the very soap opera-esque dramas that have over-the-top plots and acting, but this one worked for me. I think the secret to this story is that it was overtly overdramatic and didn't try to be anything it wasn't. The villains were so wildly evil that it was comical at times. Perfect Marriage Revenge is the perfect binge watch because it's a shorter short with a super fast-paced plot that keeps you interested. It's not the most memorable show, but it was super entertaining while I was in it.

Likes: Chemistry between the main couple was great. Keeping the explanations of the time travel vague worked and kept it from overcomplicating the story. The male lead was very protective and supportive immediately, total green flag. The female lead realizing her power and finding her self confidence. The mother-in-law and family was great and I loved her and the stepmother battling it out.

Dislikes: several characters got second chances that really did not deserve them. I wanted to see her entire family punished because they all deserved it. Ending felt a little rushed. The backstory for the romance was not explained or delved into enough and I would have liked more of it. Everything with his brother was kind of bizarre and a definite weak point. I wanted more of the friendship with her, his sister, and his cousin! Seeing Yi-joo before she starts her revenge was painful to watch.

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I went into Flower of Evil not knowing a ton about it, not really knowing the main leads, and expecting a typical action or mystery drama. FoE so far surpassed my expectations and it might be the first drama that I had to keep binging and stayed up into the early morning hours on a weeknight to keep watching.

What I really did not expect from this show was to get such a beautiful epic relationship from the main couple. Part of it is definitely due to the amazing performances from the lead actors, especially Lee Joon Gi who poured every ounce of himself into this performance, but the characters were also so well written. It was a really interesting dynamic that the woman was the cop and she was the one investigating her husband and constantly protecting him. The character Ji won was so strong and she trusted her own instincts about her husband and their relationship, while still making sure to verify, in the face of so much doubt. I have seen criticism of her character, but I can’t say that I agree. All the scenes of her rescuing him were so nerve wracking but beautiful to watch because of their connection. I didn’t know what to make of the male lead for the beginning of the show, which is obviously by design. His character is so obviously showing his love and affection for his family throughout the show, but there are seeds of doubt, and his belief that he is incapable of those emotions was heartbreaking to watch.

One of the highlights of the show is when Lee Joon Gi’s character realizes that his wife knows everything and is still there, always protecting him. The emotion in that scene has me going back to watch edits of it every so often. Ji won’s belief in the good in her husband brought both him and me to tears. The little girl who plays their daughter was absolutely precious and her relationship with her dad made it so that I could never believe he was truly evil because no one who loves their child like that could ever be all bad.

I’m a sucker for a good sibling story and I really liked getting to see the relationship with his sister, and it would have been great to get even more of it. Her character felt so broken in a lot of ways but she was also willing to give everything for those she loved. This show did a really great job with their female characters and they all felt so complex.

The action and mystery in the show always kept me guessing, as there were a lot of times I wasn’t sure how things were going to go for the leads. The plot line with the cops looking into his past was anxiety-inducing because you never knew when he might get caught. The part of the story with the male lead’s parents started with a lot of tension because their relationship felt so off but you don’t know why. By the end of the show, that part felt a little frustrating because their decisions were really bizarre and there were a lot of plot holes around their story. The serial killer did end up being extremely creepy and I think the actor did a great job pulling off the character.

I think what kept this drama from being one of my very top favorites was mainly the ending. If they had added on another couple minutes to the penultimate episode, it could’ve ended there and probably been more enjoyable.

Watching Flower of Evil for the first time was such a great experience and I still would highly recommend the show. The acting performances and relationship between the leads was done so well that it makes me overlook any small issues I might have had with the plot. This show is the first one that put Lee Joon Gi on my radar, and I will absolutely be watching more of his work!

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I am a sucker for a good meet cute and it was really fun to see these two leads have such electric chemistry from the very beginning. Their chemistry was definitely the strongest part of the show.

Moo-hak ended up as a very sweet character that I enjoyed, but it was hard to watch the way he yelled at her so much in the beginning. Da-li on the other hand was so passive that it was very frustrating. The show explains it away as her being just kind of rich and naive, but she seemed to lack any survival or basic life skills altogether, which felt odd when she’s a thirty-something woman who has lived on different continents. The dynamic between the two of them was a little rough towards the beginning when Moo-hak was acting so hostile, but it was enjoyable after he softened a little. At the end of the show he was so obsessed with her and sweet to her, so he did have a good evolution of his character.

A lot of what didn’t work in this show was all of the scheming subplots. Everything to do with the different companies illegal maneuvers was so boring to watch and it really took away from the rest of the show. The plot could have been much stronger if they focused on the romance and Da-li struggling with losing her father and having to grow up, but instead they threw in all of these random real estate crimes, drug trafficking, and other crime plots that made things really convoluted.

The second male lead is probably the worst one I’ve ever seen, he was like a cartoon villain. It was infuriating to watch the scenes he was in. Moo-hak’s family also really seemed like terrible people and it did not feel like they deserved a redemption arc at all. I know Korea has a very different culture, but the adoption plot line was baffling. I have no idea if the way the show made it so scandalous is at all accurate, but it felt way over the top.

The final episode was such a huge letdown that it really bothered me. It felt like the show was trying so hard to pull one over on the audience that it was willing to have a terrible final episode as long as they could do that.

The art museum as a backdrop for the show was a cool idea and some of the installations and exhibits were very visually interesting. Da-li’s dad was also very endearing and it would’ve been great to see more of him, even if just in flashbacks.

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There were really great things about Tale of the Nine-Tailed and there were really bad things. Unfortunately, the show chose to focus on the things that didn’t work more often than not.

Lee Rang is hands down the best part of the show. He was such a complex character and it made him fascinating to watch. His backstory broke my heart and the actor was able to show the deep emotional wounds that even adult Rang still had. His found family with the other foxes and the little kid was so sweet, and I really wish we had gotten more of them. The problem was that Rang was more interesting than the main characters or the romance.

I have never seen Jo Bo Ah before, so maybe it was the character, but her performance fell really flat. There also was very little chemistry between her and Lee Dong Wook. After seeing Lee Dong Wook in other things, I don’t think they gave him enough to do here. The past lives romance really didn’t work and it was completely overshadowed by the terrible wigs and costumes. Lee Dong Wook is such a beautiful man and the long wig they put him in is a crime.

It was hard to get through this show and the last couple episodes were such a slog to get through. The ending of the show was very disappointing and felt like an insult to a lot of the character development.

Even though this show was a letdown, I do still want to watch 1938 because I did grow very attached to quite a few of the characters

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Style Over Substance

This drama was so promising at the beginning. The dark fairytale aesthetic was so beautiful and it had me under the impression that there might be some magical realism or even fantasy aspects to the story, which it really didn't have.

The Good:
Mun-young's wardrobe was iconic and really added to the fairytale aesthetic. The dark fairytale vibe and the incorporation of the storybooks was very visually interesting to watch.

All three lead actors had great performances and chemistry with each other. I liked how they became a little found family and she developed her own friendship with his brother. All of them staying together in this huge, gothic mansion was also a cool dynamic.

There are funny parts of the show, especially when Mun-young just has no filter.

The Bad:
The portrayal of mental health is terrible. At certain points the show tried to display empathy for people who had committed terrible crimes because of their supposed mental illness when truly mentally ill people are rarely violent to others.

The relationship between the leads just did not work for me most of the time. They did have some good chemistry, but they did not show how he developed feelings for her or why. He seemed to go from feeling disdain for her to loving her very quickly and it was a struggle to understand why his feelings had changed, especially when she did act so over-the-top towards him.

The character's backstories were so traumatic and it seemed like that was never handled with care or dealt with. Based on the title, I thought this drama would have a lot more healing in it, but that was almost never seen. I was taken aback a couple times by how little empathy was displayed towards characters experiencing trauma. Spoiler: there is one scene where Mun-young's father tries to strangle her at the psychiatric hospital and the other characters just left her on the ground and no one seemed to comfort her or make sure she was okay? Parts of Mun-young's backstory also felt so impossible that I wondered if the show really was going to have a fantasy element to it. I really wish that mental illness and trauma had been handled better in this show, as it felt a little bit like a joke.

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Yes, it's yet another show about addressing generational trauma through time travel. And I eat it up every time.

My Perfect Stranger was a little bit different because it was also trying to tie in a serial killer murder mystery. I found myself bingewatching My Perfect Stranger because I had to know what happened. The plot moved really fast and all the twists kept me intriguing. Even though I had a good time with the murder mystery aspect, I felt like there were a lot of plot holes that were not addressed and the ending didn't feel particularly satisfying. I gave it up a bit of a pass because the lead up was very fun.

The character dynamics I think worked much better than the murder mystery plot. Seeing Yoon-yeong's relationships with the young versions of her parents was a highlight. I loved seeing the friendship that she built with the young version of her mother and the way she was driven to protect her at all costs after what had happened in the future. Her antagonistic relationship with her young dad was super entertaining to watch and vacillated between being hilarious and heartbreaking. While it's not a new idea, having a character realize they'd gotten their parents wrong their whole lives is always something that gets me.

I really liked the relationship that developed between the two time travelers. I thought it developed nicely from strangers to partners in crime to friends to lovers. I do wish that we had gotten to see more of the romance, as I thought the actors had really great chemistry.

Even though I was definitely with some questions that weren't answered, My Perfect Stranger was a great watch. It balanced humor, heartbreak. romance, and intrigue very well.

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