Sexy but heartfelt drama on friends-with-benefit

Rinko wants to try is a sexy jdrama that reminds me of those sexy stories I used to read.

What I liked:
1) Acting - Kaho Takada portrayed Rinko's vulnerability very well. She had great facial expressions & good chemistry with her romantic interests.
2) Rinko characterisation - She is capable at work and likeable to the audience. At the start of the series, she had a crush on another guy and I like that she pursued dating the guy despite developing some feelings for Gen.
3) Fast-paced & like how drama concluded by the finale.
4) There were a few heartbreaking scenes such as her first time and her love confession in the finale.

What I disliked:
1) I would liked it if there were more kisses and communication between Rinko and Gen.

Favourite scene:
When Rinko confessed her feelings for Gen and Gen asked permission to kiss. I liked that Gen didn't force a kiss on her.

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Captain Su = Li Sang, Captain Lu = Eugene/Flynn Rider

Got a crush on you is a light romance cdrama with strong FL. Despite its flaws, I liked this series.

What I liked:
1) I like when drama feature health and fitness scenes. I enjoyed training & mission scenes.
2) Gulnezer Bextiyar & Xu Kaicheng made visually stunning couple. They put in enough passion in their kissing scenes. I really like the scene when Captain Su was hospitalised. I also like that Captain Su is supportive of Xing Chen's professional goals and never stopped her of pursuing her studies despite the challenges that they might face.
3) Captain Su Qing Che is like a Disney prince - Mr Nice Guy archetype! Dashing & guileless. I'd say Su Qingche reminds me of Li Shang. I like that Xu Kaicheng looked like an everyday man with his physique.
4) Lu Qun is a charming sweet talker. He reminds me of Eugene/Flynn Rider.
5) I like the double date scene when Xing Chen offered dating tips to her best friend. It's refreshing to see a confidant woman who isn't shy about picking up men.

What I disliked:
1) Song Xing Chen getting too involved with ex-boyfriend.
2) Mid-point of the series felt draggy.

Favourite scene
When Captain Su, his crew and the volunteers went for training in episode 4 or 5.

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Kim Sejeong & Seol In Ah excel in this rom-com

Business Proposal is light & well-paced kdrama.


What I liked:
1) Shin Ha Ri characterisation - She is smart, capable, beautiful, humourous and I love it! Ha Ri did't give in easily when pressure was on. Kudos to Kim Sejeong for bringing this role to life because it wouldn't have worked without her charms.
2) Jin Young Seo characterisation - Wow, it's rare to have 2 female leads that are brilliantly written. Young Seo is rich but not spoiled. She is smart and hard-working. Kudos to Seol In Ah for masterfully showcasing Young Seo's smart and vulnerability.
3) Romance - I prefer second lead romance to the main lead romance because Seol In Ah and Kim Min Gue has effortless chemistry that translated very well on screen. Prefer Sunghoon to Tae Moo
4) Friendship - I love that this theme was prevalent throughout the series, i) Ha Ri-Young Seo, ii) Taemoon-Sunghoon, iii) Ha Ri Minwoo, and iv) even Young Seo and her frenemy cousin.
5) Random Korean-English phrases - Gosh, I love them all!
6) Melomance scene - I love the song but wah the scene was heartbreaking. I really felt Ha Ri's pain.
7) Grandpa - I like love Tae Moo's grandpa. Great dynamics between him and Tae Moo and him and Sunghoon.
8) Health & fitness - As a person who started working out at gym after a health issue, I appreciate dramas that feature health & fitness scenes. Young Seo and Sunghoon at the gym. I love Sejeong's toned arms when she had her blind date with Tae Moo.

What I disliked:
1) I wish some Young Seo's PTSD were further explored so we could see more vulnerability from Young Seo and compassion from Sunghoon.
2) Tae Moo characterisation - Out of the four leading characters, he is the least interesting one. His character did not grow as much as the others and he seemed awkward when with Ha Ri. Maybe I am also tired of the cold, distant boss persona.

Favourite scene
When Sunghoon took off his glasses and kissed Young Seo. That was very hot and passionate!

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Exhilarating watch!

Reset is exhilarating Chinese drama that introduces me to Zhao Jin Mai & Bai Jinting. Great combination of action, thriller, sci-fi and a touch of romance.

What I liked:
1) Acting - Brilliant performances by main & supporting cast.
2) Writing - The drama reminds me of Source Code and Speed. I like the multiple scenarios faced by the main characters. The emotional scenes really packed a punch!
3) Shi Qing characterisation - She is not a damsel in distress. I love her character development. I was impressed by how Zhao Jin Mai portrayed this role considering how young she was during this drama.
4) Ending - I like the ending especially the part which Shi Qing has to lead the mission.
5) Bai Jin Ting - His facial expressions. I like the fact that he is a normal, everyday man (not a muscular hero). He was boyish, nerdy adorable.

What I disliked:
1) There was an episode which my attention was lost. Sometime in the middle of the series.

Favourite scene:
Bai Jinting's emotional scenes.

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Fun & light action, comedy, thriller, drama

Korean dramas on Disney+ Flex x Cop have been hit and miss for me. For me, Flex x Cop is a hit. Watch it if you want a fun & light action, comedy, thriller drama.

What I liked:
1) Ahn Bo Hyun always great at playing man baby but this role showcased his skills in both comedy & drama. I like when main character who is in a serious field has fun at work!
2) Supporting cast - Kyungjin character is so cute, glad he got a happy ending hahaha. I also enjoy the developing bromance between Isoo & Junyoung.
3) Love that the opening theme goes for a rock song . I also like other songs featured in the OST such as Hey! by Lucy and Shadows in the Night by Hersh.
4) It's great that writers did not fully explore romance between Isoo and Jihyun.
5) I like that the show showcased two different types of family dynamics: close-knit (Jihyun's family) vs cold, distant (Isoo's family).

What I disliked:
1) I understand that Isoo has connections but with that level of professional and life experiences, I am surprised he managed to solve a lot of the cases.

Favourite scene:
When Isoo was down and it was noticed by his cop friends.

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Fangirling + mature romance = I like very much!

Being a serious kpop fan, I was intrigued by this show. What an enjoyable drama!

What I liked:
1) Fangirling aspect was done tastefully. This drama showcased the positive and negative side of fangirling. I like that main character Deok Mi is a professional in mid-level position.
2) Family theme was prevalent in this series. It's wonderful to see love that knows no bounds in the case of Nam Eun Gi and the Sung family.
3) Wow, the romance scenes made me hot. Kim Jae Wook and Park Minyoung's kissing scenes set me on fire.

What I disliked:
1) Childhood friends trope - gosh I wish they hadn't used this trope.
2) Nam Eun Gi was a manbaby. Compared to the more mature and sophisticated Ryan Gold, Eun Gi wouldn't complement Deok Mi. Gosh Ahn Bo Hyun really enjoyed playing this type of characters (Her Private Life, Yumi's Cell, Flex x Cop)
3) The second half of the drama isn't as strong nor interesting as the first half.
4) Cindy was an interesting character at first then her character became stagnant and not fleshed out.

Favourite scene:
When Deok Mi discovered Ryan Gold's secret identity and he asked her to teach him to become a fanboy. I love that the scene started off humourous then became sexy.

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Don't be fooled by the poster. Not steamy but light, enjoyable drama

Light, enjoyable drama about work, love (friends-turn-lovers trope) and friendships.

What I liked:
1) Umi characterisation - Animals is about a woman challenging herself personally & professional. I like that we see changes in Umi - she was miserable in that first job but once she changed to a different job, she thrived!
2) Wonderful cast - Airi Suzuki was great in her role.
3) Friendships - This theme was prevalent in the drama. It's wonderful that Umi stayed in touch with her formal colleague despite being in a different company. I also like the friendship between Umi and Kazao.

What I disliked:
1) Romance - wish there were more romatic scenes once they became a couple
2) Based on title & poster, I expected sexy J-drama but haha I was deceived.

Favourite scene:
Particularly enjoyed 'choose an outfit for 1st date' scene.

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Best-written Jdrama that explores work and love in your 30s

I was interested in this series after watching a particular scene on Asian Crush's Youtube channel. I enjoyed this drama so much!

What I liked:
1) Writing - I Don't Love You Yet is the best-written Jdrama I've watched. Poignant. I love this series tackles different concerns of life such as dating/companionship, friendship & work.
2) Acting - Rika Adachi & Jin Shirasu really embodied their characters. They had natural chemistry and seemed like real besties.
3) Shoes - love that she works for a women shoes company and there were glimpses of shoes sketches shown in the series.
4) Format - This series felt like a Kdrama with its longer running time (45 minutes) and no. of episodes (16 in total).
5) The ending - It was cute but realistic. Relatable because not every ending has to include a grand gesture / event.
6) Yo's brother - Despite his quirkiness and lack of screentime, I liked his character because he represented a different point of view. Wish he had not given in to family pressure & remained skeptical.

What I disliked:
1) Her boyfriend - I understand that sometimes people deserve second chance. However I am infuriated in episode 14 / 15. How can Yo put up with Ryusei after knowing him for so long? He belittled her capabilities! I also don't like that he scolded her for cutting her hair without first informing him.

Favourite scene:
When difficult customer returned to the store. I like how Yo served that customer.

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Binge-worthy modern romance that has sizzling chemistry

Love is Sweet is one of the fastest cdrama binge I've done - 2.5 days.

What I liked:
1) Romance - Chemistry between Bai Lu & Luo Yunxi seemed effortless & fit their characters & banter. Their kisses are so damn hot and passionate especially that neck kiss.
2) Jiang Jun characterisation - Bai Lu really shined in this role. Jiang Jun is smart, capable and I love her go-getter attitude.
3) Love triangle - I liked Du Lei more than Yuan Shuai as a romantic interest. However writer never really gave him a chance and I don't know why writer tainted Du Lei after he became Jun's supervisor. Disappointed Du Lei became douchebag towards the end.
4) Visuals & fashion - I liked Gao Hanyu's visual more because he reminds me of Wi Hajoon. Bai Lu so pretty and wore beautiful clothes. I love Jun's tan coat!

What I disliked:
1) Second couple - I disliked 2nd lead couple very much. Xu Li is manipulative & childish. Xiao Chuan is bland.
2) Yuan Shuai at the start. He was a jerk for sabotaging Jiang Jun's job interview.
3) Cooking scene - It's unbelievable that a guy could wear a full suit & apron when cooking in kitchen. How could he stand the heat?

Favourite scene:
Jiang Jun and Yuan Shuai's kiss in his office. Hot then funny. I love how Jun rolled off the desk!

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Good chemistry, coherent plot, enjoyable mini drama

This mini drama is the second drama that I watched starring Ke Ying (A Familiar Stranger) & Cavan Wen (Playing House). I enjoyed this drama!

What I liked:
1) Writing - I find the plot coherent for a mini drama. Out of the republican era mini dramas that I have watched (Maid's Revenge, The Revenge of Begonia), this one is the best. I like that male lead discovered secret identity early on.
2) Female lead characterisation - She is smart throughout the series. I like that she realised her mistake and talked about it with the male lead. Ke Ying played her role well.
3) Male lead characterisation - He is smart and caring. Cavan Wen played this role well too. He portrayed different emotions from assertiveness to compassion and happiness.
4) Romance - I enjoy the progress from strangers to allies and lovers. I love it when male lead flirted with and smiled at female lead.
5) Supporting cast - This mini drama is one of the few dramas that we're good at fleshing out side characters. Almost every side characters (except the fourth mistress) had significant role in this drama.
6) I also like framing of certain scenes.
7) Good ending

What I disliked:
1) Fourth mistress was insignificant character. I think no need for her to appear.
2) I feel like one of the songs had off tune singing. The song that was played when male lead & female lead kissed while seated in a room with open windows.

Favourite scene
The confrontation between male and female leads about Qing Xia's tragedy. Nie Zhen felt the pain & hurt suffered by his wife.

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Their love story was fascinating, their professional lives not so much

Found this drama while looking for Chinese dramas with mature love stories.

What I like
1) Elvis Han is very handsome. There is a scene where he wore a white tshirt and hung out with Tang Ying at the kitchen. He was hot!
2) 14 episodes only
3) Tang Ying and Xu Zi Quan's first encounter was cute. A proper meet-cute! I also like that they started out as friends then later progressed as lovers.
4) The camping trip

What I dislike
1) I struggled with pacing of the story. An episode in a typical Chinese drama lasts 45 minutes but in this series, each episode is up to 1 hour.
2) Their professional lives were interesting at first but halfway through the series, I feel like "work conflicts" were created to keep viewers engaged. I got bored and disinterested and I feel that their careers were not seriously threatened.
3) I find Lin Xin Zi's story especially when she was with the creepy boyfriend doesn't align with mature love story theme that this drama represents.
4) I feel disconnected from Tang Ying and Xu Zi Quan's love story. Often times, mature women in Chinese and Korean dramas are portrayed as serious and non-sensical all the time. Wish I could see Tang Ying's softer and playful side.

Favourite scene
When Tang Ying invited the girl who couldn't accept Xu Zi Quan's rejection, to come to their apartment and gave a stern warning about harassing her man.

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Han So-Hee can kick ass!

My Name is violent, revenge-themed kdrama.

What I liked:
1) Han So-Hee was believable in her role. She looked like she is a real trained martial artist.
2) Park Hee Soon was amazing as a ruthless tycoon & looked good with moustache.
3) I like Pil-do as supporting character who doubted Ji-woo at first.

What I disliked:
1) Yoon Ji-woo characterisation - While it's great that she can kick ass, I wish she showed emotions other than wrath. I'd love to see confusion, grief, identity doubt after the revelation of her father's killer. Her character is almost a Mary Sue to me. I think perhaps producer, director and/or writer wanted a tough female character that is devoid of vulnerability to attract certain segment of audience or keep up with supposedly "dark" theme"
2) While the fight scenes are cool, I dislike the final fight scene when Ji-woo went against multiple attackers solo. She is not a mutant with super strength. Having seen Daredevil's corridor fight scene in season 1, how could she be standing strong after fighting armed attackers?
3) While the romance angle was no surprise to me, I feel that the sex scene was sterile and meaningless. It's as though she needed to satisfy her sexual desire. When romantic interest was killed, it seemed like Ji-woo felt nothing.

Favourite scene
Ji-woo training scenes.

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I wish there was more to this time-travelling love story

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract is a light love story involving time travelling. I was drawn to this series because I love marriage of convenience trope. I'd say I wasn't satisfied with the series.

What I liked:
1) Feminist theme - It's great that writers could weave feminist theme in this series. Park Yeon-Woo is talented at embroidery work but in her original timeline, she couldn't operate a business openly due to her status. However this changed when she's transported to 21st century modern time. Same with Sa-Wol, her lady in waiting. In modern times, she was able to earn money through hairstyling services.
2) Fashion - Beautiful embroidery work by Park Yeon-Woo. I love when she applied it to modern dresses.
3) Comedic relief by Sa-wol & Seong pyo. Joo Hyun-Young & Jo Bok-Rae have great chemistry!
4) Kang Tae min - His scenes are fascinating to watch despite not having much screentime. I like how his character grew from a spoilt brat to a driven employer.
5) The first scene between Yeon-Woo and Mi-Dam was touching. She missed her mother so much!

What I disliked:
1) Kang Tae-ha characterisation - Somehow I feel like his character is least interesting.
2) The ending especially the rejection of 19th century Kang Tae Ha by Yeon-Woo. Wow, never thought she could be so cold. By the way, where is Kang grandpa in the last episode?
3) Villain arc is predictable
4) I feel it's odd that Yeon-Woo adapted to modern times very quickly. During her wedding to Tae-ha, she could wear off should wedding dress and high heels. Wedding was just a few days after she transported from 19th century.
5) Main leads' romance - I don't feel much chemistry between Bae In-Hyuk and Lee Se-young. As a result, I didn't root much for them. I do, however, like that Yeon-Woo was able to distinguish modern Tae-Ha from Tae-Ha from 19th century.

Favourite scene
Sa-wol providing hairstyling service to girls to earn money. Just shows that she is quick-thinker.

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Anthology of stories on the unleased of women's repressed desires

Out of the 14 available episodes, I have watched 13 episodes for free on Viki before Viki moved this series under Viki Pass Standard.

This series is one of the first jdorama that I watched so I was surprised by the steamy content. After awhile, it felt repetitive but there are 3 episodes that I enjoyed very much.

Episode 7 - when a mousy & timid female employee was paired with high performing male employee. After a year of working together, male employee informed her that he was going to move to different town. She was devastated and then they spent the night together. The main actor & actress had great chemistry and I quite enjoyed the scene of post-sex chat that they had.

Episode 2 - It's about a younger male employee who confessed his crush on his older female employee. Their kissing and intimate scenes were steamy, good and leads to the next scene. I like that the next day the guy teased the female lead about calling each other by first names.

Episode 4 - The halloween episode. They started off as strangers but got along very well that night. I like the morning after scene because they were cosy and becoming friends. So it seemed like it wasn't just a one night stand.

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Superpowered or not, good parenting is core

I was in Busan when this show was in second week on air. Saw a lot of ads. First few episodes were less interesting to me but I became invested in episode 5 onwards.

What I like:
1) Parenting styles of 3 different families. Lee Mi-hyun is overprotective of her son Kim Bong Seok because of his supernatural powers but she never stops him from experiencing normal adolescence. He goes to public high school and he is allowed to bring friends home. Jang Ju-won becomes a single father after his wife passed away. You can see his dedication in raising his daughter Jang Hee-soo in safe environment. Lee Jae-man is another exemplary father despite his limitations.
2) Espionage - love episodes when Doo-shik, Ju-won & Mi-hyun were completing their missions. Even Frank's missions were thrilling to watch.
3) Acting - great acting by the cast.
4) Ending was just wonderful.
5) Romance stories of two sets of parents.
6) I am intrigued by the mysterious student who was not detected.
7) The battle at school. I love that Bong Seok carried his mum home.

What I dislike:
1) Higher ups at National Intelligence Services especially Director Min Yong-jun. Opening a school to identify and recruit superpowered individuals without being transparent to all parents is just a bad move.
2) I found the earlier episodes were less interesting because too much focus on Bong Seok and Hee-soo. Once the episodes focused on their parents' past, then I became more invested in the series.

Favourite scene
When Doo-shik was captured by NIS at Mi-hyun's residence and the scene at NIS.

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