I simply loved these thrills and frills.

My Journey to You (2023) has the most amount of pretty people I have seen in a Chinese Drama. Yes, I can be shallow, but that is not what worked for me (even though at times I forgot to read the subtitles, because I was looking at faces). This is a pulsating, gripping love story, where the main couples are constantly at risk throughout the whole drama. You get an overwhelming romantic journey, but many times you don’t feel at ease for these couples.

Okay, I admit it. I did not like Chinese singer/actress Esther Yu (or Yu Shu Xin) from the Chinese Drama ‘Find Yourself’. She played the helpless airhead. However, in My Journey To You, Esther Yu has the strong killer character, as she plays an assassin. I needed an immediate brain adjustment. With this outstanding Chinese Drama “My Journey To You”, in the opening scenes you get a mixture of the American series Mission Impossible and Bourne Identity. The Esther Yu’s character even has a handler in the Period Chinese Drama. So out of the gate, I am liking My Journey To You.

My Journey To You is wholly gothic and edgy, but at times comedic. It has a killer OST. My Journey To You is not the usual Chinese Period Costume Drama. While My Journey To You does not have the finesse of the 2023 Chinese drama A Journey to Love, as respect writing sophistication, it does have the action thrills of that drama. The exquisite back and forth of the principal actors amount to a chess game of wits. However, this drama is more romance intensive than A Journey To Love. A Journey to Love is a Chinese Drama that is more thrilling. My Journey to You has the more gripping love story. I wish all to see both back to back.

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Women, are we looking in the mirror?

‘Nevertheless’ is one of the dramas, Asian or otherwise, that makes women take a good look at themselves. You have one job. Just assess if this guy is for real or not. And he just gives you that certain glance, and all common sense goes out of the window. I am viewing ‘Nevertheless’. I am use to siting on the edge of my seat for a Thriller, but for a Romance Drama?

Standing ovation for Song Kang’s performance of the mysterious lady’s man Park Jae-eon, who at this point knows all of the girl lead’s (Nabi) weaknesses. I have seen the main Lead actor, Song Kang, graduate from playing a High School heartthrob in Love Alarm to a bonafide Leading Man in ‘Nevertheless’. Song Kang even has the sense to lower the register of his voice to a sultry level. (Ah Yeah, I am paying attention)

When the series has the entry of the Second Lead, that face off stare down between the First and Second Lead is beyond classic. I feel for you Nabi. The left side of the brain, the logically side, is telling you all the ways this relationship with Park Jae-eon is going to go south. Grab the Second Lead and run with Steady and Ready. Then the right side or creative sensitive side of your brain just tells you . . . Nevertheless.

Female Lead— (Nabi played by Han So Hee)

Male Lead—(Park Jae-eon played by Sang Kang)

Second Lead— (Yang Do-Hyeok, played by Chae Jong-Hyeop)

Great cast, great script, and great acting


Pretty soon, you will look up the word swoon and see as a definition Song Kang.

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Families often are made up of blended broken pieces.

Go Ahead is a concept drama I have not seen before in any of the 200 Asian Dramas I have viewed. The premise and format is that different. This drama carves a different lane for itself in the highway of dramas. Go Ahead is a raw account of a blended multiple family dynamic, which has at its center, the best dad figure ever in Asian Dramas. If the writer really knows this person after who the character is patterned, he or she would have been privileged to have known him.

Go Ahead is such a great drama centered around family, which honors dads. If you have that special dad in your life, hug him and do a “Daddy and Me” with this drama. So many Asian Dramas have good examples of bad examples. The dad in Go Ahead is a good example of a great example.

Written by Shui Qianmo and Wang Xiongcheng

QUOTE
Neighbor Lady to this dad: “I don’t know what good things our family did in our last lifetime (for us to) meet such a great person like you in this lifetime”.

In Go ahead, there are actually two single dads with children. One dad is a stern policeman and the other sweet dad owns a soup restaurant. Each shares the financial and parenting responsibilities of this accidentally blended family. While not giving up on finding the right woman as a wife, these two dads just worked out a workable lifestyle after loosing their mates, centered around living their best life for their children. With one child, his mother just dropped him off at the door step of the sweet dad and never came back. The sweet dad just took him in. There was less stability before the fathers joined ranks. Afterwards and for the sake of the kids, the fathers worked out a workable arrangement. What is uniquely appealing about Go Ahead is that the family dynamics consist of two sons, two fathers and a daughter. Therefore, the daughter has to learn many female things on her own, without useable help from the rest of the males in the house. This is a source of laughter moments throughout the drama. The three unrelated siblings are raised like triplets. They have a bond thicker than blood.

Cast

Families often are made up of blended broken pieces.

All three actors were raised to superstar level from Go Ahead, because of the immense popularity of this show.

Trương Tân Thành or Steven Zhan plays the athletic brother who finds his little sister annoying, but would give his last drop of blood to protect her. He was dropped off by his mother and a abandoned. The dads fully accepts him as if he is blood.

Tan Songyun plays the rough and touch tomboy with big brothers. Her performance is one of the best in long time. Her comedic timing is excellent, as she portrays a youthful girl in several stages of life and maturity and she nails this roles. One brother is athletic and clueless and the other brother is sensitive and very perceptive. The girl was raised like a tomboy and is the youngest. She wants to marry her older brother.

Chinese heartthrob Song Weilong plays the genius but sensitive brother, willing to put aside embarrassment in order to learn what his baby sister needs. She is the only female in this family dynamic and he has no real clue what little girls need when mothers are absent, but he tries his best.

Each single dad developed his role and contribution in this symbiotic family arrangement. Each dad’s gifts help this blended family correctly congeal together.
Zhang Xilin and Tu Song Yan

Zhang Xilin plays the dad who really does not understand women. He has figured out that women are the opposite of men, but not much more. He willingly acquiesces, knowing his limitations. This dad acts as a wage earner and contributes cash not nurturing.

Tu Song Yan plays the dad who takes on the role of the nurturer. He holds this family together. He is in touch with his feminine side without being feminine at all. It is just that his skill sets are the most needed for this blended family to flourish.
If you were waiting for a good reason to subscribe to VIKI, well here it is, Go Ahead.

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Some people don’t get time travel. Please let me break down this brilliant drama.

Here is my head talk and concluding comments from the excellent Korean drama YSOAG/Reborn Rich, as I watched the finale in Episode 16. Contains Spoilers.

Quote: Revenge is for those with power, and not for those who have been wronged.

I had to rewind the first six minutes of episode 16 three times before I noticed the name of the guy on the passport was not Conglomerate grandson Jin Do Jun. Jin Do Jun had reverted back to the future/present to Yoon Hyun-woo. It happened so quickly that I was dazed and confused.

Yoon Hyun-woo went back in time to right two wrongful deaths, his and that of Jin Do Jun. He was not able to save one.

Yoon Hyun-woo used the secrets of History and Business of the future to get ahead in business in the past, when he was reborn rich. Then Yoon Hyun-woo/Jin Do Jun used the secrets of the past to right the wrongs in the future/present for the sins of the past.

Yoon Hyun-woo was still in love with the Prosecutor Seo Min-young when he changed out from Jin Do Jun to Yoon Hyun-woo. The Prosecutor Seo Min-young saved him from jail in the past and saved him from jail in the future/present.

Yoon Hyun-woo/Jin Do Jun still turned to “donut man” Oh Se-hyeon/Mason Oh for help and business wisdom in the future/present.

The timeline connection broke at the death of Jin Do Jun. Therefore, it threw out a “time correction”, as the history met up with the future/present.

Song Joong Ki gave a great performance. There was incredible acting by most all of the cast. Great acting ran deep.

Wow! Yoon Hyun-woo was an unintentional accomplice in the murder of the Conglomerate grandson Jin Do Jun. He was dispensable from the start, when it came to the Conglomerates. After the death of Jin Do Jun, Yoon Hyun-woo was offered a job at Soonyang, even though he was not qualified. He got a high position at Soonyang with just a High School degree. Payoff. It becomes significant then that Yoon Hyun-woo always was that smart. He did well in the University while he was in the past as Jin Do Jun. If Yoon Hyun-woo could have stayed at the University in the future/present, he might have been great on his own. He left the University and his studies to support his family.

The Prosecutor saved Yoon Hyun-woo from death in the present. That was not fully explained how.

Yoon Hyun-woo was endearing to and fond of his two mothers (birth mother and adopted mother in the past), as if there were two people inhabiting his body.

The old company Jin Do Jun founded, Miracle Investments, did not change out his desk for over 20 years after his death. That blue computer on his desk looked like an E One. It was still there.


Getting down to business. . . . I am sorry that this drama is over.

A mainstay feature of the “Korean discount” is avoiding inheritance tax, due to Conglomerate Succession .

In the present day, Donut Man Oh Se-hyeon/Mason Oh tries to beat the Conglomerate system, getting around the Conglomerate Succession position by consolidating minority shareholders into a voting block. These shareholders are the ones who do not vote, because they think that their small vote is meaningless. However, together they tried to form a voting block through the shareholder’s solidarity conference.

Conglomerate owner’s can save billions in inheritance tax [at 38- minute episode 16. See article below]. The hope of Donut Man was to strip management of their rights through the voting block. The little guy against the big guy. The block gave the minority shareholders power over the Conglomerate, because of the huge power of the solidarity voting block. Famous last words of the Conglomerate, “Ignore David. We are Goliath”. Round one went to Goliath. Management secretly paid off the minority shareholders, who were easily swayed by gifted money. In round two, Donut Man went after bigger fish. Round one flushed out the one who was the owner of the slush fund and who killed the YSOAG.

The Conglomerate Firstborn Son planted evidence at the scene of Jin Do Jun’s murder/accident to make it look like his own son killed Jin Do Jun. Was it the father, who then bargained away his jail time and placed it on his son?

By being forced to live in the body of the one he helped kill, Yoon Hyun-woo developed empathy and compassion for Conglomerate grandson Jin Do Jun.

YSOAC WAS FIXATED ON CHANGING THE RULE OF CONGLOMERATE SECESSION. They believed that this rule really hurt business in the long run.

Quote: When I first met Do Jun seven years ago, the young man who was still in his teens said he’d buy Soonyang. I should tell you why I risked my whole career to move to Korea based on that absurd statement. On the New York Stock Exchange, if companies are at similar levels and one is Korean, it goes for a lower price, because of the Korean Discount rule. Then you must also know the reason why there is a Korea Discount. It is because of the Conglomerate succession rule. Business is conducted like selecting a national team of athletes based solely on whether the parents of the candidates were medal winner. Regardless of how competitive the candidates are. Management ability isn’t something that is genetically passed down in the family. We at at Miracle Investments want to show this reasoning to the Korean Market. (They believed that it was hurting Korean business in general).

Repartee between donut man and the second son at time 27-30 minutes in episode 15. In a nutshell, this appears to me to be the basis of this drama. A commentary on Conglomerate Success and how it can be detrimental to business and society.

Quote: It was not about possession or Time Travel. It was about repentance.

In the end, Yoon Hyun-woo did not get the girl, but inherited Jin Do Jun’s business and the sense of business. The Universe was righted.

€€€

Following the death of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho last week, the inheritance tax his bereaved family will have to pay is in the spotlight, with estimates suggesting as much as 200 billion won ($175 million).

According to analysts, the lofty taxes could shrink the owner family’s stake. However, they also note that it is unlikely, reminding that the high inheritance tax rate is actually what drives the obsessive culture of family-monopolized management among conglomerates here.

[News Analysis] High inheritance tax fuels chaebol monopoly

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Chinese drama version of My Love From The Stars/Legend of the Blue Sea and supersized.

Moonshine and Valentine or another name is The Love Knot: His Excellency’s First Love

I am having a Chinese blast with Moonshine and Valentine (2018 and PG13), which is a modern fantasy love story with story arcs rooted in the historic past. If the Korean Dramas My Love From The Stars (MLFTS) and Legend From The Blue Sea (LOTBS) had a baby drama together, it would be this fusion Chinese drama. I am surprised at how the storyline so perfectly incorporates the premises of both Korean Dramas. However, Moonshine and Valentine creates a fantasy world which exists alongside the world of humans. You quickly will buy into this world within a world. Throw in a perfect drama music score, then lean to the side and accept this ride.

This is a story about aliens from Another Star Far Far Away, escaping the eminent explosion of their world by settling on earth, which is a sister-like planet. These sentient beings are part of the Fox Clan of beings with higher powers. While being dissimilar to earthlings, these Shape-shifters have learned to mesh into the world of humans and live among them, being unnoticed for millennia (like My Love From The Stars). The second in charge of the Fox Clan on earth is 900 years old and is now an antique dealer in present times. He is He Lan Jing Ting (Johnny Huang). Because of he physical nature, He Lan Jing Ting is blind during the daylight hours, but has super senses at nighttime (Hemeralopia), when he can live less restricted. He Lan Jing Ting has had but one love throughout the millennia (Legend of the Blue Sea). She reoccurs through time and is at present a reporter Guan PiPi (Victoria Song). Guan PiPi has been assigned to cover He Lan Jing Ting for a story, not knowing their past historic romantic connections. As in both Korean Dramas MLFTS and LOTBS, the past historic storyline is served up in delicately and precisely introduced flashbacks. After actor introduction, the flashbacks mostly are introduced at the start of each new episode and will be pertinent to the new episode to follow. I loved how this was done.

Similar to the Korean Drama Arthdal Chronicles, this fantasy world created in the Chinese drama Moonshine and Valentine/The Love Knot: His Excellency’s First Love is totally inventive, highly imagined, and well written and acted. At 25 episodes of 45 minutes each, the time commitment is only 19 hours to binge. The story does detour a bit towards the end, but tries to get back on track by the end.

Moonshine and Valentine/The Love Knot: His Excellency’s First Love stars Chinese Actress Victoria Song as the Female Lead, an actress whom I have noted in the past as having the acting aurora of the Korean actress Jun Ji Hyun from both Korean dramas MLFTS and LOTBS. Therefore, it is fitting that Victoria Song gets the part of the Female Lead in this Chinese Drama. Also, staring as Male Lead is Chinese Drama heartthrob Johnny Huang, and I must say, in all his glory.

The chemistry created between the two leads can only be termed magnetically sensual. Throw in some rocking minions, brothers who are the total opposites. One (Li Jun Xian/Shen as Xiu Xian) has tried to keep up with the changing trends through time and is a loosey goosey rocker. The other is a sophisticated but antiquated ‘stick in the mud’ (Li Jia Ming Leo as Kuan Yong), stuck in the classical past eras. It will be your privilege to try to imagine for which one you would fall first. Of course, there is the usual handsome Second Lead and boyfriend (Xu Kai Cheng as Tao Jialin) to stand in the way of love and the handsome villain (Jiang Qi Lin as Zhao Song [Left High Priest]) to stir up things. For The Ladies: there is lots of eye candy, the whole cast deep. I am going to be shallow here. A lot of times I forgot to read the subtitles, because of gazing, and had to rewind.

Chinese Dramas are known for their second couples. You should enjoy these two Fox Clan supermodel brothers competing for this human chick (Liu Yongxi). Although Liu Yongxi had a difficult choice between brothers in this drama, apparently “stick in the mud” stood out in real life. They are now engaged to be married.

Disclosure: Some of the alien habits of some Fox Clan group members might be disturbing to some.

In addition, Fox Clan might become a phrase synonymous with the word gorgeous .

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This is about Social Media and the ‘New Money Celebrities’ and a thrilling ride.

The 12 episode Korean Drama ‘Celebrity’ is ready to binge. This Korean Drama is a commentary on the lives of the rich and famous, but with new school money garnered from the digital media platforms, “Internet Celebrities”. Celebrity is about how anyone can become “famous” overnight, with the right knowledge of how Internet tools work. Becoming a Top Influencer in our modern age, the new Celebrity is based on accumulating high numbers of organic or invested followers. One surrounds themselves with the rich and Kardashian. Other Korean Dramas have tried to explore the “snoop appeal” of the digital media celeb, but they were not that interesting to me. ‘Celebrity’ reaches a high level of entertainment. It is about a girl is not trying to be like the Glam Snobs. She is just trying to reach a level of success to get her brand known. Along the way, you get a backseat look into the world of the media influencer and the Media Influencing business. There is an excellent posse of women (Social Media Influencers) you will love to hate, who tear down each other as only women can, as they seek to gain ‘Best Celebrity’ status. The one flaw for me for this Korean drama is that is had an unnecessary level of cursing and we did not get a kind translator to edit this out. Great storyline and storytelling, with a throbbingly, smoking OST.


Quote: “Revenge is a dish best served cold”. Heroine of ‘Celebrity’.


NOTE: I finally get what the word Chaebol means, by looking at the Korean Drama Celebrity. Watch for the “taking off the shoes” scene and the excellent explanations of living that lifestyle. That scene explains what a Chaebol is for me.


Celebrity stars Park Gyu-young (Dali and the Cocky Prince) and Kang Min-hyuk (K-pop Idol from CNBLUE and KDrama The Heirs)

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Explaining ‘Someday or One Day’, the Time Travel Chinese Drama.

At times, you get these dramas which throw you down a rabbit hole. It was 2 AM and I woke up still thinking about the Chinese Drama ‘Someday or One Day’, a week after finishing it. There was lots of internal head talk for this drama for me. You know the talk you have with yourself about the significance of what you saw. Writing about dramas can be a healing catharsis. While my explanation of the Chinese drama may make it less complicated to watch, I give away very little in the top section. The spoilers are separated below. The drama has only 13 episodes and is on DramaCool at present. The movie version of Someday or One Day is on VIKI at present, but this movie storyline is different from the drama. It is an alternative universe all together. I watched the Chinese version of this drama in anticipation of the Korean version ‘A Time Called You’, which will be dropping shortly in the latter half of 2023.

‘Someday or One Day’ is a heavily romantic drama. It is a complicated Time-Travel and Time-Loop Fantasy School Romance drama. This drama is a Time-Travel drama instead of a Time Slip, because there is a definite mode used for the Time-Travel. The viewer gets commentary on the action through important background information spoken by the characters throughout the drama. In addition, as with the Korean Time-Travel Fantasy Drama ‘My Perfect Stranger’, the big surprises are truly the big surprises. Someday or One Day received multiple post-production awards for writing.

One trick to understanding the 13 episode drama is to keep up with the two different names for the male and female leads. Taiwanese actor and singer Greg Hsu Han plays the modern day lover Wang Quan Sheng and the 1999 teenager Li Zi Wei. Taiwanese actress Alice Chia-yen Ko plays the modern day Huang Yu Xuan and the 1999 teenager Chen Yun Ru in whose body she inhabits during time travel. These are characters from different time universes. Taiwanese actor Patric Shih (1% World) plays Mo Jun Jie, who is the best friend of High Schooler Li Zi Wei. He is in love with the real Chen Yun Ru and can tell the difference between the two. While Huang Yu Xuan does take control over the body of Chen Yun Ru, Chen Yun Ru is forced to become a mere passive observer.

The main story pivots around Huang Yu Xuan, who is so in love with this wonderful guy who was her boyfriend (Wang Quan Sheng). He is missing and presumed deceased from a plane accident in the first time universe. She is distraught beyond existing. Mapped around this world is a second time universe which creates the opportunity for Time-Travel. Huang Yu Xuan has found out how to escape to this world while she sleeps listening to a particular song. In this alternative existence, Huang Yu Xuan lives her life through the body of her look-a-like, a High Schooler named Chen Yun Ru. In this universe, Chen Yun Ru loves Li Zi Wei, but she is loved by his best friend Mo Jun Jie. In the alternative existence, the deceased Wang Quan Sheng is a like-a-like for Li Zi Wei. Both worlds are mapped on top of each other and creates an inter-crossing of events as the Time Travel occurs, also creating time loops. Both worlds becomes connected because of the desperate need for Huang Yu Xuan to see again her deceased lover Wang Quan Sheng. There is a constant switching back and forth between each time period which is nearly 10-12 years apart.

This wonderful Time-Travel Romance Fantasy School Drama is about how love can transverse Time and Space and how love can be patient and sacrificial. The vehicle for Time-Travel is listening to this tape recording of the song ‘Last Dance’ by Wu Bai and Chinese Blue. Most confusion created by the two time universes should be cleared up by episode 3.

SPOILERS ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️?

This is a story about loneliness and depression, an emptied heart torn by the death of a love one and hope in seeing that dead loved one again.

At age 27 in 2019 in her Time Universe, Huang Yu Xuan was born in 1992. The real Chen Yun Ru dies on New Years Eve 1999 or Y2K at age 18 in her own time universe. She was born in 1981. Chen Yun Ru was murdered. As stated in the drama, Chen Yun Ru passed away in 1991 in the first timeline, but this death year changes (or is corrected in translation) as action fluctuates around changing circumstances, created by the Time Travel. I believe that the year 1991 is a mistranslation, because the timing does not work. In 1991, Chen Yun Ru would not have been in High School. She would have been around 10 years old. I believe that the timeline of the first death of Chen Yun Ru was 1999 and not 1991 as translated. The translators are mixing up Huang Yu Xuan (who was 7 in 1999) with Chen Yun Ru (who was 18 in 1999).

In 1999 the female protagonist Huang Yu Xuan (Huang Yu-hsuan) was 7 years old in this original timeline in the past. However from the future, she comes back to this same timeline, not as herself but the older teenager Chen Yun-ru (Her doppelgänger). As a little girl, Huang Yu Xuan does meets the male protagonist Li Zi Wei (Wang Quan Sheng) in 1999. She is the little girl who is lost and he gives her a ride home. This is covered in the last episode of the series. In the time travel backwards, Huang Yu Xuan exists as the older Chen Yun Ru and as herself. Since both of her existences are in the same time slot during time travel, they should never meet and they did not.

Li Zi Wei is 18/19 in 1999 and Chen Yun Ru is 18 when she dies in 1999. Huang Yu Xuan is about 7 in 1999, as we see Li Zi Wei meet her as a lost child. He buys her ice cream to stop her from crying. Little Huang Yu Xuan tells Li Zi Wei that she will marry him someday or one day. Being 7 in 1999, this would make the birth year of Huang Yu Xuan roughly 1992. That would mean in 2019 or 20 years later (You must count the year 2000), Huang Yu Xuan would be roughly 27. In 2019, Li Zi Wei should be 37-39. There is a 10-12 year age difference between Li Zi Wei and Huang Yu Xuan in the real time universe. Li Zi Wei is the doppelgängers for Wang Quan Sheng and he does take the place of Wang Quan Sheng when Wang Quan Sheng dies.

The modern day lover Wang Quan Sheng and the 1999 teenager Li Zi Wei are really the same exact person. Li Zi Wei lives through time and catches up with now grown Huang Yu Xuan in time in the late 2000s. Also, some may have missed that Li Zi Wei initiates all time travel, as he desperately tries to regain his first love Huang Yu Xuan/Chen Yun Ru. Li Zi Wei take over the life of the real Wang Quan Sheng who is gay and died tragically. In addition, Li Zi Wei tries to stop Chen Yun Ru’s murder through his own time travel. Best friend Mo Jun Jie was falsely blamed for the murder of Chen Yun Ru.

There is an unexplainable 10 year time difference in the original timeline which may have been caused by a translation error.

At age 27, Huang Yu Xuan lives in 2019 in her Universe and Chen Yun Ru dies 1999 at age 18 in the other time universe. Huang Yu Xuan is happy to inhabit the body of this teen girl (Chen Yun Ru) who should have died in an accident a couple of years back, but continues on as Chen Yun Ru. She will die shortly in the future in this second timeline (or there is a translation error). Chen Yun Ru’s World has in it Wang Quan Sheng’s look-a-like Li Zi Wei. It eases Huang Yu Xuan’s extreme pain to see and be with Wang Quan Sheng | Li Zi Wei. These two worlds converge at the “death” of Chen Yun Ru. With this background infonpmation of this time travel drama, the action in the drama may become clearer. In one Universe Wang Quan Sheng dies and in the other Universe Chen Yun Ru dies. Everything, but the death of Chen Yun Ru is put back in place.
All Is Corrected

To correct the havoc played on the timelines, because of the time travel interference (The Butterfly Effect—small changes here creates havoc with the whole time line there), drastic decisions are made. Time keeps looping as different life scenarios are realized and lost. In the end, time is corrected. Freed from the burden to love Wang Quan Sheng | Li Zi Wei, Chen Yun Ru allows herself to consider Mo Jun Jie. He waited patiently as the troubled and tortured triangle of Huang Yu Xuan, Chen Yun Ru, and Li Zi Wei played out. Through it all, Mo Jun Jie was willing to sacrifice his comfort and hopes to make sure that his love (Chen Yun Ru) was happy. It was the most endearing in the end for me to see his love realized.

Li Zi Wei had met 7 year old Huang Yu Xuan in the past. This meeting was fixed already historically. She promised to marry Li Zi Wei Someday or One day. In the natural undisturbed timeline their meeting in history would never change. Li Zi Wei should have and now must only accept how things play out in the future when Li Zi Wei and Huang Yu Xuan meet again.

My Timeline explanation of A Time Called You (The Korean remake of Someday or One Day) will help in understanding Someday or One Day.

Actors Corner

I would be remiss if I did not mention the excellent job that actress Alice Chia-yen Ko did with her two characters that she portrayed (Huang Yu Xuan | Chen Yun Ru). While Greg Hsu Han played both of his characters as the same likable person for a good reason. Alice Chia-yen Ko portrayed 17 year old Chen Yun Ru as a very timid, non confident unassuming teen and portrayed 27 year old Huang Yu Xuan as a very confident take no prisoners and take the lead 27 year old female. The two portrayals could not have been more different. Her performance won her many post production awards. Greg Hsu Han won a post production award as well. Both gave powerful performances.

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Mind expanded. Check⚡️✅

The Korean drama, Extraordinary Attorney Woo follows the exploits of an Attorney with Autism who is a savant when it comes to remembering everything she has read on Law and whales. While this drama definitely will be binge-worthy in the future, it is a drama to watch real-time now. This show is getting incredible numbers from viewers. Google users are giving it 98/100.

We are use to binging our Korean dramas, but sometimes that drama comes along that provides so much information for you to assimilate that it takes a week to clear all your head talk. You don’t have time to get anxious for the next episode. And some tell me they are rewatching the episodes that they have viewed already to fully enjoy the incredible moments. Head talk is when you go into deep thought in your head, talking to yourself about the things you have seen in the drama. You get in these contemplative moods, discussing Autism in general and each creative way that Attorney Woo Young Woo (A butterfly name that is the same forward and backward like the word deed) wins her cases.

Through the week you get to marvel at the terrific writing and direction in this drama. The Revolving Door Waltz, The Nepotism Episode that was truly a disguise for discussing discrimination in general (Cryfest moment for me), and the episode on “Should those with Autism be allowed to love who they love?” (Another Cryfest episode). While these may be singled out as my highest levels of enjoyment, these moments were just the cream on top of the ice cream for Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

Actors Kang Tae Oh as Lee Junho and the incredible Park Eun Bin as Woo Young Woo
Then there are the ‘Whale Moments’ of Attorney Woo. Who does not know that she loves whales? I am learning so much about whales, because of her fixation on them and whale talk has even provided some of my Cryfest moments too. I anticipate the whale stories. Also, when Attorney Woo comes up with those creative law epiphanies, those are introduced with her whale associations. I get such a sigh of relief, because I know that she has figured out how to win the court case when I see her whale moments.

The one debate in my head at present, that is keeping me up at night, is “Which drama did I like the most for the year 2022, Business Proposal or Extraordinary Attorney Woo?” Business Proposal is deeply squirreled away in my heart, but Extraordinary Attorney Woo is whaling away it’s own credits.

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Fireworks of My Heart is my Chinese Drama obsession for 2023, with action + romance.

Fireworks of My Heart is the best performance by Yang Yang by far for me. There is a great storyline and powerful story arcs concerning rescues by Firemen and Doctors. This gives way to plenty of opportunities for action. There is insane chemistry between the leads and the romance is off the charts. Fireworks of My Heart is a story with story arcs that are totally believable. The whole cast is stellar, from the Firemen to the different family members, it is a stellar cast, great OST, and beautiful and artful cinematography.

Adapted from the Novel “A City, Waiting For You” by Jiuyuexi, a very popular Chinese female writer.

While Fireworks of My Heart is a dramatization, I have a more healthy respect for Firemen after watching this series. Firemen are speed devils in getting dressed and getting to the fire/disaster scene not just to beat the clock, but to cheat death by saving lives. The rescue efforts in this series are thrilling and comparable to the Chinese drama ‘You Are My Hero’. The love relationship is comparable to the Korean drama ‘Call It Love’. She has to learn to be a human and he has to learn to let go of his emotions and trust again.

There is a great Soundtrack of voice and instrumental music in the background.

ACTORS CORNER

Yang Yang (The King’s Avatar), Wang Chu Ran (Royal Feast) and Wei Daxun (The Ordinary Glory)

The male lead, Yang Yang, is one of the prettiest Pretty Boys in Chinese Drama and sometimes he can make you forget that he is suppose to be acting. He has never floored me as an actor, that is until Yang Yang’s great performance as the heartbroken, life toughened Captain of the Firemen’s team in Fireworks of My Heart. Yang Yang had tons of different emotions which he had to display for this role, as he played a wayward teenager and adult Firefighter ready to give up his life for his men and those in need. This is by far his best performance for me from him.

Wang Chu Ran is the female lead and she is gorgeous, but she no acting slouch. Wang Chu Ran’s role had a wide range of emotions as well, which were all met by Chu Ran. She had to play a wall flower teenager trying to survive under the complete domination of her adoptive mother and she plays an adult Medical Doctor scared by life’s battle wounds.

Singer/Actor Wei Daxun was a standout for me as the Brother/Second Lead. I loved his interpretation of his character. His performance was so realistic, as the rich brother who is totally crushing on his adoptive sister, to the point of envy and exhaustion.

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There are many hidden gems in this hidden gem.

Spice Up Our Love (2024) is a wonderful farce of a Korean Drama. You really got to get in tune with the creativity of its writer.

Spice Up Our Love is your Kdrama ticket to a special Kdrama game. In each story arc in episode one, there is a homage paid to various beloved Korean dramas and Korean Drama Actors. See how many of each you can identify as the storyline goes forth. I will get you started.

To do this however, I need to give away small details which will occurs in the action only in the first episode. So they really are not spoilers. Some may want to try to identify all the great K-Drama homages and tributes to former Korean Dramas and Stars on their own. These persons can bail out of this write-up now. You can always save the write-up in Bookmarks and revisit this article after viewing the first episode of Spice Up Our Love. If you want a little help, I will give you what I have recognized so far. This game was a lot of fun. Spice Up Our Love is a Korean drama which has Korean dramas hidden all through the storyline in episode one.

Spice Up Our Love is a spin-off from No Gain No Love (2024). The Male Lead is Lee Sang-Yi (Bloodhounds). It stars Female Lead Han Ji-Hyun (Penthouse) as a Spicy Fantasy Writer, and there is a transfer character and love interest Lee You-Jin (Do You Like Brahms?). All three are prominent characters in No Gain No Love as well. Spice Up Our Love has uniques story embeds. This will be similar to the the short guest appearance of Song Jong Ki in Queen of Tears and his five Korean dramas and movies paid homage to in the action of his arc. I may miss some. If you catch one I missed, let me know. Spice Up Our Love is spicy and sometimes a little too much so. There is occasional foul language as well. Here we go.

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?The opening arc in Spice Up Our Love is clearly an homage to My Secret Romance (2017). The drunken rendezvous of the female lead with the guy who turns out to be her new boss makes this evident. She is even the nutritionist in the cafeteria of the Company in the storyline, as was the case in My Secret Romance. Within the story arc you also get an homage to No Gain No Love, where the CEO said that he never ate in the Company cafeteria before, but would start doing so.

In addition, to satisfy her boss, the nutritionist has to make the same dish over and over and the dish keeps getting rejected. That is Business Proposal. Even the Company Badges are the same as those in Business Proposal.

?Can anyone think of the Korean drama of the guy who was looking for the nostalgic taste of food he had as a Kid? I can’t remember that one. It was mentioned in this arc. Okay, I think it was the Korean Drama Chocolate.


?Seeing her Boyfriend at a restaurant with another woman and then he suggests that they break up, could this be Something in the Rain?


?The Male Secretary in the fantasy was named Kim Do Gyeom. Gyeom (겸) in Korean means something or someone who can act as two different things at the same time. The transfer character that the fantasy writer in the story had a crush on in No Gain No was a Secretary. The Secretary in Spice Up Our Love is named Secretary Kim. They may or may not be tapping into What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?


?The fantasy writer in Spice Up Our Love gets sucked into the story she is writing. This is W: Two Worlds.


?Suddenly, everything around the fantasy writer morphs into the man from whom she is running away.

?An homage is made to Song Joong Ki on a billboard, as the writer makes her way home. It is a Korean drama thing now to have Song Joong Ki make a quest appearance in your Korean Drama. It is a little ironic that the Song Joong Ki turns into the male lead in a Korean drama which gives homage in a story arcs to memorable Korean Dramas? Is this not what Queen of Tears did for Song Joong Ki?



?Homage is paid to Cha Eun Woo (pronounced Ta Eun Nu) from True Beauty.



?The Ghada Chocolate is made by the modern day rich Chaebol Family Lotte. Lotte buildings are prominent everywhere in South Korea. This is a major Chaebol Family.

Also the owner of the Convenience store in No Gain No Love keeps popping up in Spice Up Our Love, as a Doctor, a Bus Driver, and taxi driver.

?The Korean Drama where the Webtoon characters had no control over their bodies or action for period of time. This is Extraordinary You.


?The purposeful “Leap From The Roof and being saved by your savior” scene reminded me of Tale of the Nine-Tailed.


This is all I found. End of Episode 1. What did you find?

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The Road Least Taken

In the 1936 Summer Olympic Games held in Germany, most Americans know about the Track and Field specialist Jesse Owens, a Black athlete. He won four Gold Medals in Track and Field in front of Hitler. Some say that Hitler protested and refused to greet Jesse Owens and others say that he did not. Nonetheless, Koreans know about another controversy at these Summer Olympic Games held in Germany in 1936. This controversy involved Korean Marathon Gold Metal Winner Sohn Kee-chung, who ran under the Japanese name Son Kitei. Although Korean, Sohn Kee-chung’s country of origin was recognized as Japan, because Korea was occupied by Japan at that time. (Japan lost occupation over Korea during World War II in August 1945, ending 35 years of rule over Korea).

A True Story

The Korean movie ‘Road to Boston’ is about Marathon runner Sohn Kee-chung and his fight to get a Korean representative in the Marathon in the next Summer Olympic Games after War II. The road to that goal had to go through Boston, Massachusetts, USA. This is a true story. The movie is an emotional story, with great storytelling involving the political fight necessary to accomplish this goal. The movie has great acting and a great music score. The backstory is very moving, as it highlights one of the Marathoners coached by Sohn Kee-chung for the Boston Marathon in 1947, Suh Yun-bok.

Quote: “What is the most important quality a marathoner needs to have?”, Sohn Kee-chung Nam

“Endurance”, said a Marathoner.

“The most important quality a Marathoner needs is talent.” , said Sohn Kee-chung Nam.
To get to the 1948 Summer Olympics to be held in London, Korea had to establish a record of wins in International competition. Korea had no record since its wins in the 1936 Olympics were accredited to Japan. In order to compete in the 1948 Summer Olympic Games, Korean needed an International win of some sort. 1947 Road to Boston is about this struggle.

My dad was a Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Track coach, plus a Math Teacher. He taught me the Xs and Os of these Sports. I appreciate great runners. For an actor, Im Siwan is a lovely runner and I can see why he was picked for the part of Suh Yun-bok in the movie ‘Road to Boston’ and for the TV drama ‘Run On’. Look at him run alongside world class athlete Suh Yun-bok. One of the most beautiful things to watch with runners is when they achieve flight. Both feet leave the ground. Runners say that this is the closes thing to feeling like flying. In the movie, Im Siwan runs and in periods both feet are totally off the ground. When I look at movies and dramas, I do look at how the actors run. Some get is right or come very close (Kang Ki Yong from Atypical Family, Byeon Woo-Seok from Lovely Runner). Im Siwan is the best.

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A movie to watch

Monster is a movie which is written by celebrated Japanese writer Yuji Sakamoto. However, Monster is a little more gritty. This film won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screen Play in 2023. Also, it’s star and female lead Sakura Ando won The Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress for Monster. In addition, youth actor Soya Kurokawa from Teasing Master Takagi-san gives another great performance. He was nominated for Best New Comer from the Award of Japan Academy. This kid is going places.

While I think that Monster was well written, I have a huge issue with using (supposed) ten year olds with some of the subject material for this movie. It would have set better for me if 16-18 year olds were used. Could 10 year olds make these kind of choices?

Monster was nominated in 11 categories for the Japan Academy Awards.

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Night Owl is critically acclaimed and I loved it.

I really loved the Korean movie Night Owl. The movie covers the same time period as the historic Period dramas My Dearest (1636-1659) and Captivating the King (1636). The major action in Night Owl takes place circa 1645. The period covered is right at the end of the Chinese Ming Dynasty’s subjugation of Joseon ended and the Chinese Qing Dynasty took over. Joseon fared a little better under the Ming Dynasty, and less favorably under the Qing Dynasty. To maintain control, the Qing Dynasty took members of the Royal families from their subjects to China as “Guest” (hostages). The movie storyline is dramatized history, with many real historic persons. Facts are fed around the drama.

Our protagonist (Ryu Jun-yeol as Kyung-soo) is a blind Acupuncturist, but he has some vision in darkness or at night, a fact he does not make known. Treated as invisible because of being blind, Kyung-soo plays that to his advantage, as Kyung-Soo is selected to work in the Royal Palace. All works well until one day someone murders a Royal in his presence. The movie looks polished and elevated. Camera angles are just right. There is always this heightened sense of danger for Kyung-soo, because of his disability.

Also, there is a great child actor (Joo Won as Yi Suk Chul [Eldest son of Crown Prince So Hyeon) in this movie. As you are waiting for the next episodes of your new Korean dramas to drop or waiting to binge upon completion, try out the Korean Movie Night Owl.

Night Owl was nominated for eight Baeksang Arts Awards (Equivalent to the Oscars) and won three.

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What can I expect from the Korean Drama ‘Like Flowers In Sand’, with Jang Dong-yoon

Like Flowers in Sand stars Lee Joo-myung (Twenty Five Twenty one) and the effervescent Jang Dong-yoon (Oasis).

So I am the girl who tells people not to even call her during the two weeks of the Olympics. I love all sports, even Curling. I got on the Curling bandwagon even before it became popular. ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ highlights the sport of Ssireum. The Sport Ssireum is Korean Wrestling that has roots in ancient Korea. The major holiday events of Ssireum can draw like the American Super Bowl on TV. Using Ssireum as a backdrop, ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ is a touching Sports Romance Drama about the struggles of a Ssireum competitor, who is at the end of his career. This is a decompressor drama, not very complicated. ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ gives you a glimpse into the world of Ssireum, this unique competitive sport, while continuing with a childhood romance. I loved it as a change of pace drama. I fell in love with this drama.

Actor Jang Dong-yoon put out seven works in 2023, four movies and three dramas. He is very hard working. For one of his movies, Jang Dong-yoon was the writer, director, and actor (Please Be My Ear). Jang Dong-yoon’s acting style is so boyish and innocent. He just draws you right into his performances. I would add ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ to your Korean Drama List.

Jang Dong-yoon is very meticulous about his drama work. He had to gain lots of weight for this role, which misshaped his prefect body. He said that he had to eat so much that he threw up at times. Jang Dong-yoon is a true actor and professional, who gives his all. I am impressed.

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Destined is my joy. Bai Jing Ting is my enjoyment.

Destined (2023) is a Woman in Business Period RomCom Drama. This is one of my favorite Chinese dramas of the year.

Apart while together. Destined hones in on a comedy while being a serious drama. The star, Bai Jing Ting, tries his hand at comedy, while reeling in the serious aspects of this story too.

The Story

A pampered son of the richest Costume Drama Plutocrat, has a spat with the daughter of a modestly well off Merchant. The differences are irresolvable. As with happenstance, the two end up in a arrange marriage. He is a bon-vivant and she is prim and proper. This is great fodder for laughter as the two try to cohabitate peacefully. Destined stars Song Ye as the prim and proper Liu Yu Ru and Bai Jing Ting as the spoiled but kind-hearted Gu Jun Si. He begins to teach her business and she pushes him to the highest scholastic achievements. They both “better” each other has walls are broken down to expose love.

Destined is a refreshing Costume drama change. Few things produce more of an anachronism than a Comedic Costume Chinese Drama. I have not seen Bai Jing Ting in a RomCom yet, but this seems to be the year that many Asian dramatic actors are challenging themselves to try comedy. Bai Jing Ting has never given his audience the same acting performance in his dramas and this extends to his attempt at comedy. I found myself laughing a lot. Bai Jing Ting, as Gu Jun Si, utilizes body language and gestures to aid in his comedic performance and his comedic timing is spot on.

Song Yi as Liu Yu Ru plays the straight part in this Chinese drama series. She gives some of the most endearing dialogue about women in business and love, sending goosebumps up my arm. Song Yi’s demur sweetness was so right for this part. Her character, Liu Yu Ru, is portrayed as a high intellectual and a quick learner, becoming the asset to her husband and the longing of other men.

Quote: This business is about Military supplies. Confucius said, “To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business and sincerity; economy and expenditure and love for men; and employment of people at the proper time”. Husband teaching wife what the client needs to hear. From Destined

This RomCom is a high Yes! from me.

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