Best Dramas of 2020

BEST DRAMAS OF THE LAST YEAR

AMERICA

Never Have I Ever

This show from Mindy Kaling and found on Netflix is soooo funny. It’s about the life of an Indian-American, very smart, slightly lewd high school girl in California. I laughed through every single episode and am extremely excited that there is going to be a second season. Here is my longer review for it: https://wordpress.com/post/ckdrama.home.blog/668

CHINA

Lovely Us

The show is called Lovely Us and it really is lovely. I enjoyed it a lot. It was less of an addicting marathon and more like sips of hot cocoa with marshmallows. It’s a drama about friends, family and first love. This show is funny and sweet. The leads are five high schoolers. Three are underachievers, two who squabble all the time. The other two are top of the class and much more sedate. All of them love each other completely and are loyal to the core. The show is also about their families, many who are struggling in various ways. Marcus Li who played Tan Song stole the show.

Twenty My Life On

This show is about girls in their last year of college who share a dorm together, straddling youth and adulthood. Three of the girls are close friends and one is less than friendly. All of the characters personalities are very different and interesting. The script is great and has one very unique and refreshing quality. Parts of it are far more realistic than most dramas, making it less formulaic and more relatable. I really enjoyed this show and looked forward to every episode. I highly recommend it if twenties slice of life dramas are your thing. Also, I just learned they are coming out with a season two. Yes!

Nothing but Thirty

This show started slow, but then it picked up speed and got interesting. I ended up invested in the characters and watching it through to the end. The story is about three women in and around age thirty and the trials and tribulations they face in their work, home and love lives. And the blessing that friendships can bring. Like Twenty Your Life On, some aspects of this show are more realistic than other dramas. Not all people, including the leads are selfless, not all choices are fair and not all endings are perfect.

I liked Twenty Your Life On better, if I had to choose, but both shows are good and worth the time spent watching them.

KOREA

World of the Married

This is my favorite show of the year. I wasn’t even planning on watching it. But I gave in and watched one episode. Then I was completely hooked. This show is the definition of drama. It’s crazy. But it’s a well written, well acted crazy that makes it a fun ride to go on. Here is my longer review for it: https://wordpress.com/post/ckdrama.home.blog/715

Love Revolution

I adore this show, which is based on a webtoon. It is light hearted, quirky, funny and sweet. The actors, some of whom are amateurs, did a great job. There is no show I looked more forward to watching in 2020 than this one. Here is my longer review for it: https://wordpress.com/post/ckdrama.home.blog/746

Kairos

This may be the best scripted Korean drama I have watched. Mr. Sunshine and This is My First Life were also very well written, so it’s hard to say for sure, but the dialogue and the twists and turns are ingeniously written. The acting was also phenomenal. Here is my longer review for it: https://wordpress.com/post/ckdrama.home.blog/735

Nobody Knows

This is a show about a serial killer and the police officer tracking him. I am not normally into shows like this, but it was so well written and acted that I watched it anyway. I still don’t like shows like this, but I have to give credit where credit is due. It was a truly good drama.

THAILAND

2Gether

This BL is a sweet college romance, with a few surprises in the plotline that make it a little less formulaic. Here is my longer review for it: https://wordpress.com/post/ckdrama.home.blog/677

BEST OLD DRAMAS I WATCHED THIS YEAR

Money Flower (2017)(Korea)

I LOVE this show. It’s about someone getting revenge on a Chaebol family, how they do it and the consequences it has on them and everyone around them. I didn’t watch it before now because I am not always in the mood for a makjang, and when I am, I watch Thai Lakorn’s, which are always waaaay over the top. But the show was on my watch list for a long time, and I was in the mood, so I put it on while I worked, and got completely sucked into it!

The acting is great and the plot is intriguing – and infuriating. This has all the makings of a good makjang including cheating, murder, embezzlement, and revenge. By the end of the show I hated the male and female leads and did not wish them any happiness, but this didn’t make the show itself worse. I don’t think I was supposed to like them both. I ended the drama liking it even more then when I started it and will probably watch it again.

Game Sanaeha (2018)(Thailand)

This is my new favorite Lakorn. It has all the things Lakorn’s are famous for. It has rich versus poor, hatred and revenge, slap kisses, misunderstandings and some really, really stupid decisions. It is also unique because some of the characters are fairly mature and others gained some self awareness, learned from their mistakes and had personal growth throughout the course of the show. It was really refreshing and very entertaining.

A-Drama: Never Have I Ever (10/10)

Never Have I Ever on Netflix is my new favorite show. Too bad I finished it (insert very sad face). Now I have to hope beyond hope that they have a sequel on the way. Or I can impatiently twiddle my thumbs until I forget most of the plot line so I can watch it again (my personal rule for re-watching movies and shows).

The show is great because it’s really, really funny. I wouldn’t expect less from producers and writers including Mindy Kaling, a guy who wrote for The Onion and a guy who worked on Sacha Baron Cohen’s Who is America. I laughed through every single episode.

It’s also heartfelt. And it’s a teeny bopper rom-com, which is where my heart lies entertainment wise a lot of the time – probably because I enjoy them. but don’t get that personally invested (except for Dance Academy, that was a 150% investment lol).

Never Have I Ever starts off with a dramatic scene where the main character Devi’s father dies in front of her and she becomes paralyzed for months after that. This is definitely not the way a comedy usually begins, but it shares just enough of Devi’s heartbreak for viewers to understand her angst and empathize with her, even when she’s in the wrong.

Devi is a funny, loudmouthed, first in her class teenager who swears and says indecent things on the regular. She is an Indian American that relates a little more to American culture and considers her mom to be overbearing and overly critical.

Every episode is Devi trying to find her place in the world, more specifically her high school and the LA valley where she lives. Devi is also navigating friendship, how they work and how they survive with her two multicultural teenage dork friends.

What Devi wants more than anything is the school stud Paxton and she does some crazy things to try and get him. She also has an arch nemesis, her rich, obnoxious, academic rival Ben.

What sets this apart from other teeny bopper shows is definitely the humor. It’s a little raunchy, so if you’re under 16 be aware. And there are scathing jokes thrown in that are completely nuanced, so I don’t know how many people will get them. One of my favorites is when Devi tells someone that her volunteer experience includes reading Bill O’Reilly books to veterans. This is hilarious if you know that some American veterans love the former Fox News Host and his bestselling novels even though the books are trash and he is a total perv and %$&@#.

There is also a lot of mainstream humor. Usually it’s when Devi says something without meaning to, like saying “damnnnn” out loud when her school crush sits down in front of her in class (damnnnn in the catcall whistle you’re pretty hot kind of way) or a scene with a coyote that I won’t give away. I especially loved Devi’s cousin Kamala mentioning that all the Riverdale actors were really the same age as Devi’s mom since I rant during the shows and on this blog about how old high school and college age actors really look, example: Noah Centineo who has to be at least 35.

Also the show has narrators, including Andy Samberg and someone totally unexpected. Listening to them do crude teeny bopper talk is hilarious.

Here is a preview:

Truly, this show is sooo good. As mentioned above I give it 10/10 and recommend it 100%.

K-Drama: Her Private Life (1st Impressions)

I didn’t expect to like this drama as much as I do. I am not much of a fan girl, so I didn’t think I would relate to the plot. But I have been excited to see how Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook are together. Her drunken scene in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim is everything and who doesn’t love the Waffle Guy in Coffee Prince. And Robin’s post about the show got me hyped enough to start watching while it’s still airing instead of waiting til it ends so I can binge the episodes if it’s addictive. And now I cant’t wait for next weeks episodes.

So far this drama has just the right amount of comedy, intrigue and chemistry. I have not been able to guess episode to episode what would happen next with the leads, the gallery they work at or with the idol the leading lady is such a fan of.

I’ve enjoyed it a lot so far. The only things I am not a fangirl of (get it ha ha) are the dramas incorporation of love triangles and misunderstandings, which may have enlarged the script and increased the show count, but aren’t, in my opinion, adding anything beneficial to the plot. That said the show so far is great and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Choosing a Drama

Choosing a drama is a lot like deciding what to eat for dinner or where to go on vacation. There are a lot of variables and in the end it’s usually about what I’m craving most. Some days a light, fluffy romace is the best thing on earth and other days something with more depth or comedy is up my alley. In this vein, I thought I would share with you all my steps for choosing a drama.

What am I craving? i.e. what type of drama am I in the mood for. Whatever it is I am a happy ending girl, so anything I watch has to have that.

2. My first choice is usually Chinese. The irony in this is that Korea has more dramas and they’re generally better and there are good Thai and Filipino dramas too, BUT, I’ve been learning Mandarin so I try to find c-drama’s whenever possible so I can practice.

3. Does the plot sound good?

4. What rating does it have on My Drama List, since I’ve found that the ratings and reviews are usually on point (with a few exceptions). I try to stay at 7.7 and up unless I really love the plot and/or the actor/actress so I don’t waste my precious time.

5. Is the lead guy even remotely attractive >>> because I’m superficial I have a hard time watching romances where the guys are not my cup of tea.

6. How many episodes is it <<< Since I have to plan how I spend my precious time

7. Can I find it eng subbed

I dont know if anyone else uses this method, but it works pretty well for me.

Aaron Yan – How I went from flinching at him to fangirling.

My introduction to Aaron Yan was in the drama Fall in Love with Me, which I found on Netflix.

To be honest, my first impression wasn’t great (don’t tar and feather me yet #Yanfans). In the first scene the man had more makeup on than a pageant queen and his clothes were just as frilly. For this reason, I didn’t find him at all attractive. I also assumed he was a boy who liked boys. I don’t know if that was based on his costume or if my uber fantastic gaydar, which is always on point was going off. Either way, I found out about the scandal with his bf later on and it all made sense.

Truth is, I believe wholeheartedly in #loveislove so I am neutral on his orientation, but feel heartbroken for him that he got kicked out of the closet the way he did. I also feel bad that he has to make a living kissing girls, although that won’t stop me from watching him do it (bad me ;). That said, I will hope beyond hope he does a BL drama one day which would be the most epic BL ever.

After my introduction to him, Aaron Yan grew on me FAST. The first half hour of Fall in Love with Me included a shower scene, where his six pack abs were in full view, and if you all haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a MAJOR sucker for some rock hard abs. Then Yan switched out of the froofy clothes since he played an Ad Exec. pretending to have a doppelganger – for a fringe, glasses and student clothes, which, although not my type, made him way more attractive to me.

Then I was acquainted with, what I now think is Yan’s very best quality. He has the ability to act using only facial expressions. It’s amazing!

Basically, what I have realized is that despite being typecast into certain kinds of dramas, he is a really and truly talented actor. He is the reason why I watched every episode of Fall in Love with Me, despite the story getting overly dramatic and draggy towards the end, because he continued to wow me. I also recently found out that he did the OST, which is pretty good.

I followed it up with a Yan weekend, which included Just You and Refresh Man. I liked both plots slightly better than Fall in Love with Me, although I did like FILWM’s actress Tia Li.

Refresh Man was interesting to watch, with an actual plot involving a company where people actually did work (hard to find in dramas amirite?), and of course Yan repeatedly did his yearning face, which is all it took for me to root for his relationship with Zhong Yu Tang, played by Joanne Tseng.

Then I fell completely in love with Just You. Aaron Yan + Puff Kuo are a fantastic combination, one I hope beyond hope to see again. The story was cute, interesting and funny. It is my favorite Yan drama so far and one of my favorite dramas period.

Oh and apropos of nothing, I give Aaron Yan the prize for best kisser of any Asian drama star. Let me know if you have other nominees (My runner ups are Koreans Ji Hyun Woo and Lee Min Ki and Thailand’s Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn and Lee Thanat Lowkhunsombat). Not that I pay attention to any of that lol. Yan is also the very best at “whoops, I accidentally fell on you and now we’re in lust”, which he has perfected into almost a stunt move. His only downfall, in my opinion, are his clashing suits and his dancing on fast songs, which is just too awkward to watch.

In short, I’ve become a giant #YanFan, desperately waiting for his future projects to come out. The next one I am watching is Please Give Me a Pair of Wings where it looks like he gets to highlight his acting abilities in a more serious drama focused on a really important topic, and I can’t wait to see it.

K-Drama: This Is My First Life (10/10)

All I can say is hats off to director Park Joon Hwa for his brilliance. I recently watched Because this is My First Life and LOVED IT SO MUCH. What a sweet, well paced, thoughtful, unique and funny drama. It made me laugh a lot, cry a little, and think profoundly about my life and life in general.

I give it a 10/10.

Summary:

A house-poor man and homeless woman become housemates in a drama that examines the institution of marriage and the problems that young people face today. Nam Se Hee is a single man in his early 30’s. He has chosen to not marry. He owns his home, but he owes a lot on his mortgage. Meanwhile, Yoon Ji Ho is a single woman in her early 30’s. She does not own a home and envies those that do. She has given up on dating due to her financial struggles. Yoon Ji Ho begins to live at Nam Se Hee’s house. They become housemates.

I have no idea how to describe this drama except to say its about the life you expected to have versus the life you actually have in your 30’s, something I identify with completely. And of course it’s about love.

The lead actors Jung So Min and Lee Min Ki are phenomenal in this. Really the whole cast is talented and in case I didn’t make this clear enough, the director is amazing.

I am not sure teenagers and some people in their twenties will like it as much as I did, since it may be harder to relate to, but maybe they will.

Aside from the major storylines, something I liked a lot was that both women who were part of a love triangle were portrayed as strong, smart and mature, which was really refreshing. And the kitty, who plays a starring role is adorable.

My petty gripe: I didn’t like the clothing Lee Min Ki’s character wore. His floodwater pants and orthopedic granny sneakers were awful. So was his haircut for half the show. Because of his wardrobe I kept forgetting that the show was not based in the 90’s. I’ll take the guys in Chinese dramas with their white shirts and perfectly fitting sweatpants over his look any day of the week. Stylists take note.

This picture doesnt come close to showing you hojw bad some of his outfits were, but its the best I could find…

Readers, I highly recommend watching this. It’s SO GOOD!

I’ll end with some fun trivia. Jung So Min and Lee Min Ki played Mi So’s parents in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?

A Love So Beautiful (with a bonus book)

This show is so precious. The plot, which was originally a book called To: Our Pure Little Beauty written by Zhao Gan Gan is absolutely charming. I give it a 9.6/10. It showcases the sweetness, and embarrassments of a high school crush. And is, in my opinion, one of the best c-drama’s of all time.

I have a hard time believing that anyone reading this post hasn’t seen it yet and an even harder time believing that you all didn’t love it as much as I do. On the off chance you haven’t seen it, it’s about a girl who is both adorable and bumbling, who is absolutely certain about her feelings for her neighbor and shares them with him regularly. While the neighbor, who manages to be both popular and awkward has a much harder time admitting to his feelings for her. It recounts the many, often embarrassing and very hilarious, but somehow charming experiences these two and their friends have while in high school and college and how they navigate these relationships.

I think this was the major debut for actress Shen Yue (also of Meteor Garden 2018 fame) who did a phenomenal job as the female lead. I rooted for her character every single episode, and will watch anything she’s in from now to eternity.

The lead boy played by Hu Yitian also did a great job playing someone who is both awkward and popular. He was very believable. Kudos to him on his first main role.

The only criticism I have is that the love triangle loser’s character (a pro swimmer) was so like able and sympathetic that I would have been just as happy if he won the girl. That is a clear plot failure. Luckily the lead male pulled off one very, very sweet act, reading the ending of a book that was confiscated from the lead female by a teacher, over the school intercom, so she would know what happened. That warmed my heart to him forever.

FREE PRIZE:

http://https//teaquilashot.wordpress.com/2017/11/30/a-love-so-beautiful/

This is an English translation of the book this drama is based on that some ladies, who are now my heroes, ceaselessly transcribed. It is possibly more addicting than the show and hilarious, so I highly recommend reading it. I finished it in less than a day.

You’re welcome in advance!

C-Movie: Mr. Pride vs. Miss Prejudice

Based on a manhua, this Chinese movie is not particularly deep, but it is cute, cute, cute, so I give it a 7.7 out of 10.

Plot summary is here: https://mydramalist.com/22123-mr.-pride-vs.-miss-prejudice.

The couple is endearing (I will not consider this a spoiler since we all know it will turn out this way) . It’s also pretty funny, filled with physical comedy, the kind that made my 8y/o and her friend laugh along with me.

When life is exhausting or stressful, or both, lighthearted movies are the best medicine, which is exactly what this was.

For this reason, I recommmend it 100% for that day when you are down or don’t want to focus on the hardships in the world. You won’t be sorry.

K-Drama: What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? (Not much)

I was looking forward to this drama, despite it initially having mixed reviews. Why? Park Seo Joon, which you probably already guessed. Although he is not my type in real life (i.e. if I saw him on the subway I probably wouldnt give him a second glance — unless he was shirtless because those abs are everything 😉 I adore him as an actor. It’s a mix of the fact that he goes all in on his roles and that he has some of the best comedic timing.

My rating 8.8/10, close to the My Drama List rating, which was 8.6, last I checked. This drama is pretty fluffy so even the serious stuff ended up seeming less serious. What makes it great is how funny it is. I actually giggled. So my compliments to screenwriters Baek Sun Woo and Choi Bo Rim for writing something so funny. Plus the actors worked really well together.

The plot was slightly different from others I’ve seen although most of the formula stayed the same, especially the rich man/poor woman theme which seems to make up the majority of Korean dramas. And it wouldnt even be a drama if one of the leads didnt accidentally fall on top of the other one causing them to stare breathlessly into each others eyes.

There are cutesy graphics that I didnt think were necessary since they made it even less serious, but they didnt ruin the show, so I give them a pass. I did not like one of the supporting characters because she was beyond irritating and I hated the hair on the workaholic guy (note to guys: Do not middle part your hair. Ever!)

Lastly, I would like to thank Park Joon Hwa and Park Seo Joon’s other directors who add completely unnecessary shower scenes to their movies just so we viewers can swoon over his muscles. Thanks much lol.