What Dramas Am I Watching This Week?

So here's what I'm watching this week! Of course the list is split by country and the amount of episodes I've seen so far are written below! There will be spoilers from now on so if you aren't caught to the episode number on list, you might want to go watch that episode and then come back! If you're interested in previous lists, click here and if you want to see a list of my favorite asian OTPs and ships, click here!

KDRAMA

Doctor John (20/32): In a refreshing take on the genre, “Doctor John” will portray the doctors’ search for the cause of their patients’ mysterious pain as a thrilling chase, almost like a detective hunting down the perpetrator behind an unsolved crime. Cha Yo Han is a genius anesthesiologist, who is also the youngest professor at his medical school. The brilliant doctor goes by the nickname “10 Seconds,” referring to his ability to figure out his patients in the 10 seconds that it takes for them to enter an examination room and walk to their seat. Kang Shi Young is a legendary anesthesiologist, who was always at the top of her class throughout medical school. The talented doctor inherited her skills from her cool-headed, rational mother, while she inherited her empathy, listening skills, and warm bedside manner from her father.

Ugh I am so so so beyond over the evil nurse and the annoying prosecutor. I don't know the amount of times I screamed at the tv about why they don't have lives. They're following him around for no reason and the nurse was even excited to find out that the terminal actress was about to kill herself. Like what the hell happened to your compassion and empathy? I'm extra pissed cause Yo Han somehow ended up in the same room and now he's going to be blamed for everything when there's literally no way he did it. I was really really hoping that the young residents would be able to get the actress's son to see her cause then she would be happy and that would spite our villains but of course things can't be that easy. It extra sucks cause I was just getting into our little family of doctors and I was loving their closeness and I really hope that they all support Yo Han like Shi Young and possibly Yoo Joon will. On another note the romance is building between Yo Han and Shi Young and I'm loving it. It was a little awkward at first cause it felt like Shi Young was being too clingy when she barely knows Yo Han but I think after this week it's clear that he does appreciate and kind of like it so as long as he's not freaked out, I'm okay with it. I was also living for how Yoo Joon figured out what was going on cause he's literally always a third wheel around them whenever anything sweet is happening and how he's trying to support them in his own low key way.

Hotel de Luna (12/16): Jang Man Wol is the CEO of Hotel del Luna. The hotel is situated in downtown in Seoul and has a very old appearance. She made a big error many years ago and, because of this, she has been stuck at Hotel del Luna. She is beautiful, but she is fickle, suspicious and greedy. Goo Chan Sung worked as the youngest assistant manager ever at a multinational hotel corporation. He is a sincere perfectionist. He looks level-headed, but he actually has a soft disposition. Due to an unexpected case, he begins to work as a manager at Hotel del Luna. The hotel's clientele consists of ghosts.

Watching four episodes back to back was amazing cause I didn't have to deal with the cliffhanger between episode 10 and 11 but it was also crazy since so many heartbreaking things happened. I was sobbing when Veronica died and like she was barely a character but we've followed Sanchez since episode 1 so the fact that the love of his life died was awful to watch. It was super sweet that he got to say goodbye to her one last time though. The story with the parents who were cutting their own lifeline to save their child was super sad too but I liked how both them and Sanchez's pain were paralleled with Chan Sung's and Man Wol's about how after she leaves, it'll be heartbreaking for him. Their first kiss was absolutely lovely and felt perfectly timed and I was so thankful there was no wide-eyed shock kiss either. I do have a feeling though that Chan Sung's punishment for letting Man Wol go might have something to do with him becoming the owner of Del Luna but part of me hopes that he'll die too around the same time as Man Wol so that they can be reincarnated later. It's also hard cause I can't decide if Chan Sung is her soulmate or if the general was cause how utterly romantic was it that he stayed around for 1000 years watching over her as a firefly cause he was so guilty for what he did when he was trying to save her life. The stuff with the new vengeful spirit was fun to watch too but I was never really worried for Chan Sung's life cause Man Wol is so much more powerful than him and as an evil ghost, not only will the Reaper be after him but possibly the darker side of God and of course Man Wol too.

I Wanna Hear Your Song (12/32): A murder takes place. Hong Yi Young, who is a timpanist, does not remember what happened on the day of the murder. She is simple-minded and suffers from insomnia. Hong Yi Young looks for a job. She happens to meet Jang Yoon. He is bad at singing but is a pianist in an orchestra. To help with Hong Yi Young's insomnia, Jang Yoon calls her every night. They try to find the truth about the murder. Meanwhile, Nam Joo Wan is an orchestra conductor. He has charisma and showmanship. Ha Eun Joo is a violinist in the orchestra. She is arrogant.

We're slowly learning more about what happened in the past though I don't think we know the full story and I find that when the show leans into it's murder mystery side it hits it's stride. The official story is that Kim Ian was in a hit-and-run and Yi Young was definitely in the car but like she somehow ended up elsewhere. I have a feeling that Ian's death was planned by whoever Joo Won's sponsor was in order to get rid of Joo Won's competition but it wasn't planned for Yi Young to be in the car with him which is why Joo Won probably chased after that. The creepy dude with the scar on his hand probs stabbed him and Yi Young pulled it out freaking out and tried to escape from the creepy dude but he caught her and tossed her into that warehouse and meanwhile the truck ran over Ian causing everyone to think that it was a hit-and-run. I also don't know what role Jang Yoon's father plays in all this cause he really didn't seem to care about Ian's death but he's definitely threatening to destroy the orchestra to get Yoon to do what he wants. I'm hoping that with Yi Young being told the truth this week that she'll be able to get enough of her memory back next week that she knows it was someone else who killed Ian. I was wondering for a while how she would find out and honestly I was shocked and proud that Yoon told her himself cause shows like these never allow the protagonists to be honest with one another. I also low key hope that Yi Young and Ian weren't actually dating cause I like her with Yoon and it just feels kinda sketch to have her date both brothers.

Justice (24/32): Lee Tae Kyung is a star lawyer with the best win rate. He is able to win cases by using his sharp logic and intelligent speeches. He amasses power and wealth by dealing with clients who are part of the elite class. His cases are usually referred from Song Woo Yong who is the owner of a construction company. Lee Tae Kyung gets these high class criminals acquitted or at minimum receive probation. He first became a lawyer to get revenge for his younger sister, but has since become focused on money. He changes when he deals with a series of cases involving missing actresses. Meanwhile, Song Woo Yong has grown his construction company by funneling criminal cases involving wealthy people to Lee Tae Kyung. For his family, he desires even more power. He comes into conflict with Lee Tae Kyung over the cases involving missing actresses.

Somewhere early on this week when the pieces were finally being put together as to what in the world what going on in this show, I had a feeling deep in my gut that Yeon Ah's father was involved. I assumed that because he seemed like a pretty good guy overall maybe it was just once and he felt guilty about it from then on and that the others were probs blackmailing him with it which is why he hated the sight of Woo Yong so much and that turned out to be the case. I really wasn't expecting him to kill himself though in order to protect Yeon Ah but it makes sense cause Woo Yong and Tak really pushed him to the edge and seriously if anyone would understand a father trying to protect his child it would have been Woo Yong but to my surprise (and Tae Kyung's fury) this rule of protecting a child only counts towards Woo Yong's kid. For a second I really thought Tak might have killed Yeon Ah especially after seeing Tae Kyung's reaction and I would have straight lost it if that was the case. I don't know why all the bad guys keep thinking that this thing or that thing is going to stop Yeon Ah from investigating cause the more shit they pull, the hardest she bites down and I low key need Chief Prosecutor Cha to step up too cause with her added to the team, we'll be unbeatable. I was also so excited every time we got close to saving Young Mi whether it was when she tried to seduce the henchman to when she called the cops to when Tae Kyung and Yeon Ah figured out she was in Tak's basement. Young Mi's mistake was calling the cops and not Tae Kyung and I'm pissed as shit that because of that, she's been moved and now who knows where! It's all horrific but the worst was the confirmation that Woo Yong killed Tae Joo just cause of how completely destroyed Tae Kyung was about it but honestly Tae Kyung was right in that Woo Yong should have killed both Tae Joo and Tae Kyung cause like the Starks from Game Of Thrones like to say "leave one wolf alive and the sheep won't survive." I also like the low key romance that building between Tae Kyung and Yeon Ah.

Melo Is My Nature (4/16): Im Jin Joo, Lee Eun Jung, and Hwang Han Joo are best friends who are 30-years-old. Hwang Han Joo is the head of a marketing team for a drama production company. She is a single mother who struggles to balance her work and personal life as she is raising a kid. Im Jin Joo is a drama writer with a lot of emotional ups and downs. Her personality is unique, talking to a luxurious purse at times. Even though she is a drama writer, she tries to write her scripts in a literary style. Lee Eun Jung is a documentary director. She runs her own production company, although she's the only employee. One of her documentaries surprisingly becomes popular overnight.

I jumped into this drama expecting a romcom and ended up crying a ton more than I expected. The best thing about this show is the writing hands down. It's snappy and witty and I adore that the comedy is just so laugh-out-loud good without the crazy slapstick comedy that a lot of other dramas use. The characters are all so fascinating and they actually feel like real mature people instead of thirty-year olds acting like teenagers. Eun Jang is the most heartbreaking of course and I cried and cried and cried watching her backstory cause I think that losing someone you love while you're still in love is the saddest thing in the world compared to a couple who broke up cause they fell out of love. It didn't help any that she tried to kill herself too and the way her friends and family came for her was everything. I am guessing that she will be the only lead to not have a love interest in this show and that we'll watch her move on from the death of the love of her life. Han Joo may be the least interesting of the trio but I kind of adore her slow building romance with her coworker and I'm pissed at her ex more than anyone of the others so I really hope he comes back at some point to see Han Joo happy and doing well cause I'm spiteful. Her son though is the epitome of why kids suck cause he's just so mean to his mom and it's like she went through so much raising him on her own. Jin Joo is our main lead cause she definitely gets the most screen time and I think she's the funniest overall cause her awkward relationship with Beom Soo is literally everything. I do hope that Hyo Bong gets more screen time cause I was totally shocked when he turned out to be gay cause the way these shows work I would have thought he would have fallen for one of the three girls but like kdramas don't like to show gay relationships so I need to know more about him!!

CDRAMA

DROPPED Love And Destiny (23/60): Ten thousand years ago, Jiu Chen, known as the god of war, fell into a deep slumber after sealing away the demon lord. Ling Xi accidentally wakes him from his sleep and they fall in love. It is discovered that Ling Xi was born with an evil miasma that can help the demon lord break free and allow the demon tribe to rise to power. Jiu Chen refuses to kill an innocent and tries to change Ling Xi's fate. Through the encouragement of Jiu Chen, Ling Xi who was once innocent and naive transforms into a brave leader in a fight against evil.

My problem with a lot of cdramas is that I tend to start a drama really interested and then end up kinda bored towards the middle. The large episode counts for cdramas means that the story needs to ebb and flow but instead of allowing the characters to be happy and grow, the shows tend to just consistently torture our leads and I get so bored of that. A little bit of angst is a good thing but too much and I zone out. I so wanted to like this show cause I love the idea of a couple against the world and eternal devotion but it's super hard to watch our heroes consistently be outmaneuvered and honestly I'd rather spend my time on so many other things! Jiu Chen's love for Ling Xi didn't feel entirely believable and I'm not sure if it was the actor or the writing but it felt like he was kinda amused with her at first and then all of a sudden he was in love. With sixty episodes, maybe their romance should have taken longer to build and then we could go to all the Demon King stuff later which by the by I didn't care about from the start anyway but like every show needs a villain so like why not. I also hated that this show did the one thing with female leads that I can't stand and that's make them so dumb that it's inconceivable. I understand why Ling Xi was so naive at first but she asked Jiu Chen over and over why everyone kept attacking her and instead of explaining the situation he kept trying to act like nothing was wrong leading to Ling Xi acting like an idiot and putting herself in danger. In the end I'm not even halfway through and I just couldn't put myself through this show anymore and ended up dropping it.

Love Better Than Immortality (31/40): A woman from the future arrives at a fantasy-like universe to experience love for the first time. She goes by the name Chun Hua and falls into a complicated romance with two young men who are opposites like black and white.

Who else was crying like a goddamn baby this week?? Every time I watch a show like this with a right track and an evil track, I'm always surprised to find out what large hypocrites the righteous track are. They've been killing left and right all for this longevity nut that I'm like 90% sure doesn't exist at this point but blaming it all on the evil track and claiming that everything they do is for justice. Of course I'm not saying that the evil track is all good cause after what a bunch of them did to Qiuyue it's clear that they're out for themselves but what I always like is how the evil sects will tell you straight up that they're out for themselves. Fu Lou and Sisi did not deserve the ending they got and I was screaming alongside Chun Hua when I watched the so-called righteous sects be so cruel. Murdering your teacher makes you evil but beating your wife to an inch of her life is chill? Damned hypocrites. I was a little annoyed with Chun Hua in previous weeks cause of how willingly blind she was acting in her belief that Xiao Bai was the man she was destined for when it was clear over and over that though he did love her, he would still place his pride and reputation above her. Isn't it ironic when it's the evil sects who place love above all? I was cheering Chun Hua on when she told Xiao Bai to kill her cause she's going to leave with Qiuyue and honestly I was going to scream if the girl didn't realize that her true love is right next to her but luckily they're together now and I can't wait to see what happens. Unlike Xiao Bai, Qiuyue plots and schemes but he places Chun Hua above everything even when he disagrees with her. I was pissed at him for outing Xiaolei sleeping with him before but like in the end it was okay cause not only did he let her go but the people who mattered the most didn't believe it so it wasn't that big of a deal. Having said all that, part of me still does feel a little bad for Xiao Bai who's totally mourning Chun Hua right now though once again everyone keeps telling him just to talk to Chun Hua and work it out but his pride is more important.

The King's Avatar (30/40): In the multiplayer online game Glory, Ye Xiu is well known as the textbook level expert and a top-tier player. Due to a series of circumstances he was forcefully expelled out of his professional team. After leaving the pro gaming scene he resides at an Internet Café employed as one of the managers. When Glory launches the tenth server he throws himself into the game once more equipped with ten years of gaming experience, memories of the past, and an incomplete self-made weapon. His journey back to the top begins.

Because I missed last week's batch of episodes, we've flown through so much plot since the last time I talked about this show and that awkwardly makes me have to skip talking about a lot of my questions cause they become answered later. Not only did Ye Xiu already build a guild, they're competing in a national competition and it's a little insane. We've got three new members to our Xing Xin guild, Wenyi, Mo Fan and Chen who I totally thought was going to be a one-off cause he was the captain of Lan Yu and I didn't think he'd want to switch teams like that especially since it was clear that Lan Yu still misses him. I was also wondering for a while what Guo's place in this show would be cause it seemed like she never played Glory so I was like you can't just be here for comedy but it turns out she's here to be the manager for the team. So far I'm pretty proud of her and honestly she's such a sweetheart that she's winning hearts left and right especially with Wenyi and Mo Fan who came for their own reasons and ended up wanting to become full members of the team after speaking to her and the others. I was wondering why there was no time skip cause despite everything our Xing Xin team are just rookies compared to a lot of the other pros so I was debating whether them winning (which like of course they're going to be the champions in the end cause duh it's tv) would make sense but after watching their first real competition, I'm feeling a lot better. Xing Xin's strength is in their teamwork and they won because of their teamwork when individual competitions didn't work out so well. I'm sure that as the competition goes on they'll do better but like also can we take a moment to talk about how horrible the Jiashi fans were? Even if Ye Xiu was that selfish in wanting fame all to himself as Jiashi claims, why in the hell would he make a new team fun of rookies rather than join an established one? I'm not too annoyed about it though cause Ye Xiu doesn't care that much so bygones and all that. It was also fun to meet Ye Xiu's twin brother Ye Qiu cause that was definitely the funniest episodes of this show and it was really sweet to see their father actually show up to a competition and see that Ye Xiu isn't just throwing his life away.

FINISHED Unexpected (23/23): A manga artist, He Jie has entered into his own manga “Crystal Love” and he must complete the mission of saving the evil second female lead, turning her into a better person before he can return back to the real world. He ended up having to keep on filling up the loopholes of his own manga again and again, forming a funny love story.

Well the show ended this week (technically it was last week but you know how I was too busy to watch tv that I ended up not being able to check it out) and overall I'm kinda meh about the ending. I started out this show hoping it would be like W: Two Worlds and at first it was just as fun but then it slowly devolved into a mess. I didn't love the final arc the show went through with Doctor Su becoming the villain cause though it made sense logically why he would end up that way, I just felt like something was missing and that it might have just progressed too quickly. All of a sudden he didn't love Bai Lian enough to sacrifice himself for her? I think that was a problem in this drama in general cause there was never a villain and at first it worked cause it was He Jie himself who was causing problems but with the plot flying by so quickly things that needed more time to develop were fixed quickly so that the next problem could pop up. The best part of this show was the romance between He Jie and Zixing but the ending was super strange cause we went through so much pain only for He Jie to come back to the manga 3 years later? Why was it okay now when it wasn't before? And on top of that Doctor Su came to the real world? The same thing happened in W: Two Worlds but in that show the hopping through worlds made sense while in this one it felt like too much of a hand wipe last minute magical solve. Despite this I do think I had fun overall so I'd give this show a 7.5 / 10!

xoxo Allie