The Last Immortal (2023)

Episodes: 40

Synopsis:

This drama follows Ah Yin, a divine water beast, and Gu Jin, the son of the true gods, who meet by chance and set out to find the immortal essence of Feng Yin, the next Phoenix Queen. The two are joined by Hongyi, the Fox prince of Demon Realms, and Princess Yan Shuang of the Eagle clan. They work together to maintain peace in the world and overcome obstacles along the way as the characters fall for each other. 

However, the little water beast is more than what her identity is believed to be.

Review:

I will watch any drama with Zhao Lusi in it, and “The Last Immortal” was no exception. The first scene with Ah Yin talking about her trials in the human world instantly hooked me because I sensed the angst was coming, and I’m all about that. The idea that she doesn’t remember her past but keeps hearing her own life story while stuck in a loop experiencing different human lives was enough to get me excited. I knew there was going to be angst, and I LOVE ANGST!

However, as I continued watching, I found myself a bit let down. The overall production felt low-budget, from the cinematography to the costumes. While it’s understandable not to break the bank on sets, there are certainly ways to create a captivating atmosphere without overspending—just look at “Yanxi Palace.” Unfortunately, “The Last Immortal” felt somewhat tacky, which detracted from the performances. I did love their OSTs - but if the drama isn't emotionally impactful, the songs don't hold as much weight. 

As for the casting, I’ll always be a fan of Zhao Lusi. However, this role seemed like a downgrade compared to her previous performances. I know many love her in cute, bubbly roles, but I prefer her angsty side as seen in “Love Like the Galaxy.” Even her innocent character in “A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College” had enough depth and ambition to keep me engaged. In contrast, I found this “innocent” character hard to connect with.

Wang Anyu's performance also left me wanting more; I've never been particularly drawn to his acting in past dramas, and the set design didn’t help. Li Yunrui was slightly better, but I couldn’t get past the tacky red and white furs they dressed him in. It’s tough to take the characters seriously when the visuals feel off. At least Zhao Lusi looked great in her outfits!

Speaking of which, those ridiculous furs on Li Yunrui were a choice—if they’d just dressed him in a sleek red fit, I could almost believe he was a red fox! I also look forward to the day he lands a lead role—he’s been the second lead opposite Zhao Lusi twice now!

Love like The Galaxy

Episodes: 56

Synopsis: Cheng Shaoshang (nicknamed Niao Niao) is a lively, strong-spirited girl who was left behind by her parents when they went to war. Growing up under the malice and ignorance of her aunt and grandmother, Shaoshang leaned into her strengths to fight back in secretive ways and also learned to build herself up to be independent. The story begins with Shaoshang living in a rural village with limited resources as a form of punishment from her relatives for misbehavior. With her parents returning home from war, Shaoshang is brought back to the manor with high hopes her parents will avenge her mistreatment and that her life will improve upon reunion. However, years apart from her parents made it difficult for her to bond and she soon found that her parents were not reliable sources of security when it came to getting her justice. In fact, she is chided for her tit-for-tat behavior; and her resistance to open up to others further pushes Shaoshang to rely on herself. As the story progresses, she becomes entangled with the emperor's adopted son, Ling Buyi (with varying names like Zisheng, eleventh prince, etc), whom she views as a cold individual and often butts heads with him in the process. As she continues to interact with Ling Buyi and open up to love and vulnerability, she becomes involved with the mystery surrounding his family and identity - and eventually experiences the pain revenge-seeking brings.

Review:

This drama changed my brain chemistry for the better. 

I was going through a transitional period in my life and needed an escape and "Love Like the Galaxy" aired at the perfect time. The chemistry was overflowing and I am a big fan of Zhao Lusi's acting and her ability to create compatibility with all her male co-stars. After watching her in "The Long Ballad" and "Who Rules the World", I recognize it is a strong skill she possesses because I root for her with every male lead she is associated with. Wu Lei is also impressive as well. He fit into the General/Warrior role with ease and his dedication to acting really shows. There are many clips that show how much he has trained over the years to perform his own martial arts stunts in the dramas he acts in. 

As Shaoshang and Ling Buyi's relationship blossomed, I couldn't help falling for the protective general and siding with the hard-headed, independent young girl. The two were very similar in how fiercely loyal they were to those they cared about and how vengeful they could get when people did them wrong. Their desire for revenge or to be tit-for-tat is what leads to the ultimate angst and tragedy this couple has to endure. While you can argue that a lot of the angst makes for a fairly unhealthy relationship between the two, I found their honeymoon period to be so beautiful. They gave each other the space to be independent and taught each other how to lean on the other - it's very refreshing to know that the two leads trust each other to handle themselves in trying times. For instance, toward the end, the two split up to ensure they can cover all their bases when fighting against the enemy. 

The cinematography and OST of this drama is also amazing. The festival, the massacre, etc were all shot with beautiful aesthetics and flairs. I will say the one thing I wish was different was how they brought the couple back together toward the end - the plot felt a little messy in how they brought them back together when in reality they both needed to let down their pride and communicate. I don't like how they relied on a fake death trope to truly bring out the real feelings when we knew they were there. 

Nothing but Thirty

 Episodes: 43

Synopsis: This drama follows the perspectives of three 30-year-old women and tells the story of urban women who encounter multiple pressures at the age of 30. 

Review: 
This is such a realistic yet comforting watch. All three women in this drama experience life very uniquely, with different priorities, life and career goals, and personalities. However, their friendship is built on a common understanding - womanhood. I felt very comforted watching these characters fight and struggle for the things they desire and for the life they want to build for themselves. It reminds me that part of life's journey is constantly pushing oneself to be stronger and better - and yet, somehow, it may not be enough. 

To really express my thoughts on this drama, I will go through each of the three characters and their experiences - highlighting what their stories represented to me. 

Gu Jia: Gu Jia is a stay-at-home mom and uses her analytical thinking and strong relationship-building skills to help support her family and her husband's business. Despite being stay-at-home, her life is far from relaxing. She is either working to build connections to get her son into prestigious schools or she is at her husband's company to help manage any concerns that come up. Her labor is often invisible as her husband takes the credit as the CEO & all her hard work toward maintaining perfection in her family life and in their family business ultimately did not bear fruit. Her husband has an affair and she has to find herself again - cleaning up his mess, dealing with his mishandling of their firework company, and finding her own voice instead of lending it to another. Her strength, resilience, and self-awareness were so refreshing to see, and watching her pursue her own dream of operating a tea business provided me the motivation that women do need to have a world that belongs to them no matter how small. 

Wang Man Ni: Man Ni took a risk in her early twenties by leaving her small town to try to make it in the big city of Shanghai. She strives for perfection in both her career and her love life yet struggles to maintain both as the story progresses. She essentially goes through a mid-life crisis as she wonders what it was all for and as she fights to overcome her depression/burn-out from struggling for so long in the city. Man Ni is the representation of ambition - and she's the character that sacrifices the most for her place in the city & for her dreams. She works tirelessly in luxury sales, often unable to use the bathroom for hours and constantly working around the clock to earn commission from VIP clients. She wants romance with someone who is ambitious and well-established to help ease the day-to-day struggles of the lonely city life she experiences. 
      However, things don't go her way. Instead of a charming prince, she finds herself dating a man who doesn't believe in marriage, has multiple serious relationships ongoing at the same time, and who questions why she wants more when he's given her so many materialistic things/money. Instead of progressing in her career, she faces backstabbing, romance rivals coming to disrupt her day-to-day job, and her ultimate burnout with the job/city. One of my favorite lines from her was when she said goodbye to her workplace of many years - she said this was the place where she invested with her youth, passion, and time & that it was a difficult goodbye in itself. I saw myself in that scene - as someone who really invests in her career with little to no reward at times, the job is in a way a storage of memories of one's youth, time, and energy. And yet to the business, you are just a fleeting individual - easily replaced.
     Wang Man Ni's journey to rediscover herself and to find her ambition/drive again at the end was an inspiring story. I love that she could've taken the easy way out in a lot of scenarios - going back to her hometown and marrying someone there, marrying her college sweetheart, etc - but she didn't. And it was a really satisfying storyline to follow. 

Zhong Xiao Qin: Zhong Xiao Qin is not a perfectionist like Gu Jia and is not as ambitious as Man Ni. However, her goal of living a happy, simple life with a decent job and a caring husband is just as important. Xiao Qin starts off being content with the ordinary, typically going with the flow despite her career and love life not being super extraordinary. Her husband has been distant and the two lack communication in how to ensure the relationship is successful & what their goals in life are. Eventually, when Zhong Xiao Qin finds that their difference in perspective truly impacted what she valued, she decided to put herself first and separate from her husband. This is pivotal for a character who still wants a relatively calm and quiet life - she learns to be independent, learns what she wants in life, and experiences new things that add layers of understanding to her previous relationship. To see her grow and to bring that growth back into her previous relationship & to see him reflect and change/grow on his own and come back a better husband to Xiao Qin was lovely. This was a great, wholesome love storyline amidst the many romance failures throughout the drama. 

I really enjoyed this drama and felt so comforted and validated that the struggles of being a woman in the modern woman are exhibited in so many different facets in this drama. 

Hometown Cha-cha-cha

Episodes: 16

Synopsis: Yoon Hye-Jin, an accomplished dentist from Seoul, goes to the seaside village of Gongjin after her life/career goes awry. She decides to open up a dental clinic and gets to know the village jack-of-all-trades Hong Du-Sik aka Chief Hong. The journey follows Hye Jin's self-discovery journey through the relationships she builds with those living in the village, including the romantic relationship that develops with Hong Du-Sik

Review: 
This was such a feel-good drama, and I looked forward to each episode. The male lead was so emotionally healthy and charismatic, and I loved how it balanced the female lead out so well. Both characters were learning and growing with each other and it was so light-hearted. I found myself "la la la" -ing every day to the OST. It was also lovely to see Shin Min-A act in this role and it made me so emotional that I grew up watching her - from her gumiho days to now. 

However, when Hong Du-Sik starts sharing his deep-rooted traumas and his reason for why he moved back to the town, I got whiplash. It felt so out-of-the-blue for a character that has always been mature, and communicative in his relationship & who has taught the female lead so much about having a positive outlook and investing in others. It seemed almost forced into the storyline to provide conflict and tension - but it was done a bit too heavy-handed. 

I wish the "conflict" the couple experienced in this drama was developed differently because Hong Du Sik's trauma was brought up so late into the drama and so out of the blue, it just felt frustrating to watch. It instantly turned the character into a stranger the viewer hasn't been able to truly glimpse at in earlier episodes & it felt like a pretty significant barrier/red flag to pose in a relationship dynamic that is just starting out. 

Would I watch this again though? Yes.
Overall, it is a positive and healthy drama & is a very relaxing/feel-good watch. 

Squid Games

Episodes: 9 

Synopsis: A Netflix show that tells the story of a group of 456 people who are invited to risk their lives for 45.6 billion won (38.7 million USD) in a series of childhood games. 

Review: 
This was so entertaining because it took childhood games + survival shows + dystopian tropes and combined them. Squid Games had amazing marketing leading up to its release and had a cast of big-name actors such as Lee Jung Jae and Gong Yoo. I found this series to be sinister and hard to watch because of how graphic and brutal the scenes can be, but I was entranced just the same. 

When childhood games come with such high stakes & when the characters are not necessarily cookie-cutter individuals where you feel openly good about rooting for them, it forces you to confront why you want these players to make it. They were all fighting for money due to circumstances beyond their personal control - with influences of society, life, and misfortune leading them to many of the decisions made. However, these players signing up for games for rich people's entertainment, begs the question of how much of their downfall serves the system/serves the rich? 

While the societal discourse surrounding Squid Games is fascinating, I did think the portrayal of the wealthy watching them for sport was a bit shallow. The acting was hard to watch and it felt too in-your-face. Also, what was the point of the undercover cop & what he figured out? I know it's to set up Season 2 -- but I worry Season 2 may be repetitive of the chaos and dilute the story behind how the Squid Games were built to use the "lowlife/poor" individuals as game pieces and there is little to fight against a system that works against them in real-life and in the games. 

Be Yourself

Episodes: 24

Synopsis: 

Four young women begin life at university. This drama follows their experiences and friendships. 

A slice of life drama. 

Review:

    This is my new comfort show, and I am very sad it is only 24 episodes long. The story follows four college roommates with very different personalities, backgrounds, and dreams. As they go through their own series of academic and career challenges, friendships, and romances, we watch these young girls blossom into mature, well-rounded women. 

      There are so many life lessons packed into this feel-good, youthful drama. I laughed and cried with these girls for 24 episodes straight. Everything is wholesome and motivating, and it forces you to reflect on your own growth/behaviors. I loved how empowering this drama is & the amazing opening soundtrack. 

    Also, all four girls are unique and lovable in their own ways. There are episodes where you feel frustrated toward some of them but you also learn to love these characters unconditionally and support their growth as they move forward. It's hard to fully explain what this drama is about without simply saying: "it's a slice of life."

All in all,  I highly recommend this drama. 

It's Okay to Not Be Okay

Episodes: 16
Synopsis: 

Moon Gang Tae is a psychiatric ward caretaker and lives with his older brother Moon Sang-tae who has autism. While working at the hospital, he meets his brother's favorite children's book writer, Ko Moon Young who is rumored to have an antisocial personality disorder. As the two bond with one another, they discover secrets of their traumatic paths and struggle as they realize their fates are more intertwined than they originally thought.  

Review: 

I really enjoyed this drama despite Ko Moon Young's prickly personality and Moon Gang Tae's slow-to-warm attitude. I think the star of the show is definitely Moon Sang Tae (the actor portrayed his character so well, showed character development, and fun fact: he also connected with a fan who saw himself in Sang Tae's character.) 

This drama touches on mental health but definitely still fits in the mold of what makes a kdrama work. There is romance, comedy, and even dark elements to this drama. It felt like a thriller at some points and a romantic comedy at others. While it touches on elements that are relatable, mental health stigma and reconciling with past traumas, this isn't the most believable drama (I mean...makes sense, it's still a drama lol) 

I would recommend this drama to people though. 

The chemistry between characters was great and the varying storylines and plot twists were very entertaining and kept me on my toes. I flew through the episodes.