Dramas 2005 – 2010

1 Liter of Tears ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2005 | Episode: 11 | Channel: Fuji TV

Cast: Erika Sawajiri & Ryo Nishikido
Plot: The drama tells the story of 15-year-old Aya Ikeuchi who discovers she suffers from an incurable disease. While fighting against it, she can find comfort in her family and friends.

Review: Apart from the fact that this drama literally broke my hear in millions of pieces, it was extremely good. Based on the true story of Aya Kito, the drama depicts very well the consequences a terminal disease can have on a young girl full of dreams, on her family, her friends, love, etc… without ever being a grotesque caricature. Plus, the actors portray beautifully their characters which adds to the melodramatic atmosphere. The only reason I didn’t put a 5 is because it was too sad (and I normally have a high tolerance). It was a mix of frustration, feeling of injustice, pain and despair that I had towards Aya, who was just trying to live her life normally, but couldn’t because of her own body. Honestly, I advise you take several boxes of tissues with you if you intend on watching that drama, because you will clearly shed 1 liter of tears.

Atashinchi No Danshi ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2009 | Episode: 11 | Channel: Fuji TV

Cast: Maki Horikita, Jun Kaname, Yoshinori Okada, Osamu Mukai, Yusuke Yamamoto, Koji Seto & Tomoki Okayama
Plot: Because of her father’s debts, Chisato Mineta has become homeless. One day, she meets a rich CEO, Shinzo Okura, who offers to pay off her debts if she accepts to be his wife for a month. Unfortunately Shinzo dies, leaving Chisato in charge of his 6 adoptive troublemaking sons. Under contract, she is forced to act as their mother for 3 months.

Review: Atashinchi No Danshi is an interesting drama that focuses on the meaning of family. Whether you’re blood related or not, you sometimes happen to meet people you consider your family. It’s exactly what happens here, as Chisato becomes a pillar in the lives of the 6 adoptive sons. She supports them, encourages them in their dreams and helps them whenever. There is also a lot of hilarious scenes, so the drama is quite fun to see. Of course, I didn’t really appreciate how she was cornered by Shinzo at first, and the romance could’ve been more present; but still. It does the job of entertaining you.

Boys Over Flowers ⭐⭐ (2/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2009 | Episode: 25 | Channel: KBS2

Cast: Lee Min Ho, Ku Hye Sun, Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Bum & Kim Jun
Plot: Geum Jan Di is a poor student who frequents a prestigious school whose students are all wealthy. One day, she gets entangled wit Gu Jun Pyo, the leader of the popular boy group F4. Though their relationship starts off the wrong foot, they end up developing feelings for each other.

Review: It may come as a surprise, but I didn’t like the Korean remake of the amazing Hana Yori Dango. Maybe that’s because I already knew the story, and I had loved the Japanese version. Still, the female lead and second male lead were terrible. There was no chemistry at all. Thankfully, there were Lee Min Ho and Kim Bum to save to deal, but this was not enough. As for the story, nothing new to expect. It was very similar to the Japanese version, but less fresh and funny. A real disappointment.

Coffee Prince ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2007 | Episode: 17 | Channel: MBC

Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Sun Kyun & Chae Jung An
Plot: Choi Han Gyeol is a capricious and rich young man, who’s ordered by his grandmother to run a coffee shop. The main rule of the business is that all employees should be men. One day, he meets Ko Eun Chan and mistakes her for a man. In need of money, she lies to get employed. But, the situation gets complicated when Han Gyeol starts falling in love with Eun Chan, while thinking she’s a man.

Review: Coffee Prince is such a classic drama that I believe every drama lover would recommend! First, the cast is incredible with a famous main quartet, and recognizable faces as secondary leads (like Kim Dong Wook and Kim Jae Wook for instance). Second, the plot is funny and cute with your typical gender-bender. Yes, there are clichés in the drama, but the romance is so top-notch (for both couples) that you will get over them rapidly. Also for a 2007-drama, the topic of homosexuality is quite well-handled with light-heartedness and simplicity (maybe because we all know Eun Chan is a woman, but still). It’s one of the few dramas I watched twice, and would be willing to rewatch even today. Don’t hesitate!

Devil Beside You ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Taiwan | Year: 2005 | Episode: 14 | Channel: CTV

Cast: Rainie Yang, Mike He & Kingone Wang
Plot: Qi Yue has a crush on Yuan Yi. She writes him a love letter. But, he ignores it. That same letter falls into the hands of the school’s troublemaker Ahmon, who spreads it to the entire school. Ahmon is a gangster, who also happens to be the principal’s son. Qi Yue hates him, but later discovers he’s to be her future step-brother.

Review: Here comes again the famous Taiwanese trio of the 2000s: Rainie Yang, Mike He and Kingone Wang (you can see them in Why Why Love for instance). All things considered, Devil Beside You was a good melodrama, but it was soooo complicated. I felt like characters were going through hell in each and every scene because of their romantic entanglement. I was fed up at the end by so many push-and-pulls situations. Thankfully, there are only 14 episodes! If you are into complicated romance, and melodramatic twists, I guess this drama is made for you. Otherwise, well…

First Kiss ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2007 | Episode: 11 | Channel: Fuji TV

Cast: Mao Inoue & Hideaki Ito
Plot: Mio Fukunaga is a 20-year old woman, who suffers from a heart disease. Knowing that she has a 50% chance of dying during the operation, she decides to spend the summer in Japan with her brother. The latter, Kazuki Kano, is determined to let his sister have a great time before surgery, and will do anything to have her experience her first love.

Review: The first reason why I watched this drama is because of Mao Inoue whom I loved in Hana Yori Dango. Plot-wise the story between siblings is moving and interesting, which I actually preferred to Mio’s search for love. I was not really into the whole ‘heart disease will help her find love’ thing, but it’s acceptable. The drama didn’t leave me with a huge impression, but I spent a good time.

Gokusen Season 1 & Season 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2002/2005 | Episode: 13 (Season 1) + 10 (Season 2) | Channel: NTV

Cast: Yukie Nakama, Yuma Ishigaki, Misaki Ito & Jun Matsumoto
Plot: Yamuguchi Kumiko is a math teacher. Upon her arrival at Shirokin High, she discovers she’s in charge of class 3-D. Most students of this class are troublemakers and delinquents, led by Sawada Shin. They never respected their teachers, and made their lives a living hell. But what students don’t know is that Kumiko is the 4th generation of a yakuza clan. Will students change their attitude?

Review: I really liked that drama, especially season 1. There’s a season 3 also, but I didn’t get to watch it, so I won’t elaborate on that. Gokusen is quite a popular J-drama, and I totally understand why. Kumiko is amazing, both kind and scary at times. She really loves her students, and the dynamics that are created between her and the troublemaker students are so heartwarming. Sawada Shin is season 1, played by the excellent Jun Matsumoto, is so great. I really liked watching his bickering with his teacher, while helping her out with the class. Honestly, I consider Gokusen to be a classic Japanese drama, and can only recommend you take a look. Plus, it’s super funny. So, what else do you need?

Goong: Princess Hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2006 | Episode: 24 | Channel: MBC

Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Ju Ji Hoon, Song Ji Hyo & Kim Jeong Hoon
Plot: Shin Chae Kyung is an ordinary high school student. One day, she discovers that her grand-father promised the late King that their grandchildren would marry someday. Unfortunately for Chae Kyung, she doesn’t get along with her future husband Crown Prince Lee Shin until they start living together.

Review: The idea of reviving monarchy in South Korea has always made for some interesting plots in my opinion. The better part in Goong is that the ‘royals’ also happen to be young and naive students, who discover love. Once again, you will find a great number of clichés (I mean it’s a 2006-drama, so what else would you expect?) such as the love-hate relationship, the rich-guy/poor-girl trope, and – what I hated the most – the annoying and pushy second leads (male and female). But if you can get over that, then you will surely enjoy that drama as much as I have. The romance is cute, and the female lead really funny and clumsy. Plus, you get to see some actors (Ju Ji Hoon you may know from Kingdom and Song Ji Hyo from the variety show Running Man) in the prime of their youth!

Hana Kimi (Hanazakari no Kimitachi E) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2007 | Episode: 12 | Channel: Fuji TV

Cast: Maki Horikita, Shun Oguri & Toma Ikuta
Plot: Mizuki Ashiya fell in love at first sight with high jump athlete Izumi Sano. Following her heart, she leaves California for Japan, disguises herself as a man and enters Sano’s all-male high school. There, she tries to hide her identity, while getting entangled with the different students.

Review: This is one of my first dramas ever, and it’s one of the most memorable ones as well! Hana Kimi is the adaptation of the manga written by Hisaya Nakojo that I simply loved. The humor, the craziness of some (if not all) characters, the numerous twists and the romance present in the manga were also translated in the drama. I had a lot of fun watching it, rooting for the female lead’s crush and hoping she would get the guy (especially when you consider the lengths she goes to for him!). I believe it’s also the first drama of many other avid drama-lovers, so I can only recommend you watch that classic that never gets old. There’s also a Korean remake called To the Beautiful You, but definitely not as good.

Hana Yori Dango Season 1 & Season 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2005-2007 | Episode: 9 (Season 1) + 11 (Season 2) | Channel: TBS

Cast: Mao Inoue, Jun Matshumoto & Shun Oguri
Plot: Makino Tsukushi is a poor high school student, who attends an exclusive high school for wealthy kids. There, she gets entangled with the F4, the most popular boy group of the school, among which their leader Tsukasa Domyoji.

Review: Literally my first drama ever! And I’m not ready to forget. Yes, it’s a cliché-after-cliché kind of drama with the rich-guy/poor-girl trope, the never-ending love triangle, the ‘he fell first, she fell harder’ plot, but I didn’t care. It’s cheesy, cute, romantic with all the ingredients needed to make an excellent school drama, as well as a perfect rom-com between teenagers. It’s the show that made me love dramas (like for many others too, I presume!), and that’s enough to make me say you should watch this eternal and iconic classic. Though there’s a large number of remakes and/or references in other dramas (like the F4 in Alchemy of Souls?), nothing compares to this version in my opinion.

Hi My Sweetheart ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Taiwan | Year: 2009/2010 | Episode: 14 | Channel: CTS, GTV

Cast: Rainie Yang, Show Luo, Lee Wei & Maggie Wu
Plot: Lin Da Lang is a young man coming from a wealthy family. He has a peculiar style that sets him apart from other university students. To avoid him problems, his sister registered him under the name Xue Hai at school. Once there, Da Lang falls in love at first sight with the campus beauty, while getting entangled with an outcast student named Chen Bao Zhu.

Review: As part of the first taiwanese dramas I’ve watched, I have to say that this one was actually quite cute. Nothing extraordinary, it’s a romance between 2 atypical people who meet at school and unexpectedly connect. Then, of course, drama occurs, and you have the usual time jump and a whole new plot unraveling. But, I actually liked seeing characters evolve in 2 different environments (university and work years later), it gave some spice to the story. Not my favorite drama of all time, but a nice one.

IRIS ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2009 | Episode: 20 | Channel: KBS2

Cast: Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Hee, Jeong Jun Ho & Kim So Yeon
Plot: Kim Hyeon Jun is an elite agent working for the NSS. He and his sworn brother Jin Sa Woo are both in love with Choi Seung Hee, but she chooses Hyeon Jun. Later on, an accident happens in which both Hyeon Jun and Seung Hee believe the other dead. A year after, Hyeon Jun learns about a secret group called IRIS that wishes to prevent the unification of the 2 Koreas. So he comes back to Korea to get revenge on Sa Woo who betrayed him, stop IRIS and reunite with Seung Hee.

Review: If you haven’t watched IRIS yet, well let me tell you it is time you do! It’s one of the most iconic action dramas ever made with an amazing line-up starting with the leads Kim Tae Hee and Lee Byung Hun. On top of that, the story is full of twists, suspense and mysteries to uncover. It’s a roller coaster until the very end. Despite all that, I only put 4 stars for 2 simple reasons that are very subjective: I preferred the second female lead played by Kim So Yeon (her character as a North Korean agent was much more complex and interesting than the female lead), and the ending which disappointed me a bit – but I won’t tell you more. In any case, IRIS is my first action drama ever and probably the best one to watch to get into the genre.

Liar Game ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2007 | Episode: 11 | Channel: Fuji TV

Cast: Erika Toda & Shota Mutsuda
Plot: Nao Kanzaki is an ordinary college student, who’s genuine and honest. One day, she gets pulled into a crazy game named The Liar Game. The rule is simple: you must lie to other participants to win the 100 million yen. The losers will however end up in huge debts. Helped by the genius con artist Akiyama Shinichi, will they survive the tournament?

Review: Forget Squid Game and Alice in Borderland for one second. Because at the origins of all dramas with games, prize money and debts, there is The Liar Game. This is where all the inspiration comes from, so if you’ve not watched that J-Drama, I suggest you go take a look. The plot is incredible, the games are pure genius and so is the male lead who seems to be always one step ahead of everything and everyone. The female lead is nice and genuine, a little bit too naive, but she’s also the only person who can reason with Akiyama. I really enjoyed that drama, and I can still remember its stressful music. That’s an oldie, but a goodie; and for sure a must-see if you’re into this genre of dramas.

Life ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2007 | Episode: 11 | Channel: Fuji TV

Cast: Kie Kitano, Saki Fukuda & Megumi Seki
Plot: Ayumu manages to enter a prestigious high school thanks to her best friend’s help, but the latter blames her for her failing at doing the same. Upon arriving at her new school, Ayumu becomes friends with popular Manami. But, she misunderstands the students and thinks she wants to steal her boyfriend. Because of that, Manami starts harsh bullying against the newcomer, who has no one to turn to.

Review: For a drama mainly centered on bullying and how one lives with it daily, Life is really well-done. No romance, no love triangle, or any other theme close to that. Instead, you should prepare yourself for some cruelty and violence. The seriousness of the situation, Ayumu’s despair and will to put an end to her suffering is heart-wrenching. It really makes you want to root for her, and see her bullies fall. From the origin of bullying to its consequences (no-action, suicide attempts…), the drama explores it all. Also, there’s another other topic that is very well tackled in the drama: friendship, and more precisely who the true friends are and who are not, whom you should trust and whom you should avoid at all costs. I sincerely recommend you watch that drama, Ayumu is very touching and brave, and the OST is excellent!

Mackerel Run ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2007 | Episode: 8 | Channel: SBS

Cast: Lee Min Ho, Moon Chae Won & Kwon Se In
Plot: The story of high school students, as they navigate their every day lives at school and funnily experience friendships and love.

Review: Watching oldies is probably the best way to see how certain – now very popular – actors and actresses started. That’s the case with Mackerel Run. Be ready to see Lee Min Ho and Moon Chae Won as 2 high school students going through the ups and downs of adolescence. The drama is like a short sitcom with only 8 episodes. Hence, the feeling that the story lacks a backbone (at least for me). It’s funny, cute, but the plot was clearly not the priority.

Mei-chan no Shitsuji ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2009 | Episode: 10 | Channel: Fuji TV

Cast: Hiro Mitsushima, Nana Eikura & Takeru Satoh
Plot: Mei is a young girl who discovers one day that she is the heiress to a huge fortune. Upon finding this out, she meets Rihito who introduces himself as her butler. This new status also forces her to switch schools, and join Saint Lucia Girls’ Academy with him. In order to stay close to her, her childhood friend Kento also decides to enter the school as a butler.

Review: This drama is the perfect depiction of what many Japanese dramas were like in the 2000s/2010s that is to say a fun, but completely far-fetched plot, eccentric characters and touches of romance here and there. For me it was well executed, though it lost energy halfway through. Still, I loved the butler Rihito, and Mei’s classmates peculiar personalities that oddly matched that of their own butler. Funnily, it kind of reminded me of Princess Diaries (the US movie wth Anne Hathaway). If you want to revisit that time in J-Dramaland, that’s a good entry point. Of course, it’s not my favorite, but I enjoyed it.

Nobuta wo Produce ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2005 | Episode: 10 | Channel: NTV

Cast: Kazuya Kamenashi, Tomohisa Yamashita, Maki Horikita & Erika Toda
Plot: Shuji Kiritani is one of the most popular boys at his school. He’s nice and kind, but only pretends to care about his peers. He hangs out with the eccentric and nonchalant Akira Kusano. The two of them decide to take on a project together: To turn outcast Nobuta Kotani into a popular girl to put an end to her being bullied.

Review: Nobuta wo Produce is a nice drama that deals with what it means to be bullied/an outcast at school, being a teenager, and the true nature of friendship. The 3 main leads don’t have a lot in common, but end up having each other’s back. They grow up and become more mature by being in each other’s lives. The trio is heartwarming and moving. So, if you’re into oldies and school dramas, go ahead with this one.

Personal Taste ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2010 | Episode: 16 | Channel: MBC

Cast: Lee Min Ho, Son Ye Jin, Kim Ji Suk & Wang Ji Hye
Plot: Jeon Jin Ho is a handsome young man, who’s also self-centered. One day, he comes across Park Gae In, who’s looking for a roommate. Jin Ho wishes to live with her, so he pretends to be gay.

Review: When I watched Personal Taste back in the days, I found it rather so-so. I really liked Lee Min Ho, but was not a huge fan of Son Ye Jin (though now I absolutely love her). The story was light-hearted and funny (especially the misunderstandings related to the lead being gay), but that was kind of it. Though it’s cute, it didn’t leave a huge memory in my mind. But, it remains a classic in Dramaland. So, don’t hesitate if you really want to watch it!

Playful Kiss ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2010 | Episode: 16 | Channel: MBC

Cast: Jung So Min, Kim Hyun Joong & Lee Tae Seong
Plot: Oh Ha Ni has a crush on Baek Seung Jo, who’s the top student at her school. To confess her love, she writes him a love letter, but is horribly rejected. One day, Ha Ni’s house crumbles down. She’s forced to live at her father’s friend’s, who turns out to be none other than Seung Jo’s father. They end up living together.

Review: Here comes another classic of 2010! The drama is a remake of the 1996 Japanese Itazura na Kiss (aka It Started with a Kiss). I honestly appreciated the concept, although it was quite far-fetched. I mean a house needs to literally crumble to push characters’ into each other’s arms! Apart from that, it was very cute and cheesy. A light-hearted romance with a naive, clumsy and funny female lead confronted to a cold and brilliant male lead. I’m not going to lie, I was not a big fan of the actors at the time, so it kind of broke the magic. But, still the plot was completely dramatic. It’s the perfect high-school rom-com!

Secret Garden ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2010-2011 | Episode: 20 | Channel: SBS

Cast: Hyun Bin & Ha Ji Won
Plot: Kim Ju Won is a childish and arrogant man from a wealthy family. One day, he meets Gil Ra Im, a stuntwoman who struggles to make ends meet. After a few encounters, both end up switching bodies. They are now forced to live each other’s life, while keeping their condition secret. Though they don’t appreciate each other at first, they gradually fall for each other.

Review: This is yet another Kim Eun Sook’s masterpiece to add to your watch-list! I loved that drama, and I believe we are thousands to share that same opinion. Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won are amazing in the roles of a rich spoiled CEO and a badass kind stuntwoman. You have all the clichés that you need (rich-guy/poor-girl, gender-bender), but with a huge touch of fantasy, laughter and romance. I watched that drama twice, and I would definitely do it again. This is a classic! Simply iconic!

Several Questions that Make Us Happy ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2007 | Episode: 2 | Channel: KBS2

Cast: Bae Chong Ok, Kim Nam Gil, Kim Ja Ok, Park SHin Hye, Ryu Seung Soo & Kim Yeo Jin
Plot: The drama tells 6 stories all centered on the topic of happiness, unhappiness and the reasons behind both.

Review: Though it’s only made up of 2 episodes, Several Questions that Make Us Happy offers an interesting take on life. It made me question the reasons behind characters’ happiness and unhappiness, as I was trying to put myself in their shoes. All in all, the drama is a good slice-of-life drama with an excellent cast. Too bad it was a tad too short. Bonus also, the drama is written by No Hee Kyung to whom we owe Our Blues, It’s Okay That’s Love, Dear My Friends to quote a few of her shows. Just to give you an idea of the atmosphere of the story.

Shining Inheritance ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2009 | Episode: 28 | Channel: SBS

Cast: Han Hyo Joo, Lee Seung Gi, Bae Soo Bin, Moon Chae Won & Kim Mi Sook
Plot: Ko Eun Seong lost her mother at a young age and was never loved by her step-mother. When her father suddenly dies, she ends up all alone. Seon Woo Han is an arrogant young and wealthy heir who doesn’t know the value of money. He gets entangled with Eun Seong when he finds out his grandmother wants to give her all her fortune.

Review: Shining Inheritance is one of the dramas that made me discover both Han Hyo Joo and Lee Seung Gi! Though it’s full of clichés – rich guy/poor girl trope; haters turned lovers; pushiest second female lead ever; Cinderella-like plot… – and a myriad of other expected plot twists of that decade, the story is addictive. The romance is also nice between the adorable leads. My only problem was with the second female lead and her mother whom I wanted to kill with my bare hands. But once you’ve learned how to calm yourself, their insufferable behavior doesn’t get to you that much. Let me warm you however that they will annoy you (a lot!), but the rest of the drama is really appreciable.

Sungkyungkwan Scandal ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2010 | Episode: 20 | Channel: KBS2

Cast: Park Min Young, Park Yoo Chun, Song Joong Ki & Yoo Ah In
Plot: Kim Yun Hee is a smart independent woman. One day, she dresses up as her brother and passes the exam to enter Sungkyunkwan University. There, she meets arrogant Lee Seon Joon, free-spirited Ku Yong Ha, and turbulent Moon Jae Sin. None of them know she’s a woman.

Review: Well, I’m not going to lie the main reason why I watched the drama is the cast. The main quartet is amazing, especially Song Joong Ki’s and Yoo Ah In’s acting, who turned out to be my favorite characters of the lot. The story is a typical gender-bender set in a historical period. There’s romance, a bit of suspense, and just enough eventful scenes to create laughter and misunderstandings. It kind of made me think of Hana Kimi (one woman disguised as a man and surrounded by scholars), so the concept was nothing new.

Take Care of the Young Lady ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2009 | Episode: 16 | Channel: KBS2

Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Yoon Sang Hyun & Jung Il Woo
Plot: Kang Hye Na was raised like a princess by her wealthy grandfather after her parents’ tragic death. She is the heiress of Kangsan Group, and lives with her servants in Lady Castle. One day, she meets Seo Dong Chan, a scammer who becomes her butler to steal her money. But, they end up falling for each other.

Review: Bicker and banter are the main words to describe this drama. Kang Hye Na is a capricious, stubborn and spoiled brat, while Seo Dong Chan is a determined, tenacious, and grudge-holding man. Their relationship is as explosive as hilarious. Honestly, I laughed a lot! This time, it’s a ‘rich-woman/poor-guy’ trope, but definitely worth the watch! Plus, it’s the golden age of Yoon Eun Hye, when she was appearing in almost all dramas! Oh, and you’ll discover Davichi’s OST ‘Hot Stuff’ which is a hidden gem for me!

The Vineyard Man ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2006 | Episode: 16 | Channel: KBS2

Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Oh Man Seok, Jeong So Yeong & Kim Ji Suk
Plot: Lee Ji Hyun is a city girl who dreams of starting her clothing business. One day, she receives an offer from her grand uncle. He will give her money, if she works for a year in his vineyard. Reluctantly, Ji Hyun accepts the deal. She arrives in a small village, and constantly bumps heads with Jang Taek Gi. Despite all odds though, she starts getting attached to the village and its residents.

Review: Long before Hometown Cha Cha Cha and Racket Boys, The Vineyard Man offered a fresh and funny plot occurring in a village. On the one side, there is Ji Hyun, a city girl slightly annoying and not made for farm work. On the other side stands Taek Gi, who’s everything but refined. Though the drama may not be very well-known, it’s quite good. The characters are a little bit stereotypical (I mean it’s a 2006 show), but the dynamics of the story and the chemistry between leads are great. The intrigue becomes deeper the more you watch it, and the village/vineyard atmosphere is definitely peaceful. So, it’s rather different from what we’re used to see.

Why Why Love ⭐ (1/5)

Country: Taiwan | Year: 2007 | Episode: 15 | Channel: CTS

Cast: Rainie Yang, Mike He & Kingone Wang
Plot: Tong Jia Di is a young woman, constantly working to pay off her family’s debt. One day, her best friend creates coupons to buy at a carnival organized by Jia Di’s company. Due to that, the woman ends up in a love triangle with Huo Yan and Huo Da, the two son’s of the company’s owner.

Review: It may not seem like it, but the story started off pretty well. The plot was light-hearted and funny, and I didn’t care much about the love triangle, as it’s pretty much a must in all dramas. However, it rapidly became a mess. And that’s a euphemism! Why? I have no clue. But, the second male lead became extremely annoying, the female lead was constantly crying like a little girl, and the main male lead was being a jerk – especially because of some unrealistic twists that made no sense, and just destroyed the overall atmosphere. Even now I consider their relationships to be toxic, and keep wondering how on Earth I managed to watch all 15 episodes. To avoid at all costs!

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2010 | Episode: 10 | Channel: TBS

Cast: Kazuya Kamenashi, Aya Omasa, Yuya Tegoshi, Shuntaro Miyao & Hiroki Uchi
Plot: Kyohei Takano and his friends are housemates in a mansion owned by Mine Nakahara. She offers them free lodging if they manage to transform her niece into a proper young lady. But the latter is agoraphobic, obsessed with horror movies, doesn’t like fashion… Will the 4 men succeed in their mission?

Review: It was honestly quite the entertaining drama. The 4 men have very distinct personalities, and all struggle to change (and even approach) Sunako, the house owner’s niece. As for Sunako, she eventually accepts to get out of her comfort zone, and proves to be willing to try new things. Despite the make-over attempts, the drama also shows that you need to love yourself, and you don’t have to change to be appreciated.

You’re Beautiful ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Country: Korea | Year: 2009 | Episode: 16 | Channel: SBS

Cast: Park Shin Hye, Jang Geun Suk, Lee Hong Ki, Jung Yong Hwa & Uee
Plot: Ko Mi Nyeo and Ko Mi Nam are twins. Mi Nyeo wants to become a nun, but is forced to disguise herself as her twin brother to join the idol band A.NJELL, as her sibling has to undergo surgery in the US. While trying to keep her secret, she gets entangled with the other male members of the band.

Review: This drama is just a classic! If you’re new to Dramaland, you have to watch it. It’s your typical gender-bender trope with a romance between an ordinary girl and an idol, so yes, there are a lot of clichés. But, it’s just become one of these oldies that you can’t help, but like and re-watch. You get to see younger versions of Park Shin Hye, Lee Hong Ki, Jang Geun Suk, Jung Yong Hwa and Uee, and enjoy the famous musics played throughout the drama. Honestly, it’s one of my first dramas, and part of my favorite ones! Plus, it’s really funny, with a lot of misunderstandings and unexpected situations!

Yukan Club ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Country: Japan | Year: 2007 | Episode: 10 | Channel: NTV

Cast: Jin Akanishi, Yu Kashii, Yu Yokoyama, Junnosuke Taguchi & Emi Suzuki
Plot: The drama revolves 6 rich students who form together the Yukan Club. They solve mysteries to pass time.

Review: Funny, over-the-top and unrealistically exaggerated are the adjectives that I would use to qualify this oldie. Yet, the synergy between the six Sherlock Holmes-to-be is nice to watch and the drama is pleasant overall. It’s a good entertainment if you want to laugh and pass time.