my 2023 dramas

souls that are meant to be together will always find a way back to each other. 

ugh we started off the year strong with this one. the story that surrounds the alchemy of souls is unmatched. the first season was inexplicably compelling and beyond what i could've ever expected from a show. a second season of such a magnificent story is thus inevitably going to be compared to the first one. and as i find this part somewhat substandard from the first it still captured my heart. had me too overwhelmed at times but was nonetheless a good watch.

p.s if i could give the world to someone, it would be seo yul. 

is a weak hero a hero for the weak?

sieun, a quiet model student, becomes subjected to bullying and manages to strikingly make use of his intelligence to fight back against his oppressors. and as he becomes an exemplary in retaliation for the helpless, he indirectly reveals the predicament for many high schoolers: to bully or get bullied. and how does one escape such a predicament? answer: you can't (?)

as this show does shed light on school bullying it also shows the dangers of revenge and resentment. the show did however leave me with more questions than answers but was still definitely a good watch (and you will certainly find me watching the next season).

jihoon tho??? did a remarkable job in depicting the character that is sieun. he did give me school shooter vibes but was nonetheless an impressive individual.

having her glory and dignity taken from her at a young age, she instead gloried in her revenge. 

this show follows the vengeance story of moon dong eun who was severely bullied throughout her teenage years. the bullying she endured left her with heavy physical and psychological scars. and after having suffered such a gruesome childhood from inhumane beings, the only thing that kept her alive was her will to deprive these people of everything they know and love. 

there was something so satisfying about how merciless dong eun was. there should be no sugarcoating in taking revenge, especially towards such barbaric and vicious people as her high school bullies were. they deserve no mercy having shown no mercy towards her. this first part was a build-up of her story and showed the beginning of her way to even the score.

well-written, well-produced, and well-executed. slow at times but amusing to watch. 

the triumph and glory. 

this part was definitely more fulfilling to watch. seeing everyone slowly fall one by one (pun intended) was certainly a delightful watch, to say the least. in this part, we also follow and see more of her so-called ”executioner” who helps her in her revenge against her bullies. even though i liked his part in her story, i agree with the many who felt like their romance was forced. (spoiler**) it gave her an excuse to keep on going. to keep on living. however, they shoud've given her a reason to live for herself.. and not someone else. other than that i must say it was well executed.. both the show and vengeance. 

a breath of weird fresh air.

after falling from a multistory building into a pool, jang bong hwan, a 21st century professional male chef, wakes up in the body of a joseon queen from the 17th century.  - i’m sorry lol. but writing the previous sentence made me realize how comical and silly the storyline of the show is. like i could not make this sh*t up even if i wanted to. hahahah anywayyyss - whilst trying to find a way back to his body he instead finds himself entangled in the conflicts of corrupt palace bureaucracy and family drama. and to make matters worse, the queen is married to a puppet king controlled by shady rascals and is unable to make decisions independently. however, a troubling past of king cheoljong unveils dimensions concealed beneath his exterior facade and introduces a captivating twist to the narrative. 

okay so in an attempt to sum up the story of this show i am left with one word to describe it: goofy.  this show is just so.. goofy. and its so remarkably nonsensical and absurd in a way that makes it surprisingly enjoyable. the most serious conversations and situations that would typically evoke tears had me instead rolling on the floor laughing. i could not take anything seriously with these people. every single character was so out of place yet somehow matched perfectly into the progression of the drama. witnessing a modern day man inhabiting the body of a royal woman, grappling with uncontrollable desires and aversions, proved to be a highly amusing spectacle.  and as much as i ended up Ioving this show i can’t help but to give it a lower score than i would love to give it, because of the first half of the show. it was the bad kind of slow-burn and had me confused a lot of the times. but the second half of the show made the watch all worth it. 

cheoljong i mitt hjärta föralltid<3333

following a horrible car "accident", a family of three becomes a family of one. eleven year old so mun survived the wreckage but unfortunately lost his loving parents. tragically orphaned by the incident, he not only loses his parents but also his ability to walk. and so, so mun grows up with a disability and is raised by his grandparents.

and in the show we're also introduced to murderers possessed by evil spirits who embark on murder rampages preying on the souls of their victims. fortunately here, a group known as "counters" step forward. gifted with unique powers beyond human capacity, these counters fight off these evil spirits to prevent further bloodshed and to grant solace to tormented souls. the role of being a counter is however specifically given to people who are in a coma. however,  on so muns 18th birthday, being very much alive and well, he is mystically bestowed the role of a counter, giving him the title: the uncanny counter.

man what a show and what a team. i find myself grappling with words in attempting to convey the depth of emotion that this drama gave me. its just THAT show, ykwim. an experience and journey beyond mere words. every episode was a whirlwind and not one minute did i think that this show was boring/lacking in any way. so mun having lost his family, was given another family, a family i too came to embrace. miss choi is my second mother wdym?!

while the show's premise isnt groundbreaking and essentially follows the good guys vs bad guys trope. it was something about the chemistry and synergy of the team and how genuine each character felt that just instills a sense of awe within me. the outstanding performances by everyone deserve immense praise. what so mun was feeling i was feeling and this union of our emotional states left me entranced. an so the score i’m giving a drama is purely through an intuitive lens. if I say its a ten,  its a ten. no further questions. thx.