๐บ๐บ๐บ
Remember to stay up to date with the world, listen to those facing atrocities and help spread awareness/donate where youโre able to.
Honestly, this might be the worst year for me drama-wise since I first started watching them over 5yrs ago… I’ve not watched many dramas and honestly, not a whole lot of them are new faves or ones I truly really loved watching.
I went from watching 62 things last year, to completing 21…
And I wish I could say I loved every thing I watched, but that’s not the case. However, I did complete some new favourite dramas of all time! I think my problem was that I mostly watched things that ended up being okay, or turned disappointing.
However, I’m still happy that I completed anything this year as we’re still in a pandemic and it’s just really tough for everyone and I’m lucky enough to even be here blogging about my hobbies โฅ
JANUARY
The first drama I watched in 2021 was the webdrama Colour Rush (2020). This was adapted from a webtoon and the plot is so interesting. We have Mono’s who only see the world in greyscale, but once they meet a Probe, they are able to see colour. The main issue was that it wasn’t long enough. I know we’re going to get a second series (with some cast changes) so hopefully we can get more insight into the world and Yeon Woo’s family mystery.
I started out the year with the intention of getting through my Idol Actors Challenge (lol) and I watched two of Sooyoung’s film:
- Memories of a Dead End (2019)
- Perfect Sense (2016)
For more of my thoughts on these you can check out this post – My Recent Watches || 4-in-1 (it also includes To My Star โฅ).
FEBRUARY + MARCH
In February I watched To My Star – which is one of my favourite watches of the year. This had a pretty simple plot – an unsuspecting chef gets caught up in the antics of a mischievous idol – and I loved them so much! I’m so excited for the second series!!
I then watched one of my least favourites – You Are Ma Boy is a Vietnamese webdrama that I watched mostly to procrastinate what I actually needed to be doing. I legit don’t remember anything about this drama…
March started off with what was probably the most disappointing and frustrating watch of 2021. Abyss (2019) could have been so cool, the plot is fun and could have had an amazing thriller aspect considering the “sci-fi” element of being brought back to life in different bodies. The problem was that the plot was convoluted and ridiculous. It made me so mad…
Thankfully, I did end up watching a good drama in February – You Make Me Dance (2021) follows a dance student in debt and a man whose job it is to get the money back (not sure if he counts as a loan shark?). They begin an unlikely friendship with Hong Seok pushing Shi On to strive for his dreams. It was actually surprisingly sweet and fluffy.
April
April was my best month in 2021. I watched the most drama’s and 90% were great.
On Spring Night (2019) is one of my favourite dramas of all time. Despite the hard topics featured, the atmosphere and pacing of this drama felt very comforting. Han Ji Min and Jung Hae In are perfect in their roles. Both bring such a genuine feel to their characters and I was invested in every story line. Another great drama I watched was the Filipino #GayaSaPelikula (Like in the Movies) (2020) which had such beautiful and insightful discussions about internalised homophobia, self-acceptance and allyship. The relationship between Karl and Vlad was charming and it was great to see them having deep conversations as well as having fun getting to know each other.
I then kept seeing the Japanese drama Shanai Marriage Honey (2020) on my twitter timeline and it looked very cute. And that’s exactly what it was. You really do need to ignore why Manata and Ami got married (as well as the insta-love) to enjoy it more. Ami was cute and proactive with what she wanted in this relationship. Manata was the same, but in more of a funny and sadistic way ๐
The final things I watched in April were films. The first was The Man From Nowhere (์์ ์จ) (2010) and it was brutal. It’s violent and I was on the edge of my seat for most of it. Won Bin is fantastic and his performance was incredibly raw and emotional. On the flip side I watched the film version of Wish You (2021), which told the romance between a singer and someone who works in the industry. The story was kind of boring – it looks pretty but is kind of vapid as we don’t really see much of their relationship develop in a meaningful way.
MAY + JUNE
In May I finally finished Clean With Passion For Now (2018) and I’m both happy about that and annoyed… I really enjoyed the first half of the drama. Gil O Sol was funny and charming, and I loved how she was true to herself. And then the latter half of the drama happened and all the things I loved about her were thrown out the window… It was frustrating how my baby Seong Cheol was being blamed and gaslit by the people who are meant to love him. Anyway, the acting was great and I love all the Cleaning Fairies โฅ
I then watched Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (2021) which I was looking forward to because all the promotions looked pretty. And the drama was surprisingly good. It’s incredibly ridiculous that Ki Wan would take the place as a bride when his sister runs away… but the way he and Ho Seon get to know each other was sweet and funny.
In June, I watched another 2 dramas. The first was Persona (2019), an anthology drama starring Lee Ji Eun (IU). Each story was beautifully shot, I just don’t think I’m smart enough. I understood the general plot, but there is a lot of subtext and intricate details that I’m sure I missed. The acting is brilliant and has an amazing cast.
In June I was still working at a covid asymptomatic testing centre and it got so slow where I was that I ended up watching the Japanese drama Hey Sensei, Don’t You Know (2019) during my shift. I’m a great employee, I swear ๐ This was a pretty cute drama about a mangaka who falls in love with her hairdresser. The relationship is like quite a few short shoujo dramas in that it’s very fast paced. Even so, it was good and there was no unnecessary filler.
AUGUST + OCTOBER + NOVEMBER
In August, I again watched two dramas. Mad For Each Other (2021) is another drama that I’m adding to my all time favourites list. We follow the complicated lives of our main leads as they try to work through their mental health issues. The conversations in this drama around mental health, domestic violence and peopleโs right to self expression without judgment was great. There are so many funny and heartwarming moments. The ending is a little lacklustre, but it still brought a smile to my face. I highly recommend this!
I then watched My Sassy Girl (2017) because while I was watching Mad For Each Other, my dad was taking notice and it was mostly for Oh Yeon Seo โฅ For the most part we enjoyed this drama. My dad was most happy when princess Hye Myoung hit people ๐ The thing about this drama was that the relationship between our leads was well developed and I loved seeing them go from bickering strangers to bickering besties falling in love. The only problem was that the plot went in a stupid direction.
I started a new job in late August, and the busiest month we’ve had so far was September which meant I didn’t watch anything.
In October, I watched Squid Game (2021) – because who has a Netflix account and didn’t? – I didn’t think I would watch this, but both my coworkers and my dad said that I should watch it, so I did… and I understand why it’s hyped. It’s an incredibly well shot drama – the sets and special effects are amazing – and the cast was fantastic. Most of the episodes were really good and I loved the characters and their development. However, the last episode ruined everything for me. At first I just thought it wasn’t that good, now I hate it. I would only watch the sequel for Wi Ha Joon or if any of my babies come back to life!
In November I watched two dramas… again ๐
I have been watching Go Princess Go (2015) for years and I finally completed it! ๐ The drama follows Peng Peng, a modern day man who gets transported back in time into a princess’ body. He finds himself needing to learn how to deal with palace drama and make sure he can survive the best way he can. I think this drama is just okay. It’s a really interesting concept and there are so many hilarious and sweet moments. The problem is the plot is a mess, the character motives are flimsy (except for the ninth prince) and I think the Chinese censorship hurt this drama a lot.
The last thing in 2021 that I completed was the Thai webdrama Ingredients (2020) which follows the daily lives of our two leads who live together and enjoy each other’s company. Win and Top’s romance felt natural, as it seemed like they were both in love from episode one! This was very fluffy and it was nice to see them so supportive of each other’s dreams.
Due to posting every day in December and trying to balance work and life, I didn’t end up completing anything this month. I’m near the end of several dramas and will get these done in January. Even though I wish I could have watched more, I’m so proud of myself for actually sticking to my challenge in December and making 31 posts! And, I hope you have enjoyed my content this month โฅ
There were some great watches for me this year, but, I’m hoping to be more thoughtful about the dramas I choose to watch in 2022. What were some of your favourite watches this year?
Thanks for reading!
I hope you’re having a lovely day and staying safe โฅ
Happy New Year ๐
DramaRambles ๐ธ 