Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

So, I actually wrote this blog post last summer whilst I was in the UK but it's been hidden in my drafts for the longest time so now as a lot of us are spending more time at home with a lot more time on our hands to watch TV I thought it was the perfect time to share. I stopped watching dramas for a while and have been listening to more podcasts at night to give my eyes a break from staring at screens but as I have a bit more time to kill at home I've started watching them again so be sure to leave me your recommendations and I may share a few more of my drama faves soon ....

Girl From Nowhere

เด็กใหม่ The Series

A mysterious girl named Nanno transfers to different schools and exposes the lies and misdeeds of the students and faculty at every turn.
If you like dark, graphic, psychological horror in a similar vein to Black Mirror then this is one for you, I normally prefer more light-hearted dramas but there was just something about the main character Nanno I found interesting, she reminded me a bit of Hell Girl with the way she oh so subtly brought out the darkest side of each of the characters she encountered and the way she was so nonchalant about everything that happened to her yet caused so much chaos to the lives around her it was almost humorous, she's kinda like a twisted hero punishing those tempted into wronging her. I really loved the soundtrack to as it really added to Nanno's creepy vibe as we never quite find out who or what she really is and why she does what she does. Each episode is self-contained and follows a different characters story each with different struggles so it's easy to get sucked into the series and I binged my way through the whole series without even noticing the time, so if you're looking for something a bit darker to watch I really recommend it!

Oh My Venus

오 마이 비너스

Kim Young-ho, a.k.a. John Kim, is a personal trainer to Hollywood stars and believes living a healthy lifestyle and exercise is the only way to survive. A Hollywood scandal with an actress has him on the run back to Korea while on the plane he has an unfortunate encounter with Kang Joo-eun a 33-year-old lawyer who recently ended her 15 year relationship and in her youth was considered the beauty of Korea but now has gained a lot of weight. Kang Joo-eun  decides that she's had enough and wants to get out of this rut so gets Kim Young-ho to get her into shape and help turn her life around.
I'm a big fan of 'I Live Alone' and have been watching it for the past 3 years but realised that I hadn't actually watched any of Sung Hoon's dramas so was told this one was a must watch and to my surprise it also had Henry Lau in it to who is also a member of the 'Rainbow Club' that I'm a big fan of and also had an unfortunate encounter with at an airport.... I don't usually like these cliche love dramas (although I seem to watch a lot) but I really liked the characters they were just so sweet and fun and they all had great chemistry together, I kinda like that in a similar way to My ID is Gangnam Beauty it didn't go down the "thin is beautiful" route so much and made the main focus about health rather than appearances. This is such a classic drama I can't believe it's taken me this long to finally watch it and I really enjoyed it, also Henry was just adorable!!

A Korean Odyssey

화유기

In 2017, Son Oh-Gong and Ma-Wang are in conflict with each other as they look for a true light in a dark world where evil thrives. From there, Son Oh-Gong is bound to his protective role towards Seon-mi, the little girl he had met years ago. Having made a contract with Seon-mi 25 years ago, entitling her to seek help from Son Oh-Gong whenever she calls him in exchange for letting him free, the two meet again in a fateful encounter.
This drama is based on the characters from Journey to the West one of my absolute favourite Chinese legends. I grew up watching the Monkey TV series, watching the cartoons and reading the books so when I found out there was a Korean drama doing a modern take on the characters I had to watch! I really enjoy dramas that have an other worldly or supernatural element and this was exactly to my taste they really did the characters justice and I enjoyed watching their chemistry and dynamics so much and it got even better after the addition of the zombie character. This drama is definitely in my top 10 Korean dramas I really enjoyed watching it and each character from the legends was so well portrayed I'd really like to see them reunite for another season and for other demons and deities to join them. It was a really fun drama to watch and I really liked how the drama unfolded even though the romance was a bit cheesy but that's something I've kinda grown to accept with K-Dramas and it definitely wasn't as cringe as I've seen in other series.

The Crown Princess

ลิขิตรัก

After numerous assassination attempts Crown Princess Alice is forced to leave her home of Hrysos and flees to Thailand where she is put under the protection of Dawin a Thai Lieutenant Commander of the Thai Navy. As Dawin and his team investigate who is behind the assassination attempts on Princess Alice the two become closer and Alice learns about what life is like as a commoner. Honestly I find a lot of these Thai dramas quite cliche but I do like Yaya and Nadech and have been a fan of their dramas for a while and there was so much hype around this drama I eventually decided to watch it and I actually really enjoyed it. Of course I figured out right away who the culprit was after seeing so many dramas follow similar plot lines but despite that I did really like all the characters in this drama and thought they acted well and all had great chemistry together. I also found the locations they chose to shoot the drama really beautiful and the costumes to. I watched this one with my Mama to and she loved it , she kept praising it saying it wasn't as dramatic or over the top as some Thai dramas can be and really wants there to be a season 2! So if anyone is looking for a Thai drama to watch then maybe check this one out and see what you think.

Hotel Del Luna

호텔 델루나

The Hotel del Luna is not like any other hotel as its clients are all ghosts. Jang Man-wol, is the owner of the hotel and has been stuck in the hotel for the past millennium when meets Ku Chan-Seong a regular human who she decides to hires as the new manager to take care of her spirit guests so they can cross into the afterlife with no regrets.
I honestly LOVED this drama, I had heard a lot about it and started watching it just after it finished airing. The plot sounded like something I would enjoy and similar to one of my fave anime Death Parade. From the start of this drama I was really captivated and it really didn't disappoint at all and exceeded expectations. IU is amazing as Man-wol and I adored her character so much, she was just so interesting and endearing, and her relationship with the other characters was so heartwarming, in fact all the characters were amazing and had such interesting histories I really loved every single person in the cast. The series had a perfect ending to, I was honestly sobbing at the end and not to spoil too much but I'm so happy everyone got the ending they deserved, I was definitely satisfied and happy that the story had a conclusion so much so I wouldn't want to see anymore from it although I will admit the final tease of the new owner looks intriguing and it would be interesting to see a new owner and their story so I'm sure we'll find out if they'll be another season happening or not soon...

What have you been watching lately?

Love & Apple Tea

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

Since coming to the UK to visit my family I've found I've been missing Asian TV and have been switching off a lot of the western TV I used to enjoy in favour of Asian dramas and variety shows. I think with the cold weather I'm feeling here I needed something bright to watch and although Asian dramas can be quite dark and depressing they always seem to have an element of humour and optimism I can cling to which to me western TV seems to have lost. Also I feel like I need to keep listening to Korean and Thai while I'm in the UK for a while or I'm going to forget everything that I learned and it's a good way to keep myself immersed even when I'm on the other side of the world.

He Is Psychometric

사이코메트리 그녀석

After losing his parents in a fire, Lee Ahn acquires the power of psychometry, the ability to read a person or an object's past through physical contact, and he decides to use it to take bad people down. While he does not know how to control his power yet, he meets Yoon Jae-in who tries her best to hide her painful secrets. Together with his foster guardian, prosecutor Kang Sung-mo, and the latter's colleague, investigator Eun Ji-soo, they team up to solve an elusive case that has been haunting the lives of Ahn, Sung-mo, and Jae-in. When I heard that Jinyoung from my favourite K-pop group GOT7, was the lead in this new drama I was so happy and after reading the plot I knew this would be a drama that I was going to love it's exactly the mix of drama, intrigue and the supernatural that I really enjoy in my KDramas. Jinyoung really exceeded my expectations and lead this drama so well, even if I didn't know who he was I would be really impressed with his acting skills and I really felt for Lee Ahn during those emotional scenes and also enjoyed the funny moments to. Shin Ye-eun, the female lead, was also amazing and I really enjoyed the chemistry the two had as the plot progressed. The drama starts of somewhat lighthearted but by the end of it really packs a punch to the gut so better prepare those tissues it's a great plot which I won't spoil to much but the way everything comes together is so heartbreaking and unexpected, definitely one of my favourite dramas so far this year!

Romance Is a Bonus Book

로맨스는 별책부록

Kang Dan-I (Lee Na-Young) used to be a popular copywriter, but after taking a career break to look after her husband and daughter, she is now divorced, broke and unemployed. Despite her qualifications and experience she struggles to find a job but finally gets an entry level job at a publishing company by lying about her experienced background. Cha Eun-Ho (Lee Jong-Suk) is the chief editor at that publishing company and also her childhood friend but she has been hiding the reality of her situation from him, eventually she opens up to him about the truth of her situation and he helps her get back on her feet as they begin to realise their true feelings for each other. I really enjoyed this drama and empathised with Dan-I and her situation so much, I really loved her perseverance and she gave me a lot of hope for my own situation. Lee Jong-Suk is someone I've been a fan of since seeing W (one of my absolute fave dramas) and While You Were Sleeping and he was just as captivating in this drama. He enlisted just after wrapping up this drama so sadly it will be a long while until we see him again but I will await his return with much anticipation as his dramas are always one of my favourites to watch.

Her Private Life

그녀의 사생활

Sung Deok-Mi works as a curator at an art gallery. She is a huge fan of idol group member Shi-An and secretly runs a fan website about him. After the current boss, Uhm So-hye gets investigated for embezzlement, Ryan Gold becomes the new Art Director of Cheum Museum of Art where Sung Deok-Mi works. After rumours broke out claiming Deok-mi and Shi-an are dating, Ryan suggests that he and Deok-mi pretend to date to ward off Shi-an's fans who threaten to harm her. However, Sindy, another fansite manager of Cha Shi-an, manages to land a job as an intern in the museum to prove that Ryan and Deok-mi are a fake couple, leaving both no choice but to continue the act even at work. Being a not-so-secret fangirl myself I just had to give it a watch after it was recommended to me multiple times by my fellow fangirls and O M G I relate to Sung Deok-mi so much!! We're both fangirls of the same age and our parents are exactly the same (my Mama with her knitting and my Dad is a Geophysicist so his life is pretty much rocks!) and also the struggles we go through to maintain our fangirl life and all those feelings, I adored this drama so much and watching it with my Mama I think she kinda understood my life a bit better. Also ... Ryan ... what a guy ... I honestly wish I could find a Ryan because despite his cold introduction he had a heart of gold and his whole storyline was so heartwarming. I just loved how adorable this whole drama was it was just so much fun and so cute to watch and all the characters were nice people which is rare to see in dramas, so if you're a fellow fangirl or not I totally recommend this drama the whole ending and how everything connected was done so well so give it a watch.

Nightmare Teacher

악몽선생

Han Bong-Gu becomes a temporary teacher after the homeroom teacher of 2nd grade 3 class at Yosan Private High School had an accident and is hospitalised. He is mysterious figure and although the teachers at the school know about him he is not on the teaching staff list. Han Bong-Gu arouses the desires of each students and their dreams become reality but not without some bizarre consequences. This mini-drama web series reminded me a little of the anime The Laughing Salesman and Hell Girl which I have enjoyed watching, each student is lured by the teacher into making their wishes come to but see that all may not be what it seems and their deals go sour. It was a quick watch and each episode is mostly self-contained and not really scary like you would expect from the title, I probably wouldn't really recommend this one unless you want something quick to watch but I did enjoy the concept of the series.

The Secret Message

시크릿 메세지

Haruka is a Japanese woman trying to find the answer to what love is and Woo Hyun is a Korean man who is in pain from his first love but still wants to believe in true love. The story is about two people who speak different language, living with their own broken first love memories and finding love again with each other. Since T.O.P. was released from his military duty I've been wondering what he's going to do next so decided to revisit some of the dramas that he's acted in, which was actually my first introduction to him. This is such a sweet drama and I enjoyed the juxtaposition of Korea and Japan, a Korean man searching for love in Japan and a Japanese woman searching for love in Korea and them both coming together through translating messages to each other. Yoo In-na is also in this drama and plays a very sweet character. Each episode is only 10 - 20 minutes long so it's a quick watch and doesn't take long to get into, despite the length the characters are all presented very well and each play their roles perfectly, i really hope T.O.P. considers acting again in the future as he has such a natural talent for it. This is definitely a drama to watch after a break-up to give you a bit of hope that love is still out there.

What TV have you been watching lately?

Love & Lemon Tea

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

Finally, I'm slowly catching up on the most anticipated Korean dramas of this year and wow I'm already blown away by what's on offer! This is just a small list but there is so many more I can't wait to watch, I can definitely understand the hype for these series and not one has really disappointed me yet, I'm honestly impressed with the production of these series as they're so high quality compared to the K-Dramas of old it's no wonder they're getting more international recognition. Anyway here's just a few for you to check out this month and they'll definitely be more coming soon...

Kingdom

킹덤

10 days have passed since the King collapsed from a mysterious illness and rumours are spreading about his death so Crown Prince Lee Chang who has been forbidden from seeing his own father during is illness decides to secretly investigate and finds that things are indeed not what they seem and this may not be a normal illness his father has; After finding out the truth about this illness he soon becomes the kingdom's only hope against this strange plague that is bringing the dead back to life. I saw an advert for this while I was on the train and it caught my eye so much that  just had to watch it and wow, it's AMAZING! It's you're not a fan of Zombies or horror then I would stay clear of this one but if you are a fan then you have to check this out at it's one of the best zombie series I've seen in a long time, the cinematography, the storyline, the setting, everything is just so well presented. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a period drama with zombies before, unless you count Game of Thrones (which maybe explains why I loved it so much), so this was kinda a unique experience for me. Aside from the zombie storyline I found the royal family plot line really interesting to and it took a shall we say "interesting" turn at the end. Speaking of the ending .... I can't believe they left it like that, what a cliffhanger, it really left me wanting more! Thankfully season 2 is already in production but it can not come quick enough.

Memories of the Alhambra

알함브라 궁전의 추억

Yoo Jin Woo is the CEO of an investment company in search of the mysterious inventor of an innovative augmented-reality video game. He takes a business trip to Granada, Spain to find the inventor and finds himself staying at an old hostel run by Jung Hee-Joo, who turns out to be the sister of the creator of the game, but he is missing. Together they find themselves drawn into a series of strange and unexpected events as the border between the real world and the AR world begin to blur. This was another series I happened to see the advert for on the train that caught my eye, I'll admit at first seeing the posters I thought it was just another typical romance story but seeing the gaming and fantasy elements in the trailer really appealed to me so much so I had to give it a watch. I really enjoyed this drama and the mysteries within it as Yoo Jin Woo progressed throughout the game searching for the creator and how this affected his real world life, there was some real heartbreaking moments towards the end of the series to. Despite the posters the romance was actually a very small part of the drama it was more focused n Yoo Jin Woo's mission finding the creator and releasing both creator and himself from the game, but Jung Hee-Joo was a very sweet character and I enjoyed her part in the drama both real world and gaming world. Definitely give it a watch it was such an interesting storyline and the gaming elements were done so well, it makes me wonder when we will see this level of technology and whether it will be a good or bad thing...

Are You Human Too?

너도 인간이니

Oh Laura, a renowned scientist is forced to part ways with her young son, Nam Shin and exiled abroad by her father-in-law, a rich CEO and to help cope with her loss she secretly builds AI robots in the image of her son. Decades later when Nam Shin is a grown man she unexpectedly sees him moments before an accident forces him into a coma. Oh Laura decides to protect her sons position as heir by sending the AI Robot of Nam Shin to Seoul to take his place and fulfil his duties while she waits for her real son to wake from his accident. I'm a big fan of these AI dramas and the question of what really makes us human and the future of technology. I loved how this drama started off as an AI learning from humans to in the end humans learning from him, I also loved the underlying message of how you shouldn't have to pretend to be anyone else and just accept yourself. We're so used to seeing robots and technology portrayed as scary and threatening and wanting to rule over humanity so it was refreshing to see a drama where the opposite is true and human motives were put into question.

Sky Castle

SKY 캐슬

Sky Castle revolves around the lives of 4 housewives living in a luxurious residential area called Sky Castle in suburban Seoul, as they try to make their husbands more successful and raise their children like princes and princesses. This drama cane highly recommended by so many and has become one of Korea's most popular dramas and after watching it I can understand why with the societal issues it deals with being a popular topic for debate in Korea. Personally it didn't grab me, I'm not really a fan of this Desperate Housewives genre and prefer some sort of supernatural or fantasy elements in my drama as it's all a bit too real and depressing for me otherwise but I do think it took on the subject of ambition and competition quite well because although as it states explicitly at the start of every episode it's a work of fiction there is definitely some reality in the show with the housewives stopping at nothing to get their children into prestigious universities and onto successful careers, but at what cost? I found the final quarter of the series to be very dramatic and emotionally charged and it became a bit of  a struggle to get through at times as it was so heavy but overall it is a really well made series that delivers a strong message.

Touch Your Heart

진심이 닿다

Popular actress Oh Yoon-Seo, known for her beauty but terrible acting skills is involved in a scandal that damages her career, leaving her jobless for two years. A famous screenwriter approaches her for a major role in an upcoming drama on the condition that she gains experience working at a law firm as a secretary for a few months. She is assigned as secretary to a lawyer named Kwon Jung-Rok, who is known for his cold demeanour and although he's not happy about the situation, he has to accept.
As you may know Goblin is one of my all time favourite K-Dramas so seeing these two reunited on screen together was very much anticipated as I adore their chemistry so much. These were very different roles for them compared to Goblin but their chemistry was just as strong and I really love the development of their characters together, their relationship was so sweet and every scene of the two of them together was just a joy to watch, I really hope they get more roles together in the future. I also enjoyed the romance of the side-characters to and found it very sweet, over all it's a very sweet drama and I'd definitely recommend it to my fellow Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na fans.

What have you been watching lately?

Love & Roses

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

I always try to watch a variety of different Asian dramas from different countries but Korean Dramas always seem to appeal to me the most and there are so many great dramas being aired in Korea at the moment I'm finding it difficult to keep up with them all so in the meantime while I'm catching up I thought I would share a few Asian dramas I watched a little while ago which you might like.

Miss Sherlock

ミス・シャーロック

I'm sure everyone already knows the stories of Sherlock Holmes but this series gives the traditional Sherlock stories a modern day, Japanese twist casting females as their lead stars. I've seen a lot of interpretations of Sherlock over the years and while I will admit this wasn't my favourite it was still very enjoyable, the casting of Wato-San and Sherlock was really great and the twists of each case they investigated very interesting. While I'll admit the cinematography isn't as spectacular as other Sherlock series (you know the one I'm talking about) for a Japanese series I found it to be quite modern and they used some interesting transitions which I hadn't seen before in other Japaneses series I've watched, I've mentioned this in the past but I find something very dated about Japanese series but Miss Sherlock had a very modern feel to it. I really liked the very Japanese feel I got from this series, when you think Sherlock you automatically think British but from the Japanese cast to the setting of Tokyo it just seemed to match so perfectly and nothing seemed out of place or forced at all so definitely check it out if you're a Sherlock fan.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty

내 아이디는 강남미인

Kang Mi Rae has been ridiculed for her looks her entire life and believes her looks are the cause of all her suffering in life, she gets plastic surgery in the hopes that she can have a fresh new start (and face) in university and gain the confidence, self-esteem and friendships she's always dreamed of and learn what true beauty really means. Admittedly I was a bit apprehensive going into this drama, not knowing anything about the manga despite it's popularity as I'm not a big fan of this whole being pretty will solve all your problem trope but thankfully this drama shows exactly the opposite, that being pretty is not the solution to your problems and whether your considered a stereotypical beauty or not we all still have the same struggles and it's your heart and your actions that really make you beautiful which is what really matters.

Fabulous 30 The Series

30 กำลังแจ๋ว The Series

Ja, seems to have it all, a successful career, a great social life, and a handsome sweetheart but on her 30th birthday, Ja finds her perfect life changed when her boyfriend who she thought would propose instead breaks up with her, leaving her single until she meets a new guy who's 7 years younger than her. This series is actually based on a popular Thai movie of the same name which I watched a few years ago and really enjoyed so I was excited to see what the series would be like and where the story would go. I initially thought the series would maybe expand on the ending of the movie but instead it followed the same time line and focused a lot on the relationship of the side characters. It's hard not to compare the movie and the series but I will say I preferred the couple in the movie compared to the TV series as I think the TV series focuses too much on comedy so at times it was hard to take them seriously. Overall I would recommend you skip the series and just watch the movie as it's a lot more heartwarming however if you prefer comedy over drama them maybe you would enjoy the series more.

Chicago Typewriter

시카고 타자기

This drama follows the lives of 3 individuals who lived during the 1930's Japanese occupation of Korea, and are reincarnated into the present as they try to regain their memories of their past life in order not to re-live their past mistakes. The way this story unfolded was so heartbreaking but I loved how gradually through the series the story of their past lives became clear and how the people in their past lives were also a part of the present but in different ways, the story is all about making amends for your past mistakes and moving on and the relationship and chemistry between the main characters is just so heart-warming and heart-breaking. The visuals especially for the past lives were very beautifully done and you really felt immersed in that world, I also loved the added 'supernatural' element which I won't spoil but it really added a unique flavor to the drama as well as some much needed humour. I'd definitely recommend you give this one a watch, while the romance is an element I don't think it's the the main driving force of the plot as the friendships of the main 3 shine the most, if you're a fan of mysteries then you may like this one and the ending is a nice conclusion to the story which will leave you feeling satisfied.

Meteor Garden

流星花园

Shan Cai is an ordinary girl of no wealth who through hard work and determination is admitted to the most prestigious school in the country where on her first day she has an unlucky encounter with the F4 who are an elite group of the most popular, smart and wealthiest boys of the school. This drama is a Chinese remake of the Taiwanese series of the same name, which is originally based on the Boys Over Flower drama series from Korea and originally the manga from Japan called Hana Yori Dango. This is a very popular series so I'm sure at some point you will have seen some sort of rendition of it or even seen the original manga or anime, I normally try skip these sorts of dramas as I find them too predictable and dated but Meteor Garden gives us a great modern take on an old trope and I really enjoyed watching this series even though it was 50 episodes long and did seem to drag towards the end. Shan Cai was a really likeable character and I enjoyed watching her development throughout the series and I liked seeing their trips abroad. Dao Ming Su's sister was one of my fave characters to and I loved how fierce she was and how she fought for not just her brother's happiness but Shan Ca to. I will admit the last two episodes were a little strange and disappointing but not unexpected, it was a good watch though and I'm sure they'll be many more Hana Yori Dango interpretations from even more countries in the future.

What have you been watching lately?

Love & Cookies

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving

I've recently started getting back into Asian dramas after a long break so I'm finally sharing the dramas I've been watching and have a bit of a diverse list for you. I'm they type of person who sticks with a drama until the end even if I'm not enjoying it as much, normally it takes me a bit longer to watch these dramas as ones I really like I tend to finish within a week so I thought I'd share the ones I haven't been enjoying as much to because everyone has different tastes so maybe you'll find something you'll really like, even though I might not have been the biggest fan.

Kiss Me

รักล้นใจนายแกล้งจุ๊บ

Taliw, a cute but dim girl, develops a crush on the smart and handsome Tenten who has just joined her class, in secret he's warm and kindly but in front of others he acts cold and uncaring towards her, the story follows their home and school lives as they become intertwined and they come to terms with their true feelings for one another. I was recommended this drama after watching Full House as it has the same lead actors although admittedly I didn't enjoy this one as much as Full House but I really liked the character of Taliw and their families, I found them all to be very sweet and supportive of her. The storyline is very typical and to be honest I'm done with any storyline that involves a boy being mean to a girl because he likes her... can we end these plots already? I know this drama is an old one but I really disliked Tenten especially after seeing him play a nicer character in Full House, but aside from Tenten all the other characters were really nice, her friends, the teacher, the parents and the love rivals I really liked them and I enjoyed the humour quite a bit, my mum also enjoyed to and said it was fun so if you're looking for something a little light-hearted and fun to watch maybe check it out.

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

힘쎈여자 도봉순

Bong-Soon comes from a line of women in her family who were blessed with super strength, however if they use their powers for their own selfish gains and to hurt innocent people their powers will be lost. Min-Hyuk is a CEO of video gaming that Bong-Soon dreams of working at to create her own video game with her as the main characters, he witnesses her defending a bus driver from a group of gangsters and hires her as his personal bodyguard and they work together to find out the identity of the person who has been threatening him. This is only a short description of the series as I think most people have already watched this because for the past year it's all people have been telling me to watch and THANK YOU!!! I think this is one of my favourite series ever I absolutely adored all the characters in this show especially Bong-Soon and although it was kinda a strange mixture of serious and humour at times I really enjoyed it and the ending just made me so happy. I devoured this one in less than a week and even my family decided to join me on watching it and they really enjoyed it to so it really is a great watch for everyone, I can definitely see myself re-watching this one again and again whenever I need a pick me up.

The Love Knot: His Excellency’s First Love

结爱·千岁大人的初恋

Pi Pi is a sweet kind but naive, amateur reporter who often finds herself alone in the world, what Pi Pi doesn't realise is that she has an ancient curse which is the cause of all of the misfortune in her life. He Lan Jing Ting, is a being from another world who has been searching for his lost love who he believes to be Pi Pi and is convinced he can save her and help her believe in love again. I was drawn to this drama because of the cast and the interesting storyline of other beings and ancient curses and while I did enjoy seeing the past lives of these characters and how their relationship in the present day developed it just didn't grip me as hard as other dramas and there were some inconsistencies that were hard to ignore. Overall I felt like if this was a period drama about the first time these characters met or if the story had started where it ended it would have been a bit more interesting for me as those scenes really stood out compared to the present day setting where the action just seemed to stagnate after a while. It's not as long as other Chinese dramas being only 25 episodes but it did start to feel like it dragged on although the ending almost seemed too rushed with all the action happening towards the end. That being said Pi Pi's character did grow on me after a while and her interactions with "The Fox" were really cute and I liked seeing how his aura affected her the closer they became. I do wish the series had focused on the two main characters a bit more as the side stories seemed to take over towards the end of the series and the main couple seemed to get the least air time compared to others even though the main story was about them. I did find the folklore of this drama really interesting though and I'd like to know more about these legendary fox gods.

YG Future Strategy Office

YG전략자료본부

Bigbang's youngest member Seungri is sent to YG's new department AKA Future Strategy Office where he leads a team of bumbling misfits in various projects to help YG's struggling reputation. This show is part sitcom, part mockumentary and very similar in style to The Office or Parks and Rec. It's honestly one of the funniest things I've watched in a while and seriously if you're a KPop fan or even if you're not you need to watch this right now! I still can't quite believe this show exists knowing how strict these companies are with their idols and keeping a clean reputation but this show is a complete play on that, even acknowledging and joking about the scandals that the company has been involved in in the past. Seungri is amazing and said recently he didn't read the any of the shows scripts before filming so he could give more genuine reactions towards the situations he was put it. I think if you know a little about YG and the Kpop world you'll probably understand and get more out of this than someone who doesn't know anything but it's still a really funny show and I hope Netflix gives it a second season.

Tofu Personified

두부의 의인화

Baek Min Kyung's adorable dog Tofu unfortunately dies while she is at a work meeting with the handsome yet arrogant celebrity Kim Joo Heon who mistakes her for a superfan, upon hearing the news of he dogs passing she rushes to the vet but it's too late and she returns home wishing she had just one last chance to see him, her wish is granted but Tofu doesn't return in his original form but that of a human boy but he only has 49 days with her until he returns to the afterlife. I enjoy watching web-dramas and was drawn to this not just because VIXX's Ken stars as Kim Joo Heon but the plot sounded absolutely adorable and it's something I think would work well as a full drama. Unfortunately as with most web-dramas it's just too short so it's hard to develop any sort of meaningful relationships with the characters and the plot is often rushed, this web drama was just 8, 10 minute episodes. I did enjoy all the actors in this though and found them quite genuine with a great touch of humour although the ending was quite predictable but very sweet, it's just a shame such a great concept had such a short run as it would have been great to go more in depth with Tofu and how these dogs came to be humans and how they recognise each other and live in this world.

What series have you been watching lately?

Love & Ice Coffee

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

Honestly, I haven't had a lot of time for TV lately and it's one of the reasons I skipped posting last month as I tend to want to finish watching a bunch of dramas instead of just posting one or two that I've seen or that I'm in the middle of unless it's really good and I just can't contain my excitement! Also I'm kinda cheating this month as I'm including a couple movies but honestly they needed to be included because they're the best things I've seen in a long time and I just can't stop thinking about them and life and how touched they made me feel! But... hopefully sometime soon I'll be able to give myself enough downtime so I can chill out and catch up on dramas because I'm really missing having them in my life...

The Package

더 패키지

Yoon So-So, a travel guide, leads a group of Korean tourists on a package tour in France. Each of them have their own back stories but after a time find themselves developing close relationships with each other. I became aware of this drama because JB and Jackson of GOT7 were part of the OST and it was such a beautiful song I had to see what the drama was all about. This was honestly such a beautiful drama, the backdrop of France worked to well to tell the stories of these people on this package holiday and I actually learned quite a bit about France in the process, even though I've been there many times after watching this I really want to go back! This series is essentially about love and all the different aspects of relationships, falling in and out love, marriage, death, career, family and it's both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It wasn't cheesy or overly dramatic it was very real and relatable. I really enjoyed all the characters, their diverse stories and how their lives all connected in some way, and of course all the humour that was thrown in on the way as they find themselves in some quite amusing situations during their trip. I'd definitely recommend this drama if you're looking for something to relax to in the evenings as it was a nice easy watch, all the stories are very easy to follow without being too overwhelming and the romance was very sweet, you'll definitely be wanting to visit France after watching this series.

Blade Man

아이언맨

Joo Hong-bin a rich CEO, with a heightened sense of smell and an angry attitude develops a supernatural ability where by his anger and mental anguish manifest itself as knives sprouting from his body. He meets Son Se-dong, a kindhearted girl who smells just like his lost love and as she becomes more involved in his life he learns how to deal with his anguish and new found power. It's been over a year since Lee Dong Wook has been in a drama and after m Goblin adventures I just really missed seeing him so I thought I would give this drama a try as the story sounded interesting. I really wanted to love this drama but I just felt like something was lacking, I did love Lee Dong Wook and his assistant but the female lead and the kid I found slightly annoying because they spent half the series doing nothing by cry and it was that really annoying, fake loud cry which just reminded me of all those times when I was a kid my brother would do it to get what he wanted, but I digress and by the end of the series they did kinda grow on me. I probably wouldn't watch this again though but I'm happy I got to see Lee Dong Wook in another drama because he always does such a great job.

Legend of Nine Tails Fox

青丘狐传说

The story revolves around the good foxes of Qing Qiu and follows several main characters and their individual stories which link together to form the plot which was adapted from six tales from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio: "Feng San Niang", "A Xiu", "Ying Ning", "Hu Si Xiang Gong", "Chang Ting" and "Heng Niang". This drama is just visually stunning and whilst I did enjoy it I didn't really get into it as much as the last Chinese drama I watched, Ice Fantasy which was excellent! I found each of the stories quite similar and predictable, the whole forbidden love thing is a genre I find quite tiresome and cliched now as it just appears in so many dramas, but it wasn't completely cliched the fact that they were fox spirits and had their own unique history and customs did make it a little bit more interesting to watch and the characters were really cute however none of them really shone out to me but visually this series was just amazing and a real treat for the eyes, the sets, the costumes, the movement was just beautiful! So if you're into Asian fantasy and period dramas then maybe check this one out.

Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds

신과함께-죄와 벌

A firefighter dies saving the life of a young girl and is guided into the afterlife to take on 7 different trails which judge how he has lived his life, with 3 guardians to defend him he has 49 days to prove he lead an honest lawful life and is worthy to be to reincarnated. Have you ever watched a movie that really changed you? Really made you question the way you live your life? Really made you want to become a better person? To live your life to the fullest? THIS is that movie!! Firstly I just want to say the visuals in this movie are beautiful and I loved how they presented the different realms of the afterlife and the guardians of those realms. I've seen a lot of these types of movies and they can either be overtly cheesy or overtly preachy and this was neither of those things and although the protagonist is presented as some sort of saint you see in reality he isn't, he's just like the rest of us, he has his reason for living his life and making the choices he did. The guardians were amazing to and so passionate and emotional, I loved the head reaper the most his journey was so interesting which I won't say too much about so just go watch it! This movie really made me think and really made me question the consequences of some of my actions and if they really were justified and on the other hand if I should really blame myself for things that I couldn't really change or control but wow I can't wait to see the second part of this movie which is going to be released very soon!!

Miracle in Cell No. 7

7번방의 선물

Yong-Goo a mentally disabled man lives a simple but happy life with his young daughter Ye-Seung but one day he's falsely accused of murder and sent to jail where he shares a cell with five other inmates who work together with his daughter to prove his innocence. I'm throwing in another movie this month because this one really needs to be mentioned to and while I'm sure many people have seen or at least heard about this movie, I only found it recently when it popped up in my recommends list as a comedy.... While yes it is really funny and has some really heartwarming moments it's also possibly one of the saddest movies I've ever seen! The ending had me in tears, I cried hard and I cried ugly and I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. Normally it's only dog movies that affect me like that (Marley, Hachi etc.) but wow this movie really touched me deep. I loved all the characters, the little girl was so cute and the father I had so much love for. Seriously, I kinda feel bad mentioning this movie to you all because you are guaranteed to cry but wow it's such a beautiful movie and it moved me so much I couldn't not mention it, so please do go check it out if you haven't already!

What series have you been enjoying recently?

Love & Dandelions

Cate

xoxo

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

As it's KDrama month on Cateaclysmic and I've been sharing some of my drama related adventures in Korea I thought it appropriate to make this list all about, yes you've guessed it, all the Korean dramas I've been watching lately and boy have there been some good ones! I don't know what it is about Korean TV but I'm hooked, I even love their variety shows so if you'd like to see a post about some of the other Korean TV shows I like to watch that aren't dramas do let me know and I'll make a list of some of my faves for you to check out.

Temperature of Love

사랑의 온도

Temperature of Love is the story of two people, Hyun-Soo an aspiring drama series writer and Jung-Sun who dreams of becoming a chef, that first meet online and then develop an even closer relationship when they meet in person but soon they get separated after choosing different life paths but after several years of finding career success they are reunited once again. I really enjoyed this drama it was a nice break away from some of the heavier dramas I had been watching and as each episode is only 30 minutes long it makes it an easy one to dip in and out of, although I will admit I am guilty of binge watching 3 or 4 episodes in one go! The characters are very sweet and very real and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship developed despite all the problems thrown in their way, sometimes romance dramas can be ridiculously cheesy but this one wasn't at all it was very relatable. The food looked so good it kept making me hungry so maybe some snacks are needed when you watch it and it was a nice surprise to see P.O from Block B in this (one of my old fave Kpop groups) the character he played was just the cutest little bean!

While You Were Sleeping

당신이 잠든 사이에

Hong-Joo has the ability to see the future deaths of others in her dreams, although she's never sure of when they will happen but she tries to stop these dreams from becoming reality but has so far never succeeded. Jae-Chan, a rookie prosecutor, moves in across the street from her and has a strange dream about an accident involving Hong-Joo and when he realises his dream is about to become reality he takes action and ends up saving her life. After realising they both share the same ability they decide to work together to figure out their dreams and try to save the lives of the people that they love. So when I first heard about this drama I just thought it was just your typical romance story, I mean look at the posters, but after watching the first episode I realised it was so much more than that and I was hooked! I can definitely see why this is so popular, the supernatural elements, the mystery, the unique storyline and the amazing and beautiful cast (OMG Suzy can you be anymore pretty?) just make this drama a must watch and I can't believe I sat on it for so long, it's definitely worth all the hype it's been getting so check this one out especially if you're a fan of W or Circle.

Black

블랙 

Black or 444 is a grim reaper who inhabits the body of a human in order to find another reaper who has runaway from his duties but in the process he meets Ha-Ram who has the ability to see the shadows of death and a persons moment of death just by touching them, together they uncover the truth about a serial murder and struggle to save the lives of people but in doing so find themselves facing the consequences of breaking the rules of heaven. So I started watching this drama whilst I was ill and it gave me some pretty freaky fever dreams so I had to take a little break from finishing it because not only is it a long drama with each of the 18 episodes being 90 minutes in length it's quite a mentally heavy drama and deals with some very serious themes including, suicide, prostitution, paedophilia and sexual abuse, so be forewarned this is not your typical silly happy romance! The first episode had me really interested but the second episode confused me completely but after a few more episodes I got into it and found myself really intrigued with the characters and the unfolding storyline, there were so many twists and turns and just when you think one mystery is solved another one is uncovered and the plot just deepens, I would probably recommend you give some time to watch this drama as it's a lot to take in and not do what I did and watch it when you're sick, feverish and high on meds because I almost felt even more drained watching but that being said it was well done and even though you will be confused at times, you'll wonder what the heck happened with a certain plot line and feel like it will never end things do eventually start to make sense in an interesting way. I also really enjoyed the character of Black (not so much Ha-Ram though) and the reapers whose stories were all so intriguing and heartbreaking (everything is connected!) they also brought an element of humour to an emotionally heavy series which was very much needed. There's not really another drama I can compare this to as although it shares some of minor themes with previous supernatural dramas I've watched it's definitely the most serious and mentally challenging drama I've seen so far and is not really something you can take lightly especially when it's dealing with themes such as child abuse so be forewarned if you find those subjects triggering.

I'm Not A Robot

로봇이 아니야

Min-Kyu is rich, intelligent and handsome but he's forced to live in seclusion because of his unique allergy to people. Ji-A is an unsuccessful entrepreneur with big ideas who receives a phone call from her ex-boyfriend Baek-Gyun who is a world renown developer of android robots and needs her help. Min-Kyu has placed and order for Baek-Gyun's latest creation Aji 3 however after an accident occurs the android is broken and this is where Ji-A comes in as the android was built in her image, so Baek-Gyun desperate to secure investments for his projects promises Ji-A a significant amount of money in exchange for her to pretend she is Aji 3. I was pretty sure from the moment I heard about this dramas I would like it and I wasn't disappointed but I was not expecting to so strongly get hit in the feels! Min-Kyu starts off as quite a comedic character put into this unbelievable situation but as the series progresses a shift happens and you really start to empathise with his condition and what he's going though. By the end of this dramas I was just rooting for everyone to end up happy, I don't think there was a single character I disliked, they all had such great chemistry with each other and the romance (and friendships) was so damn cute it gave me a toothache. I definitely needed this light-hearted happy drama after watching Black although now I really want a robot... or even just a robot hoover!

Magic School

마술학교

Na Ra is a university student who wants to become a public servant and has never dated anyone. Jay is a popular magician in denial over the death of his younger brother. Joon is an intern at a hospital who wants only to bring joy to his patients hearts. These people gather at a magic school led by Master Han in order to learn the tricks of the trade and bring something more meaningful into each of their lives. This webdrama aired last year in weekly 10 minute slots but recently got a spot on TV as a 4 part drama so I just had to watch it to support my boys Jinyoung (GOT7) and Nichkhun (2pm), I'm so proud of my JYP fam and the success they've all be having in their solo projects but I'm not going to fangirl, you can follow my Twitter for that! I'm actually really into magic and for the longest time I wanted to be become a magician so was forever trying to learn new tricks so I really enjoyed the school element of this drama. Magic is used as a tool for each of the characters to fulfil a void in their lives, Na Ra's story is really cute and Joon is just adorable, of course I'd have a soft spot for these two haha!

Don't forget to enter my Kdrama Giveaway!

Love & Bunnies

Cate

xoxo

Goblin (도깨비) Filming Locations in Seoul and Incheon

I'm addicted to Korean dramas and one of my absolute favourites is Goblin so on my recent trip to South Korea I thought I would visit a few of the filming locations and re-create some of my favourite scenes. I didn't initially plan this KDrama tour but after randomly recognising an alley in Samcheong-dong and freaking out over the fact my favourite actors had walked these very same streets it became my new mission to visit as many other filming sites as I could, so this is my journey and a guide on how you can visit them to.

I'll be listing these places in chronological order of appearance although a lot do appear multiple times throughout the series, also this isn't a comprehensive list of every filming location you can visit in Korea just the places I visited.

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YONGDAP STATION BRIDGE

Yongdap Station Subway Line 2, Exit 2

(Exit up the staircase and it will lead you straight up to the bridge)

This is possibly one of the most iconic places in Goblin with many scenes being filmed here throughout the series, from the first scene with Eun-Tak's Mother to Sunny and the Grim Reaper meeting for the first time. This was actually our first successful visit to a Goblin filming location and we weren't the only ones taking shots on the bridge that day, there were several other people re-creating scenes to but we braved the cold and waited till the bridge was clear and after multiple fails finally got those iconic shots!

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DEOKSUGUNG PALACE WALL

City Hall Line 1, Exit 2 

(Turn right at the palace entrance and keep following the walls, turn right again at the "squashed statues" and it'll be down that road, the last right corner of the palace walls)

In the first episode this is where Goblin sees through the walls into Grim Reaper's "teahouse" and they interact for the first time. Our visit to this location was kinda a fail, it was near the American Embassy(?) and there were a lot of guards and police around that day also a valet parking business was running right on that corner of the walls so it was a bit too hectic for us to take any real clean shots. However, it's a really beautiful area of Seoul and although we didn't go into the actual palace the walk around it and seeing all the interesting art and tree lined streets were worth the trip.

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SAMCHEONG-DONG STONE WALL

Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 1

(walk straight then turn right at the intersection, it's the street directly across from Insadong)

This location is where Goblin and Eun-Tak see each other for the first time and Beautiful Life is played which never fails to get me emotional. Such an iconic scene and this is almost perfectly where our KDrama tour all started because I happened to recognise the walls, ask me what I did yesterday and I probably won't be able to tell you but things like this I have a weird memory for! As it was dark when we were first here I didn't manage to get any good shots but we visited Bukchon again in the daytime later in the week and managed to get a few clearer photos despite the crowds of people visiting that day and a random magic show happening in the middle of the street.

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STAIRS OVERLOOKING INCHEON

Dongincheon Station Line 1, Exit 1

(It's is not too far away from Hanmi Bookstore! Here's the LINK for the exact location on google maps)

This location is where Eun-tak escapes from her family in episode 2 then later summons the Goblin to tell him about her new job at the chicken shop. Our main reason for being in this area was to visit Hanmi Bookstore but as we had made the long journey from Seoul to Incheon already and were nearby we thought we might as well visit this place to and I'm glad we did as it's such an unique part of Incheon. To reach the top we went up the backstreet to the left of the second screenshot and there were some beautiful little hanbok houses with some really cute art painted on them in fact by the time I reached the top of the staircase I was so cold and exhausted from the steep climb up I didn't realise I was already sitting where Eun-tak is in that scene. Unfortunately with the sun setting I couldn't get any really clear photos but I still enjoyed the view of Incheon and would recommend a visit there regardless of whether you're a Goblin fan or not as it was just a really interesting part of the city and a stunning place to watch the sunset.

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HANMI BOOK STORE IN INCHEON
Dongincheon Station Line 1, Exit 1

(The store is about a 10 minute walk from the station past some traditional markets! You can find the exact location HERE!)

This is the bookshop that Goblin visits in episode 3 which is also featured in episode 6 where Goblin learns how to be affectionate with Eun-tak and again in episode 8 where Goblin confronts the Lady in Red. This bookshop was one of our main reasons for visiting Incheon, it's in a pretty cool area that has a lot of traditional markets selling Hanboks and the road itself is famous for second hand bookstores but Hanmi is easy to spot because of its bright yellow exterior. I absolutely adored this place it was floor to ceiling filled with books (some in English an Japanese to) and such a cosy place, the owner even gave me a chair to sit on when he saw me on my knees combing through the many children's books they had there which was a really sweet gesture and I did end up finding a beautiful Korean Children's book for just 500 won (less that 50 cents!) so I definitely would recommend a visit there for book shop lovers, it was honestly the bookshop of my dreams and it featuring in one of my favourite dramas was just a bonus!

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SEONGSU-DONG GRAFFITI ALLEY
Seongsu Station Line 2, Exit 4
(Roughly a 5 - 10 minute walk from the station! You can find the exact location HERE!)

In episode 3 Eun-tak accidentally summons the Goblin here when she's grilling squid, this scene actually takes place just after the first appearance of Hanmi book store. This was our final stop on our Goblin tour and probably one of my most favourite discoveries in Seoul. The whole area of Seongsu-dong is known as the Brooklyn of Seoul and it really does remind you of Brooklyn with all the hip designer cafes, vintage stores and street art. Cube Entertainment is also not too far from here and they have a cafe (20 Space) so if you're lucky maybe you could catch a glimpse of Sungjae (BTOB) on his way to the studio.

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SHINSEGAE DEPARTMENT STORE ILLUMINATIONS
Myeong-dong Station Line 4, Exit 5
(Alternatively you can stop at Hoehyeon station on the same line and take exit 7, this is one of the most popular department stores in Korea so should be easy to find) 

In episode 9 and 10 this is where Grim Reaper and Sunny meet for a date and also where she breaks up with him. This location has been featured in so many dramas and I have to admit it wasn't until I was googling pictures of Legend of the Blue Sea I saw it appeared in Goblin to, also I didn't purposely seek out this location I just happened to notice it whilst shopping in Myeong-dong and had to check it out, luckily it was Christmas at the time I was there so the illuminations were out and although you only really see the fountain in the drama the tree was really pretty to.

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SINCHON GRAFITI TUNNEL
Sinchon Station Gyeongui Line, Exit 2
(This station is a bit difficult to get to so you might want to get off at Ewha and walk, the exact location can be found HERE)

In episode 11 this is where Goblin and Grim Reaper re-create their cool slow-mo walking scene from episode 2 but get in the way of a delivery boy on a motorcycle, then wish him a happy new year! This is one of my favourite scenes from Goblin and this was by far the biggest disappointment for me. After attempting to visit the "Goblin House" and randomly finding a filming location in Samcheong-dong this became the first filming location we purposely looked up and decided to visit and we had big ideas on how to recreate the scene, we even dressed up! BUT unfortunately as you can see from the photo below not only was access to the tunnel closed on both sides but all the graffiti there was gone to... FAIL! Luckily after our fails we didn't give up the mission and thankfully we got to take some really amazing photos and visit some other really interesting places we wouldn't have even thought of going to had it not been for our love of Goblin.

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WHITEBIRCH STORY TEA HOUSE

Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 1

(It's not far from the Samcheong-dong stone walls so head there, walk up and it's down the first alley on the left)

In episode 11 this is a cafe which Eun-tak and Sunny visit. I won't go into too much detail about this location as you can read all about it in my previous blog post but we luckily got to sit in the exact same place as they did in this scene!

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Deoksung Women’s University
Anguk Station Line 3, Exit 4
(The entrance to the university is right next to Unhyeongung Royal Residence)

I had this area bookmarked from my previous trip to Seoul as I happened to pass by the palace while it was closing and it looked interesting and after a little bit of research found that it was also the location they used to film the exterior of Goblin's house. So as we were in Insadong we thought we would check it out as it was on our way to Bukchon but our access was denied by these "STOP" signs posted at the entrance which I'd also like to point out are written not only in Korean, but English, Chinese and Japanese and specifically state that they appreciate you're a fan of Goblin but it's a working university so go away.... I'm guessing they must have had some problems with fangirls in the past and although it was tempting to just ignore the signs we respected the universities wishes and went on our way. So if you're thinking of visiting here don't bother because you won't be allowed in! I was obviously a bit sad but it wasn't something I had specifically planned (unlike the graffiti tunnel) so it wasn't much of a loss but I thought I would include it just incase anyone else is planning to visit there.

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What filming locations would you love to visit? Don't forget to check out my Goblin giveaway!

Love & Lattes

Cate

xoxo

BIG thank you to these blogs for helping us find these locations and live out our KDrama dreams:

♥ Travel with Karla

♥ Flyhoneystars

♥ Memago