40somethingahjumma

Rebirth stories that are reasonably good. At least they don't frustrate the heck out of me.

It's quite unusual that the ML takes centrestage and is reborn with the FL.

F L：王子怡(Wang,Zi-Yi) ML：肖 涵(Xiao,Han)

This one has a past timeline. The kid is gorgeous even if he doesn't look 6. :P But seeing the ML in period costume gave me ideas. Would love to see him doing historical dramas in mainstream shows. 

This one has a good story although the acting is a mixed bag. The ML is so-so. It has the "hot uncle" trope and some good teamwork between the leads.

3 hours ago, OsmanthusTea said:

This is the best version of "I married a fool and I regretted after I divorce her". The CP are amazing. The ML has a super sexy voice.

I quite like it although I think they drag out her identity a bit longer than they should. But there's little doubt that the leads are good together. I also like this male lead and he brings a different kind of edge to this role. The FL does better than the other actresses with the "fool" arc. 

8 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

In Scent of Time, he is supposedly the male lead but we don't get many of the leads' interactions given the complicated relationship they have . And if I hadn't read spoilers, I would be wondering who the ML is since this is one of those reverse harem shows (like this one). But whatever scenes they have together is pretty electrifying ( at least for me ). He falls first, and does a lot for her without her knowledge. There are plenty of conflicted opinions about this drama especially its ending, who she should have been with etc but I love it so far ( am at 23 out of 30 episodes) . The story is very much about her - one of those redemption type stories, and fortunately I really like the FL. She is intelligent but conniving and a little sly- she understands how to play her cards well ( am a sucker for such heroines) .

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She is his "sister-in-law" for a good half of the show 

 

The show is watchable until the last couple of episodes. The last episode in particular makes me wish that I hadn't watched the show. If the show was going to go down the road, it should have changed course sooner. But I did like it for the leads.

More multiple births fun...

This may end up being my favourite yet. Nothing like a good quins drama. I really like how the ML is written and depicted here.

I can't remember if I've posted this one but I like the time travel element. It's pretty sweet.

On 2/16/2024 at 5:24 PM, OsmanthusTea said:

This is another better version because the ML is better suited. I think his name is Wang Han Yang??? One of the top bad boy of DY. He is really good as a psychotic CEO. Yu Yin is one of his famous CP. They had many dramas together. Yu Yin is tiny maybe under 5 feet while WHY is like 6 feet above, he can carries her with only one hand.

This is actually a good drama. The ML is well cast (he looks like a gangster) but the script is quite excellent for a douyin show. I consider this story one of my favourites because of the healing/redemption story. It's like Beauty and the Beast. The FL learns to tame the monster and when she changes her attitude towards him, he changes too. The chemistry is good and they have such lovely hug scenes. Once they get past the rough patch, they are a good team. She's also smart enough to know her own limitations. Trust changed everything for them.

4 hours ago, NiteWalker said:

this one not bad....lols, hidden identify, married but doesnt know who the husband is lols

 

F L：彭丹丹(Peng,Dan-Dan)
ML：林永炬(LinN,Yong-Ju)

There's a lot of kissing in this one. And I mean A LOT. Every 5-10 minutes. The ML is pretty hot admittedly. I quite like it because of him. but there's a lot of rough stuff that's a bit off-putting. He sure knows how to romance his co-star. I remember her from a drama with Shu Tong.

There just aren't enough Shu Tong dramas out there.

10 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

I came here because I like Wang Xing Yue after seeing him in a supporting role in Amidst A Snowstorm of Love. I am currently watching Scent of Time. He's got this presence to him that is pretty admirable for someone his age. I know here he is the 2nd lead...how is his screen time?

Oooh... is he in that? Oooh... I have to get to it ASAP. 

He is barely in Kunning Palace for the first 10 episodes (mostly in flashbacks) and then he's in it a fair bit for the next 10 and then is hardly in it afterwards.

This is one of the rare occasions that I suffer from 2ML syndrome.

1 hour ago, NiteWalker said:

this one isnt bad....i like the girl....i dont know the artist name though

 

ML a playboy and the girl got cheated by her scumbag bf who flirt around as well....they got married and the story roll from there....

 

not too much slapping here and there....just of course fight for the throne as usual, and best of all we have a very good mother in law here

 

 

 

i find douyin artist seems to be quite good through out....

I've seen another version of this story which I like. It's about a smart but can't-be-bothered ML who changes into a responsible CEO when his marries the FL. I think the actors in that version are pretty good. 

Like in all industries the acting is a mixed bag. But I am surprised at how good some of the douyin actors are. Much better than those in mainstream C drama. The really good ones are really good. 

Thanks for all the recommendations @NiteWalker and @OsmanthusTea

So far I haven't watched a disabled/ill CEO drama that I don't like. So far so good... Some recommendations...

After a bumpy first 15 minutes, it becomes really sweet and lovely.

On 2/8/2024 at 3:25 PM, NiteWalker said:

this one quite light hearted i like this one....the guy is very funny too hahahhaa...the girl reminded me of ZhengShuang

 

 

男主：舒童
女主：侯呈玥
ML: Shu Tong
FL: Hou Chengyue

I've seen this one too. It's a hoot. The chemistry is on point and even though I'm not a fan of the hidden identity trope, this one worked for me.

Whenever I see Shu Tong, I click. He's probably my favourite douyin actor. 

______

The best rebirth story so far... Really like the ML. At least he's not a passive onlooker for most of the show.

6 hours ago, OsmanthusTea said:

 

Which one? The healthy relationship drama or my first DY drama??

The healthy relationship drama.

4 hours ago, Tofu said:

I feel like I need to find a time in my schedule to dedicate a day to watching these Douyin dramas. LOL!

Only a day? 

Here's another one with Shu Tong... playing yet another tortured gangster husband. I like the fated YingYang storyline and how it's done here. As usual he is great in the kissing scenes. 

This is a lighter contract drama with Liu Qing who very hot stuff... I love how he romances the FL.

19 hours ago, OsmanthusTea said:

She is Zhong Xi. ShuTong and Zhong Xi were the CP in my first DY drama. You know the usual xiao san/bai lian hua/forced blood donor/aborted fetus/choking etc type of drama....

Recently they have healthy relationship drama....

Do you have a link to that? It's tough wading through all the hundreds of shows.

Really like this couple who have done many dramas together apparently. The male lead is played by Shu Tong. Wish I knew that FL's name.

Part 1 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLyQUS2rUzE

Part 2

I like this ML too even though he's not exactly an acting powerhouse but he's cute. I've seen a few of his. This drama has one of the better scripts I've seen. At least it's not too crazy. The ML is not too aggressive and he smartly dispenses of the villains pulling the strings. The teamwork is great and more power to the production team for not over relying on misunderstandings.

This guy looks a bit like Lee Joon-hyuk from certain angles

20 hours ago, OsmanthusTea said:

I watched every single of his drama available in Youtube....I saw his face in the thumbnail, I click....

Same. I pretty much do that with certain actors and actresses.

On 1/22/2024 at 9:39 PM, abs-oluteM said:

 

 

Just wondered if @ktcjdrama @Dhakra and @40somethingahjumma finished this one.

Just finished this today. Loved the last few episodes especially. 

It's been a good six months for Ji Chang-wook. 

My favourite kind of melodrama... Man, he's a darn good actor.

Really like this actress. She's genuinely funny.

 A second chance for divorcees... Chemistry is pretty good and the ML is quite funny.

Not bad. Girl enters into a contract marriage with a man she thinks is a construction worker but you know the rest... The deception doesn't go on forever. This ML is one of the best looking C drama actors around.

22 hours ago, OsmanthusTea said:

Yes, they are so spicy together. This ML is good.

He's one of the best. I've seen him in couple of melodramas -- one of them he was an awful abusive husband but his versatility is undeniable.

This couple is one of my favourites -- the FL is also a fave in the rom com stakes. She's better than a lot of A listers. The ML is pretty darn good as well.

10 hours ago, OsmanthusTea said:

It used to be only twin or triplet, they’re really going overboard with more. There are some are sextuplets 😂😂😂

All without IVF as well.

There's plenty of people having sex in these dramas so children does make sense. I don't think I have seen without it. China is really ramping up the propaganda -- after all they are headed for demographic free fall if they haven't already.

I enjoyed this one.. Hilarious. Quintuplets.

2 hours ago, NiteWalker said:

this one not bad either....not too sure on the ML and FL lead....they didnt drag the ignorance till towards the end where it tends to happen and friendly and good in law so far.

 

 

Cinderella story with lots of slapping.

9 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

Have you seen Flower of Evil? Kim Ji Hoon was really good in there.

 

 

Oh yes, definitely. Lee Joon-gi and all that. It was a pleasant surprise to see Kim Ji-hoon play the comatose psychopathic son after years of wondering where he got to.

9 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

Is this the Kim Jae Wook's episode? I think the two Jae Wook's portion really stood out.

Kim Jae-wook and Oh Jung-se. It's the culmination of everything.

As a whole they did a really good job with all the different "lives" and it all comes together rather beautifully. What I liked about Lee Do-hyun's segment was Yee-jae's realisation that his life wasn't as bad as he thought and that there were people barracking for him and he didn't appreciate that aspect of his life.

For me, the show is in part a critique of the "South Korean dream" -- the materialistic rat race of wanting to make it only to find out at the end, the system is rigged against you by the elites. It's not just SK of course but the fact that you can have a good job at Taekang for decades and lose it down the track. It puts a lot of pressure on young people to "get that dream job" ASAP and when they don't, they think they're failures.

Here in Australia, people change careers at least 2 or 3 times in their lifetime. I just heard recently of a man who is leaving IT to go into medicine. 

3 hours ago, Tofu said:

I feel the same! When I think of Kim Ji Hoon, I think of Jang Bo-ri is Here and I can't believe the contrast in characters he's played since. Kim Ji Hoon and Kim Jae Wook has played two very memorable evil characters in K-Dramaland, at least for me. Kim Ji Hoon was really good in Flower of Evil as Baek Hee Sung and really, who could forget Kim Jae Wook as Mo Tae Gu! 

I actually quite liked Kim Jae-wook in Her Private Life. (The only PMY drama apart from Healer that I've finished) He's also really good as a romantic lead. So is Kim Ji-hoon actually. 

6 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

I was very impressed with Jang Seung Jo's action scenes. 

I want to see a spin-off of him playing that fixer character in his own story. I would pay good money to watch it.

5 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Even though I am only midway @40somethingahjumma is right, the plotting here is excellent. 

 

Wait till you see Episodes 6 and 7.

5 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

...Kim JH does look younger. Coming to think of it I have never seen him in short hair...usually has it somewhat longer. 

Kim Ji-hoon has been around for a while but he seems to have difficulties getting half decent roles. I've even seen him in a sci-fi sageuk which few people have heard of now. Years ago he was in a popular makjang Jang Bo-ri is Here! and I only survived all 53 episodes because of him. He had short hair then. Quite a versatile actor really. Glad to see him these high profile shows even if he's playing psychopaths.

Upon finishing the show I came away wondering when was the last time I saw a K drama with plotting this brilliant. Shadow Detective S1 was pretty good but this one was on another level. This show actually feels like it's made by talented people who know exactly what good storytelling looks like even while using popular K drama tropes. The cast is the cherry on top. I didn't know who was going to be in it apart from the leads so it was a pleasant surprise to see a few of my favourites in it as well. Everyone was good in this and well cast. But the star of the show is definitely the script which reminds me so much of It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. For me it's a really clever... darker (certainly more violent) reimagining of the two famous classic stories. The combination of various crime elements is absolutely top-tier stuff. 

I don't want to give away too much but I absolutely loved the ongoing debates between Death and Yee-jae all throughout their interactions especially the anthropological ones. 

It's nice to be able to praise a show unreservedly and not sound like a curmudgeon about the current state of K dramas like a broken record.

I wished I liked this one a lot more. It does get better after Episode 1 but only a tad because of the fish-out-of-water part which is sometimes funny. The rest of it is pretty much your standard chaebol internal family struggle. There are aspects that remind me of Fated to Love You as well. The Joseon period was also clumsy in its feminist messaging.

I am surprised that Lee Se-young signed up for such a mediocre clunky script. With her industry creds, she should be able to get better offers surely? Part of the problem for me too is that she is a far better actor than Baek In-hyun. He's okay but lacks the gravitas to pull off this role with nuance which the role requires him to have.