kininarimasu!

Or better yet, why Filipino dramas suck.

Drama series are a big part of Asian culture, or any other culture, for that matter. They have been around for as long as I can remember, the first ones I can recall would be the historical Chinese dramas with Chinese subtitles that aired on Sunday mornings on RPN 9.

Different countries in Asia, I've noticed, have some sort of pattern or preference when it comes to which dramas they would air. Korean dramas are very heavy on the romantic side, while Japanese dramas tend to be more on the serious side, most of them being medical dramas. I haven't ventured into the Chinese dramaland, though, but maybe one day I will.

My native Philippines also has its own penchant for drama. Mara Clara was the first drama I could remember. It aired back before I was  four years old, and my mom's cousin, who babysat me, would always watch it right at 3 pm after the three o'clock habit. Always. Without fail.

But in my opinion, in my very OWN honest opinion, Filipino drama is one of the least entertaining to watch. And I'm Filipino, so I'm not being racist, standoffish, or konyo. Here's why:

1. The plot gets recycled all the time

Let me tell you some of the main gist of Filipino dramas: There will be a child that gets separated from its rich parents. That child goes to a poor family, while the real parents adopt or have another child. The child that stays with the rich parents is mean as hell, and the separated child won't hurt a fly. The rich kid bullies the other child without knowing that she (it's usually a girl) is her sibling or her parents' real child. Once she finds out, she'll be ten times meaner.

Or the typical rags-to-riches story, where someone steals all of one person's riches, and the main character gets revenge or the parents/grandparents discover one day that the main character is the true heir of their rich company. Or the whole marry-someone-rich kind of thing.

And there's always the jealous other woman/other man who tries really hard to break up the two main protagonists, and does all the means like kidnap for ransom in a warehouse, killing someone, pretend that they share a kid and blah blah blah. Or the "in" plot nowadays: adultery.

Or they could have some sort of physical deformity and they have something that would transform them into someone prettier, so their bullies would all of a sudden befriend them, or get their crush to like them. But they have a guy/girl best friend that knows about their true identity but still loves them  no matter what. Ending: the ugly person gets together with the best friend when the effects stay permanent.

Tweak in a little bit of variety, like a former flame or the husband's family doesn't like the mother, but the same old story is still there. If you've seen one, you've seen em all. Rinse, repeat.


I see a lot more variety in other Asian dramas, although some are the same or similar, and there are the endless Korean/Japanese/Taiwanese adaptations. But they are not recycled drama after drama after drama. I see more creativity from other countries because some of them are novel or manga based, and it's not the same people writing the same shit shows over and over again.

2. It's always the same actors

You will hardly see any fresh new faces on TV from the Phils. If you do, it's usually the child/grandchild/niece/nephew of some other TV star, that just looks like said TV star. Nobody really scouts for new talents or actors from acting schools, or even host auditions for outsiders. They always keep it in house or use the same actors all over again. Eula Valdez. Cherry Pie Picache. Cherie Gil. Christopher De Leon. Judy Ann. Piolo. Vic Sotto. Marian Rivera.

Or they could use "actors" from Filipino versions of western reality shows like Pinoy Big Brother, or on shows like Starstruck and Star Circle Quest, Star Magic, in which contestants are the family members of current actors, anyway.



I mean, sure, some actors in other Asian industries would use the same actors for lots of drama series, but there are some shows with new actors here and there.

3. The same actors always play the same roles

If you know actress Maricar Reyes, she always plays the rejected ex-girlfriend. Gladys Reyes always plays the bitchy girl. Coco Martin is always some poor man's son. Judy Ann Santos is always the good girl. Marian Rivera is always the protagonist paired with Ding Dong Dantes. Everyone else is just the supporting actor/actress.

I understand there are so-called 'love teams' and are very common, but other countries mix up their actors and actresses and get them to portray different roles, and people love them just as much, if not more. It just goes to show that most stars in the Philippines are one trick ponies.

4. Some aren't even really actors. They just look good.

Or have some sort of foreign background, or does some modeling gig. Take Spanish-Chinese Ellen Adarna. She's very beautiful, yes, but she got a breast surgery and all of a sudden she is now an actress. The girl can't act, she just looks good on-screen.

And did you know that Sandara Park of 2NE1, or Dara as she is more infamously known nowadays, joined Star Circle Quest back in the early 2000's and had some acting roles? She was not made for acting. She would've made Kristen Stewart proud. Her expressions were blank, she could barely speak any tagalog, yet the people would fawn over her because she's a foreigner. She'd just appear like a ditz yet she gets acting gigs. Oh c'mon. I don't know how her acting career is going for her nowadays, but those roles she used to play made me cringe.



I don't hate Dara, but for Philippine TV, it's looks over quality acting. Philippines also has its own idol-casting problem. And I think it's much, much worse.

5. Not another mermaid series...again.

I am so sick of Dyesebel. I know it's already a Philippine fantasy icon, but pleeeeease, for the love of god, we've seen enough of this goldfish. The two main channels, ABS-CBN and GMA7, both made remakes of the series. Five movies of the same character is more than enough.

Not to mention the mermaid spin-offs like Marina and Agua Bendita. Oh puh-leeeease. When will people get tired of this shit???


6. The series go on and on forever

Do you know the current (as of now) series Be Careful With My Heart? The show is still freakin' ongoing for two and a half years now. The episode count is 622. Six. Hundred. Twenty. Two. It's trying to rival One Piece's fifteen years' worth of episodes by accomplishing it in two and a half years.

And the infamous original Mara Clara had twelve hundred episodes. It started when I was four years old and didn't end until I was nine. That's five years in elementary school.

That's a common thing in Filipino dramas. An average drama would last a least a hundred episodes, and they're not even that good. They just cook up whatever situation they can think of just to make the episodes longer and longer (and more unbearable). They're not being creative anymore. They're doing half-assed episodes just to stretch the drama, instead of making shorter, top-quality ones. The succeeding episodes aren't even related to the main plot anymore. There's an episode every single day, instead of a more palatable weekly airtime.

7. It's a cliche galore

There will always be some sort of gunfight with goons that don't even know how to do their jobs. There is always a happy marriage ending, with the villain dying of gunshot (or went mental). The good family always lives in a barrio, in some countryside wearing long skirts or those farmer garbs. The rich family owns the whole land, and they can buy you, your friends, and this club. When you're portrayed as ugly, you either have a big nose, thick eyebrows, crooked teeth, dark skin, or all of that.

It never ends.



8. They talk in a prehistoric language no one ever uses

No Filipino nowadays would ever call or introduce their parents as "inay" or "ama" unless that's their nickname, or they are being really formal. No one uses "maaari", "nais", "iniibig", "minamanman" or whatever cheesy old word they can think of. No. People use "pwede", "gusto", "love", or "tinitignan", even TANGINA. No one talks like dramas in the Philippines, ever, unless you want to be called feeling or tanga.

In other dramas, some would talk how they would normally talk to others, especially in western series. The conversation flows more smoothly and natural. Filipino drama just sounds like fake crap. And the only people who would shout while in angry trysts are people in the public market.

9. The unrealistic image of poverty and wealth

In which poor area have you seen a girl with shiny, bouncy curls? They don a full makeup complete  with rosy-pink blush and eyeliner. They look as fake as their lashes. Kim Chiu and Julia Baretto both played the poor girl, yet their makeup looks better than mine on most occasions. And even in the countryside, young girls don't wear gypsy skirts or those conservative tops. It's so hot in the Philippine countryside, they would boil in those garbs. I have cousins in the country and they don't dress that way.

As for the wealthy ones, no one wears a full tux or ball gown at home, in their mansion of six million rooms, yet they're always seen lounging around in their study. In reality, rich people dress up to about looking as clean and sosyal as they can, but only a loon would dress up in ball gowns everyday.

10. The death scenes. In fact, any scene

The I-gave-everything-up-for-you scene, the what-do-you-want-me-to-do scene, the let's-bully-the-hero scene, the public ostracizing scene, the face slap scene...URGH. They're all overused and abused. The drama factor is a little too high up. There will always be one. In every episode.





And those are my main reasons for not watching any Filipino series. I don't hate it just because I'm Filipino and not proud of my country, but just because they aren't really that good. I believe you are better off watching other things that wouldn't eat up your time as uselessly as Filipino drama.

This is what appeals to the Filipino masses, but it could really use an upgrade. This may be the only entertainment most Filipinos have, and for that reason, I think they deserve more than drama garbage. Quality over quantity.

A lot of Filipinos may go all defensive after reading this and say so many negative things when their culture gets attacked, but I don't care. Filipino dramas, for me, are at the bottom of the barrel. This is my own opinion. I have experienced it first hand and it's really not my taste.

But hey, if you like it, I won't judge. I have some friends, my boyfriend's family, even my own family really loves watching those dramas. They all have TFC and GMA network subscriptions. My grandma watches it all the time.

It's just that I'd rather use my precious drama time for something more worthwhile.

This is not a review. As the title says, this is unfinished business. I like to think of this as getting the frustration out of my chest.

Koizora a.k.a. Sky of Love: A Sad Love Story. This drama has six episodes. SIX. And I can't bring myself to finish the damn. Series.

No. Just no. I can't.

My feelings can't handle it. And I'm a hormonal woman with enthusiasm for drama. I'm basically a walking bag of feelings.

I was asking my coworker who also has a liking for Japanese dramas to recommend something. We have similar tastes in dramas, so I figured her recommendations would be something I'd enjoy. She mentioned this drama and said it would be full of feels. I figured, yeah, I can handle sad dramas.

How very wrong I was.

Let me tell you a little bit about this series first. This is a sad, sad, sad story about two high school students, Mika and Hiro. Hiro is considered a delinquent in his class, in a rock band with bleached hair. Mika is an average student who still has yet to experience being in a relationship with a boy. On that fateful time that Hiro steals Mika's first kiss, she can't get him out of her head. And before she realizes it, she has fallen for him.

Apparently this was originally a novel that was published online, which then became popular enough to have a movie, drama, and manga adaptation.

I only made it to the third episode. Just halfway. Why? Because in just the first two episodes, a lot has happened. I know the feeling of getting all giddy with taking pictures with your first boyfriend, your first kiss, etc. etc. But the show has a lot more than that.

Being bullied by a boyfriend's ex is terrible. A girl's first time can be a little nerve-wracking. Getting preggers and telling your traditional parents about it is even worse.

Then losing said baby after convincing them? Might seem like a loss. But just when you think all is well, they find a tumor in Hiro's head.

Why??? Whyyyyyyy? And they even have that stupid sneak preview for the next episode where Mika is crying and the subtitles say "Don't you love me anymore?" and her dad tries to kick Hiro's ass with subs that go "You said you will make her happy!"

Fuck dammit. I already know what's going to happen and it will potentially give me a migraine the next day because I cried my guts out watching the drama.

Nope. No no no no no no no waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

There's no need to say that I am a big softie and will most definitely bawl away at any drama that comes my way. Heck, I cried a few times watching Fairy Tail and some episodes of One Piece during Nami's arc. How the hell do you think I will react to three more episodes of this???

I stopped because I can't. I just can't. I even had a week of vacation and told myself to finish it to get it out of my head, but everytime I was about to hit that play button, I would  dread the bawlfest I was about to jump in to. And then the week after that my normal schedule was sent topsy-turvy coz I picked up a few day shifts instead of my usual evening ones, and the only other thing I hate next to waking up early is waking up early with a headache and puffy eyes.

No. Just no.

I can't possibly give a rating for this, beacause, well, obviously, I didn't finish it. There is also a movie for this with Miura Haruma and Aragaki Yui which I didn't watch. Of course. And then again it has Miura. He's everywhere. My gosh.

Although this was a drama fail for me in terms of willpower of watching, I would just like to mention how lush Seto Koji's lips are.

Yum. Yeah, just wanted to throw that in there. You're welcome.

I will almost absolutely will favor him as Hiro more than Miura, because, you know, it's Miura.

So, this drama will remain untouched for me until I find the willpower to plough through the sadness. The tab for episode four remained untouched in my browser for a month. It might just stay there for a little while longer.

But until then...

One Piece may be defined as an anime, but anime is NOT defined as One Piece. Or Naruto. Not even Lucky Star or K-On!.

Let's break the stereotype here. Anime was originally intended for kids in Japan, but the industry has since then expanded its audience. It's not just about Doraemon anymore. And note that there are anime that kids might not be able to comprehend.

At the same time, it's not just pirates, ninjas, mythical creatures, transforming sailors, or cutesy costumes.

Often, anime gets associated with otakus, weeaboos, nerds, cosplayers, or people who are seen as stuck in their childhood. But admitting to watching and/or enjoying anime doesn't mean you automatically fall into those stereotypes, or that you're all about childish fantasies. Getting your drama fix through anime doesn't mean you're a nerd.

Most anime are manga-based, but not all of them are created equal. There are some gems in the anime world that I think would be worth a try watching. Some can deliver just as much, if not more, satisfaction to your drama feels.  Some anime are up there on the drama level. Just to let you know.

If you're at a loss on deciding which drama to watch or book to read next, why not consider anime? It's not fair to snub it off when some of the best manga-based dramas and movies, like Hana Yori Dango, have anime versions. Two ways of telling the same story. They're not unlike dramas. You just see animated hair and big eyes instead of your favorite actors.

And when we watch dramas, don't we live in a fantasy world as well? What's the difference, whether you're watching computer animation or real people?

If you're testing the waters on some anime and don't want to dive headfirst into ninjas and pirates, here are some of my recommendations to watch:

1. Hyouka

Hyouka easily tops my list as one of my favorite anime to watch. I did, in fact, name my blog after one of the main characters' famous line. I discovered this while searching for a video of Arashi's Love So Sweet on Youtube. A video came up with screenshots of this anime with Love So Sweet as the BGM. I'm glad I stumbled into that video! It has been deleted, though, and I forgot who uploaded it, so I can't give credit :(

This is based off a novel by Yonezawa Honobu, of the Classic Literature Club series. The story revolves around Oreki Hotaro, a boy who lives by his own standard of "If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to, I'll do it quickly". He is urged by his sister to join her former school club, the Classic Literature club, to keep it from dissolving. He is joined by Chitanda Eru (Watashi kininarimasu!), Fukube Satoshi, and Ibara Mayaka. Together, they solve different mysteries in their school. Hotaro eventually finds himself immersed in school activities.

There are hints of romance in this anime, given that it's a shounen (geared towards boys) anime. It has some mystery aspect to it, and it's a really enjoyable watch. I recommended it to one of my friends and she might just have liked it more than I did. I also especially liked the closing song of season 2. Quite catchy.


The series is only 22 episodes long, and I really wish they'd make more! If you like your detective shows and high school life, this is a must-watch.

2. NaNa

The two Nana

From manga artist Yazawa Ai, NaNa is one of her more famous works. It is about two girls, both named Nana. Osaki Nana is a member of punk rock band named Black Stones (BLAST for short), on her way to Tokyo to pursue her own rock career. She's very independent and ambitious. Komatsu Nana, on the other hand, is your very girly girl who often falls in love at first sight, yet often gets her heart broken. She has a habit of depending on others, but is very caring. She is on her way to Tokyo to join her hometown friends and boyfriend. The two Nana with opposing personalities meet by chance on a train to Tokyo, and the two embark on a journey of fame, romance, and relationships.

I want to note that this anime has one of the best music and opening and ending credits. After getting caught up on this 47-episode anime, I immediately downloaded the soundtrack NANA Best. Featuring Anna Tsuchiya as Osaki Nana and Olivia Lufkin as Reira.

This is not an anime to pass. Seriously, if you love your dramas, do yourself a favor and watch this. But let me warn you, if you're one of those people that have withdrawals when a series ends... *evil laugh*... Just watch the damn series. And may I also note that watching the live action movie will not replace watching the series. Both movies don't do the series justice.

And damn that Takumi, that sexy sleazebag.

3. Paradise Kiss

Parakisu :*

Another one from Yazawa Ai, Paradise Kiss focuses more on fashion. The characters are very vibrant and have very interesting personalities, especially Joji. This is one of the first non-fantasy anime I've watched, I think right after watching Densha Otoko. There's only 12 episodes like a standard Japanese drama, but it's so easy to get lost in Yazawa's works. Just like in NaNa, it's hard not to fall in love with her characters, especially the male ones. Her endings always leave you hanging, and it's hard not to beg for more.

The story mainly focuses on Hayasaka Yukari, dubbed as "Caroline", who is bored with her school-driven life. She gets scouted by some students in a fashion school and her life gets tangled with the people in the Atelier. It is noted that the series is after Yazawa's Gokinjo Monogatari, which I haven't watched. The story is standalone, though, and you don't need to watch Gokinjo to understand the story.

There was also a live action movie made about this, but I have yet to see it for myself. So many drama, so little time.

4. Kimi ni Todoke

This is a popular one, although I didn't watch this until last year on Crunchyroll. From Shiina Karuho's manga, Kimi ni Todoke is a light-hearted anime about romance and high school life. The story revolves around Kuronuma Sunako, jokingly referred to as Sadako by her classmates, due to her resemblance to the ghost from the infamous The Ring horror movies. She is very sweet, timid, and always has the best interests of everyone at heart, but is always misunderstood because of her appearance. She becomes friends with Kazehaya Shota, a popular boy that everyone likes. With Kazehaya's help, she comes out of her shell and makes friends with a lot more people. She then idolizes him and can't be grateful enough for all the opportunities. Before they realize it, they start to fall in love with each other, amidst all the obstacles high school love throws their way.

This anime just makes you want to scream JUST GET TOGETHER, DAMMIT! There are so many missed connections, it's a little frustrating. But I love this anime nonetheless. The story is just adorable, Chris even watched it twice, and he fangirled more than I did.

I watched the live action movie, and it was alright. If you're a Miura fan, by all means, go wild.

5. Say I Love You (Suki-tte Ii Na Yo)


I'll be honest, this wasn't one of my favorites, mainly because I wasn't a big fan of the opening song. I know that's a case of don't judge a show by its soundtrack. BUT this is actually an okay anime. It's another one of those weird girl + popular boy stories. If you dig those, this anime is for you. I really can't say much coz... it really is just a weird girl + popular boy kind of story.

Tachibana Mei is very antisocial and doesn't have friends because she believes people will eventually betray each other. Kurosawa Yamato is a very popular boy in school and becomes interested her after she accidentally hit him with a roundhouse kick that was intended for his perverted friend. Yamato eventually draws her out of her shell and she eventually makes friends and build relationships.

It's only about 12 episodes, so it's like a drama standard. I didn't grow very attached to it, but it helped pass the time.

6. Silver Spoon (Gin no Saji)


This one I'm really fond of. I was in my random media mood and decided to watch this just because, while I was browsing through Crunchyroll. This attracted me because it featured farms and organic food, and I have this secret desire to have my own farm and live in the countryside one day. Random true story.

In this delightful slice of life drama, Hachiken Yuugo is a city boy who enrolls in an agricultural high school in the countryside. He is smart in academics, but this was due to his father's strict upbringing of him to study. Thinking agricultural school would be a breeze, the daily challenges of life in a farm prove him wrong. He eventually starts to adjust to a different life even though he was thrown into the deep end. His compassionate and empathetic nature paved the way of making friends for him, but it also made him realize the difficulties and consequences of the agriculture business.

This has two seasons, totaling 22 episodes. The animals featured are very cute, especially Vice President! Warning though, this anime may make you gain weight, because they eat delicious food often. Damn that pizza episode.

I mentioned before that there is a live action of this! I still have yet to download it. It stars the very pretty Alice Hirose as Mikagi Aki :D

7. My Little Monster (Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun)


In this anime, a very smart girl named Shizuku, was forced to deliver class material to Haru, the boy who sits next to her in class. Shizuku is all about school and studies, often cold and indifferent to relationships to other people. Haru has always been viewed as a "monster" because of his lack of social skills in his childhood, but is actually kind and gentle and just wants to make friends. He just has a weird way of doing it.

The day Shizuku shows up at Haru's doorstep, Haru immediately dubs their meeting as a start of their new friendship. Not long after that, he spontaneously tells Shizuku that he likes her. What used to be all books and exams for Shizuku is now a world of tangled emotions with Haru. Despite herself, she is drawn to his innocence and falls for him eventually, but she wants to be certain of Haru's feelings first.

It's hard not to like Haru. He's very cute and innocent, it's almost childish. He has a pet rooster and cabbage. Yes, cabbage. Their personalities are on opposite ends of the scale, yet they're perfect for each other.




See? Not all anime is about magical fantasies. There are some great stories in the form of anime, too, so don't scoff them off! I think anime could well be added as a whole different genre of dramas. You have your J-dramas, K-dramas, C-dramas... Why not anime dramas? What matters is the story, yes? Yes.

If you have watched any anime along the likes of these, I would love to know them! And if you've watched any of them, I want to know what you think :)

Since I'm on the roll with my drama reviews recently, I remembered some of the note-worthy dramas I've seen in the past before watching Playful Kiss, which rekindled my love for drama in June. I mostly watched some of the more popular ones, as they have been recommended by my friends. These dramas aired between 2005-2010, but I wasn't very up to date with regards to simulcasts, since that was during my gaming era of Maplestory. A lot of these are popular, and there are already tons of reviews circling the internet, so I'll just give a brief little insight. For nostalgic purposes, I came up with this list.

The insights are just of my own personal opinion, and other people might think otherwise, but to each their own, yes? Yes.

1. Densha Otoko

This is a classic. To me, it was what started all this drama business, it's like the mother of all dramas. Who hasn't watched Densha Otoko? It's based on a true story and a novel. Yamada Tsuyoshi (played by Ito Atsushi), a true-to-life otaku, saves Aoyama Saori (played by Ito Misaki) from a drunkard on the train. As a way of giving thanks, she sends him a set of Hermes teacups (wow). Flabbergasted and at a loss on how to react with her, he consults people on a web forum for advice. On which I have to note, this is the first drama I saw Oguri Shun in. Kyaaa! This takes me back many years... I think I may just watch this again to reminisce.

Plus, I think the opening is one of the best I've seen. Not only because it's anime, but the song is really catchy and the animation is cool.

If you haven't seen this, you should. It's a Japanese classic. It's a MUST. Although Yamada's stammering might annoy you.

2. Hana Yori Dango

OGURI SHUN AND MATSU JUN <3

Of course. OF COURSE. If you haven't seen or heard of this drama, you cannot possibly call yourself a drama enthusiast. That includes all of the other Asian adaptations, the Taiwanese Meteor Garden and Korean Boys Over Flowers. I've seen all adaptations of this, with Meteor Garden airing in the Philippines in the afternoon. My favorite adaptation, of course, no question, the Japanese one. Oguri Shun! Matsu Jun! Need I say more? I wasn't a big fan of the Korean adaptation. All I could remember was frickin' Geum Jan Di getting pissed all the time. Anger management problems?

Photo credit: donnapie.tumblr.com

3. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge



I read the manga, so the live action intrigued me. Another ikemen fest, Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge is about four handsome boys who live in a dormitory, but are strapped for rent money. Their landlady proposes a task that could win them free food and lodging--turn her niece, Sunako, into a lady! It seems they have their work cut out for them when they discover that Sunako-chan is antisocial, plus an avid fan of morbidity, horror, and creepy things to boot. I liked this series, although it wasn't something that stuck to me. This got me started on liking KAT-TUN because of Kamenashi. It's quite funny and I really liked the cute ending <3

4. Hana Kimi



Ikemen paradise. Oguri Shun. Shirota Yuu. FANGIRL MODE, ON! I postponed watching this for the longest time due to its popularity even though it had Shun on it. I've only watched this very recently, yet I feel that I have to include this in my nostalgic drama section because it's about 9 years old. Nine! Just little age reminder for me... T_T

Maki Horikita is Mizuki Ashiya, a girl who pretends to be a guy to enter an all-boys dorm, in an effort to get her idol, Izumi Sano (Shun), to pursue high jumping again. This drama is just filled with fun, one episode after another. MADE ME LAUGH MY PANCREAS OUT. I may be exaggerating, but this is a really funny one for me. Especially Ikuta Toma's monologues.


And this


Stop it! STAHP EEET! Hahahaha!

5. Nodame Cantabile

I love this drama. I really do. It's hilarious, with just a little bit of romance sprinkled on top. It's about a talented pianist named Nodame, who has the biggest crush on her senpai, Chiaki, who aims to be a conductor. The problem is that Nodame is messy and disorganized, while Chiaki is a perfectionist. There are so many other characters involved, which makes it really fun (I especially love Masumi-chan. Oh, god, he just kills me). A highly recommended drama. Great laughs. Great, great laughs.

6. The First Shop of Coffee Prince

Anyone who knows their Korean drama knows about this. This has been given many a praise due to its lightheartedness and funny nature. Another cross-dressing girl series just like Hana-Kimi. Yoon Eun-Hye plays Eun-Chan, a girl who is the breadwinner of her family. She pretends to be a guy just to work in a cafe where waiters are exclusively male. Her boss, Han-gyeol, finds himself falling for her but is horrified at himself because he thinks he's a boy. A Korean drama staple. This drama made me want to eat kimchi fried rice all the time. With coffee. It's just sad that Lee Eon, who played the very sweet Hwang Min-yeop passed away in  2008 :(

7. Heartstrings

Starring the infamous Park Shin Hye and idol Jung Yong-hwa, it's a lighthearted rom-com about college students in an art university. It's a complicated web of side stories, so I can't really put in a quick overview, but it mainly focuses on music and theatrical arts, and Shin Hye and Yong-hwa's love story, of course. One of the few Korean dramas I enjoyed. I called Chris harabuchi for the longest time because of this. And they seriously keep eating some good food. All K-dramas make me crave KBBQ!

8. Zettai Kareshi



Aaah, Absolute Boyfriend. Another heartwarming drama. The gorgeous Hayami Mokomichi stars as a Tenjo Night-kun, mail-order robot who is programmed to be devoted to his owner, Riko Izawa (Aibu Saki). Would you fall in love with a robot? Only if it's Night-kun! Also starring the charming Hiro Mizushima. And they feature BAKING. I think watching Asian dramas make you fat for different reasons.

9. Gokusen 1



I told you this list would be full of popular ones. Gokusen. A school-based drama classic. About a yakuza heir who would rather be a school teacher. She gets assigned to the bottom-of-the-barrel class, who try to make her quit. Too bad for them, she deals with more serious shit in her normal non-teacher life. And of course, Oguri Shun and Matsu Jun are in it, so I didn't let this pass. This drama can be as cheesy as far as cheesy goes, and you either like it or you don't. I personally liked it. A nice break from rom-coms, in my opinion. Beware the atrocious hairstyles of your favorite actors, though.

10. Gokusen 2

If you've seen a Gokusen, you've seen all Gokusen. Season 2 is just basically the same plot, but with different kids. This season had Kazuya Kamenashi and Hayami Mokomichi, so I was fangirling all over the place. Gosh, Mokomichi's so tall! Kyaaaa~

Gif from tumblr

But when season 3 rolled out, I had to pass. It was too much. The kids were also getting younger, thus making me feel older, so I didn't bother. I think I watched the first episode but I already knew what was going to happen. That was also my first Haruma Miura drama. But then again I'm not really a fan, so I moved on.

So there goes my dramas from the past. I bet a number of you have seen most, if not all of the aforementioned dramas. Us ladies know we're in it for the ikemen buffet, for the most part. I want to broaden my drama horizons more, maybe watch some C-dramas or TW-dramas. Maybe, if I'm feeling adventurous, some Thai dramas. I don't know. We'll see.

If there are any blast from the past dramas you would like to recommend, don't hesitate to comment.

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<3

Next on the rom-com queue is Last Cinderella, starring Shinohara Ryoko, Haruma Miura, and Fujiki Naohito.

This is one of the funnier dramas I have watched. Based on the manga by Natsumi Aida, this aired around end of 2011, so I'm a little bit late, but it was still a fun rom-com nonetheless.

Nishiuichi Mariya stars as Tamiya Nika, a pretty and popular girl in her school that has a hidden side to her. She has what you would call a "switch mode", wherein once she steps into the boundaries of her home, she completely reverts into her... not so appealing nature. Her popular girl image is a facade that she puts on and has to constantly maintain, lest she be avoided by her peers. The only person who knows about this "off-mode" nature of hers is her best friend, Nino (Sakata Rikako).

A transfer student named Arata (played by Kiriyama Renn), catches her eye. He also has his own "switch mode". He purposely hides behind an uninteresting nerdy image to achieve the opposite effect: to have girls avoid him, since he's too much of a fangirl material.

(O_O) *drool*

Okay, maybe yes.

The two accidentally discover each other's secret, and promise to keep them for their own sake. And thus, their romance ensues.

The adventures in the story aren't quite new. I don't know what's with the author and her obsession for people who purposely want to destroy other people. There's the second-guessing of love interests, as usual, and third parties. You know, rom-com stuff. If that's not your cup of tea, then I doubt you will enjoy this as much as I did.

There were definitely some things I could relate to, like the frustration of always putting on a socially-acceptable front. Coz we all have our sides that we don't want anyone to know. Like fashion emergencies, bodily misfunctions, and smelly food. I always get self-conscious whenever I bring fish to work, because I'm afraid people will scrunch their noses and say "Something died in here!" while I munch on my dried herring on the corner. Off-mode problems. But it's so good, I still eat up.

And I have times like these with Chris.

And definitely this.

You will also see a lot of this cat drawing covering up otherwise censored images, which I think is quite funny

And yet another eye candy alert! I'm having a secondary actor syndrome (SAS). Why, hello there, Jinnai Sho~

He looks like freakin' Tae Yang!

The fangirl in me has been revealed!

Bottom line, the story itself was okay. Typical rom-com with all the toppings, and if your sense of humor is pretty shallow like mine, then you will enjoy this. If you're a little hard to please... then I suggest move on. Acting wise, I think Renn wasn't so bad. He can smile at the very least. And Mariya really got into the acting, which is nice, I guess. Sometimes a little exaggerated, but better than under-delivering.

At least the kiss was convincing.

The gist: 6.5/10

It's an average drama, definitely funny for me. Not the best, but a fun watch. If you like your rom-coms and shoujo manga, this would be a good choice. I definitely got annoyed at some parts of the story, but that's okay. It's not one for the books, but if you're up to kill time, why not? I watched this on DramaFever, but you have to be a premium subscriber to watch beyond episode 6 for both seasons, which sucks. But they offer free premium trial for one week, so that's one thing to consider. I watched some episodes on GoodDrama.net, but they have subs for Chinese behind the English ones which makes them FRIGGIN HARD TO READ. DramaFever premium is only around $5 anyway.

So, to watch or not to watch? The choice is yours.

PIKA!!

Gif photo creds to the owners