Learjet's Year In Dramas! (Patreon)

Learjet’s 2021 year-end review of drama watching

Hi I’m Learjet (AKA Michelle). I’m a relatively new drama watcher. Netflix suggested that I watch My Halo Love in about March last year so I gave it a try. I wasn’t sold on the drama but I was fascinated by how different it was to any Western TV I’d ever seen and I landed up reading several articles about the differences between Korean and Western dramas, tropes etc. Then Netflix suggested I watch Crash Landing on You….and I fell deeply in love. In my obsession with that drama, I read up on it (and found this wonderful blog), woke at 4am to watch a couple of episodes before work more than once and rewatched it as soon as I finished it.

My love is still strong: I seem to have watched close to 50 Korean and Chinese dramas this year! It’s a bit horrifying to admit. So here we go (in some places I’ve got both a Korean and Chinese favourite, because I can 😊). I’ve excluded dramas that haven’t finished airing except for the OST section.

1. Top 10 shows

Number 10: My Fated Boy: So many contemporary Chinese dramas and many noona romances out there. On paper, this looks similar to many others but it was just lovely. The OTP relationship developed organically, was very swoony and was healthy. Side-characters were well-developed and their actions made sense. Characters were redeemed in believable ways. A great feel-good watch and very bingeable.

Number 9: Killer and Healer: A Chinese “bromance” set in the 1930s. Beautifully filmed with wonderful costumes and an amazing atmosphere. Wonderful OST. The story took a bit of time to hit its stride, but the characters and atmosphere immediately drew me in. Great acting by the two MLs, the SFL and the two SMLs. Definitely worth the watch (even with adverts on YouTube in my case!)

Number 8: D.P.: So compelling but very hard to watch. Was interesting watching Jung Jae In as the down-and-out guy who enters the military, after his previous boy-next-door roles (except for a bit in Prison Playbook). Impressive and thought-provoking.

Number 7: The Day of Becoming You: another contemporary Chinese drama that managed to rise above the flood of contemporary romcoms. Both leads were fanatastic, but Steven Zhang (Skate into Love, Go Ahead) really impressed. Despite the overused body-swop trope, it managed to feel fresh. I loved the relationship of the OTP, the OST and the celebrity back story managed to feel believable. I highly recommend this but caution that it took me about five episodes to really engage. By episode six, I would have binged through to the end were it not for considerations of sleep, family and employment.

Number 6: Hospital Playlist 2: I loved the first season (it was probably my top drama of 2020) and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the characters again and watching their lives, romances and friendships develop. Enjoyed the focus on motherhood in several episodes. Would probably have ranked higher if this had been the first season.

Number 5: One and Only: I don’t normally like tragic endings but I lapped this up. I’ve seen both the leads in contemporaries and I don’t think they sparkle but were both wonderful in this Chinese period drama. So much glorious angst. Forbidden love. Longing glances. It was so, so romantic. Unfortunately, the ‘sequel’ modern day drama Forever and Ever was a let-down for me. Felt like just another contemporary Chinese drama.

Number 4: Happiness. I don’t do zombie dramas, horror or gore but I loved this. I think the key is that this drama used the madness disease/zombies to shine a light on how humans react to a massive disaster and how it affects relationships. The zombies were just a vehicle for this.  And a very relevant story, given the times we live in. I really hated some of those characters *so much*! The two leads were a joy: both as individuals and as a team. A non-romantic drama that was more romantic than most romance dramas.

Number 3: The Bond. So worth the effort. Sometimes hard to watch because it just felt so real. People made mistakes and they faced all the consequences. Good people were hurt, and bad people flourished. But the strength of the bond (sorry, best word to describe it) between the siblings made it heart-warming instead of feeling like a series of life crises. The acting felt assured by the four siblings, other family members and their partners. The OST was excellent and well-used. I watched it as it aired and managed to keep up with the many episodes every week as I was so invested in their stories.

Number 2: Move to Heaven. I like a drama that engages my brain and love dramas that pull at my heart. This did both, in spades. And there was social commentary woven through the stories without it feeling preachy. Both Lee Je Hoon and Tang Jun Sang put on award-worthy performances. I shed many tears during this drama.

Number 1: Word of Honor. This was by no means the best drama in terms of writing or production. I believe this was a relatively low budget production and it showed at times (could recognise some of the sets from the Guardian and I think the Untamed 😊). However, this drama captured my heart. The two leads were fantastic both individually and together. I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that they both gave the performances of their careers (and sadly one of their careers is now over). This central relationship, and their individual character growth trajectories, driven by their interactions with each other, were the heart of this drama. Each ML was prepared to die for his ‘soul-mate’ and nearly did more than once. I love the ‘found family’ of three with the teenage apprentice and the secondary romance. And there was a very compelling baddie in the Spider King. Good OST well. I did need a character chart though!

Honorable mentions: Our Secret, Beyond Evil, Racket Boys, Navillera, Our Times. Bonus movie mention: Upcoming Summer

2. Best female lead: Park Eun Bin (The King’s Affection). Was extremely believable as a male king, especially in the early episodes, but was also able to show the tender emotions and conflict she felt trying to do the right thing while trying not to completely sacrifice herself. She stole the show. Also great to see an alpha female opposite the beta Rowoon.

3. Best male lead: Bai Yu (The Bond). This is a joint award for this and his role in The Long Night which I watched this year. He is just so good at making you dislike him, empathise with him, cry with him. So good! I think I’d watch anything with him in it. He seems to be one of those actors who chooses good dramas. Bonus awards to Steven Zhang and Leo Wu (Our Times, Upcoming Summer, Mei Changsu’s very young bodyguard in NIF).

4. Best OTP: The Day of Becoming You (C) and Happiness (K). Very, very different dramas but I think I like these OTPs for the same reason: they are mature, they communicated and their relationships feel like they could occur in RL but are still very swoony.

5. Best supporting actor (female): Choi Myung Bin (child version of FL and her twin in The King’s Affection). So good as playing four characters: the boy twin, the girl twin, and each pretending to be each other. An actress to watch out for in the future.

6. Best supporting actor (male): Lee Kyu Hyung, i.e. Loony from Prison Playbook. He had several great guest/cameo appearances in excellent dramas this year and all such different characters: HP2, Happiness, Racket Boys, Do You Want a Cup of Coffee.

7. Razzie award: My Sweet Dear (worst ranked – so incredibly boring even with 13-minute episodes. Nothing happened. Almost no chemistry.) Doom at Your Service (biggest let-down. So beautiful. Such great actors. But what happened to the story, logic and character development?)

8. Best original score: Beyond Evil. Oh so atmospheric!

9. Best original song: I could write a book on this. Dramas with great songs include:

a. My Fated Boy: several good songs which I can’t find especially with my complete lack of knowledge of Chinese characters but this is my favourite and is on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3vjJSNnaOTXHFdfHH0KsrE?si=d50179771533438a

b. Racket Boys: three good songs but Focus on Me is my favourite – the words, the swelling voice after the gentle start. You can just hear the tentative but hopeful feelings of growing up and young love. And the words are beautiful: https://open.spotify.com/track/0FXQ9GGKX22IwDvOXrqMWJ?si=c9de33cb81784869

c. Killer and Healer: can’t access most of the songs but I did find a great one on Spotify with three versions: a joint version by both MLs, and one individual version each by the MLs. The moods (and arrangements) differ for each, reflecting their personalities. This is the joint version (the individual versions can also be found on Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/track/2FPGAJC5k9MDAhH5TwJzRB?si=87ef52b6e0f74996

d. Beyond Evil (The Night). So fabulous and atmospheric. Makes me think of a mysterious corner of a smoky bar somewhere in the middle of nowhere in the mid-twentieth century. https://open.spotify.com/track/3aSqh80n3hWxAl3knm3dcx?si=abe3c17d92464bc8

e. The Day of Becoming You (several good songs: My Soul, Crush On, I See You). This is one of them https://open.spotify.com/track/1Wk0U4dlrehAendqZiuMWW?si=4d50c09fb5b54c34

f. Rainless Love in a Godless Land: multiple good songs, but my favourite is by Men Envy Children. Beautiful especially the way it is used in the drama - can’t say more as it would be a spoiler: https://open.spotify.com/track/5O2dLu0atbcZ4plQd0h9fG?si=711b455d0d6b4208

g. Douluo Continent: the opening theme song: so darn anthem-like and aspirational; it captures the feel of the drama very well – you can just hear them going on a quest without understanding the lyrics. https://open.spotify.com/track/1bg2qL0M6DhW6Fv0AvXhvC?si=f17a5a9363364275

h. The Bond: The Zhou Shen song. No need for any introduction. It still gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. So evocative. https://open.spotify.com/track/5fTEPS7ti4vKDFP16tyiDh?si=692dfbe069e4413c

i. Our Times (the end song sung by one of the MLs: so gloriously 90s: https://open.spotify.com/track/4kbVN9TtIlOlYWzKYtjpgy?si=64c9d542d1ea4ec7

And the winner is? Well by the goosebump test, it has to be a three-way tie between the songs from Racket Boys, Rainless Love and the Bond. Sorry, I can’t get it down to one 😊

10. Best drama: Word of Honor. One of only three dramas I’ve given 10/10 on MDL. It is not an exaggeration to say it changed my perspective on the world.

11. Hidden gem: Killer and Healer (see above), and Do You Want Another Cup of Coffee: a beautiful little show: only 12 episodes of less than half an hour each; doesn’t have to be binged but you can just watch an episode when you need a pick-me-up (like coffee!). Unstressful and appears simple but is actually profound. Give it a try!

12. Definite rewatch: I’ve already rewatched Word of Honor. But of the rest, I’d say The Day of Becoming You.

13. Best ensemble: HP2 (K) and the Bond (C). In both cases, it is a pleasure to watch a group of assured, experienced actors (at least some were in the Bond). So immersive that their relationships feel completely real.

~Learjet