M36dramas Reviews

Wedding Impossible (2024– )

Fizzled Out

[8/10 · 2 April 2024]

From the description, I was expecting fun and light rom-com. It started out that way and quickly fizzled out.

There was not any suspense, tension, or passion that kept my attention. The male lead was good looking, charming, a great voice, and you rooted for him through the story. However, the female lead became sullen and morose for half the episodes. I didn't feel like she was reciprocating the love of the male lead.

They set up a lot of physical comedy and situations that were super cute but not a lot of laugh out loud funny. The family and friends of the female lead were wonderful characters, but the chaebol family with all the angst was too cliche and boring.

Overall, the show filled some time, but I wouldn't call it a favorite.

You Raise Me Up (2021)

A Top Healing Drama

[10/10 · 5 March 2024]

I watched the ML in The Best Hit and did not love his character or the show. Then, I found this gem. The ML blew it out of the park with a completely different character. So much depth, so many emotions, and so much growth. The love triangle kept me guessing and the whole show was so engaging. The healing aspect of the show was so beautiful. It really showed how much courage is required in healing and the ups and downs of the journey of healing.

I loved every character in this show and the 8 episodes makes it short but incredibly deep and sweet. It is hard to watch someone in so much pain, but the show was so uplifting, warm, and beautiful. Lastly, the ML and FL brought the chemistry and heat. Wow.

Like Flowers in Sand (2023–2024)

Memorable Characters

[9/10 · 17 January 2024]

I look forward to this show every week. It is the perfect balance of comedy, sport, romance, and mystery. It reminds me a lot of When the Weather is Fine without the dark elements. I have watched hundreds of dramas and love this one.

It follows the reunion of childhood friends in a little village. You get all the humor of the village dynamics, along with the fun backdrop of the sport of Ssireum. It was so nice they casted actors that looked like they played the sport. They are all regular people, no CEOs or chaebols in sight.

The chemistry of the ML and FL is palpable and of course the ML character is so well acted. You can't keep your eyes off the ML whenever he is on. He is nearly unrecognizable from his earlier works, like Tale of Nokdu, but his acting is 100% better. He makes you listen to every word and expresses every emotion. I absolutely love his character.

This is not a roller coaster of emotions or adrenaline murder mystery, but instead a very entertaining steady and moving story with so many memorable characters. I have lost interest in so many weekly releases, but I absolutely love seeing these characters every week. My only complaint is it is only 12 episodes.

Secret Love (2013)

Gripping, Emotional and Unforgettable

[10/10 · 5 December 2023]

Wow. I put this on the list for months and finally took the plunge. I was blown away. The first few episodes were so absurd, I was afraid the whole thing would be a soap, but the acting kept me from looking away. I had so many questions and I could not stop watching. The male lead was phenomenal and I loved the intensity. The chemistry between the ML and FL was amazing. There is nothing lukewarm about love, and this story showed all the emotions when each character was trying to act out of love. The emotional range and passion reminded me of shows like Doom at Your Service and It's Okay To Not Be Okay. When the characters comforted each other during their times of distress, you felt the intimacy of love in the deepest way.

I spent every episode questioning why each character did what they did and the writer kept on answering all the questions. The character development was so real and intense. I love kdramas because I get attached to the characters far more than a movie or American show. This show was too short and I would have easily sat through 16 more episodes. This is definitely on my rewatch list and shot up to my top 5 kdramas after watching over 100.