Chinese Drama : The Legend of Xiao Chuo 燕云台

Year Released 

2020

Genre

Historical fiction

No. of Episodes

48 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Tang Yan, Dou Xiao, Charmaine Sheh, Jing Chao, Lu Shan

Storyline

A story revolves around three sisters of Xiao family from the Empress clan in country of Liao. All three of them marry into each branch of Emperor Taizu's descendants of Yelu clan. 

The Xiao sisters are being entangled into political struggle and manipulation when their husbands (Yelu royals) plot against each other in order to seize the throne.

My View

The drama starts off pretty intense and I enjoy watching every single scene. I guess once after Yansage (Tan Kai) King of Tai Ping passed away, the rest of the episodes are just okay with not much ups and downs.

I actually cried for Xiyin (Ji Chen) King of Zhao when he was killed together with his son. Though he should have been dead long ago due to multiple attempts of rebellion, it was still heart-wrenching to watch it.

I guess there is no right or wrong when one desires to become an Emperor. Who doesn't want to rule the world if given a chance?

Special mention of Xiao Siwen King of Wei (Liu Yijun) who is the leader of Xiao Empress clan. He is a remarkable actor and I do like his villian roles in Nirvana in Fire and Legend of Fuyao. 

For the first time, when he finally gets to be a good character, he dies just like that. Oh my tian..

Rating 

4/5 Stars

Chinese Drama : My Girlfriend is an Alien 外星女生柴小七

Year Released

2019

Genre

RomCom, Fantasy

No. of Episodes

28 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Bie Thassapak Hsu, Wan Peng

Storyline

Fang Leng (Bie Thassapak Hsu) is met with a car accident on a stormy night. Xiao Qi (Wan Peng), an alien who happens to be on earth, saves Fang Leng. Xiao Qi loses her annunciator in the midst and is unable to return to her planet.

Her only clue is Fang Leng and she tries all ways and means to get close to him. However, Fang Leng suffers from amnesia (only on rainy days) whereby he only forgets any girls he dated. 

My View

An interesting romcom plot which keeps me entertained throughout the serial. This is a must watch!

Rating

5/5 Stars

Chinese Drama : Jiu Liu Overlord 九流霸主

Year Released

2020

Genre

Historical fiction

No. of Episodes

36 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Lai Yi, Bai Lu

Storyline

Li Qingliu (Lai Yi) is an upper class businessman of Jiu Liu at Silver City while Long Aoyi (Bai Lu) is the leader of Longzhu gang at lower class of Jiu Liu.

The pair work together in investigating the stolen golden threads at Xinsilu. They gradually fall love but are meet with multiple obstacles when Qingliu's real identity of the fourth prince is revealed. 

My View

The entire plot is pretty average. It feels like I'm watching dramas from yesteryear similar to those HK TVB days.

Rating

2/5 Stars

Chinese Drama : Here to Heart 温暖的弦

Year Released

2018

Genre

Romance

No. of Episodes

48 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Zhang Han, Chang Chun-ning

Storyline

Zhan Nanxian (Zhang Han) and Wen Nuan (Chang Chun-ning) used to go out together during school days. However, Wen Nuan suddenly asks for a break-up and disappears.

Fast forward seven years later, Nanxian is already CEO of Qianyu. Wen Nuan also returns from England and works as executive assistant to Nanxian.

They try to rekindle their love but are meet with multiple obstacles due to past hurts and also third party Bo Yixin (Zhang Jiani). Yixin is Wen Nuan's best friend back in school and has a one-sided crush on Nanxian.

My View

The plot is not too bad at first but starts to get draggy after a while. Many redundant episodes making me lose interest in it.

The only part which I like is the love relationship between Yixin and Pan Weining (Liang Dawei). I actually ship for them than the first leads.

Rating 

2/5 Stars

Chinese Drama : General's Lady 将军家的小娘子

Year Released

2020

Genre

Historical fiction

No. of Episodes

30 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Tang Min, Wu Xize

Storyline

General Chu Xiuming (Wu Xize) is known as a cold-blooded demon general who never loses a battle. Shen Jin (Tang Min) is the third daughter of Prince Rui. 

The Emperor decrees an arranged marriage between General Chu and second daughter of Prince Rui. Shen Jin reluctantly accepts to marry the General in exchange for her mother's better life at home.

After some time, the pair gradually fall in love. Though they bicker most of the time, Xiuming and Jin are willing to go through thick and thin together.

My View

I guess my standards are set so much higher after watching awesome historical fiction dramas like Princess Agents, The Wolf, Goodbye My Princess, Nirvana in Fire etc..

The plot is just fine. The villians do not last too long and their plans are being exposed easily. After the main leads return to Capital, things start to slow down quite a bit.

The only part which I like most is during last episode when Emperor decides to return his throne to the rightful heir. That is pretty funny.

Rating

3/5 Stars

Chinese Drama : Go Go Squid 亲爱的, 热爱的

Year Released   

2019

Genre

Esports

No. of Episodes

41 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Yang Zi, Li Xian

Storyline

Gun God (Li Xian) was once the top player of Solo team representing China in cybersecurity CTF competition. He retires from esports during his peak period due to two of the members Solo (Li Zefeng) and Appledog (Wang Zhen'er) leaving the team. 

Tong Nian (Yang Zi) is a university student who falls in love with Gun at first sight. Tong Nian is helping her cousin mending the counter when Gun visits their internet cafe.

My View

I guess a lot of people are still skeptical about esports whether it could be treated as a future career. GGS depicts the dreams of youngsters and brotherhood.

The part where Solo and Appledog apologised to Gun made me teared up. The pain, regrets which had been bottled up in them for the past ten years were all being released at once.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Chinese Drama : The Romance of Tiger and Rose 传闻中的陈芊芊

Year Released

2020

Genre

Historical fiction, Comedy

No. of Episodes

24 - running time of 45 minutes per episode

Starring

Zhao Lusi, Ding Yuxi

Storyline

Chen Xiaoqian (Zhao Lusi), a struggling screenwriter faces criticism from actor Han that her script lacks creativity probably due to her zero love experience.

While Xiaoqian makes amendment on her story "The Romance of Tiger and Rose", she falls asleep and gets transported into her very own plot world. Xiaoqian wakes up as the third princess Chen Qianqian of Huayuan City.

Huayuan is where females are more superior than males unlike Xuanhu City where males' are of high status. It happens that Han Shuo, the prince from Xuanhu (looks exactly like actor Han) has come to marry the second princess of Huayuan, Chen Chuchu (Zhou Zixin).

Unfortunately, Qianqian snatches Han Shuo to be her husband instead. Qianqian is supposed to die after drinking poisonous wine on her wedding night. Han Shuo's plan is to kill Qianqian, marries Chuchu, steals Huayuan's national treasure, Dragon Bone to cure his heart disease and lastly to conquer Huayuan.

Since Xiaoqian knows the entire scenes inside out, she plays along while trying to change every sequence of events.

My View

Quite a lovely story but without much ups and downs. Plus point is that this drama is short and sweet or I will have to rate a 1 or 2.

Rating

3/5 Stars

Chinese Drama : Ode to Joy 1 & 2 ~ 欢乐颂 1 & 2

Year Released

2016 (Season 1), 2017 (Season 2)

Genre

Slice of life

No. of Episodes

42 - running time of 45 minutes per episode (Season 1), 55 - running time of 45 minutes per episode (Season 2)

Starring

Liu Tao, Jiang Xin, Wang Ziwen, Yang Zi, Qiao Xin

Storyline

The drama depicts daily lives of five ladies staying at aparment Ode to Joy in Shanghai. 

Andy (Liu Tao) is a Wall Street executive who returns to China in search of her long-lost brother. As an orphan, Andy has difficulties dealing with people. She often battles with hereditary mental disorder.

Fan Shengmei (Jiang Xin) is a senior HR executive at a foreign company. Though she looks like a materialistic lady, she is in fact having financial burden to constantly taking care of her family's expenses.

Qu Xiaoxiao (Wang Ziwen) is a daughter of a rich businessman. She may seems wild and playful but when she puts her mind to it, nothing can stop her getting to her goals whether it is love relationship or career.

Qiu Yingying (Yang Zi) is a happy-go-lucky girl who is innocent and straightforward. She always gives in her all in every relationship. 

Guan Ju'er (Qiao Xin) is a shy and an introvert girl. She lives her life according to her parents' wishes. 

My View

I'm pretty impressed with Andy when she helps to change Qiu Yingying boyfriend's mindset about pre-marital sex. I actually had to re-watch that scene multiple times in order to absorb the information.

Another part is where Andy threatens her boyfriend Bao Yi Fan's mother to stop investigating about her long-lost brother's information at Daishan.

For Fan Shengmei, she is such an unfortunate lady. Her blood-sucking family disgusts me so much. The most ridiculous part is when Shengmei's brother moves their own father (who has a stroke) to her boyfriend Wang Baichuan parent's house.

That is unbelievable and I was swearing all the way.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : When the Weather is Fine

Alternative Title

I'll Find You a Beautiful Day

Year Released

2020

Genre

Slice of Life

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 60 minutes per episode

Starring

Park Min-young, Seo Kang-joon

Storyline

Mok Hae-won (Park Min-young) struggles to live in Seoul as a cello teacher. She returns to her hometown at Bookhyun Village and meets her neighbour Im Eun-seob.

Hae-won and Eun-seob were once classmates in high school. Eun-seob is now a bookstore owner of Good Night Book Store and he organises a book club which gathers the people in the village with same interest.

After getting know of Eun-seob, the cold Hae-won begins to feel warmth for the first time. Together, the pair starts to heal each other of their own past hurts.

My View

A drama about love, forgiveness and healing. Though WTWIF looks like a simple romantic drama, it is about friendship and family's love. 

It is about acceptance, how you decide to let go, open up and embrace others.

After watching tons of crime and thriller dramas, those slow-paced lovely dramas calm me down.

I truly enjoy every moment of this show.

Rating

4/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Where Stars Land

Year Released

2018

Genre

Melodrama

No. of Episodes

32 - running time of 30 minutes per episode

Starring

Lee Je-hoon, Chae Soo-bin, Lee Dong-gun, Kim Ji-soo

Storyline

The story depicts the daily working lives of employees at Incheon International Airport. Mainly the Passenger Services team, Security team, Transportation team and Mooring Management team.

Each team has a role to play when it comes to emergencies happening around the airport.

My View

I enjoyed every single bit of this lively drama making me want to work in an airport as well.

I actually ship for the second lead couple Oh Dae-ki and Na Young-joo from the Security Services team.

Rating

4/5 Stars