Another post from my personal blog that I just want to annoy my most beloved AFF community with and to expose just exactly how old I am just to scare ya all.  Yes, I'm that bored, but not motivated enough to write up another story update yet.

It has been a while since my last blog post, so I might be losing my touch with how I usually write these posts (not that I have any particular style to begin with).  Anyways, today I just want to spazz about some of the dramas I always seem to come back to almost year after year even though they might or might not be “outstanding” at all in terms of acting, plot, and cinematography-wise.  Heck, some of these dramas wouldn’t even make my top ten list.  However, they are dramas that I tend to go back to time and time again for whatever mundane reasons.  I’m not sure if I can categorize them as “guilty pleasure dramas”, but they certainly provide some level of comfort whenever the present drama land is being ty on poor old me who’s getting older & less energetic each passing day (these days, I just drop onto my bed & sleep immediately after work @___@).  Anyways, enough about my sleep-deprived situation (as I’m pretty much always sleep-deprived anyways since high school).  And, yes, it’s a definitely a “time-travel” post today.

Anyways, not in any particular order and surprisingly, only one C-drama from mainland China (despite that I have a few more that would have made it to my top ten list):

Autumn’s Concerto

A Taiwanese idol drama starring Vanness Wu and Ady An.

Usually I can’t take anything that has an “idol romance-melodramatic” vibe to it.  But surprisingly, this one works for me as it continues to spoil me with awesome OSTs and scenes of a particular cute child actor throughout all the “melodrama-mess” (& no, it’s not a typo).  Asides from the main leads’ chemistry, a few good actors, and the cute kid, the plot is actually quite…typical.  I rewatch this at least once every couple of years because of all the heart-throbbing moments between the main leads (& again, to “aw…” at the cute kid).

Proposal Daisakusen 

From the title, one can tell that this is from Japan, even if you can’t tell from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean apart. The hairstyles & make-up techniques should give it away.  I rewatch this a few to several times over the span of every three years…would have rewatch more if the leading actress was Erika Toda

This is the drama that introduced the song, Chiisana Koi no Uta, to me and I have the song on my playlist ever since.  I love almost everything about this drama and would have love literally EVERYTHING about this drama if the leading lady was Erika Toda instead of Nagasaw Masami (not that I really have anything against her).  How I pray for a day when Erika Toda & Yamapi is the OTP of a drama…but Japan is not giving me that, even though it gives so many weird inventions to the world on a regular basis.  Oh yea, here’s the legendary song forever on my playlist:

Nobuta wo Produce

Another Yamapi drama! Erika Toda had a supporting role in this one.

This is probably my first “bromance” drama (just pure friendship between guys, no homo-intended), and no, Journey to the West doesn’t count.  Also, this is the drama that introduced me to Yamapi, Erika Toda, Kame, and Maki Horikita.  A different take on the meaning of youth.  I rewatch this about once or twice every two years.

Ups & Downs in the Sea of Love

This is definitely an old one…from back in the days when I was either in my last year of elementary school or first year of high school.  Starring Nick Cheung (one of my favourite HK actors) and Maggie Cheung.

I have to say that this is probably my first idol drama…yes, I know that these actors are no idols, I just meant the plot.  It’s a story about love at first sight that eventually turned into a love-hate relationship.  The leading lady is kinda a pretty geek and the leading man is a funny, charismatic second-generation rich kid that unfortunately became poor long before the story officially begins.   There’s another love-hate relationship between an opinionated but slobby man & a fashionable pixie-like lady, of which the former happens to be the best friend of the leading man and the latter the best friend of the leading lady, respectively.  There’s also the guy’s best female friend who totally got friendzoned by him and suddenly found out that she’s the half-sister of the leading lady!  Oh, and did I forget to mention there’s a con-artist in the story?  Now, you see why I end up rewatching this AT LEAST once a year?  It’s basically the bible for all the modern idol dramas out there today (of course, most idols today need to sharpen their acting skills).

Black & White

The drama that has all my favourite Taiwanese actors in it…except for Vic Zhou, because his acting is ty (good thing it didn’t affect his role in this drama too much).

Crime fighting, mystery, thriller, romance, bromance all-in-one!  Too bad there’s no second season…and even worse, they gave us a very bad movie to cater to the hype.  I rewatch this once every three years…mostly due to Mark’s acting & the OSTs.

In Time with You

Ariel Lin (aka my Taiwanese queen) and Chen Bolin

This drama is quite slow-paced, but the mature acting of the leads helped me focus a lot on the story progression.  There’s a bit of unnecessary sub-plots & typical Taiwanese-style bad acting from the minor characters, but overall it is still definitely better than its Korean remake.  I rewatch this about once every year or two…or whenever I experience a heartbreak (which is unfortunately the often case during the last two years).  *le sigh* Of course, there’s no Li Daren in reality.

Split Second

The drama that gave me hope about the future productions of TVB and then, totally murdered that hope.

The premise of this drama is quite similar to the American TV series, 24.  Everything about this drama was near perfection, from the acting, the cinematography, and to the plot…of course, TVB just wouldn’t give me that.  They have to cast one painfully obvious bad actress (the Thai actress in white suit on poster).  If you like Infernal Affairs, then you would definitely like this drama.  I only rewatch this once in a blue moon because I can’t seem to find good quality videos anywhere (otherwise, I would have rewatch it at least once every couple of years).

Misaeng

Woohoo! Finally a Kdrama for all ya koreaboos out there to wave about.

It’s about the struggle of an ordinary man and his quiet determination.  Great acting and surprisingly good pace for a drama about the office workers.  I can’t say on average about how many times I would rewatch this on a yearly basis…but I already rewatch it three times and I’m thinking that I’ll rewatch this again a couple of years from now.

Eternal Happiness

The drama in which Raymond Lam still seems passionate in acting and the first drama in which I can finally tolerate Michelle Ye’s acting.

An period romcom of a dense but loyal guy and a clever but rebellious lady.  I rewatch this around at least once every two to three years.

It Started with a Kiss I & II

Just put out the abbreviation, ISWAK, and almost every East-Asian drama fanatic would probably know what it stands for.

As usual, there are some bad & over-the-top acting from amongst various actors…but the story is heart-warming, so I end up rewatching this at least once every two to three years.  And Ariel Lin is loveable.

Hearts of Fencing

TVB’s rare attempt at catering to the teenage hearts in the early 2000s and failed miserably because of…yes, you’ve guessed it – HK-style “housewives”.

Not everyone was that great at acting, but the really good background music, the pretty scenes, and the general romcom cheesiness are enjoyable enough to have me coming back for it every once or twice a year.

Nirvana in Fire

Already on my second rerun of this epic drama.

Everything about this drama is perfection!  And I feel as though I’m learning something new or finally catching on certain details as I slowly rewatch it for the second time.  ^^