WWW ~ April 2017

At this point I'm just going to say I really have no idea how soon posts are going to start being on time.  All 3 of us are crazy busy right now.  On the bright side, this summer we should at least have a bit more regularity in posting!

That said, here is April's WWW.


KOREAN
~ Chicago Typewriter
Empress: *grins* This definitely makes me curious. Of course I'll check it out.
Ambassador: YES, definitely, this looks like it will be HILARIOUS.  Plus Yoo Ah In and Go Kyung Pyo- who does serious comedy well.  TVN has had several good dramas lately and this writer also wrote Kill Me, Heal Me.  Sign me up.
Unni: This sounds beyond awesome...also Yoo Ah In. I haven’t seen him in anything but S-Scandal but I want to see more!!!


~ Queen of Mystery
Empress: I would have said no...I don't think Kwon Sang Woo is enough to make me watch this...not even with His Total Adorableness Lee Won Geun...but then on a whim I started it with my sister {mostly because we couldn't get going on Man to Man}, and I am howling. It's got some off humor and some completely unrealistic moments, but it's also hilarious the rest of the time. I don't know where it's going...there's a lot of frank discussion about divorce, family, one's worth as a person, and where one keeps their dreams...but I'm intrigued enough to keep watching it for a while.
Ambassador: Hmmmmm, well, it could be super interesting, especially considering she's married.  (Is this going to be another wannabe adultery drama????) I'll probably try it at some point.
Unni: -


~ Unni is Alive
Empress: ...I'm...not intrigued.
Ambassador: I have nothing against the plot itself- sounds interesting- but I would very likely be bored to tears in the first episode, and since it's a long, weekend drama I'd probably be bored to death pretty shortly.  I'd like to stay alive so I won't be watching it.
Unni: -


~ My Secret Romance
Empress: That's a terrible synopsis, lol. But I /am/ interested in what Sung Hoon does with it...I'll see what the Ambassador and possibly the Unni think of it and go from there. :)
Ambassador: SUNG HOON IN A LEAD ROLE FOR A LONGER DRAMA, FINALLY.  YEEEEES PLEEEEEASE.  rom com or not, I'll watch it for him.  I've been waiting for him to get some good lead roles.
Unni: -


~ Man to Man
Empress: Ohhhhh, yeah. Me + watching this = definitely happening. 
Ambassador: I HAVE BEEN TRACKING THIS LIKE A HOUND DOG EVER SINCE IT WAS ANNOUNCED, GOBBLING UP STILLS AND EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION.  I'M ABSOLUTELY WATCHING IT.  PLOT + PARK HAE JIN, PARK SUNG WOONG AND YEON JUNG HOON ALL IN THE SAME DRAMA WITH CHUN HO JIN IN A MINOR ROLE AND SONG JOONG KI CAMEOING.  YEEEES.  PLEASE DRAMA, BE GOOD.
Unni: -


Webdramas:
~ The Boy Next Door
Empress: If my endless list of MUST WATCHES would quit strangling me I might consider it, but no.
Ambassador: Webdramas tend to highlight up and coming, SUPER NEW stars, or be brief money makers for established idols.  There’s no one I really want to see in this one and the plot isn't interesting enough either.
Unni: -


~ Girls War
Empress: That does sound cute. And possibly interesting. But not interesting enough considering I haven't had time to finish W yet. !!!
Ambassador: Hmm, well, cute plot but no, I just don't have the time.
Unni: -
Ambassador: Empress, I'm going to sit on you until you finish Bad Guys and W.


CHINESE
~ The Glory of Tang Dynasty 2
Empress: Novel + love/great things for country...I like how that sounds. I'm still watching General and I, though, so...maybe someday....XD
Ambassador: Sequel to one that aired earlier this year.  Jing Tian and Mao Zi Jun are in this.  The synopsis is the same as the earlier drama, but hey, PALACE POLITICS.  I’m a sucker for those dramas so yeah, I’m watching it.
Unni: -


~ The Surgeon
Empress: Wow, bummer life. But it's a hospital drama, so I most likely won't touch it. XD
Ambassador: Sounds like a good thriller, but someone else can have the honor of trying it, thanks anyway.
Unni: -


~ Blind Date
Empress: ....wow. That is intriguing. But it doesn't grab me as a must-watch.
Ambassador: A CHINESE version of an ARGENTINE drama.  That's got to be INTERESTING.  Considering the insane (but hilarious) amount of makjang usually present in Argentine dramas, it should work just fine.  I'm strongly tempted to try it just to see what it's like... but it won't happen anytime soon.
Unni: -


~ What a Wonderful Life
Empress: Heh. Well, sounds like a far wiser life-plan than a lot of people in dramas have after emotional entanglements, but...not enough to watch.
Ambassador: ...good for her, but the only connection with organic vegetables that I have time for is eating them, so no.
Unni: -


~ The Super Royal Highness
Empress: .....a shape-changing llama...what...This sounds insane and I'm laughing just about the synopsis.
Ambassador: An hour-and-a-half drama special, sounds absolutely hilarious, yes, if I can find it, I'll watch it late some night when I'm tired and in the mood for crazy.
Unni: -


~ Growing Up Together
Empress: That is NOT the way to raise a child...but it is at least a different kind of story line. Interesting...maybe not enough to knock anything off my list, though...
Ambassador: Wow, I'm not sure whether to have more sympathy for the child or the parents.  Either way, this sounds pretty good and I might consider trying it at some point.
Unni: -


~ Insect Mahjong Museum
Empress: LOL I always enjoy seeing how a strange plot becomes even more insane when horribly translated...and ah, no, this does not sound like something I'd enjoy watching...
Ambassador: Well.  NO???  Sounds... wacky, and not in a way that I'm likely to love, just keep raising my eyebrows higher, but at some point they can't go any higher, so I'll save them the stretching out.
Unni: -


~ Fresh Teachers
Empress: Cut the Chaos of Chaos is the single thing that interested me in that mess. It just had a ring to it. The rest of it...nope.
Ambassador: Also called ‘fresh meat teacher’, which... could go one of at least 3 ways and none of them for polite conversation.  Re: the drama, naaah, not my thing.
Unni: -


~ Operation Love
Empress: Baha...maybe should I ever finish Operation Proposal...wait, is this the Chinese remake of the Japanese drama of which Operation Proposal was a remake? HUH. Well, if I haven't yet finished the one with Yoo Seung Ho in it, I'm not watching one for Lay...XD
Ambassador: Starring EXO's Lay.  Er, no.  *shoves it over to Unni*
Unni: -


~ The Queen Returns
Empress: *eyes spin* XD Once I get solidly into historical Chinese dramas maybe I'll start more on the Chinese rom-com angle...XD This does sound possibly enjoyable.
Ambassador: This actually sounds HILARIOUS.  Though wow, Chinese dramas and their 'coincidences'.
Unni: -


~ Song of Phoenix
Empress: oooh...that sounds like a good combination...and I like its name...and...yeah, this is one I might watch. XD
Ambassador: There's been A LOT of buzz around this one.  I like slave/noble storylines and of course, adore palace politics and country saving dramas, so this one is pretty high on my list.
Unni: -


~ Fighter of the Destiny
Empress: I need to start hopping through the trials and tribulations of my life...XD It sounds intriguing...though I don't know if I'm caught enough to break my list again...
Ambassador: This sounds GREAT, and features Luhan and Guli Nazha.  I'm adding it to my list, if for no other reason than to find out what a 'promise of marriage scroll' is.
Unni: -


~ Ice Fantasy Destiny
Empress: ............Okay, this caught my attention. I haven't gotten to start Ice Fantasy yet, but...the trailer for this looks FASCINATING. I need to watch them both. I need to...At some point I and my list both will implode and become a massive black hole.
Ambassador: WHOA, WHAT THE HECK?  THEY DID A SCARLET HEART ON THIS AND MADE A MODERN VERSION?  HOLY COW, I’VE GOT TO SEE THIS AT ONCE.  They brought back almost everyone for the main cast, too, only substituting Kitty Zhang for Victoria Song.  I tend to prefer Victoria to Kitty BUT HOLY COW AM I GOING TO WATCH THE HECK OUT OF THIS DRAMA.
IN FACT, although I haven’t yet finished Ice Fantasy, I’m going straightaway to start this drama.  TODAY. 
Unni: -


TAIWANESE
~ The Teenage Psychic
Empress: Erm...nah...not my type of story...
Ambassador: Weeeeell, not usually my thing and sounds like it might cross over into ghosts, which I don't usually watch.  Probably not.
Unni: -


~ The Masked Lover
Empress: Wow. It's been quite a while since I considered a Taiwanese drama, but...this one...My black hole destiny nears.
Ambassador: I usually wind up rolling my eyes over Taiwanese synopses and moving on but THIS ONE actually sounds super intriguing.  It might wind up being my second Taiwanese drama.
Unni: -


~ Family Time
Empress: In the end, I will live my life and spend time with my own family if that's all the drama is going to be about...
Ambassador: ....it's probably going to be makjang, or at least slow.  I'm not sure my Wonder Woman skills extend to stretching my drama list past humanly possible limits and this isn't going to be the drama I use to test it.
Unni: -


CANTONESE
~ My Dearly Sinful Mind
Empress: Definitely an intriguing idea, but not going on my list for multiple reasons.
Ambassador: iiiiiiiiinteresting, but not likely to tempt me.
Unni: -


~ The No No Girl
Empress: Huh. There's nothing there that interests me at all. Sad.
Ambassador: BOOOOOOOOORIIIIING.
Unni: -


THAI
~ Cheewit Puer Kah Huajai Puer Tur
Empress: ooooh...okay, that is intriguing. It might to go the bottom of my list, but unlike many of these it might actually get on it. XD
Ambassador: I’ve never seen a Thai drama but this one has me suuuuper curious.  I'm going to check it out.
Unni: -


~ Princess Hours: Thai
Empress: I have the Korean one on my list, and I think it will stay there...if I ever GET to it, I might consider this one...though I haven't had much luck with ever getting through various versions of the same drama.
Ambassador: I haven’t seen the Korean version yet so I won't be trying this one.  This is much more Unni's comfort zone than mine. 
Unni: -


Readers, which April dramas have YOU watched or do you plan on watching?

Phantom Detective/탐정 홍길동: 사라진 마을/Tamjeong Honggildong: Sarajin Maeul

Noir like you've never seen it before.

Ok, so I wasn't expecting the movie to start with the "hero" threatening to blow two men's heads off if they didn't cut the fingers off of a third. It's not my usual movie type. But it plays out with a deliciously understated sense of grandiosity, as if saying Yes, We Are Dark And Scary And Oh, So Dangerous, But We're Also Not Taking Ourselves Seriously, So Please Just Come Along For The Ride.
And what a fun ride.

From the main character's sleight of hand and hypnotically smooth voice to the delightful way the youngest granddaughter of his enemy promptly yells at him and destroys all illusion of his abilities, it continues with, to quote a favorite author, the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad.

Whether he's slamming a chest-lid on top of a body or getting the car door swung into him by the granddaughters he's unable to keep in hand, Lee Je-Hoon plays Hong Gil-Dong with a sense of exasperation at the world in general. From claiming goosebumps at their hand-holding to literally facepalming at their deal-breaking interruptions, his attitude clashing against the two small girls he basically kidnaps is hilarious, yet mixed with pathos as they comment with shock on his many lies, and he insists yet again that he is not a good guy, guilt building in him as the movie progresses.

 

Who is Hong Gil-Dong if not a good guy? A member of a secret and illegal detective agency who has spent his entire life searching for the person who killed his mother and the reason why she was killed. Every other mystery he solves easily, but the one that haunts him is unsolvable...until the day he finally finds a clue as to the location of his mother's killer. To his great disappointment he finds only the killer's two granddaughters, as someone else has made it to the killer first--another secret and illegal organization known as Gwangeunhwe. His promise to find their grandfather for them reeks of ulterior motives, but the children have nowhere else to turn, and so follow him on his search, entirely unaware of his true plan.

What follows is a strangely delightful cross between a babysitting job and revenge mission, as Gil-Dong ends up dragging two small children along into a mess greater than he ever dreamed. The historical implications and connections to a disaster currently in the making narrow around him as he persists in his mission, despite any obstacles thrown into his way by Gwangeunhwe.



The older granddaughter, Dong Yi, does her best to protect her sister and find her grandfather (and pay for their hotel when Gil-Dong runs out of money), while the suspicious, delightful, adorable youngest granddaughter Mal-Soon is a delight to watch, especially each time she clashes with Gil-Dong or calls him out on his lack of morals.

There are a few other intriguing characters...

His adoptive sister {Go Ara}, president of that illegal detective agency.

Kim Byeong-Duk {Park Geun-hyung}, the missing grandfather, killer of Gil-Dong's mother, and possible linchpin in a coming disaster.

Kang Sung-il {Kim Sung-kyun}, Hong Gil-Dong's current nemesis...

There is minimal swearing, and I don't recall any other issues beyond slightly comic-book-style violence (lotssss of shooting and stabbing and getting thrown across rooms, etc) and some creepy nightmares that torment Gil-Dong. The politics did feel a little vague -- whether that was the fault of the movie or the fault of the subtitles I had access to, I'm not entirely sure. The soundtrack was just right...not overbearing, but the kind that you notice fits the story. There was a lot of green-screen, but I liked the effect. XD If you're looking for a twist on the classic detective story and want to try a Korean movie, especially if you enjoy adorable children and over-the-top fight scenes,  Phantom Detective is a great one to try.

WWW ~ March 2017

I'm very late again this month, but it is still March, so not quite out of date.


KOREAN
~ Father is Strange
Empress: Weekend family dramas, not my thing...
Ambassador: Welllll, Lee Joon is the main but it's a weekend family drama and I don't watch those.  Bye bye, possibility.
Unni: This sounds......boring-ish...I’ll pass thank you much!


~ You're Too Much
Empress: Heh, I like the impersonator angle. But again, nope. What they said. XD
Ambassador: another long family weekend drama.  noooope.  Only long weekend dramas I watch are sageukes, because manes of glory are needed to offset the boredom.  And swords.
Unni: *giggles at Ambassador’s reasons* But I have to agree, I have better things to be doing.


~ Queen of the Ring
Empress: Hm, I might try it with my sister. We're always looking for short kdramas. XD
Ambassador: another fantasy short.  Possibly I'll watch it?  Kim Seul Gi is genius at fantasy shorts if Splash Splash Love was anything to go by.
Unni: Oh! This looks cute! I’ll probably fill in an afternoon or evening with this somewhere along the line.


~ Radiant Office
Empress: I stay away from terminal illness dramas in general...(other than Marriage Contract, which was actually AMAZING).
Ambassador: *barely stumbles through synopsis without dislocating jaw with yawns*  Lordy no.  I'd fall asleep.
Unni: This...could be interesting. I might just peek at an episode before I decide on way or the other.


~ Whisper
Empress: ...Yes....I have to check it out, obviously...
Ambassador: YES.  This plot + Lee Bo Young and Lee Sang Yoon as leads with Lee Se Young as a secondary lead.  HECK YES.
Unni: *pricks up ears* this sounds interesting. I’ll probably see what they think of it before I go for it...but we’ll see.
Empress: *cracking up because Unni clearly knew what I was going to say*


~ Tunnel
Empress: What Unni said - if it's like that I will love it.  And FINALLY, Choi Jin-Hyuk...XD {Even though I haven't managed to finish his drama Pride and Prejudice yet. That is a drama where actually knowing Korean would really help with understanding the plot...}
Ambassador: I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR MONTHS.  CHOI JIN HYUK IS COMING BACK AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER.  ESPECIALLY WITH THIS SYNOPSIS.  AND OCN BEING THE NETWORK.
Unni: Hmm...time travel + serial killer= *wondering if this would be like 9 Times Time Travel meets Hello Monster* color me intrigued.


~ The Liar and his Lover
Empress: I watched the Japanese movie because DUH Sato Takeru...I went on a Japanese movie binge following Bloody Monday...it wasn't the weirdest thing I watched because of Sato Takeru, but I spent most of the movie puzzling over why they were pairing up an adult musician and a high school girl and why that relationship was bothering no one. IGNORING THAT ASPECT (like the movie did...), I liked it. Bromance, music, and Sato Takeru's face. What's not to like. Come on.
I really didn't feel like there was enough story there for a /drama/, but I'm going to have to check it out, if only to compare it to the movie.
Ambassador: Lee Hyun Woo lands some pretty interesting roles but this one isn't high on my list.  Not enough to draw me in.  If Unni likes it, I might check it out.  It's based on a manga which can mean a better base for adaptations but Cheese in the Trap apparently showed how that can go wrong.
Unni: Hmm, love and lies, this sounds UTTERLY PAINFUL...but then again it could have cute fluffy semi-tragic romance and a killer OST...which would be right up my ally....or it could be completely idiotic and I’ll be throwing my poor stuffed animals at the screen and screaming shut up in Chinese. I have a feeling I’ll be hooked on it....this could end badly for one of us.
Empress: LOL you guys.


~ Trace of the Hand  (webdrama)
Empress: *grinning* If Truly #short I might try this, just because it could be funny.
Ambassador: I'm snickering so hard.  I might watch it, just because #webdrama and #short.
Unni: HE SOUNDS AWFUL!!!! But isn’t this what we all want to do??????? *glances around* I mean...if we could wouldn’t we...but then we’d be the NSA..... *wonders if NSA agents are in love with people like us* I am digressing. This could be really cute, and I might watch it.


CHINESE
~ House Full of Happiness
Empress: Ufda. Okay, but mistranslated synopsis are frustrating but possibly hilarious, and this one... "yellow peony dusk love" and "suffered a small sister-in-law threat" --I'm cracking up. That said, it doesn't interest me. XD
Ambassador: Well, it sounds like a bunch of family drama and I'm not normally keen on that but I might check this one out for the sister dynamic.
Unni: My head hurts from this synopsis, but it could be....interesting but currently I am only interested in Chinese dramas that are of a historic nature. Chinese dramas don’t have the cute Taiwanese accent, juuuuuust sayin....


~The Name of the People
Empress: I feel like such a show being aired could be of historical note...but we'll see.
Ambassador: A Chinese House of Cards, with Lu Yi?  GIVE ME.  NOW.  Even if it is more of a Communist POV, just GIMME.
Unni: *leaves the Ambassador to her glory and moves on*
Empress: The Unni has only just got me started on a Chinese drama I might actually finish...if the Ambassador loves this one, I'll go for it. XD


~ Razor Edge
Empress: If it's anything like Gaksital, I am in. XD
Ambassador: Sounds like a Chinese pseudo-Gaksital, at least as far as the politics and police sides go.  Absolutely trying this, out of sheer curiosity.
Unni: I haven’t dared to try and tread in Gaksital...so I shall not tread here.


~ The Battle at the Dawn
Empress: *wince* I love the title...I like historical...this sounds very painful. I'll wait to see what the Ambassador thinks. XD
Ambassador: war, Liu Shi Shi, yep, yep, yep, count me in.
Unni: This sounds like....a blood bath waiting to happen. I am not signing up to get my heart broken.


~ Dear Archimedes
Empress: That...sounds intriguing. And it's only 20 episodes. *adds to list whether or not I'll ever get to it*
Ambassador: Sounds a bit like Taiwan's Love Me If You Dare.  Hmmm.  I'll check it out, again because of that ever questing thing called CURIOSITY.  EXO's Sehun is in it, which'll be interesting but makes me think it won't be nearly as serious as Love Me If You Dare.
Unni: *looks at Ambassador’s notes and moves Taiwanese Love Me If You Dare onto my list of things to watch*  *hears the Ambassador's information about it and moves it back off the list FAST*
Empress: Heh, I want to stick the Taiwanese drama on there too....


~ Across the Ocean to See You
Empress: .......that again....if people were actually doing the idea in a new way, that'd be one thing, but when /that/ is the description...
Ambassador: And the Ambassador yawns again!  Rom coms have that effect on me.  Needless to add, no, this isn't going on my list.
Unni: I have enough fluff to keep me busy for the moment, and couples at odds isn’t my thing.


~ Feather Flies to the Sky
Empress: This sounds interesting, but interesting in a I-want-to-read-a-history-book kind of way, and I'm not sure I want to spend my break time in that way.
Ambassador: well, it sounds like it has lots of good research material but since it's not anything I need anytime soon, nope.
Unni: Interesting, but I started to yawn, so a pass from me.


~ Head Above Water
Empress: If Korean I'd be all over this...as is...I like the title and I'll wait to hear the Ambassador's verdict. XD
Ambassador: Yes.  Police espionage thriller is the described genere.  YES.
Unni: I leave this to the Ambassador.


~ Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy
Empress: WOW...okay, I haven't gotten to Ice Fantasy yet, but maybe if I do, then I can put this on as my next Chinese fantasy. Depending on how it's done. XD
Ambassador: FINALLY WE'RE GETTING THIS.  I've been seeing promo stuff for months and it's got me pretty interested.  *scrawls title at the top of TBW list*
Unni: Warrior Princess...Spirit in a stone???..Okay, Novoland has caught my interest, but I haven’t jumped into full fantasy yet...who Knows I might give this a try yet.


~ I Love My President Though He's a Psycho
Empress: That sounds like a TERRIBLE idea in real life...and usually when it's /that/ bad of an idea it wrecks my ability to enjoy even a fictional story...but wow, yeah, I do like the title, and it could one of those I "accidentally start." :)
Ambassador: Definite props to the title for being attention grabbing.  Of all the bizarre plots I've come across recently, this is one of the weirdest.  It could be interesting but I feel like I'd personally get a headache so I'll pass for now.  Who knows though, if the internet buzz is good enough, I might surprise myself by trying it.
Unni: I am so scratching my head over this! WHY WOULD YOU FALL FOR SOMEONE WITH A PERSONALITY DISORDER??? WHY!!!! I think I’ll leave this in the no thank you pile...unless my personality changes.


~ Fox Falls In Love
Empress: LOL I don't think that's enough to make me watch it...
Ambassador: No idea what the details of the plot are supposed to be, but the title and brief synopsis sound amusing.  I might add this to the very tail end of my list.
Unni: I see what you did there Ambassador. This sounds cute. Maaaaaaaybe I’ll try a modern Chinese drama because I love foxes and rabbits, I bought fox and rabbit socks last week. Maybe it’s destiny.Empress: I'll be looking forward to seeing what the Unni and/or possibly the Ambassador thinks of it. XD


~ Because of You
Empress: There's several similar Korean dramas I'd watch before I tried this one.
Ambassador: apparently the Chinese version of Korea's Come! Jang Bo Ri?  Not enough flash and bang for me.
Unni: I remember faintly being interested in Come! Jang Bo Ri....and seeing screen shots and going...I don’t know about this. This does sound semi interesting but I’d go for a Korean version long before I land myself in a tangled modern Chinese one. Empress: ^that.


Feb dramas that weren't listed at the time February's WWW went up:
~ Above the Clouds
Empress: Gah...Somehow this makes me think of Queen In Hyun's Man, and even without time travel, if it's like that I'll love it...but I'll wait to hear what it's like. XD
Ambassador: Palace dramas, secrets across time, opening historical graves... oh yes, quite probably I'll watch this sometime.  Plus, Mabel Yuan is a favorite actress of mine.
Unni: General & I has condemned me to open up my brain about Chinese dramas....this sounds like it could be interesting.


~ The Journey 2
Empress: Intriiiiiiiiguing....I feel like the dramas this month are SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING than last month's...this is seriously bad for my list...um, maybe?
Ambassador: Can I have this power, please?  I feel like I'd be good at making people cry sincerely.  I likely won't watch it right away but definitely some day.
Unni: Oh...this is a cool super power *sigh* whyyyyy does it have to be historical!!!! And look awesome and why is there a person with cool white hair on the cover.... Why GENERAL AND I YOU HAVE CONDEMNED ME!!!! MY LIFE WAS SO MUCH SIMPLER BEFORE I MET YOU!


TAIWANESE
~ Q Series: House of Toy Bricks
Empress: gahhhhhhh...that sounds tragic...and...yes, I have Q Series: Close Your Eyes Before It's Dark on my list, but I'm not adding this one.
Ambassador: No, I don't watch horror. 
Unni: This is just....horrifying. No thank you.


~ The Perfect Match
Empress: It's been a while since I watched a T-drama...I'll wait to hear what the Unni thinks.
Ambassador: Nothing like a challenge to the ego of a man to rouse him.  Not likely I'll watch this, though it sounds amusing.  Unni, it's right up your alley.
Unni: *SQUEAK* A FOODIE, ROM-COM, TAIWANESE DRAMA WITH A NIGHT MARKET!!!! *bounces up and down* YES YES YES YES YES PLEASE PLEASE AND THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! PLEASE BE GOOD!!! 
Empress: hee. I love how by now drama preferences are pretty clear...XD


CANTONESE
~ Provocateur
Empress: If this were a kdrama I'd try it. But I don't think my list is short enough to pull me into Cantonese dramas.
Ambassador: ummmmm no.  I just don't have time, though it sounds interesting.
Unni: Cantonese dramas almost always sound depressing to me, though if I had to speak with as many tones as they do, I might write depressed stories too.



Which of these dramas will YOU be watching?

General & I

Once upon a time I watched a Chinese movie and it rapidly went from cute......to weird beyond all of my imagination but I was so shocked I kept watching and watching and watching. I banned all Chinese dramas and movies from my life from sheer weirdness and shock.

Then it happened. I was browsing youtube for various dramas and I stumbled upon a Chinese fantasy drama, it caught my interest, but I was still reluctant to commit, another one caught my attention and even though it was only 20 episodes I was reluctant...then one more caught my attention. Instantly I was in love, I checked the amount of episodes and threw caution and everything else to the wind.

Needless to say 62 episodes later I am deeply deeply in love with this historical C Drama. I am going to try and stay spoiler free as possible...but that is going to be difficult. I have a feeling this is going to be more restrained fan-girling than an actual review. 

General and I

PG-13 + (but it's a far from R)
(warning labels)
It's a historical drama so what do you expect? It's an absolute blood bath in certain episodes. Nothing too gruesome, just loss of life which is tragic, lots of blood coming out of mouths, and some spurts which made me wince and look away but nothing that horrified me...that I saw.

There are some intimate shots, no direct nudity, though a few of the guy character are shirtless (a few times) and  one scene the girl character is wearing very little and filming tried to make the most out of  it, also there are a few scenes with girls taking steaming baths, not much more than shoulders and arms are shown.

A concubine is very creepy, and tries to get pregnant with someone who isn't the king, so there is some shadows, but we don't see any of the intimacy thankfully.

One night two characters sleep in the same bed, she passed out, and he was drunk, nothing happened but the still spent the night together.

There are several suicides in this drama and one attempt, if this is a trigger watch with discretion or skip all together.

One character goes mad, and another shows signs of madness, possibly triggered by grief, bitterness and power hunger.

So let's get down to business.

Based of a Chinese Novel: A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated, we get this beautiful story, that is full of beautiful visuals, beautiful characters...and some green screening.

Costumes and characters are lovely deep, complicated and overall lovable.
The themes of love, forgiveness, bitterness, friendship and loyalty ran very deep in this drama and wove it's way beautifully and intensely through it's story telling.

Characters:

Ping Ting

Beautiful, brilliant, military strategist, orphaned and taken in by the Prince An family, Ping Ting is the picture of loyalty and brilliance.

She captivated me almost instantly with her quiet modesty and yet strategic brilliance and masterminding a brilliant battle strategy. She was treated by He Xia as an equal but a woman still, and you could tell that there was an underlying hint of possible romance for their future.

However, she and He Xia are dealt a hard hand and things go very rapidly from harmony and a future together to utter chaos and being without a home...and separated.

And this is when she meets the enemy of Prince An's Manor and her country Great Yan.

Chu Bei Jie

Well, other than being Ping Ting's enemy. I decided very rapidly to fall in love with him.

Ping Ting took a lot more convincing.

General Che Bei Jie the "god of war" for Great Jin. A brilliant strategist, martial arts master, loved by all of his men.  This man had a heart and soul that is beyond beautiful, the very image of loyalty, faithfulness, and undying love. (I might be a bit of a fan.)
Over and over I had to admire his priorities, and how he placed people as a huge importance in his life, as well as his nation. I could keep going on but I am afraid that would spoil everything.

I loved all of the hand shots in this drama....so may beautiful hand shots

He Xia

Where do I begin.
Intelligent, bright,...and so many spoiler-y things I want to tell you.
But instead I'll just say... look at this face.

Minor Characters and Supporting Cast

Mo Ran

Chu Bei Jei's right hand man....and an amazing one to boot.

Yang Feng & Zi Yin

Ping Ting's childhood friend and husband. These were an amazing pair, the friend was sweet and her husband incredible.

Princess of Bai Lan 

She is beautiful, sweet innocent and a little love blind and sacrificing to a fault.

Ziu Ju

I LOVE HER, she is the best side kick heroine ever. So much love goes to her!

Lady Thirteen

I loved and I hated her just a little bit...but mostly loved her.

Sima Hong

An amazing King....who could have played his game a little better, however was over all incredible and brilliant. The man was king.

Garrison Commander Fan Lu

Sheesh this Mr. Trouble was worth his weight in gold.

Royal Consort Zhang

Fear this woman!

There is so much more I could talk about, but know it has to be a good drama if I am willing to pace myself through 62 episodes in 2 1/2 weeks.

And no spoilers....buuuuuut...

Isn't this face the cutest!!!!!

Nine: Nine Times Time Travel

Title: Nine: Nine Times Time Travel (say that nine times fast) 4.5 stars
Rating: PG-13
For...marriage! The is a couple in here that pledges to love each other, and then kissing and cuddling etc. Also, the marriage isn't in a church so if you don't like the whole I love you, you love me let's get married by pledging to each other...well, that is in here.
 Also there are a few bloody graphics that have to do with surgery like blood spurting in the middle of a surgery, someone getting killed in a phone booth so blood and glass.
A foreigner screaming wrapped up in a towel in one scene towards the beginning.
Repeated fire scene where someone is minorly wounded, and believed to have killed another character.
Brief off screen rape scene, which is confirmed to have happened.
Punching scenes (trust me you want to get in there and do it too).
Drug using is addressed with a minor character, also an attempted suicide by drugs in a time travel scene.


Okay, so enough with all of this said you should WATCH IT!!!!!!! (Seriously!) Even with a terrible thing happening in a phone booth...the first thing I did when I got to Korea and saw a phone booth was run inside and take pictures and think of Nine: Nine Times Time Travel.


I started watching this drama when I had a cold and knew nothing about taking screen shots sooooo I am going to have pinterest help us out a little.

I started watching it because I had loved Lee Jin Wook's performance in The Three Musketeers, and I really wanted to see what other things he had done.

It was love at first episode, actually when he spoke English in the first 5 minutes, his English is really good. (At least from this English Teacher's perspective.) From there it grew rapidly, into a face paced drama, with just the right amount of romance, and suspense that had me watching this drama as if it were a serious part time job that I couldn't bear to be away from.

One of the things I love about 9x's is that it allowed something most time travel stories don't allow characters to do. He crossed his own timeline, in fact, he messed only with his own timeline, and it was amazing, incredible, devastating, beautiful, and perfection to see how it all played out. The writing and acting of this drama were incredible blend.

Watching this drama it asked quite a few important questions. How could fixing the lives of those you love...ruin yours? Oh....sooooooooooooooo many ways.
What happens if you are the only one who remember's the past.
Is the past, really better the way it happened?
What if the people you love, aren't the people you think they were...

There was just the right amount of romance, the right amount of tragedy and the best friend a man could ever ask for.

The couple is sweet and you are cheering for them through all of the up's and downs, and main character that has gripping your chest as your heart bursts along with his...with agony and joy...and so many more things.

Three Little Maids: The Total Sum

On our features page we mentioned 'Three Little Maids' and 'Two Little Maids Remain' posts but have yet to actually introduce them, which I am here to do today.

The titles are derived from a Gilbert and Sullivan song in The Mikado, their comic opera set in Japan.  Aside from the fact that all of us are adults and long past school-age, it aptly represents our group drama watch-alongs and discussions; when we’re squealing in unison over fantastic characters and plot points (as in the case of The Three Musketeers) or booing lousy decisions (coughMoonLoverscough). 

Three little maids from school are we
Pert as a school-girl well can be
Filled to the brim with girlish glee
Three little maids from school

Everything is a source of fun
Nobody's safe, for we care for none
Life is a joke that's just begun
Three little maids from school

Three little maids who, all unwary
Come from a ladies' seminary
Freed from its genius tutelary
Three little maids from school
Three little maids from school

One little maid is a bride, Yum-Yum
Two little maids in attendance come
Three little maids is the total sum
Three little maids from school
Three little maids from school

From three little maids take one away
Two little maids remain, and they
Won't have to wait very long, they say
Three little maids from school
Three little maids from school

Three little maids who, all unwary
Come from a ladies' seminary
Freed from its genius tutelary
Three little maids from school
Three little maids from school

Our tastes are widely varied.  We all love historical dramas, but our favorite subgenres differ: I prefer harem and palace dramas (Empress Ki, Scarlet Heart cdrama, Ice Fantasy), Unni likes hers with a lot of tragedy and romance mixed (The Princess’ Man, Damo, The General and I) and the Empress loves historical adventure dramas (Empress Ki, Warrior Baek Dong Soo).  For contemporary dramas, while we all love action dramas (City Hunter, Healer); Unni prefers rom-coms, especially girls masquerading as boys (You’re Beautiful), whereas the Empress and I tend to prefer mysteries and psycho thrillers (White Christmas, Liar Game).

In a few days you'll be able to see us in action, so to speak, when I post our discussion of what dramas we watched in February.  Prepare for randomness, snark, and a wide variety of opinions.


See you then!

WWW ~ February 2017

How have you all been enjoying the bizarre February weather?


KOREAN:
~ Tomorrow With You
Empress: Y'know, I haven't been disappointed by a Shin Min Ah drama yet...and I wouldn't mind another Lee Je Hoon drama...I hadn't seen such a ridiculous description until now, which is too bad. I had heard time travel and romance and was looking forward to it. I still mean to watch at least the first 2 episodes to see what it's like. XD
Ambassador: Shin Min Ah is nowhere near enough to pull me into such a crazy sounding storyline... but if the Empress likes it, she'll drag me into watching it sooner or later.
Unni: *giggles* I'll probably wait for one of these two to convince me to watch it....or wait for Pinterest to give me screenshots.


~ Perfect Wife
Empress: This sounds possibly really depressing...I don't think I'm putting it on my list...XD
Ambassador: SUNG JOON would be the main reason I would check this out.  I can't tell if this is supposed to be an ahjumma romance or not but either way, it's not likely to tempt me, not even for him.
Unni: *banging head madly into wall*


~ Romance Full of Life
Empress: LOL. At that point, dude, switch careers. XD I would say NOPE, but if it's ONLY 3 episodes...maybe... XD
Ambassador: 3 episodes and Yoon Shi Yoon.  Probably at some point I'll pull it up.
Unni: Um..................this just sounds like kinda cute......some weekend maybe.


~ Super Family
Empress: .....I am underwhelmed. No thanks....
Ambassador: NO.  It sounds like one of those long Monday melos and I generally dislike those.
Unni: No xie xie....


~ Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Empress: I was like NO, YOU CAN'T JUST REMAKE WEIGHTLIFTING FAIRY AND HAVE ANOTHER SUPER STRONG GIRL but then I saw some cute promo pics and bother, I like all 3 of the leads, and it might be adorable. So I am not putting it past myself to watch it. XD
Ambassador: I like all three of the lead actors from other things but I didn't think that the synopsis was enough to tempt me.  At first, anyway.  THEN, I saw the part about her becoming his bodyguard and I cracked up and yes, I'll probably watch it, at some point.
Unni: *BOUNCES UP AND DOWN* I am on a strong woman streak....this sounds delicious! *waves hand madly*


~ My Only Love Song
Empress: Heh. Time travel is in again, huh? Nobody wants to stay in the present after 2016? Unless I hear something raving about it later, this isn't really enough to intrigue me.
Ambassador: There isn't much information about this yet but Lee Jong Hyun of CN Blue is in it and so is the villainous brother of Park Ki Woong from Bridal Mask.  As long as my list is right now, I feel that if I added one more drama I'm not passionately interested in, it will be the straw that broke the camel's back, er, list.  So no.
Unni: I'll probably wait for screen shots...it's a little interesting.


~ 109 Strange Things (webdrama)
Empress: I am curious. Which is more than be said for the previous dramas. And I've enjoyed the last few webdramas I've seen. I might go for this one. XD
Ambassador: Color me interested enough to check it out.  It could be highly amusing.
Unni: This sounds iiiiiiiiiiiinteresting


CHINESE:
~ The Starry Night, The Starry Sea
Empress: Heh. Okay, that sounds a little different from the usual. I like that. I also like the title. However, magical Chinese dramas tend to not be things I watch. So...I kind of doubt I'll get to it....XD
Ambassador: YES, because it's William Feng and Bea Hayden and had enough internet buzz that I'm interested.  (Also, I'd watch pretty much anything for William Feng Shaofeng, so there's that.)
Unni: I just watched the opening credit scene because you get a peek at the drama.....I am not sure...it seems jussssssssssssssssssssssst a little more on the too weird side for me, they are cute though.


~ The Glory of Tang Dynasty
Empress: Intriguing. If it was a Korean drama I think I'd be more likely to dive into it...it would depend on what else I heard about it.
Ambassador: Hmmmm, I don't know.  I'm inclined to say yes- palace and harem dramas are my kryptonite- but, I'll have to wait and see what it looks like.
Unni: This sounds interesting, we'll see how it all goes down.


~ Love Just Come
Empress: aww...it sounds sweet...but somehow not something that catches my attention....
Ambassador: Good for her, but nope, not going on my list.
Unni: This sounds cute...the subject is interesting. I might look at it...we shall see.


~ The Legendary School: Three Lives, Three Worlds Tao Hua Yuan
Empress: *dies* This sounds kind of adorable...I tend to be wary of magical dramas...but depending how it was done this could be really fun. XD
Ambassador: Chinese urban fantasy is usually hilarious and fun and this looks like no exception.  I'll be keeping an eye on it.
Unni: We'll see how busy I am.


~ Detective Samoyeds
Empress: HEE. I still want to watch Joseon X-files. But...between medic, ballistics enthusiast, and analytics expert...in the Tang Dynasty...XD I am very intrigued.
Ambassador: YES.  The plot and characters sound like too much fun to stay away.  (The title cracks me up though... does Samoyed mean something different in China?  Because all I can think of is fluffy white dogs.  Unless they're simply referring to the idiom 'like a dog with a bone' for the way they operate... but why choose Samoyeds?)
Unni: Subject matter interesting, everything else...no thank you.


~ Till Death Tear Us Apart
Empress: I like the title a little bit...but the rest doesn't grab me...
Ambassador: I don't thiiiiink so.  Just doesn't pique my interest.
Unni: Not up my ally of interest.


~ Long For You
Empress: .....aliens, immortals, reincarnation...somehow I'm not terribly intrigued....
Ambassador: Finally the cdrama adaptation of You Who Came From the Stars.  Noooope, not interested.
Unni: Also a pass here. I couldn't get into the K one how could I get into the C one?


~ Full Love
Empress: Poor kids...this all sounds depressing...naw...
Ambassador: Ooh, Hawick Lau and Alina Zhang Meng make it tempting, but the plot removes that temptation.  Probably not watching.
Unni: *tip toes around drama* I'll pass.


~ Qin Empire Jue Qi
Empress: Third installment. Because one 30 episode show was not enough...XD When I have endless time I will watch them all in proper order.
Ambassador: I'm putting this on my list of dramas to watch when researching particular historical eras.
Unni: I'll let these two fill me in on these unless I become fascinated with Chinese history


 A January cdrama I missed:
~ The Legend of the Condor Heroes
Empress: That sounds possibly interesting...but when there are others in the series that I haven't seen yet...
Ambassador: The latest in the Condor Heroes franchise.  I started the one from 2008 and loved the chemistry in that one, but I'm not so sure I'll try this one.
Unni: I started watching one of the Condor Heroes once upon a time... I found it a little weird....so no.


TAIWANESE:
~ Art in Love
Empress: no....XD
Ambassador: George Hu isn't enough for me to watch this one.
Unni: This sounds like one of the less interesting Taiwanese dramas


HONG KONG:
~ Romance for 7 Days
Empress: heh. This is not the Hong Kong drama that will draw me away from my massive list.
Ambassador: Naah, not enough to interest me.
Unni: No thank you!


~ Tiger Mom Blues
Empress: okay, while "tiger mom" makes me laugh, the rest of this makes me cringe...
Ambassador: Lordy NO.  The title is cool but I don't usually like family dramas.
Unni: Not really interested, there are far more interesting things in life.



Which of these dramas will YOU be watching?

WWW ~ January 2017

A new year, a whole new set of Asian dramas to look forward to!  Welcome to the first WWW of 2017!  We have some good kdramas; some weird cdramas mixed with good cdramas; half the time I don't even know with twdramas because sometimes I think, "Oooh, this sounds cool," and the rest of the time I think, "WHO WOULD WATCH THAT IT SOUNDS DEADLY DULL," but we have a couple for you to check out; aaaand no HKdramas.


KOREAN:
~ Fireman AKA 'Naked Fireman'
Empress: I'm dying...I just cannot understand...I...what...*cracks up again*
Ambassador: City Hunter's gloriously tragic prosecutor LEE JOON HYUK, and since it's SK the modeling storyline can't be TOO BAD and I can look past the title- I'm interested enough to watch it... but I'm still cackling.
Unni: NO. *headdesk* NO!


~ Chief Kim
Empress: ....Nam Goong Min makes me a little curious...but not curious enough to watch it at the moment.
Ambassador: Nam Goong Min and Nam Sang Mi sounds like an interesting combo.  The writer wrote Blood and God's Quiz- which I liked but wasn't terribly compelling- so given that + what this plot is so far, naaaah.  Far too many 2016 dramas for me to catch up on first.  The director did Page Turner, Empress.
Unni: Intersting but I am not really jumping up and down. I have better things.


~ Missing 9
Empress: Kang Ha Neul had me curious....Jung Kyung Ho Had me also curious but in a totally different way because he didn't seem like he'd fit the original story...then I found out the writer of Bad Guys was involved and it had possibly switched from comedy to thriller - I am absolutely going to check it out, and see if anything good manages to come from the mess that was this drama's making. 
Ambassador: Nooooot really.  I was interested when it was called Picnic and was going to be a kpop band on a desert island- because I adore Swiss Family Robinson stories.  Then when it was renamed Gaia but the same plot and also KANG HA NEUL, I was definitely intrigued but I'm not any longer.  I'll check it out if the buzz is good but otherwise I'll focus on finishing my backlogged 2016 dramas.
Unni: Okay, I've seen clips and I go between being fascinated and horrified but I am sitting on the fence.


~ Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People AKA Rebel Hong Gil Dong
Empress: I have been forever meaning to watch one of the many Hong Gil Dong stories...this might be finally the one I watch. I was actually less interested in it when Ji Sung was considering it, but now that he's safely in Defendent where I wanted him, I can be excited for this one again. XD
Ambassador: YESSSSS.  I'VE BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THIS DRAMA AND CAN'T WAIT.  YOON KYUN SANG AS HONG GIL DONG AND KIM SANG JOONG AS HIS FATHER.
Unni: I AM ALWAYS UP FOR THESE KINDS OF STORIES!!!!!


~ Defendant
Empress: hahahahah YES. I haven't managed to get through Entertainment yet...Ji Sung was horrendously miscast in that...but I am still in awe of him from Kill Me, Heal Me. 
Ambassador: Ji Sung, Yuri, and Kim Min Suk in a prison break thriller.  ABSOLUTELY WATCHING IT.  Ji Sung is going to kill this role, I can already feel it.
Unni: Interested...maybe.


~ Saimdang, Light's Diary
Empress: I'm curious...time travel dramas either seem to be REALLY GOOD or really NOT (Queen In Hyun's Man is one of my favorite romances; Signal one of my favorite dramas...Moon Lovers...well...) so I might check it out if I can.
Ambassador: After I get done fuming that this drama apparently gets 30 episodes and SCARLET HEART RYEO ONLY GOT 20 then yes, I'll probably check it out at some point, but it's not at the top of my list.  Kim Mi Kyung is in it, and she tends to pick great roles (Ahjumma or Lady Kim, anyone?).
Unni: I'll probably check this out and either get in our get out, I saw ads for this one in Korea and it really caught my interest.


~ Voice
Empress: I have been liking the teaser trailers, and enjoyed a lot of the OCN dramas I've seen. AUGH, I'm still overwhelmed with 2016 dramas, and wanting to watch all of these does not bode well for my 2017 list...
Ambassador: It looks pretty intriguing, OCN usually has good dramas and this is Jang Hyuk + Yesung and Baek Sung Hyun as secondary/minor characters so it's definitely going on my list.  The idea of tracking a person by voice alone is fascinating.  Multiple times I've recognized an actor in a drama by their voice more than their face so I'm really interested in this one.
Unni: This sounds really interesting. I'll check it out and see where it goes.


~ Introvert Boss
Empress: This is an odd drama that I've somehow managed to see mentioned in so many places I felt like it was already airing.
Ambassador: Introvert vs Extrovert in a work place sounds hilarious but it's not something I immediately jump for.  Maybe at some point.
Unni: I keep hearing this is really cute, it reminds me a little of a Taiwanese drama I loved...I'll be checking this one out.


~ Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon
Empress: ...I am literally watching Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, which is adorable and has me howling but which I can't picture being repeated with Park Bo Young. WHY do dramas come in groups like this? I like Weightlifting Fairy just fine, and don't feel like watching another version. 
Ambassador: This one comes out at the end of the month or early next month and as a result there is little info on it yet but it sounds...odd?  *scratches it off list*
Unni: SIGN ME UP I AM ON A STRONG WOMAN STREAK. YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU!


~ Justice Team
Empress: Not much there, but 4 episode minidramas are nice to have around. (MINUS NUDE FIREMAN MODELS MAKES THEM EVEN NICER.)
Ambassador: Messed up synopsis but enough to persuade me to try 4 episodes and Lee Joon Hyuk again apparently.  I'm glad he finished his weekend makjang drama so he is taking on other projects now.  HUZZAH.
Unni: Yay for short dramas, I'll probably check it out for fun and see where it goes.


CHINESE:
~ Pretty Li Hui Zhen
Empress:  *CRINGES* AHem. We're gonna finish SWP. But no way am I touching a Chinese version with a ten foot pole. Siwon was the only redeeming feature. XD
Ambassador: HEH, China's She Was Pretty.  Well, since the Empress and I still have to finish watching SWP together and since we spend most of our time watching it yelling annoyance at everyone except for Siwon's character, NO.  I'm not sitting through the Chinese version.  There is only so much stupidity the human brain can handle before going insane or shutting down.  At least I now know how to torture some certain kinds of people... 'sit down and watch all 16 hours of this right now'.  (Obviously this does not apply to those who would like the drama.)
Unni: I couldn't finish the Korean one...how am I going to do the Chinese one?


~ The General and I
Empress: XD It could be describing any number of cdramas. I am intrigued by it (and the other any number)...but I am also buried under a mountain of kdrama...
Ambassador: The plot sounds pretty cdrama typical but I have a weakness for this kind of plot- especially when one is a prince-general and another is a strategist.  There are a lot of names I know in this one: Angelababy, Madina Memet, Sun Yi Zhou, Wallace Chung.  There's been a lot of buzz around it online.  *adds it to list*
Unni: Um.......I wasn't going to watch it...and then I did....this is seriously one of the best things ever.


~ Magic Star
Empress: This sounds like a video game...did I mention my impending suffocation by kdramas?
Ambassador: The plot sounds pretty standard wuxia.  I'd be more likely to check it out for the actors than the plot: the detestable villain and fun third lead from Tornado Girl/Whirlwind Girl 2... but still, it's not very likely you'll find me watching this one.
Unni: I love stars! I don't like magic....wuxia fighting I only like in historical drama's so far...soooo no.


~ Love, Life, & Lie
Empress: Whatever happened to Live, Love, Laugh...I am not intrigued. 
Ambassador: Ehhhh, too much standard rom com fare for me.
Unni: Bad motto for life.


~ Xun Zhao Qian Shi Zhi Lu
Empress: Okay, more intriguing..though I think I'd like to repeat what I said earlier about Time Travel...and maybe wait and see if the Ambassador ever gets around to it and what she thinks. XD
Ambassador: This though, makes my ears perk up.  Time travel mixed with a backstory mystery?  *adds it to end of list*
Unni: Not terribly interested.


~ Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom
Empress: Okay, based on a novel...a weird title that I actually completely love, unlike most "different" titles...it feels a bit melodrama, but sometimes I'm very much in the mood for that. 
Ambassador: I've been planning to watch this one for a long time.  The title is beautiful, I've heard good things about the novel and now the drama plot, plus it stars Yang Mi, Mark Chao and Dilireba Dimurat.  Count me in!
Unni: This is really interesting, I might have to check this one out.


~ The Chronicles of a Town Called Jian
Empress: This reminds me of The Devi/Mawang, which is a drama I am positive I will like, once I get through the first 2 episodes. (Right up there with Heartless City and My Beautiful Bride and Bad Guys.) If this is a Chinese version of that, I am intrigued. If it's tarot cards and supernatural happenings...nope.
Ambassador: Hmmm, it depends.  Generally I avoid anything with the use of tarot cards, but Asia tends to do that kind of thing differently, and the plot is just interesting enough that I might check it out.  Victoria, Yang Yang and Jiang Jin Fu star, and all three are good actors.
Unni: *sees magic* *backs away slowllllllly*


TAIWAN
~ Close Your Eyes Before It's Dark
Empress: I...haven't actually ever watched anything Taiwanese not a rom-com...well, I guess MARS was a little more on the dramatic/suspense side - and it creeped me right out a few times...so, while this is 7 episodes long and sounds exactly up my alley as far as dark, suspenseful, psychologically intriguing dramas go...I'm going to start it warily. XD
Ambassador: Sounds like a mix of one episode of Vampire Detective and White Christmas.  *sticks it firmly on list*
Unni: *sees what these two compare it to and run for cover*


~ The X Family 2
Empress: As is...nope. 
Ambassador: *squints at it*  Whatever a Fenglongtie is, I think I want one to put on my brothers.  That said, I didn't see any of the other 6-8 dramas in the series and I won't be watching this one.
Empress: *dying* yeah, maybe if we could get a few Fenglongties, I'd watch it.
Unni: Just no.....


Empress: Cheers to wherever BHB goes in the next year!
Ambassador: Hear hear, and we look forward to bringing you more reviews, WWWs, and other posts about the wonderful world of Asian drama!

HAPPY 2017!!