Favourite Dramas

Korean mystery drama set in elite school, fascinating idea and story, though the "murder while holed up in an inaccessible place" is as old as English author Agatha Christie's detective stories of the 1920s. But this is not just a "who-dunnit" but a psychological thriller exploring the characters and motivations of the protagonists. Highly recommended. The music (from Vivaldi) is haunting.

Really well played, shorter than the Korean original - and no worse for that, the drama was much tighter and focused, though lacked a bit in development by comparison. Well you can't have it both ways.

cute actors, good opening and ending music.

Cool quirky series, nice male leads with BL happy ending (though you better not blink or you won't get it).

Fantastic quirky drama with some cute/cool actors. Worth a re-watch, well - apart from the ending, that is.

Miura Haruma 

Great gay themed drama with cool look main male leads. Plus happy ending gay movie, thanks be.

Just discovered this (17 years after it played in 2001) and it has great charm and emotional pull for. Plenty of feel-good. Plus I especially like quirky, off beat dramas. Takizawa Hideaki a very sweet character in this. 

riveting, best so far in 2018, really glad I overcame my reservations about school drama as the acting and handling of real life struggles here is outstanding

Very different from School 2013, slow start but soon becomes riveting - on my re-watch list, which is highly selective, since it requires something more than finding out what comes next in the plot. I was more impressed with female leads at first but the boys soon caught up. Very quirky (manga?) background plot plus strong back story. Comic relief with "black humour" and parodic characters like the corrupt principal - looking like a combination of Dracula and Frankenstein but with the brain of Daffy Duck. Convincing stories cover father-son conflict, bright but poor student struggling to make it in materialistic society where power and wealth count for more and give a headstart to second-raters. Stressed out kids unable to live up to parents' expectations. This drama covers such a wide variety of social issues but is such a good story you really get absorbed and care in the characters playing them out in their personal stories. Plus we've got a "good guy" sem/teacher who cares for his students, not their academic performance - if only they existed in the real world. There's even a "good gal" cop - now that's really hard to imagine existing in the real world. 

After huge reservations finding the first couple of episodes chaotic and impenetrable, I got hooked by this drama, it's so bizarre and the characters so complicated, you can't decide if you like/hate or are just bewildered by them - or whether you like their looks even. I'm not attracted by Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won) but I suppose she's suited to the role, I am (to my shame) attracted by Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), he's a more complicated character beneath the horrid spoilt rich guy exterior. I also like the side stories with Oska and Han Tae Seon (Lee Jong Suk). I also like the clothes and decor, Joo Won's house and garden. Also the music. I'm learning to be more patient (so difficult!!!) otherwise I'd have missed a few good series due to unpromising starts.

Fascinating, edge of the seat stuff, raises a lot of issues like where does body as machine end and consciousness begin, great playing in double role by seo kang joon.

Just wonderful - for me especially up to episode 15 when the 「  dark secret 」was revealed.

Lovely, delightful, brave in showing same sex love as prince put love first even when thinking Hung a boy. Love the period costumes and settings. (⺣◡⺣)♡*

More than just a thriller, gripping throughout not just for story but characters and the actors were fantastic, especially Seo in Guk and Park Bo Gum. One of few I will re-watch I think.

Exciting how it all came together.

Too much casual violence at first but character development good, I wanted to know more about these people, and the story good if sometimes confusing. 

Intriguing, slow start but switched to more exciting level once the supernatural element kicked in and the changed character of Black. Romantic ending.

Thought this would be too long but is consistently gripping despite poor production values. Riots and big battles with thousands you have to imagine - 30 people whirling around is not convincing but they have to work to their costs I suppose. 

Absorbing. Well acted weirdos.

Ah! This was great comedy drama to start but development so-so and some aspects of ending not in character and not so believable.

Beautiful drama, fantasy, settings. The two leads played to perfection. Such a pity the love bond was not truly shown here.

Very heart-warming comedy, the leads played off each other so well,  it could have become formulaic but was perfectly done and a joy to watch. One of the few I may re-watch.

I like yamamoto in this early fun role

riveting and better for having minimal romance。Lee Dong Wook acts well and looks good〜 all the other actors were also very good will be on re-watch list〜〜

beautiful moving and happy ending〜

ending not so convincing but kept me watching every night

very good combination of mystery and comedy and characters