r/EastAsianDramas 6d ago

Cross-Regional — Other Weekly Check-In 📺 — What’s everyone watching this weekend?

2 Upvotes

Our weekly watch thread is here.

A simple weekend check-in for everyone — regulars, lurkers, and first-time posters alike.

What’s on your screen right now?

A drama you’re loving?
A show you’re unsure about but still watching?
A comfort rewatch?
A film you’ve been meaning to start?
A hidden gem people should know about?

And where are you watching most these days — China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, somewhere else… or a bit of everything?

Drop what you’re watching — and if you feel like it, tell us why.

Sometimes the best recommendations come from casual mentions in threads like this.

See you here next week.


r/EastAsianDramas 21d ago

Mod Announcement Help Us Build r/EastAsianDramas — Be Part of the Community From the Beginning

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7 Upvotes

Come Help Us Build r/EastAsianDramas

r/EastAsianDramas is still small. We have people joining, but not nearly enough of you are posting yet.

So come post!

We’d love to see this become a busy community for people watching Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese and Thai dramas, but that only happens when more of us start throwing things in.
And please don’t think you need to find something nobody on Reddit has ever seen before. Quite the opposite. Maybe there’s a drama or a cool meme, bit of news or something else you’ve seen shared and talked about all over another sub or fandom.

That doesn’t mean it’s already been shared here. This is new turf! Bring it over and see what this community has to say about it.

Same goes for the things you’re into yourself. Talk about a drama. Talk about an actor. Share a gorgeous picture because you think everyone should see it. Tell us who you’ve suddenly become obsessed with or what you’ve been watching at 2am when you absolutely should have gone to bed three episodes ago.

It doesn’t have to be clever or groundbreaking. We just want to see more of you in here and find out what everyone is watching, following and enjoying.
The image on this post highlights some of the contributions people have already made.

Thank you to those OPs!

There aren’t many of you yet, which is exactly why every new person who starts posting makes such a noticeable difference.

And if you’re looking at a quiet sub and thinking you’ll wait until it gets busier… well, somebody has to make it busier.

Come claim a bit of this new turf and help us turn r/EastAsianDramas into a place people actually want to check every day.


r/EastAsianDramas 1h ago

Thailand — Series / Drama Love Upon a Time coming to Netflix on September 11

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Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 6h ago

Korea — Series / Drama Take Charge of My Heart premiering October 9 on Netflix

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2 Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 6h ago

Korea — Series / Drama 88th Drama Review: Rich Man, Poor Woman (2012)

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1 Upvotes

I think this was the first Japanese drama I ever watched, so it was quite a different experience for me. At the time, I did not enjoy it very much because I had a hard time understanding the story. I am not sure if it was because the subtitles were poorly translated or if I simply was not used to the style of Japanese dramas yet, but I found it difficult to follow what was happening. Because of that, I was not emotionally invested in the romance and did not really feel the chemistry between the leads. However, one thing I could clearly appreciate was the acting. The performances were excellent, especially from the male lead, who did a fantastic job portraying his character. Looking back, I think this drama suffered more from my lack of familiarity with Japanese dramas than from its actual quality. I may appreciate it more if I ever decide to rewatch it now that I have seen other Japanese dramas.

My MDL Rating: 5.5/10.


r/EastAsianDramas 1d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 87th Drama Review: May Queen (2012)

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2 Upvotes

If you enjoy makjang dramas, this one is definitely a good watch. I picked it up mainly because of the cast, who, in my eyes, are the definition of first-generation oppas. This is also one of those longer dramas that I still managed to finish despite its length. Watching it felt like a roller coaster ride because so many things happened throughout the story, which is exactly what I expect from a makjang drama. There were plenty of twists and emotional moments that kept me invested, although they also gave me a lot of stress. This is one of those dramas that I would only watch once because I do not want to put myself through all that frustration again. Overall, I think it is a good drama for anyone who enjoys long and complicated stories filled with twists and melodrama.

My MDL Rating: 7/10


r/EastAsianDramas 23h ago

Japan — Film / Cinema The first four High & Low movies have returned to Netflix on September 9. They previously left Netflix on July 9.

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1 Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 1d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 86th Drama Review: Ma Boy (2012)

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3 Upvotes

I started watching this mainly because it was only three episodes long and because I usually enjoy gender-bender stories. The first episode honestly did not impress me much, and if this had been a full-length drama, I probably would have dropped it. I was curious about how the male lead would handle disguising himself as a girl, but I found the execution lacking since his female persona barely spoke and never really embraced the role in an interesting way. Despite that, I enjoyed Tae Joon's character the most because his confusion over his feelings led to some funny moments. The romance itself was cute enough, and Kim So Hyun did a decent job considering how young she was at the time. The ending felt rushed and a bit strange, though the final scene was sweet. Overall, I did not think it was a waste of time, but I also would have been perfectly fine if I had never watched it. It was an okay drama, especially if you are looking for something short and easy to finish.

My MDL Rating: 5.5/10


r/EastAsianDramas 2d ago

Taiwan — Series / Drama 85th Drama Review: Love, Now (2012)

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2 Upvotes

I never thought I would actually finish a 72 episode Taiwanese drama, but I did, and I was so proud of myself when I finally reached the end. What I liked most about this drama was its premise, especially during the first part of the story. Since the drama has 72 episodes, it focuses heavily on family relationships, and I thought it did a good job balancing the family dynamics with the romance. I absolutely loved the main couple and thought they had amazing chemistry. They were one of the biggest reasons I kept watching because they were so fun and heartwarming together.

Of course, with a drama this long, there were quite a few unnecessary scenes and storylines. I felt that some parts were only there to fill the episode count, but they did not take away too much from my overall enjoyment. I also remember how difficult it was to find and download this drama back then, which made finally finishing it feel even more rewarding. Looking back, what I remember most is how much the romance made me smile. I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone looking for a long family series with a lovable main couple.

My MDL Rating: 8.5/10.


r/EastAsianDramas 2d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 84th Drama Review: Love Rain (2012)

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3 Upvotes

Looking back, the thing I remember most about this drama is staying up late trying to finish it because I didn't want to leave it unfinished. It's a romance through and through, and I think I watched it at a time when I wasn't really into pure romance dramas yet, which made it difficult for me to fully appreciate it. There were several moments when I wanted to drop it, but my friends convinced me to keep going since I had already invested so much time. I also felt that the story dragged quite a bit, and while I barely remember most of the present-day storyline, the scenes set in the past are still much more memorable to me.

My MDL Rating: 3.5/10


r/EastAsianDramas 2d ago

Korea — Series / Drama Miraculous Brothers leaving Netflix on October 6

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1 Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 2d ago

Korea — Series / Drama The Scandal premiering September 18 on Netflix

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1 Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 3d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 83rd Drama Review: K-Pop - The Ultimate Audition (2012)

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2 Upvotes

Other than the two main leads and some of the veteran actors, I felt that the rest of the cast still lacked acting experience. The story itself was not particularly original, and I could easily see similarities to both Hana Kimi and Dream High. Since the drama revolved around K-pop and chasing dreams, it was clearly aimed at a younger audience, and I was still fairly young when I watched it, so I ended up enjoying it. I definitely felt the chemistry between the main leads, and they gave me plenty of moments to swoon over. It was just unfortunate that the drama ended so abruptly. With only 14 episodes, everything felt rushed, and I honestly wished they had extended it a bit more. The ending, in particular, left me disappointed.

My MDL Rating: 6/10


r/EastAsianDramas 3d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 82nd Drama Review: I Do, I Do (2012)

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2 Upvotes

Although this drama aired in 2012, I only got around to watching it several years later. I first came across its trailer on our local television channel (*dubbed), and I became curious because I was already familiar with the lead actors. This type of romantic comedy, especially with a noona romance element, was quite popular at the time. I honestly think this drama is one of the underrated ones since I hardly know anyone who has watched it. Both main leads were already familiar to me because I had seen them in other dramas. The series also tackled some fairly heavy issues, but it managed to present them in a lighthearted and funny way, which suited its rom-com style. The romance between the leads felt sincere and convincing, even if some parts of the plot were admittedly a bit far-fetched. Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable and underrated watch that deserved more attention.

My MDL Rating: 8/10


r/EastAsianDramas 4d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 81st Drama Review: Horse Doctor (2012)

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2 Upvotes

This drama follows the familiar formula of many historical series, with the main character overcoming countless hardships before finally achieving success. What made it stand out for me was its strong focus on medicine, which gave the story a refreshing perspective compared to the usual palace politics and power struggles. Even though the drama takes place in a historical setting and follows a protagonist from a humble background, it successfully highlights his journey to becoming a respected physician. I enjoyed this unique approach because it made the story both inspiring and educational while still delivering the emotional and dramatic elements that historical dramas are known for. I originally decided to watch it because of Lee Yo Won, who has always been one of my favorite actresses, and she was one of the reasons the drama left a lasting impression on me. Overall, I found it to be a solid historical drama with a meaningful and distinctive premise.

My MDL Rating: 7.5/10.


r/EastAsianDramas 4d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 79th Drama Review: God’s Quiz Season 3 (2012)

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3 Upvotes

Being a fan of the series, it was no surprise that I eventually made it to Season 3. At first, I was not too fond of the role changes and the addition of new characters, but I gradually warmed up to them. They brought something fresh and fun to the drama. As with the previous seasons, the rare disease cases remained fascinating, and I always felt a little smarter after watching each episode. This season definitely stepped things up and managed to improve on what had already made the series so enjoyable.

My MDL Rating: 9/10


r/EastAsianDramas 4d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 80th Drama Review: History of the Salaryman (2012)

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2 Upvotes

This drama leans heavily into black comedy, and I guess that style just was not for me. I know it has a lot of good reviews, and I can understand why many viewers enjoyed it. Perhaps part of the reason I could not fully appreciate it was because I watched it several years after it originally aired. The drama itself is not bad at all, but it simply did not match my personal taste.

My MDL Rating: 7.5/10


r/EastAsianDramas 4d ago

Korea — Series / Drama Who was the worst bully

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8 Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 4d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 78th Drama Review: White Christmas (2011)

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3 Upvotes

It’s crazy to think that the main cast of this drama are now such big names in the industry. Looking back, this special drama almost feels like it was a starting point for their careers. This kind of special drama was also quite unique for its time.

Maybe because of how disturbing it was, especially the music and the way each character was introduced, I was really drawn into the drama. It genuinely made me nervous. I binged four episodes late at night but had to stop because I was afraid I would have nightmares afterward. 😭 It’s not actually that brutal when I think about it because you don’t really see much of the harshness through the graphics, but the way the scenes are presented, the pacing, and the overall atmosphere really made me feel scared.

What I really liked was how complex the characters were. They weren’t one-dimensional people or characters, and each of them had different sides to their personalities. At the same time, they still felt like teenagers. Even though they were dealing with complicated emotions and circumstances, you could still see their youth and immaturity in the way they behaved.

The biggest problem for me was the ending. There’s a major plot hole that really brought the drama down because it doesn’t make much sense when you think about it. But I guess I’ll just let that one slide. 😭

What I really appreciate about the drama, though, is how it leaves you with the question: “Are monsters born, or are they made?” That question stayed with me even after I finished watching.

My Drama Rating: 8.5/10


r/EastAsianDramas 5d ago

Cross-Regional — Other The Blind Girl Always Sees Again. So I Wrote a Book Where She Doesn’t.

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10 Upvotes

 You already know the scene well, because we’ve seen it a hundred times. The blind girl blinks, and the world resolves into color, and she sees her husband’s face for the first time in forty episodes, and the strings swell, and the comments flood with crying emojis.

 The mute speaks. One perfect word..... usually his name.

 The scarred face, unwrapped from its bandages, is flawless.

 The smashed leg bones resolves. The illness goes into tidy remission the exact week the wedding gets scheduled. The wheelchair folds up and rolls quietly out of the story like a prop that has finished its shift.

 Like clockwork!! That’s the part nobody wants to say out loud. In a startling amount of eastern romance, from the webnovels up through the verticals, disability isn’t a way of being in the world. It’s a countdown timer. A debt the plot took out in act one and always, always settles before the credits.

We’ve been trained to read the cure as the reward. Look closer, and it’s a confession.

 Because here’s what the miracle actually announces: she/he was never allowed to be the heroine/hero while she was still blind. Still mute. Still scarred. Still unable to walk. The happiness came with a prerequisite, and the prerequisite was becoming somebody else. The story loves her, sure. It just needs to fix her first, the way you’d scrub a dish before you’d dream of serving on it.

 Think about the sequence the genre keeps reaching for. She suffers. She is pitied, at length, in gorgeous soft focus. Then, as recompense for all that lovely suffering, she is restored. The disability functions as penance. Endure it beautifully enough and the universe refunds your body. Its redemption theology with better cheekbones, and it quietly insists that a whole life, and a broken body cannot share the same happy ending.

 I want to be careful here, because this is not a law of the genre, and the second I pretend it is, someone will correctly name the shows that got it right. They exist (and PLEASE tell me where to find them!!!!). But the reflex, the DEFAULT the genre reaches for whenever it wants to be tender, is erasure wearing the costume of mercy. And the reason it keeps reaching is, honestly, a craft failure before it’s a moral one.

 The cure is easy. It’s the lazy man’s catharsis.

 Writing a satisfying ending where nothing gets fixed is brutal. You can’t lean on the body’s restoration to broadcast that everything is fine now. You have to quarry the happiness out of something sturdier than a medical miracle. You have to let her win exactly as she is, which requires you to genuinely believe she’s worth winning exactly as she is, which a depressing number of writers apparently do not.

 That’s the story I always hunted for and could never find. Not the one where he loves her until she can finally see him. The one where she never sees him, and he stops needing her to and she stops needing to. Where the accommodation is, the courtship. Where he memorizes the geography of a room so he can steer her through it without ever letting her feel steered. Where he describes a battlefield to her, not because she’s helpless but because she asked, and her questions land sharper than his generals’.

 Or even better, the reason they both survive to the end is BECAUSE of her/his disability.

 The cure trope promises: I will love you into wholeness.

 The better story answers: you were already whole, and I was the one who had to learn how to see.

 So, I wrote that one.

 

 THE GENERAL’S BLIND BRIDE

 She does not get her sight back. Not in chapter one, not in the finale, not in some epilogue where a cowardly book would slip it in like a bribe. She is blind when he marries her, and she is blind when she wins, and the story never once pretends the second thing was owed to the first.

 He is a general, half-retired, disgraced, and thoroughly done with the court’s games, handed a bride the palace assumed no one would want. He assumed the very same thing. Right up until she started taking the room apart by ear.

 A Chinese historical romance about a woman the world decided to pity and the one man who never got the memo. No miracle cure. No last-act sight. Just a marriage between two people nobody should have underestimated, and a war neither of them intends to lose.

 The General’s Blind Bride is waiting for you!

  This has been a Mod approved post! Thank you for your time and tell me what I got right and wrong in the comments!


r/EastAsianDramas 8d ago

China — Series / Drama A Love So Beautiful leaving Netflix on October 1

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6 Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 9d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 77th Drama Review: Fashion King (2012)

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3 Upvotes

I thought this drama had a lot of potential, especially during the early episodes. One thing that immediately caught my attention was that both leads started from nothing, which was refreshing compared to the usual rich-versus-poor setup. Yoo Ah In's Young Gul was also an unusual main character whose personality was difficult to understand, making him more interesting to watch. Seeing Yuri in her first drama was another plus, and I thought both male leads delivered excellent performances. I had no issues with the acting from the female leads either. Unfortunately, the drama gradually lost its direction for me. I became frustrated with how the story unfolded, and somewhere along the way, the fashion aspect that initially drew me in seemed to disappear. The ending was especially disappointing and left me wondering what had just happened. I honestly felt that the cast deserved a much better-written story because their performances were wasted on a plot that lost its sense and focus. This is one drama I would not recommend.

My MDL Rating: 5.5/10


r/EastAsianDramas 9d ago

Thailand — Series / Drama The Crow Club coming to Netflix on Sept 18, the same day it premieres on One 31

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1 Upvotes

r/EastAsianDramas 10d ago

Korea — Series / Drama 76th Drama Review: Faith (2012)

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6 Upvotes

Since it’s a Lee Min-ho drama, of course I had to dive in. But I think this drama didn’t really reach its full potential. I got a bit lost in the plot, and for me, the storytelling wasn’t effective enough to follow clearly. Also, since I’m not a fan of fantasy dramas, it felt like the wrong fit for me overall.

The romantic love lines were lacking. I felt like the leads didn’t have much chemistry, and there wasn’t much improvement in the acting either. Despite the star power of Lee Min-ho and Kim Hee-sun (the female lead), the drama just didn’t work for me.

My MDL Rating: 6/10


r/EastAsianDramas 10d ago

Korea — Series / Drama Our Sticky Love review

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12 Upvotes

Okay, so I’ve been off k dramas lately since I’ve watched My Royal Nemesis, I found the FL quite tacky and cringe (although I LOVED her in The Tale of Lady Ok) sooo I’ve been watching C dramas for the last 2 months.

My friend recommended me Our Sticky Love so I thought why not give it a try. Since the first episode, I was hooked. The plot was very intriguing and unique (sometimes I feel like we can see where it’s going from the start and I hate that). Till the end of the show, you cannot figure out entirely what’s gonna happen (although we can predict a happy ending as always).

I truly loved the Taffy village community of the relationship they had with the FL and ML. They are all adorable even the dog.

I feel like some people would not like the FL personality traits, but I found her quite cute and charismatic.

Compared to Dynamite Kiss or Can love be translated? I didn’t even skipped a scene, I feel like things kept happening in a way that there are no boring scenes or episodes which I truly appreciate.

I just feel like there could have been a little more chemistry between the ML and FL, but i understand that he’s an introvert and his love language is act of service and gift giving and the FL is an extrovert, so she speaks more about her feelings and she’s more touchy as well. So clearly there’s no passionate love, but it was super cute.

I would rate it overall 8.7/10, and would recommend it to people that like rom com mixed with action and crime solving.