425. Oh My Baby 오 마이 베이비 (2020) Korean

Jang Na Ra, Go Joon, Park Byung Eun, Jung Gun Joo

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A

I knew I had to watch this show when it was first announced because 1. Jang Na Ra, 2. Go Joon (I loved him so much in The Fiery Priest!), and 3. Park Byung Eun (he's seriously rocked everything I've seen him in). I think I've watched almost all of Jang Na Ra's dramas. She's one of my favorites. She's sooooo good and so pretty! But I put off watching this one right away because I knew it was going to hit me in the feels just like that episode of New Girl where Cici finds out her eggs are drying up. I guess sometimes I do worry that kind of stuff as I continue my single, career woman life. Plus kids are super important to me even if I don't have any myself, so I get it. It was just what I predicted. Super cute, funny, and made me cry almost every episode. Maybe I didn't predict just how much it would make me cry. Everyone was perfect too, the acting was so spot on.

330. The Last Empress 황후의 품격 (2018) Korean

Jang Na Ra, Choi Jin Hyuk, Shin Sung Rok, Shin Eun Kyung, Lee Elijah

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A+

Some of you might already know this, but I love makjang (aka overly melodramatic). But not just any makjang, I like the classy, but crazy kind that twists through through all the emotions and all the drama without making you want to chew your leg off to escape it. The kind that is so fantastic that you just eat it up and want more. The Last Empress was exactly what I like. Not only that, but all the craziness was fortified by a stellar cast that made everything worth it, even at the crazier times. I have always loved Jang Na Ra, so seeing her take down the rotten royal family was the best. Also, and you might have heard this a time or two but, I love Shin Sung Rok. As a super fangirl, this show just might have been a dream come true. He was really in his element with the complex character that was the emperor. One part villain, one part hero, at least two parts lover, and a whole lot of crazy. The chemistry between him and Jang Na Ra was nothing short of amazing and that really complicated things because even when he was being a supreme douche bag and you knew he was lying, you still wanted to believe his fake cuteness because the chemistry was there. Now that's messed up and perfect makjang right there.

So, yeah, I might have a problem to begin with.

Note: Reading on might contain mild spoilers, so be warned.

Women Who Make Me Watch Dramas Against My Will: Tiny Edition

With several of my current favorite dramas ended or ending, I felt the need to show some love to some of my favorite actresses again with another list of women who make me watch dramas against my will, especially since some of them were starring in those ending shows.

This time the loose theme linking them all together is "tiny" because while these women are giants in their acting abilities and awesomeness, sometimes their size, age, or cuteness makes you want to just put them in your pocket and take them home.  I mean that in the best possible way.  I love these women and though they be little they are fierce and can hold their own on screen, and they deserve some love and respect.

282. Go Back Couple 고백부부 (2017) Korean

Jang Na Ra, Son Ho Jun, Heo Jeong Min, Han Bo Reum, Chang Ki Yong, Ko Bo Gyeol

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A+

I was expecting more humor with this, with everything the ahjussi/ajhumma back in a 20 year old's body plot could bring.  I was expecting all the pain and tears that this would bring.  Seriously, every time they would do the happy family/cute baby montage with their kid Seo Jin, I would lose it.  So would they.  I'd lose it with the mom stuff too.  This was a beautiful show about family and making your marriage work.  It was less about the romance because of that.  Our couple was already in love, we were just watching them realize what it was that was keeping them from that.

Before I started this, I heard a bunch of people who said they hated Son Ho Jun's character.  I may be biased, but I never saw that.  Yeah, he was acting less smart at times.  They were a couple who were pretty much divorced, you can't expect either of them to be not petty at first when given this opportunity.  But this is a show about people who made less good choices getting a second chance so they could make the right choice.  It was about words too long unsaid, or words that should have never been said.  It was about healing and growing.

190. One More Happy Ending 한번 더 해피엔딩 (2016) Korean

Jung Kyung Ho, Jang Na Ra, Yoo In Na, Kwon Yul, Yoo Da In, Seo In Young

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A+

There were a lot of things in this show that were really fun.  And a lot that just left us shrugging.  I'll be honest, it wasn't the best writing wise.  It was kind of all over the place and weird.  I think the thing that really held it together despite the bad writing was how great the actors they got were.  They all did a solid job, even if I didn't like them.  I also have to say that I hated that annoying Creepy Doll Face (the 2nd male lead, Kwon Yul).  I don't get why everyone kept saying he was so handsome.  I guess he's not ugly, but he does kind of look like a creepy doll, with a weird pointy nose.  He even looks like a creepy doll standing in the poster too.  He just had weird lack of emotions and was basically the worst boyfriend ever.  Which made it really lame when they kept drawing out the inevitable break up and giving him way too much screen time in general, which meant that all the other couples got less screen time, which was sad, because I was super invested in all their stories.  I think my favorite couple was the player couple.  I wish they had gotten more screen time.  Also, the cancer couple was so adorable and I wished they had kissed.  But to be honest the best of the best was Sexy Man, aka Jung Kyung Ho.  He was like the perfect cheesy man.  So flippin' adorable.  His kid was awesome too.  As always, I loved Jang Na Ra, but since the worst writing was centered around her character, that was a bit frustrating, but she did a great job of it anyway.  And shout out too Yoo In Ah who played the most relatable older single girl ever.  Every scene was just perfect.  I know a lot of people complained about the ending (like Lizabreff's mom) but it really could have been worse.  It's greatest sin was that it was draggy about less important things and didn't give us quite enough of the cute that we wanted from all the couples.  That was probably the sin of the entire show.  It wasted too much time on lame crap and not enough time on the cute and the funny, which is what made the show good... when it had it.

162. I Remember You 너를 기억해 (2015) Korean

Seo In Guk, Jang Na Ra, Lee Chun Hee, Choi Won Young, Park Bo Gum

Drama Rating: 9/10     Neck Score: A+

What a consistently good drama.  Sad it didn't have super ratings in Korea, but it was competing with popular ones.  Maybe it's just because I like psychological thrillers, murder dramas, and all the actors in this show, but I just loved it.  Park Bo Gum!  Why do you have to steal my heart every time!?!  I loved how organic the relationship was.  All the relationships.  Even the bromancey type deal between the detective and "Dave."  But I loved how the romance took it's time and progressed at a natural pace for someone so unemotional as Lee Hyun.  Also big slow clap for Jang Na Ra, she impresses me every role, and this time she did good with the action, bad-a detective.  Basically everyone did a great job, especially Choi Won Young and Park Bo Gum- and super epic slow clap for Do Kyung Soo for once again rocking his acting skills for a creepier role.  He played a good psychopath.  Woo woot.

146. Baby Faced Beauty 동안미녀 (2011) Korean

Choi Daniel, Jang Na Ra, Ryu Jin, Kim Min Seo

Drama Rating: 4/10     Neck Score: A

Why did I do that to myself?  There was so much to hate in this show, which is why we called it Baby Faced Bitcas.  No, I know why.  Lizabreff's mom kept gushing over Choi Daniel and telling me to watch it.  Well, she was right about that.  He is arguably one of the best and cutest male leads ever.  I am way in love with him.  In fact every one of the 4s in the 4/10 is him.  So is all of the A in the neck score.  If I could rate the show based just on Choi Daniel, it would probably be 12/10, I loved him so much, but he can only be on screen so often, and pretty much everything else was hateful.  Well, I liked Jang Na Ra's character okay, but she had so much crap happen to her that it was so painful to watch. But she did manage to make the typical melo situations a bit better with how practical she was, like when she had to break up with him to protect him (I swear that happens in every show) she doesn't go the "I hate you" or "I lied" route- the worst that she says is that he's an immature baby, which is only slightly true- so even though it's crappy melodrama, it's not as bad as it could have been.  But she also did a ton of super stupid things, so she will have to be on the hateful list at least sometimes for some stupid things, like even considering breaking up with Choi Daniel, dumb girl.  But seriously, I absolutely hated everyone else in the show, especially the other dude, Mr. Ji (Ryu Jin).  Every time he was on screen I felt urges to punch him in the face and shouted, multiple times, angry things such as a desire to kick him in the balls.  He will be an added addendum to my list of Second Male Leads Who Make Me Want to Punch Them In The Face.  Even the people who were supposed to be good, such as friends and family, were awful and made me so angry.  They were so stupid and selfish.  Yeah, that epilogue part and the end where they all had happy endings, I didn't like it because none of them deserved it, that's how much I hated them all.  Too much hate for me, I'm so glad it's over.  If it hadn't been for Choi Daniel, I would never and could never have made it through.  He's worth it... but that was a lot of crap I endured for him.

132. Mr. Baek 미스터 백 (2014) Korean

Shin Ha Kyun, Jang Na Ra, Lee Joon, Park Ye Jin, Jung Suk Won

Drama Rating: 5/10     Neck Score: A

It was ok, but I just wasn't really into it that much.  I think the only thing that made this show work at all, with a ridiculous premise of an old man suddenly growing younger, is that Shin Ha Kyun could pull it off.  The old man in a younger man's body was good.  I liked those little details, such as him not knowing technology and things like that.  But I felt way more sympathetic to the son the whole time.  He just got the short end of the stick, being sad and then losing chances, etc.  I just wanted them to develop their relationship and not spend so much time on the romantic relationship, which was cute and I didn't hate it.  But I wanted more father son bonding time, and not the weird bonding time they came up with, like that awkward snow fight.  Also I didn't know about that Manager Hong chick for the longest time.  I thought that she was in love with the dad and still making plays at the son, which is gross.  But I warmed up to her.  The hardest part was that the bad guy is so hot.  He's the hottest guy in the show, but he's so bad, but not really.  But him in those glasses, seriously.  Rawr, Jung Suk Won, rawr.

116. Fated to Love You 운명처럼 널 사랑해 (2014) Korean

Jang Na Ra, Jang Hyuk, Choi Jin Hyuk, Wang Ji Won

Drama Rating: 9/10     Neck Score: A

I was so loyal to the Taiwanese original, that I put off watching this one, especially since his hair was so bad.  Also I heard he had an annoying laugh.  But then, I heard enough good things to make me give it a chance.  Omo.  I loved it!  That's one thing that can be said for remakes, they do have a chance to polish and fine tune, it doesn't always happen that way, but it is a possibility.  This version is very Korean, so that is already going to make it different.  Also, the main couple is much older.  Instead of a pair of 26ish year olds, we have some 30s to late 30s peeps.  This gives it a whole different flavor because instead of accidents, mistakes, and coercion there is a lot more conscious decisions.  Cun Xi was a sweet, but hot tempered and immature man who didn't know what he wanted, while Lee Gun is a sweet, childish, and self-sacrificing man.  He takes responsibility and doesn't flip flop around, which is one of the things that drove us crazy in the other version.  Just make up your mind Cun Xi!  Well, as bad as Lee Gun's hair was at the beginning, I fell in love with him so completely!  I don't think I have ever fallen in love with a male lead quite as much as I did with Lee Gun.  He's handsome (when he got his hair cut... whew!), dorky, sweet, and just generally awesome, even when he makes some dumb decisions like lying for his love's sake (oh Korea and their noble idiocy).  Then there is Choi Jin Hyuk as the other man, Daniel Pitt, who is also sweet, handsome, and generally awesome, and you have an overload.  Seriously, both men were so well dressed!  (Those vests and open necked button ups!  Ah!)  Even when it was pulling at our heartstrings (it literally made Lizabreff cry, and she never does) we loved it.  So many feels!

31. School 2013 학교 2013 (2012-2013) Korean

Choi Daniel, Jang Na Ra, Lee Jong Suk, Kim Woo Bin

Drama Rating: 8/10      Neck Score: A

Ok, this one made me fall in love with a lot of people.  Choi Daniel is one of them.  I loved his character in this one- well his drawling mannerisms.  I also loved the bromance between Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin.  So good.  What I liked most about this drama was that it wasn't just a cheesy high school flick, but it was an honest statement on the trials of school life.  Every child was important and had a little plot.  Jung Na Ra being the teacher who cared and tried hard, while Choi Daniel being the teacher who was jaded and had to learn to care again.  There is some hinted romance between those two, but they stopped focusing on that pretty quickly.  It was just a real drama with real problems and not having a sugar coated ending.  It was like real people trying their best.  My personal favorite was Kwak Jung Wook's bad boy character Oh Jung Ho.  That guy is a good actor (compare to Shut Up Flower Boy Band) and even the typical bad boy was shown in a sympathetic light.