444. Falling Into You 因為我喜歡你 (2020) Taiwanese

Puff Guo, Jiro Wang, Zhang Ben Yu, Chen Jiong Jiang

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A

I realized that it had been a while since I've watched a Taiwanese Drama (I've been focusing on Mainland China lately) and so I browsed what was there, and I realized that I had missed watching this drama with Puff Guo, which is terrible because I absolutely love her. I will watch anything and everything for her. Added bonus was that Jiro Wang was her male lead, and I don't mind that one bit. He's hot. So I immediately pressed play and it immediately filled the hole that my last fluffy drama ending had created. It was so cute and fun. I loved that it was shorter (13 episodes) so they didn't drag things out or waste time on unnecessary stuff. I loved that it was once again about a fighter girl, this time a taekwondo athlete, and a dude who falls in love with her because she's an awesome and a fighter, and I love the mutual respect. Were there still some problems? Yeah, it's awkward at times, but ultimately it was cute, fluffy, and funny. It was even on the meta side, especially with our self-centered, bubbly start up CEO male lead who thinks of himself as the male lead of a drama anyway, and so is constantly referencing it.

346. Before We Get Married 我們不能是朋友 (2019) Taiwanese

Puff Guo, Jasper Liu, Steven Sun, Phoebe Yuan, Nita Xia

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A+

I thought this was going to be an affair drama when I first started it, and the opening credits definitely seemed to confirm that, as well as the first couple of episodes. But the drama changed a lot as it went. Characters changed a lot as we got to know them and their motivations, but also as they grew and interacted with each other. Example: Chu Ke Huan came off as a douche (and borderline rapey even) in the first, maybe, three to four episodes. Li Hao Yi seemed like a nice guy, if not boring. Han Kefei seemed like an annoying and mean friend. But by the end, Ke Huan is clearly a sweetheart and the most observant and understanding guy, Li Hao Yi is an overbearing idiot, and Han Kefei is an MVP. It quickly showed that it wasn't about an affair, it was about character growth and realizing that just because something isn't wrong, or someone isn't bad, doesn't mean they are the right choice either. It's about self-discovery and getting out of a situation that would be eventually toxic, and maybe a potential affair (or should I just say meeting a person you click with more) can be the catalyst to realizing you need a change and need to change yourself. It also helped that Puff and Jasper have AMAZING chemistry. I loved them in Love Myself or You (aka Pleasantly Surprised), so this pairing was the reason I started in the first place. They did not disappoint in that aspect.

Not So Pleasantly Unsurprised at the Melo

Why, Taiwan, Why?  Your dramas don't have to be that long.  You really don't need to throw in random crap to inexplicably keep the main couple apart.  If they can make it through a misunderstanding in the course of two episodes then they obviously need to make huger mistakes so we can drag this out, right?  NO!!!!!

Drama Picking Bias Syndrome

I've been called out on this before, and I probably won't stop doing it ever.  As much as I love Kpop, and I do at that, I have problems finding new bands or getting into their music, until I have a bias for that band.  I don't pick a bias until I have a reason to like them, and that reason usually comes from seeing them in a drama first.  I think it's possibly because I tend to just appreciate them as a collective until I know one of them enough to love him individually.

A prime example of this is my history of liking Super Junior.

In 3.5 Min, More Chemistry Than the 23 Hours of Fall in Love With Me

So, Aaron just came out with a new dance version MV for his song No Cut, this time featuring Puff Guo.  No Cut is not my favorite song of his, mostly because of the rapping part in the middle which is just no.

Just You vs. Fall In Love With Me- two chances to see the same hot neck

It seems like everyone in my drama circle is watching Fall In Love With Me, which they probably should, because Aaron Yan.  Yep, that's the number one reason.  Jack Li is probably reason number 2, if that wasn't already the Aaron Yan OST.  I guess you could shove that into reason number 1, but I'd prefer to make it number 2 and Jack Li number 3.

Aaron Yan and Jack Li both have amazing necks.  In fact, Jack's neck bumps him up from a cute guy to a hot guy.

100. Love Myself... or You? 喜歡·一個人 (2014) Taiwanese

Puff Guo,  Jasper Liu, Lene Lai, Jolin Chien

Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A

There were times that I was ready to panic, because I was too scarred by Fall in Love With Me, and I feared that this would follow in it's footsteps... but no, it did not.  It was the normal ups and downs of a Taiwanese romcom.  If it was ever over-the-top, it was only in lighthearted cheesiness, which is this show's M.O.  But that is what made it so fun!  Especially after all of the three episodes of dramatic crap, it was so fun to watch, definitely what I needed.  Also every single man in this show is hot.  Every. single. one. of. them.  It's like you don't know where to look because they all look so good!  Ah Jie's dimples!  Swoon.  I fell for Hao Wei, the other man, and I especially loved the Chief (head chef) and loved his side romance.  So much fluffy fun!  Also, I just really appreciate Puff.  I think she's got a lot of talent.  So yes, this one is a fluffy one, but after some Tdramas that were airing at basically the same time (cough FILWM cough cough), this one was a refreshing breeze.

92. Miss Rose 螺絲小姐要出嫁 (2012) Taiwanese

Megan Lai, Roy Qiu, Puff Guo, Jao Jun Ya, Tia Li, Paul Hsu

Drama Rating: 3/10     Neck Score: B

Emotional manipulation.  That was all this show was.  A butt load of emotional manipulation.  It started off so well too.  The premise of a hard working secretary making a bet with a fortune teller that she'd get married that year is cool.  But that plot was like the minor, minor detail and not the main plot.  She's an awkward secretary who ends up in this "golden boy of business's" life and makes him want to break free from his shackles of emotional manipulation.  He is indebted to his boss, who raised him and took care of his mom ever since his dad died, and so has to be engaged to his boss's spoiled daughter who still thinks of him as the chauffeur's son and treats him like crap, all to pay his boss back and take the role of successor.  Once he falls in love with the secretary, then everyone in his world gives him crap and keeps manipulating him, including his mom, who I seriously wanted to slap because she was the worst kind of manipulator.  Then there was the evil head of the secretary's company who was manipulating things because he didn't want the golden boy dude to remove him from the company he was embezzling money from.   Also there was the head bitca who trained the spoiled fiancee in the ways of the bitca, turning her from a spoiled but honest brat into a full fledged bitca.  Then there is the older dude who cruelly dumped the secretary girl for money and career, who decided that he made a mistake and turns into a cray cray creep trying to win her back.  Seriously, a whole lot of crappy manipulation that made it really really hard to finish no matter how hot Roy Qiu is.  Too bad he had to deal with all that crap all the time, I felt so sorry for him.  But Paul Hsu made up for a lot.  His character was adorable, even if his romantic counter part was "stone face" Tia Li.  She's actually way better in this one than she is in Fall in Love With Me, but I never believed she liked Paul Hsu's character, not good acting on her part.  Love Puff, but her character is not the best, but she played it very well.

80. Inborn Pair 真愛找麻煩 (2011-2012) Taiwanese

Chris Wang, Annie Chen, Xie Kun Da, Puff Guo, Chris Wu

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A

Another one of those super long (like 84 episode) dramas that make me wonder why I started them but really love in spite of that.  Annie Chen is still studying to pass the bar exam (she has the worst luck) and Chris Wang is the CEO of a zoo resort.  The have a chance encounter that makes him thing she's a home wrecker and she thinks he's a cheater.  Then they run into each other at the temple, where they get the fame fortune.  Then the grandmother (my favorite Taiwanese baby hungry grandmother- the same one as in Love Around) finds out that she is the girl that she promised would marry her grandson because Annie's grandfather saved her family's life when both Chris and Annie were in the womb.  The grandma then does everything she can to force that promise's fulfillment, even pretending she has cancer.  So the couple, even though they started out hating each other, decides to have a secret contract marriage to make the grandmother happy.  Then lots of crap happens.  Annie has a short temper, Chris has a girl who is totes in love with him and not willing to let him go, Annie's first love shows back up, and there is pressure to have a baby, etc.  They are also both really stupid and won't admit they like each other when they clearly do.  Also, there is the other sibling drama.  The older sister is so dumb and controlling that she basically sets herself up to be cheated on by being too willful.  The younger brother is a horrible ladies man, but he meets his match when the girl he picked on in kindergarten comes back for revenge.  So in spite of all the craziness, and long running series, it is actually pretty enjoyable.  I hated the other girl, and his mom, and the cheating husband crap, but the main couple (Annie and Chris) and little brother couple (Kun Da and Puff Guo) are super compelling and I loved it.  I've loved Puff since Just You, and this is further proof that she is a great actress, because her character is so different in this one.  She is a calm, well mannered, yet revenge seeking/man training girl with a cool gangster background.  Yes.  Even though this show was silly, I still liked it.

49. Just You 就是要你愛上我 (2013) Taiwanese

Aaron Yan, Puff Guo, Dean Fujioka, Lin Lyla

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score:A+++

The drama that started it all.  Not only was it my first Taiwanese drama, but it was also the one that started me neck crushing.  Aaron Yan's neck.  Whew!  That dude has a sexy neck, and this drama is delightful.  Well... actually the second half had me screaming at that stupid manipulating bitca, but there was always enough happiness to make up for it because Aaron Yan and Puff Guo have amazing chemistry.  Seriously.  I loved this drama.  Despite the screaming at the screen, I was so excited to watch it every week, even with all the cray crayness as the plot got messy and such, it was still fun (and cathartic to scream at that nasty bitca who is pretty much just cray cray).  We start with a new landlord (and obligatory accidental nakey scene) which forces them to live together from episode 1, who also happens to be her new boss.  He also happens to hate office romance and places an anti-dating rule which ruins her co-workers romance.  So she decides to "lion-hunt" the boss, which means that she plans to make him fall in love with her so that he will have to remove the rule.  This leads to some awesome situational humor since she is very very bad at trying to make people fall in love with her.  Good thing that it works in spite of all that, but not without her falling for him at the same time.  But who wouldn't with that neck... and face... and body... and voice... and sexy awesome hair... rawr and double rawr.  I actually have a post on how awesome this show is, so for more details... and possible spoilers... go there.  Also, this song.  My fave Aaron Yan song which also happens to be the ending theme.