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.

347. Go Go Squid 亲爱的，热爱的 (2019) Chinese

Yang Zi, Li Xian, Hu Yi Tian, Lee Hong Chi, Li Ze Feng, Chen Xi Jun, Wang Zhen Er

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

I had to see what all the hype was about. I'm admittedly on one of those weird blah watching kicks where I'm not motivated to watch or especially start much of anything, but this manages to hook me fast enough that I kept watching and then I quickly knew exactly what the hype was about. It's super addictive because you really just fall in love with everyone and especially all the relationships. I mean ALL of them. It's just as much about the friendships as it is about the romance. Also, the romance is absolutely fun to watch because it's two super awkward first timers who don't know what they are doing despite the age difference, and to see them bring out the best in each other and struggle to figure out what to do is pretty darn satisfying.

345. WWW: Search 검색어를 입력하세요: WWW (2019) Korean

Lim Soo Jung, Lee Da Hee, Jeon Hye Jin, Chang Ki Yong, Lee Jae Wook, Ji Seung Hyun


Drama Rating: 8/10     Neck Score: A+

I both loved this drama and got bored with it at the same time. I loved the three powerhouse women and their complicated and awesome relationship. I loved seeing them at work and together. For the most part I loved seeing their relationships, but I feel like there could have been less of some of them. In particular, I think they wasted too much time on the Ta Mi and Park Morgan couple, especially since it was a lot of the same things and was the main cause of the show being draggy. I'll be honest, I paid the least amount of attention to all of their scenes. On the other hand, I could have watched much more Hyun-Ji Hwan scenes, and ate up every second of Ga Gyung and her husband. I wouldn't have minded slightly more of them. But, ultimately, I just wanted more of the women being awesome.

This really was the show that we needed, focused on three women in the internet industry because it not only showed women in strong positions and highlighted some of the struggles women in the workforce face, but it also highlighted a newly powerful industry that hasn't really had as much focus: the internet search engines. Showing how much political and social power search engines have today was super fascinating, from the real time search trends, to social media and vlogging. Showing how it could destroy lives, cover scandals, or shoot someone to sudden fame was really interesting. I especially loved the constant discussion of ethics on the internet and how search engines need to be non-biased and impartial, fighting even the government to protect the privacy of the users.

In-Flight Film Time: Miko Girl 巫女っちゃけん。(2018) Japanese

Alice Hirose, Taiki Yamaguchi, Megumi, Naoko Iijima, Lily Franky

Movie rating: 8/10     Neck score: A

This might not have been the best pick to watch on a plane. I'm not sure Japanese movies are in general. Well, certain genres, which this fits into, are not the best. They tend to be quiet and slow paced. Because of the noise of the plane, I really couldn't hear what they said half the time. I knew they said something though, because I had the subtitles, so at least I still knew what was going on. But I really could only hear people when they were upset and shouting, and then it was too loud because I kept turning it up trying to hear the tone of their voices as they said something. But, I liked the movie well enough in spite of that. I would have preferred to watch it without all the background noise that made it hard to hear though.

It is about a reluctant shine maiden who got into the business because her father is the chief priest. The shine is also losing money, and somehow her blase attitude makes her a scapegoat. She is constantly being "tutored" by the other maidens and priests which comes off a bit as bullying because of her dissatisfaction in her life in general. She is looking for a new job so she can quit working at the shrine, but she is blase about life in general and doesn't really have any dreams or ambition apart from getting away from the shrine. Then she finds a kid who is clearly lost/a runaway and she ends up caring for him as she is forced to take care of him.

In-Flight Film Time: Default 국가부도의 날 (2018) Korean

Kim Hye Soo, Yoo Ah In, Heo Jun Ho, Jo Woo Jin

Movie rating: 7/10     Neck score: A+

I'll admit that I chose to watch this one because from the tiny poster on the tiny plane screen, Kim Hye Soo looked like Soo Ae (who I love). Also, it had Yoo Ah In, so that was another plus. Basically the cast alone kept me watching. It's about the IMF Crisis in 1997 when Korea almost went bankrupt. We have the four major players: Kim Hye Soo who plays an analyst at the Bank of Korea who has predicted the crisis and been ignored for years and is finally getting heard. Yoo Ah In who is a bank teller for the Bank of Korea who has also predicted the crisis, but quits his job to instead make money off of the situation. Then we have Jo Woo Jin who plays the Vice-Minister of Finance who also wants to take advantage of the situation to reform the economy and take power. Then we have Heo Jun Ho, who is a factory owner who gets screwed over by the crisis and starts losing everything.

343. Angel's Last Mission: Love 단, 하나의 사랑 (2019) Korean

Shin Hye Sun, Kim Myung Soo, Lee Dong Gun, Kim Bo Mi, Do Ji Won, Kim In Kwon

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

I think this show might be more fully appreciated if you happen to be a Myung Soo fan, which I am. I was sucked right in because of him. I love him and fully acknowledge he isn't the best actor, but I was super impressed with him in this. He is definitely getting better, which I love. Another you just have to know from the start is that it's one of those impossible situations full of forbidden love, so it's going to be a cry fest at times and then fall apart at the end because the set up make a happy ending that makes sense almost impossible. That is, it's possible, but the writers seemed to not want to use logic, so it kind of got weird at the end. But Myung Soo still made it worth it for me. Also, Lee Dong Gun. I love him. I especially love how he can be the second male lead/antagonist/villain and still rock it, being lovably loathsome, etc. Not that his character here was loathsome, he was an antagonist at best. But he rocked it, despite the writing of his character being weird. Like motivation-wise.  Basically the writing wasn't terrible, but it went downhill a bit as the drama progressed and went to pot by the end.

In-Flight Film Time: Big Brother 大師兄 (2018) Chinese

Donnie Yen, Joe Chen, Kang Yu, Jack Lok, Lin Qiunan

Movie rating: 6/10     Neck score: A

I knew what it would be before I started it, but my love for Donnie Yen made me watch it anyway. I would have probably preferred a movie with more fighting in it, but what fight scenes there were were definitely good. This movie is more about the schmaltz. It's 100% feel good and social commentary. It's about an unorthodox teacher who turns a class of loser misfits around and makes them care about life and want to try again the way that only an unorthodox teacher can. He's not only ex-military, he's also an ex-trouble maker and alumni from the school. He's basically the perfect problem solver. That's probably the schmaltziest part of the film, he manages to solve everyone's problems with his magic caring. Well, a lot of that is just talking through things and actually giving a darn, so it does make some sense, but it also is a bit too simple. There are of course difficulties. Bad decisions and consequences that lead to our teacher taking out a MMA champion to save a student (got to get a fight scene in somehow) and later a gang of thugs because of course some evil rich dude wants the school to close so they can make bank on a redevelopment scheme. But they also had to comment on the school system which drives students to give up caring or to commit suicide, so there was plenty of heaviness too.