Fantasy Online and Off in Love O2O!

     For those of us who love to play video games (I'm a Nintendo and Online gamer!) this next C-Drama is right up your controller sticks! 

     Love O2O is a drama that goes into a popular online historical action game called, "Chinese Ghost Story". Here players join clans (or gangs), battle players and monsters, have quests, and they can even get MARRIED!

     Reed Wei Wei (ZhengShuang) is the only top 10 female player and she is married to Zhenshui Wuxiang (Zhang He) and they rack points and kick butt!

     Unfortunately, every time Zhenshui Wuxiang asks Reed Wei Wei for a photo or to meet IRL (in real life) she always declines... 

     This is wonderful bumbling sidekick is Zhao Er Xi (Mao Xiao Tong) she is Reed Wei Wei's (or Bei Wei Wei - offline name) BFF!

     She is clumsy and Bei Wei Wei is always bailing her out from one jam to another...lol   

     After Zhao Er Xi killed Bei Wei Wei's laptop she dropped it off to get repaired and went to an online cafe to get her game ON!

     What Bei Wei Wei could not have anticipated was that Xiao Nai (YangYang) - the most popular boy at her university - was having a meeting at the same place! (What!?!) 

     I absolutely love the cinematography in this series! For me it became another character to play with the narrative...this is seen when the two leads kinda meet for the first time.

     The first thing Xiao Nai notices about Bei Wei Wei is her hands! (Wow!)

     So...since Zhenshui Wuxiang had been making no headway with Reed Wei Wei he asked for a DIVORCE in the RPG (role playing game). What he forgot to mention is that he already had someone he wanted to marry instead of her.

     I absolutely LOVE Reed Wei Wei reaction when he divorced her and then she saw his marriage train with his new bride - she did NOT care. For Reed Wei Wei it was all just a game! (HA!)

     On the bright side another interesting character pops up and asks Reed Wei Wei to marry her! 

     Who?...none other than the number one top player Yi Xiao Nai He!

     Meanwhile, back in the man cave Xiao Nai calmly explains that he can no longer fix any random girl's computer because he is now a Married Man! (...things that make you go mmm...?)

     I did want to take a moment and talk about two characters that I absolutely loved in this series. Hao Mei (ZhengYe Cheng) and KO (Zhang Binbin)!

     There are many flower boys in this series and the bromance is brimming on a saturated cup but these two characters touched my heart dearly. 

     Hao Mei and KO  share a caring and sweet almost romance that is not always seen this clearly in Chinese Dramas. I'm grateful it was present in this one.

     Definite kudos to Director Lin YuFen for having great vision and to Writer Gu Man for an imaginative story!

Bromance to Romance in 19 Episodes or Less...?

     What happens when the culture you are born into has rules and regulations that can shape your life to an almost alternate state? That's exactly what happened to Pi Ya Nuo (MeganLai)! 

     When she was born her parents, who are truly trusting and loving, went to a fortune teller to get advice on their newborn child (feels very fairy-tale like...). 

     They were told of great misfortune for Ya Nuo in the future if they did not take steps to change her fate! (oh no!) 

Tricking Fate?

     On a parallel storyline Du Zhi Feng (BaronChen) also had a rough start in life and was rescued from being an orphan by a generous mafia family! (ok...I know how it sounds but they're nice!)

     Zhi Feng is facing challenges, on his own, since his Father disappeared 7 years ago...does tragedy follow this duo throughout the drama?

Love Thy Father

     As Ya Nuo continues to hide who she is (for almost 26 years) she has lived her life as full as she could. Her best friend, Liao Guang Chao (YangMing Wei), helps to create laughter and a sense of stability in her life.     

Working Man

     As the story unfolds Zhi Feng is keeping his Theme Park running and waiting for his Father to come home...but rivalries won't leave him alone! All he really needs is a friend to have his back...(mmm...wonder who that could be?)

Gentleman in Distress?

     Zhi Feng and Ya Nuo hit it off but Ya Nuo doesn't want any rewards for helping Zhi Feng. 

     But when Ya Nuo rescues Du Zi Han (Elleya Tao),  Zhi Feng's  sister ...things get really complicated! 

(...and funny!)

Sworn Brothers!

     Bromance is a hilarious view on the gender bender theme (when a character dresses/acts like the opposite gender) that many Asian Dramas have.

     I find this Taiwanese twist delightful because Ya Nuo has been living this lifestyle for almost 26 years and has become adept to the role! She truly is a boy through and through. 

     She fights, has swag, and drinks just like all the male characters! ...sometimes better! 

     Watching this drama was addictive most especially since Ya Nuo got to rescue her "Prince" on more than one occasion and I loved to watch her kick butt!

My First KDrama: Boys Over Flowers!

     If I had to blame anything for my KDrama addiction it would be Boys Over Flowers! It was the first, of its kind, that I watched and I have not been able to put them down ever again!

     This flirty, fun, and fiendish group of boys rule Shinhwa High School...and their lives are forever changed when a new addition is introduced to the school on a swimming scholarship by the name of Geum Jan-di (Gu Hye-sun).

     We first encounter the 4F(Flower Boys): Goo Joon Pyo (LeeMin Ho) the Leader, Yoon Ji-hoo (KimHyun-joong) the 2nd in Command, So Yi-jung (Kim Bum) the Artist, and Song Woo-bin (Kim Joon) the Gangster on Geum Jan-di first day of school and she is both fascinated and repulsed by this group of boys. 

Introducing the 4F

      Geum Jan-di is bullied and teased at school because of her lowly commoner status but she is tough, endearing, honest, and loyal to her friends. This starts chipping some of the ice around Goo Joon Pyo's heart but unfortunately he has no clue on how to love and be loved. (Plus he's the one that started Geum Jan-di's bullying to begin with! Sigh!)

Geum Jan-di stands up for herself

       This could easily have been another typical drama but the cast brought empathy and laughter to Boys Over Flowers and it has become one of the most watched and celebrated dramas since 2009. This is the epitome of high school dramas that pushed these actors into Hayllu status.