In the final episode of the year, we discuss a host of different topics from the international drama world, including what we loved from the year, what we didn’t, and what we wished we had never started in the first place. We also run through the short list of dramas we are currently watching and hope to feature in future episodes of the DramaMeans Podcast. We hope everyone has a great holiday season and we will be back next year to fill you in on all of our thoughts on the plethora of...

If you're already afraid of flying, Hong Kong/China collab action flick, "High Forces" may not be for you. Good thing we watched it for you and in this episode, we take a deep dive into what worked and what didn't. Was this film starring international superstar Andy Lau a fun filled mindless ride that we enjoyed or an over the top wannabe blockbuster that crashes and burns? Maybe both?

This week we discuss the real life drama and controversy that surrounded Korean BL drama “Love in the Big City.” People had their opinions about this show before it was even released, and we breakdown why, in our opinion, it was an overreaction to a show that should be celebrated for its filmmaking instead of demonized by self righteous critics. We also dig deep into each of the relationships in the story and discuss how they are similar, different, and universally relatable.

Men In Love, a 2024 Chinese modern romance drama, following a group of buddies as they fumble through life and love. Leading the pack, Ye Han (Hu Yi Tian) and Xiao Xiao (Liang Jie) showcase their varying maturity levels but only managing to demonstrate luke warm chemistry. Join DramaMeans in analyzing the characters' inconsistent arcs, imbalanced dynamics, and underdeveloped supporting characters. What did Men in Love do right and what did it do wrong? Tune in to find out!!

Come and explore the Thai BL series, "The Trainee," with us in depth. This funny series tracks a group of university students as they navigate their internships and build camaraderie at a busy production house. In this episode, we will talk about the fans' concerns about how unprofessional the characters are portrayed, the relationship that is built within the intern gang and the swoon moments between Ryan (Gun) and Jane (Off). We will examine what worked and what didn't.

So many dramas, so little time... This episode of the podcast, instead of focusing on one series that we've completed, we discuss several dramas we are currently watching and our reactions to them so far. We swoon over the ones we like, bash the ones we don't, and explain how one drama earned the rare distinction of being dropped part way through an episode. This week has a little bit of everything! Dramas listed in this episode: Love of Nirvana Kidnap Fourever You The Gift Of Your...

We delve into the 2024 Chinese drama, "You Are My Secret," where we talk about the characters' unwavering support for each other, Miles Wei (魏哲鸣) and Karlina Zhang's (张佳宁) undeniable chemistry, but we also, discuss what fell flat and which aspect is down right creepy. Catch our DramaMeans Podcast episode on this hidden in plain sight romance!

Catch our latest episode on DramaMeans Podcast where we break down the intricacies and shortcomings of the 2024 Korean movie/drama series, "Time of Fever." Find out whether or not this prequel capitalizes on the fondness for the characters we met in "Unintentional Love Story," or is it handcuffed by it.

In this episode of DramaMeans Podcast, we dive into the 2024 Chinese drama, "Escape from the Trilateral Slopes." Ryan and I explore the amazing, the bad, the ridiculous, and everything in between. Don't miss this episode! Shen Xing, played by Guo Qi Lin, unexpectedly arrives at his uncle's construction site in the Golden Triangle, much to his uncle's disapproval. When everything goes wrong and his uncle disappears, Shen Xing relies on a new found ally, Uncle Cai, played by the legendary...

Adapting a television series from a book can be a very difficult task.  Especially, when someone else has already taken a crack at it and you’re not only trying to live up to the source material, but also find a unique perspective in which to tell your own version of the story.   We discuss all of these issues on the podcast this week as we talk about the 2024 Thai BL Drama “My Love Mix-Up.”  Having originally been released as a Manga, then adapted into a Japanese series, will the Thai...

Not all dramas are award winners. Not all dramas are popular. Not all dramas are worth watching to the bitter end. As much as we try to keep an open mind and give every drama we watch a fair chance, sometimes you need to just throw in the towel. In this episode we discuss 5 dramas from 2024 that put such a foul taste in our mouth that we couldn’t stomach even one more episode. Are we kind of being haters this week? Yes! Yes we are!

Yu Yu Hakusho, the popular Japanese Anime, has been brought to life with a live-action adaptation available on Netflix. We discuss whether this action packed series lived up to the hype or whether it is yet another disappointing attempt at bringing Anime style storytelling to a new audience.

This week is a return to the Hong Kong Cinema heyday, as we discuss the 2024 action flick "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In." Taking place in the infamous Kowloon walled city, this over the top action bonanza starring Louis Koo (古天樂), Raymond Lam (林峯), and Sammo Hung (洪金寶) has us reminiscing about the golden age of Hong Kong entertainment industry. It also has us feeling exceptionally thankful for Netflix, running water, and Uber Eats.

This week, we talk about the 2024 coming of age US film Didi, and it's well crafted characters, great acting, and the idiosyncrasies of awkward adolescents. This movie stars Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Mahaela Park and directed by Sean Wang. We definitely recommend checking this raw and realistic movie about a Taiwanese American protagonist as he navigates through puberty.

This week we have Alexis from Drama Kween podcast as a special guest for this episode! We talk, and talk, and talk about the Japanese lgbtqia+ reality dating show, "The Boyfriend," and the Korean lgbtqia+ reality dating show, "His Man 3." We go through real talk, delulu conspiracy theories, and just fangirling over the cast! We apologize for any name mispronunciations, that was not our intentions, sometimes we get heated and the names just flow out of our mouths. Thank you for understanding!

**SPOILERS GALORE** The highly anticipated release of the latest film in the Deadpool franchise, "Deadpool and Wolverine" starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, finally pairs two of the most iconic characters in the Marvel Universe. It's something audiences have been waiting for. We discuss whether they pulled off the perfect superhero buddy film, or chose cheap thrills over substance. Either way, the highlight of the film was always going to be a four legged scraggly super dog with too...

Thai BL Drama "Wandee Goodday" puts “fake it till you make it” to the ultimate test as an unlikely pairing see if a pretend relationship can nurture real feelings. We also discuss how a “meet awkward” can actually be more effective than a “meet cute.”

We talk about the character dynamics of the 2024 Chinese costume drama The Princess Royal starring Zhao Jin Mai and Zhang Ling He and how sometimes complicated schemes are so complex they stop being comprehensible.

This week, we discuss why this movie isn’t actually a sequel to Alienoid, after all. We also dig into the role that CGI has to play in big budget features and when it all just becomes a little too much.

This week, we discuss how tone can transform the same subject mattter into two drastically different shows and question whether or not actors need to have real life intimacy with their co-stars in order to become a convincing on screen couple.

In this episode, we discuss why satire done well is so satisfying and debate the societal logic of a ridiculous dystopian SciFi universe. We also think if there was money to be made by broadcasting the end of civilization, there is for sure a reality TV producer that would make it happen.

In this episode, we discuss the tried and true story trope of stolen/swapped identities and talk about how a show can elevate itself by caring for each and every character even if they aren't the lead. We also petition to bring back "happily ever after." Sorry for the long episode, we will try to have a shorter episode next week!

In this episode, we discuss what it’s like to be young again and be accepted unconditionally by a group of people that have your back, how enjoyable a show can be when you find yourself wishing all the characters were your friends in real life.

This week, we discuss how building a strong bond between two characters can carry an otherwise pretty simple story. But if a show doesn’t stay true to itself all the way through to the end, it ultimately can be a bitter pill to swallow.