Han SeungHee and Jeon JinSeok - One Thousand and One Nights, vol. 02, 04 (Eng. trans.)

This series keeps enraging me, but I read on because the art was so gorgeous. Thankfully, I have been released, since the author's note in volume 4 annoyed me so much that I refuse to pick up more! Ha, freedom!

I still like the stories being told between the main story, but the main story is so frustrating, especially because it's taking a source famous for its heroine and making it something in which all the women are ineffectual and unimportant or evil.

( Spoilers make me swear off the author )

ETA: I realized I must have accidentally skipped vol. 3 and shoujo!Caesar.

Love Queen, ep. 01-13 (complete) (non-spoilery)

Completely OT: People! There is a new McKillip out and no one told me! You're all fired.

Zhang Jinghan has just gotten a divorce and moved into a new apartment when she discovers that her new neighbor is none other than Zuo Shaotang, who embarrassed her in front of the entire high school at graduation by accidentally pulling off all her clothes. She doesn't realize that he's had a crush on her ever since high school, and she vows to ruin his life in any way possible. To split rent, she ends up with two roommates: runaway rich girl Liang Jiaxin and figure skating country girl Yu Qiaole.

I watched this during the summer in Taiwan, and while I wasn't impressed when I started, it's the drama that I find myself remembering the most fondly now. It's much more sitcom-y than most trendy dramas, and you have to ignore the random product placement for iced tea and facial care products, but what sets it apart is the lack of female rivalry! And not just that, but a great focus on female friendship and sisterhood; the three apartment mates are different ages, and by the end, they're acknowledging each other as family and friends. The other nice bit was that the main romance is one I actually believe in. The two banter and argue like many drama couples, but they also completely grok each other.

It does take a while for this to get going. The opening few episodes are particularly slapstick, and they begin with a plot arc that I loathe with a burning passion. I didn't particularly like Jinghan or Shaotang at the beginning, even though I felt I should like Jinghan's Miyazawa Yukino-esque switches from being a perfect lady and career woman to uphold her image to being the vengeful, scheming, hard-hearted person she actually is. Eventually, though, I ended up adoring Jinghan, who has absolutely no emotional self-knowledge but is very good at her job, and I love that her personality stays on through the end.

Like many dramas, the ending leaves something to be desired, though it's not as bad as some I've seen. Still, it was so relieving to find a drama that doesn't have women competing against each other and resorting to lowball tactics for men! And despite the broad comedy and the product placements and some tired drama cliches (particularly when it comes to Yu Qiaole's story), I actually find myself wanting to rewatch for the comfort value and the friendship among all the leads.