Retrospective of My 2023 Hits

I'm sure I'm missing some things...but here's my attempt to jot down my major players of the year.

In the new year I'm hoping to be better about recording my obsessions as they occur.

On the Asian drama front:

Started off strong with the kdrama Island and the second season of the kdrama Alchemy of Souls.
I had so much fun with these shows and still watch clips and FMVs often. I suppose these are among my comfort shows now, as the kids say these days.

Natalia and I actually did a livestream about Alchemy of Souls, so feel free to check it out~
The dramas straddled both 2022 and 2023, so they were big parts of both years despite being at the very end and beginning.

I binged the classic time-jump kdrama Queen In Hyun's Man (or Queen and I) in a matter of 2 days and it became an easy all-time fave. I picked it up for the 12 for 12 Challenge, and I sure am glad I did.
This notably made me enter my actor Ji Hyun Woo 'era' of seeking out and watching his dramas, variety show appearances, etc. as if they were candy.
Additional shoutout to Trot Lovers (or Lovers of Music) which I really enjoyed as well and ultimately ended up shoehorning it into my 12 for 12 sheet.

Call It Love...this kdrama broke me and stitched me back together. It's so beautiful and raw at times and I can't put into words all of my feelings about it.

I have no doubt I'll be revisiting the show again and again.

Watched the intense spy thriller kdrama The Veil for funsies and had a really good time with it. (Note: This picture is not the tone of the show - at all.)
This put actor Namgoong Min and the director of the show squarely on my radar and prepared to hop on...

The kdrama My Dearest when it premiered.

I fell in love with the main characters and called them egotistical, stubborn goobers (in an affectionate sense). It's a very epic, gorgeous, war-torn drama and I inhaled every bit of it as well as behind the scenes clips, bloopers, everything.

This drama also pushed me well into my Namgoong Min era, which I'm still working through.
Obviously related special mention to the kdramas The Undateables and Beautiful Gong Shim that I really enjoyed watching for the first time in 2023!

Other favorite kdramas for me this year were Taxi Driver 2 (of course), Black Knight, Moving, and Twinkling Watermelon.
They're all shows that I can picture myself rewatching, I love them so.

I also finally got around to watching the 2019 Taiwanese drama Someday or One Day for our inaugural drama exchange podcast episode and Jessie was correct in her conviction that I'd love it. The accompanying movie is also great.

I did manage to complete the Certified Noonas 12 for 12 Challenge, though as I mentioned earlier, I did shoehorn in many of the dramas to fall in line with things I watched due to my 'eras'~
So here's the final look at my 2023 sheet for it.

That and many of the things I've mentioned get discussed on the 2023 wrap-up podcast episode Certified New Year: New Year, Same Noonas.

Kpop:
Can't forget to mention a group that debuted in March and became my lightness and levity during a dark time...PLAVE!
Jessie and I did a fun livestream all about them, so don't miss out on that~

In English-speaking media:
Nimona is an animated movie adapted from a graphic novel that was such a treat. Gorgeous, fun, touching, and funny...I can't recommend it enough.

At the close of the year I belatedly watched Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death and it was even better than I had anticipated.
Great fun all around.
(Super sad about not getting a third season.)