This week on the DramaMeans Podcast Mel and Ryan take a look at past dramas to examine break up scenes done right and debate whether the 11th episode curse is truly a bad trope or just lazy writing.

This week on the DramaMeans Podcast we question whether the filmmakers behind Japanese drama, "Learning to Love," really understand their own show, while also asking whether a homeroom teacher is really responsible for her students 24/7.

Cast:

Ogawa Manami - Kimura Fumino

Kaoru (Takamori Taiga) - Murakami Raul Maito

Kawahara Yoji - Nakajima Ayumu

Machida Momoko - Tanaka Minami

Ogawa Seiji - Sakou Yoshi

Ogawa Sanae - Tsutsui Mariko

Takechiyo - Sakaguchi Ryotaro

Sakura Eita - Mikata Ryosuke

Sawaguchi Natsuki - Hayasaka Miu

This week on the DramaMeans Podcast we discuss the Thai supernatural BL thriller, "Khemjira," and debate whether scary stories need to actually be really scary. We also try to figure out how reincarnation curses work while not getting too confused along the way.

Cast:

Khem - Namping

Peem - Keng

Jet - Firstone

Charn - Tle

Ramphueng - Green

This week, the DramaMeans Podcast dissects Chinese period drama, "Coroner’s Diary," to find out whether a room full of dead bodies really put a damper on the lead actors’ romantic chemistry.

Cast:

Qin Wan / Shen Wan / Wan 'er - Landy Li

Yan Chi (7th Prince) - Ao Rui Peng

Yue Ning - Shen Yu Jie

Yan Li - Yu Cheng En

Bai Feng - Cheng Hong Xin

Fu Ling - Wan Lu Qing

DramaMeans takes a look at Japanese rock music drama Glass Heart to see if it has the rhythm of a hit, or is a tragic tone deaf flop. We also question the need to wedge romance into a story where it doesn’t belong, while simultaneously wishing for romance from Mel’s favorite “ghost ship.”

Cast:

Naoki - Satoh Takeru

Akane - Miyazaki Yu

Sho - Machida Keita

Kazushi - Shison Jun

Toya - Suda Masaki

This week on the DramaMeans Podcast, Mel and Ryan give a full check up to Korean Drama “Resident Playbook,” the follow up to the highly successful “Hospital Playlist.” We discuss the differences in character and tone throughout the series, as well as coming to the realization that perhaps not even the most seasoned doctors in the hospital… really know as much as they are letting on.

Cast:

Oh Yi Yeong - Go Youn Jung

Pyo Nam Gyeong - Shin Shi Ah

Um Jae II - Kang You Seok

Kim Sa Bi - Han Ye Ji

Koo Do Won - Jung Jun Won

The DramaMeans podcast is back to take a deep dive into the 2025 Chinese BL drama “Revenged Love.” Join us as we decide whether or not trying to seduce someone as part of an elaborate revenge plan is toxic, adorable, or somewhere in between.

Cast:

Wu Suo Wei - Zi Yu

Chi Cheng - Tian Xu Ning

Guo Cheng Yu - Zhan Xuan

Jiang Xiao Shuai - Liu Xuan Cheng

Wang Shuo - Liu Jun

Wang Zhen - Wang Yu Qiao

Yue Yue - Sun Qian Yu

In this episode of the DramaMeans Podcast, we take a serious look at the very unserious 2025 Thai Drama “Break-up Service,” which gives a new meaning to the phrase, “All’s fair in love and war.” We also discuss why sometimes a show is allowed to do everything from cheesy physical humor to over the top product placement and still be considered a quality drama.

Summary:

Desperate for work, an idealistic young woman finds employment with a company that purposely breaks up couples that are in love. To make things more complicated, she ends up teaming with the most ruthless and jaded partner the company has to offer…who just might turn out to be the man of her dreams.

Cast:

Boss - Off

Jued - Jorin

Oat - Tay

Nut - Godji

T - Foei

This week on the DramaMeans podcast, Mel and Ryan dive into the 2025 Japanese live action adaptation of “Cells at Work” to discuss whether or not the feature film lived up to the clever anime. We also ask who the target audience is for the recent trend of live action remakes of popular animations or whether it’s just a studio cash grab.

Cast:

White Blood Cell (U-1146) - Satoh Takeru

Red Blood Cell (AE3803) - Nagano Mei

NK Cell - Naka Riisa

Killer T Cell - Yamamoto Koji

Niko - Ashida Mana

Dad - Abe Sadawo

Takeda - Kato Seishiro

Summary:

An experienced white blood cell befriends a naive red blood cell as she tries to navigate her new duties delivering oxygen to the body without getting hopelessly lost. But when a mutated cell creates a dangerous cancer, it’s all hands on deck to save the body at all costs.

This week, Mel and Ryan discuss how the 2025 Cdrama, Prisoner of Beauty, was able to execute the well-known trope of enemies to lovers. But did the use of several tried and true costume drama conventions make this drama a stand-out success or a tired attempt at doing the same old thing?

Summary:

Two families form an alliance through marriage, but the bad blood between their clans leads the couple to deeply distrust each other. As they begin to grow closer and learn to find love, they realize the only way for their families to survive is to put the past aside.

Cast:

Wei Shao - Liu Yu Ning

Qiao Man - Song Zu Er

Wei Yan - Liu Duan Duan

Lady Yu Lou - Xuan Lu