Clever! Might try and utilise this
1 Like
I like this show too!!! Itās such a thriller. And youāre right, it has a happy ending, and the trope was executed well-rounded
1 Like
Yes please, I would love to see someoneās recommendations or just your list of series or films you watched and what you thought.
Do you pay for Language Reactor? It used to be free but now it asks for me to pay to get the pinyin+hanzi+English 
What I do though is do a search for films in Language Reactor Mandarin catalogue and make sure my VPN is set to HongKong, and suddenly all these films and series become available! 
On the subject of Taiwanese films, I loved Marry My Dead Body. Moving and funny, and I then read up on this āMarrying a ghostā thing and discovered it was a real thing!
Another resource I use to find shows and actors is MyDramaList.com. If a show can be found anywhere, it will list the place. I did look up Skip Beat, but only found the manga is available on Amazon. I did look at the cast list of the drama and thought one of the actors looked familiar, so when I clicked on him figured out he was in Bloodhounds, a Korean drama I watched a couple of weeks ago!
The information on the site is pretty extensive; itās how I find other shows.
No, I donāt pay, I use the free version. The free version works just fine for me. I put Netflix on original language (Mandarin), then turn on Language reactor which does the rest.
Here is a list of what Iāve seen. Most are on Netflix (Iām in the US), but Iāve noted if I watched it on another platform.
Rise of the Phoenixes (Chen Sun) was the first I watched. Liked it until the end. Then I hated the whole thing.
Meteor Garden (with Dylan Wang) was the first I watched with my daughter.
Accidentally in Love - my daughterās favorite
The Perfect Match (Wu Kang-Ren. He started dating the FL, Ivy Shao, after this and they are still together)) - great way to increase my cooking vocab and get great recipes. 
Rewatching (for the 3rd time) with Language Reactor and a notebook)
Use For My Talent
Mom, Donāt Do That! (Wu Kang-Ren) - not for kids, adult humor
Take My Brother Away
The Legend of Bruce Lee
Once Upon a Time on Lingjian Mountain (Xu Kai)
Handsome Siblings
Triad Princess - havenāt really gotten into it, so havenāt finished it
Flavorful Origins - not a drama. More like a documentary of different cuisines in various places in China. 10-13 minute episodes
Falling Into Your Smile (Xu Kai) - watched at least 6 times, by myself
Kingās Avatar (Yang Yang) - another gaming one, no romance!
Office Girls
(on iQiYi) Lost in Kunlun Mountains (Xu Kai) - started out good, then, I donāt know. The characters didnāt develop well, seemed to regress. Weird.
(Viki) Arsenal Military Academy (Xu Kai) - I liked the ML (Xu Kai) in this one. Character developed well. Watched more than once.
(Viki) The Legends (Xu Kai)
Story of Yanxi Palace (Xu Kai) - started it a while back but havenāt finished.
Well-Intended Love
The Prince of Tennis
Love 020 (Yang Yang)
Hidden Love
Doona (Kdrama)
Word of Honor (Zhang Zhehan)
Who Rules the World (Yang Yang)
Everyone Wants to Meet You (Zhang Zhehan)
She and Her Perfect Husband (Xu Kai)
Bloodhounds (Kdrama)
Autumnās Concerto (Wu Kang ren)
Miss Shampoo (movie, Taiwanese)
Medical Examiner: Dr. Qin (on Viki)
4 Likes
I knew about Language Reactor Pro but i didnāt know the pinyin+hanzi+English was not free anymore!
Iām glad you found a way around it, great tip!
It should be free. I donāt pay for Language reactor and I still have the pinyin+hanzi+English on Netflix. The settings I use are the ones Iāve always had. 
Well 1 thing I have been told that instead of watching a completely new show, watch a show that you have previously watched and watch it this time in your target language.
I havenāt tried this yet but I feel if I watch Money Heist, FRIENDS, Reacher in a different language it can help me as I already know what they are saying more or less in English.
What would you guys think about this method? Is it something youād try?
1 Like
This is actually a really underrated hack, Rushi, I might do the same.
FRIENDS in Mandarin, Japanese or Italian 
I think knowing the story line and plot means you can focus more on the language you are learning and less on the story itself.
2 Likes
I do this with Disney movies! Sometimes I donāt put on English subtitles, just knowing the plot really well helps a lot with listening and Iām not distracted by reading subtitles.
1 Like
Weāve done it often (my daughter and I). On Netflix, my kids were basically raised on My Little Pony, and we know the first two seasons backward and forward in English and Spanish (weāve been through the series at least 7-8 times!). So many life lessons I refer to in those episodes, lol! Recently, some episodes have been available in Mandarin, so we started watching the series again in Mandarin. Iād love for Avatar (cartoon version) be available in Mandarin, as thatās another series weāve watched more than once.
Iāve also watched some Chinese dramas with subtitles first (maybe 2 times) to know the story, then gone back to watch them again without the subtitles (using Language Reactor, so includes pinyin and hanzi, as well as English). The Perfect Match, Use for My Talent, and Falling for Your Smile are the three Iāve watched at least 3 times already.
I must say I tried this just as fun in Hindi and Gujarati, it feels VERY VERY weird at first but then it has a bit of humor to it.
It makes me curious that whether that novelty may help to stay consistent on that method for longer
When it comes to learning a language, soap operas are a fantastic choice! Their dialogue is often repetitive and focuses on everyday situations, making them easier to follow. Some popular soaps that are great for this include The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives, As the World Turns, and Bold and the Beautiful.
You can also consider dramas like EastEnders and Coronation Street, which feature rich storytelling and a variety of accents, perfect for immersing yourself in the language.
So far, my favorite has been General Hospital! The storylines are engaging, and I love how they incorporate emotional depth into the charactersā interactions. Plus, the ongoing drama keeps you invested in the plot!
1 Like
Anyone discovered anything new recently?
Hoping to find some new Korean series to get into 
I started watching a funny short-series on Prime called LOL (Last One Laughing) in Italian.
Itās a series of comedians who are placed in a room and cannot laugh or smile. If they do they are shown a yellow card, or red one meaning they are eliminated. They all attempt to make each other laugh using various methods like physical comedy, funny jokes or absurd stories.
Of course itās super funny, but also hard to follow in your non-native language.
Without doubt this was a level above me, but it was fun to learn some new stuff about what makes Italians laugh.
I believe the show was born in Japan and has been popular around the world.
It is a super popular show in France too! 
This year we had the 4th season.
Not only it is a very funny show to watch, but it also brings all kind of people together: comedians, actors, youtubers, social media celebritiesā¦ it creates bridges between traditional TV, cinema and new platforms, which I really like.
I loved LOL!! I saw all the seasons, my favorite character is Lillo, no doubt. But I bet that for a non-native speaker must be a bit difficult to follow everything, so good job for trying!
If you like funny shows, I suggest you watch Boris on Netflix . Itās Italian, and they basically mock the Italian soap opera making industry; itās one of my all time favorite shows
Great topic! I also love watching Korean and Japanese shows. Devils Plan is a smart choice, and Run for the Money is so fun despite being a bit trashy. As for Singleās Inferno, I get it ā itās hard to stop once youāre hooked!
Oh this is so interesting! Iām from the UK and never really considered the educational value of Corrie or Eastenders but they really do use more everyday language and have more common problems to deal with than in most movies. Makes me think reality TV is the way to go for other languages
Since my last comment was one year ago this month, Iām updating my list of what Iāve watched. Iāve been listing them as I finish, and marked the language, time period, and whether a series or drama. Iām more organized, yay! Chinese Shows and movies in order of viewing - Google Sheets
2 Likes
Love the fact you track these, Tam! Thanks for sharing
1 Like