Media consumed in 2025

[mumblemumble]

Well, since I just made a 2025 round-up post, might as well do one more!

Dramas

(MDL link - episodes - Bluesky link - my rating)


» The Way Home (2024/25) - 16 - watch thread - 7.5

Yeah, still not over this whole situation. The low rating is mostly because of the shoddy ending, which I guess was mostly due to the whole censorship thing. It is what it is. It's an 11 in my heart. // 🎶 西樵少年 (cast) 🎶



» Legend of Zang Hai (2025) - 40 - watch skeet - 8.0

Watched this with friends, which was great fun! Xiao Zhan was really very good in it. Impeccable dirtybadwrong chemistry with the main (?) villain of the show. Warnings for some torture and other violence. // 🎶 是我 (Sun Nan) 🎶



» The Double (2024) - 40 - watch thread - 9.0

The first historical het drama I watched since The Ingenious One (which had very different vibes). Pretty sure the last het thing before that was Parallel World. Anyway, I enjoyed the billowing costumes and the romantic montages and the fight scenes so much, I guess I'm watching nothing else now. // 🎶 墨雨雲間 (Jing Long & Jing Di) 🎶



» Story of Kunning Palace (2023) - 38 - watch thread - 9.0

That ML was so unhinged. <3 // 🎶 三千世界不见你 (Jing Long) 🎶



» The Wanted Detective (2025) - 36 - watch thread - 8.5

If you'd like a historical crime drama with twists and turns, and you don't like romance? This nominally has a romance, but it might as well not have. I mean, it's sweet! They have their moments. But mostly they just love to solve crime. Wang Xingyue is very pretty. // 🎶 踏夜升明 (Liu Yuning) 🎶



» The Dauntless Youths (2025) - 30 - watch thread - 7.0

This one was filmed in 2021, so I can only assume it was released in 2025 because that Zhang Kangle is so hot right now. I enjoyed the first two thirds of this immensely; it has two very compelling m/m ships and a lot of heart, but then it just starts killing all the characters? Uh, spoilers, I guess. It would have been at least an 8.5 otherwise. Please watch it for me, I will literally pay you. // 🎶 #星火不灭 (cast) 🎶



» Shadow Love (2025) - 38 - watch thread - 9.0

What a fun romp, my gosh. The blood-drinking soulbond mommy kink of it all! Peak dynamics. A few knives, but really mostly OTT villains and a surprising amount of kink. // 🎶 将安 (Huang Xiaoyun) 🎶

Movies

I enjoyed all of these, although I'm not sure "enjoy" is the right word for Dongji Rescue. You know.

Dongji Rescue (2025)
Zootopia 2 (2025)
Wake Up Dead Man (2025)
Jingle Bell Heist (2025)
This Is Christmas (2022)

Three Yuletide fics I enjoyed

» Ways to Fall by Grayswandir (The Rebel, Chen Moqun/Lin Nansheng, ~3800 words, T)
» Cunk on Hockey by qkind (Cunk on Earth/Heated Rivalry crossover, 1500 words, T)
» do human hearts hammer? by planet_B612 (Fandom For Robots, bjornruffian & Computron, ~3800 words, G)

Top 5 songs according to Apple Music Replay

José González - Stay Alive
sodagreen - 無眠
Ólafur Arnalds & Talos - We Didn’t Know We Were Ready
Amble - Swan Song
Vincent Lima - In The Cold

Comments

[katlacakes]

I feel so lucky to watch most of this unfold in real time and see your unhinged commentary!

I didn't even think about the fact that TWD doesn't have a lot of romance because I'm, you know, delulu about a certain ship, but you are right! 😮

I'm so happy to have watched LoZH with you, my friend 🥰

All in all, I have to agree with you, THW is an 11 also in my heart 🥹💖

[mumblemumble]

Right back at you! <333

TWD had a "siblings getting married and eventually inviting their friend-to-enemy-to-frenemy into their bed" romance, which was very nice of it. 😌

[trobadora]

If you'd like a historical crime drama with twists and turns, and you don't like romance?

Oh, that's good to know, thank you!

[mumblemumble]

I did think that would appeal to some people here. 😄 It has some romance elements (main and side couple) and some m/m frenemy vibes, but I think the focus is more on friendship and solving cases. I enjoyed it!

[lunarriviera]

your posts are always so #goals. the musical notes! the episode count! pls how can i be as cool as you are?

HOWEVER you did NOT TELL ME about cunk on hockey so we're fighting now. i see it has a pump up the jam reference, this is clearly quality literature.

[adds your top 5 songs to my car playlist]

[mumblemumble]

I panicked for a moment because oh no, I'm a terrible friend! /o\ BUT NO I DID TELL YOU. Remember? I asked you if you were familiar with Cunk on Earth, and you were. And then we both forgot the conversation ever happened. 😄

I hope you'll like the songs. 🥹 The drama songs too!

<33333