Manga or manhwa, if it’s lucky enough, lives on beyond the pages and onto the small or the big screen. If it’s even luckier, manga/manhwa makes it to my list of top 5 manga turned live action.

1. Hana Yori Dango
Why: This is pretty much a no brainer. You know you’re a big manga when three countries turn you into TV drama series. Taiwan has Meteor Garden I and II, Korea’s got Boys Before Flowers and Japan’s got a jdorama of the same name. What I love most about all of these TV series is that no one ugly was cast. And I guess, the story was cute. (Poor girl moves to rich neighborhood story, hilarity ensues.)

2. Detroit Metal City
Why: So, I never read Detroit Metal City, but when it comes to the movie I only have one word: hilarious. In a nutshell, the movie is about a country boy leaving the country to pursue a happy-go-lucky-folksy indie rock gig. Some twist of fate winds him up the lead singer of a death metal band. You better believe Kiss’ Gene Simmons makes a cameo.

3. Nana
Why: Because I am a girl, therefore Nana speaks to my ovaries. In all seriousness, this is the ultimate shoujo (girl’s) manga. It’s about two girls named Nana with two different personalities, one a girl wishing to pursue her own dreams in the big city, the other a rock goddess. Together, they learn a lot about life despite their differences. It’s one big girl-fest with bits of Mika Nakashima rockin’ out. Of course I loved this manga!

4. Full House
Why: I loved this manhwa so much, I watched the Korean drama of the same name, then proceeded to visit the actual house Full House is based on. Well, fine — one of those is a lie. I didn’t actually read the manhwa, but I did enjoy the drama (and the actual house.) Full House stars Rain and Song Hye Gyo. Rain’s character is a, surprise, surprise — pop star, while the other is an online novelist. Through some weird twist of fate, they end up living together, ultimately forcing viewers to ask this question: Can members of the opposite sex live with each other without falling in love?

5. Goong
Why: Goong is basically the Korean version of The Princess Diaries. Which came first, I have no idea. Goong eventually turned into a drama that put Yoon Eun Hye and druggie Joo Ji Hoon on the map. Random, but true story: I snuck my way into the Jeju Teddy Bear Museum featured in the drama by pretending to be a Chinese tourist. No joke: