#i really really need more kyung ho lead roles

[somedayillbepeterpan]

Indulge me if you will, but here are the things I'm thankful for about Crash Course in Romance/Ilta Scandal.

There are a lot reviews for this show about what could have worked and what they didn't get right. I will get to that since I'm only human but before all that, CCIR/Ilta Scandal team, thank you so much.

-Thank you for giving Jung Kyungho the lead that he has said is the closest to his heart which even his gf, Choi Sooyoung, have said. For giving him a character that showcased his range and his undeniable charm. He's been under the radar for far too long. Which I actually didn't realise because he steals the scene for whenever he is on in all the shows I've seen of him so far. He actually first caught my eye from that random cameo he has from the 1st episode of Crash Landing on You (is the title fate or just a Netflix marketing ploy?)

-Thank you for introducing me to Jeon Do Yeon. I'm not korean but I read that a lot of the actors/actresses in SoKor chose Jeon Do Yeon as their acting influence. She is a fire that won't be extinguished. She put a credibility and strength in Nam Haengseon's character that I cannot imagine anyone else playing her. But, she was also so good in her art that I could clearly see Nam Haengseon brought to life by how the writer/director intended it. I am definitely going to watch anything that she's on right now.

-Thank you for showcasing a love story between people who were middle-aged and are in a moment in their lives where they didn't think that they deserved any change. Who were used to how equally mundane and chaotic their lives were. I loved that while the title cards represented the whole theme of the episode, it was pretty much focused on the development of Chiyeol and Haengseon's relationship. It was playful and thematic but also had actually really good meanings behind them. Someday, I'll get to writing an analysis on the title cards.

-Thank you for also not highlighting Chiyeol's wealth as something to save Haengseon. Too many kdramas give this "hero" status to the wealthy characters. I love that Haengseon was who she was from beginning to the end. Fiercely simply beautiful. She didn't need saving but there were moments that she was stopped at sacrificing too much. She was the "hero" in the story. A three dimensional hero.

CCIR/Ilta Scandal has many flaws and I will get to it too but I love it so much that I know that even though I'm frustrated, I'm willing to overlook them (I can't get over my frustration over the no-mention of the dream kiss).

#finale thoughts #crash course in romance #ccir #일타 스캔들 #jung kyung ho #jeon do yeon #choi chiyeol #nam haeng seon #i'm going to miss them so much #i'm probably going to be forever in love with this show #i really really need more kyung ho lead roles #kdrama #tvn drama #choi chi yeol

[consumeronionbulletin]

Marry My Husband (2024)

This show is not perfect, and it is certainly not Perfect Marriage Revenge, but it does have its charms.

What Worked

Like that other show about a time traveling wife who was betrayed by her family and goes back in time to get her revenge, this show was good because of its villains. Song Ha-yoon who plays the evil best friend Jung Soo-min was the most fun to watch of the baddies. She was believably bad while pretending to be nice, and watching her spiral out of control over the course of the series was a treat.

The show also made the most of its side characters, giving them interesting plots and bringing in a solid cast. I especially loved watching young actor Choi Gyu-ri bring this delightful manic energy to Yoo Hui-yeon (the younger sister / bestie). I could have used more scenes with her, and hopefully she'll break into a lead role in a future series.

What DIdn't Work

Though it had a solid final two episodes, the show sagged a bit in the last third. They brought in an evil-ex fiance character that just wasn't interesting to watch.

Also, there were a few moments where the show went from "Over the Top" to "Completely Unbelievable". Like the end of episode 13 (aka the "slowest truck of doom ever") and the end of episode 14 (aka "WTF Ji-won, don't just stand there, Kick him in the nuts, FFS!").

The Performances

Park Min-Young as ("Time Traveling Wife") Kang Ji-won. I've been kind of disappointed in PMY's choices lately, so it was nice to see her in a somewhat better role. There were moments when I felt pathos, or enjoyed the romance, but not that many. Mostly, it was the moments in the show where she got to be angry—and even a little ruthless—that I remember. Which is part of the appeal for any good revenge show.

Na In-woo as ("Future CEO") Yoo Ji-hyuk. I think he was a little wooden in this, but alot of that was the writing. The show was really focused on the FL and on her relationships, and it didn't have much space for him. I didn't really mind that, but it did make those few moments where he got to cut loose a little (like the ice cream scene) more memorable.

Lee Yi-kyung as ("The terrible ex-") Park Min-hwan. This guy was great at playing a mediocre man completely out of his depth. He was like one of those clown punching bags that just pop right up after you hit them. And it was fun watching him get beaten down and come right back up for more.

Song Ha-yoon as ("The evil bestie") Jung Soo-min. I liked watching her slowly get more evil and more crazy as the show went on. The actor did a great job making her contemptible, while pretending to be kind and thoughtful.

Lee Ji-kwang as ("The chef") Baek Eun-ho. Probably the most sympathetic character in the show. He just wants to run his restaurant and feed all his friends and get a cute girlfriend and all of these crazy people keep coming in and messing with things. Would have liked to see more of him, and his loveline, but what we got was nice.

Choi Gyu-ri as ("The Best Sister in the World") Yoo Hui-yeon. This actor had golden retriever energy and it was so much fun watching her in the middle of this craziness. I want to see an entire show with her just running around living her best life. We needed more of Hui-yeon and chef's story than we got, for sure.

Gong Min-jeung as ("Sad boss") Assistant Manager Yang. I've seen this actor a few times and I always enjoy her, though they rarely give her a good loveline. She got a pretty decent one here, despite all the other crazy stuff that happened, so that was nice. Again, could have used a few more scenes with her and Lee Seok-joon.

Ha Do-kwon as ("The Salaryman") Lawyer Lee Seok-joon. He did a good job bringing some gravity to this crazy show. Was able to be funny too (in a Butler Jeeves kind of way). Not enough time spent on him and Manager Yang's story, but what we got was good.

BoA as ("The Evil Ex-") Oh Yu-ra. This character felt more like a plot device than anything. There were a few moments where she could have felt menacing or crazy, but I don't think the actor was quite up to it. They needed to cast a real Mean Girl, but they didn't have enough story for that kind of character.

Ha Do-kwon as ("Bad Manager") Lee Seok-joon. They brought in a really good character actor and this guy made the most of the part. He felt like someone I could have met in real life, and I despised him. Which means the actor did a great job.

Everyone Else. The high school bully girls were fun to watch. Yang's husband did an okay job being despicable. The judo teammates were funny. Even the grandfather had a couple of good moments. Show did a good job taking care of its minor characters.

TL; DR:

If you liked Perfect Marriage Revenge, you'll probably like this too (and vice-versa). It's different enough that you don't feel like you're watching the same show twice. It's also not quite as good as that other show, which means people likely judged it a little harder than they otherwise might have done.

#my kdrama notes #marry my husband #bonkers

[leekimdramas]

Why Her? (Spoiler Free Review)

I don't think this drama knows what it wants to be... Law School? Makjang? Take everything!

The drama is a about a successful lawyer Oh Soo Jae who goes out of her way to win every case.

But somethings changes after she sees a person die before her eyes and of course after meeting Gong Chan.

The first few episodes were great, I felt intense while watching and wanted to know how everything is going to end.

To calm down the viewers' nerves there was also a bit of romance where Gong Chan helped Soo Jae relax and feel like herself which was amazingly sweet.

However, as with a lot of dramas it didn't last long... I think most of that happened because the drama didn't know it's own identity.

Somewhere in the middle we completely forget about our main case, even the viewers did, and it became Law School.

Some university students solving crimes which had happened to their lecturer.

After that we get a little bit of makjang which is not surprising as the screen writer's previous drama was one.

But it wasn't very neccessary, maybe except for the shock value and so that Seo Hyun Jin could show her best acting abilities.

And by the end I just couldn't care less about what is happening, including the romance.

Though, I would like to mention that I enjoyed 16th episode, even though we didn't really see the bad guys getting what they need, I think it was a nice conclusion to all of this.

The only interesting characters was Soo Jae, she had depth and it was interesting to see how she got to where she is right now.

However, the male lead got the tragic backstory but he felt nothing more than just too clingy, obsessed with Oh Soo Jae child.

Maybe it's just previous Hwang In Yeop's roles but I had to keep reminding myself that he's in his twenties.

At first it was sweet but I think it would have done better without any romance.

I should also applause the acting because it was amazing, everyone did an incredible job and as always I'm amazed by Heo Joon Ho who portrays his villain roles perfectly.

Though, I wish they casted someone else instead of Lee Kyung Young for the evil role as his deeds in real life are somewhat similar and he shouldn't have any roles in the industry.

Overall, I wouldn't really recommend this drama because it was messy and boring a lot of times.

The start was enjoyable but I'm sure the writer only new the start and the ending and decided the middle on the spot...

At least that's how it seems...

5/10

#why her #kdrama #review #spoiler free

[whoseafraidofliloleme]

Invisible Chapter 9

Summary: YN YLN has always been third in Class 2-5, right behind Lee Su Ho and Kang Soo Jin but with both of them having left Saebom Highschool, this is her time to shine. That is until Han Seosangnim asks her to tutor Han Seo Jun. A guy who doesn’t even know she existed.

Ship: Han Seo Jun x Female Reader.

Word Count: 2011 words.

Likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated with any reactions or whatever you want to say. Again I really don't know where I am going with this.

Taglist: @thealexalcala @hayateotaku

Anyone interested in being added to the tag list, just let me know 😊.

True Beauty Masterlist

Chapter 8.

Chapter 9:

Sitting in the Ice Cream shop, opposite you and watching you laugh and joke with Hyun Ji and Cho Rong. This is something Seo Jun could get used to, he could imagine it now, going on dates with you and just enjoying his time with you. Granted before that happened. He had to ask you out to begin with, but imagining your dating life together wasn’t that bad. If Su Ho had been here, he would have whacked Seo Jun and told him to ask YN out already.

Feeling a poke in his side, Seo Jun looked to his side. Ju Kyung was smiling at him. Sighing, he knew she wanted him to admit his feelings for YN to her. It was too much fun to annoy Ju Kyung by keeping the information from her.

“You look her with heart eyes and yet don’t tell me about your feelings for her,” Ju Kyung whispered. Just this whole outing had revealed just how soft Seo Jun was for YN. Not just that, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he asked her out.

Without a doubt, YN would say yes, while Seo Jun was going soft for her. YN was smiling and laughing more around Seo Jun and she could calm him down in a second. He could make her laugh and get her out of her head. They were just well-matched and Ju Kyung like the rest of the class, Si Woo, and Cho Rong were waiting for them to get together.

“My feelings for YN are none of your business Lim Ju Kyung” Seo Jun sneered quietly to Ju Kyung. He knew how much Ju Kyung wanted him to admit his feelings for YN to her. But he wasn’t going to give her that. Annoying her by refusing to tell her was too funny. He thought that Su Ho would’ve spilt the beans. However, Su Ho proved that his loyalty to Seo Jun by not telling Ju Kyung.

Although with how much Seo Jun had been rambling about YN to Su Ho. The guy was losing his patience and Seo Jun could tell from Su Ho’s replies that if Seo Jun didn’t do something soon, Lee Su Ho would tell Ju Kyung and let Seo Jun deals with Ju Kyung’s reaction.

Ju Kyung smirked at Seo Jun. She hadn’t said a name, Seo Jun was just admitting his feelings without actually telling her. Even now, he wasn’t even paying attention to anyone else on the table. All his attention was on YN and he wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it. YN’s blushing cheeks were evidence that she could feel Seo Jun looking at her even if she didn’t look at him.

As the group left, the six of you were walking in pairs. Cho Rong and Ju Kyung at the front, Si Woo and Hyun Ji then you and Seo Jun were walking behind them. Seo Jun was holding your bag. Even though you insisted that he didn’t need to, Seo Jun just smirked at you and picked up your bag anyway. While the rest of the group were talking about school. You and Seo Jun were talking about your next study session that would be at your house. Your mum was quite fond of Seo Jun and had been asking you to bring him around again.

While walking, you heard someone calling your name. You turn around to see who is calling you. You smile and stop where you are, to let the person catch up to you. You hadn’t seen Cha Sun Lee since you’d graduated from Shinhwa Middle School. You hadn’t meant to lose contact with her, but it had happened anyway.

Seo Jun, looked confused as you waited for this random girl to come to you. The other 4 had walked ahead not knowing that you and Seo Jun had stopped. The two of you had been walking at a much slower pace than the others. As this girl got to you both of you hugged and started talking to each other. Feeling quite ignored, Seo Jun cleared his throat. That brought you and Sun Lee out of your reminiscing bubble. You smiled sheepishly at Seo Jun.

“Sorry about that Seo Jun, this is Cha Sun Lee, we went to Shinhwa Middle School together. Sun Lee this is Han Seo Jun” you explained, introducing the two people to each other. Sun Lee laughed and whacked your arm.

“Yah, YLN YN, we didn’t just go to Middle School together, I was also the one who got you and Gong Jae Yi together,” Sun Lee said laughing when you blushed. Nodding your head when Seo Jun looked at you confused.

“Yes yes, sorry forgot Sun Lee’s biggest achievement was being the matchmaker for Jae Yi and me,” you said rolling your eyes as Sun Lee fans herself acting like she is so important. There was no denying that Sun Lee played a big role in you and Jae Yi getting together. But it had been a few years and it was awkward talking about your ex-boyfriend with the guy you had a massive crush on being around there.

“Now that you mention it, Jae Yi is back and there’s a whole reunion happening. So gimme your number and I'll tell you, you can get Si Woo and Hyun Ji to come as well, we all lost contact with you 3 when you went to Saebom rather than Shinhwa High,” Sun Lee told you. You wanted to clarify that she had mentioned Jae Yi first but that would lead to a whole other conversation with Sun Lee. And quite frankly, you were still processing that she had just told you that Gong Jae Yi was back.

You smiled and gave her your number. She immediately called and you saved her number. You smiled at her, hugged her, and then said goodbye to her. Waiting for her to walk out of view, you turned to Seo Jun. He smiled at you, putting his arm around you, and carried on walking.

This shocked you. He didn’t ask any questions, even before he didn’t question you when he heard about Gong Jae Yi. You appreciated that Seo Jun didn’t ask or pester you until you caved and talked to him. No matter the situation, he would wait until you were ready to talk and then just listen to you. Then, he would just let you get all your unfiltered feelings out. Then would give his thoughts, calmly but never invalidating what you had told you.

It wasn’t new for Seo Jun to put his arm around your shoulders. He had been doing it a lot in the last few weeks. It was nice, you were used to Cho Rong, Si Woo or Hae Sung putting their arms around your shoulders. But it was different with Seo Jun, you didn’t have feelings for any of the other guys. When Seo Jun put his arm around your shoulders, you could pretend that you were his girlfriend. It was a little bit heaven, pretending that Seo Jun had feelings for you and that you were together. Sure, you knew it would never happen. Still, you liked the small bit of happiness this little gesture gave you.

It wasn’t until you and Seo Jun were at your home, washing the dishes. That you finally told Seo Jun about Jae Yi, this wasn’t the first time the 2 of you were washing the dishes. Whenever you were at Seo Jun’s house, you insisted on doing the dishes. Especially since Seo Jun’s mum was against you helping her cook and so you had to insist on doing something.

“So, Gong Jae Yi and I got together in the summer before my last year of Middle School and we broke up, a few months into us starting High School,” you told Seo Jun. You knew you had shocked Seo Jun, you’d both been washing and drying the dishes in silence until you broke that by bringing Jae Yi up. Seo Jun stopped wiping the bowl he had been holding. He turned to you and looked at you. You could feel Seo Jun staring at you. However, you avoided looking at him. On a good day, you couldn’t take looking at Seo Jun’s eyes without falling into those deep depths. Now, when you wanted to just get all of this out, you knew looking at Seo Jun wouldn’t help.

“You don’t have to tell me, Princess, I didn’t ask the first time and I’m not going to ask this time either” Seo Jun never asked that first time because it didn’t seem like the right time. So many things were happening in that week that Seo Jun had even forgotten. Well, he hadn’t forgotten but thinking about your ex-boyfriend was the last thing he wanted to do. It helped that, the first time he heard the name had been a busy week in itself. He just let the name go from one ear to another. Happily pretending to be ignorant about the fact that you had an ex-boyfriend named Gong Jae Yi.

“I know, but I want to tell you. Only Hyun Ji, Si Woo and Hae Sung know about us and what happened. We were happy, he didn’t go to Shinhwa Middle School, but we still made our relationship work. Well, that is until he was chosen to go on a High School exchange for the rest of his High School education.” Even though Seo Jun had stopped drying the dishes. You were still washing and just putting them to the side. Though you were over Jae Yi, obviously your feelings for Seo Jun were at a different level. There would always be a small part of you that still loved Jae Yi. Though it had been your idea to break up, that didn’t mean it hurt any less.

Seo Jun, made you put the dished in your hand down. He turned you to face him. Lifted your chin and gently wiped your tears. You didn’t even know you were crying. Guess that break up still hurt a lot. Seo Jun hugged you tightly, holding you close as you sobbed in his arms. Soe Jun hated that you were crying, yet he was happy to be there for you. He always wanted to be the one holding you. Helping you work through your feelings. As you pulled away, you apologised for getting his shirt wet, Seo Jun just laughed and told you it was nothing. Before you went back to doing the dishes, Seo Jun pulled you closer and kissed your forehead. You didn’t know why but you appreciated the gesture.

“Moving on from that sob fest, I need a favour,” you say, going back to washing the dishes. Trying not to think about how you had just sobbed in Seo Jun’s arms about Gong Jae Yi. You were such an embarrassment at times. What weirdo cries about her ex, in the arms of the guy she currently has feelings for. Well, you are that weirdo and now here you are asking Seo Jun for a favour.

“Well, if I can do it, I’ll do it, Princess,” Seo Jun said calmly. Already in his head, he had agreed to whatever you asked of him. Short of something illegal, there was nothing you asked of him that he wouldn’t do.

“I know, there’s a class outing planned for Saturday and I can’t go. I don’t want to be the one to tell the class” before you could finish.

“You want me to tell the class about you missing out on the class outing, sure I’ll do that tomorrow,” Seo Jun said interrupting you. You nodded your head and smiled at him. Not being able to go to the class outing. Having to tell the class about that was making you nervous enough. It was a weight off of your shoulders, that Seo Jun was going to tell the class for you.

Chapter 10.

#true beauty #true beauty tvn #true beauty fanfic #true beauty fanfiction #han seo jun x reader #han seo jun x you #han seo joon x reader #han seo #han seo jun fanfiction #moon ga young #lim ju kyung #My Writing #Zainab's Fanfiction #My Fanfic #Invisible chapter 9 #Invisible Ch 9 #lee su ho #lee suho

[kdramacrybaby]

Itaewon Class (2020)

Genre: Life, Romance, Youth

Synopsis: Saeroyi’s life falls apart at the hands of rich heir Geun-won, who never receives punishment for his crimes, but Saeroyi is determined to get revenge. He carefully plans out his future and works hard to achieve his dreams. Along with the friends he gains along the way, he wants to create the next big business empire. Despite everything and everyone trying to knock him down, Saeroyi always gets back up.

Episode info: 16 episodes / Runtime around 70 minutes

Lead cast: Park Seo-joon (Park Saeroyi), Kim Da-mi (Jo Yi-seo), Kwon Nara (Oh Soo-ah), Lee Joo-young (Ma Hyun-yi), Yoon Kyung-ho (Oh Byeong-heo), Chris Lyon (Kim Toni), Kim Dong-hee (Jang Geun-soo), Ahn Bo-hyun (Jang Geun-won), Yoo Jae-myung (Jang Dae-hee)

Link to watch: You can watch on Netflix or on Viki

Drama rec masterlist | Drama rant thread (beware of spoilers)

I usually try and avoid any spoilers / too much information about a drama before I watch it, so if I do have any information, it’s from the few gifsets I’ve seen. For this drama, I had gotten the impression that it was sort of a light-hearted, slice-of-life kinda drama in the same sense as Fight For My Way. Spoiler alert - it is not!

So, I also just want to state a warning that there are some really graphic scenes right off the bat and throughout, the worst being a very bloody car crash that gets uncomfortably close.

The drama surprised me with how dark it actually was. And it deals with a lot of important topics that I haven’t really seen in any other dramas that I’ve watched so far. In some shape or form, this drama has dealt with:

Sexual assault

Life as a transgender woman

Trauma (Not sure if I want to call it PTSD but definitely heavy issues from their past)

Mental illness

Racism

All in all, this drama is actually a good reminder of how much the world sucks. But also how good it can be. It has a “life sucks, but you have to deal with it” kind of vibe to it that feels raw and real. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your life is like, we all have our battles we need to fight. We all have our struggles. In the end, the only thing that matters is what we do with what we’re given. If you work hard and treat people with kindness, you can go a long way in life.

The drama is also a reminder of how money really can solve and create problems. It can turn good people bad, allow the rich to trample all over everyone without consequences, twist your mind completely. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter if you’re a good person, life will still fuck you over. You just need to get back up and keep fighting. Good things will come eventually.

To be true, the first half of the drama had me hooked! It felt realistic and raw and unlike any other drama, I have ever seen. It is so good! But I slowly stopped caring during the second half. It was like the characters stopped growing from there, and they just became stuck in the role they had been given. The events became a lot more far-fetched and… well, too drama cliché if that makes sense. It went from an easy 5 stars to 3 stars in the span of a couple of episodes, and that made me really sad.

I don’t think I’ll give season 2 a chance when / if it comes out, if I have to be honest.

#itaewon class #kdrama review #kdrama rec

[tomorrowsdrama]

Give me your romance drama recs / drama update

I’m in the mood for a romance drama but am kind of stumped on what I should watch, so PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECS!  It can be kdrama, jdrama, cdrama (just maybe not contemporary cdrama since those really aren’t my bag), whatever.  Or even a period English piece.  I’m watching Do You Like Brahms? and really enjoying that so I wouldn’t mind something similar.  Of course, I am also down for something more adult/steamy.  Dysfunction is fine but it needs to have a happy ending.  I guess I’m feeling kind of sappy.  The key is that I want to swoon/feel those butterflies.  

To kind of give you an idea of what I’ve watched/am watching:

Currently Watching

Do You Like Brahms? - LOVE LOVE LOVE.  Slice of life and sweet romance done right.  When Song Ah and Joon Young smile at each other, I smile along with them.  Adorable and sweet without being twee.  An undercurrent of melancholy without being morose/a kill joy.

My Beautiful Bride - I’m loving this and highly recommend it for anyone who likes thrills, action, and a HOT  male lead single-mindedly devoted to his otp, who will go to the ends of the earth to be with her.  He literally lives only to make his otp happy.  While his love for her is what drives the plot of the story, this isn’t necessarily a romance drama.  I mean, sure, I swoon and my heart flutters when I see him beat a group of gangsters to a bloody pulp with nothing but his fists and a key.  And trust me when I say my hormones rage like crazy whenever he’s onscreen.  But I’m looking for a more ordinary kind of love story to add to my roster of dramas.  My Beautiful Bride is like two straight shots of the strongest whiskey in a shady dive bar - it’s intense, exciting, and totally gets me amped up.  However, sometimes I need a break from the Johnnie Walker and slight sense of danger and want a nice, soothing, cup of warm tea instead. 

Cruel City/Heartless City - So I know I just said I needed to mellow out my current watch list but I just LOVE this drama.  It’s got a great otp but again, its main focus is not romance.  Although, it does have one of the hottest kiss scenes in recent years.  If you thought Jung Kyung Ho was nothing but a lanky, beta, weenie, this drama will totally change your mind.  Plus, this is a re-watch so I don’t have to pay attention to everything.

Finished

Flower of Evil - I fully expected to not like this drama before it started because of the terribly misleading promos.  The only reason I checked it out was because I liked Moon Chae Won and Lee Jun Ki.  And boy am I glad I did!  I love me a devoted otp who also stop to take the time to make out.  The way Ji Won saved Hyun Su by just being herself and loving him and the way Hyun Su devotes his entire life to taking care of Ji Won and being a good husband to her - *chef’s kiss*.  OH, also, Kim Ji Hoon’s glorious long hair.  

My Unfamiliar Family - I don’t usually watch family dramas, but this was a nice little surprise.  The romance was sweet.  The healing family trauma aspect was heartwarming and done very well.  Not overwrought at all.  Some of the red herrings/misleading endings threw me a loop but overall, I enjoyed how they resolved the misunderstandings and conflict.  The re-discovery of love between the parents was nice to watch.  Really easy and enjoyable watch with a great slowburn friends to lovers pairing.  I identified with the female lead a bit too much sometimes heh.  Fun fact: The actor playing the dad also played the king in The King and the Clown who was obsessed with Lee Jun Ki’s character.

Dropped

When I Was the Most Beautiful / When I Was the Prettiest - This drama was so disappointing, it kind of upset me to be honest.  The first two episodes started off so promising.  My early 2000s dysfunctional jdrama with questionable teacher/student relationships loving ass thought I was finally getting a return to the good ol’ days (before anyone says anything, no, I do not condone teacher/student relationships in real life).  I mean, they had Ji Soo, the king of playing high school students with impossible one-sided crushes who you want to root for, playing a high school student with a one-sided crush on his art student-teacher.  We also had renowned hottie Ha Suk Jin playing his older brother and Im Soo Hyang playing the woman in between the two hot brothers.  It had all the makings of a wonderful throwback to the old school dramas. But instead, we got stuck with whatever the hell this drama is.  Anyway, disappointing!

The Merchant: Gaekju - I love Jang Hyuk.  I love sageuks.  I love Jang Hyuk in sageuks.  But this story just wasn’t working for me and there was not enough shirtless Jang Hyuk to keep my attention.

Kinda Watching On/Off

Me Too, Flower!  - An old drama that I randomly picked up because I wanted to watch something with Yoon Shi Yoon.  I am only watching this because of the Yoon Shi Yoon-Lee Ji Ah pairing because frankly, the rest of the drama kinda bores me.  Something I put on after work when I don’t want to be too involved/don’t need to concentrate too much.

Angry Mom - I started re-watching portions of this drama because of how pissed off I was about When I Was the Most Beautiful and the disappointment I felt when I foudn out Kim Hee Sun was playing Joo Won’s mom instead of lover in Alice (although from the looks of the posts in the tag, maybe she’s gonna be both? hahaha).  This is Ji Soo’s break out role and for good reason.  His crush on Kim Hee Sun’s undercover high school student mom is adorable and not creepy at all because (1) He doesn’t know she’s an ahjumma (a bit of suspension of disbelief is required for this drama because no matter how great KHS looks, high school student she is not); and (2) it’s completely one-sided and not reciprocated by KHS at all.  Sigh, I just want to watch KHS in a hot noona romance and Ji Soo in a good romance where (1) he gets the girl and (2) the plot is not completely asinine.

Stopped Watching but Really Need to Return to 

Ever Night S1 - Ok, I literally have less than 10 episodes left of this drama but for some reason I keep on putting it off.  I have a real problem finishing dramas I love.  Aside from the fact that I get easily distracted and hop from one drama to the next quite often, I think it’s also because I don’t want the drama to end.  I know there’s a second season, but it just doesn’t seem the same.  Anyway, I should just buck up and finish this drama already.

Novoland Eagle Flag - I took a break because the angst was just non-stop and I needed something a bit lighter. 

Six Flying Dragons - I binged like 10 episodes one day and took a break to give my poor eyes and brain a rest.  Then, in true me fashion, I got distracted by some other drama and now I can’t remember where I left off.

Mr. Sunshine - I love Lee Byung Hun as an actor and I am also a big fan of Byun Yo Han.  This is also the hottest Yoo Yeon Suk has ever looked to me.  But I kind of lost interest when it became apparent that all three male leads were going to be in love with the female lead.  I like the female lead just fine but it’s kind of annoying how everybody is in love with her.  I know this is a quality drama but honestly, I don’t think I will return to this unless I have nothing more interesting to watch. 

#drama update #drama recs #do you like brahms? #my beautiful bride #cruel city #flower of evil #my unfamiliar family #when I was the most beautiful #the merchant gaekju #me too flower #angry mom #ever night #novoland eagle flag #six flying dragons #mr. sunshine #kdrama

[wullu]

I’m fairly certain I have said this before, but Imma say it once again.

One of the things that sets Flower of Evil apart from other dramas (in addition to exploring a romantic relationship thru the lense of serial killers and shadows of the past) is the way the drama is a culmination of many different stories and characters. 

In most kdramas, other than the leads (and sometimes not even the female lead) the remaining cast of characters do not get to be fully fleshed out people. They are often the salad dressing. If you took them out, the story wouldn’t suffer for the lack of them. I mean, even second leads so often are characterized as one-note characters! 

Flower of Evil subverts that by having everyone play an important role and fleshing them out as much as possible with the 16-episode format. Nobody here is salad dressing, tho I could do without Baek Hee Seong, but I suppose every garden of paradise has its serpent and in FOE it’s him and Yeom Sang Chul.

The plot is centered around Ji Won and Hyun Soo but so many other characters play a role in helping the story move forward. In short, I really love the focus this drama has on the little things. Stories are often made richer by focusing on the little things and allowing characters, be they lead or supporting, to be whole. My understanding of most of the main players in the plot and their fleshed out character profiles are under the cut. Please note, there will be spoilers!

I’m gonna list them out for clarity:

1. Jeong Mi Sook trying to prevent Hyun Soo from making an irreversible decision and trying to explain his side to Ji Won or even deciding, she’s the one who will break out of her cage. Hee Seong has been terrifying her from the start but she asked him to run, because he wasn’t worth being killed by Hyun Soo. He deserved to pay for his crimes instead.

2. Woo Chul deciding that his superiors need to only know this much and feeling terrified at what the new revelations imply for them, but even after he finds out, his priority is making sure his team members are safe. He may not always purchase coffee for everyone. But when push comes to shove, he’s shows what his priorities actually are. His team 😭

3. Eun Ha recognising the danger she is in and locking the door and only opening when her mom came. Eun Ha being a transparently affectionate child and when Hae Soo sees her photos and meets her, it’s like finding some lost vulnerable part of her self. Nothing like the unconditional acceptance of children that can undo you real quick.

4. The Baeks realising that in their quest to protect their son, they became people they never wanted to be. And that they were blinding themselves from the start. Mi Ja wondering if she’s doing the right thing all throughout, Man Woo losing more and more of his patience as he tries to clean up behind Hee Seong and both of them realizing, once you go down a dark path, it’s very hard to return. And also, that the outcome they were hoping to prevent was inevitable any way.

5. Jae Seob knowing something is off and following it up, and wanting to protect Ji Won at all costs. Also him and Woo Chul having an antagonistic but trustworthy relationship and him also mentoring Ho Joon and stating how people find him difficult to like, but that does not stop him from being himself. Jae Seob is a man committed to uncovering things, no matter how uncomfortable they feel or what secrets they reveal. That jokey personality is a layered over a determined and strongly principled character.

6. Ho Joon handling the more difficult aspects of being a cop by learning to take lives if need be, dealing with the aftermath of a crime scene and keeping his cool in the midst of chaos. I mean, at first he seems like such an innocent and well-meaning character who adores both of his Sunbaes and then as the story moves on, you see theres so much more to him than just being the maknae of the team. Whether it is calming down Ji Won after their fast and furious ride or having the foresight to turns on the camera monitor or even deciding to put out the news that Ji Won is dead, Joo Hwan shows himself as such a capable and conscientious person.

7. Hae Soo trying to amend wrongs and dealing with the guilt of her father’s crimes and realizing that it’s very hard to do things by yourself but also bravery is something that does not always happen in front of everyone, rather it’s that moment of iron clad surety you have when you know exact what you want to do, and to go ahead and do it.

8. Moo Jin making the choice to take off the rose tinted glasses and realizes he needs to see things for what they are. And realizing that you can’t just pick up things from where you left there. You have to realise how you behaved and own up to who you really are. Also, you really got to understand how to communicate with the girl you love, instead of just harping on asking her to ditch her brother, once more! 🙄

9. Hee Seong being a stuttering, scared mess once he realizes that he’s at the mercy of Hyun Soo and showing that under all his swagger and bravado, he’s just a cowardly man who enjoys exercising power over others and uses fear to control them, but cannot handle the heat when it is turned on them. He thinks he’s amazing because he’s so powerful and in charge, but all it is takes is one person to stand up to him and he loses composure so quick.

10. Yeom Sang Chul doing his best to save his own ass, and he’s so over taken by greed that it becomes his very undoing. He really has no redeeming qualities and without henchmen or money, he’s pretty much useless. Fitting that he dies without all the trappings of grandeur around him.

11. Even Park Kyung Choon, he’s so far gone with the desperation of looking for his wife but once he’s subdued, and in the hospital, he’s able to have a proper conversation with Hyun Soo. A remorseful, regretful one.

12. The housekeeper, Park Soon Young, she’s seen so much and she’s been thru so much and the Baeks have helped her, but at the same time, she realises she does not want to be a part of this household where so much evil is being perpetuated. She makes the decision to leave and she draws her own conclusions. Nothing is fed to her.

I mean, I could  go on a bit longer but yeah, I hope I made my point. In conclusion, FOE, you done did good. 

#kdrama #tvn flower of evil #flower of evil #lee joon gi #moon chae won #aspects like these are just so satisfying #my commentary #I have a lot of feelings #!!!

[byul153]

[Countdown to 2021] Top 5 Kdrama of 2020

This past year of what was undoubtedly an absolutely horrendous year of 2020--for a variety of reasons--I can honestly say that one of the reasons why I stayed sane was because of Kdrama. Being at home all day, even for an extreme homebody for me, can get harrowing because the choice of going out or not was taken from me when my area went into lockdown.

And so....to Kdrama it is. I think that 2020 was one of the very few years that I’ve seen nearly all of the Kdrama that aired on MBC, SBS, KBS, TvN, and jTBC...which is....a lot, I’ve come to realize. That brought me to think--which would I consider my top 5?

Hmmm.....Well, here I go.

Please note that my top 5 are not in any particular order. Each one that made it to my top 5 is beloved for a completely different reason. I also don’t go down the critic route and pick apart the direction, the story, yada yada. I just made this list purely on how much I enjoyed them and how much they’ve made an impression on me.

(SPOILERS AHEAD.)

#5 -- The Tale of the Nine-Tailed

Starring Lee Dong Wook, Jo Bo Ah, Kim Beom, Hwang Hee

I like Lee Dong Wook as a Grim Reaper, and I like Lee Dong Wook as a gumiho/nine-tailed fox. What can I say?

That being said, The Tale of the Nine-Tailed was really about Kim Beom’s character Rang. He started as a villain (sort of), then became a reluctant ally (sort of), and then met his end with a smile. He redeemed himself throughout the entire drama, and I shed a lot of tears in the final episode, because he finally was afraid to die because he had something to live for, but his desire for his brother to come back was so strong that he’d gladly give up the remaining time he had, stolen as it was, to give his big brother a final gift. His sacrifice made an impact more with me than any other character because it was so out of character for him, and yet not. His choice wasn’t unexpected, and yet I felt like a train wreck when I finally saw it on the screen.

#4 -- Half of a Half/A Piece of Your Mind

Starring Jung Hae In, Chae Soo Bin, Lee Ha Na, Kim Sung Kyu

Or....known as the drama that is known for being tragically cut short. Let me tell you, I loved this drama. It’s not an epic romance drama by any means, but the tone of the drama was really calming and healing, which is basically the premise--two lonely souls grieving find solace in one another.

I do wish that they didn’t drag the mystery of “Who is the husband?” for so long, but I enjoyed the dynamics between Moon Ha Won and Ha Seo Woo so much that I really didn’t mind it. I really wished that they would’ve kept the original run of 16 episodes instead of slashing it to a mere 12, because it really limited the writer and directors to wrap up the story, but I also do think that if they went with the 16-episode route we would definitely have the noble idiocy trope inserted, some way or another, instead of the really lovely way that Seo Woo wanted distance from a devastated Ha Won, to get over her sadness and fear of happiness, in order to run to him.

#3 -- The Flower of Evil

Starring Lee Jun Ki, Moon Chae Won, Jang Hee Jin, Seo Hyun Woo

If Kairos was a suspense drama, The Flower of Evil was definitely a thriller teetering on the edges of horror. My God, this drama scared the living daylights out of me. Lee Jun Ki as a (alleged) sociopath I could see, considering that he acted a similar role in the drama-that-must-not-be-named, but in the flashbacks his serial killer father’s eyes was enough for me to shut my laptop and just breathe.

....And that was before the introduction of Kim Ji Hoon’s character.

Lee Jun Ki is the main lead, and the story focuses on him, but the one who shone in this drama was definitely Kim Ji Hoon. I’ve watched Kim Ji Hoon over the years, and I am somewhat convinced that his sudden appearance as a very psychopathic killer will jump out at my screen and strangle me in my chair. It’s very different from his usual roles and, my God, I am looking forward what he’ll choose for his next project.

#2 -- The King: Eternal Monarch

Starring Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun, Kim Kyung Nam, Woo Do Hwan

Ah, the epic modern-Korean monarchy...but with a twist of parallel universes, and more! (Let’s sprinkle in time travel while we’re at it!)

I think that this is the one drama in 2020 where I was simultaneous satisfied that it was finished, and yet still full of unanswered questions. Like, how does a cross-universe couple happen? Especially with doppelgängers?? And why can only certain people remember what happened??? What happens now????

Putting that aside, The King: Eternal Monarch had one major flaw: Lee Rim, played by veteran Lee Jung Jin. I felt that they completely his potential as a very potent villain in the interest of creating an epic love story. I did love the Lee Gon-Jung Tae Eul couple and chemistry (which they did, contrary to some people’s opinions), and it was the characters that really stayed with me--i.e. Jo Young/Jo Eun Sup. Woo Do Hwan really outdid him in both his characters. He nearly convinced me that it was two different actors play two characters!

And...now to #1.

#1 -- Do You Like Brahms?

Starring Park Eun Bin, Kim Min Jae, Kim Sung Chul, Park Ji Hyun

OK....I said that I loved each drama differently, right? Ahahaha....yeah, all lies. If I were to pick just ONE drama of the year, it’d be Do You Like Brahms? 

How many ways can I wax poetic about this one? I am still obsessed with this drama, and so very happy that Kim Min Jae and Park Eun Bin won the Best Couple Award for this drama at this year’s SBS Drama Awards. I have my gripes about the drama, but they don’t in any way outweigh the highs.

I just loved the respect and communication between Park Joon Young and Chae Song Ah, both before as acquaintances/friends/comrades in respective unrequited loves, and afterwards as the giddy, heart-fluttering moments as a couple. They understood each other, and accepted one another, as two people experiencing the same pain. They didn’t try to sugarcoat it or hide it behind a smile, which they did towards everyone else. Even with Joon Young’s missed opportunities to communicate, Song Ah tried her very best, when she clearly told him that she didn’t appreciate being in the dark, and that she wanted to lean on him. I also loved how in the drama, their words and actions mirrored one another, in the way that they confessed their feelings, and asked the other to wait--not a rejection, but for an opportunity to catch up.

Honorable Mention -- Forest

Starring Park Hae Jin, Jo Bo Ah, No Gwang Sik, Jung Yeon Joo

I really like Park Hae JIn, and I really like Jo Bo Ah, so put them together? Yep, we have Forest--a drama that mixes romance, mystery(?), and the proverbial forest. The drama did fall kind of flat, which was a disappointment, considering how much news I’ve heard about it, and the villains didn’t get as much development they needed to seem as “evil” they should be.

One of my favorite lines of the drama I think will stay as one of my favorites is a line made by Park Hae Jin’s Kang Sang Hyeok in the final episode (yes, I know): “The reason why I’m acting like this now...is solely because of my personal revenge--the sacred sense of duty that you think I have...I don’t.” He acknowledges his wrongdoing and is making amends, but he doesn’t apologize or try to coat his actions as anything but self-serving. He’s not someone who immediately changes due to the power of love, but takes it slowly.

#Kdrama #Countdown to 2021 #Top 5 #Top 5 kdrama #long post #sorry not sorry #the tale of the nine tailed #Half of a Half #Forest #The King: Eternal Monarch #Do You Like Brahms #The Flower of Evil #so many tags

[onceuponakdrama]

True Beauty KDrama Review

—

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Bingo Card For True Beauty

Synopsis: Im Joo Kyung is a high schooler who is upbeat and positive about most things, except for her appearance! She hates the idea of being seen in public without makeup, but fortunately has become a self-taught makeup expert, with a little help from a plethora of internet video tutorials. What she has learned online has transformed her life. At school, she is known as one of the prettiest girls in class, although she secretly lives in fear of her schoolmates discovering what she looks like behind the makeup. In fact, there is only one person from school who has ever seen her minus her “mask” – Lee Su Ho. He is a top-grade student with impressive basketball skills. He is also dashingly handsome, and many of his female classmates have a crush on him. However, Lee Su Ho harbors a few dark secrets from his past, and shuns attention in class. Slowly, these two individuals become drawn together and learn more about one another’s secrets. 

Overall Main Plot: Rating - 8 out of 10 

Personally speaking, I really like dramas that center on the conception of beauty (although it is problematic because she IS pretty and it’s seen without her makeup, but like whatever I guess). I think the main thing that drew me to this point was the fact that insecurity is a big thing in this drama and watching the main lead (Ju Kyung) progress over time and grow more confident with her bare face, along with making real friends who don’t judge her from her face alone. Since that’s the main plot that drives the story, there were a couple of points that threw me off. 

High School Dramatics - maybe it’s because I’m older, but there were so many high school antics that were happening. I understand that, in Korea especially, there’s the issue of high school bullying but it was just so... dramatic. Especially with how Ju Kyung was being discovered as... ugly? I don’t even know if that’s how I would describe it. Although, I do understand that these characters are young, but the dramatics of it all in high school was more funny than annoying for me. 

Trauma - one thing that I felt needed to be addressed more was the trauma, especially Suho’s because homeboy has been through a lot. What I appreciated was the representation of him having a panic attack, but that was the only time it was addressed that he’s developed a lot of psychological issues. Obviously, Ju Kyung also has psychological issues due to her insecurity and her mother (until the end-ish when her mom found out that Ju Kyung was getting bullied, but again, a WHOLE different story). I just felt like there was less closure about these things and I really hoped that Suho would get the help he needed after everything he’s been through. 

Characters: Rating - 9 out of 10 

↣ Lim Ju Kyung [played Moon Gayoung] - wowowowow. I absolutely loved her character and her character development. She was the stereotypical female lead, but she’s absolutely precious and watching her grow as a person was so satisfying. I felt for her so much because she’s gone through so much and that’s impacted the way she’s viewed life and I just wanted her to be happy. I ultimately give her a lot of credit for trying to move on from Suho though and knowing where she wants to take her life (especially after dealing with all the heartbreak). The only real problem I had with her was her center on romance even though she couldn’t even get her grades up, but also like... it’s a romance drama, what was I supposed to expect? But she did have her own interests (make-up, horror comics, etc.) and her own personality to things. Overall, I thought she’s a great female lead and she’s absolutely precious. 

↣ Lee Suho [played by Cha Eunwoo] - okay, he’s also precious. It took a bit for me to warm up to him, but after seeing what he’s been through, I get why he would keep his distance from others. What I didn’t like was the fact that he broke up with her and then comes out of nowhere, which then he proceeds to take a longer time to apologize to her for even though he could have just... texted her, called her, something. He acted like nothing happened when he was the one who broke up with her (for a good reason, but it was still stupid to have a break up sequence that felt unnecessary). Anyways, I did like his development and how he came to mend things with Seojoon and it didn’t ruin their friendship. I also liked how he grew to have an interest towards creating music, especially after what happened with Seyeon. There was also his relationship with his father, but it was still unclear as to what happened after his mother died. But yeah, he’s also another precious bean and Suho and Ju Kyung are a great couple. 

↣ Han Seojoon [played by Hwang Inyup] - second lead syndrome hit real hard here. His character is so great, probably because he’s the soft bad boy that everyone dreams of having. I didn’t like him at first because he pushed all his anger and frustration onto Suho and tried to use Ju Kyung as a way to hurt Suho. However, he grew to understand what actually happened and also, the way he cares for his family is super cute. His friend group is also super cute because they look like a bunch of gangsters when they’re just a bunch of idiots.Again, I noted this with Suho, but when the two made up and became friends again, even though they liked the same girl... Love, love, love. Obviously, he’s also super handsome and had so many chaotic, but iconic, scenes. His character is just so great. He was casted so well and your heart hurts when you look at him. 

↣ Kang Soojin [played by Park Yoona] - okay, Soojin [episodes 1 to 9] is the best. She was so iconic and such a girl crush. After that? So far downhill that she doesn’t get recovered until the last episode. The writers did her so dirty and that’s a hill I will die on. Lowkey, Soojin and Ju Kyung should’ve gotten together but they didn’t because this is not a girl love drama and that was a major missed opportunity. Anyways, while I hated her as a second female lead, I understood her motives, in the sense of the household she was growing up in. This was important because of her character development when she apologized to Ju Kyung and realized her mistakes. It also wasn’t just out of the blue; it was a slow progression that built up to the climax and it was absolutely heartbreaking to watch because Ju Kyung and Soojin lost a best friend. But yeah, the writers did her dirty and I was crying on the inside when they made her a second female lead, when they could’ve just made Ju Kyung fall for her instead. 

Personal Notes: A major strength of this drama is the character development, for all of them. Watching them grow from their problems was so satisfying and the only reason it got docked off a point is the fact that the writers did Kang Soojin so goddamned dirty and her redemption was saved for episode 16 and I will always be angry about it. They also made Seojoon to be a more sad character who didn’t get the girl, but notes about the drama compared to the webtoon will be made in a later section. 

Romance: Rating - 9 out of 10 

I actually really liked the main couple. It was clear there was chemistry and, while I didn’t really like Suho trying to blackmail her, it was also kind of sweet because he just wanted to spend more time with her and she was just.... so dense. While Seojoon provided hard SLS, I liked Suho with Ju Kyung better because he’s seen her at a low point and so has she and they both try to support each other. They were really cute together too, especially since they spent a lot of time at the comic shop because of their aligned interest of horror comics and then they would go to the movies too to watch, even though Suho is scared. I think my favorite scene is when he took her to see Selena and she visibly brightened up. The only reason it isn’t 10 out of 10 is the one scene where Suho was jealous about Seojoon and was super possessive, but he also apologized and admitted his mistake. There was that and also the break-up, which, again, wasn’t really necessary but for the sake of the drama, it had to be there. 

Second Plot/B-Plot and Secondary Characters: Rating - 10 out of 10

Okay, first things first: Hee Kyung and Mr. Han are the cutest couple in this drama. I looked forward to seeing their romance progress more compared the main couple, primarily because they were not the standard couple we see in kdramas. The traditional gender roles were switched with Hee Kyung pursuing Mr. Han and I ate it all up because they are just super cute. Anyways, I think the secondary characters really did a great job of amping up the main plot and the romance, which is the whole point of these characters. I really didn’t like the mom, but it did transition to a better mother-daughter relationship (even though it happened near towards the end). The villainous characters got what was coming to them; the actors made me hate their characters really easily and it was amazing how upset I got at the bullies and when they got beat up, I was laughing on the floor. Again, the secondary characters really complemented the main characters and overall plot line. 

Additional Notes: 

Comparisons to the Webtoon - they really did manage to make this a kdrama. If you’re a fan of the webtoon, there are clear differences that make this a stereotypical kdrama, but (personally) I think it worked fairly well. This also meant major changes to a lot of what happened in the webtoon, so it felt so... interesting. The drama and the webtoon each have their strong points, so, while they stem from the same plot line, it was interesting to see the different routes it took. 

Bromance - Jesus Christ, I LOVED the Suho x Seojoon bromance. It was so nice to see their friendship mended and how they didn’t let romance break their bond. A lot of people talk about the bromance in this drama and it’s actually worth it. There wasn’t just the bromance between those two, but also Seojoon’s friend group, there was also Taejoon and Suho, and there was also Ju Kyung’s younger brother and Suho. It was all so great. 

The Conception of Beauty - okay, this is a major problem in a lot of Korean beauty standards, but like.... Ju Kyung isn’t ugly. I think a lot of people can agree that the whole, pimple face + glasses combo is kind of old. Compared to My ID is Gangnam Beauty (completely different dramas, but still centered on the theme of conceptualized beauty), they didn’t show the face of the “ugly” main character and I really appreciated that because it meant that the main lead perceived it as ugly rather than putting the face of “ugliness” on her. But, I really do like that the drama itself is centered on self-confidence of her bare-face, but... everyone was making it seem like she was really ugly, but like.... come on. 

Overall Rating: 8 out of 10

Recommended? 

↣ Yes: it’s a youth/school drama (most of the time), so if you’re into that, I would recommend it. Again, one of the strengths of the drama is character development and growth. Another reason to recommend this drama is that the main female lead is very lovable and you always root for her and for things to go well for her because of all the shit she’s been through. There’s also the whole concept of self-confidence, which she gains, and it’s an overall satisfying drama to watch. 

↣ No: if you’re a webtoon fan, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it because it definitely strays from the original idea and that’s a bit off-putting to some people. This drama also has hard SLS, so if you don’t wanna have your heart broken, not recommended. They also talk about suicide and if the topic is triggering, you shouldn’t watch it. There’s also the annoying beauty standard that makes the main lead ugly and, if you’re the type to be annoyed at that, this isn’t a drama for you. 

#true beauty #kdrama review #kdrama recs #spoilers #mine

[kdramaxoxo]

question! are there any kdrama couples that literally should not exist and make you wonder who thought they were a good idea? (drop all your second lead syndrome woes lol) for me it's the main couple from heirs (love lee min ho but his character was a toxic piece of trash and kim woo bin's character wasn't much better) and they're not a couple but I'll never stop being salty over the delulus shipping kyung and dan oh in EY. it was so b a d - fairy anon♥️

muahaha YES!

Lucky for me, I’ve given myself permission to drop any shows I’m not into (took me 2 years to finally get to this point). This means I haven’t seen a lot of really problematic relationships lately so my references are kinda old :P

Yucky K-Drama Couples:

The Heirs: I barely remember the details of this drama except for the petty bullying of Lee Min Ho’s love interest (and the amazingly bad acting at the beginning in “California”). Park Shin Hye’s character was at an extreme disadvantage to him financially and living in his house. He picked on her in school where she was trying to hide her situation from her classmates and just... I did not like it. And I guess this is my chance to also call out Boy’s Over Flowers and City Hunter. Wait...is this a theme? #leeminhowasmyfirstbias #incaseyouthoughtiwasjustpickingonhim

You Who Came From The Stars: Ok, I know people are going to disagree with this one - I’m pretty sure I’m the only person who did not like the leads together. My main issue was how rude he was to her? He would literally tell her she was ugly and neg her to get her to like him more? It’s that traditional Boys Over Flowers type of dynamic.

My Secret Romance: Yes the couple is gorgeous. Yes they had chemistry. Yes, you can give yourself permission to enjoy this ridiculous much longer than it needed to be show. BUT the power imbalance between the boss and his employee was especially gross when he used his advantage to make her do petty labor. He was a big baby about their one night stand, and I hated them together (though the kisses were amazing - I’ll admit that’s Sung Hoon’s talent :P)

She Was Pretty: I know you all know how much I did not like this drama. An adorable girl (that everyone thinks is “ugly”) works under her childhood crush. He is basically verbally abusive to her the WHOLE TIME until he realizes who she is. The one time I did not like a Park Seo Joon role.

#kdrama #she was pretty #my secret romance #you who came from the stars #ask #answer #you can see my theme of not liking a certain TYPE of guy #the negging rich guy

[overthinkingkdrama]

The Jona Awards: Kdrama 2019

Favorite Heroine

Jang Man Wol from Hotel Del Luna

***

There were other great heroines this year who were in much better dramas than HDL, but nobody who so completely defined and carried the whole drama as Man Wol. IU’s Ji An was my favorite of heroine, and this year feels like the natural continuation of her arc as a lead actress. It wouldn’t break my heart if IU occupied this space every year.

Runners Up: Cha Woo Kyung from Children of Nobody, Eun Dan Ho from Extraordinary You, Lee Eun Jung from Be Melodramatic, Kim Hye Ja from The Light In Your Eyes

Favorite Hero

Go Ji Seok from Catch the Ghost

***

For all the issues I ended up having with this drama in the last few weeks of its run, none of them had to do with Kim “Dimples” Sun Ho or the character of Ji Seok who hit the sweet spot of competent, righteous police officer and soft, affectionate boyfriend goals. His acting is on point. I really hope we see more lead roles from Kim Sun Ho in the future and his star keeps rising, rather than being forced to watch him descend back into second lead hell.

Runners Up: Hwi from My Country, Kang Ji Heon from Children of Nobody

Favorite OST

“Your Shampoo Scent in the Flowers” by Jang Beom June from Be Melodramatic

***

There was a lot of great music in dramas this year, but even if it’s kind of an expected pick I’ve just listened to this song so many times, and went so far as to write the lyrics out on my fridge so I could practice singing along. I love the original version best, but the ballad and actor sung versions are great too. It’s just a great tune and a real earworm.

Runners Up: “The Street You Left” by Liver and Gallbladder from When the Devil Calls Your Name; Basic the whole OST from When the Devil Calls Your Name actually; “WOW” by Mamamoo from Search: WWW

Guiltiest Pleasure

The Last Empress

***

I can’t believe this drama finished airing in February. It feels like a long time ago in another life that I watched this with my roommate, cringing and laughing myself sick all the way through. Maybe it’s because this drama feels like it was ripped from a different decade. Jang Na Ra seems to be in a different drama than everyone else, one that’s way better than this one. There’s something just so absurd and delicious about this drama. Good for watching with friends and booze on hand.

Bitterest Disappointment

Catch The Ghost

***

I became totally obsessed with this drama during the first half of the run. It didn’t get picked up by any of the major streaming sites I use and it didn’t have a big following, but I was all over social media trying to find content and conversation about this show. After the first 6 episodes or so I really thought this one was going to end up in my top 10 this year, if not my top 5. Alas, it didn’t turn out that way. This drama has major writing problems. The central couple and their arcs are solid and well acted by the leads. However, what passes for the murder mystery is so thin and convoluted, and it completely takes over the drama for much of the last two weeks, rendering episodes 14 and 15 nearly unwatchable. I still adore the lead couple and think they have amazing chemistry, overall they saved the drama for me. That’s why it didn’t make it onto my worst list. It’s really sad, though, to have to rate down a drama you really liked because major writing flaws meant it couldn’t stick the ending.

Runners Up: The Lies Within, Arthdal Chronicles, Memories of the Alhambra

Best Friendship

Eun Jung, Jin Joo and Han Joo in Be Melodramatic

***

Of all the dramas I watched this year, this one made me feel the best, made me feel genuine joy whenever I watched it. I found the three leads delightfully funny, inspiring, and relatable. Easily one of the best portrayals of female friendship this year, and my personal favorite.

Runner Up: Dong Baek and Hyang Mi in When the Camellia Blooms

Best Kiss

Ja In and Yi Kang in Nokdu Flower

***

There were a lot of good kisses this year, and many of them were much flashier and steamier than this one. But the reason this one stuck out in my mind was because of the conviction with which the actors pulled it off. It came at the perfect moment of tension for the characters and the story, and it’s just beautifully shot.

Runners Up: Park Bench Kiss from One Spring Night; 11th Hour Kiss from Catch the Ghost

Most Cathartically Makjang

SKY Castle

It took me a while to get around to this one, and I thought I might just skip it. I didn’t expect it to blow up as much as it did in Korea, nor to have such a positive reception in the West. When I did watch it I watched it fast, this drama is very addictive. Though the ending was a bit of an anticlimax in my opinion, I’m sorry I waited so long to try it. Also, as someone who loves a while variety of twisted psychos in her fiction, this drama has one of the most unique and fascinating villains I’ve run across.

Runner Up: The Last Empress

Villain I Most Loved To Hate

Nam Jeon from My Country

***

Not a lot to add here. Ahn Nae Sang is incredible, and he made me seriously contemplate stabbing a fictional character every time he was on screen.

Messiest Plot

When the Devil Calls Your Name

***

This drama had ambition, and I respect that. However, I don’t think it was well enough thought out or well enough executed to pull off what it was attempting. That’s a shame, because it could have been a really interesting Faust-type story if it could have remained a little more focused and really fleshed out Ha Rip and the central relationships rather than running hither and yon with all that confusing world building.

Runner Up: Memories of the Alhambra, Catch the Ghost

Please Make Another Drama Together

Jeon Yeo Bin and Seon Seok Ku

***

These two beautiful weirdos play off each other so very well in Be Melodramatic, even though their scenes were sparse and only started deep into the drama’s run, they left a huge impact on me. I could have easily watched a whole drama just about them, and I would love to see them work on a project together again someday.

Runners Up: Kim Sun Ho and Moon Geun Young, Seo Kang Joon and Kim Hyun Joo

Best Korean Movie

Parasite

***

I didn’t watch a lot of films this year, but I made it a point see this one. Probably the least controversial pick I could have possibly made. I’m glad this movie has blown up internationally, and the 6 Oscar nominations it got are so very deserved. I feel like I need to rewatch this 6 or 7 times to really appreciate it.

Best Screen Couple

Yang Se Jang and Woo Do Hwan in My Country

***

I agonized about this pick for a number of reasons. There were a lot of romantic couples that I felt for strongly this year, and I nearly gave this pick to one of them, but none of them quite had the gut-punch intensity of these two. Though this is technically not a canon pairing, this drama has a palpable underlying homoeroticism throughout. Emotionally and structurally this plays out like a lurid, tragic romance between these two and the leads carry it off so perfectly I find it impossible to believe that that’s unintentional.

Runners Up: Moon Geun Young and Kim Sun Ho in Catch The Ghost; Jung Hae In and Han Ji Min in One Spring Night

#year end reviews #jona awards #kdramas 2019 #slightly different categories than last year #hope you enjoyed it anyway #it was fun to make #happy 2020 everyone

[somedayillbepeterpan]

On the subject of Jung Kyung-ho

I’m doing this to get the butterflies off my chest that’s been stuck ever since ep 10 of CCiR. I fell in love with Kyung-ho in Hospital Playlist. Out of all of them, he captured my heart and I’ve since watched most of his tv shows. He’s been a part of an ensemble for almost all of the romcoms I’ve managed to watch so I’m so proud of him for this lead role. I honestly am at a point in my life where more mature relationships are what I look for in the shows that I watch.

He is so different from his drama roles to his real life personality. If you were like me who was and is still obssessed with Hosplay, you would have watched their interviews and the subsequent variety show they did (3 meals a day: Doctors) where you can see Kyung-ho as the absolute fluffball that he is. So sweet, cooks great food, makes eating an art, and is very very pleasant. I just really really need more Kyung-ho lead roles.

#crash course in romance #jung kyung ho #hospital playlist #kdramas #prison playbook #choi chi yeol #3 meals a day: doctors

[consumeronionbulletin]

Something in the Rain (2018)

This show feels like a very long indie romance movie. I loved the performances, the writing made very few mistakes (with the romance part at least), and this is one of my new favorite shows. However, I think it would have been even better as an ensemble...

The first 10-12 episodes are an excellent and touching look at the early stages of romance and intimacy. While I did not completely understand the cultural nuances that are the drive behind some of the obstacles to their romance, I still wanted to be there for the characters, which is all you can ask for.

If there are any flaws, it's that they invested so much in the romance, that they didn't give other potential viewers anywhere else to go to. Which is why I think it would have made a much better ensemble (similar to Romance is a Bonus Book).

The Performances

Son Ye-jin as Yoon Jin-ah the first lead. She did an amazing job making this character come alive. I feel like the direction for alot of scenes was just "put Son Ye-jin and Jung Hae-in together in a room and let them play around until we have enough footage." And it worked because of the chemistry and the talent of the two leads.

Jung Hae-in as Seo Joon-hee the other lead. This guy knows how to play a male lead in a romance. He's able to just look at his screen partner and let the audience see her the way that his character sees her. And I enjoyed watching every minute of it. He also did a fabulous job with pretty much every other actor he worked with. Just charming as hell.

Jang So-yeon as Seo Kyung-seon, Joon-hee's sister and Jin-ah's best friend. Her interactions were great and I never got tired of seeing Kyung-seon and Jin-ah together in a scene. I feel like the writers could have done so much more with the character though (which is one reason why this show needed to be an ensemble).

Wi Ha-joon as Yoon Seung-ho, Jin-ah's brother and Joon-hee's best friend. Having seen Ha-joon in other roles, I can say for certain that they should have given him more to work with. He did great as a side character, but cutting back on some of the romance (and the scenes with Jin-ah's mother) and giving him a few scenes as the main character would have been much better.

Gil Hae-yeon as Kim Mi-yeon, Jin-ah's mother. This character legitimately has a personality disorder and the real tragedy is that no one in the family wants to talk about it. The actress did a good job where she needed to, but it got tedious after awhile (which is also realistic). Her parts where especially hard to watch if—like me—you aren't spacing the episodes out a week or so at a time.

Jung Yoo-jin as Kang Se-young, Jin-ah's coworker and kind-of rival. Having seen the actress in a better role (Romance is a Bonus Book), I feel like the writers kind of did her a disservice. The character was a good foil in many ways, but they could have brought more nuance to her instead of just making her a total b--.

Joo Min-kyung as Geum Bo-ra, Jin-ah's coworker and eventually her good friend. This was kind of a standout role as the character could have been very bland as written. Some of that was just good casting / chemistry with Min-kyung and Ye-jin, but I would have loved to see her given more to work with, especially in the office drama.

Kim Chang-wan as Joon-hee's father. This guy is a national treasure and they probably couldn't afford him for a whole series, but he made the (at times tedious) family drama arc more compelling just by the way he played the character.

Seo Jeong-yeon as Jung Young-in the woman in charge of HR. If I'm being honest, most of the male characters in the office drama were good at playing sleazy, but felt really interchangeable. I fast-forwarded through alot of that stuff. But if Jeong-yeon was in the scene, I knew it would be good. I enjoyed watching her maneuver through this messy scandal. Some of it was the writing, but alot of it was the performance as well.

TL; DR:

This show really got under my skin and didn't let go. I know it's not perfect and not everyone will love it, but the parts that worked, really worked. I can think of a dozen ways this could have been better, and a hundred ways that the people making it could have screwed it up. But they didn't screw it up, and instead, they made something very special.

#my kdrama notes #something in the rain #pretty noona who buys me food

[theresetriestoblog]

My Five Favorite Romantic K-Dramas (by a newbie)

I admit, I used to ~dislike~ Korean Dramas not just because it is too mainstream, but also each episode of every dramas run for at least an hour, and as someone who has a short attention span, I was totally not for it. I, too, did not expect that the Korean drama wave would affect me so much that I won't sleep until my question about an episode of the drama I was watching has been answered. As someone who has always been a fan of all things romance, these five k-dramas made me love the genre even more. *SPOILERS AHEAD* 

1. WHAT'S WRONG WITH SECRETARY KIM (2018)

Plot:

This tells the story of a *really* handsome but self centered and narcissistic bujangnim - Vice Chairman Lee Young Joon (Park Seo Joon) who fell in love with his nine-year secretary Kim Mi So (Park Min Young) while stopping her from resigning.

What I like about this Drama:  

- Its light ~aura~ (and Young Joon's Aura, of course). It is a feel good drama and is the best one to make your heart flutter. Young Joon is just super boyfriend material as he falls for Mi So everyday. I also like the fact that there are no antagonists and not much problems and obstacles were shown.

- THEIR CHEMISTRY. I honestly loved the chemistry between the two leads and I LOVED every scenes they have together, especially the ones in his office and in his house :P

- The supporting characters. Unlike other dramas who have an *official* second lead couples, this k drama also offers not one but two side couples who also started to find romance at the same time as the main leads. Secretary Yang's confession to Manager Bong is one of the most iconic confessions in k drama land, i must say.

- The office setting! This drama made me love workplace dramas because it also shows that you always start from the ground, especially in Miso's case.

- Its kilig factor. This drama loves to play with my heart as it keeps on pounding everytime Young Joon makes Mi So feel his love and vice versa. They portray a healthy, understanding and a lowkey relationship that is definitely relationship goals.

Favorite Scene/s:

- Young Joon's Proposal to Mi So. From the caramel bars to the song he prepared for her, I must say it is by far the best marriage proposal I have seen in a k drama. It is a heartfelt proposal that will make you fall in love as well!

- When Young Joon was drunk after drinking with Mi So's dad but managed to express how much he loves her. I cannot count how many times I rewatched this scene, you would also feel his sincerity even if he is drunk, but his drunkenness made him express how much she loves Mi So and that he is ready to spend the rest of his life with her.

- *Every Kissing Scenes* It was so sweet and gentle. How. Could. You. Not. Love. It. Especially their first kiss!!

- The first time Young Joon said I love you. It was when he was teasing Mi So about their *unfinished business*, he went from spicy to sweet when Mi So got annoyed with him for being such a ~bulldozer~ but he stopped by saying ~saranghaeyo~ instead.

- All of their scenes when they are already dating, actually. 

2. ENCOUNTER (2018 - 2019)

Plot:

A Hotel CEO and Divorcee, Cha Soo Hyun (Song Hye Kyo) spends a day with a free spirited and ambitious guy, Kim Jin Hyuk (Park Bo Gum) in a business trip in Cuba who turns out to be a newly hired employee in her hotel in Korea. Their fateful encounter turned out to be an encounter of a lifetime.

What I like about this drama:

- Its heart fluttering moments. This drama is also the best in making my heart flutter. My heart beats everytime Jin Hyuk stands up for Soo Hyun whenever the kontrabidas in her life try to bring her down and whenever he expresses how much he loves her.

- The modern ~fairytale~ theme. Rich Girl falls inlove with a Poor Guy. Typical, right? But the fact that they fought for each other even if they have a different status in life,  their love prevailed no matter how circumstances try to break them apart and they were willing to step to each other's world and leave everything behind is a magic we don't usually see in most fairytales.

- KIM. JIN. HYUK. The best boyfriend, ever. He has the most swoon worthy lines that you'd wish you'd hear from your siginificant other too (and make you want to have one). Not just that, he pursued Soo Hyun no matter what and gave no shit to the people who tell them they are from different worlds and must not be together, instead, he went on to take a step forward towards "the world she lives alone."

- The fact that Soo Hyun learned and eventually took control of her own life and stood firm on her own decisions when Kim Jun Hyuk came into his life just goes to show that she loves Jin Hyuk as much as he loves her. She also became stronger and learned to fight for what she wants!

- The Pilot Episode. It is undoubtedly my favorite pilot episode out of all the dramas Ive watched. It is a great introduction to the drama and it was just so magical, from the cinematography and emphasis on how important Cuba is on their love story.

- Park Bo Gum. He did great in portraying Kim Jin Hyuk, his acting is so convincing that you'd want him as your namjachinggu too. Not to mention that he makes what is  supposed to be a sad scene only to a tearjerking one because of his crying face.

Favorite Scene/s:

- When Soo Hyun fearlessly announced that he and Jin Hyuk are in a Pre-Relationship stage.

- All their scenes together in Cuba. Especially when Soo Hyun found the letter Jin Hyuk left for him in the coffee shop and when they came back to the place they first met.

- The scene when they both agreed to be in a pre-relationship stage after he saw Soo Hyun in the museum they've been going too.

- That scene where Jin Hyuk told Soo Hyun she cant live without her anymore because "that would be impossible." I shed tears everytime I re-watch this scene, it was just so sincere.

- When Jin Hyuk attended the Masquerade ball he organized, much to Soo Hyun's surprise. *It is where they had their first kiss*

- When they had a date in a park where Jin Hyuk gave Soo Hyun a couple ring.

3. WEIGHTLIFTING FAIRY KIM BOK JOO (2016 - 2017)

Plot: Weightlifter Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) cross paths with his childhood friend, Jung Jun Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk), who is a swimmer in the university she attends to. Together, they discover what it is to love and to be loved and to face victories and failures.   What I like about the drama: - The theme. I liked how it relied and revolved heavily on the sports theme and how important it was to their story. The fact that Jun Hyung does not always win in his competitions and Si Ho, who was once the best gymnast in their university but is not anymore is realistic, because we don't always win and succeed everytime, and its okay. - The lessons. The best thing this drama has taught me is its okay to take a break and even quit from the thing you were passionate about. There came a time when Bok Joo felt discouraged from everything that she had to take a break from weightlifting and started to do things she always wanted to do. - The Main leads. I could not have asked for a better casting. LSK fits Bok Joo perfectly and NJH is perfect for Jun Hyung. They have a pleasing and satisfying chemistry that you'd wish to see them work together (and date) again. - Its cute and light vibes. I am totally so into dramas with no antagonists and no stressful scenes. It is definitely what you need after watching a heavy drama. - Their love for each other. It was just so pure and healthy. Jun Hyung thought things over and made sure she is really in love with Bok Joo before confessing and waited till she felt the same way and same goes to Bok Joo who did not give false hopes to Jun Hyung and eventually realized that he makes her heart flutter too. They are relationship goals and make you want to find a boyfriend / girlfriend ASAP. - Their friendship. They were always there for each other, through thick and thin! Favorite Scene/s: - The protesting scene. When their coach got fired for using their department's fund for a student in need, Bok Joo felt the need for their voices to be heard, so they held a protest against the university's decision and also went on a hunger strike. Eventually, they were heard and got their coach back. - When they became official. It was one of the cutest becoming official scenes in kdramas i have watched, it was so real. - Their graduation. Especially when Jun Hyung was so sure of Bok Joo that he told her he will marry her when he makes it through the national team and wins a gold medal. - When Jun Hyung and Bok Joo talked things over in their dorm's lobby when she got Jealous of Si Ho, Jun Hyung had to calm her down and explain why he was like that. - When they went clubbing, specifically when they were on the dancefloor, their dance moves were SO hilarious. - All their scenes at the fish pond! - Actually, all of their scenes together. 

4. CRASH LANDING ON YOU (2019 - 2020)

Plot: A South Korean chaebol, Yoon Se Ri (Son Ye Jin) crash lands into the North Korean DMZ, specifically into the arms of soldier Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok (Hyun Bin) after a paragliding accident. What I like about the drama: - Their meet cute. You would tell that their *first* meeting was a fresh concept and was unique. - The way it portrayed destiny. Out of all the k dramas that wanted to show how destined the main couples are, this drama is definitely on the top. It surely made every viewers believe in destiny. They were so destined for each other that it made you want to crash land(i) on someone too. - The filming locations. As a newbie, what makes me like a K Drama are the filming spots. And CLOY, being the extra drama that it always has been, surely never fails. The locations were not just for a beautiful backdrop but it really played important roles in their love story, especially in Switzerland. But as a foodie, my favorite would have to be the chicken and beer shop in Seoul that Se Ri, Jeong Hyeok and the comrades frequent. Favorite Scene/s: - All of their *meetings* in Switzerland. (Yup, and THAT meeting too ❤️) - Jeong Hyeok and Se Ri's inuman session, especially when Jeong Hyeok said he wants to marry Se Ri in Seoul and have twins with her and that he wants to see her have gray hair. I mean, how can you not love that scene. 😩 - Okay, this one is heartbreaking, but i liked it because it is. When Se Ri said Saranghaeyo to Jeong Hyeok for the first time, but what supposed to be a sweet scene turned into a heartbreaking one when Jeong Hyeok heard a gun shot right after she said those words. - When Jeong Hyeok gave Se Ri couple rings on her birthday. - The moment they met again in South Korea. - All of their scenes together in Jeong Hyeok's parents house, especially when they found out they actually met each other before in Switzerland.

5. SUSPICIOUS PARTNER (2017)

Plot: A prosecutor trainee turned lawyer, Eun Bong Hee (Nam Ji Hyun) was arrested for the murder of his ex boyfriend but was acquitted by his former senior, prosecutor turned lawyer No Ji Wook (Ji Chang Wook) because of lack of evidence. They teamed up to solve more cases and to find answers as well as eventually finding love along the way. What I like about the drama: - The humor. I super loved this drama's comedic side. It is definitely not your typical romcom as it also focuses on the legal and crime aspect of the story. I remember how I laughed out loud everytime Ji Wook loses his chill during their chaotic meetings or whenever Bong Hee is being Bong Hee. - Their Chemistry. What makes a drama loveable, is of course, the main leads' chemistry, and theirs is God Tier. IRL, they have a 9 year age gap but you really wont notice it in the drama since they both balance out each other, Chang Wook has that childish side even if he is older, and Ji Hyun has that Mature aura that makes their chemistry overflow. JCW and NJH, pls date. - The Bromance. Even though the two male leads didnt have a mutual relationship from the start, it didnt stop them from having a funny and chaotic bromance. Ji Eun Hyuk (Choi Tae Joon) has always loved his BFF, Ji Wook, but his past mistake makes it hard for Ji Wook to be civil with him, but even though things were tough for Ji Wook, he never failed to care for Eun Hyuk and vice versa. Nevertheless, their bromantic chemistry topped my expectations.   - Its not so usual storyline. Like what I said, this is not your typical romcom. Actually, this drama is more of a legal crime drama than a romantic comedy one, they were so busy catching the culprit (s) that the drama had less time to focus on their love story. However, I still enjoyed its romantic aspect because they both prioritized their careers  (and again, catching the killer) before focusing on their love for each other. And I mean, Ji Chang Wook as your boyfriend? Who would not enjoy that? - JI CHANG WOOK. That's it. This is enough reason for me to like this drama. I mean, I think we can all agree that Ji Chang Wook in Suspicious Partner. Favorite Scenes: - Ji Wook's Proposal to Bong Hee. I love the fact that he swiftly just put the ring on it without asking her the question. He is THAT confident. (Only do it if you are Ji Chang Wook tho) - When Ji Wook found out the *truth* about his parents demise, he tightly hugged Bong Hee and told her to never break up and stay with him even if things would be hard for them and even if he says she should go away. - Their first day together as a couple!! Especially when Ji Wook just came out from the shower and Bong Hee told him that it is their day one. - When Bong Hee teased Ji Wook like something had happened to them when he came home drunk. - The moment they got back together! Ji Wook's line really got me especially when Bong Hee told him that she is scared that something might happen again to them and the people around them, but Ji Wook, being the risk taker of a boyfriend that he is, said that "Let it happen (the bad things) it does not matter to me. It's just that breaking up with you was scarier, to me, that was the scariest thing." - ALL of their "meetings" but are not actually meetings because of Mr. Byeon's funny and senseless antics.

[dangermousie]

All the 2020 kdramas I am interested in (and a few I am not)

DEFINITE

365: One Year Against Destiny (MBC) - I am excited to see Lee Joon Hyuk get a lead role and Nom Ji Hyun needs to work more. Plus, time travel!!!!

Alice (SBS) - Joo Won is back in what looks like a complicated tale of love and time travel and noona romance. YESSS!

The Allies - Time for a Green Hero (KBS) - weird title, but a sageuk about the hero growing into a leader against the Japanese invasion sounds up my alley before his, I am sure, inevitable demise.

Can This Person Be Translated (tvN) - Hong Sisters dramas don’t always work for me, but they always get an automatic look-see.

Eighteen Again (jTBC) - I love Kim Ha Neul and I hope it’s a steamy romance for all those “she is tooooo old for her leading man (Lee Do Hyun)” naysayers.

Half of a Half (tvN) - Park Hae Jin and Chae Soo Bin as an OTP yesss. 

Here - Noh Hee Kyung is beyond amazing as a writer and the cast (Lee Byung Han, Han Ji Min, Shin Min Ah, Nam Joo Hyuk) is insane!

Hyena (SBS) - Joo Ji Hoon!!!!! And the teaser looked slick.

Idol Doctor - an idol who sleepwalks and his doctor is a premise that would have made 14 year old me scream in glee.

Itaewon Class (jTBC) - I have developed quite a thing for Park Seo Joon recently, I love revenge, and there is gonna be food! Bring it on!

I Will Find You On a Beautiful Day (jTBC) - Park Min Young, Seo Kang Joon, Lee Jae Wook? I need to look no further. But it also sounds like a healing slice of life romance, yum. 

The King: the Eternal Monarch (SBS) - Lee Min Ho in a heroic fantasy tale penned by Kim Eun Suk, and also with Kim Go Eun and Woo Do Hwan in the cast? It’s my dream come true.

Memoir of the Man (MBC) - I like the leads a lot (Kim Dong Wook and Moon Ga Young) and I have discovered that romances with odd premises (he remembers everything, she forgets most important moments) tend to work really well for me. 

The Most Beautiful Moment in Life (tvN) - second chance romances with older protags are my fave thing, and when it stars Lee Bo Young and Yoo Ji Tae - my heart!!!

Oddball (MBN) - description is hella confusing but I always check out all the sageuks.

Psycho But It’s OK (tvN) - “ A man who denies love and a woman who doesn’t know love defy fate and fall in love, finding their souls and identities in the process. “ Yes please. Also, Kim Soo Hyun doesn’t do anything for me (I know I know) but he always picks good dramas.

Sandbox (tvN) - Suzy and Nam Joo Hyuk in what sounds like a sweet romance. I happen to like both - they have a warm on-screen vibe and good chemistry with their costars. Also (and that is not a slam), a sweet-natured romance sounds like something that plays to their strengths and avoids their limitations (thoughts of either in an intense melo or sageuk would give me hives, but there they will be perfect.)

Ssanggab Cart Bar (jTBC) - a food stall for the dead? Color me intrigued enough to want to check it out; plus Hwang Jung Eum usually has a very good taste for picking dramas. 

The Story of Gumiho (tvN) - Lee Dong Wook as a male gumiho! Jo Bo Ah as his eventual lady love! Fantasy and romance and a very happy Mousie!

Superstar Miss Lee - heroine and another lady swap souls, there is a chaebol possibly played by Yoo Seung Ho, etc etc. Sometimes I am just in the mood for a good, old-school crazy drama. 

Train (OCN) - yes, an OCN drama made it on the list, is it a parallel world? Nope, but a parallel world where OCN makes romances may be involved since it stars Kim Jae Wook (OMG yes) as a detective trying to protect his dead love in a parallel world where she is alive. Will miracles never cease? 

Welcome (KBS) - and the award for the most insane premise goes to!!! L is a cat (!!!!) who, and I quote, “mastered the art of transformation into human form.” He hooks up with his owner (!!!!!????!!!!) There is so much insanity in this, that I am already riveted, though not necessarily in a good way.    

Youth Report (tvN) - I know little about that one but Park Bo Gum has consistently picked dramas I like.

MAYBE

City of Stars: no idea if this one is happening but Ji Chang Wook playing an astronaut sounds interesting. Though he doesn’t always pick the best dramas (hello there, the awful Melt Me), he’s always fun to watch!

Danjong, the Young King (MBC) - any sageuk is at least a try but I literally found zip about this one.

The Game: Towards Zero (MBC) - honestly, the yes/no will depend on whether there is a romance. Someone who can see a dead person’s last moments pairing up with a lady detective to solve serial murders is very far out of my jam (and someone give Im Joo Hwan a leading role dammit, the man is wasted playing the inevitable serial killer) but Taecyeon is adorable even if not the best actor and I would brave this genre if he and Lee Yeon Hee (an underrated girlcrush of mine) are allowed to be a couple.

Late Night Snack Man and Woman (SBS) - bizarre title but I am fond of Sung Hoon despite his less than consistent choice of projects and a conman (who hopefully gets redeemed) sounds fun. I also think the hero pretends to be gay (!?!?!) which I haven’t seen as a major plot point since Personal Choice which could either be fun or bad, who knows.  

Memorist (tvN) - I like to watch Yoo Seung Ho but I don’t care for mysteries. Still, it’s on tvN so maybe there will be romance.

Money Game (tvN) - banking and money scheming rarely works for me, but sometimes can be a smart thing, plus I have got to check out Go Soo being back on my screen!

Penthouse (SBS) - the insane writer of The Last Emperor and Temptation of Wife. An experienced cast of my favorites with Lee Ji Ah, Shin Sung Rok and Eugene. It will most likely be a trainwreck I will ditch halfway but hope springs eternal. 

The Search (OCN) - the star of Nokdu in the DMZ? Yes!!! But OCN does no romance so my enthusiasm is diminished.

Secret - I like Park Hae Jin and Jo Bo Ah well enough, but mainly because I am damn curious if this baby will ever air!

So I Married an Anti-Fan - this a prefilmed drama that seems to find a home nowhere which means its probably not good, but the premise of an idol having to shack up with his anti-fan for publicity is too amusing for me not to at least want to peek if it actually does air. 

Touch (Channel A) - I have an oddly hormonal attraction to Joo Sang Wook (I love the really sexy middle manager look, sue me!) but idols and make-up artists and all that are not necessarily my jam. It depends on the execution.

Unique: Chef Moon - I love Eric to bits but when I start reading the description of a chef dedicated to organic cooking, I start to fall asl...zzzzzzzzz. 

WHHHHYYYYY

Hi Bye Mama - I adore Kim Tae Hee, but the premise of a dead wife and mother who comes back for 49 days to her grieving family, presumably including sad children and husband who is only now beginning to recover sounds like one only a genuine masochist could love. 

My Holo Love (netflix) - a lonely woman hooks up with an AI. Between the fact that Absolute Boyfriend poisoned me for an AI romance forever, the fact that the heroine has face blindness (isn’t that so 2018?), and that the description includes the extraordinarily maudlin “drama is filled with stories of heartbreaking loneliness and tear-stained love,” I will pass.    

Que Sera Sera - out of sheer trainwreck curiosity because I adore the original and why remake a drama that’s only a bit over a decade old, and with relative newbies. 

What’s Happened in Bali - if it ever gets made that is (please no.) The original is amazing but they are not repeating the Jo In Sung - So Ji Sub - Ha Ji Won casting miracle and there is no need for a remake; plus this drama is something that makes sense in 2005 but less so in 2020 and just generally leave a classic alone, people. 

#kdrama #sbs alice #The Allies - Time for a Green Hero #Can This Person Be Translated #half of a half #eighteen again #here #sbs hyena #idol doctor #itaewon class #I Will Find You On a Beautiful Day #The King: the Eternal Monarch #Memoir of the Man #The Most Beautiful Moment in Life #mbn oddball #channel a touch #Psycho But It’s OK #tvn sandbox #Ssanggab Cart Bar #the story of gumiho #Superstar Miss Lee #ocn train #youth report #kbs welcome #what happened in bali #que sera sera #danjong the young king #city of stars #The Game: Towards Zero #Late Night Snack Man and Woman

[guardians-of-exo]

The King: Eternal Monarch

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Synopsis: A coup in the Kingdom of Corea leaves behind an orphaned Prince Lee Gon, now a king. The person who saved his life left behind an ID card and the King spends his whole life looking for that person. The person who saved him however, was not who he expected it to be, and for his questions to be answered he must travel to a completely different world.

Episode info: 16 episodes / Runtime around 70 minutes

Lead cast (I usually list what roles the actors play as well, but here this would be spoilers so I wont) : Lee Min-ho, Kim Go-eun, Woo Do-hwan, Kim Kyung-nam, Jung Eun-chae, Lee Jung-in

Link to watch: You can watch on Netflix or here

Drama rec masterlist | Drama rant thread (beware of spoilers)

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Okay so, I want to start with the positive things I have to say about this drama.

The first episode was amazing, and I was so excited to see where it would go. It was just confusing and intriguing enough to leave me wanting more. They used a lot of Alice in Wonderland parallels and I loved every second of it. All of that however, was forgotten as soon as the second episode started, but we’ll get back to that later.

Another thing I noticed - and I am by no means an expert on this, I just call it as I see it - but the camera work is exquisite. I don’t really know how to explain it because I don’t know any of the terms, but the way they went about shooting the different scenes made it such a smooth and interesting watch. The different camera angles and effects they used fit the mood they were going for and enhanced the drama perfectly. The lighting and colouring of the drama overall also made it a very beautiful drama to watch. 

So now we get to the parts I didn’t like, which is pretty much everything else though it sounds pretty harsh.

This is by no means a dig at Min-ho as an actor, but this is now the third drama I have watched with him in total, and his character is a complete copy paste. I could take Kim Tan from The Heirs or Heo Joon-jae from Legend of the Blue Sea and put them in this drama and it would make no difference at all. 

My overall disappointment with this drama though, is how messy it is. Their use of flashbacks is way too excessive to the point where I was sometimes confused at what point of the story I was even at. At one point they went three flashbacks deep and then skipped ahead in the story and I was so lost.

And, I never thought I would say this ever, but I wish they would have done a bit more telling instead of showing. It felt a little like they tried leaving clues out for the viewer to piece things together, but often plot just came out of nowhere and we were just expected to go along with it without explanation. Some things I’m still not sure how or why they were even relevant to the story. A lot of things just happen because it needs to for the plot and rarely things are set up previous to it happening.

Very few dramas has me as lost and confused as this one did, and I don’t consider myself a stupid person, but this made me feel like I was stupid. And I don’t like that. I could probably watch this again and hopefully understand more of what was happening, but I am honestly not sure if I want to.

It is such a shame though, because the actors were all phenomenal. And if I step back and look at the overall plot they were going for, it could have been so good if executed well! It is a very difficult plot to pull off though and in my opinion they failed. The only drama I can think of that has tried something similar and succeeded is Memories of the Alhambra, which is also my favourite drama for that reason.  

I could maybe see myself going back to watch this again someday, but until that happens I can’t really say anything else positive about this drama. As amazing as the first episode was, as disappointing was the rest of it, and I am so sad it came to that.

#the king: eternal monarch #drama rec