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welcometothejianghu · 5 months

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Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 절대 그이/My Absolute Boyfriend

My Absolute Boyfriend is the 2019 Korean live-action adaptation of the Watase Yuu manga "Absolute Boyfriend." (There are two other adaptations, one Taiwanese and one Japanese.) It tells the story of a woman who has just broken up with her celebrity boyfriend, and the robot who becomes a real boy by falling in love with her.

(And yes, the reason we started watching it was because of Yeo Jingoo, since the tantalizing prospect of "that guy who played Han Juwon, playing a robot boyfriend" was too amazing to pass up.)

I need to note right off the bat: I am not usually a consumer of bippy k-dramas, romcoms, or het romance in media in general. No shade to anyone who likes these thing; they're just not my regular cup of tea. So if your tastes are akin to mine, you may have looked at the poster and been like, hm, no thank you.

Thus I am here to try and sell you on it even if you are not a fan of these genres.

This show is so unwatched that (as far as I can tell) there is nothing for it on AO3. There are a mere eight hits for the manga, Zettai Kareshi | Absolute Boyfriend, but there's nothing at all for this adaptation. This is an absolute crime, for reasons I will detail in the forthcoming five reasons to watch (above and beyond the simple pleasure of watching Yeo Jingoo be a handsome goober, though that remains a serious point in its favor):

1. Balls entirely to the wall

You know those Tumblr posts where someone comments and is like, at no point could I have predicted what the next word in that sentence would be? Yeah, that, only the sentence is the show.

This show is absolutely bonkers. It is absolute storytelling mayhem. It is gleefully head-clutching weird. Someone told it that girls like exactly three things -- cute boys in adorable outfits, cute boys with their shirts off, and cute boys in Situations -- and it is ready to deliver.

I could tell you what the plot of the show is, or at least I could try, but that wouldn't convey the sheer volume of shenanigans it gets up to. I feel like every time it had a flashback montage (set to one of its six licensed pop songs), I was like, oh yeah, that happened.

The thing, too, is that it's so self-aware. This show knows precisely what it is, and it's having fun with it. The acting is often melodramatic, but obviously very consciously so. I'm not going to say the show never takes itself seriously (because it does -- see my point #5), but it never doesn't know exactly what it is.

Browsing the MyDramaList page, I can see that a lot of viewers had lukewarm feelings on the show as a whole. (Normally I don't make the mistake of reading the comments, but since this is such a non-property in English-speaking fandom, I had to go find out what the hell.) And yeah, I can imagine that if you came into this expecting a more straight-faced entry in the genre, what you get could be confusing and alienating.

If you watch this, take off your nitpicker's hat. There are many, many points that do not make sense. Just go with it. Let the cute boys take off their shirts. Kiss a robot. Embrace chaos.

2. A++ Girlfriend

Eom Dada is great. She's just so weird. I love her and I absolutely understand why those two boys want to get with her.

She is a special effects makeup artist who runs her own three-person team that specializes in sci-fi/horror properties. One of the first things we see her doing is mixing up a bunch of different types of fake blood, because, hey, a lot of different stunt people are going to die today, and you can't just use one type of blood for everybody!

She is a dadgumn professional, is what she is.

What she isn't, however, is a pick-me, not-like-the-other-girls girl. Several times, she gets dressed up real cute and femme, and she never expresses negativity toward her more girly-girl friends. It's not that she's rejecting femininity so much as that her vision of femininity is big enough to include creating beautiful fake severed body parts. When someone describes a female character as "quirky," I cringe reflexively. But that's what she is! She's got quirks! She's a nice, normal girl who is also a big weirdo.

Since I did go read the comments, I found out pretty quickly that a lot of viewers hate her. Part of this, I'm sure, is just your generic vitriol you see aimed at any woman in a show, because holy fuck, we sure do hate women.

But I think part of it may come from how she's not asking "how high?" every time those boys tell her they'd like her to jump. There's some real viciousness out there toward women that turn down men, epecially from other women. Without getting too much into psychoanalysis about it, an awful lot of hate gets directed from other women toward the female ex-/partners of desirable men, much of which comes from the terrible assumption that if you were in her position, you'd be appropriately grateful! You'd treat that boy right! That lucky bitch doesn't know how good she's got it!

...You see how that's bad, though, right? Like, really bad and toxic?

Eom Dada tells those boys "no" when she doesn't want what they're offering. She's realizes early on that setting yourself on fire to keep your partner warm is terrible, so she stops. She's going to make them wait until she wants it -- and if she never wants it, well, those boys just get to keep right on waiting!

Read me loud and clear: I'm not saying the only reason to dislike Eom Dada is misogyny. Sometimes you just don't like a character! It happens! It's legal! What I am saying, though, is that when you look at a lot of the hate toward her all at once, certain trends emerge, and they're more than a little bit ugly.

And I think that's unfair because she's an absolute pumpkin who deserves all the smooches and spicy noodles she wants.

3. ...Are they gonna kiss?

And by "they" here, I don't mean Girlfriend and Robot Boyfriend, who obviously smooch. I mean Robot Boyfriend and Ex-Boyfriend.

They hate one another! They make heartbreaking sacrifices for one another! They're vicious rivals! They team up to solve mysteries! They're incredibly suspicious of one another! They trust one another completely! What the actual hell is going on with these two? Because oh boy, the show itself sure doesn't know.

Their relationship yo-yos constantly throughout the length of the series. They're never friends, but they get weirdly close on several occasions, including rescuing one another from terrible predicaments. They also both seem fascinated with each other, above and beyond how they're competing for the affections of the same girl. The actors have some solid chemistry (much of it comedic) in their shared scenes. They're certainly not afraid to get right up in each other's personal space.

This isn't queerbaiting, it's not using gay as a punchline, it's ... something, that's for sure. And by that I mean, I don't know if I've ever seen a more powerful vindication of the principle that the optimal solution to every love triangle is a threesome.

This to me is one of the flaws of the show, that it has decided it must never acknowledge the strength of their independent bond outside of its place in the central love conflict, and to keep from doing so, it keeps nuking Ex-Boyfriend's character back to square one. He learns about love and trust and growth! ...and then we need the plot to have a which boy will she choose??? conflict, so he's got to unlearn all of that real quick so he can be a real dillhole again. If it didn't feel obligated to do that, things would get sexy fast, I'm just saying.

Here is the main reason I'm baffled that I'm getting no AO3 hits for this: These three would be one hell of a throuple. Where are my bisexual horndog fix-it fics where all three of them wind up sharing Ma Wangjoon's comically large bed?

4. Weirdly healthyish messages about romance?

I mentioned earlier that het romance in media is not my thing, and one of the main reasons it's not is how many just gross messages it delivers about normative gender roles and behaviors.

This show absolutely starts that way. Robot Boyfriend is raised on all your classic romcoms and taught that love is all about giving everything with no concern for your own well-being, while at the same time overriding all your partner's objections because you know what she really wants. When he first latches on to Eom Dada, he's kind of your classic overbearing comedy stalker who doesn't take no for an answer, because True Love.

And then ... he changes. He realizes that his romcom education is not going to help here, so he decides to figure out what kind of boyfriend she actually wants. Once he does that, he starts to figure out that he wants to be loved too. And that's when things get interesting.

He never stops being pretty forward about things, but it becomes far more playful when he's not pressuring her, just reminding her that the offer is still on the table. Eom Dada then responds by becoming clear about how she definitely wants to take this boy out for a spin -- just at her own pace, when she herself is ready for it.

It makes an interesting contrast to how, when she was with Ex-Boyfriend, all she wanted was for him to acknowledge her (which he wanted to do too, but couldn't, for absolutely bonkers reasons, because this show is just Like That). The two of them are still in love, but the show makes it clear that being in love doesn't mean you're going to be good together -- and it doesn't mean you have to forgive the bullshit your ex-partner pulled back when you were together.

But the love triangle isn't even the sole source of romance! There's a whole 'nother love ... triangle? quadrilateral? Whatever, you've also got Robot Boyfriend's charmingly goofy MIT-educated co-creator/trainer/big brother, who becomes the object of affection for at least two of the supporting characters.

My take on this is that Handsome Robot Hyung deserves the whole harem: the boss lady who can pick him up, the cute thirsty girl who does yoga, and the sweet gay-coded boy who is so impressed that he knows robots. (This is another tragic casualty of the NO HOMO attitude of the show, where that boy should be treated as a legitimate love interest, but can never be. But we know better!)

I'm used to seeing love triangles solved in one of three ways: 1) one point on the triangle gets demonized so significantly as to make the other one the obvious choice; 2) the eventually unchosen point gets given a Consolation Prize Significant Other so we don't fell too bad about how they didn't get chosen; or 3) one point dies or is otherwise removed from the narrative, letting the other two hook up without guilt. None of those things happen to either of these love polygons. Despite some genre-appropriate catty, melodramatic speed bumps, everything gets resolved in the manner of adults with reasonable amounts of emotional maturity. It's weirdly kind of nice.

(This isn't to say there's no toxic bullshit that slips in -- for instance, I still don't know what to make of that one arguing couple, or what Robot Boyfriend says to them. It's just much less than I expected.)

Your mileage may vary about the choices the show makes at the very end. It's not how I would have ended it, sure, but I also don't think it could have ended any other way -- remember, this is a show that never forgets what it is. It is contractually obligated by its genre conventions to keep certain narrative promises. If anything, I think it's interesting how much it feels it can get away with leaving hopeful yet unresolved, up to and including how many people are still comfortably single at the end of the show. Partnered romance isn't always the solution to everything! Sometimes you've got your career and you've got your friends, and now you've got some time to work on yourself! Maybe it won't always be that way, but it sure is right now. And that's great.

5. A surprisingly sophisticated meditation on memory and mortality (say that five times fast)

Real talk: In the past four months, I have lost a lot of people, places, and animals who were very dear to me, and had some close calls with a couple more. It has sucked exactly as much as you think it has.

So yeah, in the last few episodes, I blew through some tissues.

To a certain degree, it's exactly the kind of melodramatic tearjerker narrative you'd expect from a property like this. And let me tell you what, there is nothing wrong with getting a good, sappy cry going because of the overwrought dramas of fictional people. There are plenty of objectively mediocre shows and movies I put on because I know I'm going to be a blubbering wreck by the end.

This show, however, has the extra layer of interest that Robot Boyfriend is both Boyfriend and Robot. I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that having a guy designed to be reformatted every time a new person smooches him adds a whole lot of interesting layers to what counts as death and mourning.

Add that to how Eom Dada is still grieving the loss of her beloved father, who taught her everything she knew about her career, and you get some surprisingly moving little moments that creep in through the wacky hijinks that make up the rest of the show.

Look, it's nothing I'd ever teach in a Philosophy seminar, or anything so profound as that. But it's quiet and nice, and it has more depth than I expected, and it all hit me right in my tender little feels box. If that's the kind of thing you're open to, you could do a lot worse.

Thinking about giving this one a shot?

Viki's got the series in its full 40-episode run. (It's actually 20 hour-long episodes split in half because of commercial break rules, if you're wondering why it's sometimes Like That.) So does Tubi. I guess your choice then becomes which one's ads you'd rather sit through.

I think if you go into this with the attitude that you're just going to go with it all and laugh at how zany it is, you're in for a fine time. Whether or not you think it's good is up to your standards of quality. But it's hard to deny that it's a whole lot of fun.

And then get your ass to AO3 and give me some OT3! Mama needs these three cutie patooties to smooch~

#절대 그이 #my absolute boyfriend #absolute boyfriend #k drama #rec post #i made this #honorary danmei

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dayscapism · 1 year

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K-Dramas recommendations & short reviews

Because I've watched way too many to not make a list. Warning: I like romance and fantasy a bit too much.

These shows made me cry. 10/10. Five stars. Recommend to anyone. They live in my mind rent-free:

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) - Attorney Woo is such a wonderful person, I love her character. I can't say much about the representation, but I like that it opens up the conversation around autism & neurodivergence, discrimination and prejudice, particularly in work environments. I rarely like shows about law or lawyers but I was surprisingly engaged with the cases and the story. It deserves a second season. (The only thing I don't like about this show is they're pushing for a MinWoo and Choi Su-Yeon ship. Which huh--disrespectful.)

Hotel Del Luna (2019) - A great place to start with k-dramas if you like paranormal fantasy. This show has such a special place in my heart. I wanted a different ending but I am okay with it because it was a tight narrative. The main character is iconic (Man-Wol please step on me). The show has amazing sets, AMAZING costumes, an amazing OST, amazing and heartbreaking performance by Yeo Jin Goo. The main couple is so soft; like they're such good friends and coworkers and gentle with each other (eventually). It's enemies to reluctant friends to lovers. It's perfect for asexual viewers who want more than physicality in their romance shows. Cons: the secondary characters' goodbyes and backstories left a little to be desired. A few other nitpicks like Chang-Seong is the one to suggest the main character a new hobby instead of her just discovering it by herself.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) - Also a good place to start with k-dramas. This show is a lesson in good narrative; this has perfect writing & storytelling. The cast is so good. The female lead is an icon. The character work I excellent. The mental health issues are so well addressed and it taught me a lot about mental health I wasn't aware of. Each small minor character plays a very important thematic role. (The villain isn't the best thing ever but she serves her role in the themes and plot.) The production and the storytelling with the children's book animations are just *heart eyes*. The OST is so good too. You need to watch this to understand how good a k-dramas can be. A must-watch.

Goblin: The Lonely and Great God (2016) - This is the most iconic fantasy/paranormal k-drama ever. A lot of current tropes were started here I think (including the weird k drama last-episode time jump separation of the main couple). This show broke me. You will cry. The bromance and comedy are amazing here too. Gong Yoo and Dong Wook Lee have great chemistry. Main female lead is so cute and her character is so heartwarming. The ending felt a bit rushed. The death, existential related stuff with the grim reapers and such is so good tho.

Business Proposal (2022) - Best rom-com ever! (Well, it could be gayer tbh.) It's my new comfort show. I already watched it twice. It's campy, hilarious, chaotic, iconic and messy in a way that feels like real life (but obviously played up for drama and comedy). Excellent character work. The love interest is definitely written by a woman. Gorgeous cast (Sejeon omg I have a crush, but also the others). It was too short! I would have loved another episode, and more of Grandpa and Ha-Ri. Warning: this has the weird kdrama last-episode time jump couple separation.

W: Two Worlds (2016) - A young resident medic accidentally finds her way inside the webcomic her father created. Like, that premise is killer. We have Lee Jong Suk at his finest here; the character fits him so well. He was born to play a lead. This show has amazing meta-commentary on writing, authorship, and existential crisis. The confrontation between the webcomic character Kang Cheol and the author is insane! The main couple is an epic pair. Would rewatch. High wump value. Cons: The second part could have been more swoony with the romance, Kang Cheol kind of became a bit cold. (A warning: this show also has the k drama weird last-episode time jump couple separation.)

Would recommend with popcorn, I rate them 8/10:

Crash Landing on You (2019) - Really good. The main couple has the best chemistry I've ever seen. It's not that much of a personal fave show, but still pretty awesome and will tug at your heart. It got a bit overly dramatic in the last episodes and again, has that k-drama last episode weird time jump couple separation, but here it actually makes sense. And sort of mirrors the separation and eventual unification of the Korean Peninsula. It was very interesting to see the contrast between North and South Korea.

Shooting Stars (2022) - Aside from the terrible, horrible, insulting Africa storyline (where the male lead goes to 'help' African kids with water scarcity, not even a country name is called, he just goes to *gestures vaguely* Africa to help goddammit he's such a beautiful soul! /s) There's a weird creepy sugar mommy wannabe side storyline and it's weird and out of nowhere. But the rest of it is good and campy and the main characters are so cute. All the couples are cute. The male lead is a cute disaster. Female lead is also a capable cutey but a disaster when it comes to romance. It's hilarious. I love all characters. It's fun. It's great. It shows a very interesting side of the entertainment industry.

While You Were Sleeping (2017) - A man and a woman who don't know each other have precognition powers and after they meet, they use them to take down a corrupt lawyer. The show isn't very heavy on the romance, tough the pair work pretty well together. I liked the main actress. Lee Jong Suk has chemistry with anyone. The male role was not exactly a good fit for Jong Suk. He's so much more naturally charming than the character. It's a fun show to pass the time. The found family is nice and all the characters work great together. The mom is great.

The King's Affection (2021) - I'm going to be honest, I didn't finish watching this. Ups. I got bored after episode 15. It's a very slow show but what I watched was quite good. It was just not a show for me. Having a bisexual male lead was awesome, I appreciate that he falls for the main character while he thinks she's a man. (Could be gayer tho, just saying.) Pretty good discussions and reversals of gender cliches. It has complicated parent-child relationships that are very well written which gives a lot of heart and heartbreak to this story. The political stuff gets very convoluted. I really wish the queer part was bigger though, and not limited to the main couple. We could even have poly representation! I still have half a mind to finish this but I don't know There are so many other shows I'd rather watch instead. (Boy, I really need to get into the actually queer side of k-dramas because the side I'm currently on is giving me crumbs.)

Lovers of the Red Sky (2021) - The premise was so cool. This has so much lore I like and the setting is beautiful and rich, but it also has so much lost potential. The plot is very weak in the second half and could be restructured. I loved the atmosphere, costumes and the actors and their characters: the blind cursed scholar nobleman, the female genius cheeky painter and her friend trio and the prince are all great characters. Ahn Hyo Seop is pretty good in it and looks very pretty indeed in historical costume (but the design of the villain creature he's possessed/cursed with is so, so bad omg). Great premise failed execution. Good first half but it went over the rails quickly. Still entertaining if you like historical fantasy.

Romance is a Bonus Book (2019) - It's a bit slow and could have done so much more with the female lead and her child. She's a bit underwhelming and her daughter is barely in the story. The second female character played by Jeong Eu-Gene was awesome, I love this actress now. Lee Jung Suk is always looking hot and being an excellent actor with what he's given; he's very charming here. He could have chemistry with a piece of wood and yet I wasn't that fan of the romance. Maybe it's just because friends to lovers isn't my cup of tea. There's a weird out-of-nowhere backstory between the male leads. The commentary of ageism in the workplace is a bit surface level (it's not that big of a deal for the company if you're overqualified for a job, the point should be that is an issue for you and your career, who is too good for the company). You can tell the writers really care about books; it's definitely a love letter to editors and an interesting window into the world of book publishing; you can feel the love editors put into making books. Bonus: the founding members of the publishing company have very funny moments.

Do no recommend:

King: Eternal Monarch - Couldn't even finish this. I was so, so confused. The dialogue, narrative and backstory make no sense! Everything is so unnecessarily confusing. There's no chemistry between the main couple. The king and the bodyguard had more chemistry. Lee Jung-Jin (playing the villain Lee Lim) & Woo Do-Hwan (the bodyguard) carried this show and are pretty much the only thing good about it. The female lead is sidelined. It had an intriguing premise but failed execution.

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim - Skimmed most of the second half. It's a mess. The love interest CEO is such a narcissist and asshole he wouldn't be able to keep a working, healthy relationship with his partner without some serious therapy first. The female lead seems to be repulsed by him most of the time even when together and even looks scared when they get intimate. There's an unnecessarily convoluted plotline about the main lead's brother and a kidnapping in their past. It has tonal issues and it's cringy rather than funny. The secondary characters are just a lot of useless filler. The female lead sacrifices her independence and dreams to be with the main guy. Just go watch Business Proposal instead.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo - The only pro of this show is IU. The romance went the undeveloped route. Cheap-looking production, with too many episodes, melodramatic, characters pivot in place instead of naturally developing; it's definitely a telenovela. The point that the female lead is from the future doesn't even matter for the story (should have made her a Goryeo historian instead of a random cosmetologist). Pass!

Tomorrow - Could not finish watching. Please, please don't watch it if you're dealing with depression, bullying or suicidal thoughts. Please don't. By episode 2 I was just screaming at the screen. Problematic? This show invented the word problematic. The supernatural task force that's supposed to save people with suicide risk is terrible at therapy and suicide prevention. They tell the person trying to commit suicide, literally on the edge of a building about to jump, that they should do it, that they're weak, they should just jump, go ahead! Like ... what????

Mystic Pop Up Bar - Didn't capture me by episode 2. Got bored. Some say this is better than Hotel Del Luna but I don't agree.

Abyss - It's a weird tonal mix. Would have preferred if it leaned further into the absurd (go all in with the humour or don't at all), the sci-fi or the murder mystery. Instead of just revealing by episode 3 who the murderer is, quickly changing the plot into a chase after the villain, even though he's so lame. But also he is keeps killing people and it gets dark. And then we cut to the main couple being silly and cute. It's so jarring. The leads have a great dynamic and Ahn Hyo Seop knows how to differentiate his characters really well, give them their own flavour., but in the end it's just a cool premise, failed execution. Very average.

Currently watching:

The Crowned Clown - Very interesting concept and gorgeous, gorgeous visuals. Plot drags a little. Has some tonal problems and oversimplification of politics. The best part is when Yeo Jin-Goo acts with himself haha. He's such a talented actor.

The Uncanny Counter - Get's a bit melodramatic sometimes but all four main actors are insanely good.

Tale of the Nine-Tailed - The main romantic relationship needs a lot more development, but the entire show is worth watching just for Dong Wook Lee and Kim Bum as brothers.

Alchemy of Souls - 6/10 so far. Currently watching season 2/part 2. Aside from the prince, I don't particularly care for any of the characters. Unpopular opinion but the main romantic pair have no chemistry. Mu-Deok has more chemistry with Yul and the prince, and the prince has more chemistry with Jang-Uk. The lore is confusing and inconsistent: it breaks its own rules. (Two souls in one body what?? when was this established as a thing?) There's not enough foreshadowing and setting up the rules of magic in this world (the Ice Stone comes up as a deux ex mahcina big plot point in the last second). It also drags; the episodes are too long. There's a lot of saying and ultimately the show doesn't deliver. The narrative structure is straight out of a fantasy Wattpad. The set and costumes are fun and cool for a fantasy world, and the first episode was great.

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giveamadeuschohisownmovie · 4 months

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arizonapoppy · 5 months

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Not to be the annoying k-ent moot lol but as a BOF/TotNT enjoyer and Kim Beom fan club leader, have you seen many of his other dramas? 👀

@no-where-new-hero

Hi @no-where-new-hero !

You know what? I admit I haven't seen any of his other shows beside BoF and TotNT. I would probably watch "East of Eden" next because he reportedly chews the scenery in that. But maybe "The Woman Who Wants to Marry" would be good since I like rom-coms?

So here I come with other recommendations. I am in the thick of three dramas right now:

Hometown Cha Cha Cha

Has a lot of second-hand embarrassment at first but you have to push through the second and third episodes when it settles in and gets good. Has Kim Seonho, who is perfectly annoying and charming as Chief Hong. (Justice for Good Boy! and for the record I still support KSH because his ex-gf sounds like she has a lot of issues and I hope she gets some help.)

Imitation

If you've been Atiny long enough, you start to wonder why people randomly sprinkle "Finally, now, it's my time" into conversations and what the injoke is. "Imitation" features one of the absolute worst songs in K-pop after Jopping and Baggy Jeans but I love that the actors/idols promoted the songs absolutely seriously on the music shows and committed to the bit. It's pretty campy but the fan wars parts hit home. Beware it jumps the shark in episode 6/7 but I'm still watching it- I am a loyal Fin!

The King's Affection

I have to admit, this may be a DNF. Theoretically it has all the ingredients I love: Kwon Eun Bin, historical costumes, palace intrigue! But I just am having trouble sticking with it. Maybe it's the pacing? Maybe it's that the protagonist has to be a frozen popsicle to survive? (The protagonist rivals D.O.'s character in "100 Days My Prince" for cold fish.) I am trying to force myself to finish it so I can move on to "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" and "Castaway Diva."

#asks #nowherenewhero #poppy gets punchy #come get your fresh hot takes #kdrama recs #k-dramas

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aceofwhump · 3 months

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Do you like any J or K dramas? Sooo much delicious whump.

I haven't watched as many as I'd like but I do enjoy them! I gotta be honest I've really only watched J Dramas with that sweet sweet aspec rep like Koisenu Futari and Konya Sukiyaki Daiyo. When I was in high school I used to watch K Dramas a lot but I haven't in a while. I've had the Korean Leverage show on my to watch list for ages now. Send me some recs! I'd love to get back into them. I should start there. Especially if there is a relatively easy way to watch them with English subtitles.

#whump #whump recs #j dramas #k dramas #send me recs!#mod replies #ask

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etoiile · 6 days

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to all people who watch kdramas:

im korean but i have never watched more than 5 episodes of a kdrama and it was with my family. ive realized that ive come to know a lot of japanese words and phrases from watching anime and seeing as im korean, im hoping to do the same with kdrama!!

THAT BEING SAID!! i need recommendations!!

i typically gravitate towards light fluffy romance and comedy with fashionable feminine characters and beautiful masculine men lol but im open to trying wtv you think is good! but im really easily scared so if there's a thriller/horror/mystery element i probs cant watch it 😭😭

any rec is appreciated <33 thanks sm!!

#ami's chit chats 🤍#kdrama #k drama #korean drama #kdrama rec #kdrama recommendations #show rec #show recommendations #tv rec #tv recommendations

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writing-reading-watching-living · 1 year

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Nowadays, I'm getting totally lost into asian dramas but I can't convince my friends to watch my recs so I'll try to find people who need recs or want to talk about those dramas here. My absolute faves are still being aired. So please go watch those (or rec me new ones if you like all those five):

"Summer Strike", Korean drama, ep 5 and 6 just aired. This is so soft and hopeful, I'm in love with all the characters (and I'm a librarian so this one really speaks to my heart).

"Between Us", Thaï LGBT drama, ep 4 just aired. It's a spin off of "Until We Meet Again" who is way better than the original serie imo (sorry sorry sorry). Five stars for consent in this show.

"May I Help You", Korean drama, 10 episodes aired for now. Another soft story with lots of tears but not painful ones, and with magical undertones.

"My Tooth Your Love", Taiwanese drama, the unexpected one for me, ep 9 just aired. The title is ridiculous but the story is so good. Lots of unexpected healthy reactions and dentists can be sexy, what a revelation!

"Revenge of others", Korean drama, episodes 9 and 10 will air tomorrow. I'm obsessed with this one, even if I know the end will destroy me. It's rare that a thriller manages to hook me more than 4 episodes on but I can't get enough of this show.

Have you seen any? Or know similar ones?

#summer strike #Between Us #May I Help You #My Tooth Your Love #Revenge Of Others #K dramas #dramas #asian drama #asian dramas #rec #dramas recs #drama rec

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fvckitslacy · 1 year

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Any K-Drama recs?

I’ve watched Squid Games, The Glory, My name, Black, and Girl from Nowhere (which I know is a Thai series)

#k drama #recs #squid games #the glory #my name #black #girl from nowhere #tv #show recommendations

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vivalavi-daa · 2 years

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K-Dramas (February-May 2022)

1. My Liberation Notes

About: Three siblings, exhausted by the monotony of day to day adulthood, seek to find fulfillment and freedom from their unremarkable lives

Interesting posters, lovely intro video, and beautiful sceneries that makes every scene & line that's being delivered seem poetic. These are what captivated me from the beginning. But it's not just that. My Liberation Notes is remarkable because it realistically depicts the mundane lives of adults that the actors said it feels like they are shooting for a documentary. The way they explore adults issues such as loneliness, working lives, family dynamic, and even highlight the introverts struggle is what really gets me... Every character has something that I can relate to. And that's why it's so easy to get immersed in the story.

It may be a slow paced drama, but that's its charm. Even when there are so many quiet scenes with no dialogues, I find it so refreshing to watch how much the silence speaks and how inner monologues could deliver deeper meanings to the stories. The lines make me feel that my uneasy feelings about life/the world feel validated while watching it.

My Liberation Notes is a gem with a genre that's hard to find & that makes it my fave drama of this year <3

2. Twenty Five Twenty One (2521)

About: In a time where dreams seem out of reach, a teen fencer pursues her ambitions and meets a hardworking young man who seeks to rebuilds his life.

2521 has everything you could ask for in a youth drama: heart fluttering romance, heartwarming friendship, and hopeful stories that encourage you to pursue your dreams. I knew I'd love it when it started out engaging with the introduction of young Hee Do & Yi jin who have a contrasting perspectives about the world. Yijin is a hardworking guy who starts to feel the weight of reality and feel lost, meanwhile Hee Do is a bright girl with an optimistic spirit. Her existence has brought Yijin to hold on hope and be brave enough to taste happiness that comes his way. I must stress, I love how they build connection in the pursuit of happiness together!! The friends to lovers excellency!

Asides from the two relationship, the whole friendship stories of the five are what makes it more gripping. Their characters development, how they bond with each other, and how comical & refreshing each scene of them together was. It truly brightens the atmosphere of 2022 <3

3. A Business Proposal

About: Hari, a regular employee, shows up to a blind date in disguise of her rich friend to scare him away. Things go awry when he turns out to be her CEO and makes a proposal.

1) I didn't expect the scenes to produce this much laughter and 2) I didn't expect this kdrama to be this nice & entertaining! Even though the stories is full of cliche & (even some cringe lines), they managed to get high ratings during its airing. It's no wonder though. Not only serving us with the leads' visuals, every character is interesting in their own way and both main & side romance are just as adorable. It's a light kdrama & that's amusing to watch. Definitely one of the best romcom to me!

4. Thirty Nine

About: Three best friends leaning on each other as they experience life, love, and loss on the brink of turning 40.

This drama was claimed to be heartwarming, when it turns out it is also heart wrenching at the same time. I was particularly drawn to the lessons that friends make life worth living and that love always perseveres. It's heartwarming to see the three best friends are so devoted to each other and try to be their happiest selves when they're together. The actors' chemistry is also overflowing more than I can expect. One thing I want to note about 39 is that I don't agree with some of the things in this kdrama (if you watch the drama you'll know). It's not a flawless kdrama but still, it's a decent adult friendship kdrama with impeccable acting & satisfying characters arc.

5. Shooting Stars

About: Daily lives of people in an entertainment agency and romance between a top star and a head of the stars' promotion team.

The trope is nothing new, it reminded me of kdramas like So I Married an Anti Fan with slight difference. I can't describe the trope well... and that, in fact, is what makes it appealing. The leads are friends who are also enemies who will (obviously) become lovers. Their interaction dynamic is really engaging to watch and wrapped in fun vibes. At first, I wasn't that attracted to the portrayal of the side characters though. But as I get to know them, they become more interesting & I realize that they're also important part of the story as they give us insight about the lives of people working in entertainment industry.

5. Tomorrow

About: A young man who is employed by a company of grim reapers in the underworld to save people's lives.

I was mainly fascinated by the visuals the whole time I watched this... and the plot is also compelling. A company of grim reapers? Interesting. A division of grim reapers whose job is to save people's lives? Sign me up. Also, with the team that consisted of two cool grim reapers (who behave like cats) who adopted a guy (who behaves like adorable puppy)? Amusing.

Each episode has different themes to tell, but it has a central story. Though dealing with serious issue like suicides, it is also combined with humour but stlll, those who feel vulnerable must be careful with the triggers. It's a supernatural drama with unique vibes and it's reflective with advices to give.

6. The Sound of Magic

About: a magician living in an abandoned theme park who helps a disenchanted teenager enduring her harsh reality.

I didn't expect it to be a musical drama?? although the title seems pretty obvious. But I like to be surprised & impressed though. As the first musical kdrama I've ever seen, the first few minutes is already intriguing. The characters have interesting stories, especially the mysterious magician. Tbh it felt kinda off to see the casts in their roles at first (the after effects of seeing them in their previous works) but their good actings as great actors help me got adapted to see their roles immediately. The whole musical performances always filled with magical & pleasant looking cinematography & I like that a lot.

7. The Killers' Shopping List

About: An odd murder case near the supermarket that leads the supermarket workers (Dae Sung and his mother) with Dae Sung's girlfriend to figure out the case together.

Watched it for the casts, and the plot seems new and interesting too. It is filled with misteries but seasoned with humours. I have watched two eps and it's not bad, but I am still waiting to be more enthralled though...

Kdrama recs: 7/?

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