#not just in the drama itself but in all kdramas i've watched

[theboookwitch]

I can genuinely say after 8 episodes My Sweet Mobster is one of my favorite kdramas I've watched in a while. I was trying to identify what was making it so special for me and I've narrowed it down to the below (mild spoilers below!!):

First of all, the plot is basically Korean Ms. Rachel and an ex-con and their found family. 10/10. No notes.

This show does not take itself seriously at all. It's silly and cute while still covering some serious themes.

If you really dig down to the bones of this show, it's all about healing your inner child. There is so much gentle parenting in this drama. As someone who has been working through a lot of childhood trauma lately, this shit is therapeutic. Obsessed with how even when Seo Ji Hwan is being seemingly harsh or strict with his little minions, he's actually doing it in such a gentle way. Ugh.

While the portrayal of formerly incarcerated people isn't perfect (and when will it ever be) it's one of the most humanizing portrayal of "criminals" I've seen in a kdrama. I have witnessed first hand how society throws away anyone with a criminal record - my brother went to prison for the first time when he was 18, and he was never able to bounce back because the world refuses to give people a chance. It led him to an early grave and watching this I'm just like wishing there were real people like Seo Ji Hwan in the world.

The leads are actually behaving like ADULTS!!!!!!! Way too often in dramas, when the main leads are meant to be traumatized but also innocent/inexperienced, this is written in a way that makes them behave so childishly and it drives me crazy. But for the most part so far while they do some silly things that can be classified as immature, overall they are still acting like grown ups. Which is refreshing.

This man's soft but low rumbly voice is 10/10.

We see a woman move in with a bunch of men and not immediately become the live in maid and cook. Love when expectations are subverted. They show how a woman in the house changes the dynamic without immediately making her the default mom.

Speaking of the men...I fucking LOVE the trope that is like "scary thugs" to loyal besties. Eat it up every time.

I will say, the actor that plays the prosecutor is annoying me even if he does have some redemption. I don't think I'll ever be able to like him after his role in Dali and the Cocky Prince. But also, prosecutors are basically cops and I'm ACAB till I die soooooooo.

[mgsapphire]

A tragedy is not romantic

Ok, I've been watching Dr. Romantic 3 and since last week, I've been meaning to comment on it. First of all, I know most kdrama discourse has moved over to tiktok during my absence. But I need to say this. And for a drama to make me regain my passion for meta essays is awesome.

I absolutely love Ahn Hyo Seop performance in this season. It's been literally a year since a performance moved me so much. I spent days still feeling the chills whenever I remembered the episodes of disaster relief.

Having said that, I want to emphasize on this week's episodes. Some people think the main issue is the jealousy Seo Woo Jin seems to have against Kang Dong Joo. But, in my opinion, these episodes are not aimed at settling the fan war about who the better doctor is, but at master Kim's realization that both of his brightest students are flawed, because they've pursued his teachings this far.

Seo Woo Jin literally can't imagine resting because it means, for him, that he's wasting time not saving lives. His hand is not worth the same as the lives being lost. Doctor Seo has proved time and time again that his main problem is that he fails to put himself first. This has been persistent since we first met him. He is reckless in his pursuit of saving lives.

On the other hand, Kang Dong Joo, ever since we first met him, has pursued recognition. Because that's the way he thinks he can save the most lives. This is not a flaw on itself, but in this episode we saw how he has trouble asking for help. He could have called Master Kim at any moment, but feared that he would fail in Master Kim's eyes, even though Master Kim himself said he could reach for help at any moment.

Doctor Seo and Doctor Kang have always been meant to resemble each other, because they are meant to pursuit resemblance to Master Kim. Neither is better than the other, because when Master Kim walked into that Trauma Room, he did not see Doctor Kang as more brilliant, or Doctor Seo as more determined.

What he saw was his best students, and specifically doctor Seo who sees him as a father figure, break themselves in the pursuit of medicine. He saw doctor Kang unable to ask for help when he most needed it, and doctor Seo unable to rest when he most needed it.

Medicine is meant to be romantic, and while self-sacrifice is romantic, it can easily turn into a tragedy. The older student broke his own expectations, and the younger one put his tools at risk, because they so desperately wanted to be like their idol.

Like doctor Kang said, only Master Kim can be Master Kim. They don't need to resemble him, they need to become doctors with their own set of ideals, who know their own limits. Master Kim has come to the realization that he may have pushed them too far without realizing. That yes, they are brilliant, but oh, so human.

This is just another knock of reality that Master Kim keeps receiving ever since Woo Jin injured his hand. His teachings are not dangerous, we can see how other doctors have coped better with them. It's just that these two particular students are stubborn and think in extremes, they want to be the best doctors they know they can be, but are pushing themselves to the edge without taking a break.

A teacher is meant to nurture those gentle and fragile sides as well, and Master Kim is trying his best, but the foundations for their mentalities started way before he instilled gentleness in them.

[handkinkbis]

Show review: Destined with You.

So.... I might be in the minority, but as much as I enjoy Rowoon on screen I didn't start watching the show for him.

I was hoping for a witch/shaman Hongjo kdrama to finish near the eve of Halloween as the show seemed to be promising (very logically it seemed to be heading that way!). And she did cast some spells to my pleasure, but to my massive displeasure her witch arc was entirely forgotten about in favor of... not even sure what that kidnapping sequence was all about. Somehow most of Hongjo's agency as a character vanished into the ether as well during the past few episodes. Her character growth consisted of building the confidence to stand up to Nayeon, but her stubborn self reliance fueled by a lifetime of loneliness and trauma (her mother! Her father!!!!) stayed and was left unaddressed. And not to be dramatic, but I might die mad about it.

So past lifes were real, the curses and spells were real, Aengcho was really a shaman and the Gardener for whatever reason (also unexplored) wanted to marry Hongjo in the next life. But Hongjo in current day went from a strong, feisty character who was ready to spell cast her way in and out of trouble into... someone to intentionally get herself kidnapped??

It's like this show was written in the 2000s to early 2010s AND it hated women. I had high hopes for Ms. Ma, Shinyu's mother and Eunwol, but they were done DIRTY by this show. Hongjo's storyline was forgotten. Aengcho got relatively less attention compared to Mujin/Rowoon. It's like the main character changed somewhere and it became Shinyu/Mujin. Shinyu and Jaekyung had their cool lawyer moments (good stuff) and Hongjo got... Nayeon arrested? Nayeon, who was another villain without a proper depth or motivation other than being a 2010s kdrama era Mean Girl. Again, Hongjo and Aengcho were done so dirty. Even Shinyu's poor abused mother went back to her abusive husband AND she got pregnant. That was just tragic!

And kindly don't try to tell me that my reasons to dislike this show are wrong - I've every right to review and hate how badly this show butchered the stories of the female characters in this show even if Rowoon was hot in a bunch of scenes like that's going to compensate for it. I am not a Rowoon stan. 🤷‍♀️ I like him just fine, but it's been frustrating to watch as a non-stan since some stans seem to take any critique of the show as a slight towards Rowoon himself. But he has nothing to do with the writing, so put down your pitchforks, ok.

They should've stuck with the office romcom or made the show into a sageuk and dropped the false advertising of the show as a magic/fantasy drama. The sageuk era episodes SLAPPED. They were tense, beautifully shot and interesting, Aengcho had her moment! I LOVED her in her faceoff with the King, she was powerful and terrifying in that. And as soon as I fell in love with her, Mujin killed Aengcho (in a very meta symbolic way) and that was that. The show itself killed Aengcho and Hongjo.

This show was written to give Rowoon his cool and sexy moments. This was the Rowoon fan service show. Which is fine, but LEAD with that info then. I did enjoy Hongjo and Shinyu together and there were a couple of fun or emotionally compelling episodes, but I didn't finish with positive feelings about the show unfortunately because of the finale.

The writing of the show was exceptionally uneven and erratic. It seemed like from a different decade, but not this one. The relationship between Hongjo and Shinyu was mostly wholesome, but not always the healthiest for several reasons. Shinyu didn't always treat Hongjo well (and vice versa) and he made some decisions for Hongjo in true 2010s kdrama patriarch style.

Hongjo&Shinyu get 7/10 for being adorable and lovable. Loved their relationship development very much. I'm glad they didn't rush to have kids or to marry. The proposal at the beach while addressing Hongjo's dad was endearing.

Plot gets a 3/10 rating. There was potential... and it slipped through the writer's fingers. Loose threads were left untied. Side plots were abandoned or seemingly forgotten about.

Would I rewatch again? Maybe once I stop fuming about how Hongjo was treated by the show, but just for the Shinhong scenes. But it'll take some wound licking and fixit fic writing.

Please universe, give Boah better scripts. She's a wonderful actress and she deserves a role that's cool and that lets her showcase her talent. Many viewers seemed to lose their patience with her, even though the writing of the show was the true issue.

[incandescentflower]

People I Want to Get to Know Better

tagged by @my-rose-tinted-glasses thanks for the tag, rose!

Last song: I hear Espresso everywhere on loop, I swear

Favorite Color: red/purple and any combo of them both

Currently Watching: more than I can manage, and based on what I've seen from others, I'm clearly ill equipped and not up for the challenge of this season's airing schedule. I want to also add a kdrama, but I've been torn about which one I should start first.

(I did start The Miracle of Teddy Bear though)

Also, rewatching Bad Baddy for the <redacted> number of times.

(also also, a made this post quickly because I had four shows at episode 4 and I wanted to screenshot it before I watched anymore tonight- so that in and of itself probably tells you something about me)

Last movie: I watch so many more dramas than movies, but I think it might have been Bottoms?

Currently Reading: The 8th book of Heaven Official's Blessing - now in the extras.

Sweet, Spicy, or Savory?: how about sweet and savory together? like chocolate covered pretzels or sweet and savory crepes, yes please

Relationship: yes, I am relationshipped

Current Obsession: jeez I wish I had one. my brain seems to not have the focus for the burrr right now. I really need to read more Hualian fic.

Last googled: Bottoms because I wanted to remind myself if that was the last movie I watched :)

Currently working on: writing something. anything. just for the love of all that is good in the world can I finish. just. one. thing.

tagging @twig-tea @lurkingshan @hyeoni-comb and @stickers-on-a-laptop mostly because I'm really curious to see your current watch lists, but no pressure at all

[misfit-latte]

So after stalling watching kdramas (mainly because I've been busy watching animes and reading book novels on the side), I have finally completed watching Welcome to Samdalri.

As people kept comparing this k-drama to another k-drama with somewhat a similar premise (both happened in Jeju), I urge you not to. For me though, Welcome To Samdalri is a healing drama. If you feel burn out, exhausted or restless, I think this is a perfect k-drama for that. Also, though it felt like it is promoted as a romance comedy or melodrama romance, I think it also showcases love, not just in the romantic sense, but also in friendships, family and community.

So, if you are still reading this part of this post, just warning you that there might be spoilers ahead.

What really piqued my interest about this k-drama is that both protagonists are almost on their 40s and it's rarely that we see romantic leads in this age group. Also, because the story itself does not solely focus on their romance but also their individuality as their characters.

For Shin Hye Sun's Cho Sam Dal, she is such a complex character (probably why I see a lot of people criticizing her character). The reason that I said this was because initially, they've showed Sam Dal as ambitious, wanting to be a successful photographer in the mainland (or as a Dragon rising from the small stream). I think this is why some people misunderstood her character as it might come off as somehow haughty or proud. Then, comes the fake news of her abuse of power and downfall leading her to retreat back her hometown.

When she came back, we then see her playful banter with Ji Chang Wook's Cho Yong Pil and though they were exes, you could see that they were once friends, childhood friends to be exact. Everyone in their community tried to separate them from each other as it might be awkward considering they were ex lovers but the funny thing was somehow, those two kept on meeting each other (maybe because they are neighbors, i dunno). But I think you could see that Cho Yong Pil is still smitten with Cho Sam Dal. Also that, even amidst the rumors of abuse of power, Chi Yong Pil believes Cho Sam Dal could never have done that because he vouchers for her character, because he knows her so well.

But what made me say that Cho Sam Dal is a complex character was shown around episode 5 and 6. From here, there was this question about Cho Sam Dal about what was the reason for her to return to her hometown if she was innocent. What made her go home. We then see her confronting her assistant who claimed about Sam Dal's abuse of power and that all of it was a lie and even Sam Dal know it but Sam Dal can't stop thinking that maybe she have abused her assistant without knowing that she was abusing her. We then see that though proud (in a sense that Sam Dal really knew she is a talented photographer) and ambitious, Sam Dal is kindhearted (which Yong Pil vouched for) and perhaps someone who easily succumbs to guilt, if people blamed her for something even though she is innocent, she might blame herself also.

This was also shown when it was revealed that the reason Sam Dal broke up with Yong Pil was because she finds herself faulty as to Yong Pil's relationship with his father Sang Tae. Still, I see people commenting that that was not enough reason to break up with someone but I guess they never know that Sam Dal really loved Yong Pil to the point she was willing to love him from afar if it means Yong Pil and his father would live together. (I think this was similar in how people questioned Orpheus love for Eurydice when Orpheus looked back to see Eurydice behind him as they exited the underworld).

Also, I really loved the fact that Sam Dal urge Yong Pil to pursue his dreams l, and makes him realize he mighy regret it if he didn't puruse it and says that Yong Pil have always supported him, why can't she do it for him.

Anyways, that's all that I could retain from my original thoughts about this kdrama. Also, that, this kdrama shows that even if we fail even when we're older or when we were supposed to be successful, you always have the time to do better, just relax and breathe.

[brewingbi]

I get the strong girl Nam-soon criticism. Truly, I do. You're right. There's no plot coherency, the main lead makes glaringly poor choices, the background characters can be ridiculously cringey sometimes. However, I raise you this- this show is for sillies. HEAR ME OUT. I love how this show makes me feel. I dont watch it for sense. I haven't since mid episode 2 I think. It doesn't take itself seriously at all. The first show did. There was structure, coherency and build. This one though, it's just so fun. If you're in a kdrama rut and genuinely feel like you can't keep up with a complicated plot, this one is the most nonsensical one at times. And it's so fun. I love this grandmother falling in love with a barista who she carried into a hotel to rail. I love these cringey parents who can't figure out if they want to fight or make out. I love this strange uncle who contributes nothing. I love the male lead, so enamoured and confused constantly. I relate . I've been watching Twinkling watermelon simultaneously okay. It's SO FUNNY seeing the difference between a well thought out drama and something that just exists to make you feel good and revisit some fun tropes. Enjoy it for that, take it a little less seriously and I swear this show will seem so much more fun.

[koreandragon]

Kdramas are in such a sorry state lately it's so sad. We're getting all these sequels for shows that mostly weren't supposed to have multiple seasons so they're a mess bc they have no story to tell. They're all dazzle razzle and no actual decent writing (taxi driver, nine tailed fox, romantic doctor etc) and then we have the 500 crime/thriller shows which are mostly deeply mediocre or downright awful. At least with romcoms if the chemistry is good and the character work is decent enough you can have a really fun show. With these dramas most of it hinges on a well written plot at which the majority fail spectacularly. News came out a few weeks ago that there are 80 dramas made that might never air bc they have no platform bc all the big ones cut the wen-thurs slot except jtbc so there are 80 dramas that will most likely rot after so much hard work and these could be great dramas, because their criteria is it will air if it has big names in it, so this is not a quality issue. Netflix really f*cked us, not only did it start the collapse of the us industry( writers are striking, actors are about to strike, shows are getting cancelled after 1/2 seasons and 8 episodes, shows getting purged for a buck, everyone is only looking for IP with big names and no one cares about good ideas or creativity) it also insidiously burrowed into the kdrama industry and changed the genres of dramas we get, the number of episodes we get, even the sequels bc it used to be no matter how huge a shows ratings were, the worst they could do was an extension, sequels weren't a thing that happened except very rarely in prodecurals like ten or vampire prosecutor. The entire thing is a sad state of affairs, another case of tech bros devastating an industry (I'm referring to the US tv/movie industry) they don't understand to line their pockets and moving on to the next one while the wreckage left in their wake will never be salvaged.

anon i absolutely agree. this is such a depressing topic for me especially because i just love cinema so much. my parents raised me to love movies then i eventually fell in love with tv shows and kdramas and it literally kills me to see the downfall of these amazing comforts in my life. i think the main reason why i haven't been here is because i just wasn't feeling like dragging through another kdrama with a medicore plot. y'all know what i was doing instead? watching old movies i've been meaning to watch for a long time or rewatching classics. you hear this every day and you could jump me for it but...they don't make them like they used to anymore. and idc how corny it sounds cause it's fucking true. exluding some very good recent movies where people making it still care about making an enjoyable piece of media (i don't give a fuck what anyone thinks of tom cruise or top gun, maverick was the only new movie in a long time that made me feel like i used to while watching movies and i literally cannot wait for the new mission impossible film). i'm a 100% with the writers strike, i really hope that they can get what they want and we will finally get back at least a fraction of something that was lost along the way. netflix was supposed to make things accessible, not turn the industry upside down and inside out then light it on fire and piss on the flames. every time i read a season 2 announcement of a kdrama i just go UGHHHHHHH. why are we adding seasons to a show that doesn't need it and why are we cancelling seasons for shows that needed to go longer to tell a story? what's the fucking rationale? oh oh OH mONEy???? netflix don't have enough MONEYYYY??? can't pay residuals to writers or renew a show that has moved people and has more story to tell but has money to make a squid game IN REAL LIFE (which is in itself like....the point flew over everyone's heads) and renewing shows NO ONE ASKED FOR?? oh what? what? more and more people are unsubscribing from your service? how could that be.....only if there was a solution to keep your subscribers by offering them quality content instead of mindless cash grabs....

i'll close this with probably one of my favorite posts on this site

[absolutebl]

Hi, absolutebl.......Do you mind if I ask you some random thing? I used to love shoujo/josei manga and het romance kdrama equally....But ever since I found BL manga 3 years ago, my interest in shoujo and het romance decrese a lot, and what I search for is just the dynamic between mc (male) and male lead...I don't want to read or watch mc (female) and male lead or mc (male) and female lead...

What do you think happen to me? (Sorry for this weird ask)

Really love your blog....Thank you so much, for sharing your BL analyses, reviews and recs. I learn a lot from you. Some of my fav BL series, I found them from you.....Thanks.....

Do you mind if I ask again for BL recs? Because I know here are users that did not want to receive different asks from the same person.....

Also, have you watched dmbj or read orv? Both series based on a novels that have very strong bromance vibe.....

Do you know that sotus, manner of death and 2together are adapted into manga? Before I found your blog, BL that I read are from manga and manhwa, and I was surprised when I knew that the series above are from thai drama (I know the manga first, sorry).....

Last ask, what do you think about BL or GL that make it better than het romance? Do you feel that too?

Sorry for this very long ask, if you mind, I will not ask again......Hope you have a wonderful day.....

Honestly I don't know. But I can say it happened to me with manga a very long time ago. I switched from reading bodice rippers to yaoi and pretty much stopped reading anything het romance after that. (I still read scifi & fantasy that's not primarily romance, although not as much as I once did.)

Fortunately for me, the M/M self publishing revolution, and then BL, came along.

That said, I did pick up Kdramas (via Kpop), and they are now the only het I watch.

I've gone through phases where yaoi or m/m or BL was ALL I was consuming for a couple years. And then just stopped. Stared reading more widely for a while. (I'm making the comparison with books because I have never had the opportunity to do this level of obsession with cinema before, there has never before been enough on screen queer romances for me to just watch those and nothing else until 2020. Now there is.

Honestly, I don't know why this happened or me, or anyone else.

To understand why we like a thing, let alone obsesses or fixate on a thing, is so complex. Maybe it's because I come out of kink but I've learned to just go with the fetish... as it were.

It's like trying to understand why you like a particular dish, song, fashion, color, painting, architecture, even a plant or animal. I mean we can come up with explanations, flavor profiles, childhood formation of taste, family backgrounds, and so forth. Or academic analysis to do with disenfranchisement and the psychological appeal of narrative and beauty.

But sometimes often we like a thing because we like a thing.

I know, for humans, the "why" is our most powerful question. (Marketing also knows this, incidentally.) One of the reasons we tell stories AT ALL (to ourselves, to others, around a campfire in ancient times) is our search for the eternal why. It gave us mythology. It gave us religion.

But sometimes, especially with art, I feel like it's better just to dwell in wonder and grey spaces. The awe and the enjoyment itself, without understanding, it part of the experience.

Worship at the church of BL? Is that what this is? Maybe?

Some kinda thoughts anyway?

Generally these narratives provide a sense of comfort. Perhaps our love is something to do with characters who normally struggle (and usually are marginalized, tortured, killed and/or miserable) getting their happy evers? Perhaps it's because it's pure fantasy in terms of relationship. (I think for a lot of straight women there is something profoundly alluring in a gay relationship that they had/have no chance of every experiencing or being part of, the otherness itself is part of the appeal.) Perhaps its the lack, we never before had enough content to get obsessed over it to this level. (Let's not talk about the number of times I rewatched Latter Days after I got it on DVD, okay?)

I mean it's worth putting yourself through a thought experiment. Write down a list of ten things you like about BL that make it differnet from other kinds of media.

But you may find it's just like "why do I eat at Wendy's instead of Burger King?"

Because I like it better. They do the thing I like. (Spicy chicken sandwitch, FYI).

Perhaps it's something more profound, a kind of narrative sexual identity. It's the thing you desire. Then again, I'm pretty fluid in my desires, so I am comfortable with the idea of being attracted to different people at different points in my life. Just like being into different kinds of media at different times in my life.

I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, so long as:

It's not to addition level (damaging your emotional/financial well being)

You're comfortable with the notion that your tastes may change again

Other Questions

Do you mind if I ask again for BL recs? Because I know here are users that did not want to receive different asks from the same person.....

I am always happy to give out BL recs! The more specific the better. I consider it my primary service to humanity, at this juncture.

Also, no offense but I get so many asks from so many people I rarely remember who's asked me stuff before. Unless you have a very notable icon or style of writing, or interact with me regularly in comments & DMs. My memory is CRAPTASTIC. And I run multiple social media accounts several of which have much higher volume interactions than this one. It's not you it's the law of Dunbar's number. The human brain only really has the capacity for 150 social connections. And frankly, I don't know if I can manage even that many anymore.

Also, have you watched dmbj or read orv? Both series based on a novels that have very strong bromance vibe…..

Nope. I don't watch bromances if I can help it. Too much actual kissing these days to distract me, and I am one of those who wants some kissing for my queers.

Do you know that sotus, manner of death and 2together are adapted into manga? Before I found your blog, BL that I read are from manga and manhwa, and I was surprised when I knew that the series above are from thai drama (I know the manga first, sorry)…..

Yes and Yen Press picked up SOTUS for the USA print market. I'm hope to read that someday. I haven't tried MoD or 2g. I tend not to read reverse adaptations in general, not sure why. Also, I went off manga when it went primarily online. Never even experienced the manwha revolution. I'm old school enough to not enjoy graphic media scrolling. I miss turning pages "backwards" and getting amused my misstranslations.

Last ask, what do you think about BL or GL that make it better than het romance? Do you feel that too?

I don't like a value judgement like "better" on pop culture. I would just say "I personally enjoy it more" so I guess "better for me" would be how I might put it?

In my case? I think it's primarily that I spend so much of my life with little to no queer romance in it. And I mean modern romance all sappy and happy and cheesy and safe. It's just pure joy to have it available to me in such volume on my screen with such pretty trappings, flawed as it may be.

But also.

I just like it.

[alloveydovey]

monthly dramas, I'm not really feeling it lately :\

Crazy Love, 2022 (kdrama) 8/8.5

FL works as a secretary for the biggest asshole in the instructor/tutor industry. She decides to endure it in favor of her future until she discovers she's dying. Revenge for all the mistreatment ensues.

Crazy love indeed. This is how you do enemies to lovers, though. The drama itself is a bit shabby, and the story is a bit predictable, but Krystal and Kim Jae Wook are absolutely amazing in it. They really are a 10/10 comedic duo, and their chemistry is amazing. I didn't like that in the second half the FL sort of takes a step back from the spotlight of the drama. All-around, it was really cute, and I’d recommend it.

Kiss Sixth Sense, 2022 (kdrama) 8

FL sees the future whenever she kisses someone. She accidentally ends up kissing her boss and seeing them entangled… in something deeper lol.

This drama is weird, but not because of the premise. FL seeing the future when her lips come in contact with someone is intriguing enough. ML having acute senses like some sort of daredevil is a bit complicated but I’m into it. I think it was the way they went on about it that just seemed strange to me. Overall, It was a nice watch, nothing out of the ordinary. I’m all in for more adultish romances, and if they have fantasy, that’s a plus. So that’s an aspect I liked a lot from this. The ending… it’s a happy ending, but it could have been better :\

My Sassy Girl, 2017 (kdrama) 7.5

A reckless princess meets a renowned scholar and a series of comedic misunderstandings and dramatic encounters ensue.

This reimagining of My Sassy Girl (2001) starts very cute. I wasn’t sure about watching it at first, but I'd been looking for something historical and romantic comedy-centered without it being too heavy, as historicals tend to be.

The beginning doesn’t feel like a 2017 drama at all. It feels like a drama made between 2004-09. I think it’s the comedy that gives out very 00s vibes. Some might think it’s too much but I was into it. The problem with this drama, for me at least, is that, in the end, it does get heavy, just like all historicals. They hooked me with the light-hearted, over-the-top comedy in the first few episodes and then did a complete 180, and everything became dramatic in a way that feels like you’re watching a different drama. The leads have great chemistry, but the story ends up becoming generic and boring.

Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale, 2024 (kdrama) 8

A girl who has been poor her whole life wants to change her luck by marrying rich. She ends up working at a social club where the peculiar CEO takes an interest in her.

Because I have been low key following what Pyo Ye Jin and Lee Jun Young have been doing I was really excited to finally watch this. The only disappointment was the fact that it’s a brutally short drama with only 10 episodes, 40mins each. At the same time it’s the type of drama that can only do well by being short. Everything about it, from the duration, to the narrator, the plot, the animation and comedy screams at you not to take this seriously and just enjoy the ridiculous cute ride. Which I did. It made me laugh out loud and most important both leads were really cute. It was just what I needed. 100% rewatchable as well.

Frankly Speaking, 2024 (kdrama) 7.5

A news anchor and a variety show writer get attached thanks to an accident where he can't help but be completely honest (Jim Carrey Liar Liar vibes), and she is the only one who can turn that off.

This started off as a surprise. First episodes are completely refreshing and feel like a break from all the kdramas I've been watching lately. It's not really different from the usual formula we know so well, still, I dug the vibes big time. However, there's sort of a big con here. I divided this drama in three parts. First part: Liar Liar plus a heartfelt commentary about how we go about life. Second part: Dating show romance dramatics with barely any attention to the supposed main plot (the fact that ML has a condition that doesn’t allow him to lie). Third part: Something else entirely. The main theme of the drama is completely lost by episode 8, and so you wonder, what am I really watching? Overall, it's good enough. I absolutely loved Kang Han Na as the FL, and Go Kyung Pyo has become a favorite lead.

Dropped :\ ⬇️

Doctor Slump, 2024 (kdrama) 8

An anethesiologist hits rock bottom when depression starts manifesting in her life. A plastic surgeon loses everything when he's falsely accused of malpractice. These two brains, once school nemesis, meet again and strike up a friendship.

Some dramas do need to be 10-12 episodes long. I started this because of Park Hyung Sik and because I was low-key excited and curious to see him work with Park Shin Hye again. I’m still not sure about them together romantically, but the friendly chemistry was there. I feel like both of them did amazing, but the drama itself felt a bit flat. As if something was missing. I stopped watching for a while after episode 7 because I got a bit tired of it, and honestly, I didn't miss it or was excited to know how it went on. I tried to get back to it but only made it till episode 12. I'll probably finish as background while doing something else, but yeah-- I just got extremely bored.

Birth of a Beauty, 2014 (kdrama) 7

FL is a plus size woman who is constantly ridiculed by her in-laws. She finds out her husband has been cheating on her, and after an accident where they all believe her to be dead, she's "reborn" (plastic surgery) as a beauty, thanks to a man who, to be honest, I don't even know how to describe lol. They both start plotting how to take revenge on her husband.

This dramas was a crack show. And fatphobic, but I feel like I can't complain about that cause the premise was already giving me those vibes. In a way you could say it's very realistic about Korean culture, I guess? But I'm not going to dive into that and just say that sometimes it really got on my nerves.

Those matters aside, it's also a drama I could not take seriously. They wanted to mix comedy with a dark plot such as revenge, but the characters were so silly it didn't make sense. I stuck with most of it because the leads had great chemistry and made me laugh. The dramas with the most bizarre, almost terrible storylines are, in fact, the ones with the most fire chemistry. I stopped watching because I found my other dramas more entertaining, and, honestly, after they got together, I felt like this didn't deserve my time, lol.

[schrodingers-hoarding-problem]

Jae's Asian Drama Masterlist

a list of all the asian shows I've ever watched (competed, we don't talk about the ones I've been meaning to finish for the past two years), not including any animation

all of them have some form of romance because at my heart I am a slut for a good romance, colored ones are those that changed my brain chemistry

Korean:

Romance is a Bonus Book (my first ever Kdrama and the first one I saw on this list, will always hold a special place in my heart)

Hotel Del Luna (iu my beloved, it did make me very sad at some points, but the dynamic between the main characters so so so good, jealous jang manwol is the best thing)

Light On Me

The Tasty Florida

To My Star

You Make Me Dance

Mr. Heart

Color Rush

Doom at Your Service (I say this is my favorite Kdrama, but honestly it has some really heavy competition. I am not above saying im a little bit attracted to whenever doom fucks someone up ok)

Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart

Kiss Goblin

Where Your Eyes Linger

Run On (its just so sweet y'all, one of the most refreshing shows I've ever seen in my life, the characters feel so real and the relationships are amazing)

Semantic Error (this is where the heavy competition is, both the movie and series versions are insanely good, I just can't recommend it enough)

Tinted With You

A-Teen (currently rewatching it with my best friend, is the essential hs Kdrama, explores so many of the problems that teens face without minimizing them, really embraces that lonely/scary feeling of being in such a turbulent time in your life)

Roommates of Poongduck 304

Business Proposal (the romcom of all time, if you are someone who enjoys a good trope or a well done cliche this is the place for you, it will make you laugh so hard and feel so much)

Our Dating Sim (aljslkasjfkd so so cute, very much Semantic Error vibes and I love that, loved the dynamic and characters so much)

The Eighth Sense (yes give me the good mental health representation, women friends, and cute relationships)

Dream (movie, watched it just for IU tbh)

Thai:

Love in the Air

Kinnporsche (this gave me indescribable brainworms but I could never explain it)

The Eclipse (the series really benefited from how comfortable first&khaotung are with each other, honestly they are friendship goals, but the show itself really tackles some great issues in the schooling system and how they relate to oppression overall)

Until We Meet Again

Between Us (yeah Tumblr really won with this one, I saw one too many winteam posts and had no choice, I do love a relationship driven show and the way the show pulled in discussions about trauma and family struggles was wonderful, I have never seen more of a middle child than win)

Bad Buddy (what can I say, once again the actors have insane chemistry and their comfort with each other really shows on screen, also nanon really is just a powerhouse actor, its sort of a modern Romeo and Juliet but has the most open & honest communication in any media I've ever seen)

Cutie Pie

Cutie Pie 2 You

My School President (may have changed me as a person? I don't even know how to describe how important this show has become to me)

Bed Friend (loved the characters, idk if it gave me worms yet tho)

Only Friends (at my heart i am a sucker for anything First & Khao are in)

Japanese:

Takara-kun & Amagi-kun

My Love Mix-up! (Keita Hatsukoi)

My Beautiful Man (Utsukushii Kare)

My Beautiful Man 2

Taiwanese:

Be Loved in House: I Do

HIStory 3: Trapped

Because of You 2020

Chinese:

The Untamed (I don't even know how to explain the brainworms this show and the novel it's based on has given me, but we do love a fun period piece)

[retrospectiveintolife]

Welcome to Samdalri

this is my review of welcome to samdalri kdrama.

review without spoilers:

Its a healing drama set in the coastal areas of Jeju where the lands meet the sea. Because of that there are plenty of scenic shots of waves rolling and underwater shots of fishes and haenyos. however the most healing part of the drama is the warm best friend to lovers plotline that has to endure separation, loss and misunderstandings. They're backed up by their wonderful power rangers squad ready to drop everything at a moments notice to help one of them. Its a refreshing take on friendships thats very welcoming. its a must watch when life is hectic and you just want to have a good time with a kdrama.

Now, about the kdrama itself,

This is the only kdrama of Ji Chang Wook that I've liked after healer. Healer was amazing and is easily one of my top 10 kdramas of all time. I haven't liked a single drama of his after that. not that he's a bad actor. he's amazing but his recent choice of dramas were not exactly my type. So I've avoided them like a plague . So I trusted Shin Hye Sun and started this drama and I'm so glad I did. I got reminded of how amazing of an actor Ji Chang Wook and rewatched healer at once. I missed watching Ji Chang Wook on screen, is all.

And, I think the rest of the casting is also perfect. Ko Mi Kyung as Ko Mi Ja absolutely stole the show. the side storyline of her friendship with Bu Mi Ja was not only relevant to the plot but also an important factor for me to love this drama so much. rarely portrayed well is female friendships in kdramas. This friendship is reverent to me. She is also easily one of the best kdrama mothers I've seen. I don't know about anything else but if i become a mother, i hope to god i am able to create a safe environment for my kids so they can confidently come to me to when they're having a tough time, knowing I wouldn't judge them and that i will try my best to help them with it, like Ko Mi Ja.

as for the storyline I loved the pacing. the main character is going through a very hard time in life where she is misunderstood by everyone around her. the drama takes its time to show us how she falls apart, repents and tries to fix things and when none of that works, how she gets gets over it, because that's the only way out. Not an uncommon theme for kdramas, the "finding myself " theme has been employed multiple time but rarely done well.

the romance plots of her sisters were also well done and my absolute favorite thing of all is that there were no shots of the second lead pathetically crying over her. Hes one of my favorite second leads of all time, along with Han Seo Jun from true beauty.

Im not sure of the official ratings but this drama was definitely a 10/10 for me.

definitely check out this drama if youre into stuff like

best friends to lovers

slow burn and angst

good female friendships

first love

happy ending

found family and original supportive family

[khaoray]

top 10 kdrama couples? and top 10 romantic kdramas? (i wanna watch something with good romance haha)

oh nonnie this is gonna be a challenge but i will do my absolute best. one thing you need to know about me and my taste in romance is that i'm really not here for straight up fluff. i need a bit of melodrama and angst to keep me invested. gonna stick it under a read more bc i feel it's gonna get lengthy asdfghjk

couples:

ji ho and jeung in (one spring night) - they invented being in love and facing your problems with maturity and they're just so important to me.

kang doo and moon soo (just between lovers) - if there's one thing i love in my romance it's angst and hurt people learning to heal together and literally no one does it like them. kang doo remains my favourite junho role too, so.

kyeo rye and yeon joo (if you wish upon me) - similar to jbl tbh kyeo rye is such a broken man at the start of the drama and watching him slowly fall in love and heal from years and years of trauma destroyed all of my emotions.

gong myung and se ra (into the ring) - THE childhood friends to rivals to friends to lovers ship!!!!! no one does it like they do honestly they're THE standard when it comes to emotional maturity.

joong gil and ryeon (tomorrow) - listen if you were around last year then you know just insane they made me. soulmates defying literal fate to end up together after centuries of trauma they make me so sick.

cheoljong and so bong (queen cheorin) - THE standard for enemies to lovers. nothing has ever been able to replicate the buzz they gave me week to week.

seon gyeom and mi joo (run on) - the softest couple on this entire list actually i think. they're just so sweet and cozy and safe and i love them so much.

taejun and taeyang (love all play) - my babies!!!! the drama itself kinda sucks but theyyyyy. one of the most mature relationships i've ever seen in a drama actually like we love a couple that actively talk about their issues and try to overcome them together.

vincenzo and cha young (vincenzo) - enemies to coconspirators to lovers excellence honestly who is doing chemistry like them. they're just so sexy.

dong jin and woo joo (call it love) - hi hello it's another instance of two traumatised people falling in love and finding happiness together what can i say i have a TYPE.

dramas:

one spring night - i've already talked about why i love this drama so much so i won't do it again but just know. i love it so so much it's so important to ME.

just between lovers - another one i've talked about a lot at this point but outside of the romance, this drama is just so GOOD. it deals with a lot of heavy themes so i'd advise discretion but it's so worth it imo. but just 10/10 experience wish i could go back and watch it again for the first time.

if you wish upon me - i love it for a lot of the same reasons i love jbl they're very similar imo. also. kyeo rye is the most character of all time i genuinely don't think ji chang wook is ever topping him.

into the ring - underrated!!!! underrated!!!!!!!!! underrated!!!!!!!!!!!! y'all slept on this one so hard and i still haven't forgiven you. i love romance between two grown adults who actually act their age and don't fall victim to stupid tropes.

run on - this drama makes me feel so cozy and safe and fuzzy idk man it's just pure good vibes for my soul.

call it love - if you love dramas that are slow, where a lot is said with very little dialogue and where the colour grading tells you a lot about the characters emotional states then boy do i have the drama for you.

witch's romance - can i interest you in twinky park seo joon in love with uhm jung hwa??? bc that's what this drama has to offer and it's so fun. it might be a bit dated now bc it came out in 2014 but i had such a good time when i first watched it.

queen cheorin - aside from the last half of the last episode i had such a good fun time watching two absolute idiots fight tooth and nail against falling in love with each other. when are we ever getting that level of chemistry again???

moon embracing the sun - alright i'm gonna be honest i don't actually remember all that much of this one anymore. i only watched it because kim soo hyun's in it. but i watched it as it was airing and it emotionally destroyed me so that's gotta count for something.

first love hatsukoi - yeah yeah it's not korean it's japanese but it's also the best show i've watched in the last year so!!!!! y'all can just take my rec and live with it. please please PLEASE watch it it's one of the most beautiful dramas i've ever seen and all four of the main actors are absolutely incredible in it.

[hanlimz]

happy jay day <3

and in light of the moonbin news, i hope you're holding up well

i love you so much cass <3

hi nyx :) happy (late) jay day <3

and, thank you, love <3 although my grief is incomparable with what i imagine his family and close friends are experiencing, it's been quite difficult. astro was actually the very first group i stanned; i knew them before i even knew who bts was. i found them through a kdrama called "to be continued" where they introduced a predebut ep called 'spring up' !! that was in 2015-2016, and i would've 100% called myself an aroha up until about 2018 (rise up era) .. so astro was a huge part of my "kpop journey" if you will, haha .. they brought me so much joy, and they were a group that i kept up with regularly until skz's debut.

i unfortunately can't take time to grieve wholly because of school obligations and life, but i've definitely been reminiscing. i stanned astro at such a happy time in my life, so going through their albums and listening to their songs has been really cathartic. their first three eps (and the rest of their albums) are beautifully done, and i would encourage anyone and everyone to take a listen both if they're mourning or if they just want good music recommendations. "to be continued" is also a wonderfully cute drama; it's very refreshing, and honestly one of the only kdramas i've been able to binge watch. knowing that he's still here in a way is comforting, i guess.

and, the cynic in myself tells me that it seems a bit silly to feel so much for a person i never met. but, moonbin was so bright and so kind. he was funny and he was gentle and his light was so undeniably strong; i can still see it in photos and videos, i can still hear it in songs, i can still feel it in the 12 year old girl that loved him with all of her heart. and, i'm so, so sorry that his death is already being sensationalized; i despise the fact that his memory is being bastardized by people who only want to exploit it—be it for fame, for recognition, or to comment on the industry itself. moonbin deserves none of it. no one ever does. all i can hope for is peace and healing—for his parents, for moon sua, for his friends, for aroha, and for him.

with all of this being said, i’m remembering him through his smile and all the happiness he brought me. i'm taking life one day at a time. i hope you're doing the same, my love. stay healthy <3

[incandescentflower]

I finally watched the jdrama Eye Love You with Chae Jong Hyeop. It was an interesting watch for quite a few reasons, especially as a Cherry Magic fan.

It's an office romance with the lead having mind-reading ability with Omoinotake doing the theme song. The bright colors, the lack of "bad guys," conflict arising basically from everyone caring too much, side characters that are honest, true and lovable and mythology that is hand wavy, but full of heart (although this one could have been a tad bit better lamp-shaded IMO)

Sound familiar?

It's a Japanese drama with a popular Korean drama lead where they indulge and revel in the cultural differences in ways that are silly - like the female lead learning about what noona meant through coworkers kdrama watching and mistakenly thinking he was thinking of her in that way (which he wasn't) and hysterical - like him immediately asking her what her first name is and calling her by it when they first meet outside of the office context and then when finding out she is the CEO continuing to be his charming, familiar self and making her have an emotional meltdown over it because she both was completely embarrassed by it, but also loved everything about how open and disarming he is. (And I did too). I love that she is interested in him from the start because he is the first person she's met since she's gotten her abilities that she actually can't understand his thoughts (he thinks in Korean).

Chae Jong Hyeop is fabulous in it, as he always is when I watch him in something. He stole the show in Nevertheless (sorry, Song Kang) and I loved him in the Witch's Diner. It just reminds me I keep meaning to watch more of his stuff. Also superficially, he's charming and handsome and tall and makes the female lead look tiny and I am not usually into height difference at all but it works for these two a whole bunch. Her fantasy dream sequence really reminds us that he is very capable of being more than a smiley puppy and someone needs to give him a role like that stat. Bonus that it's just fun to me to listen to him speak in Japanese after being used to listening to him speak Korean. He's clearly really good at the language so it's great he got to use his skills for this.

Some of the most touching scenes in this drama are with the female leads father and her best friend. This is a show about her finding love, yes, but all the relationships matter and are heart-warming.

It probably has the best second male lead I've seen (maybe after Chae Jong Hyeop's character in Nevertheless haha). The care and consideration the two supposed rivals show for each other after the comedy of it is played out is nice. The circumstance itself is enough to create conflict so people don't have to be jealous assholes about it. I really enjoyed Hanaoka enough to be interested in seeing something else that actor is in.

The mythology could have been tweaked a little. There's something significant most of the characters believe and it is never clear to me why they all believed it and never questioned it in the first place. But I downed all these in a few days because ultimately it was a really fun watch with lots of good feelings.

If you are a jdrama and a kdrama fan, it's also a delight to see a nice little hybrid of the things I personally enjoy in both being thread together into one story.

It was definitely worth the watch.

[unnursvanablog]

The Uncanny Counter, season 2 / kdrama review.

This is just my opinions on the season two of the kdrama The Uncanny Counter, pretty much spoiler free.

I've often felt that one of the charms and appeals of kdramas is that there is only one season. There are emotions, there is plenty of quiet character moments, angst, and a beginning, a middle and an end all in one season that American show would stretch out over 5 seasons. It's not really in the kdrama formula to have a season two. It just doesn't seem to work all that well (although series like Kingdom or Age of Youth have managed it or series that are independent continuations of each other like the Reply series). And I think this second season of The Uncanny Counters sort of proves that. The story was over. It had a beginning, middle and end. It doesn't need more.

The plot here is predictable and there is nothing there that adds to the narrative of the first one. There is a lot of room for character development, but the drama doesn't use its time well at all instead giving us rather silly, fluffy moments between the characters and overall, it just feels rather poorly done. As if the people behind this didn't really care or didn't feel like it needed to bother with the plot all that much.

Instead of giving us more time to delve deeper into the characters they give us a cardboard cutout of them and a few romantic moments between some of the characters that are totally cute or sweet but add nothing to the story itself. Nothing that happens really matters. There are no puzzles to solve or mysteries to uncover, backstories to explore (like why the bad guys are bad) which pretty much takes away a lot of tension from the narrative. Everything is easy. There is no real desperation or intensity in the story. The struggles they had that made them interesting in the first season are no longer there. There is no battle going on here.

Many of the characters don't work the same as before and neither do their superpowers. The character who struggled in the first season doesn't struggle now. So Moon seems almost invincible and way too rugged and cold when he was the soft heart of the story last season. He doesn't even feel like the main character here or the sensitive as the heart of the series and we are not following him learning more about his powers. But there was still no decent successor to him to fill that main character, fish-out-of-water role so the story has no anchor or focus.

Our characters have nothing much to do but try to fight some very dull and colorless bad guys. They are not being given time to grow organically so they will change with the narrative. They have changed, without us getting to see it as it all happened off screen between the two seasons, to serve the oh-so-generic, bare-bone plot that this new series has to offer.

While the plot of the first series felt like a story that has been retread a little too often, it also managed to find some fresh and exciting angles on the very common underdog superhero story with some good tension and humor along with a great lovable cast and characters. And although the actors and characters are still lovely, the story here doesn't really nothing to say here. Not about human greed or corruption or humanity. At least not in an exciting new way. Everything is a little too simple or convenient to hit it's mark properly.

On the surface, the series is cool, flashy, with funny moments and some really cool special effects and fight scenes, but that was never really what made The Uncanny Counters, or any sci-fi for the matter show fun to watch. People may start watching genre shows for the setting; dragons, swords, superpowers and all that but people keep watching for the plot and the characters. The character struggles, seeing those less fortunate stand up for something bigger than them, people coming together and working together using their powers makes for an exciting narrative and hopefully a good story. It's so much more than just some superpowers. The previous series seemed to understand that, but this feels very much surface level to its approach to a story.

This series seems rather dull. The story is missing something and both the old characters and the new ones we are meeting do not have the same charm and depth as in the previous season. There isn't really any story going on, very little momentum or character moments that move the story forward. It just sort of tugs along. Everything is too easy, too predictable and there is very little real conflict going on, apart from cool fight scenes, or characters growth which makes it really boring to watch because nothing really happens. Or matter. There is nothing about season two that stays with you after watching it. If you have nothing to add to a story, don't make season two.

[ereardon]

My friend said the same thing after the 6-month mark - too much travelling and she's sleepy now. Though I guess all jobs have a downside because you'll NEVER catch me willingly going to speak to a large group of college students and I used to work in student affairs, maybe a group of 15 max 💀. Mentor a few students sure but public speaking will be thrown out everytime.

You would also think the tutoring situation would be great but, I find myself getting bored easily. (It was meh before my hours got moved to zoom because my campus expanded sessions to other schools). I've watched and rewatched the kdramas on Netflix and Hulu, homework is always done, had groceries delivered, so I guess I'm being productive today.

Omg sorry this got left in my ask box when I went offline all weekend!! Traveling for work is literally never as fun — one of my clients asked me to come to Chicago in a few weeks for a meeting and you just know I'm going to see more of O'Hare than Chicago itself lol.

Honestly hit me with your kdrama reccos?? I feel like that's a genre I'm totally lacking knowledge in but I think I'd love it because I am a sucker for drama and cheesy romances. That sounds like a super productive day!!! I just saw my dad off to the airport and I have the day off so I'm going to go fix a broken nail at the salon (RIP my dip), hit up Trader Joe's and the mountain of laundry that has some how accumulated in like 4 days lol.

Hope you're having a good day! xx