Before starting this week’s episode comments, I’d like to revise my use of the word “slog” in last week’s comments. Seon-ha rightly pointed out that this word choice wasn’t great, and I agree. It was too dramatic, ironically. A better description of last week’s episodes would have been that they were slow, and therefore less enjoyable. Stretched out scenes are part of the style and tone of this particular drama, and are used purposefully to build tension. Sometimes it works. Last week it did not.
In positive news for this week, the ratings for MCP have started on an upward trend and I must say I’m pleased. They’re nearing 4.0%, which is a fairly respectable turnout. And I believe they’re warranted, especially considering episodes 11-12, which I really enjoyed.
The best part of this production — and frankly, the most important part of any production — is (and has always been) the quality of the story itself. While acting skills, direction, and production design may waver, a good story will keep you coming back for more. At this point, I have to say, I’m impressed with how this story is unfolding. Keep in mind, however, that this is melodrama. If you try to apply straight up sageuk drama expectations, you won’t find it quite as good. Herein lies the marketing dilemma this drama faced.
At its heart, this is a fairly unusual sageuk, even one that is makjang-y. Palace politics are the focus, but the characters and their individual fates are so tightly interwoven that it makes for some delicious dilemmas. Coupled with excellent direction and cinematography, the tension is well-maintained, and for most episodes (last week excepted), watching be like:
As we get further into the story, it’s harder and harder to write comments without revealing spoilers, but I want to highlight that there are numerous refreshingly different types of characters and relationships in MCP. Even better is the character development, with many becoming more complex with each episode by gradually exposing cleverly hidden (by the screenwriter) motivations and agendas.
We also have numerous important “support” staff characters like maids, eunuchs, bodyguards, etc. These characters really contribute to the story, especially during episode 12, which is about a single night in the palace and the many eventful things that happen in all corners of its grounds. I’ve seen characters like this in other sageuk, but there are notably a lot of them in this one.
Another key characteristic of this melodrama is its unabashed OTT twists and turns. No situation or character remains static for more than an episode or two. It’s a constantly shifting landscape. Just as soon as you think you know what’s happening, something or someone changes direction. You may question the validity of said shifts, but they create continual surprise.
The best example of this is the titular Crown Prince whose status (and whereabouts) quite literally changes every episode. Despite that, he remains the single most staunchly unflappable personality in the entire cast of characters.
I AM still a bit concerned how they’re going to keep this story compelling for 8 more episodes, but I have a lot more trust in the production team now than I did at the start.
That’s all for this week’s thoughts!
One last comment for soundtrack fans: There are 3 nice OST tracks released to date. Not exceptional, but not boring either. We hear them at the beginning and end of episodes, and very occasionally one will appear in the middle of an episode. The orchestral score continues to be a supporting character in this drama!
I didn’t like the orchestral score for this. It does suit the melodramatic tone, but I’m not a big fan of ‘movie music’, so it detracted a bit for me. Glad you are enjoying it though!
They made a number of risky decisions in the name of “art” for this drama. I’ve been interested enough in the story to just let the rest wash over me and enjoy it for what it is. But there’s no question the music is a bit distracting (and manipulative) at times.
Although I’m not watching MCP yet, your comments are very interesting and helpful. So thank you!
I’ll probably binge-watch it in the future.
Bossam’s screenwriter is almost a guarantee.
The original Korean title of The Atypical Family is ALTHOUGH I’M NOT A HERO.
The revised English title is surprisingly not eye-rolling, and even works to some extent. This is, after all, a truly atypical family.
Where the title change becomes less interesting/desirable is when it interferes with the art direction.
One of the things that was notable about the original poster for this drama was the use of half the available space to turn the Korean title into a bold statement in bold font and a bold color.
This graphic presentation of the title also appears to great effect at the beginning and end of every episode. If you’ve forgotten the original Korean title when you see these title screens, you miss the impact of this design decision. It gets watered down further with the English subtitling.
Next episode, when you see the title screens, think “Although I’m Not a Hero” and see how it connects to the next scene (or the scene before it). It’s a small creative touch perhaps, but this series leans heavily on its unusual design in the overall, and I think it’s pretty cool what they’ve done here.
GREAT QUESTION! After @IsaGC‘s comment above, I realized I hadn’t really looked closely at the top part of the poster. The father being a “strong man” is very interesting… and yes, there seems to be a mysterious 6th person… 🤔
I’ve been studying Korean for a few years – certainly not with the level of diligence needed to be truly proficient – but I do love learning and I think it’s fun to toss Korean words into the mix when we’re talking k-dramas.
One thing I particularly like about this language is that there are fixed pronunciation rules, which (once learned) make it easy to know how to speak virtually every word. Exceptions are rare (regional dialects aside). Unlike English, lol.
However, there are basic pronunciation basic rules and then there are refinement rules, the latter of which don’t get a lot of attention outside of k-language courses.
With that in mind, I’d like to point out a pronunciation error I frequently see in k-drama communities, and that is the romanization of the word 막내 as “maknae”.
This is a word/concept we find often in k-drama. It means “the youngest”. 막내 can describe the youngest child in a family, but it’s also applied in a group or team situation, which is where k-drama tends to make the most appealing use of it.
막내 is actually pronounced MANG-NAE.
The letter ㄱ at the end of the first syllable, when followed by the letter ㄴ at the start of the next one, turns the “k” sound of ㄱ into ㅇ, which sounds like “ng”. Hence “mang-nae”. Not as cute to the Western ear, I know, but perhaps helpful to be aware of. K-drama 막내 are still cute though!
[NB: This is a “consonant assimilation” rule and it applies to ㄲ and ㅋ as well. Consonant assimilations create linking sounds, and they are one reason why spoken Korean is so pleasing to the ear, much like spoken French, which relies heavily on linking sounds or liaisons.]
There are many good resources online for learning the Korean alphabet and its pronunciation rules (the first thing you must do when studying Korean), but imo by far the best and most complete is Talk to Me in Korean‘s textbook, Become a Hangeul Master. You can find the rule described above on page 63.
I hope I haven’t rained on anyone’s parade, as I do agree that maknae is a fun sounding word, and the romanization is easy to assume if one just goes by the basic rules of Korean pronunciation. But since many of us are interested in Korean culture, as well as k-drama specifically, I felt compelled to share this nuance in spoken Korean. #themoreyouknow
Thank you! In cop/crime dramas I am usually a sucker for the mang-nae on the team (and usually at the beginning I mentally warn writer-nim that I expect to see our mang-nae still breathing and walking on his/her own 2 feet at the end lol).
I hadn’t thought about that before but the mangnae on cop/crime dramas are usually cute and supported by the team so we cheer them on. In office settings they tend to be the ones getting dumped on by everyone else and we feel sorry for them. Interesting… 🤔
My discerning ears have picked up the romanization issues early on. I haven’t learned the written language yet. I’m audio sensitive and can pick up diction easily. The fact that many of the Korean sounds and their sentence structure can be found in my native country languages makes it easier to pick out the nuances.
For example I’ve picked up that ‘Nay’ often comes across as day with the said nasally.
That’s a really cool superpower 😀 Do you find it easy to learn other languages as a result? The ability to distinguish sounds with clarity like that is probably what makes some language learners sound more native than those who don’t hear the nuances as clearly.
For sure! The Ns turn into Ds and the Ms turn into Bs and I have to hold my breath for a minute to make it sound right hahaha! What is your native language and what other sounds does it share with Korean? That’s really cool! I find that distinguishing between aspirated, unaspirated, and tense consonants is one of the harder things for me.
@Unaspirated Hence your username! Haha! I always used to wonder. Fabulously creative.
My native language would be Bangla (or Bengali). But I am fluent in Hindi, and understand a smattering of many other languages. Both Hindi and Bengali have tons of unaspirated and aspirated sounds that work in isolation. In Hindi, for example, you have a letter for each sound of ‘s’ and each of them are very specifically written. Same with Bengali. I tried learning French a while ago, but life happened and I had to leave it, but I did pick up the sounds (way more efficiently that written French) but had to give up because life happened. But I am way more determined with Korean.
I think eastern languages might be a bit tough for many western speakers only because of the absence of some sounds and combinations of consonants that are modified from root letter of d and t.
Thank you for this interesting lesson about romanization “mistakes” 😊I have been self-learning Korean for two years (and watching k-dramas for two and a half) and there are some pronunciation rules I’m still learning about.
K-dramas make it fun to learn Korean! I like going back and forth between traditional learning methods and then listening for the actual usage of that learning while watching dramas.
Yes! Thanks for this reminder! I discovered this phenomenon early in my pronunciation journey when I spent some time legitimately trying not to aspirate consonants at the ends of syllables (*ahem, “unaspirated”). You almost have to slide into the correct way of pronouncing this word if you have succeeded in not aspirating the ending consonant of the first syllable! Ma-kuh-nae works but mak-nae without aspiration goes into the back of your throat anyway and becomes mang-nae pretty organically. Love that you’re learning Korean too!
Hahaha yes! It is probably among the most nerdy of the Dramabeans handles. Keeping consonants unaspirated at the ends of syllables and words is tricky as a native English speaker, especially because we tend not to use aspiration to distinguish different sounds/words/meanings. In Korean they often add a vowel onto the ends of borrowed English words to mimic the aspiration of a consonant, like 포크 (fork) and that’s weirdly one of the things that has really helped me avoid doing it. I’ve always been a language nerd, so the handle felt appropriate and (😜) aspirational!
it probably will.. I thought of LiFS too! But I hope we get more lead time and less of reality drama. They are already talking through their first misunderstanding!!
I don’t think the reality show was LifS’ problem. The show was a mess but mainly because the writing was frustrating af. Or at least that was the case for me.
I’m glad to hear that about FS – I haven’t watched the episode yet and was hesitating because the storyline made me think of LIFS (and shudder). I found the dating-show-within-the-show in LIFS super-squicky, although I agree that that drama had horrible writing and plotting in general.
What is this fresh hell? We’re glorifying 21st century women squatting on stones over a river beating laundry while a man in silk clothing walks by smiling patronizingly?
I rarely get up in arms about this kind of stuff in silly romcoms but I’m absolutely speechless.
Sorry, but the possibility that this will be turned on its ear by the currently hapless FL is not enough to keep me wasting my time watching.
Polarizing views always make me more curious! It may be worth a try. I’m sure they’re setting us up in the early episodes to be annoyed/angry, and then they’ll turn it around somehow by the end. For me, the deciding factor in dropping is that I don’t think the cast and production team have what it takes to do that successfully. And 16 episodes just feels like a lot of rope to to hang themselves.
I hope I’m wrong and that beanies who are enjoying this will get a good drama right through to the end. Being one of the few beanies who’s watching/enjoying Missing Crown Prince right now, I can totally relate to watching a less loved drama!
Re: recap, I agree it’s a bummer. Hopefully there will be enough beanie comments to keep the hangout alive. I’m excited to watch Crash but it will be a bit as I’m committed to some other dramas right now 😉
Tonight I’m catching up on last week’s eps of Frankly Speaking and really feeling so much love for this drama.
I love that we’re watching a story about “regular folk.” Go Kyung Pyo and Kang Han Na have been such successful second leads with a history of genuinely good acting. I love seeing them together here. No glass skin, no designer wardrobes, no IRL “idol” history, no crazed fan communities creating drama online. Just two terrific actors telling a great story and doing it really, really well.
Most of all, I love the heartfelt messages behind the story.
episode 3
I’m just extraordinarily happy and content as I’m watching, and I’m realizing that this is the feeling I am most seeking with k-drama ❤️
#moarlikethis
Yay!! So glad to hear you are liking it. It’s so sweet isn’t it, the progression of romance?. No grand gestures, no back lighting, no cherry blossoms, but I feel so calm and warm just watching these two talk.
His wink 😉 was the cutest!! I can’t wait for tomorrow.
“Happy and content” YES!! That’s the vibe exactly… I do miss the zany humor of week 1, but I love the focus on them as people, and how the writing/directing/acting is treating these characters kindly instead of as cheap jokes. I’m loving it!!! I agree with you – more like this!!!
I’m hoping there will be more zany humor mixed in the later episodes. It feels like the cast / crew worked hard on this l’il drama to make it a gem. Probably why Netflix picked it up.
Based on the fact that it’s becoming a quirky little character study and isn’t big and flashy, it is a little 🤔🤔🤔 that Netflix picked it, but I hope that speaks to its continued quality! It really is a sweet little gem so far ❤️ I do want more humor, though 😉
This OTP really warms my heart. I love that the story seems to be progressing (much like The Atypical Family) that by being true to their authentic selves they will regain their (super)powers and be able to get out the slump the currently find themselves in.
We\’ve reached the halfway point of this 20 episode slog, er, drama. I enjoyed this week\’s episodes more than last week\’s, but before getting into that, I have to get this out of the way first…
Let\’s be 100% clear: Unless they do a 180 in the second half, this is not in any way, shape, or form, not even remotely, a \”romantic comedy.\” It\’s an historical melodrama with a little bit of romance and a lot of political intrigue.
It shocks me that they\’re still trying to market this as a romantic comedy, even in newly released promos. Don\’t believe it. Just be prepared going in.
This story does have a number of fresh takes on the traditional sageuk, but we\’re still dealing with a corrupt left state minister and battles for control of the throne.
And I still want answers from the MUA.
So it\’s a melodrama. Personally, I enjoy melodramas — I even have a couple in my \”Top 10 K-dramas\” list. Unfortunately, one of the ways they create the melodrama in MCP is with the musical score, which was unique in the beginning, but has gotten a little tiresome. Maybe it was just my mood this weekend.
Another way they try to build tension is through conversations that go on far, far too long. Thanks to over-long previews, the viewer usually knows the outcome of these extended conversations, so it\’s just annoying waiting for them to end. I should probably stop watching the previews. Correction: I WILL stop watching the previews.
This conversation went on and on and on …
What keeps me coming back from week to week, despite my complaints, is that this is still an engaging story and production overall. The lead characters (specifically Suho and Hong Ye Ji) aren\’t all that interesting. It\’s the morally grey support characters that propel the story forward. (Fortunately not all twists and turns are revealed in the previews.)
Also, I really like that there are numerous mature actors with key roles. They provide the grounding and gravitas the story needs. Notably, the key romance around which the entire story revolves does not in fact involve the Crown Prince, but a couple comprised of two of these mature actors/characters.
Wait, how did this screenshot get here?! 🤭
As for our \”leads,\” creative cinematography and art direction plump up the otherwise bland love story between the CP and the Crown Princess-to-be.
[NOTE: If the gifs below 👇 don\’t appear, I\’ll try adding them to the comments later. I\’ve already tried uploading this post at least 6 times and DB doesn\’t seem to want to display them. 🤷🏼♀️]
This scene was not as creepy as it looks in isolation, lol.
10 more eps to go. I\’m probably in for all of them, but I do wonder what more to say that couldn\’t have been said in a more reasonable 16-episode run.
It’s so far from a romcom that all I can do is laugh. Oh wait — there’s the comedy 🙄
I do like a few things the show is doing. A lot of the palace machinations are taking place in the open — in terms of the antagonists being aware of each other and plotting their double- and triple-crosses. Even the FL is in the know now about what her father’s been up to, if not his true motives. A pet plot peeve of mine is keeping protagonists in the dark for too long, so I appreciate the pace of reveals here.
Speaking of dear dad, is he not aware that he’s doing the same thing to his daughter that happened to his beloved? He’s forcing her into a royal marriage. And I really don’t think it’s about the curse anymore — he just wants his revenge and his woman.
I\’ve been trying to post my comments on this week\’s Missing Crown Prince, but DB won\’t display the gif. After trying a bunch of things, I\’m just going to wait and try again later.
Anyone else having trouble with gifs this morning? Images are posting with no issues.
Hong Ye Ji’s acting has been criticized a good bit this year (somewhat unfairly I think), but I love her personality. She’s charming in all the BTS and promo videos of seen her in for MCP (and also Love Song). She has a beautiful voice.
Also, Suho’s constant wiggle-worming in this video cracks me up.
I was so looking forward to watching the finale … but now it’s over 😭
What a truly wonderful show. Loved the life lessons, the warmth, the growth and the attention paid to so many characters who all had a chance to shine. Rewatching some of the early episodes, it’s amazing how far the women of the Hua family came as they learned to stand up for themselves and each other.
I’m saving that last episode. I’m wondering how everything will be wrapped. Seemed that they added a new character super late and opened a huge can of worms that now has to resolve in 1 episode. They had 40 episodes to wrap things up! 😆
Sometimes a drama is greater than the sum of its parts. This would be one of those dramas imo. They had lovely chemistry, which can sometimes trump weaker acting 🙃 I haven’t seen Minglan mostly because of the number of episodes 😬
I\’ve been so enchanted this week with Blossoms in Adversity that I haven\’t even watched the finale of The Midnight Studio OR this week\’s episodes of Carry Sun-Jae yet. 😲 The only thing slowing me down now is running out of available eps to watch, lol.
This particular genre of c-drama is one of my favorites: light wuxia historical romantic drama with a large cast and an endearing story of love, relationships, and overcoming the odds.
BIA is especially wonderful for its female-centric story of a large family that loses everything when their outspoken patriarch with a strong moral compass enrages the Emperor, sending every male in the family over the age of 10 into exile.
How the multi-generational group of women and children left behind work together to survive is a delightful watch, as is the precious romance between the leads. The love, care, support, acceptance, and sacrifice is engaging, even if a good bit unrealistic. This is fictional drama after all 🙂
Entertaining, beautifully produced, and a great soundtrack to boot. Easily one of the best c-dramas I\’ve watched this year. And I adore the actress playing the FL (Zhang Jingyi).
I agree it’s been good, and I’m new to C dramas so not sure culturally what the ending will be. The King is of course a bad guy Ruling Class scum, but at the same time Filial Authority that must be obeyed without question . Our Heroes got to wax poetical this week on the satisfaction of manual labour, after having all of their wealth compulsorily acquired for a community benefit. (Which they of course accepted as a voluntary donation with very little complaint).
If this was a Western drama our ML, or perhaps the sixth prince, would inherit the throne and be a benevolent ruler. If this was a Korean Joseon sageuk, then our leads could run away to a mythical less strict society. But what is the end game in our C drama? A suspiciously benevolent revolution and regicide instigated by the bad guys (because Filial Duty prince cannot taint his hands) resulting in an oligarchy supported by the security bureau?
I’m relatively new to c-drama myself. This is probably my 14th or 15th one. They may look like k-drama on the surface but many things are different about c-drama, starting with the fact that most of them are based on novels. This creates an entirely different style of storytelling and character development. Personally, I think it’s often richer and less trope-y.
A drama like Blossoms is like reading an historical romance novel. So I just sit back and enjoy the unfolding knowing that it’s going to be largely unrealistic but entertaining. The king is just doing his kingly things and we’ll have an HEA.
There are certainly c-dramas that are heavy and more realistic on the historical/political aspects, but this is not one of them. Here, the king basically serves as the instigator of the problems that we get to enjoy watching our leads resolve.
What distinguishes these romantic “historical lite” c-dramas from each other is the quality of the story, the production and the acting, and, in this case, the chemistry, outstanding direction, design, and cinematography.
The story of Blossoms and the way the cast delivers it truly set this show apart. There are other dramas that start out with a confident, smart FL, but somehow she gets sidelined by her own story once the ML appears and takes over as the main protagonist. Blossoms has remained female-centric, as you put it, throughout — even allowing the FL to make mistakes and suffer setbacks. The rich character development also has been so engaging and generously doled out — not limited to just the main leads. Even the sight of one of the maids swiftly doing calculations with the abacus in a recent episode was touching because of what we knew about her journey to that point. Is Blossoms “realistic”? No — but it’s a truly delightful escape. And if I had to be magically transported into a historical drama, I’d want to be a member of the Hua family.
Gosh, that looks too cute for words! I just might check it out for Pyo Ye-jin alone, since I have infinite respect for her after her last drama, where she struggled next to the acting Tabula Rasa aka Kim Young-dae.
This week we learned the tragic and twisted tale of the Queen Dowager and her lover, why the Royal Physician (the FL\’s father) is the way he is, and why the former king lost his throne in a coup.
We also witnessed overlong/overdone scenes, ridiculously unbelievable fights, half-baked acting (not from the ML/FL though!), and far too many flashbacks. This drama has no business being 20 episodes long.
Other than a few lame but light scenes, plus the seemingly tongue-in-cheek direction/production (especially the first 5-6 episodes), this drama has not even come close to being a romcom.
It\’s pure melodrama.
The Crown Prince has been alternately kidnapped and arrested so many times I\’ve lost count.
And there\’s way too much extended violence. How long do we need to see people beaten up before we get the point that they lost the fight?
On a positive note, the story overall is actually still pretty good (!) with lots of morally grey characters. Most interesting are the ones who are both pitiable AND unforgivable.
And the production quality has its redeeming qualities.
The ML and FL do have some sweet chemistry but I\’m not sure I care enough about it to watch another 12 episodes. We\’ve had multiple sleep-cute moments throughout this drama.
episode 7
episode 8
But it looks like next week is our forced separation part of the story. Still, we haven\’t had anyone fall off a cliff… yet.
At this point, I\’m not sure about continuing to live-watch. Next weekend is the halfway point. I\’ll decide then whether or not to continue or maybe just wait and skip-watch after it\’s complete.
No gifs this week. I\’m too uninterested make them. Even the marketing team seems to have abandoned this series. Eight episodes in but I haven\’t been able to find any stills beyond the pre-release shots.
And the one OST they released yesterday (by Suho) is the weakest one I\’ve heard so far. The background music continues to be excellent, however (we\’ll end on a good note, shall we?!)
Thank you for the weekly update. I’m definitely going to watch this one. Perhaps binge it during a slump. Glad to know at least someone is watching live. 😅
I think I’m not the only one as I see other Beanies mentioning it in WWW. You know how it goes with hangouts though. We don’t tend to participate in them very much. I’m trying to keep my posts non-spoilery. Please let me know if they aren’t so I can modify!
It would be good to do a mini version of your summary each week in the hangout for the benefit of future beanies as they won’t see the fan wall summaries.
I really appreciate your posts and you do a commendable job in keeping the story bits intriguing and engaging without bring spoilery. More than that I really really enjoy your views on the technical aspects.
Your screencaps and gifs are also perfectly timed. 😊👏
Wow did I love the first two episodes of The Atypical Family. It\’s edgy, funky, and darker than I expected. Kind of like these couple shots of Jang Ki Yong and Chun Woo Hee 😯🫣
Ack! I didn’t scroll far enough in the Beanie feed to check before I posted these. Sorry for the dupes as @seeker had already posted them. Still… they’re rather eye-catching, no?
All in the service of our fellow Beans. Like good food (yogurt and apple), matters of scientific research (chemistry is science… no!?) should also be freely disseminated for increased awareness and general knowledge of one and all.
Why am I hot 🔥 🔥 🔥 *pretends to fan self while stealing glances at the scientific evidence*
The upcoming drama with Jung Hae-In and Jung So-Min has changed title again. They\’ve ditched the dreadful Golden Boy and are now going with Love Next Door.
The original title of Mom\’s Friend\’s Son is still vastly better. But after 8 weeks of defending Carry Sun-Jae and Run, I may succumb to using the working title for this one. Le sigh.
zindigo
May 19, 2024 at 5:54 PM
MISSING CROWN PRINCE episodes 11-12
Before starting this week’s episode comments, I’d like to revise my use of the word “slog” in last week’s comments. Seon-ha rightly pointed out that this word choice wasn’t great, and I agree. It was too dramatic, ironically. A better description of last week’s episodes would have been that they were slow, and therefore less enjoyable. Stretched out scenes are part of the style and tone of this particular drama, and are used purposefully to build tension. Sometimes it works. Last week it did not.
In positive news for this week, the ratings for MCP have started on an upward trend and I must say I’m pleased. They’re nearing 4.0%, which is a fairly respectable turnout. And I believe they’re warranted, especially considering episodes 11-12, which I really enjoyed.
The best part of this production — and frankly, the most important part of any production — is (and has always been) the quality of the story itself. While acting skills, direction, and production design may waver, a good story will keep you coming back for more. At this point, I have to say, I’m impressed with how this story is unfolding. Keep in mind, however, that this is melodrama. If you try to apply straight up sageuk drama expectations, you won’t find it quite as good. Herein lies the marketing dilemma this drama faced.
At its heart, this is a fairly unusual sageuk, even one that is makjang-y. Palace politics are the focus, but the characters and their individual fates are so tightly interwoven that it makes for some delicious dilemmas. Coupled with excellent direction and cinematography, the tension is well-maintained, and for most episodes (last week excepted), watching be like:
As we get further into the story, it’s harder and harder to write comments without revealing spoilers, but I want to highlight that there are numerous refreshingly different types of characters and relationships in MCP. Even better is the character development, with many becoming more complex with each episode by gradually exposing cleverly hidden (by the screenwriter) motivations and agendas.
We also have numerous important “support” staff characters like maids, eunuchs, bodyguards, etc. These characters really contribute to the story, especially during episode 12, which is about a single night in the palace and the many eventful things that happen in all corners of its grounds. I’ve seen characters like this in other sageuk, but there are notably a lot of them in this one.
Another key characteristic of this melodrama is its unabashed OTT twists and turns. No situation or character remains static for more than an episode or two. It’s a constantly shifting landscape. Just as soon as you think you know what’s happening, something or someone changes direction. You may question the validity of said shifts, but they create continual surprise.
The best example of this is the titular Crown Prince whose status (and whereabouts) quite literally changes every episode. Despite that, he remains the single most staunchly unflappable personality in the entire cast of characters.
I AM still a bit concerned how they’re going to keep this story compelling for 8 more episodes, but I have a lot more trust in the production team now than I did at the start.
That’s all for this week’s thoughts!
One last comment for soundtrack fans: There are 3 nice OST tracks released to date. Not exceptional, but not boring either. We hear them at the beginning and end of episodes, and very occasionally one will appear in the middle of an episode. The orchestral score continues to be a supporting character in this drama!
See you next week!
Neolttwigi
May 19, 2024 at 6:25 PM
I didn’t like the orchestral score for this. It does suit the melodramatic tone, but I’m not a big fan of ‘movie music’, so it detracted a bit for me. Glad you are enjoying it though!
zindigo
May 19, 2024 at 6:37 PM
They made a number of risky decisions in the name of “art” for this drama. I’ve been interested enough in the story to just let the rest wash over me and enjoy it for what it is. But there’s no question the music is a bit distracting (and manipulative) at times.
Isa is always time travelling
May 20, 2024 at 2:02 AM
Although I’m not watching MCP yet, your comments are very interesting and helpful. So thank you!
I’ll probably binge-watch it in the future.
Bossam’s screenwriter is almost a guarantee.
zindigo
May 18, 2024 at 6:46 PM
The original Korean title of The Atypical Family is ALTHOUGH I’M NOT A HERO.
The revised English title is surprisingly not eye-rolling, and even works to some extent. This is, after all, a truly atypical family.
Where the title change becomes less interesting/desirable is when it interferes with the art direction.
One of the things that was notable about the original poster for this drama was the use of half the available space to turn the Korean title into a bold statement in bold font and a bold color.
This graphic presentation of the title also appears to great effect at the beginning and end of every episode. If you’ve forgotten the original Korean title when you see these title screens, you miss the impact of this design decision. It gets watered down further with the English subtitling.
Next episode, when you see the title screens, think “Although I’m Not a Hero” and see how it connects to the next scene (or the scene before it). It’s a small creative touch perhaps, but this series leans heavily on its unusual design in the overall, and I think it’s pretty cool what they’ve done here.
Isa is always time travelling
May 19, 2024 at 5:51 AM
Is the father a “strong man”? (The shape of the shadows are giving clues).
Very interesting the connection between the title and the scenes.
Cecee
May 20, 2024 at 2:03 AM
he keeps the family together and grounded, so strong in that sense, I think.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 9:27 AM
Thank you for analyzing this aspect. I love the detailing in K-dramas which as you rightly said loses much nuance in translation.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 9:29 AM
Also is there a sixth family member that we are unaware of!?
zindigo
May 19, 2024 at 12:50 PM
GREAT QUESTION! After @IsaGC‘s comment above, I realized I hadn’t really looked closely at the top part of the poster. The father being a “strong man” is very interesting… and yes, there seems to be a mysterious 6th person… 🤔
Isa is always time travelling
May 19, 2024 at 1:08 PM
A woman with a gun? 😳
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 1:20 PM
😱 I hope not … but highly likely.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 1:15 PM
I like all the “intrigue” in the drama.
Cecee
May 20, 2024 at 2:05 AM
Interestingly enough, I-na has no shadow here. I am no sure what the shadows refer to. I thought the dad had no superpower, but he has a shadow…
zindigo
May 16, 2024 at 10:34 AM
A WEE SMALL KOREAN LANGUAGE LESSON
I’ve been studying Korean for a few years – certainly not with the level of diligence needed to be truly proficient – but I do love learning and I think it’s fun to toss Korean words into the mix when we’re talking k-dramas.
One thing I particularly like about this language is that there are fixed pronunciation rules, which (once learned) make it easy to know how to speak virtually every word. Exceptions are rare (regional dialects aside). Unlike English, lol.
However, there are basic pronunciation basic rules and then there are refinement rules, the latter of which don’t get a lot of attention outside of k-language courses.
With that in mind, I’d like to point out a pronunciation error I frequently see in k-drama communities, and that is the romanization of the word 막내 as “maknae”.
This is a word/concept we find often in k-drama. It means “the youngest”. 막내 can describe the youngest child in a family, but it’s also applied in a group or team situation, which is where k-drama tends to make the most appealing use of it.
막내 is actually pronounced MANG-NAE.
The letter ㄱ at the end of the first syllable, when followed by the letter ㄴ at the start of the next one, turns the “k” sound of ㄱ into ㅇ, which sounds like “ng”. Hence “mang-nae”. Not as cute to the Western ear, I know, but perhaps helpful to be aware of. K-drama 막내 are still cute though!
[NB: This is a “consonant assimilation” rule and it applies to ㄲ and ㅋ as well. Consonant assimilations create linking sounds, and they are one reason why spoken Korean is so pleasing to the ear, much like spoken French, which relies heavily on linking sounds or liaisons.]
To hear this pronunciation:
https://papago.naver.com/?sk=auto&tk=en&st=%EB%A7%89%EB%82%B4
There are many good resources online for learning the Korean alphabet and its pronunciation rules (the first thing you must do when studying Korean), but imo by far the best and most complete is Talk to Me in Korean‘s textbook, Become a Hangeul Master. You can find the rule described above on page 63.
I hope I haven’t rained on anyone’s parade, as I do agree that maknae is a fun sounding word, and the romanization is easy to assume if one just goes by the basic rules of Korean pronunciation. But since many of us are interested in Korean culture, as well as k-drama specifically, I felt compelled to share this nuance in spoken Korean. #themoreyouknow
Elinor is trapped in the timeslip
May 16, 2024 at 10:55 AM
What a great mini-lesson! Thanks! And thanks for the tip on the Hangeul book.
zindigo
May 17, 2024 at 5:07 AM
Thanks! I’m so glad you liked it 🤗
bong-soo
May 16, 2024 at 12:50 PM
Thank you! In cop/crime dramas I am usually a sucker for the mang-nae on the team (and usually at the beginning I mentally warn writer-nim that I expect to see our mang-nae still breathing and walking on his/her own 2 feet at the end lol).
zindigo
May 17, 2024 at 5:10 AM
I hadn’t thought about that before but the mangnae on cop/crime dramas are usually cute and supported by the team so we cheer them on. In office settings they tend to be the ones getting dumped on by everyone else and we feel sorry for them. Interesting… 🤔
bong-soo
May 17, 2024 at 5:13 AM
I hadn’t thought about it but that is a good observation.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
May 16, 2024 at 1:17 PM
This is brilliant!
My discerning ears have picked up the romanization issues early on. I haven’t learned the written language yet. I’m audio sensitive and can pick up diction easily. The fact that many of the Korean sounds and their sentence structure can be found in my native country languages makes it easier to pick out the nuances.
For example I’ve picked up that ‘Nay’ often comes across as day with the said nasally.
zindigo
May 17, 2024 at 5:13 AM
That’s a really cool superpower 😀 Do you find it easy to learn other languages as a result? The ability to distinguish sounds with clarity like that is probably what makes some language learners sound more native than those who don’t hear the nuances as clearly.
Unaspirated
May 17, 2024 at 4:21 PM
For sure! The Ns turn into Ds and the Ms turn into Bs and I have to hold my breath for a minute to make it sound right hahaha! What is your native language and what other sounds does it share with Korean? That’s really cool! I find that distinguishing between aspirated, unaspirated, and tense consonants is one of the harder things for me.
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
May 17, 2024 at 6:51 PM
@Unaspirated Hence your username! Haha! I always used to wonder. Fabulously creative.
My native language would be Bangla (or Bengali). But I am fluent in Hindi, and understand a smattering of many other languages. Both Hindi and Bengali have tons of unaspirated and aspirated sounds that work in isolation. In Hindi, for example, you have a letter for each sound of ‘s’ and each of them are very specifically written. Same with Bengali. I tried learning French a while ago, but life happened and I had to leave it, but I did pick up the sounds (way more efficiently that written French) but had to give up because life happened. But I am way more determined with Korean.
I think eastern languages might be a bit tough for many western speakers only because of the absence of some sounds and combinations of consonants that are modified from root letter of d and t.
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 16, 2024 at 2:12 PM
I love that!!! Thanks for the language lesson!!! Words are cool 😎
zindigo
May 17, 2024 at 5:13 AM
I love languages and words too! 😎
Isa is always time travelling
May 16, 2024 at 2:14 PM
Thank you for this interesting lesson about romanization “mistakes” 😊I have been self-learning Korean for two years (and watching k-dramas for two and a half) and there are some pronunciation rules I’m still learning about.
zindigo
May 17, 2024 at 5:15 AM
K-dramas make it fun to learn Korean! I like going back and forth between traditional learning methods and then listening for the actual usage of that learning while watching dramas.
Unaspirated
May 17, 2024 at 10:23 AM
Yes! Thanks for this reminder! I discovered this phenomenon early in my pronunciation journey when I spent some time legitimately trying not to aspirate consonants at the ends of syllables (*ahem, “unaspirated”). You almost have to slide into the correct way of pronouncing this word if you have succeeded in not aspirating the ending consonant of the first syllable! Ma-kuh-nae works but mak-nae without aspiration goes into the back of your throat anyway and becomes mang-nae pretty organically. Love that you’re learning Korean too!
Koalatown
May 17, 2024 at 1:00 PM
Is this truly the origin of your handle? How fascinating if true. If not I am sure there is an equally interesting story to tell.
Unaspirated
May 17, 2024 at 4:18 PM
Hahaha yes! It is probably among the most nerdy of the Dramabeans handles. Keeping consonants unaspirated at the ends of syllables and words is tricky as a native English speaker, especially because we tend not to use aspiration to distinguish different sounds/words/meanings. In Korean they often add a vowel onto the ends of borrowed English words to mimic the aspiration of a consonant, like 포크 (fork) and that’s weirdly one of the things that has really helped me avoid doing it. I’ve always been a language nerd, so the handle felt appropriate and (😜) aspirational!
zindigo
May 17, 2024 at 4:49 PM
Love that story!!
zindigo
May 17, 2024 at 4:28 PM
That’s so true! I hadn’t thought of it that way but now I can hear how the unaspirated ㄱ becomes ㅇ pretty easily!
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 5:33 AM
Thank you for this amazing language lesson. I’m greatful to Beanies for sharing their knowledge and inspiring us.
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 4:49 PM
Frankly Speaking episode 5
Argh… I’m having Love Is for Suckers flashbacks. I really hope this dating show storyline doesn’t last longer than the next episode.
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 15, 2024 at 4:56 PM
Aigoo 😅
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 5:06 PM
My thoughts exactly 😅
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 15, 2024 at 5:06 PM
it probably will.. I thought of LiFS too! But I hope we get more lead time and less of reality drama. They are already talking through their first misunderstanding!!
tabong
May 15, 2024 at 7:22 PM
I don’t think the reality show was LifS’ problem. The show was a mess but mainly because the writing was frustrating af. Or at least that was the case for me.
I think FS is using the trope well so far.
Elinor is trapped in the timeslip
May 15, 2024 at 9:01 PM
I’m glad to hear that about FS – I haven’t watched the episode yet and was hesitating because the storyline made me think of LIFS (and shudder). I found the dating-show-within-the-show in LIFS super-squicky, although I agree that that drama had horrible writing and plotting in general.
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 9:21 AM
T-1 DAY
More Joy of Life 2 character posters.
Seriously, how much fun are we going to have watching this?!
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 15, 2024 at 11:19 AM
Those are such fun!!
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 11:51 AM
There’s another batch I posted a few days ago. Don’t know if you saw them: https://www.dramabeans.com/members/zindigo/activity/1578988/
It looks like they’re ramping up the comedy even further for this season and I really couldn’t be more excited for it to start!!
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 15, 2024 at 1:26 PM
Oooh thank you!!!
zindigo
May 14, 2024 at 8:59 PM
What is this fresh hell? We’re glorifying 21st century women squatting on stones over a river beating laundry while a man in silk clothing walks by smiling patronizingly?
I rarely get up in arms about this kind of stuff in silly romcoms but I’m absolutely speechless.
Sorry, but the possibility that this will be turned on its ear by the currently hapless FL is not enough to keep me
wasting my timewatching.Not even Myung Soo’s dimples can save this one.
Dare to Love Me episode 1 (my first and last) 🤬
Neolttwigi
May 14, 2024 at 9:55 PM
It had a Strange beginning too. – Are repeated yelled confessions supposed to be funny? Because I thought it was really unpleasant.
sonai
May 14, 2024 at 10:42 PM
Glad I’m not the only one who found it weird. This is my fastest drop ever, as I couldn’t make it past that first scene 😂
Elinor is trapped in the timeslip
May 14, 2024 at 11:14 PM
LOL. I had a mini-rant nearly identical to @zindigo‘s written up for the 30 minutes I lasted. Yup, fastest drop ever.
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 7:02 AM
They didn’t strike me as funny either. On the other hand, it was an interesting way to start the drama (with a scene out of context).
I don’t usually jump ship without giving a drama more of a chance to stretch out, but this one is going to be an exception.
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 15, 2024 at 4:11 AM
How is this a modern world??. Guess I have to see to figure out. Or may be not 😅
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 7:03 AM
Let us know if you decide to watch an episode or two!
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 15, 2024 at 7:07 AM
Ngl, the polarizing views is making me curious ; ) Also, saddened that this show gets a recap and not ‘Crash’
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 7:26 AM
Polarizing views always make me more curious! It may be worth a try. I’m sure they’re setting us up in the early episodes to be annoyed/angry, and then they’ll turn it around somehow by the end. For me, the deciding factor in dropping is that I don’t think the cast and production team have what it takes to do that successfully. And 16 episodes just feels like a lot of rope to to hang themselves.
I hope I’m wrong and that beanies who are enjoying this will get a good drama right through to the end. Being one of the few beanies who’s watching/enjoying Missing Crown Prince right now, I can totally relate to watching a less loved drama!
Re: recap, I agree it’s a bummer. Hopefully there will be enough beanie comments to keep the hangout alive. I’m excited to watch Crash but it will be a bit as I’m committed to some other dramas right now 😉
zindigo
May 14, 2024 at 4:50 PM
Tonight I’m catching up on last week’s eps of Frankly Speaking and really feeling so much love for this drama.
I love that we’re watching a story about “regular folk.” Go Kyung Pyo and Kang Han Na have been such successful second leads with a history of genuinely good acting. I love seeing them together here. No glass skin, no designer wardrobes, no IRL “idol” history, no crazed fan communities creating drama online. Just two terrific actors telling a great story and doing it really, really well.
Most of all, I love the heartfelt messages behind the story.
episode 3
I’m just extraordinarily happy and content as I’m watching, and I’m realizing that this is the feeling I am most seeking with k-drama ❤️
#moarlikethis
tabong
May 14, 2024 at 6:15 PM
I’m so glad to see another FS fan!! ☺️ I’m happy you’re enjoying it!
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 14, 2024 at 6:27 PM
Yay!! So glad to hear you are liking it. It’s so sweet isn’t it, the progression of romance?. No grand gestures, no back lighting, no cherry blossoms, but I feel so calm and warm just watching these two talk.
His wink 😉 was the cutest!! I can’t wait for tomorrow.
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 7:08 AM
The progression is really wonderful! So natural, and it flows easily through their personalities. A refreshing change for k-drama.
Unaspirated
May 14, 2024 at 7:08 PM
🧐👀😯
*watching Zindigo’s recs very carefully after the level of top 10 overlap*
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 7:07 AM
Ditto my friend!
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 15, 2024 at 4:08 AM
“Happy and content” YES!! That’s the vibe exactly… I do miss the zany humor of week 1, but I love the focus on them as people, and how the writing/directing/acting is treating these characters kindly instead of as cheap jokes. I’m loving it!!! I agree with you – more like this!!!
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 7:10 AM
I’m hoping there will be more zany humor mixed in the later episodes. It feels like the cast / crew worked hard on this l’il drama to make it a gem. Probably why Netflix picked it up.
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 15, 2024 at 7:33 AM
Based on the fact that it’s becoming a quirky little character study and isn’t big and flashy, it is a little 🤔🤔🤔 that Netflix picked it, but I hope that speaks to its continued quality! It really is a sweet little gem so far ❤️ I do want more humor, though 😉
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 15, 2024 at 4:29 AM
This OTP really warms my heart. I love that the story seems to be progressing (much like The Atypical Family) that by being true to their authentic selves they will regain their (super)powers and be able to get out the slump the currently find themselves in.
zindigo
May 15, 2024 at 7:10 AM
It’s a storyline that never gets old for me!
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 15, 2024 at 8:36 AM
💯👏
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 1:31 PM
Countdown to Joy of Life 2.
How fun are these character posters?!
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 12:54 PM
I love how down-to-Earth Rowoon is in this video. The comments/story about his mom are funny!
(English subs are available)
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 13, 2024 at 7:32 PM
Ah! I miss the Tales of this Tall Giraffe. ❤😊 Ro-swooning was a vibe. 🫰
Kurama
May 13, 2024 at 9:13 PM
I like his interviews. He doesn’t ask for the questions before because he wants to be honest (as much as possible in Korea :p)
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 10:43 AM
The Missing Crown Prince missing gifs from my last post 😉
The caption was:
This scene was not as creepy as it looks in isolation, lol.
A lot of this drama is shot in low light, which adds to the film noir feel, but also makes for some hard-to-view gifs.
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 7:55 AM
MISSING CROWN PRINCE episodes 9-10
We\’ve reached the halfway point of this 20 episode slog, er, drama. I enjoyed this week\’s episodes more than last week\’s, but before getting into that, I have to get this out of the way first…
Let\’s be 100% clear: Unless they do a 180 in the second half, this is not in any way, shape, or form, not even remotely, a \”romantic comedy.\” It\’s an historical melodrama with a little bit of romance and a lot of political intrigue.
It shocks me that they\’re still trying to market this as a romantic comedy, even in newly released promos. Don\’t believe it. Just be prepared going in.
This story does have a number of fresh takes on the traditional sageuk, but we\’re still dealing with a corrupt left state minister and battles for control of the throne.
And I still want answers from the MUA.
So it\’s a melodrama. Personally, I enjoy melodramas — I even have a couple in my \”Top 10 K-dramas\” list. Unfortunately, one of the ways they create the melodrama in MCP is with the musical score, which was unique in the beginning, but has gotten a little tiresome. Maybe it was just my mood this weekend.
Another way they try to build tension is through conversations that go on far, far too long. Thanks to over-long previews, the viewer usually knows the outcome of these extended conversations, so it\’s just annoying waiting for them to end. I should probably stop watching the previews. Correction: I WILL stop watching the previews.
This conversation went on and on and on …
What keeps me coming back from week to week, despite my complaints, is that this is still an engaging story and production overall. The lead characters (specifically Suho and Hong Ye Ji) aren\’t all that interesting. It\’s the morally grey support characters that propel the story forward. (Fortunately not all twists and turns are revealed in the previews.)
Also, I really like that there are numerous mature actors with key roles. They provide the grounding and gravitas the story needs. Notably, the key romance around which the entire story revolves does not in fact involve the Crown Prince, but a couple comprised of two of these mature actors/characters.
Wait, how did this screenshot get here?! 🤭
As for our \”leads,\” creative cinematography and art direction plump up the otherwise bland love story between the CP and the Crown Princess-to-be.
[NOTE: If the gifs below 👇 don\’t appear, I\’ll try adding them to the comments later. I\’ve already tried uploading this post at least 6 times and DB doesn\’t seem to want to display them. 🤷🏼♀️]
This scene was not as creepy as it looks in isolation, lol.
Other notes for this week… We got the second OST release, this one by TAEIL (who also contributed the absolutely gorgeous OST \”Wave\” for Captivating the King https://open.spotify.com/track/6uEwLpRDurJIFrVs5phxMQ?si=ad048c03599e4fae).
This track for MCP is not as good, but still nice. https://open.spotify.com/track/00KKGGoRlVzfpynN7gUdh5 As usual, they\’re holding out the most desirable OSTs for release toward the end.
10 more eps to go. I\’m probably in for all of them, but I do wonder what more to say that couldn\’t have been said in a more reasonable 16-episode run.
See you next week!
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 7:57 AM
Comment was deleted
Seon-ha
May 13, 2024 at 10:07 AM
LOL last screenshot–I thought the thought before reading your caption because you were all, “The mature love is the interesting part…” Then MUSCLES 🤣
Glad you’re hanging in there, although your use of the word “slog” is not so appealing.
As for your technical issues, do the gifs display in the test space here? https://www.w3schools.com/html/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml_basic
Also, you could post the links for me/us/Claire/whoever without the angle brackets and we could also troubleshoot from there.
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 10:45 AM
…perhaps that was a subconscious slip 😂 I would have included the frames that followed that screenshot but it would have been a major spoiler hehehe.
Slog was probably too strong a word choice, lol.
The gif issue must have been gremlins. So I just re-giffed them (again) and now they seem to be working. Thanks for the offer of help!
♡Peach_Mochi♡
May 13, 2024 at 10:38 AM
It’s so far from a romcom that all I can do is laugh. Oh wait — there’s the comedy 🙄
I do like a few things the show is doing. A lot of the palace machinations are taking place in the open — in terms of the antagonists being aware of each other and plotting their double- and triple-crosses. Even the FL is in the know now about what her father’s been up to, if not his true motives. A pet plot peeve of mine is keeping protagonists in the dark for too long, so I appreciate the pace of reveals here.
Speaking of dear dad, is he not aware that he’s doing the same thing to his daughter that happened to his beloved? He’s forcing her into a royal marriage. And I really don’t think it’s about the curse anymore — he just wants his revenge and his woman.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 18, 2024 at 11:57 PM
Thank you. I really look forward to your posts each week.
As and when I get to binge the drama I will be sure to come back to your Fanwall. 😊 😍
zindigo
May 19, 2024 at 4:59 AM
I’m so glad you’re enjoying them! It inspires me to keep going with them 🤗
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 12:03 AM
I wonder if the people incharge of publicity have even seen the drama. How have the production approved misleading teasers. 🙄
Thank you for helping other watchers manage their expectations going in the drama.
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 7:34 AM
I\’ve been trying to post my comments on this week\’s Missing Crown Prince, but DB won\’t display the gif. After trying a bunch of things, I\’m just going to wait and try again later.
Anyone else having trouble with gifs this morning? Images are posting with no issues.
Midnight
May 13, 2024 at 7:47 AM
I don’t think Cera @seeker is having any trouble with gifs this morning 😂😂
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 7:49 AM
😂😂😂
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 13, 2024 at 8:46 AM
🙈 ❤ 😘
I dare to love Ryu Sun-Jae 🥰. And as we all know from watching K-dramas love is a cure-all. 😉
Cecee
May 13, 2024 at 10:49 AM
Not with gifs but with hyperlinks. DB wouldn’t display them so I posted them directly in full sight in the text!
zindigo
May 13, 2024 at 11:02 AM
I think there were some gremlins at work today 🙃
zindigo
May 11, 2024 at 10:17 AM
Hong Ye Ji’s acting has been criticized a good bit this year (somewhat unfairly I think), but I love her personality. She’s charming in all the BTS and promo videos of seen her in for MCP (and also Love Song). She has a beautiful voice.
Also, Suho’s constant wiggle-worming in this video cracks me up.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 11, 2024 at 7:28 PM
I’m convinced to watch by just one word – Suho. I don’t want rhe rest. 😂
zindigo
May 10, 2024 at 2:41 PM
Blossoms in Adversity is over and I\’m a bit sad🥲 Highly entertaining and truly memorable.
I love this scene. He was always running around looking for her with that high ponytail swinging 🙃
episode 20
♡Peach_Mochi♡
May 10, 2024 at 2:56 PM
I was so looking forward to watching the finale … but now it’s over 😭
What a truly wonderful show. Loved the life lessons, the warmth, the growth and the attention paid to so many characters who all had a chance to shine. Rewatching some of the early episodes, it’s amazing how far the women of the Hua family came as they learned to stand up for themselves and each other.
zindigo
May 10, 2024 at 5:43 PM
Agreed! I’ve watched similar stories that I enjoyed (e.g., Destined, New Life Begins) but this one was extra extra special.
Ally
May 11, 2024 at 6:30 AM
I’m saving that last episode. I’m wondering how everything will be wrapped. Seemed that they added a new character super late and opened a huge can of worms that now has to resolve in 1 episode. They had 40 episodes to wrap things up! 😆
zindigo
May 11, 2024 at 6:50 AM
If you’re talking about who I think you’re talking about, we saw him very briefly early on… I feel they wrapped things up nicely!
kiara
May 11, 2024 at 8:21 AM
I wish I were into the leads’ acting. “Story of Minglan” set a high bar for this type of historical drama.
zindigo
May 11, 2024 at 8:28 AM
Sometimes a drama is greater than the sum of its parts. This would be one of those dramas imo. They had lovely chemistry, which can sometimes trump weaker acting 🙃 I haven’t seen Minglan mostly because of the number of episodes 😬
kiara
May 11, 2024 at 10:16 AM
I’d highly recommend it. It’s the best of the Song Dynasty dramas.
zindigo
May 8, 2024 at 6:27 AM
I\’ve been so enchanted this week with Blossoms in Adversity that I haven\’t even watched the finale of The Midnight Studio OR this week\’s episodes of Carry Sun-Jae yet. 😲 The only thing slowing me down now is running out of available eps to watch, lol.
This particular genre of c-drama is one of my favorites: light wuxia historical romantic drama with a large cast and an endearing story of love, relationships, and overcoming the odds.
BIA is especially wonderful for its female-centric story of a large family that loses everything when their outspoken patriarch with a strong moral compass enrages the Emperor, sending every male in the family over the age of 10 into exile.
How the multi-generational group of women and children left behind work together to survive is a delightful watch, as is the precious romance between the leads. The love, care, support, acceptance, and sacrifice is engaging, even if a good bit unrealistic. This is fictional drama after all 🙂
Entertaining, beautifully produced, and a great soundtrack to boot. Easily one of the best c-dramas I\’ve watched this year. And I adore the actress playing the FL (Zhang Jingyi).
Available on Viki.
Neolttwigi
May 8, 2024 at 6:54 AM
I agree it’s been good, and I’m new to C dramas so not sure culturally what the ending will be. The King is of course a bad guy Ruling Class scum, but at the same time Filial Authority that must be obeyed without question . Our Heroes got to wax poetical this week on the satisfaction of manual labour, after having all of their wealth compulsorily acquired for a community benefit. (Which they of course accepted as a voluntary donation with very little complaint).
If this was a Western drama our ML, or perhaps the sixth prince, would inherit the throne and be a benevolent ruler. If this was a Korean Joseon sageuk, then our leads could run away to a mythical less strict society. But what is the end game in our C drama? A suspiciously benevolent revolution and regicide instigated by the bad guys (because Filial Duty prince cannot taint his hands) resulting in an oligarchy supported by the security bureau?
zindigo
May 8, 2024 at 7:39 AM
I’m relatively new to c-drama myself. This is probably my 14th or 15th one. They may look like k-drama on the surface but many things are different about c-drama, starting with the fact that most of them are based on novels. This creates an entirely different style of storytelling and character development. Personally, I think it’s often richer and less trope-y.
A drama like Blossoms is like reading an historical romance novel. So I just sit back and enjoy the unfolding knowing that it’s going to be largely unrealistic but entertaining. The king is just doing his kingly things and we’ll have an HEA.
There are certainly c-dramas that are heavy and more realistic on the historical/political aspects, but this is not one of them. Here, the king basically serves as the instigator of the problems that we get to enjoy watching our leads resolve.
What distinguishes these romantic “historical lite” c-dramas from each other is the quality of the story, the production and the acting, and, in this case, the chemistry, outstanding direction, design, and cinematography.
♡Peach_Mochi♡
May 8, 2024 at 9:03 AM
The story of Blossoms and the way the cast delivers it truly set this show apart. There are other dramas that start out with a confident, smart FL, but somehow she gets sidelined by her own story once the ML appears and takes over as the main protagonist. Blossoms has remained female-centric, as you put it, throughout — even allowing the FL to make mistakes and suffer setbacks. The rich character development also has been so engaging and generously doled out — not limited to just the main leads. Even the sight of one of the maids swiftly doing calculations with the abacus in a recent episode was touching because of what we knew about her journey to that point. Is Blossoms “realistic”? No — but it’s a truly delightful escape. And if I had to be magically transported into a historical drama, I’d want to be a member of the Hua family.
zindigo
May 8, 2024 at 6:58 PM
It’s truly an all-around wonderful production. I wish more were like this 😉
Neolttwigi
May 8, 2024 at 3:25 PM
Ah, you answered me seriously instead of engaging with the semi ironic dissection of political and cultural thought as portrayed thru dramas 🙂
zindigo
May 8, 2024 at 6:59 PM
Awww shucks! Sorry about being so practical in my response instead of fun 🙃
Ally
May 8, 2024 at 2:04 PM
What a great review! I’ve BEEN ENCHANTED!
Ally
May 8, 2024 at 2:05 PM
And yea, I had to rave about it on my fanwall too.
zindigo
May 8, 2024 at 7:00 PM
I’m definitely going to have a drama hangover on Friday when this is over 😬
zindigo
May 7, 2024 at 6:46 AM
I may be in for the poster alone 🙃🦄💕
I Openly Dream of Cinderella
releasing May 31
ladykrueger
May 7, 2024 at 7:50 AM
Gosh, that looks too cute for words! I just might check it out for Pyo Ye-jin alone, since I have infinite respect for her after her last drama, where she struggled next to the acting Tabula Rasa aka Kim Young-dae.
zindigo
May 7, 2024 at 8:19 AM
It’s such a fun departure from typical k-drama posters and gives me hope that this story will be creative and fun!
Elinor is trapped in the timeslip
May 7, 2024 at 8:38 AM
Same! That poster just put a 180° turn on my hopes and expectations for this show.
@ladykrueger Tabula Rasa! 😂 I generally like KYD, but that’s painfully apt for his (lack of) performance in that show.
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 8, 2024 at 3:31 AM
I’m loving the poster too!! And it’s made me more curious/excited to see what’s up with this drama! 😊
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 7, 2024 at 11:51 AM
🙌 … just hope this ML passes muster.
zindigo
May 6, 2024 at 8:25 AM
I don’t know… do we? 😂
Screenshot from…
tabong
May 6, 2024 at 10:38 AM
There’s Misaeng, The Sound of Your Heart, Yu Mi Cells, etc, but instead we choose Death Game. Okay. I’m okay.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 6, 2024 at 11:27 AM
Well no one can agrue with Sun Sol being a BONUS!! 😭
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 6, 2024 at 11:27 AM
* argue 🤦♀️
tabong
May 6, 2024 at 12:37 PM
😆
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 6, 2024 at 5:59 PM
🌞 🌞
Bebe | Nessa❣️
May 6, 2024 at 8:46 PM
Kdramaland likes to make live action adaptations of webtoons & manhwa whilst Cdramaland likes to make live action adaptations of novels 😏
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 6:45 PM
MISSING CROWN PRINCE episodes 7-8
This week we learned the tragic and twisted tale of the Queen Dowager and her lover, why the Royal Physician (the FL\’s father) is the way he is, and why the former king lost his throne in a coup.
We also witnessed overlong/overdone scenes, ridiculously unbelievable fights, half-baked acting (not from the ML/FL though!), and far too many flashbacks. This drama has no business being 20 episodes long.
Other than a few lame but light scenes, plus the seemingly tongue-in-cheek direction/production (especially the first 5-6 episodes), this drama has not even come close to being a romcom.
It\’s pure melodrama.
The Crown Prince has been alternately kidnapped and arrested so many times I\’ve lost count.
And there\’s way too much extended violence. How long do we need to see people beaten up before we get the point that they lost the fight?
On a positive note, the story overall is actually still pretty good (!) with lots of morally grey characters. Most interesting are the ones who are both pitiable AND unforgivable.
And the production quality has its redeeming qualities.
The ML and FL do have some sweet chemistry but I\’m not sure I care enough about it to watch another 12 episodes. We\’ve had multiple sleep-cute moments throughout this drama.
episode 7
episode 8
But it looks like next week is our forced separation part of the story. Still, we haven\’t had anyone fall off a cliff… yet.
At this point, I\’m not sure about continuing to live-watch. Next weekend is the halfway point. I\’ll decide then whether or not to continue or maybe just wait and skip-watch after it\’s complete.
No gifs this week. I\’m too uninterested make them. Even the marketing team seems to have abandoned this series. Eight episodes in but I haven\’t been able to find any stills beyond the pre-release shots.
And the one OST they released yesterday (by Suho) is the weakest one I\’ve heard so far. The background music continues to be excellent, however (we\’ll end on a good note, shall we?!)
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 5, 2024 at 6:53 PM
Thank you for the weekly update. I’m definitely going to watch this one. Perhaps binge it during a slump. Glad to know at least someone is watching live. 😅
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 6:58 PM
I think I’m not the only one as I see other Beanies mentioning it in WWW. You know how it goes with hangouts though. We don’t tend to participate in them very much. I’m trying to keep my posts non-spoilery. Please let me know if they aren’t so I can modify!
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
May 5, 2024 at 7:00 PM
I’ve been enjoying reading your updates, too!! 😊 Thanks for sharing your mini-recaps!!!
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 7:06 PM
Thank you for reading them! I know they aren’t quite recaps, but hopefully they give a little info without spoiling the story.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 5, 2024 at 7:17 PM
It would be good to do a mini version of your summary each week in the hangout for the benefit of future beanies as they won’t see the fan wall summaries.
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 7:35 PM
Great idea! Will do.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 5, 2024 at 7:18 PM
I really appreciate your posts and you do a commendable job in keeping the story bits intriguing and engaging without bring spoilery. More than that I really really enjoy your views on the technical aspects.
Your screencaps and gifs are also perfectly timed. 😊👏
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 7:32 PM
🤗
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 5, 2024 at 7:32 PM
*
bringbeingNeolttwigi
May 5, 2024 at 7:28 PM
I just started watching it, so sorry to hear it goes downhill a bit. But I will enjoy it for now! Thanks for the updates
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 7:35 PM
Just a little bit! And next week it may pick up again 🤗
Neolttwigi
May 5, 2024 at 7:47 PM
I like melodramas if they are done competently. The repeated tropes make me laugh.
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 3:44 PM
Wow did I love the first two episodes of The Atypical Family. It\’s edgy, funky, and darker than I expected. Kind of like these couple shots of Jang Ki Yong and Chun Woo Hee 😯🫣
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 4:18 PM
Ack! I didn’t scroll far enough in the Beanie feed to check before I posted these. Sorry for the dupes as @seeker had already posted them. Still… they’re rather eye-catching, no?
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 5, 2024 at 6:42 PM
Absolutely no worries dear. I say these NEED to be posted again!! 😅 😂 😍 ♥️
Good job. 👏👏👏
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 6:56 PM
Your graciousness warms my heart Cera! 🤗
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 5, 2024 at 7:24 PM
All in the service of our fellow Beans. Like good food (yogurt and apple), matters of scientific research (chemistry is science… no!?) should also be freely disseminated for increased awareness and general knowledge of one and all.
Why am I hot 🔥 🔥 🔥 *pretends to fan self while stealing glances at the scientific evidence*
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 7:33 PM
Lol! 🪭🪭🪭
zindigo
May 4, 2024 at 2:04 PM
The upcoming drama with Jung Hae-In and Jung So-Min has changed title again. They\’ve ditched the dreadful Golden Boy and are now going with Love Next Door.
The original title of Mom\’s Friend\’s Son is still vastly better. But after 8 weeks of defending Carry Sun-Jae and Run, I may succumb to using the working title for this one. Le sigh.
Releasing August 17, btw.
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 4, 2024 at 3:23 PM
I can never keep track!! Moms friends son is a great title.
tabong
May 4, 2024 at 5:09 PM
Mom’s friend’s son is a title you wouldn’t forget.
Love next door? I already watched two other shows that have almost the same name.
And yes! Carry Sung Jae and Run makes way more sense as the title of the drama than “Lovely Runner”.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
May 4, 2024 at 9:04 PM
Le sigh indeed. 🙈
Dorotka
May 5, 2024 at 12:28 AM
Don’t worry, they may still change it to Lovely Neighbour 😉
zindigo
May 5, 2024 at 4:39 AM
😂 Too true!