First-date dramas

113 June 5, 2008April 6, 2017

by javabeans

I was thinking how I’ve been watching lots of first episodes of dramas these days, but haven’t found anything to dive into since the end of Who Are You? It’s starting to feel like going on a string of disappointing first dates — measuring up expectations versus performance, anticipation versus letdown, etc.

You know, there’s that date you’re really looking forward to, so you get dressed up and put on your heels and makeup and count down the hours, and he turns out to be a total dud. Or the date you agreed to because it was easier to give the guy your number than to try to invent an excuse not to because those excuses always come out embarrassingly half-assed — like you say you don’t have a phone and then it rings, or something — but then you end up having a good time.

I didn’t exactly intend to go off on an extended metaphor, but when I thought about all the recent dramas I’ve caught, they all seemed to fit (more or less).

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	Iljimae is the date your friend set you up with, assuring you for weeks in advance that the guy is so hot, so popular, SO the perfect catch, and then you meet him and you’re like, “Him?” Your friend then assures you that everyone else loves him, but all you can do is keep looking and wonder, again, “Him?”
	Three Dads, One Mom is what happens when the class clown asks you out, and you think this should be a fun night out. He takes you to some place casual like a carnival, or bowling, and although it’s hardly romantic, you enjoy yourself thinking that even though your conversation is pretty shallow, all people have hidden depths and you’ll get to see his at some point. But you’re wrong. Some people really don’t have hidden depths.
	On Air is the date I actually had with some random guy who spent the entire night telling me what a dick he was (seriously) and how he used to be an asshole to his last girlfriend (seriously) and expected me to be charmed anyway. Instead of recognizing his actions as problematic, he seemed pretty proud of himself, and when he suggested we follow coffee with dinner, I practically blurted “No” straight out and ducked away to safety.
	The Last Scandal of My Life is the date you hesitated to accept because he was a little older and you thought you probably don’t have much in common. But it turned out he’s actually really young at heart — he might even be younger at heart than you, like he’s a semi-regular skydiver, or parasailing expert — and you get on smashingly well. He’s the date that turns into a long-term relationship.
	La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) is the date you admire for being smart, albeit somewhat humorless, but after a while you get really tired of his Pinot Noir-swilling, Foucault-spouting crowd, and you’re like, “I need someone who knows how to converse about things other than Darfur and Sudan and drinks beer occasionally and doesn’t make me feel ashamed for knowing how many kids Angelina Jolie has or for watching reality television — hey, some of it’s really entertaining!”
	Why Did You Come To Our House is the guy you had a pretty fun time with, and intended to call back to meet again, but when you got back home you totally forgot. You remembered several weeks later, but by that point it would have been more awkward to call him back, so you figure he wasn’t The One anyway and promptly forget about him again. (Hey, it’s not like he couldn’t call you, either.)
	Tokyo Showers is the date who’s kind of old-fashioned and sweet, but you just have nothing to say about (or to) him. Thankfully, he knew from the start that this was going to be a short relationship and just faded back afterward, unobtrusive and undemanding.
	Rivals is the dude who thinks he’s George Clooney but he’s really more like Owen Wilson. Or Jack Black. As in, he’s fun on his own terms, but he keeps thinking he’s more deep than he ought to. And apparently he can’t make up his mind about who he likes, which is so frustrating to the two people he’s stringing along.
	I Love You is another date I actually had, this time with the cute guy whom I really wanted to like. He was interesting, funny, and likable in an everyday sort of way. He was a great catch and kept asking me out, but I wasn’t attracted to him (I tried!) so we parted ways and I figured he’d make some other girl happy.
	Spotlight sounded good on paper, if a little dry. Probably a workaholic. But then he showed up and bored you to tears and you called your friend to stage the fake-emergency date extraction phone call. You felt kind of bad for doing it, but he never noticed.
	Hong Gil Dong was the date who was tons of fun — maybe a little shallow — over drinks and appetizers, but halfway through dinner he got up and switched places with his twin brother because maybe they have some kind of weird grown-up Parent Trap thing going, only it doesn’t work so well nowadays because Twin #2 is just so dire and tragic. You want to leave too, but you feel so bad for him that you stay and in the end he kills himself. Or, like, passes out in a drunken mess after dessert.
	Bulhandang / Robbers is the date that started off tentatively until the guy suddenly started tearing up and told you he had just been diagnosed with a terminal disease, which totally brought to mind how your last blind date went awry and that guy kicked the bucket too, which makes YOU feel all teary-eyed, and now the both of you are just a blubbering mess of tragedy.
	Who Are You? is the date that almost never was, because at first you thought he was kind of goofy in a lame way, but then you cut him some slack because maybe he was just nervous asking you out, you know? And then you have a wonderful date and he’s a lot more interesting than you gave him credit for, and you’re simultaneously glad you decided to go on the date but also ashamed that you weren’t initially going to. But all’s well that ends well.
	Yi San is the date that would never end. Every time you’d near a natural point to end the night and go home, he’d barrel over the conversation and extend it, ordering more courses, suggesting additional rounds, and generally wearing out his welcome. He’s a pretty decent catch, so maybe he figured you would want more of him and was happy to oblige. You could’ve had four other first dates in the time it took you to get through one with this guy.
	Extending the metaphor to an older drama: Coffee Prince is the date with whom you hit it off so well, so instantly, that before long you were swept up in a whirl of happy romance and hormones. But about twelve dates in, you started to realize that you didn’t have as much in common as you thought, and that you were held together more by attraction and endorphins than anything else. In the long run, you’ll probably outgrow each other, but boy, did you have fun while you lasted.

And what about dramas that have yet to air?

Will Gourmet be a romantic fine-dining experience, or will he be the guy who took you to the fancy restaurant just because he couldn’t think of someplace more original to take you? And Chil Woo looks to be a quick summer fling — will that be all frosty mojitos and sunset strolls, or a cold day on the beach? While it aims for hard-edged swagger, will East of Eden come out more James Dean or Jimmy Dean? How about Beethoven Virus, When Night Comes, Lawyers of Korea, or Painter of the Wind?

Got any more first-date scenarios to offer for comparison?

Tags: 1 show to rule them all, Bulhandang/Robbers, Coffee Prince, Hong Gil Dong, I Love You, Iljimae, La Dolce Vita, On Air, Rivals, Spotlight, The Last Scandal of My Life, Tokyo Showers, Who Are You? (MBC), Why Did You Come To Our House, Yi San

113

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51 Dahee Fanel

June 6, 2008 at 12:50 AM

Bravo! Gobbled up every single word like a starving person.

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52 bajing

June 6, 2008 at 12:55 AM

it's a genius composition, javabeans! L.O.V.E. it!

Can I add one of my experience. My horrible date with the legend. It's a date when you think that you have finally managed to nab a royal prince and swooshed in a whirlwind royal romance. You managed to come out alive despite all the war and ex-mistress' grudges imagining all the richest that you will get in the end. And then, bam! Your prince turn suicidal, taking with him all his loyal follower that you have come to know and adore, leaving you with scattered life and an illegitimate son.

You guess me right, I'm still bitter to this day about the ending. It's a drama that is on the top list of my "never to be watched again" drama....

Keep on writing, Javabeans. Tho I rarely post, but I have been a fan who check your blog every day without fail. I can't thank you enuf for writing this kind of witty article.

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53 Nonbirira

June 6, 2008 at 1:05 AM

Gotta say that "Who Are You?" is my favorite date as of late. Felt distracted through the first date but I soon found myself completely charmed by his eccentricity and awkward sincerity. Loved the slower pace of the courtship and found myself falling MUCH harder than I ever intended. In fact, I've turned into a swooning idiot - and believe me, I'm NOT that type!

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54 Kallista

June 6, 2008 at 1:08 AM

WONDERFUL witty post! Thank You dramabeans!

from a faithful italian follower of yours :P

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55 Snoopy

June 6, 2008 at 1:33 AM

WOW! You are like the drama priestess!
Your writing is always witty, accurate and fun. Thanks for this exceptional entry which gives me a smile this friday morning.
I can't say your blog is like a date. To me, your blog has become more like a regular girlfriend's night. Some times there's just the routine update of everyday life. And some times, you end up in a crazy laughter. There are always nice surprises but never disappointment.

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56 Anne

June 6, 2008 at 2:21 AM

That was nothing short of brilliance! You're an amazing writer. I only wish I could write as well as you. :(

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57 bleuzelle

June 6, 2008 at 3:16 AM

My father was asking what got me grinning stupidly as I was reading your blog. I was one of the few that hesitate to watch Last Scandal because of the 'old' casts, but now i'm gonna give it a try... Oh yeah, I continued watching "Three Daddies" to the finished only because of Jo Hyeon Jae and the cute baby Haseon ^_^

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58 Angela

June 6, 2008 at 4:06 AM

Awesome list!! They were so funny, and so true! A lot of your "first dates" ended the same way mine did--I really only finished Hong Gil Dong, Last Scandal, Who Are You, and Coffee Prince.

The only one I'd probably disagree with is Rivals. I'm on episode 12, and right now it's more like the guy your friend set you up with who acts like an arrogant, conceited jerk at the beginning, but by the end of the date (after your "bail-out plan" has horribly failed) he finally lets down his guard, and you discover he's not really an asshole at all. In reality he's actually a very caring, sweet, tragic guy, who would sacrifice his happiness to ensure your own--and you agree to date number two a few days later after spotting him playing happily with cute little children in a park (but not in the creepy, stalkerish way). You're not sure if it'll last, but you've got nothing better to do. And besides, what have you got to lose?

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59 djeedjes

June 6, 2008 at 4:53 AM

speechless~~~
This site is the number one site I always recommend to fellow drama lover..and you just prove that I chose the right and best one.

I second ( or tenth? whatever ) your "the Last Scandal of my life's" description.....wish to find that kind of date in real life...

Javabeans, love your blog!!!!!!

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60 ellie

June 6, 2008 at 6:00 AM

Hi javabeans!
Love this one.. I've been waiting for these thoughts from you as I've not yet dediicated my k drama hours, as nothing seems to be that interesting.
I love coffee prince, and yes it was unforgettable, like one of those blokes that make you smile each time you remember a place, hear a song, a person that will remind you of him, each and every time.
Nway thanks for this! I'll be looking forward to who are you and the last scandal of my life.

I'll see whats next..

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61 SOORiMEE

June 6, 2008 at 7:03 AM

LOVED THIS POST!!! so funny and right on target!!! keep up the fun and smart and witty posts!!!! LOVELOVELOVE

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62 Pickles

June 6, 2008 at 7:11 AM

What a wonderfully written post! This is precisely why I come here everyday and have such a great time reading all your witty posts! :D

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63 Jo II

June 6, 2008 at 7:30 AM

LOL. Nice one.

Hands up now for a Who Are You? 1st date.

:-D

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64 anne

June 6, 2008 at 8:44 AM

nicely stated.

i'm sure you'll find The One out there.

there's a whole new season of fresh meat waiting for your dressing

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65 Kyu

June 6, 2008 at 9:11 AM

I loved that!
It was very entertaining to read.
After Who Are You? I watched it again, and again then finally moved on to 1 Litre of Tears again.

- Kyu

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66 stella

June 6, 2008 at 9:37 AM

LOL. i love what u said abt "Last Scandal", "La Dolce Vita" and "Why did you come to our house?"...though all were funny!!

Oh and "Rivals" was spot on. totally gave up on tt one by ep 10. to think i even lasted tt long.
anw, great job dramabeansss awesome

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67 Felicity

June 6, 2008 at 10:42 AM

Javabeans, this entry was pure gold. :) Keep writing those opinionated and witty reviews, our Kdrama priestess!

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68 Sakari

June 6, 2008 at 12:19 PM

I really liked this post. But... It's the value judgements I don't get. WHO ARE YOU, in particular... How can anyone who writes like this like a drama like that?

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69 Suzy

June 6, 2008 at 1:22 PM

#58 Angela, I totally agree with you, girl!

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70 o-cha

June 6, 2008 at 2:56 PM

enjoyable read...
you should do this kind of posting more often.

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71 haj

June 6, 2008 at 3:20 PM

i heard a story (dom't remeber where i heard it but i know its true)
the guy wo picked you up but kept driving in circles before getting to the place of the date. you had fun, but he speeds back and drops you off somewhere near your house and you're left wondering why until the police pull over and ask what you were doing with that drug dealer.

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72 venus

June 6, 2008 at 5:21 PM

Hong Gil Dong would be the best first date ever! Love that drama!!!!

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73 KT

June 6, 2008 at 5:35 PM

Great writing! I really enjoyed reading this.

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74 nycgrl

June 6, 2008 at 5:48 PM

Brilliant essay! I agree 100% especially about coffee prince and who are you? Who are you gives you that warm feeling of unexpectedly falling in love. I'm going to try Last Scandal now since you recommended it.

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75 mnstpdu08

June 6, 2008 at 10:42 PM

LOL. I absolutely loved this! Great job!

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76 dulcedeleche

June 6, 2008 at 11:23 PM

That was hilarious. Love the dating metaphors. Soooo true about Hong Gil Dong. I can't get myself to finish watching because its really getting tragic. Although I guess that describes a lot of korean dramas i watch. They're fun until about episode 6 or 7 and then they either get repetitive or the heroine is crying in every episode thereafter.

I agree with your assessment of Who are you? as well. I'm not fond of body-switching plots but I think it was done really well.

Although I know you're not fond of slapstick humor, I still recommend finishing Capital Scandal. I think its really fun, touching, and sad at the same time.

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77 aida

June 7, 2008 at 8:07 AM

My last dates were Who Are You? and Last Scandals-sans the subs, but enjoyed it thoroughly. And guess what, went back to an old date - Pure 19, and am re-enjoying it thoroughly

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78 Iranian Espresso

June 7, 2008 at 8:37 AM

lovely, absolute love.
Thank you dear javabeans for this great post.
my first date was " Miss Kim's million dollars quest" and last one was " Who are you? " , but I think my best date and that soul appealing one was " Coffee Prince".

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79 fizzlex3mh

June 7, 2008 at 2:56 PM

absolutely love it! java, you're amazing.

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80 Myshal

June 7, 2008 at 9:09 PM

Love it. This writing is the reason why I keep coming back here!

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81 rawr

June 7, 2008 at 11:25 PM

Interesting, although I have to say Iljimae is still pretty fun to watch.

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82 estelle

June 8, 2008 at 4:04 AM

Omg Javabeans, you are such an amazingly talented writer! Thank you so much for the brilliant post! I really loved Coffee Prince, and after visiting the cafe (its film site) last week, i'm falling head over heels in love with it again. =)

Oh but i thought you loved Hong Gil Dong... =(

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83 Kiongna

June 8, 2008 at 8:41 AM

How do you come up with such stuff and Theme?!? Loved every word of it!
hugs dear Javabeans, Keep 'em comin' AJA

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84 McJayJay

June 8, 2008 at 8:57 AM

amazing, i loved your reviews, though some were harsh :P i totally loved on air. but nontheless i enjoyed ur reviews, and i am totally going to watch last scandal, u just make it sound like a drama u cant miss :P

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85 eevee

June 8, 2008 at 11:04 AM

one word for u dramabeans: genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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86 Minny

June 8, 2008 at 11:23 AM

I started watching Iljimae and I really like it.
I have watched three episodes so far and have cried in all of them.
I loved Hong Gil Dong and Coffee Prince, but Who are you? and Three dads one mom were just ok.

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87 li

June 8, 2008 at 3:29 PM

i agree with you on the ones i've seen, hong gil dong, who are you, rivals, 3 dads & especially coffee prince i kept thinking maybe i like this drama cause of the male actors, not for their acting though. the last couple of eps of last sandal seems a bit too serious,boring,not as fun to watch.

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88 h2polo

June 8, 2008 at 6:39 PM

Enjoyed reading your blogs and reviews. Witty and funny. That's the reason why I bookmark your web page. Have to check it everyday.

Thanks Javabeans. You're an excellent writer.

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89 Cee

June 8, 2008 at 7:32 PM

A genius post.

*Standing ovation--and a mint mojito to top it off*

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90 porcelain

June 8, 2008 at 7:33 PM

HI Javabeans,

I have been reading your site like forever and I just gotta let you know, I love what you are doing...

For this first date post... hmmm I haven't watch a lot of them but I thought you were fond of Coffee Prince... to me it was annoyingly overhyped initially, like going to a date truly confused and dunno what to expect, except for hearsay from others and then you tumble a little along the way BUT.... when you make sure of your feelings... well, the rest is history, you found the love of your life and your soulmate... you know you might bicker and you might argue, but you never will doubt the fact you were made for each other...

Well, thats what Coffee Prince made me feel... confused and annoyed in the beginning and all "loved" up towards the end... just my 2 cents worth of thoughts...

p/s: am following you in twitter... hope you don't mind...

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91 ed

June 8, 2008 at 10:33 PM

gorgeous writing! just don't be so hard on some of these guys. there is really no perfect prince charming out there, and for every 5 flaws there is at least one redeeming quality. whddya know most of them are raised on pricey tutors, designer labels, and prestigious summer camps -- they CAN make decent dads-in-progress! life is too short for old maidenhood :P

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92 Fifi

June 9, 2008 at 12:40 PM

Why Did You Come To OUr House was such a cute drama! :)

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93 macky

June 10, 2008 at 12:20 AM

"...you’re simultaneously glad you decided to go on the date but also ashamed that you weren’t initially going to."

totally my "Who Are You?" experience..
this must be the most interesting thing i have ever read..
ever..
you should try doing more of this stuff..
love it!..
=)

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94 Thursday

June 11, 2008 at 4:18 AM

I have not watched any of the dramas, but I've heard so much about them. Love your blog entry. I have been feeling so envious of those watching La Dolce Vita. Oh, yes, even after reading your first-date analogy, I'd still like to see it ;-)

About Three Dads, One Mom, my sister, who is K-drama fan #1 in the family, is watching this on KBS and she says that her laughter at the supposedly funny parts seem forced, even to her :-)

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95 m

June 11, 2008 at 11:46 AM

love your entry - it's all so true too! :D

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96 hachiko

June 13, 2008 at 8:01 AM

LOL!!!!
You make an EXCELLENT analogy here ^_^
I wish I can have all kind of date like you did javabeans xD

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97 dramaaddict

June 15, 2008 at 10:25 PM

Love your first date discriptions. Ha ha. I started watching Last Scandal and got sucked in right away. Reminded me of Kim Sam Soon. Mysoju only has up to ep 2. Where can I watch the rest?

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98 embermiya

June 17, 2008 at 3:30 PM

OHMYGOODNESS! ROFL. I always read your post but never comment but I HAD to comment on this. So funny, and I totally agree with about 95% of what you said. What you said about Robbers was so spot on. I couldn't believe how fast it went into melodrama and impending deaths. ;O

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99 maltesers

June 18, 2008 at 3:25 PM

my favorite date is LAST SCANDAL --- the date that turns into a long-term relationship...

so looking forward to the subs to ep15 and 16!!
thanks so much, esp to you, javabeans...

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100 K John

July 25, 2008 at 1:48 PM

I know I'm really late with a comment (again), but I hope my enjoyment of your articles and the responses will ease, if not forgive, my tardiness. As being what I believe is translated as an Ajumma, I have an oldie to offer: Ms. Kim's Million Dollar Quest. Although I could never accomplish your insight with words, I began that "date" thinking the hook was Ji Jin-Hee, only to be constantly taken by the comedic timing of Seong Ji-Ru. The belly laughs I experienced (and the tears I shed) in his scenes were the only reason I finished watching it. Loved your date analysis.

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