9 and the Numbers – “착한 거짓말들” (Kind lies) [ Download ]
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No news on the blog cause I cannot log in! It seems I chose the wrong provider.
I turned in my stories and now I am like: "WAI-IIIT! Sto-oop! Give it back, no burn it! I wanna steal it back, I am so embarrassed..." Biting my nails and the results won´t be known till 15.12
and I am worried, cause the characters are my children - people always ask, why don´t you have children? Like, if I don´t I am not a full person to them.
And I say: have you tried carrying a character inside of you for 10 years? Not only do you carry them, you raise them, yet they still haven´t been born. And once they do, it is the same as with raising kids. They get tempers, they are full of surprises, and sometimes they sleep all day. And just like teenagers, they always do the opposite of what you expect, and then you send them out into the world and worry that they´ll be ruined by it... pick up awful traits etc. so think twice before saying I don´t know what it means to raise "children". They could come back better than before though.
arrghhh going crazy.
I want to marathon Scholar now - I just didn´t have the time for more than the "Gwi moments" compiled on Youtube and they got better and better. the alien elf did a great job, but now I really want him to get an "everyguy" role.
Question today: what is the most stressful school in korean dramas, where you would never send your children to? is stressful environment ever good for people, does it make us put in more effort or does it take away any motivation we had (I guess different people, different ability to deal with it)?
school stress and depression is a big issue here in my country. Our children are the most depressed, loneliest and insecure in Europe
And I felt exactly the same handing in my dissertation. It feels scary. And so many doubts. I was not ready for it to be a thing. Although it had to be.
Most stressful school in korean dramas? Actually my own was the worst stress-wise. I went to school in Korea all the way up to university, and had dream that I was studying for university exam for about good 10 years even after I started to work.
Just about every school story in kdrama I wouldn't dream about sending my kids to. Not only about the academic load, but also the unfriendly friendship environment they have to deal with in the story. My kids are homeschooled, but I also have a very solid community in which they belong to make friends and be a part in...so I'm really grateful of that...
I'm sorry to hear about your story and the school children situation in your country...
I understand what you mean about characters in your story, though. I used to write too (haven't spent enough time thinking to have any characters telling me about their stories lately, though...). I agree, characters most often have minds of their own...
Stressful schools, or stressful families and society, or ultimately both? I just remember in Monstar, School 2013, Heirs, and Teacher Biscuit Star Candy there were either suicide attempts or an actual suicide by students. (Remember the brother behind the locked door - I can remember which one that was in, School 2013 I think?) The pressure is tremendous and the lack of acceptable and creative options is daunting. Sigh.
Gwi and regular guy moments - he was pretty good in King of Savvy and of course, White Christmas.
As an aspiring writer, I can totally relate to characters being almost like children (no matter what type of character they are). You pretty much "raise" them in a sense until the time comes to let other people judge them. Best of luck to you!
On another note, alien elf is the best descriptor ever (He could totally pull off being a elf from Middle Earth. He's pretty enough for it.) I want to see LSH in more things!
To answer your question, I think stressful environments (to an extent) can be good for motivation. I've seen too many people my age take school too lightly and only realize their mistake afterwards. On the flip side, too much stress can mess people up for life. There really needs to be a balance.
I'm freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I handed in my dissertation and spent all of yesterday watching supernatural <3
Today have been spent packing and trying to figure out where all this stuff came from. Will need to borrow space from my friends to store some books untill I come back for graduation though. (seriously how does drama people do this whole "gone for a year with one tiny suitcase thing?)
Had a rewatch of school 2013. But otherwie I still need to catch up. Thinking about starting with I remember you or Healer.
Yeah, I don't know how people do the tiny suitcase thing either. Especially if you wear big shoes. If you put those in the suitcase they take up the whole thing!
What you did in school was nothing. Now it's time for the big decisions: "What drama do I want to watch first?" ..... *laughing*
I'm kidding, of course. :) ....... Both of the ones you mentioned are great.
I mean it's the biggest clue that they never went anywhere! because that tiny suitcase does not hold everything! Which is also why I appreciated hana kimi where she comes with 1 suitcase and then have a delivery of a bunch of boxes. Much more believable!
Haha, Yeah it's either contemplate "what drama do I watch?" or contemplate "how to find a ob" but the last one feels too depressing. I need to recover from post-dissertation exhaustion and illness first ;)
refox:
It is! And yet so scary and terrifying cause now it's out of my hands. And I keep thinking about potential mistakes. Also I know who is gonna mark it because there is only one other professor besides my supervisor that can do it. So scary!
Bromance sounds good. And a well-handled mystery? even better!
Way to go, Manin! Dissertation done, that's a huge accomplishment, congratulations.
Either drama will be a good respite from your (now done with) studies. What's next?
What's next? Good question indeed... So far it's returning to Norway and apply for jobs. :p Yay, having no set thing to go to! I would be panicking if I was not so exhausted
Norway - one of the new Abnormal Summit panelists is from Norway (not sure if it's a show that you watch). Unfortunately, subs for the recent episodes are few and far between. Keep us posted on the transition from student to whatever comes next! Will you return to China anytime soon?
Yeah I heard about that. I used to watch it, but the lack of subs stagnated my interest. I might check how he is doing though.
I am hoping to maybe get to visit. I had the offer to go back to the kindergarten, but various family things stopped me from taking it. I sill get updates from the children <3 the player is still doing his thing. And one of the girls still refer to me as mommy for fun. Also apparently I am in Korea according to some of them.
sigh i remember feeling elated after completing my grad studies and looking forward to working, and now a year down the line in a job i'd do anything to go back... gimme a dissertation at the end of the year over the stress of needing to perform everyday, any day... i hate growing up. i want to be a student again T_T
but on a happier note, i started watching Once Upon a Time in Saeng Chori after it came up in Name That Drama this time, (there's nothing airing at present that held my interest save for 20 again & The Genius), and it's definitely got me hooked. It's funny and creepy and bizarre at the same time and I have no idea what to make of it, but I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something to watch :D
Happy Friday!
Last ends this weekend. I will miss the show. Lee BumSoo said he was so happy while filming Last- Atmosphere was great and everyone was like family.
Choi JiWoo and Lee SangWoo of Twenty Again showed up in highschool uniform and
carried out their ratings promise- serving coffee.
Each of them promised to serve ratings times 100 cups of coffee, if ratings goes over 3%. It passed it in first episode, and they continued to carry out their promises with higher ratings. They look so cute.
There was Seoul Drama awards ceremony, which was created to promote Korean dramas to the world (and introduces dramas of other countries to Korea).
Korean wave drama actor/actress awards went to Hwang JungEum and Lee JunKi. Lee MinHo and Lee YoungAae received special awards. Drama award went to Miseang. Congrats LJK!
Korean Drama Awards(KDA) which is the biggest drama awards ceremony (including big 3 And cable stations) occurs on 9th of October.
Nominees are:
Grand Prize (Daesang): Kim SooHyun (The Producers), Joo Won (YongPal), Ji Sung(KMHM), Cha SeongWon (HwaJung), Yoo DongGeun (What happens to my family).
Top Excellence Award, Actor: Yi JongSuk(Pinocchio), Im SiWan (Misaeng), Park HaeJin (Bad guys), Park YooChun(Girl who sees smell), Yoo JunSang (Heard it through the grapevine)
Top Excellence Award, Actress: Kim TaeHee (YongPal), Hwang JungEum (KMHM), Jang NaRa(I remember you), Kim HeeSun (Angry mom), Park SinHye (Pinocchio)
Excellence Award, Actor: Kim DaeMyung (Misaeng), Lee Joon (Heard it through grapevine), Seo GangJun (Hwajung), Jo JungSuk (Oh my ghost), Seo InGook (I remember you)
Excellence Award, Actress: Kim SaRang (My love EunDong), IU (Producer), UEE (High society), Ju HyungJin (Let's eat 2), Choi SooYoung (My spring days)
Best New Actor: Nam TaeHyun (Midnight diner), Park ChanYeol (Webdrama 'Exo lives next door'), Yook SungJae(Who are you -school 2015), Nam JooHyuk(Who are you-school), Seo YoungJu (Snow roads)
Best New Actress: Im JiYeon (High society), Choi SooBin(House of Bluebird), Jo SooHyang (Who are you-school), Yi SungKyung (Queen's Flower), Kim SulHyun(Orange Marmalade)
Best Drama: Producer, YongPal, MiSaeng, KMHM, Heard it through grapevine.
Best Screenplay/writing: Jung YoonJung(Misaeng), Kim WoonKyung(Yoona's street), Kwon GiYoung(I remember you), Jo HyunKyung(Maids), Jang HukRin (YongPal)
Best Production Director: An PanSuk (Heard it through grapevine), Jo HyunTak (Maids), Kim JinMan (KMHM), Po MinSu/Seo SooMin (Producer), Kim WonSuk (Misaeng)
Just a min, where is Healer? Punch? My beautiful banker?? and where is our ghostess Park BoYoung? (Hope she gets some special awards)
Then again, I am glad 'I remember you' is recognized.
Here is the question. Who do you think will get the Grand prize? People guess it will be Kim SooHyun or Joo Won. I vote for Ji Sung.
I can deal if it's just the excellence actress awards but please no top excellence.
She's good enough.. but sometimes i feel quite emotionally detach with her character. Thats a big issue i have with PSH in general though, i find her watchable.
Love how Maids and I Remember You get some nominations but will be forever butthurt on how Park Bo Young & Kim Seul Gi & Park Bo Geum are not in that list.
And why Kim Taehee is on the list? I haven't watched it but is she really that good in there? o_O
Haven't watched KMHM either but based on people's comment, i really wish Ji Sung gets it.
Anyway, awards will always be beyond my understanding as how it is given to those against my list so well, sit back and enjoy instead? :p
I find KTH decent starting from My Princess onwards just because the OTP is adorbs... considering how bad they are before. But then... in Yongpal LOL.
Thankfully, i can understand her nominations. She can act. Guess it's a late bloomer stuff.
I cannot really understand UEE though. I find her decent at first then i was like she's pretty much the same in every drama...
I was skimming for PBG name too... and end up being so disappointed but yay for the IRY nods! I doubt they can win in KBS drama awards so it's good to see them somewhere here.
Oh to KTH defense. The later eps in Yongpal. Particularly 11 and 12. It shows that she can act if she's not sleeping or being suck into such bewildering romance that comes out of nowhere.
Too bad i dropped My Princess, too fluffy and romance-y for my liking ._.
What confuse me is that Yongpal get nomination while still airing so it makes me curious haha
Haven't watched anything Uee in it actually, can't say anything about her.
I wish them get the Best Writing, altho Misaeng is really a strong contender. Meanwhile, PBG and Do Kyungsoo really deserve all the rookie nomination there is in the world of drama awards. I'm blinded by my love for IRY but whatever, they are still great XD
Yoo DongGeun could be the winner concidering seniority plus ratings and that should also be a clever Solomonic solution to this complicated category.
I'm curious, too, where is Punch?? Kim RaeWon and Jo JaeHyun gave wonderful performances, far above the usual "good" ones we sometimes see in dramas. The Committee overlooked very good projects (who knows why!)and I do hope the rest of the shows you mentioned have a chance next year.
Not a big fan of the Punch overall plotting, but the first episodes were much better written than, say, "Yong Pal".
I'd also say that Park Hyuk-Kwon and especially Kim A-joong did better jobs than Park Hae-jin, Park Yoo-chun and Park Shin-hye, Kim Tae-hee respectively.
I doubt these particular awards are based on merit. It's a weird combination of ratings and "keeping-the-audience-happy" criteria with the exception of Remember You. Though I attribute that on KBS' demur to nominate Assembly. I guess they're saving it for the network awards. And SBS will probably do the same with Punch and Heard it. The only positive was the recognition at last of Maids, even though I know it was due to its great ratings.
- Park Yoo-chun as top excellence actor
- Kim Tae-hee, Park Shin-hye as top excellence actress
- Uee as excellence actress
- Nam Joo-hyuk as best new actor
- Jang Huk-rin (Yong Pal) for best screenplay
Excellent choices on the actor categories. I could name a few more that "grow more in each role elevating from D- to D" but I'm scared of their "fan-base". I disagree on Yong Pal. He's Reset's writer for the first time working on a major network. Cut him some slack, he's bound to make some compromises.
No Park Bo Young?! They have gone insane! They say this drama awards includes the Big 3 and cable but all I see is a HUGE bias towards the Big 3. Hell, just TvN alone can give the Big 3 a run for their money in terms of good dramas.
Hello beanies, long time no open thread,i can thank the drama draught going on,ever since I REMEMBER YOU and MY GHOSTESS ended, there's nothing eye-catching, maybe TWENTY AGAIN but its not like i anticipate new episodes, frankly i forget about it till i recieve a notification on my phone when a new episode is out.But ive been keeping myself busy watching IT'S OKAY THAT'S LOVE twice last week plus i found this great account on instagram that has BTS of the drama that are not on YouTube and every interview Jo in sung and Gong hyo jin have done, so basically a small heaven.i may love the drama more than i did the first time around,which makes me realise if anyone i know says they didn't like it, i can't be friends with you and if were dating, I'd dump you.Maybe it sounds crazy ? but I feel like if you don't GET IT, we dont click,you don't get me.just like guys who believe STAR WARS is the truth and anyone who says otherwise should be banished.
Drama moment
So my mum's visiting and she always complaining about me constantly watching kdramas, so i put SENSE 8 for her to watch,we had fun at first pointing out all the places she recognises in Kenya minus me forwarding every R rated scenes (akward much) she was starting to follow till the scenes with the births ? she was so horrified /grossed out that she said she rather watch a Korean drama YAY ?
I put OH MY GHOSTESS and she loved it,of course the subs are too fast for her, so i have to tell her what Bong sun is saying and there was this horrible moment where i was contemplating whether i need a drama buddy that bad.
Picture this, telling your Mum, Bong sun says Chef, let's do it once,only once,chef, think of it as giving me a gift,cheeef????
So just imagine what i was going through all the episodes she's begging, hinting and touching.
I was happy she was enjoying a drama finally but ???.
I have to stop typing, i will be back.
Forgive any grammatical errors, no time to check.
"plus i found this great account on instagram that has BTS of the drama that are not on YouTube and every interview Jo in sung and Gong hyo jin have done, so basically a small heaven"
Does that account have english and/or subs? If so, would you share? Just asking on the off-chance. ;-)Thanks.
Thank you everyone who's been responding to my questions/polls on the Open Thread in the last 2-3 weeks. I loved reading you and you gave me more ideas and questions. This is a follow-up series of questions which are partially based on your answers/general comments. Please feel free, whether or not you've ever responded to me, to give your take on the following.
I'm asking out of personal curiosity and interest and I'm always very interested to read what you think and feel. :) (My answers are in a separate post)
Please fill in the blanks ( _ _ _ ) or select an answer.
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because ...
a) of the actor(s)
b) writer/director
c) preview and/or the story is the kind I like
d) combination of _ _ _
e) my own reasons like _ _ _
2) I usually drop a series ...
a) in the beginning like after 1-4 episodes because _ _ _
b) towards the middle even after the first few episodes disappointed me because _ _ _
c) Not applicable because I don't drop any show I start.
3) If you answered 2a) and 2b) please name a few of the shows you dropped. (Or, OK if you've got a very long list, by all means list them all LOL!). You can also say why if you don't mind repeating
yourself from previous OTs.
4) Although a show is disappointing ...
a) I may not/don't drop it because _ _ _
b) Not applicable ... I will definitely drop it.
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again ...
a) I'm glad I did not give up the following shows because _ _ _
b) Not applicable ... I was not glad!!!
c) Not applicable ... I do not ever go back to something I dropped.
6a) I have a background in dramas/movies/theatre (as in study(ied) it, act(ed), write/wrote, involved in production behind the scenes/backstage...)
6b) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre
Ok... these are my answers ...
1c) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because I think it will be a good story. It hardly matters to me who is acting in it, although I may have reservations if some actors/actresses I already know I do not like are in it. But I will give it a chance for the story at least.
2b) I usually drop a series towards the middle even after the first few episodes disappointed me because I would like a show to have more time to redeem itself. The exception would be shows that
got me angry or bored from very early on.
3) I'm only remembering the recent ones... I dropped High Society - I could not understand the characters well enough to care, Warm and Cozy - too much blow hot/cold so that I did not care
anymore, TTILY - too much PPL, characters too annoying and it was just wasting time, Blood - need I
say anything?, Orange Marmalade - it wasn't half bad but I ran out of time, Masked Prosecutor - ran
out of time and the bad guys and revenge arc were somehow not compelling.
4a) Although a show is disappointing, I may not/don't drop it because 1 or 2 things kept me interested enough or I was fascinated by the trainwreck or I really wanted to hope in it til the end.
5a) I'm glad I did not give up the following shows because: Ex-Girlfriend's Club turned out better than I feared. It was funny and ultimately heartwarming and worth the watch.
As for Mask, I watched for the OTP ... well it was a sweet romance and the chemistry was great, although the writing shift was unfortunate.
6b) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre.
1)e: my first impression on first couple of episodes
2)a: something piss me off. But it is rare that I drop a drama. I might stop, but go back and finish it.
3) Super daddy Yeol (but I watched the last ep), Blood (but I am going to go back)
4) a: I just want to finish it because you never know, you might like one of two scenes.
5) a: I loved it - marriage not dating, ex-girl friends' club.
6b) No background. Worked with computer all my life. But my hubby always teases me that I should have worked in the drama area.
Wow! I applaud you for being determined to go back to watch Blood. I FFD to catch the end, but won't spoil it for you if you don't know what happened.
In a way, although I do not complete every show, I'm similar in that I feel "you never know, you might like one of two scenes"... well for me it's not just a few scenes that I hope I'll like... it's the hope that the whole production team can turn the show around to be better than expected after it slumped.
Two current shows that seemed to have gone down and come up again are Scholar Who Walks the Night and Yong Pal. :)
(1)
Sometimes (a), often (b), never (c). Mostly because of recommendations.
(2)
Mostly (a). When I don't "get" a show after 4 episodes, I drop it. If the acting or other aspects are too bad, I'll drop it earlier.
Sometimes I give shows a chance and have to drop them later (halfway through) when it turns out they are, indeed, not worth watching. This is usually when the plot writing is bad, something you cannot immediately tell after the first few episodes.
(3) [Only 2015 shows]
Birth of a Beauty (dragging, bad writing, bad acting)
Blood (dropped during the first episode)
Super Daddy Yeol (genre, format, poor acting)
Ex-GF Club (annoyed by the show)
Masked Prosecutor (after 1st episode, didn't like the genre)
Mrs Cop (after 2 episodes; WTF?)
KMHM (huge, incoherent mess)
Falling For Innocence (don't remember anything anymore)
Mask (bad writing, unbearable directing)
Warm and Cozy (obvious)
Producer (incoherent at first, boring later)
Scholar Who ... (after 3 episodes; no substance, boring)
The Time We ... (after 3 episodes of absolutely nothing)
Yong-pal (after 7 episodes; pretentious directing, mediocre acting, really poor writing, incoherent show)
(many others)
(4)
I didn't drop "Rosy Lovers" because I have a crush on Lee Mi-sook.
(5)
Gave KMHM a second chance after encouragement from people here on Dramabeans. Disliked the additional episodes even more, dropped it for good.
(6)
Very little. Little bit of amateur acting in school and college, did some editing on my father's plays. My father, my sister and several other family members studied drama and worked in different fields (writing, stage/film directing, stage acting, costume design, ...)
I've always enjoyed your pointed analyses and fun cynicism. What I notice is that you're very clear about what you like and dislike and you can see it very soon in a drama.I recall reading among your comments, that you've picked up quite a bit of drama knowledge from your family.
I have been casually reading about why people like what they do, and by extension... what enables them to recognise what is good or bad about something like dramas. Do you feel that you're more aware of what a good drama should be and can see very quickly where a drama is failing because you have the family background in it (so to speak)? Or what may you attribute this ability to?
Do you feel that you’re more aware of what a good drama should be and can see very quickly where a drama is failing because you have the family background in it (so to speak)? Or what may you attribute this ability to?
I'm not sure. First, I'm not really sure whether I actually can make good predictions towards whether I will enjoy a show or not. Maybe I'm just really good at convincing myself that my decision was right ...
Within my family, I'm considered a bit of a blockhead, because I lack the kind of intuitive ability to evaluate dramatic arts/narratives. When I was young, my father took me to the movies and theatre plays almost every day and there was usually about one hour or more of discussion afterwards. I always was more prone to analytical than to holistic thinking, and while my father didn't manage to stop me from drifting away into sciences, this definitely helped me to understand drama and story-telling a little better.
To this day, I cannot switch off my brain completely when I watch/read something. There is always at least a tiny little process running in the background that tries to find the dramatic structure, that categorises scenes ("plot progress", "character introduction", ...), etc.pp.
I get in a bad mood very easily when these processes find too many things that bother me.
On the other hand, when the phenomenological component and the background processes agree on something (a scene is evenly paced, excellently filmed and at the same time very well embedded into the overall structure and it manages to expose character information), I will start to enjoy a show even if there are issues with, say, bad (or just unpleasant) acting or sexist writing or something.
K-drama, despite its low-brow aspiration, is still a form of art. A show with sloppy fundamentals in terms of dramatic composition or scene economy will very often also lack in other aspects and be more likely to create a mediocre or bad drama in the end.
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …
d) combination of a and c
2) I usually drop a series …
d) when I get too busy or the serioes is too cheesy
4) Although a show is disappointing …
a) I may not/don’t drop it because I will watch the ending and if it is agreeable I will watch. In other words, I cheat
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again …
a) I’m glad I did not give up the following shows because Kill Me Heal Me first 7 minutes - horrible. whole series: love love love
6b) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre
LOL! cheating in order to know that you'll not invest hours only to be disappointed is quite a good, fool-proof method!! Does that mean you do not mind being spoiled for all shows or only for shows that you think are getting bad?
only shows that are getting bad. also a savior is when the main couple has great chemistry (like Secret - I don´t think I would have gotten through it cause the others were annoyingly bland to my eyes it was such a chore to watch. stuck on one expression...
1) C. Usually actors/actresses attract me to a drama, but if the story or the previews don't really draw me in or intrigue me, I back out. I might love the people behind it but it's the story that primarily motivates me to watch a drama.
2) B. Most of the time I drop a series in the middle or even towards the end. It's usually during the halfway mark that series start to change for the good or the bad.
3) Orange Marmalade. Producer (I had so much faith in you!). Yong-pal. Mi-rae's choice. High Society.
4) A. I have grown fond of the characters and want to see how they develop. Or I have high hopes that it can improve.
5) A. Cantabile Tomorrow. I was thinking of dropping this because my siblings wasn't interested and I really wanted us to bond over it (we all love Nodame, anime and movies). It had flaws but I saw that episode by episode it was improving. I loved the changes they made. I love the characters. I just wished they reshoot the ending.
6) B) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre but I always wanted to be part of a production because I enjoy watching dramas and movies.
Aah we are quite similar. I go for the story first and keep with it if the story is more or less coherent. Yes to your 4A and yes to wishing that Cantabile Tomorrow had not shot their ending first. It jarred so badly with the rest of the end episodes. In the end I only FFD it although I knew it was better after a while. I think I lost the stamina to watch everything LOL!
I guess because it was shot overseas, it would be such a waste of footage and money. But it just went back to square 1. It ruined the development and was very jarring.
It kinda reminded me of How I Met Your Mother. They shot the most prominent twist in the finale when they were just starting production of season 1. If the creators saw that they created something different from their original premise, then that the finale wouldn't be as horrible.
Moral of the story: Don't shoot the ending or an important scene for the finale when you're doing multiple seasons or live shooting.
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …
a combination of actor, writer, director, story. Sometimes it's only one of these ingredients, often it's more than one. I don't watch just for the "pretty". If I watch for an actor, they need to be able to act. If they can act, I still need them in a story that's, for the most part, solid.
2) I usually drop a series … in the beginning like after 1-4 episodes because that's normally enough to know that a drama doesn't work for me/isn't good. I sometimes follow recaps for a while longer, but I don't think I've ever thought that I should go back to a drama. I can't be bothered to waste my time on half-baked shows/terrible acting/mediocre writing etc.
3) Recent shows I dropped: High Society (made no sense), Mrs. Cop (made no sense, seems to be all over the place now), Oh My Ghostess (actually watched up to ep. 10 – but balance was way off in the love relationship, didn't like the two girls essentially using the guy), Orange Marmalade (too mishmash, some flat acting), Warm & Cozy (hated the characters, terrible writer), Super Daddy Yeol (too manipulative female lead), Ex-Girlfriend Club (made no sense, thought the female character was stupid, not my kind of humour), Dating not Marriage (not my kind of humour), and a gazillion more....
4) I will pretty much always drop it. Haven't got time to suffer through crap stuff. If it has fully aired already, I might marathon it through skip-watching though.
5) Not applicable … I haven't ever yet gone back to something I dropped. I might go back to Grapevine though.
6) I have a film blog (hiatus atm) and a lot of background in literary studies. I don't have much patience for bad writing and/or bad acting!
You go for at least a solid story or a solid actor but preferably both and more than that. Very sound.
I'm interested in the fact that you are in literary studies and therefore are very aware of what makes for good/bad writing. Do you agree that for yourself (and maybe among your friends who have a similar literary background), your intolerance level for bad writing kicks in very soon? ie do you think it's true that you just know so clearly that it's bad and so you can't bear reading or watching...? Therefore if this is true.... (if I may extrapolate), do you feel writers are likely to drop more shows? You mention you dropped "a gazillion more" :)
I certainly agree with you on High Society, OMG, W&C, Orange Marmalade.
Tbh, I think it just comes down to personal preferences. I'm not fond of bad writing, stock characters, overused tropes (too annoying, too predictable so I get bored) etc and I also am well aware that my favourite genre is slice of life, or, at least, fairly realistic shows. Which doesn't mean I don't watch other things – I'm quite fond of some of the quirky Japanese dramas (Nodame Cantabile, Kimi wa Petto, Hana Kimi, Date) – but that does require the writer needs have set up the story and its characters in such a way that I can suspend my disbelief. So when Dr. Stranger has a transplant person cruise around a city in a chase and then survive a fall from a bridge or Mrs. Cop has the leading lady make completely incompetent decisions again and again after selling her as very professional to us, then I'm out.
Are writers more likely to drop more shows? Nah. There are all kinds of writers after all. I'm sure someone like Stephenie Meyer would find something like Heirs entirely to her taste.
Most of all, I just don't want to waste my time on a terrible drama, when I know there is a better drama or film that I could be watching instead.
1d) I choose to began watching a show mostly because of the writer and it seems like it will have a good story
2a) I usually drop the show in the beginning because the first 2/3 episodes were not as good as I hoprp or because it didn't delivered what it promised in the preview
3) orange marmalade: because I can't watch sageuk
heirs: i don't know what exactly that drama tried to tell me
she's so lovable: this drama bored me to death
hidden identity: i can't really pinpoint what makes this drama disappointing for me, it's just couldn't make me care about all the characters
warm and cozy: definitely not warm and cozy at all
4a) Although a show is disappointing, I may not drop it because I still hold my hope that maybe that drama would do better in the later episodes
5a) I'm glad I picked up City Hunter after dropped it twice (Heirs definitely ruin Lee Minho's image for me) because this drama is just sooo good
6b) I don't have any background in dramas/movie/theatre
My thoughts resonate with yours quite a bit, just that I drop shows later more often than earlier. Yes to those shows that you dropped, although I did not try Hidden Identity.
I am currently re-watching City Hunter... sloooowly. It is still good, 2nd time around, although I'm finding some parts a little annoying. I believe I'm getting more picky with age and after watching more good shows! :D
1- combination of the story, actors and writer but honestly if the script is bad there is nothing the others can do.
2- I try to drop by the 4th ep if it's still boring, of course some I know earlier it's just not my cup of tea, like Modern Farmer, and there are guys who can drag me through some silly dramas, even though they are not even decent actors like LMH, and I suspect Lee Soo Huyk is going the same way, shallow, I know. :)
3- I've dropped too many shows to list all but there are some I am proud of doing it eheheh. I love Joo Won but not even him could make me keep Good Doctor and Level 7. I like Lee Jong Suk but I dropped Doctor Crazy in the second ep. On the other hand maybe I should add the shows I mostly regret NOT dropping, they were Monstar, Plus Nine Boys, Prosecutor Princess and Nice Guy. I hated them and should have known better. :)
5- I can NOT believe I dropped White Christmas in the first episode and today it is one of my favorites kdramas. Short, well written and objective, if only they were all like that.
6- I have background in a different artistic area. :)
"1- combination of the story, actors and writer but honestly if the script is bad there is nothing the others can do." - This means that the writing has to be good or everything falls flat for you. It's pretty much how I feel too since the story comes first for me.
Watching for the guys... hey that's normal and won't those casting directors be glad to know that their decision to cast some nice looking actors actually works! LOL!
I've never tried White Christmas. The fact that it's short and well-written gets my attention.
1) D: A combination of actors and the preview of the story. Though I will start a drama if I don't know any of the actors (which at this point I don't believe is possible lol) if the premise of the story looks good.
2) B: Towards the middle. I think usually I drop a series around the 5-7 episode mark. On rare occasions I drop the drama right before the last two episodes come out lol mostly because I hear a spoiler about the ending and I don't want to see it.
3) Manny, Marry Him If you Dare, Scholar Who Walks the Night, Nice Guy, Doctor Stranger, Flower Boy Next Door, Dream High, etc.
4) B: Nope I will definitely drop it.
5) A: There are some shows I'm glad I went back to because either the story got better or I was just in a certain mood to appreciate the show in a different light.
6) B: I have no background whatsoever in dramas/movies/theatre
"... On rare occasions I drop the drama right before the last two episodes come out lol mostly because I hear a spoiler about the ending ..." - Whoa, so far into the show and a spoiler! So annoying! However I will still watch just to see how that ending was done visually... whether it could still get me to 'feel it'.
You know, I guess, on the Open Threads.... spoilers do abound? Just thought I'd mention it, in case you know, you're in the last few episodes of something and you come here to OT and get yourself spoiled!
"5) A: There are some shows I’m glad I went back to because either the story got better or I was just in a certain mood to appreciate the show in a different light."
Yes, this bears consideration. My last week's OT questions asked about shows that we like that others don't and I suppose it brought up the vice versa answers ie shows I hate that others like. Maybe it's a matter of the attitude, the mood, the state of one's life,... a show might make sense at a different time although it was dropped before. :)
1) b. Writers/directors. I follow writers more than directors because they have more power and they're a greater assurance of quality (let's put it this way--the greats can focus on being great, they don't have to worry about turning other people's stupid ideas into art). Obviously there are exceptions, like Ahn Pan-seok, who seems to have a lot more power than your average PD, but even visionaries like Kwak Jung-hwan (Conspiracy in the Court, Chuno), Kim Yong-soo (White Christmas), Kim Jin-min (Shin Don, La Dolce Vita), or Kim Heung-dong (Joseon X-Files) have to make the best of what they get. Kwak Jung-hwan was almost fired from KBS for doing Conspiracy in the Court, and the industry is far happier wasting their talent on dribble than taking a risk and letting them experiment or realize artistic ambitions.
There are a few actors I'll try to watch no matter what, but I've learned the hard way that this isn't a good idea (let's put it this way--it's hard being a Moon Geun-young fan).
2. a. I would have put c when I first discovered Kdrama, and b a year or so ago, but I've lost my patience over time. There are exceptions, but if something turns me off in the first four episodes, chances are slim to none that it'll get better, considering the live shoot system.
3. Hmmm, shows that I've dropped...there are a lot, and I doubt whether I can remember them all. I think the shows I finished that I should have dropped have stuck with me more--I can rattle some off pretty easily...Goong (which I watched early days, and finished out of perversity--the last endless stretch of that drama was so painful. So painful); Playful Kiss (again, among the first couple I watched--not sure which was worse, the rampant sexism, the heroine's rampant stupidity, or the acting, which was so exaggerated on one end and so non-existent on the other that I shouted at the screen no matter who was on it); Heirs (most un-fun hate watch I've ever done. Love is the moooooment...enough said); and The Return of Iljimae (I tried way too hard to like it at first, then realized it wasn't meant to be and hate watched the rest of it...or would have if I weren't so checked out by the end I forgot which characters had died).
4. b. Again, earlier in my addiction I would have answered a, but I've learned the hard way that you rarely get rewarded for perseverance. Well, I guess I did sit through Secret Door for the sake of the cast and what the story should have been, but that drama didn't go to crap completely until the halfway point.
"1) b. Writers/directors. I follow writers more than directors because they have more power and they’re a greater assurance of quality (let’s put it this way–the greats can focus on being great, they don’t have to worry about turning other people’s stupid ideas into art)."
This thing about power between writer and director.... it will, I feel depend on the individuals and how they work, as well as how they work as a team. Sometimes the writer is able to stand firm for their art, but if in the creative process they got carried away and went off tangent from the original agreed arc/plot/character whatever... the director has the right to require a re-write of parts of the script.
" ...the industry is far happier wasting their talent on dribble than taking a risk and letting them experiment or realize artistic ambitions."
This seems to be what we are facing a lot of now, with so much dependent on ratings and PPL. Art is sacrificed to need once again.
lol just realized I wrote "dribble" instead of "drivel." Thanks for bearing with me anyway haha.
Anyway, you bring up a good point. It is true that a lot of writers are pressured to sell out, and very few good ones get through the sausage factory with their integrity and/or talent intact. And that sometimes the director has to take the writer in hand (Im Sung-han comes to mind haha, though I'm not sure if any PD has managed to wrangle her).
I don't know, maybe following writers over directors is just a product of my own biases? I do engage with writing first, as opposed to visual storytelling. I can watch shows with crappy production values. I can stomach crappy acting (to a point). But if I think the story (ie, the whole point of the drama) is nonsense, I'm out. Like, for example: if I had to choose between something like Golden Apple (so-so production and uneven acting, but great writing) or something like Blade and Petal (innovative, amazing production and great acting, but terrible writing), I'd pick Golden Apple in a heartbeat. Not saying I can't appreciate what Blade and Petal does well, just that if it really came down to it, I find its flaws much harder to forgive.
1) a+b+c, usually it needs only two of it but for preview and synopsis 1, same with a very good director/writer.. , i will need my most favourite actor or actress to pull me in.
2) a or b. Depends. Sometimes i stick just for good acting, sometimes i just stick for the OTP chemistry. lol
3) a- Sunkyunkwan scandal, I Need Romance 2
b- I Miss You, The Girl Who Sees Smell, Hotel King, YWCTS
There's more but i can't remember.
4) Although a show is disappointing, I may not drop it for the OTP chemistry (i'm quite shallow lol) but... + amazing acting.
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again …
a) I’m glad I did not give up the following shows because the young me, and the current me taste is quite different. I tend to appreciate the drama i dislike before. Plus, sometimes the drama gets good later on like in the second half despite the choppy first half.
I'm not glad on re-starting some shows though. I end up dropping it again. lol.
6)b. I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre
You and I are the kind of viewers producers like... we're easy going and can stick with a show for all kinds of reasons. I guess sometimes it's just to sit back and not think too much... you know... relax :)
As you can see, i did your question in a hurry LOL.
I can relax, but i can't do it when the previous drama that i have watched is by leaps and bounds better than what i'm currently watching. So it's a no go for the new show.
I might try it again later, when i'm not keen on making comparisons lol
I have to agree with you that too much fast-talk puts me off... This is very common in Japanese crime procedurals, and medical dramas...from any country. The fast-talk and super-speedy camera cuts usually last for only a few episodes, which I also dislike, cos I think, if anything, a drama should try to stay consistent. Even if I dislike that style, I will credit dramas that at least carry it through most episodes. Most start with what they believe is an "exciting BANG," but when it peters out in the subsequent episodes, the contrast makes things worse for me.
Come to think of it, the fast-talking, "clever" sort of dialogue is probably what made me dislike (to varying degrees): Liar Game, Iris, City Hunter, Vampire Prosecutor, and shows like that...
This is interesting. I may get turned off by certain things but not fast talking as I pause and read the subs. I do prefer shows to be consistent if they are experimenting especially with a style. However some things like the weird sepia tones in Angry Mom, I was glad to see gone. I felt it was a not too subtle way to telling us that those were sombre times.
Talking faster than usual isn't the whole problem. I just know for a fact that regular people like you and I don't really talk so eloquently, and if so, it takes practice. We tend to pause, think about word choice and delivery, lose track of our thoughts, etc.. And, then, a lot of jargon gets thrown in, too.
And I get annoyed if I have to hit the pause button all the time just to get the gist of things.. haha.
I like that you're so clear about knowing what you like and will not regret dropping a show. I think I dither a bit and take a long time to drop anything because I'm not so clear.
"1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …of the actor(s) – An advice: Don’t do this!" LOL!
2. (a) & (b) My critical period is between episodes 4 and 7.
3. Queen In-Hyun's Man. It got too saccharine for my taste.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Love Park Min-young but I couldn't stand the leading guy. Plus, he wasn't even cute.
Coffee Prince. The leading man was too much of an asshole and he wasn't hot enough for me to put up with it, lol.
Master's Sun. The leading guy was boring and his haircut bugged me.
Yong Pal. Got too schmoopy.
4. (b)
5. (c) I give a show a couple episodes to hook me. But once I'm done, I'm done.
Wow, the first four in your #3 response are among my favorites. I pretty much watched them for the OHTP chemistry. Hope you can try again and just skip through the filler scenes. Haha!
1) It depends on how much time I have to catch up the new or still airing series or the old ones. I always watch any drama for the actors first, but mostly, I watch and finish any drama based on recommendation from people who have the same taste in kdrama like me, for example: Angry Mom. I didn't even know who the actors are, but I ended up watching it because someone kept recommending it to me haha.
2) b. High Society (for obvious reason lol), Joseon Gunman (I lost interest suddenly, didn't know why), The Scholar (I started to watch the epi 12, and felt like I didn't miss anything. and I found myself enjoy reading the recap more than watching it), and a weekend drama
4) a..because there is something that still keeps making me curious! or I really hope the show to get better, so I stay until it finishes.. The best example for this case are Sensory Couple and Mask. (I almost dropped OMG at epi 14, but I'm really glad I could finish it!)
5) It depends on my mood (lmao) and how much free time I have to pick up that drama among all those new (and more interesting) ones
6) b (but I wish to have any background in dramas! I even have a dream to go to SK, only to see the BTS of any kdrama XD)
Aside from starting mainly for actors first (I go for story first) we are pretty similar. I saw that others were saying they were dropping OMG, Sensory Couple and Mask but I was glad I held on too. Yes, because I'd liked to have more of a background in literary and drama analysis, I'm asking all these questions here. It's truly interesting! :)
1) I have started dramas for all these reasons: I like the actor(s), the writer is one whose work I have previously admired, I am a big fan of the genre (dark procedurals from OCN and political dramas are always checked out but Cheo Young - where are you????), and sometimes I just find a title intriguing.
2) There's no particular place I will drop a drama. Usually I will after the second or third episode but Dr. Stranger I dropped about 20 minutes into the first episode and That Winter the Wind Blows I dropped about 2/3 into the last episode.
3) Hwajung - watched for Cha Seung-won and when he left I wasn't interested enough to continue. Warm and Cosy - very dull and boring at the time but this one I may just check out again. Masked Prosecutor - the scene on the staircase with Kim Sun-ah cowering while being menaced by a man on a motorcycle did me in - this is your idea of a hard nosed cop, k-drama?
4) Even though a show has suddenly started going not only sideways but in reverse, I will keep watching if I am invested in the characters. God's Gift - 14 Days and Mask are examples of this.
5) I dropped Yang Dong-gun's Hero because I found him very annoying and mannered as a actor but then I started watching it again and I kind of fell in love with him so go figure!
6) I have no background in film production, acting or screen writing but my husband is a screenwriter for film and television, written graphic novels etc and I read and critique all his stuff. But does he listen to me??? Sometimes.
Also some dramas that I ordinarily would never watch I do so because they have something about them that resonates in my personal life. Good Doctor is one of these. I have a cousin who is very much like the good doctor of the title in that he is a high functioning autistic person with a good job. He was engaged at the time the show aired and got married in the late spring of 2014. He and his wife just had an absolutely adorable baby girl a month ago. Lots of people on Dramabeans wished him well when Good Doctor was being recapped and their kind comments were very much appreciated.
I do the same I think, about watching shows when I'm invested in the characters. I notice people dropping it but I still want to continue to see how the character grows. LOL! dropping Doctor Stranger within the first episode. I thought it was still coherent until the bridge scene. I don't know why I watched That Winter TWB... maybe just wanted to see if Song Hye Kyo's character survives this time. LOL!
It's interesting that you get to read scripts and may have a hand in influencing the screenplay. Does your husband watch the same shows as you and does he point out which is good and which is bad and drops the latter quickly?
Belated congratulations on the birth of your cousin's baby!
I watched TWtWB mainly for Jo In-sung's luscious lips and his many wonderful winter coats plus a mild curiosity as to how he managed to fit all that stuff in one tiny rolling suitcase. But during the last episode I had a sudden overwhelming urge to Just. Stop. Watching. I did like the movie it was based on, Love Me Not with Moon Geun-young and Kim Joo-hyuk, a lot better.
My criticisms of my husband's work are mostly mechanical, for want of a better word. Like, this scene should come earlier or you've used too many words of dialogue to get this across. Have the character say it like this. My husband, however, has a much better idea of what is commercial and what will sell which is a good thing as he is the family's principal breadwinner. We do share a love of classic Hollywood films and goofball comedies but that's about it. He maintains I'm too sophisticated for him. I have tried to get him to watch Korean films and dramas with me but he just can't get into them. He is absolutely the most annoying person to watch almost anything with though. He often just will not shut up and keeps a running stream of dialogue through shows I am trying to enjoy. He will say things like, "And now the door will open in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" He is usually right but it drives me nuts!
My cousin's new daughter is so sweet! I took her for a long walk this afternoon while her mother had a nap and got to pretend she was mine. I have two teenaged sons and it's getting a bit late in the game to try for a daughter and I'd probably have another son anyway.
Thanks for your reply. I know what you mean about the spouse talking over the show when we want to concentrate. Trouble is mine may not be even speaking about the show when he suddenly has something to say LOL! Nowadays we have to make a date to watch a show together or else we'll be on our separate laptops as he will not watch Korean dramas and I watch hardly anything else.
It's great hanging around with young kids. I do that once a week and although I don't pretend they are mine, it's lovely having them planting themselves on my lap and having so much to say and such sweet smiles to share. Best part... their parents take them away to feed them LOL! and I get to go home to my big kids and kdramas. :D
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …
e) my own reasons like: Javabeans pre-fangirls all over it.
2) I usually drop a series …
a) in the beginning like after 1-4 episodes because the actors / writing sucks
b) towards the middle even after the first few episodes disappointed me because the writing starts to suck
3) If you answered 2a) and 2b) please name a few of the shows you dropped. Liar Game, Angry Mom, Mask...
4) Although a show is disappointing …
a) I may not/don’t drop it because it's a gorgeous train wreck and I can't take my eyes off of it: Hyde, Jekyll & Me
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again …
a) I’m glad I did not give up the following shows because sometimes a production rights itself again.
6a) I have a background in dramas/movies/theatre (as in study(ied) it, act(ed), write/wrote, involved in production behind the scenes/backstage…) check
I like your reasons for starting the shows. I have considered that as one way to choose a show before, but I may not actually have done so only because JB fangirls over it. :) More likely for me if she fangirls over a contemporary show than over a sageuk.
As yes, our endless lists... we'll get to them when we get to them. For 5) I thought you'd mention SWWTN as in you might have dropped it but didn't and the current YP.
Hi Growingbeautifully! Interesting questionnaire, here is mine
1). D. Combination of actors & preview + story. I used to not pay attention to director and writer but now i plan to remember them.
2). A. If i don't like it from the beginning i will drop it altogether. Or else i'll try my best to endure the whole ride. Basically being masochist, i know ._.
3). Show that i dropped:
Flower Boy Ramyun Shop - somehow Jung Il Woo's character really annoys me and i suffer from severe second-lead syndrome. The story also don't interest me.
Fashion King - bleh.
TTILY - strong chemistry, boring show
Scholar - The writer frustrates me. Too bad, because i love my Changmin here.
Wonderful Mama - draggy and typical weekend drama, although i really consider start watching again bcs of Park Bo Geum.
Reply 1994 - i found this uninteresting, maybe bcs still can't move on from Reply 97
Nice Guy - so angsty and so unrealistic
Secret Garden - Hyunbin'character also annoys me.
4). Although a show is disappointing I don’t drop it because I like the early episode and want to find out if they can salvage it in the end.
5). Usually B. Although at the end it gives decent ending, the overall drama leaves a bitter taste in my memory which makes me unsatisfied and unhappy. The obvious example: Producer, Sensory Couple
Yes, knowing the show is not one that you will like and still watching to the end sounds like self-torture! LOL!
"Although at the end it gives decent ending, the overall drama leaves a bitter taste in my memory which makes me unsatisfied and unhappy." It's a pity to have a bitter memory of a show, so yes, do drop those by all means. A show is supposed to entertain and delight. I hope we get much better shows so that we don't suffer so much! :D
It really is ._.
Actually dropping show means i really can't connect with them since I personally have the tendency to not stop anything halfway. Altho years watching drama makes my preference changes and end up dropping shows :p
"I hope we get much better shows so that we don’t suffer so much!" Amen for this!
1. I tend to follow writers, although I have watched certain shows primarily to see more of particular actors. I'll also check out shows that reviewers I trust rave about.
2. I've dropped shows at different points, but it usually happens whenever I realize that I'm no longer invested in the plot or characters, or when it becomes obvious that the writer has no clear sense of where things are going.
3. I dropped Sword and Flower at episode 8 when it became clear that the writers were totally uninterested in logic or coherent character development. I dropped Innocent Man after episode 1 because I couldn't imagine wanting to spend 20 hours with any of the characters. I dropped Joseon Gunman around episode 15 because the portrayal of the female characters was driving me nuts.
4. I'll sometimes stick with a show if it comes highly recommended, although I do that less frequently now than I used to.
5. There are shows that I was concerned about initially that developed into really lovely viewing experiences (Mixed-Up Investigation Agency comes to mind), but there are other shows that I stuck with to the bitter end that I wish I'd dropped sooner (City Hunter, Damo, Joseon X-Files).
6. I'm a stage director and theatre professor, so while I don't work in the TV/film industry, I do have a lot of experience working with scripts and actors.
You might have made the wrong decision with "Innocent Man". Not only is episode 1 very misleading in terms of story and characters, you also don't need to spend 20 hours with those characters, as they get memory- and personality-wiped a couple of times (and undergo unexplained personality-changes on top of that too). Not sure whether that's a good thing though ...
Not the dreaded amnesia plot twist! That's usually one of my least favorite devices but perhaps in this case . . . Honestly, though, my biggest problem with the initial episode was that I didn't believe that real people would actually act the way the characters were behaving, which is usually a cue for me to run.
Wow, Joseon X-Files was perhaps the best series I've watched in korean TV. I wonder why you didn't like it...I really, really do!
BTW, if someone watched episodes 7 and 8 and figured them out, please be kind and share. I'm still confused...
I felt like it was a show that tended to substitute atmosphere and "mystery" for actual narrative payoffs. I don't need everything wrapped up in a neat little bow, but I get annoyed when shows mistake opacity for profundity.
I see what you're saying here and normally I'd agree with you, but I actually really enjoyed that about Joseon X-Files. I'm a huge sci fi fan, so it was a joy to see well-worn tropes and concepts transplanted in a world where all the usual tools for understanding them fail to apply. Like, suddenly we don't have techno babble or biomedical jargon, or even a familiarity with modern technology, to filter encounters with aliens and supernatural creatures, so suddenly the unknown seems unknowable, which is such a rare achievement for the genre. Sure, it was frustrating at times, but I feel like this is one case where opacity actually was profound.
You're right. Usually opaque doesn't mean profound and over-analysing doesn't make us sound intellectual, but Joseon X-Files was not the case. I consider it one of the best shows I've even seen worldwide and in my line of work I've been forced to watch a whole lot. It's a paradigm of how great a project can be even with limited budget, if you have a clear vision and people who actually know what they're doing.
Yeah I didn't like Nice Guy either--it was so solipsistic and masturbatory I couldn't stand it. I'm not a big fan of Lee Kyung-hee dramas in general--she usually goes for really ambitious macro level themes, but she has to be the laziest writer in dramaland, in terms of research and micro level structure. It's like, the themes might be there, but if you can't even watch the drama and find enjoyment on a basic level, what's the point? Thank You is the only one of hers I've finished, because the story and spirit behind it somehow transcended her usual mess of flaws.
I actually haven't seen any of Lee Kyung-Hee's other shows, but the beginning of Nice Guy didn't make me inclined to start. With Joseon X-Files, I never felt like the writers had fully thought through the mythology of their universe (or if they had, they didn't intend to share it because they were hoping for a second season). There's a difference between a show where you feel there actually is some sort of order or logic to the mysteries, even if it isn't spelled out, and one where the writers just didn't bother to construct an overarching narrative structure. It's possible I lost important details in translation, but the show never convinced me that it had a firm grasp on its own internal mechanics.
I'm hearing echoes in what you say, in what @Susan says and she's a producer, also experienced in working with scripts and actors. This is so interesting and perfectly understandable, ie that the things that people with a similar show/theatre background look for in a good show are also similar.
"1. I tend to follow writers, although I have watched certain shows primarily to see more of particular actors. I’ll also check out shows that reviewers I trust rave about." - I'm beginning to think, it will be safer to go for the writer if I want to be more secure about finding a good show.
"2. I’ve dropped shows at different points, but it usually happens whenever I realize that I’m no longer invested in the plot or characters, or when it becomes obvious that the writer has no clear sense of where things are going." - This is the million dollar question and I believe it's your experience that speaks.. because I will ask... how does one tell that the writer has lost his direction? Sometimes it's obvious but not always.
"3. I dropped Sword and Flower at episode 8 when it became clear that the writers were totally uninterested in logic or coherent character development. ..." - OK, this one I understand and can recognise, and yet, will they ever get back on track? They could if coached? The writing could improve?
"5. There are shows that I was concerned about initially that developed into really lovely viewing experiences (Mixed-Up Investigation Agency comes to mind), but there are other shows that I stuck with to the bitter end that I wish I’d dropped sooner (City Hunter, ..." - I am trying to re-watch City Hunter with mixed reaction. I may be engaged for a bit, but it loses me fast too.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'd actually really like to hear more about stage directing and theatre craft and how different it is from producing televised shows.
Hi @Growingbeautifully! I don't drop tons of shows, usually because I tend to wait to watch them until they're finished airing and I can get a better sense of whether they're going to fly off the rails or not. I am a lot more likely to stick with a show through rough patches if reviews suggest there will ultimately be a worthwhile payoff. Partly because of my theatre training, I probably do focus on dramatic structure more than other folks might, which means I can usually tell if builds or turning points aren't happening or a show doesn't have a clear sense of direction. City Hunter was an odd watch because the overall structure was decent, but the characterizations were so inconsistent that the individual scenes often made no sense. I felt like the writer had the characters do or say whatever was convenient at any given moment without bothering to think about how real humans might behave.
1e) I start to watch mostly out of bordom and depending on the mood. Usually rom-coms which are the least realistic genre is the ideal one to entertain me but not always.
2c) Being relatively new to this "universe"(I started watching dramas in'12), I rarely drop a series I've already started.
3) The only show that comes to mind is Take Care of The Young Lady. I did want to finish it (I had finished the terrible One Fine Day, after all), but I still don't know why I just couldn't,-and it wasn't even the worse drama ever...
4a) I will most surely keep watching. I've seen atrocious films before, not to mention TV shows with lots and lots of episodes or seasons; so, a 16 to 20 episode series is just a piece of cake for me, lol! Besides I'm still struggling to find dramaland's "rules and regulations" behind all those productions.
5a) DB's ratings used to have a huge impact when I was a complete rookie. So, that "4" in Haeundae Lovers was so discouraging that I got very close to dropping it right after episode one. Thank God, I didn't because I had a great time watching (most of) it plus I saw actors whom I only knew from cinema in something totally different.
6b) Good Lord, no...no background at all. I said I want to entertain myself as a viewer not lose my sleep (and occasionally some hair) like my sister does. People in entertainment Industry have the higher mortality rate outside war zones...poor,sis!
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1 redfox
September 11, 2015 at 6:12 AM
Helloo....
No news on the blog cause I cannot log in! It seems I chose the wrong provider.
I turned in my stories and now I am like: "WAI-IIIT! Sto-oop! Give it back, no burn it! I wanna steal it back, I am so embarrassed..." Biting my nails and the results won´t be known till 15.12
and I am worried, cause the characters are my children - people always ask, why don´t you have children? Like, if I don´t I am not a full person to them.
And I say: have you tried carrying a character inside of you for 10 years? Not only do you carry them, you raise them, yet they still haven´t been born. And once they do, it is the same as with raising kids. They get tempers, they are full of surprises, and sometimes they sleep all day. And just like teenagers, they always do the opposite of what you expect, and then you send them out into the world and worry that they´ll be ruined by it... pick up awful traits etc. so think twice before saying I don´t know what it means to raise "children". They could come back better than before though.
arrghhh going crazy.
I want to marathon Scholar now - I just didn´t have the time for more than the "Gwi moments" compiled on Youtube and they got better and better. the alien elf did a great job, but now I really want him to get an "everyguy" role.
Question today: what is the most stressful school in korean dramas, where you would never send your children to? is stressful environment ever good for people, does it make us put in more effort or does it take away any motivation we had (I guess different people, different ability to deal with it)?
school stress and depression is a big issue here in my country. Our children are the most depressed, loneliest and insecure in Europe
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 6:19 AM
redfox:
Good luck with your story!!
And I felt exactly the same handing in my dissertation. It feels scary. And so many doubts. I was not ready for it to be a thing. Although it had to be.
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sunnyl
September 11, 2015 at 6:32 AM
Most stressful school in korean dramas? Actually my own was the worst stress-wise. I went to school in Korea all the way up to university, and had dream that I was studying for university exam for about good 10 years even after I started to work.
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korfan
September 11, 2015 at 6:52 AM
redfox -
Good luck with the whole blog situation. I'm sorry to hear that situation is happening. I'm hoping you'll be able to recover everything.
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redfox
September 11, 2015 at 7:00 AM
It is more that the whole server is having problems, I think. Maybe I can copy the blog to another site. Just my luck though
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daktari34
September 11, 2015 at 8:48 AM
Try and stick to Wordpress as a blog provider. While it has its own issues, it is pretty reliable.
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nomad
September 11, 2015 at 8:04 AM
Just about every school story in kdrama I wouldn't dream about sending my kids to. Not only about the academic load, but also the unfriendly friendship environment they have to deal with in the story. My kids are homeschooled, but I also have a very solid community in which they belong to make friends and be a part in...so I'm really grateful of that...
I'm sorry to hear about your story and the school children situation in your country...
I understand what you mean about characters in your story, though. I used to write too (haven't spent enough time thinking to have any characters telling me about their stories lately, though...). I agree, characters most often have minds of their own...
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owl 🦉 🫰
September 11, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Hi superfox,
Stressful schools, or stressful families and society, or ultimately both? I just remember in Monstar, School 2013, Heirs, and Teacher Biscuit Star Candy there were either suicide attempts or an actual suicide by students. (Remember the brother behind the locked door - I can remember which one that was in, School 2013 I think?) The pressure is tremendous and the lack of acceptable and creative options is daunting. Sigh.
Gwi and regular guy moments - he was pretty good in King of Savvy and of course, White Christmas.
have a great weekend!
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windsun33
September 11, 2015 at 10:12 AM
If nothing else, it is one reason why Korea has the highest suicide rate in the world.
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LeahF
September 11, 2015 at 4:28 PM
As an aspiring writer, I can totally relate to characters being almost like children (no matter what type of character they are). You pretty much "raise" them in a sense until the time comes to let other people judge them. Best of luck to you!
On another note, alien elf is the best descriptor ever (He could totally pull off being a elf from Middle Earth. He's pretty enough for it.) I want to see LSH in more things!
To answer your question, I think stressful environments (to an extent) can be good for motivation. I've seen too many people my age take school too lightly and only realize their mistake afterwards. On the flip side, too much stress can mess people up for life. There really needs to be a balance.
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2 Manin
September 11, 2015 at 6:14 AM
Happy Friday beanies!
I'm freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I handed in my dissertation and spent all of yesterday watching supernatural <3
Today have been spent packing and trying to figure out where all this stuff came from. Will need to borrow space from my friends to store some books untill I come back for graduation though. (seriously how does drama people do this whole "gone for a year with one tiny suitcase thing?)
Had a rewatch of school 2013. But otherwie I still need to catch up. Thinking about starting with I remember you or Healer.
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korfan
September 11, 2015 at 7:07 AM
Manin -
Oh wow, you're done! Yay!! *clapping*
Yeah, I don't know how people do the tiny suitcase thing either. Especially if you wear big shoes. If you put those in the suitcase they take up the whole thing!
What you did in school was nothing. Now it's time for the big decisions: "What drama do I want to watch first?" ..... *laughing*
I'm kidding, of course. :) ....... Both of the ones you mentioned are great.
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 8:24 AM
korfan:
I mean it's the biggest clue that they never went anywhere! because that tiny suitcase does not hold everything! Which is also why I appreciated hana kimi where she comes with 1 suitcase and then have a delivery of a bunch of boxes. Much more believable!
Haha, Yeah it's either contemplate "what drama do I watch?" or contemplate "how to find a ob" but the last one feels too depressing. I need to recover from post-dissertation exhaustion and illness first ;)
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redfox
September 11, 2015 at 7:31 AM
load off your shoulders, right? Start "I remember you" cause bromance and well-handled mystery.
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 8:26 AM
refox:
It is! And yet so scary and terrifying cause now it's out of my hands. And I keep thinking about potential mistakes. Also I know who is gonna mark it because there is only one other professor besides my supervisor that can do it. So scary!
Bromance sounds good. And a well-handled mystery? even better!
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ohmymoo
September 11, 2015 at 7:41 AM
Start "I Remember You"! Then when you're done with that drama you can watch "Healer" to help you get over the immense feels you get from that drama :)
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 8:27 AM
See, I've heard the same about healer. So maybe I then need a drama to heal me from "Healer" ;)
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 3:11 PM
LOLOL!!! @Manin and ohmymoo
Yes, for someone like myself... emotionally I really needed some 'healing' after being blown away by Healer.
I guess, just pick one at random and watch and then have a short break to internalise the show before heading for the next one? :)
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 4:10 PM
Sounds like a good plan!
nomad
September 11, 2015 at 8:07 AM
YAAAYYY!!! I'm so very happy for you, Manin!
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 8:27 AM
Nomad:
THANK YOU! :D
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owl 🦉 🫰
September 11, 2015 at 8:58 AM
Way to go, Manin! Dissertation done, that's a huge accomplishment, congratulations.
Either drama will be a good respite from your (now done with) studies. What's next?
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 9:23 AM
Owl:
What's next? Good question indeed... So far it's returning to Norway and apply for jobs. :p Yay, having no set thing to go to! I would be panicking if I was not so exhausted
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owl 🦉 🫰
September 11, 2015 at 10:02 AM
Norway - one of the new Abnormal Summit panelists is from Norway (not sure if it's a show that you watch). Unfortunately, subs for the recent episodes are few and far between. Keep us posted on the transition from student to whatever comes next! Will you return to China anytime soon?
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 3:13 PM
Yeah I heard about that. I used to watch it, but the lack of subs stagnated my interest. I might check how he is doing though.
I am hoping to maybe get to visit. I had the offer to go back to the kindergarten, but various family things stopped me from taking it. I sill get updates from the children <3 the player is still doing his thing. And one of the girls still refer to me as mommy for fun. Also apparently I am in Korea according to some of them.
robin
September 11, 2015 at 2:33 PM
sigh i remember feeling elated after completing my grad studies and looking forward to working, and now a year down the line in a job i'd do anything to go back... gimme a dissertation at the end of the year over the stress of needing to perform everyday, any day... i hate growing up. i want to be a student again T_T
but on a happier note, i started watching Once Upon a Time in Saeng Chori after it came up in Name That Drama this time, (there's nothing airing at present that held my interest save for 20 again & The Genius), and it's definitely got me hooked. It's funny and creepy and bizarre at the same time and I have no idea what to make of it, but I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something to watch :D
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Manin
September 11, 2015 at 3:16 PM
Yeah, it is definitively mixed feelings. Especially as I have no plan to do a phd anytime soon.
Oh I have not heard of that drama. Sounds interesting from how you describe it though.
3 sunnyl
September 11, 2015 at 6:26 AM
Happy Friday!
Last ends this weekend. I will miss the show. Lee BumSoo said he was so happy while filming Last- Atmosphere was great and everyone was like family.
Choi JiWoo and Lee SangWoo of Twenty Again showed up in highschool uniform and
carried out their ratings promise- serving coffee.
Each of them promised to serve ratings times 100 cups of coffee, if ratings goes over 3%. It passed it in first episode, and they continued to carry out their promises with higher ratings. They look so cute.
There was Seoul Drama awards ceremony, which was created to promote Korean dramas to the world (and introduces dramas of other countries to Korea).
Korean wave drama actor/actress awards went to Hwang JungEum and Lee JunKi. Lee MinHo and Lee YoungAae received special awards. Drama award went to Miseang. Congrats LJK!
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sunnyl
September 11, 2015 at 6:27 AM
Korean Drama Awards(KDA) which is the biggest drama awards ceremony (including big 3 And cable stations) occurs on 9th of October.
Nominees are:
Grand Prize (Daesang): Kim SooHyun (The Producers), Joo Won (YongPal), Ji Sung(KMHM), Cha SeongWon (HwaJung), Yoo DongGeun (What happens to my family).
Top Excellence Award, Actor: Yi JongSuk(Pinocchio), Im SiWan (Misaeng), Park HaeJin (Bad guys), Park YooChun(Girl who sees smell), Yoo JunSang (Heard it through the grapevine)
Top Excellence Award, Actress: Kim TaeHee (YongPal), Hwang JungEum (KMHM), Jang NaRa(I remember you), Kim HeeSun (Angry mom), Park SinHye (Pinocchio)
Excellence Award, Actor: Kim DaeMyung (Misaeng), Lee Joon (Heard it through grapevine), Seo GangJun (Hwajung), Jo JungSuk (Oh my ghost), Seo InGook (I remember you)
Excellence Award, Actress: Kim SaRang (My love EunDong), IU (Producer), UEE (High society), Ju HyungJin (Let's eat 2), Choi SooYoung (My spring days)
Best New Actor: Nam TaeHyun (Midnight diner), Park ChanYeol (Webdrama 'Exo lives next door'), Yook SungJae(Who are you -school 2015), Nam JooHyuk(Who are you-school), Seo YoungJu (Snow roads)
Best New Actress: Im JiYeon (High society), Choi SooBin(House of Bluebird), Jo SooHyang (Who are you-school), Yi SungKyung (Queen's Flower), Kim SulHyun(Orange Marmalade)
Best Drama: Producer, YongPal, MiSaeng, KMHM, Heard it through grapevine.
Best Screenplay/writing: Jung YoonJung(Misaeng), Kim WoonKyung(Yoona's street), Kwon GiYoung(I remember you), Jo HyunKyung(Maids), Jang HukRin (YongPal)
Best Production Director: An PanSuk (Heard it through grapevine), Jo HyunTak (Maids), Kim JinMan (KMHM), Po MinSu/Seo SooMin (Producer), Kim WonSuk (Misaeng)
Just a min, where is Healer? Punch? My beautiful banker?? and where is our ghostess Park BoYoung? (Hope she gets some special awards)
Then again, I am glad 'I remember you' is recognized.
Here is the question. Who do you think will get the Grand prize? People guess it will be Kim SooHyun or Joo Won. I vote for Ji Sung.
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Jon G.
September 11, 2015 at 6:36 AM
*shake head* ... well, it's Korean Drama Awards anyway ...
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nomad
September 11, 2015 at 8:13 AM
This kind of nominations always make me believe in kdrama stories on corruption. Honestly.
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robin
September 11, 2015 at 2:41 PM
yeah that was my first response. smh kdrama awards, what a joke
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 6:37 AM
Same here, my vote is for Ji Sung for Kill Me, Heal Me.
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nomad
September 11, 2015 at 8:08 AM
Seriously...he's NOT nominated? I can't even....
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nomad
September 11, 2015 at 8:11 AM
oh wait a minute...I see him...phew...I was about to lose it if Ji Sung wasn't nominated for KMHM...
redfox
September 11, 2015 at 6:42 AM
Ji Sung! He has to win or I will throw a tantrum! and you will not want to witness that... I thwo hellofa tantrums.
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Caro
September 11, 2015 at 7:59 AM
Park Shin-hye is nominated, what a joke.
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Hungry
September 11, 2015 at 8:19 AM
I can't with PSH winning top excellence..
I can deal if it's just the excellence actress awards but please no top excellence.
She's good enough.. but sometimes i feel quite emotionally detach with her character. Thats a big issue i have with PSH in general though, i find her watchable.
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kanz
September 11, 2015 at 5:08 PM
Kim Tae Hee nominated for Top Excellence is worse.. While Park Bo Young or Soo Ae is nowhere near the nominations..
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azkaa
September 11, 2015 at 8:41 AM
Love how Maids and I Remember You get some nominations but will be forever butthurt on how Park Bo Young & Kim Seul Gi & Park Bo Geum are not in that list.
And why Kim Taehee is on the list? I haven't watched it but is she really that good in there? o_O
Haven't watched KMHM either but based on people's comment, i really wish Ji Sung gets it.
Anyway, awards will always be beyond my understanding as how it is given to those against my list so well, sit back and enjoy instead? :p
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Hungry
September 11, 2015 at 9:29 AM
I find KTH decent starting from My Princess onwards just because the OTP is adorbs... considering how bad they are before. But then... in Yongpal LOL.
Thankfully, i can understand her nominations. She can act. Guess it's a late bloomer stuff.
I cannot really understand UEE though. I find her decent at first then i was like she's pretty much the same in every drama...
I was skimming for PBG name too... and end up being so disappointed but yay for the IRY nods! I doubt they can win in KBS drama awards so it's good to see them somewhere here.
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Hungry
September 11, 2015 at 9:33 AM
Oh to KTH defense. The later eps in Yongpal. Particularly 11 and 12. It shows that she can act if she's not sleeping or being suck into such bewildering romance that comes out of nowhere.
azkaa
September 11, 2015 at 10:16 AM
Too bad i dropped My Princess, too fluffy and romance-y for my liking ._.
What confuse me is that Yongpal get nomination while still airing so it makes me curious haha
Haven't watched anything Uee in it actually, can't say anything about her.
I wish them get the Best Writing, altho Misaeng is really a strong contender. Meanwhile, PBG and Do Kyungsoo really deserve all the rookie nomination there is in the world of drama awards. I'm blinded by my love for IRY but whatever, they are still great XD
kalel
September 11, 2015 at 8:47 AM
Yoo DongGeun could be the winner concidering seniority plus ratings and that should also be a clever Solomonic solution to this complicated category.
I'm curious, too, where is Punch?? Kim RaeWon and Jo JaeHyun gave wonderful performances, far above the usual "good" ones we sometimes see in dramas. The Committee overlooked very good projects (who knows why!)and I do hope the rest of the shows you mentioned have a chance next year.
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Jon G.
September 11, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Not a big fan of the Punch overall plotting, but the first episodes were much better written than, say, "Yong Pal".
I'd also say that Park Hyuk-Kwon and especially Kim A-joong did better jobs than Park Hae-jin, Park Yoo-chun and Park Shin-hye, Kim Tae-hee respectively.
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korini
September 11, 2015 at 12:29 PM
I doubt these particular awards are based on merit. It's a weird combination of ratings and "keeping-the-audience-happy" criteria with the exception of Remember You. Though I attribute that on KBS' demur to nominate Assembly. I guess they're saving it for the network awards. And SBS will probably do the same with Punch and Heard it. The only positive was the recognition at last of Maids, even though I know it was due to its great ratings.
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prettysup
September 11, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Yeah why is Punch not in? And Kim Soo Hyun (Producer) for Deasang ??? OMG
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Jon G.
September 11, 2015 at 8:50 AM
My favourite nominations:
- Park Yoo-chun as top excellence actor
- Kim Tae-hee, Park Shin-hye as top excellence actress
- Uee as excellence actress
- Nam Joo-hyuk as best new actor
- Jang Huk-rin (Yong Pal) for best screenplay
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Hungry
September 11, 2015 at 9:30 AM
LOL your sarcasm. Hahahahahaha.
Sorry for laughing.
but i just can't help it.
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Lixie
September 11, 2015 at 9:35 AM
I wonder if they are troll nominations just to make as laugh. :)
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korini
September 11, 2015 at 12:35 PM
Excellent choices on the actor categories. I could name a few more that "grow more in each role elevating from D- to D" but I'm scared of their "fan-base". I disagree on Yong Pal. He's Reset's writer for the first time working on a major network. Cut him some slack, he's bound to make some compromises.
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monologue
September 11, 2015 at 1:08 PM
those are totally reasonable compared to this
Best New Actor: Nam TaeHyun (Midnight diner), Park ChanYeol (Webdrama ‘Exo lives next door’),
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Aigoooo
September 11, 2015 at 1:25 PM
No Park Bo Young?! They have gone insane! They say this drama awards includes the Big 3 and cable but all I see is a HUGE bias towards the Big 3. Hell, just TvN alone can give the Big 3 a run for their money in terms of good dramas.
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Aigoooo
September 11, 2015 at 1:34 PM
My Picks:
Ji Sung
Im Si Wan
Jang Na Ra or Kim Hee Sun
Seo In Gook
IU
Yook Sung Jae
Jo Soo Hyang (YES!!!)
Misaeng
Yoona's Street
Kim Jin Man
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Hungry
September 11, 2015 at 8:58 PM
You are not picking on Hwang Jung Eum for top excellence actress as one of your choices? *sobs
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Aigoooo
September 13, 2015 at 5:02 AM
Nope. Only because that drama was a one man show by Ji Sung plus her constant screaming bugged me.
kanz
September 11, 2015 at 5:09 PM
I can't believe they snubbed Healer & Punch either...
Some pretty good drama like Mask is also snubbed..
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luvnlife
September 12, 2015 at 6:21 PM
Wait. What?
No Healer? Nothing for Falling for Innocence?
Are these shows only loved outside Korea?
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Kiara
September 11, 2015 at 8:33 AM
I think Ji-sung was nominated for best actor against 3 other foreign actors. Engin Akyurek (Turkey) won.
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4 klava
September 11, 2015 at 6:30 AM
Hello beanies, long time no open thread,i can thank the drama draught going on,ever since I REMEMBER YOU and MY GHOSTESS ended, there's nothing eye-catching, maybe TWENTY AGAIN but its not like i anticipate new episodes, frankly i forget about it till i recieve a notification on my phone when a new episode is out.But ive been keeping myself busy watching IT'S OKAY THAT'S LOVE twice last week plus i found this great account on instagram that has BTS of the drama that are not on YouTube and every interview Jo in sung and Gong hyo jin have done, so basically a small heaven.i may love the drama more than i did the first time around,which makes me realise if anyone i know says they didn't like it, i can't be friends with you and if were dating, I'd dump you.Maybe it sounds crazy ? but I feel like if you don't GET IT, we dont click,you don't get me.just like guys who believe STAR WARS is the truth and anyone who says otherwise should be banished.
Drama moment
So my mum's visiting and she always complaining about me constantly watching kdramas, so i put SENSE 8 for her to watch,we had fun at first pointing out all the places she recognises in Kenya minus me forwarding every R rated scenes (akward much) she was starting to follow till the scenes with the births ? she was so horrified /grossed out that she said she rather watch a Korean drama YAY ?
I put OH MY GHOSTESS and she loved it,of course the subs are too fast for her, so i have to tell her what Bong sun is saying and there was this horrible moment where i was contemplating whether i need a drama buddy that bad.
Picture this, telling your Mum, Bong sun says Chef, let's do it once,only once,chef, think of it as giving me a gift,cheeef????
So just imagine what i was going through all the episodes she's begging, hinting and touching.
I was happy she was enjoying a drama finally but ???.
I have to stop typing, i will be back.
Forgive any grammatical errors, no time to check.
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azkaa
September 11, 2015 at 8:43 AM
Glad your mom enjoyed OMG i wish my mom did!!
Although the explaining part doesn't sound like fun and more like an uber awakward moment lol
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klava
September 12, 2015 at 4:48 PM
It was SUPER akward, especially since we are in the type of relationship where we both pretend i don't know how babies are made.
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bbstl 🧹
September 11, 2015 at 10:37 AM
Omg I just laughed so hard, thank you ? that is a really funny story about watching with your mom.
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klava
September 12, 2015 at 8:03 AM
?your welcome bbstl,glad you found it funny.
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DramaDazy
September 11, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Hi klava... you wrote
"plus i found this great account on instagram that has BTS of the drama that are not on YouTube and every interview Jo in sung and Gong hyo jin have done, so basically a small heaven"
Does that account have english and/or subs? If so, would you share? Just asking on the off-chance. ;-)Thanks.
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klava
September 12, 2015 at 6:09 AM
Hi drama dazy,the account is @haesuji and yes they do have subtitles.
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klava
September 12, 2015 at 4:51 PM
Is it just me or is anyone else getting server error messages while trying to reply to comments.
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5 growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 6:31 AM
Hi Everyone and Happy Weekend!
Thank you everyone who's been responding to my questions/polls on the Open Thread in the last 2-3 weeks. I loved reading you and you gave me more ideas and questions. This is a follow-up series of questions which are partially based on your answers/general comments. Please feel free, whether or not you've ever responded to me, to give your take on the following.
I'm asking out of personal curiosity and interest and I'm always very interested to read what you think and feel. :) (My answers are in a separate post)
Please fill in the blanks ( _ _ _ ) or select an answer.
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because ...
a) of the actor(s)
b) writer/director
c) preview and/or the story is the kind I like
d) combination of _ _ _
e) my own reasons like _ _ _
2) I usually drop a series ...
a) in the beginning like after 1-4 episodes because _ _ _
b) towards the middle even after the first few episodes disappointed me because _ _ _
c) Not applicable because I don't drop any show I start.
3) If you answered 2a) and 2b) please name a few of the shows you dropped. (Or, OK if you've got a very long list, by all means list them all LOL!). You can also say why if you don't mind repeating
yourself from previous OTs.
4) Although a show is disappointing ...
a) I may not/don't drop it because _ _ _
b) Not applicable ... I will definitely drop it.
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again ...
a) I'm glad I did not give up the following shows because _ _ _
b) Not applicable ... I was not glad!!!
c) Not applicable ... I do not ever go back to something I dropped.
6a) I have a background in dramas/movies/theatre (as in study(ied) it, act(ed), write/wrote, involved in production behind the scenes/backstage...)
6b) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre
Thank you! :)
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 6:33 AM
Ok... these are my answers ...
1c) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because I think it will be a good story. It hardly matters to me who is acting in it, although I may have reservations if some actors/actresses I already know I do not like are in it. But I will give it a chance for the story at least.
2b) I usually drop a series towards the middle even after the first few episodes disappointed me because I would like a show to have more time to redeem itself. The exception would be shows that
got me angry or bored from very early on.
3) I'm only remembering the recent ones... I dropped High Society - I could not understand the characters well enough to care, Warm and Cozy - too much blow hot/cold so that I did not care
anymore, TTILY - too much PPL, characters too annoying and it was just wasting time, Blood - need I
say anything?, Orange Marmalade - it wasn't half bad but I ran out of time, Masked Prosecutor - ran
out of time and the bad guys and revenge arc were somehow not compelling.
4a) Although a show is disappointing, I may not/don't drop it because 1 or 2 things kept me interested enough or I was fascinated by the trainwreck or I really wanted to hope in it til the end.
5a) I'm glad I did not give up the following shows because: Ex-Girlfriend's Club turned out better than I feared. It was funny and ultimately heartwarming and worth the watch.
As for Mask, I watched for the OTP ... well it was a sweet romance and the chemistry was great, although the writing shift was unfortunate.
6b) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre.
How about you?
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sunnyl
September 11, 2015 at 6:55 AM
1)e: my first impression on first couple of episodes
2)a: something piss me off. But it is rare that I drop a drama. I might stop, but go back and finish it.
3) Super daddy Yeol (but I watched the last ep), Blood (but I am going to go back)
4) a: I just want to finish it because you never know, you might like one of two scenes.
5) a: I loved it - marriage not dating, ex-girl friends' club.
6b) No background. Worked with computer all my life. But my hubby always teases me that I should have worked in the drama area.
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 8:58 AM
Thank you @fan
Wow! I applaud you for being determined to go back to watch Blood. I FFD to catch the end, but won't spoil it for you if you don't know what happened.
In a way, although I do not complete every show, I'm similar in that I feel "you never know, you might like one of two scenes"... well for me it's not just a few scenes that I hope I'll like... it's the hope that the whole production team can turn the show around to be better than expected after it slumped.
Two current shows that seemed to have gone down and come up again are Scholar Who Walks the Night and Yong Pal. :)
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Jon G.
September 11, 2015 at 7:16 AM
Answers:
(1)
Sometimes (a), often (b), never (c). Mostly because of recommendations.
(2)
Mostly (a). When I don't "get" a show after 4 episodes, I drop it. If the acting or other aspects are too bad, I'll drop it earlier.
Sometimes I give shows a chance and have to drop them later (halfway through) when it turns out they are, indeed, not worth watching. This is usually when the plot writing is bad, something you cannot immediately tell after the first few episodes.
(3) [Only 2015 shows]
Birth of a Beauty (dragging, bad writing, bad acting)
Blood (dropped during the first episode)
Super Daddy Yeol (genre, format, poor acting)
Ex-GF Club (annoyed by the show)
Masked Prosecutor (after 1st episode, didn't like the genre)
Mrs Cop (after 2 episodes; WTF?)
KMHM (huge, incoherent mess)
Falling For Innocence (don't remember anything anymore)
Mask (bad writing, unbearable directing)
Warm and Cozy (obvious)
Producer (incoherent at first, boring later)
Scholar Who ... (after 3 episodes; no substance, boring)
The Time We ... (after 3 episodes of absolutely nothing)
Yong-pal (after 7 episodes; pretentious directing, mediocre acting, really poor writing, incoherent show)
(many others)
(4)
I didn't drop "Rosy Lovers" because I have a crush on Lee Mi-sook.
(5)
Gave KMHM a second chance after encouragement from people here on Dramabeans. Disliked the additional episodes even more, dropped it for good.
(6)
Very little. Little bit of amateur acting in school and college, did some editing on my father's plays. My father, my sister and several other family members studied drama and worked in different fields (writing, stage/film directing, stage acting, costume design, ...)
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 9:09 AM
Thank you Jon G.
I've always enjoyed your pointed analyses and fun cynicism. What I notice is that you're very clear about what you like and dislike and you can see it very soon in a drama.I recall reading among your comments, that you've picked up quite a bit of drama knowledge from your family.
I have been casually reading about why people like what they do, and by extension... what enables them to recognise what is good or bad about something like dramas. Do you feel that you're more aware of what a good drama should be and can see very quickly where a drama is failing because you have the family background in it (so to speak)? Or what may you attribute this ability to?
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Jon G.
September 11, 2015 at 9:54 AM
I'm not sure. First, I'm not really sure whether I actually can make good predictions towards whether I will enjoy a show or not. Maybe I'm just really good at convincing myself that my decision was right ...
Within my family, I'm considered a bit of a blockhead, because I lack the kind of intuitive ability to evaluate dramatic arts/narratives. When I was young, my father took me to the movies and theatre plays almost every day and there was usually about one hour or more of discussion afterwards. I always was more prone to analytical than to holistic thinking, and while my father didn't manage to stop me from drifting away into sciences, this definitely helped me to understand drama and story-telling a little better.
To this day, I cannot switch off my brain completely when I watch/read something. There is always at least a tiny little process running in the background that tries to find the dramatic structure, that categorises scenes ("plot progress", "character introduction", ...), etc.pp.
I get in a bad mood very easily when these processes find too many things that bother me.
On the other hand, when the phenomenological component and the background processes agree on something (a scene is evenly paced, excellently filmed and at the same time very well embedded into the overall structure and it manages to expose character information), I will start to enjoy a show even if there are issues with, say, bad (or just unpleasant) acting or sexist writing or something.
K-drama, despite its low-brow aspiration, is still a form of art. A show with sloppy fundamentals in terms of dramatic composition or scene economy will very often also lack in other aspects and be more likely to create a mediocre or bad drama in the end.
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redfox
September 11, 2015 at 7:21 AM
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …
d) combination of a and c
2) I usually drop a series …
d) when I get too busy or the serioes is too cheesy
4) Although a show is disappointing …
a) I may not/don’t drop it because I will watch the ending and if it is agreeable I will watch. In other words, I cheat
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again …
a) I’m glad I did not give up the following shows because Kill Me Heal Me first 7 minutes - horrible. whole series: love love love
6b) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 9:11 AM
Thank you @ redfox
LOL! cheating in order to know that you'll not invest hours only to be disappointed is quite a good, fool-proof method!! Does that mean you do not mind being spoiled for all shows or only for shows that you think are getting bad?
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redfox
September 11, 2015 at 11:10 AM
only shows that are getting bad. also a savior is when the main couple has great chemistry (like Secret - I don´t think I would have gotten through it cause the others were annoyingly bland to my eyes it was such a chore to watch. stuck on one expression...
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elric
September 11, 2015 at 7:30 AM
1) C. Usually actors/actresses attract me to a drama, but if the story or the previews don't really draw me in or intrigue me, I back out. I might love the people behind it but it's the story that primarily motivates me to watch a drama.
2) B. Most of the time I drop a series in the middle or even towards the end. It's usually during the halfway mark that series start to change for the good or the bad.
3) Orange Marmalade. Producer (I had so much faith in you!). Yong-pal. Mi-rae's choice. High Society.
4) A. I have grown fond of the characters and want to see how they develop. Or I have high hopes that it can improve.
5) A. Cantabile Tomorrow. I was thinking of dropping this because my siblings wasn't interested and I really wanted us to bond over it (we all love Nodame, anime and movies). It had flaws but I saw that episode by episode it was improving. I loved the changes they made. I love the characters. I just wished they reshoot the ending.
6) B) I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre but I always wanted to be part of a production because I enjoy watching dramas and movies.
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 9:15 AM
Thank you @elric
Aah we are quite similar. I go for the story first and keep with it if the story is more or less coherent. Yes to your 4A and yes to wishing that Cantabile Tomorrow had not shot their ending first. It jarred so badly with the rest of the end episodes. In the end I only FFD it although I knew it was better after a while. I think I lost the stamina to watch everything LOL!
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elric
September 12, 2015 at 1:10 AM
I guess because it was shot overseas, it would be such a waste of footage and money. But it just went back to square 1. It ruined the development and was very jarring.
It kinda reminded me of How I Met Your Mother. They shot the most prominent twist in the finale when they were just starting production of season 1. If the creators saw that they created something different from their original premise, then that the finale wouldn't be as horrible.
Moral of the story: Don't shoot the ending or an important scene for the finale when you're doing multiple seasons or live shooting.
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alua
September 11, 2015 at 7:37 AM
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …
a combination of actor, writer, director, story. Sometimes it's only one of these ingredients, often it's more than one. I don't watch just for the "pretty". If I watch for an actor, they need to be able to act. If they can act, I still need them in a story that's, for the most part, solid.
2) I usually drop a series … in the beginning like after 1-4 episodes because that's normally enough to know that a drama doesn't work for me/isn't good. I sometimes follow recaps for a while longer, but I don't think I've ever thought that I should go back to a drama. I can't be bothered to waste my time on half-baked shows/terrible acting/mediocre writing etc.
3) Recent shows I dropped: High Society (made no sense), Mrs. Cop (made no sense, seems to be all over the place now), Oh My Ghostess (actually watched up to ep. 10 – but balance was way off in the love relationship, didn't like the two girls essentially using the guy), Orange Marmalade (too mishmash, some flat acting), Warm & Cozy (hated the characters, terrible writer), Super Daddy Yeol (too manipulative female lead), Ex-Girlfriend Club (made no sense, thought the female character was stupid, not my kind of humour), Dating not Marriage (not my kind of humour), and a gazillion more....
4) I will pretty much always drop it. Haven't got time to suffer through crap stuff. If it has fully aired already, I might marathon it through skip-watching though.
5) Not applicable … I haven't ever yet gone back to something I dropped. I might go back to Grapevine though.
6) I have a film blog (hiatus atm) and a lot of background in literary studies. I don't have much patience for bad writing and/or bad acting!
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 9:27 AM
Thank you @alua
You go for at least a solid story or a solid actor but preferably both and more than that. Very sound.
I'm interested in the fact that you are in literary studies and therefore are very aware of what makes for good/bad writing. Do you agree that for yourself (and maybe among your friends who have a similar literary background), your intolerance level for bad writing kicks in very soon? ie do you think it's true that you just know so clearly that it's bad and so you can't bear reading or watching...? Therefore if this is true.... (if I may extrapolate), do you feel writers are likely to drop more shows? You mention you dropped "a gazillion more" :)
I certainly agree with you on High Society, OMG, W&C, Orange Marmalade.
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alua
September 11, 2015 at 9:55 AM
Tbh, I think it just comes down to personal preferences. I'm not fond of bad writing, stock characters, overused tropes (too annoying, too predictable so I get bored) etc and I also am well aware that my favourite genre is slice of life, or, at least, fairly realistic shows. Which doesn't mean I don't watch other things – I'm quite fond of some of the quirky Japanese dramas (Nodame Cantabile, Kimi wa Petto, Hana Kimi, Date) – but that does require the writer needs have set up the story and its characters in such a way that I can suspend my disbelief. So when Dr. Stranger has a transplant person cruise around a city in a chase and then survive a fall from a bridge or Mrs. Cop has the leading lady make completely incompetent decisions again and again after selling her as very professional to us, then I'm out.
Are writers more likely to drop more shows? Nah. There are all kinds of writers after all. I'm sure someone like Stephenie Meyer would find something like Heirs entirely to her taste.
Most of all, I just don't want to waste my time on a terrible drama, when I know there is a better drama or film that I could be watching instead.
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gadis
September 11, 2015 at 7:38 AM
1d) I choose to began watching a show mostly because of the writer and it seems like it will have a good story
2a) I usually drop the show in the beginning because the first 2/3 episodes were not as good as I hoprp or because it didn't delivered what it promised in the preview
3) orange marmalade: because I can't watch sageuk
heirs: i don't know what exactly that drama tried to tell me
she's so lovable: this drama bored me to death
hidden identity: i can't really pinpoint what makes this drama disappointing for me, it's just couldn't make me care about all the characters
warm and cozy: definitely not warm and cozy at all
4a) Although a show is disappointing, I may not drop it because I still hold my hope that maybe that drama would do better in the later episodes
5a) I'm glad I picked up City Hunter after dropped it twice (Heirs definitely ruin Lee Minho's image for me) because this drama is just sooo good
6b) I don't have any background in dramas/movie/theatre
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 9:31 AM
Thank you @gadis
My thoughts resonate with yours quite a bit, just that I drop shows later more often than earlier. Yes to those shows that you dropped, although I did not try Hidden Identity.
I am currently re-watching City Hunter... sloooowly. It is still good, 2nd time around, although I'm finding some parts a little annoying. I believe I'm getting more picky with age and after watching more good shows! :D
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Lixie
September 11, 2015 at 7:38 AM
Hi Growingbeautifully :)
1- combination of the story, actors and writer but honestly if the script is bad there is nothing the others can do.
2- I try to drop by the 4th ep if it's still boring, of course some I know earlier it's just not my cup of tea, like Modern Farmer, and there are guys who can drag me through some silly dramas, even though they are not even decent actors like LMH, and I suspect Lee Soo Huyk is going the same way, shallow, I know. :)
3- I've dropped too many shows to list all but there are some I am proud of doing it eheheh. I love Joo Won but not even him could make me keep Good Doctor and Level 7. I like Lee Jong Suk but I dropped Doctor Crazy in the second ep. On the other hand maybe I should add the shows I mostly regret NOT dropping, they were Monstar, Plus Nine Boys, Prosecutor Princess and Nice Guy. I hated them and should have known better. :)
5- I can NOT believe I dropped White Christmas in the first episode and today it is one of my favorites kdramas. Short, well written and objective, if only they were all like that.
6- I have background in a different artistic area. :)
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 9:36 AM
Thanks @ lixie
"1- combination of the story, actors and writer but honestly if the script is bad there is nothing the others can do." - This means that the writing has to be good or everything falls flat for you. It's pretty much how I feel too since the story comes first for me.
Watching for the guys... hey that's normal and won't those casting directors be glad to know that their decision to cast some nice looking actors actually works! LOL!
I've never tried White Christmas. The fact that it's short and well-written gets my attention.
What art(s) do you do, if you don't mind telling?
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ohmymoo
September 11, 2015 at 7:48 AM
1) D: A combination of actors and the preview of the story. Though I will start a drama if I don't know any of the actors (which at this point I don't believe is possible lol) if the premise of the story looks good.
2) B: Towards the middle. I think usually I drop a series around the 5-7 episode mark. On rare occasions I drop the drama right before the last two episodes come out lol mostly because I hear a spoiler about the ending and I don't want to see it.
3) Manny, Marry Him If you Dare, Scholar Who Walks the Night, Nice Guy, Doctor Stranger, Flower Boy Next Door, Dream High, etc.
4) B: Nope I will definitely drop it.
5) A: There are some shows I'm glad I went back to because either the story got better or I was just in a certain mood to appreciate the show in a different light.
6) B: I have no background whatsoever in dramas/movies/theatre
:D
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 3:22 PM
Thanks @ohmymoo
"... On rare occasions I drop the drama right before the last two episodes come out lol mostly because I hear a spoiler about the ending ..." - Whoa, so far into the show and a spoiler! So annoying! However I will still watch just to see how that ending was done visually... whether it could still get me to 'feel it'.
You know, I guess, on the Open Threads.... spoilers do abound? Just thought I'd mention it, in case you know, you're in the last few episodes of something and you come here to OT and get yourself spoiled!
"5) A: There are some shows I’m glad I went back to because either the story got better or I was just in a certain mood to appreciate the show in a different light."
Yes, this bears consideration. My last week's OT questions asked about shows that we like that others don't and I suppose it brought up the vice versa answers ie shows I hate that others like. Maybe it's a matter of the attitude, the mood, the state of one's life,... a show might make sense at a different time although it was dropped before. :)
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juniper
September 11, 2015 at 8:21 AM
1) b. Writers/directors. I follow writers more than directors because they have more power and they're a greater assurance of quality (let's put it this way--the greats can focus on being great, they don't have to worry about turning other people's stupid ideas into art). Obviously there are exceptions, like Ahn Pan-seok, who seems to have a lot more power than your average PD, but even visionaries like Kwak Jung-hwan (Conspiracy in the Court, Chuno), Kim Yong-soo (White Christmas), Kim Jin-min (Shin Don, La Dolce Vita), or Kim Heung-dong (Joseon X-Files) have to make the best of what they get. Kwak Jung-hwan was almost fired from KBS for doing Conspiracy in the Court, and the industry is far happier wasting their talent on dribble than taking a risk and letting them experiment or realize artistic ambitions.
There are a few actors I'll try to watch no matter what, but I've learned the hard way that this isn't a good idea (let's put it this way--it's hard being a Moon Geun-young fan).
2. a. I would have put c when I first discovered Kdrama, and b a year or so ago, but I've lost my patience over time. There are exceptions, but if something turns me off in the first four episodes, chances are slim to none that it'll get better, considering the live shoot system.
3. Hmmm, shows that I've dropped...there are a lot, and I doubt whether I can remember them all. I think the shows I finished that I should have dropped have stuck with me more--I can rattle some off pretty easily...Goong (which I watched early days, and finished out of perversity--the last endless stretch of that drama was so painful. So painful); Playful Kiss (again, among the first couple I watched--not sure which was worse, the rampant sexism, the heroine's rampant stupidity, or the acting, which was so exaggerated on one end and so non-existent on the other that I shouted at the screen no matter who was on it); Heirs (most un-fun hate watch I've ever done. Love is the moooooment...enough said); and The Return of Iljimae (I tried way too hard to like it at first, then realized it wasn't meant to be and hate watched the rest of it...or would have if I weren't so checked out by the end I forgot which characters had died).
4. b. Again, earlier in my addiction I would have answered a, but I've learned the hard way that you rarely get rewarded for perseverance. Well, I guess I did sit through Secret Door for the sake of the cast and what the story should have been, but that drama didn't go to crap completely until the halfway point.
5. c. Not applicable
6. B. No background in drama.
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 3:39 PM
Thank you @ juniper
"1) b. Writers/directors. I follow writers more than directors because they have more power and they’re a greater assurance of quality (let’s put it this way–the greats can focus on being great, they don’t have to worry about turning other people’s stupid ideas into art)."
This thing about power between writer and director.... it will, I feel depend on the individuals and how they work, as well as how they work as a team. Sometimes the writer is able to stand firm for their art, but if in the creative process they got carried away and went off tangent from the original agreed arc/plot/character whatever... the director has the right to require a re-write of parts of the script.
" ...the industry is far happier wasting their talent on dribble than taking a risk and letting them experiment or realize artistic ambitions."
This seems to be what we are facing a lot of now, with so much dependent on ratings and PPL. Art is sacrificed to need once again.
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juniper
September 11, 2015 at 6:26 PM
lol just realized I wrote "dribble" instead of "drivel." Thanks for bearing with me anyway haha.
Anyway, you bring up a good point. It is true that a lot of writers are pressured to sell out, and very few good ones get through the sausage factory with their integrity and/or talent intact. And that sometimes the director has to take the writer in hand (Im Sung-han comes to mind haha, though I'm not sure if any PD has managed to wrangle her).
I don't know, maybe following writers over directors is just a product of my own biases? I do engage with writing first, as opposed to visual storytelling. I can watch shows with crappy production values. I can stomach crappy acting (to a point). But if I think the story (ie, the whole point of the drama) is nonsense, I'm out. Like, for example: if I had to choose between something like Golden Apple (so-so production and uneven acting, but great writing) or something like Blade and Petal (innovative, amazing production and great acting, but terrible writing), I'd pick Golden Apple in a heartbeat. Not saying I can't appreciate what Blade and Petal does well, just that if it really came down to it, I find its flaws much harder to forgive.
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Hungry
September 11, 2015 at 8:34 AM
1) a+b+c, usually it needs only two of it but for preview and synopsis 1, same with a very good director/writer.. , i will need my most favourite actor or actress to pull me in.
2) a or b. Depends. Sometimes i stick just for good acting, sometimes i just stick for the OTP chemistry. lol
3) a- Sunkyunkwan scandal, I Need Romance 2
b- I Miss You, The Girl Who Sees Smell, Hotel King, YWCTS
There's more but i can't remember.
4) Although a show is disappointing, I may not drop it for the OTP chemistry (i'm quite shallow lol) but... + amazing acting.
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again …
a) I’m glad I did not give up the following shows because the young me, and the current me taste is quite different. I tend to appreciate the drama i dislike before. Plus, sometimes the drama gets good later on like in the second half despite the choppy first half.
I'm not glad on re-starting some shows though. I end up dropping it again. lol.
6)b. I do not have any background in dramas/movies/theatre
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 6:48 PM
Thank you @ Excitable
You and I are the kind of viewers producers like... we're easy going and can stick with a show for all kinds of reasons. I guess sometimes it's just to sit back and not think too much... you know... relax :)
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Hungry
September 11, 2015 at 9:01 PM
As you can see, i did your question in a hurry LOL.
I can relax, but i can't do it when the previous drama that i have watched is by leaps and bounds better than what i'm currently watching. So it's a no go for the new show.
I might try it again later, when i'm not keen on making comparisons lol
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Sailor Mars
September 11, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Comment was deleted
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Beanfan
September 11, 2015 at 4:08 PM
I have to agree with you that too much fast-talk puts me off... This is very common in Japanese crime procedurals, and medical dramas...from any country. The fast-talk and super-speedy camera cuts usually last for only a few episodes, which I also dislike, cos I think, if anything, a drama should try to stay consistent. Even if I dislike that style, I will credit dramas that at least carry it through most episodes. Most start with what they believe is an "exciting BANG," but when it peters out in the subsequent episodes, the contrast makes things worse for me.
Come to think of it, the fast-talking, "clever" sort of dialogue is probably what made me dislike (to varying degrees): Liar Game, Iris, City Hunter, Vampire Prosecutor, and shows like that...
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 7:01 PM
@Beanfan
This is interesting. I may get turned off by certain things but not fast talking as I pause and read the subs. I do prefer shows to be consistent if they are experimenting especially with a style. However some things like the weird sepia tones in Angry Mom, I was glad to see gone. I felt it was a not too subtle way to telling us that those were sombre times.
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Beanfan
September 13, 2015 at 3:28 PM
Talking faster than usual isn't the whole problem. I just know for a fact that regular people like you and I don't really talk so eloquently, and if so, it takes practice. We tend to pause, think about word choice and delivery, lose track of our thoughts, etc.. And, then, a lot of jargon gets thrown in, too.
And I get annoyed if I have to hit the pause button all the time just to get the gist of things.. haha.
growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 6:56 PM
Thanks @Moonlight
I like that you're so clear about knowing what you like and will not regret dropping a show. I think I dither a bit and take a long time to drop anything because I'm not so clear.
"1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …of the actor(s) – An advice: Don’t do this!" LOL!
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Caro
September 11, 2015 at 9:02 AM
1. (a)
2. (a) & (b) My critical period is between episodes 4 and 7.
3. Queen In-Hyun's Man. It got too saccharine for my taste.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Love Park Min-young but I couldn't stand the leading guy. Plus, he wasn't even cute.
Coffee Prince. The leading man was too much of an asshole and he wasn't hot enough for me to put up with it, lol.
Master's Sun. The leading guy was boring and his haircut bugged me.
Yong Pal. Got too schmoopy.
4. (b)
5. (c) I give a show a couple episodes to hook me. But once I'm done, I'm done.
6. (b)
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sheesh
September 11, 2015 at 11:03 AM
Wow, the first four in your #3 response are among my favorites. I pretty much watched them for the OHTP chemistry. Hope you can try again and just skip through the filler scenes. Haha!
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 7:43 PM
Thanks @Caro
You're consistent, which is good! :)
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hibeautiful
September 11, 2015 at 9:31 AM
Interesting questions/poll :D
1) It depends on how much time I have to catch up the new or still airing series or the old ones. I always watch any drama for the actors first, but mostly, I watch and finish any drama based on recommendation from people who have the same taste in kdrama like me, for example: Angry Mom. I didn't even know who the actors are, but I ended up watching it because someone kept recommending it to me haha.
2) b. High Society (for obvious reason lol), Joseon Gunman (I lost interest suddenly, didn't know why), The Scholar (I started to watch the epi 12, and felt like I didn't miss anything. and I found myself enjoy reading the recap more than watching it), and a weekend drama
4) a..because there is something that still keeps making me curious! or I really hope the show to get better, so I stay until it finishes.. The best example for this case are Sensory Couple and Mask. (I almost dropped OMG at epi 14, but I'm really glad I could finish it!)
5) It depends on my mood (lmao) and how much free time I have to pick up that drama among all those new (and more interesting) ones
6) b (but I wish to have any background in dramas! I even have a dream to go to SK, only to see the BTS of any kdrama XD)
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 7:49 PM
Thanks @ fls
Aside from starting mainly for actors first (I go for story first) we are pretty similar. I saw that others were saying they were dropping OMG, Sensory Couple and Mask but I was glad I held on too. Yes, because I'd liked to have more of a background in literary and drama analysis, I'm asking all these questions here. It's truly interesting! :)
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hibeautiful
September 12, 2015 at 7:08 PM
Yeah, I go for actor first, but later, If the story is a meh, not worth my time, and there's better show out there I'll leave it.
I enjoy answering your question and reading others' answer too! Keep it coming :)
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growingbeautifully
September 13, 2015 at 9:22 PM
Thanks! I will as the inspiration strikes LOL! :)
Lindy
September 11, 2015 at 9:36 AM
1) I have started dramas for all these reasons: I like the actor(s), the writer is one whose work I have previously admired, I am a big fan of the genre (dark procedurals from OCN and political dramas are always checked out but Cheo Young - where are you????), and sometimes I just find a title intriguing.
2) There's no particular place I will drop a drama. Usually I will after the second or third episode but Dr. Stranger I dropped about 20 minutes into the first episode and That Winter the Wind Blows I dropped about 2/3 into the last episode.
3) Hwajung - watched for Cha Seung-won and when he left I wasn't interested enough to continue. Warm and Cosy - very dull and boring at the time but this one I may just check out again. Masked Prosecutor - the scene on the staircase with Kim Sun-ah cowering while being menaced by a man on a motorcycle did me in - this is your idea of a hard nosed cop, k-drama?
4) Even though a show has suddenly started going not only sideways but in reverse, I will keep watching if I am invested in the characters. God's Gift - 14 Days and Mask are examples of this.
5) I dropped Yang Dong-gun's Hero because I found him very annoying and mannered as a actor but then I started watching it again and I kind of fell in love with him so go figure!
6) I have no background in film production, acting or screen writing but my husband is a screenwriter for film and television, written graphic novels etc and I read and critique all his stuff. But does he listen to me??? Sometimes.
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Lindy
September 11, 2015 at 10:19 AM
Also some dramas that I ordinarily would never watch I do so because they have something about them that resonates in my personal life. Good Doctor is one of these. I have a cousin who is very much like the good doctor of the title in that he is a high functioning autistic person with a good job. He was engaged at the time the show aired and got married in the late spring of 2014. He and his wife just had an absolutely adorable baby girl a month ago. Lots of people on Dramabeans wished him well when Good Doctor was being recapped and their kind comments were very much appreciated.
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 8:49 PM
Thanks for your sharing @Lindy12
I do the same I think, about watching shows when I'm invested in the characters. I notice people dropping it but I still want to continue to see how the character grows. LOL! dropping Doctor Stranger within the first episode. I thought it was still coherent until the bridge scene. I don't know why I watched That Winter TWB... maybe just wanted to see if Song Hye Kyo's character survives this time. LOL!
It's interesting that you get to read scripts and may have a hand in influencing the screenplay. Does your husband watch the same shows as you and does he point out which is good and which is bad and drops the latter quickly?
Belated congratulations on the birth of your cousin's baby!
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Lindy
September 11, 2015 at 10:25 PM
I watched TWtWB mainly for Jo In-sung's luscious lips and his many wonderful winter coats plus a mild curiosity as to how he managed to fit all that stuff in one tiny rolling suitcase. But during the last episode I had a sudden overwhelming urge to Just. Stop. Watching. I did like the movie it was based on, Love Me Not with Moon Geun-young and Kim Joo-hyuk, a lot better.
My criticisms of my husband's work are mostly mechanical, for want of a better word. Like, this scene should come earlier or you've used too many words of dialogue to get this across. Have the character say it like this. My husband, however, has a much better idea of what is commercial and what will sell which is a good thing as he is the family's principal breadwinner. We do share a love of classic Hollywood films and goofball comedies but that's about it. He maintains I'm too sophisticated for him. I have tried to get him to watch Korean films and dramas with me but he just can't get into them. He is absolutely the most annoying person to watch almost anything with though. He often just will not shut up and keeps a running stream of dialogue through shows I am trying to enjoy. He will say things like, "And now the door will open in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" He is usually right but it drives me nuts!
My cousin's new daughter is so sweet! I took her for a long walk this afternoon while her mother had a nap and got to pretend she was mine. I have two teenaged sons and it's getting a bit late in the game to try for a daughter and I'd probably have another son anyway.
growingbeautifully
September 12, 2015 at 2:14 AM
LOL! @Lindy12
Thanks for your reply. I know what you mean about the spouse talking over the show when we want to concentrate. Trouble is mine may not be even speaking about the show when he suddenly has something to say LOL! Nowadays we have to make a date to watch a show together or else we'll be on our separate laptops as he will not watch Korean dramas and I watch hardly anything else.
It's great hanging around with young kids. I do that once a week and although I don't pretend they are mine, it's lovely having them planting themselves on my lap and having so much to say and such sweet smiles to share. Best part... their parents take them away to feed them LOL! and I get to go home to my big kids and kdramas. :D
susan
September 11, 2015 at 9:45 AM
1) I choose to begin watching a show mostly because …
e) my own reasons like: Javabeans pre-fangirls all over it.
2) I usually drop a series …
a) in the beginning like after 1-4 episodes because the actors / writing sucks
b) towards the middle even after the first few episodes disappointed me because the writing starts to suck
3) If you answered 2a) and 2b) please name a few of the shows you dropped. Liar Game, Angry Mom, Mask...
4) Although a show is disappointing …
a) I may not/don’t drop it because it's a gorgeous train wreck and I can't take my eyes off of it: Hyde, Jekyll & Me
5) Of the shows that I considered dropping but did not or that I later started watching again …
a) I’m glad I did not give up the following shows because sometimes a production rights itself again.
6a) I have a background in dramas/movies/theatre (as in study(ied) it, act(ed), write/wrote, involved in production behind the scenes/backstage…) check
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susan
September 11, 2015 at 9:48 AM
I owe you some names for 5 - I know I do this - just can't think of one at the moment.
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growingbeautifully
September 11, 2015 at 8:54 PM
Thanks Susan ??
I like your reasons for starting the shows. I have considered that as one way to choose a show before, but I may not actually have done so only because JB fangirls over it. :) More likely for me if she fangirls over a contemporary show than over a sageuk.
As yes, our endless lists... we'll get to them when we get to them. For 5) I thought you'd mention SWWTN as in you might have dropped it but didn't and the current YP.
Back to the YP thread!
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susan
September 11, 2015 at 9:01 PM
There's another reason for not dropping shows: Nothing else to watch! :-)
azkaa
September 11, 2015 at 10:01 AM
Hi Growingbeautifully! Interesting questionnaire, here is mine
1). D. Combination of actors & preview + story. I used to not pay attention to director and writer but now i plan to remember them.
2). A. If i don't like it from the beginning i will drop it altogether. Or else i'll try my best to endure the whole ride. Basically being masochist, i know ._.
3). Show that i dropped:
Flower Boy Ramyun Shop - somehow Jung Il Woo's character really annoys me and i suffer from severe second-lead syndrome. The story also don't interest me.
Fashion King - bleh.
TTILY - strong chemistry, boring show
Scholar - The writer frustrates me. Too bad, because i love my Changmin here.
Wonderful Mama - draggy and typical weekend drama, although i really consider start watching again bcs of Park Bo Geum.
Reply 1994 - i found this uninteresting, maybe bcs still can't move on from Reply 97
Nice Guy - so angsty and so unrealistic
Secret Garden - Hyunbin'character also annoys me.
4). Although a show is disappointing I don’t drop it because I like the early episode and want to find out if they can salvage it in the end.
5). Usually B. Although at the end it gives decent ending, the overall drama leaves a bitter taste in my memory which makes me unsatisfied and unhappy. The obvious example: Producer, Sensory Couple
6). B.
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growingbeautifully
September 12, 2015 at 12:54 AM
Thanks @azka
Yes, knowing the show is not one that you will like and still watching to the end sounds like self-torture! LOL!
"Although at the end it gives decent ending, the overall drama leaves a bitter taste in my memory which makes me unsatisfied and unhappy." It's a pity to have a bitter memory of a show, so yes, do drop those by all means. A show is supposed to entertain and delight. I hope we get much better shows so that we don't suffer so much! :D
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azkaa
September 12, 2015 at 3:15 AM
It really is ._.
Actually dropping show means i really can't connect with them since I personally have the tendency to not stop anything halfway. Altho years watching drama makes my preference changes and end up dropping shows :p
"I hope we get much better shows so that we don’t suffer so much!" Amen for this!
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wonhwa
September 11, 2015 at 10:43 AM
1. I tend to follow writers, although I have watched certain shows primarily to see more of particular actors. I'll also check out shows that reviewers I trust rave about.
2. I've dropped shows at different points, but it usually happens whenever I realize that I'm no longer invested in the plot or characters, or when it becomes obvious that the writer has no clear sense of where things are going.
3. I dropped Sword and Flower at episode 8 when it became clear that the writers were totally uninterested in logic or coherent character development. I dropped Innocent Man after episode 1 because I couldn't imagine wanting to spend 20 hours with any of the characters. I dropped Joseon Gunman around episode 15 because the portrayal of the female characters was driving me nuts.
4. I'll sometimes stick with a show if it comes highly recommended, although I do that less frequently now than I used to.
5. There are shows that I was concerned about initially that developed into really lovely viewing experiences (Mixed-Up Investigation Agency comes to mind), but there are other shows that I stuck with to the bitter end that I wish I'd dropped sooner (City Hunter, Damo, Joseon X-Files).
6. I'm a stage director and theatre professor, so while I don't work in the TV/film industry, I do have a lot of experience working with scripts and actors.
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Jon G.
September 11, 2015 at 11:33 AM
You might have made the wrong decision with "Innocent Man". Not only is episode 1 very misleading in terms of story and characters, you also don't need to spend 20 hours with those characters, as they get memory- and personality-wiped a couple of times (and undergo unexplained personality-changes on top of that too). Not sure whether that's a good thing though ...
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wonhwa
September 11, 2015 at 12:46 PM
Not the dreaded amnesia plot twist! That's usually one of my least favorite devices but perhaps in this case . . . Honestly, though, my biggest problem with the initial episode was that I didn't believe that real people would actually act the way the characters were behaving, which is usually a cue for me to run.
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kalel
September 11, 2015 at 11:40 AM
Wow, Joseon X-Files was perhaps the best series I've watched in korean TV. I wonder why you didn't like it...I really, really do!
BTW, if someone watched episodes 7 and 8 and figured them out, please be kind and share. I'm still confused...
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wonhwa
September 11, 2015 at 12:53 PM
I felt like it was a show that tended to substitute atmosphere and "mystery" for actual narrative payoffs. I don't need everything wrapped up in a neat little bow, but I get annoyed when shows mistake opacity for profundity.
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juniper
September 11, 2015 at 2:00 PM
I see what you're saying here and normally I'd agree with you, but I actually really enjoyed that about Joseon X-Files. I'm a huge sci fi fan, so it was a joy to see well-worn tropes and concepts transplanted in a world where all the usual tools for understanding them fail to apply. Like, suddenly we don't have techno babble or biomedical jargon, or even a familiarity with modern technology, to filter encounters with aliens and supernatural creatures, so suddenly the unknown seems unknowable, which is such a rare achievement for the genre. Sure, it was frustrating at times, but I feel like this is one case where opacity actually was profound.
korini
September 12, 2015 at 2:37 AM
You're right. Usually opaque doesn't mean profound and over-analysing doesn't make us sound intellectual, but Joseon X-Files was not the case. I consider it one of the best shows I've even seen worldwide and in my line of work I've been forced to watch a whole lot. It's a paradigm of how great a project can be even with limited budget, if you have a clear vision and people who actually know what they're doing.
juniper
September 11, 2015 at 1:51 PM
Yeah I didn't like Nice Guy either--it was so solipsistic and masturbatory I couldn't stand it. I'm not a big fan of Lee Kyung-hee dramas in general--she usually goes for really ambitious macro level themes, but she has to be the laziest writer in dramaland, in terms of research and micro level structure. It's like, the themes might be there, but if you can't even watch the drama and find enjoyment on a basic level, what's the point? Thank You is the only one of hers I've finished, because the story and spirit behind it somehow transcended her usual mess of flaws.
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wonhwa
September 11, 2015 at 9:04 PM
I actually haven't seen any of Lee Kyung-Hee's other shows, but the beginning of Nice Guy didn't make me inclined to start. With Joseon X-Files, I never felt like the writers had fully thought through the mythology of their universe (or if they had, they didn't intend to share it because they were hoping for a second season). There's a difference between a show where you feel there actually is some sort of order or logic to the mysteries, even if it isn't spelled out, and one where the writers just didn't bother to construct an overarching narrative structure. It's possible I lost important details in translation, but the show never convinced me that it had a firm grasp on its own internal mechanics.
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juniper
September 11, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Fair enough. Maybe I was looking at the show through my sci fi fan goggles instead of my mystery goggles haha.
growingbeautifully
September 12, 2015 at 1:06 AM
Thank you @wonhwa
I'm hearing echoes in what you say, in what @Susan says and she's a producer, also experienced in working with scripts and actors. This is so interesting and perfectly understandable, ie that the things that people with a similar show/theatre background look for in a good show are also similar.
"1. I tend to follow writers, although I have watched certain shows primarily to see more of particular actors. I’ll also check out shows that reviewers I trust rave about." - I'm beginning to think, it will be safer to go for the writer if I want to be more secure about finding a good show.
"2. I’ve dropped shows at different points, but it usually happens whenever I realize that I’m no longer invested in the plot or characters, or when it becomes obvious that the writer has no clear sense of where things are going." - This is the million dollar question and I believe it's your experience that speaks.. because I will ask... how does one tell that the writer has lost his direction? Sometimes it's obvious but not always.
"3. I dropped Sword and Flower at episode 8 when it became clear that the writers were totally uninterested in logic or coherent character development. ..." - OK, this one I understand and can recognise, and yet, will they ever get back on track? They could if coached? The writing could improve?
"5. There are shows that I was concerned about initially that developed into really lovely viewing experiences (Mixed-Up Investigation Agency comes to mind), but there are other shows that I stuck with to the bitter end that I wish I’d dropped sooner (City Hunter, ..." - I am trying to re-watch City Hunter with mixed reaction. I may be engaged for a bit, but it loses me fast too.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'd actually really like to hear more about stage directing and theatre craft and how different it is from producing televised shows.
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wonhwa
September 12, 2015 at 7:59 AM
Hi @Growingbeautifully! I don't drop tons of shows, usually because I tend to wait to watch them until they're finished airing and I can get a better sense of whether they're going to fly off the rails or not. I am a lot more likely to stick with a show through rough patches if reviews suggest there will ultimately be a worthwhile payoff. Partly because of my theatre training, I probably do focus on dramatic structure more than other folks might, which means I can usually tell if builds or turning points aren't happening or a show doesn't have a clear sense of direction. City Hunter was an odd watch because the overall structure was decent, but the characterizations were so inconsistent that the individual scenes often made no sense. I felt like the writer had the characters do or say whatever was convenient at any given moment without bothering to think about how real humans might behave.
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kalel
September 11, 2015 at 11:22 AM
1e) I start to watch mostly out of bordom and depending on the mood. Usually rom-coms which are the least realistic genre is the ideal one to entertain me but not always.
2c) Being relatively new to this "universe"(I started watching dramas in'12), I rarely drop a series I've already started.
3) The only show that comes to mind is Take Care of The Young Lady. I did want to finish it (I had finished the terrible One Fine Day, after all), but I still don't know why I just couldn't,-and it wasn't even the worse drama ever...
4a) I will most surely keep watching. I've seen atrocious films before, not to mention TV shows with lots and lots of episodes or seasons; so, a 16 to 20 episode series is just a piece of cake for me, lol! Besides I'm still struggling to find dramaland's "rules and regulations" behind all those productions.
5a) DB's ratings used to have a huge impact when I was a complete rookie. So, that "4" in Haeundae Lovers was so discouraging that I got very close to dropping it right after episode one. Thank God, I didn't because I had a great time watching (most of) it plus I saw actors whom I only knew from cinema in something totally different.
6b) Good Lord, no...no background at all. I said I want to entertain myself as a viewer not lose my sleep (and occasionally some hair) like my sister does. People in entertainment Industry have the higher mortality rate outside war zones...poor,sis!