Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching
by DB Staff
We’ve got several new entries to add to our What We’re Watching list(s), since this week saw the premieres of a few new dramas. And not a moment too soon — we’ve been hearing about them for ages and it was almost starting to feel like they’d never premiere. There are only so many teasers you can watch before you’re done with the tease. On to the main event! –javabeans
javabeans
Mirror of the Witch: I love how all of the characters have a purpose and motivation, and the show doesn’t waste anyone by relegating them to mere set dressing or sidekick status. I’m intrigued that Red Cloak is driven by an internal motivation, for instance (though we aren’t privy to the story yet), and that our primary villain has moments of real pathos. All of the actors are killing it, and the mythology just works for me.
Dear My Friends: Every episode makes me cry for some reason, although not necessarily with overt sadness. It reminds me of the descriptions of Misaeng in its heydey as being the saddest drama without a single sad scene in it — it’s all about twisting the heart and tugging emotional threads found in ordinary life, rather than building a sad story. Although, man, the Shin Gu/Na Mun-hee marriage and history sure feels bleak sometimes.
Beautiful Gong Shim: I miss the cute weird bizarre comedy feel, which was what made this show stand out, since without the quirk of Dan-tae and Gong Shim, it’s a simple standard family drama (on the breezy, light-hearted end of the spectrum). I’m not too upset that the drama is spending a little more time on the non-romance elements, because the show was set up with that to be a major story component, but I do want it to squeeze in more of the oddball humor that made it a must-watch for me.
Oh Hae-young Again: I think everyone probably feels the slowdown at this point, and things are feeling much more dire in Hae-young’s world, with less of the everyday struggles and small character moments. It’s still one of the shows I look forward to every week, but I’m just a little less addicted than I used to be. Here’s to hoping the ending is satisfactory in its last week!
Beautiful Mind: I’d worried that with the time crunch leading into this drama, it would be a mess, but it is thankfully a lot better, more suspenseful, and more intriguing than its lack of prep time might suggest. I like that it’s a murder mystery more than a hospital drama, and am reminded of last year’s underrated thrillerI Remember You. Not a bad point of comparison.
Lucky Romance: Much thanks to LollyPip for stepping in to cover this, just as girlfriday and I headed off for KCON this week! (Recaps would have had to been pushed till early next week otherwise, so we owe her thanks!) This week was all about Ryu Joon-yeol, and god he can elevate anything. He has a way of finding tiny elements in the character or drawing out unexpected moments, and those nuances of interpretation make all the difference between a cookie-cutter character and a one-of-a-kind drama hero.
Wanted: It does feel a whole lot like God’s Gift — 14 Days, but I do find the reality-show twist to be just the thing to keep it fresh and unpredictable. This is a slickly produced mystery-crime thriller with good actors and interesting characters, and I have high hopes that it’ll be a gripping nail-biter of a show.
girlfriday
Oh Hae-young Again: Shouldn’t have gotten that extension.
Beautiful Gong Shim: This keeps happening where I finally catch up to the current episodes of a super cute show just in time for the angst. Is it me, or is it you, Show?
Lucky Romance: Behind on this because of KCON NY, and have been jealous that from the looks of it, LollyPip’s gotten the cute courtship phase of the show. Curses!
Mirror of the Witch: This is the drama that’s making me swoon these days. I
know it’s so obvious, but to me there is no greater declaration of love than when a hero accepts you—witchy curses and all—just as you are.
Dear My Friends: Still awesome, still making me cry ugly tears.
Police Unit 38: The first episode had a slow build, but as soon as Seo In-gook shows up as the slick con man, everything picks up and there’s a fun heisty, capery feel to it. Definitely up for more of that.
Doctors: Only just started this one, and still verrry iffy on the relationship. But I kind of like Park Shin-hye as a sullen teenager, probably more than I’m going to like her as a doctor.
Beautiful Mind: This one was a surprise, but it’s a very intriguing mystery
that’s clearly going to have layers and delve into interesting character work, which is exciting.
HeadsNo2
Mirror of the Witch: Still thrills me.
Doctors: Kind of chills me?
Beautiful Mind: Kills me. In a good way. (Seriously, I thought this was going to be a hot mess, but I’m kind of in love with it so far.)
gummimochi
Jackpot: To this day, I still can’t believe I sat through this entire series. Why anyone did anything in this show is beyond me, and I counted the days wishing for Yi Injwa’s demise. Still, I’ll never regret the opportunity to see Yeo Jin-gu onscreen… even if it was on 1.3x speed. If you ever decide to watch Jackpot, do yourself a favor and keep a stiff drink by your side. It makes the ride surprisingly more entertaining.
Oh Hae-young Again: I’m still a few weeks behind (Episode 10), but this show just reminds me of how magnetic Eric’s charm is. I love Seo Hyun-jin playing Oh Hae-young to pieces, and I love her family even more. A family who sings together and cries together stays together.
Doctors: No matter how much I love Kim Rae-won as an actor, watching his character, a teacher, flirt the line of appropriate conduct with a minor leaves an unsettling feeling in my stomach. Maybe things will change once they’re both legal adults, but for the time being, can someone sound the alarm for Stranger Danger on Hye-jung’s behalf?
odilettante
Currently recapping: Dear My Friends
Monster: Wow, things have really picked up steam! Too bad it took 26 episodes to get there, but hey, we’re only halfway through, so anything can still happen. This seems to be even more true now that there’s a sudden time jump and who knows what’s happened in the intervening year. Maybe it’s something good, like a mysterious tragic accident that means Do Kwang-woo no longer gets any attention because seriously no one cares about him anymore. Well, no one except for his scarily intense mother.
Police Unit 38: I love everything about this show. The concept, the cinematography, the script, the characters. Everything. Okay, maybe not everything — after all, I do have to wait a whole week for the next episodes to air. That’s just so long. Even though I’m a fan of the con/heist genre, it’s really Ma Dong-seok’s fantastic portrayal of the prosaic-yet-idealistic everyman that’s stolen my heart and makes me want all the episodes, now.
Doctors: I’m happy Park Shin-hye has returned to Dramaland and I especially love her character in this show. But I’m also not really a fan of medical dramas or this screenwriter, so I’m not sure if I’ll be watching beyond the first couple of episodes.
hanshimi
Empress Ki: I’m in Japan for the summer with unreliable wifi, which means spending time with backlogged dramas—and boy, am I sorry that I missed the hype on this one. I don’t usually watch sageuks and Empress Ki isn’t without faults (uneven pacing being the biggest), but with its stellar cast, high-budget scenery, feminist commentary, and addictive promise of heart-wrenching romance and revenge, it’s easy to see why it was such a hit. Also, Ji Chang-wook in this role? Yes.
Juhan Shuttai!: I know DB is primarily a Korean drama site, but this Japanese dorama has really captured my heart recently. Aside from my obsession with Sakaguchi Kentaro (especially in this role!) it’s right up my alley with lovable characters, an interesting setting in the manga business, and powerful commentary about the power of humanity—I was already crying by episode 2.
mary
Awl: I finally finished Awl and it probably goes to the #1 spot in my list… of Difficult To Watch dramas. It’s so hard watching the bad guys win again and again because they’re less scrupulous and know the law better and have all the money and power to crush the heroes. It was too uncomfortably real. I would’ve dropped this a long time ago if it didn’t feel like a betrayal to Robot Manager of Justice Lee Su-in and his cause. I guess if a drama can make you feel guilty for abandoning someone else’s fight, then it’s a really good show. It just needs a Pain Warning in the label.
Signal: Finally had time to pick this back up and I love it. I love everyone. Even the characters I’m supposed to hate, I love to hate them. Can’t imagine watching this while it was airing because those cliffhangers are torture. But watching late also means I have no one to talk to about it (can’t go to recaps in case there are spoilers in comments). So now I watch with a notebook and pen to take notes and figure out the timeline.
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Tags: 1 show to rule them all, Awl, Beautiful Gong Shim, Beautiful Mind, Dear My Friends, Doctors, Jackpot, Lucky Romance, Mirror of the Witch, Monster, Oh Hae-young Again, Police Unit 38, Signal, Wanted, What We're Watching
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1 aegiomma
June 25, 2016 at 8:20 PM
Just want to say "what we were watching" are my new favorite dramabeans posts! It's so helpful when I'm trying to decide which shows to watch! Thanks!
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anon
June 25, 2016 at 8:31 PM
+1
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IluvJIS
June 25, 2016 at 10:49 PM
I really wanna recommend Becky's Back, a 4-episode KBS drama. I don't think the synopsis does it any justice
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moonpetal
June 26, 2016 at 4:44 AM
Me too ! :)
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Sere
June 26, 2016 at 3:03 PM
this!
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2 prettysup
June 25, 2016 at 8:31 PM
I am watching Beautiful Mind, Wanted and 38 Task Force now. Beautiful Mind is good especially since Jang Hyuk is in it. The beginning of 38 Task Force was hard to watch until Seo In Gook turned up, let's see if it can sustain me. Feels like giving up Wanted though.
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3 Cafe
June 25, 2016 at 8:43 PM
Hanshimi's comment about Juhan Shuttai! got me curious about it. There are some awesome j-dramas that I really-really liked. :)
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Catz
June 26, 2016 at 3:07 AM
Juhan Shuttai is awesome :D I love how they've included other contributors (Manga editors, Bookstore workers, Sales Persons, Artist Assistants) aside from the Manga artists. Plus there's quite a number of eye catchers as you progress through the drama ;)
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ilog
June 26, 2016 at 3:23 AM
Juhan Shuttai truly is a gem! I just absolutely love everyone. This could have easily been a throwaway workplace comedy jdrama, but I feel that every single one of the actors sincerely poured their hearts out to each of their characters, elevating this drama to one of the most precious dramas I've watched in recent years.
Anyway will stop gushing now. But everyone, watch it! Kuroki Haru is a revelation and I'm now an ardent fan!
P.S. Lol, I cry every episode and it's all happy tears.
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Nokke
June 27, 2016 at 3:52 AM
true, it's so awesome! and it's so nice how all the storylines folded)
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atz
June 26, 2016 at 6:11 AM
I love the array of the actors of Juhan Shuttai. Odagiri Joe is so cool. It's unfortunate that they did not get a good rating. But again there are many good dramas that deserved better ratings. This is one of them.
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spazmo
June 26, 2016 at 4:00 AM
<3 odagiri joe...
; )
watch Bakuman later, it'll show you another perspective look (from the manga writers) at the world of manga in japan, and what makes it so enormously successful. it's a movie, but an excellent watch also...
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Nessie
June 26, 2016 at 8:51 PM
OOOOooo a workplace drama on the manga industry, I'm definitely gonna give it a go! I've been looking for some jdramas recently but didn't know where to start. They're a good break from kdramas once in awhile.
I've never seen Odagiri Joe in anything either so this will be fun.
The Bakuman film is also really good! I recently watched it in the cinemas and it is such a good adaption of the manga. The main duo is simply amazing and they really do channel the spirit of the characters. Just ignore the love line lol
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4 michelle
June 25, 2016 at 8:59 PM
38 Task Force is seriously such a good watch! I don't know if it's because I'm just that in love with Seo Inguk, but it's hitting all the right places for me.
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Oshi
June 25, 2016 at 9:15 PM
Doesn't matter to me. I got me so Gukiiie!
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Kestrel
June 26, 2016 at 8:36 AM
38TF is awesome. Seriously. I am always up for a gang caper and this one is hilarious, with fantastic music, and just enough tangled complication to make me feel like I'm walking into Ocean's 11 all over again. Ma Dong Seok is killing it.
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5 Dee
June 25, 2016 at 9:02 PM
@Mary, i just started Signal too!!! Its so addictive I cannot imagine watching it live. I'm glad I don't have to wait a week for the next episode. I'm at episode 2 now.
Thanks Dramabeans for including this new segment "What we're watching now"! Its nice to read everyone's thoughts on shows they are watching but not recapping.
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mary
June 25, 2016 at 9:18 PM
I'm on Episode 5 with Signal! :D This is great, we can hold each other when the feels start stomping on our hearts and feeding them to 7-day starved dogs...
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blueribbon
June 25, 2016 at 11:35 PM
How hard did you cry in episode 4? I was sobbing. XD
It was torture to wait every week but it was worth it. I actually finished watching it a second time not to long ago and I am still suffering from withdrawal syndrome.
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Dee
June 27, 2016 at 12:02 AM
I just finished watching ep 4! @blueribbon i see what you mean. Oh my feels!! I'm holding back my tears as I watched this in a cafe. My feels are crumpled into a tiny rasin.
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mary
June 27, 2016 at 12:42 AM
The Subway PPL made me cry ;D
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Dee
June 26, 2016 at 5:24 AM
Awesome! Omg okay, I'll share my shock blankets and squishy pillows with you. I have time this week i'll catch up soon!
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Peach
June 25, 2016 at 9:49 PM
Watching it live was hard, but I think binge watching it would've given me an anxiety overdose. ?
Glad to see new ppl discover the show tho!
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Khusbu
June 25, 2016 at 11:45 PM
This is such a coincidence, because I literally just finished marathoning Signal yesterday. (I finished it in 2 days, and I agree that it's an anxiety overdose. I can't imagine how people managed to watch a week between episodes though!) I actually clicked on this to see what to watch now that I've finished Signal and I have wayy too many expectations for the next one. XD
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Dee
June 26, 2016 at 5:26 AM
Hahaha yes each ep is so powerful it feels like a movie. Maybe I need a breather after each ep before i continue, haha but not a long break because i can't wait to watch the next ep!
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cheekbones
June 26, 2016 at 6:30 AM
I just finished Signal last week. It's definitely one of the best k-dramas I've watched, if not The best.
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6 Iyah
June 25, 2016 at 9:03 PM
1. Lucky Romance -my fave of all airing dramas right now. This is my third time for Jungeum and first for Ryu Jun Yeol. I'm so inlove with both characters, the pacing of the story and the simple plot which makes it so relatable to me as a viewer. Ryu Jun Yeol is winning in this, with his outstanding witty characterization of this genius innocent little puppy who starts to realize how is it to be in love.I'm in for this guy. I wanna see him in a melodrama..pls gimme that dramagods.
2. OH Hae Young Again. Agree with girlfriday. I'm just keeping up with Isadora. I so love her. Hahahaha
3. Doctors. I watched the first 2 eps, sorry to say i might drop this. I cant connect with Kim Rae Won character with Park Shin Hye's. Or maybe, it's too early?
4. Mirror of the Witch
My second fave. This drama makes me wanna skip weekdays (except for Wed & Thurs tho). I've watched every YSY dramas and totally inlove with him here.
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7 azkaa
June 25, 2016 at 9:04 PM
Been staying away of any new dramas other than Police Squad 38. But Javabean comparing Beautiful Mind to I Remember You is seriously tempting. And i laff Park So Dam.
Anyway, so that means Police Squad will be recapped then? (Sending enormous wink to Odillante lol)
And shout out to Mary! Have a fun ride with Signal girl!
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Oshi
June 25, 2016 at 9:16 PM
BM was a surprise in a lot of ways. As I was watching it I got a predictable vibe but somehow the characterization is done much better then expected. It was very intriguing.
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boomboompow
June 25, 2016 at 10:44 PM
The comparison to IRY is also the reason why I am going to start BM!
But later after I caught up with Mirror of the Witch - am currently on episode 6 and it's my new drama crack so far!
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riri123
June 26, 2016 at 12:19 AM
Yes, give Beautiful Mind a try because it really does comparable with I Remember You. It's pretty different from other Korean thriller investigative dramas like IRY
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8 PBY
June 25, 2016 at 9:07 PM
So many shows to juggle at the same time!
Gong Shim always looked like an ideal 16-episode show to me, I never saw enough conflict that would push it to ep20 without dragging bits.
I simply can't get into Beautiful Mind - it doesn't appeal to me at all, but I'll try to marathon it when it finishes if the reviews stay good.
Doctors seem good so far, I like PSH in this role. KRW has a beautiful smile, although just a bit creeptastic of a character (the flirting with students, of course).
P.S. Mary, your profile picture is too cute ?!
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mary
June 25, 2016 at 9:33 PM
Oppar sends some harteu harteu~
Gong-shim is weird cos I think it's in a timeslot reserved for weekend dramas but it's more rom-com than weekend-ish. Anyway, I'm gonna hope the extra 6 eps is Dan-tae taunting Gong-mi in front of Jun-su... :D
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9 muggledore
June 25, 2016 at 9:12 PM
Is it just me or does GirlFriday have way too many dramas on her radar?
How does she do it?? Has she found a way to bend time on her will? Why is she not sharing!
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10 An
June 25, 2016 at 9:18 PM
I can't decide if I like Task Force 38 yet or not. I like the concept, LOVE the actors (Seo In Guk!!), everything is fine and yet I feel the something is missing.. but it's finally on Viki, so there's that good news.
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11 Gaeli
June 25, 2016 at 9:21 PM
OMG! here someone watgching and loving to pieces Juhan Shuttai! its a beautiful and wonderful drama about the manga's world, but more about the human being, the soul and the joy for the life. I'm tearing in the half of drama, and love it! Plase, watch people!!
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12 Evelia
June 25, 2016 at 9:28 PM
Mirror of the Witch, the best drama for me so far that I have seen this year. There is no nonsense between the leads, they both accept each other and are fighting together to help each other. Also a pretty interesting villain, who has chosen her path and will reach it no matter what. The only character I dont like is Poong-yeo.
Doctors saw the first half of the episode, but I am creeped out by the relationship that the teacher has with the students. And as I watched the show I kept thinking about the trailer and that he was going to say to PSH's character when he grabs her by the arm "I been waiting, waiting 10 years, 10 seconds,..". Hopefully they dont spend that many episodes with the high school years.
And Jackpot even though a part of me says not to watch it.
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13 Peach
June 25, 2016 at 9:42 PM
I wanted (lol) to like Wanted more than I did, but the first episode and a half felt reaaaalllllllly slow. If I hadn't seen such positive comments about it I probably would've dropped it during episode 1. I was glad when it finally got more exciting in the latter half of episode 2, I hope the rest of the season has the same momentum.
Beautiful Mind, however, feels more like the suspense drama I'v been looking for since Signal ended. The casting and scheduling conflicts had me so worried about it, but so far it has waaay surpassed my expectations.
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14 Sunflowerdiva
June 25, 2016 at 9:56 PM
Of the new dramas, I tried out all four: Doctors, Beautiful Mind, Wanted, and Police Force 38 (or whatever the heck it's called; I've seen about four different titles, yeesh). I fell in love with Police Force 38 immediately (cough -- Seo In-guuuuuk) and am absolutely going to continue watching. Wanted looks promising, though episode 2's cliffhanger was definitely a questionable wtf ending. Tell me what's going oooonnnn. May or may not continue with Beautiful Mind, and I actually have little interest in Doctors anymore. Maybe medical dramas just aren't my thing?
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15 oozzeee
June 25, 2016 at 9:57 PM
Another yay! for juhan shuttai and for portrayal of naivety that is not irritating.
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Stella
August 15, 2016 at 7:39 AM
Yes, they use another way to love each other with other people
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16 Bùi Quốc Khánh
June 25, 2016 at 9:59 PM
Watching Beautiful Mind, Doctors, Monster, Wanted, Beauful Gong Shim, Mirror of The Witch, Dear My Friends, Five Children (i know, too much, right?)
Dropped 'Come! Jang Bo Ri' last week because nosub. I watched ep 13.
Doctors make I feel disappointed with camera work and script. Did I expected too much? I will try to watch ep 3 & ep 4.
Beautiful Gong Shim get more fun on ep 11~12.
I hope Five Children end quickly to I maraton on it, just watched ep 22 now.
Looking forward to W (can they change the logo?). I REALLY want Lucky Romance end soon.
Mirror of The Witch getting boring right now, feel all characters play the game "hide and seek".
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Wag-a-muffin
June 26, 2016 at 8:00 PM
I agree with you on Mirror of the Witch. Most comments here on Dramabeans are still positive. I'm not dropping the show, but the last 2 episodes were (for me) not as good as the first ones. I love the actors, the sets, and the music. It's just--for one example--she's got all this power, she could choke out the villain using just her mind, but "don't kill the Shamaness, because that would be bad. Let's let her kill the queen, stab your boundary buddy with a knife that almost kills him, etc. You're going to be dead in 21 days if you don't light the candles, but let's not do anything rash."
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HKIM2011
June 27, 2016 at 10:59 AM
I agree that some of the action in recent episodes felt a little repetitive (good guys don't take action to really stop Hong Joo, and Hong Joo does something again to undermine the good guys), and the inaction on the part of the heroes can be frustrating. But this week's episodes made me think about why the drama was written this way (I want to trust the writers and not just think they're dragging out the plot to cover the number of episodes they have left).
I think it hinges on the difference between Team Yeon Hui and Team Hong Joo - it's not just that Team Yeon Hui has a noble cause and Hong Joo doesn't. In fact, it's still a little unclear what Hong Joo's ultimate goal/motivation is. Maybe her goal is noble in that she wants to free the people without power from the royal family's power. I mean, she does take the young girls bound for brothels and has them trained to be warriors. In another drama, Hong Joo could be the hero. Abused by the royal family herself, she decides to create an army of abandoned women made strong, to challenge the royal family. Sure, there are casualties along the way, but every war against abuse of power has casualties.
I think what makes Hong Joo the villainess here is how she tries to achieve whatever goals she has, whether they're admirable or not. Her tactic has been to manipulate people's baser emotions and instincts to wreak havoc - the queen's greed for a child and fear of being barren, the present king's fear, Pong Yun's greed and jealousy for Yeon Hui's love. She's focusing on the worst about people - greed, fear, jealousy.
By comparison, Yeon Hui and her compatriots have hope and belief in people, and acceptance of others. What seems like frustrating inaction could also be characterized as not interfering with or manipulating other people's choices and actions. (This also seems in line with the Taoist approach.) Hyun Suh didn't stop Hong Joo because he wanted her to correct her ways herself, Yo Gang doesn't kill Hyun Suh because he hopes that his master won't be overcome by the black magic, Hyun Seo doesn't try to guide Pong Yun's choices regarding Yeon Hui but lets his son decide for himself.
I think that we've gotten used to shows and movies where Team Good smartens up and starts concocting schemes and being manipulative to trick and win over Team Evil. There's a certain satisfaction in seeing that kind of match-up, but I think this show takes a different approach. I think (and I hope future episodes of this drama bears out this theory) that this drama is showing that choosing to believe in people and letting people make their own decisions is a better way to live than manipulating people to get the outcome you want. I mean, the whole premise of how Yeon Hui gets the candles lit is that she fulfills other people's desires, and she doesn't go around imposing her will on others. Hopefully, future episodes stay strong on this theme and don't start changing characters'...
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17 Needaname
June 25, 2016 at 10:01 PM
So I used to be a Kdrama addict, then things cooled down a bit. I can't believe I am back watching Monday-Thursday! For the longest time my last drama was High Society--fell in love with Park Hyunsik! Then I didn't watch anything after that...then this year I picked up Marriage Contract, Goodbye Mr Black, and now I am watching OHYA, Lucky Romance, and picked up Doctors last week! I actually like PSH and KRW's characters and relationship. They both have healing to do so I am glad they both found someone to share that time with. I guess to me I don't see them as romantically involved at this stage. She found someone who got through to her and supported her through her "change" and he found someone who stirs him again, or for the first time? They just met at the right time and are able to be there for each other when they needed "something" in their life. Yes, it is not the right time for romance, but that is why they are jumping 13 years later... Which I find is a long time no? Anyways, will see how it goes, but so far I like it! And I was thinking my Monday-Tuesday would be free after this week! Oh well... I have not seen any work from PSH since You're Beautiful--yes, that was a long time ago! And I think I've only seen KRW in his earlier works, MLP and Rooftop Cat! So glad to watch them again. And I agree, OHYA should not have been extended. It definitely lost the flow/intensity... One recent episode I think almost nothing happened! After I watched it I thought "huh.. nothing happened". But I am glad it probably gave more story/time to SK and JS. At this point, I am more interested in what will happen to them and how they will resolve their situation. I think dragging on DK's "will he die or not" kind of lost the intensity of the situation. Every episode lately has been teasing us.. I feel like whatever happens now I'll just be glad it's over and done with! Having said that, I am still enjoying the show... It's just been dragging.
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18 witheachnewmorning
June 25, 2016 at 10:03 PM
i love this segment as well!!! i enjoy reading what you guys have to say about dramas that you aren't recapping haha anyway its exams week so i cant watch much now but ive 2 eps behind MOTW (I cant watch it at night so i hv severely limited time) i started the first 2 eps of doctors and im loving PSH so far like wow that girl can fight (she did her own stunts) the romance is making me a bit uncomfortable although i love the chemistry between the actors and i hope the plot will surprise haha
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19 Ora
June 25, 2016 at 10:06 PM
Thank you for sharing your insights on waht you're watching. It really is helpful. Thank you guys!!!
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20 Sarilisano
June 25, 2016 at 10:08 PM
Police unit 38 and beautiful mind is awesome.... Right now i'm spreading the awesomeness of signal to everyone that asking me which drama should they watch
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21 Sancheezy
June 25, 2016 at 10:18 PM
I just started Juhan Shuttai! last night and I love it, can't believe hanshimi mention it, thanks
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22 Yuki
June 25, 2016 at 10:23 PM
Hi @hanshimi! Another fan of Sakaguchi Kentaro here *-*
So Juhan Shuttai is good? I was skipping it for now because I do not have much time, but if it's a nice once, certainly I need to give it a try because I luffff Sakaguchi's smile so much :D
And glad to know that you guys are also enjoying Mirror of the Witch, it's so good...Yesterday I cried (again) watching episode 13, they know how to pull the heartstrings; and I am still finding the plot thrilling, from minute one till the end of the episode, there is always some tension going on. It's my drama addiction these days. :)
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23 August
June 25, 2016 at 10:25 PM
❤️❤️❤️❤️ watching Mirror of the Witch and Beautiful Gong Shim
Up to date on Oh Hae-young Again (though sometimes it feels like a chore to watch each week)
Behind on Happy Home, Dear My Friends (eps 12-14) and Lucky Romance (eps 9 & 10)
Checked out Police Unit 38, Beautiful Mind, and Wanted
Wishful thinking on my part...wanting to marathon Master - God of Noodle (eps 1-18) before the finale airs this coming week.
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mary
June 25, 2016 at 10:32 PM
Haha I have the same wish. Got GoN ready for watching but I don't know if I can catch up to the finale.
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August
June 25, 2016 at 10:50 PM
Probably won't make the deadline since I haven't even had the time this weekend to start on ep. 1 yet. :(
New goal(s)...have MGON and Six Flying Dragons completed in time for the year end poll, reviews, & the beanie bean count post...Hey, I aim high! :)
Oh, meant to remark on Awl and Signal - great choices - totally worth it!
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24 gerry13
June 25, 2016 at 10:26 PM
I am watching
Dear my friends- love all the old folks and love story of wan, the mother/daughter relationship, growing old and being alone- makes me cry
Beautiful Mind- very intriguing storyline, fast paced and jang hyuk is fantastic and strong, experienced actors- highly recommend
Flower in prison- stop a while but will continue cos of go soo
Lucky romance- ok only, not fantastic, will still continue
Doctors- saw 1-2 episodes, going to drop cos boring - school girls fighting, triangle love, storyline nothing new
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25 coby
June 25, 2016 at 10:30 PM
That pic above is my exact FB cover page! I've lost interest in OHY.. I'm only looking forward for MTW. I'm only watching Lucky Romance because of RJY's character which never fails to amaze me.
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26 indie24
June 25, 2016 at 10:33 PM
Dropped Gong Shim after the 8th episode. Love the quirkiness of Dan Tae and Gong Shim but the rest of the story is just meh for me. I guess it is just too predictable. Sorry, Gong Shim fans.
I'm still watching Another Oh Hae Young. It is still a great drama but the excitement of waiting for the next episode waned a bit. There are some scenes that just seemed like fillers. I'm with girlfriday, I don't think there is a need for 2-episode extension.
To those who have just recently discovered Signal and Awl, I'm happy for you. They are great dramas with lots of angst. Awl is bit difficult to watch because it just seems so realistic. It pained me watching what the employees of Fourmis had to go through.
Watched the first 4 episodes of Police Unit 38 and I'm loving it. The cliffhanger at the end of each episode just gets me excited and makes me impatient for the next one. And well, Seo In Guk is in it so I am compelled to watch the drama.
I might just give Beatiful Mind a try...
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27 Squad 38
June 25, 2016 at 10:53 PM
Glad to see some squad 38 fans amongst the team!! That show deserves love. As a fan of it, I should care that there's not more people watching it, but it's so good, I can't even be bothered by that. I'm just glad to be here to enjoy it <3 Seo In Guk has me in the palm of his hands.
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28 hamir
June 25, 2016 at 11:13 PM
Mirror Of The Witch!!!! <333 Is it 16 or 20 eps? I get conflicting search results.
No 1N2D?? Awww, the episode was so good this week. YSY, I mean Dong gu's lecture was so meaningful.
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Bùi Quốc Khánh
June 26, 2016 at 12:43 AM
Mirror of The Witch will have 20 ep, although they was plan for 16 ep at first.
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Vera
June 26, 2016 at 1:03 AM
+1
1n2d is so consistently good. The show was already amazing but Yoon Si Yoon joining is doing wonders.
Ewha Part 2 - Not only was it an emotional ep but a really funny one too. The soccer game was hilarious and the stretcher gag was gold.
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29 ck1Oz
June 25, 2016 at 11:32 PM
I love this post. But have to say I NEED to read the Mirror of the witch recaps. Am not a sageuk fan and without reading the recaps can't figure out what I miss. Yes I do some fast forwarding but you can't with this show. So yeah waiting for last weekend's recaps. Because frankly didn't understand what happened in ep 12.
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Elle
June 26, 2016 at 4:19 AM
Recaps for both episodes are already out :)
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ck1Oz
June 27, 2016 at 1:01 AM
It is? On DB?
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30 blueribbon
June 25, 2016 at 11:46 PM
I have to agree OHYA has slowed down and I have also become less addicted to it, heck I haven't even watched last week's episodes. I will try to catch up before this week. The only one I am currently watching without missing is Dear My Friends, I absolutely adore that show.
I want to start on the new shows but they haven't really attracted my attention except for Police Unit 38, yet again that is the only one of the new shows that I have watched the first two episodes full. I started watching Master God of Noodles because of all the good comments it was getting and I like it so far I am currently in episode 4. The first episode was great, I like that we actually got the backstory of the villain. What I like the most currently about this show is the directing style. Kudos to the director on how the scenes are shot specially on episode 1. I have been wanting to watch Awl for some time I guess I will have to start it.
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Grapes
June 26, 2016 at 2:39 AM
Glad another one watching Master Of Noodles, in my opinion this is the best revenge drama I've ever watched, i look forward to each episode it's sad that it will end this week am gonna miss it
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Fitria Amathonthe
June 26, 2016 at 9:06 AM
Master God Noddles is a really great drama. I love watching every episode. Best revenge drama.
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31 coco
June 26, 2016 at 12:12 AM
I think OHYA kinda sums up Kdrama overall
became less interested after the romance is achieved, like OMG Idk what's left for me in this show,
I think I leave weekly watch after DK is found innocent by the show
so Kdrama needs to move from love central plot to execute 16 ep or just used Jdrama format, 12 ep,
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32 Fasha Mamat
June 26, 2016 at 12:49 AM
How I wish any of you could recap police unit 38 since I heard such a good review yet lack of promotion for this drama...as the most famous recap blog,any weekly recap surely can help them a lot...
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33 JeonWooChi
June 26, 2016 at 1:07 AM
Woohooo...another Juhan Shuttai fans here
I already finished it yesterday and it makes me sad because suddenly farewells to Vibes Publishing Crew ?
Currently I'm watching Police Unit 38 and Beautiful Mind.
As for Police Unit 38, i think it's a little bit slow because they want to peel every movement. For next week they better to move faster to avoid boredom.
It's only episode 2 but Beautiful Mind has nailed it. Hope that age gap doesn't interfere this beautiful drama.. Park So-dam hwaiting ??
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34 samantha1
June 26, 2016 at 1:17 AM
I've been watching Mirror of the Witch, Oh Hae Young Again, and Beautiful Mind these days and I still enjoy watching the first two and surprisingly like the last.
I'm jealous of mary coz she's just watched back up Signal and that is my favorite kdrama of all time.I found it hard recommending it to my friend coz she became terrified after knowing that the cases were based on real-life events and she just couldn't continue watching after two episodes. I don't know how to persuade her to continue..
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35 angieya
June 26, 2016 at 1:55 AM
Ha, I'm watching the exact same shows as GF (ok, why does this make me proud? Lol). Man, this was a very busy week dramawise.
PU38: Squeeeeee SIG SIG SIG SIG SIG (and no recaps :-( )
MOTW: I still have ep.14 to watch but ngl I found ep.13 a bit draggy. And this is going to be 20 episodes now? Omg, how are they going to fill the remaining 6 episodes, running in circles even more and everyone turns bad for a while except our leads? Should've left it at 16 imo.
Gong Shim: I want adorkable NGM back this weekend, pretty please!
Dear my friends: JB said it perfectly, it makes you cry without a sad scene. Such a gem this show.
OHYA: Still can't believe it's ending next week though I agree that the extension didn't do it any favors. Is there actually any show that profited from its extension?
Doctors: Kim Rae-won!! Nuff said
Lucky Romance: RJY, stop being so adorkable, my heart can't take it and I can't rewatch every single scene 10times.
Beautiful Mind: Jang Hyuk creeps the heck out of me in this role. First two episodes were promising but I'm still holding my breath since I don't know why I have the weird feeling this might turn makjang (please don't).
Wanted: Wanted (ha no pun intended) to check this out but still haven't found the opening to the 4th dimension, how were the first 2 episodes?
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Page Turner: Since there are too many good shows airing right now all the other dramas I've started a while ago are put on hold (Nirvana in Fire and Heard it through the grapevine), so finally came around to watch this little gem and all I can say is... it's perfect for its 3 episodes and amazing how much these short dramas can make you feel attached to them (this and Splish Splash Love in my case)
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samantha1
June 26, 2016 at 4:59 AM
LOL. I remember I first saw Isadora (OHYA) in Page Turner as Kim So Hyun's mom and I was taken aback when saw her very different character in OHYA and she really did blew me away :)
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mary
June 26, 2016 at 5:03 AM
Wait- WHAT? That was her? :O
No wonder she was familiar...
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samantha1
June 26, 2016 at 6:27 AM
Wahaha.YES.That was her :)
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angieya
June 26, 2016 at 6:48 AM
The first time I saw her was in Producers and she really makes all her roles memorable.
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patinalee
June 26, 2016 at 7:50 AM
Aww... The stationery nazi! And poor Jong Kook.
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mary
June 27, 2016 at 9:14 AM
:O That was her too?
Trinity 🍆
June 27, 2016 at 9:05 AM
I was the same way! I looked her up because she looked familiar but I couldn't place who she was. When I saw she was Kim Soo-Hyun's Mom in Page Turner I was floored. She plays TOTALLY different characters. She is an amazing actress.
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36 Grapes
June 26, 2016 at 2:51 AM
My favorite drama for months was Master Of Noodles it's sad that it will end this week, i will miss this great drama
Another one that I am enjoying BGS: loveed yesterdays episode
MOTW I love hong Joo amaizing actress
Beutiful Mind: good start i like when the lead is mysterious and dangerous, same as Master Of Noodles
38 Task Squad: love it i love MDS and SIG daynamic those two are killing their roles
OHY i lost intrest a long time ago just waiting for it to end, I don't care if DK dies or live
Five Children and Dear My friends i am a lot behind on those
Doctor i like the first 2 episodes so far but ...
Sometimes i watch daily dramas i watch Start Again for now
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37 asmara
June 26, 2016 at 2:52 AM
Police Squad 38, once again! LOL!
Ep 3 and 4 are definitely way better than ep 1 and 2. The pace, the witty dialogue, the funny interactions (oh Sung Il), the thrill (even they con the viewers), the great acting, and of course the sexiest con man my forever SIG. That smile when he con people, but then that eyes when he look at Sung Hee and when he feels threathened.
If only they started ep 1 and 2 like this. Oh well, I'm so happy that many people recognize this show. Now, put a great SIG-like smile to DB teams hoping they would be conned to recap this.
No? Hmm I should give a call to SIG him self then.
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38 eunchans
June 26, 2016 at 2:54 AM
I caught up on Lucky Romance this week with alot of fast-forwarding and RJY is really the show's saving grace. I do love him doing comedy and he is so ridiculously endearing in this role. This show is one of the strangest rom coms of recent times with a heroine I just don't understand and the thinnest excuse for a plot I've seen since Oh My Venus, but it has its moments I guess? Still, the cast deserves better and we deserve better rom coms than this.
I totally recommend Juhan Shuttai!! Yes, it is an idealistic view of the manga publishing world but I don't care, it portrays its subject matter with love and care. I love Sakaguchi Kentaro being dorky (for a model turned actor, I think he's quite promising) and the heroine is so adorable and the heart of the show. Really enjoyable and I'm sad to see it go. The whole cast is great and the finale was perfect.
I really need to catch up with AOHY. It's a shame that it's another show diminished by extensions, judging by what you guys are saying. Still, I'll see it through til the end.
I need to try all the new shows and watch Dear My Friends/Mirror of the Witch/God of Noodles (first two episodes were surprising good + engrossing) but I started a new job and have no time :/
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coco
June 26, 2016 at 6:35 AM
I think LR is a character driven story rather than plot, the plot is just the start up while their action is what progress the drama,
OMV, on the other hand, is plot driven since she has goal to gain her confidence, her former body and etc, while LR already finished their starts up a while back and progress to the problem they had in recent time like the romance, the continuation of bora's treatment, each character etc, it's small but it's understandable
I don't think it's a fair comparison,
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39 eynay
June 26, 2016 at 3:06 AM
I'm only watching Mirror of the witch & Wanted. I'm watching 2 ealier episode of wanted & I think for the rest of 14 episode they will try to find who actually kidnapped her son.
Maybe will start watching Beautiful Minds.
I watch 2 episodes of PU38 but I don't think I will like to continue watching it. Even I love SIG in Hello Monster but his character here not really to my liking.
~ and I start to watching Hong Kong drama. I think I left Hong Kong drama for years. Maybe for 15yrs. I in love with 'Presumed Accident'. If anyone know where can I watch episode 15 onwards please let me know. ?
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40 yoobitna
June 26, 2016 at 3:27 AM
am I the only one who still loves OHY despite the fact that there is not much of conflict this week? Idk but I really like the fact that they're finally together and show us their lovey dovey dates. Well it's romcom, so I don't mind a lil more romance this week since we had quite a lot of melo since ep 9-14? Who knows, the calm before storm.
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yoobitna
June 26, 2016 at 3:30 AM
OK OMG ANYONE SEE THIS YET OMGGGGG SEASON 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqbe1B0PDpg
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patinalee
June 26, 2016 at 8:03 AM
Nope. You're not the only one. I still love this show to bits and I offer no excuses. The extension doesn't faze me either. Looking forward to the finale. ?
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dramapenchant
June 26, 2016 at 4:49 PM
@starnger You know I LOVE AND ADORE OHYA to the sky and back! <3
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maya2825
June 26, 2016 at 8:22 PM
You're not the only one! In fact, OHYA is still a hit drama in SK at the moment, considering the time slot and it airs on cable. Despite the slight decreasing rating, I hope the last two episodes will pick up again, eps 16 did increase a little bit.
It's sad to say goodbye to a heartfelt romance of DK&HY, for me their kisses and chemistry totally set a bar higher to any drama now. I just roll my eyes if I see a stiff kisses now.
OHYA fighting!
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Mikanjjj
June 26, 2016 at 11:19 PM
I'm so happy there are still people who love this drama. Reading all the other comments make be sad because I still love this drama so much. I have no complains about the extension. I think I'm going to really miss this drama when it finally comes to an end.
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Chandler
June 27, 2016 at 9:23 AM
Don't worry! There are plenty who still love it just as much :)
Do I like the extension? Probably not. But I do feel as though there are reasons to be grateful to it that are always harder to note from this perspective. I was uneasy about the couple getting together after everything so I feel like these episodes were necessary for me to see that they can have a future together.
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41 bunny
June 26, 2016 at 3:36 AM
This week, upon watching Mirror Of The Witch ep.14, I start to think that the main character of this drama is actually Hong Joo...
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42 spazmo
June 26, 2016 at 4:08 AM
Wanted - i hope it keeps its pace... first two eps have me at the edge of my seat. could be the "new Signal" for me...
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43 xingii
June 26, 2016 at 4:34 AM
Ok so out of the "old" batch I'm only keeping up with Mirror of the Witch. Amazinggggggggggg as always. Joon is perfect etc. etc. like wow, what a quality human being.
Out of the "new" batch. I started:
Doctors: teacher/student dynamic is a bit weird, especially when he's at a school full of girls & I don't think he does anything substantial to kind of curb the inappropriateness of student's affections towards him? & the man doesn't seem to have that many boundaries put in place imho.
I'll keep watching, I'm kind of over the flashbacks and I want to see Yoon Kyunsang ASAP. (the reason I started this in the first place ngl)
Police Unit 38: This is awesome I hope someone is willing to recap this till the end. First ep was a bit slow and the scene of the multiple hustles at the end was a bit confusing I really needed to read up on that to fully process, but other than that, great characters. Ep 2 was even better. I already sympathise for Ma Dongseok, the bad guys make my blood boil (props to the actors for being hateful) and Seo In Gook is super slick. Very Neal Caffrey-like. (White Collar reference)
Even my MOTHER said that SIG is PRETTY! (she never says that) but he's a "bad boy" LOLOLOL so it was along the lines of "pretty face but why is he such a bad boy, he SHOULD be a good boy with that face" - that was during the car chase scene & the police station scene xD
Beautiful Mind: Jang Hyuk is scaring the crap out of me but I love it. All hail Jang Hyuk.
I find the premise really interesting, I usually hate medical dramas but the whole mystery about the murder is really keeping me hooked.
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44 rabarella
June 26, 2016 at 4:55 AM
Love Heads' descriptions of her shows: Thrills Me, Chills Me, Kills Me.
You should watch another drama that 'Heals Me'.
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45 mako
June 26, 2016 at 5:00 AM
I am thoroughly enjoying WWAW. It's nice getting bite size commentaries and i always leave the page having one more drama to check out. Thanks DB staff!
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46 jiejiejie
June 26, 2016 at 5:40 AM
I on the other hand still like the two episodes extension! I feel like even though these two episodes are not as exciting as prolly the beginning, they did cover ground that may not have been possible had it not for the extension. For example, the two Hae Young's resolution of their issues to each other, the inner workings of Eric's change in stance that is more realistic because it is more gradual, the tiny nuances in noona's stance etc!
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47 Ray
June 26, 2016 at 5:40 AM
@mary: I also got the same feeling while watching Awl, it's too much that at some points I just wanted to stop watching it, but whenever I tried to stop I felt so guilty, like I wasn't supposed to leave them, stopping felt like a betrayal.
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mary
June 26, 2016 at 6:50 AM
Awl: the drama that emotionally blackmails you into finishing O___O
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asmara
June 26, 2016 at 8:24 AM
So true!
I believe that a good show plays deep in the grey area to the extent that we are so attached to everyone on it. I was really taken a back to find a very true to reality drama such Awl. It was the most depressing drama for me so far but that drama truly challenged my values and perspectives on life. Is there any other dramas such Awl? I'd love to watch them.
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Shamrockmom
June 26, 2016 at 9:02 AM
If you are looking for a drama with a RL feel and social commentary that doesn't feel preachy, try "Working Mom, Parenting Daddy". It's a daily drama, but with significant upgrades. I also loved "Awl", but WMPD is light and funny while getting its message across.
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Ray
June 26, 2016 at 1:17 PM
Challenge values and perspectives on life?
A Wife's Credentials
Secret Love Affair
Heard It Through the Grapevine
Misaeng
Miss Korea
A New Leaf (despite its anticlimactic ending)
Actually Japanese dramas can offer more for the kind of drama you're looking for.
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asmara
June 26, 2016 at 5:06 PM
Ah, thank you for the recommendation. Will check those out later. And actually Awl just found its partner on my top depressing dramas after I finished Missing Noir M last night. That finale, omg, speechless.
Now I know when mary said that it's OCN thing to end its series just when you want more. Wonder what will happen to Police Unit 38.
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48 yuja
June 26, 2016 at 6:52 AM
Omg Juhan Shuttai!! I too, started it bc of Sakaguchi Kentaro's adorable face! But it turned out to be way more fun than I expected. The main character, Kokoro, is so so so ridiculously adorable and high-energy and Odagiti Joe is in it! I'm suprised it's not more popular. It's just a really feel-good show with likable characters! And if you're into manga and works like Bakuman, I highly recommend it!
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49 Lena S.
June 26, 2016 at 6:56 AM
"Juhan Shuttai!" was so great, I'm surprised being mentioned here.
AOHY continues to be awesome in my book, i don't mind if the episodes this week were slow but i like the extension and honestly i don't think it hurt the drama pacing at all. I'm definitely going to miss these characters.
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PeepsLeAwesomePotato
June 26, 2016 at 7:20 PM
I liken the slowdown to that stage in a relationship where everything's calm and normal.
Like, even 1998 experienced that after ShiWon went to university.
Life isn't all zippy fun and melodrama. Sometimes, I like comfortable too.
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50 tranquili-tea
June 26, 2016 at 7:00 AM
Mirror of the Witch is so <3<3<3
I'm fangirling over Yoon Shi Yoon Oppa, but I'm not really sure if it's because he is Yoon Shi Yoon or because of Heo Joon's perfectly lovable characters. Maybe both?
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