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Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

It feels like we’re into the thick of this “season” of shows, which feels more like a traditional season than usual because so many things premiered at the same time. So now’s a good time to take stock and figure out what’s making the cut and what’s starting to drop off the watch list. Or is everyone being stubborn and clinging to sleepless nights and drama marathons? –javabeans

 

javabeans

Currently recapping: Seven Day Queen

Father Is Strange: This show is such a gem at showing family love in the most poignant and relatable of lights. I’m so gratified to find a loving depiction of sibling affection that is everyday and realistic (the epic tragedies are thrilling, but those aren’t the only sibling relationships out there!), and watching everyone come together to send Unni off in marriage was painfully sweet. I did think that kiss was a narrative misstep, and I hope the drama corrects quickly because I generally do find that everything else about the fauxcest works for me. Just not that kiss.

Circle: It’s a joy to have a drama that satisfies consistently—I appreciate that I can sit back knowing that it’s going somewhere concrete and fascinating but that I can’t necessarily see more than a step ahead. It’s twisty in a smart way, and the story corners on a dime. I don’t even particularly feel the need to predict or speculate; I’m just enjoying the ride.

The Best Hit: I love that dramaland is making comedies this wacky and outlandish—it’s absurd but not necessarily slapstick or gag-like. It’s faster, slicker, and more randomly screwball than K-dramas usually are, and that sensibility keeps me on my toes and laughing, often in unexpected places. Yoon Shi-yoon is so perfect as the time-warped idol who can’t understand why all his former coolness is now considered cornball; I can’t imagine anyone else in this role, nor would I want anyone else.

Suspicious Partner: While the main couple is still cute and sweet, right now I’m more into the oddball workplace family and every comic interaction in the law firm (maybe because it feels like we put the main romance on pause for a while and I was getting antsy). They fit together so well in a very odd way, and it’s refreshing to be able to take a break from the serial killer storyline with their childish antics.

My Sassy Girl: This was the week I went from watching this show as brainless fluff to actually liking it. We finally know what’s motivating our outlandish princess and why she’d take such reckless risks, and man does that change a lot about how I feel about her as a character—it makes the characters start feeling more like people and less like shallow joke fodder. Now this drama feels like a real show instead of a parody of a show; it’s still got a silly sense of humor, but there’s something grounding it and that goes a long way.

Lookout: Aw, the Lookouts are becoming a family! The fact that it’s mostly reluctant makes it more satisfying, too, since it feels like their caring for each other is grudging but inescapable. I’m surprised to find myself liking asshole Do-han as much as I do, although it’s not so much that I like him being an asshole as it is that I appreciate that this drama is allowing him to be so unlikable, and for a lot longer than a lot of dramas are willing to do. I also dig how deep he is into his act, like when he was dying to help Suji, but not at the cost of his own cover. I’m definitely looking forward to the full reveal when everyone finds out, but till then, it’s an enjoyable tension.

Fight My Way: I have this niggling feeling I want to like this drama more than I do. The main couple is great, but the secondary couple is just such a drag that I’m contemplating skipping their scenes. I’m glad the Moo-bin detour is over, since I couldn’t even enjoy Dong-man’s jealousy because I was annoyed at him for being petty and mad when she gave him so many chances to speak up, and I thought he’d reneged on his right to be upset about her dating someone else. If we could just focus on them and their feelings for each other from here on out, that would make me happy.

 

girlfriday

Currently recapping: Seven Day Queen

Circle: It wrecked me when Kim Kang-woo turned into a sad little puppy this week. He spent ten years of his life dedicated to the single-minded pursuit of finding his brother, only to be hit with the possibility that he doesn’t want to be found? *wimper* Say it ain’t soooo!

Fight My Way: So doofy, but so cute. I just really enjoy the schoolyard maturity level of our two leads. This week, Choi Woo-shik’s extended cameo made me think that he and Park Seo-joon must be really, really, really good friends for him to come by and play a character I wanted to kick in the face so badly. The things a guy will do for his real-life bro.

Lookout: I’m pretty pumped about all the good guys closing in on each other’s identities. And Key and Kim Seul-gi’s first in-person encounter was one of the cutest little things I’d seen all week. It was so comical how he kept walking past her and mistaking other women for her, but then when he said so plainly that she was prettier than he’d ever imagined, I was screaming, “Date him!”

Suspicious Partner: All the secret-keeping and romance-deferring was starting to feel really artificial, so I’m relieved that we’ve gotten past that stage. I’m fine with murder and mayhem, just as long as our characters aren’t keeping each other in the dark “for their own good.” Boo to that.

Man to Man: I guess things ended well enough, but it seemed like such a tepid finish, with no real answers about how the relationship was actually going to overcome the secret life of a spy. I feel like this drama should’ve picked comedy or blockbuster action and just done one of them well; it’s not that I think dramas can’t do both, but Man to Man’s script didn’t seem to know how to marry the two parts with a satisfying core.

The Best Hit: Yoon Shi-yoon is so perfect as the manchild stuck in the middle of these two generations. I somehow buy that he’s the same age as both the dad and the son, which is an awesome setup. I don’t want him to go back to the past in this drama, but for my sake I would like a prequel Best Hit Season 0 that takes place solely in the ‘90s, following teen idol Yoon Shi-yoon’s rise to superstardom. Basically I just want more Yoon Shi-yoon, always.

Duel: It’s still a little slow going, but this show has a detective and a clone on the lam. Together. I mean, I’m not gonna not watch that show. I just wish the reveals would come a bit faster. If the clone is a clone of an evil mastermind, shouldn’t he be quicker on the uptake?

Crime Scene 3: Kong is back! I was starting to get really bored with this season and wondered if Crime Scene had lost its magic, but when I heard that Hong Jin-ho was returning for the remaining episodes, so did my excitement. Don’t ever go away again, Kong!

 

HeadsNo2

My Sassy Girl: I’m still just not liking this one very much. There’s nothing it’s necessarily doing wrong, but there’s not a lot that feels right, either. The politics are half-baked even for the most fusion of sageuks, but everything else is overdone—the jokes, the lighting. I also can’t help but be sad that Joo-won didn’t pick a truly epic sageuk as his farewell drama—I’m tired of seeing him in bad comedies, give me drama! I don’t even really know what it’s trying to be at this point, but Jungshin in a sageuk as the silent, long suffering protector? Be still, my heart.

Forest of Secrets: I get it—from the outside, it looks like another boring cop/law procedural about corruption. And while it is about that, I’m floored by how thought-out this drama is. The acting is absolutely amazing on all fronts, the characters are deep, the scenes are multilayered with subtleties (even more so because it’s impossible to read our inscrutable, emotionless hero). But he’s an emotionless hero who’s not an ass, and dramaland can learn a lot from him. Seriously, I think this has the potential to be one of the year’s best sleeper hits.

Lookout: Maybe Kim Young-kwang is just too good at being duplicitous, but his character just isn’t doing him any favors. I know he’s really the good guy underneath it all and is running the long con, but he’s featured so little that it’s almost as though he’s not even the lead. Which I guess I can’t say is much of a complaint.

Circle: This show is blowing my mind right now. It’s really daring to go where no other Korean drama has gone before, and its exploration of how memory impacts us raises a lot of interesting and important questions. The narrative is especially taut, with surprises in both timelines each week, but it’s Lee Ki-kwang’s character I’m especially drawn to. He’s just so insanely tragic and in need of hugs. And also maybe a little revenge.

 

odilettante

Currently recapping: Duel

The Best Hit: I love it. Love, love, love it. This show is exactly my kind of show, balancing the wacky humor with heart-tugging emotion (I totally got teary during Ji-hoon’s freestyle rap). Woo-seung is my hero as she has to deal with the chaos of her own life, including Hyun-jae using her to figure out not only all this new technology but what happened to him in the past. Plus the 1N2D fan in me is thrilled at all the little easter eggs, such as everyone’s favorite International Referee using a classic 1N2D game—enduring the pain of finger-flicks—as a way to decide the classic 1N2D conundrum of who sleeps where. I’m still giggling over the fact that Kim Jong-min’s cameo was mostly spent out of focus. I wonder who came up with that idea—Cha Tae-hyun or Yoo PD?

Man to Man: Now that this is available on Netflix for all of us in North America, I’ve started to casually binge my way through it (don’t spoil me!). While the secondary political/business plot holds little interest and I easily tune it out (sorry, Yeon Jung-hoon), I’m totally enamored with the Hallyu star and his bodyguard. Park Sung-woong is an absolute gift! I also love all the crazy disguises Jung Man-shik’s character comes up with. This drama may be filled with so many of my favorite ajusshis, but Kim Min-jung is also holding her own as the spunky Do-ha, and I cheer every time she manages to throw the normally-in-control secret agent off course.

 

chickachunga

Currently recapping: My Sassy Girl

Suspicious Partner: Loved the pilot, but the show hasn’t grabbed my interest since so I’ll be dropping this, even though Nam Ji-hyun is cute as buttons, unwashed hair and all.

Seven Day Queen: Bye Suspicious Partner and hellooo Seven Day Queen. I’m liking this a whole lot, and after the mess that was Introverted Boss, I’m glad Yeon Woo-jin’s onto bigger and better. Also, was Lee Dong-gun always this phenomenal?!

Fight My Way: Wow, Moobs, just wow. Moobs takes the cake for worst drama boyfriend ever, that two-timing boob! Dong-man may not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but his heart is always in the right place. Park Seo-joon continues to kill it, and I honestly laugh at every little thing he does—he is so good at comedy. Really, the whole cast is pitch perfect in their respective roles, and while I won’t miss Moobs, I will miss Choi Woo-shik; he’s so talented, but so darn selective when it comes to projects. He does pick ’em well, though. Guess I’ll see you in Okja, then!

 

tineybeanie

Currently recapping: Circle

Fight My Way: I love it! I could almost hear Dong-man’s heart stop beating when Ae-ra confessed that she feels flutters whenever he hugs her. Waaaah and that ending scene where Dong-man came up to a cringing Ae-ra who was still shutting her eyes tight because she couldn’t bear to see him hurt—adorbs to the max! Better than at least six golden retriever puppies. My problem with Joo-man continues, although I laughed my butt off when he did his “I got a promotion” solo dance in the break room. I totally would do the same thing, except way more embarrassingly. Poor Seol-hee. But at this point, she should take action now that she has all the facts in front of her. It’s so frustrating because she definitely wants to do something about the situation, but in actuality, she takes no action and stays passive, waiting for things to change, for Joo-man to make things better. Girl, please take control of your life and the direction you want it to go in with confidence, and let the chips fall where they may. Otherwise, you might just be left trailing after your first love, whose heart may have already left you.

 

murasakimi

Seven Day Queen: Holy pumpernickel! This show is really good! The rapport between Chae-kyung and Yeonsangun is such an expected delight. No one told me it was going to be like this! Why didn’t I know? This show is so darn cute and painful at the same time, and as a result I have so many feeeeeeelings. Yeonsangun is a layered, intelligent, and complex person, and his scenes with Chae-kyung make my heart explode. By the way, these actors are WORKing it. I’ve never liked Park Min-young so much, and Lee Dong-gun—GAH—do not get me started because you will regret it. I almost can’t believe how well-crafted this story is, but particularly the intricate emotional interplay between the characters. I love Yeok so much too, and I’ve never rooted this hard for both pairings so early in the game, while also knowing that it’s all going to end horribly for everyone. Please show, don’t hurt me too much. Give me all the PAIN!

The Best Hit: Yoon Shi-yoon is soooo adorable as Hyun-jae. In fact, everyone is adorable! I love that Hyun-jae is faking amnesia like an evillll little genius but keeps forgetting about his lie as if he can’t be bothered to remember. Also, the chair must never be fixed!

Fight My Way: I love that each week we see more layers to Ae-ra and Dong-man’s relationship. And given the many years they’ve had together, unpacking all those mixed signals and hidden messages is going to be a crazy, awkward, and totally swoony ride, and I am so ready.

Suspicious Partner: Ji-wook’s confession to Bong-hee was so perfect! So much respect and communication and honesty—it makes me grin just thinking about it. But to be frank, overall my interest in this show is kind of dwindling. I think this is the kind of show that’s better watched all at once in an unhealthy binge.

 

Laica

Currently recapping: Forest of Secrets

Man to Man: This was an uneven show, but I’ll remember it fondly for its epic bromance between Kim Guard and his VIP/Hyungnim, which I found more romantic than many an OTP. I loved how quickly and wholeheartedly Woon-kwang adopted Seol-woo as his “Brother,” and how easily he was able to see through his stoic mask to the lonely boy hiding inside. The way Woon-kwang drew those around him into a close-knit little family over the years was the heart of the show. Do-ha was an unusual heroine, but her assertive and courageous personality really grew on me as the show progressed—props to Kim Min-jung for humanizing what started out as an unlikeable character.

Father Is Strange: Wow. Okay. This drama is really going full-on with the fauxcest. I… am not a fan. The whole ending scene was so weird and icky, and that was really not how I wanted their first kiss to be. I didn’t even understand why it felt so fraught and awkward for Mi-young to kiss him on his cheeks, because she’s clearly grown comfortable with touching him casually as she would her real brother, and I don’t think it’s that odd to kiss your brother on the cheek. And the last kiss—urgh. Someone had better spill the beans, stat. On the other hand, how awesome was Hye-young’s wedding? I can’t decide if I loved the siblings’ dance more, or Mom’s emotional speech. *wipes tears* This mother-daughter relationship kills me in the best ways.

Fight My Way: Wow. I already hated Moo-bin, but this takes oblivious douchebaggery to a whole new level, and I’m glad Ae-ra found out before anything but her pride could be hurt. I do wish it hadn’t taken this drastic of a plot twist to make her dump him—because he’d already given her plenty of reasons—but I get that she was dating him out of anger and her confused feelings for Dong-man. Plus, it got us that confession! And then a whole episode of completely adorable awkwardness, and then that confession. Eeeeeeaurgh. Don’t mind me. I’ll just lie here, passed out with joy until next week.

Suspicious Partner: …Except that would mean I’d miss our puppies Bong Bong and Wookie, and I can’t have that. The mildang was fun, but I’m glad they’ve cleared the air and aren’t keeping secrets anymore—yay for the delicious corniness of our new couple! But oh, my heart. The way Ji-wook hugged Bong-hee after finding her safe… and the way he sobbed over his Eun-ho hyung. Every week you play with my emotions, Show. I’d claim to be mad, but I’m so here for it.

 

TeriYaki

Currently recapping: Lookout

Fight My Way: Dong-man’s debut in the ring was everything that I hoped it would be. So much so, that I wasn’t as interested in his relationship struggles this week. Park Seo-joon put in some serious gym time to prepare for this role and I was impressed by his transformation. The mysterious landlady is starting to grow on me. When she popped up and scared Dong-man because he couldn’t give Ae-ra a compliment, I wanted to give her a high five. Joo-man and Seol-hee make me sad, even when they are on good terms. I’d like to see them happy together and excited about their future, but whatever they are right now, it’s hard for me to watch.

Father Is Strange: I was relieved that Hye-young and Jung-hwang went through with their plans, I was certain something would interfere at the last minute. Now, I’m anxious to see how Jung-hwang will handle two strong women in his life. Things got more awkward and uncomfortable for Joong-hee and Mi-young and I’m mostly interested in how the writer plans to move their relationship from pseudo half-siblings to something more.

Circle: I watched the first episode and decided that I’d like the rest of my family to check it out. It has an alien, a post-apocalyptic future, and a utopian city—something for everybody! It’s on hold until I can see if anyone wants to join me.

Forest of Secrets: After the first episode, I’m intrigued enough to move ahead for now with this drama. A prosecutor who doesn’t experience emotions sheds a unique perspective on the case and the people that he works with. The challenge for me, as a viewer, is to make sense of Shi-mok’s thoughts and opinions, because his face reveals little.

A Wonderful Moment: I decided to check out this movie because of its premise, a televised competition to find the young lead for a Korean musical. It addresses the problems that multicultural children face in Korean society. The plot was formulaic and predictable, but if you enjoy cheering for the underdog, this movie may be what you were looking for.

 

tipsymocha

Circle: Man, I wish our good guys were less trusting and more resourceful. ‘Cause they walk into a lot of traps and it’s doing bad things to my nerves. I love how the two timelines and the conflicts in them both boil down to a single theme, because really good sci-fi will pose questions or concepts that can be universally applied. It’s fascinating how the age-old question of whether the end justifies the means is affecting our main characters in both timelines: whether it’s the crazy professor’s belief that his cure to human misery is worth his unscrupulous experimentation on people, or if the surface-level harmony of Smart Earth is worth the memory theft of its inhabitants, even if that means blissful oblivion for those who have committed crimes. Love it. Also, I knew that assistant professor was shifty!

Seven Day Queen: This show continues to hit all the right notes for me, and I’m pleasantly surprised by how fast the plot is progressing (though I could do without all the chance encounters). Eugh, that scene where Yeok was reliving his traumatic recovery was hard to watch, and I admit I teared up. Almost as heartbreaking is Yeonsangun’s awkward attempts at becoming a good king because of Chae-kyung’s words, since we all know how that’ll end. It’s like a brotherly merry-go-round of angst and pain. I just want these brothers to clear their misunderstandings and live happily ever after! Is that too much to ask?! *tear*

Suspicious Partner: Our main couple is super adorable but equally SO FRUSTRATING. Please can you just talk to each other honestly, because you’re both refraining from telling each other the exact same suspicions for essentially the same reasons. I love you both, but I also kind of want to lock the two of you in a room until you’re on the same page. Capiche?!

Forest of Secrets: Captain Awesome is baaack! The first two episodes came out the gate really strong, and it kept up an impressive pace throughout. The acting, directing, and writing are all spot on, but that said, I might need to push this show off and marathon it all. It’s a very cerebral drama, and my brain is complete mush at the moment, so I don’t think it can handle this intensity each weekend. BUT: Captain Awesome is back, yayyy!

 
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Thank you, Everyone!
Currently Watching
Suspicious Partner - My OTP has finally shipped and in the same week they decided to throw us a devastating curve ball ... Still crying about Chief Bang. Praying that miracles happen in Dramaland.
Fight My Way - This drama is still sooooo fresh! I'm so glad that Park Moo Bin is out of the way ... He really needed to get out of the way. Ko Dong Man and Choi Ae Ra has such a cute dynamic! When Ae Ra said "My Heart Flutters," my heart just melted into goo.
UP NEXT? - Trying to decide between Lookout, Tunnel and Chicago Typewriter? Please help me decide! Looking for something gripping, fast paced and binge worthy.

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Tunnel!!!

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Tunnel...?

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Tunnel!!!!!! I binged watched till i made it in time to finale week! That's how good it is!

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Fight my way is just love for me ???

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Tunnel!!! Amazing story!

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Thanks, Everyone! This is helpful! I really need to start it (*^ω^*)

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Tunnel first.

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i agree tunnel

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Tunnel - it's gripping, fast paced and binge worthy. And heart wrenching.

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TUNNEL ALL THE WAY. I live-watching both series, and Tunnel was IT for me. I liked both series, but again, Tunnel is the one that's still with me. I want so much more of Tunnel! I just might binge it again soon, now that I've talked about it.

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I love CT because it has more soul but it's not fast paced as it's not some thriller drama. But it has completed, so worthy for binge watch. Definitely my best drama of the year so far.

Lookout is still airing, but so far it delivers. If you are looking some badass female lead, this is for you. Bonus part - the awesome trio and handsome priest.

Tunnel - yet to watch as this is on my marathon list. Tried first epi today but not really gripping or it could be me who's tired so I didn't really enjoyed any drama watching today.

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I fully agree. I loved Chicago typewriter! No, I still love it. So much soul in it, and the cast was perfect. Yoo ah in rocked the fringes too well.

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Tunnel for sure!!! Fast-paced and good cliffhangers that will make you want to binge-watch.

I haven't watched Lookout so I don't know about it, but I enjoyed Chicago Typewriter. However, CT was more of a slow-burn drama - started off slowly, but was really satisfying by the end.

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I recommend "Tunnel", you won't regret it.

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Hi Elle, to answer your question about what to watch next.. I would say Chicago Typewriter, it started off slow.. but omg!!! It was such a great drama.. beautiful storytelling.. I loved it til the end!!!
I would also recommen Queen for seven days..... so far it's good... check it out

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I second all the replies Tunnel first and then CT because its a slow burn and then lookout

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Chicago Typewriter all the way. You DO NOT want to be late at watching this gem with a beautiful story and none other than Yoo Ah In, whom I guess we all ADORE!

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Naaahhh... SEVEN DAY QUEEN, is highly recommended... Great production well-balanced, not only the romance part..... You will laugh, cry and all the emotions you need. Very sensible and with logic..

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Since you said "gripping" and "fast paced" I'll say Tunnel because Chicago Typewriter is more like a slow buurnnnn... BUT it's Chicago Typewriter that has my heart!!

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Start with Tunnel, and trust me, you are gonna happy that now you can bingewatch, because waiting for the episodes was painful, Chicago typewriter the music is beautiful and Yoo Ah In is sooo good, Lookout is perfect too, watch the 3

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Chicago ruined my life so please be careful and definitely sacrifice your soul on YAI's altar whenever you find the time

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As much as I love Tunnel, Chicago Typewriter was also great. But these are two very different drama styles. Yoo Ah In is always a treat. I still like Tunnel for the fast pace, and like everyone else has noted so far, CT is a slow burn, feast for the eyes. Tunnel and CT are haunting in their own ways. So watch both; you won't regret it, except that they end!

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Ahhhhh the 1N2D references are so epic. I'm like, wait....they're doing the thing! I especially love the sound effects. So great. I think this is the mutant drama/variety I wanted but didn't expect.

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I was really worried about the whole variety/drama angle, but you're right - this is exactly what I wanted. Drama with meta variety.

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Currently watching
(in order of crack factor)

Circle - the twists!
The Best Hit - the laughs!
Seven Day Queen - the emotions!
Fight My Way - the abs! Lol jks
Lookout - the fam-mance!

And a mixture of reading and watching snippets of literally everything else. Busy busy busy.

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For fight my way I'd add, reality check. I enjoy the show not for the pairs and romance but the way they show these people living third rate lives and dealing with them. I loved Ae ra's monologue about not having time in the latest episode. I wish they focus on it more than the love stories.

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I love the "fam-mance" gonnastart saying that ha! Lookout is a great fam-mance

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Yes! The abs in fight my way!!! Dubbing Park Seo Jun "body bae" of the month ???

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Omg, I'm sold at fam-mance. Gonna watch Lookout and ? at the fam-mance.

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The Best Hit hits all the best notes. I was teary at Ji-Hoon's freestyle rapping, but was blown away by Hyun-Jae's performance. It's not that he's outstanding, but there's something so old-schooled about the song and the way he performs it it becomes novelty. I could do without the drunk antics though, but the rest? So.Good.

Forest of Secrets Okay, I have to make a confession: I resolved not to watch tvN dramas for some personal reason, but broke down and watched FoS last night and was instantly hooked. There's this simplicity about the show that makes it so easy to relate to, as if I was there the whole time watching real professionals doing their job. It might help that I'm not majoring in law or investigation occupations, so I have no disbelief to suspend, but it reminds me so much of the good old Sherlock (but in a different and still good way) that I decide to shamelessly stick around.

7DQ continues to tug at my heartstrings. I've got some reservations about the latest episode, but I'm still holding onto my faith and hope that the show will keep up what it's been doing well. So far, I'm still loving it.

My Sassy Girl is my crack, though I've got to delay the show and Suspicious Partner to watch during the weekends when I've got most free time. I love Gyun-Woo's mom so much and am looking forward to the interactions between her and the princess. Together they'll make the best bickering pair, lol. On the other hand, SP has got me land right into depressing mode. Chief Bang is one of my fav characters in the show, so please don't take him away. Please!

Now that my resolution to stay away from tvN for a while is completely broken, time to pick up Circle and get carried away with it I guess?

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Loving Best Hit too!

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One of the most loved shows for me right now, if I must say :D

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I love Best Hit too. The sight of YSY on screen just perks me up. He has this amazing ability to light up the screen with his presence.

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You won't regret picking up circle for sure. It is THAT good :)

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I’m watching too many shows lately , well guess being unemployed doesn’t help :

Father is strange : thanks to What we’re watching, I gave this drama a chance and I marathoned it within two weeks and catch up the currently airing episodes. I love the slice of life vibes of the drama, it’s like watching many mini-series unfolding in one drama. It’s the first week-end family drama I watched, 20 episodes to go . They spent quite a long time for Hye Young’s wedding, I’m waiting to see how Jong Hee will face his feelings for his step-sister, it’s going to be sad and even more when he will learn that his real father was dead all along. RaYoung and Cheol Soo is a cute couple. Of all characters I just can’t stand Yoo Joo, and her husband Joon Young with his behavior doesn’t help at all, fortunately he passed his exam (at least).

Fight my way : I like this drama but I don’t know what it misses to make me love this drama. Will keep watching it for PSJ.

Suspicious partner : I love this drama, it is sometimes strange to switch from happy/lovely moments to dark thriller but it’s working for me. Please don’t kill chief Bang, being hurt with some days in hospital will be enough for the trauma , isn’t it ?

The Best hit : Keep waiting all week for this drama, the humor and the slow paced story are drawing me in.

Potato star 2013 : I’m already at episode 35 , it is 30 minutes long with sitcom vibes, with new arc story in each episode, I like the nonsense humor and where can I watch Go Gyung Pyo and Yeo Jin Gu as siblings ?

Tunnel : Signal vibes, I’m in , already at episode 9, guess I will finish it before next week ends. I realized it’s quite helpful to have dead bodies and injuries blurred for viewers like me, but I’m always puzzled of the need to blur a cigarette or a knife in k-drama.

Man to man : I was watching it while airing, but stopped at episode 11, I will try to finish it but without the humor and all of them so serious it’s no more so attractive .

Chief Kim : I finished it two weeks ago, I loved it : suspense, humor & office drama with Namgoong Min, the bromance was strong and I appreciated that they do not force the love lines development too much. After watching Beautiful Gong Shim last year, I will try more of his drama but apparently his previous roles were villains, maybe when I finish some of the (too many) dramas I’m currently watching .

Variety shows :
1n2d : I laughed a lot as always, poor Kim Jun Ho with his diving suit but he still managed to tease the teacher. The fishing part did not seem too difficult, maybe because CTH get to sleep quite a long time.

I can see your voice : I can never predict what will happen in this show , it surprises me each time someone sang well or is tone deaf when I was thinking the exact opposite. I sometimes ask myself : why do they need 3 MC for this show ?

I live alone : It’s a pleasant show when we can see how celebrities are in their daily life, I now understand...

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FIS: I never expected the elder brother to pass the civil service exams, to be honest. I always peg him as a good for nothing. Now that he has passed the exams, let's see how he can man up and take up the burden of taking care of the family.

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The Best Hit, Circle and Lookout are what I'm watching and I love all of them.
They're all so differently entertaining (and all have a lot of masteries), it's keeping my brain busy all week. Yoon Shi Yoon is hilarious, Yeo Jin Gu makes me cry whenever he does and Key is such an adorable puppy. This is a great time to be a Kdrama watcher.

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*mysteries

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wow, reading these weekly reviews really tempts me to add Seven Day Queen & Best Hit to my list. im watching all the mon-tue dramas on Big 3 & waiting for Circle to end for marathoning (& maybe Suspicious Partners too).

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you should watch these dramas,,,??? especially seven day queen

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Seven Day Queen is one of the best dramas this year.

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7DQ and TBH are shows you won't regret adding to your list. They both have strong characters and (so far) a strong storyline. Personally, I'm in love with 7DQ more but that's because of all the emotion that the characters are going through. You should really add them!!

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Just do watch SEVEN DAY QUEEN!! (you wont regret it!).. and also THE BIG HIT!! (lots of laugh with logic too)....
Suspicious Partner: Intriguing plot, but Cheesy romance so, that's the annoying part..

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I'm so happy more minions are taking up Seven Day Queen. It's such an underrated gem, it feels so good to see it getting more love. *tears*

Fight My Way continues to be both uplifting and depressing at the same time. I do feel the drag with the Joo-man/Seol-hee storyline. I still don't understand why they have to keep their relationship a secret. OTOH, omo Dong-man taking down that assy sunbae and walking past Hye-ran without even noticing her is a definitely a highlight of the entire show.

I think there's been a bit of a slowdown in Circle these last couple of weeks, but the show is still so good blowing my mind and stabbing my heart. The lesson this week: trust no one.

Seven Day Queen has me, heart and soul. It's just so, so good at balancing its lighter and darker themes, a lot of times at the same scene. The acting, directing, production, etc., are top-notch, but honestly it's the writing that truly impresses me. I heard the writer is a rookie, so it's even more amazing to me how s/he balances the plot themes and character arcs of the show with such deftness. I'm following this writer's future projects.

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I understand you completely. I am only watching SP and FMW and none of them are totally good for me... or engaging. But i will start the best hit and i want to watch 20 again...

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I'm not watching Suspicious Partner and am not hooked by Fight My Way (sadly, because I love the lead couple). I highly recommend The Best Hit for beanies exhibiting drama slump symptoms. It's not only fluffy, it's hilarious. The first episode is a bit of your ordinary kind of drama, but it becomes something special when Yoon Shi Yoon appears.

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Three weeks ago, I was scrambling to catch up with new dramas after being out of the country for 3 weeks. I was watching so many shows that time, I was struggling to remember what happened to a previous episode.

Three weeks later, I am caught up and have decided what​ to keep and which to drop.

Must Watch
The Best Hit -- what a fun show. It's hitting all the right notes for me. Yoon Shi Yoon at his best. I was laughing out loud with yesterday's episode. Boo Hee just sleeping while they talked. The punches. Then two fools trying to bring him back to the 90s. The phone, the laptop, the new phone, and that darn belt. Hilarious!! Also, I want to play that game.

Suspicious Partner -- this is a show that knows how to go from romance, to comedy, to drama, to thriller and back. The romance is still so so good. Both hero and heroine are setting the bar high on bringing the cuteness while at the same time figuring out how to handle relationship. It's not perfect. The cases are not memorable and too simplistic. Though, there seems to be an overall theme about them: relationship issues and domestic abuse. Bringing them to the forefront is commendable.

Still watching
Chicago Typewriter -- this one I plan to finish. It's just finding the right time and mood for it. This one is beautiful with wonderful writing. Lovely bookshelves too.

Seven Day Queen -- I have yet to see the episodes this week. But I'm really hoping that the “I'm going to kill you Young Prince” will stop for now. We know he will die at the end, so doing the same thing in the next 12 episodes over and over will not bode well for me. May drop sooner

Reading recaps
Fight My Way -- love the four doofus. It's nicely shot. The characters are grounded. It's just that it mostly focuses on the the love stories. I need more than that to stay interested

Dropped
Circle -- it's still an ordinary drama hiding behind a sci-fi gimmick. Nothing new here. Even the twists, we can see coming from a mile away. I wished they explore the issues of memory hacking a little bit more, rather than running around chasing each other. Sorry, Yep Jin Goo. I'll see you in your next drama.

Duel -- since the authorities here are dumb, there's no reason for me to stay. Also stop beating the clone kid. How many times does he have to tell you that it's​ not him.

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7DQ: by young prince, do you mean yeok? in actual history, he wasn't killed...

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Oh, I thought he died. My mistake. Still, the drama should stop killing him we know he will be the king one day. So he is not going to die anytime soon.

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*** Since he is not

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He almost died only once though.

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It wouldn't make sense for them to stop trying to kill him if he's, well, trying to be king some day. I mean, if they have an actual reason within the story for Yeok's life to be in danger than I don't see why the drama should hold back on endangering his life just because we know he's not going to die.

If your issue is with the fake-death, though, that only occurred once to set up the future story line.

I think you should give episode 5 and 6 a try because they move really quickly.

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It's funny, because before all the new shows aired Duel and Circle were the ones I was looking forward to the most. And now everything I see about them on DB is making me less and less interested, which is weird considering how much beanies are raving about Circle.

If they mostly run around chasing each other in the one and the authorities in the other need an IQ-upgrade, it makes me less guilty for not watching them lol, so thank you! ;)

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I was one of those beanies who were excited and had high expectations of both shows. Circle, from the get go, really set the expectations high. But I found it to be lacking. It's not as as sci-fi as I want it to be. It's still a family drama. Just set in two different timelines. And we know we can find family dramas everywhere.

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There's such a lack of proper sci-fi in kdrama, so I was really excited to see promos for two sci-fi shows. Hearing that Circle only has a few gimmicks from the genre is just sad.

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LOL I just wrote about dropping Circle too despite Beanies' raves about it. Perhaps the show is not for me. Glad to know I'm not alone.

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Currently watching:

Fight My Way - I do agree with some of the DB staff's comments here that though I like FMY veryyyyyy much, the show seems to lack something which prevents me from falling for it all my heart. Perhaps because of the way the show got rid of MB? Or because of how moose Dong Man is? I'm not sure about it but it seems like the way Ae Ra's feeling seems to always be a step ahead of Dong Man's tires me sometimes. And HR.. wow HR.. I am not so sure about this character as it appears to me that she seems pretty much one-note. Anyway I still like this show very much. It's touching and I can relate to it very well.

One thing I notice from reading comments here with regard to the show and comments of people in my home country is that people hold very different views toward the issue(s) of the second lead's couple. Here in DB beanies cheer for Ae Ra and Dong Man and hate Moo Bin because of the way he treated Ae Ra and feel disturbed by the second couple's relationship. Comments in my home country, on the other hand, focus a lot on the second couple's story as many of them sympathized with the story more than that of the OTP. I remember one comment saying that the second couple loves each other very much and I guess none mentions how badly SH is treated by JM. Hffff .. I think that reflects the way we women are normally treated here in this country: to be passive and should not stand up for herself I guess. So it's just nice to know that in other countries women have all the rights to choose what is the best for them and not focus on maintaining the married life if that doesn't work out. Here being divorced is somewhat stigmatized and women try to avoid it at all costs.

Apart from this there are a number of dramas which sound interesting. MSG - I didn't like MSG and dropped it at ep.3 but now I'm thinking about rewatching it again since many comments here said the show is getting better and the ratings increased too. I might try SDQ and FIS since the comments are pretty positive here. Will have to start Dear My Friends too since it looks interesting and heartwarming in a very subtle way.

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MSG - My Sassy Girl; SDQ - Seven Day Queen; FIS - Father Is Strange.
Abbreviations for shows' names can be confusing XD.

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Still better than abreviations for actors' name though XD

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True. I really can't argue with that XD. I messed up some actors' names in the past too and can see that happening in the future. :P

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What is even harder is abbreviations of characters' names without mentioning which shows!!

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@kimbapnoona
I almost spilled orange juice onto my laptop. That is so true LOL

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Okay, that's it. Officially abbreviations are the worst! They destroy laptops.

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@kimbapnoona
...and they waste potential body liquid too haha.

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Hehehe you guys are pretty funny and I can't disagree on any of your comments. Thankfully your laptop is not destroyed and your potential liquid body isn't wasted.

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@laplume It's Thailand. Though people are more open nowadays, the traditional viewpoint still prevails. And your suggestion is acknowledged. I always think that people here can figure the abbreviations by themselves since these are normally used to refer to the shows currently airing. So thanks for your suggestion and @maskros's kind reply ^^.

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Being raised by a father of different race possibly bothered Joong-hee because he was the one belonging to a racial minority while his stepfather was a majority. Kids are mean, they would have teased him mercilessly for being adopted and being Asian on top of that would have been worse. Also, there's the issue of being of two completely different cultural backgrounds and reconciling that could be hard especially if he met his stepfather as a fully grown kid (12 is not considered a baby I think).

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I think it's fascinating to find how viewers in your country see the the secondary couple. It'll be interesting if there was a way to collate comments from various countries and see what certain countries respond to.

I love Fight My Way, but I think what's sort of lacking in it is that it is emphasizing the romance of the two couples a lot more than the how these young friends are struggling with their lives outside of romance. Aera is my favorite character because not only is she tough, she's the only character who seems to be carrying the theme.

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In love, I can't wait for next episode: Circle | Fight My Way | Suspicious Partners | The Best Hit

Watching when I have Time:
Father is Strange

Struggling to Watch New Episodes:
Ruler - Owner of the Mask

For Binge Watching Once Completed:
Lookout | My Sassy Girl

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It's always so much fun to read everyone's thoughts on current shows :)

There are SO many shows to watch, but I'm also getting more and more annoyed with unoriginality and cliches, so I decided to just lay back and watch the most interesting ones (to me) right now.

Suspicious Partner has been really 'meh' from the beginning imo, so I was surprised to see the love it got and not as surprised to see the interest slowly wane now. Tbh I still haven't seen the two latest eps and I don't really care that I haven't.

Lookout - I just love love LOVE all the moral ambiguity! Kim Young Kwan pulls it off so well and it's got to be the first time I've thought him a good actor. It's like he went from bland to awesome in a matter of seconds. Key and Seulgi are just the most adorable pair ever and the way he went back for her and took her hand melted me completely. Can't wait to see what they do with their storyline and what kind of background Kyung Soo has!
The only downside to me is the female lead and her questionable acting.

The Best Hit - there's nothing to not love in this show! It's definitely the most crack-tastic drama I've seen in a really, really, really long time. I hope Hyun Jae figures out that Ji Hoon's his son pretty soon, because while it's fun watching him not know, I can't wait to see him trying to get his thoughts and feelings about it straight and become all daddy-like. I can just imagine the weird looks from the others as Hyun Jae turns on dad-mode and tells him to eat properly and not stay out too late hahah :b
Am I the only confused about whether or not Hyun Jae knows that Ji Hoon's a trainee? If not, then I really want to have a moment where he finds out and possibly some secret father-son training sessions.
Last - Min Jae's rapping. I need more of it. Like now. He said on Happy Together that he wrote it himself - consider me thoroughly impressed!

ManxMan. It ended. And I couldn't care less except for the frustrating feeling that I've wasted so much time on it.

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Why don't you just drop SP if you think it's so meh? I can't help but noticed you've been consistently dissing the show in various comments here and I don't understand why you're still watching it. Just to criticize?

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Ohhhh drama drama!! Name that drama!
Yeah @kaybee, why not drop it?

***goes to the kitchen. Gets popcorn. Waits for the counterattack**** hihihi

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Pfffffffttttt. I can't decide whether or not to give a proper response to the above comment, but since you seem excited for a follow-up, guess I'll go for it? ;)

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I can now inform milady/mylord that no counterattack has been made, albeit a defense tactic has been employed in the form of an attempted diplomatic letter. If thou wisheth to be entertained, it may or may not be a possibility whilst reading said response.

With the most sincerest wishes that thine popcorn hath not turned cold,
thy humble court jester, Kaybee

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Oh, darn. Not very entertaining, your diplomatic letter that is. But it's the one I will cherish for that matter. It's a commendable response. Thank you.

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*160 degree bow* My most humble thanks for thy most generous reaction to my lacking letter!

(Okay. I'm gonna stop talking like this now, promise haha :b Must be a sideeffect from reading Ivanhoe!)

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So many levels to your comment that I don't even know where to begin to respond. Let's see....

1) Finding a show meh does not mean I find it bad. It means that I think it's lacking something and perhaps find it overhyped, but not that I don't find it entertaining enough to watch an ep now and then when there's nothing else I feel like watching. I didn't say anything close to "dissing".

2) I don't know where you've seen this supposed consistent dissing of the show, because I haven't even been on DB that much lately, don't reply to people's fan wall posts about it, don't visit its recaps and can't even think of any comment except one in last week's OT where I've even mentioned it.

3) Even if I had been stating critique about it on a more consistent basis, I also happen to have consistently praised Lookout and The Best Hit with my almost blind love for them. That's what we all do on DB. Talk about the shows we love and the ones we were disappointed in. If everyone has the same opinion about the same dramas where would the fun be?

4) Lastly and most importantly... Whether to watch a show or not is everyone's own choice. If people want to finish what they started even if it's a horrible drama or if they just keep watching in the hopes of it redeeming itself, why do you care? It's not your time spent. There's no rule saying we should only keep watching shows we find absolutely amazing. Seriously, people need to stop telling other people when to stop watching a show. I've seen others get the same response when they dared to criticize a drama and it just makes no sense. If you don't like what other people are saying about a drama, then just scroll by the comment? Or try coming up with a proper counter-argument starting with calmly asking why the person doesn't like it? Discussions about why you like or don't like a drama is way more fun than just telling people what to do.

SP is a decent show, I just don't love it. I did nothing to diss it, only stated a modest, short opinion about a show I'm still watching, but sadly not as gripped by as I would like - which is relevant in a thread called "What We're Watching".

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Thank you for your eloquent response. As someone who's been told to shut up more than once I can relate to this situation. No hard feelings toward the previous poster, I just want to repeat what I've written recently elsewhere that everyone should be welcome to voice their opinions of a show as long as they remain civil (i.e. refrain from using profanity) and don't personally attack those who love that show or insult the actors acting in said show. If someone takes offence in someone else's civilly voiced opinion, then that is their problem not that of the one who voices their opinion.

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There's fun watching bad drama just to rant over it and make joke out of it. Goddamn it I dedicated my whole blog just to rant and mock bad drama without some crazy fans dissing me about it, ha, ha, ha. Why I cannot do it? There's law somewhere that prohibits me watching drama because I dislike it, because it is bad, just because I want make a horrible comment about it? I watch because I can :P Watching bad drama makes me appreciate when a good one comes along.

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Nicely said @kaybee nicely said.

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I find Suspicious Partner a rather mediocre drama too. Love JCW in Healer but him as an alpha prosecutor is just totally not convincing. Same goes to the whole team including those at the opposite side of the court unfortunately. And I still don't seeing we need to have that second female lead who serves nothing but setting the first and second female lead apart as the background story. The best performer in terms of acting will have to be the serial killer, much more intense than all the other characters in this drama. Yes, seriously thinking to drop this one. I know DB is a broad-minded enough site for different views.

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You got it right!!... i think HEALER is the ONLY drama of JCW!!...
Suspicious Partner's audiences are mainly females that just wanted to see JCW's body and not minding the plot... lol... well, good for this drama thou, for the timing of airing it first with Ruler... lol...

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@nam ji hyun - It's fine if you don't like the drama but lay off the sexist assumptions and calling women "females".

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ew 'females' in such an obvious tell that you should definitely NOT ENGAGE

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I'm also the one dissing the C grade show in various comments. I directly showed middle finger to it. Hope i'm not sued for hurting someone's feelings. And I've become popular among downvote army too. hehe.

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You'll get another down vote from me because you're being really rude. Hope you like it.

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Double faceplam.
From now on i'll only praise the masterpiece. Hope ppl like it.

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That screencap is my situation almost every night. either gaping or squealing:P

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Currently watching:
Circle, Lookout, My Sassy Girl, Seven Day Queen, Duel and putting on hold CT and Best Hit. Definitely Forest of Secrets is on my to watch list. Reading recaps of Ruler.

My Sassy Girl I can't believe I am enjoying this show right now. I hated it in the first week. Did it really improve by leaps and bounds or was it because I finally got what this show is about and settled right in? In any case, it's not a show where much needs to be discussed as evident in the lack of comments on recaps.

Circle Can Woo Jin be the same in 2037? I can't get enough of Yeo Jin Goo in 30 mins. I am stubborn holding on to my belief that either Joon Hyuk is Woo Jin or Woo Jin unlock the secret of anti-ageing from Jung Yeon or he is dead *gasp* ???

Duel I am predicting that Yang Se Jong is going to be the next big thing. What was this guy doing before RDTK? He is a natural and that puts him a cut above his peers. Thank goodness for him because I need something huge to distract me from Choi. I can't help wondering if she is actually an alien like Byul before she learn how to express herself.

Seven Day Queen Such an awesome debut for a rookie writer, something which the team from Ruler should learn from. Except in reality, it is more likely that the latter would be rewarded for writing more nonsense because they are the ones with almost double the ratings of SDQ *ouch*.

Ruler I have trouble even just reading the recaps without breaking into guffaws or throwing my hands up. The good guys are dumb and so are the villains. The directing just makes it a lot worse(this I gleamed from YT clips). Why is everything so dramatic? Maybe it should be seen as a comedy?

By the way, am I one of the few who find kissing overrated in dramas? I don't enjoy a show better just because the OTP kissed. I wasn't too pleased with the forced kiss in 7DQ although it was intended not to be romantic. I don't get the kiss in Ruler either because I never got into the couple.
Shows however will continue to use kissing as a bait or fanservice because looking at all the comments on forums, there are many more people who love it.

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You're not the only one. I'm finding the child actors' portrayal of Yeok and Chae-kyung's mutual affection much more heart-fluttering than all the current dramas' kiss scenes combined ?.

I'm somehow stuck with 7DQ ep 1-4. Still can't move on from it.

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I also don't get the concept of kisses. I find it more of Hollywood influence than anything else. A simple fanservice tool. I don't get the hype around kiss scenes or bed scenes.
I'm always like do it already and move over.

Circle - I am amused how much the show pays attention towards Memories but never question never aging Jung Yeon. All human strives for long and healthy lives and here none of the character even mentioned how come a 50 year old lady is still in her 20s.
Circle asks the audience crucial questions. Circle directly engages with audience and that's makes it much better. Kdrama world should applause Circle because it is far better than their standard below average content.

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I hope the show addresses the question why JY never ages. Is she really an alien? Why does she have the answer to the mysteries of the brain?

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"Duel I am predicting that Yang Se Jong is going to be the next big thing. What was this guy doing before RDTK? He is a natural and that puts him a cut above his peers. "

Because he finished his acting class with 100% points score first ?? I am rooting for him to go to chungmuro after this.

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@seralovestteobokki are you serious or everything about YSJ is a perfect 10 or 100% in this case? ?

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Everything about YSJ is a perfect 10 ?

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Duel kind of shove him to kind of an unknown territory so he has to up his game.

He is promising and I like it that he is experimenting with different genres.
He is one of those earnest growing actors that I love rooting for.

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I don't enjoy kissing scene as well. I never bother if there is no kissing at all lol. Just like in Radiant Office, where OTP only kiss once at the end of the drama (and I read soma viewers diss at Go Ah Sung because she seems uncomfortable with that kiss?)

Well kissing, shower, bed scene - all of them just for fanservice and in some drama is overused and overrated.

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And from where you got your name.
There was no need of a kiss between Ms. temper and Nam Jung Gi.
Kdramas Kiss act like a Stamp or a loud announcement - Look He/ she did confessed - Look they are now couple. It becomes more of an exhibition than something natural.

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I prefer a natural on screen chemistry over kissing. It's so cringe-inducing when there is no chemistry.

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While I've enjoyed and squeed over some kiss scenes, I also don't enjoy a show better just because the OTP kissed or just because the kiss scene was romantic. The tension is more important than the actual execution.

I think my main quibble with kiss scenes is how inorganic they can sometimes feel, as if the writer or producer are afraid the audience will turn on them if they don't deliver a kiss (usually by week 4 of a drama) even though the characters' relationship isn't quite there yet.

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The last time I enjoyed a kiss was in 1% of Anything. Ha Suk Jin and Jeon So Min's chemistry were out of this world. They looked absolutely comfortable and enjoyed kissing each other(at least it looked like that to me!). The PD gave them a lot of room to ad lib and the result was awesome.

Most of the time, kissing is just meh and some downright terrible. It does amuse me though to read all the squeals over The Kiss even for the awful ones. This is the target audience that the show wants to satisfy.

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I don't necessarily find kissing overrated, but maybe that's because I rarely stick around for couples that make me feel that way? Meaning that, if I start feeling giddy in anticipation for a couple's first kiss, that just means the show is doing its job right. Frankly, I actually like that they let a kiss have a lot of meaning, simply because moments like this are often not considered a big deal anymore.

My favorite things are hugs and handholds, though, and, beyond that, great conversations! So I get what you mean about finding kisses overrated simply because I get annoyed when viewers go "Ugh, they're just hugging?", "When will they kiss?" incessantly just because it hasn't happened yet. But rather than finding the kiss scene itself overrated, I find that's more me getting bothered with the way viewers over-hype it sometimes and let it hinder their enjoyment of couples that don't constantly rely on skinship to show their love.

I definitely can't say it doesn't make me giddy and excited when it feels right for a couple I'm invested in. I would have been a giddy fool if the young leads from 7DQ had gotten their first kiss after they made their promises to each other! Yet, I didn't need it because of the bittersweet feeling that fleeting moment evoked. And I ended up enjoying the kiss later because I feel like I accurately felt all the emotions that scene was intending to convey. Yes, there's longing, but there's a lot of confusion and pain. And what made it exciting was how it represented the first break in the barriers Yeok's been putting up. Now I'm just hoping they'll be able to recover some of the sweetness of the younger pair before they kiss again.

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"My favorite things are hugs and handholds, though, and, beyond that, great conversations!"

Yes! That's what I like too, more than just a kiss alone. You are right that the problem isn't so much that kissing is overrated but how much hype viewers place on it over other things. This is the most apparent in dramas where I don't feel love between the couple even if they say all kinds of cheesy lines and when they kiss, it's always either awful or zero impact. Yet, the effect it has on other viewers is quite positive. Just take a look at the current airing Ruler. In the initial episodes before the time skip, I thought the OTP was set up for something great. However, the poor writing resulted in stupid angst and needless conflicts. I ended up not believing that they love each other so when I saw the kiss, it was meh to me. For 7DQ, I actually got swept away by the friendship and young love. I don't need a kiss to show me how much they cared and love each other.

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Yeah, that's me in the first paragraph. I've moved on if I'm not feeling the couple to a certain extent. I think I just want authentic to the couple and situation. Suspicious Partner had a great first kiss, which is nothing like the garage kiss in Secret Love Affair, which is nothing like the "heck no, you ain't getting married" kiss in Faith. All three worked for me because they seemed true to the couple and the situation. Now I never need to see a repeat-from-five-angle kiss again or the camera goes around the couple, but I'm not seeing that stuff as much these days anyway.

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OMG! I just picked up Best Hit where I last left at ep 3 and lo and behold, they had this camera revolving kiss! Only that the car was the one which was revolving!

I love this type of humor. Another drama I pick up from beanies' recommendation here.

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I like kiss scenes IF they are not doing it over the board: slowmos, rotating camera work, cliche details like clench fisting, open eye (who does that in real life?).

Best kind of kiss scenes is when they do it naturally and no zoom in and rewinds.

Or if you need to have cliches, do it the Best Hit way and make a parody out of it ?

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I really wanted to watch -Ruler- but I was so confused why none of the DB staff is currently watching it...Until I saw your comment. Is it really that bad? I was super excited when it premiered, but now I do not know if I should invest my time in it or not. The reactions seems quite disappointing!

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I just watched fight my way's this week's episodes and I have seen enough of jerk leads in dramaland but moo bin should take the cake for the worst among them. The fact that he didn't even realize what he was saying was wrong on so many levels when he said that him getting married doesn't change anything between them, so made me want to punch his face. Ugh. So glad we are done with his part. I like sul hee though I wish she would take some control in her relationship and think whether if this what she really wants, but when she cried about dong man and ae ra finally going after their dreams, my heart melted.

Need to still catch up to lookout, I agree that suspicious partner is losing some of its crack factors, though I still really like it, I used to blindly choose it to watch first on thursday- fridays. Now I have this inner conflict of choosing seven day queen first which is simply perfect. But, no mater what, I sincerely hope chief bang isn't dead, it ll break all of our lawyers in some way and I can't handle that.

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The Best Hit: My current favourite! The running gags on MJ head board are crazy awesome LOL and Yoon Shi Yoon blew everyone away in this.

Fight My Way: I'm liking this a lot now the story's picking up on the romance part. The show gave me lots of satisfying fistpumps (all those little revenges) so I'm a happy camper.

Suspicious Partner: The romance's cute and the evil dude is a total creeps. But after this week's episode.. hmmm.. not really liking where it's going even though I'm still enjoying all the cuteness. Just not liking people dropping like flies. Especially characters I care about! Please don't turn this into Missing 9!

Lookout: Still watching but somehow my heart is not totally sold. Not sure why.

CIrcle: Probably one of the rare species who's planning to drop this show (runnnnnnn). The show's sleek and stylish, but just couldn't grip me. Or maybe I'm just not a sci-fi kinda girl. I might pick it up later once the show completed.

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That moment when YSY walked away with MJ's head under his arm had me in stitches and now it just sits there on the desk, staring at him haha :b The randomness of the 1N2D s3 (/Yu PD) humor has transferred so well to drama!

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OMG I thought running around with the head was hilarious, but the moment I saw the head on the desk, I couldn't stop laughing till I cried. I hope they continue the gags!

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Same!

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Re SP, I'm actually now more interested that people are dropping like flies in this one especially because it still has a rom-com feel to it. I'm word that way when it comes to my drama. The more tragic, the better.

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**weird

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LOL we all have our weird preferences when it comes to dramas!

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Watching
Kdramas
1. Duel
2. Lookout
3. Forest of secrets
Cdramas
1. Ode to Joy 2
2. Princess agents
Movie- house of disappeared

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How's Princess Agents? I watched the clip, I thought Lin Gengxin has the same voice as Mark Chao on TMOPB. I wonder if they use the same voice actor...

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I watched episode 1-2 hoping I'd get a kind of Mulan story. However, I couldn't stand seeing women treated like hunting targets and objects to play and kill in sauna. I get that it was setting up the stage for revenge and the rise of a powerful warrior princess, but it's not my cup of tea.

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Yea they did use the same dubber. It's funny I've read that the same voice dubbers for 3l3w leads are the ones for Princess Agent.

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I'm currently watching Fight My Way, Circle, The Best Hit and Forest of Secrets, in that order. Perfect mix and balance of genres, if you ask me.

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As always, it's great to read all the Beanies' opinions of the shows they are watching!

Completely agreeing with chickachunga's question, " .... was Lee Dong-gun always this phenomenal?!" ....... Judging from all of our amazement every week, it appears he always wasn't, but he's simply something else in Seven Day Queen. Who knew!

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because LDG never been this evil up until now. OK maybe not that evil but still so mean and good looking.

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It reminds me of Nam Goong Min and how he had to play the evil role really well in The Girl Who Sees Smell, to finally be appreciated.

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Because he always just average / mediocre, that's the reason he received more attention in SDQ. I saw him in few drama, but him alone can never make me stay for the whole drama. Kim Ji Suk in Rebel who played Yeonsan as well, he always played nice / funny roles before and he was a scene stealer in few drama i his comedic role. He also surprised us with his performance in Rebel too.

In any case, in my opinion for some actors/ actressess who are never played villain will receive more attention after playing a villain. Such as Yeon Jeong Hun (Mask),Nam Goong Min (Girl Who Sees Smell & Remember), Baek Jin Hee (Tanashiri in Empress Ki) etc etc. This is not something new for me.

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It just goes to show how just one different role can change everything for an actor/actress ...... and the viewers' perception of him or her.

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exactly

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So true! When an actor or actress's acting talent is not where I'd like it to be, I have trouble dismissing them because sometimes it just takes that one role. Sometimes you can tell when an actor is enjoying the heck out of a role (like you know that role will be memorable to them even 20 dramas later) and that really makes a difference in how they act. It's really important for actors to branch out and for writers to work hard on developing their characters.

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His impeccable style helps. I don't quite drool every time he flips his robe backwards and struts towards the throne, but I'm getting there if he keeps acting 'out of character' (I just lol'ed when the Queen Dowager said that).

Superficial comments aside, his acting is convincing and he's been given good lines. His easy rapport with Chae Kyung looks completely natural. I'm sort of sad it's going to explode into jealousy/rage/violence soon.

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Excited for new episodes of: The Best Hit, Suspicious Partner, Seven Day Queen

Back and forth between watching and reading recap: Lookout, My Sassy Girl, Circle

Still STUBBORNly watching: Ruler Master of The Mask

And still having time to re-watch: Pinocchio

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Pinocchio is one of the only shows I've somehow found time to rewatch in between all the first-time watches. It never gets old!

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i am also still stubbornly watching ruler master of the mask and now me and my brother patiently wait for it every wed and thurs...so that we can mock the events that don't seem to be following any proper human reasoning....we have decided its not a bad show.its just a ridiculous one( am not sure if we have figured out how different the two are but for now it makes sense to us..haha)

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I realized today that I was mixing up ruler and seven day queen! So I dropped SDQ. Thinking if SDQ is good,I will pick it up later

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On thriller/sci-fi front: Circle slowed down a bit this week to ask contemplative questions about memories and being human, then hit me with jaw-dropping revelation. While Duel slowly raise my curiosity about its clones.

On a lighter side, Fight My Way and Best Hit hit all the right notes for me with its balance of humour and heartfelt moments.

-Crime Scene 3: Eps 7. I enjoyed this case a lot (the victim has a complicated life story, which I really like) and laughed so much at the casts' unexpected ad-lib. Finally Dir Jangjin get to play someone his age and become the oldest of the bunch. It must be quite frustrating that people kept speaking to him in banmal while he has to use jondaemal.

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I have to admit, I tried to watch so many shows at the same time that it broke me. I could barely function this week and had to stop watching almost every show on my list. So far, I only caught up to Seven Day Queen, the rest I could only watch in pieces and *gasps* I might have to watch double the episodes next week.

Currently watching:
-Seven Day Queen
-A Lifetime of Love (c-drama)
-The Best Hit
-Circle
-My Sassy Girl
-Fight My Way (might drop this)
-Secret Forest (watched the first episode and contemplating whether to keep or drop, not because it's no good but because I'm just too stuffed)

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Totally understand what you are saying. I'm watching or trying to watch Circle,Duel and Secret Forest which are a bit heavy plus glossing over 7 Day Queen because I feel more at home with sageuks.
This is the most I've been watching in a long time and I need to drop one but I don't want to lol.

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I watched episode 2 of Secret Forest last night and decided it's a keep. Procedural drama isn't usually my go to drama, but this one is too good to pass on. I think I have to start planning my time well and put off some rom-com my list, unfortunately, they're going to marathon list.

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Yep, I crashed as well because staying up until 2am every night is not a good idea. I'm sticking with 2 dramas: Seven Day Queen and The Best Hit. I might also drop Fight My Way.

I marathoned My Sassy Girl and then was having trouble keeping my kings and queens straight, so I'll probably finish it later too. Seven Day Queen has taken all my sageuk attention at the moment.

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At one point I was watching all 3 saeguks - MSG, Ruler and SDQ. Here's how to differentiate them:

MSG King - Ahjussi
Ruler King - Kpop
SDQ King - Hot Hot Hot! But also mad.

MSG Queen - Ahjumma
Ruler Queen - none because everyone in the palace is waiting for one particular lady.
SDQ - Beautiful but not getting any attention from Mr Hot.

MSQ Prince - cute dimpled honeycakes who love eh...honeycakes?
Ruler Prince - charming but easily distracted. With luck, he can hopefully save his country in his lifetime.
SDQ Prince - charming and distracting. With luck, we might survive this tragic tale.

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MSQ... My Sassy Queen? XD

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Who knew I got defeated by acronyms instead!

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