Team Dramabeans: What we're watching » Dramabeans Korean drama recaps

215 January 26, 2018February 2, 2018

Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

by DB Staff

So, what are we all watching this week?

What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…

I’m Not a Robot: It feels like the plot made particularly little sense as the show wrapped up (I just couldn’t follow the logic of what people did or how they reacted to anything in the corporate storyline), but I was only ever in this for the lovable friendships and sweet romantic connections, and on that front I left the show feeling mostly warm and fuzzy. I mean, there was a lot of cringing at the business meetings and machinations, but I still managed to come out with the cheery glow intact. Now this is a couple I could ship in real life.

Black Knight: Things finally started picking up once Kim Rae-won began recalling bits of his former life (finally!) and feeling doubts. I particularly liked the reversal in his visions—where his memories were twisted by thinking Seo Ji-hye was his beloved and Shin Se-kyung was the interloper—although I’m relieved to have him finding out the true backstory so we can move things right along. We spent a couple weeks sort of bumbling along, so this development is late but welcome. I really, really don’t care about any of the real estate development or the greedy old antagonist storyline, though. Why so much screentime?

odilettante

Smart Prison Living: My sprint to the end might have been much more tortoise than hare, but the final three hours were spent in equal part agonizing about characters possibly making wrong choices and ruining their lives forever, bawling like a baby both out of joy and sorrow (mostly joy), and wishing that somehow this show wasn’t actually ending. I hope there’s another season — not just because I’m still unwilling to say goodbye to these characters that have become a part of my life the past couple of months, but because I really need Han-yang to have a happy ending, dammit. (I also need to know how to be in both a bromance and a romance with Jung Kyung-ho, but that’s more of a personal issue, one that Shin PD probably can’t solve. Unless he can. In which case: call me!)

chickachunga

Mother: The pilot is as beautiful as it is devastating, filled with moments that are sparing in composition, but packed with subtext that conveys everything we need to feel without heavy-handed narrative devices. If the first episode (as well as the Japanese original series) is any indication, Mother will not be an easy watch, but it’s expertly crafted on all counts, especially the writing and directing, which comes as no surprise if you’re familiar with the high-caliber credits of the scribe and director. Child actress Heo Yool is a delicate force with eyes like the ocean. She. Is. Phenomenal.

Laica

Just Between Lovers: Real life has meant that I haven’t been able to watch this until now, despite the rave reviews I’ve been reading (with one eye closed). One episode in, I’m already hooked—by the tragic but not overwrought backstory, parceled out to us slowly and without fanfare, by the sweetly melancholy tone, by the incredible magnetism of leads Won Jin-ah and Junho. I can tell already that this one will break my heart, but I am so onboard, because so far the show has had a light touch with some very heavy themes: the persistence of grief, the wages of trauma, and how taxing it can be to walk around each day with unhealed wounds weighing down your body and soul. Moon-soo and Kang-doo have already met twice without having an actual conversation. I’m very much looking forward to them really talking to each other, because they both have this sort of shell-shocked yet matter-of-fact way of being in the world that makes it clear that they’re very fragile under their nonchalant exteriors. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but bring on the melodrama. I bet it’s gonna be good.

215

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51 blessingwind

January 27, 2018 at 11:20 AM

Smart Prison Living- Easily one of the BEST BEST korean dramas i watched. I totally loved it. Though i felt very disappointed with the abrupt weird ending for our Looney , i really truly enjoyed every bit of this show. I will miss the prison gang.

Return - Who is watching return? Hands up!. I swear this show is so intriguing with its premise of elite town and crime. It is so dark and twisted. Direction and editing could be improved a little bit, that is the only problem i have with this show. So far, i am loving the show.

PS : is gong hyun jung sick in real life or is her character going to become a person with terminal illness? Her makeup looks so out of the place. She looks so pale and sick in most of her scenes Add to that ,the bangs are so not working for her. But she is doing good as Choi Ja hye.

Money Flower - Finally , the cat is out of the bag. Almost everyone knows everything now. Kang Pil Joo's time for revenge has come after waiting for 20 years. I just hope that makjang dramagods spare Pil joo's life at the end and make him alive and be happy with Mo hyun later.

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52 redfox

January 27, 2018 at 12:36 PM

Mother is like a movie, it is so quiet but so full of tension.

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53 Goryeo princess

January 27, 2018 at 2:08 PM

Seeing that profile picture makes me wonder.... WHY no one is recapping BLACK KNIGHT? not enought time or staff to do so, I gues... still it's a pretty decent show. I am enjoying it. :)

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54 reglest

January 28, 2018 at 1:39 AM

What I'm watching:
1. Smart Prison Living: I can't believe the show has ended! What a ride, and moreover Han Yang-aaa~ I never believe I'd be so much invested in his life. But Han Yang is one hell of laughter switch, Him and Jung Woo is just a kindergarten pair. I heart Jung Woo and mostly Min Chul's end, nothing could repay him for.
And Jae Hyuk is just so sweet, the blockheaded boy has some knack in his sleeve, and I think he is the sliest among them in that prison.
For Doolmari, I wish the best for him. He might be the most villain among them all, but I wish him luck.
Letnan Na is just a big love, applause for Jung Woo In to blow life to this foul-mouthed guard. Song guard is another love
2. Hwayugi
Where can I start? I almost love all aspect of this drama, and moreover for Seung Gi, PUPPPYYYY!! Erh, but he is not the puppy anymore, he is a monkey and a mischievous one for that.
3. I am not A Robot:
Cuteeeee~ what can I say more? Please please give me more Kim Min Hyuk-Jia interaction. I'm glad the show end with the happy note.

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55 Mandy

January 28, 2018 at 4:53 PM

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56 Mandy

January 28, 2018 at 4:55 PM

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57 Beanfan

January 28, 2018 at 5:15 PM

Thanks Laica! After reading your write-up, I'm FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY excited about another drama other than the currently-airing Hwayugi--which I won't marathon until it's over.

And...I've kinda asked this before, with no answer. Is HeadsNo2 gone from Dramabeans? She has had no posts in the longest time... :((

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58 PakalanaPikake

January 28, 2018 at 7:24 PM

In addition to DOUBTFUL VICTORY and MONEY FLOWER, which both wrap up this coming week, I'm watching a vintage tale of revenge, MAWANG / the DEVIL / THE LUCIFER (2007) and enjoying the subtitles on KBS WORLD TV on YouTube. It hasn't been recapped, but discussion has been happening at this link:

http://www.dramabeans.com/2007/04/devil-mawang-wave-of-japanese-support/

Prosecutor Jang Do-han in LOOKOUT and lawyer Kang Pil-joo in MONEY FLOWER are most definitely spiritual descendants of MAWANG's enigmatic lawyer Oh Seung-ha.

It will be interesting to see how MONEY FLOWER winds up. I cannot even begin to guess what the future holds for Pil-joo. He plays his cards so close to the vest that I have no idea what his intentions are. I suspect that his plan is to vivisect / dismantle Evil Grandpa's carefully-assembled chaebol while ensuring that Gramps, Evil Uncle, Executive Jung, and all of their murderous henchpeople rot in jail for the rest of their days.

Beyond that, I cannot tell if he plans to go to jail or wade out into the river to join his kin (and save the taxpayers of Korea a bundle).

I posted some further thoughts on revenge in relation to these dramas, in particular LOOKOUT and its ending.

http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/01/in-defense-of-the-not-so-happy-ending/#comment-3180757