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Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

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…

 

javabeans

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim: I loved how off-kilter the introduction to this oddball pairing was, with us all wondering what was up with Secretary Kim and having her reactions so opaque and coated in cheerful professionalism. This looks like it’s going to be an adorable pairing, and I’m just glad to have a romance to root for again. I feel like this drama is completely dependent upon these two actors, but as long as they keep being awkward and hilarious, I’m happy.

Are You Human Too: I was so excited about this drama mostly because of the production team, who have done some great work (director: Gaksital, Joseon Gunman, writer: The Princess’s Man), and I think this show is stronger when it’s being a drama and less so when it’s attempting a light, comedic touch — they’re just not comedy folks. But where it has me is the premise of a robot Shin impersonating a human, which gives rise to the intriguing question of whether a machine with high intelligence can have something like consciousness or feelings. The science may feel like it’s too unrealistic to live in this world, but I just imagine we’re in some Westworld-ian type of future where robots look fully human and possess awareness. I’m Not a Robot was adorable because she was human, but Are You Human Too hints at a deeper exploration because we’re with the robot Shin rather than the human Shin, and I don’t quite know how to feel about this situation — I’m uncertain, but in a good way. The series may not live up to its setup since it’s got a tall order to fulfill, but I sure hope it tries.

 

girlfriday

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim: These two characters are both so smart and so dumb in similar ways, which makes their relationship feel very evenly matched. I just like the simple conflict of the heroine wanting to reclaim her identity as Kim Mi-so and not Secretary Kim, and the totally obvious (to everyone but them) affection they have for one another. As a bonus, they’re both incredibly petty and childish, which makes for my favorite kind of jealous rom-com hijinks.

 

dramallama

Suits: Perfect casting, mediocre drama. The first episode was almost an exact replica of the original version’s pilot, and it became more telling that the plotlines were poorly recycled into this watered-down Korean version as the series continued. I only watched for the characters, and despite the lazy writing, the Jang Dong-gun/Park Hyung-shik bromance was charming and exactly what I wanted. That tearjerking final episode was a little too idealistic for me, but it did its job of making me forget all the plot holes. Probably won’t rewatch this, but I would love to see this duo act together again. Make it happen, casting directors!

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim: This show got me hooked with its cheeky humor and promising chemistry. I’m a little wary of Young-joon’s character because the last time Park Seo-joon played a rich asshole with a mysterious past that was intended to evoke sympathy, he was just an asshole deserving of none of my sympathy. But I’m into this Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young pairing, and I hope that their combined rom-com prowess will make for an entertaining watch.

 

odilettante

Handsome Guy and Jung-eum: There’s nothing particularly special about this rom-com and I keep anticipating that each new week will be the week I decide to drop it. But each week I find myself more and more charmed by the characters and the easygoing plot that doesn’t require too much effort to follow along. Sure, this is the kind of rom-com we’ve seen a million times before, but it’s just such a pleasant, undemanding watch each week, which is apparently just what I need right now.

Life on Mars: As a fan of the original BBC version, I was a little worried at first by all the changes that were made. But then the magical tones of David Bowie began to play and Park Sung-woong appeared and suddenly everything was right with the world. Well, maybe not for Tae-joo’s world, but for this fan, I’m happy to know that this promises to be a reasonably faithful adaptation, with a cast that’s perfect for their roles and gorgeous cinematography. My only regret is that I’m not as familiar with 1980s Korean pop culture as I feel I ought to be to properly enjoy every nuance.

 

TeriYaki

Investigation Couple: I’m still enjoying the tension between the NSF and prosecutorial team but I do find Park Eun-suk’s character overly emotional. His decade-long vendetta against Baek-beom (Jung Jae-young) has no place in his office and he shouldn’t be anywhere near the case. While I am curious to know the truth about the romantic triangle that Baek-beom found himself in, I’m super bothered by the unprofessionalism of the lead prosecutor. At least it will be satisfying when he (hopefully) realizes that he’s misjudged the medical examiner for too long.

Greasy Melo: I took a break to check out some new shows and now I’m slowly getting caught up. Very slowly. I’m up to Episode 14 and had to hit pause when it looked as if Chil-sung was in danger. Jang Hyuk is slaying me as the lovestruck gangster with the big heart and I can’t bear to watch anything bad happen to him. I’m actually thankful that he wears sunglasses so often because, those eyes! He’s very subtle, but his eyes convey such sadness and longing. I need to overcome my fears so that I can get back to Greasy Melo and fully enjoy Jang Hyuk’s performance but I can only take so much.

About Time: I was caught off-guard by this week’s developments. With Do-ha surrounded by the women of his past, present and (possibly) future, I didn’t expect the showdown to hit pause in order to focus on his brothers, Do-san and Do-bin. Suffice it to say that I completely forgot about the women in appreciation of the brotherly bond between Do-ha and Do-san and grieved for the missed opportunity for his father and Do-bin to give him some love. Family members can inflict the deepest of wounds and About Time illustrated that movingly.

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim: It’s obvious that Young-joon has his personality challenges, but this week I realized that Mi-so has her own issues that make a romantic connection with her boss a tall order. She is a very literal person who takes everything that Young-joon says as a personal challenge and misses his clumsy attempts at humor. The company competition highlighted the disconnect perfectly and both boss and secretary, even after so many years together, have lots to learn about each other. The competition was hilarious and watching Mi-so tackle the obstacle course (that bouncing horse!) explains so much about her.

 
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1. Rich Man Poor Woman. Oh dear. I often ask myself why am I watching this drama well aware that I will never get this time back. Yoo Chan seems to wear the same semi confused expression throughout each episode so maybe he is asking himself the same thing. I don't find Kim Bo Ra's dances and attempts to entertain even a little bit endearing. I find myself wishing Park Sung Hoon who has a supporting role was actually the lead.
2. Lawless Attorney. The episodes have pretty much zipped by. Plot holes aplenty with the storyline concerning the fate of the Uncle and general aftermath but I ate up the fight off in the hospital and the Mayor entering the court room a la last minute. Slightly concerned about how slender Lee Joon Gi is.
3. What's Wrong with Secretary Kim just makes me terribly glad I watch K drama. Roll on episode 5 cos I want more.
4. Are You Human Too. I am seriously worried that someone will hurt Android Nam Shin III (physically and especially emotionally) He must come to no harm!
5. Miss Hammurabi – I know the Park Cha Oh Reum character is supposed to be emotional and headstrong as she learns from her mistakes but at the same time teaches the other Judges to consider things from a more heartfelt perspective. However I just find her a bit hard to like and there are times I question Im Ba Reun's judgement in loving her. I am thinking he could do better, just let that chaebol dude have her cos I think the stenographer is more intriguing.
6. Wok of Love. I think this drama merits higher ratings, early on the talking horse and general wacky hi jinx made me want to throw in towel but the dynamic between the 3 leads is so worth returning for every week and I think it became more cohesive and really improved as it went along. It feels like an Indie hit.
7. Come and Hug Me – I do really love this but am always a bit scared of what fresh anguish I will have to witness. Please end happily. I have been burned before.....Misty, I am looking at you.
8. Hit the Top/The Best Hit – always like to have an older drama on the go and Yoon Shi Yoon just makes me happy.
9. About Time – Dropped. The prospective fiancée and the ex girlfriend combo made me all kinds of ragey. Way too tiresome.
10. Handsome Guy and Jung Eum – Close to dropping. Nam Goon Min & Choi Tae Joon are making me hold on but I find Hwang Jun Eum to be a bit of an overacting screamer. Loved her green flares in the last 2 episodes though and I immediately searched Ebay to see if I could find a similar pair.

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I screenshot Hwang Jung Eum and Jung Ryeo Won's outfits in Handsome Guy and Jung Eum and Wok of Love and upload them to Taobao hahaaha! It's got a Search by Image function..

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Did you get any results?

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I found the green dress Jung Eum wore during the first kiss with Hoon Nam if you're interested..

Jung Ryeo Won's pinafore/overall dress in Ep 20/21? is also really easy to find.

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Cool! do you have the link?

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RICH MAN heading the What We're Watching comments for once LOL. As @kimbapnooona wisely said, it... "could be worse?".
Oh, and I also don't find Bo Ra's dancing funny or even appropriate. Who dances like that in front of their boss?

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Only someone who is slightly insane and on a mission to lose their job.

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I don't mind the dancing so much except that the writing makes it seem like the sole reason the hero is falling in love with her is purely based on that twisty-snakey-arm-contortion?

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Maybe I will try it out on my husband when he get's home. It could be something men secretly love.

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Noooo. Why are these comments making me want to watch this show just to witness this ridiculousness you all speak of? Lol, there's no way I have time for this...

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@chandler Don't do it. Be strong. You will only end up hating yourself.

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Okay, please enlighten me @epiphany5555 and @wishfultoki,
Why do we have baby drama and why would we care about it happening to such a terrible person?

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@kimbapnoona Baby drama is probably the key to bringing all our characters together. Yoo Chan and Bo Ra will become the godparents, after starting a new company with Do Jin, while undeserving girlfriend will obtain the CEO wife position she's always dreamed of. Painter boy gets a fancy car from Min Tae Rae and drives into the sunset by himself. Tae Joo discovers he needed glasses after all. They all live happily ever after. The end.

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@wishfultoki
I am convinced that the only way to save this drama, the ONLY way, is that you take over as the writer.

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@kimbapnoona Gladly! *pulls out the trope bingo list*

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@kimbapnoona We are 12 episodes down. I think it might be too late for saving/it's a terminal case.

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You might be right @epiphany5555, but if they can pull a hostile takeover in episode 12, I say we can manage the same! 😆

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@kimbapnoona You are so right. Go for it.

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This comment thread made me laugh and cry more than that entire drama.

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Hmm....I have a different take on Miss Hammurabi. In the newest episode of (episode 7), the roles have "swapped" between Oh Reum and Ba Reun. In the past we see Oh Reum's shortcomings and her learning curve, in episode 7 we see Ba Reun's flaws and his growth. In episode 7, a presumably rational Ba Reun's judgement towards the case in question is hindered by his family background (which largely defines his inferior complex and cynical outlook of life). It is Oh Reum who gently reminds Ba Reun's own limited view towards family this time around. The highlight of the episode is when Oh Reum shows him her own "makeshift" family in the market. Oh Reum basically lost her biological family, and yet she is only too grateful to gain some new aunties. I love how Go Ara takes a very different approach by using a very "light" touch when she speaks on the writer's behalf in redefining family. Nothing dramatic about her own suffering, but only serene joy in gaining a new family premised on mutual trust and interdependence. It is also through Ba Reun's reminder and the case that Oh Reun cares to ask his mother what kind of person his father really is. That is to say, Oh Reum becomes a mentor for Ba Reun.

I am glad to see how Miss Hammurabi has regained its footing in episode 7. Episode 6 is a significant misstep. Although the rating hits new high in episode 6, the live reactions on Jtbc Bulletin board were underwhelmed. The plot felt lacking--almost a filler episode-- mostly because the "case study" was overshadowed by the romance. Empty MV-like closeup shots like Ba Reun's peeling rose petals are doing great fan service, but the entire episode 6 felt jarring from the previous 5 episodes.

In episode 7, there's the right balance between case study and character development. I actually don't care whether Ba Reum and Oh Reum can get together (this is the collateral damage of a wrongly executed episode 6 by shifting all the emphasis to romance). Ultimately, this is a drama where the writer uses civil court cases to examine how a given society is organized, which is exactly civil law is about. Just give me more detailed case studies and their connections to Korean society.
( If i want to watch romance, I can just watch secretary Kim. :D)

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I have tried to reply but keep failing as you deleted your original post, I commented on that and now it won't let put the comment again on here. IT issues! @ennui-young I do understand what you mean. Depth and insight were never really the intention behind my comment. To a certain degree it was a throwaway comment based on how I feel about the character. I agree with you about episode 6 (and the rose fiasco) and that she mentors him in 7 but I always thought from the start she would teach her colleagues in terms of emotional maturity. I feel for me the interpersonal dynamic between all the characters is more relevant to my enjoyment of the show than the case studies. Im Ba Reun's romantic interest in our lead girl has always been an underlying thread throughout the show and I have to empathise with and like the lead characters to be able to able to root for them and wish for them to succeed on both a professional and personal level. She just frustrates me because I feel there has been a great deal of her wilfully misunderstanding and not taking a considered approach. I can live without the romance but since it has been alluded to from the start I would like to be able to fully comprehend why he loves her so deeply. She just vexes me a bit :)

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But the same can be said about Ba Reun's "willful misunderstanding" of Oh Reum. This is the whole point of episode 6. He always perceived Oh Reum as a princess through his "rose-tinted glasses" (hence the rose scene--I read Judge Moon's writings and he's incredibly versed in English lit) , projecting her to be rich and better off than him. Ba Reun is stuck in his past and his one-sided imagination of Oh Reum, with NO real substantial understanding, which the stenographer reminds him in the bar. As a stark contrast, Oh Reum's memory of the past only consists of sexual harassment, domestic abuse, and the aftermath left by her father's death. All she wants is to put the past to oblivion (thus resonating with the law of "the right to be forgotten/ oblivion, which is a heated topic in Korea).
Markedly, Oh Reum's character changes after the rose-tinted glasses of Ba Reun broke. She is less impulsive and she listens Judge Han and Lim first before speaking her own view. The thing is that Oh Reum's character is only told from Ba Reun's narration, but his is not objective and reliable, since he has emotional investment in her--he also imposes his own judgement and his moral framework). In a way, Miss Hammurabi is more like a literary work (it's a novel to begin with) that demands a different way of viewing.

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Just popping in to say @ennui-young that your analysis is fantastic and has made me appreciate the writing to a greater extent.

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@ennui-young You are definitely thinking about this on a much deeper level, with a knowledge of the source material, dissecting it and gleaning far more from it than I am. For films or television shows that are important to me I have invested more time in looking beyond the surface. For MH I haven't, I am not watching it for that purpose and I don't really love it. I think it is alright but I don't think its a work of televisual genius that I will still be thinking about in 5 years time. Unfortunately I just don't warm to her in the way I do with my other favourite K drama heroines. I do find the male lead even with his deficiencies more likeable as an individual. Maybe that is because his shortcomings are more palatable to me in terms of character failure. His inability to see the real her causes no real detriment to her life. Although misguided I think he has made more attempts to understand her & assist her than she has done him. I do see that she is learning but on a basic level I can't make myself like her. My interpretation of the drama was that we as viewers are seeing what is actually occurring, she has solo scenes and I didn't notice anything to suggest that these were solely his reflections so I didn't take him to be a narrator at all far less an unreliable one even if he is one in the novel. Again I acknowledge I could be wrong and even though the end result is I still don't love her or greatly admire the drama I do acknowledge that there is a lot more going on that is immediately apparent to me.

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@epiphany5555 All is fine. :) I am just giving different takes. I don't even think that it is the writer's intention to make the audience like OR (Miss Hammurabi). She is a highly controversial character especially considering the current social climate of SK (especially in early episodes). The writer installs minutely written monologues to BR (which isn't there in the novel) to make BR's character much more palatable and relatable--he feels more like a "complete" character compared to the rest. That's my point.

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@ennui-young, @lynn02: I am a little confused about Oh Reum’s character development. Since that big show down about treatment of junior lawyers, she has toned down her radical activism to the extent that she seems like a different person. It’s great that she learnt that not everything is solved by getting on to a war path, but her current serious and gentle demeanour is almost akin to her high school persona. We still don’t know what prompted her activism post-high school (which may well be answered later), but I - for one - don’t know where her more recent radical self went!

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I always thought her treatment at the hands of the music teacher is what made her determined to stand up to abuse wherever she encountered it. The unwelcome attention she had encountered in life such as those men at the restaurant she was working. Right from episode 1 on the train where she speaks out to a train traveller who is groping another woman, I thought that fact she had once been a victim gave her steely determination and activist inclinations to fight against the system. I could be wrong though......

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Nah, you are right. It makes sense!

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@vongole it has probably only gone away on a temporary basis.

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@vongole @epiphany5555 In certain matters Oh Reum is quick to pass judgement due to her personal experience, just like Ba Reun is when dealing with family inheritance feud because Ba Reun has a family complex . However, Oh Reum is also quick to rectify her mistakes. For instance, in episode 2, she immediately integrates herself into the lower-ranked clerks after realizing her persistence has caused great inconvenience to others. In episode 5, after being reminded by Judge Han and Ba Reun, she delivered a beautiful speech, not about pushing the wrongdoing, but about the triumph of making a small step in raising the human rights issue in work place.

In episode 7, Oh Reum's reconciliatory approach is also deeply embedded in her unique experience of what constitutes "family." While Judge Han and Ba Reun quickly brush off the case as another ugly family strife typical of chaebols and want to focus on the legitimacy of transference of the "property," she instead focuses on the "people." Most significantly, precisely because her own mother, Oh Reum WANTS the father to testify in court. The father might have lost his cognitive ability, but he still has genuine emotional connections to his foster son who takes care of him despite lack of blood relationship.

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@vongole Oh Reum's view towards "family" is best hinted by the painting she puts on her side of the wall. It's Lee Jung-seob‘s painting " Dancing Family."
http://www.korea.kr/celebrity/cultureColumnView.do?newsId=148780608
Lee experienced Japan's colonial occupation and war, but different from Goya's view of humanity (Ba Reun's poster), Lee renders joy and hope despite devastation of hard times, just like the grandmother taking in all the disadvantaged women (Oh Reum included) and building a new type of family.

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Thank you for the explanation. I had wondered about her selection of painting - it was not familiar to me.

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Thank you both! I suppose what we are seeing is that there are two sides of her activism - one that is very in-your-face, as exemplified by her switching between mini skirt and burqa at the Court, and the other one focused on empathy (starting with her listening to the old lady whose son died on the surgery table). It's the second side we have been seeing more recently, but the sparks of the first one remain.
I have just finished watching episode 8, and gah! I love this show so much!!

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Everyone knows I'm an EXO-L and along with Xiumin, Suho is my bias but his acting in this is so awkward and cringeworthy. His character is an asshole and Bo-ra drives me bonkers. I dropped the show at episode 8 because it was so bad. I really did wish Tae-ray was the female lead instead of Bo-ra because her character is a lot more interesting and useful to Yoo-chan than useless and dull as dirty dishwater Bo-ra. The second lead's character is just as boring because neither him nor Bo-ra DO anything in this show.

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I agree on Tae-ray's character being far more interesting. It is also just so strange that the show spent the first 12 episodes showcasing the evolution of her relationship with Yoo Chan and making Bo-ra essentially a disruptor of that relationship. And at the 12th episode mark, the show is still unable to give us a good reason why Bo-ra (or anyone) would fall for Yoo-chan, past or present.

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The source material has sketched the characters as they are. This version follows the Japanese version closely; characters and main plot lines. Shun Oguri was even more of an asshole. I could not understand why she fell for him in that one. Maybe brillance is magnetic. I can’t say that I have ever crossed paths with someone like that, so i wouldn’t know if it is fatally attractive.
At least the Korean version invents a dead girlfriend to link them in the past and precondition her to like him.
I don’t think Bo ra is dull, she is just for the most part ordinary. Her cheerful and thoughtful personality is attractive and lights up her ordinariness. She sees the best in people and appreciates the good. How else could she genuinely befriend a gold-digger and a insecure poser. We would like to be able to show people we can trust the parts of us that we don’t put on display because these parts are vulnerable or considered weaknesses. Because Bo ra is an open, accepting person, many of the characters find they are comfortable being vulnerable with her.

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you're an Indian Right?

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No. My username does confuse a lot of people. I just used to like Indian movies a lot.

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ok

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I didn't really love anything this week, please Life on Mars be good! And yes I predicted that 1988 female officer would stop male lead from suiciding! - watching raw cuts on ocn's youtube channel -

Life on Mars (Episode 1-2):
I wasn’t fully on board in episode 1, but wow, episode 2 did make me a fan of this drama. I loved the underlying tension between JKH and the 1988 team as they attempted to solve the murder case as well as the begrudging respect that the two parties are beginning to show to each other. The show is well acted from JKH to GAS to PSW to ODH (the last actor is still forgettable at this stage). I am curious to find out what JKH will do if the doctor was lying to him (Tbh I do think this is the case given the preview), and if so, why? This is so awesomely nerve-wrecking I swear.

WSK (Episodes 3-4):
My love for this show fizzled quite some bit this week. I had hopes for this drama in its premier week so the backward progress was doubly frustrating. I felt like the main OTP’s progression could have been squeezed into 1 episode and all the saved time used to develop the side characters so that I have something to look forward to when the angst erupts. With the introduction of the Hyung, that time is coming very soon so I’m losing confidence in the drama to keep me engaged. Although I must say I’m interested to see LTH in his first “evil” role? I like him and hope he does well.

AYHT (Episodes 3-4 / 5-8):
The story in this drama is a letdown, so I’m just going to talk about the acting. For once, SKJ’s looks don’t detract from his acting and he looks believable in the two roles. As for the rest of the leads, LJH has the most interesting writing and therefore acting, though it’s a step down from his FOS second lead prowess (Side-note: SKJ should totally breakout in a FOS-like role! Don’t be typecast as pretty-face-in-rom-coms!). I do kind of pity GSY and PHH (to a lesser extent) if next week’s episodes doom their character development because the writing is limiting their acting ability.

CAHM (Episodes 15-16):
I almost wanted to drop the show, because yes we get more of the OTP staring and crying at each other / holding and hugging each other while the major development goes to the male lead’s Hyung, who isn’t even the correct person the male lead is looking for (I believe). Talking about looking for someone: where is the other reporter? I so want her to return and start that media showdown with the evil reporter, because I’m pretty sure she will support the OTP now while they handle the physical threats. The plot is finally moving forward after that cliffhanger, right drama? Please do.

Undatetables (Episodes 13-14):
With the bet on, Hoon Nam’s actions with Jung Eum are now cast in a sea of fog, where it becomes hard to differentiate between sincerity and deceit, even when it’s obvious he’s falling for her hard. Other than the OTP’s development, the story is going nowhere and I can tell the angst phase of the...

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Other than the OTP’s development, the story is going nowhere and I can tell the angst phase of the show is going to start. With that being said, I want to give a shoutout to Jung Moon Sung who made an impression on me in his supporting roles in this show and About Time. However, I cannot stand how cliche both shows are. Dropping this.

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I have no idea who or what show you are talking about with all the acronyms and I am too tired to look it up.

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Shows in descending order (following the name on the Currently Airing section):
Life on Mars
What's Wrong With Secretary Kim
Are You Human Too
Come Here and Hug Me
Handsome Guy and Jung Eum

The other acronyms in the comments mostly refer to the real-life names of the actors in the show, except for FOS and OTP, which refer to Forest of Secrets (2017 show) and OTP (one true pairing: usually used to denote the first male and female lead of the show).

If you still need any clarification, feel free to mention me and ask. :)

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I gently concur with Jessica, Radily. I find it difficult to understand which shows commenters are talking about when they use acronyms, and generally don't want to expend the extra mental effort to decipher them. I will usually skip a comment that is full of them.

Acronyms are a shortcut for the writer, but extra work for the reader.

I hope you and other commenters will consider that, and write out the full name of the show, at least the first time you write about them in a comment. Please and thank you!

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1. WWWSK: LOVE THIS. watching him watch her is bliss. It sort of reminds me of 1% of Anything in that I really liked watching him watch her, hahaha.

2. Investigative Couple: Why does Baek Bom NOT WEAR A MASK?? This bothers me more than I can say. And I didn't know lawyers were the ones interrogating the suspects. And I wish Eun Sol didn't get her inspirations through dreams but through deductions :-/ and WHAT KIND OF ???? LOGIC was it that she takes the medication that the boy did before dying??????????? What insurance policy would cover her, I wonder -___- But I'll suspend my disbelief because the cases are interesting and I like forensic science. Though I found the school pressure "suicide" case a little cliche, the others were interesting.

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Why does Baek Bom NOT WEAR A MASK??

😆 I have the same reaction every time I see in dramas a surgeon not wearing googles or face shields and have blood splattered all over his/her face. Not a genius, nope.

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If not wearing a mask was my trigger I would not be able to watch any investigative drama. Some shows tried masks on lab people in pilot but then cut it out. Just can't cover those pretty faces and get away with it.
There is something new about IC since after years of uveruse this one still got my interest. But I agree, drugging yourself and only writing one sms about it is the worst kind of stupid. Not in sync with her emotional yet analytical personality either.

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true, I think it's the law+forensic science pairing. usually it's law+police or police+forensics, maybe thats why it feels new?

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You must be right. Also maybe camera or lightning might be different?
I just got the general feeling that they treat their jobs with dignity (scenaristic lapses overlooked).

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Life on Mars: After the first two episodes, I am a happy camper. The plot is engaging and I quite like the fact that we don’t really know if Tae Joo travelled back in time or is in the grip of a really vivid dream. In any case, I’m eagerly waiting this week’s episodes. Everybody is doing a fabulous job really and I cannot wait to see how the story goes forward!

Secret Mother: I swear to god, there are so many skeletons in everyone’s closets and now they are all tumbling out one by one. The story seems to have kicked into high gear and I confess, I cannot wait for Yoon Jin to unravel the mystery behind her daughter’s disappearance. And yes, there are a lot of shady people in this drama but the shadiest of them seem to be Yoon Jin’s own family (esp her husband), which is just so screwed up. It’s fascinating to see how Yoon Jin now is the one stepping up to the plate while Eun Young is slowly breaking down. Quite the role reversal.

Why Secretary Kim:Watching Yeong Joon deal with jealousy and burgeoning attraction is hilarious. These are such new feelings and it’s hilarious to see him lose his poise because this is one problem money really can’t solve. I also love how Mi So herself seems to be struggling a bit when it comes to not being affected by Yeong Joon. Yeong Joon is a force of nature and I think Mi So is not as immune as she once thought she was. I’m not sure what to think about the brother and the kidnapping story, so I will just continue to enjoy the romance or attempted romance rather as long as I can.

One thing I really love about this drama is the peanut gallery. Yeong Joon's and Mi So's colleagues are hilarious and I will never be tired of Hwang Bo Ra and her many different facial expressions.

Are You Human Too: I tried watching it. Unfortunately, I didn't even make it past the first half-hour. I was distracted and bored. I love Gong Seung Yeon but yeah, I have zero interest now. Maybe I will give it a shot sometime later again if I hear something interesting about it.

Come and Hug Me: I’m yet to watch this week’s episodes but judging by the gifs and clips I have seen, there seem to be a few hugs and a cute moment in the rain and I’m always ready for that.

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Hwang Bo Ra was also wonderful in Miracle That We Met. Her face is like silly putty.

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It totally is! I haven't seen her in that one but I did happen to see her in two other dramas (Arang and the Magistrate and Ms Temper and Nam Jung Gi) that left with a really good impression of her acting skills!

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I wish they would not make it her reason of existence in dramas though. She was so good in Arang and the Magistrate, they should let her act more and overact less.

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I'm watching.... completely in awe the Dramabeans getting alive again! 😍
Now Javabeans and Girlfriday will start recapping again...and I will be on cloud nine 🎉

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That's the best thing I'm watching too! I don’t know what it took behind the scenes to make it happen, but I want to thank the powers that be here at Dramabeans for revitalizing the site. We’re living in very challenging times—sometimes it feels like the world is being torn apart at the seams. And because DB is a source of comfort for many of us, when it started coming apart, too, it was extra disheartening. I hope that things are getting better behind the scenes, that you’re taking good care of yourselves, and that the increase in posts will lead to more revenue and a sense of fulfillment. This site makes a huge difference to so many of us and it's so good to have you back—thanks again and we love you! <3<3<3

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THIS, with frosting on top!

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I am so excited to see Javabeans and Girlfriday back and now finding myself feeling greedy hoping for the return of their podcasts........

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I so miss podcasts.

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I would like to recommend you the podcast "Dramas with a side of kimchi" while waiting for the dramabeans podcast to start again :D

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I'll try that.

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I would like to recommend you the podcast "Dramas with a side of kimchi" while waiting for the dramabeans podcast to start again :D

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Somebody reply to this so I can give more thumbs-up.

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Best things I watched this week: SHINee Weekly Idol episode, and DB coming to life again.

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Best things I saw this week:
DB coming back to life
And
Kdrama Bingo on the OT

and the skyscraper-scaling raccoon in St Paul

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Did you see the interspecies jump for joy that happened at the Nashville zoo? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntc4dGnLi8c

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Isn't that the greatest? I should have listed that, too! Thanks for posting it 🐻

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I guess the DB shop's getting more stabilized now.

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I was so happy too because it was such a surprise! 👏

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I have been around this site for almost a year and a half and it broke my heart when it became extremely inactive. You don't know my joy when I saw that news article by javabeans

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Human Secretary's Life on Mars is Greasy Melo. It's About Time to Marry Me. 😉

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Secretary Kim's building a Life on Mars? Nothing Wrong with that. Glad to know she made it (a)Live. ^^

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You might want to do a Couple of Investigation into What's Wrong with your cap keys.

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Are You Human Rich Man because SHINee is Back.

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I want to know what drama is going to follow the Shall We Kiss First ➡️ Let's Hold Hands Tightly and Watch the Sunset ➡️ Come Here and Hug Me progression. 😉

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I hear the drama following it is "Time", but I would say that it's About "Time" that they go on to the next step *wink wink*

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Life on Mars: 7/10 Answer Me 1988: It's 1988 so I will beat you until you Answer Me.

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim: 8/10 So I guess we're supposed to think the OTP were held prisoner as kids, with the guy (at least) held by cable-ties; with spiders, or else a baddie with spider tatoo. Or is that all too easy? Too tropy? And amnesia -- to help us forget how many times we've seen that so we can focus on the performances instead of the plot. But good performances.

Come and Hug Me: 6/10 Who do you hate more? The reporter or the serial-killer? I think it would be a better show with less reporter and more murder. Gee, I wonder if they could kill those two birds with one stone?

Miss Hammurabi: 8/10 Ep 7 makes me glad I don't have greedy relatives. Or Korean relatives.

Sketch: 8/10 Saturday brought another fight with zero suspense just to show off someone's action skills. At least it was shorter this time. Why do they bother when we know nothing can be decided until the final week? I'd rather watch weekly Subway PPL than weekly pointless fights. Friday was much better.

Lawless Lawyer: 5/10 They finally managed to surprise me. Getting better.

Greasy Melo: 6/10 The animals are the best part.

Are You Human Too: 5/10 Remember where the batteries were in I'm Not a Robot? Where could the enhanced long-lasting batteries possibly go in this show? He doesn't seem to have any problem with battery life, so he must be well-equiped in the battery department? :)

About Time: I tried to give it another chance, but the business negotiations were just too boring to sit thru. Dropped.

Handsome Guy / Undateables: Dropped.

So, basically, the current crop has lots of watchable shows but nothing in the same league as Mother or My Mister.

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Oh, you made me laugh so much 😂
Thank you 🙂
Btw, this week's episodes of Time were quite moving, focused on the Hyung. I cried buckets. Though next week may bring back evil fiancee and melo ex...

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Investigation Couple: Forgot to mention this one -- must be getting senile... This has lots of flaws so I shouldn't like it as much as I do. Can someone please give loud angry prosecutor some tranquilizers? Or some facts?

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NS3's porcelain skin is his solar panel. It is in the synopsis, totally not fake news.

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@lordcobol In answer to your are you Human question. The little black bracelet he wears is his battery, they show about 12 of them charging in his closet in one of the episodes. The episode after the club fire I believe.

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Reading @javabeans longer commentary made me realize how much I miss her recaps and of course girlfriday’s too. Hopefully, we’ll get to read them again.

This week’s pre-emptions and with the Trump-Kim summit in my backyard, my drama schedule kinda messed up.

C-o-m-e a-n-d H-u-u-u-u-g M-m-m-m-e-e-e This is becoming like watching the paint dry. I’m only here for Jang Ki Yong. I wanna give him a mug of hot chocolate and tuck him under my covers. Hopefully drama picks up, meanwhile let me sing a lullaby to my baby.

Miss Hammurabi I sulked that I got only one episode this week. The family feud case is something I read in the papers so often. I’d take the hilarious fighting amongst the family over the overly emotional scene between foster son and the father. The best thing about the episode wasn’t the case though but rather how it made Ba Reun looked at his Dad from another perspective. I also found it interesting that our childhood memories may not be all that accurate or reliable.

The pre-emptions left me time to try new shows like:
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim Finally, I got over my allergy to Park Seo Joon! I have not fallen head over heels with him or the show but he and Park Min Young are cute and adorable together so it’s easy to like.

Are You Human Too I liked Seo Kang Joon in CITT but I’ve always wondered if that’s the only role he played well. He’s doing great in this drama and he looks eh…too perfect?

On the way out:
Lawless Lawyer I will most probably drop this but the unintentional humour is actually quite good. It’s no use trying to understand the plot or motives because the writer just does whatever he fancies. It’s not about how a character should logically act. Still, I had my laughs. Sorry, Ahn Nae Sang but that scene of you being jabbed in the neck just cracked me up. As did the elevator fight scene – what am I missing? I was expecting it to be epic but it was just some pushing and shoving. This is supposed to be directed by some famous PD?

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I love Lawless Lawyer but I agree with your critique of the elevator fight scene. It could've been epic in the hands of a better fight choreographer. They didn't really bother there.

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Have you seen "My Beautiful Bride"? That drama's fight scenes and Kim Mu Yeol spoiled me.

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I'll look for it. Thanks!

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Ughhh, this so much. I loved the fights, especially because they were really raw.

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Stoic Banker > Swag Lawyer anytime.

If Sang Pil had been a straight faced lawyer in court and kickass fighter outside, the effect would be much better. When synopsis came out, I had envisioned a vigilante lawyer who actually has brains to fight in court and brawn to fight when justice fails. Turns out he did neither. He is just seeking personal revenge on the antagonist who happens to be a judge so he becomes a lawyer(duh) to fight this one case of his career.

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I agree with Ms.Hammurabi. It's an amazing show but at times the sudden emotional ending becomes a bit over the top. I'd say that is the only flaw because Oh Reum's character is toning down and she now understands the consequences of being too emotional and hot-headed whilst being a judge.

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What's Wrong With Secretary Kim: One of the reasons I am glad I found K dramas...the Romcom. I miss them. This show is just full of charm and chemistry. I did laugh with how serious she was about tackling that obstacle course.

Sketch: I am honestly not sure why this one is such a must watch for me. I do find it slightly muddled. But I think that Kang Dong-soo and Yoo Shi-hyun have a good rapport and I hope they slowly develop into friends and partners. Also, I hope they add some more depth to the adversary relationship between Kim Do-jin and Kang Dong-soo.
I was so happy to see creepy glasses guy get it.

School 2017: Someone has some smooth moves. :)

Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms: only on ep 13. I'm going to miss the little snake. I kind of want her to keep stumbling upon different creatures to take home.

Dear Sister: Someone rec'd it to me for a J drama. Started first ep and I hope little sister grows on me because right now I find her a bit annoying.

Need to catch up on Moonshine and Valentine this weekend. But I also need to finish a book, The Woman in Cabin 10, before it is due back.

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Tae-everything!

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Tae-ism was epic. Can you start Bareunism?

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That one is harder. Ba-imarealhumanbeing?

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The way this hero develops, he is aBAut to Reun my sanity 😅

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I like yours much better @kimbapnoona!

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@hades @kimbapnoona you are all good. I can only think of Bare-dimples.

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Oucchhh... don't insult the crown prince of heavenly tribe :). He is a dragon not a little snake..lol...

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Little sister will surely grow on you and there's her friend Eito too :D

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Sketch keeps adding depth to the plot. I'm enjoying it for that and the actors (male and female).

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So happy for the breezy and fluffy Secretary Kim which is the perfect object of my affection for early summer. But out of all the airing dramas it is Miss Hammurabi that is tugging at my heartstrings. I am not surprised to be moved by the court cases since it is penned by a former judge, but I am delighted by how well the interactions and development of all the main characters. I died a little every time L pushes himself out of his own antisocial comfort zone to quietly support our heroine. The show also has one of the most realistic and moving confession scene I have seen in recent drama history.

I feel the same way as Odilettante about Handsome Guy and About Time -pleasant (boring?) and undemanding (irrelevant?). Commenting on these shows already demand too much of my limited brain processing power.

Also finished re-watching my first Asian drama Nirvana in Fire after 2 years. Still the best drama ever in the history of dramas, and I will fight all the snow beetles in the world to defend that proclamation.

@odilettante had me at David Bowie dust. I will start Life on Mars this week.

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Same. David Bowie dust will always get me.

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The show also has one of the most realistic and moving confession scene I have seen in recent drama history.

Agreed! Plus how they dealt with it after. I love Ba-reun. Sticking to his guns in a believable way.

I need our mysterious stenographer/secretary and second favourite judge to make a bit faster progress though.

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I love the stenographer character so much! I want her as the heroine in another drama. Ryu Deok-Hwan is sheer adorableness!

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She's like Secretary Kim but less chill? I love that Ryu Deok-Hwan has his faults as well. He's so me in so many different ways, minus the intelligence aspect.

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I love that confession scene, the best I've seen so far.

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I am so tickled that the scene didn't just end with his confession, but also we get to hear her response, and then his response to her response *gasps*
This is strangely not something I ever recall happens in dramas! And yes @hades, and Writer-nim follows up with such wonderful realistically mature human interaction after the rejection. It is just so satisfying!

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Agree with everything y'all said about the confession scene. Even if it didn't have a grand gesture it was so incredibly impact and real.

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I think I'm the only person on this planet who didn't like Nirvana... I couldn't finish the second episode...

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🐞🐞🐞🐞🐞🤺
(how is it possible that there is not a Kung Fu emoji?)

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It didn't get my attention until the 3rd or was it the 5th episode.

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That's ok @dorotka. It requires a few episodes to understand what's going on, but I'll risk all the snow beetles in the world alongside @kimbapnoona to say that it is the best drama in the history of dramas.

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I’m also rewatching NIF because I don’t have a life and @manohira is watching it, and it’s the best historical drama I’ve ever watched. And Fei Lui is so adorable and HuGe is love...so is Wang Kai. Ok, I’ll stop.

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Dooooon't stop! I watched NIF before discovering DB so I am just excited to fawn over with fellow Beanies!

I dislike court politics and concubine infighting, except, of course, NIF makes me care because it puts all our heroes at stake.

Fei Lui is so adorable and he is growing up so fast! Looking forward to see how he would develop as an actor.
Just in case if you have not seen the adult version:
https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1823911763152826108.html

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Ohhh he is growing so fast! He’s such a pouty baby in NIF. Thanks for the link. And he’s going to star in the soon to be released Asura Trilogy movie. Yaaay!

I dislike court politics as well and ironically I love historical dramas. Lol. I am never bored while watching NIF, it’s just so good and and it keeps me wanting for more even when I’m watching it for the second time now.

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It is such an incredible feat that the drama stays focused and not meander into some side plot through its 54-episode run. The writing is so assured from beginning to the end.

I was surprised how much it still moved me during my second watch. Nirvana in Fire will be the show I think I will re-watch for the rest of my live.

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@kimbapnoona Agreed! Mei Changsoo’s mission to take down one side character at a time keeps you glued to the screen and makes you focus on and anticipate his next move. All to help Prince Jing become the Crown Prince.

And I love Hu-ge’s pretty hands. Seriously his hands are the prettiest hands I’ve even seen on screen. (Yes, I’m being superficial.) :D*

And btw Tingzheng, the slave (he’s actually Prince Jing’s brother’s son) Mei Changsoo saved from slavery is PingZhing’s (NIF 2 main char) father. And now I’m starting to talk about NIF 2......

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NIF is a drama where I love the villains. They were so well written - Xie Yu, Xia Jiang, Prince Yu and the Emperor.

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I cannot give enough credit to the writer. There are so many characters in the story but each one is layered and never veer into some evil caricature. I am still amazed how sympathetic I remain throughout the show toward Prince Yu even though he is one of the main "villains" as well as the Emperor. I understand their motivations, their greed.

I also really appreciate that Xiao Jingrui and Yan Yujin ever turned evil or frustrating, but rather grew as people after experiencing varying emotional pain.

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I'm a slow watcher whether I have a life or not 😄
It took me months to finish 16 episodes kdrama. With c-drama I might finish it next Eid 😂

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Your description of the confession scene just convinced me to give Miss Hammurabi a try :)

And I learn something new about the plot every time I watch Nirvana In Fire!

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I hope you enjoy Miss Hammurabi as much as I do @myneighbortotoro! For me the drama gets better and better especially when the heroine has gone through growth and transformation.

My mom says the same thing about NIF and she has watched it 5 times! It is nothing but sheer awesomeness.

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Annyeong beanies! I have been away from DB and k-dramas far too long (well only 3 weeks but it felt like forever!) And now that mid-year holidays are behind me, I can finally concentrate on more important things in life like drama watching.

I put on hold a few dramas like Suits, Greasy Melo, Come and Hug Me during my hiatus - and instead of picking up where I left off after my break, I started with two new dramas, and both are currently occupying a huge part of my heart and my attention:

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim: After Mother and My Ahjussi which I loved with all my heart and soul, I wanted to watch something light - a cotton candy frothy rom-com and I thank heavens (and Netflix) that I dodged the bullet with Pretty Noona. But with Secretary Kim, I rushed in headlong, throwing caution to the wind. I couldn’t resist the two gorgeous Parks, and four episodes in, I’m in love. Such a breezy fun watch and both Parks are just perfect for the roles. Not to mention I have massive hair and wardrobe envy - I mean how perky and luscious is Park Min Young’s ponytail? And her simple but professional office wear, I want! And even though Lee Tae-Hwan has a special place in my heart, I’m happy to report no SLS here. So, whom shall I send my sacrificial offerings to ensure that the rest of the episodes remain good, if not great? 🙏

Life On Mars: I didn’t watch the original series nor the US remake but I really really liked the two episodes that I watched - it has time travelling (which I love), crime and suspense and a great cast. My only concern right now is - should I or should I not spoiled myself with the British series? I know I shouldn’t cause it will take the suspense (and fun?) out of it but do I have the willpower? Be strong self, be strong 💪🏼

Also, I am looking forward to reading other beanies’ reviews and comments to see if I should continue with the shows that I have put on hold. In beanies I trust!

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Life on Mars: DON'T read the Wikipedia article on the British sequel Ashes to Ashes. Just don't. Or else pray that the Drama Gods change the Korean answers. (Those prayers are likely to be answer if you pray real hard, I think).

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Eat a Subway sandwich as a ritualistic sacrifice to the Drama Gods. Sometimes it works, other times....

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I will worship any god who gives me an excuse to eat things.

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Subway sandwich it is then and let's pray hard it works 🙏🏼🙏🏼 Or else papa john's? Or Quiznos? I suppose I have to sacrifice my waistline, well better that than my firstborn 😂😂

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It's Papa Johns now. Didn't you get the Drama Gods memo?

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It must have gone to my spam folder, but I will change my sacrificial eating habits to reflect the current needs of the Drama Gods.

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@egads I'll let you know of they change their minds and go back to Subway or if we're supposed to be eating a new sub-rate American import fast food.

Of course, I think you're always allowed to sacrifice with chicken and beer. That decree was issued with Love. From a Star.

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