I couldn’t watch Time this week because of time constraints and will most probably skip it barring widespread exceptional reviews since I’ve lost the mood to watch a melodrama (You can blame Thirty But Seventeen for that). I could go back to it though if the premier of Familiar Wife next week tanks and makes me sad again. I’ve not finished the second episode of Your House Helper this week yet, and there’s Life on Mars as well to do extended thoughts on during the weekend! I love watching those shows though so it’s not a waste of time.

(Fan Wall Spazzing) Life on Mars (Episodes 11-12):
I was very surprised when the show introduced yet another 1988 arc in the corrupt system that the 1988 killer was battling because I had assumed that the 1988 killer arc would be the final one before the male lead returns to 2018. The common man vs shadowy organisation trope is not one which I’m a fan of normally, but I trust that Life on Mars will remain faithful to the male lead’s time-twisty puzzle as the main plot line. The third quarter of the show has been nothing short of excellent, with lesser focus given to the procedural cases that were more prominent in the first half.

(Fan Wall Spazzing) Thirty But Seventeen (Episodes 1-4):
Let the cohabitation hijinks ensue! I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about the show: while it does have a number of worrying setups (see: rival violinist / doctor with crush on female lead / angst over stupid Truck of Doom), it does have a compelling story to tell in the female lead’s arc: regaining one’s identity in a world where everything including herself has changed. I’m not too impressed with the male lead’s arc: getting over childhood traumas and reigniting childhood crushes is overdone, but hopefully Yang Se Jong will be given some good material to showcase his acting prowess.

Life On Mars : Still my main squeeze so to speak. Last week's episodes were close to heart attack inducing because I was so close to ragequitting on the off chance that something happened to Officer Yoon. Gladly, she survived and came back to kick more butt and catch bad guys, but once again the drama made me clutch my hair because I honestly did not expect the ending. This week, I cannot wait to see what happens!

Your House Helper : I started watching last week and what can I say, it was unexpectedly nice. I'm liking the set up of the three girls coming together and rekindling what seemed to be a solid friendship. I think Bona is doing a pretty great job, as are the other two ladies. I'm looking forward to catching up on the rest of the episodes. Oh, and I would lay my life down for Ddobok the dog. ♥️♥️♥️

Thirty But Seventeen: Despite the fact I think the premiere took this premise one coincidence too far, I'm in love. It actually feels organic, with wonderfully quirky characters to boot.

Let's Eat 3: More food, less Seo-yeon please and thank you. (I should have expected the Sun twist. Season 2 did that as well.)

Risky Romance: IT'S SO INTERESTING. How thought of this premise?? Give them a raise! Although I have to say, there's something odd about In-ah, the 1% that stops me being completely on board.

Your Honor: Not bad? Can't say I didn't think it was predictable, but Yoon Shi-yoon has thrown subtlety out of the window and is ridiculously entertaining. Can't say it wouldn't be the first to go if I can't juggle all these shows, though.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty: I generally stick away from plastic surgery stories because they tend to portray the procedure as the way solution to all life's problems, but I'm actually looking forward to this one. It might actually stray away from that idea.

Mr Sunshine: No words. The shows I have the most trouble talking about are the ones ripe for analysis. I'm just gonna watch quietly.

Descendants of the Sun: It's been two years, but I might actually finish this soon! 🎉

Hana Nochi Hare: FINALLY.

It's a shame that nobody is watching Are You Human Too?. It is a great show, possibly becoming my favourite of 2018 and one of the few I will complete (it's been a bad year for me). Spoiler-free review ahead:

Basically, it's a mixture of genres: low-key sci-fi, some rom-com, action and good old melo. It's by the director of Gaksital and the writer of Princess' Man, and so far they have not disappointed. The story is tight, the characters are deep, the plot twists are unexpected, and the romance is not icky. A year ago I wouldn't have touched this drama - I thought a story about falling in love with a robot is ridiculous. But that is not what this drama is about. The title sums it up: the characters and viewers are asked what makes someone human, and the presence of a robot that looks and acts like an innocent person affects everyone. I don't know if I have done this drama justice, but if anyone is tempted and wants to catch up before the finale, now is the time! *inserts Swatch PPL*

P.S.: I'm still watching Mr. Sunshine, but I've put Your House Helper and Meteor Garden on hold. I am trying to have a life beside dramas.

P.P.S: I am currently watching "The Classic" (2003) because I want to know what made Nam Shin cry. Not obsessed at all.

Life on Mars: I swear, this drama's cliffhanger will be the death of me. I don't know how they still manage to scare the crap out of me whenever Tae-joo is in danger even when that happened literally almost every eps. And I don't think I'll ever be ready for him to return to 2018.

Life: Finally I can see Lee Kyu-hyung oppa back on my screen again. Now I just need to wait for Netflix to release the subbed version. *tapping fingers impatiently*

Life on Mars : I like how the mystery is solved piece by piece. The relationships between the characters are the best !

Mr Sunshine : it's a beautiful drama with great characters but the story itself is not very clear.

Are you Human Too : it's a nice drama. I like the subject, very interesting.

What's wrong with Secretary Kim : they lived happily and had a lot of children :D

Thirty but Seventeen : I liked the two episodes. There is a lot of mystery (who went and visited her, who paid the hospital, where his uncle ran away, etc)

Your House Helper : it's nice to see those 3 women helping each other.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty : the beauty and plastic surgery themes can be interesting. I like the first episode.

COMPLETED

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim: I thoroughly loved this drama. Like many others have commented, it may have gone on 1-2 episodes too long. I didn't mind too much because I love the slice of life aspect others may have found boring. In that way, it reminded me of 1% of Something (2016). I liked watching them just be. I also really appreciated that no one really changed all that much. Their faults and quirks make them who they are, right up until the very end. This was my favourite PSJ drama, and one of my favourite rom-coms.

ONGOING

Meteor Garden: Shancai is sending me crazy. We're 20 eps. in and Shancai is, Shancai. The weird thing though is that for all the craziness in this drama, it feels real and relatable. Or maybe I've finally gone crazy.

Thirty But Seventeen

Eps. 1-2 we're meh. Eps. 3-4 were awesome. I'm a YSJ fanboy, but I might become a Ahn Hyo-sub fanboy as well.

Your House Helper: 5/10 I'm way behind (watched days 2 & 3 this week) and may not get much farther. I've liked some of the cast in other shows, but the story is so dull I don't care about the cast. Except the cute dog. And even a harem like the male lead seems to be lining up wouldn't be enough to make me do that much housework.

30 But 17: 9/10 A different kind of cute chick than we usually see. A guy who says he's not a weird person, then turns into a weird person. A housekeeper who seems to have wandered in by mistake from some robot show. Better than I'm making it sound.

Are You Human Too:ep 7/10 (ep 9-14) Now we know that Roboshin's real brains are off in a server farm, which helps deal with compute-power and heating problems, but raises new questions. He should go into stupid mode whenever he doesn't have a good connection, and there should probably have been some latency issues when he was in Europe. Meanwhile, I could *almost* sympathize with the head baddie when he was saying how he had to win or he was a dead man because of all the bad things Grandfather had made him do. It's rare to see the head villain that desperate instead of just greedy.

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim: 6/10. Ep 11-16 Ep 11 - "Saved" by the phone just when things were getting interesting. Of course, it's a kdrama. Ep 13 & 14 - There's a fine line between sticking with what works or running it into the ground - the magnificent aura has gotten a bit old and they dropped the excuses to not move forward just barely in time. I've gotten pretty tired of Mr. Workaholic, a bit tired of Se-ra. How about more Ji-ah and Yang Cheol? Show has been gradually losing appeal. There wasn't much plot after the kidnapping/spiderwoman was explained, so it depended on characters & acting, but once the novelty wore off....

Life on Mars: 8/10 for episodes 10 - 12.

Investigation Couple: Series 7/10, including Stephanie Lee bonus points. Dementia case - at least my cats won't fight over inheritance. Serial killer case - also, cats don't bury their victims, only their poop. And those 30-year-old Hwaseong serial murders must have been solved at least 30 times in dramas and movies by now. Their idea of being original is having the comatose person who is about to wake up move a toe instead of a finger. Sigh. Now they are planning a sequel. They haven't earned it, but I hope Miss American-accent-and-mannerisms is in it.

Time, Gangnam Beauty & Your Honor: 3/10. "Thanks" to these, I might have time for Mr. Sunshine & Your House Helper.

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim: Not going to make my re-watch list, but I liked it for what it was: A simple, fluffy rom-com that was a mostly fun watch.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty: I was wary of this since the plastic surgery angle makes me sad and uncomfortable, and the premiere did make me sad and uncomfortable but also piqued my interest. I like the college setting. I feel like it has the potential to cover some interesting ground.

Time: This reminded me a lot of Secret but with a much greener cast. I feel like the acting had to impress me more in order for me to be in the mood for a melodrama with lots of crying, jerks, secrets, lies and terminal illness.

Thirty But Seventeen: This did not check my box for either rom or com. The thought of romance squicks me out a bit unless there is a time lapse before anything happens. I liked the sweet but dumb nephew and his equally dumb friends (probably because it reminded me so much of High School King of Savvy) but comedy, including the robotic maid, didn’t really work for me.

Dear Judge: I wasn’t planning to watch this and don’t plan to continue but my mom wanted to watch the first episodes. Perhaps it was the angle they were going for, but I felt like Yoon Shi Yoon was overacting to the point it was distracting.

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty: Are we seriously supposed to believe Jo Woo Ri is the most beautiful girl in school? 100 points is extremely generous. Where is Jung Da Bin when you need her? I never read the webtoon, but this premise of the most popular boy in school looking out for the ugly outcast girl, while cliché, never fails to make my heart flutter. It was so frustrating how they refused to let us see teen Mi Rae's face. The girls bashing her looks weren't even pretty. If only her classmates could have known she can dance like an idol. I wanted to strangle those three little brats for bullying fat Mi Rae. I was so proud of her for sticking up for herself. College students are in grave danger of alcohol poisoning. When predatory sunbae gave her a bottle of water, I gasped, "Don't tell me it's spiked." But holy crap, Mi Rae almost got raped.

Gawd I wish Cha Eun Woo could act. His eyes are just void. I am rooting for Cha Eun Woo to pull a Seo Kang Joon. Not only are both from Fantagio, but both are face geniuses of their generations. Seo Kang Joon couldn't act in the past, but look at Shinnamon now. Im Soo Hyang and Jo Woo Ri are too old for Cha Eun Woo and Kwak Dong Yeon. I've read complaints from webtoon readers already from Soo Ah ought to be a goddess to Mi Rae ought to be a fashionista.

Watching Lawless Lawyer and Marry Me Now--really really really enjoying both.

Just finished What's Wrong with Secretary Kim?, and I have lots of mixed feelings: so cute, great characters, enjoyed it, etc--but it also didn't hit that sweet spot for me. something was missing, which i'm sad about, because the potential was great.

Going to make myself finish: The Undateables and About Time this week. Why? I do not even know.

Planning to start (thanks to beanie-influence :p) Life on Mars and Meteor Garden shortly.

Added Mr. Sunshine (cautiously) and Life (eagerly) to my queue, too.

I am not sure when my brain will recover from being complete mush during my recent workcation in order to tackle Life of Mars, Come Here and Hug Me, and Are You Human Too, but maybe the reason for the slow recovery is because I am watching not much else besides Meteor Garden. Despite some of the anticipated stupidity from our leads, the cute in some of the scenes short circuits my brain into drama nirvana. Certainly having Beanie compadres to hold my hands through the good, bad, and ugly sure makes the trip less scary.

Like a good loving drama addict I picked up a new drama. 30 But 17 is delightful and shows lots of promise to be a great watch! I love all the quirky characters and thrilled to see the Deok-gu the Chihuahua is weaved into of the fated childhood first love connection and the canine actor is listed as a main character on Asianwiki.

Last night I may have found a new unhealthy object of affection. Legend of Yun Xi is set up to deliver crack, pop, and sizzle: a heroine of lower birth who is smart as a whip (spunky candy) who was forced to marry the emperor’s brother (chaebol) whom she called “Dead Ice Cube” (tsundere.) She has mastered the art of poison (geeeenius) and he may not be who he appears to be (birth secret.) The drama starts off with her as the bride telling off the nasty Mother-in-Law (nasty mother-in-law) and for the next few episodes she is tasked by the Emperor’s mother to find a birthmark on her husband’s body. Since he is also super smart suspecting that she has a hidden agenda, they have not yet spent the night together which leaves her scheming of various ways to examine EVERY part of his body (forced skinship, seriously this is so much fun I can’t even.) A few episodes in I can see the bursting chemistry of our OTP is gonna deliver some serious crack.

Oh and did I mention that there is an unadulterated (unfiltered, unpixelated, unfuzzed) butt shot of our Dead Ice Cube? WHAAAATTT?? Have the Chinese Censor Executors’ minds also turned into mush by watching too much Meteor Garden? In any case I am cautious and hopeful for this to stay engaging, future butt shot or not.

Life on Mars: WOW last week was so action packed and i feel like we're running towards the finale. Anyone who's interested, this show would make a GREAT binge. Why do I get the pressing feeling not all mysteries will be solved? But I trust the writing, because this show has not let me down yet. I said it last week, but it is the best of all currently airing shows right now.

Are You Human Too: I felt so horrid after that cliffhanger. How did I not notice they had switched (won't say more as to not spoil). This show really nails cliffhangers. I'm still dying of curiosity to see how they will solve this human-robot issue, because although we know Sobong says she doesn't mind, roboshin still thinks he's a robot with no emotions... and we all know that's not true. Idk, i want these conflicting morals and dilemmas to be addressed way more than the office politics. Also, good going show for making me pity human shin and then yank it right back with that ending. I'm sorry, what he did was BEYOND rude.

House Helper: still cute and slow but in a good way. I think @teriyaki explained it well. What's alluring for me is the transitioning stage of the girls' lives: they're learning to be independent and are trying to get their life together. My worry is that Jiwoon, at this point, seems to have more scenes with sang A and their friendship is more developed. Thus, i see more chemistry between them than with Do young. Please develop Jiwoon and Do Youngs relationship more, show!

30 but 17: cute. The trauma bit seems like something I've seen before, the female lead is so cute and relatable that I really liked the premiere week. Im staying cautiously optimistic-- WWWSK taught me that.

WWWSK: dropped last week, but all i have to say is SALAD.

Life on Mars: What an intense week. Some of our questions were answered this week but more questions were raised. Who is the guy talking with Tae-joo on the telephone? What is going to happen to Tae-joo now that he knows who the real culprit behind the murders is and is now dead? Will he able to change the past and save the brother(s)? Arghhh. I have so many questions rn.

Are You Human Too: I feel and understand what OriShin is coming for due to what he has been put through from childhood up until adulthood HOWEVER that doesn't justify his rude behavior toward the people that actually care about him especially to our dearest Shinnamon roll. AYHT still surprise us with good plot twists and complex characters and is proving to be one of the most unpredictable shows (in a great way) of 2018. Now, can we have RoboShin and So-bong be happy in the end after all they have been through?

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim: Lowered my expectations so I can fully enjoy the final week of the show (with some skips here and there) and it worked! We've got a finale full of all the good things we had ever hoped for. Kim Ji-ah and Go Gwi-nam's story made me happy and Secretary Yang and Bong Se-ra's hilariously cute relationship had me in stitches. Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young's sizzling chemistry made me wish for another drama (with a better plot) with them as leads.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty: As someone who had read the webtoon, I was really happy with the changes and additions made in the drama because it worked so well! (Mi-rae didn't have a bff if I remember correctly) Didn't expect much from the first episode but I really enjoyed it. My only complain would be that the Mi-rae in the drama is more shy and timid and her style is so-so unlike the Mi-rae in the webtoon whose style is a bit on the chic side and appears to be chic on her classmates (which is the opposite of her real side).

Thirty But Seventeen: Pilot episodes were fun and the characters are hilarious but the scene stealer Jennifer is so iconic. The plot is interesting, the set-up is nice, and I really like the actors in this show so let's see how the next episodes goes.

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim: A super fluffy, lovely rom-com. I rate it high on my enjoyment scale. The final two episodes did feel like an epilogue, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed seeing the OTP going through the steps leading up to their wedding. I probably would not have liked the romance as much if it weren’t for Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young. The office side characters & stories were also nice & funny. This show often brought a smile to my face after a long day at work.

Life on Mars: EP 12 was so intense! I’m pleased with the gradual revealing of the plot details. Never a wasted moment. I feel bad for Tae Joo though. His mystery is still unclear. I hope he discovers some big clues. Thank goodness Na Young is safe. I hope she is not in danger anymore. She’s been in danger multiple times already.

Let’s Eat 3: Ji Woo’s budding crush on Dae Young during their college days is adorable. I wanted to see him show a hint of interest in her though. In the present, they’re still acting like friends and nothing more. Ready for things to shake up in the upcoming week (maybe?). I’m attracted to Sun and curious about him. He’s this aloof, no-nonsense guy, totally different from his childhood. I’m looking forward to seeing him outside his element.

Life on mars : its not grabbing my attention as tight as before, but still great.

Lets eat 3 : first time i watched lets eat and i quite like the story. Im curious about what made this two sister fight each other and i love go dae young college days.

30 but 17 : i like it! I think if the next 2 episodes still as good as the premiere then i will watch at least for 10 episodes. The story so far quite mainstream but i love the comedy and bromance. My favorite scene : "Dont think, feel! F.I.L!"

Your honor : that worm when they perform autopsy in front of those trainees, omg. Im eating while watching that and skip for the next 2 minutes because i love my food. Overall i give the premieres 6.5/10. Im not sure if i will invest into this drama.

Time : the first 2 episodes quite solid actually. But still im not sure if the witer can build up the story and make it more interesting than any usual rich man makjang drama.

Your house helper : teriyaki said it.

Life : where is the sub?!

Thirty But Seventeen- At the moment, I’m really interested on how Seo Ri will need to adapt her new life as 30s. I actually feel sympathy for her to miss graduating from high school, college life, intern life and work life. I can’t imagine what hell is Seo Ri going thru, but seeing her still can smile shows how she’s indeed 17 as she’s still carefree as ever. ❤️❤️

Let’s Eat 3- Not only we have juicy food, but this season also have juicy drama. The tense between step sisters and how all 4 leads know each other. I love it so far! ❤️❤️

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim- Love this drama til the end. I love how this drama gives positive vibes about relationships. 4 couples formed in just 16eps! ❤️❤️❤️

Your House Helper- Other than satisfying feelings that I got seeing Ji Woon cleans everytime, I love the relationships development in this drama. Idk why I ship Da Young with Ji Woon so bad. ❤️❤️

Life on Mars- I just started watchig this and oh my!!! I feel like having a heart attack after Tae Jo got shot then got bumped into a car. My soft heart can’t take it, but I’m still gonna continue watching this. ❤️

I haven’t watched this week’s Are You Human Too episodes because I read spoilers and I don’t feel like watching because of the angst at the moment. Anyway, anyone knows where can I watch Life?!

1. House Helper
i am too deep in its spell no idea why. i just enjoy seeing all the characters living their life while i watch and feel i am sitting right beside them somewhere in the frame.

2. 30 but 17
its soooo cute. Male lead is the introvert i always wanted to see, all attempt from a girl to seek life got wasted with one liners. I fell for him in the scene. I did this many times, and as i turn people start bad-mouth me why am i so arrogant....lol

3. AYHT
Robo Shin vs Human Shin.. battle is on now finally. lets see who wins.
while i wait for LJH to be back in another Rom Com....

4. Life On Mars..
its boggles my head each n every episode and am still enjoying watching it... Miss Yoon is my fav female character so far.

life on mars- this show keeps on delivering such amazing cliffhangers week after week. I hope the last 4 episodes are equally good.
your house helper- I really like the slow pace of this drama. I don't actually like the lawyer that much..his stalkerish behaviour was off putting...the girl lied to you.Have some self respect!
I really like the senior of DY... initially it looked like she was just an opportunist like everybody else but when it turned out she was trying to save her project I was so happy. Also I really like JW's relationship with both the girls.
come and hug me- since I binge watched, I didn't really have that much time to dwell on the annoying reporter. Some side characters weren't developed properly and the showdown wasn't that impactful, but overall it was a good show.
30 but 17- the first episode didn't really draw me in...but I'm willing to give it another go for YSJ. But I just wish he stop measuring random things. I know it's done for comedic purpose, but it can be downright scary and annoying.
WWWSK- I'm trying to finish this but there's no story .. I was really waiting for MS to find her happiness apart from her relationship with YJ...but since it's not happening... I'm kind of disappointed.

Do I have an affinity for shows with 'space theme'?
Life on Mars
Meteor Garden
Two shows which I'm addicted to and can't be more different in terms of quality.

I've been singing praises of LOM for weeks now. It's just so so good and all it has to do now is finish well and it'd be a 10/10 for me.

Meteor Garden is both terrible and terrific! How did I end up forgiving all those horrible tropes, cheesy moments and worst of all - the male lead attacking the girl in a manner which could get him charged for assault?
I think it's because I see this version most like a manga. From what I've recalled of the Taiwanese MG and Korean BOF, neither gave me that feeling. I should have watched the Japanese version but I didn't.
In anime, violence and all politically incorrect things are common. Maybe it's like how Tom & Jerry. Quite a number of children's cartoons are actually very violent.
Maybe I don't even need understand why I am still watching - my brain has been usurped by Pineapple Head.

Want to watch: Time, Thirty But Seventeen and Life.

I have been traveling the past week thus only managed to finish Jenny (liked first episode more than the second) and Wok (let's forget that ridiculous competition with a top chef losing because of time despite it was HIS choice of food... and that childish mom... and only remember the wonderful trio... and food... and kittie... ). 🍜🐈

Feeling overwhelmed with all those new shows. 🙂 So far managed only first two hours of Time and I feel like that for every episode I should watch an episode of School. ☔
(And somehow missing Hwang Jung Eum in this).

Current on Mars, of course. 😍

Finally I'm able to join this thread again lol. It has been a while I'm not watching a lot of drama.

My favourites are still Life on Mars & Your House Helper. But I have also started some other shows.

Life on Mars - I'm enjoying this ride so much. That's all. Everybody has said a lot, and I'm pretty much agreed with a lot of thoughts.

Your House Helper - I want to ship Ji woon with Da young, but I feel like there's more chemistry between Ha Suk Jin and Go Won hee, so I want to ship Ji woon and Sang A. But there is our Mr Puppy Attorney as well. 😳 Putting potential loveline aside, I'm liking this show. But I wish the characters will be developed more.

Let's Eat 3 - I think for this season, I'm more interested with the storyline rather than their eating sessions.

Time - It gives similar feel like Secret but the big difference is Secret has amazing casts while not for Time. Kim Jung hyun is doing good so far, but I can't say his performance is flawless yet. The rests are still not getting there yet. Second leads are intriguing with gray caracters.

Thirty but Seventeen - I liked premiere week. RoboMaid is my fav character although I like all main casts so far.

Meteor Garden - I'm not crazy about this drama, but will watch it if I have spare time. Still at epi 2.

Witch's Love - Tried epi 1, it looks quite cute. We have Kim Young ok as one of the witches, heee. Maybe I'll continue watching for now.

Interested to watch My ID is Gangnam Beauty. Looks interesting.