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…
awcoconuts
Matrimonial Chaos: Oof, this week’s episodes were raw, real, and tough to watch. I missed the quirkiness of the previous episodes, but I’m invested in our main four now and will be sticking with them through the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Hundred Million Stars From the Sky: I haven’t seen the original and I’ve done my best to avoid spoilers, but this week I was left with the distinct impression that this twisty, mysterious drama is going to take me for a wild ride. I’m fighting the urge to google whether my hunch is true (please don’t be true!).
mary
The Ghost Detective: Things that I like: ghosts, serial killers, zombies, Scooby gangs, Daniel Choi, and Park Eun-bin. Things that I don’t like: this show.
The Guest: I was saving the last four episodes for a marathon but I had to rest my heart after that double emotional attack that is Go Sunbae’s possession and Yuk-gwang Hyung’s death. :'( Funny, neglected sidekicks are my catnip. Especially when the tsundere main character cracks and gets emotional, shedding secret tears when the comic relief is in danger. Maybe it’s because I see myself as the sidekick in real life. And I like to think that if something happens to me, my tsundere friends will band together with a handsome priest and heroically dunk me in a tub of holy water to save my soul. I have weird friends.
Fox Bride Star: Gah! It’s so fluffyyy! If I die from the cute, I’m gonna come back and start possessing people. My victims will turn into squeeing souls obsessed with puppies, kitties, and other cute things that resemble Lee Soo-yeon and Han Yeo-reum. You’ll have to exorcise me by chasing me around with a matchmaking vacuum robot. (Or a hot priest. I’m not a picky ghost.)
Matrimonial Chaos: I’ll always be wary of J- to K-drama adaptations (thanks, Tomorrow Cantabile!) but Matrimonial Chaos goes on the “I’m glad I gave this a chance” pile. The original was indeed much much quirkier but what I like about the K-version is it took its time to highlight just how differently wired Hwi-ru and Seok-mu are when it comes to love. The characters are more normal too, so scenes like this are more relatable. In the J-version, it was like watching weird people being weird and finding love. But in the toned down K-version, you want to reach inside the screen and hug Hwi-ru for being lonely even while you pity Seok-mu for being unable to connect with her pain. I can’t say one is better than the other, but I understand why they made the changes in the K-drama version to suit a different audience.
My Secret Terrius: Be warned, I’m watching this with my sister so our progress is glacial (to illustrate: she watches 3 episodes of Healer a year). This week, we finished the episode where Kim Bon is repeatedly humbled by stay-at-home dad extraordinaire Sang-ryul (Kang Ki-young) and I have never wanted a mentor-mentee relationship this badly since Misaeng. If Sang-ryul is already this proud about being in the Special Forces, imagine how bigger the bragging will get when he finds out that he’s been “training” a super elite spy? Heehee dramaland should just put Kang Ki-young in everything. He’s a theme post waiting to happen.
RELATED POSTS
Tags: Fox Bride Star, Hundred Million Stars From the Sky, Matrimonial Chaos, My Secret Terrius, The Ghost Detective, The Guest, What We're Watching
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51 Ayan
November 3, 2018 at 11:49 AM
Twelve Nights - a joy to watch, thanks to everyone who mentioned it in last week's WWW post. There's just something magical and mesmerising about this drama, the way the two leads meet time and time again. I love how it's being filmed too, the camera angles and the direction. Reminds me a lot of just between lovers.
I don't understand Eric though? Surely his behaviour is what you should be going to the police for- a restraining order?
Also the busan kids & Yoon Chan have stolen my heart.
1 episode a week might just kill me😩😭
Terius behind me - can we get Kim bom in more costumes please???Will be catching up on the last episode next week hopefully.
Still behind on The Beauty Inside and The Players.
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Linda Palapala
November 3, 2018 at 12:14 PM
Hmm, guess I'll re-add Twelve Nights to my Watchlist.
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Ayan
November 3, 2018 at 12:35 PM
Yeah, let me know what you think of it. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the show that much. It's very slow paced and I'm never quite sure how the episode will end.
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52 BekBekZor
November 3, 2018 at 12:41 PM
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53 BekBekZor
November 3, 2018 at 12:44 PM
I just finished 100 days husband . Unpopular opinion - I actually liked the ending. It was obvious that Moo-Yeon would die, I am just glad that the princess and her baby survived, because it would be too dark to kill a pregnant woman. It might have been better if Minister Kim had suffered more, but life really never turns out they we plan or want to. I don't like noble idiocy and Hong Shim did kind of annoy me a little bit at the end of the last episode, but I low-key can understand why she ran away. There was a lot of things to take in and it's not that easy to see past through it. Overall the ending for every character felt natural and nice. I liked the way that they lingered on everyone, since I did get interested in the side characters. I did not miss Hong Shim entering the palace as Yul's wife, since it was never about her being or not being a Queen. That was never an issue or even discussed, so it is unimportant.
Maybe I am just ultra biased on this drama, because I like Kyung Soo too much. :D
Currently I am watching My Secret Terrius . I love the spy vs comedy genre so much, it just ticks all my buttons. Plus So Ji Sub is just great at all the times. :D The only thing that felt disconnected was the death, because knowing how many episodes are there to go, the mourning feelings didn't get to me, since I knew that he was alive and it was annoying to have half of an episode everyone thinking he was dead. And when he reappeared it was quite anti-climatic.
But the Joon-Joon is the best part of these series, they make up for every plot mistake. :D
I plan to start the The Smile Has Left Your Eyes , but I am prepared that it will be very dark and I will need to find a bubbly drama to balance it out. :D
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54 kd6606
November 3, 2018 at 2:01 PM
Awcoconuts, I might share your hunch on million stars..... I too am practicing discipline and avoiding google temptation... and I love this show!
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55 Nessa (Bebe) 🌹
November 3, 2018 at 3:02 PM
@mary
Fox Bride Star: "Gah! It’s so fluffyyy! If I die from the cute, I’m gonna come back and start possessing people. My victims will turn into squeeing souls obsessed with puppies, kitties, and other cute things that resemble Lee Soo-yeon and Han Yeo-reum. You’ll have to exorcise me by chasing me around with a matchmaking vacuum robot. (Or a hot priest. I’m not a picky ghost.)"
I can live with that ;)
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angie9898
November 3, 2018 at 5:22 PM
speaking of which, when is dusty going to make a reappearance haha
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Nessa (Bebe) 🌹
November 3, 2018 at 6:20 PM
'Tis what I'm wondering ;)
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56 angie9898
November 3, 2018 at 5:21 PM
I've recently picked up:
1) Terius Behind Me (The first 4 episodes weren't the best but now I just find it so adorable and love Bon's relationship with the kids and Aerin. However, the NIS scenes still kind of annoy me and suspension of disbelief is essential to watching this show)
2) Where Stars Land (I purposely avoided watching the show because of people's complaints about the annoying female lead. Saw the confession scene and started watching from episode 7/8 ish and am enjoying it so far)
3) Beauty Inside (I love the way the show utilizes the concept to bring in these amazing cameo actors)
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57 Virginia
November 3, 2018 at 11:36 PM
Finally finished the last 2 episodes of Devilish Joy earlier today. Episode 15 made me tear up and although the ending was a happy one, it didn’t feel too satisfying.
Playing catch up now with Terius Behind Me and I’m halfway through episode 15/16. I can’t get enoutgh of Bon and the twins! I also like Jung In Sun as Ae Rin so much better than her character in Welcome to Waikiki. She may have been a housewife these past few years but she is smart and can piece things together quickly.
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58 yayabean
November 4, 2018 at 12:04 AM
My two dramas are Twelve Nights and My Golden Life.
Yup!
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59 araya
November 4, 2018 at 1:35 AM
The Smile Has Left Your Eyes: Love this show, somehow started watching it despite melodramas not being my thing, and I'm glad I did because it's such a great show. Generally great acting all across the board, although I do agree with most k-netizens that one character was mis-cast.
Heart Surgeons: Enjoying this, I started watching this with zero expectations, but I like how the story is turning out. Going through the journey with the characters is both heartwarming and heartbreaking because we see what happens at the start of ep 1. I'm just bracing for the impact because I want to know what happens!
The Beauty Inside & The Third Charm: I started these two shows because I needed some rom-com lightheartedness in my life... but it's dived right into melo territory recently, so hmm.
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60 BdxPelik
November 4, 2018 at 1:02 AM
Now watching *Terius Behind Me* and *The Third Charm*
Honestly, this is my first time watching So Ji Sub in a drama (I'm new). I didn't wanna watch TTC, but the past 2 episodes have been awesome for me. But urgh the WAIT! Good thing I have recaps to tag along with me!
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61 therevels
November 4, 2018 at 6:50 AM
This week I didn't watch any ongoing dramas because I am too broke to pay my mobile data fees and there are many dramas that I already downloaded yet watched.
BLOOD: In Ep 17 and I found it frustrating that Ahn Jaehyun and Goo Hyesun chemistry starts fading as times goes by (turns out that they play it in reverse to hide their relationship, though I don't understand why they do that) to the point that Jung Haein and Jung Hyesung have better chemistry even though I cringe sometimes.
HWAYUGI: Marathon this until the end (it took me only 5 days) and despite how brilliant is the setup, the writer really mess the last 2 episodes. Heck I even hate how they write Jin Sunmi until the end. She is not that despicable but the drama supposed to tell about her journey, yet they only make her as the catalyst. Hwayugi should have preproduced since October 2017 and air it this December and it will be a lot better. Shame on you Hong Sisters
PING PONG BALL : luckily its only 2 episodes because I starts yawning just in first 5 minutes. But the conversations between Kim Deukhwan and Kim Youngjoon is so poignant
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ar_arguably romantic
November 4, 2018 at 5:21 PM
I'm still bitter at how the Hong sisters treated the Jin Sunmi character at the end and pretty much all the female characters. I will probably continue to watch their stuff since I liked their early work so much.
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TAS-Mania
November 4, 2018 at 5:37 PM
I agree, Hwayugi had a crappy ending (the Hong sisters have really become hit or miss and lately mostly miss). While I don't need closure on every storyline, I shouldn't have to mentally create my own happy ending for the leads. Unfortunately, there was really no happy ending for any of the characters in this drama (really what was with killing off all of the female characters except for Secretary Ma?). I had enjoyed the drama up until the final episode and really hated the open ending for the leads (were we supposed to be satisfied with their upbeat/positive note of Son Oh Gong leaving to retrieve the Jin Sunmi from the netherworld). Would it have killed the writer/director to have given us at least 5 seconds of screen time showing the leads reunited. You have to wonder if the production company ran into time constraints as it seemed that a large portion of the final episode was devoted to flashbacks (the whole amnesia plot just seemed to be a device to justify the use of all of the flashbacks). Too bad the final episode wasn't devoted to the rescue of the Jin Sunmi instead of just leaving us to imagine the utter chaos and destruction that the monkey king will wreak on the heavens in achieving his goal.
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therevels
November 4, 2018 at 7:45 PM
SAME FOR ME. The ending is so much wtf and if Ohgong can destructs movie world to save Sunmi, then when she actually died, he could kill the actual dragon as well as burn the actual world to avenge heaven. The problem is of course with the filming and airing schedule as well as the PPL (because the ending for me is just a PPL party of Dukki and Mercedes Benz). I rather in every quest, Sunmi got a weapon to kill the black dragon (like scissors from hairstylist demon to cut her death fate with Ohgong), a fairytale book (to capture demon), or something like written prophecy/scriptures that only she could read. And also giving one eye is a ridiculously stupid idea that Hong Sisters ever came up
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therevels
November 4, 2018 at 7:35 PM
The problem with the female characters in here is that there are so many things that I have to complain. She is Sam Jang yet she did not have any other special abilities/gifts compared to other gods (I don't consider vision as a gift since it only come when her time is near). And why she never being rewarded for doing anything (e.g. killing demons only to add Mawang points to become immortal yet he is half immortal already) and also die in such a meaningless way that it annoy me so much. Dissapointed with Secretary Ma for just being a loyal dog when she could have been a smart dog that could outsmart the monkey. Buja is practically dead to me ever since the stupid Priestess take over her body. And Dragon Prince is just that useless. Sigh, I like Master's Sun and this probably had potential to be like the loud version of Goblin and yet..
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62 miilo
November 4, 2018 at 10:33 AM
This week was all about The Guest for me and my teddy bear. We survived.
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63 PakalanaPikake
November 4, 2018 at 12:46 PM
PakalanaPikake's Picks, 11/04/18
Part 1 of 2
Completed:
100 DAYS MY PRINCE
Anticipating @lollypip's final recap and summation. Til then, my lips are sealed. I'm going to miss the memorable characters, but console myself with the news that Goo-dol is morphing from a Joseon bumpkin into a forensic geek(?) on GOD'S QUIZ: REBOOT. ;-)
GUEST
Show continued to deliver twists up to the end. Looking forward to discussing the final week's recaps by @odilettante, who has gamely soldiered on in the face of supernatural mayhem. ;-)
Added / Test drove:
ON YOUR WEDDING DAY (film)
http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/11/team-dramabeans-what-were-watching-128/#comment-3335217
@mary: Song Jae-rim plays quarterback. Hunkily. ;-)
FLUTTERING ALERT
I watched the first episode just to see what gives. This is more entertaining than I thought it would be. It's great to see uri Eun-chan of COFFEE PRINCE back on the small screen again. The potential downside: scheming chaebol parents.
Planning to Add:
MAMA FAIRY AND THE WOODCUTTER / TALE OF GYERYONG FAIRY
Replaces 100 DAYS MY PRINCE on Mon.-Tues. starting 11/05/18. Need more sageuk in my life.
QUIZ FROM GOD: REBOOT
Replaces THE GUEST on 11/07/18. Need more Ryu Deok-hwan in my life. Park Jun-myun (SAIMDANG, LIGHT'S DIARY) returns. Tickled to see Kim Jae-won and Kim Ki-doo among the cast.
CLEAN WITH PASSION FOR NOW
Replaces THE BEAUTY INSIDE on Mon.-Tues. starting 11/26/18. Need more Yoon Kyun-sang in my life. Bonus for @mary: Song Jae-rim. ;-)
- Continued -
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PakalanaPikake
November 4, 2018 at 12:48 PM
PakalanaPikake's Picks, 11/04/18
Part 2 of 2
Watching:
BAD PAPA
Only a single episode of Jang Hyuk last week, which cut me some slack during the 2 finales I was watching. I'm still wondering about the identity of the mysterious caller who tried to bribe him to throw the Yokohama boxing match with Min-woo back in 2011. Damage control continued at the pharmaceutical company. Marital meltdown.
BEAUTY INSIDE
I truly did not anticipate last week's developments with Se-kye's Mom. And now I'm really wondering what the deal is with her absent father. Sa-ra is asking for a visit from Park Il-do if she keeps on coveting Eun-ho. Just sayin'.
BUNGAKU SHOJO / BOOK GIRL
This is hilarious. It's like the literary editor version of ALLY MCBEAL. The tone is light, but underneath it all, there are sincere feelings and melancholy. I'm purposely rationing this slowly to savor it after watching the first two episodes. Didn't watch this week because of 2 finales.
DAE JANG-GEUM IS WATCHING
Work may be a pain in the petoot, but our sibling trio recovers with down-home cooking. Seasonal Halloween hijinks round out the episode.
MY SECRET TERRIUS / TERIUS BEHIND ME
Pay no attention to the shadowy operatives behind the curtain. Just enjoy the nose-nuzzling Tiny Terrors during their sojourn with Grandma and Grandpa on Jejudo.
PLAYER
Two baddies go down in a most satisfying way, but there are more to take their places. The Man In Gray skulks out of the shadows. Ha-ri makes good on a promise, with unexpected results.
ROOM NO. 9
Doc Yoo-jin's plan to reverse the body swap apparently requires more than his own sweet self in the circuit. Chan-sung's fatal auto accident looks less and less accidental as the identity of one victim is revealed. Hwa-sa and Hae-yi continue to run out the clock as a deadline looms.
THIRD CHARM
Halleluja! Joon-young cuts the umbilical cord – and pulls the ripcord to embark on his mission to find himself. I'm thrilled for him and the way he cut the familial apron strings. Soo-jae's dedicated efforts at screenwriting bear fruit, while Joo-ran continues to protest too much. Officer Min steps up to the plate. The Ri-won & Sang-hyun Show enters a new phase. Joon-young hangs out his shingle. And then the shoe drops. Please continue to turn the same-old, same-old tropes on their heads, Show.
-30-
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egads aka Dame Maggie
November 4, 2018 at 12:56 PM
I'm enjoying Bungaku Shoju, and I'm interested to see your reaction to this week's episode.
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PakalanaPikake
November 4, 2018 at 1:21 PM
@egads,
It'll be a while before I catch up. But I'll try to remember to report. ;-)
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PakalanaPikake
November 4, 2018 at 1:19 PM
PakalanaPikake's Picks, 11/04/18
Addendum
Planning to Add:
TOP STAR YOO-BAEK
Replaces BIG FOREST late on Fridays starting 11/16/18. Need more Kim Ji-suk and Heo Jeong-min in my life.
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64 ar_arguably romantic
November 4, 2018 at 4:45 PM
late this week!
Ghost Detective: Omg, the ending shot is another car PPL. So one final, brief heart-to-heart talk fixed Sunwoo Hye even though it looked like she seemed intent on continuing to wreak havoc? *eyeroll* Okay, show. Yikes, the first half had such great potential. It seems like the drama is better when Da Il is considered dead. I love the Scooby Gang (minus interlopers Reporter Dude and Lawyer Lady). I'm glad we got to spend the very last episode seeing them just go about their lives, smiling, and being good friends to each other. I feel like this whole drama is some sort of prequel since it is only in the last 10 minutes that they're making ghost detective-ing an actual thing. They really should have inserted side cases through the series since there wasn't enough material for the Sunwoo Hye case.
Guest: I had the feeling there was another twist and Father Yang wasn't Park Il Do, and I was right! The last half hour was beautiful and stirring (omg, that underwater scene), though the 1.5 hours preceding it was draggy, especially with the weird detour into zombie territory. I still don't quite understand what happened, but I'm so glad we were able to see the three reunited at the end.
Sunny Again Tomorrow: I feel like the point of a daily drama is really waiting for the satisfaction of having the protagnist finally expose the antagonists in front of a crowd of people. As typical of the daily drama genre: writer has people do terrible things and act like monsters for like 90 episodes straight and then have them find redemption in 1 episode.
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65 amara
November 5, 2018 at 8:22 PM
matrimonial chaos....pls can we talk abt the lgbt storyline and how it's all tying together. im honestly impressed and excited. next to misogyny/sexual violence this is one thing that kdramas who address issues majorly drop the balls on or decide not to touch...so....
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larelle79
November 5, 2018 at 8:39 PM
I am digging the storyline but I hated how they got there. Ma Roo had the ex boyfriend who raped her and while they did alright with that ( it was heartbreaking to watch her tell that douche) and that will somehow 'justify' their future relationship. It was not about Ma Roo finding herself that lead to Soo Kyung and her have a romantic relationship, it will feel like it is because she was scared by a man. That feels sloppy.
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amara
November 8, 2018 at 12:54 PM
i totally didnt think of it that way and i should have cos that's so common. the only reason i think i didn't is cos she was always saying "i was always questioning myself" and they've been hinting not everyone likes the same thing BUT at the same time uhhhhhhh yea since ppl think there is sth wrong with us and in a way it's like a tinge of corrective rape..
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66 Manchisymofy1
November 7, 2018 at 8:22 AM
Im currently obsessed with where the stars land.... I really don’t know why... well probably the incredible chemistry between Lee Je Hoon and Chae Soo Bin (After INAR I thought she coud never have the same level of chemistry with another actor) WOW this two are making may heart burst with love!!!!
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