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…
mary
Currently recapping: The Light in Your Eyes
Doctor Prisoner: So much to say! I saved the last three hours for a binge so I didn’t know the Huntington’s arc last week and WOW. K-dramas usually have a great start then fudge their endings because of rewrites and live shooting. It’s rare to have shows that can step back with a flourish and actually surprise the audience with a reveal. So when all of Lee Jae-jun’s tiny tics were explained, I was amazed. This is Snape levels of actor-writer collusion. Choi Won-young was wonderfully creepy in this role. He was surprisingly good at evoking pity too. Those few times when his armor cracks and you feel the weight of his struggle to stay in control of his life when he can’t even control his body? I didn’t expect to feel bad for him, but I did. He deserved what he got though. I’m also glad that they addressed my question about the succession and why the ladies can’t just do it. (You go, Jae-in, for knowing how awesome you are and wanting to wield power!) I like that they let my fragile ship sail too and didn’t try to shoehorn a romance between Na Yi-je and Han So-geum. Na Yi-je has crossed some invisible line, and I like where the show leaves him in the last few seconds: siding with crooks to get more power so he won’t be caught unawares by other crooks in the future.
Special Labor Inspector Jo: Yaaay! Mal-sook♥Duk-goo. It was weird and quick and funny, but how can I protest when they make each other so happy? I’m like Inspector Jo, looking on proudly as my baby ships sail. I’m just waiting for Do-ha and Prosecutor Kim now. You know that comics-style poster that they flash at the end of certain episodes every time someone comes over to Inspector Jo’s side? I get ridiculously excited about that. It’s the same feeling as the latter half of Chief Kim when we kept hoping that Food Psycho would jump over to the good side.
Produce X 101: I swear I watched this but for the life of me, I can’t remember what happened except they were sorted into teams and shocker (not), the ones from X weren’t really sent home. I don’t remember the second half of the auditions at all but I don’t believe that this season is as talent-less as MNET’s editing would like us to believe. Heck, they can even use editing to make mediocre trainees look great. So I’m assuming they’re playing up the nugu-to-awesome story right now, because “X” is unknown. It just doesn’t work for me. I’m a fangirl. I *need* to be following someone to be hooked on your show. Why else would I tune in every week? If I wanted to hear subpar K-pop covers, I’ll just film myself singing while washing dishes.
The Great Escape 2: What a cool ending to the zombie episode! I know variety shows have some sort of script they have to follow, but I live for the unscripted moments that throws a wrench in the plan. Like P.O forgetting his walkie in his jacket pocket when he fled in terror. Or Kang Ho-dong bull rushing the locked door in his panic as the fireworks ran out. My old misgivings about him came back a teeensy bit this episode though. It’s when he was radioing his findings slowly to the team. It was too obvious a ploy to grab the spotlight. Though I know attention is a variety star’s bread and butter, I still feel weird when they do that. And the more their desperation shows through, the more I worry that they might not be genuinely enjoying what they’re doing, so I feel guilty as a viewer and can’t enjoy the show. But I think this is just his style. Plus, zombies are calling me, so I’ll give Kang Ho-dong another chance and check out season 1’s hospital episode.
missvictrix
That Psychometric Guy: I am happy/sad to have finished this drama. Man, I loved Jinyoung’s performance in this, from start to finish. I’m with @saya in that I didn’t find the tail end of this drama as amazing as the rest, but that can’t detract from these warm, wonderful characters. I miss them already.
Her Private Life: I’m. So. Behind. But I’m secretly rubbing my hands together, happy to have a chunk of episodes to plow through over the next week or two. Every time Park Min-young co-stars with a new actor I think the pairing can’t get any better (Lee Min-ho, Ji Chang-wook, Park Seo-joon), but each time I continue to be impressed. And now, her + Kim Jae-wook = me fangirling.
RELATED POSTS
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (May 11, 2019)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (May 4, 2019)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (April 27, 2019)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (April 20, 2019)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (April 13, 2019)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (April 6, 2019)
Tags: Doctor Prisoner, Her Private Life, Special Labor Inspector Jo, That Psychometric Guy, What We're Watching
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1 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
May 18, 2019 at 4:37 AM
The in-things this month seem to be robots & face-blindness. Next month, face-blind robots?
This week I'm adding two letter scores for "how much I like it" / "how much a typical kdrama fan might like it". Let me know if you think its worth continuing. I don't expect to be scoring shows two different ways forever.
Voice 3: 7.5/10 It's a Voice show, so (as expected) 1: The phone rescue part certainly kept my attention. 2: Other parts seemed like they were trying too hard to top previous seasons - and failing. 3: Once again someone in authority was obstructionist & obnoxious to the point of being unpleasant to watch. So, it's riveting, pulse-pounding -- mediocrity? B+/C.
Abyss: 8.5/10 Still fun to watch and more fun to comment on. Since so many Beanies complain about the male lead, for a while at the end of day 4 I thought they might use the magic marble to swap him out. Hey Min! Don't lose your marble! A-/C+.
My Fellow Citizens: 9/10 A/A
Her Private Life: 6/10 It does well at what it tries to do, but I can't watch more than about 5 minutes without wanting to go check news sites or cat video sites for something less fluffy. So I'll score it low and let the hordes of fans outvote me while I hide somewhere. C-/A-.
Absolute Boyfriend: 6/10 Asianwiki says the 2 lead roles were both first offered to other people who declined. Maybe they saw the script for day 1. Meanwhile, does it seem like robots have taken over scriptwriting in kdramaland? Because robots & computers are good at doing the same thing over & over, while I'd expect human writers to get tired of the same-old and try something different. C/B-.
PS: and tell the robot to learn the girl's name and STOP CALLING HER "Girlfriend".
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Mel
May 18, 2019 at 5:00 AM
I loved your comment so much that I liked it twice hahahah. It’s so humorous to read 😂😂
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okiejune
May 18, 2019 at 7:39 AM
Haha - so typical kdrama fan will love them all?!?
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Vespertyne29
May 18, 2019 at 9:26 AM
I always read your weekly comment so that I will gain info on what dramas I will probably like, and which ones I will probably hate. In other words, whatever you like, I will probably hate, and what you hate, I will probably love. (Although when it comes to romcoms, I'm often in agreement. However, definitely NOT when it comes to HPL, which I love, despite the dumb side plots with the secondary characters, which is the part of romcoms I particularly dislike).
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OldLawyer
May 18, 2019 at 10:14 AM
I have only glanced at "Absolute Boyfriend" so far (because I am behind on everything" but is fact I would not immediately dismiss it as fluff- not that there is not a solid place for fluff as a part of our viewing anyway. It looks to me as if the writers are actually setting up a deeper show.
Remember that this is a story that is based upon a Manga- and was first done as a J-Drama and then as a T-Drama. This is the third version made by a third country. That alone tells you that this is a good story. I have not seen the original J-Drama but I did see the T-Drama, which was fun. This version is actually much less fluffy than the T-Drama.
Comedies can often have great depth because the writer can say things in a comedy that you cannot say in other formats. "Because This is Our First Life" was a comedy which said a great deal about modern life, family and love. It was a comedy with depth.
The robot shows are not just a fad. What writers have discovered is that the robot theme is a great way to explore what it means to be human and what it means to love. I certainly hope that "Absolute Boyfriend" will prove to be a show that does that.
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OldLawyer
May 18, 2019 at 10:21 AM
I really mangled that first sentence.
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beantown
May 18, 2019 at 11:37 AM
I agree with you, and my brain must match your mangling, as I understood u! Absolute Boyfriend is the only kdrama I am watching right now and so far it's good.
....I think I have overdosed (on the artificiality of kdramas), so have currently switched to a steady diet of jdramas!
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Linda Palapala
May 18, 2019 at 1:40 PM
Steady diet of c-dramas here, palatable even with the diet of socialist values.
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CS
May 20, 2019 at 8:34 AM
I kind of enjoy playing "spot the propaganda." :)
Linda Palapala
May 20, 2019 at 11:25 AM
@csmith I don't mind the propaganda - in theory.
Linda Palapala
May 18, 2019 at 1:55 PM
Let me know if you run out of cat video sites, cuz I have some too for such purposes. But what I mostly do is write down the location of my favorite scenes from my favorite dramas (k and c) as a go-to-watch when I need meaty stuff to counteract the cotton candy fluff.
My daughter doesn't need to write anything down. She'll see an actor in a drama (American) and say, oh, that person was also in Supernatural, Season 11, episode 20, at 30 minutes and played such-and-such a character - here, let me show you. Proceeds to immediately find it...
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
May 18, 2019 at 2:52 PM
"I can't watch more than about 5 minutes without wanting to go check news sites or cat video sites for something less fluffy"
I love this quote, can I steal it?
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Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
May 18, 2019 at 4:16 PM
Sure :)
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Flamingo's Smile
May 19, 2019 at 6:37 AM
And do we need ANOTHER remake of this drama? I’ve seen it before in at least 2 other languages.
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OldLawyer
May 20, 2019 at 7:21 PM
Maybe yes? But congratulations on having seen the two earlier versions.
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2 mango
May 18, 2019 at 4:39 AM
- Completed -
The Banker: The drama was good the whole time and Han Soo Ji is my favorite character. The ending was what I expected but it misses something I can't point out.
Confession: For a show that was consistent (far from perfect), the finale was satisfying. Beanies already wrote everything I thought about the show.
Manpuku: Finally completed! I grew fond of the characters during 151 episodes. Even I knew the outcome because you know... history, I spent a good time following Fuku-chan throughout the years. I will watch more asadoras from now on.
Put Your Head On My Shoulder: I kind of distanced myself from Momo and Dora in the last week, however it was nice to see to follow their relationship. That was refreshing if we only look at the main leads.
Welcome to Waikiki 2: I enjoyed it but it could've been better. The characters development wasn't well done because we got all of the romance resolution in the last episode. Even Ki Bong and Noona's relationship didn't have to go that far. I wished there were more bonding moments as friends than as love interest.
- Currently watching -
All is Well: ep 34. I can't believe Mingchen beat up Mingyu. It eventually led to more issues and he even divorced his wife. Mingzhe is getting even more on my nerves because of its pride as the eldest son. I understand his wife's anger because they can't afford to pay everything for his father. The women in this show usually have good intuition and admit their wrong doings but people don't listen to them.
Beautiful World: ep 13. We're getting hope... is it real? I thought with the security guard's death things might get more difficult but this hour, we have development.
Don't Fight Fools Even When You Get Pissed Off: ep 1. It's a good Japanese comedy involving a man who wanting to take over a toy company in half a year. The thing is, he's arounded by fools (LOL) who unwillingly makes it hard for him to climb the ladder.
Her Private Life: OTP scenes are so good that I feel like intruding in their private live. I like Deok Mi's supportative nature as a fan (minus the police station scene) and as a girlfriend.
Kakafukaka: ep 4. It's... unique. A girl lives in a share house where her first love lives too. He's had a body malfuntion (something for adults *ahem*) for two years and asks for the girl's help. It's weird and I see it as a way for the girl to reflect on herself and gain her confidence back. Especially loved episode 4 where she realizes that and is at peace with herself for the first time in a while.
Le Coup de Foudre: ep 18. Perhaps I've been spoiled with Gu Wei Yi and Ryan Gold or Yan Mo is simply not the type of main lead I like (most probably plus I find the actor meh), the main love line is the weakest link for me. I wish they could be honest with each other and confess already. How did they end up marrying? That's...
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 4:40 AM
That's really a mystery.
My Fellow Citizens: I wish Jong Gook and Hoo Ja join hand and face Unni. I love HJ so much that I don't want her to lose but she's a villain... Why are you questionning my moral compass?
Nokdu Flower: ep 5. I liked that they're incorporating more comedy because serious business is starting between Yi Kang and Yi Hyun.
Save Me 2: The first episode is very slow and nothing interestinng happened. BUT it's important to understand how Elder Choi gained the villaers trust. The red cross on top of the chirch gives e the chills. We're seeing the foundation of a cuult compared to season 1 where the cult had huge influence. Kim Min Cheol and Pastor Sung will surely have to work together to fight against the future cult leader. Elder Choi is obviously after the compensation money (and Min Cheol's sister) and who knows what more?
The Secret Life of My Secretary: Veronica Park! I started this show just for her. It's tropey and I fear for the second half of the drama but the leads interactions are adorable. I had a hard time with Kim Young Kwang pre-Lookout but he got better and his performance is enjoyable. Jin Ki Joo is really good too. I already got attached to her.
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mary
May 18, 2019 at 4:56 AM
Re: Save Me 2, the red cross used to give me chills too. Then I keep spotting them in the skyline/background in other k-dramas and realized they just use that color for churches in SK. :O
But I blame the first season of Save Me for making me scared of that red-light cross forever.
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coolgirl
May 18, 2019 at 5:23 AM
It was the first time i saw this shot and it gave me chills! Especially since Chun Ho Jin looked positively like the devil near to it!
I was literally on the edge of my seat during all the time he drive back the head of the village's daughter to home. I was really unsure of what he could have done to this innocent and stupid girl...
So it build nicely the tension to bring it the maximal effect during this final shot.
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 5:36 AM
I totally agree with you. The drive was nerve wrecking and the final shot was perfectly creepy.
mango
May 18, 2019 at 5:34 AM
Really? I never paid attention in other dramas. Gosh, if I ever go near a church in SK I would be so terrified!
Season 1's memories came back when the cross appeared on screen *thrills*
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Cloggie
May 18, 2019 at 7:58 AM
There's nothing wrong with loving HJ. It's official.
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 9:28 AM
What got me the most was when she said everyone who called her our Hoo Ja aren't here for her anymore 😭 Let me give her all my love!
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Kairoskat 💐
May 18, 2019 at 8:30 AM
Hoo Ja is fantastic. I'm glad Kim Min Jung took the role. Characters like Hoo Ja don't come easily. She's a hoot.
My moral compass became faulty since RH in TLE, and then Hwang in FP and now Hoo Ja. Villains you want to root for seems to be the current trend.
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egads
May 18, 2019 at 8:33 AM
I've always rooted for villains. (see: Nellie Olson in Little House on the Prairie)
By allowing my moral compass to be askew while being entertained, I am ensuring that I will maintain moral fortitude in real life. (This is my theory, and it's been maintained. So far.)
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Royal Hotness (such a nice name) drove me crazy and Hwang had my heart as much as the good guys. This trend should never die.
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Kairoskat 💐
May 18, 2019 at 2:52 PM
Yep. This trend should continue from time to time. Imo, in addition to script/directing, a very charming actor/actress is also needed to turn a normal villain character to one viewers want to root for.
Ps: I'm so used to call SSR RH, that its kinda sticking. He might get a new nickname after his new dramas, but for now he is still and maybe always be RH to me. Hahaha
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
May 18, 2019 at 2:55 PM
This reminds me to a somewhat lesser degree of what happened with the K2. When you have this female character fighting against the world for recognition and authority and it's stacked against her - you just want them to win. Just that whole thing about her having five sisters because her father wanted a boy says everything about their family.
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Kurama
May 18, 2019 at 5:40 AM
For Kakafukaka, honestly her lack of selfestem is too big. I never thought I would see a so awful proposal : you don't have dreams, you don't really have a job, you don't want a career, you can cook and clean up ==> Do you want to marry me ?
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 5:54 AM
I didn't check the episodes' count before commenting so I thought she would have time to grow as an individual. With 10 episodes around 25min, it might be rushed. Hase's reasons to propose to her and his sneaky ways to get her into marrying him are wrong. I believe she will protest more after episode 4.
I liked that Akari told her to stop having low confidence. That's a good start to shake her up.
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news
May 18, 2019 at 7:02 AM
I randomly watched Kakafukaka without knowing anything about it, and was surprised and transfixed by its unconventional story and offbeat humor.
I didn't find her low self-esteem or his proposal off putting. The story developed fast, but the strong directing and editing made me understand their motivations and reasonings.
The drama and manga are quite similar, but the manga does give a deeper insight into their psyche.
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beantown
May 18, 2019 at 7:30 AM
I find Kakafukaka to be a mesmerizing watch, with fascinating characters. I've read the manga, but I am still not able to predict where they'll go with this.
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 7:40 AM
I didn't know it was based on a manga, then should I be surprised?
It's nice to know the show might take a different direction from the manga.
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news
May 18, 2019 at 8:16 AM
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news
May 18, 2019 at 8:19 AM
@mango
I don't think the drama will be different from the manga. Japanese drama adaptations are usually true to its original source material.
@beantown
What chapter are you on? The latest chapter I found was 14. I watched the drama and read the manga last night, so I'm eagerly waiting to know what happens next!
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 9:25 AM
It looks difficult to adapt exactly like in the manga in such a short drama so I thought the drama would end at one particular point of the manga (after an arc) or have an open ending.
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beantown
May 18, 2019 at 11:18 AM
Same! @newso I have read up to 14, ..there are many more chapters, but I think they're only subbed til 14.
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egads
May 18, 2019 at 8:25 AM
I find Kakafukaka horrifying to be honest. Her agency and sense of self is non-existent. The flashback to their initial sexual encounter as teenagers appears non-consensual, and am I supposed to feel empathy for this guy?
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 9:23 AM
The one thing that makes me keep watching is how she will navigate throughout all of the nonsense. I don't feel empathy for the guy, he needs a doctor not a woman.
That flashback made me uncomfortable. It did seem non-consensual because she didn't expect him to do it. At the start, she was the one wanting but her mind blanked and it happened. The guy isn't easy to read and I can't tell if he was aware of what he was doing and what she felt at that moment.
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egads
May 18, 2019 at 9:41 AM
Right? But the way it seems to be heading right now is that she will be the cure for his “healthy morning” problem and for his writers block, in which case I will want to throw my laptop across the room.
mango
May 18, 2019 at 9:49 AM
That's what I think but since it's quite weird, I hope it will end up being about her journey and not the guy's "cure".
beantown
May 18, 2019 at 11:28 AM
I predict they were both adversely affected by their initial experience.
news
May 18, 2019 at 2:20 PM
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news
May 18, 2019 at 2:29 PM
I see this as a coming of age drama about intimacy, sexual awakening, confidence and the perception of self and others, so I didn't interpret it in the same way.
They were middle school students, so it's not surprising they were confused, ashamed or humiliated by their first sexual experience. In the manga, it was clear she didn't resist but was surprised. Even though we're not privy to his perspective, his current "condition", past relationships and novels are clear indications that he was deeply affected as well.
beantown
May 18, 2019 at 11:25 AM
I am willing to see where this goes, so for me it's too early to make a judgement. I don't get the sense that they're looking for empathy for Tomo....
She initiated their first encounter, and so far it appears that she never told him to stop. I think they're both confused and vague about their feelings.
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Vespertyne29
May 18, 2019 at 1:20 PM
I had the exact opposite reaction to Put Your Head on My Shoulder and Le Coup de Foudre. I ended up hating both the drama and the relationship of the two leads in PYHOMS, while I find the couple in LCdF to be believable, and the love and passion that the scientific, emotionally cool, OCD-ish Yan Mo feels for his happy, light-hearted wife is convincing and charming.
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 10:25 PM
Everything in PYHOMS unrealistic so I think it's easier for me to let things go. I grew tired of the drama in the last week tho. Le coup de foudre's couple in opening scenes look believable so I enjoy them. It's the time they need to show their feelings and being honest with each other that frustrates me. Even more in Yan Mo's case because I want him to show his feelings and vulnerability more.
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Flamingo's Smile
May 19, 2019 at 6:27 AM
You know, I watched it raw and there was so little story that you didn’t need subtitles. Really disappointed as I had enjoyed A Love So Beautiful.
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mango
May 19, 2019 at 8:23 AM
Are you talking about PYHOMS? If you're, that's absolutely true. It's just about college students falling in love and becoming a couple. That's why I cared less in the last episodes. It doesn't have other themes like A Love So Beautiful which was more of a coming-of-age story than a simple highschool romance.
I didn't know it was related to ALSB before watching it, so my expectations were inexistent and I needed something to turn my brain off. However, I understand where you're coming and would be as disappointed if I weren't in the mood for an exclusive fluffy drama.
3 Dorotka
May 18, 2019 at 4:56 AM
I finished Dazzling / Radiant. And on one hand I'm glad I watched it... and on the other hand I'm not. The story is very beautifully told... but it is also (minor SPOILER) a very sad and tragic story, also touching some dark times of Korean history (end minor SPOILER). And I was not prepared for that...
I also have to admit if I hadn't known that there would be a twist, there would be a high chance I dropped the show as it often felt too meandering... and even now after finishing the show I still think they should have shorten the number of episodes and keep the first part a bit more compact (though that epic rescue mission has to be kept intact 😁). That being said, it still is a very high level drama and I would put it in the same family as Dear My Friends... just be prepared the last two episodes will give you a punch (and by that I don't mean the twist)... and more than one... (it will also give some beautiful and poignant moments and reveals... just have your tissues ready, for both types of moments...).
The show has brilliant acting. And although it's the rightly praised and awarded Kim Hye Ja who carries the show, I fell in love with Han Ji Min. She is truly Radiant here. (And now I'm trying to figure out how to get back to Familiar Wife).
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Dorotka
May 18, 2019 at 4:57 AM
To balance all the tears and emotions from Dazzling, I reached for The Double Life of
VeroniqueSecretary. I disliked the first episode, then the second one was a huge improvement... and I quite liked episode 3. I like that Dominik is actually nice...and cute... and so happy that Gal Hee is back 😁. And I also liked that the decision to start the double life was knowingly made by Gal Hee (and for reasons I could fully sympathize with). Also, Jin Ki Joo and Kim Young Kwang have a very cute and sparkling chemistry 😍 (so much that I'm happily ignoring all those chaebol family problems and machinations at the background 😆).Required fields are marked *
cheekbones
May 18, 2019 at 8:47 AM
I'm also enjoying The Private Life of My Secretary. Both leads are wonderful and they have great chemistry.
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WishfulToki
May 18, 2019 at 12:58 PM
Completely agree with you. I finished it two weeks ago and like you would not have completed it if I wasn't promised a twist. But when the twist did come and I wasn't ready for it. I would have liked to see more Han Ji Min actually.
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Live4dmoment
May 18, 2019 at 5:00 PM
Han ji min is also good in familiar wife, funny and great chemistry with ji sung. The story also teaches a lot about married couples, really worth tbe watch. And she is particularly great in Miss Baek. No wonder she won best actress for that film😁
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4 mano
May 18, 2019 at 5:03 AM
Completed only one dorama this week, I forget the title, it's about an ex spy who started a new life as a homemaker. I passed episode 4, hate that mommy bullies story, it's too over the top. Overall is a cute drama.
I also started Possessed. I'm torn, everyone seems hate the ending, I'm already at episode 12 and still love it...also I'm kinda invested with the love story. I love the OTP so much. Am I going to be really disappointed?
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 5:41 AM
I think you're talking about Caution Hazardous Wife? The mom bulies were indeed too much even for this show. I had suspicions about her husband so the revelation was welcomed.
Possessed... Prepare your heart because it won't be the same in later episodes.
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mano
May 18, 2019 at 8:59 AM
Yes that dorama! I know from the start that her husband works in spying business. I even thought the marriage to is a scam from his end. The truth is actually better than I expected.
Possessed, the OTP have the best chemistry for not a romance/romcom drama. I really want to see them again in other drama.
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Bob
May 18, 2019 at 4:05 PM
There's a big denouement fight scene in the final episode of Caution Hazardous Wife that is worth the watch. I don't think you really need to watch the whole series for it, though. The patriarchal conservativism of 'stay-at-home wife' culture in the series made the show particularly stifling and oppressive
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5 sorrynotsorry
May 18, 2019 at 5:04 AM
Her Private Life: Love it. Hope it stays solid for the last four episodes. It's the rare rom/com that is staying true to actually being a rom/com and, yeah, the chemistry between the leads is no joke.
Abyss: I am struggling to finish episode 2. I'm definitely be checking out comments on this drama to see if it is working for people.
Personal Touch - Ok that might not be the title...the romance with the Goblin couple. It's an easy enough watch but I think the gal is hard carrying the drama, at least through episode 7.
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Athena
May 18, 2019 at 9:11 AM
I think it is "Reach of Sincerity," and if you want a cute and sweet reprisal of the goblin couple, you went to the right place. I found it an easy ride.
I am having the same issues as you with Abyss. I am sitting at the beginning of EP 3 and instead of hitting the play button, I am posting here.
Her private life has been pretty good. I like the chemistry all around. It is a more flattering look at fandom, which could have been a whole lot darker.
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6 another woodalchi nicole recruit
May 18, 2019 at 5:11 AM
Basically just Her Private Life episodes 9-12 on repeat, and every bts and music video i can find.
I also picked up The Story of Minglan and am finding it more interesting than i expected. I don’t know if I’ll make it through 70+ episodes though.
Waiting for some more Abyss episodes to pile up so I can semi-binge it (or just drop it; beanie comments are noted). Hoping to start the secretary one and Six Flying Dragons soon.
Paused PYHOMS…it’s definitely super cute but i can’t quite get invested in it.
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Dorotka
May 18, 2019 at 5:16 AM
Ditto for Abbys 😆
Though now I'm getting curious if it really is so bad... or if it is just a unique drama needing special lenses...
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Athena
May 18, 2019 at 9:13 AM
I loved Six Flying Dragons. Yoo Ah In never disappoints.
As I wrote above, I am also having trouble continuing Abyss. It is not that I hated the first two episodes, I just can't be arsed to hit the play button.
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Beverly
May 18, 2019 at 10:38 AM
I have to get back to Minglan. It hot sidelined by Head/Shoulders and HPL.
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Vespertyne29
May 18, 2019 at 1:26 PM
I ended up really disliking PYHOMS. The last four episodes sucked royally, and I could barely keep watching.
I think Lin Ye is super cute, but unlike some of the other up and coming young Chinese actors, he was unconvincing as a 22-23 year old romantic lead, and definitely needs work on his romance/kissing acting abilities. He could have maybe done OK in a high school romance, where he plays a 15 or 16 year old, but just didn't carry off playing a college senior and young adult.
I REALLY want to watch Six Flying Dragons, but it shows up as "Not available in your area" on Viki. Where are you going to watch it?
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another woodalchi nicole recruit
May 18, 2019 at 2:06 PM
it’s not available for me either 😫 if you find a good spot, let me know! i’m hoping viki will get it soon. or netflix too.
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Flamingo's Smile
May 19, 2019 at 6:32 AM
Lin Ye’s first role, I think I read his graduated from an arts school? Maybe dancing? I felt it was oddly cast. She felt at least as twice as old as him.
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Vespertyne29
May 24, 2019 at 5:50 PM
I think I read - and giggled - over reading that he's majoring in ballroom dancing. How on earth can you "major" in ballroom dancing? Is that an actual 4 year degree??
Of the modern high-school-or-college-to-young-adulthood Chinese dramas I've watched, all with the same male archetype (genius IQ, emotionally suppressed/reserved, inexperienced with love/romance), Yang Yang wins the hotness award, for Love O2O, and made it a very enjoyable drama despite the anorexic, baby-talking female lead.
Surprisingly, my second runner up is Zhang Yu Jian, in Le Coup de Foudre. He isn't as handsome as Lin Ye (he seems of a heavier build than the tall, lanky types I find most attractive), but as the drama develops, I am finding his Yan Mo character charming, sweet, and believable. Yes, Yan Mo is another high IQ-low EQ character, but the way the drama has slowly revealed how deeply he loves Zhao Qiao Yi, and how invested he is in having a relationship with her, no matter how much he (erroneously, but understandably) believes she has betrayed and hurt him, is endearing. I have really enjoyed the last 3 or 4 episodes, although the friend with the faux pregnancy has almost ruined it. It's horrible watching her let Guan Chao pamper her and "talk" to the baby that doesn't exist. I hate her now.
Lin Ye in PYHOMS ranks third in playing this type, but hopefully he will get better/more comfortable with the romance. He's really adorable, and will be excellent if he can improve in those scenes.
I suppose that technically speaking, Hu Yitian (A Love So Beautiful was better at the "romancing" than Lin Ye, but I hated the FL and the story so much that I have attempted to erase it from my memory. Plus, his character kind of had an "I'm really an asshole" vibe that I didn't care for.
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Mel
May 18, 2019 at 2:33 PM
I quite enjoyed MingLan and loved the satisfying stories. Hope you can stay till the very end 😊
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dokutokunaneko
May 19, 2019 at 11:21 PM
Oh you will make it trust me. This is my process with Ming Lan: skip first 5 eps (childhood stories), ff most of ep 6-40 lols because ep 40 is when the couple is finally together, watch 40-70 obsessively, get even more obsessed and go back to the beginning to watch everything and appreciate every minute of it. So I'm doing it for your benefit now: don't skip, you won't regret it. This show knows what "emotional and narrative payoff" means. Such amazing world building, character development, and storytelling. I have been heard to quote Ming Lan in real life to my husband while dealing with situations at work (I call it "the Ming Lan method"). You won't regret any minute spent on this gem of a drama (the novel is great as well).
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another woodalchi nicole recruit
May 20, 2019 at 7:34 AM
wow what a recommendation!! i'm in the "ff most of ep 6-40" stage right now...but not SO FAR into it that i can't slow down a bit...thank you thank you!
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Vespertyne29
May 24, 2019 at 5:58 PM
Sounds like a winner. I'll check it out.
I'm watching Ever Night, because I thought I might need to see the first series before watching the fabulous Dylan Wang in the second series. However, I'm not really digging the dumb hero, and I am totally bleah on the romance angle if the eventual romantic interest is going to be the "servant girl." Ugh. She looks 10 years old, so unless they get another actress to play the role, it's going to be a chore to get through the entire drama. I may decide I don't really need to watch it in order to enjoy Dylan in part 2.
I really want to watch both of the Nirvana in Fire series, but the sheer number of episodes is daunting.
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dokutokunaneko
May 24, 2019 at 8:18 PM
That's how I felt about Ever Night as well! I think we should just watch Ever Night 2 with Dylan lol Re: Nirvana in Fire, at least for the first series, I think the same Ming Lan logic applies: it's long, but worth it! I haven't finished, but have thoroughly enjoyed the first 8 eps so far. This squeecap from the Unproblematic blog was a helpful guide since ep 1 introduced so many characters: http://dr-myri-blog.blogspot.com/2015/11/nirvana-in-fire-episode-1-recap.html
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Vespertyne29
May 25, 2019 at 4:08 AM
OMG, Nirvana in Fire is awesome! So much better than Ever Night, which I am ditching. I’ll wait for Dylan Wang’s version.
I’ve watched 3 episodes of Nirvana in Fire, and love it. It took me over 2 hours to watch the first episode, because I re-watched the introduction of new characters in the first 20 minutes about 5 times.
I’m going to enjoy this drama, although I sense heartbreak ahead, with the beautiful male lead character being in such poor health, and unable to use any martial arts to protect himself. 😿
Jenmole🍊
May 25, 2019 at 9:34 AM
I'm kinda glad there's not much romance between the two in Ever Night. So when Dylan shows up for the second season, he'll show us all his swoony moves. 😂
Female lead looks young in Ever Night but she's actually older than the male lead and Dylan IRL. Her character is quite interesting and feisty as well.
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Vespertyne29
May 25, 2019 at 9:41 AM
Really? She’s in her 20s? Hard to believe. I don’t dislike her character- she’s obviously smarter and more capable than her “master.” But I can’t envision any romance between the two. Their relationship is too familial, as the hero stands in loco parentis to her, as a father, or older brother.
Jenmole🍊
May 25, 2019 at 10:44 AM
Yes, she's 25 but looks 15!
That's what I felt about their relationship then. I already can picture Dylan killing it in this role. I can't wait for season 2!
Vespertyne29
May 25, 2019 at 12:08 PM
So do I need to slog through season 1 to get the basic story, or will season 2 retell the important stuff?
Jenmole🍊
May 25, 2019 at 2:16 PM
I think you can wait for the second season if you're not feeling season one. It's a lot of time to commit to watching all the episodes.
7 cat-cric-kat
May 18, 2019 at 5:15 AM
CRICKET - These high scoring matches. England vs. Pak
I'm always with Kiwis. But this time i want England vs. South Africa Final.
TOO HAPPY TO see a true and realistic Love.
Don't Fight with Fools Even When You Get - WORDS right out of my mouth. Only watching this show. 8 out of 10
After this we have Afro Tanaka - competition.
Ano kono Toriko - another shoujo trash. right time dropped
The Hunting Lion - half-watched. heavy. Realistic.
Different Dreams - As i said last week - weak direction.
CHINESE - Youtube recommendations
Sparkle Love - 17 episodes - ok 5/10
The Power of love - 20 episodes - bleh 3/10
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cat-cric-kat
May 18, 2019 at 5:25 AM
Changed few rules to count an episode as watched. Acceptable
Japanese - 10%-20% skip - fast forward
Korean 20-35% skip - fast forward
Chinese 65-80% skip - fast forward.
Chinese dramas are pretty easy to follow. 10 minutes per episode and sometimes skip complete episodes and still you won't miss anything.
I never skipped events, scenes, episodes as i felt it made it hard to evalaye storu and characters but after trying Chinese i was able to improve my rating system as well as viewer time.
Chinese dramas have too much filler - same goes for Korean dramas(though i always took Kdramas seriously and never skipped any scene) so easy to jump from 1 scene to another.
Japanese dramas with merely 10 episodes not leave much scope to skip-jump.
Had few elections in provinces. Tv rooms debates with those over exaggeration by anchors - quite fun. commentators and analysts. politicians throwing stones at each other. Real life entertainment. There are too many trumpchumps and bigots in both real and virtual life.
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Linda Palapala
May 18, 2019 at 2:00 PM
Chinese - 65-80% skip, wow is that ever true. I just "re-watched" Bloody Romance skipping only a very little towards the end, and wow, I sure missed a lot of important stuff the first time around. This time I saw all the clues as to why Chang An didn't die and gave her the clues to where he could be found.
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cat-cric-kat
May 18, 2019 at 11:52 PM
to both @astromantic
I had mentioned it in 2018 comment too that i feel uncomfortable skipping scenes as it creates doubt in judging overall development of story and characters. I also used to feel - i must have missed something important here and there by skipping scenes but now i'm much more comfortable with it.
If i consider the show quality content then i don't skip scenes even if its boring filler of extras of side characters - ALL IS WELL is example of it.
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Linda Palapala
May 19, 2019 at 8:08 AM
My problem is I get so anxious for what's going to happen in the end. So anxious that if I don't skip around I can't watch it. Then I can go back and watch everything comfortably. But I'm just weird like that.
astromantic
May 18, 2019 at 3:22 PM
Wow that's an interesting approach. I never skip episodes in a drama and I rarely skip/fast forward, usually because I'm in bed watching them. Even if it sucks, I can't afford to miss anything! LOL
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Vespertyne29
May 24, 2019 at 9:45 PM
I never skip episodes, either. In fact, if I’m really enjoying a drama, I’m more likely to re-watch an episode before moving on to the next one, especially if it’s a drama with a lot of symbolism, or a complex political plot, or a lot of characters being introduced in an episode.
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cat-cric-kat
May 18, 2019 at 5:29 AM
ANIME - KONO OTO TOMARE - Episode 07 must watch.
ADACHI MITSURU - MIX anime is airing right now.
never like most of manga to live-action movies but gonna try
ROUGH and TOUCH - my respect towards Adachi Sama.
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CS
May 20, 2019 at 8:55 AM
I watched The Hunting Lion last night. It was so bleak, but realistic. Or bleak because it was so realistic. Ugh. It's last quarter was not what I expected.
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CS
May 20, 2019 at 8:57 AM
Actually, it's The Hungry Lion.
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8 miss h
May 18, 2019 at 5:20 AM
Special Labor Inspector Jo: I think this was my favorite week of episodes so far. Team Jo has two new members! I noticed the poster for the first time when the new members were filled in. I spied a couple familiar outlines.
My Fellow Citizens: Poor Hoo Ja! Jung-kook keeps messing up her plans and now big sis is back. I loved Jung-kook's sis showing her own con woman skills.
Abyss: I had a good nap during Episode 3. My reaction to Episode 4 was can Cha Min stay dead this time.
Secret Life of My Secretary: This drama is tropey and cheesy and the storyline is utterly predictable, but I don't care because the characters make me smile.
Save Me 2: I'm finding this one really slow. Psycho Elder Choi vs. Psycho Min Cheol doesn't excite me much. I hope the pastor is a good guy.
Beautiful World; I have to catch up this weekend.
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 5:45 AM
My Fellow Citizens: Jung-kook's sister and niece are delightful! I wish to see more of the sister's con skills.
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Kafiyah Bello
May 18, 2019 at 7:07 AM
It totally agree. I also love that she speaks 15 languages in order to con people properly. It's hilarious.
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OldLawyer
May 18, 2019 at 10:24 AM
Hoo Ja is the villain that you hate to love- but you love her anyway. Such a fabulous character.
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9 gadis
May 18, 2019 at 5:45 AM
The Secret Life of My Secretary: I think this is the first time a romcom drama inspired me to write long GIF stories, and post regularly on my wall. I don't know if it's the chemistry between our two leads, or the fun execution despite the cliche plot, or the endearing characters, or a magical combination of everything that made me adore this show so much.
Confession: Up to eps 10. I'm so glad I binge-watch it now because I couldn't stop pressing the play button. It's so addictive, and just the right drama to reawaken my love for crime thriller genre. I couldn't imagine the torture of live-watching this show, what's with the nail-biting cliffhangers and compelling mystery.
What first impressed me is how our good guys are truly good at their respective jobs, and not just because the description says so or because they dumb down the villains. And I like how natural and organic their relationships evolved during the course of the story. From stranger or people who barely tolerate each other's presence to the best of partners. By the end of eps 10, it's pretty clear that all those crimes and our good guys' personal grief are entangled with one another. So, here's hoping that their bond will be enough to help them going through more turbulence ahead.
Beautiful World: With the latest eps, it felt like this drama's title finally started to make sense. So many hopeful scenes, so many people started to change, so many glaring truth finally came to light. And the most important thing: so many smile-inducing sequences that just made my day.
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Athena
May 18, 2019 at 9:16 AM
I loved Confession even though it was hard to wait for translated episodes due to not being picked up by either Viki or Netflix. Yes, I liked that both the good guys and the bag guys did smart things. I really liked it all the way through to the end. Can't wait until you are finished. *waits*
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miss h
May 18, 2019 at 9:34 AM
My drama plate is rather full, but now I kind of want to try Confession, especially since I see ODK just added it with subs.
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Linda Palapala
May 18, 2019 at 2:04 PM
I just found it on ODK today too! Totally with you on this, I "kind of want to try" it.
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CS
May 19, 2019 at 7:14 AM
I still need to watch the last 4 episodes, and this just made my life a little easier! Thanks for the tip about ODK.
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10 Kurama
May 18, 2019 at 5:54 AM
Special Labor Inspector Jo The couples were cute :)
Woohoo Waikiki 2 I liked the end for Woo-Sik and Soo-Yeon, they were cute. I really hated the story of Ki-Bong and Yoo-Ri. They kissed, slept together and had a baby all by mistakes. Honestly, I really don't like those stories when they end up by having a wedding...
My Absolute Boyfriend I'm ready for a lot funny, sexy, embarrassing scenes between our half nacked robot and heroin \o/ On another side, I'm not a big fan of love story between a robot and an human...
Her Private Life I'm not ready for the childhood mystery. I like the story like that.
<b<Different Dreams Rebellion thema often is really interesting because of the morality. I like grey zone in stories.
Nokdu Flower I love the big bro and I don't really care of the young one...
A Beautiful World I like the story but I'm starting to think 12 episodes would have been better to tell this story.
Voice 3 Body parts market... It's kind of dark.
Put Your Head on My Shoulder I don't see any difference before and after dating. Their dating scenes are lacking of chemistry. It's cute as usual.
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11 Radily
May 18, 2019 at 6:03 AM
Confession
It wasn’t exactly a solid wrap-up with some holes here and there (CEO Oh’s sudden death / Prosecutor Lee’s character being left unfinished without any mention of what happened to him / baddie lawyer being arrested with no explanation as to how he got caught), but the show did well in focusing on the journey that started with No Sun Hoo and completed by Choi Do Hyun. Despite the predictability of the plot from start to end, the execution was fresh enough with a decent pace sustained throughout. I will certainly be waiting for the instrumental OSTs to be released: they were really catchy!
A Beautiful World
For a drama that has developed its story mostly through characters, it was double the disappointment to see the truck of doom cliffhanger to end off this week’s episodes, when instead it would have been better to have a scene where the son holds the guard from running off and asks for the condolence money from the mother’s funeral, causing him to bail on the courage he mustered up and have cold feet. However, it was otherwise perfect, with my highlight being the cop: I really love how he just says so much without saying so much! His synergy with the reporter is seriously nice to watch.
The Secret Life of My Secretary
Despite suspending loads of disbelief at moments like Gal Hee being able to identify the driver when he has a mask on in the dark and doctor duo spouting a load of questionable medical theory, I am enchanted by how effortlessly the two leads play off each other. Granted, deep down I still hope that we do not have to sit through all the workplace / family / friendship angst. I suspect Min Ik already knows Gal Hee’s ruse: he wasn’t wondering about who it was but rather how she would look like without the red cardigan on (he cannot see her face clearly if she changes her overall appearance).
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Radily
May 18, 2019 at 6:03 AM
My Absolute Boyfriend
I didn’t have high hopes for this drama and checked it out purely due to my love for Yeo Jin Goo. As expected, there were many cliche elements besides the classic humanoid love setup: downtrodden female lead (with her gang of supportive friends), insecure second male lead, obnoxious second female lead, evil portrayal of them higher ups vs the kinder assistants (see: Wang Joon’s manager against the agent, ‘drama’ PD against the assistant PD, Bo Won against his department head). I’ll give the show one more week though to defy some tropes before I switch off my brain totally.
Her Private Life
Abusing the fast-forward button has never been better when one trope gets replaced by another: as the show ends off the romance angst from the 2nd leads and concludes the workplace drama with Cindy’s outburst against her mother, it now embarks on the childhood and family angst just so coincidentally when the main couple has finally overcome their initial obstacles. Given the standard of the writing so far, I have ridiculously low hopes that there won’t be some sort of trauma next week. Unlike most Beanies, I’m not feeling the romantic chemistry so hopefully there will be a better story.
Abyss
Makjang #1: Prosecutor and fiancee being possible children of the killer (I’ll laugh harder if it turned out that Cha Min is actually related to him, since we haven’t seen his father yet). Makjang #2: Cha Min bringing the fiancee to the hospital and requesting a pregnancy check when she just got fatally hit by a truck (can you believe that no staff questioned the fact that she had a lot of blood and just let Cha Min take her away?). Makjang #3: Cha Min’s crazy plan to murder Park Ki Man and revive him which got him killed. You know what, I’ve given up being frustrated at the writing: it’s just stupid!
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Rumi~
May 18, 2019 at 1:38 PM
While I like HPL, the childhood trauma & their childhood connection is unnecessary. They were doing just fine with a connection as adults, why do they have to resort to this trope? It was already trope heavy with traumatized ML, boss - employee thing, I wish they hadn't included this track.
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Vespertyne29
May 18, 2019 at 2:34 PM
I think the Ryan Gold's sad childhood is pretty central to the plot, as it explains his fascination with the soap bubble paintings, as well as why he is unable to paint. If the artist is, indeed, Cha Shi-an's mother, then it is also going to explain the relationship between Shi-an and Ryan. Without the plans to show those paintings, Ryan and Shi-an would have no relationship at all, other than living in the same building.
What I am going to be disappointed in, however, is the childhood link - sadly now seeming inevitable - between Ryan and Deok-mi. Why, why, why is this childhood "link" mandatory in every Korean romcom ever written?
But I'm going to ignore the Deok-mi/Ryan Gold childhood connection, just as I ignore the "comic relief" aspect of the story. I love the humor of the Ryan Gold's initial misunderstanding of the relationship between Deok-mi and Sun-joo, which was believable from what he initially saw of them together, but I cringe every time I have to look at or hear the Eom So-hye character. I particularly hate that type of "comedy," and only find it distracting and highly annoying.
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Vespertyne29
May 18, 2019 at 3:23 PM
I have no idea why my comment refers to Ryan Gold as "the Ryan Gold." It's one of the mysteries of posting from my iPhone.
Athena
May 18, 2019 at 9:20 AM
I am liking the Secret Life of My Secretary. I too think he has caught on, if not, he will soon. I know there are a lot of tropes here, and after the number of secretary shows I have seen it should be old, but Kim Young Kwang always adds a little something.
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12 Aya
May 18, 2019 at 6:05 AM
Her Private Life - This show is so easy to watch and enjoy. Eungi is really the only weakness in the show for me right not. I'm just happy to watch a drama with an adult couple that aren't breaking up every 20 seconds because someones feelings where hurt, the ability to genuinely apologize and communicate is really something huh.
Voice 3 - These first 2 episodes alone where better and scarier than the entirety of season 2 was. I enjoyed season 2 but the villain just did nothing for me at all and while he's still around I do prefer the story turning to this network of sickos instead of just 1 main villain. Also that scene with Detective Do in the woods was legit so shocking to me and scary and i'm so curious about what's been happening i'm tempted to wait it out and binge watch everything at once, I feel like that's what made watching season 1 so enjoyable too.
Abyss - These episodes where so much better than the first 2 where in my opinion and episode 4 was definitely the most enjoyable. If you want to watch this show I think it's worth a shot but it's much easier to enjoy when you're not reading the comments about it. I just want to read some theories and all i'm met with are the same complaints over and over again, please just drop the show already if you hate it so much.
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zzthorn
May 18, 2019 at 7:26 AM
@ Aya I agree with you on Abyss I don't even think the main lead male is that bad of an actor either. I think he is holding his own now, considering the writing of the drama. The show is definitely entertaining. The craziness at least keeps my attention.
And like @Lord Cobol, with Her Private Life I can hardly keep concentration on it as nothing is going on that is particularly interesting. (I'm not a big fan of on-screen romance) The goal's been met and now we just wait for the big birth secret and pretend its a surprise.
The one I find myself looking forward to each week is The Secret Life of My Secretary That one is entertaining and the main leads play well off each other while still maintaining their own individuality. It's playful and yet serious and even dangerous. One can almost understand why the female lead does some of the goofy things she does even when she knows she shouldn't.
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zzthorn
May 18, 2019 at 7:27 AM
sorry, I don't seem to be able to get the knack of that html down right. Only meant to bold the titles. :-(
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mary
May 19, 2019 at 8:26 AM
:-*
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13 hannaehh
May 18, 2019 at 6:12 AM
I may have not been active on DB as I used to be last year, but I’m still watching kdramas (not a news). I’m watching less these days because you know, life gets in a way between me and kdrama.
Doctor Prisoner- As much as the ending is a bit hanging, I’d say, but it gives viewers to make our own conclusion. I’m satisfied as it is and won’t ask for Season 2. This drama is a bit overdramatic in term of medical plot (I’m no doctor, so I don’t know if all the medical terms portrayed in this drama is true or not), but the strength of this drama is more of great acting among actors and actresses. I can’t imagine anyone else who can portray Na Yi Je’s character other than Nam Goong Min. 👏🏻
Her Private Life - So much love to this drama! ❤️❤️❤️ No noble idiocy, healthy adult relationship, and both understand each other and be there for each other. Ryan Gold is such a perfect boyfriend who supports Deok Mi’s interest and Deok Mi is such a perfect girlfriend who knows when RG is having emotional breakdown.
My Fellow Citizens - My love for Choi Si Won is the reason I started watching this, as I go along, this drama is actually entertaining despite having lack of plot. The kind of drama that you just go along and don’t think a lot about it and you just don’t understand how you keep on watching it though it is stupid, but you laugh anyway. Yup, that’s how I feel about this drama.
My First First Love - I just started watching this and I’m on ep 5. Isn’t this drama supposed to be Jisoo’s first drama to be the lead guy? But why do I feel like he’s not getting the main girl? Perhaps it’s too early for me to say then since I have another 3 eps to go.
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14 coolgirl
May 18, 2019 at 6:13 AM
Different dreams: This drama is a dream come true for me.
It mixes perfectfly my favourite genre: historical spy story, charismatic and talent main lead actors forming a badass duo and soon i hope a legendary couple, a superb cinematograpy, a dense plot maybe too much at times but so well executed, a fast pace and a dynamic storyline with a lot of mysteries that invite us to think by ourselves to connect the dots and fill the missing pieces.
Add to that that the main characters are complex human beings with a lot of contradictions between their actions, values and feelings, making it impossible to know completely on which side they will fell and you got a clear picture of why i'm so excited for this impressive piece of work.
It has its flaws (the editing notably, the overuse of flashbacks to give us character development) but i'm so in love with show that it doesn't matter at this point.
Watching live will be a torture: i'm already rewatching the 1st episodes...
Save me 2: It's the anti Different Dreams in term of storytelling. It's a character driven story, which takes its time to build every detail: the background of the characters, the environment, the relationships, the character development.
Personally i can't be more happy of this slow pace because as proved by ep3 and 4, the writer intend to reward us for our patience. Kim Min Chul was constructed carefully during ep 1 and 2 as a violent man, with no attachments, so when in ep 4 we get to see beyond the veil that few villagers really care about him and he's in capacity to accept their tenderness, the effect was amplified: it felt like such a intense and poignant moment. Just after, the awful reunion family with his sister and mother revealed hwo much vulnerable and lonely he actually feels. Strong writing here that offered a plot so charged that it seemed a complete story, worth a drama by itself within the main plot. Strong acting by Uhm Tae Goo too.
Chu Ho Jin nails everything in which he appears and switch from the appereance of a humble man to the devil like it's nothing. I can't wait to seem more of his confrontation with Kim Min Chul!
Voice3: i watched only to see how Kwon Joo would survive and as expected it was resolved in two minutes. The scenes didn't match completely with the end of s2, which makes me think that contrary to the writers declarations, she didn't think the 2 seasons as one.
The power of LHN on me is so big that i stayed for little more and actually was surprised that the killer of the week was truly a scary one. The PD nailed the tension inside the Ryokan, be it when the victim tried to hide or the detectives were looking for her. They made the limited place a real labyrinth in a very effective way, creating a fear on the level of horror films.
I enjoyed immensely to see LHN on the field, taking the lead of the operations, while using as brilliantly her hearing power than her deduction skills, and showing her...
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coolgirl
May 18, 2019 at 6:20 AM
management skills, authority and charisma to her male team. It proved once more that she's the drama and doesn't need a male co-star.
Sadly, it can't be change and now that Kwon Joo is back to Korea: the big question left is: is the drama going back to the path of s2? Hopefully not...
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 9:41 AM
Thanks for your opinion on Different Dreams! I watched the first episode (30 min) and wasn't sure if I should keep watching because of the medical part.
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coolgirl
May 18, 2019 at 12:53 PM
Happy that my raving caught your attention! :) This drama is really underrated: unfairly compared to Mr Sunshine and negatively criticized for being different! The medical part is limited. It happens mostly during episode 1 and 2 where important actions take place in the hospital but the drama moves quickly to new locations (though it will probably come back here later).
I suggest you to watch at least the first 4 episodes, or first 2 episodes depending on how you count them, because the drama offer few major twists that change significantly the characters, their developments and relationships. Especially concerning the main heroine. Her relationship with Kim Bon Wong played by Yoo Ji Tae will make a lot more sense after those two episodes.
I'd be really interested to read your views next week!
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15 gia
May 18, 2019 at 6:15 AM
Her private Life : This drama is my favorite. Not only PMY and KJW have an insane chemistry on and off screen but I love watching their characters leaning on each other, building a relationship based on trust, respect and acceptance...Moreover, i think everyone wants to find in ReaLife a beautiful relationship like this one that feels completely safe and free of judgment. I am seriously loving what this drama is giving me i am always excited for wed/thurs so i can watch their scenes that makes me all giddy inside ♥
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16 TAS-Mania
May 18, 2019 at 6:36 AM
Last year I started watching the 121-episode daily drama “Sunny Again Tomorrow” but got side tracked and never finished it. After the below video came up in my YT feed, I decided to finish watching (with the help of the fast forward button) at least the lead romance which featured a hero who was absolutely unwavering in his devotion to the heroine throughout all the craziness and the numerous attempts by the heroine to break up with him (unfortunately, she wasn’t as devoted and always chose her mother over him). Like most daily dramas this drama has an overdose of makjang storylines (birth secrets, blackmail, embezzlement, fake identities, attempted murder, kidnapping, betrayal, suicide attempts, love triangles, etc.) (what fun!!) but as expected in the end the villains (a truly nasty mother/daughter team who as the drama goes on just get crazier and crazier trying to hide their crimes) (always good to have villains you can love to hate!) were completely forgiven for all of their actions and lovingly welcomed back into the family fold (hey, you gotta ends these shows on a happy note!).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LApSB6NN7tI
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17 virtual life
May 18, 2019 at 6:52 AM
Finished watching sky castle. loved it. thankfully I was aware abt the backlash the drama got abt last episode . so I was mentally prepared , I guess that's why I didn't find the ending disappointing and enjoyed thoroughly.
For me the favorite family was professor cha family. All the family members were endearing in their own way.
and the top otp for me was coach Kim and Mr. jo . I just love the layer in their relationship and the way it was shown to audience.
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18 azkiya
May 18, 2019 at 6:58 AM
K-drama:
*The Best Moment to Quit Your Job: an 8ep drama, the story felt relatable to everyone who struggled in the younger days, looking hardly for a job, and experiencing work-life at it ‘best’, gosh watching this (I was up to ep 7, haven’t watched the final) I felt blessed that I could take life more lightly these days, and grateful for the job I have now :))
*Different Dreams: jumping into ep4 (8) directly to feel the tone of the drama, and with that only single episode I can safely say that I like it, so it’s a keeper for me now. Hope it stays likeable til the final ep.
I was in a k-drama slump for quite sometimes, so last month I tried other offering:
*a wuxia drama, Heavenly Sword and Slaying Dragon Sabre, soo good! It’s based on one of Jin Young’s trilogy that I love so much, so this latest adaptation made with great fight coreo and charming characters is a happy camp for me. The Tony Leung’s version eons ago would always be my favourite adaptation, but this one really came close.
*a Taiwan drama, Murphy’s Law of Love, sooo cute. I needed something fluffy, and it delivers. I love the OTP so much, and the story is good, and no crazy second leads too (such a bonus), now it became one of my all time favourite TW-drama.
other than the above, I watched the British shows, (Line of Duty, and Doc Martin), also quitely click play button for Game of Thrones (haaard to avoid spoiler, even in DB! haha..)
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tsutsuloo
May 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM
Ooh, thanks for this. I've added Murphy's Law of Love to my watchlist for when I'm need of a good dose of cute without the usual drama crazies.
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azkiya
May 18, 2019 at 3:22 PM
your welcome, hope you'll like it too, but of course along with the cuteness the OTP should experience some heartbreak moments, but it pays off in the end :)
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mango
May 18, 2019 at 9:39 AM
The Best Moment to Quit Your Job is a simple, short and real story about young adults. It was nice to have different POV and see how everyone has doubts even when they seem stable. The actresses gave good performances too.
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azkiya
May 18, 2019 at 3:27 PM
yes, real, that's the word I had when I watched it, it felt real, so I appreciate the show and the writer for coming with such POV that is relatable for many, kudos to the actress too.
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Linda Palapala
May 18, 2019 at 2:07 PM
So have you signed the GoT petition to re-do the last season?
My all time favorite T-drama is Fated to Love You (or anything with Ethan Ruan). I'm not into fluff but I'll give Murphy a go.
Heavenly Sword? If I can find I'll try it as well. Thanks!
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Vespertyne29
May 18, 2019 at 3:54 PM
I have been too busy watching Kdramas to watch any of this season's GoT, but it's on DVR waiting, and I'm going to catch up tonight and tomorrow, so I can watch the last episode and not worry about getting spoiled (I have seen one or two spoilers as to a few episodes, but have avoided the major ones surprisingly well, but I suspect that will become harder after tomorrow).
Fans of GRRM's novels - and I'm a huge fan of epic fantasy novels - have long said that the only ending that would satisfy him would be a huge battleground-cum-graveyard, where every single character lies dead. So, I've never had high hopes for the ending of the series. I just wanted Jon Snow, Arya, Jamie Lannister and the direwolves to survive, and didn't much care what happened to the rest. However, I also never expected that any of those I want to survive will, in fact, actually survive. Because it's GRRM.
I saw that fans are demanding a rewrite of this season. It will be interesting to see if GRRM ever finishes the series. We've been in new territory since Season 6, and other than a few theories that we'd long been pretty sure would pan out (like RT + LS = JS, and also that JS wouldn't really die - or rather, wouldn't STAY dead - after being stabbed multiple times à la Caesar-on-the-Ides-of-March), nothing is set in stone as far as the novels go. GRRM has even said words to that effect.
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Linda Palapala
May 18, 2019 at 4:45 PM
Yup.
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azkiya
May 18, 2019 at 4:01 PM
re GoT petition I'm thinking of signing it too, haha..
"anything with Ethan Ruan" is quite apt to describe a big chunk of my TW-drama watching experience all this years too :) so I'm sure you've watched Queen of No Marriage then? that one is my fav of Ethan's show along with Fated to Love You, eventhough I also checked some eps of his latest drama with Yang Mi, but haven't felt the urge to comeback to it.
on Heavenly Sword, just want to give a note that it hasn't got subtitled full-50 eps, but so many eps have been subbed, and it progress steadily.
You might find some chars in the show questionable (Wu Ji's mom, and Zhao Min the female lead, to name a few), but as I grew up watching wuxia, I felt that I quite understand the grey world of 'evil sect' and 'right sect' this kind of story want to depict, and most famous Jin Young's novels (the trilogy) that this drama is based on, I think has been really good on highlighting that the world is better not to be seen as pure black and white, especially when that 'right or wrong' is defined by some 'shallow' people, HA.
So when you got a chance to watch it let us know whether it's a good one show, or you just want to rant about it :D
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Linda Palapala
May 18, 2019 at 4:50 PM
Legend of Fuyao is one of my favorites (but you have to remember Ethan Ruan is much older than in Queen and Fated, my other two favorites of his). I love his flirting in Fuyao, but you can tell he also put out every emotion in that drama and acted his heart out.
I've only just discovered Wuxia and it took me a few dramas to realize the demon sects vs the righteous sects are opposites, i.e. demon in wuxia are usually really the good guys and the righteous sect only think they're righteous (am I correct?)
I'll certainly at some point give Heavenly Sword a try.
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MeSaya
May 19, 2019 at 7:56 AM
The fit/proper advise I am giving myself when watching K/C-drama is to partially shut my brain off, and just enjoy it.
And use fast forward method whenever I like it. Age of digital, you can rewind, stop, play 0.25 to 2x times speed. Use it happily 😬
I like Dragon Sabre, too, especially the first episodes. I really like the child Wu Ji. He delivers bringing out the kid who suffers, the naive-kind hearted-not wanted to trouble-yet live to the max, little Wu Ji. I also like how the potray of Golden Lion, much more human, though still crazy and bad. The rest, I just watch for fun. In this version, ZhiRou is the least I like. Her acting feels a bit flat, well... adult Wu Ji is too.
However, compare to others, this series is quite good. I still enjoy it a lot.
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Flamingo's Smile
May 19, 2019 at 6:42 AM
Meet me @1006 is good Tdrama, as is Lion Pride. I prefer Easy Fortune Happy Life over Fated to Love You (the Thai version is my favourite of those iterations), but if you like Murphy’s Law of Love then I’d recommend Refresh Man and When I See you Again
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Linda Palapala
May 19, 2019 at 8:13 AM
I liked Meet Me @1006 too. I've tried Lion Pride, Murphy, Refresh and When I see you Again but couldn't get into them. I don't like high school teenage dramas. However, I'll put these back on the "to try again" list since my moods and likes change so often! Thanks for the suggestions. Never heard of Easy Fortune though.
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MeSaya
May 19, 2019 at 7:22 AM
Ho, you like "Line of Duty"?
Those were really a good series. Full with strong actors, solid stories, intrigues and political issues. I really love them, binged watch them for 2 weeks, thus made me quite a zombie for weeks. No regret.
Have you seen "The Fall" yet?
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19 Kafiyah Bello
May 18, 2019 at 7:06 AM
My Fellow Citizens: I am enjoying this drama. It is just fun. However as dramallama sated in her fabulous recap, Mi Young is missing pieces of her. It reminds me a bit of Third Charm, where Esom was missing a whole character arc. Mi-Young is also missing pieces of her background.
Special Labor Inspector Jo: What is not to love. Jo Jin Gab keeps winning and I love every bit of it. It is incredibly satisfying anytime he wins. When his ex-wife joined him it was even better. The wink, smile and finger motions always make me smile. Also 💕 💝 ❤️ to Mal Sook and Duk Goo.
The Secret Life of My Secretary: I'm going to be perfectly honest, I have no idea why I continue to watch this drama. It is in the words of @leetennant trash. Jung Gal Hee is tricking her boss into dating her because she wanted a moment of pleasure. At the route they are going, the trick will start to get creepy. I don't even like KYK that much. Yet and still I continue to watch it and look forward to it. Veronica Park is semi-entertaining, but Dae Joo is bland. The actor and the character. I'm here for Jin Ki Joo, but mann. I don't know what it is about the show, 😂.
Doctor Prisoner: It was a good ending. The show was ridiculous and dramatic. The acting was top-notch though. I enjoyed it and I'm sad it is over.
Rescue Me 2: I love it. Elder Choi is a perfect villain, except the ending of this pass episode. The maniacal laughter at the end was a bit on the nose. The character was great up until that point. The beginnings of a cult are always interesting. I also really like the pastor. He is so human and I enjoy that about him. He has strong faith, but is really fallible. Esom as always is great. Min Cheol is interesting, because he is objectively an awful human being. However, in the flashback his father is trying to murder him. His anger is justified, but the way he exhausts it is unhealthy and damaging. Also his voice is just beautiful.
Her Private Life: What more is there to say. The OTP is legitmately one of my favorite kdrama couples of all time. They communicate, they apologize, they kiss, they laugh, and they are sad together. What is this adult relationship. It's so great. They balance work and private life. I have zero problems with them. Also him seducing her by unbuttoning his shirt was perfect. All this to say I dread the next few episodes. The childhood in common, the angst that they were both adopted, and the mother who left him behind. Blah, blah, blah. This drama would be great without all of that.
Voice 3: It's like the other Voices, so I'm enjoying it. It is what it is.