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

220 October 12, 2019October 11, 2019

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…

My Country: The New Age: I’m loving all of the great sageuks that 2019’s brought us and My Country doesn’t disappoint. While I normally gravitate towards lighter fare, having a serious sageuk is a pleasant treat. The show managed to upend some of my expectations by giving us revelations and even breaking our young leads’ friendship very early on. It’s definitely served to up the tension for the better and I’m dreading seeing the outcome of their clash. Another unexpected treat was Kim Young-chul’s portrayal of Yi Seong-gye. He’s so compelling and manages to communicate so much in just a few scenes. I cannot wait to see him with Jang Hyuk. I’m two episodes in there’s nowhere near enough Jang Hyuk yet by the way. Getting a few fleeting glimpses of the man isn’t cutting it for me. Speaking of cutting things, I wish I could trim off Yang Se-jong’s bangs. I get it, he’s poor, and Goryeo hairdressers are probably expensive, but those bangs are so awful.

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Melting Me Softly: I really wanted to like this one, but the story feels a little messy and there’s too much hysterical screaming in the first few episodes. It’s a shame because I like both of the leads, so I will probably continue for at least a few more episodes. Hopefully it gets better? On a completely side note, I started reading the webtoon version of Rugal today (it’s super addictive!) and I kept thinking wistfully, what if Ji Chang-wook had taken the lead role for the drama version of Rugal instead of Melting Me Softly. Not that I think Choi Jin-hyuk isn’t a good fit, but I just want more for Ji Chang-wook :(.

Extraordinary You: Kim Hye-yoon is adorable. She does a great job of delivering the scripted comic book lines while cursing herself on the inside and I love the meta commentary on tired narrative tropes and poor character development. Speaking of which, Lee Jae-wook, please Show, tell me he’s going to be redeemed because I can’t bear to continue watching him be a jerk to Dan-oh. Yes, he’s playing the token bad boy and his dad is a monster. But still, can’t he just be a little more nice to her? I do wish the story could have better explained how Dan-oh and the others developed self-awareness because it just happens without explanation, and we kind of just have to go with it. Still, the drama has been a really fun watch so far and hopefully it keeps it up!

Little Forest: What happens when you put actors Lee Seo-jin, Lee Seung-gi, Jung So-min, and comedian Park Na-rae together to run a low-key summer camp for a small group of kids in the country side? Lots of cute, basically, with a little dash of humor in seeing the cast deal with situations they’ve never dealt with before, having never been parents yet. My favorite part was watching grumpy-pants cool guy Lee Seo-jin being awkward but growing fond of the kids, especially the twins, and being so sweet to them. Unfortunately, the show was only planned for 16 episodes and I’m sad that it’s now over.

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51 skelly

October 13, 2019 at 8:48 AM

I'm marathoning Misaeng this week; I never watched it because being a temp worker in an office has been my life off and on for the last 3 decades, but I am enjoying it even as it annoys and shocks me... the groupthink, the hazing, the buck-passing, the sclerotic bureaucracy - it's a wonder they get anything accomplished, at all. I guess they work harder, not smarter, lol. I thank my lucky stars I am where I am - I can be pushing 60, a woman, AND a contract worker, and still have my work and my boundaries respected and be responsible for key decisions and interesting projects. It also reminds me of when I was a manager...like Chief Oh I was short-tempered and fiercely loyal to my team and always in trouble with the higher-ups. And I also had an employee like GR, small and quiet and with fiendishly good ideas...I sit here and think of her and hope she has done well (3 of my employees that I know of went on to become managers, so there is a good chance she succeeded as well). So this show, it brings the feels.

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52 inxomnia

October 13, 2019 at 9:10 AM

Search WWW: Finally finished this drama and I'm glad the last two episodes were quite consistent in quality with the rest of the series. Loved the cast, the female empowerment and all the romances too.

Let's Eat: Started this because it was on Netflix and am enjoying it quite a lot as a chill watch. Honestly though, I don't love love it because there is a lot of filler and characters who I'm only meh about. But I do like the friendships forming. I like Jinyi's positivity and Dae Young the most.

Hotel De Luna: The styling and aesthetics are beautiful but it hasn't fully captured me yet. can't quite pinpoint why... I'll probably stick with it but hmm.

Extraordinary You: This one on the other hand is completely captivating. I love it so much and am obsessed. I love how meta it is so I feel a little bad for not caring that much about Joo Da and Nam Ju because they are the "extras" in this drama ironically. I just want to skip to the snarkiness of Dan Oh. I love the execution and the casting is so on point. Rowoon is also so beautiful, gosh.

Hotel De Luna: Got through 3 episodes of this.

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53 skelly

October 14, 2019 at 5:38 PM

I finally got around to watching Love Alarm on Netlfix; at least, the first half of it. 8 episodes in and they leave us on a very annoying cliffhanger - does anyone know when Netflix is going to release the rest of the episodes?
And Netflix is incredibly tone deaf about the pacing and flow of kdramas, I wish they would wise up already after the catastrophe that was Arthdal.