Run On (Episode 3-4) - Mood: A-
Last week’s cliffhanger had Sun Gyum planting a surprise drunken kiss on Mi Joo but they maturely talked that out, so I have faith they both will do exactly that regarding the money incident next week. However, I don’t think I’m fully certain about the ‘how-much-of-a-plot-device-are-they’ factor when it comes to Sun Gyum’s father. At least Sun Gyum’s mom and sister are treating the dad like the asshole he is? Regardless, I just really like the dialogue in this show: it’s got that perfect balance of sassiness and glamour. I wish we saw more of Young Hwa though: he feels a little undeveloped now.

Mr. Queen (Episode 3-4) - Mood: B-
I still believe the court politics are lame (a storytelling miracle would need to happen for me to accept it as a necessary evil), but I must say it was hilarious watching Bong Hwan confusing everyone left and right with his actions which make him look like a cunning strategist when the truth couldn’t be further than that. On another note, I’m really impressed by the acting of the leads: they’re elevating the script to its fullest potential even during the serious scenes. Fake Cousin’s emoting was impressive: this show could potentially be Na In Woo’s breakout work leading on to starring roles.

The Uncanny Counter (Episode 7-8) - Mood: C+
Since Ha Na’s backstory was just hastily concluded this week, it makes me wonder if there’s even any backstory for the healer in the Counter team as the show now rushes towards the battle for Jungjin City. I do think it has something to do with the fact that her son is her counterpart spirit: is it even something permissible in the spiritual world? In fact, I don’t understand why the show isn’t spending more time on the spirits and their separate links with the Counters. It is part of the world-building that I feel the writer has completely abandoned and it’s now too late as the second half approaches.

True Beauty (Episode 5-6) - Mood: D+
Cliches this week: boy talking to girl means he likes her, wrist grab, male lead is cold to everyone but his girl, girl stares super conspicuously at boy but its actually the light rays that gave her away, male lead perfectly saves the female lead from falling, accidentally calling my crush, love at first sight, noble idiocy, random fire disrupts emotional conversation, more family trauma from the kids with good grades, female lead’s jacket gets snagged upon an object, shirtless scene, female lead falls into male lead’s lap, umbrella kiss, brooding sickness, damsel in distress, face staring during the fight.

Also watching:
Cheat on Me, If You Can (Episode 7) - Mood: B, I’m impressed that we’re nowhere near the opening hook yet.
Awaken (Episode 7-8) - Mood: C-, We really don’t require or desire a star-crossed lovers romance here.
Live On (Episode 6) - Mood: D-, Why are both So Hyun and Ho Rang being conflict-brewing noble idiots?

I finished Kono Koi Atatamemasuka. It was a nice comforting drama with happyend I wanted 😀 I liked the heroine who brought sparks and inspiration to others. And I also liked the parts when they were making the sweets.

Still watching Nee-chan no Koibito, mainly for the male lead... and his scenes with his mom. They are breaking my heart.

Checked Secret Inspector and so far have no opinion, just that L is better than I expected... and Nara worse.

Continuing with Run On, Cheat On Me and Cheorin. All bring me laughs, though that doesn't mean there are no serious or touching scenes. Or intense, like that confrontation of the Queen and the King in Cheorin.

Merry Christmas to all! 🌲

CRICKET - boxing day - test match - 3 matches - 6 countries

Newzealand Vs. Pak - missed most of the match. start was shaky but pitch is your typical Newzealand one. Kiwis score huge and then fold the opposition under 175 in both innings. Beautiful ground and scenery is always a highlight of Newzealand tours.

Australia vs. India - Wow. Another fun and entertaining match. Batsman struggling and bowlers having the batter of the day. India ahead but not significantly. And the way India performed on day 3rd morning of 1st test match, anything can happen here. Battling from both sides is struggling against top quality bowling. Let's see what happens tomorrow

South Africa Vs. Sri Lanka - Match going on - Sri Lanka is scoring so freely. No spectators in ground makes it a bit dull.

Kairos: Best thriller and time slip drama I have seen. Well-executed from beginning to end. The writer and PD had such attention to detail. Shin Sung-rok, Lee Se-young and the rest of the cast were fantastic. I wish the me from a month ago could give this drama lots of beans.

Run On: Still loving the dialogue. The conversations are interesting and refreshing. I'm happy with the development of Sun Gyum and Mi Joo. I've always liked Im Si-wan but never found him particularly good-looking until now. He's really doing it for me here. The drama could have done more with the second leads in the first four episodes, but I enjoyed their first meeting.

Sweet Home: Finished. What a ride! Happy there were several kickass female characters. Hoping they can all come back if there is a Season 2.

Mr. Queen: I liked the second week better than the first. My favorite parts were the kitchen scenes. Dramabeans loves Shin Hye-sun, but I didn't get the hype until now. I like Kim Jung-hyun, but I still find his King Cheoljong kind of dull, even with the Queen.

The Uncanny Counter: The plot is getting more and more predictable. So Moon and his friends are precious though.

Lovestruck in the City: I'm kind of neutral on this. It's an easy watch, but the JCW and KJW couple does nothing for me. I'm a sucker for a mockumentary format, but I didn't love how they did it here with the characters replying to each other's comments.

For once, I have quite a few dramas that I am watching

Run On : I love it! Love is too much.. Show be good. I love the quirky weird leads and their conversations. So much fun!
True Beauty : Why am I watching it? I don't know. After hating it in Ep 1, I seem to enjoy the ridiculousness and the humor. Moon Ga Young is quite funny and I don't care for the romance. Not sure if I will continue. Let's see.
Uncanny Counter : I am way behind on this one. But enjoying it so far. On Ep 5! I love the high school friends and dear show, keep them safe!
Forever Love : I really like the leads. But the side characters are starting to annoy me. Will continue for the OTP.
Cherry Magic : Its over! why??? I loved this show so much and I am going to miss Kurosawa and Adachi too much. The Valentine day special episode was cracktastic!! loved it. If you haven't watching this little gem, go watch it.

Kairos (7-16): What a series this was !!! Literally one of the gripping series of the year. From story to direction everything was executed well. They tied all the ends neatly and I am totally satisfied with the way they ended it. I will be missing our team and their awesome partnership.

True beauty (5-6): This is the kind of show that u watch to relieve your stress. While I have been enjoying the episodes I still find the overall emphasis on external beauty highly disturbing. I find the mother really annoying esp the way she degrades Ju kyung. And although I appreciate how the FL helped Go woon and stood up for her, a part of me wished for her to sing without the make up.

Hush (1-2): Its been unimpressive so far. I didnt find connection with any of the characters. Yoona is not an actress I am fond of but then I have not seen her works much too. I have watched only two of her workd- Love rain which I dropped somewhere at episode 7 & K2 which is on hold for a long time since episode 3. Even in this series she just have a single expression allthrough.

Lovestruck at city : Loved the content and the different route of storytelling they adopted. I liked every participants. The overall vibe of the show is weirdly captivating. JCW and KJW are wonderfull as always.

Secret Royal Agent ( 1-2): The premises look okay. I wish they could have given the role of ML to some other actor. I am not sure if it's the way the character is written or L's portrayal or both that Yi gyum irritates the hell out of me in many scenes. And it's really frustrating to see how the characters being careless regarding the whole secret agent thing.

Uncanny counter : Undoubtedly my fav series among the ongoing dramas. I love everything about it.

Sweet home (2/10): Not a series that I will binge watch. It's a bit gross and gory for my taste but at the same time its intriguing too. I got " hell is the other people" vibes at many scenes.

Goddess of revenge (1-7): I liked the overall plot and the way our FL is dealing with the revenge. I am sure there is gonna a be a twist in Noona's story and how our FL is connected to her.

Older dramas

Put your head on my shoulder (16/24): Stumbled upon this by accident but totally loving it. A refreshing change from all the intense dramas. The leads are super cute and interactions are just awesome. I laughed even at their fights. Definitely a mood lifter.

Mr. Queen.On hold. Episodes are too long, and I’m already exhausted with all the politics in 6FD. I can’t deal with more palace intrigues at the moment, and in the middle of episode 4 I still don’t know what’s happening. I love actors, so maybe sometime next year I will resume.

The Uncanny Counter. I thought it might be more episodic, but I like how the drama revolves around just one case. I’m pretty sure it involves all our counters and all our evil spirits. I can’t say enough how much I love Mun and his friends.

Sweet home. Binge watched it in two days (45 minutes episodes made it easier). I’m not into horror movies and I don’t like zombies or for the case monsters eating humans, but I really liked it. Waiting for the series review to discuss with you all.

Kairos. Final episodes were up to the drama, I didn’t feel for a minute that the tension lowered. I really, really loved the drama and can’t recommend it enough. The acting, directing and writing was top notch and I loved how circled it was. Will rewatch for sure to pay attention to those little details I only noticed later when commenting.

Awaken. Only watched episode 7 (Viki’s late with subs again). I still think JeungWoo is not the killer (not exactly). Also he kew all along about HyeWon and there’s a reason why he chose Det. Jang (he’s too clumsy to be a White Night child, isn’t he?). I’m sort of relieved he has feelings for HyeWon and is not just using her. And I love LCA as Jamie Laighton. The closet scene was priceless.

Run On I just love how weird and blunt are our four leads. I’m already in love with them all. The bullying was hard to watch and also the Ki family interactions: those parents are the worst. I knew I’m in love with the drama the minute SeonGyeon said “Unwanted love is the same as violence”.

Lovestruck in the city. I like the format and the quick interactions among all the characters, and want to see more of them. The cinematography and the music was smooth and warm. Just two episodes of 30 minutes and I like the feel. Also, pretty boy with pretty smile.

And I slowly keep watching Six Flying Dragons.

Awaken - This drama would be better with fewer characters. They introduce one new mini-villain every week along with supporting characters to describe their motivations. Since the core mystery isn't all that mysterious, they have to keep obfuscating the narrative.
The Uncanny Counter - Still great but the pacing of the drama slowed down considerably. Was redeemed by the cliffhanger that won't get a resolution till January 😣
Cheat On Me, If You Can - Only one episode this week but YJ as the murderer seems like an obvious red herring. If this show actually goes there I might like it more.
True Beauty - Hwang.In.Yeop. Enough said.
Mr. Queen - Already commented on the episode thread but what a fantastic set of episodes. The 'kill me' confrontation was gold.
Run On - Improved a lot this week. But I'm watching only for Im Siwan and Sooyoung. The other characters are deeply uninteresting right now and I'm rather of sick of bullying/ violence as a persistent kdrama motif.
Secret Royal Inspector - Rather meh start. Nothing happened in the episodes that couldn't have been guessed from the trailer. Lee Yi Kyung was funny though.
Lovestruck in the City - Somebody else commented on DB that this feels like Netflix formula drama rather than a kdrama and that's such an apt description. Ep 1 was still at least slightly novel, Ep 2 felt tired and stale.

Kairos It was a great drama with a solid plot and casting :) It kinda put the pression on Sysiphus : The Myth.

Live On The FL pride is tiring.

Awaken Is Yoon Sun-Woo playing 2 roles? Or does his character have a split personality disorder? Because of the guy speaking to Jang Yong-Sik kinda looked like him. There was a lot of action and cool fights.

Run On If I like the weirdness of the ML, the rest doesn't really make sense to me, how the characters are connected to the others...

True Beauty The FL is the best thing of the drama, the others being too typical.

The Uncanny Counter No episode this week :(

Mr. Queen How likely is the hero to be stopped to jump in the lake by the king?

Lovestruck in the City I like the fact they adress love relationships in a real and mature way.

Hi, Beanies! I hope you guys are enjoying the holidays and watching all the dramas you want!

Here’s what I’ve been watching lately:

The Uncanny Counter (8/16): I’m still enjoying this show, but it doesn’t have my heart. I do think it’s really cool to have a proper superhero story in dramaland, though. It’s more genre that I would expect from most kdramas, and I’m happy it’s doing so well in the ratings. It has some of the regular kdrama tropes, but its concept is fresh enough to be interesting.

Mr. Queen (4/20): I think this show is a RIOT. Shin Hye-sun is as amazing as ever, and just watching her play this part is such a delight. Sadly, the show isn’t doing as much with gender as I was hoping it would, and I’m worried it won’t venture into the gay territory I was anticipating, but we’ll see. We still have 16 episodes. Plenty more time for the drama to do more. I could watch Bong-hwan cook in the royal kitchen allllll day long.

Run On (4/16): What a quirky delight these leads are! There are some interesting directorial choices going on here, with the almost nonsensical dialogue paired with the leads’ very expressive voices but more restrained facial expressions. There is something about it that just makes it seem so fresh. This is the type of show that isn’t fluffy (which is a good thing in my book) but is still light and uncomplicated and simply fun to watch. I also like the peek into the subtitling and interpreting business. Shin Se-kyung and Siwan just work really well together!

Secret Royal Inspector: Yeahhh… not my jam. I knew it wouldn’t be, due to the cast and it being a sageuk, but I figured I’d give it a shot. L’s acting is as unremarkable as ever, and he really does not suit sageuk garb. He just seems way too modern to me, not just in his face but also the way he carries himself.

Lovestruck in the City: I’m not sure how to feel about this one. One thing I do know: Kim Min-seok is sooooo adorable! I’ve discovered just how much my feelings towards Ji Chang-wook have cooled since Healer, and I’m not a fan of the way his character views Kim Ji-won’s. Everything about it seems very Manic Pixie Dream Girl. The different format is interesting, and I'm all for kdramas trying new things, but I think it lacks heart so far. Very much has American indie romance movie vibes. We’ll see where it goes.

Still watching Crash Landing On You with my friends, trying to finish up Live, and just started Thirty But Seventeen! I’ve also begun my Into the Ring rewatch in anticipation of Oh! Jooinnim... which, yes, I know is still three months away, but I can’t help myself! And oh my goodness, the photos Nana took of her and Min-ki with the reindeer ears on Christmas!!! I can’t wait to see more of those two together!!!!! I might explode from excitement!!!!!!! ITR is SUCH a gem of a show, and I really can’t believe I’m being blessed with a show starring the leads...

CHEAT ON ME: The story is moving forward with more suspicion on the lead couple, but the main suspects may not have been introduced yet (i.e. Yoo-joo and Mi-are's missing parents). Still waiting for the cult angle to be fully told.

I wonder how many beanies still throw their remote... in my case it's flip the laptop. Anyway, I'm watching:

SECRET ROYAL INSPECTOR (Ep. 2): I like it? It's more comedy so far, with a modern feel. Kwon Nara's sageuk speech is non-existent but she's lively and expressive. I like that the three stooges are the main characters, so we don't have to expect L to carry this drama (because he can't). Ahn Nae-sang's eye roll is everything. He looks like the veteran that he is surrounded by hopeless youngsters.

TRUE BEAUTY (Ep. 6): Cliche to the max but I love it. Seo-joon rocking to Zico and Mino's "Okey dokey" in his undies had me in stiches. Why do brothers like to walk around the house semi-naked? 😂

KIM SU RO (Ep. 8): I'd forgotten how roguish Ji Sung can be.

Kairos has come to an end 😭. It made me happy from ep1 to the end and I'm still in a Kairos daze ~ best 2020 kdrama for me and best thriller/timeslip kdrama I ever watched 🤩. I can go on about how amazing the writing, directing, acting, score etc2 were. It deserves all the praise it got and I feel that eventually more viewers will find this gem and wonder why on earth was the ratings so low when it aired.

ps: Imo, Kairos has set the bar high for future time-related thriller kdramas~ ⏳

I agree everything @missvictrix said about Im Shi-wan and will continue the ode. I too wasn't particular drawn to him in other dramas. In Misaeng, the goal-oriented me just wanted him to move faster. Actually, now I remember checking the trailer of the Merciless when this project was announced, and thinking he's attractive being all "bad", but I didn't think too much of it. Anyway, I'm so captivated by Sunkyum. If Sunkyum was standing nearby, I probably would just stare at him. I'm goner. I haven't been a goner in so long, so thank you show.

The Grinch who Stole Christmas Award goes to daily drama The Man in a Veil for tragically killing off the cute kid - on the episode which aired Christmas Eve and having the main characters dealing with their pain and sorrow in the episode airing Christmas Day.

REBEL: THIEF WHO STOLE THE PEOPLE - (8/10) A great sageuk drama. It was a bit long, but it was enjoyable. I rooted for the hero, loved the female heroine (along with the other female actors), and loved the family theme throughout the show. Well done.

MY COUNTRY - (5/10) This is not a bad show, really. But it got boring half a way through. Quite strange, since I got bored when wars and action began. I think it was the storytelling that got bored. Things always turned for worse for our hero as the story progressed. Things got more confused story-wise. I expected a different direction. Disappointment.

MR. QUEEN - (9/10) What a great fusion sageuk!!! I'm so intrigued about the Queen's true personality. Hate the concubine, I believe she had a hidden agenda. And the chef, of the chef!!! Please bring more!!!

TRUE BEAUTY - (6/10) I must confess that I enjoyed more the direction/production of Extraordinary You. I love Moon Ga Young, and she is perfect in this role. But I dislike the over the top scenes. This is a show just for fun, and nothing else.

LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY - (2/10) Just watched ep1 and I truly disliked it. It's not horrid, but I'm just not a fan of the format (documentary style). I do understand the new concept, but it's just not my cup of tea. However, I will watch ep 2 since many people say it got better (great romantic scenes).

I am planning to watch: Queen Love and War, Queen For Seven Days.

Currently Watching:
1. True Beauty: Utter guilty pleasure. Not rooting particularly for either of the guys. Shamelessly watching for Hwang In-Yeop who I'd like to pretend is WangSo & Hae-Soo's lovechild (Scarlet Heart reference). Also, MGY is adorable! ^^
2. Queen Cheorin: Worried public disapproval will tone down the cheapness of the OG work (c-grade jokes that I absolutely loved), and get rid of the gayness! Sad. SHS is killing it, though I wish there was more gender-bender antics. King is intriguing, but also boring. Hope they don't deviate too much from the c-drama...that was SO much fun!
3. Lovestruck in the city: Please for the love of God, get rid of the Manic Pixie dreamgirl lens on Kim JiWon's character, asap. Pleasantly surprised to see Wookie is still ripped underneath his hoodies. Unpopular opinion but the other 2 couples seem far more interesting than the leads, so far.
4. Dating in the kitchen: I LOVED the movie. Watching it for Zhao Lusi, she honestly is such a ray of sunshine! I cracked up at her trying to speak Korean! xD

Also watching veryyy slowly: The Beauty Inside & Shanai Marriage Honey.
Just finished--
1. Marry Me (Japan): Such a feel-good, wholesome short-drama. T_T I thought I would quit j-doramas after Love Lasts Forever!

Will be watching once it releases this week:
1. My Best Friend's story (china): I mean Ni Ni & Liu Shishi. That's a solid reason enough.
2. A Love so beautiful (korea): a shorter & more condensed form of the c-drama!. yay!

Merry Christmas Beanies!

Run On (Ep.3-4): This drama surprises me with every episode and like most Beanies, I'm loving it! Can we have more quirky dialogues in kdramas please because gosh does it make it so much more fun and interesting to watch!

The Producers (Ep.3-9): Still enjoying this a lot :) Kim Soo Hyun is such an adorable dork in this! Everytime he smiles or giggles shyly, I can't help but go 😊😊😊

Lovestruck in the City (Ep.1): Not too bad for the first ep but I hope in future eps there's more focus on the other two couples! In particular, I want to see more of Kim Min Seok & So Ju Yeon's relationship as a couple ^^ Just in photos alone, they already look adorable together :))

Hospital Playlist Throwback (Ep.25): A 50 min BTS ep on Christmas eve :OOOO the HP fandom is spoilt to death and I'm not complaining >-< To all the cast, producers and writers of Hospital Playlist, you're the best and we don't deserve you T^T Thank you for bringing this gem into our lives ♥♥♥

Wishing everyone a happy new year! :D

Uncanny Counter - I should just expect to keep a box of tissues by me when I watch because this drama just won't stop delivering on the emotions. I'm really worried about all the rule-breaking they've been doing. And it looks like their soul partners are worried too.

Run On - I can't stop thinking about it. Agree with @missvictrix's comment about it. I'm riveted and want to see where it goes or where it doesn't go because I can just sit and watch Mi-joo and Sun-kyum look at each other and talk. Secondary couple has also captured my attention this week.

Mr.Queen - Getting serious, but still a lot of fun! Bong-hwan is selfish and self-centered, but also endearing and sweet. Combined with Choi Jin Hyuk's face and physique, I can see why he got all the ladies. I can't wait for him to turn the court machinations on their heads.

Into the Ring - On ep 5 now. I love how quirky it is. There is something about the lens they use and how they film the drama really give it that oddball, discombobulated vibe and really enhances the already impeccable comedic timing. Feels like a cross between Parks & Rec, Chief Kim, and Fight My Way.

Sweet Home - up to ep 5. I'm still not sure what to make of it yet. Just know that I'm interested enough to keep on watching!

Also watching Cheat on Me if you can (catching up today) and Bridgerton (loved the book series). Will start Royal Secret Investigator too. Wonder if my eyes will work properly once I return to work after a week of binging dramas!

Secret Royal Inspector: This is fine. There is nothing special about it, I don't love it or hate it. It is just fine. We shall see if it continues to be fine or surprises at some point.

Kairos: Lovely end to fine drama. I loved most of the pieces of it and would encourage everyone to watch. It was suspenseful and mostly smart.

Awaken: Hmmmmmm. It too is fine. I am starting to understand what is happening now. There writer is throwing in the baby with the bathwater though. I suspect we have multiple personality coming soon. The hinted romance between NGM and SH is rising my ick factor though, sigh. Absent that I hope it gets better and doesn't stay just fine.

Cheat on me, if you can: I really enjoy this drama it is a pity more beanies aren't watching. At it's core it is about the the breakdown of a marriage with 1000 shenanigans tied in.

Run On: I thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes, but I promised a friend we would watch it together, so I have to wait😭😭.

Mr. Queen: This drama continues to out shine the competition. Shin Hye Sun continues to be great. Her facial expressions are perfection and match our voice Queen perfectly. She is him and he is her. Lol. I also believe Kim Jung Hyun is doing a lovely job. You can see his conflict and battle. I love every bit of this drama.

The Uncanny Counter: I LOVE THIS DRAMA. Family dramas are my catnip. This one crosses every T and dots every I.

This is the last What we are watching of the Year. I want to shout a BIG THANK YOU THANK YOU to the Dramabeans Team. You have made this year much better. Thank you.

I am watching Mr Queen, pretty much love it.
Run On, not sure if it’s thumbs up or thumbs down for me.
My Unfamiliar Family, intriguing and so different because I haven’t watched a weekend type drama in many years.
But the highlight of my Covid Christmas is Bridgerton which just began streaming on Netflix. It’s like the best of the Jane Austen BBC specials, but with sex. Jane Austen x romance novels. The costumes alone are worth watching for (I’m a fabric nut). I zoomed through 4 of 8 episodes 👍🏼

I recommend RUN ON to everyone. It is very nicely done.

MR. QUEEN is our favorite show. The voice-overs by Choi Jin-hyuk continue to add a lot to this show and complement the excellent acting by Shin Hye-sun. We are getting more court politics now but there are still good laughs as well.

HOMEMADE LOVE STORY is getting high ratings and finally earning them. I am glad that I hung in there. But I still find the grandmother detestable.

The C-drama INVISIBLE LIFE is entertaining.

With all of our Christmas movie watching (family tradition) I have fallen behind on PLEASE DON’T DATE HIM, THE SPIES WHO LOVED ME and ROYAL SECRET AGENT. My wife has just finished the Chinese period costume drama THE WOLF (it was good but has a sad ending) and is now watching THE GENERAL. As a family we did finally finish all 36 lectures of our Chinese history course and have now started a similar course on the history of India. I have a course in Japanese cultural history on order. I am still looking for a similar course fo the history of Korea.

Despite all of the holiday distractions I did find time to watch a new K-drama: LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY. I am hooked. It is a great show. It apparently will only have 6 episodes (I would love to be wrong about that) but that was also true of THE SCHOOL NURSE FILES which was another show that was well worth watching.

Kairos: 8.5 I enjoyed it and it was full of dramatic tension, and I *think* it was logical and tightly plotted, but between the complexities, the things I didn't quite follow, and some things I may not remember clearly, I can't be sure that it didn't have plot holes in the plot chasms. Also, there's something I would like to ask Da-Bin - "Who's your Daddy?".

Uncanny Counter: 8.0

Awaken: 8.0

Cheat on Me If You Can: 7.0

Run On: 6.5

Mr. Queen: 9.5 The music in the lighthearted parts reminds me of My Fellow Citizens.

Secret Royal Inspector / Royal Secret Agent: 5.0 Well-meaning king. Evil ministers. Comic relief that is mostly not very funny. Totally interchangeable with ever other mediocre sageuk ever. I might get around to finishing it in time for next year's bean count. Or not.

Into the ring : completed yesterday. First of all thank you beanies for recommending this gem of a show. Hands down best couple in this year and I think in my overall top 5. Writing this while listening to our memories in summer. So adorable that the leads sang. Not only the leads but suprisingly I liked all the politics and also all the supporting cast. I had so much fun with the baddies. Ahn nae sang was impressive as ever. He never made me hate his character and made me understand what ticks him and why he is what he is now. And the girl friends are very supportive and even had their own stories. I especially loved how the show the difficulties of a working mom. Every employee doubting whether you can take up extra work because you have a kid. I had so much fun and continously laughing almost throughout the show. But there were also many deep touching moments between the leads parents and friends. And finally how adorable are the OTP. I think I can watch them for more episodes. Actually my only negetive with the show is how the OTP moments became less in the last 2 episodes. Wish we saw them more together in the final episode. And their romance reminded me of WFKBJ which has one of my favourite OTP's whereas the office politics reminded of chief kim one of my favourite comedies. Favourite scenes : gong mykng running alongside sera, all the kiss scenes esp the tiny kisses, GM searching for Sera after they fought while on phone. Okay I will stop. Sorry for the long essay. Goodbye sera and gong myung.
Run on 4/16 : So bad that I started 2 rom coms at the same time and all the feels for both ITR and run on got cross wired. But still enjoying a lot and like all others sat up and took notice of Im shiwan. Please drama please be good. I have so much hopes on you. Currently investing all my thoughts on you.
Age of youth 2: 1/16 Laughed a lot!!! Still did'nt get introduced to the new roommate. Looking forward to it.

Like most of beanies here, I am very encouraged by the first 4 episodes of Run On. It's starting with a similar premise as Do La La.
FL is alone in the world and ML is revolting against his parents. But so far it's unfolding in a much more realistic and adult way. There's no anonymous champion offering words of encouragement or buying expensive pianos. The ML isn't running away from his bully Father, but he's learning how to stand up to bullies. The leads are struggling and figuring out their place in the world. I really hope the story continues to be gripping. (I never did finish Do La La.)

Awaken - Keeping things interesting with the use of misdirection. .... And that abuser guy is just creepy.

Penthouse - This started out with a makjang bang and it has kept things going. Everyone continues to be pretty much awful, but, dare I say, you wouldn't want things to be any other way!

Cheat On Me, If You Can - Woo-sung is interesting in that on the one hand, he seems like a guy enjoys getting away with things, such as his affair(s), while on the other hand he comes across as so non-assertive in all other aspects of his life. ..... I have to add that what's also making things interesting in this show, unexpectedly, is the actor playing Soo-ho. I like his scenes and his interactions with Yeo-joo.

The Spies Who Loved Me - Up to episode 6 and taking my time watching this one. No particular reason on why that is, other than time issues for me. Still enjoying this show.

Like Stroopwafel, I dropped HUSH at ep 3 only. So sad. That story's premise had so much promise. I'm yet to see a solid full 16-ep newsroom Kdrama, so I was really excited about it. Looks like we'll have to wait a little bit longer.

RUN ON has taken over everyone's minds and fanwalls, it looks like. ISW is a revelation here. After completely being relegated to the background in the face of that powerhouse of a Lee Sung Min performance in MISAENG, this one is giving him some space to shine. I'm also especially loving Shin Se Kyung in this, who's reprising the sassy-type FL role she played in ROOKIE HISTORIAN. Two pretty leads, sarcastic and occasionally clever dialogue, deadpan delivery. After a weak opening, week 2 has me sold. I'm going to be watching seriously now. :D The weakest link is the Netflix subs, and tons seems to be getting lost along the way.

Watched K film : A Resistance starring Go Ah-sung
Finished J drama: Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo
Watching C drama:Jiu Liu Overlord
My wife is watching Mr. Queen She likes it. I’ll probably start that.

I am watching an excellent Chinese drama called Dating in the Kitchen, This is a 2020 romcom starring the young actress Zhao Lu Si/Rosy Zhao of The Romance of Tiger and Rose from earlier in the year. This show's male lead is kind of a comedic straight-man to the FL's youthful/energetic antics(especially in the first few episodes). I kind of stumbled upon this show on viki and binged the first third of the drama in 1 day. Episode 9 is really good - I recommend this to C-drama romcom lovers.

Watching Mr. Queen and loving it. Binging Kairos. Also loving it. Surprisingly, with Lovestruck in The City, my issue is more with Kim Ji Won's character and less with Ji Chang Wook. I think this show is a massive improvement on his last two projects which may not be the glowing compliment he was aiming for in this one. I am curious about the other two couples more for now. Undecided on the show. May drop it in near future.

Run on: I didn't expect to like this show so much and so quickly, but I really do. I like the ping-pong Gilmore Girl-esque dialogue, the comfortable-in-my-own-skin characters, and (as someone who loves words) the translation element - and especially Mi-joo's comment that she wanted to be a translator to be a bridge for people. Also refreshing is the lack of a love triangle. This is currently my favorite watch.

Lovestruck in the City: feeling pretty neutral but have only watched one episode. I really want JCW to redeem himself here. The Beanies who describe the FL as a "manic pixie dream girl" are spot on to me - the character just sets my teeth on edge. I'm interested in the other stories, so I'm hoping they'll get woven in as more than just side vignettes.

The Spies Who Loved Me: finished it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would have liked to have seen the resolution to the show given a bit more time to play out, but that's a common complaint of mine in dramas - I like a good victory lap when endings go my way.

To-watch drama list that is vying with my to-read book list: Awaken and The Uncanny Counter

Thank you Dramaland and thank you Dramabeans. For being my oasis and giving the much needed respite this year.

18 Again: binge watch this show during this holiday break. This show is not without flaws but there's just so much heart in it. I think the last 20% of the show is not as strong as the earlier part. Nonetheless, it's contemplative storytelling fit the end of the year mood.

Well I have gone down a rabbit hole. I started TREE WITH DEEP ROOTS (2011) (Viki-USA) and simultaneously started reading HeadsNo2's wonderful recaps. I have watched the first 3 of 24 episodes. I have been in awe of Song Joong-ki's performance (particularly episode 2!!) as the young King Sejong. I know SJK is only in the early episodes but I just can't get over how well he is acting in this role.

Watched the first episode of Vagabond last night with sister and parents (husband was also present but not watching). Dad’s reaction - “he would’ve died about fifty times!”
Mum - “I thought he was quite handsome”
Cannot argue with either of these 😄

Otherwise, Six Flying Dragons marches endlessly onwards. Ever since @eazal mentioned the ears I am having trouble focusing on the Serious Political Discussions 😅 but I am still enjoying.

I am trying out Lovestruck in the City - so far it seems ok? I don’t think I’d stick with it if the episodes were longer because the format is kind of gimmicky but its pretty short so all good. Considerably more racy in the second episode than other kdramas ive seen.

Also trying out Run on , which has taken an unexpectedly violent turn in the second episode. I am also enjoying this (not the violence) enough to continue on.

Basically I’m feeling pretty positive about everything I’m watching. Last but definitely not least is Kairos. I haven’t quite finished so I’m trying to avoid spoilers but I’m hoping for the elusive good-all-the-way-through drama.

@missvictrix 's definition of Lovestruck in the city is exactly what I'm feeling abt the drama too. I kept watching JCW's newer drama thinking that maybe this will be better than his previous dramas and man am i disappointed everytime😭. Healer was and still is one of my top 10 dramas and i understand JCW want a change in his drama genre but frankly i think action drama are where he is at his best

Everything that I wanted from Lovestruck in the City, I'm getting from Run On, so I'm probably going to drop it.

I'm going to have to change my pfp soon...

Is it WWW day again? Christmas really threw me off this week...
So this week I listened to Beanies and watched a bit more of Awaken but, no, it isn't working for me. The whole brain surgery subplot just made me go... No.
Still loving the Uncanny Counter, but I want more family and friends and counter crew, and less creepy multiple voiced Baddies. Some other Beanies already pointed out that we still don't know about the relationship between the Spirits (don't remember know their title) and the Counters, I'd like to find out more about that too!
Sweet Home watch almost completed - on ep 9 now - and it's awfully creepy and as engaging as the webtoon. Some things are different, but equivalent, and it just keeps me on my toes to find out how they're handled in the series. Loving all the bad ass interesting women in this - and now we have another candidate for our "favourite Jisoo" list of the year!
Also watching Mr Queen. This is engaging and fun, but 1:20 long episodes are a bit long.
Finally, still watching Nokdu Flower. On ep 20 now. Everything is going to sh*t and this is so good, but a lot of characters will die horribly and it will break my heart, isn't it?

Binged 6 episodes of True Beauty on Christmas Day and totally enjoyed it. Just hits the spot perfectly as a feel good, stress-free drama.

Sweet Home
So good! Binged this whole thing in a day or two. The CG was mostly pretty good, though out in the light of day it certainly struggled. Gruesome and gripping throughout. I do hope to hear word of a second season soon.

Run On
So/so for me. It has moments I find fun, the banter and interplay between the leads...but I also had a similar feeling for Record of Youth at first, and look how that turned out. Let’s hope this one ends up better.

Alice in Borderland
Another Netflix gem that popped up on my radar, and a jdrama this time! I don’t watch a ton of jdramas, but this one was pretty darn good. They pretty much invented the Battle Royale genre, and this is more of that goodness. Season 2 already confirmed as well! It has a lot of the problems I have with jdramas in general though, such as the screaming...I get it, you’re trying to show emotion, but it usually just comes off as forced. It worked some of the time here, but it definitely dragged me out of a moment or two. Overall I recommend watching though, when it hits, it hits hard.

Mr. Queen
Shin Hye-Sun gets a lot of love. And it’s so well deserved, I just love her so much. I’ve said it before, but her facial expressions alone could carry this entire show. It’s starting to branch a little bit so it’s anyones guess as to where it heads from here. I’m along for the ride though.

Goddess of Revenge
I love our female lead here. The revenge portions are just *chefs kiss* and you really get that rush when she gives them what’s coming to them. They’re doing a pretty good job of drip feeding us the overarching mystery and I find myself looking forward to each week.

I’m watching other shows, but they’re mostly just maintaining quality and not really wavering one way or the other: Awaken, Uncanny Counter, and True Beauty to name a few.