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…
SailorJumun
Currently weecapping: Lovestruck in the City
Sweet Home: Sometimes I think Netflix needs to stop with all the dark and bloody Korean originals. But when we get things like Sweet Home, how can I complain? Apocalyptic stories, and survival stories in general, are so good when they’re equal parts fun and emotional. Here, the monsters and the fights were thrilling, and the characters and their dynamics were just as engaging. I got attached to quite a lot of characters, and I’m sad we won’t be able to see some of them in season 2 (which better happen). A salute to all those weird but amazingly complex soldiers.
Eighteen Again: Gah, I’m so upset I binged this after I wrote my year-end review because I have so much to say. So much to gushhhh. I wanted more of Lee Do-hyun after Sweet Home, after he broke my damn heart, but then in Eighteen Again, he had the audacity to break it again! Him and Yoon Sang-hyun as Dae-young wringed so many tears out of me. His flashbacks with the kids? Ugly-cried. His relationship with his dad? Ugly-cried. His immense pain from being unable to love his wife even though he was right there but trapped in his own freaking body? UG-LY. CRIED. I’m not getting over this anytime soon.
Hotel del Luna: #WatchedForLeeDoHyun #GuessHowThatTurnedOut #INeedToStop
Mr. Queen: I never know what to expect from our body-swapped hero, and that both excites and scares me. Try not to get yourself (or So-yong) killed, Bong-hwan-ah. Seriously.
Run On: This drama is so simple in concept, but the whole feel of it is something else; it’s special. The tone and acting are just the right amount of quirky for me. And the couple? Cute as heck.
missvictrix
Currently weecapping: Mr. Queen, True Beauty
Run On: My ode from last week is going to be a weekly thing, I decided. I love this show so much! It seems to have found the perfect balance of storytelling depth, well-drawn characters that are genuinely interesting, and this charming “offness” to the drama in general that makes it all the more delightful. The ode, though, is really meant for Im Shi-wan. I went from not being a huge fan, to basically staring in awe at every scene he’s in. I love his performance here — it’s the perfect amount of opaqueness, and the perfect amount of vulnerability. We’re wondering with Mi-joo what’s really going on in his head, but at the same time we see enough into his character to understand it on a deeper level. This week’s episodes were such a great balances of comedy (the “mugger,” the ET fingers, etc.) and really moving and insightful moments. I love how this drama is keeping its introspective element going strong. Mix that with the swoony, offhanded things that Sun-kyum does when he’s around Mi-joo, and I’m a goner.
Lovestruck in the City: How long did I last in Episode 2 of this drama, you ask? About three minutes.
A Love So Beautiful: Kakao’s next project (after above Lovestruck) is this high school remake, and being a fan of high school dramas, I decided to check it out. It’s adorable! It’s nothing like Lovestruck. It feels like a 10-year-old show, but not in a bad way, it’s just kinda simple, predictable, and cute. Also, it caught me off guard and I laughed out loud a few times — so points for that! It’s funny to see So Joo-yeon playing a bushy-tailed high schooler here, compared to her role in Lovestruck, but I think it’s Kim Yo-han that I’m keeping my eye on the most, since he’s leading the next of the School series (flings hearts at School 2017 and the rest).
quirkycase
Currently Recapping: Cheat on Me, If You Can
Get Revenge: I was about ready to fight Min-joon last week after what he pulled. I’m still frustrated with him for how he handled that whole situation, but I don’t think he’ll let the kid get hurt. I have to say Hae-ra was way calmer than I would have been; I thought for sure she’d take him down. He’d better have a plan that makes this move seem way less stupid.
Sweet Home: As a fan of the webtoon, I was eagerly awaiting this one. Overall, I liked it. The monsters were a bit on the cheesy side as I expected, but I liked the tone of the drama. There were lots of changes from the webtoon – the second half diverged entirely – but most of them I didn’t mind. My main complaint is that I thought Hyun-soo was underdeveloped as a character. I wanted to witness his growth from a withdrawn and apathetic loner to a self-sacrificing leader through his connection with the people in the building. In the drama, he was forced into a lot of his decisions and didn’t have as strong of a character arc. I think that’s in part because they, for some reason, distanced him from people he bonded with in the webtoon (like Ji-soo and Eun-hyuk) who helped him come out of his shell. Character development was a bit of an issue in general – the acting was strong, but the writing didn’t always flesh them out as well as I would’ve liked. Maybe a second season could help with that.
Mr. Queen I’m getting more and more curious about the real So-yong. Also, I do not trust Hwa-jin one bit and expect that sweet demeanor hides a calculating mind. I’m much more interested in the inner palace dynamics and politics than the traditional politicking, so I hope we get to see So-yong navigating the women’s political arena more.
Run On: What a pleasant surprise! The premise sounded pretty boring on paper, but it’s somehow more interesting than it should be. I’m loving the zippy dialog and weird characters that populate this universe, especially Dan-ah who is fantastic. The development of the relationship between Mi-joo and Sun-kyum feels natural, and I really like their dynamic. At this rate, my currently watching list is going to get out of control.
selena
Eighteen Again: I’ve been really into Hwang In-yub lately (does anyone else get Woosung from The Rose vibes?!) so with True Beauty not airing this week, I carved out some time to start Eighteen Again instead. I can barely tell that he’s ten years older than some of the other students! Lee Do-hyun is spectacular in his role and I’m really enjoying the show so far. I’m looking forward to experiencing what I’m sure will be a heartwarming tale of a broken family finding their way back together.
RELATED POSTS
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (December 26, 2020)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (December 19, 2020)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (December 12, 2020)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (December 5, 2020)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (November 28, 2020)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (November 21, 2020)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (November 14, 2020)
Tags: Eighteen Again, Get Revenge, Hotel del Luna, Lovestruck in the City, Mr. Queen, Run On, Sweet Home
Required fields are marked *
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
1 wandering spot
January 2, 2021 at 6:05 AM
Lovestruck at city (ep 3-4): I am loving all the vibes of the show. One little confirmation that the person dear to you thinks about. Sometimes just this little thought is enough to make you content and happy. And that embrace !!!! It was simple but full of warmth and emotions. That said I do have my share of issues with our main couple esp with KJW's character. I hope they give us more logical reasoning in the coming episodes for her actions.
Secret Royal Agent (3-4) : It felt more bearable than the premiere week. And I am glad that Chu Sam's secret agent trope ended in episode 4 because literally it was getting a bit annoying. Now that our leads are a bit neater to the truth I do hope for the story to get a little more interesting.
Mr Queen (5-6): The story is finally moving forward. Episode 6 ended with an interesting cliffhanger. We are finally watching the true colors of royal concubine. There were so many parts where I laughed my heart out. SHS officially became the first queen to twerk in joseon period. The king looked so swoon!!!!! Also the transition sounds between king and the queen was just 🤣🤣🤣
Sweet home (5/10): Dropped it. It started off really well.. But after a couple of episodes I got bored I mean it just didnt work for me. I also felt that the monsters were a bit cartoonish. I felt this might have been better if this was an animated adaptation. On side note Lee si young was so badass ... Dang !!!! those muscles..
Goddess of revenge (10/16): A fine story so far. Its exploring so many things about the society and its ugliness like greed, misogyny, violence etc. Its not a new subject but still I find the series compelling enough. I hope we soon solve the mystery around Noona. Her story is the another compelling and mysterious factor.
A love so beautiful (2/24): Its sweet and light. A light watch in between all the intense dramas.
Older dramas
Put your head on my shoulder (24/24): Such a sweet drama this was. Si Tu Mo & Gu Wei Yei are really cute. The height difference between the leads made it extra cute. And the audio effects was so funny. Overall it's been a fun watch. A real stress burster. On side note , totally loved Tu Mo's PJs.
Stove league (10/16): Started this again after keeping it on hold for about two months because of lack of time. I like how the story plot is deep on so many levels. Learned a lot about Oh jung Sae 's character in episode 10.The arm wrestling sequence !!!! Wow that was some fine acting by Oh Jung Sae. It was so satisfying to watch that.
Lies within (2/16): As if all the detective series is not enough, I started another one. It's too early to comment but what to say I am totally hooked.
Required fields are marked *
LookieLooWho
January 2, 2021 at 8:30 AM
Comment was deleted
Required fields are marked *
LookieLooWho
January 2, 2021 at 8:34 AM
Lovestruck: KJW's character doesn't connect with JCW again because she fears he won't like her true self. In episode 4, she asks him would he like her if her clothes were different and she acted differently. He tells her no because she wouldn't be the same person. Her sense of guilt keeps telling her to leave but her heart tells her to stay. When he leaves she uses it as a clean break from their situation.
I would like the writers to give us a better glimpse into her POV though. We know the FL was crushing on him but we don't know if she's as gone over him as he is over her. The balance of affection between the leads just seems off. Also, all the other characters feel like filler. I'm guessing their stories will unravel in later seasons but right now they feel unnecessary (with a few exceptions).
Required fields are marked *
wandering spot
January 2, 2021 at 9:32 AM
Yeah the thing that bugged me was the way she ended the things. There are lot of other mature ways to deal with the situation. The guy deserves a reason.
But again they haven't shown the complete set of her reasons. So her character might become likeable in the coming episodes.
And yes I agree with you on the other characters. So far they didn't have much to contribute hope that we will get to know their stories soon.
Required fields are marked *
2 Radily
January 2, 2021 at 6:08 AM
Run On (Episode 5-6) - Mood: A-
My only gripe about this week is the introduction of yet another outright negative character in Dan Ah’s sexist brother: I can only think about the ‘how-much-of-a-plot-device-are-they’ factor again and this time round I find it even higher as compared to Politician since there’s only Dan Ah and her assistant shading him as opposed to Aide and Actress clearly tired of the Politician’s insufferable antics (I think the writer mocked Trump there with the Twitter reference).
It was very much picture perfect otherwise with many hilarious moments and witty dialogues: the highlight though definitely has to be Young Hwa with his cat meowing, chicken counting and finger touching! He has turned out to be unexpectedly more oddball than the other leads who are already very eccentric themselves and I can’t wait to see him interact with Mi Joo in the future. And there are other scenes to rave about: Mi Joo’s friends taking her side over the bride, Dan Ah’s wink at Mi Joo, Sun Gyum getting scammed about the largest room, I could go on and on! I’m curious to see how the main OTP handles yet another drunken episode and how the writer tackles the arranged marriage trope: please remain delightful!
Cheat on Me, If You Can (Episode 1-8, First half review) - Mood: B-
Maybe it’s the shine of the whodunit tension starting to rub off a little as the mystery continues to get dragged by more complications? Or maybe I’m just being overly nervous that this show might have been a little too confident in its ability in preventing any glaring plot holes? Whatever it is, I’m looking forward to the second half of this show whether it is the best masterpiece or the worst train wreck. I do wonder why the show title is named as such: it places a spotlight on the cheater but Woo Sung does appear to be the simplest of all the characters. Maybe there is an elaborate surprise twist?
Mr. Queen (Episode 5-6) - Mood: C+
After the last shot last week showing our leads’ as well as Fake Cousin’s and Concubine’s faces, I believed it was going to be the standard love square, so why is there this new development where the Prince has feelings for the Concubine? I really don’t want a triple love triangle with the King in the center! On another note, Fake Cousin’s fate in this show was sealed in this week’s episodes: his stepfather threatening him foreshadows him being scapegoated or sacrificed (made easier by the fact that he’s adopted) while his character’s singular drive for love will certainly turn him to the dark side.
Also watching:
Awaken (Episode 9-10) - Mood: D+, White truck of doom! But less frustrating than the police incompetence.
Live On (Episode 7) - Mood: D-, It’s finally over next week! Villain getting 5 minutes just desserts: predictable.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 6:15 AM
The translating money into chicken was one of the best moments in Run Un. Like you, I'm enjoying so much Young Hwa weirdness!
Required fields are marked *
Blue (@mayhemf)
January 2, 2021 at 10:31 AM
Lol. Yes. She is wearing 500 chickens.
Love all the ❤️ for Run on here!!
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
January 2, 2021 at 6:17 AM
Re AWAKEN. Why do I keep getting caught flat footed by trucks of doom? On a technical, special effects level this weeks TOD sequence was quite good. Kudos to the special effects folks at AWAKEN.
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 12:39 PM
Personaly, I have nothing against TOD when they are purposely used to be a weapon. But when it's an accident and the driver just uses the honk instead of the breaks, it's very frustrating.
Required fields are marked *
3 elle
January 2, 2021 at 6:09 AM
+ Run On (2020)(6/16) ~ Airing. ★★★★☆
This drama is basically an ode to Im Shi Wan’s superior acting. The more I watch it — the more I appreciate what he has been able to bring to his character, Ki Seon Gyeom.
Run On has the opportunity to take some familiar plot points and turn them on their head. I hope they are able to carry out on that promise. So far, it has made for a relaxing and refreshing watch.
+ True Beauty (2020)(8/16) ~ Airing. ★★★★☆
To no one’s surprise, this drama lays on the cheese thick! Yet, so far I am loving it! For me, this is a great guilty pleasure that I can kick up my feet and enjoy the drama hijinks. Shamelessly shipping Moon Ga Young and Hwang In Yeop here. I know it’s a lost cause, but just let me have my moment.
+ Lovestruck in the City (2020)(3/16) ~ Airing. ★★★★☆
I have really enjoyed watching this drama so far. I appreciate the mockumentary format, and I am loving the cast of characters. I feel that the format and shorter runtime gives a modern and refreshing vibe.
Required fields are marked *
4 miss h
January 2, 2021 at 6:10 AM
Run On: Each episode gets better and better. Episode 6 alone had so many great lines and memorable moments I can't even list them all, but a few are the ET moment, Dan-ah's approach to making friends and punishing enemies, the running lesson, and, of course, the confession. I'm definitely here for a bickering friendship between Mi-joo and Dan-ah and bromance between Seon-gyeom and Young-hwa.I love the cohabitation trope so was excited that Seon-gyeom took the third room. I wonder if he'll ever realize there was no mugger lol.
Mr. Queen: I kind of wanted another soul swap when the King and Bong-hwan were in the water. Playing Bong-hwan temporarily would have given Kim Jung-hwan a challenge. Bong-hwan imagining So-yong living her best life in his body made me really want to see that too. Oh well, the episodes were fun, with the highlight being the rain dance, no touch, Court Lady Choi's methods for relieving stress and Bong-hwan's entrepreneurship. So far, they have balanced comedy and political machinations well, but there is sure to be future drama with the King's brother, Hwa-jin, and Kim Byeong-in.
Lovestruck in the City: The main couple is boring. I dislike both characters. I don't know why I'm still watching. I guess out of the hope that the other characters will get airtime.
Alice in Borderland: I was loving this series until they got to The Beach where it went off the rails a bit for me. Still, it was a fun watch, and I will tune in to Season 2.
Required fields are marked *
bbstl 🧹
January 2, 2021 at 8:02 AM
I thought the same thing when the King and Bong Hwan were in the water, oh let’s have another switch of souls! That would probably be too much for the writers to bite off but it was a funny thought.
Required fields are marked *
Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
January 2, 2021 at 9:10 AM
So was I.
Kdramaland has long since reached the point where not inserting a predictable twist is itself a twist.
Required fields are marked *
5 Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 6:11 AM
Awaken. Wow. Thanks for the photo, even if not one minion is watching!!! Oh, I enjoyed so much this week’s episodes. I even loved the white truck of doom! I’m liking how the drama plays with deceit and perception, but things are “finally” clear now. We know who the official villain is, and his motivations, both against the Foundation and JeongWu and Jamie. I’m pretty sure 157 is aware of JeongWoo, but JeongWoo is not totally aware of 157 although there’s a reason he’s kept in a locked room. I’m pretty sure that it was JeongWoo the one who always talked to Jamie, and the first time 157 was there was hen he woke up in the police station.
Run On I’m deeply in love with the show and our characters, I love the palette, the weirdo personalities, the quirky dialogues. I really don’t care about what’s happening as long as MiJoo and SeonGyeom are on screen. Also Secretary Jeong is my new assistant crush and I feel it may become my favorite character. And yes, I'm also under ISW spell!!!
Lovestruck in the city. I like the palette, I like the camera interactions (great editing!), and how they talk about sex an adult relations in the most normal way, but the main love story is BORING. I usually like KJW in everything she does, but not here. Regarding JWC I don’t get his character. Do you really want me to believe that such a hot man in his 30’s is such a candy? The pink lip balm is not helping either.
On Sunday I began Because this is my first life. I had avoided this because I had read some comments regarding the ending, but @mindy convinced me to watch and I can’t be more thankful. I’m on episode 14 now and I’m so deeply in love with it: I’m half hurt half healed by this drama. I will write about it when I finish it.
Waiting to watch Uncanny Counter this weekend.
I continue watching Six Flying Dragons which still surprises me as I’m not into saeguks or long dramas. I’m on episode 37 and I’m in love with Yoo Ah In acting and I can’t understand why I’ve only discovered him this year.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 6:12 AM
By this year, I meant "last year". Oh, I will spend January and February correcting 2021 on everything I write... It's the beginning of the year course.
Required fields are marked *
Dorotka
January 2, 2021 at 6:48 AM
Oh, I'm in love with Secretary Jung! ❤
(Sometimes I even ship him with Danah 🙈 )
Required fields are marked *
hodhod96
January 2, 2021 at 9:53 AM
I'm watching Awaken too and enjoying it even with all the faults. Like why didn't Jung Woo just follow Dad as Hye Won did. But despite these, I'm still enjoying it and the first episodes I was a bit skeptical about Kim Seol Hyun acting but I see that she's tone downed that and I'm actually enjoying her character.
Required fields are marked *
javinne
January 2, 2021 at 11:28 AM
Because this life is our first, the 14 episodes you have watched are the best, best prefect drama ever.
For me it is like imagining then they confess their love for real, Finito. Happy end. That's it.
But well, you go and watch the finale and then get your own idea.
Of course, the fact that I didn't like the finale doesn't mean you won't like it. You find out by yourself😅😅😅😅
Required fields are marked *
beffels
January 2, 2021 at 11:33 AM
I also don’t get JCW’s character, he is way too cutesy for a grown man.
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
January 2, 2021 at 12:36 PM
he's making that expression that worked for him in Healer, but now it's cliché cuz it's the only face he presents, trying to look cute and innocent...
it bugs me. i like the actress so much, but he's irritating me. i only got into the beginning of ep 2 then had to pause and go do something else...
Required fields are marked *
skelly
January 2, 2021 at 3:48 PM
YES. I also noticed the Healer expression; it worked in Healer because he was younger and had lived this strange life disconnected from normal human interaction so it worked that he was a bit child-like. Here, it just seems like he has Issues.
Required fields are marked *
Beverly
January 2, 2021 at 12:25 PM
I'm one of the very few that was not put off by the ending of Because this is my First Life.
I'll be curious as to what you think.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 3:22 PM
@javinne @bcampbell1662 I've just finished BTIMFL and was so worried about the ending but I just liked it (everything but Rang and Seok ending up together). I guess I was expecting something terribly terrible to happen, and it never did.
I will write longer on it on my fanwall this week.
Required fields are marked *
FlyingTool
January 2, 2021 at 3:45 PM
Uhm, you know that BTIMFL Ia a 14 episode drama, right?
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 3:48 PM
I even liked the 2 epilogue specials!!
Required fields are marked *
mindy
January 2, 2021 at 3:51 PM
People can be so dramatic about the ending, LOL.
In a world where Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol exists, it's honestly hardly even worth mentioning.
Required fields are marked *
beffels
January 2, 2021 at 4:39 PM
That’s true - I didn’t like the ending at all but on a scale of Do Do it’s totally fine.
Sometimes I like it when the ending is built up to be terrible (eg Korean Odyssey) so when it’s actually ok (but with terrible cgi 😅) it’s a pleasant surprise.
javinne
January 3, 2021 at 12:04 AM
Well, well, of course. After Do Do Sol sol whatever other ending is good enough.
BTLIOF's end wasn't that bad even back then. Personally, I was upset simply because the writer ruined the OTP for me, in order to create the typical separation before they end up together, but... do do sol sol was an aberration at the end, it was an insult for us viewers.
By the way, @eazal, I disliked Rang and Seok ending together just for the sake of a "happy ending", taking into account their circumstances and their story, it was not realistic.
FlyingTool
January 3, 2021 at 8:22 AM
Is there a worse ending than DoDo? Or do we have the bottom of the bad ending scale?
FlyingTool
January 3, 2021 at 8:22 AM
You are a true fan!
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 3, 2021 at 8:23 AM
😂😂😂😂
6 dokutokunaneko
January 2, 2021 at 6:13 AM
I'm so happy you folks have checked out Eighteen Again - this drama has staying power! Maybe one day it will pop up on Netflix and reach more people...
Speaking of belated licensing, The Guest finally showed up on Netflix 2 years after it aired. I started watching for Hot Priest Lee Jae Wook but got too scared after just one episode, that I had to drop it :( which means it was a really well done horror show, I suppose! I can't quite work out the logic/mythology, but it has interesting main characters and the appropriate mood for this genre.
Agree with everyone about Run On! I love the themes, the dialogue, the characters, even the side ones. My only gripe is the cunning secretary of Seon Geun's dad his the fact that Mi Joo returned the money, and she herself didn't say it! It's very clear to everyone including the two of them that they like each other (with Mi Joo being a bit more unsure of how SG feels), I wonder what's stopping them both from just dating already?
Mr Queen keeps being hilarious and engaging. As we move closer to the impending romance, I'm more and more worried about the path to happiness for one of our leads (as in, I'm worried the writers will pull something stupid to justify the romance between two very straight guys...I'd happily take a gay romance if they show me flashback of BongHwan actually having been in the closet or something.)
Required fields are marked *
john
January 2, 2021 at 9:10 AM
The Guest 🔪🥽
Required fields are marked *
skelly
January 2, 2021 at 3:59 PM
Also watching (and really enjoying!) Run On! I also thought it was strange that Mi Joo wasn't telling the whole story about the bribe, that she took the money and then returned it, but the more I thought about it the more it made sense given her no-nonsense character. I guess she felt that giving the money back didn't excuse her for taking it in the first place, so why bother bringing it up.
On a totally unrelated note, I am really happy that one of my favorite bands, Lucy, is getting some notice; they provided the really cool ending theme.
Required fields are marked *
7 KingdomsGambit
January 2, 2021 at 6:14 AM
True Beauty - super adorable and cast is just so good looking.
Sweet Home - slowly getting into this. I was mixed through the first 3 but starting Ep 4 things really started to get going.
Cobra Kai Season 3 - binged all 10 ep in one seat with never happened. best show ever. OK, it isn't drama but if anyone can recommend a drama similar to this I'd be super grateful.
Required fields are marked *
8 yayabean
January 2, 2021 at 6:14 AM
Mr. Queen became my favorite drama right from the get go! Shin Hye-sun is just PERFECT for this role. Her mannerisms as the male chef in the queen's body are hilarious!
I'm also watching True Beauty, and I'm actually enjoying it more than I thought I would.
Required fields are marked *
skelly
January 2, 2021 at 4:03 PM
I binge-read the webtoon that True Beauty is based upon (knee surgery has left me with even more spare time) and to me it is one of those rare cases where the drama adaptation is far and away better than the source material.
Required fields are marked *
9 Dorotka
January 2, 2021 at 6:29 AM
I somehow got the end-of-year-cleaning-bug and cleaned a bit my watching queue. I finally finished Lost Romance and I still think that Tiger and Rose is vastly superior. The part when the heroine gets inside the novel is quite funny though... and Taiwan is always good with skinship and kisses 😀
I also watched XX and hello Tinker and Younggu from Spy 🙂 The drama is short, just some 5h in total, about two old friends torn appart 5 years ago by some douchebag and meeting again. I was impressed by Hwang Seung Eon as Roomi and by Bae In Hyuk as the young bartender in love (I then also started Kiss Goblin because of him... though the quality is somewhere else, he 😀).
And I cought up with Don't Date this Guy. Nothing extraordinary, but it can be funny... and I like the Fire Fighter Sunbae.
From the current shows, I think my favourite one is becoming Run On. Yes, the conversations are often funny... but... the more we know about our protagonists, the more pain we also see under the words. Like in Misaeng, Im Shiwan is again making Sunkyum so vulnerable, I want to hug him. And I love his connection with Mijoo. (Shin Se Kyung is really good here).
Still enjoying Cheat On Me and Cheorin (I like how Bonghwan's crush on Hwajin is messing things up 😀 And "This is our first day" had me in stitches 😂 ).
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 7:23 AM
Kiss Goblin can only be watched by FF imo, nothing to do with XX, a web drama I so recommend. It’s much more than it looks like.
Required fields are marked *
yayabean
January 2, 2021 at 2:27 PM
I watched the 1st ep. of Kiss Goblin and you're right, it was surprisingly NOT bad.
I had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder.
Required fields are marked *
cat-cric-kat
January 2, 2021 at 8:00 AM
PPL on - that name suits the show. Well, if i were in the management of the production house i would have done the same or even more. As for the caricature of characters - writer is playing more of muh family card now. The show is as much fickle as any other romantic kdrama can be.
refrigerator - the most interesting point this show could have been was - Privacy and digital rights of citizens but well, this show is your usual trash.
Required fields are marked *
10 miso
January 2, 2021 at 6:30 AM
Happy New Year beanies! Not enough kdramas for me last week with all the year-end postponements (pout) but I still managed to watch a few:
Mr. Queen: Already gushed on the recap thread but I LOVE this show. Can't wait for this weekend's episodes.
Secret Royal Agent: I fast-forwarded so much through episodes 3 and 4 that I might as well have not watched it. I think I'll give it another week but it'll probably be a drop.
Awaken: Now that we are finally seeing the other personality of the 3rd child, this show's getting interesting. Also what a change for Yoon Sun-woo from Hot Stove League.
Cheat on Me...: Why is it that I find the young college girl far creepier than the middle-aged cheater and the weird wife? Still watching but the more we see of the college girl, the more I fast-forward...
Run On: Sadly I am not seeing the electric chemistry and charm of the show that everyone else is. I also hate the huge proportion of casually evil people we meet week on week, like that 'friend' who thought a poor orphan is objectively "beneath her", as a contrast to our leads I suppose? I'm watching only for Im Siwan 🥺
Lovestruck in the City: I didn't think it was possible for me to dislike JCW but this show is certainly pushing me in that direction.
A Love So Beautiful: I think the Chinese original had the benefit of longer run-time to create more of a 'world' for its characters but this adaptation is still quite good. However, today's episode (Ep. 3) reminded me how tired I am of the tsundere male lead trope.
Weekend plan - Delayed Justice which has started again and Uncanny Counter which is returning after its break and that cliffhanger.
Required fields are marked *
KDFL
January 2, 2021 at 10:34 AM
Finally I found someone who shares my thoughts on Run On. I'm not seeing the chemistry or the quirkiness in the show either. In that perspective, I think it falls way behind previous similar shows like Be Melodramatic, Matrimonial Chaos and Because It's Our First Life.
Required fields are marked *
miso
January 2, 2021 at 12:16 PM
Agree. My other issue is that it seems like the writer is trying so hard to write quippy dialogue to make the leads seem cool and different that they've given up on the other characters. Everyone is a trope - the abusive dad, the neglectful mom, the evil stepbrother, the violent sunbaes, the innocent victim hoobaes...
Required fields are marked *
WiryPriest
January 3, 2021 at 5:48 AM
Oh lawd yes about Run On! I'm not seeing whatever those raving about the show are. I found it too boring and dropped it.
Required fields are marked *
11 TurtuallySarcastic
January 2, 2021 at 6:33 AM
Shopping King Louie🛒🤴(16/16): To be honest, I do not like this show as much as a regular Beanie does. I was rooting for Bok-Shil in the beginning to find her brother and to learn to stand on her own two feet in Seoul, but she lost some of her spark. I was invested in her growth and enjoyed her mentor-mentee relationship with Joong-Won because he expected her to meet certain professional standards. In the presence of Louie or Bok-Nam however, Bok-Shil just laughs and lets them off the hook all the time. At least Jung-Ran and In-Sung’s mom were around to make sure everyone behaved.💪What I did love about this show however, were its good vibes and family themes while in lockdown last year.😊Louie reunited Bok-Shil and Bok-Nam, reunited with his family and invited every friend he made inside his home.🏡I knew that Ziggy would be great, but I did not expect him to charm me with his high pitched giggles and screaming.🤭❤️
And that’s it for January, folks! Sadly I cannot drop my work formation like a bad K-drama, so that will be the only drama for me this month. Hope to be back here in February! 😘
Required fields are marked *
Kim Aippersbach
January 5, 2021 at 9:11 PM
Where did you watch Shopping? I've been wanting to watch it again because cute and sweet silliness is what I need, but I can't find it now.
Required fields are marked *
TurtuallySarcastic
January 6, 2021 at 1:42 PM
....I kinda resort to the dark side for K-dramas, so I cannot exactly recall where I watch shows...I do hope you can find it legally soon!
Required fields are marked *
12 WishfulToki
January 2, 2021 at 6:34 AM
Happy New Year beanies! I missed my weekly doses of laughter and cringe from TRUE BEAUTY this week. I’m still singing Okey dokey yo. 😂
I’m enjoying SECRET ROYAL INSPECTOR.
Required fields are marked *
WishfulToki
January 2, 2021 at 8:16 AM
I’m also about to finish KIM SOO RO (27/32). Basically the whole drama is about trying to unify the tribes and establish a king of Gaya, with a very interesting geopolitical transformation in the peninsula: the Gaya Confederacy becomes a buffer state between the Three Korean kingdoms, with unparalleled iron-working skills that allowed them to trade across the sea with other nations.
As usual in the non-Silla dramas I’ve seen, Silla is portrayed as the rich, cunning, and overbearing neighbour hehe (reflecting how centuries later they did finally succeed in taking over Gaya). This drama was good prep for upcoming Goguryeo drama MOON WHERE THE RIVER RISES. 😄
Required fields are marked *
WishfulToki
January 2, 2021 at 8:19 AM
Aigoo, that should be RIVER WHERE THE MOON RISES. I’m imagining some kind of Salvador Dali painting now 😂😂
Required fields are marked *
13 KTMYS
January 2, 2021 at 6:35 AM
Penthouse - wow Oh Yoon Hee has literally become just like Cheon Seo Jin. The finale is definitely going to be a blast but I suspect either RoNa or Su Ryeon will die.
Run on - this my favorite show of the week. Young Hwa turned out to be another odd ball and I love him. I look forward to his scenes with Danah the most and his crush on her is so cute. I wonder how he’ll get her to go out with him. Her idol brother is getting into the creepy zone with always being at her office and from the preview. Our main leads remain gold and OMG I need a seon gyum in my life. How can a guy be so kind, cute, thoughtful and a whole lot more?? I love Dana’s fashion sense, her sneakers with all her outfits( both work and casual)are beautiful and so inspiring, I don’t know if most people can pull off that look but she does it 100%.
Required fields are marked *
Orientedstar
January 2, 2021 at 6:54 AM
Run on : I'm constantly amazed by how thoughtful is sun kyum. If we watch closely it can be seen in amost every interaction of his with almost anyone.
Required fields are marked *
panshel
January 2, 2021 at 4:41 PM
Penthouse - Bae Ro-na, I don't care about that brat, but Shim Soo-ryun, nooo! She's my favorite character after Logan Lee oppa. I was disappointed when they revealed their identities. While I understand that they didn't want to be murderers, Soo-ryun should've kept her mask on, and Gu Ho-dong should've worn a disguise. I think Ha Eun-byul has a good chance of dying because that girl is slowly descending into madness.
Required fields are marked *
14 Orientedstar
January 2, 2021 at 6:48 AM
Age of youth 2 : Completed. Loved the season 2 more than the first. I felt that while season 1 is brighter than the second, this one is more coherent. I loved the new roomie Eun and her romance. Sad that there was no song min romance which I expected in this season. Overall enjoyed the show. This writer does great ensemble dramas. I previously watched mixed investigative agency and is one of my favourite dramas.
Run on 6/16 : What can I say that others have not. I just want to hug sun kyum tightly just like mi joo. Love love their interactions. I'm also loving the second leads and the secretory. I just can't wait for the next episodes.
For the past 3 months I'm following 1 live drama and fillings the rest of the days catching up the old dramas. But I'll not be starting any other dramas this year and just will be following run on. I want to prioritize my sleep. Will see how it goes.
Required fields are marked *
15 Kafiyah Bello
January 2, 2021 at 6:48 AM
Lovestruck in the City: I really like this drama. O actually think the episodes could be longer so we could have more time with th other characters. It is fun and JCW's character is such a whiner, lol, it is a fun change of pace for him.
Secret Royal: I dropped it after episode 3. It was so bland and boring. I didn't care about the characters, especially when L's character was suddenly good at everything. It also committed the cardinal sin of being boring.
Mr. Queen: Continues to be excellent. My only hope now is that we get to meet the queen. I heard rumors that the original doesn't have the Queen so I hope the kdrama changes that.
Sweet Home: It was fine. It reminded me of the walking dead, just not as good.
Awaken: I wish they didn't have 3 different storylines interwoven. The drama is fine though and I really like Dr. Jamie Leighton.
Cheat on me or Die: Irony is not dead in this drama. The one person he isn't cheating with is the one she is suspecting. Hehehehe.
Extracurricular: I'm in it now. 4 episodes in and I'm enjoying it. There are really awful people in this drama.
Required fields are marked *
16 nigirisushi
January 2, 2021 at 6:50 AM
Run On:
I'm still liking this show quite a lot. Run On seems to be a fairly feminist drama. (Another clear one would be Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung which also features Shin Sekyung.) And I'm lovin' it. The scenarios that play out in the drama ring true at least in Asia and need to be addressed.
1. Having to prove extra hard that you is just as capable as your brother and is not only a pawn to be married off (Dan Ah)
2. Getting shut down by males colleagues (sport committee scenes)
3. Having female mentors and support outside family (Mijoo & May, SK's mom & 500 Chicken Bag Mom)
4. Being expected to take the blame when the child turned out bad (SK's mom)
5. Balancing career and children (500 Chicken Bag Mom)
6. Having to be respectful to male seniors even though they are shit (Mijoo & her professor, Dan Ah & SK's dad)
Also finally!!!! A drama where the female lead and second female lead are not out for each other's neck. But again, maybe my brain is looking for feminist issues that's why I'm seeing it...
P.S. someone (on dramabean) mentioned the chain necklace Im Shi-wan is wearing and now every time he's on screen I can't helped but look at it. On a more serious note,
Required fields are marked *
Orientedstar
January 2, 2021 at 7:03 AM
Love your analysis. I'm totally crushing on the ?silver necklace wearing Im shi wan.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 7:28 AM
Love your description of Run On.
Just one thing, the 500 chicken bag is Mum’s CEO (aka Dan-Ah) and not mum.
Required fields are marked *
nigirisushi
January 2, 2021 at 7:39 AM
omg thank you... I totally failed at reading the subtitle during that section.
Required fields are marked *
Screentime
January 2, 2021 at 8:04 AM
We can all focus on noble intentions, but in reality, at present Seon-Gyeom's interventions are a disaster. Any resolution for Woo-Sik will be luck, not a result of Seon-Gyeom's plan. (Unless the drama pulls a rabbit out of the hat)
Seon-Gyeom - who is wealthy/connected enough to be fine no matter what, is about to retire and only took up the sport because his father - intervenes so muddle headed that it ends up forcing the very person who has no safety net (and a litany of SK Drama disadvantages) out of the sport when running obviously meant something to Woo-Sik. Given what has been hinted at, he and his Grandmother would have sacrificed so much for the chance of that safety net running could bring.
Seon-Gyeom knew his father has the ability to pull enough strings to thwart his plan - he even tries to warn him off. Yet he is blind to Woo-Sik's reality and outs him as the victim. We have all seen enough SK Drama to see how poor people who fall victim and labeled trouble makers are treated by the wealthy and powerful. "Beware of people with sad stories" is one of the most harrowing repeated throw away lines in SK Drama.
He gambles when he had personally nothing on the line that he isn't happy to lose and Woo-Sik has everything on the line. That is some privilege.
Required fields are marked *
dokutokunaneko
January 2, 2021 at 10:16 AM
I agree - SG's solution is a bit convoluted; I think he went for the extreme while holding a very naive view of the world. Perhaps this will be part of his growth - on the other side, you see Mi-Joo resolving her conflicts with people more powerful than her in a very different way. They can learn from each other!
Required fields are marked *
ar_arguably romantic
January 2, 2021 at 11:24 AM
I agree that Ki Seon-Gyeom does have a lot of privilege, including the privilege to refuse privilege and anything that harms his self-respect. Something that Mi-joo and Woo-shik aren't ever in the position to do lest they be persecuted for not being grateful little orphans. Seon-gyum wasn't trying to get the assaulters punished. He wanted to be punished himself to prove to Woo-shik that it is possible for an assaulter to be punished, even one as privileged as himself. Seon-Gyum didn't out Woo-shik, but you could say that Seon-Gyum, in his ignorance, unintentionally made Woo-shik realize the depth of injustice and that likely played a part in Woo-shik outing himself to the media. Also, Woo-shik's injury could compromise his ability to make the same records he used to. It would take months of rehab to get back into training condition. I do like how Team Orphan was able to bring the assault to light using media and social media.
Required fields are marked *
Becky
January 2, 2021 at 1:40 PM
I thought Ki Seon-Gyeom beat up his juniors and wanted to be punished for the assault, because he did not want the violence against junior team members to continue. The coaching staff were ignoring the bullying. By stepping forward to be punished himself, he was hoping someone in the hierarchy would acknowledge this type of behavior was unacceptable. From Everyone. Against Anyone. Ever.
Required fields are marked *
skelly
January 2, 2021 at 4:19 PM
Seon-Gyeom did not "out" Woo-shik; just the opposite, he tried to turn the spotlight entirely on himself in the hopes that he could both stop the bullying and let Woo-shik fly under the radar and continue as an athlete. It is Woo-shik who had too much of a sense of justice to let this stand. When SG found out what Woo-shik had done, he was so depressed he spent days under the covers and resigned from the sport. Having been born from a place of privilege is not his fault, and I applaud his repeated attempts to thread that rich man's camel through the eye of a needle.
Required fields are marked *
Screentime
January 2, 2021 at 5:29 PM
Privilege is not his fault - I so agree. However, his gamble is.
He knows full well the systemic issues for Woo-shik, everyone does. It is the same in every culture, we don't say the silent parts out loud - but we all know them.
His shock at the result of his actions are a sign he never considered the reality for Woo-shik or made his plans so as to minimise blowback to Woo-shik.
Did you miss the scene where he confronts the coach - Everyone knew. There are multiple scenes about individuals and the community acknowledge Woo-shik was/is wangta. Just as everyone knew the wife who was being beaten at home back in the 60's and 70's.
There are multiple scenes telling us everyone knew it has been going on all along. Even Woo-shik's repeated cover story is the same as the wife who continually slips or 'bumped her head on the door'. It is a signal and everyone knows it.
Required fields are marked *
17 CDF
January 2, 2021 at 6:50 AM
The Uncanny Counter: I am still watching this show but it’s bit of a letdown. The main baddies appear to be plain old corrupt politicians and shady CEO’s. For a supernatural premise, run of the mill baddies has dulled my excitement. It shows that people can be horrible themselves without any evil influence but we need divine intervention to correct it – somehow it feels wrong.
Lovestruck in the city: Plain old boring tale but I quite like other characters and scenic shots of Jeju island.
Run On: It is filled with quirky, oddball characters and I am enjoying it.
True Beauty: It is total cliché high school drama I am watching for MGY, HIY and Unni – teacher romance.
Cheat on me if you can : I like the writer and her stoic, always perplexed stalker (?)/investigator (?)/spy (?). I am bit behind but I am not in hurry to catchup, as other elements are quite boring.
Required fields are marked *
KingdomsGambit
January 2, 2021 at 7:12 AM
I'm watching Uncanny Counter too and gotta admit I enjoyed the early episodes more. Highschool setting and focus on the youngest members was more appealing to me than corrupt politicians and the police couple. So I actually forgot that the show is back on lol. Gotta resume watching.
Required fields are marked *
shichybot
January 4, 2021 at 1:43 AM
Have you seen the recent episodes of The Uncanny Counter yet? Ep 10 is goood, and can't wait for the epicness that will be Ep 11.
I'm sad there were no more recaps after Ep 1 here on the DB. @missvictrix @sailorjumun, can anybody do anything about this, please?
Required fields are marked *
missvictrix
January 4, 2021 at 5:32 AM
@shichybot Aw, we hear your cry for help. Unfortunately, we don't have the bandwidth to cover UC during this show cycle, but I know we're happy to see it be such a hit! *finger hearts of apology*
Required fields are marked *
shichybot
January 4, 2021 at 8:15 PM
Aww, okay 🥺 I understand @missvictrix! Thanks for replying to me! (I didn’t expect that btw so I’m spazzing) 😍 lol
KingdomsGambit
January 4, 2021 at 6:34 AM
Hated 9. The presidential run announcement sabotage was embarrassing. Hacking part was fine and then it turned into a never-ending slapstick.
Ep 10 - improvement but also drama for the sake of drama. Nothing that happened in it will stick. heck, they already revealed that one thing that was ordered to be done wasn't done. They better improve in the next 6.
Required fields are marked *
18 Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 6:52 AM
Live On It's so slow... It's only 8 episodes and the "one by week" really doesn't help...
Awaken I think it's my favourite airing drama. I have so many questions about the bad guys.
Run On Clearly, this drama doesn't resonate in me like others Beanies. I don't really care about the characters and I find the story really weird. I have no idea what the second male lead is doing in this story.
True Beauty I missed Im Joo Kyung trying to live a normal life :p
The Uncanny Counter The break kinda disconnected me from the story...
Mr. Queen I was happy to know more about the real Queen. I still find the King boring, I need him to make more efforts and he was supposed to be a hero during the night, what happened to this part of the story? Kim Byeong-In is stealing my interest for now.
Lovestruck in the City I really like the format, the dialogues and the subjects. But I'm not fond of the characters.
A Love So Beautiful How Koreans are so bad to make remakes? The ML looks like a lost puppy. Usually, Idols male actors are good to play the typical cold, smart and hurt inside hero. How could they miss this part? It lacks the cuteness and magic from the original like they barely showed the fact the main characters are neighbours...
Required fields are marked *
kdragon
January 2, 2021 at 7:19 AM
A Love So Beautiful How Koreans are so bad to make remakes?
--- Are there other bad remakes?
I agree with A Love So Beautiful... the first eps fell flat... compared to the original where it was cute from the start.
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 7:33 AM
In Time With You was a TW drama with Ariel Lin and Chen Bolin, the korean remake The Time We Were Not In Love was very disapointing. They chose good actors Ha Ji Won and Lee Jin Wook. The Japanese version was nice (Boku wa Mada Kimi wo Aisanai Koto ga Dekiru).
Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), To the Beautiful You (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e), Mischievous Kiss ((Itazura na Kiss), etc.
Required fields are marked *
kdragon
January 2, 2021 at 7:53 AM
oh.. thanks! I think I only watched Boys Over Flowers... it was ok for me.
I felt each version had its own charm... and come to think of it... had a severe case of SLS (for Rui Hanazawa character) in all three versions :D
Required fields are marked *
john
January 2, 2021 at 9:15 AM
Are there other bad remakes?
Nodame Cantabile
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 9:29 AM
Oh yeah, I dropped Tomorrow Cantabile after the first episode. I didn't like Fated to Love You remake neither. I didn't understand why they chose those actors, they were too old for the role for me.
Required fields are marked *
john
January 2, 2021 at 9:58 AM
Some good remakes are Queen’s Classroom and Mother
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
January 2, 2021 at 4:26 PM
I'm not sure if there's some Secret to Remakes but sometimes I think the problem is that they remake great shows when they should be remaking shows with great concepts but poor execution instead. If people love an original show they're unlikely to enjoy a remake unless it's a shot by shot retelling (and then what's the point?).
I think The Good Wife, for example, was a good remake because the original started off very well but limped along for years before falling in a big heap. A limited episode Korean remake allowed them to capture what was good about it and give it a snappy ending. They were able to use the Korean format to add to it. But for most remakes they either make it too close to the original (and therefore suffer in comparison) or change something so fundamental to the show that it ruins it.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 7:29 AM
Awaken: if only we knew who the real bad guys are...
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 7:34 AM
It's why I have so many questions in my head :p
Required fields are marked *
pohonphee
January 2, 2021 at 8:02 AM
I used to think SK is bad at remake, but after The World of Married and 18 Again. I think SK is bad when they try to remake without inserting what K drama is good at, and just copy paste the original. When they include all things that we like about K drama (more character driven plot, more dark humor and social commentary, etc), we, viewers, are good about the remake.
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 8:15 AM
I think they're better for american/english shows. I liked Life on Mars or The Good Wife too.
But for asian shows, they always make the characters richer than the original ones, turning them in PPL and loosing the main point of the drama original.
Required fields are marked *
pohonphee
January 2, 2021 at 8:49 AM
It can be. Korean criminal mind is bad. The only korean remake from japanese source which pretty good is Little Forest movie with Kim Taeri.
The interesting is I like more korean production that are based on japanese novel than when the same novel is adapted by japanese production. I maybe generalising here because I dont watch many japanese movies since Chungmuro is rock! Ha ha ha. Like Haruki Murakami novels are suited Chungmuro style more. Love Burning
Required fields are marked *
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
January 2, 2021 at 4:27 PM
A Hundred Million Stars Falling From the Sky.
No further comment required.
beffels
January 2, 2021 at 11:41 AM
I really like Run On, but I also have no idea what the second male lead is there for, other than to be the second male lead. I find him unnecessarily quirky.
Required fields are marked *
19 welh
January 2, 2021 at 6:53 AM
CHEAT ON ME: Because of the holiday release disruptions, the flow of the series seems to slowed down. I found it jarring that the cause of death was corrected which would have been obvious in the autopsy exam. I put that down to the Korean live-shoot filming method. Now that she believes her husband is cheating when he is not we start to fall into the k-trope land of false assumptions.
Required fields are marked *
20 mizzy
January 2, 2021 at 7:06 AM
Watching Mr Queen till ep 6. Like it still but not loving as much. Plot other than the queen trying to drown herself needs to move quicker.
Lovestruck in the City till ep 4. Love the way the interview is done now and the topics they explore each episode. Main couple needs to reunite fast fast. Love love the OSTs! And JCW singing!
Bridgerton till ep 2. This can be an addictive show but I'm currently putting on whole cos I'm concerned about upcoming angst. Hate angst in shows these days.
The Legend of Fei ep ep7. Dropped it after 1 episode then picked up again. Usually like the FL but she's not performing in this drama. Currently on hold. Will watch when bored.
Required fields are marked *
bbstl 🧹
January 2, 2021 at 8:15 AM
I liked Bridgerton through 4 but am surprised it fell apart for me after that. Really, too much dependence on the sex to tell the story and a lot of illogical occurrences in 7-8. Not sure I’d recommend it.
Required fields are marked *
OLakes
January 2, 2021 at 11:05 AM
Completely agree. Plus the OTP just never really felt well-matched to me, and then it just got cringey as hell. Around ep 4, I started multi-tasking. It was pretty, though.
Required fields are marked *
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
January 2, 2021 at 4:30 PM
I enjoyed it a great deal for what it was, which was frothy nonsense that I binged on Boxing Day with several bottles of leftover champagne. But that doesn't mean I needed an entire 1/8th of it to be sex scenes.
Required fields are marked *
21 kdragon
January 2, 2021 at 7:29 AM
Done with S1 waiting for S2:
- Alice in Borderland
- Sweet Home
* Liked AiB better... I guess the story was more unique and interesting?
Currently Watching/Waiting:
- Uncanny Counter
- True Beauty
CW but will probably drop soon:
- Lovestruck in the City: sorry JCW, you lost me after Suspicious Partner!
- A Love So Beautiful: the Orig was way better.... so far...
- The Penthouse: Everyone is tainted!
Old Dramas:
- Two Cops: At Ep 3 and finally interesting enough for me to continue watching and see more of KSH :)
- Find in My Memory: The latter part was not great.. but finished it anyway.
Required fields are marked *
kdragon
January 2, 2021 at 7:33 AM
Sorry, missed one:
Mr Queen: So far so good... I don't really like nor hate Shin Hye Sun but she's particularly hilarious here... and the story is interesting and funny.
Required fields are marked *
suk
January 3, 2021 at 1:36 PM
I watched Sweet Home, loved it, and tried to begin watching Alice in Borderland right after. At that point, my nerves were way too high and I couldn't get two episodes into AiB. I thought I was fine with horror, but I guess I'm not built well enough.
Required fields are marked *
22 OLakes
January 2, 2021 at 7:57 AM
Since Christmas, I’ve been taking my foot off the gas a bit so haven’t watched a whole lot, honestly. I’m sure that will change from next week, when I will be relying on dramas to help me recharge after a day of work, but as of late I’ve been watching:
Run On: which is my favorite watch right now. Many of you have already listed the many reasons why so I won’t repeat (and thank you!), but to me it’s proof that you don’t need a lot of complicated things to make some alchemy: a simple but well-constructed story and a solid cast with good chemistry can work wonders.
Lovestruck in the City: I’m not fully caught up yet, and I’m not sure I’ll keep going. I think I’m putting it on hold to binge at this stage. We’ll see.
I’d like to start Awaken - I might also start Missing: the Other Side as well. Those who have seen both, please weigh in as to where I should start!
I’ve seen a lot of interesting trailers for dramas premiering in January and February, so I’m excited for what’s on tap in the next few weeks. I’ve read that we should expect fewer dramas airing in general in 2021, but the silver lining in that for me may be that I actually get to watch more during the year. And maybe that will lead to more interesting stories for us? Who knows, but I’m ready for another year of watching!
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 8:18 AM
Between Awaken and Missing : the Other Side :
Awaken is not over and I have no idea what future story will have in store for us. Missing's plot and characters are solid until the end, so I can say you won't take risk with this one.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 8:47 AM
I concur with you.
Although I'm loving Awaken (specially this week), it hasn't finished yet and I'm afraid it can flowerofevilish at a certain point, making me liking the drama just because of NGM / LJK. I like the solid acting and the plot, but... a drama can be ruined in the last 10 minutes as we all know.
Missing: The other side, on the contrary is a finished drama, with a solid story and really good acting. I can't recommend it enough (and it's only 12 episodes).
Required fields are marked *
OLakes
January 2, 2021 at 11:00 AM
Thanks to you both, @kurama and @eazal! I think I’ll start Missing in this case, and wait until the final verdict is in on Awaken. (The 12 episode thing is also a bonus right now!)
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
January 2, 2021 at 11:09 AM
You're welcome :)
@eazal is right, we can't be sure that Awaken will be as good until the end.
And Go Soo's charms are worth Nam Goong Min's ones :p
Required fields are marked *
ar_arguably romantic
January 2, 2021 at 9:09 AM
I haven't started Awaken yet, but if you're going for Missing: the Other Side, I want to warn you that the first episode is pretty boring. But don't let it deter you. FF through it. It gets good from episode 2 onward!
Required fields are marked *
OLakes
January 2, 2021 at 10:58 AM
Thanks, that’s very helpful actually - I know some dramas do take time to pick up, but I’ve noticed I’ve got less and less patience, so good to know this one IS worth sticking.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
January 4, 2021 at 6:01 AM
@carlybisek CBme,
I agree with the consensus. I am watching and enjoying AWAKEN. MISSING: THE OTHER SIDE was my first Go Soo drama and it is one of my top 5 favorites of 2020. I would definitely recommend starting with MISSING.
Required fields are marked *
23 Amy
January 2, 2021 at 8:15 AM
Finished Kairos.
Fantasy K-drama is most often a miss than hit for me. They make such grand rules but they really fail to obey their own rules and set up. However, Kairos somehow managed to find that balance though there was 1 ep or something where I really thought this will go to trash box like others.
Watching Awaken.
Really love Lee Chung-ah in this, and I was really excited about the experiments on children' plot. Alas, for whatever reason they decided to focus on romance which doesn't really add anything much to the plot. Maybe this is why thrillers should be in OCN.
Watching Nordic noirs in Netflix.
Required fields are marked *
Amy
January 2, 2021 at 8:18 AM
Yeah, and Turkish drama Sadakatsiz.
Cansu Dere rocks as always.
Required fields are marked *
MeSaya
January 3, 2021 at 2:33 AM
Oh... another noirs lovers... good
Have you watched the 'Trapped'? Season 1 was excellent.
I watched too many, I forgot what I watched... keke...
The scariest maybe the one with alien larvae, 'Fortitude'
Happy watching!
Required fields are marked *
Amy
January 3, 2021 at 4:33 AM
I have seen a bit of 'Trapped' but at that time it didn't interest me enough to go on after the first few minutes. I am constantly in search for good thrillers and I am currently searching up Noirs. Seems like there is a big list. Just finished, Deadwind and The Trial (Italian). The Trial is so superior, try it if you haven't already.
Required fields are marked *
Amy
January 3, 2021 at 5:03 AM
Also if you have a list of thrillers you think is good, share it with me. I don't mind the language. Just something intriguing with a good plot.
Required fields are marked *
MeSaya
January 4, 2021 at 3:40 AM
There are very big lists :)
We will be able to enjoy long list of noir series and K-drama series as well.
Korean movies, some can be included as noir. They are gritty and harsh. 'I saw the Devil' was very dark, as an example. Or, if you go to OCN, they have been known for good noir or crime series, such as Quiz of God, Special Affairs Team TEN, Missing Noir M, Vampire Prosecutor, Voice, Tunnel, etc.. I really enjoy watching them.
These are three series that hold dear in my heart, other than 'Trapped' is 'The Fall' (UK series, 3 seasons, superb casts with Gillian Anderson & Jamie Dorman), 'Bordertown' (Sorjornen, Finnish series), and '100 Code' (Germany-Sweden collaboration). Mind you, in '100 Code' the real mastermind is never really exposed.
Enjoy...
Required fields are marked *
MeSaya
January 4, 2021 at 3:43 AM
Oh, I just saw that you had found OCN. Sorry... They are good, aren't they?
Amy
January 4, 2021 at 6:00 AM
I am an OCN follower when it comes to crime thrillers. I have watched the others except '100 code', so I will try that one.
Thanks.
You might have already seen this but Bron/Broen (Scandinavian) is also a good thriller.
24 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
January 2, 2021 at 8:17 AM
Mr. Queen: 9.5 Stale old palace intrigue -- decidedly NOT stale old female lead.
Awaken: 7.5 Lollypop PPL??? Namkoong Min is good, the two co-FLs are ok, but the plot/backstory and baddies somehow don't really work for me.
Run On: 6.5 A bit slow this week except for the bidding war about 15 minutes into day 6.
Cheat on Me If You Can: 7 The novelty of the lead's personalities & behavior is wearing off and it's turning into a deliberately-obscure mystery show.
Uncanny Counter: __
Secret Royal Inspector / Royal Secret Agent: 3.0 Dropped halfway thru day 3.
Fly Dragon / Delayed Justice: 4.5 I counted the Bean, so I have to finish :(
#Alive: 8.0 (2020 Korean movie) OK, not great. Watch it to kill time if you're ever on a train to Busan.
Required fields are marked *
pohonphee
January 2, 2021 at 8:52 AM
Watch The Call with Park Shinhye. It freaks me out
Required fields are marked *
25 korfan
January 2, 2021 at 8:41 AM
Penthouse - Actor Eom Ki-joon as Joo Dan-tae just makes being evil and despicable look so easy! He's so good at playing such an awful person. ..... And with everything that has happened thus far, who knows how this is going to end! I'm ready for anything they throw our way!
Awaken - We found out a little more this week about the culprit! Now I want to know, who makes those "watches"? Is the culprit putting those together?
Cheat on Me, If You Can - You kind of have to wonder why our main couple is still together and how they made it this long. Then again, there was that conversation about divorce that our main male lead had with his office colleague, so that may be the reason. ..... I'm still curious about Director Ma and what he's after/what he's hiding.
Required fields are marked *
26 ar_arguably romantic
January 2, 2021 at 9:05 AM
Mr. Queen: I'm tickled that there seem to be 2 parallel dramas - the dramatic romantic sageuk that king experiences and the funky, time-slip drama that queen experiences! I'm torn between feeling bad that Bong-hwan can't return home and feeling happy that he can still be in Joseon times and causing trouble! Poor Court Lady Choi though.
Run-On: LOVE IT SO MUCH! I love how the humor isn't loud, but it makes me LOL. Dan-ah and Mi-joo fighting (or more like Dan-ah was baiting Mi-joo) to give Sun-kyum a place to stay was hilarious. And that ET moment at the supermarket! 4 funny pairings so far: MJ+SK, MJ+DA, DA+YH, and SK+YH. And the flirting..omg the flirting!
Secret Royal Inspector: Just episodes 1-2. "Secret" should be dropped from the title, because the characters are terrible with stealth! Sort of a rough beginning, but I love the historical mystery comedy genre, so I plan to watch another 2 episodes to see if the storytelling and characters will smooth out enough.
Cheat on me if you can (up through ep 7): Looks like is Yeo-joo more involved than I expected! Or maybe it's a misdirect. I am worried about this being 16 episodes. Seems like it should have been 12.
Sweet Home: Finished it. A riveting watch even though sometimes, I couldn't quite follow what was happening. I hope there will be a season 2!
Bridgerton: Overall, a fun watch! I'm a bit bummed at how this series adaptation opted for a more dramatic touch and made some of the characters less likable or full-on terrible.
Required fields are marked *
dokutokunaneko
January 2, 2021 at 10:24 AM
Agree re: Bridgerton! I do think though that they make Eloise way more interesting than in the books (at the expense of making Daphe much more boring and Anthony downright assholery).
Required fields are marked *
27 Edgar Pordwed
January 2, 2021 at 9:05 AM
I finally completed my 2020 dramas, and put up my Bean Count.
This included the last 2 SF8 episodes- Love Virtually and Empty Body. Love Virtually was really sweet, it was interesting that plastic surgery made them all the more ordinary and they found love as their older selves on the Love Virtually app. Uee and Siwon should really work together again. Empty Body was a really tough one, the mother did the best she could to hold on to her son, I guess as any loved one would, and in the end she decided to keep the android looking the same keeping all the memories, such a difficult decision. There were a lot of quiet moments in this episode. The story reminded me a lot of the first episode The Prayer, told in a different setting. Overall the series was really good, and a few of the ideas can actually be expanded to full length dramas. I enjoyed The Prayer, White Crow and Joan's Galaxy the most, although all were quite good.
I also completed The School Nurse Files, and it was over just as I thought I was starting to get used to its odd storytelling. It needed to be longer, with a lot more explanation though. I loved the episodes that focused on Hye-min and Eun-young's childhood friend, but I didn't like the ending. Jung Yu-mi showed the exhaustion of having the responsibility that come with her powers so well, and she cried on getting the powers back, and was convincing herself that what shes doing is meaningful. Still she has Mr. Hong and the student friends. I was expecting the drama to be lighter. Anyway I would love to read the original book.
Also watched the Drama Special Traces of Love, I really liked it. The elevator scene was one of the most awkward scenes in a drama.
Now onto the 2021 dramas, I'll be starting with Secret Royal Investigator.
Required fields are marked *
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
January 2, 2021 at 4:17 PM
As much as I loved The School Nurse Files I also would have liked it to be a few episodes longer. But I guess it's better to leave us wanting more than to outstay its welcome.
I'm glad others watched and enjoyed SF8 as well. I also liked Empty Bodies, although I wasn't a huge fan of Joan's Galaxy myself. I do have reviews on my blog btw if you're interested and would be happy to have a discussion about them too.
Required fields are marked *
Edgar Pordwed
January 3, 2021 at 1:21 PM
Comment was deleted
Required fields are marked *
Edgar Pordwed
January 3, 2021 at 1:27 PM
Comment was deleted
Required fields are marked *
Edgar Pordwed
January 3, 2021 at 10:34 PM
I'm sorry I was unable to post comments. Thanks I will surely read your blog reviews. I did read your School Nurse Files article on kfangurl's blog, sorry I was a silent reader. You really got the drama, I understood it a lot better thanks to you!
Required fields are marked *
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
January 11, 2021 at 3:00 PM
Thanks, and I'm so glad you enjoyed my SNF piece.
Required fields are marked *
28 john
January 2, 2021 at 9:23 AM
C drama Jiu Liu Overlord
J drama Kotaki Kyodai to Shikuhakku
Mr Queen
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
January 2, 2021 at 12:41 PM
YAY for Mr Queen!
Required fields are marked *
john
January 3, 2021 at 8:56 AM
Finnished Kotaki Kyodai to Shikuhakku
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
January 3, 2021 at 1:48 PM
i will look for it. really like your recommendations!
Required fields are marked *
john
January 3, 2021 at 3:08 PM
Watched KBS Drama Special Return Home (2012), refugees returning home after war with Qing . Pretty good.
Required fields are marked *
john
January 3, 2021 at 4:33 PM
Another Drama Special Kang Duk-Soon's Love History Independence movement drama
Required fields are marked *
29 fangirl sy
January 2, 2021 at 9:49 AM
Yes Selena! And yes The Rose! I can’t believe I’m not not one who watched ilysb cover and thought ‘does he look like in yeop or am I just too into true beauty these days? Hahaha
HI to everyone liking CEO Dan ah and her cool efficiency
Required fields are marked *
chibi8535
January 2, 2021 at 12:21 PM
I thought I was seeing double, and proceeded to clean my foggy lenses! :P
Required fields are marked *
30 OldLawyer
January 2, 2021 at 10:30 AM
I have finally found a solution for getting iQIYI to my TV (at least the one with a third HDMI port): My Firestick will arrive from Amazon on Monday. Although iQIYI is not a pre-loaded App it is possible to “sideload” apps to the Firestick. It takes some careful steps because you are actually opening up and working through the ‘Administrator’ tools.
LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY is a little different but I am enjoying it. At the same time it can be irritating because we are dealing with the most idiotic separation since BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST LIFE. It is not even a Noble Separation- it is just stupid (In both shows). The difference is that in LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY it is actually the center of the plot. Don’t get me wrong- this show has me hooked- but it is not my favorite.
I recommend RUN ON to everyone, simply because of the OTP. This is the best romantic relationship since INTO THE RING. You can really see a very happy future for this couple. I can even imagine a new career for our now retired runner: He could go into politics himself, not to follow his father, but to fight the violence endemic to Korean society- in fact this could be the ultimate protest against his father.
MR. QUEEN is our favorite show. Shin Hye-sun has never been better- and that is saying a lot, because she is always really good. The voice-overs by Choi Jin-hyuk add a lot as well- his beautiful bass voice serves as such a contrast to Shin Hye-sun- even as they are jointly the same character. We are getting more court politics now but there are also laughs- like watching Court Lady Choi’s venture into the woods to engage in some Primal Scream Therapy. At the same time I agree with Quirkycase about the character of Hwi-jin: She is too calculating and the oddest part is that the King really does not seem to be that enamored of the lady that he is supposedly in love with.
My wife took some time off from her beloved Chinese Period Costume Dramas to binge watch THE BRIDGERTON’S, which is very loosely based upon the first novel in the series by Julia Quinn. She loved it. There is a reason it is the number one show on Netflix- it is so very well done. There is no official announcement of a second season but apparently there are indications that filming could begin as soon as March. We have been given a hint that it will be based upon the second novel - that hint is in the form of the bee that appeared in the final scene of BRIDGERTONS. Want the really good news? There are eight novels in the series, one for each Bridgerton sibling.
My wife is back to Chinese costume drama now with THE LEGEND OF FEI.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
January 2, 2021 at 10:31 AM
I forgot to add that over our long New Year’s holiday we have been watching an older family weekender, MARRY ME NOW. It is really good, even addictive. In just two days we are up to episode 26.
Required fields are marked *
Dorotka
January 2, 2021 at 12:18 PM
I liked the doctor's couple and there is one of the most original birth secret 😁
(Only the final stretch was less original if not even disappointing... I wish they gave the time to the step-siblings instead)
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
January 2, 2021 at 12:45 PM
Even though we have not reached that point yet I know the birth secret that you are talking about and it really was original.
Required fields are marked *
Dorotka
January 2, 2021 at 12:20 PM
Forgot I loooved Kim Kwon there!! 😍
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
January 2, 2021 at 11:14 PM
He did a fabulous job- and got a 'best new actor' award for it.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
January 2, 2021 at 3:31 PM
I love your description of Run, and I do believe the OTP can be as adorable and cute as SeRa and Gong!
Required fields are marked *
MeSaya
January 3, 2021 at 2:21 AM
Oh, me too, for 'Legend of Fei'
I watched Zanilia Zhao since 'Princess Agents', 'The Journey of Flower', and 'The Story of Ming Lan'. I do really hope this drama is good, too (crossed fingers).
Is Bridgertons really good? I mean, the story-wise? I love Downton Abbey or is this more like something from Jane Austen?
My take on Hwan Jin, maybe Cheol Jong met her before he went to the palace. She was happy when doing something she liked, for example painting.
I remember she was being bitter spoken with So Yong for the first time, that So Young was the one who taught her what living in a palace would be like.
I kind of understand her. How would you live and like a place with lots of back-stabbings, secrets and intrigue, when the first thing you experienced was being framed for murdering people? I would be tiptoeing and all my radars will become overly sensitive.
Ahahah... sorry for the essay.
I am glad you enjoying watching dramas.
Required fields are marked *
31