Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai - I have no prior knowledge about the original manga and I only checked the jdrama adaptation because of Takahashi Issei. He is brilliant as the eccentric manga writer with a special supernatural ability. And I also think that he and Iioyo Marie have a very nice dynamic (she plays Rohan's bubbly editor). The first episode, Millionaire Village, was great and I was excited for the next two episodes... which sadly were not as great. I guess I expected more depth (and punch).

Run On on the other hand is still great. Even after 8 episodes. I was especially touched by the scene in the hospital - Mijoo's exhaustion and complaining... and Sunkym's understanding and then entertaining the elderly ladies...

Cheorin - there were some boring and some random parts (like the shooting drill)...but then they wake the Queen up and bring the hilarity back and I'm laughing sooo much! Tango 😂

Cheat On Me - still funny and I still don't know where we are heading to. (And I'm still shipping Agent with Writernim).

Run On (Episode 7-8) - Mood: A-
Although I still take more than 1 hour to finish watching 1 hour of this show, I find that there is always a moment where I go ‘ah this is the plot device of the week’. We got the first serious dialogue of Dan Ah’s father which leans into the trope of lame family drama, unfortunately with Idol Star as collateral damage. Is Dan Ah being unnecessarily harsh on him? It isn’t very clear in my opinion even if she’s judging him by association because she has her own emotional baggage and desires her own solo time, regardless of the fact that she is not in want of money or status unlike the other three leads.

On another note, the show has certainly not been afraid of exploring the LGBT angle with the dialogue, though I remain cautiously optimistic that we’ll even get an actual plot element on it (much less a nuanced one at that) since this is still a Korean drama airing on television. The signs are certainly there with the Yeong Hwa’s friend repeatedly coming to his house drunk being the most obvious one but I wonder if the writer has more surprises for us. For instance, Young Il with the photo? Common predictions have Sun Gyum becoming his agent but this show has been nothing short of expected.

Mr. Queen (Episode 7-8) - Mood: C+
It’s the episode 8 kiss with the second lead staring on aghast as per the classic drama convention! I do have 1 question though after the second time travel: where did the soul of the real So Yong disappear to after kissing Bong Hwan in the lake? I find it paramount that the writer answers this question soon because Bong Hwan does have unfinished business in the modern world to wrap up and frankly speaking any sort of soul-merging development is a cop-out on the writer’s part since the King fell in love with Bong Hwan. Maybe the childhood connection trope could help to reinforce the OTP?

The Uncanny Counter (Episode 9-10) - Mood: C
Despite it not being outright stated, I have faith that Wigen expelled So Mun not just for herself but also for him: he was in dire need of a lesson in controlling his emotions which continue to lead him astray (really, why expose yourself to the Mayor powerless). For all their omniscience, it is funny that Yung didn’t notice that So Mun’s memory is still intact when they had threatened Ha Na to remove it. Speaking of a fake out, if Sugar Daddy has special powers, then where did his counterpart spirit go? Writer, please don’t let that be a plot hole. Production even hired a kid for Ha Na with like 5 lines!

Also watching:
Cheat on Me, If You Can (Episode 9-10) - Mood: C+, I don’t see any purpose for Mi Rae’s character at all.
True Beauty (Episode 7-8) - Mood: D+, Not sure I agree with that interpretation of Familiar Wife.
Awaken (Episode 11-12) - Mood: D, Jamie is a damsel again and somehow everyone turns up on the island?

CRICKET -

New Zealand is at 1st place n Test Cricket for the 1st time ever. I was waiting for the official ranking to be up this week and yes yes yes
History is made.

Kane Williamson is at 1st place as Test Cricket Batsman. Yes yes yes

and what a start for Jamieson.

Sri lanka Vs. South Africa - so many injured srilankan players and no contest between teams. One sided test series.

India Vs. Australia - All the spice and entertainment is in this test series. 2 teams that always invite some controversy whenever match up in Australia, much thanks to Australian media.
2nd test was awesome and so was 1st 2 days of 3rd test but India has the same problem of so many injured players but still contest is on and i'm quite invested here.

Test Cricket takes much of your time and you are left with no time for other media.

Run-On: Not much movement this week but some really good character interaction. The ending of Episode 8 was more romantic to me than any kiss scene. Unlike many k-drama couples, I feel like I understand what Seon-gyeom and Mi-joo like about each and why they would be good together. I loved their fight. Emotion vs. logic. I like how Young-hwa treats Seon-gyeong and Mi-joo like old friends. One scene and I just want Dan-ah to give Tae-woong some love.

Mr. Queen: Episodes 7 was a drag until Bong-hwan woke up. Episode 8 was better but the series kind of lost some of its charm for me. It was feeling like a 20 episode drama with the dumb Hwan scenes. Hwa-jin plotting while playing victim was as predictable as it was boring. Byeong In's obsession with So-yong was as predictable as it was boring. Not sold on romance but we'll see.

Lovestruck in the City: It was nice seeing more of the other characters. The main couple continue to be boring but also kind of toxic. Did the producers of this mockumentary purposely pick four friends and two ex romantic partners or is this the coincidence to end all coincidences? I still don't understand Eun-oh's reasons for not returning the cameras.

Uncanny Counter: So Moon putting himself and others at risk was frustrating me, so I'm glad there were consequences. Otherwise, I don't have much to say.

@selena I was hit with the same wave of Lee Do-hyun love -- and now wishing I hadn't binged his entire filmography in one week. 😭 *impatiently waits for updates on Youth of May*

Penthouse: I'm still holding out hope that Shim Soo-ryeon is alive. Even if Lee Ji-ah is in Season 2 as her doppelgänger, the butterfly tattoo twins' birth mom, she's not Soo-ryeon. Her character is the reason why I love this drama. Before Joo Dan-tae stabbed her, could she have taken potassium to momentarily stop her heart beating like how she and Secretary Yoon faked Joo Hye-in's death?

Oh Yoon-hee is even less dead than Soo-ryeon, since this was not the first time her neck had been sliced. I still wish Min Seol-a's killer would be a twist because we already saw Yoon-hee attempt to kill Seol-a and be accused by the school, but Soo-ryeon's pinky promise to forgive Yoon-hee no matter what she does was foreshadowing.

None of them have been redeemed, but I surprisingly cried for characters I hate: Cheon Seo-jin when she held back her tears on the phone while her voice cracked was so relatable; Ha Eun-byul when the police arrested Ha Yoon-cheol, and she broke down and cried, "Appa!" Her dad was the only person she had between her suicidal thoughts; the twins when they saw Soo-ryeon's body and cried, "Eomma!" while being held back by the police; Bae Ro-na and Yoon-hee when the detectives put Yoon-hee in the police van and Ro-na sobbed, "Mom, look at me" while running after it; and Yoo Jennie, who is the kid I hate the most, but I sobbed as soon as she opened her door with the bag of food in her hand because I knew Jennie was giving it to Ro-na.

Awaken: I don't understand how either of the two men arrived on the Island. Why did no one notice them? What is Jaime Leighton's power? How come she only got trauma issues, but the boys are GENIUSES.😑😒

Cheat on me if you can: Mi Rae is the simply the catalyst for Yeo Joo realizing her husband is cheating trash. Her character has the charisma of a wooden spoon, baffling. I too am only watching for Yeo Joo and Director Ma.😏

Lovestruck in the City: I really enjoy this show, the format, and even the couples. I actually think JCW is doing a good job here, because he is almost utterly unlikeable, what a whiner. I want to meet the real Eun O and not just the glimpses of her life.

Mr. Queen: LOVE IT. Shin Hye Sun shining and brilliant. Honestly there isn't much to say.

Uncanny Counter: OOOOOOOO plot twist, lessons learned. So Mun deserved to have his powers stripped, but I am glad he seems to be learning his lesson.

Run On: I will be binging six eps with my friend, I am excited.

Extracurricular: What a ride. Those characters are so sad!! Also Choi Min Soo, back to being my ahjusshi crush. We won't talk about the previous project that killed that particulat fire.

The Uncanny Counter. Shin is scary. A lot. And so are the rest of the baddies. It’s a bit overwhelming how baddies are always getting their way and our counters can’t do much to end them. I don’t trust the Yung spirits, although I get WiGen not wanting Mun around because he almost killed her more than once. This said… if they are spirits, can they die forever? It seems they are there waiting to reincarnate. And also, WiGen was anxious when her previous counter died, and she needed another one asap and that’s why she found Mun, but know she’s been through a list, made interviews to candidates and is not anxious at all about not having a counter… is it because she decided to end the contract or because back then she was weak because her counter suddenly died or it is just a plot hole?

Awaken. Well, it’s slowed down and now we have revenge coming! This drama is so filled with tropes, but I’m liking it. Also Kim Chang Wan is an amazing actor: one minute is an adorable dad and the next minute he talks with total indifference about experimenting with children and them dying because it’s needed. He is really scary.

Run On Well our OTP decided to go round and round instead of accepting and confessing openly how fond they are of each other. Even so, I loved how SeonGyeom looked after MiJoo in the hospital (the way he dealt with the ahjummas was just adorable and so in character). I may have a complain about how we are on episode 8 and we don’t know what most of the characters are there for, but I will not complain at all. Why? Because I love the drama and I the OTP is adorable, and because I love how the drama is dealing with important issues as loneliness and how people lead with it. I found specially heartbreaking TaeWoong confession to DanAh, that he follows her around because at least she hates him. Poor kid.

Lovestruck in the city.I keep repeating myself: the main couple is boring and their love story is based on a lie. I love the camera interactions and I ADORE Seong Yeong.

I finished Because this is my first life and I liked it a lot, I wasn’t disappointed by the ending at all. Was the separation needless? To me yes, but not to JiHo. The drama divided my heart between the moments it was broken for JiHo, it was squeeing for her. I wanted to cry of pain and laugh of joy at the same time. Not many dramas can play with your emotions this way.

Persona. I had wanted to watch this for a long time and I finally did. I liked the four stories. My favourite was the last one. I liked the atmosphere, and IU is fantastic, as always.

I continue watching Six Flying Dragons and I hope I can finish this week. Since we’re in Joseon things are getting much better (neoconfucionism have lowered to the minimum and it’s not exhausting watching two episodes in a row). Yoo Ah In is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life.

Run-on I find the replay value awesome. Each hour is like 90% our 4 leads being awesome, adorable, weird, or funny (omg, how cute was that Young-hwa, Mi-joo, and Seon-kyum meetup). Bullies have limited screen time and power. Even in that scene with Dan-ah's dad and brother. They may be oppressing her, but you don't feel that she's hopeless. Seon-kyum's dad being a douche again? Mi-joo navigated that situation beautifully and got the upper hand. Actually, just a lot of capable women in this.

Uncanny Counter. I've been anxiously waiting for the other foot to drop in terms of consequences for the counters breaking the rules and am relieved it finally did. Though knowing how many strikes they've all got, I'm worried that one of them won't be surviving the end of the series. I was sad that So Moon was punished and stripped of his powers, but I think learning to control his emotions will make him even more powerful. Hate can't be the only way to summon the Territory.

Korean Pork Belly Rhapsody I'm not that into pork belly, but the show makes me want to eat massive amounts of pork belly.

Busy week at work this week so haven't been able to catch up on Cheat on me if you can, Mr.Queen, Into the Ring, and Secret Royal Investigator (meant to check out ep 3 and 4 to see if it got better).

CHEAT ON ME (Ep 9-10): Adding a vengeful CEO with gangster ties to a NIS stalker being directed by YJ's father, and a likely powerful cult, puts more players on the stage but does not reveal YJ's full back story. Why is everyone so worried about YJ and the secret she is hiding? The more we see of "the scary lady" part of YJ, the more we see that she may not be the perfect sleuth (she has some blind spots and misconceptions of situations to draw wrong conclusions). The Mirae story line is immaterial unless the final reveal is a parallel lesson from YJ's past.

- Completed -

A PIECE OF YOUR MIND (12/12): This is the cathartic drama that I craved and couldn’t find last year, with characters and an understated romance that unfolded gently like the passing seasons. The episode cut left some loose ends, but I choose to look at it as giving the drama a sense of incompleteness, which somehow fits with the theme that we can only really know bits and pieces of other people, but love them all the same. Wonderful OST.

- Ongoing -

TRUE BEAUTY (8/16): What @selena said. If I get SLS it's all Hwang In-yub's fault for making Seo-joon so swoony and childish at the same time. I loved how he bragged that he wasn't afraid of ghosts and proceeded to faint when he did see the "ghost". Su-ho needs to stop glaring and staring. It's boring.

SECRET ROYAL INSPECTOR (6/16): This week’s episodes weren’t spectacular, but I like the way L’s character is mostly a dunce who has his brief moments of luck and genius. It’s a running joke that he cannot keep his “secret” assignments a secret.

BLOOMS AT RUYI PAVILION (5/40): Help, I started a Cdrama. Is this one any good? No spoilers please, just tell me if the ending is a trainwreck.

Live On It's still not over...

Awaken The 3 kids are finally reunited! Not for the best on the other hand. It's sad they have to fight against each other.

Run On I think I miss Beanie train for this one. So I dropped it. For me, they are random people doing really weird things. ISW is cute in this drama, but I can't help to see him because he kinda has the same personality in the real life.

True Beauty I like this drama but I wonder how they will tell the story during 8 episodes without falling in the usual tropes.

The Uncanny Counter The celestial part is boring and doesn't really make sense.

Mr. Queen I'm rooting for the Queen and still dislike the King. How can he say that she's his woman when he's still seeing his concubine and using the sickness of the Queen to search his father-in-law's house...

Lovestruck in the City It's a fun watch. The format is original and works well for me.

Hot Stove League I needed more NGM on my screen. It's the second time I watched it and it's still very good, even when you know the plot. NGM well deserved his award for this role!

Thank you to whoever recommended Kono Koi Atatamemasu Ka to me. I just finished it and I quite enjoyed it. It is probably one of the few dramas in which I was okay with the male lead falling for either the female lead or the second female lead. I did like the second male lead, but his attitude did reek a bit too much of the entitlement of nice guys sometimes, so I'm glad the FL didn't fall for him. All in all, good drama. Thank you once again.

Now I need to find a recent sageuk or Chinese historical/wuxia to watch.

Happy Mr. Queen day everyone! This week's watchlist -

Awaken - Significant plot movement this week. The three 'kids' are finally together and I'm looking forward to the confrontation.

Secret Royal Inspector - Will continue for now. L and Kwon Nara are cute even if the story seems trite.

True Beauty - It's cute I guess? I realise I'm not very invested in the love triangle. I just want happy Seojun 😤

Run On - Still here for Im Siwan and Sooyoung. I do not understand the attraction of the stalker-y college boy but I guess that's the story we're watching 🤷‍♀️

Cheat on Me... - In a show full of criminals, why do I find the chaebol college student the creepiest 🤔 Still love Sooho

Delayed Justice - Last week's episodes were weak. Nothing that happened in Ep 13 held any meaning since it was all reversed in Ep 14 as we knew it would be.

Weekend plan - MR. QUEEN 🥳, this week's episodes of Delayed Justice, and last week + this week's episodes of Uncanny Counter if I can hack it

Run On : One of many things I like about the show is that female characters are complex. Dan-ah can be selfish and righteous. Same Dan-ah can be cruel to her brother but cares about her employees quite a lot. She cares about Sun-Kyum but puts her companie’s interest first. She hates her brother and father but cares enough not expose them for sake of the company. Even Sun-Kyun’s mother comes across as neglectful but is aware of the fact she was not a great mother. She acknowledges that being actress was easier for her than being a mother. But does not means she is cold; she clearly loves her son and wants him to be happy.
Lovestruck in the City : I like the show when it does not solely focus on the mopey couple.
True Beauty : I find Cha-Eun Woo quite wooden and boring. I am staying for MGW and HIY.
I find mom-dad dynamic quite problematic. It is filled with stealing, casual verbal and physical abuse.
The Uncanny Counter : I find villain quite cliché but Eunni gang quite adorable. I am staying for them.
Cheat on me if you can: Best part of the show are Soo-ho and Kang Yeo-Joo.
Mr. Queen: I have boarded the Mr. Queen express and hoping it won’t get detailed in later part.

-completed-

THE TALE OF NOKDU - (complete/ratings:7/10) I followed this drama on Dramabeans recaps. However, I decided to watch it for real. And it was a very enjoyable ride overall. Lovable characters, great female cast, good funny moments, heartbreaking moments with meaning. I wouldn’t say perfect, but it was a good watch ;)

-ongoing-

HWARANG – (watched:ep10/ratings:5/10) I dropped this drama around the time it aired. I just wasn’t feeling it at the time. So, after 4 years, I decided to give it a second chance. It’s never too late. For now, it feels okay-ish.

MR. QUEEN - (watched:ep7/ratings:5/10) What a boring episode. I had a hard time watching it because it felt as if time had slowed down. I think this is due to the Queen’s coma condition, which means that this drama is only enjoyable because of Shin Hye-sun. She is the only one carrying this drama.

TRUE BEAUTY - (watched:ep8/ratings:7/10) I feel sorry for Soo-ho, not only did his friend died but he was also blamed for his death. My heart hurt when I saw him cry at the rooftop. I hate the mom, how can she love 2 of her kids and hate the other? That's cruel, she doesn't deserve to be called a mother. Love the sister and the teacher together.

HIKARU NO GO Chinese - (watched:ep5/ratings:9/10) What gem is this? What a nice surprise. I saw the anime version when I was a teenager, and I loved it except for the ending. This remake is so nicely done so far. I'm not that used to hear Mandarin Chinese, but the story is so good that it doesn't bother me much.

-onhold&dropped-

QUEEN: LOVE & WAR - (watched:ep3/ratings:4/10) The story is intriguing, and a fictional King makes me hope for a happier script, rather than the usual sad and dramatic sageuk script. But it felt very boring at the beginning. Not sure if I will continue or not. Depends on my mood.

LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY - (watched:ep1/ratings:2/10) Dropped. I just couldn’t watch anymore. Sorry Ji Chang-wook, see you in a parallel universe.

Spent the last couple of weeks in a webtoon rabbit hole, but because I was on holiday, still had enough time to watch Start Up, which was fun but pretty forgettable. Loved the OST, loved the side characters and the two leads were very cute. Totally recommend it as a no-effort-watch.
Besides that, tried to catch up with Mr Queen, but Shin Hyesoon-ess episode kind of disconnected me from the drama. I'll try it again some day soon. Also caught up with Uncanny Counter, still low-key loving it.

Started watching True Beauty with my kids. It's pretty standard, but they like the high school setting. Kids started calling Suho "Ricachón" (spanish for chaebol, or "filthy rich") and Seojun is "Malote Supremo" (punk supreme?). Kids are currently on different teams, each hating on one of the male leads, but we all agree that Jukyung is freaking adorable and that Soojin is the coolest.

If you're curious about which webtoons have been keeping me away from dramas, I've been reading loads, but here are the ones I've been liking the most: Pigpen, Bastard, Omniscient Reader, I'm the grim reaper, Lore Olympus, Cicada on a Tree, Phase. Any recs?

Run On: really loving everything about this show so far, i.e. the colors, the pacing, the vibe between the leads, even the second leads (who are finally coming into their own). I like that Mi-joo and Sun-kyum's interactions aren't entirely about their feelings. Their conversations help kind of unpack who they are as individuals too.

I'm slightly put off by the casual way the show just throws out words like "outing" and "lesbian." It's 2021, and LGBT issues/characters ought to be more than a throwaway plot point for a character trying to avoid marriage. I hope the writers have put more thought into this than what we're seeing so far.

Mr. Queen: I don't think I really "get" the show, but I do think it's both funny and unexpectedly charming. I've been ever so slightly bored by the most recent episodes, however.

Goblin: I just started watching this (I'm on Episode 2), and wow, I'm just blown away by how well made this show is, right off the bat. Also, this is the first time I'm seeing Gong Yoo in anything, and double wow. That is all.

Currently watching:

The Uncanny Counter: Just one stupidity; Somun confronting the mayor powerless (seemingly) and that too in his school uniform. I'm scared for grandparents! Somun-ah💕!! Chosimjae!!!

Mr. Queen: As much as it's premise is wacky and amusing, I struggle to love this show as much I should. While Bong-whan/So-yong's antics are funny and entertaining enough, the rest of it feels quite empty. Maybe Mr. Queen needs to get into the royal affairs himself to amp up the overall show.

Extracurricular: As much as I hate characters and people (irl) like Gyuri, I'm glad she was there to save Jisoo at the end (which I hope they made it out safely). Kim Dong-hee is a cutie-patootie and..I must confess I kept seeing Suho (EXO) instead of Gyuri for most of the show 😅😅 it's just too uncanny of a resemblance for my eyes!!

Mr. Queen: 7.5 Shin Hye-Sun is still funny but if they expect her to carry the whole show they need to keep her conscious and on-screen. Attempts at humor with other characters fall flat except for the head cook. Side characters, palace politics and love rivalries are dull.

Uncanny Counter: 7.0

Run On: 7.0

Fly Dragon / Delayed Justice: 6.0 Sigh. So many (slightly) better shows and they make this one 20 episodes 😠 I was looking forward to it being over so I could pocket the Bean and move on.

Cheat on Me If You Can: 7.4

Awaken: 7.6 Day 11 - Next time your trips get rained out two days in a row - there are these things called weather forecasts. You can even check them on your phone. Day 12 - Once again cops pull guns on baddies and it somehow turns into a "dramatic" fist fight. Sigh. "Bringing a gun to a fist fight" is not my favorite kdrama trope.

Run on : I liked ep 7 the most and while ep 8 was a bit slow because our leads did'nt interact much with each other the final scene made up for all the time lost. Ki sun gyum... How awesome is that scene. KSG's mom is cool and despite her not being much in his life they clearly adore each other. And it was very heart warming to watch. This week I did'nt mind his dad much. Mijoo getting sick amd sun kyum being there for her was tropey but strangely it felt realistic esp as mijoo just asked for some quiet and calm. Eagerly waiting for next week.
So since I decided not to start any new dramas which is going fine I made my mother start MY AJUSSHI and I'm also watching with her since it's her first kdrama and she is really enjoying but we're taking it very slow like 2 episodes a week since she is quiet busy. Still at ep 3. So happy that I get to rewatch the drama.

1. Two Cops (10/16)

Still watching the previous projects of Mr.Dimples. 😊 (Strongest Delivery Man should be the last one as it is expected to be the best one) It is an easy watch, and probably an easily forgettable one, but at least I found out how talented Jo Jung-suk really is. I know he is charismatic and all, but not before I was blown away by his performance like I do in this one. Here he had to act as 2 different persons: Him acting as himself a detective; and him acting as he was possessed by an adorably but apparently a conning man spirit (Kim Seon-ho's character). Totally agree with a Beanie's comment that this is the first time KSH didn't steal a scene. Jo Jung-suk's screen presence is something to behold, and I am just glad Baby got to work with such a talented, veteran actor like him

I found it lacking on the romance front though. The evident difference in age between JJS and Lee Hye-ri made me feel a little bit uneasy watching them kiss passionately. KSH is adorable as ever, but I have to say that he didn't work his magic for me in this one, as my attention is mainly directed to JJS's character.

This is a combo of what I’ve watched the past few weeks. Completely forgot to do the ‘What we’re watching’ thread.

Currently Airing

COLOR RUSH: Really liking this so far. There seems to be some chemistry there, and I’m loving the angst in this so far. I noticed it was rated R on Viki and MDL. I’m not sure if this is right or not. It doesn’t give this vibe right now (very much has a TV-14 rating to me). Anyways, I’m interested to see what happens in the future episodes. (ep. 1-4)

LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY: I liked this more than I though I would. It’s got a calming vibe. And I love the beach, so that was a plus. (ep. 1)

MR QUEEN: It is funny, but I’m not loving it. Hate tithe political stuff. I always find it very boring in saeguks. (ep. 1)

RUN ON: There’s been a lot of praise for this drama. It was okay. The first episode definitely just jumped right into the characters lives and seemed a little all over the place (for a first episode). But I like the two leads, so I will continue to try to catch up. (ep. 1)

TRUE BEAUTY: I’m enjoying it overall. I was watching this on my laptop in the same room as my dad (who happened to be watching something on TV), and it was very much a struggle to keep myself from laughing aloud. (ep. 3-6)

THE UNCANNY COUNTER: This episode was very much a struggle to get through after that initial fight. There were a lot of scenes with the bad guys that I just found quite boring. But I made it! (ep. 4)

Rewatched

THE BOY NEXT DOOR: Randomly decided to watch this after the New Year. Funny as usual. (ep. 6)

Run On:
Still watching. Still loving.

True Beauty:
Definitely my guilt pleasure.
I had a problem with the concept of "ugly" in this drama and still do. But all the characters are just so funny. I laugh so much watching this drama. I was originally on Soo ho's boat, but now I'm standing on both. Jookyung seems to really like Soo ho and I can understand where she's coming from, so it's hard for me to abandon that boat. On the other hand, Seojoon is such a good soft human being. How can you not like him? (Not to mention, Hwang In-yup has such a nice deep voice.)

Mr. Queen:
Surviving with the help of the fast forward button.

Run On: my current fave, still going strong, no other comment than I 100% echo @stroopwafel's take and that I wish Dan-ah would be less cruel to Tae-woong. And also that I like that every character is human, in that they have both very awesome characteristics but also some very real flaws.

The Swindlers: I've been meaning to watch this for a while since the cast and concept looked interesting, and I actually really enjoyed it. Two-hour commitment on a particularly frigid night.

Schitt's Creek: finally finished season 6 - what a treat that show was! I'm sad to say good bye, but they're ending the show on a high note with the story told. I wish American series would take a page out of this Canadian masterpiece's book.

I'll be starting my Missing: the Other Side binge tomorrow, so thanks to the beanies who steered me in that direction!

Forest of Secrets 2 (Episodes 6-16): I am impressed at how all the cases came together in a stunning conclusion that showcased the extent to which people in power can go to conceal their crimes. Really enjoyed watching Shi Mok and Yeo Jin working together again in the midst of the tension between the police and the prosecution, but I wish I got to see more of Dong Jae and Shi Mok’s wary partnership.

Run On (Episodes 1-4): Loving the snappy banter between the main leads, whose respective personalities are refreshing and unique. It doesn’t hurt that their chemistry is on point as well. I also appreciate how the show chooses to portray a different angle of typical drama tropes.

Currently Watching:
1. True Beauty: Effortlessly adorable. I don't mind Suho who seems to have about 1 and a quarter of an expression on his face all the time, because he cute, and i shallow :3 Also, the sister x HR teacher is a parody i didn't know i needed xD

2. Mr. Queen: This is why I do not watch Saeguks :/ The fact that the show-quality dropped as soon as SHS wasn't on our screens, indicates a very problematic and dismal future for the show. Since i have invested 10+ hours on this already, might as well soldier on!

3. Shanai Marriage Honey: Cute and single-tracked. Waiting for more eps to drop, cuz the subbing is at snail-pace atm. Grateful to the subbers tho, for their hardwork! <3

4. Growing Season: Quite a boring week. I wish Kid Park and A-yin would get together, like yesterday!...

5. Lovestruck in the City: Haven't yet caught up with the last 2 eps. Hope the 'camera-thief' bit is addressed soon. And also some focus on the other 2 couples, who aren't as mopey and problematic as the lead couple. I wish JCW/KJW's characters weren't as meh.

6. Intense Love: Was definitely missing Ryan Ding on my screen (Tiger & Rose). Didn't help Itagaki Mizuki (from Shanai) reminds me SO much him from certain angles, hence gave this a shot. But nope, Not even Ryan Ding can make me stay beyond ep.1. Waiting eagerly for Moonlight to drop, it has *such* manga vibes. Ryan does skinship well. Hope they go the jap-route on this one *wink* *wipes drool*

7. Start-Up: About to blow up my screen, because this seemed like such a colossal waste of time? Why did they not focus more on *real* struggles of a start-up? Why do they not tell us how Sandbox protects its baby-businesses? Why did I keep waiting for the FL to fulfill her dad's incomplete dreams? T_T
Turned out to be more like a 'romanticized' idea of a Start-Up, instead of a real depiction. And they seemed incredibly lucky, tbh. I guess I am a victim of my own misplaced expectations, and between the last remaining (& very predictable) episode and the MDL-comment section...I know which one I am looking forward to more xD xD
*grabs popcorn*

Dropped:
ALSB: Not feeling it all. I'm so over ItaKiss type stories (but I'm dying for f4:thailand) heh! Heard the c-drama original is better. Might check that out cuz apparently it's more heartfelt.

MR. QUEEN is our favorite show. Shin Hye-sun shines. But the voice-overs by Choi Jin-hyuk appear to have ended and I miss them.

My wife continues to watch the Chinese costume drama THE LEGEND OF FEI.

We finished watching an older family weekender, MARRY ME NOW. It was really good. This does mean that I am behind on the currently airing HOMEMADE LOVE STORY.

I am still watching LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY but am a bit frustrated by the fact that the central plotline is the most idiotic separation since BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST LIFE. LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY still has me hooked- but supremely frustrated with the female lead. On the other hand we got to see a lot more f the other characters this week and they were good.

In sharp contrast is RUN ON which has the best romantic relationship since INTO THE RING. You can really see the chemistry of this couple. Unfortunately you can also see rough seas ahead for them. But Stroopwafel is absolutely right that there is more than just the OTP: There is a quartet, and yet it is not a love quadrangle. I have actually fallen in love with the character of Dan-ah- she is a strong woman yet she is so beautifully flawed and vulnerable that it is wonderful. Her lack of any real support from her family is in tragic contrast to Sun-kyum’s relationship with his sister Eun-bi. Dan-ah really needs someone and that is where our second male lead will come in. Her flawed and all too human nature shows in her treatment of her younger half-brother- which is probably baggage that was forced or dumped upon her by a justifiably resentful mother. Meanwhile our male lead and the second lead are well on the way to a true bromance. The second male lead is a delightful young art student who is almost naively Candy-like, in sharp contrast to Dan-ah's worldliness.

Still absolutely fascinated with "Run On" and so moved by the loneliness of Sun Kyum. The two leads are carrying so much baggage and need each other so much I can't wait for them to become their own special unit. Every single character has an interesting story. I'm still not sure whether Dan-ah is supposed to be gay or is just saying so to avoid getting married off to somebody useful to her father. Sun Kyum is so absolutely precious, he's a marvellous actor and conveys so much with just a flicker of the eyes. I just wish he was a little more able to express himself, but this is a slow-burn romance and it really builds beautifully. This is only one of three dramas I have watched when I actually watch each episode more than once, there is so much in the dialogue and it is so beautifully written. I'm sad it is half over!

City Hunter: not to be overdramatic but to be overdramatic, never have I been so led astray by beanies and the OG Overlords. I was excited for this show because everyone and their mama compared it to Healer and raved on about this show. I just never had gotten around to it. We finally got to it and just finished it this week and what in the world did we just watch. The romance was flat. The politics were flat. The only solid part was how sharp those angles in Emo Assassin and Emo Prosecutor's hair were and LMH's shirts trying to break the record for how low could a v-neck be and still be a shirt. (Ok to give legit credit the fight scenes with LMH were pretty well choreographed). Otherwise, sigh.
I've gotten into web series because they are easy to squeeze in during dead time at work. I accidentally started live-watching One Fine Week 2. So far so good though I like the first season better. I'm just glad this is a real continuation. But, it is a real bummer to wait a week for 2 16 min eps.

Well, 2021 has already been to much to handle. Can't wait for 2022!

Apropos of nothing, I'm in 14 day isolation because the city I flew out of after Christmas is now a hotspot. So - dramas and takeaway! So 2020 so 2021.

But, since I am in Slump Land (mostly), this has not gone particularly well. Oh look, I'm just going to say it. The best thing airing at the moment is The Expanse. And unfortunately I get 40 minutes of that a week, which is excruciating.

But, back to Korea:

Uncanny Counter continues to whelm me. It whelms me enough to keep watching. I am whelmed. I hope I am allowed to be whelmed, despite not being in Europe. I think the thing I find most offputting about this show is its violence. Not just the violence the show utilises but its celebration of violence. Sure, they have an entire plotline about controlling your emotions but it doesn't change the fact that the show's underpinning philosophy is that only violence is the solution to violence. I'm not thrilled with that, especially in 2021.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay: I'm late to this party but I did like the show's first two episodes. There's a part of me that's guarded though because it has all the elements it needs to really go off the rails around either mental health issues or the more cliched elements of the romance. Still, people who loved this really really loved it and I'm willing to go on this journey. I do completely love the female lead's unapologetic qualities, her refusal to bend to societal dictates and her gothic princess-turned-witch persona. I love the Candy male/tsundere female inversion. But that doesn't mean this relationship magically becomes functional just because you gender flip it. They're going to have to work to sell me on it (assuming that's what it's trying to do).

Bride of Habaek: Don't laugh. Look, I picked up this show about eight months ago and had managed to watch/survive three episodes. Yesterday, somebody sent me a tumbler post about how it's the BEST OTP EVA and the BEST FEMALE LEAD EVA and you know I'm in lockdown over here so I actually pressed play again. This show is terrible. But, you know, it's almost hypnotically pointless. Like the fact that nothing happens, NJH wanders around semi-naked and then nothing continues to happen is almost mesmerising. I made it to episode 6. At this rate I will finish this drama.... sometime in 2022.

Futmalls: Nice concept, poor execution. Don't bother.

Mr Queen: Sorry everyone, I found the first episode of this was not a humour I generally respond to. I'm not a huge fan of slapstick or, if I am, it's a certain kind of physical comedy that's less overstated than this. It's dropped for now, although if people continue to rave about it I might pick it up again. The two leads are great actors and my comment has nothing to do with how amazing SHS is. I watched all of the ridiculous Angel's Last Mission for her after...