Premiere Watch: At a Distance Spring Is Green, Monthly Magazine Home, Hospital Playlist 2, Nevertheless, Voice 4
by missvictrix
It’s time for one of my favorite things — a drama onslaught! Every now and then, the drama gods arrange their offerings in such a way that we are inundated with new shows, and tons of variety, all within the same week. There’s so much I want to watch, I don’t even know where to start. Pick your poison, everyone!
At a Distance, Spring Is Green
Time slot: Monday & Tuesday
Broadcaster: KBS
Genre: Coming-of-age, youth, romance
Episode count: 12
Reasons to watch: Love a small, off-the-radar drama filled with new faces in leading roles. You’re gonna be good, right Show? This coming-of-age drama follows several characters as they deal with the everyday realities of university life. For our fresh-faced leading cast, we have Park Ji-hoon (of Produce 101 S2 fame), Kang Mina (you might know her from her support roles in Beyond Evil and True Beauty), and my newest favorite Bae In-hyuk (current campus hottie in My Roommate is a Gumiho). Am I ready for the unexpected friendship between our male leads with “very different personalities”? Yes. Yes, I am.
Monthly Magazine Home
Time slot: Wednesday & Thursday
Broadcaster: JTBC
Genre: Romance
Episode count: 16
Reasons to watch: Kim Ji-suk, how I missed you! He last wowed us in My Unfamiliar Family, and now he’s back starring opposite Jung So-min. Score, casting directors! The drama looks like a cute, if predictable, rom-com that centers on the idea of home. Throw in an editor and the publishing industry, and I’ve pretty much convinced myself that this is a must-watch. I didn’t even need to see that the drama is penned by the writer that brought us You Who Forgot Poetry — but it sure doesn’t hurt. Though the trailers don’t seem to be doing anything terribly new, the drama has a great cast that should be able to bring this thing to life.
Hospital Playlist 2
Time slot: Thursday
Broadcaster: tvN
Genre: Medical, comedy, romance
Episode count: 12
Reasons to watch: Our crew is back! It’s been a while. With a bunch of wonderful characters and storylines on pause for the last 13+ months, it will be a relief as much as a pleasure to return to this world and check in on everyone. The production is notoriously tight-lipped about, well, everything, so maybe the best way to prepare for the Season 2 premiere is with a nice binge of Season 1 to refresh our memories?
Voice 4
Time slot: Friday & Saturday
Broadcaster: OCN
Genre: Crime, action, thriller, fantasy
Episode count: 14
Reasons to watch: The fan favorite crime thriller series is back, and Lee Hana reprises her role as the profiler with excellent hearing skills. This time, she’s chasing down a killer that just might be her match, and her biggest battle yet. In its fourth rendition, Lee Hana is joined by none other than Song Seung-heon. (This woman sure gets handsome costars, sigh!) I actually haven’t seen any of the Voice series, but if there was one I planned on watching, it would be this one. I mean, take the murderous thrills and then add Song Seung-heon playing an LAPD detective by the name of Derek. This, I need to see.
Nevertheless
Time slot: Saturday
Broadcaster: JTBC
Genre: Romance
Episode count: 10
Reasons to watch: While I’ve yet to get on the Song Kang train, I will readily admit the boy is capable of some serious swooniness. After the more serious turn in the lovely Navillera, Song Kang is back (again), for some romance. This time he’s playboy who woos a heroine who no longer believes in love (Han So-hee). I expect my heart to flutter, break, and hopefully flutter again at the end. But even if it doesn’t, I’m here for a) that wrist kiss from the teaser; and b) Han So-hee, who was excellently hateable in A Couple’s World. If she can bring even half of that energy onscreen here, it will be interesting.
RELATED POSTS
- Lee Kyu-hyung joins Song Seung-heon, Lee Hana in thriller Voice 4
- Falling in love and trusting others in From A Distance, A Green Spring
- A glimpse at our cast and college life in promos for From A Distance, A Green Spring
- Lee Hana enlists Song Seung-heon’s help in new promos for Voice 4
- Boiled pork and falling books bring Kim Ji-suk and Jung So-min together in Monthly Magazine Home
- Hospital Playlist 2 releases new poster and stills
- Song Kang, Han So-hee in new teaser for Nevertheless
- Jung So-min, Kim Ji-suk showcase their homes in Monthly Magazine Home
- Song Kang and Han So-hee confirmed for new drama
- Jung So-min and Kim Ji-suk confirmed for new JTBC housing drama
Tags: At a Distance Spring Is Green, Hospital Playlist, Hospital Playlist 2, Monthly Magazine Home, Nevertheless, Premiere Watch, Voice 4
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1 Jezz
June 13, 2021 at 10:09 PM
Legal streaming sites for...:
At a Distance, Spring Is Green: Iqiyi
Monthly Magazine Home: Iqiyi
Hospital Playlist season 2: Netflix
Nevertheless: Netflix
Voice season 4: Viu and Iqiyi
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Tizzy
June 13, 2021 at 10:23 PM
Thanks for the info.
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lemoncello
June 13, 2021 at 11:43 PM
Iqiyi is currently on on fire... :).
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LizJ
June 14, 2021 at 6:34 AM
Ugh. I still don't want to register with them due to their user-information sharing with their company HQ.
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LizJ
June 14, 2021 at 6:35 AM
And I am tired of them snapping up all the rom-coms.
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FritzB
June 14, 2021 at 6:56 AM
Iqiyi still doesn't have a Roku app, which is a real non-starter for me.
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OldLawyer
June 14, 2021 at 9:51 AM
I solved this by getting a Firestick- and learning how to "side-load" and Android App.
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OldLawyer
June 14, 2021 at 10:00 AM
Yes, but it has to be at least a little humiliating that such a large number of their top shows are Korean.
I hesitated to add a third streaming service but the cost of iQIYI is about the same as Viki- and both are less than Netflix. And then I took advantage of iQIYI's anniversary special to cut that cost in half with n annual subscription.
And the further advantage of iQIYI is that it has an inexhaustible supply of the Chinese Historical (or Fantasy) Costume Dramas which my wife loves.
The subtitles on iQIYI are generally more readable than those on Netflix but neither are as good as Viki, which remains, by far, our favorite service even if subtitling is sometimes a bit slow.
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LizJ
June 15, 2021 at 11:52 AM
Regarding your first point. China has been cranking out mass quantities of rom-coms themselves (maybe rom-coms have replaced religion as the opiate of the people?), but as we all know, quantity does not necessarily equal quality. Not that many of the most recent Korean rom-coms have been that great...not compared to just even a year or two ago.
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OldLawyer
June 15, 2021 at 3:15 PM
I cannot remember how many Chinese romcoms I have started and dropped. It is more likely that I will drop one then complete one.
But somehow iQIYI seems to have a knack for picking up good K-dramas- just a couple or so at a time- and for precisely the reason you mentioned they usually out-perform the overwhelming majority of their Chinese counterparts. There have been some good Chinese rom-coms recently but they are the exception and not the rule.
beffels
June 13, 2021 at 11:46 PM
Thanks, I was just about to comment that it would be useful to include this in the article (I know it’s tricky with regions/things change over time)
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WishfulToki
June 14, 2021 at 6:46 AM
I found 2 of them listed on VIKI:
1) AT A DISTANCE - now airing.
2) VOICE 4 - on the "Coming soon" list.
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thatstp
June 18, 2021 at 9:59 AM
I didn't see this before I posted. I should've scrolled! 🤦♀️
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2 windsun33
June 13, 2021 at 11:57 PM
Hmm.. somehow I missed Voice 3. Not on NetFlix or Viki.
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Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
June 14, 2021 at 12:40 AM
Consider yourself lucky and move on...
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rabarella
June 15, 2021 at 2:49 AM
Voice 3 was on Viu until a while ago, I think their licence has expired. It's available on ondemandchina (if you're in the US, or have a VPN), but episode 15 and 16 only have chinese subtitles
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3 Kurama
June 14, 2021 at 12:16 AM
It's the circle of dramaaaas,
And it moves us all through despair and hopes.
So many new dramas! \o/ and only one with awfuls murders, summer is here!
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thatstp
June 18, 2021 at 11:07 AM
My fav time of year. I love a good thriller but I like to have balance.
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4 Kafiyah Bello
June 14, 2021 at 4:22 AM
I didn't realize hospital Playlist was only on once a week😯😯😯, but I guess rhat means it will last longer.
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OLakes
June 14, 2021 at 6:18 AM
Oh no! I was hoping to binge!
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FritzB
June 14, 2021 at 6:53 AM
It's always been a once a week show, but the episodes are long (80 minutes + each).
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OldLawyer
June 14, 2021 at 10:05 AM
Once a week but extra-long episodes is something I can live with.
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Kafiyah Bello
June 14, 2021 at 11:12 AM
Oh, I didn't remember that, lol. I guess I ignored that part because I loved it so much.
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5 Jance
June 14, 2021 at 6:26 AM
It’s finally time for HP2!! I’m so excited I could chew a chair leg.
Seriously though, I need this drama in my life to bring some normality / peace / healing / good feels
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6 kimchikay
June 14, 2021 at 6:44 AM
SO SO SO EXCITED for Hospital Playlist 2 - time for some comfort foods and happy tunes..the gang is back!
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7 Chungking Pineapples
June 14, 2021 at 7:23 AM
Though I adore Jung Somin, I’ll be objective and just say that based off the synopsis, cast, and teasers, MMH isn’t going to be making any waves or even be a sleeper hit (<-- I’d love to be wrong about this like I was about BTIMFL!), so with my expectations set pretty low, I’m only praying the DramaGods for the following:
1) Have the rom-com ratio be 30:70. I need the show to give me a good laugh every 5 minutes because goshdarnit, I think humanity deserves more humor and smiles after the morbid year we’ve all been through.
2) Barring the above, at least let Kim Won-hae be his natural funny self because I just love that ajusshi no matter what role he takes up and I rely on him to lighten up every scene. Or make me cry. Or a mixture of both (See: Chief Kim).
3) Or if the writing is just unsalvageable turd, then show us realistic interior shots of Korean houses, apts, studios, and oh – the glamping scenery that has taken their country by storm these recent years.
But if the dramagods are especially cruel, then as an alternative, at the very least let me be able to comment after episode 1: “Welp, MMH is better than Oh, My Master and Soul Mechanic so that’s something, I suppose….” ;)
To sum up, please just be a good drama!!! (I know, I know…a pretty tall order given the recent very mediocre K-productions that have been churned out…but still crossing my fingers & toes!)
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miss h
June 14, 2021 at 8:03 AM
Yeah, I suspect ratings will be low. Koreans don't seem to be into straight up romances right now and the promotional material was just okay. While I'm predicting things, I forsee Nevertheless and At a Distance, Spring Is Green struggling too.
I also hope it is funny and also hope there is good workplace stuff and friendships. That's where the writer shines IMO.
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OldLawyer
June 14, 2021 at 10:13 AM
Sad but true about ratings.
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mmmmm
June 14, 2021 at 10:20 AM
For me, I would go even to say that the promotional material is boring. I'm here hoping for something that is just better than the promotional material. 😅
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OldLawyer
June 14, 2021 at 10:12 AM
I take heart in the fact that not only do we have two great leads cast for this show but also a good writer. So my expectations are very high and I expect that Jung So-min will really deliver- she is one of my favorite actresses for a reason.
I did not really expect SOUL MECHANIC to be any good as the premise was fundamentally stupid but OH, MY MASTER really disappointed me. I trust this writer though, and the casting is superb. So, have faith.
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8 Edgar Pordwed
June 14, 2021 at 7:54 AM
Maybe this week I'll actually start a drama I say I'm going to watch.. I'll be watching Monthly Magazine Home and theres another Netflix sitcom releasing.. So Not Worth It.. which looks cute.
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9 Viki
June 14, 2021 at 12:09 PM
Hospital Playlist 2!!! It's gonna be a once-a-week thing again which is gonna keep me up and anticipating Thursdays.
I'm also checking out At a Distance... and Nevertheless. Might check out Monthly Magazine Home if I have time...I've never seen any of the Voice before so I might binge watch one of these days.
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10 bong-soo
June 14, 2021 at 4:46 PM
Naturally I am pleased that the gang from HOSPITAL PLAYLIST is back.
Awhile back in one of the JKH posters my favorite doc of the five Jun-wan had what appeared to be a ring on his left hand ring finger. Did he get engaged by the end of HP1? Maybe married while we were away? Sorry I don't recall.
NEVERTHELESS is the other drama here that intrigues me. I went over to MDL just to confirm that it is on Netflix and I scanned some of the comments. After reading I thought we may have another THE THIRD CHARM situation where viewers are not sure what they will be getting.
NAVILLERA was my first Song Kang drama and I thought he gave a wonderful performance so I thought I would follow him to his next 'N' drama: NEVERTHELESS. However, after reading beanie leeann's synopsis of the webtoon which is the source for the drama in the March 18, 2021 News post I thought maybe this will not be for me.
SP0ILER ALERT
Here is the post I referenced.
https://www.dramabeans.com/2021/03/song-kang-and-han-so-hee-confirmed-for-new-drama/#comment-3797353
With NEVERTHELESS airing one episode a week I will probably check out the first couple of episodes.
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am1993
June 15, 2021 at 1:32 PM
Spoiler for HP1
About Jun-wan: he had bought couple rings for him and Iksoon in the last episode (or before last). He started wearing his ring after Iksoon told him to send her hers to her new address in England. However, the package he sent her was returned to him. It was one of the "cliffhangers" of season 1.
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bong-soo
June 15, 2021 at 7:27 PM
Ah, thanks for the reminder.
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11 purplesheesh
June 14, 2021 at 5:10 PM
I guess I'll have another busy week ahead. I'm back to watching the first 20mins and see if I'll continue watching. I might have to drop Doom (I still haven't cause of OTP) if I happen to enjoy the others.
Now that Nevertheless is here, I'm a bit nervous to see my son, Song Kang, in a role like this. I might hate him for being a playboy 🙈
I only watched Voice 1 but I'm interested in watching 4.
I'll surely watch HosPlay. ❤️
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12 javinne
June 14, 2021 at 8:46 PM
The best dramas, including those airing already on the wed/thur set! Why? Why? 😖
I am always super busy Wednesdays and Thursdays 😒
Which could possibly be not so awful, because then I binge the two episodes on the Sunday, for instance.
Summer is here! -bring them on!
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13 Zestileigh
June 15, 2021 at 12:52 AM
The premier for From a Distance Spring is Green was even better than I was hoping.
Something about Park Ji-Hoon's whole look just really made me excited to watch the show, and the first episode struck the exact tonal note that the teaser trailer had. Kind of like an upbeat melancholy.
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mmmmm
June 15, 2021 at 4:59 AM
Now you really made me wanna watch this one.
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Zestileigh
June 16, 2021 at 9:14 AM
Saw the second ep last night and I'm still digging the tone. I'm also more intrigued with the other characters as well as the end game of all these relationships. Even if the end game is typical for dreamland, the beginning of the show doesn't make it seem like it has to be.
They did, however, rely a little too heavily on flashbacks, and I can forsee the theme song becoming more annoying the more they use it.
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14 thatstp
June 18, 2021 at 9:57 AM
@missvictrix Is it possible to add where we can watch dramas to the "Broadcaster" section?
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missvictrix
June 18, 2021 at 4:20 PM
@thatstp Thanks for the question and the cool idea~ Beanies are pretty good at sussing this out and sharing the details, but I will circulate your idea to the overlords ^^
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