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Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

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…

 

missvictrix

Currently weecapping: My Roommate is a Gumiho, Nevertheless

My Absolute Boyfriend: It’s been a long week, and I needed some fluff to relax in. I’ve been seeing some funny clips from this show, so I decided to see what it was like. It’s hard for me not to enjoy Yeo Jin-gu, and I also like Minah a lot from the days of Beautiful Gong Shim, so, in short, I enjoyed the first episode of this. With the set-up now complete, I’m sincerely looking forward to robot boyfriend hijinks. Sometimes ridiculous is just what you need.

 

quirkycase

Currently recapping: Doom at Your Service

At a Distance, Spring Is Green: I’m not feeling the romance angle much, but I’m in it for the friendships. I love the burgeoning friendship trio of Joon, So-bin, and Soo-hyun. They’re all lonely and struggling in their own ways, so it’s nice to see them connecting.

Hospital Playlist 2: There’s something just so warm about this drama. The balance between the medical cases and the slice-of-life side is just right. I’m no medical professional, so I can’t speak to how realistic it is or isn’t, but I like the understated vibe of the hospital and how unglamorized it all is compared to what you usually get in a medical show.

 
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Cricket - ODI and T20 matches but not much going on. West indies vs. South Africa matches were hard fought. but still lacked a lot that makes Cricket fun. Test cricket is where everything good is.

Now waiting for India Vs. England test series. ODI and T20 look good for a world cup.

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Media - more time on weather reports and sites.
did watch and easy Chinese trash on gaming competitions.
E-sports? do they even deserved to included into sports. Many gonna disagree but i don't think plastic faces fighting over few mobile games a sport. Hero-n-Heroine surely use some common sense. Very rare in Chinese cheap romance dramas.

Little Saucy Girl - I see baby elephant in poster i watch. 1st episode was cringe and bleh. everything seen before. Hope elephant has more screentime and less stress to deal with.

Dramacool the site is adding too many pakistani dramas for past 1 month - i tried few but didn't match my current mood.

Korean - Expecting not much from new shows - trailers are bleh.

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I am still really enjoying My Roommate is Gumiho. The erupting, unexpected belly laughs are what keeps me hooked.

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Racket Boys (Episode 9-10) - Mood: B+
Head Coach Bae certainly had a reputation for being strict but he had never been shown to be physical towards during coaching so I guess something big must have awaiting us next week. Given that the show has already covered physical assault by coaches (Coach Yoon and his friend), I wonder how the writer will try to avoid repeating similar themes. Also puzzling me is why Hae Kang lied about not being the Liar: he’s the only one wearing bright-coloured pants! I doubt it’s because he’s still in game mode? That birthday party though: just so many narrative elements packaged so beautifully!

Hospital Playlist 2 (Episode 3) - Mood: B
I gave the show a pass last week but I’m not giving one this week: why are we seeing the same scenes from season 1? I already knew that the other CS professor was terrible at his job or that Jong Su’s children are not very filial, so that just felt like the writer was padding the screen time. While they did well introducing new elements such as the fixed intern, it doesn’t make sense that we didn’t even get a follow up on the pregnant lady who Seok Hyung might have just saved. Ik Sun’s accident is a recycled plot point as well and it’s only a matter of time before Ik Jun finds that out, breakup or not!

At a Distance Spring Is Green (Episode 5-6) - Mood: C-
Dear show, you don’t want to make the second half be all about two separate love triangles: why couldn’t we just focus on the two friendship trios of the roommates and the presentation teammates? Part of why it’s so narratively awkward: why does Min Joo suddenly love Soo Hyun? All he did was clean up after her mess, protect his bro and serve her meat? Now, it would be more impactful if we knew her backstory: maybe she was scapegoated with no one protecting her and left to fend for herself? But all we know is that she had a breakup! And don’t get me started on the bullies & professors.

My Roommate Is a Gumiho (Episode 11-12) - Mood: D+
As with other mediocre shows, there’s always a breakup that happens at the third-quarter mark because of some quite peculiar character choices: Woo Yeo, you did so well notifying Dam about the red thread, so why didn’t you do just that when you had to source for human energy? Then again she knew nothing about the deadline too, which I fully expect to be the reason why the OTP will reunite next week. The second couple is cute to watch but the plot is frankly insulting at this point. As for Sun Woo, the characterisation has become such a train wreck that I’m wondering how his arc will end.

Doom at Your Service (Episode 15-16) - Mood progression: C+ / C / C- / D+ / D / D- / D- / D-
Kang Tae Oh’s only scene together with Seo In Guk felt like the writer was contractually obligated to pair them.

Nevertheless: Dropped.

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Hospital Playlist 2: Lee Kyu-hyung! Not thrilled his cameo was used to hit us over the head that Song-hwa and Ik-jun will get together eventually. The little girl better get a heart. I thought her mother was heartbreaking, genuinely happy that the other child was getting a heart but heartbroken her daughter was still waiting.

Bossam: Steal the Fate: Shut up and climb the ladder. I had to laugh at Court Lady Jo and Chun-bae getting more action than Ba-woo and Soo-kyung. They had a nice wedding scene though.

Mine: I think the writer redeemed herself from Melty even though Mine wasn’t terribly engaging. I have to applaud her for giving drama land it’s first lesbian lead and writing a makjang drama where the female leads actually respected and supported each other.

Nevertheless: Big eww at Na-bi wiping off the lipstick and kissing Jae-un. I don’t get the attraction. This kind of drama rides or dies on the leads, and while they have chemistry, I’m still underwhelmed by the acting. Maybe that’s not fair though since he has no POV and she is kind of underdeveloped.

Racket Boys: This drama is as heartwarming as ever, but I still don’t like Coach Yoon (or the acting) or think he deserves the birthday party or track suit or those precious boys. I think the hamminess of both the character and actor stands out even more because the kids are so dang good and realistic.

At a Distance, Spring is Green: This drama isn’t great but there is something about it I like. Pushing the tropey stuff aside, I can relate to So-bin and her crippling anxiety, Soo-hyun not having time or energy for any nonsense and Joon wanting a friend.

On the Verge of Insanity: I still find this dry, but I liked the second week better with Ban-seok trying to survive in HR. He would be an asset to HR if the job was about doing the right thing instead of the right thing for the company.

Love Ft. Marriage & Divorce: Still only watching the mom with the two kids (though I did see the ghost of the dead husband possess his son’s body as stepmom was about to kiss him. My eyes, my eyes!) and I’m going to laugh when the mistress inevitably dumps her horrible ex.

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You hit the nail on nevertheless, ho2 and racket boys! (Maybe on the others too but I haven’t anything else on the list.)

Hp2 - fills my heart. My precious ❤️

Racket boys - such a gem but I agree coach yoon didn’t deserve that party. I mean, he drank the night before an important match for the boys and made the boys loose their chance to play. And that topped with bad lacklustre acting, we get coach yoon.

Nevertheless - it is just such an uncomfortable drama. Not because of the topic at all I think but because of the tone and underdeveloped characters and the college setting. Think this could have been better digestible if the setting was not college and the fl character was not such a stupid spineless idiot. The male lead should have been irresistible (at least think that’s what the intention was from the director/writer) but instead became super creepy and a sex maniac. He seems to be that guy who brushes up against you hard in a club, puts something in your drink and gets your drunk and takes you in a motel to force himself on you. That’s the vibe I get from this drama. Hard pass.

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*and the fl character was not such a stupid spineless idiot* 👏👏👏

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There is ghost in Love Ft. Marriage & Divorce? I never tuned in for second season but it looks like it's getting worse. Is writer is playing bad drama writing bingo?

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I'm only watching parts and hating myself for it lol because it's so bad. I think the writer wants a third season too because the plot is still not advancing at all.

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My first drama ever was "New Tales of the Gisaeng". Besides the ghost appearance and Sung Hoon, what the two dramas have in common is the writer Im Sung-Han. Should I say that this is the writer who wrote "Princess Aurora". That made history, and not in the good sense. If you would like to know more, please read what javabeans had to say what javabeans had to say here. If I knew this when the drama started, probably I would have given it a hard miss. Now I am slightly captivated by the story of the Park Hae-Ryun & Lee Si-Eun's family's story and I will most probably keep watching this.

Talking about writers with a history, I really likes "Mine" for the same reasons mentioned before. However, in less capable hands it all could have went south. The drama had the advantage of having a stellar casting. I have had my eyes on Kim Seo-Hyung since "Assembly" and she has never disappointed me ever since. We know how wonderfully she played her part in "Sky Castle". And in "Mine" she played Jung Seo-Hyun so nuanced and dignified (although I a not sure that this is the best word). Also Lee Bo-Young doesn't need any introduction. In all honesty it was quite a good drama for what it was and I wouldn't have said that the same writer who wrote that disaster that was melty (I couldn't go past the 3rd episode - sorry Ji Chang-Wook)

On another note, I have been shamefully defeated by PPL. I put my hands up and hang my head in shame. I knowingly bought some Kopiko because I saw Kim Seo-Hyung aka Jung Seo-Hyun getting some. I hope that the PPL is half false and it won't keep me awake, though.

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Not sure I'll go for season 2 either

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“ Is writer is playing bad drama writing bingo? “
Yes, but…some of the threads are interesting (some are irritating, one is just icky) and so far this doesn’t look like a traditional revenge drama.

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Sorry @missh to have to agree with you about Coach Yoon in RACKET BOYS. I have been waiting for the character (and acting to improve) but now I think it is a lost cause. The strength of the other characters and their acting is making up for this weakness. The way he has handled the boys’ medical issues has been disgraceful and young In-sol seems to be a more serious ‘coach’ to the boys than Coach Yoon.
Also, I think another beanie pointed this out earlier, is badminton the only team sport at the boy’s middle school?
Does the ‘White Wolf’ have any other responsibilities than to supervise Coach Yoon and the the badminton team?

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I wish that drama was focused on other things than the evolution of the children. They were so beautifully written that it's such a shame that everything else seems like a page filler or an afterthought.

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On the Verge of Insanity eps3-4: Choi Ban-seok's transfer to HR is a disaster for him but obviously a gift for viewers, cos we get to see both managerial and technical sides of Hanmyeong Electronics through his eyes. This week, the war of the vacuum cleaners (robot vs. cordless) is used as a vehicle for a range of workplace issues: sexual harassment; supposedly valuable employees getting away with all kinds of misconduct; the neglect and even exploitation of capable young staff; etc.

There wasn’t that much interaction between Moon So-ri and Jung Jae-young last week, but this week the sparks really start flying. Like all the best odd couples, they use their strengths to make up for each other’s weaknesses. Tbh I love seeing Jung Jae-young browbeaten by a strong woman, maybe because he played so many macho men earlier in his career. I also enjoyed Kim Nam-hee’s character, a more than usually realistic portrayal of a genius in the contemporary Korean workplace. No, he doesn’t get to astound all and sundry with his amazing insights (a la Jung Jae-young’s Baek Beom in Partners for Justice). He just performs his run-of-the-mill tasks more quickly than everybody else, and spends the rest of the time dozing off at his desk.

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I became a convert to Edge of Insanity after the 3rd episode. Having seen some of the issues they are dealing with in real life makes it relatable.

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On the Verge of Insanity is superb. Everything—the warring fiefdoms, cliques, sexual politics and (reluctant) interdependence across teams—it all feels so authentic and thrilling. I love brassy big band sound music over the closing credits too! Glad to see Ms. Tang beginning to trust Choi Ban-seok. I love seeing his engineering brain and warm heart applied to HR. I knew it was significant when we saw all those younger workers greet him that first day with, "Sunbae!" He's a natural mentor but also strives for his own cultivation. Can’t wait for next week, now that they’ve discovered they’re neighbors.

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Agree that the music is great. I also like the jazzy stuff at the comic moments. Ban-seok is an interesting type that seldom appears in dramas. He'd be a great leader in an ideal world, but in a less than ideal world he himself needs a leader who trusts him and protects him from toxic workplace politics etc so that he can do the important things like mentoring and self-improvement (as you mentioned). In short, he needs someone like Ja-young.

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That first day with all those 'Sunbaes' felt great. And warm.

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I'm less grumpy, though still slumpy and watched much less than usual.

Roommate - I like Dam and Fox... but... lately, Jaejin and Hyesun are taking over. I love them 💕

Nevertheless - the second episode didn't impress me and I think the main reason is that, for me, Song Kang doesn't fit the role and is miscast, he is too closed off (and giving too negative vibe) and instead of being irresistible he is uncomfortable. I don't know the original webtoon (and I'm trying to avoid any spoilers), but I think Jaeun should be someone with more friendly and carefree and playful vibe (... and yet utterly seductive...), someone who is a charmer. (Kang Taeoh from Run On? Or perhaps Kim Minjae?). Anyway, I'm probably still continuing as I'm interested in the other students (Sol! 💕)

On the Verge of Insanity - a show I didn't expect to watch at all as office dramas usually are not my cup of tea (though I looooved Misaeng). However, one day I randomly checked and now I'm deep in. The male lead is no idol baby face... and yet he grabs all my attention... I also like the heroine (that smack to her ex-husband was so satisfying 😀), though I don't envy her job. And I like the music (don't know why, but it just sets the mood well). And who would know that wireless robot vacuums would provide such a dramatic arch 😀

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For me, Verge of Insanity is a surprise winner. I also am not fond of most office dramas as most are totally unrealistic (as in a company could not possibly survive with all the stupid things that the characters do). Over the years I have seen at least 9 million k-dramas, and this is the only one I can recall that covers such a subject mostly realistically.

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Absolutely agree. And it is not only quite realistic, it also keeps me glued to the screen, never have I used the speed-up button. A current winner for me as well (together with the feel-good Dream Family 🙂)

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I managed to finish Doom at your service and I have a bean. I have the same feeling about this drama I got about Sisyphus: nothing made sense, it could have been much better and the leads are such remarkable actors doing an excellent job with what they were giving. I wouldn’t say though this drama was lazy written, but overthoughtly (if this word exists) written. I never got to understood the contract, God, Doom or how OTP fell in love. I’m not complaining though, but I’m glad it’s over and that we got Kevin back #justiceforKevin.

So, what have I been watching this week? Well, I really had the intention to watch all the current dramas I am watching, but 2PM comeback got in the way. Name the MV, variety shoe, article, twitter thread or IG post and I have seen it / read it / interacted with it. Several times. It was a long wait but it’s really worth it and I’m enjoying every minute, as you could have guessed by the content of my wall. I’m really sorry if my enthusiasm is a bit too much, but my fangirl heart is full of love for them. I don’t know when will I recover my life, but so far I’m the happiest beanie!!

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Ehem… *variety show, obviously* 😑😂

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I was momentarily, "wow she loves them so much she memorised all their varieties of shoes!"

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Is this a challenge? 🤣🤣🤣

Well, it’s possible I have payed some attention to their shoes, thinking… how can they dance with those brand new shoes? Shouldn’t they have worn them a couple of times before? They look too new… don’t they get blisters?

See.. I’m overthinking…

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Lol, I saw the music video 3 days late and was like I know Eazel is a few of the 20 million views for this, lol.

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You know me well, twin! I lost count of the times I watched it 🤣🤣🤣🤣

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It's been fun seeing SHINee, Highlight and 2 PM feeling the love this year.

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Shinee made me happy during the first half of the year. Now it’s 2PM turn!

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That 2PM MV took me out. It started out like your typical kpop mv from the 2000s and then....apocalypse! 😂

They sure looked hot and unbothered by the chaos around them. Such a fun concept.

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The concept is funny, you think you are in the middle of the end of the world and it’s just their mind blowing when they see a pretty girl and feel it’s love. Hey, I can understand, that’s exactly how I fell when I see them 6 together: meteorites could fall from the start and I wouldn’t care 🤣
The palette and the outfits were fantastic and the song is catchy and you can see how they have grown as singers.

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I was the same way about Doom at your service. I just couldn't follow or feel anything for the plot. Also, my bias Chansung is back!!

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COMPLETED
Doom at Your Service - It all ended exactly the way we all knew it would. Sigh. At least I got to enjoy diva Nam Da-reum with a crush. He seemed to be having a lot of fun with his mini-role.

ONGOING
Racket Boys - Saving this for the weekend since I wanted to watch something unabashedly cute to end the week - also minimizes time between episodes!

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Ah the red string of fate makes me so angry. But not as angry as I am at the (potentially) Cheating Mr. Pox. At least Do Jae-jin is still perfection.

Monthly Magazine Home - It's bad that I'm more invested in the jerk CEO than the nice editor but Young-won's storyline - something bad happens to her nearly every episode - is exhausting. Plus Kim Ji-seok was hilarious - putting his kpop career to good use in that dance scene 🤣

Hospital Playlist S2 - I'm finding some things a little too on the nose in this season. As nice as it was to see Lee Kyu-hyung (Looney!), his story perfectly reflecting whatever Song-hwa is debating made me want to roll my eyes. I think I'm in the minority with this but I find the love lives of the 5 friends not particularly interesting at this point. The patient stories were very moving though. Next week seems to be Jun-wan focussed, who is by far my favourite character, so I'm looking forward to it.

Bossam - I'm playing catch up as the finale looms and all the politics is exhausting. Grateful for the beanies who are sharing more context through reviews/ recaps 🙏

BINGED
Two older dramas - Sweet 18 and I Really, Really Like You - both were nice enough but not particularly memorable.

C-DRAMAS
Completed The Day of Becoming You. Watching nothing else as I wait for some better c-dramas to come around.

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Same same HP2. More friendship, less romance! I prefer the slice-of-life stuff and comedy. I’m here for the laughs/tears not the hugs/kisses.
(That makes me feel old - time was when I wouldn’t touch a drama unless it had a love story in it…) orz

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Lord same. My kdrama journey started with ALL romance and now all I want is for Ik-jun and Jun-wan to continue their hair-pulling fights 😆

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I am with you. In season one HP evolved from a medical drama to a romantic drama. I prefer more medical and less romance.

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I haven’t seen episode 3 of HP2 yet but if the next episode is focused on Jun-wan that will be great since he is my favorite doctor (Sing-hwa is second) and I a a big JKH fan.
Iirc Jun-wan was made Chief of his specialty (Cardiothoracic Surgery). Correct me if I am wrong. He is the first of the five to become a Chief. I hope his story line will reflect the added responsibilities and decision making that being a Chief entails. It makes him now a bit different than his friends. He seems to wear the title Chief very lightly now but we know in medical dramas being a Chief also makes one a chief ‘flak catcher’.

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*Song-hwa*. Thanks IPad autocorrect.

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I'm a big JKH fan too and he's been so good in this role 🥰.
Yes he was the first to be made Chief and I loved that Jun-wan did it for Jae-hak not for any sort of self-aggrandizement. Hopefully we'll see him grapple more with the role this season including dealing with doctors like Cheon as well as patients like the girl who had the accident.

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I also rolled my eyes in HP2 when Jun-wan finally figured out that his girlfriends new BFF is a boy. I saw that one coming a mile away.

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At a Distance, Spring Is Green The ML makes me feel unconfortable. I understand that his actions are shown as caring but I found him intrusive. For the actor, I was thinking that Japanese actors are kinda better to make this kind of role that requires a little bit of rebellion, charm, charisma and pain.

Racket Boys Hae-Kang & Se-Yoon 😍

Doom at Your Service It's over and I will wait for a better drama with SIG.

On the Verge of Insanity It's interesting to see the inner workings of such an society.

Monthly Magazine Home I really like Jung So-Min, she's really good in this kind of role. But the story is not appealing for now.

My Roommate Is a Gumiho The ML reminds me the one in DDSSLLS, he's very nice with the FL, protects her but at the end, you realized he's always lying and acts like she's a child...

Hospital Playlist 2 This drama is the best when it focus on the friendship and the patient's stories, but boring with the romances.

Nevertheless I would like to see more of their life as art students, it's the best part for me.

Imitation The story is so slow.

Bossam I'm behind.

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I've been waiting for "a better drama with SIG" for about five years now.

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I liked Hundred Million Stars From the Sky/The Smile That Left Your Eyes. I thought it was a good remake.

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Halfway through MINE. It makes Graceful Family look like Shakespeare. Woman of Dignity must've been a one-off for this writer.

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Doom: Dropped around episode 6 with no regrets.

My Roommate is a Gumiho: I am probably going to end up skipping through a few episodes, but I'm invested enough to continue. I am generally not picky about acting. When others complain about acting/editing/directing etc., I am all about the writing. I generally can overlook a lot in other areas. I liked the actor in My Mister so I'm going with him not being able to emote in romance dramas. It's one of the first times this type thing has bugged me and I've seen a lot of idol actors over the years. Who knows, I haven't read the source material so maybe this is the way it was supposed to be played but it has really hindered my enjoyment of this show. The humor is what has kept me going.

Bossam: There is so much I like about this drama but I need to jump back in before I lose steam. Those 20 episodes when I think 16 could have done the trick.

Amazon Prime: Bosch (the last season). One of the best shows on a streaming service from one of the best contemporary crime writers in the U. S. It took me three tries to get into season one a few years ago because of the way the story started when I was used to the novel. I might go re-watch the whole thing someday.

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Bride of the Water God
Randomly started watching it. As if it was meant to be. I knew enough of the overall storyline through dramabeans, so was avoiding it. And yet enough time had passed for me to kind have forgotten most of what I knew. Hence, started with it.
7 episodes in and have enjoyed it a lot. It made me laugh during the initial episodes alot (Moo-ney). Enjoyed the God struggling to get a grasp of this world. But the tone is changing to serious now as Haebak is finally begining to know this world well.
But something has gone wrong with me. Nam Joo Hyuk is so good looking. Why am I not able to have a crush on him. WHY? It is frustating. And somehow Im Joo Hwan, the more I look at him like a moon he is subtly shining to me. Banjjak Banjjak.
Rest watched a lot of Korean mini series on youtube.

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I'm very much in the beandom minority, but I thoroughly enjoyed Bride of the Water God. It would never win any awards, but I thought it was a riot (even the bad parts). Glad you are enjoying it!

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Binged till 12th episode today and I can gladly say Bride of Haebak - Daebak. I literally LOLed out today at a scene. Riot indeed.

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Ooh - any recommendations on the Korean mini series?

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I have complied a list of channels and shors on them that I watched.
Channel Name - Drama Name.

Playlist Global- XX (Starring Hani - playing a bartender) , Growing Season (3 college girls - personal growth).

Real Ending - Romanced (Ongoing - Cheating boyfriend so far), Touch me if you can (Girl Scubbus, Mask awareness), Sometoon (2 guys, One girl, alternative endings for each ship).

tvN D STUDIO - Love Refresh (Ongoing, Starring Seo Kang Joon playing a screenwriter), Trap (Genre- Romance and Suspense. This was good. I had watched it when it was ongoing and it kept me hooked for next episode).

KOK Tv - FAILing in love (growing up), Pure Melo District (Haven't completed it yet but seems fun so far). This Channel's Kiss Goblin and Gaduri Restraunt ended up on Viki too.

라이프타임 (Lifetime) - Who kissed me? (Lots of kisses, good looking actors)

Studio Dia - 아랑말랑 (Office Romance, fun tips at the end regarding some daily life problems - periods, safe taxi riding in Seoul etc.)

썸카퍼 - Some dramas are in korean only. But checked and some are in English too.

Lululala Story - Haven't watched any show by them. But you may check out dramas there too.

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Wow thank you!

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^_^ Welcome.

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BOSSAM: STEALING FATE
Finale week already? The drama has consistently delivered on history and realistically portraying the situation of women in Joseon. I feel the balance of romance and history perfect until Ep. 11. Episodes 12-18 were more politics-heavy (which I love) but may not be for everyone. Hoping for a happy ending, as long as people learn how to climb ladders a bit faster...

Film review
@marcusnyc20 marcus fla, thank you for mentioning THE BATTLE OF JANGSARI (2019). I went into it with little expectations and ended up a crying mess. I forgot that war films can do that to me. My favourite boys are in it: Kim Sung-cheol, Lee Jae-wook, Choi Minho (the role of a soldier suits him). Kim Sung-cheol stole every scene. I don't know why Megan Fox is credited as the lead because her role was minor... Star power I guess. The few American actors did a good job of showing how little Americans knew or cared about the Korean War. Reviewers were just as bad: "a bit more tears and hand-holding than American films". I'm no expert, but I know that it was about Korean fighting Korean on Korean soil, families torn apart, displaced and losing everything just because other countries decided to fight out the Cold War there. Of course there were tears! Stupid reviewers. *blood boiling*

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@wishfultoki, I am glad you watched THE BATTLE OF JANGSARI.
(For those interested the film is available subbed at Viki (US).
Viki also has another war film I have seen and available that might interest you Toki: THE BATTLE: ROAR TO VICTORY (2019).
FYI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle:_Roar_to_Victory

I was able to watch JANGSARI on the big screen in Manhattan so got the full affect.
It was a very good cast and the young actors you mentioned gave fine performances. I agree Kim Sung-cheol was terrific.
KSC has down pat the ability to play young ‘wise-guys’ (for want of a better term). Think his performance in Prison Playbook (Young-cheol) and ARTHDAL CHRONICLES (Ipsaeng). Like in those roles in the movie he softens up and does what is right.

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Thank you @marcusnyc20 bong-soo! Kim Sung-cheol is indeed good at playing the "wise guy" who grows into a good guy (Ipsaeng tried my patience though).

Watching JANGSARI on the big screen must have been something else! I'll have a look at THE BATTLE: ROAR TO VICTORY.

Off topic, but I'd love to watch THE ADMIRAL: ROARING CURRENTS on the big screen time someday for full effect. I'm disappointed it's not on VIKI. 😥

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THE ADMIRAL is not on Netflix either. But the story of the single most remarkable naval victory of all time (and I am speaking here as a Former Naval Person) would undoubtedly be even better on the big screen.

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If you liked that, try A Taxi Driver (NetFlix and maybe Amazon Prime). https://www.amazon.com/Taxi-Driver-Kang-ho-Song/dp/B076DF3JT9

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The movie right? I loved it. YOUTH OF MAY fans (of which I am one) who want to continue their historical education should definitely check out A TAXI DRIVER (2017).

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If only I could find out where to see Taxi Driver. Oh my goodness, it is absolute top of my need to see list (and then Book of Fish).

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I put in a request for Book of Fish on VIKI. It seems we will have to wait a while. *sigh*

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I must see this film. Like you, the Western critical perception of movies like this has so many balefully ignorant and predictable blind spots. The retelling of the Korean war in film is an ongoing healing of deep wounds. It is about a nation torn apart that is registered in the agony of broken families. The remains of lost solders are still being identified and reunited through DNA with their families. The current President is still trying to put it all back together and facing constant criticism for it. You say it so well: *because other countries decided to fight out the Cold War there* Blood boiling too. I wish I could boil some dumb critics who are so blinded by their narrow world view.

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Hp2 - fills my heart. My precious ❤️

Racket boys - such a gem but I agree coach yoon didn’t deserve that party. I mean, he drank the night before an important match for the boys and made the boys loose their chance to play. And that topped with bad lacklustre acting, we get coach yoon.

Nevertheless - dropped. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It is just such and uncomfortable drama. Not because of the topic at all I think but because of the tone and underdeveloped characters and the college setting. Think this could be have better digestible if the setting was not college and the fl character was not such a stupid spineless idiot. The male lead should have been irresistible but instead became super creepy and a sex maniac. He seems to be the guy who brushes up against you hard in a club, gets your drunk and takes you in motel to force himself on you. That’s the vibe I get from this drama. Hard pass.

Doom at your service - very underwhelming and very very repetitive. This should have been a two episode mini drama if this was all the Story the writers had to tell. I’ll wait for better dramas from both pgy and sig.

Home magazine - watching to fill void in my life from dramaland currently. And the actress is my fav and although nothing new or better or exciting in this drama, it has not yet turned me off. But continue that story arc for the other female editor and I may just be out. Because while there is nothing awesome to keep me watching this drama, it’ll be an added struggle to watch if it leaves a bad taste in my mouth about the other characters because then the balance will be off.

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Agree on Doom - already getting very repetitive and slow. I may finish it, but will probably skip some episodes. Nothing really new plotwise. Seen similar plots a dozen times over.

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What is the point of keeping a to-watch list if I always end up watching a drama that is not on it? I am such a mood watcher...Does anyone else have this problem?

I was feeling under the weather this week and while scrolling through Tumblr, I stumbled upon a gif set from a cdrama I had never heard of. For some reason, that was enough for me to ditch my to-watch list and watch this relatively unknown youth drama... Flourish in Time

The drama is your run-of-the-mill Chinese youth drama about childhood best friends falling in love. The first episode was mediocre at best, but luckily the drama quickly moved past its cringe-y melodramatic setup and chose to focus more on its slice-of-life aspects. The saving grace of this drama is the main leads. Despite the age gap of the actors, the main leads have a sweet on-screen chemistry; it is easy to believe that they are indeed best friends. The age gap would have bothered me more if this drama had not been G-rated and the love story had not been 100% innocent. Also I got to admit that I love that fortune-telling chicken our main characters have as a pet.

Hospital Playlist 2
Ouff the highlight of the last episode was definitely the mothers. I felt so bad for Eunji's mom who has been a pillar for all the other moms of the PICU and yet...Eunji better get her miracle too!
On a down note, I am bit disappointed about the fans' reaction towards Iksun having a best friend who is a guy. Although she never was a favourite of mine and I was never really invested in hers and Junwan's relationship, I don't think it's fair to hate her. So far, she has not done anything wrong in my opinion.

Doom
The last episode was the most pointless. It had sweet moments but I could not really enjoy them because I did not care about either romances. I think Episode 15 would have been a good enough ending. In the end, I found the drama watchable but extremely bland. Thus, I wouldn't call it bad per se...just very disappointing.
The soundtrack was the only thing I fully enjoyed from beginning to end.

Nevertheless
I like that this is not a love story. I hope it stays that way.
I am also enjoying the soundtrack. I want to get my hands on that one song with the catchy acoustic guitar strumming.

My Roommate is a Gumiho
I love the characters and the laughter...but I am not a fan of love triangles, especially forced ones. I'm still wary about where this story is heading (especially the romance) but I'm still enjoying it.

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I was also pleasantly surprised by Flourish in Time - sweeter and with more depth than I expected. Liked the epilogues with vignettes of their childhood showing how their friendship had solidified over time. The fortune-telling chicken was of course adorable too.

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I’m the same with my To Watch list…:it’s basically there for me to go ‘I don’t feel like watching any of these’ and ignore 😄

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Watched Flourish in Time too. I really enjoyed the drama. Chicken Prophet, so funny.

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I agree with everything you said about Flourish in Time (including the chicken, hehe). It was just lovely, and as @miso2019 said, the epilogues were so integral to each episode and the drama overall.

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same, i'm a mood watcher, Sometimes I even rewatch a show I've already watched instead of the ones I should be watching hahah

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Bossam: Steal the Throne Fate: 7.0 #*&+^-$% birth secrets :( (Yes, I'm thinking an inappropriate word -- will it let me say that?)

Voice 4 6.0 Quit clowning around.

Racket Boys: 8.0

Doom at Your Service: 6.0

My Roommate Is a Gumiho 8.5 Dam! Since you can see the red tape string, have you tried scissors? If ordinary scissors won't cut it, I know a Nigerian Prince who sells bridges and Enchanted Scissors.

Actually, who cares about Roommates & Gumihos? We just want more of Kang Han-na and those great lines they give her.

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I really hope after this drama, Kang Han-na will get first roles!

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She deserves it, but she's so brilliant as the beautiful ditz that I wouldn't mind seeing her as one again, and I'm not sure you could build a lead around those traits. I'm torn.

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She was pretty good as special agent in designated Survivor: 60 Days.

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Kang Ha-na is not limited to the kind of role you are seeing her in here.

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Remember an old Bill Murray movie, The Man Who Knew Too Little? A Korean remake - The Woman Who Knew Too Little could be fun.

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Ah yes, Bossam birth secrets - almost as much fun as amnesia!

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Hmm, guessed a Nigerian tried to scam you.

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Happy weekend, Beanies~

I still managed to watch Hospital Playlist on time this week. It's amazing that we have three episodes already. I'm trash for wintergarden so naturally I'm happily lapping up all the not-so-secret lovey dovey that I waited a year for, lmao.

That said, the heart of the show for me has always been the 99z friendship...and I hope we could still focus more on it... Seeing Lee Kyuhyung in Episode 3 made me squeal in glee until we got to his conversation with Songhwa, which seemed rather too in-your-face (?) for my liking. And now that I think about it, some comedic timings and moments so far feel just a liiiiiiiiittle off. In writing, music cues, and even recycled scenarios from season 1 (something I expected from this PD-writer duo). And I wish the band scene audio didn't bother me.

Still, this show gives me warmth and all the feels. Seasonal dramas can be tricky and I simply need to manage my expectations...

Other dramas on-hold:
- Racket Boys: the last episode I remember is the one where the Coach drove to the wrong gym and the boys didn't even get to play. I got so mad I had to pause the show.
- Lovestruck in the City: Still halfway. Eunho is a mystery yet I cannot bring myself to dislike her (and not just because Kim Jiwon plays her).

Aaaand I'll probably start Monthly House sometime next week. Yes to Kim Jiseok + Boom Boom.

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- The patient story (Yeonwoo's mom) in episode 1 also became one of my favourites in this show. The reason for her repeated visits brought me to tears and reminded me of how my mum and I also did the same thing for months after my dad died. That Jeongwon gave the explanation (during their dinner date! squeal!) made it all the more poignant (and sweet).

I also love the actress! I forgot her name but I know she was a fan fave in Mr Queen.

- I hope we'll still see more of Seokmin!

- I have no idea about hospital/doctor office rules, how does Songhwa get to keep her main office while working at Sokcho? Are we even gonna see her in Sokcho at all...?

- I love the latest OST. It's sung by Jang Beom Jun!

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That scene in RACKET BOYS made me so mad. I watched one more episode but since the coach didn't show improvement I dropped it. Sad because I liked the boys and beanies seems to enjoy it.

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Same. Dropped because of the coach, sad because I couldn’t overlook him. Phoooey.

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I don't agree. He shows a lot of support, it's just more discreet. But he helped Bang Yoon-Dam with his badminton ; Lee Yong-Tae with his stress, the way he cheered on him during all the match.

He's far from perfect but he's really caring.

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I think what made me the most angry about that scene was that his son in particular deifies him as the superior parent and there were no repercussions for him either personally or professionally for his behaviour. Instead it was the kids that got punished by not being able to compete. So the only "lesson" they learnt was that if adults screw up it's someone else who had to pay for their mistakes. I feel like this character gets a free pass constantly and I can't help comparing that to how his wife does not.

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I hadn't noticed this until you mentioned it, but you are right! If his wife behaved like him she would have lost her job and her professional reputation as a coach.

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Prison Playbook⚾👮 (2/16): I hate to dishonor this masterpiece with my shallowness, but…Kim Kyung-Nam, seriously?😲 Tiramisu Cake and now this Cutiepie?😲 Who will be next?🤔 How many episodes until I can fill one cell with all my favourites?🤭 Fiiine, I’ll try to say something about the actual episode…we all know Tiramisu Cake can sing like an angel, but his dry prison hymns spoke to my soul.❤️😉

Racket Boys🏸👦👦👦👦👦👧👧(9/16): Bless my heart, cameos from Tiramisu Cake, Lee Si-Eon and other familiar faces! It always feels like bumping into old friends whenever that happens.🤗Speaking of friendships, this show really taught me a valuable lesson. Pre-university me was a loner, so it was hard for me to grasp at first how much their friendship influenced their love for badminton. Woo-Chan could play badminton anywhere his father went, but disobeyed his father and stayed in Haenam with his friends. Hae-Kang left for baseball because his previous badminton teammates betrayed him, came back to badminton and stayed because his current team mates have become his friends. In-Sol joined because he had no friends. Seeing them grow as a team on and off the court has been both heartwarming and eye-opening.🥰

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Reply 1988 - The ensemble cast is great, but I wish the show didn't lean so hard into the "angel in the house" model of saintly motherhood/wifedom. Because a guy not knowing how to put his own clothes on is a reason to run, not a sign that you should fall for him because he "needs" you. Also, I want to strangle the goat.

Bossam - mostly caught up, and I still generally like the main characters, but the show has been all over the place thematically and dramatically. I wish it had picked a single narrative through line to really dig into rather than hoping from political intrigue to outlaw romance to tortured bromance to female empowerment to class conflict without ever really fleshing any of them out.

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Agree on Bossam. If the show just focused on the outlaw family's struggles in the real world it would have been a great series.

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Yeah, I really wanted it to run with the high brow/low brow con artist/erotic book publishing co-op concept and let the couple stay "commoners", but alas, no.

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At a Distance, Spring is Green: Hmmmmm. The stalking and harassment seems to have lessened for SH from Joon, which is a relief. I think SH is still my favorite character. I am glad he is getting some breaks in life. As for So Bin and her best friend, I am not sure I understand what is happening to them. I can’t tell if she stopped being his friend or she is just not talking to him temporarily. He seems to like her, but won’t go there. So Bin’s relationship with Joon is weird too because they are trying to make it romantic, but it really isn’t working. Their chemistry is mostly platonic. Hmmmm

Racket Boys: Continues to be DELIGHTFUL. I can’t say enough good things about this show. It is just so wholesome.

Doom at your Service: I got a bean. I got to see excellent chemistry between PBY and SIG. I got to see SIG. That is it, lol.

My Roommate is a Gumiho: The sheer number of times I said inappropriate in these past two episodes is baffling. I have no idea why I am still watching. I am fully hoping that a professor at that university isn’t requiring his students to couple up in order to get good grades. I really hope it is a silly rumor started by students because that would be so insanely inappropriate that I would be rendered speechless. I also really really hate the red string of destiny. It is insanely gross in this context. She already decided she didn’t want to be with Sun Woo, why are we literally forcing it. I don’t understand. Lee Dam is some kind of weirdo object to be won and taken by either a Gumiho or a human. She isn’t allowed to make her own decisions because one lies to her and the other she is being forced to like because of the red string of destiny. It is fully gross, at least with the Gumiho she actually likes him. ICK NAST. I’m probably going to drop because everything about the between the 1L and 2L is toxic and gross.

Hospital Playlist: They really took a hammer and smashed you in the nose with the friends to lovers anecdote there. I loved the cameo, but Song Hwa was hit with a sledgehammer. Lol. Also, I sobbed right alongside Eunji’s mother. She was taking care of that woman and then trying her hardest to be so cheerful. Sometimes it is too much. Heart transplants are hard, especially for children, a child has to die for your child to live. So you pray for a miracle, but goodness me. I love this show. Also Ik Joon is such a superstar. I laughed at his stupid joke about his pelvis, I was right there with Dr. Do cackling at the joke. I was waiting for Woo Joo to show his cute face and he continued to be ADORABLE.

Nevertheless: Hmmmm, Na Bi you in danger girl. That is my comment.

The Devil Judge: I hope it is good, I hope it is good.

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For At a Distance, Spring is Green, they made Soo-Bin's best friend looking like a villain when he seems pretty nice with her and cares for her. I don't think Joon helped her but himself in this case.

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Agree about that hammer. I was kind of shocked at how heavy handedly that scene was done - it felt very out of place. Usually HP has more finesse than that.

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Your comment on Doom: perfect!

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The Day of Becoming You
I paused all my kdramas (i was watching just 2 anyway lol) to binge this nearly perfect show.
It has been quite long since I have loved a rom com this much. Having the best main leads, excellent comedy, as well as a meaningful story. There is a slight issue in the ending but I chose to ignore that altogether because everything else in this show was great for me. I hope Chinese dramas make more such dramas with susbtance and humor.

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Glad to hear you and @miso2019 also watched this! I binged the first dozen episodes over three days. I'm a sucker for the body switch genre—especially cross gender. It's also refreshing to have a family that really likes each other. The FL's parents are wonderful. So nice to see a nurturing father and a mother who's caring without being clingy.

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Hey tsutsuloo, many beanies on Discord watched it. I'm glad you are liking it too. I thoroughly loved it. Have you completed it yet?

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I'm on Ep. 16 where, after spending the day with his little sister, they've just met his mother. Really enjoying it!

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That is the best episode. Have fun watching!

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Dropping in after a while to rant about two dramas I have on my plate.

Gumiho - I feel like this is a sitcom masquerading as a romcom with the gags and puns but it doesn't have any bit of story in it. It was alright initially but now it has lost its initial shine and is just plain boring. I'm just watching for Kang Han Na.

HP2 - I loved the first season, but I really dislike the direction of the second season with the romance. In particular, I'm not a fan of Wintergarden because their interactions are way too needy for their age that it's almost off-putting. I have a problem with their acting, because I do see scenes like this from time to time in dramas but they aren't as bad as this. I hope the writer can focus more on the friendships.

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Hospital Playlist: I just love these characters so much. Not just our main group but all the side characters too. The little moment of showing the girl in the hospital bed alone broke my heart. I'm curious about her storyline. Also, Jo Jung suk is so charismatic on screen.

Nevertheless: I'm still not sure how I actually feel about this one, but I keep checking Netflix so I'm hooked. I do want to see more of the girls hanging out together or in art class.

Derry Girls: Almost finished both seasons. Adore these girls and their "wee english fella" This has been perfect to come home and watch after work while in this horrible heat wave. I'd also rec their Great British Baking Show ep as they were all super charming on it.

Thinking of adding Racket Boys this week as Beanies seem to be loving it.

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Derry Girls is such a delightful show.

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Derry Girls is an absolute gem. And if you like that, then I think you'll very much enjoy Racket Boys, too.

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Starting Racket Boys was the best decision I made. I think you will like it too.

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I LURVE Derry Girls so so much.

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I also love GBBS as well, but I wanted to type how much I loved Derry girls so didn't finish reading your post, lol.

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The RACKET BOYS and girls are still going strong. I can't get enough of Hae-Kang's muttering ' he is so annoying'. Great cameos in every episode, too.

There is something nice about ON THE VERGE OF INSANITY, too. Despite the depressing developments at this company, it is fun to see how Choi Ban-seok takes to his new, unfamiliar task, uncovering and calling out the shady or mean practices all around. I loved his bartering with Dang Ja-young over the number of reports he has to make.

HOSPITAL PLAYLIST 2 is another one with a good strong script and performance. The weakest part so far is the way the Ik-soon accident was put into place. It was clear from the phone conversation with the reassurance that all will be fine, that all will not be fine at all and that the secret relationship will be uncovered, soon.

GUMMIHO ROOMMATE is reaching the apparently always required break up stage. The most interesting part for me was that gummiho is not always nice and considerate, but is perfectly at ease drawing energy from the fellow professor. Annoyingly for him, he has been caught out by Miss Dam, though. Hands on chest - great comedy performance from Kang Han-Na.

Some good laughs at MONTHLY MAGAZINE HOME, too. Ja-sung lapping up the comment from So-Min that he is a good guy, only to get annoyed when he hears her saying nice things to other people, too.

Birth secret not unexpected in BOSSAM, but not very original either. The politics is getting a bit boring and I am fed up with the king throwing his daughter under the bus all the time. Lovely wedding scene, though.

NEVERTEHLESS could become more interesting or really bad, not sure yet. I like the way the camera is being used. There is also a certain elegance in the way Song Kang moves, it must be due to all the ballet lessons from Navillera.

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Re: On the Verge of Insanity. Love the bartering scene and Ban-seok being totally hopeless at it. ("Five!" "Three." "Four!" "Three." "Three and a half!" "Three." "Oh okay, three.") And the way he kind of quickly wafted the report before her, like he was tempting a dog with a treat.

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Monthly Magazine Ep 1-2 - I like Kim Ji-Suk and grumpy characters, that's my excuse for this show. The first ep had him be a real jerk so I almost dropped it but after that he improves. There is too much happening to the heroine on these first eps but maybe that's just that weird idea of kdramas of punching the FL to make her more likable.

Nevertheless - It's slow but interesting. It's nice not knowing where this show is going. It's the main reason I like it and I suspect it's the also the reason people seem put off by it. We've had thousands of jerks and shy heroines before but the doubt about the main roles isn't usually there. Is this a story about a naive girl who has an attraction for controlling men? Maybe she's mostly trying to prove something to herself? Will she learn something from this? Is it about a jerk being reformed by true love? I hope not because there's too many of this kind already on dramaland. It's also very pretty and has a great soundtrack. I like the college students acting like regular people too, it's more realistic than average dramas.

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