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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 covering: Crazy Love, Tomorrow

Twenty Five Twenty One: I was so unhappy with this ending, I legit wish I had stopped watching at Episode 14 like my gut told me to. It’s not that Hee-do and Yi-jin had to be together, it’s that something about how the story was wrapped up just didn’t give me what I needed. It’s almost as if the story couldn’t commit to what it wanted to do, or how it wanted to leave us feeling. One thing is for sure, though — when the Jaurim song was blasting in the New Year’s Eve scene, it was more than clear that the entire drama was built for that moment in time — the ages of the leads, that particular point in their story, and the overall bittersweetness. I only wish the ending felt as crisp and pulled together. If you’re gonna hurt me, don’t tease me. If you’re gonna tease me, do it right, dammit.

Business Proposal: Another ending that was only 80% of the way up the satisfaction bar. I thought 12 episodes would work in its favor, but now I’m wishing they had cut it at 10 or 11 and just gave us our couples double-dating, proposing, and getting married, with drama-watching Grandpa cheering from the sidelines. I didn’t really need any of the other stuff.

 

DaebakGrits

Twenty Five Twenty One: Sigh… I wanted to like the ending, but I was dissatisfied. Yes, the romantic in me would have enjoyed seeing Hee-do and Yi-jin end up together, but I actually felt the breakup was handled fairly well. After some time to think about why the ending left me feeling… meh, I came to the conclusion that my biggest issue with the finale — or the entire series — is that I didn’t really care about present-day Hee-do. In order to appreciate how the small — but beautiful — part of her past is only a piece of the whole, shouldn’t I also care about the whole? But I didn’t. Most of the 2022 scenes were dedicated to her daughter or were used to drop vague hints and red herrings, and when adult Hee-do was on screen she was hardly recognizable as the vibrant Hee-do that we all fell in love with — and I’m not saying that just because they are portrayed by different actresses. The Hee-do of the past felt more like a fictional character in a novel, not Min-chae’s mother, and given that Min-chae was rooting for this romance — even though she knew that they would have to break up in order for her to be born — it was hard not to root along with her, as though her mother and the Hee-do in the diary were two separate characters. Yes, adulthood and motherhood can mature and change a person, but traits — like one’s sense of humor — tend to remain consistent throughout time. So without more context and appreciation for who Hee-do was in 2022, the breakup felt more significant than it should have been in the greater context of Hee-do’s life, which seems to undermine the message the drama was telling us. Overall, it was an absolutely beautiful story, though.

Mr. Queen: Having just wrapped up Business Proposal it feels kind of weird seeing Seol In-ah as a royal concubine. Very different characters that demonstrate her range. I can’t wait to see more of her in future dramas!

 

solstices

Currently covering: Grid

Business Proposal: Aw, I’ll miss this show. *sad archaeopteryx noises* While I think its final episodes could have been better if it didn’t lean so heavily into the tropes it crammed in, I think this show’s strength ultimately lies in the earnest sincerity that undergirds all its hilarious absurdity. Hari won me over just as quickly as she captured Tae-mu’s heart, with her empathy, initiative, and determination. Her refreshing vivacity brought a winsome charm to the show, and her thoughtful tenderness in embracing and healing Tae-mu’s trauma was so lovely. Young-seo’s forthright confidence and free-spiritedness made her so enjoyable to root for, and gentle Sung-hoon was always so patient and considerate of her in a way that warms my heart. All in all, I’ll remember this show fondly for its best parts — the creative subversion of tropes, the mature and communicative relationships, the supportive coworkers, and of course, the endearingly adorable little brother. ♥

 
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I would call this week a week of unsatisfactory endings (and I haven't even watched Weather yet! 😆 )

Business Proposal - how, just how could they make the last episodes this boring??!! Where was Archaeopteryx? And where in did they hide the original Grandpa?? I was so ready for the Grandchild from That Night and Double Wedding... but alas we got some Grumpy Obstacling Grandpa and Separation 😒 Can't wait for @DaebakGrits 's alternative ending 🤩

25-21 - oh, Yijin, you totally messed up... you closed off, didn't communicate, did not share your fears and traumas... made decisions on your own... and basically put Heedo out of your life. The split-up was inevitable and I was impressed how Heedo was mature enough to see it, name it and call it.

Though... I'm not sure how much the 9/11 arc with Yijin descending into depression was really necessary - I think they would very likely break up anyway (with less dramatic events) as the nature of the careers they chose required all their time and energy at that time and there was nothing much left for the relationship self. This was a huge difference between them and Yurim and Jiwoong (who were also both more willing to find ways how to be together). It was also clear that Yurim had always been #1 for Jiwoong 🙂 (and I'm sure that even as the CEO of a successful company he wouldn't have a problem to postpone an important meeting for being with Yurim if necessary). Yijin had his priorities elsewhere. Thus, the break-up self, although sad, didn't make me upset. What did make me dissatisfied was the chosen course afterwards. I would gladly exchange some kdrama we-have-just-missed-each-other moments (and some current time line moments) for more development after the break-up, being it their personal lives (and how they could (or couldn't) be perfectly happy without each other)... or their relationship self - for 14 episodes a very strong connection has been built... and then basically totally lost. I personally would prefer showing how their deep connection changed form... and they still could somehow support each other... (and maybe... maybe when they matured and settled and their careers were not as hectic and demanding... maybe then they would find the love-form of lovers again 🙂). I still loved the drama and there were so many good moments (and Kim Taeri could sell any emotion and growing stage of Heedo; just a pity she didn't play her older self as well). I only wish the last episodes left me with more satisfying feelings.

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I have decided to participate in writing an alternate ending for BUSINESS PROPOSAL- perhaps even drawing elements from the actual webtoon which I finally started reading (I just subscribed to Tapas). While the last two episodes were not quite at the 'having the rug jerked out from under you level' the more I think about it the more I have come to see that in fact those episodes were truly inconsistent- even logically- from the previous ten episodes. One exception is Young-seo's decision to cut ties with her execrable father- this made sense as did her emotional despair afterwards- which made psychological sense.

Above all there was the irrational decision by the show to replace the Grandpa we knew with a stereotype- under conditions that made zero sense dramatically or psychologically. Grandpa faking illness- OK, even consistent with his character (as was Tae-moo not believing it). But the discovery that he had a real and possibly fatal situation would actually have resulted in a completely different reaction regarding Ha-ri: He would have immediately accepted her and booked a wedding hall pronto as he literally was out of time.

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Great! Looking forward to your ending 🙂
(And true, I forgot I can go back to the original webtoon and continue! 🙂)

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A moment of self awareness/realization as he watched his favorite drama - “oh, sh*t, that’s me…I don’t want to be that person” - would have been nice, I thought.

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Grandpa said so many times that he just wanted great-grandkids that there could not be a satisfying ending without him holding a baby. The writers set up the expectations and didn’t live up to them.

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I agree with both of you re ABP. Because I really loved the first ten eps, I found the last two very boring that I needed to pause a couple of times just to check how much time it had left until the ending. It was that boring and I also felt these eps were different, not in a good way, from the first ten eps.

Re: 2521, I don’t have any issue with them having no contact because my first love relationship was the same. I loved him with all my heart because it was my first time being in a relationship with someone. When he was becoming more and more absent, I didn’t understand what was going on. At the end, I had to end the relationship feeling utterly lost because I wasn’t provided the information I needed (why didn’t you contact me? Why did you say you love me but your actions were not?), so the breakup was as messy as it could be. I didn’t understand what was happening and why someone who used to love each other that much could hurt each other that much (in HD’s case, she might wonder why he chose the position in NYC without telling her or choosing her instead). Only by making it as clean as possible could help me to move on with my life; but still, I couldn’t move on emotionally. Only by seeing him having a new gf I found my closure and could move on to. First love hit hard, so I understand why HD seemed to had cut all the ties with him until now, but I also think she has had her closure when she finally got the diary back. They might contact each other again in the future.

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Twenty Five Twenty One: This drama was amazing from start to finish. I was satisfied with the ending. Hee-do and Yoo-rim’s tearful hug after the Madrid match might have been my favorite scene in the whole series. I’m so glad that I got to spend eight weeks with all of these wonderful characters.

Business Proposal: One thing I appreciated about this drama was how it subverted or made fun of tropes. Unfortunately, it stopped doing that well before the final week and the finale was just a boring tropefest with all the humor zapped out of it. Grandpa’s last minute health scare and the one year separation was groanworthy. Why spend the whole drama showing his commentary on his favorite drama just to have him act like the typical disapproving drama chaebol? The two leading ladies were great but the drama as a whole was disappointing.

Forecasting Love and Weather: This drama has just kind of been there for me, never eliciting strong emotions, but man, I hated the ending. Most of the couples should have broken up, especially Forecaster Um and his wife and Yoo-jin and Ki-jun. Babies do not fix troubled marriages! Ugh. The cancer redemption arc for Shi-woo’s dad was ridiculous. I love Park Min-young but this was her worst role and Song Kang needs to learn some new facial expressions.

Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce): Just when you think this drama has reached peak ridiculousness, it throws in an animated mind meld that somehow hypnotized Sa-hyun into seeing Song Won in Hye-ryung and apparently making him forget she was dead? The writer and PD were tripping on something. I know Hye-ryung is selfish, materialistic and conniving, but I really dislike this storyline for her.

Green Mothers' Club: This feels like a mashup of several recent dramas, like High Class and Reflection of You. Nobody’s particularly interesting or likeable, especially Eun-pyo. Lady, don’t just sit there when someone asks you a question and get control of your kids because they are brats. I’ll give it a couple more episodes.

Tomorrow: I really want to like this but while I think they are trying to handle the topic of suicide with care, I am uncomfortable with the drama glossing over mental health issues. The bullying victim in Episode 2 clearly had PTSD but a hug and some tough love was all she needed? No.

It’s Beautiful Now: The first week was kind of dry but hopefully the marriage competition shakes it up. After two weekenders with a lot of shouting and dysfunction, it is nice to have two fairly normal families at the forefront. Yoon Shi-yoon’s hair is dreadful. I blame it for the state of his career.

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@missh I agree with you on 25 21 and BP. I thought the last 2 eps of 25 21 were beautiful, I had no problems with it. Re BP, the ending was rushed and bland. They should have added ep 13.

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Last line killed me

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Rest:
F4 Thailand - this was Ren's episode to shine. His Dream was not only about Gorya, but also about his longing for a quiet life, perhaps in a private clinic in the countryside... which he can't have in reality. A very touching scene (and the actor improved so much!).
(*cough* I'm also fully admitting that I totally enjoyed Ren in the PPL *cough * 😆)

Crazy Love - this, this is what I wanted from episode 8! The crazy is back as well and that Pillow Fight was epic! 😂 And we got the Potatoe Talk! 😄 (just noticed that Noh Go Jin and Dokko Jin are quite similar names 😁) I'm happy that I can still look forward to Mondays even after Business Proposal finished. 🙂

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COMPLETED
Forecasting Love and Weather - I think I've ranted enough. Meh.

Twenty-five Twenty-one - I thought the ending was weak and the present timeline superfluous. They could have ended it in 2009 and achieved the same results. But I still cried my heart out during the bus stop and retirement scenes. This show was glorious when it got things right and it really got emotions right. Thanks for the memories.

Business Proposal - Went from mocking/ subverting tropes to just repeating them. Rushed ending didn't help. But it was still fun and a good way to start the week.

STARTED
Tomorrow - Really liked the start. Since it's an adaption, the world-building seems assured and strong. But I want more Lee Soo-hyuk.

ONGOING
Crazy Love - This is the only fun left on Mondays now that BP's done. Can't wait for more hijinks. Only wish Se-gi and Soo-young were more interesting. Side note - I love the way Go-jin's been styled with purple, red, teal suits 💯.

Grid - What is the endgame here? We find out everything about the Ghost - doubt that'll happen in 2 episodes - or is it to just catch Man-ok and the Ghost and leave it at that??

PLANNING TO WATCH
Again My Life, Our Blues and My Liberation Notes - the week has become a bit lopsided now that I'll be watching 4 shows Friday through Sunday 😵.

C-DRAMAS
Completed Legally Romance. Like most C-dramas, it was slightly longer than it needed to be but still a really good show. Love leads who just go for what they want.

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Grid: my guess is that Man-ok has to NOT be caught because something he does contributes to the invention of time-travel. Maybe he has a descendant who invents it (??)

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Ahhh. I didn't think of that. That means Man-ok's father's death needs to happen to put Man-ok on the path which would lead to the descendant. But isn't it the descendant's timeline which decided on the father's death to begin with? 😣

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JAPAN -

Mentally Strong Shirakawa-san - 6/10 - manga to live-action. smile. if you want. That one good dialogue from the 1st episode. I don't think this kind of manga need any tv drama or anything. waste of resources.

Honest Real Estate - 6/10 - Yamapi. Low budget tv drama. another real estate japanese drama and all the tricks with very casual i can only speak truth meme.

Year after year Japanese tv drama system has pretty much moved onto manga to live-action system. original stories are few and lack depth. Where are all the writers? No one interested in humanities and arts anymore?

Also every season now feels the same - same shoujo romance lineup, in between niche low budget show, then already seen out themes, come back to police action. Needs lots of improvement. lots of.

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KOREA -

It's Beautiful Now - 6/10 - 1st week had nice start - After a while a weekend family drama tried to act as a family drama and not some tinder hookup. This show is in direct competition with Chinese drama "The Bachelors".
Let's see how it unfolds later on. 1st week was totally a tv drama.

Solar jump - 6/10 - Now this show is progressing as other tv dramas with time jump do - change the events. Yeah so easy. Well, I'm still watching it for the hero and heroine.

Weather report - 4/10 - what nonsense - The main couple was the least deserving one.

Live your life once more - 4.5/10 - the writer took important points and events from real life - good. That's how you do the job. But story is meh. villain is gonna keep this show interesting.

Military dog - 3/10 - this show is garbage - i'm surprised noone fro army issued notice to the team of this garbage.

Haven't seen any good korean romance in a while - even chinese copy-paste these days have more quality.

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I will be checking out THE BACHELORS after having started the new weekender IT'S BEAUTIFUL NOW. All weekenders are family dramas- it is a defining characteristic of that genre. It is nice to see one start in a normal manner. Family dramas can be great or so so. I too am simply waiting to see how this one goes.

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Not when we see ping pong between more than half a dozen couples. Too many young couples pitch the whole content towards "those specific feelings" and everything else just turns into a spacious prop.

Family dramas are my main food and for more or less i have moved onto Chinese media for it.

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KOREA - today - name looks like a newspaper.

Life once more - One hero and several random meetups with 4 different girls - 3 can be for game but instructor mentor played big role him getting into collage.
In casual language - chicks all around - even guys are getting attracted towards hero. Start your own idol group bro.
Villain team is on into these things too and that's why they are so strong. Interesting week.

MIDDLE CLASS notes - 8 out of 10. JTBC - yeah that alone is enough reason to check out the 1st episode. Beautiful episode. Writer did the efforts and those efforts have reached the audience. Story and characters are well introduced. After a while a korean writer deserving their pay.
The characters are getting rough part of real life - They are highly demotivated about their future and its when they are putting their all and its physically and mentally so so exhausting. The food is keeping them active and fight another day. if not for the food, they would have aged fast and body would have raise white flag long ago.

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Oh man - Real fun is happening is Pak parliament - everything is on the scale of top quality soap opera more drama. I was busy watching tv shows today so missed all the action.
Korean writer should look at it and start copying ideas - that show surely gonna be a hit.
Supreame court opening at midnight - real life is real fun.

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@daebakgrits I also loved Seol Inah in both dramas 💕 Though after BP I think comedy might be her forte and hope to see her soon in something funny again 🙂

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I agree with you about her real talent, and I hope to see her in more comedies also. I mean that as a complement to Seol Inna. Most people do not realize that it is harder to do comedy well than almost anything else.

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Business Proposal: I appreciate that the drama showed technology is around for people in long distance relationships, but what a missed opportunity to have grandpa face the reality of his makjang drama. Oh and the awkward sex scene in episode 15; I still can't figure out if it was supposed to be or bad directing.

25/21: Dropped at episode 5. I am hesitant to admit, but I am one of those people who don't like the Replay series and this is giving me that vibe. I'm out.

Tomorrow: In some ways it's standard grim reaper territory but the pacing is done well. I just can't watch bullying so I have to ff through that.

Forecasting: I finished it up and it was fine. I like the nod to the woman telling her husband, don't study...this is ok. It surprised me as it seemed a nod to the concept of the stay-at-home dad/house husband. I enjoyed the drama through the first 10 episodes and then it faltered. It ended fine but never totally recovered from ep 11 & 12.

One the Woman: I am thinking about this show but I keep seeing it is only good for the first 8 to 10 episodes. See my Forecasting comment...I just need to know if it is a total mess through the second half so I know what I am getting into or I should avoid. Thoughts??

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I found the awkward sex scene in BUSINESS PROPOSAL to be true to life- most first sex is awkward.

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Unless you are sensible enough to have your first experience with someone who has at least been around the block, then it is awkward and embarrassing. I thought it was clear that neither of them had a clue about what they were doing, which is probably more realistic. It certainly wasn't Tequila Sunrise, nor should it have been.

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And another thing, whilst we're on the topic of making love. What's with Korean men getting out of bed, getting dressed, doing their hair etc. etc. etc. and then coming back to wake up their partners? Do Korean men ONLY make love in the dark? Just asking. Just in case. Any Korean men care to answer???

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The bedscene is awkward?
Such a hilarious thought then. Who is getting pro for the first time? 😅😅😅...
Perhaps some detailing might not be on par (wish a better hand grip/touch for both Hari and Taemoo), but other than that, it is definitely not an awkward one for me.

P/S: so glad SeJeong managed to put aside her idol title and become exceptionally professional actress when filming such scenes in this drama...

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I’m not sure if this is intended or not, but her character seemed to be more experienced in the love scene than KTM. 😂

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BUSINESS PROPOSAL (Ep 11-12) The second lead chemistry and story gave us the best twist so far: YS’s father being supportive then a full blown negative. It was not as jarring as Grandpa’s behavior. The car accident/injury was an unnecessary fizzle for me; it really did not do much but add some more unreality into the story. Whether TM had a broken or sprained arm, he is not lifting HR no matter how hormonally amped he is at the moment. I really liked the Grandpa hospital room interaction with HR, but we did not see them truly bond and accept each other. The last episodes lost most of the comedic edge. Both relationships seemed to have stalled at engagement. It seems like we watched two different dramas sewn together at the mid-point of the series. The ending seemed unfinished, especially for the second lead couple. The show was light and fun, but as with the dominant trend the past few years, it could have ended better.

Variety:
THE SIXTH SENSE 3: Well, I got 2 of the first 3 episodes right.

Anime:
KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989): It has been a looooong time since I saw this classic anime. When I saw a BR/DVD copy at the local department store, I picked it up. It still holds up fairly well. And nothing beats hand drawn animation.

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haaaaahaha I completely forgot that Tae Mu was supposed to have an injured arm, that is too funny 😄

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I ADORE KIKI’S. I remember my friend knew I liked this one so much he bought me the DVD and that was my first DVD in my life. I was 14 back then I think (when I was gifted it but when the movie was out.)

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King of Tears. Surprise, surprise. This takes me out of my 7 years' sageuk slump. I'm watching with so much tension you'd think I'd never seen this story before (I've seen maybe 4 versions of it). I like that it concentrates on the Yi family strife and the marriage, though it does end up short-changing the politics. I can't say enough about the two female leads: Park Jin-hee and Ye Ji-won. Both go from devoted pillars of the family to hard-charging queens, emoting like Shakespeareans. Park Jin-hee as Lady Min makes quite a character, steely strong and warmly supportive. The breakdown of the marriage is like a punch in the stomach. "Ruling together ". . . oops. She was so wise till then. There it all goes.

A powerful well-written drama with echoes of the old epic KBS sageuks, right down to the historical narration (writing credit to Lee Jung-woo, no other drama credits listed). More than two thumbs up if I had 'em.

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KING OF TEARS covers a story that has been told before- and we have watched at least one of the previous versions. To me it is the very best and not just because it is historically fairly accurate. It is a serious departure from the usual sageuk, being told the way that Shakespeare would have told the story as a historical tragedy or rather series of tragedies with each tragic event flowing from decisions that in turn flowed from flaws of human character rather than from fate.

Example- her husband's decision to ignore Ye Ji-won's initial advice to name his dead first wife Queen until her third death anniversary clearly showed his over weaning pride and lack of political judgement. Had he followed that advice and named Yi Bang-won Crown Prince all of the family strife that followed would have been avoided- and her children would not have died. That she became a schemer later was simply her desperate bid to ward off disaster.

Lee Jung-woo may have no previous writing credits but it would shock me if that does not change in the future. A modern version of Shakespeare may be just what Korean drama needs right now.

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I agree about \writer Lee Jung-woo. I went back and rewatched the scene at the end of Ep. 20 where Lady Min reveals her ambitions to her husband and I couldn't get over how powerfully written it was. "I made you, I built you . . . half of Joseon belongs to me." All delivered in that controlled, whispery voice by Park Jin-hee. Game of Thrones, eat your heart out.

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Yes, that scene by Lady Min was fabulous.

And GAME OF THRONES was never as good as this in dramatic terms (although it was seriously entertaining).

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25, 21 I didn't have issue with the end the writer chose but more with the way they adressed it. We didn't have so many cute and lovely moments for our couple...

FLAW It was really a boring drama with flat characters.

Business Proposal I don't understand writers... They could give us a wedding and grandchildren for the funny Grandpa but they gave us illness and one year separation instead. Why?

Military Prosecutor Doberman I like how they work as a team now. Bold is still the cutest!

Green Mothers' Club I watched the first episode and even if I know that it's better to watch 4 episodes before deciding to drop it, I couldn't motive myself to watch the second.

Tomorrow This drama always makes me go from laughter to tears and vice versa. I like the dynamism of the camera work. The epilogues are so funny.

Soundtrack#1 If there weren't only 4 episodes, I would have already dropped it.

F4 The episode of last week was really good. I'm kinda sad and excited for the last episode.

I need to try : Again My Life, Our Blues, My Liberation Notes

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I could not agree with you more about BUSINESS PROPOSAL. This was not just about falling back on old tropes to finish the show- it was utterly irrational and made no dramatic sense at all.

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Yeag, the events didn't make the characters growing or changing. They were the same. So it didn't bring anything to the story.

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Not just lack of growth- Grandpa actually regressed.

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Grandpa regressing was the worst part of the last two episodes.

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Business Proposal (Series review) - Mood progression: D+ / C- / C- / C- / D+ / D+
As compared to the first half of the show, I do think my spazzing over the cast’s chemistry definitely cooled off a little: I see it as the classic issue whereby the plot is too empty and the writer has 0 idea where to take it to once the romance is on. The finale was stacked with so many nauseatingly bad writing moments that the HEA ending didn’t even matter?

Twenty Five Twenty One (Series review) - Mood progression: C / C / C- / D+ / C- / C / D+ / C-
It’s clear what the Search: WWW writer was aiming to emulate with the coming-of-age focus paired with shots from the future that hold the answers to a romance mystery involving the female lead. I’m surprised that the writer was brave enough to not pull a forced happy ending for the OTP, though whoever titled the show should 100% be fired now.

Forecasting Love and Weather (Series review) - Mood progression: D / D- / D- / D- / D / D+ / D / D
Funny as it might sound, there were moments throughout the 2nd half where I wasn’t genuinely facepalming at the plot that the writer had conjured up. But this show is really an example of how to shoot yourself in the foot right at the start: the affair made the 1st half needlessly dramatic and prevented what could’ve been insight over rebound relationships?

Tomorrow (Episode 1-2) - Mood: D+
For a show that’s tackling a particularly sensitive topic such as suicide, it’s badly missing the mark on how support can be provided to those who are pushed to the limits: fear tactics, blunt talk and momentary laughter are all useless if the person’s struggle isn’t recognised and dealt with by a therapist. Writer didn’t research and it shows in the shallowness.

Green Mothers’ Club (Episode 1-2) - Mood: D+
What a disappointment of a mash-up between High Class and Reflection of You! But funnily enough, I did finish those two shows and ironically I might just do that again? I think it’s interesting to see how Eun Pyo develops.

Grid (Episode 8) - Mood: C
With 2 episodes left to go, a narrative reset couldn’t have come at a worst time: it’s going to be a mad dash till the end of the show. At this stage, I’m still wondering why Eo Jin’s a main lead: I feel like he’s got the biggest secret of them all.

A Superior Day (Episode 4) - Mood: D-
So Shi Woo got a hold of Soo Ah because he happens to coincidentally be in the carpark when she somehow escaped? And I will never get tired of being annoyed of the trope where cops get killed because they follow a known psychopath?

Crazy Love (Episode 9-10) - Mood: D-
What’s the point of hiding the diary’s contents from the viewers when it’s predictable? We’re already in the second half and the writer only cares about the OTP: what about why Se Gi’s betraying Go Jin? Soo Young’s writing is just pathetic.

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How many years since you've given a rank above a C?

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I had to check because I swore I did see them rank a B- just over a month ago. (For Grid Ep 2 if curious.)

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Lol I am also curious, I want to know your taste in dramas!

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whoever titled the show should 100% be fired now
Hahaha agreed.

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I guess the biggest mystery about Eo jin is that why is he being played by Kim Myung Min. It's hard to see why he would take such an insignificant role given how he is successful enough in Chungmuro and is usually a lead in dramas. I just don't want a second season for this show but I'm not sure they can wrap everything in 2 episodes.

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I think you are mixing up names! The actor playing Eo Jin is Kim Moo Yul.
Kim Myung Min isn't playing any role in this drama.

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Oh lol my bad, that's surely Kim Moo Yul. Nonetheless, my point remains the same. It doesn't make sense that KMY will take such an insignificant role. The role being small doesn't matter but that that is not important at all. KMY plays lead roles so that's surprising.

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I called Green Mothers' Club a mashup between High Class and Reflection of You too lol.

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Can't get enough of CRAZY LOVE. Kim Jae-wook and Krystal are so good together - a nice unexpected surprise. I am all in for a crazy romance.

PACHINKO is a gem! Jin Ha and Kim Min-ha and all the other actors are so good, the cinematography outstanding. Even the time jumps do not disrupt the flow of the story. Well done.

With new dramas starting, hopefully there is enough distraction to quickly forget about the cluster of unsatisfying recent endings. 25-21 never made the case that the main couple needed to break up and did the writer of BUSINESS PROPOSAL suddenly suffer from amnesia and forgot all her humour and wit? Unintentionally funny was the bedroom scene, they both looked really nervous, but maybe that is also realistic for a first sexual encounter.

SOUNDTRACK feels very much like a short story, it is different, slightly sketchy, but I quite like it.

Lots of terrible school bullying in KING OF PIGS and TOMORROW. I am getting more and more drawn into King of Pigs and Kim Dong Wook's disturbingly good performance as a killer, but Tomorrow is lacking something, not yet sure what it is. I will give it a little more time.

Likely to drop GREEN MOTHER'S CLUB (dislike the subject and the plot so far), if the other new dramas are any good.

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Totally agree about Crazy Love--it's getting so good!

Regarding BP's awkward sex scene, I, too, thought both the actors and the characters (if that makes sense) seemed nervous and a bit uncomfortable. Some of that was cute, especially at the start of the scenes, but I think it would have worked better if they had cut out the moments where he put her on the console and then when they were against the wall. Those seemed the most staged and therefore, the least passionate and believable. I mean, why exactly did they move to those spots? The kissing at the beginning and then them getting to the bed would have been just enough sexy without feeling like too much.

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And why was she too embarrassed to get out of bed in front of him when she was wearing a robe? It wasn’t cute, just dumb.

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You know I realize I'm alone in this opinion, but I thought this scene was kind of a spoof on the love making scenes in other romances, where the male lead picks the female up in the throes of passion. In this one he was wandering around the room not knowing where to put her down, which I thought was funny. I know that everyone else seems to think it was a badly filmed scene, though.

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Great point! Now that you say this, I can totally see it. If they were going for something more spoofy, though, they should have scored the scene differently.

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When every beanies here nitpicking the scenes 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣...I just can't help myself laughing out loud when reading comments here 🤭🤭🤭

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Yes, less and shorter would have been more - and leave the rest to the viewer's romantic imagination!

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I kept noticing the two lamps when he put her down on the center of the table....
Like don't knock them over, y'all!! 😂

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In BP, my issue was that I got the impression to see them trying to be hot like the second couple and not just acting hot. I had the same issue with their kiss scenes. It didn't feel natural.

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As I said before, two inexperienced lovers make for extremely awkward moments. I'm sure they were happy in their way...............?

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I saw an interview with the actress of BP. There was no specific sex scene in the script. She spends the night but we see nothing. They totally added in the scene because the actors thought there should be something and they went with it so this does seem to have been done without much thought. I'm gonna put this on the director for how it turned out.

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Twenty-Five, Twenty-One: 9.0 The Un-Kdrama? The OTP was a nOTP. Yi-jin's seniors in the local news dept and New York were un-kdramaishly nice. The Americans weren't bad actors and weren't playing jerks. No greedy chaebol villains... At least we had a bit of a birth secret, since we don't know who Min-chae's daddy is.

Tomorrow: 4.5 I hope nobody thinks this show is their happy pill. Just 4.0 for day 2, because bullying scenes are my least favorite part of kdramaland. If day 1 hadn't been good I would have dropped it early in this ep, but the retribution was ok when they finally got to it. Toilet humor is another of my not-favorite things, so the epilogue left a stain on the score sheet for the day. I'm sticking around mostly because I expect all the suicidal folks will have different reasons, so I hope not to see much more bullying. Day 4: Well, the epilog was good but it seemed like the rest of the episode was designed around some fried chicken that we didn't get to see -- that's lame even by k-PPL standards.

A Superior Day: 4.6 Just not A Superior Show. Dropped 6 min into day 4.

A Business Proposal: 7.5 For the week - it got less wacky and more like an ordinary kdrama. 8.5 for the show overall.

Crazy Love: 7.0

Military Prosecutor Doberman: 7.0

Grid: 7.5

Pachinko: 8.0 It wouldn't surprise if some award shows later have Sun-ja up against Sun-ja for best actress.

Again My Life: 4.0 The opening was bad in the normal must.glorify.Lee.Joon.Gi way. I suspect he has "Dramatic Entrance" in his contracts. And this show treats overdone stale kdrama tropes in exactly the way Business Proposal didn't.

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25 21: They're some few shows that came into my life with perfect timing, and 25 21 is one of them. I'm so thankful this show exists. I loved it with all my heart. I can't even describe how I feel about this show.

Hee Do is one of my favorite FLs, and Yi Jin is probably the first ML that has made me swoon for real. I love those two.

The first half of the show I didn't want them to be a couple. I totally loved their relationship and romance kinda ruins things? So I wanted them to be platonic and support each other no matter what, how, when or where. In the "present" there was a scene of HD's mom saying she was going to meet Yi Jin and I thought that meant HD and YJ were still in touch or something.

They became a couple and I was fine with that but then when they started to drift apart I started thinking "maybe, if they weren't a couple things would've been different?" I remember the first time he disappeared when he came back they were there for each other, but this time she couldn't comfort him and he couldn't support her. He came back from hell and she had a competition but they couldn't do anything to help. That totally broke my heart.

I don't understand romance so maybe I can't see what others see (while half of the characters were shipping them I was screaming "stop"), for me they were perfect without it. And if you really need the romance why couldn't they break up, some time apart, and then be a rainbow again?

Nana (anime): I started watching this before binge watching 25 21 and I was loving it, but now I have 0 emotional energy to watch another bittersweet story. On hold for now.

Tomorrow: I'm distracted about how everyone in this show looks so damn good. A fashion show or a kdrama? Who knows. I'm loving RW's character and his dinamic with everyone. I kinda hate how they do their job so I'm really glad he's there to bring some empathy and warm.

I'm sure I watched another stuff this week but I don't remember anything, binge watching 25 21 in two days was a bad idea, I guess. It's the only thing I can think of rn. 😂 I don't regret it tho.

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Ah, Nana... such a masterpiece of a story. Wonderful themes of love & friendship, of loss & relationships dying their slow, natural death! It's a shame the manga never got finished! :/ The Anime OST was such a banger, I listen (& sing along to it) even to this day!... Ps. Nana is getting a c-drama remake in '23... ;D Maybe you'd have finished the anime by then! <3

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Today I watched another episode of the show, I have 30 more episodes to watch (I'm in EP 11 I think), but so far I love the show.
The OST is great!
I'll probably watch the remake, hehe.

My friend (the one that recommend me Nana) told me to watch Beck too. He said it's Nana but with boys. Have you watched that one?

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Ah, noo! I haven't watched Beck yet! I actually ended up picking Nana over Beck because the former seemed more relatable (age group & genre-wise)... I got re-directed from Honey & Clover, which is a more slice-of-life, less dramatic version of NANA (more like 25-21, if you may!).... and it's based in an art-college! ^^
I'd highly recommend the H&C anime, if you have time! <3

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Thanks for the recommendation, I'll add H&C to my watchlist!

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Business Proposal: Could have used more time to flesh out the ending and throw in more harabeoji x Hari BFF scenes, but I'm good with what we have. I'm gonna miss starting my week with this show.

Twenty Five, Twenty One: (1) The Madrid match was aaamazing (and beautifully directed, like all the fencing scenes), my heart broke when they finally got to hug each other. (2) I don't think miscommunication or distance was the problem between Yijin and Heedo at all. Each used to be what the other needed in those earlier years, but people change. Even friendships die like this. No big conflict, just a slow quiet realization that they don't quite fit in each other's lives in a permanent way. It doesn't erase the fact that they were once the most significant part of each other's life. (3) Although I did think the ending ran a little bit longer than it should have, it's an impressive drama that religiously stuck to its theme til the end. (4) That said, I might never rewatch this drama.

Avengers Social Club: So I wanted to watch a completed drama and picked this one on a whim, because it seemed like a total opposite of the dramas I've been watching, and I am very much loving it! I liked Jun in Love and Leashes so I was pretty happy to see him and his precious grin here.

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25/21: I've already posted extensive thoughts on the ending, but DaebakGrits, I completely agree with your take about present-day Hee-do and the sizeable drag those scenes had on the story. Still, even though I wish it had ended differently, this was clearly an exceptional show, a showcase for excellent acting and dialogue, and a lovely and bittersweet ode to a certain type of idealized youth and first love. I think it's also a great example of when a writer ends up undermining their own purpose by making one part of the story so powerful and emotionally affecting that the ultimate lesson falls flat.

TOMORROW: I'm not sure about this one. The unflinching portrayal of bullying and suicide is, on one hand, admirable as they didn't shrink away from showing the reality of the pain and devastation. On the other hand, it was excruciating to watch those scenes in ep. 2 and I'm not sure I can take episode upon episode of similar darkness and despair. The world building and fantasy elements also seem to be pretty standard to me. The cast is definitely great, although there's not enough Lee Soo-Hyuk yet (right now, the chemistry between him and ‎Kim Hee-Seon is probably the main thing that will have me tuning in this weekend). Also, this is a good role for Rowoon, especially since it's not a romantic one (at least so far). As such, he's more relaxed and endearingly earnest. Again, though, I'm not sure I'll end up committing to this one.

BUSINESS PROPOSAL: I wasn't as let down by the finale as others were, but I also wasn't as infatuated with the show to begin with. I mean, I really enjoyed and happily slurped up its trope-laden fan service fun, but I never saw it doing anything that remarkable. So the ending seemed perfectly fitting to me.

LOVE & WEATHER: A perfectly fine drama that didn't quite do any of its many plotlines justice, and ended up giving a surprisingly and probably unintentionally bleak view of marriage. Perhaps due to the sheer volume of stories, none of the central issues and conflicts were fully explored in a satisfying way, and although I liked the main couple well enough, they never captured my heart. I see why PMY picked this one, but for me, it's one of those dramas that never realized its potential and although not awful, could have been so much more interesting than it was. Shout-out to Yoon Park's performance--he made a rather unlikeable and weak character more nuanced and interesting than he had a right to be.

CRAZY LOVE: Two great episodes this week. The leads finally seem like fully rounded characters and their burgeoning feelings are leading to fun and surprisingly touching scenes of connection.

MILITARY PROSECUTOR: Best scene this week was the video chat with Do Bae Min showing off the dog to the FL (why can't I ever remember her name, lol?). Still not loving the way the show frames larger issues of abuse and sexual assault, but the relationship between the leads--based on shared trauma and...

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Interesting comment about Tomorrow. I am still trying to work out what is missing for me, but I agree with your assessment that the world building is pretty standard. Hopefully more of LSH will lift it up. Nice to see Rowoon so relaxed. I am still not convinced of his acting abilities, but this lively, warm character suits him.

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Business Proposal - after the brilliant “in your face” absurdity of the first few episodes, I saw it doing usual romcom fare on the second half. And standard romcom fare always has noble idiocy built in. So I wasn’t frustrated too by the ending. But I’ve long dismissed it as “so so fare” from the second half of the series.

Tomorrow - whenever I see Lee Soo Hyuk, I’m like “yes! Why isn’t he the male lead”?

25-2@ - I like your description. “Exceptional” indeed.

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2521: I wasn't that sad they broke up, but I was sad that the breakup led to them no longer being friends and platonic soulmates. Sure they still care about each other over the years and don't bear any ill will, but the loss of friendship hurt. I wish they had cut the present-day scenes, which gave us an unrecognizable Hee-do and hinted at how she ended up marrying a guy who is absent a lot. Still, this is such a beautiful drama. That Madrid hug was one of the most touching moments I've ever seen.

Business Proposal Fun and well-paced from beginning to end. I did wish the ending shot would be of the 2 couples on another double date. I don't have much to say about it except this will be one that I recommend to people who want the kdrama rom-com experience without the boring corporate and melodramatic stuff to bog things down. The opposition and separation tropes were handled nicely and quickly.

Forecasting Love and Weather Had been an easy, breezy watch, though I think the drama went a little too breezy with giving undeserving characters ridiculously happy endings and glossed over things, like workplace assault. I'm glad the more likable characters also got happy endings. I like how this drama showcased both the leads and the supporting characters. Should have been 12 ep max though. Too many filler drama in the last quarter.

Crazy Love Amazing pillow fight! I thought it was a dream at first! But the drama sort of slowed down for me since I'm tired of scenes that don't have either leads. I totally get why Go jin would fall for Si-na but am puzzled why Si-na would want to stick around him.

Tomorrow Still on the fence. Ep 2 was hard to watch cuz of the extended bullying scenes and because of how the Gu Ryeon handled the victim. Ep 3 was more interesting and Jun-woong really grounds it.

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Twenty Five Twenty one!
I'm at episode 14, but where should I stop watching and savour the good stuff? 15? Im chickening out, help!

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Stop now! Don't watch episode 15, and erase 14 from your memory.

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While contemplating whether to continue watching, I thought about what I like most about this drama. And it hit me. It's not about the possible lost potential romance, but much more. The friendship of the squad is so vital to and the heart of the story. Their ups and downs; trials and tribulations, nothing else matters. The more the drama progresses, the older they grow, the more challenges they face. Having gone through a huge change myself around the millennium, I could relate a little bit too. The dread to the ending is is now that there will no longer be this group of friends and athletes from the great aughts to follow. *SOBS*
Do I wish there was a little more mystery a la Reply series? Yes. But this is a different drama, so I'll take whatever ending it has in store for us.
Sorry about the rant! There's no place else to share. ❤️

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Rant away!
For me, it's not because of the romance -- I knew they wouldn't end up together from Min-chae's last name -- but because episodes 14, 15, and 16 were depressing, depressing, and more depressing. Which is realistic because life is depressing, but then they threw in an unrealistic fairy-tale ending for Yu-rim and Ji-woong and negated its own message. Everyone agrees adult Hee-do is unrecognizable, but I think even 21-year-old Hee-do acted out of character in the ending.

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I thought it was a fairy-tale ending for Heedo and how she found her closure too. Complete with reenactment of her and Yijin at the tunnel scene. The dreamy atonement for her regret at the way she parted with Yijin felt cringy, tbh. In real life, no one gets a perfect closure like that.

I've never seen such a majority of viewers have so many different thoughts on how they found the last 2 or 3 episodes frustrating and disappointing. All the rants are well-deserved, imo. I find it funnier how some people overlook the flaws and all the contrived situations claiming it to be "perfect" and a "masterpiece". But well, to each their own.

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@Amber I checked out whenever adult Hee-do appeared, so I was glad the diary reenactment was by Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk. Personally, I loved her line "At times when I didn't believe in myself, I believed in you who believed in me."

Even if someone were satisfied with the ending, the fact that the present-day storyline exists makes this show not a masterpiece.

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Those lines should've been beautiful if only I didn't feel the whole diary scenario too contrived and the dreamlike tunnel scene unrealistic so honestly, I was just cringing when it happened. Their words to each other seemed hollow and empty to me.

I found it hard to believe that the diary was left with the bookshop owner. Did Yijin think Heedo was still reading comic books at that age or had time to visit the bookstore when she was busy with her training? Yijin left Heedo's sword by her gate the last time, he couldn't do the same for the diary? He could've left it with Seungwan too.

They could've gotten their closure way before that 2009 TV interview. And she could name her shop after her wedding date or their ages when she met her husband. Her nostalgia would've felt more inspiring. That she became a better person because of her past and she has a wonderful husband in the present. Instead, we got that weird TV interview, where both look teary eyed in front of the whole country! Was it even necessary to insert that scene of Heedo wanting to show her left side? On hindsight, it looks now how the writer likes teasing her viewers.

I hate how the writer did that. I hate that we didn't get a satisfying closure that I can't even rewatch this drama now because everything just feels hollow and empty. Their words of comfort aren't inspiring. They sound like empty promises.

And this doesn't even have to do with one's age or experience with first love. I find this dismissal of our dissatisfaction a little offensive. When a majority of your viewers are disappointed, viewers of all ages and varied life experiences, it is not the viewer's fault, this is on the writer.

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Yeah, I think it hurt everyone watching that the friends weren’t a part of each other’s lives in the future. T_T

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My take..

Ep14 has the best FL bromance in Madrid (if my memory serves right vs episode count). It will be a classic scene for years to come.

Ep 15 has the perfect ending song. How fitting. How haunting.

Don’t let the db editors sway you. I’ve known for some time I have different taste from them though they write so beautifully. I also enjoy different people’s take.

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The sismance in Madrid was Ep 15. Ep 14 was Russia.

Personally, I felt the Jaurim song was forced into the plot. Like, "Oh, they're 25, 21 now, so they have to break up because the lyrics say so." This show should have never been titled Twenty-Five Twenty-One when they were those ages for barely half an episode.

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Agree!

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I think you should watch the end and make your opinion.

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I completely agree with this.

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My wife and I both really loved BUSINESS PROPOSAL but the final two episodes were comparatively flat, There were some really good moments but it is hard to see why the writer seems to have missed so many opportunities to continue to tell a truly brilliant rom-com story. This has still been one of my favorite shows in a long time but watching the show was like watching a great Olympic performance by a top gymnast- who fails to stick the landing. It is actually more disappointing in a way than watching a mediocre show: It was still good, but it could have been great and should have been.

Our favorite haraboji is back! This time he is the grandpa in the new weekender IT'S BEAUTIFUL NOW. The first episodes of a weekender are always introductory- and this one seems fairly standard faire but definitely watchable. We shall see what the writer does with IT'S BEAUTIFUL NOW.

My wife loved the recently aired Chinese Costume drama NI CHANG. She also loved the new C-drama suspense/thriller UNDER THE SKIN. Suspense/thrillers are not my cup of tea but she often enjoys them- the hook in this case being that the ML is a painter (My wife also paints)- I may not have watched this one but I have certainly gotten to hear a lot about it and am confident in saying that this must be a really good drama if you like crime, mystery, suspense thrillers. Having finished one Chinese Costume Drama she is now on to another- GENERAL AND I. She is hooked on that one.

The thirty-two episode tragedy KING OF TEARS continues. We are enjoying this sageuk tremendously.

I and my wife are looking forward to seeing FROM NOW, SHOWTIME! Which will be carried on Viki, as will SHOOTING STARS. On Netflix OUR BLUES has started and we will watch the first episode later today.

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While watching the last two eps of ABP, I really felt like I was watching a different drama. They were so bad imo.

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We can apply the same comment to Twenty Five Twenty One.

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@panshel
LOL. Best Comment. EVER.

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I managed to watch extended scenes from last year's televised stage musical 'Red book' starring Kim Sejeong (no captions but it didn't really need them). The girl was made for musical theater. In her Vlog from that time she talked about going to script readings for a series named 'Office Blind Date' that must've got a subsequent name change.

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She has her own YouTube channel. On it, her manager and her went on a joint diet when she was filming BP. She lost some weight but when she was driving alone one day, she wound up with a lap full of snacks that she had been craving during the diet. She has a delightful personality.

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Odd for me to disagree but I was not as disappointed in ABP's finale. I suppose I'm being benevolent because the first 10 eps were so cracky and fun. Also thought 25-21's ending was the strongest part of the show.
Watching my son sniffle through a heartbroken New Years Eve, I asked him if he thought he was the only person in the world to go through this torment. Nearly every human being throughout history, in all cultures around the world has suffered the pain of a messy breakup/unrequited love. It is what unites us.
Master's Sun has me totally hooked. Love reading girlFriday's and javabeans' recaps. Those guy hairstyles of 2012 are a hoot but it's the dilution of tropes with honest conversation that really floors me. Favorite ghost (so far) is trashcan-ajusshi.
Me and my allergies are going to settle in with a pot of tea to the next eps of Pachinko and Tomorrow with the hopes that both will settle into their respective grooves. Since this afternoon's weather will feature high winds (pollen a-plenty) I'll be checking out Our Blues and Liberation Notes as well.

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Master's Sun might be due for a re-watch. When the Hong Sisters are on, they can really put out a great drama.

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MASTER'S SUN is arguably their very best. We re-watch it around Halloween.

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HAH! Our Halloween watch is Spirited Away , a 6th grade favorite.

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We have that on DVD.

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I try to watch it once a year. It is one of the best films ever made.

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I loved also the OST of Master Sun.
I'm generally very bad at remembering (and recognising) music pieces, but those songs stayed long with me.

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I loved You Make Me Crazy by Hyolyn. Very ear-wormy lol.

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Amending that post: will NOT be finishing Pachinko unless it is available on another streaming service. Preferably one that knows how to caption. Bits of dialogue that flash onscreen in a nanosecond or large chunks obviously left out and the silly colors are distracting.
The final nail in the coffin is the inability to pause for a couple minutes and return to the show. I'm talking about the time it takes to throw a load in the washer. Sorry Madam Youn, I'm done with apple TV.

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Never thought I’d be recommending Tomorrow, a fantasy show on suicide prevention, but I guess anything goes in the world of k-dramas. For those who are leery, as I was, of a subject that we have painful personal experiences with, let me reassure you that the 3 episodes I’ve seen have an appeal something akin to medical emergency shows, where the team frantically works to save the patient. As far as the fantasy element, there is the dark humor of the office rivalry of one of grim reapers working to stop deaths vs. a team eager to escort the dead to hell, with the death team better funded than the salvation team. We’ll see what, if anything develops in this one.

On another, non k-drama note, my wife and I had temporary access to HBO and watched a Space rom-com, Moonshot, that was one of the lightest, most content devoid movies we’ve ever seen, with two stereotyped Southern-California romantic leads—the brilliant young Asian woman who had a rigid plan, and the goofy, not that bright surfer dude who wants to escape his humdrum life and experience new things. But both characters are really attractive in a non-glamourous way, and do a great job in selling the move from irritation to affection. So unlike, say, cheesy Hallmark romances, where I’m often actually rooting for the couple to end separate after hurling bitter recriminations at each other, I ended this one smiling and kind of uplifted.

I’m not sure why I, a cranky man in his 60s, likes this familiar romance format so much, but I’m too old for any serious self-analysis. I even have trouble making sense of the bittersweet recollections of my youthful first love as a champion fencer!

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2521: Binged the whole show last week in time for the finale. One of the best coming-of-age-stories I've seen and it hit me in the feels. I think this one will become a classic, and people's opinions on will shift as they age. After the finale, I spend days reflecting on my own youth and the passage of time. One needs time to absorb a drama like 2521 so I'm going on drama break for a bit. It's hard to jump straight into another drama right now. Been listening to 2521 OST on repeat, especially the Jaurim song.

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You and I are of the same mind re this one. I tried to watch other dramas, but I couldn’t. Instead, I pressed play on the first ep of 2521 again. 😂 This is fast becoming a classic. Imo, this stands out from the rest, and I think itll stand a test of time like what Coffee Prince did. A true gem, period.

@ndlessjoie had an opinion that not only age, but also experience re first love breakup or the fact that the person is still staying with their first love might prevent them from being truly acceptant of the ending of the show. I also agreed with her.

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I agree with you both, it’s a show that’s reaction is probably more subjective than many and I really liked it.

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Ditto! 25-21 was just so beautifully enacted. While ep16 may not have been my favorite episode, writer stayed true to her vision. These days, it’s very rare Kdrama lingers and haunts me after the ending (normally it’s more a case of… finally! It ended).

Kim Tae Ri- you reinforced why I felt you were the best part of Mr Sunshine.

Bona shone in the last quarter of the series. Seung wan and Ji Woong were such thoughtful adds. Nam Joo Hyung - while not quite best actor caliber - played to his strength and washed away the painful memory of his contorted crying in Startup.

The OST was perfection. I so loved loved loved ep 15 25-21 song, it was so haunting.

One of the year’s best!

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Between 25 21 and The Red Sleeve, it’s gonna be a bloodbath at Baeksang.

There may also be 1 or 2 worthy Netflix originals from 2021 included.

Pachinko will likely be ineligible, so here’s looking forward to Emmy’s instead.

As to the stereotypical kdramas (eg the likes of FLAW that are recapped here), they don’t stand a chance.

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Baeksang Best Drama nominations are out!

Best Drama
D.P
Twenty Five, Twenty One
Squid Game
The Red Sleeve
Going To The Blue House Like This

Except for Blue House (don’t know what that is so can’t comment), all nominations are truly well deserved! I truly enjoyed watching them.

And nominees are quite close to my prediction :-).

I’ll be happy with any winner.

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Business Proposal: I had a lot of fun with this drama, even if I found something lacking in the main couple's love story. The male lead lacked the necessary charisma. I liked the second couple better.

May I also name an older drama? I finished Flower of Evil the other day and thought it was great. If anyone has comparable tips, keep them coming. Happy to go with serial killer theme.

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LOVED Flower of Evil. The thrills and emotions were excellent.

I'm not sure what to recommend though... XD For thrilling, suspenseful shows, I would suggest Tell Me What You Saw and Watcher.

Flower of Evil was a lot more emotional though... Intimate due to the main couple.

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Was Tell Me What You Saw good, then? It's sad, but I judged the male lead's haircut... I really have to stop doing that lol.

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Hahaha, I loved Jang Hyuk with his long hair!!! I'm biased because I'm his fan, but I enjoyed the suspense and intensity of this drama. I thought it was good. I was satisfied with the finale.

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Yes, "Tell me what you saw" was good!

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I'm watching it now and enjoying it much more than I did when I first tried to watch!

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Flower of Evil was quite good. That brings to mind another show with Lee Joon Gi called Two Weeks. This is a suspense/action type show and one of my favs. No serial killer, more man on the run but quite good.

If you don't mind a time travel component, I recommend Kairos. I have trust issues with these normally but it was really good.

If you try these and don't like them, I accept no responsibility ! ;)

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Kairos!!!

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Serial killers are my drama crack. Do you just want serial killers, or was it the deception/living with a potential killer that you liked? Other good serial killer dramas:

Tunnel
Love me if you dare (C-Drama)
Hometown (not Hometwon CCC... the other Hometown that aired at the same time but nobody knew about)
Train
Hello Monster (I Remember You)
Memorist

More of those dramas, but with a slightly lighter tone:
Come and Hug Me
Girl Who Sees Smells
Catch the Ghost

let me know if you've seen some of these already, too! :)

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No, I haven't seen them yet, I'm too new to the world of KDramas for that.

Thanks for the recommendations. Series with any kind of serial killers are good, right now I'm back in the mood for gritty and bloody dramas.

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Have you seen Remember me ?
Some group discussion between the possible/probable psychopath/serial killer are very good.

I fully agree with you on the lack of charisma for BP main couple. The scenes of the 2nd couple were cut short, too short for me.

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Bade goodbye to to shows Business Proposal and FLAW.

Business Proposal - The ending feels like cheating. While we weren't denied skin ship ( I'm looking at you You Are My Spring), we were denied not one but two weddings.

Forecasting Love and Weather - If it's the professional side of this drama, I'd give a perfect score. Finally, finally, the show gives us a competent Director Jin whom we should have seen earlier on. And everyone is in a good place. Forecaster Um, Ki-jun and Yu-jin, Assistant Kim, even Assistant Director Oh's husband became more reasonable. And if there's anything I loved about Shi-woo's arc, it's the relationship he got to forge with his father as FLAW concluded. And to my fav Penguin Couple goodbye. Never have I been fed a soo innocent male character - heart, mind, and all.

Began Green Mothers Club - This isn't what I was billing for, but I'm definitely watching cause the story is interesting.

King of Pigs - Damn! Damn!! Damn!!! Those kids are pure mini devils if not full grown, and that homeroom teacher is one of the worse of all. Clearly Kim Cheol died and the reminder of it began this rollercoaster of events. But who or what caused his death? Perhaps the kids, and or the adults who stood by passively but we're in support of it.

Soundtrack - The OST of this short film week in week out proves true to it's title.

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The ending of BUSINESS PROPOSAL was indeed short two weddings and a great grandbaby.

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Or at least a wedding photo... they already throwing out the charms of this drama by the end of the show 😓😓😓. Haishhhh...

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