Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (December 10, 2022)
by DB Staff
So, what are we all watching this week?
What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…
missvictrix
Currently covering: Revenge of Others
Curtain Call: I’m past the point of defending this drama, and now I’m at the point where I want to challenge it to a duel. Are you going to surprise me with some wonderful, tense moments and emotional reveals? Or are we just going to wander around aimlessly for the final 3 weeks?
mistyisles
Currently covering: Reborn Rich, Unlock the Boss
Revenge of Others: I don’t really know what to say at this point, because I don’t know what to believe or not believe out of all the reveals we got — if they’re actually reveals and not more lies (looking at you, Oh-seong). I will say, though, I’m not sure exactly when I crossed over from “I don’t know if I even like this show” to “Is it Wednesday, yet??” but here I am. Unsurprisingly, I give Jae-bum 100% of the credit for that.
DaebakGrits
Currently covering: Behind Every Star
Reborn Rich: I’m intrigued, but I’m not hooked. The cast and cinematography are great, but I think I’m kinda burnt out on time-travel revenge dramas. (Again My Life, I’m looking at you.) Not to mention, all the backstabbing chaebol family drama has never been my cup of tea. I say all that, but I’m pretty sure the cast will keep me coming back — perhaps at a slower pace than I’d normally watch — even if the story doesn’t take a turn in a way that captivates me.
solstices
Dracula: Being back in Korea for winter break means that I can finally watch musicals in person — yay! I caught the November 26 evening performance, and I was certainly impressed. The musical did a breathtaking job with its symbolism, and I particularly liked the art direction. Its ensemble choreography was so well done, creating a magnificent spectacle brimming with grandeur. Kim Jong-hyeong did a remarkable job as Dumitru, Dracula’s faithful servant — his puppy crush on Lorraine was so adorable, and his unwavering loyalty to Dracula had me in tears several times. And of course, theater veterans Shin Sung-woo and Kim Beop-rae anchored the musical with their gravitas. I’m curious about the other cast, too, so I’ll definitely be catching one of the livestreams sometime.
The Devotion of Suspect X: This musical is based on my all-time favorite crime novel of the same name by my favorite crime author Higashino Keigo, so you can imagine how excited I was to see it in person! I watched the December 7 evening show, and the cast did a phenomenal job. Choi Jae-woong was the perfect Ishigami I could’ve possibly asked for — he embodied Ishigami’s single-minded devotion and complexity of thought, right down to the steadiness of his voice and his world-weary posture. I first noticed Choi Jae-woong in Forest of Secrets, but the small screen absolutely does not do justice to his detailed acting. And his singing voice is so beautifully resonant! Listening to his numbers gave me actual chills. Meanwhile, Oh Jong-hyuk surprised me with how clear and bright his singing voice was — it was a higher register than I expected, and it complemented Choi Jae-woong’s deeper timbre nicely. This pair had an understated and comfortable chemistry that convincingly encapsulated Ishigami and Yukawa’s friendship. This musical will be livestreaming selected performances from December 17 to 31, so you can bet I’ll be catching it again!
Sweeney Todd: Shin Sung-rok! Singing! Live! I had sky-high expectations, and this musical somehow still managed to surpass them by far. The cast of the December 9 evening performance was stable and solid from start to finish, making even the most quirky and complicated numbers an easy and entertaining listen. For a dark comedy, the musical was more humorous than I expected, and Shin Sung-rok’s Sweeney Todd was unexpectedly cute! From his delicate details to his amusing adlibs, Shin Sung-rok exuded an endearing charm. He portrayed Todd’s eccentricity with a childlike elation that felt reminiscent of Liar Game’s Do-young, except elevated several levels higher — the camera simply cannot capture his sheer charisma, intensity, and stage presence. It was simply stunning how effortlessly he swung from eager enthusiasm, to wrathful fury, to devastated grief. Also, I could write odes about Shin Sung-rok’s gloriously rich singing voice! At one point, I was listening to him sing with my jaw hanging wide open beneath my mask because I was just that awestruck. I would go on and on about the rest of the wonderful cast, but this blurb is already growing too long, so I’ll just pick one actor that caught my attention. Yoon Eun-oh has such a sweet singing voice, and his Tobias was innocent and sincere in a way that tugged at my heartstrings. I’m so sad that this musical won’t be livestreamed, because I already want to watch it all over again. And I want to watch Lee Kyu-hyung’s Todd too! Can I hold out hope for an OST or a DVD? Pretty please?
Dramaddictally
Currently covering: Cheer Up
Summer Strike: I don’t think I can continue with this after what happened in Episode 6. I’m willing to put up with a lot of nonsense story-wise, but what happened to Bom is just so wrong there is no way any of these characters can be redeemed for me. A victim of a violent crime is recovering in a hospital bed and everyone around her (including her new friend, our female lead) is telling her to cover for the perpetrator because it’s easier for them? No. Unless they plan to bring in Attorney Woo Young-woo to take care of this case later, I’m done. Bom is actually the reason I had kept watching these last few episodes. Not only is her character the current voice of reason, but I’m liking this actress. I also just watched her this week in the KBS Drama Special Like Otters where she played a similar tough character. I’ll look forward to her next project, but I can’t stick this out.
RELATED POSTS
Tags: Curtain Call, Reborn Rich, Revenge of Others, Summer Strike, What We're Watching
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1 miso
December 10, 2022 at 5:01 AM
Too many dramas. Too little time 😭.
COMPLETED
Under The Queen's Umbrella - Lovely ending to a lovely show.
ONGOING
The First Responders - They're trying too hard to make the villain seem great at his villainy but he just seems ridiculous, a word I use a lot while talking about this show.
The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate - I like Do-jun's interactions with the Chairman. There's something fun about smirky SJK lol. Still surprised primogeniture was given up so quickly but I guess Grandpa's time is up soon.
Summer Strike - Guilt-tripping Bom into not testifying against her father made me so mad. And the preview makes it look like there's more guilt-tripping to come - this time with Yeo-reum 🙄.
Curtain Call - Remember when I was excited about plot movement? I spoke too soon.
May I Help You - Pleasant surprise to see Dong-joo explaining her connection to Joon-ho almost immediately. The scenes with Tae-hee's family were moving.
STARTED
Unlock My Boss - I am all confusion after Ep. 2, which I suppose was the point. The story kept jumping forward so quickly it felt like I had missed big chunks of information.
The Forbidden Marriage - Only seen Ep. 1 so far, which was fun. I'm in the mood for a light-hearted sageuk.
Looking forward to Alchemy of Souls S2.
C-DRAMAS
Completed Mr. Bad which was short and sweet but unremarkable. Had a really lovely wedding vows scene though.
Still watching She and Her Perfect Husband and New Life Begins.
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Kathykat
December 10, 2022 at 1:16 PM
I'm watching She and Her Perfect Husband. I'm really enjoying it!
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ys
December 10, 2022 at 2:02 PM
Sweet is definitely the right word for Mr. Bad. I enjoyed the show, and all the young actors did a great job. I especially liked the character of the boss and the actor who played him. It led me to the truly rrrridiculous, very low-budget The Birth of the Drama King whose title 18 episodes in still doesn’t make sense.
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miso
December 10, 2022 at 5:20 PM
Ooh I'm intrigued about the show now! I'd seen the boss in Forever and Ever as the brother of the ML and he didn't have much to do there but he was pretty good here.
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ys
December 12, 2022 at 1:26 PM
The show is utter nonsense, but its charm is that it knows it. And Luo Ming Jie is a pure delight and so, so pretty as the not-very-smart but Greatest Swordsman Under Heaven.
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irmar
December 10, 2022 at 6:56 PM
Just watched Forbidden Marriage episode 2. It was just as delightful as the first one! Isn't any of you going to recap it?
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miso
December 10, 2022 at 7:27 PM
It's listed in the Currently Recapping section (you can see it if you scroll to the bottom of the page) so I'm sure it'll be covered in some form.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 10, 2022 at 9:12 PM
They need time to watch analyse and write so a gap of a day or two is to be expected. I have also noticed there is a noticeable delay in the release of the subbed version. I am glad you are enjoying it so far.😊
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2 Radily
December 10, 2022 at 5:01 AM
Recipe For Farewell (Episode 1-4) - Mood: B / B+
Go watch it. We need a Drama Hangout post!
Unlock the Boss (Episode 1-2) - Mood: C-
Potato boy! Of course I’ll continue watching for Chae Jong Hyeop’s lovely puppy energy but the plot sadly isn’t captivating: the only time it wasn’t insipid was during the cliffhanger which isn’t promising. The writer just spammed so many suspicious characters for the corporate conspiracy and even added a downer of a loanshark arc for female lead.
If I was writing the show, here’s how I would do it: turn the fantasy phone element into a fake-out with it being a twisted experiment carried out by the CEO to test out the AI’s capabilities, then focus on the AI theme and highlight how it isn’t able to replace everything (CEO’s daughter), conflict occurs when male lead becomes way too good of a replacement?
Revenge of Others (Episode 9-10) - Mood: D
Regardless of whether it’s a twin or a split personality disorder, it’s just bad and bad when you pile it on top of amnesia for arguably the biggest character after the leads as evidenced by the promos. Worse, we’re going into the finale week with such a lame cliffhanger, like who could’ve imagined that O Sung had lied? But both Jae Bum and Chan Mi did, wtf.
Summer Strike (Episode 5-6) - Mood: D
Oof, Ji Young is turning out to be worst of them all with her barely restrained obsession over Dae Bum. While it’s nice to watch the burgeoning friendship between Bom and Yeo Reum, even the latter didn’t step up for her when her family did not want her to tell the truth behind the knife stab. Young Dae Bum was quite lucky no one stopped him from snitching!
May I Help You (Episode 11-12) - Mood: D
It was bemusing seeing how Chung Ha’s mother’s wish got rejected, though I wonder if there’s any point for Dong Joo’s curse if she could just ignore the requests and somehow still get that number down? But at the very least we’re not just discarding all fantasy elements for cliffhanger reveal drama, even if it’s kinda makjang that Hee An was the killer’s bro.
Behind Every Star (Episode 9-10) - Mood: D-
I know that the show really wanted that ending to be A Narrative Moment since Tae Oh finally stopped being a coward, but it’s really undercut by the fact that all of this could’ve been avoided had he just confessed instead. How has he not learnt from his divorce? Also, how has Hyun Joo not learnt from her previous professional gaffes? I just can’t you know.
Cheer Up (Episode 13-14) - Mood: D-
Is yikes even going to be enough to sum up my reaction to this week’s episodes? Villain’s motives are a narrative mess: I even felt bad for the actor because you can see the effort but the writing is overshadowing his vibes and making it an unexpected comedy in a bad way. Like, Jin Il didn’t even check that Soo Il is really dead which is such a rookie mistake.
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Kurama
December 10, 2022 at 12:51 PM
Recipe for Farwell is really good. I'm a little bit scared for the future episodes.
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3 Dorotka
December 10, 2022 at 5:02 AM
I followed Beanies' recommendation and found and watched The Romance of Writer Jiwan & Chef Jun (from Love is for Suckers). And you all were so right, this really was such a nice lovestory. 😍 I loved their interactions and how Jiwan managed to peel Jun's onion layers and get to his nice and gentle core. With Jiwan, Jun could finally throw away his fake image, have honest conversations (I loved the visit at his mom's place and how Jun gave his support to Jiwan regarding her childhood trauma)... and cook for someone who loved his creations. (I also liked the actor, Park Yeonwoo, and will keep an eye on him 🙂).
My other favourite show this week was It May Be a Bit Spicy Today, a show I originally didn't plan to watch at all as the synopsis sounded too sad (and too close to home). Yet one day I clicked on the first episode and already the opening got to my heart. Despite the serious premise, the show is somehow soothing and optimistic (probably the deadly combination of Han Seokkyu and the cooking 😁) and I'm really enjoying it.
Still loving jdrama Silent and found Unlock the Boss better than I expected.
Alchemy - TODAY!!
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DancingEmma
December 10, 2022 at 5:52 AM
@dorotka: So pleased you love ‘Silent’ too. I adore it so much. It has been such a singular, profound and sublime viewing experience and it will stay with me for a long time. I’m sad that it will come to an end soon, and wish there was a space here to discuss great JDramas such as “Silent’.
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LaurenSophie
December 10, 2022 at 7:46 AM
Thanks to you both for recommending this. It sounds like something I would love--will start it this week.
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emsel
December 10, 2022 at 6:16 AM
It May Be a Bit Spicy Today or Recipe for Farewell So true that this drama is soothing because it is like a meditation class.
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latebloomer
December 10, 2022 at 6:22 AM
I'm interested in Writer Jiwan & Chef Jun. Where did you find it?
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 10, 2022 at 6:27 AM
YouTube lakme channel or search for them and it comes up. Two versions on the channel 38 mins and longer. The other channels just have a minute or so.
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vienibenmio
December 12, 2022 at 10:39 AM
Those are my videos! If you haven't watched the actual drama, I really recommend the longer version. Their actual relationship development doesn't begin until ep 9 but there is a LOT of build up to it within their individual story arcs. I don't think you can fully appreciate their romance without the build up to it and also how his interactions with Ji-wan influence John to become a better person, as well.
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vienibenmio
December 12, 2022 at 10:52 AM
Oh, I meant to say that to the poster above you, sorry!
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 12, 2022 at 11:05 AM
No worries you can’t always get into the thread you want to so if you add their tags or copy so you can paste in the reply to them you can delete here.
Dorotka
December 10, 2022 at 7:41 AM
Yes, as @reply1988 wrote, there is a compilation of their scenes on YT.
And it is one of the most satisfying romances this year.
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vienibenmio
December 12, 2022 at 10:58 AM
If you haven't watched the actual drama, I really recommend the longer version of the video (the one with context). Speaking as the video creator. :)
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cat-cric-kat
December 10, 2022 at 7:12 AM
Kawaguchi Haruna has good manager and agency but i do think story falters quite a but, and stretches a lot, and after a while you start to say loudly this is just too much Japanese for even a Japanese citizen as well as viewer. Viki did good by picking her earlier drama as well as this one. I think Viki will pay more attention here as other markets are way too competitive and viki not have the balance sheet to fight off the price war.
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Dorotka
December 10, 2022 at 7:43 AM
My Japanese friend currently living in Japan loves the drama. 🙂 Just saying.
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cat-cric-kat
December 10, 2022 at 9:47 AM
hehe - I meant completely different with that one and i surely think the drama had identity crisis.
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spazmo
December 11, 2022 at 12:40 AM
and @dorotka your japanese friend (whose mother is from japan) here in the states loves the drama also!
; )
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 10, 2022 at 8:10 AM
It’s so hard to know there is a drama I know I will love out there but I can’t access it. I am trying to stay on the good ship lollipop apart from now and again boarding the life boat HiTV which unfortunately has not got it. The risk of the shark infested waters is too scary these days.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 10, 2022 at 8:13 AM
It May Be a Bit Spicy Today or Recipe for Farewell 👈 Please come out somewhere accessible soon.
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fab
December 14, 2022 at 3:11 AM
I'm here with more praise for Silent! Only a japanese drama could pull off such a profound heartful drama. It's funny that Ryoko Shinohara is playing the mother of a 20 year old, as a it's only recently that I've watched her play an independent (young) woman. 😅
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4 Unaspirated
December 10, 2022 at 5:03 AM
Alchemy of Souls: Today’s the daaaaaaaaay!!!!! It’s like I’m carrying one of the jade eggs and this show has pumped energy into the other one and now we are being inexorably drawn to one another, hearts pounding, to meet on the Bridge of Romantic Longing Mark 2 (now with 99% more longing). I hope uri @alathe is ready because I definitely am.
May I Help You: What a whirlwind. I spent half of this week grinning at the adorable new relationship between our leads, and the other half crying because a mother killed herself and her daughter and we finally learned the whole story of Jun-ho’s accident. I loved watching the matchmaking uncles continue to try to matchmake even after our OTP secretly got together. This drama is still charming me to no end, and Dong-joo is becoming one of my favorite FLs in a while.
Unlock the Boss: It’s weird but I’m enjoying it so far! It doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously (thanks largely to the ML), but still provides enough intrigue with the mystery of how our CEO ended up like that, and also with our FL’s whole situation. She presents a pretty cold exterior, and I’m excited to watch that start to crack as the drama goes on.
Reborn Rich: I knew things would have to get dicey for Do-jun eventually but I wasn’t expecting to have this much anxiety about it! My heart was pounding so hard during the scene where Hwa-young’s finance director disappeared; the soundtrack is really doing its job. I’m really interested to see what “proof” Min-young found to show that the tip was a false one because… we all know Hwa-young actually did embezzle from her company. So. There’s that.
Age of Youth/Hello, My Twenties: Probably because of my newish Viki subscription, I have let my vigilance about Netflix’s offerings slide a bit in recent weeks, which resulted in my not knowing until yesterday that both seasons of this show are leaving Netflix on Dec 18th. There’s no way I’m getting through both with all the other dramas going on, but I’m going to try to watch the first season at least. Heads up if you are in the US like me and have them on your watchlist!
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5 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 10, 2022 at 5:04 AM
Unlock the boss
Loving this show so I will try to keep my expectations realistic and enjoy the first half in preparation for the inevitable drop in standards from week 4. In the meantime, I am so happy to have the Shooting stars, Love all, play vibe back in my life with the comedy and fluffy and light elements. The thriller element is so far tolerable to my low tolerance side. I am not loving the soundtrack but have to admit the lyrics still fit the scenes well.
The forbidden marriage
I am hoping this will settle into its own style by episode 4 as so far it feels like a cut and paste of Love in the Moonlight and Flower crew: Joseon marriage agency. What is this place with lots of sheer material hanging from the ceiling as every light hearted period drama use as a place to play hide and seek👀.
Since I met u - Chinese romance drama
A short 16 episode 30 mins light and fluffy romance. They went for a Coffee Prince/Flower boy ramen shop approach with gorgeous young male waiters in a dessert only cafe. A Food blogger and the cafe owner who has a traumatic past are brought together by their shared relationship with a cute child.
New love playlist webdrama
Still enjoying this coming of age love in a time of Covid drama. Unrequited love and the struggles of finding a partner when you’re gay were the themes this week.
Three bold siblings
This continues to focus on the difficulties of trusting feelings to be strong enough to overcome the additional challenges of maintaining long term relationship as a mature adult.
Buam dong Avengers
Continuing to enjoy the high jinks as they try to get their own back on those who have wronged them.
Cheer up
What was that random change of pace in the last moments? I am literally only hanging in there because I already allocated the bean😬 I can see next week’s episodes will require lots of fast forwarding through chase scenes as the mad ‘I will uphold the rules even if no one else cares’ man is on the loose.
I do not understand why the 100 day couple can’t just talk about the depth of feelings not being based on length of the relationship or frequency of contact so long distance while studying does not mean the relationship has to end.
Completed
New Life Begins - Chinese period romance drama
This drama was just what I needed; really cute couple and their adventures over the early years of an arranged marriage as they find their position in the hierarchy of palace life. The perfect example of how differently this is pitched is that the wives and concubines are friends and support each other. Palace politics do not take away from the main story and just when they get annoying they are shut down and people get over themselves or leave, no one dies.
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mmmmm
December 10, 2022 at 7:15 AM
Thank you for a very good and concise summary of New Life Begins.
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OldLawyer
December 10, 2022 at 9:58 AM
Yes, a very good summary indeed.
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♡Peach_Mochi♡
December 10, 2022 at 3:06 PM
I’m so glad New Life Begins avoided giving us tonal whiplash and stayed true to its warm, optimistic storytelling. Such a breath of fresh air.
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wapz
December 11, 2022 at 3:56 AM
No one dies 😂
You know I was very curious to know of they'll kill at least one person since its a historical but I was so glad they didn't. It remianed true to its light, fluffy, feel good tone.
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6 Kafiyah Bello
December 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM
Summer Strike: What the writer did to Bom is actually Beyond. There are no words. Instead of sending that man to prison and paying the much cheaper hospital bill, they yelled at the victim who was trying to prevent her father from doing something worse. SMH
Cheer Up: My God, this is still ongoing. Never say die this drama. I just want the bean and to watch Jung Woo.
Unlock the Boss: Chae Jang Hyeop is really so much fun to watch. Just charm and adorableness personified. The story isn't too bad either.
Reborn Rich: Continuing to enjoy this.
The Forbidden Marriage: Just started this and have no opinion yet.
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7 ichietenshi
December 10, 2022 at 5:22 AM
Reborn Rich - I'm so hooked. Never knew I needed this kind of drama.
Alchemy of Souls - yay!!!
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ichietenshi
December 10, 2022 at 9:04 AM
I have to add that I am watching the World Cup. I'm loving it seriously. So unpredictable.
Disappointed with Alchemy of Souls P2 - wtf they've done with it?
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spazmo
December 11, 2022 at 12:43 AM
too early to tell... my jury is still out. i'm still grieving the loss of Mu Deok-i......
*sobs relentlessly*
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8 cat-cric-kat
December 10, 2022 at 5:32 AM
CRICKET - What awesome 1st test cricket week it was -
West Indies did fight - did better than England or even New Zealand does.
England - is bazball - ODI played in test.
Bangladesh - the best home ODI team - 2 entertaining matches.
I'm waiting for Boxing Day tests
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cat-cric-kat
December 10, 2022 at 6:21 AM
JAPAN -
kiyohara looking good with this one.
I as usually don't like Japanese slice of life manga getting tv dramas as translation from 2d to 3d is different and difficult job to do and most writers can't do that and to add up the Idols aka so called pretty faces who can't act.
Yup - It is takahashi-kun.
Honda's cliche idol drama is just too much cliche - It's 2022.
She loves to cook and she loves to eat - enough of Boys love - only japan does girls love - from manga to tv drama.
Eliaza - have to see what's she doing.
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Screentime
December 10, 2022 at 4:28 PM
@catocat
Takahashi is a little gem.
Ep 1 was so beautifully and cleverly shot. I can't recall another wide-screen feeling so Ozu-esque. The dominant centre, framing/staging compression of the real world into a mise-en-scène makes this small world all encompassing and so present. You feel these lives are almost in a fishbowl that is both beautiful and depressing. (I wish this had continued)
The support cast is knocking it out of the park. Hamada Mari (Mother) is an absolute force here. From the very first moment she enters you felt the momentum of her existence like some overwhelming phantasm. Nagai Mijika (not playing a psyco for once) is a joy to watch and Tomoko's manager is so good at making your skin crawl.
The production designer deserves a shout out. Every space is the manifestation of their character becoming real. The mother's house is dripping emotion it's gloom is almost liquid, the office is the manager, etc. The complexity and layers of meaning in the competing emotional forces of the mother's brooding house and massive glowing dog. Such a drama treat.
However, of all the beautiful in the drama, Tacchan outshines them all.
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cat-cric-kat
December 10, 2022 at 7:07 AM
Korea - as said last week - only one adult drama among all garbage - the only drama that i can put into my 2022 top 10.
China - cold season - warming the bed - typical horny but but there are few dramas -
falling 4/10 - why? this drama turned into a disaster - so much time wasted. Heroine is good - that's it.
Female toe the line - 4.5/10 - set in present time and makes you say some +ve words for heroines.
heroine in stem and trying to achieve something - good
Turkey - heroine needs all the support when every single one is around her deserves to be punched hard.
Oh my family drama is still going on - It have 21 episodes now - wow - earlier won award too - with ratings there was chance of it being done with haste but nope it continued. It had potential - a lot of potential but all wasted.
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9 geminirat
December 10, 2022 at 5:41 AM
Completed: Under the queen's umbrella;
Watching now: Reborn Rich (because Iluv SJK), Bold Siblings, May I Help You
Just Started: Unlock the Boss
Will Start as soon as I can: Work Later Drink Now 2; The Forbidden Marriage, Alchemy of Souls 2: Light and Shadow
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10 ladyjaye
December 10, 2022 at 5:43 AM
Unfortunately this has been a poor year in kdramas for me - all East Asian dramas, in fact.
Right now, the only thing I am watching is the Cdrama THE LONG River , and I am really liking it. The cast is stellar and their comedic timing is great as well, for such a serious historical drama.
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kellie
December 10, 2022 at 9:08 AM
Thank you for mentioning The Long River. I just found it on YouTube & it looks like something I might like.
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ladyjaye
December 10, 2022 at 2:52 PM
I don't know if the YouTube episodes have subtitles (they didn't initially), but they are subtitled on viki. If you do watch it, I hope you like it.
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11 Isa is always time travelling
December 10, 2022 at 5:50 AM
I'm watching Alchemy of Souls (only two episodes so far. I hope it gets better because I was looking forward to starting it but right now I am a tiny little bit disappointed).
25-21. Seven episodes watched. Really beautiful drama at this moment, I hope it keeps this quality until the end.
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12 Kurama
December 10, 2022 at 5:56 AM
Summer Strike I need to watch this new recomposed family with Yeo-Reum, Bom, Dae-Bum and Jae-Hoon and of course the dog. They're adorable. I don't really care about the rest.
Curtain Call It would have been better that the real grandson came sooner.
Cheer Up Why I'm watching it? I don't like the FL and the plot is stupid... Ah yeah, Bae In-Hyuk.
Behind Every Star I like the stars and their issues. It's fun to watch.
Unlock the Boss Weird plot but I'm in for watching the ML bringing humanity in this compagny.
Reborn Rich I was kinda reborn semi-rich, not being in the main family...
The Forbidden Marriage The cursor is completely on the fusion side and not on the sageuk one. But there were some pretty sceneries.
Alchemy of Souls 2 Will it be epic or ridiculous?
Recipe of Farewell I liked the first 2 episodes.
Connect (episode 4 for now) I'm not sure that 6 episodes are enough. I got the feeling nothing is really deepened. I'm not a fan of this kind of FL neither.
House on Wheels It's sad that it's because of a typhoon they had to start later and it's why the season was so short. I liked the dynamic between our trio and more guests would have been fun.
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13 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
December 10, 2022 at 6:09 AM
Connect: 7.0 Just for ep 1. Since it's a 2023 Bean, I can take my time finishing it. The police can use the extra time to check surveillance cameras to see who is staging all that elaborate corpse art in public places.
Reborn Rich: 7.5
First Responders: __ On hold, likely drop. Didn't even give myself a Bean for it.
Behind Every Star: 7.0 Parts are good, but I've gotten tired of all the deception. I'm glad it finally bit somebody, but I don't expect any lasting change in behavior.
Cheer Up: 6.0 Baddie is so hard to believe he almost makes me miss chaebols and the evil minister of the left (or was it right?) Also, never go to meet a baddie on a rooftop. Other parts are tolerable.
Unlock the Boss: 7.5 Struggling job-seeker who can't afford Seoul housing. Girl caring for hospitalized parent and in debt to nasty loan shark. It's hard to imagine anything more tropey than the first 30 minutes (and please don't try!!) but the soul-trapped-in-phone bit is non-tropey, promising, and relevant to today's world.
Revenge of Others: 7.5
May I Help You: 6.0 💤💤 I counted this as a bean, so dropping it now would be cheating.
Forbidden Marriage: 7.0 Seems ok but spotty -- liked the opening, not the dream/hallucination scenes.
Work Later, Drink Now 2: 6.5 Well, at least day 1 was off the beaten track.
Money Heist Korea 2: 5.0 Ep 1 only. Does not benefit from the extra months we had to forget who is who. Mistake on NF's part to split it up and mistake on our part to not wait for S2 to binge the whole thing.
Friday's 2nd seasons (Work Later & Money Heist) both had first seasons that I thought were ok-ish but not good enough to earn a 2nd season, so I start off with mixed feelings, predisposed to drop them if they aren't really good. The season 2 I look forward to starts Saturday.
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14 welh
December 10, 2022 at 6:09 AM
CURTAIN CALL (Ep. 9-10): The real Ri arrives then is put into dry dock for two episodes while the family learns the Truth but does not know how to deal with it. It is like pulling teeth to get to the action we all want to see. Also, there a ton of backstory that has yet to be told on how the grandchildren got to where they are today.
We actually meet the real saved kid who is still grateful to Grandma but she is as proud of him as much as her own son. But the foreshadowing was clear in that brief conversation: children never turn out as you expect them to.
BEHIND EVERY STAR (Ep 9-10) Daniel Henney’s cameo was okay but the story line was petty and childish. For a communication based company, the lack of inter-company communicating is horrible. The whole white lies to cover up other lies is a terrible business model. Even Kim Joo-Ryung’s cameo had a fundamentally flawed ending solution. One is not cured of a phobia in a couple of days.
Tae-ho’s life is a mess but he continues to create more messy situations. If he is stressed out, does he become a sex addict because his behavior makes no sense if he wanted to reconcile with his wife. It is impossible to root for anyone at this point. It makes Hae-Jun, the outsider CEO, the only competent executive at Method which is like saying Elon was great for Twitter. At this point, I expect a crash and burn ending.
GAUS ELECTRONICS (Ep 1-2) From the DB reviews, I gave this office comedy a try. I was actually expecting PEGASUS MARKET full-on brilliance, but came away with too many similar trope filled characters doing nothing really outstanding. The FL was one note, over-the-top trying which was not very attractive. But there may a MSteam distraction at play since Ko Sung Hee got married right after the show ended just as SYJ did for Thirty, Nine. However, since many said the show stuck the landing I will continue on.
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15 hacja
December 10, 2022 at 7:20 AM
The Kdrama viewing club and I are watching another club, The Social Avengers club—a really entertaining show with serious themes dealing with class and women’s issues. As a man, I’ve dominated the discussion on this show, because I feel its important for me to explain to the ladies in the group what women experience on a daily basis. But as they have pointed out, the one character that complicates the theme of women’s empowerment is a male student, student played by Lee Jun Young.
Coincidently, Jun also happens to be the male lead in May I Help you, which my wife and I picked up this week. I’m happy to see he’s used the 5 years between the 2 productions well, moving from a high school senior to becoming a doctor. But having just seen Love is for Suckers with a similar scenario, what is it with kdrama doctors blaming themselves for deaths that even an ethically challenged dimwit could tell them were not their fault? Don’t they teach these doctors in med school that while every death is tragic, people die in hospitals of random causes every day? If all doctors quit when one of their family members died Korean health care would be in trouble!
I do like May I Help You’s conceit that ghosts are actually sweet, somewhat regretful, and hoping to leave earth on good terms with friends and family. Its total fantasy, of course, since no ghost I’ve ever been haunted by has been anything but bitter and vengeful.
Finally, I’ve started Unlock Your Boss. Its totally different than I expected, some comic elements but also a tale of corporate intrigue, exploring really interesting questions about artificial intelligence and virtual reality in a slightly different way than previous movies and shows. Unfortunately, it isn’t serving the purpose I thought it would—teaching me how to unlock my daughter from her phone. She’s trapped in a texting vortex and doesn’t seem to be able to acknowledge the physical reality of her parents presence. I’m not virtual yet, although come to think of it I could just be viewing Dramabeans through a headset and moving my fingers as if I was typing. Would I be able to tell the difference between virtual long self-indulgent comments and actual ones? Does it matter?
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LaurenSophie
December 10, 2022 at 7:52 AM
*As a man, I’ve dominated the discussion on this show, because I feel its important for me to explain to the ladies in the group what women experience on a daily basis.
LOL! Thanks for the morning laugh :)
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darwi
December 10, 2022 at 11:22 AM
As long as you comment here and not in the forest, we can read and enjoy.
(I almost went with on the internet no one knows you're a dog but the risk of misunderstanding is too high)
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hacja
December 10, 2022 at 11:31 AM
I think this very funny reply tells me I'm not commenting on a something created by an algorithm!
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
December 10, 2022 at 12:26 PM
I'm glad your watch group has you there to explain a woman's lived experience to them. I'm sure they're benefiting from your superior insight.
Avenger's Social Club to this day remains my happy place as a rewatch for reasons that to some extent defy analysis and explanation. It's such a warm and fun show.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 10, 2022 at 12:49 PM
It is surprisingly light and yet is so deep. We are looking forward to the discussion as there have been some interesting themes about the found family for the three mothers and their children. One mother was in a cuckoo position when she was a child and now finds herself in the role of a step mum to a cuckoo child. One child is so sweet and yet is constantly the victim of bullying and the other uses loud music to drown out the sound of her own thoughts during the day and the violence in her home at night.
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hacja
December 10, 2022 at 1:17 PM
Actually, they are doing a pretty good job of explaining my lived experience to me!
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Toodlepip
December 10, 2022 at 1:23 PM
Thank you for the first paragraph, I laughed out loud.
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16 mmmmm
December 10, 2022 at 7:24 AM
Finished:
1. New Life Begins (Cdrama): What can I say? This is such a cute drama - a perfect watch for winter which is supposed to be cold and white elsewhere in the world. There is this very cute OTP that is one of the most compatible couples I've ever seen in my entire drama watching experience. The relationship feels natural. And in this show, you'll meet one of the most, if not the most, supportive ML ever. The friendship between the women is also highlighted. This is the show that you'll see women empowering other women, and it was a blessing to watch something like that.
❤️ ❤️ ❤️
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17 Scottie
December 10, 2022 at 7:31 AM
My list is fairly short just now.
MAY I HELP YOU is still a beautiful watch, although I live in fear of a noble idiocy break up. So far it has not happened and I live in hope that it will not come, but there are still a few episodes left. Hyeri plays her warm hearted and likeable character in a very credible way.
I am quite happy that there is not the usual makjang in CURTAIN CALL and like the slow pace.
Started UNLOCK THE BOSS despite the ridiculous plot, I was curious how it will work. By ep. 2 I really started to like it, the cast is nice, too.
Another ridiculous plot and step too far and too gory was CONNECT, despite the cast. Not for me.
Still watching FIRST RESPONDERS, but there is something off about this drama. Not sure I will see it to the end.
Looking forward to ALCHEMY OF SOULS 2.
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18 LaurenSophie
December 10, 2022 at 7:35 AM
CURTAIN CALL: I have to respectfully disagree with missvictrix: I don't think this show is aimlessly wandering at all. In fact, waiting for the (plot) frog to come to a boil has been much more satisfying for me personally--because it's character-driven, thoughtful, and more realistic--than the type of makjang the writers would have had to indulge in to give us constant twists and turns. Plus, there definitely have been plenty of reveals along the way, from the fact that the real grandson is both alive and not a monster, to the reasons behind the broken engagement, to how the grandmother met her second husband and her son died on a beach. We've also been given multiple scenes that humanize all the characters in a way that makes any reveals to come that much more powerful. Now we have tension building over the fact that at least three characters know the truth and one just confronted the smitten and tender-hearted actor.
Finally, without this kind of slower, more thoughtful pace, we would've missed out on satisfying scenes like the one between the older brother and the erstwhile fiance ("That's why I like you--you're so easy to read"). I'm excited to see what happens next and how these people respond.
MAY I HELP YOU: This show continues to make me happy. I love the matchmaking uncles! I also enjoyed the fact that even with the leads reveling in early-days-of-dating bliss, they're still struggling with the same issues (the FL has to endure insulting judgement about her job and internalizes that guilt and shame; the ML is still actively grieving for his little brother and struggling to let go of his guilt and anger at the perpetrator). I'm not entirely understanding why the ML treats his ex so callously, even in the face of her grief. They did date for 10 years, and even though he's dating someone new, it would have been just fine to give the woman a hug at her mother's funeral. I'm still wondering if there's more to their story than we've seen thus far.
I was relieved that Dong-joo didn't indulge in noble idiocy by agreeing to the ex's mom's request (although again, I must reiterate to kdrama writers: just because you take away the person someone *really* loves doesn't mean they're going to go back to an ex they no longer love) but I'm worried she's about to do that anyway once the ML discovers his brother is that child ghost she mentioned.
UNLOCK MY BOSS: Intriguing plot + engaging mystery + possibility of romance + ML in sleeveless tees = happy LaurenSophie.
Can't wait to watch ALCHEMY tonight!
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Elinor
December 10, 2022 at 10:19 AM
SOLD! 😆
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KimDewdrop
December 11, 2022 at 4:57 AM
A hug will seem like a "yes, let's continue" for her. Hugging is dangerous for her since she have been finding it difficult to move on.
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19 Midnight
December 10, 2022 at 7:48 AM
Someday Or One Day episode 11
I have finally been lured out of the kdrama realm. Time-travel is my ultimate catnip. So it was bound to happen sooner or later.
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Dorotka
December 10, 2022 at 8:01 AM
And how do you find it?
I somehow envy you the first time watching. 🙂
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Midnight
December 10, 2022 at 8:12 AM
I was absolutely loving it, to the point of being surprised and shocked myself, up to the to point where
SPOILER
the older Lin Zi Wei showed up. I can understand that it narratively made complete sense for the cycle to go on and on and not just stop with him coming to the present once.
But the sight of him in glasses and looking like a ghost was kind of jarring. He looked like a different person and incongruous in the same room as Yu Xuan and Uncle.
Or maybe it was my fault for bingeing it in two days 😂 I have stopped for now hoping that it was just burnout, and I will enjoy the rest of it in a few days.
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Dorotka
December 10, 2022 at 8:30 AM
Just that you know, there is a short bonus ending. You can find it also on thefangirlverdict, together with her excellent review.
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Midnight
December 10, 2022 at 8:32 AM
Thanks a lot for the tip!
20 wonhwa
December 10, 2022 at 7:48 AM
Mystery to Iunakare: This has an intriguing premise and Suda Masaki is great in it, but the crimes and perpetrators can get so sensationalistic and over the top that I have a hard time buying the "deep human insights" it claims to be delivering. Also, does every murderer just need someone to stare into their soul empathetically in order to tearfully confess their crime?
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ys
December 10, 2022 at 2:19 PM
He doesn't stare into their souls. He hypnotizes them with his glorious, fluffy hair.
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wonhwa
December 10, 2022 at 3:28 PM
The hair is fabulous . . .
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21 bbstl 🧹
December 10, 2022 at 8:01 AM
@solstices, thanks so much for the treat of reading about the musicals you saw! They each sound thrilling and I’m so happy for you that you got to be there.
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welh
December 10, 2022 at 9:24 AM
Korean musicals are an interesting topic onto themselves. The vast majority of them are American adaptations. It is a very niche market where promoters need a sell-out every night in order to basically break even. A run is very short: on average only 30 performances. A producer signs three male and three female leads per the performance run. They are paid very well, almost film movie pay scale. The reason is that each musical star has a rabid and loyal fan base the producer needs to get sell-outs. The leads perform a schedule rotation during the run.
For years, local critics have been asking for original Korean musicals but producers are very risk adverse to unknown projects.
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22 Islander north
December 10, 2022 at 8:12 AM
I love the "What we are watching" feature...it confirms why I dropped so many dramas from the get-go. There are so many dramas out right now that I really can't waste my precious drama time on lousy ones. Thank you!
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Dorotka
December 10, 2022 at 8:32 AM
...and it gives tips for dramas not to miss.
I'm so happy for the Jiwan & Chef recommendation. ❤️
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23 antonio83
December 10, 2022 at 8:46 AM
I've just started the Drama Moonlight. For now it looks promising. Light and intelligent love comedy.
You Are My Glory proceeds peacefully and predictably, I really appreciate it even if the hype seems excessive to me.
I'm just a few episodes away from finishing Young Lady and a Gentleman... it took me a year! I really love Dan Dan.
Since I met U (Cdrama) is probably as good as the much praised New Life Begins. Try to watch it if you are interested in Cdramas.
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wapz
December 11, 2022 at 4:02 AM
Oh that's a high recommendation because I really liked NLB. I'll probably check it out soon.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
December 11, 2022 at 4:25 AM
I watched both alongside each other I have the last two episodes of Since I met U left. I would say NLB is a 9 because despite managing the palace politics they were still present and I prefer dramas that don't have ANY. SIMU is a 7, whilst there are two main couples and a cute child it also has random cute guy staff in the cafe that are clearly there to cover the rest of the female audience that may not like the main leads. It covers a lot in the short episodes and I don’t find it leaves the same glow of satisfaction you get from NLB.
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24 darwi
December 10, 2022 at 9:12 AM
Friend watching: From now on, Showtime!. Too late for the bean, but there is no expiration date for the fun and watching pleasure.
She and her perfect husband have given their airtime to Unexpected falling. I cannot say that there are more events happening, so I am reflecting on the reasons why a drama engage me. The first is cute and troppey, but not cute enough and with dispendable side caracters. The second drama is slow, full of lies and deceptions. Maybe I am compelled to continue to watch until something happens in the story/in reveal ? I'm in love with the music, and it has tremendous effect.
Well, this slow burning of angsty lies was a pleasurable watch.
I am very tempted to start Through the darkness due to all the beans this drama received... however Alchemy of souls is re-starting tonight, the spoilers have already started... so I will ride with the comments.
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25 Elinor
December 10, 2022 at 9:18 AM
Current/recent:
May I Help You?: It’s taking a hard turn into familiar shared-trauma tropes, but at least there’s no childhood connection (yet). The OTP is still so darned *nice* and they actually communicate - I liked seeing them take a pass on multiple opportunities for noble idiocy.
The Forbidden Marriage: OK, I’ve said repeatedly that I’m allergic to gats but I thought I’d give this a whirl for Kim Young-dae. Having never seen a sageuk before, I’m not sure what qualifies, but I don’t think this is one? It’s more like a costume party that’s developing a plot.
Older stuff:
Alchemy of Souls: Finished my rewatch and will start Part 2 tonight. Tempering my expectations worked for Part 1, so I’m trying to be level-headed about Part 2.
Tracer part 2: Almost makes me wish I’d majored in accounting. Out tax accountant heroes are so badass that I'm half-expecting a fantasy sequence where they stride in wearing capes and tights.
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mmmmm
December 10, 2022 at 10:40 AM
A costume party that’s developing a plot!!! 😂
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bbstl 🧹
December 10, 2022 at 11:17 AM
That sounds promising!
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Kafiyah Bello
December 10, 2022 at 1:36 PM
Such a great description @elinor. Brava🤣🤣
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