Current/recent:
Crash Course in Romance: Still watching, still like the ML and the kids, but rapidly losing patience with the FL and with how the show is making the autism-spectrum character a stereotypical plot device instead of a person. The belt scene was a gem, though.

Strangers Again: Eps. 5/6 took a big leap forward in interest and character development. I liked how the in-law cases shed light on our leads’ relationships - and the brutal fallout of traditional Korean male privilege and exploitation.

Kokdu: What IS this drama anyway? Ep. 3 was a little less manic and tone-shifty but the underlying mythology didn’t make any more sense. I’m watching for Kim Jung-hyun and the petty gods.

Older stuff (Kdrama continuing education program):
I’m Not a Robot: Finished. Awwww. So cute! I wish Yoo Seung-ho were in more dramas that interest me.
Next up: I'm ready for some not-fluff, so I think I’ll try Through the Darkness.

After I finished Lovers I learned its part of a trilogy. I was already partway through Lovers in Prague, so I started Lovers in Paris. So much wrist grabbing, I feel someone's going to dislocate a shoulder.

I'm watching 'What's Wrong With Secretary Kim'. After 8 episodes of finding Young-joon funny but also aggravating in his jealousy and behaviour I am finally coming around to him as a romantic partner to Kim Mi-so.

Just started Yonder after dropping rewatches of a couple other dramas I've already seen. So far I've not been impressed, but it did relieve my insomnia so 5 stars for that. Will see if it stays as watching material or relegated to background noise.

I don't know why I'm having so much trouble finding a show to really get into, but in the meantime, drama hopping for now.

Crash Course in Romance: I love this show, but the moms ganging up against Hae-Yi and Haeng-Sun is actually stressing me out.

Can We Be Strangers: This show is a fun, breezy watch, and I'm enjoying reading everyone's perspectives on the recaps.

Excited for Our Blooming Youth to premiere in a few days!!!

Missing: The Other Side 2 (Episode 13-14) - Mood progression: C+ / C / C- / C+ / C / C- / C
Ok, that was a lot to take in for a finale: 1) Captain Kang’s inability to ascend left unexplained (and possible implications for Thomas?), 2) Pan Seok entering a village without any obvious connection to it, 3) Wook’s death(?) and welcome into one of the missing villages, 4) Jong Ah’s sudden ability to see the dead, 5) Organ harvester from Episode 1 ends up missing-dead: possible setup for next season, 6) Mine zone tease with this season’s villain (I rolled my eyes at the the cliche escape arc!), like what in the open ending of open endings was that?! I don’t mind another season but there isn’t even one confirmed yet!
And I seriously doubt they’ve managed to secure Im Si Wan for an entire season when the guy is booked and busy.

Crash Course in Romance (Episode 5-6) - Mood: C-
So what’s the difference between the stalker from the premiere and the boy who got killed last week? Why does one have a police investigation and not the other? Plot hole? I also don’t really like what I’m seeing so far of Jae Woo’s arc, which does feel more like tokenism rather than any sort of social commentary on disability awareness. I pray the writer has some plans for Dan Ji’s family: both actresses have been relegated as extras so far. I’ve already commented on Geon Hu in my fan wall (link below) and it seems like my worst fears are coming true: he’s literally there as a tool to trigger Sun Jae’s feelings, sigh.

Link -> https://www.dramabeans.com/members/radily/activity/1378605/

Strangers Again (Episode 5-6) - Mood: D+
After this show imploded last week with the makjang court reveal, I couldn’t believe the show would go any lower. And yet it did with some actual cheating and now we’re well into noble idiocy part 2. I do hope it’s a fake out and Ha Ra isn’t handling her step-sibling’s child support but the preview seems to have all but confirmed it? 2nd lead, supporting couple: don’t care.

Kokdu: Season of Deity (Episode 1-2) - Mood: D
The premiere really threw the kitchen sink at utilising all kinds of dated characterisations and groan-inducing tropes, didn’t it? Certainly, for a fantasy show to work out, you need to avoid copy-pasting tragic historical backstories from other shows, tone down the slapstick and come up with solid motivations for the leads. As for the villains, it’s already hopeless in week 1.

The Interest of Love (Episode 13-14) - Mood: D-
There’s still one more week of this train wreck? I guess I should be thankful that Su Yeong didn’t actually sleep with Gyeong Pil or that Mi Gyeong isn’t pregnant with Sang Su’s child: even this writer knows that’s an unrecoverable blow to the OTP. In the finale, I guess I should be going for a record for the fastest time to finish a week’s episodes. For once it could be useful?

Hwangi: rewatching it while I read the new translation of Journey to the West by Julia Lovell. Did the book help me understand the series better? I'm not sure but it was fun to try.
Crash Course in Romance: just getting ready to watch it now! I love shows where food plays a large role in the plot.
Strangers Again: The plot is becoming satisfyingly complicated, with lots of secrets, and I'm enjoying that. The ex-husband's motivations are still not very clear.
The New Employee: Surprisingly good BL drama. Yes, OK, it's a guy falling in love with his boss, which could be uncomfortable, but they made it work. Also, Ye Ji-Won was in it.
The Temperature of Language: I hadn't even heard of this school drama, but Youtube offered me a fan vid in which Nam Yoon Su was cute. I watched six episodes while doing something else before I even realized I was doing it. Will I finish it? Maybe.
I'm also thinking of watching The Three-Body Problem, the Chinese series based on the massive international hit science fiction novel. I'm about three episodes into that. It's grim and thrilling, so far. I only got through the first volume of the trilogy.

FIERY PRIEST: Though I really liked this show, I don't see the need for a second season. Corruption and greediness doesn't really tend to reinvent itself.

NEW LIFE BEGINS: The final seven episodes were really good and sweet. All the romance that I was missing was lavishly presented. But all in all, I found this drama too long and the Dan princess' violent behaviour towards her husband inexcusable. I can't believe no one called her out on it.

LIVE UP TO YOUR NAME: My new breakfast-watch.

RINKO-SAN WANTS TO TRY: I enjoyed this show. I wish they would have made it about 2 episodes longer to explore their growing feelings and how this would affect their interactions and the concept of communication, which was exceedingly poor for two characters in their late twenties sleeping together.

DETECTIVE HUSBAND I'VE NEVER MET: This is a web drama and I actually fell asleep the final 30 minutes and haven't bothered rewatching it. But the costumes! Exquisite work!🤩

THE LITTLE WIFE OF THE GENERAL: This web drama centered around a modern day chef transmigrating to historical times and charming people with food. Good for a webdrama, hoping for a second season. I kinda fell in love with the male lead in his role in Lighter and Princess despite being a multitude of shadyness.

I had a couple of wonderful drama-watching evenings last week: since Brain Works and Trolley didn’t air then, I rewatched the last episode of Alchemy of Souls S1 and then the first couple of episodes of S2 that are out on Netflix. What a wonderful drama, I enjoyed it immensely.
After that, I started another urgent recommendation by my friend: Wok of Love, and it was as good as she said. If you’re looking for an uncomplicated and funny romance WITHOUT a serial murder, thriller elements, too much violence or sadness, but instead good writing, a lovely couple, great bromance and a really interesting topic (food and cooking!) this is for you! It also has a talking horse (why?) and a super cute kitten 😊
Bonus: I remember BOTH MLs as anguished kings in love… (Lee Junho and Jang Hyuk)
Finished Forbidden Marriage
I quite liked how the final episodes were used, with a quick solution to politics and crime and then lots of time for all of our couples. All in all, I had fun with this drama.
Brain Works
Over the top, funny, interesting information about brain science: a good watch for me!
Crash Course In Romance
I don’t really feel the OTP’s chemistry, but that’s okay: I do enjoy the comedy and watch mainly for the school romance. Still waiting for more food close ups and recipes!
Trolley
The world is crumbling down for our heroine… Are our worst presumptions about her husband coming true? This is so well constructed and executed and I really don’t know where we are heading.
Payback
More setbacks, more new plans. Now our heroes are working separately towards the same goal. What I don’t like about it: the drab colors and the music, it all sounds the same as in any thriller drama.
Strangers Again
In episode 4, I began to like this drama and it’s OTP. The explanation behind their divorce was so relatable to me, and that obviously none of them is without fault, and FL started to realize this. The divorce cases are still rather ridiculous, but watching for the couples is good enough for me.
KDrama friend project:
Started Seasons of Kokdu and love watching it together! Love the leading couple, love their bickering and chemistry, love Kokdu’s powers and the other gods’ comedy. The sets, especially outside, and the colorways are so beautiful, too! Our only problem with it: they talk so much and so fast that we have problems reading the subtitles…
Also, watched the BTS Busan concert movie in the cinema twice 😊

Have you ever watched a drama that made you laugh out loud because of sheer joy? Alchemy of Souls is such a drama. Only regret is that I didn’t start watching sooner.

Currently not watching any kdrama.

Waiting for the following:
1. Shin Sung Rok drama news (top priority) 🧐
2. The Glory part 2 👠

-the end-

We finished Prison playbook and hopped back on Train.
I enjoyed both more than my friend.
Her need for romance means that we will start Miss Hammurabi this week. But I'm quite happy that Crash course in romance has both caught her eyes and is available in Netflix Germany, meaning we will also start this drama this week.
I'm just savouring on the side New life begins. The choral costume food cdrama is cute and funny. 6th prince is bit too perfect (and too skinny) but I'm eager to discover the others regions and their food.

K drama: Big Bet I like it. Good cast . I did not like how they doled out the episodes, 3 Eps opening week, then a once a week trickle. Part 2 next week.

C drama: The Knockout Enjoying it. One of the better cop shows I’ve seen.

Another C drama, A League of Noblemen I like it. Think I’m going to come back to this on after I finish the other one.

YouTube: Sherlock Holmes movies, Basil Rathbone series primarily, sometimes other versions.

Also on YT, Japanese Samurai serials Undercover Geisha, Zankuro, samurai for hire genre , decent, several seasons to choose from.

J drama in progress, Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san Two bffs head off to train to hopefully become Maikos. One is a rising star, the other flunks out, but her cooking skills allow her to stay . Ai Hashimoto as the current top girl who the newbies aspire to become.

More YT, film noire, B movies primarily, some good. Some bad but all fun.

_ It's Beautiful Now (watched 12 out of 50). I enjoy watching the three cute siblings, but there is too much padding (unnecesary filling) un this drama.

_ Alchemy of Souls 2 (6 out of 10). I didn't enjoy the first season as much as almost everybody did, but I like this second season. So many beautiful scenes...

_ Angel Last Mission: Love (2 out of 16). Nice for now.

_ Six Flying Dragons (12 out of 50). Very very good.

_ Hospital Playlist Season 1 (10 out of 12). Quite good. Lovely main characters. I still prefer Prison Playbook, which has become my favorite k-drama ever.