Ongoing/Just Finished Dramas
Heartbeat: Well, that was a thing. I’m ready to move on, so if any Beanies are left that don’t know about the collective reaction to the last two episodes, I will just refer you to the review page.

My Lovely Liar: As soon as I finished episode 6 I was so sad that there was no more of this until next week. Do-ha’s honesty, even in trivial situations, feels so brave to me, and I absolutely love it about him. On the other hand, if Sol-hee’s mom gets Truck-of-Doomed soon, you won’t see me crying. The Jazz Club Ajusshi and I will just clink our glasses together and he will make some wise remark about how life is like that sometimes.

The Uncanny Counter 2: My new strategy is to watch this one on my own, and stay out of the weecaps and comments, since I seem to be enjoying it a bit more than most people. I’m into the parallel but opposite paths we now have for Joo-seok and Mun, and the emotion of seeing his descent into rage and despair has been working for me. Fingers crossed that Joo-seok is the one to die at the end and we get to keep all of our Counters!

The Killing Vote: I literally have no idea who Gaetal is, but I’m very here for this mystery! Now if all the high school students could stop being insufferable, that would be great.

Not Others: I liked this week’s episodes better than before, but still can’t really warm up to Eun-mi. I do like the examination of what relationships should/could look like in these unconventional settings, and hope we get more of that. This week also had my absolute biggest laugh of the series: when all of Officer Cha’s teammates chanted excitedly, “You got beaten up!”

Older Dramas
Strong Woman Do Bong-soon: What? What do you want from me? King the Land is over and Heartbeat didn’t understand the assignment and there isn’t enough My Lovely Liar and I need this right now. Initial impressions: Park Hyung-sik is staggeringly attractive (as usual) and I wish I had his jacket collection. That is plenty to be getting on with.

Moving
These grown adult characters are all just fine, but I want Bong-seok back.

Behind Your Touch
Thanks to @bbstl, this show has now officially been (re-)christened, not as the butt drama, but as the butt SHOW. It's the butt show, folks. Way funnier. So far, this fake name is sort of the funniest thing about this drama, although I did like the silhouetted, profile-viewed visuals of our FL, dressed in makeshift scuba gear, trying to escape from the forced labor fish farm that her aunt sold her to. Yeah, for folks who haven't tuned in. That's what type of show this is.

My Little Liar-kins
I've decided there's something old-school-ish about this drama that I love. It's the pacing and the level of humor and the behavior of the "sidekick" characters. I'm ready for it to end unsatisfyingly for our OTP, as all the Heartbeat Hottest are, but at least now I've been taught my lesson (again) about how much to invest my heart.

Not Others
KISS KISS KISS (Everyone who isn't a complete narcissist, that is.)

FROM THE RESERVES
My Mister
I'm 2 hours from the end. What I love about this drama is that there's pretty much no situation and no character that isn't totally a little messed up ("messed" isn't the word I'm saying in my head). It's like seeing oneself on the screen in one's barest form.

ON DECK
Destined with You
Gonna give this a shot! See many of you there!

Current/recent: Still overscheduled, and glad a certain vampire drama faded into the sunset and freed up a slot.
HeartBeat: Well, dammit. Also WTF? And grrrrr!
My Lovely Liar: This show makes me look forward to Mondays, but …
Not Others: Tuesdays are really the best. The even-numbered episodes are so much better - they have more police team family and Jin-hee and Jae-won, and less of Eun-mi making me want to lock her in a closet until she promises to behave. And wow, that great retro OST at the end went to the top of my playlist instantly.
Moving: Gory, funny, and moving. The cast is fantastic - I can’t look away from any of them (except Bungaeman, sorry). This show is going to repeatedly stab me in the heart faster than I can regenerate, isn’t it?
The Uncanny Counter 2: Missing the magic of the first season but still enjoyable for the fights and fright wigs. I probably would have dropped this if not for residual fondness for the main characters.
My Dearest: I got through the first episode and I’m ready to exchange fans for swords and buckle in for heartbreak.
King of PPLand final thought: Proof that even eye-candy can cause a stomach ache in large enough servings.
Behind Your Touch: Dropped like a … no, straining not to make dung references.

Older shows:
Falling for Innocence: Inspired by a “You Can Only Pick One” post, I watched parts of this for Jung Kyung-ho and his transplanted heart of gold and skipped a lot of repetitive corporate machinations. The first half was pretty good, especially JKH’s reluctant transformation from ruthless jackass to lollipop boyfriend. He stayed consistently watchable but the rest was drudgery - and criminally wasted Yoon Hyun-min.

COMPLETED
Heartbeat - 😐

Miraculous Brothers - This was a well-written story hampered by the addition of too many kdrama conventions. Was fully expecting Ha-neul's death so I'm glad that didn't happen.

ONGOING
My Dearest - Ep. 4 was scary and scarily good. Hope the show keeps to this intensity.

The First Responders 2 - They really got rid of a whole host of characters huh. Let's see what Oh Eui-shik's character adds to the story.

The Uncanny Counter S2 - I care so little about the villains. They're trying hard to show Joo-seok's agony but I feel nothing.

Not Others - Praying for more Jin-hee and Jae-won in finale week 🤲.

My Lovely Liar - Do-ha is really surrounded by bad people isn't he. Even Deuk-chan (or maybe especially him) is sus.

Moving - Bong-seok's parents' story was so good! How can two black ops agents be so sweeetttt?! No wonder they gave birth to such an adorable bean 😭.

STARTED
Behind Your Touch - I know reactions have been on extreme ends of the spectrum with this but my watching experience was different. I didn't hate it but I also didn't think it was hilarious? It just fills the weekend slot for now 🤷‍♀️.

C-DRAMAS
Completed Mysterious Lotus Casebook - Someone described the show as a long farewell letter from Li Lianhua and so the ending makes narrative sense I think. I don't think the epilogue was needed at all.

Didn't get time to watch Lost You Forever S1 or Trick or Love this week but should be able to complete both next week.

Started When I Fly Towards You now that it's on Netflix and it seems like pretty basic high-school fare so far?

Miraculous Brothers (Series review) - Mood progression: C / C / C- / D+ / D+ / D+ / D / D
The team behind Beautiful World reunited to give us this masterpiece, or so I hoped, because this was not only just boring, it was quite disappointing for me to see Oh Man Suk and Lee Ki Woo be given so little to work with.

Heartbeat (Series review) - Mood progression: C- / D+ / C- / D+ / D+ / D / D- / D-
Contrary to popular opinion on the fan wall, the ending didn’t influence my overall view: the show was mediocre at best and needlessly campy from the outset, proceeding to worsen as soon as fantasy logic crumbled under the cliche 2nd leads and vampire villain. I also don’t think anyone’s acting was particularly great either: could be writing but nobody really stood out.

Not Others (Episode 9-10) - Mood: C-
Huh, there’s even more Jin Hong family drama to come? What in the world is with that DNA test trope in the preview? And it was a lame cliffhanger to end on in the penultimate week after wrapping up that predictable whodunit. Also, it’s kinda sad I don’t enjoy any of Eun Mi’s scenes anymore, heck, I was laughing more when Dr Park was teasing her? I’m shocked myself!

My Lovely Liar (Episode 5-6) - Mood: D+
As well as Seo Ji Hoon masterfully portrays those deliciously pained facial expressions, he can’t do much if his arc is just terminal illness induced noble idiocy. But as bad as the writing is for his character, it’s considered great amongst the entire cast, which just tells you how low the bar is in this story. Then again, there’s still a possibility of it falling even further.

The Killing Vote (Episode 2) - Mood: C+
Hmm, the only way that cliffhanger works is if Moo Chan is a false protagonist and 1) he really died, leaving Joo Hyun to be the true protagonist or 2) he’s the killer and his partnership with the Professor began that fateful night. Otherwise, it’s lame to try and pretend like he’s dead or undercover, then cobble some excuse later on to explain how he survived the explosion.

Moving (Episode 8-9) - Mood: C
Not sure about how I feel about this week’s episodes: on one hand, the parents’ backstory is very cute and all, on the other hand, I don’t know if Doo Sik expected to get away with assassinating the North Korean president (or so it’s implied). While it’s now understandable why the North Koreans will be chasing them, I’m not looking forward to the kids getting dragged in.

The Uncanny Counter 2 (Episode 5-6) - Mood: D
I can’t blame the show for trying to be coherent with the corruption plot from last season but really, that was one of the not so great parts so I don’t understand the point of expanding upon it. Ha Na’s first love arc? We all know he’s going to be one damsel later on. But incredibly, the new Counter’s already a damsel this week and it isn’t even the first time this happened?

Behind Your Touch
It is crazy and wild... and sometimes looks more like a string of SNL sketches than a drama. I laugh, but only sometimes. Perhaps I'm just not in the right mood for the show's style and humour (plus the stupidity of the Heroine often gets on my nerves). I will give it one more week to convince me, mainly because of Lee Minki and Han Jimin... and because I still trust the PD-writer duo.

Liar
The girlfriend was toxic, Sa Jion is toxic... no wonder Doha is scared and keeps distance. But... he can't resist Solhee's charm for long and omg, they are so cuuuuuute together 😍
I also love the piano variations of the famous music pieces

Not Others
I more and more believe that Jinhong, with his patience and understanding what's behind Eunmi's words and behaviour, can finally give Eunmi the unconditional love she needs to be able to grow up.
It's also time Eunmi and Jinhee cut the umbilical cord between them and start living a bit more apart. Like, Eunmi with Jinhong... and Jinhee with Jaewon 😁 😁 (they have this ease of a married couple between them anyway 🙂). I'm ready for the final week, focusing on family bonds, team camaraderie... and love.

The Way You Shine
Anni is so much better and cooler when she is not obsessed with Zhaoxun!!
Chairwoman on the other hand... First, she has it wrong, it's the opposite, Tianyou is now focusing on work in the company because of Xinxing and NOT that Xinxing is a distraction which needs to be eliminated. Second, I don't like how she is trying to manage Tianyou's life and how she is using Rouyun as a spy. And third, instead of sympathy she uses the bankruptcy (likely caused by her company!) AGAINST Xinxing and her Mom. Poor Candy Mom (I miss the cute moments with Uncle Gege!). Luckily Tianyou is still the sunshine he always is, even if he is dealing with his mom and his past trauma.

Finished:
💔HeartBeat💔: HeartBeat broke my heart, but I still loved nearly everything.

Flower Boy Next Door: Truly sweet. I liked how they negotiated what love meant to them, how Enrique balanced supporting the FL with pushing her to grow past her fears, and how they became each other's bright world. A true comfort-watch!

Ongoing:
Behind Your Touch: When it was the hilarious kind of weird, I loved it. So many funny lines, puns, and sight gags. BUTTTT... I don't like that the psychometry only works by touching butts (yes, I know that's the premise). It's uncomfortable and will get old fast. I'll drop this if the murder stuff takes over too much - which looks like it will happen, like, today.

My Lovely Liar: (50% through 5) This is a drop for me. I still haven't been able to connect with any of the characters, and I don't like most of them. What the ex, the singer, and the CEO's brother have done/are doing to the ML is inexcusable and really bothers me. Sorry for my negativity! I know most Beanies are really liking this.

Moving: (through ep. 5) This is really good, but it really stresses me out. The characters feel very solid and real, which raises the stakes. Please be ok, kids!! I guess I'm more wary now because of HeartBeat, so I'm considering pausing until I can see who's still alive at the end of the drama. The thing about Moving is that I EXPECT bad things to happen. But Bongseok NEEDS to be ok!!! Also - the OST is amazing. The background music is pitch-perfect, and using that Jannabi song? Perfection.

My Lovely Liar: 8.0 At least the evil jacket from early in day 6 got what it deserved. Perhaps they put her in it then because they didn't want to ruin any non-horrid garments??
- Re missing x-gf - No Body Not Dead. There's a Law.
- Mother's overdone tantrum cost them half a point.

Behind Your Touch: 8.5 How many fingers / toes / butt-cheeks does it take to count all the references to other shows just in day 1?

Uncanny Counter S2: 5.5 For the week, but 0.5 for Mun's and Jeok-bong's hair.

My Dearest: 7.0

Cold-Blooded Intern: 7.0 Not a bad show, but didn't catch my interest. Out after day 1.

Heartbeat: 6.5 The show that motivated me to change my display name. I *guess* Do-sik drank the magic blood and Woo-hyeol's sacrifice wasn't for nothing, but would it have hurt them to make it clear?

Not Others: 7.0

Killing Vote: 6.0 Meh.

Moving: 7.5

Mask Girl: 4.0 Stalled partway thru ep 2. At least that spares me the dread Friday Night of Doom. If a Netflix Friday Night Dump goes in the crapper, that is a good thing.

Tip of the day (for anyone who hasn't been catching all the cool fan wall posts):

To see all the fan walls without having to check users one by one, bookmark
https://www.dramabeans.com/fan-posts/

To see all DB articles without having to go to tabs for "reviews", "news", etc, bookmark
https://www.dramabeans.com/blog-view/

When I'm not watching kdramas I pretty much live toggling between those two.

BUTT TOUCH (Ep. 1-2) Despite South Korea having a serious molka, work place sexual harassment and sexual assault problems, the show's premise of unwanted touching is still problematic. The show does acknowledge that the Touch is a crime and Ye-Bun is arrested for it but nothing comes of it except the perv nickname. The attempted comedy elements have to mask some strange behavior (cop judo flipping a woman; an aunt selling her niece to a fish farm). The show is just weird. It seems human touching is unnecessary when animal witnesses could be used instead. The show is giving off weird Camilla Blooms vibes, not in a good way. I don't think the premise will sustain interest in the premise or main story line.

COLD BLOODED INTERN (Ep. 1-2) This is not a new premise but a more ruthless one. Ra Mi-Ran and Uhm Ji Won are very good actresses but the show sets up as a basic work discrimination, ruthless office politics drama where women are causing the pain. So far, you have no one to root for in the main cast. The show sets up for a bitter and sad drama.

MY DEAREST
I’m going to be a lurker for the rest of the drama. While I’m glad my comments had engagement and different perspectives from beanies, it’s probably best for me to not comment as I don’t know the history. This experience humbled me, and while I do love this drama so far, I know nothing of the history. I think it’s best for me to learn instead of being opinionated on matters I have clue about

HEARTBEAT (Ep 13-16):
I’m glad I spoiled myself for the ending as I felt far less rage than I otherwise would have. The final goodbyes felt final and I wasn’t expecting Woo-hyeol to suddenly resurrect or something. Still as other beanies have more eloquently pointed out, this drama from the get go was billed as a campy fun rom com. Was I expecting some angst? Yes definitely, this is a kdrama after all and it comes with the territory. But the last four episodes felt like a drag, became too melodramatic from what was previously such a fun light hilarious drama.

I wouldn’t even of minded if we as the audience from the get go were given the information, like in HWAYUGI. As much I rant about the Hong Sisters they maintain the fantasy element throughout, but HEARTBEAT I felt, forgot that it was a fantasy vampire show. Only Man-hwi got the memo lol

Our Fang Gang were sidelined. Hae-won took up too much screen time (honestly what was even the point of her character?) and Park Kang-hyun did the best he could with such a flat character. There is good reason the love square from the naughties is no longer the staple in kdramaland and this show is proof of that smh 🤦‍♀️

Yes Woo-hyeol and In-hae didn’t have off the charts chemistry but I loved them because of that. They had comfortable chemistry, they trusted each other, In-hae for once in her life relied on someone. So the ending just baffles me. It retroactively erases their honest communication throughout the drama. I might’ve at least been somewhat sympathetic if Woo-hyeol was upfront and clear to In-hae about his choice to die. But he lied and said yes that they’ll find solutions together. This is such betrayal for In-hae. Her whole life people have abandoned her, it felt so out of character that Woo-hyeol who deeply cared for her, knew her and was honest with her would not express his desire to die.

I definitely feel like 2023 is cursed! 🙃

Anyway I’m looking forward to Won Ji-an’s future projects. She did a superb job, same with Park Kang-hyun. Taec I’ve always been a fan and I’m also excited to see the rest of the Fang Gang’s future works as well.

Continuing
Not others
I liked this week more than the previous weeks, with JinHee and JaeWon's relationship sllllightly warming up. I am learning to ignore EunMi and shut out the fact that, as much as I like him, Ji Hong is a pushover.

Cinderellas of Midsummer
So, after exercising iron self control (HA) for 3 weeks, this week I finally watched 3 episodes together. I cannot fully express how much I love this show. Not sure if it is the beach vibe, cos the story itself is pretty standard, as is the acting, but this show is my favorite.

The Real has come
There must be something seriously wrong with me, I am still watching this show.

Uncontrollably Fond
I watched a couple episodes, but it was hard to watch Kim Woo Bin with a terminal illness, so I have put a pin in it for now.

Starting
Kakafukaka
Another Japanese show I stumbled on while searching for something similar to Cinderellas, and well, I will stop watching Japanese shows now. Thank you.

A love so beautiful
Going through a drama drought, so I finally picked this one up. Very sweet story. And then, half way through it, Netflix suddenly decided I cannot see it in my area and removed it. Halfway through it. I am THIS close to canceling Netflix.

My Lovely Liar
I am not fan of super powers, zombies, historicals, time travel, etc., but so many beanies said so many good things about it, I decided to watch it. Binged on 6 episodes to catch up. What a delightful show!

Most of the time we are all simpatico, but there are times where everyone seems to looooove something and you really really dont. Or there is a bunch of shows that everyone is gaga about but you dont seem to like any of them. @OldLawyer wrote a great article about surviving weekenders. Can someone share how to survive DramaBeans everyday when everyone is loving a show and going on and on about it while you hate it? Hate the show, hate the lead(s), hate the premise, hate the execution and it is all fingernail on chalkboard?

Not Others: I wish this drama was longer and actually delved into Eun Mi's issues, but it is entirely possible the writer thinks Eun Mi is just fine, which is actually kind of frightening, lol.

Heartbeat: SMDH

My Lovely Liar: Our leads continue to be adorable. I love when they are together and how they understand each other. It is also really nice that they have things in common and you fully understand why they like each other. It is really sweet.

Moving: Hello backstory. Talk about the spies who loved each other. Also love at first sight huh. I look forward to this drama every week and I am really grateful for that 7 episode dump in the beginning.

The Killing Vote: That woman is awful and needs to be in prison, now were they actually blown up? Is the teacher the proxy for the Professor in prison? What is up with the classmate who is always staring? So many questions.

Mask Girl: This was certainly a drama. My goodness r*pe, murder, cam girls, plastic surgery, and true genuine female friendship. Also does anyone know why there are full blown BL dramas, but Lesbians are always only hinted at. It is very weird. Also the actress who played Mi Mo was excellent. Nevermind the trio who played Mo Mi, great acting all around.

My Dearest: Excited, I really look forward to this too, even knowing the angst that is coming.

Uncanny Counter: How to stop a loved one who has gone down the wrong road.

Well, the week began as low as could be. Heartbeat broke our hearts. A shocker like that is enough to make you stop live watching. But, somehow, I carried on.

My Lovely Liar continues to be a fluffy rom-com with a sweet lead couple, the typical awful 2FLs and a 2ML who's going to join the Sad Puppy Eyes Hall of Fame. My Dearest offered up the epic wartime romance it promised us—Are you listening Heartbeat writer-nim? Are you?—and I am *swooning.* Over on Moving, I did it again as the adult arc kicked in. Where have you been all my life Jo In-sung?

I guess all that goodness helped. Nah, I'm still bitter. Thanks Heartbreak. I didn't watch much else this week. On the recap, fan walls, the tucked away fan post, etc, there were probably 600+ comments on HB. A sucker for punishment, I probably read them all. (And somehow that was still preferable to reading The School for Good Mothers for my book club. 🤣)