My final exams finished today and I have two and a half weeks until my summer semester begins, yay! Which means I finally have time to watch stuff, yaaaaaaaaaay!

Between classes and my tutoring job (as well as some other personal projects I have started–and becoming a bookworm again) keeping up with TV of ANY form has been difficult the past several months, sadly, so I’m really going to cherish this time. And lately I’ve been really wanting to catch up on jdraams, because I sense a bit of a jdrama renaissance beginning lately.

I just started Brush Up Life (also called Rebooting on Doki, the service I am watching on) and I find it so delightful! I’m 3 episodes in and during episode 3 my parents came home and I explained the premise to my dad. He kept trying to leave the room and then would circle back to see what is happening, so I think I’ve got him hooked, too (which is rare for non-crime shows).

So, Beanies, what’s up in dramaland? What’s good? What’s bad? What are you looking forward to watching each week? What did you drop?

And does anyone have any recent-ish jdramas I simply have to watch? I used to be SO into them in high school, but I got tired of how much Japan was gatekeeping them. I am THRILLED that so many are being carried by big streamers like Netflix now and really want to dig my teeth in! I think the only recent-ish ones I have watched are Why I Dress Up For Love and Unnatural–and NigeHaji but that’s EIGHT YEARS OLD NOW?!? Anyway, I love all those shows if that gives you any indication for my preference. Would love any and all recs!

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    Hi, mindy! I hope you enjoy this break and have a nice rest.

    I’m not the best person to make a recap of dramaland since I was away for a few months too. But right now it seems like beanies are enjoying shows like The Midnight Studio, Lovely Runner, Queen of Tears (this show is a big hit in Korean and here, and everywhere?), and I think I’ve also seem beanies enjoying Hide.

    Sadly, the only jdramas I’ve watched are BLs so I can’t recommend you anything. 🙁 but I hope you find something good to watch!
    I do feel like Viki keeps bringing more jdramas than new kdramas to the platform lately, so maybe you can find something there.

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      Hi, Tabong! Welcome back to you as well, then!

      I actually watched the first two episodes of Queen of Tears with my friends! We honestly were not sure what to think, and haven’t had time to get back to it. 😅 We’ll see if anything comes of that!

      Ooooo, I would love to have a Joo Won drama to like, so Midnight Photo Studio might be calling my name! Lovely Runner doesn’t speak to me from what very little I have seen about it, but since Beanies like it I might have to try it.

      Thanks! And if there are any particularly good BLs, do let me know! It’s not my usual choice just because I find many of them to be quite cringey/juvenile/verging on fetishizing, but I haven’t seen any Japanese ones and am super open-minded. I would hate to overlook an actual good drama with queer lead characters because of my personal prejudice against the BL label, haha.

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        I haven’t started The Midnight Studio yet, but according to beanies it is really good.
        QoT is like a refreshing old drama? 😆 And Lovely Runner has Twinkling Watermelon energy.
        I hope you enjoy the shows!

        BLs recommendation: To My Star (Korea), Our Dinning Table (Japan), My Love Mixed Up (Japan), and Cherry Magic (better to skip the secondary couple, tho).
        These dramas are cute, except for To My Star season 2. That one is just real. Real couple angst. But it’s GOOD real couple angst. I like season 2 more than 1.

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    Hi Mindy! Congratulations on finishing your exams! I hope this break between semesters is restful and peaceful for you. Since you liked Behind Your Touch, I would HIGHLY recommend Chicken Nugget. It was really weird and quirky and funny and surprisingly heartfelt in quick snatches. @attiton has an awesome series of posts about it on her fanwall.

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      Hi Hopeful! Thank you so much! I’m hoping to get plenty of drama watching in. 😊

      Omg I was SO looking forward to Chicken Nugget, ever since it was announced, because it seems so wacky and ludicrous! I’m happy to hear it actually seems good and will def check it out!

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        I don’t want to oversell it, but I think you’ll like it! I LOVED the two leads – their comic timing together was GOLD! Ryu Seung-ryong and Ahn Jae-hong are just fabulous. Have fun with your drama watching!!! 🥳❤️

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    If you have Hulu/Disney+ I would definitely recommend Flex X Cop. Funny, cool, mystery drama with great cast of cops trying to save the day

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