Kdrama watching of my two current favorites, BEYOND THE BAR and NICE GUY, was limited by my TV inexplicably going on the fritz (waiting on tech savvy family to restore me). Stopped by MY TROUBLESOME STAR but not sure it's a keeper.

Happy watch this week goes to the dream-team cast of SUNSHINE BY MY SIDE (2023). This was such a great watch that I am bereft now that I can't watch it for the first time. What a terrific screenplay, and these gifted performers give it such lift in many memorable scenes. Special mention to Xiao Zhan and a luminous Bai Bai He in lead roles but ZX's parents, his wingman/woman, and Bai Bai He's sister and her beau are all outstanding. Now I understand why Wu Xing Jian was cast as Yan Bing Yun in JOL2, a role previously filled by XZ in JOL1. He's different, but he's a honey.

SUMMIT OF OUR YOUTH is my current favorite addiction. The whole AI discussion is over my head but something must be sinking in (right?) and leads Sun Zhen Ni and Chen Jing Ke are a fun pairing. This is a dense tale, sweet storyline and very enjoyable with excellent pacing.

THIS THRIVING LAND got bogged down in the politics of land redistribution but there is no denying the quality of this production. I'm sticking with it.

LEGEND OF THE FEMALE GENERAL. Cheng Lei is pulling me through this one as I'm increasingly uninterested in our heroine -- something is just not right about the casting here. A good production with great stunt work but it stumbles towards the finish line.

Looking forward to MOONLIT REUNION on Disney+ August 26, assuming I get my "smart" TV back up and running.

Yeah, I also loved how invested both leads in Imperial Coroner were in all things forensic, and it was great to watch a female lead who, squeaky voice dubbing aside, was so competent, calm, cool and collected in times of crisis.

@jerrykuvira I know, right? I did binge it. I honestly thought it was going to be a train wreck, so I wanted to get to the episode where the crashing began. It never materialized. I won't spoil it for you, but let me just say the tone of (almost) overwhelming sadness in the first few episodes does not permeate the entire show. It never goes entirely away but it is tempered by other feelings, such as strength, friendship, and personal exploration and growth.

Our Unwritten Seoul (through episode 8): I appreciate the fact that this show is fine with letting its central characters be messy, awkward and even unlikable (I particularly love the two moms' arc), although I wish it didn't rely so much on standard-issue k-tropes for its plot structure (car crashes, first love, greedy redevelopers, etc.).

I am looking forward to Twelve and will give Bon Appétit, Your Majesty a try.

I couldn't bring myself to go back to Legend of the Female General and finished Summit of Our Youth. The ending unfortunately wasn't satisfying and Legally Romance handled it a lot better.

I am by and by watching Delightfully Deceitful. It's nice and I have no idea where it's going and what's going to happen.

Just finished:
Mr. Queen
Rewatch finished this week, and I have - as some will know, - spend a good deal of time repairing a Happy-Ending-shaped Hole in my Love for that drama. The beginnings of my fanfic was slow and took a shape that didn't function optimally - me trying to turn my footnotes to the drama into a more detailed parallel story, - but when I drew up the final as a Flow Chart instead, it worked much better.
The second (and 2½nd) link is filled to the brim with links for carefully made illustrations.
links are strewn in the commentaries for the last three recaps, and I sincerely welcome extra stories and further flowcharts and whereever your imagination takes you in those commentaries.

Flow Chart one; The Possible Endings:
https://1drv.ms/w/c/77e2e7a5b808004d/EaWBxvPGrU9Bkan3VIzR1msBKw-ybYVjnd4tGzJejBAU4Q?e=3XN4od
and then The So-Young Journey - a possible 2nd Season.
https://1drv.ms/w/c/77e2e7a5b808004d/EX-m84hhimVIo7ieVguAV7ABCi2v6f5llrxkTgPKow18ag?e=iRG0VO
With the Spin-off-ette The CULT: https://1drv.ms/w/c/77e2e7a5b808004d/Ef4h4aSYkjNIonky8XjMzXsBMnz15iosPd420dfhIpVDVA?e=2aDKk9
3rd flow chart: Decades ahead.
https://1drv.ms/w/c/77e2e7a5b808004d/EacPrcXvDhdDqMubyByU7nQB6jkhkF8Ae8hveGENBcE9eA?e=wv2jZf

Just today Netflix has started advertising a new K-drama that looks like a "We don't Use Pronouns" Version of Mr. Queen.
Just like Parks Marriage Contract was a super boring version of the idea I had for So-young's Journey (I felt they stole from me) so this drama at first look seems like a Mr. Queen thoroughly "cleaned" from any questions of gender and sexuality.
A timetravelling cook can be fun, and I hope they will make a cooking show out of it with lots of details. Still, it feels like they are going for a Mr. Queen with the teeth pulled out.

Not a K-drama:
The Dead Shadow: A book with multiple voices audible in different ways to different characters in different ways. It is fun, but and takes a little getting used to.
Imagine Xavier from The X-men kind of being a young, hyper-active and constantly talking girl. Different, right?

You began...and completed...Lost?
Now, that is some energy booster.

I have to ready myself. I've been pushing it away for years and it has been sitting pretty in my storage.

@asianromance
They were so intelligent! But it was clear that neither the prince nor Chu Chu were experts at social interaction. I really liked how natural, calm, and sincere their romance was.

I've never seen Ma Dong-seok in any drama before, so I'm really excited. Honestly, July and August weren't great for me in terms of drama releases. I got bored, so I'm glad there's finally something new.

Permit me to gloat and say it was worth the hype. And, ditto on the Shin siblings.

@zindigo and @midnight

Thanks! It's the first time that happens to me. I hadn't noticed it 😅

... Continue:

_ Western show Upload, season 3 (2023). This show had a very good first season but then unfortunately it went downhill. Now I'm waiting for the fourth and final season.

So glad you enjoyed Imperial Coroner! Love your description: "a nice group of nerds".

This kind of drama puts me in a tricky spot. You start watching because you love the A-list actors, but then you find yourself stuck with a subpar plot. That's why I never really comment on actors themselves; it's always about the characters they play, since you can't truly know the actor. As for the comedy, I'm not sure if it was the show or if my sense of humour is just off. Anyway, I decided to drop it; it just wasn't how I wanted to spend my weekend.

Thanks!
I didn't noticed!

I really like Tian Xi Wei and haven't started Moonlit Reunion yet. I'm glad she's doing a great job!

It just worked that way.

Law and the City: (half-way through ep 3) Started this. It's pleasant and the meals the lawyers lunch group have a nice Hospital Playlist-esque feel. The characters aren't quite that interesting yet, but I feel like they're grounded. I like that they aren't superstar attorneys. I was bummed that the lawyer played by Kim Kyung-Nam left his job and the lunch gang. He had great chemistry with them!

Prisoner of Beauty (cdrama, partway through ep 26) Still enjoying it, but it feels weird (and surprisingly pleasant) that it's actually more of a warm, domestic drama with a careful dash of rom-com. Song Su Er delivers the best side-eye/disdainful expressions.

Legend of the Female General (cdrama, up to ep 9). Not what was really promoted. So far, it's like an average-idol-web-drama with very surface-level writing. That said, it's still quite watchable (gets better after ep 4). The fight/stunt choreography and direction of the action scenes are fantastic, and there are quite a lot of those scenes to keep me satisfied. I may just be FF-ing to the fight/action scenes.

Watching K dramas

Beyond the Bar
Aema In progress
Rewatch Into The Ring Nana ❤️😍

J dramas
Finished J version of Marry My Husband
Watching Hot Spot almost done
Learning To Love

Watched C film Better Days(2019)

I enjoyed your review of Lost! It earned a 10 from me because of it's original concept and exceptional acting and production quality. It was heartbreaking but healing. Viewers definitely need to be prepared for the slow burn and the agonizing (mental and emotional) journey of the characters.