JUST BETWEEN LOVERS
Community watch/rewatch/binge-watch
Episode 1 & 2

Dear fellow beanies,
This is the first post for Just between lovers community watch. Everyone is more than welcome. Please join us in the chat.

I binge-watched this show 4 years ago, it is the show that cemented my love for Junho and Won Jin-ah.

I loved the show and loved them as characters and actors, but to be honest, it was a difficult watch, because of the sadness I felt while watching. And it has been equally difficult this time around. Cera and I wanted to rewatch it together some time ago, but neither of us could click play, until you guys gave the final nudge, and here we are.

It’s gone the day I cried over fiction, I now choose to save my precious tears for real life. But still, when watching a (K-)drama, I always try to be attached to the characters as much as possible, for all the feelz. I want to laugh with them when they are happy, and feel their burden when they are sad, but with JBL, I actually tried to detach myself from their pain, because it’s too much. And although I kept telling myself this is fiction, it’s not that far from real life. One of my best friends lost her child to cancer, and she once told me she had to drink beer to be able to fall asleep every night years after her child was gone. Her family fell apart, she and her husband went on their separate ways. As much as I wished, I always felt like I was in no place to give her words of consolation, because there are certain things that are simply inconsolable.

Anyway, here are some of my scattered thoughts about these episodes.

So in these episodes, we got to know our characters, there are some disgusting human beings, like the company director (Yoo-taek) and Junho’s sister’s sunbae at the hospital, who not only verbally abused her but actually used violence on her; and there are some extremely lonely people still living painful memories of the accident and grieving the loss they went through.

It must have been hard for them to live on. Moon-soo’s dad said the practical thing a parent in the right mind should “at least you made it out alive”, but I’m sure she would rather she had died in the place of her sister.

“There’s no such a thing as being relieved because things could ve been worse”

****
Watching this show again, I realised how much I have missed this Junho. With my understanding of him as a person in real life, I think he is cut out for Gang-doo character. To pull off Gang-doo’s mannerism, I have the feeling that Junho didn’t have to practise much, he had that in him.

But these two episodes belonged to Won Jin-ah. There are quite a few moments without any line, she was able to convey a myriad of emotions through her facial expressions.

And the scene of Moon-soo breaking down in front of her mom when she thought her mom was drowning is so haunting. The acting is stellar.

I like that they are of similar heights, and they both kind of look tiny, and when we see the two of them only have each other to lean on, it feels poignant.

****
On a lighter note, the casting is great. Do you find Nam Gi-ae and Li Ki-woo look alike, like real mother and son? And I love both Junho’s and Jin-ah’s voice.

So far, Lee Ki-woo appears to be a likable SML, and he is so handsome!! Forgive this shallow fangirl, but in the scenes of him and Moon-soo together, all I could think of was that with her height compared to his, her eyes would always be at his collarbone level 😅 (Where’s the naughtysaurus??) And it doesn’t help that he often showed his collarbones right to her face, like this one 😉 It’s sweet of him when he realises she’s scared of the elevator, he tries to distract her thought.

I liked the aunt character, a typical loud and kind-hearted aunt everyone wants to have. Look at her expressions in this scene 😂

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    @Minniegupta1 @Midnight @Seeker 23new2kdrama @Skiee @Claire2009 @Isagc @Koalatown @Ceciliedk @Mazarin @Indyfan @Kas61

    Chingus, below is our schedule for the next posts:

    Minniegupta1 – July 4th – Ep 3&4
    Midnight – July 11th – Ep 5&6
    Skiee – July 18th – Ep 7&8
    Mazarin – July 25th – Ep 9&10
    @23new2kdrama Can you pls do – August 1st – Ep 11&12?
    Claire2009 – August 8th – Ep 13 &14
    Seeker – August 15th – Ep 15&16

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    I am blown away
    – by this show and honestly has not been able to stop after episode two, so I’ll have to try to remember what happens when so that I don’t spoil anything.
    (Before I go on, can I just say that “Even I would ask you to mooch off me if I were a man” is the most surprising and funny “retaliation” in a fight/attempt to cool down a fight I can recall having seen. Crazy and disarming).

    ***

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    Me being blown away. (Not literally me, but … )

    I have written it in my “What we’re watching” already (I mostly write that beforehand, Saturdays can be stressful) but yes, Junho is nothing less than fantastic here, and I get the fuzz, which I don’t always with him. And he is really good at being angry and also at eating as though the food was capitalism itself, as if it was injustice and corruption he was gobbling down, which would serve them right! Grrrr Chomp CHOMP Swallow!

    The pain shown is so real, even if I get annoyed with parents who ignore they actually have a child more.
    But Claire, I thank you for not trying to comfort a mourning parent. I have thank God never been that and hope to never be, knock on every wood and every tree, but when I thought I might lose a child, nothing was more annoying than people who were like “The Universe/God/ only gives you the burdens you can actually carry.” and even “You should be proud” (to be chosen for this kind of burden. Ooh wow thanks, what an honour!)
    To be fair to Mon-soo’s mum, she probably only stays alive as her duty towards Mon-soo.

    Anyways, see you in the comments.

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      can I just say that “Even I would ask you to mooch off me if I were a man” is the most surprising and funny “retaliation” in a fight/attempt to cool down a fight I can recall having seen. Crazy and disarming

      Gotta love Moon-soo for her quick wit and tact in that situation 😂

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    Also: What is your understanding of Junho as a person in Real Life? I’m asking because I don’t know anything except that he is a bit star.

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      Big. Not “bit”.

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      Watching Junho in youtube videos, I believe he is 💯 introverted. It often feels like he doesn’t belong to that space he’s in. He’s not comfortable in his own skin. When he’s on stage, he puts on his stage persona and goes all out. In other situations, sometimes he appears a little stiff, like how Kang-doo is.

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        Junho is too much of a method actor. He is very critical of his own acting, constantly emphasizing in interviews that he is not like good actors to get into his character like an on/off switch. He has to get to know his character, get into his skin, and stay in it throughout filming.

        For JBL he got a small room near the film location and lived in it alone for 3 months prior to shooting, to get his mind, perspective, and body language used to his character’s surrounding and way of living. To this day he calls it his most difficult role to completely immerse himself in.

        For Chief Kim he stayed alone at home for a few weeks, constantly snapping and screaming at his home furniture (and poor cats!)! 😂 For Wok of Love he took a job in a Chinese restaurant for some weeks. For Red Sleeve he immersed himself in his character’s history, and all those other actors who had played him before, both their works and their interviews. He even practiced using his right hand (eating, writing, sword fighting, shooting with a bow and arrows) for months because his character was righthanded. For King the Land he practiced keeping himself in his reserved character so much that he found it difficult to get out of it later, and told his fans that he wishes for a very normal easy-going guy role for his next work.

        He is known for being an extreme perfectionist, which seems like a very nice trait, but when I see the length he goes for his roles, I sometimes wonder how healthy it is…

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          Definitely doesn’t sound healthy but also, if you are that kind of person, the better life may be one where you have the chance to go all in. If you are not a normal person, sometimes the options are to be good at being too much, or to suck at being normal. I mean, really suck.

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          Fascinating. I’m slowly seeing bits and pieces of interviews/publicity stuff by Korean actors (bits and pieces because I don’t seek it out, but may watch if someone mentions it). I saw an interview with Kim Soo-hyun on Salon drip, and he also seemed to be a very obsessive personality. If he does something, he doesn’t hold back. I think it must be amazing to have someone like that as your employee, especially when they are all trained/culturally conditioned/have the personality to be humble and take instruction very well. Just- being able to ask them to do something and having them throw every thing they have at the problem- it’s a managers dream.
          The K-drama ‘spoilt actor/idol’ character that talks back and is arrogant must be a fantasy. I think anyone who was truly like that would be dropped/fired instantly, because they don’t have any shortage of actors or singers.

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          A life as an “extreme perfectionist” sounds scary. I do hope his family and his team keep him grounded. Watching Kang-doo is stressful 🙃 – in a good way but I can’t even imagine how stressful it would have been to be him. And Junho has not just played Kang-doo, he is him.

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            I do hope his family and his team keep him grounded.

            Unfortunately, Koreans seem to love this personality, I have seen most of his costars, sunbaes, crew, praise his dedication and perfectionism… Yes to hoping for his family and team.

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            @midnight
            While Junho has been in the public eye for a very long time, the kind of personal effort required for the roles he chooses is very challenging. But following these perfectionist tendencies for each role and a society valorizing them is hardly conducive to one’s own mental and emotional health.

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            The interview with KSH was good, but scary. He named an actor who was his best friend. Been his best friend for ages. Became his friend because One of his directors told him (KSH) that they should be friends The director obviously had a good idea who KSH was, so not a completely abstract suggestion, but still…

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            @Mazarin Oppsie … did the director think he’s a kindergarten teacher, getting the boys to shake hands and be friends.

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            @seeker It was one sentence in a group interview, so who knows, but it sounded a bit like that. “You guys are both the same age, you should be friends”.
            But it did seemed like KSH needed the push? I mean, at least he has a friend he can name in interviews. Otherwise the way he was describing his life was about completely obsessing about the particular thing in front of him- whether it be a drama, or working out, or playing sport. It made me think that socially awkward innocent he played in ‘Dream High’ was possibly the closest role to the real person of all his roles.

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            @Mazarin It is always good to have friends and if they have continued to be close for years it can only be a good thing. 👍😊

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            As I re-read these comments I feel some guilt to my short comings of a drama “fan”. I’m quick to be critical of acting choices or shows. I need a big sign above my screen that says these people are human! They can’t always be perfect,nor choose the right project. BUT perhaps they choose the exact project THEY need at that time. I certainly take the happy, pleasant, fun easy route, so can they. And vice versa. I need to feel challenged so this is what I need to focus on.

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            It is a fair thing to worry about whether K-actors are giving to many orders/instructions and whether they reach too far into their own private lives. Because definitely, sometimes they do.
            But it is okay that sometimes maybe it was just a good suggestion that had success. I can imagine that being friends with other famous actors gives you someone to share your troubles with, someone who does not either adore you for superficial reasons or gets angry with you for complaining – or both!
            So lets hope that these friendships are just the result of successful prompts.

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            too many, not “to many”

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            @23new2kdrama For me, especially now, I watch dramas purely for fun but that drama is the hard work of a large number of cast and crew having worked over many many months in not always optimal conditions and doing the best they can, because no one actually intends to make a “bad” drama. It is your maturity as a fan to say a particular drama, or actor, or script is not working for “me” at this “time” and choose to respectfully walk away.

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          Thank you for this. It adds to my perspective of him being an extremely hard work conscientious actor.

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      One of the aspects of this community watch I am looking forward to is the positive appreciation expressed to the actors that are performing in this drama. What a smart and genuine question. And I’m so impressed with the answers. When reading about this drama on the general comment board, the responses were more focused on the different shows that Junho has been in and the their dislike for a certain show, not the time and effort that he has put forth in ALL of the dramas he has been in. I look forward to this positive focus. Thanks.
      @claire2009 @midnight @seeker @mazarin

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    Thanks, Claire 👏

    I watched this drama in 2022. It was the first time I watched Junho and Won Jin-ah (and the only one in her case).

    Maybe because I was prepared for a super sad drama, it disappointed me a little, because I couldn’t connect to the point of crying or having a lump in my throat.
    And that’s precisely what I asked for this show: lots of pain.

    Of course the drama is sad, what it tells, and how it tells it: the pale colors, the background music (fabulous OST), all the characters are so unhappy…

    I really really liked Junho. His character is unforgettable and magnetic since he first appears.

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    I’ve seen junho in red sleeve first and then king the land. Red sleeve was good but I was not a fan of character. King the land was meh so I dropped it. So I think this character of junho is my favorite. He does a very good job in this role. Apart from his hair to make him look poor I guess. The actress is new for me. I like her too. They have chemistry too. I like the SML too , I hope he doesn’t turn into an obsessive one. Their interactions were cute. The storyline is ver heavy than I thought. Honestly this one is very slow paced for me it seems and reminded me a lot of Call It Love of same pacing and atmosphere. It’s fully on trauma and healing I think. Every character has a baggage and mostly our leads have the survivor guilt. I like it so far forgive me I may watch it in 2x some parts as I watched call it love but still loved it because the characters I really loved and the romance seems to be slow burn too. Lets see.

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      Call It Love is even more slow. I think it’s the slowliest drama I have ever seen.

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        Hahaha…yes watching it in 2x was a good move..and I liked it.

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        “Slowliest” 🤣 CIL was indeed thus (tho I have seen slowlier).

        But it’s a great comparison overall, theme, pace, vibe, etc. Tho JBL had a rawness to it that I found terribly appealing. Ofc, it could have just been the budget, then new actors or the lack of pink filter. LOL.

        I so missed it I’m KTL. I want that raw Junho back!

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        The slowest one I’ve watched must be Winter Sonata. You can actually time the FL’s tilting her head, for example 😂

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          😭😭😭😭

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          Looking at “Winter Sonata” with the lens of the present and what we know and have seen been improved of Kdramas throughout the years as time progressed, there’s definitely things I can nitpick about the drama, but I can’t deny that it is still a classic and one of the greatest impacts in my journey in watching Kdramas. It’s actually the drama that introduced me to tropes, but it was other dramas down the road that ruined the tropes for me XD

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            I loved Winter Sonata. It’s the only show I bought the DVDs for. You don’t know how hard it was for me to try to find ways to rewatch it. It was aired on TV, and there was internet then but it was dial-up internet, we couldn’t watch anything with that. I bought the DVDs, then I got to know of mysoju and I frequented mysoju to watch Winter Sonata and All about Eve, the two shows I still rewatch now if I have the time. They did a little epilogue for Winter Sonata, did you see it? But it was sad that Park Dong Ha was already gone then 🙁 May him rest in peace <3

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            I know exactly what you mean because that’s what I did, too!! I have the 10-disc DVD box set 😍😍
            Yea, I truly hope he’s at peace— reports at the time of his passing said that he was struggling with mental health

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            Yes, the passing of Park Yong Ha and Choi Jin Sil shook the whole K-biz and Asia then 🙁

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      Watch how you feel comfortable – no judgment from us. 😂 Indeed pacing or plot is definitely not the focus here. As pointed out by you trauma and healing is the focus. Call It Love was heavier in content and slower than a snail but still at times I saw the scenes again.

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    Claire thank you for inviting us to your home and presenting us with such a brilliant post to start off our JBL CW.

    These CWs are such a special way to experience dramas in a new and more interactive way.

    JBL came into my life when I was struggling a lot. It chose me I don’t remember consciously choosing to hit play and it is hardly the kind of drama I would choose. While Call It Love is slower, this is definitely more traumatic.

    On my first viewing I was totally mesmerized by Kang-doo and couldn’t see beyond him. When I saw it later with my mother she mentioned how amazing Mun-soo was. She has my respect for the way she handled her trauma. Even if she didn’t remember clearly at least she knows and lives with the loss of her sister. Her ready smile and uncaring facade in front of her mother which works as her coping mechanism drops in an instant when she thinks her mother would drown. I don’t think Mun-soo got a chance to truly grieve for her sister yet. You giffed Mun-soo’s ready wit and humor. It was a great touch.

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    There is an inherent pressure / heaviness in the drama which makes it difficult to watch / rewatch. The grief and trauma and living with it but not having yet reached the stage – even after 10 years – to even deal, let alone overcome it is a near impossible task. But uri OTP in their own way have spent the last ten years with it. It would be nice to see their journey towards acceptance, healing and finally being able to move on from where their lives stopped a decade ago.

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    The trauma of Mun-soo is reflected on her often bruised  / injured hands and on Kang-doo is reflected on all the nicks, cuts and discoloration of his face.

    The hands of uri FL are literally “worked to the bone” while the ML chooses aggression to cope. Both in their own way are at the stage where they realise that they have not been able to move past their trauma yet.

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      I love this point and really hadn’t thought about the fact there was a reason for that, other than physical pain was always being inflicted on them with their inner pain.
      Do they both choose to work so much to survive physically in the world or mentally? I know neither has much money but the cast each has their way they are dealing.

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    Not necessarily OT but still … I hated Junho’s skinny jeans. They made him look sad. I like well fitted clothes and uri 2ML seems to have won the wardrobe lottery. 😂

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      I, on the contrary, like him in skinny jeans and oversize shirts 😂 I don’t even have problem with his hair in this one 😅

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        🤣🤣🤣 Well Junho sure has the physique to wear skinny jeans and look good. I just meant Kang-doo. I didn’t even register his hair. Only the Beanie comments made me realize that it was a thing. 🤭 Joo Won perhaps came closest in the hair stakes in this latest drama The Midnight Studio. 😊❤

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        I have not problem with his hair. In fact I loved it. It’s my favorite Junho’s look.

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          Mine too! I have not loved Junho so much in anything I have watched, skinny jeans/baggy shirts and the carrot top not withstanding. He reacts viscerally to everything, and it’s a joy to watch him. He does angst so well. This role was written for him, and I can’t think of anyone else who could have done this role and looked so real life. I didn’t think I would say this, but he is better than his red Sleeve role here. This should have fetched him the best actor. There is this one particular scene (way later, and by this time he has seriously eclipsed his co-star) and I will talk about when we come to it, but I was so impressed by his expressions that I rewind to see it again.

          He is not an expression king, and he does not have the quality where he can change expressions on the go or switch between moods at the snap of a finger, but he has such earnest honesty in what he portrays that it does not matter. He connects to the core and sometimes that’s all that matters.

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            💯 this was the Daesang role.

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            He is not an expression king, and he does not have the quality where he can change expressions on the go or switch between moods at the snap of a finger

            After years of watching Junho, I’ve got to admit I agree with this, Minnie. What Junho shows us is the result of his self- study and training. Don’t we do the same in real life? I’m not someone who is very quick in response to certain situations, so I often think in advance what I should do in such situations, like forming a principle which I will stick to no matter what. By that, it can’t ever go wrong, although sometimes it doesn’t create the high, if that makes sense. And that has more to do with the lack of self-confidence than other things.

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            I agree. And to be honest, I admire such people even more. A while ago I posted somewhere that there are some who are not actors per se, but they build themselves up to such a point that on a good day they can leave seasoned actors far behind. TRS last episode is a case in point. That one episode was best that he has ever performed, and it was searingly poignant. Jun Ho has that capability. He lives his role and his energy is unstoppable. He is such a joy to watch.

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    Also can I just say how refreshing the lack of lip gloss on our male actors is. 😆

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    Also strangely enough there is a distinct lack of initial episodes character exaggeration. Yes, our characters – all of them – have an arc but they are basically the same people we meet now.

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    Thank you Claire for the honest introduction to this drama. Reading this and watching the first 2 espisodes has caused me to contemplate my reasons and expectations for watching this drama. It has been on my list for more than a year, but as I read the overview of the show and heard comments on DB I didn’t think this was something I could watch nor would want to watch. Every watch is personal, weither it brings up memeories of happiness, familly, or hard times. Mental health issues are especally difficult for me. I have been blessed with a healthy mental health state, but this has been a miracle as I have had to help family members through suicide attempts, depression, LBGTQ issues and so forth. Because of this, dramas that are mental health focused are difficult for me and are ususally dropped, as in the case of DDOSunshine. Excuse my personal examples as I write about this. I can’t help but not think about these things, and I appreciate your patience with me as I give you some history into the focus and memorities that will shape my viewing.
    May also share one other aspect of my life that will be underlieing in my watching of this show.
    April 19, 1995 in Oklahoma a bomb went off in a federal building. I am providing a link if you are interested in the tragedy that happened.
    https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing
    I was a young mother with 4 children, the youngest was 2. This was during an era of great concern and military action all over the world. Really no different from now I guess. 168 souls lost their lives, 19 children. There was no social media or internet back then. All of our news came from radio and TV and during the days and months following this tragedy, we watched the story of a city, a building, a group of people and the domestic terrorist that they caught play out. And while thankfully I did not know anyone in the situation, I saw many interviews and reports about the families and military and government workers and children that were involved. I know you all live throughout the world and see similar events either because of natural or human connection.
    I apologize- I know the tragedy in this drama is because of structural problems and corruption. But there is damage, and injury and death for no reason. So, up until now, this was going to be a difficult watch. But as I watched the first 2 episodes, I felt a feeling that this watch is a privilege. To watch humans in the depth of despair learn to survive and love, even if it is fictional, will be an honor. Especially because I can tell that the writing, directing and acting are well thought out and at a high level.
    Thank you for listening. My thought process tends to develop in essays, not short comments. Even though we are all physically far apart, I feel a closeness to this group that I can’t explain and trust my feelings with you. I appreciate you letting me express them from time to time.
    I’m excited to learn and share this

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      Thank you for sharing with us your story, Lynn 💜

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      Thank you Lynn for this perspective. I absolutely understand what you are saying.

      I wasn’t married or had a child at this time, but where I grew up, we went through our own terr0rist b0mbing issues and the aftermath. It crippled the way we lived, and the distorted the way we viewed the world. Everyone heals differently, and we perceive everything through the lens of our experience, so please know you are not alone. I would look forward to your thoughts.

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    My musings on Just Between Lovers/ Rain or Shine, ep 1 and 2

    JBL has been on my watch list for ages, and somehow, I didn’t seem to get the time. So when I started it last month (or was it a month before? This is before we decided on the CW), I was so taken that I gulped the first five episodes. Then things got crazy, and I put it on hold. I was overjoyed when Beanies picked this up for the CW.

    JBL is my fifth Junho outing (if I watched an actor this many times, know I really like him lol! Junho is hard not to like. My intro to Junho was Femme Fatale, a movie in which I had issues with uneven storytelling. The comic-trajedy didn’t leave much mark, and Junho was OK. Then I watched Red Sleeve, and his character made me a pretzel 😂. Twenty was terrible, and King of suits didn’t land that well 😂

    JBL shows me why Junho made it this big. The first thing I noticed was Junho’s swag. The angst just rolls off him. It’s not one thing or another. You can tell he did his HW (something I have always appreciated about Junho as an actor). He gets the body language down to pat. The arrogance born out of helplessness and the bluster hiding the vulnerability is as transparent as crystal clear water, revealing a myriad of colourful pebbles. It’s the most common angry young man trope worldwide, and Junho wears it like a second skin.
    I am seated.

    I had never watched Woh Jin-ah before, but I was immediately impressed. Although she is petite, her strength lies in her character. I love how expressive she is. Within these first two episodes, she establishes everything she needs to. Moon-soo is the grown-up in this family dynamic. And the load of guilt she carries could be too large for her fragile shoulders, yet she is adamant not to let it bury her.

    Survivor’s guilt can be a monster. For her, it’s a cross to bear. She survived just because she was not next to her sister. Or so every survivor thinks. What if – only if…..

    When I started this, I didn’t realise it involved a child dying. It’s the worst nightmare of a parent. Honestly, if there is one thing every awful behaviour of an adult can be excused, it’s losing a child. Moon-soo’s emotional and physical neglect by her parents after her sister dies is not justified, but it’s not hard to understand the black soot the mother’s mind must be. She bears the biggest cross of all – she left her baby alone during her last moments.

    Nothing truly trumps the tragedy of losing a child. And there is nothing one can say to comfort such a mother. I was once witness to such grief, and it’s a memory you want to wash away and never can. Once I realised where this was going, I almost stopped watching, but I hung on.

    “You never grow old anyway,” said Moon-soo. What a profound sentence on grief, acceptance, and living.

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      “ And the load of guilt she carries could be too large for her fragile shoulders, yet she is adamant not to let it bury her.”

      She truly is the amazing one. I will be so interested to watch her story and hope that those shoulders will continue to hold proud. I fear they may not stand the weight.

      Great insights Minnie🥰

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      It is a very hard watch but the sheer grit and determination of uri OTP to just survive is truly inspiring. They have both been struggling alone, stuck in the past can they now finally move forward and perhaps heal together.

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    This is a perfect drama, if there ever was one.

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    Cera talked about the difficult time she was having when JBL came into her life. This is exactly what happened to me with Doctor Slump and Thirty-nine. That is why I started thinking about JBL and thought maybe the timing is right for a rewatch to finally appreciate it.

    But unfortunately this didn’t happen at least in the first 2 episodes, maybe that timeframe has passed, but probably because I still cannot connect at all with WJA, like I wasn’t able to on my first watch and one rewatch back then. I have this problem in all her works, so even if her style of acting is interpreted as grief in this drama, for me it’s a “me&her” problem, not a character problem. Junho sets the mood for the grief and trauma spectacularly, and then I immediately snap out of it the minute we turn to Moonsoo… Sigh.

    And then Kang Hanna enters the scene, practically radiating with force and energy and charisma. Sigh again.

    I have come to hate Lee Ki Woo in sml (and villain) roles. He is not the only actor who plays pushy petty manipulative no-boundary smls, but he does it too infuriatingly for me. I always feel helpless watching him, overpowered, and then angry.

    On to the positive thoughts. The kids. Nam Da Reum is of course great, he always is, but what got my attention was how much his movements looked like Junho’s! Nice!
    Park Shi Eun is amazing! No more words needed.

    For Junho, I agree with what @minniegupta1 has written about Kang-du word for word.

    I wish I had @isagc ‘s gorgeous art of criticizing a popular show in the softest prettiest way possible while staying totally firm and clear! I’m scared I’m too harsh towards WJA, but she really made it a difficult watch over quite a few days for me 🙈🙈🙈

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      Uri Isa is the best at being “pretty” without being petty. 🤣🤣🤣👌👏👏👏

      I am 💯 with you on WJA … I didn’t connect with her at all during my initial watch. In the second watch I was able to understand Mun-soo as a character but yes the actress was still a question mark for me. I don’t really blame the actress but when everyone including the child artist bring their A-game one is left scratching one’s head – how did that Mun-soo grow up to be like *this*!?

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        @seeker @midnight

        You both made me laugh! I didn’t know I projected that image 😂😂😂
        Thank you! 😘

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          You’re lovely Isa and like midnight, I too admire this art and wish I could express myself as well as you.

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          You do! I have come to look forward to your non-stellar reviews a lot more than your favorite shows! I have never seen anyone criticize something as admirably as you!

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        Exactly!

        I don’t wish to criticize her where most people seem to love her so much, but to me she was too green, and too focused on looking pretty, which exactly as you said is especially jarring when her younger counterpart is so expressive, showing her character’s vulnerability, hurt, and determination in just a few minutes. The way my chest hurts every time we see Park Shi Eun for a second, I feel absolutely nothing with WJA. I will try to find a mindset for the next episodes to be more tolerant towards her.

        (I got this exact vibe from her in her next shows and I never warmed to her. So I can’t put it down to her inexperience. Me and her just don’t click.)

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          Midnight, criticise to your heart’s content 😅 I don’t know about others but I’m always open to all opinions, because they help me to reflect on my own. With Soundtrack#1, I didn’t warm up to Han So Hee during the first 2 episodes but then came to love her during the rest, and now I even think of seeking out her other shows I haven’t watched. Had I watched that show alone, I’m not sure if it would have happened.

          Personally, I found WJA excellent during these 2 episodes. This time around, I watch 2 ep each week and I think I’m watching this show with more watching experience than I did 4 years ago thanks to my Kdrama exposure during the last 4 years, so I’m ready to get to know WJA again through this watch.

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          No need for restraint here midnight. As Claire has put is so beautifully criticise to your heart’s content. 🤣

          No judgment from any of us here. After all not everyone and everything resonates with all and we are here to hear each others real, unfiltered thoughts so please speak frankly.

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            @seeker
            Yes ai know not engaging with these people is the right way..but sometimes i like to put them in their place, I try to be as decent as possible though..promise 😉 😀

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            I understand what you mean @skiee but I just don’t have the language skills of Minnie and Lynn. I agree 💯 that some people need to be put in their place.

            But this comment was meant to encourage Midnight to share her unfiltered thoughts of the JBL FL. 😅

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            I just don’t have the language skills of Minnie and Lynn

            Me neither 😂

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          Again as Claire says we learn so much from different views / perspectives. My appreciation for My Sweet Mobster increased manifold after the recaps.

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            By the way I wonder when and where did I exactly ruffle feathers? To engage or not to engage…

            🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

            Did you by any chance had people object when you were posting about PHS or was it random?

            Posting it here because I can’t find the post where were having this convo.

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            @minniegupta1 No clue who woke up at which side of the bed today. I had read about such a conversation before on some thread but not the actual conversation so no idea about the context or what prompted the comment.

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            My previous experience was not so much about ogling but about the gif – while everybody and their Halemoni posts them I got called out. I was going to choose silence but you kindly stepped in much like PHS with his wonderful sword to gracefully twirl it in the name of justice. 😊❤

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            while everybody and their Halemoni posts them I got called out

            Even if they didn’t, it’s your fanwall, you can post shoes every hour if you so want. Especially if they Korean shoes….or is there a DB rule against it?

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            @minniegupta1 An earlier targeted conversation regarding frivolous posts had left me quite upset and questioning myself. While I chose not to engage, thankfully I shared my feelings in the OBY CW and was overwhelmed by the love and support I received. It gave me courage and strength.
            Therefore this time I was able to brush it off easily.

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            I totally love these!! 😊❤❤❤❤

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            Oooooo I love them too!!!

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            There have been many instances of *policing* content posted by other Beanies. At first I thought it was a language problem and that perhaps I was not able to express myself or convey my thoughts but slowly I realized it is just that a certain section is predisposed to dislike anything I post. 🤷‍♀️ Otthokhaji!?

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            ^^ @minniegupta1

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            @seeker Otthokhaji! — well, post even more. That’s what I plan to do 😂😂 And I am not even that regular a poster 😂😂

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            @minniegupta1
            Cera, it was my frivolous post that started the interesting conversation. I asked a simple tagging question and a certain friend was just having a bad day and let us know. You and @claire2009 came to my rescue!💪🏻💪🏻 and we were all reminded that our posts are to have fun and to express ourselves.
            What would I do without the posts by you all and the joy they bring. 👠👠👠❤️

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            Excellent idea @minniegupta1 I definitely ought to post more. 😊❤👍👏

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            @23new2kdrama To my understanding the Fanwall was *always* meant for Beanies to express themselves about whatever they want. Isa had a beautiful point that the Fanwall is for fans so let us all be fans. I do agree that while recaps or the main site is a little “formal” so to say and the Fanwall is like hanging together in off-duty hours 😉 where we can be little relaxed, it is essentially supposed to be fun. There is no occasion to police what others post. If the content vibes with you all are welcome to comment and post if not just scroll away. Much like we do with dramas. Whether we choose to drool over an artist, music, handbag or shoes – how does it matter.

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            @Minniegupta1 I was surprised that that person used the word “continuous ogling”, like they’ve been upset for a while now, while you’re not even posting that much. And when they mentioned the harm SNS like facebook or instagram has done to the society in @23new2kdrama ‘s post, do you see the irony?

            I still have plenty “Who wore it better” pics to entertain you guys but I’ve been holding myself back because of the fanwall criticism.

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            Claire I often feel that one can only reason with reasonable people. So beat to do as @minniegupta1 suggests – Post More!! At least let us have fun and have our own party. The Who wore it better is an amazingly fun game. I never thought there could be so many. You work so hard to search for all of them, it would be sad not to share.

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            * beat best to do

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            @claire2009 @minniegupta1 and Cera
            Please don’t ever hold back on posts. Do you know what it’s like to eat your favorite treat, see a beautiful sunset, see a puppy? That’s what I feel when I open my notifications and find a fun post. I can never not have enough happy moments.
            The same goes for the feeling of creating a post. When I see a who wore it best, I think of Claire cackling with glee while she is finding these photos. I certainly am doing that when I open each gift!

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            @claire2009 Claire this person has been picking on my posts for a while now. In another post she got mad at a joke I made about PHS’s lashes. In another she took umbrage and she blamed me for ‘intellectual dishonesty’ or something on those lines (it’s the weirdest exchange on DB that I have had – at first I gave her benefit of doubt that my post might have come across as wrong, but even after I explained I had mistyped something, she kept coming back and eventually came down to personal attacks). But today she crossed the line. It could be you hit the nail, she is probably upset for a while for whatever reason – a closeted PHS fan maybe? No idea. Heck, I want more people to join my club so I can carry him and run 😂😂😂😂😂 because:
             

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            @claire2009 @23new2kdrama Which post was this? I think I either missed it or missed the context. I can’t find it on your page Lynn.

            I am wondering if it’s a one off thing so something more sustained.

            Claire, Lynn and Cera, please keep posting those fabulous posts you come up with. I have a rooftop and I intend to have a party everyday 😎😎😎

            A part of me would love to spam my fanwall just for the heck of it but I realised it’s to much work 😂😂😂 So as Eunsoo said to Sunwoo – I would mooch off you guys. And as Moon-soo said, if you were me, you would mooch off you too 😍

            Claire, did you know I visited Pinterest after ages after Isa and your posts? @isagc has the best Pinterest page ever.

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            Ohhh..I missed the ruffle in the fanwall post..I miss many things in db although I try to keep up😭…Just checked it…that was so unnecessary and rude.. you guys are too decent..I would’ve have jumped 🔫 🔫 🔫

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            Claire, @23new2kdrama @minniegupta1 @skiee

            At least this makes us more motivated to post. 🤣🤣🤣

            Claire please post more “Who wore it better”. We are ready to party and are dressed to kill!! 🥳 😉

            Lynn I totally agree with you about the excitement in both creating and seeing a fun post.
            Minnie I don’t know if I’m worthy to be mooched off but I will take that as a compliment. ☺ Also you’re most welcome. Like Lynn I too feel excited and honored when someone takes the time to comment on my post.

            Skiee restraint is a difficult thing to follow but why engage with people who only want to hear themselves talk.

            Moral of our Cinderella story – let us be our own Prince Cha-min!! 🥰😍

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            @minniegupta1 guess we all have to kiss a few toads along the way but I am genuinely greatful for the CW Beanies who have made my real and DB life so happening. 🫰🥰

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            To engage or not to engage…

            Well done @minniegupta1

             

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            Cera, ok, once a week? 💪🏻

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            Just me … jumping up in excitement when I see your Who Wore It Better posts.

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            @minniegupta1

            You are so nice! Receiving visitors on my Pinterest makes me very happy.
            I hope that my K-dramas and C-dramas boards help other people to learn about series and actors that perhaps they had not seen before 🙂

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            @Claire2009 Thank you!! It’s the post with PHS brooch! I missed the exchange in the later part (arghhh DB does not give notifications of fanwall posts) – but the trigger does seem to be PHS 🤣🤣🤣 At least that’s what it looks like. The quintessential holier than thou party pooper. That was a nice come back Lynn @23new2kdrama

            guess we all have to kiss a few toads along the way but I am genuinely greatful for the CW Beanies who have made my real and DB life so happening. 🫰🥰

            Cera, same here, same ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.

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            Comment was deleted

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            @seeker
            😭😭😭..I’m sorry I got it sidetracked 😂😁..I also don’t have the language skills don’t worry 🤣🤣.

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            No worries @skiee I hope to learn from Minnie and be our own Prince Cha-min. 😉

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            @Minniegupta1

            A part of me would love to spam my fanwall just for the heck of it but I realised it’s to much work

            You do the writing, it’s more than enough. We’ll do the photo part 😉

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            Cera, thank you for your encouragement, as always 😍

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            😭😭😭..I’m sorry I got it sidetracked 😂😁..I also don’t have the language skills don’t worry 🤣🤣.

            @skiee You have been my one of my first cheerleaders and I will always be grateful for that. Your encouragement has meant the world, please know that. What you write is more than enough. Rest, you just enjoy, be with us, and leave the writing to the likes of us 😍

            You do the writing, it’s more than enough. We’ll do the photo part 😉

            @claire2009 Yes Maam! 😍😍😍

            @seeker Cera, you are perfect as you are. As they say, speech is silver but silence is gold.

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            @minniegupta1
            You know I never have responded to a fanfic, I don’t read much but still..But when I read yours I thought fanfics can be this good too and I had to compliment you..It was so good and my I loved hwaan and jaeyi 100 times more because of that. Not to mention your new one is fire too.. 🔥 I’m so glad I commented on them , i thought so much about it😂.. Then cherry on top you’re a PHS stan, so there’s no turning back now, I’ll be your forever fan of writing

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      Sigh….this was supposed to come later. I was really impressed by her in these first two episodes. I have never watched her before, so I thought she did the subtle grief and soldiering in pretty well.

      Right now I am on episode 10.

      And well….I don’t know if I would have finished it if it wasn’t for the CW. But I will hold on to rest of my thoughts as we go along, and well, I might be surprised yet 🙂

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        Ok, now I regret editing my post to such a mold criticism! 🤣😆 At least I’m glad I’m not alone!

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          LOL! You are one funny woman @Midnight (btw I love your handle). Now I understand how difficult it is to stay strictly true to the episodes in CW. I had to edit out everything I think of this drama from this particular review and only remember my initial thoughts 😂😂😂😂 I am not a note taker so that becomes an issue too. I need to learn to do that, and just not for CW.

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            Yes, I quickly learned I need to take notes while watching OBY! I never do it, because for my fanwall I can write immediately, and for WWW posts I only need my general impression not my exact thought process. But for CWs, the best part is the step by step thought process so I started taking notes!

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            That is because the dramas for CW have bingeable. But by discussing two episodes per week we are able to savor the drama and structure our thoughts. Capturing our true emotions, feelings and reactions to the episodes are best captured in a CW. Also speaking for myself I learn so much from Beanies comments. We may be critical of a drama but not of the Beanie voicing such criticism. In fact a different perspective helps to question our own reaction to the drama and appreciate the opposite view.

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          *Mild* not mold! 🙃

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      Nam Da Reum is a chameleon. He was totally believable as the young version of Lee Je Hoon in Where stars land, they even look alike.

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      I love honesty.
      No watch is perfect. I first saw WJA in Melting Me Softly. I honestly don’t mind her and feel like she does well as a co- actor with strong ML’s. But I was really impressed by her scene with the mom in the pool. That is kind of scared anxiety is not something you can just act. I think you have something in your background that gets brought up to give you those emotions. I thought back to 19th life when Cho-Won ran into the pool because she thought Seo-Ha was dead. The fear level was not the same.
      A safe space for observations of all kinds is why we are here.

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        But I was really impressed by her scene with the mom in the pool. That is kind of scared anxiety is not something you can just act

        Me too, I was so impressed with her in that scene that I decided this post would be focusing on her.

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          How did you like Melting?

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            I couldn’t finish Melting or Backstreet Rookie.

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            Rookie was a first episode FF and drop. I don’t even remember anything about it. Melting – it was a weird show. I Ffed the heck out of it, the kiss was sizzling and left me ice cold – and I just now realised….it was Won Ji-ah?? Oopsies! I have no recollection of her at all. But I watched only half of it and that too with such a one side eye that I never count it in my ‘watched’ shows anyway.

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          That seen was actually the only time she was very believable to me 👌

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          I was very impressed by her in these two episodes. Even when she shows her ptsd for levators, it felt real. The way she eats the cake and simply says – you don’t grow older anyway – it tore a piece of my heart.

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          Wookie has a very interesting lineup of past shows. I started with Healer. Went searching for more and although I did finish the 2 you mentioned, and enjoyed them, I haven’t really found another “ healer”. Any suggestions?

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            Tbh, there’s no other “Healer” in Wookie’s works. The one I enjoyed the most after Healer and rewatched a couple of times is Suspicious Partner. Empress Ki is a classic, those who love sageuks must watch it, just bear in mind it has 51 episodes and not a happy ending.

            I think I’ll give Melting another chance.

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            @claire2009 I think it’s worth it for Melting. And I just loved the chemistry in Rookie. It was a very silly show and huge departure (waste of his talent ☺️) for him but he must have had a reason to do it. Maybe just wanted to smile a lot for the camera and not have to do anything too hard. I remember that I am recognizing effort and intent😄😄 not trying to understand

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      1) “I have come to hate … ”
      What you’re saying is that Lee Ki Woo masterly hits the spot for you, playing manipulative and annoying so that you want to smash your [insert device that you use for watching dramas].
      I felt that way last week about Kim Joo-hun when he played that composer in soundtrack and I smashed … well, I wrote a lot of words about sexism, grooming and the music industry (or other industries where young people are ready to give their right arm to become insiders, and where lines between hangaround and professional are blurred). I attacked the subject in two major posts, no less.
      2) “I wish I had isagc’s gorgeous art … ”
      Not everyone are destined to that kind of wise critiscism. SOme of us are more along the road of … well, if you are a fan of the artist called “Mew”, you might take offence at my not-so-gentle review of his performance here: https://www.dramabeans.com/members/CecilieDK/activity/1562204/ Luckily, no fan of Mew seem to have been seriously hurt. Or if, then they are probably still in coma, their family waiting anxiously by their bed, doing shifts, listening to the beep beep and hoping for that slight quiwer of a finger that says [insert what kind of family member a typical Mew fan would be] is coming back to life, ready to name the criminal that sent her into this state.

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        1) Usually when an actor is too good/masterful at being a villain, the news of their being cast in a show gives one a gleeful sense of anticipation because you know they are going to be good.

        That is not how I feel about LKW at all. I have been skipping his shows for some time, and even those that I do watch/rewatch for some reason, I skip his scenes. So I can’t even put it down to his being good at it. I just dislike the way he portrays such roles.

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          @midnight. Some actors just do not gel with us. Is it like that with you and Lee Ki Woo? He was in Knight Flowers too correct? I don’t enjoy watching him on screen at all, though to be honest, there is nothing in particular I dislike.

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            He was despicable in Memory and The Classic (movie), but I liked him enough in Knight Flower, JBL, and My liberation notes. But I’m easy, I’m not really allergic to any actor. I’m just least willing to watch Park Min Young.

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            I’m just least willing to watch Park Min Young

            Claire you have a way with words I swear.

            For someone like me who is this new to K-dramas, I have developed a long, quite unhealthy, least willing to watch list 😂 I need to work on myself for sure.

            Someone who shall not be named used to be on that list, and thanks to you, it’s not so the case anymore, so I think company matters 😎

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            Minnie, to be honest, I used to keep a similar list, and I felt like I would not miss anything because there are plenty more fish in the sea. But after I let go of that list, it was actually freeing. Be it if I haven’t watched them, it’s just that their *face* didn’t click, or if I have watched them once or twice but they haven’t clicked, as long as I could see their genuineness and earnestness in playing their character (which I didn’t find in PMY), I’m happy to give myself and them more chances.

            And company does matter, that I absolutely agree with 😚

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            I have watched LKW in Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, Miss Korea, Memory, JBL, 18 Again, Agency, The Classic, and Time Renegade. The only one where he is just a very normal side character is Time Renegade. In all the rest he was varying degrees of despicable to unbearable. I think it’s more than him not gelling with me. That is WJA. With him, I dislike his style of acting unbearable.

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            @midnight – Jaw meets floor just at the breadth and depth of K-drama experience you have ❤️

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            @midnight I forgot I watched Lee Ki Woo in 18 again too. You’ve watched him more than enough, and have your reasons to dislike his style. My feeling towards PMY is kind of similar, and she didn’t even play villain roles like LKW did.

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            @claire2009 🫰🫰

            @minniegupta1 😅😅 Although in actuality, my watched list is very short compared to the years I have been watching dramas. I remember seeing one Beanie who had been watching dramas for maybe 4 years and they were already past my numbers!

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            @midnight You know, I do think investing quality time in what you want to watch trumps random watching any day. Initially I remember I watched anything and everything, and now I find my memory completely wiped off a few of them. Sometimes I mix dramas up. For example, I almost mixed up LKW when I was thinking where I had seen him earlier – at first I thought he was in Matchmakers before I remembered he was the elder brother in KF. And these are recent watches. So I have more respect because you know what you want to watch and have clarity of your watches. I have become much more fastidious in what I want to watch now, so I hear you.

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            Omo … exactly that!! I haven’t been able to warm up to him at all although I’d be hard-pressed to say why. Guess text book “handsome” doesn’t work like a charm on me. I also need that warm, fuzzy feeling.

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            He was quite unbearable in Miraculous Brothers too which was overall a pretty sweet drama. He was more than just annoying. 🙄

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            He is classically handsome but leaves me indifferent. It’s incredible – he has the height, the features, the expressions – yet Junho clean sweeps him out of the park in JBL without flexing even one of his formidable biceps.

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            @seeker Miraculous Brothers is one of the shows I skipped because of him😐 and ended up reading the recaps instead because I really liked the subject and genre.

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            Minnie there was never any doubt as to who is the ML when they were standing together.

            @midnight I agree with Minnie about prioritizing quality dramas than mere quantity. I just wanted to reach out and slap his face in Miraculous Brothers. It’s on Netflix these days and I was thinking to rewatch some bits.

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            Yes, sometimes a role left so strong an (bad) impression on us that it’s hard to remove that image from our head. I’m very forgetful so right now I can’t recall any character I hated so much that it made me unable to warm up to the actor that played that character in his other roles. I used to have trouble with actress Gil Hae-yeon after her mother roles in Pretty Noona and Beyond Evil. But she kind of redeemed herself in Midnight romance in hagwon, although I know this way of saying is not fair for the actress, because she just played her roles. What I mean is she is a good actress. Same for Lee Ki-woo. With Park Min-young, personally I don’t think she’s that good of an actress, that’s why it’s hard for me to finish her shows.

            I’m not sure if I would have happily picked up Ahn Bo-hyun’s other shows if I managed to finish Itaewon Class 😅 What do you think, @seeker ? However, I’m now more than willing to pick up Itaewon Class again to see him under that light.

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            I totally hate (not just strongly dislike) good actors playing villains because they scare me senseless. Like Kim Young-kwang in “Evilive” who is the horrible, terrible evil twin uri sweetie patootie Dong-jin in “Call It Love”. Kwon Yul I was able to somewhat ignore as the 2ML in “My Sweet Mobster” but then he showed his fangs in episode 5 and I was like “Oh! What an actor” and also “Urgh I hate him”. Even in “Miss Night and Day” I am strongly prejudiced against two actors because of their previous roles – one a new intern who played the jailor in “Big Mouth” and other the evil vampire in “Heartbeat”. Doubly prejudiced against the latter who’s the 2ML as he’s an idol named Gu Won from Kings Land. 🙄 But I must say the 2ML actor and character are both good and I am 2% willing to forgive him. His interactions with Lee Jung-eun the ajhumma FL are really good and he’s good at being sincere.
            But for whatever good reason despite checking all boxes Lee Ki-woo leaves me cold and as you said about PMY – least willing to watch him.
            I definitely want to rewatch Itaewon Class now and see what ABH does with his villainous turn. 😂

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    Good discussion and I don’t think I have anything extra to add. Junho’s perfectionism paid off in spades (mixed metaphor). His character kind of my fantasy guy…. I recall Sean Bean used to be called “the thinking woman’s bit of rough”. Well Kangdo is a bit of rough in all the right ways… stoic, loyal to a fault, good with his hands, bolshie when he needs to be. Interests m

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