Beanie level: Loan shark with a heart of gold

So. Dramaland. Where are you hiding the sweet fluffy dramas? Sweet, fluffy, skinshippy and no murders or child abuse?

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    I hope they’re hiding in my Christmas Stocking …

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    Soundtrack #2 😏

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    Where is this Unicorn …. where …. where??

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    In a giant hotel. Except DB is determined to hate it. It was the best show of 2023 for me.

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      King the land? I accidentally dropped that. I’ll finish it!

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        The only minus point for me is the episode of the Arab prince, which as I knew about it beforehand and I just dislike all depictions of foreigners by Kdramas I just ff through all of his scenes.

        I’m just mentioning this because 1. It’s longer than one scene, and 2. I know it’s a particularly sensitive subject for most Beanies.
        But for myself, I always ff through foreigner scenes no matter the nationality, be it Arab, Indian, Italian, American, German. Doesn’t matter which. I dislike Koreans’ depiction and I ff through.

        But I loved everything else.

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          Most of my moots loved it, but after all my moots are Junho fans. I dropped it at episode 8 (I watched episode 9 and 10 in 20 minutes by ff), mainly because I couldn’t care about any characters, but I do agree it’s a fluffy sweet drama, if you can look aside all its flaws.

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            Strangely, I didn’t see is as fluff at all. To me it was a very solemn but sweet look at the hardships of today’s workers. And knowing your own worth, while still having to earn your bread. And wishing for a boss who although didn’t understand the hardships at first, but the minute it was explained to him, tried to rectify matters.

            Anyways, I have been holding my tongue on a tight reign for the past few months 😄 Better enjoy whatever we wish without needing to defend and explain.

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      Yes, this. Beanies say they want a rom com without serial killers but I’m not convinced they actually do. More King the Land for us!

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On to ep 11.
I still do not give a flying fig about Ran-Joos mom. Like. Less than 0 percent.
I LOVE the adopted dad. My gosh he’s the safe haven that family deserves after that evil father.
I take back every good thing I said about the CEO. He and Ran-joo are just too dang toxic together. How do you go back to a man who calls you trash and says that not only does he think so does everyone he does business with? Ran-Joo deserves soooooo much better.

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Well. I’m finally getting back to Castaway Diva (I accidentally abandoned it on ep 6. The sing off just didn’t appeal and made me not want to watch. But I do want to finish so here we are)….is this drama telling me that this entire time (in the past) Ki-ho had a brother and a mother and they were all getting abused? I’ve never been a fan of oh…he has nice hands and I’ve lost my train of thought.
So veiny.

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    So this may not be the drama to fulfill my undying love of romance, skinship, and squee but I’m in ep 10 and several eps ago Ki-Ho announces that he still has feelings for Mok-ha and adds, “what kinda lunatic looks for someone for 15 years if they aren’t interested?” And I swooned. I swooned so freaking hard. Can they just…drop this storyline with the abusive father and the entertainment industry and just let these two puppies heal and fall in love? Because this may be the only drama I finish this year but it would totally be the best one.
    Also. I super don’t go about Ran-Joos mom. Like not even the tiniest part of my soul cares about this. And finally I watch dramas to take my mind off of my aging parent not to be reminded of it. So…thanks for that.

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      What is the brother’s name? Woo-hak? Chae-un? When he broke down when Mok-ha left? Confessing to his dad that he tried not to fall for her when he knew that Ki-ho had? But that he couldn’t help it? How my heart broke precious boy. And she doesn’t even have a friend that I can ship him with. I hope he finds someone 🙁
      And how did this drama make me want Ran-joo and her label head together again? Every time he shuffles in in his pj’s and stares at her all wistfully I’m like put a pin in it and go sleep with that man! He’s hot and the way he stares at her….2 eps left. I’d finish it now flif I didn’t have a doctors appointment in a few hours.

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        Woo-hak!! I love him to bits – that moment got to me as well. I knew Ki-ho and Mok-ha were end game, and wanted them to be but I’m hoping that Woo-hak eventually finds his own happy ending too, he’s such a precious, sensitive soul 💕

        AND YES hahah the CEO, I blame it on the actor doing too good a job with the expressions but I’d also find myself momentarily slipping and then mentally slapping myself to be like ‘nO! remember what he did to Ran-joo!!’

        Also yes the ‘what kind of lunatic looks for someone for 15 years if they aren’t interested’ is such a swoony line 🥰 I think it’s how matter of fact he was too that added to the swoon.

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          It’s this and it’s also that even when she hates him and wants nothing to do with him….the ceo is who Ran-joo goes to. When all of her chips are down and her back is against the wall and she had nowhere else to turn…she went to him. No questions asked. And he met her at the door, picked up her bags and brought her in. Their relationship is messy and deep and I think I love them? He’s awful but monsters need hugs?

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BamBam is coming to Chicago–same theater that Jackson was in (maybe? Who cares!) and I’m thinking of going. Maybe maybe maybe…

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    Go!!

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      One of my coworkers is interested in going and listen to this story!
      So, yesterday I got a new coworker. My manager came to introduce her to me in my little cubicle and she looked around and said, “oh! You’re army!” to which I replied, “uh, NO! I am most certainly not!” I have hung up on my cubby shelves: Vromance, CNBlue, 2pm and Got7. I listed GOT7 and she was all, “OH! I like GOT7!” So I asked her if she knew about BamBams concert and she said she and her sister were thinking of it. So, new kpop friendly coworker who likes GOT7 and likes them enough that she’s interested in going to see BamBam. Squeee!

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        These are some amazing news, Isa!!! I’m so happy for you!!!

        And nothing against BTS and Army, but there are other (tiny in my case) fandoms out there, so I feel your pain, hehe.

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I’ll watch ep 6 tomorrow, but right now, as ever, I have *questions*. Questions like why did I think this was a fluffy drama? Why did I keep watching when the first ep was heinous abuse? Why was I surprised when the drama dropped its fun, light hearted couple of eps and slid into murdery nonsense. Why is this whole family lying to Ki-ho about who they are? Why won’t evil dad give it tf up? Is he bitter that he didn’t get to murder ki-ho so he’s hunting him to rectify the situation? And finally, who decided a mash up of frothy songs and murder and abuse was the dream juxtaposition?

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    All very good questions.
    I am watching on for Park Eun-bin … but otherwise my heart is not in it.
    Also why take out insurance and why attack the insurance agent just because he asked you to stay away from Ki-ho.

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OK Diva, ep 3 here we go. I have bad feels already.

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    Ohhh, Isa. Long time no see!

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    I really want Ran-Joos pj’s. And for someone to punch President Lee in the face.

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    I saw it mentioned somewhere that people thought that the adult Mok-ha was more immature than the child Mok-ha. My thought is: OF COURSE she is. The first 15 years of her life she was in survival mode. Trying to stay alive while getting viciously beaten (and who knows what else) by her father. The next 15 years of her life she was in survival mode: deserted island edition. This is the first time in her entire life that she’s been free to just be. It makes total sense that she’s going to be immature for a minute, especially as she’s adjusting.

    Now. I love romance. I love it. I love love. But I’m not sure I want that in this drama. She needs therapy to get through the first 39 years of her life. She needs to learn and understand what it means to be an adult. She survived alone for 15 years but her social and romance skills are that of a child.

    Are one of these dudes Ki-ho? I hope he’s ok…..I think I want one of these puppies to be him. I love the thought of him being taken in and LOVED and cared for. After what his father put him through–after the beating her evil father gave him? He deserves all the things.

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Well, it’s too the recaps for me. I’m looking at this sweetpeas sweet set up on her island and….did she earn her engineering degree while stranded here? Is her little island where every helpful good in the ocean goes to disappear? Where did she get all of those umbrellas?! I have so many questions.

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    I believe a pallet or perhaps an entire shipping container of umbrellas foundered upon the rocks of her island by the looks of things 🤣

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    I think we are supposed to believe that various items washed ashore her little island.

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    This drama had me tearing up watching her hug her idol. Also, I cannot tell the brothers apart. They have the same pajamas, the same job and dang near the same hair!

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    We had heard of plot armor … perhaps the new deal is plot umbrellas.

    Also what is with these Treasure Hunts of different colored umbrellas.

    For future reference I know Yumi’s Cells had a blue one.

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I finally started Castaway–midway through the first ep and GOOD NIGHT this drama is dark af. I didn’t read anything about it, just remembered the chatter here a few weeks ago and thought to give it a go. I’m going to take a little break and clean my kitchen. Does it stay this level of dark or should I just drop now?

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    No, you can proceed without fear although there is something sinister lurking around the edges later is how I’d characterize it.

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    @isa: I’m not a serial killer having just finished 5, I came back to say that for me it’s getting pretty dark again. I thought we were getting a Cinderella success story, why is it becoming a mystery? Fooey.

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    OK, where they going to let that evil man kill that little boy? How come not a single adult tried to help him? Tf? Also, her father was busting into her bedroom? Is he a molester on top of beating her? This is a lot for my first foray back into kdrama land. I’m going to need something fluffy like…immediately.

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      We can offer you 2&3, it gets fluffy for a while! But I’m looking askance at 6 after watching 5 is all I’m saying 😬

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        It doesn’t feel like a side / slice of darkness anymore.
        I am enduring only for Park Eun-bin. She is magical but the Ki-ho’s father’s storyline is just too much.

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I think I’ll try Castaway. It feels like it’s been literal years since I watched a drama that so many others were watching on the wall. Maybe the end of the slump is in sight

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    You can’t go wrong with Park Eun Bin.

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    Hi!!! This is the first time I’ve been logged in on here in ages so nice to see you pop up. Hope you’re recovering well.
    I will humbly recommend Perfect Marriage Revenge. It’s been the one I look forward to each week, the FL is pretty pitiful at first but the turn around is Awesome and satisfying

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It seems like every woman in this drama (except for Xinxing and her friend) is evil, stupid, weak, or a combination. I was slowly won of by Xinxings mom and Anni is tolerable as long as she’s NOWHERE near Zhaoxun. I feel like they are trying to do the same to Tianyus mom. To that I say: no way Jose. But then they somehow made me ship Xinxing and Tianyu.
I’ve always thought that about Zhaoxun and Xinxing from Xinxings point of view. I never thought about how guilty he must feel. Her father’s decision wasn’t Zhaoxuns fault but he’d clearly feel guilty about it. I wonder if he’ll learn that her father visited Yucheng group before his drowning? I hope it lessens the guilt he feels. I can’t ship him with Xinxing (she and Tianyu are just too adorable). But I really hope Zhaoxun gets a happy ending.

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    I do think for the most part all of these moms think they are doing what’s best for their kids. Maybe.

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    Hi! Haven’t seen you for a bit. How are you doing? No worries if you don’t feel up to responding, but I’m thinking of you.

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      Oh, thank you for thinking of me! I’m…ok. Recovery is much harder than I thought it would be. The same week I came home from the hospital my landlord raised my rent by almost 1000 dollars and I hadn’t gotten my car back yet (stolen). So I was trying to find a new apartment, healing, and just doing poorly really. I did find a new apartment and I’m supposed to move in the next couple of days and a couple more bombs fell into my lap including but not limited to being robbed and and an assault. Shrug. Im…as good as I ever am.
      Thank you for checking on me. I miss the db community but the last couple of months have been a lot. Like…a. lot.

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        Oh my gosh, that IS a lot. I’m so sorry this has all crashed down on you. I know you’re very strong just by the way you’ve handled this crazy sh*t for the past many months but it’s SO MUCH to deal with. Sending you lots of healing power and good luck even though that seems hopelessly inadequate. I really do think of you and wish for the best for you.

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Just got a letter from my insurance saying that they aren’t covering *any* of my hospital stay because they deemed it was “medically unnecessary “. Tell that to the 13% of my body coveted in burns and grafts and tell that ro my donor site that goes from the top of my thigh to the top of my knee and almost all the way around. And hurts All. The. Time.
Clearly I’m going to fight it. But right now I’m just going to be pissed.

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    UGH. Be pissed. I’m pissed for you. Insurance in this country is a joke. It’s such nonsense that you have to go through all this and then spend your energy fighting them on top of it.

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    I’m so sorry you have to deal with the added aggravation on top of the pain, I hope you can get it sorted out and focus on healing soon. I just popped over here fo the 1st time in awhile sorry about your accident.

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Bromance ep 9 taking a break from my drama to focus on some fictional drama with some top notch skinship.

I absolutely hate the woman that ZiFengs amnesiac father has been living with for the past 7 years. She’s like whelp. Old guy says he doesn’t recognize you. That must be that. And then when she finally admits that her dad fished him out of the sea she’s like…well! We took him to the hospital that one time and he didn’t like it! I thought it was finders keepers losers weepers when it came to old people you find in the sea!
Girl. Go away.

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    Also it’s weird as he’ll that the vet met Pi Yanou once when they were kids and 20 years later presents himself as a love interest talking about I’ve been waiting. They didn’t even meet! He overheard a conversation between two little girls and based his ENTIRE life on it? Maaaaaaaan. Get right tf on outta here

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      All vets in dramas are demented. Seems on brand to me 😅

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    amnesiac ?
    *Ahem* , what I have learned from dramas regarding amnesia.
    A good smack to the head can cure it !
    Cooking a certain food also restores memories.
    ( h/t Good Bad Mom 🐷 & J drama First Love: Hatsukoi ✈️)

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    I love how ALL of their friends are so invested in Pi Yanou and ZiFeng getting together. They just had their first (awkward) kiss and their two best friends not only snapped sneaky pics of the event but sent the pics immediately to ZiFeng and Pi Yanou. Adorable.

    Now why are they trying to ruin my awkward first kiss high with stupid gangster stuff? It’s as badly written as boring ass cancer girl but occasionally they have fight scenes. I am such a sucker for a fight scene.

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It is 12:06pm right now where I am. Twice so far today I’ve been asked how I was doing. Frfr. So I told them. I told them about the pain, the house (to move or not to move), my credit score drastically dropping making moving a near impossibility, my neighbor growing drugs in our shared back yard, my car, work and probably a few other things that I’m blanking on right now.
Both people were shocked into an uncomfortable silence at the sheer amount of nonsense my life is right now.
Them: did talking about it at least help?
Me: my jaw hurts now. I talked too much.
It’s interactions like those that remind me that I’m actually going through a lot right now. I forget sometimes.

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    Your neighbour is growing weed in the backyard? Idk if that is just common there or i am shocked because of the different attitude towards drugs in my country. Also, sometimes it helps verbalise how much you are going through, just to come to terms with the fact that the exhaustion you feel dealing with so many things is not just mood swings or things in your head

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    *hugs*
    I hope verbalizing it will help to make you feel better even if it doesn’t tangibly make the actual situation improve. At the same time, I personally find that when I’ve reached a place wherein I’m able to verbalized something means that I have internalized it to a degree, which helps peace of mind, and protecting my peace is a lot of times the first step in helping with a tangible and practical solution to things ♥️ You got this, Isa!!!

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    I appreciate it doesn’t solve any of the problems but i’m sending virtual hugs. Those won’t hurt you.

    I join everyone else in saying that being able to verbalise it is already moving forward mentally. You’ve got this. Throw your thoughts at us. Tell us when you need cheering up. Tell us when you need a laugh. Tell us when you need a friendly ear. There are dozens of Internet friends here who have never met you but have been thinking about you and wishing you the best since you’ve told us about your fire accident. 🤞

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    Like others have said, I’m sad I can’t do much more and I know it doesn’t actually do much but I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through so much (like holy shit just one of those things would be a lot) – I’m sending you lots of virtual hugs, love and warm, positive, ‘fighting’ energy to get well soon and get back on track at your own pace eventually. Like others have also said, being able to talk about it out loud with someone – in person or virtually – is often cathartic and a big move in and of itself, so I hope you continue to do so if/when you feel like it! You’ve got this!! 🥰 ❤️

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Bromance
I *love* Qing Yangs relationship with ZiFeng.
ZiFeng: do me a favor. Don’t ask any questions just say yes.
Qing Yang (no hesitations or questions): yes
Zi Feng hops up and around the counter steadily encroaching on Qing Yangs personal space. He gets so close that their noses are touching
Qing Yang (not moving back): and what are you doing?
Zi Feng: testing to see if I like men
Qing Yang:….and your answer?
Zi Feng: well, I don’t like you.
Zi Feng moves back to his side of the counter. Qing Yang knowing that this has to do with his best friend falling in love with Pi Yanou just nods and pours him a shot.
Goodness this character is wasted on the ever-useless cancer girl. I will ship him with the badges fairy forever. I mean lookit, he has no family and she loves all of her family fiercely. Look at how determined she is to hook Pi Yanou up with Zi Feng! He’d sit back and be quietly amused at all of her antics, get pulled into antics. Basically have antics. Antics everywhere for everyone! It’s possible I overused antics at the end there. But that’s the strength of my ship. That made sense. Yeah. Go with that.

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    This drama is so ridiculous.
    Random pregnant lady: I’m sorry my belly hurts a bit
    RPLF: OH MY GOSH ARE YOU HAVING THE BABY NOW?!
    ZiFeng: Yanou! Call security and have an ambulance waiting! This woman is giving birth!
    Yanou: there’s no time! ZiFeng! You helped delivery a baby lamb once! This is TOTALLY the same!

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    Yall. I hate this misunderstanding so much. ZiFeng has made up his mind to confess his feelings. He’s asked Yanou out for dinner, he’s sitting at his desk and writing out his confession and what happens? Yanou accidentally calls him while she’s telling her stupid friend that while she supports gay love she’ll never feel that way about someone from the same sex.
    Zifeng quietly balls up and throws away his confession. Later, same ep, Yanou accidentally blurts out that she likes ZiFeng. But ZiFeng is determined to protect his heart and says of course he likes Pi Yanou as well. Yanou is his best brother. The drama makes it up later by letting ZiFeng hear Yanou confess her love after they get together. But in the meantime everyone is sad. Or rather I’m sad. But our cute badass fairy is hear to cheer us up until the confession. Which is right around the corner.

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This ost still has my heart in a chokehold. How many years has it been? I still want a prequel (with all the same actors I DONT CARE HOW OLD THEY ARE!) Saltnpaper where are you?! I need more!

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So, I\’m rewatching one of my ALL.TIME.FAVORITE dramas. It\’s also one of my least favorite dramas. Shrug.
Bromine.
If you haven\’t seen it, it\’s about a young woman who\’s parents have convinced her that she has to become a boy until her 26th birthday. They went to a shaman when mom was pregnant. If she had a boy the baby would have magnificent luck. But if it\’s a girl—horrible luck until the daughter turns 26.
So a few months before her 26th birthday she meets and falls in love with a gang leader. If you\’re thinking \”oh no! Gangs!\” He\’s mostly obsessed with the amusement park he started with his dad. To the exclusion of everything except for the fact that he seems to be falling in love with his bodyguard. And who is his bodyguard? Our girl. The parts of the drama I hate? Zi Feng (our gang leader) has a best friend who is locked in a HORRIBLE plot line. When he\’s not with boring-ass Cancer girl he\’s a great part of the show. Boring-ass Cancer girl brings the entire drama to a screeching halt. She is one pf the worst actresses I have ever seen. She (and a highly ridiculous plot in general) is the reason this is one of my least favorite dramas. If she could just be lifted out the drama would be so much better. But that\’s what fast forward buttons are for.

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    I have fanwalled this drama at least 2 times before but I haven’t watched in a couple of years so there’s more to see and say!
    I had forgotten the INTENSE starring. Oh my lands. Every few seconds were just going to eye bang each other. Awesome. And I had forgotten that the sister had a crush on Pi Yano for awhile. Also, it’s hilarious that Pi Yanous closest friend (with whom she’s fought and played around and wrestled with) doesn’t know she’s a woman. They make NO EFFORT to hide Megan’s breasts except to put her in a sweater under suit jacket.
    Oh my lands Zi Feng is SOO good at looking pitiful when he wants his way. He is SO DRAMATIC!
    How have I not watched this in an ongoing loop forever?

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    BROMANCE!

    Man, I loved that drama but cancer girl was The WORST. Everything about that drama was ridiculous in the BEST possible way. Also, that chemistry was something else.

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    Oh, fortune teller not shaman and fie not bad luck. Either way. The parents are dumb

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    I love that the twist (look away ifyou don’t want to be spoiled)

    Òk. Conscious cleared. I love that the twist is that ZiFeng knows from pretty early on in the drama that Pi Yanou is a woman. Watching it again they have TONS of close calls where she’s in the shower and he walks in or she needs to change her shirt and he’s standing there watching. I mean bodies have curves. Just because she’s standing with her back to him doesn’t explain why he wouldn’t notice the curve of her breasts under her t-shirt as he’s staring INTENSELY at her. He does love to be in her space. And after those hormones finally wake up and she realizes she has feels for him…man!

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    Haha, I was thinking this drama just a few weeks ago. The stares is everything!! Their chemistry is insane.

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My Lovely Liar. Huh, I wouldn\’t have thought they would have clued her in to his murder mystery so soon. Also, I\’m not sure how I feel about her ex coming back and that he just happens to be a cop. I do think our leads have cute chemistry and I enjoyed them slowly growing closer. As for the bombshell at the end of the ep—they\’ve already shown that she speaks what she hears but she doesn\’t interpret what she hears so she\’s capable of being wrong. So him ringing her \”he\’s lying!\” bell brings up the question of does she read them as lying if they believe they are telling the truth? I\’m fully ready to handwave away the blood and the glass. Um Ji (and why is that the only name I know?) was determined to off herself. He dragged her in from the ocean she got a bottle or a piece of glass from somewhere and injured herself. I think after pulling her out of the drink he walked away intending to leave her there. She injurs herself and goes back into the ocean. He starts to feel guilty for leaving her and turns around to go back for her but all he finds is the bloody shoes and glass. She\’s injured, bloody, and now in the water. He blames himself (he believes he killed her so the lie detector goes off) because if he hadn\’t have left for even those few minutes then she would still be alive.
The real question is how are they going to have a romance when he\’s carrying the weight of the death of a woman on his back. Boy get you to therapy!

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    Based on what script writer said herself the main point of the romance is the zero lie relationship between them; “I wanted to share the message of love in the form of understanding and trusting [one’s partner’s] heart even when they don’t put it on display.”
    So I think the fact that Sol hee gonna belive in him gonna heal at least a part of his heart as nobody really trusted him not killing that girl. Beside him gonna teach Sol hee some lesson about her ability like the couple in ep 3 where the boyfriend lied, but then we see that he planed to propose to his girlfriend. Like lies is more complex in humans mind than what a lie detector could understand.

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    I’m ready to hand-wave the blood and glass also. And sometimes, when you’re in a really traumatic moment or reliving trauma, it’s not unheard of for things to seem warped and different to what it is/was in reality. So I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s also another way that some of the elements in the flashbacks – such as the blood and glass – are explained. I like your hypothetical scenario though, it sounds logical and also, it’d mean the parallel with Sha-on at the end there was intended as a direct mirror to what actually happened back then.

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So, there I was, minding my own nevermind looking for something to watch as I mindlessly rub lotion on my burns for the next hour and I see Witch\’s Romance and I\’m immediately like…whaaaa? And it turns out my cable package has a channel called AsianCrush. So I clicked on it because obviously the universe wants me to watch that again but what\’s on its place? Some Sageuk that I can\’t find the name of, with actors I don\’t recognize, that\’s DRAMATIC as all get out and I feel hoodwinked. I don\’t watch sageuks but who is this awful woman? Why is she taking this not awful woman\’s house and putting her and her kids out on the streets? Who is master Lee and why did he sell her house? And who is uncle who did (or possibly didnt?) get married? What the heck is this? Because I think I\’ve been drawn in against my will.
Also, in the 20 mins or so I\’ve been held hostage they\’ve shown 2 commercials for Boys Over Flowers. Jan-di and 2nd Lead share the most boring, basic, lip brushing kiss, and then they turn as one to see a distraught Lee Min Ho. And I\’m like yall are some Jenks but also do I need to watch Lee Min Hos Boys Over Flowers again? Because I feel like the answer is always no but the station doesn\’t want me to know that.
And some guy is getting crucified now? And some guy has a pet squirrel? But why, though?

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I accidentally clicked on pg 18 of my comments. Suspicious Partners, Chicago Typewriter, and, Fight for My Way all seemed to be playing at once. What a great time to watch dramas. I can\’t even remember the last time I was watching that many currently airing dramas at once. I miss watching like that:(

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I\’ve started Hidden Love. I get that Sang Zhi has love at first sight Jiaxu but I wish they would stop doing flashbacks to when she was 14 and looked 9. I\’m assuming he doesn\’t start liking her in a romantic sense until their both in adulthood but I\’ve watched one too many docs with grown ass men grooming little girls to be comfortable with the constant flashbacks. Especially since I\’m assuming they\’ll use the same actor for when their both adults.

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    He’s buying her period supplies? Do I need to drop this? The 3rd ep is starting and she’s still a child. They’ve done enough back story and laying the foundation. He’s the beautiful friend and roommate of her older brother that she had love in first sight with. 4 years later they met again and he saw she grew into a beautiful young woman who He’s happy to see again. Can they just be adults on an equal playing field now?

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    I think I’m dropping this. I’m half way through ep 3 and instead of them being adults and equals he’s lecturing her on not dating (saving her for himself?) and lecturing her on the proper way to reject a boy. How much older than her is he supposed to be? It doesn’t matter this just feels ick. Is anyone else watching thus? Is it worth continuing?

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    You might get a fair bit of pushback for your views, I know I did. But since this has been discussed several times on DB, perhaps not. Anyway, know you are very much in the minority, but also that you are not alone.

    It was the later representation of a rather infantile adult female that troubled me more in Hidden Love, but certainly the pairing of a 10-year-old actress (real age) with a mid-20s male actor was a huge mistake. No shade on the young actress, she was good. In fact she was more mature and spunky than the adult FL. But certain filming and acting decisions lent a rather flirtatious tone to their interaction that definitely sent the wrong message.

    I found out recently that my tween niece watched it (alongside her older sister). She was very clear the adult ML loved the little girl all along, and was just waiting for her. It was *so* romantic for her. What followed was a long discussion on why this is a problem and why she needs to inform the adults in her life if a grown man shows interest in her. I tell you though, no matter what me and my sister say, she is far more influenced by TV. It’s really troubling.

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      Oh thank you. I am DROPPING this. Its clearly showing grooming patterns and making little girls think this nonsense is romantic and acceptable.
      I will HAPPILY be on the minority in this one.
      The little girl actress did a great job but 3 eps in and it looks like this drama is fully pushing a romance between a child and an adult like its a good thing. And it’s not. Which shouldn’t need to be said but clearly needs to be.

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        I was trolled in my last interaction on DB regarding HL so I may delete the personal story. But I think it matters to understand why some of us are uncomfortable with Hidden Love’s message to children, even if unintentional. I know they intended to show a sweet one-sided crush btwn a 14 and 17-year-old, but it was big fail in execution.

        Anyway, good decision to drop. I watched much further along and was really disappointed with their message about women’s agency. But again, this was also a minority view and you may feel differently.

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      but when did he show his romantic interest in her.. he does not develop those feelings until she saves him from the crazy girl.. so it wasn’t even that she is adult and let me like him

      Teenagers or young kids…u can show them whatever, their conclusion will always be awestuck.. good looking pair getting together..

      both book and drama actually did a good job of not sending wrong message, but people forget that both are from FL’s perspective and not from ML’s perspective. FL, like a person is crush will overinterpret everything, will find anything about her crush romantic..its natural reaction

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        I don’t think I was watching from anyone but a viewers perspective, though. I wasn’t watching thinking oh how cute she’s got the feels for him. I was always watching thinking this actress looks 9 years old. Why did they choose someone who looks so young to play a 14 year old if not to play up and really emphasize the fact that she is a child. If the drama stopped the flashbacks then and allowed the drama to move on to when they are both adults and let her blossoming crush be something in the past I would have no problem continuing but they don’t. I made it to the end I think) of ep 3 and she’s still a little girl, they are still spending a lot of time with an actress who is 10 years old who is supposed to be 14 and looks 9 and playing off this is where the romance started. Maybe it’s because I’ve watched a lot of child predator docs but I don’t see a cute romance. I see a man who looks a decade older than our FL grooming her and deliberately trying to keep her for himself starting when she’s a child. And it’s like the drama wants me to see them this way otherwise why do they keep dragging put the scenes when she’s so young? Why not leave the 9 year old behind and focus on when she’s 16/17 and has a crush still. It still had an element of ick if he looks at her then and takes note that she’s gorgeous and may rtey to pursue her in a few years when she’s an adult. But they include a scene where he’s teaching her how to reject a boy and REEKS of grooming. I’m going to teach you how to kindly reject boys your own age because you’re supposed to be with me! . It would have been ick if they ended it there allowed her to grow up but the next episode she’s STILL A CHILD and there’s literally no reason from a storytelling point of view for why this is happening except to once again emphasize that SHES A CHILD and he’s an adult. And in this scenario he’s not only an adult to her still a child he’s been hired to BE the adult in a class setting. When she hurts herself it’s him who runs to her side and piggybacks her (a precursor to romance in *how* many dramas?) to safety.
        No, typing it out like this this drama is 1000% a no from me. If you don’t see the grooming patterns in very happy for you and I hope you enjoy the show but I am sincerely grossed out and declare myself SUPER done.

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          Comment was deleted

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          It isn’t about demeaning a particular perspective. All kinds of stories exist, and this story is telling the narrative from the FL’s perspective. it is what it is.

          If you or anyone else wants to view it from another perspective, then correctly identify what part of the perspective is because of the difference in your viewer/or any other character’s point of view Vs FL’s point of view.

          FL is smitten, so we see the ML all shiny and with lighting … but was the ML even remotely improper..No, not at all. Neither in his intentions and nor in his behavior.

          The behavior that FL shows is not real. No, it is quite true specially with teenagers and when you have your first crush. As she grows she also changes. Her behavior with other men, with ML. Drama is also very clear about when ML fell for her, and it is very clearly visible even to audience that in that moment she is no juvenile kid but a very fiercely protective woman who is quite mature in considering different people and their motivations

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            I’m clear on the perspective the drama would like me to see the drama through. I’m glad you enjoyed it and could enjoy the drama in the way the director/production team intended. That’s not how I see it. I see clear grooming. I see predatory behavior and it grosses me out and I’m not going to watch the drama.
            We’re all entitled to our own views. I asked for opinions and then watched a bit more and came to my.own conclusion. Shrug. It’s not a big deal. In real life no children were harmed and it looks like it inspired some real conversation between adults and kids on what predatory behavior in an adult looks like and that’s good. So. I see nothing but positives here.

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    I felt weird watching the first ep for some reason, so I dropped it. At least for now.

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    I didn’t specially like Hidden Love. For me, it was clear that the ML didn’t have feelings for her when she was young. But when he fell in love for her after wasn’t really clear. She was kinda a little princess for everybody and her cuteness was too strong for me :p

    You should try When I Fly Towards You. It was really a cute drama with a well balanced couple!

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      I started that one yesterday well and I think I’m just not in the mood for kids. I was Ike oh, yall are cute the whole time (I think I watched 2 or 3 eps? They were at military camp) but I just couldn’t handle the high schooly, squeey, gigglyness of the fl and walked away. I won’t say dropped I think I’ll pick it up again when I’m in a less meh mood.

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