I’m going on a trip tomorrow and, while I plan on spending most of my plane and train rides reading the books I stocked up on my tablet, I thought I should download something to watch, too, just in case.
So, open suggestion time! What should I download to watch? Open to any and all recs!
I don’t know if this Jdrama is to your taste, but… I’m in love with it and just in case I successfully pass the disease… It requires patience, though.. Not an ideal watch for the plane…. And not a legal watch either.. You might wonder why even make a rec when it comes with so many terms and conditions 😅 Well, it’s a overwhelmingly beautiful medical drama that’s done right by doctors, patients and human emotions.. that’s why.
Here’s the details https://mydramalist.com/765129-unmet-aru-nogekai-no-nikki
And you can easily download from d-addicts (if you are shameless like me 🤭) https://mydramalist.com/list/71gqgJK3
Thank you so much for sharing this one I just started watching and it looks like another one added to my list of great J drama watches this year. Thank you for giving info on a completed one as the last two I started are ongoing and I never know when they will release the subs for the latest episode. Tiger with Wings and Umi no Hajimari have been a joy to watch so far so I am hoping they stay that way to the end.
Oh, I’m glad you are enjoying it!
Waiting for subs can be hard, but I had a really good experience watching this live. The subber has done an excellent job. Still, they were so dedicated that they made clarification about a key point after they were done with the series. Do inform me when you finish. I’ll tell you what it was 🙂
Sorry to butt in but your comment about Umi No Hajimari (which is on my to watch list) reminded me of another j drama i was waiting to be subbed, and now i see it’s finally subbed. So here’s a random thank you 😄
Thanks for popping in, please can you share the details of the other one you were waiting on. I have found your last recommendation worked so well for me that I don’t want to miss out if it’s another one in a genre that I can handle.
I hope the recommendations help you pass the hours in a joyful way.
I think films are a quick win if you can find some. I like the ones with humour and slice of life themes. I recently watched these ones please some had some sadder themes running through them:
Single in Seoul
My annoying brother
The preparation
Boston marathon
Wonderland
My disappointment in Lovely Runner had me trying to think about when the last really popular/mainstream drama I truly enjoyed watching live was. I think it was back in 2022, with Twenty Five, Twenty One, Business Proposal, and My Liberation Notes. How was that two years ago?!?
I think I’m doomed to be a kdrama hipster forever. 😶
Aren’t the only shows you list that were really popular mainstream successes My Dearest and Knight Flower?
I watched the first ep of The Matchmakers and thought it was bad… Knight Flower was fine but I had no desire to continue. I don’t like sageuks lol and I dropped Twinkling Watermelon, although I appreciate it as a show and it was definitely better than Lovely Runner.
MatchMakers did well enough globally, but was very popular here. That it’s finale was on Christmas Day was also a real experience.
But that was also for me, @mindy, the last show that I liked that a lot of other Beanies liked–all the way to the end anyway. Wedding Impossible is a good example of a show that started weird, got really quite good, and then ended catastrophically.
Okay I\’m about to say something very embarrassing.
I was watching episode 6 of The Midnight Romance in Hagwon and got very confused. Why does it seem like I have watched this before? Why are all of these scenes so familiar? Didn\’t we already see all of this? Am I going insane?
Well, Beanies, it turns out that instead of watching episode 1 the other day… I watched episode 6…
When we got to episode 2 I thought the story was just backtracking and telling us how we got here. I was a bit confused on some things but, well, I was watching while cooking and figured I just missed something.
I kind of forgot all about it and continued to watch the show without remembering the weird beginning… until I started watching episode 6.
Again.
…I can\’t come back from this I am so sorry show I think I\’m going to have to drop you out of utter shame and embarrassment and confusion omg.
It’s late (for me) and I’m feeling emo about fleeting internet friendships right now.
@natzillagorilla thinking of you and hope you’re doing well! I know you haven’t been on DB in ages and perhaps never will again but, on the off chance, I just wanted you to know.
@mindy You probably already know this, and I’m really sorry if you do…but I have been thinking about this for a while, and I want you to have the best chance of contacting your friend!!
On the offff chance that @natzillagorilla has their email notifications on, at-mentions don’t get sent out that way (anymore??). I don’t know why–and it’s irritating.
If you’d like to ensure that they get an email from Dramabeans, you can go find a Fan Wall post of theirs and post a comment. That’ll trigger at least two emails their way…
The Midnight Romance in Hagwon ep 4: Ooooh, this is what I’m talking about! We finally get a student in the mix, and seeing our teachers actually care about their job in a way that feels real to me did wonders for my investment. It was really simple, but I also enjoyed the flashbacks from their tutoring time interspersed throughout the present-day lecture.
Okay, drama. I’m paying attention now. Show me what you’ve got.
The Midnight Romance in Hagwon ep 3: I usually go to education-related dramas because of the heartwarming, inspiring relationships between the teachers and the students. I assume this show will eventually get there, but it’s taking forever. When am I gonna see these lecturers actually lecture to students…? I’m beginning to think that I should readjust my expectations for this show.
I find the topic of hagwons and the tension between them and traditional schooling to be interesting, but the drama honestly doesn’t seem to be doing much of anything with that right now. I know the first episodes of a drama are for laying the ground work, but I am really hoping this show goes somewhere soon. I like the general vibes and the actors but the characters haven’t captured me enough yet for me to enjoy this snail pacing or care about the inter and intra-hagwon rivalries/politics.
Also, I’ll never stop being astounded at how lecturers in Korea can apparently reach celebrity status. The marketing is craaaazy.
It’s still sloooooow but I’m starting to enjoy it a bit more each episode now that they are actually, well, teaching.
It’s a bit of a nothingburger of a show, though. From some of the comments I saw I thought it would have sharper social commentary, but it isn’t there for me yet.
Have any other readers of r/KDRAMA noticed how needlessly severe the mods there are becoming? The absolute weirdest comments get locked lately.
I remember them saying they were reinforcing sub rules around the time all the dating rumors/drama happened, but I thought it was just about separating dramas from real life gossip, which I can sort of understand. But I just saw a comment get locked for basically saying that the upcoming Pyo Ye-jin/Lee Jun-young drama plot sounds trite. Like, what? How on Earth is that worthy of locking a comment?
I can understand actively offensive, bigoted getting locked or deleted, but just stating a slightly negative thought? Really?
There goes another decent place for kdrama discussion.
Dramabeans really is our last hope as a community.
I remember the old Soompi’s drama section was like Reddit, to a lesser degree. I once had a comment deleted for stating why I didn’t like a certain actor. Some fangirls’ feelings were hurt because someone didn’t love their oppa. It’s so childish, but I’m sad to see a once lively site so quiet.
DB is our last hope.
I haven’t noticed any in particular. 🤔 To be honest I haven’t seen any complaints over there outside of the posts where they did the big rule reminders/updates a month or two ago, and the critical comments I saw… were locked LOL. And I don’t even see those posts now when I go back and look for them!
You have me considering doing a promotional spiel on a future free-for-all thread over there, though! But maybe the mods would lock my comment, HA.
Happy Sunday, Beanies! I\’m back with another WWR thread, and this time I come with something vaguely Dramaland-related!
Before that, though, I finished Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson and am super eager to jump into my next Mistborn book! If you read the books and haven\’t read Secret History, I highly recommend it. It gives you a good look at some of the things happening \”behind the scenes\” of the world.
After that, I dove into Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. Some of you may know this story better as Park Chan-wook\’s adaptation The Handmaiden starring Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri. I have yet to see the film, but the moment I heard what it was about I was so shocked that a highly successfully, critically acclaimed Korean film adapted a work that was so unabashedly sapphic! At the same time, there are so many story beats that fit the mold of your standard Korean narratives that it actually isn\’t so surprising. I\’m only about halfway through at the moment, but I find it fascinating and am so curious to finally watch Park\’s version of the story. It is not a romance, but I find myself oddly invested in our two central young women and how they navigate the odd, disturbing patriarchal world they inhabit–that is, of course, a mirror of our own.
I\’m eager to see how this story unfolds!
What have you been reading this past week, Beanies?
Oh, and reading Fingersmith had me thinking more and more than dramaland has no excuse for its lack of lesbians considering The Handmaiden and how the line between drama and film blurs more and more with the rise of streaming (and cable). Come on, Netflix, you know what you need to do! And grab Jeong Seo-kyeong to write it while you’re at it–I just know she wanted to do something more with a certain storyline in Little Women…
@mindy – Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet is another fantastic novel featuring a pair of lesbian lovers. I high recommend it. There’s a decent British film adaptation. I’d love to see the story adapted by a more adventurous creative team—particularly one from a different culture.
Now I know this is going to happen I will post my reads here rather than on the WWW thread. I hope the others that have posted book reviews in the past are aware of this thread and use it too as I have picked up some of their recommendations in the past.
Currently I am without a novel on the go but the non fiction is filling the gap at the moment. My current listen is written by a hospital chaplain that I follow on Instagram: As long as you need by J S Park is a ‘work’ related book on grieving. It is a harrowing listen as it is very well written and the individual stories are very impactful.
I will be starting How K-dramas can transform your life: Powerful lessons on belongingness, healing and mental health by Jeanie Y Chang afterwards. Another ‘work’ related book as she is also a family therapist and talks about this topic on her Instagram posts.
I stopped She Who Became the Sun, to read The Taking of Jake Livingston, and then stopped Jake for a webnovel that the author of a webtoon I love recommended.
I can’t read books the way I see dramas apparently. All at the same time doesn’t work for me. 😆
After I finish this webnovel I’ll finish Jake and after Jake I’ll go back to She Sun.
I read The Handmaiden years ago, and I meant to see the film but somehow never have. I am going to try to get it. For some reason I got a bunch of memoirs from the library the last time. Over the weekend I finished Doppelganger by Naomi Klein, which was part memoir, part politics. I am also reading Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life by Alice Wong.
(Sorry that I keep posting things that are decidedly NOT about Korean dramas lmao)
I have very belatedly been bit by the Olivia Rodrigo bug–don’t get me wrong, I’ve always liked the songs of hers I’d heard (Good For U is a banger every time I hear it played) but I’d never actually listened to Sour or Guts as full albums before recently and it’s so easy to understand how her popularity has transcended generations. I’m just rehashing what every critic has been saying for 3 years now, but she really writes the angsty teenage experience in a way where you remember how you felt as a teenager AND how, deep down, you often still feel today. And her songs are funny, too. I am really excited to hear how she matures as an artist as she gets older. It’s crazy to me that she’s only 21.
I honestly can’t remember the last time a popular young female artist had a truly rock edge to her music and I love it.
This isn’t my favorite song off of Guts, but I fear that “The morning after I panic, oh god, what did I say?” and “Each time I step outside, it’s social suicide” will never stop being relatable, lmao.
The Brave Yong Soo-jung ep 1: Don’t ask me why I’m watching this. Actually, I’ll tell you: I needed something mindless to put on when cooking dinner tonight and then realized this is probably exactly what Korean ajummas do when they watch their daily dramas and hey… I get it.
In this very first episode we saw our heroine as a little girl go through her mom having cancer, her parents going missing during an accident, her evil aunt taking over her house and giving her bedroom to her cousin, being locked out of her house, her mom coming BACK, and then her mom dying after trying to save her from the fire that our little heroine caused when she was locked in a room by her aunt and unable to get out.
That one episode sounds like a film🤣 No wonder they end up repeating the same issues for next 120 episodes don’t the writers feel embarrassed submitting the screenplay😳
Frankly Speaking ep. 6: The dating show concept is trite (especially after the stinkers that were Love is For Suckers and Oh! Youngshim) but I like this show enough that I’m willing to put up with it.
I think the most delightful thing about Ki-baek’s disinhibition is what it means romantically. When one party speaks so candidly, it makes the conversations so much more refreshing than usual. I’m hoping they go somewhere good with it.
I could also do without the two guys fighting over a girl YET AGAIN, especially when they seemed to be such good friends in the past (I am getting flashbacks to the truly awful All That We Loved) but if that and the conflict between Woo-ju and Ha-young can be resolved in a satisfying way then I’ll be fine with that as well.
His mild disinhibition is also delightfully subversive in a context where some of the norms of the modern Korean and certain aspects of the dominant hierarchical cultural mores emphasise nunchi as being extremely important to social cohesion.
Hey everyone! So, I decided to go ahead with this idea for all us bookworm Beanies out there!
I just finished John Green\’s The Anthropocene Reviewed, which I thought was a delightful collection of essays. I don\’t often read essays or memoirs or really anything nonfiction, and when I do it\’s a nice change of pace for me. Oddly enough, I realized this is my first time actually reading John Green after so many years of being familiar with him and Hank on the internet! I\’ll definitely get around to reading his fiction works… some day, at least. I have over 500 books on my TBR. 😶
At the beginning of this year I decided to read all of Brandon Sanderson\’s Cosmere, and roughly every other book or so I\’ve been reading has been a Cosmere book (if anyone\’s curious, my favorites so far are Elantris, the first Mistborn book, and both The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance–super excited to get to the 3rd Stormlight Archive book!). I\’ve been reading by publication date because that\’s the kind of person I am.
So anyway, last night I started Secret History, which basically fills us in on some of the stuff happening between Mistborn books… kind of. Saying anything else would be spoiler-y. I\’m honestly super into all of the little interconnecting things Sanderson is doing in these books. You definitely don\’t NEED to read every single one of his worlds/series to understand the others, but being able to catch the Easter eggs and gain a deeper understanding of things is something I really like because I\’m a big ol\’ nerd. Reading this book has been really fun so far, especially since it centers around a character we haven\’t seen for a while and who I really enjoy.
So, what have you all been reading lately? I hope your weekend has been going well! 💖
Can you recommend me some books, I used to read but not have been for a long time.. I like books that have simple language , don’t want to search the meaning of every word I read 😉..But I do want to improve my vocabulary so somewhere in the middle hehehe..
I want to read something light about life or anything like that..I do like to watch romances but for some reason I haven’t found the right romantic book for me.. I also like crime novels.. It would be a great help if you have some recommendations 😊
Except for academic stuff I usually don’t read books in English. I only started doing it last year.
I read Camus in Spanish, so Idk if the English translations are complicated, but I would say he’s easy to read (regarding the vocabulary).
La Caída (“the fall” in English, I guess, but don’t trust my translation) could be a fun read.
Btw, I have noticed that reading a book (in English) while listening to the audio book helps me not get lost even if I don’t understand all the words. Maybe that can help you too.
I have a friend that’s obsessed with Sanderson. I told him I was going to read Mistborn… six years ago. T.T but I’ve made up my mind I’ll start it this year! 😂
I’m just reading random stuff these days, so today I started “She Who Became the Sun”. I love the main character already.
Haha! I was the same way! Actually, I read the first one a few years ago and really enjoyed it but didn’t continue at the time. Now I’m in deep and having a blast, personally!
I really enjoyed She Who Became the Sun as well as the sequel! Glad you like it so far.
Brandon Sanderson is our family’s favorite author. We are reading “The Way of Kings,” but I’m lagging behind because I prefer to watch films or dramas.
How fun!! I will say it took me a bit to get into The Way of Kings, but once it caught me and I got used to all the POVs I had a great time, and I was ALL IN for Words of Radiance!
I tend to go through phases of reading vs. watching dramas. Honestly, my brain seems to like books more, but I also get dangerously addicted to them in a way that I don’t for dramas, haha.
Frankly Speaking ep 2: Man, it’s so nice to see Kang Han-na in such a vibrant role! She has been stuck in the “ice queen second lead” role for so long, it’s a breath of fresh air to see her in a role like this.
I am really happy to see her as a lead and play such an awesome character. Her expressions are wonderful and she is endearingly cute rather than annoyingly cute (if that makes sense).
Seriously!! His shocked Pikachu face is so funny to me. I kept staring at him wondering who he reminded me of and I think it’s half shocked Pikachu and, oddly enough, half Lee Pace in Pushing Daisies. They tilt their heads with their mouths open in a weirdly similar way, LOL.
Okay, Beanies, I\’m sleep-deprived with a million responsibilities begging for my attention and a million books from the library to read, which of course means that I\’m going to reach for TV instead.
So, I\’m asking a stupidly open and non-specific question to you all: Besides The Atypical Family, what show(s) should I be watching right now?
Also, as my favorite young actor Lee Re officially turned 18 recently (absolutely insane, how does time fly so fast?!), it seems like The Atypical Family and See You in My 19th Life\’s Park So-yi is competing with The Kidnapping Day\’s Yuna for that spot in my heart. I can\’t wait to see what they do next, and I can\’t wait for Lee Re to get more of the lead roles she deserves now that she\’s growing up!
Dramaland sure knows how to pick its young talent, but I think it often does a bad job at fostering them and letting them grow (not to mention the terrible things that youth in every entertainment industry are at risk of facing), and I only hope for the best for these shining stars!
Lee Re is very good I first saw her in Hello me and then in Castaway diva last year where she was exceptional. I hope her transition into adult roles goes well she will be great in gritty character roles like IU played in Broker and My mister.
First off, I\’m sorry for keeping everyone hanging with my last post! Life seems to keep getting away from me. I promise that one day I will keep my promises.
But anyway… I\’m kinda-sorta watching stuff now, as in I am watching a grand total of one (1) drama. And somehow it\’s not the \”fluffy\” time slip romance drama with the brilliant Kim Hye-yoon that everyone else is watching (I just got kinda bored of it, okay?!).
I find it so curious that The Atypical Family feels fresh despite having so many of the markings of your typical k-dramas. The male lead from a rich family, the female lead from a poor one. The traumatic pasts. The superhero powers that seem to be more and more common in dramas as time goes by. The broken families. The \”time travel\” element. The past connection.
So what is it that makes it feel unique? Is it the conwoman female lead? Is it the widower male lead? Is it the brutally flawed yet sympathetic characters? Is it the odd directing style that is somehow simultaneously a bit elegant while also being a bit grungy? Maybe all of the above and more?
It\’s somehow quite unlike anything I have watched before, and as someone who has been watching k-dramas for practically half of my life now, I can\’t remember the last time a drama felt new to me. The show doesn\’t grab me and give me that high that many of my favorite dramas do, but I feel this odd sense of ease and pleasure while watching it for some reason. I can\’t quite describe it, but I enjoy it and all of its oddity.
I think it helps that I\’m not quite sure where the drama is headed, and I\’m happy to let it show me.
Also, Chun Woo-hee is beautiful and contains multitudes.
It seems this drama has divided beanieland into those of us who think this show is interesting and quite different (for everything you said) and those who totally dislike it.
I’m in the first group 😊
I’ll be honest, I found some of the comments on the first recap to be… a lot. I am, of course, not saying that shows like this portray flawed people with generation trauma, depression, alcoholism, etc. realistically, but the way people so easily write off even fictional characters and call them worthless, incapable of change, and even suggesting they should just die came across as incredibly callous to me.
TV is not real life, but if people can’t even give fictional characters grace, give them the opportunity to make mistakes but also find their way, how can we ever be capable of giving real people that grace?
And to be clear, I am not saying that people need to like watching damaged, flawed characters. For many people that is not what they go to fiction for and that is totally fine! But it’s the comments from people who DO watch and view these flawed characters so cruelly that give me pause.
Speaking as someone who HAS struggled with mental health, we exist in real life and we deserve to live. And seeing the overly cruel comments directed towards fictional characters whose struggles and experiences mirror those of real people can be very disheartening.
Thanks Mindy for your thoughts on THE ATYPICAL FAMILY. It is such an interesting and unusual drama. I figure by episode 4 those whose cup of tea it isn’t will probably have dropped it.
If you think some of the first TAF recap comments were rough wait until (if and when) the recap for the first episodes of DARE TO LOVE ME is released. Buckle your seat belts.
I am enjoying both so I will be sticking with both dramas.
Hi Mindy! Glad to see you’re back watching something! I, too, am enjoying the directorial and artistic choices that Atypical family is giving me. I didn’t really read the recaps for 1-2 at all, but did read 3-4 and left a comment as well. Gone are the days that I would read every line of the recap and comment accordingly. Ain’t got no time for that. I’m loving the musical direction of this show too, for the most part. See you around!
Welcome back, life happens so we all accept that beanies come and go.
Did you still want to do the weekly What we’re reading? If so is it going to be hosted on your wall or the Open Thread and are you doing it on a Saturday too or will you opt for mid week to avoid the weekend site glitches?
mindy
August 19, 2024 at 5:41 PM
Hi, Beanies!
I’m going on a trip tomorrow and, while I plan on spending most of my plane and train rides reading the books I stocked up on my tablet, I thought I should download something to watch, too, just in case.
So, open suggestion time! What should I download to watch? Open to any and all recs!
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
August 19, 2024 at 6:16 PM
Hi, mindy!
Don’t use the genre as the ultimate guide because I chose all VERY different films.
Slice of life/romance (melo).
-The before trilogy: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight
-Christmas in August.
Comedy.
-But I’m a Cheerleader.
-Kung Fu Hustle.
Horror.
-Audition (1999).
-Black Christmas (1974).
Music.
-Once.
-Singin’ in the Rain.
-Linda Linda Linda.
-Lagaan (this is not a movie about music but the soundtrack is ICONIC so…)
Fantasy… is not, but it’s something like that, can’t remember the right genre.
-Push.
-They Cloned Tyrone.
-Intimate Strangers.
I hope you have a nice trip and enjoy some of the films. ^^
Anne18
August 19, 2024 at 6:30 PM
I don’t know if this Jdrama is to your taste, but… I’m in love with it and just in case I successfully pass the disease… It requires patience, though.. Not an ideal watch for the plane…. And not a legal watch either.. You might wonder why even make a rec when it comes with so many terms and conditions 😅 Well, it’s a overwhelmingly beautiful medical drama that’s done right by doctors, patients and human emotions.. that’s why.
Here’s the details https://mydramalist.com/765129-unmet-aru-nogekai-no-nikki
And you can easily download from d-addicts (if you are shameless like me 🤭)
https://mydramalist.com/list/71gqgJK3
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 19, 2024 at 10:31 PM
Thank you so much for sharing this one I just started watching and it looks like another one added to my list of great J drama watches this year. Thank you for giving info on a completed one as the last two I started are ongoing and I never know when they will release the subs for the latest episode. Tiger with Wings and Umi no Hajimari have been a joy to watch so far so I am hoping they stay that way to the end.
Anne18
August 20, 2024 at 4:54 AM
Oh, I’m glad you are enjoying it!
Waiting for subs can be hard, but I had a really good experience watching this live. The subber has done an excellent job. Still, they were so dedicated that they made clarification about a key point after they were done with the series. Do inform me when you finish. I’ll tell you what it was 🙂
parkchuna 🍉
August 21, 2024 at 8:06 AM
Sorry to butt in but your comment about Umi No Hajimari (which is on my to watch list) reminded me of another j drama i was waiting to be subbed, and now i see it’s finally subbed. So here’s a random thank you 😄
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 21, 2024 at 10:10 AM
Thanks for popping in, please can you share the details of the other one you were waiting on. I have found your last recommendation worked so well for me that I don’t want to miss out if it’s another one in a genre that I can handle.
parkchuna 🍉
August 21, 2024 at 5:38 PM
Kahogona Wakadanna-sama no Amayakashi Kon.
2 episodes done at 2am, i found it part cute part annoying. But it’s only 6 episodes of 24 mins each so should be ok for casual watch.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 21, 2024 at 10:11 PM
Thanks for the info☺️
Beverly
August 19, 2024 at 8:39 PM
If you haven’t watched it Like Flowers in the Sand was really good. It has a sweet gentle feel with likable characters.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 19, 2024 at 10:56 PM
I hope the recommendations help you pass the hours in a joyful way.
I think films are a quick win if you can find some. I like the ones with humour and slice of life themes. I recently watched these ones please some had some sadder themes running through them:
Single in Seoul
My annoying brother
The preparation
Boston marathon
Wonderland
Ally
August 20, 2024 at 9:31 PM
I quite enjoyed the cdrama, As beautiful as you. Lots of episodes.
I aslo enjoyed Serendipity’s embrace. Only 8 episodes.
From one end of the spectrum to another. Oh, and Connection was quite good until the ending, I thought.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 30, 2024 at 1:14 PM
Did you enjoy your trip? Which dramas did you watch? Did you enjoy any of the recommendations?
mindy
June 1, 2024 at 3:39 AM
My disappointment in Lovely Runner had me trying to think about when the last really popular/mainstream drama I truly enjoyed watching live was. I think it was back in 2022, with Twenty Five, Twenty One, Business Proposal, and My Liberation Notes. How was that two years ago?!?
I think I’m doomed to be a kdrama hipster forever. 😶
Isa is always time travelling
June 1, 2024 at 5:19 AM
Didn’t you like The Matchmakers, My Dearest or Knight Flower?
I enjoyed them. They are good shows (different types of sageuks).
And Twinkling Watermelon?
mindy
June 1, 2024 at 6:44 AM
Aren’t the only shows you list that were really popular mainstream successes My Dearest and Knight Flower?
I watched the first ep of The Matchmakers and thought it was bad… Knight Flower was fine but I had no desire to continue. I don’t like sageuks lol and I dropped Twinkling Watermelon, although I appreciate it as a show and it was definitely better than Lovely Runner.
Seon-ha
June 1, 2024 at 7:18 AM
MatchMakers did well enough globally, but was very popular here. That it’s finale was on Christmas Day was also a real experience.
But that was also for me, @mindy, the last show that I liked that a lot of other Beanies liked–all the way to the end anyway. Wedding Impossible is a good example of a show that started weird, got really quite good, and then ended catastrophically.
Midnight
June 1, 2024 at 5:24 AM
Like, I really really want to watch Midnight Romance, but the more people rave about it, the more apprehensive I get! 😄
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
June 2, 2024 at 11:52 PM
Please, tell me where are the people that talk about Hagwon, because I’m searching for them desperately. 😭 The fan wall is making me feel lonely. 🥺
Midnight
June 3, 2024 at 1:09 AM
🤔 I keep seeing people talk about it. Maybe it’s more on the WWW threads…?
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
June 3, 2024 at 4:04 AM
Omo, I’m such a dumb dumb. Of course!
I forgot about WWW these past few weeks.
Thanks! ☺️
Midnight
June 3, 2024 at 4:48 AM
You’re welcome 😊
🌸 Seeker 🌸
June 1, 2024 at 7:00 AM
Didn’t you watch Behind Your Touch when it aired!?
Seon-ha
June 1, 2024 at 7:21 AM
It wasn’t popular, though, here or beyond, unfortunately, for @mindy!
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
June 1, 2024 at 7:18 PM
I really liked Beyond Your Touch!
Seon-ha
June 1, 2024 at 7:22 PM
LOL
mindy
May 28, 2024 at 12:06 PM
Ummmmm…
Okay I\’m about to say something very embarrassing.
I was watching episode 6 of The Midnight Romance in Hagwon and got very confused. Why does it seem like I have watched this before? Why are all of these scenes so familiar? Didn\’t we already see all of this? Am I going insane?
Well, Beanies, it turns out that instead of watching episode 1 the other day… I watched episode 6…
When we got to episode 2 I thought the story was just backtracking and telling us how we got here. I was a bit confused on some things but, well, I was watching while cooking and figured I just missed something.
I kind of forgot all about it and continued to watch the show without remembering the weird beginning… until I started watching episode 6.
Again.
…I can\’t come back from this I am so sorry show I think I\’m going to have to drop you out of utter shame and embarrassment and confusion omg.
Seon-ha
May 28, 2024 at 12:28 PM
Does that mean one could really just start at episode 6? I’ve been wondering if I should just skip to the middle somewhere…
mindy
May 28, 2024 at 12:30 PM
Considering the fact that this probably played into why I felt detached from the show, I would not recommend that LOL
korfan
May 29, 2024 at 12:45 AM
Don’t worry, it happens. 🙂
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 9:37 PM
It’s late (for me) and I’m feeling emo about fleeting internet friendships right now.
@natzillagorilla thinking of you and hope you’re doing well! I know you haven’t been on DB in ages and perhaps never will again but, on the off chance, I just wanted you to know.
DancingEmma
May 27, 2024 at 10:30 PM
Comment was deleted
Seon-ha
May 28, 2024 at 6:11 AM
@mindy You probably already know this, and I’m really sorry if you do…but I have been thinking about this for a while, and I want you to have the best chance of contacting your friend!!
On the offff chance that @natzillagorilla has their email notifications on, at-mentions don’t get sent out that way (anymore??). I don’t know why–and it’s irritating.
If you’d like to ensure that they get an email from Dramabeans, you can go find a Fan Wall post of theirs and post a comment. That’ll trigger at least two emails their way…
mindy
May 28, 2024 at 11:26 AM
This is a brilliant idea! Thank you, Seon-ha!
Cori
May 28, 2024 at 2:47 PM
Awww Natz!! Here’s another well wish for you (and Persephone 🐈) if you happen to see this message!
Hopefully she and all of the DB gang from back then are doing well
egads
June 15, 2024 at 1:42 PM
I was just thinking of her the other day. I really hope @natzillagorilla is doing great.
And you as well!
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 4:02 PM
The Midnight Romance in Hagwon ep 4: Ooooh, this is what I’m talking about! We finally get a student in the mix, and seeing our teachers actually care about their job in a way that feels real to me did wonders for my investment. It was really simple, but I also enjoyed the flashbacks from their tutoring time interspersed throughout the present-day lecture.
Okay, drama. I’m paying attention now. Show me what you’ve got.
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 2:51 PM
The Midnight Romance in Hagwon ep 3: I usually go to education-related dramas because of the heartwarming, inspiring relationships between the teachers and the students. I assume this show will eventually get there, but it’s taking forever. When am I gonna see these lecturers actually lecture to students…? I’m beginning to think that I should readjust my expectations for this show.
I find the topic of hagwons and the tension between them and traditional schooling to be interesting, but the drama honestly doesn’t seem to be doing much of anything with that right now. I know the first episodes of a drama are for laying the ground work, but I am really hoping this show goes somewhere soon. I like the general vibes and the actors but the characters haven’t captured me enough yet for me to enjoy this snail pacing or care about the inter and intra-hagwon rivalries/politics.
Also, I’ll never stop being astounded at how lecturers in Korea can apparently reach celebrity status. The marketing is craaaazy.
parkchuna 🍉
May 27, 2024 at 5:04 PM
3.5 episodes in and i feel the same.. but i saw your post on ep 4 so i have hope!
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 5:09 PM
It’s still sloooooow but I’m starting to enjoy it a bit more each episode now that they are actually, well, teaching.
It’s a bit of a nothingburger of a show, though. From some of the comments I saw I thought it would have sharper social commentary, but it isn’t there for me yet.
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 2:21 PM
When you finally try to prioritize life over kdramas but your watch list keeps trying to seduce you
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 2:17 PM
Some misc Frankly Speaking gifs for your perusal
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 27, 2024 at 8:39 PM
Perfect selection of scenes to gif. Thank you for your hard work. Great appetizer for the next batch of episodes.
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
May 27, 2024 at 9:54 PM
My adorable babies. 💚💚
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 7:27 AM
Have any other readers of r/KDRAMA noticed how needlessly severe the mods there are becoming? The absolute weirdest comments get locked lately.
I remember them saying they were reinforcing sub rules around the time all the dating rumors/drama happened, but I thought it was just about separating dramas from real life gossip, which I can sort of understand. But I just saw a comment get locked for basically saying that the upcoming Pyo Ye-jin/Lee Jun-young drama plot sounds trite. Like, what? How on Earth is that worthy of locking a comment?
I can understand actively offensive, bigoted getting locked or deleted, but just stating a slightly negative thought? Really?
There goes another decent place for kdrama discussion.
Dramabeans really is our last hope as a community.
kiara
May 27, 2024 at 1:36 PM
I remember the old Soompi’s drama section was like Reddit, to a lesser degree. I once had a comment deleted for stating why I didn’t like a certain actor. Some fangirls’ feelings were hurt because someone didn’t love their oppa. It’s so childish, but I’m sad to see a once lively site so quiet.
DB is our last hope.
Seon-ha
May 27, 2024 at 5:13 PM
@mindy Are you seeing an exodus from reddit to here? Are more folks switching over to Dramabeans because of these changes?
mindy
May 27, 2024 at 5:28 PM
I haven’t noticed any in particular. 🤔 To be honest I haven’t seen any complaints over there outside of the posts where they did the big rule reminders/updates a month or two ago, and the critical comments I saw… were locked LOL. And I don’t even see those posts now when I go back and look for them!
You have me considering doing a promotional spiel on a future free-for-all thread over there, though! But maybe the mods would lock my comment, HA.
mindy
May 26, 2024 at 10:24 AM
📚What We\’re Reading📚
Happy Sunday, Beanies! I\’m back with another WWR thread, and this time I come with something vaguely Dramaland-related!
Before that, though, I finished Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson and am super eager to jump into my next Mistborn book! If you read the books and haven\’t read Secret History, I highly recommend it. It gives you a good look at some of the things happening \”behind the scenes\” of the world.
After that, I dove into Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. Some of you may know this story better as Park Chan-wook\’s adaptation The Handmaiden starring Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri. I have yet to see the film, but the moment I heard what it was about I was so shocked that a highly successfully, critically acclaimed Korean film adapted a work that was so unabashedly sapphic! At the same time, there are so many story beats that fit the mold of your standard Korean narratives that it actually isn\’t so surprising. I\’m only about halfway through at the moment, but I find it fascinating and am so curious to finally watch Park\’s version of the story. It is not a romance, but I find myself oddly invested in our two central young women and how they navigate the odd, disturbing patriarchal world they inhabit–that is, of course, a mirror of our own.
I\’m eager to see how this story unfolds!
What have you been reading this past week, Beanies?
mindy
May 26, 2024 at 10:32 AM
Oh, and reading Fingersmith had me thinking more and more than dramaland has no excuse for its lack of lesbians considering The Handmaiden and how the line between drama and film blurs more and more with the rise of streaming (and cable). Come on, Netflix, you know what you need to do! And grab Jeong Seo-kyeong to write it while you’re at it–I just know she wanted to do something more with a certain storyline in Little Women…
Babylilo
June 16, 2024 at 10:33 AM
@mindy – Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet is another fantastic novel featuring a pair of lesbian lovers. I high recommend it. There’s a decent British film adaptation. I’d love to see the story adapted by a more adventurous creative team—particularly one from a different culture.
Kurama
May 26, 2024 at 10:37 AM
I’m reading Lockwood & Co The Empty Grave. It’s 5th tome of the serie.
I have the 4 books in French, but looks like it didn’t work in France and never translated the last tome… So I have to read it in English.
I watch all my dramas with Eng sub, and the same with US shows, so I like to read in French usually.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 26, 2024 at 11:35 AM
Now I know this is going to happen I will post my reads here rather than on the WWW thread. I hope the others that have posted book reviews in the past are aware of this thread and use it too as I have picked up some of their recommendations in the past.
Currently I am without a novel on the go but the non fiction is filling the gap at the moment. My current listen is written by a hospital chaplain that I follow on Instagram: As long as you need by J S Park is a ‘work’ related book on grieving. It is a harrowing listen as it is very well written and the individual stories are very impactful.
I will be starting How K-dramas can transform your life: Powerful lessons on belongingness, healing and mental health by Jeanie Y Chang afterwards. Another ‘work’ related book as she is also a family therapist and talks about this topic on her Instagram posts.
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
May 26, 2024 at 5:26 PM
I stopped She Who Became the Sun, to read The Taking of Jake Livingston, and then stopped Jake for a webnovel that the author of a webtoon I love recommended.
I can’t read books the way I see dramas apparently. All at the same time doesn’t work for me. 😆
After I finish this webnovel I’ll finish Jake and after Jake I’ll go back to She Sun.
too_much_tv
May 27, 2024 at 7:40 PM
I read The Handmaiden years ago, and I meant to see the film but somehow never have. I am going to try to get it. For some reason I got a bunch of memoirs from the library the last time. Over the weekend I finished Doppelganger by Naomi Klein, which was part memoir, part politics. I am also reading Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life by Alice Wong.
mindy
May 25, 2024 at 8:42 AM
(Sorry that I keep posting things that are decidedly NOT about Korean dramas lmao)
I have very belatedly been bit by the Olivia Rodrigo bug–don’t get me wrong, I’ve always liked the songs of hers I’d heard (Good For U is a banger every time I hear it played) but I’d never actually listened to Sour or Guts as full albums before recently and it’s so easy to understand how her popularity has transcended generations. I’m just rehashing what every critic has been saying for 3 years now, but she really writes the angsty teenage experience in a way where you remember how you felt as a teenager AND how, deep down, you often still feel today. And her songs are funny, too. I am really excited to hear how she matures as an artist as she gets older. It’s crazy to me that she’s only 21.
I honestly can’t remember the last time a popular young female artist had a truly rock edge to her music and I love it.
This isn’t my favorite song off of Guts, but I fear that “The morning after I panic, oh god, what did I say?” and “Each time I step outside, it’s social suicide” will never stop being relatable, lmao.
mindy
May 21, 2024 at 6:37 PM
The Brave Yong Soo-jung ep 1: Don’t ask me why I’m watching this. Actually, I’ll tell you: I needed something mindless to put on when cooking dinner tonight and then realized this is probably exactly what Korean ajummas do when they watch their daily dramas and hey… I get it.
In this very first episode we saw our heroine as a little girl go through her mom having cancer, her parents going missing during an accident, her evil aunt taking over her house and giving her bedroom to her cousin, being locked out of her house, her mom coming BACK, and then her mom dying after trying to save her from the fire that our little heroine caused when she was locked in a room by her aunt and unable to get out.
This sure is a Daily Drama.
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
May 21, 2024 at 8:29 PM
I watch family dramas (weekender and daily), but I’ve noticed that I can’t with MBC. For exactly everything that you described of that show, hahaha.
But the crazier the show, the easier it is to put it on the back while you do something else… Maybe that means MBC is doing it right? 😆
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 21, 2024 at 9:04 PM
Gosh that one episode has more *story* than three dramas. 😂
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 21, 2024 at 11:48 PM
That one episode sounds like a film🤣 No wonder they end up repeating the same issues for next 120 episodes don’t the writers feel embarrassed submitting the screenplay😳
mindy
May 21, 2024 at 4:18 PM
Me now while watching Frankly Speaking when I remember how I said I wasn’t super into Go Kyung-pyo as an actor during Love in Contract
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 22, 2024 at 12:00 AM
🤣brilliant, I love that you stepped up with a public apology to acknowledge his impact
Seon-ha
May 22, 2024 at 6:32 AM
When the FL was watching him on the reply monitors it was like it doubled his charm…a filmed version of us watching her watching him, filmed. 🥹
Seon-ha
May 22, 2024 at 6:32 AM
*replay
mindy
May 22, 2024 at 11:06 AM
This is my favorite meme lately haha
ladykrueger
May 22, 2024 at 11:35 AM
Yay! GKP deserves all the love, forever and always 🥰
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 24, 2024 at 1:26 AM
Better late than never. Welcome to the fan club chingu. 😍❤
mindy
May 20, 2024 at 6:23 PM
Frankly Speaking ep. 6: The dating show concept is trite (especially after the stinkers that were Love is For Suckers and Oh! Youngshim) but I like this show enough that I’m willing to put up with it.
I think the most delightful thing about Ki-baek’s disinhibition is what it means romantically. When one party speaks so candidly, it makes the conversations so much more refreshing than usual. I’m hoping they go somewhere good with it.
I could also do without the two guys fighting over a girl YET AGAIN, especially when they seemed to be such good friends in the past (I am getting flashbacks to the truly awful All That We Loved) but if that and the conflict between Woo-ju and Ha-young can be resolved in a satisfying way then I’ll be fine with that as well.
DancingEmma
May 20, 2024 at 7:06 PM
His mild disinhibition is also delightfully subversive in a context where some of the norms of the modern Korean and certain aspects of the dominant hierarchical cultural mores emphasise nunchi as being extremely important to social cohesion.
mindy
May 19, 2024 at 9:03 AM
📚What We\’re Reading📚
Hey everyone! So, I decided to go ahead with this idea for all us bookworm Beanies out there!
I just finished John Green\’s The Anthropocene Reviewed, which I thought was a delightful collection of essays. I don\’t often read essays or memoirs or really anything nonfiction, and when I do it\’s a nice change of pace for me. Oddly enough, I realized this is my first time actually reading John Green after so many years of being familiar with him and Hank on the internet! I\’ll definitely get around to reading his fiction works… some day, at least. I have over 500 books on my TBR. 😶
At the beginning of this year I decided to read all of Brandon Sanderson\’s Cosmere, and roughly every other book or so I\’ve been reading has been a Cosmere book (if anyone\’s curious, my favorites so far are Elantris, the first Mistborn book, and both The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance–super excited to get to the 3rd Stormlight Archive book!). I\’ve been reading by publication date because that\’s the kind of person I am.
So anyway, last night I started Secret History, which basically fills us in on some of the stuff happening between Mistborn books… kind of. Saying anything else would be spoiler-y. I\’m honestly super into all of the little interconnecting things Sanderson is doing in these books. You definitely don\’t NEED to read every single one of his worlds/series to understand the others, but being able to catch the Easter eggs and gain a deeper understanding of things is something I really like because I\’m a big ol\’ nerd. Reading this book has been really fun so far, especially since it centers around a character we haven\’t seen for a while and who I really enjoy.
So, what have you all been reading lately? I hope your weekend has been going well! 💖
Skiee
May 19, 2024 at 10:46 AM
Can you recommend me some books, I used to read but not have been for a long time.. I like books that have simple language , don’t want to search the meaning of every word I read 😉..But I do want to improve my vocabulary so somewhere in the middle hehehe..
I want to read something light about life or anything like that..I do like to watch romances but for some reason I haven’t found the right romantic book for me.. I also like crime novels.. It would be a great help if you have some recommendations 😊
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
May 19, 2024 at 1:12 PM
Except for academic stuff I usually don’t read books in English. I only started doing it last year.
I read Camus in Spanish, so Idk if the English translations are complicated, but I would say he’s easy to read (regarding the vocabulary).
La Caída (“the fall” in English, I guess, but don’t trust my translation) could be a fun read.
Btw, I have noticed that reading a book (in English) while listening to the audio book helps me not get lost even if I don’t understand all the words. Maybe that can help you too.
Skiee
May 20, 2024 at 3:11 AM
Thank you ❤️🤎🩷
mindy
May 20, 2024 at 8:15 AM
Thanks Tabong! I think my taste doesn’t quite align with what Skiee was looking for haha.
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
May 19, 2024 at 12:51 PM
I have a friend that’s obsessed with Sanderson. I told him I was going to read Mistborn… six years ago. T.T but I’ve made up my mind I’ll start it this year! 😂
I’m just reading random stuff these days, so today I started “She Who Became the Sun”. I love the main character already.
mindy
May 20, 2024 at 8:20 AM
Haha! I was the same way! Actually, I read the first one a few years ago and really enjoyed it but didn’t continue at the time. Now I’m in deep and having a blast, personally!
I really enjoyed She Who Became the Sun as well as the sequel! Glad you like it so far.
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
May 20, 2024 at 10:21 AM
I’m waiting for the right timing, haha. But I have the feeling I’m going to love it too.
Isa is always time travelling
May 19, 2024 at 1:27 PM
I’m reading She and her Cat, by Makoto Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa.
I started it just yesterday but so far it’s very nice and sweet.
mindy
May 20, 2024 at 8:21 AM
That sounds lovely! I have been meaning to read more Japanese authors. It seems like Japanese literature has become really popular lately.
kiara
May 19, 2024 at 7:38 PM
Brandon Sanderson is our family’s favorite author. We are reading “The Way of Kings,” but I’m lagging behind because I prefer to watch films or dramas.
mindy
May 20, 2024 at 8:27 AM
How fun!! I will say it took me a bit to get into The Way of Kings, but once it caught me and I got used to all the POVs I had a great time, and I was ALL IN for Words of Radiance!
I tend to go through phases of reading vs. watching dramas. Honestly, my brain seems to like books more, but I also get dangerously addicted to them in a way that I don’t for dramas, haha.
kiara
May 20, 2024 at 9:44 AM
Thanks to your post, I’ll start reading it today! 😊
mindy
May 18, 2024 at 5:02 PM
Frankly Speaking ep 2: Man, it’s so nice to see Kang Han-na in such a vibrant role! She has been stuck in the “ice queen second lead” role for so long, it’s a breath of fresh air to see her in a role like this.
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 18, 2024 at 5:20 PM
I am really happy to see her as a lead and play such an awesome character. Her expressions are wonderful and she is endearingly cute rather than annoyingly cute (if that makes sense).
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦞
May 18, 2024 at 5:23 PM
It makes perfect sense! And is perfectly true!! 😁👍
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 9:32 AM
Echoing Hopeful here. 💯👌
mindy
May 18, 2024 at 4:06 PM
Frankly Speaking ep 1: Go Kyung-pyo’s a national treasure. That is all.
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦞
May 18, 2024 at 4:27 PM
I think I could watch a whole drama, without sound, just watching him make faces 👌
mindy
May 18, 2024 at 4:55 PM
Seriously!! His shocked Pikachu face is so funny to me. I kept staring at him wondering who he reminded me of and I think it’s half shocked Pikachu and, oddly enough, half Lee Pace in Pushing Daisies. They tilt their heads with their mouths open in a weirdly similar way, LOL.
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦞
May 18, 2024 at 5:22 PM
Oh My gosh!!! That’s so accurate!!! 😮I just love watching him react to things!!
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 9:34 AM
I could watch 16 hours of him with surround sound as he reads aloud during *poetry hour*. 😍🤣❤
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 18, 2024 at 4:57 PM
He is adorable 🥰
mindy
May 18, 2024 at 10:55 AM
Okay, Beanies, I\’m sleep-deprived with a million responsibilities begging for my attention and a million books from the library to read, which of course means that I\’m going to reach for TV instead.
So, I\’m asking a stupidly open and non-specific question to you all: Besides The Atypical Family, what show(s) should I be watching right now?
vienibenmio
May 18, 2024 at 11:47 AM
I like Frankly Speaking
mindy
May 18, 2024 at 2:19 PM
Tuning in now! Thank you!
RenOIshi
May 18, 2024 at 3:42 PM
Lovely Runner ❤️
Frankly Speaking is a drop for me unfortunately.
I also started a weekender to ‘have something to watch’ – Beauty and Mr Romantic
mindy
May 18, 2024 at 4:08 PM
Sadly, Lovely Runner was a drop for me!
I’ve yet to meet a weekender I find worth my time but I’ll take note of Beauty and Mr. Romantic, thanks!
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 18, 2024 at 5:50 PM
Comment was deleted
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 18, 2024 at 5:57 PM
You do know ‘Crash’ is airing right??
mindy
May 16, 2024 at 1:02 PM
Also, as my favorite young actor Lee Re officially turned 18 recently (absolutely insane, how does time fly so fast?!), it seems like The Atypical Family and See You in My 19th Life\’s Park So-yi is competing with The Kidnapping Day\’s Yuna for that spot in my heart. I can\’t wait to see what they do next, and I can\’t wait for Lee Re to get more of the lead roles she deserves now that she\’s growing up!
Dramaland sure knows how to pick its young talent, but I think it often does a bad job at fostering them and letting them grow (not to mention the terrible things that youth in every entertainment industry are at risk of facing), and I only hope for the best for these shining stars!
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 16, 2024 at 9:41 PM
Lee Re is very good I first saw her in Hello me and then in Castaway diva last year where she was exceptional. I hope her transition into adult roles goes well she will be great in gritty character roles like IU played in Broker and My mister.
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 6:20 AM
I too wish all the best for Lee Re … may she find happiness and success in whatever she chooses to do in her career. ❤😊
mindy
May 16, 2024 at 12:52 PM
First off, I\’m sorry for keeping everyone hanging with my last post! Life seems to keep getting away from me. I promise that one day I will keep my promises.
But anyway… I\’m kinda-sorta watching stuff now, as in I am watching a grand total of one (1) drama. And somehow it\’s not the \”fluffy\” time slip romance drama with the brilliant Kim Hye-yoon that everyone else is watching (I just got kinda bored of it, okay?!).
I find it so curious that The Atypical Family feels fresh despite having so many of the markings of your typical k-dramas. The male lead from a rich family, the female lead from a poor one. The traumatic pasts. The superhero powers that seem to be more and more common in dramas as time goes by. The broken families. The \”time travel\” element. The past connection.
So what is it that makes it feel unique? Is it the conwoman female lead? Is it the widower male lead? Is it the brutally flawed yet sympathetic characters? Is it the odd directing style that is somehow simultaneously a bit elegant while also being a bit grungy? Maybe all of the above and more?
It\’s somehow quite unlike anything I have watched before, and as someone who has been watching k-dramas for practically half of my life now, I can\’t remember the last time a drama felt new to me. The show doesn\’t grab me and give me that high that many of my favorite dramas do, but I feel this odd sense of ease and pleasure while watching it for some reason. I can\’t quite describe it, but I enjoy it and all of its oddity.
I think it helps that I\’m not quite sure where the drama is headed, and I\’m happy to let it show me.
Also, Chun Woo-hee is beautiful and contains multitudes.
Isa is always time travelling
May 16, 2024 at 2:02 PM
It seems this drama has divided beanieland into those of us who think this show is interesting and quite different (for everything you said) and those who totally dislike it.
I’m in the first group 😊
mindy
May 16, 2024 at 2:23 PM
I’ll be honest, I found some of the comments on the first recap to be… a lot. I am, of course, not saying that shows like this portray flawed people with generation trauma, depression, alcoholism, etc. realistically, but the way people so easily write off even fictional characters and call them worthless, incapable of change, and even suggesting they should just die came across as incredibly callous to me.
TV is not real life, but if people can’t even give fictional characters grace, give them the opportunity to make mistakes but also find their way, how can we ever be capable of giving real people that grace?
And to be clear, I am not saying that people need to like watching damaged, flawed characters. For many people that is not what they go to fiction for and that is totally fine! But it’s the comments from people who DO watch and view these flawed characters so cruelly that give me pause.
Speaking as someone who HAS struggled with mental health, we exist in real life and we deserve to live. And seeing the overly cruel comments directed towards fictional characters whose struggles and experiences mirror those of real people can be very disheartening.
bong-soo
May 16, 2024 at 4:26 PM
Thanks Mindy for your thoughts on THE ATYPICAL FAMILY. It is such an interesting and unusual drama. I figure by episode 4 those whose cup of tea it isn’t will probably have dropped it.
If you think some of the first TAF recap comments were rough wait until (if and when) the recap for the first episodes of DARE TO LOVE ME is released. Buckle your seat belts.
I am enjoying both so I will be sticking with both dramas.
Ally
May 16, 2024 at 4:49 PM
Hi Mindy! Glad to see you’re back watching something! I, too, am enjoying the directorial and artistic choices that Atypical family is giving me. I didn’t really read the recaps for 1-2 at all, but did read 3-4 and left a comment as well. Gone are the days that I would read every line of the recap and comment accordingly. Ain’t got no time for that. I’m loving the musical direction of this show too, for the most part. See you around!
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
May 16, 2024 at 9:59 PM
Welcome back, life happens so we all accept that beanies come and go.
Did you still want to do the weekly What we’re reading? If so is it going to be hosted on your wall or the Open Thread and are you doing it on a Saturday too or will you opt for mid week to avoid the weekend site glitches?
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 6:17 AM
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the drama. It is quite a refreshing chance.
Also we literally watch dramas to see our characters grow … what would a drama be if all the characters are perfect from the get-go.
🌸 Seeker 🌸
May 19, 2024 at 6:17 AM
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