I’ve been in a k drama slump of late and because this has never happened to me before I’ve been trying to figure out why. I thought it was because I started a new book series and therefore didn’t have time for dramas and while that’s a part of it, it’s certainly not all of it. Today, I realized why I took a step back from Korean dramas. It started with the mess that was Backstreet Rookie then ended with Sam Okyere’s “controversy”. I am a black woman and while the absence of people like me in Korean dramas never bothered me, the continued disregard of black people by Koreans got to me. At one point I even agreed with the argument that South Korea is a largely homogenous country and so their treatment of black people made sense. I’ve changed my mind about that. It’s 2020 and you honestly don’t even have to try very hard to educate yourself. I just felt like South Koreans weren’t even bothering to do the bare minimum.
When they went after Sam for speaking out against racism it just further showed that they weren’t ready to accept people like me. The absence of black people didn’t bother me because I identified with other things in dramas. Turns out struggling to make it in life is a universal problem. Oh and crazy families. So there was always something in dramas for me. The problem came when I started feeling like I wasn’t valued as a human being by this society that had given me over 19 years of entertainment. Not only did they refuse to see me and mine, they completely ignored the pain they caused by their stereotypical portrayal of who they think I am. Not only that, but they also sought to silence me and mine when confronted about their racist behavior. I know it’s not all South Koreans. I know the people making dramas didn’t necessarily do anything wrong(except the makers of BR. They can go jump off a cliff), but it still bothered me enough to take a step back. I love Korean dramas but my love is warped with some serious unhappiness right now so maybe a break is in order. Maybe someday I’ll be able to watch a drama without getting mad all over again. Maybe Gong Yoo will make a drama and I will rush back into drama watching because one has to when that happens. But for now, I guess I’m stuck in slumpland.
Racism is a big issue in kdramas and for me personally but honestly you sound like me with Korea’s gender issues. I realised I’m just so tired of the way in which they portray women and portray relationships and the sheer overwhelming archaism of 80% of Korean dramas. And again it’s #notallkdramas and it’s not even all dramas. But it’s near impossible to find a romance in a Korean drama where the woman is not in an inferior position to a man in some way (if not in multiple ways) but also where the relationship isn’t childish and almost shallow.
But, yeah, Backstreet Rookie was the fucking worst. If they can make *that* drama then it starts to make me question what I’m handwaving more generally.
Anyway, Welcome to Slumpland! Stay a while.
Try not to stab anybody with your knitting.
Black woman here * raises hand *
I hear you, I see you, I feel you.
South Korea’s depiction of Black folks is a real problem and their refusal to appropriately address it is even more problematic.
and the argument that they are a homogenous country doesn’t even fly because they are EXPORTING kpop and culture. if they want to go international, they have necessarily signed up to be held accountable for their problematic portrayals (they as in the entertainment industry).
Lol yep. If Japan stays condense in their environment, then S.K can as well. But they can’t b/c they realize the Hallyu movement brings a lot of $$$ towards their country. It’s so weird honestly b/c some of their dramas would say problematic stuff, I hate it esp. when its like “Your skin is so pure/white” or sell Skin Whitening products like UGH. And then sometimes they’ll have less stereotypical roles like Tony from Itaewon Class or My Strange Hero. BSR was the worst ex. prob of showcasing awful racial stereotypes and not getting called out on it. A mess tbh, and sometimes I feel guilty consuming K-dramas b/c of this.
Koreans are able to recognize that anti-black racism exists, but not that they as a society actively play a role in it. Which baffles me.
Korean media & art has proven to be incapable of engaging in an accurate, nuanced and ethical portrayal of black people and black culture… and tbh I prefer its absence instead of its warped presence. I’m saying this as a fellow black person. This isn’t an exception to Korea, since anti-black racism is literally everwhere… but it’s especially insidious given how much Korean pop culture is actually influenced by black culture(s).
I could go on about how US imperialism has played a role in this and perpetuated white-supremacist ideals etc. but I’ll stop before this turns into a rant.
All this is to say: I feel you.
We can say this about gender and queer issues too and honestly it’s kind of depressing. Like with Graceful Family last year when you’re left thinking you’d rather these characters were completely absent than being treated this way within the text. And while I’m not watching it, I know that there was a recent ‘predatory gay’ trope in a drama. If you’re going to be this obtuse then don’t do it at all and it makes me feel sad to say that.
At times it does feel like no representation would be a lot better because what little there is of that representation simply feeds into the stereotypes, caricatures and myths that exist. Which really shouldn’t be the case in this day and age.
I’ve felt the same too, maybe no representation is better than a stereotypical one amd that too which feeds more negative stereotypes. Regarding representation of gender, race and religion I don’t know when people show the right representation in dramas, os it under pressure? Or is trendy? Or do they actually realize what’s right and feel corrected about it. I think especially gender has just become a trend and I’m not sure if the writers and pds actually feel that way. What happened to Sam O is what is happening to women in my own country. Correct someone about your identity and you’ll be horribly bashed. I still can’t believe there was a petition which said he should be deported. I love to have some wishful thinking that such people are still in the minority even if everything points that people with such thinking maybe in the majority.
Its insidious that people love Black music and culture but not the Black people behind it. I remember Sam O. and
Sam Hammington called out some comedian for wearing Blackface (2017?!!) and the comedian was a total a-hole about it and saying that there’s nothing wrong w/ what he did WTF?! I feel like Korea prob. has a Blackface incident every so often, prob. more but I don’t check for that crap. Altho I worry if any of my K-drama/K-talents have done Blackface since the attitude towards it seems to be rather dismal there. UGH.
Thank you for your post. IA. While I do enjoy K-entertainment and K-dramas, Korea has a big issue with racism and the issue with Sam has only exemplified that. The issue with Sam for one is in the back of my mind sometimes, and it makes me feel a bit bad for consuming K-dramas rn while they’ve this big racism issue given the treatment of Sam 🙁 Plus SK is a country with the fastest Wifi rate, if they’re ignorant, they can search it within a second so no excuses. Also with K-dramas explosion onto the West/Internationally, this is something that needs to be addressed. Itaewon Class should’ve been a sign for more good things to come, but one step forward and three steps backwards. But the real reason is that an Anti-Discrimination Act (Disabled/LGBTQ/Minorities/Etc) has been proposed but brought down b/c of Crazy Religious Cults/Churches having too much power with the Law/Politics that it makes it harder 🙁 Korea is prob where America was in the 50s when it comes to social issues. I feel you and I hope that you take the time off and come back to K-dramas or such when you feel ready, b/c as K-content is getting more popular, they ought to learn not to be ignorant and instead listen and work on their prejudices.
I thought the same. But then once again I was pondering why none of them even sneezed a little let alone just have an asthma episode right then and there. They were so normally breathing. My hyperallergic personality almost became envious of them 😂
I really enjoyed MPUB. I was skeptical in the beginning because I thought I was getting Hotel de Luna 2.0 when I didn’t want one but I shouldn’t have been. While there were similarities, this drama was wholly its own as were the performances.
I’ve never really enjoyed Hwang Jung-eum’s characters because her portrayal of them was not really my thing but she nailed her performance as the jaded, snarky, emotional, loving Weolju. I cried when she did because there was always deep-seated emotion accompanying her tears.
I also loved the team dynamics and the way Weolju and Manager Gwi just seamlessly adopted Kang-bae into their family.
I have questions, as I do with almost every drama but all in all, I’m happy the drama was what it was. It was a wonderfully sweet depiction of how life, at its hardest, is a lot more bearable when you have people you love and who love you by your side.
I know! I’ve been recommending Healer to friends in the US and they can’t access it. Such a shame. In India, full episodes of Healer are available on Netflix, Viki AND Youtube (on KBS’ official channel)!
It’s not right. Everybody should have access to Healer. It’s the law. And they also have my favourite dramas: Fight My Way, Oh My Venus, Coffee Prince, Weightlifting Fairy, My Love from the Star.
I am sad, that I didn’t know about this until now, but I guess today is as good a day as any to start watching everything.
So true!! Healer is THE gateway drama for kdramas, and I’m desperately trying to convert my real-world friends into addicts (to give me fangirling company outside of DB) but these darned streaming services are not helping…
The King was not a horrible drama. It wasn’t perfect and by no stretch of the imagination was the love story, “Another level of a love story”, BUT I will not consign it to the Hall of shame.
It was an alright drama. I laughed at some parts, rolled my eyes at others and scratched my head the rest of the time and that was enough for me.
I was just happy we didn’t get another last episode with amnesia, getting to know each other again, fall in love again etc… So basically the whole drama told again in one episode.
My personal explanation was that she could remember since she was between the world. For me that would make sense at least a little bit, but I actually didn’t care this much anymore.
I was so disappointed honestly. She was established as such a likable heroin, I was really rooting for her but then she goes and does this. Ughh. She’s 40 and she’s been on the other side of this kinda situation so I don’t think there are any excuses for her..
What really surprised me was her being into him. Come on, girl! The guy
reads books -yes, that’s hot- but he’s a human red flag!
But my guess is that there is a lot of growing involved, so she needs to touch bottom before she starts evolving
She made me so mad tbh. I thought she was going to kimchi-slap him or something but then her hormones took over. This is the 3rd episode you maybe you’re right and she’ll grow out of this madness.
Side note: I want to live in his library preferably without him in it.
“She’ll grow out of it” but that’s the thing she’s 40 so she has had all the exposure and she’s been in a similar situation and if that doesn’t stop her from jumping into this then I don’t think anything can. She should have had all the growth (regarding cheating and not daiting someone who is clearly two timing) by now. There are really no excuses.
I also think there’s a lot more (about almost every character!!) to learn.
I could understand saying: ok, I’m in. Once you’ve had that talk to your girlfriend (just as her unnie was telling her in her head), but she didn’t.
Having said that, she’s free to do whatever she wants. The only one who’s doing something wrong is him.
And it’s so, so, so wrong.
@eazal, clear as water: she’s free to be with whoever she chooses! He is the cowardly cheating piece of trash. “Drifting apart”, oh please!
What I mean by her touching bottom is that having a fling with your two-timing boss is clearly a lame move, one way or another.
And, yes, I agree that we’re still missing key information here, so my judgement may change 😋
I don’t agree with this part. If she didn’t know he had a girlfriend I’d give her a pass. The reason she broke up with her boyfriend all those years ago was because he was two-timing her. It hurt her and now she’s doing it to someone else. That guy is trash because he did not break up with his girlfriend(unless I missed it?) and is now sleeping with younger Sister but she’s no victim either.
Disclaimer, this is a totally personal opinion, not going to argue with anybody who feels differently:
what she’s doing is wrong, because she knows her actions affect the girlfriend (whom she hasn’t met) – and definitely it’s shocking that she does that after having been through what she did with her ex. But strictly speaking, HE is the cheater here.
Sorry if I sound callous, but I grew up in a culture where it women were systematicaly judged more harshly than men. If a married guy cheated, people would hate the mistress and let the guy off the hook. It took women a lot of work to earn sexual autonomy, and I can’t feel judgy towards this character. Little Noona is being reckless – she’s not looking after other people nor her own heart. If she was my friend or my sister, I’d definitely give her a hearfull. But what she’s doing is definitely less trashy than what Boss is doing. To my eyes, they are not the same.
Totally agree with you.
Also, personal opinion.
The cheater and the one who’s doing right is always the person who has a commitment with other person. If someone is free, he or she shouldn’t carry the burden to “think about the other one”, that’s not his/her responsibility.
As you said, I hate it when the single one (generally the woman) is more criticized as doing something wrong than the man who has a couple and who wouldn’t be cheating.
But again, that’s a personal conviction and no one has to agree with it.
@eazal I guess I feel differently about this. I judge both of them equally unless the party being cheated with didn’t know the person they were dating was in a relationship. The person in the relationship is definitely the cheater but the one who sleeps with them knowing this is in the same boat imo. I don’t agree with the mistress/the other party being vilified while the cheater gets off scot-free but to me, they both deserve the side-eye.
Yeah he is really trash for what he is doing. But I think he did caught her in a vulnerable moment that made her turn down her walls… Even though all the red flags are blinking at her he did made a big impression on her for what he did that night with her ex and all the sweet words. Remind me of a friend of mine that despite everyone warned her off this guy she still stayed with him before she got really burned… I guess she need to experience it herself for her to really walk away… But an article I read before the drama started stated that we gonna se a friends to lover romance between her and CH, so I guess we gonna witness her growth true this drama dealing with this beside her family trouble. 🙂
You know, I’m starting to think she’s not all that smart. I mean what did she think he was going to say? “I love me a strong woman so here’s my half of the flute and you will find Lee Gon’s piece at such and such a place.”??? This woman doesn’t seem to have the sense God gave to a flea.What a dumbo 🙄
I’m a little confused about her mom. Was she switched? I think she’s smart but smartness alone can’t win her anything. She even became the PM because of that helper and KU group. So even rn she doesn’t know much about Manpaksikjeok and has no idea that LL wants it full.
Isn’t the first rule of time travel “Don’t talk to your past self because wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff?” But then again this is Rim so he wouldn’t care.
If you kill your future self can you live past the point/age your future self had reached. Or does it only get messed up if you kill someone’s great grandfather so they are never born.
Since this is Rim from the same timeline who he killed hasn’t he just cut his time short?I can’t remember what Doctor Who or any other time travel dramas have said on this.
Same question occurred to me! I’d say he cut his time short, but now he KNOWS that reaching that moment again he’s not going to convince his past self, so he’d probably survive…
I can’t say I’m not disappointed by the lack of kisses because I am. I even went to ask Aunt Google if anyone was underage at the time of filming. I’m not crazy, I just need my kisses.
That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed Arsenal Military Academy. Gu Yanzhen is my second favorite male lead in all of dramaland. His mix of arrogant, dangerous, cute, funny, and crazy made him human enough for me to fall for him(hard). More often than not I found myself rolling my eyes at his antics and laughing my head off at the same time. He may have been mostly childish but he stepped up when it was needed of him and that made him cool in my eyes. Although I usually reign it in, I can be extra at times. I felt like I found a kindred spirit in Gu Yanzhen.
Thank you show for the laughs and the joy in the middle of all the crazy. Now I have to go and find all of Xu Kai’s work because, duh!
He was crazy, wacky, petty yet he was a warm person. He was kind and helpful to his squad. He was thoughtful. And most importantly he respected the woman he loved and respected her choices.
Yes, the show went through it’s fair share of censorship and we all understand your feels. We were so mad that the dance sequence got edited out too. I think @13infamyss posted some video of the dance or other sequences.
hueheheheh! I posted the same time as you blue. I agree with all you said about Gu-bb.
respected her choices.
It made me remember their first mission outside the academy. He had doubted Xiang Xiang’s ability to detonate bombs as she too was unsure of decision, but by the end of the series, she was the one instructing everyone on where to go and what they had do to rescue Sergeant Lv and bring down Xian Rong. And how she and Gu Yanzhen attacked the Japanese base side by side and full of confidence! I loved this equality they had going on over the course of the show.
He was never riding in to save her at every turn and I loved that. I also LOVED that when she was kidnapped she took out all her captors by herself. She was his equal and not the “little lady” which was really nice.
Oh yes! that was such a great character development for Xiang Xiang! She worked so hard at the academy to get to that level. And her showdown with Xian Rong? Or when she was on a mission to save Xiao Jun? Amazing! I felt so proud in all of her fight scenes. That’s what I liked about Xiang Xiang. She is no damsel in distress. She can save herself just fine!
Since we’re on the topic of guys who respect girls’ choices, I need to put in a good word for my other love in Arsenal: Shen Tingbai. At first I thought he’d be the overbearing tycoon, but he also respected our girl Manting. Love him <3
I love how he just let her be her crazy self. He loved her from a distance until she was ready to come to him. I do wonder though if he was stalking her or just loving her from a distance. When does it become stalking?
So, at first I thought he was stalking her, but surprisingly (for a drama character) he turned out to be a rich guy who actually works hard. So he didn’t have time to personally look out for her and often sent his cute assistant instead. I guess for me it was more important that he wasn’t clingy, just there whenever she needed him.
She always knew that he kept an eye out for her. She was completely aware. And they both had a friendship. So I didn’t think of it as stalking, rather overbearing.
Quite a lot of romantic scenes did not pass the censorship, Rue. We know at least 3 kiss scenes that did not make it. 🙁 And that’s why there were weird editing and transitions happening here and there.
I`m glad you have enjoyed AMA!!! Gu Yanzhen set a new ideal male lead for me! I want them now to be funny, crazy, witty yet at the same time have respect for the woman they love.
After this drama, we all now look for crazy wacky male leads. Lol.
If you are up for it I suggest Taiwanese show Love Storm (Netflix US) and would like to introduce you to Greg Hsu aka GregO. Another male lead who completely stole our hearts. He is not the main lead but totally worth checking out. The drama is short with 7 episodes.
The Legends, unfortunately, wasn’t that great of drama. I only watched it for Xu Kai and Bai Lu. But I know beanies enjoyed Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain and I heard he was amazing in Story of Yanxi Palace. I haven’t seen Yanxi but I know that cemented his name in China; it was so popular.
Xu Kai’s first ever modern drama, Falling Into Your Smile, just finished filming this year. So I`m hoping that gets released at least by next year!
Netflix only has Lingjian Mountain so I guess I’ll start with that one and go elsewhere for the others. I just want more of him. He is such a good actor.
Dang it, I know bad things happen to good people all the time. I know good people die all the time but this is not what I signed up for. WHY would they kill Huang Song??? I know the emotional weight would not have been as heavy if they had killed bully-whats-his-name but I’m so heartbroken 😭😭😭
Ooooofff!! yes this was a very hard watch! 😭😭😭 And the fact that he had sooo many dreams for his family and then for himself that he didn’t see come true because his life was cut short! 😭😭😭
For me, it hurt that he never found out the truth about his crush. He was such a good guy that I doubt he would have cared if his friend Xie Xiang was a boy or girl, but still, I wish he had known!
Auuuuuuugh this scene is one of the funniest!!!!!! I remember repeating this scene constantly because Gu Yanzhen’s face! Oh gosh and it doesn’t help that Huang Song trying to make sense out of the “younger twin sister” is making Gu Yanzhen crack up more! Huehheheheheheh!
I love how the two girls just kept digging themselves into a hole and he is just having fun on the side. I may or may not have hit that repeat button too(a couple hundred times). I’m going to need a seperate folder just for the screenshots I’m taking, which honestly seems to be every scene he is in.
Huehehehhehehehe! You sound exactly like us when we started AMA, Rue! 😅😅😅😅😅😅 You’re going the right path I would say 👍🏼👍🏼 Keep sharing those screenshots with us on your wall please! Don’t keep Gu Yanzhen all to yourself! 😝😝😝
Huehehhehe! You don’t have to do like multiple separate posts! What I usually do is post at least once a day then have the rest of my pics/gifs in the comments, that way i`m not inconveniencing anyone while spazzing 😃😃
Yeah this was the most shocking revelation so far. Out of all the people around Gon, I have never doubted Court Lady Noh. This means the world crossing had happened long before Evil Uncle made his moves. Maybe the royal family has been using the Magic Flute through and through to maintain their status? I can’t wait to find out!
Maybe it IS the 3rd lead..after all, out of all The Alleys in Seoul, how did PM end up in that one which looked to be in the suburbs when she was in the middle of town shopping before? ok dont’t answer me i know it’s a drama things don’t make sense ~ pheww.
Whose enemies, little boy? Yours? The State’s? Which State? Why do you care? Who are you to try and restore balance? Shin? Just a boy with a yoyo? So many questions!!
Also, methinks that may be Luna. That look looks a little dead to me. Could be the drugs but I’m not sure. If it is Luna, that would be awesome! That would mean our villain has a brain. Wouldn’t you believe her to be Tae-eul if she came running to you all bloodied up with a very clear and present threat all around her?
It’s probably not Luna though. And that makes me sad.
So I’m weird(?) about personal space, and hugs and physical contact. I gave my mum my first proper hug when I was 13 and she was dropping me off at boarding school(not the one arm one). To this day she is probably the only person I hug without reservation. I also prefer waving to handshakes and handshakes to hugging. Nodding is also perfectly acceptable. I used to go to this church where you had to hug EVERYBODY and their mother and I think it’s one of the main reasons why I left. I don’t like it when people I’m not friends with touch me.
All this exposition(and tmi, sorry) to say I hate it when Chi hong touches Songhwa. I really, genuinely hate it. To me it feels like he is training her: if I touch you x number of times, you will eventually fall for me too.
He promised not to make it weird and I think he made it weird. She looks uncomfortable and I don’t get why he keeps doing it. They are friendly but I wouldn’t call them friends. I just want to shout “DON’T TOUCH HER!! every time he does it. So yeah, I’m not rooting for him at all. Aslo, also she said she wasn’t interested dude.
I totally get this. It’s always felt very overfamiliar to me the way he thinks he can touch her like a close friend. I keep thinking, she’s your BOSS, man. Back off!
Yes! She has always kept that professional line between them but he keeps (literally) putting his little finger across it in the hopes that she will change her mind.
I felt for Song-hwa this entire episode. She seemed so uncomfortable with not only Chi-hong being the way that he is but also Ik-jun’s practically-confession.
Yes to this. I also don’t prefer hugging or well even holding hands when you can wave but one doesn’t need to understand that to clearly see how SH was so uncomfortable in this moment. I hope Chi hong stops this, he’s nice and all but he’s clearly pushing it now, I thought this was creepy but SH also didn’t look comfortable getting a sorta confession from IJ so this wasn’t a good episode for her, let this girl be you guys.
He is becoming a little creepy. I honestly thought his confession was cute. Then they had the talk. She said never going to happen. He said I totally respect that. And now he is making it weird.
Yes i actually felt heartbroken for him. Not that I rooted for these two but because he just gathered courage and asked her and then respected and understood her but now idk if this is just there to confuse the viewers but they’re becoming a NOTP. It doesn’t look like SH feels a thing for him except for discomfort.
He was not just crossing the line with his touching, but he was so jealous of Ik-joon being close to Song-hwa, that he had to put a wedge in their friendship by forcing that confession. Chi-hong wanted to satisfy his own feelings, and he didn’t care how Song-hwa would feel about losing her comfortable relationship with one of her best friends.
I’m the opposite. I love hugging people and I make it a point to touch (through handshake) people I just met. But this scene with Chihong is uncomfortable even for me.
That shoulder patting does cross the line – badly!
Does he want to speak banmal or plan out the shoulder pat under the banmal guise on his birthday? I can’t help but think he wants to do what IJ did in the lift.
I do like CH as a person and doctor. SH has made it very clear on more than one occasion she’s not reciprocating his feeling. I let it slip when he remove the hair from her jacket, thinking he maybe an OCD – but this? He should have noticed how uncomfortable SH is. So many marks deducted in my book.
I’m with you on the personal space boundary. Shouldn’t have crossed that line.
What I hate the most is that all of a sudden, the atmosphere between these 3 people changed drastically. Ik-Joon losing his cool is the most unpleasant thing to watch.
So this is definitely Goblin/HDL 2.0 but I like it.
Do ghosts grow up though? Or did she grow up because she was in the in-between? You can’t just age a character from one frame to another show! I need answers!
rue
September 16, 2020 at 3:32 PM
I’ve been in a k drama slump of late and because this has never happened to me before I’ve been trying to figure out why. I thought it was because I started a new book series and therefore didn’t have time for dramas and while that’s a part of it, it’s certainly not all of it. Today, I realized why I took a step back from Korean dramas. It started with the mess that was Backstreet Rookie then ended with Sam Okyere’s “controversy”. I am a black woman and while the absence of people like me in Korean dramas never bothered me, the continued disregard of black people by Koreans got to me. At one point I even agreed with the argument that South Korea is a largely homogenous country and so their treatment of black people made sense. I’ve changed my mind about that. It’s 2020 and you honestly don’t even have to try very hard to educate yourself. I just felt like South Koreans weren’t even bothering to do the bare minimum.
When they went after Sam for speaking out against racism it just further showed that they weren’t ready to accept people like me. The absence of black people didn’t bother me because I identified with other things in dramas. Turns out struggling to make it in life is a universal problem. Oh and crazy families. So there was always something in dramas for me. The problem came when I started feeling like I wasn’t valued as a human being by this society that had given me over 19 years of entertainment. Not only did they refuse to see me and mine, they completely ignored the pain they caused by their stereotypical portrayal of who they think I am. Not only that, but they also sought to silence me and mine when confronted about their racist behavior. I know it’s not all South Koreans. I know the people making dramas didn’t necessarily do anything wrong(except the makers of BR. They can go jump off a cliff), but it still bothered me enough to take a step back. I love Korean dramas but my love is warped with some serious unhappiness right now so maybe a break is in order. Maybe someday I’ll be able to watch a drama without getting mad all over again. Maybe Gong Yoo will make a drama and I will rush back into drama watching because one has to when that happens. But for now, I guess I’m stuck in slumpland.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
September 16, 2020 at 4:05 PM
Racism is a big issue in kdramas and for me personally but honestly you sound like me with Korea’s gender issues. I realised I’m just so tired of the way in which they portray women and portray relationships and the sheer overwhelming archaism of 80% of Korean dramas. And again it’s #notallkdramas and it’s not even all dramas. But it’s near impossible to find a romance in a Korean drama where the woman is not in an inferior position to a man in some way (if not in multiple ways) but also where the relationship isn’t childish and almost shallow.
But, yeah, Backstreet Rookie was the fucking worst. If they can make *that* drama then it starts to make me question what I’m handwaving more generally.
Anyway, Welcome to Slumpland! Stay a while.
Try not to stab anybody with your knitting.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
September 17, 2020 at 6:28 PM
BR was appallingly racist and stood by it to the bitter end.
KSKalways
September 16, 2020 at 5:44 PM
Black woman here * raises hand *
I hear you, I see you, I feel you.
South Korea’s depiction of Black folks is a real problem and their refusal to appropriately address it is even more problematic.
_my.river_
September 16, 2020 at 5:51 PM
and the argument that they are a homogenous country doesn’t even fly because they are EXPORTING kpop and culture. if they want to go international, they have necessarily signed up to be held accountable for their problematic portrayals (they as in the entertainment industry).
soulsearch12
September 16, 2020 at 11:52 PM
Lol yep. If Japan stays condense in their environment, then S.K can as well. But they can’t b/c they realize the Hallyu movement brings a lot of $$$ towards their country. It’s so weird honestly b/c some of their dramas would say problematic stuff, I hate it esp. when its like “Your skin is so pure/white” or sell Skin Whitening products like UGH. And then sometimes they’ll have less stereotypical roles like Tony from Itaewon Class or My Strange Hero. BSR was the worst ex. prob of showcasing awful racial stereotypes and not getting called out on it. A mess tbh, and sometimes I feel guilty consuming K-dramas b/c of this.
_my.river_
September 16, 2020 at 5:52 PM
and I am sorry by how directly this impacts you and I hear you.
Yuyuu, The Drama Queen
September 16, 2020 at 5:53 PM
Koreans are able to recognize that anti-black racism exists, but not that they as a society actively play a role in it. Which baffles me.
Korean media & art has proven to be incapable of engaging in an accurate, nuanced and ethical portrayal of black people and black culture… and tbh I prefer its absence instead of its warped presence. I’m saying this as a fellow black person. This isn’t an exception to Korea, since anti-black racism is literally everwhere… but it’s especially insidious given how much Korean pop culture is actually influenced by black culture(s).
I could go on about how US imperialism has played a role in this and perpetuated white-supremacist ideals etc. but I’ll stop before this turns into a rant.
All this is to say: I feel you.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
September 16, 2020 at 8:28 PM
We can say this about gender and queer issues too and honestly it’s kind of depressing. Like with Graceful Family last year when you’re left thinking you’d rather these characters were completely absent than being treated this way within the text. And while I’m not watching it, I know that there was a recent ‘predatory gay’ trope in a drama. If you’re going to be this obtuse then don’t do it at all and it makes me feel sad to say that.
rue
September 16, 2020 at 8:44 PM
At times it does feel like no representation would be a lot better because what little there is of that representation simply feeds into the stereotypes, caricatures and myths that exist. Which really shouldn’t be the case in this day and age.
wapz
September 17, 2020 at 8:34 AM
I’ve felt the same too, maybe no representation is better than a stereotypical one amd that too which feeds more negative stereotypes. Regarding representation of gender, race and religion I don’t know when people show the right representation in dramas, os it under pressure? Or is trendy? Or do they actually realize what’s right and feel corrected about it. I think especially gender has just become a trend and I’m not sure if the writers and pds actually feel that way. What happened to Sam O is what is happening to women in my own country. Correct someone about your identity and you’ll be horribly bashed. I still can’t believe there was a petition which said he should be deported. I love to have some wishful thinking that such people are still in the minority even if everything points that people with such thinking maybe in the majority.
soulsearch12
September 16, 2020 at 11:47 PM
Its insidious that people love Black music and culture but not the Black people behind it. I remember Sam O. and
Sam Hammington called out some comedian for wearing Blackface (2017?!!) and the comedian was a total a-hole about it and saying that there’s nothing wrong w/ what he did WTF?! I feel like Korea prob. has a Blackface incident every so often, prob. more but I don’t check for that crap. Altho I worry if any of my K-drama/K-talents have done Blackface since the attitude towards it seems to be rather dismal there. UGH.
soulsearch12
September 16, 2020 at 11:42 PM
Thank you for your post. IA. While I do enjoy K-entertainment and K-dramas, Korea has a big issue with racism and the issue with Sam has only exemplified that. The issue with Sam for one is in the back of my mind sometimes, and it makes me feel a bit bad for consuming K-dramas rn while they’ve this big racism issue given the treatment of Sam 🙁 Plus SK is a country with the fastest Wifi rate, if they’re ignorant, they can search it within a second so no excuses. Also with K-dramas explosion onto the West/Internationally, this is something that needs to be addressed. Itaewon Class should’ve been a sign for more good things to come, but one step forward and three steps backwards. But the real reason is that an Anti-Discrimination Act (Disabled/LGBTQ/Minorities/Etc) has been proposed but brought down b/c of Crazy Religious Cults/Churches having too much power with the Law/Politics that it makes it harder 🙁 Korea is prob where America was in the 50s when it comes to social issues. I feel you and I hope that you take the time off and come back to K-dramas or such when you feel ready, b/c as K-content is getting more popular, they ought to learn not to be ignorant and instead listen and work on their prejudices.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
September 17, 2020 at 6:18 PM
You may want to watch some of the videos at Skycedi on Youtube. Especially this one https://youtu.be/Alkvm8H9_hI.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
September 17, 2020 at 6:25 PM
I found their break down of the recent Sam Okyere controversy interesting.
rue
July 5, 2020 at 6:05 PM
Wo got our dust. I’m happy.
Playstore, Okay Or Not Okay
July 5, 2020 at 8:59 PM
I thought the same. But then once again I was pondering why none of them even sneezed a little let alone just have an asthma episode right then and there. They were so normally breathing. My hyperallergic personality almost became envious of them 😂
Eazal
July 6, 2020 at 12:24 AM
Me too!!
rue
July 7, 2020 at 6:09 AM
Haha, I was so happy about the dust I missed the lack of coughing.
Playstore, Okay Or Not Okay
July 7, 2020 at 7:18 AM
It would have been epic to see KSH having a coughing episode.
MeloMe
July 6, 2020 at 11:23 AM
Maybe they read our comments lol. XD
rue
June 26, 2020 at 3:59 PM
I really enjoyed MPUB. I was skeptical in the beginning because I thought I was getting Hotel de Luna 2.0 when I didn’t want one but I shouldn’t have been. While there were similarities, this drama was wholly its own as were the performances.
I’ve never really enjoyed Hwang Jung-eum’s characters because her portrayal of them was not really my thing but she nailed her performance as the jaded, snarky, emotional, loving Weolju. I cried when she did because there was always deep-seated emotion accompanying her tears.
I also loved the team dynamics and the way Weolju and Manager Gwi just seamlessly adopted Kang-bae into their family.
I have questions, as I do with almost every drama but all in all, I’m happy the drama was what it was. It was a wonderfully sweet depiction of how life, at its hardest, is a lot more bearable when you have people you love and who love you by your side.
Eazal
June 27, 2020 at 1:04 AM
I loved this show so much. It goes directly to my top 10.
rue
June 30, 2020 at 1:22 PM
I’m going to have a look at my top 10 again for sure.
rue
June 19, 2020 at 2:34 PM
No.
loveblossom🌸
June 19, 2020 at 6:12 PM
Wtf. Nooooo. 🤦🤦🤦
Possum
June 20, 2020 at 12:44 AM
Wow! Just no!
rue
June 15, 2020 at 12:19 AM
How come Netflix UK has Healer and I don’t?? Who do they know up there?? Well, I found it now so joke’s on you Netflix.
Now if only I could find Goblin so I can properly celebrate being the Goblin’s underpants that’d be nice.
pickleddragon
June 15, 2020 at 12:36 AM
I know! I’ve been recommending Healer to friends in the US and they can’t access it. Such a shame. In India, full episodes of Healer are available on Netflix, Viki AND Youtube (on KBS’ official channel)!
rue
June 15, 2020 at 12:42 AM
It’s not right. Everybody should have access to Healer. It’s the law. And they also have my favourite dramas: Fight My Way, Oh My Venus, Coffee Prince, Weightlifting Fairy, My Love from the Star.
I am sad, that I didn’t know about this until now, but I guess today is as good a day as any to start watching everything.
pickleddragon
June 15, 2020 at 12:54 AM
So true!! Healer is THE gateway drama for kdramas, and I’m desperately trying to convert my real-world friends into addicts (to give me fangirling company outside of DB) but these darned streaming services are not helping…
snowy
June 15, 2020 at 5:48 PM
Really? I’m in the US, and Healer is available on Viki.
rue
June 17, 2020 at 12:28 PM
I had no idea. I always assumed you needed a paid account to watch stuff on Viki so I never bothered to look.
snowy
June 17, 2020 at 1:06 PM
Ah, yeah. It took me a minute to figure that out myself. They have quite a lot of free shows on there; it’s nice.
pickleddragon
June 18, 2020 at 12:18 AM
They have two tiers. I am on the cheaper tier :p and in my region, a lot of the better shows on Viki are accessible.
strawberriesncreams
June 15, 2020 at 2:06 AM
Five years and many a re-watch later, my love for this drama is still going strong❤️
mugyuljoie is preciousss
June 15, 2020 at 10:36 AM
Congratulations!
rue
June 12, 2020 at 2:25 PM
The King was not a horrible drama. It wasn’t perfect and by no stretch of the imagination was the love story, “Another level of a love story”, BUT I will not consign it to the Hall of shame.
It was an alright drama. I laughed at some parts, rolled my eyes at others and scratched my head the rest of the time and that was enough for me.
rue
June 12, 2020 at 2:24 PM
Ooooor, and I’m just spitballing here, you could tell us how it happened so we know you weren’t as confused as we were.
SW unnie
June 12, 2020 at 3:20 PM
I was just happy we didn’t get another last episode with amnesia, getting to know each other again, fall in love again etc… So basically the whole drama told again in one episode.
My personal explanation was that she could remember since she was between the world. For me that would make sense at least a little bit, but I actually didn’t care this much anymore.
parkchuna 🍉
June 13, 2020 at 1:13 AM
It seems the one who remembers is Gon, Yeong and TE so yeah the theory is plausible.
rue
June 9, 2020 at 10:14 AM
Ugh, you two deserve each other. This is what I get for trusting humans. Now I have to find something else to watch.
MeloMe
June 9, 2020 at 1:27 PM
I was so disappointed honestly. She was established as such a likable heroin, I was really rooting for her but then she goes and does this. Ughh. She’s 40 and she’s been on the other side of this kinda situation so I don’t think there are any excuses for her..
rue
June 9, 2020 at 1:31 PM
Yes! Given that when it happened to her she was heartbroken, she should have found it easy to put herself in the girlfriend’s shoes and not done it.
liar song #PuppyNotPuppyLeeJaeWookIsBack
June 9, 2020 at 6:51 PM
This show has been making me question my moral compass since day 1. I kept screaming “Don’t do it! DON’T DO IT!” in front of my screen.
rue
June 9, 2020 at 9:51 AM
Sir, if this is the best you can do after “much thinking and consideration”, then just don’t think at all. You’re clearly bad at it.
WishfulToki
June 9, 2020 at 10:42 AM
Oh no! I was going to watch this for Shin Dong-wook! Is he playing a good for nothing annoying second lead?
rue
June 9, 2020 at 10:58 AM
He is, unfortunately.
WishfulToki
June 9, 2020 at 12:27 PM
😭
Eazal
June 9, 2020 at 12:29 PM
I don’t think he’s a second lead, in fact.
Fly Colours
June 9, 2020 at 11:14 AM
What really surprised me was her being into him. Come on, girl! The guy
reads books -yes, that’s hot- but he’s a human red flag!
But my guess is that there is a lot of growing involved, so she needs to touch bottom before she starts evolving
rue
June 9, 2020 at 11:21 AM
She made me so mad tbh. I thought she was going to kimchi-slap him or something but then her hormones took over. This is the 3rd episode you maybe you’re right and she’ll grow out of this madness.
Side note: I want to live in his library preferably without him in it.
MeloMe
June 9, 2020 at 1:33 PM
“She’ll grow out of it” but that’s the thing she’s 40 so she has had all the exposure and she’s been in a similar situation and if that doesn’t stop her from jumping into this then I don’t think anything can. She should have had all the growth (regarding cheating and not daiting someone who is clearly two timing) by now. There are really no excuses.
Eazal
June 9, 2020 at 12:32 PM
I also think there’s a lot more (about almost every character!!) to learn.
I could understand saying: ok, I’m in. Once you’ve had that talk to your girlfriend (just as her unnie was telling her in her head), but she didn’t.
Having said that, she’s free to do whatever she wants. The only one who’s doing something wrong is him.
And it’s so, so, so wrong.
Fly Colours
June 9, 2020 at 1:16 PM
@eazal, clear as water: she’s free to be with whoever she chooses! He is the cowardly cheating piece of trash. “Drifting apart”, oh please!
What I mean by her touching bottom is that having a fling with your two-timing boss is clearly a lame move, one way or another.
And, yes, I agree that we’re still missing key information here, so my judgement may change 😋
rue
June 9, 2020 at 1:18 PM
I don’t agree with this part. If she didn’t know he had a girlfriend I’d give her a pass. The reason she broke up with her boyfriend all those years ago was because he was two-timing her. It hurt her and now she’s doing it to someone else. That guy is trash because he did not break up with his girlfriend(unless I missed it?) and is now sleeping with younger Sister but she’s no victim either.
MeloMe
June 9, 2020 at 1:34 PM
Agreed 100%.
Fly Colours
June 9, 2020 at 1:41 PM
Disclaimer, this is a totally personal opinion, not going to argue with anybody who feels differently:
what she’s doing is wrong, because she knows her actions affect the girlfriend (whom she hasn’t met) – and definitely it’s shocking that she does that after having been through what she did with her ex. But strictly speaking, HE is the cheater here.
Sorry if I sound callous, but I grew up in a culture where it women were systematicaly judged more harshly than men. If a married guy cheated, people would hate the mistress and let the guy off the hook. It took women a lot of work to earn sexual autonomy, and I can’t feel judgy towards this character. Little Noona is being reckless – she’s not looking after other people nor her own heart. If she was my friend or my sister, I’d definitely give her a hearfull. But what she’s doing is definitely less trashy than what Boss is doing. To my eyes, they are not the same.
Eazal
June 9, 2020 at 1:55 PM
Totally agree with you.
Also, personal opinion.
The cheater and the one who’s doing right is always the person who has a commitment with other person. If someone is free, he or she shouldn’t carry the burden to “think about the other one”, that’s not his/her responsibility.
As you said, I hate it when the single one (generally the woman) is more criticized as doing something wrong than the man who has a couple and who wouldn’t be cheating.
But again, that’s a personal conviction and no one has to agree with it.
rue
June 9, 2020 at 2:05 PM
@eazal I guess I feel differently about this. I judge both of them equally unless the party being cheated with didn’t know the person they were dating was in a relationship. The person in the relationship is definitely the cheater but the one who sleeps with them knowing this is in the same boat imo. I don’t agree with the mistress/the other party being vilified while the cheater gets off scot-free but to me, they both deserve the side-eye.
sal
June 9, 2020 at 2:10 PM
Yeah he is really trash for what he is doing. But I think he did caught her in a vulnerable moment that made her turn down her walls… Even though all the red flags are blinking at her he did made a big impression on her for what he did that night with her ex and all the sweet words. Remind me of a friend of mine that despite everyone warned her off this guy she still stayed with him before she got really burned… I guess she need to experience it herself for her to really walk away… But an article I read before the drama started stated that we gonna se a friends to lover romance between her and CH, so I guess we gonna witness her growth true this drama dealing with this beside her family trouble. 🙂
Mani-chan
June 13, 2020 at 8:07 AM
I was thinking of giving this show a shot but not after this. Sorry I can’t bear this
rue
June 13, 2020 at 9:48 AM
I’ve officially put in on hold. If something changes in the drama then I’ll pick it up when it finishes airing.
rue
June 6, 2020 at 3:22 PM
You know, I’m starting to think she’s not all that smart. I mean what did she think he was going to say? “I love me a strong woman so here’s my half of the flute and you will find Lee Gon’s piece at such and such a place.”??? This woman doesn’t seem to have the sense God gave to a flea.What a dumbo 🙄
wapz
June 6, 2020 at 3:30 PM
I’m a little confused about her mom. Was she switched? I think she’s smart but smartness alone can’t win her anything. She even became the PM because of that helper and KU group. So even rn she doesn’t know much about Manpaksikjeok and has no idea that LL wants it full.
rue
June 6, 2020 at 3:35 PM
Either her mom is very forgetful or she was switched. I’m going with switched.
zgs1994
June 6, 2020 at 6:00 PM
“This woman doesn’t seem to have the sense God gave to a flea.”
This made my entire day! 😀
gem28
June 6, 2020 at 7:39 PM
This bitch be dumb! Should be her tagline.
kiara
June 6, 2020 at 8:06 PM
Greed, in the end fails even the greedy.
rue
June 5, 2020 at 12:50 PM
Isn’t the first rule of time travel “Don’t talk to your past self because wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff?” But then again this is Rim so he wouldn’t care.
Spoilery question in comments.
rue
June 5, 2020 at 12:54 PM
If you kill your future self can you live past the point/age your future self had reached. Or does it only get messed up if you kill someone’s great grandfather so they are never born.
Since this is Rim from the same timeline who he killed hasn’t he just cut his time short?I can’t remember what Doctor Who or any other time travel dramas have said on this.
WishfulToki
June 5, 2020 at 1:02 PM
I’m afraid I can’t help. My mind went ERROR 404 NOT FOUND during most of this episode. 😅
rue
June 5, 2020 at 1:17 PM
😂 Same.
tsutsuloo
June 5, 2020 at 1:24 PM
😂😂😂
Fly Colours
June 6, 2020 at 12:15 AM
Same question occurred to me! I’d say he cut his time short, but now he KNOWS that reaching that moment again he’s not going to convince his past self, so he’d probably survive…
rue
June 1, 2020 at 4:58 PM
I can’t say I’m not disappointed by the lack of kisses because I am. I even went to ask Aunt Google if anyone was underage at the time of filming. I’m not crazy, I just need my kisses.
That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed Arsenal Military Academy. Gu Yanzhen is my second favorite male lead in all of dramaland. His mix of arrogant, dangerous, cute, funny, and crazy made him human enough for me to fall for him(hard). More often than not I found myself rolling my eyes at his antics and laughing my head off at the same time. He may have been mostly childish but he stepped up when it was needed of him and that made him cool in my eyes. Although I usually reign it in, I can be extra at times. I felt like I found a kindred spirit in Gu Yanzhen.
Thank you show for the laughs and the joy in the middle of all the crazy. Now I have to go and find all of Xu Kai’s work because, duh!
Blue (@mayhemf)
June 1, 2020 at 6:13 PM
He was crazy, wacky, petty yet he was a warm person. He was kind and helpful to his squad. He was thoughtful. And most importantly he respected the woman he loved and respected her choices.
Yes, the show went through it’s fair share of censorship and we all understand your feels. We were so mad that the dance sequence got edited out too. I think @13infamyss posted some video of the dance or other sequences.
So, who is your number one male lead?? 🤨
rue
June 1, 2020 at 6:27 PM
Hihi, Lee Joon ho from Prison Playbook is reigning at the number one spot.
Stupid censorship messed things up 😡
13infamyss
June 1, 2020 at 6:33 PM
hueheheheh! I posted the same time as you blue. I agree with all you said about Gu-bb.
It made me remember their first mission outside the academy. He had doubted Xiang Xiang’s ability to detonate bombs as she too was unsure of decision, but by the end of the series, she was the one instructing everyone on where to go and what they had do to rescue Sergeant Lv and bring down Xian Rong. And how she and Gu Yanzhen attacked the Japanese base side by side and full of confidence! I loved this equality they had going on over the course of the show.
rue
June 1, 2020 at 6:36 PM
He was never riding in to save her at every turn and I loved that. I also LOVED that when she was kidnapped she took out all her captors by herself. She was his equal and not the “little lady” which was really nice.
13infamyss
June 1, 2020 at 6:46 PM
Oh yes! that was such a great character development for Xiang Xiang! She worked so hard at the academy to get to that level. And her showdown with Xian Rong? Or when she was on a mission to save Xiao Jun? Amazing! I felt so proud in all of her fight scenes. That’s what I liked about Xiang Xiang. She is no damsel in distress. She can save herself just fine!
WishfulToki
June 1, 2020 at 8:07 PM
Since we’re on the topic of guys who respect girls’ choices, I need to put in a good word for my other love in Arsenal: Shen Tingbai. At first I thought he’d be the overbearing tycoon, but he also respected our girl Manting. Love him <3
rue
June 1, 2020 at 8:10 PM
I love how he just let her be her crazy self. He loved her from a distance until she was ready to come to him. I do wonder though if he was stalking her or just loving her from a distance. When does it become stalking?
WishfulToki
June 1, 2020 at 8:19 PM
So, at first I thought he was stalking her, but surprisingly (for a drama character) he turned out to be a rich guy who actually works hard. So he didn’t have time to personally look out for her and often sent his cute assistant instead. I guess for me it was more important that he wasn’t clingy, just there whenever she needed him.
Blue (@mayhemf)
June 2, 2020 at 4:58 AM
She always knew that he kept an eye out for her. She was completely aware. And they both had a friendship. So I didn’t think of it as stalking, rather overbearing.
13infamyss
June 1, 2020 at 6:20 PM
I hope you didn’t miss the beautiful dance scene in ep 16 that they horribly cut!!! http://www.dramabeans.com/members/13infamyss/activity/923673/
Quite a lot of romantic scenes did not pass the censorship, Rue. We know at least 3 kiss scenes that did not make it. 🙁 And that’s why there were weird editing and transitions happening here and there.
I`m glad you have enjoyed AMA!!! Gu Yanzhen set a new ideal male lead for me! I want them now to be funny, crazy, witty yet at the same time have respect for the woman they love.
rue
June 1, 2020 at 6:31 PM
Same. They need to be like him. My choices are smarmy or the ones that think I’m “good people” 🙄.
Blue (@mayhemf)
June 2, 2020 at 5:01 AM
After this drama, we all now look for crazy wacky male leads. Lol.
If you are up for it I suggest Taiwanese show Love Storm (Netflix US) and would like to introduce you to Greg Hsu aka GregO. Another male lead who completely stole our hearts. He is not the main lead but totally worth checking out. The drama is short with 7 episodes.
13infamyss
June 1, 2020 at 6:36 PM
Xu Kai and Bai Lu are headlining a drama for the 3rd time! They haven’t filmed yet, but I’m very excited for this to come out!
As for the lack AMA kiss scenes – I just find consolation from watching their The Legends’ kiss scenes. TT_____TT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPZqcjNsQ34
rue
June 1, 2020 at 6:39 PM
Lol I’ll have to start with The Legends then.
13infamyss
June 1, 2020 at 6:52 PM
The Legends, unfortunately, wasn’t that great of drama. I only watched it for Xu Kai and Bai Lu. But I know beanies enjoyed Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain and I heard he was amazing in Story of Yanxi Palace. I haven’t seen Yanxi but I know that cemented his name in China; it was so popular.
Xu Kai’s first ever modern drama, Falling Into Your Smile, just finished filming this year. So I`m hoping that gets released at least by next year!
rue
June 1, 2020 at 6:56 PM
Netflix only has Lingjian Mountain so I guess I’ll start with that one and go elsewhere for the others. I just want more of him. He is such a good actor.
rue
June 1, 2020 at 6:37 PM
Why would they cut the dance scene??😭😭 It’s just dancing. Beautiful dancing 🥺
13infamyss
June 1, 2020 at 6:48 PM
Tell me about it. I`ll forever be haunted of the scenes they censored! 😭😭😭😭 And how some of them I have no clue about!
WishfulToki
June 1, 2020 at 8:12 PM
Gu Beanies when they get to the weirdly edited scenes that you just know have been censored.
WishfulToki
June 1, 2020 at 8:00 PM
I don’t know. 😭I was so mad they cut that beautiful dance and we got the full 3 minutes of Shen Junshan’s dance.
rue
June 1, 2020 at 8:07 PM
Ugh, just ridiculous!
halfmoon
June 1, 2020 at 11:01 PM
🤔 look at calendar 🙈 scratch head… But… Didn’t you start AMA like… 3-4 days ago?!
rue
June 2, 2020 at 5:12 AM
Lol, it’s pretty much all I watched since I started and I skipped the scenes with just the baddies.
rue
June 1, 2020 at 12:08 PM
WTAF show??? 😭😭😭😭😭😭. Arsenal Military Academy spoilery rant in comments.
rue
June 1, 2020 at 12:08 PM
Dang it, I know bad things happen to good people all the time. I know good people die all the time but this is not what I signed up for. WHY would they kill Huang Song??? I know the emotional weight would not have been as heavy if they had killed bully-whats-his-name but I’m so heartbroken 😭😭😭
WishfulToki
June 1, 2020 at 12:59 PM
Wait, you’re at episode 43? Did you sleep this weekend?
And I know… show got heavy that episode. Poor Huang Song. *sob*
rue
June 1, 2020 at 1:26 PM
What is sleep? Lol, kidding…sort of. I just watched it during every lunch break at work then after work until I went to sleep.
😭😭😭Huang Song. The show just hurt me deeply. It’s not right.
13infamyss
June 1, 2020 at 6:39 PM
Ooooofff!! yes this was a very hard watch! 😭😭😭 And the fact that he had sooo many dreams for his family and then for himself that he didn’t see come true because his life was cut short! 😭😭😭
rue
June 1, 2020 at 6:46 PM
It was awful. He was such a ray of sunshine in that crappy world. I wanted to hug him in every scene. 😭😭
WishfulToki
June 1, 2020 at 8:23 PM
For me, it hurt that he never found out the truth about his crush. He was such a good guy that I doubt he would have cared if his friend Xie Xiang was a boy or girl, but still, I wish he had known!
rue
June 1, 2020 at 8:29 PM
I’m ok with him not knowing. Had he lived then yes, but I’m glad he carried only sweet memories of the girl he crushed on with him.
WishfulToki
June 1, 2020 at 9:00 PM
😭😭
halfmoon
June 1, 2020 at 10:58 PM
I know, right? Why?!
rue
June 2, 2020 at 5:14 AM
I stopped watching then went to angry-bake for a while. I was so mad and sad.
rue
May 29, 2020 at 4:52 PM
I’m doomed. Doomed.
halfmoon
May 29, 2020 at 5:17 PM
Uh oh !
rue
May 29, 2020 at 5:30 PM
It’s bad. He is…. I love him 😭😭
13infamyss
May 29, 2020 at 6:56 PM
I… We love him too, Rue!!!!
This was the first time I fell in love with Gu Yanzhen! 😍😍😍😍😍
He grabbed my heart just like that!
halfmoon
May 29, 2020 at 7:01 PM
*whispers* view @13infamyss wall at your own risk. But ohh the content 😍…
13infamyss
May 29, 2020 at 7:15 PM
Huehehhehehe and there are tons on @azzo1 @kudoran @wishfultoki as well! 😅
Kudo Ran
May 30, 2020 at 12:19 PM
“oh a tag from Famy, what is it about ?”
see the reason
“haha not even surprised 😆”
13infamyss
May 30, 2020 at 12:22 PM
HUEHEHEHEHHEHE! of course Kudo @kudoran whatelse would it be? 😛😛😛 Almost all the Gu goodies are on your wall.
rue
May 30, 2020 at 2:08 AM
I’m going to get to (around) the halfway mark before I attempt that. I can’t wait 😍😍
Blue (@mayhemf)
May 29, 2020 at 5:19 PM
Welcome to the Gu club!!!
13infamyss
May 29, 2020 at 6:57 PM
Huehhehehehe. Rue, welcome our Gu puddle is a nice playground………😂
WishfulToki
May 29, 2020 at 6:50 PM
YAAAASSS!!! 😀
neener ~ Inside the Magic Shop ~
May 29, 2020 at 10:48 PM
Welcome welcome ~~~~~
rue
May 30, 2020 at 2:35 PM
Comment was deleted
rue
May 29, 2020 at 4:41 PM
I was only going to watch 1 episode just to check it out. Down another rabbit hole I go I guess.
WishfulToki
May 29, 2020 at 6:52 PM
This is where we all fell down the Gu rabbit hole. Have fun!
13infamyss
May 29, 2020 at 7:33 PM
Indeed! End of Episode 6 was one of the crackfest scenes in AMA
13infamyss
May 29, 2020 at 7:06 PM
Auuuuuuugh this scene is one of the funniest!!!!!! I remember repeating this scene constantly because Gu Yanzhen’s face! Oh gosh and it doesn’t help that Huang Song trying to make sense out of the “younger twin sister” is making Gu Yanzhen crack up more! Huehheheheheheh!
rue
May 30, 2020 at 2:14 AM
I love how the two girls just kept digging themselves into a hole and he is just having fun on the side. I may or may not have hit that repeat button too(a couple hundred times). I’m going to need a seperate folder just for the screenshots I’m taking, which honestly seems to be every scene he is in.
13infamyss
May 30, 2020 at 8:24 AM
Huehehehhehehehe! You sound exactly like us when we started AMA, Rue! 😅😅😅😅😅😅 You’re going the right path I would say 👍🏼👍🏼 Keep sharing those screenshots with us on your wall please! Don’t keep Gu Yanzhen all to yourself! 😝😝😝
WishfulToki
May 30, 2020 at 10:04 AM
I second this. Please share so we can spazz along with you! 😀
13infamyss
May 30, 2020 at 10:58 AM
Yes! Spazzing with everyone is always fun.
rue
May 30, 2020 at 10:18 AM
Lol, I didn’t want to spam the fanwall but since you asked…🙈 I’ll be chronicling my love on the wall then.
13infamyss
May 30, 2020 at 11:01 AM
Huehehhehe! You don’t have to do like multiple separate posts! What I usually do is post at least once a day then have the rest of my pics/gifs in the comments, that way i`m not inconveniencing anyone while spazzing 😃😃
rue
May 30, 2020 at 12:27 PM
Yeah, this is more considerate. I’ll do it this way.
rue
May 30, 2020 at 2:41 PM
I just love his facial expressions! I find myself smiling even as I’m rolling my eyes. What has he done to me???
rue
May 30, 2020 at 3:32 PM
Love a girl who can protect herself.
rue
May 30, 2020 at 4:17 PM
I love him when he is like this
…And like this
…And this
I just love him ok!!!
rue
May 31, 2020 at 3:46 PM
She is my spirit animal 😂😂
rue
May 31, 2020 at 3:52 PM
How can anyone stay mad at this cute bean?
rue
May 31, 2020 at 4:30 PM
😭😭😭
rue
May 23, 2020 at 3:03 PM
I was so shocked I stopped eating(!) and rewatched the scene twice. I enjoyed today’s episode.
purplefall
May 23, 2020 at 7:53 PM
Yeah this was the most shocking revelation so far. Out of all the people around Gon, I have never doubted Court Lady Noh. This means the world crossing had happened long before Evil Uncle made his moves. Maybe the royal family has been using the Magic Flute through and through to maintain their status? I can’t wait to find out!
neener ~ Inside the Magic Shop ~
May 23, 2020 at 10:58 PM
I slow clapped at this scene. Well done surprising us xD
rue
May 23, 2020 at 7:42 AM
Did I miss some or was it just these two things in ep 11?
parkchuna 🍉
May 23, 2020 at 7:48 AM
The Alley is a fixed cast member.
rue
May 23, 2020 at 2:57 PM
How could I forget our 3rd(?) lead
parkchuna 🍉
May 23, 2020 at 11:07 PM
Maybe it IS the 3rd lead..after all, out of all The Alleys in Seoul, how did PM end up in that one which looked to be in the suburbs when she was in the middle of town shopping before? ok dont’t answer me i know it’s a drama things don’t make sense ~ pheww.
liar song #PuppyNotPuppyLeeJaeWookIsBack
May 23, 2020 at 6:40 PM
There are 6 PPLs in episode 11… don’t ask me why I count the PPLs it is just for science…
rue
May 23, 2020 at 9:01 PM
Science….hihi. Sure
rue
May 22, 2020 at 3:42 PM
Whose enemies, little boy? Yours? The State’s? Which State? Why do you care? Who are you to try and restore balance? Shin? Just a boy with a yoyo? So many questions!!
Also, methinks that may be Luna. That look looks a little dead to me. Could be the drugs but I’m not sure. If it is Luna, that would be awesome! That would mean our villain has a brain. Wouldn’t you believe her to be Tae-eul if she came running to you all bloodied up with a very clear and present threat all around her?
It’s probably not Luna though. And that makes me sad.
Fly Colours
May 22, 2020 at 3:47 PM
Wow, you blew my mind, that would be a really clever twist!
rue
May 21, 2020 at 5:17 PM
I’m just going to rant for a minute.
So I’m weird(?) about personal space, and hugs and physical contact. I gave my mum my first proper hug when I was 13 and she was dropping me off at boarding school(not the one arm one). To this day she is probably the only person I hug without reservation. I also prefer waving to handshakes and handshakes to hugging. Nodding is also perfectly acceptable. I used to go to this church where you had to hug EVERYBODY and their mother and I think it’s one of the main reasons why I left. I don’t like it when people I’m not friends with touch me.
All this exposition(and tmi, sorry) to say I hate it when Chi hong touches Songhwa. I really, genuinely hate it. To me it feels like he is training her: if I touch you x number of times, you will eventually fall for me too.
He promised not to make it weird and I think he made it weird. She looks uncomfortable and I don’t get why he keeps doing it. They are friendly but I wouldn’t call them friends. I just want to shout “DON’T TOUCH HER!! every time he does it. So yeah, I’m not rooting for him at all. Aslo, also she said she wasn’t interested dude.
bbstl 🧹
May 21, 2020 at 5:25 PM
I totally get this. It’s always felt very overfamiliar to me the way he thinks he can touch her like a close friend. I keep thinking, she’s your BOSS, man. Back off!
rue
May 21, 2020 at 5:35 PM
Yes! She has always kept that professional line between them but he keeps (literally) putting his little finger across it in the hopes that she will change her mind.
mindy
May 21, 2020 at 5:30 PM
I felt for Song-hwa this entire episode. She seemed so uncomfortable with not only Chi-hong being the way that he is but also Ik-jun’s practically-confession.
rue
May 21, 2020 at 5:43 PM
Ik-jun’s confession did come out of left field. Not that he wasnt feeling it all this time but I never thought that’s how he’d say it. Poor Songhwa.
wapz
May 21, 2020 at 5:38 PM
Yes to this. I also don’t prefer hugging or well even holding hands when you can wave but one doesn’t need to understand that to clearly see how SH was so uncomfortable in this moment. I hope Chi hong stops this, he’s nice and all but he’s clearly pushing it now, I thought this was creepy but SH also didn’t look comfortable getting a sorta confession from IJ so this wasn’t a good episode for her, let this girl be you guys.
rue
May 21, 2020 at 5:49 PM
He is becoming a little creepy. I honestly thought his confession was cute. Then they had the talk. She said never going to happen. He said I totally respect that. And now he is making it weird.
wapz
May 21, 2020 at 6:05 PM
Comment was deleted
wapz
May 21, 2020 at 6:06 PM
Yes i actually felt heartbroken for him. Not that I rooted for these two but because he just gathered courage and asked her and then respected and understood her but now idk if this is just there to confuse the viewers but they’re becoming a NOTP. It doesn’t look like SH feels a thing for him except for discomfort.
latebloomer
May 21, 2020 at 7:40 PM
He was not just crossing the line with his touching, but he was so jealous of Ik-joon being close to Song-hwa, that he had to put a wedge in their friendship by forcing that confession. Chi-hong wanted to satisfy his own feelings, and he didn’t care how Song-hwa would feel about losing her comfortable relationship with one of her best friends.
rue
May 21, 2020 at 7:48 PM
Such a jerk move. He made it seem like Songhwa was some sort of prize to be won by the one with the biggest stones 🙄
purplesheesh
May 21, 2020 at 6:39 PM
I’m the opposite. I love hugging people and I make it a point to touch (through handshake) people I just met. But this scene with Chihong is uncomfortable even for me.
neener ~ Inside the Magic Shop ~
May 21, 2020 at 8:09 PM
As a Chi-hong shipper I cringed at the shoulder touching. He should have just stayed with the banmal.
PYC
May 21, 2020 at 10:23 PM
That shoulder patting does cross the line – badly!
Does he want to speak banmal or plan out the shoulder pat under the banmal guise on his birthday? I can’t help but think he wants to do what IJ did in the lift.
I do like CH as a person and doctor. SH has made it very clear on more than one occasion she’s not reciprocating his feeling. I let it slip when he remove the hair from her jacket, thinking he maybe an OCD – but this? He should have noticed how uncomfortable SH is. So many marks deducted in my book.
Fly Colours
May 22, 2020 at 1:52 AM
Comment was deleted
Fly Colours
May 22, 2020 at 3:47 AM
Fly Colours
May 22, 2020 at 3:48 AM
unwanted physical contact, ugh
SuShin
May 22, 2020 at 6:50 AM
I’m with you on the personal space boundary. Shouldn’t have crossed that line.
What I hate the most is that all of a sudden, the atmosphere between these 3 people changed drastically. Ik-Joon losing his cool is the most unpleasant thing to watch.
rue
May 21, 2020 at 2:18 PM
So this is definitely Goblin/HDL 2.0 but I like it.
Do ghosts grow up though? Or did she grow up because she was in the in-between? You can’t just age a character from one frame to another show! I need answers!
Edgar Pordwed
May 21, 2020 at 2:30 PM
I thought it was a comedy moment where she grew old reading all her sins. Lol! I dont know why I thought that! Oh yeah they should explain that!
sirena
May 21, 2020 at 3:05 PM
I watched this with my mom and sister and we had the same questions lol