(1) KOTW: I’m dully impressed as you are. just finished watching Episode 13 and I can’t wait for the next episode. All of the cast did an amazing job, especially Jang Jin Young, Song Il Gook and surprisingly Kim Hye Sung as prince Yeojin. Nothing more to say than WOW, AWESOME.
(but I felt really sad that you’re not capping it. I wish I could help, but I’m so clueless in korean language and I just wait for the subs to come out).

(2) POTW: it’s done beautifully, but I don’t know why I’m not into the story this much. Maybe because of Park Shin Yang who overreacts in his acting.

(3) BV: not so much into it. I skip 3 episodes and come back and find that nothing new happened. Kim Myung Min is as remarkable as always, and he’s the only one who’s carrying this drama on his shoulders. On the other hand, I can’t stand Lee Ji Ah. I know it’s still her second drama but please missy show more emotions.

(so I’m really sad that KOTW and POTW are competing at the same time slot, because both of them really deserves 20%+ in ratings. As for BV, I think it’s leading the ratings in its slot mostly because of Lee Ji Ah and Jang Geun Suk, who are adored by all the teenagers, but to me it’s not this great.)

(4) EOE: surprisingly I enjoyed the 1st few episodes before the grown up actors appear. I can’t believe that those teenagers actors can act better and affect my emotions more than the grown ups. The story is kinda predictable. I also skip many episodes and come back to find things are still the same. And Again, I think EOE is topping the ratings because of its hot actors and actresses, and not because of anything else. and I hope my opinion doesn’t offense any one.

(5) L&M: yes it’s typical and predictable but I’m enjoying it so much. It’s so fresh and makes me feel happy all the time.

EOE starts off slowly but it definitely picks up after eps 8, SSH is amazingly gorgeous and his acting has definitely improved but give EOE a chance i’m loving it, the only crap acting is Dennis Oh my god what were they thinking???

Javabeans,

I like your site a lot !

Thanks for all your effort in keeping it updated!!!

And I really admire your view that it is important to have recap written in good English! Support that 100% !

Keep up the excellent worK!

Cool, more jdrama talk!

Yeah, me too! Looking forward to Ryusei no Kizuna the most, followed by Bloody Monday, Innocent Love, Kaze no Garden, and Oh! My Girl!

re: “Ryusei no Kizuna”

“It looks like a edgy, complex revenge drama (like East of Eden, but meaningful), and it has Nino”

Yep, Nino should really act more. He’s the most sensitive actor in Arashi but I’ve never seen him play this type of ‘greyish’ character before. I wonder if Mika Nakashima can act? It really seems gimmicky to cast her (it’s like casting Boa in EoE). Ryo and Toda Erika suit their roles though. Higashino Keigo’s Byakubyaku was morbidly good, and Ryusei’s premise seems equally intriguing. Also with Kudo Kankuro as the scriptwriter, I think we can expect to see some dark humour. heh.

Narimiya Hiroki is a busy man this Fall season eh? Looking forward to seeing his performance in both Innocent Love and Bloody Monday. I’ve always liked Narimiya since Orange Days. Glad he’s getting more work these days, I was a bit sorry for him getting left behind by Tsumabuki and Eita.

“The synopsis for Innocent Love doesn’t grab me either, but the combination of talent looks like another sure winner.”

I think the key element to Last Friends’ success was the excellent casting and great performances by the cast (read: Juri and Eita), not so much the script by Asano Taeko. That said, they are really pulling out all the stops for this drama to recreate the ‘magic formula’, even getting Hikki to sing the OP song again. Maki is a hit and miss actress to me. She was lovable in Nobuta wo Produce but really disappointing in Hana Kimi. ‘Innocent Love’ is Maki’s chance to show that she can be more than an idol actress. Most of the time she depends on her leading men to carry her through.

re: “Kaze no Garden”

“If this gets subtitled, I might watch this one. It looks extremely sad. ”

Well, parent-child estrangement and forgiveness stories always are. If this is as well made as Yasashi Jikan, I know I’m gonna bawl.

With so many “heavy” hitting dramas coming this fall, I need to watch some lighthearted ones to balance things out. Mokomichi really grew on me after Zettai Kareshi, hehe. So I’m looking forward to some sweet loving between him and Kato Rosa in Oh! My Girl!

As for Painter of the Wind. I’m so excited even though I’ve only seen the raw eps. The score and cinematography are great but we’ll see how that will play out. I’m always skeptical of dramas that people say are good just ’cause some actors are in it. It’s rather the script, music, and scenery that draws me in.

Just to let you know, X is subbing KotW and he’s been churning them out like a champion (through episode 5 today.) The subs are rich with historical annotations, and the language has great ear. Really a cut above.

@Felicity,

Oh I forgot. J-drama talk!!!

“Ryusei no Kizuna”

I think this season, the one I’m most interested in. It looks like a edgy, complex revenge drama (like East of Eden, but meaningful), and it has Nino. I like that Nikishisho Ryo better when he takes on edgier, darker roles, even if his fanbase can be kinda . . . blind (see Last Friends.) But the hook for me is that Nakashima Mika will also have a part in this story.

“Innocent Love”

Let’s add up this fall’s Gestu-9. Horokita Maki (not a big fan, but I recognize.) LAST FRIENDS PD team. Hikki theme song. Uchida Yuki. NARIMIYA HIROKI. Tragic backstory.

I didn’t have high expectations after reading the synopsis on Bara, and so I was completely shocked at the return to form of J-drama’s most treasured time slot. The synopsis for Innocent Love doesn’t grab me either, but the combination of talent looks like another sure winner.

“Kaze no Garden”

If this gets subtitled, I might watch this one. It looks extremely sad.

“Team Batista”

In a season saturated with medical and medical-related dramas (Yamapi as a 29-year old head surgeon? REALLY Johnny?!?), this synopsis looks like the most interesting one.

“Bloody Monday”

I think Miura Haruma is the most talented of the current Johnny Jr crop. But this J-drama looks like the new Liar Game. It’s in the Saturday night 10:00pm slot, where directors (Trick, Trick 3) get to REALLY have fun, and uhh the story looks like it’s tailored made for geeks and geek girls.

“It’s not like there are people out there who take gratification from the slender legs of pretty Korean actresses. Shallow people like that simply do not exist in the K-drama community!”

Nope, they don’t exist at all. All male Song Hye Kyo fans are just compensating for their attraction to Won Bin anyway. They’re waiting for the wrong Hallyu star.

@Felicity,

“The main thing that made Nodame Cantabile so good was that (aside from the slapstick jokes and wild, crazy characters) it was really about the music”

Yeah, that’s the inherent problem with doing a K-drama that compares with Nodame. The Nodame comic itself was an award-winning josei that beautifully expressed why we love music. The romance is there (and memorable), but it’s really about how hearing a certain piece transforms your world. The comedy is slapsticky and the drama is wonderfully ethereal. Above all, it taps into the Otherness arrived when the music not only takes over you, but binds you in the beautiful Oneness, conductor-pianist-orchestra unit. Beethoven Virus couldn’t hope to attempt that. It wouldn’t be a Korean trendy drama if it were.

For one thing, the writer is cynical. The writer of Beethoven Virus also did “Over the Rainbow” which, acting aside, was a black-hearted spin on the K-pop machine. You watch that, you woud seriously wonder what is the point of joining SM or YG. Both Beethoven Virus and Over the Rainbow has a Arrogant Artist, whose “arrogance” reveals a necessary to be Alpha Male to survive. Both are rivals against Jewels in the Rough, who are our rooting interest. And of course, there’s the Girl, but the real plot is in watching how the sausage grinder works. The Process. The Egos. The endless rounds of criticism and self-doubt. It is much less about the love of music, dance, or performance, and more about the blood shed in order to realize dreams (or failure.) But I think I enjoy that kind of story too. Nodame Cantabile is a young woman’s story, about chasing your dream; Beethoven Virus seems dedicated to all of us working cranks, about coming back to an old dream while supporting/living your normal life.