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King of Dramas: Episode 6

It just gets better, in a show that’s quickly climbing up to the top of the currently airing crop for me. Team Anthony tackles the surprisingly grave task of finding a director, and it should come as no surprise that Anthony’s reign of power has earned him much more enemies than friends. Numbers may not lie, but they also can’t direct a drama for you. Go figure.

I’m really loving how we’ve been able to see our group tackle what it takes to produce a drama step by step, because it not only gives us a sense of payoff each week, but also makes for some fantastic fun in the pacing department. Whether it’s securing a top star or a director, the seemingly insurmountable odds are faced by a team of people we can really root for.

Well, except for that one guy. Otherwise, Go Team Anthony! Fighting!

 
EPISODE 6: “The Division Within”

It’s now or never – Go-eun’s got the contract in front of her, and Anthony roars at her to stop from the doorway. She turns back to the contract…

Anthony’s words stop her, since he caves and says he’ll give her what she wants. He’ll keep Kyungsung’s genre noir as she intended, he’ll take out the present day scene he was going to put in just for PPL, and he’ll remove her supervisor.

Go-eun is willing to give him a chance, even with CEO Oh right over her shoulder, urging her to sign. After all, it’s not like this is the first, or even second time Anthony’s deceived her.

She turns back to the contract, and we don’t see her sign as she flips the folder closed. Anthony looks devastated while CEO Oh looks triumphant. This is a fake, right? She didn’t really sign it, did she?

Anthony leaves with the threat of a lawsuit, and CEO Oh congratulates her on a good decision. She excuses herself from the meeting only to get caught in the lobby by Anthony.

“Do you know what you just did?” he all but shakes her by the shoulders. “You just tore my drama, no, my life, to pieces.”

She looks at him, bemused. “I didn’t know I was such an important person.” Ah. She’s teasing him.

He goes on an on about how he was going to let her do what she wanted until she ruined everything, but she smiles at him instead: “Exactly. So fulfill all those promises like you said.”

That sure takes the wind out of Anthony’s sails. And huzzah! She didn’t sign her name, writing instead, “Maybe next time.” I like this girl. CEO Oh only finds out once he actually looks at the contract. To say he’s mad is… a bit of an understatement.

Anthony has finally been outsmarted as he asks Go-eun if she put on this whole show just to get him to give her what she wants. Hah, I love how he’s so utterly taken aback at her gumption, and she’s practically giddy at how flawlessly her plan worked. As she tells Anthony, she learned from the best.

Aww, I heart these two. He asks if she’s ready to go through with this – if they fail in November, it’ll be the end for them. She knows, and she won’t give up. “We will win,” she assures him.

Anthony, always the number addict, asks her what the percentages are of winning if she’s so sure. But he asks it in a way like he expects her to actually know, as though he’s really trusting her with this. Finally, a partnership.

Go-eun: “You’ve always told me, ‘Believe in me.’ Now, it’s your turn to believe in me.” D’aww.

He hands over a set of keys for her own writing space, just like she’d wanted. Now he trusts in her as he tells her, “We must win this war.” Team Anthony for the win.

It’s nothing lavish and it’s within walking distance of World Productions, but it’s doubly cute how Team Anthony (again, minus Anthony, but you get the drift) bands together to help spruce up the place and re-paint.

Anthony keeps watch from his rooftop, in plain view of hers, and smiles to see her making the space her own.

One montage later, Go-eun has the rooftop room all fixed up. She celebrates with the boys over pizza and beer.

Now it’s a question of who will direct the drama, which takes us over to SBC, where Anthony finds himself against a roadblock: No PD wants to work with him.

Anthony storms the meeting between protesting PDs and Director Nam, fighting against one of his accusers who’d called him third-rate. He’s helped many of the directors achieve high ratings, so why are they turning against him?

One of the PDs speaks up and claims that Anthony ran the set as if he were the director, to which Anthony loses his temper and fires back, “I took action only because you weren’t a good leader!” Eek. That’s not going to win you any points.

And it doesn’t, because the PDs rally together to turn in a formal declaration stating that they refuse to work with Anthony.

Anthony turns to Director Nam, accusing him of complacency in the pseudo-strike in order to get back at him for scoring the time slot underhandedly. Director Nam, ever level-headed, asks: “Did it ever occur to you that your twisted ways of doing business cost you the trust of our PDs?”

That’d be a no, since Anthony replies that he trusts ratings more than people. Regardless, Director Nam drives home the point that though he may not like Anthony, now that Kyungsung is officially on the schedule, he will do everything in his power to help it. He’s not going to risk credibility just to settle a score with Anthony.

They think about turning to outside directors, though the result will probably be the same. That’s when Go-eun, back with the World Team, suggests Director Goo, a tried and true veteran.

Except, as Dong-seok points out, he had four major hits before he retired to the countryside. Oh, and he might be an alcoholic.

This is the point Anthony brings up with Director Nam, but they don’t have a choice if no one else will work with him. At least he’s worked with Director Goo before.

Anthony makes a journey to the countryside, finding Director Goo living in a junkyard with his dogs. “It takes a dog to recognize a dog,” a drunk Director Goo says by way of greeting, making his disdain for Anthony clear.

Director Goo correctly guesses that Anthony only came to him because no one else was willing, and reminds him that he washed his hands of dramas five years ago. I love that this is Anthony’s last option, a has-been living in a shanty, and even he won’t work with Anthony. So much for Anthony’s big ratings.

I’m guessing something pretty traumatic happened, judging by how violently he reacts when Anthony tries to appeal to his buried desire to direct. Anthony gets sent home empty-handed.

CEO Oh is left to deal with the frighteningly unhappy Chairman of Empire Productions, who threatens CEO Oh in not-so-veiled terms that he either kills Anthony, or else. So CEO Oh makes an eeevil call.

Hyun-min has an interview for his upcoming drama, and the mature aura he greets his legion of fans with is one we know he doesn’t possess in real life.

He carries the interview with poise and grace, and when asked about his salary being the highest among other actors, he defers the question by claiming that he doesn’t even pay attention to money. He just looks for a good script. In fact, he doesn’t even know what he makes – his manager takes care of that. Pahaha.

Watching his own interview as it airs, Hyun-min literally has a “Hulk smash!” moment. The fact that he’s wearing Hulk hands and a Captain America sweatshirt is just the icing on his character cake.

He’s upset that Kyungsung is no longer a melo, because melos mean money. He has faith a good director can change the drama’s course, and has his manager call Anthony to find out who they’ve got.

But, Director Goo makes a call to Anthony first. Having read Kyungsung Morning and loved it, he’s changed his mind and readily signs onto the project.

He shows up at World the next morning for a meeting, and is more or less accepted. Go-eun is the only one with no reservations, and her sentiment is returned in kind – Director Goo already has respect for her after reading her work.

Ha. I love Director Goo already for calling Anthony all sorts of disrespectful names. I wonder how things are going to change now that Anthony’s not the oldest one on the team.

They go through the ring of introductions at SBC and are given a tour of the soundstage with a set still in construction. And, ha, it’s literally a direct copy of Gaksital’s Angel Club. They definitely aren’t hiding the fact that Kyungsung Morning is just an alternaverse version of Gaksital.

The reality that her drama is really happening sinks in for Go-eun as she walks the set, and Anthony can’t help but notice how happy she is. And he even seems happy that she’s happy, which is adorable.

However, Deputy Director Kim watches the scene and plots a way to bring Director Nam down – and what better way than to have Kyungsung be a failure? Anthony’s machinations are going to come back to bite him on this one.

Anthony tries to tamp down some of Go-eun’s excitement with a warning: Just like there is no drama without conflict, there’s no drama set without conflict, either.

Hyun-min meets with Director Goo in an attempt to steer him toward the melo side, only to find out that the noir aspect is what Director Goo likes most. He drops the topic once Director Goo starts painting one of the scenes for him in vivid detail: Twelve cameras! Guns! Bombs! A cruise ship!

Hyun-min is enthralled, and couldn’t be more excited… until he hears that in performing the scene, he’ll have to literally jump into the ocean. In winter. Hah.

Meanwhile, Anthony gets an updated budget breakdown for the first episode by Director Goo, and doesn’t look happy at what he sees.

He finds Director Goo telling the production team just how grand a scale he wants, which we can translate down to five letters: M-O-N-E-Y.

So much, in fact, that when Anthony pulls him aside it’s revealed that he wants one million dollars just to go into the last five minutes of Episode 1 alone. The scale truly is epic – an exploding cruise ship, twelve-hundred extras, and more. But Anthony tells him that it simply can’t be done.

I feel sort of bad for Director Goo. Even though the scale is almost ridiculously large, he seems to only want the best for the show. Regardless, Anthony threatens to fire him if he doesn’t negotiate a smaller budget.

Go-eun gets on his case for always threatening to fire someone if they don’t do what he wants, but Anthony’s not budging, and wants a new director.

CEO Oh turns to the man who helped him drag Anthony’s name through the mud three years ago to perform the same task, only to Hyun-min instead. Ruining Hyun-min is his newest plan of attack on Anthony.

Hyun-min calls Go-eun out to ask her to change the final scene so he won’t have to jump into the winter ocean. The look on her face is priceless – you can just tell he’s been talking at her for a long time.

Patience running thin, she tells him to just suck it up. He refuses on the basis that the water’s too cold, and ultimately gives her an ultimatum: Either she convinces Director Goo to cut the jump, or she writes it out herself.

He’s tailed on his way out by that sleazy guy CEO Oh hired. Uh oh.

Anthony takes Director Goo’s budget to Director Nam in the hopes of getting his support on firing the director, only to be in for a sore surprise when Director Nam suggests that Anthony would be the first one to go.

Considering how there was only one director willing to work with Anthony, and that it’s Anthony’s job to either negotiate the director down or increase the budget, Director Nam instructs Anthony to either fix the situation or find himself another job. They can do the production without him.

Go-eun tries to track Anthony down, but he ignores her calls. She ends up at Director Nam’s office right after he hands the Kyungsung production budget off, since they might be producing it in-house. I love the assistant’s horrified response, like the words “in-house production” equate to “throw yourself into the river.”

She’s hesitant to request that Director Nam help mediate the situation between Anthony and Director Goo, only to find out that he plans on taking the show away from World Productions if Anthony can’t fix the problem himself.

He assures her there’s no reason for her to worry, since her role would remain unchanged. You can see her work up the courage to politely fight back: “I think that producing the drama through World Productions is the right choice.”

Director Nam blinks at that, and asks she’s repaying Anthony for reinstating her as a writer… which comes as a surprise to her, since she had no idea he was behind it.

She finds Anthony brooding on their rooftop, concerned for him now that he’s experiencing what it’s like to be on the receiving end of being fired out of dislike. Also known as: What Anthony Does To Everyone.

It’s nice that she can be so open with him, even when you can see her struggling to do so. She genuinely feels bad for him and wants him to succeed, explaining that his tactics are why people hate him and why he has no one on his side.

“I don’t need those bastards,” Anthony shoots back, and there’s just something in the delivery of the line. It’s like he realizes more than anyone just how lonely he is and wishes he didn’t.

“You said you wanted to make a successful comeback,” Go-eun counters. “To make that success last, you must not lose people.” He doesn’t have power he used to, as she reminds him.

“Making this drama successful and taking the reward for my comeback is the purpose of all of this,” he agrees. “And taking revenge on those people who took away my position and trampled on my power is the reason.”

That’s not quite the answer Go-eun was looking for.

Go-eun: “Why can’t you just accept the reality of having fallen to the ground? Is hating the world your only option?

Anthony seems to think so, and doesn’t see what’s wrong with it. Go-eun asks the obvious question: “Why on earth did you end up making dramas?” He doesn’t have one.

He ends up thinking on her question in the car, and we flash back to his childhood. He’d frequently have to defend himself from other kids who’d make fun of him for being a bastard with a blind mother. And so, he’d turned to dramas as a retreat from the world, then shown in black and white. (Yes, I’m choking up over here.)

Anthony ends up tracking down Director Goo, and stops him before he has the chance to resort back to the bottle… by flipping over the whole table and throwing a briefcase filled with money on it. Whoa. Okay.

In it is the sum Director Goo wants to use on the last five minutes of the first episode. He’s willing to give it, but he doesn’t sugarcoat the truth: Spending this kind of money on five minutes out of the twelve-hundred minutes they need to shoot will make the rest of filming difficult.

“What is this drama to you?” Anthony asks him. Director Goo replies that it’ll be his last, but Anthony thinks it can be a foundation for another decade of his career. If handled correctly.

Before he leaves, he reminds Director Goo of the day he hit rock bottom five years ago. Is he taking this cue from what Go-eun told him on the rooftop?

Director Goo follows him out, and asks what he’ll get in return for giving up those five minutes. Anthony: “Those five lost years that you want to forget. I will turn them into the joy of success.” Director Goo smiles. The two have reached an understanding.

Director Nam gets word of the agreement the next day, and is honestly surprised that Anthony was able to agree with anybody.

And Director Goo delivers the news to Go-eun, even as she admits that Hyun-min wanted her to change the script. Director Goo seems to know what kind of star they’re working with.

Which is just when Hyun-min shows up outside, prepping his agency president to do battle on his behalf and convince Director Goo to take out the jump.

They bring up the matter with Director Goo and Go-eun, even though he remains firm on having Hyun-min swim in the sea, even if they’re working on a smaller scale. “Forget the clown that just poses in front of the camera for good looks, we’re going to turn you into a serious actor with a tenacious passion,” Director Goo says.

This gets to Hyun-min, and I have the feeling this choice of words came from Go-eun’s suggestion since she knows Hyun-min wants to be taken seriously.

She follows him when he refuses and storms out, and uses her tried and true method of forcing her way into someone’s car to get them to listen. She refuses to get out, and so in an effort to scare her out of his car, Hyun-min starts driving aggressively.

Unfortunately, Spy/Maknae Goo saw Hyun-min drink in the meeting, and reports that fact to CEO Oh and his team of baddies waiting in a car. This is going to be bad.

Hyun-min is offended that he’s not already considered a “real actor,” and it’s hilarious how Go-eun just calls him out for acting like a kid whining to his mom whenever something goes wrong.

He swerves off the road and slams the brakes. Go-eun challenges him on where he plans to run off to. The best Hyun-min can come up with? “I’ll… go see my mom!” HAHA. Go-eun wins.

They get rear-ended, and it’s CEO Oh’s slimy guy.

He stalls Hyun-min long enough for the police to arrive, and he tells the officer that he thinks Hyun-min has been drinking. Hyun-min’s eyes widen as he remembers the one drink he had. Uh oh.

CEO Oh catches Anthony in the SBC lobby in time to see Anthony get the call from Go-eun that Hyun-min’s been caught for drunk driving. Apparently his blood alcohol level is enough for license suspension.

Anthony readies to rush to the scene, but Go-eun fails to see an oncoming car as she tries to tell him where they are…

And she gets hit. Bam.

 
COMMENTS

Well… that was definitely an unexpected twist. A really, really unexpected twist. I don’t really know what to make of it since we’ve just seen the impact, and it remains to be seen what’s actually done with it. Suffice to say that this show hasn’t done me wrong so far, so it’s earned some trust on my part going forward. (I don’t know if it was intentional, but I was wondering how much longer she was going to tempt fate by jumping in front of cars before she actually got hit by one.)

This was Anthony’s episode for me, and I was frankly amazed at the ability of one flashback, coupled with his already commanding performance, to shake up my view of him so thoroughly. I’ve found him fascinating so far despite disagreeing with some of his actions, and admittedly I wasn’t really sure whether I was picking up nuances from Kim Myung-min’s performance that weren’t necessarily in the script. Until now, anyway.

Anthony had moments of vulnerability before, and even though some of them were big moments (like his crying during the therapy session, or kneeling to Director Nam), the driving motive behind them seemed deceptively simple. Yes, Anthony had nothing but his job, and without it he felt like he had nothing. Even now, he just wants the power of his position again.

That’s all well and good, and was enough to get me on board with his journey, if only because he had a clear goal and an unflinching resolve to achieve it. But it was when Go-eun pointed out his inner demons on the roof that I realized it too, and saw it in Anthony – that sense of overcompensation, like he’s protecting himself from the need to need others by convincing himself he doesn’t actually need anyone.

And that, as we saw, ties all the way back to his childhood. My heart just shattered to see him turning to dramas for comfort as a child, especially when we take his Mom’s blindness into account. He watched TV alone because his mom couldn’t see, and because he had no friends. So in a way, dramas became his alone, something he couldn’t share with anyone. Taking that into account while looking at the desperation with which Anthony has clung to his career, it all makes sense. If dramas had such an impact on him from such a young age, essentially becoming everything to him, of course he’d be desperate to keep his career and only tie to the one thing he (presumably) loves. In his very Anthony-esque way of loving something.

For the first time, I got the sense that his being money-minded is all for his self-preservation in the long run. He can’t afford to make mania dramas because he can’t afford to lose his position, he can only gamble on making a hit to generate money so he can stay in the business longer.

And if, really deep down, it’s all because he truly loves dramas, then his driving force is all the clearer. Maybe I’m reading too much into the flashback and what we’ve seen of Anthony’s desperation, but it’s like seeing his childhood made so many of his actions instantly Click! for me. It doesn’t make them all right by any means, but I have a much deeper understanding of where he’s coming from and a lot more sympathy for who I (think, hope) is hiding in there, somewhere.

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ya.....totally unexpected turn of the events.....
thanks for the recap.....
the show is simply great :)

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i have a question.....are commercials not allowed to be shown during an episode run of a drama in Korea??

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from what I've read, for those airing on the three main stations, the episodes are aired uninterrupted. But for cable dramas, they have commercial breaks...

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Pretty much the only thing Korean television does absolutely right. No one wants to see the story interrupted and to be yanked out of their immersion like that. Show me before, show me after, but let me enjoy the damn thing in peace!

Cable dramas depend on ads even more, I guess. I'd be ok if they had mastered the timing, which they haven't. American shows are filmed with the fade out/in already planned, with the scenes being appropriate. Korean cable just cuts them whenever. Very badly done.

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TvN got this fade out/in thing quite alright so far. I am currently rewatching Queen In Hyun's Man, the director's cut, and all the fadings were obviously planned.

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@Fuji QIHM did do it better, yes. The timing needs to be right if one most interrupt the episode. But I really wish they'd leave the business part for in-between shows.

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commercials are shown before and after a show in korea

however, newer cable shows are trying to imitate the american broadcast system and place ads during the show. still, the big three have been loyal to the korean methd.

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Thanks everyone :)

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Thank you Heads and JB for getting caught up!!!! I thought you would, very soon, and you did.

I loved this episode (I have personally loved every episode so far), and I was really glad to see that there was a background story to HM outer hard shell/behaving-like-a-jerk-attitude-and-tactics. He continues to show signs of humanity and caring. The little smile he had in the Club, when GE was letting it sink in that her drama was becoming a reality. The way that he listened to her on the rooftop, even if he was defensive about what she had to say. He did listen and reflected on it (in his car).

I am just loving how little by little we are getting to know Anthony, (and the other characters). I never hated Anthony. I have loved him from the start, maybe because I understood him. I didn't condone all that he did and thought. He is just a character I have loved from the beginning, because he has shades of gray and they show (the shades of gray).
GE is a fast learner and a good actress. I LOVED the trick she pulled on Anthony, and the way she beat him at his own game. That was awesome!!!!

I might be back to comment some more...

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Totally agree with you!
I loved how we got a back story for his character and I never disliked him, although his methods I didn't agree with at times.
He really needs to learn how to compromise instead of upping and firing people. If he fixed that problem then maybe he wouldn't get (literally) everyone hating on him.
It's so funny how NO ONE wants to work with him.

I also LOVE the trick GE pulled on anthony at the beginning of the episode. It was probably one of my favorite scenes because clearly she is learning from the master himself -- ahha. She's not just going to let him take her for granted -- AGAIN. also glad her character is not one to mess with.

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The ratings for this show make me cry. I know I shouldn't care, but I wish people in Korea appreciated it as much as we on Dramabeans seem to do.

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I know that it's not intentional, but I find it kinda ironic that a drama about the journey of a man who wants to produce successful (rating wise) dramas is on its way to become a mania drama...

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Good point

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You mean the people who keep branding each show they watch as the "best series ever" because the pretty boy they like is in it and they couldn't tell hornyness from appreciation and entertainment from quality if they had taken lessons on the differences? Well... :P

Plus, foreign fans aren't usually better either. If this series didn't have Siwon, do you think we'd get subtitles this fast? It's sad how you sometimes can't get subbers if a series isn't a rom-com and with pretty boys in it. Or then makjang.

So let's be thankful for being able to maintain our ability to think and have judgement in this kyaagirl-driven fandom of Asian entertainment. And hope that, some day, the Korean entertainment industry will realize there are plenty of viewers with functioning brains to give them their money and that even dumb brains can be revived with some help.

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Ahem one of the main strong subbers is actually a KMM fan and she is only subbing his drama.
So some of us appreciate talent as well. Not just looks.

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Good on her then and thankfully, there are plenty of us around, but I'm talking about what the majority seems to be like with most shows. At least the vocal majority.

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I became KMM fan from the drama immortal YiSoonShin. I remember fans went into crying mode when he took the 'Bad Family' as his next work. And then he earned hugh group of fans for his 'White Tower', and gathered some more from 'Beethoven Virus'. Personally I think JangGeunSuk learned his character in 'You are beautiful' from KMM character from 'Beethoven Virus' (they both acted in that drama). I read that time when fans went to filming site, fans were yelling like 'there is Jang GeunSuk!', 'there is Yi JiA!', and 'there is GangMaAe!' (He was only called as GangMaAe - the drama character.). He is that good~~

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Learning acting skills from Kim Myung Min is always a good move. If Jang had kept being true to his real talents, we could have had a very good young actor now. But it's his life and his choice.

We can enjoy the original and others who do use what they have well.

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Ha! I'm also helping to sub this drama (although I just try to do a little for every episode) and I'm not a Siwon fan either. Didn't know KMM before, but am impressed. I also like the actress playing Go Eun in this show. But mostly, I like the show for its wit and well-written characters.

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Thanks for working on the show. Glad to see it's appreciated by people active and contributing.

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PREACH IT, ORION. Damn so true!

"You mean the people who keep branding each show they watch as the “best series ever” because the pretty boy they like is in it and they couldn’t tell hornyness from appreciation and entertainment from quality if they had taken lessons on the differences?"

One more thing: I say KING OF DRAMAS is potentially, if not realistically/literally, the best drama ever because of the unbelievable and outstanding direction, screenplay, acting, casting, photography, set design, costume and everything else left unsaid.

Go watch the drama. After watching it, start disagreeing with me (well if we're not in the same boat after watching it).

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You forgot the music too -- It's a bit overblown but I love the dramatic flourishes. It gives it an interesting character, almost like it knows that it's being tongue in cheek.

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I actually watched the Episode 1 when I was in Korea.

The TVs in their airport were fixed on KBS2 because at exactly 21:55, the employees of the airplane will watch the drama Oohlala Spouses. Our flight was a bit delayed, so I had time to watch the PREMIERE NIGHT/PILOT EPISODE of "King of Dramas".

When it's already 21:55, I asked the many many people watching. I stood up and boldly asked, "Sille hagesmida, may I switch this to SBS?" They couldn't answer me, they just nodded. I don't know if they approved.

During the intro of Oohlala Spouses, I switched to SBS. They look dismayed. :-(

But who cares! I bet Kim Myung-min and Anthony Kim are pleased with me right now!! :-)

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YAY ....I would have done the same thing. ^^

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"During the intro of Oohlala Spouses, I switched to SBS. They look dismayed. But who cares!"

You might want to consider treating others the way you'd like to be treated.

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I know right ... :(

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truly!

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The ratings aren't good? That's too bad, this is a really solid drama.

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Heh, that's what I thought... I was ridiculously excited that the club set looked like The Angel Club in Gaksital. Heh.

I wonder if Mr. Oh set up the car that hit Go-eun as well. With the lead actor in trouble for drunk driving and their writer with a serious injury, they might have to post-pone production. But I'd hope he wouldn't want to potentially kill someone just to get back at Anthony.

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I'm fairly convinced that Oh is a killer. Actually, his lackey seems too familiar. Isn't he the one who had the car accident that killed the biker in ep 1? To think that ALL of it may have been set up... At first I only thought Oh took his chance to destroy Anthony when it had already happened, but maybe he planned the whole thing from the start.

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> "The fact that he’s wearing Hulk hands and a Captain America sweatshirt is just the icing on his character cake."

I also spotted life size Iron Man and Captain America in his house/apartment/whatever in one episode (not sure which since I marathoned the first six in one sitting). It's one of those fabulous little details that you miss if you're not paying attention. As someone who has to work with actors behind the scenes I know for sure Hyun Min would make me crazy if he were someone I had to deal with in real life, but as a character in a series I love him and his crazyfaces.

I was on the fence about picking this one up before it started airing but the recaps convinced me and so I decided to check it out over the holiday. Boy am I glad I did! I'm hooked on this series something fierce.

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Seeing Siwon in the Captain America sweatshirt brought to mind that infamous photo of Siwon looking like Captain Underpants: http://www.allkpop.com/2011/07/super-junior-reveals-siwons-teaser-photo (I'm still shaking my head, a year and a half later... )

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Ah yes. Proof that skin shown the wrong way is ridiculous/revolting/crazy/etc rather than hot. The fact that he's trying so much to be shekshi makes it even funnier.

He looks like a tennis ball that got turned into a human by a bored witch.

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oh yeah! thank you for the recap =)

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Does anyone know what that music is RIGHT at the end of the episode/cliffhanger? It is SO EPIC.

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I really loved the flashback and I'm really glad Anthony's trauma is such a simple one, because it rings true with all of us and can therefore connect us to him and the story better. Why do we all watch dramas? Why do we keep ourselves busy with films and series and music and games? Why take up hobbies?

It's because we live in an increasingly dark and power-driven world. People are over-stressed, under-paid and spend a lifetime working like dogs with the hope that "later, I can live", while all the scum of the Earth are swimming in their power and greed.

I personally get him. A lot. I was heavily bullied during middle-school and it was my entertainment and ability to escape in the stories that kept me sane. Now with the economy crisis (hitting my family hard) and all other things wrong with this world, we need that more than ever. And it's true that the more sensitive someone is, the more they need to harden their hearts up or at least their facade, in order to avoid being seen as easy targets. I really get Anthony. 100%. This is what all of us could become. Any person.

And now this puts his obsession with ratings into perspective. It's not just the money for himself. It's reaching out to as many like him as possible. Because as much as he says he hates weak people, he is one as well. And he knows it well. He pities himself as much as he hates himself. People like him too.

This drama shows exactly why dramas can and should get people to relate. A good story which "speaks" to people can give them so much. Emotional and intellectual gratification, food for thought, comfort. If those were the goals of entertainment, instead of just money, it could be so much more to people and actively help them better themselves and the lives of those around them. I think Anthony's trajectory and Kyungsung Morning will show those things. I am hoping that will be the moral of this story.

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that scene reminded me of purple rose of cairo - how mia farrow's character was always watching movies to escape her life with her violent husband.

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Yeah, dramas are some sort of escapism for me too. But I still constantly ask myself whether it's good or bad decision to "escape" in this way.

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We all escape some way. We need to, otherwise reality would crush us. Society tries to make us feel weak if we don't handle it well, but that is just because they need to keep us up and working and moving the economy. It doesn't suit "society's" needs if we all want to take it slow and find the world unfair.

Especially in these last few years, we need it more than ever. There are many bad ways to escape. Ways that hurt us and others. One's hobbies are definitely the right way.

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But is watching dramas the right way? Of course, I'm not against it since I do so myself (and like it), but still. Sometimes, I think, such "hobby" becomes like a slow sinking (that is: why come out and face the reality if it's so colorful and nice inside, i.e. in drama-world?). And even more, can those dramas, (like some other television programs) be even a sort of slight manipulation of people in a way?
[Though I know I'm probably taking this theme way too seriously (or I'm naive, hahaha).]

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If one is not equipped with their own thoughts, judgement and ability to know their place and the place of things in their life then yes, it's as bad a way to escape as any. Any obsession is bad. There is no such thing as a healthy obsession.

But no human wants to live in a dream and life usually comes-a-knockin' when there is real need to "face it". Face it by whose standards? Isn't it up to each person to chose how to live and where to place their efforts and hopes? There are needs we have which can only be satisfied through real life anyway and any balanced person can keep things in check.

On the other hand, any person too weak to handle any little thing will harm themselves by any tool available. Be it drugs, alcohol, hostility, violence or less destructive things like dramas or unicorns, it's still bad when abused.

As for the manipulation issue, everything is. Any product available by companies or even the public sector for people is a manipulation. The only way to not be manipulated in the civilized world is to go join a monastery where, surprise surprise, you'll be manipulated by religion and probably chased around by priests, when they're not too busy going after underage boys.

So, we can find a cave and hunt for food and that's pretty much how we'd be free. But humans are social animals and as long as our nature remains the same, living like that is mostly impossible too. We exist to manipulate and be manipulated. It's just up to us to chose whether that is innocent exchange of goods, thoughts etc or sinister manipulation.

Finally, as someone at a very low n' slow year of her life, I'll admit, any hobby can be used as sinking. But love, sometimes "selective madness" is the only thing keeping one from really losing it. It's up to us to know our limits and when we need to pick ourselves up again.

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"But no human wants to live in a dream" - hello, you've just met one ;)

Coming back to this drama, if dramas have the ability to affect/manipulate (weak) people, I wonder, how Anthony (as an emotionally hurt child) was able to turn his "hobby" into something of real life (career), since I've seen some people, who chose not to get up from the couch in front of computer.
My point is, if, as a weak child, you have nothing but trivial dramas, will your standards whether/how to face the real life won't be affected?

Similar case with any person. For example me, imagine if I am going through a really rough time (thus I am weak emotionally too) and choose dramas to escape, can it affect me in a bad way?

Yeah, I understand that dramas are probably least damaging if we consider drugs, alcohol, etc., and we don't stop to think so easily, but I still wanted to clear that up.

P.S. "you’ll be manipulated by religion and probably chased around by priests, when they’re not too busy going after underage boys" - never thought of such possiblity :D :D

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Answering here. I do understand your point and you're right, but I think it's society and our education and family environment which help us become strong or make us weak. A child raised well will know how far they can take their hobby before it becomes an excuse.

But it's also about not being ashamed or afraid to collapse. A person isn't weak if they give up for a while. It's well within anyone's rights to need a time off. It's only branded as failure because, as I said, societies want worker bees.

Whether a person will let go completely or just take a step back and breathe for a while or get their priorities straight is not something which can be influenced by a hobby. Even if that is used by the person as an excuse. It will only be that. An excuse for deeper and much more life-lasting reasons. ;)

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very nicely put, really, I have just to agree with this :)

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Very well said.

I can relate. I too was bullied in middle school and didn't have many friends at that time. I found comfort in books and games, which lead me to my passion in illustration and design. So I think I can understand Anthony and where his personality came from.

I like this show, funny without too many lovey dovey or cheestastic moment that rom-com tends to do.

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You can never go wrong with realistic and human characters. Unless you go for overly realistic and forget it's some relief and hope people are looking for in art and entertainment, not to be shown how bad and hopeless life is when they're dangerously close to believing that lie due to pressure and worries already. Which is the other bad side of Korean entertainment. Too stuck on tragedy.

Can't they find balance in human, touching stories which don't make you either laugh with their lack of realism or then make you want to slit your wrists? They should learn from works like 'Sunny'. Lovely movie, warm, it even had a death and it still had a happy message to give! So, more of that, Korea. In movies and dramas. Cause they can do well. Very talented people. But they limit themselves (or companies who give the moolah won't allow anything fresh).

So far, 'The King of Dramas' is very satisfying on that end.

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definitely. love your analysis. this is what may make Anthony stand behing Kungsung Morning completely once he gets over the initial anxiety.

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Great recap! I loved your tone and clever observations. "that sense of overcompensation, like he’s protecting himself from the need to need others by convincing himself he doesn’t actually need anyone."

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And now I can finally use this, with that lovely introductory image you have. Jang Keun Suk fans might want to stay away, because I am brutally honest.

Hope html works here, otherwise sorry for the mess.

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Agree 100% with the message. And that comes from someone who can appreciate men with androgynous features like Phillip Lee or Kim Jae-wook. 2012 is really the year of the sexy manly ahjussis and I'm not going to complain!

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Oh, I'm fine with androgynous features. They were born that way and it's natural. The behavior is still that of a normal guy and I also find these guys very attractive. Those aren't the type I talk about. They'd still look like men if dressed as women, unlike some idols boys who drop anyone's jaw when in drag. But even those are fine, even if not my type and they're usually very young when they can pass as women.

But a grown man acting like a bimbo and dressing like a clown and actively trying to look the "bad kind of gay" is embarrassing.

Actually getting attracted to such a fugly effeminate (not androgynous) nutjob is where the lack of taste and balanced sexuality comes in, with these girls.

Honestly, no sane straight, gay or bi person would like someone who is making a joke out of the whole thing.

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Curious as to what you think the 'bad kind of gay' is, and why you are offended by a public figure who so overtly pushes the gender boundary? I get what you're saying, if Jang Geun-suk has overtly made fun of those who are not famous and not heteronormative, but all I've seen is that he seems to use androgyny to appeal to a subset of straight girls' (? I don't presume to know his fan's sexuality) fantasies of non-threatening, non-masculine men.

I don't know, maybe if you gave some specific examples of incidents where has been mocking of those who aren't gender normative, I would understand more.

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I'll only abuse this thread for one example, since you asked. Saying he likes being mistaken for a woman when walking the streets? Gay men don't want to be called women and people who have had to go through a sex change and deal with the real pressure, pain and social rejection might also have something to say about him flaunting it while he has no idea what it's like for those who do really want it and are trapped in their own bodies.

I have plenty more where that came from, but I talked about those for months, with people mostly unwilling to accept my right to an opinion at all so I pretty much know where this is going and this is a thread for 'The King of Dramas'. I appreciate the comment on tumblr and it's good that you're vocal and civilized, but please keep it there.

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Love your nick. ^^

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I mean Lord of the Things's nick.

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I'm not a Jang Geun Seok fan and I'm not attracted by his outfit either. I don't agree with making tasteless jokes about gender and sexuality, but it's a harsh to call the guy a "fugly effeminate nutjob". It seems like he does have some serious problems (unrelated to the getup, maybe also some more related to the getup), but that's no reason to use insulting terms which cause many to suffer. Ever met a guy who was struggling against being perceived as "effeminate"? Ever met a "nutjob"? Ever met someone who believed they were "fugly" and developed an eating disorder? Fighting political incorrectness with more political incorrectness will not work, I think...

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I forgot to say something which I always add to such characterizations, although it should be obvious. I don't know the person. I am not a friend or a loved one and can therefore not judge his real personality.

However, I can judge his public persona and work ethics, which he actively portrays and promotes to people through his works, interviews and public appearances. And those are exactly my sentiments for the whole public persona he has created.

He is keeping himself skinny, pasted with tons of make up and kitsch outfits and yes, I found those ugly. He is making himself look artificial and unattractive, even though he has been and can be a very attractive young man.

And when someone goes around claiming they will conquer Hollywood and crashing into other people's award ceremonies for the spotlight, yes, I'd call that unbalanced behavior. He markets himself as a "nutjob" through very arrogant statements and actions.

I hope that clears up both the sexuality issues and my harsh characterizations. It's the last time I plan to talk about this on a thread for another drama. I just felt it's impolite to not answer.

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I, too, have been baffled by the lusting done over the boys, these pretty pretty boys, that look more feminine then we.

My guess is these women are innocent and therefor afraid of strong, fully-capable men.

Kim Myung Min certainly looks like a strong, fully-capable man.

Dramabeans and Co., Thank you for the recap.

I find this drama very clever and adore the female lead, she is strong, smart, bouyant and untainted.

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That is the most logical (only logical) reason, yes. Somehow, soft looks are associated with a softer character, more understanding towards women etc. Which is absolutely naive, but given the usual physical and mental age of these girls, it's no surprise they can't make the looks/personality distinction.

Although it's more about mental and emotional maturity than actual age. Hell, even as a little girl, it was Johnny Depp I had a baby-crush on so I can't relate to those who like them girly. Bwahahaha.

The thing is though, society and yes, entertainment too should not give such role-models. Because then we'll have women going after pretty boys who are actually jerks, because they find the idea rom... wait, they do that already. :P

I was just browsing through pictures of 'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes' today and I see a swarm of manly men in heels, fighting for women's rights in good spirit. It's natural to care for first impressions, but people are blinded by them, often because of how entertainment and fashion and society in general manipulates us.

Some women want very manly men because it's their natural instinct to want a "strong leader who can make babies and catch deer with his teeth" or whatnot and some resist that idea so bad they go the other, equally wrong direction. We should really focus on personality more, because looks lie.

Guys suffer the same problem. I think this image illustrates our problem the best. Still, I assume all these girls do have a sex drive and the normal way it functions is you're attracted to people who do look like they can satisfy the opposite gender. :P Or then one can be gay and like the same. It's all good. But I can't see how straight women can be sexually attracted to so extremely effeminate men.

And despite the analysis above, which goes deeper into things, we are simply talking about horny fangirls here.

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A few things before I launch...

1. I'm not a tail chaser of the idol groups. I admire talent before looks. Some people will outright say that my favorite actors and actresses are ugly. Oh Man Seok. <3 Acting crush.

2. My brother hates the "girly" men of Korea too. But he doesn't call them "Gay"

3. I'm about to smack you down because it's not the comments that I find you launching at Jang Geun Seok offensive. It's the mixing up of several factors into a hate-filled message of discrimination and misinformation that makes me upset with you.

Please review these points
A. Gender=/=sex. Please, please don't mix them.
B. Dressing as a woman once for a gag does not make someone "gay". It does not make them a transvestite if they do it for work.
C. Transvestite=/=gay. I wish I could beat this into people's heads. sexuality is not the same.
D. sexuality+gender assignment does not determine "gay".
E. Whether people dress up as the opposite gender assignment according to the dominant culture does not determine their sexuality nor gender assignment nor ability to have talent.

I really would suggest you back off until you understand a bit more social sciences.

That given I'm going to give you history since you seem so quick to judge and not wise enough to ask.

First, gender as understood in the west is largely influenced by the Bible and genesis where people were labeled as either or. One could not be halfway in between without being hated on. This is why a lot of discrimination happens in the history of the West. If you were bad, then you were bad, if you were in between, you were kicked out. If you were good, well, then you get everything. Do I need to count off the list of discrimination?

Contrast this to India--before the arrival of the British. The books talk about people who found power in cross dressing and did not diminish their power as men. Though this was erased somewhat in the later versions with Confucianism where the imbalance between genders became greater, it still wasn't completely erased. There are still traditional theaters in the East Asian countries where it's all men or all women with people playing opposite genders. Noh and Terazuka come to mind--long after the West has quit this as a tradition. (You'd have to specify well, it's an all male troupe). You can't erase these theaters as having some influence.

Also, contrary to popular thought, women have been selecting men in industrial societies to be able to do domestic chores. This means that the desire for men to be filled with "Hulk smash" isn't likely anymore. This was shown in a study done in the US where people found that industrial countries tend to like higher pitched voices and thus less testosterone than say Zulu/Masai men (Africa, for the challenged). This desire seems to be generally stronger in the Asian countries, which is why what the West calls "girly" men because the thought is that these fathers will stick around for the child rearing, and care, even if this is psychologically subconscious.

Which is to show that Asia might be ahead of the trend, but the West has a lot of self-prejudices to get past before it'll get to that level. So I would recommend you back off.

Evaluating talent is all well and good. Do so. Do it by drama they acted in. Do it maturely. Do not do it on who likes that actor or who does and don't throw slurs at the actors because you're mad at the fan base. Acting, especially in Korea is hard work. I respect the actors whom I think suck because I know they are drowning most likely in exhastion. Please, please try again.

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BTW, not hating on the Bible, more like how it was *used* and used wrongly.

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Okay guys, that's enough. Let's keep the thread on topic, 'cause it's just more fun that way.

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Thanks for the recap.

I'm wondering if Go-eun being hit by a car was an accident or a part of Chairman Oh's plot.

Which makes me wonder if the messenger accident in the first episode is an accident or a part of a plot.

And now I'm wondering if every report of accidents on sets of drama are actually 'accidents' or the result of nefarious plots.

Yikes!!!

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Lol. That show will get everyone paranoid: Are accidents a way to make people speak of your drama or are they attacks of your rivals? Are they merely accidents in the first place? It's quite sad to think this way but really, who can blame us?

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JB, Heads I've been looking forward to this recap, this episode was totally magnetic and that ending with "accidents," truly jawdropping.....why oh why do I have to wait... I hope GE & HM survive this set back--actually, will the whole drama survive...? It was just paralyzing--or is this another dream scene. HM doesn't have enough of an alcohol level to get arrested nor does GE get hit that hard (hope it's just Dir Oh's imagination)--my stomach dropped to the south pole watching the ending scenes... will this drama just start filming soon 'cuz it's almost the end of 2012... ?

thanks for the recap....

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I did. :)

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It's not 19th-century Edwardian so much as 60s-style Edwardian-influenced dandyism. His interior design preferences (the patterned wallpaper, the ornate furniture) stem from the same source.

Why, I don't know, that craze was over before this character was born (assuming he is about the same age as YMM). But even though I don't understand it, I love it ;-)

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It kind of interesting, Anthony is just a dandy and Go-eun is so. . .

They are like peacock+peahen.

Also there are so few women, just Go-eun and her mom. . . oh and the female idol

in episode 7 another woman show up wearing the most atrocious shade of lipstick ever made. Love the actress, from her previous work I think she is game to play all kinds of awful.

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Haha. That got me thinking too after watching this episode.
So all those "accidents" that occur on set. Really accidents, or do villains send out minions to destroy a production team?

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King of Dramas is king of dramas in my drama-lovin' ♥ these days. This ep. had me positively infatuated. Heads and jb, thanks for your hard work getting the recaps caught up!

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I'm slowly warming up to Anthony after this episode. His character arc is progressing nicely for me, nice and slow transformation and not unrealistic. At this point of time I still don't like his method or him as a person that much, but at least I don't hate his guts anymore. 'Show' is making me understand where he is coming from for the most part, and considering what we were shown of his character from episode one, I think that's quite a nice accomplishment, Kudos to KoD. However, I still don't see much of any character trajectory arc for Hyun-min and none at all for CEO Oh. Villains are more interesting and more scarier in any drama's when they also have depth.

About the Cliff-Hanger, 'Show' I'm going to trust you on this, please tell me you have a good reason for it and not just because you wanted people to tune in next episode to find out what happens. All I'm asking is the ending of this episode and the beginning of the next episode to makes sense plot wise, that's all.

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That is why I liked the preview. The preview clearly shows what happens and Go Eun seems to be playing Anthony with yet another favorite drama cliche. If they make fun of it the way I think they will, they rock. ;)

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I don't watch any preview. I like to maintain a full element of surprise. and sometimes, I think previews are there to troll us. LOL

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That is why I like watching them. For me, it's part of the show, because I get to see how the makers/channel want to handle fans and what we expect. HeeHee.

In this case, they don't let people in agony just to make them watch the next one, which is what most series would very cheaply do. Instead, they excite you over what's to come, without keeping you biting your nails. That shows me they know why the series is good and why people like it. They're making it fun for us, not frustrating and forceful. ;)

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I got the same from the preview. It totally looked like Goeun was playing the whole "I don't know who you are" thing. It's something in the acting that tells me she is just joking. That'd be so grat - another poke at drama's cliches like amnesia.

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Omg yes! People think of it as yet another drama cliche. Because as the "tone" of the drama suggests, which is romantic-comedy, I don't think they will melo it at some non-climactic point as early as Episode 7.

I think, and I still think, that Go-eun's playing up with Anthony and Anthony fell her trap again... Hihi like what she did in the contract signing.

CUTE COUPLE.
SORRY, IM SHIPPING ANTHONY & GO-EUN VERY HARD!!!

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I busted a gut laughing at that preview because if they do what I think they're going to do, they'll be making fun of one of Kdrama's most beloved cliches.

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It's going this road. Guaranteed. And it made me giggle like a lunatic. :)

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Me too. I was laughing so much at the preview because it just looks like another mockery.

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yeah! i think she's messing with Anthony with the amnesia plot it totally looks like she's about to laugh at his face...
it also funny that it seems that the press will push the story of the actor-writer affair and Bit Na is going to be pissed (HM was saying: "i want Bit Na!!!")
also, it seems that HM's mom is going to be hilarious, is she going to be spoiled ajumma? :D

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I can't wait for Hyun Min's mom. She looks exactly as airbrained and sillydorable as he is. I really hope she's the older female version of him, because that will be very cute.

It also gives more character to Hyun Min, as it illustrates he may be dim, but at least he is himself. He's still momma's big boy. I hope that his character arc will be like that. To show us how an actor can stay true to themselves and still strive for quality. Right now, he's himself, but he's in it for the money.

I hope his shift will be about him not putting up pretenses so much and working for his art by the end.

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LOL, now I feel like I have also watched the preview after reading all the comments about the preview. I was wasn't too worried about the cliffhanger because 'Show' had already earned my trust at that point, but I couldn't help worrying a little due to bad experiences with many other shows with that kind of cliffhanger ending.

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Amen to all!
I'd like to see some more character development in hyun min and our villain.
&I trust that this show isn't going down that typical amnesia scope for go eun.
If anything i hope they use this to their advantage to instead make us laugh.
Which, judging from what KOD is all about, im sure they'll deliver.

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i think they're gonna pull a daesung on hyun min..like accuse hyun min of drunk driving and hit go eun with his car to bring him down.

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Can't wait for the episode tomorrow!!! Thanks for the recap :)

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CEO Oh ( that's hard to say) is just too funny of a villain. I wish in some scenes someone would just add a mustache so he can twirl it.
The flashback scene really got to me. While I still don't like Anthony the charecter, I love the man playing him. Good actor.
Cant wait till tomorrow!

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"While I still don’t like Anthony the charecter, I love the man playing him. Good actor."

THE BEST ACTOR EVER IF YOU ASK ME. He's even better than my favorite actor of ALL-TIME, Gary Cooper. Yeah I like Gary Cooper more, but heck, KIM MYUNG-MIN IS WAY BETTER THAN GARY COOPER. Fact, not a viewpoint. It's simply reality that even I must accept. :-)

KIM MYUNG-MIN FTW!

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Thank you thank you for the recap! Yay we are all caught up! Love reading your recaps! Can't wait for tomorrow

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"… that was definitely an unexpected twist. A really, really unexpected twist. I don’t really know what to make of it since we’ve just seen the impact, and it remains to be seen what’s actually done with it. Suffice to say that this show hasn’t done me wrong so far, so it’s earned some trust on my part going forward. (I don’t know if it was intentional, but I was wondering how much longer she was going to tempt fate by jumping in front of cars before she actually got hit by one.)"

you know with all the people jumping in front of cars and just standing in the middle of the freaking street in dramas part of me was like yes finally someone finally got hit. then I saw the preview and I'm not so happy anymore

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The ending of this episode. Just no. Please don't get temporary amnesia.

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Don't worry and rewatch that preview more carefully: It's just the biggest joke possible in a drama about dramas. Ep 7 will be awesome, I feel it in my bones!

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Anyone knows the song when Go-eun walks the set and Anthony notices her. I do fell in love with this song, I only hear "Don't know how to say goodbye, dont know how to ... you never say goodbye hold you tight.........."
Please, help me! T__________T

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Be patient and hope it's in the osts that will come out. The lyrics don't give me any results and I searched for info in Korean places a bit too. Might be an indie Korean artist.

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I've been looking everywhere too and can't find it. I could be totally mistaken, but the artist sounds a lot like Big Baby Driver... (though i came up with nothing there either....)

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"To say he’s mad is… a bit of an understatement."
--I LOL'd so hard when CEO Oh screamed like that!!

I... seriously... did...
NOT
EXPECT
THE
ENDING!!!

My head has been predicting what happens next, since I know how it goes in dramas-- in any kind of dramas (Asian, American, European, etc)-- but this is waaaay tooo unpredictable!

This blows my mind!

LOVE U KING OF DRAMAS!

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i LOLed so hard at head's comment at that and then the horrendous picture of him.

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I don't know about you guys but...
The past week until today was the LONGEST WEEK I'VE EVER WAITED for KING OF DRAMAS.

It was such a long long looooong week. It felt like waiting for a month just to watch Episode 7.

Ahhhh, what a bad baaaad cliffhanger to keep me hyped up, hooked, obsessed and treated an hour as one whole day.

Fighting!

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"King of Dramas" OST sung by Yesung:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCPZ3Pb6Drc

Full version yeeeeee!

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Thanks for the link... love love love Lee Hyun's song in particular!

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Yes omgggg! Lee Hyun's song for King of Dramas OST is amaaaazing!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDRphQwWHuk

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I'm finally all caught up!! LOVE everything about this show. Excited for this week's episodes! <333333

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Thanks for quick recaps. Love you all.

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Pwahaha! the Hulk Smash! I've only seen that pair of gargantuan green hands on Sheldon Cooper. I can see the childish resemblance. Hyun Min is so freaking hilarious!

Thanks for the effort you're putting in this show. The recaps are coming so fast I only got a few days to breathe. Really, thanks a lot Heads2No and Javabeans for dedicating your time for this wonderful drama. And I love that you love this show as much as I, we, do.

I bet Go Eun is faking that amnesia thing. Maybe she wants to know how much Anthony needs her and her talent. Or maybe she wants to try her hands on acting. I'm sure, and I want it to be, that it's an act because amnesia in this drama will never make any sense.

I'm waiting for Episode 7. Ugghh, what a long wait...

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like she's teasing his insistence on melodrama? that would be both funny and really cruel...

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i'm so hooked to KD and i'm rooting for AK-GE couple.
For me, Go eun is a satisfaying female character until now, she's very positive and idealistic but has a hard time facing the dark side of life. Anyway, she's fisty and answers back to make her point and keep her principles, also she can use tricks to get her way but i think it's justified to fight fire with fire under those situations.
Go team Go Eun!!!!!!!!
i hope she's bluffing with the amnesia plot!

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I don't think your reading too much into it HeadsNo2. I think since Anthony came from a poor background he had to keep proving himself and having #1 dramas is another way of him doing that. Otherwise it could all get taken away from him.

I also think since he didn't have friends, he tried to convince himself that he didn't need them and he only needed dramas.

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Thanks so much for the recaps...loved KOD from the beginning. My favorite scenario would be that Anthony and CEO Oh end up killing each other off and Go-Eun makes a man of Hyun-Min.

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Thanks for the recap!

"The reality that her drama is really happening sinks in for Go-eun as she walks the set, and Anthony can’t help but notice how happy she is. And he even seems happy that she’s happy, which is adorable."

I got choked up watching her soak in the reality that her story is being made. I love how they are keeping her so totally in awe of the production, cause that is how I would be!

Car crash and amnesia, huh?
How effing awesome is THAT!!!!!!!!!!????????

So happy this show is there to watch.
Sooooo happy!!

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Thank you HeadsNo2 for your witty and insightful recap on what will likely become my fave 2012 drama. Why is that? Easy:
- the writer while articulating the story bore in mind that indeed, like Orion so accurately described previously, some viewers out there do like their brain to be fully functioning while watching a drama;
- the usual stupid plot points such as the fake fate concept, crossdressing, body/soul swap, reincarnation/ghosts, deadly disease, cold-hearted chaebol / poor Cinderella-type, love square with a doomed second lead ship, time jump, birth agendas, vicious in-laws, noble idiocy are nowhere to be found thus far; we have yet to see whether Go Eun's amnesia is for real and I bet she is just faking in, and also if the ending won't turn into a load of disappointment;
- the episodes are filled with constant surprises, alternating the hilarious with the moving and the cruel moments;
- the characters still are very coherent yet growing and endearing;
- and dare I say, for once, I was moved to see depression and alcoholism tackled in a drama. I hearted Anthony's question/statement, "Is depression a sin?" No it's not and I am so happy to see a character using this disease to stand on his feet again. This is such a positive message and the same goes for the PD struggling with his addiction! I just hope that their characters will raise awareness especially on the danger of binge drinking which has too often been shown in a positive way.

*trying not to watch it raw and wait for the subs to fully appreciate the dialogues*

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Without a doubt...this is turning into one of my favorite dramas.

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Forgot to mention this - Anthony's flashback reminded me of my favorite Christmas movie: Scrooged with Bill Murray.

In it, not oddly enough, Bill Murray also play a big-time movie producer, willing to go to any lengths for ratings, included airing a very violent and explosive "A Christmas Carol."

Favorite line from Frank Cross:
[Props man tries to attach antlers to a mouse]
Props man: I can't get the antlers glued to this little guy. We tried Crazy Glue, but it don't work.
Frank Cross: Did you try staples?

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Oh yes. I had the same reaction. It's one of my all-time favorite childhood movies and you can really see the similarities. It's a basic Scrooge character, a person ruined by society and fighting so hard to gain power and control over their life that they forget how to be human and end up abusing the very thing which gave them strength, instead of being inspired by it to become better people.

I can't wait to see how Anthony turns out. I have no doubt the writer and Kim Myung Min can impress with the humanity he'll slowly regain.

P.S: If the name fit, I have no doubt Anthony would have a "Cross: a thing you nail people to" sign in his office. XD

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It seems like every episode becomes my favourite. *sighs* THis drama's awesomeness is killing me. 2 mins until ep 7 finishes its download and the wait is killing me - subs or no subs.

She got hit by a car but....bravo! It was realistic and shocking! Most times in dramas, you knoooow they're gonna get hit (SUFBB exception), because they stop dramatically in the road and kinda like....wait for it in shock.

20seconds to download completion - thanks for your awesome recap Heads!

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Totally with you on the surprise ending.
My jaw literally dropped to the floor when that car came out of no where and hit her.
This show really gives us the thrills without making it too overwrought.

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Exactly. We can get real thrills and real humour.

*off topic* Nice to spazz with you on another drama thread ilikemangos. :D

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Hehe. Me too.
*off topic* Rearwindow is also enjoying this show!
Totally love looking out for the avid K2H followers just so we can all spazz together, haha.

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It makes you wonder, when accidents happen to actors and actress was there something behind the scenes?? I love this drama because it lets you know that a persons ambition is scary as hell!

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I have no doubt such people would cause accidents or even straight up get people killed. We've seen our share of shady stuff around. Given how corrupted and violent Korea seems to be, it wouldn't be a stretch to feel such things do happen occasionally.

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This drama is so awesome. I wish it got more attention!

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First off, amazing job catching up on on recent episodes! You ladies are the best!

Waiting very patiently(sort of) for more awesome OST to be released because I will be replaying alot of the songs from this show.

This episode was totally win for me.
From Go-Eun's troll on Anthony, to the cute World Productions team, to a look into anthony's past, to go-eun finding his most deepest fears, to the introduction of director goo, I am just so excited for what this show's got in store for us.

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"Anthony’s machinations are going to come back to bite him on this one."

I'm glad that these conflicts are coming into play, 'cause anthony's gotta learn that his machinations has some repercussions.
I don't think he's really learned though after having countless writers&pds refuse to work with him. What was it about not burning down small bridges behind you? Lord.

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really appreciate this... you guys have been catching up on recaps really quickly! fighting!

Can't wait for ep 7:) awesome drama

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Director Goo is Gil Ra Im fathers' of Secret Garden...lol~

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He's always popping up in works here and there. Very likable-looking person. I love his character here too. He seems to be closer to Anthony than everyone else. In the sense that he can call Anthony on his problems and put up with them too. I love it that all the characters around Anthony really seem to care about him. And it's sad he seems to mostly be blind to that, but here's to that changing as the series progresses. ^_^

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I looove him in this drama. He's actually quite good looking for a man his age...yeah i said it!

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Coming a bit late to the party but better than never!
Let me start by a statement, I never had the slightest idea that I would even watch this show let alone be swept off my feet by it, but man that is a brilliant piece of work, the antithesis of Jerry McGuire, the journey of a man who wants to prove that being a jerk is the key to survive but clearly by the end will understand that he can succeed without losing his humanity
I don’t know what is it with drama (all kind of dramas not only Korean, mind you) trying to make us root for jerks, ever since House MD it looks like ideal heroes are no longer appealing, I don’t know if it’s a good thing to be actually manipulated into justifying & sometimes understanding cheating, ruthlessness & deceit, but for all I know, it’s quite challenging to my moral compass, I pull my hair saying that I’m not supposed to care for the fella but there’s just something in him that makes me care for him, root for him & want him to redeem himself, & no its not the voice or the charisma (well they maybe a tiny reason for it, I confess)
The storytelling is really well done, that’s what captured my attention, albeit my heart : the way Anthony fell from grace just right after he secured himself as the king of dramas, by the hands of someone who is even worse than him, how after 3 years he is still keeping the hope to come back driven by revenge, the moral conflict between him & the Go Eun, the fact that he still can’t believe that his dirty methods are what made him go down in the first place, it’s like he wants to prove to himself more than anybody that adapting this school of thought is the right thing to do, that’s why a character like Go Eun was the last thing he needed, because he’s afraid that her success may prove him wrong
There is a very telling example in the difference between how Anthony & Director Goo were received by the stuff in Empire, although both of them were forced to quit, we see that while Anthony was unwelcomed by EVERYBODY, the bad before the good, Director Goo Still got to be warmly greeted by all the stuff including CP Nam, & yet his condition was worse tha Tony’s, not to mention the fact that he seems more difficult to deal with (because of his shouting & lack of manners versus the smooth ways of Anthony)
The good thing about the show is how everybody has conflicted approach, but all has to collide with each other to achieve the same goal, which will be fun to watch, we already witnessed that Go Eun is learning from Anthony (& brilliantly I might add), so we are yet to see how he learns from her, as someone mentioned, I don’t want them to start the romance so abruptly, I would like them to start with mutual respect, if ever there is a chance in hell that Tony’s method would earn any kind of respect!
For once, the heroine is someone with brain, actual gray matter, who can stand to herself against someone who is way more shrewder & experienced than her, which I found to be very satisfying, I have to say that I like the actress’s bright smile & wild hair style, I hope she keeps it if she ever had to undergo a makeover (roll eyes they always do!) but more than anything I like how she sticks to her principle & her integrity all the way even when she was deceived precisely because of it, & she even was advised by her Mom to go for the easy road, & yet she never caved, God knows how we need more role models like this one, especially when we have a very efficient nemesis!

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I really hope Anthony would lose the fur, he could do without it, come on, ascot anyone?!

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can't wait till you recap episode 7, i'm watching it right now and my heart is about to burst out of my chest!!! so good! I love this show so much!!!

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Eh, I would just like to mention that the old black and white TV show in Anthony's flashback is the legendary Korean cop show, Su-Sa-Ban-Jang (수사반장) aka Police Detective. It's being remade. Javabeans wrote about it. Yay!

http://www.dramabeans.com/2012/10/mbc-revives-old-crime-series-with-detective-choi-il-woo/

Ah, memories... (I'm old.)

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