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Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

How was everyone’s week in dramaland? Did any shows get particularly exciting this week? I like to read what Beanies are saying in the What We’re Watching threads to know if a show I dropped suddenly got better and I’m missing out, or if I got out just in time to save myself some aggravation. It would just bug me if I never knew! FOMO is real, people. –girlfriday

 

girlfriday

Currently recapping: Seven Day Queen

Bride of the Water God 2017: This show is so silly, but I was laughing out loud through the first two episodes, so I think they struck a good tone and made the right choice to go the comedic route. I don’t know that I would buy the straight, serious version of Nam Joo-hyuk as a mythical god anytime this century, but he’s pretty hilarious as a pompous, powerless, penniless god in human form. I’m not super invested on an emotional level, but the jokes are working for me, which makes it an enjoyable watch.

Suspicious Partner: Just… need… to get… through… the noble… idiocy… portion… of our regularly… scheduled… broadcast…

Fight My Way: I liked the families as they were, with everyone having a gruff, adorable parent or two to fight with, so I don’t think this show needed to add birth secrets. I suppose they could pull out some emotional reunions and make it worthwhile, but in the final week I’d rather focus on the foursome doing some soul-searching and growing up. And Joo-man needs to do some more groveling.

Duel: This drama became ten times more exciting when they had one clone impersonate the other. Whyyyyy didn’t we do this sooner? It was so suspenseful and nerve-wracking, thinking he’d slip up and blow his cover with every lie he had to tell. It finally felt like they were making good use of the double-clone storyline in the way that I wanted. Plus, I really got a kick out of it when he just casually unlocked his clone’s house using a retinal scan. That was just funny.

The Best Hit: Yoon Shi-yoon is being so swoony that even though I have no idea how they could possibly write a satisfying ending to everyone’s stories and make things make sense, I find myself not caring because I want him to get the girl. But I half expect that no one will get anyone and nothing will get resolved, and the show will just end… That won’t happen, right? Right?

 

HeadsNo2

Woman of Dignity: I’m fully convinced that this drama can’t be a satire at all, and that the promos were a lie. But I’m also kind of worried that it’s supposed to be some sort of super intellectual satire, the kind where people will say, “Oh, you just didn’t get it.” It’s working okay as its own drama I guess, but man, it’s just not much fun to watch.

Forest of Secrets: I feel like Forest is the rare white elk of dramaland that ends up being more cinematic than the blockbuster dramas who shell out nothing but dolla dolla bills. Make no mistake, this show has money, but it uses it so effectively. The crowd shots are amazing, the directing so assured, the editing a pure science. Also, I have seen no Subway yet, which means that there’s still good in this world.

My Sassy Girl: Welp, I guess they’re together now. What I don’t understand, aside from most everything, is why they insist on keeping Lee Jung-shin away from any of the main action. He’s acting out his own side drama where nothing interesting ever happens, which is almost enough to rival the main drama, where nothing interesting ever happens (except for the arrival of Prince Dalhan). What I think upsets me most is that we had the perfect second lead, and that perfect second lead is meant to show us why the heroine still chooses the first lead. But in this case, the first lead sent the second away, and I’m not at all convinced that Gyun Woo was the better choice. Worse yet, I don’t buy him as the better choice. Why not utilize Joon-young as a potential romantic rival? Why are we hinging all our bets on an ineffectual villain and his ineffectual, severely dated harpy of a second lead female daughter? Oy, this show.

Ruler—Master of the Mask: It’s funny how we all started this drama thinking Yoon So-hee was going to be the worst thing about it. She’s by no means the best, and her deliveries oftentimes need work (a lot of it), but I can’t help but wish that they’d gotten rid of the second lead idea entirely and had Kim So-hyun play Hwa-goon’s role instead. That way, she would have gotten a meaningful and interactive part of the storyline, rather than being relegated to the damsel in distress that always needs saving.

 

tineybeanie

Fight My Way: Dear dramalord, thank you. Finally, Joo-man is realizing what an amazing girlfriend he had in Seol-hee, and that his attraction to the intern was largely based on his initial fluttering feelings for a younger Seol-hee. I wish he would get it through his thick skull that he hasn’t completely lost her yet, and try to fight for her again. But of course, these things take time, and I like that he’s going through some emotional hardship. Yay for drama karma kicking in, and delivering satisfying retribution! On the other hand, I’ve almost lost all interest in the main couple because there doesn’t seem to be an interesting conflict in their respective character growths. I guess things will change now that Dong-man has (maybe temporarily) lost his hearing, but this week was largely a stagnant period for them, I think.

 

murasakimi

Currently recapping: My Sassy Girl

Forest of Secrets: I’m not thrilled about the recurring usage of eavesdropping to transmit important information between characters, but since everyone is a suspect, I suppose it’ll have to do. This is a show where you are watching everything closely and always monitoring for suspicious behavior and clues, but remain unsure about what exactly is transpiring just beneath the surface. It’s a good feeling because there is a sense that we are diligently working toward some explosive reveals. What I like most is that even if I do guess a twist beforehand, I never feel like it was done simply for the sake of surprising me. Instead, it feels like a carefully placed stone on this massive baduk board.

The Best Hit: When I am watching this show I enjoy it, but I need things to pick up the pace. I’m really surprised at how much focus the lovelines are getting, especially since the show is stronger as a comedy. At this point, I am ready for a Partridge Family-style band and some kind of musical showdown with Star Punch. Come on drama gods, make it happen.

Fight My Way: I still love this show, but I’m not dying to know what happens next anymore. I actually like the inverse relationship between the two couples, so I don’t think my cooling interest has to do with the increased attention on Seol-hee and Joo-man. I think it might be due to that fact that Dong-man and Ae-ra’s paths to success seemed a bit formulaic and fairytale-like for my taste. I understand that they both have great talent, and that’s why their dreams are immediately feasible despite their lackluster resumes, and I love the message that sometimes you just need to be brave enough to try, but simplifying the process of success against the odds is less satisfying. I don’t have the same problem with Joo-man and Seol-hee since their dreams were always so tied up with each other, but I sometimes worry that if they do get back together in the end, does that mean Ae-ra and Dong-man don’t make it?

 
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Fight for my Way is the first Korean drama I've watched. Probably the first drama ever. What blows me away is the attention to detail. Like how Dong Man's shirts always have something to say about him. He's wearing a "bro" shirt when he puts a choke hold on Ae Ra. Then when he's training, it's an Incredible Hulk shirt. When Ae Ra tells him he makes her heart flutter, it's a "#love" shirt. The writers are so good!

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Wow. Great observation. I hadn't noticed it. I should go back and check.

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I am quite grateful for how mellow Fight My Way is. Like it is still the first thing I watch every Mon-Tues, but I don't exactly angst from it. Angst from dramas is part of the compelling emotional catharsis from dramas, but after this week's episodes of The Best Hit... I never thought I would feel this much pain for Hyun Jae and Woo Seung, but there I was, crying actual tears of sorrow and second hand regret through there whole "LaLa land" theme montage. The actual movie didn't make me feel much, but man, with Hyun Jae and Woo Seung, I felt ALL the emotions that sort of meta was meant to make me feel. And so the angst is awful, thus I look forward to Fight My Way to be a cooling balm for The Best Hit.

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Getting a late start with Secret/Forest. Watched first 2 eps. This is a trend for me, Tunnel, Mystery Ahjumma and now Secret.

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I've been mostly watching The Best Hit and I stumbled upon a taiwanese drama that looks very promising (also it's almost finished airing so it'll be good to soothe me waitinfg for my next Yoon Shi Yoon fix)

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I am watching this daily drama called "lovers in bloom" . I have rarely heard people talking about it. But for me this drama is like a daily dose of relaxation. Every week the main leads try to solve some simple issues that take place at their police substation and end up learning something about each other. I don't find the need to use a lot of brains while watching it. But I am totally loving it.
Apart from this, I have taken up bride of water God and fight my way.
I dropped suspicious partner despite my love for JCW. I might pick it up again after the show ends.

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Dongman and Aera are exploring the challenges they have to face on their decision. Their chemistry is very strong.

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So this is part "How have my drama preferences changed" and part "What am I watching."

My preferences have changed in that I'll now drop shows if something about them starts being chronically annoying. Before, it really didn't matter how bad something was. My curiosity always got the best of me and I'd suffer through to the end. Not even fast forwarding for fear I might miss something important. *sigh*

So here is where I've exercised my newfound courage:

Fight My Way - Dropped
I love, Love, LOVED this show when it first started. But the main love line started becoming tedious. Then downright annoying. I mean, how many D.T.R. talks can a couple possibly have? A few is ok. But when it's the ONLY thing they talk about. *rolls eyes* All I can say is, I see a breakup in their future.

The relationship between the second leads was/is far more interesting. It's so true-to-life and a great cautionary tale. Because this is what happens when you devote your whole self to a person without receiving a… yunno…actual commitment. It’s asking for trouble and a LOT of pain.

I'll probably go back and do a marathon of their scenes once the show is over. And skip over the nag, nag, nagging of the others.

Suspicious partner: Dropped
Characters who knowingly do things that tear down a relationship, with the aim of building a good relationship. And make themselves unhappy in order to find happiness. And use manipulative tricks and concealment to build a relationship based on trust. In the opposite-land world of this drama that logic works, but it doesn't in mine.

Sassy - Dropped after the first episode.
Is it just me or does Joo Won seem miscast/misused in this type of drama?

Ruler - Dropped after the 8th episode
Both the plot and character development seemed paper thin. Tried hard but couldn't manage to start caring about any of it.

And my happy places:

Best Hit - Ditto Girl Friday's comment. This is the drama that makes my heart beat the fastest. Yoon Shi Yoon + a suitable female lead = drama heaven.

Water God - Loving the water-god-turned-fish-out-of-water hijinks.

Seven Day Queen - My current crack.

Love the fresh take on the downfall of Yeonsangun. Only downside to this is spending way - and I mean way - too much time researching the actual historical characters, their policies and the multi year trends in the nation's political, public policy and economic dynamics. Asking what was at stake in each area. Following the power/money dynamics, and assessing who won and who lost. Then putting the traditional record/narrative to a good, strong acid-test. Geez, brain. Seriously?

*Banker-geek forensic-research-Spidey-sense demanding to get out of retirement and go back to work.*

Forest - Usually crime dramas aren't my cup of tea. But just started due to the strong recommendation from Heads. Really glad I did. Thanks Heads.

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In my beanie life, this post has by far been the only post that matches my thoughts to a T. The shows you have stopped watching are the exact shows, I stopped watching and mostly for the same reasons. It is same till the extent of not liking crime dramas and dropping shows like a hot potato now.

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Chingu!

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Glad to have found a friend with similar tastes here.

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- Fight my way: loved it and cannot wait to see how it ends. Pack of tissues ready at hand
- Seven Day Queen: trying really hard to like it but still not fond of it...
- Suspicious Partner: love all the characters but still hoping JCW will start kicking someone and showing us his 6 pack (old habits die hard)
- Bride of the water god: funny comedy. Very curious to see how it will develop and if it will be similar to Goblin.

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what are other good dramas like forest of secrets?. This seems so rare among the common "prosecutor" dramas which are really cheesy or attempt to be rom coms instead of serious dramas

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Has anybody else watched "MY ONLY LOVE SONG" w/Gong Seung-yeon and Lee Jong-hyun on NETFLIX? I just finished it and loved it. What a cute and funny show. It was done in partnership w/NETFLIX and you could definately see the American influence; there would never be a pre-wedding night tutorial btwn girlfriends in a soley Korean produced Kdrama, let along the reference to "the JOHNSON!". That scene and many others cracked me up. Both leads, and side characters, did a great job. Unique was the bodyguard who had no spoken lines, only spoken thoughts that could be heard by "the gang" and desired paramour.Even the (tongue and cheek) charachter of BOONG BOONG was great:):) OH, and the actor who played the evil General was a hoot! As far as I'm concerned they could do a fun 2nd season, hope they do.

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My BFF nagged me into checking out The Best Hit. After watching the first 4 episodes, I thought I was going to end up dropping it... But then YSY soon charmed his way into my heart and right now it's this drama is the one I look forward to the most, week after week.

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"Fight My Way" is a family show - my youngest daughter (12) and son (16) both adore it. Something for everyone, there - snappy dialog and best-friends-forever love for me, romance interspersed w/fighting for my son, and strong women for my daughter.

I will say, though, that once again kdrama fails to stick the landing, cramming two episodes' worth of exposition into one. :sigh: At least we got closure and most of the questions got answered (unlike some shows I can name - I'm looking at you, Mystery Queen.)

"The Best Hit" - I picked it up for time travel shenanigans, but I really like all the character interactions, even though I hate the stupid romance. I mean, really? She seems nice, but it's beyond clear that she's not interested in dating right now, thank you very much.

"Bride of the Water God": Again, supernatural shenanigans. I didn't watch it at first, because it sounded like it could be really bad, but the recaps convinced me. Yep, it's pretty darn funny.

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Aaaaaack someone please update the recaps on Woman of Dignity! Watching Kim Sun-ah in this makjang has gotten me waaay beyond addicted

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