Hey, everyone! I’ve been watching SO MUCH this week because it’s my spring break. Be prepared.

Mother this week. Omg! So good. My whole family ended up watching episode 14, it was so riveting! My love for this show is so big even though it breaks my heart on such a regular basis. I’ll be so sad to see it go next week. Also, it was nice to see both KAIST and Dr. Ko from Prison Playbook this week!

Woohoo Waikiki gets better and better each week, I swear. I started it solely for the funny and now I’m so invested in all of the characters. Doo-shik, Seo-jin, and Joon-ki are my favorites but I honestly like all of the characters. They’re making Soo-ah much more likable than I originally thought they would and I love it. Also, Lee Yi-kyung is after my heart. He is so hilarious! I’m really looking forward to see what this while cast does after this show, but especially him. I was so glad that Dong-gu finally confessed his feelings to Yoon-ah. When I saw her in the car with the chef I was so afraid that the chef would beat Dong-gu to it and everything would be dragged out even further. So happy that did not happen! Also, Dong-gu’s Matrix baby video was weirdly awesome.

Out of sheer curiosity I started I Really, Really Like You. I had no plans to watch this but some comments on a recent Name That Drama that promised a cute scene piqued my interest and I finally sat down to watch it... ya’ll. I can’t do it. I can’t take it seriously at all. I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t stand Lee Min-ki in this. I want to throw rotten fruit at his character. He is no Nam Se-hee or Kang Tae-bong. I’ve heard he gets better after the first several episodes but I’m on 10 now (I’ve been fast-forwarding) and still kind of want to gouge his beautiful eyes out. There are some moments where he seems redeemable and stops being entirely selfish but then he says something that makes me groan again. Apparently I’m fine with him playing a serial killer in Monster but can’t deal with this guy. I don’t know what that says about me. He’s surprisingly green in this, which is weird because I never once thought that while watching Dal-ja’s Spring, which was just a year later.

Speaking of which, I’ve been rewatching large chunks of Dal-ja’s Spring both as post-IRRLY therapy and because I’m in the process of writing a submission for this month’s theme about the wonderful friendships in that drama and how they facilitated Dal-ja’s amazing growth. What a great show. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it yet then put it on your list. It’s always in the background of this site, what with it being Javabeans’ icon and featured in some of the Open Thread headers. I’m hoping if my submission gets published then I can convince people to give this show a shot even though it’s older. Fashion and hairstyles aside, it doesn’t feel dated at all. And I love it and appreciate it even more the second time around! So much good stuff on being a woman in the...

That Man Oh-soo: surprisingly, for what I assumed would be a piece of fluff, quite good.
Mystery Queen 2: I was skeptical at first but it managed to bring me to tears in the 4th episode. Their chemistry is still there, and while I was expecting the writing to not be quite as good as the first season, I'm pleasantly surprised at the quality of the script and stories. They've managed to keep surprising me with a blend of humor and danger and suspense.
My Husband...not sold on it yet.
Other than that, just finished Nirvana in Fire 2, which I loved. The writing was excellent, the characters well developed. They spent quite a few episodes building the brothers relationship so when the older brother sacrificed himself for his younger brother it was very meaningful. The young brother's journey from carefree to a responsible and brilliant strategist who hated politics was very well done. Everyone says now to watch Nirvana in Fire the first one.

Welcome to @abirdword? New DB staff?

I'm trying new drama this week, oh my drama slumps 😭
Radio Romance, if the story focus on radio it will be nice and not bumping to "I do or do not" radio. I like the cast, but the writing is just. Hmm... We will se how the next 4 episodes will be done.

Grand Prince: YSY, just YSY, for YSY. I like how complex his character and 2 episodes in the start is good. I think that the plot similar to SDQ

Cross: I want to watch, but it's to heavy, I stuck in ep 11 😞

Runningman: it's been a long time for me not watching RM, and I start again this week, for Lee Sang Yeob.

Misty: I finally got around to joining the "fun" and have made it to episode 8. I have to admit, apart from the OST which I think is fantastic, I wasn't seeing what everyone was seeing. I found Gye Ran too enigmatic for me to empathise with and felt certain events were too ambiguous or had unreliable narrators. Which I know is the point but stopped me from really getting into it. I have to say it clicked for me in episode 8. So now I'm officially onboard train Misty.

Mystery Queen: Last weekend I watched the original Mystery Queen and have now seen the first episodes of season 2. I was unimpressed with how slapstick the first two were. I also really hate when shows spend a lot of time filling you in on what happened between seasons in Offscreenville and then promptly throw all that out the window. But episode 3 and 4 were really good and while I miss my Cupcake Cop a lot I'm still enjoying the show.

Radio Romance: It still exists. I still watch it. It's a good midweek show. It's pleasant enough and the acting is certainly good but it's nothing special.

Fight For My Way: My bingewatch this weekend. It wasn't perfect but overall I didn't mind because it's one of the few kdramas that ended really well and had a strong final episode. Awesome OTP and quite an interesting use of music. I really want to watch Baek Hee now, which is the writer's only other drama.

The sound of your heart - i finally finished watching this on Netflix and it was a blast! Super funny and awkward moments captured perfectly. I just love the small family and all of the drama meta references. And all the cameos!

Misty - i cannot remember the last time I was this invested waiting for new episodes each week. I had to literally force myself to do something else with my life or else all that I do all day is to search and read on Misty-related things.

Should We Kiss First - I watched this to fill time while waiting for Misty and I was hooked. A lovely story of coincidences and fate between 2 anguished souls. Kam woo sung is soooo delicious😘. Even at that age. He has dimples! And I am a sucker for dimples. 😋

Mystery Queen 2 - a delight as it should be. Still waiting for the explanation regarding the ring. It seems like Wan seung was convinced that ahjumma accepted his ring but chose to ignore it while it seems like ahjumma never accepted it in the first place. My bet is he gave it to the cake lady while he was drunk.

Eulachacha waikiki - I'm slightly behind, now on the 8th episode but this drama is my laughter machine. I will binge watch this soon.

New misty tonight!

I only have 1 drama on my plate at the moment.

Woohoo Waikiki: You know how usually in a sitcom there is 1 couple who will follow romcom pattern so closely (like Donggu-Yoonah), but then there is also another couple who is totally hilarious and odd, but also sweet and kinda swoony at the same time? That's exactly how Jun-ki and Seo-jin are. And just as usual, I'm more drawn to their love story because it perfectly mirrored the wacky tone of the drama itself. Give me more of their LOLarious and unexpected love journey, please. And thank you.

Been in a bad slump for the past month, and didn't watch anything apart from some variety shows. Then life decided to put me through an emotional rollercoaster this week, and I need a diversion and a pick-me-up so bad so I re-continue Woohoo Waikiki after dropping it at episode 4. Surprisingly it really did pick up few episodes later. Less gross moments, more cringe-worthy but laugh-out-loud kinda moments. Not emotionally attached to me like some others, but I'm purely in it for Lee Yi Kyung I think. I probably would continue this one till the end.

Now I feel like I'm in the mood for romcoms that would give me some good cries (I know, weird combo). But if you guys could give suggestions, I'd gladly listen.

Evergreen (I'm going to keep using this title instead of That Man Oh-soo as I liked it more) took over my attention this week. It's quite fluffy which usually not my stuff, but perfect for me at this moment. I think 45 mind each epi is just perfect, hopefully no unnecessary fillers. Besides both Kim So-eun & Jonghyun look great together too. Hopefully this is also a starter for her to keep doing mini series. This drama is better than what I thought it would be, so far.

My Husband Oh Jak-doo - First two epi were pretty good. No feeling to commit with this drama yet, but I'll definitely check the next two epi to decide.

Purposely saved Waikiki and Should We Kiss First for this weekend. Maybe to catch up on Misty and Mother too which I am several epi behind.

Finally finished the last episode of Healer. It took me awhile because I didn't want to say goodbye. Plus, I kept re watching scenes other episodes. I am definitely going to have to look up the two leads other works.
I loved the way Jung-hoo kept looking at Min-ja when they finally met.
Definitely one of my favorite things this year.

I randomly will select episodes of Running Man to watch and today it was Grasshopper Hunting. I will have to go back and watch the amusement park episode.

I am taking a break from Hwayugi, but am still into Radio Romance. You know the lead really does have a nice voice for radio.

A couple weeks ago I had a long weekend in bed sick and watched A Love So Beautiful.

On ep 5 of My Girlfriend is a Nine Tailed Fox. Seriously cute leads. Am thinking of starting Full House when done with it.

Still have the first ep of Evergreen to try.
Looking forward to trying My Ahjussi, Switch, The Great Reducer when they premier and if available on DF or Viki.

This week has been a bit of blur. RL has taken a toll on me. Workwise I put in my two weeks notice, since I got an offer for a normal hour job. *I was working 6 days a week 3-11pm shift* SO, hopefully I will have more time for myself and catch a bit more dramas.
HWAYUGI finally ended, and man, that last episode was such a big disappointment. Only watched it partially subbed because I really could not wait to see how it ended, and never watched it fully subbed. Just read the recap.
WAIKIKI- was really sweet this week, I enjoyed watching Seo-jin and Joon-ki starting to have feelings for each other. I know Don-gu and Yoon-ah the OTP but I still don't like Yoon-ah and hope that the Pastry Chef gets her.
THAT MAN OH-SOO- First two episodes were ok. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I really like Kim So-eun, but I feel her acting depends on her costar. I don't know that Lee Jong-hyun has what it takes to make her shine. But we will see the story progresses. This will be my first OCN rom-com too.

Mother: episode 13. Oh how I cried at the end. This show! I cannot even call it a show, it is a diamond, a piece of real life coming to me and stricking me very hard, knowing that every piece belongs to real people out there, and someone miraculously put it together like an orchestra, in order to play it for us.
It sounds crazy but these must be accurate in the quantum physics: overlapping layers of different realities from different dimensions could get together, and there you have it. In one dimension Hye na would have died, but in another she didn't. In one dimension all of them would have died, but then again, they didn't. In one dimension Soo jin would have taken his daughter to Island, happy end for them, a new beginning, but they didn't.
We are heartbreakingly flipping from one dimension to another and their crafting is genius, to keep us pounding, jumping and crying, but never leaving.
And I still have episode 14 to encounter today!

I dropped waikiki, and only read the recaps because I couldn't stand last week's direction of the show, I mean where it was heading. I hated Dok shik's sort of love line with sherry and the revolving around porn, I hated from the beginning that he was fool enough to fall into writing for such types of "movies". I hated the "Seo jin jokes" having her dress like a hobo, and joon ki and dok shik gambling. Last week was a disaster for me, so... I quit. Last week it didn't even make laugh at all.
Now for the recaps this week, it seems some parts are still funny, but I don't know if I will watch. I don't have much time.
I wanted to watch misty, but I haven't managed to have time.

On a positive note, I keep watching just between lovers for the 2nd time. Very slow, but loving it like the first time. 😍😍😍

Mother, Waikiki, Mystery Queen , Radio Romance.

Mother is early favorite for show of the year. Ep 14 was the best yet.

Waikiki ep 9 was one of the best ever. Baby Sol back with cuteness overload and all the shenanigans of the trio!

Should We Kiss First I love it when actors commit themselves to comedy like the guys in Waikiki and I love it even more when veteran actors do it. Kim Sun Ah can be so off her rockers in this show and at the same time makes you cry at the drop of a hat. Kam Woo Sung is good too and I even like Oh Ji Ho more than I expected.

Mother I took out the poms poms when Ja Young got her just deserts. I was also nodding furiously to everything especially when Mom said - you don't become a mother just because you gave birth.
Hye Na rarely cries but this week, her wails have been so heartbreaking.

Misty I have not watched last night's episode. I'll once I am done with this post.

I tried Evergreen/That Man Oh Soo ep 1. Kim So Eun is cute but I am having problems with Lee Jong Hyun. Does he get better? I guess it is too early to tell.

**Dramas
*Waikiki ep9-10 : as usual I love it 🤗🤩😎 😍🤣💃, it’s great to have more screentime for Sol 😊
*Mother ep13-14 : I love the fact they show us the consequences and what follow after the chase and not end the drama with them being caught, I can’t wait to see how they’ll end this drama, both end ep was heartbreaking 😭

**K-shows
*I live alone E234 : love, laugh and cringe aigoo I laughed so much, wishing the best for the new couple 😊
*Hyori Homestay S2E5 : Disco ball and yurt , let’s party people🤣💃, I’ll just say it every week : I just love this show 🤗, aju manhi 😘
*1n2d E205: good ep , it’s nice to have them do a team mission 😊, also please make JJY PD ep please~

Hi, everyone, happy weekend!

1. Shoutout to @kimbapnoona for mentioning Love Storm/Love of Sandstorm last week and seems like it's through @cloggie's recommendation, so thanks to both of you! I love it, guhh! I love all the characters stories. Somehow, My Dear Boy's about the hero's parents reminds me of the parents' arc in this show. I appreciate the show takes on the parents' POV, especially the mom, it's so heartbreaking, because I live in patriarchy country, so I know her struggle really well, sigh. But her story is more of her family doesn't appreciate her. Gotta admit, I struggled to stay throughout 1st episode, too much uhhh wild for me, since I'm more into safe light shows, lol. But yeah, this show is a gem.

Anyway, I love the sister's story, urghh, what's wrong with me, I usually not into playboy/ jerk character, but the guy is such an eye-candy, not to mention he's quite responsible too, a really refreshing adorable cool playboy guy. Can't believe I typed that, slap me XD.

Also, the OST, One OK Rock- Wherever You Are, somehow gives me feels, it's so good. I always avoid those I-promise-you sappy slow love song, but damn, this song is <3.

2. And because of the recommendation talk, reminds me of The Good Place which makes me go "Oh wait, how come I know about this show." And my brain keeps nagging at me, I can't even focused on my work. Somehow I have a feeling it's through the talk in dramabeans, so i scrolled through my old comments and surprise! So, shoutout to @tsutsuloo and @ally-le, i had a good time watching that show, thanks a lot! XD And sorry for the long overdue thanks* deep bow

3. I tried to watch Lion Pride, not totally feeling it, too much fluff I guess but I love Amanda,since Love at Seventeen, hee. And her Dorothy's dialogues, lol. I wonder if the subs translate literally what she said on her radio show, because I legit LOL-ed like the hero, I find her Dorothy's talk so amusing. And sorry, any Taiwanese here? So the language is Hokkien, right? Correct me if I'm wrong. So yeah, I'll just stick to watch it for her.

4. Start watching Quartet, what a wacky mysterious fun drama! And I love the music.

5. I start to lose my focus on Radio Romance which is sad, because I spent so much energy trying to find hidden values of this drama, there are, but I think I'm not supposed to feel this exhausted to convince myself. A good drama will effortlessly make viewers appreciate it instead of struggling . So I'll just stay for LollyPip recaps.

I watched Should We Kiss First, which I love. I do wish they would tone done the casual violence. This week saw the Homewrecker (their term not mine) hit her husband until he bled, then punch him in the face and gave him a black eye and then hit Soon-Jin in a later scene. It seemed unnecessary.

Talking about violence, I also watched the first episode of Bad Guys 2 (because @jenmole and @umbrellaman asked me to. lol) and that was entirely about violence. I don't think I've ever seen so many people get hit by baseball bats! I've got a high tolerance for these kind of scenes, so it didn't put me off, but I did think that they could have cut 15mins of fights and had a better, tighter, faster episode. That said, I enjoyed the story and the set up - about a guy who witnessed a murder and has to decide to finally stand up or be running away forever - so I'll keep going with it.

I'm behind with Mother (up to ep 10) and might catch up on that over the weekend now that everybody is saying how good this week's episode is.

Then I started Fight My Way which I oddly missed out on when it aired. I thought it might be totally my thing, so I watched one episode and ... guess what?... loved it. Now that I think about it, it's also got fighting but it's okay to kick other people as long as it's a sport.

Fighting seems to be my Theme of the Week...

My work schedule last month was brutal. Until this week, I only had time for Hwayugi and I now relish the opportunity to explore fluffier fare this week.

That Man Oh-soo piqued my curiosity and it amused me more than I expected. Who knew I needed a fantasy grounded in the deep realism of broken hearts, shabby underpants, and family guilt? The AI geeeeeeeenius/barista is a combination I couldn’t have ever imagined but I’ll go along for the ride—for now. I dislike the siblings. And those high school truants? Ugh. I feel second-hand embarrassment for those actresses.

I fell in love with 5 Days Above the Cloud on Viki, a lovely 13-min Chinese romance. It’s a kind of a cross between a romance and a National Geographic short doc, set in the astounding Yunhe Rice Terraces, less than 500 km south of Shanghai. Our handsome young mayor has game!

I binged most of 2015’s The Girl Who Sees Smells. My God, the first seven episodes gave me LIFE! (he mystery becomes exhausting but the OTP is adorable.) After the gripping first episode, I found myself gasping with laughter and deeply enjoyed the chemistry and affection between the leads played by Park Yoo-chun (Rooftop Prince) and Shin Se-kyung (Black Knight). The CGI animating the scents was perfect. Namgoong Min (Chief Kim) is a really strong second lead here—feline, smexy and creepy.

Lastly, I said goodbye to Hwayugi (and hello! to Lee Seung-gi). Compared to the majority of impassioned negative comments, I was mostly content with Hwayugi’s ending.

I don’t watch the American show Hap and Leonard but I love this opening paragraph from a recent review on Vox.com. It captures my feelings about Hwayugi:

Hap and Leonard is my favorite kind of TV show — one that bites off more than it can chew, then insists, through muffled mouth, that it’s doing just fine, and no, it doesn’t need a drink of water. Even in the seasons of the show that don’t come together for me, I enjoy watching it try to swallow.

I found Hwayugi to be lots of fun despite being cheesy and overstuffed. I accepted the show by containing my expectations within this framework:

There’s more than one way to be a kick-ass girl
While the “kick-ass girl” trope makes for exciting characters, I also value those who are resilient, introspective and cautious. Being passionate isn’t the same as being loud. Sun-mi is truly stronger than iron. Her grandmother’s love inoculated her against the world’s cruelty and she managed to remain a good person, to find a niche in the world and to build a successful career.

Jin Sun-mi’s and Son Oh-gong’s love is the most powerful force in the universe
The Great Sage becomes Sun-mi’s family, her friend, her lover. Sun-mi’s declaration of her own love is extraordinarily brave—especially in the face what she perceives to be Son Oh-gong’s GGG-forced love.

The gods explained her original...