Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

by DB Staff

So, what are we all watching this week?

What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…

odilettante

Her Private Life: Let’s just ignore the fact that Handsome Oppa, uhhhh, I mean, Kim Jae-wook is basically one of my reasons for fangirl living and could quite possibly skew any objective perception I have for this show. Instead, let’s appreciate that this was a zippy and fun premiere and I’m totally smitten with all the characters, which is all that really matters in a romcom since we already know what the plot will be. I adore how Deok-mi makes it clear that being a fangirl is a vital part of who she is, but it isn’t all that she is. You can be a respectable adult with a career and still giggle over your favorite K-pop idol! Even though Ryan is the standard tsundere lead that we’ve seen a hundred times before, I love that he’s willing to recognize his mistakes, admit he was wrong, and do what he can to fix it (even if it means questioning his inherent biases). The cherry on top is Deok-mi and Sun-joo’s affectionate friendship and shared fangirling. They are so delightful that I almost wish they were the OTP that Ryan (mistakenly, alas) believes them to be. After all, nothing could be more important than friendship and fandom — er, except for maybe Handsome Oppa’s work-of-art cheekbones.

mary

My Fellow Citizens: I thought they ran out of fun this week but the PD knows how to use Siwon’s face to get as many laughs from me as possible. Though I can’t help but love the childish but smart Chairman Park Hoo-ja (Kim Min-jung). Her struggles to lead her mob into corrupt legitimacy crack me up. From explaining to old bosses that bro-tattoos don’t guarantee loyalty anymore, to failing to excel at this golf thingy, to disrupting her beauty sleep so she can dress intimidatingly for a confrontation… building a loan shark empire sure isn’t easy, and she picked the most difficult conman to boss around. Hijinks juseyo.

The Banker: President Kang is so shady, we should ship him to the North Pole to stop the ice caps from melting. Save the polar bears!

Special Labor Inspector Jo: Why are CEOs rewarded with hundreds to millions of dollars for withholding proper compensation or cutting corners on work safety for the rest of their employees? This obsession with fake hyper-growth never made sense to me. I mean, I understand the numbers behind it, but not the humanity. *sigh* Storywise, Inspector Jo has a lot of intersect with the other shows I’m watching now (corrupt people stepping on hardworking folks), but they trotted out a tough Kim Kyung-nam who turns squishy and loyal in front of his righteous, sliiightly violent ex-teacher. How can any Hyun-moo fan say no?

Doctor Prisoner: Maybe it’s because I watched this straight after two hours each of Inspector Jo and The Banker, but I admit I feel tired about the neverending curveballs. The problem is, I got used to the show’s quick pace that I don’t like when it slows down to set up the next blackmail-a-thon either. The only thing I never get tired of is seeing Na Yi-je’s dandy, evil-plotting face.

That Psychometric Guy: I’m always a week late to this. 🙁 I’m offended that Jae-in, Detective Eun, and Hyung are always jokingly worried about stooping down to An’s “level.” Excuse me? It’s an excellent level. Full of dumbness and sweetness. We need more of this level and less of the murdering.

Five Kids: You don’t usually have to worry about stock drama scenes happening in your life. Like being slapped with kimchi or having water thrown in your face during a fight. You can watch those scenes from a distance and be entertained by the crazy. But sometimes, Five Kids highlights problems so common that you can’t look away because that’s you on the screen, tiptoeing around your in-laws. That’s you squishing down feelings of hypocrisy while disciplining the kids. That’s you swallowing your pride to deal with an ex you have to work with. I’m at the part where newlyweds Sang-tae and Mi-jung finally live together with their five kids, and it’s such predictable chaos that it gets hard to watch at times. But I can’t drop it because I *do* want to know how the whole family will resolve their problems and grow through it all.

Laica

My Fellow Citizens: I’m a week behind, but this is the exact show I need in the last weeks of my first year of grad school. Full comedy Choi Siwon! Badass cop Lee Yoo-young! Kim Min-jung in unreserved scenery-chewing villain mode! I love the dynamic the writers have set up here between kind-hearted but totally dishonest con man Yang Jung-gook and his jaded-by-life wife Mi-young, both of whom thought they had found the one person in the world who could make them happy—only to find out on their wedding day that it’s precisely who they are as people that has brought their relationship to a standstill. I both cringe at and can understand Jung-gook’s desire for one last con before he goes clean, especially given that he comes from a family of thieves, and it’s nerve-wracking to know that Mi-young is now secretly working for the one department of the police that scares her husband most. The show does a wonderful job of capitalizing on the comedy inherent to this situation, without ignoring the accompanying tragedy of two people who genuinely love each other but are baffled as to how to solve their broken relationship. The dialogue and directing are also wickedly funny (I was dying at all the photo ops after he got the Brave Citizen award!), so the show grabbed me instantly despite the fact that we’re still technically in the plot setup portion of the drama.

missvictrix

Currently recapping: Kill It

That Psychometric Guy: Behind the curve as ever, but I’m in marathon mode on this one now. And yes, it’s a good as I heard, so thanks to the people that pushed me to watch it! I’m a Jinyoung fan ever since his awesome performance in My Love Eun-dong, and I’m really loving the rascally boyish vibes from him in this drama.

Her Private Life: Park Min-young has been in some mad good dramas, so whenever she has a new show, I pay attention. Add in Kim Jae-wook, and I’m sold. The first episode was pretty entertaining and with just enough quirkiness to get me interested. Hopefully the quirk factor and humor will be enough to add pizzazz to a plot that’s already leaning towards the predictable.

tccolb

Spain Guest House: Nothing really happens in this because they don’t get too many visitors at the hostel, but I still tune in every week. There’s something so soothing to watching Cha Seung-won cook, I think I can keep it on all day long. It’s also funny to see Bae Jung-nam in the group because he’s so different from previous mak-nae’s. Sohn Ho-joon and Nam Joo-hyuk, for example, both have quiet personalities (I miss Sohn Ho-joon :sad:). And although Cha Seung-won and Yoo Hae-jin like to play jokes and improvise little skits, they both have even temperaments as well. However, Bae Jung-nam kind of goes through “on” and “off” cycles. He starts off in hyperdrive, constantly chattering, and following Cha Seung-won around as he helps him cook and clean. But then he runs out of energy and starts spacing out.

My Fellow Citizens: It’s pretty fun! Choi Siwon and Lee Yoo-young have a nice comfortable chemistry which make their relationship believable – despite the whole cop marrying a con artist part. My favorite, though, is definitely Kim Min-jung. I love how blunt her character is, and, although a badass, she also has flaws. It’s also very refreshing that the three leads are not at odds in a love triangle. I really like that the main conflict between the OTP is something so true to life – the importance of communication – and it grounds the story in a good way so far. I do wish Yang Dong-geun’s “Charles” was a bigger part. But because he played such a tragic character in The Third Charm, it’s nice to see him play a lighter and comedic role. The man’s got range anyway, so he’ll do good with any part. And because I need to mention it, Choi Sung-won! It was a short cameo in the first episode as Lee Yoo-young’s not-so-great ex. But, Choi Sung-won!

Woohoo Waikiki 2: Also so fun! I couldn’t get through the first season for some reason, but I really like season two. Moon Ga-young’s character really reminds me of Rachel from the American sitcom, Friends. I mean, showing up in a wedding dress having come from a ruined wedding, she’s a little spoiled but good-hearted, she’s a “first love”, and her character arc is learning to be independent in the real world. I wouldn’t say that Kim Sun-ho is Ross, but his character is coincidentally the one with the sister too. This isn’t a bad thing, though. I like all the characters and I’m liking all the different dynamics as well.

Haechi: It’s nice to see Go Ara back. I might be in the minority, but I missed seeing her in the show. Although, I did feel bad for her. You could tell that she isn’t fully healed yet because she isn’t moving in any of her scenes. She’s either just standing or just sitting in one place. Hopefully, she gets better soon. The story continues to be intense though. I don’t know if my heart can take any more setbacks and deaths.

 
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