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Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

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…

 

mary

Pegasus Market: Did anyone else feel let down by how Bok-dong’s friend’s storyline was handled? Pegasus Market has been good at balancing the chaos with the pathos so far. But the part where the newly-hired grandpa inspires Bok-dong’s old friend to keep living using a hazy toy analogy seemed disproportionate to Bok-dong’s trauma and his friend’s broken life.

Extraordinary You: My manhwa babies! I’m torn about the ending set in a new universe populated by the same characters from Secret. On the bright side, their new personas are cute. Like Sae-mi being the shy hoobae to Soo-chul’s confident campus crush and Nam-joo as the outcast strawberry-obsessed guy. But at the same time, I can’t help but laugh in frustration at the “writer” who keeps recycling characters and risking them gaining self-awareness. What if Do-hwa wakes up in this new universe and remembers how he was so hug-deprived by everyone? Are Haru and Dan-oh even a proper loveline in this universe or will they have to sneak around behind the scenes again?

 

quirkycase

Catch the Ghost: I’m getting whiplash from all the twists they’re putting us through. I like a good twist as much as the next person, but I also like time to breathe in-between. I definitely didn’t guess the real motivation behind the Subway Ghost killings though. It’s nice to get a more creative backstory rather than having the stereotypical serial killer going around murdering people just for funsies. But I was super confused by the accusation against Yoo-jin, like somehow it’s her fault she was pushed into someone against her will. What is that nonsense logic? Did I miss something? Also, can we be done portraying people with mental illness as dangerous in media? First, we had the Subway Ghost fakeout with the Grasshopper with DID. Then, we get a perpetrator who is portrayed as violent due to his schizophrenia. Honestly, I’ve been irritated with how the show deals with mental illness and cognitive impairment for a while. Even Yoo-jin and Ji-seok’s mom are used predominately to elicit sympathy for their caregivers as opposed to being portrayed as whole people in their own right. There’s a tendency in media to erase the personhood of those with disability or mental illness, and with all the stigma surrounding these issues, that’s helpful to no one.

Chocolate: I was on the fence about this one, but I decided to give it a try. I enjoyed the premiere week more than I had anticipated. Straight up melodramas are always hit and miss for me since I prefer not to be bitch-slapped by sadness. But this had a subtler vibe than I was expecting—more melancholic as opposed to an in-your-face sobfest. In that way, its vibe reminds me a bit of Just Between Lovers, which is a good thing. There’s nothing particularly innovate about this one so far, but since I like the overall tone and I’m curious where it’ll go, I’ll stick with it for at least another week.

Psychopath Diary: This week’s episodes were way too serious; we already have enough serious crime dramas. This works best as a farcical comedy of errors, and it shines when they lean into the inherent humor of the premise and go all out. Last week’s episodes did this wonderfully. Watching Dong-shik so dead-set (heh) on committing muuurder but having no practical murder skills was hilarious, as was his justifying everything that didn’t fit his I’m-a-psychopathic-serial-killer narrative with, “I must still be recovering.” And the interactions between him and In-woo last week were priceless. I really, really hoped the intense one-sided (b)romance was going to be a thing throughout the drama. I could watch In-woo woefully misreading and trying to bond with his new killer friend all day. Bring the (b)romance back, Show! Oh, and less investigating and serious murder and more Dong-shik trying to tap into his inner serial killer ridiculousness, please and thank you.

 
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Chocolate is sooo INTENSE! Everyone and everything is so EXTREME! 😆 This is normally not my cup of tea and I think I only finished Thank You by this screenwriter (which I liked... and it also was my introduction to Jang Hyuk and Gong Hyo Jin)... but so far despite all those makjang melo tropes, I'm sucked in and watched the first two episodes back to back. I also think the directing (with all those beautiful shots) and majority of the acting elevates the story.

Another show I got sucked in is the Japanese drama G Senjou no Anata to Watashi which is the complete opposite to Chocolate. 😆😆 Slice of life story about 3 people accidentally meeting in a violin class. I was not planning to watch this and was actually contemplating to which show to go back before the next week(s) brings the new batch... but then stumbled upon a short info and the moment they mentioned violin I was intrigued as I used to play violin when I was a kid. And now I watched all available subbed episodes (7). 😆 I like how we often get to see the same situation from different point of view and how sometimes the same words get back, though with different / deeper understanding. I also like the changing seasons and how the characters grow. My favourite character is the main heroine Yaeko (though, uff, in the 7th episode there seems to be some noble idiocy) and I love how the actress portrays her.

Still enjoying No Second Chances 😍

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You and I on G-string's manga finished long ago - in my pending list.
Cucklate is blot in the fine scenery of JTBC.

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I have never heard about the manga and found the live action just by chance 😆 Hope the ending is good.

Choco - I like all the cooking 😆
And I really like how the drama is shot. Plus Jang Seung Jo 😍... my bias I found in Money Flower.

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Now that 2019 is ending I want to watch as many shows from this year as possible to see if I agree with the editor's picks. :P

Chief of Staff Season 1: Oh so gripping. There are bits and pieces I don't get but still I'm enjoying it so much. I'm so impressed with Shin Mina's character playing the two old men, and for being just so smart, perceptive and hard working. I just finished the episode where Lee Seong-min is being investigated for his election campaign funding and just questioning how he is so good and naive and feeling a little baffled by his choice.

Graceful Family: Now thats one creative show! I love both leads. And the superb villain! And the crazy family! But I was stupid enough to go through all the Graceful Family Instagram posts and saw all the spoilers so I know how it's going to end and I'm not looking forward to it.

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Also The Lies Within finale: What was that? The characters were trolled and so were we.

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It was the most ridiculous thing I've watched in a while.

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@edgarpordwed @cloggie Hmmm, I just crossed off Also the Lies Within! Why are there so many dramas lately with these lame endings?

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For me, nothing can beat Vagabond for having the most ridiculous ending of all.

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I disagree that the ending was ridiculous, because THERE WAS NO ENDING! The damned thing just stopped right dab in the middle of a scene.

What infuriates me is that I loved the drama, because it was fun and suspenseful, I loved all the main characters (and quite a few of the side characters - I was so shipping Lily and pathetic assassin dude!), and especially loved Suzy and Lee Seung Ji, as well as Shin Sung Rok.

So, to have the thing just STOP, with zero plans for a second season - no script, no contracts with directors/writers/actors, no producers/sponsors - for a drama that spanned 3 continents and took 11 months just to film - is simply infuriating.

I figure that if they started writing the screenplay this very second, we would still be a highly optimistic minimum of 18 months before a second part would be even close to being ready to air. So, major eff you to whoever was responsible for giving us a pre-produced drama that ended in the middle of a scene.

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I actually thought of that ending as a possibility once when I was watching earlier on, and then I dismissed it as totally entirely too insane for anything.

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Yay chief of staff, all the characters have a purpose and seem real , no candy roles.

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I'm watching Chief of Staff, and loving it. Political intrigue - either contemporary or sageuk dramas - are one of my favorite genre.

I loved Graceful Family, which - despite it's fabulously makjang-y humor - also made me shed a tear or two, probably re the part that you aren't looking forward to, or the reasons (deep seated, from childhood scars) why it ended as it did. But oh, I adored that drama! I'm pretty sure it's making my top 5 Korean dramas of the year.

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Psychopath Diaries: Completely agree about Inwoo’s one-sided bromance. Please bring it back, it was priceless!

Chocolate: Major feels for Joon when he flew to Libya and held Kang’s hand silently. Hope this is a sign that Kang is more than just a rival to defeat for him, but also family.

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So far Joon is the most interesting character to me.

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I think Joon has potential for layers... And I hope they keep developing him.... 🍫

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Yes, and I hope they won't make him guilt for the ML brain problem, or he will be definitively the bad guy...

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Me thinks there is a lot of guilt too (on Joon’s side). Ohhh but I love the friendship between Kang and Min.

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-Completed-

MY COUNTRY (16/16): Ooof that ending. It felt like watching a movie. The drama wasn’t perfect, but in the end I shed a tear over the two friends and Jang Hyuk and his fan. I’m heartbroken and horrified that Bang Won knowingly turned into a monster to be feared when he could have had loyal followers. “It is better to be feared than loved”, but at what price? 💔😓😢

PEGASUS MARKET (12/12): This was the comedy musical I needed. Special shout to Lee Dong-hwi. I’ve been a fan of his down-to-earth acting since REPLY 1988 and RADIANT OFFICE and was thrilled to see him in a lead role. I do have a minor quibble (and I can’t believe I’m saying this), but I wanted a bit more romance! I guess that steamy shower scene was the most romantic it got. 🙈🤣🤣

THE CROWNED CLOWN (16/16): Finished for the bean, finally. It’s beautifully filmed, but I struggled to get through the long episodes with lots of staring and slo-mo. Takeaway message: Joseon people will never know how lucky they were in getting the rice tax law passed? 🤔😳🥵

That’s it. I have no ongoing dramas! 😱

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Like @bbstl I am looking forward to watching myself and Hyun bin in Crash Landing.

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TCC- "Takeaway message: Joseon people will never know how lucky they were in getting the rice tax law passed?"
LOL yep. Rice rice baby!

One of these days a competent writer will give Gwanghae the respect that he deserves.

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Lee Dong hwi, if you haven’t already watched it , there is a KBS drama special, Red Teacher, co stars, Jung So Min ❤️😍5🌠

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Weightlifting Fairy: Rewatch! I might like it more this time around? The first time, I couldn't relate to Bok-joo at all, but now I AM her.

VIP: I started this and I got seriously into the first few episodes. I might end up dropping it, though - although its a very good show, like @missvictrix said, it's depressing me right now. I think I really have to be in a special mood to enjoy watching something that brings me no joy.

Pegasus Mart: So I binged most of it in, like, a week? And for the most part I love it - when Lee Dong-hwi of all people is the straight-man, you know that what you're watching is pretty bombastic. But watching episode eleven made me wonder what exactly the show is trying to achieve - it will occasionally throw an actual emotional moment into the fray and expect it to stick, but otherwise it effectively laughs at you for getting attached? I'm not verbalising this very well, but basically it feels like Pegasus Mart takes this sadistic pleasure in tricking the audience: "Ha! You cried over this scene? You fool! It's just a joke! Everything's a joke! Nothing means anything!"

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Ah! I also re-watched Jimi ni Sugoi, which was the happy pill I needed this week after getting norovirus AND tonsilitis.

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Speaking of re-watches I had one of those too this past week. The Princess's Man, is one of my favorites, and it was just as good, if not better, the second time around.

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That's a drama I've been meaning to watch for a really long time!

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It portrays a woman with high morals, and devoted loyalty, a combination that's hard to beat.

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Pegasus Market (Episode 11)
Seok Goo has been the mainstay of the mart before Bok Dong crashed onto the scene and initiated his exposure of the corruption, so I find it absolutely fitting that he gets the right to decide the fate of the mart. I was a little surprised that he knew everything right from the start (I had assumed Bok Dong confided in him at some point), which honestly made everything so much more deliciously sneaky: his honesty provided a really good cover and he kept his cards until there was a need to use them. The question is: against Dae Ma’s intent to shut the mart down, how will he protect everyone?

Chocolate (Episode 1-2)
The one thing frustrating me about this show is the chaebol family politics: it’s close to impossible for it to be nuanced when there is no other plausible narrative explanation for why they treated Kang’s mother like that (I guess we have to accept the tropes as part of the writer’s lazy world-building). I still have hope now that they’ll explain why Cha Young’s brother is acting out rather than let the character be a shameless leech but we’ll see. Since we’re losing Min Sung (well nice characters sadly always die), Joon should take over the ‘bro’ role from him: please let’s not have the love triangle!

Psychopath Diary (Episode 5-6)
I think it is a really poor decision by the producing team to put those cliffhangers when the audience can easily predict the fake-out that it going to occur afterwards: unless this writer is a genius and has planned a mind-blowing twist next week, the male lead has copious amounts of plot armour at this point. Another thing bothering me is how the setting of the stock company has practically disappeared after the introduction: it’s serving as an accessory to the plot now that the writer has used it clumsily to highlight the main lead as a pushover as well as the daddy issues for the psychopath.

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With regard to chocolate: amen to no love triangle please.

One thing I don’t understand is why doesn’t Kang pursue happiness and just leave that family hospital! He has the skills so chill.

I don’t think it is ambition but I wonder what craziness is it!

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My Country - This show wasn't perfect but i'd still say it's my absolute favourite show this year. I was angry with Sun Ho for a large part of it but his and Hwi's relationship was the heart of the show and as sad as it was i'm glad they died together.

When The Camellia Blooms - This show was sooooo lovely and enjoyable to watch. I have nothing bad to say about it, also Pil Gu best kid on tv this year I think!

VIP - Sung Joon is just such a cowardly pathetic excuse of a person that I don't even want Jung Sun to get revenge, I just want her to leave that loser behind because he's not worth a second more of her time, what did she see in him anyway? and as sad as they're trying to make Yuri's story I'll still never care.

Catch The Ghost - They're making it so hard not to sympathise with Hee Joon! of course what he's done was absolutely awful and unforgivable but if I had to to witness my kid die and not a single person step in i'd go crazy too but also if Sae Rom hadn't have died, Yoo Jin would have and if she hadn't someone else would have. I do think it's incredibly annoying that the show is still insisting that Yoo Jin is somehow responsible for the killings, she has the mind of a child, she and Sae Rom where the most vulnerable people on that platform so enough with this already.

Chocolate - I'm up to ep 3 on this and i'm not sure i'll go further than that. Lee Kang is just so weird and I don't understand his motivations behind anything he does, he's being abused by his family and stays why? he went crazy over Cha Young breaking up with his friend why? he's still upset despite his friend being engaged and the breakup being 4 years ago WHY?

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I agree with regards to Catch The Ghost.
I think anybody would crazy if they had to witness what he HJ had to, I could sympathize with his pain but his actions are still not condonable.

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In Cocolate I want him to leave so much. At least he didnt bow down. I'm not sure if he wants to be an heir to hurt those that hurt his mom or because his mom sacrificed so much for him.
In regards to his anger at Cha Young I think he thinks she never loved his friend (the one person he has) and probably cheated on him. He went way to far in Greece but he is grieving and I think he believes that Min sung is still in love with her on his death bed.

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I agree with this. I do believe that's why he hasn't left. I too wish he did. Also I agree he is still angry at the fact that Cha Young left his friend, just like that and is obvious that Min Sung still cares about her.

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I agree with you on Yuri's story in VIP. Not even sorry for her. I think she is manipulative and will not be redeemed. At least not in my eyes. She can go back to being sample girl for all I care.

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VIP makes so angry when I watch it that I want to break things! I don't know that I've ever seen a drama that pushes so many buttons (not that I've ever had a cheating spouse, but I've had a few cheating BFs, and that's bad enough). But now it's like Yoo-ri is taking over Jung-sun's life - her husband, her position at work, and - if she's sent to another city - even possibly her house. And I'd bet Yoo-ri will also end up having the baby that Jung-sun wanted so badly.

LIke you, I don't give one single damn about Yoo-ri. No sympathy, no nothing. Her mother probably had a good reason to keep her birth secret from the serial adulterer VP. But I think Yoo-ri is more like the VP than her mother, and is ready to take whatever she can, use whoever she can, and crush whoever she can in order to take all she wants. I loathe her.

I just don't see how this ends up any satisfactory way, though. I mean, Jung-sun already had trouble with a pregnancy, and I assume she's in her mid-to-late 30s (between 35 and 37 maybe?), so it's getting late for her to find another love interest and have the child she so clearly wants. She gave her youth to the cheater, and he's made it all a mockery.

Damn, this series is so cruel to women! It reminds me of the ads for one of Steven King's novels-turned film, "It knows what scares you." Well, I think the writers of VIP know what women's worst nightmares are, and are playing them out in this drama, with every episode betraying the idea that it couldn't get any worse, because it constantly does get worse for Jung-sun! Every damned episode!

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Wow! You’re livid and you wrote down your anger so amazingly!!! I, too, hate to the rafters Yoo Ri and that adulterous husband. I don’t know why I still watch that kdrama when I am so incensed over the story of Jung Sun. Lol.

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This is nothing! For me visceral reaction to the last few episodes, check out my comment near the bottom of this thread. I am LIVID on Jung-sun’s behalf, and on the behalf of all women who are betrayed by cheating men and the traitorous women who enable them.

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You word the anger so accurately that I was very happy to read your comment. Everytime Jung sun and sung jun confronted i felt like i should be there and stabbed him multiple time so he would feel the pain of labor that the his wife felt over and over again. I think this is the first ever drama i felt so much angry watching it, that I wish they will be crushed by jung soon while she get her happiness without the adulterous husband. I dont care if they didnt reunite at the end of the drama.

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Hello everyone!
I just finished three shows last week and yesterday i finished Nobody.
THE TALE OF NOKDU I liked almost everything about this show, i liked both Lady Kim and Nokdu and their interactions with Dong Joo. Now the Review about how Yul MYU and Nobody were born on the same day was a surprise for me, i mean they had to wait for 16hrs

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And i agree with @Mary The ending of ExtraOrdinary left me a bit disappointed. Are Dan Oh and Haru the main characters, or maybe in this new world there are none?

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Me and my family believe they are both background characters because neither had names. Her notebook where her name was supposed to be was left blank. And the picture that Haru drew had no name on the plaque. Which means they are free of the constrictions of the comic and can spend it together.

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That makes more sense

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They are extra! They don't have name and don't have a set-up, they're free! It's what Danoh wanted :)

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The birthday thing in Nokdu was actually hinted at in episode 3 or 4 I think

remember the scene where Dong-joo is eating miyeokguk for breakfast (traditionally a dish to celebrate birthdays) and Nokdu asks how she knows it's his birthday (she didn't, it was actually for another birthday but she doesn't say whose)? That was the hint we should have picked up, she was sent the food as a celebration for Yul-moo's birthday.

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Secret Boutique - about half-way through. I hope the JJ- SW ship doesn't sail. Not a fan of her stoic, emotionless face.

Chocolate - nice raves from fellow Beanies but not invested into it yet

VIP - all about the struggles of women in the workforce. Realistic and actors are immersed in their roles

No great enthusiasm and overflowing praise, though, for any of the current shows being watched, as compared to how i felt about My Country. It remains my favorite this year. Woo Do Hwan gained a fan. Jang Hyuk is in my HOF.

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I am not watching any new k-dramas *cries*.

I did watch a movie titled: Rich Fiancée on my connecting flights. The movie description: He is young and rich, he is in search of love but there are so many beautiful girls around. How can he find his true love?

It took me 3 tries to finish it, since I dozed off while watching. The movie was dubbed and the dub was hilarious. I think it was dubbed by only 1 male and 1 female translator(?), all the characters had the same english voice and tone 😂.

Overall the movie was as meh as it's description, but the dub made it funnier than it should have been.

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TOKYO SHOWER: 7/10. So sad. I felt like crying at the end.

CHOCOLATE: even if I like slow dramas, this seems a little too slowly and so far I don't like the FL very much. But I'm watching it with my sister, and it's fun listening to her comments! XD

VIP: even if the secret was revealed, I can't wait to watch the next episodes. I'd like to know more about Sung Joon, I hope he will be more active and talkative, now.

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Yes, please someone make SJ give us something to at least make us feel something for him. Right now there are no feelings for him on my behalf.

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It's time for him to have more depth, now that the poker face is no longer needed. And I want to understand his motivations and his feelings.

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VIP: Man, I hate Sung-joon and his one, very serious expression and Yuri and her wide-eyed look. On one hand, I would like to see Jung Sun drag them down, but mostly I just want her to get the heck out of there.

Chief of Staff: I expected the ending of Episode 8 to happen next week.

Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life: Cheong Ah and Jun Hwi are cute. I’m liking Seol-ah a lot now too, but I’m already sick of her ex-husband.

Chocolate: The writer throws all the tropes into her dramas, and I find myself yelling at the television a lot, especially in Episode 3. I do like HJW and YKS though.

Pegasus Market: Final episode - Aww, it's over. I loved the whole cast dancing at the end.

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Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life: Cheong Ah and Jun Hwi are cute.
Me too! I love their tiny steps and missteps.

The exhusband, ex MiL, the secretary: can they please go on a holiday?

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Chocolate feels like they want to be a more mature Just Between Lovers but accidentally blended it with an old school daytime US soap opera. After three episodes I'm leaning toward fast forwarding to see my favorite second lead and whether he turns into a tolerable human being.

I miss my stabby OTP. Impatiently waiting for something new to entertain me and watching Pegasus to fill the gap.

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Missing our stabby OTP already...? I wish they team up again in an equally absorbing drama.

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I'd like to see Woo Do Hwan in something lighter where he doesn't have to be a mysterious pain filled character.

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Mad Dog was one I truly enjoyed. Looking forward for more projects for him, and, yes, where as the lead, he isn't mysterious nor melancholic. Not one like the Great Seducer, but I would love to see him in an action movie where he is the hero ala Healer.

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He was excellent in Mad Dog.

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Catch the Ghost: 8.0 Alternate title: "Why you shouldn't be direct supervisor over your daughter or her x-boyfriend".

Chocolate: 2.1 If the first 21 minutes are so bad, it doesn't matter if it might get better later. Bye.

Leverage: 6.5

Pegasus Market: waiting for subs

Parasite: 8.0 (the movie)

9.9 Billion Won Woman: 7.0 Slow start in day one. FL / title character is the rich housewife from Parasite. Watching them in the same week leaves me wondering if the 9.9 billion is how she got to be the rich housewife. And will she hide the money in the bunker under the house?? Are we supposed to root for the woman who didn't make a phone call to try to save a life?

Signal: 10.0 or 11.23 if you know what I mean. When they finally have a show that earned a sequel and even teased one, but didn't give us one (yet), there's nothing to do but start watching for the 4th time. Also, the music holds up well. It's not music you might want to listen to by itself, but it does a great job of setting the mood.

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To your point on 9.9 Billion Won woman, he would've been dead before she finished the call, but I thought about that too.

Your point on Chocolate made me lol. I'm giving it the next two episodes to decide if I like it.

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Regarding the music in Signal, I have listened to almost all of it despite never seeing it. It did intrigue me to watch it but thrillers are not my thing.

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I don't watch 9.9 Billion Won Woman but it seems like it's a habit of her not to call for help, she did the same in Beautiful World... :p

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LOL!

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Yes to the not calling for help. That's when I decided not to watch this one. I doubt it will have the incredible parents (best drama parents I've ever seen) or be uplifting in the end. But maybe she'll finally get the punishment she deserves.

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I finished SECRET BOUTIQUE but in final hours the show lost it umph and went out with mere whimper. The best this week were VIP those ladies are so compelling, I can't wait to see more of them, but I still don't buy this supposed affair there is literally negative chemistry between ML and Yuri. CHIEF OF STAFF is now full blown political thriller and I'm loving that Shin Minah has more to this season and they added another mature lady to the mix.
CATCH THE GHOST had a lot of potential and great cast but now it's just messy plot with cheap tricks and twist to play on audience emotions, and I agree with @quirkycase the way they wrote people with mental issue is rage inducing.

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A big shout out for the weekender ‘Never Twice’/ ‘No second chances’.

It’s absolutely delightful. Park Se Wan and Kwak Dong Yeon are so amazing. If I knew how to make gif’s my wall will be filled with KDY’s freaking facial expressions!!

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😁😁
I now like my Saturdays, because I get the new episodes of NSC... and then I like my Sundays because I get the subs 😊

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K-drama, from the current offering, what I’m watching and enjoy the most:
- Chocolate: it amused me to see Cha Young innocent+comedic expression, as a kid and now as an adult, and I look forward to see Kang to concur to it and sad eyes no more :))
excited that the first OST is released, the music in this drama is just wonderful
- VIP: gosh, that revelation during the dinner with the VP, you go, jung sun-ah! I’m dreading the preview forward since it seems to show on how ‘reality’ would choose Yu Ri over Jung Sun but well life sometimes just force us to be a fighter, right? as a viewer, it is fascinating to see the revenge unfold, though I don’t know whether the drama would take that path.

I watched 99billion Woman ep 1, and it’s dark, the ‘heroine’ is a grey character, and I’m not sure I can handle another ‘stressful’ story where I already have VIP to deal with, haha..

C-drama:
- Starting to watch Joy of Life, and it seems promising. I plan to continue this, after couldn’t find anything enjoyable for many years, others than all remake of Jin Young’s novel live action, such as the latest Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre which I really like. I might be a v.picky viewer because I almost only watch pure wuxia drama, and rarely can I swallow xianxia drama.
- a month ago I just finished Here to Heart, oooh purely for my eyes galloping beautiful pairing Janine and Han Zhang <3 I was quite obsessed on with the OTP love story, and I found the cuth-throat IT corporate world setting and dialogue was actually quite good, and the plot wasn’t that crazy, but yeah, have I told you the pairing is beautiful? kekeke

J-drama:
-there’s a season 2 of Good Morning Call on Netflix! aah the cuties Nao and Uehara are back, I’m really in the mood for something light!
-rewatching (for the third time) No Working After Hours.
I love office drama and Japan has some of the best ones, this one could be tricky, since it can be preachy, but I still found it asked some important questions in worklife, but this 3rd time rewatch is for Yui’s fashion and oogling Mukai Osamu pretty face, I admit. ;)

December is busy month in real life for me, and work can be long and tiring, so it’s such an entertainment to watch similar struggle in kdrama ‘I Hate Going to Work’, it’s my absolute favourite office drama lately. I’ve rewatched it for more than 3 times ;)I like to rewatch 1 episode after a long day in the office, and experience some jabs at heart while watching the worker’s daily stuggle, but also got some comedic balance, I just love this series, and really hope that they will make a sequel to it.

lastly, just excitedly wait for Prosecutor’s War to start, couldn’t believe I would see LSK back to my screen, hopefully him with many smiles this time! :))

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Annyeong beanies!! Last month of the year, sigh, where did all that time go?

With the ending of the recent crop of dramas that I watched & mostly loved, nothing interest me currently except for Pegasus Market (my absolute fav of 2019!) which also ends this week 😭 So I thought I’m done with kdrama for the year until one innocuous night of browsing YouTube for something non k-drama related and clips of Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life popped up in my feed. Feeling slightly curious, I clicked on one and let’s just say the rest is history. OMG I simply adore Cheong Ah - she is so precious - and her unabashed love for Joon Hwi 😍😍 I don’t want to commit to a 100 (or 50 1-hr) episode of a weekend drama but the heart wants what it wants. Luckily I’m only invested in Cheong Ah/Joon Hwi and their love line and to a small extent, her older sis with the Chef so I’m good, I fast forwarded the screaming, scheming MIL, the cheaters and the boring plot lines until I’m up-to-date. The chemistry between Seol Ah-In and Kim Jae-Young is just ❤️❤️❤️ I’ve watched Kim Jae-Young in other dramas but he didn’t catch my eye until now. He just need to smile his little smile and I’m a goner. So, down the rabbit role I went and now I’m (binge-)watching Secret Boutique for him, being a bad-ass for Jenny Jang. I read that some beanies found the ending of Secret Boutique disappointing so I’ve tempered my expectations accordingly. Anyway lesson learnt - avoid YouTube at all cost in the future or maybe just stop being so curious 😝

Until next time, have a wonderful day beanies!

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Kim Jae Young is so hot!! Am watching it just for the main leads. Now, coming to the key plot - kiss already!!!

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My sentiments exactly, kiss already!! Don’t keep us in suspense any longer!

In the past, objectively I know he is hot but then again there are so many hot oppas to choose from haha But because of this role, somehow his hotness seems to like skyrocketed or I’ve just been blind all this time 😆

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Hi KdramaAhjumma, I'm with you on this 😃: because of this role, somehow his hotness seems to like skyrocketed

Kim Jae Young looks good in Secret Boutique too. I tried many times to watch the drama, but I just couldn't continue. It's not my cup of tea, I guess.

I looked up his appearances in his past works...err, he's not hot at all! He looks so different. I'm not sure if he's had some work done to his face, but he definitely fixed his upper teeth. And light-colored hair doesn't suit him. His real-life persona is also different from Gu Jun Hwi. I love Kim Jae Young's voice though.

My conclusion is, I love Gu Jun Hwi! 🤣 He's well dressed. His hairstyle after he returns from Spain is so nice. So, I'm just replaying his scenes from BLWL a gazillion times! And can they increase Jun Hwi's scenes...? It's not even taking up a quarter of the episode.

I've hardly missed Entertainment Weekly but this time round they seemed to ignore covering BLWL. Usually they would cover the press conference and interview the main cast of the latest weekend drama. And it's a bummer that EW has ended its run after 30+ years. I would love to see the behind the scenes. My hope is that BLWL will have some nominations in the KBS Drama Awards. Hope to see KJY there and in SBS Drama Awards too. And Seol In Ah in MBC Drama Awards. She caught my attention in Special Labor Inspector Jo 😁

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Applecrumble, are you me???? 😍😍

I’m so glad I watched Secret Boutique after BLWL coz I would not appreciate his hotness fully if it’s the other way round. You know what? 💡 It is Gu Jun Wei that I love too, just like you. He is gruff yet vulnerable. Chaebol but not arrogant, just aloof. When he smiles, my heart just go 💓💓 Whenever Kim Jae-Young’s character in Secret Boutique leaves me a bit cold, I would go back to watch his BLWL clips to warm my heart. I’m sad that there is no BTS of BLWL. I even watched Happy Together for the BLWL special but he wasn’t one of the guests. Oh, I watched Seol In Ah in Inspector Jo and she was great in there too. There is something pleasant about her.

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I had never seen Kim Jae Young in anything, but when I saw clips of shirtless him in Secret Boutique, the drama immediately went to my “must watch” list, for when it neared completion. Then I started watching wonderful Life, Beautiful Love, and there he was, looking gorgeous as “soldier ahjussi.” Then, late last week, I started watching 100 Days My Prince, and the second I saw the beautiful eyes of the masked assassin, I immediately perked up and thought, “Is that my new BF, Kim Jae Young?” And a few scenes later, there he is, looking hot as usual ( but he’s a bad guy, and I’ve already guessed, within just 3 episodes, that he’s going to end up being the FL’s long lost brother, probably the father of the princess’s baby, and - given all the murders he’s committing - getting killed himself, and that’s already given me the sadz about this so so drama, but I will keep watching for him.

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PEGAGUS MARKET (Finale?): It was sort of an anti-climatic episode: less wacky twists and more final cast bows. Overall, it was great diversion; well done. I did like the use of web cartoons in ending credits. Not sure how it would go forward except for the Jo and Moon budding romance.

BEAUTIFUL LOVE, WONDERFUL LIFE: The lead OTP now dating with ML holding back secrets from his mother is a landmine field. I'd rather have that reveal done sooner than later. I really hate the entitled, rich man mania of Seol-Ah's ex-husband trying to force his way back into her life without realizing his own faults.

CHOCOLATE: (Ep 1-2): The show has burned through all of the standard tropes in two episodes so it is easy to think that this may turn into a slow, painful, bittersweet experience of the leads watching their friend pass in hospice. I can see why some viewers would drop a show like this. On a bright note, the show does have a sweet food porn element missing since Wok of Love.

9.9 BILLION WON WOMAN (Ep 1-2): It bugs me that the translator keeps on saying the loot was $10 million (US) when in fact the exchange rate is $8.6 million (US). We have the quick set up the main characters, but I do not want to see a sudden, complete change of the suicidal, timid, introverted Seo-Yeon into some badass avenger.

FUN RESTAURANT (Variety): It must be winter as the urge to have warm comfort food has drawn me into this KBS cooking competition show about celebrities making their own recipes to win a chance to have it sold in a convenience store.

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In 9.9 BWW it feels like Seo Yeon is the baddess avenger. Everyone seems to notice that she is not a simple, timid housewife. More like a strong person, who simply doesn't have enough weapons or backup to fight back. Now that she got a glimse of hope, she will hold onto it with all her might. I was curious if her friend was looking down on her, but that surprisingly, wasn't the case.

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I have no current shows 🙁 It’s effecting my mood! Trying to rewatch Melo in an effort to stay amused. Waiting for Crash Landing (yes, even if it’s awful) especially @yyishere’s interpretations of the Strange Wind.

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I want to watch VIP, but I keep putting it off. This morning, I watched a mist drift across the mirror, and then it hit me. I was watching myself. So what I'm watching is...myself. How bizzare is that?

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Not bizzare at all wind YY. You love yourself so much 🌬😆. I await your cameo/supporting role/special effects in Crash Landing.

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I think of you every time I see the mist coming out of my humidifier (it also makes me think I’m in a k-hospital).

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@yyishere Am I in a drama slump? I want to start watching VIP, Beautiful Life, Secret Boutique, and many more from my list but for some reason keeping putting it off like you! I did start watch Suits Korean version as it finally is aired on Netflix! Oh maybe I am looking for a light hearted rom/comedy other than high school love theme? I am enjoying Chocolate but now have to wait for the next eps....ugh I love binge watching.

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I'm waiting for it too. If it's awful, that's fine too.

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TharnType That show about a crazy couple. I can't decide if they deserve each other or if they make each other crazier. I guess I'm watching to find out.

Chocolate The first ep was bad, full of cliches. Childhood small conversation that leads to an adult calling that kid her first love, incredible coincidences, awkward dialogue and yet another plot about a family competing for the approval of an annoying rich elder who owns the company. When will kdramas EVER get tired of that? I will watch second ep only because it seems Jang Seung Jo gets a chance to use his melodramatic skills, but guy deserves better.

If Talking Paid My favorite thing about this show is it makes me feel regular people still exist in dramaland. When I try almost every recent kdrama people don't act or talk like anyone around me, sometimes I think I'm being picky or it's about cultural differences, and then comes ITP and these people should be on the other side of the world but they could easily be my neighbors. I'm still on ep 4 and the only bad thing about it is the drama relies on Mitsuru a lot and sometimes he becomes pushy but it's still very nice.

Psychopath Diary It had a good premise but it's kdrama so they prefer to use it for jokes instead of analyzing the interesting possibilities. The ML has become a moron with shifting morals so the real psycho is the only interesting character, maybe if he could become lead, but that's against the rules. The FL could have been nice if only she was as smart as she thinks she is or had a better sidekick.

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Regarding If Talking paid, I'm on the same episode and yeah that's the charm of j dramas, I'd also say Taiwanese dramas like my latest favorite Yong Jiu Grocery store that they do slice of life well enough to make you feel you are one of them. I actually like Mitsuru and equally resent him. He reminds me of myself so I totally understand him. But j dramas always surprise me how they can make stories out of such simple plots. Unfortunately I have paused the show for now because the subs take long and I don't want to lose interest while waiting for them. I wish j dramas can improve their camera quality though, they look 2011ish dated.

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Yes, me too! He reminds me of myself many times that's why I don't want him to become bossy or unfeeling, but so far he has always turned around and showed his good side later. That's such a great thing, in just 4 eps ITP has already surprised many times and showed a lots of details on each character. The cinematography is indeed not on the same level as kdramas but I feel we get fooled by it these days and I'm trying to go for a good story and forget the production a little.

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Good production values cannot save a badly written show. And good stories can make a smaller budget show stand out. So obviously that doesn't really matter when it comes to quality and probably that is why j dramas don't bother that much with cinematography anyway because they've got good writers, actors, directors. Mitsuru is weird but very reasonable as a NEET. This character could easily become frustrating but just because he comes full circle like in ep 4 and also realizes his own shortcomings even if indirectly and by not admitting them, he becomes somewhat endearing.

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So does that mean you're enjoying TharnType more?

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I used to feel the way this show dealt with Type's issues and Tharn's behavior and how rushed their relationship was, and all the silly jokes, it was all a bit like a crazy checklist. Now that Type is becoming more violent, I care less about him, and the moment I start feeling pity on Tharn, he goes and acts creepy again, taking Type to meet his family when the guy wasn't ready for it. So, yes, I'm enjoying it more but only because it has become roller coaster and I don't wish it would become a nice carousel anymore.

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I wish Type would stop punching his boyfriend, yes.

This is a deliberately dysfunctional relationship because neither of these guys has dealt with any of their issues. Weirdly though I'm kind of rooting for them. Maybe because I feel like they actually like each other and try to talk to each other, it's just that neither of them are dealing with their core problems.

It's funny because I saw there's a third season of Korn and Knock's terrible relationship available and I have no desire to watch Korn and Knock suck at their relationship for another 13 episodes.

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Yes, Type punches him like it was nothing, grabs people's shirts and later says it's all because of his bad temper. I'm still unsure this show is actually meaning to deal with his violence. Since it seems he will punch Type yet again next episode, maybe. I didn't exactly felt they had deep romantic feelings for each other, it was more like a crush that became sexual obsession, but they both have made concessions and tried to put the other first sometimes, so they have potential, what they need is a smart friend who would talk about their issues instead of clingy exes that exist almost only for what people usually think are cute jealousy moments.

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Don't get me started on the creepy paedo...

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9.9 Billion Won Woman- Great show! beanies you absolutely should check it out. All our dreams about conflicted, greedy female protagonist have been granted. No idea which direction this show will go but I am super excited for it.
P.S the dead brother was obviously played by an idol. His acting was so bad, I didn't even feel all that sad for his death. Well. Actually I did, but that's because I felt bad for his brother.

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He isn't an idol, just an actor. Hyun Woo.

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Hey, crappy actors exists too, don't erase them ;)

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Chocolate : OMG! I am so much in love with this beautiful drama. What a pleasant surprise.I thought this drama would be so much slow and draggy with more of a melancholy tone. But the episodes i have seen so far have just captured my whole heart . The drama has stroked the right balance between the fun and sweet scenes with more emotional scenes. The pace of the drama is good.

Loving the chemistry between the leads. I am hooked and hoping the drama fares well till the end. I have a feeling this is going to be a tear-jerker at the end. So i am keeping my tissues ready until then.

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The only ongoing drama I am watching♥️
I know I should be prepared to be left heartbroken but still I’m not ready! The breeze, the background music, Ha Ji Won’s gazes, .. These are the roots of melancholy but I can’t stop watching..
I’m still waiting for Lee Kang to do something.. his scene are short and fast! Nothing special happens:( but generally I’m happy to see Yoon Kye Sang back! I was so tired of baby-faced leads!

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Awww... I wholeheartedly agree on that. I kinda understand why some would drop Chocolate, I guess it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I am actually surprised I like it this much!

I mean all the tropes and not-so-reasonable coincidences made me roll eyes sometimes. But the thing is I am so in love with this show so much that I'm blinded to all the things I used to hate in other dramas (e.g. The lower-than-expected level of surprise Cha-young showed when she saw Kang during the food competition she participated in Greece, why in the world Lee Kang had to sit so close to her during the movie watching scene when he knew she was his best friend's girlfriend, etc). I guess that's the power of love! I will see if my love will continue until the end.

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Yup, Chocolate seems to be a love it or hate it type of drama but so far I'm in the "Love It" camp. It's not normally my cup of tea (cup of chocolate?) but the leads, the OST, the execution is all well-done. I actually find myself blazing through the 2 episodes a week very fast and immediately regret having to wait another whole week for the new episodes to come out. I just hope it doesn't turn into a major sob fest by the end. I swear I'm going to lash out if any of the leads (or Joon) has to die later.

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Catch the Ghost: Oh my this show is amazing and I love it, twists and all. Okay so it's less about the plot and more about the two leads who I just adore to death. Also what's up with the shows pulling us in with the light and funny, and then doing a sudden or almost 180 for it too goo to dark too fast. I swear this used to be less true before. Shows used to take time with going from light to angsty instead of doing it so suddenly and yet the shows these past few months have been so interesting after doing just that, I guess good job show. Cause they got me hooked. This drama is an absolute delight as far as I am concerned. I just wish my otp (a phrase that I would have never thought I'd use) gets the happy ending that they both deserve. Also somethings that I said for the recap. This show has already tried to do a lot that others shows won't even do. It has these amazing leads who are absolutely well developed and the show did so many things right and many things wrong. It took on a lot to handle and I don't think it can be done in 16 episodes. In a way it's challenging our perceptions (again am I giving the show too much credit? But I had been right before so...). Also Yoo Ryung said it was her sister's fault cause that has been said to her over and over again and she was surprised at the reason her sister was almost killed. We'll see how the drama ends cause there are still two episodes left. And if the ending is satisfying to me it will be my most favorite drama even dethroning Squad 38 (gasp).

2. Pegasus Market: I finally finished uptill episode 11 but have yet to see 12th. But I loved it. It was funny and then had it's sad moments. I am surprised that I liked the humor. My favorite (funny) moments. 1) The foreign names. Keep them not western, heh. It was just so funny. 2) The Korean Halloween for the same reason as above. 3) All the dancing scenes are fun. And so many others I can't write all here.

3) This one turned out to be be quite interesting, loved the beautiful scenes and music and the mood, the movie like feel, (funny cause I prefer dramas over movies and haven't seen many in months), etc Haven't yet seen yesterday's episode so can't comment on that.

4. Psychopath Diary: This week's were a little too violent though I wasn't surprised. But it still has it's humourous moments. Dong Shik thinking he's a psychopath, failing to kill, his frustration, is all too funny but I think things are going too fast and wonder if things might get slow and boring.

Okay so the other airing dramas. First off I am not sure I want to watch 9.9 billion won Woman. Seems too dark for me. Second People with flaws, I was enjoying the show, regardless of some ridiculousness, up untill the toilet humour which I dislike a lot. I actually wanted something light after all the other shows and so was interested, but that humor I can't. Almost ruined my enjoyment of Shopping King Louis. I am not going to see it cause it seems it...

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Other dramas: (this is almost never in any particular order).
What happens to my family: Started episode 5. A love triangle again it seems (sigh). But still like the drama.

Something about 1%: Despite everything I decided to watch other shows. On episode 1 so can't say anything.

Ugly alert: Alright I finally decided to see my first ever daily. Tried to find recommendations online and this one seems to be one of the popular ones so I decided to watch it. I am on episode 6. It's fun. The main character is lovable and sweet. The actor playing the younger version was good and cute. I don't mind watching all of the episodes. I wasn't bored through out the first five. It's cute and sweet. I like it.

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Oops went over the limit again. People with flaws. Unless I find otherwise from the other comments and things become better I am dropping this show for now.

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I am probably one of the few people that are enjoying this KDrama. I'm in it for the main actress and her BFF. Everybody else is there to look pretty. I am not feeling the whole main couple. So I just skip over those scenes. Or just do something else while they play. It's one of those dramas you don't have to think about so it's a good distraction drama.

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Also the third drama is Chocolate. I forgot to write that.

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Ugly Alert was/is good all the way to the end!

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Oh @amy1009 in shopping King Louie there were several instances of "toilet humor," too, but the one where Louis begged the exboss to take him to the outhouse and then sing for him so he wouldn't be afraid was beautiful. It showed the vulnerability of Louis and the kindness and compassion of the ex-boss. That was more of a touching scene than what could be called toilet humor.
As for the scene with the downstairs apartment guy and the rich daughter in the car, well, that was definitely gross. But oddly enough it bound the two of those characters together by the grossness and humiliation they both secretly shared. So it wasn't just for a laugh at all, but there really was a purpose for it in the drama.
As for People with Flaws, I think I'll avoid that one altogether and not have to witness the toilet humor or see the ML which I have never liked in the least. Yuck to both.

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Yup the second one is the only one I am talking about.

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Also I don't like the ML in People with flaws either. Only time I liked the actor was in You who came from the Stars. Plus it seems the toilet humour is going to be there for quite some more episodes.

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I'll definitely skip People with Flaws then! :-)

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The toilet humor has lessen on episode 4

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I think something luke this happens in Coffee Prince too. Where Eun Chan accompanies Han Kyul to the out house.
I love this show but had a really hard time with some of the gross humor surrounding the older manager of the coffee house.

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Wait. Did I miss the title for #3?

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Huh?

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Your top comment, you list dramas by title, giving them numbers. Between 2. Pegasus Market and 4. Pyschopath Diary, you wrote,

"3) This one turned out to be be quite interesting, loved the beautiful scenes and music and the mood, the movie like feel, (funny cause I prefer dramas over movies and haven't seen many in months), etc Haven't yet seen yesterday's episode so can't comment on that."

and I'm intrigued, but don't see a title listed?

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Choclate

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I like Chocolate, a lot.

I guess there is no reasonable explanation why I like the show this much (watched up to Episode 3), but I guess sometimes you just like something for no explainable reasons. I am really liking it.

I just want to see if I'll like it until it ends.

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I totally feel you, mary! I was let down by that too. When we finally got to see a bit into Bok-dong's mind, they resolved it way too quick like whattttt?

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Catch the Ghost: I enjoy all the twists and I'm glad there was a reason why the serial killer targeted those victims. I do take issue with Yoo Ryung assigning Yoo Jin fault in that subway tragedy. I hope it's not the writers' true intention to assign fault to Yoo Jin, and it's just the lack of finesse in the writing. The drama has a lot of great ideas, but it seems like the drama is produced from a brainstorming board rather than a real script.

Psychopath Diary: Very enjoyable and I really like the absurd, farce-like vibe to it. I do wonder if they have enough material for an entire series.

Chocolate: Just the second episode because I didn't feel like watching the sad backstory. Riveting second episode. I've only watched one other Lee Kyung Hee drama (Nice Guy). Then and now, I'm surprised she's able to get me to stay tune to something that is usually not my type of drama.

Chief Kim: Finished my rewatch. I loved it the first time around and love it even more after this second round. Very rare for a drama to get more exciting and more funny with each episode.

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Watching Chocolate is like time travelling back to the golden K-melo era in the best sense - that total package of an intriguing script, beautiful scenes, great cinematography, and a very compelling couple! Just wish all episodes are available for one gulp consumption. Haven't had this feel in a long while.

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I agree. I think I love for the same reasons as you. It hits you with a wave of nostalgia and reminds you of the classic K-dramas. I know, it's annoying how I have to wait a whole week again for the next 2 episodes to come out.

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*love it

I wish there was an edit function.

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We have now watched all but the final episode of PEGASUS MARKET. What a real treat this has been. Anyone who has not watched it has missed out. Subtitling on the final episode should be available in the next few hours. PEGASUS MARKET is a true comedy and one of the best shows of the year.

Having finished FIVE CHILDREN my wife and I are now enjoying the classic PRINCESS HOURS (aka GOONG). We are also enjoying our new furnace (thank the Heaven’s- things were cold for a while).

YONG-JIU GROCERY STORE is the best written T-drama in years. If you are not watching it you have missed something that is very good. In a way it is a shame that it only has ten episodes and yet one of my complaints about recent Chinese dramas has been that some shows simply get drawn out into too many episodes. Some people found the ending flat but it seems to me that it was entirely appropriate for a slice of life show: This was a gentle show about people so a grand emotional climax would have been out of place. Instead we got the assurance that love can flower even for people who have had a tough past.

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Yong Jiu Grocery Store has all my heart. People not watching it are missing out for sure. In no way was the ending flat, in fact I found everything very befitting a slice of life drama. I didn't find a single thing which would make me think that this doesn't happen in real life or this was unrealistic for a slice of life show. Nope. Raw, real, relatable and reasonable.
@neener I hope you'll catch up on it someday.

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It sounds so good, I dont know why I'm hesitating. Plus, ten eps sounds perfect when I have so many C and K dramas that I want to watch.

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I think when we know a show can be heavy we do naturally hesitate. Plus slice of life is best watched when one is in proper mood to take the heaviness. If you're in that rn I'd say press play. You won't even realize when the 1st episode will fly by.

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You make a very good point here. It is good to have a light show to balance things out. It is so fortunate that during this time we have also been able to enjoy PEGASUS MARKET. Is it coincidence or fate that both shows center around a grocery store? In any case YONG JIU GROCERY STORE was never as heavy as some other shows- though it did have some seriously heavy moments.

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I watched YJGS on its own. But you are right, it actually isn't as heavy as so many other dramas but still well done.

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I have to agree with @wapzy about Young Jiu Grocery Store. It has so much heart, but only if you're in a mellow mood and need something to kick back, relax while nothing much happens.
One of my favorite scenes is the OTP sitting on her couch, sharing earbuds while listening to John Denver's "Sunshine On My Shoulders". It is such absolute sweetness.
One of my favorite dramas from Taiwan.

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So relaxing while being heartfelt. I loved that scene too. It needs to be watched in the perfect mood to appreciate it fully.

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Moreover now that I have watched YJGS, I am hesitant to check out any other T drama because both you and @oldawyer sing high praises of it. I wonder if there's a better T drama than the best one as you guys describe it.

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@wapzy I could only rec'd T dramas that I've enjoyed personally and would have no idea if they were to your taste. But a couple that I re-watch are: Game Winning Hit with Lego Li. I may be the only person who liked this one, but I like the ones that take place in small villages and have to do with the people there. It isn't a recent drama - Lego Li is very young. But he plays an army deserter who finds himself in a small village coaching a boys' baseball team. Some time later the army catches him and he goes to prison. He comes out with scars and a limp, but goes back to the village where the kids have now grown up and it shows their problems and how they're resolved.
Queen of No Marriage (My Queen) is also older, with Ethan Ruan. He falls in love with an older woman and it's a romance about their relationship. Some of it is quite silly but a lot of it has heart.

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I have also started PEOPLE WITH FLAWS (AKA LOVE WITH FLAWS on VIKI). Subtitles are slow on Viki, but it seems to be a good show so far- but what a plethora of characters. Also, unless the show was entirely pre-produced then there will be a need to re-work the later episodes because the actor playing the gay second brother just died a few days ago. So maybe the large number of characters will turn out to be a good thing for the show to enable the writers to make up for this very real loss. That loss is a sad reminder that things are really very tough in K-dramaland right now.

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I was going to say I haven't been watching anything but actually the world is being burned down around me so I stayed inside yesterday and watched bad Netflix Christmas films and, eventually, all six episodes of Triad Princess. And it is a waste of time, you guys. I know, I know, Jasper Liu is adorbs (a word I never use and... won't again)... but the show is just downright bad. it's a 20 episode Taiwanese drama done in 6 episodes of 40 minutes. Which means nothing makes sense, everything is super rushed and the whole thing is ridiculous. Oh and there's clearly a season 2! Which... if they knew that why not spend these six episodes having them fall for each other and then the next six on the separation, noble idiocy, family opposition, public scandal, arranged marriage, kidnappings and Rise of the Big Bad - rather than trying to do all those things in TWO EPISODES.

Ignoring the bad writing and terrible pacing, the female lead's fangirling is super super annoying and I see nothing in this that says she fell for Adorable Jasper rather than Adorable Jasper's public image and that is a big big problem when I'm supposed to believe they're SO MUCH IN LOVE after they met a week ago and slept with each other once.

I should probably warn you from watching it but I'm in Share My Pain mode so... tune in, guys! Enjoy!

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I guess you just saved 4hrs of my life 🙂

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"But the show is just downright bad..." I see a lot of that lately.

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In this case it shouldn't have been. If it'd been longer it would have been one of those cute Taiwanese romcoms I kind of enjoy. Oh, except for the annoying fangirl part of the female lead's personality. That needed to go.

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Annoying fangirl part of the female lead's personality? Isn't that fairly standard? I'm more surprised when the female isn't portrayed that way.

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Chief of staff 2 , No Second Chance , will try to watch more

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Catch the Ghost The main characters are appealing but in the same time I don't agree with their actions, it's kinda frustrating.

Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life Still confused about who knows what but the young couple is the cutest!

No Second Chances I need more Kwak Dong Yeon with the baby!

Chocolate After the episode 3, I still feel it's the introduction and waiting for the story to start...

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BLWL: Let's see... from the Kim family, I think only Seol Ah knows that Jun Hwi & Judge Hong are related to Jun Gyum. She could have told Cheong Ah, but why didn't she? And why didn't Cheong Ah bother to find out Jun Gyum's brother's name if she really doesn't want him & Judge Hong to ever find out the truth?

Jun Hwi asks for more budget and they immediately changed the office. And he got promoted! (Moral of story here: Never look down on your colleagues, they could end up being your boss! Haha!) Cheong Ah focused too much on the kiss; I was actually waiting for her to congratulate him.

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It's pretty complicated... For the suicide, Ju Gyum knows, his mum? I'm not sure but she's the only one to know for the car accident. Cheong Ah and her mum know but not Seol Ah? Cheong Ah doesn't know for Ju Gyum being the brother and the son but Seol Ah and her ex-husband + his family know... So Ju Gyum's mother doesn't know that Seol Ah and Cheong Ah are related... It's so confused >_<

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When camelia blooms: finally watched the last 2 episodes and I liked it! The finale was good and I think everything tied in very well. Am glad I watched it, it was a beautiful story. And my girl Gong Hyo Jin is seriously the best 😘
VIP: soooooo I started this...aaaand could not stop!! I am binging this and it is sooo good! I still have 2 episodes to catch up on but it is very well written and executed. I love that all characters' stories are interesting.
Tale of Nokdu: Still on hold. Still have a hard time picking it back up😭😏😑

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Non-Korean Dramas

PUT YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER: I like our main characters. But everyone is right about the SL. He’s an oblivious jerk. (ep. 1-2)

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN THE SERIES: Still somehow watching this. I wish I had waited until it had finished airing to fast-forward to the scenes with the two main couples. (ep. 4)

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I started out really liking PYHOMS, but ended up finding the FL not very likable. She was just too mean to the sweet ML. Their chemistry was so so, but the “failed consumption” scene was just stupid. Even if we set aside the fact that there’s no way an educated 21st century couple in their early 20s aren’t going to know the basic mechanics of sex, it is over the top ridiculous that a science prodigy like the ML would not know the mechanics of sex. And in his particular case, given how we saw him do google searches on multiple topics, there’s also no way Gu Weiji wouldn’t have studied up on the subject, to be prepared.

It would have been one thing if there had been an excuse (too much beer, for example, or erectile dysfunction, although that would be a sad bad sign in a guy so young), but the implication seemed to be that they couldn’t figure out the logistics. Lame.

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9.9 MILLION: No, no, no. Maybe it's okay for someone who's never seen a k-drama and thus thinks it's really different and cool. But once you've seen a dozen of these, they're all the same predictable mess. Of course it goes without saying this is just my opinion.
NOKDU: Nothing since the cuteness of Tale of Nokdu.
UNTAMED: I realized another good thing about Untamed - the color palette is made of beautiful blue hues, not the same ugly brown tones I've seen in other dramas lately, and the blue gives such a nice tranquil emotional tone . And Marcus Sim in a nice review called it "captivating".
HOT BLOODED YOUTH: Fast forwarded thru most of it, some subbed, some raw but still predictable. Although ep 56 is exciting. Since it's only 60 episodes, I guess I'll watch til the end, where I know the "hero" will be able to take back his girl because the evil guy will die. The evil guy who used to be friends with the hero but now hates him because he fell in love with the same girl he loves (sound familiar?), is a cop, puts the hero in jail long enough to threaten the girl that he'll kill the hero if she doesn't marry him. The surprise was, she really does marry the bad guy to save her love's life, but then the bad guy is going to kill the hero anyway because no matter what, the girl will love the hero (sound familiar). Etc.
HISTORY 3: The only "good" scene in the whole mess is the explicit scene between the two guys.
MOVIE: Jade Dynasty. Again, just no. Unless you don't mind silly, plotless and pointless with cardboard one-dimensional characters.
JOY OF LIFE: Looks really good, if only Viki will sub it.
Looking forward to: Hyun Bin.

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Modify "ugly" brown tones to depressing brown tones...

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I'm currently watching, One Spring Night, and can't keep my hands and mind off it. I also just finished, Love Affairs in the Afternoon, which I really liked. BTW, OSN and LAITA sort of remind me of each other in that people finding their soulmates are blocked by both idiots and Korean cultural taboos. I watched, Designated Survivor: 60 Days, not long ago and it hit on all cylinders for me. I really like a drama that has a mystery for the viewer to figure out. Now I'm waiting for the next two episodes of, Chocolate--hope it keeps serving "just desserts."

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hello beanies, hope all's well....another week wherein i'm far behind on all things 'drama', but stayed up late on saturday to start Chocolate, and ended up watching all 4 episodes...its intense but i think i may just watch this one...also, throughout last week, i completed King's Avatar - Cdrama, which to my surprise i enjoyed quite a bit...i don't know much about the book or any past anime on it, but just this show (on Netflix) and it totally had my attention...i hear there will be a season 2.
Until next time, take care:-)

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You may read the translated novel at
http://novelfull.com/the-kings-avatar.html

Many things are different in the original novel, but I loved both, the drama and the novel.

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When the Camellia Blooms:
I didn't expect a mash up of rom-com/melo/crime-thriller drama would ever work, so I was pleasantly surprise how much I love this show. It's not perfect by any means, but there's so much heart in the writing. It's the kind of drama that warm my soul.

Lee Dong Wook's talk show I Want to Talk with Gong Yoo as guest.
I love talkshow and I love Goblin. So a talk show featuring goblin and the grim reaper? Hell yeah! Sadly it doesnt deliver to me. It's full aegyo fluff without much essence. I am not oppose to Gong Yoo aegyo, I mean look at that gorgeous man. But I wish the show would explore more of the man. Something more in the line of what inspires/ drives/ motivates the man. Hope the show will evolve more with time.

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I mainly watch dramas as therapy, and right now my real life requires a lot of therapy, but I am in a drama slump. I finished Camelia and loved it all & had no idea the lead actor had it in him, I finished the ridiculous but horrifying Lies, the adorable but still loose ended Extraordinary You (who is the writer? Does he even know that some of his characters are alive?) and The Great Show, which I liked. Graceful Family was crazy fun, and heartbreaking but I thought very well done. Be Melo reminded me of the 1940s style American romances in the witty, cracktastic dialogue and I don't care how realistic it was I love zingers and stingers and one liners that just pop out one right after the other.

But currently, I mostly have nothing. I'm watching Leverage, Catch the Ghost, and I was going to watch The Secret Life of My Secretary and was enjoying it, but with the episode where the secretary takes advantage of her boss's serious and traumatic disability and fools him so she can eat nice food and all, I'm suddenly not enchanted at all, I'm horrified. That was a despicable thing to do.

I need something light and fluffy and totally escapist, or riveting and interesting and attention grabbing, and escapist. Signal and Watcher were two that met the latter conditions, I am not a robot was in the first.

Chocolate sounds really well done, but not what I need right now. People with Flaws is adorable and fluffy but the toilet humour is just so hard for me to deal with.

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You may try the MBC weekender No Second Chances (or also known as Never Twice). Stay there at least 2-4 eps when the set-up is done... and then enjoy the funny... and all Kwak Dong Yeon's scenes 🙂

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I started that, and thank-you so much. I think it just hits the spot.

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🙂

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Catch The Ghost - last week episode has finally, finally shed some light into all of the mysteries. Everything comes full circle and now I can understand the motive behind the serial killings. It just take too long for the story to come to that. I almost lost my interest. Fast forwarded all scenes involving the Head Police. I want to drop this but we’re on the final week so lets just get this done and over with..

Completed My Country The New Age. Well, quite an expected ending. It would be better if the two best friends survived but I don’t think it’s possible. An overall a very good sageuk with amazing actors. Jang Hyuk, Yang Se Jong and Woo Do Hwan. My ideal finale is if the 3 of them joint hands and make a new country.

On a happier notes, 2D1N is gonna be back with a new season! I’m sad that the old crew is not gonna get together (minus JJY, of course), but, but, they can just include Lee Yong Jin and be a 6 members cast as usual..😭 It would be weird watching 2D1N without the other members (Donggu, Junho, Tae Hyun and Defconn) but I survived all 3 seasons and cast change of 2D1N and surely I can survive this new one! 🤭 I’ve been a loyal fan since Season 1 (10 years plus!). I am super attached to the show, it would be difficult not to watch the new season.

Speaking of Lee Yong Jin, you guys should check out his YouTube programme Monstrous Date (on tvD Ent channel). The MCs are hilariously brutal. I binge watched all episodes in 1 sitting. (Short 10-15minutes each)

Watching Ore No hanashi wa nagai based on other beanies suggestion and I was hooked! Ikuta Toma is so good. I love all the siblings bickering. Hahaha

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Late to this party, this week, but I startet to watch again the Rooky historian, and I love it! It is so touching and funny but also serious and very scholar. I am now in ep 15.

Also, very slowly, I started to watch Live. I see how and why people compared it with Misaeng, or at least to have the Misaeng vibe. I am watching it super slow. Right now in ep 3.
I couldn't make myself to watch a show I know I won't like and torture myself😂😂😂😂
Maybe in another occasion!

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I have really been frustrated with moving from watching fully aired/translated dramas, to watching currently airing (or previously aired, but currently being dribbled out and sl-oooooo-w-ly translated) dramas. Weekends are when I want to watch, but the dramas that are driving me crazy with waiting for the next episode air on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, so aren't available Friday night, or fully aired and translated on Saturday night, for me to watch.

I am watching and really liking Wonderful Life, Beautiful Love. I really love the main couple, Cheong-ah and Joon-Hwi (Kim Jae-Young is gorgeous, and I love his character's total cluelessness when it comes to dating/romance!), I love Tae-Rang, and much to my surprise (and slight annoyance, because she was so truly horrible for the first 30 or so episodes), I think Seol-ah has gone pretty far in redeeming herself. (The fact that she left a 9-year marriage - that she entered solely for the money - with no alimony was a good sign. Ditto for reuniting with and showing love for her family. And her growing appreciation of, friendship with, and now what looks like real love for, sweet, not-rich or socially elite Tae-rang also helped.

I dislike Jin-woo and loathe Hae-rang, but I feel like they will end up together in the end. Again, annoying, because I hate cheaters - and in Hae-rang's case a cheater AND a mean girl bully - so I absolutely hate to see them "win" anything. They need to suffer and be miserable. If Hae-rang hadn't intentionally lied, knowing it was going to send poor Baek Rim to prison and ruin his life, hadn't been so hateful to Seol-ah, didn't seem like she's a horrible Chairwoman Hong in training, and wasn't ready (if she follows Chairwoman Hong's suggestion) to use Tae-rang to get Jin-woo, then I suppose I could have considered the possibility of character rehabilitation, but nope. She's been too awful for too long. NO forgiveness from me.

And speaking of cheaters . . .

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OMG, I can literally FEEL my blood pressure rising and rising during each new episode of VIP. Seriously, was this drama written by some man who got his leg up in society by marrying an accomplished, wealthy woman, and then trading her in for a younger, wealthier model, to advance his social standing and career? Or is the writer one of those vile women who uses sex and tears to manipulate the pathetic men around her, so that she gets promoted despite her lack of qualifications, and gets men who were happily married before she decided she wanted them?

SPOILERS FOR EPISODE ELEVEN - - -

Episodes 9 and 10 had me boiling mad, and episode 11 is only a quarter translated, but I couldn't wait and watched it anyway, and it left me frothing at the mouth in sheer rage at cheating asshat Sung-joon, bimbo 'ho Yoo-ri, and the VP and Marketing Director (who lost his job to asshat Sung-joon). They all need to go directly to hell, without passing go or collecting $200. YESTERDAY.

So from what I could tell about Episode 11, instead of being ashamed or punished, Sung-joon gets to keep his job and be with his 'ho. And accomplished, talented Jung-sun, who is largely responsible for the success of the VIP program, is being demoted and shipped off to the boonies, to work for in the food department??? While stupid bimbo 'ho Yoo-ri, who is uneducated and totally unqualified, gets to take Jung-sun's place, within the company and with scumbag cheater hubby?? And will get to marry hubby and have the baby that Jung-sun may now be too old to have? Is the director of this show trying to KILL ME???

All I can say is, who ever wrote this knows how to push a woman's buttons, repeatedly and as hard as is possible. It's like the anti-Fatal Attraction, where Glenn Close boils and eats the rabbit, moves into Anne Archer's country dream house, charms the young daughter (who Michael Douglas gets FULL custody of!), and Anne Archer has to go live alone, in a dumpy,300 square foot, viewless studio apartment without air conditioning, and with no assets or alimony, because she didn't sign the totally bullshit settlement agreement, and instead contested the divorce.

THIS DRAMA INFURIATES ME! After about 2 or 3 episodes, someone suggested it was headed towards ending with a murder, and I scoffed. Well, I owe that person an apology. If cheater hubby and bimbo 'ho end up dead, I will balter around my living room, cackling with glee. There had better not be any "happy ending" for the cheaters. I will be PISSED!

Whew. Blood pressure going down now.

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And finally, I am still angrily watching, and hating, HIStory3: Make Our Days Count, and am even more annoyed when I read all the episode comments on Viki, by idiotic fujoshi, who apparently don't know any gay men in RL, and who have deplorably bad taste if they think this badly written, badly directed, badly acted drama is "award worthy," just because two actors simulated sex. Seriously, WTF is wrong with these people? The drama is bad.

OTOH, I have to admit that I am watching TharnType, a Thai drama based on a BL novel, despite the issues I have with it, because the two lead actors are hot, and they have amazing chemistry on screen, and also because every week I watch a YT video of someone who has read the novels, expands on scenes that had more depth in the novels, and on the thought process/motivation of the characters, which don't always come across clearly (or are easily misinterpreted) in the series, mostly due to time constraints. The drama has improved once it got past the first few episodes, and while there are plenty of those annoying tropes, one of the MLs is written as a gay man who is out to his family and at university, which is a nice change from "I'm straight and only gay for you" trope that 99% of these Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Taiwanese BL novels and dramas offer.

I found a great fan made video with the perfect song (which I actually really like as a song, too), both for the OTP and for how I feel about the drama. The video creator did a nice job of showing the good, the bad and the ugly, But overall, I keep watching this because the main couple have so much chemistry. Of course, YMMV.

https://youtu.be/4GzcVceba6c

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My mileage does not vary on either count.

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After having invested a lot in My Country, I just got hooked by VIP. I have to constantly remind myself that it is just a drama. The pain and the humiliation being felt by Jung Sung is so palpable. I wish I could smash the faces of those people responsible for it. *breath in breath out*

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Can’t believe I came here just to say I’m watching nothing!
Thanks😆

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LOL!!!!

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