I was on the fence about the new Song Hye Kyo series, THE GLORY. It has been touted as a major role change for her: to being a revengeful villain. My first impression was could she pull off such a role better than her actress friends? I doubt it.

Then the reaction to the official press conference was strange. The show is getting a 19+ rating because of verbal abuse and school bullying scenes. At least they have younger actors playing the school kids, but SHK said during shooting she received the first face slap of her career. OK, where is this going?

Netflix apparently released a lot of promotional stills that were suddenly taken down or deleted from the net. Rumors have it that actor(s) did not approve of the materials before their release. OK, that is kinda odd since Netflix is the production company for the series.

But then it was announced that THE GLORY would be broken into two parts. I really hate this production trend. Netflix likes to "binge bundle" episodes. But what blew my mind was that THE GLORY is only 8 episodes!! Why break it up after 4??!! It makes no sense at all.

This series seems like an easy drop.

So on this Tuesday, I fell in my living room, as a result a terrible elbow triad (2 broken bones + 1 ruptured ligament). So I will less comment on Dramabeans or shorts sentences because typing with one hand sucks!

I’ve been thinking about the recurring theme of the plethora of disappointing dramas in the last year(s). While I agree that writers should have artistic freedom, I wish they would listen to the people and give us the kind of dramas we want. Especially if they want their drama to be a success. Or maybe it’s the studios that are responsible. I’m not in the industry so I don’t know how the system works.
I am reminded of an article I read about Tom Cruise after the release of Top Gun: Maverick. The writer of the article was speaking of the movie’s success and he said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Tom Cruise has not forgotten how to be a movie star. He’s not lecturing his audience and he still knows how to give people what they want.” That’s exactly right. TGM unashamedly had all the feels, didn’t forget its history, and it was a runaway success.
I wish drama writers, studio heads and producers and whoever else is responsible for drama content would read the beanie comments for insight. Don’t they know you gotta dance with the one who brung ya? Go ahead, try new things, get a little edgy, but stay true to your genre! If you’re billing a drama as a rom-com, give us a rom-com with a happy ending. And please stop throwing in serial killer storylines into every drama! Enough already. You’d think South Korea is the murder capital of the world.
My apologies for the rant. The temperature here today is expected to stay below freezing and I’m cranky because there are not enough good dramas to binge stream.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays to my fellow beanies. Thank you for your astute, erudite and witty comments. I appreciate the fellowship of the beans. 🎄🎁🫘

Greetings from Southern California -- where we will die of thirst before we die of cold.

Hi beanies, I hope you had a nice week. 😊

After talking for three hours with my mom about the dating shows I've been watching I finally feel like I'm in the right place, now I feel like I'm home.
Nothing makes me happier than talking with my mom about the things I watch, do, experience, etc. Even if my mom isn't interested at first, she listens and after a few words she gets invested in the conversation.

I love how she always starts with "why would you watch that?" Or "that isn't my style" but by the end she says something like "did they end up together??" "good for her". 🤣

When I started talking about Pink Lie was said "oh, no. Horrible. Why would they lie? It's like falling in love with someone you don't know" but at the end she was like "nice show, people shouldn't have prejudice against others. They all had their reasons to make those decisions". I love my mom and I missed her so much. My siblings too.
Now I can watch kdramas without feeling jealous of the cute families. Yay!

Korea and my country have some cultural similarities since we have a collectivist culture (well our at least our roots are, but now we're trying to be more individualistic), so everytime I watch a family drama I get all the feels. It feels like watching my family!
I'm glad I don't have to see my family on the screen anymore.

Anyway, have a happy holidays beanies. 😊 Love you. 💚

Happy weekend Beanies and keep Beaning On!

The ultimate self-restraint challenge: fridges and freezers overflowing with all the delicious food that I am not allowed to eat (yet).😅

When we were young, my sister came up with the brilliant idea of skipping everything but the first and last course during our yearly Christmas Eve gathering with our parents. In other words, we stuff ourselves with appetizers and desserts the whole evening without actually bothering to cook.😂 It made the atmosphere a lot more relaxed and it was the calm before the storm of Holiday parties would hit us.

My mother celebrates Christmas Day with dad, her parents, siblings and their partners and this year it is her turn to host. I am invited as well since I have no other plans, which means I have been busy this week with all the preparations and I spent the whole morning in the kitchen today.👩‍🍳

Next Friday I am fetching my best friend off work and accompanying her home to celebrate the new year with her. Since I will not be on Open Thread, allow me to extend my best wishes for you all a bit early.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!🥳

Does anyone know what happened to the series 'Money Game'? IU was set to be the female lead but dropped out due to her concert planning and was replaced by Chun Woo-he. Then I heard it had begun filming in June, and was said to be eight episodes. Then the series simply evaporated without a trace.

An update on kdramas and my brothers: so they watched My Liberation Notes and started 25-21, and when I got there we Continued watching it together (I’d already seen it), but then one headed out of town and so they promised each other not to watch the final two episodes until they are together again on New Year’s Day! I think it is hilarious (and awfully kdrama sweet) that they want to finish it together! One of my brother’s and I started Vincenzo which is really quite good. I mentioned the truck of doom trope and he loved that it is a thing. Now I am back home after three weeks and catching up like mad on Curtain Call and many variety show episodes. I’ve got a list of dramas to start, too. Did a little cookie baking after shoveling in 7 degrees weather 🥶 Merry Christmas 🎄 and cheery holiday wishes to you all this weekend! 🦉

I just want to say a heartfelt hello to those Beanies with whom I’ve interacted with either actively or passively this year. It might sound disingenuous since we don’t know each other in RL but I like so many of your DB personas and you have comforted me without knowing it throughout this year, have made me laugh a lot and have commiserated when I have become a big crying baby. I hope all of you are happy and healthy.

So. I hate it here. I hate the winter. My brother won't let me help my dad. My dad calls me every day to complain about how much he wants away from my brother and there's literally NOTHING I can do. I've been at my job a little over 3 months and for the first time in a really long time I can honestly say I really like it here. I like all of the people I'm working with (including the manager!) I like the work that I'm doing but I hate Minnesota. I hate it SO MUCH here. I was not made for winter. I have a job interview back in Ohio next month. If I get it, I'm leaving this awful place. If I don't get it I'm actively going back on the job hunt. I got stuck in 3 times in less than 24 hours. That's not ok.
I see a light at the end of the tunnel for my drama slump. I'm really enjoying Forecasting. Even if I hate a majority of the characters!

Seriously curious as to how the kdrama awards will turn out this year…I feel like all of my faves in 2022 (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HD7QvlzwnGM) were not from the “Big 3”