I know some beanies love Chocolate (sorry, beanies), but to me it has been the first drama disappointment of the year.
I expected a healing drama with an epic love story, was enthralled by trailers and posters, but… here’s my rant:
(warning: some spoilers):
– too many tragedies. Cha-young losing her sense of smell and taste was really too much.
– Kang and his family were too old-style (a little makjang-ish).
– I couldn’t buy Cha-young’s love for Kang. Their brief encounter when they were children wasn’t enough to me. I would prefer Cha-young had this precious, dear memory of Kang, and would fall in love with him as an adult. Plus, I didn’t like the way Kang treated her for most of the story. If I were her, I would run away from him once and for all.
– The thing that disappointed me the most was the fact that the show betrayed itself. I had really liked its message: live your life to the fullest, don’t lose an instant, because you’re alive now.
So, the way the FL runs away felt so anticlimatic. I don’t know if the writer needed to fill some episodes, if they wanted the usual separation befor the ending, or the scene with the hero searching for his love in a foreign, beautiful country, but I didn’t like it. At all.
OST, cinematography and Joon were beautiful, though.
I am so on the fence about this one. It idles on my watchlist, and yet I always choose something over it. It is worth watching with my friend FF? Or should I just let it melt gently back into ganache?
Honestly, I wouldn’t rewatch and wouldn’t recommend it.
As a story set in a hospice, the drama has its moments, but it can be depressing and boring (I had never fallen asleep while watching a drama!).
About the love story, almost nothing happens till the 11th episode, if I remember well, and even after, I didn’t like some things like the lack of communication between the leads.
I’m always sorry when I wrote something bad about a drama, because I know someone else love it, or watched it when they needed it, so the story is special for them.
I wanted to like this, but we weren’t meant to be.
Haha, I’m one of those Beanies who loved it but I guess I understand why many don’t.
I love it for the cinematography, music, the melancholy it offers, and I love the leads. ^^ but I should stop watching these kinda dramas to protect my mental health
“Just live your life like you always have. Be sweet and sincere.
And don’t let go of the ones you love. All right?
That’s more than enough. You will then live your life to the fullest.”
#2020Roundup
Day15: Secondary characters you will never forget
(for worse)
Dr Sul from The world of the married
She is all a friend shouldn’t be: envious, scheming, mean.
She knew that Sun-woo’s husband was cheating on her and did nothing, planned to take over from Sun-woo at the hospital, was ready to steal her potential date.
I don’t know why Sun-woo considered her a friend till the end of the story.
I didn’t watch this drama, but she sounds EXACTLY like the kind of character that makes me unreasonably start frothing at the mouth when I get too into a drama, haha!
Amen. At one point, I was beside myself with fury that they were wasting so much screen time on the exes when there was so much more they could have been showing us with our wonderful OTP! Such a shame they botched screen time.
If only we had had some more bickering and loving scenes between our perfect and sassy OTP. I KNOW I will rewatch their scenes soon (avoiding the exes and Keanu). If only…
I second all the beanies that chose Mun-young from It’s okay to not be okay.
Her clothes mirrored her personality and showed her healing path.
They represented her (fake) coldness, her need for help, her femininity and her fragility.
Her ethereal nightgows were my favorites.
This year I have completed only three “oldies”: The secret life of my secretary; It’s ok, that’s love and Oh, my Venus.
Among them my favorite is
It’s ok, that’s love
I wanted to watch this so much, that it has been one of the first things I picked on Netflix.
Every show that tells about mental illnesses piques my interest, even if I always fear the way they will be told.
But this was a surprise! It handles very well mental illnesses, and more than one character suffers from them.
It’s about acceptance and its power to make life better.
I’d recommend “The world between us” , it’s a Tw-drama,
mental illness isn’t the main plot but is adressed through a character https://mydramalist.com/28709-no-outsiders
It’s one of my fav’ drama, the quality is top-notch but it can be quite an emotionally taxing ride
He does seem kind in real life. A little shy, too, which is really interesting compared to some character’s he’s played. I remember seeing that video where he’s surrounded by excited fans, and there’s this little boy in the crowd who looks absolutely confused by it all. And he looks down and smiles very kindly at the kid and says, “You don’t know who I am, do you?” There was something so genuinely not arrogant about it, it was adorable.
How sweet of him! I have never seen this video, but in others he seems very kind to people. And as you wrote, during interviews he seems shy, too.
I thing the character of Jeong-hyeok suits him very well.
To be honest, I haven’t seen many interviews with him or anything. But I remember a few promoting Alhambra (which I tried to like very hard and failed) and didn’t really form much of an opinion of him. But I remember watching some of those Swoon interview/games for CLOY and he seemed much more present, if that makes sense? And like a generally good-natured guy.
Yes, you’re right about him being more present lately.
(I watched only the pilot of MotA and dropped it after beanies were disappointed about the second half and above all the ending).
Welcome to the fan club 😍
If you really like him, I would definitely watch Alhambra. He’s so swoony, you will almost pass out. Just know that you will hate the end of the last episode, or better yet stop at 15.
@bbstl Thank you! XD
I’ve seen photos from MotA and he seems even more charming that in CLOY.
I’ll try MotA again, I think that knowing about the disappointing ending will make me less disappointed 🙂
Oooooh, the MotA camera really, really loves him. It’s quite a lot of eye candy for the HB lover 🥰 Plus he’s a sort of devilish, high-risk character and that doesn’t hurt. @carmen, what are all your emojis for?
@bbstl The first group of three emojis should represent Encounter (I know it isn’t clear at all, but I really didn’t know what to choose); the second It’s okay to not be okay; the third Crash landing on you and the fourth Tale of the Nine-taled.
Oh, the ducks! They made me smile and somehow didn’t seem out of place.
I read somewhere (probably here, where, otherwise?), that they are important in the novel; if I remember well, there is a chapter in which the author explains their presence.
I think I’ll have to try this one again. I got through half of the second episode and put it aside. It’s not I didn’t like it, I think I just didn’t quite…get it? But maybe I don’t have to?
I think there are lots of things that can be explained in different ways (and I don’t hide that I made some researches to scratch my head less 🤔).
I started this knowing (thanks to beanies) that it was different from other dramas I had watched, and kind of weird. Above all I instantly liked its vibe, and the end of the pilot seemed a scene from a horror. I think that was the thing that made me continue watching.
#2020Roundup
Day9: Drama you watched just because and ended up loving
It’s okay to not be okay
I started this because it had the Pd and artist Jamsan that had already worked together for Encounter, that is my favorite drama.
Then I ended up loving all of IOTNBO (yes, I came to terms with the mum’s arc, too).
It has one the most beautiful found family, hurt people that heal each other, beautiful cinematography and OST, and a lot of heart.
#2020Roundup
Day8: OTP you didn’t think you’ll adore
Ji-a and Yeon from Tale of the Nine-taled
Maybe “adore” is too much, but I didn’t think I’ll like this couple so much.
I liked that Ji-a was and remained smart, that Yeon wished so much to become human, and that they talked to each other and didn’t want to surrender to fate.
They showed us that the real magic lies in a normal life.
And then, they were really cute together.
These songs have not only beautiful music, but even more beautiful lyrics. Almost all of them are about diversity and acceptance.
Not even the songs from Cloy OST are so moving.
I still have many of these songs in my playlist. Yongzoo’s Puzzle is a particular as it reminds me of the ending of Ep 08, when Kangtae was freely running towards Moonyoung. That scene is just perfect.
I love this OST. Wake Up, In Silence, You’re Cold and Sketchbook (the opening title) are my favorites – beautiful and brilliant. I mean, the opening title actually tells you what the show is about:
“There was once upon a time,
And all people have stories.
They’re wrong.”
Moon-young, Gang-tae and Sang-tae had all made up stories about their lives – what they could and could have, who they were and weren’t. Over the course of the show, they all learned that they were more in control of their own fairytale than they’d believed, that “all these are parts of you,” and that they could alter their own endings. Phenomenally well done. (/gushing over)
In silence is one of my absolute favorites, even if as you wrote all songs are brilliant and amazing. The other day I was translating Lighting up your world for my blog, and the lirycs was so beautiful that moved me and I wondered why I had never focused on that song.
(Your way of writing is amazing; have you ever thought about staring a blog? I would be glad to read your posts).
Yes! It’s amazing sometimes when you stop and really listen to the words.
And thank you very much for your kind words. I really like to write but don’t get much of a chance these days except for here – I just love the exchange of ideas with Beanies. I’ve thought about starting a blog but have never been sure of how to start honestly. How do you do yours (and can we read it)?
I use Blogger, that is simple to manage. It’s fun and relaxing to have that space to write. I consider it a notebook in which I can write what I liked and disliked about a drama and post songs.
Sure you can read it, it’s in Italian, but every post has the translator that works rather well (even if it doesn’t discriminate among “he”, “she” and “it” 😅).
Here is the link: https://appuntidiunaspettatrice.blogspot.com/
Grazie! 😊 I scrolled and immediately screeched to a stop on your post about Blue Moon as Song of the Week (love it!). I like your idea of using it as a notebook – it feels like less pressure and more just enjoying spending more time with dramas. I might give it a go for a few weeks and see how well I manage (or if I run out of ideas).
Thank you so much for sharing! I’ve bookmarked yours and look forward to reading you! 😊
#2020Roundup
Day6: Drama you know you will rewatch
It’s okay to not be okay
I wanted to rewatch this drama right after the last episode ended!
It is my favorite of 2020, and one of the best drama I have ever watched, so I can’t wait to have time to watch it again. I’m sure I missed lots of things to focus on the subs and the plot.
One of the best shows of 2020 for me, too! There’s so much color on screen, it’s well worth re-watching. It feels like, especially in the beginning, there’s to go over to get to know the characters even better. I definitely missed it when it ended.
#2020Roundup
Day5: Drama you finished for the bean
The world of the married
I liked the first episodes of this drama, they were fast paced, and the final scene of the pilot was one of the best of 2020.
But then I realized it was too makjang-ish, not my cup of tea.
The plot went on mostly thanks to people tailing other people, or some perplexing choices (like turning Sun-woo into a crazy woman for just one episode), and even if I felt compassion or understanding for all the characters at some points of the story, no one was likeable: they were all vindictive and selfish people.
It was far from the warm stories I look for where watching KDramas.
Even episodes felt too long (and I was really happy when HDL, CLOY or IOTNBO had episodes longer than 1 hour), but I tend to not drop dramas when I have spent too much time on them, so I slowly finished it. My hard-earned bean 😅
If you don’t like makjang, don’t start this. The actors were great, but I think the writing wasn’t as good as it can seem judging from the amount of awards this drama was given.
Judging from trailers, posters and plot, this drama seemed interesting, and I liked its vibe.
The first episode was a little boring, but it can happen, then… I don’t even remember if I finished episode 3.
I didn’t like what was going on, didn’t like the characters, so I decided I didn’t want to spend my little free time watching it.
It’s the reason behind the lie that I don’t understand… to give a normal life to Ji-a? And based on a lie? And what about the glasses, the root canal treatment and the goodbye to Taluipa and her husband? I’m confused… 🤔
Maybe he was weak when he come back and after some time gained his power back. Like you I think it probably was a wish that he had become human. Remember it always was his dream to be human. But in the end he fighting demons from the human world to keeping the balance.
Maybe it’s not a lie. Maybe he’s just human but with powers. Like it’s not like it explained it; it just threw it in at the end for no apparent reason.
That was the only way it made sense to me. Like, he can tap into that power when he is using the umbrella/sword. He can still fight the baddies on behalf of the Underworld. Otherwise, how would Halmoni not know?! Also, he genuinely looked different to me when he came back – less vibrant, more human.
I just don’t get it otherwise. I mean, if he’s still a gumiho and is going to live for forever, it’s not like Ji-ah isn’t going to find out. It would wreck havoc on their relationship, right?
I remember what happened at the end of Black Knight: the Man Who Guards Me (shudders Beanies, a PSA: do not watch that), and it did not end well for anyone.
That would be a good theory and also why he was allowed to pop back up as the same age as Jia. It didn’t make sense to me how he came back only 6 months later with the same look but maybe they didn’t want a break in protecting humans from supernatural beings. If he was actually reincarnated, he should have been a 6 month baby.
I wonder if he has a human body/lifespan but gumiho powers. That wouldn’t make the last 20 mins a lie exactly.
The age thing (as for Rang’s reincarnation) is perplexing, too. I explained it to myself thinking that it was a reward for having literally saved the world, but if they had said something about, it would have been better.
Actually I thought both Ji-a and Yeon would die and then reincarnate to start anew as humans without memories of the past. But I wonder if I missed something, because the blind deity warned Ji-a that she could not recognize reincarnated Yeon, and I was like: “But he would be a baby, they would have at least a 30 years age gap, so, what’s the problem??”.
It would have been interesting if he had returned with another face, but I’m glad we had LDW till the end (and they would never dismiss him, for sure).
What should have happened is the deal was to bring Yeon back immediately but with no memories (since the river already wiped those) and as a human (for “punishment”). He does slowly get his memories back cause of loooove and they have a kid who is Rang’s reincarnation. This redeems Rang (he really did have to die cause as much as Kim Bum beautifully made us forget, he had too much blood on his hands and we knew how traumatized he was) and redeems Yeon who now has the chance to be a true parental figure.
I’m thinking that he is human but his powers are tied up to that umbrella. Or he could just be living out the remainder of Rang’s life as agreed upon but still has powers through that umbrella.
Thank you to all of you, beanies!
I agree that the only thing that makes sense (besides the fact that they wanted a powerful/shocking scene to end the drama) is that he is human but he can possibly have his past powers back when using the umbrella and there is a real threat.
As @carlybisek wrote, he genuinely looked different when he came back, and I like to think that he really was a human at the end, finally fulfilling his wish.
That ending made me scratch my head but what I found even more upsetting is why didn’t he take Ji-ah along for the ride..? She’d at least love to film it!
#2020Roundup
Day3: PPL a drama feels empty without
Dyson vacuum cleaner
It has been my first PPL love (still unrequited, I have to say 😅).
I have seen it so many times, that it seems a character of its own, and every time a drama is about to end and no one has had the urge to vacuum the floor yet, I wonder: “Where’s my Dyson?” 🤣
They even found a way to make the super-rich Se-ri use it 😅
Sometimes those PPL insertions are so awkward – I mean, this one with Se-ri still was, but it was less awkward to me than the beat-too-long sip of coffee they forced her to take at the cafe when RJH showed up in Seoul.
I don’t remember that scene in particular, but I agree about the awkwardness of these insertions (when I watched my first drama, Degree of love, I remember I wondered: “Why do they suddenly stop doing things to talk about coffee?”, “Why does she apply face powder out of the blue??”).
PPL about coffee and food are the weirdest to me. The way they say: “Mmmhmm” even if they have barely taken a sip or got a bite makes me 🙄🙄🙄
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 21, 2020 at 5:30 AM
#2020Roundup
Day21: Best poster (based on other Beanies’ idea)
It’s okay to not be okay
The main poster is beautiful! So ethereal!
But the other two with the leads (in both human and animated form) sitting on a book cover are pretty, too.
OLakes
December 21, 2020 at 6:53 AM
Oh, yes! I really love the top one – it’s so beautiful and totally conveys the “once upon a time” feeling for me.
sirena
December 21, 2020 at 6:57 AM
Everything about this show is amazing.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 20, 2020 at 11:54 AM
#2020Roundup
Day20: Cameo that blew up your mind
This year I haven’t watched many dramas and there are lots of actors I don’t know yet, so I have missed all the interesting cameos, it seems.
But I liked the mini Encounter-reunion in Mystic Pop-up bar. It was fun to see Jin-Hyeok’s mum and Soo-hyeon’s secretary as mother and daughter.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 20, 2020 at 8:20 AM
#2020Roundup
Day19: Most memorable scene
Actually I have a list of memorable scenes (even from The game), but this is the first that came to my mind.
It was a great way to end the episode!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 18, 2020 at 7:37 AM
#2020Roundup
Day18: One you want to rant about
Chocolate
I know some beanies love Chocolate (sorry, beanies), but to me it has been the first drama disappointment of the year.
I expected a healing drama with an epic love story, was enthralled by trailers and posters, but… here’s my rant:
(warning: some spoilers):
– too many tragedies. Cha-young losing her sense of smell and taste was really too much.
– Kang and his family were too old-style (a little makjang-ish).
– I couldn’t buy Cha-young’s love for Kang. Their brief encounter when they were children wasn’t enough to me. I would prefer Cha-young had this precious, dear memory of Kang, and would fall in love with him as an adult. Plus, I didn’t like the way Kang treated her for most of the story. If I were her, I would run away from him once and for all.
– The thing that disappointed me the most was the fact that the show betrayed itself. I had really liked its message: live your life to the fullest, don’t lose an instant, because you’re alive now.
So, the way the FL runs away felt so anticlimatic. I don’t know if the writer needed to fill some episodes, if they wanted the usual separation befor the ending, or the scene with the hero searching for his love in a foreign, beautiful country, but I didn’t like it. At all.
OST, cinematography and Joon were beautiful, though.
OLakes
December 18, 2020 at 8:03 AM
I am so on the fence about this one. It idles on my watchlist, and yet I always choose something over it. It is worth watching with my friend FF? Or should I just let it melt gently back into ganache?
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 18, 2020 at 8:37 AM
Honestly, I wouldn’t rewatch and wouldn’t recommend it.
As a story set in a hospice, the drama has its moments, but it can be depressing and boring (I had never fallen asleep while watching a drama!).
About the love story, almost nothing happens till the 11th episode, if I remember well, and even after, I didn’t like some things like the lack of communication between the leads.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
December 19, 2020 at 12:53 AM
It’s beautifully filmed, but be prepared for a ridiculous amount of tragedy. If you can handle melo (so not my thing) you might really like it.
OLakes
December 21, 2020 at 6:23 AM
I think DYLB has made me a bit gun-shy of melo at the moment. But maybe I’ll feel a little stronger in 2021 – who knows!
mugyuljoie is preciousss
December 21, 2020 at 6:30 AM
In contrast to DYLB many of the side characters are charming.
OLakes
December 21, 2020 at 6:32 AM
That is a HUGE plus and potential game-changer.
mmmmm
December 18, 2020 at 8:10 AM
It’s okay 😊. I, myself, really like Chocolate, but I understand that it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 18, 2020 at 8:43 AM
I’m always sorry when I wrote something bad about a drama, because I know someone else love it, or watched it when they needed it, so the story is special for them.
I wanted to like this, but we weren’t meant to be.
frabbycrabsis loves KBS Drama Specials
December 18, 2020 at 12:53 PM
Cha-young lost her sense of taste and smell?? Okay, I was considering watching this and now I’m definitely not.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
December 19, 2020 at 12:55 AM
It made sense in the context of the drama (head injury).
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 20, 2020 at 8:24 AM
Yes, the umpteenth tragedy…
mugyuljoie is preciousss
December 21, 2020 at 9:38 AM
😂 They did go out of their way to pile them on.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 22, 2020 at 1:02 PM
🤣
marina
December 18, 2020 at 10:58 PM
Haha, I’m one of those Beanies who loved it but I guess I understand why many don’t.
I love it for the cinematography, music, the melancholy it offers, and I love the leads. ^^ but I should stop watching these kinda dramas to protect my mental health
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 20, 2020 at 8:26 AM
😅
mugyuljoie is preciousss
December 21, 2020 at 9:38 AM
It was beautifully filmed.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 17, 2020 at 2:04 PM
#2020Roundup
Day17: One that made you emotional
Missing: the other side
This drama was about death, loss, mourning, friendship, hope and (found) family.
It left me with a lump in my throat almost every episode, and when it was on air, it was the show I was more eager to watch.
Eazal
December 17, 2020 at 2:09 PM
Yes! It was so heartbreaking. As I wrote on my post Thomas story made me specially emotional!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 17, 2020 at 3:04 PM
Even the girl (I don’t remember her name) that wished to stay in the village because there she was happy for the first time :'(
lackingfive
December 17, 2020 at 6:27 PM
ocn did so great with this!!!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 18, 2020 at 8:56 AM
Yes!
sirena
December 18, 2020 at 9:18 AM
I agree. This was such a great drama with a wonderful cast.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 17, 2020 at 12:59 PM
#2020Roundup
Day16: best quote / oneliner
“Just live your life like you always have. Be sweet and sincere.
And don’t let go of the ones you love. All right?
That’s more than enough. You will then live your life to the fullest.”
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 15, 2020 at 1:13 PM
#2020Roundup
Day15: Secondary characters you will never forget
(for worse)
Dr Sul from The world of the married
She is all a friend shouldn’t be: envious, scheming, mean.
She knew that Sun-woo’s husband was cheating on her and did nothing, planned to take over from Sun-woo at the hospital, was ready to steal her potential date.
I don’t know why Sun-woo considered her a friend till the end of the story.
OLakes
December 15, 2020 at 2:25 PM
I didn’t watch this drama, but she sounds EXACTLY like the kind of character that makes me unreasonably start frothing at the mouth when I get too into a drama, haha!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 17, 2020 at 1:15 PM
Yes 😤
korfan
December 16, 2020 at 4:59 AM
Totally agree with what you posted here regarding this character.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 17, 2020 at 1:16 PM
No one in that drama was likeable, but I disliked her the most! 😠
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 14, 2020 at 1:30 PM
#2020Roundup
Day14: The drama that could have been but wasn’t… (if only they listened to Beanies!)
Dinne mate
This drama was so lovely! There were these two people that met, dined together, were comfortable with each other, started to fall in love.
And then the exes happened.
They were really annoyed, had too much screentime and the stalker arc lasted for too long.
What a pity!
OLakes
December 14, 2020 at 2:01 PM
Amen. At one point, I was beside myself with fury that they were wasting so much screen time on the exes when there was so much more they could have been showing us with our wonderful OTP! Such a shame they botched screen time.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 15, 2020 at 1:17 PM
This. It’s not the leads had nothing more to tell or to do 😤 And at a point food was almost non-existent…
Eazal
December 14, 2020 at 2:20 PM
If only we had had some more bickering and loving scenes between our perfect and sassy OTP. I KNOW I will rewatch their scenes soon (avoiding the exes and Keanu). If only…
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 15, 2020 at 1:18 PM
Right, Kianu was boring, too.
I’ll rewatch OTP’s scenes, too, they were so cute!
Mani-chan
December 14, 2020 at 9:09 PM
I still loved the drama but AMEN about the exes. So completely frustrating and childish and I say this as a teenager, so imagine
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 15, 2020 at 1:20 PM
Frustrating and childish are perfect words to describe them!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 14, 2020 at 1:19 AM
#2020Roundup
Day13: Most fashionable character
I second all the beanies that chose Mun-young from It’s okay to not be okay.
Her clothes mirrored her personality and showed her healing path.
They represented her (fake) coldness, her need for help, her femininity and her fragility.
Her ethereal nightgows were my favorites.
OLakes
December 14, 2020 at 5:35 AM
I really loved her long hair. I was a bit disappointed when they cut it off. It was gorgeous!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 14, 2020 at 1:55 PM
She was more faitytale-ish and ethereal with long hair
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 13, 2020 at 1:58 PM
#2020Roundup
Day12: “Oldie” (not 2020) you loved
This year I have completed only three “oldies”: The secret life of my secretary; It’s ok, that’s love and Oh, my Venus.
Among them my favorite is
It’s ok, that’s love
I wanted to watch this so much, that it has been one of the first things I picked on Netflix.
Every show that tells about mental illnesses piques my interest, even if I always fear the way they will be told.
But this was a surprise! It handles very well mental illnesses, and more than one character suffers from them.
It’s about acceptance and its power to make life better.
Kudo Ran
December 13, 2020 at 10:30 PM
I’d recommend “The world between us” , it’s a Tw-drama,
mental illness isn’t the main plot but is adressed through a character
https://mydramalist.com/28709-no-outsiders
It’s one of my fav’ drama, the quality is top-notch but it can be quite an emotionally taxing ride
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 14, 2020 at 1:22 AM
Thank you! I’va added it to my list!
DoubleFault
December 14, 2020 at 7:56 AM
This drama is probably the one that has made me cry the most. The “reveal” towards the end, though I have predicted it earlier, really broke me.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 14, 2020 at 1:45 PM
Yes, it was tragic
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 13, 2020 at 8:30 AM
#2020Roundup
Day11: Your 2020 crush
Hyun Bin
Before Crash landing on you, I had already watched My name is Kim Sam-soon, but I hadn’t liked the drama, his character and his looks.
Thanks to CLOY (and, above all, my sister’s fangirling), I have noticed his acting skills and his charm.
And he seems a kind person irl, too.
OLakes
December 13, 2020 at 8:36 AM
He does seem kind in real life. A little shy, too, which is really interesting compared to some character’s he’s played. I remember seeing that video where he’s surrounded by excited fans, and there’s this little boy in the crowd who looks absolutely confused by it all. And he looks down and smiles very kindly at the kid and says, “You don’t know who I am, do you?” There was something so genuinely not arrogant about it, it was adorable.
Eazal
December 13, 2020 at 9:07 AM
You are right he seems to be nice and kind.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 13, 2020 at 9:47 AM
How sweet of him! I have never seen this video, but in others he seems very kind to people. And as you wrote, during interviews he seems shy, too.
I thing the character of Jeong-hyeok suits him very well.
OLakes
December 13, 2020 at 10:13 AM
To be honest, I haven’t seen many interviews with him or anything. But I remember a few promoting Alhambra (which I tried to like very hard and failed) and didn’t really form much of an opinion of him. But I remember watching some of those Swoon interview/games for CLOY and he seemed much more present, if that makes sense? And like a generally good-natured guy.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 13, 2020 at 2:03 PM
Yes, you’re right about him being more present lately.
(I watched only the pilot of MotA and dropped it after beanies were disappointed about the second half and above all the ending).
bbstl 🧹
December 13, 2020 at 2:16 PM
Welcome to the fan club 😍
If you really like him, I would definitely watch Alhambra. He’s so swoony, you will almost pass out. Just know that you will hate the end of the last episode, or better yet stop at 15.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 14, 2020 at 1:25 AM
@bbstl Thank you! XD
I’ve seen photos from MotA and he seems even more charming that in CLOY.
I’ll try MotA again, I think that knowing about the disappointing ending will make me less disappointed 🙂
bbstl 🧹
December 14, 2020 at 6:59 AM
Oooooh, the MotA camera really, really loves him. It’s quite a lot of eye candy for the HB lover 🥰 Plus he’s a sort of devilish, high-risk character and that doesn’t hurt.
@carmen, what are all your emojis for?
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 14, 2020 at 1:54 PM
@bbstl The first group of three emojis should represent Encounter (I know it isn’t clear at all, but I really didn’t know what to choose); the second It’s okay to not be okay; the third Crash landing on you and the fourth Tale of the Nine-taled.
bbstl 🧹
December 14, 2020 at 4:34 PM
Thank you for the explanation! I guessed the parachute had something to do with CLOY but I didn’t place the tomato sprout at all 🤦🏼♀️
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 12, 2020 at 1:24 AM
#2020Roundup
Day10: Drama Beanies convinced you to watch and you can’t be grateful enough
The school nurse files
This drama wasn’t in my watch list, then I read some good reviews from Beanies and gave it a look.
And I liked it.
I liked its vibe, the story is complex and multilayered, leads and kids are great and Nam Joo-hyuk is charming.
The ending is rushed, but it’s worth watching and I recommend it.
Eazal
December 12, 2020 at 2:14 AM
And don’t forget the ducks!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 13, 2020 at 9:07 AM
Oh, the ducks! They made me smile and somehow didn’t seem out of place.
I read somewhere (probably here, where, otherwise?), that they are important in the novel; if I remember well, there is a chapter in which the author explains their presence.
silkwave
December 12, 2020 at 11:00 AM
I’m hoping for another season!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 13, 2020 at 9:09 AM
I don’t like more seasons shows anymore, but for this I would gladly make an exception.
There are so many things I would like to know!
OLakes
December 12, 2020 at 12:03 PM
I think I’ll have to try this one again. I got through half of the second episode and put it aside. It’s not I didn’t like it, I think I just didn’t quite…get it? But maybe I don’t have to?
Eazal
December 13, 2020 at 9:19 AM
Exactly that! Don’t try to get it, just enjoy the weirdness.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 13, 2020 at 9:20 AM
I think there are lots of things that can be explained in different ways (and I don’t hide that I made some researches to scratch my head less 🤔).
I started this knowing (thanks to beanies) that it was different from other dramas I had watched, and kind of weird. Above all I instantly liked its vibe, and the end of the pilot seemed a scene from a horror. I think that was the thing that made me continue watching.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 11, 2020 at 1:22 PM
#2020Roundup
Day9: Drama you watched just because and ended up loving
It’s okay to not be okay
I started this because it had the Pd and artist Jamsan that had already worked together for Encounter, that is my favorite drama.
Then I ended up loving all of IOTNBO (yes, I came to terms with the mum’s arc, too).
It has one the most beautiful found family, hurt people that heal each other, beautiful cinematography and OST, and a lot of heart.
dramalover4ever
December 11, 2020 at 3:50 PM
Yes x 1000
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 12, 2020 at 1:27 AM
😊
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 8, 2020 at 9:54 AM
#2020Roundup
Day8: OTP you didn’t think you’ll adore
Ji-a and Yeon from Tale of the Nine-taled
Maybe “adore” is too much, but I didn’t think I’ll like this couple so much.
I liked that Ji-a was and remained smart, that Yeon wished so much to become human, and that they talked to each other and didn’t want to surrender to fate.
They showed us that the real magic lies in a normal life.
And then, they were really cute together.
OLakes
December 8, 2020 at 11:34 AM
“Real magic lies in a normal life.”
That’s a beautiful observation, and a particularly poignant one to come out of a fantasy drama, too. ❤
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 8, 2020 at 12:55 PM
😊😊😊
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 8, 2020 at 6:48 AM
#2020Roundup
Day7: That OST you’re obsessed with
It’s okay to not be okay
These songs have not only beautiful music, but even more beautiful lyrics. Almost all of them are about diversity and acceptance.
Not even the songs from Cloy OST are so moving.
DoubleFault
December 8, 2020 at 7:17 AM
I still have many of these songs in my playlist. Yongzoo’s Puzzle is a particular as it reminds me of the ending of Ep 08, when Kangtae was freely running towards Moonyoung. That scene is just perfect.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 8, 2020 at 10:04 AM
I love that songs from OSTs have this power to make you remind scenes and feelings. It’s one of the first things I have loved about watching dramas.
OLakes
December 8, 2020 at 9:11 AM
I love this OST. Wake Up, In Silence, You’re Cold and Sketchbook (the opening title) are my favorites – beautiful and brilliant. I mean, the opening title actually tells you what the show is about:
“There was once upon a time,
And all people have stories.
They’re wrong.”
Moon-young, Gang-tae and Sang-tae had all made up stories about their lives – what they could and could have, who they were and weren’t. Over the course of the show, they all learned that they were more in control of their own fairytale than they’d believed, that “all these are parts of you,” and that they could alter their own endings. Phenomenally well done. (/gushing over)
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 8, 2020 at 10:14 AM
In silence is one of my absolute favorites, even if as you wrote all songs are brilliant and amazing. The other day I was translating Lighting up your world for my blog, and the lirycs was so beautiful that moved me and I wondered why I had never focused on that song.
(Your way of writing is amazing; have you ever thought about staring a blog? I would be glad to read your posts).
OLakes
December 8, 2020 at 11:09 AM
Comment was deleted
OLakes
December 8, 2020 at 11:10 AM
Yes! It’s amazing sometimes when you stop and really listen to the words.
And thank you very much for your kind words. I really like to write but don’t get much of a chance these days except for here – I just love the exchange of ideas with Beanies. I’ve thought about starting a blog but have never been sure of how to start honestly. How do you do yours (and can we read it)?
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 8, 2020 at 1:05 PM
I use Blogger, that is simple to manage. It’s fun and relaxing to have that space to write. I consider it a notebook in which I can write what I liked and disliked about a drama and post songs.
Sure you can read it, it’s in Italian, but every post has the translator that works rather well (even if it doesn’t discriminate among “he”, “she” and “it” 😅).
Here is the link: https://appuntidiunaspettatrice.blogspot.com/
OLakes
December 8, 2020 at 2:27 PM
Grazie! 😊 I scrolled and immediately screeched to a stop on your post about Blue Moon as Song of the Week (love it!). I like your idea of using it as a notebook – it feels like less pressure and more just enjoying spending more time with dramas. I might give it a go for a few weeks and see how well I manage (or if I run out of ideas).
Thank you so much for sharing! I’ve bookmarked yours and look forward to reading you! 😊
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 11, 2020 at 1:46 PM
@carlybisek Thank you! 😊
Let me know if you will start a blog in the future, if you’re ok with it 😊😊
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 6, 2020 at 5:42 AM
#2020Roundup
Day6: Drama you know you will rewatch
It’s okay to not be okay
I wanted to rewatch this drama right after the last episode ended!
It is my favorite of 2020, and one of the best drama I have ever watched, so I can’t wait to have time to watch it again. I’m sure I missed lots of things to focus on the subs and the plot.
OLakes
December 6, 2020 at 9:54 AM
One of the best shows of 2020 for me, too! There’s so much color on screen, it’s well worth re-watching. It feels like, especially in the beginning, there’s to go over to get to know the characters even better. I definitely missed it when it ended.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 7, 2020 at 3:09 AM
Agree. I started it only because of the PD and artist Jamsan, and loved it from the first episode, that is a rare thing for me.
dramalover4ever
December 6, 2020 at 2:43 PM
it was exquisitely put together. So much fine detail. Visually beautiful too.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 7, 2020 at 3:12 AM
Yes. Even the transitions between one scene and another were beautiful.
dramadillo
December 9, 2020 at 4:28 AM
I feel the same! I’ve re-watched it once already… :o) This show created such a rich and immersive world.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 5, 2020 at 3:45 AM
#2020Roundup
Day5: Drama you finished for the bean
The world of the married
I liked the first episodes of this drama, they were fast paced, and the final scene of the pilot was one of the best of 2020.
But then I realized it was too makjang-ish, not my cup of tea.
The plot went on mostly thanks to people tailing other people, or some perplexing choices (like turning Sun-woo into a crazy woman for just one episode), and even if I felt compassion or understanding for all the characters at some points of the story, no one was likeable: they were all vindictive and selfish people.
It was far from the warm stories I look for where watching KDramas.
Even episodes felt too long (and I was really happy when HDL, CLOY or IOTNBO had episodes longer than 1 hour), but I tend to not drop dramas when I have spent too much time on them, so I slowly finished it. My hard-earned bean 😅
OLakes
December 5, 2020 at 8:34 AM
I was super interested in this because I’d heard such great things; but I don’t do well with OTT makjang, so maybe it’s good I skipped this one!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 6, 2020 at 5:40 AM
If you don’t like makjang, don’t start this. The actors were great, but I think the writing wasn’t as good as it can seem judging from the amount of awards this drama was given.
OLakes
December 6, 2020 at 7:48 AM
Good to know. I’ll give it a skip, in this case.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 4, 2020 at 6:41 AM
#2020Roundup
Day4: Drama you couldn’t finish
Graceful friends
Judging from trailers, posters and plot, this drama seemed interesting, and I liked its vibe.
The first episode was a little boring, but it can happen, then… I don’t even remember if I finished episode 3.
I didn’t like what was going on, didn’t like the characters, so I decided I didn’t want to spend my little free time watching it.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 3, 2020 at 1:45 PM
Could someone explain me the last seconds of Tale of the nine-taled, please? 🤔 🦊👹⚔️
Eazal
December 3, 2020 at 2:47 PM
Well, he obviously lied to everyone and he’s still a gumiho. Why did he lie? Maybe because he wanted Jia to feel like her equal…
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 3, 2020 at 3:22 PM
It’s the reason behind the lie that I don’t understand… to give a normal life to Ji-a? And based on a lie? And what about the glasses, the root canal treatment and the goodbye to Taluipa and her husband? I’m confused… 🤔
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 3, 2020 at 3:23 PM
Or at least he was trying to lie to himself living like a human?
sal
December 3, 2020 at 3:35 PM
Maybe he was weak when he come back and after some time gained his power back. Like you I think it probably was a wish that he had become human. Remember it always was his dream to be human. But in the end he fighting demons from the human world to keeping the balance.
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
December 3, 2020 at 7:12 PM
Maybe it’s not a lie. Maybe he’s just human but with powers. Like it’s not like it explained it; it just threw it in at the end for no apparent reason.
Eazal
December 3, 2020 at 10:50 PM
Maybe that’s part of his real with the gods (like when he disappeared when Jia died) and he can have gumiho’s powers just to fight evil spirits…
OLakes
December 4, 2020 at 1:23 AM
That was the only way it made sense to me. Like, he can tap into that power when he is using the umbrella/sword. He can still fight the baddies on behalf of the Underworld. Otherwise, how would Halmoni not know?! Also, he genuinely looked different to me when he came back – less vibrant, more human.
I just don’t get it otherwise. I mean, if he’s still a gumiho and is going to live for forever, it’s not like Ji-ah isn’t going to find out. It would wreck havoc on their relationship, right?
I remember what happened at the end of Black Knight: the Man Who Guards Me (shudders Beanies, a PSA: do not watch that), and it did not end well for anyone.
/Rant over
Jig
December 4, 2020 at 6:14 PM
That would be a good theory and also why he was allowed to pop back up as the same age as Jia. It didn’t make sense to me how he came back only 6 months later with the same look but maybe they didn’t want a break in protecting humans from supernatural beings. If he was actually reincarnated, he should have been a 6 month baby.
I wonder if he has a human body/lifespan but gumiho powers. That wouldn’t make the last 20 mins a lie exactly.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 5, 2020 at 2:07 AM
The age thing (as for Rang’s reincarnation) is perplexing, too. I explained it to myself thinking that it was a reward for having literally saved the world, but if they had said something about, it would have been better.
Actually I thought both Ji-a and Yeon would die and then reincarnate to start anew as humans without memories of the past. But I wonder if I missed something, because the blind deity warned Ji-a that she could not recognize reincarnated Yeon, and I was like: “But he would be a baby, they would have at least a 30 years age gap, so, what’s the problem??”.
It would have been interesting if he had returned with another face, but I’m glad we had LDW till the end (and they would never dismiss him, for sure).
Jig
December 5, 2020 at 5:29 AM
What should have happened is the deal was to bring Yeon back immediately but with no memories (since the river already wiped those) and as a human (for “punishment”). He does slowly get his memories back cause of loooove and they have a kid who is Rang’s reincarnation. This redeems Rang (he really did have to die cause as much as Kim Bum beautifully made us forget, he had too much blood on his hands and we knew how traumatized he was) and redeems Yeon who now has the chance to be a true parental figure.
OLakes
December 4, 2020 at 1:24 AM
Comment was deleted
jillian
December 3, 2020 at 11:14 PM
I’m thinking that he is human but his powers are tied up to that umbrella. Or he could just be living out the remainder of Rang’s life as agreed upon but still has powers through that umbrella.
Eazal
December 4, 2020 at 1:35 AM
That’s the only thing that could make sense.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 4, 2020 at 5:28 AM
Thank you to all of you, beanies!
I agree that the only thing that makes sense (besides the fact that they wanted a powerful/shocking scene to end the drama) is that he is human but he can possibly have his past powers back when using the umbrella and there is a real threat.
As @carlybisek wrote, he genuinely looked different when he came back, and I like to think that he really was a human at the end, finally fulfilling his wish.
meowingme
December 4, 2020 at 8:00 AM
That ending made me scratch my head but what I found even more upsetting is why didn’t he take Ji-ah along for the ride..? She’d at least love to film it!
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 5, 2020 at 2:08 AM
True! 😀
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 3, 2020 at 3:49 AM
#2020Roundup
Day3: PPL a drama feels empty without
Dyson vacuum cleaner
It has been my first PPL love (still unrequited, I have to say 😅).
I have seen it so many times, that it seems a character of its own, and every time a drama is about to end and no one has had the urge to vacuum the floor yet, I wonder: “Where’s my Dyson?” 🤣
They even found a way to make the super-rich Se-ri use it 😅
OLakes
December 3, 2020 at 4:11 AM
Sometimes those PPL insertions are so awkward – I mean, this one with Se-ri still was, but it was less awkward to me than the beat-too-long sip of coffee they forced her to take at the cafe when RJH showed up in Seoul.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 3, 2020 at 5:51 AM
I don’t remember that scene in particular, but I agree about the awkwardness of these insertions (when I watched my first drama, Degree of love, I remember I wondered: “Why do they suddenly stop doing things to talk about coffee?”, “Why does she apply face powder out of the blue??”).
PPL about coffee and food are the weirdest to me. The way they say: “Mmmhmm” even if they have barely taken a sip or got a bite makes me 🙄🙄🙄
Eazal
December 3, 2020 at 9:19 AM
Oh, but now that I have my Dyson, I can totally understand her 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
December 3, 2020 at 1:46 PM
Hahahha 😂