Might fly to Korea and bow at the feet of the writer of Queen Of Tears. The way that they put these K-drama tropes in a headlock and twist them around is really impressive. Like actual skillful writing. I’ve been falling off K-drama’s hard for the past year, and that makes me sad. But I think they got me back in it. Just makes me remember why I fell in love with them in the first place.
Reading about Lee Sun-kyun suicide, & then watching the ML in Like Flowers in Sand be black out drunk in the 1st episode, and it being played for laughs; it just leaves a bad taste for me. This isn’t a knock against the show, I like it.
I don’t drink or smoke anymore, but I don’t judge people that do. It’s just the double standards of Korea that I’m just not rocking with. To have alcohol, an actual poison, be accepted so much by them is so wild to me.
I tried to watch this week episodes but, after a few minutes, I figured out the FL’s profession and why she came back and I felt uncomfortable.
Even if this is just fiction and everything that’s happening in the show is different, I still rolled my eyes. I’m thinking of watching the show later since I know it’s just me being me and not the show’s fault. I like it, and I like the FL.
Watching Daily Dose Of Sunshine & my biggest complaint is the relationship between the doctor & nurse side characters. I really wish K-dramas would stop romanticizing borderline stalking. If someone isn’t interested in you, they have no obligation to give yoh a reason and you can’t just pop up at someone’s home. I’m on episode 5 & I know they’ll eventually get together, but I think they’re setting a bad example. And it shouldn’t be rewarded.
I am enjoying SUNSHINE and have watched through episode 4 with 5 and 6 on tap for today.
That whole pursuing of a nurse by a psychiatrist (of all people) for a romantic relationship was very uncomfortable watching. He knows better and has no excuse. Even in a hierarchical society like in SK, if the nurse had made an official complaint of harassment, life could have become quite complicated for that MD.
By the end of episode 4 it seems to have been resolved but I don’t see smooth sailing ahead.
I totally agree with you. Something that I seriously couldn’t understand while watching DwY was how they tried to make all the creepy stuff the ML did look romantic, but when another character did the exact same things it was supposed to be “scary”.
Kdramas have this ridiculous rule where if you’re the ML/love interest you can do ANYTHING and that’s fine. 🙄
I would be their friend but never their bandmate. They practiced like once? 🤣🤣 and I think Yi Chan said they were changing the tracklist or something. I was like “again?!”.
One of my favorite things about K-dramas is that they mix together a bunch of genres that normally wouldn\’t be. But that can also be one a bad thing. I\’ll be watching a funny rom-com with wacky writing; & it\’ll have a subpar law, murder thriller tacked on.
I\’m trying to give Alchemy Of Souls another chance, but I realized why I dislike Korean (Asian in general) fantasy. I dislike how there isn\’t a structure to anyones powers or abilities.
You don\’t have an idea how their techniques and skills work, they just wave their hands/swords around and energy flies out. Like if they needed to put out a fire and the story says they\’re strong enough to do that, they\’ll just send out some energy & the fire is out. But what about what you did is able to put of fires?!
That\’s why even if I like everything else about the show, – & I do like Alchemy Of Souls – I can never finished it. I liked The Untamed alot, but every time a fight would break out I just could not get over it.
I understand completely and it’s why I skip fantasy shows. There’s always, oops! a new rule to get the show out of a quandary in the writing and that gets so tiresome. Only Lee Jae Wook could make me watch Alchemy and I’m glad I did. But, like the other fantasy dramas I’ve tried, it’s taken my strongest preparation to tolerate the nonsense that gets pulled out (yeah, looking at you, Master Lee).
😩
It’s the reason I’m still stuck in episode 1 of the second part. My brain won’t turn off when I’m watching it and reading the recap just made me even more sullen because the writing and world building has so many holes brought by the spontaneous suspenses and new rules. And a cast has never been this on point for me before.
The recaps is what made me want to try it again. Because I really like the character interactions & dialog, but everything else is just nonsense. I’m a big fan of fantasy & I grew up reading it, so I think it’s just more noticeable for me.
Same. Fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction, and thriller are the primary genres I consume. So when I scratch my head while watching or reading, not a good sign.
But AoS still has my reluctant love. I love the characters and their actors too much.
The recaps is what made me want to try it again. Because I really like the character interactions & dialog, but everything else is just nonsense. I’m a big fan of fantasy & I grew up reading it, so I think it’s just more noticeable for me.
I wish Hong Sisters would give up high fantasy, they barely knew how to deal with the low fantasy in MGIAG or Big, what stupidity led them to believe they could handle the bigger version??? Hotel, Hwayugi and Alchemy are complete trash when you think about the rules of the magical system or the place itself. What makes people like them is the same reason they have always liked their work, character building, charm, interaction, romance.
Being fair though it is not like they have any competition, Goblin, Alhambra, W, they are all the same kind of lunacy. The only fantasy that they can sometimes come close to getting right is time travel.
I really don’t think the Hong Sisters are good at fantasy at all. Everything in their shows are super vague & things just happen just because. But as you said, that’s really the same for other fantasy shows. I don’t even want to get started on Goblin. The dialog writing is really good, but the show made no sense & had enough plot for 8 episodes.
I think of their fantasy works, Hotel Del Luna was more coherent, just not the right cast. I think aging down the actors did the drama a disservice. Not that they weren’t great but a lot of their scenes lacked the nuance age and experience on the face would have easily displayed.
But fantasy genre in Kdrama is truly never satisfying. You always have a bone or two to pick.
I saw the trailer for Singles Inferno 2 and I couldn\’t stop laughing, because it really just reminded me of Love is for Suckers 1 to 1. I never saw the first season, so that drama is the only association I have.
I’m watching Singles Inferno at the moment (the shame!) and I feel like the show on Love is for Suckers is a pretty good reference guide 😄. I struggle to believe that any of them are genuinely there to find love though 😅
That drama must be filming real time.. they have incorporated such specific points from diff reality shows, that YOU KNOW EXACTLY which show is being spoofed in which scene
This song came on my playlist while I was at work & it reminded me how much I loved Love All Play. It always seems like the slice of life dramas that I love are never popular.
I really liked this OST. But if the couple was very cute, the writting was disapointing. I couldn’t overcome the fact the ML never got proper apologies by his mother, his sister and his girlfriend.
Yeah, they definitely pulled a K-drama switch up at the end because they were running out of episodes. But I never expect plot points like that be resolved well truthfully, so I mostly ignore it.
It’s like perfectly good Romance drama that has a random serial killer plot point. Certain point my eyes just glaze over.
I didn\’t expect Love Is For Suckers to have the story structure that it has. I think they\’re subverting alot of K-drama tropes in interesting & mature ways. Besides the all the reality show high jinks.
Yessss, I’m really enjoying this one as well! I’m a little worried the reality show might affect the pacing of the show but I’m hopeful that the writers will be able to do fun and rewarding things with it!
Ok I was making fun of Cheer Up, but they have me hooked. The Main actress is really good, I\’ve never seen Penthouse so this is my first time seeing her. Her character is super weird, just the type I like 😂😂.
I\’m watching Cheer Up, but its hard for me to take anything seriously because of their cheer outfits 😂😂😂. I\’m trying to push through it though, because it looks like the show would be fun.
A beanie posted somewhere in the weecap section what seems to be a video of an actual RL cheer squad/ pep rally and the costumes in this show are on point.
Me too, plus the overarching question for me is why college cheerleading? They don’t cheer for sports teams (do they?) or to support something else so they just cheer for cheer’s sake?
Jeeeez, get in the library.
I don\’t understand how Jang Wook is still even considered the kings son just because he switched bodies with his father. I know we\’re in a land of magic, but that doesn\’t make any sense.
For me, they are so relatable. Their constant struggle to be the best, to accomplish their lifelong dreams despite being moderately good at what they do…that’s exactly how I feel. Those are the common insecurities youth feel all over the world. I love this drama for showcasing exactly that.
I agree. It’s got a nice balance of cuteness and introspection. I do wish they fleshed out the supporting characters more, feels like there’s potential there and hopefully we’ll be seeing that in the second half. Also the bromance between TJ and JH is becoming my favourite thing, they make each other so mad lol.
I\’m enjoying Shooting Stars, but it legitimately makes me feel bad for Korean Celebrities. You can\’t even do the most basic things & any small thing can be bad for your career. I\’m not even sure if it\’s even worth it. I know it\’s a different culture, but I\’m not a fan of how normalized it is. I\’m for having higher standards for celebrities, but it\’s definitely taken too far.
Me too and also the level of near-hysteria in the people who support their careers and those who report on them. Ugh, so exhausting to be on high alert every moment.
Yeah same – I feel like most actors would be more repressed than the characters we see. “Do you think that I’m happy because I’m smiling all the time?” That line was really strong. I’d hate that kind of life…. And I kind of applaud people for doing it. It really can’t be easy! (Also it shows the difficulty / repetition of acting)
The first ep of My Liberation Notes was definitely depressing. But the conversation they had towards the end about neighborhood kids made me laugh.
I only ever lived in big cities so I don\’t know anything about the countryside or small towns. But I wish those places won\’t slowly dying off. Work from home should be a more solid thing so people can decide where they want to live. & if you want to live in a city & go into work, that should be a choice too.
ElKwesi
April 2, 2024 at 1:05 AM
Might fly to Korea and bow at the feet of the writer of Queen Of Tears. The way that they put these K-drama tropes in a headlock and twist them around is really impressive. Like actual skillful writing. I’ve been falling off K-drama’s hard for the past year, and that makes me sad. But I think they got me back in it. Just makes me remember why I fell in love with them in the first place.
ElKwesi
December 30, 2023 at 11:42 AM
Reading about Lee Sun-kyun suicide, & then watching the ML in Like Flowers in Sand be black out drunk in the 1st episode, and it being played for laughs; it just leaves a bad taste for me. This isn’t a knock against the show, I like it.
I don’t drink or smoke anymore, but I don’t judge people that do. It’s just the double standards of Korea that I’m just not rocking with. To have alcohol, an actual poison, be accepted so much by them is so wild to me.
tabong has two different tears🍉
December 30, 2023 at 12:24 PM
I tried to watch this week episodes but, after a few minutes, I figured out the FL’s profession and why she came back and I felt uncomfortable.
Even if this is just fiction and everything that’s happening in the show is different, I still rolled my eyes. I’m thinking of watching the show later since I know it’s just me being me and not the show’s fault. I like it, and I like the FL.
ElKwesi
November 7, 2023 at 11:00 PM
Watching Daily Dose Of Sunshine & my biggest complaint is the relationship between the doctor & nurse side characters. I really wish K-dramas would stop romanticizing borderline stalking. If someone isn’t interested in you, they have no obligation to give yoh a reason and you can’t just pop up at someone’s home. I’m on episode 5 & I know they’ll eventually get together, but I think they’re setting a bad example. And it shouldn’t be rewarded.
bong-soo
November 8, 2023 at 7:13 AM
I am enjoying SUNSHINE and have watched through episode 4 with 5 and 6 on tap for today.
That whole pursuing of a nurse by a psychiatrist (of all people) for a romantic relationship was very uncomfortable watching. He knows better and has no excuse. Even in a hierarchical society like in SK, if the nurse had made an official complaint of harassment, life could have become quite complicated for that MD.
By the end of episode 4 it seems to have been resolved but I don’t see smooth sailing ahead.
tabong has two different tears🍉
November 8, 2023 at 4:56 PM
A psychiatrist stalking a nurse? Yikes.
I totally agree with you. Something that I seriously couldn’t understand while watching DwY was how they tried to make all the creepy stuff the ML did look romantic, but when another character did the exact same things it was supposed to be “scary”.
Kdramas have this ridiculous rule where if you’re the ML/love interest you can do ANYTHING and that’s fine. 🙄
ElKwesi
October 23, 2023 at 10:19 PM
I feel for the band members in Twinkling Watermelon. But I personally love when Yi-Chan and Eun-Gyeol start fighting 😂😂
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
October 24, 2023 at 3:06 AM
Never though a serenade will end up in mutual hair pulling. 🤣
This father – son pair are so cute. 🥰
tabong has two different tears🍉
October 24, 2023 at 12:09 PM
I would be their friend but never their bandmate. They practiced like once? 🤣🤣 and I think Yi Chan said they were changing the tracklist or something. I was like “again?!”.
ElKwesi
August 20, 2023 at 7:12 PM
One of my favorite things about K-dramas is that they mix together a bunch of genres that normally wouldn\’t be. But that can also be one a bad thing. I\’ll be watching a funny rom-com with wacky writing; & it\’ll have a subpar law, murder thriller tacked on.
ElKwesi
March 20, 2023 at 5:17 PM
Got reminded how much I loved the 1st season of Yumi’s Cells
Isa is always time travelling
March 20, 2023 at 11:47 PM
Yumi’s cells has a great OST.
Lelly19
March 21, 2023 at 3:36 AM
Same! 🥺
Also great song ~
ElKwesi
January 5, 2023 at 4:25 PM
I\’m trying to give Alchemy Of Souls another chance, but I realized why I dislike Korean (Asian in general) fantasy. I dislike how there isn\’t a structure to anyones powers or abilities.
You don\’t have an idea how their techniques and skills work, they just wave their hands/swords around and energy flies out. Like if they needed to put out a fire and the story says they\’re strong enough to do that, they\’ll just send out some energy & the fire is out. But what about what you did is able to put of fires?!
That\’s why even if I like everything else about the show, – & I do like Alchemy Of Souls – I can never finished it. I liked The Untamed alot, but every time a fight would break out I just could not get over it.
bbstl 🧹
January 5, 2023 at 5:42 PM
I understand completely and it’s why I skip fantasy shows. There’s always, oops! a new rule to get the show out of a quandary in the writing and that gets so tiresome. Only Lee Jae Wook could make me watch Alchemy and I’m glad I did. But, like the other fantasy dramas I’ve tried, it’s taken my strongest preparation to tolerate the nonsense that gets pulled out (yeah, looking at you, Master Lee).
zitless
January 5, 2023 at 10:05 PM
😩
It’s the reason I’m still stuck in episode 1 of the second part. My brain won’t turn off when I’m watching it and reading the recap just made me even more sullen because the writing and world building has so many holes brought by the spontaneous suspenses and new rules. And a cast has never been this on point for me before.
ElKwesi
January 6, 2023 at 1:06 PM
The recaps is what made me want to try it again. Because I really like the character interactions & dialog, but everything else is just nonsense. I’m a big fan of fantasy & I grew up reading it, so I think it’s just more noticeable for me.
zitless
January 6, 2023 at 1:26 PM
Same. Fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction, and thriller are the primary genres I consume. So when I scratch my head while watching or reading, not a good sign.
But AoS still has my reluctant love. I love the characters and their actors too much.
ElKwesi
January 6, 2023 at 1:09 PM
The recaps is what made me want to try it again. Because I really like the character interactions & dialog, but everything else is just nonsense. I’m a big fan of fantasy & I grew up reading it, so I think it’s just more noticeable for me.
Lixie
January 6, 2023 at 6:57 AM
I wish Hong Sisters would give up high fantasy, they barely knew how to deal with the low fantasy in MGIAG or Big, what stupidity led them to believe they could handle the bigger version??? Hotel, Hwayugi and Alchemy are complete trash when you think about the rules of the magical system or the place itself. What makes people like them is the same reason they have always liked their work, character building, charm, interaction, romance.
Being fair though it is not like they have any competition, Goblin, Alhambra, W, they are all the same kind of lunacy. The only fantasy that they can sometimes come close to getting right is time travel.
ElKwesi
January 6, 2023 at 1:01 PM
I really don’t think the Hong Sisters are good at fantasy at all. Everything in their shows are super vague & things just happen just because. But as you said, that’s really the same for other fantasy shows. I don’t even want to get started on Goblin. The dialog writing is really good, but the show made no sense & had enough plot for 8 episodes.
zitless
January 6, 2023 at 1:37 PM
I think of their fantasy works, Hotel Del Luna was more coherent, just not the right cast. I think aging down the actors did the drama a disservice. Not that they weren’t great but a lot of their scenes lacked the nuance age and experience on the face would have easily displayed.
But fantasy genre in Kdrama is truly never satisfying. You always have a bone or two to pick.
ElKwesi
November 14, 2022 at 4:28 PM
I saw the trailer for Singles Inferno 2 and I couldn\’t stop laughing, because it really just reminded me of Love is for Suckers 1 to 1. I never saw the first season, so that drama is the only association I have.
beffels
November 15, 2022 at 6:55 PM
I’m watching Singles Inferno at the moment (the shame!) and I feel like the show on Love is for Suckers is a pretty good reference guide 😄. I struggle to believe that any of them are genuinely there to find love though 😅
alasecond
November 16, 2022 at 9:52 AM
That drama must be filming real time.. they have incorporated such specific points from diff reality shows, that YOU KNOW EXACTLY which show is being spoofed in which scene
ElKwesi
November 9, 2022 at 8:06 PM
I had to shout out my Queen.
ElKwesi
October 28, 2022 at 5:44 PM
This song came on my playlist while I was at work & it reminded me how much I loved Love All Play. It always seems like the slice of life dramas that I love are never popular.
owl 🦉 🫰
October 28, 2022 at 8:31 PM
I have to admit this drama missed my radar. But I’m going to look it up because I also like slice of life stories!
Ally
October 28, 2022 at 9:16 PM
I like it too!
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
October 28, 2022 at 9:26 PM
Me too. I was gutted the ratings were so low. I loved the main couple, the male lead was so in love with her.
Lelly19
October 28, 2022 at 10:33 PM
A favorite this year!!
Same for the soundtrack! ❤️
Kurama
October 29, 2022 at 2:32 AM
I really liked this OST. But if the couple was very cute, the writting was disapointing. I couldn’t overcome the fact the ML never got proper apologies by his mother, his sister and his girlfriend.
ElKwesi
November 9, 2022 at 8:08 PM
Yeah, they definitely pulled a K-drama switch up at the end because they were running out of episodes. But I never expect plot points like that be resolved well truthfully, so I mostly ignore it.
It’s like perfectly good Romance drama that has a random serial killer plot point. Certain point my eyes just glaze over.
ElKwesi
October 24, 2022 at 5:09 PM
I didn\’t expect Love Is For Suckers to have the story structure that it has. I think they\’re subverting alot of K-drama tropes in interesting & mature ways. Besides the all the reality show high jinks.
LadyAntima
October 24, 2022 at 8:24 PM
Yessss, I’m really enjoying this one as well! I’m a little worried the reality show might affect the pacing of the show but I’m hopeful that the writers will be able to do fun and rewarding things with it!
alasecond
October 25, 2022 at 8:59 AM
oh i love the reality show.. you can literally pin point which dating show is being spoofed..
the throw the men out was definitely single’s inferno, character profiles scream Exchange S2..
ElKwesi
October 19, 2022 at 12:07 AM
Ok, the 2nd ep of Love Is For Suckers sold it for me. I really love the character dynamics, and how dumb they are around each other.
ElKwesi
October 13, 2022 at 6:32 PM
Ok I was making fun of Cheer Up, but they have me hooked. The Main actress is really good, I\’ve never seen Penthouse so this is my first time seeing her. Her character is super weird, just the type I like 😂😂.
Ally
October 19, 2022 at 8:40 AM
I really like this show too!
ElKwesi
October 13, 2022 at 5:20 PM
All I think about watching Cheer Up.
Blue (@mayhemf)
October 13, 2022 at 5:42 PM
😂😂😂
ElKwesi
October 13, 2022 at 4:52 PM
I\’m watching Cheer Up, but its hard for me to take anything seriously because of their cheer outfits 😂😂😂. I\’m trying to push through it though, because it looks like the show would be fun.
Jingbee
October 13, 2022 at 8:19 PM
A beanie posted somewhere in the weecap section what seems to be a video of an actual RL cheer squad/ pep rally and the costumes in this show are on point.
bbstl 🧹
October 14, 2022 at 7:42 AM
Me too, plus the overarching question for me is why college cheerleading? They don’t cheer for sports teams (do they?) or to support something else so they just cheer for cheer’s sake?
Jeeeez, get in the library.
But the outfits make my eyeballs hurt 👀
ElKwesi
July 12, 2022 at 12:07 AM
I don\’t understand how Jang Wook is still even considered the kings son just because he switched bodies with his father. I know we\’re in a land of magic, but that doesn\’t make any sense.
Kurama
July 12, 2022 at 12:42 AM
Souls are important in this world. The stars are saying that Wook is the future King and it’s surely because he’s a part of the last King.
ElKwesi
May 11, 2022 at 6:57 PM
Love All Play wasn\’t on my radar at all, but it\’s easily becoming one of my favorite shows of the year.
Ally
May 11, 2022 at 8:12 PM
This!!! It’s the perfect mix of heartwarming, underdog rooting, star-crossed lover cheering, and guilt-crying; what I love about kdramas!
gimzy🐣
May 12, 2022 at 6:35 AM
For me, they are so relatable. Their constant struggle to be the best, to accomplish their lifelong dreams despite being moderately good at what they do…that’s exactly how I feel. Those are the common insecurities youth feel all over the world. I love this drama for showcasing exactly that.
kadota
May 12, 2022 at 5:22 PM
I agree. It’s got a nice balance of cuteness and introspection. I do wish they fleshed out the supporting characters more, feels like there’s potential there and hopefully we’ll be seeing that in the second half. Also the bromance between TJ and JH is becoming my favourite thing, they make each other so mad lol.
ElKwesi
May 8, 2022 at 8:37 PM
I\’m enjoying Shooting Stars, but it legitimately makes me feel bad for Korean Celebrities. You can\’t even do the most basic things & any small thing can be bad for your career. I\’m not even sure if it\’s even worth it. I know it\’s a different culture, but I\’m not a fan of how normalized it is. I\’m for having higher standards for celebrities, but it\’s definitely taken too far.
bbstl 🧹
May 9, 2022 at 8:46 AM
Me too and also the level of near-hysteria in the people who support their careers and those who report on them. Ugh, so exhausting to be on high alert every moment.
Jance
May 9, 2022 at 2:14 PM
Yeah same – I feel like most actors would be more repressed than the characters we see. “Do you think that I’m happy because I’m smiling all the time?” That line was really strong. I’d hate that kind of life…. And I kind of applaud people for doing it. It really can’t be easy! (Also it shows the difficulty / repetition of acting)
ElKwesi
May 5, 2022 at 11:27 PM
I\’m officially a fan of Shooting Stars. The Car Door lecture in ep 4 almost took me out 😂😂😂
neener ~ Inside the Magic Shop ~
May 6, 2022 at 12:18 AM
Them practicing in the middle of the night! LOL
tabong has two different tears🍉
May 6, 2022 at 8:06 AM
That scene and Yeol washing the leads underwear on the set made me fan of the show. So freaking hilarious 😂
Jance
May 6, 2022 at 12:01 PM
Yuuuu naaaaa made me a fan. ^^ Can’t wait for tomorrow!
ElKwesi
May 6, 2022 at 4:26 PM
Her & the other rookie actor hate each other’s guts. & I can’t wait for them to fall in love 😂
ElKwesi
April 11, 2022 at 1:08 AM
The first ep of My Liberation Notes was definitely depressing. But the conversation they had towards the end about neighborhood kids made me laugh.
I only ever lived in big cities so I don\’t know anything about the countryside or small towns. But I wish those places won\’t slowly dying off. Work from home should be a more solid thing so people can decide where they want to live. & if you want to live in a city & go into work, that should be a choice too.