Yes, my last post was “The Best of 2007,” but rather than put up a Worst list, I’m lumping them all together with The Rest. Not all the dramas I’m mentioning here are bad; they’re just dramas I watched that didn’t belong in the Best list.
SONG OF THE DAY
War of Money OST - “알 수 없는 일” (unknowable thing) by Sweet Sorrow [ zShare download ]
I find the following article (indented stuff in dark blue font is the translated article; the rest are my comments) particularly interesting because I’ve thought this topic over a lot in the past, and pretty much completely disagree — not with the article’s logic, but the conclusion. The piece draws upon comparisons between kdramas and their American drama counterparts, which have multiple-season structures that differ from the kdrama format (of single-season, finite series). I have long believed — strongly, at that — that in this respect, the kdrama format far outstrips the U.S. model.
But I’ll get more into that after the article. First, here’s what it’s got to say:
“Demanding More Seasons of Television Dramas”
When popular dramas end, you’ll find these sorts of comments on the audience message boards: “Produce a season 2!” That was the case not long ago with MBC’s Coffee Prince Store #1, as well as Time of Dog and Wolf.
Don’t worry, that’s just the first scene of the episode. I’d have picked a more cheerful one, but I didn’t want to spoil anything. Even if it is the last episode so there’s not a whole lot I can spoil at this point.
(Random) SONG OF THE DAY
Sol Flower - “Kiss the Kids,” a 25-year-old singer whose real name is Min Hana. She may be described as R&B, but that (to me) suggests a pop sensibiilty, and this is more… indie-soul? [ zShare download ]
So here’s the thing. I liked how Bad Couple ended in their last two episodes (15 & 16). I liked the resolutions and the character wrap-up. What I didn’t like, then, was how these resolutions were presented. Story = decent. Execution = hated.
I kinda hesitate to give my full honest opinion on the ending because I don’t want to ruin the satisfaction others may get from what is, in the end, a nicely wrapped-up story. It’s just that as I was watching the last two episodes, everything felt really weirdly off-balance. The editing felt slapdash, the music cues were off, the scenes went on a little too long, the dialogue tended to meander. I wonder if the production was really pressed for time — I know that final weeks are tough in kdrama production, as you can read for yourself here. Personally, I think they ran out of story, and what could’ve been one episode was stretched into two.
Ryu Su Young (Gi Chan) is really good this episode. Really good. Nobody does heartfelt cornball adoration as believably and adorably as him.
(Random) SONG OF THE DAY
Biuret - “사랑해요” (I Love You). I really like the chorus and its intense overlapping harmonies from this song by all-female rock band Biuret. [ zShare download ]
