Podcast #15

Running time: 57:28

In which we:

• Start off with King of Dramas, the king of meta;
• move on to the pain and misery of I Miss You (10:15);
• compare notes on how our expectations for School 2013 shook out versus the final product, with much love for its bromance and a little less love for the afterschool specials, with a brief tangent on Bleak Night (15:45);
• wish that Jeon Woo-chi had more dimension, though we enjoyed the fun, Cha Tae-hyun’s impishness, and Hong Jong-hyun’s adorable stoic charm (22:00);
• talk about how adorable Flower Boy Next Door is, Yoon Shi-yoon’s endearing performance and his cute chemistry with Park Shin-hye (though it must be noted that the podcast was recorded before finale week — I think we’d have a few tempered comments to add were we given a do-over) (32:50);
• and wrap up with the juvenile antics of Level 7 Civil Servant (42:35).

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Read the rest of Dramabeans Podcast #15 (157 words)

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Post tags: featured, Flower Boy Next Door, I Miss You, Jeon Woo-chi, King of Dramas, Level 7 Civil Servant, School 2013

It’s time for School 2013 to come to an end, and what a ride it was. Talk about an emotional ride—poignant, wrenching, and yes, even a touch bleak at times. But what it gives us at the end of the day is an uplifting sense of closure, not with ends tied tightly and triple-knotted for neatness but in a sense that we’re at a changing of the seasons of life. We leave these characters with a sense that they’re looking forward to their futures, with hope and promise down the line.

SONG OF THE DAY

Never Mind – “눈물비” (Rain of tears) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 16 (Final) (5,535 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013

Waaaaah. I almost never feel this way, but I don’t want this show to end. There’s so much warmth and goodness packed into each hour, and I just want to be with these characters till they’re old and gray. What, bromance is FOREVER, okay? Don’t you dare tell me otherwise. If I refuse to watch next Monday’s finale, will I be able to pretend it didn’t end?

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 15 (3,776 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013

An episode with a liberal sprinkling of the cute, which is a nice interlude amid an unexpected twist that’s sure to hurt our hearts—what a way to ease us into a lull of fun and feel-good moments before ramping up into the big finish. With two episodes remaining (a special will air after the finale next Monday), I was wondering how we’d inject more drama when our main thread of bromancey angst was behind us. Turns out, there’s always a way.

SONG OF THE DAY

Lucia with Zitten – “What Should I Do” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 14 (3,825 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013

This one’s a tearjerker, but there’s also a lot of light to balance the doom and gloom. That’s one thing this show usually manages to do well—if one storyline is going down, another’s going up, and for every broken relationship, there’s usually another back on the mend. It’s an episode about facing reality, and for some, it’s the hardest thing they’ve ever had to do.

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 13 (4,137 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013

Things accelerate in this episode, which is much appreciated since I thought last week was spinning its wheels in place a bit. It wasn’t entirely at a standstill, but it was slowing down and I was feeling it. This episode brings things back into action in a big way, with some glimpses of hope in sight for some characters and major shake-ups for others.

Extension update: School 2013 will NOT, thankfully, be getting any additional episodes and has decided to end with Episode 16 as initially planned. The finale will air on Monday, January 28, and a special will air on Tuesday.

SONG OF THE DAY

Toxic – “질려!!” (Sick of it) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 12 (4,353 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013

I can’t remember the last time I’ve wanted two characters’ happily ever after more than I do for these two friends. It’s as gripping as any love story and just as sweet… well, if you get past the part where they’re always calling each other terrible names. Boys. We’re onto you, you crazy bastards!

 
EPISODE 11 RECAP

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 11 (4,302 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013

Oh dramaland, you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t fickle and pulling last-minute changes left and right. We’ve got some extension news for dramas that were preempted for one reason or another, and now face ending a day short of normal broadcasting schedules. First: MBC’s Wednesday-Thursday melodrama I Miss You was originally planning to end with 20 episodes and a special to round out the count, but has decided to add an episode, with only two weeks left till the end of its run. Eep, there have certainly been closer shaves than a three-episode warning, but not many.

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Read the rest of Extensions for I Miss You, School (398 words)

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Post tags: I Miss You, School 2013

Major developments drive today’s episode, not in one but two broken friendships. Sacrifice is the name of the game, though thankfully not of the stupidly noble variety; it’s more like stepping up to prove how much your bromance is worth to you. For a species (the teenage male, I mean) that’s so averse to candid and emotionally frank communication, quite a lot gets said today, maybe just as much via nonverbal actions than through words.

SONG OF THE DAY

Marigold – “8 Years” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 10 (4,149 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013

Yes, this top shot is almost exactly like the one kicking off the previous recap. But there’s a big (and awesome) difference: This one’s not a flashback.

There’s hope in sight! I mean, we all knew there must be, but now that I see the glimpses of it I’m totally psyched for them to actually kiss and make up and be back to being besties. Or, you know, just start talking. I’ll take what I can get.

Woohoo, ratings are climbing. The show is still in second place and will likely stay there, but School 2013 pulled in a 15.2% with this episode (Horse Doc had 18.1%, and King of Dramas a 6.6%).

SONG OF THE DAY

100% – “나 같은 놈” (Guy like me) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of School 2013: Episode 9 (4,453 words)

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, featured, Jang Nara, Kim Woo-bin, Lee Jong-seok, Park Se-young, School 2013