MBC’s When Night Comes, SBS’s Iljimae

 
The following article from OSEN takes a look at the difference between the types of dramas on the air these days. I find a lot of mainstream entertainment press to be oversimplified (I’m sure I’m just not looking in the right places), but it’s something to chew on, for those of us who are curious about the relationship between ratings and the popularity/quality/success of a drama — as much as we all like to say it doesn’t matter.

Popular Dramas, Buzzworthy Dramas — There’s a Difference

There are dramas that bring in high viewership ratings but don’t get talked about much. On the other hand, there are also dramas that don’t pull in strong ratings numbers but are constantly being discussed. A drama’s content, actors, and its PR are all potential factors in drawing attention, but they don’t necessarily correlate to good ratings. Because there are many ways to watch a drama these days, the significance of ratings is gradually receding, but it’s still the primary factor in deciding advertising, and is the standard for measuring popularity. …

SONG OF THE DAY

Gourmet OST - “너에게” (To you) by Casker. I’m still trying to catch up on Gourmet, but for now I will say it has a standout soundtrack. [ Download ]

 
More popular and buzzworthy dramas >>

Tags: daily dramas, drama ratings, Gourmet, Iljimae, La Dolce Vita, Lee Dong-wook, manhwa adaptations, mania dramas, My Sweet Seoul, Oh Yeon-soo, sageuk dramas, Sohn Ye-jin, Spotlight, Strongest Chil Woo, When Night Comes, You're My Destiny

Filed under: Drama Casting & News by javabeans - 32 Comments →

I was thinking how I’ve been watching lots of first episodes of dramas these days, but haven’t found anything to dive into since the end of Who Are You? It’s starting to feel like going on a string of disappointing first dates — measuring up expectations versus performance, anticipation versus letdown, etc.

You know, there’s that date you’re really looking forward to, so you get dressed up and put on your heels and makeup and count down the hours, and he turns out to be a total dud. Or the date you agreed to because it was easier to give the guy your number than to try to invent an excuse not to because those excuses always come out embarrassingly half-assed — like you say you don’t have a phone and then it rings, or something — but then you end up having a good time.

I didn’t exactly intend to go off on an extended metaphor, but when I thought about all the recent dramas I’ve caught, they all seemed to fit (more or less).

SONG OF THE DAY

G.O.D. - “Falling” [ Download ]

First dates, by which I mean… >>

Tags: Bulhandang/Robbers, Coffee Prince, Hong Gil Dong, I Love You, Iljimae, La Dolce Vita, On Air, ranty/ravey, Rivals, Spotlight, stuff I dig, The Last Scandal of My Life, Tokyo Showers, Who Are You?, Why Did You Come To Our House, Yi San

Filed under: Drama Reactions & Reviews by javabeans - 103 Comments →

I think I’m pretty fair with drama ratings, in that I don’t add anything to my Ratings Chart that I have not watched in its entirety. If I have not seen every single episode of a drama, I don’t think I’m qualified to give a totally objective opinion on it, so I refrain. That’s why there are a lot of series missing from that list, although I HAVE seen many, many more series than those named; I just haven’t finished them and therefore won’t grade them.

Fair enough, yeah?

Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t ever weigh in with my opinions on a drama at any given point in its run — I just won’t couch it as a comprehensive review. For instance? I still hate On Air. I still think Three Dads, One Mom is benign but dumbed-down. And I still am totally comfortable skipping shows that are supposedly good that don’t somehow grab me on a more gut level. Because enjoying something with my brain is only fun when I’m also enjoying with my emotions. (The converse = also true.)

Here are a few shows I’ve started but have, for one reason or another, put on the back burner. Think I should continue? (Or drop?) Let me have it.

SONG OF THE DAY

Why Did You Come To Our House OST - “다시 시작해” (Start Over) [ Download ]

 
Dramas on hold: WHY DID YOU COME…, I LOVE YOU, SPOTLIGHT, LA DOLCE VITA >>

Tags: I Love You, La Dolce Vita, Spotlight, Why Did You Come To Our House

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Taking up the time slot previously occupied by Who Are You?, MBC’s next big series is gearing up for its broadcast: Spotlight, starring Sohn Yejin in her return to television (she was last seen on TV in 2006’s Alone in Love, after which she acted in three movies: Open City, Nak-rang Club, and My Wife Got Married). The cast was at the press conference on May 8 to talk about the upcoming drama.

Directed by Kim Do Hoon and written by Lee Ki Won, the new Wednesday-Thursday drama centers around the world of television news, with each of the four leads playing news reporters at one broadcast station. Sohn Yejin is a newb reporter who’s just joined the station after beating out fierce competition, while male lead Ji Jin Hee plays a local news reporter already at the station (he’s sure got the standard news-anchor helmet hair!). Rounding out the cast are Jin Gu as a junior reporter who’d gone to university with Sohn’s character, and her rival Jo Yoon Hee, who’s moved from the politics department; their eyes are fixed on an anchor spot as the ultimate goal.

I think the series may get initial On Air comparisons merely by virtue of revolving around television, but I don’t think it’ll share too many similarities (at least, I hope not). Actually, from the description, it really sounds more like a reworking of All About Eve — but can they improve on a kdrama classic? (And is it weird calling something classic when it’s just eight years old?) The series premieres its first episode on May 14.

Via Hankyung

SONG OF THE DAY

Brownie Speaks - “Late Afternoon.” Brownie Speaks is a new groove-electronica group that sounds a lot like Casker and Fanny Fink. Melikes. [ Download ]

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Tags: Ji Jin-hee, Sohn Ye-jin, Spotlight

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