Good Morning All!

My daughter is taking her senior pictures today and boy, am I feeling old.

Just wanted you to know JB, this site is very addicting. It's my first stop in the morning. Thanks for keeping us in the know.
Have a great Friday!

Does anyone know what happened to seoulbeats.com? I keep getting a "database error" message. I wonder if it's just me or if something else happened to the website.

Whahoo! Happy Friday everyone. :) I've been a lurker since the beginning of DB(before there were Open Threads *gasp*) but this is my first time replying to a thread (...I'm a shy one. ^^).

A few threads back @mishane and @B020 were discussing about giving up a stable job vs. going off and doing something you love (esp. in this economy) and it sparked something in me.

I know I definitely don't want to stay in my office job - there's not enough of that human interaction that I miss (besides the coffee breaks) and I don't get a sense of...anything from it. I want to feel like what I'm doing actually matters and isn't just pushing papers. i want to do something that helps people, preferably overseas...but I'm not sure what or even how. And of course, responsibilties at home too. It's hard to convince my Asian parents that I'm not throwing my future to the wind and living like a hobo for the rest of my life.

I've always enjoyed reading the the discussions in here because everyone seems very friendly, helpful and intellectual. ^^ I guess I'm just wondering if any of you have ever felt this...or is feeling this.

Oh man - I missed last week's OT and missed out on gushing about 9E 2O so let me get it out of the way - I LOVE this series!!! I love that real love is born out of friendship and that the friendship is still the defining factor of their relationship together. It's so sweet that it actually makes me want to start dating again so that I can find my best friend...but then reality bites me....sigh

Also, I love "Don't Ask Me About the Past"!!! I think it's just refreshing and so different from what's been out recently. Can't wait to start Hon!

BUT - I confess that I have small problem. I'm not sure what it is, but lately, or should i say after BOF, I'm so much more interested in quality & 'different' kdramas. This shift has caused me to review some of my favorite kdramas with new eyes, and I'm not sure if I should be glad or sad.

For instance, I used to love, love Goong, but now, I view it with less enthusiasim and patience. I'm irritated that the main female lead's only main focus seems to waffle between missing her family and pining after Prince Grumpy.

And I'm beginning to really hate Coffee Prince (to be fair, I really didn't love it, but thought it was ok before - mostly because of Gong Yoo). Not sure if its the age thing creeping up on me or my love/hate of BOF, or the combo along with real life, but I'm not getting the same enjoyment out of kdramas as I used to.

Anyone else going through this or have??

@b020,

I'm definitely going through the same. I'm also finding that a lot of dramas aren't holding my attention span. I was enjoying Partner, but I'm stuck on episode 13. And, to be honest, I fast forwarded through a lot of the scenes in the previous episodes.

I'm feeling the same way about Sol Pharmacy, but I'm NOT letting myself fast forward through it. It's such a charming drama, and I've heard nothing but good things about it, so if it takes me a year to finish--so be it.

I feel the same way about Goong now, btw. It was cute, but WAY too long, and really? EunHye couldn't have had a little more to do? Oh wait. She drove a car in like two scenes. There's something.

I haven't watched 9E2O, so please answer this question for me. How much of it about baseball? I'm just not into sports dramas generally, and have dropped almost all that I've begun to watch, despite enjoying them (see: Triple).

ahh... now i can post, cuz i'm not first... heehee

@1 blkrose

i feel u... my daughter's gonna be a freshman this year, and i'm only 30 :(
but i'm so obsessed rite now, i can't be too old!

@2 Maddy

i haven't been able to get onto seoulbeats either. must be they are having server problems or sumthing

@3 yenchan

i feel ya.. if i could give up my day job and do sum good around the world.. i would. alas, family obligations don't allow me to, along w/ the hubby and in-laws.. so for now, i'm the filial wife/daughter-in-law.

thoroughly enjoying Plum Blossom w/ Kim Rae Won. i think everything is so perfectly shot!!! it's a lilo twisted and seems like it'll be even more further down the storyline, but i'm loving it so far..

Yay, Friday open thread day! This is probably the first time I've gotten to it so early, LOL. I usually remember by the time it's Saturday and then it's like, "...Oh."

@ yenchan
I know what you mean! Boring desk job vs. doing something you really love and wnat to do, in this economy and with Asian families too... I guess in the end it comes down to a balance between both? You have to be sensible, as well; I have friends who run off chasing their dream without stopping to think of the consequences, but then there are those who waste their lifetimes behind a desk. Maybe you can find something in the middle - something you might enjoy doing, but will also pull in enough money?

I'm a bit of a different case, though; I'm currently studying to become an archaeologist. I'm lucky enough to have the most un-Asian mother ever, so she's allowed me to make my own choices, as long as I also keep in mind that I have to earn enough money as well.

@ b020
Yay 9E2O gushing! <3 I've probably said enough about this wonderful drama in the past so I won't repeat it, but I honestly didn't know it was going to be THAT good. The ratings were fairly dismal when it aired, and it received very little hype (I think it was going up against a popular drama at the time? I can't remember), but I didn't think I was going to like it at all. Now it's got a permanent spot in my top 4 XD

i am bored , i can't find something worth to watch , i begun with the Korean drama then the japan dorama , and now i can't find something interesting , i finish my study so it is the holiday and i am booooooooooooooooooooored .

i am waiting for " my fairy lady " it seems interesting
now i am watching all the episode for " cartoon kattun " , who don't know her , it is a show tv for a group Japanese " kattun " , i love kattun especially " kame" and i find a site for all their work

i am sorry that i speak for a Japanese group , but until i found something Korean interesting . good bye for the next Friday , let see if "my fair lady " is OK or no .

Dang, my previous comment disappeared. Here I go again!

@ yenchan
I have so many friends who complain of the same thing! It's hard, you know, to find a balance between a job that pays well but is boring you to death, and something that you're interested in but is possibly unstable income-wise. But that's probably the only way to do it :D Maybe you'll be able to find something that pays enough but you'll have fun with as well? I mean, helping people is a pretty wide range of possibilities...

I totally understand the Asian family thing too, coming from one. My mother's a bit unusual, though; probably the most UN-Asian mother in the universe XD I'm studying to be an archaeologist at the moment, which is the epitome of unusual as far as Asians are concerned. The comments I get from some of my uncles during Chinese New Year though, hahaha.

@ gallivanter
9E2O is only very slightly based on baseball! A couple of metaphors the main character makes about life uses baseball as a theme, and one character is a baseball player. You see small parts of one or two baseball matches or practices towards the start of the drama because of it, but otherwise there's little link between sports and 9E2O :D

I love 9E2O; I never thought I'd enjoy it that much until I clicked on it by accident one day and ended up marathoning the first 6 episodes. The summaries online sound totally boring and doesn't do the drama any justice, so if you were put off by the summary like I was initially, disregard it~

It's been a long long week! But I'm glad it's over!

I also missed out on the 9E2O OT raving last weekend since I was out of town w/o internet. But I agree! I loved the series and both the leads were so natural with their characters. I was initially hesitant to watch it because I had seen Lee Jung Jin in the first couple episodes of Love Story in Harvard (not the best of dramas). But I'm glad I did and I too wish for Hyung Tae in my life (:

Partner ended...the ending was way too rushed. They probably should have extended the series....oh how I'm going to miss Lee Dong Wook (mine!). Seriously was he this good? How can his love-lorn stares just melt me in my chair? And when he's sad, makes my heart ache...Oh those puppy dog eyes ::sigh:: I've never had a crush on an actor....but I'm coming really close to on LDW...either that or I'm just madly in love with his character Lee Tae-jo. Such a fun drama, could've been better....maybe would've have done better in ratings if the drama season was less spectacular. I don't know...but I really liked it!

Looking forward to My Fair Lady or whatever the title is...the leads seem to have a lot of chemistry in the preview!

@b020
That definitely happened to me...I watched Full House and then I watched two really good series MiSa and MNIKSS and then looking back at Full House---it just wasn't good as the first time around

@yenchan

I feel the same way sometimes. Are you interested to join the Peace Corps? Maybe it's something you'll want to do.

As for professionals switching careers: I know of a New York financial analyst turned trapeze artist; a British lawyer turned tour guide; Psychologist to Hula Dancer; Advertising exec to farmer... etc...

Goodluck! :)

Happy happy friday!! man o man am i glad Friday is finally here...

@3 yenchan - i am in the same boat as you. it's not that i hate my job or even really dislike it, but i feel like i'm in a rut. i'm paper pushing to get people their money, but not really DOING anything you know? i just don't know what else i want to do right now. economy is not stable enough for me to up and quit and find something else though. and the Asian parentals of course are a factor. I'm already on the other side of the state from them (have been for 10 years) and they're STILL tryin to get me to move home. it's a never-ending battle.

@5 gallivanter - 9E2O uses baseball as metaphors for the stages of the relationships and life and what not, but definately not heavily based on it. I actually hate watching baseball when i'm not at a game, but there is so little baseball that it didn't make a difference. I actually just started rewatching the series after the 9E2O gushfest last week and totally loving it again!

i'm stuck on what drama to watch next. i finished city hall almost 2 weeks ago and tho i've been goin back to watch favorite scenes (there are SO many) there's nothing else catchin my eye. i guess i'll just have to wait for My Fair Lady as that's the next one that i'm heavily anticipating. Maybe I'll give Hon a try even though i'm a big ol scaredy cat and will probably cover my eyes as i watch it ha!

oh man, just watched happy together with the "my fair lady" cast - and everyone rags on Yoon Sanghyun so much! it's hilarious. i'm glad he seems to be such a normal guy and not all "i'm famous, i'm so cool". and Jung Ilwoo is so adorable when he smiles. it's definitely a drama i'm looking forward to!

anyone watching buzzer beat? i haven't adored a j-dorama like this since nodame. yamapi and keiko have such great chemistry. and it doesn't hurt that yamapi finally buffed up some.

Hello once again happy weekend !!. antcipate drama STYLE soon and also just remember the film Taming of the Shrew,

I think that's where My fair lady came about, except for the different era and
plot twist. - Oh Happy day!!!

Another day at band camp for my daughter, school starts realy soon. What a fast summer.

Harrou!

Happy friday to all! well, its actually saturday morning here (3am - GMT +12) New Zealand, oh yeah! yes i'm still awake and no i didn't go out just been tryna study for my law test...*sigh, so i procrastinate as usual and am now watching old xman episodes ...

Speaking of, i hate uni, but surprisingly i do remarkbly well for half arse work, but then i'm way too lazy to get a job so to grow up or not to grow up? me thinks not...

ahh my parents are so mean! they're doing a tour of asia at the moment and my mum being swept up by the hallyu is stockpiling on her drama collection as they go, macau, japan, korea, malaysia, etc... i'm uber jealous!

Anywho who's having trouble falling in love with a drama at the moment? I AM! I tend to never finish what i start... Any recommendations? by the way ive finished city hall finally! yay! - much to dismay of my commerce papers..lol i started style, but the acting dynamics was a total put off and it wasn't that Glam for me, what a shame...

Partners finished! finally - even as a law student i found the cases/storyline at times utterly ridiculous...

Ohh anticipating My Fair Lady! watching xman again made me excited about yoon eun hye...

Chur... Mad Love for all! xo

@ gallivanter

I'll repeat everyone else, lol, and let you know that 9E2O is only slightly baseball related. . .just metaphors really, and the fact that she's dating a baseball player. No baseball related plot points. And it's an amazing drama.

To everyone else. I'm going through a drama slump right now! I'm currently watching Partner which I love so far. But everything else bores me. I'm going to do a 9E2O rewatch and do an episode picspam/recap so maybe that will take me out of my slump.

And I agree with you b020. Korean dramas are starting to bore me. The same plot, the same spineless/non-spineless girls. The females are either really wishy washy love struck girls that are pure and good OR tough do-gooders that fight with their male counterpart. Nothing in between. I can predict everything. Your predicament with Goong, I actually experienced that about a year ago. I watched a bunch of k-dramas in a row, most with the same plot, and got so tired of them. Which is when I watched 9E2O and realized how refreshing it was to NOT see any drama cliches. To see a relationship that was real and that I could see around me. Their relationship had a base, something to stand on. It wasn't a random meeting on the street where they hated each other at first sight and grew to love each other. No, it was a relationship built on friendship and intimacy and history, which made it so much sweeter when they realized how they felt for each other.

@b020. I had just finished Don't Ask Me About the Past earlier this week. I have mixed feelings about it. It is refreshing and different from what's out there. The directing is also really good and the suspense plot is extremely addictive. However, there are waaay too many plotholes in the drama- the drama ends happily but with too many unanswered questions. And the characters often do things that drive me crazy- though the writers manage to always redeem them a little bit so you can't hate them too much.

@ yenchan. Maybe you can save up your money to prove that you're more than financially stable enough to try to pursue something different- once the economy gets better? Hang in there! Maybe it's the summer blues. I have another friend who is feeling disenchanted with her job too these past few months.

I am so so schitzo with dramas right now.

I watched the first episode of Witch Yoo Hee. . .bored.

I'm stuck on episode 14 of Delightful Girl Choon Hyang. Been stuck there for 4 months. I can't bring myself to finish it, the characters annoy me and I know they are going to end up together anyways, so what's the point of this ridiculous plot point?

Ice Girl, stuck on episode 10. The subs I have are horrible and also? It's just. . .boring.

I Really Really Like You- stuck on episode 3. Someone tell me when it starts to get good.

I might re-watch Hello Miss! or Fantasy Couple. Lee Da Hae annoyed me for 14 episodes of that. Every episode had a cycle: she would misunderstand main guy, main guy would apologize, she'd act like a bitch, rinse and repeat. However the last 2 episodes are really really really cute when the OTP finally decides that they are going to like each other and . . . I've rewatched episode 15 and 16 like 4 times already.

Fantasy Couple was cute too, in that, 'I didn't realize until after I finished how much I liked it'. Oh Ji Ho is kind of a block of wood, but Han Ye Seul made up for it. Their interactions are cute and I adored HYS in it, which means I just might do a rewatch.

Someone recommend a k-drama to me please! I'm in a slump and need something good. Maybe a little angsty. I find that the comedy ones, while funny, don't really suck me in.

Ooh, thanks guys! I'll have to give it a shot later on today. I wish I had some drama recommendation, but alas, nothing has really stood out for me.

I could a couple of film ones though^^ I REALLY enjoyed "Miss Gold Digger" last week. It's got Han Ye Seul and Lee Jong Hyuk (who makes my heart melt with his stoic looks), and it's basically about a girl dating three guys. Drama and hilarity ensues. She's the kind of girl you WANT to hate because she's kind of awful, but then you fall in love because of the way Ye Seul plays her.

I also watched "Project Makeover" last night, and it was pretty cute. It's got Lee Bum Soo, and it's about a girl who's given the chance to go back in time to high school to try and change herself. Back then she fell for the popular boy who turned out to be a jerk, and the girl thinks that this is where she went wrong. If only she could have fallen for the nerdy boy, then everything would have turned out right.

I am fairly new to Kdrama and have been struck by what seems to be shameless overacting in so many of them. Is that kind of comedy popular with the Korean audience? Is it just to cover up lack of character development? In Goong, EunHye's mother chewed the scenery relentlessly, so it was a surprise to see her in Full House playing the quite believable management company CEO. I thought it might be "poor" people who had to be extreme, but the "rich" mother in Delicious Proposal carried on quite a bit too, in stark contrast to her two calm children.

I am lucky that my library system buys quite a few Korean dramas, but the new ones are so much in demand that I am catching up on the older ones while I wait my turn.

Is anyone watching "I love you, dont cry"? I love lee jung jun but this drama looks too melodramatic. Plus its very long. Is it worth watching?

I just finished watching 9E2O and i fell in love with it all over again. All the characters are so well defined. Even JUN MO, which is Hong Nan Hee is pretty relatable, well defined and likeable. Actually i think everyone is pretty likeable. They are all different but so real. Actually i noticed the attention to detail in this serial. Does anyone remember the scene where Jung Joo is love sick and runs over The lead actor's apartment to cry to Nan hee and Hyung tae is busy taking off this shoes which he is crying and declaring his love to a also crying Nan hee. It was freaking funny. Just love love love this series.

I started watching Tamna the Island. It is actually kinda silly and cute

@mishane...
I really really like you is cute..Actually i watched the series for Lee min ki and lee min ki only....Sometimes it drags a little bit. But overall lee min ki makes it worth watching...Mishane have you watched "The Devil" or "La Dolce Vita". They are both really awesome. You can watch Romance Zero..It is kinda really cute

@ 19 gallivanter

OMG that Project Makeover sounds adorable! I've never even heard of that.

@ 20 Isabelh

Whoa, where are you that your library buys Korean dramas? Can I go there? I wish my library carried that.

@23 mishane

King County Library System, in Washington State. And the Seattle Library System, with the KCLS surrounds like a donut, does not buy any. I guess the Korean community is all in the county, lucky me.

@isabelh
I am so jealous too

@mishane - ya i HATE that the girls are always the same!!! it's either extreme, never someone 'real'. never someone who is good and strong but also with her faults. i loved that in 9E2O there were no ridiculous misunderstandings, just honest feelings and the real ups and downs of trying build a romantic relationship out of a lifelong friendship.

i hope that my fair lady will be a nice change since YEH's character is a spoiled brat right? it'll be fun to see someone who's only really played the nice character play someone so different.

Thanks everyone for the sweet words and encouragement. i think asianromance might be right about summer....something about *staring* at the nice weather everyday instead of being out there...makes me itch for more adventure.

@lovenyc52
I know exactly what you mean. It's like you know you want to do something else, but don't know exactly *what* or *how*. Makes you feel kind of lost sometimes. I guess I'm just trying to see if other ppl have felt the same way and how they've delt with it.

Hey, are you living in NY right now? I could never live there, but I love visiting. :) So many things to do and such a great mesh of all sorts of ppl and cultures.

I've been in such a kdrama slump lately.....nothing seems to draw my interest for very long. I've been watching reality shows instead. Does anyone here watch 'So You Think You Can Dance?"

I think I'm going to try for jdrama now...their insane wackiness and slapstick humor usually does the trick. ^^ Any recs? I've already seen most of the older ones (nodame, 1 litre of tears, orange days, hana kimi etc.)

@ 26 lovenyc52

I don't know. I sense a very typical k-drama with My Fair Lady. I assume that YEH will be bratty, not get along with the manservant, and have an argument/flirtation with the lawyer guy and then slowly, through misunderstandings fall in love with the manservant guy (that's the OTP, right?). Of course, she won't fall for him until after he rescues her a couple times and he'll think she's a spoiled brat until he sees her 'real' affectionate side. Then they both change each other for the better.

@ 18 mishane, 5 gallivanter, and everyone else finding good Kdramas which will grab your attention,

I'm facing the *exact* same problem. My KDrama-list got all depleted around 8 months ago, so I switched th J-Dramas. And now my J-Drama list is depleted and my Tw-drama list is empty and I'm sad and I really need some good things to watch in the *background* while I'm cramming for an exam. uh, not exactly good studying practices, but it helps me actually open my textbooks! I loved I Really Really Like You... mainly because of the *last* episode. Which is like... episode 32? 34? It has its moments, but I cannot remember a single one of them in particular, *other* than the last episode. Which was so gosh-darn sweet.

Have all of you watched Rude Women/Outrageous Women? It seems to not be recc'd around so much. I found it really cute. It's about a woman who moves back to Korea to get revenge on her ex-husband who abandoned her and their son, so he could marry another woman. It's super-funny and I've already re-watched it three times ^___^

I tried re-watching Hello Miss! but the guy as the main lead is really really really annoying. I really don't find him attractive at all - mainly because I don't think he fits the role which he was meant to play. He's just too cute and girlish-looking to play that role. And I really think his acting needs some work...

bah *stares at textbooks* WHAT CAN I WATCH WHILE STUDYING CARDIOLOGY? ahahaha, Summer Scent, where heartbeat is the main theme of the drama?? HA, that would be amusing!

@ 27 yenchan

have you watched Love Shuffle? Has Chiaki-Sempai from Nodame! Though he's an utter wimp in this drama ^___^

I think a reason that I liked Fantasy Couple is because Han Ye Seul's character never really fully changed. I mean, we could see that she wasn't the same major bitch that she was before, but she was still a little prickly, a little wary of human interaction, etc. She didn't do a 180, which I thought was nice and a change of pace. Usually, in a k-drama, the character in the end is so completely different from the character in the beginning. . .love 'changes' the person. Which isn't a bad thing when it's done right, but sometimes I wonder why the person has to change so extremely. In Fantasy Couple, HYS was able to keep parts of the characteristics of her original character and still be able to show that she had changed slightly. . .softened up a bit more.

@ 29 meh

Hello Miss! is mostly painful. I actually liked the main guy, but mostly because I just felt bad for his character. Lee Da Hae is seriously a huge brat to him during the whole drama and you can sense he's just a really good guy who keeps getting misunderstood.

I'm intrigued about this last episode of IRRLY. Hmmm. . .moves up on my list. That's the only drama that I'm currently watching on dramafever right now.

Someone mentioned The Devil, but. . . .I saw it already and did not like it. I'm probably the only one. I was kind of bored during the whole thing.

I second the Love Shuffle rec. It was cute. And definitely worth it.

Hi everyone! Wow, I'm here early enough to actually READ the comments and not just scan them!

@yenchan: I don't know exacty how you want to help people, but I have to say, I LOVE my job, and in this economy, I'm in probably the best business anyone can be in. I'm a Front End Manager for a grocery store. So, maybe this isn't exactly "helping people" like in the Peace Corps, but my job requires interacting with customers, helping them find what they need, helping them if they got the wrong thing/wrong price, etc. Also, we employ a lot of teenagers on the front end, so I also help them to grow into responsible adults. Once upon a time, I wanted to be a high school teacher...in a way, I kind of am. Whenever anyone asks me if I have/want kids, I tell them, yeah, I have kids, just look at all my kids here! And, no matter how bad the econmy gets, people have to eat, and they're eating in a lot more these days, which means they are visiting the grocery store more often. I don't know if this is the kind of feedback/idea you were looking for, but as someone who really enjoys my work, I wanted to share my thoughts with you.

@b020, and everyone else talking about the "kdrama slump" maybe it's because I'm still a newbie to the kdrama world, or maybe it's just the hidden "16 year old fan girl within" but, so far, luckily I have not experienced this. I've watched "Goong" twice, "BoF" three times, "Coffee Prince" twice. I've also watched shows withe more substance. I've just finished "Sam Soon", I'm watching "Iljimae" and will soon be rewatching "Time Between Dog and Wolf". (I love Lee Jun ki and can't wait for his next drama!). If you haven't seen "Dream" yet, I'm enjoying it so far, although I know it hasn't captured many other people's attention.

And this actually leads into the main thing I wanted to discuss today! *lol* I've recently been thinking about what I absolutely LOVE about Kdramas! Obviously, I have no issue with cheesiness and over the top storylines (hey, I grew up on Aaron Spelling shows, and actually even really like the new 90210, if this tells you anything! *lol*) But I have noticed a reaction I have to Kdramas that I just don't have to American shows. For one thing, I yell at the screen, A LOT. I was just informed that I also yell at the screen while watching CSI (mostly because I really dislike the Grissom/Sara relationship, but that's another story), but I have never wanted to punch anyone in the face one American TV as badly as I do the characters in Kdramas! (Well, there is this one NASCAR driver I want to punch in the face, but that sports, not fiction...) But, here is the thing, and I'm going to use "Sam Soon" as an example, since I've just finished watching it. I don't remember what episode it was, but I was yelling at Jin hun: "Admit your feelings, dammit! Aiesh, I want to punch you in the face!" And then, the very next scene, he's pulling Sam Soon into the bathroom, kissing her, and drying her tears, and I'm tearing up and saying "Oh! How sweet!" THIS is why I love Kdramas! The emotional rollercoaster ride! I cannot think of an American TV drama that evokes such strong emotions from one scene to the next, but just about every Kdrama I've seen has this quality.

As much as I love these shows, they do tend to spark my violent side. Does anyone else have this same reaction? I swear, in every show there is always at least one person I want to punch in the face! *lol* In BoF, I wanted to punch just about EVERYONE in the face, except for Jun hee and Woo bin. In Coffee Prince, it was Yu Ju (at the beginning) and Eun Sae. In Goong it was, well, almost everyone. In Sam Soon it was always Jin hun. Even in Time Between Dog and Wolf, there was Ari. Gosh, she irked me! *lol* Anyway, I was just wondering, is it just me, or does anyone else feel this way?

I am looking forward to My Fair Lady. Preview looks promising. Currently watching Return of IIjimae (almost done). Jung Il-woo is so friggin' cute. He's my latest obsession. Is it me or does anyone else think he has a sort of Joo Ji Hoon-ishness about him?

Let me join the team of people who can't find dramas that hold their interest for long, ha! If you take a look at my list of Korean dramas, there are at least 30 or so "ongoing" compared to the less than 10 that I've actually finished. Kdramas are really bad for people with short attention spans, I reckon, particularly if they have a tendency to wince at the super angsty bits and start putting off the rest of it.

At the moment I'm going back and marathoning the rest of Cain and Abel, and it's surprisingly quite entertaining. It's not as tragically draggy and angsty as I thought it was. Quite enjoying the So Ji Sub/Han Ji Min interaction, though I'm finding Chae Jung Ahn annoying.

@ meh
Rude Woman is awesome! I've rewatched it several times as well; it's so entertaining, and you end up liking everyone in the end, even the bad guys. I really like that even though they didn't redeem themselves in a cliche way, they realized where they've gone wrong and decided to move on from there. The main couple is surprisingly cute, too, despite the huuuge age gap XD Tbh I found it kind of off-putting at first, but once you get over it, it's sweet.

@ mishane
Yeah, I found Hello! Miss a real pain to watch. Lee Da Hae just irritated me the entire way through, although I think her childish character was supposed to be cute. If I was Lee Ji Hoon, I would've dumped her in the mud after 2 episodes XD

I'm looking forward to Chuno; hopefully it'll be better for Da Hae, because I haven't really enjoyed her projects since My Girl. Robbers was okay, too, but mainly because of the chemistry between her and Jang Hyuk. The plot was... "a disease? SERIOUSLY?"

@24 isabelh

i'm so jealous of you at this moment.. not because ur library carries Kdramas, but because you're in Seattle, Washington.

@lovenyc52: AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! r u feeling me, girl? u as jealous as me RITE NOW???

@ meh

NEW HEART!!!

@ everyone else
i'm in a drama slump too.. i know what i WANT to watch, but just getting there is feeling like work.. argh

@ 34 Lemoncat

Oh man I know what you mean! My currently watching list is huge and my actually finished list is. . .short.

I think it's because when I start getting annoyed or bored with a drama (which I do often), I'll pause and go to another drama and I'll forget all about the other one. And there are some dramas that are so good, I end up marathoning it in a week (IE Legend) making me forget about the 9023880924 dramas I'm currently watching.

@28

My fair lady -

" I' LL MAKE YOU MINE IN TWO MONTHS TIME " ,

those words from the household manager.

Happy Friday all!

I'm actually really hesitant about "My Fair Lady". Yes, I enjoyed YEH's previous two drama's but what if all this hype will turn out to be "huge" dissapointment. She has improved a lot during her CP days but still...
In any case, glad that MFL will have other amazing actors and actresses.

To Javabeans, I really enjoy you site, can't count how many times I stop by to check for new posts. And hope that MFL will be good enough for your "amazing" recaps!

@27 yenchan - yep - no idea what i REALLY want to do with my life. kinda just coasting right now. especially hard when my good friends from high school are all overachievers.. and i mean ALL... doctors, lawyers, mbas abound. 80% were ivy leaguers or hold multiple grad degrees. then there's lil ol me workin an office job that is not a career. o well, that's life? not everyone is meant to be a doctor/lawyer/businessman haha. oh and i don't live in NY..i really wanted to for awhile though. i just adore it there when i visit and i have a lot of friends out that way too. i'm actually on the other coast in cali :) land of sunshine and eternal spring/summer haha

@mishane - re: My Fair Lady - ya you about summed up the plotline. yes i believe it'll be the same drama cliches but at LEAST it's the girl that's a b**ch this time instead of the guy. plus i do like YEH a lot and the clothes look awesome. =P

@ 36 Samsooki

I watched New Heart a while back, when all the subtitles were first released. I am a HUGE fan of Ji Sung, and the drama as a whole was very interesting. I don't remember the drama clearly, but what irked me the most was the *lack* of romance. Yes, admittedly, it had some... but not enough to satisfy my inner fan!girl. And I like American-med-shows a lot better than the Korean ones. Something bothers me about the way the Korean hospitals are run... I've started a lot of dramas where hospitals are the main setting, and I usually stop them after the second/third episode. Maybe it's my love for universal public-run healthcare, where money-making in hospital "businesses" are non-existent as a priority.

@29 meh,

Have you watched Liar Game? I'm pretty excited that the new season is coming out in November, but that's SUCH a long time from now, arguh! The other drama I ADORE and watch over and over again is Haken no Hinkaku with Shinohara Ryoko (I also just love her). The plot sounds kind of mundane, but it's got enough to make you think about the plight of modern Japan, and of course, there's a little romance too. Supposedly there's a second season in the works, but Ryoko has been off being a mom (psh, who needs that when you've got fans?).

I'm trying to watch Konkatsu with that guy from SMAP. I enjoyed the first two episodes, but then I kept hearing how boring it is, so now I'm waffling. I should just shut up and watch it.

@ mishane
EXACTLY! Rarely have there been dramas that were SO good that I marathoned the whole thing and actually finished it. I was staring at my currently watching list the other day in complete despair because I counted around... 8? that I've actually finished XD It's terrible, really.

What I tend to do is hit a boring section, or a really, really angsty bit, and I'll think "Oh golly, the next part is going to be really bad, dread dread dread!" and end up putting it off and forgetting it in a while. Does that happen to anyone else? I find that there are so many plot devices in kdramas that I dread happening.

The most recent one that I marathoned like a madwoman and enjoyed so much I shelled out over $200 to buy the boxset is Family's Honor. It was SO GOOD, and Park Shi Hoo... I fell in love with that man.

I'm going to skip "My Fair Lady" with YEH since I get the sense that she'll be the same character she's always played only with people thinking she's bitchy & spoiled instead of quirky & cute.

I'm looking forward to "IRIS" which I think might cure my drama-boredom. It looks intense with a side of romance - not sure what to think about Kim Tae Hee in it. I think they have a brilliant cast and she's the biggest flaw that I can see so far. I'm willing to give it a shot.

As for other dramas, I'm on hiatus(except for finishing up Don't Ask Me ABout the Past) and watching variety shows. I love current variety shows: Family Outing, 1N2D, Come to Play, Happy Together, Infinity Challenge. I'm dying for more, but these are the only ones I can find subs for and the more popular ones have their own fan sub sites!!! I would love it if the stupid network would either replay some of the older ones like Xman & Manwon Happiness or sell the rights to international broadcasters so that we can watch them. I've been hunting for full episodes, subbed, of Xman for awhile now, and so frustrated. As for Manwon Happiness, I like watching it because you get a sense of the BTS relationships of the idols. Does anyone know if its still on???

@44 b020

I REALLY want to love 1N2D. It kind of reminds me of Top Gear, anyone?, where a group of friends go out and make fools of themselves. BUT what kills my SeungGi buzz watching is the annoying captions and titles and whirling words on the screen EVERY. TWO. SECONDS. Yes, it's a Korean thing, but OMG. It drives me INSANE. This is more annoying to me than the scrolling news on the bottom of the screen when we watch the news. If I had any sort of connections whatsoever I'd get my hands on the episodes BEFORE they go through post-production.

@lb_tmi - wait wait what happened? what did i miss?? what am i jealous of?? haha i probably am but i must've missed something cuz i have no idea what you're referring to... lol :)

@2, maddy:
seoulbeats is undergoing server change. it's pretty saddening cause i love seoulbeats for its kpop (outside drama) news. like, someone please update me about DBSK's lawsuit against SM!!! I'm not a DBSK fan, but I <3 SUJU so i need to know what is and will happen!!!

looking forward to Moon Geun Young's "Can't Lose". then again, can't wait for my finals to be over so i can watch dramas again! WOOT~

If Kdramas are as you all say so...well, nothing's new. But i'll still watch them! Cause i just love the language. somehow. And bad dramas, though painful to sit through, are a dreamland for building up critiquing skills! XD and a lot of note-to-self stuff. though of course, watch too much bad ones and you lose ur ability to empathise. hehe.

@ 42 Gallivanter

I watched two episodes of Konkatsu! and stopped there. It was kind of dull, I found... it didn't really grab me, or have enough crack in it. LOL, I want my cracky!J-Dramas!

Haken no Kinkaku I started... but I don't really like Ryoko's character in that. And the plot failed to grab me. And did the romance actually go anywhere? I find too much in jdramas that the romance just... is there, as an added spice, and it's just *there*. It really doesn't develop at all. There's no hugs, there's no kisses, there's no skinship, there's just that UST that bothers you to no end.

Liar Game I *also* stopped after the first few episodes. Yes, it was good... and SHOTA IS AMAZINGOMGAMAZING (that's my conclusion after Love Shuffle) but it just failed to grab me too. LOL, I'll probably give it another try after the second season is out.