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How are you?
I have been busy with some health issues, tests, they took so much blood I was thinking maybe orders by Gwi... and ultrasound. but all is clear it is just we have only one break at work in 11 hours and I dont eat often enough so my stomach starts eating itself. eww. maybe I should watch less dramas cause every time I look at the screen they are eating and that gets the stomach started again... I have to eat 4 times a day. and no coffee :-(
MIGHT BE SPOILERS SINCE THERE ARE NO RECAPS YET.
anyway, I am sort of irritated at She Was Pretty. they are all a lot more stupid now. Like, you were slow, Seung joon, too slow. Blame yourself that you didnt get it. And with that I really don´t feel he deserves Hye Jin. Or that Hye Jin should accept him so easily. It is not about second leads, it is just about fairness. on the other hand, if you meet your real long gone friends I do suppose it gets you all emo.
But still...I am not quite satisfied nor impressed. The hints should have been enough, and don´t give me the "but the puzzle piece"... or "he had pressure on him". That´s not an excuse not to state the obvious, or ASK, or just say: I am confused, I thought THAT person was my friend but she doesnt seem like it, instead YOU remind me of my friend, am I crazy or am I right? ah, but I guess he is not me, I tend to jump at people like that and spook them. and Ha Ri, if your bubble was popped, blame yourself. really you dragged it for too long. plus, Hye Jin... too quick to admit you like him. from being awkward to being in love. and becoming the irrational idiot day after! it doesnt een make sense in the context of the usual kdrama idiotism. gah many things are bugging me, but as long as Shin Hyuk and all the editors keep being so cute and crazy, whatever. I´ll just look past anything those lost friends are doing. none of them deserve their current standing, I am just not buying the smoothness of the results.
POSSIBLE SPOILER OVER
I watched the japanese Liar Game at last, it was at parts very over the top and the calculations were even more confusing, but what I liked it was more visible how Akiyama was forming the strategy. he didnt just walk up and say he has a way to win, there was some observing and strategic moves...
Question: if you could form a "Superleague" of kdrama actors, like the team of teams, who would you put there and what would be their mission?
(inspired by the unbelievable ahjumma cast in the coming Dear My Friends, ridiculous sequence of words though)
Ha! Just the other day I was googling "what chemical smells like sweaty socks", (I know, I know; but that's how my mind works when it's not on Kdrama.), and I read a lot about butyrate, which is produced by a lot of the bacteria types found in kim chee, sauerkraut and other fermented foods. Apparently butyrates can promote the growth of healthy cells and can kill cancerous cells in your colon. There is quite a bit of research on it. So eat your kim chee! (Or if you're allergic to peppers like I am, eat your white kim chee, sauerkraut, pickled beets, pickles, and drink your kefir, and kombucha tea.)
Hi redfox, just to congratulate you on getting all clear for your health tests. Last week I went through the horrendous gastroscopy again, glad that my stomach lining has healed, but still I could not eat those spicy stuff, and it was real torture when watching Midnight Diner, omg, how I miss eating kimchi, tteokbokki and bibimbap!
J-liar game is still my favorite but yeah, my brain started cramping when i watched it. Especially the third season.
Re: Kdramas responses to their intuition
I'm having the same trouble with Achiara. It's like.. come on now, woman! What else do you need to know that this is your sister?
"Question: if you could form a “Superleague” of kdrama actors, like the team of teams, who would you put there and what would be their mission?
(inspired by the unbelievable ahjumma cast in the coming Dear My Friends, ridiculous sequence of words though)"
Jeon Do-yeon, Im Soo-jung, Im Joo-eun, Yoon Yeo-jung, Kim Ok-bin, Bae Doo-na, Moon Chae-won, Kim Go-eun, Kim So-hyun, Kim Sae-ron, Jo Soo-hyang, Jung Eun-ji, Go Ah-sung, Chae Soo-bin, Cha Seung-won, Song Kang-ho, Won Bin, Joo Won, Hyun Bin, Lee Sun-kyun, Lee Sung-min, Hwang Jung-min, Choi Min-soo, Choi Min-sik, and Ryu Seung-ryong.
They'd have two missions first make a well written, all female drama with the women and preferably written by pre Padam-Padam Noh Hee-kyung or Seo Sook-hyang. And second to make a drama all together. Is that good enough or do they need a super powered mission?
not compusory, but t would be fun to hear, and what type of superfrce they all are. it can be something practical or totally crazy maybe good negotiator, dog whisperer, excellent at basket weaving
The casts in Dear My Friends are just so awesome (How did they gather them all?). That reminds me of movie Mapado - story of a gangster and 5 old women(Yeo Woon-kye, Kim Soo-mi, Kim Hyeong_ja, Kim Eul-dong, Gil Hae-yeon) in a remote island. Awesome casting and it was so fun.
I assume "Superleague" can include all A+ list actors - Song KangHo, Seol GyungGu, Hwang JungMin, Jang DongGun, Lee ByungHeun, Won Bin, Kang DongWon etc. They could work on some thriller (No romcom for sure), out-smarting each other. I wouldn't watch it-not my genre, but many would.
Superleague of kdrama actors? I'm going to imagine I'm staffing a 50-episode family drama, and fire away:
Kim Hye-ja, Chae Si-ra, Kim Hye-soo, Jeon Do-yeon, Lee Young-ae, Im Soo-jung, Bae Doo-na, Gong Hyo-jin, Sohn Ye-jin, Hwang Jung-eum, Moon Chae-won, Baek Jin-hee, Kang So-ra, Choi Soo-young, Kim Go-eun, Jo Bo-ah, Go Ah-sung, Kim Ji-won, Jung Eun-ji, Chae Soo-bin, Nam Ji-hyun, Seo Shin-ae, Kim So-hyun, Kim Yoo-jung, and Kim Sae-ron, on the women's side
and on the men's side:
Lee Sung-jae, Choi Min-soo, Han Suk-kyu, Song Kang-ho, Kim Yoon-seok, Yoo Oh-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-il, So Ji-sub, Won Bin, Ji Sung, Ha Jung-woo, Kim Mu-yeol, Kang Dong-won, Kim Rae-won, Park Hae-jin, Lee Min-ki, Byun Yo-han, Seo In-gook, Im Shi-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Lee Won-geun, Lee Hyun-woo, Yoo Seung-ho, Park Gun-tae, Yeo Jin-gu.
and what´s the plot with such enourmous number of actors?
or could it be a reality show? Running Man 3-day overseas special?
I thoughts of a plot recently based on the rising sea levels, 200 years into the future, where 3 groups of scientists head out to explore the wild, the ocean and underground tunnels. it could be something similar?
I don't know, I imagine one of those 150-episode dramas or sitcoms could easily accommodate a cast of this size. You know, the type that are about huge sprawling families with a hundred cousins here and there (everyone doesn't have to be main cast, some can just drop in for a couple of episodes as cameos).
Lee Sang-yoon as Cha Hyun-seok is the greatest thing that happens in my dramaland!! ?
I mean.. seriously.. he's the most adorable awesome character ever! LSY is the perfect cast for this. Oh shoot, now I'm grinning from ear to ear again.
Just started on 'Twenty Again' early this week and finished it in few days. It has easily become one of my all time fave and I think I'll watch it again and again whenever I need a quick happy fix.
Back to Lee Sang-yoon, he's really quite a late bloomer. From MDSY to Liar Game and now this. I'm so looking forward to more of him.
Can you think of any other actor who fits a drama character perfectly?
Watching the latest episode of She Was Pretty, I have to say I'm happy that Hari is still Hyejin's first priority. I'm glad that the writer treat their relationship as important as the romance. I kind of understand why Hyejin still believe in Hari even after all that mess. Their relationship is deeper and tighter than a simple friendship, Hari is Hyejin's family and vice versa. And it's not that easy to severe such a ties. You can't just disown your 'sister' for a mere boy's problem. Even if the problem is actually more complicated than that, their lifelong relationship is still far more important for Haejin.
Why did I have a feeling that Ten's identity will play an important role in the next episodes??
Where is that kind of drama everyone here would be watching at the same time and talking about non stop? I feel we need another addictive drama!
This week in dramaland
Flowers for Algernon I did not know this story was famous. I was listening to the soundtrack somewhere and somebody posted a spoiler, I got mad. It's kind of corny but I was loving it, after main character changed so much I feel the story itself is pretty outdated but still good. I'm almost at the last eps and there are no subs for the last 2 episodes, I think I'll have to watch them raw which will be a first for this drama addict.
She Was Pretty After you completely give up expecting the story to make sense it gets a lot better. Some kdramas are like that. Still HyeJin atill annoyed me a little playing the crazy person just because she got a hug from someone she should not be crazy in love yet. Way too fast. I like it though, it uses 2 tropes I can never resist: the Ugly Duckling and Mistaken Identity so it's fun for me.
Grapevine I'm glad I could marathon this. The beginning was really good but it got frustrating fast and just became too repetitive. I was kind of despising the main characters, the lawyer and his wife, while the writer was still in love with them. The things that were supposed to happen in the middle only take place in the last episodes so it had 30 episodes and still managed to have a very rushed ending. I don't regret giving this a second chance but after this and SLA I hope this writer has gotten over his love for rich vain superficial snobbish characters.
Wakamonotachi I'm still in the middle but I'm enjoying it, I just wish they would not scream so much. :) I like the realism of every character but I have a feeling this might take a melodramatic turn.
Kingyo Club I love simple stories that know where they want to go, I hope it will be as good all the way.
Young-Pal It wasn't really all that bad. :) I still haven't finished but I guess the lame romance really sabotaged the story. How come Joo Won never sells romance to me? I know the writing is the major culprit and the actress was pretty weak too but it's kind of odd since I like him so much.
When she was pretty. Aw. I've got 2nd lead syndrome AGAIN. It's going to break my heart when she doesn't end up with the mentally whacky Shin-hyuk, and instead, opts for the (mentally mental) Sung-joon, isn't it.
Wouldn't her life be so much more full with Shin-hyuk? (It would be more fun for sure. Her personality just goes with his.)
Alas, I feel the Chil-bongie throes all over again.
(And if that bold, unbold formatting doesn't work, I'm gonna pretend like I did it on purpose.)
Hmm. Thinking about your comment, you're probably right. BUT MY life would be more fun with him than the uptight, sometimes nice, sometimes snobby Sung-Joon.
Wag_A_Muffin: mine too! but I´d be satisfied with being friends and maybe having a safe haven when I get in trouble (which is often) and kinda cant reveal it to anyone. I like loyal, but honest people who can cheer me up. and be crazy with reputation be damned, then part like sorry dont know this person see you tomorrow
Oh I"m with you WAM. MY life would be much more interesting and fun with Shin Hyuk around. He can be the bf AND my best guy friend. The guy is it. Yes...I was also shipping Chilbongie...welcome, broken heart, again.
Well, I guess you can't control what the heart wants. Also, after the $50 thing, I gave up on that ship. Basically tells you that Hyejin doesn't think/care of what Shin Hyuk feels.
Kingyo Club – it's good all the way. Well, there's a minor thing I would change in the end if I could have my way, but that's with one of the side characters. Good all the way with the leads.
Wakamonotachi – You're not the first to say this about screaming (esp. Tsumabuki Satoshi's character). I never felt this way though. They are noisy, but there are absolutely families like this. However, I think it's not the sort of image we get of Japanese people, not on TV – they are much more likely portrayed as quiet rather than rambunctious. I don't think if this were, say, a drama about an Italian family, anyone would say about the screaming. You'd just be like "Yeah, Italians are like that."
It doesn't get overly melodramatic. It's a realistic drama, no outrageous twists, just things that happen in life. (How many episodes have you watched?)
About Ten in She Was Pretty... when the Most team was talking about Ten and mentioned that it could be an ahjumma, the camera focussed on Chief Editor as she entered the office.... it was either a big clue, the answer or a red herring. :)
I also like how they are treating the ladies friendship as something as important as the romance. I did get vibes that Hye Jin would 'let' Ha Ri have Sung Joon, which made me think 'just because you let go , doesn't mean he'll go to her'. However I was very happy that was cleared up in such a well handled way.
I have no idea who Ten is, but I'm looking forward to it. I hope it helps.
I thought that whole backing off for Ha Ri was just stupid. But since characters in k-dramas never actually talk to each other, nor do they ever actually listen, I am not surprised. She never bothered to ask if maybe he was actually interested in Ha Ri. The show was fun for the first couple episodes, but as once again noble idiocy comes to the forefront... meh.
The reasons Hye Jin gave for backing off sounded valid, so ultimately I give her a pass ... but I do think she could have spoken to him about it from the beginning instead of acting all weird and upsetting him.
Liking the same person would be hella awkward to begin with. It won't make the friendship the same again. Noble idiocy in drama is so annoying. I never understand that. They would end up together in the end anyway, why go that way? This is why Healer couple is on my top faves because they actually talk! Just when you think the misunderstanding would begin, they talk to each other, ask, and clear things up. Healer was so refreshing.
I agree with this. I don't think the drama has taken all the right steps, but I actually didn't mind this aspect of the episode that much because it was addressed for what it was rather quickly. I would need time to sort things out too if I were in her position.
I have to disagree a little. Not about the importance of the relationship, but I do not believe the whole revelation and blame thing was treated realistically. Even when it's a family member involved in deceit and betrayal, it still hurts. It usually hurts MORE when it is someone lose to us. I think it's totally unrealistic to depict Hye Jin as being focused on "understanding" and so concerned about Ha Ri's feelings in a situation like this.
Here's my two cents on She was pretty (Spoiler Alert for ep 11)
Ha ri feels guilty because she can’t bring herself to say sorry but Hye Jin ain’t yelling her (Which would make her feel bad for not saying sorry). She’s too embarrassed to face her loyal friend so she feels like running away is the right answer. Which although wrong, is a reasonable reaction.
Hye JIn is all about friends before boys, which knowing her, is a reasonable thing for her to think. She’s so tight with Ha Ri that it feels wrong to get with her man.
Shin Hyuk had his heart broken (For maybe the first time), so LET HIM BE SALTY. HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO ACT OTHERWISE. He just lost this amazing girl. Sorry he’s not being crazy and making you laugh HE’S SAD.
And Sung Joon is the most amazing guy ever. Like omg he’s smart and so nice to him. He’s waiting for Hye Jin because he really likes her, and after all that they’ve been through, what’s waiting a but more for her to be happy and ready?
Oops typos everywhere. I'm trying to say that Hari feels guilty because she can't bring herself to say sorry to Hye Jin. But she probably wants Hye Jin to yell at her so she can feel better and "punished". But since Hye Jin's such a loyal friend, she doesn't know how to respond so she thinks running away is the right answer, she feels so much guilt. Oh and she's heart broken too. So that doesn't help
Yes, this was what I meant by it being a valid reason. Hye Jin was not backing off to let Sung Joon and Ha Ri be together, but because her relationship with Ha Ri was strained, over Sung Joon. It felt wrong for her to just be 'happy' with him under the circumstances. And yes, she should have told him from the beginning instead of trying to 'just go back to being classmates'. He would have understood and given her space and time.
I feel that the show went too far into making Sung Joon unpleasant towards Hye Jin in the beginning. He could have been shown to be a gruff, no nonsense boss without including personal attacks and insults that until today we recall, to his detriment.
I do not suppose the show will go the way of him ever making a full apology for being such a crappy person towards Hye Jin in the beginning. It will probably just show her accepting him regardless.
@pogo wrote a very impressive review of Sassy Go Go last week which had me persuaded. The first episode did not really get me hooked immediately, but from the second episode onwards, things are gathering momentum and I’m starting to fall in love with it. The gutsy demeanor of Yeon-doo reminded me of Makiko Esumi in the comic jdrama series Shomuni which also hilariously mocked elitism through the struggle of the underdog.
Last week the 2nd lead syndrome was being raised due to Kim Shin-hyuk in She Was Pretty, and there was also discussion about passionate love versus stable love. I was ruminating on this, and here is my take. I rarely have 2nd lead syndrome except for these four dramas which hit me real hard:
Mary stayed out All Night - Mae-ri(Moon Geun-young) choosing Mu-gyul(Jang Keun-suk) over Jung-in(Kim Jae-wook)
Hong Gil Dong - Yi-nok(Sung Yu-ri) choosing Gil-dong (Kang Ji-hwan) over Chng-hwi (Jang Keun-suk)
To the Beautiful You - Jae-hee(Sulli) choosing Tae-joon(Choi Minho) over Eun-gyeol(Lee Hyun-woo)
Mirae’s Choice - Mi-rae(Yoon Eun-hye) choosing Kim Shin(Lee Dong-gun) over Se-joo(Jung Yong-hwa) – ok, this is somewhat debatable
I have nothing against the main leads, and I actually like all of them, but what irks me is seeing the girl indulging her full attention to the whims and fancies of her love interest, supporting and helping him in every possible way and nursing his every wound, while totally oblivious to the 2nd lead who is always there for her in time of need or when she gets hurt by the capricious mood swings and unexplained tantrums of the male lead.
In MSOAN, the term “EuriYeoja” (meaning faithful and loyal girl) is used on Mae-ri, which perfectly describes such total devotion to love. I feel very sorry for the pathetic second lead who is being cast aside to lick his own wounds, not even receiving a tiny wee-bit of “Euri” from the girl though he is exhibiting 100% “Euri” behavour towards her. Shouldn’t the lead at least do more to earn his keep? Being a "Euriyeoja" is sure to be very tough in the long run, so I rather the girl forgo her passionate love towards the male lead for the stable love of the 2nd lead. Though I also like Jang Keun-suk, I couldn’t help but feel very sorry for Kim Jae Wook’s character in MSOAN that I rather Mae-ri chose him. I loved the scene in which he sat beside Mae-ri on the floor in the bookshop, and went gaga when he showed Mae-ri her room with wall high bookshelves filled up with all her favorite books.
Probably most will not agree with me, but if there is anyone who has suffered from 2nd lead syndrome, please share your views, it will be great to hear what you have to say.
What is Second Lead Syndrome? I always thought it was when we like the second lead more and ship him with the main female lead. If that is right it is rare for me because if the woman is not interested in the guy at all I can't root for them to have any romance. It really doesn't matter if the guy is way better than any jerk cold chaebol the lead is obsessing about for no good reason. :) Last week in post 33 I remember talking about this too.
Hi Lixie, that's right, I interpret 2nd lead syndrome as shipping 2nd male lead with the female lead. Yep, I remember this being discussed last week, so it was you who raised it. :) I know the majority would not have agreed with me, love defies all logic, be it a jerk, so long as she loves him, then the choice is final. In the 4 drama listed above, the girl is going into overdrive pampering the male lead, inadvertently I felt so sorry for the 2nd lead that I rather advocate that passionate love is transient and steady love (with the 2nd lead) can be nurtured.
But isn't it the whole point,-especially in Hong sisters dramas? No matter how flawed a person seems, there must be at least one other person who can see beyond the obvious. It's always about the "perfect match" and not the ideal nor the reasonable one; that's the perpetual human need to begin with.
With me, there is a bit of a combination issue when it comes to shipping. The fated/destined/childhood love issue PLUS the worth and value issue PLUS the acting chemistry. If i feel someone is messing with destiny, I have a problem with the pairing. If I think second lead ismore worthy of first lead or first lead is just not worth the second lead (or the first). If i "feel" something when characters are together.
I haven´t really had second lead syndrom in the sense that I am shipping them with the lead, but I do sometimes route for side characters on their personal quest way more than I care about main characters
Like Hwi kyung in MLFTS - I was practically paralyzed with fear for him, still think his storyline with evil bro should have been a whole separate drama. I chew my blanket into shreds thinking: please dont be caught! omg dont die! get the f out of there! are you nuts, you crazy guy!
and then, at first I really didnt care for Teacher Noa in Angry Mom, but watching again I started to understand him better and really sympathized with who he tried to be.
@Pebble - glad you gave Sassy Go Go a try! I'm still in squealing fangirl mode over pretty much everything about that drama and loving the way it's developing, but I'm so glad I brought you on board, and that you're enjoying it ;)
And I have totally suffered from Second Lead Syndrome - it's how I got introduced to oppa, in My Girl! It was one of my earliest dramas and anyone with half a brain could see that Lee Da-hae's character was meant to end up with Lee Dong-wook, but the minute I laid eyes on Lee Jun-ki, it was game over. It did not help that he had great chemistry with LDH too, and I lived for his and Lee Dong-wook's angstily-soundtracked squash matches lol.
I'd say Second Lead Syndrome usually happens when a designated secondary lead character ends up being either really compelling/interesting, or having better chemistry with the main lead than the designated male/female lead. (see also: Song Jae-rim in Surplus Princess, Kim Woo-bin in Heirs and Yoon Kye-sang in Best Love)
I've also had Second Lead Syndrome for women - notably Han Chae-ah in Gaksital, Kim Ji-won in Heirs (though I did love her and found her far more engaging than doormat Eun-sang, I did NOT want her to get with Kim Tan, I wanted her with Young-do!) and Kang Sora in That Drama That Must Not Be Named. And in jdrama land, I had it for Mizushima Hiro in Zettai Kareshi.
I don't want to hype it up too much, but do give the first couple of episodes a try.
The casting on this one is really solid (and even where it may be less than perfect, the character description accounts for N's blankness) , I don't end up having to make excuses for any insipid idol actors in the lead a la Orange Marmalade.
I think That Sassy Go Go got a similar vibe of School 2013. School 2013 does not have a romance but this one does. iT got romance along with school /family problems.this one is focused on how schools value good grades and how the parents make fussy demands to schools thus creating more pressure on students. so far it is better than School 2015.
I like Kim Ji Seok, the teacher, so I decided to give it a go and I do not regret it,,, I really enjoyed it so far.
@Atz - that's pretty spot-on in some ways - Sassy Go Go does feel a lot like what School 2013 might have, if it featured a romance.
(but I'm glad School 2013 didn't, I wasn't feeling Lee Jong-seok/Park Se-young at all. They were trying to set up a love line, that much was obvious, but it still felt tacked-on. And the viewers must have not been into it either, if they voted to remove the love lines 3 episodes into the drama's run)
Hello pogo! Wow, you can come up with so many convincing examples of 2nd lead syndrome in such a short time! :) You are really a walking encyclopedia of kdrama, everything is at your fingertips!
I watched My Girl quite a while ago, probably due to my bias towards oppa, I would have preferred him over anyone else anyway, whether he is the 1st lead or 2nd lead, so the 2nd lead syndrome was not so obvious to me. Since you fell for oppa in My Girl, there must be something about him and LDH which captivated you. My curiosity is aroused, I will probably go re-watch it again.
My points about 2nd lead syndrome are:
1. the male lead character is standoffish or a jerk of some kind
2. the female lead is excessively idolising the male lead to the extent of getting me annoyed
3. the 2nd lead is showering the girl with unconditional love, and of course he is of the "style" I approve, that is why I'm rooting for him to be with the female lead :)
Oh yes, I sympathise with KWB a lot in Heirs too, that adds to my list of drama with 2nd lead syndrome.
True, liking him beforehand will predispose you to having SLS for oppa! But I still remember seeing him for the first time, he was so gorgeous I almost choked. (and this is even with the silly mid-2000s hair and clothes). And I am not that knowledgeable about dramas, there are still loads I've never watched.
Kim Woo-bin is actually a totally atypical second lead in Heirs - he's the jerk and the bully, while the first lead is the one who's all gooey over the girl and the 'nice boy' according to the drama. But even with that, he had great chemistry with both Park Shin-hye and Kim Ji-won in that drama, it was hard not to ship.
I'd say a more classic example of SLS happened to me in Trot Lovers - I ended up shipping Shin Sung-rok with Jung Eun-ji, so hard! They just had chemistry in spades despite him being so much older than her, while with Ji Hyun-woo (an actor I normally LOVE) I felt nothing at all between them as a couple.
Yep, oppa is GORGEOUS beyond words, if Kiara is around, she will sure agree 101%. I've learned to tone down fangirling oppa here as it could backfire and irritate others who are not his fans.
When it comes to drama watching, I have short memory span, so I do not recall much details after a year or two unless it is a drama I re-watched for a second time. My memory of Heirs is quite hazy, but I do recall that I felt very sorry for Youngdo after seeing how his dad slapped him and I grew to like him more than Kim Tan as his character developed.
As for Ji Hyun-woo, he was acting like a complete jerk in Invincible Lee Pyung Kang, but I did not suffer from SLS as Nam Sang-Mi was a tough cookie who could handle him so well that there was no room for the 2nd lead. I've not watched Trot Lover, it's on my list of kdrama to watch for a long time already and it will take ages to get round to it. I'm quite slow in drama watching as I rather go at a slow pace savouring and digesting the nice parts in each drama, and I tend to re-watch my favourite dramas too. So I find the recommendation from beanies here very helpful in sieving and shortening the long list of drama to watch.
@Pebble - yes, oppa is almost too beautiful to be human but I think (and hope) that we're reasonable fans!
Last week's OT featured some virtual textbook examples of a fandom being so overzealous and illogical that it became off-putting, and I'd be horrified and ashamed if any Lee Jun-ki fan was ever that rude or had that much of a persecution complex. (but then, from what I've seen, the problematic behaviour on display last week is very particular to that fandom - I've never seen fans of any other actor behave like that).
and if you haven't watched Trot Lovers already, don't bother now unless you're a huge fan of Jung Eun-ji and are willing to endure anything to hear her sing. Despite how much I enjoyed her+Shin Sung-rok (and her lovely voice singing trot songs!), it's really quite a dumb drama.
Trot Lovers was not a good drama, but Shin Sung Rok made me laugh in the one, two and five on first appearance. he kinda reminded me of Buster Keaton there
yay! another one here! shin sung-rok was so entertaining in trot lovers. and while I disliked the wild antics of the show I actually enjoyed watching jung eun ji interacting with shing sung-rok. they were super adorable.
Man I have severe Second Lead Syndrome from She Was Pretty. Siwon is one fine gruff looking man. I will not expect Hye Rin to end up with Crazy though. Is there ever a kdrama where the lead girl ends up with the second lead? (Mi-rae's Choice? Hee).
I felt so sorry for Tak Gu(Yoon Shi-yoon) in Baker King that I refrain from watching most of Jo Won's subsequent drama except for The Good Doctor due to overwhelming positive reviews. Btw, has anyone watched Cantabile Tomorrow? I like drama about music, but not sure whether to watch this one.
Probably in Feast of the Gods too, I thought Joon-young (Sung Yu-ri) would pair up with Jae-ha (Joo Sang-wook) who is her childhood oppa, and he seems to have more screen time than Do-yoon(Lee Sang-woo), but eventually, Joon-young fell for Do-yoon instead.
True and true with the Feast of Gods, I really wanted the main girl with Joo Sang Wook! I stopped watching the drama when I found who she would end up with yet I still listen to the ost by Lee Seung Chul.
I very rarely get second lead syndrome. Perhaps I'm just a masochist who likes tsundere jerks haha. Often I find the second (male) lead to be fairly one-dimensional, and to think he knows what's good for the female lead all the time. I usually only get it when I find the lead really boring (*cough* School 2015 *cough* - though both leads were boring in that case.. why wasn't the drama about Taekwang and Eunbyul??)
I guess we're the minority here. Me too, never gotten into Second Lead Syndrome hype until School 2015. From day 1 until the last, I wanted Eunbi with Taekwang. But after I rewatched the drama, I dont care about Eunbi and the swimmer guy *sorry cant recall his name* both of them can go run off to sunset, and I am secretly wishing for Taekwang and Eunbyul. They would have made a great couple!
It's interesting that for me, even if I definitely like the second lead beter than the lead, I rarely ship them with the lead girl. Because usually the girl never really interested in them, I just go along with the story. The only case where I had a severe second lead syndrome was Surplus Princess. Well, maybe it's also due to episode shortening, but I just couldn't buy the romance between the two lead.
I agree with most of the dramas with 2nd lead syndrome listed in this thread, and for me, the epitome would be You're Beautiful (Jung YongHwa as Kang ShinWoo).
Again, the male lead is JKS, I think he probably has the classic flamboyant bad guy look with that icy stare and air of nonchalance which is so alluring to good girls with the bad guy syndrome. The characters he played in You're Beautiful, Mary Stayed Out All Night and Love Rain all exhibit those irresistible bad guy traits which make the female lead fall head over heels for. :)
Awww so nice to read this. Thanks Pebble.
SLS hit me the hardest in Discovery of Romance when Han Yeo-reum (played by Jung Yu-mi) chose Kang Tae-ha (Eric Mun) over Nam Ha-jin (Sung Joon). To the point that everytime I hear the soundtrack again my heart just sinks for him.
I agree with you about Mary Stayed Out All Night. I wouldnt call it SLS since I was actually also happy that Mu-gyul was chosen in the end (I liked it that the poor guy was chosen over the rich one. That like never happened in dramaland!). However, Jung-in (Kim Jae Wook) was very convincing as the other man since he had emotional connection with Mae-ri (Moon Geun Young), instead of being just blatantly unsuitable like the 2nd leads in other dramas.
Currently watching "she was pretty" as the rest of the drama world, and while there's some bumpy places here and there, I can truthfully say I've enjoyed it this far
I need help deciding whether or not to start D-Day. I've heard that the first couple of episodes are bad, but I didnt know if they got better later and is worth watching now. Thanks!
I like D Day, but then I like disaster movies and dramas. The biggest problem is that you have one guy repeatedly wanting to close down the hospital. One reason I'm watching is to see him get hurt somewhere and denied entrance to another hospital. (basically get his comeuppance). There are a few flaws, such as where is the military, but I like how it is exploring the characters. The cgi is pretty good (except for the ants), so the visuals are good.
it gets better, in my opinion. I don't mind the plotholes as long as I get a decent and moving story. also, I'm loving the romance between the leads, probably more than She was Pretty.
Happy Friday Beanies!! Not too much to say, just plugging away at the same three
Sassy Go Go I technically still have part if the last episode left but I'm oddly dreading it. I actually really love the cast which is why I'm sticking with this show, but I think their time frame is too constricting so the plot development and character arcs feel a but forced. I also know they pushing for a sympathetic and possibly redeemable antagonist but I really haven't felt an ounce of sympathy for her the whole time...and I don't really get why the others do. Still really enjoying this.
Six Flying Dragons this show especially sucked me in this week. I'm really loving our adult characters!! I don't necessarily think they line up with the child versions though so I kind of view the parts as separate....but these new incarnations are really growing on me. And the tonality is all over the place but at least it's giving is a variety of interesting situations.
Village I will be watching this week's episodes today but overall this is a fun addition to my viewing lineup. I'm actually a big scaredy cat but this show hasn't scared me at all. The music really tries to make every moment tense but instead it made me desensitized and I constantly feel like it will be OK and a misunderstanding lol. But I like the variety of characters and the slow unraveling of what's gone on behind the scenes.
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In non-drama news, I'm having the worst time actually trying to figure out the age hierarchies in Korea. I mean I understand the basic the basic definition of chingu - same year friend (or early months of the next year) but I don't know how strict Koreans really are about it. I've seen videos where friends seem really strict about it such as someone it being a year younger having to use 'hyung' every single time even when they've known each other for years. But my Korean friend says she uses chingu with people several years younger or older and it doesn't matter. I guess I can't figure out what the norm is or if there is a norm.
re: Sassy Go Go, I understand why you might write off Soo-ah, she's totally hateable. But she's also rather pathetic in a way, which leads me to feel bad for her even when I want to slap her hard (like I did for the scheme she concocted in ep 6).
Also agreed on the all-over-the-place tone of SFD. I enjoy it but it takes some getting used to.
I think they were aiming for her to be pitiable, but it's just now working for me. I mean, Ji Soo frankly has a worse deal so it's hard to feel that empathetic especially when she channels her tough home life into such despicable acts.
That whole hierarchy thing in Korea I think even confuses Koreans :P Saw one of those 12 min parody skits once where the supervisor was younger in age, but higher in position. All of his underlings were so paralyzed on how to address him that they all quit. :D
Age hierarchies in Korea is messed up. First their age are always +1 from the international age. When they were born, they're considered 1 year old, but then hey have a first birthday party when the child turns 1 in international age. Second, someone born in January/February can be considered as the same age as the previous year's born because school starts in March. Example, A was born in July 1990 and B was born in January 1991->they're the same age and therefore can be 'chingu' and can be in the same class (although sometimes people in 1990 wouldn't acknowledge it). If C was born on June 1991 he can also be friends with B if I'm not mistaken (correct me). But C should address A as senior although they're not fully 1 year apart. And that kind of addressing is really important in Korea it scares me actually.
Yeah, it took me a minute but I did learn all the actual age rules (Korean age and the early year births). It's just that I've seen that be enforced really strictly in some areas but then not at all in others. I've had several people tell me that they still use chingu for people several years apart from them. Sigh. I imagine if I ever went to Korea I'd ended up not talking.
Agree concerning SooAh. People are wishing for a love triangle with HaJoon and DongJae and I am like "please noooo she doesn't deserve an ounce of it!"
Twenty Again - I liked it. I can't say I loved it because I'm not sure I'll remember much of it in a year. However it was very cute, an easy watch with some great characters. It didn't make me mad at all, progressed how I hoped it would, and ended the way I expected haha. Lee Sangyoon and Choi Jiwoo were great, but I'd really like to see more of No Younghak and Jin Kijoo. I found them much more interesting to watch than Naeun and Kim Minjae (though that's possibly because of their characters). Speaking of Minjae:
Because It's the First Time - I'm really enjoying this. Again it's lowkey, but it's a drama that feels surprisingly realistic (for a drama). The six main characters are all intriguing so far (Kim Minjae is doing better here). I like the format of making three 15 minute eps in a row every week, because each little ep feels self-contained yet links really well to the next one. Would recommend if you want a cute coming-of-age drama to watch, even if it is low on conflict.
She Was Pretty - I have been loving it from about ep 5-10. But I'm really worried about how they're going to fill in the last episodes. Ep 11 was already irritating me thanks to Hyejin's noble idiocy and mopey Shinhyuk. Pleaseeeee don't let this drag on for another 5 episodes. Focus on getting Hari and Shinhyuk together, or getting The Most to no. 1, or your Ten/chaebol mysteries instead of trying to push arbitrary hurdles in the main couple's path. And kisses please! I'm waiting patiently!
Sassy Go Go - Is different to what I was expecting and I'm not sure whether it's better or worse. I'm glad we're /finally/ getting to the cheerleading. All the adult stuff bores me, aside from cheerleading teacher x maths teacher. (Although one thing that bugs me about that is the way they introduced cheerleading teacher, as if she was ugly? Like I'm still mad about that. It took me like a week to understand that's what they meant...) I'm worried about where they're going with love triangles, because do we really need all three male leads falling for Yeondoo? I would say Yeondoo/Yeol is so obvious that having a love triangle is boring BUT there's the problem with their parents, so I'm not sure how they're going to resolve that. It seems a shame that the parents would have to give up their relationship for the kids (and also awkward). I'm rooting for Hajoon x Sooah (you know, once she goes through her character development). I feel like they were planning to go with Dongjae x Sooah, but might have decided that wasn't really working? Anyway let's have Hajoon x happiness at least (I wouldn't say no to a Jisoo kiss scene either....).
Village - I've only watched two episodes, because the subs I watched for episode 2 were rubbish. I might wait until it's over to finish it so I can binge, because at the moment it's not really demanding my attention. I'm not sure I really care about any of the characters that...
I don't think we're getting a main leads love triangle in Sassy Go Go, Ha-joon just seems to have started to respect Yeon-doo a little, is all. And he sees her as someone worthy of his loyalty, which he never gave to anyone but Yeol before. I know the umbrella scene threw a lot of us off, but I agree with everyone who says the interpretation wasn't necessarily a romantic one.
As for Soo-ah, I don't think love lines are as important as that girl working out her issues. Which I think is where potential friendships, however tentative, may help. Ha-joon doesn't like her at all, but he gets what she's going through. While Dong-jae sees through all her bluster to whatever emotions she's kept hidden under layers of anger and spite. I think they could both do her good, but she needs to hit the turning point first (which she may have done this week, after what happened at the cheerleading performance)
Yes I agree Sooah working out her issues is more important than her loveline. I'm not really sure what they're trying to do with Dongjae at the moment. At first I enjoyed his character but they had a couple of episodes where they barely did anything at all with him. Hopefully they pick up his storyline a bit more so I can be convinced of his importance to the plot.
I agree 100% with the She Was Pretty comment. I understand the Ha-Ri's first love this is the obstacle for Hye Jin but I hope that gets fixed quickly. I want more of happy Shin-Hyuk, he's killing me right now.
Kimchi, just like many other foods, is fermented, so yeah it has to have bacteria or something to make it happen. So is yogurt, beer, bread, cheese etc.
Another week done, and Sassy Go Go continues to steal my heart and induce equal amounts of squee (SO MUCH SQUEE, that couple! God bless whoever's idea it was to combine Lee Won-geun and Jung Eun-ji!) and heartache (poor Teacher Yang, they really put him through the wringer this week - not saying more because the ep 6 recap isn't out yet). And I loved that this week had Ha-joon actually opening his eyes to Yeon-doo being more than just some weird girl his bff likes.
It's a real shame it's not doing well ratings-wise, because it's an underrated little gem and I wish the team that came up with it could get the rewards they deserve. It's all the things I love about school dramas, and I love that it's a story where people actually TALK to each other instead of playing noble idiot. (and OOF that hug!!! and the banana milk!)
Also, Yeol/Yeon-doo have to go into end-of-year Best Couple nominations. That chemistry is too good for them not to. And while we have all been squeeing madly over his smiles, I have to give her credit for being so endearing and natural onscreen that no one ever doubts for a second WHY he's fallen for her (and it's not just because she's pretty).
Six Flying Dragons - started on this one from ep 5 onwards, and I think I like it. I really enjoy the cast, and as for Shin Se-kyung, she could be better but she's not unbearable. It does make me wish they'd scored their original choice of Baek Jin-hee for the role, though. SSK is ok but Baek Jin-hee would have slayed.
I'm actually glad we get recaps on Sassy Go Go well after the episodes are aired, it lets me spread the squee out over the week - otherwise it'd be way too long to wait until Monday for the next episode!
(I can't believe I'm impatient for Mondays now, THAT is how bad my fangirl syndrome is)
+1 Yes, same here, same here. Can't get enough of those sassy kids and their sweet love. Absolutely love the honesty of Yeol and how he looks at Yeon Doo. *puddle meltdown*
about the end-of-year Best Couple nominations, it's a good idea but the rating is too low in SK I don't think the cast will even attend the ceremony (sad sad sad, this drama is really underrated!)
I'm always nervous when it comes to Shin Se-kyung. She is bearable yes so I guess that's good. It's not like we expected more.
It's too bad Baek Jin-hee opted out. She would've been perfect with YAI.
@Pogo, Sassy Go Go made all the other dramas I was watching less exciting.
I used to be sooo excited to get my weekly dose of She Was Pretty and Twenty AGain. And then they went blah for me. I think it was equal parts that Sassy Go just keeps getting better while the other dramas kinda go downhill?
Anyways, it takes me forever to watch one epi of Sassy because of the frequent rewinds. And the squeeing!!! Lots of people in my house so I squee silently hahahaha
Happy Friday!
I like the new top 10 thread by JB, because it gives me a chance to review what I have watched. I hardly have that chance, being so busy catching up with airing dramas which just keeps coming. I am surprised I can not remember endings, sometimes even plots for many shows (No wonder I can't get 'Name That Drama' even for the ones I watched. Well I can always blame on getting old).
Drama-wise,
Six flying dragons: I am glad they made this as fantasy Sageuk because these historical figures were used enough in previous dramas. I wanted to see something different and I think I got my wish. And even though the story is all over the place and tone is not consistant, I find it is quite enjoyable. This also feels like 4 young stars' acting competiton/showcase- all are doing great (love Byun Yo-han).
At first I thought 50 eps are too long, but considering there are 6 leads, 50 eps don't feel too long. I can watch Moo-hyul for 10 eps, Bang-ji for 10, Boon-yi for 10, listen to Jung Do-jeon/KMM's voice for 10, and watch Bang-won and his bodyguard Young-kyu's bickering for 10. I can do away with Lee Seong-gye because I love Yoo Dong-geun's Lee Seong-gye in Jung DoJeon too much. lol
Innkeeper/Master of Trade: I am very disappinted with Innkeeper so far- Too much crying and frustration for my liking. I wanted to see hero's success story (like now- at least a little). I have been watching the show frustrated, and now WTH with love triangle! I don't even like the lead Jang Hyuk here - which is just sad.
I hoped the show was like SangDo, which had a humble, sincere and serious man working hard to become the most sucessful merchant in late Joseon. Sigh.
She was pretty: I also enjoy She was pretty and Sassy Go go. But I admit SWP got less fun after Hye-jin's make over and all the reveals.
Korean Site DaEum has a voting going on 'If I am Hwang Jungeum/Hae-jin, who do I choose.. Park SuJoon(Sung-joon) vs Choi SiWon(Joon-hyuk). Out of total 16,710 votes, 52% went to Choi SiWon and 48% went to Park SuJoon.
Me? CSW. keke How about you?
(btw They reported the richest idol in real-life is Choi SiWon)
Oh another real couple a show created- Lee Chun-ah and Lee Gi-woo(yeah for second male lead!) from Flower boy ramen shop - they look good. It is happy birthday(10/23) for Lee Gi-woo.
agree with the SWP comment. after the makeover, I look forward to each episode, but with less enthusiasm. it's not that I mind the makeover, it's something about the recent plot developments that makes it less appealing.
I'm so sad to hear about the Innkeeper. I was looking forward to it the most. I'm going to just skip it.
SFD has the advantage for being recapped here and that's half the fun of watching dramas. It's entertaining as expected and I'm trying really hard to stop nitpicking it and just go with the fantasy.
I like Yoo Dong-geun's Lee Seong-gye too. I'm not sold on Cheon Ho-Jin yet. We haven't seen much of him so maybe he'll win me over later. He is a solid actor but he wouldn't be my first choice.
I love She Was Pretty so much! My heart fluttered when Sung-joon talked to Hye-jin in the playground (ep. 11) in this calm, matter-of-fact voice...made me forgive MBC for airing only one episode last week, and the writer for not giving us a kiss yet. Siwon's song in the OST is so good too.
I love that the angst parts are done right (imo), that it makes me crazy in a good way and surprised and amazed too.
Keep it up She Was Pretty! Thanks Lollypip for the recaps.
Hi beanies, hope you've all had a great week. I just can't believe its almost November, the deadline is due and it's stressing me out, let me clarify my mother gave me a deadline by which i have to leave the country im currently living in and go back home.Except home isn't really home because i haven't lived there in years and most importantly home doesn't have Korean dramas. Here there are plenty of Dvd stores that stock the latest dramas, Internet is way cheap, so streaming or downloading is not a problem.She even packed and carried almost all my clothes with her, stress.This is how bad my addiction is, my biggest concern is dramas but i have to move,Get a job, enroll for my second degree and be a grown up.
Moving on, I'm loving Sassy Go Go, only did you have to cheat us out of a kiss,while i was rewatching Moon that embraces the sun, i realised LWG(kim yeol) was in it, still looks the same.
Also watching She was Pretty, don't have much to say because my second lead syndrome is bad and I'm sinking with that ship.
Moviewise, I've watched the Con Artists and Chronicles of a blood merchant, they were both good except i had hoped to see more than 2 minutes of Eun hye in the latter.
Im planning on watching The suspect and Finding Mr.Destiny basically im having my own Gong yoo festival on Sunday.
Have a great weekend beanies ?
All is well here -- am so psyched. This ESL class has been such a blessing for me. And tomorrow Sukja -- my fave lady from the ESL class-- has a dinner party and well..am super-psyched and hoping to be up on al my korean etiquette. She's also promsed to make tteokbeoki for me. I asked her what i should bring for dinner and she said "Just bring yourself, you are the gift." Ah, she is such a sweetie!
Made a mistake and tried to watch American TV. Apparently being away from it for a while made me even more thin-skinned about the self-righteous rudeness of American cops, doctors, lawyers, doctors. I'm used to bad people being rude, not good guys. K-drama, you're to be blamed.
Finished the first round of flash fiction judging. I was given the fantasies and fairy tales to judge and I will only say that folks shouldn't go mocking a genre unless they understand it and can do it well. Seriously! It took a w hole lotta patience for me not to in sult some writers who obviously were way too impressed with their imagination and heir cynicism. Red riding hood catching grandma in bed with the wolfman? I think not. It was like..seriously, folks? Aaargh, don't let me go on or I'll just fume.
Luckily I happened upon some super healing real fairy tale movies and stories and got reset. ;-) Still waiting for The Piper to be subbed. But i totallyl loved 11 am with my cutie Daniel Choi.
Dramas:
I'll just say I have learned to push through on some flaky dramas before deciding to give them up. Cause..you never know.
Achiara: Ah me! My new crack. Despite the mopey acting of the main actress and the writers making her so dumb. Am really loving the older cop. Wow he is sooo good! A slow burn hero in the making. So was rich guy's younger daughter stolen from some other woman? Or was Kim Hye Jin the daughter of chaebol's wife? Who else's daughter could she be? Anyone else laughed when young cop asked himself, "How many Kim Hye Jin's are there in the world?"
Speaking of Kim Hye Jin: Am so glad i returned to She was pretty. Siwon is so adorable. And I am seriously hoping the weird editor-ess and the young guy end up together.
All about my mom: Dang! So many secrets, so many lies. And of course I'm utterlly hooked.
Flying dragons: Liking it a lot as well.
Glamorous Temptation: Very makjangy..so yeah, it hits a makjang craving apparently. Now that we know everyone in that chaebol family is nuts, nowMom is gambling?
D-day: kinda dull. Not sure what it's missing but am not gonna sit around analyzing it. I will just say that when nurse Administrator left the parking lot without finding her son I thought the writers were pushing the heroism trope a bit much. Lady may be responsible and stressed but she is not that NEEDED.
Aargh! Just saw that the third couple in She Was Pretty just got established. Aish, what a bother! I always considered flaky over-the-top linguistically-challenged editoress as a balance to the whole judging by appearances thing. I even got annoyed whe our formerly-fat hero judged her by HER appearances. He should know better. I want her to be even more affirmed (more than when she hit that homerun in the presentation)...and to my drama eyes, that means she needs to get a handsome beau. Drama, don't fail me.
I actually really like that Chief Editor and her most outlandish costumes (can't call them clothes). She is so over-the-top flamboyant and full of herself, yet honest. We are being teased as to whether she has any depth or not. I'm of course hoping, yes.
I like the theme of judging by appearances. Shin Hyuk is really the heir of Most but he's judged to be crazy and is not taken seriously (even by Hye Jin when it matters to him that she does).
Chief Editor seems to have on the most makeup and wigs, but at the same time seems the most simple and transparent.
Sung Joon starts by judging by appearances but ends up going according to his heart.
Hye Jin when she has to put on appearances becomes a hopeless dithering idiot, even with 'neater' hair and nice makeup - so an approved appearance did not help!
And Ha Ri makes herself sick by pretending to be someone else.
The message seems to be quite clear... be yourself, be true, be no one else, but you. :)
Odd how we seem to have such similar tastes in dramas :P
Achiara - At first I thought the heroine was just mopey and out of it, but seeing how she is following up on all sorts of clues makes me think she is not near as dumb or passive as she appears. Also loving the older cop - the younger one, not so much - jumps to conclusions far too easily.
All About My Mom - I hate the fact that I am addicted to this show. My favorite couple is the lawyer and the girl with the stalker-ex. Others.. not so much. The OTP line is a bit too predictable.
Glamorous Temptation - the show that we don't admit we are actually watching. Is there ANYONE in that family that is normal and not full of dark secrets?
D-Day - I thought I would like this, but finding myself not even bothering to watch lately. Perhaps because it is just so predictable and is a cliche-fest for every disaster and med drama ever.
Tuesday is my little sister's 29th Birthday and I got her the perfect card. On the front is little girl wearing a crown saying " You have exactly thirty seconds to produce a pony or this f#ing party is over!" and inside it says you can't always get what you want but you sure as hell can complain to anyone willing to listen. Now you don't know me or my sister but trust me it's so perfect it's almost like they made it just for her.
Sass, Go Go- You know I've been trying to decide who's worse Kwon Soo-ah or Kang So-young of School 2015, I think I've decided that Soo-ah is worse. Kwon Soo-ah seems to have a beating human heart and a conscious which she ignores to do what she knows is wrong. So-young never showed signs of being human and until the end never understood what she did wrong. Making Soo-ah the "winner' in my book.
And oddly, your logic re: who's worse between Soo-ah and So-young would lead me to the exact opposite conclusion about the two girls - Soo-ah ignores and represses her own instincts and treats people poorly in the pursuit of success/living up to standards, but So-young just bullies people for kicks because she can. I'd say the latter is infinitely worse as a person.
One more week to go and it's the end of another month!
I was thinking of the romance tropes that happily I seem to see less of, although they do still pop up, but not as much as before. Have we ever had a comprehensive list of them before?... You know those couple scenes where their 'lurve' is being shown? Let's see, there's the ...
- run like crazy through the hospital to find the other half who is sick/had an accident
- run and shout through crowds in the airport to catch the other half who's flying away
- being the one to take care of sickly fevered other half with wet towels and porridge
- the De Rigueur piggyback ride
- the wipe off drool/food from lips with fingers or a kiss (aww or yucks???)
- the pull other half into a sudden hug to save them from the vehicle of doom
- the catching of other half in a half/full hug, or both ending up horizontal when they somehow fall artistically and in slow motion
- the accidental 'nekkid' scene which only rarely ever gets referred to again
- the forced close proximity scene when the couple has to hide
- the fond look at other half who is sleeping, which may be coupled with covering them with blankets and stroking hair or brows, etc.
- the gift of shoes (boy gives girl) that the girl is supposed to wear when she 'comes to' him.
There must be more which I can't recall .... What would our romance dramas be like without them? And yet, how many of them are ever likely to happen to us? :)
+1 That's true! I can't stand the fact that they are supposedly asleep but all the carrying around, tugging and bumping don't shake them awake at all. I wish I could sleep like that... the peaceful sleep of the 'dead' LOL!
But why?? Piggyback rides are so unique in this whole drama-verse, I have never ever seen anyone doing it in real life nor will I have the chance to witness it since it's practically unnecessary at the other side of the Earth. So, to me,it's more like a highly improbable cliche that comes with a specific meaning,- physical contact while carrying your beloved one. (but why on your back, man, and not on your hands like a proper prince Charming though?)
(but why on your back, man, and not on your hands like a proper prince Charming though?)
for the very unromantic reason that it's much harder to carry a girl bridal-style without falling flat on your face (either from having your view of the road/floor partially obstructed, or because it takes a whole lot more muscle strength to hold that pose, lol)
And that's the whole point, the muscle strength. All we need is someone who looks like a basketball player and can hold that pose for a couple of kilometers,- preferably a power forward or a center. How difficult that can be, LOL?
(but why on your back, man, and not on your hands like a proper prince Charming though?)
Have you never carried a 25Kg sack of rice? Or potatoes? Imagine carrying something at least 50-60kg in your arms. Ain't no one got muscles for that save UFC fighters.
That bridal style method is worse than piggybacks.
But...but...we are not sacks of potatoes though. Why should we be carried on our men's backs? Bridal style may be very harmful to their spines but, on the other hand, it proves how much they cherish us. Gracefully carrying our 50-60kg around half the city must be a piece of cake for them, lol!
Of the entire lot, I've only personally experienced the sleeping one, and that's because I nodded off on his shoulder and then woke up, ha. The others are way too far-fetched.
(anyone trying to wrist-grab me would get a swift kick in the shin for sure. And I do not wear shoes that I haven't purchased myself, too much potential for getting things wrong that way! From shoe size to aesthetics.)
LOL! I could never imagine how anyone could just buy shoes for someone else who had not even tried on those shoes, and have them fit well. Must be magic drama feet or magic drama shoes.... one size fits all!!
Forget the size, I'm amazed by how drama girlfriends seem to like even the ugliest shoes their bfs get them. I would maybe accept socks from a boyfriend, but shoes? No way. At least socks don't hurt to wear!
I don't really remember the title, but in one of Lee Jong Suk drama, he marked the girl's shoe size on his shoe sole before he went to buy her a new shoes. I laughed watching that scene because usually the male lead never bother to do that.
The wrist grabbing is always put me off. I always winced whenever the lead male doing that. Can't you just hold her arm or what? (And apparently She Was Pretty really love to use this maneuver.)
The thing I loved about Jung Hoo in Healer was that when she walked off, he only held her arm and then he walked to stand in front of her, instead of yanking her towards him. Now that was sweet and respectful.
Cha Tae Hyun's character in Producers walk and stop in front of Gong Hyo Jin in the last episode instead of grabbing her wrist; that's the first time I notice that kind of scene didn't end with wrist-grabbing.
Apparently what they need to do in modern kdrama land is bring back that little silver dagger Joseon ladies used to carry. When he tries that grab and pull move on you drive it into his arm deep enough to touch bone. That'll cure his bad habits, really quick.
@Growingbeautifully - I also mentally checked off how many of those physical-contact tropes we've seen so far in Sassy Go Go, and I count five!
Weirdly, in there it just doesn't seem as bizarrely forced, or maybe I've just lost my head over Yeol and Yeon-doo so completely that I don't even mind the most absurd of the situations (the falling-glass-protection backhug), my brain is on too much shipper crack and just wants MORE.
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1 redfox
October 23, 2015 at 6:11 AM
Hi there
How are you?
I have been busy with some health issues, tests, they took so much blood I was thinking maybe orders by Gwi... and ultrasound. but all is clear it is just we have only one break at work in 11 hours and I dont eat often enough so my stomach starts eating itself. eww. maybe I should watch less dramas cause every time I look at the screen they are eating and that gets the stomach started again... I have to eat 4 times a day. and no coffee :-(
MIGHT BE SPOILERS SINCE THERE ARE NO RECAPS YET.
anyway, I am sort of irritated at She Was Pretty. they are all a lot more stupid now. Like, you were slow, Seung joon, too slow. Blame yourself that you didnt get it. And with that I really don´t feel he deserves Hye Jin. Or that Hye Jin should accept him so easily. It is not about second leads, it is just about fairness. on the other hand, if you meet your real long gone friends I do suppose it gets you all emo.
But still...I am not quite satisfied nor impressed. The hints should have been enough, and don´t give me the "but the puzzle piece"... or "he had pressure on him". That´s not an excuse not to state the obvious, or ASK, or just say: I am confused, I thought THAT person was my friend but she doesnt seem like it, instead YOU remind me of my friend, am I crazy or am I right? ah, but I guess he is not me, I tend to jump at people like that and spook them. and Ha Ri, if your bubble was popped, blame yourself. really you dragged it for too long. plus, Hye Jin... too quick to admit you like him. from being awkward to being in love. and becoming the irrational idiot day after! it doesnt een make sense in the context of the usual kdrama idiotism. gah many things are bugging me, but as long as Shin Hyuk and all the editors keep being so cute and crazy, whatever. I´ll just look past anything those lost friends are doing. none of them deserve their current standing, I am just not buying the smoothness of the results.
POSSIBLE SPOILER OVER
I watched the japanese Liar Game at last, it was at parts very over the top and the calculations were even more confusing, but what I liked it was more visible how Akiyama was forming the strategy. he didnt just walk up and say he has a way to win, there was some observing and strategic moves...
Question: if you could form a "Superleague" of kdrama actors, like the team of teams, who would you put there and what would be their mission?
(inspired by the unbelievable ahjumma cast in the coming Dear My Friends, ridiculous sequence of words though)
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 6:13 AM
and just this for an ending:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151022-the-secret-behind-kimichis-sour-taste?ocid=fbfut
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newgirl
October 23, 2015 at 5:14 PM
Ha! Just the other day I was googling "what chemical smells like sweaty socks", (I know, I know; but that's how my mind works when it's not on Kdrama.), and I read a lot about butyrate, which is produced by a lot of the bacteria types found in kim chee, sauerkraut and other fermented foods. Apparently butyrates can promote the growth of healthy cells and can kill cancerous cells in your colon. There is quite a bit of research on it. So eat your kim chee! (Or if you're allergic to peppers like I am, eat your white kim chee, sauerkraut, pickled beets, pickles, and drink your kefir, and kombucha tea.)
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pebble
October 23, 2015 at 6:59 AM
Hi redfox, just to congratulate you on getting all clear for your health tests. Last week I went through the horrendous gastroscopy again, glad that my stomach lining has healed, but still I could not eat those spicy stuff, and it was real torture when watching Midnight Diner, omg, how I miss eating kimchi, tteokbokki and bibimbap!
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 23, 2015 at 7:22 AM
J-liar game is still my favorite but yeah, my brain started cramping when i watched it. Especially the third season.
Re: Kdramas responses to their intuition
I'm having the same trouble with Achiara. It's like.. come on now, woman! What else do you need to know that this is your sister?
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Sajen
October 23, 2015 at 7:30 AM
"Question: if you could form a “Superleague” of kdrama actors, like the team of teams, who would you put there and what would be their mission?
(inspired by the unbelievable ahjumma cast in the coming Dear My Friends, ridiculous sequence of words though)"
Jeon Do-yeon, Im Soo-jung, Im Joo-eun, Yoon Yeo-jung, Kim Ok-bin, Bae Doo-na, Moon Chae-won, Kim Go-eun, Kim So-hyun, Kim Sae-ron, Jo Soo-hyang, Jung Eun-ji, Go Ah-sung, Chae Soo-bin, Cha Seung-won, Song Kang-ho, Won Bin, Joo Won, Hyun Bin, Lee Sun-kyun, Lee Sung-min, Hwang Jung-min, Choi Min-soo, Choi Min-sik, and Ryu Seung-ryong.
They'd have two missions first make a well written, all female drama with the women and preferably written by pre Padam-Padam Noh Hee-kyung or Seo Sook-hyang. And second to make a drama all together. Is that good enough or do they need a super powered mission?
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 7:48 AM
not compusory, but t would be fun to hear, and what type of superfrce they all are. it can be something practical or totally crazy maybe good negotiator, dog whisperer, excellent at basket weaving
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windsun33
October 23, 2015 at 8:38 AM
+1 on the irrational idiot part. That 180 made zero freaking sense to me.
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fan
October 23, 2015 at 9:37 AM
The casts in Dear My Friends are just so awesome (How did they gather them all?). That reminds me of movie Mapado - story of a gangster and 5 old women(Yeo Woon-kye, Kim Soo-mi, Kim Hyeong_ja, Kim Eul-dong, Gil Hae-yeon) in a remote island. Awesome casting and it was so fun.
I assume "Superleague" can include all A+ list actors - Song KangHo, Seol GyungGu, Hwang JungMin, Jang DongGun, Lee ByungHeun, Won Bin, Kang DongWon etc. They could work on some thriller (No romcom for sure), out-smarting each other. I wouldn't watch it-not my genre, but many would.
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 9:52 AM
Superleague of kdrama actors? I'm going to imagine I'm staffing a 50-episode family drama, and fire away:
Kim Hye-ja, Chae Si-ra, Kim Hye-soo, Jeon Do-yeon, Lee Young-ae, Im Soo-jung, Bae Doo-na, Gong Hyo-jin, Sohn Ye-jin, Hwang Jung-eum, Moon Chae-won, Baek Jin-hee, Kang So-ra, Choi Soo-young, Kim Go-eun, Jo Bo-ah, Go Ah-sung, Kim Ji-won, Jung Eun-ji, Chae Soo-bin, Nam Ji-hyun, Seo Shin-ae, Kim So-hyun, Kim Yoo-jung, and Kim Sae-ron, on the women's side
and on the men's side:
Lee Sung-jae, Choi Min-soo, Han Suk-kyu, Song Kang-ho, Kim Yoon-seok, Yoo Oh-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-il, So Ji-sub, Won Bin, Ji Sung, Ha Jung-woo, Kim Mu-yeol, Kang Dong-won, Kim Rae-won, Park Hae-jin, Lee Min-ki, Byun Yo-han, Seo In-gook, Im Shi-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Lee Won-geun, Lee Hyun-woo, Yoo Seung-ho, Park Gun-tae, Yeo Jin-gu.
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 10:06 AM
woah.
and what´s the plot with such enourmous number of actors?
or could it be a reality show? Running Man 3-day overseas special?
I thoughts of a plot recently based on the rising sea levels, 200 years into the future, where 3 groups of scientists head out to explore the wild, the ocean and underground tunnels. it could be something similar?
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 10:38 AM
I don't know, I imagine one of those 150-episode dramas or sitcoms could easily accommodate a cast of this size. You know, the type that are about huge sprawling families with a hundred cousins here and there (everyone doesn't have to be main cast, some can just drop in for a couple of episodes as cameos).
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justwanttotry
October 23, 2015 at 10:34 PM
Gong hyo jin
Kang dong won
Park si yeon
Moon Chae won
Lee Jong suek
Kim woo bin
Luhan
Yamapi
Park Bo gum
Kim so hyun
Lee bang won
Plot : something like ocean's 11/final destination/walking dead korean version ✌️✌️?
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justwanttotry
October 24, 2015 at 8:41 AM
Heroes or Trace (korean webtoon)
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2 little-muffin
October 23, 2015 at 6:14 AM
Lee Sang-yoon as Cha Hyun-seok is the greatest thing that happens in my dramaland!! ?
I mean.. seriously.. he's the most adorable awesome character ever! LSY is the perfect cast for this. Oh shoot, now I'm grinning from ear to ear again.
Just started on 'Twenty Again' early this week and finished it in few days. It has easily become one of my all time fave and I think I'll watch it again and again whenever I need a quick happy fix.
Back to Lee Sang-yoon, he's really quite a late bloomer. From MDSY to Liar Game and now this. I'm so looking forward to more of him.
Can you think of any other actor who fits a drama character perfectly?
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poliwag
October 23, 2015 at 6:28 AM
Shin Sungrok || Kang Doyoung.
[AGGRESSIVELY WILL SMITHES AT MY BABY]
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gadis
October 23, 2015 at 6:34 AM
Park Bo Gum as a Min in I Remember You comes to mind. I can't imagine another actor play the lost-little-brother-turn-psycopath so perfectly.
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Bongsookie?
October 23, 2015 at 6:39 AM
+1
Agree with Park Bo Gum as Min. He played the character so well!
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 6:48 AM
Cha Seung Won as Dokko Jin, and Seo In Guk as Lee Min-seok
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pebble
October 23, 2015 at 8:50 AM
yep totally agree, CSW's portrayal of the quirky unconventional hallyu star in The Greatest Love is so superb!
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little-muffin
October 23, 2015 at 7:53 AM
You are right! I really love Min regardless how twisted he is, all thanks to perfect portrayal by Park Bo Gum!
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pastmidnite
October 23, 2015 at 7:15 AM
Yoo Ah-in as Guh-ro and Song Joong-ki as Yeo-rim in SKSS :-D
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Mal
October 23, 2015 at 9:05 AM
Lee Seon-kyun as the hot-tempered Chef in Pasta.
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MaryHazel
October 23, 2015 at 9:31 PM
I agree with all of these and I would add, Jim Hyun Woo as Kim Boong Do...not sure who I love most, the character or the actor.
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3 gadis
October 23, 2015 at 6:29 AM
Watching the latest episode of She Was Pretty, I have to say I'm happy that Hari is still Hyejin's first priority. I'm glad that the writer treat their relationship as important as the romance. I kind of understand why Hyejin still believe in Hari even after all that mess. Their relationship is deeper and tighter than a simple friendship, Hari is Hyejin's family and vice versa. And it's not that easy to severe such a ties. You can't just disown your 'sister' for a mere boy's problem. Even if the problem is actually more complicated than that, their lifelong relationship is still far more important for Haejin.
Why did I have a feeling that Ten's identity will play an important role in the next episodes??
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Lixie
October 23, 2015 at 6:51 AM
I think Ten is either the crazy editor or SH but won't be a big deal.
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Lixie
October 23, 2015 at 7:53 AM
Hello beanies!
Where is that kind of drama everyone here would be watching at the same time and talking about non stop? I feel we need another addictive drama!
This week in dramaland
Flowers for Algernon I did not know this story was famous. I was listening to the soundtrack somewhere and somebody posted a spoiler, I got mad. It's kind of corny but I was loving it, after main character changed so much I feel the story itself is pretty outdated but still good. I'm almost at the last eps and there are no subs for the last 2 episodes, I think I'll have to watch them raw which will be a first for this drama addict.
She Was Pretty After you completely give up expecting the story to make sense it gets a lot better. Some kdramas are like that. Still HyeJin atill annoyed me a little playing the crazy person just because she got a hug from someone she should not be crazy in love yet. Way too fast. I like it though, it uses 2 tropes I can never resist: the Ugly Duckling and Mistaken Identity so it's fun for me.
Grapevine I'm glad I could marathon this. The beginning was really good but it got frustrating fast and just became too repetitive. I was kind of despising the main characters, the lawyer and his wife, while the writer was still in love with them. The things that were supposed to happen in the middle only take place in the last episodes so it had 30 episodes and still managed to have a very rushed ending. I don't regret giving this a second chance but after this and SLA I hope this writer has gotten over his love for rich vain superficial snobbish characters.
Wakamonotachi I'm still in the middle but I'm enjoying it, I just wish they would not scream so much. :) I like the realism of every character but I have a feeling this might take a melodramatic turn.
Kingyo Club I love simple stories that know where they want to go, I hope it will be as good all the way.
Young-Pal It wasn't really all that bad. :) I still haven't finished but I guess the lame romance really sabotaged the story. How come Joo Won never sells romance to me? I know the writing is the major culprit and the actress was pretty weak too but it's kind of odd since I like him so much.
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Lixie
October 23, 2015 at 7:56 AM
It got posted in the wrong place sorry, how do we edit?
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Wag-a-muffin
October 23, 2015 at 8:43 AM
When she was pretty. Aw. I've got 2nd lead syndrome AGAIN. It's going to break my heart when she doesn't end up with the mentally whacky Shin-hyuk, and instead, opts for the (mentally mental) Sung-joon, isn't it.
Wouldn't her life be so much more full with Shin-hyuk? (It would be more fun for sure. Her personality just goes with his.)
Alas, I feel the Chil-bongie throes all over again.
(And if that bold, unbold formatting doesn't work, I'm gonna pretend like I did it on purpose.)
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Daphne
October 23, 2015 at 9:48 AM
"Wouldn’t her life be so much more full with Shin-hyuk? (It would be more fun for sure. Her personality just goes with his.)"
Not really because Hye-jin's reaction to Shin-hyuk's funny, wacky antics is usually more annoyed than amused.
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Wag-a-muffin
October 23, 2015 at 9:54 AM
Hmm. Thinking about your comment, you're probably right. BUT MY life would be more fun with him than the uptight, sometimes nice, sometimes snobby Sung-Joon.
redfox
October 23, 2015 at 10:16 AM
Wag_A_Muffin: mine too! but I´d be satisfied with being friends and maybe having a safe haven when I get in trouble (which is often) and kinda cant reveal it to anyone. I like loyal, but honest people who can cheer me up. and be crazy with reputation be damned, then part like sorry dont know this person see you tomorrow
nomad
October 23, 2015 at 10:13 AM
Oh I"m with you WAM. MY life would be much more interesting and fun with Shin Hyuk around. He can be the bf AND my best guy friend. The guy is it. Yes...I was also shipping Chilbongie...welcome, broken heart, again.
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earthna
October 23, 2015 at 11:38 AM
Well, I guess you can't control what the heart wants. Also, after the $50 thing, I gave up on that ship. Basically tells you that Hyejin doesn't think/care of what Shin Hyuk feels.
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alua
October 24, 2015 at 1:40 AM
Kingyo Club – it's good all the way. Well, there's a minor thing I would change in the end if I could have my way, but that's with one of the side characters. Good all the way with the leads.
Wakamonotachi – You're not the first to say this about screaming (esp. Tsumabuki Satoshi's character). I never felt this way though. They are noisy, but there are absolutely families like this. However, I think it's not the sort of image we get of Japanese people, not on TV – they are much more likely portrayed as quiet rather than rambunctious. I don't think if this were, say, a drama about an Italian family, anyone would say about the screaming. You'd just be like "Yeah, Italians are like that."
It doesn't get overly melodramatic. It's a realistic drama, no outrageous twists, just things that happen in life. (How many episodes have you watched?)
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 8:12 AM
About Ten in She Was Pretty... when the Most team was talking about Ten and mentioned that it could be an ahjumma, the camera focussed on Chief Editor as she entered the office.... it was either a big clue, the answer or a red herring. :)
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plumwine
October 23, 2015 at 8:24 AM
I also like how they are treating the ladies friendship as something as important as the romance. I did get vibes that Hye Jin would 'let' Ha Ri have Sung Joon, which made me think 'just because you let go , doesn't mean he'll go to her'. However I was very happy that was cleared up in such a well handled way.
I have no idea who Ten is, but I'm looking forward to it. I hope it helps.
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windsun33
October 23, 2015 at 8:47 AM
I thought that whole backing off for Ha Ri was just stupid. But since characters in k-dramas never actually talk to each other, nor do they ever actually listen, I am not surprised. She never bothered to ask if maybe he was actually interested in Ha Ri. The show was fun for the first couple episodes, but as once again noble idiocy comes to the forefront... meh.
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 9:05 AM
Slight SPOILER ...
The reasons Hye Jin gave for backing off sounded valid, so ultimately I give her a pass ... but I do think she could have spoken to him about it from the beginning instead of acting all weird and upsetting him.
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earthna
October 23, 2015 at 11:42 AM
Liking the same person would be hella awkward to begin with. It won't make the friendship the same again. Noble idiocy in drama is so annoying. I never understand that. They would end up together in the end anyway, why go that way? This is why Healer couple is on my top faves because they actually talk! Just when you think the misunderstanding would begin, they talk to each other, ask, and clear things up. Healer was so refreshing.
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halfmoon
October 23, 2015 at 5:30 PM
Comment was deleted
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Chandler
October 24, 2015 at 8:45 AM
I agree with this. I don't think the drama has taken all the right steps, but I actually didn't mind this aspect of the episode that much because it was addressed for what it was rather quickly. I would need time to sort things out too if I were in her position.
LizJ
October 23, 2015 at 9:22 AM
I have to disagree a little. Not about the importance of the relationship, but I do not believe the whole revelation and blame thing was treated realistically. Even when it's a family member involved in deceit and betrayal, it still hurts. It usually hurts MORE when it is someone lose to us. I think it's totally unrealistic to depict Hye Jin as being focused on "understanding" and so concerned about Ha Ri's feelings in a situation like this.
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karen
October 23, 2015 at 6:43 PM
Here's my two cents on She was pretty (Spoiler Alert for ep 11)
Ha ri feels guilty because she can’t bring herself to say sorry but Hye Jin ain’t yelling her (Which would make her feel bad for not saying sorry). She’s too embarrassed to face her loyal friend so she feels like running away is the right answer. Which although wrong, is a reasonable reaction.
Hye JIn is all about friends before boys, which knowing her, is a reasonable thing for her to think. She’s so tight with Ha Ri that it feels wrong to get with her man.
Shin Hyuk had his heart broken (For maybe the first time), so LET HIM BE SALTY. HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO ACT OTHERWISE. He just lost this amazing girl. Sorry he’s not being crazy and making you laugh HE’S SAD.
And Sung Joon is the most amazing guy ever. Like omg he’s smart and so nice to him. He’s waiting for Hye Jin because he really likes her, and after all that they’ve been through, what’s waiting a but more for her to be happy and ready?
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karen
October 23, 2015 at 6:47 PM
Oops typos everywhere. I'm trying to say that Hari feels guilty because she can't bring herself to say sorry to Hye Jin. But she probably wants Hye Jin to yell at her so she can feel better and "punished". But since Hye Jin's such a loyal friend, she doesn't know how to respond so she thinks running away is the right answer, she feels so much guilt. Oh and she's heart broken too. So that doesn't help
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 8:34 PM
@ karen
Yes, this was what I meant by it being a valid reason. Hye Jin was not backing off to let Sung Joon and Ha Ri be together, but because her relationship with Ha Ri was strained, over Sung Joon. It felt wrong for her to just be 'happy' with him under the circumstances. And yes, she should have told him from the beginning instead of trying to 'just go back to being classmates'. He would have understood and given her space and time.
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alua
October 24, 2015 at 1:29 AM
<And Sung Joon is the most amazing guy ever
Most amazing guy ever? I still remember how he treated Hye Jin terribly at the beginning. Amazing it was not.
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growingbeautifully
October 24, 2015 at 1:51 AM
I feel that the show went too far into making Sung Joon unpleasant towards Hye Jin in the beginning. He could have been shown to be a gruff, no nonsense boss without including personal attacks and insults that until today we recall, to his detriment.
I do not suppose the show will go the way of him ever making a full apology for being such a crappy person towards Hye Jin in the beginning. It will probably just show her accepting him regardless.
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4 pebble
October 23, 2015 at 6:42 AM
@pogo wrote a very impressive review of Sassy Go Go last week which had me persuaded. The first episode did not really get me hooked immediately, but from the second episode onwards, things are gathering momentum and I’m starting to fall in love with it. The gutsy demeanor of Yeon-doo reminded me of Makiko Esumi in the comic jdrama series Shomuni which also hilariously mocked elitism through the struggle of the underdog.
Last week the 2nd lead syndrome was being raised due to Kim Shin-hyuk in She Was Pretty, and there was also discussion about passionate love versus stable love. I was ruminating on this, and here is my take. I rarely have 2nd lead syndrome except for these four dramas which hit me real hard:
Mary stayed out All Night - Mae-ri(Moon Geun-young) choosing Mu-gyul(Jang Keun-suk) over Jung-in(Kim Jae-wook)
Hong Gil Dong - Yi-nok(Sung Yu-ri) choosing Gil-dong (Kang Ji-hwan) over Chng-hwi (Jang Keun-suk)
To the Beautiful You - Jae-hee(Sulli) choosing Tae-joon(Choi Minho) over Eun-gyeol(Lee Hyun-woo)
Mirae’s Choice - Mi-rae(Yoon Eun-hye) choosing Kim Shin(Lee Dong-gun) over Se-joo(Jung Yong-hwa) – ok, this is somewhat debatable
I have nothing against the main leads, and I actually like all of them, but what irks me is seeing the girl indulging her full attention to the whims and fancies of her love interest, supporting and helping him in every possible way and nursing his every wound, while totally oblivious to the 2nd lead who is always there for her in time of need or when she gets hurt by the capricious mood swings and unexplained tantrums of the male lead.
In MSOAN, the term “EuriYeoja” (meaning faithful and loyal girl) is used on Mae-ri, which perfectly describes such total devotion to love. I feel very sorry for the pathetic second lead who is being cast aside to lick his own wounds, not even receiving a tiny wee-bit of “Euri” from the girl though he is exhibiting 100% “Euri” behavour towards her. Shouldn’t the lead at least do more to earn his keep? Being a "Euriyeoja" is sure to be very tough in the long run, so I rather the girl forgo her passionate love towards the male lead for the stable love of the 2nd lead. Though I also like Jang Keun-suk, I couldn’t help but feel very sorry for Kim Jae Wook’s character in MSOAN that I rather Mae-ri chose him. I loved the scene in which he sat beside Mae-ri on the floor in the bookshop, and went gaga when he showed Mae-ri her room with wall high bookshelves filled up with all her favorite books.
Probably most will not agree with me, but if there is anyone who has suffered from 2nd lead syndrome, please share your views, it will be great to hear what you have to say.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
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Lixie
October 23, 2015 at 6:58 AM
What is Second Lead Syndrome? I always thought it was when we like the second lead more and ship him with the main female lead. If that is right it is rare for me because if the woman is not interested in the guy at all I can't root for them to have any romance. It really doesn't matter if the guy is way better than any jerk cold chaebol the lead is obsessing about for no good reason. :) Last week in post 33 I remember talking about this too.
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pebble
October 23, 2015 at 7:19 AM
Hi Lixie, that's right, I interpret 2nd lead syndrome as shipping 2nd male lead with the female lead. Yep, I remember this being discussed last week, so it was you who raised it. :) I know the majority would not have agreed with me, love defies all logic, be it a jerk, so long as she loves him, then the choice is final. In the 4 drama listed above, the girl is going into overdrive pampering the male lead, inadvertently I felt so sorry for the 2nd lead that I rather advocate that passionate love is transient and steady love (with the 2nd lead) can be nurtured.
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Lixie
October 23, 2015 at 8:00 AM
It was tapiocapearl actually, I was replying her post, she doesn't have SLS very often either. :)
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Wag-a-muffin
October 23, 2015 at 8:45 AM
I first experience 2nd lead syndrome with "The Greatest Love." I SO wanted her to end up with the kind, quirky, doctor and not the snotty actor.
Since then I have mellowed and I re-watched it and like the ending. But the first time--I was pretty ticked.
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kalel
October 23, 2015 at 9:20 AM
But isn't it the whole point,-especially in Hong sisters dramas? No matter how flawed a person seems, there must be at least one other person who can see beyond the obvious. It's always about the "perfect match" and not the ideal nor the reasonable one; that's the perpetual human need to begin with.
Lixie
October 23, 2015 at 11:08 AM
Agreed. I find impossible to ship second leads in the Hong sisters dramas because they always make the OTP complement each other so well.
CaroleMcDonnell
October 23, 2015 at 7:28 AM
With me, there is a bit of a combination issue when it comes to shipping. The fated/destined/childhood love issue PLUS the worth and value issue PLUS the acting chemistry. If i feel someone is messing with destiny, I have a problem with the pairing. If I think second lead ismore worthy of first lead or first lead is just not worth the second lead (or the first). If i "feel" something when characters are together.
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 10:22 AM
I haven´t really had second lead syndrom in the sense that I am shipping them with the lead, but I do sometimes route for side characters on their personal quest way more than I care about main characters
Like Hwi kyung in MLFTS - I was practically paralyzed with fear for him, still think his storyline with evil bro should have been a whole separate drama. I chew my blanket into shreds thinking: please dont be caught! omg dont die! get the f out of there! are you nuts, you crazy guy!
and then, at first I really didnt care for Teacher Noa in Angry Mom, but watching again I started to understand him better and really sympathized with who he tried to be.
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 7:15 AM
@Pebble - glad you gave Sassy Go Go a try! I'm still in squealing fangirl mode over pretty much everything about that drama and loving the way it's developing, but I'm so glad I brought you on board, and that you're enjoying it ;)
And I have totally suffered from Second Lead Syndrome - it's how I got introduced to oppa, in My Girl! It was one of my earliest dramas and anyone with half a brain could see that Lee Da-hae's character was meant to end up with Lee Dong-wook, but the minute I laid eyes on Lee Jun-ki, it was game over. It did not help that he had great chemistry with LDH too, and I lived for his and Lee Dong-wook's angstily-soundtracked squash matches lol.
I'd say Second Lead Syndrome usually happens when a designated secondary lead character ends up being either really compelling/interesting, or having better chemistry with the main lead than the designated male/female lead. (see also: Song Jae-rim in Surplus Princess, Kim Woo-bin in Heirs and Yoon Kye-sang in Best Love)
I've also had Second Lead Syndrome for women - notably Han Chae-ah in Gaksital, Kim Ji-won in Heirs (though I did love her and found her far more engaging than doormat Eun-sang, I did NOT want her to get with Kim Tan, I wanted her with Young-do!) and Kang Sora in That Drama That Must Not Be Named. And in jdrama land, I had it for Mizushima Hiro in Zettai Kareshi.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 23, 2015 at 7:29 AM
Should i try sassy girl? Is it that good?
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 7:59 AM
I don't want to hype it up too much, but do give the first couple of episodes a try.
The casting on this one is really solid (and even where it may be less than perfect, the character description accounts for N's blankness) , I don't end up having to make excuses for any insipid idol actors in the lead a la Orange Marmalade.
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atz
October 23, 2015 at 8:19 AM
I think That Sassy Go Go got a similar vibe of School 2013. School 2013 does not have a romance but this one does. iT got romance along with school /family problems.this one is focused on how schools value good grades and how the parents make fussy demands to schools thus creating more pressure on students. so far it is better than School 2015.
I like Kim Ji Seok, the teacher, so I decided to give it a go and I do not regret it,,, I really enjoyed it so far.
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 8:30 AM
@Atz - that's pretty spot-on in some ways - Sassy Go Go does feel a lot like what School 2013 might have, if it featured a romance.
(but I'm glad School 2013 didn't, I wasn't feeling Lee Jong-seok/Park Se-young at all. They were trying to set up a love line, that much was obvious, but it still felt tacked-on. And the viewers must have not been into it either, if they voted to remove the love lines 3 episodes into the drama's run)
pebble
October 23, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Hello pogo! Wow, you can come up with so many convincing examples of 2nd lead syndrome in such a short time! :) You are really a walking encyclopedia of kdrama, everything is at your fingertips!
I watched My Girl quite a while ago, probably due to my bias towards oppa, I would have preferred him over anyone else anyway, whether he is the 1st lead or 2nd lead, so the 2nd lead syndrome was not so obvious to me. Since you fell for oppa in My Girl, there must be something about him and LDH which captivated you. My curiosity is aroused, I will probably go re-watch it again.
My points about 2nd lead syndrome are:
1. the male lead character is standoffish or a jerk of some kind
2. the female lead is excessively idolising the male lead to the extent of getting me annoyed
3. the 2nd lead is showering the girl with unconditional love, and of course he is of the "style" I approve, that is why I'm rooting for him to be with the female lead :)
Oh yes, I sympathise with KWB a lot in Heirs too, that adds to my list of drama with 2nd lead syndrome.
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 8:37 AM
True, liking him beforehand will predispose you to having SLS for oppa! But I still remember seeing him for the first time, he was so gorgeous I almost choked. (and this is even with the silly mid-2000s hair and clothes). And I am not that knowledgeable about dramas, there are still loads I've never watched.
Kim Woo-bin is actually a totally atypical second lead in Heirs - he's the jerk and the bully, while the first lead is the one who's all gooey over the girl and the 'nice boy' according to the drama. But even with that, he had great chemistry with both Park Shin-hye and Kim Ji-won in that drama, it was hard not to ship.
I'd say a more classic example of SLS happened to me in Trot Lovers - I ended up shipping Shin Sung-rok with Jung Eun-ji, so hard! They just had chemistry in spades despite him being so much older than her, while with Ji Hyun-woo (an actor I normally LOVE) I felt nothing at all between them as a couple.
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pebble
October 23, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Yep, oppa is GORGEOUS beyond words, if Kiara is around, she will sure agree 101%. I've learned to tone down fangirling oppa here as it could backfire and irritate others who are not his fans.
When it comes to drama watching, I have short memory span, so I do not recall much details after a year or two unless it is a drama I re-watched for a second time. My memory of Heirs is quite hazy, but I do recall that I felt very sorry for Youngdo after seeing how his dad slapped him and I grew to like him more than Kim Tan as his character developed.
As for Ji Hyun-woo, he was acting like a complete jerk in Invincible Lee Pyung Kang, but I did not suffer from SLS as Nam Sang-Mi was a tough cookie who could handle him so well that there was no room for the 2nd lead. I've not watched Trot Lover, it's on my list of kdrama to watch for a long time already and it will take ages to get round to it. I'm quite slow in drama watching as I rather go at a slow pace savouring and digesting the nice parts in each drama, and I tend to re-watch my favourite dramas too. So I find the recommendation from beanies here very helpful in sieving and shortening the long list of drama to watch.
pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 10:03 AM
@Pebble - yes, oppa is almost too beautiful to be human but I think (and hope) that we're reasonable fans!
Last week's OT featured some virtual textbook examples of a fandom being so overzealous and illogical that it became off-putting, and I'd be horrified and ashamed if any Lee Jun-ki fan was ever that rude or had that much of a persecution complex. (but then, from what I've seen, the problematic behaviour on display last week is very particular to that fandom - I've never seen fans of any other actor behave like that).
and if you haven't watched Trot Lovers already, don't bother now unless you're a huge fan of Jung Eun-ji and are willing to endure anything to hear her sing. Despite how much I enjoyed her+Shin Sung-rok (and her lovely voice singing trot songs!), it's really quite a dumb drama.
redfox
October 23, 2015 at 10:27 AM
Trot Lovers was not a good drama, but Shin Sung Rok made me laugh in the one, two and five on first appearance. he kinda reminded me of Buster Keaton there
kitkat
October 23, 2015 at 1:15 PM
yay! another one here! shin sung-rok was so entertaining in trot lovers. and while I disliked the wild antics of the show I actually enjoyed watching jung eun ji interacting with shing sung-rok. they were super adorable.
light
October 23, 2015 at 8:52 AM
Man I have severe Second Lead Syndrome from She Was Pretty. Siwon is one fine gruff looking man. I will not expect Hye Rin to end up with Crazy though. Is there ever a kdrama where the lead girl ends up with the second lead? (Mi-rae's Choice? Hee).
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 8:57 AM
It happened in Baker King Kim Tak Gu....and also in Queen of Reversals, I think?
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pebble
October 23, 2015 at 10:06 AM
I felt so sorry for Tak Gu(Yoon Shi-yoon) in Baker King that I refrain from watching most of Jo Won's subsequent drama except for The Good Doctor due to overwhelming positive reviews. Btw, has anyone watched Cantabile Tomorrow? I like drama about music, but not sure whether to watch this one.
Probably in Feast of the Gods too, I thought Joon-young (Sung Yu-ri) would pair up with Jae-ha (Joo Sang-wook) who is her childhood oppa, and he seems to have more screen time than Do-yoon(Lee Sang-woo), but eventually, Joon-young fell for Do-yoon instead.
atz
October 23, 2015 at 6:24 PM
@ pebble
True and true with the Feast of Gods, I really wanted the main girl with Joo Sang Wook! I stopped watching the drama when I found who she would end up with yet I still listen to the ost by Lee Seung Chul.
anoriori
October 23, 2015 at 7:23 AM
I very rarely get second lead syndrome. Perhaps I'm just a masochist who likes tsundere jerks haha. Often I find the second (male) lead to be fairly one-dimensional, and to think he knows what's good for the female lead all the time. I usually only get it when I find the lead really boring (*cough* School 2015 *cough* - though both leads were boring in that case.. why wasn't the drama about Taekwang and Eunbyul??)
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 7:26 AM
Tae-kwang and Eun-byul would have made a fabulous couple. Just imagine the abrasiveness! And the sass!
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doubt_no_more
October 24, 2015 at 8:46 AM
I guess we're the minority here. Me too, never gotten into Second Lead Syndrome hype until School 2015. From day 1 until the last, I wanted Eunbi with Taekwang. But after I rewatched the drama, I dont care about Eunbi and the swimmer guy *sorry cant recall his name* both of them can go run off to sunset, and I am secretly wishing for Taekwang and Eunbyul. They would have made a great couple!
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gadis
October 23, 2015 at 7:35 AM
It's interesting that for me, even if I definitely like the second lead beter than the lead, I rarely ship them with the lead girl. Because usually the girl never really interested in them, I just go along with the story. The only case where I had a severe second lead syndrome was Surplus Princess. Well, maybe it's also due to episode shortening, but I just couldn't buy the romance between the two lead.
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Cerulea
October 23, 2015 at 10:44 AM
I agree with most of the dramas with 2nd lead syndrome listed in this thread, and for me, the epitome would be You're Beautiful (Jung YongHwa as Kang ShinWoo).
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pebble
October 23, 2015 at 3:23 PM
Again, the male lead is JKS, I think he probably has the classic flamboyant bad guy look with that icy stare and air of nonchalance which is so alluring to good girls with the bad guy syndrome. The characters he played in You're Beautiful, Mary Stayed Out All Night and Love Rain all exhibit those irresistible bad guy traits which make the female lead fall head over heels for. :)
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Spi
October 24, 2015 at 1:59 AM
Awww so nice to read this. Thanks Pebble.
SLS hit me the hardest in Discovery of Romance when Han Yeo-reum (played by Jung Yu-mi) chose Kang Tae-ha (Eric Mun) over Nam Ha-jin (Sung Joon). To the point that everytime I hear the soundtrack again my heart just sinks for him.
I agree with you about Mary Stayed Out All Night. I wouldnt call it SLS since I was actually also happy that Mu-gyul was chosen in the end (I liked it that the poor guy was chosen over the rich one. That like never happened in dramaland!). However, Jung-in (Kim Jae Wook) was very convincing as the other man since he had emotional connection with Mae-ri (Moon Geun Young), instead of being just blatantly unsuitable like the 2nd leads in other dramas.
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5 NoIdeaName
October 23, 2015 at 6:42 AM
Currently watching "she was pretty" as the rest of the drama world, and while there's some bumpy places here and there, I can truthfully say I've enjoyed it this far
I need help deciding whether or not to start D-Day. I've heard that the first couple of episodes are bad, but I didnt know if they got better later and is worth watching now. Thanks!
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plumwine
October 23, 2015 at 8:35 AM
I like D Day, but then I like disaster movies and dramas. The biggest problem is that you have one guy repeatedly wanting to close down the hospital. One reason I'm watching is to see him get hurt somewhere and denied entrance to another hospital. (basically get his comeuppance). There are a few flaws, such as where is the military, but I like how it is exploring the characters. The cgi is pretty good (except for the ants), so the visuals are good.
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anabear
October 23, 2015 at 5:18 PM
it gets better, in my opinion. I don't mind the plotholes as long as I get a decent and moving story. also, I'm loving the romance between the leads, probably more than She was Pretty.
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6 4D
October 23, 2015 at 6:47 AM
Happy Friday Beanies!! Not too much to say, just plugging away at the same three
Sassy Go Go I technically still have part if the last episode left but I'm oddly dreading it. I actually really love the cast which is why I'm sticking with this show, but I think their time frame is too constricting so the plot development and character arcs feel a but forced. I also know they pushing for a sympathetic and possibly redeemable antagonist but I really haven't felt an ounce of sympathy for her the whole time...and I don't really get why the others do. Still really enjoying this.
Six Flying Dragons this show especially sucked me in this week. I'm really loving our adult characters!! I don't necessarily think they line up with the child versions though so I kind of view the parts as separate....but these new incarnations are really growing on me. And the tonality is all over the place but at least it's giving is a variety of interesting situations.
Village I will be watching this week's episodes today but overall this is a fun addition to my viewing lineup. I'm actually a big scaredy cat but this show hasn't scared me at all. The music really tries to make every moment tense but instead it made me desensitized and I constantly feel like it will be OK and a misunderstanding lol. But I like the variety of characters and the slow unraveling of what's gone on behind the scenes.
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In non-drama news, I'm having the worst time actually trying to figure out the age hierarchies in Korea. I mean I understand the basic the basic definition of chingu - same year friend (or early months of the next year) but I don't know how strict Koreans really are about it. I've seen videos where friends seem really strict about it such as someone it being a year younger having to use 'hyung' every single time even when they've known each other for years. But my Korean friend says she uses chingu with people several years younger or older and it doesn't matter. I guess I can't figure out what the norm is or if there is a norm.
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 7:33 AM
re: Sassy Go Go, I understand why you might write off Soo-ah, she's totally hateable. But she's also rather pathetic in a way, which leads me to feel bad for her even when I want to slap her hard (like I did for the scheme she concocted in ep 6).
Also agreed on the all-over-the-place tone of SFD. I enjoy it but it takes some getting used to.
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4D
October 28, 2015 at 9:42 AM
I think they were aiming for her to be pitiable, but it's just now working for me. I mean, Ji Soo frankly has a worse deal so it's hard to feel that empathetic especially when she channels her tough home life into such despicable acts.
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windsun33
October 23, 2015 at 8:53 AM
That whole hierarchy thing in Korea I think even confuses Koreans :P Saw one of those 12 min parody skits once where the supervisor was younger in age, but higher in position. All of his underlings were so paralyzed on how to address him that they all quit. :D
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Daehoney
October 23, 2015 at 10:05 AM
Age hierarchies in Korea is messed up. First their age are always +1 from the international age. When they were born, they're considered 1 year old, but then hey have a first birthday party when the child turns 1 in international age. Second, someone born in January/February can be considered as the same age as the previous year's born because school starts in March. Example, A was born in July 1990 and B was born in January 1991->they're the same age and therefore can be 'chingu' and can be in the same class (although sometimes people in 1990 wouldn't acknowledge it). If C was born on June 1991 he can also be friends with B if I'm not mistaken (correct me). But C should address A as senior although they're not fully 1 year apart. And that kind of addressing is really important in Korea it scares me actually.
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4D
October 28, 2015 at 9:45 AM
Yeah, it took me a minute but I did learn all the actual age rules (Korean age and the early year births). It's just that I've seen that be enforced really strictly in some areas but then not at all in others. I've had several people tell me that they still use chingu for people several years apart from them. Sigh. I imagine if I ever went to Korea I'd ended up not talking.
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Cerulea
October 23, 2015 at 10:48 AM
Agree concerning SooAh. People are wishing for a love triangle with HaJoon and DongJae and I am like "please noooo she doesn't deserve an ounce of it!"
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4D
October 28, 2015 at 9:43 AM
Yeah, I imagine she's going to be redeemed to some extent but I don't want her to be...at all.
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7 anoriori
October 23, 2015 at 6:51 AM
Hello all! My current drama feels:
Twenty Again - I liked it. I can't say I loved it because I'm not sure I'll remember much of it in a year. However it was very cute, an easy watch with some great characters. It didn't make me mad at all, progressed how I hoped it would, and ended the way I expected haha. Lee Sangyoon and Choi Jiwoo were great, but I'd really like to see more of No Younghak and Jin Kijoo. I found them much more interesting to watch than Naeun and Kim Minjae (though that's possibly because of their characters). Speaking of Minjae:
Because It's the First Time - I'm really enjoying this. Again it's lowkey, but it's a drama that feels surprisingly realistic (for a drama). The six main characters are all intriguing so far (Kim Minjae is doing better here). I like the format of making three 15 minute eps in a row every week, because each little ep feels self-contained yet links really well to the next one. Would recommend if you want a cute coming-of-age drama to watch, even if it is low on conflict.
She Was Pretty - I have been loving it from about ep 5-10. But I'm really worried about how they're going to fill in the last episodes. Ep 11 was already irritating me thanks to Hyejin's noble idiocy and mopey Shinhyuk. Pleaseeeee don't let this drag on for another 5 episodes. Focus on getting Hari and Shinhyuk together, or getting The Most to no. 1, or your Ten/chaebol mysteries instead of trying to push arbitrary hurdles in the main couple's path. And kisses please! I'm waiting patiently!
Sassy Go Go - Is different to what I was expecting and I'm not sure whether it's better or worse. I'm glad we're /finally/ getting to the cheerleading. All the adult stuff bores me, aside from cheerleading teacher x maths teacher. (Although one thing that bugs me about that is the way they introduced cheerleading teacher, as if she was ugly? Like I'm still mad about that. It took me like a week to understand that's what they meant...) I'm worried about where they're going with love triangles, because do we really need all three male leads falling for Yeondoo? I would say Yeondoo/Yeol is so obvious that having a love triangle is boring BUT there's the problem with their parents, so I'm not sure how they're going to resolve that. It seems a shame that the parents would have to give up their relationship for the kids (and also awkward). I'm rooting for Hajoon x Sooah (you know, once she goes through her character development). I feel like they were planning to go with Dongjae x Sooah, but might have decided that wasn't really working? Anyway let's have Hajoon x happiness at least (I wouldn't say no to a Jisoo kiss scene either....).
Village - I've only watched two episodes, because the subs I watched for episode 2 were rubbish. I might wait until it's over to finish it so I can binge, because at the moment it's not really demanding my attention. I'm not sure I really care about any of the characters that...
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 7:20 AM
I don't think we're getting a main leads love triangle in Sassy Go Go, Ha-joon just seems to have started to respect Yeon-doo a little, is all. And he sees her as someone worthy of his loyalty, which he never gave to anyone but Yeol before. I know the umbrella scene threw a lot of us off, but I agree with everyone who says the interpretation wasn't necessarily a romantic one.
As for Soo-ah, I don't think love lines are as important as that girl working out her issues. Which I think is where potential friendships, however tentative, may help. Ha-joon doesn't like her at all, but he gets what she's going through. While Dong-jae sees through all her bluster to whatever emotions she's kept hidden under layers of anger and spite. I think they could both do her good, but she needs to hit the turning point first (which she may have done this week, after what happened at the cheerleading performance)
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anoriori
October 23, 2015 at 7:27 AM
Yes I agree Sooah working out her issues is more important than her loveline. I'm not really sure what they're trying to do with Dongjae at the moment. At first I enjoyed his character but they had a couple of episodes where they barely did anything at all with him. Hopefully they pick up his storyline a bit more so I can be convinced of his importance to the plot.
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NoIdeaName
October 23, 2015 at 10:29 AM
I agree 100% with the She Was Pretty comment. I understand the Ha-Ri's first love this is the obstacle for Hye Jin but I hope that gets fixed quickly. I want more of happy Shin-Hyuk, he's killing me right now.
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8 korfan
October 23, 2015 at 6:55 AM
Hi Everyone!
I hope you are all doing well today.
I have to run off for a couple of hours, lots of things to do today, but I just wanted to stop by and say "hi!"
Watched this week:
Finally finished Yong-pal and continued waching Hwajeong. I think I just have 6 more episodes to go.
That's about it for now. ....... Everyone take care, have a great day and happy drama-watching!
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 7:00 AM
haiii
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9 Beanfan
October 23, 2015 at 6:58 AM
Kimchi is full of bacteria AND viruses??! Certainly learned something from this article!
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 7:04 AM
viruses that only affect the bacteria though
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windsun33
October 23, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Kimchi, just like many other foods, is fermented, so yeah it has to have bacteria or something to make it happen. So is yogurt, beer, bread, cheese etc.
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10 pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 6:58 AM
Another week done, and Sassy Go Go continues to steal my heart and induce equal amounts of squee (SO MUCH SQUEE, that couple! God bless whoever's idea it was to combine Lee Won-geun and Jung Eun-ji!) and heartache (poor Teacher Yang, they really put him through the wringer this week - not saying more because the ep 6 recap isn't out yet). And I loved that this week had Ha-joon actually opening his eyes to Yeon-doo being more than just some weird girl his bff likes.
It's a real shame it's not doing well ratings-wise, because it's an underrated little gem and I wish the team that came up with it could get the rewards they deserve. It's all the things I love about school dramas, and I love that it's a story where people actually TALK to each other instead of playing noble idiot. (and OOF that hug!!! and the banana milk!)
Also, Yeol/Yeon-doo have to go into end-of-year Best Couple nominations. That chemistry is too good for them not to. And while we have all been squeeing madly over his smiles, I have to give her credit for being so endearing and natural onscreen that no one ever doubts for a second WHY he's fallen for her (and it's not just because she's pretty).
Six Flying Dragons - started on this one from ep 5 onwards, and I think I like it. I really enjoy the cast, and as for Shin Se-kyung, she could be better but she's not unbearable. It does make me wish they'd scored their original choice of Baek Jin-hee for the role, though. SSK is ok but Baek Jin-hee would have slayed.
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sunnyxshin
October 23, 2015 at 7:20 AM
It's been days but I'm still squeeing over Yeol and Yeondoo too!! ♥ I really love the final scene in ep.6, it's really heart warming~
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 7:24 AM
I know, me too :)
I'm actually glad we get recaps on Sassy Go Go well after the episodes are aired, it lets me spread the squee out over the week - otherwise it'd be way too long to wait until Monday for the next episode!
(I can't believe I'm impatient for Mondays now, THAT is how bad my fangirl syndrome is)
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 8:02 AM
+1 Yes, same here, same here. Can't get enough of those sassy kids and their sweet love. Absolutely love the honesty of Yeol and how he looks at Yeon Doo. *puddle meltdown*
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snow
October 24, 2015 at 3:25 AM
about the end-of-year Best Couple nominations, it's a good idea but the rating is too low in SK I don't think the cast will even attend the ceremony (sad sad sad, this drama is really underrated!)
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Kiara
October 24, 2015 at 8:06 AM
I'm always nervous when it comes to Shin Se-kyung. She is bearable yes so I guess that's good. It's not like we expected more.
It's too bad Baek Jin-hee opted out. She would've been perfect with YAI.
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Kiara
October 24, 2015 at 6:11 PM
I think Shin Se-kyung did really well with Han Suk Kyu in Tree because he was a much better actor.
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Maru Hime
October 25, 2015 at 4:48 AM
@Pogo, Sassy Go Go made all the other dramas I was watching less exciting.
I used to be sooo excited to get my weekly dose of She Was Pretty and Twenty AGain. And then they went blah for me. I think it was equal parts that Sassy Go just keeps getting better while the other dramas kinda go downhill?
Anyways, it takes me forever to watch one epi of Sassy because of the frequent rewinds. And the squeeing!!! Lots of people in my house so I squee silently hahahaha
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11 fan
October 23, 2015 at 7:03 AM
Happy Friday!
I like the new top 10 thread by JB, because it gives me a chance to review what I have watched. I hardly have that chance, being so busy catching up with airing dramas which just keeps coming. I am surprised I can not remember endings, sometimes even plots for many shows (No wonder I can't get 'Name That Drama' even for the ones I watched. Well I can always blame on getting old).
Drama-wise,
Six flying dragons: I am glad they made this as fantasy Sageuk because these historical figures were used enough in previous dramas. I wanted to see something different and I think I got my wish. And even though the story is all over the place and tone is not consistant, I find it is quite enjoyable. This also feels like 4 young stars' acting competiton/showcase- all are doing great (love Byun Yo-han).
At first I thought 50 eps are too long, but considering there are 6 leads, 50 eps don't feel too long. I can watch Moo-hyul for 10 eps, Bang-ji for 10, Boon-yi for 10, listen to Jung Do-jeon/KMM's voice for 10, and watch Bang-won and his bodyguard Young-kyu's bickering for 10. I can do away with Lee Seong-gye because I love Yoo Dong-geun's Lee Seong-gye in Jung DoJeon too much. lol
Innkeeper/Master of Trade: I am very disappinted with Innkeeper so far- Too much crying and frustration for my liking. I wanted to see hero's success story (like now- at least a little). I have been watching the show frustrated, and now WTH with love triangle! I don't even like the lead Jang Hyuk here - which is just sad.
I hoped the show was like SangDo, which had a humble, sincere and serious man working hard to become the most sucessful merchant in late Joseon. Sigh.
She was pretty: I also enjoy She was pretty and Sassy Go go. But I admit SWP got less fun after Hye-jin's make over and all the reveals.
Korean Site DaEum has a voting going on 'If I am Hwang Jungeum/Hae-jin, who do I choose.. Park SuJoon(Sung-joon) vs Choi SiWon(Joon-hyuk). Out of total 16,710 votes, 52% went to Choi SiWon and 48% went to Park SuJoon.
Me? CSW. keke How about you?
(btw They reported the richest idol in real-life is Choi SiWon)
Oh another real couple a show created- Lee Chun-ah and Lee Gi-woo(yeah for second male lead!) from Flower boy ramen shop - they look good. It is happy birthday(10/23) for Lee Gi-woo.
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redfox
October 23, 2015 at 7:09 AM
well I think Shin Hyuk as well as Siwon himself woud be awesome friends. I pun people as much and people tend not to see the other side of goofy.
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anabear
October 23, 2015 at 5:52 PM
agree with the SWP comment. after the makeover, I look forward to each episode, but with less enthusiasm. it's not that I mind the makeover, it's something about the recent plot developments that makes it less appealing.
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Maru Hime
October 25, 2015 at 4:49 AM
Agree agree! Why oh why did it get boring after the makeover???
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Kiara
October 24, 2015 at 5:48 AM
I'm so sad to hear about the Innkeeper. I was looking forward to it the most. I'm going to just skip it.
SFD has the advantage for being recapped here and that's half the fun of watching dramas. It's entertaining as expected and I'm trying really hard to stop nitpicking it and just go with the fantasy.
I like Yoo Dong-geun's Lee Seong-gye too. I'm not sold on Cheon Ho-Jin yet. We haven't seen much of him so maybe he'll win me over later. He is a solid actor but he wouldn't be my first choice.
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12 Den
October 23, 2015 at 7:04 AM
Happy Friday!
I love She Was Pretty so much! My heart fluttered when Sung-joon talked to Hye-jin in the playground (ep. 11) in this calm, matter-of-fact voice...made me forgive MBC for airing only one episode last week, and the writer for not giving us a kiss yet. Siwon's song in the OST is so good too.
I love that the angst parts are done right (imo), that it makes me crazy in a good way and surprised and amazed too.
Keep it up She Was Pretty! Thanks Lollypip for the recaps.
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13 Klava
October 23, 2015 at 7:07 AM
Hi beanies, hope you've all had a great week. I just can't believe its almost November, the deadline is due and it's stressing me out, let me clarify my mother gave me a deadline by which i have to leave the country im currently living in and go back home.Except home isn't really home because i haven't lived there in years and most importantly home doesn't have Korean dramas. Here there are plenty of Dvd stores that stock the latest dramas, Internet is way cheap, so streaming or downloading is not a problem.She even packed and carried almost all my clothes with her, stress.This is how bad my addiction is, my biggest concern is dramas but i have to move,Get a job, enroll for my second degree and be a grown up.
Moving on, I'm loving Sassy Go Go, only did you have to cheat us out of a kiss,while i was rewatching Moon that embraces the sun, i realised LWG(kim yeol) was in it, still looks the same.
Also watching She was Pretty, don't have much to say because my second lead syndrome is bad and I'm sinking with that ship.
Moviewise, I've watched the Con Artists and Chronicles of a blood merchant, they were both good except i had hoped to see more than 2 minutes of Eun hye in the latter.
Im planning on watching The suspect and Finding Mr.Destiny basically im having my own Gong yoo festival on Sunday.
Have a great weekend beanies ?
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Minaboom
October 23, 2015 at 4:32 PM
Good luck klava ! fighting !
and download your fav dramas and take it with you, so you can watch when the withdrawal kicks in ^_^
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Klava
October 23, 2015 at 7:43 PM
Thanks @Minaboon, I already have my favorites, my problem is those that will air in future ? but atleast i can read recaps.
Fighting ? ?
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Maru Hime
October 25, 2015 at 4:50 AM
@klava
Re. She Was Pretty....I am in that sinking ship with you
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14 CaroleMcDonnell
October 23, 2015 at 7:18 AM
Hey there, fellow drama-lovers!
How goes?
All is well here -- am so psyched. This ESL class has been such a blessing for me. And tomorrow Sukja -- my fave lady from the ESL class-- has a dinner party and well..am super-psyched and hoping to be up on al my korean etiquette. She's also promsed to make tteokbeoki for me. I asked her what i should bring for dinner and she said "Just bring yourself, you are the gift." Ah, she is such a sweetie!
Made a mistake and tried to watch American TV. Apparently being away from it for a while made me even more thin-skinned about the self-righteous rudeness of American cops, doctors, lawyers, doctors. I'm used to bad people being rude, not good guys. K-drama, you're to be blamed.
Finished the first round of flash fiction judging. I was given the fantasies and fairy tales to judge and I will only say that folks shouldn't go mocking a genre unless they understand it and can do it well. Seriously! It took a w hole lotta patience for me not to in sult some writers who obviously were way too impressed with their imagination and heir cynicism. Red riding hood catching grandma in bed with the wolfman? I think not. It was like..seriously, folks? Aaargh, don't let me go on or I'll just fume.
Luckily I happened upon some super healing real fairy tale movies and stories and got reset. ;-) Still waiting for The Piper to be subbed. But i totallyl loved 11 am with my cutie Daniel Choi.
Dramas:
I'll just say I have learned to push through on some flaky dramas before deciding to give them up. Cause..you never know.
Achiara: Ah me! My new crack. Despite the mopey acting of the main actress and the writers making her so dumb. Am really loving the older cop. Wow he is sooo good! A slow burn hero in the making. So was rich guy's younger daughter stolen from some other woman? Or was Kim Hye Jin the daughter of chaebol's wife? Who else's daughter could she be? Anyone else laughed when young cop asked himself, "How many Kim Hye Jin's are there in the world?"
Speaking of Kim Hye Jin: Am so glad i returned to She was pretty. Siwon is so adorable. And I am seriously hoping the weird editor-ess and the young guy end up together.
All about my mom: Dang! So many secrets, so many lies. And of course I'm utterlly hooked.
Flying dragons: Liking it a lot as well.
Glamorous Temptation: Very makjangy..so yeah, it hits a makjang craving apparently. Now that we know everyone in that chaebol family is nuts, nowMom is gambling?
D-day: kinda dull. Not sure what it's missing but am not gonna sit around analyzing it. I will just say that when nurse Administrator left the parking lot without finding her son I thought the writers were pushing the heroism trope a bit much. Lady may be responsible and stressed but she is not that NEEDED.
That's all, i think. Happy weekend, all. -C
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 23, 2015 at 7:55 AM
Aargh! Just saw that the third couple in She Was Pretty just got established. Aish, what a bother! I always considered flaky over-the-top linguistically-challenged editoress as a balance to the whole judging by appearances thing. I even got annoyed whe our formerly-fat hero judged her by HER appearances. He should know better. I want her to be even more affirmed (more than when she hit that homerun in the presentation)...and to my drama eyes, that means she needs to get a handsome beau. Drama, don't fail me.
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 8:44 AM
I actually really like that Chief Editor and her most outlandish costumes (can't call them clothes). She is so over-the-top flamboyant and full of herself, yet honest. We are being teased as to whether she has any depth or not. I'm of course hoping, yes.
I like the theme of judging by appearances. Shin Hyuk is really the heir of Most but he's judged to be crazy and is not taken seriously (even by Hye Jin when it matters to him that she does).
Chief Editor seems to have on the most makeup and wigs, but at the same time seems the most simple and transparent.
Sung Joon starts by judging by appearances but ends up going according to his heart.
Hye Jin when she has to put on appearances becomes a hopeless dithering idiot, even with 'neater' hair and nice makeup - so an approved appearance did not help!
And Ha Ri makes herself sick by pretending to be someone else.
The message seems to be quite clear... be yourself, be true, be no one else, but you. :)
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windsun33
October 23, 2015 at 9:10 AM
Odd how we seem to have such similar tastes in dramas :P
Achiara - At first I thought the heroine was just mopey and out of it, but seeing how she is following up on all sorts of clues makes me think she is not near as dumb or passive as she appears. Also loving the older cop - the younger one, not so much - jumps to conclusions far too easily.
All About My Mom - I hate the fact that I am addicted to this show. My favorite couple is the lawyer and the girl with the stalker-ex. Others.. not so much. The OTP line is a bit too predictable.
Glamorous Temptation - the show that we don't admit we are actually watching. Is there ANYONE in that family that is normal and not full of dark secrets?
D-Day - I thought I would like this, but finding myself not even bothering to watch lately. Perhaps because it is just so predictable and is a cliche-fest for every disaster and med drama ever.
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15 Sajen
October 23, 2015 at 7:42 AM
Tuesday is my little sister's 29th Birthday and I got her the perfect card. On the front is little girl wearing a crown saying " You have exactly thirty seconds to produce a pony or this f#ing party is over!" and inside it says you can't always get what you want but you sure as hell can complain to anyone willing to listen. Now you don't know me or my sister but trust me it's so perfect it's almost like they made it just for her.
Sass, Go Go- You know I've been trying to decide who's worse Kwon Soo-ah or Kang So-young of School 2015, I think I've decided that Soo-ah is worse. Kwon Soo-ah seems to have a beating human heart and a conscious which she ignores to do what she knows is wrong. So-young never showed signs of being human and until the end never understood what she did wrong. Making Soo-ah the "winner' in my book.
I'm behind in everything else I'm watching.
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 8:09 AM
That card sounds pretty awesome :)
And oddly, your logic re: who's worse between Soo-ah and So-young would lead me to the exact opposite conclusion about the two girls - Soo-ah ignores and represses her own instincts and treats people poorly in the pursuit of success/living up to standards, but So-young just bullies people for kicks because she can. I'd say the latter is infinitely worse as a person.
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Sajen
October 23, 2015 at 11:07 AM
The way I see it is, that the one who knows what she's doing is wrong but still does it is the worse one in this case Soo-ah over So-young.
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16 growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 7:54 AM
Hi All and Happy OT!
One more week to go and it's the end of another month!
I was thinking of the romance tropes that happily I seem to see less of, although they do still pop up, but not as much as before. Have we ever had a comprehensive list of them before?... You know those couple scenes where their 'lurve' is being shown? Let's see, there's the ...
- run like crazy through the hospital to find the other half who is sick/had an accident
- run and shout through crowds in the airport to catch the other half who's flying away
- being the one to take care of sickly fevered other half with wet towels and porridge
- the De Rigueur piggyback ride
- the wipe off drool/food from lips with fingers or a kiss (aww or yucks???)
- the pull other half into a sudden hug to save them from the vehicle of doom
- the catching of other half in a half/full hug, or both ending up horizontal when they somehow fall artistically and in slow motion
- the accidental 'nekkid' scene which only rarely ever gets referred to again
- the forced close proximity scene when the couple has to hide
- the fond look at other half who is sleeping, which may be coupled with covering them with blankets and stroking hair or brows, etc.
- the gift of shoes (boy gives girl) that the girl is supposed to wear when she 'comes to' him.
There must be more which I can't recall .... What would our romance dramas be like without them? And yet, how many of them are ever likely to happen to us? :)
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Lixie
October 23, 2015 at 8:08 AM
>What would our romance dramas be like without them?
Much better! :) The one I hate the most is probably the piggyback rides, detest them!
The second place is for the people who don't sleep, they faint and never wake up no matter what crazy thing the other person decides to do.
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 8:17 AM
+1 That's true! I can't stand the fact that they are supposedly asleep but all the carrying around, tugging and bumping don't shake them awake at all. I wish I could sleep like that... the peaceful sleep of the 'dead' LOL!
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kalel
October 23, 2015 at 9:42 AM
But why?? Piggyback rides are so unique in this whole drama-verse, I have never ever seen anyone doing it in real life nor will I have the chance to witness it since it's practically unnecessary at the other side of the Earth. So, to me,it's more like a highly improbable cliche that comes with a specific meaning,- physical contact while carrying your beloved one. (but why on your back, man, and not on your hands like a proper prince Charming though?)
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 9:55 AM
(but why on your back, man, and not on your hands like a proper prince Charming though?)
for the very unromantic reason that it's much harder to carry a girl bridal-style without falling flat on your face (either from having your view of the road/floor partially obstructed, or because it takes a whole lot more muscle strength to hold that pose, lol)
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kalel
October 23, 2015 at 11:43 PM
And that's the whole point, the muscle strength. All we need is someone who looks like a basketball player and can hold that pose for a couple of kilometers,- preferably a power forward or a center. How difficult that can be, LOL?
PeepsLeAwesomePotato
October 23, 2015 at 10:08 AM
(but why on your back, man, and not on your hands like a proper prince Charming though?)
Have you never carried a 25Kg sack of rice? Or potatoes? Imagine carrying something at least 50-60kg in your arms. Ain't no one got muscles for that save UFC fighters.
That bridal style method is worse than piggybacks.
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bbstl
October 23, 2015 at 11:20 AM
I laughed about the time I saw my third or fourth K-piggyback, thinking ... these guys are so much smarter than we are! Save your back!
kalel
October 23, 2015 at 11:59 PM
But...but...we are not sacks of potatoes though. Why should we be carried on our men's backs? Bridal style may be very harmful to their spines but, on the other hand, it proves how much they cherish us. Gracefully carrying our 50-60kg around half the city must be a piece of cake for them, lol!
pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 8:16 AM
Of the entire lot, I've only personally experienced the sleeping one, and that's because I nodded off on his shoulder and then woke up, ha. The others are way too far-fetched.
(anyone trying to wrist-grab me would get a swift kick in the shin for sure. And I do not wear shoes that I haven't purchased myself, too much potential for getting things wrong that way! From shoe size to aesthetics.)
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 8:19 AM
LOL! I could never imagine how anyone could just buy shoes for someone else who had not even tried on those shoes, and have them fit well. Must be magic drama feet or magic drama shoes.... one size fits all!!
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 8:26 AM
Forget the size, I'm amazed by how drama girlfriends seem to like even the ugliest shoes their bfs get them. I would maybe accept socks from a boyfriend, but shoes? No way. At least socks don't hurt to wear!
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gadis
October 23, 2015 at 8:35 AM
I don't really remember the title, but in one of Lee Jong Suk drama, he marked the girl's shoe size on his shoe sole before he went to buy her a new shoes. I laughed watching that scene because usually the male lead never bother to do that.
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gadis
October 23, 2015 at 8:29 AM
The wrist grabbing is always put me off. I always winced whenever the lead male doing that. Can't you just hold her arm or what? (And apparently She Was Pretty really love to use this maneuver.)
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growingbeautifully
October 23, 2015 at 8:46 AM
The thing I loved about Jung Hoo in Healer was that when she walked off, he only held her arm and then he walked to stand in front of her, instead of yanking her towards him. Now that was sweet and respectful.
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Daehoney
October 23, 2015 at 9:09 AM
Cha Tae Hyun's character in Producers walk and stop in front of Gong Hyo Jin in the last episode instead of grabbing her wrist; that's the first time I notice that kind of scene didn't end with wrist-grabbing.
pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 9:16 AM
yeah, Master's Sun also didn't do the traditional wrist-grab thing either.
The first time it happens, they're on opposite sides of a desk and he gets her wrist, then comes right around the desk to hold her hand instead.
(second time ends in her shaking him off and walking away)
Quiet Thought
October 24, 2015 at 5:54 PM
Apparently what they need to do in modern kdrama land is bring back that little silver dagger Joseon ladies used to carry. When he tries that grab and pull move on you drive it into his arm deep enough to touch bone. That'll cure his bad habits, really quick.
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pogo the Corn Salad fangirl
October 23, 2015 at 8:20 AM
@Growingbeautifully - I also mentally checked off how many of those physical-contact tropes we've seen so far in Sassy Go Go, and I count five!
Weirdly, in there it just doesn't seem as bizarrely forced, or maybe I've just lost my head over Yeol and Yeon-doo so completely that I don't even mind the most absurd of the situations (the falling-glass-protection backhug), my brain is on too much shipper crack and just wants MORE.
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