...continued...moral: But, seriously, Gong Yoo’s pecs (a la “The Suspect”) are no joke either.
Third moral: I’m a terrible wife, who laughs at the expense of her husband.

Oh, ally! How I wish your part of middle America was anywhere near St Louis so I invite myself to dinner. I can NOT believe 'free the kimchi' was available, that is just - well, meant to be, I guess! I like your new blog, best of luck with the Gospel of KDrama ??

Happy Easter to you and to all my Wondrous Beans!

I'm facing the same thing too!! I'm also watching Whisper to carry be over right now ?

The comments Min made were pretty complimentary to him. It seems like Junho really worked hard and took advantage of a great cast and crew to improve.

The goodwill and enthusiasm of the beanies encouraged me to continue with Chief Kim as well :P Namgoong Min is on a role ?

Can't we create a ban for noble idiocy ? Like too much is not good for our heart and mental health.

Well, I don't see it as Noble Idiocy, but a necessary step in order to make our characters grow. Han Gyul needs that time to figure himself out, so even though I'm not big on the angst, I do see the point of it. But that's just me. :) I love this drama tho. :D

hi limechilli.. Chicago Typewriter just started.. and its a gonna be a good watch i think.. you may lean onto that drama! :)

Haha, I literally just marathoned the show because everyone's been saying how sweet it is. It actually surpassed my expectations for it, but I did face-palm when I realised what I came just in time for, lol. Still, this show is called The Liar and his Lover so I'm hoping this will be a point when So-rim will have to look past his noble idiocy and believe in the feelings beneath. I don't mind them taking time to focus on her debut either.

I got ever so frustrated with TLAHL that I'm in a hiatus at the moment. So then in two weeks I can bingewatch and get over the mid-drama slump :) That's not my usual MO but as I'm a newish K-Drama convert, I have MANY MANY series to occupy my time with :)

The Legendary Lackey (aka The Legendary Shuttle?) lead has played the king in Mirror of the Witch, and I remember him well as the bad seed turned good from School 2013. I know he's been in other things, and I want to say his name is Lee Ji-hoon. Hang on, gonna do some fact-checking... Yup, born in 1988, not the one born in the 1970s, like me.

Period exams + upcoming dramas + currently watching dramas = mental breakdown !
Sounds like my week, preparing for my final exams in university!
And yes really excited for Ruler - Master of the Mask and Man to Man and Suspicious Partner (after seeing Ji Chang Wook in that pink bowtie :P)

Lee Jihoon was also in Legend of the Blue Sea as the step-brother

My favorite mermaid! ? And her obsession with apple butt isn't bad either. ?

I liked the scenes with the Terminator music.

Am I the only person who refused to watch the last episode so I could pretend it ended the way I wanted it to?

I tried but I cannot warm up to the characters. I saw the Japanese original which I really liked.

I am. It's the only drama I'm watching currently.
...
It's adorable, cute, and about​ to be full of angst. Characters are flawed and real. Supporting characters have depth as well.
...
#crudeplayalltheway

I love it so much, I die every time Joy and Hyun-woo are on-screen together. I think this character is super easy for Joy to play because she doesn't have to do much acting as So-rim. Of course, there are moments when you notice her inadequacies, like she can't really emote with her eyes but I still love her to death in this role. I hope, however, that this will be the first and last role she plays until she takes proper acting lessons. I love Lee Hyun-woo as Kang Han-gyul so damn much. At first, I was worried his character would be a broody musician type but he's really just a normal guy who's a tax obsessed with his music being perfect. Most importantly, he's playing an age appropriate character. I cannot tell you how happy that makes me.

It isn't really 'I hear your voice' - For this drama the two protagonists are like anti-heroes? So while we want to root for them sometimes it's a little difficult to because of all their actions and portrayal of human nature etc. But I also think that this is the beauty of the writing - in the creation of truly complex characters!

Also the romance between the two protagonists of this drama is virtually non-existent (hints but definitely hasn't happened yet).

Sill, I think Whisper is quite gripping and exciting with all the politics and betrayal - a good replacement for the Defendant!

I loved the kids! I want to watch right just see Parang. And there will be plenty of romance in the love triangle that's coming. Palgang was frustrating in the first episode but it made her growth in the drama al the more impressive.

If you're only away for a month. Try any VPN service that gives you a 30 day free trial period. (I use ExpressVPN) VPN to USA server and voila Viki and DramaFever works again.

Wish upon a star is one of my all time favorite dramas. It has so many flaws (the romance development being one of htem) and yet I cannot help but love it. The kids/siblings and their relationship, pluss the main heroine's growth really is the main drive force for me in it though. I love the scene where she makes a desition and cuts her hair.

(and everyone hate the melodramtic chaebol family bit ;) And the second female lead... ^^)

I have some phases as well where I drop a lot of dramas and then after a while I am back in super drama mode and all is good again. ahahah.

@mindy:

I am watching ONE drama, though. An old one. Wish Upon a Star (5/20): I actually didn't like the first episode much, but pushed on to episode 2 just to give it a fair chance. So glad I did! I'm surprised by how much I like this...

Like you, I've been watching vintage Kdramas (and movies) and have been enjoying them a lot. Back in November, I watched STARS FALLING FROM THE SKY (alternate title) at KissAsian, which offers subtitles by the incomparable Written In The Heavens Subbing Squad. It's a good show, with many heartwarming scenes. A nice family drama wrapped in an office romance and bundled with chaebol scheming and mayhem. It was so good I marathoned it in two days.

Shin Dong-wook was my main reason for tuning in. I'm a dyed-in-the-wool SOUL MATE fan, and am eagerly awaiting his return to acting in LOOKOUT.

Thanks to DramaWiki, I learned that each of the Jin kids is named for a color. Now Pal-Kang's fiery temperament makes sense: her name is "Red"! The eldest? boy is played by Park Ji Bin as Jin Joo Hwang "Orange". Kim Yoo-Ri of KPOP group Girl Story plays 2nd daughter Jin No Rang "Yellow." Joo Ji Won as daughter #3?, Jin Cho Rok, "Green". Chun Bo Geun as son #2 Jin Pa Rang, "Blue". Infant son Nam Bit, "Indigo."

While half-brothers Kang-Ha (Kim Ji-Hoon) and Ju-Ha (Shin Dong-Won) -- and their Korean-American nephew, Tae-kyu (Lee Kyeon), who is a supermarket heir and supposedly studying -- took turns vying for the affection of insurance saleslady Pal-Kang, they were always good sports and cared deeply for each other.

Actually, the chemistry between the whole cast was cute. The kids and their pseudo-uncles and cousin were heartwarming, humorous, touching, and down to earth in innumerable little ways. Shin Dong-Wook was his usual charming self. I really liked the way the relationship between him and his half-brother was portrayed. He and Kim Ji-Hoon were handsome as heck, with good rom-com timing.

Well worth the watch. The child actors who played the five younger siblings were ueber-cute and did a great job, especially the younger girl and boy (Green and Blue, respectively). Orange, the eldest boy, was a very responsible kid. I really liked how he rode herd on the younger kids. -- And I loved their late parents to bits. Grandpa (Lee Soon-Jae) and the elder cleaning lady (the late Kim Ji-Young) at work were also great. I've seen him in other shows, and love his voice.

Since you like this Kdrama, you might want to check out another vintage one: BAD FAMILY / FAKE FAMILY SERVICE. The title is a bit strange, but it is another heartwarming family show about families of choice.

azzo -

Your trip sounds fun! I have a friend who went last year with family in August. They said that August was unbearably hot. I've also heard that many places are closed in August because that's the month Italian citizens go on holiday/vacation. But I'm sure every month in Italy has it's charm!

buongiornio, azzo! LOL. Wow, this week's OT has lots of travelers. Given the choice, I'd pick October for Italy for weather and for smaller crowds. I hate being hot when traveling and would much rather require a light sweater! It will still be quite warm in Sicily and have nice/autumn colors in Milan and Como. Have you already visited Rome and Florence? It would be hard to visit Italy and sacrifice seeing them! The summer crowds in Florence are very bad, like in Venice. Have a great time, buon viaggio!

@azzo My family will be going to Italy in 4 weeks! It's our first time and will be in Venice for 3 days. I would echo the sentiment that August would be too hot and muggy, if travel blogs can be trusted. I'm excited for you and for myself too!

I know Venice a bit. August in Venice is horrid. Sometimes the canals smell and nowadays too many tourists everywhere. Huge cruise ships sometimes overshadow the shoreline of Castello area( east of St. Mark's Square). Once those tourists got off, touristy areas were packed like sardine. October was better but it was more than twenty years ago. I was in Florence in mid October three years ago and the place was filled with tourists. I personally think Como is overrated and like Lugano, Ascona and Locarno in Switzerland. Milanese prefer to go Italian Switzerland for more polished /clean atmosphere. Sicily is lovely but it is rather a big island and again it is far better going there in October cause Sicily in August is hot( but usually very dry) They got some great Greek sites and foods are great.
Usually restaurants quality in August in Italy go down cause chefs tend not to work during mid August. In Oct and Nov, there are some wonderful seasonal foods available in Italy!
Enjoy Italy!

Italian beany here! Hello! August is a no go time for Venice. It is too hot and the insects will eat you alive! October is much better. Maybe a bit more crowded than August but you will be able to breath. Plus mid August is Ferragosto (Italian holiday) and for at least 2 weeks lots of shops etc are closed since most of the country is on holiday. Milan is ok but it is not the prettiest city: city centre part with Duomo and Via Montenapoleone with all the boutiques is ok but compared to Florence you will see the difference. It is an industrial city. Como (Lake and city) is lovely and not too far from Milan. Sicily will be still nice and warm in October...you will see people still on the beach and swimming in the sea!

friends of mine did italy last fall and liked Cinque Terre very much...

Venice is crowded all the time. The center, that is. But Venice is a lot bigger than that tourist center. there are quieter places if you know where to look

Oh, in Secret Garden Kim Joo Won was given a herd of deer as a gift from someone who hoped to become his father-in-law. Typically, rude KJW sent it back. Seriously, who's gives a herd of deer? ?

There was a deer in the first episode of Mask, giving the official definitive accept-no-imitations "Deer in the Headlights" look.

I noticed MH framed in shots by the (fake, decorative) deer antlers in his office and in his bedroom in the last couple of episodes and laughed, thinking of this thread.

The deer deco is very fashionable at the moment. Lots of home decor websites have them. Sow lots here in the UK...no idea why so I guess kdrama decorators just follow suite and place them here and there.

cozybook sunbaenim! hehehello! i just want to ask from you, is mystery queen really a good watch? i started episode 1 and i haven't added anything to it (blame also my real life situations). but i find it also somehow cute. any advice?

I'm also in love with Tunnel. That drama got my brain overwork throughout the week, thinking about all those oddball characters and possible theories. I want Kwang-ho to go back to '86 and finally reunite with his beloved. But I know that I would be really sad to see him part ways with Sun-jae, future Sung-shik, all his future team member, and even Jae-yi.

In this drama, I felt very sad for Shim Myeon. He was definitely a fellow who made some very terrible choices, and you could see how they affected him. I liked how there was never a moment in the drama when anyone said that the feud and resentment between Seung Yoo and Myeon was all because of a woman– because dramas and film have a tendency to do that, and it wasn’t all about Se Ryeong. It was their families, their political loyalties, their friendship…and Se Ryeong. Though it was not necessary for this story, I personally would have liked to see some more scenes between SR and Myeon before things got ugly. I’m talking about some scenes that established a little more of a friendship between them, so that his obsession had a little more to go on. I do understand, though, that the promise of marriage and Myeon’s firs impressions of SR were enough to keep his particular character going. At one point I thought that for Myeon, Se Ryeong was the only thing “good” left that he was fighting for. If they had a deeper relationship, and if SR had been less fierce and more kind toward him, then that would have added additional (and I’ll admit it, unnecessary) conflict to the drama. She was 110% Seung Yoo’s girl from the first horseback ride to the last, and that reflected her strong feeling and strong character. But why did I just feel so sad for Myeon?!

Hahahaha I always thought if I went to Korea those things would not be all over the place! This is amazing!

capt_blackdog -

Have a wonderful time in Korea!

@capt_blackdog, thanks for the update - that's wild! So happy for you that you're there, please enjoy every instant of being in Korea for us all ??

your comment made me smile! sounds like you're having a very enjoyable trip there.

whenever i watch office dramas, i'm always in awe at how fashionably dressed the office workers are. i look back at myself and can't help feeling ashamed. i should really try harder *sheepish smile*

I am loving your posts on FB! The photos are gorgeous; I'm drooling over them. Please keep them coming! ?

oooh...korean stylist office workers with their flawless skins and slender body shape? are they really existed? i always thought that 'Suits'is the only US series that could compete the korean's style

Thank you for the facebook page. Your pictures look amazing! Have a great time and keep posting the interesting things you see!

Sometimes when I re-watch Smallville, I focus on watching just parts of Clark and Lois. They're so adorable and magnetic together.

For Defendant, Joon-hyuk has no idea who the killer was. Neither does he know that Ji Soo will die later that night. Really, I think his character's purpose was just to show corrupt officials and betraying friends to rise to the top.

*Waves* Korfan! How are you? I missed you! ^^

Is mystery queen worth a look? Been thinking about trying it out.

I liked Downton Abbey. Instead of the British costume dramas which just focus on the Lord of the manor, this show has all the drama of the staff and the family living in the manner. They interweave sometimes soapy drama stuff into what is going on in the world and country. It starts with the sinking of the Titantic and goes through WWI and into the Jazz Age. I don't really have a k-drama comparison though. I guess I would call it a family drama with a mystery or two thrown in and a dash of makjang here and there as well as multiple romance stories. It's worth giving it a go.

And before DOWNTON ABBEY, there was the original UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS (1971-75), which depicted the lives of an aristocratic British family and their servants from 1903-1930. ;-)

I loved Downton Abby. It was my first crack drama. I watched it on BBC/England Time before PBS showed it (through VPN) but I also love historical fiction. I think it's worth watching just for the one liners of Dame Judy Dench. She's amazing in this. The love stories between the characters, both between servants, and ladies and lords are compelling. It's about an aristratic family who is running out of money, has to figure out how to continue supporting the people that work for them, and also their own lifestyles. It's a time of change with WW1 and the 1930's on the horizon as well. The detail to Edwardian customs, costumes, furnishings, and setting is breathtaking. The Britsh love their history and nothing is out of place. Quite different from kdramas in this respect. Also, I'm pretty partial to Dan Stevens right now and he's in the first and second seasons, I believe. You'll love him as Matthew Crawley, a lawyer who all of a sudden is next in line to inherit everything, and has to navigate the aristocracy that is thrust upon him as well as one of the daughters he is expected to marry to keep the family inheritance intact. There are also some villains that you will love to hate but some will be redeemed as well. Hope this helps!

secret garden was my first k-drama and holds a special place in my heart, loved the OST and replayed it like a thousand times since the first time :) enjoy!!

Oska! ....... Enjoy the drama and have a great weekend also!

Secret Garden. that brings back memories :P And yes LJS is such a scene stealer in it. Love the relationship between his character and Osca ^^

Ah I completely get what you mean. I remember watching Gaksital few months ago and the recapper (well pretty much everyone) didn't know Park Bo Gum's name yet because he was so new at that time, yet people were already captivated by his expressive eyes and good looks despite only appearing for brief time. I felt this weird sense of proudness for him, and giddy when the recappet called him Young Jo In Sung.

Hi back to you! You're always welcome on the OT! ?

Hello Hope! Feel free to open up here your KDrama watching/binging experience.. been also a lurker at first and i can relate to you just how reading comments makes you laugh and be satisfied. but you know sharing your experiences too is not bad, you can also ask here for any advice you need in related to KDrama watching.. beanies are always ready to answer your questions.. :) Enjoy!

Hope Misema -

Hello to you too and feel free to join us in Open Thread whenever you can.

Oooo italics work. Maybe paragraphs work?
New paragraph here?

halfmoon -

When I use an Android device, I do see the blog view option on the top of the page. ...... Regarding the following people situation, I believe the DB Team is working on that. I think that right now, to go to a wall page, you have to find the person's name in a post and click on their profile picture/avatar. Also, if you click on the bell icon, right by your profile picture, you'll see the list of who you're following.

Hey halfmoon, I mostly access dramabeans through my iphone, and I too don't see the blogview option. I kind of accepted it as a limit to the mobile version. I also noticed that when I click on a comment from my comment wall on my phone, it doesnt automatically take me to that section of the page straight to said comment (which it does on my desktop). Idk if thats just me...