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[2021 Year in Review] Stuck like glue

Originally I wanted to spend my year in review post looking back on the heroes we’ve had this year (#becauseheroes). But then, while covering Dal-li and Gamjatang, I got an idea for a different way to spin my year in dramas: through particular scenes that stuck to my heart like glue.

There were only a few of them. But these small moments and scenes are ones that I won’t forget as quickly as I do the plot points from dramas I’ve enjoyed, but that didn’t kick me in the heart. It’s also been an interesting way to look back on my year in dramas, as I gathered the scenes that stood out to me, and then sat back and asked myself why they actually did resonate so much.

Looking back on my favorite scenes, here’s what I found: one for squees, one for great dialogue, and two for this wistful, yearning that, whenever captured by a story, becomes unforgettable for me. (I guess I like yearning.) Even though the scenes and dramas themselves are quite different, I’d argue that each of them actually contains the same magical potion: when characters are at a pivotal moment and are either letting go of something, or reaching out for someone. Either way, there’s a depth to the storytelling in these scenes (okay, maybe minus Imitation) that makes me hold my breath for fear of missing something beautiful.


4 Favorite Scenes From My Year in Dramas

 

Drama: Yumi’s Cells
Scene: Broken-hearted Yumi at the bus stop with Bobby
Find it at: Ten minutes into Episode 14
Emotional reaction: Clutching at heart and eyes filling with tears but not sure why
The why: It’s the final episode of the drama, and Yumi is reeling from her sad breakup, and trying to get used to the emptiness she feels in being suddenly alone. The sun is setting and the sky is orange as she waits at the bus stop, musing about a run in the park later to help her fall asleep. Her coworker Bobby walks over, and they have this very simple exchange about being alone, and how to you need to be alone to recognize that in other people. It sounds sad, and indeed it’s quite bittersweet, but it’s also perfect. The lighting is magnificent, the soundtrack at this point is beautiful enough to splinter my heart, and the whole scene is just bursting with emotion without actually being “about” much at all. It just somehow manages to capture this haunting wistfulness, sadness, hope, and promise.

 

Drama: Dal-li and Gamjatang
Scene: Moo-hak comforts Dal-li as her world shatters
Find it at: End of Episode 11
Emotional reaction: *Gah* How did the writer do this!
The why: At this point in the drama our heroine has been through hell and high water and the last attack is the reveal that she’s adopted. She’s struggling as everyone automatically sees her as illegitimate and questions her love for her father; she avoids Moo-hak for fear of his reaction. When he finally goes hunting around the gallery to find her, they have the greatest exchange ever! The acting is spot on here, but it’s really the writing, I think, that grabbed me the most. The two have such an organic and emotional conversation, first with Dal-li admitting the truth to Moo-hak, and then her surprise over Moo-hak’s non-reaction. Rather than splinter them apart and change how they feel about each other, he uses this information to see deeply into her heart and offer the best comfort ever. In the finest combination of encouragement and humor (how do people even do this in real life anyway!?), he wipes Dal-li’s worries away, makes her smile with his silly joke — and then that smile actually makes her cry. She reaches out for him, smiling and crying at the same time. Ack! This exchange feels so real, and for me, this scene really is the pinnacle of these characters and their relationship.

 

Drama: The King’s Affection
Scene: Dam-yi’s dream sequence
Find it at: About 40 minutes into Episode 20
Emotional reaction: Hand over mouth to hold back the sobs
The why: At this point we’ve been through 20 episodes with Dam-yi and seen all her struggles. Now, in what seems like her final act of sacrificial greatness, she takes poisoned tea with her grandfather/nemesis so that they can die together and end the feud that’s left the palace drenched in blood. The poison scene is positively brutal, and they both throw up blood and collapse. When next we see Dam-yi, she’s a royal princess in her wedding garb, preparing to marry her true love, Ji-woon. She’s cute and feminine and everything she was never able to be in real life (her brother the prince is still alive, too and they continue to naughtily cosplay each other). All Dam-yi’s beloved people are around her as Ji-woon approaches her by the secret cottage where they first met. The whole scene has this tinge of wistfulness and heartache — it literally feels as if we’ve stepped into Dam-yi’s heart and have seen the life she secretly dreamt of for herself. It’s as precious as it is completely heart-breaking. There’s something in her eyes, too — she knows the scene is too sweet to be real, too perfect to be true. And then it fades out from around her, confirming her fears that it wasn’t real. This scene destroyed me more than the actual ending of the drama, I think because of that feeling it was able to capture: the life she wishes she had been able to live. It’s the first time we actually see Dam-yi’s heart so openly expressed, and the play between her dreams, her reality, and the life that could have been was absolutely heart-wrenching (in the best sense).

 

Drama: Imitation
Scene: The reluctant but then awesome dance between Kwon Ryuk and Maha
Find it at: Opening of Episode 3
Emotional reaction: The ear-piercing squee that only dramas can provide
The why: No shame — this was one of my favorite dramas of the year, but of all the cute little squees and romance moments, nothing topped the dance that Maha and Ryuk shared on the variety TV show they guested on. Maha has to dance her rip-off of La Rima’s famous number, and she shocks the guests (and everyone off-camera) by walking up to Ryuk and putting out her hand for him to join her. The moment hangs in the air. He’s 100% scoff, yet gets up anyway and walks to the stage with her. She demos the dance moves, and then, BOOM. Just as the music kicks in, he gives her the tidiest nod, and they start the dance completely in sync. The scene is barely three minutes long, but it’s sooooo satisfying and fun. I have watched this scene a thousand times for that tiny nod of understanding, for the way Ryuk’s perpetual scowl lightens into a secret smile while he’s dancing with his girl, for the way they both fall into sync with each other so easily, and for that moment when the ridiculous ear worm of a song kicks in. It’s strangely satisfying to watch them dance this goofy dance together (which is also how I feel about the drama a whole).

Tiny moments, huge tears, and even bigger feels. At first I thought I was disappointed with this year’s dramas (or the ones I chose to watch, anyway) — they didn’t seemed to check all my boxes and I dropped a lot, losing interest. But in retrospect, and looking at these moments that I’ve held on to, it was a pretty good year after all.

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What a wonderful way to review the year, @missvictrix
And yes, yes, yes, yearning is my answer to the question too. It took me a while to work out why I keep coming back for more k-drama and it's one thing: the yearning. My goodness, so well done.

I haven't watched your first two (the first not right through and the second, not at all), but I will make certain I do, especially Dali.

That scene in the King's Affection was everything you say it is, beautiful and heart-breaking all at the same time. As I watched it, I thought, "this is it, she's only ever going to get there in the afterlife," (and I was thinking that even when I was sure she'd taken an antidote), but then we got the scene on the beach too.

I loved Imitation and the break-out dance was brilliant - so much fun and clearly demonstrating that these two were in sync with each other in more ways than only in dance. Imitation also said something important about that industry and paid tribute to the many lives sacrificed to its brutal imperatives.

One of my standout scenes for all time is the one in Lost when they walk down the street looking at each other - exponential yearning.

You've got me thinking now of other scenes imprinted on my brain that I'm going to have to recapture. How do they do it? Fabulous directing and great acting to start with, but also tapping into emotions and giving them back to us in ways we recognise. Cathartic.

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I can remember several scenes/moments from Lost that amazed me. One of those Kdramas that will stay with me for a while.

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Oh, I have to finish Lost! It looked splendid

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Very nice 2021 theme, @missvictrix! I loved all of the scenes!

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I didn't get to watch any of the aforementioned, yet your sincerity is well conveyed. Three scenes stand out for me.
Hospital playlist ep 8 when Seok-Hyung skipped music time to be with Chu-Chu. That was one giant stride for our character.
2. MMH episode 8. The scene where Yoo Ja Sung said it was his first time eating a meal cooked at home. There was longing in his character that stuck with me.
3. RoY actually scores 2 scenes. i) When An HyunSeung defended his wife before his mum and his wife basked in his acknowledgment in that very moment, then they went ahead to talk about it the very next scene. I appreciate that scene anytime. ii) Episode 12. When Hyunseung told JHJ that he'd forgiven her and asked her not to leave him. AHS was at his weakest, and that plea from his character, like he'd loose his essence, it was loving and heart wenching.

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jerrykuvira, "MMH... RoY". <- Why do people think it is OK to use abbreviations in their comments, especially the first time they refer to a drama or actor?
With the availability and profusion of Korean and Asian entertainment available (present and past), we depend on things like Dramabeans' articles and comments to decide on what to watch along with enjoying insights and other information about them.

Many shows have two or three different title translations used on various sites,
such as THE LONELY SHINING GOBLIN (TLSG) on Dramabeans was referred to as simply GOBLIN and GUARDIAN: THE LONELY AND GREAT GOD (GTLAGG) on 2 other popular sites.
My all time favorite, YOU WHO CAME FROM THE STARS is another example of a show that has several titles used,
as does
I REMEMBER YOU;
MOONLIGHT DRAWN BY CLOUDS; etc.
Similarly, some actors have more than one English transliteration of their names, such as Gong Hyo-jin also seen as Kong Hyo-Jin.

So how is using only abbreviations in a posting good communication of information, thoughts and opinions?

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Thank you, @missvictrix this is the PERFECT way to remember the year! I agree completely with the nebulous feels of Yumi's Cells and the brilliant writing and acting in that scene in Dali and the Gamjatang.

I would also add the last scene in Navillera; it captured the regret that colors life. And then I would add the bank rescue scene opening the cdrama You Are My Hero....just brilliant in quietly showing how even in small moments we can profoundly affect each other❤

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A pretty good year, indeed! And I had so much fun weecaping King's Affection with you~~ 😊

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@sailorjumun Same here, girl! Always good to share the tears (although I think they just doubled in this case)

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I know the choice/choices were supposed to be from 2021 Dramas but I discovered this world of story telling only this year and zigzagged back and forth across the years. Some Beanies kindly recommended Dramas to me and one of these was “Just Between Lovers”/Rain or Shine.
I loved it so much and one extended scene from Ep 10 has stayed with me for weeks: Halmoni is in the hospital being visited and fussed over by her “grandchildren”. Kangdoo is grieving her impending death but is trying to remain as stoic as he can. His voice over says the following:

“Halmoni said life is a repetition of regrets and failures. I sarcastically asked what is the point of living. Granny said it’s to regret and fail more wonderfully”.

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Ah, one of my favorite shows! So glad you also enjoyed it

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For the King's Affection, it's the life Dam-Y should have had if men weren't stupid and decided that the futur King couldn't have a twin sister. It was a very stupid reason that caused a lot of deaths.

The scene showed she could have been very happy : she has a good relationship with her brother, she still loves the same man, the Eunuch and the Court Lady aren't stressed by her secret but just as happy than her, Ji-Woon didn't run away from the Palace because of his father.

Her both grandfathers took it away from her...

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Yes! It really had such a sad, wistfulness to it! The life that could have been

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We couldn't read you final thoughts about the show. :'(

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Thanks for this post! I've only watched TKA, but the other three dramas are under my radar and I would certainly watch them.

I honestly loved that dream sequence. TKA has proven just how much one's circumstances can affect their personality, and this is no less true for Hwi. The dream showed how much Hwi's real self had been sat on. Dream Damyi was like a completely different person, down to her skipping steps, wide smile and the glow in her eyes. (How many times have we actually seen Hwi smile?) If she had grown up as a princess, she would've been so much like Hakyung - pampered, loved, carefree, happy.

When she called the real Hwi orabeoni, I teared up a little. If really Hakyung married the real Hwi, Dami and her would've been best friends. I guess that's why Hwi felt sympathy for the queen - they were alike, not just because they had been roped into terrible circumstances by fate, but because their personalities matched as well. Hwi knew better than anyone just how much staying in unhappy circumstances could change Hakyung. And we did see Hakyung lose a bit of her glow, but hopefully not too much.

At the ending, we could see a little bit of dream adult Damyi in Hwi. But it obviously wasn't the same, and it could never be. At least, now she's freer and happier than she's ever been while stuck in that stupid palace.

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More often than not, I find the "less sentimental" scenes more touching than the intentionally very sentimental scenes. Sometimes, it really is the little things that matters the most.

In the final ep of Yumi there is the perfect example of this: Who is the lead character of your life if not yourself? The cell telling Yumi herself this, this short but huge dialogue, led me into shedding tears. We ourselves make out who we are. We should be #1 on our priority list!

I'd love to hear if anyone else also has these "small but huge" scenes, which are special to you!

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That was another lovely part of the show that really stays with you, totally agree!

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@missvictrix, I had to stop reading your piece when I noticed you were mentioning the kings affection and I hadn’t seen the last two episodes. And now that I have, for me the sticking scene was the one where Dami is kneeling before the new king and the ministers are entreating the king to save her life. This is the only time when all of them chanting in unison actually affected me—Of all the sageuks I’ve seen prior, I never heard this sincerely. And Park Eun Bin’s face, of course, telling the story without any words like she does so well.

I think your last sentence resonates with me not just in dramas but in this year as well. The little moments between the terrible is what we need to focus on.

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Oh, by the way, I totally agree with your Daii and Gamjatang moment though. It was amazing. Their conversation was so believable and I FELT that hug.

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Oh gosh yes, this was the scene that surprisingly had me tearing up (this and the ending beach scene) - to see everyone sincerely wanting to save her life was just a testament to how great she actually treated her people, even if she was stuck in this life that she didn't choose... so wonderful, this drama.

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I loved Yumi's Cells and The King's Affection. Yes, those scenes will really touch your heart. I haven't seen Dali and Gamjatang and Imitation but I might binge watch later. I still have to catch up with Secret Royal Inspector and The Red Sleeve.
Thank you for giving us another way to remember dramas by, @missvictrix!

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"Stuck in like Glue." What a great way to remember this year in dramas. For me the scene I have reflected on since watching it was from You Are My Spring, the last episode. When Ian Chase goes home after visiting a psychiatrist. At that visit, he says his message to his twin would be "I was in the shadow. Not you. And it was also me who clung onto you." He is all alone afterwards. He is still haunted by the decisions he has made. Will he ever face punishment? Will he ever seek forgiveness? Will he ever not be alone? I believe that these are the questions that will haunt him for a long time, and they will move me as I reflect back on this drama.

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