This is tragic. Arent many people in those two countries actually family members?

It's really sad that this is happening. Yet another moment when my faith in humanity dwindles.

I wish South Korea and Taiwan could have stronger ties because they share so many similarities: both are still technically at war (Korean War and Chinese Civil War). Both get threatened on a regular basis by North Korea and the PRC and live with the possibility of being attacked on a daily basis.

Thank you for sharing. How scary.

I have said so numerous times before - It's virtual world - Identity has very less meaning - words float and everyone can see them. As simple as that.
Virtual world - u don't share info - because fraud is the very smple -ve of this world - other -ve are far more dangerous - yet many not learn their lessons and each year u hv millions of cyber -ve activities.

Social media is small part of it but provides one of the most opportunities to let everyone loose n that helps those who target them.

Internet isn't for kids - mobile phones surely not - kids hardly know limits and hardly can protect themselves and easy targets.

If you hv 2 take an example - CLOTHES OFF - There are several such applications and software - a selfie turns very harmful - this is what a few middle schooler n their parents hv learned now. It's not even a new thing - I remember old forum days when Photoshop was used for such.

deepfake or AI - derived ideas from there itself. Those who know, know. So nothing different is happening as far as society is concerned but ys technology development has eased the work for everyone - Earlier it was hobby a work but now it's in hands of everyone and everyone likes to be naughty and foul. So u should learn how to handle things, especially in virtual world.

VIRTUAL WORLD -

What's your name, Place or region to gender to age - identities have no shame, manners, idea - Privacy is a thing - It's a virtual world - u don't ask - u don't respond - u r no more than a virtual identity.

So many times so many asked these silly questions - Virtual identity has no age, gender, race, skin colour, nationality. nothing. virtual identity derive energy from humans - it can even be bots and AI in present world. I have said it so many times before. Learn to behave yourself of one or other some -ve will reach you because of your own stupidity.

I didn't see @indyfan's reference go by, Claire...could you re-link it here? I know that sounds lazy, but it'll help folks engage with your great topic!

Perhaps it was like that initially all those years ago when Hallyu market wasn't as global yet, but nowadays such statistics can't be further from the truth. Just sayin' as a proud part of the remaining 10% (or 25% since it says 75% in the text - still very off imo).

That article is a mess tho, ex-journalist in me disapproves hard. Only saving grace is that it's an old one - 2016? damn, that was a few lifetimes ago! - since in 2020's no one in their right mind would've doubt the power of k-content with the wording like "Hally's still alive, guys!" LOL. And it seems to be written by a Korean author who couldn't care less about foreign fans of their country's media.

P.S. We won't get censored for this scandalous discussion, are we? I have enough of 1984 in my daily life already...

This story seems to be a mess. Someone should write a kdrama.

Some background info I have found:

There's a 2016 official SEC document lurking in a corner of the internet listing 3 people: James Sun and the real names of Javabeans and Girlfriday.

Here's an article from 2014 mentioning JB & GF but not Mr. Sun.
http://www.koreatimesus.com/dramabeans-guardian-of-the-k-drama-galaxy/

Here's something from 2018 with Javabeans under her real name
http://hq.humanities.uci.edu/aas/calendar/news.php?recid=3790

The 2017 10-year anniversary bash was hosted by JB & GF.
http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/01/celebrate-dramabeans-10th-anniversary-with-us/

Plus the article ends with statistics of the races that read Dramabeans--how can they know that? I don't remember completing a survey when I joined years ago. Very questionable.

I know people are feeling upset towards the confusing articles and the buyers of the site, and I don't know how right it is of me to say this, but one of the reasons JB and GF had to quit was the pressure from the readers. (I hesitate to call them beanies)

JB had a job, and founded the blog to talk about her favorite hobby and shed light on Korean customs and traditions. If you go back enough you will see that most of the commenters were fluent in Korean, some of them knew each other in real life, it was a very close knit community, which then started to grow fast.

The demand for more recaps was intense, sometimes even worded very unkindly. I remember JB had a back surgery which left her with a very long recovery process, and she was stressed about the delayed recaps.

They had to keep asking for new recappers, which was quite hard back then because they needed to be fluent in Korean, both the language and the traditions, as the subs came out much later than they do now.

And the ever-growing site, the new domain, new recappers, all needed money.

What I'm trying to say, is that it is true that the articles have been unbelievably unfair to change the facts, but as far as I remember it wasn't like someone snatched a perceived golden-egg laying hen out of JB's hands. She and GF had been clearly extremely stressed and overwhelmed in the latter years. There were quite a few times they mentioned the good old days when they could watch whatever they wished, even the craziest makjang, instead of what the site visitors demanded. I used to sympathize with them A LOT in those latter years. When something you used to love becomes that much of a chore, you might prefer to quit.

The exciting and long-awaited confirmation of Lee Joon Hyuk for Stranger spin-off was not included in news bites for some reason. I am a bit disappointed that the writer is handing off the new drama to other screenwriters and the original director extraordinaire will not be at the helm. So I am mentally preparing myself for possibly a completely different style of drama that may disappoint me if I compare it to Stranger. I don't know why the original writer didn't want to continue writing the spin-off, since it was her idea. But she's doing a completely different drama right now, Dominant Species, which is supposed to air sometime this year. I am looking forward to that too, because Ju Ji Hoon will be in it.

I think dramabeans should have an extra page where javabeans gets credited for creating the site, and tagging the current and old dbstaff who have contributed with recaps, news and discussions. As of now when I click on a particular db writer I get forwarded to their personal comment page and not their body of work which includes recaps and discussions

For me it was Royo Seung Ryong, sorry if I misspelt his name

I started rewatching, and I’m enjoying it even more this time around. I am able to catch things I missed and am also prodigiously skipping bits that I don’t care to see again. I really love shows that have been written in their entirety before shooting begins - the links between early episodes and later episodes are so much more meaningful.

I LOVE The Three Musketeers, but after showing the villain back from the dead in the after credits, I was glad they didn't get to season 2. If you want to add 24 episodes to a show, have the integrity of thinking up new stories and villains. Not bring back the same villain from the back and continuing with the same old.

I recall similar case - when HWARANG producers boldly announced additional content like webtoon, musical, game (?) and heavens know what else BEFORE the show even aired... only to scrap all that faster than light travels once the drama itself flopped hard *evil goblin cackling* To this very day I wonder what exactly made them so wrongly confident in this stillborn franchise. Surely not the money they've invested in it - I seldom saw productions this cheap and half-assed even among budgety sea of youth fusion sageuks.

True... Yet i think Arthdal got the worst of it as the drama was from the beggining wrote as a whole aka 30/40 episodes drama but got the Netflix virus and the companies desire to bank money going for the US format of god knows how many seasons not understanding that the korean industry isin't like the US one,such as actors signing to a show and so being available for it for a long time (even 16 or more years)...So the poor show ,if one liled it or not as that is totally to one's taste got butchered into this so called seasons doing it all this diservice...
Imagine if Six Flying Dragons got the same treatment (and not completly filmed) it would end up being just as weird...
Voice for better or worse got to tell it's story and then got added other seasons...

SK had a checkered past in regard to international adoptions because most were private adoptions which did not require a court approval. Baby brokers created an industry of exporting babies for money by pressuring single mothers to give up their children instead of shaming their family honor. Now, both public and private adoptions require court approval under very strict standards (ex., only couples married 3 years and under 44 years old can adopt).

Foreign adoptees have recently filed suits to find their biological parents. One adoptee sued for paternity against her father and won the right to be formally put on his family registry (which gives her inheritance rights).

There are still societal and culture conflicts about adoption. The concept that family bloodlines have to be "pure," means you should not raise another parent's child, still holds true in many conservative families.

A fantastic film came out last year about a 20-something French adoptee who goes to South Korea to look for her biological parents. Her story plays out over eight years, showing how connecting with her Korean family affects the way she sees herself. It's called Return to Seoul.
https://youtu.be/oaPiUlPpRWE?si=aNiHHsTg9pgihflx

I wish I could upvote this post about 100000 times.

I’m so sorry you can’t physically be with your friends when it sounds like they’re struggling and need some support.

It’s been my experience that the best way to support a friend or family member who’s having a rough time is to be a sympathetic listener. Don’t feel you need to come up with a solution to their problem or find the perfect words that will magically make them feel better. Sometimes when we try to offer advice, it only makes the person feel pressured to do something when they’re already stressed out.

With your friends who are anxious about not having a job or direction in life, maybe you could say something like, “I’m really sorry you’re having such a rough time.” Or “Is there anything I can do to help you feel better?” They may come right out and tell you that all they need is for you to be their sounding board.

That said, I think you should be careful about not letting yourself become a dumping ground for all your friends’ problems. You need to take care of your own mental health and call “time out” when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

BTW - I do see the irony in my offering you advice not to give advice. Hope I’m not overstepping!

Are you and your friends able to do a meet up any time soon so you can give your recharging hugs in a lump sum. I wonder if next time you do meet up you can get someone to film you hugging them as our memories are good at evoking the emotions associated with images you could then send the video/image as a stand in when needed. I have way too many instances of driving with tears running down my face trying to stifle hysterical laughter remembering an image from an event in my life or a film etc.

It sounds like you are the sunshine in your friends’ lives and when you are around they can bask in your physical touch and get energised. I will think of you every time I see characters recharging with hugs; my favourite is the art room recharge in Seasons of blossom. This is a good example of us being aware of our love language and those of our loved ones so now it’s about how we can come up with back up plans for when we can’t put it into action. Some love languages travel long distance better than others.

One has to factor in the long writers and actors strike into the equation. Originally, it was thought that the strikes could last into December. The last I heard the studios have not bargained in earnest even though they met 3 times this week.

Now if the money grabbing mouse could just open up the geolock.....

Fake it till you make it is an amazing drama. I loved it, I finished binge watching it yesterday. The sister/cousin, I don’t think they are birth sisters, character is one that grates on me as she is very childish in her approach to relationships. She takes way more than she gives and we see various outcomes of adopting that approach through the responses of the men in her life. Her love life is an interesting side story; the rich suitor who played her big time, the first sweet boyfriend who left her for the woman who ‘snatched’ him by ‘caring ‘for him’. The current boyfriend definitely gives off a suspicious vibe I felt this from the time he used his sister for buying the gift and the whole hospital scene.

Re the rich jaded guy approach from the time he called the female lead over during the weekend and had her be his guest when his friend and his mistress came over was him showing his disrespect for her so the whole speech was just emphasising the point for those in the back who may have missed it. She was working and I feel it was a tough choice if she didn’t play a part of a sophisticated woman would he have hired the firm? The very fact it was seen as acceptable to call her out to a social event during her free time says she didn’t have much of a choice in the game playing. That element of the difficulties of getting the balance right was played out with the female client she bought the flowers and scarf for to apologise for her team lead messing things up.

There were so many interesting elements of relationships in work and personal lives between men and woman and the friendships that were developed. The only one we didn’t see was family relationships which is unusual as we usually get a phone call from a parent worried if they are eating ok etc.

My point is, it seems to me according Korean backlash, you're supposed to turn your back on anyone who has done bad or unsavory things no matter the relationship. Best friends, parents, grandparents.

Bullied people at 14, not allowed to have friends at 24. Grandparents were shady, you're to bear the shame.

I may completely simplifying this but I did say I didn't know how to phrase my thoughts.

🥳Congrats on levelling up. The following element is a non functioning feature.
I hope you get full working access to the site sorted soon. It is hard when you don’t know if its personal to you or the whole system is effected.