I'm also in the Midwest and right in the blizzard! Fortunately I'm working from home this month.

What the what?! How could the crowd crush/crowd surge have been related to drug use?!

If anything, I would buy the "the president changed his residence/office plus there were protests that day so the police resources were allocated to them leading to a severe lack of preparation and access to help" reasoning over drug use.

I am just so surprised that was given as a potential reason why the surge happened. How does that even work? Are they saying so many people were on drugs, they got stuck in a tiny alley and then more people came and got stuck along with them?

I think not only the treatment of famous people needs to change, but there also needs to be MAJOR changes to societal views and stigma around substance use. It needs to be viewed under a public health lens and not a morality lens.

It’s really f-cked up when fans love a character redemption story in their dramas, but condemn it when it happens in real life.

This is a timely collective which as @vienibenmio said, can hopefully spark a much wider discussion about the despair that leads people to take their own lives, how Governments should implement short-term and long-term policies to address the underlying causes, the role of unethical media orgs and attention-seekers, and stem the tide of such losses.
Again, it reminds me of how brutal the cost of such modernisation and economic growth has been in SK. The ‘miracle on the Han’ will continue to have a long tail of social, economic and political ramifications.

Same to you @reply1988. I hope you have a great year of dramas.
One of the changes to my viewing habits particularly in the last year is that I am less inclined to go back and try to catch up on episodes of dramas that wound up on the sidelines for whatever reason. Sometimes it is because of traveling. More recently I got sucked into Cdramaland with: A JOURNEY TO LOVE ( 40 eps), THE HOPE (30 eps), THE LONELY WARRIOR (24 eps) and THE LONG SEASON (only12 eps.)
I had pretty much decided after 4 episodes that SAMDAL-RI would be a drop but I was 10 episodes into the sageuk GKW when I veered off. I am inclined to let GKW go as a drop because I am definitely watching KNIGHT FLOWER (Viki) which begins airing today. I really was looking forward to Jang Dong-yoon in SAND and may try to work that in. JDY had a fantastic year in 2023.

I hope YOU do too!

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And make pretend it came from you
I'm gonna write them words so sweet
they're gonna kock me off my feet
a lot of kisses on the bottom
I'll be glad I got'em
I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you're feeling better"
("Feeling better!" Yeah, that's a killer!)
And close with love the way you do
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
and make pretend it came from you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZZRAU3DeOo

Many years ago, I purchased the most wonderful fire alarm at an auction. It consists of a piece of sheet metal with two flat strips of metal with a wooden ball on the end . The sheet metal and the clacker strips meet in a wooden handle. When you shake it , the clackers clack on the sheet metal and produce an ear piercing bell sound, no electronics needed.
It is Japanese , I have no idea how old it is.
My wife says “We don’t need that”, Hah ! I do ! , say I “.
The sound it produces would wake the dead .

You need to write a book! The adventures of Librarian Redfox!

I've never seen such an "action-packed" library!! 😳 Wow ... you can really work anywhere now with all that experience.

@redfox I really enjoy your library anecdotes.
I had a dear friend, since passed, whose career was as a librarian with a major US library. Lol he always referred to the Loan Division of his library (his division) as the ‘Loon Division’. That was in reference of course to the folks on his side of the counter.

Quantity over quality is what makes those that stand out really shine as you know what they had to go through to be noticed in such a crowded market.

My issue with C-dramas is that they're SO long. I watched Lighter and Princess because people kept talking it up so much, and I had to really force myself to finish it. It burnt me out, honestly.

I've said this too many times on Dramabeans before, and I hate to sound like a self-righteous nag but I do think that discussion of cdramas should take in account that they are heavily censored by an authoritarian government.

One of my best friends is a Chinese American born in China, and after a recent visit he says that among his intellectual friends, the fear of saying the wrong thing in public and getting a visit from the police is as strong as he's seen it.

So even in c-dramas that might be trying to smuggle in an anti-government message, pro-freedom of speech message (and I don't think that happens too often in rom-coms, my favorite genre) you have to really pay attention to see it, whereas there will be a lot of pro-authoritarian politics easily visible. Plus I well know that if any star or director would protest any social or government policy, (as is Bong Joon Ho, above) they would suddenly "disappear." Also, I can't help thinking what happened to Hong Kong, once a vibrant film hub when China took over and repressed all artistic freedom, and what would happen to Taiwan shows and films if China takes control. They would also disappear.

I would never judge anyone based on the politics of consumerism. I myself own a lot of products manufactured in China, and boycotts often end up punishing the people and workers rather than the government. But still, I think its important to acknowledge the censorship issue.

It makes sense to trust people whose tastes you share.
But I use Does The Dog Die, too, and Rotten Tomatoes. The latter unfortunately often hasn't reviewed K-dramas.

So nice when men are not afraid to give each other that kind of compliments.
And so nice that one's idol agrees with having had a meaningless role.

I’m not a particularly big fan of long hair on men, but Ryoo Joon-Yeol’s shaggy mane in Human Disqualification was off-the-charts sexy. It was a bit of a bummer when his character got a conventional haircut later in the show, and he became just conventionally sexy.

No, it's not mentioned or explained later.

I think she's lip reading the teachers, but also, her stepmother is the principle of the school, so she's probably getting tutoring or lessons at home (but not in sign language of course, and only so the stepmother doesn't look bad.) She's an artist, so that's where she's channeling most of her energy.

*than mine
See? Can't even type this much properly!

Hope you feel better soon.

Hope you’ll get well soon.

@gikata - Sorry I can’t be there to bring you a takeout container of rice porridge, that Kdrama cure-all. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery in both mind and body!

I recommend pretending you´re a husky and complaining in dog language thts what being sick makes me do

I’m sorry to hear of your bad cold and the symptoms. If you can rest, do it and get better. I hope you’ve someone to look after you.

Dramas over flowers is a good K drama podcast and I think some of them were DB contributors back in the day

Some podcasts I listen to are Dramas With a Side of Kimchi, K-Drama My Eyes Out, Dramas Over Flowers, and Ya Girl Maddie-a Kdrama Podcast. They are all quite different.

Thanks ya'll! I'll check them out :)

I'd second the Dramas with a Side of Kimchi rec. I've also listened to Certified Noonas. And two new to me ones I'm enjoying are Tea and Soju (c drama focused) and The Swoon Diaries Podcast.

I just looked it up to confirm, but dogs were the first animal to be domesticated. At least 15K years ago. That means humans have evolved as well as the co-dependent bond with canines (hunting, protection, warmth and food) has grown stronger. Which is why the thought of eating dog meat is more repugnant to humans than most other species.

Sheep, cats, chickens, etc. followed about 3-5 thousand years later. And, except for cats, they aren't as soft and cuddly. 😊

Ah! I'm so sorry about your heartbreak. It seems trite to say but it will get better. Pure fluff ... seems were all out of that but maybe some older dramas. A Love So Beautiful or Still 17 perhaps?

Yes older dramas that you know the outcome will be the best option. Most will have some sort of noble idiocy or drama.
Business proposal
Shooting stars
Soundtrack #1
Shopaholic Louis
Twentieth century boy and girl
Once upon a small town

Would a virtual hug from a stranger make a difference? I know it is unlikely but I have opened my arms in real life and am pretending to give you a big firm hug. I’m a firm hugger of those whom I love in RL and I hope you’ve people that you can share your heartbreak and get some comfort via hugs or other means.

I'm all about Fluff and lightness. I just finished- 10 minutes ago- Backstreet Rookie. Just some good clean happy fun. So much cute chemistry. Have you seen Attorney Woo- drama with a feel-good ending every week. King The Land was all love and smiles and really no drama. I agree completely on shooting stars!!! If you need more ler me know its my specialty💜

Eee!! 😆🥰 My BB is looking at a phone that he found on the mountain that started talking to him and asked him to save it!! (From Unlock My Boss)!!

I forgot that Dr in space drama was due out he also has the next instalment of Pachinko due soon.

Lee Min-ho is likely to have two dramas releasing in 2024. When the Stars Gossip (or Ask the Stars) where he plays a gynecologist who is a space tourist, as mentioned by you. Gong Hyo-jin plays the astronaut. 😊 Then there is Pachinko Season 2. The release dates of the two dramas have not been announced as yet.

I hope all goes well with the wrapping up process. Take care of yourself as the lurgies always attack when you have periods of high stress. I hope the Sabbatical and concert go well.

Enjoy your sabbatical and I hope it will all go well.