There’s truly no denying it, The Matchmakers is a beautiful drama.

It’s also that terrible, terrible word, “quirky.” We have a number of characters in social binds trying to make the best of things (like our FL), and we have a number of characters in social binds assuming that the best should come to them (like our ML).

Hijinks are expected, but I’m going to recommend taking this drama one episode at a time. I’m so tired of having my expectations and hopes dashed, and I know I’m not alone. I’m ready for the pretty, show, for the fantasy, for an image of something that seems impossible, but that we could dream about all the same.

More gifs and commentary coming below on The Matchmakers, episodes 1-2.

But first…전하!! (That’s Jeon-ha, not ahem Seon-ha [선하]– only one stroke difference, tho 🤣)

View post on imgur.com

13
80


    These are the sorts of shots that give me Wes Anderson vibes, and for me is the source of the visual “quirk.” Also, in the lower of the two, I get Park Sung-hoon vibes from Rowoon!! I think @mindy mentioned Into the Ring as a drama-comparator here and I see that a bit…Mindy (or anyone who knows these things), was that because part of the production team is shared between this drama and that one?

    6
    2

      The PD/Director is the same!! I’ve been trying to see his Into the Ring visual style (not that he has to keep the same style in all his dramas, but I was assuming a certain “flavor” would be apparent) in the gifs and stills that have been posted so far, but haven’t seen it yet until this third gif – the Park Sung-hoon gif, as you term it. Into the Ring was a lot more saturated with primary colors, while Matchmakers seems very pastel – I wonder if this is what makes it feel more Wes Anderson than Into the Ring? At the very least, with this PD/Director, it should stay pretty until the end.

      6
      1

        Yup, this.

        Frankly, I was so checked out by the end of my watch that my brain didn’t bother to make any more comparisons lol. It has the similar shots of the characters looking right at the camera, but that’s about all I recognized.

        4
        1

          Oh really? I sorta felt like that in Ep. 1 but Ep. 2 picked me back up to give it the full four episode try.

          2
          2

            I am merciless about my one episode tests and don’t like sageuks anyway haha. And don’t really care for anyone in the cast. I only checked it out for the PD.

            I mean, if at the end people whose taste normally aligns with mine are suddenly like OH MY GOD IT’S SO GOOD then maybe I’ll go back to it some day but life is too short and time is too precious for me to wait around for a show to impress me lol!

            3
            0

            Ah fair enough. Whereas I’ve switched to a six-episode rule to the detriment of my life. However, this really did improve in #2 or it might have been a drop for me.

            3
            0

      I don’t think the style is the same than Into the Ring but you can see an effort in the direction like in ITR, the colors, the movement, large plans, etc.

      3
      0



    These images here are just for the sillies!!!! And, yes, this is the only gif of that fantasy sequence I’m going to make…😏

    And a third gif of just Jung-woo shaking his head “no” over and over. 😄

    8
    1



    I was simply taken by this sequence when Soon-deok remembers her husband and Jung-woo sidles in to “take his place.” What a difference we are already seeing between these two men! I simply adore the work of the husband who has demonstrated to me how much he adored her and by Soon-deok who so clearly conveys how simply beautiful he was in her eyes.

    7
    1

      I was also really taken in by the husband’s eyes, his whole expression really. Who is this actor? He needs bigger roles.

      (And Rowoon was so smarmy there. Funny, but a bit ick too.)

      5
      1

        Wasn’t it ick!? I felt that too—which is why I cut this clip this way. Just in the way these men look at her, you can see and feel the difference in their own subject positions.

        Her husband—as he lies on her in the scene just prior (you can just see it in this clip)—is so comfortable and so present in her presence. He leans on her in a way that I like to see as a real help-meet. He’s not dependent on her, he can just be a completely open human being.

        Jung-woo is all expectation and anxiety. He’s taking something he knows he shouldn’t have, and in a childlike way, reveling in his misbehavior…but he also longs for this. He longs to be that other man he doesn’t know, but that we get to see—we get to see what she lost and how far Jung-woo is from being that man.

        I would LOVE for this show to have Jung-woo meet this masculinity goal…but how. But HOW?

        4
        2

          Absolutely, the scene was a detriment to Jung-woo’s character, but I think that’s the point. He needs a believable growth arc desperately*, which I didn’t feel we really get for Rowoon’s character in DWY, actually for most male characters of this kind in dramas.

          *However, not just yet. I want to laugh at him for a bit more first.

          4
          3

            @Indyfan @attiton

            I won’t say Jung-woo seems icky or smarmy or like he is misbehaving, I feel he is completely inexperienced and is acting as an innocent child in love.

            He is obviously, and self-confessedly, an intelligent man who is only full of book-ish knowledge including (we presume) about birds and bees.

            But he has never experienced himself nor second-hand with his family or friends a genuine romantic relationship.

            This is not only eye-opening but also intriguing for him. His look on her lap feels more like “seeking approval” to me.

            Jung-woo’s expression cannot be compared to the husband because is already is in a secure, loving, romantic relationship while Jung-woo only hopes to be.

            3
            0

            Also, I think he imagined himself to be invited, a little bit.
            THough it brings flachback-glitches from a horrible movie with Donald Sutherland, once again playing a horrible person (And I like Sutherland so much 😢😭) . But in that movie he is def. worse.
            Still – what a terrible shock for her to wake up to. Dreaming of her husband and waking up with the idiot self-important guy … Ugh!

            2
            0

            @ceciliedk I also DO imagine that he “feels” invited…and that’s where my ick comes from!!

            He doesn’t know. I know he doesn’t know…but he is given power by forces beyond himself. So he has direct control over all the women around him even if he never earned it. That’s what I’d like to be at stake here—and that’s what I know pretty much can’t. All my hope (and I am seriously trying to keep it in check here) comes from the ironic detachment used.

            It’s another setup for a fall. And I don’t want to fall…but the setup IS SO FUCKING GOOD.

            2
            0

          When I said he “imagined” himself invited, it’s because she caressed his face, not because he thinks every lap at every sleeping woman is his to put his head on. Of course, it wasn’t him she caressed.
          It would be fantastic if they were going into these things more seriously, but it happens so rarely in K-dramas – much more often does the ML as a “lovely” thing say that it is dangerous for her to be with him at night, and it’s supposed to be charming. “Last night, alcohol saved you” etc.
          But I can only remember Hello My Twenties taking problems like that seriously. Also, in “My First Life” she is in a much more horrible situation than she can really share with people around her and flees the place where she was “allowed” to “sleep” and ends up recycling happily ever after with ML.
          Let’s see what happens this time. He IS a horrible person for people around him, there is a certain “imagine a Joseon Incel” over him. Except it’s Rowoon the Cutie Swoon.

          2
          1

            That “Imagine a Joseon Incel” appears over the smiling face of Rowoon below sort of undermines the power that this point really could have 😂

            I do hear you. I just can’t get my hopes up. I’m really damaged when thing fall apart, and that’s on me, I know—but it’s the way I am.

            Here, I need to stay in for each week and just check out if it’s going to go, as @hacja suggested, in the direction of “What about the menz!!?!” I just can’t.

            2
            0


    Just like when Namgoong Min really smiles…when Rowoon really smiles, all attention seem to narrow onto that one moment in time.

    This second gif is for @hopefulromantic:
    Rowoon is only barely, BARELY keeping it together here.

    6
    3

      AAAACK WHAT A LOVELY GIFT!!! Thank you Seon-ha!! 🥰 That made my day!!!!!!!!!!!

      3
      1

        Oh wow, I totally see the full face Namgoong Min smile. Sorta like PW leads, no? Love it. If he has an acting coach, they should be taking notes. It’s a power move.

        4
        1

          Right? This isn’t even—I mean I’d like to think it isn’t even—the “Variety Show Rowoon.” The spunky silly Rowoon (that you do see in that funny clip for Hopeful). This is like an actual human man—and in the scene itself, he’s doing this because he’s so FLIPPING angry about something dumb. But I couldn’t help but see a smile from this actor that I’ve never, ever seen before!

          4
          4

            That is his angry reaction for himself?

            Sigh. Should I take it back?

            2
            0

            @minnie Go watch the episode! It makes sense. The character doesn’t know how he feels at all. Rowoon is doing great in this drama. He really is!!!

            3
            0

            @minniegupta1 But doesn’t that remind you of NM when he smiles to himself (sometimes ironically) in self-reflection in My Dearest? Well done I say. (Tho don’t get your hopes up too high. Still a work in progress, but then look at NM’s early work. Acting is a skill that takes time for some to develop.)

            2
            0

            Sorry I got your tag wrong @minniegupta1! Of course know what it is…I guess was in such a rush to defend that smile!

            0
            0

      That’s Rowoon? Wow…..saying that is an improvement is an understatement! The bottom link is more like what I expect lol!

      2
      1

        He’s supposed to be a prat. Exaggerated comedy is working all right here I say.

        4
        0

      I just love Rowoon’s smile 🥰

      3
      0


    And we’re done for this post! This character–Maeng Ha-na–IS LIFE. Look at that final shoulder shrug under her glorious braid, “Do you have EYES, my good man? Why do I have to wear my hair this way if you’re not gonna TAKE THE HINT??”

    Love her. I love all the “old maids.” GAHH. C’mon show! Let’s do this. I can’t have my heart broken again.

    Shh. Don’t tell. I think that Jung-woo is actually a true love detector.

    8
    2

    ” one episode at a time”
    Agree!

    4
    0

    Awesomeness!!! Especially the very first gif. I sat there and sighed: what a beautiful shot! Also I love her – uh – turnover? coat. Easy but very effective. (Just use it to escape Jungwoo. But since he is usually so blinded by himself, a pushcart full of hay will work, too.)

    4
    2

      FWIW, I do believe that this garment (which the Viki subs translate as “long coat” but apparently is more literally a “long gown”) is a Jang-ot (장옷): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jang-ot

      3
      1

        So it’d be a reversible jang-ot? But yeah, that’s a mesmerizing first gif. I let it loop a few times as well.

        3
        1

          I do think so! And do you see how she’s all jewel tones and he’s all pastels.

          You know who looks good in a pastel hanbok, though—and I don’t think(?) we’ve talked about this a lot—is WOO DO-HWAN. I’ll get a photo. @hopefulromantic have we discussed how much better WDH looks in that pale blue of Joseon Attorney??

          That image comes complete with a side of N for @seeker.

          6
          10

            I hope they switch him to jewel tones whereas she looks better in pastel.

            I should have known you’d sneak in WDH in somehow. 😂

            3
            0

            @indyfan I didn’t even sneak in the one where he had no shirt on. So…is that a win?

            3
            0

            Thank you Seon-ha.
            Way to go – one pic – many pleased Beanies. 😂 👏

            Woo Do-hwan’s pastels in Joseon Attorney were a real fashion statement.
            N was indeed just a side in the drama, although to be fair he had his moments but – WDH. Fingers crossed for him being awesome in week 2 of Castaway Diva. 🥰

            Woowoon is best in bright, radiant colors which make him shine! Is there a drama explanation for pale colors which I missed?

            3
            0

            @attiton
            Seon-ha you have self-restraint! 🤣
            No shirtless WDH, how, why?

            1
            0

            Oooh, why didn’t I add a shirtless WDH…?? Perfect opportunity for my new fave PMR gif, “왜, WHY?”

            https://imgur.com/m3d02So

            But do you know why I’m really adding this? Because I see that in the filename whoever posted it, and I’m really assuming that @solstices did this themselves…named this image “jattorney78_abs.jpg” and yes, that’s exactly what it is: Episode 7-8 Abs.

            3
            0

            @seeker Yes, I do feel that the pastels are actually proactively there to make him look washed out and “peekid” (peaked). I am willing to bet literally no money at all that they’ll switch him to her jewel tones by the end of this drama.

            5
            0

            He looked SO GOOD, no matter how disheveled or spiffy, all the way through that drama. You’re right – that pale blue was good for him.

            2
            0

            *scrolls down in watchlist and abs adds Joseon Attorney*

            The references to all the sageuks I haven’t seen* are killing me 😅 Thank you for the images though. 😆

            * It’s literally ALL sageuks, minus TRS.

            4
            0

            @attiton

            Aah! doesn’t it feel good after posting that shirtless pic.

            Just like relaxing in a sinking ship.

            1
            0

            @attiton

            Ooh yes!! I’ve said from day 1, he’ll turn more colorful in love. 🤞🥰

            1
            0

      That first gif (and scene) is truly gorgeous.

      3
      1

        It’s mesmerizing. I have the clip in higher quality on my desktop and I literally lost minutes and minutes to it.

        3
        1

          Some dramas are lucky enough to have a perfect episode – narrative and visual perfection within the structure of its storyline and cast – and some will get a handful of visually perfect scenes, and this looks like it’s going to be filled with beautiful scenes, regardless of content. Can’t wait to start!! (*except I am waiting to see how things go. Fool me twice… *)

          4
          1

            This has been more consistent than DWY so far in its two episodes. Even tho I appreciate the pretty as well, as per the Apple Test, I’m not as visually oriented as much as story oriented, plus the lack of Roswooning (it’s the pastel hanboks 😭) so there’s no influence there as well. It’s the story and the characters that are pulling me in fwiw.

            4
            0

    The posters itself were indicative of a carefully curated color palette but seeing “in motion” is applaude-worthy. 👏

    4
    0

    Starting a new reply for @sonai and Joseon Attorney.

    @hopefulromantic Would you say that @sonai should but JA at the top of her sageuk list? I dunno. Hopeful and I loooved it (and WDH abs and tears and gallivanting), but it split the community.

    What else is on the list, Sonai?

    3
    2

      Ooooh, how nice! 🫰Beanie recs are the best!!!
      For now I only have:
      * Rookie Historian
      * 7 Days Queen
      * Under the Queen’s Umbrella
      * CSI: Joseon (what was it… you mentioned it before!)
      * Joseon Attorney

      I know these will be different in tone/heaviness, so it depends on my mood, too, what I dare to pick up.

      And I’m still stuck with King’s Affection, which I don’t think I can finish, because Palace Politics. (I’m not a big fan of the hordes of bearded ministers scheming away like there is no tomorrow… That’s why I don’t particularly gravitate to sageuks in general. 😬 But I do love the aesthetics.)

      2
      0

      @attiton and @sonai – I would say put it towards the top of your list, but with caveats. I don’t currently love the drama (sorry Seon-ha!!), but I LOOOOOVED Woo Do-hwan. He’s more than worth the price of admission, and he made it all worth it for me. (*side note: N has the charisma of a limp noodle in JA, which has added to my confusion on seeing the Castaway Diva squeeing over him 😅*)

      The drama was a tough watch for me – lots of realistic tragedy and some brutal violence (*which I used FF with*). Life was tough, man!! But there’s also plenty of humor, and Woo Do-hwan showcased his full acting range – which is impressive indeed!! I think that episode 7 was *the* perfect episode within this drama – it had some beautiful, touching moments between the ML and FL, some gorgeous shots and scenes, and a transformative moment of breakthrough for the ML in his character growth. Perfection. Episode 14 (and to a lesser extent, 15) were extremely hard to watch for me because of crying (Woo Do-hwan’s and mine). Woo Do-hwan grieves beautifully and convincingly. The ending suffices, and bonus points for Woo Do-hwan not dying and seeming happy at the end 💙

      Seon-ha has summarized it in a nutshell: you should watch it for WDH abs (*so many scenes!!*), tears (*So. Many. Tears.*), and gallivanting!

      3
      4

        Well, I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t think that JA was a compromised drama, Hopeful.

        @sonai, have you seen 100 Days My Prince? I’m going to assume not and give a ranking, but if you have you can use what you thought of that drama to assess my own opinions 🙂

        1. Rookie Historian (actually my favorite sageuk to date)
        2. 100 Days My Prince (almost my favorite, the last two episodes draaaaged)
        3. Under the Queens Umbrella (actually haven’t seen this one, but I do believe it’s a classic and it’s on my list
        4. If by CSI: Joseon you mean The Matchmakers, then I’d wait until it’s over to assess…but it’s fun and a live-watch if you want to join in
        5. Joseon Attorney because it’s beautiful (not just WDH) and all the characters are flawed. The last episode sort of stinks with horrible editing but it does more or less end happily.

        Don’t know 7 Days Queen! Wouldn’t recommend Our Blooming Youth.

        2
        2

          @sonai I agree with Seon-ha’s list! I would actually say that Rookie Historian should be your next one!! It was my first sageuk, and it’s pretty nice and light – it was a perfect first saguek for me! I actually enjoy the politics in sageuks, but I also like happy endings, so that makes things tricky.

          I actually would recommend Our Blooming Youth (it’s a drama I enjoyed as I watched it, but liked it more after spending time thinking about it), but don’t watch it until you have a couple more under your belt – its plot is not super focused 😅

          I also really enjoyed Moonshine, which has plenty of action to balance out the politics.

          I adored Bossam: Steal the Fate, but it’s definitely not light. It’s really good, though!!

          The Tale of Nokdu has action, mystery, romance, comedy, revenge, sword fights, and one of the happiest sageuk endings I’ve seen. Highly recommend!!

          Arang and the Magistrate is more fantasy than sageuk, but it was EXCELLENT and I keep looking for opportunities to hype it 😂

          Ok, it’s definitely not without it’s flaws, but I loved Secret Royal Inspector and Joy – it was cracky and fun, and it has TAECYEON, and a couple of very unhinged villains.

          Have fun!!!

          3
          2

            Aw, you’ve seen Bossam. Ever since it was mentioned in MM recaps, I’ve wanted to see it. Could have been a non-live group watch. But no matter, there is NO TIME for non-live watches. It’s madness right now. Is it possible I’m live-watching EIGHT shows? Holy moly.

            2
            0

            @indyfan you’re watching EIGHT SHOWS??? Whoa!!

            Aww sorry 😅 I loved Bossam and would HIGHLY recommend it. I was thinking about starting a Rewatch, so let me know if you want a watching buddy!!😊

            2
            0

          👀 Woah, thank you, thank you! Will definitely take this ranking into consideration! Unfortunately, I have not seen “100 Days My Prince”, though it has definitely been pushed onto me by the Netflix start page, lol. Now it finally goes on the list!

          Oh, I’m already SO watching The Matchmakers of course! 😆 How could I resist this live watch with all of you? I was referring to you mentioning “Our Blooming Youth” in the CSI context, I think. Good to know this is one thing less to put on my list!!!

          7 Days Queen is featuring Park Minyoung, which almost automatically secured the spot on the watchlist (I liked most of her dramas). Also read some articles about this on DB and it seemed like a decent watch!

          *taking notes*

          2
          2

            I am struggling to remember who’s watching what–my apologies. I honestly do pride myself on remembering these things!! I went from literally having ZERO live-watches to FIVE live watches in a week. I wanted to calm down on the Fan Wall and watch W or something.

            I have a drama problem, and you guys are here…TO ENCOURAGE IT AND I LOVE YOU!!!

            3
            0

            @attiton It can be seriously stressful to be a kdrama addict. We can all bear it together… FIGHTING!

            (Of course there’s no need to remember what I’m watching – no worries! 😂 I’ll just pop up in the comments, lol)

            4
            0

        – Seriously Seon-ha, how have you remade this into a WDH post? Right, the abs. 😂 Alas, if they had been displayed earlier, I might have stuck with the drama, for it was a drop for me.
        – For a light sageuk, Sonai, try Mr Queen as well. SHS/CJH killed it with the comedy.
        – Hopeful, it’s N’s character in Castaway. Never fear, as soon as (the other) CJH smiles, all hesitations will melt away.

        4
        1

          If you want WDH abs, you should watch Bloodhounds on FF. There’s at least one shot per episode, basically–plus Lee Sang…

          WHEN DID I TURN INTO THIS THIRSTTRAP TRACKER?? I’m done. Seriously. I’m a better person than this. 😆🙄

          3
          8

            Just waiting for the moment someone mentions the shower scene from THE K2.

            👀🍿

            1
            0

            EGREGIOUS. That’s all that scene was. I’ve only seen that one scene from The K2 because everyone says the rest of it is so bad…and I was embarrassed to even have my eyes open for it! This from a woman who made the followin gif (@indyfan, I can totally stay on the subject you see? That is, when THE SUBJECT IS WDH, apparently).

            2
            0

            Ha! But that was not THE SCENE for me. K2 was the rare drama where the fully clothed umbrella scene was everything. Watch till the end, preferably on mute (because everything else is truly horrible.)

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY7IK84P1hc

            1
            0

            LOL! There’s only very few scenes I remember from watching this concoction. However, the shower scene is burned into my memory forever, especially since I was watching like Shinyu looking at white-button-up Hongjo. 🫣🤣

            The kiss under the blanket was cute! But also cringe!!! (They were not actually alone in that room, lol!)

            And WHY did she dance with that ramen package? *GROANS* I’ll stop now, before I have more memories emerge…

            2
            0

            **sucks air through teeth**

            Noona romance haters be gone, @indyfan. BE GONE. Wolf, indeed.

            2
            0

            @indyfan Oh *THAT* umbrella scene! 👏👏👏

            2
            0

            @sonai, let that umbrella shelter you from the memory of the ramen…

            Seon-ha: I didn’t say I wanted a noona romance (tho dang, it’s been a while), but their chemistry was everything that was lacking in the OTP. Sonai knows.

            2
            0

            @indyfan The “romance plot” was *tragic*. I’ll dry my tears with that umbrella.

            On the upside: LOL. I bookmarked @attiton s post, so I can come back to all of your awesome sageuk suggestions. And I’m already chuckling about how I will laugh maniacally when I read this part of the conversation again in a few weeks. Thank you! 😂🫰😂

            3
            0

        @hopefulromantic Awesome, thank you for this detailed recommendation!!! From all the tears (fine with me, lol), I take it this is one of the heavier drama options. Good to know!!! Will make sure to watch with tissues & snacks at my disposal!

        2
        0

        For WDH in a sageuk, I choose My Country! He was great in this drama and I’m pretty sure we see his abs in the first episode :p

        It’s a thing in sageuk to let men bathing in a river: WDH and Yang Se-jongn My Country or Rowoon in The King’s Affection ;p

        1
        0

    I LOVE this post. As people will know, I have giffed a bit too, nut more like “Ha, the hat looks a bit like a bird!” kind of gif.
    These are beautiful, and catches essence … That kind of thing. Thank you, Seon-ha!
    I have thought Wes Anderson a few times with some favourite dramas … and I have thought that probably it was Wes Anderson who took inspiration in Asian Cinematic TV-Soap rather than the other way?
    A bit like a (somewhat distant) friend and artist I know, who has made a monochrome film that is one step further from some imagery at times in K-dramas.

    4
    1

      Thank you so much, Cecilie! Your compliment means a lot to me.

      It is indeed very possible that the influence went from Asia to Wes Anderson rather than vice versa—I suppose I’m just demonstrating the “when I saw things first” bias.

      That’s also an amazing image (the pink one)…would it be insulting to you and/or your distant friend (probably! Sorry!!) if I said it reminded me of the best kind of Eurovision video—remember, I’m a HUGE very much unironic Eurovision fan 😬 Surreal and thought-provoking in a pop-culture sort of way.

      PS, and asking for a friend: Does my deep, philosophical giffing also include the WDH breathing slowly, pretty much naked, in the shower example??? 🫣

      1
      1

        I don’t know if she would be offended … by the way, she’s also a drummer. But here’s her page, with examples of some of her art: https://www.carinarandlov.com/
        And
        Of course slow breathing in showers is part of the philosofical Ganze, the Wholeness, so to speak. A bit like, but maybe even more than, my Si-oh gifs are all (especially the 2-seconds ones, where he just smiles) essential for the understanding of the complexity that is Nam-soon’s story.

        1
        0