Beanie level: Entertainer-in-training

Happy 4TH ANNIVERSARY (!!!!!!!!!!!) to the best drama with the best male lead of all time!!!!!

Gosh, has it really been 4 years? Has it been 4 years since I spent every waking moment of every day over a two month period constantly refreshing Dramabeans and Tumblr for new content? Has it really been 4 years since I totally neglected my studies and refreshed and refreshed the front page during my Thursday afternoon class waiting for the recap to go up, rushing to be the first to post and spending the entire 3 hour class reading and replying to the most insightful, squeeful comments on Dramabeans, and yet somehow managing to get straight As that semester anyway?

Even 4 years later, I still think that Because This Life is Our First EASILY has the most fun comment section ever. It was equal parts intelligence and pure fangirl energy. People wrote ESSAYS on these characters that we loved, and characters that we hated, and characters that we didn’t know how to feel about because they were so real and so well-written that they frustrated us as much as they made us root for them.

We squeed over the most unlikely Swoon-hee male lead I think I’ve ever seen in Dramaland. We, like Ji-ho, made the biggest deal about every *Sooji and Horang voice* uriiiiiiiiiIIIIIIII~~. We just about died at simple phrases that meant so much coming from our totally different but equally awkward, strange, yet totally compatible couple. Every “We really suit each other”, every “I don’t need a wife, I need you”, every conversation about recycling, about feeding Kitty, and of course, about going over to the in-laws’ house in Namhae to make kimchi.

Honestly, I believe I’ve rewatched this show over 7 times, but it’s been over a year(!) since my last time watching. Even after so long, I still get so into it, so invested that I have no choice but to detach myself from it a bit. It’s been a great balm during some of the most challenging times of my life, but if I rely on this story and these characters too much it becomes dangerous. I have learned to love and appreciate it from more of a distance, letting other dramas like My Ajusshi, Into the Ring, and You Are My Spring enter my heart as well, but I don’t see any show toppling BTLIOF in its #1 spot in my heart. Is it perfect? No, but so much of what I love about it is in its imperfection. I don’t think I could love a perfect drama this much.

Over the years, SoMinki have honestly given me stinker after stinker since this gem entered my life, but it never makes me feel too bad because I’ll always have Ji-ho and Se-hee (but… please, you two. Please, can you give me something to love in 2022? Please? At least one of you? Minki, if My Liberation Diary lets me down even with its stellar cast and crew… I don’t know what I’ll do). They’ll always be there when I need them… and yes, I do mean always, because yes, I do own the DVD boxset, and yes, I do own a full-sized snail plushie that has a constant presence on my bed.

I hope the whole entire cast and crew somehow knows how much this show means to me, and I hope they’re still proud of what they made. I wish I could let them know somehow, but hopefully the power of my love and affection will somehow reach them across the ocean… and okay, I’m gonna stop before the cheese becomes even too much for ME to handle. Just thank you, and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

Now excuse me as I join my snail and hit the hay. Goodnight!

(Thank you @egads for making me remember that today, October 9, was THE day! If only a few more hours had passed I would have missed it!)





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    I don’t even care I messed up the formatting I DONT CAAAARE

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    I can’t believe it’s been FOUR years! This was the drama that took me from lurker bean to full fledged registered bean, and introduced me to so many people all over the world. I don’t know what to say that you haven’t already said, and your gifs are perfect, and I’m going to go back to watching the first two episodes now.

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    4 YEARS! My goodness. One of the best live watch experiences ever. I can still recall every single squee I felt when I first saw those gif scenes!

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    First drama I ever watched live. Great gifs as usual.

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    Gosh! One of the best shows to ever grace our screens and one of the best times on DB! That was so much fun!!

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    The cinematography of this show was great too. The symbolism I learned on the recaps as related to how the scenes were shot were interesting. Really. A very well-done show—and it’s on Netflix for more people to enjoy!

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    I can’t believe it’s been FOUR YEARS since this masterpiece. Some dramas truly are timeless. I still remember how I felt watching the exact moments from your GIFs. The excitement, the swooning, the cheering. How I used to rave about this show to anyone and everyone whenever I got the chance. This was way more of a ‘healing drama’ for me than any drama that actually advertised itself as one. I just love it so much.

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    ohhhhhh so sweet!
    I wasn’t here four years ago, but I read all the comments in DB section and freaked out alone. It was fun reading all the opinions. I wish I was here…
    Anyways, this drama is my favorite too, and I don’t care, nothing will ever replace it. It’s just too amazing, too well done… I loved every part of it and learned a lot.
    I know a season 2 is impossible (or maybe not?), but I still want it. I want iitttt

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It’s October tomorrow/today! The best month! Which means it’s also time for me to remind myself what is premiering with my drama round-up posts!

I am VERY excited for My Name (and may or may not be fantasizing about Na-bi using Jae-eon as a punching bag), and also have quite a bit of interesting in Reflection of You, Work Later, Drink Now, and Jirisan! A surprising number of shows this month are actually adaptations from existing works. I really wish I could read Korean fluently because I would definitely read the novel of Reflection of You and maybe do a post on it. Oh well.

https://sunsetdramaland.wordpress.com/2021/09/30/october-drama-round-up-the-kings-affection-reflection-of-you-my-name-more/

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    Jirisan is airing on Iqiyi and it’s probably the one along My name and Work Later, Drink now, I’m interested in. But I don’t know if I can handle three more dramas, considering babes dramas air in the first week of November…

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I must be missing a romantic bone in my body because I feel absolutely nothing while watching the leads in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and the cells in Yumi’s Cells honestly DISGUST me (their design and the whole Minion-like vibe ughhhhh) but am super into the slick, beautifully shot, delightfully creepy Hometown, even though it has me quite confused at the moment (I just wish it would stop making all the victims women).

Although, the cells would make me react that way even if I was in a lovey-dovey mood so that show is just clearly not for me lmao.

If Hometown tears these two apart permanently I will have WORDS!!!!


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    problem with hometown is they gave away the entire plot in ep 1

    creepy doesn’t cut it because the storyline is crystal clear

    Another cult drama on lines of save me type

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    I really like Hometown’s creepy vibe. I think it especially works for dramas set in the past.

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      And now I read about the mess with the writer and don’t know that I want to continue.

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        Just did a quick Naver search. Shit! Now I don’t know if I wanna continue, either.

        Changing his name is such a sneaky move. Before it aired I looked up the writer out of curiosity and didn’t see any previous works so thought it was a rookie. 🙄 A bit disappointed in the director tbh for taking the script and playing along… I really like his work too.

        This also makes the high number of female victims in the show so far more gross to me. Ugh.

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          Wait, I didn’t know that the writer was shady. What did he do? I can’t read Korean so idk where to find the information.

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            https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/140/0000045429

            Basically, the writer is actually a director who changed his name after disappearing 3 years ago after admitting to sexual assault and being suspended by the Korean Director’s Association

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            @mindy thanks for the information. Ugh that’s absolutely disgusting. I really don’t want to continue watching, and therefore, supporting the show. It’s a shame because I like all the actors involved. But I refuse to support predators.

            ….maybe it’s time to break out the illegal sites? Might be a solution, but I still feel scummy.

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          Sneaky is right. Like I don’t believe he reflected on his actions when he changed his name and didn’t respond to disciplinary action.

          The director is disappointing too with his there was an amicable apology so it’s fine. The victim doesn’t seem to agree.

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    Lol I’ve made 2 attempts to watch the Ceĺls, but they are not grabbing me. Looks like I’ll be compelled to illegally watch Hometown. 😏

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I really, REALLY wish the human brain had a pause button

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I don’t like the new fromis_9 song but this has been the only thing occupying my actual screen and brain screen this whole month (yes I know it’s only September 4th)

This MV is just cool okay???

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So somehow it’s September tomorrow already? Which means it’s time for a new batch of drama premieres? I don’t know how we got here?

Well, anyway, I actually find the September batch of dramas to be quite exciting! Lost and Hometown are definitely at the top of my list, and I’ll be checking out Squid Game as well. I know lots of people are excited for Yumi’s Cells, but I am SO put off by the Minion-like CGI “cells” that I don’t think I can do it unless it gets glowing reviews.

https://sunsetdramaland.wordpress.com/2021/08/31/september-drama-round-up-squid-game-yumis-cells-more/

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    Yes! Finally someone else who finds the “cells” off-putting. I’ve heard a ton of people say how cute they are, meanwhile I’m just horrified by the design and animation style. I hope the story stands on its own so I can make myself check it out.

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    OT but how did your watch of I Hear Your Voice go?
    I just saw that the Dramas With a Side of Kimchi has a new ep on it and been thinking of a re watch.

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Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is exactly what I expected it to be: lighthearted, brainless fluff, and I’m totally fine with that. The show knows what it is and it’s delivering as a standard rom-com. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s a pretty show with pretty people and some humorous dialogue.

One interesting thing that I noticed but haven’t seen anyone else mention is that it basically has the fixings of a noona romance without being a noona romance. The female lead is a successful single career woman who’s great at her job but clueless at some other things. The male lead is an outgoing, rough-around-the-edges charmer with a minimum wage job but has a secret past. I’m getting lots of Witch’s Romance/Dal-ja’s Spring vibes from the setup, and I don’t hate it. I just hope he doesn’t end up going back to being a big elite like in Witch’s Romance. One thing I liked about Dal-ja’s Spring was that it just let the female lead be the “breadwinner” with a stable career in the end because who cares about society’s expectations! So I hope this one goes that route–let “Chief” Hong stay “Chief” Hong!

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a straight, almost old-fashioned rom-com that has a flawed but not completely unlikeable male lead and without a major power imbalance between the leads (cough Monthly Magazine Home cough) and without any weird/tragic red flags… yet (cough Oh! Master and Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol cough).

I really hope I didn’t just jinx it, LOL.
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    I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It felt warm and comfortable and like you said, almost old-fashioned. I used to watch every rom-com that came out and am now the ultimate rom-com dropper, but I feel good about this one.

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    Plus, watching the leads smile is making me smile. Also, the Halmoni group and the kids are adorable 😍

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    The pessimist in me says we’ll never know whether you jinxed it or it was just inescapable fate.

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    While it’s racing through the tropes, the drama watcher in me is braced for developments. I’m observing myself too to see how satisfied I will be if it’s an old time brainless-fluff rom-com. Jinxing spells coming your way….

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    It’s the escape I was looking for. It’s replacing my yearly ocean trip.

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    Now that you mentioned it YES it gave me the noona romance vibe too xD

    Unfortunately I find myself unwilling to commit to a romcom these days so I’ll just look and smile at screencaps like these 😅

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    It’s a remake of Mr Hong (2004) with Kim Joo-Hyuk as Hong Doo-shik and Uhm Jung-hwa as Hye-jin. From clips available at YT, there are exactly the same scenes in both – will check out the movie over the weekend.

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      Yup, I know! I also plan on checking out the movie at some point.

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      The film is a pretty old-fashioned, not terribly enlightened rom-com that’s quite typical of its period. However, while Hye-jin is written as a straightforwardly clueless and condescending city girl, Doo-shik, though a bit brusque, is never deliberately rude to her. The townspeople are pretty ordinary and not particularly unreasonable. So the film would not ignite the kind of debate that I think is beginning to emerge over Hometown Cha3 — i.e. whether Doo-shik is nasty or nice, and whether Hye-jin deserves the treatment she gets from him and the other townspeople.

      Based on the comments, the new Doo-shik seems like a more old-fashioned character than the old one, cos the old one is in no way a tsundere or whatever you call it. In fact he is so objective that there is barely any romantic chemistry between him and Hye-jin. And IMO Uhm Jung-hwa’s charisma is completely wasted on the character. What I did enjoy about the film is its very wry and almost off-hand humour. Watch out for the game of baduk between Doo-shik and Hye-jin’s dad, the single kimbap that Doo-shik has to deliver, and – best of all – the saluting seagulls.

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Did you know?

This song has the best chorus in K-pop history

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When I started reading the Nevertheless, webtoon, I planned on making a detailed post outlining all the differences between the drama and webtoon. But by the time the finale rolled around, I was just so done and over it that all I could muster up was this rambling, slightly incoherent rant.

But thank GOD it’s finally over, even after I suffered through all 10 episodes.

https://sunsetdramaland.wordpress.com/2021/08/21/drama-vs-webtoon-nevertheless/

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    It’s a very coherent and excellent synopsis of the weary pointlessness of it all.

    I’m also very glad I pressed pause after episode one because I was afraid this very thing would happen despite people saying, “But no, the webtoon… ”

    Kdrama gotta kdrama most of the time, but maybe that makes us appreciate the outliers even more. (And it’s not just kdramas that love this toxic romantic trope, but hopefully no more will include butterfly tramp stamps)

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      Thanks, egads!

      Yep, this trope is pervasive in pretty much every medium. That’s why reading the webtoon was so refreshing. Ah, well. Some day I’ll get that drama where the heroine ends the story sexy, free & single. Some day.

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    “And when happy lesbians can’t even make me care about the drama, you know something went wrong.”

    I wish they never have been part of this show at all. Na-bi’s arc, or lack thereof, erases all the positive things about them.

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    I’m at ep 8 on this and 14 of monthly magazine home and refuse to give both any more or my time.

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    Thank you, Mindy! It was a very interesting and beautifully written article. Now I’m fully convinced to stay away from this drama.

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    Didn’t watch this, Mindy but I LOVEd your thoughts on it!

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Just Love ft. Marriage & Divorce things!!!! 😇✨💫


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I’m sure no one here cares but Queen Points finally uploaded a video today and I just need to share it with everyone I know, and that includes you people. Someone in the comments section is right, Natalie releasing a video is akin to a national holiday.

I will never stop being impressed by her ability to take such universal feelings that others don’t bother examining, making me question my own thoughts and feelings concerning the subject without making me spiral into a deep depression about it.

And all ending on a positive note without making any of what she just spent an ungodly amount of time talking about (and researching for months behind the scenes) seem at all meaningless.

She is so much smarter than I will ever be.

This has absolutely nothing to do with dramas and I’m not sorry.

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She’s not my girlfriend she’s the person I like

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    You need to gif this whole episode!!!!

    I’m madly in love with them!!

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    Dammit mindy, I’m only on episode 2! You make me want to skip all the episodes just to see ep 10!

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      Just know that this drama has gotten better and better (please may it continue)!

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    He dances like my dad.💕 His willingness to be a dork for her is one of my favorite things about him.

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Oh nooo I kind of ship oh NOOOOOOOOO
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Even Yoo Ah-in loves Racket Boys
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    Ha I was just about to share this too. I appreciate him giving it a shout-out. Very sweet of him

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    He has taste!

    Tang Joon-Sang answered 🙂

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…yep this is definitely a 2013 drama lmao

Oh dramas how far you’ve come!!!

Can’t believe a dumb high schooler is man-handling MY LEE BO-YOUNG
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Nevertheless ep 7 makin’ me wanna barf but at least I got THIS!!!!!!!
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I’m watching I Hear Your Voice and it has KIM GA-EUN?! HORANGI?!?!?!
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I’m trying to remember to write in my blog more, but I don’t have the time for lengthy reviews anymore.

So I’m thinking of various consistent series I can do, and one I decided to go for is a Monthly Drama Premiere Round-up!

It’s hard to keep track of what’s releasing when, especially with more and more platforms getting into the kdrama game, so I thought I’d do the research myself! Here’s what to look forward to in August!

https://sunsetdramaland.wordpress.com/2021/07/30/august-drama-round-up-hometown-cha-cha-cha-d-p-more/

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Dear You Are My Spring,

I haven’t the words to describe how much I love you.

Perhaps a hug would best convey how I feel.



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I’m screaming at this translated title

KEYEAST!!!!!
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