Beanie level: Rooftop room dweller

I’m back from my trip and getting caught up on the Kdramas I missed (minus Queen of Tears, which I was able to watch while I was away). Currently on ep 13 of Midnight Studio.

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I’m at a sushi place and they’re playing kdrama OST tracks. I’m currently hearing “Voyage” from Castaway Diva

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QoT ep 13 (haven’t gotten caught up with 14 yet)
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We went to a local Korean restaurant and I spotted some familiar faces on the TV!



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I\’m going to be out of town for a week starting tomorrow, so I\’m not gonna be posting or commenting as often, if at all. Hoping I can still watch some new eps while on vacation, but we\’ll see!

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    I hope you will be doing some fun things while you are travelling and can come back and enjoy the dramas on your return. The weeks are so empty you should be able to catch up in the Wed-Sat deadzone.

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      Thank you! Yes, and I have a few days off of work when I get back so I should be able to catch up.

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        Excellent, you will need to stay off the site though until you are caught up especially the fan wall section as quite a few beanies seem to be watching the same dramas which is something I have not seen for a while.

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          I’m actually ok with spoilers, plus I’m in some kdrama Facebook groups that will no doubt spoil things

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    Comment was deleted

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    Enjoy your getaway!

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    Have fun. Make good memories. We’ll catch up when you’re back. 😊

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    We shall wait for your return! Enjoy your vacation time!

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    Wishing you a great vacation! We’ll hold down the fort here while you’re away 😉

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And just like that, Lovely Runner has my interest again

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Midnight Studio ep 10: I\’m really yelling at the characters through the TV a lot this episode

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    Bom, give Ki-joo a break! He’s struggling and he did try to push you away for a long time!

    Ghost cop whose name I forget: of COURSE your wife has been handling this stuff by herself, who else would have done it??

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    It was such a jarring change in tone from episode 9 than I’m glad that these weren’t paired up as originally scheduled. I would have been very frustrating to end the week on episode 10. Now hopefully episode 11 is a little more upbeat, as much as this show can allow.
    I liked how Ji-won put two and two together. She’s a smart cookie. Are they setting her up for a final heartbreak or finally being able to move on after discovering the truth about Go Dae Ri. I think it’s the latter so they can finally watch CLOY and let go. 😊
    Detective Baek Nam Goo is learning more about his wife now after passing. Hope he can encourage her to move on and live happily.
    That does seem to be a theme.

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REALLY, QoT? We didn’t already have enough childhood connections for you? 😂😂

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    It’s a fairy tale! Lean into it 🙂
    (I loved it. Now we just need to find they were next to each other in hospital as babies…Or that they have the same fairy godmother.)

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    Oh my, @vienibenmio, but the connections were there from the very beginning when Hae-in had the flashbacks as the wild boar was about to attack. And the clues (red shirts/mp3 player) were spread around as well.

    The key take-away (I hope you don’t consider it to be spoiler because Ep. 12 provided the final puzzle pieces): Hyun Woo rescued her and heard her name (Hae-in) as her mother frantically called for her. Hyun Woo sees her name tag (Hong Hae-in) when he helps her at the highschool. Bingo- he connected the dots and began to search for her. When Yang-gi asks “would you recognize her (the highschool girl), Hyun Woo says “right away.” Which he did the moment she started to kick the copier.

    I don’t usually like “destiny” stories – but primarily because they are contrived like “Destined with You” or even the latest “Midnight Studio”. Queen of Tears? It’s subtle and meaningful – he was born to love and protect her and it’s not because of any childhood connection, it simply IS. My gosh, that IS their story. Or, should I say, that’s the story I have watched from Episode 2 (boar attack flashbacks) and episode 1 and 2 Epilogues. As @mazarin suggests, it’s a fairy tale. Writer-nim may disappoint, but I don’t think Hyun Woo’s prayer scenes are going to be throw-away scenes either. 😊

    Now, if the writers give us some half-assed dying in his arms (the prayers, gosh darn it! the prayers!) or even worse, he dies in her arms. I’ll . . .riot. Hell hath no fury. . . .etc. etc.💕

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      I love Queen of Tears but nothing is subtil in this childhood connections. At least, Destined with You and Mignight Studio are fantasy dramas, so we expect this kind of things, and in DwY it was literally the theme.

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      I would have liked the story to be just as you described, knowing how much she will need her from now on with her disease ( a big possibility is that it will not be neither a miracle nor a death but a stop in the progression of the disease with the hope that there are new research that is promising and writernim will have her usual endings where the leads are together but separated, this time by her memory loss and he will be the one that would help her remember alas notebook). But if he remembered her name since the beach incident and searched for her after the high school one then he would have known that she was rich when they met at the company. And that would change the whole story.

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        I’ll have to rewatch to confirm, but I believe he said he searched everywhere AT the highschool, not realizing it was her last day. He didn’t say he kept searching for her after that – only that he would recognize her immediately if he saw her again – and he did, When she returned to Korea, she had been gone at least 10 years. At the Department store, she was working anonymously – none of the other employees knew who she was either. But he recognized her as the girl at the highschool.

        Alas, I’m also afraid of some sort of “notebook” ending which I consider manipulative and unimaginative. The drama is hitting on all cylinders with an unusual romance (marriage in crisis that doesn’t involve revenge); the two families, the irredeemable villains who will be punished appropriately (death, death) and a bit of thriller antics with the stock take-over and counter-attack. It just doesn’t need additional tragedy and I’ll knock my rating down if it does.

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          Right, this has been so much like a fairy tale in other respects that a downer ending, while maybe more realistic, wouldn’t really fit the rest of it. And it would be wildly unsatisfying.

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      It’s not gonna detract from my enjoyment of the drama, but it’s just way too coincidental. Him saving her from drowning was coincidental enough, but then years later they run into each other as teenagers and later he works for her family’s company, not knowing anything about how she’s connected to it? There are so many connections around the characters (Hae-in, Soo-cheol, Eun-sung, Dae-hye, etc) but at least that one is explained through the common link of the orphanage. It’s a bit like Crash Landing on You where they JUST happened to run into each other in Switzerland of all places.

      I dunno, I love “fated to love you” and that’s why I adore supernatural dramas with past life connections, but sometimes I think choosing to love someone is beautiful too, and I wish Kdramas would show more of that.

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        I’ve re-thought some of my original comment. I already noted that I don’t like “destiny” plots and one reason I gave up on Destined for You was because sometimes the viewer was supposed to believe in the magic and other times they were not. Too many plot holes in the cosmic logic. So, I am more than happy to forgo the “they are destined for each other” from birth or past lives.

        But back to “Queen of Tears” – I’m simply good with the thought that when he rescued her, some sort of connection/bond was created. She has never consciously recognized the connection, but sub-consciously she did as witness her flashback when the boar attacked. It’s a bit fairytale-ish, but from the beginning, their love story was described as “miraculous”. KSH said that “fantasy” is one element of the drama. So, miracle, fantasy, the power of faith and prayer – after all the tears shed thus far, viewer deserves a happy, not bittersweet ending.

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    Hahahaha. I don’t understand why FL-ML need to be connected too much. I prefered if eunsung saved her, so I can blame his delulu-ness on him having saviour complex 🙃. Also eunsung is delulu and egositical, it’s weird he would claim he saved FL when he didn’t. I’m starting to think writer forgot the plot a bit and shoved in another childhood connection for FL-ML 😅.

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That isn’t how memory loss or delirium works but
Ill Allow It Spanish GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

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I feel badly for Korean psychologists who know that the MBTI is garbage but still have to see it referenced constantly in their pop culture

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    !!referenced constantly!!

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    It’s Korea’s obsession with fad culture, and it’s seriously scary, precarious, and increasingly dangerous now that it’s bleeding into their medical system

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    MBTI is used in Korean schools for career advice if my memory is correct.

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      Ughh, why? We have so much better personality inventories out there!

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        It’s truly terrible, and discouraging that it’s not the only form of junk ‘science’ (really the modern equivalent of old wives’ tales) that holds sway. There’s blood-type-based personality nonsense, too – equally without any scientific foundation whatsoever. I couldn’t figure out at first why actor/idol profiles always list their blood type.

        We had to do some MTBI-related training at work, and I worked for a government agency in the United States, not usually a stronghold of what is basically superstition. Our training manager was fired not long afterward. 🤔 But the (public) money was already spent.

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Queen of Tears ep 11 pre-release (Eng sub)

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    😍😍😍

    Eun-scared is a good look on him. What do you say @pogo1 🤭

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    This is a great scene, but it still baffles me when rivals for someone’s affection in kdramas decide that the way to someone’s heart is to get rid of the person that that someone actually likes/loves. If you want to be with her, talk to *her* about what *she* wants and feels! Whether or not Hyung-woo sticks around has no bearing on whether or not Hae-in wants to be with Eun-sodelusional. QoT is only the 10,000th drama to feature a character missing the obvious like this, and again, this is still a satisfying scene, but the thinking behind it bugs me.

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Master\’s Sun ep 2: you\’d think Gong-sil would be used to seeing ghosts by now

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Aaand the old school Kdrama I have elected to watch while my husband\’s out of town is… Master\’s Sun! Let\’s hope I love it as much as The Greatest Love

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    I hope you enjoy Master’s Sun! It’s a good one! I remember it received much love around here when it was airing.

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      Thank you! I love ghost dramas and cold, rich male leads are my catnip, so it’s very promising.

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We’re dealing with an issue related to Korean cultural perception of mental health at work right now, and it is making me more appreciative of Doctor Slump

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Kudos to Midnight Studio for portraying a couple that actually seems comfortable with physical intimacy

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Lovely Runner ep 2: not to diminish Sun-jae\’s mental health struggles, but who becomes an idol as a backup career? 😂

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    Not exactly ‘idol’ but Sung Hoon has a very similar story – he had to leave his swimming career after a spinal injury and ended up becoming an actor 😅

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    hahahah he must’ve been an all rounder! Funnily, there’s a fair few irl idols who were on the national team/on track to become national athletes who then switched to idol careers interestingly.

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    Interesting titbit:

    Quote: Wiki:
    As a student, RM had an IQ of 148 and scored in the top 1% of the nation in the university entrance examinations for language, math, foreign language and social studies.

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      Tbh, it shows. The guy has been the spokesperson for BTS in all interviews I have seen of them. I have little to no interest in kpop, but it is always a joy to listen to him.

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      even the nokdu actor.. topper in exams, eco honors guy.. and now an actor

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      kim yo han too.. from martial arts to idol

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    I know, right? It’s like not passing the bar exam and then deciding you’re going to be a surgeon.

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    I have a feeling he would have been scouted from the street.

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    Why not? He had to give up when he was still in highschool, his best friend is in a band… Because of his sport, I think he couldn’t really study well neither.

    Jackson Wang from Hong-Kong was a fencer and did the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. He still became a Korean idol in the group GOT7.

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      ha ha.. its the other way that’s difficult.. how can an idol become a sportsprson..

      but then.. we have the ice- skater guy who won the medal (although actor to sports)

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    Ironically, Byun Woo Seok makes for a slightly better singer than some of the actual kpop idols. My general impression of kpop industry was that as long as the person looks good, they can become an idol.

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      I could see that – I have been surprised by some of the unimpressive singing I’ve heard from idols (I’m also veeery critical when it comes to singing in general)

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    well.. if your girl and one true love of life was mesmerized with someone who was an idol and presumably died or got his life ruined… and now she has lost her will to live.. you do become an idol 😛

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I already adore Lovely Runner, but what makes me love it even more is that it has original diagetic songs!

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I couldn’t resist.
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Lovely Runner ep 1: apparently Korea has no equivalent of the American Disabilities Act?

Also it\’s really unique having a disabled FL, kinda wish she wouldn\’t go back in time

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    I had the same thought, but “reasonable” accommodations are open to interpretation here, too.

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    what is the point.. she will regain her legs… and the moral of the story is that not having legs is a handicap

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    From what I have read about living with disabilities in S.Korea and what my friend has witnessed whilst living there, it’s not much:
    S.Korean has one— ONE— non-profit organization that “helps” with the disabilities community, but even then, not very many people hear or know about it, therefore, not many people apply to them for assistance. Even when people do know and do apply, the “help” offered is very minimal, not even enough for the disabled to get by day-to-day, which, in the end, just encourages the families of the disabled to keep the disabled at home with family because family can and will be able to provide better care. At the same time, even that has its limits, because the non-disabled at home also have their own struggles (work, chores, family, children, social life, bills, etc.). I have a hunch that maybe it’s due to the fact that S.Korea only has one non-profit organization there to help the people of the disabled community and that is why it’s so difficult to be there and to live there when an individual has a disability, because the organization is spread thin and so are their people and resources.
    All of that ^ isn’t even putting into consideration yet all the discrimination that the people of the disabled community receive from those not a part of that community, since the culture of S.Korea is so focused on being prim and proper appearing perfect and all about keeping up appearances (i.e. vanity)

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      In terms of the legal aspect, they do have discriminatory laws for the disabled, but many choose to ignore it and others choose to turn a blind eye to it being ignored. Many families will actively and physically hide away their disabled family members to hinder them from socializing and going out, just so that the family’s name and pride is protected

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        The 2FL in Just Between Lovers is the only one who comes to mind. She had a very fulfilling career as a webtoon writer and came from a rich family but was denied entry in a restaurant which was in a building she owned. I had naively put it down to *drama* but sad to know the truth.

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          It is for reasons like this that whenever K.-Ent. decides to do a drama featuring the marginalized due to health (mental health, disability) is so great (“Attorney Woo”, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay”, “It’s Okay, That’s Love”), and such a breath of fresh air and such a treat whenever Kdrama producers get it right, but then, there are times when they will get it majorly wrong and it becomes insulting (“It’s Okay to Not Be Okay”)

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    Even if there isn’t a clear law, I thought it was bizarre that they didn’t even discuss possibly putting her office on a lower floor. She’s some kind of editor, right? So it’s not like her job necessitates her having to constantly move up and down the floors of the building. And there’s Zoom for meetings. The whole thing was nonsensical.

    But I like this drama.

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      I like it, too! I have to admit that I’m a sucker for dramas where the female lead falls first and chases the male lead. I also really like the ML’s personality so far

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People are taking this as evidence that Hae-in will survive
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