Beanie level: Errand boy

Y’ALL! I think It’s okay not to be okay is getting me out of my drama slump. I’ve watched all the 4 episodes and… I’m not sure I have coherent words.

At first I was taken aback by the Tim Burtonesque vibe. Not necessarily in a bad way, but because the juxtaposition of that with also the color explosion was very unexpected! Like this show is dark but also whimsical, and I can’t name what it is yet, but every episode also makes me wanna cry. Beneath all the flamboyant antics, there’s a genuine story about lost & misunderstood souls.
I’m eager to watch how this plays out and I already like the pull and push dynamic between our leads.

This drama also comes at a right time when I needed to hear that “It’s okay to not be okay, because I feel like I have so much pent-up anger & frustration from what 2020 has turned out to be.

PS: How freaking beautiful are our leads?? I really missed KSH on my screen 😭😭😭



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    “Beneath all the flamboyant antics, there’s a genuine story about lost & misunderstood souls.”

    My first impression too.

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CLOY was one of my favorites this year (can\’t believe that was 2020). Grandioze in scope, cracktastic, entertaining with a resonant emotional core imo. But I\’ll never forgive it for how chaste it was. Like I\’m not a horny person generally, but that drama almost got me sexually frustrated dammit.

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I’ve found myself unable to start a new show and really connect to any of the current offerings since Hospital Playlist ended… so I’ve started re-watching Forest of Secrets with my sisters, in anticipation for season 2. We’re on ep.9

This show is STILL The gold standard for good TV (k-drama or otherwise) for me. And one thing that really struck me in this re-watch is how everything was SO WELL thought through, the many clues we had and the incredibly detailed directing and its symbolic nature!
There really was no wasted frame in this show. I remember how when I watched it when it was airing, I could understand implicity, that some scenes were significant, but couldn’t fully grasp WHY, because I didn’t know what was gonna happen… but EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE in hindsight, and adds so much more to my experience of re-watching it.
This is not one of those shows you just skim through when re-watching it. Even re-watching it in its entirety is a RICH experience! I don’t think that can be said of many shows.

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    Also, Forest of Secrets was one of the best recap & beanie experience here on DB!

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    I’m waiting for it to get closer to the August airing date, because I know that once I start a rewatch, I’ll want to binge it, and then I will feel all empty when it’s ended, and won’t know what to do.

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    Have you watched 60 days survivors? It’s on par with Forest imo… Just less dark, more idealistic, yet in its storyline everything connects and leads to the finale… The 2 shows are among my favorites of all time…

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      I did! And I liked it, but I never finished it, bc I found it lagged a bit in the middle (which is where I dropped it), and like you said it was idealistic. Too idealistic for me… which always kinda puts me off in thrillers.
      The directing was so gorgeous though, and I liked everyone’s acting. Especially Son Seok-gu and Lee Moo-saeng.

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        Ah, I see why you said it lagged in the middle. It’s when the acting president gets criticized here and there and realized how limited his power is, but, as Son Seok-gu’s characters said, the acting presidents need to learn how to deal with it by himself…
        Anyway, even though the drama is too idealistic, it can only be set up via the central character like Ji Jin Hee as “The” acting president, as it explains all his decisions in the grand finale…
        And to me, as opposed to a principle acting president, we have the media, SNS and Korean citizen, they are very minor but very realistically portraited characters,… which is very interesting to watch.
        Hope you can give the drama and #teambluehouse another chance. ^^

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    This is one of the if not the greatest shows of all time.

    I will always say this was the exception and not the norm for programming.

    Network execs really have to stop thinking about the 18-35 demo and also thinking that demo is stupid and cannot and will not following a series and the material in it.

    SKY Castle.

    The World of The Married.

    You can’t ignore those numbers and the audience. Mature cast members with mature material and, the world did not end.

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    How gory is it?
    I have only avoided the show for this one reason. I once watched ep 3 and didn’t find it really exceptional but still gory and couldn’t get myself to continue it. But I’m looking forward to it’s next season and I like the writer so I’m always interested to catch up but what will really be your score on how gory it is?

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      I’m guessing your question is addressed to the OP, but chiming in nonetheless — honestly, compared with other shows I have seen, I didn’t think this was gory *at all*!! In contrast – NOBODY KNOWS – a thriller from earlier this year which I really enjoyed, was gory in many bits.

      I think STRANGER is one of the best ever shows I have *ever* watched, across languages and formats. If you like the thriller genre, this will work for you in a blink. If you don’t like thrillers, *maybe* you may not enjoy it, although I personally believe this is a show that is so well made, its genre shouldn’t be a reason for skipping it.

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      I also don’t consider this gory. Although my rating scale might be subjective.
      I usually stay away from shows that are too graphic (although I couldn’t stay away from Kingdom lol. But that’s an exception and I basically watched it with one eye open, one closed).

      But this show is, I would say very very mild on the gore. Idk if it even warrants being called gore.

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    This is my favorite drama ever.

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The only thing that made me feel something in The King Eternal Monarch… was Kang Sinjae\’s story. I love you Kim Kyung-nam!
Maaan, the kind of acting he brought: raw, honest & visceral? Really wasn\’t worthy of such a show that was mediocre at best. 🤷‍♀️

There are often barebones of something that has potential in KES scripts, and it just always baffles me that she misses the mark all the time! Kang Sinjae\’s story was the most poignant in this show, it was the story that had the most emotional content IMO, and should\’ve been the main story.
I\’m still waiting for Kim Kyung-nam to get that lead role!

Anyways, if you didn\’t watch this: you didn\’t miss anything. At all

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    I’m with you. I cried with him and for him in the final episode.

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    I thought SJ’s story was a wasted potential. In the grand scheme of things, he was just an ordinary kid. It would’ve been way better had he been connected to the royal family somehow to be used as LL’s pawn. Because they spent too mych time on SJ, I thought they’ll go that direction but they didn’t. However, his story on its own had potential to be the main story as you said but it just felt disconnected with everything else.

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    Shin Jae is the saving grace of a show that honestly can’t be saved, and WDH x 2 is the treat for sticking with the show.

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    Kim Kyung-nam is a wonderful actor and he brought so much to his portrayal of Shin-jae.

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This year\’s Best Performance is still Moon Jeong-hee as Shim Myeong-yeo in When The Weather Is Nice
TERRIFIC performance!

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    Totally agree!!
    She was perfect, even more considering most of the drama she was wearing those huge sunglasses.
    She expressed everything with just one glance.
    I had never seen her before in a drama, and now she has my eternal devotion.

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    I did not expect that plot twist. Superb performance indeed! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

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    Seconded. <3 She was awesome.

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    I was in awe watching her. It felt like I can see her raw emotions even with her eyes covered with sunglasses. Just amazing.

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    I concur with everyone’s sentiments. I saw MJH in VAGABOND her drama immediately before WEATHER in which she played Jessica Lee an executive big shot and not a pleasant person at all.
    I did not expect the deep emotional performance she gave in WEATHER. She was wonderful. Thanks for the reminder.

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    It’s consummate acting, especially with the sun glasses on. She has been a wonderful actress and won awards from both drama and movie roles. Hope to see more of her.

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I miss my weekly dose of Hospital Playlist

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So, I started watching The King as a joke, but I\’ve somehow made it to ep.15. Bc this show IS a joke 😂
No offense to anyone who likes this show ofc, to each their own.

But this show is bonkers. Plotwise. And disastrous on the directing & editing front.
HOWEVER, it has amused me to no end in its entire watch, bc the ridiculousness of it all is mindblowing and just funny to me. It really has given me a lot of good laughs from laughing AT it.
All my condolences to the cast & crew, bc I\’m sure they didn\’t expect the mediocre reception… Now, I\’m really curious to see how KES\’s next project will fare, and whether she\’s headed along the Hong sisters path (of decline). Ofc the best scenario in this would be that she improves, but I\’ve long given up on that hope.

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    I think she needs to stick to tvN if she going to do another project. I do hope she learns from this one and come back with a masterpiece like Mr. Sunshine.

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    ah well.. who knows whether the audience was stupid to not grasp the writer’s details or writer was stupid to not grasp audience’s intelligence

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    Was Hotel del Luna bad? I thought that was the Hong Sister’s redemption drama?

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      I loved it, but I might be an exception. I think it was a love it or hate it drama, kind of like Eternal PPL.

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        I see I see, I have yet to continue it because it had the same vibe as Master’s Sun for some reason – and I preferred MS’s first episode more. Definitely something I might put in the pipeline in case I want to go and binge-watch something again.

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I’m back by popular demand (*ahem* @mindy‘s) 😄
Or am I??? 😭
You guys, I’ve been so busy lately. It’s a long story. Let’s just call it “Pandemic exams.”
You’ll see me sneaking in and out of here, and maybe you’ll get to hear that long story when I’m fully free in July!

I love y’all and I miss being here!
(Here’s a random GIF from Hospital Playlist, bc that’s the last thing I watched. And Ikjun is one of my favs this year)!

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The only remaining drama on my current watchlist is Hospital Playlist and while I have like 3 completed dramas I want to catch up on, I just don\’t feel like starting anything new… I guess it\’s time for my Annual Drama Slump

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    It’s also my only currently-airing kdrama 🙁 But I’m watching King 2 Hearts with @saturtledaisy and watching Dalja with Daisy and my best friend and watching BTLIOF with my best friend and one of her friends… 😂 And I just started Forest of Secrets! And I’m planning on checking out Mystic Pop-up Bar today!

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    same! I am going to be lost after Hospital Playlist ends. It was my happy pill.
    I tried Mystic pop-up bar, and dropped it under 30 min!

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The Ship That Never Sailed.

I’m sorta mad about this.


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First of all congrats to TWoTM/ACW for making history!!! 28% on cable TV, DAAAAMN
I was busy catching up with it these last few weeks, and managed to live-watch the last two weeks.
What a ride! It was riveting and enraging (in a good way) to say the least. I saw the original BBC series (but never finished it), and it didn’t make me feel things as INTENSE as this! 😭😭😭
Also: ALL HAIL TO QUEEN KIM HEE-AE 💖💖💖

Farewell, Gosan!
(Y’all were a bunch of crazies and I hope y’all getting therapy now).

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    Lol at the therapy! 😂

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    that was an intense watch for sure !

    “Farewell, Gosan!
    (Y’all were a bunch of crazies and I hope y’all getting therapy now).”
    LOL so true 😆

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    I didn’t watch it but danm 28%!!

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The nominees of the Baeksang Art Awards are out!
What\’s your vote Beanies? So. Many. Good. Candidates! 😭💖

Best Drama:
KBS2 “When the Camellia Blooms”
tvN “Crash Landing on You”
SBS “Stove League”
Netflix “Kingdom” Season 2
SBS “Hyena”

Best Actor ( I MEAN… 😭❤):
Kang Ha Neul – KBS2 “When the Camellia Blooms”
Namgoong Min – SBS “Stove League”
Park Seo Joon – JTBC “Itaewon Class”
Joo Ji Hoon – SBS “Hyena”
Hyun Bin – tvN “Crash Landing on You”

Best Actress (ALL QUEENS 😭):
Gong Hyo Jin – KBS2 “When the Camellia Blooms”
Kim Hye Soo – SBS “Hyena”
Kim Hee Ae – JTBC “The World of the Married”
Son Ye Jin – tvN “Crash Landing on You”
IU – tvN “Hotel Del Luna”

More at https://www.soompi.com/article/1399004wpp/56th-baeksang-arts-awards-announces-nominees-for-tv-and-film-categories

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    I’ll just vote Hyena across the board because, well, that and Kingdom is all I’ve finished.

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    Best drama: either Hyena or Stove League. I should probably go with Stove League because it had nearly no flaws.

    Best actor: Joo Ji Hoon. I loved the way he played a soft hearted and competent man, and how I could see down to the depth of his soul.

    Best actress: Kim Hye Soo HANDS DOWN!

    😂😂 I could have just gone with Hyena across the board like @egads

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      Hyena is such a favorite. I still have to make time to watch it! I love both leads as actors and the concept sounded interesting

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    I’m so glad about Hot Stove League and Namgoong Min!!

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I’m really curious to see if the recent offerings of *quality* female-centric dramas like Mother (2018), Misty (2018), and the currently-airing IT-show A Couple’s World are just a “trend” OR if the drama landscape is slowly shifting to include more diverse stories, and creating more opportunities for women in their 40s-50s+ to headline shows. There are SO many amazing actresses in that category!!!

One thing I’ve realized though is that most of these dramas are remakes. And while I love the Korean interpretations, I also hope that we will see more originals.


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    I think it’s been happening for too long to just be a ~trendy~ thing to do.

    When you think about it, it totally makes sense. Most of the people who watch dramas on TV lately and thus contribute to ratings are middle-aged women. Seeing characters their age on screen must be great.

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Catching up on The King and ep.5 is basically LMH going: HAHAHAHAHA 😂
(Let’s not even talk about that “kiss”).
Hey @sicarius, are you watching this? I feel like I’d appreciate one of your shitposts on this one!

And I’m really not a fan of the directing & editing, it has this gimmicky music video quality to it???
#whyamistillwatchingthisagain

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    I haven’t watched this weekend’s episodes and I think I’m giving up at this point

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    No I’m NOT watching it and I’m being very adamant about continuing to NOT watch it (despite everyone wanting me to) because I have suffered enough this past year (it literally sounds like my worst nightmare rn). I’m making good decisions ok. Avoiding it is supposed to be one of them.

    HowevER. You MAY still get a sh☠️tpost or two out of me on it… if I feel like it. Maybe. No promises.

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      If you’re not watching this, I wouldn’t recommend you do tbh. You’ll want to pull your hair out.
      BUT, a shitpost is always welcome 😊🤞

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Random Thought: How cool would it be if one day, Dramabeans developed an app?
(I can\’t possibly be the only person who\’s thought of this).

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The lighting and staging of this scene were perfect and evocative. 💕
I have so much to say about ep.8, and this scene in particular, but I’ll wait for the recap.
I was very moved by this episode. 💖
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    Ep 8 is a showcase of doctor patient interactions – so moving.

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    I cried a lot in Ep8 especially in this scene.

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    The actress playing the mother is really good! Everyone in the scene is, but man! she’s great.

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How is the reception of A Couple\’s World here on DB?
I watched the original Doctor Foster, but never actually finished it. I\’ve been hoping to find time for the Korean version since I LOVE this director\’s work, and generally enjoy *well-done* remakes (spares me those multiples seasons).

I just finished the first episode, and WHOA. I\’m not disappointed. There\’s a strong directorial hand here, and it REALLY elevates this already well-acted and gripping story to epic proportions.
Hope to be caught up soon, so that I can start watching it live next week!

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    It’s being recapped. I tend to skip on the comments in the wall of shows I’m not watching in case I change my mind so I don’t get much spoilers. There have been postings and most people saying it’s good.

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    The show is addicting! Come join the few die hard fans at the recaps.

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    It’s highly addicting and the story is fastpaced which makes it a great watch.

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    It’s quite good.

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Nobody Knows had the MOST satisfying and perfect ending, of all the finales this week.
I’m not exaggerating. Weather for instance, was a perfect show with a great ending, but not necessarily “perfect” imo. But Nobody Knows IS a perfect show with a perfect ending.👏👏💖💖

It’s such a well conceptualized show! Superbly written (!!!), well directed, and well acted.
It’s a bit of a shame that it was a sleeper hit.

I will wax poetic about it in its recap, but thank you for:
Giving us inter-generational friendships, a truly badass female character, a fucking AMAZING villain with depth, an engaging story, and an all-around talented ensemble cast.


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When the Weather is Nice was a perfect show about healing and people finding each other.

The ending was satisfying, and my heart is full.
This is a little gem of a show that I will cherish for long.
Mok Haewon is going down as one of the BEST female characters in dramaland… and I’m now a SKJ fan (HA! Never thought this day would come)

Goodbye, our dear Goodnight Bookclub. You’ll be missed dearly. 💖🌹
Thank you for bringing warmth & comforting me these past 2 months. Applause to everyone involved.
(And see you in the recaps Beanies)!
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    HAHAHAHAHA This drama will go down in history for converting so many people to like Seo Kangjoon.

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Finally have a bit of time to sit down and watch Kingdom s2 after that humongous cliffhanger last year! 😭

Just finished ep.3, and so far Prince Lee Chang has lost two people he trusts. I really hope he doesn’t lose more people dear to him 😭
That scene where he finally met Moo-young was heartbreaking. Beautifully shot and acted! I didn’t think a zombie sageuk would made me cry, but this scene got to me!

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    Indeed that scene was beautiful and heartbreaking. The Prince’s vulnerability and compassion shines through.

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