Tag: dramaland forecast

Dramaland Forecast: December 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May – June – July – Aug – Sept – Oct – Nov

Eeee, it’s the last Dramaland Forecast of the year! Overall, 2018 maybe wasn’t the best year for dramas for me – not because of the dramas themselves (I still have a mile-long “to watch” list), but my schedule and routine changed quite a bit with my new job, and I think I took more time to focus on other things that were more demanding. Maybe now that I have a better handle on my routine, I’ll be able to make more time next year to watch all the things. Maybe.

But for now, here’s December’s Forecast!

Completed:

  • The Guest – lbr, my primary driving force in watching this was Handsome Oppa, because I’m not exactly a horror fan. But I actually really loved it, and the main trio will have my heart forever.
  • My Ahjussi – I brought this with me on vacation and managed to binge the entire series over a couple of weeks. I’d originally been hesitant to start it because the last thing I need in dramaland is yet another huge age-gap difference, but after being reassured there was no romance, I was happy to dive in. I liked it. I’m not sure there’s anything else I can particularly add that hasn’t been said by others, but for once I think I’m in agreement that it was one of the best dramas of the year.

Currently Watching:

  • Red Moon, Blue Sun/Children of Nobody – oooh, I have no idea where this show is going, and I’m okay with that because the mystery is intriguing. This feels like it’s going to be a complicated story that will be slowly unraveled, and I’m hoping it lives up to expectations and doesn’t self-combust in the end. (Also I want all of Nam Gyuri’s character’s clothes, plz.)
  • Miss Sherlock – I don’t often include non-Korean shows on this list, but this was the other drama I took with me on my trip and am about four episodes into, and because I feel like I’m hardly watching anything, I thought I might as well add it.

Plan to watch:

  • SKY Castle – this is super high on my list and I really, really want to make room for it. I just need to find some time!

Dropping/skipping:

  • Knowing I’d be traveling for most of last month, I didn’t seriously plan on checking out any of the November premieres since I wouldn’t have time to keep up with them. I’ll still monitor the buzz and see if the ones that originally interested me will be worth adding to the watch list.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Fates & Furies – I don’t generally include the Saturday-only dramas on here just because I know I won’t usually watch them (kinda like I automatically don’t include any long-running weekend dramas). Buuuuut this one stars Lee Min Jung and Joo Sang Wook, and I have a sentimental attachment to them since they were the leads in the first drama I ever recapped, so for nostalgia’s sake I kinda want to check this out, even though this kind of old-school melo isn’t my jam.
  • Memories of the Alhambra – I want to watch this, but probably won’t right away because I feel like it’ll be swept up in a hype-train because of the cast, and I just want to enjoy it in peace. It might make the perfect travel drama when I visit my family next year, though.
  • Coffee, Do Me a Favor – Channel A’s rom-coms can be a little… suspect, in that they’re usually pretty cheesy with a low budget. I’m still willing to give them a chance if there’s something that can draw my interest. Buuuuuut I think we can all give a collective groan at the plot conceit of an overweight woman suddenly becoming thin and beautiful by drinking a cup of magic coffee. Yeah. I’ll pass.
  • Bad Detective/Less Than Evil – this was originally listed to premiere in November, but apparently it got pushed back another week. I’m not complaining, because then maybe I’ll have figured out how to squeeze it into watch-schedule by the time it premieres this week. I’m super curious about how this Luther remake will live up to the original (plus I’m always a fan of my ahjussi crush, Shin Ha Kyun).
  • Dance Sports Girls – this looks super cute, and at only eight episodes (which feels more like four eps, due to the shortened ep thing), maybe I could fit it in as an idle binge.
  • My Strange Hero – I like a lot of this cast, but it feels like a revenge melo that heavily emphasizes the “melo” part. Which is a classic drama mainstay, but not generally my cup of tea (although I’m sure there will be lots of scenes of Yoo Seung Ho crying prettily, because that’s what he does).

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: November 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May – June – July – Aug – Sept – Oct

Completed:

  • YG Future Strategy Office – this counts as a drama, right? I’m counting it, anyway, since my completed list this year is woefully small and it can use all the bolstering it can get. I’m also apparently one of the few people in the world who thoroughly enjoyed it, cringe-worthy mockumentary style and all. It made me laugh and I want more of this stupidness plz.

Currently Watching:

  • The Guest – the last episode airs when this posts so I’m thisclose to putting in the completed pile. It’s also one of the best dramas I’ve seen all year* despite my instinctive aversion to horror (although, to be fair, the scary bits lose their oomph once you’ve spent hours editing screencaps thanks to a director who likes to shoot everything in utter darkness). *this is also the director who gave us Black so I can’t say anything truly definitive until the last second airs.

Dropping/Skipping:

  • Er… everything? I think I gave just about every premiere a go last month, but didn’t get past the first week with any of them. Not because I didn’t want to (at least, in some cases), but because I was overwhelmed by all the premieres and couldn’t stick with one show – so I stuck with none show (okay, that’s not proper grammar, but it rhymes!). I’ll probably go back later eventually and pick up a few things to binge at my leisure, but I make no promises.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter – I’m not the greatest fan of Moon Chae Won, but this drama looks adorable and ridiculous and has a cast of a lot of my other favorites, so I’m excited to see if it lives up to my expectations (mostly I’m excited about a show with fantasy elements!).
  • Happy If You Died – I like the cast and the premise sounds interesting. But I won’t have lots of time to watch anything in November, so I’m content to wait to hear about the buzz and add it to my watch-list to binge later if need be.
  • Top Star Yoo Baek – this looks cute and zany, but I’m not sure I’d put it high on my list. Maybe it’ll be a fun binge when I’m looking for something delightfully dumb and ridiculous.
  • Red Moon Blue Sun – Kim Sun Ah, the love of my heart! I’m excited for this primarily because of her, but this writer makes me think it’ll be an intriguing mystery, too.
  • Priest – it’s an OCN drama about an exorcist. *squints* I’m not exactly sure I’m ready to immediately dive back in the supernatural after spending all this time with The Guest.
  • Clean With Passion For Now – this has potential, but I feel like I need to know a little more before I make a decision. It’s not high on the list but I’ll keep an ear out for the buzz to see if it’s the kind of thing I want to add to my list.
  • Bad Detective – I am both wary and excited, since I enjoyed Luther and this is the remake. But because it’s a remake, I have no idea if it will be a quality remake along the lines of The Good Wife or Life on Mars, or a complete disaster like Criminal Minds. The production team doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence, but omg the cast! I know nothing can compare to Idris Elba, but Shin Ha Kyun is a total ahjussi crush so I’m already game.
  • Boyfriend – nothing about this particularly appeals to me. Maybe it’ll turn out to be amazing, but it doesn’t sound like the drama for me.
  • SKY Castle – this sounds boring on paper but I’m still dying to check it out since it’s from the writer of Bridal Mask (among other things) and the director of Harvest Villa (among other things) so I feel like it has to be more than the premise we’ve been given. Plus it stars women in their thirties and forties and it’s not the usual weekend drama (well, it airs on the weekend, but it’s JTBC), so I wanna root for the show to do well just to give these ladies awesome recognition. Basically I want another cracktastic Woman of Dignity-esque drama, plz.

Dramaland Forecast: October 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May – June – July – Aug – Sept

Completed:

  • Your House Helper – I was really worried about the ending since the few eps before the final weeks were starting to focus on the main romance which was the least interesting part of the show. But it wrapped up pretty well (although I think we can all agree So-mi’s resolution with her step brother was a total cop out), and I loved this little show for tackling difficult issues in a thoughtful way and bringing me another group of female friends to love and adore.
  • Meteor Garden 2018 – I did it! Finally! I’ll admit I didn’t play close attention to the last dozen episodes or so, but dammit I watched all 49 eps and now I can move on with my life.

Currently Watching:

  • The Ghost Detective – I’m two weeks behind but I still plan to get caught up, eventually.
  • Devilish Joy – I’m two weeks behind and plan to get caught up, eventually (oooh, deja vu!). I’ve only been paying attention to Hoya’s parts, though, because yes I am that fangirl (and lbr he’s the cutest thing in this).
  • The Guest – I was watching this despite my squeamishness when it comes to horror because I’m an OCN fangirl and a Handsome Oppa fangirl, but episode 6 made me realize that things are getting good and I’m eager to see how our characters work together to defeat literal evil.
  • Player – I just started it and make no promises but omg it’s totally my jam! I’m a sucker for stylish heist stories with a bizarre collection of characters that have very specific skills. I’m still hesitant since there will undoubtedly be a loveline between Song Seung Hoon’s and Krystal’s characters (because lbr this is still Dramaland, even if it’s OCN). But gdi I need all the Robin Hood heist stories I can get my greedy hands on.

Dropping/Skipping:

  • Everything else! There were just so many premieres, I couldn’t keep up even if I wanted to. I’m still tempted by a few, but I can’t even watch what I already am trying to watch.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Where Stars Land – the last thing this writer and director created together was Gu Family Book, which I feel like should be a warning, but I actually was one of the few people who genuinely enjoyed that show. I do like this writer, though (Dalja’s Spring, King of Baking Kim Tak Goo, Romantic Teacher Doctor Kim) plus the cast is great, so I’m willing to give it a chance.
  • The Greatest Divorce – what an excellent cast! (You know how much I love me some Lee El, so Cha Tae Hyun and Bae Doona are almost like a bonus.) I haven’t watched the original Japanese drama, but I’m already trying to figure out how to squeeze this into my schedule.
  • Dae Jang Geum is Watching – I’m such a sucker for food shows, and this one looks cute and sweet. I’m rooting for sitcoms to make a comeback, anyway (especially shorter ones!), so this might find a way into my already overly-packed viewing schedule.
  • Room No. 9 – my kneejerk instinct is to stay far away from this (a lawyer and a doctor? But legal and medical dramas are my least favorite!). But then they’re gonna throw in bodyswap hijinks that involve Kim Hae Sook and Kim Hee Sun – and oh yeah, there’s a woman’s prison. So I’m conflicted.
  • Bad Detective – it’s a remake of BBC’s Luther, which makes me both excited and wary. I really like the cast, though (Shin Ha Kyung is a total ahjussi crush!), but I don’t know enough about the production team. This could be a disaster of Criminal Minds proportions or a Life on Mars success. I want to check it out, anyway.
  • Miss Ma, Goddess of Revenge – this is supposedly based on Agatha Christie’s “Miss Marple” series but the synopsis makes me go, “…are you sure? Because it just sounds like a random mystery series based on nothing I remember about Miss Marple. But okay, you got my mystery-loving attention…”

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: September 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May – June – July – Aug

Completed:

  • Let’s Eat 3 – I’m still sad this got unexpectedly cut down to 14 eps (I wish you all the best the next two years, Doojoon!). This gradually grew on me to the point where I think it’s my favorite season, but I really feel like the ending could have been so much more than the… whatever… we got, if we could’ve only had that extra week.

Currently Watching (…sorta, kinda…):

  • Your House Helper – I put off watching eps 29/30 last week so I could watch it with eps 31/32 this week, and haven’t had time to do that yet. But I’m gonna finish it, I swear!
  • Life on Mars – I’m (still) on episode 9! But I’m gonna finish it, I swear!
  • Meteor Garden – I’m (still) on episode 27! But I’m gonna finish it, I swear!

Dropping/Skipping:

  • Voice 2 – as much as I enjoyed the original, I just don’t have time in my schedule to squeeze this in, even for a cursory glance.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Today’s Detective/Ghost Detective – for some reason I thought this was premiering the last week of August, but apparently it’s next week. I’m still planning to watch it, anyway.
  • Hand: The Guest – apparently September is the month for me to watch scary supernatural crime shows (oh, and there’s also Handsome Oppa as a sexy priest, yeah, start saying your prayers now).
  • Bad Papa – I’m vaguely interested but realistically I probably won’t watch this (I mean, have you seen my watch-rate this year?). There are too many other shows that are more appealing to me right now.
  • Big Forest – I can’t figure out how to classify this drama, but it has all the slice-of-life hallmarks that will undoubtedly sucker me in. Bonus: only one episode a week, so maybe I’ll actually be able to keep up with it!
  • 100 Days My Prince – I always want to check out the latest sageuk (even the ones that aren’t super historically accurate) but realistically I don’t think historical shows are my jam.
  • The Third Charm – this could be cute and enjoyable! But it’s also from the writer of Hwarang, so… yeah… I do love Esom, though, even if I’m apparently the only one on the planet who isn’t super enamored with Seo Kang Joon.
  • Hundred Million Stars From the Sky – I know everyone’s gonna be falling over themselves to watch this ‘cause it’s Seo In Guk, but the big draw for me is Park Sung Woong. I haven’t seen the original Japanese drama, although it totally sounds like my kind of show. Buuuut Korean remakes usually tone down the darker aspects of crime/thriller shows and shove in some romance, so, eh, I don’t know. This has potential but will I try to squeeze it into my huge list of other shows I plan to watch?
  • Thoracic Surgery/Two Lives One Heart – I love you, Uhm Ki Joon, but I do not love medical dramas. I’ll pass, but I won’t be surprised if it has huge ratings since it’s coming from the production team that gave us Defendant.
  • Terius Behind Me – the production team is too iffy (and unknown) for me to guess the quality of this show. It has an interesting premise and I like the cast, but I don’t know that it will motivate me to rearrange my watching list.
  • Player – I do not need Song Seung Heon paired up with yet another female lead too young for him, but dammit I’m such a sucker for heist stories so I’ll probably try to find time for this.
  • The Beauty Inside – I loved the movie and I feel like it could make for a really interesting drama given the premise. But… I loved the movie and the drama sounds… pretty different… so do I want to even give it a chance, especially with a director I’m not sure I trust? Hmm.

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: August 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May – June – July

Completed:

  • Greasy Melo/Wok of Love – it was cute and had lots of delicious food and the chemistry between the main trio was Off The Charts, but it was disappointed to see an odd, quirky, bizarre little drama suddenly become a rambling mess of a rom-com. I still enjoyed the drama and it genuinely brought me a lot of joy while I was watching it, but if it weren’t for the insane charisma between Jang Hyuk, Jung Ryeo Won, and Junho, I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it as much as I did.
  • To.Jenny – SO adorable! I loved the indie music vibe (will I ever get “Tiramisu Cake” out of my head before I die?), the sassy little sister, the socially anxious adorkable loser who is able to finally screw up the confidence to show the world who he truly he is, and, of course, Kim Sung Chul, my new noona pet (who I could listen to sing forever and ever and what no I didn’t get lost in a youtube blackhole for hours while tracking down every video of his musical performances, how dare you insinuate such a thing?!?).

Currently Watching:

  • Life on Mars – sorta, kinda. I’m halfway through, so I’ve got a backlog that I plan to binge, but it’s the kind of show that requires my full attention and I just haven’t had the time for that yet.
  • Your House Helper – I love it so muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch!
  • Let’s Eat 3 – this is actually a pleasant surprise! I was planning to watch it anyway because I can’t resist Goo Dae Young and his passionate love of food, but I kinda hated Season 2 and therefore had low expectations for this except to be mildly entertained by my favorite foodie chatterbox. But I love it! It has those Let’s Eat elements that I love (fooooood!) but it also feels like a casual take on a Reply 2004, which is definitely welcome. It’s hilarious and poignant and much better than I could have ever anticipated.
  • Meteor Garden – I don’t normally list non-Korean shows here because, well, I just don’t watch as many of them as I used to. But I’ve been willingly sucked into this cracktastic trainwreck and I’ve never been happier. This one has the potential to become my favorite Hanadan version (shhhhh, don’t tell Oguri Shun!). The only catch is there are six(!) new episodes a week so I’m struggling to find the time to watch All The Things since I always end up binging this show instead.

Dropping/Skipping:

  • Life – I knooooooooow. But I was one of the few who merely liked Secret Forest, and honestly I’ve got too many other dramas on my plate to add in another that would actually require me to, y’know, pay attention to it. (Plus the PTSD from D-Day makes me instinctively balk at medical dramas about idealistic doctors going against potentially corrupt hospital directors).
  • Handsome Guy and Jung-eum – I actually would have finished this if I hadn’t been trying to watch a gazillion other shows all at once. I enjoyed it for what it was, and even though I keep thinking one day I’ll go back and finish it, the reality is that the show is predictable enough that I don’t feel I’m missing anything by stopping ten episodes from the end.
  • Mr. Sunshine – I watched the first episode and half of the second, and I was surprised that I liked it more than I thought I would (although I did get an itchy fast-forward finger with the battle scenes, like I did with Goblin). I haven’t actively dropped it but I’m not actively watching it, either. If that makes sense. Honestly, the saving grace for this drama is that it’s on Netflix (which isn’t a phrase I’d ever thought I’d say) because then it’s super easy to access it whenever I want, perfect for those lazy “eh I need something to watch but don’t want to put any effort into it” days.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Lovely Horribly – I’m so annoyed, because this stars Song Ji Hyo and has an interesting premise, but it also stars Park Shi Hoo, so, y’know.
  • Today’s Detective – Daniel Choooooiiiiiiiiiiii! Who is a detective! That solves crimes with his fearless assistant Park Eun Bin! And there are ghosts! Hells yeah, sign me up!
  • Voice 2 – I genuinely enjoyed the first one. It was a chilling thriller with a charismatic cast and it made for an enjoyable (albeit horrifying) watching experience. But… I’m not sure how I feel about a sequel. I do believe that this kind of set-up easily allows for a procedural storyline, and I did regret that some of the minor characters were severely underused in the first season, but can any Big Bad Villain compare to Handsome Oppa and his kettlebells? I’ll probably check it out but I won’t cry if I miss it or decide it’s not worth my time.
  • Familiar Wife – it sounds like the kind of standard tvN drama that has a lot of potential and which people will probably love, but there isn’t anything about it that particularly draws me in. I won’t be surprised if it’s a hit, though.

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: July 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May – June

Completed:

  • None

Currently Watching:

  • Greasy Melo
  • Handsome Guy and Jung Eum
  • Life on Mars

Dropping/Skipping:

  • Are You Human Too? – this was only vaguely on the potential “watch” list so I have no regrets that it hasn’t been squeezed into my schedule.
  • Why Secretary Kim – I didn’t think I’d be drawn to it, and I was right.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Your House Helper – I feel like this one could have some potential, since I really liked this writer’s previous work (Strongest Deliveryman) and this could be comfortably within that genre. Ha Suk Jin always seems to play the same kind of gruff uptight guy that will probably work well for this role, but I’m hoping for something different from him.
  • Risky Romance – I love Lee Si Young but there’s nothing else about this that especially seems compelling.
  • Thirty But Seventeen – some instinctive side-eye about the concept of an adult having a childlike mentality due to tragedy, but I feel like if this is handled in the appropriate manner, it could be really good. Even so, there’s such a huge margin of error that I’m not sure if I can trust a sticom writer to appropriately deal with it.
  • Time – I generally like time travel shenanigans but I also know this writer skews more melo than my attention span can appreciate. I’m vaguely interested, but realistically I will probably not watch it.
  • Life – I feel like the odd duck who only liked Secret Forest and didn’t feel the need to give it my entire soul, so I’m only moderately interested in this one (especially since it’s a power struggle at a hospital, which I feel like I’ve seen a zillion times before). At least the directors have done some of my favorite shows so if nothing else it’ll be visually pleasing. But I swear if another amazing woman gets unnecessarily fridged, this writer and I are through.
  • Dear Judge – not in the cult, but I like mistaken identity/twin hijinks, so this could have some potential. The production team is a little iffy and I haven’t figured out if this is skewing more dramatic or comedic. Plus it’s a legal drama. But like I said, it has potential, and I’m happy to keep my eye on it and see if it’s worth squeezing into the schedule.
  • My ID is Gangnam Beauty – I don’t know anything about the webtoon, so I have no idea if this will be a sweet slice-of-life “don’t judge a person by their looks” or if it’ll be a comedy or what, but I’m not feeling drawn to it despite it airing on the usually trustworthy JTBC.
  • Mr. Sunshine – nooooooooo, I don’t want to watch another KES drama ever again! But those pics of Byun Yo Han in period clothing got me shook so I don’t know what I’m going to do. *cries*
  • Let’s Eat 3 – I will probably watch this and hate myself because I can’t resist Goo Dae Young’s chatterbox charm and the promise of food porn. It’d at least better have more appetizing meals than season 2. And if they try to cram in yet another romance for Dae Young, well, I’m just going to continue to create an elaborate plot about Soo Kyung noona having the most amazing life ever and avoiding the headache of falling in love with an insurance salesman foodie playboy. Soo Kyung noona doesn’t need anything except amazing food! And Barasshi! So there!

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: June 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May

Completed:

  • None.

Currently Watching:

  • Greasy Melo – it’s so dumb and weird and wacky and wonderful. I love it almost as much as I adore my one true love, Jung Ryeo Won.
  • Handsome Guy and Jung Eum – I was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed the first week of this. I doubt I’ll see it through to the end (just based on my general track record with romcoms), but for right now it’s fun and entertaining, which is apparently all I’m looking for.

Dropping/Skipping:

  • About Time – this was one of the few May premieres that interested me but when I checked out a teaser to get a feel for it, some sort of Whisper PTSD kicked in and I realized that I just can’t handle another round of Lee Sang Yoon’s eyebrow acting.
  • Sketch – I tried a couple of times to watch the first ep, but this is the kind of show that wants me to actually pay attention instead of using it as background noise. I’m apparently not in a frame of mind to watch a more serious drama, so this will go on hold for now until I’m in a more conducive brain-space. Sorry, Rain – I still love you!

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Life on Mars – I feel like I’ve been waiting for this drama for YEARS already. GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!!!!!
  • Are You Human Too? – my vague interest is superseded by the realization that I just can’t tolerate Seo Kang Joon for extended periods of time. This’ll undoubtedly end up on the drop list, because if I can’t make room for shows I really want to watch, there’s no way I’ll squeeze in an iffy one where I’m curious about the script and like most of the cast, but the main lead turns me off.
  • Why Secretary Kim – this is such a great cast but after watching the teasers, ehhhhh, I’m not feeling it. I’m sure it’ll be cute and fun, but it’s just not grabbing me. I may check it out, but realistically it’s more likely I’ll end up passing on it.

I’m kinda relieved that there are so few June premieres, because this month is going to be super busy for me so I’ll barely have time to keep up with Greasy Melo (and any effort to add a new drama will be a Herculean struggle, but dammit I’m gonna find a way to squeeze a little time-traveling Jung Kyung Ho and an over-the-top Park Sung Woong into my jam-packed schedule!).

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: May 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr

Completed:

  • None

Currently Watching:

  • April was an odd month for me, thanks to an unpremeditated hiatus from dramas. I’m not sure what to put here because I really should go back and finish the shows that I listed as “currently watching” on last month’s forecast, but I also have a tendency to keep moving on and never looking back at the scattered, unfinished dramas in my wake. So… who knows?

Dropping/Skipping:

  • Despite what I said above, I’m not quite ready to admit defeat on the dramas I was watching (Should We Kiss First? and Live), so for now I’m not adding them to this list.
  • I do intend to give Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food a fair chance but the licensing hullaballoo sorta sucked the anticipation out of me. I also have to be in the right mood for a cute romance, and currently I’m not in that mood.
  • I downloaded the first two episodes of The Miracle That We Met and then never watched them, so I guess this drama is technically skipped just because when I do get back into a drama-watching rhythm, it’ll be for the two I put on hold (or for a brand spankin’ new one).

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Greasy Melo/Wok of Love – I’m still gung-ho about this drama because it has all the elements that I love (cast! writer! plot! FOOD!), and if anything it’ll be the one to draw me back from my mini-hiatus.
  • Lawless Lawyer – I think I’m one of the few people who aren’t automatically compelled to watch everything Lee Joon Ki is in. I’m also pretty iffy on legal shows. This writer’s drama debut was Remember, which I liked well enough, but I don’t know if I want to be put through the legal wringer any time soon.
  • Investigation Couple – This is a pretty solid cast and I enjoy mysteries, but the writers are unknown and the basic plot (a warm-hearted prosecutor and a forensic scientist with a bad personality solve crimes) sounds so cookie-cutter cliche. For one wild and delirious moment, I though the forensic scientist would be Jung Yumi and the prosecutor would be Jung Jae Young, which I thought would be fun in a Bones kind of way. But no, of course the “warm-hearted prosecutor” is the woman and the “gruff forensic scientist” is the man. This could be good – there are too many unknowns to make a firm decision – but I think I’m already too disappointed by the predictable casting to give it a chance.
  • Come and Hug Me – I don’t know if it’s a season of terrible plot synopsis but honestly there’s nothing appealing about a melodrama about a detective and a popular actress who are somehow connected due to a murder case from their past. I’m all for giving rookie writers a chance, but these vague plots are doing nobody any justice. The cast are a bunch of actors I don’t know (other than Jin Ki Joo) because I haven’t watched anything else they’ve been in, and I don’t know that I will get to know them because unless everyone in Dramaland keeps telling me this is the best thing ever, I’ll likely end up skipping it.
  • Why Secretary Kim – I don’t know anything about the novel or webtoon (also based on the novel), but the brief synopsis sounds like the classic asshole chaebol and spunky Candy set-up. Not that it’s a bad thing necessarily (it’s a classic for a reason), but I don’t know what the hook is. I do really like Park Seo Joon and Lee Tae Hwan, though, so it could be worth it just for the eye-candy.
  • Handsome Guy and Jung Eum – I’m not completely cranky about the ridiculous and vague plot synopses this month, because I totally want to give this one a chance. My cynical heart wants to be warmed by the idea of two people who’ve given up on love/don’t care about love, but who have “theories” about love, putting those theories to the test and falling in love, anyway. I just hope Hwang Jung Eum isn’t too shrieky.
  • About Time – “A woman has the special ability to see the lifespan clocks of other people and meets a man who can stop her time, and he falls in love with her.” Now this is a synopsis, people! I’m already intrigued, not the least because there’s some sci-fi/fantasy element going on. Plus I need to know if the reason she can tell that he stops her clock is because he’ll somehow end up being the death of her (probably not, this is Dramaland after all, but hey it means I’m already hooked). Also Lee Sang Yoon owes me a good drama after making me sit through the entirety of Whisper and his endless eyebrows acting.
  • Miss Hammurabi – About the only thing that will get me to watch this is a wave of nostalgia where I pretend that Reply 1994′s Na Jung and her father are cosplaying as judges (because what else am I going to think of when you have Go Ara and Sung Dong Il in the same drama together?). As much as I declare myself an Inspirit, I just don’t feel that L can carry a drama as a lead (he’s fine as supporting cast, don’t @ me). This director is also seriously hit-or-miss with me. He can do some things really well, and other things absolutely terribly, and often both extremes can be found in the same drama.

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: April 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar

Completed:

  • Misty – I know there was a lot of grumbling about the ending but I genuinely loved this drama, warts and all. But it will probably go down in my memory as me falling in love with Hye-ran’s outfits and all the messages that Mary and I sent each other. It’s so easy for me to watch shows in my teeny, selfish bubble that I forgot that experiencing it others can be fun, too.

Currently Watching:

  • Should We Kiss First – I am a week behind and I’m assuming there’s gonna be new ways to add tragedy to the story, yet somehow I never feel truly weighed down by the melodrama. There’s enough comedy to keep me interested, and I think I just genuinely love the novelty of an older couple falling in love and learning to live together. (And I adore some of the minor characters, like the match-making couple. <3)
  • Live – I’ve only made it up to episode 3 because there’s a bleakness to this show that I find exhausting, but in the good way. Like it’s a little too real, when apparently what I want right now is some escapism. I do really enjoy the “slice-of-life” story and the cast of familiars from Noh Hee Kyung’s other dramas. It’s just not one I can binge, apparently.
  • Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food – Okay, technically this is more of a “plan to watch” once Netflix drops the subs. At least, I assume Netflix has it, because it’s *crickets* everywhere else. We’ll find out in a few days, I suppose. (And yes, unfortunately that’ll be non-US Netflix, but I, ah, have my ways…)

Dropping/Skipping:

  • My Husband Oh Jak Doo – I think I gave this four episodes before dropping it. I was enjoying it as a kind of background noise since the plot was super-predictable so I didn’t have to give it my full attention. Until I realized I was no longer giving it any attention, so why even bother. I still enjoyed what I saw, though.
  • My Ahjussi – I adore this director but until someone convinces me that this isn’t about a 40-something man finding himself thanks to a woman half his age, I just can’t bring myself to give it a chance.
  • A Poem a Day – I love slice-of-life shows and this cast is pretty great, but I just find it impossible to get into medical dramas.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • The Miracle That We Met – This writer is so polarizingly hit-or-miss with me (I adored Woman of Dignity and I hated Strong Woman Do Bong Soon) that I don’t know what to expect from this, but the cast is great, even if the director is iffy. So I’m split on whether I’ll devote time to this drama. I won’t be rushing to check it out (because I’m already behind on shows I like), but I’ll probably check it out, at least for an episode or two.
  • Suits – I’ve watched the first 1.5 seasons of the original, which I vaguely enjoyed (enough to get me to start watching another season, which is saying a lot). So I’m also vaguely interested in checking it out, but it’s not high on my list.
  • Mistress – I haven’t watched the original version but I’m all about strong, interesting women, so this definitely has my interest.
  • Greasy Melo – I love this writer and this cast, so this is probably my most anticipated April premiere. Plus I’m hoping for lots of delicious food porn!

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.

Dramaland Forecast: March 2018

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Previously: Jan – Feb

Completed:

  • None since last month

Currently Watching:

  • Misty – I feel like it says something about how much I love a drama when Mary wishes there was a hangout or something, and I’m like “game on.”
  • Should We Kiss First – there’s a cringe-level to some bits of humor but it also reminds me of Kim Sun Ah’s earlier rom-coms, so I’m fully enjoying it, especially since it seems like we’re settling into a comfortable balance of humor and seriousness and bittersweet sadness.

Dropping/Skipping:

  • Cross – I really have no desire to watch tons of painfully detailed surgeries, no matter what sort of revenge I’m eventually promised
  • Laughter in Waikiki – not my cup of humor tea.
  • Children of a Lesser God – this director is on my blacklist, plus after the hours I spent analyzing Black, I’m not ready to jump back into an OCN supernatural thriller.
  • The Great Seducer – I don’t understand how this is supposed to be a remake of Dangerous Liaisons yet not be on cable, but whatever. “Loosely based” makes me wonder just how loose. If this had a more seasoned cast, I might consider it, but nothing about the production appeals to me so it’s an easy skip.
  • That Man Oh Soo – OCN keeps trying to break into the romance genre (and apparently cast as many idols while doing it), but I’m just not buying it.
  • Switch – I keep trying to write something vaguely upbeat about this but honestly the last thing I liked Jang Geun Suk in was Mary Stayed Out All Night. I don’t know enough about this production team to make an educated decision, but this legal drama is probably one I’ll skip.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Live – this is my most anticipated drama of the year because it’s Noh Hee-kyung’s latest drama, and she’s paired up with her fave director (Padam, Padam…; That Winter, The Wind Blows; It’s Okay, That’s Love) so you know it’ll be visually gorgeous. I’m also looking forward to a different take on police officers. It’ll be interesting to see them portrayed in a more human-interest focused story, where they’re just people living their lives as best they can and not merely there to solve the case of the day. Plus it’s Lee Kwang Soo’s first major drama starring role so I gotta support my twin, the giraffe.
  • Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food – I’m a sucker for a good noona romance, and I trust this director (Secret Love Affair; A Wife’s Credentials; Heard it Through the Grapevine) to make a show that’s more than just a cheesy rom-com. Part of me is secretly wishing it’ll be like a What’s Up Fox? remake, though (okay, maybe not a remake, but I’d really love to revisit that emotional journey).
  • My Husband Oh Jak Doo – even though I like the cast line-up, I’m a bit iffy on this, and it’ll probably take me watching the first few eps to decide if it’s worth it. But hey, contract marriages are generally a drama winner, right?
  • Let’s Watch the Sunset – this one is on the “maybe” pile, although I fear it’ll be too tear-jerking for my taste and will easily go into the “dropped” pile. But I like the cast and I at least want to support all the female directors I can.
  • My Ahjussi– I really love this director but I’m still skeeved out that this sounds like some manic-pixie-dream-girl in her twenties helps a 40-something man find meaning in his life. Maybe if they surprise me and she turns out to be his long-lost daughter and he has to figure out what it means to be a dad, I’ll be all-in, but right now I’m just, ehhhhhhh…
  • Life on Mars – I’ve mostly focused on March premieres, but the tentative cast for this remake has me excited. Jung Kyung Ho as the Sam character, Park Sung Woong as the Gene character, and Go Ah Sung as the Annie character seem pretty ideal to me. It helps that this would be airing on OCN, which not only has a proven track record for crime procedurals with a twist, but has also shown us through Tunnel that they can handle “time travel” as well. I know the default is to be suspicious and wary of remakes, but I think this could be excellent, especially since the PD in charge was the one who also did The Good Wife, which is perhaps one of my favorite remakes – there was respect for the original yet it incorporated elements that fit the culture.

As always, any drama not listed means I have nothing new to add since the last mention and/or it’s not something I care about enough to add to the list.