Tag: kdrama

Dramaland Forecast: September 2016

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

Completed:

  • Beautiful Mind – much better than the ratings would have you believe. Bummed it was shortened to 14 eps, but it was a solid show through until the end, managing to keep my interest even though I don’t normally like doctor shows.
  • The Good Wife – lived up to my expectations and more. Plus I’m probably not going to stop talking about those pink stilettos any time soon.

Currently Watching:

  • Monster – can you believe that there are only seven episodes left?
  • Second to Last Love – I’ve only watched the first couple of eps, but it seemed like the kinda old-school rom-com (with the slapstick and opposites attracting) that will make for good brainless background watching, so I’m not willing to admit that I’ve dropped it yet.

Plan to watch, eventually:

  • Age of Youth – yeah, it’s already ended, but dramas were made for marathoning, right?
  • Jealousy Incarnate – my beloved Jo Jung Suk! Lee Mi Sook! Go Kyung Pyo!

Skipping/Dropping:

  • all the historical dramas
  • W – I doubt I’ll get to this any time soon or maybe even ever. Despite my love for everyone’s favorite bodyguard and Cheekbones Ahjussi, I haven’t really heard anything that’s sparked my interest.
  • K2 – I’ve basically claimed the Fri/Sat tvn slot and was vaguely worried this would be my next assignment even though it didn’t interest me at all (although I could find a way to muster up enthusiasm if need be and then hope to be pleasantly surprised), so I’m relieved that I can skip it.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Drinking Solo – I was vaguely interested, but then I saw Key’s teaser and was like “oh heck yes I need to see the diva.” Plus there’s supposed to be a Goo Dae Young cameo, and despite the fact that I refuse to accept that Soo Kyung noona was written out, I’m all for seeing that cute foodie again.
  • Tomorrow With You – sad that this has been pushed back to next year, but I’m still excited to see Shin Min Ah again! The writer concerns me, but I like the director’s style, so hopefully it will all even out.
  • October is usually a prime month for premieres, but glancing at a list of upcoming dramas, there isn’t anything that particularly stands out for me even though I assume that a couple specific shows will be ratings monsters. Maybe instead I’ll finally finish all those shows I unwillingly dropped this year!

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 2016

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

Completed:

  • Dear My Friends – best drama of the year for me, hands down, no questions asked

Currently Watching (…kinda – I’m so far behind on everything!):

  • Squad 38
  • Monster
  • Beautiful Mind
  • The Good Wife

Planning to watch once I find time to watch more things:

  • W
  • Age of Youth

Skipping/Dropping:

  • Right now I’m not really sure what’s out there for me to skip that I haven’t already said I would, but I bet I’m skipping something (or many somethings)

I’m going to finish this show one day, I swear:

  • Six Flying Dragons – yeah, yeah, one day, *mumble, mumble*

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • *sweats nervously*… um… I haven’t been keeping tabs on upcoming stuff. I don’t even know what I’m excited about since all I’ve wanted for months is The Good Wife and now she’s here so nothing else really matters
  • This is the worst forecast yet
  • I’m so sorry

Dramaland Forecast: July 2016

odilettanteLeave a comment

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

Completed:

  • Baek Hee Has Returned – super cute and heart-warming, and I loved the relationship between the mother and her not-far-from-the-apple-tree daughter. Also Kim Sung Oh is amazing and should be in more things (er, more things with a greater role and not just cameos!).
  • Vampire Detective – it was a decent crime show with a fun cast of characters and nifty camera work, but I still don’t understand why they bothered with a vampire gimmick when it was barely utilized.

Currently Watching:

  • Monster – whooooooa, we’re (over) halfway there! Whooooa-OH, livin’ on a prayer (that it will maintain the recentish switch to being actually good).
  • Dear My Friends – fave drama of the year so far.
  • Squad 38 – fave drama airing right now.
  • Beautiful Mind – on paper this is clearly a show that I wouldn’t like but in reality I’m hooked.

Skipping/Dropping:

  • Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul Ho – I do still intend to finish this show (one day), but I finally had to admit that being stuck on episode 8 for a month means it goes to the drop list. For now.
  • Doctors – I love Park Shin Hye and glad she’s back on the small screen, but this isn’t the drama for me.
  • Wanted – I still haven’t watched the premiere and don’t know when I will, so it’s safe to say I’m skipping this one.
  • Let’s Fight Ghost – Taecyeon in a drama about ghosts? 
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I’m going to finish this show one day, I swear:

  • Six Flying Dragons – still on ep 28. There are just so many good dramas lately that I don’t have the free time to attempt to get caught up! (Yeah, that’s the story.)

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Uncontrollably Fond – or, as it’s known in these parts, Uncontrollably Woozy. Each teaser seems to cement that this is probably not the drama for me, but… ImJoo2! What to do, what to do. (Uh, watch at least the premiere and go from there, probably.)
  • W – the teasers aren’t exciting me, but the premise is interesting and this is generally a trustworthy screenwriter, plus Han Hyo Joo! And my favorite bodyguard!
  • The Good Wife – I’m pretty sure you guys know how I feel about this one. CANNOT. WAIT.
  • Second to Last Love – I’ve not watched the original Japanese version, so I don’t really have a clue what this is about beyond the basic description, but it has Kim Hee Ae and my girl Kim Seul Gi, so that means it also has my attention.
  • Age of Youth – even though there isn’t much info out there about this drama*, I’m excited about it because it’s from the writer of White Christmas and Wild Romance, the latter of which had its issues, but it also gave us the character of Dong Ah who is one of my fave characters ever, and who sounds like she’d fit right in with this drama about five female college students who live in a share-house. (*edit: a teaser has been released since I originally queued this post.)

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. 

Which networks do you enjoy watching dramas from?

odilettanteLeave a comment

I seem to generally prefer the cable channels over the network channels.

Typically there will always be at least one tvN show on my “currently watching” list with perhaps another one from JTBC or OCN. I’ve also enjoyed all of Mnet’s original dramas and would probably watch everything from them if they decided to create more.

I don’t have specific loyalties to any of the three network channels and will watch anything from them that interests me. It just so happens that tvN/JTBC/OCN generally have shows that are more appealing to my tastes.

Can you recommend some dramas with strong sassy female leads?

odilettanteLeave a comment

Ooooh, this could be fun! Some may lean more towards strong and others more towards sassy, and some may have a few ladies I consider strong and sassy even if they aren’t the lead, but here goes:

  • History of a Salaryman
  • Protect the Boss
  • Dalja’s Spring
  • Miss Korea
  • Reply 1997
  • Don’t Ask Me About the Past
  • Ex-Girlfriend Club
  • My Name is Kim Sam Soon
  • Wild Romance
  • I Hear Your Voice
  • All About My Romance
  • Coffee House
  • Me Too, Flower
  • City Hall
  • When It’s At Night
  • (basically anything with Kim Sun Ah, because even if her dramas aren’t great *shakes fist at Masked Prosecutor* she’s usually awesome)
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Hi! Do you have any K-drama tumblr blogs to recommend? Thanks in advance.

odilettanteLeave a comment

Oh man, this is a great question!

…but I am maybe not the person to give a great answer. Sorry…

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I actually don’t follow a ton of blogs, and the ones I do can be broken down to 25% that are peeps who have nothingwhatsoever to do with dramas (*waves to the NA brigade*), 50% that are single-serving interests (music, actor crushes, bats, funny stuff, news, Hoya, etc), and 25% that are peeps who are in the drama fandom but that’s not necessarily all they post.

I spend more time hanging out in specific tags to find drama-related stuff to reblog. That’s because I really haaaaaaaate being spoiled on shows I’m watching (or planning to watch) and it makes it easier for me to avoid spoilers and select just what I want, when I want. (The trick to avoiding spoilers on the dash from the kdrama peeps is to apparently watch the shows that no one else is watching, which seems to be working for me so far.)

Just double-checked real quick and yeah, the only kdrama-centric blog (that doesn’t also double for a personal blog) I currently follow is @undergroundkdrama.

For more suggestions, I’ll link to a couple of recent posts by other people that are undoubtedly way cooler than I am. I recognize a lot of the names there, and the ones I recognize are pretty commendable, so I’m just assuming everyone else is, too. (And I should probably check them out, too. It’s been so long since I’ve done a follow-frenzy!)

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Can you recommend some kdramas like City Hunter?

odilettanteLeave a comment

I’ll try! Not sure what it was you liked about CH, so I’ll cover my bases the best I can. It’s been years since I’ve watched this drama, so I’m only going off of my vague memory, and there’s a fair chance I’ll just end up recommending favorite dramas because I can:

Heartless City – darker than CH but has some excellent fight scenes (no spoons, I think, but still awesomeness like that), plus a whole undercover secret revenge plot.

Three Days – has action and political machinations, and I mostly thought of it because of the secret service angle. Not quite as humorous, though.

Story of a Man – not exactly political, but revenge thriller with an excellent cast. More psychological fighting than physical, though, so if you’re looking for action, this might not be your drama.

Blade Man – more if you like the relationship between the main characters in CH than any political revenge thriller. It’s a better drama than it sounds, I swear!

Vampire Prosecutor (seasons 1 and 2) – if you liked the action and also the bromance between Yun Sung and Ahjussi.

When It’s At Night – reluctant romance over solving art thefts! I dunno. I’m reaching now.

So I apparently don’t watch a lot of action-romance-thriller-comedy dramas, at least ones that I remember very well and can recommend. You can check out this tag if you were more specifically interested in thrillers.

I’m sure some of my followers will be happy to add to the list, though. (I’d bet good money at least one or a dozen will mention Healer but I’ll save y’all the hassle and just add to the list even though I never got past halfway so can’t personally vouch for it.)

C’mon, help a fan out or I’ll repost this image every day for the next month:

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EDIT: you’re in luck, Anon! I have more suggestions for you thanks to some lovely followers (and alas, that means no spamming the LMH STYLE. *pouts*).

luinel-kaya:

Oh my, you mentioned When it’s at Night aka my fave *tears up", i’m dying at this post. Please keep reposting the picture, and yeah i’d add Healer first in that list.We could possibly add Athena Goddess of War for all dem guns and revenge.

dahliabunches:

My go-to recommendation for action!kdrama is always Two Weeks. I don’t know how it compares to City Hunter though (as I haven’t watched CH…)

obscurewanderer:

I’d definitely recommend Bridal Mask (revenge, masked “superhero”); maybe Yong Pal (action/romance) and Liar Game?

Oh yeah, and Healer, as you mentioned – I can definitely vouch for its quality. What a great drama.

Dramaland Forecast: June 2016

odilettanteLeave a comment

Previously: Jan – Feb – Mar – Apr – May

Completed:

  • Nothing yet! Still watching!

Currently Watching:

  • Vampire Detective – why does the show still not really care that he’s a vampire? It’s Vampire Detective – VAMPIRE!!! But I still really like it because I enjoy stylish crime procedurals and the Scooby gang are so much fun to watch.
  • Monster – it’s not great but it’s not terrible and the cast makes me happy. Just don’t ask me to explain the plot because I’m pretty sure not even the writers know what’s going on any more.
  • Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul Ho – okay so I haven’t touched an ep in weeks but I still consider it to be on the “watch” list just because.
  • Dear My Friends – *cries* my aunties ❤

Skipping/Dropping:

  • Entertainer – there were glimpses of goodness, but it’s nothing that I haven’t seen many times before (even from the same director!) and combined with the fact that the chemistry was lagging between characters and the music wasn’t more compelling than any other non-music-centric drama, I decided I didn’t need to waste my precious drama-watching hours on this.
  • Lucky Romance – originally I was thinking I’d check this out predominately because of how much I enjoy watching Lee Soo Hyuk, but the teasers have reminded me how quickly my patience is exhausted for Hwang Jung Eum’s standard acting-style and I’m not sure I want to deal with that, especially when I already have more than enough dramas to fill my time right now.

I’m going to finish this show one day, I swear:

  • Six Flying Dragons – made it to ep 28. Progress!

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • W – this was only vaguely on my radar since it’s from one of the writers I always want to like more than I do (I swear it’s just me and I totally agree she’s worthy of being beloved by everyone), and I’m also generally iffy about Lee Jong Suk. I like him in smaller, supporting roles, but for shows where he’s the lead, he just doesn’t keep my attention. *ducks to avoid the flaming pitchforks* However the news that my fave bodyguard has been cast as a (wait for it) bodyguard definitely pushed me over the line from “maybe” to “okay yes we’ll check it out for sure.” It may be shallow, but honestly the casting is rather excellent in general (despite my weird taste in leading men) and this writer does craft excellent dramas, especially when they involve the wibbly-wobblines of time travel.
  • Police Unit 38 or Squad 38 – nothing really new to add except the teasers are as slick as you’d except from OCN and I’m looking forward to seeing Seo In Guk playing a con-man for the good guys.
  • Doctors – I generally avoid medical shows, so I’m not sure if I’ll actually pick this one up. But I did see the stills from the first shooting and really loved Park Shin Hye’s style, so I might watch it just to see her kick ass and be awesome – while, uh, also healing people…yeah… I make no promises though, especially since I’m not a fan of the writer.
  • Goblin – Gong Yoo returning to Dramaland? Oh, yes! KES as the writer? Oh, dear. At least tell me she’s gonna have a co-writer to help rein her in because I want to believe in the DotS and City Hall KES (both dramas where she had a co-writer) and not the chaos she creates when she’s left to her own devices. Fingers crossed that the only hell I’ll have to endure is the one in the script and not because of the script.

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.