Dramaland Forecast: September 2017

Previously: 2016JanFebMarAprMayJuneJuly – Aug

Completed:

  • Super Family 2017 – I finally got around to watching the last two episodes! I loved this little show, and think that if the networks want to get back into sitcoms, this is the way to do it. I’ve notoriously been unable to finish nearly every sitcom I’ve started just because my attention flags and my commitment to 100+ episodes (no matter how short they are) completely vanishes. I also usually only get invested in one storyline or couple in a sitcom, but this one had me cheering for the whole family and everyone they encountered. Also, I’m not going to admit how I literally squeed in delight when Hobaby showed up on my screen at the end, having temporarily forgotten he was in this because he wasn’t in ep 39 and it’d been months since I’d last watched eps 37-38. Nope, didn’t sound like a deranged fangirl who hasn’t seen her bias in months, not at all.

Currently watching:

  • Strongest Deliveryman
  • Manhole

Dropping/skipping:

  • School 2017 – it looks cute but I just don’t have time for another show right now, but it’s definitely going on the “binge at my leisure” list
  • Save Me – I don’t do creepy very well. And I’m still biased against Taecyeon. I might give it a shot sometime, but there are too many other shows that interest me that I still need to get caught up on.
  • Deserving of the Name – I think I still want to check this one out eventually, but, y’know, time and all that. I’ll probably wait to hear more buzz and see if it’ll be worth binging one day.
  • Age of Youth 2 – I liked the first one (not as much as most of my dash did, apparently, since I was dissatisfied with a lot of the bizarre plot holes), and fully plan to check it out. But I won’t have much time next month so I’m not even bothering to keep up with it live and instead happy to wait until its over and, y’know, binge. (Yeah, “binge” is a word you’ll probably see a lot from me in the next few months, since that’s gonna be the only way I’ll finish a drama!)
  • Hospital Ship – I’m more curious than anticipatory, mostly because I still can’t shake the idea that this is just a remake of Umi no Ue no Shinryoujo. At least, I hope it is, because I loved that quirky drama, and not just for Shota Matsuda. I’m also excited to see my fave baby-faced cutie Minhyuk play something other than a student.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Temperature of Love – honestly I don’t know what else to add that I haven’t said already but it has my new drama crush Yang Se Jong and my forever beloved Handsome Oppa so I’ll watch it no matter what. Hey, sometimes I’m weak for the pretty.
  • Girls Generation 1979 – a coming of age story about a bunch of girls who live somewhere other than Seoul? Sign me the heck up! I may not have been alive in the 70′s, but I’m anticipating some vicarious nostalgia nonetheless. I’m also excited to see Dohee again, after loving her in Reply 1994!
  • 20th Century Boy and Girl – I was already intrigued by this drama when it was tentatively called “No Sex in the City,” but this is probably my most anticipated show of the month just because it sounds like everything I’d enjoy – a slice-of-life drama centered around three good female friends who meet their childhood crush years later. My expectations might be a little elevated since its coming from one of the writers of Reply 1997, but hopefully the show lives up to my hopes and dreams.
  • Two Cops I adore Jo Jung Suk and am always excited to see him get a lead role (even when I never, uh, actually finish the dramas he’s in). This one sounds like it’ll be excellent comedic fodder for him. I’m just side-eying the potential romance, especially if Hyeri is cast as the female lead. Whyyyyyyy dramaland must you have ridiculous age-gaps? There are plenty of thirty-something comedic actresses who I think would be able to match Jo Jung Suk’s skills. Can’t we give them a chance? *pout*

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 2017

Previously: 2016JanFebMarAprMayJune – July

Completed:

  • At the time of queuing I haven’t finished a single drama that I wasn’t working on, even though I’m only two episodes away from completing Super Family 2017, halfway through The Best Hitand have downloaded the entirety of Circle to watch at my leisure (ha, what leisure?).
  • Duel – I completed this one because, well, I had to. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, because I really did! Even though there were a lot of loose ends, I didn’t mind because it lived up to my twisty-turny plot expectations. I also loved experiencing Yang Se-jong as an actor  – he’s seriously a rookie to keep an eye on!

Currently watching:

  • Everything. At least in theory. In reality, I’m going to have to suck it up and decide what it is I’ll binge to the finish line and what will be pushed into the dusty pile of “to watch and finish, someday, maybe, hopefully.”

Dropping/skipping:

  • Everything. Probably. See above. Hey, sometimes I can be a realist!

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • Strongest Deliveryman – I don’t have much to add to this since last month, because my reasons for watching are still the same (although the hilarious teasers that have been released in the meantime definitely have made me even more interested!). I also know I’ll be watching it no matter what, so hopefully it lives up to my expectations!
  • Manhole – this makes me the shallowest person ever, I’m sure, but honestly I’m mostly curious about this drama because it’s Jaejoong’s comeback. The premise could be interesting, too, although time-slip dramas seem to be the new-standard so the plot isn’t quite as appealing as it could be if there wasn’t a time-traveling show every week. I don’t know if I’ll stick with it, but I’ll least check it out for the pretty.
  • Temperature of Love – while I’m excited that my new actor-crush Yang Se-jong is getting a lead role so soon after his debut (this will be his fourth drama ever) and in something that will hopefully be easier on him than the intense portrayal of three different characters in Duel, I’m also like WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY IS HANDSOME OPPA AGAIN THE SECOND LEAD????? At least it’s a rom-com, so hopefully Handsome Oppa can show off his fluffy comedic side so people won’t always associate him with the psycho-killer from Voice. I also love that Jo Bo Ah has been added to the line up, although I’m wary about the description of her character and hope she’s more than just a standard jealous second-lead. I’m not the biggest fan of this writer’s previous work – in fact, I’ve never been able to finish her other dramas – but this cast feels almost tailor-made for my interests so I’m willing to endure anything for them. (But seriously, when is Handsome Oppa gonna get a leading role? WHEN?)

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 2017

Previously: 2016JanFebMarAprMay – June

Completed:

  • Chicago Typewriter it started out slow and I was *thisclose* to dropping it around ep 5 because I didn’t care about the modern timeline dynamics, but ep 6 was good and then it just got better and better until the ending crushed my heart in all the best ways.
  • Man to Man – a fun, idle binge! Even though I wasn’t super invested, I loved every moment Park Sung Woong was on my screen (he can do no wrong!). I preferred the goofier side of the drama than the srs bzns spy stuff, but the action scenes were pretty slick and I liked the production values. I don’t regret wasting my time on this show although I will probably forget it ever existed.

Currently watching:

  • Super Family 2017
  • The Best Hit
  • Duel

Dropping/skipping:

  • I purposefully didn’t start many dramas this month knowing that I wouldn’t have time for them. I’m waiting for Lookout, Circle, Secret Forest, and Fight My Way to end so I can binge at my leisure (and no one had better spoil me on Circle until I do because that’s the one I’m most looking forward to – I’ve worked incredibly hard to avoid spoilers so far and you don’t want to make me cry, do you? Do you?)
  • Oh and I also plan to look into Woman of Dignity but my hopes are sub-basement level and I’m only doing it for my love of Kim Sun Ah.

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • School 2017 – I never watched the 2015 version but I really enjoyed the 2013 version (all my beloved students with their various problems, and the reunion of the Baby-faced duo Jang Na Ra and Daniel Choi). Although, based on this writer, I have a feeling there will be loads more humor than tears.
  • Strongest Deliveryman – I know nothing about this except it has Go Kyung Pyo in his first leading role, so of course it has my attention.
  • Reunited Worlds – “A love story between an 18-year-old man and 31-year-old woman, born in the same year and were childhood friends.” Well, this is certainly a new take on the noona romance. The writer is dependably okay and I like the cast even though no one particularly excites. I’m curious but not to the point where I’ll make a point to clear my schedule for the premiere.
  • Save Me – I love OCN thrillers (esp. in the Sat/Sun timeslot) as much as anyone, maybe even more than most, but… but… Taecyeon.  I dunno if I can last a whole drama with him as the lead.
  • Man Who Dies To Live the plot is vague but the cast is decent. There’s potential here but I’m gonna need more info.
  • Manhole – “Bong Pil and his five friends travel between the past and present through a manhole in order to stop a wedding scheduled a week later.” Starring Jaejoong and UEE and Baro. Heck, let’s get all the idol and ex-idol actors and make it a thing. From the writer of TEN and TEN 2 so it shouldn’t be quite as ridiculous as it sounds (but it better be just a little bit ridiculous. Just a little).
  • Hospital Ship – the plot makes me think of a gender flipped version of my beloved Matsuda Shota’s A Clinic on the Sea, so I’m tentatively willing to give it a chance if it promises me a quirky mix of characters.
  • Mojito – the plot sounds like a standard chaebol-candy rom-com buuuuuuuuuut Sung Joon and Baek Sung Hyun reunited? Yes, please!
  • Live – Noh Hee Kyung’s newest offering that potentially could star Lee Kwang Soo in a role that I’m hoping reflects more than just his comedic abilities. There’s no airdate set (some time next year, probably) and only a vague plot but MY BODY IS READY.

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 2017

Previously: 2016JanFebMar – Apr

Completed:

  • None yet – all the dramas I’m watching are still currently airing!

Currently watching:

  • Super Family 2017 – ahh, I can’t believe we’re halfway through!
  • Radiant Office – if this show doesn’t give me at least one teeny-tiny scene where Hoya and Feeldog’s characters meet, I’mma cry.
  • Whisper – definitely not what it could have been but still entertaining enough to keep me focused on it, although maybe not my favorite choice to recap because there’s so much plot in each episode that it makes my brain hurt.
  • Tunnel – I’m not really invested in the main mystery, but I’m still planning to finish it, at least for Yoon Hyun Min’s sake and to see how the past will be rewritten whenever Choi Jin Hyuk finally returns to it (because he totally will… won’t he?).
  • Chicago Typewriter – ep 6 saved this from the drop list, and once again I get to experience “second-lead syndrome” for a ghost. Yeah, this will end well.

Dropping/skipping:

  • Tbh I’m genuinely surprised that I haven’t dropped anything. Just look at that list of what I’m watching! I’m still unsure how I’ve managed to keep up with it all (or mostly keep up with it). Chicago Typewriter came close, though, and there’s still a chance it will make this list. But as long as it gives me ghost shenanigans and lots of 1930′s flashbacks, it will still tentatively stay on the list.
  • Man to Man – I’m not consciously skipping this one, but the episodes I’ve downloaded have remained untouched (sorry, Park Sung Woong!). There’s just so much I want to watch right now and not enough time to do it. *cries*

Upcoming dramas of interest:

  • I don’t really have much to add from last month, actually. The dramas that I was eager and curious about last month are the still the dramas I’m hoping will do well once they air. I don’t think there’s been much new buzz to add, or at least any buzz that interests me. Then again, I’ve been so busy that I haven’t really paid attention to anything other than what’s directly in front of me.
  • I’m not ready for the May premieres! I’m still watching too many things!

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.