I have high hopes for this drama. I hope it's not a let down.

Well.. let's all cross our fingers and hope it'll be successful ^^

I agree, fingers crossed that they don't run out of story by episode 12.

Although cliche, I am definitely am looking forward to getting addicted this one! Thank goodness it's going to air right at the end of the semester and right into summer -- I've compromised my studies enough!

dramabeans, it's Tuesday night and I am still in the habit for checking your site despite the end of BoF! =] You tastefully report news to hit the spot without the unsavory commentary.

"fingers crossed that they don’t run out of story by episode 12."

How many episodes are for this series? I usually like 16 episodes for Korean dramas because usually by the second half, it always ends up so serious (ahem, amnesia or some heart disease.)

But I love these plots XD
I'm the one who doesnt usually gets tired of cliches easily (well... only the good cliches me like...) and contract relationships are fun~ even though at the end its pretty obvious their relationship will turn real. But when it comes to dramas where you can predict the future, it's always about the "how" and "how things will get to that" that makes it so much fun.

not gonna lie...im not excited for this at all. i cant bring myself to watch any more contract relationship dramas, and ive never been a fan of kim ah joong

The concept of actors acting as actors has always bugged me.
Anyways.. No high hopes. Just a little anticipation.

@etsy

same with me...

@ Biscuit

Its scheduled for 16 episodes. I don't have a problem with that format if they have the writing to back it up. To many series run out of interesting plot before the last quarter......can't help think of Full House when I think contract relationship show and that one was far to repetitive at the end. I'm hoping the writers do a better job for this one.

I do enjoy the 11 episode Japanese format though. Story seems to flow quite smoothly and not drag at the end.

Amazing! The drama is airing in 2 weeks and they only begin filming now ..yet there will be 2 episodes each week continuously.

How do they do it whereas American TV shows keep having 2-4 weeks break in between 1 or 2 new episodes. Ridiculous.

Agree with #6 and #8.

I've been waiting patiently for a good romcom but they keep on coming out with highly derivative stuff. Even the recent Taiwanese drama I watched "My Lucky Star" revolved around contract marriage towards the end.

Seriously, Asians need to do some series like Prison Break or Heroes or even Buffy! I know they can do it, especially Koreans :)

@Sarah JB

Ooooh, so it's not only the start good. Story of a man keeps being fascinating, right? I'll keep that in mind.

As for Six months, I'm torn. On one hand, contract relationship woohoo, on the other for some reason I'm not much excited. Hmm

@Kobe

Yes, but hopefully, they'll stop before the storyarc and characters become too boring and/or repetitive or just plain bad. I loved PB then s3 happened and I stopped watching. I forced myself to watch s4 that was slightly better than s3, but it was never the same again. Same with Heroes: a great start and a disappointing continuation (I dropped it this season). Joss is Joss is Joss so I don't have anything to say about Buffy. Personally, I'd rather go through a couple of less-than-stellar eps, which sometimes happen in Kdramas, rather than a whole series of frustration.

I think the management of Hwang is doing a good job to make him switch from big screen (movie) to home screen (TV) by putting him as a guest in Family Outing. after watching that ep, I started to like him! (I didnt know him before) He is such a funny and "cute" (i mean cute behavious) guy

I'm looking forward to this drama :D

Hwang JungMin is an A class actor..and i dont know if Kim AhJoong has that.

I have high hopes for this drama as I feel very empty after the conclusion of BBF.I love Joo Sang Wook after seeing him in Kimchi Raddish Cubes with Park Shin Hye and as the 4th guy in 3 dads and 1 Mom with Eugene,Jae Hee and Jo hyun Jae,Looking forward to this drama. The male lead also is a great actor .Saw him in You are my sunshine movie.

I think this will be a fun one. Yes, it is a contract relationship story line but then again, maybe Kim Ah Joong plays this one differently. I am not sure if this will be as much of a comedy as it might be a romantic melodrama, despite the stereotypical setups. Not many dramas that seek to find a balance between romance, drama and comedy can pull it off (like, say, My Girl and MNIKSS).

I would definitely give this one a good 3-4 episodes before making any decisions. After watching Snow Queen and having my insides shredded, I am a little bit drained emotionally and I could use a good light series. Then again, since I can't watch shows lives (the wait is waaaaaay too long between episode to episode, even for double doses per week), this show will have to wait its turn...

-Samsooki

@ Sere

I know exactly what you mean. This is one of the reasons I've stopped watching American series because I can't handle the inevitable disappoint as they destroy the characters simply because they're trying to extend the series for as long as possible...

And even as much as I liked Buffy, I was still upset in the later seasons. What was once a must-watch-when-it-airs became a I'll-tivo-it-for-later affair. And the series that I still like were all canceled before they got a chance to go bad (e.g. Dead Like Me).

Of course that's not to say Asian series are immune from this, but as long as the main guy and main girl get together (AND STAY THAT WAY) then I'm happy :)

@ Kobe

I've noticed that the more innovative and complex dramas tend to be historical ones based in ancient settings.

So I would love to see them do something in modern times as well.

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@Sere and Jessica

C'mon, just because I suggested something similar to those American series doesn't mean they have to run them for 9 seasons too!

Basically I just want to see some new K-dramas that's, you know, actually about something? Every time I tell my other half about a new k-drama and she asks me "What's it about"? And I'm like...err....it's about this guy who meets this girl and they are forced into a contract relationship. *crickets*

You see this is why I'm interested in IRIS and Triple because at least it's about something.

KAJ looks beautiful!!! i'm looking forward to this drama!! :)

@Jessica
Oh oh don't get me started on Dead Like Me. The series was all kinds of awesome, but...have you watched the movie? I was SO frustrated with pretty much all the characters (except George). I think I'll live in denial for the rest of my life. LOL. Also? I miiiissssssss Rube.

Re: Buffy. I didn't want to bad-mouth Joss, that's all. I've had problems with the latest series of Buffy and Angel myself. Same thing happened with The X-Files. *shakes head sadly*

@Kobe
Well, if you put it that way, I can't disagree. Personally, I watch Kdramas cos as trite and clichéd they are they give me my daily fix of romance. For every other need, I'd turn to American/Brit series or Jdoramas. But yeah, I understand what you're saying. I only replied that it'd be nice if, should a Kdrama go in a different direction, it'd be nice if it didn't go on forever like some Western series. ;)

KAJ's face kinda reminds me of octomom. Scary.

@ Kobe

kekeke :) I know what you mean lah. My response was more of a rant on how American series always breaks my heart in the end so nowadays I just avoid it.

Have you tried watching the work theme-type kdramas like H.I.T. or New Heart? They focus more on other stuff with the romance parts on the side.

@ Sere

Oh god, the Dead Like Me movie was horrible! It felt pointless and the continuity sucked too. Some of the rules they had in the first seasons were all of a sudden gone as well.

The George-and-her-sister plot line wasn't satisfying either. And not only did it not feel the same with Rube, but getting that other actress to play Daisy was ridiculous. And they totally botched her character. ARGH... I don't wanna think about it :(

* * *

Also, I'm like Sere in that I watch kdramas for my romance fix as well. I LOVE contract marriages. I LOVE amnesia plot lines. I love the gimmicky plots, like body switching, going back in time so you can redo a part of your life, ghost dads, etc...

But yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing some more complex kdramas. That would be really intriguing to see how they do it.

@JB and Jessica Re: DLM
I'm glad we share the same opinion. My f-list was in uproar when the movie came out, but I didn't know if that was a general reaction or if it was only a reaction of my closed circle of friends. You know, TPTB actually made me hate Mason and Roxie, not an easy feat so yeah, I'm living in denial as well. That movie never happened.

You know, Sarah, since I started with Kdramas, my whole view on tvshows changed as well. Before, I'd stick to a series even if it got so bad it hurt me. Now? I drop them without regrets. And I have to admit, the kdrama model is perfect for me too. It's not too short like say Jdoramas, which tend to leave me unsatisfied, and it's not too long either. I always get jittery if I see that there're way too many eps. I'm afraid the plot will lose focus or the characters lose potential and...attractiveness (Is that even a word?).

I don't know why contract relationships are considered such a cliche. There aren't that many dramas out there with that theme, are there? And surely it can't compare to the cliche of many tragic dramas of death by cancer, etc., or the pure hearted, naive girl falling for the older, sophisticated guy who becomes a better person because of her.

@Kobe - What, My Lucky Star, is about a contract relationship? I gave up after a couple of episodes, but ....

LOVE HER NECKLACE! I wonder where she got it from?

oh-oh, these first stills are not giving me the same excitement as when the first stills of City Hall came out. As I promised myself the first 5 epis, hope I will not have to break this promise. :-(