Open Thread #394

1 luv_KimRaeWon

May 8, 2015 at 6:14 AM

Life has turned into a roller-coaster ride again. There is a long list of things that I’d love to see the Almighty give the green signal to. It is frustrating to be on the edge even in my mid-thirties. What would I not give for a comfortable, mundane life! I’ve had enough adventure and twists and turns to last a lifetime.
Hmm, anyways I’m watching:
Murphy’s Law of love: The story seems to go in the direction where she doesn’t really want to date him, but is being cajoled into it. I don’t like male leads who can’t take no for an answer (cue Heirs), so I hope Ji Jia Wei doesn’t go down that lane. Guan Xiao Tong’s hesitation also seems rather pointless .why is he not her type? I don’t get it. Still, the confession with the lies was really cute and at this point I’m glad that the ex-girlfriend will make her appearance soon.
Girl who sees smells: I’m behind on this show by 4 episodes. It doesn’t excite me as much as it did earlier but isn’t bad enough to be dropped either. How was this week, btw?
I never thought about the bullying issue in schools until the recent dramas started addressing it (when will I find the time to watch ‘Angry Mom’ and ‘School 2015’?). Though it does seem extreme in the dramas, I have seen that bullying exists to some extent or the other all over the world. Now that I look back, I realize that I was bullied too (mentally and not physically, so I never looked on it that way). As a mom, I’m glad to have my eyes opened to this big problem through the medium of Korean dramas. My child may not be bullied but I want to help her take the bull by its horns if it happens.On that note, Happy weekend Beanies.

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 6:21 AM

I agree with you on not liking guys who can't take no for an answer but Ji Jia Wei feels different to me. For one, he actually stops her from answering right away which means she hasn't really said no...and I think she's also giving crazy mixed signals. It seems more to me that she likes him but doesn't want to fall for another rich guy because she's convinced that all rich guys will pick money over live and she doesn't fit in that socioeconomic level.

I'm hoping they get around this by her realizing her feelings once she sees a romantic rival show up. I like them together but he can't be the only one going after this relationship.

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luv_KimRaeWon

May 8, 2015 at 6:41 AM

Well, yeah. I’m now all for the ex-s re-entry only to catalyse our h into action

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 6:44 AM

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2 4D

May 8, 2015 at 6:15 AM

Happy Friday Beanies! It’s been a crazy week so just a few quick thoughts on some shows:

School 2015 Ugh. I was hoping it would be longer before we saw the bully return. I knew it would happen but I hate bullying stuff. I wanted more focus on other things. I also have absolutely no guess whatsoever on who that previous classmate was (soo in?) or the significance of the past. Also pretty sure I have SLS but I also can’t guarantee that I know who the second lead is. I was hoping both guys would get a girl but seeing as there’s only one girl now….I guess not.

Hwajung One episode behind (finally the kids have grown up!). I still like this and am pretty lost in it when I watch but lately the flow has seemed a bit off. It has 50 episodes so they have plenty of time for character and plot development and yet somethings feel kind of chunky or inorganic. Even our king’s switch in temperament still feels a bit forced. On the other hand, I do love that aside from the children, nobody seems 100% good.

The Lover I’m starting to lose interest in this. I think the humor is fading a bit, and I don’t know where anything is heading. I know it’s ‘slice of life’ but even those kinds of shows/movies have a sort of end game. Not to mention things are feeling less and less real life to me. Still enjoy parts of it but I’m not as into it as I thought I would be.

Murphy’s Law of Love All good things must come to an end and it looks like the cutesy is going to go on hiatus for a while. I actually thought his ‘confession’ was a bit over the top but I guess they wanted a big impact before the mysterious woman comes back (although why did she not reach out before?). On the other hand I will be happy if it makes our leading lady do some of the chasing now.

---
Does anyone have a suggestion on where I can read the full Orange Marmalade for free without corrupting me computer? I was reading it on my webtoon app and then....well, it ended. I didn't realize they didn't have the full thing on there. Oops.

Also, are there legal sites to watch jdramas on? (In the US). There are a bunch for Korean shows and there are some Taiwanese but everytime I try and hunt down a jdrama I end up with ten billion ads and it's both annoying and potentially bad for my computer. It's made me give up in the middle of every single one.

Also, I kept meaning to watch Angry Mom but never even finished episode one. Is it worth adding to my watch later list?

For fun, what are everyone top 2-3 shows of 2015? (They don't have to be completed yet.)

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luv_KimRaeWon

May 8, 2015 at 6:22 AM

hey 4D:
Didn’t you catch up on ‘the girl who sees smells’.
As for Murphy’s law, I would like her to do some chasing. She was a tad passive in the last episode.
Did you check aznvdottv. I haven’t been to that site in a while, so I’m not sure if the have the latest JDs. It is ad-free though.

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 6:57 AM

*embarassed* I'm behind on Girl Who Sees Smells. This week I mostly only watched things at work but I'd been saving that for home so I can see it in the big screen but alas it hasn't worked out for me yet. I still have an episode and a half left. I'll probably cave and watch at work today though.

Yes, she was so passive in the last episode! I just wanted her to say something -anything!! Some sort of reaction.

I agree with those. While I am also watching a couple of other dramas, those are the only two on my "must watch" list.

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luv_KimRaeWon

May 8, 2015 at 6:27 AM

I enjoyed Healer and KMHM quite a bit. Whatz the verdict on 'Who are You'? Worth a try?

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 7:03 AM

Honestly, I'm not sure about 'Who Are You'. I have no idea where it's heading and some plot points were wrapped up quickly. I haven't seen the others in the franchise but I gather this is a good thing since the tone is so different.

I do think there's potential. It's not a realistic show IMO but I still appreciate it adding some real issues to it. And I like the acting. It's fun for me right now but I'm still not sure how I feel overall about it.

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luv_KimRaeWon

May 8, 2015 at 7:13 AM

@School 2015: Thanks for the quick summary.Everyone has been raving about the girl and she was cute in her cameo in ‘GWSS’, so I might give it a try.

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 3:59 PM

I'm not sure if I'd be raving about the acting but they all get a thumbs up from me right now. If you have some spare time in your schedule I think it's worth a shot.

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 7:27 AM

"Who are you": I don't think there is a plot yet, it seems all still setup for me. The premise is rather elaborate, that's why the show needed 4 episodes just to get to the point where the plot can start.

I'm rather convinced, now that all players are at their actual starting positions, the pace will slow down and there will be much more focus on the characters.

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 4:00 PM

That was mostly my thinking after the first two episodes...but now there's been another two which are mostly setting up things. I do hope for a change in pace and more character development now too.

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alcoholicbubbletea

May 8, 2015 at 8:23 AM

who are you just got downright creepy for my taste. i mean it was interesting that the luckier twin wanted to trade place, but then she died and the unlucky twin just took her place. mom didnt even look that sad? i mean -- WHAT? is a person's identity that easy to erase? a mother would know her daughter better. and her friends too! i mean i usually let go of these plotholes but school 2013 had that raw, realistic feel to it and this one just totally ruined it. feels like this time they tried too hard.

speaking of WHAT, smelly girl just got to another level of WHAT. but yoochun and shin se kyung are uh-doooohrable together so i just skipped past the mean guy parts and watch em hug and cuddle yeahh.

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owl

May 8, 2015 at 1:25 PM

I kind of think so too, unlucky twin twist was one of those what just went down, huh? thing. And that's it? Now she can't remember who she isn't. I do love the rebel rich boy, though.

Sure is a twins-y year, in kdramaland, the trendy theme.

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 4:04 PM

I think the mom was definitely upset. She still broke into tears after trying to eat, but it's going to be a hard premise to swallow no matter what. I think they needed things to happen quickly but them staying together was more like a....what other family do we have left? Let's at least stick together kind of deal. I think if the mom had known her daughter was a twin then she would have adopted both so it's sort of what was mean to be anyway. The sister of your daughter becoming your daughter sort of makes sense...in a drama. I think this show only works for people who don't view it as part of the franchise.

Then again I found in creepy in Girl Who Sees Smells that she's essentially "adopted" by a stranger and then lied to about it. New kdrama theme?

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atz

May 8, 2015 at 7:46 AM

Re;Hwajung

I was not so pleased with the development in the last eps.

Yes, change of the King's attitude is just a bit forced.
Now all the cast is adults but I do not like Seo Kang Joon in this role. Maybe the way his lip curled up does not make him look intelligent? Supposedly Hong Joo Woon is a very intelligent guy but his behavior( in particular the way he confronts the King) seems rather cavalier-ish without much thought out plan from a good brain.( He did not think much about how the King would take his words; to survive in the court, one needs some political skills without much confrontation. Maybe the writer thought that his words and action are showcase of pure heart from the young noble?) I get a feeling that the story may not develop the way I hoped. Maybe I should not lose a hope for this drama and Seo Kang Joon will improve.

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Top 3:
Kill Me Heal Me
Healer
Angry Mom

Love them! Although they also have plot holes, misstep and actors I don't like, but overall I think the three are the best, in terms of quality and enjoyment!!

I also like Heard It Through Grapevine a lot!! Fun show!

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miilo

May 8, 2015 at 8:00 AM

@4D I feel the same about School 2015. I like it a lot, it´s my favorite show at the moment, though I´m not sure where it´s all heading. The brutal depiction of school violence in the first ep basically had me at hello and now the mystery keeps me on toes, followed by already budding SLS (though, like you said, I´m not sure either about the first and second leads).

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Nate

May 8, 2015 at 8:33 AM

Top shows so far.

Healer-ya!!

Still fresh in the memory! Such a quality show wonderfully crafted and a great cast, especially JCW! Hehehe! So much fun and the community here was and still is a blast!

I have watched other shows this year, but it is not as compelling throughout. There are parts that I enjoy, but they are not compelling to rewatch and I put it away until next week. I am waiting for new shows to see how they will do.

Regarding, School 2015, I agree, and seeing where this is headed because not sure.

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fabdrama

May 9, 2015 at 7:29 AM

Hahaha his Bong sook-ness is indeed too cute! Mán I miss Healer! Thanks for the link.

2015 has given us great dramas so far. Currently loving Angry Mom.

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So lovable

May 9, 2015 at 9:59 AM

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3 redfox

May 8, 2015 at 6:15 AM

Hi there

Don´t really know where to start. So many emotions. Felt totally bipolar with Smelly girl - from Aww how cute to mommy help to omg this is great to I can´t look, I think I am going to eat my blanket...rinse, repeat. High, low, total rollarcoaster.

Highs and Lows of the week?

Highs:
news of Sung Joon returning to dramas as a lead
Masked Prosecutor looking promisingly funny and campy, if that is not just a symbol and it is really a serious drama... hope not. We seriously need comedies.
the Soompi post about korean stars´childhood pictures - seriously, how adorable were they? And you can see the look in their eyes has stayed the same.
Yoochun continuing to be great in TGWSS - and seeming especially smart after zombies ate the brains of everyone else.
Angry Mom giving hope to all, especially in the light that not only does S. Korea have the worlds´highest 13 to 18 year old suicide rate, but from the amount of school bullying and other cases ended without any result (UN rapport).
That we learned to know another promising young actor Ji soo through Angry Mom, and that his character goes next to Sung joons´Ji Hyuk, in that I am occasionally going to think back how this character would be doing, is he now in college, does he still live with Teacher etc. Also Dong Chil was one of the most interesting characters to follow in all the recent dramas.

Lows:

ZOMBIES EATING BRAINS in Smelly Girl. Like they have a bet who does more stupid things? but then they kind of defeated zombies and are back on track, so it is ok.
coming across some Changmin fans actually bashing Ninja Teacher, can´t remember which site, I googled and turned out with some weird results.... or maybe it was his fan page? I am not an active user though I registered just because, and if the anti-fans are so irrational and mean I don´t think I wanna.

In real life:

Lows first:
one of my colleagues is on sick leave, and we are the only ones able to do certain programs, which means now I am doing those alone for the next 2 weeks, and I regularly have groups of 45 students (!!!) gosh. save me. My only weapons are The Look - this sort of silent stare I give them, but that makes me seem too threatening and evil, so it is followed by some silly juvenile joke, then laugh at my own joke, and then they think I am completely mad.
and you are all probably tired of hearing this, but Russia. supposedly they have a program which shows everyone in the U.S. as worshippers of Satan and spawns of evil. I just... can´t handle this absurdity any more.

Highs:
everything has been planted in the garden, I will have food. Peas are already up and parsnips seem to be thinking about it seriously. the forecasts for the beginning of summer are very good, why the weather is looking out to be um, normal? hasn´t happened the past 6 years. or is it abnormal to have normal weather now?
Redfox´s Felts has over 500 new views! I am getting fa-moouuus.... but they are...

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redfox

May 8, 2015 at 6:16 AM

continued:
Redfox´s Felts has over 500 new views! I am getting fa-moouuus.... but they are just looking not buying, beh.

May 9, 2015 at 8:48 AM

oh, and btw Stig is hella talented song writer and at that he is so low profile wearing kinda grunge outfits and cotton sneakers and walks around with hair he might have borrowed from a street bum, but that s what is likable about him. just himself and music, what good would all the glitter and bling do?
he has written quite a few hit songs for Elina, but he mainly plays guitar in Traffic, and he had (has?) his own project called Outloudz, which you can listen here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDNqbK8dkWGA3mk6AMQXtx5JckztqNKZw

Stig has beena ESC hopeful 9 times, and now on the 9th time he made it. But Elina is a better singer.... I hope he won´t rush with the words and keeps the tension in the tempo. Kinda had a problem with that in our national final.

oh I wanted to add: even though I did enjoy Angry Mom, and enjoying Smelly Girl, I am not obsessively watching BTS or searching every tiniest news about it like I did with KHMH. They aren´t quite crack to me and Smelly Girl does make a lot of mistakes. but what I like is the freedom for actors, the space these dramas leave for professionals and rookies alike to make the character "live". Less stereotypical solutions and more creativity, visibly.

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 6:43 AM

Ignore the Changmin fans, I'm sure they're just upset that they're oppa got slammed when casting was announced. In general fans are pretty much blinded by their favorites (I'm including myself in this). Ninja teacher is still the best casting of that whole show. Ahem.

And I hear you in missing colleagues and extra work. We mostly work in teams of two where I am and on girl was out sick all last week and them I got to work this week and was excited since I'd be working with the other girl....and she was out too. So I've been doing double duty for a week and I can't say I've handled it particularly well. Just a wee bit grumpy.

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4 anar10203

May 8, 2015 at 6:18 AM

What an exhausting week! Im so tired of being in college for 12 hours straight... I don't even get Sundays off! At least I finally have holidays for a month now! Got to savour every minute of my holidays cause the tiring cycle will all just start again...

Shows I've watched this week...
One Warm Word : Finally finished it! It was a wonderful insight into how a marriage breaks down and the efforts that must be made to preserve one's marriage... I loved how family was constantly a recurring theme and it was wonderful to see supportive and loving parents who only wanted their children to be happy which is a rarity in dramaland...

Heard It Through The Grapevine : I cant help but love Bom more with each passing week! She is such a strong young woman and has her own set of ideals which she always abides by! I continue to love the help as well and how they are constantly supporting Bom, In Sang and Yi Ji who do the same for them! This week I was so angry at In Sang's parents, they are such terrible people who consider Bom an asset only when she abides by their every word and try to throw her out if she does otherwise and simply blame her when something goes wrong!

Who Are You - School 2015 : I dont know who I want Eun Bi to end up with!! Han Yi Ahn is so sweet but I cant help but feel that Gong Tae Kwang should get her cause he is all lonely and misunderstood and feels so comfortable with her.... **SPOILER** So now that we know that Eun Byeol was Killed after Eun Bi was saved, it seems highly unlikely that it was someone from her school that killed her cause they were all in Seoul then, so maybe it was Jung Soo In or just an accident(which I highly doubt considering this is a kdrama)? **SPOILER** Anyways, I'm really enjoying the show and cant wait to watch next week's episodes!

Angry Mom : Im gonna miss this show so bad! What a wonderful show from start to finish! Its so nice to have such a satisfying ending which just makes you feel hopeful... This show is definitely one of my favourites! Its just sad how it didn't get such great ratings, but I suppose that ratings aren't how to judge a show...

Exo Next Door : This show continues to be extremely cheesy but its still really cute and each episode is only around 15 minutes so its kinda fun to watch, though im pretty sure that if each episode was an hour long I would've quit a long time ago...

The Lover : I love the music in this show ! I've downloaded almost all of the songs that came up in this show till now...

Bad Family : What a heart warming show! It makes me feel all happy when I see how the "fake family" becomes a real one and how they all come to love each other despite what they say to each other...

I was wondering if anyone knows where I could watch Sandglass with English subs... I've been searching for ages but could never find it and I really want to watch...
Thanks in advance!

Oops! Reply meant for RS. Nonetheless, hello to all beanies!

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korfan

May 8, 2015 at 7:43 AM

*waving to yaya*

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yayabean

May 8, 2015 at 12:35 PM

:D Hello!

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anar10203

May 8, 2015 at 6:49 AM

Thanks yaya... I've already tried dramafever and it says that it isn't available in my country...

May 8, 2015 at 9:24 AM

I hope you are all doing well today. ....... It's Mother's Day this coming Sunday, here in the U.S. ....... To all of you who are moms, whether you find yourself in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world, sending you best wishes for a wonderful day on Sunday!

Watched this week:

Angry Mom - Liking this drama. But wow, creepy, abusive men at every turn .

Girl Who Sees Smells - Still watching the first episodes in bits and pieces. ....... And speaking of creepy men, Namgoong Min's character!

Mr. Selfridge (Season 3) - Everybody's having a bad day. They totally are. ....... Unfortunately, I think more bad days are on the horizon.

Wolf Hall - Oh my goodness! Anne Boleyn's bed is still smoldering from having been set on fire with her in it. She almost burned to death and her husband, King Henry VIII is focusing his concern on the charred bed fabric!

Still trying to get over that mask on Joo Sang-wook. ....... *wondering if it'll be changed*

That's all for now. ....... Everyone take care and have a great Friday!

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luv_KimRaeWon

May 8, 2015 at 6:38 AM

Hi Korfan,
How are you doing? Guess you’re still in 2 minds about ‘the girl who sees smells’. 0.5 episodes in 2 weeks ..hehehe.
If you are into this genre, can you suggest any cosy british murder mysteries(along the lines of Poirot and Ms.Marple, Holmes).

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korfan

May 8, 2015 at 6:55 AM

luv_KimRaeWon -

Doing fine, thanks! Hope you're doing well also.

Ha! Yes, still on the .5 episode routine. I'm kind, sorta on ep 6, but I only catch the first half of the episodes ..... and for whatever reason, I'm not bothering to watch the unwatched parts.

Let's see, I don't know if you'll find them cozy, but some British mysteries that come to mind are Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis, Rosemary & Thyme. There are other ones, but the names escape me right now. I'll try to remember!

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korfan

May 8, 2015 at 7:18 AM

luv_KimRaeWon -

I recalled some other ones: Endeavour (which is Inspector Morse when he was a young detective, starting out), Zen (but they only filmed like 2 or 3 episodes of this series), Grantchester.

I'll also add: Page Eight, Worricker: Turks & Caicos, Worricker: Salting the Battlefield ------ while these aren't "mysteries" in the "traditional", Poirot-kind-of-way, they are excellent.

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korfan

May 8, 2015 at 7:23 AM

And oh my goodness, how could I forget ..... the Prime Suspect series with Helen Mirren!

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harmonyfb

May 8, 2015 at 7:50 AM

can you suggest any cosy british murder mysteries(along the lines of Poirot and Ms.Marple, Holmes).

Aw, yisss.

:clears throat: George Gently (set in the 60s), Foyle's War (set during WWII), The Last Detective

More procedural, but still awesome: New Tricks, Vera, Single-Handed.

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4D

May 8, 2015 at 8:53 AM

Foyle's War was so good!!

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harmonyfb

May 8, 2015 at 8:33 AM

Maangchi has the recipe for vegetarian kimchi too,you just skip the seafood and replace Fish sauce with soy sauce, tastes the same and maybe even better, I personally haven't used seafood in my kimchi but I have made kimchi using both fish and Soy sauce on different occasions there's hardly a difference. Looking forward to hearing how your kimchi turns out.

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 7:21 AM

Rosy Lovers is your stock family drama, with doormat protagonists and "noble idiocy" galore. If you like this kind of thing, it is a rather concentrated form of it.

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ktiep

May 8, 2015 at 9:37 AM

I had to drop Rosy Lovers. The characters started to have no redeeming value.

If you want to watch longer, family shows, you could try:

What Happens in My Family
A Little Love Never Hurts

Crap,that is not what I wanted, I hoped she ended up with the younger brother raising her baby. Thank you so much,I'm disappointed but atleast I get closure.

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ajbny

May 8, 2015 at 9:30 AM

Giant is good. It was my first Korean drama like it and I think it's one of the best of it's kind.

It does go on in circles for a bit toward the end and breaks your heart and heals it all at once.

Rosy lovers is not the best thing that writer has done. I don't recommend it.I recommend I love you a thousand times instead.

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Khule WY

May 8, 2015 at 12:36 PM

Okay I'll definitely continue watching it,Im four episodes in and though it good, the episodes are too many so I was considering dropping it,but I'll watch it to the end.decided not to watch rosy lovers, I'll check out your recommendation. Thanks.

This is my first time posting on Dramabeans!!

I just have to say, besides what others are saying about 'The Girl Who Sees Smells,' I'm actually pretty satisfied at which path the drama is taking. I mean, not everyone can be smart, it's a Kdrama! I Think I'm actually rooting for the chef guy, it's crazy.

May 8, 2015 at 7:03 AM

Hello all!

Am so glad rain has come to certain parts of california. Here in NY, it's incredibly warm but I'm happy. Love me some warmth.

So looking forward to Ex-Girlfriends club with Byun Yo-Han. He's a new favorite, so am trusting he will do wonders with this part. Or at least that he'll do well.

Grapevine: Ah, i love this drama so much. I'd forgotten the thrills one can get with character studies. The rich folks in this drama with their sophistication and strange friendships! And Madame Choi and CEO Han. I've never seen the hurt and pain of entitlement and privilege done so well. You want to slap some sense into Madame Choi but the pain she is feeling from not having things her way is so palpable that you can only sit back and shake your head. I have a few in my life folks who don't think they're entitled and who don't understand "privilege" whom I'd love to recommend this drama to. But, as we all can see, it takes a LOT for certain folks to see how emotionally and intellectually entrenched they are in their cultural expectations.

So far, In Sang seems to truly be free from his parents' mentality. I just hope he really is as pure a soul as that and that he can endure working class life. Would be very hard to watch him emerge from his working class poverty tourism.

I was mightily surprised that Noo Ri is actually caring about her sister.

Unfortunate Boyfriend: I really like this. Am dreading the whole company ownership thing. I so wish they wouldn't go there. I think I would love this to be character study as well but eh...not gonna happen. No Min Woo has created a winning character. Although...there are some moments when he is given so few lines and he kinda just has to stand there shaking his head innocently.. and it feels like bad writing and bad acting overall. But not gonna complain.

Girl Who Sees Smells: The sweetest most natural couple ever!!!! Yep, i managed to ignore the incredibly stupid police work and weirdness. The stupid choices and decisions these cops made! And are we to believe that Daddy former detective "suspected all along" that Chef Kwon was a baddie. And no one knows about Cheif Oh's dead wife?

Missing Noir M: Oooh, the plot thickens! What the heck is going on here???? So is it all going to be one complicated mystery featuring judges, cops, and our hero profiler in one big convoluted conspiracy? Or will there be one mystery having to do with why profiler left FBI to return to Korea (at this point) and the prosecutor conspiracy?

Gonna try to see the last epi of Angry Mom. Just to see. And am eagerly awaiting the new crop of dramas.

Have a great weekend, all.

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 7:13 AM

Smelly Girl: Or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the breeding pair

Completely ignore the plot. It's an incredibly cute show afterwards. Just imagine you suffer from amnesia so that you cannot remember anything from a previous scene. Helps a lot!

May 8, 2015 at 12:35 PM

True, Bom got fascinated by power...and by how some famlies got it and some didn't. But even Mr Spiritual Law tutor got attracted to it. I think everyone does and that's one of the in-your-face challenges of this drama. After watching it, you are so aware of how entrenched the rich are in their thinking that any hope of marrying a chaebol's daughter or living in that milieu should be immediately squashed. This drama says to fans of drama: "Do you really want to marry into a world like this? Do you want to have empty friendships like this?" So i think it was a very honest move for the writer to have our hero and our law tutor be pulled in for whatever reasons. Heck, aren't we all generally enticed by rich chaebol and wanting to be one of them? You can't blame Bom for being human.

And again, Noori is nice enough but Noori has gained something now that cannot be lost. She has a job and a boyfriend. All given to her by her sister and her in-laws. The only way Noori can lose anything is by personally giving up on it for whatever reason. She is set.

Bom hasn't won anything yet. She still is trying to hold on to her place, her power, her husband, her child. So i don't think she beat up or harassed her eunni. She wanted her older sis to not suffer. Bom has sacrificed and is sacrificing. Sis hasn't been personally challenged to sacrifice anything, and from the beginning she wanted to use her sister, even though her sister was not fully entrenched in the chaebol world.

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 3:06 PM

"But even Mr Spiritual Law tutor got attracted to it."

He got attracted to the spiritual flair, I thought.

"Heck, aren’t we all generally enticed by rich chaebol and wanting to be one of them?"

Unfortunately, I grew up in a country where everyone was equally poor (but not to point of starvation), and now I live in a country where poverty doesn't exist and rich people are looked down upon. It is rather difficult for me to understand (emotionally) the attraction of the chaebol (especially the K-drama chaebol, who are disgusting human beings). Socialism sucks.

“Do you really want to marry into a world like this? Do you want to have empty friendships like this?”

Carole -

"But, as we all can see, it takes a LOT for certain folks to see how emotionally and intellectually entrenched they are in their cultural expectations."

Interestingly, for some folks, this realization takes a lifetime.

Glad you're enjoying Heard It Through The Grapevine. I'm not currently watching it, but I'll have to put it on the list.

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CaroleMcDonnell

May 8, 2015 at 8:53 AM

It's good. It's a slow watch but i trust the writer. Which makes me feel i'll learn something about human nature by the end. And there aren't the usual kdrama tropes, cliches, plotting tricks. It's really very good.

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ktiep

May 8, 2015 at 9:12 AM

I have seen the reverse as well. Lower income people entrenched in their cultural expectations. I think the show addresses that somewhat with Bom's father.

It would be interesting if Noo Ri gets assigned to report on the Han Soo scandal.

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 9:43 AM

Thank you!

I really like how they "diversify" the approaches, and don't white-wash/cliche anything. Right now, the argumenting between Bom's family is just genius, with the uncle, the mother, the father and the sister all having their own flawed point of view.

And there is the servant and secretary circle too. You know, all the five major assistant/secretaries are completely different characters, and they all are very well fleshed out in terms of personality AND agenda.

This show has sooo many well-designed, individually flawed (and more relatable than likeable) characters -- most other K-dramas have less than two.

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windsun33

May 8, 2015 at 12:19 PM

I agree with the take on Bom's father. In most k-dramas it is the mother/MIL that encourages going all out for money at any moral cost, but I actually find the father's portrayal pretty realistic. We all like to think that we would take the high road, but when it comes to crunch time it is a much harder decision.

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CaroleMcDonnell

May 8, 2015 at 12:46 PM

So true! The salt of the earth types definitley have their expectations. Especially their expectations of about how the rich behave.

Bom's family believed in the corny idea of family helping each other out. In life, I've often noticed that poor folks help each other out a lot more than rich folks help poor folks. I think Barbara Ehrenreich wrote a book on that. The rich often help the poor only if the rich can control them. Not out of love. Bom's folks realized this truth early in the game.And all that silly hope about noblesse oblige rich relatives is mercifully gone. But by then the family had also had to deal with the stress/shame of unwed daughter of a boyfriend they didn't know. So they had enough time before the show "began" to work through their working class expectations about their daughter.

What I like about working class people as depicted in this drama anyway is that they are open with each other. They all know what each other think. They respect each other. The rich folks are duplicitous and like conspiracies, secrets, schemes, theories, etc. So one never knows what is actually going on or why one's friends are being so "loving" or "caring." Seriously, if CEO Han andhis wifey allowed honesty and heart discussions between themselves and their families, they would be way more aware of the truth.

May 8, 2015 at 12:47 PM

Didn't it, though?

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16 Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 7:06 AM

Heard It Through The Grapevine
Well, apparently the writers read some of the complaints from last week:
- Yi-ji gets much more screen time and the abuse that comes with it
- Hyeon-soo cuts back on the whining, gets more supportive and honest and gets less screen time than Yi-ji
- the affair hasn't been featured since almost 3 episodes, all we get are hilarious "Bill and Chelsea Clinton" (which is mostly about how terrible the parents are as parents, or human beings, or anything)

Bom's and In-sang's plot to overthrow Hansong escalated really quickly with the servants' strike. I didn't expect it this pace at all, but I like it.

Smelly Girl
Quite frustrating. I start to understand some of the "plot hole choices", but most of them are still extremely lazy and I can come up with much more elegant solutions after thinking about them for 10 seconds flat.
Does anyone know the source material? Was the comic created by a teenage writer?

May 8, 2015 at 8:58 AM

I think the drama is showing that there is a moment in each young person's life where they can see the hypocrisy and imperfection of their parents. Yi Ji sees that her family is odd but she still loves them and seems them as humans. In Sang saw his parents' weirdness and suppressed his desire to revolt against them. Hyun Soo, however, takes rebellion to a very hateful extreme. Yet, at the same time, she is still trying to hold on to the privileges she was born into.

When her mom says that she (mom) was the same as a kid I find myself feeling uneasy. Does it mean that honesty becomes bitter if its thwarted? Does it mean that Hyun Soo will fall back and get pulled back into the hypoccritical world she detests? And was losing the love of CEO Han the harsh stroke that made Young Rae so cynical?

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 10:05 AM

My take:

In-sang did not really suppress his teenage rage against his parents, I think he just went with the flow and actively ignored the dark side of it. In a way, his parents are RIGHT when they blame Bom for the change in him (and the whole family balance). She made him think about the world and his family and that forced him to take a stand. He only developed the desire to revolt once he refuted excuse to play along with his "family values".

Yi-ji, well, she cares for her parents, her revolt is driven by the desire for sincerity. She is a teenager after all. She actually lectured her father when they had the "Chelsea Clinton" discussion, because she feels that she is morally right, and, more importantly, she thinks that her father can be saved.

I don't think Hyeon-soo is extreme in her hate. She's just much more frustrated with her situation. Her family has no (even superficial like the Han family) integrity anymore. Her crush on In-sang seems to be connected with her urge for a more sincere life, In-sang embodies that good and pure ideal for her. She feels helpless with her mother's behaviour, she tries to protect her mother sometimes, but she has no right and no power to do so. Hence her hate for Han Jung-ho and her aggressiveness towards her mother.
Just look how pleasant she can be around "normal" people like Yoon Je-hoon.

As for Ji Young-ra, yes, I can easily believe she once started as somebody like Hyeon-soo. "It's all in the game".

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atz

May 8, 2015 at 12:48 PM

　Whether Hyun soo will become someone like her mom is lot to do with how much she likes money, I think.
since Hyun soo is brought up with awash of money and gets whatever she likes to have, it is hard to get out from this money orientated society( which is full of hypocrisies) she belongs to. However if she is not materialistic (with less interests in fashions, status etc), then she can get out from the society with more ease. I do not watch her scenes with much interest but she is not someone who wants to be independent and have a good career( I have not come across a scene where she studies),,,, without this determination, she always have to rely on her parents monies or her husband's. She seems to really want to have a relationship with an honest sincere guy and who could criticize her desire,,, she is surrounded with boys who trick/buy/sleep with girls with his ( his family's) money,,,She must be sick of them. But I think she wants to have a relationship with an honest sincere guy from a good background, not from a common background. Sadly, this is as difficult as finding a big pink diamond in a mine. If she finds a pink diamond kind of guy then she would not be someone like her mom but otherwise, sadly, she is more likely to become someone like her mom, I think. After all, her mom at one point must have given up to find a really nice boy from a good family background and married a man purely for money and material comforts.

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CaroleMcDonnell

May 8, 2015 at 12:54 PM

I agree with you about Hyun Soo. But the thing is..we don't know how she will end up. Will she be like her mother and the old rich worldtimers if she is not removed from that culture?

Essentially, the writer has told us --though another kid character-- that Bom is like an alien. The good folks of the world and the poor folks of the world are the true salt of the earth. They have a purifying effect on the rich person or cynical person in the world.

In Sang is changed because of Bom. Because Bom is good. Hyun Soo is affected also by Bom's kindness to her on the phone and by In Sang's goodness.

But I think In Sang and Yi Ji were somewhat always good from the beginning. Somehow, like you said, they managed to not be tainted by the family. Perhaps because the external rules, however hypocritical, still had some validity. But In Sang has said that he hated his father from age 12. I don't know what happened at age 12 but I wouldn't be surprised that Secretary Min's influence on him as a kid affected him without him knowing it. She didn't exactly talk about her brother back then but she was enough salt and light in her own way to open young In Sang's eyes.

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 3:47 PM

@atz

Problem is, Hyeon-soo "found" In-sang, and she's been clingy because she knows it is highly unlikely that she will find another guy like him. (Of course, trying to solve your personal(ity) problems through appropriate boyfriends is never going to work in real life.)

Funny though, Hyeon-soo is a peripheral character, mostly there as a plot device and character development helper for In-sang, and yet we can discuss her character to some length.

@Carole

"I agree with you about Hyun Soo. But the thing is..we don’t know how she will end up. Will she be like her mother and the old rich worldtimers if she is not removed from that culture?"

Will the perpetual forces of the social culture prevail?
Can the culture be changed? (Bom's and Tutor's ultimate plan)
Are people free and able to distance or remove themselves from that culture?
Or do have to fall back to heroes to save young people like Hyeon-soo? (As Bert Brecht wrote: Unhappy is the land that needs a hero.)

"The good folks of the world and the poor folks of the world are the true salt of the earth. They have a purifying effect on the rich person or cynical person in the world."

The writer seems to be rather disillusioned about the "poor folks". (Of course, the discussion is still open, the part from Machiavelli's "Il Principe" where Bom and In-sang should discuss the "common people" -- it was the first time that Bom spoke out against Han Jung-ho.)

The poor people very often support the power base of the corrupted rich, because of their pride (Bom's uncle), their ambition (Bom's sister) or their greed (Bom's father).

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17 Daehoney

May 8, 2015 at 7:08 AM

Ah, the new teasers are out for Masked Prosecutor, Mask (duh the redundancy. And they will air on the same timeslot. Remind you of something?), Producers. And long trailer for WAC.
Masked Prosecutor: Keep the mask! Keep the mask! Keep the mask! *bringing banner in front of KBS building*.
Mask: It has Secret vibe, from Secret writer, added by great actors, so count me in. I'm just surprised it's a relatively low-key drama compared to its contender (Masked Prosecutor & WAC). Does it mean it'll have the same fate as Secret? Who knows.
Producers: Finally, a decent teaser that shows a glimpse of the first episode. I'm totally loving Cha Tae-Hyun! He can be a statue and I'll laugh. Tak Ye Jin reminds me of GHJ's role in GL, all about showbiz world and metajokes.
WAC: I still think it's less 'crazy' for Hong Sisters drama. But I'm happy for the leads, so I'll watch it.

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18 Manin

May 8, 2015 at 7:11 AM

Hi beanies!! Happy friday (except for most of my british friends thst are not happy with the election)

Dissertation is supposedly moving in the righht direction.. I have 3weeks to produce a chapter. Which shouuld be fine.. *panic*

Dramaland:
Cought up with angry mom recaps. I think i need to see this drama.

Rewatching life is beautiful todsy. Because its one of the few family weekend dramas i like

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korfan

May 8, 2015 at 7:35 AM

Manin -

Hi! Happy Friday to you too!

That's great news about your dissertation. Yay! ...... Don't panic over that first chapter. I'm sure you'll do fine.

Bookpile has collapsedd into a less organised thing. And have to track down some norwegian articles. Which Means i am the annoying naggy person to my friends in norwegian universities

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19 luv_KimRaeWon

May 8, 2015 at 7:17 AM

HI Manin,

'3 weeks for 1 chapter': That's great progress. Keep going..

So, is he not all that popular?

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Manin

May 8, 2015 at 8:28 AM

Luv:

It feel scary though! I am not sure i feel ready to have a chapter deadline. Also have to present my topic for the other stdents and lecturers.

My supervisor say its a good topic so hope that continues after he have actually read my work...

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20 harmonyfb

May 8, 2015 at 7:36 AM

Happy Friday, y'all! This week I'm working like a stevedore (like a person who totes heavy things), as my library is moving back to our renovated building. My arms feel like spaghetti. UGH.

What I've Been Watching:

Missing Noir: Oh, man, I can't wait for this week's episode. Go faster, week.

Let's Eat 2: The female lead character is aggravating the crap out of me with her avoidance of actual discussions. Why not TALK to the guy you're dating, chica? Also, there were two episodes of two different shows which had guys having wet dreams. What's that about? Still not enough eating or talking about the food.

The Lover: I watched it untranslated, so I only got the barest gist of what was going on, but the way the gay couple is shot (very tight on faces, nuanced expressions) makes this the hottest couple of them all.

What I Wish I Was Watching:

All the shows starting next month. (Cheo Yong! Vampire Scholar!)

K-Drama Moment:

We got some new artwork for the library - a painting which had a quote translated into a bunch of different languages. "Oh, look, there's Korean! And it says...something, love...is that 'need'?" ("Everyone needs love" is the actual quote.) I was quite happy that I could read a couple of the words. Getting better at it!

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korfan

May 8, 2015 at 8:16 AM

harmonyfb -

May 8, 2015 at 8:08 AM

harmonyfb -

Oh lordy, the luchador mask!! *still shaking head*

Who knows why they went with that mask selection. Perhaps Joo Sang-wook's prosecutor character is going to be a secret fan of Mexican wrestlers, or a guy who collects the Mexican masks as a hobby, or ..... heck, I don't know .....

May 8, 2015 at 7:44 AM

School 2015: I said I wasn't going to watch it until it airs on KBS World when my exams are over but I failed to do so...anyway *SPOILER ALERT* I am kinda bummed that EunByul is dead. I was actually imagining her tracking down the bitches who bullied Eunbi and punching them like a badass.
Anyway, it's been a long time since I've been so hooked to a drama! How was your dramaweek, Beanies? Hope it's good. :)

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windsun33

May 8, 2015 at 12:25 PM

I don't think she is actually dead. Wasn't there another missing student from around the same time - the one that keeps sending cryptic messages (or at least from her phone)?

OK, I admit that after 4 episodes I am still confused about this one.

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hyemin

May 8, 2015 at 5:46 PM

And who was that looming shadow in the toilet that made EunByul scream? I'm kinda confused too...;) Hope the writer will untie those confusing knots nicely!

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23 little-muffin

May 8, 2015 at 7:48 AM

Happy weekend fellow beanies!

I’ve just finished 60 episodes of ‘Giant’ recently and I feel compelled to share my love for this epic drama instead of other ongoing shows I'm watching now.
I know I’m 5 years late (since Giant aired in 2010) but gosh I’m so thankful that I found this gem.

This show has all the k-drama ingredients that you know: revenge, star-crossed lovers, birth secret, and battle to success etc etc BUT there’s something about how everything is put together that makes our hero’s 40 years journey thoroughly enjoyable and heart-stopping.
I’ve never seen so much ups and downs in one’s life as much as these characters are. The victories are so sweet and the defeats are so frustrating.

And don’t make me start talking about all the amazing casts! I love every interactions that the Lee siblings have and you’ll definitely hate the villain Jo Pil-yeon to the guts cos he’s just oh so good in being evil.

Though he belongs to the slightly older generation, Lee Beom-soo is subtly charming as ever!
And as a bonus point, you’ll get to see Kim Soo-hyun and Yeo Jin-goo in their earlier days too.

Anyway, I’m seriously having major withdrawal now that it’s done. So I went to download their OST (I love all the instrumental!!) and started re-watching some of my fave scenes.
I think it's safe to say that out of lots lots of k-dramas that I've watched, Giant is the best so far.

Anyone here share the same love?

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korfan

May 8, 2015 at 8:53 AM

little-muffin -

While I've never watched Giant, I have seen Lee Beom-soo in other dramas and he's always very good.

Glad you found a drama that you enjoyed very much!

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little-muffin

May 8, 2015 at 9:38 AM

Thanks! I'm also surprised with how much I enjoyed the show!
You really don't need a handsome young man to make a drama a good drama ;)

School 2015- Crud, I guess I have to give up my theory that Eun-byul and Eun-bi are the same person. I still don't think Eun-byul is dead though, mostly out of my strong desire for there to be something supernatural or odd going on. Other than the fact that no one in Korea knew they were twins, maybe they're really triplets or clones that have to kill each other off to save the world.

My Unfortunate Girlfriend- I'm just going to call this the little show that could. It gets better as it goes on I really wasn't sure at first now I love it.

May 8, 2015 at 4:13 PM

Hee Chul is definitely hard to read. For the moment he seems as if his highest priority is doing what is necessary to become CEO. Love and everything else depends on that. He is as aware of the dynamics of power as Mr Unfortunate isn't. I think he could go with the arranged marriage thing if it serves his purpose. He suspects folks of evil too easily. He's perfect for second lead girl.

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25 aafa83

May 8, 2015 at 9:24 AM

Hi everyone, just wanted to recommend the new J-drama, Tenno no Ryoriban starring Sato Takeru (of Rurouni Kenshin films). It's the true story of this man's journey to become the chef for the Emperor of Japan. The production quality is first rate, very movie-like. It has humor and great acting; I'd be shocked if you don't like it as much as I do!

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spazmo

May 8, 2015 at 10:33 AM

thanks, i'll check it out!

regarding Jdramas:
just found I'm Home, starring Kimura Takuya (i think it's a new one)... very weird/odd... only halfway thru the first ep, not sure if i'll like this one.

Yes the newly grads are lucky ones in Japan but for the past two decades we had a very harsh job market like the one you see in Korean dramas....
I guess the best way to find our careers is to find what we like( which is hard) and stick with it. Many people do search for a career based on job prospectus but this method of choice sometimes is just short sighted. I have seen friends who went to financial fields because it was popular and the salary was very good,,, then within a decade, the career went downhill for more than two decades. Same is true with petro and neuclear engineers, mining engineers and dentists( there are too many dentists in Japan now)
Job markets in the States and EU are not great at all but it will turn around, hopefully not after two decades like Japan.

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May 9, 2015 at 1:12 PM

His acting in Fuben na Benriya is actually really quite good. He doesn't always shine – I think he has talent and potential, but in average productions he sometimes doesn't show his talent at all – but in this case he's really delivers. Makes me wonder if he's more suited to comedy? His comedic timing is great, as is his physical comedy. He half reminds me of Kamiki Ryunosuke's recent turn in Gakkou no Kaidan (the speed talking especially).

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atz

May 9, 2015 at 3:06 PM

@Alua:

Okada's personality seems very sincere and nice yet at the same time he is a bit 4D. When he has casual interviews, he is often teased and I find him funny. so I guess he is suited for a comedic role.

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26 ktiep

May 8, 2015 at 9:31 AM

Hiya Beanies,
I missed you all last week. We have good news this morning--it snowed a LOT in the Sierras last night. I have been marveling at the photos for a while. Water in any form at any time is welcome.

Watching:
Falling for Innocence--Like it very much. Didn't start out that way, but I think it has gotten better.

Super Daddy Yeol--I loved the ending. so sad and yet so joyful.

The Girl Who See Smells--SPOILERS!
Love the comment about zombies eating the brains of the characters. Really, she leaves her phone behind and leaves out her ear piece? Come on, writers. Why are you making the woman such a non-thinker? I'm hoping she is wearing the necklace and can scare the murderer away with a loud noise, or at least use it to help the idiot police to find her. And what happened to her super powers?

Grapevine--A little slow this week, but I still love it, mostly because it is so different from all the other dramas on right now. No weird, unneeded sound effects, no jumping back and forth with the camera, smart writing that makes sense. To bad this is unusual.

My Unfortunate Boyfriend--Watching this because I'm on the subbing team. At first I thought it would be too silly, but it is growing on me. I like that the female lead is actually quite capable, just a bit quick to jump to conclusions. So far I can't imagine the OTP together. Are they really compatible?

Other news:
I convinced my bestie to try watching a KD with me. I chose Healer, because it's fairly high quality and the first episode hooks you. She liked it and I think she will watch more with her husband later. She made a funny comment though, considering she is Korean-American--she had a hard time telling which actor was which character because they looked too much alike.

My girlfriend asked me why I like Korean dramas compared to American dramas, so she was willing to watch one show with me.

I picked Healer as well because it had various elements that was fun and enjoyable (also, it was well cast) with thrills, comedy, and engaging plot that was paced very well.

She liked it a lot, and watching more.

Healer is a very good choice given there is something for everyone with interesting, layered, lovable characters, and they can sit back and enjoy.

@Grapevine

May 9, 2015 at 11:37 AM

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harmonyfb

May 8, 2015 at 6:33 PM

Derp. "Two Weeks" is a series, not a movie.

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27 sartorius

May 8, 2015 at 12:13 PM

Hey All! Its been such a LOOOONNNNGGGGGG time. How is everyone?!

Real Life first: next week Thursday, I graduate from medical school!!! The M.D. officially comes behind my name and I become a legit doctor!!!(ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ヽ(ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ... I am equally excited and nervous. I can't claim that I am the student anymore. I am going to doing a radiology residency. As to what type, i dunno yet but i can worry about that later. My residency is going to be in NYC so NYC for at least 5 more years!!!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧ NYC really had become 2nd home for me. My mom also turned 50 and it was bittersweet. I am happy for her but it just reminds me that we are all getting old and its just something that i am not ready to accept yet. M=

DramaLand
Angry Mom: its over!!! I thought it was a good resolution. No rainbows and butterflies. Shows that even when you take down one bad guy, there are people who r more than willing to take that place. Corruption is rampant everywhere but you still have to fight the good fight. Fighting BokDong and ur dream...i will support you!!! Great drama, great resolution and looking forward to all the actors next project.

Heard It Thru the Grapevine: easily my most fave drama that m watching. Its so good...nothing really happening in terms of action but the characters and their journey is exciting. So much is happening and i am so excited. As usual InSang's parents r ridiculous and if they think they can kick my Bommie out, they have another thing coming.

sigh... SuperDaddy Yeol: Im so behind and i have to force myself to watch the remaining 6 episodes. Someone please tell me that its worth it....（；￣ェ￣）

looking forward to Warm and Cozy, and finally going to pick up and continue watching Tree with Deep Roots.

May 8, 2015 at 12:25 PM

Happy weekend to everyone and Happy Mothers' Day to all the mothers!

To start off, ANGRY MOM. Oh my gosh. It's even an understatement to say that this drama is good. Often, we see a drama that we enjoy but doesn't leave us satisfied after it's done. Angry Mom is an example of a drama that is enjoyable every episode and just keeps on getting better every week. The ending is satisfying and leaves the viewers hope in this world we live in. The characters would definitely stay with me for a long time. Kim Hee Won who played Ahn Dong Chil! You are awesome man!

The Lover is still funny in some parts but I guess the fact that it doesn't have a cohesive plot gets to me now.

Ahh, I still have to catch up with Super Daddy Yeol. I cried so much while subbing episode 15. Now I'm just trying to keep away from spoilers for now until I get the time to watch the episodes.

Can anyone give me a convincing statement regarding why Kill Me Heal Me is a good watch? I've heard a lot of good things about it but still kind off doubtful. Help me please!!

I'm so excited for Producer and Warm and Cozy (though I'm still not over my disappointment of Hong Sisters coz of Big)!

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bbstl

May 8, 2015 at 7:18 PM

I watched KMHM only for Park Seo Joon. I'm glad to have seen Ji Sung's performance but didn't love the show. For the meta, just watch some of the videos on YT and you'll see everything you need (esp YoNa and Segi, and even BTS) :)

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earthna

May 8, 2015 at 9:38 PM

Ohhh, I'd do that then! I've seen a clip before of them rapping about wearing his tie and it was hella funny

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29 ktiep

May 8, 2015 at 12:48 PM

Kill Me, Heal Me is good to watch for the characters. Also for the Meta--I mean I think newer dramas will reference this drama a lot. It's on the level of Secret Garden or My Love from the Stars in popularity.

I found the story a bit hard to watch (severe child abuse), but the acting was extraordinary.

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Forevermore

May 8, 2015 at 1:12 PM

Sorry but KMHM was definitely nothing on Secret Garden or MLFTS level. Its ratings didnt do well (but it is not the only one to be fair), and nowhere near those two dramas. Also, internationally, it did not have an impact.

I agree about the child abuse. Also, there was a lot of overacting, particularly Hwang Jung-eum with the screaming. She is so much better when she just acts. She does not need to do that.

I also had a problem with the 2nd half. It just went complete total saddness and noble idiocy. I wish it was more well balance and paced better.

The flashbacks were a lot, and distracting because instead of more development, we get scenes of previous episodes.

I agree that it was about the characters because the whole plot with the chebol family/corporate stuff was annoying.

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earthna

May 8, 2015 at 2:44 PM

Well, that's sad. I think I'll just pass for this one. Seeing noble idiocy and chaebol in your post just did it. Thanks for the input!

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Jon G.

May 8, 2015 at 3:20 PM

I'm still thinking about KMHM.

I stopped watching after episode 5, because for me, it wasn't a bad drama, it was more like no drama at all: no plot, no coherent characters, no recognisable theme or style, not even a hint what genre it is supposed to be, and horrible acting.

On the other hand, there have been rave reviews everywhere, it's been rated as the best K-drama ever, etc.

And now you tell me that the real problems start in the second half. WTF?

Apparently, I have been watching wrongly ...
Can somebody tell me what genre the show is finally converging to?

May 9, 2015 at 12:50 AM

Yes, there are some sub-genres of K-drama that I cannot get into (Candy or family drama, for example). I'm usually still able to comprehend the consensus about, for example, whether such a show was well-written or not, about production values, and so on.

With KMHM, I'm utterly at loss where to even start. My question regarding the genre of this show was genuine, I have no idea.

There are scenes where one character acts out madcap comedy while another is being sincerely melodramatic. In the same scene. There are scenes cut for emotional impact that suddenly turn into a spoof of juvenile superhero comic books. Next scene starts as if the emotional impact was still there. One fighting scene has absolutely no comic timing. The next one shifts into slapstick fighting for a few shots and then back.

Is this a meta-comedy perhaps?

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redfox

May 9, 2015 at 4:18 AM

I think you can take it as an insight to an individuals subconscious. there were many scenes that were more the visual image of the mind than an actual, you know, real life scene. Se Gi showing the toys to Ri Jin, I personally loved it. it is like a parallel state of mind and more of a symbol of what state the character is in. the tilted, twisted humor is necessary to make the edges sharper, actually sometimes you can show things more seriously through jokes. think Monty Pythons´movies or Charlie Chaplin eating leather shoes. Or think Edward Scissorhands trying to eat a pea. That humor makes you think, first: "This is horrible, not funny at all!" then "This is so sad!" Then: "sometimes that´s life, I can relate". when Chaplin ate those shoes, people of his time were actually angry for the social commentary, but sometimes the absurd humor is the only way to say things you are not allowed to say otherwise.
classical mismatching realities. but how well people connect with it depends a lot on tradition and what you are used to. I have never been a fan of completely linear storytelling and "sad humor" has a special place for me too. think

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earthna

May 8, 2015 at 2:41 PM

Not sure if you were replying to my post but thanks for the input. I think I'll pass then coz I really can't watch child abuse. Though I love meta so much...

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30 coby

May 8, 2015 at 12:56 PM

Hello beanies!

I'm off to watch the last episode of Angry Mom, given the 15 episodes, I really liked it and I'd say its a good drama.
With that I think I'm ready to continue watching Falling for Innocence which I guess will let me fall for Minho just like the rest.

Its a bummer that Let's Eat S2 is not playing here in Dubai and the subs are taking foreverrrrrrrrrrr.

thanks!

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31 escape

May 8, 2015 at 1:28 PM

Got a chance to watch Shinya Shokudo Season 1 and am now halfway of Season 2. Gotta say I really enjoy the simplistic yet poignant stories each episode has to tell. Usually when there are seasons, the first season is usually the best. However, this drama proves that the second season is even better and imoh, it surpasses the first season. I am curious of how the Korean will flavor this drama into their own taste.

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john

May 9, 2015 at 5:46 AM

escape ~

I too started to watch Shinya Shokudo. I'm at Ep 8 Season 1.

I'm enjoying the show. Another food oriented show!

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32 graey

May 8, 2015 at 3:46 PM

17 days til Song Joong Ki comes back!! And I can't stop listening to Team Never Stop. I guess that explains the name. My fave is One Candle. I also started learning Korean 2 days ago. I can now read and write in Hangul(very slowly tho) but I have no idea what they mean except for some words. Heh.

THE LOVER - I watched eps 3 and 4. But I didn't enjoy it as much as the first 2 eps. Oh. The necktie scene! The 2 actors from the bromance are pretty good.

It's Okay, It's Love - Amazing Visuals. Fantastic Music. A cute OTP. And a loveable ensemble. I started this last year but put it off midway. I'm glad I came back. I'm not too fond of cohabitation but this changed my opinion. Love the cast!

MARRIAGE NOT DATING - I finished watching this earlier this week and I luff this drama. I'm glad I tried to rewatch it again. I love the OTP. Han Groo and Yeon Woo Jin rocked it. I luff the parents and MIL too!

Hi!

I am curious if anybody knows about the webdrama "Dating Was the Easiest" set to star Onew from SHINee. Last I heard it was set to come out at the end of April, but I can't find any news since then... did it get postponed??
Any information would be greatly appreciated!

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by javabeans

1 luv_KimRaeWon

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