Beans of Wisdom soup

by HeadsNo2

This week in Beans of Wisdom… where do we even begin?

It all started in “Kim So-hyun headlines tvN’s Bring It On, Ghost,” a casting that had girlfriday particularly excited (“YESSSSSSSS. I’m doing an embarrassing happy dance right now”). A whole seven minutes later, javabeans had to burst that bubble with “Taecyeon in talks to romance Kim So-hyun in Bring It On, Ghost,” with eight crushing words (“Ohhhhh. Oh no. Oh dear. Nobody tell girlfriday!”).

A chorus of readers had helpful suggestions for how to soften girlfriday’s heartache:

Alinka at comment #2:

*putting ninja moves and cutting the internet line in GF’s abode

pastmidnite:

*steals GF’s phone & every other phone around her

haruka:

*lures GF with Ji-soo’s pic to internet-less locked room

What did Taecyeon ever do besides being the most eyebrows??!!???!!!!!!??!

mary weighed in at comment #5:

Here’s an original idea: get Kim Jae-wook as a ghost who cannot talk but pops up to stare soulfully at the girl.

Too soon, mary. Too soon.

On a more serious note about the growing concern over age-realistic casting in the same post, here’s genki-escapist in comment #8.1.1.2.2:

Hollywood’s age-gap casting is problematic as well. It’s not as creepy as this Korean trend involving underage actresses, but there’s something very wrong with casting very young women into 30/40 year old roles and passing over extremely capable actresses of the actual age while men get to take age-appropriate roles–or play younger! It’s also not cool that female actors are only considered love interest material up to a certain age, adding insult to the fact that they’re sexualized way too early.

It’s not caused by a lack of young male actors or mature female actors (there are plenty!), there’s some twisted, ageist male fantasy with a side helping of unrealistic standards of female beauty here. Female actors are given an extremely short shelf life while male actors are considered viable until well past the point that they have literally turned gray. (I’m not even getting into how Hollywood has a lack of substantial female roles to begin with.)

(I know I went off-tangent the drama casting issue here, but they’re interlinked, so please bear with me. The mindset responsible for Hollywood age-gap casting is related to the Korean underage casting–there’s double-standard at work.)

Ultimately, it would be nice to see actors age gracefully. By that, not just let the female actors take the roles for their ages, rather than shunting them aside for ever younger girls (and have the male actors do the same, rather than take younger roles), but let the teen actresses stay young. Don’t have them grow up too fast! Don’t be so excited to push them into adult roles. (Looking at Yoojung and Saeron especially!) And keep them with age-appropriate actors, for Pete’s sake! Let the teen actors age into their craft and get their roles, than pass them over for these grown men! Let male actors grow–don’t give us 30 year-old high schoolers or 30 year-old grandfathers! P.S. I’m actually a Clintasha fan, but Steve-Natasha was the best alternative, IMHO–visually and plot-wise.

A curious reader wondered at the reason for the reaction to Taecyeon’s casting.

javabeans, at #24.1:

We both like Taec a lot, except as an actor and singer.

Followed by YY in #38.2.3:

Taec’s a really versatile actor…he’s in all those hit dramas, but people tend to overlook his roles. That flagpole in DOTS? That was him. The bench in “Cheese in the Trap?” Taec again. And his latest, most awesome acting coup, in “Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho”, he plays the neighborhood.

And last but not least, comment #40 and the reply pretty much sum up all the differing viewpoints on this subject:

Hwari:

Yes, Taecyeon. Please take this drama… Need one more drama before his going for military service…

crazykel:

No, Taecyeon. Don’t take this drama. Go into the military, stat.

There were some mixed reactions in “Let’s Eat spinoff Drinking Solo comes to tvN this fall.”

BellaMafia, at comment #1:

They should just rename it to Alcoholic.

Johnnie at #12:

Let’s Smoke will be the next one.

And Itenoria, with a liver-killing idea in #7:

Oooh. I’m so looking forward to this. The premise speaks to me as a fellow lover of alcohol (the living alone and being single bit also helps further the connection). I shall be stocking my bar starting from this month so by the time the drama rolls along, I have just enough Rum, Vodka, Hennesy, Gin, Scotch Whiskey and Palmwine to help me bond with the characters. Nothing says I’m trying to understand your point of view oh amazing character than a shot for every time you down a glass. Oh the things we do for the dramas we love.

Here’s Gambitfan with the one thing “Jackpot: Episode 9” has going for it in #5:

This has been one of those shows that is carried not by the strength of its story, but by the strength of its actors, and you see it in this episode here. Everyone just feels natural in their part; the King, the two Princes, our hero, even our villain has this snake-ish charm to him. Just fantastic stuff all around. Well played by our cast; well played.

It’s not that the story is BAD, its just one that has been done before in every culture in every time period. What was supposed to distinguish it in THIS iteration–gambling–has been a bit of a non-factor. I thought the scene where he had his limbs twisted would end up making it so he could never wield a sword or a bow, hence his turning to gambling to build up his own underground empire, and his ‘Master’ would just end up his bodyguard. Instead…well, he’s now a martial arts master who…MAYBE…gambles? I don’t even know.

Still, I get that delicious scene chewing from my favorites, so I’m sticking with this one.

Followed by Lord Cobol with a some truth on rivers in #20:

Meanwhile, any bets on whether gambler not-Daddy is alive. We have seen the grave, but we have also been told that the body hasn’t been found…

Remember, Korean rivers always magically heal anyone who is badly injured before they fall or jump in, and always drown healthy people who walk or fall in. Those are RULES.

But there is no binding precedent (that I know of) for the fate of anyone who walks in and then is badly injured. So it’s up to this show to decide what happens to them, and the decision will be binding on all future k-dramas until the end of time.

azzo with some thoughts in “Entertainer: Episode 3” at comment #12.1:

I’m loving this show so far and really enjoying those little moments and interactions between the characters. I loved it when Ha-neul offered to play with Chan-hee and how bright and happy he looked. His decision to quit the band and singing is heartbreaking yet understandable. He’s not yet attached to the people in his band but he started to care and later when everything becomes known not only he himself but everyone around him will be affected. It’s sad but the entertainment industry is really scary.

It reminded me of Tablo. I know those two are two different cases -way too different- but he and his whole family suffered a lot because some guy woke up one day and decided to dig up Tablo’s academic background and accuse him for lying about it! News about this was everywhere and people went all crazy calling names and demanding THE TRUTH! and this was only because of his academic record, what if it’s something bigger? sexual assault?! Even if it’s a false accusation you’re doomed!

Anyway, Kang Min Hyuk is doing an amazing job bringing so much emotions to Ha-neul, I thought Ji sung would have to carry this show but everyone is putting their share of efforts and I’m glad! Thanks for the recap.

Kealoha commented in “Goodbye Mr. Black: Episode 13” at #4, about Black’s comment about black swans being nonexistent and therefore symbolic of a miracle:

I’m sad the writers didn’t research the fact that black swans DO exist before they wrote the script and worse yet, actually filmed it. Lol The black swans were hunted to Extinction in New Zealand at one time but were brought back in and reintroduced later from Australia.

javabeans replied:

Lol, that kind of undermines his whole miracle argument. Maybe he meant the miracle of life?

girlfriday:

Maybe he’s color-blind!!!

javabeans:

What if BLACK is really dark blue?

girlfriday:

Mind. Blown.

aranea called back to that comment in “Goodbye Mr. Black: Episode 14” at #2:

This would actually make him Mr Navy Blue (i.e. Navy Blue is a deep, dark blue that’s almost black) which makes even more sense since he was also a naval officer. Then Swan would also be a Navy Blue swan. These do not even exist in downtown Orlando Florida. Which is a miracle just by itself. That would make the whole story fall back into place. It MUST be the translator’s fault. Dramaland writers would never make such a sophomoric mistake. Every person who has translated this drama thus far has miss translated Black for Navy Blue. That is the only believable explanation.

bebeswtz :

ahahahahhaahahha GOLD. THIS IS GOLD~~!!!
But if there’s Navy Blue, then what’s going to happen to Dark Blue Bear??

javabeans:

Maybe he should be green.

Some food for thought, courtesy of light in “Open Thread #445,” #46:

I was wondering if anyone knows someone who stopped watching kdramas because she fears that the male leads’ characters can warp her sense of reality? Do dramas give you a superficial expectation of men/partners? Has a kdrama character ruin someone’s love life before? Do you believe that men in kdramas exist? Do we want a Jane Austen hero that can never exist? Did someone find a Mr Darcy?

And Beanfan was one of many to share in the love in “Oh Snap! Jo Jin-woong is maybe the best thing ever” with #19.1:

“Floored” is the word I was looking for! Thanks…

I’ve been completely utterly floored by this performance in “Signal.” Heck, I’m only on episode 7 right now, but like someone above said, I can’t take my eyes off the screen when he’s on. The performances on that show are ALL like that, though.. And I believe 100% in his delivery of Lee Jae-Han; he’s utterly convincing as that earnest, dogged/determined, down-to-earth, regretful/torn, heartbroken cop.
“Chuno” and “Tree With Deep Roots” was always on my viewing list, but now that I know he’s in both, I’m definitely gonna move them forward.

Cos of his somewhat-ahjusshi looks, he might not be given the lead roles, esp. in rom-coms, but I really really really really wish that would change. For his sake. For our sake. Ok, for my sake.. From these pictures, it seems like he’d be pretty good too in a light-hearted, comic role. I loved loved loved how smitten and puppy-ish he was in “Signal” with his office worker crush. He absolutely killed the I’ll-worship-you-to-the-heavens-and-lick-your-feet kind of adoration that others have tried and only looked ridiculous in executing.

There were so many heartwarming and heartbreaking comments in “Marriage Contract: Episode 16 (Final)” that it’d almost be better to just link to the whole thread. But apriltenfan sums it up in #47:

I rarely post, but this is a special occasion. The cast and crew of Marriage Contract created something extraordinary — a drama that reflected our most profound hopes and captured our deepest fears. And then, they made us want to watch every week knowing that there would be painful times ahead.

I appreciate the emotional journey I was able to travel with Hye Soo, Ji Hoon, and Eun Sung. I’ll miss these characters who seem just as real as people from my real life. No doubt I will revisit them again and again when I need to be reminded of how precious it is to spend time with family and friends.

Kestrel adds in #68:

This drama was excellent from start to finish. It took a well worn trope and breathed new life into it with a restrained script that left so much room to breathe and never overstated anything. So much of melodrama is reduced to wailing histrionics and outright emotional manipulation as they crank up the unnatural twists and turns. Never once did anything here feel forced. It takes a lot of skill, as I said previously on one of the recaps, to let the negative spaces of a drama breathe.
Can’t say enough about UEE in this drama. I’ve seen her in 3-4 roles before and never seen her just inhabit a character like this. She was stellar start to finish. She had the big moments, like her breakdown at the bus depot, but it was in the small moments where she really thrived, when she cut her hair, when she hurt herself trying to cook, when she took her hat off at the end and danced barefoot. She hit every note perfectly without ever overdoing it. Fantastic work.
When I make my list of best dramas up to recommend to friends, I usually drop them in buckets: You want action, Healer, Comedy, try Marriage Not Dating. Now, if I want to recommend a melo to someone, it will be Marriage Contract.

 
Perhaps Snoopy and Charlie Brown said it best, via Enz in #36:

Thanks to DB for recapping this gem of a drama. Lollypip and Saya – you both did an awesome job capturing the tone and essence of the drama. It was great to have people who love it recapping coz the love is evident.
I am happy with the ending. We didn’t need to see her descend further into her illness but we needed to know that she has chosen to live well while she can. And we are comforted that good people are there for her.
It reminded me of a cartoon with Charlie Brown and snoopy ( a meme)
Charlie Brown “some day, we are all going to die, snoopy.”
Snoopy “true, but on all other days, we will not.”

A wise bean indeed.

 
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