Well, I must admit I feel quite left out in liking monster...the las episode was especially fun.

Oh no! I hope you feel better soon. And I thought I was having illness issues... now mine feel like it's nothing. Anyways, I'm still loving Mirror of the Witch, especially with yesterday. Oh Hae-young to a lesser degree but it's still great.

Get well soon Javabeans! :)
OHYA: I enjoyed the suffering too and felt it was necessary. But I really do need to see happier times this Monday. And I have a feeling that we will. :D

Javabeans - agreed, Descended from the Sun had a flip and cavalier attitude. Never got the hype, never finished it.

Girlfriday - agreed, Yoon Shi Yoon has sparkly eyes. ?

Odilettante - agreed, the last two episodes of Vampire Detective make me sad for what could have been.

Awcoconuts - Oh well, we can't love them all. But I hope you eat your words.

I couldn't watch the last two eps of Oh Hae Young, as what I love about the show is when they're adorable together. Terrible of me, I know, but I'll wait until the separated couple are back together and acting cute. It had better not be the last 10 minutes of the last episode.
Monster was better this week because of the action. Nuff said. Why isn't anyone watching Master: God of Noodles? I love the noir feel and slow pace, and I usually like fast paced shows. And I like the cast and the music is spot on for the show. Vampire Detectives: I keep repeating what I like is how the vampire has been subtle. He's special because he can go out in the sunlight, and I'm curious if they'll use this quality in resolving the final battle.

I love this weekly feature!! And girlfriday just nailed the brilliance of Yoon Shi-yoon in Mirror of the Witch!! Where's my sparkly man??

Re Girlfriday on OHYA
My take on what the writer has been saying is that DK took his fathers advice and shut himself off from attachment. (Cleverly, even his profession is about living life in a secondhand sort of way. Listening to the fullness of the sounds of life but - as a perfectionist grumpy workaholic - not really participating in living life fully).

Shutting himself off was precipitated by the loss of his father and facilitated by the constant betrayals of his mother. And once shut off, his attachments were a result of both his partners momentum and his own inertia. Friendship and attraction leads to dating. Dating without conflict leads to marriage. But throughout, because he wouldn't allow himself to get attached he couldn't truly love.

To me what's key for assessing the development of this drama is to separate what we see (the added insight that the show gives) from what the characters see.

In HIS mind, he stayed with the first HY because he had no good reason to leave her. And in HIS mind he's become involved with the second HY because he felt bad for causing her needless harm.

He's now realizing/acknowledging there's something deeper there. But before he could move forward he needed to realize he had unreasonable attachment issues.

Now what's complicating progress is the whole vision thing. Since he fears he's going to die soon, he doesn't want to put her into pain again. (Logic: The more their lives are intertwined and the closer they get
emotionally, the more her pain of losing him will intensify.)

At the end of the last episode it seems like he's facing this and is resolving to fight to live and love fully.

So he wasn't rejecting her. He had his own issues and fears to face. And their relationship couldn't/can't really blossom until he does.

Another Oh Hae Young has Cheese in the Trapped as far as I'm concerned. If you still love it--ignore this comment. But I was looking for a happy (Marriage not Dating) kind of show. If had I wanted to see an angsty, whiny, makjong, I would have watched Noodle God--which I actually am watching. Because I knew going into it, that it was going to be angsty and revengy.

Javabeans take lots of rest. Hope you get well soon :)

Among all the dramas that I've watched up til now (Saturday) this week, I loved the 'Dear My Friends' the best - BEST!

Off to watch the rest..

JB, hope you'll feel more comfortable as the days go. You have to tell the secret in watching tv(?) or small screen flat on your back. How do you attach a monitor on the ceiling? I love to know as I have a tiny loft bedroom and have been thinking along those lines. Right now, I'm typing flat in bed with the phone held above me. Now if you are doing that, I think there'll be serious hand or wrist issues down the line. Oh, what we do for the love of Kdramas. Just watching OHY and I echo Gidget's comments. It's got to he squee element, but. cant quite be fully fan-I got on it. Must be the overuse of alcohol. Hope they don't encourage such behaviour as characters do seem to get away with it save for some embarrassment and a baby ( wt?).

@JavaBeans, hope you feel better!

Still loving OHY, despite the angst. I'm one of those people who liked it even if it was hard to watch..

I'm also wonderi how YSY does it with his eyes...he is sooo damn good. He is like Enrique in 1N2D full of bubbly energy so I'm amazed how he can be so sad in MoTW and be very convincing about it.

And oh NGM, his character is so eccentric I don't even see him as a murderer anymore.

Hey Javabeans I hope you feel better soon. If you need some more fluff that's mostly happy with lots of gentle laughs, try Five Kids!

I'm sorry to hear that your body is up in arms again JB. It seems that anything we do too much of can harm us. When both work and play are the same activity, it's doubly hard to not do much of it!!!

I'll be keeping you in mind and prayer that rest and the right meds will do their job. :)

Dear Javabeans,
although Dramabeans is your baby, I hope you focus on your health, take a break, maybe buy a standing desk and come back to us fully healed. In the meantime, you may whip your minion army to do the work - I'm sure they signed a pledge of alliegance when they started to work for dramabeans. ?
(And goodjobhighfive to best roommate Girlfriday!)

@ Javabean- hope you feel better... We really appreciate all of you guys' hard work but your health is more important.
Real life has taken over so I haven't watch anything....no comments can be made for all these lovely shows.
Signed,
A ex Kdrama marathon expert

I am still reeling from shock on how Mirror of the Witch episode 10 ended. OH.MY.GOODNESS.
Somebody help me this show is killing me.

@JB I wish you a speedy recovery!

@GF Spot on on what you think about Yoon Shi-yoon's performance. This is the first time I watch him in anything and now I understand why his drama Kim Tak-goo was a success even with all its makjang elements. He really is one talented actor AND he actually looks younger than Kwak Shin-yang. I'm convinced he found the recipe for a Baby-faced Elixir in the mauigeumseo and brewed it himself behind Yeon-hee's back. Yes, that has got to be the only reason why he looks so young at 30 years old.

Javabeans please take care of yourself! Hope you feel better soon and back to normal (but a normal that doesnt get you bed ridden!) Hugs and positive vibes sent your way <3

Here's hoping the newly-reinforced minion army allows jb and gf a hiatus at some point, you girls need some real time off! Hope you feel better soon Java and you find plenty of good entertainment until then!!

Oh, javabeans, there's just no way around it when your body finally says no. I wish you fast recovery!

Mirror of the Witch: You know how Yoon Shi-yoon’s eyes sparkle with sadness when he’s sad, and they sparkle with anger when he’s angry, and they sparkle with happiness when he’s happy? How’s he doin’ that?

One of the greatest mysteries of the world.

Oh no, not you too, javabeans! But long periods of sitting in front of a computer really do cause health problems. I've been there. I can feel your paaiiin, and also the boredom of laying still on your back for days. For me, it was a recurring problem for years. I finally realized that I should really obey what my body says AFTER I had trouble sitting, walking and even laying down without feeling awfully painful a few months ago. Now I'm (trying to be) a good girl and listen my doctor & physical therapist: not sitting in prolonged periods, pay special attention to how I sit while typing (and watching dramas), do some stretching exercises in between, and cut back working hours (ignoring my inner voice shouting: but, but..what about the deadline!!). You're a very lucky girl to have girlfriday & the DB team covering your back! In the mean time, do get a good (and well-deserved) rest and get well soon!

One question though, how DO you watch dramas flat on your back? I hope you have one of those super genius thingamajigs that allows you to do that (like the glasses mentioned by some beanies above) and not watching from a laptop on top of your body or from a tv screen in a position that strains your neck. That's the last thing anybody wants: hip/back AND neck pain!

I am amazed how young Yoon Shi Yoon looks!!! I was initially turned off by the HUGE age gap and he may look like a creepy ajushii cradle snatcher but they turned out to be visually compatible. Love everything, hate the shamaness. Hope she burns!!!!!!!

Ugh. Yes. Those sparkly eyes of his. They have the power to make me feel such happiness and such despair, all in a moment.

I, like JB, am a little shocked by how much I still 'enjoy' Oh Hae Young Again, even in all its angsty glory. I totally get why this week's episodes would feel like a backtrack from last week's (with PDK), but, for some reason, I understood the conflict and it resonated with me. And I'm just excited that we've reached the real turning point now. Can't wait for Monday!

Excited to watch Beautiful Gong Shim episodes soon :) and to check out Baek Hee Has Returned!

Oh, poor Javabeans!

Being laid up, off my feet for 10 weeks. was how I got addicted to Korean drama! And you, dear JB, and GF, were my enablers. Thanks a lot! ;)

Now it's my turn! JB, I think it's time for a new obsession. Maybe a little Jdrama for a change of pace! Try Date, and its' one-episode sequel, Date Special. I think you'll love it. Oh, and if you still haven't watched Delightful Girl CH, this might be the time.

Finally, see if you can get a massage therapist/acupuncturist/chiropractor to make house calls. And rent a massage table that you can lie face down on while watching dramas with the screen below you. Or a chiropractors adjustment table with supports for your arms and a head support where you can lie face down with the screen below you. Or find a salt water pool you can float in. Easier said than done, I know. Hope you feel better very soon. Don't feel bad if you have to foist your work on someone else for awhile. Isn't that why minions were invented?

Javabeans- get well soon!
Thank you so much for all the hours you and all the DB team put into this site. ❤️

May I suggest Physiotherapy if you haven't tried it yet? I get back pain daily from a crooked back and it helps me tremendously. Must take care of your health so you can spend many many more years doing what you love- watching dramas and looking after this site! Take care and hope the coming week is better for you.

Namgoong Min just earned my respect from his weirdness in BGS.

I wonder who is behind the singing voice of Ha-neul in Entertainer. I cried a river on the last episode. waaaahhhh

Dear Javabeans, I am truly sorry to hear your predicament.

This will be an off-topic post, so feel free to erase it (after you read it). I will use my biomaterials knowledge at you service, since you expressly asked “Do you think I need a hip replacement?”.

A short answer is that probably you will be just fine with a diet, more excercises and phisiotheraphy (please remember that I am NOT speaking as a Doctor, nor as a Biomechanicist but as a Materials Engineering master whose asignatures where mostly in that field, seven years ago - I did study the MATERIALS for hip replacement, their properties and LIMITATIONS, so please take my post with a grain of salt or two).

A hip replacement is the last choice, because even a ceramic-ceramic head/acetabulum pair (probably the best one as far as tribology concerns) does have its problems (AKA possibility of catastrophic failure). A ceramic head with a High Density Poly-Ethylene (with a high degree of cross-linking) acetabulum will be very good, but there have been situations with HDPE debris formation, and some skweaky implants.

Cementated prosthetics are the best ones as far as good adhesion and low debris production is concerned, but look for a specialist with at least 50 implant operations since the cyanoacrylate resins can achieve a very high temperature in inexperienced hands, killing tissue around the application zone.

And NEVER unless extreme circumstances get both your hip relacements at the same time.

Please remember also that my country is on the verge of collapse, so medical advances arrive late if ever.

My downline is, please consider your options. A hip replacement is a God-send opportunity for lots of people, but you will be replacing a very big problem (becoming handicapped) with several nuisances (check-ups, medicine intake, phisiotheraphy, etc.).

If just getting a diet, phisiotheraphy and excercise is an option, please take it. Sorry for my funny English.

Get well soon.

MSc. Mat. Eng. Francisco Gómez. (Universidad Simón Bolívar; Caracas, Venezuela).

Dear javabeans,

So sorry to hear of your painful condition. Sometimes the only thing one can do is lie low and mitigate gravity as much as possible. A floatation tank might be just the ticket -- or simmering the aches away at the jjimjilbang.

Just before starting a translating project, I had a nasty fall on the stairs some years ago that entailed bouncing down a couple of steps, and landing on my butt each time, which wiped out one hip and sprained the heck out of my tailbone. The crunching of my ribcage resembled a sound effect in OHYA. Just what I needed on top of the scoliosis already killing my shoulders.

No way could I sit at a computer. I researched office ergonomics and found articles on DIY solutions. The droolworthy standing desks were out of my league. (I've been looking around for the article I found most helpful -- it was written by a physical therapist who operated an ergonomic furniture store, I think in California, but I've struck out so far.)

I ended up buying a manually-adjustable 6-foot drafting table so I'd have a large, tilted surface (just like monks used in scriptoria) to spread my papers and have my dictionaries at hand. Bought a pair of dandy Atlas book/copy holders for my main pair of oversized, heavy dictionaries so I wouldn't have to keep hefting them. [The racks were a godsend -- and would be great for holding cookbooks, too.]

My work area is set up like a galley kitchen, with the drafting table on one side of the aisle and my PC workstation on the other. My computer desk is vintage Steelcase, which I raised on cinder blocks and patio blocks. Although I installed a fully-adjustable extensible keyboard support, I later switched to a small adjustable -height table for the keyboard and mouse. When typing, I used one of the book racks to hold copy.

This setup enabled me to move around a lot while working, although I eventually got a high stool to rest on.

One thing I was told by an old friend who's been a massage therapist for many years: carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with nerves in the neck, it's not just in the wrists. Proper spinal alignment is needed in addition to caring for the wrists and hands.

Have you considered really becoming the Dictator-in-Chief and using voice recognition software such as Dragon Naturally Speaking? Let you computer transcribe your thoughts. I don't know if it's available for Korean and English, but I was able to track it down for German and English. It might help spare you a lot of pain and suffering.

Thanks for all you do for lovers of Korean drama and culture. Be well!

And thanks to the rest of Team Beans for holding the fort! ;-)

The not-getting-around-to-watch-the-last-two-episodes thing, I'm familiar with that. Most recently I did it with Goodbye Mr Black and before that, Pride and Prejudice. It just didn't care what happened to any of the characters at the end. Should have done same with Descendants but I did want to see how things turned out for the secondary couple.

I love monster..... Got hooked since ep1.. I like the story as it gets it more interesting and exciting ...dont mind if its 50 eps.. And by the way , all the actors are doing great..

Girlfriday on Entertainer: I know right. very true. Scrap that romance then I'll give the drama a perfect score (based on my preference). I hate Hyeri's performance in the drama. very annoying.

On DEAR MY FRIENDS: This drama is happiness of my KDrama heart right now.

On MONSTER: Enjoying all because of Park Ki Woong's story and Jo Bung Suk ahjussi and other veterans.

Thank you.