Team Dramabeans: What we're watching » Dramabeans Korean drama recaps

303 October 8, 2016April 6, 2017

Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

by DB Staff

Time to peek in on the Team Dramabeans watchlist, which I swear just keeps growing and growing. You’d think that shows routinely end at the same rate that new shows begin, and yet, dramaland math is just about as reliable as my real-world math. Which is to say, *throws hands in air* *gives up* I’m never upset about having shows to enjoy watching, but dramaland does feel like it consumes way more time than the literal hours it takes to watch its offerings, doesn’t it? —javabeans

javabeans

Currently recapping: Moonlight Drawn By Clouds

The K2: Okay, we geddit, this show is All Action, All the Time! The thing is, I only think the action is cool about half the time, when the action coincides with a cool plot or relationship development. When it’s just there to be there, I tune out. (That shower scene was silly beyond words.) Which I suppose is just another way of saying I like shows that have cool plot and relationship developments, and don’t care when screentime is wasted on unnecessary showing off.

Fantastic: I’m so glad Ji-soo is back! The thing is, I am not watching this show just for him, and I really enjoy all of the characters (even the ones I love to hate, because I love to hate them)… but when the Park Shi-yeon and Ji-soo storyline was being back-burnered during his illness, the show happened to also get more serious with the cancer stuff, and I felt like my bright happy spots had dimmed. Now they’re back and I’m excited again.

Cinderella and the Four Knights: This show ended exactly how I thought it would, and wrapped up its loose ends in a benign happy bow. Despite often being overly simplistic and driven by a super-obvious storyline, it had a funny little charm that was buoyed by the cuteness of its lead couple and an overall good-natured attitude.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo: The story is getting more interesting, but I feel like the execution is getting worse, and it’s gone from making me sad to making me mad. I keep telling myself I’ll let go of the what-ifs and if-onlys—but since I do quite like parts of the show, I can’t help feeling indignant that the result is so far below What Should Have Been. A lot of things got on my nerves this week, like the jarring transitions and IU’s stupid limping, but worst of all was that utter shitfest of an ending preview, which was legitimately the worst episode-ending preview I have ever watched in my entire life. I can’t believe the producers just undid all of the hard work the episode achieved in terms of conflict escalation and suspense-building, and just poop-bombed the “gotcha!” teaser in our laps at the end. How. Dare. You.

Drinking Solo: I do wish Ha Suk-jin hadn’t been quite as big an ass as he was this week, but my silver lining is that I will enjoy the hell out of him having to pay for that next week when Park Ha-sun doesn’t take him seriously. Of course I want the romance to happen (eventually), but I’ve got a little bloodlust to satisfy first.

Woman With a Suitcase: I caught the first couple episodes to get a sense of the show, and found it more engaging than I was anticipating, though a bit rough around the edges. It’s pretty low down on my priority list, but I was glad to see Choi Ji-woo being sassy and thought the legal cases were interesting, if rushed.

Shopping King Louis: This show should never keep Seo In-gook and Nam Ji-hyun apart, because they are 100 percent of its addictive charm. So sweet, so weird, so feel-good and underdoggy. I love Louis’s forthright, childlike way of expressing his feelings, even if he doesn’t always understand what those feelings mean. It’s all honest gut expression, zero interpretation.

1% of Anything: This show is interesting, in that it feels very old-school—I know it’s a remake, but usually remakes have an updated twist or a fresh feel. And it’s not only the story that feels dated, but also the directing and cinematography—it’s a little low-rent. That said, the show picks up cutely once the leads get together, even if reality does actually get in the way by making it hard for me to buy Ha Suk-jin as the lead when he’s romancing another girl on a different night of the week. For me, Jeon So-min makes this work—she’s like the new Jang Nara, equal parts everygirl and sass.

girlfriday

Jealousy Incarnate: Aaaaaaaaah, it’s so good this week! *Rewind* *Replay* *Rewind* *Replay* *Rewind* *Replay*

Cinderella and the Four Knights: I ended up enjoying this drama, even though the final conflict was dumb as rocks. But Park So-dam and Jung Il-woo were so adorable as a couple that I was able to power through Grandpa’s classist nonsense to get to the sweet stuff. It was as predictable as a drama could be, but it was satisfying comfort food—maybe something of the frothy sugary variety, but comforting all the same.

On the Way to the Airport: The atmosphere of this drama is kind of magnetic—there’s a tension to everything and the mood is so palpable, even when it seems like nothing significant is happening. I haven’t been hooked by a straight-up conventional melodrama in a while, but this director is so good that I’m getting caught up in all the little moments. It’s a purely sentimental show—there’s little else left if you take out the emotion—but it’s not pretentious, and I like that.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo: Lee Jun-ki being a hero! And getting a loveline! Is it Christmas? Also, was that so &$%#&$* hard?!

Moonlight Drawn By Clouds: It’s funny, the show got sad this week, but I realized I wasn’t crying anymore, which is odd since this show usually makes me teary-eyed at the littlest of things. But then Park Bo-gum started crying. And then I was toast.

Drinking Solo: Park Ha-sun’s ‘90s dance-ballad-dance-ballad marathon made my day. I love this quirky little show, but I’m so mad at Ha Suk-jin’s character right now that the sentiment carried over into 1% of Anything, where he ALSO plays a jerk. At least they’re both hapless types? I’m not sold on 1% of Anything after only one episode, but it seems like a breezy, low-commitment rom-com.

Fantastic: Javabeans told me to watch this for Ji-soo’s noona romance, which she knew I’d like, except then he got hospitalized and his storyline was in danger of disappearing, so I literally waited to hear that he was returning to set before starting this drama. One marathon later, I like it more than I thought I would, mostly because it’s funny and light despite the cancer premise, and the friendship between the girls is aces.

chickachunga

The K2: It’s nice to have an action drama on my viewing list these days, but the novelty of Ji Chang-wook’s impressive fight scenes is starting to wear off, and now I’m finding all the combat stuff to feel much too much and much too long. Song Yoon-ah, however, plays an ice queen reminiscent of Claire Underwood in House of Cards, so it’s only natural that I love her so!

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo: I thought after episode 11, the show had finally found its groove, but then this week’s uneven and not very enthralling episodes immediately proved otherwise. I know now to temper my expectations, but I can’t help but wish for better. “At the very least, there’s Lee Jun-ki and Kang Haneul for your viewing pleasure” is what I tell myself after every disappointing episode.

Shopping King Louis: So cute, so sweet, so [my] precious! The main couple is so endearing, and now I’m wondering what kind of haircut I’d end up with if their lousy stylist cut my tresses based on my name. Actually, scratch that. I don’t think I’d want to find out.

tineybeanie

Shopping King Louis: Adorbs. If a baby seal and a baby hedgehog decided to snuggle, it still wouldn’t be as cute as Louis and his puppy-dog adoration for Bok-shil. That being said, this week may be the start of us (and Bok-shil) seeing Louis as more a man than a grown child. There’s his shy roundabout declarations of love, that piggyback ride, and his steady, protective presence during scary nights. Despite the wacky circumstances surrounding them, this may the most grounded, healthy relationship between two equals I’ve seen in dramaland.

Our Gap-soon: Gah. This show just proves I’m a drama masochist. But I had such a fondness for the So-rim couple in We Got Married, that I can’t help but go back to watch its downward spiral into mediocrity.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo: Finally, we’re getting some momentum in the plot. Now that the king’s dead, we get to see some actual action happen, instead of continual throne-taking plots failing. Err but our main character, Hae Su, seems kind of irrelevant at this point. The hanged court lady would have died from stomach cancer without intervening for Su. It seems like Wook would have turned dark no matter what reasons he’s using to justify it to himself. Hae Su’s warning for the Crown Prince was meaningless since Wook had already sent for him. So is starting to kill off his brothers, despite Su’s attempts to “reform” him. It’s come to the point that I’m wondering if Moon Lovers is actually some sort of meta-mind experiment in favor of determinism, regardless of the time travel variable.

303

Required fields are marked *

51 Curious

October 8, 2016 at 4:01 PM

About K2, at least now we can be sure JCW was only half joking when he said this is his last action role. The poor man does two movies worth of action per episode. Slight exageration but you know what I mean. We get iiiit, show. You had an awesome fight choreographer on your team. Really,we geeeet iiiit.
Also, can we please stop trying to make Mi-Ran seem all derpy-harmless-boy obsessed-girl. Seriously! She is freaking complacent in kidnapping and imprisonment of an innocent woman. No, like she drugged her and everything. Its bizzare that they give her so much screen time to joke around. Other than that i am tooootallly on board with this show.

Required fields are marked *

52 sweetsour

October 8, 2016 at 4:25 PM

I'm not watching any k-dramas right now. I tried catching up on "Moonlight", but I'm just not in the mood to watch it, even though I know that it is a cute show. Anyways I just wanted to post an observation.

In "W" (my favorite drama this year) the heroine's character was criticized by some on this site, because she was not kick-ass or feisty, but rather sweet (which I liked). Yet I don't find a single bad thing said about the hero in "Shopping King Louie" who's character is actually unrealistic. I get the feeling that if the hero and heroine's characters were reversed in SKL, some posters would've ripped the heroine's character to shreds. I just find it strange.

Lastly, I have finished "Oh Hae Young Again", and what a pleasant surprise this show is. Yes I would've really preferred the hero's hair to be brushed backwards, but the story had a fresh approach. Also I liked that this show never lost its lightheartedness throughout, despite the angst-y parts. This drama is one of my favorite k-dramas this year, alongside "W" and "Age of Youth".

Required fields are marked *

Sancheezy

October 8, 2016 at 4:51 PM

I love the heroine in W, I think she is really good but I am not around the comment section in the last week aired (I am too busy that time) and Idk that people don't like her,
she is sweet and she thought about a lot of things , that's why they are together because she can ease him and he can accept her, it looked good for both of them,

for SKL, I was on a forum and the top comment is about Louis as a mentally handicapped character (no offence, this is literally what the top comment is about) so I think people are upped to him as well . . .

Required fields are marked *

Elle

October 8, 2016 at 11:00 PM

I liked Han Hyo-joo throughout W, but her acting in the last episode (specifically the crying scenes in the real world) was not up to par.

Required fields are marked *

pogo

October 9, 2016 at 7:16 AM

I thought she was good in the comedic scenes (all the jokes about 'option 4') but weak in the latter half of the drama during the more dramatic ones.

And by the end I didn't really care much about the romance at all, even the chemistry kind of fizzled out.

Required fields are marked *

sweetsour

October 9, 2016 at 7:43 AM

Just a reminder/clarification, I wasn't talking about HHJ's acting skills, I was talking about YJ's character (which is one of my favorites).

Required fields are marked *

sorrynotsorry

October 9, 2016 at 9:03 AM

I love her character in W, and to me she was the glue in the first 5 episodes as she deals with everything. I find that people do tend to be tough on the actresses.

Required fields are marked *

53 littlemoonstar

October 8, 2016 at 5:00 PM

Flaws and all, I'm obsessed with Scarlet Heart: Ryeo (◕‿◕✿) Yes, the storyline is kind of inconsistent at times and has it's frustrating moments, but the complexity of the characters and the chemistry they have is really what makes this drama so special and worth watching. To say the least, Lee Jun Ki's acting is unbelievably good. Every emotion that his character is feeling can be clearly seen through his eyes. IU's acting was decent in the beginning, but I can really notice how it's improving throughout the episodes.

Nevertheless, episode 14 looks extremely promising and I can't wait for more SooSo scenes!! ♥

Required fields are marked *

Danielle

October 8, 2016 at 5:48 PM

It's funny that you find the characters to have complexities because I don't. The Princes ( except 4th and 8th) are one dimensional and Hae Soo in my opinion is only important because the writer is trying to make her important not because she is doing anything noteworthy. The storytelling is very inconsistent and feels episodic. While Scarlet Heart had the premise/plot to be a compelling drama it's execution( writing,directing,editing,& awful music choices) makes it poorly made.

Required fields are marked *

Lemon Meringue

October 8, 2016 at 10:16 PM

Scarlet Heart has its flaws, but writing's not one of them. At its heart is a solid, compelling story.

The inconsistent pacing, weird transitions and episodic feel is down to poor directing and editing, but weigh that against the unpredictability of the main plot points (no one knows how it will end, unlike the standard rom-com) plus the gradual unfolding of a deep, enduring and achingly tragic love story, and you can see what makes for an addictive crack drama.

I echo what one commenter said; this show is constantly criticized for not meeting expectations, or not being what is should be. All that is true. I think none of us watching is unaware of what could be better. That said, the show's not given enough credit for what it's good at. Let's be fair and give credit too in equal measures.

Required fields are marked *

davi

October 9, 2016 at 1:15 AM

not going to jump but Scarlet Heart writing is weak,
all the scenes didn't translate and the dialogue is left without enough context,
the transition and character progress are unbelievable and when I saw people comparison from the chinese version ,
it seems like they already have good material from the chinese and the novel but the still write is as mediocre at best

writing is mostly about what character said in my comment (since story development is probably can also be blamed to the editing),
but did the dialogue makes sense and quotable?
no, it has no context or good advise, it seems so vague, the conversation/banter between character is bland,

I sometimes avoid their comment section cause the fans give them too much credit,
I knew you want to praise SH but objectively,but the writing left enough to be desired, at least praise that they took a good scenery shot,

Required fields are marked *

Lemon Meringue

October 9, 2016 at 2:26 AM

Hi davi, this is where our opinions diverge. What you've mentioned - dialogue without adequate context, choppy transitions leading to moments of head scratching plot turns - could as easily be down to poor editing and directing choices.

If I didn't have the two versions of Scarlet Heart to compare against, I would have arrived at the same conclusion. But the differences in the two versions not only show how poor editing can make a difference in explaining character motivations, added up they help make the story meaningful.

Is this nuts? Of course it is!?! And it's part of the flaws of the drama. Watching a drama has never been harder work. But while we're all cognizant of where it has gone wrong, let's also recognize the addictive quality of this show.

Pretty pictures aside, what keeps me going is the fascinating story. I truly don't know what's going to happen and I'm waiting to see how this version of Korean medieval history is reimagined, creative license and all.

pogo

October 9, 2016 at 7:14 AM

lol @the part about 'fans giving them too much credit'.

No one - and I mean NO ONE - is as critical of Scarlet Heart as its own fans, and one look at any recap comment section for the drama would tell you that.

We know all the flaws and acknowledge them and still find the underlying story and characters compelling enough to keep coming back every week.

Hye Mi

October 9, 2016 at 4:44 AM

@Lemon Meringue: I think there are more aspects to scriptwriting and while I agree that writing for this drama is not bad in every aspect, some leave much to be desired.

I give the writer credit for transferring BBJX to Goryeo. Finding a similar setup to accommodate for the number of princes and power struggle is not an easy job, and I believe she succeeded here. I also believe this contributes a lot to the overall story.

Then we have the characterisation. This is purely personal preference, but I don't find the characterisation strong in ML. It is not fair to blame the development of characters to directing and editing; no matter how much the directors and editors screwed up the end-product the skeletons of the characters still remain. We still have a Candy heroine who is forced to end relationships when she finds herself a victim who is wronged by her partners. Would she reflect on their compatibility and initiate the breakup because she knows they're not compatible? Or did the writer make her wait until he literally turned his back on her? Because what we've got in the original novel is a heroine who makes deliberate choices, not waiting until she's betrayed or mistreated, it is reasonable for some to expect the same level of agency even if the character is written differently. I'll reserve my judgement for the hero until later. However, I hope the show wouldn't make the hero resort to cruelty only because he is cornered/ betrayed first. Wiki may not be the most comprehensive resource, but even a summary there suggests that Gwangjong was also a man of tactics and his plans and political moves were to serve his ultimate political ideals and ends. In short, he didn't take harsh measures as a form of reaction to his opponents' moves. He was headstrong and highly consistent in his choices all along, and his moves were deliberate. Any reduction of his actions to mere reactions will do both the source material and the real historical figure injustice.

Third, the weakness of this writer lies in off-screen relationship development. Of course this can be the fault of the directing/ editting team. However, having watched one of her earlier works (Save the last dance for me) where the OTP relationship suffered from the same treatment during the first few episodes, I don't think this is purely the director and editor to blame anymore.

Required fields are marked *

Lemon Meringue

October 9, 2016 at 7:47 AM

Hi Hye Mi, I'm watching the show without benefit of the source material and my experience is different from yours as a result. It's understandable to compare; I've done that before and found most if not all of the Korean drama remakes wanting when compared to the original J- or T- material. As a matter of illustration, Akiyama Shinichi will always be Matsuda Shota to me, regardless of how entertaining the Korean version of Liar Game was. It is, as you say, a personal preference.

Would I prefer a heroine with more agency? Possibly, but I'm taking her characterization as presented in this version, and without benefit (handicap?) of knowledge of other possibilities, I can understand Hae Soo's motives. She's a different heroine from Ruoxi. She's less smart, less capable, with unreliable knowledge of history. For that matter, Wang So is a very different character from Si Ye.

That said, Hae Soo is a bit of a cipher and I wish she would catalyze developments more rather than merely exist to have things happen to her. In episode 11 for example, more of what she was experiencing should have been shown; her torture, her thoughts on what she was going through, her inner conflict. Is this poor writing? Or were those scenes filmed but left on the cutting floor for whatever inexplicable reasons? We may never know, but the fact that crucial bits of scenes have been cropping up in the SBS but not the international version, and vice versa, leads me to believe there is way more story than what is being shown to us.

sorrynotsorry

October 9, 2016 at 9:09 AM

I've seen both versions. I actually appreciate the differences in character. It always bothered me that Ruoxi knew so much history and seemed to adapt so easily (perhaps because in the book she actually goes into the character at age 6 I believe.) Regardless, I find with fans of the C-Drama, they either wanted things more like the C-drama or are like me, and are thrilled to see some of the big moments but in new and fresh story.

I knew the minute I read that this had been cut from 30 episodes, to 24 to 20 that there was no way we were going to get all the threads and story lines ...no time.

In most dramas that are having some issues, it almost always comes down to writing imo. I actually put this more on the production/director side of things and being new at pre-production.

Hye Mi

October 9, 2016 at 11:57 AM

@Lemon & Whatever: I understand where you're coming from re. RX. As I wrote earlier in one of my comments, RX is not the type I would befriend irl (translate to: I don't worship her that much to want her to be replicated in an adaptation), and I also mentioned above about the possibility of a heroine written differently. Hae Soo doesn't need to be sassy; she doesn't need to be savvy either; she doesn't need to be strong or have profound knowledge about history. BUT I'd appreciate a heroine who doesn't fall into the stereotypical Candy type. We have seen too many of those in Kdramas and a more mature, introspective, and observant heroine would bring a fresh breeze and wouldn't hurt. That's where the characterisation falls short, not because the character lacks motivation or development, but because she doesn't break away from the Kdrama stereotypes. Same goes with Wang So. Although I'm a sucker for strategists, it doesn't mean I'm averse to warriors such as WS. Actually, WS can make a very interesting hero if the writer sticks a little bit more with the actual figure. He observed and noticed the division of power among powerful clans during earlier kings' reign, and he wanted to change it. He wanted to centralise power under the royal family. He was an observant man, with clear ambitions and purposes. He was also consistent and determined in his chosen course of actions. I would like to see such a man on screen, because the actual figure is as formidable as the actual Yongzheng. I wouldn't mind a little violence initiated by him as active, planned, purposeful measures, rather than reactions to others' actions and circumstances. I would call such characterisation strong, novel, and unusual but very compelling. Writing such characters, though, is a difficult task, much more difficult than writing typical characters that have been seen often elsewhere in previous works. The writer chose for herself an easier approach to characterisation, and that's where I find her writing weak & disappointing. It's not because she didn't follow BBJX to a T. It's because she was given a source material that mostly deviates from the K-drama norms, but she didn't take advantage of it and rise to the challenge.

Whatever

October 9, 2016 at 2:26 PM

I agree and disagree with various things. I actually think Ruoxi is much more of a cipher than Soo. I think when she had her maid and then Lady Oh, we had the sounding boards and post the bad day in the rain, that doesn't exist. I have to say as regards to the torture....I have never been so happy to not have that in the story. I have lost count of horrible things done more specifically in Joseon dramas so I get what went down. The real devastation done to Soo that changed who she was wasn't the torture, it was Lady Oh.

With regard to the Candy, I really don't agree at all. The thing I like about Soo, is she's the girl next door. She had a nice enough job, a cute boyfriend that turned bad on her...I can relate. And I like that she's stood her ground with 10th prince, with the princess, with So, with So again, with So again ha ha, her taking care of business to save herself...can she control all the manipulations abounding in the palace, no but no one can. Now that the story is turning, we'll have to see how she evolves. Again, it's all subjective. I totally get that people see things different ways.

Hye Mi

October 9, 2016 at 5:22 PM

@Whatever: Hi, thanks for your explanation. If you don't mind, could you please elaborate on why you'd think RX is more of a cipher? I also don't get what you mean in your second sentence, but that's because English is not my first language.

Re. the Candy stereotypes: I think when it comes to stereotypes it's no longer subjective, because the characters almost follow a formula, sort of. They may differ slightly in degrees regarding certain traits, but they have those traits that are identifiable across contexts. Let me try breaking the characters of HaeSoo & WangSo down:

Why I think HS falls under the Candy stereotype:
1. A cheerful girl despite her difficult circumstance [check]
2. A difficult first love [check]
3. A fated love with a rich guy [check]
4. That guy is a Terry who is
4a. having family issue or another sort of troubled past [check]
4b. feels lonely, acts rebellious and is starving for love, care and attention [check]
4c. comes from a rich or powerful (or both) background [check]
5. She completes him by filling his emotional void [check]
6. He's the one who acts rather violently toward her before entering a relationship (wrist grabbing, twirling, sometimes even threatening or yelling, etc.) [check]
7. In K-dramas I believe the Candy stereotype takes on another feature, that is being defined by love with another man, and always a victim, one who is mistreated, or mistrusted in one way or another by her past love and one who will not willingly end a relationship until pushed to the verge [check]. She's also the one who is quick to trust people, but her trust is almost always wrongly placed and trampled on [check].

These Candy girls we see can be spunky & independent, tomboyish or nerdy, can stand up to the villain or villainess, but these traits are not consistent as part of their core personalities, and gradually as the plot progresses their core Candy selves are out in full force.

By this I don't mean that Candies are unrelatable. There are actually people like them in our world whom we actually like. However, there are other types of people beside them that can also make compelling characters. There are also love stories in which we forget that the partners are decidedly categorisable as 'feminine girl' and 'masculine boy'. There are also love stories that end not because one wrongs the other, but simply because both of them are not compatible or equally accountable for the break-up. The Candy stereotype and wronged first love trope have been done so frequently in K-dramas that the other types become unbeaten tracks, and a drama with so much potential as ML (judging from their historical figures and time alone) falling into many sorts of typical tropes like this is really a wasted opportunity imho.

Danielle

October 9, 2016 at 9:03 AM

I think your definition of compelling is different from mine because I don't find the writing on Moon Lovers to be compelling. I find that the writing barely scratches the surface. Characters are not being fleshed out, or given a POV/motivation, the audience still has no idea as to why Wang So's mother hates him, etc. Why is Hae Su who is the MAIN FEMALE LEAD so underwritten for and she is basically a Mary Sue, a Candy type. Has the audience gotten to know anything about who Hae Su is as a character and what makes her tick because the only thing I know is that she can draw emoticons, make soap, and BB Cream. This is a writing problem, so no the writing is not solid for Moon Lovers.

Required fields are marked *

pogo

October 9, 2016 at 10:11 AM

the audience still has no idea as to why Wang So’s mother hates him

I thought we've been pretty clear on that from episode 1 - she ended up scarring his face and (this is a pretty well-known psychological phenomenon that I've found references to in the Guardian and other fairly reputed sources) transferred her hate to him because he reminds her too much of her failures as a wife and mother.

Lemon Meringue

October 9, 2016 at 10:51 AM

A bit sweeping to say characters are not being fleshed out, no? Agree that Hae Soo remains a bit of a cipher, and I would like to know more of her, but what she does, I understand. Not all heroines need to be smart, independent, and sassy. Beyond Hae Soo, there are layered characters in Yeon Hwa, Wook, Wook's wife and Lady Oh. The most fascinating character is Wang So, and his evolution from an outcast prince into a revered, potentially tyrannical King. His story is what keeps me watching.

Yes, our definitions of compelling are different. Peace.

sancheezy

October 11, 2016 at 1:28 PM

@pogo
@lemon
do the show said that??
or the viewer implied that??
the moment when the viewer have to fill so much void to make the show makes sense is when the writing is failed

54 Ddee

October 8, 2016 at 5:37 PM

Shopping King Louie. These two are THE BEST. They have each other's backs & it's not even a romantic instinct. It's their sincere spirits.

Required fields are marked *

55 angelajungxx

October 8, 2016 at 5:39 PM

K2 was amazing this week and it has so much potential !

Required fields are marked *

56 Tenawoon

October 8, 2016 at 5:43 PM

IU must be very grateful to all those constructive criticism which will make her a better actress in the future, she is still very young in acting.

Required fields are marked *

57 wenn

October 8, 2016 at 5:52 PM

First time my opinions on a drama is the complete opposite of those of javabeans and gilfriday, I'm surprised myself. Moon Lovers is seriously the most polarising drama I've ever come acrossed, and while I think it deserves all of its criticisms, as I had a few myself, I also think it deserves all the love it gets. Generally though, I think most people are too harsh on it cause of what it could've been but isn't or what it should've done but didn't, there are good things about it too despite its flaws. The only thing I don't get are the people who are getting worked up over people who do enjoy it, like yes we get that it's a far from perfect drama, but there's no need to invalidate other people's interest or enjoyment towards it. I get that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but there's a clear difference between expressing your dislikes and ridiculing someone else's.

Required fields are marked *

clarashi

October 8, 2016 at 6:51 PM

Thank you for your comment :) I think we all need a bit of your positivity <3

Required fields are marked *

pogo

October 9, 2016 at 7:10 AM

Seconding all of this - I'm another one who is driven to madness by some of the completely stupid things Scarlet Heart insists on doing, and yet despite everything I'm hooked.

Required fields are marked *

Del

October 9, 2016 at 7:36 AM

"I get that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but there’s a clear difference between expressing your dislikes and ridiculing someone else’s."

Thanks so much for saying it all. I mentioned the same thing in earlier post that this drama is highly polarizing. the fact that the drama is so addictive, then there must be something so right about this drama that audiences keep coming back for more. And don't let me even talk about the statistic when it comes to international audiences. Should this drama be deemed to be so poor when there are so many out there that are watching and raving? And therefore I say, it is flawed, far from perfect but it is neither poor nor that bad at all. The drama struck the right notes not to everyone but enough to give you a feel good drama watching which I consider a success if that is what it is intended to be.

Required fields are marked *

Yoyo

October 9, 2016 at 11:02 AM

True beanies appreciate the creative differences and opinions of fellow beanies. ❤️

In the matter of MLSHR: this show is all about teaching us to hone our multi-tasking skills. In all honesty, if this show wasn't at all interesting, I would not give it the time of day to watch 2 versions of it weekly. Because the production team aims on providing its viewers with an added skill set, I have now adjusted to viewing both the SBS and the international versions of the show. So toggling between my flat screen and my laptop is now the norm for me every Monday and Tuesday. My boss would be proud if he learned that my multi tasking skills has improved immensely because of a drama show I have come to love.

Required fields are marked *

wenn

October 10, 2016 at 8:46 AM

Actually the beanies community have been quite mild on the MLSHR hate. Most criticisms have been fairly constructive and that's why I feel so safe in this community. But I saw somewhere that someone flat out called LJG a bad actor and the reason why this drama is flopping. I was almost like hold my weave, imma fight this person, but I uphold the age old principle of Internet commenting - DLDR, so I just stepped away.

The two versions are so annoying tbh, but I saw a fan working on combining both to make an extended version, so horraahh for our hero.

Required fields are marked *

58 yayabean

October 8, 2016 at 7:12 PM

Thanks to this segment and to Girlfriday's comments about Jealousy Incarnate, I finally got over the hump of ep 4, and I am so glad I went back to it!

I'm on ep 9 now, and I'm loving it! I can't wait to get to this week's ep - which should be sometime tonight (aka early dawn).

Required fields are marked *

59 bluemoon

October 8, 2016 at 7:31 PM

I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love Jealousy JEALOUSY INCARNATE. Love, love, everything about the show. My favorite drama this year, perhaps for all time.

Required fields are marked *

MyGirl2016

October 21, 2016 at 8:05 PM

With you allllll the way!! ❤❤?

Required fields are marked *

60 Wanne

October 8, 2016 at 8:06 PM

I normally cannot stand watching adultery. I will pity their spouses so much as I cant imagine if my husband has feelings towards another woman and has affair :'( but other than that aspect, OTWTHA really sounds like my type of drama.. Much like MDBC. Should i try it?

I marathoned K2 until ep4. While i love cool action, JCW and Song Yoon ah, there's little to no heart in the storytelling. And the shower and ramen scenes are so embarassing to watch. I pity the actors. Yoona was quite ok and likable in the last drama i watched her in. But here, i cringe watching her. She's probably not completely to be blamed because the writing and directing are not doing her any good. Maybe she decided to do this character to challenge herself, but in the hands of this writer and director, she just exposes her weaknesses more. I guess she's not ready yet for a dark role like this. She's more natural in an upbeat drama. I also feel bad for JCW. This drama drains his energy so much and while he always looks cool, some scenes are just pointless. And i hate it when they made the woman he loved took off her scarf and kiss him. Whats their motive? Covering her face is a religous thing, and then they did that?! I was interested to watch this drama due to JCW and the bodyguard storyline (i loved the earlier episodes of Ijuksa) but now i dunno if i'll continue.

Required fields are marked *

61 loveblossom

October 8, 2016 at 8:31 PM

Only watching 2 dramas. Moon Lovers and Age of Youth!

I love Moon Lovers despite some of its flaws. I'm not dropping it. The emotions from the 3 main leads and their story is the most compelling part to me. I think IU and Lee Jun Ki's chemistry is great! So believable. They look good together too.

I actually just finished AOY. Thanks to everyone who recommended it! It was a really nice watch.
I like the 'slice of life' aspect of it. Seeing the friendship blossom between the 5 girls was my favorite part of this drama. I didn't realize AOY's writer, Park Yeon-Sun, is the same person who wrote White Christmas (another good drama!).

Time to figure out what to watch next. Nothing currently airing is appealing to me.

Required fields are marked *

62 lunatic4kd

October 8, 2016 at 10:07 PM

I have never - repeat NEVER - watched so many currently irking dramas all at the same time! It's a good thing I'm on hiatus from my job right now because I have the time, but emerging into daylight and the 'real' world these days feels so very wrong and weird. I feel as if I will disappear into my computer screen and all that will be left of me in the real world is my half-finished cup of coffee on my desk and a faint tinny sound coming from a computer that has fallen into sleep mode.....hheeelllppp meeeee....is there anyone out there?

So, my world these days:
Jealousy Incarnate is life itself. It's so so so good. Perfect in every way. Love it even more than Moonlight. I knew JJS was something so special in King2Hearts that I kept pausing the drama to look him up and found so little. First impressions 1000% justified!
Still loving Moonlight Drawn by Clouds. PBG rocking my world....as is LJK in Scarlet Heart. The whole thing is fine with me because it's a vehicle for him.
On the Way to the Airport is LOVE...and not just because it completely mirrors my own real-life situation 25+ years ago. In so many ways, Lee Sang-Yoon is the hands-down swooniest actor. That face! The way he stares! Love that he is brilliant in real life. Love that he is dating Uee. GAH! What a perfect couple.
Shopping King Louis is cute but Seo In-guk is the total show. He can do no wrong. Ever. Even started rewatching I Remember You just to watch him. So natural. What a future he has.
Fantastic and Second to Last Love just OK. Kinda formulaic. Rooting for JiSoo the most.
The K2 has moments of brilliance - yes - the umbrella scene - but I keep wanting it to be Signal and it's just not...despite how much I love JCW. But I'll watch til the end. Oh yes I will.
So so so so glad Cinderella is over. I felt insulted...and mad at myself for watching til the end. Blame Jung Il Woo's face.
What have I left out? Just one last comment on Jealousy Incarnate. Jo Jung Seok has astonished us. I can only imagine how amazing he is in musicals. Someone in a JI recap commented that he uses his whole body so well from his musical theater experience. He is now - without doubt, without hesitation or equivocation - my favorite actor. He is that good. Yes - a Daesang for him. Let him not get ripped off like Ji Sung did!!!!!!!
Back to watching...need to catch up with SKL tonight. Where has my life gone...and why am I smiling so much about it??

Required fields are marked *

lunatic4kd

October 8, 2016 at 10:10 PM

Of course meant 'airing' and not 'irking' in my first sentence. *sigh*..

Required fields are marked *

63 Evie

October 8, 2016 at 10:53 PM

I did the same thing with Jealousy Incarnate, girlfriday!!! I've been rewinding and replaying since the episode aired. Soooo good!!!

Required fields are marked *

64 Rach ^^

October 8, 2016 at 11:44 PM

I just cannot with Jealousy Incarnate anymore. Sorry JJS, see you in your next drama.

Required fields are marked *

65 Cath

October 9, 2016 at 12:38 AM

Jealousy Incarnate.........Chu Jung Seuk just steer my emotions. I felt all the frustrations, disappointments, the feeling to love and be loved. I'm crying inside. gosh! this is the only K drama that i care less to whom the girl ended with. CJS' acting is flawless. and the OST's ....?yeahhh! played it more than a hundred times.

Required fields are marked *

66 moonlightlover

October 9, 2016 at 2:08 AM

never give a comment before but i always read all comments in this lovely site....i have a bizzare sickness because of MDBC ....that i want to share to everybody here....i freaking love this drama and park bo gum is just sooooo amazing....and all of the casts....it makes me soo faithfull so that i can't watch any other drama anymore...it tortures me...another drama becomes tasteless for me....i can't feel it...help meeee...otokeeee....uri seja jhohaa notemuneeeeee....

Required fields are marked *

Elle

October 9, 2016 at 7:04 AM

Join the club, chingu!

Required fields are marked *

67 AJ Dee

October 9, 2016 at 4:52 AM

Shopping King Louie - My happy pill, SIG & NJH are so adorable...I want more of this drama! I can't wait for the next episode, please give us some kissing scene PDnim.....I always look forward for SIG kissing scene lol

Moon lovers - I just love the show.

Required fields are marked *

68 Michiki

October 9, 2016 at 8:33 AM

You think there are too many action scenes in The K2? Well, I've just completed ep 6 of this drama. There was no action scence in this ep, and somehow I terribly miss it very much. I want JCW's cool action scenes back. At least just one scene per episode is ok.

Required fields are marked *

69 WishfulToki

October 9, 2016 at 3:39 PM

Watching 3 dramas:

ON HOLD: Contrary to most people here, I actually stopped Moonlight after episode 8 (or was it 9?). I usually enjoy dramas more when I marathon them anyway, and there is something about MDBC that isn't quite doing it for me (Don't kill me now!) Although it's beautiful to watch and I love Park Bo Gum to bits, I had this sinking feeling that Ra On was starting to fade after the confession. Seeing that lots of people needed kleenex in the last episodes, I just don't feel like watching it now.

1) The irony. Moon Lovers has me coming back every week. Despite the flaws, close-ups, etc. it's perhaps that very unpredictability that keeps me interested. I'm curious how it will all play out, while I'm just hoping that it doesn't end like the Chinese version or as pathetically as Shine or Go Crazy. Episode 11 was amazing. I'm just upset that the show (SPOILER if you haven't seen it) killed off the best actress in it.

Here's a thought on Moon Lovers: a show that is making people discuss so heatedly what goes on in Hae Soo or Wang So or Wang Wook's mind (and yeah, the director's) cannot be all bad. I like that we don't agree on the character's motivations, because they could be interpreted in different ways, not simply due to bad directing. I find Wan Wook and Yeonhwa the most interesting so far, because even they are not sure why they do things sometimes: 'Why do I want the throne? Is it because of love... my own ambition... my family forced me... to protect myself?' I won't push this into Shakespearean Macbeth territory, but it's a question that these characters are only now asking themselves, and there is not only one answer. Wang So has just started asking this too, which will make things more interesting.

2) DRINKING SOLO: This show. I was not expecting it to be anything much, but wow, at one point I realised: 'This is a show about procrastinators. This is a show about me at university!' I basically love the young trio, and Ki Bum has become my favourite character. They are living their daily drama. Eating leftovers? Yep. Moaning you'd kill yourself but secretly hope your friends will stop you. Yep. Cleaning the fridge to avoid studying? Been there, done that. It's the ultimate procrastinator technique. The only downside of the show is the female lead. She overacts in my opinion, though this works fine in comedic scenes like the 90s dance-sing marathon. I was howling silently at my screen at 2am.

3) Cantabile Tomorrow: Marathoning it because I need some Joo Won in my life. And then Park Bo Gum showed up halfway through, and he actually has musical talent. Oh joy, a Gaksital reunion! Now if only Shunji decided to study music too... I'd be in heaven. It's a shame that I don't like the childlike female character at all. But I absolutely love the orchestra shenanigans and bromance. And Joo Won of course.

By the way, how do I get words to be in BOLD?

Required fields are marked *

70 RAINY

October 9, 2016 at 5:37 PM

I really wish DB could acknowledge the creative plot and awesome actors in Moon Lovers. Its one of those dramas that really takes your mind off of everything and compels you to stay put until the very end. I had never seen any of Lee joon gi's acting before and boy I reliazed i was missing alot.
As for IU she has areas which she could use improvement, but I dont think anyone else would have suited her role better, especially during the first episodes.
KHN is perfection in his role, he's always so natural and calm. I always thought he was first lead material, from the moment I saw Heirs.
Its rare to feel that way about an a drama, even when they are star plus, such as Descendants of the Sun (totally overrated). This drama has an epic story line not to mention the awesome romance. Ahhh i can just go on and on about it....

Required fields are marked *

Cutiepatotie

October 9, 2016 at 8:01 PM

So damn true! Im literally obsessed with this drama especially lee joon ji face omo

Required fields are marked *

71 sharreb

October 10, 2016 at 1:30 AM

I marvel and envy the list of dramas Javabeans and those who have 5 or more shows on the plate. I struggle to find time and attention to be immersed in one.
Am currently up to speed with Moon Lovers and Fantastic. Im behind on Moonlight since aeons again thk was it ep 8? Im suppose to start K2 but i havent. Jung Il woo's drama ended and good to marathon but dont know when il be able to start. I also wanted to watch Shopping Ming Louie, Drinking Solo and 1% of anything.. My to watch list is long.. So long. Why world? Why not enough time?

Required fields are marked *

72 Anh

October 10, 2016 at 6:05 AM

watching Moonlight and Moonlover at the moment

and I must say Moonlight is such a delight, there's angst but it's just enough, the production team worked hard and the episodes quality is stellar

Moonlover is alright, just watching because I haven't watch the original but I read the summary of original. such a pity that production team has failed to present a product that can uphold its pre-production tag

binged watch Bad Guys and Police Unit 38 aka Squad 38, damn, those drama were soo good for a change, a break from dramas that only filled with love stories. No more romance but heaps of bromance, twists, crimes and fighting for justice. I demand Bad Guys 2, with maybe a cross over with Jungdo from PU38.

Doesn't a drama with ex-detective, assassin, mob boss, super intelligent/psychopath and conman soung like a dream team?

Required fields are marked *