Open Thread #512

1 Ally

August 11, 2017 at 6:03 AM

OT week 27. I feel like I’ve missed a week. (Probably because I lost track of time during "Oppa -Wars" with @azzo1 and @mrsparkhaejin!) Welcome to Friday, everyone! It’s a busy week here in the heartland at lots of people descended on our neighborhood for a golf tourney. We’ve been spending a lot of time with friends and family which is always a good thing. My dad is here for a week, and my mom just left last Monday. If you’ve been following my wall (not my actual walls, my Beanie wall ) you’ve seen them watching “The King Loves” which is more than adorable. While they were, my dad mentioned that there was a general from Vietnam who immigrated to Korea and fought the Mongols in the 1200’s during the Goryeo dynasty. I had no idea, so what did I do? Googled it, of course. Wikipedia to the rescue!

Turns out, the name of this general is Ly Long Tuong (born in 1174) or Lee Yong-sang. He was the 7th son of an emperor (so, a prince)! He and his family were deposed by the Tran family (my previous surname) who either killed or banished the Ly’s to the mountains, forcing them to change their names to Nguyen. Princess Wonsung (The King Loves) took a page out of Tran Thu Do’s book who forced the reining emperor (the 1st son) to be a monk (which she did to the first crown prince during the reign of her husband, the 27th Goryeo king) and placed the Ly’s 6 year old daughter on the throne to marry his 8 year old nephew, to whom power later transferred.

The 7th Prince Ly said “Heo no!” {Viet language joke, mispronounced hell=heo, heo=pig} and took 6000 of his closest family and friends (servants, Mandarins) and fled on three ships with valuable relics from Vietnam. They stopped in Taiwan due to a typhoon, where they had to split up the family when his son got too sick to travel, and the Prince went on to Korea. There, he was met with open arms by King Gojong (23rd king of Goryeo) who apparently had a dream about a phoenix rising up from the south and landing on his nation. He gave the royal family a place to stay and positions in his empire. Where things get interesting is in 1232, when the Mongol army attacked Korea. Ly Long Tuong led the defeat of the Mongols and then he did it again after a second attack that lasted 5 months in 1253. The king renamed the area and had a pillar erected in honor of General Ly that apparently can still be seen today.

There are about 1500 households in N. Korea and 600 households in S. Korea that can trace their lineage to General Ly/Lee. A very wealthy family in Korea now is his direct descendants and still support the Ly temple in Vietnam, make a pilgrimage there every year, and took Vietnamese citizenship as well.

And that’s how my heritage intertwines with Koreans. There are very few Vietnamese with Ly as their surname now, likely because most of them changed their name to Nguyen or are in Korea with the last name Lee. There are some Taiwanese with the Ly surname though. Crazy, right?...

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 6:10 AM

Now, I’d like to see a drama about this family and how they established in Korea and became very prominent in the process. General Ly would make a great hero figure. Sorry for the history lesson. Hope it wasn’t too boring.
Otherwise, I watched Splish Splash Love and continued Let’s Eat 2. You know how some actors just have great chemistry with anyone? Yoon Doo Joon is one guy that can do this and I can’t figure it out. I love him in both these characters. He’s just adorable as (spoiler alert) King Sejong and really cute as insurance-salesman/food blogger Dae Young. And he makes me hungry every time he eats, as both characters! King Sejong makes instant Ramen look so tasty! But he’s incredibly just “normal” looking to me. Maybe that’s it; he’s good looking, but not too beautiful, so he looks good with anyone.

Oh, and somehow I stumbled upon a fan video on YouTube of “I Remember You” and the only people in it was Park Bo Gum and Seo In Guk, looking so achingly and lovingly at each other, and the skinship…OMG, and now I want to see them in a drama as the OTP, just them. I’d watch the kdrama this video was from, but think I’d be disappointed they were brothers, not lovers. I’d set my drama it in historical times, and take the bromance up several notches, to romance. Like a Coffee Prince/Moonlight Drawn By Clouds fusion, only for reals! I don’t know why I would do this to myself, though. I’d be a wreck afterwards because 1. How these two emote their pain especially breaks me, 2. There would be a boatload of pain, and 3. One of both would absolutely die because set in ancient Korea, “sexual deviance” is probably punishable by death. I think I read a King was deposed for being gay at one point, but that could just be hearsay. That story would be amazing. I pretty much had the whole plot written within the 4.5 minute video. And for anyone interested…the FMV...https://youtu.be/fyS7013OXTY. And Bo Gum sings…really well.

I wrote too much, do I have room for a conversation? Maybe a really short one!

Episode 8/16 of The King Loves (Spoilers):

After San’s identity is revealed at Princess Wonsung’s pick- the-princess-tea-party, and camera pans to Dan:

Hubby: “Oh SNAP! I’m back on that slow boat to China!” *You saw that thought-bubble above Dan’s head, right?*

Me: Hahaha. ? But poor Dan, what did she ever do to get such a raw deal?

Hubby: Who’s he gonna pick? Dan or San?

Me: You want him to be with San. I think she’s better off with Rin.

Hubby: This is worse than Team “Vampire”/ Team “Wolf!” *I was team Pattinson, he was team Lautner*

Me: *just more of the usual uncontrollable laughing*

Moral of the Story: It’s never too late to learn something from your parents—and supplement it with Google. ?

2nd moral: It’s totally normal to think up dramas in your head when you have nothing else to do—or even if you have a ton of other stuff to do. Which is what I keep telling myself.

3rd...

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cassie23

August 11, 2017 at 7:39 AM

waah i love this kind of knowledge
i always curious about history behind historical drama

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 7:40 AM

moral: A show is good when you can ship the girl with both boys--which I can with "The King Loves." But Rin has my heart and I'm pretty sure San's too!

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miselpo

August 11, 2017 at 8:26 AM

Hope the writer doesn't change the OTP and sticks to the book.

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 9:55 PM

Not being faithful to the books would be a travesty!

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 3:02 PM

@Ally,

Hmmm. What a coincidence. I've also been watching LET'S EAT 2, mainly to see Seo Hyun-jin. Hubby started out watching the first season, but I was in the throes of LOOKOUT, THE BEST HIT, and SEVEN DAY QUEEN, so only snuck a peek here and there. For some reason I was turned off by the female lead. I liked the Pomeranian named after the Cuban revolutionary hero more than his owner.

I totally agree re: Yoon Doo Joon in both seasons. Watching him eat and expound upon food is hilariously mesmerizing. It cracks me up no end. The guy is charming, even if he was kind of obnoxious as a kid. To me, it appeared that he liked Soo-ji in a pesky, "pigtails in the inkwell" way, and I think he still does. -- I was floored a while back to realize that that was him in SPLISH SPLASH LOVE. What a chameleon. ;-)

I'm only up to episode 7 of LET'S EAT 2. Was surprised to recognize Lee Joo-Seung as the "student" resident of the rooftop container abode. I'm hoping he refrains from arson and kidnapping, etc., as his criminal activities in VOICE were more than enough for me. *shudder*

Re: THE KING LOVES, I'm wondering what Queen Mom is up to. Maybe it doesn't matter who Won picks -- Mom might well countermand him and pick someone else, especially if she thinks the family status is inadequate. Does the Chancellor outrank the Finance Minister? -- As far as I can see at this time, the only way to save both women from fates worse than death is to have Won marry Dan and Rin marry San. Although whoever ends up with the volatile Princess Wonsung for a mother-in-law is probably in for a lousy existence. ;-)

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 4:18 PM

I'm on episode 12. I can forgive the Personality of the heroine for a multitude of sins, because I love Seo Hyun Jin so much! I also like the second lead better and better each episode. I still love Dae Young, don't get me wrong, and dating him would be awesome! Imagine all the food! And the rooftop kid, I still don't know his back story! I didn't see Voice because of my aversion to seeing blood and guts, but I can imagine how psychotic he could be--he's terrifying in a puppy dog kind of way in this.

Oh, I like Princess Wongsung, or the actress that plays her, tremendously. Don't get between mama bear and her cub! No one will be good enough for her son--but she loves him unconditionally, so will hold herself back for him, I'm confident.

I'm glad you're watching The King Loves, I always enjoy your analysis, @pakalanapikake!

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 5:06 PM

Oops! I was referring to the leading lady in LET'S EAT season 1.

I have no problem with Seo Hyun-jin's character. I understand where she's coming from, and see that she's got a good case of "once burned, twice shy." I suspect that there are "other factors" at play that have yet to be revealed.

Second lead Kwon Yool is beginning to let his hair down now that he's fraternizing with Dae-Young. He's been uptight about his public image, but it feels like his decorum is about to fly out the window.

Meanwhile, I'm hoping the rooftop resident only looks like a potential ax murderer, and has extenuating circumstances. But it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. Eek!

A word to the wise: avoid VOICE if you're not up to a terrifying gore fest. Hanging out around sociopaths is not good for my mental health. It pains me to pull the plug on LJG, but I'm probably going to bail on CRIMINAL MINDS.

Over at THE KING LOVES, Jang Young-Nam is turning in a bang-up performance as Princess Wonsung. I see her as a momma bear, too. She's so coldly manipulative, however, that all I can do is shake my head at some of the stuff she pulls. And I was really surprised that her minions were out of the loop on Won's intervention when San was being interrogated. Mom seems to be slipping.

Or is she pulling more strings than meet the eye? The lady might be running a false-flag operation to flush out traitors like Song In and Wang Jeon. If that's the case, she may have a good reason for forcing Rin's hand.

I just noticed the episode 15-16 recap is up.

Aw, shucks, Ally. It's fun to bat around hypotheses with eagle-eyed Beanies. ;-)

I feel as if my own analytical powers are pooped out after SEVEN DAY QUEEN. At least I've recovered from the catharsis. ;-)

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mango

August 11, 2017 at 6:12 AM

Wow who knew watching a drama would lead to that much information :o

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 7:45 AM

I know, I took a couple hours just reading about everyone involved in the coup and how the Tran's came into power--they held power for close to 200 years after this. And, also had to fend off the Mongols at the same time General Ly was fighting them in Goryeo. Really fascinating.

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 3:08 PM

Oh, the irony of having the Mongols invade Vietnam. Did the Tran dynasty successfully defend their kingdom from the Mongols?

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 4:01 PM

Yes, they did, for a while. Vietnam is now just a sliver of what it once was. :(

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 7:08 PM

@Ally August 11, 2017 at 4:01 PM

"Vietnam is now just a sliver of what it once was."

The Mongols made it all the way to the Holy Land and the gates of Vienna -- and obliterated pretty much everything in their path before attending to the succession when the Great Khan died. By the time they extended southward down through China into northern Vietnam, they were poised to overrun Southeast Asia.

It's very cool how the Tran Dynasty whooped the Mongols with superior military strategy and sent them packing. I love how they used a sure-fire tactic from 938 to end the third Mongol invasion 350 years later. They lured the Mongol fleet upriver at high tide -- which concealed iron-tipped poles rammed into the riverbed. As the tide receded, the large ships were impaled -- and turned into sitting ducks.

It reminds me of Admiral Yi Sun-shin's use of his intimate knowledge of the currents in Myeongryang Strait to even his outnumbered fleet's odds against the Japanese forces during the Imjin War. I really admire underdogs who persevere against great odds. It's even better when they triumph. ;-)

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 7:27 PM

After reading up on how the Vietnamese kicked Mongol butt during the third invasion ca. 1287-88, I've come to the conclusion that they should have stuck with their cavalry and remained landlubbers. Mongols and boats don't seem to have worked well together, especially in light of their attempt to invade Japan. Just my $0.02. ;-)

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 8:58 PM

You did your homework! Yes! Trần Hưng Đạo is a legend in Vietnam. Using nature to outsmart your enemy has alwats been a war tactic and the subject of many Cdramas of my childhood. One my husband and I watched recently was Red Cliff. It was great.

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PakalanaPikake

August 12, 2017 at 11:20 AM

@Ally August 11, 2017 at 8:58 PM

It was interesting to look at a map of the Mongol expansion towards Europe. I realized that they stayed north of the Himalayas on their westward trek. But they did an eastern end-run due south through China. Vietnam was basically a buffer between the Middle Kingdom and the Southeast Asia.

Re: using nature to outsmart your enemy also works in reverse: think of Hannibal crossing the Alps with his elephants -- the Romans would never expect them to come over the passes. Surprise!

I've only seen one a couple of wuxia. A BATTLE OF WITS with Choi Siwon was quite interesting because it dealt with the Mozi, who were renowned defense strategists and combat engineers. NIRVANA IN FIRE has been on my to-watch list for about a year already. I've been wondering about RED CLIFF for a while now. Thanks for the hot tip! It sounds interesting. ;-)

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 6:18 AM

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korfan

August 11, 2017 at 6:56 AM

This is so very, very interesting! Fascinating to learn how histories/people from different places are intertwined.

@Ally,

What fascinating family history! Thanks for sharing. ;-)

I agree that the story of General Ly / Lee would make a dynamite sageuk. Give it a title like "Avenging Phoenix" and maybe make it an international production like BICHEONMU. It would be epic. I'd love to see what screenwriter-historian Hwang Jin-Young (REBEL; KING'S DAUGHTER, SU BAEK-HYANG) would do with it.

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 2:47 PM

I know, right! It's kind of ironic to think my ancestors are basically Lee enemies, but that I love Korea so much! 800 years makes a huge difference. Kind of getting Goblin feels now. That sageuk would be epic and great title! I was thinking "Rise of the Pheonix," myself. There you go Writer-nim, a working title and story line, do your magic. And, I would suggest Gong Yoo as the Rising Pheonix, himself--he could totally pass as Vietnamese!

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 3:48 PM

Or tweak the title to "Flight of the Avenging Phoenix." That would fulfill the mandatory Kdrama wordplay requirement. ;-)

Interesting to learn that Gong Yoo could pass for Vietnamese. I'm Irish with Vikings in the family tree -- what do I know?!

Hey, I'd love to have some actual Lees, in particular Joon-gi, in the cast, too. Not to mention Jang Hyuk. Lee Jae-Ryong was impressive in battle in THE KING'S DAUGHTER. Must have enough badasses to mertilate the Mongols. ;-)

I'd be tempted to draft a couple of members of the World Officer Championship joint Korean team from THE KING 2HEARTS which I just finished watching. Lee Seung-gi, Jo Jung-seok, Choi Kwon, and Ha Ji-won should do the trick. ;-)

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 4:24 PM

I guess you may have forgotten that my son may or may not resemble Gong Yoo, so there you go. Speaking of Lees, Lee dong Wook could join the cast too! Then I'd have my Goblin bromance back! Now, I have to watch this again...?

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 5:12 PM

@Ally August 11, 2017 at 4:24 PM

"I guess you may have forgotten that my son may or may not resemble Gong Yoo"

*removes foot from mouth*

That revelation may or may not have completely slipped what's left of my mind! Touché! ;-)

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 5:21 PM

King loves recap is out--get over there! ?

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sicarius

August 11, 2017 at 9:25 PM

Don't be sorry! That was a super fascinating read! I love Korean history, and when it intertwines with other nations like this, even better!

2nd Moral: I make up stories in my head constantly, and have several fully fleshed out drama ideas ... ;)

Speaking of "sexual deviance", Korean history and Korean history on film, have you seen the King and the Clown? It's a movie with LJK in it, who plays a clown who mocks the king and is prostituted because he's very pretty, and the King falls in love with him. I haven't actually watched it all, and it seems quite dark in places but I thought you might be interested. (it's the 9th highest grossing film in Korea- random fact for you)

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 10:04 PM

I certainly will check this out. Is it based on a true story? It sounds like something I've read. Dark is fine as long as there is redemption. Gratuitous sex and violence, usually not--and no mass murders or horror films please--unless it's Train to Busan, that was the exception to the rule. Thanks for the recommendation.

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sicarius

August 12, 2017 at 2:41 AM

According to Wikipedia it is based on a play that is based on a small snippet from Annals of the Joseon Dynasty that briefly mentions the king's favorite clown.
I just read the synopsis again and it sounds like it could get quite violent in places... as well as appearing to be thematically dark? (spoilers maybe: King basically goes insane and forces the clown to perform how his mother died, and the clowns companion gets tortured for mocking the king... but both clowns escape at the end...)
Idk if you'd want to watch it but *shrugs* thought I'd mention it anyway so you're welcome I guess.

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Ally

August 12, 2017 at 11:37 AM

If I believe the romance, then it might be worth it!

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PakalanaPikake

August 12, 2017 at 1:57 PM

@sicarius, @Ally,

One guess as to who the monarch is.

Hint: THE KING AND THE CLOWN is based on the stage play "Yi" (Lee). Yeonsangun, of course. Oh Man-seok originated the role of Gong-gil that Lee Joon-gi played in the film, with Kam Woo-sung as his acrobat partner, Jang-sang.

I've tried to avoid spoilers while addressing the issues of violence (yes) and raunchiness (no). This is a pretty modest film.

The OST is gorgeous, and hits me where I live every time. I've put links to two versions of "Fate" on my fan wall, with Ms. Lee Sun-hee, the original artist, as soloist and in a phenomenal duet with Kyuhyun on FANTASTIC DUO that was recorded live in April 2016.

The cinematography, costumes, makeup, and sets are beautiful. Various traditional Korean performing arts are depicted. The mask dances and plays are bawdily reminiscent of Commedia dell'Arte or Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, complete with snappy wordplay, slapstick, Punch and Judy fisticuffs, and potty humor. Gong-gil plays the female roles, and is surprising convincing as a tart.

The film is intense. It deals with corruption at all levels of society, and the two jesters and their street performer colleagues who lampoon the goings-on at court. LJG is nothing short of amazing in this role. Kam Woo-sung is terrific as his hot-headed cohort. Jung Jin-Young portrays the tyrant as yet another flavor of basket case that differs from the recent portrayals by Kim Ji-suk and Lee Dong-gun.

There is a torture scene. Yeonsangun goes ape and commences slaughtering anyone who pisses him off in a literati purge. Gong-gil's gentle and sympathetic demeanor attracts the king's attention; the jester gets an idea for a tableau after hearing scuttlebutt. Jang-sang lobbies to leave court after their performance because of the increasingly volatile environment in the palace. Nok-su becomes jealous of Gong-gil, and various factions at court turn restive.

The relationship between the clowns is ambiguous but above board, which is more than I can say for the pervy yangban who tries to take advantage of the starving performers.

There are several deleted scenes on YouTube that cast interesting sidelights on the story and the characters. You might want to look for them after watching. At least one of them, in my opinion, should not have been cut.

I found the film to be very touching, and have cried my eyes out when watching it several times. If SEVEN DAY QUEEN twisted your heart into a pretzel, be prepared for THE KING AND THE CLOWN to deliver catharsis.

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Ally

August 13, 2017 at 4:47 AM

Thank you for this! I haven't been in the mood for full on emotional acrobatics (so no hearts being twisted into pretzels this summer), so saving SDQ for when I need some amygdala calisthenics! *going to check out your fan wall now*

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harmonyfb

August 12, 2017 at 7:27 AM

Wow, that is really interesting! You know, learning historical stuff like this is one of the awesome side benefits of Dramabeans. :)

likely because most of them changed their name to Nguyen

Would you elaborate? I don't understand your point, here. (And I'm so curious!!)

Hi Beanies !

An other stressful week because of house-hunting. I won't sleep well until I finally move out.
I like baking cakes and would like to know which Korean cakes or snacks are easy to cook. It will relieve my stress :)

Seven Day Queen : It was so beautiful and the ending is one of the best I've seen in a drama.

Father is Strange : When the angst will be completely gone, I will watch it.

Woman of Dignity : PARK BOK JAAAA !!!

Happy Friday :D

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leleyleley

August 11, 2017 at 6:17 AM

I'm still on episode 8 of Seven Days Queen and I just have to stop myself not to finish it in one go. I just love it that much.
I'm glad I picked it up when it was finished airing. All the characters are compelling, and this is one rare occassion when I don't hate the female lead. Chae Kyung is awesome. ❤️

August 11, 2017 at 7:19 AM

It's a really well made makjang. Kim Sun Ah's portrays perfectly her mysterious character. You will root for Kim Hee Sun's character since she's the "purest" one. There's a lot of cheating going tho.

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Nami

August 11, 2017 at 7:35 AM

This is so weird but I can't help but root for Kim Sun ah, the lady has done unethical stuff but man her voice,her looks and the way she acts: she is goals ? n its the first time I M watching her act

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mango

August 11, 2017 at 7:37 AM

I root for her sometimes but I remember she has an evil plan. Still she's better than those rich people.

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anugp61

August 11, 2017 at 10:50 AM

True-She is gorgeous, and have always been!

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August 11, 2017 at 8:25 AM

The hardest thing I've ever done !

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3 leleyleley

August 11, 2017 at 6:08 AM

So, I still can't get over Forest of Secret. It was smart, intense, and awesome all around. I need that kind of drama again in my life.
And I'm having Joo Seung Woo withdrawal syndrome. Help!

Happy Friday Beanies ? !
My week’s highlights :
1. Swooning over Tae Woon Oppa (aka Tae Swoon, Tae Coupon, Kim Jung Hyun) ? and giggling while watching School 2017 and all beanies posts related to it ?
2. First time watching Oppa war event , This clearly was history in the making ?
- I laughed and had too much fun that my cheeks hurt ?
- Now I officially have a Sabu and a Sunbae ?❤, plus discovered the power of Beanie levels :
o @ravennightstar my Sabu : speciality Errand boy (girl, lol) ? who delivers faster than The Flash ?‍?
o @ seralovestteobokki my Sunbae : Rooftop room dweller ? who provided her rooftop for the party ?
o As for myself : a self-appointed sponsor who stole the credit card of her rich Chaebol doppelganger ?
- DB community : priceless ? *sending finger-hearts*

hahaha thank you hoobae!

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Kudo Ran

August 11, 2017 at 6:59 AM

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alasecond

August 11, 2017 at 8:18 AM

what is oppa war? where and between who all oppas? when did it happen

on tv?

August 11, 2017 at 12:12 PM

ha ha.. got it.. but that's too greedy..

Happy Friday all!

Anyone check out Manhole: feel so good?

I saw episode 1 and it's bizzare and zany and the lead guy seems to be high on something. ?

But I like it! Haha.

I love how invested Jae Joong is in being completely insane and dramatic in pining for his 28 year lost chance at eternal love! It helps that he is a big puppy despite his incessant whining and squaking- how cute and sweet was that birthday fireworks moment?? (Before the police came though... ???)

UEE has a few awkward moments but I I'm looking forward to episode 2 and see how it pans out.

Right now I love the energy, the dramatic flair that everyone has, even the bad CGI and tiny aliens ???. And I hope that this will get me out of my slump. Though I think I'm cursed, since I would like a drama with terribly low ratings and risk of getting cut. *sigh*

Agree with me? Think I'm insane? Haha.

And oh I've dropped Strongest Deliveryman and Criminal Minds. Sorry Junki Oppa. ?

Hope everyone has a good weekend!
좋은 주말 보내세요! ❤️ (Just learnt this in class! ?)

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mango

August 11, 2017 at 6:25 AM

I expected this type of humor in Manhole. I'm still not completely sold but I like the female friend.
I dropped Criminal Minds too. I don't feel the excitement to continue.

Oh is this a Japanese remake too? I didn't realise.

August 11, 2017 at 7:38 AM

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michykdrama

August 11, 2017 at 8:09 AM

Oooh is that in episode 2? Watching it soon! I need to study korean for spelling test tml.

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WishfulToki

August 11, 2017 at 8:07 AM

The tiny aliens with the chipmunk voice made me spill my drink. I thought 'are the Ewoks coming?'

I wonder if this is in fact a Star Wars reference - at first they seem like Siths with the black cape, looking out of their spaceship, and then the camera zooms out and and presto, they are tiny aliens. ? So bizarre.

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michykdrama

August 11, 2017 at 8:11 AM

It was so random, I was like ?!? ???

But I think that's part of the charm of the show- it's totally out there, with the aliens! ?

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Shari

August 11, 2017 at 9:26 AM

I watched the first episode without subs so I may have missed a few things, but I found the guy really irritating with his whiny tantrums. He just seems so immature he shouldn't even be thinking about a girlfriend yet and I see no reason why she would ever pick him. I just don't know if it's bad acting or if the character is designed this way with a story arc of how he grows up through the struggles of trying to correct his past mistakes and becomes somebody deserving of the girl. I hope it's the latter. But I'm not going to watch it again until I know that for sure.

@michykdrama,

Ah, our viewing paths have crossed again. ;-)

I've only seen the first episode of MANHOLE. It had some great visual spoofs. Honestly, that trip through the manhole vortex looked like it was lifted straight out of STARGATE SG-1. And the alien spaceship was literally a cross between Isaac Azimov's Fantastic Voyage and FIREFLY, with LEXX's moth shuttles on the side. Har!

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Sera The Ms Temper

August 11, 2017 at 6:42 AM

They will keep coming ,for sure ?

I am glad to see them become more popular, but more than that I want them to be real actors - so when people says their name, it is their acting and performance they keep remembering more, not just some handsome face and hot body. lol. Strangely, I'm easier to connect well with these three newcomers, rather than LMH, KSH and others in that group during that time. I also never fangirl any of these actors. Maybe one condition for me to fangirl any actor / actress is how I can connect with their acting.

August 11, 2017 at 7:24 AM

Exactly. Talented actresses are still getting secondary roles when they have the potential to be leads. There's also the choice to have really young actresses play grown-ups when they lacked not really acting skills but depth as an adult.

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PurpleTeapot

August 11, 2017 at 8:11 AM

I think another part of the problem is that we don't really get as many strongly written female characters. A lot of dramas are focused around male characters as the agents or points of attraction, and so actors who are skilled and have been building up their filmography and land such roles are more easily catapulted into A-list category.

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bogummyshipda

August 11, 2017 at 6:58 AM

I think the mandatory enlistment is helpful for actors who are starting their career. That way, they will be given more opportunities to prove themselves. I'm actually happy with new faces! I don't like it when people just watch dramas just for the known oppas.

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cassie23

August 11, 2017 at 7:45 AM

i'm glad to know them deeper in school 2017

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drawde2000

August 11, 2017 at 7:49 AM

But, but, but will these new actors reach the same level of popularity that LMH, KSH, LJS, Joo Won experienced? That I'm afraid might not happen. The new actors are better in acting, and I'm grateful for that. It's just that they will not reach the global popularity that their seniors accomplished at a young age.

There's one actor that I think can probably do that. And that's Lee Seo Won of Blossoms Entertainment. He is under the same agency as PBG and SJK. He also has the charisama and the talent to be big.

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outofthisworld

August 11, 2017 at 8:14 AM

I do think that overall the new actors are better in acting. Of the 87/88 batch, I'd say Joo Won was the most versatile but he was also the least popular compared to the rest. Popularity does not always go hand in hand with acting skills.

Talking about agencies, that's also important as far as getting the roles and exposure.

Whatever it is, I just hope that the more talented and deserving will get better opportunities.

August 11, 2017 at 7:51 AM

While most of beanies go for Kim Jung Hyun, my IT boy right now is definitely Yang Se-jong. ❤️

August 11, 2017 at 9:02 AM

How big exactly is your rooftop room?

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Sera The Ms Temper

August 11, 2017 at 10:51 AM

It's bigger than what you think.

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wakimary

August 12, 2017 at 5:45 AM

She'll make room for them, I bet! ?

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8 mmmmm

August 11, 2017 at 6:32 AM

I'm eating sushi now. When something goes wrong, I go to sushi bar ? hahaha.

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michykdrama

August 11, 2017 at 7:27 AM

And.... now I'm craving sushi.

?❤️?

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CatoCat

August 11, 2017 at 6:54 AM

DEAD Stock - japanese ongoing drama. 2 episodes subbed.

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11 Del

August 11, 2017 at 6:48 AM

Over in my country, the local drama fans are crying foul over the remake of "Coffee Prince". I am not a fan of that drama, in fact I hated it so much but the arguments kind of interesting:
1) Most expressed unhappiness over the possibility of any actor portraying Gong Yoo's role even in this case, featuring the currently most popular actor in my country who has had 2 back to back highest rated local dramas under his belt. So, it came to my interest of why so much backlash when he is so popular and so much loved? Would this scenario occurred should GY didn't experienced popularity resurgence through Goblin.
2) No one, almost no objection on the actress playing Yoon Eun Hye's role. The actress herself is not so popular but no backlash on her. This bring to my attention on why? Because as far as I know, YEH is the breakout star of CP, she even overshadowed GY. Is it because she is already a forgotten star? A non-factor in dramaland?
3) I know CP featured gay theme so I am interested to see how they tackled this subject (though I generally don't watch local drama) since LGBT is a taboo subject in my country.

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faith

August 11, 2017 at 7:01 AM

lol...you mean fatah amin, is it? i mean, that guy is a total sweetheart, but i rather have Aiman as Han Kyul than him. he still stiff as ever. he's like suzy of Malaysia.

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Sera The Ms Temper

August 11, 2017 at 7:09 AM

bwahaha. I never thought someone would actually mention Fattah Amin here ???? So he is Malaysia's Suzy? ???? *laughing so hard*

Well who is the heroine anyway? It has been a long time I don't bother to check about our drama.

Is she a solid leading lady? I never watched any of her drama before or basically I have not watched any local drama lately. I stalked her IG and visually, she looked cute cross-dressing as a boy. Hope she won't pull a "Scha Al-yahya" version of tomboy. SAY is a terrible actress, even after so many years, her acting is still plain bad.

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Del

August 11, 2017 at 9:39 AM

LOL. Hello fellow Malaysian.
Ya, I read that Astro wanted him after back to back success and mega hit dramas. But your description of him being Malaysia's version of Suzy is epic. At least Fattah Amin is better looking than Zul Ariffin.

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Del

August 11, 2017 at 9:41 AM

Hahaha...that's the testament of how popular FA is, having his name mentioned in DB.

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alasecond

August 11, 2017 at 8:26 AM

which country would this be?subbed?

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faith

August 11, 2017 at 8:43 AM

malaysia. usually there will be no sub tho.

I don't really care about this remake anyway, it's going to suck regardless who they casted. It will be popular nevertheless as long as there's enough romance but that's it. It's not that I want to sound so negative but if Kdrama production which has better quality than our production not really able to do a good remake, what more with ours.

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stuffed

August 11, 2017 at 4:18 PM

Agree! They'll just turn this into something cringeworthy like the rest of the dramas. I wanted to be proven wrong but I won't get my hopes up

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12 korfan

August 11, 2017 at 6:49 AM

Hi Everyone! ....... I hope you are all doing well today!

A nerve-wracking couple of days for me as I was experiencing computer problems. I suddenly had website loading problems and I could only access Dramabeans after doing a Disk Cleanup ----- I had to do this every single time I tried to go to the site! ....... The situation started getting even worse when, on any given site, the browser would suddenly close!

Can you imagine, no access to Dramabeans and our awesome fellow Beanies??! Oh no!! ....... After a couple of different troubleshooting attempts, I decided to reinstall Windows. I was a little anxious about this because I've never, ever, had to do this before on any computer I've ever had or worked with. ....... However, I'm happy to report that the problems seemed to have cleared up and things are running smoothly! Yay!

Read/watched the Oppa War event on the Wall. *laughing* ....... The Beanies are great and are certainly the highlight of any day!

This week:

Reunited Worlds - I checked out episodes 1 and 2 ....... but I didn't watch either episode in its entirety ....... and I wasn't bothered that I had perhaps missed important parts and/or info. It wasn't awful or anything like that, but I'm not sure if I'll continue watching this or not.

Manhole - After all the less than stellar reviews by our fellow Beanies, I was curious about it so I checked out the first episode. Let's see, I didn't really laugh, I didn't really get annoyed, I didn't really get hooked. So basically, no reaction. ....... I'm don't want to write it off completely but either things need to settle down in the story or something's totally missing. We'll see what happens with episode 2.

That's all for now. ...... Take care everyone and have a great Friday!

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If you haven't seen the Taiwanese movie: You are the Apple of my Eye (那些年- 我们追的女孩）, it's a must! It's similar to Our Times but better. And the theme song is ❤️❤️❤️.

This and Our Times are 2 of my favourite Taiwan movies.

Our Times, A Little Thing Called Love and You're The Apple of My Eyes have similar themes that's why they're usually recommended. I like Our Times the best because we see the relationship between the leads develop naturally. A bittersweet ending would have been better.

You might have already some of them but here is a list of recommendation :)

I have a short clip from Windstruck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEemZYsFFac (2:02). Full screen is best is you can.

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mango

August 11, 2017 at 8:36 AM

I meant Min Hyo Rin*

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14 Kip

August 11, 2017 at 6:56 AM

School 2017: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Faith: The king and queen, man. ?Did I mention I love understated relationships? And yay, I'm into the romance now! Eun-soo continues to be amazing and I love her. And I like Choi Young much better now that he doesn't want to die all the time CHILL BRO. It's been pretty slow going but I'm about halfway through now so hopefully I'll finish this before school starts.

Woman of Dignity: C'mon, what's a girl gotta do for more Ki-ho goodness? He's so cute and considerate and quirky and I love him and I love Ah-jin and her friends and Ji-hoo and I just want them all to be happy, give me all the fluff.

Falsify: Started and caught up. Really happy with this, although I want more of So-ra and especially Yoo-kyung. Also, are we going to see So-ra's old sunbae again? Because I really liked her. I've never seen Yoo Joon-sang before and I think that's a CRIME. His face ohemgee!

August 11, 2017 at 7:06 AM

I just started binge watching Forest of Secrets and oh my lord.. its is amazing.. between that and School 2017, my cup runneth over with great drama's to watch whilst studying in my final semester at uni!

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16 Nami

August 11, 2017 at 7:07 AM

Hey guys ! How r u all doing ?
So many shows are starting lately, I have to choose which one to watch with my busy schedule, I tried the first ep of God of the water with Nam Joo Hyuk but I wasn’t hooked, I feel like there is so much potential but somethg just felt off ! Save Me is beyond creepy especially since they are not showing yet what is wrong, just some cracks here and there, it just gives me the chills and man I just couldn’t take my eyes off the screen for a second, I kept feeling scared for the main actress ! Strongest Deliveryman is my cup of tea, am I the only who thought that the second lead actress looks like the crazy character in Cheese of the trap ? The one who was copying Hong Seol’s hairstyle and stuff, my first thought was : omg isn t she Hong Seol’s crazy copycat, and omg she’s back with the same hair but man in SD her character is adorable ! I’m rooting for her so much ! How did u guys finf this week’s show ? Anyone watching Unni is alive ? And also Woman of Dignity is a gem ! I m having a crush on Kim Sun ah, she is beauty goals !!! BTW I fell in love with the 2nd lead in Save me, so handsome <3
BTW, do u know any good J doram? I feel nostalgic thoughts with Hanazakari na Kimitachi lately T.T

August 11, 2017 at 8:24 AM

"Now Rescue me aka Save Me and actually it has more realistic content and a part controversial content. will this show be dropped or not? A far strong case stands there against "save me"

Was there anything in the media about Christians protesting against the show?

Happy Friday everyone!
Had a really stressful week - our air conditioning died so that is a ton of money we had to plop down, plus I've had a big project at work so I've been working a ton of overtime. Not much time for dramas but so glad I have them for much needed down time!

School 2017 - love love. I get so depressed on how the poorer students are treated and how unfair things are for them, and poor bullied Bo Ra. Thank goodness for Tae Woon and Eun Ho's cute blossoming relationship to lighten things up! He was so fantastic as Mori in Rebel, and I'm so glad he's gotten a chance to shine as a lead. His smitten face is A+!!!

The King in Love - probably my favorite airing drama, I am fully invested and can't wait to see what happens next. The political plotting has even gotten interesting (maybe because Song Ji Na is doing more of the writing at this point in the story?). I love Rin so much! I hope he can step up and admit his feelings for San, who I think returns her feelings. I'm worried she will end up with Won out of pity, which is a terrible base for a relationship. I just want them all to be friends! The bodyguards are adorable too.

Hoping to start Rescue Me and maybe Strongest Deliveryman this weekend. Maybe even Manhole, which looks really fun despite the low ratings.

August 11, 2017 at 7:22 AM

It feels weird to see that another show is taking over for Seven-Days Queen. I am used by now to wake up early Tuesdays and Fridays to watch the subbed episodes, sometimes even staying awake at night to get it as soon as possible. It was weird to realize that it is now Friday and, though there are shows I am watching, I no longer have a show that I was excited to watch every episode of. Now it is more like "oh, right, that drama has a new episode. I'll check it out later." I hope Live Up to Your Name will fill the void, but I am not sure; it is a very, very deep void.

August 11, 2017 at 7:36 AM

Hello, fellow beanies. This is my first time participating in OT, despite years of reading Dramabeans religiously.

I am still suffering lack of sleep after marathoning Forest of Secrets for three consecutive nights. I actually didn't plan to finish the drama in one go. Instead I wish to savor it bit by bit, one or two episodes per day.

In reality, that plan went the other way as I pushed husband into watching Forest together. After his constant mocking of my kdramas hobby, I was itching to get him to see that kdramas aren't always what he thinks they are (too shallow, too girly, too makjang-y, etc). So, I thought Forest would be a perfect option to open his mind to what kdramas are capable of, and boy was I right. He was glued to our screen, so engrossed in the whole setup, the entire first two hours.

Aaaaaaand... just like that, he couldn't stop. Turns out husband is the type who once started a series simply wouldn't want to stop until the very last episode. If we were watching during weekends, I suppose we wouldn't get any sleep at all and finished all 16 episodes within a day.

Now husband has already asked me what kdramas to watch next. I am thinking of Signal, but knowing his drama watching attitude now, I guess I'll wait another time to get him start.

August 11, 2017 at 8:01 AM

And welcome to the Open Thread. I love it here (as you can probably tell. XD

Nami

August 11, 2017 at 10:31 PM

Omg now that sounds unhealthy? maybe bine watching is not for us?

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22 redfox

August 11, 2017 at 7:39 AM

Hiii
I have been real busy the past 3 weeks. after the vacation I have mostly been drawing postcards and had no time to watch dramas. I start and I drop (actually, I just fell asleep...) So I am not just merely behind, I am stuck in time.
I am also pretty upset because of environmental matters here, poisoning bees - a railway company tells beekeepers "just lock them up for the time of spraying!" why do they have to use carinogenous substances anyway? Estonia was the only country in Europe that didn´t ban them. total crap. so don´t expect quirky and funny drama ideas in the near future, my thoughts right now are rather violent.

did watch Strongest Delivery Man and Chae Soo Bin is kicking ass, literally. I am even wondering if it is a bit too much or unjustified occasionally. I like it more when it is casual... but Dan-Ah rocks for making it clear to everyone they can´t mess with her. weird how yi-Yoon uses a very opposite approach but on the inside with a clear strategy and calculation. I haven´t finished ep 2 though.

also, does anyone have a good tried-out and fast pie recipe with berries, I have so many and eating them raw is making me sick?

and drama question is: have you tried a recipe from a drama or something weird the character ate or put together and did it taste ok LOL

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michykdrama

August 11, 2017 at 8:03 AM

I don't like how unnecessarily violent and bullying Dan ah is. So sadly I dropped the show after episode 2.

Regarding your berries:
if you want something different, I made this raspberry tiramisu before. It was good.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/53760/raspberry-tiramisu/

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Ally

August 11, 2017 at 8:21 AM

We've been making so many Korean dishes and side dishes due to watching dramas at my house. My blog has some, and they turned out great. There's a squid soup dish that we saw on Let's Eat 2 that my hubby is dying to make (we have the kelp and anchovies and squid in our pantry and refrigerator now) so probably with the rain this weekend, it'll be perfect. I'll try to remember to tell you how it tastes!

August 11, 2017 at 7:47 AM

I'm having problem reading dramabeans on mobile phone... The website banner covers half of any recaps I opened.. Does anyone experience the same problem?

August 23, 2017 at 4:03 PM

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24 TrinPie

August 11, 2017 at 8:07 AM

Happy Friday!

I need help! My sister likes kdramas but she doesn't like any with romance. So I am looking for suggestions of good dramas that either have very low-key to no romance. So far I suggested Signal, Liar Game and Chief Kim but I couldn't really think of other kdramas I could suggest to her. If anyone has some suggestions of good non-romantic kdramas I would be very appreciative!

TrinPie

August 11, 2017 at 8:58 AM

I actually watched the first episode of FoS the other day and told her I don't think it has romance. She loves Bae Doona and I heard many amazing things about the show but couldn't tell her if it had romance or not. If it doesn't have romance I will see if she will watch it for me.

Ah, I forgot about Misaeng! I've not seen it yet but I've heard many good things about it.

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knom

August 11, 2017 at 12:39 PM

There's a very subtitle hint of romance but it's mostly a friendship between the two leads. Bae Doona was amazing in "FoS" as well as the other actors.

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August 11, 2017 at 4:34 PM

can't wait temperature of love
i want to see yang se jong in chef uniform hahaha

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hannaehh

August 11, 2017 at 4:44 PM

Ohh yesss. Yang Se-jong in a chef uniform and the view of him cooking! Those are the things I look forward to watch! Please PD-nim, do a good job to make us all swoon at Yang Se-jong sexiness. Ahhh I can't wait.

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26 cassie23

August 11, 2017 at 8:14 AM

hi beanies
it's almost midnight here
i'm still in Seven Day Queen syndrome hahaha
i just read soompi forum for seven day queen,, and it's really amazing ???
little bit sad that i just knew it now ??
i get deeper knowledge about queen dankyeong and all about seven day queen ??
i also start binge watch Forest of Secret and it's really amazing by its cliffhanger that i really think hard
i think mr lee's wife is so elegant reminds me of anna's stepmother in K2 (sorry i forget her name ???)

also,,after read @lordcobol fanwall http://www.dramabeans.com/members/lordcobol/
it makes me want to know more about other beanies,,,
if staffs here have get to know about them,,,is it okay if we have it also? hehe

August 12, 2017 at 11:09 PM

Wow, I guess we're half-way through August already. Yikes!

August 11, 2017 at 8:54 AM

Fight My Way I really liked this drama. I loved the trajectory of the friends-to-lovers relationship and the leads had awesome chemistry with each other. Park Seo-Joon has got to be one of the best kissers in Korea. I had to re-watch many scenes. I was not a fan of the secondary characters relationship though. I would go from loving them to hating them then back around again. Their relationship felt a bit boring despite their relationship being very realistic. But who wants realism!? The birth secret was also very obvious and ho-hum and didn't really need to be in the drama. I am also SO glad neither character went noble idiot on the other but I was annoyed with Ae-Ra giving an ultimatum to Dong-Man. I understand being worried and scared but that's not cool to make the person you love choose between you and his dreams.

Finished Suspicious Partner over the weekend. I loved it in the beginning but when the romance really started heating up is when I started to lose interest. I also really liked Nam Ji-hyun's character in the beginning but I wanted to strangle her by the end. My brother was like 'I could never be with someone like her' because she was so emotional which made her make some silly choices in the relationship. Ji Chang-Wook's character was constantly trying to talk things out with her, to make things work and be straight-forward while Nam Ji-hyun's character just put up huge walls for no comprehensible reason. The ending was also lacking. The conclusion to the murder plot felt rushed and unsatisfying, then the drama spent the remaining 30 min. on weird back-and-forth relationship stuff that made the relationship not feel very stable. The drama started out super adorable and I loved it but then I lost almost all interest towards the middle and end.

I watched 1 episode of both Bride of the Water God and Forest of Secrets over the weekend.

FoS seems like it will be amazing and I am already blown away by everything. Acting, plot, directing, cinematography. Now I just need to find time to actually watch more!

BotWG seems hmmmm... I can see potential and I like the general plot. I also like both Nam Joo-Hyuk and Shin Se-Kyung. But the execution seems a bit too cheesy and even embarrassing to me. Some of the sound effects the drama uses makes me cringe, and the side characters are extremely annoying. I've not met Krystal or Gong Myung yet but the secretary and servant of the 2-main characters are almost unwatchable. I am eager to see the arrogant powerful god be brought to his knees by a human woman so I will keep giving it a go, I just wish the execution and the secondary actors were better.

I recently just watched Once Upon A Time, the Chinese movie of Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms, and goodness, it was such a disappointment.

The show was all over the place with its messy scene transitions, strange inclusions of scenes taking up unnecessary airtime (that Ye Hua cooking scene was just... O_o), odd characterisations, and incoherent plot-line.

I've read that a lot of viewers found the movie to be a disappointing mess, and after seeing it and that haphazard and bizarre ending, I think I can understand where they are coming from.

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August 12, 2017 at 2:21 PM

Here is a western online review, for another perspective.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/once-a-time-1028971

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32 Lord Cobol

August 11, 2017 at 9:15 AM

Watching (and enjoying)
Bride of the Water God
Falsify
King Loves
Strongest Deliveryman

Just watching: Criminal Minds

Cringing: Rescue Me

Having fun lately putting a "Get to Know" me and some kdrama-site-rants on my fan wall.

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33 anugp61

August 11, 2017 at 9:16 AM

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34 anugp61

August 11, 2017 at 9:32 AM

Happy OT Friday folks.Hope you guys are doing well over there :)
I haven't commented on anything for a loooooong looong time and RL is being so suffocating I have very little time to watch any dramas. I'm down to watching just two: Women of Dignity and School 2017

BUT I watched Forest of Secrets, binged it and boy oh boy I'm so in love with it. I know I'm late to the FoS train, but can I gush how wonderful that drama is. How perfect Bae Doona was as a female police officer? Tough, bad ass also so compassionate and loving-and cute beyond words <3 . Also that adorable, sweet smile on Jo Seung-woo at the end.........Kyaaaaaaaahhh. I'm melting now..

School 2017 : More swooning and melting. *At this rate of melting I'd just have to flow instead of walk* :P. Anyway I'm impressed how cohesive the story is and how cleverly they handle teenager issues -bullying, stress, competition,helicopter moms and even loss of friendships. Hope this keeps up being good till the very end.

<Women of dignity : Oooh bring it on ladies!This does a very good job of portraying unique women,each strong in their own way. Love the subtle way characters are pitted against each other, offering a stark comparison amongst them-
1. Mistresses:one is decent (surgeon's extra-martial affair) and other is absolute trash ( Ahn Jae Suk's mistress)
2. The men, husbands, lovers Vs the lawyer Kang Ki Ho
3. Woo Ah-Jin Vs. The Ahn family siblings (idiots-basically)
4. Woo Ah-Jin Vs. Park Bok-Ja
5. Ahjummas/maid servants in different households
6.Park Bok-Ja Vs. The entire elite society
7. Men Vs Women

Ah Woo jin is absolutely amazing, but my heart hurts for Park Bok-Ja. Kudos to both actresses for capturing the subtleties of their respective characters.

Checking the first episode of Manhole :It was definitely funny a lot of LOL moments-but I don't know, to me it feels a little shallow. Am I being too quick to judge? Should I give the second episode a chance? Fellow beanies what do you say?

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korfan

August 11, 2017 at 10:10 AM

Regarding Manhole, from most of the viewer responses here, it seems like people are still waiting to decide whether to fully commit to it or not. I watched the first episode and thought something was missing, but who knows. I'm watching the second episode later today and I'll see how things go.

Check out the second episode and see what you think. Perhaps it'll be a show you want to continue with or perhaps you'll determine that it's really not for you.

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anugp61

August 11, 2017 at 10:19 AM

Ladytron333

August 11, 2017 at 3:12 PM

August 11, 2017 at 1:35 PM

August 11, 2017 at 8:13 PM

This is brilliant, amazing breakdown of genres. Joseon X-Files has been on my 'to-watch' list since it came out and I keep forgetting about it. I'll bump it back up.

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harmonyfb

August 12, 2017 at 9:59 AM

hyespecially like Chief Kim for badass women, because every single female character is competent and strong - from the custodian to one of the bad guys. Nobody treats them as incompetent or fragile or anything but a coworker. It's awesome.

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PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 7:56 PM

@ gorrjess,

if it has a decent plot with incredibly strong characters, I'll likely be into it. A like a bit of romance, a bit of intrigue, and a lot of B.A women.

I'd like to suggest my gateway sageuk, daily drama THE KING'S DAUGHTER, SU BAEK HYANG. It has everything you're looking for. I'll admit that it chases its tail a bit, but part of that was because the Sochi Winter Olympics and other scheduling changes effectively chopped 12 episodes off the story as it was nearing the end.

Numerous badass women, with the baddest of the bad played to perfection by Seo Hyun-jin. There's plenty of intrigue (and also humor, heartwarming bromance, and heart) in this Three Kingdoms-era tale. REBEL is the screenwriter's follow-up to TKDSBH.

108 episodes of roughly half an hour. Beautiful music. Gorgeous cinematography. Terrific ensemble cast with many veteran actors who bring their A game. Memorable characters, both minor and major. Several swoony princes and kings.

I've got a couple of links to the OST and a dance scene on my fan wall.

I hope this helps. I love this drama to bits. ;-)

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gorrjess

August 11, 2017 at 8:17 PM

I haven't ever got into a daily drama and 100+ episodes will be near impossible to binge over a weekend, but I'll throw this on my list of ones to check out. You've definitely sold it to me (I love a good bromance). I only know Seo Hyun Jin from MILK and haven't watched any of her dramas or movies.

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August 11, 2017 at 6:19 PM

I saw that article too--I thought it was really strange.

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45 harmonyfb

August 11, 2017 at 6:39 PM

As all my shows wind down, I've been looking for others to take up the slack. I tried to find a place to watch Criminal Minds, but haven't been able to yet. :sad face:

I tried Strongest Delivery, but that floppy-haired, sweet-faced young man could not blot out the terrible writing. :sigh:

And then I tried Forest of Secrets. Ok, so the 'emotionless bastard' is an old and tired conceit, but I'm enjoying the tension of the 'trust no one' workplace, and the competent policewoman who is clearly not there to just be pretty (I don't think I've seen Bae Doo-na before, and I really like her acting!) I'm two episodes in and looking forward to bingeing the heck out of it this weekend. :)

Korean shows at the library are still flying off the shelves - Chief Kim has a huge wait list, and we just added Secret Garden, much to the delight of my romance-loving patrons. Today I sent a woman looking for mystery series home with Crime Squad (aka 'Detectives in Trouble') and Two Weeks. :)

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wonhwa

August 11, 2017 at 9:46 PM

I was also extremely wary of Forest of Secrets' cold emotionless male lead/warm and fuzzy female lead combo since I usually hate that trope, but here they do it really well. It helps that both actors rock.

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harmonyfb

August 12, 2017 at 7:37 AM

Oh, yeah - they're both working it very well. It was more a side-eye at lazy writers.

BTW, the over-sensitivity to sound is called misophonia. I read an article the other day which mentioned a study in which they found that the brains of sufferers had physical differences from non-sufferers, which caused a disproportionate reaction (usually anger) to certain sounds. Very interesting & I'm glad I don't have it.

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46 Katrina

August 11, 2017 at 7:37 PM

Not to comment but a question. I have Drama fever and viki tv. But I don't see any indication they they'll have Manhole or Live Up to Your Name. Does anyone know where they'll be?

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bbstl

August 12, 2017 at 9:25 AM

You can read background on this in the above Comment #40 thread. It looks like we're all in the dark ? grrrrrrrr

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47 PakalanaPikake

August 11, 2017 at 7:38 PM

I finally got around to watching JEALOUSY INCARNATE, and totally loved it. I had Hwa-shin pegged from the get-go.

Just finished marathoning THE KING 2HEARTS, and really enjoyed it as well. Ha Ji-won is terrific as usual. I got a kick out of hearing her speak with a North Korean accent. It reminded me of the second female lead in SOULMATE, who spoke with a quaint, sing-song intonation.

Watching both these shows remedied the Jo Jung-seok deficiency I didn't know I had. He is a blast and a half. And now I finally know why everyone refers to Eun Shi-kyung as Earnest Bot. ;-)

Also in my Levity Enhancement Protocol: CHIEF KIM, for a long-overdue infusion of Namgung Min. I loved the show. It was surreal at times. Just what the doctor ordered. ;-)

August 11, 2017 at 11:19 PM

Waiting for someone to write about boys over flowers in revisiting drama section . It's that drama which made a lot of us a kdrama convert ?

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1 Ally

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