Rants and Weekly Raves #171 (RAWR)

kakashi: Is everybody back at work? I sure am. I'm pretending my to-do list doesn't exist. I am being, like, really smart about it.
JoAnne: ( If he's here, he shouldn't be ELSEWHERE. ) Hi folks.  Be prepared for even more red below the break.  Kakashi was off in the mountains plus she won't watch Bad Guys until it's fully subbed. Trot is now on vacation in the middle of her OTHER obsession, and Saki is just being super quiet these days.  Panda's getting ready to go back to work, poor thing, and she's currently recapping 17 episodes of T&E a day.  Not much time for anything else.

KOREA

Two Cops 

All caught up! I'm enjoying this show - there's good chemistry and likable leads and I don't really feel squicky about the romance aspect (2 men, with the woman not really knowing that until recently - mostly because the woman HAS been noticing and questioning differences and hasn't traded her brain for her heart, and because all 3 leads are such decent people at heart.

Doubtful Victory 

Is anyone watching this among us?  I know I'm not hearing about it on TList.  I saw the first ep and haven't had a burning desire to go back yet, not that there were issues with the show itself.  I just have other things I want to see more.

Jugglers 

All caught up! I like the relationship between the two leads, and their ex-loves haven't been all that irritating. His not really at all so far, and hers just in bits and pieces. I do expect him to become significantly more obnoxious soon. The company maneuvering has been okay because the jerk directors have been mostly played for laughs, and the other employees are generally nice. All in all, a low-to-no angst watch with just enough emotion to keep your interest and just enough humor and cuteness enough to leave you with a smile. Looking forward to the next episode!
Trotwood: I am really enjoying this show. It's the only current Korean drama I'm watching now. They are so cute together, and what I like is that they have built a level of trust and friendship before their ship sailed. I wonder who the inside spy is. He ex boyfriend is too obvious, and it looks like Director Jo was getting info before he started. I think the ex-wife will be a problem only because she seems very nice and she has so much to offer him (which are also the reasons why he broke up with her). I love how the co-workers are always so wrong in their conclusions. Like when the manager wanted to support her because he thought Chi-Won was hitting her. I also love Yul. He's such a kid but not unkind. I am curious to see where they are going to take his relationship with Jung Ae.
 

Just Between Lovers 

I am very worried about Lee Kang Doo's mental state. He has all that physical pain, and now we find out he hears a voice in his head, too? He's trying so hard, and Moon Soo obviously is very important to him, but he's so very fragile. At the same time: that he's kept going like this, that he's kind, that he has people who love and respect him, that he obviously has so much ability...he's a very strong person. I suppose I am just worried that he's at the outer limit of what he can bear. Drug Dealer Halmeoni has a brain tumor, he thinks she'd be better off with Pillar than him, and that little step-sister/former girlfriend of his isn't hateful, but I think she's capable of bitchiness. I'm worried.

Nothing to Lose 

Another I'm not hearing much about nor do I think any of us are watching.  Too far down on the priority list, even if it IS Chubs.

Smart Prison Living 

This, I do like a lot...but didn't see the episodes from last week.  I hope that guy who stabbed our boy isn't hateful now that they're room-mates.  I do wonder how you politely coexist with someone who stabbed you, though.

Black Knight 

I wonder what happens when Sharon meets that paper boy who got rich. I wish it would happen soon. I'm very, very tired of her stupid insistence on chasing Ji Won. Girl, he is not into you. He never was. He never should have been yours for even a minute, and you need to let it go.
 

I Am Not a Robot 

Oy, we are at the super-painful part. A boy without his robot is a broken heart walking, even if he tries to distract himself by saving his business. Again, emotion is enhanced by our precious Yoo Seung Ho and his Emotion Face, but Chae Soo Bin is killing it as the girl who didn't know what the hell was going on. If ever there was a reason to make a noble decision, the choice to avoid your love forever because having him find out you're real might kill him is a pretty good one. The thing is, it was always pretty dumb of him not to realize, but whatever. I'm going with the conceit because the payoff will be good.  
 

Money Flower

Why don't Pil Joo and Mo Hyun join forces and make a baby? (They don't do such things in Kdrama) They could just carry on privately forever and have a brood of kids. That would really screw over both Executive Jung and Boo Cheon, not to mention Horrible Harabeoji.  

Bad Guys: City of Evil 

There are lying liar sites that lie about having available subbed episodes past episode 4 but they are big fat lying liars.  Has anyone heard anything about this getting picked up anywhere?  WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD?
I feel like we are paying penance for something we did, Jo. I hope whatever it was was fun.
I heard a rumor that episode 5 was subbed and guess what?  IT IS SUBBED!  Trot probably heard me squeek from her very cute little vacation apartment in London!

Hwayugi 

Starts back up January 6th with lots of promises and apologies.  Please be good.  What I saw was fine (and lots of fun) but it's got to be hard to come from behind with so many set problems.  I hope they get past it.
So annoying that this has been a mess. Don't they know I was enjoying it?
I love it.  I love it so much.  Episodes 3 and 4 are available now.  THEY HAVE A ZOMBIE.
 

Untouchable 

My next catch-up project.  I've liked the 3 or 4 episodes I saw - the relationship between the brothers is very interesting.

The Unit

I skipped around in the Christmas special since I didn't care about the fake radio show and the performance clips were from episode 9.  Looking forward to episode 10 - I hear the smiley guy with dreads cuts them off and looks completely different.

NOT-KOREA

Dou What I Say! 

See what you've done now, Jo? He's rather angry. And hurt. And dirty.
I DOU not care.
Shhh, I do, you look good bb but Shawn needs some love.

The Weasel's Grave 

It ends well enough, but this writer has a definite pattern in his storylines. I can't say more because it will spoil it, but there are a lot of similarities in the plots of this and Candle In The Tomb.
All of these have been pretty disappointing.

Tientsen Mystic 

So, so good. The main thing that I'm watching, other than daily dramas.
Nothing really great has happened yet...when does it start to get exciting?
Each episode is interesting and exciting.  What show are you watching?

Advisors Alliance 

If I remember, I might go back to this.
I think I would have more interest in this if I watched episodes more frequently. It IS good. I just keep forgetting about it between recaps.
You are right, I should recap this far more frequently, but time has been so elusive for me recently... 
No, because if you recap more frequently I have to watch it more frequently and that's the problem...when I watch it it's good but I never feel like watching it.

Game of Hunting

We've dropped this...life is too short for a sad-sack Hu Ge. 
Yes, I'm sorry. I just don't see myself having time for this. I already missed 2 deadlines this year and it's only the 4th currently
It's just not entertaining.  Don't feel sorry - I'm SO GLAD not to be continuing.
Hehehehe
I thought it sucked.
A rare moment when we are in complete agreement.

Tribes and Empires 

For now, I've dropped it.  Just got tired of it. I might still pick it up again later.
I'm a week behind but no biggie, there are 7 million more episodes to go.

The Magicians S3

Starts January 10th! I'm excited!

See You in Time

I can't believe that Jo didn't add this when she has been the enabler on twitter selling this show. It's a Taiwanese drama about an international cycling star who comes back home to restart his grandfather's famous cycling team from scratch. This would be challenge enough, but there is romance, a step-brother who thinks he's after the family company (which our guy really isn't), and odd messages from the future after some tragedy that he will really want to prevent. It's also full of really good looking very (very) fit cycling guys. I said on twitter that there are scenes that make it seem like cycling erotica. Also, this show has introduce me to Hans Chung. Thank you.
Ah! I knew I was forgetting something! I had it here last week, though, I think? Man, I can't wait to see the next episode. When a Taiwan Rom-Com is good, it is REALLY good. Good Lord, he's beautiful, isn't he? I wonder what he looks like in historical garb? I could go for a remake of Scarlet Heart with him as the 4th prince...