Rants and Weekly Raves #266 (RAWR)

kakashi: I'm travelling! I keep thinking I want to start Nokdu, but I don't really want to. Don't feel like watching anything, fml. I find this time of the year difficult. It's so dark and I feel the tooth of time (hope your teeth issues are resolved, Panda!!)

KOREA

Tale of Nokdu

I don't know why I'm surprised because this show is a saeguk after all, but the show that seemed intriguing but frothy in the beginning haas gotten darker and darker as more blood has been spilled and with us know the inevitable triumph of crazed evil--since we know the history--the only question is how many more people will die and if our lovers will ever have a moment where they will be happy before one of them also dies. You do have to love Yeon-geun who just keeps loving who he loves no matter what.

Catch a Ghost

The show has an interesting focus. Has there been a show about subway cops before? I also like the male lead and Moon Geun Young is good in everything (although, I'm going to be shallow and remark how much I hate her hair cut in this). It's also the kind of show I usually like: mystery in the workplace. But MGY's character bothers me even though I understand her desperation. Her running rough shod over people because of her passion for the law just makes me cringe--even more so because she ignores the idea that other people might be suffering with family pain, too. I'm hoping that when she sees how her partner is struggling with taking care of his mother (who suffers from dementia), she won't be as myopic in her focus. I've only watched 3 eps. Won't get a chance to catch up, so maybe this already happens.

Extra-Ordinary You

I really watched the heroine this week because I wanted to see if I could see why so many people are complaining about her. I've seen a lot of she cries too much or she talks to much, especially people who have read the webtoon and don't like what the actress is doing with character. Although, there seems to be an equal number of people who blame the director. I did find her a bit annoying earlier when I thought she wasn't taking the situation seriously enough, but i thought both she an Do Hwa weren't equally, but it seems that now they have witnessed the gravity in their actions by seeing Haru disappear, they are both better. They seem overtly determined to enjoy the time they have & try not to make waves that might risk it, but what happens if the changes they are making aren't completely in their hands either? What about the other story where she and Haru are in the love triangle at center of story. And all the people I know think both Ju Da and the younger brother know about the stages.

CHINA/TAIWAN

HIStory3: Make Our Days Count

The show is trying to woo me back with cuteness of a teenage boy recognizing that he has a major crush, being completely open about it, and pursuing the person with food offerings. But you are going to have to do more than that Hao Ting!! You are a complete doofus, too, for asking Sun for advice (when he's more problematic than you are) and for outing Sun even though that was an accident. You need to stop thinking about things only from your own perspective. I'm really hoping that there is a time jump so these two can grown up some more. I mean why would Hao Ting assume something bad when he saw Xi Gu at the club when he has to know he needs money!! Ugg. I just want to slap people again.

JAPAN

Banjo no Himawari/The Sunflower on the Shogi Board

Our "hero" admits to being a murderer, but am I a horrible person because I hopes he goes free since I think it is his incredibly abusive dad that he might have killed? There are only four episodes to this show, but I'm dragging it out because these Shogi games that are a part of this show are so tense. I couldn't believe he followed that gambler just because he was so good at Shogi and didn't think he'd be robbed once he found out about that valuable piece. i would have slept with that Shogi piece on my person!

Sherlock: Untold Stories

THAILAND

The Blacklist

Whew. Well I watched two episodes, so I could catch up and both were much better than the first. Each focused on a different member of the Blacklist team and what they bring to the table. Highlight's gift with understanding others and being able to be the mediator really helped save a life in episode 3, and he is my favorite of the group, and it's not just because he's played by Ohm. I was really surprised how much ep 4, focusing on Title really moved me. He is part of the goofy duo but when his old girlfriend shows up, he really shows that he can be serious and devoted but so can his goofy duo buddy. I understand why he decides to leave the group. He would be a liability now that the God's Group knows who he is and that he's after them. But I doubt this will be for long, but God seems to know about them all, including the Veggie Gang--the girl group of friends that's tangentially linked to them. I hope Title gets to heal up though before he has to fight again.

Dark Blue Kiss

Thank goodness for Sandee. Maybe she will finally get through to Pete. She's the one that warns Pete he's going overboard and not just about the Non situation but with his jealousy over the fact that Kao is still hesitant about coming out about their relationship publicly. She has to also remind them that Kao doesn't just want Pete to pay for things for him. I'd be done with him if Kao wasn't such a cinnamon roll. Also, we have more movement with the SunMork pair. Their plot moves along so well. Rain notices that they bicker over nothing, which is true, but I like that Mork is really wanting to improve and is also providing the kind of support Sun needs. It was a great idea to go to other coffee shops together to try out the competition, and of course we got a great musical montage that made up for the angst of the PeteKao pair.