The Problematic of the Unproblematic

Oh Oppa... If you had only followed the wise story below, you would have been so much happier ... Episode 17 Shuk: The Emergency Department doctors work feverishly on Chang-hee, and, for once in a KDrama, managed to bring him back.   kakashi: Yes, this came as a (major) surprise. But then, we should have known people don't die easily in the WAML universe: If #WhenAWomanFlies survives that , uri Chang-hee can easily survive a drop on concrete. Headfirst. Easily. Shuk: So maybe SK medicine isn’t so bad. He’s in a coma though, with fluctuating vitals. JoAnne: Called it. kakashi:  yeah. There's evidence of this on Twitter. I wasn't serious though. You? And let me note that Oppa is doing a good job, worrying. No bulgy eyes, but genuine sadness. Why is he so much better in this than in basically everything he has done before?

And I don't even bother to write more than this.  (well, he tweets that he's on a diet, but ... uhm... WHO THE FUCK CARES????) ABS

It's raining Liebster awards in the KDrama blogger community! I love the name (and wonder who came up with it?) and I love that I got nominated - or rather, WE got nominated, because I'm definitely not blogging all by myself... lafer, Shuk, JoAnne, bcook, latteholic , this is for you, too! *clap, clap, clap*  Thank you so much, kfangirl , for thinking this blog is mention-worthy! It means a lot to me to be nominated by you in particular because I love your blog - you do the best (and probably the longest) reviews ever. I particularly value the ones you did for Vampire Prosecutor and Vampire Prosecutor 2 because VP is among my Top 10 KDramas and I cannot wait for Season 3.  Friends of VP are friends of mine ... and good friends of VP are good friends of mine! So, the rules for receiving this award properly (after being nominated) are: List 11 random facts about yourself. Answer the questions designated by the blogger who nominated you. Place YOUR nominations for th

We continue our journey into the depth of the human soul in Episode 5 of TEN2 . This episode is Part 2 of a double episode named "Addict" (Part 1 is recapped here ). In Part 1, Ji-hoon and Do-shik positioned themselves against each other, with Baek Do-shik going after the prime suspect (Kang Jong-yoon) with a vengeance, mainly due to the history he shares with that guy, and Yeo Ji-hoon firmly believing that Kang is the victim of a set-up, trying to prove Do-shik wrong (and winning this battle against him at the same time. Cause .... boys. Nuff said). While continuing the case and ultimately solving it, TEN2 keeps circling around the central themes of "forgiving and forgetting", and in particular, engages further with the aftermath of Ji-hoon's egoistical mis-use of the friendship and trust he shared with his team (or rather, his team shared with him). In this episode, these issues are finally brought into the open. Getting over them is part of the healing of

ShukNote: One thing you can say about Oppa, there is no guessing how he feels about you. And that includes you, Missy. JoNote: Oh, I know how he feels about me . ShukNote: [gag] kakaNote: Is it just me or is the squeeing getting a bit harder these days? I keep looking out for oppa's abs to deal with things, but ........ Episode 16 Shuk: It’s breakfast time at the mountainside resort. Tae-sang offers Mi-do coffee, saying she told him on the train how much she enjoyed drinking it when she travelled. She denied saying it, but looked startled when Tae-sang mentioned that she remembered the train ride. Little girl, you are so BUSTED. Her face registers her slipup. The rest of them continue on as if nothing momentous happened. JoAnne: As is only to be expected, since they really count for nothing here. Can’t we start killing off some of the minor characters yet? kakashi: Thank you, JoAnne, for bringing that up. There are at least 10 characters that should be thrown in front of

ShukNote: Poor Oppa just can’t get a break, as the events surrounding Mi-do’s accident created an area around filled with hateful people and evildoers. And is Mi-do’s memory really as damaged as we think it is? JoNote: Yes, it is. kakaNote: Her brain was certainly never a big one. So it can't be really badly hurt either The theme song of this episode is " Beyond the Stars " by Evans Blue (it's not Korean, but sooo apropos) Episode 15 Shuk: In the hospital waiting room, the two suitors sit in similar positions but as far apart from each other as possible. Idol Boy runs out from the room and says she’s regained consciousness, and they both hustle to her room. JoAnne: Don’t understand why it’s not her parents, but whatever. This is way more dramatic. kakashi: I really like Oppa's shoes! (btw, people: most of this SqueeCap's gifs are made in Shukland, cause this woman has been away collecting shells on Denmark's shores. I think they

This is part 1 of a double-episode and I guess it was necessary to spend a slightly unexciting hour to set the stage for a fantabulastic episode 5. At the center of this episode is uri Viper Do-shik and we finally find out where he has been hiding (and partly why he has). We are still cleaning up the damage done by Ji-hoon and his egoistic decisions over the Tape Murder Cases and forgiving/forgetting remain the central themes of TEN2. The most exciting bits for me were when Ji-hoon and Do-shik butt heads, forcefully. But it hurts to see them that opposed to each other ... solving this case is not going well because of it and I really hope they get over their egos and resolve their differences. You love each other, guys! Everybody knows that!!     Special Affairs Team TEN 2 - Episode 4 Addict, Part 1 4 years ago, at dusk. A man drives a small truck up a windy road. He talks to his wife on the phone and she expresses unease about him "heading over there". He al

Episode 14 HEEEAARRTBREAKKKK! Shuk: Tae-sang watches the two lovers badmouth him on the video camera, and he realizes they have been mocking him the entire time. In his anger, he shatters the ceramic dolls and pounds on Mi-do’s door. She pretends to be asleep, but his anger drains when he sees her sleeping, and all that’s left is sorrow. JoAnne: Not mocking him, but ascribing the worst of human behavior to him - which to me is actually WORSE. He’s been nothing but a benefactor to both and my heart breaks for Oppa to see this ungratefulness - especially because he never asked for anything in return. I am going to try and fail gloriously at not swearing in this installment, you realize this right? kakashi: I got Shining vibes from him, actually. Look at him waltzing in like a zombie! This is no teddy bear ... 

aka. Why everybody is afraid of puppy LSG LSG = Lee Seung Gi First off, it may seem that this blog community is watching one of two show *cuts eyes at the squeecaps people* but that's not the case! Some of us *cough* me *cough* are watching Gu Family Book (GFB)! GFB is an epic story of a young gumiho who wants desperately to be human. Why? you ask. What's a gumiho? Why is it bad? Why can't he learn to love himself for who he is!!! What's not to love? Well, Gumiho stands for nine tailed fox. A Gumiho is a mythical creature ound in Korean, Japanese and Chinese fables/legend/myths. It's kind of like a bad fairy or a shapeshifter. The Gumiho is a carnivore and traditionally takes on the guise of a woman to trick/lure men to their doom (where have we heard that story before?)

CUCKOLD Middle English cokewald , from Anglo-Norman * cucuald , from cucu, the cuckoo, from Vulgar Latin * cucculus , from Latin cuculus . So, Han Tae-sang (and his bulgy Dr. Jin eyes) now knows what his chippy and his protege have been doing on the sly. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR HAN TAE-SANG? Episode 13 Shuk: We get a little peek at the nighttime goings-on at President Han’s house: Jae-hee scurrying away, wondering how Mi-do is doing, and the damsel in question throwing herself on the bed with all the drama of a spicy bodice-ripper. And our resident hot homeowner with not-happy thoughts running around in his head. JoAnne: Scurry away, shameful person. kakashi: Oppa is still in denial here. For a few moments longer. Wondering, doubting, but not wanting to see. By the way, this episode made me cry.

And on we go with recapping this delight! It seems that brevity is not my specialty ... I am working on that. Even though I don't really see the point in being brief about this show. It is too good to be brief about ... TEN has interesting cases, of course, but TEN is so much more: It is about a set of complicated characters and their relationships and each episode reveals a little more about one or several of them. This episode is mainly about Yeo Ji-hoon again. We are back to his past, but way before the F cases. And we are back to the here and now and his attempt to move on. Let's see how deals with that ... Special Affairs Team TEN 2 - Episode 3 A feather falls. A man speaks: He is giving a lecture in front of a room full of policemen. "When you see the rotten body of a child", he says, "it is hard to show respect or manners. You will start treating people like objects. But the moment you lose your composure when facing a culprit is the moment the i

Episode 12 Shuk: Han Tae-hee calls out, and Lee Jae-hee slowly turns around, and the deer in the headlight gaze lands on his boss. Jae-hee quick-thinks and tells him they need more wine glasses. kakashi: Temporarily saved! But only because Tae-san ist a bit ... slow?  Oppa, searching for his horns Shuk: Back in his hotel room, Jae-hee has a minor freakout. JoAnne: Yeah but not about Oppa. You were a jerk just now, Chubs. A person likes who they like, no matter who else likes them, or whether that person likes them back or not. It can’t be helped. It’s either celebrated or endured. You are in the enduring category, Chubs. Throwing people up against walls when they don’t want you to do it is a bad choice. kakashi: I don't really get why he freaks out. Is it because he did not get the sheksi time with the fishface he so desired? Or is he afraid of Oppa's muscles? 

The Deck has now become the outdoor and better-smelling version of the Bathroom Stall of Overheard Information. Will Oppa let PissyFace go to England? Will Chub’s obsession turn darker? Is there enough plot to handle another 10 episodes? Can we please have one of our guys end up shirtless (even Lavender Locks at this point)? kakashi: People! Shuk learned how to make gifs! She did all the ones with pretty people and let me do all the ones with Lavender Grandpa. But it's okay. It's okay. Yes, it's okay... [*goes and cries in a corner*]  Episode 11 Shuk: Seo Mi-do tells a waiting Han Tae-sung to break up, all being watched by our third wheel, second string, first rate stalker, Lee Jae-hee. JoAnne: Eaves-droppers never hear any good, Chubs. kakashi: And the eaves-dropped-ones never see the eaves-droppers in KDrama. Like they're blind or something. Oh wait: is someone turning blind finally??!

Thank you, show, for making it a pleasure to think about you for a long time. The more KDrama I watch, the more I appreciate the gems. And this one definitely is that: a gem. Warning : If you have not yet seen TEN2, don't read this post. It contains major *SPOILERS*!  With Episode 2 of TEN2 , the Green Duct Tape Murder-arch has come to a (temporary) end. 'Temporary' because we know that the real F is still out there - but 'end' because Yeo Ji-hoon's nemesis is behind bars, and Ji-hoon has decided to 'move on'. But also 'temporary' because this moving on will not be easy for our sheksi detective, that much is already clear from episodes 3 and 4. And 'temporary' because the real F could strike again any time ... (and probably will?). Still, this temporary end invites some rumination - and ruminate I shall!  Cause to ruminate I like! What I value most about the TEN series is that the show does not waste a single character. All

I must say, recapping is a lot of work. I suspected that, being smart an all, and that's why I tried to keep away from it. Couldn't resist this one, though ... I do wonder how some people (*looks at Dramabeans*) churn out recaps a few hours after the episode aired? And like ... almost every day?! That's insane! (I mean insane in a good way). That said, I am quite glad that TEN2 is my first recapping project: It's both short and exciting. Very much so. Okay, and it's also suuuuper complicated, my goodness! But doing these recaps also helps me understand what is going on. Or at least helps me try to understand ; with all my might. Yes, understanding the plot is the main aim, which means lengthy, lengthy descriptions (and forgive me for doing some spazzing on the side, too). What I really wanted to say is this: I am sorry this is so epic.  Special Affairs Team TEN 2 - Episode 2 Understand, Part 2 We open with a very depressed team in a semi-dark office that

So, I've done it: I have in earnest decided to do a recap. This is a big moment, because I once swore there would be no recaps on this blog - mainly because I wanted this blog to be revolutionary different from other blogs (yeah ... good luck with that) - and because there are so many awesome recappers out there already (Marketing 101: don't compete in fields where you have nothing much to offer). Good thing I only swore this to myself so that breaking the vow comes with zero consequences. And breaking it was almost natural, not least because of how much fun working on the When A Man Loves SqueeCaps is. True, true, I'm only the giffer there, but still ... What, you don't care about all this at all? Yeah, figures. Stop justifying that you're recapping this to yourself, kakashi. Nobody cares. Special Affairs Team TEN 2 - Episode 1  Understand, Part 1 We are back to where we left off before the epilogue last season - the abandoned warehouse, a terrified Ye-r

Shuk: So our young pair is cheerfully chatting while Tae-sang listens to them. He ducks out before they can see him, and he ends up in his car, his shoulder pain back with a vengeance. JoAnne: Last night Kakashi and I had a brief discussion about what this portends. I feel that this is emotional pain because Oppa is very unsure about whether Mi Do is serious about him. (Oppa, come to me. I won’t make you doubt!) Kakashi thinks he’s going to die from it, because this is a melo and she’s been waiting for people to die and she no longer wants Grandpa Leeteuk to be one of them. Whatever. As I said last night…there was no cancer on that knife. And my Google Fu returns a big ‘aniyo’ on the question of whether you can get amnesia or a heart condition from being stabbed. Well, you could: PTSD, or if you got stabbed in the heart…but not this time. And no one ever dies from anything else in a Korean Drama, so I figure he’s safe. kakashi: I am not convinced. I think doom is