Rants and Weekly Raves #108 (RAWR)

Who needs words?    
I do, to tell him how much I appreciate his jawline. 

Korea

MoonJoonGi

I don't know how much more of this I can take.  
The question is: Will it get worse before it gets better or better before it gets worse? Oh, or worse before it gets even worser?              

Apart from that, I do have a question that I have been pondering for a while. HOW ON EARTH is it possible to completely mess up the editing in something that took so long to pre-produce? I mean, the scale of mess-up is as epic as Joongi's and Haneul's performance. Also, the camera-guy is either a rookie or was constantly drunk. He simply never focuses his camera. How did they not see that?! I'm quite flabbergasted.    
It was so bad last night that even I noticed and couldn't Pollyanna my way into believing it must be me not paying attention, because hello, I'm paying attention to this like it's my newborn babe. I'm mentally braced for tonight, but the preview for next week... I might be too weak for this.

MoonBogummy

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, sadnesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss. This drama has just flipped from so cute your teeth hurt to so sad your teeth fall out.
Make sure to collect them and put them under your pillow for the tooth fairy. 

Go Ho's Starry Night (new)

Why are these short dramas so much fun? Go Ho is a 29yr old ad exec with a grumpy ex team lead who secretly likes her and a new team lead who's her ex-boyfriend - and she has no idea why they broke up, so it's particularly awkward. They are both cuties we've liked here before, so yay for me. Especially because one of them is that tall drink of water Kim Young Kwang. Add in a rotating cameo cast including a name that will interest our Kakashi quite a bit, and it's thoroughly enjoyable. At 20 minutes an episode, you'll be scarfing them up like chips. Update: 7 episodes last night. Two this morning. Crack.
KIM JI HOOOOOOON! When, when when?! I actually watched the first episode. Sadly, I really dislike Kim Young Kwang. Always have. I'm not even sure why, he just acts in a way that makes me want to smack him from here to Timbuktu. Sadly, he will be in Kim Ji-hoon's next drama too, sadly as lead.

Let's Drinking

Jaehyus: This professor Jin: doesn't he realize he's actually a second-choice for the imaginary "top quality" woman he kept describing?  He's taken being a total jerk to a whole new level. I hope he begs on his knees to Hana. She has a tough life and does her level best to take everything in stride, but getting bullied like that is too much, and from someone who was being good to her must be a total betrayal.    
He was a fucking DICK last night. And you are so right. Sure, he's the best teacher in all the cram schools in Noryeongin, but it's a cram school. That woman? She might date a high-profile professor at SKY if he has an international reputation, but she's not dating HIM.
It turns out that top quality woman he kept describing and who came into his life had one hell of a nasty temper. That was an awesome scene. And who knew two women dancing to 90s kpop and then crying over the men in their lives three times in a row could be so funny? While the amount of alcohol these people put away is amazing, since they are not sick or spotty or, yunno, dead, the characters and plot are fantastic.   

 

Woman with a Suitcase

Trotwood: This is the only drama I'm watching besides Unmei Ni, Nita Koi (Destiny-Like Love), a Japanese show with the absolutely delicious Takumi Saito. He literally had me and missnelly and newdramaaddict turning into puddles of goo over a water bottle. Anyway, I'm liking this show even though I agree with the criticisms. yes, the heroine was a fake, ad she went to jail for it. I agree she should've went to jail for it. I also understand the criticism that all bad things seem to happen because of bitchy harpy women, but I don't think the big mystery is going to be that simple. I really love the heroine. Also, even though I'm getting a but tired of the male lead doing the assery male lead bit, I love that he's not falling for the bad sister bull shit. I'm enjoying hating her (though I think they may try to turn her around later). I love the frenemy to heroine that calls out the bad sister. I love the paralegal team and I like the 2nd lead. That's a lot of people that I like, which means there is no fastforwarding. I also watched ep 4 at only 85% because I needed to find out what happened at end of ep 3. This is a solid start in my book. 
I also like this. I don't think jail was uncalled for - she skated too close to that line, if not deliberately crossing it - but she went to jail because of that Tomy guy, you watch. It's her true connection to Hamburger, though neither know it. What I don't understand is why the sister is now evil, unless it's that she is working to overcome her earlier scandal - sorry, you sleep with a married man, that's what you get, but he should get it too - and can't afford to be publicly linked with her sister who now also has a scandal.  But if that's it, then why not still be family behind the scenes?  They were close enough initially, with no hint of animosity.  Maybe her sister sent her to jail...who knows.
Frenemy has some suspicions about that sister. Sister's new boss seems to know things about her. But, yes, I, too, don't get the animosity she seems to feel against our heroine.

Jealousy Incarnate

Ah, we're in it now, aren't we? I dread what comes next as much as I can't wait to see it. Do they get together and destroy his long, long friendship and strain the connections between members of those families? Do they deny themselves what they feel? It's not like Na Ri and Jung Won have been dating long, after all. So would it really have to be a nuclear explosion in that little circle? She seems to leave the area, despite having gotten the job. I'm not sure if that's temporary or intended to be permanent. She removes herself from the situation, which is wise, but what about her younger brother, then? Who takes care of him? I know there's that stepmother, maybe she does. Why couldn't Hwashin leave? Ah, he's sick. He has treatments and may need family help down the road. Ppalgan isn't an argument for him because she has her mothers and her grandmother. And Jung Won has the business to run, how can he walk away from that? This is one big mess - I love it!

On the Way to the Airport

I started watching. It's the Swoon Power that got me to do it! I couldn't resist! Let me tell you, this drama is gorgeous. So is Swoon Dimples. And his acting gets me right in the heart. Another drama that hurts? Damn, and it's actually good. I now WANT them to adulter. No, maybe I want them to suffer more and be electrified in each other's presence and guilty for just feeling great with each other and not their spouses. They sizzle. And they actually make my heart race.
I'm just starting episode 4, after starting episode 1 last night. They're only slightly starting to feel sizzle, although they have felt connection. I like it too. A lot goes unsaid but not in the Kdrama way of just not answering questions so that things drag out. It keeps you curious, not frustrated.

We could discuss the morality of this show, but I don't want to. In my book, it's not immoral to show an immoral act - especially not if the characters struggle with their feelings so, so much. They know it is wrong. They want to not cross the line. They try to be good, to do the "right thing". But their partners have let them down in so many ways, and they are SO right for each other and their emotional needs, I cannot fault them. The portrayal of their instant attraction and their attempts to find ways to deal with their emotions is very real to me. Affairs are a central element of human relationships, if we like it or not. This is a drama who does not glorify or bedevil them, but makes a point in showing how difficult it is if you fall in love with a person you should not fall in love with. 
Everything you just said. Plus, people are complicated. Our responses can be so out of whack with what we even expect from ourselves...story-telling MUST include these stories. They are part of us. Rejecting the stories doesn't make reality change. Figuring out why people do things, though, being able to gain some insight without real feelings being involved - isn't that valuable? Observing behavior is not condoning it. Update:  All caught up. I don't think I actually like either woman, though one is certainly presented more sympathetically than the other.  I think they're both rather shockingly selfish.

Shopping King Louie

Just haven't gotten back to this yet...I hear good things, though.   

1% of Anything (New)

I couldn't watch more than approx. 6 episodes of the original. I will not even try. And what is "Dramax" (where it is airing)?
I think I saw half of the first episode a few years ago. I have no idea what it's about and I'm deliberately not inquiring. I don't have any expectations or hopes and can't even remember who is in it. Or was in it. It's mostly here because 'oh! new!' and at this point, is in my mental 'easy drop' list.
It's one of the few dramas Kang Dong Won ever did. 
I think that's why I tried.
Jaehyus: this could've been so funny, but no, it was tedious. Disappointed.
I don't think it will stay that way. The frustrating bit was that they didn't simply show her a picture of the man and clear up the confusion. That was just stupid.  But I do like her, and I think watching him get taken down a few pegs might be fun.

The K2

High Five!

This is weirdly funny for a dark revenge drama. I like it, though. I like the way I keep having to realign my assessment of people as the good guy or the bad guy in a situation. The saddest thing to me this week: he brings her ice cream with strawberries, and when she hears that her father said to bring it, she says then she must eat it all, of course. It sounds sort of playful. Then as she tells the story of her childhood and begins to suffer from an allergic reaction, you realize: she thought her father sent the berries because he knew they would kill her. How very sad that was.
From the sidelines (I am not watching), this gives me Yong Pal vibes. Which, unfortunately, I don't like.  
cherkell: I'm more upset that there wasn't another shower beat-down scene. I could get used to those in a heartbeat. And I was getting major 'Oldboy' vibes from that umbrella scene; just substitute a hammer and the illusion would be complete. I am in LUUUVE with the cinematography (case in point: the sprinklers going off *swoons*) where it looks like Chuno PD-nim has utilized some film noir examples into his work. But Chuno PD-nim also needs to restrain himself a bit - some of the scenes go on waaaaay too long for my taste. We don't need 4 minutes of a ramyun CF when 2 minutes will do the job, arraso?

Hey, where's MY ramyun? I'm a growing boy, yannow!

But seriously (and FINALLY), we see more of the plot featuring Ahn-na and how she came to be in the state she's currently in. Rather a majorly fucked-up life that poor girl has been subjected to, with no help from her weaselly-weasel of a father and dubious excuse for a stepmother. To be surrounded after her birth mother's untimely demise (still unknown as to exactly how at this point) with such incompetent cretins would make me a bit off as well. Since I never watched Yawn-pal, I've been staying away from the comparisons between that show and K2. I trust that Writer-nim made a point to read the press after it wrapped in order to not make the same mistakes again. But we shall see, ne?

Ji Chang Wook, although I had my doubts over your being typecast yet again, I could not LOVE YOU MORE for taking on this character. *squeeeee* Most of all, congratulations to all the cast and crew for the 6.6% ratings on Episode 6! I pray that The Show can keep up these numbers throughout the next 10 episodes. In the meantime, we dance for joy!

Or not...

Fantastic

This poor doc, are they going to keep him nearly dead every episode? That's just cruel. Still, what I love most about this show is that it gives us friends all pulling together to help each other in whatever way possible, with all the love and kindness in the world. Oh, and Ji Soo. You cannot discount the Ji Soo factor, because it's very high. Very, very high. Even if we have only seen him a bit due to his health situation, this is my very most favoritest Ji Soo role ever and I want him to play adults from now on. Puppy adult, but still, an adult.

Not Korea

Ice Fantasy

Now that I have finally seen Hu Bing in contemporary attire/hair, I am absolutely enraged that he wears this Wonderwoman crap. Fire King INDEED.
 How come? Did you *gasp*! google him? Are you.... addicted?  
Some one else did and shared pictures. He's HOT. We need to watch something with him in street clothes.   (butting in even though I'm not watching this show). It was me. I have no regrets because this man is in my age range and is hotter than an erupting volcano.  
Where did you see Hu Bing in street clothes?  Also, he's been in two movies before Ice Fantasy, so perhaps we could find Who Moved My Dream? The other one, Papa, sounded lame, and like he was a minor role.  
And OMG, Granny! 
Nice hairdo.

And this happened.   
A Shi action figure?

But right now, this man steals all the scenes. 
Don't tell JoAnne or she might go after him.    
The Ice Flame Lord is mine!
He's nice looking, but I'd have to see him in action first.

Mine.

Fo Ye, Back on Track

Goddamit, they are cute.    
Did you see how their noses fitted together? 
They should date in real life, that much is clear. You don't find someone easily whose nose fits that well underneath yours when you kiss!      
He has a girlfriend of two or more years, though...    
Five plus, I thought? 
 I think I don't care. He can date two women, I allow it.     
They might not, though.  
But oh, they are so cute. I should start watching again. It's almost the end. Start there.   

Lucifer

Ohhhhhh, mommy Lilith is fun!!  
I loooove that actress, can't wait to watch the episode.
It was really, really good! So far, I like Season 2 much better than I liked Season 1.
I remain very interested in Amenadiel and Maze and the doctor and it does seem like they are more central characters now.

Luke Cage

This is Netflix's next installment in the Defenders universe and though I have only seen two episodes so far - which I found rather slow, story-wise - I am intrigued by the music and by the 99% PoC actors in this. I adore Simone Missick as Mysty Knight and I've always been a great fan of Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple. There definitely wasn't enough of her in Daredevil 2. I do hope this picks up a little though. Luke has been reluctant to get involved for 2 full episodes and that is too much for a 13 eps show.
I haven't checked it out yet, but fully intend to.  I liked the character when he appeared in Jessica Jones.  That's what I'm really waiting for, but I hear not until 2018.  That's crazy.

This is Us

I saw the two available episodes this weekend and liked them very much. The 'connection' isn't that hard to figure out before the reveal, but I still like how it was done. I enjoy these kinds of family dramas, when it's not soap opera stuff but just the things that go on in families over the decades of raising children and growing older, and I also like when stories unfold in both present and past, so the way they've structured this appeals to me. I'm looking forward to new episodes.