Rants and Weekly Raves #139 (RAWR)
kakashi: Sneakily, we hit 9 Mio pageviews over the weekend. Congrats!
Trotwood: I'm slowly coming out of the abyss that is the end of the semester. Memorial Day weekend, I should be back in the thick of things. My non-Korean drama ban is over, but I'm just so tired that I'm still not watching much. I'm not even lying to myself about how I'm going to start stuff I said I wanted to watch (Man to Man, Tunnel) and am just going to watch what I am now and maybe marathon some lakorns on Memorial Day.
JoAnne: I still sort of feel like I'm wrapped in cotton wool. Strange days.
Shuk: I still remember the excitement when we hit 1 million! Thank you, all our lovely squeeglets. mwah mwah!
KimJiCaps! KimJiCaps! Yayyyyyyyy!
I'll start watching if we're doing Kimicaps or should I start in halfway through like I did for Bori Bori. Isn't there a long(ish) childhood backstory first?
You are correct, I couldn't be bothered watching fully yet, I ffwarded through it. Lots of tears and hardship. Lots of mean people. The usual.
It had its moments.
Trotwood: I'm slowly coming out of the abyss that is the end of the semester. Memorial Day weekend, I should be back in the thick of things. My non-Korean drama ban is over, but I'm just so tired that I'm still not watching much. I'm not even lying to myself about how I'm going to start stuff I said I wanted to watch (Man to Man, Tunnel) and am just going to watch what I am now and maybe marathon some lakorns on Memorial Day.
JoAnne: I still sort of feel like I'm wrapped in cotton wool. Strange days.
Shuk: I still remember the excitement when we hit 1 million! Thank you, all our lovely squeeglets. mwah mwah!
KOREA
My Secret Romance
Only one episode this week, boooo. Sung Hoon gave some mighty fine kisses though, yayyyyy. He's hiding her from Daddy, and they aren't officially a couple, but they're at least at the stage where she knows he's still got interest in her. I'm guessing she'll wonder if he likes or just wants to sleep with her, though.
Ooooooohhh. Kisses. That was just so (there goes those weird sounds again). Anyway, I love that he is so into her. Sung Hoon really does this so well. He just likes her. He thinks she's beautiful and he feels good when he's with her. He recognizes that. He doesn't have any problem telling her that he's never brought another woman to his house, which I believe. I also like how he is so proud of her when the client loves her food. I liked that moment almost as much as the kiss. almost. But his dad is a problem. I don't get his obsession with grandkids. (Am I the only person on the planet who doesn't really care if my kids procreate?) And he wants that horrible girl as his daughter in law? Is he that dumb that he can't see through her? She's not even an interesting second lead. She and the second lead in 1% should be friends.
Ooooooohhh. Kisses. That was just so (there goes those weird sounds again). Anyway, I love that he is so into her. Sung Hoon really does this so well. He just likes her. He thinks she's beautiful and he feels good when he's with her. He recognizes that. He doesn't have any problem telling her that he's never brought another woman to his house, which I believe. I also like how he is so proud of her when the client loves her food. I liked that moment almost as much as the kiss. almost. But his dad is a problem. I don't get his obsession with grandkids. (Am I the only person on the planet who doesn't really care if my kids procreate?) And he wants that horrible girl as his daughter in law? Is he that dumb that he can't see through her? She's not even an interesting second lead. She and the second lead in 1% should be friends.
The Liar and His Lover (Finale)
I enjoyed the show and it wrapped things up pleasantly but QUICKLY, so quickly. It was the drama-watching experience of your mom feeding you lunch and then the minute you took the last bite she shoved you out the door to go play and leave her alone - it was a good lunch, Mom, but gee - give me a minute to digest! Now that I know the J-movie starred Takeru Sato as the K character I am desperate to watch it, so that's my plan for the weekend. Find it streaming with subs.
Update: Loved the movie. Cut out all the extraneous stuff, focus on the relationship between Aki and Riko. It's very clear why he lies, why she lies, they get caught quickly, and then he makes the big noble sacrifice that breaks both their hearts but gives her a career...or does he? Loved it. Loved it a lot. It does NOT hurt that Takeru Sato, a pretty solid actor, is cute as can be with his messy hair and his chiseled face and his perfect, perfect, perfect mouth and sad brown eyes. If he were my first love I would kiss the bejesus out of that boy.
Whisper
Only one episode here, too, I think. I'll have to double check. People are so coolly vicious to each other in this. I love watching all of them try to keep that so-in-control no-expression look while they're boiling with rage and fighting the urge to claw the skin off each other's faces AND keeping enough presence of mind to say very cutting things. It's sooooo good.
As I tweeted to Jo, there is so much shade thrown in this show that I feel like I should be carrying a lantern when I'm watching it. I literally cheer for everyone's contemptuous lines. Chairman Choi has to die though. He really does. Also, I'm starting to think the product placement is working. I do want Subway when I finish watching it or is it because I watch it while I'm on the treadmill and am starving?
As I tweeted to Jo, there is so much shade thrown in this show that I feel like I should be carrying a lantern when I'm watching it. I literally cheer for everyone's contemptuous lines. Chairman Choi has to die though. He really does. Also, I'm starting to think the product placement is working. I do want Subway when I finish watching it or is it because I watch it while I'm on the treadmill and am starving?
Queen of Mystery
This is getting really intense - at first it seems Inspector Woo is a big fake, and then you learn more and realize he's just as serious about catching the murderer, and for just as personal a reason, as the our local team. He won't let them in, though, so we have two teams working independently but always arriving at the same conclusions, just by different paths. I should be frustrated by the waste of resources but instead it actually heightens the suspense, I think. We have a diabolical murderer to chase but we also have the tension between the two factions, and it all adds up to a pretty interesting couple of hours. One thing though: our lady detective hasn't been home in two or three days...aren't they wondering where she is?
Suspicious Partner (New)
We move through a lot of territory in 4 30-minute episodes (what's the deal with THAT, by the way?) and it's all pretty satisfying, plus our leads look great together. I'm looking forward to next week.
Ruler: Master of the Mask (New)
Another one with 4 30-minute episodes a week? What is this supposed to do for anyone? Episodes 1 and 2 didn't entirely grab me although I was appreciative of the visuals...but now, by the end of episode 4, I am fully on board. I love this. Also, staking my claim right now for the Royal General's son, otherwise known as Cutie Sunbae for AoY, Sageuk Version. MINE.
Father, I'll Take Care of You (Finale)
I enjoyed watching this show, but I'm not sorry to see it end. Although everything resolves well for the people concerned (and my dislike of some characters was mellowed by that) - I do still mostly dislike a few of them even though I have to admit it's probably because of their whining. In the end, people in this drama mostly tried to do the right thing - they just complained about it incessantly and I have a very low tolerance for complainers. We got to see Small/Tall get married, and that was really nice because they were the only ones who were consistently likable. The very ending was funny, another plus. Mostly what I'm left with from the last two episodes is the none-news that family relationships are complicated; if that's the primary goal of this drama, to show that? then they did a good job.
Father is Strange
Well. Our bully has a back story and while I'm not crazy about her at all, I'm fine if you rehab her, Show. Joonie is living with his family and the kids have been really nasty to him, so he gets to look sad and lonely. He has made friends with his intern/sister though, at least. I think I'm going to like when it swings to romance, even the part where they struggle because they think they're related. It's coming, I know it is. I like this show and I like the people in it, although my western sensibilities chafe at some of the moral judging going on. One of my favorite things is turning out to be Hye Young, who is definitely chafing under the burden of traditional expectations for women and is - with respect and love - arguing for her right to live her life the way she wants to live it. Oh! Speaking of morality! We found out why Dad is living under an assumed name! I won't say why as there are some readers who are watching who haven't gotten that far yet.
Chicago Typewriter
A favorite, at this point. Shin Yool is the sweetest ghost ever, and the tidbits just revealed about the original trio's story have definitely put some skin in the game for friendships - both past and present. We can assume at this point that the person Soo Hyeon shot in the past is either Hwi Young or Shin Yool, and whichever way that goes, my heart will break. In the present, well, Shin Yool is a ghost. He really doesn't have a chance, so I'm not losing a lot of sleep over it. What does pain me, in a good way, is Kwak Si Yang once again turning in a performance where he is both adorably sweet and chillingly bad. Within the blink of an eye, at times. It's getting harder to ever see the sweet though...
Man to Man
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, sadness. Ghost K rescues his lady love and then disappears, of course, because 'the job is over.' He tells her why, too. When he says 'You are the most dangerous person to me' it is the best possible confirmation of his actual feelings for her; it's too bad that she doesn't recognize what he's saying. She thinks he didn't mean any of it, he is resolute but heartbroken, Un-Gwang is watching both his friends with understanding and compassion - it's really pretty good stuff. There are developments though, and it seems that next week our three will work together against the Forces of Evil. I really love that despite occasionally needing rescue, our heroine is smart and resilient and our silly action star is capable and observant. It doesn't hurt the story that our secret agent can convey a dozen different emotions with one poker face, either.
Bad Thief, Good Thief
So, Kim Ji-hoon's new drama ... Yes, for him, I'll break my drama hiatus.KimJiCaps! KimJiCaps! Yayyyyyyyy!
I'll start watching if we're doing Kimicaps or should I start in halfway through like I did for Bori Bori. Isn't there a long(ish) childhood backstory first?
You are correct, I couldn't be bothered watching fully yet, I ffwarded through it. Lots of tears and hardship. Lots of mean people. The usual.
Sirius
I saw the first episode last week, after years of not getting around to it. Maybe it's too soon but my main question is how did Eun Chang get a personality transplant in prison?
NOT-KOREA
Ice Fantasy Destiny
One more episode subbed (5) - thank you, subbers! Viki promised to get the license but it doesn't look like they were successful.Lucifer
Watched - and immediately forgot what happened. This wasn't a very good episode (I think). I need a little more from this show to keep me engaged.It had its moments.
