Rants and Weekly Raves #159 (RAWR)
Trotwood: So for awhile there, it seemed I wasn't interested in anything. I wanted to watch Argon, but that looks like it's never going to be subbed. However, JTC clips have made me interested in Age of Youth (but really only because of the tall/short love pair) and I love Temperature of Love, still, and I really liked While You Were Sleeping. I went from only halfway watching a couple of dailies to fully watching 5 shows. I'm going to have to stop this soon. I'm not Jo. But I so want to watch Mad Dog when it comes out, and there seems to be lots of quirky--and maybe even some dark--comedies coming out (and I could use a laugh). What are people looking forward to the most? Go Back Spouses? Revolutionary Love? 20th-Century Boy and Girl? Witch's Courtroom?
JoAnne: I haven't even thought about the new ones, but if you're looking for comedy there's something called Borg Mom that just started. Not my thing, but people are laughing. Oh, I know what I want to see: This Life is Our First, with OMGLeeMinKi. What did we do in a previous life that we get Lee Min Ki AND Kim Jae Wook both in dramas at the same time?
I'm going to be honest. I did NOTHING to deserve this, but I will take it with open arms.
SakiVI: Some day I'll try this show. Just not today, or anytime soon.
JoAnne: I haven't even thought about the new ones, but if you're looking for comedy there's something called Borg Mom that just started. Not my thing, but people are laughing. Oh, I know what I want to see: This Life is Our First, with OMGLeeMinKi. What did we do in a previous life that we get Lee Min Ki AND Kim Jae Wook both in dramas at the same time?
I'm going to be honest. I did NOTHING to deserve this, but I will take it with open arms.
SakiVI: Some day I'll try this show. Just not today, or anytime soon.
Jo, Lucy will be back today! Though I think I swore I wouldn't watch anymore, haha, my memory is short.
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| in honor of beauty! They're all in Paris. |
Strongest Deliveryman (Finale)
Between last weekend and this, I forgot that I hadn't watched the final episodes of this drama - blame it on my schedule, not my interest. Everything went exactly as it should and I leave Restaurant Row with a smile on my face. I expected no less, really, with a cast of characters so loaded with genuinely nice people. I'd actually welcome a Season 2 at some point, to see these folks a few years down the road. Yes, we know that the business is thriving and Dan Ah can go to school and all the right couples form and are happy together, but I'd like to visit with them again and see how their dreams have grown. I also can't help wondering if Madame Jang won't do better, next time around, with the influence of her daughter to help. I would like to see that.
Temperature of Love
We moved quickly through the past and get caught up to the present this week, and were able to marvel at just how much emotion Yang Sejong is able to convey with barely a twitch of a facial muscle. Yes, foolish Hyun Soo rejected our boy, and he fled to Paris without even being able to say goodbye. In her defense, she didn't realize that's what she was doing, caught up in tough situation of her own. Trot's been proven right about the latent nastiness of Hyun Soo's rich-girl friend, but they do leave a bit of room for her to be aware of and perhaps slightly ashamed of her pettiness. We'll see. Kim Jae Wook confessed, sort of, and got shot down. To his everlasting credit, he set aside his own feelings to respond to the clear misery of Hyun Soo, and since they're still friends in the future, I'd say he's a decent person. Please just don't mix him up with Jo Boa's character, Show.
I really wanted to not be right here because I feel like Hyun Soo really doesn't have any other friends except for that Jo Boa girl. I call her a girl on purpose because she really acts like a child. HS is really only her friend in name only--she's like the stereotypical pretty girl in high school who is only friendswith girls who aren't as pretty, rich, smart, etc. as her so she can be queen bee and have everyone marvel at how egalitarian she is for having such ordinary friends. There was nothing but pettiness meaness behind her telling Jung-Sun that HS has a boyfriend. Jung-Woo's confession was painful and adorable with how he really immediately turned it around when it was obvious that HS was miserable and crying over another guy who was deeply in her heart. If this is going down the Secret Love road and putting him together with a female character I can't stand, I'm going to be pissed.
I really wanted to not be right here because I feel like Hyun Soo really doesn't have any other friends except for that Jo Boa girl. I call her a girl on purpose because she really acts like a child. HS is really only her friend in name only--she's like the stereotypical pretty girl in high school who is only friendswith girls who aren't as pretty, rich, smart, etc. as her so she can be queen bee and have everyone marvel at how egalitarian she is for having such ordinary friends. There was nothing but pettiness meaness behind her telling Jung-Sun that HS has a boyfriend. Jung-Woo's confession was painful and adorable with how he really immediately turned it around when it was obvious that HS was miserable and crying over another guy who was deeply in her heart. If this is going down the Secret Love road and putting him together with a female character I can't stand, I'm going to be pissed.
Girls Generation 1979
Sometimes I think I don't really care that much for Jung Hee, especially her pettiness about Hae Joo. It comes and goes, at least, so I hope her better instincts win out. Hae Joo has a lot on her plate. I'm finding the unspoken love between her and Young Choon very touching, are you? She turns to him for comfort, and he very cautiously responds - but you can see how much it pleases him, and how much he cares for her even if he knows they're not 'right' for each other. He and Dong Moon are both far better men than Jin, although Jin is not a bad guy. He's cautious and he hedges his bets, but he's in a tough spot with his father. In the end, he risked himself to bring help for Hae Joo's dad and even if he's packed off to Seoul now, we haven't seen the last of him. Dong Moon remains my favorite. He's brave and honest and kind, devoted to Jung Hee but not a pushover. I really hope her concern for him this week is the beginning of affection. PS. I was sooooo right about Auntie and Bong Soo's dad. Mom is handling it with grace, so far.
Another one I keep thinking I'll try, but no time as yet.
Another one I keep thinking I'll try, but no time as yet.
Manhole (Finale)
I'm a little torn with this one, because I really liked this show and I don't NOT like the final episodes...but they do shine a very bright light on weaknesses in writing, directing, and acting. In short, the last two episodes get the job done, but they were sloppy in every way. Plot points dropped, ignored, or hastily tied together for no reason; acting in scenes that were clearly meant to be epic, but instead just made you think 'wow, look how seriously they're trying to act'; and absolute whiplash in the case of how to think of Mr. Hot and Evil Pharmacist. Honestly, I think the show lost something when they went so dark with him in the final timelines - especially because they ended with him more pitiful and sick than anything else, right after his most evil moments. Oh well - one thing I DID really like: just as I was happily enjoying Bong Pil and Soo Jin together, I noticed that poor Goo Gil was all alone again...and then our manhole fairy aliens showed up to give him his own chance to win the girl of his dreams! I liked that little bit, although the aliens were beyond cheesy.
Hospital Ship
Nobody ships this.While You Were Sleeping (New)
I don't generally like Suzy as an actress. I haven't liked her in anything, not even in Architecture 101 where everyone was saying her acting was a revelation. I don't dislike her. I think she is just sort of there a lot. However, despite the fact that I think she was out acted by the actor playing the younger version of herself, I think she is doing a pretty decent job here. The times that I have been annoyed by her character are not her fault but because I find certain kinds of behaviors in people annoying and the writing for her character odd. Why make her think that every man is falling in love with her or stalking her? What does that add to the narrative? Anyway, the storyline is interesting enough. And man, did they make Yang Seob a real ass in this or what?
Ass does not begin to describe the man. He's utterly despicable. I am enjoying the drama despite my distress over seeing such a sweet face be such a complete pile of shit, though. As usual, I like Suzy better in moments of levity than sadness, but Trot's right - some of what the character does is just irritating. JongSuk, though, is as cute a pup as ever with his completely clueless work manners and constant need to take selfies. I like that they dream, I like that from the very start they acknowledge that changing the future has repercussions they don't understand, and I like that they dream the same things but different pieces of them. This will be fun, I think. Except for when people die, of course.
I like the show, but I have to agree with Trot, Suzy, who is just person chosen to play the role as far as I am concerned, is playing a rather vain and self-centered character. I really hate people who think everything revolves around them and that everyone must be in love with them. They are tedious.
Ass does not begin to describe the man. He's utterly despicable. I am enjoying the drama despite my distress over seeing such a sweet face be such a complete pile of shit, though. As usual, I like Suzy better in moments of levity than sadness, but Trot's right - some of what the character does is just irritating. JongSuk, though, is as cute a pup as ever with his completely clueless work manners and constant need to take selfies. I like that they dream, I like that from the very start they acknowledge that changing the future has repercussions they don't understand, and I like that they dream the same things but different pieces of them. This will be fun, I think. Except for when people die, of course.
I like the show, but I have to agree with Trot, Suzy, who is just person chosen to play the role as far as I am concerned, is playing a rather vain and self-centered character. I really hate people who think everything revolves around them and that everyone must be in love with them. They are tedious.
Man Who Sets the Table
I picked up where I left off, episode 5, and MAN, is this going off the rails or what? Turns out that horrible mom really DID leave her son and daughter-in-law to die, it wasn't just her other son's vivid imagining - and now she's trying to kill her step-grandson (On Joo Won) so that he won't win a cooking contest and take the job she wants for the son who doesn't want anything to do with her. Kim Gap Soo becomes more hateful every minute, and his son turns out to be a really retiring, quiet type who would prefer to be left alone to his yoga and nature shows than try to deal with his loud and pushy wife and MIL. That's what he does in his secret second home. Yoga, read, watch tv, and eat take out. Too bad though, because wifey thinks she's pregnant. I think I could deal with wifey long term but MIL is beginning to grate. Oh, and now there's a feral child in the mix, one we're expected to assume is his from his first love. Good Lord, what next? Update: OMG, it gets worse. Happy Mom's ex-husband comes around for money and he's perfectly content to force her to work as a prostitute to get it? Folks, I haven't even finished episode 5 yet. I almost can't tear my eyes away.Live Up to Your Name (Finale?)
Yes, but I haven't got to it as yet because mum is visiting and is obsessed with Baba Candir. And that means most of my tv time is taken up watching Baba Candir too.
Age of Youth 2
Tall/Small are coming to a head, I think. They kind of have to, the drama is almost over. Turns out the the letter was directed at Ji Won, and I think to myself 'DUH.' It's about that little girl that moved away, her friend that she can't quite remember. Not quite sure how the man plays into it. Oooh, do you think that man is really that little girl? He DOES have a girl room-mate...
Argon
I'll ask again. Is anyone subbing this? I think it's already over. Wasn't it only going to be 8 or 10 episodes anyway?
Greatest Teacher Oh Soon Nam
Wow. What a difference a week makes in a daily. I don't know where to begin. The blind chairwoman escapes and is found found Soo Nam and Co. It is clear that bad Dad was conflicted--worried about her health but glad that she was out of the way so that he could battle Yu Min. I think that Ungil despite pushing her away because her mother and brother have done horrible things to his mother and Soo Nam is going to fall even harder for her because she's decided to go against her family and keep being a good person by spying for the Soo Nam team. That makes me a bit sad because his earnestness needs the humor of Myun-Ja. Oh well. Mad still cares about Elf Ears, and he's planted the seed of doubt in her mind about her dad. He is definitely behind the death of Soo Nam's and his dad's deaths as well as the whole losing the two kids thing. But he probably had something to do with the disappearance of Mad's real mother as well. It's getting really goooood. (rubbing my hands with vengeance glee). Also, there was a minion sighting!!!
I feel so badly for them. It's like they are regular people just trying to make a living who accidentally walked into a soap opera.
I skipped it this week because I really could not take that horrible Yumin's mother anymore. I get that Geum Bora has her fans, but I really hate her hair and her voice. Both grate on my soul.
Sweet Enemy
So I was very excited that the evil mother-daughter duo went to jail, but of course they were in there a hot minute since they can't lock them up yet. There are at least 40 episodes left. Sigh. There was more bribery going on than in NCAA college basketball, and I don't know why people don't tell that screechy sister that her loser husband actually was engaged to the woman who's been framed for murder, left her when she was pregnant and in prison, and hid it to marry her for her money and her shares? She deserves the truth. Also, the hero in this is soooooooooooooooooooooooo boring. I am hoping that they can figure out a way to have our heroine be together with the 2nd lead, but I don't have a lot of hope. maybe 40 episodes will heal our hearts and change our minds.
Urgh, I can't stand the hero. I'm still holding out hope that Chef-nim will get back in the race for Dal Nim's heart. And why is Se Na so sweaty all the time? Not one other character is as oily as her.
Urgh, I can't stand the hero. I'm still holding out hope that Chef-nim will get back in the race for Dal Nim's heart. And why is Se Na so sweaty all the time? Not one other character is as oily as her.
NOT-KOREA
Marking Time
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Attention, Love!
Taiwan just really gets the right mix of cute/sweet/angst in these romcom type dramas. Xiao Shi continues to try to erase her feelings for Li Zheng, Dimple keeps being an absolute sweetheart with no chance of winning her heart but no idea he's never going to win, and Li Zheng keeps struggling with jealousy that he doesn't really understand because he's an idiot. He also shows us, once again, how easily it would be to slide this drama over into noir territory because Bai Bai, who likes him, holds no interest for him until he learns that she knows things about the mean girls who've got all the classmates shunning Xiao Shi. His friendliness level changes on a dime, and it's solely for Xiao Shi's sake. Let's hope he figures out he loves her before he kills somebody, huh?
I couldn't put a finger on why I dropped this drama since it seemed to, on paper, have everything I like when I need not to think. But this comment just summed it up.
I couldn't put a finger on why I dropped this drama since it seemed to, on paper, have everything I like when I need not to think. But this comment just summed it up.
The Exorcist Season 2
John Cho! A foster dad, a new widower, and the owner of a home soon to be possessed by demons, apparently. He's got his hands full: rebellious girl about to age out of the system, overly religious boy, a bi sleepwalking kid named Truck who's on the autism spectrum, a blind boy, and a little girl who can't leave the house or her room unless she wears a pillow case over her head with a face drawn on it. I know who gets my vote for scary possessed kid...
Fear the Walking Dead
Troy returns (wow, that was even faster than I expected) and he's got a warning for the ranch - something big is coming. Well, turns out that it's more accurate to say something big is being driven toward the ranch - by Troy, of course. The largest horde of zombies we've seen to date, a truly unstoppable number - a mass of shamblers that fills an entire valley. In his sick mind, he was doing this to clean the place out, start over. Him and his brother, rid of all the pesky people like Madison and her kids. Only problem is, it ends up killing his brother (booo) and now Nick is insisting that Troy make amends, somehow. Like he could, even.
Baba Candir/What Happens to My Family, Turkish version
It's the Turkish remake of the Korean drama of the same name, and frankly, it's a lot better, despite the less attractive cast, and the lengthy 2 hour episodes. Here, I really feel the romance between the leads, which I didn't really in the Korean show.
So, basically, the story is of a widower with a small food shop, here, phyllo, living with his sister and his three adult children. Eldest is a woman in her 30s who is an executive assistant in a large corporation, middle is a cold-hearted doctor son, who, at least in this version, shows some sadness after he's rude to his dad, and the youngest is a drifter who suddenly wakes up to find a childish childhood betrothal kicking him out of bed, moving into his house and insisting he marry her! Because, as she says, if you can't believe what people say, what can you believe?
Here is a link to more info: https://www.turkishdrama.com/father-is-a-life-baba-candir.html. And it's on Netflix as What Happens to My Family.