Rants and Weekly Raves #179 (RAWR)

Trotwood: Stop!! I don't think I can handle all these new shows!??
JoAnne: I keep looking at the list and thinking how ridiculous it is. There's no way.
kakashi: And then, you watch all of them. Ahahahahaaaaa. I'm just watching the stats these days. Fast approaching 12 Mio page views. I'm also getting mentally ready for Kim Ji-hoon's new weekender. It's starting... soon? 
SakiVI: Just popping in to say Hi!  I'm back from traveling, as of last night, in fact, and will catch up with everyone at the next Rawr. xoxo
Saki's back! No more pictures of scenery and ponies...well, we'll still get ponies no matter where she is, I think. Kakashi - I think it starts on the 25th, and I didn't watch EVERYthing. Also - this has always been my favorite picture of your love.
panda: Kim Ji Hoon looks like sex in this pic. Oh my

Korea

Radio Romance 

Officially dating!  But for how long?  CEO Stepmom is both showing her human side and ramping up her pressure on Soo Ho to give up radio like the soulless automaton she pretends to be.  He, of course, insists he won't quit - but if she threatens Geu Rim we know he'll cave like a politician handed a check from the NRA.

We learned this week that the whole Radio Romance show is designed around a drunken Geu Rim's dream job, so I hope that this enough to sooth the folks who think that Lee Gang's confession came out of left field.  I always thought he liked her, even if he expressed it like an emotionally constipated 4th grader.  Let's face it - NONE of the men in this drama do well with communication, although for sure Soo Ho has his moments. *sighs*

Sigh. These two are so gooood together that I really just want the show to work on how they work together to make the show successful and fall more and more in love in the process while he heals and breaks from his toxic family. Getting something like this to work is stressful enough, especially since (and I know I sound like a broken record), we still haven't been shown why CEO Stepmom does what she does and why he puts up with it. It would make more sense to me if he were the son of the mistress of his dad that was his one true love, for example. But it's not like he doesn't have loads of mistresses, and I can't believe in all his ears of hound dogging he only got one of them pregnant. I need to know what Tae Ri has on her that she feels like she can threaten her. More backstory!!! The lack of exposition is making me crazy.

Laughter in Waikiki

This show has pretty much ruined my fantasy of Kim Jung Hyun as the cool, silent, secretly devoted type. WHY is he so good at being a goofy fool? Sure, there are moments when we can see the through-line from Hyun Tae Hoon to Kang Dong Goo...but I think he's cementing himself in my head as a comic actor at this point. Sigh. He's really good at the tsundere boy, too. I hope he's not gone forever.

Truthfully, everyone here is doing a great job ruining their images. I think this cast is made up of people we're going to see a lot of for years to come, and I'm happy about that. As for the show - physical humor isn't usually my thing, but when they stay away from the grosser stuff it's pretty funny. I did miss the baby this week though :(

Should We Kiss First?

Fine. This is a show that will make you laugh and then punish you for daring to do it. I want to wrap An Soon Jin in the world's biggest, softest hug, and would threaten the life of anyone who dared to upset her. She's been through enough! I wonder if she will understand Moo Han's decision from 6 years ago, considering she lost her daughter and he basically handed his over? I get why he did it, although I don't know if I could have. I look forward to father/daughter reconciliation, though.

I also look forward to Ji Min DESTROYING Kyung Soo when she realizes he bought an apartment for Soon Jin, even if part of me thinks 'well, that's what you get, homewrecker!' I'm pretty sure the beginning of that relationship will be presented in a way that keeps the seedier elements of cheating kind of fuzzy, because neither of them are being presented as really hateful people.

I'm behind, but I do want to say that this show makes my heart hurt for Soon Jin and for Moo Han. They are such strong people in general--the way Soon Jin deals with the brat is priceless; as much as teens try to pretend to be hip, they are SOO embarrassed by grown up nakedness--and I already love the way Moo Han looks at her. But I don't know if I can take this much adult heartbreak.

Mother 

I guess if I had seen the Japanese version of this I wouldn't be so surprised by what happened this week, but - I was really surprised by what happened this week. I'm glad that we had an opportunity to see some BTS of the actor who plays Seol Ak with his colleagues. He looks like a very nice person, and I was impressed with his ability to let the vulnerability and damage of Seol Ak show through at the end...but I was not expecting it to end so quickly! He was so scary and menacing, and it really added something to the show to always have him off in the wings with us fearful of him at every moment.

So the second half of the drama is just going to be her chased by the police? Or, like the rest of the people who come in contact with Soo Jin and Hye Na, will the police eventually ALSO come to think that Soo Jin is the good guy in all of this? She IS. Returning Hye Na to her mother, or even foster care - that wouldn't be the best solution for anyone. But Soo Jin did break the law, too. That's going to put our detective in a difficult spot, I think. I can't wait to see how it unfolds. I've loved watching everyone so far - some struggle through the decision of where their loyalties lie and what they believe is right or wrong in this situation, and for others there's no question, like Dr. Jung. Our beloved Thighs is and has always been an unwavering supporter, despite great potential cost to himself. Gotta love that man!

Return 

Wow. Wow, wow, wow! The snowball is rolling down the hill faster and faster, and - I almost hate to say it but - I think this actress is more understandable in the role, do you? With the revelations about 19 years ago, I'm torn - In Ho has now shown pretty much a life time of weak and depraved behavior and when I balance that against his love for Na Ra and Dal Rae, the love doesn't really make things better. He has to go to the police, cooperate with them to bring down Hak Bum and Tae Soo, and willingly go to prison for his crimes. Then, when he comes out, he can work to regain his family. I'd be okay with that, if he really turned a new leaf.

WOW to the nth power. I just don't know how we are going to get any more twists. I was really disappointed by the whole pregnancy news because I felt like it was trapping her in this relationship that she really needed to cut lose. I don't know how she hasn't gone to police with the video or if we are supposed to believe that the pregnancy and Dal Rae stop her? I don't think it is the new actress as much as it is the show giving us more of the background story--and I wonder whether this background was planned because there any info about her being a judge before the television show? In any case, we know more of her story now, so all that haze before isn't here. These boys were a problem from when they were teens. I feel the most sorry for druggie. He's always been the weakest of them and probably started doing drugs because he couldn't get over the guilt for them running over that girl and dumping the body.

Mystery Queen 2 (new) 

I clearly missed something with the ring. He thinks she took it, but she thinks he gave it to someone else? Is that it? I don't really like that Friend is just randomly going to be a cop now, but otherwise, this is like slipping into comfy slippers. I had no idea how much I missed our crime-solving couple until they were back on my screen! And yes, I know they aren't exactly a couple YET...but at least the writer isn't playing coy with 'do they or don't they like each other' - they definitely do, they're just idiots.

My complaints are exactly the same as yours. I've also read that there are people happy that she keeps failing the police exam because if she were a cop that would change her character. Why?  If she were a copy, she'd still be the same kind of investigator, which would not go over well with many of the others. She's also an older rookie, which would be fun to see. Oh well. I love them, and I want them to keep working together. And I feel good about them and the fun tone.

My loves are back!! Unfortunately because I refuse to subscribe to "kalokowaca" nonsense and was also unable to catch it within 24 hrs of airing on Viki, I have just seen about 20 mins of ep 1 (Thanks Bel)! I was so absurdly happy to see that her ex mother-in-law still had a relationship with her. It truly warmed my heart. This is a season 2 I had eagerly anticipated and can't wait to dive into.

Hwayugi (Finale) 

As usual with dramas I love deeply, the drama itself is no where near as good as the particular things I fell in love with that were pieces of the drama, and those things, of course, say more about me than they do anything else.  In short: the only way I'd be okay with that ending is if there would be a Season 2, and I saw the ratings...there won't be a Season 2.  I'm not going to quibble about CGI or coulda/woulda/shoulda stuff because that's budgets and choices, and I have no control over either, and half the time what you wish happened isn't necessarily any better than what did happen - it's just different. 

Here's why my heart hurts, in order of ascending scale, and you might be surprised:

1.  Princess Iron Fan came back as FLOWERS?  What the hell.  Ma Wang waited more than a 1000 years and she's FLOWERS?
2. Son Oh Gong and Jin Seon Mi aren't together. Yeah I know.  But they aren't TOGETHER.
3. Bu Ja died (all the way died) and we never knew - unless Ah Sa Nyeo lied to spare PK's feelings.

Yes.  That's what really broke my heart.  I honestly thought (I have no idea why) that we'd get Bu Ja back again, there'd be some miracle, she'd be okay.  But no.  Instead, she faded away to nothing while Ah Sa Nyeo worked out her scorned woman rage, and she died without any of us even realizing.  Our precious little zombie deserved better than that.

Misty 

I don't like Eun Joo, but making her lose her baby, even?  Well, I guess that WOULD push her over the edge, so for the story it works...I was a little surprised to see how much Prison Oppa clearly cares for her, too.  I thought he was going to be completely Hye Ran's guy but there's more to the story, it seems. I am very, very curious and by the way, have you heard the guy SING?  Good lord, how did I never know about him before?

This week was great, by the way, if you're not watching or haven't seen yet.  They stick Hye Ran in jail on suspicion of murder with no evidence to support the claim, as retaliation for the news report on Hwanil Steel.  The right people figure that out, make public fools of the prosecutors, and thus ensure that the fight ramps up big-time - but Hye Ran!  Hye Ran, within 24 hours of getting out of jail, takes down the congressman behind Hwanil.  Permanently, on live TV.  It was awesome.  I love, love, love that they have her working with Ji Won, and I love, love, love that for Hye Ran, this victory is very much a victory for her newspaper friend, who turns out to have been a mentor in the past and suffered the exact same plotting in the past.

Okay, going to watch this episode. He is a delicious singer by the way. [later]These were a good pair of episodes. I needed to get a win for Hye Ran's team. I really like that she is working with Ji WOn and what's our nickname for her faithful camera guy? My favorite scene was when she went into the Closet of Power to pick her clothes for her comeback to work. It's like she has her own bat cave, and was she wearing that hat or what? I also like the fact that even though Ji Won was on screen, everyone knew that she was behind it. Sigh. I know that this victory is very brief and we have lots of heartache ahead. I wish she would just tell her husband the secret of her past. He needs that not just for their marriage but to help her against the attacks that are to come.

Ji Jin Hee is so fahnn. GOSH

Happy Sisters

Our lead has decided to keep working at the big company even though she's mad that it turns out it's manager (who is also the heir) is the friend she's made who she thought was jobless. Whew. I'm glad that didn't last long. But now they have HoeJo on a mission to get her kicked out of the company by making it seem like YE seduced him away from a crazy 2nd lead sis who believes that he is supposed to marry her just because she has liked him since middle school. Crazy work stuff is going to start. I do love the other sister and the ex-con. And even though the 2nd couple clearly love each other and even slept together (when drunk), they are still on the "we can't love each other because it isn't part of the contract because he is still afraid to love since his first wife left him" plot line. Sigh.

Children of a Lesser God (new) 

I'm almost glad that I haven't found subs yet. Then I don't feel complete drama watching inadequacy.

Grand Prince (new) 

I watched two minutes of this because I was so surprised it was called a "Viki Original". Huh? Anyway, that snow scene at the beginning was endless so I clicked away, pfffft, attention span of a 3 year old, I admit it. 

I've watched the first episode.  I didn't mind the snow scene mostly because I was noticing that Yoon Si Yoon is improved by dirt and scruff, not that he is at all bad when clean.  And then I was wondering what the hell was wrong with their SKIN.  After that, in the present day (well it's the past, but it's in their present day), I was mostly feeling like I got dropped in the middle of a story, and not really in a good way.  They acted like we knew things, which is fine, I don't mind context clues, but I felt like I had to work a little TOO hard.

Anyway, once it moved backwards to give us the dirt on the brothers from the point where the story started, I felt much more invested.  Not so much in the clearly-meant-to-be-epic love between good brother and the Broom, but my GOD did I hate the kid who grew up to be Joo Sang Wook.  What a little FUCKER that one is. Since I always love YSY's characters and I do love to hate a good villain, I'll stick with this for a little while - but I have no intentions of staying with it to the end, because Broom.

She makes me want to hit things. 

She's so bad.

Fortunately she was only in about 5 minutes of episode 1, so only 4 minutes over my tolerance point.

My Husband Oh Jak Doo (new) 

I liked this, mostly on the promise of the romance that will develop between Uee and Kim Kang Woo who are both actors that I like.  She's a single career woman who inherits a mountain from her single aunt, and turns out that mountain is the home of a reclusive man who will become her contract husband.

It's not the stereotypical cold woman warmed up by a simple man, although it's close.  She's more likable than that and Uee is more animated than her recent roles have allowed.  He's a country bumpkin but it's by choice after a traumatic event (of course) - and also of course, comes from a distinguished family.  I'm feeling some chemistry, and there's some plot mystery swirling around, too.

I like Uee and Kim Kang Woo. The synopsis is exactly up my alley.  But I worry about her.  I find it uncomfortable to watch her when she is so skinny. If a student had this kind of weight loss, we would be doing a wellness check.

It's horrible. She looks like she's going to break.  

She didn't look quite as thin in the show as she did in the media events, although she's certainly quite slender these days. She also didn't seem frail or weak and they had her running around and climbing mountains, so...give it a shot.

Good Witch (new)

See?  I didn't watch something.

China and Taiwan

See You in Time 

Episode 9 had our Lovelies apart (for Ji Qi's future happiness) and the misery was REAL.  She was angry and confused and so, so, hurt...and Feng Ying was just torn apart seeing her pain, but unwavering in his commitment to protecting her at all costs.  It was hard to watch our Lovelies so unhappy.

Episode 10 switches things up a bit - Feng Ying had foiled the grocery store robber's attempt to come back and have his revenge in Ep 9, and in Ep 10 that changes the future enough that FY thinks he can be with JQ now...but she's not letting her guard down.  Turns out the reason that the future messages of JQ being heartbroken are gone because future JQ now falls in love with Mr. Twisted - who actually isn't twisted in this version, because JQ.  

Sadly, though, instead of future FY dying, future JQ is killed by Ms. Twisted at the wedding.  FY in that future decides that if he just holds on to JQ and doesn't break up with her he can prevent this, so he sends a message back to HIMSELF, somehow.  (Yeah, they're kinda losing it on the time rules I think, but I don't care.)  After many, many attempts and one final, over the top, multi-generational no-dance flash mob that made me laugh and cry you mean when he dresses like, as you said, Easter Mozart with monks as back up dancers-cough-swayers?--see below), he finally convinces JQ that his love is sincere and they're back together.  And you know what?  Those two happy are so gloriously radiant that I will forgive ANY amount of plot foolishness that brings them together.

I know this isn't good quality pic, but the combo has to be seen to be believed.

The new future made me sad for Mr. Twisted. He is pretty normal when he is with her, and he has the potential to be different if he didn't have Ms. Twisted as an enabler of his worst tendencies. But of course, we must all vote for FY. He is a walking adonis and so lovely. I don't get Ms. Twisted's plot with the new bicycle guy. What's wrong with the old bicycle guy? Perhaps he isn't evil enough? After all, he seemed to be trying to give FY a hint about the vipers in his midst. I don't think it is on his radar at all that the Twisteds are as twisted as they are. Kind of makes him a sitting duck. I also don't understand why the Twisteds think merely getting rid of him is going to make awful cancer dad treat Mr. Twisteds better. I blame him the most.

Japan

Repeat 

Remind me that if some sketchy guy tells me I can go back in time ten months to get "do over" chances, not to take them. I mean we get an adorable and unlikely couple, but there are so many deaths and even the person I didn't mind dying has awful repercussions for the people who live. What is going on with the researcher? Kazama can no longer blame the most likely suspect(s) because they keep dying. Who is left? 

I'm behind :(

I keep wondering why anyone trusted someone with such teeth (I am being mean, I know - he deserves it). The researcher shocked me! I totally pegged her as an innocent. Alas....
I wonder how many of them will actually remain alive by the end. I recall opening scenes of episode 1 and it doesn't look too good.

BG: Personal Bodyguard 

Don't know if there will be subs up for a new ep before this comes out.

None yet

Unnatural 

This week's episode was another great one but very sad, highlighting the real tragedy of bullying and the way so many are usually complicit in its effects. It brings our two lead pathologists closer together to the chagrin of the team's newbie. If he hopes to have any chance with her at all, even as friends, he will need to come clean soon. This is my favorite Japanese drama of the group. 

So sad, and so real. This episode broke my heart. Bullying is such an awful,awful thing. I held my breath until they got to the student in time. back to our blossoming love triangle, Misumi is clearly already in but strangely I have not seen any signs of those feelings in Nakado. 

Final Cut 

Things are getting really dangerous for our revenge hero. The news people are on to him as is his boss. And now they know his real name because he got caught rescuing someone on live tv. It looks as though his favorite sister is looking to find out more information and maybe give him the benefit of the doubt while the younger sister doesn't care and just loves him--or the guy he pretended to be. I still want to find out about the parents and that sketchy brother. What are they hiding? I think we may get closure, but I get the feeling that no one will be happy at the end of this.

May I Blackmail you?

Don't get excited. There was a two-month wait between subs for ep 2 and for ep 3. I can wait for Dean.

You just broke my heart Trot. Ep 3 was sooooooooooooo good! SO good.

Western

Lucifer

Going nowhere. I'm watching anyway. 
Hulu has been delaying giving me episode 14 for some reason, so I'm now (I think) 2 episodes behind.