Rants and Weekly Raves #223 (RAWR)
JoAnne: Did you all have lovely breaks over the holidays? I did...filled with nothing but relaxing by myself or time with family and friends. I've never been good at resolutions, but I do have some intentions this year (trying to be sneaky with my own self!) - I want to do some batch cooking so I have more home-cooked meals during the week, and I'd like to spend time on some of the other things I love besides dramas, like needlework and crafts. Also, this man has been in several tv shows and I had never even heard his name until last night. I'm adding him to my list of things I want to do.
Trotwood: I spent my time off trying to prepare for an extended study trip. I'm in South Korea now about to start an 3-week intensive Korean language course. I'm hoping that it gets me back on track especially when I'm forced to speak it (trying to ask where the paper towels were in Lotte Mart was not pretty yesterday). Anyway, the real irony is that I can't really watch Kdramas here except on regular tv (w/o subs) because legit sites are blocked. My teacher would be thrilled because she thinks I should be practicing by not having subs. In reality, I've just been reading and watching other Asian dramas online. A friend gave me access to God's Quiz 5, but I'm really behind. I'm hoping to catch up in time for this week's finale and post next week.
Panda: One of my resolutions this year is to watch more dramas specifically kdramas (fingers crossed). I am really looking forward to the Masquerade adaptation - The Man who will be King (Crowned Clown) starring Yeo Jin Go that starts today. Also Kingdom on 25th on Netflix!
SakiVI: I am addicted to a new drama crack: SBS TV's little animal tv clips on YouTube. Oh, the stories are heartwrenching and hilarious! I completely forgot about other TV shows because of these clips. That PD running the show is a genius.
Jig's up for Na Wang Sik though, Min Yoo Ra knows it's him. Maybe he'll be able to talk himself out of that. Does anyone else - and I've thought this since maybe the 2d Choi Jin Hyuk episode - think they did a really good job with pre- and post- Wang Sik? Like...there are things CJH does with his face or his eyes that kind of remind me of the other actor, Tae Hang Ho.
I think everyone is having a blast and acting the way people do in operas--over the top, but it works here because everything is over the top. It's like a group of writers are taking bets on who can make the next line crazier than the last and the actors are betting on who's crazy is going to the other break character. Some of the NGs I've seen are really funny.
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| Cody Fern. You're welcome. |
Trotwood: I spent my time off trying to prepare for an extended study trip. I'm in South Korea now about to start an 3-week intensive Korean language course. I'm hoping that it gets me back on track especially when I'm forced to speak it (trying to ask where the paper towels were in Lotte Mart was not pretty yesterday). Anyway, the real irony is that I can't really watch Kdramas here except on regular tv (w/o subs) because legit sites are blocked. My teacher would be thrilled because she thinks I should be practicing by not having subs. In reality, I've just been reading and watching other Asian dramas online. A friend gave me access to God's Quiz 5, but I'm really behind. I'm hoping to catch up in time for this week's finale and post next week.
Panda: One of my resolutions this year is to watch more dramas specifically kdramas (fingers crossed). I am really looking forward to the Masquerade adaptation - The Man who will be King (Crowned Clown) starring Yeo Jin Go that starts today. Also Kingdom on 25th on Netflix!
SakiVI: I am addicted to a new drama crack: SBS TV's little animal tv clips on YouTube. Oh, the stories are heartwrenching and hilarious! I completely forgot about other TV shows because of these clips. That PD running the show is a genius.
KOREA
Less than Evil
I honestly have no memory of what happened in this week's episodes. Oh, wait! Baro was tortured, right? There was a lot of exposition about the guy in the clown mask, and now that segment is over I think, and we're back to Jang. It was fun watching what's his face pair up with what's her face to get back whatever it was from whoever those bad guys were, though. I kinda want a drama about HER. She's clearly wired differently and yet I think she doesn't want to be BAD, she just doesn't want other people getting in her way. Make her a private detective who solves crimes or something. I'd watch it.
This is not a bad drama but it really has very little sticky factor for me.
My Strange Hero
The thwarted lovers are unthwarted for the time being, so we get lots of pretty close ups of smiling eyes and matching lipstick lips.
Who here wishes there was a WHOLE lot more time spent on the looks-old-for-his-age grumpy student?
Encounter
This weekend someone on my TList said this was just another boy saves damsel in distress drama and they wouldn't bother watching it, and I've been thinking about that a lot today. I wrote a whole long thing about why that's not true, but I erased it. Too much talking. It's not true, but it's a very quiet drama at its core and the reasons why it's not true are obvious if you watch it, so watch it and feel joy and comfort, or dismiss it and quite likely suffer no horrible impact on your life. It's not the kind of thing that will change lives. Plus it's only half over, and it could end being the very thing people say it is. We've all been there before, right?
The Last Empress
Everyone else is in a serious drama and Shin Sung Rok is just out to have a good time, right? Well, they're all overacting so maybe it's a parody for all of them but he's just...he's OUT THERE.
Jig's up for Na Wang Sik though, Min Yoo Ra knows it's him. Maybe he'll be able to talk himself out of that. Does anyone else - and I've thought this since maybe the 2d Choi Jin Hyuk episode - think they did a really good job with pre- and post- Wang Sik? Like...there are things CJH does with his face or his eyes that kind of remind me of the other actor, Tae Hang Ho.
I think everyone is having a blast and acting the way people do in operas--over the top, but it works here because everything is over the top. It's like a group of writers are taking bets on who can make the next line crazier than the last and the actors are betting on who's crazy is going to the other break character. Some of the NGs I've seen are really funny.
Children of Nobody
I loved every minute of Eun Ho's slow morph into someone much more dangerous than he seemed. Even though the show did a good job of always casting some suspicion on him, every week it just seemed like he wasn't at all capable of what was happening and we'd all say 'nahhh' once again. N is one idol who can definitely act.
The only thing is, if he's Red Cry what's left to do?
Fates and Furies
Moved from episode 4 to episode 20 over the weekend, so now I'm caught up. We're, um...pretty much where we left off, but at the same time so much has happened and I didn't mind watching it at ALL.
Memories of the Alhambra
There was crying, but this time there was kissing, too.
Sky Castle
Wow, WOW. This show is amazing! I scarfed down 10 episodes like candy and I can fully see where the amazing ratings come in. Why do I empathize more with the baddies though? I am not all caught up but so far I fully respect and totally get Su Jin and her schemes. Who pays off a shopkeeper as to make her daughter feel she's one-upping her mom by shoplifting? A Su Jin that's who. Balls of Vibranium.
With you, in spades. I watched all 12 episodes this week and then waited impatiently for episodes 13 and 14. This show is nuts but it is exceptionally well-done nuts. I think watching Se Ri's family shatter this weekend might be some of the finest acting I've seen in KDrama. I would give up The Last Empress just to make next week's episodes come a little faster
With you, in spades. I watched all 12 episodes this week and then waited impatiently for episodes 13 and 14. This show is nuts but it is exceptionally well-done nuts. I think watching Se Ri's family shatter this weekend might be some of the finest acting I've seen in KDrama. I would give up The Last Empress just to make next week's episodes come a little faster
Lovelist Playlist Season 3
This is webdrama posted on Youtube by one of the webdrama producing companies I mentioned in the end of the year review, Playlist Global. Each episode is only 15-20 minutes a piece. This one about friends in college following the breakup of one the couples in their group. Interesting way each person has an episode so you see things purely from their perspective, so it makes you see how and who people really are.
CHINA/TAIWAN
Emily's Five Things
I started episode 1. It's not objectionable, but I might not finish. Too much else to see, and this can wait. Even if it does have the absolutely adorable Sam Lin, who is being (of course) absolutely adorable in it.
Story of Minglan
And the other reason I forgot about other shows is this one. I eagerly await subs every day and miss Dramafever more and more because they wouldn't be held up like fansubbers are.
Minglan is Persuasion set in Song Dynasty, and yet, and yet, there still isn't a word out of place. I'm amazed. The acting is effing AMAZING!!! And I love it!
SCI: Special Crime Investigation
I'm also reading the translation of this drama, and I'm not really sure how I feel about the major changes in plot. It's not that they make romance into bromance. I get it. They wanted to do drama and not upset the censors, but changing one of the secondary characters into a female character just so they can have romance is going too far. I'm investing in finding out the real story behind the villains ability to manipulate people's minds to the point that they will kill themselves, especially now that there is a sweetheart of a new character that just innocently fell into his trap.
THAILAND
Mee Piang Rak
I love Ken. I am so glad he is back and proving that he can do romantic comedy. He has been going too dark lately. I also, surprisingly like him with the female lead who I thought was going to be too young and too silly (not actress but character) to make me want them together. However, the show is ridiculously slow. The episodes are super long with extra scenes of them together but which do nothing to move plot or character along and are filled with Ken being cute. I can't believe that is bothering me, but it is.
Friendzone
Who knew that what I really wanted was a show that reminds me of that very trashy 90s show Melrose Place. It's been bothering me what this show reminded me of, and yesterday it came to me in a flash. Not all of the characters live in the same place, but the mixing up of relationships and that 20d living on your own and trying to be a grown up but knowing what that means and the sleeping around is all Thai Melrose disfunction, and it just sucks you in. Through each couple's story this week, I kept saying "Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it. Damn they did it" whatever it was and I still just kept watching. I know people are watching for Singto (of the Sotus fame), but the other pairings are just as interesting with hopefully some real break ups happening for the betterment of everyone involved.
WESTERN
Midnight, Texas
Bobo makes a deal with Loki to get Fiji's soul back. Pretty standard deal. Since souls can't be created, Loki will need to take a soul from someone else - but it will be from someone they've never met, at least. At this point the good folk of Midnight Texas should probably make another deal with some other trickster god to prevent anyone from ever getting pregnant because yep...
And that's a wrap for the season. They needed Fiji to beat Hypatia and return everything to what it should be, but I'm sure they're not going to be happy with the eventual result.