Rants and Weekly Raves #264 (RAWR)

Kakashi: Man, I ate a lot this week. Mountains of the most delicious cheese. Let me publicly admit it - French cheese is the best. No time to watch anything though.
Panda: I currently have the worst MP ever and miss being pregnant and not worrying about this for 12 months + ☹️😢😢

Trotwood: And I spent most of my week at a conference that was all about legal issues and crisis management, which was super fun but also sad because people talked about how to process tragedy. Still, I found the perfect cupcake shop, too. So I ate way too many cupcakes and didn't watch hardly anything either.
JoAnne is sorely missed. We are so lame in comparison to her.  
Honestly! How can we bribe her to come back?? I miss her so much.
Me, too. I've never watched most of the mainstream shows that she does and people come here for.

KOREA

Secret Boutique

Once again, there was only one episode this past week, and I have to say, I kind of like this one ep a week bit for this show. There show much richness that it seems too much to have two--like that moment when you feel satisfied with the piece of cake you have, but decide because it tastes so good that should take another slice, but you don't enjoy the second slice as much. I'm not saying that I haven't enjoyed the two-week episodes but I've been able to savor these two, especially since I've been so busy these last weeks. I'm finding the layers of Jenny Jang's friendship with her husband both heartwarming and heartbreaking. She knows he's her best friend, but she doesn't seem to have anything to live for but her revenge. Sun Woo needs to stop thinking that she will pick him over her husband and Ye Nam, though I feel sorry about her secret, has not suffered enough for her lifelong rich mean girl entitlement to my liking. Even her horrible clothes aren't enough punishment, and they are pretty bad.

The Tale of Nokdu

We only had 1 episode last week because of a baseball game (totally judging MBC BTW), but it was my best in the series so far. One thing I really appreciate in this drama is the pace. They really don't muck things about too much which is such a welcome change. I mean in this episode alone, Dong Joo gets jealous and confesses, Nokdu gets super jealous, confesses and OMG there's a Kiss. There is also another kiss that is totally funny and amazing honestly, AND Yul Mul finds out the secret! Like seriously, things are moving fast. I loved the 2 kisses, loved that chase and when YM preferred to drown rather than accept help (I LOL'ed SO Hard), loved that glare Aeng Do gave at that kiss too! Have I used the word "love" enough? Hehehehe. Okay, *spoiler alert* I was shocked that Nokdu is the King's son! I always thought he was another younger brother that he wanted eliminated. Finding out he is his son makes the entire thing so much worse. Anyway, looking forward to more Palace intrigues and romantic hi-jinks. Hopefully we get 2 full episodes this week.

Extra-Ordinary You

Poor Haru. I feel the worst for him because he's the only one that seems to be aware of the gravity of their situation and is the one being hurt, physically and emotionally, by their determination to change their stories. I don't understand why it takes so long fo Dan Oh to figure out why her heart palpitates so much for him. And is Baek Kyung merely jealous or is he starting to have feelings for her? I can't really like him because the writer of the show and of the comic that they are in continue to make him so mean even to his brother (who looks like a marshmallow) that I don't know how he'll recover. For every minute of feeling sorry because his dad is an ass, we get ten minutes of him being a jerk. The show is still fun, and I constantly think I want to go to school here because they have the ideal facilities. All of that beautiful wood trim and that Olympic-sized pool!
Trot, schools in SK and Chinese shows are built in Utopia-land. I remember those Chinese university dramas where each dorm room is about 2000 sq ft. LOL. I am still really enjoying this also, and I agree with everything you have written, Trot. I do feel for Haru, but my heart also seriously tugs for Do Hwa :( Baek Gyeong on the other hand is a world-class jerk, and I am sorry his personal abuse doesn't justify his crap in any way. I truly wonder how the writer will make him sympathetic or worthy for Dan Oh.

Our Baseball

Well I finally finished this gem of a show, which consisted of a total of ten fifteentish minute episodes and each one got me right there in the heart. I actually think that's why it took me so long worth savoring but also sometimes so close to the pain of real life and the ordinary struggles people face with work and family that it gave a gnawing pain. I liked how they focused on one team member each episode but also included different types of people at different stages in their lives and their responsibilities for others. This is a show that I'm going to remember for a long time. I recommend. It's on Youtube. 

CHINA/TAIWAN

HIStory3: Make Our Days Count

The newest show in the franchise focuses on high school students. Set up is a group of friends vs. the loner nerd guy. They start to harass him because they think that he's trying to steal their leader's girlfriend when it turns out the girl is trying hard to get him to date her since he's super smart and will probably get into a top school, so he's boyfriend/husband material. He's not bad looking either. The problem is that he's just not interested in anyone else. We know it's because he's broke and too tired studying and working because he wants to get a scholarship for college. The leader guy becomes intrigued by him while his friend also gets mad at him because he works for the guy he likes, so he thinks he's flirting with him, too. I'm feeling sorry for Xi Gu. He really needs some food and a nap; he's too exhausted to flirt with anyone at this point.

JAPAN

Sherlock:Untold Stories

I feel like I should whisper about this show because I've never seen a show with Dean in it get subbed so quickly. Remember the last time I commented on a Japanese drama with Dean? It took me over a year to finish because the subs for a ten-episode drama started in December and weren't completed until nearly a year later. The show started airing on October 7 and sub for the first episode are already out!! Still I refuse to be excited and just feel grateful for getting something subbed. Dean plays Sherlock, a detective who works with the police but obviously not for the police and based on the original Sherlock Holmes. The first episode sets up the case for how he meets his "Watson," a psychiatrist. I'm already vested in their relationship, which is pretty hostile and suspicious (for good reason) and Sherlock, who pursues him and his case with the focus of a laser. I'm looking forward to seeing this relationship progress and to see how they solve cases.
Eagerly waiting to start!

THAILAND

Dark Blue Kiss

This episode makes me wonder how fan fav couple PeteKao are going to be able to survive Pete's insecurity, jealousy, and immaturity. He's the one in the couple who has the rich father who accepts their relationship, so you would think he'd be the confident one. Instead, he can't bare to see Kao get close to anyone else (which is how he was forced to accept his feelings in the first place). Wanting Kao to quit his job even though Kao needs that money to help his mom and his sister just because he's jealous does not make him long lasting boyfriend material and the sooner figures that out the better. All the swoon worthy moments in this episode happen between our secondary couple who aren't even a couple yet. I swear I almost passed out when Sun buckled in Mork for safety!