Rants and Weekly Raves #265 (RAWR)

kakashi: .... thought long and hard about what to write, couldn't think of anything.
Trotwood: But the picture is so pretty. 
Panda: I am here, I am here, sorry I'm late! Oooooh, who is this? So pretty.

KOREA

Secret Boutique

Can we please. please, please continue this once a week thing for this show? I feel like I keep repeating myself but I just don't think I could take two episodes each week. There is so much deep-seated betrayal and emotional and political machinations going on that I need a breather in between to cleanse myself. It is still delicious though. I feel as though the show is like the strategy game Go that Hyun Ji plays--deliberate and calculating with surprising twists. I don't think any of our people that we like are going to get out of this at all at this point because Chairwoman Kim proves herself to be more and more cold-bloodedly self-serving with each episode. She has no remorse for even the pain she inflicts on her own children to the point that it makes me wonder for whom she is protecting the corporation. I also like how the show has Hyun-Ji befriending Sun Woo without the typical romance background since she knows that he's deeply in love with Jenny Jang. She even tries to pull Jenny into some of her warmth, but we all know this, too, will most likely end badly.

Tale of Nokdu

This drama moved from a frothy rom-com into serious territories last week and I LOVED it. I actually screamed at the end of episode 12 and I contemplated (still contemplating) writing a recap for the drama as a whole. Did anyone see that Yul Mu twist? Because I absolutely did not. It came out of nowhere, and coupled with the fact that he is quite ruthless, he has suddenly never looked hotter. I kept thinking the only thing that would make scene crazier was King and HE too showed up! Nah, that was a fantastic episode. Something I appreciate about this drama is the pace, and it hasn't flagged. I am glad we have left the village, it was the right time. I am so looking forward to this week's episodes.

Extra-Ordinary You

I was wondering why everyone on twitter was wailing about wanting the old Haru back since I'm always at least five days behind everyone else watching shows. However, I liked this story arc even though it was painful watching Dan-Oh cry so much. I can see why her heart was breaking; I'd blame myself, too, if I were in her shoes. Despite the gravity of her situation (she has heart disease, for goodness sakes), she and Do-Hwa didn't seem to take what they were doing as seriously as Haru or our Squid chef, so it was good for the both of them to see the weight of their decisions even if, in the long run, their decisions don't really change. I'm also curious about Baek Kyung's little brother. But MBC knows its audience. They even made a funny video of the show's popular ghost ship. Hey, I am aboard that ship! This is the kind of video that usually only fans make not something the official network does, but they get the meta on the meta of this world.
This is a gem of a drama. Dan-Oh's tears sort of got tiring after a while but I empathized with her. Imagine the fear of knowing you are going to die soon and no matter what you do you can't change it. It is a tough situation to be in, even for an adult not less a teen girl. I am glad Baek Gyeong is now aware and so less of an ass, but I still can't ship him with her even though his feelings are real. I just keep remembering his past deeds. Urgh. The new Haru was annoying to me because I wanted the old Haru back so I am glad that's resolved. What isn't though is the fact that t seems Haru (old and new) had a connection with Dan-Oh in another universe that didn't end well... How is the drama going to even resolve all these conflicts? I sincerely have no idea but I am well settled in my sofa for the ride.

CHINA/TAIWAN

HIStory3: Make Our Days Count

This show is going to have to make a major turn around for its traditions leads if they are going to get any sympathy from me and make me want to ship them with their supposedly destined partner. Geez. I haven't wanted to get out my slapping suit so early in a show, especially one I'm predisposed to like. As a person who needed every grade and every penny to not just go to college but to get out of the type of life that many of my neighbors had, Hao Ting's "prank" to make Xi Gu miss an exam would've made me murderous. I know he's starting to regret it now, but he's got a long way to go to receive forgiveness, and I hope Xi Gu makes him work for it. Also, Sun, honey, you are in high school. Why would you think a grown man who owns a business would think it fine that you keep barreling in, kissing him, and claiming him in public? I work on a daily basis with people this age, and I don't know any of them who are this immature. 

JAPAN

Anata no Ban Desu: Hangeki-hen/Your Turn To Kill: Counter Attack

I know I said this before, but this show really gets you by the hair and pulls. I was finally able to find subs for the last five episodes of the second season, and I was surprised up through the very end. You honestly don't know who is going to live or die from one episode to the next and don't pick any favorites, people, unless you don't mind losing them to horrible deaths. We had to relive quite a bit of pain, and watching Shota mourn for his Nana got to be a bit much for my heart, but I'm glad that they didn't shirk the grieving process not just for him but for anyone. I admire the writers for bringing in new ideas even new characters and making the mystery and the murders seamless. It's set up for a prequel, but I haven't heard anything about that. I'm not sure I'm interested though in the :making of evil" plot that this would have to develop.

Sherlock: Untold Stories

Loved the 1st episode! Want moreeeeeeee

THAILAND

The Blacklist

I would be more interested in this mystery if I weren't laughing at the VERY DRAMATIC music that they have going on constantly in the background. Really the script has enough tension; they don't need 70s soap opera music to emphasize it. We find out in the second episode not only about the Blacklist--our ragtag group of high school avengers lead by a teacher who has come back to clean up the school--but also that their opponents are part of bigger conglomerate that includes drugs and white collar crime. Somehow, Traffic's sister got caught up in this mess and the news about her must be bad from his expression when he hears news of her--not that they are telling us anything yet. I'm glad we got the infighting with the group out of the way because they are going to need all the team work they can get to deal with the man in the mask.

Dark Blue Kiss

I'm trying not to be disappointed in this show. I squeel during all the parts that I'm supposed to but the pacing seems really slow for our favorite couple, and I get the feeling that the director is relying too much on trying to do fan service with them rather than have them address the real issue, which is Pete's jealousy of anyone who even breathes near his boyfriend and his feeling of inadequacy because it's very clear that Kao is smarter than he is. It's going to get ugly if He finds out that Kao is secretly tutoring his nemesis behind his back. However, I am loving the way that Sun and Mork are interacting/bickering. Making me much more interested in their story arc.