Rants and Weekly Raves #277 (RAWR)

Trotwood: Flew back from London into a snowstorm with untreated roads, but I thought to myself at least I wasn't trying to fly into Newfoundland this weekend!! I had made draft of RAWR comments for shows while I was away, but of course, I can't find where I saved them, so be patient with my random from a not so good memory comments. Apparently, there are a lot of new shows coming up. What sounds most interesting to you?
kakashi: Yes, tell me. I'd like to watch something to take my mind of real life misery.
Panda: Well, I finally finished my rewatch of Minglan. I really heart that drama. Other than that, been reading lots of romances, and I literally just pressed play on ep3 of Crash Landing on you. Trot, I am really interested in Jang Hyuk's upcoming OCN show,  the Itaewon show with PSJ on JTBC, Park Min Young's new romcom and I desperately want to start MING Dynasty.
Sigh. There is just too much of me below, but we did get someone who commented on my Kinou Nani Tabeta recaps from 8 months back. 

KOREA

Chocolate  (Finale)

Jo will tell you if you ask her nicely. 

Woman of 9.9 Billion Won/9.9. Billion Won Woman

I had considered developing a character web to help me remember the connections between the people in this drama, but the alliances change so much that it would be useless anyway. You might have thought Seo Yeon had some level of safety, but no her danger literally comes out of the grave with men who should be dead considering her a pawn in their games for power and revenge. I, too, am starting to wonder if that money was cursed.I'm starting to believe that Tae Woo is going to die before this is over since he is too good for this world.  He becomes a shell of himself after finding out that Seo Yong saw his brother alive. I'm glad it is ending this week;I just want to find out who dies

Queen: Love and War/Selection: The War Between Women

I'm dropping this for the time being, and it's not because of the broom. It is just at that point in palace saeguks that I find most annoying, so I will probably not watch until it's almost over and look at last couple of eps just to see resolution.

Want a Taste (Check In)

I'm periodically looking into this show because I'm waiting for the revenge arc to start. Unfortunately, our heroine is still insisting on staying married to her horrible and dimwitted husband who is begging for a divorce while his family begs them to stay together because they know she does all the work. However, I'm not sure if they will still support this marriage now that they know the mistress is rich. I hope this is the turn they need. I can't wait for the lead guy to be rid of his horrible wife. He'll have his revenge as well. I bet the script he is working on will be s hit. I just want to watch the leads become successful and have their exes begging and finagling to try to come back to them. Meanwhile, instead . . .

CHINA/TAIWAN

Some Day or One Day

I feel as though I am being punished for pre-emptively abandoning Yoon Kye Sang and Chocolate because it was so sad in the beginning (since Jo says it's not that sad) and watched this instead because I cried off and on throughout episode 9, especially now that we have four different time periods in which I can mourn for the loves and friendships of our main couple and the people they were in their previous renditions. This is one of  the most interesting and heart wrenching time travel shows I have watched, but I'm getting so sad of watching them attempt to go back in time to rescue people and not succeed. I also don't know how this is going to work now that we know that we actually have the two versions of the male lead alive at the same time. Everyone is acting their asses off as well. If I weren't so invested in the characters, I'd probably drop it, not because I don't think it good but because I really don't want to cry this much watching dramas anymore. If you watch, you will cry equally at the sad and the sweet--at the romance, but even more at the bromance.

Fairyland Lovers

I tried for the sake of Bai Yu, but I only made it through one ep because the female lead made me crazy. Not necessarily the actress's fault, but the character is written to be the ultimate silly Candy, and I really can't abide Candy characters at the moment. Too bad because the premise of a time traveling doctor who is not human and asks for what's most important to a person for payment rather than money is right up my alley. Also, the heroine might be the reincarnation of his one true love, too. If someone is watching and can tell me if the show settles down and gets better, I'd greatly appreciate it. 

JAPAN

La Grande Maison Tokyo

Subs for episode 9 and 10 are out, so I'm hopeful that the show will completely subbed since there are only 11 episodes total, but you never know with Japanese dramas.  This is a great show with great characterizations, especially Obana. I love the way, despite his gruff and focused exterior, he really understands people. This pays off in a major way here since we have another more dangerous spy in the restaurant. I like he always looks at things from a standpoint of empathy and admiration for skill. Also, despite the kinds of risks he is willing to take, he is also super cautious. I was so satisfying seeing the way they handled the potential contamination of the restaurant, and how that surprised the people who are against him. I'm more worried about Shohei. Because of his guilt, he is the one who is in the most danger of being broken.

G-Senjou no Anata Watanashi/You and I on the G-String/ You, Me, and Bach

We ended on a cliffhanger from last episode, wondering what would happen when Riito goes to comfort his old crush, but the show doesn’t make us wait because Kusimi recognizes right away that Rihito is different as soon as she finally opens the door. His comfort to her is just what she needs as Yaeko states, and I think better that he is now only a friend rather someone who has a crush on her. I’m frustrated that Rihito decides to wait until after the concert to confess, but allowing the trio to focus is a much better reason than the lame fortune from his sister-in-law. Because I’m spiteful, my favorite part of the ep was when Yuki thanked her MIL and her daughter but not her husband. He doesn’t deserve any thanks. I’m also glad that Rihito recorded Taeko’s tribute to Kusimi and that their teacher heard it. As a former teacher myself, I know what it means to hear that you’ve had an impact on a student’s life. Now it’s time to see if Yaeko understands that her meeting with Rihito is a date!

Follow Saretara Owari

I'm repeatedly mazed at what this show can pack into 15-20 minutes! Despite some plots being revealed, like how the Million Yen mystery guy is behind the vile actor's plot to break up the only nice people in this show, it actually doesn't solve anything. It only adds to the layers. I'm really worried that Sotaro is now going to use the social media that he hates so much to try to figure out the mystery on his own, but on a positive note, the friendship group seems to have broken up, and they were toxic friends to begin with. I'm wondering about those purple packets of money and how all the people who have been punished seem to be moving forward (even exonerated) from their past problems while it looks like Sotaro is the only one who is completely innocent but is unable to get anything he wants. Is he the ultimate target?

Nee Sensei, Shiranai no?

no subs this week

THAILAND

Until We Meet Again

The pattern of opening with a beautifully happy KornIn moment to make us bemoan their tragedy continues, and I'm not even mad. I mean I know what happens to them, but I've gone from being mad at having to watch them because of the promises they can't keep to each other to being, "Yes!! Wrap me in the blanket of your love!!" Parm's dreams seem to getting worse not better the more his storyline goes in the opposite direction of his former self. In addition to the whole campus and his friends being in full support of his relationship with Dean, his mom and brother love Dean, too. Watching him battle through his nightmare was difficult (apparently they had to cut down the filming of this scene and the actor needed his inhaler because the crying was taking such a toll), but what really hit home was when Den brought him the soup from his grandmother, who is In's older sister, which was In's favorite soup. Parm remembers that taste and weeps. Anyone who has a dish that they associate with someone whom they've loved and lost could relate.